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West Bengal: TMC continues its ‘Khela’ of violence, party goons pelt stones at the convoy of BJP MP Dilip Ghosh

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal: TMC continues its ‘Khela’ of violence, party goons pelt stones at the convoy of BJP MP Dilip Ghosh

Amid the 4th phase of Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, goons associated with the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) party attacked the convoy of BJP MP Dilip Ghosh.

Ghosh, who won last time from the Medinipur Lok Sabha constituency, has been fielded by the BJP from the Bardhaman-Durgapur seat. As per reports, TMC goons pelted stones at his vehicle and also raised slogans against him.

The incident took place when Dilip Ghosh reached Rajganj bazar in Bardhaman to meet BJP workers who had received death threats from local TMC goons. It also came to light that BJP’s polling agent was beaten and not allowed entry into the booth by TMC workers.

When BJP MP Dilip Ghosh reached the spot, the TMC goons raised slogans of ‘Joy Bangla’ – a political slogan employed by Mamata Banerjee and her party to counter chants of ‘Jai Shree Ram’ during political events.

This led to a heated argument between the TMC goons and Dilip Ghosh, following which they attacked his convoy with stones. The glass pane of his car was reportedly shattered during the incident.

The police pacified the situation by carrying out a lathi charge. One TMC worker named Insaan Sheikh was injured in the scuffle. The TMC goons then attempted to obstruct the convoy of Dilip Ghosh but he soon left the area.

The BJP MP has raised the matter with the Election Commission and said that the TMC is intimidating the locals so that they do not go out and vote for the BJP.

Violence against BJP in Bengal

On 24th March, a mob of Trinamool Congress goons attacked several BJP workers in Mather Dighi village in Canning subdivision in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.

As per reports, four BJP workers were injured during the attack. Amid the violent clash, three TMC workers were also hurt. All those injured in the attack and counter-attack are now undergoing treatment at the Canning Sub Divisional Hospital.

It has come to light that the TMC goons thrashed the Mandal President of Canning Purba Mandal No 3, and several other karyakartas. According to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, the condition of BJP workers Bivas Mondal and Subrata Das remains critical.

Suvendu Adhikari has accused one Hossain Sheikh, who is said to be a close aide of TMC MLA Saokat Molla, of engineering the attack. He has requested the EC to act against Sheikh immediately.

The dead body of a BJP worker, with his hands tied, was discovered in a paddy field near his residence on 23rd March morning. The incident took place in Pingla village in Kharagpur subdivision in Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal. The deceased was identified as Shantanu Ghorai.

His father has accused the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) party of orchestrating the murder. While speaking about the matter to ABP Ananda, Shantanu’s father Chittaranjan remarked, “They were angry at him. He used to speak the truth openly. He had to give his life for being involved with the BJP.

He added that the TMC had previously intimidated Shantanu for speaking against TMC and supporting the BJP. The victim’s father continued, “They used to threaten the boy if they ran into him in the market or neighbourhood. They used to warn him about breaking his bones and killing him alive.”

“Shantanu used to put up flags of BJP before elections,” he added. On being asked whether the victim had been deliberately attacked before elections, Chittaranjan said ‘yes.’

OpIndia has earlier reported about 5 incidents of attacks on BJP workers, mostly by goons associated with the ruling Trinamool Congress party.

Exclusive: PFI formed death squads to kill Hindus after they murdered RSS leader Rudresh, revelation made during Praveen Nettaru murder investigation by NIA

Nupur J Sharma
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Exclusive: PFI formed death squads to kill Hindus after they murdered RSS leader Rudresh, revelation made during Praveen Nettaru murder investigation by NIA

On the 2nd of March 2024, NIA made a massive breakthrough in the 2016 murder of RSS leader Rudresh. Mohammad Ghaus Niazi, a terrorist of the banned Islamic organization Popular Front of India (PFI), was arrested in South Africa. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) extradited him to India. Niazi is accused of killing a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader in Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka. The NIA had also declared a reward of five lakh rupees on him.

