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“Bharat will teach them a lesson for insulting Shakti”: UP CM Yogi Adityanath hits out at Congress, INDI bloc over Surjewala’s insult to Hema Malini

OpIndia Staff
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“Bharat will teach them a lesson for insulting Shakti”: UP CM Yogi Adityanath hits out at Congress, INDI bloc over Surjewala’s insult to Hema Malini

Randeep Surjewala’s sexist remark against BJP MP from Mathura, Hema Malini has come back to bite him. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has retorted saying that other parties are unable to find candidates to field for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections which is why Congress leaders have lost their sanity and are insulting fifty per cent of the country’s population that is women.

On Thursday, 4th April, BJP leader Amit Malviya shared a video of Congress leader Randeep Surjewala in which the latter could be heard saying that BJP MP Hema Malini had been chosen as an MP only because of her beauty. He also indicated that the other leaders in the Lok Sabha liked staring at her.

“Why do we elect MLA/MP? So that they can raise our voices, and get our views accepted. They are not Hema Malini who is made MP to lick her,” Surjewala was heard saying, the video of which is going viral on social media.

While addressing a public meeting in Mathura, Yogi Adityanath took a jibe at the Surjewala and the Congress party. He said, “When Hema Malini has become a candidate for the third time here, no other party is being able to find a candidate. They are bringing candidates as gifts or offerings.”

He added, “Unable to get candidates, Congress leaders have lost their calm. They have stooped so low as to insult half of Bharat’s population by making disrespectful remarks against Bharat’s Matri Shakti. But the Congressis and INDI Alliance should know that this is Radhe Rani’s land and Yamuna has blessed this land; if they insult half the population then entire India will teach them such a lesson that they won’t be left to play politics.”

The UP Chief Minister’s statement was made while addressing a rally in Mathura where he shared the stage with Hema Malini and other BJP leaders. Hema Malini is the BJP Lok Sabha member from Mathura in Uttar Pradesh and is again contesting the 2024 general elections from there.

It is important to note that, earlier, Congress leader Suriya Shrinate had made vile and sexist remarks against BJP candidate from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, actress-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut, indicating that the latter was a ‘slut’.

Following the announcement of Kangana Ranaut’s candidacy for the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency in Himachal Pradesh, Congress leaders and party trolls attacked her on 25th March with sexist and derogatory remarks.

Congress National Spokesperson Supriya Shrinate posted, “Kya bhav chal raha hai Mandi me koi batayega? (Will someone tell me what the rating system in Mandi is),” in an Instagram post alongside a photo of Kangana Ranaut.

The post was later deleted.

6 months of protest, demands for restoration of normal lives: Here’s why thousands of Pakhtuns in Pakistan are protesting at border along Afghanistan

OpIndia Staff
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6 months of protest, demands for restoration of normal lives: Here’s why thousands of Pakhtuns in Pakistan are protesting at border along Afghanistan

On the Wesh-Chaman border which lies between the Islamic countries of Pakistan and Afghanistan, thousands of Pakhtun protesters have been encamped and are protesting against the government for its new policy which disallows movement across the border without a valid visa and passport. As per a report by Dawn, the decision has affected the lives of around 1.2 million people of Chaman who are now not allowed to travel through the border freely as they used to do earlier.

The national apex committee of Pakistan, composed of civil and military leaders, ruled last year that only people with legitimate passports and visas would be permitted to access the Chaman border crossing. Previously, Pakistanis and Afghans would cross the border by showing their respective identity cards. However, the shift from a relatively open to a regulated crossing with severe paperwork requirements has unintentionally impacted the lives of the people. 

So, for about 180 days, hundreds of Pakhtuns have been tented at the Friendship Gate, the authorized border crossing between Chaman and the Afghan district Spin-Boldak, in protest of the one-document policy. Demonstrators have watched changing seasons, endured tear gas, and also sustained bullet wounds. They are determined not to abandon their positions until their views are heard.

The protest termed ‘Chaman Parlat’ is being led by Chaman resident Akhwond who says that the Pakhtuns are not demanding freedom, but they just want their normal lives back in which they could travel freely across the border.

Akhwond refers to both Chaman on this side of the border and Wesh in Afghanistan. Notably, even before the continually monitored checkpoints and wire walls were established, this land was simply a home for the Pakhtuns. People by the border lived together like a family, united not only by nationality, tribe, or culture but also by strong emotions.

