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Poetic Justice: P Chidambaram falsely hounded Amit Shah and Narendra Modi, now he is on the run for his own transgressions

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Poetic Justice: P Chidambaram falsely hounded Amit Shah and Narendra Modi, now he is on the run for his own transgressions

The second term of Modi Sarkar is off to a very poetic start, to put it mildly. Amit Shah completed the task another great Gujarati Sardar Vallabhabhai Patel set out to do with the abrogation of Article 370. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the very antithesis of Jawaharlal Nehru and an inheritor of Veer Savarkar’s legacy, is slowly, bit by bit, destroying the legacy of the Nehru-Gandhi Parivar that has held India back for so long.

However, nothing could have been more poetic than the events that transpired on Tuesday. Such are the stories legends are made of. In 2010, when P. Chidambaram was the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah was unceremoniously arrested and slapped with charges of murder, extortion, and kidnapping among others over the Sohrabuddin encounter case. A sitting minister in the Gujarat cabinet, he was jailed for three months before being granted bail. He was proven innocent later.

Even after Shah was granted bail, he was exiled from Gujarat and between 2010 and 2012, he could not visit his own state. All of this happened under Chidambaram’s watch. How the tables have turned today. Today, the senior Congress leader is on the run and is running from pillar to post to protect himself from being arrested after having allegedly committed a host of financial crimes. The chicken has finally come home to roost.

Not only Amit Shah, Prime Minister Modi, too, had to endure the transgressions of the UPA regime during his tenure as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. In March 2010, an SIT had grilled Modi for 9 hours in connection with the 2002 riots. Ultimately, the investigative agencies had to conclude that there was no evidence to suggest that he had, in any manner, aided or abetted the riots. While there is clear evidence of the transgressions of P Chidambaraam, there was none when then CM Modi and Amit Shah were hounded by a vindictive UPA government hell-bent to further the saffron terror narrative. What is interesting, is that even when Amit Shah and Narendra Modi were being hounded in false cases, they did not run. They submitted to the law of the land. Chidambaram, while is being prosecuted on valid grounds, is today on the run.

It appears as though Congress leaders do not believe that laws of the land apply to them as well. During the UPA regime, the Congress party unjustly used the state machinery to destroy the political careers of their opponents. Nine years later, when bail has been denied to Chidambaram on valid grounds, the party is crying political vendetta. The party appears to forget, ‘political vendetta’ is carried out against actual political opponents.

The Congress party isn’t even a competition to the BJP anymore, it is finished. Narendra Modi does not need to persecute Chidambaram for political gains, he was reelected the Prime Minister only in May with over 300 seats in the Lok Sabha. This isn’t about vendetta, it’s about justice. What the Congress party did to Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, was a political vendetta. The Gujarati-duo were on the rise and rise and the UPA government tried to use state power to thwart them. It is the definition of political vendetta.

Powerful politicians thriving under the umbrella of the Nehru-Gandhi parivar have long evaded the arms of the Law, now it is catching up to them. Senior Congress leaders have enjoyed special privileges for so long, equal treatment now feels like discrimination to them.

The manner in which Chidambaram has been absconding since yesterday does have a sense of poetic justice. Chidambaram, as Union Home Minister, persecuted Amit Shah. As the current Union Home Minister, Amit Shah is attempting to bring Chidambaram to justice. While the spider’s web still runs deep, Indians can now hope that the guilty will finally taste the bitter pills of punishment.

Hate speech against non-Muslims: Zakir Naik issues an apology in Malaysia, claims he is not racist

OpIndia Staff
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Hate speech against non-Muslims: Zakir Naik issues an apology in Malaysia, claims he is not racist

The radical Islamist preacher Zakir Naik has rushed with an apology to all non-Muslims soon after the Malaysian authorities imposed a nation-wide ban on him from giving speeches yesterday.

The controversial preacher has come under fire for his racist statements in Malaysia. The Royal Malaysia Police Head of Corporate Communications, Datuk Asmawati Ahmad, had confirmed that orders barring Zakir Naik from delivering public talks in all states in Malaysia had been issued to all police contingents.

Zakir, who is banned by some Malaysian states from even entering their jurisdictional area, rushed to issue an apology for the hurt he caused by his speeches to non-muslims and maintained that he is not a racist.

“As you must have noticed for the past few days, I am being accused of causing racial discord in the country, and my detractors have been using selective sentences taken out of context and adding strange fabrications into them,” said the controversial preacher.

Incidentally, things have not been going in Zakir Naik’s favour. There has been growing pressure on the Putrajaya to rescind Zakir’s permanent residence status in Malaysia after he allegedly made comments against the Indians and the Chinese in speeches in Kelantan last week.

