Tension erupted in a Christian missionary school in Telangana after the administration objected to students wearing religious attire, leading to vandalism of the school. The incident took place in Mother Teresa School of Luxettipet in Kannepalli village in the Mancherial district on 16th April, after some students arrived wearing ‘Hanuman Deeksha dress’.
The students, who were dressed in saffron-coloured religious attire were reportedly informed that their parents needed to obtain permission in advance if they wanted to attend school without wearing uniforms. The principal of the school didn’t allow the students to enter their classes, and made them stand outside until they brought their parents to the school.
Attacking a school in Adilabad Telangana that too chanting Jai Shree Ram!
After the students informed their parents about the same, members of a religious group arrived outside the school and started protesting. They demanded action against the school management for not allowing the students to enter the school and appear for their annual examinations because of their dress. Later, some protestors barged into the school and vandalised some windows as well as manhandled the staff, including the headmaster. After the violence intensified, police reached the spot to control the situation and were seen removing the protesters who were demanding an apology from the school staff.
The school management has lodged a complaint against the protestors over the vandalism. In the meanwhile, the parents also have registered a complaint against the school for not allowing their children to enter their classroom. The case was registered under sections 153(A) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion or race) and 295(A) (insulting religious feelings).
The parents said that the students were wearing religious attire as part of a 21-day special religious observance. The parents also alleged that while the school allows religious prayer of one community, they were not allowing religious costumes for students observing Hanuman Deeksha.
Talking about the incident, Mancherial Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Ashok Kumar stated, “The exams were going on. After the exam, the principal told the students to come in uniform and that if they wanted to wear saffron clothes, they had to get permission. That triggered the parents. Previously also there were some complaints against the principal and it was there in the parents’ mind. It was a Tuesday and there was a temple nearby and all this escalated and led to vandalism.”
The youngsters were performing a 21-day penance known as “Hanuman Deeksha,” according to the police. Dandepally police have filed two First Information Reports (FIRs) in response to allegations from the school management and parents of the children. The police are watching the videos in order to identify the culprits.
One of the student’s parents reported to the police that his son and two of his classmates in Class 4 were turned away from school because they were dressed in “Hanuman Mala Deeksha.” He asserted that the principal and correspondent of the school purposefully offended their religious feelings, inciting animosity and disrupting religious harmony in public. Parents further charged that prayers of one community are allowed but Hanuman Deeksha during which people wear Mala (scared string of beads) and saffron outfits are not permitted.
In their complaint, the school administration accused several people, including four suspects of breaking into the premises, preparing to forcibly detain the school correspondent, assaulting him physically and breaking classroom windows. They claimed a loss of property valued at Rs 30,000 and stated that gates and a statue of Mother Teresa had been destroyed.
Students were permitted to take the exam on 15th April, based on the school’s correspondent, Father Jaimon Joseph, a member of the Missionary Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament (MCBS) which oversees the institution. He claimed, “It was a miscommunication and false news was spread on social media leading to over 500 people reaching the school on Tuesday morning. The attack on the school continued for nearly four hours and we suspect it was pre-planned.”
“The principal told students on Monday afternoon that they have to get permission to arrive in saffron clothes. Had their parents even telephoned us, we would have granted the permission. On Tuesday morning, one of the students still came in saffron clothes and we did not stop the student. By then, a huge mob came to school and attacked us,” he added.
In the two cases filed in relation to the incident, Sections 153a (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc.) and 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) have been invoked against the school management. On the other hand, IPC sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 427 (mischief causing damage), 452 (trespassing into a house with the intent to do harm), 506 (criminal intimidation), 143 (unlawful assembly) and 149 (common object) have been used against the vandals.
The Election Commission of India on Thursday denied before Supreme Court the news report, claiming that four electronic voting machines (EVMs) were recording one extra vote for BJP during a mock poll in Kerala’s Kasaragod.
ECI official present in Supreme Court said that news reported and cited is totally false.
Senior deputy election commissioner Nitesh Kumar Vyas told a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta that “These news reports are false. We have verified the allegation from the district collector and it appears that they are false. We will submit a detailed report to the court.”
Response of ECI official came during the hearing of a batch of pleas seeking complete cross-verification of votes cast using EVMs with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT).
Earlier in the day, the bench asked senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for the Election Commission, to look into the issue after advocate Prashant Bhushan cited a news report and flagged the issue.
Bhushan, representing NGO ‘Association for Democratic Reforms’, cited a report on mock poll results of Kerala where extra votes for BJP were found recorded.
