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Congress scion Rahul Gandhi asked three motivated, shameful questions on Pulwama attack, here are the answers

Editorial Desk
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Congress scion Rahul Gandhi asked three motivated, shameful questions on Pulwama attack, here are the answers

The scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, Rahul Gandhi, on the anniversary of the Pulwama Terror Attack once again demonstrated precisely why the Congress party has been decimated electorally across the country. On the completion of one year of the heinous act of terrorism that claimed the life of over forty of our CRPF Jawans, the former Congress president decided that the best path forward was to insinuate that the attack was orchestrated by the NDA Government at the Center.


Rahul Gandhi asked three loaded questions on the 14th of February, the anniversary of the Pulwama attack, all of which were pointed towards blaming the Modi government for what happened. We shall address these questions one at a time.

Q1: Who benefitted from the Pulwama attack?

The first question asked, “Who benefitted the most from the attack?” Needless to say, nobody benefits from a terrorist attack itself. The only consequence of terrorism is unmitigated tragedies. Only utter mora bankruptcy could lead someone to ask who benefited from terrorism.

Having said that, it’s only in the responses to such acts of barbarism that benefits and losses are incurred by civilized society. In the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo attack, when the mainstream media engaged in self-censorship, they gave in to the demands of the Jihadists which had perpetrated the attack to silence all critics and ridicule of their religion. On that occasion, and several other similar incidents, the terrorists benefitted the most. When liberals engage in self-censorship and silence critics of Islam claiming that mockery is justification enough for terrorism, the Jihadists win.

Contrary to that, when the NDA government retaliated in full measure against Pakistan following the Pulwama attack, India benefitted as a nation. The government may have accrued political benefits from the Balakot airstrikes but its Indians who benefited the most because the airstrikes serve as a deterrent against Pakistani state-sponsored terrorism. If the UPA government in 2008 had acted in a similar manner post the Mumbai attacks, Indians would have benefited in a similar manner and no one would have complained if the UPA government had accrued political benefits out of it. The nation comes first.

Apart from the Balakot Airstrikes, the government has also maintained its relentless efforts to wipe out terrorism from the valley. Simultaneously, India has also upped the ante against the Pakistan establishment on the diplomatic front. As a consequence, Pakistan finds itself isolated and after Article 370 was abrogated by the Indian Government, not even Pakistan’s traditional allies have sided with it apart from Turkey, China, and Malaysia. Therefore, most certainly, Pakistan has not been allowed to benefit from the terror attack.

The only people who benefit from terror attacks regardless of the responses to it are vultures such as Rahul Gandhi himself who love to feed themselves off the corpses of our fallen warriors. The sole objective of such people is to seek avenues for personal benefit. No tragedy is devastating enough for sombre moments of reflection and selfless solidarity. No land is sacred enough for unconditional loyalty. Only politics matters, seeking power for the sake of it is an end in and of itself.

Q2: The Inquiry into the Pulwama Attack

The second question Rahul Gandhi asked was, “What is the outcome of the inquiry into the attack?” It’s a valid question but at the same time, people have to remember that such investigations usually take a long time to complete. Furthermore, the terrorist attack was influenced and orchestrated by terrorists from lands where India does not have a physical jurisdiction yet. Therefore, it is inevitable for the investigation to hit roadblocks.

“There are many unanswered questions as all the perpetrators who could have helped in piecing together the investigation were killed in encounters. The car used in the attack had changed hands several times. The last person to own the vehicle- Sajjad Bhat went on to join Jaish hours before he could be caught. He was later killed in an encounter,” one official was quoted as saying by The Hindu.

“Had we recovered samples from a bomb that had not exploded, then tracing the source would have been easier on the basis of its composition and usage pattern. In Pulwama, all we could get was charred remains,” the official added. In addition to that, some suspects have also been killed by security forces during encounters in the valley since then. It has made the investigation more difficult. However, it is known that Jaish-e-Muhammad has claimed responsibility for the terror attack. The terrorist himself used the ‘Gaumutra’ slur, a slur hugely popular among liberals, in the video that was recorded prior to the suicide bombing.

