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Caste-obsessed clown prince outdoes himself: How Rahul Gandhi demanded details of the caste of all passengers from airline honcho, according to reports

OpIndia Staff
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Caste-obsessed clown prince outdoes himself: How Rahul Gandhi demanded details of the caste of all passengers from airline honcho, according to reports

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi recently called the chief of an airline to demand the caste profile of the passengers, leaving him in shock and disbelief, reported Open Magazine on Friday (12th April).

According to the report citing unnamed Congress leaders, Rahul Gandhi’s several divisive agendas like caste census and blatantly asking for caste profiling from private entities – airlines in the recent case, have not gone down well with the general masses as well as within the rank and file of the Congress party.

In the article titled, Congress: Is the Party Withering Away? , the magazine has included the grouses from Congress insiders who are increasingly becoming critical of the party leader’s unhinged divisive agenda, the limited political capital of the party’s decision-makers, and special outreach for minorities.   

Screengrab of the report by Open Magazine

Highlighting a particular incident, the Open Magazine reported that recently the head of an airline got a call from Rahul Gandhi. After customary greetings, Rahul Gandhi demanded, “Can you (airline official) share with me the caste profile of people who travel on your airline?” 

As per the report, the airline chief “found the query strange and bordering on the frivolous. It left him with a sense of disbelief.” He added that his team never demands informa­tion about the caste of the passengers. 

When the airline chief turned down his demand, Gandhi appeared confused and disconnected the call. It stressed that the shock that the airline chief felt mirrors the sentiments of a large section of people, including Congress members.

Congress leaders miffed with Rahul Gandhi over divisive agenda: Reports

The article stresses that a lot of Congress leaders have expressed discontent with the agendas, current leadership being influenced by an inner circle of “featherweight” individuals who have no connection to ground reality.

Listing several dozens of prominent exits from the Congress party, the Open Magazine highlights that the disconnect of Congress leaders is such that prominent faces of the party have decided not to contest these polls barring in a few states like Rajasthan. 

On condition of anonymity, a Delhi-based Congress leader told the Magazine, “Congress is caught in multiple jeopardy, most damaging being the absence of leaders with institutional mem­ory and crowd-pulling abilities in the campaign for 2024 and the ineffectiveness of weak leaders who are virtually the gatekeepers of the inner circle.”

Expressing displeasure with the special outreach for minorities in the Congress manifesto, the leader said, “I feel all this is a contrived outreach to the minorities.” 

In a scathing criticism, a senior Congress leader from Kerala said, “People within are not openly talking about it (party’s stance out exits); they know that a cabal is controlling Rahul Gandhi and that it is advisers who are either bitter (for whatever reasons), or who have no ear to the ground, who influence Rahul to express puerile ideas and be a bleeding heart without a cause.”

Rahul Gandhi and his obsession with caste

It is pertinent to note that earlier two senior Congress leaders Anand Sharma and Abhishek Manu Singhvi had come out to oppose Rahul Gandhi’s clarion call for caste census and ‘Jitni Abadi Utna Haq’. 

Gandhi scion, Rahul who has been pushing the divisive agenda of caste-census in his election rallies, had courted controversies several times for putting people in harm’s way. In an infamous incident, the Congress leader in a verbal meltdown asked a journalist what his and his employer’s caste was, leading to a near lynching of the journalist by a mob of Congress supporters. 

Additionally, the Congress leader has been pressing on the issue further by publicly seeking caste profiling of Ministers, senior government officials, and management in media industries, and has now reportedly taken it to the airlines industry. 

Jharkhand: Ahead of Ram Navami procession, Police catches stones collected on rooftops of several houses in capital Ranchi

OpIndia Staff
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Jharkhand: Ahead of Ram Navami procession, Police catches stones collected on rooftops of several houses in capital Ranchi

On Monday (15th April), ahead of the Ram Navami festival, the Jharkhand police inspected the areas from where the Ram Navami procession is scheduled to pass through on 17th April. During the inspection, the police discovered that stones have been kept on the rooftops of several homes in the capital city, Ranchi.