Mohammad Ghaus Niazi was a big face of PFI. He was involved in the murder of 35-year-old RSS leader Rudresh in Bengaluru in 2016. After committing the murder, he escaped and left India to form his base in different countries. The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Gujarat Police first tracked Mohammad Ghaus Niazi in South Africa. After this, they gave this information to the central agency NIA. The NIA then contacted South Africa. The South African agency apprehended Mohammad Ghaus Niazi. He has now been extradited to India and is currently taken to Mumbai.

In 2016, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Rudresh was murdered in the Shivaji Nagar area of Bengaluru. Rudresh was returning after attending an RSS function in Bengaluru when he was killed. During that time, the terrorists already sitting in an ambush attacked him.

Now, an inextricable link has emerged between the Rudresh murder of 2016 and the Praveen Nettaru murder of 2022.

On July 26, 2022, a Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha (BJYM) worker Praveen Nettaru was hacked to death by unidentified assailants. Late evening, the killers came on a bike to Bellari, Dakshina Kannada of Karnataka, and attacked Nettaru with sharp weapons. Praveen Nettaru, who ran a poultry business, was returning home when the attack happened. The assailants escaped after the attack. The Hindu leader was rushed to the hospital, but he could not be saved.

The case was initially registered as FIR no. 63/2022 dated 27.07.2022, at Bellare Police Station of Dakshina Kannada District and re-registered by NIA on 04.08.2022.

In January 2023, NIA revealed that PFI had formed covert units known as “Service Teams” or “Killer Squads” to carry out the murder of its “perceived enemies” and targets to advance its agenda of converting India into an Islamic nation by 2047.

“Investigations found that the PFI formed secret teams called Service Teams or Killer Squads to carry out killings of its ‘perceived enemies’ and targets,” the NIA chargesheet stated at the time, according to the NIA press release. “This was done as part of its agenda to cause terror, communal hatred, and unrest in society and to further its agenda of establishing Islamic rule by 2047.”

According to the charge sheet, PFI’s secret team or “Service Team” members received weapons, attack training, and training in surveillance techniques to locate, list, and mount surveillance on people/leaders associated with particular communities and groups. The trained members of these ‘secret teams’ were then instructed by senior PFI leaders to kill or assault their targets.

OpIndia has learned that these ‘Service Teams’ which received training in attacking and killing Hindus were formed right after the murder of Rudresh in 2016 and the subsequent arrest of the PFI District President Asim Sharif. PFI started recruiting Muslims after the arrest of Sharif and started providing them with combat and arms training in Mosques, Madrasas and schools. The investigation has revealed that the decision to form these death squads were taken after the success of the conspiracy to murder Rudresh.

In 2019, the Supreme Court rejected the plea by Asim Sharif against the framing of charges against him in the murder of RSS leader Rudresh. While Sharif had claimed that there was no evidence against him, the Supreme Court had disagreed and held that there was enough evidence against him on record in the murder of RSS leader Rudresh. According to reports, Asim Sharif was the mastermind behind the conspiracy to murder Rudresh and the killing had taken place on his explicit instructions.

In October 2016, Bengaluru police arrested four terrorists for their direct involvement in the murder of Rudresh including Mohammed Mazhar (35) from JC Nagar and Waseem Ahamed (30) from Austin Town, the motorcycle-borne duo who targeted Rudresh near Nala Junction in Shivaji Nagar. Two others, Mujib and Irfan, were arrested as they were monitoring Rudresh’s movement and were also present at the crime scene on another bike. However, police said that all four of them were acting on direct instruction of Amin Sharif to eliminate Rudresh.

PFI 2047 Vision Document: Turning India into an Islamic nation by 2047, genocide of Hindus

The larger vision mentioned in the PFI 2047 document was as follows:

  1. In the document, PFI said that they have given themselves the date of the year 2047 to ensure that there is an Islamic government in India. 
  2. “We dream a 2047 where the political power has returned to the Muslim community from whom it was unjustly taken away by the British Raj”, says the document. 
  3. Pertinently, the PFI document said that the Muslim community has always been a minority and it does not need to be a majority to win. “If we look into history of Islam, Muslims were always in minority and for victory we do not need to have a majority. Popular Front of India (PFI) is confident that even if 10% of total Muslim population rally behind it, PFI would subjugate the coward majority community to their knees and bring back the glory of Islam in India”, the document said. 
  4. The document clearly said that PFI cadres and leaders and working towards the establishment of an Islamic government in India. “PFI cadres and Muslim youths should be repeatedly told that they all were working for Deen. Allah had created the world/Kayanaat and Muslims were made for two reasons, the first to establish the law of Allah and the second Muslims are Daai on earth. This should always be kept in mind that the rule of Islam has to be established”, the document underlined.

