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‘Protesters’ block road since January 2023, SC stays HC’s order to evict them: Judicial process so far and demand to release convicted Khalistanis

OpIndia Staff
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‘Protesters’ block road since January 2023, SC stays HC’s order to evict them: Judicial process so far and demand to release convicted Khalistanis

On Saturday, 4th May, the Supreme Court of India stayed an order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court directing the authorities to clear the Chandigarh-Mohali road that has been blocked by a group of protesters since January 2023. A 3-judge bench of Justice BR Gavai, Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sandeep Mehta issued notice on a plea filed by the Government of Punjab seeking a response from the Centre, the Chandigarh Administration, and the NGO Arrive Safe Society in the matter. Notably, Arrive Safe Society had approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court to get the road cleared.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the Centre in the matter and supported the stand of the Government of Punjab. He said, “We are supporting each other. Federalism is always protected except when it comes to corruption. In Covid times, every state and the Centre worked together.” Advocate General for Punjab Gurminder Singh sought a stay on the High Court’s order.

Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered to clear Chandigarh-Mohali Road on 9th April

In an order dated 9th April, the Punjab and Haryana High Court said that it gave several opportunities to the State of Punjab and the Union Territory of Chandigarh but both failed to provide any redress to the commuters of SAS Nagar Mohali and Chandigarh. The court said, “On account of a handful of people sitting and blocking the road, inconvenience is being caused to the commuters and residents of the Tri-city and the misery is continuing.” The court also objected to the fact that protesters were using Shri Guru Granth Sahib as a shield at the protest site.

The court had noted, “Only because some of the protestors have been hiding behind a shield of religious legitimacy by placing the Guru Granth Sahib would not as such give the State reason not to act against the persons concerned, who are misusing the religious sentiments.”

In its order, the High Court had cited the observations made by the Supreme Court of India in Shaheen Bagh Protests case where the apex court had said that public places cannot be occupied indefinitely.

The court noted that there was no large gathering given harvesting time making it the best opportunity to clear the blockade but the governments did not take any action. The court said, “Even though it is well known that all the agitators from the rural background are busy in harvesting and it is most opportune time to remove the blockage of the road, the State of Punjab and the Union Territory, Chandigarh, are dragging their feet for the reasons best known to them.”

The Government of India was made a party on 9th October in the matter. A notice was issued to the Director General of Police, Punjab in the matter as well.

The protesters sitting on the road are seeking release of Sikh prisoners including Balwant Singh Rajoana who was convicted in the assassination of former Chief Minister of Punjab Beant Singh. Another such prisoner on the list is Devinderpal Singh Bhullar who was convicted in the 1993 Delhi Bomb Blast case.

Arrive Safe Society’s fight for a better commute on Chandigarh-Mohali Road

OpIndia spoke to the founder of Arrive Safe Society, Harman Singh Sidhu, the main petitioner in the matter where the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered the Punjab and Chandigarh administrations to find a solution for the road blockade on Chandigarh-Mohali Road. Sidhu himself is a road accident survivor who has been fighting for the rights of commuters for decades. He met with an accident in 1996 that left him wheelchair-bound due to a spine injury. He founded the Arrive Safe Society to make the roads safer and worked extensively to bring changes in the laws to ensure road safety.

Sidhu found it interesting that the plea in the Supreme Court was filed by the Punjab Government against the order to find a solution for the blockade created by Quami Insaaf Morcha in January 2023. He said, “It is interesting to note that on the same day, the Supreme Court passed two orders staying two Punjab and Haryana High Court’s orders. The apex court stayed the High Court’s order to find a solution for the blockage and also stayed the order to open a 500-metre stretch of road that has been closed since the 1980s outside Punjab’s Chief Minister’s residence.”

For those who are unaware, a 500-metre stretch outside the Punjab CM’s residence was closed in the 1980s after the rise of terrorism in the state. The High Court ordered to open the stretch on an “experimental basis” from 1st May initially from 7 AM to 7 PM.

He said, “Government must ensure safe movement of traffic. However, both the Union Territory of Chandigarh and the Punjab government in a way told the Supreme Court to let the commuters suffer. For long, Chandigarh kept saying in the court that the protesters were sitting in Punjab and Punjab kept saying that they were sitting in Chandigarh. The reality is, that the protesters cover both. They kept passing the buck.”

“The last orders by the High Court were not direct orders to remove the blockage. The court simply asked Chandigarh and Punjab to find a solution by the next hearing. However, it appears both governments thought that the High Court might issue an unfavourable order probably because of the elections in the next hearing, so they approached the Supreme Court. What else could be the reason?”

Sidhu is the man behind ban on liquor shops on highways. He had filed a petition via his NGO in the Punjab and Haryana court seeking a ban on the sale of liquor along state and national highways. The court prohibited the sale along highways which was challenged by the Punjab and Haryana in the Supreme Court. The apex court upheld the verdict of the High Court and the ban came into force on 1st April 2017. 

Qaumi Insaaf Morcha protest demanding release of Sikh prisoners

The protesters blocking the Chandigarh-Mohali Road are linked to Qaumi Insaaf Morcha. The protest has been going on since 7th January, and their main demand is to release Sikh prisoners also known as ‘Bandi Sikhs’. Initially, the protesters went on a march from Amb Sahib Gurdwara in Mohali to Chandigarh but they were stopped at the border. They created a protest site on the road and since then, they have been sitting there. 

The main focus of the protest was to get nine Sikh prisoners released from the jail who have been behind bars for 15 to 31 years. These prisoners are Khalistani terrorists who were linked to Beant Singh’s assassination and other terror attacks. 