A supplementary charge sheet has also been filed by the NIA two days ago against four aides of the Pulwama Attack mastermind in a case pertaining to terrorism. The supplementary charge sheet was filed against four Jaish-e-Muhammad operatives under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 121 A (waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the government of India) of IPC, and various sections of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and sections of Explosives Substances Act.

“Investigation has established that the accused persons are members of proscribed terrorist organisation JeM, who were planning to carry out terrorist attacks and propagating the activities of JeM,” the NIA said. “The slain terrorist Mudassir Ahmad Khan was the mastermind behind this conspiracy. He was one of the main conspirators in Pulwama terror attack as well and was killed in an encounter with police and security forces in Tral area of district Pulwama J&K on March 10, last year,” the NIA said.

Q3. Who has been held accountable?

The third question the former Congress President asked was, “Who in the BJP Govt has yet been held accountable for the security lapses that allowed the attack?” Again, while there were security lapses without a doubt, it also has to be remembered that our security establishment has to be successful hundred percent of the times but the terrorists have to succeed only once. While it is in the best interests of everyone that adequate action is taken against those who were found to err, it is also only appropriate that it is done quietly in order to ensure that the natural order of affairs within the establishment is not disrupted.

With regard to the question as to who has been held accountable in the BJP government for the attack, the ordinary citizen understands perfectly that none of the Ministers were individually responsible for the attack. The only thing a Minister can do in such terrible circumstances is extending condolences to the families of the martyrs and ensure that their sacrifice hasn’t gone in vain, the only thing they can ensure is that their sacrifice is avenged. In the absence of clear misconduct, no one expects ministers to offer their resignation in response to acts of terrorism. However, the country does expect them to step up and fulfil the oath they swore to the nation.

Rahul Gandhi would do well to remember the conduct of his own party in the aftermath of the Mumbai Terror Attacks. Digvijay Singh attended the launch of a book that blamed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for the terror attack. No action has been taken against him for his deplorable conduct. The Minority Affairs Minister in the UPA government, A.R. Antulay, had claimed that ‘Hindutva terrorists’ were behind the death of Hemant Karkare.

Antulay did not have to pay any price for his conduct. Even the U.S. ambassador observed that the Congress party chose to ‘pander to Muslim fears‘ for the sake of politics. No one from the Congress has ever paid a price for that. No Congress politician has ever paid the price for attempting to invent the mythical saffron terrorism either.

Rahul Gandhi would do well to reflect upon why his party is in the situation it is today. A huge part of it is the manner in which he has chosen to conduct himself. It is because he has chosen to sacrifice national interests at the altar of crazy conspiracy theories, it is because he has refused to take action against people from his own party for casting aspersions on the surgical strikes and airstrikes conducted by the Indian Army, it is because he has chosen to play politics over fallen warriors that the Congress party has been decimated in large parts across the country and has lost in the manner that it has in national politics.

Ghaziabad: Police arrest main accused Momin, Shakeel and two others under Gangster Act for smuggling and illegal cow slaughter

OpIndia Staff
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Ghaziabad: Police arrest main accused Momin, Shakeel and two others under Gangster Act for smuggling and illegal cow slaughter

The Ghaziabad police have arrested four members of a gang from Loni area of Ghaziabad on Monday for allegedly slaughtering cows. A loader, tempo, knives and rope have also been seized from the accused.

The main accused who was identified as Momin and has several cases of cow slaughter registered against him in Ghaziabad and Baghpat was arrested along with three of his accomplices, namely, Gyasuddin, Mohin and Shakeel.

While Momin and Gyasuddin are residents of Loni area of Ghaziabad, Mohin and Shakeel belong to Gokalpuri area in Delhi.

Two of their accomplices are still on the run. Police said the four used to supply beef to Delhi and its adjoining areas. During interrogation, the accused divulged that they have a large network. The four have been booked under the Gangster Act, informed the police.

The incident, which was perpetrated a week ago in Loni’s Dabur Talab area on February 4, had come to light when few passersby spotted the carcasses lying at a field and immediately informed the police. Allegedly the police did not take any action then.

