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BHU protest: After the 10-day time limit given to management ended, SVDV students sharpen their agitation

OpIndia Staff
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BHU protest: After the 10-day time limit given to management ended, SVDV students sharpen their agitation

The protest by BHU’s SVDV (Sanskrit Vidya Dharma Vigyan) students against the appointment of professor Firoz Khan in the Dharma Vigyan faculty of the university continues unabated. The 10-day time limit demanded by the university’s administration to resolve the issue also ended today. After getting no positive response from the BHU management in these last 10 days, the protesting students decided to sharpen their protest against the university management.

The students conducted a ‘gherao’ at 12 noon today in front of the SVDV department, with their written demand duly signed by all the SVDV students. The students said that until the administration takes action on their demands, they will not allow Firoz Khan to enter the department.

In a written petition submitted with the head of the SVDV, the students said that the answers given by the department to their querries were unclear and incomplete, and all the students are ‘unsatisfied’ with the response. They demanded that the administration reply to the questions soon with proofs.

The students had asked whether shortlisting of candidates in the department were similar to other departments, whether the shortlisting was done keeping in mind the Sanatan Dharma rules of the Sanskrit Vidya Dharma Vigyan department, which UGC rules were followed, and whether the recruitment was done as per university constitution and specific sections of the constitution. The department had replied that the shortlisting was similar to other departments, but for the next two questions they gave generic replies saying the standard UGC rules were followed. For the two questions on the University Constitution, they didn’t furnish any reply, saying they will be replied by the university administration.

Responding to the replies, the students said, if the shortlisting procedure is same in all departments than why there are differences in scoring points of the same person in different departments. They also questioned how 0 and 100 scores were awarded if UGC rules were followed, as there is no provision for giving 0 or full marks in the rules.

The SVDV students have for almost a month been consistently trying to preserve their religion and culture by agitating against the appointment of a non-Hindu to the ‘Faculty of Theology’. There are two departments for Sanskrit in BHU, one under Arts Faculty and the other under SVDV Faculty. The first is the study of Sanskrit language and the other is the theology of Hindu religion. There are different ways of studying in these two. Sanskrit is taught as a language in the Sanskrit department. On the other hand, in the SVDV,  students are taught about the customs, mantras, shlokas, rituals of worship and rituals of Sanatan Dharma.

Read: How the BHU students were demonised and the ones who refused to be ‘secularised’ unfairly called ‘bigots’

In the Dharma Vigyan Department, even Sanskrit is learnt with an interpretation of theology and hence, the students were demanding that only a practising Hindu be allowed to teach them in the Dharma Vigyan department. Students are not protesting against a Muslim teaching Sanskrit language as most media reports tried to project.

Various former students and professors, scholars, saints and Mahants have also voiced their support to the student’s effort to revere the teachings and the principles of Mahamana. In fact, two Emeritus Professors of SVDV, Prof. Reva Prasad Dwivedi and Prof. Kamlesh Dutt Tripathi had written a three-page letter to President Ramnath Kovind expressing their displeasure over the entire controversy also slamming the appointment of Firoz Khan. Moreover, on October 30, students had written to PM Modi asking for a high-level inquiry into the appointment of Khan in the ‘Faculty of Theology’.

In such a situation where this protest has seemed to reach a deadlock, the meeting of the Executive Council to be held on December 7 in BHU is being considered to be important. Though it is yet to be decided whether the meeting will be held in Delhi or BHU campus, according to Opindia sources, in the meeting which is scheduled to be held on December 23 wherein important agendas like the name of awardees and chief guest’s name for the upcoming convocation of the university will be discussed, appointment of Dr Feroz Khan in the faculty will also be an important agenda for discussion.

Student’s launched a signature campaign to press their demands:

As a part of the ongoing agitation for cancellation of the appointment of a non-Hindu faculty in the ‘Faculty of Theology,’ the protesting students held a signature campaign at the Simha Gate from 2 pm to 5 pm yesterday (December 1, 2019), which was spearheaded by Dandi Swami Paramhans Dev Ji.


While speaking to OpIndia, Swami Paramhans Dev Ji said that he has extended his support to the students as the “Constitution also provides special rights to special institutions of religion and that right should be given to all. The Faculty of Sanskrit Science and Religion also has special powers, but due to lack of knowledge, the administration has made a mistake. It should accept its mistake and try to rectify it”, said Swamiji.


