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Complaint filed by priest against the brother of UP BJP MLA for stealing slippers, mobile phones of devotees at a temple in Siddarthnagar

OpIndia Staff
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Complaint filed by priest against the brother of UP BJP MLA for stealing slippers, mobile phones of devotees at a temple in Siddarthnagar

A complaint has been filed with the police by the priest of Sinheshwari Devi Mandir in Uttar Pradesh’s Siddharthnagar, accusing BJP MLA Shyamdani Rahi’s brother of stealing slippers, mobile phones of temple devotees.

The complaint filed by the priest mentioned that from the last few days, the devotees who came to the temple for offering prayers had lamented that their mobiles, helmets, slippers were being stolen from the temple premises. It also mentioned that the women devotees in the temple were subjected to harassment. On investigation by authorities of the temple, stolen slippers and mobile phones of the devotees were found in possession of Shiv Prasad alias Tyagi, the brother of BJP MLA Shyamdani Rahi, the complaint said.

The complaint has also alleged Shiv Prasad of harassing the women devotees visiting the temple.

Urging the police authorities to verify the allegations by reviewing the CCTV footage of the cameras installed in the temple, the priest has asked to file an FIR against Shiv Prasad and take necessary and appropriate action against the culprit for stealing the belongings of the devotees and molesting women visiting the temple.

Prasad had a history of stealing slippers, mobile phones and other belongings

The complaint additionally mentions that this is not the first time that Shiv Prasad has been accused of stealing the belongings of the temple devotees. It says that on many occasions in the past, personal belongings of the devotees have been recovered from Prasad.

It further mentions that Prasad had been defiant about stealing the slippers, mobile phones and helmets. When confronted, he said, “I have stolen the mobile phone but I won’t give it back. Do what you want, I am an MLA’s brother and I will do whatever I want to.”

Police says investigations ordered in the case

When OpIndia contacted police SHO, he said that a complaint has been received in this regard and an investigation is ordered. He added that additional information can be given only after the investigation is complete.

Shyamdhani Rahi is the BJP MLA from Kapilavastu constituency in the Siddharthnagar district.

Pyare Miyan who ran a sex trafficking racket of minor girls arrested from Srinagar, lived in govt bungalow allotted in 1990: Read details

OpIndia Staff
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Pyare Miyan who ran a sex trafficking racket of minor girls arrested from Srinagar, lived in govt bungalow allotted in 1990: Read details

The Special Investigation Team has arrested the main accused Pyare Miyan in the sexual exploitation of minor girls in Bhopal from Srinagar and brought to the city. The accused was absconding from the last 4 days. The 68-year-old man is accused of raping a 13-year-old girl adopted daughter, apart from running a sex trafficking racket.

The preliminary investigations into the Bhopal sex racket case have revealed that Pyare Miyan was involved in the trafficking of minor girls. The girls trapped in the racket used to call Miyan as ‘Abbu’, which means ‘father’. The man claimed that he was the owner of a newspaper.

Four people, including two women, were taken into custody in this case before Pyare Mian’s arrest. These include broker Sweety Vishwakarma (21), Uwais, Anas and Rabia. Uwais and Anas are relatives of the main accused Pyare Miyan. A victim’s grandmother has also been arrested in this case.

Another woman accused of introducing minor girls to Pyare Miyan has been arrested by the police. The arrested woman, Gulshan, is reportedly a distant relative of Pyare Miyan. Miyan used to call her “daughter-in-law” in public.

The police have claimed that Pyare Miyan used to force girls into the sex trade for earning money and paying for their living. At least 7 girls have come forward levelling serious allegations of sexual molestation and sex trafficking against him.

The police raid at Pyare Miyan’s four houses in Bhopal and Indore have resulted in the recovery of a large amount of pornographic material stored on DVDs, CD players, pen drives and hard disks. Some of it was also child pornography material. Apart from this, reindeer horns, wildlife bones and a great many numbers of liquor bottles were also retrieved from his flats. Two of his cars have also been seized.

Pyare Miyan exploited minor girls

The case involving Pyare Miyan came to light when police found 5 minor girls wandering around on the road in an inebriated state on July 12. On interrogation, they found that the girls were raped under the influence of alcohol by a certain Pyare Miyan. The police later found that he is a land mafia and had was involved in sex trafficking of minor girls. An investigation was launched into the illegal activities presided over by Pyare Miyan.