Devinderpal Singh Bhullar – He was involved in the 1993 Delhi bomb blast. He has been in jail since 1995. His death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. 

Gurdeep Singh Khera – He was arrested for bomb blasts in Delhi and Karnataka. He was jailed in 1990 and is serving two life sentences.

Lakhwinder Singh (Lakha) – He was convicted in the assassination of Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh. He has been behind bars since 1995.

Gurmeet Singh (Meeta) – He was involved in Beant Singh’s assassination. He was jailed in 1995.

Shamsher Singh – He was convicted in the Beant Singh murder case and was jailed in 1995.

Paramjit Singh Bheora – He was also linked to Beant Singh’s murder. He has been in jail since 1997. He once escaped from prison but was caught again. 

Balwant Singh Rajoana – Convicted and sentenced to death in the Beant Singh case. His sentence was later stayed and is pending commutation to life imprisonment.

Jagtar Singh Hawara – He was also jailed for Beant Singh’s murder in 1995. He escaped in 2004 and was recaptured in 2005.

Jagtar Singh Tara – He was also arrested for involvement in Beant Singh’s murder. He escaped in 2004 but was caught in 2015.

Notably, in February 2023, a clash broke out between police personnel and “protesters” linked to Qaumi Insaaf Morcha at Chandigarh-Mohali border. At least 33 police personnel, including female police officers, were injured, and dozens of police vehicles were damaged by armed Sikh protesters near the Chandigarh-Mohali border on the Sector 52-Sector 53 dividing road. The violent clash lasted over two hours. 22 police personnel of Chandigarh Police and 11 of Mohali police were reportedly injured. Seven of them were female police personnel. Nine were from Rapid Action Force, and three were Home Guards volunteers. All of them were rushed to the hospital. Before the protesters left the scene, they allegedly took away a fire tender and over a dozen barricades of Chandigarh Police with them. While returning to Mohali after the violence, the protesters tried to march towards the police barricades placed by Mohali Police. 

Journalist insists that ‘jihad’ means internal struggle: Verses Waseem Rizvi pointed out, what the Calcutta Quran Petition says, and the big fat lie

OpIndia Staff
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Journalist insists that ‘jihad’ means internal struggle: Verses Waseem Rizvi pointed out, what the Calcutta Quran Petition says, and the big fat lie

Congress leader Salman Khurshid’s niece, Maria Alam Khan recently gave a clarion call for Muslim voters to do ‘Vote Jihad’. While discussing the vote jihad issue, a ‘journalist’ while interviewing BJP leader Kapil Mishra tried to downplay Jihad saying that it means ‘internal struggle’ in a bid to justify that Islam is a religion of peace. The firebrand BJP leader, however, strongly objected to the India Daily Live’s Priyank Vajpai and schooled about the meaning and purpose of Jihad as history demonstrates.

“Why did they say vote jihad, what is the meaning of jihad? The simple meaning of jihad is to kill kafirs [infidels] and make them Muslims. [Ajmal] Kasab came to do what? Jihad. Those who attacked the parliament came to do what? Jihad,” Mishra said, as Vajpai interrupted to say that the term Jihad implies an internal struggle within oneself.

To this, an infuriated Kapil Mishra questioned if terrorist Ajmal Kasab came to Mumbai for self-struggle. “What are you even saying? There have been killings and violence in the name of jihad. You don’t judge a word by its dictionary meaning but how it is used. Kasab came to kill Hindus. Go and tell the meaning of Jihad to those in Rawalpindi…you will sit among Hindus and explain to them the meaning of Jihad and justify those who hurl bombs on Hindus…” Mishra said, adding that Kasab did Jihad with guns, and now the opposition wants to do Jihad with votes.

As the ‘journalist’ passes off self-struggle as the true definition of ‘Jihad’, it is pertinent to delve into what the term means and what the Islamic text Quran says about it. The discussion around the Quranic meaning of Jihad warrants recounting 26 verses from the Islamic text that former Shia Central Waqf Board Chairman Waseem Rizvi claimed to promote terrorism.

Waseem Rizvi had approached SC seeking omission of Quranic verses that justified attacks on kaafirs

Rizvi had even moved a PIL in Supreme Court to get these verses omitted from Quran arguing that these verses are allegedly used by Islamist Terrorist Groups as justification for attacks on Kafirs/non-believers and civilians. One such verse mentioned was taken from Surah 2 (Al-Baqarah) Verse 191: And kill them [in battle] wherever you overtake them and expel them from wherever they have expelled you, and fitnah1 is worse than killing. And do not fight them at al-Masjid al-Ḥarām until they fight you there. But if they fight you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers. A detailed list of the 26 verses in question can be checked here.

In response to a query about why Muslims wage Jihad, Islamqa.info says that Jihad is undertaken to make non-believers believe in and worship Allah. It says that Allah calls upon Muslims to fight until there is no more ‘Fitnah’ which means worship of Gods other than Allah.

“The main goal of jihad is to make the people worship Allaah alone and to bring them forth from servitude to people to servitude to the Lord of people. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and worshipping of others along with Allaah) and (all and every kind of) worship is for Allaah (Alone). But if they cease, let there be no transgression except against Az-Zaalimoon (the polytheists, and wrong-doers) [al-Baqarah 2:193],” the website’s response to a query reads.

Source: Islamqa.info

The Islamic texts contain special disdain for polytheists and call upon the Muslims to kill them as the ‘holy’ month of Ramzan passes as evident in Surah Tawbah verse 5: “And when the inviolable months1 have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakāh, let them [go] on their way. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.”