As the information spread, VHP and Bajrang Dal activists had reached the spot and staged a sit-in protest demanding immediate action against the miscreants. They reportedly raised slogans against the police and administration for delaying the investigation. There were also allegations of negligence on the Incharge of Dabus Talab police outpost.

Loni MLA Nand Kishore Gurjar also spoke to the Senior Superintendent of Police, Kalanidhi Naithani, over the phone. Gurjar informed the senior SP that the Gaushala (cowshed) is located near the site of the incident. These miscreants allegedly stole the bovines from the Gaushala by damaging a wall. The caretakers of the Gaushala was also attacked by these miscreants, reported the MLA as he demanded that the National Security Act should be slapped on the accused.

In December 2018, the Ghaziabad police chief has asked the SHOs to track all the cases of cow slaughter registered in the last five years and book the charges under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986 also called Gangster Act. The Act aims to prevent and cope with gangsters and anti-social elements.

According to reports, the cases under the Gangster Act would be filed against habitual offenders. In case charges are framed under this Act, getting bail becomes difficult and the police can apply for longer custody.

It is notable here that after Yogi Adityanath assumed office as CM of UP, he has attempted to address the menace of cattle smuggling and illegal slaughter in the state. The UP police had been ordered to apply the National Security Act and Gangster Act against organised incidents of smuggling and slaughter. UP also saw a crackdown on illegal slaughterhouses operating in the state.

Bhima Koregaon violence: Bombay High Court refuses anticipatory bail pleas of Gautam Navlakha and Anand Teltumbde

OpIndia Staff
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Bhima Koregaon violence: Bombay High Court refuses anticipatory bail pleas of Gautam Navlakha and Anand Teltumbde

The Bombay High Court on Friday declined to grant the anticipatory bail to Bhima Koregaon violence accused Gautam Navlakha and Anand Teltumbde in the Elgar Parishad-alleged Maoist links case. Justice PD Naik denied the pre-arrest bail pleas filed by them.

The court, however, upheld the provisional protection from arrest accorded to them for a period of four weeks so that they can file their appeal in the Supreme Court.


Following the violence in Bhima Koregaon village on January 1, 2018, Gautam Navlakha, Anand Teltumbde along with others were booked by the Pune police for their Maoist links and several other charges.

The Pune Police had held that the “incendiary” and “provocative” speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, had resulted into caste violence at Bhima Koregaon the following day. The police claimed that the violence was supported by the Maoists.

Read: Gautam Navlakha was in touch with Hizbul, Kashmiri separatists: Pune Police tells Bombay HC

Earlier last year, Navlakha and Teltumbde had approached a sessions court in Pune seeking pre-arrest bail but it was rejected by the court.

The court, in its order, had said, “It is clear that there is prima facie sufficient material to show that the applicant is not only a member of a banned organization but an active leader. Prima facie it can be noted that the organisation of Elgar Parishad at Pune was part of a larger conspiracy of the banned organization and Bhima Koregaon episode is one of the instances of execution of the said conspiracy. Therefore, the question of jurisdiction either of Pune Police or of this Court cannot be said to have merits, at least at this stage.”

However, in December 2019, they managed to secure interim protection from arrest from the high court pending disposal of their anticipatory bail pleas.

Amidst cries from the NCP leaders to withdraw the cases against the Bhima Koregaon accused, the centre last month transferred the cases from Pune Police to the National Investigative Agency (NIA).

39% greater than 81% as long as it can show BJP in bad light and ‘secular parties’ like Congress and JDU as virtuous: Here is how NDTV lied

OpIndia Staff
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39% greater than 81% as long as it can show BJP in bad light and ‘secular parties’ like Congress and JDU as virtuous: Here is how NDTV lied

NDTV, the ultra-left wing fake news website was yet again caught on Thursday making erroneous claims by manipulating data and graphs to falsely portray BJP has more percentage of Members of Parliament with criminal charges compared to other political parties.

On Thursday, NDTV ran a discussion on the Supreme Court’s recent order on the clean-up of the criminalisation of politics. In the show anchored by Vishnu Som, NDTV displayed an infographic to depict that BJP as a political party has more percentage of MPs with criminal charges as compared to other parties.