As asked by the bench, ECI official present in the court room explained the working of the EVMs and VVPAT.
He said manufacturer does not know which button is going to be allotted to which party or which machine is going to be allotted to which State.
He also apprised the court that there had been no mismatch ever between EVMs and VVPAT slips.
During the hearing, the bench observed, “This is electoral process. There has to be sanctity. Let nobody have apprehension that something which is expected is not being done.”
VVPAT is an independent vote verification system which enables an elector to see whether his vote was cast correctly.
The VVPAT generates a paper slip that is kept in a sealed cover and can be opened if there is a dispute. Currently, VVPAT slips of five randomly selected EVMs in every Assembly segment are verified.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
Leftist propaganda portal The Wire published a self-proclaimed ‘investigative’ piece on 17th April, ‘uncovering’ the facts already out in the public domain about the Adani Defence and Aerospace’s joint venture with Israeli defence manufacturer Elbit Systems to manufacture unarmed aerial vehicles (UAVs).
The leftist propaganda outlet insinuated that the Modi government abstaining from the UN’s April 2024 resolution for the Gaza ceasefire was somehow linked to Adani’s drone exports to Israel. It further claimed that Adani Group has in February this year exported 20 Hermes 900 drones to Israel which would be used by Israeli forces in its war in Palestine.
The Wire in its article titled: “India’s Refusal to Back UN Arms Embargo on Israel May Be Linked to Adani Drone Exports” claimed that the Central government abstained on a resolution at the Human Rights Council on 5th April that called on Israel for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and called on states to implement an arms embargo, since it would harm India’s defence export interests in Israel.
The Wire report
The Wire claimed that the Indian government took a U-turn this time since it voted in favour of a UN resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza on 12th December last year. The propaganda portal, however, did not mention that unlike the resolution adopted on 5th April, the terms of the December resolution did not call upon states to stop defence sales and transfers including those of arms, munitions, and military equipment to Israel or surveillance goods and technologies and less-lethal weapons including dual-use items.
Coming back to Adani drone sales and Israel, The Wire’s founder Siddharth Varadrajan in an X post presented the propaganda piece as more of an ‘exposé’ on Adani drone sales.
“EXCLUSIVE—R Ramachandran investigates extent of Adani drone sales. Company is coy about destination but customer is Israel. Fun fact: Adani tells The Wire drones are for ‘non combat’ use! MoD ‘munitions’ licensing tells another story. #Genocide_in_Gaza,” Varadrajan posted.
In another post, he accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani of extending the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
“Papa warr bhi badhane ka kaam kar rahein hain, itne acche hain hamare Modiji aur unke best friend Adaniji!” Varadrajan wrote on X.
In its pursuit to establish their sinister narrative that somehow Adani Group and the Modi government are helping Israel in the ongoing war, The Wire claimed that Adani Defence and Aerospace exported 20 Hermes 900 UAVs to Israel without the approval of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Notably, in 2016, Adani Defence and Aerospace and Israeli defence manufacturer Elbit Systems had formed a joint venture— Adani-Elbit Advanced Systems India Ltd to manufacture Hermes 900 Medium Altitude Long Endurance unmanned aerial vehicles in India. In 2018, the Adani Elbit JV opened its first UAV manufacturing facility in Telangana’s Hyderabad. The version of the Hermes 900 made in India by the JV is called Drishti 10.
While the Indian armed forces are the primary customer of the company, it is free to export the drones too. Since the two companies have a joint venture, it is not surprising if the JV terms also included guaranteed orders as pointed out by IndiaToday journalist Shiv Aroor.
Not sure what’s there to ‘investigate’ here. The Adani Group literally has a JV with Israeli drone firm Elbit that assembles drones in Telangana. Guaranteed orders likely in the JV terms. I understand the need to go after Adani, but this is clown-level stuff. ??♂️ pic.twitter.com/Edcfm7DDaD
Back in 2018, it was reported that Adani Group had received an order to manufacture Hermes 900 UAVs for the Israeli Defence Forces. Thus, The Wire is somehow ‘investigating’ something that is already out in the open.
The Wire quotes unconfirmed reports to claim that Adani Defence and Aerospace is exporting drones to Israel for its war in Gaza
Interestingly, The Wire quoted an Adani Defence and Aerospace Ltd press statement from 2020 which read: “Hermes 900 is a state of the art, combat-proven multi-role unmanned platform with an endurance of 36 hours, payload capacity of 420 kg, altitude of over 32,000 feet (10km+) with applications across civil, defense and homeland security.
