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Nehru saw the Island as a nuisance…Indira Gandhi saw it as a ‘little rock’: EAM S Jaishankar hits out at Congress over Katchatheevu Island issue

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Nehru saw the Island as a nuisance…Indira Gandhi saw it as a ‘little rock’: EAM S Jaishankar hits out at Congress over Katchatheevu Island issue

On Monday, April 1, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar hit out at the Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), saying that they are approaching the Katchatheevu island matter as they have no responsibility for it.

“Now, every political party in Tamil Nadu has taken a position on this. Two parties, the Congress and the DMK, have approached this matter as though they have no responsibility for it. As though the situation is for today’s central government to resolve, there is no history to this, this has just happened, they are the people who are taking up the cause; that is the way they would like to project it,” EAM said addressing a press conference.

Reiterating PM Narendra Modi’s accusation against the Congress regarding the Katchatheevu island issue, the MEA stated that the country’s first Prime Minister wanted to give away the island to Sri Lanka and that Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru saw it as a ‘nuisance’ and that this opinion persisted with Indira Gandhi.

“… We are talking about 1958 and 1960… The main people in the case wanted to make sure that at least we should get the fishing rights… The island was given away in 1974 and the fishing rights were given away in 1976… One, the most basic recurring (aspect) is the indifference shown by the then central government and the PMs about the territory of India…That fact is they simply did not care…,” Jaishankar said in his press conference.

Highlighting the indifference shown by past Prime Ministers, particularly Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, towards the strategic significance of Katchatheevu, Jaishankar said, “This is an observation by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in May of 1961. He says, he writes ‘I attach no importance at all to this little island and I would have no hesitation in giving up our claim to it. I do not like matters like this pending. Indefinitely and being raised again and again in parliament.’ So to Pandit Nehru, this was a little island. It had no importance. He saw it as a nuisance,” EAM Jaishankar said in a press conference.

“Why are people bringing it up again and again in parliament? So for him, the sooner you give it away the better. Now you can say, okay, this was Pandit Nehrus’ view. Now I want to read to you. Actually, this was not just Pandit Nehrus’ view. This view continued on to Indira Gandhi ji as well,” he added.

Further highlighting how the Congress had always had a dismissive attitude towards Katchatheevu Island, the MEA added, “The PM (Indira Gandhi) is said to have remarked in the AICC meeting that this is a little rock. I am reminded of those days when Pandit Nehru called our northern boundary a place where not a blade of grass grew. I would like to remind them that after this historic statement by PM Nehru, he never regained the confidence of the country. The same was going to happen to the PM (Indira Gandhi) when she said that this is only a little rock and that there is nothing to worry about the territories of our country.’… So, this is not just one PM… This dismissive attitude…was the historic Congress attitude towards Katchatheevu…” Jaishankar said.

He recounted Viswanathan’s criticism of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s characterisation of Katchatheevu as a “little rock,” likening it to Nehru’s infamous statement regarding India’s northern boundary.

“I am fast forwarding it to the time when the Katchatheevu agreement is done. There is a member of parliament called G. Vishwanathan from Tamil Nadu and he says, this is in from quoting from parliament records. We are worried about Diego Garcia, thousands of miles away from Indian territory, but we are not worried about this small island when we speak of it. The prime minister, he is talking about Indira Gandhiji,” he said.

The minister also went on to mention the significance of the issue and said that the Indian fishermen have been continuously detained by the Sri Lankan Navy.

“In the last 20 years, 6184 Indian fishermen have been detained by Sri Lanka and 1175 Indian fishing boats have been seized by Sri Lanka. In the last five years, the Katchatheevu issue and the issue of fishermen have been raised in various Parliaments. It has been raised repeatedly by the parties. It has come up in Parliament questions, debates and in the advisory committee. The then CM Tamil Nadu government has written to me several times. And my record shows that I have responded to the present CM 21 times on this issue,” he said.

“The fishermen are still being detained today, boats are still being apprehended & the issue is still being raised in Parliament. It is being raised in Parliament by two parties who did it…Whenever there was an arrest, how do you think they were released? It is very good to give statements from Chennai, but the people who do the work are us,” he added.