Source: Saheeh International

Struggle within oneself or against infidels?: Jihad and its many forms

While many people dedicated to combatting hatred against Hindus would have read many of Sita Ram Goel’s authoritative books on Hindu issues, Hindus in general would not have read Goel’s book “The Calcutta Quran Petition”. Notably, on the 29th of March 1985, Chandmal Chopra filed a writ petition in the Calcutta High Court seeking a ban on the Quran under Sections 153A and 295A of the Indian Penal Code contending that it “incites violence, disturbs public tranquillity, promotes, on the ground of religion, feelings of enmity, hatred and ill-will between different religious communities, and insults other religions or religious beliefs of other religious communities of India.”

Goel in chapter 3 titled “Entire Quran is a manual of Jihad” cites Hadis collections and noted commentaries [Tafsir] on Quran to list four forms of Jihad—Jihad bil nafs, Jihad bil lasan, Jihad bil Qalam and Jihad bil Saif. Describing the first three forms of Jihad Goel writes:

  • Jihad bil nafs: striving by the heart or conscience, that is, cursing the Kafirs silently or in private if conditions do not permit cursing them publicly by means of speech and writing etc.
  • Jihad bil lasan: striving by the tongue or word of mouth, that is, preaching against the Kafirs publicly, pasting pejorative labels on them, and threatening them with the defeat and disgrace which await them in this world, and the doom hereafter.
  • Jihad bil qalam: striving by the pen, that is, writing down on paper and other materials what one has harboured in one’s heart or harangued in one’s speeches or plans to say at the appropriate opportunity. The written material is used for the preservation of the Polemics as well as for its wider circulation.

Calling the Quran a “compendium on Jihad”, Sita Ram Geol also mentioned Jihad bil Saif‑striving by sword. Jihad bil Saif is essentially a war fought by Muslims against the Kafirs. Pointing out the dual interpretations of the Quranic verses, Goel that oppression against Muslims stands for opposition to Islam and thus Muslims are supposed to wage war against non-Muslims till there is no non-Muslim left to oppose Islam.

“The Quran commands the Faithful to keep on fighting “until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevails justice and faith in Allah” (2.193; 8.40). Here the language is deceptive as in all cases of double-speak. The words “tumult and oppression” stand for opposition to Islam, for whatever reason. So the Muslims are to continue waging wars so long as there are non-Muslims anywhere in the world. Of course, Muslims are free to sign treaties of peace with non-Muslims whenever such treaties serve their purpose. But they are also free to violate the treaties of peace whenever they find war more profitable than peace; they can always accuse the Unbelievers of planning treachery (8.56- 58),” Goel wrote.

According to the Islamic text, those Muslims who join in the “divine war” stand higher in the eyes of Allah than those who ignore or refrain from doing so, even if the latter are virtuous and follow other Islamic tenets.

While Islamists employing the “Al Taqqiya” [committing a sinful act or concealing one’s belief for a pious goal] often pass off Jihad as the struggle within to curb ego and become a good person etc and have propagated it so much that without much study and questioning even the non-Muslims the journalist who interviewed Kapil Mishra have largely accepted this ‘definition’. However, while these can be an aspect of Jihad, it is not confined to this alone.

In the 7th chapter of “The Calcutta Quran Petition”  Goel stated that the doctrine of Jihad deals with the performance of the militarized Muslim Ummah till the land of Kafirs is conquered and Muslims assert their absolute control over it by employing slaughter and pillage. Besides highlighting the aspects of an “Islamic State” wherein the Islamic faith and its furtherance hold primacy, Goel wrote that tolerance of infidels and anyone “outside the fold of orthodox Islam is no better than compounding with sin. And the worst form of sin is polytheism [Kufr], the belief that the one true Allah has partners in the form of other deities.”

While in current times a significant section of Muslims in European countries with non-Muslim majority populations are exploiting democracy to end democracy there, in the “Islamic State”, a non-Muslim’s status is equivalent to that of a “slave”. “He lives under a contract (zimma) with the State: for the life and property that is grudgingly spared to him by the Commander of the Faithful. He must undergo political and social disabilities, and pay commutation money (jaziya),” Goel wrote.

FPJ’s report on Pak-funded Maulana conspiring to kill Nupur Sharma blames the victim; gives cover-fire to jihadis baying for blood of Hindu leaders

OpIndia Staff
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FPJ’s report on Pak-funded Maulana conspiring to kill Nupur Sharma blames the victim; gives cover-fire to jihadis baying for blood of Hindu leaders

On Monday (6th May), Free Press Journal published a report to unveil the terror plot in the Surat incident where a Maulana (cleric) was recently arrested for conspiring to kill prominent Hindu leaders including suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. In a sleight of hand and omission of qualifier words, the report about the radicalised and murderous cleric goes on to shift the blame onto the victims for having brought fate upon themselves, accusing them of inciting religious sentiments and making inflammatory speeches against Islam. 

While the headline of the report has used ‘alleged’ as a qualifier to avoid directly labelling the victims as guilty, in the body, it has adjudged and labelled the victims as anti-Islamic and guilty of hate speeches against Islam and the Prophet Mohammed. With the ever-increasing menace of Sar Tan Se Juda chanting frenzied mobs issuing open threats for perceived hate speeches or insulting remarks against Islam and Prophet Mohammed, blaming the victims of hate speeches against Prophet Mohammed, violating their right to be assumed innocent until proven guilty, paints a target on their backs for the Islamist mob. 

It is virtually a death sentence for the victims and a clarion call for Islamist mobs to bay for their lives for indulging in a crime that is deemed worthy to be punished by beheading, as per Islamists.

