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Thousands of devotees witness consecration of Thanjavur’s 1000 years old Big Temple performed after 23 years

OpIndia Staff
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Thousands of devotees witness consecration of Thanjavur’s 1000 years old Big Temple performed after 23 years

The iconic ancient Brihadisvara Temple also called Rajarajesvaram temple or popularly known as the Big Temple, in Thanjavur, dedicated to Lord Shiva, built in the year 1010 by Rajaraja Chola, was reconsecrated for the first time in 23 years, on Wednesday, in a ceremony known as the kumbhabishegam. More than one million devotees witnessed the grand celebration and offered prayers today.

Various government departments such as the Hindu religious and charitable endowments (HR&CE), health, police and tourism department, among others, helped to organise the event.

The temple town of Thanjavur was decked up to welcome lakhs of people from across south India for the consecration. The much-awaited grand event kicked off on Saturday with yagasalai poojas, while the maha poornahuthi (the main puja) took place today (February 5).

The holy water in Kalash (pots) which were kept in the Yagasalai was brought in a procession after five days of pooja. Special pooja was performed to the Kalash at the Raja Rajan Vayil Gopuram and then they were taken to the Vimanam (the tower over sanctum) of the shrines including that of Perivudayar which is 216 feet at 8 am in the morning. The Sivachariars (priests) took the Kalash through the makeshift steps made of iron pipes.

At around 9.21 am, the holy water was poured over the Kalasam (Pinnacle) of the Perivudayar, Periyanaki and other shrines in the temple.

The sacred Kalash (pots) were taken to the Vimanam (the tower over sanctum) of the shrines through the makeshift steps made of iron pipes.

Sources said for the first time in the recent history an Odhuvar who sings Saivite hymns in Tamil also went up to the Kalasam to chant Tamil hymns. Maintaining the age-old traditions the mantras were recited in both Tamil and Sanskrit.

Since the main temple premises can accommodate only a few thousand people, separate pandals had been erected inside the sprawling complex to facilitate lakhs of people to sit and watch the poojas on giant television screens.

The District Administration made extensive arrangements, with wheelchairs, electric vehicles, ambulances and a fire engine placed inside the temple premises.

The District Administration made extensive arrangements with wheelchairs, ambulances and a fire engine inside the temple.

The thousands of devotees who witnessed the consecration from inside the temple complex and also from the outside the complex chanted ‘Om Namasivaya’.

Later, the devotees were allowed inside the Perivudayar shrine where Maha Deeparadhana was performed to the main deity, the 13 feet high Shivalingam. Following which, the devotees were allowed to exit from one of the rear gates of the complex.

Though the devotees started thronging the temple complex from 5.30 am in the morning, the police allowed only a limited number of devotees in batches who could be accommodated in the makeshift enclosures inside.

The security of the temple has been beefed up with the deployment of more than 5,500 police personnel and drone surveillance.

This ceremony is particularly significant as the Brihadisvara Temple consecration ceremony is happening after a long gap of 23 years. During the last consecration ceremony in 1997, a fire had broken out causing 50 deaths.

An architectural marvel, the Brihadeeswara Temple built by Rajaraja Chola of Chola dynasty, is one of the oldest and most famous Lord Shiva temples in South India. Being one of the largest temples in India, it is an example of Dravidian architecture during the Chola period. The temple turned 1000 years old in 2010. It is also known as Peruvudaiyar Kovil.

The temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the “Great Living Chola Temples”, with the other two being the Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Airavatesvara temple.

The temple was built by Rajaraja on a command given by Lord Shiva in his dream. The temple is a testimony to the Chola power and wealth at the time of Rajaraja Chola I. The stories of Rajaraja Chola’s conquest have been engraved on the walls of this temple.

Rajaraja Chola embarked on a mission to recover the hymns after hearing short excerpts of Thevaram in his court. He sought the help of Nambiyandar Nambi. Rajaraja thus became to be known as ‘Tirumurai Kanda Cholan’ meaning one who saved the Tirumurai. Till Rajaraja Chola, Shiva temples only had images of god forms, but after the advent of Rajaraja, the images of the Nayanar saints were also placed inside the temple.

