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‘A big fraud was taking place’: PM Modi slams Mamata govt after Calcutta HC cancels OBC reservation given to Muslims

OpIndia Staff
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‘A big fraud was taking place’: PM Modi slams Mamata govt after Calcutta HC cancels OBC reservation given to Muslims

Days after the Calcutta High Court cancelled an estimated 5 lakh Other Backward Classes (OBC) certificates issued mostly to Muslims by the West Bengal government since 2010, PM Modi has hit out at the ruling TMC government.

While speaking to news agency ANI, he informed, “When the (Calcutta) High Court’s judgment came, it became clear that such a big fraud was taking place.”

“But what is even more unfortunate is that for vote bank politics, now they are also abusing the judiciary…This situation cannot be acceptable under any circumstances,” PM Modi emphasised.

It must be mentioned that Mamata Banerjee had earlier announced that she would not follow the verdict of the Calcutta High Court and continue to grant OBC reservations to groups that are now invalid.

“I don’t accept Calcutta HC’s verdict. OBC reservation will continue as it is,” the West Bengal Chief Minister was quoted as saying by the West Bengal CM.

PM Modi had previously described the Calcutta High Court verdict as an eye-opener for the country.

The  Calcutta High Court verdict on Muslim OBC reservation

In a landmark judgment on Wednesday (22nd May), the  Calcutta High Court cancelled Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates issued to 77 groups by the Left and Trinamool Congress governments between 5th March 2010 and 11th May 2012.

The development came as a shocker for the incumbent government ahead of the upcoming 6th phase of Lok Sabha elections in the State.

The West Bengal government, run by the Left and TMC, came under scanner for its “unconstitutional” categorisation of classes solely based on religion, as laid down by the Supreme Court in the landmark Indra Sawhney case of 1992 (wherein the Judiciary upheld the validity of 27% OBC reservation).

The  Calcutta High Court also noted that the West Bengal government committed “fraud on the Constitutional power of the State” by enacting the West Bengal Backward Classes (Other than Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) (Reservation of Vacancies in Services and Posts) Act, 2012 and excluding the role of Commission in the identification of new OBCs.

“The Commission’s reports are not in accordance with the Constitutional value of the impartial and secular reservation. Although the reports of the Commission are prepared to show that it has not made a religion-specific reservation, it appears otherwise to this Court,” the Judges noted.

The  Calcutta High Court also came down heavily on the West Bengal government for treatment of Muslims as a ‘political commodity’ and exploiting them for electoral gains.

It is interesting to note that while most classes belonging to the Muslim community were included in the OBC category under the Left regime, it was the Mamata Banerjee-led-TMC government that issued the most number of OBC certificates to Mulims after coming to power in 2011.

‘I have cyclone relief work, last phase elections, can’t attend June 1 meeting’: Mamata Banerjee snubs I.N.D.I. Alliance again

OpIndia Staff
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‘I have cyclone relief work, last phase elections, can’t attend June 1 meeting’: Mamata Banerjee snubs I.N.D.I. Alliance again

 Announcing she would skip the INDIA bloc meeting scheduled to be held on June 1, Trinamool Congress Chairperson and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stressed that providing relief to the people of the state after the cyclone Remal is her foremost priority along with the seventh phase of Lok Sabha elections.

Banerjee said, “The INDIA team is holding a meeting on June 1. I have told them I can’t join as we have an election on 10 seats in West Bengal on the same day. Punjab, Bihar and UP also have elections on June 1. On one side is the cyclone, and on the other side, it is elections – I have to do everything. Cyclone relief is my priority right now.”

She said that her priority was to provide relief to the victims and take care of them.

“My priority is to take care of the victims, provide shelter to them and help them. I am speaking here but my focus is on the relief work. This is an emotive issue,” she added.

She further hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and alleged that being a Prime Minister of the country he was advertising at his public rallies which is setting a wrong precedent.

“Tomorrow PM Modi will conduct a rally in Kolkata. I don’t have any objection but PM will do a rally after advertising and use party symbol, is that correct? He can tell that he is doing it as BJP leader and not as Prime Minister. He said that he has given gas connections free of cost but is it true? Did he give Rs 15 lakh in every account? Did he bring back the black money? Even an ITI student is not getting a job,” she further added.

Earlier Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit had confirmed that the INDIA bloc has called for an all-party meeting on June 1, ahead of the declaration of Lok Sabha results on June 4.

West Bengal is voting in all the seven phases of the Lok Sabha polls with the last phase scheduled on Saturday. The counting of votes is on June 4.