Evidently, the report states that the arrest of the cleric in Surat has revealed a sinister conspiracy to assassinate prominent Hindu and right-wing leaders in India for their hate speeches against Islam and the Prophet Mohammed. It added that the individuals targeted by Maulana and his Pakistan-based accomplices are “known for their anti-Islamic rhetoric, igniting religious sentiments across the nation.”

According to the report, suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and Updesh Rana, the national secretary of Vishwa Sanatan Sangh, were among the prime targets of Maulana Abu Bakr “for their inflammatory speeches”. 

To portray Sharma negatively and hold her accountable for violence and unrest in parts of India, the report cited an oral observation made by one of the Supreme Court Judges in July 2022, who had reprimanded her for her remarks in a televised debate. However, it omitted the fact that the victim in this case, Nupur Sharma, has been living in hiding for more than a year and has been constantly fearing for her life due to the supposed crime, which has not been proven and draws reference from Islamic scriptures.

Additionally, while rationalising the motive of the arrested cleric for hatching the conspiracy to kill prominent Hindu leaders, the report also omitted the backdrop that led Sharma to retort to a Muslim cleric deriding Hindu deities with profanity by cautioning him to quote an excerpt from Islamic scripture. Pertinent to note that no Islamic scholar has raised objections or termed the quoted excerpts as anti-Islamic. Incidentally, on 1st December last year, former Indian Express ‘journalist‘ Irena Akbar tweeted the same thing that former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma had said, with several fellow Islamists agreeing with her.    

The FPJ report states, “Former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and Updesh Rana, the national secretary of Vishwa Sanatan Sangh, were among the prime targets of Maulana Abu Bakr for their inflammatory speeches. This revelation comes in the wake of a Supreme Court reprimand directed at Nupur Sharma in July 2022, following her remarks against Prophet Mohammad in a televised debate. The court held Sharma accountable for inciting violence and unrest, emphasizing her role in triggering nationwide protests.” 

Further, it added that sources within the Surat crime branch revealed Maulana’s deep-seated animosity towards Updesh Rana and Nupur Sharma “for their anti-Islamic stance”. “Updesh Rana’s dissemination of hate speeches and provocative content online fueled the ire of Maulana and his associates, exacerbating religious tensions in the country,” it added while blaming Updesh Rana, the victim in this case, for irking the Maulana. 

The Pakistan-funded Muslim cleric, Abu Bakar, was in touch with radicals from Indonesia to Kazakhstan

Gujarat Police arrested a 27-year-old Maulvi (cleric) named Sohail Abu Bakar Timol from Surat on Saturday, 4th May 2024. He is accused of conspiring to kill suspended Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nupur Sharma, party MLA from Hyderabad’s Goshamahal T Raja Singh, Sudarshan News editor-in-chief Suresh Chavhanke, and Sanatan Sangh national chairman as well as social media activist Updesh Rana. 

The Maulvi considered them ‘gustakh’ (blasphemers). He maintained contact with handlers living in Pakistan and Nepal to execute his nefarious plans. He was also using a foreign SIM card to evade security agencies. 

OpIndia looked into the activities of Maulvi Sohail Abu Bakar Timol and his handlers. He used the picture of Hamas terrorists as his WhatsApp profile picture in which many masked terrorists could be seen prostrating in front of lethal weapons. He had written “Owaisi’s follower” in broken English as an introduction to his True Caller. Click here, to read more details about the case.

The cleric had been in touch with handlers in Pakistan and Nepal over the previous year and a half, the police uncovered during their inquiry. The handler in Nepal has been identified as Shahzad. The cleric talked with each of them via a SIM Card issued from Laos. He used WhatsApp and other social media platforms to communicate. Sohail was ordered by his superiors to ‘straighten out’ those who, according to them, were defaming the honour of the Islamic Prophet.

Uttar Pradesh: Mehar Jahan burns her husband’s private part with cigarettes, attempts to chop it off with knife

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Mehar Jahan burns her husband’s private part with cigarettes, attempts to chop it off with knife

On Sunday (5th May), the Uttar Pradesh police arrested a 30-year-old woman named Mehar Jahan for burning her husband’s private part with cigarettes and attempting to chop it off with a knife.

The incident occurred in Chak Mehood village, which falls under the jurisdiction of Seohara police station in the Amroha district of Uttar Pradesh.

On 29th April, Mehar Jahan reportedly made her husband Mannan Zaidi drink milk which was spiked with intoxicants. When the victim became unconscious, she tied his hands and legs and brutally tortured him.

The incident was caught on camera and is now doing the rounds of the internet. In the visuals, Mannan Zaidi could be heard pleading with his wife but the torture did not stop.

Later, he filed a complaint with the Seohara police station. According to Zaidi, he married Mehar Jahan on 17th November last year. It was only after their wedding that he learnt about her smoking and drinking habits.

When the victim reportedly protested against it, Mehar Jahan threatened to kill him. She also mentally and physically harassed him. Mannan Zaidi also accused his wife of trying to strangle him to death.

The victim also said that Jahan had threatened to falsely implicate him and send him to jail. While speaking about the matter, SP Dharampal Singh said confirmed the arrest of the accused woman.

A First Information Report (FIR) was registered against Mehar Jahan under Indian Penal Code Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 323(voluntarily causing hurt), 328 (causing hurt using poison or any stupefying, intoxicating or unwholesome drug), and 506 (Criminal intimidation).

Kolkata police ask X user to disclose identity for making a spoof video showing Mamata Banerjee vibing to Rumba Mumba

OpIndia Staff
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Kolkata police ask X user to disclose identity for making a spoof video showing Mamata Banerjee vibing to Rumba Mumba

The official X account of the DCP Crime Branch of Kolkata Police on Monday asked a social media user to disclose his identity, including his name and residence, after he shared a spoof video on CM Mamata Banerjee on the microblogging platform. 