Read- Rajaraja Chola I: Conqueror, temple builder and one of the greatest emperors of India

Rajaraja through Nambi arranged the hymns written by three saint poets Sambandar, Appar and Sundarar and ensured that these were sung in all the temples and provided for the upkeep of this service, a tradition which is continued till date. This is perhaps the greatest service to Hinduism and Tamil by Rajaraja Chola-I.

Rajaraja Chola is also credited for being a great temple builder. He also built Tiruvalisvaram temple at Brahmadesam in Tamil Nadu, Uttarakailash at Tiruvadi, Vaidyanath temple at Tirumalavadi, Tamil Nadu.

Though Rajaraja was an ardent devotee of Shiva, he remained a truly secular king. He and his family donated lavishly to build Vinnagarams – Vishnu temples. When the Srivijaya king of present Indonesia approached Rajaraja to help him in constructing a Buddha Vihara, he had donated an entire village, Anaimangalam near Nagappattinam for the purpose and for the upkeep of the Chudamani Vihara in Nagappattinam.

Election Commission warns Arvind Kejriwal for breaking Model Code of Conduct by promising to build mohalla clinics inside court premises

OpIndia Staff
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Election Commission warns Arvind Kejriwal for breaking Model Code of Conduct by promising to build mohalla clinics inside court premises

The Election Commission has issued a strong warning to the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for promising to set up mohalla clinics inside court complexes. Condemning the statement made by the AAP chief, the EC has advised Kejriwal to be more careful and exercise caution henceforth while making public comments that have the potential to impact level playing field.


Acting on the complaint filed by the BJP leader Neeraj, in which he alleged that Arvind Kejriwal made the promise of setting up a mohalla clinic while addressing a meeting of lawyers at the Tis Hazari Court, the Election Commission said that Kejriwal’s promises were in contravention to the Model Code of Conduct.

According to the complaint filed by the BJP leader, in an event organised by the court’s bar association on the occasion of Makar Sakranti and Lohri, Kejriwal had proposed the idea of building mohalla clinics inside courts and bars if he is provided with the land. “If given land we will make mohalla clinics inside courts and bars. If you give us space in every court just 2-3 rooms are required to make a mohalla clinic,” Kejriwal said as per the complaint.

The Election Commission also confirmed that its internal report has corroborated that Arvind Kejriwal made the promise at the aforesaid event. The Commission then issued a show-cause notice to Kejriwal seeking an explanation on his comments regarding building mohalla clinics inside court premises.

Read- BJP ups its ante in Delhi election, takes on Kejriwal over his much-hyped ‘Mohalla clinic’ project

In his reply, the AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal said that the event was a private function and he attended it in his personal capacity and not as Delhi Chief Minister. He also added that he did not make any new poll promise but merely reiterated a previous decision of the Delhi government.

However, the Election Commission was not pleased with Arvind Kejriwal’s response and called it “not acceptable”. The Commission said it is of the view that while making this promise, Arvind Kejriwal “has violated” the Model Code of Conduct.

“The Commission condemns the impugned statement made by Arvind Kejriwal and warns him to be more careful and exercise caution in future while making public utterances,” the order released by the Commission read.

Jammu and Kashmir: Politicians Sajjad Lone and Waheed Parra released from detention after 6 months of abrogation of 370

OpIndia Staff
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Jammu and Kashmir: Politicians Sajjad Lone and Waheed Parra released from detention after 6 months of abrogation of 370

Former separatist and politician Sajjad Lone and People’s Democratic Party’s Waheed Parra, who is considered a close aide of Mehbooba Mufti, were released from detention 6 months after the abrogation of 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

Both of them were kept in the MLA hostel in Srinagar under preventing detention, from where they were released today. Sajjad Lone and Waheed Parra spent more than 180 days under detention.

Several leaders from across political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, including Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, were put under detention ahead of the bifurcation of the state into two union territories and the state’s separate status enshrined in article 370 and 35A were scrapped by the parliament on August 5, 2019.


As per reports, 13 political leaders are still under detention at the MLA hostel in Srinagar which has converted into makeshift subsidiary jail.