Sir Mortimer Durand, British Foreign Secretary, established the boundary between Afghanistan and India in 1893, which separated the Pakhtun province. The Durand Line, which spans 2,430 km, runs across Pakhtun tribal territories and divides them into two distinct countries. While Pakistan inherited the Durand Line after independence, there has been no formal agreement or recognition of it.

According to Kashif Panezai, the vice chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), the area that stays divided along the border is not just a piece of land, it is their home. “The Durand Line splits numerous villages in half and divides others from their agricultural territories; it cuts tribes and other groups in half,” he said.

“Pakhtuns have been traversing on either side of the border for years. The people on our side have half their families living in Spin-Boldak, their sisters have been married on the other side of the border, they have their businesses set up there … they even bury their dead in one graveyard,” he added describing normal life of a Pakhtun there.

But for over six months now, the Pakhtuns of Chaman have been cut off from friends, families, and livelihoods, he says.

Over the last six months, the demonstrators have engaged in multiple rounds of negotiations with the administration. However, to no avail. The meetings would always finish with the authorities stating that the situation was beyond their control because it was the military leadership who decided on visa and passport requirements.

Akhwond is even prepared to travel to Islamabad and speak with the army head. Despite many attempts, he has failed to schedule a meeting.

Meanwhile, the authorities are blaming the protesters’ ‘inflexibility’ for unsuccessful negotiations. “If you look at it through the legal lens, the government’s decision is in line with internationally outlined processes. Every state has a right to form its own border rules. The problem of Afghan nationals entering Pakistan without authentic documentation is worrisome and needs to be addressed,” Chaman Deputy Commissioner Captain Raja Athar Abbas was quoted as saying by the Dawn.

At the same time, Captain Abbas acknowledges that the citizens of Chaman experience genuine challenges. He stated that the state had been doing everything it could to accommodate the demonstrators and had been lenient on humanitarian issues such as fatalities and health concerns.

The protests still continue with thousands in tents demanding the restoration of their normal lives.

‘Will we keep Ram Lalla awake 24 hours’: Champat Rai on admin’s decision to keep Ram Mandir open whole day for Ram Navami, expresses concern on increased visitors

OpIndia Staff
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‘Will we keep Ram Lalla awake 24 hours’: Champat Rai on admin’s decision to keep Ram Mandir open whole day for Ram Navami, expresses concern on increased visitors

As the district administration in Ayodhya has decided to open the Ram Mandir for 24 hours during the festivals of Ashtami, Navami, and Dashmi falling on the 8th, 9th and 10th of April, Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra’s General Secretary, Champat Rai has raised concerns.

While speaking to the media recently, Rai asked how long can they keep Ram Lalla, a five-year-old deity, awake. “Many suggested organising ‘darshan’ for 22 hours, but that is also not possible. ‘Ram Lalla ko 24 ghante jaga kr rakhenge kya (Will we keep Ram Lalla awake for 24 hours)?” Rai said on Saturday.

Sampat Rai also raised concerns about the preparedness in the city to host a massive number of devotees during the upcoming Ram Navami. He said, “Devotees between 1 lakh and 1 lakh 50 thousand are coming here to offer prayer to Ram Lalla. The number of devotees has increased after Pran Pratishtha. At the Holi Milan, I received information that a huge crowd came. Ram Navami is coming ahead. But is Ayodhya ready to welcome a large number of guests?”

The Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Lord Ram’s idol took place on January 22, 2024, and the number of devotees visiting the temple is going up. Rai highlighted the challenges that Ayodhya faces, particularly concerning the anticipated influx of over 2 lakh guests during Ram Navami. “Heat is the biggest challenge. More than 2 lakh guests coming here (on Ram Navami) will be a big challenge. water is available, but still, food is a challenge. Till now, no incident of stampede has been witnessed here, and we hope that this will not happen in the future either,” Rai said.

He suggested that people visiting Ayodhya bring ‘sattu’ with them to eat, saying that it will save them from heat. Notably, with the onset of summer, Ram Lalla has started to wear comfortable cotton attire. On Saturday, Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra announced that the Bhagwan Shri Ramlala will be wearing cotton vastra due to rising temperature. On that, the deity wore a vastra made of handloom cotton malmal, dyed with natural indigo and adorned with gotta flowers.