“You are directed to immediately disclose your identity including name and residence. If the information sought is not revealed, you shall be liable for legal action u/s 42 CrPC,” the official X account of the DCP Crime Branch of Kolkata Police tweeted.

The tweet was in response to a spoof video on Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal and the chief of Trinamool Congress. The video, which shows Mamata Banerjee dancing to a song, had gone viral on social media and garnered over 400 retweets.

“It has been observed that you are using social media for posting offensive, malicious and inciting posts,” a notice to the said user by Kolkata Police said. “You are hereby directed to delete the above-mentioned post and also refrain from such acts failing which you will be liable for strict penal action under the relevant provision of laws.”

Woman arrested for sharing MET Gala themed meme on Mamata Banerjee

In 2019, a woman was arrested for sharing a MET Gala-themed meme on West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. A complaint against the convenor of BJYM, Priyanka Sharma was made by TMC leader Vibhas Hazra in Howrah for allegedly sharing a morphed picture of Mamata Banerjee. The MET Gala 2019-themed meme superimposed Mamata’s face on Priyanka Chopra’s body. She was arrested and produced in Chief Judicial Magistrate’s court in Howrah.

The copy of the complaint read that this act broke the community guidelines and was being viewed as an issue of violence. “She has not only tried to insult our Hon’ble Chief Minister, but she is trying to insult the culture of our Bengal by her post on Facebook which is Cyber Crime”, read the complaint. The Supreme Court had subsequently rapped the TMC government, noting that the arrest of the woman was “prima facie arbitrary”.

Vijaypura honour killing case: Ibrahimsab, Akbar awarded death penalty for setting pregnant Muslim woman on fire for marrying a Hindu boy, other 5 accused given life sentence

OpIndia Staff
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Vijaypura honour killing case: Ibrahimsab, Akbar awarded death penalty for setting pregnant Muslim woman on fire for marrying a Hindu boy, other 5 accused given life sentence

A local court on Friday (4th May) convicted and awarded death penalty to two individuals guilty of abusing, killing, and setting a pregnant Muslim lady on fire in 2017, because she was married to a man belonging to the Hindu religion. The other 5 associates of the primary accused convicted of murder were given life sentences.

As per the Times of India report, the convicted individuals were also fined Rs 4.2 lakh by the second additional district and sessions court. The two convicted persons have been identified as Ibrahimsab Mahammedsab Attar and Akbar Mahammedsab Attar.

The other five accused are from Gundakanal village in Muddebihal town of the district; they are the woman’s mother, Ramjanabi Attar, and her relatives, Davalbi alias Salma Bandenawaz Jamadar, Ajama Jilani Dakhani, Abdulkhader Dakhani, and Davalbi Subhan Dhannur.

The case was reported in the year 2017 when a young Muslim woman died after being burnt alive by her family members for marrying a Hindu man. The incident happened in Gundakanala village of Bijapur district of Karnataka.

The 21-year-old Muslim woman named Banu Begum had reportedly fallen in love with 24-year-old Sayabanna Sharanappa Konnur, a Hindu boy belonging to the Valmiki caste. Both Banu and Sayabanna were residents of the same village. When Banu’s parents learned about their relationship in January 2017, they had brutally assaulted Sayabanna.

Following this incident, Banu and Sayabanna eloped to Goa to get married. They later got their marriage registered at the sub-registrar’s office in Muddebihal in Karnataka. When Banu got pregnant, the couple returned to their village thinking that their families would accept their marriage. As the couple returned to Gundakanala village on 3rd June 2017, and met their families with the news of Banu’s pregnancy, a huge fight raged.

Sayabanna was brutally assaulted and hit all over his body and Banu’s mother had pelted stones at the Hindu man. However, he somehow managed to escape and ran to the Talikote Police Station for help. He informed the police about the incident, sought help, and ran back to Banu’s place to save her. But by the time he reached Banu’s house, her family members had set her on fire.

Injured Sayabanna, meanwhile, begged for help, but Banu’s neighbors went inside their homes and locked their doors.

“Ladki ho toh pitogi is slogan of Congress”: Radhika Khera takes jibe at Priyanka Gandhi’s ‘Ladki hoon lad sakti hoon’ slogan

ANI
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“Ladki ho toh pitogi is slogan of Congress”: Radhika Khera takes jibe at Priyanka Gandhi’s ‘Ladki hoon lad sakti hoon’ slogan

After resigning from the Congress party, Radhika Khera on Monday coined Priyanka Gandhi’s “Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon” slogan (I am a girl, I can fight) and said that silences of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge are still troubling her, adding that the slogan of the Congress is now “Ladki ho toh pitogi”.

Speaking to ANI, Radhika Khera said that she never imagined that the Congress party would become “anti-Ram”.

“The party where every meeting started with ‘Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram’, I could have never imagined that the party would become anti-Ram…I would never have imagined that I would get such a punishment…The silences of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge are still troubling me,” she said.

She further called Congress Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra travel vlogging and asserted that his Nyay Yatra was for his “namesake”.

“I have asked for time for 3 years from Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra but none of them met me. I was always sent from one office to the other. Even during the Nyay Yatra, Rahul Gandhi did not meet anyone. He used to come and wave at people for 5 minutes and went back to his trailer. His Nyay Yatra was for his namesake, I think he just wanted to become a travel vlogger and he was doing travel vlogging there…I tried to meet her (Priyanka Gandhi Vadra) but she did not meet anyone. She says ‘Ladki hoon lad sakti hoon, but ‘Ladki ho toh pitogi’, is the slogan of Congress,” she said.