It is pertinent to note here that, Mahamana Madan Mohan Malaviya ji had throughout his life given special attention to the preservation of Hinduism and Sanatan practices. The proof of which lies in the fact that the main Vishwanath Temple along with 50 other smaller temples built in the BHU campus have always been under the supervision of the Dharma Vigyan faculty of the university.

Read: BHU researcher’s detailed interview: 26 OBC Hindus disqualified to favour Firoze Khan, corruption should be investigated

In fact, how close Hindu traditions and culture were to Mahamana’s heart can be understood by the fact that before his death he had made a last wish to the Birla family, one of the main altruist of the Viswanath Temple situated in the university’s campus, that the completion works of the temple should not stop after his death. Today a grand temple stands tall in the university campus.

Pertinently, before this temple came into existence, the Dharma Vigyan faculty of the university was in fact, a temple. It was not only shaped like one but was also believed to be helping in resolving any ethnic or religious conflicts arising within the theological system. In fact, the Panchang (the Hindi calendar based on astronomy) originating from this department is a world heritage. Another proof of its uniqueness is that it is the first institution where a statue of the donor Birla is installed in the pranam posture (folded hands) as if paying homage to this apogee of Sanatan Dharma.

To preserve this culture the SVDV students do not only learn Sanskrit as merely a language but Sanskrit is learnt with an interpretation of theology. In fact, in the SVDV,  students are taught about the customs, mantras, shlokas, rituals of worship and rituals of Sanatan Dharma. This was in fact, reflected in the worship of Gram Devata (village deity) along with his Yajna-Havan and chanting.

Read- BHU Protests: Emeritus Professors of SVDV write to President Kovind, slam the appointment of Firoz Khan

The worship of the village deity which commenced with the blessings of Vijay Sri for the success of this movement as well as to restore the peace and energy of the campus, was conducted at various places like the Ruiyeshwar Mahadev Temple at Ruia Hostel, Raseshwar Mahadev of Ayurveda Faculty, Akela Baba of Faculty of Arts, Devi Kotmata at the Shopping Center, Bal Hanuman of Tyagaraja Colony, Bade Karaman Baba of Agricultural Sciences, Chota Karaman Baba, Ram Darbar, Shiv ji and Radhakrishna, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Chaura Mata located at Seer Gate, Bachau Akhara Bir Hanuman Mand at New building of Central Office Gullu Bir Baba, established in 1871, Hanuman Temple at Nagarjuna Hostel, guest house at Malviya Bhavan, Hanuman and Ram Temple at Sir Sunderlal Hospital, Sankat Haran Mahadev Temple at the small gate of the hospital, Daira Bir Baba situated in BHU’ trauma center and at the Mata Saraswati temple at BHU’ foundation area. The puja ended with an aarti.


Vijay Sri alleged that BHU’s VC Rakesh Bhatnagar (previously a faculty at the Jawaharlal Nehru University) has neither any attachment to Hinduism nor Sanatan traditions nor with the student’ of the Dharma Vigyan Department of the university. This is the reason, why, Bhatnagar did not think it important to attend the puja being conducted at a stone’s throw away distance from his house. The Acharya also said that even after being called several times, the Vice-Chancellor did not think it appropriate to go to any religious event of Malaviya Bhavan, right next to his residence.


The students had also alleged that despite repeated invitations, until 6 in the evening no one from the administration reached the Puja site. According to the protesting students when they called Chief Proctor OP Rai, to invite him for the religious event, he made an excuse to avoid the function. He said that the administration was busy in a meeting, which the students said was just an excuse to not attend the Hindu ceremony as they actually did not have any respect for Hindu traditions and customs.

Management’s disregardful attitude irked the students who alleged that the university management does not care for their sentiments as they are busy masking behind the pretence of being secular. While talking to OpIndia, Sashikant Mishra, one of the forebearer’s of this protest, said that the administration’s disregard for the religion became obvious when Dr Firoz Khan’s name was proposed for appointment in the Dharma Vigyan faculty of the university. Sashikant Mishra had many questions for the administration, which he was sure the management had no answers to.

