A YouTuber named Rohit Kumar was assaulted for singing a song in praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Karnataka’s Mysuru. He was also subjected to humiliating actions. The incident took place near a government guest house where some people brutally attacked the young man who is a resident of Mellahalli village for penning a song lauding the prime minister.
The victim shared the link to his song with a fellow youth near the guest house. However, some people in the group objected to the composition and attacked him as well as committed demeaning things to him. Furthermore, he was forced by them to raise “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans. Nazarbad Police then intervened and rescued the severely hurt Rohit from the accused before taking him for medical attention.
The YouTuber also narrated the ordeal and stated, “I had released a song in praise of PM Modi last week. I was sharing my channel link and asking everyone to subscribe to it. One of them emerged from the vicinity of the government guest house. I did not know that he was a Muslim. I asked him to watch the song, share it and subscribe to my channel. He saw it and said it was good. He claimed he would take me inside to meet his friends, so I could share the song with them.”
He added, “A boy caught my hand from behind and clamped my mouth shut as soon as I walked into the room. They began to abuse me for writing a song about Prime Minister Modi. They then instructed me to shout ‘Pakistan Zindabad.’ They also snatched the picture of Lord Ram from my hand and molested me. They poured beer on my head, burned my hands with cigarettes and beat me.”
According to Mysuru Police Commissioner Ramesh, the young man has just made claims. He claimed, “We are confirming the information. If he lodges a complaint, the details will be shared soon based on the same. The government guest house has CCTV cameras. We will verify all of them and investigate further.”
The Supreme Court on 19th April ruled that the keys to a ‘Mosque’ in Erandol Taluka, Jalgaon, will stay with the municipal council. While ordering this, the bench of Justices Surya Kant and K.V Vishwanathan dismissed the Jumma Masjid Trust Committee’s appeal against the Bombay High Court’s ruling asking it to deliver the keys to the Jalgaon mosque to the council by 13th April.
At the same time, the Bench made it evident that the local council will appoint an officer to open the gate shortly before the beginning of namaz in the morning and keep it open until the namaz is finished. Furthermore, the Court decided that the masjid compound shall be controlled by the Wakf board or the petitioner till further orders.
“The key of the main entrance gate of the entire compound shall remain with the municipal council. There shall be status quo with regard to the masjid compound and it shall be under the control of the wakf board or the petitioner society till further orders,” the Court said.
“The egress and ingress…temples or monuments shall be free from all kinds of hindrances and the people of different religions shall be allowed to visit without any disturbance. The key of the (back side) gate will also remain with the council and it will be the duty of the council to depute an official to open that gate well before the commencement of namaz in the morning and till all the namaz is performed during the day. However, no encroachment of any kind shall be made by the parties,” it added.
This is an interim arrangement while the District Collector winds up the procedures.
Background of the case covered extensively by OpIndia
OpIndia had extensively reported about the case in the month of July last year. On 16th July 2023, the administration sealed the century-old disputed mosque temporarily and issued an order under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, immediately banning prayers on the premises which is protected under the State Archaeology Department. The collector had also directed police deployment in the area and had asked the local administration to take charge of the mosque, which has been officially declared as ‘disputed’.
After this, the Jumma Masjid Trust Committee which looks after the disputed mosque structure had moved to the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court against the collector’s order banning entry into the premises for offering prayers. The petition, filed by the Jumma Masjid Trust Committee’s president Altaf Khan claimed that the collector had passed the ‘arbitrary and illegal’ order on July 11th which directed the trust to hand over the keys of the disputed ‘mosque’ to the Erandol municipal council’s chief officer.
However, the Court then issued a stay order against the collector’s directives.
Pandavwada Sangharsh Samiti demands the restoration of the property
The development was confirmed to OpIndia by complainant Prasad Madhusudan Dandawate of the Pandavwada Sangharsh Samiti. “There are around 4-5 Muslims who offer Namaz there daily. Now they have been allowed but also the members of the Hindu community can go in the premises of the Pandava wada which has been illegally encroached by the Masjid Trust,” Dandawate confirmed.
Earlier, it was reported how the Pandava Wada in the Erandol region of Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district was converted into a Mosque. The saga began when the Dandawate complained to the district administration that the mosque had been illegally constructed over a Hindu place of worship and should be taken over by the authorities. The complainant further asserted that the Hindu character and structure of the vicinity had been destroyed by the Jumma Masjid Trust who illegally has encroached on the area to call it a Mosque.
