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Bharuch, Gujarat: Communal clashes erupt after Muslims forcefully hoist Islamic flags atop Hindu houses during Ganeshotsav celebrations

OpIndia Staff
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Bharuch, Gujarat: Communal clashes erupt after Muslims forcefully hoist Islamic flags atop Hindu houses during Ganeshotsav celebrations

Following incidents of stone-pelting at a Ganesha pandal in Surat, tensions mounted in Bharuch when Hindus and Muslims came face to face after members of the Muslim community forcefully installed Islamic flags and pylons atop Hindu houses during the Ganesh Chaturthi celebration.

The entire incident unfolded on the night of September 10 in the Gokulnagar area, which is home to both Hindu and Muslim communities. While the Hindu festival of Ganeshotsav is currently being celebrated, the Muslim festival of Eid is also approaching. During this time, some Muslims began to install their religious flags and pylons in anticipation of Eid.

Despite requests from Hindus to avoid installing Islamic flags and pylons atop their homes, their appeals were ignored, and the Muslims continued with the installation. This led to a confrontation, resulting in clashes between the two communities, with reports of stone pelting and violence emerging from the brawl.

Meanwhile, upon learning about the incident, Bharuch Superintendent of Police Mayursinh Chawda arrived at the scene. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, he summoned a team of officials including the Headquarters DySP, LCB, SOG, Taluka Police PI, and PSI.

Two individuals, who were injured during the altercation were quickly shifted to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. The police dispersed the crowd and restored order.

Those involved in the incident were identified and detained. The authorities initiated legal action against the accused, and an investigation is ongoing.

Enhanced security measures have been put in place at the location of the incident.

Bharuch’s Superintendent of Police has urged locals to refrain from spreading rumours.

SP Mayursinh Chawda informed the media that around 10 to 11 pm., the police control room received reports of two groups clashing in Bharuch City’s B Division. The information about the religious flag issue prompted a swift response from all available police forces, including B Division Police, LCB, SOG, and DYSP. The mob was successfully dispersed.

SP Chawda also mentioned that action is being taken based on CCTV footage and media recordings of the incident. He urged the public to avoid provoking others and to report any issues to the police immediately.

6 Muslim minors planned to pelt stones on 10 Ganesh pandals daily in Gujarat

Earlier, on the night of Sunday, September 8, stones were pelted at the Ganesh pandal in the Syedpura area of Surat. In a shocking revelation, it emerged that a gang of 6 minor Muslim youths were behind the stone pelting. The mastermind of this gang had planned to attack 10 Ganesh Pandals daily. The police investigation also revealed that the leader of the gang of Muslim minors had been receiving ‘madarsa training’ for the past three months.

The police investigation revealed that the accused Muslim minors were collecting food and other items from the mosque and then proceeded to pelt stones at the Ganesh pandal in Variyali. The police soon caught the accused Muslim minors and took them to the police station.

Notably, this was the third incident of stone pelting that has been carried out by Islamists in Gujarat during the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations this year. A Divya Bhaskar report says that these Muslim minors, on 6th September, hurled water packets at the Ganesh pandal, however, the Hindus did not retaliate. Another unsuccessful stone pelting attempt was made on Saturday, 7th September. On Sunday, the Muslim boys arrived on rickshaws and pelted stones at the Ganpati pandal.

After the stone-pelting, as many as 27 Muslims switched off lights in their houses, and locked their ‘local associates’ from outside. When the police conducted searches, after receiving this information, the locks of all these houses were broken and the Muslim accused were escorted away. Meanwhile, it was revealed that stones had already been placed in these four houses, indicating that the stone pelting was a pre-planned conspiracy.

Home Affairs Minister for Gujarat, Harsh Sanghvi, then took note of the incident and ordered strict action. The local administration in the Sayedpura area of Surat have begun bulldozer action razing illegal properties of the accused arrested in the case.

Rahul Gandhi compares India to Syria, meets anti-India Bangladeshi ‘journalist’ and wife of the Advocacy Director of Islamist outfit IAMC

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi compares India to Syria, meets anti-India Bangladeshi ‘journalist’ and wife of the Advocacy Director of Islamist outfit IAMC

India’s Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi spoke at the National Press Club in Washington DC on Tuesday (10th September) wherein he cast aspersions about Indian democracy, the state of free speech and the country’s economic progress.

At the very onset, he claimed, “I think politics in India changed very dramatically in 2014. We entered a phase of politics that we haven’t seen in India before, aggressive, attacking the foundations of our democratic structure.”

In his desperate bid to hype up his luxurious political foot pilgrimage (aka Bharat Jodo Yatra), Rahul Gandhi alleged, “Media was suppressed, institutions were controlled, agencies were attacking the opposition, governments were being overthrown, and we found that literally the only way was to go directly to the people of India.”

The Gandhi scion chose to exploit his media interaction in the US to score political brownies at home. He not only raked up domestic political affairs but also demonised the Hindu rights outfit Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS).

He brazened out, “There’s an ideological war taking place in India between the Congress and our partners and the BJP and the RSS. There are two completely different visions of India. We believe in a plural vision, a vision where everybody has a right to thrive, all imaginations are free to roam, an India where you’re not persecuted because of what religion you believe in or what community you come from or which language you speak, versus a much harsher centralizing vision.”

Rahul Gandhi also raised the issue of the politically motivated caste census and affirmative action (which has of late reached dangerous proportions in the United States). “I’ve been saying again and again and again, we’re going to increase reservations beyond 50%,” he emphasised.