Read- BHU students organise Rudhrabhishek as part of agitation against appointment of non-Hindu to the faculty of theology

Meanwhile, at the conclusion of the program, Dr Munish Mishra, an alumnus and a former member of the Student Council present there, reiterated his statement, “Still confusion is being spread that the students are opposing Dr Firoz. They are actually opposing the administration for manipulating the rules of the Faculty of Religion by the appointment of a non-Hindu in the department. Should the administration not follow the rules made by the person who built such a large university? Malaviya ji must have made a special arrangement for this faculty only after some thinking, so it should be followed at all costs, said Mishra.

Due to a small lapse, the administration has hurt the dignity and honour of the university. History will never forgive those who are responsible for it. The administration could have solved this problem easily but they did not want to bow down, that is why such a big controversy arose. We were forced to protest. There is still time, the administration should rethink and rectify quickly so that the protest can be stopped and classes can be resumed at the earliest, furthered Dr Munish Mishra.

“All forms and signatures will be sent to the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Human Resources as well as the President to conduct a high-level inquiry into the appointment,” said Shashikant Mishra, who played a key role in organising the village deity puja along with spearheading the signature campaign.

Dr Firoz Khan’s current status:

Dr Feroz Khan gave an interview at the Ayurveda faculty amid protests from students of SVDV in which he has been selected according to Opindia sources but nothing has been officially said by the administration yet.

Meanwhile, according to sources Dr Feroz Khan will be appearing for another interview in the Sanskrit department of the Faculty of Arts on 4 December.

Thirteen people contending for a single seat available in the Dharma Vigyan faculty of the university:

Things might not be as easy for Dr Firoz Khan as it appears, as according to sources, there will be at least 13 contenders fighting for the single position available in the Faculty of Arts of the university at the interview scheduled on December 4. The merit list for the OBC category includes 39 candidates wherein Dr Feroz Khan’s name appears in the 11th place in the merit list.

List of candidates for the interview in Sanskrit Department of Faculty of Arts

It is pertinent to note here, that around 216 candidates had applied for the four seats (out of which three are under the OBC category and one under SC/ST category) available in the Sanskrit department of the Faculty of Arts. While 180 applications had been received against the three positions of OBC, 36 applications were received for one post of ST.

Read- Interview: ‘We have truth on our side, we will win,’ SVDV scholars and alumni clear misconceptions spread by media

After scrutiny of applications and verification of certificates, the merit list has been prepared for the interview which is scheduled on December 4. The names of 39 candidates have been shortlisted for OBC category and 10 for ST have been included.

Now, where this protest will lead to, a lot depends on the BHU administration and the chancellor. Meanwhile, the university’s information and public relations office has issued a statement in which professor Firoz Khan, whose appointment in the theology department of BHU had created displeasure amongst the students of the Dharma Vigyan Department, has been quoted as criticising media for creating false news and spreading rumours against him.

Meanwhile, even after his appointment to the Dharma Vigyan Department, professor Khan has not made any attempt to enter the department. The students, however, feared that the administration might attempt to bring him to the SVDV today, but nothing of this sought has happened until now.

Hyderabad rape and murder: The accused should be lynched in public, says Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan

OpIndia Staff
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Hyderabad rape and murder: The accused should be lynched in public, says Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan

Taking a strong stance on the recent horrific rape and murder of a 27-year-old doctor in Hyderabad, Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan on Monday stated that rapists must be brought out in the public and lynched.

Amidst the ongoing rage over the Telangana incident, actor-turned-politician Jaya Bachchan said we need to name and shame the criminals and added that the people who commit crimes against women should be lynched to put an end to such crimes.


Questioning the state government for failing to provide security to women, Jaya Bachchan asked, “A similar incident happened in Hyderabad a day before the vet was raped. Do you not think the security in charge should be questioned and they should be asked to give an answer to why they were not able to protect that area?”.

“I think these people need to be shamed in front of the entire country. People who have not done their jobs properly. These kinds of people (the accused) should be brought out in public and lynched,” Jaya Bachchan said.

The Telangana incident has led to massive protests and an outpouring of rage and grief across the country. On Monday, these protests also reflected in both the houses of parliament with members from both the houses across various political parties expressed shock over the incident and demanded strict punishment for the accused.

Reportedly, Union Minister Rajnath Singh spoke in the Lok Sabha and stated that the central government was “open to every suggestion to curb such heinous crimes”.

“We are ready for discussions in the House so that stringent provisions in the law could be explored to give punishment to those involved in such ghastly incidents,” Rajnath Singh said speaking at Lok Sabha during the Zero hour.