As per the complaint by the Pandavwada Sangharsh Samiti, the Trust had illegally occupied the premises and has made several changes to the 800-1000-year-old Pandava Wada which today stands protected under the State Archeology Department. The trust installed electricity, fans, cement doors, and water connections to the Pandava Wada. “They have also illegally constructed the wuzukhana-type area for people of the Muslim community to wash their hands before Namaz. Who gave this permission to them,” Dandawate pondered.
Electricity, cement construction illegally added to the Pandava Wada (Images obtained by OpIndia)
The Samiti in the complaint to the administration and the court demanded that all the illegal construction and additions made to the Pandava Wada be removed and the property be taken over by the authority. The Samiti also demanded a scientific evaluation to determine the age of the property.
What is Pandav Wada?
The Pandav wada sites in the Erandol region of Jalgaon district, are claimed to be under Islamic encroachments. It is believed that the Pandavas spent their years in exile in the Erandol region and that the Hindu and Jain temple-like structures built here are 800-1000 years old. Later due to the severe indifference among Hindus, Muslims slowly started encroaching on Pandav Wada more than 125 years ago, and they eventually built a mosque there while claiming it to be Wakf property.
Hindu groups like the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) and Pandavwada Sangharsh Samiti have been battling to reclaim Pandavwada from the Wakf Board’s intrusions and restore the areas. The contested mosque has records of existence of at least 100 years, whereas the principal buildings in Pandava wada (built in the style of Jain and Hindu temples) are reportedly 800-1000 years old.
Hindu organizations maintain that the mosque was constructed by destroying a Hindu temple that is mentioned in Hindu scriptures. Further, the associated Wakf committee had been working to build the disputed mosque in order to ruin the Pandavwada’s Hindu culture as described in local folklore and scriptures.
Taking this into consideration, the Supreme Court today ruled that the keys to the illegal Mosque in Erandol Taluka, Jalgaon, would stay with the municipal council.
As the grand festival of democracy, the general election commences in India on the 19th of April 2024, the Western media is covering India’s election news with the display of its usual Hinduphobic and anti-Modi rants. The foreign media reports played on the palpable insinuation that somehow Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi’s victory is inevitable and the democracy and the minorities, essentially Muslims are in danger.
In this vein, US-based ABC News’s headline read: “India begins voting in a 6-week election that could give Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi a third term.”
A CBS News report says: “India’s 2024 election kicks off, with major implications for the world’s biggest democracy“
Meanwhile, France24’s headline says: “Hindu nationalist Modi the favourite as India votes in six-week election.”
Reuters on the other hand reported, “Mosque in Hindu holy land at centre of dispute as India votes”
Reuters defends controversial Islamic structure built upon the ruins of a Hindu temple
Ram Mandir, a monument of majoritarian violence, Hindu nationalist Modi turning India into “claustrophobic Hindu nation”: NYTsuffers a serious meltdown reminiscing 5 years of Modi 2.0
The New York Times went a step in its display of hatred towards Hindus and Narendra Modi published an op-ed authored by one of its Indian sepoy who in his anti-Modi tirade hurled usual ‘Hindu nationalist’ tropes. Asserting that Modi is somehow ‘Hindufying’ the country. The illustration used in the NYT article depicts a Tilak sporting Modi wearing a ‘temple crown’ and carrying a bow and quiver. A sword is also seen in the background. The obvious assertion here is that in all likelihood, Modi’s third term would unleash a more authoritative rule.
Screenshot of a New York Times article denigrating the Indian govt
The propaganda piece authored by Siddhartha Deb is a meltdown of an average Modi-hater besides being a Hinduphobe. The NYT article laments how a mob of ‘Hindu militants’ illegally razed a mosque in Ayodhya. For obvious reasons, the author did not mention that the grand temple of Lord Ram Lalla was constructed at his rightful birthplace after the Hindu side won the legal battle in the Supreme Court.