The investigation also revealed that Pyare Mian physically abused the minor girls. When she was older, she would get them married. In this case, a woman named Sweety Vishwakarma was also supporting her. At the same time, he used to come to the girls and the beloved used to exploit them on the pretext of giving them jobs. He also used to give money in the name of loans to the parents of the girls and then make them their victims.

Uwais, Pyare Miyan’s driver’s brother also accused of rape

According to the reports, Uwais, brother of Anas, the driver and relative of the accused Pyare Miyan, had also raped the 13-year-old minor girl. Uwais had apparently impregnated the girl in Indore after which she was shifted to a hospital in Shahjahanabad area of Bhopal for abortion.

At the time of abortion, the 21-year-old Sweety Vishwakarma was present in the hospital as a relative of the accused Pyare Miyan. The ChildLine organisation and the police came to know about other cases of Pyare Miyan after recording the statement of the victim. Miyan is currently under arrest on the charges of sexual exploitation of several minors.

The statements by a 16-year-old victim have revealed that Pyare Miyan had threatened to kill her and her mother. Because of these threats, despite being freed from the clutches of Miyan 10 months ago, the girl and her mother kept mum on the atrocities committed by him.

The girl’s mother claims that the girl’s maternal grandmother had remarried to Pyare Miyan’s brother. He adopted the girl three years ago, then 13-years-old, for studies and proper upbringing. He kept her for a year and a half with another girl in a flat in Indore.

However, the mother’s victim adds that in the month of September last year, the girl had complained on phone about the harassment faced by her. Following this, her mother brought the girl back to her home. But shortly afterwards, the victim and her mother were threatened by Pyare Miyan for getting the girl the back. Despite their protests, Miyan had sent goons to their house to beat the girl’s parents.

The victim’s father, an auto driver, lamented that after being fed up of Pyare Miyan and his goons, he had to sell his house and forced to live in anonymity.

Pyare Miyan was allotted a government accommodation

Madhya Pradesh police have started seizing the properties of Pyare Miyan located in Bhopal and Indore. It also came to light that the state government had given him a government bungalow, which has now been evacuated. However, the revelation has left people wondering as to how could Miyan get government accommodation.

This government accommodation, ostensibly an MLA Rest House, sprawling over an area of about 5000 sq ft, was allotted to Pyare Miyan in 1990. The campus was allotted to Miyan for running a workshop. However, he turned this government bungalow into his luxurious home. Despite several notices, he did not evacuate the bungalow.

There were two properties in the government bungalow allotted to Miyan. After a lot of struggle, one of them was vacated by the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Secretariat in 2002. However, Miyan clung on to the other one. He opened the office of an English newspaper named ‘Dainik Afkar’ from the government bungalow.

The administration is investigating all the illegal constructions and other illegal activities linked to Pyare Miyan. The police have already demolished an illegally occupied wedding hall and other houses in Bhopal. The process of demolition of other unlawfully acquired houses is underway.

Rahul Gandhi video: A litany of half-truths that shields China and blames India

K Bhattacharjee
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Rahul Gandhi video: A litany of half-truths that shields China and blames India

Former Congress President and scion of the Nehru-Gandhi Parivar, Rahul Gandhi, finally released the video that he had promised, although a couple of days behind schedule. In the short 3-minute clip, Gandhi speaks on the India-China conflict at the Line of Actual Control. As expected, he blamed the current government for the escalation by China.

Rahul Gandhi attempts to answer why China acted in the manner it did at this particular point in time. He says that countries are protected by a confluence of factors: Neighbourhood, Foreign Policy and Economy. As an aside, he also mentions that a country is protected by ‘the vision its people have’. And naturally, Rahul Gandhi attempted to prove that the government had failed in each of these three fronts.

Foreign Policy

In the matter of foreign policy, Rahul Gandhi distinguished between ‘strategic partnerships’ and ‘transactional relationships’ although it is not clear as to what is the precise nature of the differences between the two. Are ‘strategic partnerships’ completely devoid of the concept profit and loss? Are ‘transactional relationships’ completely devoid of strategic objectives and simply crafted at whim?

Rahul Gandhi does not elaborate much on why ‘strategic partnerships’ are to be preferred over ‘transactional relationships’, or why the former is automatically more favourable than the latter. It might indeed be the case that the former is better than the latter but the only reason the Congress dynast gives is that it is better because Congress used to do it.