Ram Navami is celebrated all over India every year on the last day of Chaitra Navaratri to mark the birth of Lord Rama. On this auspicious day, young girls, representing the nine forms of the goddess Durga, are offered gifts and Prasad.

Notably, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had during his Ayodhya visit last month directed the local administration to make sure that temple doors during these three days (Ashtami, Navami, and Dashami) should only be closed for special ceremonies. Moreover, CM Yogi asked the officials should collaborate with the transport department and make arrangements for e-buses for the devotees.

Samajwadi Party struggling to find a candidate against TV’s ‘Ram’ Arun Govil, replaces Meerut candidate for the second time

OpIndia Staff
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Samajwadi Party struggling to find a candidate against TV’s ‘Ram’ Arun Govil, replaces Meerut candidate for the second time

Leading up to the Lok Sabha elections, there’s a notable atmosphere of uncertainty stemming from the Samajwadi Party’s repeated changes in candidates across several constituencies. In Meerut, the SP has altered its candidate for the third time. Initially, Bhanu Pratap Singh was designated as the SP’s candidate for the Meerut Lok Sabha seat. After cancelling his ticket, the SP nominated Sardhana MLA Atul Pradhan, who even filed his nomination.

However, on the final day of filing nominations in Meerut, the party replaced him with Sunita Verma, the wife of former MLA Yogesh Verma, as their Lok Sabha candidate. It is evident from the recent development that the party is struggling to find a candidate against Arun Govil of the BJP who had played the role of Lord Ram in the television serial Ramayan.

According to reports, Atul Pradhan has expressed displeasure over the discussion of changing the candidate. He has reportedly warned that he will also resign from the legislature. However, on his X handle, there was a post suggesting that he agreed with the party’s decision. He wrote, “Whatever is the decision of National President Shri Akhilesh Yadav Ji, I accept it. I will soon sit and talk with my colleagues. Jai Bhim. Jai Samajwad. Inquilab Zindabad.”

Atul Pradhan filed his nomination papers for the Meerut Lok Sabha seat on Wednesday (3rd April). But the party has decided to go ahead with Sunita Verma. In Meerut, BJP’s Arun Govil will be the Lok Sabha candidate. Samajwadi Party is not getting a suitable candidate to fight against the actor who played the role of Hindu deity Lord Ram in the television serial Ramayan. Consecration of the idol of Lord Ram took place in Ayodhya on 22nd January 2024. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present as the chief guest in this program held at the grand Ram Mandir.

Meerut isn’t the sole constituency where the Samajwadi Party is grappling with candidate confusion. In Moradabad, the SP initially nominated ST Hasan, only to later rescind his ticket and replace him with Ruchi Veera, both of whom had already filed their nominations. Subsequently, Akhilesh Yadav intervened by writing to the Election Commission, asserting that the official SP candidate remained ST Hasan, and thus, he should be granted the party’s symbol, the cycle. Additionally, there are discussions about potential changes in the SP candidate for the Badaun Lok Sabha seat. Speculations suggest that Akhilesh Yadav might replace his uncle Shivpal Yadav and give the ticket to Shivpal Yadav’s son Aditya Yadav in this constituency.

Rahul Gandhi victim of an ambitious mother, forced into politics: Kangana Ranaut calls the Wayanad MP a casualty of “parivarvaad”

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi victim of an ambitious mother, forced into politics: Kangana Ranaut calls the Wayanad MP a casualty of “parivarvaad”

On Thursday, April 4, Kangana Ranaut took a dig at the first family of the Congress party in an interview with India Today TV. The popular actress, who is contesting 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi constituency on BJP ticket asserted that the Gandhi scion was the victim of an “ambitious” mother, alluding to Sonia Gandhi. Kangana further added that Sonia Gandhi “pressed” and “forced” the Wayanad MP and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra into entering the political arena.

“Rahul Gandhi is a victim of an ambitious mother. As we have seen in the film ‘3 Idiots’, kids themselves become the victims of parivarvaad. The same is the situation with Rahul Gandhi,” remarked the National Award winning actress.

Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, according to Kangana, should be free to live their own lives instead of being “tortured” by their mother to continue in politics.