Excerpt from NYT article
The author also accuses the Hindu majority of India of maintaining the facade of a democracy and has so far avoided the overt features of a theocracy, yet has become a Hindu state. Siddhartha Deb also claimed that there is historical proof of Lord Ram’s existence reminding one of Congress’s 2007 court affidavit claiming the same. Another amusing aspect of Deb’s haranguing against the Modi regime is the new parliament, which as per him reduces India’s past to a monochromatic one while the old one reflected India’s ‘syncretic’ history.
Besides having a meltdown over the Modi government fulfilling its 2019 manifesto promises including abrogation of Article 370 and CAA, it also resorted to making misleading claims about the possibility of the Modi government if voted to power bringing NRC jeopardising the citizenship of Indian Muslims. To no surprise, the NYT’s anti-Modi rant also peddled the EVM hacking/manipulation lies. EVMs and VVPAT hacking/tampering have been the most prominent lies peddled by opposition-friendly pen pushers like Andy Mukherjee.
Al Jazeera peddles the mendacious “Minority khatre mein hai” propaganda to spread fear among Indian Muslims and malign India’s image globally
Qatar-owned propaganda news outlet Al Jazeera, notorious for peddling lies and twisting facts to portray Muslims as oppressed victims of the ‘Hindu nationalist’ and ‘authoritarian’ regime, claimed that another term under Narendra Modi’s BJP government could threaten their way of life.
Al Jazeera’s video report titled: “How do Muslims in India feel about the general election?, claimed that “since the Hindu nationalist BJP party has come to power, rights groups say, Muslims have watched their rights to housing, religion and employment erode.” Several Muslims told the propaganda outlet that Muslims have always been neglected, however, they have been subjected to further neglect in the last ten years of Modi’s rule.
Al Jazeera provoking Indian Muslims with its polarising coverage of Indian elections
The propaganda outlet also brought in the religion of the people illegally encroaching on government land and the demolition action taken by the authorities. In its apparent bid to assert that such illegal encroachers were deliberately targeted by the government due to their Muslim identity. It claimed that the houses of Muslims were demolished without the authorities giving any prior warning. In the video, a meat shop owner named Mohammad Gulab Sheikh is heard saying that the BJP government has closed the meat shops during Navratri, this, however, was not the case in previous non-BJP governments in Uttar Pradesh. While Sheikh claimed that with such decisions, the Muslim community is being targeted, however, the state government did not issue any notification to shut down meat shops belonging to Muslims or anyone during the Navratri festival.
Muslims in India tell Al Jazeera why they are concerned that another term under Narendra Modi's BJP government could threaten their way of life. pic.twitter.com/0T1GsHRFWY
Contrary to Al Jazeera’s assertions, the Muslim community under Modi’s rule has been a significant beneficiary of the government schemes and initiatives. The Modi government runs certain minority welfare initiatives like Upgrading the Skill and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development (USTTAD), Hunar Haats, Gharib Nawaz Employment Training Programme, and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) etc.
Moreover, with the saturation coverage approach in their schemes and initiatives, the Modi government has ruled out the scope of discrimination against any religious community in welfare schemes. Be it the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) or providing toilets, water connection or cooking fuel, collateral-free credit or health insurance, the Modi government has not included religion as a criterion in any of its schemes. Thus, there is no question of the BJP government discriminating against Muslims.
In the case of demolition drive against illegal encroachments, as seen in Gujarat and other states, action has been taken against illegal structures irrespective of their religion. If Al Jazeera wants BJP governments to let illegal mazars, mosques or any other religious structure occupy government-owned land or roads and public spaces, to prevent perennially threatened minorities from feeling further then that would not be secularism, but incompetence and appeasement.
Al Jazeera further lamented how Muslims who had 5% representation in the government in 2019 have been reduced to 0% now. This, contrary to the Qatar-owned propaganda outlet’s claim is not due to any religion-specific reasons. Like any political party, the BJP also considers the winnability of a candidate in a constituency more than their religion.
The Guardian hides its discomfiture in the faint hope of anti-BJP ‘undercurrent’
Vilifying the Hindus and projecting the Muslims as persecuted minorities has been the leitmotif of British daily The Guardian’s Lok Sabha election coverage. Authored by Hannah-Ellis Peterson, The Guardianarticle titled: “Voting begins in India’s election with Modi widely expected to win third term”, says that the BJP-led Modi government is likely to expand its majority, despite ‘undermining’ democracy since it came to power in 2014.