Priyanka Gandhi had given the ‘Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti hoon’ slogan in the run-up to the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls. Earlier today, party leader Radhika Khera resigned from the primary membership of the party after she alleged mistreatment by party members.

In her letter to the AICC, the Congress leader alleged that justice was denied to her after the mistreatment by party members as she visited the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. “It is an established truth since ancient times that those who support religion have been opposed. Examples of this range from Hiranyakashipu to Ravana and Kansa. At present, some people are opposing those who take the name of Lord Shri Ram in the same way. For every Hindu, the birthplace of Lord Shri Ram holds great significance with its sacredness and while every Hindu considers his life successful just by seeing Ram Lalla, some people are opposing it.”

“The party to which I have given more than 22 years of my life, where I worked with full honesty from NSUI to AICC’s media department, today I have to face such intense opposition because I couldn’t stop myself from visiting Ram Lalla in Ayodhya,” she said in her letter.

She further said that she has taken this step after justice was denied to her, even after informing all the top leaders.

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

British councillor shouts ‘Allah-hu-Akbar’ after being elected in local polls: The West is about to discover how Islamists use democracy to subvert freedom and civilisation

Siddhi Somani
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British councillor shouts ‘Allah-hu-Akbar’ after being elected in local polls: The West is about to discover how Islamists use democracy to subvert freedom and civilisation

After achieving victory in the municipal election, a video of the recently elected British councillor for Leeds city council yelling “Allah-hu-Akbar” has gone viral over the internet. Father-of-three Mothin Ali, 42, gained notoriety for his passionate victory speech in Leeds, during which he declared that his election was a “victory for the people of Gaza.”

Following the results, Ali gave a victory speech in which he declared that the public was “fed up with being let down by a Labour council and that we will not be silenced. We’ll let Gaza’s voice be heard. We’ll speak up on behalf of Palestine. Allahu Akbar!” 

As per the report, Ali was one of several dozen candidates across Britain who defeated their respective Labour Party opponents by promising their campaign on the Gaza war. Naheed Zohra Gultasib, who won the seat from Walsall, also said that this win was for the people of Gaza and that the Labour Party need not take the Green Party for granted. Notably, Gultasib was the one who left the Labour Party in November last year over the party’s stand against a ceasefire in Gaza.

About Mothin Ali wearing a Palestinian scarf

Ali’s rise to prominence within the UK Green Party developed with his victory in the Leeds Council elections, where he received more than 3,000 votes and won the Gipton and Harehills seats. Ali has significant ties within the community having been born and raised in Leeds. He is the director of his accounting firm and a Leeds Beckett University alumnus. Ali is successful professionally, yet he has hobbies outside of accounting and numbers.

Ali is considered a devout Muslim, whose utterances after being elected in the local polls also reflect his passionate support for the Ummah, an Arabic term that refers to Pan-Islamism. While Ali operates a YouTube channel, ‘My Family Garden’, with his wife and three children, wherein he talks about organic farming, he is also a zealous advocate of Palestinians and attracted attention recently for his trenchant criticism of Israel over the Gaza war. 

Ali showed support for the Palestinian cause in several TikTok videos, calling Gaza “the biggest concentration camp in the world.” His remarks also sparked discussion and criticism as he extended support to Palestine and Hamas after the brutal October 7 attack that led to the deaths of over 1,200 Israelis.

Ali’s viewpoints on social media sparked intense conversations, particularly regarding his remarks about Israel’s actions in Gaza. His accusations of ethnic cleansing and likening of Israeli forces to “white supremacists” drew criticism from many quarters. However, Ali’s electoral victory, despite the controversies surrounding his political stance, reflects a broader trend of growing support for pro-Palestinian sentiments within certain communities in Britain and other Western nations.

The rising wave of Islamism in the UK, Europe, and the US

To many in the UK, the mainstreaming of Islamism, as manifested by Ali’s victory, has come as a rude shock. But to the keen observers of Britain’s changing cultural and social dynamics, it has only reaffirmed their belief that the UK, like many of the Western nations, is inexorably entangling and intertwining itself with the rising wave of Islamism. 

Islamism and the similar ideology supporting terrorist activities in other parts of the world are spreading rapidly across British territory. Earlier, during the Leicester violence, several Islamists including the Islamist scholar Mohammed Hijab, provoked the local Muslims to wage violence against Hindus in the country. Hijab, through his incendiary speeches, goaded the local Muslim community to launch attacks on Hindus.

A video of Hijab blaming and mocking the Hindus and their religion went viral on the internet in September 2022. Hijab, who is claimed to be a notorious Islamist influencer also gained attention when the Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023. He led a frenzied mob of Islamists, with their faces covered in masks, and wrote “Muslim patrol in Leicester,” in his Instagram post. In the video posted by Hijab, his followers could also be seen raising pro-Palestine slogans. 

Besides, the changing population demography is also helping to cement radical Islamism among a restless population that is yet to come to terms with the end of what they refer to as the ‘Glorious period’ when Britain was a colonial power. The population of Muslims in the country is steadily rising. According to the data, the Muslim population of the United Kingdom in 2023 was 4.13 million, representing 6.3% of the population. This marked an increase from 4.9% (2.7 million) in 2011. Reports also claim that the Muslim communities have contributed to 33% of the increase in the population of England and Wales between 2011 and 2021.