The leftist portal emphasised the specifications of Hermes 900 to make the case that dual-use UAVs and drones are subject to specific regulations that apply to all SCOMET (Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment and Technologies) exports. Notably, drones and UAVs come under Category 5B of the SCOMET List.
The Wire claimed that it examined the minutes of Inter-ministerial Working Group (IMWG) meetings between January 2015 and March 2024 to find if any Adani-Elbit’s application, or approval/denial for export of SCOMET item.
It then cited an Adani Defence and Aerospace spokesperson’s response to their query, The Wire said that the defence manufacturer somehow ‘admitted’ to not having obtained a SCOMET licence since the spokesperson reportedly said that “Adani Defence exported aero-structures and subsystems of 20+ Drishti 10 UAVs for surveillance and reconnaissance missions (non-combat) between 2019 and 2023. It is reiterated that these drones are purpose-built for surveillance and reconnaissance missions and can’t be used for attack roles,” adding that as per Ministry of Defence guidelines, the company took due permissions from the Department of Defence Production for the deliveries.
Interestingly, citing several media reports from February 2024, The Wire report said Adani Defence and Aerospace exported 20 Drishti 10 UAVs to Israel to insinuate that Israel is using India-made drones in its war in Gaza. However, neither Elbit nor Adani Defence and Aerospace have confirmed the claim first made in the Shephard Mediareport. The Wire’s report relies more on its insinuations and outpour of sympathy for the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas than facts.
The Wire report lamented that since Adani spokesperson reportedly told them that the due permissions were obtained from the Department of Defence Production for the export of 20 Drishti 10 drones, it will eventually be used by Israeli forces for military use, despite the spokesperson saying that these drones are purpose-built for surveillance and reconnaissance missions and cannot be used for attack roles. It claimed that even if not for dropping bombs, “their surveillance and reconnaissance operations can potentially assist the armed forces and thus be used in combat.”
On one hand, The Wire insinuates that Adani did not obtain a SCOMET licence and DGFT approval, on the other it also asserts that the 20 Drishti 10 drones will be used by Israel for military operations since the permission for its export was taken from DDP and not DFGT since ‘Surveillance and Reconnaissance’ is categorised as “military use”. However, regardless of the purpose it is used for, capturing images and videos from high altitudes or a distance is the basic role of any drone. The Surveillance data gathered by the drones can be used for combat operations, but that does not mean that the Drishti 10 drones are being actively used in combat, as Wire is trying to insinuate.
The important point to note is Hermes 900 is an Israeli drone, and Israeli defence forces already use a large number of Hermes 900 drones and its earlier versions like Hermes 450 drones made by Elbit in Israel. Hermes is actually one of the most widely used military drones in the world, and several countries have bought the drone for their forces.
It is pertinent to mention that Adani Defence and Aerospace’s spokesperson did not mention where the 20 Drishti 10 drones were exported. Even though this is not unusual, The Wire used this to assert that the company is coy about the country where these UAVs were exported.
The Wire dog whistling Islamists and leftist ecosystem to attack Adani to globalise their anti-Adani campaign
After the Indian public refused to buy the Congress party’s sinister anti-Adani campaign aimed at projecting Gautam Adani as a rich villain and PM Modi as a corrupt crony capitalist leader, The Wire has decided to undertake the mammoth task. The above-discussed article by the propaganda outlet makes it clear that The Wire is hell-bent on vilifying the Adani Group and drawing the attention of global Islamists towards its apocryphal narrative that Adani is somehow helping Israel in its war against ‘innocent’ Palestinians. For this, the propaganda outlet has qualms in passing off its imaginations and insinuations and ‘investigation’.
It appears to be a part of a sinister plan to bring down Adani and cause disruption in the Indian economy which is treading its ambitious path towards becoming the third-largest economy by 2030. From sea and airport management, electricity generation and transmission, mining, natural gas, food, and defence to infrastructure, the Adani conglomerate has become a key player and is significantly contributing to India’s growth alongside providing employment opportunities.
Furthermore, reports say that Adani Group is the most trusted source of energy resources in India, owning eight airports that account for roughly 25% of airline passenger traffic and 33% of cargo, building several data centres across the country, has contracts of laying over 5,000 km of roads, and manufacturing solar and wind equipment for the country’s renewable energy ambitions. Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) is also building the world’s largest renewable energy project, Khavda Renewable Energy Park.
Given the presence of the Adani conglomerate in various sectors, its collapse would cause irreparable damage to India’s economy and its related ambitions.