Odisha: Rape victim woman lecturer commits suicide after a month of police inaction

OpIndia Staff
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Odisha: Rape victim woman lecturer commits suicide after a month of police inaction

In Odisha, alleged police apathy has prompted a woman physics lecturer who was allegedly raped by her relative last month, to commit suicide on Saturday. Following the women’s death, the police sprung into action, suspending an ASI while transferring an Inspector.

The SI of Jharpokharia police station Prasanta Swain has been suspended for delaying the investigation and IIC Sarat Mahali transferred to the district headquarters.

The victim, a physics lecturer, had committed suicide inside a hostel room in the Rairangpur College. She was found hanging at around 8.30 pm on Saturday.

As per reports, the woman who hails from the Pandhada village in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district, had gone to her sister-in-law and brother’s house to celebrate Kali Puja on October 26 when she was allegedly raped by her sister-in-law’s brother Soumya Ranjan Sahu. When she revealed her ordeal to her sister-in-law, she was persuaded to keep silence on the issue.

However, the accused contacted the victim and allegedly sent her obscene photographs recorded during the incident, threatening her that if she reported about the incident to anyone, he will upload her pictures on the Internet. The woman then filed an FIR with Jharpokharia police station on October 30. The police registered the FIR under sections 376 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code and the victim was sent for a medical test at PRM Medical College and Hospital. Her statement was also recorded but no action was taken against the culprit for a month.

Perturbed by police inaction, on Saturday night, the woman committed suicide and her body was found hanging in her room in the women’s hostel of the college. According to the victim’s father, a suicide note was recovered from his daughter’s hostel room. The incident touched off an upheaval with the victim’s father along with some other students of the college not allowing the body to be taken for post-mortem for around 12 hours. The agitators were placated by Rairangpur Town IIC Ranjan Kumar Sethi and SDPO Snehasish Sahu and subsequently, the body was taken for post-mortem.

As the police are awaiting the post-mortem report, the SP stated that the primary accused along with his other two accomplices, Debabrata Mandal and Sujit Mandal have been arrested from Dhanmandal in Cuttack district. Debabrata and Sujit allegedly threatened the victim. The complaint filed by the victim’s father mentions 6 people as accused. The police have caught 3 of them while the remaining three are yet to be arrested.

‘Womxn’ comes to India: A harebrained attempt by Leftists to change the English language that’s doomed to fail

K Bhattacharjee
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‘Womxn’ comes to India: A harebrained attempt by Leftists to change the English language that’s doomed to fail

In recent times, there has been a dedicated attempt at altering the fabric of the English language. While it’s natural for new words to emerge and for the language to develop, there hasn’t been any attempt as such to change the basic structure of the language. However, with the advent of postmodernism, we do witness such a radical attempt underway with terms like Womxn coming to the fore. So what is the term ‘womxn’ and why is it being used?

Indian liberalism is Western Progressivism with a Time Lag. Therefore, when clownish ideas sprout in the fringes of Western society, it inevitably trickles down to the fringes of Indian discourse from where it infiltrates more mainstream discussions. One of the most obvious examples of this is Postmodernist English. Until very recently, the usage of this could be found only in the extreme fringes of Indian discourse. However, as time has elapsed, it is beginning to make its presence felt in more mainstream discussions.

Two years ago, the usage of words such as ‘womxn’, ‘persynally’, ‘myntion’, ‘harassmynt’ could be found in the remote corners of far-left websites such as Kaafila. One Sayantan Dutta, whose preferred pronouns is they/them presumably, wrote in 2017 that “the structure of language has mirrored the patriarchal structure of the society, and therefore they practices aungendering mechanism persynally by neutralizing gendered roots of some words.” We are expected to believe that twisting the spellings of words that contain a series of letters denoting the masculine gender will somehow lead to a less patriarchal language.

If words such as ‘harassment’ and ‘personally’ reflect the patriarchal structure of the English language, it would imply that even alphabets are patriarchal given the fact that they, too, developed at a time when society was deeply patriarchal. However, no attempts have yet been made to change the way alphabets are written to make them feminist. It appears that the individuals are not as committed to Feminism as they would have us believe.