In its document, PFI mentioned that Muslims were to keep a list of Hindu leaders for eventual murder when the time came. In this “actionable point”, PFI goes as far as to insinuate that they should keep details about Hindus and Hindu leaders handy before the “final showdown”, essentially meaning, that they should be ready with the information to murder these Hindus and Hindu leaders. 

“It is imperative to collect and keep ready detailed information about the personal details of Hindu/RSS leaders and locations of their offices before the stage of final show down comes. The information wings at various levels should keenly follow up and update their data-base. Tracking their activities would also help us in responding against their atrocities. Keeping in view the importance of information wing in the roadmap of our final goal, the working of the wing at all levels needs to be strengthened and sharpened”, the document said. 

The PFI document also makes it amply clear that when they believe it is the right time, they will indulge in the genocide of Hindus.

The PFI document said that after stockpiling weapons and training armed cadres, their last stage would be to establish an Islamic constitution and eliminate all those who stand in the way (basically, Hindus). “When we have enough trained cadres and stockpiling of arms, we would declare a new Constitution based on Islamic principles. External forces would also come for help at this stage. There would be systematic and widespread elimination of our opponents and return of Islamic glory”, the document said.

PFI in its document had said that in case of a full-blown showdown with the Indian state, they will need help from “friendly Islamic nations” like Turkey. While they say they have developed close ties with Turkey, other Islamic nations need to be reached as well. 

The full breakdown of the PFI vision document can be read here.

It is, therefore, important to bear in mind that the death squads of PFI were created specifically to target Hindus and Hindu leaders to create terror in Hindus. Further, the PFI 2047 Vision Document clearly outlined the aim of the banned terror outfit to turn India into an Islamic Nation by the year 2047. The investigation has revealed that there was no prior association or enmity between Praveen Nettaru and the PFI terrorists who murdered him, making this a clear case of a targeted terror attack. With the links emerging between the Rudesh murder and the Praveen Nettaru murder, it is clear that PFI was working under a larger conspiracy to murder Hindu leaders to attain their goal of turning India into an Islamic nation.

Further, it is also evident that the murder of Rudresh and Praveen Nattaru were both an implementation of the PFI’s 2047 Vision Document which outlined how the death squads would be trained in combat, how Hindu leaders were to be surveilled and how, eventually, these leaders were to be murdered to further their aim of establishing an Islamic Nation.

As India signs major 10-year pact with Iran over Chabahar port, read about the importance of the port and how maritime trade is the new Indian strategy

Shraddha Pandey
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As India signs major 10-year pact with Iran over Chabahar port, read about the importance of the port and how maritime trade is the new Indian strategy

The Bilateral ties between India and Iran are set to strengthen further as India’s shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal is travelling to Iran on the 13th of May to ink a contract with Iran regarding the strategic Chabahar Port. Minister Sonowal will be signing the agreement under which India will manage the Chabahar Port for the next ten years. With the signing of this contract, India will, for the first time, manage an overseas port.

In 2016, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Iran, an agreement for Chabahar was inked. When Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, paid a visit to India in 2018, the prospect of expanding India’s role at the port was extensively discussed. Till now, India and Iran have signed one-year extensions for developing and operating the terminal at Chabahar Port. However, India had been pressing for a long-term agreement that would provide security for investment and development plans for the India-designed port.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at Hyderabad House in New Delhi in 2018 (Source: LiveMint)

The new agreement, which will replace the old deal, will be effective for ten years and supposedly will be automatically extended. The original agreement solely covered the Shahid Beheshti terminal at Chabahar Port and was renewed each year. Notably, the Shahid Behesti terminal is being developed in four phases. “On completion of Phase I, the capacity will increase to 8 MTPA (Millions of tonnes per annum). On completion of all 4 phases, port capacity will be 82 million tonnes per year with 32 jetties: 16 multipurpose, 10 containers, 3 each oil and dry bulk,” said IGPL, the Indian company which operates the port.