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

From talking about Hitler’s pen*s to linking Coronavirus with ‘sex power’ to lies about invitation to Nupur Sharma: How Saurabh Dwivedi’s ‘The Lallantop’ gained fame

OpIndia Staff
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From talking about Hitler’s pen*s to linking Coronavirus with ‘sex power’ to lies about invitation to Nupur Sharma: How Saurabh Dwivedi’s ‘The Lallantop’ gained fame

India Today’s left-leaning digital portal, ‘The Lallantop’, and its founder Saurabh Dwivedi have earned notoriety for spreading misinformation against the BJP. Even during their ground reporting, ‘The Lallantop’ avoids hearing anything favourable about Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Recently, Lallantop peddled lies about reaching out to the suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma to hide his cowardice with lies. Additionally, it is pertinent to note that ‘The Lallantop’ frequently garners traffic through rag stories and sex-related topics. The platform has 2.96 crore subscribers on YouTube.

Saurabh Dwivedi spread falsehoods about reaching out to Nupur Sharma

On the 25th of May 2024, Saurabh Dwivedi of Lallantop spun a sinister web of lies to defend himself against allegations that he was too scared to fact-check what former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma said. The allegations because of which she has been getting death and rape threats by Jihadis for the past 2 years.

Notably, in response to a question on his show, ‘Neta Nagri’, Saurabh Dwivedi made three specific claims to prove his relentless pursuit of the truth. He cited three specific incidents to claim that he had reached out to Nupur Sharma to offer her the platform to put forth her version and therefore, he should not be blamed for not fact-checking what Nupur Sharma said. 

However, OpIndia reached out to Nupur Sharma regarding his claims. Speaking to OpIndia, Nupur Sharma confirmed that she met Saurabh Dwivedi on the 31st of May 2022 at the press conference, as she did with several other journalists who were present there as well. She does not remember Saurabh asking her for an interview.

While Nupur Sharma doubts that Dwivedi ever asked her, it is important to note that on the 31st of May, there was no embargo on Nupur from talking to the media. She gave a sound-byte to the media and sat down with OpIndia for a 1-hour interview on the 31st of May. It, therefore, seems counter-intuitive for Saurabh to claim that on the 31st of May, Nupur had refused to speak to Lallantop. 

Regarding the second claim, Nupur Sharma told OpIndia that she was actually surprised to see Saurabh Dwivedi and his wife present at a party hosted by an IAS couple in April 2023. It was Nupur Sharma who approached Dwivedi. They had a conversation where Nupur told him how difficult it was for her to live her life in silence, given her active career before Alt-News co-founder Zubair painted a target on her back. Nupur recalls Dwivedi having no reaction, per se. She does not remember if a passing reference was made by Dwivedi about getting her on his show since it was a long time ago.

Nupur Sharma also confirmed to OpIndia that Dwivedi’s third claim of approaching her again to appear on his show after Dr. Anand Ranganathan’s video went viral was an outright lie. Nupur Sharma told OpIndia that in the past month after Dr. Ranganathan’s video went viral, neither Saurabh Dwivedi nor his Lallantop team has contacted her for a show.

Saurabh Dwivedi clearly lied to justify his cowardice. He has not contacted Nupur Sharma personally even once in 2 years to get her version on record. He has tried hard to pass off casual interactions as formal requests for an interview – casual interactions in which Nupur Sharma does not even remember Dwivedi extending the offer.

Lallantop sold ‘s*x’ even during Coronavirus

Let’s first talk about Hashmi Dawakhana. The Lallantop came into the limelight by accurately measuring Hitler’s pen*s. One of the videos that caught the attention of young people who were stuck at home was – ‘The desire to increase s*x power led to the coronavirus’. There is no need to delve into the details of this video, but it should certainly have been given to the scientists who were working on developing a vaccine against this virus at the international level.

(Report from The Lallantop)

If this is not possible, then at least the YouTube link of this video should have been given to North Korea, because the people who can do a Ph.D on Hitler’s private parts even after so many years of his death, are not the ones who are suffering from Corona. They would have definitely prepared an antidote for this. Not only this, The Lallantop, taking special care of its audience and fact-checking its meaning, was also seen proving that mustard oil cannot protect against coronavirus. This is the audience that has been devoting its entire 1.5 GB of cheap internet daily at the feet of either TikTok or The Lallantop.

Bra, panties, sex, genitals, semen… what else in Lallantop?

Incidentally, Lallantop had fact-checked a report which was published by a comedy-satire portal, Fauxy, however, in an interesting turn of events, Lallantop which claims to champion ‘fact-checking’, called the satirical article an ‘authentic’ report. 

(Fact Checking Portal, The Lallantop called an old satirical report, ‘authentic’.)

Hailing itself as the last messiah of journalism, Dwivedi once sat with his journalism guru Rajdeep Sardesai and openly peddled lies and inflated numbers in front of the entire public on the NPR-NRC policies of the Central Government.

