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India reiterates Kashmir is a bilateral issue, to ignore Trump’s comment to Imran Khan

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India reiterates Kashmir is a bilateral issue, to ignore Trump’s comment to Imran Khan

On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump yet again repeated his offer to “help” on the Kashmir issue despite Indian authorities repeatedly snubbing his request by asserting that Kashmir is an internal matter.

Addressing the media with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan ahead of their talks on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland, President Trump said, “We are talking about Kashmir and with relation to what’s going on with Pakistan and India. If we can help, we certainly will be helping. We have been watching it and following it very, very closely”.

India has yet again reiterated that Kashmir is an internal issue and any discussions with Pakistan will only be bilateral. However, since Trump’s mention of Kashmir was not specific and did not mention mediation explicitly, it is being speculated that India may not react strongly. The US president may visit India on February 24.

Senior government sources speaking to Times of India said, “Our position on the Kashmir issue has been clear and consistent. There is no role for any third party in this matter. There is nothing further to add.” They also pointed out that Trump did not himself mention either “mediation” or “facilitation” in his remarks when he addressed the media in Davos.

When asked about visiting Pakistan, Trump had stated during the meeting with Khan that they are visiting now and there is no need for another visit. Though Pakistan had tried to push ‘Kashmir’ into the discussions, the US readout over the meeting had not mentioned Kashmir at all.

Donald Trump, the US President often becomes enthusiastic to meddle in India’s affairs had previously spoken of his willingness to mediate. In July this year, US President Trump had stirred up a storm when he claimed that PM Modi had requested him to meditate on the Kashmir issue. However, India had clarified that no such request was made.

Later, India had again categorically rejected the offer of mediation saying that any discussion with Pakistan will only be bilateral. In August, too, he had offered to mediate saying it is a “very complicated place”.

In September 2019, Trump yet again presented himself to be an expert “arbitrator” to resolve the dispute between India and Pakistan. Trump stated that he is “ready, willing and able” to intervene if both countries wanted it.

“China has been a great friend”: Pak PM Imran Khan on his silence over plight of Uyghur Muslims in China

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“China has been a great friend”: Pak PM Imran Khan on his silence over plight of Uyghur Muslims in China

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has finally revealed reasons behind is deafening silence over the plight of Uyghur Muslims in China. As per reports, on Wednesday, at the World Economic Forum, at Davos, Switzerland, Khan was asked about his lack of criticism over the plight of Uyghur Muslims in China. While at first Khan said he did not “know much” about the mistreatment of Uyghur Muslims in China, he later said that “China is a great friend” and has helped Pakistan when it reached rock bottom and hence Pakistan government is grateful to Chinese government.

As reported by news agency ANI, in an exclusive interview with Germany-based DW, on 16th January Khan had avoided speaking on Uyghur Muslim issue in China as it is a ‘sensitive’ issue while speaking at length on Kashmir, which is an internal matter of India. Khan had said that the “scale of what is happening in India” is nowhere comparable to what is happening in China. He further said that Islamabad talks to Beijing over such ‘sensitive’ topics privately and not publicly.

Read: Satellite images show that China is building car parks, commercial complexes and playgrounds over Uighur Muslim graveyards

China has been on the receiving end of criticism over its alleged treatment to Uyghur Muslims and sending them to mass detention centres. China has also been accused of oppressing and interfering Uyghur Muslims in their religious activities.

Chinese oppression of Uyghur Muslims has been known for a long time. Earlier the Chinese police had imposed a dress code for Uyghur women, under which the Muslim women are not allowed to wear long dresses. Last year photos had appeared on social media showing police cutting dresses of Uyghur women for being “too long”. It was also reported that Han Males are sleeping on the same bed as Uyghur Muslim women in China whose male family members, often husbands, are locked up in ‘reeducation camps’ in conformity with a diktat by the Chinese regime.

Despite such atrocities, China has not faced any repercussions for its ongoing totalitarian policies which are most heinously affecting the Uyghurs. They have been abandoned by the Muslim world as well. Imran Khan, who cannot stop engaging in delirious rhetoric against India regarding Kashmir, has refused to condemn China’s actions against Uyghurs.