Left-liberals and their Adani hate
This is not the first time that the left-liberal ecosystem has attacked the Adani Group. It is worth recalling how in January 2023, Hindenburg Research accused the Adani Group of fraud and stock price manipulation. The charges were denied by Gautam Adani who claimed that no regulatory failure was found by the expert committee which was constituted by the Supreme Court. The Adani Group has dismissed the Hindenburg report as a “malicious combination of selective misinformation and stale, baseless and discredited allegations’. To the joy of the left-liberals, short-sellers report had caused significant damage to the Adani Group. Moreover, Adani’s wealth had also seen a dip as he lost one-third of his total fortune in just a month after the controversy as his net worth dropped below $40 billion in February last year. Since then, however, Adani has bounced back becoming the richest Indian in the Bloomberg Index in January this year.
Despite the best efforts of the usual anti-development and anti-Modi forces, the Supreme Court in January this year ruled that it could not interfere with the regulatory framework or use the Hindenburg report as a justification for launching an SIT investigation. After the Hindenburg controversy failed to cause lasting damage to the Adani Group, the leftist media is desperately finding new ways to attack the business mammoth.
A 24-year-old man identified as Ayan Pathan was arrested in Madhya Pradesh’s Guna district on Thursday (18th April) for reportedly assaulting, raping, and torturing a Hindu woman by applying salt and chilli powder on her wounds and also for pouring glue in her mouth.
According to police officer Dileep Rajoriya, the accused, Ayan Pathan, was pressing the 23-year-old woman to marry her. He also quoted the woman’s mother as stating that the accused wanted their house.
The video of the victim woman is making rounds on social media in which she is seen telling that the accused had trapped her in a love affair and that he wanted her property. “I have known him for a month or two. He stays in the neighborhood. Since then he has been assaulting, raping and torturing me for the property. I am fatherless and I stay with my mother in Guna. The accused said that he loved me but later he began harassing me for my property,” the girl said.
The victim added that the accused abused her by using a leather belt and iron instrument and that he also poured salt and chili powder into her wounds. He also poured fevicol in her mouth once to make her shut her up.
As per the girl, she never complained before, given her feelings for him, but this is the third time that he brutally beat her. The girl then reached the police station and filed a complaint resulting in his arrest.
The mother of the girl meanwhile said that the girl was trapped in a love affair only for her property. She demanded the strictest punishment for the accused.
According to Dileep Rajoriya, a police officer, the victim told authorities that the accused held her hostage for a month and frequently raped her. On Tuesday (16th April) she tried to flee, but Pathan allegedly pursued and abused her.
Pathan was arrested on Wednesday (17th April) night when he was illegally supplying alcohol. The accused has been charged under Sections 376 (rape), 294 (obscene language), 323 (voluntarily causing pain), and the Excise Act. Police said they could file further charges following an investigation.
The Enforcement Directorate has informed a Delhi Court that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is deliberately trying to raise his blood sugar levels.
As per reports, ED counsel Zoheb Hossain submitted before special judge Kaveri Baweja that the scam-accused Delhi CM, currently in Tihar jail under judicial custody, has claimed that he is a diabetic. But he took court permission to get food delivered from his home and has been consuming foods with high sugar content.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday told a Delhi Court that while Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is claiming that his sugar levels are high, he is having mangoes, sweets and tea with sugar in jail. Read more: https://t.co/zv1uZ7rrjO#ArvindKejriwal… pic.twitter.com/gzqT97tv2H
The ED counsel has informed the court that Kejriwal has been eating sweets, mangoes and even drinking his tea with added sugar. The submission was made in response to a special request by Kejriwal to get regular checkups for his sugar levels and consultation with his regular doctor via video conference.
“The cause of concern is he was allowed prescribed home-cooked food because he claimed he has high diabetes. But he is having mangoes, sweets, and sugar with tea. This is a basis to create a ground for bail,” Hossain submitted.
Hossain informed the court that the ED came to know about Kejriwal’s food habits and diet after they wrote to Tihar jail authorities inquiring about his diet and medicines that he is taking.
Kejriwal’s lawyer Vivek Jain objected to ED’s submission, and claimed that the ED is doing it only for media headlines. However, he withdrew the appeal for regular sugar checks and video call with a familiar doctor, saying hat he would soon submit a better appeal.
Kejriwal’s counsel has earlier made submission in the Rouse Avenue court regarding the scam-accused CM’s sugar levels and health status.
The court had allowed home-cooked food to be delivered for Kejriwal after a submission.