After getting caught, Lallantop shamelessly didn’t remove the video from YouTube but secretly wrote about this ‘mistake’ in its description. Additionally, it has shoddy track record of fact-checking MEMEs and ‘fake news’. By portraying some actors filming a shoot as victims of Muslim persecution, The Lallantop and their team produced extensive secular literature. A year-old news story, which police investigations had debunked as fake months earlier, was republished on the day of Holi to attempt to portray Holi as a festival of semen and gain some cheap popularity.

Lallantop published erotic news even during the budget

The Lallantop, which claims to be very concerned about women’s issues, expressed concern during Holi about whether it is a festival of semen or not. Similarly, during a budget session, it was troubled why Priyanka Chopra’s dress didn’t slip. Priyanka Chopra attended the 62nd Grammy Awards with her husband Nick Jonas wearing a dress that troubled The Lallantop. Subsequently, the portal published a comprehensive report on the matter.

Saurabh Dwivedi wants BJP supporters to use a ‘condom’ so they don’t procreate, deleted tweet after facing massive outrage

In January 2020, Saurabh Dwivedi inadvertently exposed his prejudice against the ruling BJP by mocking and abusing the party’s supporters. Taking to Twitter, he expressed his hatred for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In a hurry to abuse and mock BJP, Dwivedi posted an edited infographic of the advertisement of British condom brand Durex on the micro-blogging site Twitter (now X) and mocked that BJP supporters should use condoms to stop the procreation of more supporters.

(‘Neutral’ journalist Saurabh Dwidevi brazenly displayed hatred against BJP and its supporters)

In a tweet, Dwivedi asked his followers whether he should trend the edited infographic or not. The edited infographic of the Durex advertisement read, “For those people who are still supporting BJP. Please use this we don’t want any more like you in the world”.

It is pertinent to note that while Saurabh Dwivedi openly aired his hatred for BJP and its supporters, his father Ravikant Dwivedi himself contested on a BJP ticket twice and lost. 

‘Rahul Gandhi distorted facts to tarnish Adani Group’s reputation’: Investor files plea over defamatory statements against business conglomerate, PM Modi also named

OpIndia Staff
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‘Rahul Gandhi distorted facts to tarnish Adani Group’s reputation’: Investor files plea over defamatory statements against business conglomerate, PM Modi also named

A plea has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking to restrain Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi from making alleged defamatory statements against the Adani group. The petitioner has sought to prevent the top Congress and BJP leaders from making unsubstantial claims that could harm the Adani Group’s market value and investors.

According to reports, Surjit Singh Yadav, who identifies as a farmer and stock investor, has filed a lawsuit.

The suit also accuses Rahul Gandhi of misrepresenting facts about the Adani Group.

The petition argues that Rahul Gandhi’s speech was highly misleading and intended to create confusion among the audience, thereby tarnishing the public and investors’ perception of the Adani Group.

According to reports, the plea states, “The false, fabricated, and misleading speech by Defendant No. 1 (Rahul Gandhi), along with unfounded allegations by Defendant No. 2 (PM Modi) against industrialists, has the potential to confuse general investors in the Indian stock market. This confusion can lead to high and unanticipated volatility in the stock prices of these companies, causing significant losses to investors and traders, including the plaintiff.”

The plaintiff’s plea also emphasised the importance of distinguishing between a loan waiver and a loan write-off, about a speech made by Rahul Gandhi on March 3 in Madhya Pradesh.

“A loan waiver occurs when banks and financial institutions determine that there is no chance of recovering a loan, leading the lender to forgive or waive off the debt. This means the borrower is released from the obligation to repay, and the bank will not attempt to recover the loan or take legal action against the borrower under any circumstances,” the plea stated.

The suit further alleged that Rahul Gandhi has “distorted facts to tarnish the Adani Group’s reputation for personal agendas.”

The suit also seeks an injunction against PM Modi for a campaign speech in Telangana, in which he accused Congress of accepting bribes from Ambani and Adani, implying illicit money transfers to the party.

Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, targeting Rahul Gandhi, questioned why the “Shehzada” (Congress leader) had suddenly stopped mentioning Ambani and Adani in the current election.

Responding to Modi’s question about whether Congress received “tempo loads of black money” from Adani and Ambani, Rahul Gandhi retorted by asking if the prime minister was speaking from his “personal experience.”

Gandhi also challenged PM Modi to initiate a probe by the CBI or ED.

On April 24, in a post on X, Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of waiving loans worth ₹16 lakh crore for his billionaire friends. He stated, “The money which could have been used to alleviate the pain of ‘Indians’ was spent to create hype for the ‘Adanis’.”