Of course, he does not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the Congress policy reflected ‘strategic partnerships’ while Narendra Modi’s reflect ‘transactional relationships’. Rahul Gandhi makes such bold assertions pretending as if these are self evident but that it isn’t the case can be gauged from the Congress party’s continued irrelevance in national politics.

Towards that end, Rahul Gandhi claimed that earlier, India had a ‘strategic partnership’ with the USA and at the same time, had a strong relationship with Russia. Now, he claims, it is not the case. But, it is an undeniable fact that geopolitical realities of today are not the same as it was yesterday. Is his argument that India should continue to maintain past relationships even if they are not as beneficial currently merely because of sentimentalities?

Web of Distortions

Rahul Gandhi says that earlier countries such as Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka in our neighbourhood were our friends. In fact, with the exception of Pakistan, all countries in the neighbourhood used to work with us, says the dynast. Notably, Rahul Gandhi appears to consider China as a country that was friendly with India as well, despite the fact during the era of ‘strategic partnerships’ China intruded on Indian territory on several occasions.

Rahul Gandhi then proceeds to say that ‘Nepal is angry with us’. While it is true that Indo-Nepal relationship is at a historic low, such a torrid relationship was not born in a vacuum. The beginnings of such a tumultuous relationship between the two countries began in the days of ‘strategic partnerships’ of Congress governments.

Right from the days Jawaharlal Nehru himself, The Congress held Nepal in disregard. However, it was after Rajiv Gandhi’s second visit to the Himalayan country that the relationship between the two countries really tanked. Rajiv Gandhi was miffed because Sonia Gandhi, his wife, was denied entry to the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu due to her being a non-Hindu.

It is widely believed that Rajiv Gandhi ordered a blockade of Nepal to avenge the perceived slight against his wife. A former Indian Ambassador to Kathmandu said, “It is well known that Rajiv Gandhi was ill-disposed towards Nepal’s monarchy and he had met pro-democracy leaders during his visit to Nepal in November 1987 for the SAARC summit. The Pashupatinath incident made him vengeful towards the king. The support that RAW started extending to Nepal’s anti-monarchists, including the Maoists, is very well known.”

The consequence of such a decision, made on the basis of ‘strategic partnerships’ as per Rahul Gandhi, was that the relationship between India and Nepal soured incredibly. And that was what led to Nepal’s tilt towards China. Finally the abolition of the Nepalese monarchy during the UPA regime cemented Nepal’s inclination towards China. Therefore, to maintain the pretence that Narendra Modi is entirely responsible for the current predicament reeks of historical ignorance.

In the video, Rahul Gandhi also says the Sri Lanka has given a port to China. He was referring to the Hambanthota Port, which was built by Sri Lanka with loans from China. And again, the loans for its construction were delivered during UPA’s era of ‘strategic partnerships’. Ultimately, unable to repay the loans, Sri Lanka had to agree to lease the port to a Chinese entity. Again, to pretend that the sole blame for it lies with Narendra Modi reeks of historical ignorance.

Furthermore, Rahul Gandhi claims that Maldives and Bhutan are ‘disturbed’. It appears that the Congress dynast is bent on creating disputes where there are none. While it is true that the relationship with Maldvies soured for a short while, things came back to normal and even better than before following the conclusion of their elections.

As for Bhutan, The India Chinese standoff at Doklam was a consequence of Bhutan’s status as India’s protectorate, apart from Indian national interests. Nothing has changed in that regard between the two countries. The claim that Bhutan’s relationship with India is ‘disturbed’ is just a plain lie.

‘Best Time To Attack’

Rahul Gandhi says due to a combination of these factors, along with the state of the economy, which is not limited to India as he pretends, led China to believe that this is the best time to engage in aggressive conduct at the LAC. Quite cleverly, he puts the entire blame on the current government without bothering to realise that sometimes, expansionist powers try to use calamities to extend their borders. And the Coronavirus crisis is certainly a grave calamity.

If it is the conduct of the current government that has made China act aggressively at the LAC, then Rahul Gandhi should also answer what it was about the UPA that made China intrude upon our territory in 2013. But, of course, the purpose of the whole video was to engage in petty politics. Rahul Gandhi has finally found the perfect medium where he can spout his inanities without anyone to counter his lies. Unlike live speeches, where mistakes cannot be rectified, such videos also present one with the opportunity to rectify mistakes before it is published.

