The bodies of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, his foreign minister and other officials who were killed in a helicopter crash were transported to Tabriz city in Iran, state media reported on Maonday, citing the Red Crescent.
The head of the Islamic Republic Red Crescent Society (IRCS), Pir Hossein Kolivand, said in televised statement today that the large-scale search and rescue operation for Raisi and other officials concluded as their bodies were sent to a place in Iran’s East Azarbaijan province where they will be buried.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, posted a tribute to Raisi. In a post on X, the Iranian leader posted a photo of him and Raisi with a brief message referring to Imam Reza, the eighth imam of Shia Islam and a revered figure in Iran, Al Jazeera reported.
The aircraft, which was carrying the Iranian President, foreign minister and other officials, had disappeared in the mountains of northwestern Iran.
Raisi, foreign minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, and seven other people who were onboard the helicopter that crashed on Sunday died, state media Press TV reported today.
The Iranian President was returning to Iran following a visit to Azerbaijan when his helicopter came down in bad weather conditions yesterday afternoon.
63-year-old Raisi the eighth president of the country and president for nearly three years and appeared on track to run for re-election next year.
Iranian state broadcasters aired Islamic prayers in between their news broadcasts following the announcement of the demise of Raisi and eight others, CNN reported.
Iran’s government convened an “urgent meeting” today following the announcement of the demise of Raisi, state news agency IRNA reported
Meanwhile, the chair that Raisi usually sits in was vacant and was draped with a black sash in memory of the president, according to a photo shared by IRNA, reported CNN.
Iran’s stock market was also closed on Monday, the country’s semi-official Tasnim News reported citing a member of the stock exchange’s board of directors.
The timing and details of a mourning procession will be announced later, state media FARS News Agency reported.
On Monday, May 20, Supreme Court of India dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the constitutional validity of the three new criminal laws. The apex court refused to entertain a petition that challenged the validity of three new criminal laws. The petition argued that the new criminal laws perpetuate colonial-era practices and fail to safeguard citizen rights.
The PIL, which was filed in January 2024, sought setting up an expert panel under the chairmanship of a former judge of the Supreme Court to examine, assess and identify the viability of the three new laws. It also asked the Supreme Court to stay the implementation and operation of the law.
The bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal noted that the petition was filed in a “very casual and cavalier manner”. According to the plea, the title of the present laws being Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam are not accurate as per the principles of interpretation of statutes as it does not speak of what the laws are about and their motive.
The three bills were first introduced in Lok Sabha on August 11, 2023, as Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhitaand theBharatiya Sakshya Bill before being referred to a parliamentary committee headed by Brij Lal for further examination.
They were passed by the Lok Sabha on December 20 before being passed by the Rajya Sabha on December 21. The three new criminal code bills became laws after getting assent from President Draupadi Murmu on December 25.
The Union Home Ministry issued a gazette notification to this effect on February 23, 2023. The central government had announced that the three criminal laws replacing the colonial-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure and Indian Evidence Act of 1872 will come into effect from July 1, 2024.
The relatives of the now-arrested accused identified as Imran claimed on 20th May that the Hindu girl who was kidnapped and raped by Khan in February this year and her sisters are ‘characterless’. The family of the accused tried to justify his acts by demeaning the Hindu minor victim and her sisters.
OpIndia reported the incident on 28th February 2024. Imran was arrested by the police that day after he kidnapped a 13-year-old Hindu girl and took her to Uttar Pradesh and then raped her. He trapped the girl in a love affair and eventually kidnapped her on 8th February. The duo stayed in the same locality and Khan was believed to be working at a nearby mosque.
He took the girl to Uttar Pradesh and after the parents of the girl filed a police complaint, he dropped the girl back at the city’s railway station on 12th February. It was later revealed by the victim that Imran told her that she was invited to her brother Kamran’s wedding which was slated to happen in Uttar Pradesh. However, Imran kidnapped her with the assistance of Kamran and then raped her.
The Police had then nabbed both the accused persons and booked them under relevant sections of IPC and POCSO.
On 20th May, Organiser reporter Subhi Vishwakarma went to the village where the family of the accused and the victim stayed. She talked exclusively to the family members of the accused who tried to blame and shame the minor victim as ‘characterless’. The relatives of the accused claimed that the duo were in a relationship and that the girl was “characterless”. They also claimed that the family members of the victim were unnecessarily trying to harass and trap the accused in some false case.