Earlier former PDP MLA From Wachi Aijaz Ahmed Mir and trade leader Shakeel Ahmed Qalander were released on Tuesday. Since Sunday, a total of eight leaders have been released from preventive custody.

Read- Re-shaping Article 370: Has the Modi government upped its Constitutional game?

Despite the phased release of the political leaders, some prominent leaders—Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti—still remain under detention.

Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti was detained to Hari Niwas but later shifted to a rest house at Chesma Shahi on the foothills of the Zabarwan mountains. She was shifted to an official house at Maulana Azad Road close to MLA hostel in December last year.

National Conference vice president and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah was also detained at Hari Niwas while his father and NCs chairperson Farooq Abdullah has been kept at Gupkar House.

 

Shaheen Bagh shooter’s father desperately tries to distance from AAP, Kejriwal joins pitch

OpIndia Staff
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Shaheen Bagh shooter’s father desperately tries to distance from AAP, Kejriwal joins pitch

Aam Aadmi Party chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today took to Twitter to claim that the BJP is playing ‘dirty politics’ after Shaheen Bagh shooter’s father, AAP member Gaje Singh denied links to party and said that his son is actually a Modi supporter.


This statement of Singh is being treated as gospel truth even as AAP continues to remove evidence of the father-son duo being part of their party.

As Delhi police exposed the dangerous nexus between Aam Aadmi Party and Kapil Gujjar, the AAP leader who had fired bullets in Shaheen Bagh on Saturday, the Arvind Kejriwal-led party is now on damage control mode.

On Wednesday, Gaje Singh, the father of the AAP leader Kapil Gujjar claimed that no one in his family is connected with the Aam Aadmi Party and said that his son was a fan of PM Modi and Amit Shah. “No one is connected with AAP in my family. My son was annoyed over Shaheen Bagh’s traffic congestion. My son supports PM Modi. He is the ‘sevak’ of PM Modi and Amit Shah,” claimed former BSP leader and AAP member Gaje Singh in the video shared by Kejriwal.

The statements made by Gaje Singh indicates that the AAP is trying extremely hard to mitigate the damage ahead of the Delhi elections after they were exposed after the Delhi Crime Branch had found certain pictures on the mobile phone of Kapil Gujjar where he was seen with AAP leaders such as Atishi and Sanjay Singh. In the pictures, AAP Dy CM Manish Sisodia and AAP leaders such as Atishi and Sanjay Singh are seen felicitating Kapil Gujjar and his father.

Ever since it came to light that the Shaheen Bagh attacker, Kapil Gujjar, who fired three shots in the air on February 1, is an AAP member, Aam Aadmi Party has been in a damage control mode, trying to delink themselves from the assaulter.

However, more and more pictures are emerging that links the shooter to the Aam Aadmi Party. A picture posted by prominent AAP leader Kuldeep Kumar, which was then deleted, had emerged in which it was seen that the party was welcoming Gujjar and his father Gaje Singh Chauhan along with party leaders Sanjay Singh and Atishi Marlena into AAP.

Later, it was found that the Aam Aadmi Party had itself posted images linking the shooter Kapil Gujjar to the party. The AAP had forgotten to remove from their official website an article that confirms that the Shaheen Bagh shooter was indeed an AAP member. In case the article is pulled down, the archived version can be accessed here.

The article pertains to the event in which Congress and BSP leaders left their parties to join the Aam Aadmi Party in presence of senior AAP members Atishi Marlena and Sanjay Singh. It was during this event that Chaudhary Gaje Singh, who had served as BSP District President of Patparganj and MLA candidate had shunned his party to join the AAP along with his son Kapil Gujjar.

While it has been proved beyond doubt that Kapil Gujjar and his father Gaje Singh were “esteemed” members of AAP, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal laid the blame on BJP for using the Delhi Police to cast the party in a bad light by associating the shooter with the AAP party.

Earlier, senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh, who was also seen with Kapil Gujjar, tried to wash his hands off him stating that the shooting was a BJP ploy. He even said that the AAP member being part of AAP and who opened fire at Shaheen Bagh demanding Hindu Rashtra and saying ‘Jai Shri Ram’ is all a BJP conspiracy.