In the infographic put by the NDTV, there has been a comparison among five political parties, which includes BJP, Congress, Janata Dal-United, DMK and Trinamool Congress. Interestingly, out of all the five parties, BJP has the least percentage of MPs with criminal charges with 39 per cent while Janata Dal united has 81 per cent of their MPs with criminal records.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YV2sDcfx95c]

However, NDTV, as usual, displayed their bias towards the BJP by displaying the graph of the BJP relatively larger compared to other political parties which have more percentage of MPs with criminals charges in their party.

In the same graph, it can be seen that the bar graphs which depict Congress, DMK, JDU and TMC with 57 per cent, 43 per cent, 81 per cent and 41 respectively have all been shown as diminutively smaller than the graph that represents BJP, which actually has the least numbers.

NDTV's infographics
NDTV’s infographics

By displaying statistics with disproportionate graphs, NDTV indulged in a disinformation campaign to peddle their anti-BJP agenda to falsely depict that BJP has the most number of MPs with criminal record among all the five parties.

Read: Fixed match? NDTV’s townhall meeting with Arvind Kejriwal had AAP workers asking him questions and praising AAP govt in Delhi

In the show, NDTV quoted the same report released by ADR, which earlier stated that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that rose to power on the promise of bringing change in the political system has now given tickets to a whopping 60% candidates with pending criminal cases, with 51% facing serious criminal cases.

Unidentified bag making hissing sounds leads to bomb scare in Supreme Court, turns out to be a power bank

OpIndia Staff
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Unidentified bag making hissing sounds leads to bomb scare in Supreme Court, turns out to be a power bank

Fear gripped the corridors of the Supreme Court after a bomb scare. An abandoned bag that appeared to make a hissing sound was found in the corridor of the Supreme Court. The hissing sound gave rise to suspicions and a bomb scare followed.


The abandoned bag was found close to the Judge’s chambers. Security personnel present at the scene, noticing the unidentified bag making a hissing sound picked the bag up and ran with it to the corridor. Reportedly, the bag was then kept by the security personnel in an open space in the Supreme Court corridor.

After this, security personnel present in the Supreme Court sprung into action owing to the bomb scare and cordoned off the corridor where the unidentified bag making ticking sounds was placed.

After investigation, however, it was found that the ticking sounds that were coming from the unidentified and abandoned bag were due to a power bank that was left in the bag.


Just a few days ago, at least two lawyers were injured when a crude bomb exploded at a court in Lucknow this morning. The bomb – thrown at the chamber of lawyers – is believed to have targeted a senior member of Lucknow Bar Association.

The explosion took place at session court, about a kilometre from the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha. At least three crude bombs were recovered after the explosion, eyewitnesses said.

Environmentalist, former TERI Director and an alleged molester – The murky life of RK Pachauri

Dibakar Dutta
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Environmentalist, former TERI Director and an alleged molester – The murky life of RK Pachauri

RK Pachauri had dawned many hats during his lifetime. Born in 1940 in Nainital, Uttarakhand, he studied at the La Martiniere College (Lucknow, UP) and the Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (Jamalpur, Bihar). He then pursued Industrial Engineering in the United States.

A strict vegetarian and a renowned environmentalist, Rk Pachauri was the frontrunner in convincing countries to step up their efforts in containing carbon emissions. Under his astute leadership, the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Pachauri served as the Chairman of the organisation for 13 years.

He also headed India’s premier The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) until 2015. Pachauri breathed his last at Escorts Heart Institute in New Delhi on Thursday at the age of 79. He was battling a prolonged heart illness and was put on life support. In his memory, the current Chairman of TERI, Nitin Desai, said that Pachauri’s contribution to global sustainable development is “unparalleled.”

His illustrious career was cut short after allegations of criminal intimidation, stalking and sexual harassment surfaced against him in 2015. A young female researcher who worked under Pachauri had accused him of making sexual advancements towards her. This prompted his resignation from the post of TERI chief, a position he held since 2002.

Read- RK Pachauri, the new Tejpal?

The Delhi police had filed a 1400-page charge sheet on March 1, 2016, and conceded that “sufficient evidence” existed to prove the charges against him. The Saket Court had formally directed to frame charges against the internationally acclaimed climate activist on October 20, 2018.