Aunt of Imran Khan who abducted minor Hindu girl questions her character!
In February, I reported a case from Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, where a 13-year-old girl was abducted by a man named Imran Khan.
“Imran and that Hindu girl were in a relationship and they eloped together. It was not the case of kidnapping. Her father is unnecessarily trying to give a different color to the story. The girl and her sisters are anyway characterless. We see them daily. Today they are with one man, tomorrow they’ll be seen with another man. If we knew that Imran was talking to that girl, we would have asked him to stay away from her also because she is a Hindu,” the aunt of the now-arrested accused said.
Meanwhile, his grandmother also demeaned the girl and said that had they known about the matter, they wouldn’t have allowed it to happen.
Vishwakarma also met the father of the victim girl who stated that the girl is minor and hardly knows the roadways. “My daughter is minor and hardly knows anything. She doesn’t even know the way to the station. It was Imran who lured her and kidnapped her. Later her brought her back and knowing that a case had been filed in his name, he left her alone on the way and fled from the spot. He dropped her at Ulaspur railway station and asked her to reach home on her own,” father Sunil Majhi said.
The father also said that the accused had threatened the family to withdraw the police case, failing which he threatened that he would kill all of them.
The Organizer reporter during her visit to the village also discovered that several houses in the locality had been occupied by illegal immigrants and also Mazars there had been illegally constructed by demolishing government properties.
On 18th May (local time), philosopher and professor Martha Nussbaum called for “limiting human population” and claimed that India has “too many people”. She made the remarks during a podcast hosted by Samuel Kimbriel and Shadi Hamid where they discussed animal rights and population control. The conversation centred around Nussbaum’s latest book titled “Justice for Animals: Our Collective Responsibility”.
In the podcast, the trio delved into diverse issues of justice for animals, human responsibility and population control. While there are better ways to discuss population control without affecting a country’s ability to replace the population, Nussbaum chose a harsher language and asserted that there are too many people in India. She also looked unaware of the progress made by India in recent years, especially after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took over, in terms of social justice, healthcare and more.
Discussion on India
During the discussion, Martha Nussbaum argued that considering the population in the world “no one should be having any children”. She added that it is crucial to limit the human population to protect wildlife. She suggested that higher birth rates in developing countries like India have exacerbated effects on the environment and resulted in resource-related challenges. When Shadi Hamid pointed out that India’s population has recently fallen below the replacement rate for the first time raising concerns over the sustainability of such a demographic shift, she claimed that India is facing widespread famine due to overpopulation and poor economic policies. She claimed that reducing the number of people would lead to a “more balanced and sustainable living standard”.
During the podcast, Nussbaum argued that limiting the human population is crucial for protecting wild animals, suggesting that high birth rates in developing countries like India exacerbate environmental and resource-related challenges. Her views were met with scepticism by the hosts as well.
The “White Mentality” of Population Control
During the discussion, Nussbaum said, “We can protect wild animals most by limiting human population quite frankly.” When Hamid asked what she meant, Martha Nussbaum asserted that wildlife habitats are being gobbled up by human construction and human families. She gave the example of Africa and asserted that due to poverty, Africans think having more children is better which is making them compete with the habitat of elephants.
Hamid countered her with some facts about the fertility crisis. He pointed out that in countries like India, populations won’t be able to sustain themselves as the fertility rate has gone below the replacement rate for the first time in history.
Nussbaum did not agree and said India has 1.6 billion people, a number according to her, was “too many”. She claimed that people in India do not have enough to eat and there is “widespread famine in lots of parts of India. And the reason is too many people but partly bad economic policies. So you know we should diminish the number of people for sure. And then we might get to a point as I think most countries in Europe have done where the birth rate is commensurate with a decent living standard. But we’re not there and certainly not in India.”
Hamid argued that a low replacement rate would mean more old people in the coming future. There would be fewer young people to put enough money back into the system. It will impact the economic growth and social security. Countering him, Martha Nussbaum claimed “You don’t know much about India. They don’t have social security. They don’t have healthcare.” She also claimed that the life expectancy in India is very low because of air pollution and other human-created factors.