Shaheen Bagh may be turned into ‘Jallianwala Bagh’ after February 8: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi

OpIndia Staff
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Shaheen Bagh may be turned into ‘Jallianwala Bagh’ after February 8: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has stoked yet another controversy by raising suspicion over government’s intention of clearing the Shaheen Bagh stretch where a protest has been ongoing for over 50 days against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) following the Delhi polls.

Speaking to ANI, Owaisi asserted that there are indications from the government that the Shaheen Bagh area will be cleared following the Delhi polls on February 8. “They might as well shoot them and turn Shaheen Bagh into Jallianwala Bagh. This might happen. One of the BJP ministers has asked to shoot the bullets at the protesters. The government should answer as to who is radicalising,” Owaisi said.

Regarding NRC and NPR, Owaisi asked the government to clearly state that the NRC will not be implemented until 2024.


“Government should not beat around the bush and clearly state that they are not going to implement NRC till 2024. Why have they earmarked Rs 3900 crores for NPR? I am a student of history and I know where such acts lead to. During his reign, Hitler too had commissioned census twice and after that, he pushed the jews in a gas chamber. Mussolini too did the same in Italy. I don’t want our country to go in that way,” Owaisi said.

Ever since the enactment of Citizenship Amendment Act, Owaisi has been indulging in fear-mongering about the new law along with the NRC and NPR to continue fuelling misgivings about them amongst the Muslims. Earlier, Owaisi had stated that NPR, which was first carried out by Congress in 2011, is the first step towards NRC, despite Union Home Minister Amit Shah categorically stating that there is no plan for a nationwide NRC as of then.

This is not the first time that politicians have resorted to trivialising Jallianwala massacre to make petty political gains. Earlier, Shiv Sena supremo and Maha Vikas Aghadi chief minister Uddhav Thackeray too likened police action in Jamia to Jallianwala Bagh incident. Thackeray was then at the receiving end of criticism by many for his misplaced comparison of action against anti-CAA rioters, vandals and stone-pelters to barbaric firing unleashed by British troops in Jallianwala Bagh in 1919.

Over 21,000 foreigners granted Indian citizenship in the last decade, including around 15,000 to Bangladeshis due to India-Bangladesh enclave exchange

OpIndia Staff
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Over 21,000 foreigners granted Indian citizenship in the last decade, including around 15,000 to Bangladeshis due to India-Bangladesh enclave exchange

Official statistics reveal that in the last decade over 21,000 foreigners were granted Indian citizenship in the last decade. The details were provided by the Union Home Ministry on Tuesday in a reply to a query in the Lok Sabha. These people were provided with citizenship during the terms of prime minister Manmohan Singh as well as Narendra Modi.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said, “In the last 10 years, a total of 21,408 foreign nationals were provided Indian citizenship.” By providing year-wise statistics, he asserted that in the year 2010, 232 people got Indian citizenship while 435 in 2011, 553 in 2012, 563 in 2013, 617 in 2014, and 15,470 persons got Indian passports in 2015. Apart from these Indian government decided to grant citizenship to 1,106 people in 2016, 817 in 2017, 628 in 2018 and 987 in 2019.

Replying to the question, minister of state in home ministry Nityanand Rai also ensured that there will be no change in the process of gaining citizenship.

Read- Muslims refugees can continue to get citizenship as per provisions of Citizenship Act, CAA does not prevent that: Government clarifies in Lok Sabha

Explaining the reason behind the huge number of persons granted citizenship in 2015, the minister added the inclusion of 53 enclaves of neighbouring Bangladesh in India under India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Pact 2015 resulted in 14,864 Bangladeshis given Indian citizenship under Section 7 of the Citizenship Act, 1955.

“All the legal migrants could be provided Indian citizenship irrespective of their religion under the Citizenship Act 1955 after completing all the formalities. There is no change in the current process to obtain the Indian Citizenship”, replying to a query Nityanand Rai said.