After Vikas Dubey, UP Police cracks down on Mukhtar Ansari’s illegal empire in several places, in Jaunpur, with Dhol and fanfare: Here are details

OpIndia Staff
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After Vikas Dubey, UP Police cracks down on Mukhtar Ansari’s illegal empire in several places, in Jaunpur, with Dhol and fanfare: Here are details

The Uttar Pradesh government is cracking down hard on don Mukhtar Ansari. On Saturday, Jaunpur district administration had issued an order to attach the properties of fish mafia Ravindra Nishad, a close associate of Mukhtar Ansari. The Tehsildar was assigned the task of attaching the properties of Nishad and with the help of Jaunpur police, Nishad’s business establishments were sealed by the government.

A video shared by journalist Pankaj Jha showed that the Jaunpur administration has been attaching the properties with local ‘band-baja’ announcements.

Illegal fish business

As per reports, on July 3, the UP Police had caught a truck loaded with fish illegally transported from Andhra Pradesh in the Jogiyapur area of Jaunpur. Fish mafia Ravindra Nishad and his Andhra associate B Narang Rao were arrested. The police have informed that for years, Nishad has been running an illegal fish business worth crores, under protection from mafia don Mukhtar Ansari.

Nishad had neither applied for any license nor have registered any of his business establishments. He has been reportedly running the business with active support from Ansari and used to give a share of profits to Ansari. Nishad has been arrested under the gangster act.

On the basis of initial details of Nishad’s illegally acquired assets obtained during the investigation, DM Jaunpur had ordered the attachment of properties worth 3.71 crores. Nishad has been granted a time three months from the date of the order to appeal against the attachment. The attached properties include a bullet bike, 2 pick up trucks, a house, shop and an under-construction shopping mall, apart from bank accounts.

Cancellations of arms licenses

Apart from Jaunpur, the UP Police has taken action against don Mukhtar Ansari’s mafia kingdom in Ghazipur too. As per reports, arms licenses of at least 4 known associates of Ansari have been cancelled. The administration has also sealed the properties worth 58 lakhs of one Brijesh Sonkar, Ansari’s shooter.

On July 5, a godown, allegedly constructed on illegal land, was demolished. The godson was reportedly being constructed under the name of M/s Vikas Constructions where Ansari’s wife Afsa Begum and hi brother in law Atif Raja are shareholders. On July 12, at least 20 members of Ansari’s gang were booked under the gangster act.

Ghazipur DM OP Arya had also stated that properties worth 33.8 crores have already been freed from the illegal occupation of Ansari and his associates. At least 33 weapons have been seized and deposited after cancellations of their licenses. At least 17 gangsters running illegal businesses in association with Ansari have been identified and action is being taken against them.

Who is Mukhtar Ansari?

Ansari is a politician and a mafia don. He had been associated with Bahujan Samaj Party earlier. Ansari has been an MLA from Mau constituency for a record five times. He was expelled from the BSP in 2010, but later was given an entry again and had won the 2017 assembly elections from Mau. He had been in jail for the murder of BJP leader Krishnanand Rai. But was acquitted by the CBI court in 2019 after the witnesses turned hostile. His grandfather Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari was once the president of the Indian National Congress and Muslim League.

Did Iran leave India out of the Railway project in Chabahar? Here is everything we know so far

OpIndia Staff
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Did Iran leave India out of the Railway project in Chabahar? Here is everything we know so far

Confusion prevails over the status of India’s involvement in the Chabahar-Zahedan railway project in Iran after media reports that India has been dropped from the long-pending infrastructure project. While Iran says there was no agreement with India to begin with, India insists there was an MoU and it is still part of the project.

On July 14th, journalist Suhasini Haider reported on The Hindu that Iran government has decided to go ahead with the project to build a railway line from Chabahar port to Zaheban without the assistance of India, despite signing an agreement with India four years ago. The report quoted Iranian side as saying that the delay from India in starting and funding the project was the reason behind.

Last week the track laying ceremony was held for the project to build the 628 km long railway line. The Hindu quoted Iranian officials that the Iranian Railways will proceed without India’s assistance in the project, and it will be funded by Iranian National Development Fund. The Hindu report claims that while the Indian side visited the project site several times, work on it was not started, allegedly due to worries that it might attract sanctions from the USA.