The Guardian scaremongering over Modi’s return to power
The tone of the article suggests that even though the author is largely convinced that PM Modi will get a third term, she is still hopeful of a miracle that could ‘save democracy’ in India. Parroting the allegations levelled by opposition parties, The Guardian article says that the Modi government has systematically used state machinery to jail political opponents. The propaganda outlet mentioned Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s incarceration in this regard, however, it did not mention that Kejriwal’s arrest in the Delhi liquor scam case was upheld by the court and the Supreme Court recently refused to grant relief to the AAP leader.
Much like NYT’s Siddhartha Deb, Peterson also mentioned the consecration of Ayodhya Ram Mandir and how it contributed to an upsurge in the popularity of an already spectacularly popular Narendra Modi. The Guardian also talked about the Income Tax department freezing Congress’s bank account to assert that the Modi government deliberately did so. However, the action was taken after the department uncovered irregularities in the party’s tax returns.
Associated Press calls Hindu nationalism a ‘fringe ideology’, says a decade of Modi rule mainstreamed it
American news agency Associated Press, which has a history of whitewashing the crimes of Islamists and whose journalists are notorious for mollycoddling Hamas terrorists, has called the ‘Hindu nationalism’ a fringe ideology now mainstreamed under PM Modi’s rule. Besides outlining PM Modi’s Hindu upbringing, the AP article by Krutika Paathi and Sheikh Saaliq furthers the narrative line taken up by the Western media against the Modi government. It said that under PM Modi’s rule, there have been attacks on ‘minorities’ essentially the Muslims, from hate speech to lynchings.
While reporting on the incidents of lynching the Western media has always been selective, it cherry-picks the incidents where the victim happens to be a Muslim and the attacker a Hindu to claim that the ‘majoritarian regime’ and its supporters are targeting Hindus, however, the same media either falls into deep slumber when a Kanhaiyalal or Umesh Kolhe is murdered by Islamists in cold blood, or downplays it.
Foreign media continues to look away from the reality and dismisses Narendra Modi as mere ‘Hindu nationalist’ leader
The foreign media’s coverage of the Lok Sabha elections has been centred around Modi’s Hindu nationalism, so-called divisive politics, oppression of minorities, and suppression of political opposition and media voices. While PM Modi talks of making India a $5 trillion economy, semiconductors, Digital India, Atmanirbhar Bharat, a prominent player in global decision-making, the foreign media wants to project Modi as a ‘Hindu hardliner’.
The intent of overtly emphasising Hindu nationalism is to limit Narendra Modi’s stature as a ‘Hindu nationalist’ leader who retains power by stoking Hindu religious sentiments and polarization, despite the fact that PM Modi has emerged as a global leader with an impact on international politics over the last decade. Whether it is the anti-Modi parties, the left-liberal ecosystem, a major segment of Western media, or the enemies of India in general, they want a weak government and a docile leader at the helm of power in India.
A day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan asking why he had not been investigated or imprisoned by Central probe agencies, the Left leader hit back at Gandhi on Friday (19th April) saying “Unlike Congress leaders, he was not afraid to go to jail.”
Speaking at a public meeting organised by the United Democratic Front in the Kottayam district of Kerala, Rahul Gandhi on Thursday had said, “Everybody knows I fight the BJP 24×7, I disagree with them ideologically. Hundreds of BJP leaders thinking about how to fight Rahul Gandhi. Anyone who fights the BJP pays the price. They took away my membership, and my house, and investigated me for 55 hours.”
Rahul Gandhi alleged that Pinarayi Vijayan attacked him constantly throughout the campaign, and questioned why didn’t Bhartiya Janata Party attacked him.
Lashing out at the Kerala Chief Minister, he said, “Every single day they attacked me but why did the BJP not attack CM Vijayan? Two CMs are in jail but not Pinarayi Vijayan. Another interesting thing is that when I came to Kerala I attacked the BJP, but the CM of Kerala spent 24 hours attacking me. That is what he is doing all the time. For some reason, BJP is not attacking Kerala CM.”
The Enforcement Directorate had earlier launched an investigation into a gold smuggling scam that resulted in the arrest of the Chief Minister’s former principal secretary. The ED is also looking into an illegal payments matter involving Veena Vijayan, CM Vijayan’s daughter.