Pachauri’s notoriety convinced people to draw analogies with Tarun Tejapl who had been accused of raping a female colleague inside an elevator during Tehelka magazine’s THiNK 2013 festival in Goa on November 7, 2013. Both these perpetrators preyed on victims who were younger and favoured by the duo and looked up to them as “fatherly figures.” While Pachauri justified his sexual exploitation as “love”, Tejpal threatened his victim to make her reciprocate.

Now that RK Pachauri is no more in this mortal world, eulogies have started to pour in from all corners. An attempt to whitewash his sins is underway by the same group of left-liberals who had earlier defended Tarun Tejpal and shamed the victim. An obituary must be a correct assessment of someone’s life, highlighting both the good deeds and sins in the same breath.

NSA slapped on suspended Gorakhpur ‘doctor’ Kafeel Khan for his hate speech during anti-CAA ‘stir’ at AMU

OpIndia Staff
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NSA slapped on suspended Gorakhpur ‘doctor’ Kafeel Khan for his hate speech during anti-CAA ‘stir’ at AMU

The Uttar Pradesh police have slapped the National Security Act (NSA) against that controversial Gorakhpur ‘doctor’ Kafeel Khan for making provocative comments during his speech on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) on December 12, 2019.

According to media reports, a special messenger was sent by the Chief Judicial Magistrate to the Mathura jail, where he has been housed, on February 13 informing them of the NSA charges.

Khan was granted bail on Monday but he has not been released from Mathura jail where he is lodged. Khan’s family had approached the CJM court in Aligarh over the delay in his release despite getting bail.

Khan’s brother Adeel Khan said: “We got to know on Friday morning that the NSA has been slapped on Kafeel and now he will not be coming out of jail soon. This is simply unacceptable. He is being targeted at the behest of the state government.”

Read: Controversial doctor Kafeel Khan arrested for his hate speech at AMU sent to Mathura jail

Controversial ‘doctor’ Kafeel Khan arrested in Mumbai on January 30 for making a provocative speech in the Aligarh Muslim University campus on December 12th, 2019, inciting people against the CAA was remanded to 14 days judicial custody on February 1 and later transferred to Mathura jail.

An FIR was filed against Kafeel for attempting to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere and disturb communal harmony. The FIR was registered under section 153-A (Promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion) of IPC on the 13th of December.

In his speech, the controversial doctor Kafeel had said, “Mota Bhai (Home Minister Amit Shah) is teaching everyone to become Hindu or Muslim but not a human being. He is a murderer whose clothes are foul with blood. He does not believe in the constitution since the RSS came into existence. The CAB makes Muslims a second category citizen and subsequently, they will be harassed with the implementation of the NRC.”

Kafeel is further alleged to have said, “This is a fight is for our existence. We have to fight”. He also said that students in RSS schools are being taught that those who have beards are terrorists. He reportedly added, “through the CAB, the government has told us that India is not ‘our’ country.”

Read: Spreading misinformation, violating suspension orders: UP govt to probe fresh allegations on Dr Kafeel Khan

On the night of December 15, Delhi’s Jamia Nagar and AMU had seen violent riots breaking out. UP police had stated that despite the proctoral team’s attempt, many students had scaled the gates and had come outside to clash with the police and pelt stones.

Kafeel Khan is one of the accused in the BRD Medical College and Hospital children’s death case in Gorakhpur. He had taken to social media to spread false news that he had been given a ‘clean chit’ in the 2017 case in a departmental inquiry. The Uttar Pradesh government had in October initiated a fresh inquiry against him for spreading misinformation in the media and forcibly entering a hospital and trying to treat patients during his suspension period.

Rahul Gandhi peddles shameless trope on anniversary of Pak sponsored Pulwama attack, hints at attack being inside job to ‘benefit’ BJP

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi peddles shameless trope on anniversary of Pak sponsored Pulwama attack, hints at attack being inside job to ‘benefit’ BJP

As India remembers Pulwama martyrs on the first anniversary of the terror attack on Friday, Gandhi-scion Rahul Gandhi hit a new low by casting aspersions on the Pulwama attacks as he hinted that the barbaric incident might have been an inside job which benefitted BJP ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

On the first anniversary of the Pulwama attacks in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed by Islamic terrorists, insensitive Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to indulge in a political slugfest to target the BJP government rather than paying his tributes to the fallen soldiers who had laid their lives for the security of the country.