Following threats from leftist terrorists, traditional medicine practitioner Hemchand Manjhi says he will return the Padma Shri award and discontinue his work

OpIndia Staff
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Following threats from leftist terrorists, traditional medicine practitioner Hemchand Manjhi says he will return the Padma Shri award and discontinue his work

Hemchand Manjhi, a renowned traditional medicine practitioner from Narayanpur district, announced on Monday (27th May) that he will return his Padma Shri award due to the escalating threats from Naxalites. Manjhi, popularly known as Vaidyaraj, also added that he will discontinue his practice.

Last month, the 72-year-old traditional medicine practitioner received India’s fourth highest civilian honour, the Padma Shri award. According to the information, Naxalites have been repeatedly issuing threats and distributing pamphlets against him which he says is insulting to him.  

Recently, on Sunday night (26th May), Naxalites torched two under-construction mobile towers in Chameli and Gaurdand villages which fall under the Chhotedongar police station. According to the Police, Naxals also put up banners and dropped pamphlets there threatening Manjhi. The pamphlets had a picture of his facilitation ceremony when he received the Padma Shri award from President Droupadi Murmu.

According to reports, Naxalites have alleged that Manjhi helped in the commissioning of the Aamdai Ghati iron ore project in the Chhotedongar area of Narayanpur. The leftist terrorists further allege that Manjhi received huge kickbacks for it. Manjhi has denied all these charges in the past.

Earlier, Naxalites had levelled the same allegations against Manjhi and threatened him with dire consequences. 

Speaking with PTI on Monday, Manjhi again refuted the charges and said he had already clarified to villagers that he has no connection with the iron ore mine. He said that after discussing with his family, he has decided to return the Padma Shri award and discontinue his traditional medicine practice.

Manjhi said, “I will return the Padma Shri award. Maoists say how I got the award from the President. I did not demand the award as I got it for my service to the people since I was 20-year-old. I give jadi-booti (herbal medicines) for different ailments, particularly for cancer.” 

He added, “Earlier, they (Naxalites) killed my nephew Komal Manjhi by levelling false allegations. My family is living under the shadow of threat.” 

On 9th December, last year, Naxalites hacked his nephew Komal Manjhi to death in Chhotedongar which is located around 45 km from the Narayanpur district headquarters. They killed him after accusing him of acting as an agent for the Aamdai Ghati iron ore mine project and making huge money. 

After his nephew’s murder, police brought Hemchand Manjhi to Narayanpur town. He has been living there in a rented house with his family under the protection of three security personnel. 

Manjhi said, “I was allotted a house by the administration in Narayanpur but it has no boundary wall, facility of water, and other amenities so I decided to live in a rented house. I appeal to the administration to provide me a proper house.” 

Manjhi stated that they are self-sufficient individuals. The administration has assigned three to four guards for our security. He expressed his desire to build a small house in Dongar and receive security there, indicating his intention to relocate and reside there.

It is pertinent to note that for a long time, Naxalites have been opposing the iron ore mine in Aamdai Ghati which has been allotted to the Jayaswal Neco Industries Limited.

Gupta brothers, wanted in multi-billion dollar scam in South Africa, arrested in a suicide case in India: Read about their alleged link to a Congress leader through a dubious businessman

OpIndia Staff
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Gupta brothers, wanted in multi-billion dollar scam in South Africa, arrested in a suicide case in India: Read about their alleged link to a Congress leader through a dubious businessman

After two of the three Gupta brothers were arrested in connection with a suicide in Uttarakhand, South Africa has announced its intention to communicate with the Indian government regarding the arrest of two Gupta brothers in India. One of these brothers is sought in South Africa for allegedly embezzling billions from state-owned enterprises. The arrest, which took place on Saturday, followed a report indicating that the brothers were named in the suicide note of Satinder Singh Sawhney, a well-known builder from Uttarakhand.

However, it is unclear if this is the same Ajay Gupta who, along with his family, fled South Africa a few years ago.

The Gupta brothers—Atul, Ajay, and Rajesh—are accused of embezzling billions of rands in South Africa through their close ties with former President Jacob Zuma. The family moved to Dubai after Zuma was removed from office in 2018.

Ajay, the eldest of the three Gupta brothers, is considered the ringleader of the family’s corrupt and fraudulent activities in South Africa. His younger brothers, Atul and Rajesh, were detained in Dubai in 2022.

On Saturday, Ajay and his brother-in-law, Anil Gupta, were arrested in Uttarakhand.

In 2023, the UAE rejected South Africa’s request to extradite Rajesh and Atul, prompting South Africa to declare them fugitives. The brothers had established a large empire spanning the IT, media, and mining sectors.