Kangana Ranaut mentioned that Rahul Gandhi was always being “relaunched” as a youth leader even though he was older than fifty. “I feel he is being pressured and is very lonely,” she reiterated.

The Mandi-born actress noted that Rahul Gandhi should be permitted to follow a different career path, including acting. “Rahul Gandhi should have done something else and maybe tried his hand at acting. He could have become a good actor. His mother is one of the richest women in the world. There is no dearth of wealth. There have been rumours that he is romantically involved with a woman, but he is not getting married”, Kangana Ranaut said.

The multiple National Awards winning actress said that she felt a “natural alignment” with the BJP and referred to the Congress as a “ghotalebaazo ki party” (party of scamsters). She also expressed her admiration for iconic freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. She said, “I was in the film industry for 20 years and had a lavish life. I don’t see myself as a neta (politician). I am just a BJP candidate out there to serve the people.”

The star added that Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate’s now-deleted offensive post brought “pain” to her. “It is very painful. At a time when men are going out to make their careers, women are told to cover themselves and wear their dresses properly. In a way, women have been sexualised. This should not be done.”

An abusive post attacking Kangana Ranaut and her district of Mandi was made via Supriya Shrinate’s Instagram account, sparking a furious uproar. Afterwards, the Congress leader claimed that the comment was made by someone else who had access to her accounts. She was also denied a Lok Sabha ticket from the Maharajganj constituency in Uttar Pradesh by the Congress party as a result of the severe blow back to her offensive post.

Kangana’s entire interview can be seen below.

Kangana Ranaut was announced as the BJP candidate from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, last month. India will vote for the 18th Lok Sabha starting from April. The polling will be held in 7 phases and will conclude on 1st June. The results will be declared on 4th June.

Guardian ‘journalist’ offers to interview OpIndia editor-in-chief to ‘clarify’ accusations of the journalist being anti-India, anti-Hindu, declines OpIndia’s counter offer of a live stream debate

OpIndia Staff
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Guardian ‘journalist’ offers to interview OpIndia editor-in-chief to ‘clarify’ accusations of the journalist being anti-India, anti-Hindu, declines OpIndia’s counter offer of a live stream debate

Days after OpIndia exposed the nefarious anti-Hindu and anti-India agenda of leftist propaganda British newspaper The Guardian, the South Asian correspondent of the publication, Hannah Ellis-Petersen, reached out to OpIndia’s editor-in-chief Nupur J Sharma through an email.

In the email dated April 1, 2024, Hannah Ellis-Petersen offered to ‘oblige’ OpIndia with an interview to ‘clarify’ the accusations we levelled against the leftist propaganda newspaper, with ample evidence.

On March 25, 2024, OpIndia published an article on how The Guardian had been hounding Hindu rights activist, Kajal Hindustani, for an interview. The report offered ample proof showing how the three ‘journalists,’ namely,  Hannah Ellis-Petersen, Ahmer Khan, and Kyri Evangelou, selected by the leftist British newspaper to interview Kajal Hindustani have always been motivated by a distinct agenda that includes defaming India on a global scale, shaming the Hindu community, and downplaying the atrocities committed against them by Islamists.

With sufficient evidence, OpIndia documented how all three of these journalists, have a history of dehumanising Hindus and tarnishing India’s image on a global scale by disseminating vicious fake news about our country.

This particular report by OpIndia ruffled the feathers of Hannah Ellis-Petersen who was quick to shoot an email to the OpIndia editor-in-chief.

“Given that you have accused me and my colleagues of having an agenda, which I assure you we don’t, it felt necessary to offer you the opportunity to speak to us directly and give us your point of you,” a part of Hannah’s email addressed to Nupur J Sharma, OpIndia’s editor-in-chief read.

This particular email was merely an example of the entitlement mindset that Western media organisations like The Guardian and the BBC embody. The ‘journalist’ from the Guardian, who is known for spreading anti-Hindu and anti-India propaganda, truly believed that she was obliging OpIndia by giving us a chance to speak to her. However, in an incredibly based response, OpIndia’s editor-in-chief, Nupur J Sharma, made a counter-offer to The Guardian ‘journalist’ to engage in a live stream debate where she could respond to OpIndia’s questions over her anti-Hindu, anti-Indian coverage.