Shockingly, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi posed three questions targeting the Modi government. Gandhi went on to blame the Modi government for the Pulwama attacks as he hinted that it was a false flag operation. Gandhi’s accusations despite the fact that the Islamic terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed has itself claimed responsibility for the attack.


In his first question, Rahul Gandhi asks “Who benefitted the most from the attack?”. While the terrorist attack was carried out by Pakistan sponsored terror group, by asking this question, Rahul Gandhi is clearly hinting that there is “more to the Pulwama attack” than just Pakistan bleeding India with the attack as it has for decades.

The following questions also contribute to the shameless trope being peddled by Rahul Gandhi hinting that the BJP government at the centre is perhaps not inquiring into the attack simply because they were somehow responsible for it.

Read: Congress deletes video where Rahul Gandhi was seen dancing shortly after the Pulwama attack

It is thus safe to conclude that according to Gandhi, the terror attack on CRPF soldiers by Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist was an inside job which benefitted the Modi government during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Gandhi seems to believe that the Modi government politically benefited from the terrorist attacks and hinted that it is for the same reason that the Modi government was going slow on the inquiry into the attacks. He is perhaps unaware of the supplementary chargesheet filed against JeM terrorists and also the fact that the mastermind of the Pulwama attack has been neutralised by the forces. “What is the outcome of the inquiry into the attack?” asked the Wayanad MP.

Ever since Islamic terrorists attacked CRPF jawans, the grand old party has been parroting lines of the terror-state of Pakistan. Interestingly, the then Congress President Rahul Gandhi himself was caught on camera dancing just hours after the Pulwama attack.

Congress leader B K Hariprasad, a Rajya Sabha MP from Karnataka, had stirred a controversy by mocking the Pulwama terrorist attack which claimed the lives more than 40 CRPF personnel. Hariprasad called the terrorist attack a ‘fixed-match’ between PM Modi and Pakistan.

Similarly, Goa Congress leader Chellakumar had alleged that the Pulwama attack was orchestrated by PM Modi and went on to ask where were the bodies of terrorists who were killed in the airstrikes. Kumar had also floated a conspiracy theory that the Pulwama terror attack, the responsibility of which was claimed by Pakistan based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad, was an inside job.

Read: Imran Khan says Pulwama was an ‘indigenous job’: Did Indian ‘liberals’ and Congress help him come up with that delusion?

Just after the cowardly attack by a Kashmiri terrorist belonging to the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammad claimed 40 lives of our CRPF soldiers, the Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala had rubbed salt on their wounds by alleging that the terrorist was a ‘Home-grown so-called terrorist’.

Taking it to the next level, senior Congress leaders had even gone to an extent to downplay the Pulwama terror attack. Sam Pitroda gave credibility to the New York Times article, which had not only downplayed Pulwama terror attack by referring to it as ‘explosion’ but also peddled half-truths and whole lies to perpetuate its anti-India narrative.

Soon after the ‘Balakot strike’ which succeeded the Pulwama attack as a retaliation by the Indian army, the Congress party had jumped into the scene to question the authenticity of the strikes.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had quoted Pakistan’s claim that the Army hit a few trees in Pakistan and that no terrorists were killed in the airstrike on February 26. When asked as to why he was questioning the same, when Pakistan PM Imran Khan had admitted the strike, he denied any knowledge of it.

Referring to the terror attack as an ‘accident’, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh had said that reports in various foreign media regarding the “airstrike” have created doubt in our minds. This has made us question the credibility of the Indian government as well, he added. Kapil Sibal and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath were also seen taking a similar stand.

On February 14, 2019, a convoy of vehicles carrying security personnel on the Jammu Srinagar National Highway was attacked by a vehicle-borne Islamic terrorist at Lethpora in the Pulwama district, Jammu and Kashmir, India. The attack resulted in the deaths of 40 CRPF personnel. The responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed.