Rahul Gandhi plays the victim card, compares India with Syria and Iraq

He also presented the Congress party as a victim of political vendetta after its accounts were frozen for not paying ₹135 crore tax.

“We fought an election with our bank accounts frozen, right? Now, I don’t know. I mean, I don’t know any democracy where that’s happened. Maybe, you know, that type of thing happens in Syria or used to happen in Iraq,” the Gandhi scion drew false equivalence between India and failed Islamic nations.

During his media interaction, Rahul Gandhi also alleged, “So Indian democracy has been under attack, has been very badly weakened, and now it’s fighting back.” The Gandhi scion is on a 3-day visit to the United States.

Gandhi scion meets controversial Bangladeshi ‘journalist’

In pictures that have surfaced on social media, Rahul Gandhi was seen interacting with anti-India, Bangladeshi ‘journalist’ Mushfiqul Fazal Ansaray.

The latter came under the spotlight in March this year after he raked up the arrest of AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi liquor policy case (which is an internal affair of India) during a press briefing with US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.

Mushfiqul Fazal Ansaray also raised the same issue before the spokesperson of the UN Secretary-General. OpIndia found a report from Just News BD where it was mentioned that the Government of Bangladesh had sued him under the Digital Security Act.

As per the report from November 2022, Mushfiqul was booked by the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) department of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), and Mushfiqul was marked as ‘absconding’ in the matter.

The same report mentioned that Mushfiqul used to run a web portal that was banned by the Bangladeshi government in 2015. He has been accused of spreading disinformation about the government on multiple occasions.

Mushfiqul is pro-Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which is known for supporting insurgency in India’s North East. Bangladesh’s mission to the UN had objected to his participation in various programmes as a “journalist” despite his “active” political roles and affiliation.

Speaking to BD News 24, then-Press Secretary of the mission, Bijob Lal Deb, had said, “If active politicians are given media cards, there will be nothing left to say.”

Mushfiqul is also a columnist at the propaganda portal The Wire. There are three articles under his name.

A report in Somoy News stated that Mushfique vigorously promotes Jamaat on social media. Another report from Weekly Blitz stated Right To Freedom is funded by Jamaat. According to a report in IPA News Pack, Hunter Biden was allegedly using his influence against the Awami Party using BNP.

As per the report, BNP attempted to hire Hunter Biden as its lobbyist and “succeeded” in reaching an agreement via William B Milam, who is an influential figure of the Democratic Party and a retired diplomat who runs Right To Freedom with Mushfique.

Interestingly, he regularly features reports linked to Jamaat on his news portal Just News BD.

Meeting with the wife of the Advocacy Director of IAMC

According to the Washington-based advocacy group ‘HinduACTion’, Rahul Gandhi also met Sarita Pandey on the sidelines of the event at the National Press Club.

Previously, Pandey had met the Gandhi scion in Washington in June last year and gifted him a portrait of his mother Sonia Gandhi.

“As I handed it to him, I said, “From one mother to another,” and he said he will pass it to her. I hope he does,” she had tweeted at that time.

For the unversed, Sarita Pandey is the wife of Ajit Sahi – the Advocacy Director of the radical Islamist outfit ‘Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC)’.

According to the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), the Indian Americal Muslim Council has links [pdf] with the banned Islamic terror outfit, Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

Besides, the Indian American Muslim Council has ties with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) through its founder Shaik Ubaid. The IAMC is a Jamat-e-Islami-backed lobbyist organisation claiming to be a rights advocacy group.

In the past, it had reportedly collaborated with and even paid money to various groups in the USA to get India blacklisted by the USCIRF (United States Commission on International Religious Freedom).

IAMC had been caught spreading fake news and misinformation to further the Islamist cause in India. It had also been slapped with the UAPA in 2021.

Sarita Pandey’s wife Ajit Sahi has also been felicitated with the ‘Swami Agnivesh Memorial Award’ in 2021 by the controversial Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR). The same was also seen endorsing the ‘Dismantling Global Hindutva’ conference.

In 2019, Sunita Vishwanath, the co-founder of ‘Hindus for Human Rights’ also tried to create hysteria and panic among Indian Muslims about the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Coincidentally, Rahul Gandhi had met her during his US trip in 2023.

She is also the co-founder of an organisation named ‘Women for Afghan Women’, which is funded by George Soros’ Open Society Foundations (OSF)/ Open Society Institute (OSI).

Terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun praises Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on imaginary Sikh victimhood, says he ‘reverberates SFJ’s position on Khalistan’

OpIndia Staff
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Terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun praises Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on imaginary Sikh victimhood, says he ‘reverberates SFJ’s position on Khalistan’

On 10th September (local time), Khalistani terrorist and founder of the Khalistani terrorist organisation Sikhs For Justice, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, extended his support to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is currently on a trip to the United States of America. In a statement, Pannun expressed his delight over the irresponsible and misleading statement about Sikhs made by Gandhi during a public address in Washington DC and called the Congress leader’s statement “bold and pioneering.”

Pannun further claimed that the statement made by Gandhi is “firmly grounded in the factual history of what Sikhs have been facing under successive regimes in India since 1947 and also corroborates SFJ’s stance on the justification for Punjab Independence Referendum to establish Sikh homeland Khalistan.”

Source: X

In his official statement, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said, “Rahul Gandhi Reverberates SFJ’S Position On Khalistan.