Chabahar Port and its significance for India and Iran

Chabahar, located near the mouth of the Gulf of Oman, is Iran’s first deep water port. The port positions the country on the international oceanic trade route map. The port is located to the west of Iran’s border with Pakistan, around the same distance as Gwadar, a competitive port designed by China in Pakistan to the east.

India’s engagement in the port’s construction began in 2002, when Hassan Rouhani, then-national Security Advisor of Iran, met with then-Indian NSA Brajesh Mishra.

During President Khatami’s visit to India the next year, he and then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee concurred on a strategic partnership road map, with Chabahar as one of the core projects.

Chabahar is strategically important for both Iran and India. It has the potential to aid Tehran avoid the adverse impacts of Western sanctions while also providing New Delhi with an alternative route that avoids Pakistan, which blocks India’s land access for trade with Afghanistan and Central Asia.

India intends to use Chabahar Port as a transit hub along the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) to connect with the Commonwealth of Independent States nations. INSTC will help India to reduce cargo movement between India and Central Asia, with Chabahar Port serving as a regional commercial transit gateway. Notably, INSTC is a 7,200-kilometer multi-mode freight transportation project connecting India, Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia, and Europe.

Chabahar Port in Iran (Source: Ship Technology)

The first phase of Shahid Beheshti port was inaugurated in December 2017, and India shipped its first wheat shipment to Afghanistan via Chabahar that year. In 2019, Afghan exports to India passed through the port for the first time bypassing the Pakistani route.  Afghanistan transported twenty-three trucks carrying 570 tonnes of dried fruits, textiles, carpets, and minerals from Zaranj in western Afghanistan to Chabahar in Iran.

Source: Britannica

Interestingly, Chabahar, unlike Bandar Abbas, another key port in Iran, is located beyond the Straits of Hormuz, which adds to its prominence. If for some reason, the Straits of Hormuz are closed, trade and commercial activity at Chabahar will continue uninterrupted.

Chabahar Port to serve as a counterbalance to Pakistan’s Gwadar Port and China’s BRI

China’s Belt and Road Initiative is a global trade and infrastructure plan patterned on the old Silk Road, which links imperial China and the West.

Over the years, despite China’s best efforts, India has refused to support its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) since the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) violates India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as it passes through the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Gwadar Port is, the Arabian Sea’s deep seaport located in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. Since Pakistan has been India’s hostile neighbour, Gwadar Port poses a threat to India’s maritime security and also jeopardises a significant portion of India’s energy and oil imports via the Gulf of Oman. Thus, it is significant for India to come up with either a similar facility or gain control over ports like Chabahar.

Gwadar Port in Pakistan (Source: Getty Images)

In China’s perpetual attempts to expand its influence in South Asia, BRI has emerged as a challenge for India. BRI offers financial incentives and support for infrastructure development in member countries, which can potentially undermine India’s influence in the South Asian region. The BRI presents a multifaceted challenge to India, with geopolitical, economic, and security implications. In such a scenario, increasing hold over Chabahar Port and strengthening ties with Iran would prove to be beneficial for both the countries—Iran and India.

Interestingly, Gwadar was not always part of Pakistan. It was under Oman’s rule for nearly 200 years, until the 1950s before being sold to Pakistan in 1958, Gwadar was offered to India, but the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, refused.

The Modi government has been taking several measures to uphold India’s trade interests and security. Recently, the MEA approved IPGL’s bid to take over operations at Myanmar’s Sittwe Port in the Bay of Bengal.

Besides endeavouring to build up its capability as a Net Security Provider, and bolstering partnerships with friendly countries, India is eyeing maritime trade as one of its significant strategies to maintain and expand dominance in South Asia, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. Notably, 80% of India’s external trade and 90% of its energy trade takes place through the Indian Ocean.