Regardless, from the fringes of Kafila, it has now become part of mainstream feminist discourse in India. Rituparna Chakraborty, a pioneer of the Me Too movement in India who curates the official Twitter Handle of the campaign for India, has begun writing ‘Women’ as ‘Womxn’ because apparently, the latter is more inclusive. It’s a ‘gender-neutral term’, we are told, that includes ‘trans, intersex and nonbinary women’.


The Urban Dictionary defines womxn as “A spelling of “women” that is a more inclusive, progressive term that not only sheds light on the prejudice, discrimination, and institutional barriers womxn have faced, but to also show that womxn are not the extension of men but their own free and separate entities. More intersectional than womyn because it includes trans-women and women of colour.” It’s not entirely clear how the word is meant to be pronounced.

Read: Series of absurdities: ‘Womxn’, Quantum Physics and Queer Theory, and Trump adviser’s 3rd-grade story

It’s extremely unlikely that such harebrained attempts at altering the English Language will ever be successful to any meaningful extent. The more likely reaction from the masses is undisguised contempt or annoyance. What we see here essentially is a centralized attempt at chartering the future course of the English language. Probability of success would have been much higher if ordinary citizens were more receptive to the ideas that are driving the change but as it so happens, they are not.

Another interesting feature of such postmodernist language is that no one has called for any other language apart English to be made ‘gender-neutral’. One would assume that the structures of Hindi, Sanskrit, Spanish, French, Japanese, Mandarin, and other languages are likely to be just as ‘patriarchal’ as that of English. However, no calls have been made to alter the ‘patriarchal structure’ of any language other than English. The obvious reason for this is the fact that English is the preferred language of Western Elite and Postmodernism is a Western disease. Therefore, all its activism is limited to English alone.

Even in India, we see that sections of society that are most Westernized are the ones who pick up such language. People who remain rooted in Indian traditions are much less likely to buy into Western delusions. Thus, the usage of Postmodernist English is restricted to a minute section of Indian discourse although attempts are being made to normalize it to a great extent.

Thus, the best-case scenario for such changes is that Postmodernist English will at some point in time become the language of the elite classes of Westernized Society. Right now, it is only a tool that signals a person’s ideological inclinations. Going forward, it’s likely to remain another avenue for individuals to demonstrate their social status. It is unlikely to ever become popular with people at large. At the end of the day, Postmodernist English is just another tool for the bourgeois to distinguish themselves from the plebs.

Maharashtra in the grips of vendetta politics as the new government of Maha Vikas Aghadi puts key projects on hold

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra in the grips of vendetta politics as the new government of Maha Vikas Aghadi puts key projects on hold

After a month-long struggle to form a government in Maharashtra, another set of problems beset the state as it descends in the throes of vendetta politics with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government determined to stall key infrastructural projects envisaged and set in motion by the preceding Devendra Fadnavis government. Following Uddhav Thackeray’s announcement of halting of the Metro car shed construction in Aarey, the state government has ordered a review of key developmental projects initiated by the previous government.

Now, prominent NCP leader and Sharad Pawar’s daughter, Supriya Sule, has written a letter to the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray asking him to immediately shut down the Mahaportal service started by the Devendra Fadnavis government with the aim to provide employment opportunities to the youth of Maharashtra. Sule asserted that far from addressing the grievances of the people, it has increased the problems faced by the aspirants due to improper functioning of the portal.

Besides this, Uddhav Thackeray has also ordered a review of all developmental projects going on in the state. Regarding the Ahmedabad-Mumbai Bullet Train project, Thackeray said, “We will review the development projects happening across the state and determine if some projects that are done on priority are really needed. We will review the Ahmedabad-Mumbai Bullet Train project,” Uddhav said.

Last Friday, a day after Uddhav Thackeray was sworn-in as the Chief Minister of the state, he announced a stay on the metro car shed construction in Aarey, Mumbai. “I have ordered to stop the work of Aarey metro car shed project today. Metro work will not start until any further decision, not a single leaf of Aarey will be cut,” Uddhav said following a meeting with officials on Friday. Furthermore, Uddhav also stated that all the cases filed against the metro car shed agitators would be withdrawn.

West Bengal: School teacher and RSS activist shot at in Kolkata’s ‘mini Pakistan’

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal: School teacher and RSS activist shot at in Kolkata’s ‘mini Pakistan’

In another shocking incident, an RSS activist and a school teacher named Bir Bahadur Singh was shot at in Kolkata’s Metiabruz area in full public view. Singh was on his way to teach at Tantia High school, near Mohammad Ali Park, Kolkata, when the incident took place, tweeted BJYM West Bengal.