Read: Imran Khan, the ‘ambassador of Kashmir’, slammed by President of World Uighur Congress for ignoring the plight of Uighur Muslims in China

He continues to call China the best friend of Pakistan and has maintained a carefully crafted mask of ignorance over the entire issue. The OIC, while issuing statements on India, has refrained from issuing any statement on the Uyghurs.

Aurangabad: Travel agent alleges former cricketer and Congress leader Azharuddin cheated him of Rs 21 lakhs

OpIndia Staff
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Aurangabad: Travel agent alleges former cricketer and Congress leader Azharuddin cheated him of Rs 21 lakhs

A complaint has been registered against former Indian cricket team captain Mohammed Azharuddin in Aurangabad, Maharashtra for allegedly duping a travel agent off Rs 21 lakh.

According to the reports, the complaint was made by Shahab Y Mohammed, a former executive of Jet Airways, and the owner of Danish Tours & Travel.


AD Nagre, the Investigating Officer of the City Chowk police in Aurangabad said that the first information report mentioned two others, Mujeeb Khan from Aurangabad and one Sudheesh Avikkal from Kerala as suspects and that no arrests have been made yet.

According to FIR, several tickers were booked by Avikkal for himself and Azharuddin between November 9 and November 12, 2019, to travel to and from various international destinations such as Dubai, Paris, Turin, Amsterdam, Munich, Copenhagen, Manchester, Zagreb, on top airlines.

Though Avikkal did not have money, he insisted it was an emergency and he would pay the ticket charges to Mohammed. Mohammed relented only after Khan, who is the personal secretary to Azharuddin gave an assurance on Avikkal’s behalf.

The report noted that Avikkal promised a part-payment of 13,500 euro (or Rs 10,60,000), through his bank account with the Croatian National Bank and furnished an email dated November 12, 2019, to the travel company owner.

When Mohammed contacted the bank, they reportedly stated that no payment was made. He then tried contacting Azharuddin and Khan, but to no avail. However, Avikkal continued to promise payment when contacted on November 24. He even sent Mohammed a copy of the cheque made in favour of Danish Tours & Travels on WhatsApp, but no payments were actually received.

As per reports, even after the police complaint, Khan and the others have stated to the police numerous time that all dues will be cleared, but the travel agency has allegedly received no payments so far. Finally, the police were compelled to file an FIR based on Mohammad’s complaint.

As per reports, Azharuddin has stated that the FIR is baseless and he will take legal action against Mohammad for levelling those allegations.

Mohammed Azharuddin was banned for life from Cricket by BCCI in 2000 after he was named by disgraced South African Captain Hansie Cronje as the man who introduced Cronje to bookies. High Court quashed the ban in 2012 but BCCI never officially lifted the ban. However, they did allow him to contest the Hyderabad Cricket Association elections.

Azharuddin had contested the 2009 general elections on a Congress ticket from the Moradabad seat and had won. In the 2014 elections, he was the Congress candidate from Tonk-Sawai Madhopur seat but had lost. Named working president of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee in 2018, he was disappointed in the 2019 general elections as the party denied him tickets, from both Secunderabad and Hyderabad constituencies.

Whenever they speak, they spew venom and false narratives of monumental proportions: India takes on Pakistan at UNGA

OpIndia Staff
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Whenever they speak, they spew venom and false narratives of monumental proportions: India takes on Pakistan at UNGA

At the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), India took on Pakistan said that a the not-so-friendly neighbour takes to hate speech so naturally the way fish takes to water.


Nagaraj Naidu, Deputy Permanent Representative of India to the UN said that instead of putting and end to the rhetorics and taking steps to restore normalcy, this delegation misleads the international community away from the truth.