The notion of limiting population growth in countries like India often stems from the paternalistic perspective, reminiscent of colonial attitudes that undermine the sovereignty and agency of these nations. The “white mentality” of looking at Asian countries as if they are beneath the people living in the western hemisphere often disregards the unique cultural, social and economic contexts of countries like India.
India has the right to chart its developmental paths. There is no denying the fact that there is a need for population control but that does not give the right to people like Nussbaum to make arguments that are outdated and based on old data.
The economic impact of low Population Replacement Rate
A declining population replacement rate has its challenges for the economy. As the number of young people entering the workforce decreases, the country faces a shrinking labour pool, reduced customer demand and increased pressure on social support systems. In the case of India, it could lead to an imbalance where the working-age population cannot sufficiently support the elderly, potentially straining resources and public services.
There are well-established examples across the world that have faced similar challenges. For example, Japan and Italy have experienced similar demographic shifts, resulting in economic stagnation and a heavy burden on social security systems. Unrealistic and unsustainable ideas posed by philosophers like Martha Nussbaum would result in similar risks for India if demographic trends are not carefully managed.
Notably, according to the Reserve Bank of India, the country needs a young, dynamic workforce that can help sustain its economic growth and innovation in technology and services. A declining population could hinder these prospects, impacting industries reliant on a robust labour force. A country needs a young, dynamic workforce to sustain its economic growth and innovations in technology and services. A declining population could hinder these prospects, impacting industries reliant on a robust labour force.
Western advocates for population reduction
Notably, Nussbaum is not the only one who has suggested controlling the population with drastic measures. Billionaire Bill Gates also weighs in on the issue. He has emphasised the importance of reducing birth rates to alleviate poverty and enhance global health outcomes. His advocacy for family planning and women’s education aims to empower individuals and communities to make informed choices about reproduction.
In 2010, he discussed how improved healthcare and family planning can reduce birth rates and promote economic development. However, such views are received with varied arguments. While some support the focus on sustainable development, others criticise it as an overreach into personal and cultural domains. Infact, his NGO Bill and Malinda Gates Foundation has heavily invested in population control.
Progress in India under PM Modi
The comments made by Martha Nussbaum about India clearly show that she lacks knowledge about India, especially after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took over in 2014. Arguments such as lack of social security, low life expectancy and lack of healthcare show how little she has studied about India in recent times.
For example, the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), also known as Ayushman Bharat, aims to provide health insurance coverage to over 100 million families. It has increased access of marginalised families to better health care. Furthermore, low-cost high-quality medicines through government-run medicine shops have also helped in reducing out-of-pocket expenditures.
There are several schemes introduced by PM Modi that have improved social security in the country. For example, the National Pension System (NPS) has been bolstered to provide more comprehensive retirement benefits to citizens. Additionally, schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan (PM-SYM) offer pension plans for unorganized sector workers, ensuring financial security for a broader section of the population.
Speaking about life expectancy, according to the World Bank, life expectancy in India has increased from 68.5 years in 2015 to 70.8 years in 2021. I came slightly down in later years but that can be attributed to Covid-19 pandemic and its aftermath. The overall improvement can be attributed to better healthcare infrastructure, increased access to medical services, and government initiatives aimed at reducing infant and maternal mortality rates.
Under PM Modi’s leadership, India has witnessed significant economic growth and the young workforce is adding a lot to it. The introduction of Mudra loans, GST and initiatives like Make in India and Digital India have spurred innovation and investment. Start-up India initiatives have generated countless jobs every year and the majority of start-ups are the brainchild of the young workforce of the country.
When we discuss population growth and controlling population, it is essential to understand the cultural, social and economic impact of the suggestions made before making them public. A well-read person like Nussbaum should have restrained herself from making such comments without studying the recent developments in India.
Martha Nussbaum and Amartya Sen
For those who are unaware, Martha Nussbaum has worked extensively with economist and philosopher Amartya Sen. She was also romantically involved with him in the 1980s. Nussbaum also authored a book titled “The Clash Within: Religion, Violence, and India’s Future” that extensively talked about “anti-Muslim” events in India. She also blamed BJP government in Gujarat under then-CM Narendra Modi for Gujarat 2002 riots.
Early on Sunday morning an overspeeding Porsche, reportedly driven by a drunk teenager crashed into vehicles and killed two persons in East Avenue, Kalyani Nagar, Pune. A man and a woman named Anis Awadhia and Ashwini Costa were killed in the incident.