Washington, D.C. September 10, 2024

While addressing the gathering in Washington DC where many pro-Khalistan Sikhs were in attendance, Rahul Gandhi justified SFJ’s global Khalistan Referendum campaign when he stated: ‘Fight in India is whether a Sikh will be allowed to wear turban and kada, go to gurudwara’.

Source: X/Sikhs For Justice

Rahul’s statement on ‘existential threat to Sikhs in India’ is not only bold and pioneering but is also firmly grounded in the factual history of what Sikhs have been facing under successive regimes in India since 1947 and also corroborates SFJ’s stance on the justification for Punjab Independence Referendum to establish Sikh homeland Khalistan.“

Rahul Gandhi’s irresponsible statement on Sikhs and other religions in India

During his public address in Washington DC on 9th September (local time), Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi pointed towards a Sikh present in the attendees and asked his name. Then he moved ahead, suggesting that Sikhs are facing a threat to their existence and faith in India.

Gandhi said, “The fight is about whether he, as a Sikh, is going to be allowed to wear his turban in India or whether he is going to be allowed to wear a Kara in India or whether a Sikh is going to be able to go to the Gurudwara. That’s what the fight is about, and not just for him, for all religions.”

He continued, “The fight is also about—I can see here in the crowd—people from Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana; I can see all these people—Telangana, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, right? So now see when I say, when I say Kerala, see, I’ve been a member of Parliament for Kerala. So now I say Kerala first, you know, first Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, now. So, first, when you say, you don’t understand these things. You say Kerala, it’s just a simple word, or you say Punjab, simple word, you know. But they’re not simple words. These are your history, your language, your traditional imagination is in these words, and what the RSS basically says is that certain states are inferior to other states, certain languages are inferior to other languages, certain religions are inferior to other religions, certain communities inferior to other communities. The fight is about the war of opinion that whether you are from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh—all of you have your history, all of you have your tradition, all of you have your language, and every single one of them is as important as any other one.”

BJP lashed out at Rahul Gandhi for his statement on Sikhs

Following Rahul Gandhi’s statement, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that Congress is trying to create a dangerous narrative by speaking on sensitive issues outside India. He added, “He [Rahul Gandhi] says Sikhs are facing troubles in wearing turban and kadas in the country. But I am extremely proud of the fact that this government has gone out of its way to address the issues of the Sikh community. I don’t think Sikhs have felt safer and more honoured… after 1947.”

In a post on X, he said, “One needs to figure out why the Leader of Opposition Mr Rahul Gandhi makes outlandish & defamatory statements about India on foreign soil. But what he has now said about Sikhs not being able to wear Kada and Turban border on being purely delusional and absurd. Truth is that Sikhs have never been safer anywhere in the world than they are in India today. If there ever was any fear or anxiety in their minds about being identified as Sikhs due to their Kada, Kirpan or Turban, it was only during the mindless one-sided violence and pogrom against members of the Sikh Sangat in 1984. This was when thousands of Sikhs were massacred and the act was justified by Rahul Ji‘s father Sh Rajiv Gandhi who said “जब कोई बड़ा पेड़ गिरता है तो धरती हिलती है” before his party went on to shield & protect the perpetrators for decades. It was during subsequent Congress regimes that Sikhs were denied justice and those responsible were rewarded with plum party posts. It took the determination of PM Narendra Modi Ji to get the cases reopened. Now they are all being held accountable one by one. Let me assure you, this govt will make sure that every perpetrator of the crimes and violence against the Sikh Sangat is brought to justice.“

BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “Rahul Gandhi, who claims to be saving the Constitution, has said in America that he will scrap reservation when the conditions so warrant. With this, the prejudice against reservation which Rahul Gandhi has in abundance has been reflected in America…”

Banned Khalistani terrorist organisation Sikh For Justice and its founder Gurpatwant Singh Pannun

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is a US-based Khalistani terrorist who has citizenship in both the US and Canada. He poses as an attorney in the US and claims to be a front-runner in the fight for the rights of Sikhs. In reality, he consistently propagates the Khalistani sentiments and often issues threats against India. He has been actively promoting violence against Indian diplomats in Canada, the US and other countries where pro-Khalistani Sikhs have been living. He was designated as a terrorist by the Government of India under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for his anti-India activities. His organisation, Sikhs For Justice, was also listed as a terrorist outfit by the Government of India.

Majid Freeman, the Islamist who instigated Leicester violence against Hindus, sent to jail for 22 weeks for attempts to spark ‘immediate unlawful violence’

OpIndia Staff
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Majid Freeman, the Islamist who instigated Leicester violence against Hindus, sent to jail for 22 weeks for attempts to spark ‘immediate unlawful violence’

Muslim ‘activist’ Majid Freeman, who had spread lies and misinformation about the role of Hindus in the 2022 anti-Hindu Leicester riots, has been jailed for 22 weeks for attempts to spark violence during the same unrest. He was sentenced on Monday, September 9, by District Judge Amar Mehtaat at Northampton Magistrates Court after being convicted of a section 4 public order offence.

While sending him to prison the court noted that Freeman intended “immediate unlawful violence” and used “abusive words with the intention that violence would be provoked.”

Insight UK, a Hindu organisation bringing the issues of the Leicester community to the forefront through advocacy took to X on September 10, to confirm that Majid Freeman had indeed been sent to jail for his role in the 2022 anti-Hindu Leicester riots.