Hajipur, Bihar: PM Modi endorses Chirag Paswan, says ‘Vote for Chirag, it will come directly to Modi’

OpIndia Staff
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Hajipur, Bihar: PM Modi endorses Chirag Paswan, says ‘Vote for Chirag, it will come directly to Modi’

Addressing an election rally in Bihar’s Hajipur on Monday (13th May), Prime Minister Narendra Modi heaped praises on the LJP (Ram Vilas) Chief and party candidate from Hajipur seat, Chirag Paswan. PM Modi hailed him as a successful MP and a true representative of Bihar. PM Modi further issued an appeal to the voters stating that their vote for Chirag would go directly to his account. He also urged voters to give Chirag a bigger mandate than his father, Ram Vilas Paswan, used to get. 

Addressing the rally, the Prime Minister stressed that he did not come to Hajipur to ensure Chirag Paswan’s victory but he came there to repay the debt of Ram Vilas Paswan. PM Modi described the late LJP leader as his good friend and a true seeker of social justice. 

PM Modi stated that when Chirag came into the Parliament as MP for the first time in 2014, he knew him only as the son of Ram Vilas Paswan. But in Chirag’s behaviour, he observed that there was no trace of arrogance/pride (gurur) that he was the son of Ram Vilas Paswan. PM Modi added that this is a big thing and commended Chirag’s mother for instilling such good values in her son. 

PM Modi added that once during the cabinet meeting, he had praised Chirag Paswan. He said that he used to observe that Chirag used to sit in the House for the entire duration of the Parliamentary proceedings. He said, “Chirag has a great passion for learning and knowledge as an MP. He is successful as an MP and a true representative of Bihar”.  

The Prime Minister further went on to urge voters to make the LJP (Ram Vilas) Chief win by a bigger mandate than his father used to get adding that only then will Ram Vilas’ soul rest in peace. 

Chirag Paswan reacts, says PM’s praise matters a lot

Speaking with ANI, Chirag Paswan asserted that PM Modi’s positive words about him and the youth of Bihar will be his biggest strength in this election. He said, “The PM’s words have made me and my mother emotional. The things that he has said from the stage, my father used to say all these things about me, and it matters to me… The trust that the PM has shown in the youths of Bihar, they will be his biggest strength in this election.”

It is pertinent to note that Chirag Paswan has often described himself as PM Modi’s ‘Hanuman’. Despite a brief stint when his party parted ways with the NDA and it later suffered a vertical split, he continued to laud PM Modi’s leadership and referred himself as a soldier of PM Modi. His party, LJP (Ram Vilas) is contesting five Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. 

‘We won’t micromanage the Election Commission’: Delhi High Court dismisses plea against PM Modi for alleged MCC violation

ANI
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‘We won’t micromanage the Election Commission’: Delhi High Court dismisses plea against PM Modi for alleged MCC violation

The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed a plea seeking a direction for immediate action against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other candidates contesting in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections over alleged hate speech in violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

The plea referred to a speech of PM Modi delivered on April 21 in Banswara, Rajasthan.

Justice Sachin Datta, while dismissing the plea, observed, “I cannot micromanage the Election Commission of India as to how they deal with the situation. ECI is a constitutional body and it cannot be presumed that it will not do anything. This court finds no merit in the petition. The petition is accordingly dismissed.”

Appearing for the petitioner, Advocate Nizam Pasha alleged that the ECI has taken action against several other leaders but didn’t take any cognizance of any complaint filed against PM Modi.

Meanwhile, appearing for ECI, Advocate Suruchi Suri submitted that the BJP has recently, through a communication, sought an extension of time to reply to its notice and the reply is expected by May 15.

Recently, on April 25, the Election Commission took note of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks and served a notice to BJP national president JP Nadda over the former’s “infiltrator” comments during a campaign speech at Banswara in Rajasthan.

The plea has been moved by three persons, namely Shaheen Abdullah, Amitabh Pande and Deb Mukharji. They have sought direction from the Delhi HC to the ECI to take immediate action, including filing of FIR against the political leaders delivering hate speeches.