Read: Pakistan violated the Vienna Convention in the Kulbhushan Yadav case: ICJ tells UNGA

He further said that Pakistan’s habit of distracting the international community by using false pretences has run its course and the country must reflect on its actions and take the normal route of diplomacy. Stating that United Nations needs to work on the definition of terror, Naidu said, “The UN is yet to agree on a common definition, let alone craft a coherent and well coordinated policy to tackle terrorism and dismantle its enabling network.”

Taking a jibe on Pakistan, Naidu further said, “It is pretty surprising that a country that has completely decimated its minority population talks about protecting minorities.”

Western Australian Aboriginal community wants Christian missionaries banned from their area: Here is why

OpIndia Staff
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Western Australian Aboriginal community wants Christian missionaries banned from their area: Here is why

Fearing rampant conversions by the Christian evangelists, the Aboriginal elders in a remote Western Australian community now wants to ban Christians from visiting their region, reports Dailymail.

Expressing fear over religious conversions, the indigenous community said that the religious organisation was attempting to convert them to Christianity and take them away from their traditional culture.

Reportedly, the group of elders of the community has asked Western Australia’s discrimination watchdog if they were allowed to say ‘no’ and disallow the unidentified Christian group from their mixing in their community.

Equal Opportunity Commissioner of WA John Byrne said the Christian groups most likely cannot complain if they were to be banned by the aboriginals. Byrne said the elders would succeed as the ground of religious conviction does not apply to places.

“Aboriginal communities should be able to say who comes on their land,” Bryne added.

Reportedly, Christian organisations have repeatedly made attempts to convert by visiting remote communities across the state including Kingdom Aviation Ministries and Chariots of Fire Ministries.

Read: Christian Missionary risked wiping out entire Sentinelese tribe to ‘establish the Kingdom of Jesus on the Island’

The report stated that members of Kingdom Aviation Ministries fly to communities every week in the hope of expanding their religion by converting aboriginals to Christianity. In its website, the KAM states, “Many areas within Western Australia are very remote and have no viable witness to Christ.”

“Since the progressive withdrawal of Christian missions, there is a whole generation that has never heard the gospel,” the website reads.

Bengaluru: Congress MLA NA Haris and five others injured in a low-intensity blast in the city

OpIndia Staff
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Bengaluru: Congress MLA NA Haris and five others injured in a low-intensity blast in the city

In a shocking incident, a low-intensity bomb was allegedly hurled at three-time Congress MLA NA Haris on Wednesday late evening in Shanthinagar, Bengaluru injuring six people. The blast reported at around 8:30 pm during a cultural programme in Bengaluru, as per reports.

According to reports, NA Haris, the 53-year-old MLA from Shanthinagar, was attending the birthday celebrations of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MGR organized by the locals close to his residence in Shanthinagar. As he sat on a chair, a bomb-like object was hurled at him, which exploded close to him, injuring him and five others sitting close to MLA.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Nalapad, son of NA Haris has suspected a foul play as he said that a small cracker bomb was thrown intentionally to hurt Haris. Nalapad said that his father was sitting on a chair and suddenly something that was hurled at him exploded beneath the chair. He sustained injuries to his leg and brought to the hospital where he is being treated by a team of doctors. Other injured supporters are also being attended to by the doctors, Nalapad said.

Following the blast, Haris and a few others who were standing close to the MLA sustained burn injuries and rushed to the nearby Philomena Hospital immediately and police officials from both the Ashok Nagar and Vivek Nagar visited the spot. The police officials are yet to confirm whether it was a bomb blast or due to the bursting of loud and powerful crackers.

Read: Watch: Karnataka Congress MLA Tanveer Sait stabbed at wedding function, condition critical

Chethan Singh Rathore, DCP (Central) visited the hospital and the blast site and summoned a team of forensic science lab experts to collect samples for ascertaining the nature of the blast.

Expressing shock over the incident, MLA Haris’ son Mohammed Nalapad said, “My father has been an MLA for 12-years and nothing of this sort had happened before in the constituency. We have no rivals and my father never had any gunmen. We are all shocked and have complained to the jurisdictional police.”

Meantime, Dr Shankar Prasad, Medical Director, St Philomena’s Hospital explained that Haris and others are currently being treated for minor injuries. Prasad said that none of them has any open cut injuries and they are being examined further.