It is pertinent to mention that the island, located between Rameswaram (India) and Sri Lanka, was traditionally used by both Sri Lankan and Indian fishermen. In 1974, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi accepted Katchatheevu as Sri Lankan territory under the “Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime Agreement”. The 1974 Agreement regarding historic waters between Sri Lanka and India in the Palk Strait and the Palk Bay formally confirmed Sri Lanka’s sovereignty over the Island.

PM Narendra Modi says after RTI reply reveals Congress gave Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka

On Sunday (31st March), Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a post from his X handle to reveal how Congress callously gave away the Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka during Indira Gandhi’s regime. He also quoted a news report by the Times of India which says that an RTI reply shows the way Congress ceded this 1.9 square km of land about 20km from Indian shore to Sri Lanka.

According to the news report Modi embedded in his post, an RTI application in this regard was filed by Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai. According to this report, shocking information was unearthed by the reply to this RTI application. The report says that official documents and parliamentary records illustrate how India’s wavering stance led to its failure to assert control over the island in the Palk Strait. It showed that the reluctance of Congress towards claiming the Katchatheevu island dates back to the Nehruvian era.

(This news report is published with inputs from ANI)

“DMK did nothing to safeguard Tamil Nadu’s interests”: PM Modi on Katchatheevu island

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“DMK did nothing to safeguard Tamil Nadu’s interests”: PM Modi on Katchatheevu island

After sharing a news article giving a detailed account of events that led to Sri Lanka overtaking the Katchatheevu island, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday slammed the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and said that the new details emerging in connection to the island have unmasked the DMK’s double standards.

PM Modi shared a statement by late DMK MP Era Sezhiyan expressing anger at the India-Sri Lanka Maritime Agreement signed by the then Indira Gandhi government by which India relinquished its claim on Katchatheevu Island and called it “an unholy agreement.”

“Rhetoric aside, DMK has done NOTHING to safeguard Tamil Nadu’s interests. New details emerging on #Katchatheevu have UNMASKED the DMK’s double standards totally. Congress and the DMK are family units. They only care that their own sons and daughters rise. They don’t care for anyone else. Their callousness on Katchatheevu has harmed the interests of our poor fishermen and fisherwomen in particular,” the Prime Minister wrote on X.

PM Modi’s statement comes a day after he came down heavily on the Congress party for giving away the Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka during the tenure of the Indira Gandhi government in 1974. Prime Minister Modi said on Sunday that this has infuriated people, adding that the Congress can never be trusted.

He also accused the Congress of weakening India’s unity, integrity and interests during its years of governance.

“Eye opening and startling! New facts reveal how Congress callously gave away #Katchatheevu. This has angered every Indian and reaffirmed in people’s minds- we can’t ever trust Congress! Weakening India’s unity, integrity and interests has been Congress’ way of working for 75 years and counting,” PM Modi posted on X, citing a news report.

It is pertinent to mention that the island, located between Rameswaram (India) and Sri Lanka, was traditionally used by both Sri Lankan and Indian fishermen. In 1974, then prime minister Indira Gandhi accepted Katchatheevu as Sri Lankan territory under the “Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime agreement”.

The 1974 Agreement regarding historic waters between Sri Lanka and India in the Palk Strait and the Palk Bay formally confirmed Sri Lanka’s sovereignty over the Island. 

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

‘He is not cooperating’: Delhi Court accepts ED arguments, sends Arvind Kejriwal to judicial custody till 15th April in liquor scam case

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‘He is not cooperating’: Delhi Court accepts ED arguments, sends Arvind Kejriwal to judicial custody till 15th April in liquor scam case

Delhi Court has accepted the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) argument and sent Arvind Kejriwal to Judicial custody till the 15th of April in the Delhi Liquor Scam case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had asked for fifteen days of judicial custody of custody of Kejriwal, citing his ‘non-cooperative behaviour’. The CM was produced in Rouse Avenue Court as his custody ended on Monday. Arvind Kejriwal was arrested on the 21st of March 2024 in connection with the liquor scam case.

When Kejriwal was produced in court, he indulged in the usual theatrics and said “Pradhan mantri ji jo ye kar rahe Hain wo Desh ke liye acha nahi Hain”.

Senior Advocates Vikram Chaudhary and Ramesh Gupta appeared for Arvind Kejriwal over video conferencing. For ED, ASG Raju appeared in court.