“Dear @HannahEP. Thank you for your email. Since you chose to not respond and in the spirit of transparency, I’m making our email exchange public. I am impressed that you think you were doing ME a favor by offering an interview. But as I said in the email, if YOU want to defend yourself to the Indian audience, I could extend YOU the platform on MY podcast. You could answer my questions about your anti-India, anti-Hindu coverage,” responded OpIndia editor-in-chief Nupur J Sharma.

Nupur also shared the screenshot of the emails exchanged between her and The Gaudian’s South Asian correspondent, Hannah Ellis-Petersen.

The Guardian ‘journalist’ turns down OpIndia’s offer

Interestingly, on expected lines, The Guardian ‘journalist’ has declined to accept OpIndia’s offer. Today (April 4), The Gaudian’s South Asian correspondent, Hannah Ellis-Petersen in yet another email response, declined to engage in a live stream debate where she could respond to OpIndia’s questions over her anti-Hindu, anti-Indian coverage.

One wonder’s here, what held Hannah Ellis-Peterson back from engaging in a conversation with OpIndia? Did she, on the down low, know that OpIndia’s findings were spot on and that she would be exposed for her own deceit and be left with no defence?

OpIndia editor-in-chief was the first to warn The Guardian against haranguing Kajal Hindustani

Nevertheless, while the leftist propaganda newspaper downplayed the development as an extension of its ‘election coverage, it is important to note that OpIndia’s editor-in-chief, Nupur J Sharma, was among the first to recognise that The Guardian was attempting to use selective people for interviews to further its malicious intent of spreading misinformation in India as the 2024 Lok Sabha elections draw nearer.

In a post on X on March 24, Nupur warned the media outlet against haranguing Kajal Hindustani and also extended her support to the Hindu rights activist.

The following day, on March 25, OpIndia revealed, with ample evidence, the anti-India and anti-Hindu agenda that these three journalists had been fostering and how their so-called sudden ‘change of heart’ to reach out to individuals across all political spectrums was part of the same ploy.

Chhattisgarh: Ishtiaq Khan and Inzamamul kidnapped two minor Hindu girls and took them to Ranchi, both girls rescued and accused arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Chhattisgarh: Ishtiaq Khan and Inzamamul kidnapped two minor Hindu girls and took them to Ranchi, both girls rescued and accused arrested

Ishtiaq Khan and Inzamamul reportedly abducted two minor Hindu girls on 1st April in the Surguja district of Chhattisgarh. The victims and accused attended the same private school. Many individuals, including members of Hindu organisations, protested the occurrence in the streets and called for stern action against the culprits. During the search, the authorities were able to locate both of the girls in Jharkhand’s Ranchi. The case is being looked into and the boys have been taken into custody.

The matter pertained to the Raghunathpur region of Surguja. Surguja Superintendent of Police Vijay Agrawal informed that on the final day of their examination, the girls, both aged 14 years old and students in 9th grade, failed to come home from school. Their concerned parents reported them missing to the police stations. Their daughters were enticed by 19-year-old Ishtiaq Khan and 20-year-old Inzamamul who attended the same school and were in Class XI and XII, according to the family members of the girls.

They further added that the youngsters were last spotted in an autorickshaw. An enraged crowd encircled the Raghunathpur police chowki on 2nd April after the four went missing and protested for their prompt rescue. The underage females headed for the school following their usual routine when they encountered the perpetrators en route. The latter seduced the duo to join them in the auto and took the girls to Ranchi.

A hunt was launched for the girls after they failed to return home. The family members contacted the police after attempting to find both of them through friends and acquaintances but to no avail. Meanwhile, information was received that both the girls had been taken away by the Muslim youths. The Hindu organisation’s members began congregating at the police station as soon as they learned of the news along with the locals and demanded strict action against the accused and safe recovery of the victims. The enraged mob attempted to set fire to the homes of the culprits and a large police force was deployed to maintain order.

The police found out that the girls had been brought to Ranchi in a bus and then contacted the senior law enforcement officials in the neighbouring state to begin an inquiry. Although the offenders had turned off their mobile devices while they were travelling, they immediately turned them back on when they arrived at the Ranchi bus stop due to which Ranchi police were notified of their location. Afterwards, they were apprehended and the girls were rescued and taken back home.