The drunk teenager’s speeding luxury car reportedly crashed into multiple vehicles before hitting a pavement. Locals rushed to the spot and assisted the injured persons. The teenager was also caught and thrashed by locals, allegedly for trying to flee the scene. Though the teenager, the son of a builder, was arrested, he was granted bail in just 15 hours.
Porsche Accident: Vedant Agarwal gets bail
Accused Vedant Agarwal's lawyer Prashant Patil said, "My client Vedant Agarwal was arrested in a matter registered at Yerwada police station. The Honourable Court was kind enough to grant my client bail on certain conditions. We have… pic.twitter.com/w7upQwvzZz
Prashant Patil, the top celebrity lawyer hired by the real estate mogul for his son informed to the media that the builder’s son was arrested by the Yerawada police station and the honorable judge was “kind enough” to grant bail to the teenager under some conditions. He insisted that his client is duty-bound to follow the bail conditions.
Bail conditions of billionaire’s son raise eyebrows
The teenage son of the rich builder was granted a speedy bail. The bail conditions set by the court have raised eyebrows of many. As per reports, the 17-year-old, who was exiting a posh club in Pune at 2.30 AM, reportedly drunk and rashly driving his Porsche car, has been asked by the Juvenile Justice Board to work with a traffic police official for 2 weeks and attend psychiatric counseling sessions. The teenager has also been asked to write a 300-word essay on road accidents and create traffic awareness boards.
2 people killed after a Porsche car, driven by a 17-year-old minor, crashed into their motorcycle in Pune.
Accused Vedant Agarwal granted bail within 15 hours.
The speedy bail after a heinous crime and the bail conditions are currently stirring a lot of discussions on social media with people questioning whether the law is lenient for the rich.
Why Indian judiciary needs reforms?
17-yr-old Vedant Agarwal, son of a famous Pune builder, got bail within 15 hours of killing two bike-born men with his Porsche.
Thanks to Prashant Patil, the top lawyer his father hired.
Had it been you or me, we would have been rotting in…
As per some reports, the culprit is 17 years and 8 months old. His father, the real estate mogul, and the owner of the bar that served alcohol to the underage boy, have also been booked by the Yerawada police.
The police have charged the minor with rash and negligent driving and causing harm by endangering life or personal safety under IPC sections 304A, 279, 337, 338, and 427, along with relevant sections of the Maharashtra Motor Vehicle Act, added the DCP.
The juvenile’s father and the bar that served him liquor face charges under Sections 75 and 77 of the Juvenile Justice Act, said the city police Pune.
A government school teacher from Bihar was arrested after he violated the Model Code of Conduct during the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. Harendra Rajak was arrested after he told the students of his class that nobody should vote for PM Modi. The parents of the students filed a complaint, following which an FIR was lodged.
Muzaffarpur SSP Rakesh Kumar told Times of India that Rajak was arrested because he violated the model code of conduct after an FIR was filed by District Education Officer (DEO) Ajay Kumar Singh.
Harendra Rajak was posted at a Government Secondary School at Amrakh in Kurhani Block, Bihar. The family members of several students submitted a written complaint to the police after Rajak repeatedly told the students that nobody should vote for Narendra Modi since food grains unfit for human consumption were being distributed by his government under the free ration scheme.
Times of India quoted the SSP, Rakesh Kumar saying that there were several boys and girls from the school who confirmed to the police that Rajak was making such statements inside the classroom. He further said that action was taken because the model code of conduct during the polls forbids any government official from speaking for or against any political party, affecting the polls.
Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is a set of guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to regulate the behaviour of political parties and candidates during elections. The Purpose of the Model Code of Conduct is to prevent misuse of power by ruling parties and curb corrupt practices.
Iran President Ebrahim Raisi is feared dead after state TV on Monday morning reported that was “no sign of life” at the site of the crash of the helicopter. Reuters reported that the helicopter was “completely burned” in the crash, citing an Iranian official.
The Iranian Red Crescent Society announced early today that they had found the location of the wreckage of President Ebrahim Raisi’s helicopter after it was detected by a Turkish Akinci unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
As the Iranian rescue teams located Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s helicopter, no clue of any living persons has been reported in the crash, according to Iran-based Press TV.