Arguing for ED, ASG Raju said, We are not asking for further remand. We are asking for judicial custody, subject to the right of asking further custody as per SC judgment in Senthil Balaji case.

ED demanding extended custody of Kejriwal saying that he has not been cooperating in the investigation and has been giving evasive answers.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal was arrested on 21st March by Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the now-defunct Delhi Liquor Policy. The trial court remanded Kejriwal to ED detention until 28th March.

The lawsuit against Kejriwal involves alleged irregularities and money laundering in the formulation and implementation of the now-defunct Delhi Excise Policy 2022. The ED informed the Rouse Avenue Court that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) profited from the Delhi liquor policy and spent money for Goa polls.

The AAP has refuted the corruption allegations, alleging they are fabrications. The party stated that Kejriwal will remain the Chief Minister of Delhi, while the claims are being fought in court.

Earlier, the arrested CM Arvind Kejriwal also claimed during the questioning by the ED that he had lost his phone which he was purportedly using when the Delhi excise policy was being prepared. According to reports, it is believed that this cell phone, which may hold relevant information concerning the excise policy scheme, is the 171st of such missing gadgets.

Amroha: As Congress fields Danish Ali, Congress leader Sachin Chaudhary starts campaigning for himself in the constituency, says will file nomination

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Amroha: As Congress fields Danish Ali, Congress leader Sachin Chaudhary starts campaigning for himself in the constituency, says will file nomination

The Congress is bracing itself for a probable split in the Amroha Lok Sabha Constituency ahead of the 2024 election. 

While the Congress has named Danish Ali, the former BSP leader, as its official candidate from the seat, state general secretary of the party Sachin Chaudhary, is also campaigning for himself from Congress. 

Speaking to ANI, Sachin Chaudhary said, “I am not campaigning in support of Danish Ali ji. I am only promoting the party. There is still plenty of time. I will file my nomination on the 3rd. I am contesting from the same party as Danish Ji. It’s true that Danish Ji is a candidate.” 

“See, a lot of things happen in politics until the last moment, meaning until the nomination. So, patience and planning are necessary. When you are contesting against the BJP, anything can happen. I am seeking votes for the party. Everything will be clear by April 6th,” Sachin Chaudhary said. 

On March 23, Congress announced the suspended Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Lok Sabha MP Danish Ali as the alliance candidate from the Amroha seat. He joined the Congress party in the national capital on March 20 ahead of the much-anticipated Lok Sabha elections. 

When pressed on the possibility of his own candidature from Amroha, Sachin Chaudhary claimed that if this happens, Congress will win by a 2 lakh vote. “If that happens, we will win by at least 2 lakhs. This is decided by the high command, and we don’t have that authority. Whoever submits their nomination on the 6th will be considered the candidate. It could be me, too. We should wait until the last moment,” Sachin Chaudhary said. 

Meanwhile, Danish Ali says that the entire Congress and Samajwadi Party are with him and his victory is going to be almost double the number of votes as in the last election. 

Danish Ali won the last Lok Sabha polls in Amroha as a BSP candidate. 

On the other hand, the Amroha District President of Congress, Omkar Singh Kataria, said that he was not aware of Sachin Chaudhary’s filing nomination. 

“MLA Danish Ali Ji is the candidate for Amroha. All party workers have the right to campaign for the party and the election. Sachin Chaudhary Ji is our senior leader, who has previously contested Lok Sabha elections from here. I am not aware of the claims he is making about filing nominations. I will definitely inform the high command about this matter,” Omkar Singh Kataria said. 

Amroha is one of the 17 Lok Sabha seats allocated to the Congress in alliance with the Samajwadi Party. 

Lok Sabha polls will be held in seven phases beginning April 19. 

Uttar Pradesh, which sends the maximum number of MPs, 80, to Parliament, will vote in all seven phases. 

Voting for phases one and two will be held on April 19 and April 26. Next, the state will once again poll in phases three and four on May 7 and May 13. 
The Uttar Pradesh electorate will also vote in phases five, six and seven on May 20, May 23 and June 1 respectively. The votes will be counted on June 4.