According to Bir Bahadur Singh’s Facebook profile, he is a resident of Garden Reach area in Kolkata’s Metiabruz and works at Tantia High School since the year 2016. According to pictures of him shared on social media, Singh was attacked from behind as the images show that he received the bullet injury on his back.

According to information tweeted by President of BJYM Kolkata Port (East) and Former Convenor of ABVP, Kolkata Port, Bir Bahadur had actively campaigned for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in West Bengal.

Bir Bahadur

Metiabruz, located on the fringes of Kolkata, is often identified as mini-Pakistan or a place that has a high crime rate and more. In fact, in 2016, then an MLA candidate of West Bengal’s ruling party and now Kolkata’s Mayor, Bobby Firhad Hakim had stoked controversy by referring to the area as ‘mini Pakistan’.

Hours before polling had started in West Bengal in the fifth phase of assembly election in 2016, Firhad Hakim, had reportedly told a Pakistani journalist that his constituency was a ‘mini-Pakistan’. It soon engulfed into a major controversy after the report got published in a Pakistan’s leading newspaper.

West Bengal has become a hotbed for political crimes, where especially BJP and RSS workers have been facing the wrath of TMC goons in the behest of their party head Mamata Banerjee.

Read: Revisiting Sainbari, a blot on Indian Democracy: When Communists made a mother eat rice with her dead sons’ blood

In yet, another spine chilling incident, Bandhu Prakash Pal, a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker, his pregnant wife and their six-year-old son were found murdered by unknown miscreants in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district on October 10.

Reportedly, Bandhu Prakash was a school teacher who worked in Gosaigram Sahapara Primary School. He also worked as an insurance agent in the locality.

Some sections of social media had indicated that the murder of the RSS worker and his family had a communal angle to it as Murshidabad has seen many such cases in the past, but no such angle has been reported in the case yet.

Devendra Fadnavis rejects claim of BJP MP Ananth Kumar Hegde that he returned ₹40,000 crore during his 4 day term

OpIndia Staff
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Devendra Fadnavis rejects claim of BJP MP Ananth Kumar Hegde that he returned ₹40,000 crore during his 4 day term

Former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has denied the claim of BJP MP Ananth Kumar Hegde that he had sent back ₹40,000 crores to the center during his 4-day term as CM of the state. He said that he didn’t take any such major decisions before resigning on 26th November.

Earlier Ananth Kumar Hegde had made a sensational claim saying that Devendra Fadnavis took oath as CM despite not having the numbers so that the fund of ₹40,000 can be transferred to the central government, to ‘protect’ it from being misused by the next Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government. Giving a new twist to the political drama that lasted in Maharashtra for more than a month after the assembly elections in October, Hegde had said, “You all know that recently in Maharashtra for just 80 hours our person was chief minister, but soon Fadnavis resigned. Why did we have to do this drama? Didn’t we know- despite knowing we don’t have majority, why did he become CM? This is the question commonly every one ask.”

After that he proceeded to answer that question by saying, “More than about Rs 40,000 crore was under CM’s control. If NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena come to power certainly that Rs 40,000 crore would not have gone for development work and would have gone for different things (misused). It was entirely planned earlier itself. Once we got to know, it was decided that a big drama was necessary. So, adjustments were made and oath was taken, after oath within 15 hours Fadnavis systematically ensured that the (money reaches where it had to and protected it.” After he added, “if it had been kept here – the next chief minister -you know what would have happened.”

Hegde made these comments while addressing an election rally for bypoll in Yellapur in Karnataka on Saturday. But today Devendra Fadnavis rejected the claim after it was reported by national media today.


“No such thing happened. These are completely false claims. I took no policy decision when I was in office. This is not the way these things happen. The government’s finance department can investigate such claims,” he said. He added that those who understand the accounting systems of state and central governments will understand that such transfer of money does not happen.

Fadnavis also added that the Maharashtra government is not spending any money for the bullet train, and its role in the project is limited to land acquisition. Not a single paisa has been returned to the central government by the Maharashtra government when he was CM and then acting CM. He urged the finance department to investigate the matter and bring the facts to the public. Making such wrong statements, and reacting to such wrong statements, both are absolutely wrong, he asserted.