He did not give further detail but said “the condition is not good”, state news agency IRNA reported. “73 rescue teams are present in the search area of the helicopter in Tawal village with advanced and specialized equipment”, he added.
President Raisi was returning to Iran following a visit to Azerbaijan when his helicopter came down in bad weather conditions on Sunday afternoon.
Nine people were on the helicopter that crashed in northwest Iran on Sunday, including three officials, an imam, and flight and security team members, as reported by Tasnim news.
The IRGC-run media outlet, Sepah, reported the nine included: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian; Governor of Eastern Azerbaijan province Malek Rahmati, Tabriz’s Friday prayer Imam Mohammad Ali Alehashem as well as a pilot, copilot, crew chief, head of security and another bodyguard.
After the reported crash of President Raisi’s helicopter, several countries have come forward to help in the ongoing search operations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed concern over Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s helicopter incident and said that India stands in solidarity with people of Iran in this hour of distress.
PM Modi said that he is praying for well-being of Raisi and the leaders accompanying him onboard the chopper.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
9 years ago, two CPI (M) workers called Shibu and Shyju died while making crude bombs to target the BJP and its leaders and workers. Now, the ruling party of Kerala is about to give them the ‘martyr’ status and also, inaugurate a memorial to glorify them. On the 22nd of May, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan will inaugurate the memorial in Kannur District, Kerala, according to a report in the Indian Express. Shibu and Shyju were notorious for political violence and had died when the crude bombs they were making to target political rivals exploded in 2015.
The two CPI(M) workers were killed while making crude bombs at Chettakandi in Kolavalloor police limits on June 6, 2015. In 2015, the media reported that Shibu and Shyju were killed in the Kolavallor police limits in the district. The region is known for repeated tension between workers of the CPI (M) and the BJP. The Left fully controlled the area where they died.
In 2015, the CPI (M) had distanced itself from the bomb blast. Party’s state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had on record denied the party’s connection with Shibu and Shyju, however, soon after that, the party had started collecting funds to build the memorial for these ‘martyrs’.
Reacting to the development, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly V D Satheesan said the CPI(M) was challenging the peace-loving people of Kerala. “If Govindan is attending the function (memorial inauguration), a case should be registered against him. It shows the CPI(M) is encouraging the making of bombs targeting political rivals,’’ he said.
No difference between the Left and Islamists
Violence as a means to attain political ends is a phenomenon that is deeply espoused by the Left and the Islamists. While the Left often terms their unbridled political violence ‘revolution’, the Islamists term it ‘Jihad’. The end result of both, however, is quite the same. Whether it is the violence unleashed by the Left against their political opponents or the violence unleashed by Islamists against the ‘non-believers’, both seem to achieve their aims by crushing those who disagree with them.
Communism is a violent ideology that has claimed more than 100 million lives all across the world historically. Communist regimes often use violence as a means to hold on to power and subjugate their people. Jihad on the other hand is religiously sanctioned violence against ‘Kafirs’ by Muslims where Muslims are duty bound to kill and torture the Kafirs until they convert to Islam.
What is also a unique similarity between the Left fascists and the Islamists is how violence is celebrated and also, how those who perpetuate that violence against their opponents are hailed as ‘martyrs’. While Communists seem to build memorials for those who unleash violence against their political rivals, the religious doctrine followed by Islamists incentivises violence by promising Jannat and 72 Hoors. In the end, however, the political ideology is rather similar to the religious doctrine in how they incentivise violence against opponents – religious or political, as the case may be – and then celebrate the violence.
In a heart-wrenching incident, the semi-naked dead body of a young woman was found inside a mosque complex near the Taj Mahal in Uttar Pradesh’s Agra on Sunday (19th May). According to reports, the face and other body parts of the deceased victim had been crushed with a heavy object, making it hard to ascertain her identity. The Police have sent the body for post-mortem and are analysing the CCTV footage to investigate the murder case.