Addressing an election rally in Kozhikode on Friday, where the CPI(M) has fielded Elamaram Kareem, Vijayan said that Rahul’s grandmother, Indira Gandhi, imprisoned most Left activists, including him, during the Emergency.
“Your grandmother had jailed most of us for more than one-and-a-half years. We have experienced and seen enough interrogation and jailing. We are not afraid of jails. So don’t try to threaten us with investigations and jails, and we are not worried,” CM Vijayan said.
Kozhikode | On Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's statement, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan says, "Don't scare me by saying the word jail. It was your grandmother who put us in jail during her supreme rule. For 1.5 years, I was in jail. We are not scared like your Ashok Chavan…" pic.twitter.com/qeHJEfeDff
CM Vijayan also took a swipe at Ashok Chavan, who left the Congress to join the BJP, and said that the Left leaders would not “cry like Ashok Chavan and say that we cannot go to jail.”
As reported earlier, Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said that the Left parties do not need validation from Congress for their opposition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s misguided policies. He was reacting to the Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi’s allegation that he is soft on PM Modi possibly to save himself from the investigations of the Central agencies into the various allegations against his government.
“It is ironic that Rahul Gandhi and VD Satheesan, from the same Congress party, question why the Chief Minister didn’t speak out against Modi. The Left doesn’t require validation from Congress for his opposition to PM Modi’s misguided policies and the RSS guiding them. Those who bowed before Golwalkar’s photo, lit lamps, and solicited votes for the RSS should reflect on their own actions,” Vijayan said during a press conference here.
“The Congress lacks any genuine ideological or practical motivation to oppose the BJP, beyond the rhetoric crafted by news-centric PR agencies. Congress’ rivalry with the BJP is primarily confined to electoral politics and power struggles, rather than rooted in substantive ideological differences. Congress has evolved into a party primarily focused on gaining traction within power politics,” he added.
Mallapuram: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan says "The Congress lacks any genuine ideological or practical motivation to oppose the BJP, beyond the rhetoric crafted by news-centric PR agencies. Congress' rivalry with the BJP is primarily confined to electoral politics and power… pic.twitter.com/CVyvmV2ivo
A few days ago, on April 1, Pinarayi slammed Rahul Gandhi for contesting in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency against the Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate and Communist Party of India (CPI) national leader, Annie Raja. He also called out Rahul Gandhi for not actively campaigning against the BJP. Earlier this month, CPI leader Annie Raja filed her nomination from Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency.
While the CPI and the Congress are partners in the opposition INDIA bloc, the two parties are fierce contenders in Kerala with both parties pitting their strongest candidates against each other.
Raising questions over the INDI Alliance partner Congress party’s decision to field Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad, Vijayan said recently that everyone was questioning Rahul Gandhi’s decision to visit to Kerala rather than confront the BJP-led Centre.
“What is the meaning of this?” Rahul Gandhi is the main leader of the INDI alliance, and he is fighting against the Left Democratic Front, which is also a member of the alliance,” he stated.
“Who is Rahul Gandhi fighting in Kerala? Can we say he is contesting against (BJP candidate) K Surendran in Kerala? Can we say he came to Kerala to fight against the BJP? He is coming here to contest against the LDF,” CM Vijayan added.
“Rahul Gandhi is coming to Kerala and contesting against Annie Raja. She [Annie Raja] is a national leader of the CPI. She was called anti-national during the Manipur violence for strongly calling out the BJP government’s wrongdoing. It was her fact-finding system that brought to light the cruelty of the Christian population. What was the role of Rahul Gandhi in that? Can he say anything on that?” Vijayan said.
Amid the massive floods that have taken over various parts of the United Arab Emirates, dangerously affecting many lives and businesses, the Islamists have come up with a theory holding the recently built BAPS Hindu temple responsible for the natural disaster. The majestic Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Mandir in Abu Dhabi was inaugurated by PM Modi on 14 February this year.
One of the Islamist ‘Digital creators’ who has around 6000 followers on Instagram, posted a video saying that the recently inaugurated Hindu temple was responsible for the floods in Dubai. “Massive rain hit Dubai immediately after a new Hindu temple was inaugurated. Allah sent several Paigambars to stop the worship of idols and now it has again started. A new temple has been built in the country to boost tourism. And soon massive rains hit Dubai affecting normal lives,” the host (@islamic_boy345) could be heard saying.