After the Hindu report was out, Iran issued a statement denying that India has been dropped from the project. But strangely, they claimed that there is no question of India to be dropped from as there was no agreement with India on it. Iran govt said that the story was “totally false because Iran has not inked any deal with India regarding the Zahedan-Chabahr railway line”. An official of the Iran govt said that “Iran has only signed two agreements with Indians for investment in Chabahar: one is related to port’s machinery and equipment, and the second is related to India’s investment to the tune of $150m,” and denied any agreement with India on the railway line. He said that the issue of Chabahar railway infrastructure and the railway, but during the negotiations, it was not agreed.

But the Iranian claim is confusing because they had indeed signed an MoU with India for the Railway line during PM Narendra Modi’s Iran visit in May 2016. The website of Ministry of External Affairs lists 12 MoUs signed between the two nations during the visit, and the 11th MoU is between Ircon International Limited of India and CDTIC (Construction, Development of Transport and Infrastructure Company) of Iran, for services for the construction of Chabahar-Zahedan railway line. The MoU had included all superstructure work and financing the project worth around $1.6 billion.

MEA website lists India-Iran MoU on railway project

The MEA has also denied the report of India being thrown out by Iran from the project and said that feasibility survey has already been carried out and the spot assessment has been made for the same. MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said that IRCON was appointed by the Government of India to assess the feasibility of the project, and it was working with CDTIC.

According to reports, there has been a change in Iranian policy on developing infrastructure, and they decided to develop the project on its own but will involve India at a later stage. Iran has hinted that while it will complete the current phase of the project on its own, India will be asked to join in the second phase, which will be from Zahidan to Zaranj on the Afghan side. Sources say although Iran decided to go ahead with the current project due to delays, it is keen on Indian involvement later as it is facing financial crunch due to US sanctions.

Therefore, while it is correct that Iran has dropped Ircon from the rail line project, its explanations regarding it does not match with facts. Iran says there was no agreement with India on the Railway line, which is not correct. India has also reiterated that there was an MoU signed between the two countries. Only Iran can remove this confusion by coming clear with facts.

It may be noted that India continues to operate the Chabahar Port in Iran, and India is among the few counties that still buy oil from Iran despite US sanctions.

Gujarat: Madarsa cleric from Kutch booked for raping a minor girl multiple times

OpIndia Staff
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Gujarat: Madarsa cleric from Kutch booked for raping a minor girl multiple times

On Tuesday, a case was reportedly filed against a 40-year-old Madrassa teacher, Samsuddin Haji Suleman Jat, for raping a 19-year-old girl on four different occasions when she was a minor. The incident took place in Dhoro village of Nakhatrana taluka in Kutch district of Gujarat.

As per a report in Times Now, the accused had first raped the victim in 2015. Samsuddin had asked her to wash his clothes. Following that, he raped the victim in the bathroom and threatened to defame and even murder her if she complained about the incident to anyone else. “The Maulana immediately came from behind and raped me. He also threatened me not to disclose anything about the incident or else he would tarnish my character,” the victim was quoted as saying.

The victim who had recently married in December 2019 was encouraged by her husband to file a rape complaint against Samsuddin at the Nara police station. As per the report, the victim was sent to the madarsa to learn Urdu and Arabic when she was 15. While she failed to remember the dates, she was able to recollect the years during which the heinous crime was committed.

Accused booked under POCSO act

According to the victim, the Maulana raped her three more times, following the first instance of assault in 2015. Reportedly, the latest instance of assault took place in 2019. The cops have booked Samsuddin under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and IPC Sections for rape, and criminal intimidation. The police have sent a team to the Dhoro village to nab the perpetrator.

As Uddhav Thackeray govt buys expensive cars for ministers, doctors and nurses leave Mumbai to return to Kerala as BMC keeps salary pending

OpIndia Staff
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As Uddhav Thackeray govt buys expensive cars for ministers, doctors and nurses leave Mumbai to return to Kerala as BMC keeps salary pending

Even as the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra headed by Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray passed a special provision, sanctioning the purchase of expensive cars for the ministers, several doctors from Kerala, who had come to Mumbai at the Maharashtra state government’s bidding to fight the coronavirus spread in the city, are on their way back as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has not yet paid their salaries.