Reports on Saturday revealed the arrest of Ajay Gupta and his brother-in-law Anil on charges of abetment of suicide. A prominent builder, Satinder Singh Sawhney, mentioned them in his suicide note before jumping off his multi-storey apartment building.

A court in Dehradun subsequently placed the two in 14-day judicial custody on charges of abetting the suicide of Satinder Singh, also known as Baba Sahni.

However, it remains unclear if Ajay Gupta is the same individual who fled South Africa with his brothers Atul and Rajesh, both of whom are also wanted by South African authorities.

South Africa initiates formal process to arrest Gupta brothers

Chrispin Phiri, spokesperson for South Africa’s Department of Justice, stated, “Justice and Correctional Services has noted reports of the arrest of two Gupta brothers, Ajay and Anil, in India. Our arrest warrants were for Rajesh and Atul Gupta. Nevertheless, formal processes are underway through the High Commissioner in India to verify and potentially engage.”

Officials clarified that although the reports identified the arrested individuals as “brothers,” the trio that fled South Africa consisted of Ajay, Atul, and Rajesh. Anil is believed to be their brother-in-law, married to their sister Achala.

During an African National Congress rally in Johannesburg on Saturday, Justice Minister Ronald Lamola acknowledged that the government is aware of the arrests in India.

However, he pointed out the uncertainty about whether the detained individuals are the ones sought by South African authorities.

Meanwhile, the Gupta brothers’ assets in South Africa have been frozen due to ongoing legal proceedings.

The Gupta brothers used as an excuse by rioters to target the Indian community in South Africa during ethnic conflict

While the Gupta brothers have been quite infamous in South Africa for years, they made the national headlines in India in 2021 during a horrifying spate of ethnic riots and violence in the African nation. It was reported that Indians were subjected to attack with the Gupta brothers being used as an excuse to target the Indian diaspora.

The Gupta brothers have become a symbol of corruption in South Africa. Interestingly, several allegations have surfaced over the years about the Gupta brothers and Jacob Zuma being hands in gloves in the corruption that was rampant during his Presidency, so much so, that South Africans coined the term “Zuptas” for them. Over the years, there have also been several protests where South Africans said that they do not accept the Gupta brothers as their “President”. 

Bongi Ngema-Zuma, one of President Zuma’s wives, his daughter, Duduzile Zuma, and his son, Duduzane Zuma all worked in Gupta companies. The son, for example, was involved in several of the companies. 

Zuma’s son is reported to be a director in many companies of the Gupta brothers, and thus Zuma was accused of granting undue favours to the Gupta brothers, piling personal fortunes for himself and his family. For example, there was one instance where the Bank of Baroda, through its South African operations, gave a loan to Jacob Zuma’s fourth wife to buy a house. The loan was paid by companies owned by the Gupta brothers.

Helping Zuma’s wife pay a housing loan is less of the charges levelled against the Gupta brothers. There have been reports that Guptas were so influential and powerful in South Africa owing to their proximity to the Zuma family, that they even used to offer posts in the central government to politicians (fixing cabinet berths a la Radia tape controversy back in India) apart from winning government contracts for themselves.

Gupta brothers and their alleged links to Congress – An OpIndia investigation 

While investigating the links between Zuma and the Gupta brothers, South African investigative portals AmaBhungane and DailyMaverick stumbled upon his business relations with another controversial businessman called Piyoosh Goyal and in turn, Goyal’s business relations with Congress leader Kapil Sibal. Daily Maverick and AmaBhungane claim that the family of Kapil Sibal – the Congress leader, his wife Promila Sibal, and his son Akhil Sibal, who is also a lawyer – and families of Piyoosh Goyal and Gupta brothers took a chartered flight from Delhi to Mumbai to watch the final of the 2011 Cricket World Cup between India and Sri Lanka, a charge which was summarily denied by Kapil Sibal and his son.

An independent investigation by OpIndia showed that Kapil Sibal had acquired a defunct company from Piyoosh Goyal and an expensive piece of land for a nominal rate and the business dealings between the two were a little opaque. Following our investigation, his refusal to answer our questions and his subsequent u-turn from what he had told the South African journalists, Sibal threatened to sue OpIndia.

Karnataka: Mob attacks Channagiri police station over alleged custodial death of Muslim man detained for involvement in gambling, 2 police officers suspended

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: Mob attacks Channagiri police station over alleged custodial death of Muslim man detained for involvement in gambling, 2 police officers suspended

In the early hours of 25th May, a violent mob attacked Channagiri police station in Karnataka which resulted in the injuries to at least eleven cops and the arrest of twenty-five miscreants, while thirty others were detained. The crowd vandalised the police station in the Davangere district and threw stones at cops alleging a custodial death.