The same video was posted on X where users slammed the video creator for applying such weird logic to the situation. One of the users slammed the Islamists, sarcastically saying that just like women wearing jeans were responsible for earthquakes, the Hindu temple was completely responsible for floods in Dubai.
This Islamic 'meteorological experts' tells how a newly built Hindu temple is the reason for Dubai rainstorms. Much like women in jeans are a reason for earthquakes.. pic.twitter.com/DKFWtdhpye
The others said that “by that logic, the Dubai government should build more temples for the desert region like Dubai will get converted into a fertile land.” The other users also meanwhile asserted that “at least now there will be no water problems in the state and that the country will no longer be required to depend on other nations for food.”
This week, images of flood-ravaged areas in one of the planet’s driest regions astonished the world. Heavy rains in the UAE and Oman flooded cars, jammed highways, and killed at least 21 people. Flights out of Dubai International Airport, a key worldwide hub, were also badly impacted.
Forecasters predicted the storms several days in advance and gave warnings, so the downpours were not an unexpected occurrence. However, they were undoubtedly odd. On average, the Arabian Peninsula receives only a few inches of rain per year, but scientists have discovered that a significant portion of the precipitation falls in uncommon but strong bursts rather than as periodic showers.
Officials in the United Arab Emirates reported Tuesday’s 24-hour rainfall total was the highest since records began in 1949. However, several sections of the country have already suffered a round of thunderstorms last month.
However, terrible the situation sounds, blaming a Hindu temple for it is way far terrible. The BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir was inaugurated on 14th February this year in Dubai. However, ahead of the inauguration also, the Islamists had attempted to spread hatred against the Hindu religion and the current Indian government on several social media platforms.
“It is Modi’s model to favour Arab Muslims and lynch Indian Muslims,” alleged one of the users on X. Another one also indicated that in India the government was demolishing Muslim religious structures and supporting the construction of Hindu temples in UAE.
Some other Islamists targeted the UAE government for allowing the ‘Alhan Modi’ event and also the construction of a Hindu temple in the UAE. In 2014, the BJP government came to power at the centre and Narendra Modi took oath as the Prime Minister of India. As part of foreign policy, the Modi government strengthened relations with the Middle Eastern nations and India-UAE ties became stronger.
Consequently, in the year 2015, the UAE government allotted land for the Hindu Mandir. Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly lauded the gesture of the UAE government stating, “I am very thankful to the UAE Govt for their decision to allot land to build a Mandir in Abu Dhabi. This is a great step.”
Both governments entrusted Swaminarayan Sanstha and Mandir Limited to construct, develop, and administer the Mandir project.
Afterward, the construction work of this Mandir started on the gifted land in Abu Mureikhah, Al Rahba area on the Abu Dhabi-Sweihan-Al Ain Road, close to the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway.
India delivered the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines on Friday, as part of the USD 375 million deal between the two sides signed in 2022.
The Indian Air Force sent its American origin C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft with the missiles to the Philippines to deliver the weapon system to the Philippines’ Marine Corps, according to the defence sources.
The export of ground systems for the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system along with the missiles started last month itself, they said.
The Philippines is taking delivery of the missile systems at a time when tensions between them and China have escalated owing to frequent clashes in the South China Sea. The three batteries of the BrahMos missile system would be deployed by the Philippines in their coastal areas to guard against any threat in the region.
The deal has been cleared with multiple approvals from partner nations in the programme.
The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, a joint venture between the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russian Federation’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, is said to be one of the most successful missile programs in the world. Acknowledged as the foremost and swiftest precision-guided weapon on a global scale, BRAHMOS has played a pivotal role in enhancing India’s deterrence capabilities.
The Indian Army has integrated multiple BrahMos regiments into its arsenal since 2007. (ANI)
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has frozen the immovable property of a key operative in a 2021 case relating to a fatal motorcycle-borne explosion in Punjab, with links to notorious Pakistan-based Khalistani terrorists Habib Khan, alias Doctor and Lakhveer Singh, alias Rode.