“INSIGHT UK has just verified with Northampton Court that Majid Freeman (real name Majid Novsarka) was in court yesterday (9th September) and was sentenced to 22 weeks in prison for his role in the Leicester Violence resulting in the targeted attacks on Hindus, Hindu property and a temple,” the Hindu organisation posted.

Incidentally, both Islamic propaganda websites 5 Pillars – which has a history of peddling anti-India and anti-Hindu propaganda and CAGE – which is an NGO with radical connections, have also claimed that Majid Freeman was sent to prison for his role in the 2022 anti-Hindu Leicester violence.

Majid Freeman formally charged with encouraging terrorism and supporting Hamas

It is pertinent to note here that in July last year, Majid Freeman was charged with inciting terrorism and lending support to the proscribed terrorist organization, Hamas. 

Birgitte Hagem, for the prosecution, asserted that Majid Novsarka, also known as Majid Freeman, who was arrested on July 9th 2023 on suspicion of counter-terrorism offences, including encouraging acts of terrorism, stated views or beliefs that were in favour of Hamas, a banned terrorist organization, on a number of occasions between December 26 of last year and June 20. She described the alleged offences as “serious”. 

The court was also informed that Majid Freeman is accused of encouraging individuals to carry out, plan, or incite acts of terrorism on social media on March 11, 2015, in reference to the 2015 murderous attack on the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.

Majid Freeman, the fanatic who was at the forefront of instigating violence against Hindus in Leicester

Majid Freeman is a local Muslim “activist” known for his extremist Islamic views. During the Leicester violence, Freeman played a key role in spreading fake news that fueled tensions against the Hindu community. The unrest began on August 28, 2022, following a scuffle after India’s victory over Pakistan in a T20 match, during which the Indian flag was desecrated. Despite Hindus calming the situation and assisting the individual who desecrated the flag, Freeman spread a false narrative, further escalating the violence.

On August 30th, Majid Freeman, influenced by misinformation from Muslim organizations, falsely claimed that Hindus in Leicester chanted “death to Muslims,” an allegation later debunked by the police. That same day, Freeman also spread a false rumour on Twitter, alleging that the Quran had been desecrated in Leicester and insinuating that Hindus were responsible. These claims were investigated by OpIndia, who found no evidence to support them.

Freeman further inflamed tensions by falsely accusing a group of 30+ Hindus of chasing and assaulting a Muslim teenager. However, when verified by OpIndia in collaboration with Insight UK, it was confirmed that no video evidence had been submitted to the police, and no investigation was underway.

On September 4th, as violence against Hindus escalated, with mobs attacking them in their homes and on the streets, Freeman once again used Twitter to incite violence, and dog-whistling against the Hindu community. His repeated use of misinformation fueled the already growing tensions, contributing to the dangerous atmosphere of communal unrest.

From September 4th to 7th, Muslim mobs in Leicester launched violent attacks against Hindus, spurred on by figures like Majid Freeman. The unrest began while Hindus were celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi, with Muslim mobs throwing eggs at Hindu symbols and interrupting religious ceremonies. A Hindu man was dragged from his home and stabbed, and when his aunt intervened, she was physically assaulted as well.

On September 12th, Freeman spread a false claim that Hindu men had attempted to abduct a Muslim girl. This lie, amplified on social media, led to threats against the accused Hindu man, with personal information such as his car number and location being circulated. Two days later, on September 14th, the Leicester police confirmed the story was fabricated.

Another falsehood promoted by Freeman and his Islamist followers was that Hindus attacked a mosque during a peaceful protest. Leicester police debunked this, clarifying that no mosque was attacked while confirming that a Hindu temple had been vandalized.

Beyond his involvement in the Leicester riots, Majid Freeman has a history of inciting violence and promoting extremist ideologies. He has encouraged European Muslims to join jihad in Syria and has paid tribute to Al-Qaeda figures such as Anwar Al-Awlaki on social media. Investigations, including those by OpIndia, have exposed Freeman’s links to ISIS and Al-Qaeda-affiliated groups. His role in spreading lies and inciting violence underscores his dangerous influence during the anti-Hindu riots.

‘Inflation in USA worst in history, illegal immigrants pouring in’: Donald Trump attacks Biden administration in debate with Kamala Harris

ANI
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‘Inflation in USA worst in history, illegal immigrants pouring in’: Donald Trump attacks Biden administration in debate with Kamala Harris

Former US President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris squared up in the first Presidential Debate in Philadelphia on ABC News. Kicking off the debate, Trump took on the Biden-Harris administration saying that inflation in the US is probably the worst in the nation’s history.

Trump said that inflation is at 21% and other things are 50%, 60%, 70%, and 80% higher than they were just a few years ago.

“We have inflation like very few people have ever seen before. Probably the worst in our nation’s history. We were at 21 per cent but that’s being generous, because many things are 50%, 60%, 70%, and 80% higher than they were just a few years ago. This has been a disaster for people, for the middle class, but for every class,” he said.

Trump also attacked Biden-Harris on the issue of illegal immigration claiming that millions had poured in from ‘mental institutions and insane asylums’.

“We have millions of people pouring into our country from prisons and jails, from mental institutions and insane asylums. And they’re coming in and they’re taking jobs that are occupied right now by African Americans and Hispanics and also unions. Unions are going to be affected very soon. And you see what’s happening. You see what’s happening with towns throughout the United States,” Trump said.

Trump said that President Joe Biden had allowed illegal immigrants into the country and those immigrants were destroying the country now.