All of the arrested individuals, according to the police, are locals of Channagiri and nearby areas. The riot started when a crowd stormed the Channagiri police station and began hurling stones, claiming that a 33-year-old man named Adil, who had been brought in for interrogation on 24th May, had passed away inside the police station and the mob alleged that he was killed by the cops.

Adil was taken into custody on suspicion of being involved in gambling-related activities within the district. As word got out of the man’s death, a large gathering led by his relatives went on the rampage, breaking into police cars and throwing stones at the police station with the assertion that the man had passed away while under arrest due to torture. The authorities mentioned that Adil’s health declined and he passed away. He was shifted to hospital, where he was declared dead. It was discovered that he had low blood pressure and suffered from seizures.

The attack led to the suspension of the inspector of Channagiri police station and the deputy superintendent of police. The investigation into the case has now been turned over to the Criminal Investigation Department.

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on 26th May stated, “A Deputy SP and an inspector have been suspended, as there was no proper action on the part of the police and there was negligence. An inquiry has been ordered. Based on what comes out of the inquiry, we will take action. The incident shouldn’t have happened. Because of his (deceased) alleged involvement in matka (gambling), police caught him, during which he had some problems (with health) and he died.”

“How did he die, due to a heart attack or low BP (blood pressure), We will get to know about it from the postmortem report. An inquiry has been ordered”, he said. Regarding allegations that he was apprehended by police for refusing to provide them with bribe money, according to the minister, the investigation will reveal whether or not the charges were true and declared, “We will dismiss them (officials). Such people should not hold official positions”, the Home Minister added.

The accused were arrested based on the CCTV footage and cellphone videos of the violence. The sleuths have compiled a list of the other suspects and begun their search for them. The CID was scheduled to present the arrested accused before the court. Hindu organisations, spearheaded by the Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, staged a demonstration over the incident in Channagiri Town. Protesters presented a memorandum to the Tehsildar as part of the procession which started at the Anjaneya temple and demanded strict action against the perpetrators.

The accused have been booked under sections 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 307 (Attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code and they have been remanded in judicial custody. Uma Prashanth, the superintendent of police in Davangere, formed five squads to track down and capture individuals responsible for vandalising the police station, throwing stones, damaging police cars and hurting police officers. Six cases had been filed by the Channagiri station police in relation to the violence.

After the shocking episode, the opposition, including the Bharatiya Janata Party, condemned the state administration for failing to maintain law and order, as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also confessed to police mistakes that resulted in the suspension of two officers. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar also conveyed, “Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has ordered an enquiry into the attack on the police station in Channagiri. The investigation is on and the culprits will be brought to book at any cost. Congress party treats people of all sects equally, but no one can take the law into their own hands. The government is committed to punish the culprits.”

(With inputs from ANI)

Left becomes victim of its own oppression Olympics: JNU Professor Spivak in dock for pulling up Dalit student, bullied student because she thought he was Brahmin

OpIndia Staff
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Left becomes victim of its own oppression Olympics: JNU Professor Spivak in dock for pulling up Dalit student, bullied student because she thought he was Brahmin

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has once again become a battleground for ideological clashes. It is a well-established fact that the trend of targeting Brahmins has grown over time at the institute. However, now a left-leaning professor has inadvertently admitted that there is a bias against the Brahmin community at the institute.

The controversy erupted during a question-and-answer session of Professor Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak on 21st May where a Dalit Student Anshul Kumar’s question was interrupted by the professor for not pronouncing the name of American sociologist WEB Du Bois. Following the altercation, the professor spoke to The Hindu where she admitted that Anshul did not reveal his Dalit identity and that she thought he was a Brahmin.

As per reports, on 21st May, Spivak held a discussion followed by a Q&A session with the attendees. 28-year-old Anshul, who is an MA Sociology student, tried to engage with her on the topic of social positioning. The session turned sour for Anshul when Professor Spivak interrupted him over his pronunciation of the name of American sociologist WEB Du Bois. The reaction from Spivak resulted in laughter from the audience, which left Anshul visibly humiliated.

Anshul’s question was aimed to address Spivak’s self-identification as middle-class, which was in contrast with her commentary on Du Bois as an upper-class elite. As per The Hindu report, Spivak repeatedly interrupted Anshul over the pronunciation making the situation extremely uncomfortable for Anshul. The attendees also pointed out that the professor might have an issue with Anshul as he identified himself as the “Founding Professor of the Centre for Brahmin Studies”.

Responding to the incident, Anshul staged a protest outside the auditorium. He held a protest sign that read, “If the subaltern can’t speak, he shall abuse!” The sign also contained an expletive that expressed his frustration at being silenced by one of the most “celebrated” persons in the field of sociology.