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

TMC’s Haji Nurul Islam promises to make ‘new Sandeshkhali’ while denying torture of women by Sheikh Shahjahan, had in 2010 led Muslim mob against Hindus

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TMC’s Haji Nurul Islam promises to make ‘new Sandeshkhali’ while denying torture of women by Sheikh Shahjahan, had in 2010 led Muslim mob against Hindus

On Sunday (31st March), Haji Nurul Islam, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate from the Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency arrived in Sandeshkhali and “vowed” to create a “new Sandeskhali”. It is worth noting that the Sandeshkhali village, which witnessed widespread protests against TMC leader and CM Mamata Banerjee’s close aide Shahjahan Sheikh and his goons over allegations of land grabbing and sexual assault, falls under the Bashirhat Constituency.

During a street-corner meeting, Haji Nurul Islam said, “Some BJP and CPM leaders deliberately tried to instigate you to spread violence. But we will build a new Sandeshkhali with a lot of developments here. We believe that all of you are always with us,” Islam said.

Even while vowing to create a “new Sandeshkhali”, the TMC candidate went on to dismiss the allegations of sexual assault on Sandeshkhali women by TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his aide as “baseless”. He said that none of the women in Sandeshkhali were sexually assaulted.

“All the allegations against Trinamool are false and baseless. No woman in Sandeshkhali was sexually harassed or tortured. Some Trinamool leaders here were falsely implicated by BJP-sponsored central agencies. We, the Trinamool Congress soldiers, fight to protect the modesty of women across Bengal,” Haji Nurul Islam claimed.

Notably, the TMC candidate’s rally on Sunday began from the Abhijan Sangha ground in Sandeshkhali block-II and travelled through Trimohini Bazar, Jeliakhali, Bermajur, Kaharpara, and Patrapara, all of which had earlier witnessed large-scale protests and violence.

It is pertinent to mention that the BJP has fielded Rekha Patra from Basirhat, a Sandeshkhali resident. It was she who first raised the voice of the women of Sandeshkhali and all three accused expelled TMC MLA Sheikh Shahjahan, Shibu Hazra and Uttam Sardar are behind bars.

On the other hand, TMC has fielded Haji Nurul Islam who is a former MP who represented the Bashirhat constituency in West Bengal from 2009 to 2014 on a TMC ticket. One of the tallest minority community leaders in the party, Nurul Islam was the key conspirator behind the over three-day mayhem that erupted on September 6, 2010, in the Deganga district in West Bengal. He reportedly led a mob of 500 frenzied Islamists who destroyed properties belonging to Hindus; desecrated temples and also set vehicles and police jeeps on fire.

Deganga, a predominantly Hindu-dominated region, was gradually going through a major demographic shift even when the Left was at the helm in West Bengal. Things, however, became worse after the reigns of Deganga went into the hands of Haji Nurul Islam in 2009.

Back in 2010, a Muslim mob of around 500 people, led by Haji Nurul Islam, started a road blockade. On the evening of September 6, the mob marched to the police station where they created a ruckus. On the way and back, the frenzied Muslim mob destroyed hundreds of houses and shops belonging to Hindus. Besides, they also set fire to several vehicles and police jeeps and desecrated a Shiv temple. A detailed OpIndia report on Haji Nurul Islam’s role in the 2010 anti-Hindu Deganga riots can be read here.

Madhya Pradesh: Muslim mob attacks Hindu e-rikshaw driver for playing religious song on Rang Panchami, stones and bottles pelted from rooftops

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Madhya Pradesh: Muslim mob attacks Hindu e-rikshaw driver for playing religious song on Rang Panchami, stones and bottles pelted from rooftops

On 30th March, a Hindu e-rikshaw driver Sagar was brutally attacked by Islamists for playing religious songs on the night of Rang Panchami at 12 Muhaal area in Sagar City, Madhya Pradesh. The attack led to a clash between two communities, and police had to use tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. FIR has been registered at Cantt Police Station.

Reportedly, 15 people have been detained by the police. Local BJP leaders and Hindu activists reached the police station and demanded strict action against those who attacked the Hindu e-rikshaw driver.

Attack on e-rikshaw driver on Rang Panchami

On the night (around 11 PM) of 30th March, a Hindu e-rikshaw driver and his friend played a religious song in the 12 Muhaal area of Sadar under Cantt Police Station. An Islamist mob first asked them to stop playing the music and then attacked them. Several members of the Hindu community rushed to intervene.