One year since Pulwama attack, here is how Pakistan’s position internationally has weakened and is unlikely to improve

Editorial Desk
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One year since Pulwama attack, here is how Pakistan’s position internationally has weakened and is unlikely to improve

The 14th of February marks the first anniversary of the Pulwama Attack. The Pakistan sponsored terror attack that resulted in the death of more than forty of our CRPF Jawans was the second big event of the first chapter of the Modi-Amit Shah-Doval era (MAD era). The first chapter, obviously, culminated with the abrogation of Article 370 and the complete integration of Jammu & Kashmir with the rest of the Indian Union.

The Pulwama Attack, as devastating as it was, finally broke the Dam that had kept a check on India’s thirst for vengeance as a nation. The barbarity of the attack that was on display made the nation realize the true nature of the barbarism we are up against. As was the case with the Uri Attack three years prior, there was a terrible miscalculation on the part of the Pakistani establishment with regards to the Pulwama Attack as well.

Read: Pulwama attack: Justice doesn’t give a tiny rat’s furry posterior about the sensibility of elites who go where the money takes them

It is safe to argue that through the Pulwama Attack, the Pakistani establishment hoped to cause a dent on Narendra Modi’s image as a strong and no-nonsense leader and thereby, undermine his stature ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections couple of months later. Pakistan believed that they could manage to prevent and safeguard themselves from another ‘Surgical Strike’ by beefing up security at the Border. What they didn’t take into account was the fact that India under Prime Minister Modi would consider other more aggressive actions as well.

Since the Balakot Airstrikes, there has been a remarkable change in Pakistan’s conduct. That change was a consequence of the changes India had itself undergone as a country. As India adopted a hardline stance towards the country, Pakistan was relegated to screeching on social media and howling in a rage without having the ability to respond to India in any manner whatsoever.

The world has changed remarkably since the Pulwama Terror Attack. The greatest change has been the status of Jammu & Kashmir within the Indian Union. After Article 370 was abrogated, for all its huff and puff, the Pakistani establishment couldn’t really bring itself to retaliate against India. All their aggression was limited to social media and speech. Their actions have been demure when compared with the past.

Read: Dateline Pulwama: India no longer hostage to Pakistan’s Nuclear blackmail

There is a good reason for that. India’s clout in global affairs has been growing greatly in recent years, so much that Pakistan has been abandoned by its trusted Islamic allies. As a consequence perhaps of India’s growing ties with the United States, our own relationship with the USA’s trusted ally Saudi Arabia has been improving steadily as well. Simultaneously, our ties with other Arab countries have been getting better too. Thus, countries which Pakistan would have traditionally expected to stand by it on the international forum have been forming closer ties with India.

The greatest evidence of this is Sushma Swaraj’s attendance at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting as a guest of honour in March 2019 when tempers were still running high between India and Pakistan, merely three days after the Balakot Airstrikes, and despite numerous objections from Pakistan.

Narendra Modi as Prime Minister also has received numerous awards from Islamic countries. The Order of Zayed Award from the United Arab Emirates within two months of the Pulwama Attacks and the Order of the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddin from the Maldives in June 2019 is reflective of that fact. Earlier in 2016, the Prime Minister had been awarded the Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud by Saudi Arabia demonstrating India’s growing ties with the Islamic world.

The abrogation of Article 370 marked the conclusion of the first chapter of the MAD era. In the second chapter, the battleground will be Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as evidenced by the plethora of statements made by high ranking Union Ministers in the cabinet of the Modi Government. Thus far, on the matter of Kashmir, Pakistan has found no support at the international forum, apart from China, Turkey and Malaysia. Of these three countries, the third is already regretting antagonizing India as our country has hit back at them by reducing its palm oil imports, thereby affecting its economy. Turkey, too, has suffered India’s wrath by raking up the Kashmir issue at the United Nations. Thus, India’s hardline stance against Pakistan has raised the costs for other countries to side with Pakistan at international forums.