Sugar-level trick from the popular Prison Break series
It is notable here that using fake blood sugar levels to escape from jail has some pop-culture references. In the popular American TV series Prison Break, the protagonist Micheal Scofield plans an elaborate scheme to get himself and his brother Lincoln out of the high-security Fox River prison. Micheal lets the jail authorities be convinced that he has diabetes by using a drug called PUGNAc, which falsely shows him as a diabetic. Eventually, he uses the visits to the jail infirmary to fix a crucial step in his plan and even manages to befriend the jail doctor. Michael eventually escapes from the Fox River prison with his brother and several others.
How AAP had created drama over Kejriwal’s ‘severe diabetes’
The Aam Aadmi Party, along with ministers Saurabh Bharadwaj and Atishi Marlena, had made claims that Kejriwal has severe diabetes and the ED and Tihar Jail would be responsible if his health deteriorates.
दिल्ली के CM @ArvindKejriwal Severe Diabetes Patient हैं। Diabetes ऐसी बीमारी है, जो जब Severe होती है, तो उसके साथ और बहुत सारी Complications होती हैं।
Diabetes का असर इंसान के Heart, Kidney, आंखों और पूरे Nervous System पर पड़ता है।
On 3rd April, the Tihar Jail authorities dismissed claims about his failing health and stated that Kejriwal’s health is fine. They had added that his weight has been constant and other vital parameters are normal too. They had also mentioned that as per count order, home-cooked food is being delivered to the Delhi CM.
Liquor policy scam
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal was arrested on 21st March by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the now-defunct Delhi Liquor Policy. The trial court remanded Kejriwal to ED detention until 28th March. Later the court granted ED his custody till 1st April after which he was remanded to 15 days of judicial custody. On 1st April, he was transferred to Tihar Jail where he is currently detained. According to court orders, he is receiving several facilities from home including food.
In November 2021, the Delhi Government introduced a new liquor policy. In June 2022, the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee filed a complaint against the policy. In July 2022, the Chief Secretary of Delhi flagged the anomalies in the policy. Delhi LG requested CBI to initiate a probe and ED joined the investigation by registering a matter under PMLA. Since then, multiple arrests have been made including Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, and Satyendra Jain. BRS MLA K Kavitha is also in custody in the liquor policy case.
On April 9, the Delhi High Court dismissed Kejriwal’s plea against his arrest by ED. Making grave observations on the involvement of CM Kejriwal, the Delhi HC said the ED’s evidence shows he conspired and was actively involved in the use and concealment of the proceeds of the crime.
“The evidence gathered by the ED indicates that Mr Arvind Kejriwal conspired and played an active role in the utilization and concealment of proceeds of crime. The ED’s case also suggests his involvement both in a personal capacity and as the convenor of AAP”, the HC had noted.
The Islamic Council of New South Wales released a statement on 16th April concerning the horrifying stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel in Assyrian Christ The Good Shepherd Church at Sydney’s Wakeley. The organisation condemned the authorities for terming the crime as a “terror attack” while comparing it to the instance at Westfield shopping centre at Bondi Junction which resulted in the death of six individuals.
However, the 16-year-old attacker repeatedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” and even made religious remarks including a reference to the Islamic prophet Muhammad during his assault on the bishop. He had also recently converted to Islam. On the other hand, the Bondi Junction attacker didn’t indulge in any religious sloganeering or uttered comments pertaining to any particular religion.
Notably, the Islamic Council of New South Wales appeared to have conveniently ignored the striking distinction between the two assailants and accused the police of giving a communal colour to the ordeal and alleged that the minor suffered from “behavioural and mental health issues.”
The letter read, “The Islamic Council of NSW (ICNSW) is deeply shocked and saddened by the events that occurred on Saturday in Bondi Junction and last night at the Christ The Good Shepherd Church in the suburb of Wakeley. We pass on our condolences and prayers to all of those affected. We are thankful to God that nobody has died as a result of last night’s attack perpetrated by a 16-year-old individual who is known to have behavioural and mental health issues.”
The Islamic outfit conveyed that any faith’s hallowed halls of worship are revered havens of tranquillity and added that the places as well as their congregations must be respected and protected. It then brought up the mass stabbing at Bondi Junction and asserted, “We find it bewildering that the weekend’s devastating incident at Bondi Junction where 6 victims were tragically killed in a targeted attack has been attributed by authorities to be exclusively motivated by the mental health issues of the perpetrator.”
The statement attempted to make a connection between the two incidents and accused, “Yet in stunning contrast, the incident at Christ The Good Shepherd Church, where thankfully nobody was killed, was designated as a terrorist act within hours of the incident, despite the fact the perpetrator is known to have a history of behavioural and mental health issues.”