UP : आगरा में ताजमहल के पास मस्जिद के अंदर युवती की हत्या। कपड़े अस्त–व्यस्त मिले। दोपहर 3 बजे जब नमाजी पहुंचे तो उन्हें लाश पड़ी मिली। युवती की पहचान नहीं हो सकी है। pic.twitter.com/6iQwHxMaKM
The dead body was recovered from the mosque, which is located near the eastern gate of the Taj Mahal. One of the Nawazi spotted the dead body in the afternoon and subsequently informed the Police. After getting information about the same, the Police team rushed to the spot. The police suspect that the woman was raped and the dead body was dumped inside the mosque after killing the victim. The attacker reportedly crushed the face of the deceased to hide her identity.
According to the Police, the girl was murdered in the mosque which is situated on the Nagla-Paima road in the jurisdiction of the Tajganj police station.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) City Suraj Rai said that when the worshipers reached the mosque at around quarter to three, the semi-naked body of the girl was found lying there. The senior police official added that it is suspected that the girl was murdered after being allegedly raped. “To hide the identity of the girl, her face was crushed with a stone,” he added.
DCP City Suraj Rai further stated that the identity of the girl was yet to be ascertained and her age was in between 25-26 years. He said, “The forensic team has collected all the evidence from the spot. Along with this, a police team has been deployed to search for the accused. The footage of CCTV cameras is being scrutinised to search and identify the accused.”
Following the recovery of the dead body, Police have filed a case under relevant sections of the IPC and initiated a probe.
The police found multiple injury marks on the dead body and clothes were missing from her lower body. It is suspected that the accused could have known the victim and after raping her, disposed of her body and crushed her face and other parts of the body with a heavy object, so that she couldn’t be identified.
While the identity of the victim is still unknown, some media reports that the victim was wearing a checkered shirt and a white salwar, which is missing.
On 17th May, Delhi Minister and AAP leader Atishi Marlena addressed a press conference to officially discredit Swati Maliwal’s allegations and disown the party’s Rajya Sabha MP. The development came days after Maliwal accused Bibhav Kumar, a close aide and former PS of Delhi CM and AAP Supremo Arvind Kejriwal of assaulting her inside the CM’s residence. Days later, she filed an FIR in this matter.
After the 17th May press conference, the party, its official handles, and its leaders have openly claimed that Maliwal’s allegations were false and that it was a conspiracy to implicate Arvind Kejriwal at the behest of the BJP. They have publicly taken the side of the assault accused Bibhav Kumar in this case and released a few videos (the authenticity of these videos is still yet to be ascertained) to claim that Maliwal was lying. Incidentally, the assault accused Bibhav Kumar was also seen alongside senior AAP leaders including Arvind Kejriwal as they campaigned for the party and the I.N.D.I. Alliance.
The AAP led by Arvind Kejriwal even led a march to BJP headquarters in Delhi today to protest against the arrest, offering to arrest them. However, the police stopped the march and removed the protesters.
Amidst this total support of the party for Bibhav Kumar, Vandana Singh, a member of the Delhi Women’s Commission and leader of AAP’s student wing Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) has completely taken a different stand. She has vehemently countered the party’s “lies” and extended support to Swati Maliwal. She has expressed strong discontent against AAP’s stance of backing an accused and calling its Rajya Sabha MP “a traitor and a BJP agent”.
Since 17th May, when Atishi Marlena addressed the press conference on the Swati Maliwal assault case, Singh has been posting a series of tweets on X slamming AAP’s IT cell and party leaders for launching a smear campaign against Maliwal.
(Her Dislay picture is one with Arvind Kejriwal. Incidentally, both of them have taken opposite sides in the Swati Maliwal assault incident.)
Strikingly, Vandana Singh in her pinned tweet praises Arvind Kejriwal as “The man, the myth, the legend”. Additionally, in her display picture, she is seen posing for the photograph alongside Arvind Kejriwal who is donning a T-shirt.
(Vandana Singh, who has opened a front against AAP and its supporters on the Swati Maliwal case, has her pinned tweet praising Arvind Kejriwal. However, after AAP openly sided with the assault accused, she has not posted anything in support of AAP or its policies)
The picture was seemingly taken after Kejriwal’s release from Tihar jail after the Supreme Court granted him conditional Interim bail in the Delhi Liquor Policy scam case. Further, she was the one who accompanied AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh when he visited Maliwal’s residence, to extend support to her. Notably, at that time Sanjay Singh had admitted that Maliwal was assaulted by Bibhav Kumar and had promised stringent action.