15 of the 40 doctors have already left for Kerala while the remaining will be leaving shortly. Besides doctors, at least 35 nurses from Kerala, who had joined Seven Hills hospital in Mumbai last month, too, have not received their due salaries.

BMC interminably postponing the salaries

“All 40 doctors who flew to Mumbai from Kerala have not received their remuneration. They were supposed to work here for two months. Fifteen of them decided to return home last week due to salary issues,” said a doctor associated with the South Asia chapter of Doctors Without Borders that had facilitated the movement of these professionals to Maharashtra during the lockdown.

For the past few days, the doctors raised their concerns of not being paid. They also alleged that the BMC was not reimbursing their travel expenses. They said that the Municipal corporation was continuously postponing their payment. The BMC initially promised to pay by July 5, then deferred it to July 10 and finally to July 13. However, the salaries of the doctors were not credited by July 15.

A BMC official has assured that salaries will soon be credited in the bank accounts of the doctors and the nurses as the file was on the move.

Despite the non-payment of salaries, the Maharashtra government requests more medical force from Kerala

A team of 40 doctors and 35 nurses had arrived in Mumbai on June 9 after the government requested the Kerala government. They were entrusted with the task of aiding the BMC in setting u a COVID-19 hospital in the city. The BMC had promised a salary of Rs 2 lakh for specialist doctors, Rs 80,000 for MBBS doctors and Rs 35,000 for nurses, along with travel allowances.

While the doctors and nurses who had already arrived in Mumbai to join the city’s frontline forces in combating a rapidly spreading pandemic are yet to be paid, the Maharashtra government has put in an additional request for the health care resources to the Kerala government. In a letter to the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on June 22, Uddhav Thackeray said, “Our doctors and nurses have been fighting a long-drawn battle against COVID-19, and whilst we have begun to chase the virus and chase it for good, we need to have more members into our medical frontline front to assist increased capacity. Apart from ICU trained nurses, we require intensivist’s, anaesthetists, pulmonologists, physicians at large.”

Uddhav Thackeray government passes a special provision for the purchase of expensive cars

The Maharashtra government is struggling to pay its own employees, let alone health care resources requested from other states. But while the state is floundering to make payments to the employees involved in the fight against the coronavirus, the government had recently given its authorisation for the purchase of 6 new vehicles for its ministers.

The approval from the Uddhav Thackeray government came at a time when the Maharashtra Treasury is in a bad shape in the wake of coronavirus induced lockdown in the state.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi government gave its nod for the purchase of Innova Crysta 2.4 ZX (7 seaters) worth Rs 22,83,086 from Madhuban Motors Pvt. Ltd., Lower Parel, Mumbai. It is pertinent to note that while the ceiling limit for the purchase of a car has been Rs 20 lakh, a special provision, with the approval of the state government’s finance department and chief minister Uddhav Thackeray was passed to pursue the purchase of the vehicles.

Arunachal Pradesh: Christian group apologises after pastor burns idol of Goddess Ain Donyi, legal rights group writes to HM about rampant conversion campaigns

OpIndia Staff
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Arunachal Pradesh: Christian group apologises after pastor burns idol of Goddess Ain Donyi, legal rights group writes to HM about rampant conversion campaigns

Days after the idol of tribal Goddess Ain Donyi was burnt in Seppa in East Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh by Christians, the leaders from the community have reportedly apologised for the incident.

“One lady who was previously in other religion has recently converted to Christianity. She wanted to do away or destroy all the symbols of her old religion. And this is why the destruction of that religious symbol took place in Kameng. Our Christian leaders in the district, in the presence of the Deputy Commissioner, has tendered an apology and expressed regret for that particular incident,” Toko Tei, the Chief of Christian Forum, was heard as saying.

The incident shocked many in the area. Tajum Tasung from Vanvaashi Kalyan Ashram said, “The action of Christians in the Seppa region is shameful. I condemn the incident. I have never seen anything like this. This is very dangerous work. No religious permits desecration of another religious symbol and idol. Why did they do this? We are ready to take action.”

Legal Rights Protection Forum writes to MHA

On July 8, the Legal Rights Protection Forum wrote to BJP MP and Minister of State for Home Affairs, G Kishan Reddy, about the ‘predatory proselytisation’ by Christian missionaries and the danger it poses to ‘indigenous Faith and traditions of Arunachal Pradesh’. The letter urged Reddy to intervene into the matter and direct the DGP of Arunachal Pradesh to conduct a fair investigation into the case.