Given this major demographic shift and the rise of Islamist influencer leaders like the Hijab, the Muslims residing in the country are allegedly adopting violent methods and getting down on the streets, raising their voices against non-Muslims, in their bid to fulfil the religious obligation of pursuing the goal of Dar-ul-Islam (House of Islam), and homogenising an innately cosmopolitan society.

With Ali’s election to power, those who cherish secular and democratic ideals in Britain should be wary of the possible subversion of democracy by elected radicalists. Such sentiments are not uncommon in other Western nations, which are grappling with a similar scourge that threatens to upend their social and cultural fabric as Islamic radicals attain political relevance and power to inform policy decisions that run counter to the Western ideals of democracy and pluralism. 

While it is most apparent in Britain, France, on Continental Europe across the English strait, has also been in the grips of Islamism, which emerges on the surface now and then, often with gory incidents. The ghastly attack on Samuel Paty, a teacher who was beheaded by an Islamic radical over charges of blasphemy, in 2020, and its aftermath brought to the fore challenges Islamism posed for the democratic and secular ethos espoused by France. After France ordered a crackdown on Islamists in its borders, several Muslim countries opposed the move, pressurising the Macron government to go soft on the radicals and thus emboldening the Islamic fanatics operating within France.

In addition to this, several European ISIS fighters, who had joined the terror ranks in Syria with the fantasy of establishing a Muslim caliphate, are now returning to Europe, leading to the eventual undermining of democracy and subversion of individual rights and freedom.

Across the Atlantic, the United States isn’t safe from the threat that Islamism poses to the peace and tranquillity of the world’s oldest democracy. Arguably, the United States is among few of the countries in the world most affected by the menace of growing Islamic radicalisation. The election of contentious characters to the US Senate and political institutions demonstrates the seriousness of the matter. US politicians such as Ilhan Omar, infamous for her Islamist bent, speak to the threats facing the US democracy. 

Ilhan Omar, who was elected to the House of Representatives from Minnesota on a Democrat ticket, is seen as someone running errands for the powerful Islamist lobbies, whose only aim is to push radical Islam in modern societies. 

The origins of Omar, who hails from Somalia, have also been controversial. Omar arrived in the US at the age of 12 in 1995 as a refugee fleeing Somalia’s civil war. She became a citizen five years later, at the age of 17. In November 2016, she won the election to become the first Somali-American in the US Congress. 

There are allegations that Omar married her biological brother to bypass the US immigration process. Former President Donald Trump had asked the Justice Department to investigate Ilhan Omar’s marriage to her brother and her subsequent migration to the US illegally.

Trump didn’t survive in office long enough to ensure that the investigation sees its logical conclusion, the entire episode and grave allegations levelled against Omar manifestly add weight to the suspicions of the undermining of the US democracy by Islamists and their vested interest groups. 

India’s fight to curb Islamist terrorist activities

The West might be reluctant to admit that Islamists can indeed hijack their democracies and eviscerate them. But India has long been used to Islamists using democracy as an instrument to further their radicalism and militant ideology. Several institutions, although putatively democratic, are in the stranglehold of those who are either Islamists or known for pushing their talking points. Any attempts by the centre aimed at reformation are often countered with allegations of “fascism”, “authoritarianism”, etc.

For instance, after the Modi government annulled Article 370, a 20th-century relic that impeded the complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the country, several Islamists and their political partners in the parliament, vehemently opposed the move.

Indeed, Congress along with many political parties have been furthering the Islamist agenda under the garb of ‘working for the benefits of minorities’. Congress, and its national allies, routinely extended support to the Muslims under the guise of a ‘minority’ label, extending them unconstitutional reservations and fulfilling their unfavourable demands. This only emboldened Islamic outfits such as PFI, which kept coming up with a revised set of unfavourable demands and aims, including making India an ‘Islamic country’ by the year 2047.

The Islamists through such organisations provoked local Muslims to engage in Jihad against non-Muslims, especially women. This eventually has given a boost to the increase in cases of ‘Love Jihad’ and ‘Land Jihad’ in the country. The Muslims trap Hindu women, claim ownership, and grab the lands of Hindus, causing troubles with the support of the so-called secular political parties. The free hand allegedly offered to the Muslim Waqf Boards by the previous regimes, the political and ideological support granted to rioters as witnessed during anti-CAA protests and the ongoing hearing in the Delhi riots, championing rights for infiltrators such as Rohingyas, and the outsize concessions granted to Muslims on the grounds of minority welfare are all subliminal efforts aimed at compromising democratic institutions and gradually shaping them conform to Islamist sensitivities.  

Now, amid the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the opposition parties are even provoking the Muslims to practice ‘Vote Jihad’ which is again concerning given the democratic structure of the country.

Notably, the PM Modi government is making all efforts to identify these terroristic efforts and put a ban on such practices for the nation’s betterment and development. The govt imposed a ban on the PFI in the year 2022, the organization that had planned to make India an Islamic nation by the year it completed 100 years of independence. Detailed reports on the same can be read here.

All these instances illustrate how Islamists are now using democracy to attain their ulterior motives, which would eventually lead to the establishment of an oppressive medieval-era Sharia law and subsequent curtailment of individual rights and freedom. 

Countries across the world, from India to the US, should realise the magnitude of the threat lurking before them and initiate necessary action should they wish to preserve their democracy and civilisation. 

“Congress, SP have Ram droh in their DNA,” says UP CM Yogi Adityanath on Radhika Khera’s resignation from Congress

ANI
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“Congress, SP have Ram droh in their DNA,” says UP CM Yogi Adityanath on Radhika Khera’s resignation from Congress

Launching a scathing attack on the Congress, Samajwadi Party, and INDIA alliance, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath alleged that the leaders of the opposition have “Ram droh” filled in their DNA.