One of the Hindus who came to the e-rikshaw driver and his friend’s rescue was assaulted with a sharp weapon, which led to a full-fledged clash between the two sides. They pelted stones at each other. Several vehicles were damaged during the clash. According to a report by Sagar Express, rocks and bricks were pelted from the roofs of the houses in the area.

Police from four police stations, including the Vajra vehicle, the Chief of Reserve Police Station, SP CSP Additional, and Superintendent of Police Abhishek Tiwari, reached the spot to control the situation. Police used at least 10-12 rounds of tear gas shells and restored to lathi charge to disperse the mob.

Additional police force was deployed, and the situation was under control on Sunday. Reportedly, police checked the area’s CCTV footage to identify the culprits. Following the incident, the administration imposed Section 144 in the area. Police have imposed a ban on any gathering in the area.

BJP and Hindu activists demand action

Local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and Hindu activists reached the police station, demanding strict action against the attackers. They demanded bulldozer action against those who attacked the e-rikshaw driver and his friend.

BJP MLA Pradeep Lariya said in a statement, “It is a serious matter. I believe it was a pre-planned attack. Though, we respect all religions, that does not give anyone the right to take the law into their own hands. We have observed that during Ramzan, many Muslims gather on the roads. It is a matter of investigation how stones and bottles reached the roofs of the houses. They could have planned to instigate a major incident if it was pre-planned. Around 300 mobsters attacked Sagar while he was at his home. Stones and bottles were thrown. I believe police may recover weapons during the investigation.”

He raised the matter of encroachment by unknown elements, “I have noticed an increase in encroachment in the area. People from unknown places are coming and encroaching on the land. It is a matter of investigation.” He added that they gave police time till 3 PM on Sunday to take strict action otherwise they would have a meeting and would decide the next course of action.

SP leader Zaheer Salmani’s second wife, murdered allegedly over a property dispute by stepson, was a Hindu who converted to Islam post-marriage: Reports

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SP leader Zaheer Salmani’s second wife, murdered allegedly over a property dispute by stepson, was a Hindu who converted to Islam post-marriage: Reports

On Monday (1st April), a day after the SP leader Zaheer Salmani’s second wife was murdered by some ‘unknown’ miscreants, it has come to the fore that the now deceased second wife of the SP leader was a Hindu and that she had converted her religion to Islam post marriage. The deceased woman has been identified as Nazreen.

According to reports, it is suspected that she was allegedly murdered by her stepson identified as Imran over property issues.

As per a report by TV9, Nazreen was a Hindu and she converted her religion to Islam 17 years ago after she got married to SP leader Zaheer Salmani. She used to stay in Dasna but had recently shifted to Hapur with her son Riyan.

On Sunday (31st March), the woman was alone when an unknown miscreant entered her house and fired several shots at her. She got injured after three bullets directly hit her. Nazreen was immediately taken to the Devnandini Hospital by the domestic help, however, she was declared dead.

Salmani was out of town when the woman, his second wife, was murdered by miscreants. It is reported that allegedly, Salmani’s son from his first wife, Imran, and another unidentified person shot bullets at Nazreen over some property issue.

Reports mention that Salmani had recently transferred his property worth Rs 20 crore in the name of Nazreen irking Imran, leading to the murder. Imran and the other unidentified accused allegedly involved in the incident are absconding. The Police are making all the efforts to nab the accused.

Meanwhile, a police complaint against Imran and one other accused has been filed by the SP leader at the Hapur Police Station. The matter is being thoroughly investigated. The eye-witnesses are being interrogated and the dead body of the deceased woman has been sent for post-mortem.

At the time of the murder, the Samajwadi Party leader Jahir Salmani was not at the house and was in Meerut for property dealings. It was after returning from Meerut, that he got to know about his wife’s murder. He was first told that his wife had fallen from the stairs and that she had suffered severe head injuries. However, later it was discovered that she was murdered by an ‘unknown’ miscreant.