It was submitted that despite a large number of complaints by several citizens, including the petitioner Shaheen Abdullah, having been made, Respondent ECI has failed to take any effective action.

“This inaction on the part of the respondent is manifestly arbitrary, malafide, impermissible and constitutes a violation of its constitutional duty. It amounts to rendering the MCC futile, the very purpose of which is to ensure that communal harmony and the spirit of brotherhood are not given a go-by by candidates to secure victory in the elections,” the plea stated.

It is further submitted that the omissions and commissions by the respondent are not only in complete and direct violation of Articles 14, 21 and 324 of the Constitution of India but are also impeding free, fair and unbiased general elections.

It was also submitted that a bare perusal of the aforementioned speeches, that are readily available and are being widely circulated on social media platforms, sufficiently establishes their communally inciteful nature. The respondent, despite being solely responsible for the conduct of free and fair elections has miserably failed in its constitutional duty of preventing hate speeches, thereby leaving the sanctity and integrity of the entire election process in a lurch.

“It is pertinent to note that the delivery of communally divisive speeches is a punishable offence under Sections 153-A, 153-B, 295 and 505 of the Indian Penal Code, even in the normal course. Such speeches, when made during elections, have additionally been declared to be an offence under Section 125 of the Representation of People Act, 1951,” the plea stated.

The pela has claimed that no such action has been forthcoming against PM Modi and other people making hate speeches during the ongoing election campaign.

It is also said that taking of immediate and effective action is not discretionary exercise but a constitutional mandate that Respondent (ECI) is bound by. 

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

Mumbai: Abdul Rashid Abdul Latif posts morphed, derogatory images of Hindu Gods, booked after complaint

OpIndia Staff
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Mumbai: Abdul Rashid Abdul Latif posts morphed, derogatory images of Hindu Gods, booked after complaint

Last week on 9th May, the Navghar police station in the Mira Bhayander region of Mumbai filed a complaint against an ‘unknown’ person for abusing and insulting Hindu Gods and Goddesses using social media. The accused later identified as Abdul Rashid Abdul Latif has been booked under sections 295A, 153A of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and sections 66C and 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

The FIR copy of the incident has been obtained by OpIndia. The accused as per the complaint operates an Instagram account named ‘lost*back’. The accused who has been named in the police complaint as Abdul Rashid Abdul Latif used pictures of Hindu Gods and Goddesses and morphed them into derogatory images further hurting the Hindu religious sentiments of the community.

FIR copy obtained by OpIndia

“I work as a video editor and so as a part of my profession, I have to keep watch on the content that comes up on various social media platforms. That day while I was scrolling Instagram, I came across several reels that caused insult to Hindu Gods and Goddesses. Images of Hindu Goddesses were morphed to create derogatory photos. Later I checked the profile. It belonged to Abdul Rashid Abul Latif. The reels have hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindu community. Strict action must be taken by the police,” the 24-year-old complainant said.

Screenshots of derogatory reels uploaded by accused

The complainant also said that he had taken screenshots of the derogatory reels. The same has been obtained by OpIndia. Notably, the accused so far is yet to be arrested by the police. Investigations in the case are underway.

Watch: Voter hits back YSRCP MLA A. Sivakumar after being slapped for objecting to MLA jumping the voting queue in Guntur, gets assaulted by his goons

OpIndia Staff
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Watch: Voter hits back YSRCP MLA A. Sivakumar after being slapped for objecting to MLA jumping the voting queue in Guntur, gets assaulted by his goons

In a shocking turn of events, a YSRCP MLA slapped a voter after he raised an objection over the legislator jumping the queue at a polling booth in Tenali, Guntur on Monday (13th May). The video of the incident has gone viral on social media in which the voter can be seen hitting back at the ruling party MLA and slapping him. Subsequently, the supporters and accomplices of the YSCRP MLA joined him and launched an attack on the voter. 

In the viral video, YSRCP MLA and candidate for state assembly elections, A Sivakumar can be seen walking towards the voter and slapping him. When the voter hit back and slapped the Tenali MLA Sivakumar, his supporters joined him and brutally assaulted the victim. Meanwhile, other voters lined up in the queue could be seen trying to protect the victim from the violent attack by the MLA and his supporters. 