Police stated that the girls’ medical evaluations and statement recording remained pending. Sections 363, 366, and 354 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act were invoked against the accused. According to Vijay Agrawal, Raghunathpur went through a “bandh” (strike) on 3rd April but the situation was under control.

The US has not asked India to reduce its purchase of Russian oil, says American treasury official

ANI
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The US has not asked India to reduce its purchase of Russian oil, says American treasury official

The United States has not asked India to stop or reduce its oil imports from Russia and nor has it sanctioned any Indian entity for buying and refining crude oil purchased from Russia since the beginning of its war with Ukraine, according senior American officials from the United States Treasury Department.

“There is no restriction, we have not asked India to reduce Russian oil buying,” said Anna Morris, Acting Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing in response to a question at a session at the Ananta Centre in the national capital.

“Not dictating that no trade can be done with Russia,” she added at the session which focused on the on phase two of the price cap on Russian oil imposed by the G7, the European Union, and Australia.

Morris also stressed that the once Russian oil is refined it is no longer Russian oil.

“I also want to specify that once Russian oil is refined, from technical perspective it is no longer Russian oil,” she said.

In the same event, the Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy, Eric Van Nostrand, hailed India’s decision to implement price cap on Russian oil said that the decision made Russia sell oil at discounted rates to other countries, including India.

“We know that the Indian economy has much at stake in the Russian oil trade, and has much at stake from the global supply disruptions that the price cap is designed to avoid. The price cap’s goals are to limit Putin’s revenue and maintain global oil supply–essentially by creating a mechanism for India and other partners to access Russian oil at discounted prices,” he said referring to Russian President Vladamir Putin.

“The price cap’s goals are to limit Putin’s revenue and maintain global oil supply–essentially by creating a mechanism for India and other partners to access Russian oil at discounted prices. The price cap’s first year was a successful one by those standards: global oil markets remained well-supplied while Russian oil traded at a significant discount to global oil,” he added.

The US Department of Treasury issued a statement regarding the price cap on Russian oil in February this year.

“The United States is part of an international coalition of countries (the Price Cap Coalition), including the G7, the European Union, and Australia, that have agreed to prohibit the import of crude oil and petroleum products of Russian Federation origin (“Russian oil “),” the statement said.

“These countries, home to many best-in-class financial and professional services, have also agreed to restrict a broad range of services related to the maritime transport of Russian oil–unless that Russian oil is bought and sold at or below the specific price caps established by the Coalition or is authorised by a license. This policy is known as the ‘price cap’. The price cap is intended to maintain a reliable supply of crude oil and petroleum products to the global market while reducing the revenues the Russian Federation earns from oil after its own war of choice against Ukraine inflated global energy prices,” it added.

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

Rahul Gandhi’s declared asset value grew by 3583% in last 20 years, gained most from shares and mutual funds despite his constant abuses of corporate sector

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi’s declared asset value grew by 3583% in last 20 years, gained most from shares and mutual funds despite his constant abuses of corporate sector

The Election Commission on Wednesday uploaded the affidavit of Rahul Gandhi filed with the nomination from Kerala’s Wayanad for the Lok Sabha elections. The affidavit shows that in the last five years, the value of total asset of the Congress leader has gone up by over 28%, from over ₹15 crore in 2019 to over ₹20 crore in 2024. Therefore, he has gone richer by over ₹6 crore in the last 5 years.

Over half of his assets are in immovable assets of land and commercial buildings, the current value of which is shown as ₹ 11,15,02,598.00. His movable assets are worth ₹ 9,24,59,264.00, and most of them are investments in shares and mutual funds. He owns shares in 25 companies, and several of them are blue chip stocks like Asian Paints, Hindustan Unilever, ICICI Bank, ITC, Infosys, Nestle, TCS, Britania etc. The value of his shares is ₹4.34 crore, while he also owns 7 mutual funds with a current value of ₹3,81,33,572.

Along with cash in hand, in bank, and some other assets, the total value of his movable assets is ₹9,24,59,264.00, up from ₹5,80,58,779 in 2014. This means, the value of his movable assets, mostly shares and mutual funds, have gone up by a whopping 60%.

Rahul Gandhi has seen a steep hike in the value of his total declared assets in the last 20 years, which was just above ₹55 lakh in 2004, and has gone up to over ₹20 crore last year, an increase of 3583%.

In comparison, the value of his immovable assets has grown at the modest rate of 11%.