In a post on X, Anshul wrote, “When I stood up to raise my questions after Gayatri Chakraborty Spivak was done with her Lecture on WEB Du Bois and Democracy, This B**t**d and B*t*h Lady had the audacity to interrupt me thrice on my pronunciation of Du Bois. Can the Subaltern Speak?”

In response to the incident, Anshul posted a protest sign outside the auditorium that read, “If the subaltern can’t speak, he shall abuse!” complete with an expletive, expressing his frustration at being silenced.

In her defence, Spivak told The Hindu that there was no intention to stop Anshul from asking the question. Notably, she stated that Anshul did not identify himself as a Dalit which led her to believe that he was a Brahminist.

The Professor said, “Anshul Kumar had not identified himself as a Dalit. Therefore I thought he was a Brahminist since he was saying that he was the founder of a Brahmin Studies Institute. I did not stop Mr. Kumar from asking his question. He was still mispronouncing Du Bois’s name and started to talk to me in a very rude way. As an old female teacher confronting a male student, and especially since I had not been given the information that he was Dalit, my wounded remark that I did not want to hear his question was a gesture of protest.”

“Since Du Bois was himself a Black ‘Dalit’, I would like to suggest that the correct pronunciation be learned,” she added.

The not-so-hidden biases against Brahmins

The controversy has brought forward the complex dynamics within the academic and social justice circle. Spivak openly admitted that she confronted Anshul over the pronunciation because she was unaware of him being a Dalit. The professor thought he was a Brahminist. It opened the can of worms of the oppression and atrocities faced by the Brahmin community in today’s academic world. Spivak’s reaction to Kumar’s perceived Brahmin identity reveals a bias that contradicts the very principles of inclusivity and fairness that academia claims to uphold. Her insistence on correct pronunciation, while dismissing Kumar’s broader question, can be interpreted as a tactic to undermine his voice based on perceived caste identity.

The incident is a stark reminder that there is a need for genuine discourse and understanding in addressing such issues in public forums. It also calls for introspection within academic and activist circles about the biases they perpetuate against the Brahmin community. The left has been trying to champion the cause of the “oppressed” for a long time but while doing so, they are marginalising a community that has given a lot to the country and persistently doing so.

Pakistan support to Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, agenda peddlers of Khan Market gang, corruption-free governance and more: What PM Modi said in an interview with IANS

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan support to Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, agenda peddlers of Khan Market gang, corruption-free governance and more: What PM Modi said in an interview with IANS

On Monday (27th May), Prime Minister Narendra Modi lashed out at the opposition and the Khan Market gang for creating a false narrative against probing agencies to protect ‘bigger fishes’ (higher-ups involved in corrupt dealings). He emphasised that earlier people always expressed concerns that, in cases of corruption, only the smaller fish (lower-level offenders) faced legal actions, while bigger culprits were spared. He also took a dig at AAP Supremo Arvind Kejriwal stating that those who earlier demanded the arrest of Sonia ji and others are not shouting against the government’s crackdown on corruption.   

In an exclusive interview with news agency IANS, PM Modi was asked why Pakistan endorses Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal especially after the abrogation of Article 370 and on several other occasions.

PM Modi replied stating that India’s democracy is very mature and it has healthy traditions. Indian voters do not get influenced by any outside activities. He, however, noted that the issue of Foreign interference is a serious matter of Investigation. 

PM Modi said, “I am not aware why certain people are liked by those who harbour animosity towards us. Why does support emerge from there (Pakistan) for a few individuals? This is a matter that requires thorough investigation.”

Regarding the government’s drive against corruption, PM Modi mentioned that the government is making the country policy-driven, following the mantra of 100% saturation and adopting technology.  

PM Modi added, “According to me saturation is a corruption-free governance. Gives a guarantee. Saturation guarantees social justice. Saturation guarantees secularism.”

Slamming the Khan Market gang for building a narrative to protect bigger fishers in corruption cases, PM Modi said, “Now that big fishes are being caught, we are being asked why we are catching them. What kind of Khan Market Gang is this, which is creating a narrative to protect certain people?”

PM Modi added, “The second matter of concern for the country is the glorification of corrupt individuals. Nowadays, it has become fashionable to celebrate and support corrupt people. The third issue is the hypocrisy of those who once advocated for justice but now oppose it.” 

Taking a dig at Arvind Kejriwal, PM Modi added, “Those who once demanded that Sonia Ji be jailed, are now shouting?” 

Further in the interview, PM Modi stressed that people who have been creating narratives have caused significant harm to the country. Citing a hypocritical stand over India’s import, export, and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, PM  Modi slammed narrative builders stating that earlier they used to peddle the narrative that the government was selling the country by importing things from abroad. But now that the government is working on Atmanirbhar Bharat, they spread the narrative that it is a time of Globalisation.   