NA Haris is a three-time MLA from Shantinagar constituency in Bengaluru, having been first voted to power in 2008. Haris served briefly as Chairman of the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation following the 2018 Assembly Elections.

Watch: Kangana Ranaut’s befitting reply to Indira Jaising’s ‘forgiveness’ advice to Nirbhaya’s mother

OpIndia Staff
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Watch: Kangana Ranaut’s befitting reply to Indira Jaising’s ‘forgiveness’ advice to Nirbhaya’s mother

Firebrand actress Kangana Ranaut has lashed out at controversial lawyer Indira Jaising for asking Nirbhaya’s mother to ‘forgive’ the rapists who had brutally killed her daughter.

Speaking to the media, Kangana Ranaut went on to say that people like Indira Jaising, who seek forgiveness for such heinous criminals, should be first made to live with the same criminals for some days. Slamming Jaising’s appeal to a mother who had to watch her daughter suffer for days and die a painful death because of what the killers had done, Ranaut said that the women who seek forgiveness for such criminals are the same ones who give birth to and nurture such monsters.


Continuing her attack on Jaising, Kangana Ranaut women like Indira Jaisng are the ones who give birth to these kinds of monsters who commit such heinous crimes in the society.

Reportedly, Ranaut further claimed that Jaising never met Nibhaya’s parents to ask them about their situation and today she is supporting the convicts. Kangana Ranaut also accused Jaising of failing to stand by victims and alleged that because of people like her who make a living by supporting rapists, victims fail to get justice in this country.

On Saturday, Supreme Court advocate Indira Jaising had asked Asha Devi, mother of the 2012 horrific Delhi gang-rape victim, to ‘follow Sonia Gandhi’s footsteps’ and pardon death penalty for her daughter’s rapists.

Indira Jaising had made the request shortly after Asha Devi on Friday expressed her disappointment following a Delhi court’s postponement of the date of the execution of the four convicts. On January 17, Asha Devi had expressed disappointment with the courts and government after the date of execution of her daughter’s rapists was postponed by a Delhi court.

Read: Advocate Indira Jaising asks Nirbhaya’s mother to ‘forgive’ her daughter’s rapists like Sonia Gandhi forgave Rajiv Gandhi’s assassins

Reacting sharply to Jaising’s appeal, Asha Devi had said that it is because of people like her that justice is not done with rape victims. “Who is Indira Jaising to give me such a suggestion? The whole country wants the convicts to be executed. Just because of people like her, justice is not done with rape victims,” Asha Devi had said.

Shocked at Jaising’s audacity, she further said that she couldn’t believe Jaising would even dare to suggest such a thing. “I met her many times over the years in Supreme Court, not once she asked for my wellbeing and today she is speaking for convicts. Such people earn a livelihood by supporting rapists, hence rape incidents don’t stop,” she had said.

Fact-check: No, man suspected of putting bomb at Mangaluru Airport, Aditya Rao, is not RSS worker

OpIndia Staff
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Fact-check: No, man suspected of putting bomb at Mangaluru Airport, Aditya Rao, is not RSS worker

On Wednesday, after one Aditya Rao surrendered for planting a bomb at the Mangaluru Airport over frustration of not getting a job as security guard, rumours were floated on social media that he was actually an RSS worker and a close associate of BJP MP Tejasvi Surya.


Pictures of a man in RSS uniform were floated as that of Rao.


“Eminent journalists” were also quick to retweet unverified information linking Rao to RSS.


Congress workers too joined the bandwagon.


A Facebook page supporting Congress ally JDS also portrayed him as a close associate of Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya.

JDS Karnataka Facebook post, now deleted (image: @netajibond on Twitter)

In a now deleted Facebook post, the JDS Karnataka fan page tried to cast aspersions that Rao was an close associate of Tejasvi Surya because of a photograph of another man with him.