‘Insha Allah light will break through darkness’, ‘Moses will come’: Asaduddin Owaisi visits gangster Mukhtar Ansari’s family, pays ‘tribute’

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‘Insha Allah light will break through darkness’, ‘Moses will come’: Asaduddin Owaisi visits gangster Mukhtar Ansari’s family, pays ‘tribute’

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi paid tribute to Mukhtar Ansari and visited his residence in Ghazipur. 

Taking to the social media platform X, he expressed grief over Ansari’s death and wrote, “Today we went to the house of the deceased Mukhtar Ansari and paid tribute to his family. In this difficult time, we stand with his family, supporters and loved ones.” 

Taking a veiled jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he said, “Insha Allah, the light will break through this darkness. If you are ‘Pharaoh’ then ‘Moses’ will also definitely come.” 

Gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari was laid to rest at the Kali Bagh burial ground in Ghazipur on Saturday. His mortal remains were buried near the graves of his parents. 

There was heavy security deployment in Ghazipur on account of his last rites. Police personnel were deployed along the route leading from his residence to the graveyard. 

Following the postmortem, the body of Mukhtar Ansari was brought to his Ghazipur residence on Friday night. The postmortem report, however, said that Ansari died due to cardiac 

Mukhtar Ansari died at a hospital in Banda, Uttar Pradesh, on Thursday. His family, however, claimed that he was “given poison in the food.” 

According to the official release from the hospital, Ansari was brought to the hospital around 8:25 pm on Thursday. A team of nine doctors attended to him before he died, the release added. 

Meanwhile, a three-member team has been formed that will conduct a magisterial investigation into the death of Ansari. 

The Chief Judicial Magistrate Banda issued orders concerning the judicial probe. 

In April 2023, Mukhtar Ansari was convicted and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for the murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai by an MP-MLA court. He was sentenced to life in prison on March 13, 2024, in a case related to the use of forged documents for obtaining an arms licence in 1990.

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

‘They killed a lion after caging him’: UP police take action against constable Fayaz Khan for hailing gangster Mukhtar Ansari, says ‘will be suspended after ECI nod’

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‘They killed a lion after caging him’: UP police take action against constable Fayaz Khan for hailing gangster Mukhtar Ansari, says ‘will be suspended after ECI nod’

On Sunday (31st March), the Uttar Pradesh police initiated disciplinary action against its constable Fayaz Khan for hailing deceased Mukhtar Ansari on social media.

Despite being a part of law enforcement, Khan had openly extended his support to the mafia-don after his death.

In screenshots that surfaced on social media, the police constable had written, “The parents and grandparents of those people whose pants would turn wet on hearing the roar of a lion…They are now hailing the Baba and singing his praises”

Screengrab of the WhatsApp status of Fayaz Khan, image via x/ RealBababanaras

“He will also remain forever in the hearts of people. Dear heart, don’t feel sad about his death. None had the power to fight him face to face. They killed the lion deceitfully after putting him in a cage. Good bye, the lion of Purvanchal. #Mukhtar_Ansari,” Khan had posted.

When the screenshots went viral on social media, the Lucknow police immediately swung into action and initiated disciplinary proceedings against the police constable.

While speaking about the matter, DCP (North) Abhijeet Shanker “On 31st March 2024, the matter came to light through social media that constable Fayaz Khan, posted at the BKT (Bakshi-ka-Talab) police station, uploaded a WhatsApp status in support of Mukhtar Ansari.”

“The information received from the SHO (Station House Officer) of the BKT police station makes it clear that Fayaz Khan violated the social media policy of the UP police. A letter has been sent to the Election Commission of India (ECI) with regards to his suspension,” he emphasised.

“On receiving permission from ECI, the accused police constable will be suspended,” the DCP further added. OpIndia had previously reported how thousands of Muslims had gathered and chanted slogans in support of gangster Mukhtar Ansari during his funeral in Ghazipur.

‘Those protesting Electoral Bonds will regret it, there is now a trail of funding’: PM Modi hails Tamil Nadu heritage, praises Annamalai and more in interview

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‘Those protesting Electoral Bonds will regret it, there is now a trail of funding’: PM Modi hails Tamil Nadu heritage, praises Annamalai and more in interview

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that his every action is not driven solely by electoral considerations or pursuit of power, adding that if electoral victory was his sole aim, he would not have prioritized the development of the northeastern region. 