“The property of Surat Singh @ Surti, resident of Village Mahatam Nagar, PS Sadar Fazilka, Punjab, has been frozen under the provisions of the NDPS Act 1985. The said property comprises Khewat numbers 84/78, 93/87, and 95/89, totaling an area of 13 Kanal, 17 Marla, and 5 Sarsai,” the NIA stated.
The NIA stated that Surat Singh, as well as Pakistan-based drugs and weapons smugglers Habib Khan alias Doctor and Designated Terrorist Lakhveer Singh alias Rode, are among the nine accused chargesheeted by the NIA so far in the case, in which the bike bomber was killed.
“NIA investigations have revealed that Habib Khan and Rode had collaborated with Surat Singh and other associates in India to create a terror gang in Punjab with the aim of perpetrating IED blasts and operating a narco-terror racket to destabilise the region,” it stated.
It further said that Surat Singh has been identified as a key agent in the terror network, involved in the smuggling of narcotics, explosives, arms and ammunition from Pakistan.
“He used encrypted communication channels such as WhatsApp, along with fake IDs and virtual numbers, to facilitate the logistical and financial aspects of terrorist activities as an overground worker (OGW) of the Naco-Terror network, as per NIA findings. In association with other accused individuals, he provided support for the execution of criminal conspiracies on the directions of Pak-based handlers,” it stated.
The case was initially registered under sections 3 and 4 of the Explosives Act at Police Station City Jalalabad, Fazilka, Punjab, on September 16, 2021, a day after the fatal blast in a Bajaj Platina bike in Jalalabad.
“NIA took over and re-registered the case as RC 24-2021/NIA/DLI on October 1, 2021. NIA investigations and efforts to completely dismantle the network of narco-terrorists are continuing,” it said.
Further investigation is underway.
This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
A vehicle carrying five Japanese nationals was targeted by a suicide bomber on Friday in Karachi’s Landhi area, Dawn News reported citing the police.
The police said that the Japanese nationals were hurt in the incident, however the terrorists who were involved in carrying out the attack, were killed.
The deputy inspector general (DIG) East Azfar Mahesar, told Dawn that the the incident occured near Murtaza Chorangi in Landhi, adding that the five foreign nationals were travelling in a Hiace van.
“All five Japanese remained safe. However, the private security guard with them was injured,” he said.
“No one has claimed responsibility so far,” the DIG said, adding that the vehicle carrying the Japanese nationals was bullet-proof.
In a related development, Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah gave the inspector general instructions to investigate the incident and produce a report that included information on the terrorists’ identities, origins, and any accomplices they may have had, as well as specifics about the explosives used in the explosion.
He gave the order to make quick plans for the foreign nationals’ security in the nation. Further details are awaited.
Just last month, 6 Chinese citizens were killed in a suicide bombing attack in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province when their convoy was attacked by a suicide bomber in northwest Pakistan.
A suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a convoy of Chinese engineers which was on its way from Islamabad to their camp in Dasu, the biggest hydropower project in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan, where they worked.
Following the suicide attack, a Chinese company halted its civil construction operation, laying off hundreds of employees at a hydropower project in Pakistan.
After a purported video showed Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) workers hurling abuses at Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan’s mother Veena Paswan during an election rally, the LJP leader wrote to former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav seeking immediate action in the matter.
In his letter, Paswan said that the particular action has refreshed the memories of Jungle Raj as during that time it was difficult for mothers and daughters to leave their homes.
“I never understood any difference between Rabri Devi ji and my mother. In such a situation, I did not expect this from you. I agree that political parties may have different views, and there may be differences of opinions but it is not appropriate to have animosity. Such foul language about one’s mother is beyond imagination for me,” he said.
“This action by your party’s supporters has refreshed the memories of Jungle Raj of the 90s. In those times, it was difficult for mothers and daughters to leave their homes. Women were humiliated and tortured. Today after this incident, you cannot even imagine how painful it is for me as a son to hear such words about my mother. I want you to give a strong message to your party workers and supporters so that in the future such language cannot be used not only for me but for any mother and sister living in Bihar,” the LJP chief added.
“I hope that you will take immediate action against those who insulted my mother,” Chirag Paswan said in the letter to Tejashwi Yadav.
Condemning the incident, RJD leader Misa Bharti questioned Chirag Paswan for his silence when Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary made a derogatory remark against Lalu Prasad Yadav.