Rahul Gandhi’s annual income as per Income Tax return has remained almost stagnant over the years, at around ₹1.2 crore per year, which dropped to ₹1.02 crore in the year 2022-23. Apart from salaries and allowances as an MP, he earns rental income from properties he owns.

Notably, Rahul Gandhi owns shares and mutual funds of several companies and fund managers, the values of which have gone up significantly, while publicly he keeps abusing and attacking the Indian corporate sector.

There are 18 criminal cases filed against Rahul Gandhi in various places in India, most of them are defamation cases filed over his comments. He has been convicted in one case, the Modi surname case. He was disqualified from Lok Sabha after he was sentenced to 2 years in prison, before Supreme Court stayed the conviction and restored his status as an MP. Rahul Gandhi is also facing a case for disclosing the identity of a minor rape victim, copyright violation case for using a song in promotional video without authorisation, and the National Herald case.

Sandeshkhali: Calcutta High Court slams West Bengal government, says 100% responsibility lies with ruling party

OpIndia Staff
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Sandeshkhali: Calcutta High Court slams West Bengal government, says 100% responsibility lies with ruling party

On Thursday (4th April), the Calcutta High Court slammed the Bengal government during the hearing of the Sandeshkhali violence. The court said that the entire district administration and the ruling dispensation have to owe 100 per cent moral responsibility for this. The bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya made these remarks during the hearing.

Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam said, “Even assuming if one affidavit filed by the women’s lawyer in this case is correct it is shameful. The entire district administration and the ruling dispensation have to owe 100 per cent moral responsibility. It is the safety of the citizens. If you go through the report of the National Commission for SC/ST, even if one per cent is true then it is 100 per cent shameful. West Bengal boasts of the NCRB data on the safety of women. Even if one affidavit is proven to be right, these statistics fall, the public image falls, and the opinion falls. If it falls and crumbles, you cannot be resurrected.”

The Judge further said, “Who is canvassing whose case? For 30 to 40 days you were on the run and people were playing hide and seek. An obscure stand was taken that there was a stay on the arrest. And then a political statement is made that now after the HC clarified we have arrested him. You close your eyes, the world doesn’t become dark.”

During the hearing, advocate Priyanka Tibrewal, who is the petitioner in the suo moto case concerning alleged instances of sexual violence and land grab, mentioned that she had received numerous complaints from Sandeshkhali.

Tibrewal said, “So many people came. They said nothing happened. I am putting the affidavit on record. I am not mentioning their names or they will be under threat. There was a lady who went to visit her father whose land was grabbed. She was taken away in daylight and raped (by people), including (Sheikh) Shahjahan and other workers.”

She added, “This is not just land grabbing but deep issues, including government land officials. The land records were changed and (they were) asked to file a civil suit. How will these people file a civil suit? If they resist, they are tortured and raped. Even the police are involved.”

One of the advocates suggested a web portal for female witnesses to email their grievances, if any. Advocate Priyanka Tibrewal informed the bench that most of these women are illiterate. “Forget emails they won’t be able to even write letters,” she told the bench.

She said, “I have affidavits of several women and men in the area. They say that only one Shahjahan is arrested but 1000s of his aides are roaming around the villages and they are threatening people there not to give statements against Shahjahan. They have said if women give complaints they will behead their husbands, son etc and play football with them.”

Advocate Priyanka Tibrewal added, “Milords, I have an affidavit of one woman, who lives in Kolkata her father’s land in Sandeshkhali was taken away and when she went to meet her father, Shahjahan and his men picked her up and took her to the office of a political party and kept there for over 13 days and continuously raped her. They told her that she was their entertainment. She was left only after her husband and father pleaded before them. There is a pattern… They want illegal immigrants from Bangladesh to enter the region and they are trying to curb the Bengali Hindus. They want the Hindus to run away from there and that is what is happening. If a single word of my affidavits is said to be untrue I will leave the profession forever.”

In response to this argument, the advocate general of the West Bengal state said that the PILs filed by Tibrewal, in the Sandeshkhali case, are personally motivated and politically inspired. The bench reserved its order after that.

The Bengal Police arrested former TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan on 29th February for an assault on an Enforcement Directorate team in Sandeshkhali on 5th January. He and his associates face allegations from multiple women of coercive land grabbing and sexual assault.

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