However, the truth is, that the man in the picture in RSS uniform is one Sandeep Lobo from Puttur, Karnataka. Taking to Facebook, Lobo said that he has decided to take legal action against those who are defaming him by referring to him as the accused in Mangaluru bomb case.

Later, he even posted pictures of him filing a police complaint against those who were spreading the rumours.

36-year-old Aditya Rao landed in the DG and IGP office around 8 am on Wednesday and surrendered before police and confessed to them that he placed the bomb. On Monday, a live bomb was found placed in an unattended bag near the ticket counters at the airport, creating a huge panic at the airport. According to police, the bomb was found in the unclaimed laptop bag. The CCTV footage showed a middle-aged man, dressed in formal attire and wearing a cap, placing the bag at the airport.

The accused Aditya Rao has been earlier arrested for making hoax calls to Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport and the Krantivira Sangilli Rayanna (KSR) city railway station after he had failed to secure a job of security personnel at the airport at least three times.

Aditya Krishnamurthy Rao has refused to come to terms with his fate and continued to seek revenge. However, this time he has actually placed a live bomb at the airport premises.

West Bengal: Mob sets woman’s house on fire over rumours that she was collecting NRC data

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal: Mob sets woman’s house on fire over rumours that she was collecting NRC data

House of a 20-year-old Chumki Khatun was set on fire by a mob in West Bengal’s Birbhum over rumours that she was collecting data for NRC. Chumki Khatun and her family are currently under police protection. The incident happened in Gourbazar village in Mallarpur police station area.

As per reports, Khatun worked with an NGO on contract where it was training rural women to smartphones effectively. As part of her training, Khatun collected some general data. This fuelled the rumours that she was collecting data for NRC. However, the police has denied that the incident was linked to NRC. Rampurhat sub-divisional police officer Soumajit Barua told news agency PTI that the police didn’t find any link to the NRC. The police has now initiated investigation and the situation is under control.

Read: West Bengal: TMC govt led by Mamata Banerjee to bring anti-CAA resolution in state assembly on January 27

Earlier yesterday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held an anti-CAA, NRC rally in Darjeeling and assured people of West Bengal that there is “no need to worry” about the NRC.

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray meets 2011 Azad Maidan riot perpetrators Raza Academy and other Muslim organisation leaders over CAA and NRC

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Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray meets 2011 Azad Maidan riot perpetrators Raza Academy and other Muslim organisation leaders over CAA and NRC

The Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday met several Muslim organisations, including Raza Academy, known for allegedly presiding over the Azad Maidan riots in 2011, at the office of Commissioner of Police to allay the fears among the Muslim community over the citizenship amendment act and the NRC.


Thackeray met the delegation of Muslim organisations in South Mumbai where the Raza Academy submitted a memorandum to the CM demanding a resolution in opposition to the CAA and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). However, Thackeray remained agnostic in providing an assurance to the delegation regarding a resolution against the CAA like that passed by Kerala and Punjab state assembly.

One of the attendees, Sayed Moinuddin Ashraf, who is president of Jamia Qadriya Ashrafia, was upbeat about the delegation’s meeting with the Maha Vikas Aghadi chief minister. He said that Thackeray told the delegation that Mumbai belongs to every citizen and every citizen has equal rights over the city. “Mumbai is home to everybody and people living here since generations cannot be removed,” Thackeray said as quoted by Ashraf.


Raza Academy General Secretary M Saeed Noori stated that Thackeray emphasised the need to maintain law and order in the city while appealing to maintain peace and tranquillity in the financial capital of the country.

It is pertinent to note that Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena chief met the leaders of notorious Raza Academy, which had organised a so-called protest in Azad Maidan in August 2011 that had turned into violent riots. The rioters from Raza Academy had vandalised the much-hallowed Amar Jawan memorial situated outside the CST. The riots had caused approximately Rs 2.72 crores worth of damages to various public properties.

The protest was carried out to incite communal violence in Mumbai and the IB report to Maharashtra government hinted at Pakistani involvement in the riots. Bangladeshi passports were retrieved from the areas where riots took place. About 65 people and 40 security personnel were injured in the riots.

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