“We’ve had a terrible economy because inflation has, which is really known as a country buster, it breaks up countries. You look at Springfield, Ohio. You look at Aurora in Colorado. They are taking over the towns. They’re taking over buildings. They’re going in violently. These are the people that Xi and Biden led into our country, and they’re destroying our country. They’re dangerous. They’re at the highest level of criminality, and we have to get them out. We have to get them out fast. I created one of the greatest economies in the history of our country. I’ll do it again and even better,” he said.

At one point Trump even made the claim that Immigrants were resorting to eating pets of residents to meet extreme hunger. After Trump was fact checked on this by the host, Harris called this claim unfounded and said it showed how “extreme” Trump’s rhetoric has become.

She pointed to the scores of Republicans and former administration officials who have defected from Trump, saying 200 Republicans who worked for the former president have endorsed her.

“When we listen to this kind of rhetoric, when the issues that affect the American people are not being addressed,” Harris said, “I think the choice is clear in this election.”.

Harris focused on Trump’s allies scuttling a bipartisan immigration bill, which would have enacted some of the strictest measures in decades. Democrats have accused Republicans of intentionally blocking the bill to help Trump politically.

“He’d prefer to run on a problem instead of fixing a problem,” Harris said

Speaking about if Americans will pay higher prices due to tariffs, Trump said, “They’re not going to have higher prices. What’s going to happen and who’s going to have higher prices in China and all of the countries that have been ripping us off for years? I charge, I was the only president ever, China was paying us hundreds of billions of dollars and so were other countries. And, you know, if she doesn’t like them, they should have gone out and they should have immediately cut the tariffs. But those tariffs are there three and a half years now under their administration, we are going to take in billions of dollars, hundreds of billions of dollars.”


(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Rahul Gandhi claims Sikhs are not allowed to wear Turbans and Kada in India while the only time they had to hide their identity was during the 1984 anti-Sikh pogrom

Jinit Jain
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Rahul Gandhi claims Sikhs are not allowed to wear Turbans and Kada in India while the only time they had to hide their identity was during the 1984 anti-Sikh pogrom

What Congress has achieved with Rahul Gandhi’s US visit is hard to guess but one thing is for sure: The visit has exposed the ecosystem’s carefully created ‘aura’ around the Gandhi scion. It has only reaffirmed that the Rae Bareli MP is, after all, a Pappu, a popular moniker attached to him after his embarrassing public gaffes and faux pas.

Rahul Gandhi stirred a political controversy with his comments on religious freedom in India, specifically addressing the Sikh community, during an event in Herndon, Virginia. 

“First, it’s important to understand what the real issue is. The fight isn’t about politics; that’s just on the surface. What’s your name? The fight is about whether he, as a Sikh, will be allowed to wear his turban in India, or whether he’ll be permitted to wear a kada, or even attend the Gurdwara. That’s what this struggle is about, and it extends beyond him to all religions,” Mr Gandhi said in his usual rambling way. 

Mr Gandhi aimed to defame India and project a negative image of the Modi government in the United States—by referring to the religious freedom in India, where random mosques and dargahs come up on encroached lands, where Islamic marauders, who pulled down temples of Hindus and Jains to raise mosques over them, are hailed as ‘economic reformists’—to claim the country is opposed to diversity is an insult to the age-old pluralism and interfaith tolerance that forms the core of the Vedic faiths.

But to use Sikhs as a tool to further his propaganda against the BJP is tragic, given that the only time Sikhs had to live under a constant threat of fear and persecution was when the Congress party was at the Centre in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi’s assassination. Several Congress leaders at the time, including Jagdish Tytler, have been charged with leading mobs that attacked Sikhs during the 1984 anti-Sikh pogrom.

The 1984 Anti-Sikh riots took place in the aftermath of the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Indira Gandhi was assassinated on 31st October 1984 by her Sikh bodyguards as revenge for Operation Blue Star. From 1st November to 4th November, Sikhs across the country were killed. The government figures suggest the angry mobs, many of which were led by Congress leaders, brutally murdered 3,350 Sikhs.

Sikhs across the country, particularly in north India, went into hiding, with many men shaving off their heads, which is proscribed as per Sikhism. Yet, to save themselves from bloodthirsty mobs of rioters, several Sikh men had to give up their faith, remove their turbans, and shave their heads to avoid being identified as Sikhs.

Sajjan Kumar was one of the many Congress leaders accused of involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh massacre. Even after grave allegations against him, Congress rewarded him with a ticket to contest elections in 1991, which he subsequently won. He also won the 2004 general elections on the Congress ticket from the Outer Delhi seat with the highest-ever votes at 8,55,543 votes. A Sanjay Gandhi loyalist, he served as a Member of the Committee on Urban Development and Committee on Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme in 2005. 

The ex-Congress MP was charged with the murder of a man and his son in west Delhi’s Saraswati Vihar. On November 1, 1984, a thousand-strong mob allegedly burned alive a father and son duo (Jaswant Singh and Tarun Deep Singh) in Raj Nagar, West Delhi. The prosecution had stated that the crowd burned alive the two men, as well as damaged, destroyed, looted, arson and inflicted severe injuries on their family members and relations, on Kumar’s incitement and abetment. While framing the charges, the court said sufficient evidence was on record to form a prima facie opinion that Sajjan Kumar was not only “a participant of the riotous mob but had also led it”. 