In an interview with Thanti TV in Tamil Nadu, the Prime Minister said, “Just because I am a politician does not mean every action I undertake is only to win elections or for power or for votes. If merely winning elections was my goal, I would not have worked for the development of the northeast. I have visited northeastern states more than all of the former Prime Ministers’ combined.” 

On development works undertaken in Tamil Nadu, PM Modi emphasised catering to the state’s huge potential. 

“Viksit Bharat’ is Viksit Rajya which means every part of the country should be a recipient of development. It is also Viksit Tamil Nadu. To build a Viksit Bharat, we first need to develop each state. Tamil Nadu has huge potential which must not be wasted. I believe that Tamil Nadu has the potential to become the driving force behind our dream of a Viksit Bharat,” he said during his conversation with Thanti TV. 

The Prime Minister also hailed BJP state president K Annamalai for his ground-level works to attract the youth to politics. 

“We worked for Tamil Nadu even when we did not have a single municipal candidate. Annamalai is attracting the youth. They see him and think that if money and corruption were the reasons behind his conduct, then he could have joined the DMK or AIADMK. It was not for selfish or personal reasons that Annamalai chose the BJP but to work for the nation. He is working for the country and for Tamil Nadu,” PM Modi said. 

PM Modi further asserted confidence in the BJP-led NDA’s victory in Tamil Nadu, adding that the votes weren’t just anti-DMK but pro-BJP. 

“The NDA is a very strong alliance that connects the different sections of society. It is an organisation of parties representing different economic and social sections. It represents the aspirations of the people. The votes that the BJP-NDA receives aren’t ‘anti-DMK’ but ‘pro-BJP’. People have witnessed the work we have done over the past 10 years. Tamil Nadu has decided that this time it will be the BJP-NDA!,” he said. 

During the interview, the Prime Minister also expressed his anger, pointing out the ‘injustice to the great heritage’ of Tamil Nadu. 

“We should promote the use of the Tamil language like the cuisine of Tamil Nadu has been globalised. I am angry because we have done injustice to the great heritage of Tamil Nadu. India has the world’s oldest language, yet we don’t show any pride in it. The praise of this rich heritage should reach all over the world,” the Prime Minister outlined. 

On the opposition parties criticising the placing of Sengol in the new parliament building, PM Modi highlighted its connection to the country’s independence. 
“Only a few people are aware that the initial moments of our independence are connected to the sacred Sengol. It was a symbol of the regime change. I have done a lot of research before bringing it to Parliament. Then I decided that in the new Parliament, Sengol would inspire us. It will not be merely an ornament to the shelf, but it will receive the dignity that it deserves,” he said. 

When asked to name three top foreign policy achievements, PM Modi said, “For me, every work is top, every work is important. I have given equal time, attention and energy to all the work I have undertaken. To me, a small nation is as important as a big nation and so today, India is seen as ‘Vishwabandhu’ by the world.” 

On the BJP’s name linked to receiving a huge amount of funds through electoral bonds, PM Modi said, “People who are protesting against the electoral bonds will soon regret it. Before 2014, there was no trail of funds given to political parties during elections. I introduced the electoral bonds. Thanks to the electoral bonds, we can now trace the source of funding. Nothing is perfect, imperfections can be addressed.” 

When asked if he has ever considered contesting from Tamil Nadu, the Prime Minister said he never even imagined contesting elections nor does he aspire to be a politician. But destiny brought him to where he is now. 

On the slogans raised regarding NDA winning 400 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Prime Minister said that it is the public’s decision. 

“The people of the country have decided ‘Mission 400’. Not me. People have realised the importance of political stability and the power of their vote,” PM Modi said. 

“It’s their vote that will feed the poor and empower them. It is their vote that will help in ‘Nari Shakti’. So it’s public’s decision,” he added. 

There are 39 Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu. The state is voting on April 19 in a single phase of polling. 

During the 2019 general elections, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led Secular Progressive Alliance, which comprised INC, VCK, MDMK, CPI, CPI(M), IUML, MMK, KMDK, TVK, AIFB, registered a landslide victory by winning 38 of the 39 seats. 

The election for 543 Lok Sabha seats in the country will be held in seven phases starting April 19. 

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

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