Following the incident, the police registered a case against the MLA. Further investigation is currently underway in this matter. The incident has sparked outrage among the people and netizens. 

TDP leader Nara Lokesh slammed the YSR Congress party and shared the video of the incident. Taking to X, he wrote, “Voters who say that there is nothing to fear from YSRCP’s rowdyism, I applaud your courage.”

Speaking with NDTV, TDP spokesperson Jyothsna Tirunagi said the incident captures the ruling party’s desperation “because they know they are losing”. 

Tirunagi said, “This is ridiculous. The retaliation by the voter shows that people are not going to tolerate this nonsense anymore.”

Meanwhile, voting began in all 175 assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh at 7 am today and will continue until 6 pm. Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP government is up against the trilateral alliance of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Telugu Desam Party, and Pawan Kalyan-led Jana Sena. 

In the last assembly elections held in 2019, the YSRCP secured 151 seats, while the TDP won 23 seats, and the Jana Sena party secured one seat. In the same elections, the ruling party won 22 Lok Sabha seats, while the Chandrababu Naidu-led party secured three seats.

West Bengal: Fazal Hossein spikes drink of woman whom he dated for 3 months, rapes her with his friend

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal: Fazal Hossein spikes drink of woman whom he dated for 3 months, rapes her with his friend

On Saturday (11th May), the Kolkata police arrested a man named Fazal Hossein for raping a woman on a date.

As per a report by The Times of India, Hossein asked the victim to accompany him to a friend’s birthday party in Tagore Park in Kasba locality of Kolkata. Instead of taking the woman to the party, he and his friend took her elsewhere and spiked her drink.

Later the duo took turns to rape her. The victim met Fazal Hossein through social media on January 25th this year. They had been dating for three months prior to the incident.

The woman later filed a complaint with the Kasba police, following which the accused Fazal Hossein was arrested from his residence in the Beniapukur neighbourhood of Kolkata.

The cops have initiated a probe into the matter and are search for Hossein’s accomplice who has been on the run from the law enforcement authorities.

While speaking about the matter to The Times of India, a police officer informed, “The woman has complained that she was not taken to any birthday party, but somewhere else.”

“Accompanied by his friend, Hossein gave her a spiked drink and after she fell unconscious, the two allegedly took turns to rape her. We are looking for the other accused. Hossein is in police custody and we are questioning him,” he added.

On Sunday (12th May), a local court sent accused Fazal Hossein to police remand till 17th May 2024.

Two district judges from Himachal Pradesh move Supreme Court to challenge decision by collegium, cite injustice in appointment process of Judges

OpIndia Staff
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Two district judges from Himachal Pradesh move Supreme Court to challenge decision by collegium, cite injustice in appointment process of Judges

Two senior-most district judges from Himachal Pradesh have approached the Supreme Court to challenge the selection process of judges by the collegium of their state High Court. The judges have raised questions on the decision of the HC collegium and alleged that it ignored their merit and seniority during the selection process. They further alleged that the collegium overlooked the specific advice of the Supreme Court collegium headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud to consider their names for promotion. 

Notably, district judges of Bilaspur and Solan, Chirag Bhanu Singh and Arvind Malhotra, respectively, have filed a joint writ petition before the Supreme Court. They have requested the apex court to direct the collegium of the Himachal Pradesh High Court to consider their names as per SC collegium’s 4th January resolution. They have also requested the apex court to stay the names of junior judicial officers for consideration by the SC collegium till their grievances are addressed. 

The petitioners said that the HC collegium last month “deliberately omitted their names”. According to them, it overlooked their seniority and merit, and recommended names of two “ineligible junior officers” to the SC collegium for appointment as HC judges, as reported by Times of India.

The petitioning district judges noted that after the Supreme Court collegium sent their names back to the High Court for reconsideration, the Union law minister communicated with the High Court Chief Justice, urging him that the HC collegium reconsider the names of Singh and Malhotra for appointment as judges of the state High Court. 