The minister also gave data of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants who were living in India illegally and deported later. He said, “Actions were taken to send back the illegal Bangladeshis and 308 people in 2016, 51 in 2017 and 445 in 2018 were deported”.

Shaheen Bagh: Children campaigning for AAP candidate Amanatullah Khan amidst Biryani feast

OpIndia Staff
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Shaheen Bagh: Children campaigning for AAP candidate Amanatullah Khan amidst Biryani feast

Just days ahead of Delhi State Assembly Elections, little children in Shaheen Bagh were found distributing pamphlets and campaigning for Aam Aadmi Party candidate Amanantullah Khan.

people to vote for AAP candidate Amanatuallah Khan at Shaheen Bagh

A child distributing pamphlets urging people to vote for Amanatullah Khan in upcoming Delhi assembly elections.

Copy of the pamphlet being circulated by these children at Shaheen Bagh

Copy of the pamphlet being distributed by children at Shaheen Bagh.

Little children with pamphlets which ask people to vote for AAP candidate Amanatullah Khan at Shaheen Bagh

Recently, Shaheen Bagh ‘protests’ came under fire after at least one infant lost his life because the parents brought him to the ‘protests’ in the cold. The mother of the child claimed that the child died for his ‘azaadi’ and she would not hesitate to ‘sacrifice’ her other two children for the cause either.

Read: Columnist with Scroll, Hindu, TNM uses an old incident to justify Shaheen Bagh child death, says “he died for a cause”

AAP MLA and current candidate for Okhla constituency, Amanatullah Khan was earlier spotted with Shaheen Bagh mastermind Sharjeel Imam who orchestrated the road blockade. He was earlier also found being part of a mob protesting against CAA which went violent in Jamia Nagar in December 2019. Later, an FIR was also filed against him for instigating violence through social media.

Meanwhile, biryani was also being served at Shaheen Bagh to the ‘protestors’.

OpIndia ground report had earlier talked about biryani being brought in which is then distributed to ‘protestors’ and ‘volunteers’. Along with biryani, there is packaged water, fruit juices and other snacks available. On an average, these protests would cost about Rs 10,00,000 per day.

Delhi is set to go to polls on 8th February while results for the same will be declared on 11th February.

CAA no threat to Indian Muslims, NPR very essential: Superstar Rajinikanth

OpIndia Staff
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CAA no threat to Indian Muslims, NPR very essential: Superstar Rajinikanth

Amidst the brouhaha over the newly introduced Citizenship Amendment Act, the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC)and National Population Register (NPR), superstar Rajinikanth today put his weight behind Modi government’s decision, asserting that the new Citizenship Law it will not affect Muslims.

As per reports, the Tamil superstar-turned politician said, if the CAA posed any threat to Muslims, he would be the first person to stand up for them.

“Citizenship Amendment Act will not affect any citizen of our country. If it affects Muslims, then I will be the first person to stand up for them, “Rajinikanth said on Wednesday. “How will Muslims who chose to stay back in India following partition be sent out of the country?” Rajinikanth was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.


Calling the support of various religious leaders to the protests ‘very wrong’, Rajinikanth said: “The government has assured that Indian people will have no issues in respect of CAA. Some political parties are instigating people against CAA for their selfish interests.”

Rajinikanth furthered that students protesting against CAA should analyse the issue deeply before getting involved. “Students should analyse the issue deeply before getting into protest. They need to have a word with their professors or elders before getting involved in these protests otherwise, political leaders will try to use them for their own benefit. Also, we will never know how the police will react to a situation. If they file an FIR, the students will lose their life.”

Speaking to reporters in Chennai, Rajinikanth also backed the National Population Register exercise, saying that the drive was ‘very, very essential’. “NPR is a necessity to find out about the outsiders. It has been clarified that NRC has not been formulated yet,” Rajinikanth said also remembering how the Congress-led UPA government had done the exercise in the past.

In December, Rajinikanth had also condemned the violence in various parts of the country over the citizenship law, saying violence and rioting cannot be a way to find a solution to any issue.

“Violence and rioting should not become a way to find a solution for any issue. I request the people of India to stay united and vigilant keeping in mind the nation’s security and welfare,” he had tweeted.