The Uttar Pradesh CM made these remarks while speaking on the resignation of Former Congress leader Radhika Khera.

Speaking with ANI, Yogi Adityanth said, “She came to Ayodhya to seek blessings of Ram Lala, and the leaders of Congress insulted her. She resigned after getting tired of the insults. This shows that Congress and SP have ‘Ram droh’ in their DNA. People associated with INDI Alliance have ‘Ram droh’ in their DNA.”

He added further, “And the person who is Ram Drohi, the people of the country will never cast their vote in favour of such people.”
Taking a dig at Congress, the UP CM said that the people now are fully aware of the pseudo form of the party.

He said, “The public of the country is well aware of the pseudo form of Congress. The people know that whatever they (Congress) areshowing off now is not based on reality. They just want to deceive the people of the country but the public knows their drama. Therefore, the public is pushing it towards the abyss…”

Earlier speaking at a news conference Khera alleged that the Congress was anti-Ram and anti-Sanatan.

“I always heard that Congress is anti-Ram, anti-Sanatan and anti-Hindu but I never believed it. Mahatma Gandhi used to start every meeting with ‘Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram’. I got exposed to this reality when I went to Ram temple with my grandmother and after returning from there, I put a ‘Jai Shri Ram’ flag on the door of my house and after that Congress party started hating me. Whenever I posted photos or videos, I was scolded and asked why did I visit Ayodhya when elections were under process,” she said.

On Sunday, Radhika Khera resigned from the primary membership of the party after she alleged mistreatment by party members. She alleged that neither Priyanka Gandhi nor Rahul had given her time to meet them on this issue.

“I have been asking for time for 3 years from Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra but none of them met me. I was always sent from one office to the other. Even during the Nyay Yatra, Rahul Gandhi did not meet anyone. He used to come and wave at people for 5 minutes and went back to his trailer. His Nyay Yatra was for his namesake, I think he just wants to become a travel vlogger and he was doing travel vlogging there…I tried to meet her (Priyanka Gandhi Vadra) but she does not meet anyone. She says ‘Ladki hoon lad sakti hoon, but ‘Ladki ho toh pitogi’, is the slogan of Congress,” said Khera.

Khera had on Sunday written a letter to the AICC alleging that justice was denied to her after the mistreatment by party members as she visited the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

“It is an established truth since ancient times that those who support religion have been opposed. Examples of this range from Hiranyakashipu to Ravana and Kansa. At present, some people are opposing those who take the name of Lord Shri Ram in the same way. For every Hindu, the birthplace of Lord Shri Ram holds great significance with its sacredness and while every Hindu considers his life successful just by seeing Ram Lalla, some people are opposing it,” the letter had said.

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

T20 World Cup co-host West Indies get terror threat from Pakistan, the hosts assure all safety measures are in place to deal with it

OpIndia Staff
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T20 World Cup co-host West Indies get terror threat from Pakistan, the hosts assure all safety measures are in place to deal with it

On Sunday (5th May), Cricket West Indies (CWI) confirmed that West Indies has received a terror threat to the T20 World Cup tournament from North Pakistan. Notably, CWI is the governing body for Cricket in the Caribbean nation. West Indies is one of the hosts for this year’s T20 World Cup which is slated to start from 1st June. As per reports, ISIS’s Pakistan branch, the Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) has sent a terror threat to CWI where it tried to incite violence against the sporting event. The IS-K terror module is also active in Afghanistan.

In a statement accessed by the Cricket news portal Cricbuzz, the CWI said, “Pro-Islamic State (IS) media sources have launched campaigns inciting violence against sporting events, which included video messages from the Afghanistan-Pakistan branch, IS-Khorasan (IS-K) which highlighted attacks in numerous countries and urged supporters to join the battlefield in their countries.” 

The governing body has reassured that all safety measures are in place. Responding to the development, the ICC commented that its statement is the same as that of the CWI’s.

The Caribbean media also confirmed reports of their cricketing regulatory body receiving terror threats. Speaking with Trinidadian news outlet The Daily Express, Trinidad Prime Minister Keith Rowley asserted that security agencies have put in place plans to tackle any such threats to matches.

The report also added that Barbados regional security officials are also “monitoring potential threats to the ICC event”.

The Security officials in the Caribbean nation said, “Intelligence of a potential threat to the World Cup has been received through Pro-Islamic State (Daesh) through the media group ‘Nashir Pakistan.’” According to Daily Express, Nashir-e Pakistan is an Islamic State (IS) group-affiliated propaganda channel. 

Speaking with Cricbuzz, WCI CEO Jonny Graves assured, “We work closely with authorities in the host countries and cities, and continually monitor and evaluate the global landscape to ensure appropriate plans are in place to mitigate any risks identified to our event.” 

He further added, “We want to assure all stakeholders that the safety and security of everyone at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is our number one priority and we have a comprehensive and robust security plan in place.” 

The development has caused concerns as Pakistan is set to host the Champions Trophy tournament in 2025. India as well as several other nations have expressed apprehensions about the security of their players in the terror-infested nation which happens to use terror as state policy. This has intensified demands to shift the venue of the tournament altogether and a decision on the same could be taken in the ICC’s Annual General Meeting which will be held in Sri Lanka in July this year. 

The T20 World Cup is scheduled to take place in the West Indies and the United States from 1st June to 29th June. In the West Indies, Barbados, Guyana, Antigua and Barbuda, St Vincent, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago are scheduled to hold the matches for the T20 World Cup. The United States will host World Cup matches in Florida, New York, and Texas. There is no sign of any terror threat to the games in the United States.

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