“It is condemnable, derogatory language should not be used against women belonging to any party but I want to ask Chirag Paswan why was he quiet when Samrat Choudhary made such a derogatory remark against my sister and father?” she said.
Bihar BJP women’s delegation had filed a complaint to the Election Commission in connection with the incident.
This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
The criminal case against Owais Khan, who is accused of disparaging Lord Shiva on social media, was not quashed by the Allahabad High Court on 19th April identifying his actions as a “deliberate act of religious vilification,” reported Live Law. A bench led by Justice Prashant Kumar emphasized the significance of upholding the dignity of diverse communities’ religious convictions. He declared, “It is incumbent upon the judiciary to send a clear message that such conduct will not be tolerated and will be met with appropriate legal consequences.”
The court noted that religious beliefs are extremely important to citizens and that any action intended to undermine or denigrate religious beliefs is a “grave affront” to secularism and tolerance. The accused’s conduct showed a “blatant disregard” for religious beliefs, according to the court, indicating that it cannot be justified as an accidental slight to our pluralistic society’s core ideals.
The single judge bench commented, “Moreover, the applicant’s conduct by posting derogatory statements is not only an affront to the religious sentiments of the affected community but 2 also undermines the foundational principles of our democracy. By making a mockery of a community’s beliefs and comparing them to mundane objects, the accused has displayed a callous disregard for the deeply held beliefs and sentiments of millions.”
He was also charged with using crude remarks on Hindu society and posting a statement on social media in which he claimed that the road divider was treated like the Shivling and mocked. On 2 September 2022, a charge sheet was submitted after an extensive investigation. The trial court then took cognizance and on 13th January 2023 sent him a summons. He filed a plea with the High Court, attempting to have the charge sheet, summons and all of the case’s proceedings struck.
His attorney argued before the High Court that the applicant had been unfairly accused because the statement was made by someone else after they had hacked his account, rather than by him. Furthermore, it was argued that even in the event that the aforementioned message was posted, it still does not violate any laws and is merely a harmless remark made with no intention of violating any community’s religious sentiments. However, the AGA speaking on behalf of the state contended that the applicant’s statement was outrageous and assaulted religious sensibility which is why the lower court had properly summoned the accused.
A careful inspection of the case file and a detailed analysis of the facts at this point in the proceedings, the court noted, could not definitively establish that the applicant has not committed any crimes. This was based on the facts of the case and the arguments put up before the court. It is important to emphasize that, in our democratic society, where the right to free speech is highly prized, it is important to understand that this liberty isn’t unrestricted and that, along with it, comes the obligation to respect the feelings and beliefs of others.
“The misuse of freedom of speech to denigrate or insult religious beliefs undermines the very fabric of constitutionalism and fundamental human belief upon which our society is built. 9. The principle of secularism, enshrined in our Constitution, underscores the importance of fostering an environment of mutual understanding and acceptance among individuals holding diverse beliefs and identities. The secular fabric of our nation demands individuals to exercise restraint and refrain from actions that may cause harm or offence to any religious community,” the court observed.
The court additionally added that the applicant’s intentional publication of a demeaning photo of Shivling and the tone of the abusive language suggested that he aimed to hurt a specific community’s religious sentiments. The court pointed out, “Such actions cannot be excused as mere expressions of opinion but must be recognized for what they are: deliberate acts of religious vilification there as a deliberate attempt to insult and hurt the sentiments of a particular community.”
It conveyed, “Hence, it is not the reaction of a hypersensitive individual that is at stake here, but the impact on those who genuinely hold the Shivling sacrosanct and are deeply affected by the derogatory social media post and comments. In a society that values religious pluralism and mutual respect, it is incumbent upon individuals to exercise prudence and refrain from actions that may cause unwarranted offence or hurt the sentiments of others, particularly in matters as sensitive as religious beliefs and practices.”
Furthermore, the court rejected the accused’s plea, holding that the remarks on Shivling amply demonstrate his malevolent motive with regard to the religious sentiments of other communities. According to the allegations, the accused intentionally shared offensive photos of Lord Shiva on social media platforms and posted derogatory remarks with the explicit goal of hurting the religious sentiments of another community. He is facing a formal complaint under Sections 153-A, 295-A of the Indian Penal Code and Section 6 of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act.