On Friday (17th May) when the party had indicated that it was against Swati Maliwal’s decision to file an FIR in the assault incident, Singh reshared an old video of Arvind Kejriwal in which he was lauding Swati Maliwal and described her as “Lady Singham of Delhi”. She later posted her picture with Swati Maliwal and extending solidarity with her, Singh wrote, “Behind you, always!”
In another tweet on 17th May, she launched a scathing attack on her party colleagues for acting as trolls and discrediting their own party members and leaders as BJP agents or traitors. She advised them to open school on how to troll and discredit one’s own party leaders who have years/decades of association with AAP and its founders since its inception.
अब सबकी इतनी ट्रेनिंग हो गई है कि सब पार्टी वाले और Troll की तरह एक्ट करने वाले साथी, अपना अपना एक अलग institute खोल सकते हैं कि कैसे अपने hard core, dedicated और सड़क पर हमेशा संघर्ष के लिए तैयार रहने वाले लोगों को भी, चाहे पुराने IAC वाले हों या पार्टी वाले, insult करके,…
Responding to Atishi Marlena’s press conference against Swati Maliwal, the DCW member raised several questions and countered the arguments put forth by the party against Maliwal. She rubbished the argument that the fallout unfolded because Maliwal didn’t have an appointment to meet the Delhi CM, asserting that she always met Kejriwal without an appointment. She also inquired if it was a BJP conspiracy, and why did the victim not implicate Kejriwal in it as he is the main adversary of the saffron party.
She wrote, “Even if we assume that #SwatiMaliwal came to meet without an appointment, will you get her beaten up? By the way, she has always met AK sir without an appointment. If all this was happening at the behest of BJP, then in the FIR regarding the incident at CM’s residence, no one would have taken the name of CM and not his PS! The video is after calling 112 (police), and is a partial video! Where is the complete video and CCTV footage?”
1. अगर ये मान भी ले कि #SwatiMaliwal बिना appointment के मिलने आ गई थी तो क्या तुम उसको पिटवा दोगे? वैसे AK सर से तो वो हमेशा बिना अपॉइंटमेंट ही मिली हैं।
2. अगर ये सब BJP के इशारे पे हो रहा होता तो CM residence की घटना पे FIR में कोई भी CM का नाम लेता ना कि उनके PS का!
In several of her posts, she has asserted that the video clippings posted by AAP in this matter are “edited” and out of context to suit their narrative and demanded that the entire CCTV footage should be made public. Swati Maliwal also has made similar claims.
Slamming her party leaders and supporters, Vandana wrote, “Calling everyone a BJP member and a traitor will not hide every lie! And the country’s politics will not change!”
भाई AK sir जेल से आये हैं शायद इसीलिए मिलने गई थी, गलती कर दी बेचारी ने कि कोशिश की मिल ले नेताजी से!
हर इंसान को बीजेपी वाला और ग़द्दार बोलने से हर झूठ छिप नहीं जाएगा! और देश की राजनीति नहीं बदल जाएगी!
FIR ध्यान से पढ़ो उसमें क्या लिखा है, इतना पिटने के बाद इंसान चिल्लाये भी… https://t.co/Ay2V2IEDW9
The same day, she lashed out at the party’s IT cell and supporters for calling Maliwal “a traitor and a BJP agent”.
She fumed, “What could be more unfortunate than the fact that a grassroots struggler, who worked day and night behind the scenes, from the RTI movement to the Anna movement, is being called a traitor and what not. When she got a job in Delhi Women’s Commission, she created her own identity by working day and night there. But perhaps many people were not happy with getting the Rajya Sabha seat and from that day onwards, the conspiracies started! Anyway, the fearless work for the country will continue.”
इससे ज़्यादा दुर्भाग्य क्या होगा कि एक ऐसी ज़मीनी संघर्ष करने वाली साथी, जिसने RTI आंदोलन से लेकर , अन्ना आंदोलन हमेशा पर्दे के पीछे से दिन रात काम किया, उसको ग़द्दार और ना जाने क्या क्या बोला जा रहा।
दिल्ली महिला आयोग मिला तो वहाँ भी दिन रात काम करके अपनी अलग पहचान बनायी।… https://t.co/jtupCZNM0n
A day later, on the 18th of May morning, she slammed AAP’s allegation that Swati Maliwal hatched the conspiracy to implicate Arvind Kejriwal at the behest of the saffron party. Lashing out at the party’s theory that Maliwal was taking dictates from BJP and pointing out that Swati Maliwal had joined Arvind Kejriwal’s RTI venture Parivartan 20 years ago, she had written, “BJP came to know about this 20 years ago, that’s why they planted Swati Maliwal in the NGO ‘Parivartan’? Right?”