They added that the HC collegium ignored the SC collegium’s advice and the law minister’s letter. The petition further states that without reconsidering their names, the HC collegium started calling for judgments of judicial officers much junior to them in a bid to step around their merit, seniority, and “unblemished judicial track record”. 

They said, “The facts and circumstances of the present case exhibit that petitioners’ valuable constitutional rights, pertinently their right to be considered, are being violated.”

Last year, the HC collegium recommended the names of Singh and Malhotra, the petitioners in this case, for appointment as judges of Himachal Pradesh HC. However, when their names were placed before the SC collegium for consideration on 12th July 2023, it initially deferred their names. However, months later on 4th January 2024, the CJI-led collegium remitted their names to the HC collegium for reconsideration.

Demanding that the decision of the HC collegium regarding the appointment process be set aside, they said, “The process adopted by the HC collegium stands procedurally & substantially vitiated & is contrary to established constitutional convention. Action of HC chief justice & the collegium is thus liable to be set aside.” 

Collegium System has been at the centre of criticism with legal luminaries voicing support for a reformed system

The petition highlights a broader concern regarding a frequently raised complaint that High Court collegiums do not meticulously follow the process devised by the Supreme Court for selecting judicial officers and lawyers for appointment as High Court judges.

The selection process of judges by the collegium system has attracted criticism from renowned legal luminaries including retired Justices. Critics have pointed out that the system faces acute problems of lack of transparency, favoritism, and lack of methodical nature in appointing judges. Senior Advocate and Former Solicitor General of India, Harish Salve had categorically stressed that the collegium system, riddled with several shortcomings, should be abolished. Critical of the Collegium system, he noted that nowhere in the world does the judiciary appoint itself and that it should make way for a reformed appointment system. 

Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution of India, Dr. BR Ambedkar too had a critical view regarding judges appointing judges. Regarding this, he opined, “I personally feel no doubt that the Chief Justice is very eminent person. But after all, the Chief Justice is a man with all the failings, all the sentiments and prejudices which we as common people have. To allow the Chief Justice practically a veto upon the appointment of judges is really to transfer the authority to the Chief Justice which we (are) not prepared to vest in the President or the government of day. I therefore think, that is also a dangerous proposition.”

The National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) which was devised as the alternate appointment system for judges was struck down by the apex court as “unconstitutional”. However, several Justices have stressed that the top court shouldn’t have struck it down completely. Regarding this, Retired Justice SK Kaul noted that NJAC with tweaks could’ve worked but it was buried before it began.

Bombay High Court refuses to revoke MBBS admission taken in OBC quota with false information, says it will be a national loss

OpIndia Staff
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Bombay High Court refuses to revoke MBBS admission taken in OBC quota with false information, says it will be a national loss

The Bombay High Court refused to cancel the MBBS admission of a doctor, who gained her entry into a Mumbai medical college under the OBC-Non-Creamy Layer Certificate based on false information. The Court noted that the ratio of doctors to the population is very low in India, and hence revoking her admission now will be a national loss.

As per a report in Live Law, division bench of Justice AS Chandurkar and Justice Jitendra Jain observed that the petitioner has completed her MBBS course and said that it would be improper to withdraw her qualification at this stage. The Court noted that she has already completed her qualifications as a doctor.

The Bombay High Court observed, “In our country, where the ratio of the Doctors to the population is very low, any action to withdraw the qualification obtained by the Petitioner would be national loss since the citizens of this country would be deprived of one Doctor.”

“We are conscious of high competition in admission to medical course and we are also conscious about high expenses to be incurred to enroll for the said course under the Open Category. However, that would not justify that the student should obtain the unfair means nor would it justify the action of the parents to be a part of the unfair means for getting the admission under the OBC Category”, the court added.

The bench, however, cancelled the Non-Creamy Layer Certificate of the doctor, and reclassified her admission to the Open Category. Subsequently, the doctor has been directed to pay the difference in fees between Open Category and OBC-Non-Creamy category, along with a penalty of Rs 50,000, which was imposed on her for giving false information.

The Bombay High Court was hearing a writ petition challenging the cancellation of the petitioner’s admission to an MBBS course based on grounds of an invalid OBC-Non-Creamy certificate.

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