Sajjan Kumar was not the only loyalist of the Nehru-Gandhi family and Congress who was accused of leading the mob and running a riot. Another such leader was Jagdish Tytler, who continues to hold sway in the Congress party. The Nanavati Commission recorded the testimony of a witness namely, Jasbir Singh, who stated that on 3rd November 1984, he was passing by the TB hospital gate after taking dinner at the house of one Sucha Singh situated at Outram lane when he had seen Jagdish Tytler coming there in a car. 

Singh furthered that he heard Tytler “rebuked” the standing persons because his instructions were not faithfully carried out. Therefore his position was greatly compromised and lowered in the eyes of the central leaders. He has alleged to have further stated that there was only nominal killing in his constituency compared to East Delhi, Outer Delhi, and Cant. etc. and it would be difficult for him to stake a claim in future as he has promised large-scale killing of Sikhs. He had complained to those persons that they had betrayed and let him down.

Despite the damning testimony against Tytler, the Congress party did not take punitive action against him. He remained a mainstay of the party’s Delhi unit, often attending meetings and weighing in on his opinions on matters of import.

Jagdish Tytler was subsequently given tickets to contest the election by the Indian National Congress and also made Union Minister of Civil Aviation first and then the Labour Department. He had contested the 2004 elections and won as well. He was dropped in the 2009 polls. 

In December 2022, Tytler was seen attending the Congress Delhi Unit’s meeting over the preparations for the Bharat Jodo Yatra. He was also seen campaigning for the Congress party during the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections.

The Congress leaders were accused of orchestrating the anti-Sikh pogrom that resulted in the deaths of over 3,000 Sikhs. The party has not shown remorse for its involvement, as it even rewarded the leaders accused of serious charges. This was a time when Sikhs had to hide their identity and go against the principles of Sikhism to stay safe from violent mobs led by Congress leaders.

Before Mr Gandhi involved Sikhs in his propaganda campaign, he should have been aware of the Congress party’s history of violence against Sikhs. Under the Modi government, India remains a haven for Sikhs and other law-abiding minorities, as evidenced by the steady rise in their respective populations.

‘Stop Puja, sound systems five minutes before Azan, Namaz’: Bangladesh Home Ministry issues decree for Hindus ahead of Durga Puja

OpIndia Staff
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‘Stop Puja, sound systems five minutes before Azan, Namaz’: Bangladesh Home Ministry issues decree for Hindus ahead of Durga Puja

On Tuesday (10th September), the Bangladesh Home Ministry issued a decree for the Hindu community ahead of the Durga Puja celebrations as it directed Puja committees to turn off Durga Puja rituals and sound systems five minutes before Azan and Namaz. The decree has sparked outrage with netizens dubbing it a Talibani order by the Interim Bangladeshi government for the Hindu community.

As per Bangladeshi media reports, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Tuesday met with the leaders of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad at the secretariat. In the Bangladeshi Interim government, an adviser post is equivalent to a Minister.  

After the meeting, the Home Affairs Adviser briefly held a press conference to address the issue of ‘law and order’ ahead of Durga Puja which is the largest religious festival of the Hindu community in Bangladesh. The Bangladeshi Hindus will mark Durga Puja celebrations from 9th October to 13th October. 

During the press conference, Home Affairs Adviser Alam Chowdhury said the puja committees have been asked to keep musical instruments and sound systems off five minutes before and during the Azan and Namaz.

Claiming that the movement of the Hindu community causes problems in maintaining law and order during the Durga Puja, Chowdhury said, “Many Bangladeshi people travel to Indian side to celebrate Puja while Indian people used to visit our side on the occasion.”

Stopping the cross-border movement of Bengali Hindus for Durga Puja celebrations, he added, “I have requested everyone to organize good puja mandaps in the border areas this time so that our people don’t have to go to the other side to see the Puja, and people from the other side don’t have to come here.” 

Chowdhury, however, claimed that the security of the Hindu community would be ensured from the time of the making of the idols. He said, “We have discussed how to ensure round-the-clock security at the puja mandaps.” 

The Home Affairs Minister mentioned that this year a total of 32, 666 puja mandaps will be erected across the country. 157 and 88 mandaps will be erected in Dhaka South City and North City Corporations respectively. Pertinently, 33, 431 Puja Mandaps were erected last year. 

He added that measures will be taken to facilitate the celebration of puja without any hindrance and prevent the evil activities of miscreants. 

He further stated that volunteers will be recruited to ensure the security of Puja Pandals. However, these volunteers will not hail only from the Hindu community as he said that any Bangladeshi citizen would be recruited as volunteer. 

He said, “This year’s volunteer recruitment will be different. Volunteers will be recruited from any citizen of Bangladesh. Volunteers will be given time to perform their duties. The number of volunteers should be at least two during the day and three at night.”

Other persons present at the press conference include Religious Affairs Adviser AFM Khalid Hossain, senior officials of the law enforcement agencies, Bangladesh Puja Celebration Parishad President Basudev Dhar, and General Secretary Santos Sharma.

Love jihad: Amjad from UP pretends to be Ajay to trap Nepali Hindu girl and rape her, later tricks her into marrying his brother

OpIndia Staff
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Love jihad: Amjad from UP pretends to be Ajay to trap Nepali Hindu girl and rape her, later tricks her into marrying his brother

An incident of ‘love jihad’ with a Nepali girl has come to light from Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh. A Hindu girl from Dhangarhi district of Nepal has accused Amjad Khan of changing his name to trap and marry her, and later harassing her. A total of 5 people, including Amjad, his mother, and brother have been named in the complaint. Changez Khan is also named in this FIR registered on Monday (September 9, 2024). Changez Khan is the same youth who had a dispute with the Indian ‘Bajrang Dal’ on the issue of molestation of a Hindu woman this month.