Ananth Kumar Hegde seems to have got misled by a WhatsApp message containing a similar claim that went viral in the last few days.

Rajiv Gandhi assassination convict Nalini Sriharan seeks ‘mercy killing’, claims she is under stress

OpIndia Staff
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Rajiv Gandhi assassination convict Nalini Sriharan seeks ‘mercy killing’, claims she is under stress

Nalini Sriharan and Murugan, the two convicts in the assassination case of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, have sent a letter to PM Modi seeking ‘mercy killing’ for themselves.

According to reports, Pugazhendhi Pandian, Nalini’s advocate on Saturday said that on November 27 Nalini had sent a letter demanding mercy killing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Madras High Court Chief Justice Amreshwar Pratap Sahi and the TN Home Secretary’s office.

Nalini’s advocate Pugazhendi said that ‘extreme stress’ has driven Nalini to take this decision.

“Nalini has sent a letter to the Prime Minister’s office through prison officials. In the letter, she has sought mercy killing. The reason stated is that in 26 years they were hopeful that they would be released but that hope is now fading. Also, the prison officials are ill-treating her husband Murugan. She is unable to see the ill-treatment of her husband. She has also sent a petition to Tamil Nadu government seeking transfer to Puzhal Prison,” advocate Pugazhendi said.

In the letter, Nalini has reportedly accused prison staff of mistreating her and sought relocation out of Vellore prison. Nalini and Murugan are on fast in Vellore Prison for the past 10 days after Murugan was put in solitary confinement. Murugan was sent to solitary confinement after prison officials allegedly seized a cellphone from his possession.

Nalini is the longest-serving woman prisoner in the country. She is currently lodged in the Special Prison for Women in Vellore.

Reportedly, Padma, Nalini’s mother, has also concurred with advocate Pandian that her daughter is reeling under severe mental pressure.

Read: Madras High Court grants 30-day parole to Rajiv Gandhi assassination convict Nalini Sriharan

“After completing 25 years in prison, my daughter is in a state of extreme stress. I have heard that the prison staff is not treating my daughter well. She wants to be shifted from the Vellore Prison. So, she is demanding mercy killing,” Padma told the media.

Earlier this year, Nalini was granted over a month’s parole to make preparations for her UK-based daughter’s wedding. In 2018, President Kovind had rejected the TN government’s proposal to release Nalini and the other convicts from prison.

The Tamil Nadu government’s decision to release all seven convicts – AG Perarivalan, V Sriharan alias Murugan, T Suthendraraja alias Santhan, Jayakumar, Robert Payas, Ravichandran and Nalini Sriharan, wife of V Sriharan under Article 161 of the Constitution is pending with Governor Banwarilal Purohit. Four of the convicts – Sriharan, Santhan, Robert Payas and Jayakumar are Sri Lankan nationals.

Read: The politics of ironies: Getting away with the assassination of a former PM

Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on May 21, 1991, by a woman LTTE suicide bomber during an election rally at Sriperumbudur near Chennai.

Congress supporter tweets sexist abuses to Minister Smriti Irani demanding a comment on the Telangana rape and murder

OpIndia Staff
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Congress supporter tweets sexist abuses to Minister Smriti Irani demanding a comment on the Telangana rape and murder

In a twisted irony, Congress supporter on Twitter tweeted sexist, misogynist abuses to Union Minister Smriti Irani demanding that she condemns the horrific gang-rape and murder of 27-year-old Dr Preeti Reddy (name changed) in Hyderabad. In a now deleted tweet, one G. G. Upadhyay, whose Twitter bio reads ‘Kattar Congressi’ (staunch Congressi), referred to Irani as ‘Nachaniya’ (one who earns living by dancing) who does ‘Mujra for Ranga and Billa’.

Abusive tweet by Twitter user @dhar_gir which is now deleted

Ranga and Billa were the murderers who had killed two children Geeta and Sanjay Chopra in New Delhi in 1978. The duo had also reportedly raped Geeta before murdering her but it was never confirmed by forensic evidence. The duo Ranga-Billa of the gruesome murder are back in news after former Union Minister P Chidambaram’s lawyer Congress leader Kapil Sibal invoked them when he was arguing on his behalf after High Court rejected Chidambaram’s bail.