At a talk delivered a while ago, Naik had stated that Hindu Malaysians are not loyal to Malaysia but towards India’s PM Narendra Modi.

The Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad had also stated recently that Naik has been attempting to create a racial divide in the country. On Sunday, PM Mahathir Mohamad stated that Naik has overstepped a line when he spoke against Malaysian Hindus and Chinese Malaysians. He stated that Naik’s statements were incendiary.

Zakir said he has always been a ‘man of peace’ because that’s what the Quran stands for and that it has been his mission to spread peace throughout the world. “Even though I have clarified myself, I feel I owe an apology to everyone who feels hurt because of this misunderstanding. I do not want any of you to harbour ill feelings towards me. It was never my intention to upset any individual or community. It is against the basic tenets of Islam, and I would like to convey my heartfelt apologies for this misunderstanding,” said the fugitive.

However, a moderation advocate Mohamed Tawfik Ismail opined that it is not enough for Zakir Naik to issue an apology for his racially-charged remarks and that it was high time for the controversial preacher to be deported.

Zakir Naik has been cornered from all sides. The government of India had taken his channel, Peace TV, off the air and banned his NGO for peddling hate propaganda. Following the suit, many countries like UK, Canada, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have banned ban Zakir Naik’s peace TV.

Naik, who links with the Congress had also emerged, has been notorious in spreading hatred between religious groups and for inciting Muslim youth to join in the jihad against non-believers of Islam.

Rahul Gandhi finally speaks up, says ED, CBI and ‘spineless media’ being used to malign scam accused P Chidambaram

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi finally speaks up, says ED, CBI and ‘spineless media’ being used to malign scam accused P Chidambaram

In an attempt to shield senior Congress leader P Chidambaram from the disgrace of an imminent arrest in the INX Media Scam, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi came out in his defence claiming that the veteran Congress leader is being attacked by ED, CBI and spineless media to character assassinate him.


The Wayanad MP condemned the action against Chidambaram and accused the government of misuse of power. Earlier, Priyanka Gandhi too rallied behind P Chidambaram saying that he is being hunted down by the investigative agencies.

It is noteworthy to mention that the Delhi HC judge made scathing observation regarding P Chidambaram’s role in the INX Media scam. Denying Chidambaram’s anticipatory bail plea, the judge said, “Prima facie it appears that Chidambaram is the kingpin of the scam.” Soon after the judgment, Chidambaram vanished as probe agencies CBI and ED arrived at his residence to arrest him. Since then, Chidambaram’s whereabouts are unknown as he continues to elude agencies to evade arrest.

A battery of lawyers today attempted to seek interim bail from the Supreme Court in this regard. However, the top court refused to give an urgent hearing to the case.

A case was registered in the INX Media Scam in 2017 against alleged irregularities in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to INX media for receiving overseas funds of Rs. 305 crores in 2007, when Chidambaram was Finance Minister. The CBI and ED had both opposed the bail plea.

Both Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram are accused in the INX Media scam which involves charges of bribery and lobbying in granting foreign investments worth over Rs 300 crores to INX Media. INX Media was later known as NewsX, it was owned by Peter and Indrani Mukherjee of the sensational Sheena Bora murder case. ED had initiated a probe on the basis of the Central Bureau of Investigation’s FIR. Chidambaram is accused of misusing his power as the finance minister to grant INX Media an FIPB clearance.

P Chidambaram case: SC didn’t take up the petition due to defects in it, CBI and ED file caveats at the apex court

OpIndia Staff
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P Chidambaram case: SC didn’t take up the petition due to defects in it, CBI and ED file caveats at the apex court

On Tuesday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a caveat in the Supreme Court asking the court to keep them in the loop in response to a petition filed by P Chidambaram seeking protection from arrest. 


According to the reports, the Central Bureau of Investigation has filed a caveat in the Supreme Court which said, “Let nothing be done without notice to us.” Senior Advocate Tushar Mehta filed the caveat on behalf of the CBI also in the Supreme Court.

Addition to reports, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) also filed a similar caveat in the Supreme Court.

Earlier, the ED had issued a fresh lookout circular against P Chidambaram to restrict his movement across land, air and seaports.

Facing arrest in the INX media case, former Union Minister P Chidambaram has reached out to the Supreme Court of India seeking exemption against any CBI action, after the Delhi High Court had rejected his plea for anticipatory bail yesterday. In his plea to the apex court, Chidambaram’s lawyers argued that he was not at all involved with the money laundering case related to INX media and ED’s action is borne out of malafide intentions.

Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram has been on the run since last evening after the Delhi High Court rejected both his anticipatory bail pleas. Today the Supreme Court also refused to grant him relief from arrest by refusing to accept an urgent hearing of his petition. Senior Congress leaders Kapil Sibal, Salman Khurshid, AM Singhvi and Ashwani Kumar are in the court to defend accused Chidambaram.

P Chidambaram has not got any immediate relief so far from the Supreme Court as the matter was transferred to Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi’s court. A bench headed by J N V Ramana had transferred the Chidambaram’s plea before CJI to consider for urgent listing. But as the bench headed by the CJI already started hearing the Ayodhya case, the matter could not be listed before the CJI.

The records of the Supreme Court also show that the special leave petition filed by Chidambaram’s lawyers have defects. The SC website shows that there are 4 defects in the petition, and until those defects are not corrected, the petition can’t be taken up by the court. It shows that the petition was filed in a hurry as they made some basic mistakes in it. It is expected that the lawyers will file a corrected petition soon.

The INX Media case relates to discrepancies and alleged shady dealings in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance given to the media group for international investment funds worth several hundred crores. Chidambaram was the finance minister at that time. As per reports, the ED is hopeful of getting Chidambaram’s custody following which he could be questioned on the source of money through which his son and Congress MP Karti Chidambaram bought various properties in India and abroad including a tennis club in Spain, cottages in the UK. These properties are reportedly valued at Rs 54 crore.

TMC Panchayat member Mohammad Alam and associates Zaidul, Jainal, Afidul gang rape poor woman for asking refund of cut-money

OpIndia Staff
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TMC Panchayat member Mohammad Alam and associates Zaidul, Jainal, Afidul gang rape poor woman for asking refund of cut-money

In a barbaric incident in West Bengal, a woman has been brutally raped by a local TMC Panchayat member and three Muslim men after she had demanded a refund for the cut money bribe she had given to get her house under a scheme for rural below-poverty-line (BPL) households.

According to reports, the incident took place in Maynaguri, some 16 km from district headquarters Jalpaiguri. An FIR had been lodged against four people, including a local panchayat member of Trinamool Congress.

Reportedly, the accused, Mohammad BulBul Alam had allegedly assured the woman of providing a house under the Gitanjali Awas Yojna. The scheme, launched by the state government, provides free shelter to the poor.

The victim, who is a resident of Saptibari panchayat area in Maynaguri belongs to a poor family. The family did not have the means to construct a house. She alleged that they had to pay Rs.7,000 bribe for allocation of a house under the government scheme.

However, despite after a year, they did not get any house allocated from the state government. Later, the victim woman approached the panchayat member to ask for the refund of the cut money.

When she went to ask for her money on August 14, she was allegedly gang-raped by the panchayat member of Trinamool Congress Mohammad Alam and his associates. The three other accused have been identified as Zaidul Islam, Jainal Abedin and Afidul Haq.

The victim has lodged an FIR against the panchayat member in question and three of his associates. The local police are yet to find any of the accused. The investigators have decided to send the victim for a medical test.

“According to the complaint, Alam had asked the woman to meet him at an isolated place on August 14. When she reached there, the accused and three of his friends allegedly gang-raped her,” said a police official.

Uttar Pradesh: 150 first-year medical students forced to tonsure their heads in the name of ragging

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: 150 first-year medical students forced to tonsure their heads in the name of ragging

A group of 150 first-year MBBS students studying at Saifai Medical College in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh were forced to tonsure their heads and salute their seniors in the name of ragging.


The incident came to the notice of the university authorities after purported videos in which the students “bow in reverence” to the seniors went viral on social media. The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Dr Raj Kumar, has claimed the institution maintained special squads that kept a “check over ragging” and has suspended students for similar incidents in the past.

“We keep a strict vigil on such activities and we have a separate dean social welfare for students. Further, we have an anti-ragging committee to deal with complaints,” he said, adding, “We also have a special squad which visits every place in University to keep a check over ragging. The students can complain to the anti-ragging committee or even to their wardens.”

The incident took place in the home grounds of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party chief, Akhilesh Yadav, on August 20. In one of the videos, the freshers were seen walking in a line with their heads shaved.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-SSBkvyoPU]

The second video shows the students jogging and offering mock salutes to a group of seniors.

In a third video, a security guard is seen standing near the students. However, he takes no apparent action to stop the alleged ragging.

The Vice-Chancellor has promised that action will be taken in this matter.

Last year too, a similar case had come to the fore in which around 100 first-year students of Motilal Nehru Medical College in Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh were forced to tonsure their heads and were thrashed if someone dared to disobey the orders.