Besides, the group urged the MP to set up an inquiry commission and investigate the threats of rampant conversions and implement the recommendations of the commission in a time-bound manner. The letter urged Reddy to appoint a Nodal officer in each district to address and resolve the issues faced by indigenous communities. The group further urged to digitise tribal customs and rituals such that they are protected for future generations.

FIR against pastor for desecration

Religious and cultural units of East Kameng district have filed an FIR against the pastor of the Pentecostal Church of Seppa, Chatung Sopung, and Tali Langro, among others for burning the symbol of the Supreme Goddess Ain Donyi (Mother of the Sun). They said that the actions of the pastor had hurt their religious sentiments. In the FIR, the complainant said that the clergy’s action violates sections 295A and 298 of the IPC and 3, 4, and 5 of the religious and freedom act of Arunachal Pradesh. The pastor and his followers burnt down the icons and idols of Ain Donyi in the name of Jesus. The pastor was heard saying in a viral video, “In the name of Jesus, we destroy the powers of all the enemies.” As per News 18, the accused were initially arrested but have been released on bail now.

The Donyi-Polo faith is prevalent among the tribals of Arunachal Pradesh. It is centred around the worship of the sun and the moon.

Tamil Nadu: Saffron paint poured on the statue of Periyar in Coimbatore, tension ensues in Sundarapuram area

OpIndia Staff
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Tamil Nadu: Saffron paint poured on the statue of Periyar in Coimbatore, tension ensues in Sundarapuram area

A Periyar statue has been allegedly painted in saffron colour in Sundarapuram, Coimbatore leading to a tense situation in the city. A complaint has been filed by Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) workers against the vandalism of the statue.

According to the reports, the incident caused tensions in the Sundarapuram area in Coimbatore after some unidentified people allegedly vandalised the statue of Periyar E V Ramasamy in the early hours of Friday.

Reportedly, the statue was installed by Thanthai Periyar Pasarai 25 years ago, which was inaugurated by Dravidar Kazhagam president K Veeramani. The Tamil Nadu police said that some unidentified people poured saffron paint on the statue of Periyar.

Periyar followers gather at the spot, demand action

As news regarding the incident spread, more than 20 people gathered at the spot and demanded action against the people who disrespected the statue. Deputy commissioner of police (law & order) G Stalin visited the spot and assured them that appropriate action would be taken against the miscreants.

Commissioner of police Sumit Sharan said a case would be registered in the Podanur police station. He added that the police have begun an investigation and are collecting CCTV footage from nearby commercial establishments. We will arrest the people who desecrated the statue, he said.

The local police, along with the supporters of Periyar cleaned the statue and removed the saffron paint from it. Following the incident, more police personnel have also been deployed at five more statues of Periyar and three statues of Dr B R Ambedkar in the city.

From breaking Murthis to Ravana Leela: Periyar’s long history of hatred towards Shri Rama and Sita

Over the years, Periyar has spread numerous canards about the Ramayana. All his lies were directed towards slandering the Maryada Purshottam. His lies ranged from accusing Shri Rama of being casteist to claiming that he killed and mutilated women. According to him, the Ramayana and Mahabharata were written by ‘cunning Aryans’ to erase the ‘Dravidian identity’. If Periyar were to be believed, Rama was part of a conspiracy to deny the throne to Bharata, who, according to Periyar, was Dasaratha’s rightful heir.

Periyar also claimed that no North Indian Brahmin ever died in the war against Ravana. He had also claimed that Rama had married other women apart from Sita for his sexual pleasure. He had also claimed that Ravana was, in fact, a Dravidian King from South India. None of Periyar’s claims about the Ramayana has an ounce of truth to them, of course, but he made them anyway. The origins of most of these claims lie not in the Ramayana but in the virulent hatred that he harboured towards North Indians and Brahmins.

Periyar had even broken murthis of Lord Ganesha, burnt pictures of Lord Ram and conducted Ravan Leela.