Read: Congress leader tweets a sexist and misogynist tweet on Smriti Irani after fake news circular is withdrawn

Following this, many Congress supporters without naming the duo had started referring to PM Modi and HM Amit Shah as ‘Ranga and Billa’, comparing the Prime Minister and the Home Minister to hardened criminals who murdered and also possibly raped the victim.


Hence, when G G Upadhyay refers to Irani as ‘dancer’ who does ‘mujra’ in front of ‘Ranga and Billa’ and demands she condemns the brutal rape and murder of Dr Preeti Reddy, one is left shocked at the multiple layers of misogyny women have to face even as they dodge getting raped.

After Smriti Irani called out his misogyny, Congress supporter Upadhyay quietly deleted his tweet without offering any apology.

Telangana: Main accused Mohammad Ali evaded his lorry being impounded two days before he raped and killed the veterinarian

OpIndia Staff
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Telangana: Main accused Mohammad Ali evaded his lorry being impounded two days before he raped and killed the veterinarian

Mohammad Ali alias Areef, the main accused in the horrific gang-rape and murder of a young veterinary doctor on the outskirts of Hyderabad last Wednesday was driving the truck without a licence for more than two years and was even caught for the same just 48 hours prior before he committed the heinous crime, reports Times of India.

According to the report, on November 25, the main accused Mohammad Ali was intercepted by the vigilance and transport staff at Mahbubnagar. The police said Ali evaded arrest and seizure of his truck by making his truck immobile and later drove away from the police after they left the place.

The police said they are now investigating how the accused got away so easily even after not having a driving licence and committed the barbaric crime against the veterinary doctor.

Reportedly, on November 24, Ali and truck cleaner Jollu Shiva had picked up a load of bricks in Karnataka and were travelling towards Hyderabad to deliver a consignment. According to the police, Ali called the other two accused, Jollu Naveen and Chintakunta Chennakeshavulu, to meet him at Gudigandla village in Telangana, where they had planned to illegally carry an extra load of steel channels from there to Hyderabad.

The police said that Chintakunta returned to home after loading the steel, while the other three travelled towards Hyderabad from Gudigandla. As they were passing through Mahbubnagar, they were intercepted by the joint team of the regional transport authority and the vigilance department.

“This was around 4 am on November 25. The driver of the truck did not have a licence. Our officials decided to impound the vehicle, but Ali cunningly removed the self-start cable to ensure that the truck couldn’t move. Since the truck wasn’t starting, we moved to another location to carry on our work. When we returned, the accused had fled with the truck,” assistant motor vehicles inspector Chiranjeevi said.

Read: 4 arrested in Shadnagar rape and murder case confess, 2 of them had returned to the site to check if her body was charred completely

From Mahbubnagar, the accused parked his vehicle near a fuel pump. Later, Chennakesavulu drove the truck while Naveen rode the bike. The accused sold the steel channels for Rs 4,000 near the Raikal toll plaza.

Reportedly, the four of them reached Shamshabad Around 9 pm on November 26, parked their truck by the roadside and slept inside the vehicle. On the next day, at 9 am, a police team came to the spot and asked the accused to move the vehicle from there.

The accused then moved their vehicle near the Thondupally ORR toll plaza and parked the truck. They were busy drinking when they saw the veterinary doctor park her scooter next to the truck. They immediately hatched a plan to target her, a police officer said.

“They poured some liquor into her mouth. The victim lost consciousness during the sexual assault. When she came to, Ali smothered her to death,” the remand report states.

The police had already confirmed that the accused had planned the abduction and they had deflated the tyres of the young woman’s scooter after she had left. The police report also states that it was Mohammad Ali who had murdered the girl by suffocating her to death.

Read: Hyderabad Rape Case: The accused were under influence of alcohol, confessed to their crimes, says police remand report

After committing the murder, the accused had wrapped the body in a sheet and dumped it below a culvert near Ashiyana Hotel in Chattanpalli. They had set the body on fire and had abandoned her scooter at a difefrent location.

“After setting fire to the body, the accused destroyed the two SIM cards of the victim and left the place. They abandoned the victim’s scooter at Kothur and took the truck to Aramgarh around 5 am on November 28,” the remand report said.

The rape, murder and the brutalities associated with the crime has stirred a massive outrage all over the country.

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