Sri Ram Mandir Tirtha Kshetra: Here is all you need to know about the autonomous trust set up for building the Ram temple in Ayodhya

OpIndia Staff
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Sri Ram Mandir Tirtha Kshetra: Here is all you need to know about the autonomous trust set up for building the Ram temple in Ayodhya

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced the setting up of a trust called Sri Ram Janambhoomi Tirtha Kshetra to oversee the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The PM’s announcement comes four days before the three -month deadline fixed by the Supreme Court to set-up the trust.

Addressing the Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister said, “We have readied a scheme for the development of Ram Temple in Ayodhya. An autonomous trust has been formed, it is called Sri Ram Janambhoomi Tirath Kshetra.”

The entire 67.703 acres of the land will be handed over to the newly formed trust to develop for the benefit of devotees and will be empowered to make all decisions related to building a grand temple at Lord Ram’s birthplace and related matters.

Sri Ram Janambhoomi Tirtha Kshetra, as the Trust is called, will function as an independent body and will have 15 trustees of which 1 will always be from the Dalit community, said Home Minister Amit Shah. Sources say no political party is part of the temple trust.

The Home Minister’s statement comes a little over an hour after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in Lok Sabha about the constitution of the trust.

Congratulating PM Modi for the decision that strengthens social harmony, Shah Tweeted: “There will be 15 trustees in the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust out of which one trustee will always be from the Dalit community.”


As confirmed by Supreme Court lawyer Subhendhu Anand, who was one of the members of the team that represented Ram Lalla Virajman, the trust has been registered and the possession has been handed over to Shri K. Parasaran, Sr. Advocate, who will be a Trustee in the newly constituted Trust.

As per reports, the trust has listed advocate Parasaran’s address in Delhi as its address.

It is being reported that the heads of the four peethas established by Adi Shankaracharya will be included as the Sri Ram Janambhoomi Tirtha Kshetra members.

Apart from the four Shankaracharyas, as per a report in Bhaskar.com, Mahant Nritya Gopal Das from Ayodhya, Mahant Suresh Das of Digambar Ani Akhara, Mahant Dinendra Das of Nirmohi Akhara, a Representative from Gorakshpeeth Gorakhpur, a Representative of Udupi Pejawar Math of Karnataka, Om Prakash Singhal from VHP, VHP Vice President Champatarai, late Ashok Singhal’s nephew Salil, Punit Dalmia from the family of the late Vishnuhari Dalmiya, a Dalit representative and a woman representative will also find place amongst the Trustees.

Moreover, the Joint Secretary level officer as the representative of the central government, the DM of Ayodhya as the representative of the state government will also reportedly be also be included in the trust.

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath said that the trust will also be an independent body, capable of making all decisions regarding the construction of the temple.

“Thank you to Modiji for setting up an autonomous trust to build a grand temple at the birthplace of Lord Shri Ram. The ‘Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra’ trust will be completely independent and capable of making all decisions related to temple construction. Jai Shree Ram!” Yogi Adityanath tweeted thanking the Narendra Modi government for taking a step closer to building the temple.


“Today is a historic day. The first stone for the construction of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple was laid by Shri Kameshwar Chaupal Ji of Dalit society. Among the 15 members of the ‘Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra’ Trust, one will always be from Dalit society,” Tweeted Yogi Adityanath thanking the Prime Minister for this decision.


Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government had agreed to give five-acres of land to the Sunni Waqf Board as directed by the Supreme Court in the Ayodhya case. UP government spokesperson Shrikant Sharma said the land is in Dhannipur village in Ayodhya on the Lucknow highway, about 18 kilometres from the district headquarters, almost 25 km away from the Ramjanambhoomi complex. The wish of saints to keep the mosque outside the 14-Kosi area of Ayodhya seems to have been met by the Yogi government.

As per reports, the UP government has already issued the allotment letter of the 5-acre land to the Sunni Waqf Board.