On 22 May 26-year-old Payal Tadvi, a second-year MD in gynaecology at BYL Nair Hospital in Mumbai Central, hanged herself in the college hostel room alleging harassment by seniors.

19 hours and counting: P Chidambaram abandoned his driver after leaving SC, phone switched off, untraceable since then

OpIndia Staff
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19 hours and counting: P Chidambaram abandoned his driver after leaving SC, phone switched off, untraceable since then

Senior Congress leader and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram has been on the run since last evening after the Delhi High Court rejected both his anticipatory bail pleas. He was last seen at around 5 PM last evening. As per reports, his driver was questioned by the ED who said he had know knowledge about Chidambaram’s whereabouts. Chidambaram’s last known location was Lodhi Road in Delhi. Since then his phone has been switched off.


Earlier today, a lookout circular was issued against Chidambaram after he was refused interim relief from the Supreme Court. Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram who is an accuse in INX Media scam and faces allegations of corruption and money laundering, has been ‘missing’ since over 18 hours. His anticipatory bail pleas against arrests by CBI and ED were rejected by the Delhi High Court yesterday.

The INX Media case relates to discrepencies and alleged shady dealings in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance given to the media group for international investment funds worth several hundred crores. Chidambaram was the finance minister at that time. As per reports, the ED is hopeful of getting Chidambaram’s custody following which he could be questioned on the source of money through which his son and Congress MP Karti Chidambaram bought various properties in India and abroad including a tennis club in Spain, cottages in the UK. These properties are reportedly valued at Rs 54 crore.

As per the ED, these properties were purchased allegedly using the bribe money in the INX Media scam. Chidambaram as well as his son are co-accused in the INX Media scam as well as Aircel-Maxis 2G scam and both cases are being investigated by the ED and CBI. The duo have also been charge sheeted and their properties, including Chidambaram’s residence in Delhi’s posh Jor Bagh neighbourhood, has been attached.

Odisha govt to remove all structures within 75 metres of Puri Jagannath Mandir

K Bhattacharjee
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Odisha govt to remove all structures within 75 metres of Puri Jagannath Mandir

The Odisha government has decided to clear all structures within 75 metres of the Jagannath Mandir at Puri for safety, security and convenience of the pilgrims. The structures to be cleared include both private and public property. The owners of the private properties will be provided with adequate compensation.

A proposal in this regard was cleared during a meeting of the state cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday. Government structures located within 75 metres of the Temple wall (Meghnad Pacheri) will be the first to be cleared.

Development Commissioner Asit Tripathy said, “The Cabinet has approved certain recommendations made by BP Das Commission. As per the decision, up to 75 meters along the Meghanad Pacheri of Puri temple will be made encroachment-free for free passage of devotees during any emergency and ensure the safety of the temple.”

Puri collector has been charged with implementing the decision. He will survey, demarcate the land, make rehabilitation plan for the affected people and development plan for the space. The structures to be removed from the area include private properties, shoe stands, Government installations like power supply building, temple information centre and a police outpost.

On Monday, the Puri District Administration destroyed some structures flanking Meghnad Pacheri. However, it was claimed that the demolition was not connected to the recent decision taken.

“The Archaeological Survey of India had requested us to clear all structures adjacent to Meghanad Prachir and there was an Orissa High Court order in this regard. All private and government structures will be demolished,” said Balwant Singh, Puri District Collector. “We have taken a decision not to touch old establishments and structures having monument value,” added Singh.

No relief for Chidambaram: Lookout circular issued against him, SC refuses interim relief

OpIndia Staff
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No relief for Chidambaram: Lookout circular issued against him, SC refuses interim relief

No relief for P Chidambaram as the CJI is now set to hear the case. A petition by P Chidambaram was set for urgent listing before Justice NV Ramana. Justice NV Ramana refused to to list the matter and asked Chidambaram to mention the matter before Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi. Congress leader and senior advocate Kapil Sibal has rushed to the CJI court. Meanwhile, the Ayodhya case hearing has begun and there has been no mention of Chidambaram case till now, reports Republic TV.

Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram who is an accuse in INX Media scam and faces allegations of corruption and money laundering, has been ‘missing’ since over 18 hours. His anticipatory bail pleas against arrests by CBI and ED were rejected by the Delhi High Court yesterday. A lookout circular has been issued against him by the ED, reports Republic TV.

The INX Media case relates to discrepencies and alleged shady dealings in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance given to the media group for international investment funds worth several hundred crores. Chidambaram was the finance minister at that time.