As per the reports, the Police are said to have issued notices to the owners of these properties on Main Road, Lake Road, and Hind Peedhi Road. The police conducted the inspection using drone cameras, whose footage showed stones collected on the rooftops of several residential properties.

The notice issued by the police warned the owners of the properties to remove the stones from the rooftops ahead of the Ram Navami festival. “If these stones are found misused during the Ram Navami festival, the law will take strict action against the owners of the respective properties,” the notice read.

Reports mention that SSP Ranchi has issued strict instructions to the administration to keep watch and avoid any untoward incident from happening ahead of the Ram Navami festival. “The administration is quite strict regarding the security required ahead of the Ram Navami procession. If any rumors are spread or any unfavorable incident happens, the accused will immediately be sent to jail,” SSP was quoted as saying.

The massive police force is scheduled to be deployed in the city on 17th April when Hindus will conduct a peaceful procession in the city on the occasion of the Ram Navami. As per the police, any person trying to trigger communal violence in the city will be arrested.

‘Never officially endorsed any political party’: Actor Aamir Khan denounces fake political campaign, files FIR against Congress ad

OpIndia Staff
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‘Never officially endorsed any political party’: Actor Aamir Khan denounces fake political campaign, files FIR against Congress ad

On 16th April, Bollywood actor Aamir Khan’s team issued a statement denouncing a fake political endorsement falsely attributed to the actor. Furthermore, Khan filed an FIR against the Congress ad. Notably, in the ad, Khan was seen endorsing the Congress party using the fake narrative that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised Rs 15 lakh to every Indian during his campaign before the 2014 elections.

Khan debunked the video as fake and stated he has never officially endorsed any political party throughout his 35-year-long career in the film industry.

Speaking to the media, an official spokesperson for Aamir Khan clarified that the actor has consistently focused on public awareness campaigns organised by the Election Commission in previous elections. The spokesperson expressed concerns over the fake video circulating on social media. Furthermore, the spokesperson confirmed that legal action has been initiated in the matter, and an FIR has been filed with the Cyber Crime Cell of the Mumbai Police.

The statement read, “The official spokesperson of Aamir Khan stated, “We want to clarify that Mr Aamir Khan has never endorsed any political party throughout his 35-year career. He has dedicated his efforts to raising public awareness through Election Commission public awareness campaigns for many past elections. We are alarmed by the recent viral video alleging that Aamir Khan is promoting a particular political party. He would like to clarify that this is a fake video and untrue. He has reported the matter to various authorities related to this issue, including filing an FIR with the Cyber Crime Cell of the Mumbai Police.”

The video was shared by several Congress workers and leaders. Ex National Coordinator Training Social Media Indian Youth Congress (IYC), Mini Nagrare, was among them. The video was posted by her on 14th April. She was informed by many X users that it was fake. To one of them, she told to “Understand the feelings”. It has been over 15 hours since she replied to that user and the post was still up by the time this report was published. Archive of the post can be checked here.

Source: X

Lok Sabha Elections 2024

The polling for Lok Sabha Elections 2024 will take place in seven phases. First phase of voting will take place on 19th April and seventh phase of voting will take place on 1st June. The results will be announced on 4th June. Phase wise, constituency wise polling schedule can be checked here.

Calcutta HC grants ‘conditional permission’ for Ram Navami procession in ‘sensitive’ Howrah, Bombay HC had asked for route change outside mosques

OpIndia Staff
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Calcutta HC grants ‘conditional permission’ for Ram Navami procession in ‘sensitive’ Howrah, Bombay HC had asked for route change outside mosques

The Calcutta High Court, on Monday, April 15, authorised the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Anjani Putra Sena to hold Ram Navami processions in Howrah, West Bengal, under certain conditions.

In a ruling by Justice Jay Sengupta, the court stipulated that the Ram Navami processions in Howrah should not exceed 200 participants. It was mandated that no weapons be displayed during the processions, and each procession was limited to one vehicle carrying the idol of Lord Ram.