This particular case is of Puranpur police station area of ​​​​Pilibhit district. Here, on September 9 (Monday), a Hindu woman from Dhangarhi of Nepal, has lodged a complaint with the police. In the complaint, the victim said that in the year 2013, she used to work in Dhangarhi of Nepal. At that time, Amjad of Pilibhit used to drive a taxi and often used to travel to Nepal by car. It was there that this Amjad met the victim for the first time and told her his name was Ajay. Amjad shared his mobile number with the victim and slowly trapped her in his web of love.

After talking for a few days, Amjad promised the victim a better job in India and brought her with him. In India, Amjad kept the victim at his brother-in-law Wahid Khan’s place in Kalimnagar area of ​​Pilibhit. Here the accused started molesting the victim by pressurizing her for marriage. He initially backed off after the victim protested. That night, when the victim was sleeping, Amjad suddenly came to her bed. He put a gun to the victim’s face and raped her. After the rape, he threatened to kill the victim if she told anyone.

When the victim complained about this to Amjad’s sister, she replied laughingly, “You are so beautiful. How long can that poor guy control himself?” After this, Amjad raped the victim several times. Whenever the victim spoke about returning to Nepal, she was threatened. Due to lack of support in India, the victim kept tolerating everything. After keeping the victim at his brother-in-law’s place for a few days, Amjad took the victim to his aunt’s house.

Here Amjad’s mother Kaiser Jahan and sister Sonam came to meet the victim. Amjad’s brother Nafees also accompanied them. Here, all of them gave the victim two options. First, marry Amjad, or second, embrace death. The victim was also told that after the marriage she can live her life in Hindu ways. By now, the victim had come to know that Amjad was not a Hindu but a Muslim. Due to no other option, the victim agreed to the marriage to save her life.

The complaint further states that during the marriage, the victim was made to sign many documents without giving her a chance to read them. After the court marriage, Amjad again took the victim to his brother-in-law’s house in Kalimnagar. Here at night, instead of Amjad, a 35-year-old man entered the victim’s room, who was constantly present during the court marriage. When the victim started screaming, people gathered, who told the girl that the name of the 35-year-old man is Firoz Khan. Then the victim came to know that she was fraudulently married to Firoz instead of Amjad.

It was then that the victim came to know that Firoz is Amjad’s elder brother. Firoz, the father of 4 children, had lost his first wife. Hearing this, the victim cried a lot but she had no option left. After a few days, Firoz took the victim to Bareilly. Some Maulanas also came to Bareilly. These Maulanas asked the victim’s name and said something in Arabic. It was here that the victim was told that she had been converted to Islam and her name was changed to Mahroon Nisha. The victim was also asked to eat beef.

According to the victim, when she protested against these things, she was beaten brutally. Firoz’s son Rangeela was also among those who beat her. The victim gave birth to 2 children while enduring all the torture. Meanwhile, Firoz, who was addicted to drugs, kept beating her continuously. Firoz’s brothers Changez Khan and Amjad also raped the victim whenever they got the opportunity. Changez Khan even used to peep into the bathroom while the victim was bathing. It is alleged that he used to bring minor Hindu and Sikh girls home every day.

In the complaint, the victim further stated that many Maulanas used to come to meet Changez every day. They used to bring some new gift for her. After a few days, Changez and his other family members even took control of the money deposited by the victim. In the year 2022, Changez and his brother Amjad reportedly attacked the victim with a sword. Somehow, the victim saved herself from this attack and went to Nepal. Now the victim decided to get the accused punished and demanded strict action against them.

The police have registered a case naming Changez Khan, Amjad Khan, Firoz Khan, Rangeela and Changez’s mother in this case. Action has been taken against all of them under sections 64, 352, 351 (3), 115 (2), and 76 of the Indian Penal Code (BNS). OpIndia has the FIR copy. The police is investigating the matter and taking other necessary legal action. Indian Bajrang Dal has demanded strict action against the accused.

Syedpura Ganesh pandal stone pelting: 6 Muslim minors planned to pelt stones on 10 Ganesh pandals daily in Gujarat, gang leader took 3 months training: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Syedpura Ganesh pandal stone pelting: 6 Muslim minors planned to pelt stones on 10 Ganesh pandals daily in Gujarat, gang leader took 3 months training: Details

The police have launched an investigation into the incident of stone pelting on a Ganesh Mandap in Syedpura in Gujarat. In a shocking revelation, it has emerged that a gang of minor Muslim youths were behind the stone pelting. The mastermind of this gang had planned to attack 10 Ganesh Pandals daily. On Saturday, September 8, this gang comprising 6 minors tried to hurl stones at the Ganesh statue of ‘Variali Cha Raja’, however, they failed. A day later, the Muslim minor attacked the Syedpura Ganesh pandal.

A Divya Bhaskar report says that these Muslim minors, on 6th September, hurled water packets at the Ganesh pandal, however, the Hindus did not retaliate. Another unsuccessful stone pelting attempt was made on Saturday, 7th September. On Sunday, the Muslim boys arrived on rickshaws and pelted stones at the Ganpati pandal. The police are now investigating the role of rickshaw pullers in the matter.