BJP को 20 साल पहले ही पता चल गया था इसलिए उन्होंने स्वाति मालीवाल को “परिवर्तन” NGO में plant करवा दिया था ? Right? #SwatiMaliwal
Regarding the unverified videos shared by the Aam Aadmi Party to discredit Maliwal’s allegations of assault and that “her clothes weren’t torn”, she advised the party to kill dissenters to nip the case otherwise it would have to brace for a protracted struggle.
On the 18th of May, Vandana Singh wrote, “Posting limited video chunks after editing it according to your wishes and calling someone a BJP agent, the case will not be over. For that, you will have to get us killed or otherwise, everyone should brace themselves for a long struggle!”
अपने हिसाब से Limited video chunks edit करके डालने से, BJP का agent बताने से कोई ख़त्म ना होने वाला, उसके लिए तो अब जान से ही मरवाना पड़ेगा वरना सब तैयार रहिए एक लंबे संघर्ष के लिए! #SwatiMaliwal
Furthermore, to counter AAP’s “videos” and posts that claimed that Maliwal was lying about the assault and her clothes being torn, she sharedmedia reports about Maliwal’s medical report which confirmed injuries to her face, legs, and eyes.
On Sunday (19th May), she posted a point-by-point counter of AAP’s claims in this case. She tweeted, “Those who are saying that this is happening at the behest of BJP or she is going to BJP, they will get the answer with time! Whoever has been hurt in life to date, the full extent of the injury and the pain, both are fully understood only after the next morning! And in anger or distress, a person tries to run away even after being shot in the leg.”
1. जो लोग कह रहे कि बीजेपी के इशारे पे हो रहा या बीजेपी में जा रही है तो उनको समय के साथ जवाब मिल जाएगा!
2. जिस जिस को भी ज़िंदगी में आज तक चोट लगी होगी, पूरी चोट का पता और दर्द, दोनों पूरी तरह अगले दिन सुबह के बाद ही समझ आते हैं! और ग़ुस्से में या परेशानी में तो इंसान पैर में…
The post further stated, “The parts of the video showing the beating were deliberately edited! No one else from outside has access to the CCTVs of the premises. The case due to which there is talk of compromise with BJP is of 2016, and it already has a stay from the High Court. And when BJP has no role to play then why would any public leader (a person with public reputation) lie that he got beaten up and that too at his own leader’s house? Use your brain a little!”
In another tweet on Sunday, she sarcastically took a dig at the Arvind Kejriwal-led protest march towards BJP Headquarters held to express solidarity with his arrested close aide Bibhav Kumar.
जिस protest में 1-2 बैरिकेड ना टूटें वो भी क्या protest ?♀️
मेरे सीने में नहीं तो तेरे सीने में सही, हो कहीं भी आग लेकिन आग जलनी चाहिए।#SwatiMaliwal
She took a dig at the party because the protest march didn’t last long and police removed the protestors from the venue quickly, preventing them from reaching BJP headquarters. Arvind Kejriwal had announced on Saturday that he along with entire AAP leadership and workers will go to BJP headquarters in Delhi, asking the BJP to put them in jail. However, police imposed section 144 in the area and foiled the protest.
In another tweet, she listed out the entire sequence of events in the Swati Maliwal assault case and urged AAP supporters to “think” about what went wrong that their party all of a sudden disowned their Rajya Sabha MP.
It is pertinent to note that the AAP student wing leader and DCW member, Vandana Singh has not posted anything in support of AAP and its policies after it openly sided with assault accused Bibhav Kumar. In all of her last posts, she has posted tweets only to counter her own party, AAP, over the Swati Maliwal assault case at a time when the entire rank and file of the party has sided with the assault accused, Bibhav Kumar.
Vandana Singh has emerged as the only major AAP leader to support Swati Maliwal, while all other AAP leaders, including CM Arvind Kejriwal and senior minister Atishi, a woman, are supporting Bibhav Kumar.