Indian Express report insinuates Delhi Police giving special treatment to Hindu accused in riot cases, Police calls it ‘highly misleading’

OpIndia Staff
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Indian Express report insinuates Delhi Police giving special treatment to Hindu accused in riot cases, Police calls it ‘highly misleading’

On July 15, the Indian Express in its report, “Resentment in Hindus on arrests, take care: Special CP to probe teams”, had claimed that the Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) Praveer Ranjan had written to senior police officers heading probe teams that the arrest of “some Hindu youth” from areas in North-East Delhi, where the Delhi riots took place in February, has led to a “degree of resentment among the Hindu community”.

The report claimed that the Special CP Praveer Ranjan in his order dated July cited an “intelligence input” about the riot-related arrests of “some Hindu youth from Chand Bagh and Khajuri Khas areas of Northeast Delhi”.

According to Indian Express, the order stated that “community representatives are alleging that these arrests are made without any evidence and are even insinuating that such arrests are being made for some personal reasons.”

The order allegedly went on to name two Muslim men to state, “In the same area, resentment among Hindu community is also reported for alleged police inaction against the two, who are alleged to have been involved in mobilising members of the Muslim community during Delhi riots and anti-CAA protests”.

The report further stated that police officers involved in the investigation were advised to conduct thorough investigations, gather evidence and not make “arbitrary” arrests.

“Due care and precaution be taken while arresting any person. All evidences including direct and technical evidences be properly analysed and that all the arrests are backed by sufficient evidence be ensured. No arbitrary arrest should be made in any case and all evidences must be discussed with Special PPs (public prosecutors) assigned for each case. Supervisory officers ACPs/DCPs — SIT & Additional CP/Crime (Headquarters) may guide the IOs (investigating officers) suitably,” the Delhi Police order stated as reported by Indian Express.

Delhi Police responds to Indian Express report

On Thursday, the Delhi Police issued a detailed response to the Indian Express report, rejecting its claims as “highly misleading and sensation-seeking”. The Delhi Police in its rejoinder to Indian Express said that the tone and tenor of the report were misleading and gave the impression that the Delhi Police was highly biased.

“It is best a sensation seeking and hollow news article, devoid of understanding of police working,” the Delhi Police slammed Indian Express for its purported claims on the Anti-Hindu riots investigations.

Responding to this report, Delhi Police PRO Mandeep S Randhawa categorically stated that they have been constantly fed with information obtained through representations from members of public and other intelligence inputs from its own intelligence wings and other agencies.

“It has to take note of this information in an unbiased manner… The news item conveniently ignores the spirit of the order where it has been specifically stated that ‘any arrest’, irrespective of any class, community or religious group,be done on the basis of evidence and not give an impression of being arbitrary,” the rejoinder read.

The Delhi Police also clarified that the letter written by Special CP Ranjan was only to inform the investigating officers about the representations being received from both the communities and to sensitize and guide them through the investigation of these cases.

“During the incidents of rioting in North-East District of Delhi, Delhi Police has acted in an impartial manner as per provisions of law and the victims were rescued irrespective of their caste and religion,” the Delhi Police said.

The Delhi Police also said that they were mindful of the fact that any police action is seen by the people through their own prism and added that it should be solely based on the ‘evidence’ available, which adequately justified the arrests made in the case.

“The supervisory officers have been specifically directed to ensure professionalism and integrity of investigation. the order mentions about the intelligence input received in this regard to sensitize the officers as these cases are highly sensitive nature and the investigators must exercise due caution and care to ensure that all the actions of the police are transparent and evidence based. there is nothing mentioned in the order that warrants a write up to sensationalism,” the Delhi Police rejoinder said rejecting the claims made by the Indian Express insinuating that they were favouring one community.

Further, the Delhi Police also stated that three SITs have been constituted to investigate professionally and all evidences are being adduced before concluding any case.

In its letter, the Delhi Police also asked the Indian Express to kindly publish the rejoinder to put the facts in perspective for the readers.

Indian Express says its stands by its report

Meanwhile, the Indian Express has responded to the Delhi Police rejoinder to claim that their article accurately reported an order issued by Special Commissioner of Police Praveer Ranjan to senior officers investigating the Anti-Hindu Delhi riots. They also said that a detailed questionnaire was sent to Delhi Police Special Commissioner Ranjan and PRO Randhawa seeking their response.

“The Delhi Police’s contention in their joinder that “the letter was written only to inform investigating officers about the representations being received from both communities” does not find mention in the order, which specifically highlights “resentment among Hindu community” over arrests of some Hindu youth,” wrote Indian Express in its clarification to state that it stands by its report.

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