Stone pelting gang leader took 3 months of “madarsa training”

The police investigation also revealed that the leader of the gang of Muslim minors had been receiving ‘madarsa training’ for the past three months. The accused gang leader’s father died a long time ago. However, an investigation is underway to determine who asked the minors to pelt stones at the Ganesh pandal. Meanwhile, an investigation into the involved madarsa’s activities is also going on. The police also summoned Muslim leaders from Syedpura, who are also being questioned.

First, the accused minors hurled water packets at the Ganesh idol, then on Saturday, they made an unsuccessful attempt at pelting stones at the idol. Following this, the 6 Muslim minors hurled stones at the idol on Sunday, 8th September.

“We arrived at the Ganesh pandal screaming Allahu Akbar”: Accused minor

The police investigation revealed that the accused Muslim minors were collecting food and other items from the mosque and then proceeded to pelt stones at the Ganesh pandal in Variyali. The police soon caught the accused Muslim minors and took them to the police station.

Communal tension mounted in the area following the attack on Ganesh idol. The police then used lathi charge and tear gas to bring the Muslim mob under control. It has emerged that four houses near a mosque were continuously throwing stones on Hindus and the police. During the stone pelting, several police officials, including the DCP, sustained injuries.

After this third incident of stone pelting, police raids were launched in Syedpura. After the stone-pelting, as many as 27 Muslims switched off lights in their houses, and locked their ‘local associates’ from outside. When the police conducted searches, after receiving this information, the locks of all these houses were broken and the Muslim accused were escorted away. Meanwhile, it was revealed that stones had already been placed in these four houses, indicating that the stone pelting was a pre-planned conspiracy.

‘Police will die if you hit them in the head with sticks’ – Muslim extremists

It has been reported that first, the Muslim minors pelted stones at Ganesh idol, and then locals rushed and thrashed them. Subsequently, the Hindus took them to Syedpura Police Station. Meanwhile, the stone pelting from homes around the police station resumed. Muslim mob then pelted stones at the police and Hindus. As the police prepared for the action, the Muslim attackers said to each other, “If you hit Lathis [sticks] in the head, the police will die.”

Following this, two FIRs have been lodged, one against the Muslim minors and one against the stone pelters. In this incident, Lalgate police have registered crimes under sections including an attempt to murder, rioting, and vandalism. Some of the accused were nabbed on Sunday night.

All the accused involved in pelting stones at Hindus and the police are Muslims

The minor accused were caught after pelting stones and a case was also registered against them. However, since they are minors, their names cannot be disclosed. However, the names of as many as 26 accused came out in the stone pelting that happened twice after the initial attack. All these accused are Muslims and now the police are taking legal action against them.

The Minister of State for Home Affairs Harsh Sanghvi also rushed to the scene late at night. At the Ganesh pandal where stones were pelted, he performed aarti at midnight and promised that all the accused would be brought to justice before the first ray of the sun fell on the land of Surat. Soon after, the BJP leader fulfilled his promise and all the accused were arrested.

RG Kar Hospital rape case: Junior doctors continue to protest demanding justice despite SC direction

OpIndia Staff
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RG Kar Hospital rape case: Junior doctors continue to protest demanding justice despite SC direction

The protest against the violent rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital is a people’s movement, which neither the government nor the Supreme Court should ignore, claimed the protesting junior doctors as they vowed that their strike would last until all of their demands are met.

In a statement published late Monday night, West Bengal junior doctors stated that they would not go back to work before the Supreme Court’s 5 p.m. deadline set during yesterday’s suo motu hearing.

A spokeswoman for the junior doctors at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where the horrible tragedy occurred, expressed profound dissatisfaction with the Supreme Court’s hearing. “…the case has been transferred from the High Court to the Supreme Court, from the state police to the CBI. But justice is still out of reach,” the spokesperson said.

“We were expecting a positive outcome, considering the brutality of the offence. However, we are utterly disheartened by the proceedings of the court and the CBI. No action has been taken to expedite the trial and deliver justice to our colleague,” she added.

Earlier on Monday, the state administration informed the Supreme Court that 23 people had died, reportedly as a result of the doctors’ strike, and that lakhs had been turned away from hospitals. In their statement, the doctors further voiced their outrage, stressing that no actions had been taken to ensure that their colleague received prompt justice.

“We were expecting a positive outcome, considering the brutality of the offence. However, we are utterly disheartened by the proceedings of the court and the CBI. No action has been taken to expedite the trial and deliver justice to our colleague,” the statement said.

Earlier on Monday, the state administration informed the Supreme Court that 23 people had died, reportedly as a result of the doctors’ strike, and that lakhs had been turned away from hospitals. The doctors expressed disgust at being characterized as culpable for those deaths.

“It was also shocking to note the way junior doctors were portrayed as responsible for a few deaths in hospitals. This is completely false, and in no hospital, has service been completely hampered due to the junior doctors’ movement,” the statement said.

The physicians have also reportedly requested the resignation of the West Bengal Health Secretary and threatened to march on ‘Swasthya Bhavan,’ the health department’s office in Kolkata. During Monday’s hearing, the Supreme Court stated that protests cannot cost lives and warned the doctors that they would face disciplinary punishment if they did not return to work soon.

“If doctors do not resume work, then we cannot stop the state government from taking disciplinary action. We want to ensure that doctors resume work. They are part of a system to render service. We will provide facilities, but they have to reciprocate,” the top court noted.

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