PM Modi said, “Look, the people who create narratives in our country have caused so much harm to the country. Earlier things used to come from outside, so they used to say, look, we are selling the country, we bring everything from outside. Today, when it is being made in the country, they say, look, this is the era of globalization and you people talk about your own country. I do not understand how to save the country from these elements that are misleading the country in this way. The second thing is that if someone in America says Be American By American, then we are proud of it, but when Modi says Vocal for Local, then people feel that it is against globalisation.”

The Prime Minister added, “My priority behind my mission of a self-reliant India is to provide opportunities for the talent in my country. The youth should get jobs, our nation’s wealth should not go abroad, there should be a value addition to our natural resources, to the products of the work done by our farmers and they should capture the global market.”

(Video Courtesy – Narendra Modi YouTube Channel)

PM Modi further stated that he measured the success of the Foreign Ministry on three parameters which include the nation’s imports from India, possible transfer of technology, and tourists from that nation. 

He noted, “I have told the Ministry of External Affairs that I will measure your success based on three parameters. First, how much stuff from India is bought in the country you are stationed in? Secondly, which is the best technology in that country which India still does not have and how can we get it here? And, thirdly how many tourists do you send to India from that country? India and ‘nation first’ is at the centre of every decision I make.”

PM Modi also hailed India’s success in the digital sphere and the government’s initiative to promote tourism during India’s G20 Presidency. He stressed that he has been holding meetings with the film fraternity, gamers, influencers, and other domain experts to understand their concerns so that India takes the lead in those areas as well.   

Regarding his meeting with Bollywood stars, PM Modi said, “I also had a meeting with people from the film industry. I knew that this fraternity was quite distant from our ideologies, and also from my government. But my job was to understand their issues.”

‘Muslims should take note of the matter’: AIMIM Delhi chief instigates STSJ mob against Anand Ranganathan over Nupur Sharma controversy

OpIndia Staff
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‘Muslims should take note of the matter’: AIMIM Delhi chief instigates STSJ mob against Anand Ranganathan over Nupur Sharma controversy

A day after Anand Ranganathan exposed the cowardice and hypocrisy of ‘journalist’ Saurabh Dwivedi, AIMIM Delhi chief Shoaib Jamai was seen instigating his radical followers against the renowned political commentator over the Nupur Sharma controversy.

In a tweet, he wrote, “I am observing that a TV panelist named Anand Ranganathan takes the name of Nupur Sharma every other day and attempts to justify her action.”

“He has also challenged some news channels to organise a debate again on the Nupur Sharma controversy,” Shoaib Jamai added.

Screengrab of the tweet by Shoaib Jamai

In a bid to unleash the ‘Sarr Tann se Juda’ mob against Ranganathan, he wrote, “The Muslim community must take note of the matter. If someone speaks in English, then, it does not imply that he is not a hate monger.”

“Security agencies must take cognisance of the motives behind his actions or those who are making him do this,” Shoaib Jamai continued.

The AIMIM Delhi Head suggested that if action is not taken against Anand Ranganathan, then, his radical followers may create unrest. “We do not want the law and order situation of the country to go haywire,” he cautioned.

It must be mentioned that Shoaib Jamai was made the President (Delhi) of AIMIM in March this year by party supremo Asaduddin Owaisi.

The Background of the Controversy

For the uninitiated, a month ago, Dr Anand Ranganathan appeared in a podcast on RJ Raunac’s YouTube show. During the podcast interview, Dr Ranganathan questioned Lallantop about their conduct during the Nupur Sharma controversy. Dr Ranganathan questioned why Lallantop and Saurabh Dwivedi were more than happy to get Drishti IAS coaching founder, Vikas Divyakirti, on his show to present his side of the story after he received backlash for insulting the Ramayana, but did not have the courage to do the same when it came to Nupur Sharma.

Dr Ranganathan was essentially saying that Lallantop was not to ‘fact-check’ what Divyakirti said since he knows he would not receive any threats from the Hindu community, however, he was terrified to ‘fact-check’ what Nupur Sharma had said because if he were to say that what Sharma said was in accordance with Islamic doctrine, he would surely get death threats from Islamists.

Dr Anand Ranganathan too responded to the lies and chicanery by Saurabh Dwivedi of Lallantop, a month after his video calling them out went viral.

“Surreal. Instead of apologising to Nupur, the cowards at @TheLallantop are claiming they didn’t fact-check her because she declined to come on their platform. Even Modi declines to come on their platform – does it stop them from factchecking him?”, Dr Ranganathan tweeted.

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