Chidambaram had moved to the Supreme Court yesterdy after the Delhi HC rejected his anticipatory bail plea. He has been getting protection from arrest since July last year. Yesterday, the CBI had put out a circular outside his residence in Delhi’s posh Jor Bagh asking him to appear before the CBI within two hours.

CBI circular outside Chidambaram’s residence last evening.

To this, Arshdeep Singh Khurana, one of Chidambaram’s lawyer had written to Deputy Superintendent of Police, CBI urging him not to take any ‘coercive action’ against Chidambaram who had assured ‘full cooperation’ in the investigation.

Note: This is a developing story. We will update it when more information is available on this story.

After facing pressure from the Church, Madras HC judge withdraws his observation on sexual abuse in Christian institutions

OpIndia Staff
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After facing pressure from the Church, Madras HC judge withdraws his observation on sexual abuse in Christian institutions

In what appears to be worrying signs, the Christian associations in Tamil Nadu along with radical left organisations seems to have unleashed its pressure over a Madras High Court judge to withdraw his observation made during the hearing of the sexual assault case.

According to the reports, Justice S Vaidyanathan of the Madras High Court was hearing a sexual harassment case against professor Samuel Tennyson of the Madras Christian College. Samuel Tennyson is accused of sexually abusing over 30 third year zoology students in the college. Justice S Vaidyanathan had observed that there was an impression among the parents that Christian institutions were highly unsafe for the girl child.

The judge also noted that the Christian missionaries were always under limelight due to activities like forced conversion. “Though they impart good education, their preaching of morality will be a million-dollar question,” the judge had observed.

Following that, several Christian groups including the Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council (TNBC), the Tamil Nadu Latin Bishops’ Council (TNLBC) and the Indian Christian Association of Tamil Nadu along with radical left-wing organisations like the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) expressed ‘concern’ over that observation.

Further, on Tuesday, the counsel for the Christian college mentioned before the court that the comments of the judge were uncalled for and had no connections with the case.

In a statement issued on Monday, TNBC and TNLBC said two of Justice Vaidyanathan’s observations, that there were “several accusations against Christians for indulging in compulsory conversion of people of other religions into Christianity” and that there was a “general feeling among the parents of female students that co-educational studies in Christian institutions are highly unsafe for the future of their children” are regrettable and unwarranted.

As pressure began to mount, Justice Vaidyanathan had to agree to delete the relevant paragraph from his verdict in a case. Accepting the submissions, the judge declared that he would withdraw the observations in para 32 of the order.

There has been a dangerous trend of repeated rapes and other abusive incidents at Churches across the world. Unfortunately, India is not immune to this plague either. Christian priests and churches, like most cases worldwide, have been targeting the poor, destitute for their crimes but the cases go unnoticed.

However, in India, the crimes have been coming into public domain lately. There have been several incidents of sexual harassment and other abuse by Church officials and priests.

In 2011, a heartbreaking case had come to light in Guntur when a local church priest was accused of setting a minor girl on fire after sexually abusing her for over a year. The girl succumbed to her injuries after suffering 90% burns. In 2010, a priest named Habib Joesph was arrested for alleged sexual abuse of a minor. The sister of the minor girl had died in the same institution a year earlier.

In 2013, an illegal shelter home housing dozens of children from extremely poor families in North-Eastern India was reported in Jaipur. One girl had accused priest Jacob John of rape and as many as 13 girls were suspected to have been sexually abused by the priest.

In 2018,  a 45-year-old pastor was booked for brutally raping an 11-year old girl in Vallampadu, Andhra Pradesh. In July 2017, Father Saji Joesph, a priest who was the director of a children’s home in Kerala’s Wayanad district, was arrested after allegations of sexually abusing minor boys.

Franco Mulakkal, a Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jalandhar, was arrested and released on bail later for allegedly raping a 44-year old nun at a guest house in Kuravilangad in May 2014.

Similarly, Father Johnson V Mathew, a priest of Malankara Orthodox church was accused in the rape and sexual abuse of a married woman belonging to the fold was arrested in July 2018.

In February, the Mysuru police had arrested three pastors (religious leaders associated with protestant Churches) for allegedly raping a teenager in Mangaluru. All the three Christian priests have now been charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, as per reports.

In another incident, a 60-year-old pastor named Chandra Kumar belonging to a local church in Nagaland was arrested for allegedly raping a 10-year-old girl in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district.

In another incident, a 33-year old Catholic priest, Father Prakash Damor was arrested in Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh for abetting a 17-year-old girl’s suicide.

Recently, a special Mahila Court in Cuddalore had sentenced a church priest to 30 years in prison and nine others to life in prison for their involvement in the horrifying 2014 Tittakudi rape case, which involved two minor girls.

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