The group charged that referring to the instance as a “religiously motivated terrorist act” communicates to the Australian community that terrorism is exclusive to Muslims, regardless of an individual’s age, mental state, or self-motivated activities and added, “Mental health issues, like terrorism, are not exclusive to any community. The NSW government’s decision to label this as a terrorist act is irresponsible and we believe will only increase the likelihood of further tensions within the Australian community by fuelling social division and disharmony.”
Islamic Council of New South Wales demanded that the 16-year-old minor’s forensic mental health evaluation be done immediately and that the authorities carefully weigh all potential social repercussions of their choices. It concluded with, “We have had an ongoing mental health crisis in NSW. The government should give urgent consideration and focus on addressing this crisis. We all need to work together to confront this tragic reality that is now impacting all of us.”
“We believe there are elements that are satisfied in terms of religiously motivated extremism. After consideration of all the material, I declared that it was a terrorist incident,” declared New South Wales State Police Commissioner Karen Webb. The male attacker travelled far from his house to the church carrying a knife, indicating, according to the police, “a degree of premeditation.”
BREAKING: In Australia ( Sydney) a knife st@being just happened at the Christ the Good Shepherd Church, on a livestream.
According to Australian media accounts, the youngster stabbed the bishop at least eight times in the face, neck and torso and screamed “Allahu Akbar.” Australian counterterrorism officials are aware of his other expressions including on the Islamic prophet Muhammad, in addition to the religious proclamations. The church service was being streamed live when the attack happened and left four people injured during the mass.
In a scathing attack against Congress, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said that the Left parties do not need the 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.
In his campaign speeches Rahul Gandhi has alleged that while Central investigation agencies go after other governments run by opposition parties, in Kerala they did not do so, hinting at a possible background deal between CM Vijayan and PM Modi.
Rahul’s allegation is a reiteration of what the Congress leaders of the state have been saying against the Chief Minister.
CM Vijayan also questioned the secular credentials of the Congress, adding that the party is “degenerating into BJP’s B team”. The Chief Minster said that Congress is not displaying the flags of its ally Indian Union Muslim League for the campaign of Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad and termed this as an example of weakening of the secular tradition of the Congress.
“This situation depicts the significant decline of the Congress party and the UDF, where they struggle to hold their party flag or that of their ally, the Muslim League, upright while seeking votes,” 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. Consequently, the Congress has evolved into a party primarily focused on gaining traction within the realm of power politics,” he said.
While exuding confidence in strong performance of the Left Democratic Front in the upcoming general election in Kerala, he also questioned the credibility of pre-poll surveys.
“Just as we often discuss paid news, some surveys have taken on a similar tone. Certain media outlets have been particularly active, propagating half-truths, exaggerations, and misleading information to their readers,” he said.
“People are questioning whether this survey is biased. Can you provide the audience with the scientific analysis that led to this conclusion? The methodology behind the survey, including the sample size and how the results were predicted, remains undisclosed in the pre-poll survey findings. These figures, backed by certain agencies, serve only to mislead the public. The pre-poll survey results from the previous assembly elections stand as a prime example of this manipulation,” he added.
Although the Left parties and the Congress are part of a larger INDIA bloc, they are opposed to each other in Kerala where the Congress is currently in opposition as part of the UDF alliance.
All the 20 constituencies in Kerala go to the poll on April 26 in the second phase of the Lok Sabha election.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls while the Congress party had won 15 seats, its allies, the Indian Union Muslim League, won two seats, the Revolutionary Socialist Party won one, and the Kerala Congress (M) won one seat. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) won one seat in Alappuzha.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has hit out at the Congress scion Rahul Gandhi and the entire Congress leadership for not putting up a fight against the BJP.
The President of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) said that Rahul Gandhi and National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah are “spoon-fed kids” who have not done anything on their own.
He said that both Rahul Gandhi and Omar Abdullah have not made any personal sacrifices in life. “They are enjoying the inherited legacy from Indira Gandhi and Sheikh Abdullah respectively,” he said.
Azad also said that Rahul Gandhi seeks refuge in states with large number of minority community. “Why Rahul Gandhi claims to be fighting against the BJP? His actions suggest otherwise. Why he is hesitant to contest in the BJP-ruled states? Why he seek refuge in states with high minority community?” Azad said.