Furthermore, the use of provocative slogans and DJs is strictly forbidden during these gatherings, as emphasized by Justice Sengupta.

The court has instructed the two organizations to schedule their rallies on different days. The VHP’s procession is set for April 17, while the Anjani Putra Sena has been directed to arrange theirs on April 21.

Due to concerns over potential violence, similar to incidents in the past year, the police had previously asked the organizers to modify this year’s procession route.

Notably, the state has experienced several communal incidents during Ram Navami events in recent years, with reports of violence in Hooghly and Howrah districts last year as well.

Bombay HC asks Ram Navami organisers to ensure procession routes do not pass from outside mosques

The Bombay HC on April 15 seemingly legitimised the existence of minority ghettos in the nation, where the mere existence of Hindus exercising their right to worship is a potential trigger for violence and an affront to the Muslim community.

The Bombay HC directed the Ram Navami organisers to ensure the processions’ routes don’t traverse paths with mosques on them. 

“Ensure that routes are changed. Ultimately, if there is a law and order problem, you’ll face problems…” the bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Manjusha Deshpande noted. 

Ram Navami organisers asked to change routes outside mosques: How courts are legitimising ‘Muslim area’ argument instead of fighting street veto

Amit Kelkar
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Ram Navami organisers asked to change routes outside mosques: How courts are legitimising ‘Muslim area’ argument instead of fighting street veto

The Bombay HC on April 15 seemingly legitimised the existence of minority ghettos in the nation, where the mere existence of Hindus exercising their right to worship is a potential trigger for violence and an affront to the Muslim community.

The Bombay HC directed the Ram Navami organisers to ensure the processions’ routes don’t traverse paths with mosques on them. 

“Ensure that routes are changed. Ultimately, if there is a law and order problem, you’ll face problems…” the bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Manjusha Deshpande noted. 

The Calcutta HC also granted ‘conditional permission’ for the Ram Navami procession in the ‘sensitive’ Howrah region, which saw large-scale violence last year when a raft of Islamists attacked Hindu devotees participating in the Ram Navami Shobha Yatra.

Justice Jay Sengupta, presiding over a single-judge bench, ruled that the Ram Navami processions in Howrah, West Bengal, must not exceed 200 attendees. He also prohibited the display of any weapons during the processions and mandated that each procession be limited to one vehicle for transporting the idol of Lord Ram.

The fact that Hindus have to seek permission from courts to carry out processions on their festivals lest they face attacks from the members of the barbaric cult bent on destroying the idolators and the courts offering “conditional permission” for the same encapsulates the sorry state of ‘secularism’ in the country, where the burden of maintaining the secular fabric of the country is solely the responsibility of Hindus while the other side can continue to indulge in street violence.

The judgments are shocking, for they grant legitimacy to something as dangerous as the ghettoisation of a minority community and rationalising them as ‘Muslim areas’. In such areas, a non-Muslim is reduced to a second-class citizen, just like in Pakistan and other Islamic countries where the rights of Muslims supersede that of others and where non-Muslims are barred from engaging in activities that may hurt the sensitivities of the Muslim majority. The idea that non-Muslims have to be restricted in their conduct in ‘Muslim areas’ is an implicit admission that such ghettos are areas where the law of the land goes for a toss and a special set of rules are followed, which in Muslim-majority areas is usually close to what we witness in Shariat-compliant countries.

Secondly, the judgment also shifts the onus of responsibility from the aggressor to the aggrieved. By asking the victims to change the route with the threat of prosecution is akin to empowering the aggressors to continue with their violent means with impunity. It is common knowledge that Islamists go on a rampage against processions carried out by Hindus during their festivals, most notably Ram Navami, the occasion to celebrate the birth of Lord Ram, one of the foremost deities in the Hindu pantheon.

Such attacks, especially when the procession passes through Muslim-majority regions, have become alarmingly common in the last few years, especially on the occasions of Hindu festivities, in particular, Ram Navami, the birth anniversary of Lord Rama. For Hindus, Ram Navami remains one of the foremost festivals and a preeminently auspicious occasion in the Hindu calendar year. On this day, Hindus seek blessings from Lord Rama, provide food to the needy, perform rituals, and take out processions among other things.