Read: Dharma, Deva, Desha: Three phases of Ram Janmabhoomi movement, who decided Babri Masjid had to go and day of reckoning

In a historic judgment on November 9, the Supreme Court had established that the Hindus have a right on the entire 67-acre Ram Janmabhoomi and ordered the construction of a Ram temple by a government trust at the Ram Janmabhoomi site in Ayodhya. It had also granted an alternate 5-acre land to the Muslims to build their Masjid in the Hindu holy town.

As per the November 9 Supreme Court judgment, the central government had been directed to formulate a scheme with necessary provisions for the setting up of trust with a board of trustees to supervise the building of the Ram Temple at the Ram Janmabhoomi site.

The Prime Minister is expected to lay the foundation stone of both the Ram Temple and Ram Statue projects in Ayodhya on Ram Navami on April 2, 2020, and the construction is expected to start soon after.

Earlier, The Vishwa Hindu Parishad had urged the Central Government to adopt the model suggested by the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas for the proposed Ram Temple in Ayodhya, as this would speed up its construction.

Watch: ‘Afzal tere khoon se inqualab aayega’ slogans raised at an anti-CAA protest in Begusarai

OpIndia Staff
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Watch: ‘Afzal tere khoon se inqualab aayega’ slogans raised at an anti-CAA protest in Begusarai

A video has gone viral on social media which shows pro-Afzal Guru slogans being raised at an anti-CAA protest in Bihar’s Begusarai.

In the video, the protestors, at the event organised at Phool Chowk in Lakhminia area of Begusarai district in the state of Bihar, are seen raising various anti-national slogans. “Afzal tere khoon se inqualab aayega” was among the slogans raised by five to seven men on the stage while around 100 women and 30 men repeated the slogan sitting in the audience.

The part of the clip showing the purported slogan being raised was widely shared on Twitter.


In the event, other slogans that were raised were – “JNU tere khoon se inqualab aayega”, “Jamia tere khoon se inqualab aayega”, “AMU tere khoon se inqualab aayega” and “BHU tere khoon se inqualab aayega”, Begusarai edition of Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar reported on 4th February 2020.

On January 30, a live video from the protest was played from the Facebook account of one Naukhez Victor, which showed the anti-national slogan being raised. The report by Dainik Bhaskar, however, said that the video posted on Facebook was later taken down.

Screenshot of the video posted on Facebook by organisers on January 30 (submitted to the police by Bajrang Dal)

A member of the right-wing organisation Bajrang Dal named Shubham Bhardwaj, who has introduced himself as district convenor of Bajrang Dal, filed a complaint with Begusarai’s Superintendent of Police Awakash Kumar yesterday against the slogans raised at the protest.

According to the complaint, for the last 20-22 days, some people have seen sitting on a dharna against the recently newly introduced Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed National Registrar of Citizens (NRC) at Phool Chowk in Lakhminia area of Begusarai district in the state of Bihar.

The complaint has named five men namely Altaf Rashid, Mohammad Salman Rain, Mohammad Sunny, Mohammad Adil and Mohammad Naukhez. The complainant also submitted a 9-minute 6-second video of the event to the SP.

The SP has, in turn, ordered a probe and entrusted the investigation of the entire case to Ballia DSP Anjani Kumar Singh.

According to the Swarjya report, former Jawaharlal Nehru University students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar also attended the protest, which is going on for the last 20-22 days, on one of the days.

Meanwhile, the organizers of the event have accused the opposition of making a doctored video viral on social media to discredit the event. Ambedkar Sangharsh Vichar Manch President Md Javed Akhtar said in a press conference that different tactics are being used by the opposition to discredit this movement.

Notably, the Delhi police had booked Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya and others in a sedition case for raising similar slogans at an event organised in JNU in 2016, supporting terrorist Afzal Guru, a terrorist who had attacked the Indian Parliament.

Allegedly, slogans like ‘Afzal hum sharminda hai, tere kaatil zinda hai” (Afzal we are ashamed that your killers are still alive), and ‘Bandook se lenge Azadi’ (We will snatch freedom from India by the gun) was raised during the event in the JNU campus. Afzal Guru, who had attacked the Parliament was given the death sentence by Indian Courts.

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