The former senior Congress leader was addressing a rally in Udhampur for his party candidate GM Saroori. “The Congress party is reluctant to engage in direct confrontations and they have a tendency to seek out safe seats where minority populations are sizeable,” he said.
Azad also accused the Congress of preferring “safe seats” in states like Kerala. He had recently stated that he believes that the Congress has allied with the BJP and it wants the saffron party to win the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Nine persons are facing serious criminal charges in what has been termed Canada’s largest-ever gold theft which occurred at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport a year ago. Authorities called the plot “Netflix-worthy.” According to a statement released on 17th April by Peel Regional Police, 6,600 gold bars valued at over 20 million Canadian dollars ($14.5 million) and foreign currencies valued at CA$2.5 million ($1.8 million) were stolen in April of last year. Officials revealed that the gold was melted down and used to procure illegal weapons.
A former Air Canada manager who provided police with a tour of the facility’s cargo following the theft is among those charged, along with an employee of Air Canada’s warehouse. 37-year-old Ali Raza from Toronto who is the proprietor of a jewellery store is also an accused in the case. 54-year-old Air Canada employee Parmpal Sidhu was apprehended and charged with theft over $5,000 as well as conspiracy to commit an indictable crime while a hunt is on for 31-year-old Simran Preet Panesar who is no longer working with the airline. Both of them are from Punjab and live in Brampton, Ontario.
Those who have been nabbed include Amit Jalota (40) of Oakville, Ontario, Ammad Chaudhary (43) of Georgetown, Ontario and Prasath Paramalingam (35) of Brampton. They are scheduled to appear in court at a later time after being released on bond. Mclean, a 25-year-old Brampton resident who drove the truck that is believed to have picked up the gold is being held in the United States on charges connected to trafficking and weapons. Authorities are also searching for 36-year-old Archit Grover from Brampton and 42-year-old Arsalan Chaudhary from Mississauga, Ontario.
“This story is a sensational one and one which, probably, we jokingly say, belongs in a Netflix series,” stated Peel regional police chief, Nishan Duraiappah, standing in front of the truck utilised in the heist. According to the authorities, all nine of them are charged with up to 19 different offences.
Members of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives joined the Peel regional police to share updates regarding a “vast and complex” investigation that took place across the border between the two nations. A legitimate airline waybill that had been used for a seafood order the day before was presented by the robbers, who arrived at the airport in a five-ton truck, enabling them to get away with the gold.
According to Peel Reginal Detective Sgt. Mike Mavity, on 17th April 2023, an Air Canada flight carried 419 kilos (923 pounds) of gold bars and foreign money that were ordered from a refinery in Zurich, Switzerland. He added that in the late afternoon, a truck driver showed up at the cargo warehouse of the airline bearing a forged invoice that had been given to an airline warehouse attendant. The official unveiled that the gold was stolen by using a bill for seafood that had been picked up the previous day. According to him, the duplicate bill was printed in the Air Canada warehouse.
The story started when Brink’s Co. was contracted by a Swiss bank and a precious metals refining company to transfer valuables from Zurich to Toronto. About 400 kilograms of gold, valued at $20 million at the time, were included in the package, along with about $2.5 million worth of banknotes in various currencies, according to the police. The valuables were flown to Canada by Air Canada which Brink’s organized and the aircraft touched down at Toronto Pearson International Airport on the afternoon of the fateful day. After the gold bars and bills were transported to a shipping facility, a driver arrived in a white truck with a fraudulent document at approximately 6:30 p.m. to claim the consignment.
A forklift soon afterwards loaded the big box containing the gold and cash onto the truck. Three hours later, when Brink’s staff arrived to retrieve the shipment, they were informed that it was missing. The gold was melted down and allegedly used to finance the purchase of guns meant for sale in Canada as part of a trafficking ring. Seized items for the investigation included smelting pots, moulds and casts.
One kilogram of gold and almost $400,000 in cash were found after Peel Regional Police investigators worked with the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Authorities suspect that to hide its source, the stolen gold was melted down and the proceeds were then used to pay for the purchase of weapons and up to 65 guns were allegedly recovered.
On Wednesday (17th April), massive violence erupted in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal after the Ram Navami procession carried out by the Hindu community was brutally attacked by some of the miscreants. The miscreants also pelted stones at the Hindu procession as it passed a mosque in the Beldanga region of the state. As far as 20 persons are said to have been injured.
As per the initial reports, there were reports of crude bombs going off as the rally was in its final stage. However, a report by Live Mint states that a blast happened at the location due to which chaos erupted. Later the miscreants pelted stones at the Hindu participants from the roofs of the houses in the locality.