Read: The Art of Ruling: The Modi-Shah Doctrine of Governance and how the duo brought the Media and Mobs to kneel in 2019

India’s relationship with Pakistan has never been friendly but it was the Pulwama Terror Attack that broke the camel’s back. The Pakistani establishment did not expect such an aggressive retaliation from India following the attack. And it is this miscalculation that has cost them terribly. Now, it stands alone at the international forum with nobody backing them apart from China which does so for its own benefit.

The trade war between the USA and China, too, has affected the relationship between India and Pakistan. The USA recognizes that it cannot afford to alienate India completely in the midst of its trade war with China and it has provided India with more leverage to bargain at the negotiation table. Pakistan’s overtures towards China hasn’t helped their cause either. And so it happens that Imran Khan, the Pakistani Prime Minister, can be regularly found on Twitter screaming into the void about India becoming a fascist country and yet, no entity of consequence pays him any attention.

Recently, a Pakistani court has convicted Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the Mumbai Terror Attacks, in cases related to funding terrorism. It is, of course, a desperate move ahead of the FATF plenary meet in order to avoid being blacklisted by the agency. At the same time, India has upped its offensive against the persecution of Pakistan’s religious minorities in the country.

Pakistan’s position at the moment is far worse than it was before the Pulwama Terror Attack. Its economy is collapsing, its influence on the international forums has diminished greatly and it is in no position to retaliate against India’s moves on Kashmir. And it doesn’t appear that the situation is likely to improve for them at any point in the near future. Pakistan has not recovered from the terrible blow it has suffered due to the nefarious act of terrorism it plotted against India in Pulwama and it is unlikely they will any time soon.

Blame game erupts, rift between Shiv Sena and NCP deepens over Centre’s decision to transfer Bhima Koregaon case to NIA: Read how

OpIndia Staff
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Blame game erupts, rift between Shiv Sena and NCP deepens over Centre’s decision to transfer Bhima Koregaon case to NIA: Read how

The Shiv Sena has given a green signal to the decision of the Union Government to transfer the Bhima Koregaon case to the National Investigative Agency (NIA) on Wednesday, thereby drawing the ire of its ally, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), in the Maha Vikas Aghadi.

It is notable here that since coming to power, the NCP had been batting for dropping cases against the accused persons in the Bhima Koregaon violence case. It was also reported that CM Uddhav had assured NCP leaders that the cases will be dropped.

However, the central government had handed over the Bhima Koregaon violence cases to the NIA, taking it beyond the power of state law enforcement.

On January 25, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had issued a notification regarding the transfer of the Bhima Koregaon case. It was done after the newly formed coalition government in Maharashtra was considering forming an SIT and possibly dropping the charges against left-wing intellectuals implicated in the case.

State Home Minister and member of the NCP, Anil Deshmukh, hit out at the Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray over the use of his ‘discretionary powers’. He said, “The CM has powers. He overruled my objection and granted consent to the NIA to take over the probe.”

Deshmukh reiterated that the NCP was of the view that the Centre should have consulted the State government before transferring the Bhima Koregaon case to the NIA. He added that the Home Ministry is in touch with the State advocate general, Ashutosh Kumbhakoni.

Reports, however, suggested that Uddhav Thackeray gave a nod to the Centre’s decision after seeking a legal opinion from Kumbhakoni who informed the Chief Minister that the Union Government was legally empowered to do so. Reportedly, Anil Deshmukh had discussed the issue with NCP supremo, Sharad Pawar, and Uddhav before briefing the media.

After discussing with the state advocate general, CM Thackeray had ordered that state government will no longer oppose the Centre in court, and to facilitate that, the home department, through an order issued on Wednesday, had directed the Maharashtra DGP to convey the decision to the sessions court in Pune during a hearing scheduled for Friday.

In an interview with Saamana, Uddhav Thackeray stated, “Nobody denies the Centre’s right in this investigation. But, while exercising its right, the Centre should have taken the state into confidence or should have told us what was wrong in the investigation.”

This is not the first time that the allies in the Maha Vikas Aghadi had taken contradictory stances publicly. Earlier, Shiv Sena had snubbed Congress ahead of the Delhi elections and instead backed its arch-rival, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The saffron party had also been at loggerheads with the Congress over comments made by the latter on Veer Savarkar. While both NCP and Congress had been opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act, Sena had been a supporter of the Act.

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