Reports of massive stone pelting at a Ram Navami shobha jatra in rejinagar, murshidabad, West Bengal pic.twitter.com/0fDRMeR4Tt
One woman in this incident suffered severe injuries and was immediately taken to the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital.
Large forces have been deployed in the area. Earlier this week, the Election Commission replaced the DIG of Murshidabad following unrest in the Kamnagar region, where prohibitory orders had been enforced.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who had ‘raised concern’ over possible violence during Ram Navami and accused the BJP of “fomenting unrest to polarise” the Lok Sabha polls, said the EC would be held accountable if there was any violence in Murshidabad.
Following the incident in Murshidabad, BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Suvendu Adhikari slammed the chief minister, accusing her of incitement and claiming that police shot tear gas shells to disperse the procession.
“The Ram Navami Processions were disrupted and attacked at various places across the State of West Bengal, due to the CM’s provocative speech which successfully incited miscreants, who were assured that the Law enforcement Agency won’t act against them as their hands have been tied due to CM’s public stance on Ram Navami; a day, which according to her is a day for rioting,” he said.
The Ram Navami Processions were disrupted and attacked at various places across the State of West Bengal, due to the CM's provocative speech which successfully incited miscreants, who were assured that the Law enforcement Agency won't act against them as their hands have been… pic.twitter.com/HXwJvP4Pdx
— Suvendu Adhikari (Modi Ka Parivar) (@SuvenduWB) April 18, 2024
“I have written a letter to the Hon’ble Governor; Dr. C.V. Ananda Bose, apprising him regarding the attacks on the Processions taken out on the occasion of Ram Navami on 17.04.2024 and requested him to immediately intervene in order to control the failing Law and Order Situation, as well as getting the incidents investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA),” he added.
BJP West Bengal’s official X handle also posted a video about the incident and said that Hindus were also targeted in Rejinagar, Murshidabad, a minority in the area. “Mamata Banerjee’s incompetence in safeguarding Ramanavami Shobha Yatras in West Bengal is appalling,” it added.
Mamata Banerjee's incompetence in safeguarding Ramanavami Shobha Yatras in West Bengal is appalling. Hindus targeted in Rejinagar, Murshidabad, a minority in the area. pic.twitter.com/4ylHH3ayf2
Meanwhile, amid this and ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, a BJP office in Nandigram has been set on fire. As per a report by Times Now, the BJP has blamed the TMC for the violence on Hindus in Murshidabad and also for the Nandigram incident. However, it has been reported that these two are separate incidents and equally terrifying, especially a day ahead of the Lok Sabha poll.
Notably, in a video that was posted by BJP’s Amit Malviya on X, it could be seen that the West Bengal Police were assaulting the Hindu participants for recording the violence executed by the miscreants. A shop could be seen set on fire in the Rejinagar area and when one of the Hindu participants of the rally tried to capture the video, the police hit him saying they wanted ‘peace’ in the area. However, the police could be seen standing still with sticks in their hands as the shop catched the fire.
Mamata Banerjee is a blot on West Bengal. She, once again, failed to protect Ramanavami Shobha Yatras. Hindu devotees targeted in Rejinagar, Murshidabad. Hindus are a minority in this area. Just pointing it out, so that she doesn’t blame the Hindus for the attack on themselves… pic.twitter.com/pzvJt0aZ4x
— Amit Malviya (मोदी का परिवार) (@amitmalviya) April 17, 2024
“Mamata Banerjee is a blot on West Bengal. She, once again, failed to protect Ramanavami Shobha Yatras. Hindu devotees targeted in Rejinagar, Murshidabad. Hindus are a minority in this area. Just pointing it out, so that she doesn’t blame the Hindus for the attack on themselves,” Malviya said.
It is crucial to note that ahead of Ram Navami yesterday, the West Bengal Chief Minister could be seen indirectly inciting violence and blaming Hindus for it. “Greetings to all on the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami. I appeal to maintain peace, prosperity, and development for all,” Banerjee said blatantly holding Hindus responsible for the violence in the state like every time.
The celebration of Ramnavami in the state of West Bengal has always been in the discussions, given the state CM Mamata Banerjee’s hatred towards Hindus and her favoritism towards the ‘minority community’. Earlier also, several violent incidents happened in the state during which Hindus were attacked and they only were blamed for carrying out attacks on themselves for the political benefit. Detailed reports regarding the same can be read here.
In the given situation, the police force has been deployed in the areas of Murshidabad where the violence happened yesterday. Investigations in the case is underway.