Over the years, the Islamist attacks against Ram Navami processions have been as regular as clockwork: completely expected and predictable. From Vadodara in Gujarat to Howrah in West Bengal, from Mumbai to Sambhaji Nagar, cities and towns across the length and breadth of the country were smouldering with the fire of religious zealotry last year as Islamists attacked Ram Navami processions while they were traversing through Muslim-majority regions or it has been referred to as ‘Muslim areas’.

The attacks are not just on the religious beliefs of Hindus but also an attempt to extinguish their resistance. Lord Ram, one of the most popular Gods of Hindus, has emerged as the most potent symbol of the modern Hindu renaissance against Western decadence and Middle Eastern orthodoxy. The attacks on Ram Navami processions aim to chip away at the symbolism personified by Lord Ram.

But of late, the attacks have intensified not just against Ram Navami processions but against other celebrations of Hindu festivities as well. The tolerance has shrunk so much so that a mere celebration of a kafir festival is sufficient enough provocation for the faithful to go on a rampage. 

Recently, Islamists rained stones at devotees of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar during a procession held in Dhule, Maharashtra, to commemorate the birth anniversary of the chief architect of India’s Constitution, who played a pivotal role in advocating for their rights and social justice in India. 

But what it proves is that regardless of whether the procession is carried out by Ram Bhakts or Ambedkar devotees or people belonging to any other sect, the Islamists, poisoned with supremacist beliefs, would not hesitate in embracing street violence to attack kafirs or infidels, sanctioned and prescribed by their scriptures. 

How street veto is an integral characteristic of Islamists

Islamists have consistently employed violence as a strategic means of control, using it to demand compliance, assert dominance, and stifle dissent. This is especially true when it comes to street violence, a tool they have honed and monopolized over many decades if not centuries. Their aim? To assert their religious hegemony and uphold their dogmas and unwavering beliefs.

Take, for example, the case of former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. When she made remarks about Prophet Muhammad based on Islamic Hadiths, the Islamists wasted no time in resorting to their speciality—street violence. They unleashed chaos in cities and towns across the country without hesitation.

Thousands took to the streets, not just to voice opposition to Nupur Sharma’s comments and issue death threats, but to showcase the overwhelming power their community holds when it comes to violence. Their goal was to instil fear among critics and pressure the government into compliance with their demands. Instead of issuing an unqualified condemnation of the violence that ensued and rebuking the police authorities for failing to uphold law and order, the Supreme Court blamed her for having a ‘loose tongue’ that set the entire country on fire and asked her to apologise to the country. It was another instance when Islamists felt empowered that the judiciary did not hold them to account, and instead blamed the victim.

Nevertheless, this wave of Islamic radicalism has assumed greater proportions, partly by favourable court verdicts and political patronage, setting cities and towns ablaze as Islamists rampage, and engage in violence, destruction, and arson in response to what they perceive as provocation, which has no defined character. So whether it is the centuries-old tradition of Hindu processions crisscrossing the roads in towns, including in Muslim-dominated regions or on roads where mosques exist, or a Nupur Sharma defending the honour of her God, Islamists run riot, resorting to stone pelting and attacking the attendees of such processions. 

While one might be inclined to dismiss the repeated use of street violence as an attribute intrinsic to the community, the ramifications are not just limited to the realm of law and order and extend well into the country’s collective psyche. Besides stamping their authority and seeking instant gratification from taking to street violence, the larger aim of the Islamists in employing violence as a strategic tool is to further their religious goal of expanding the frontiers of Dar-al-Islam (House of Islam) and creating fear of bodily harm among other section of the society. 

Why the courts should stop treating Islamic fanatics with kid gloves and stamp down their urge for street violence

Therefore, the recent ruling by the Bombay HC is of profound concern for everyone who seeks to uphold the integrity of the country, its secular fabric, and the age-old pluralism that underpins the country’s traditions and customs. The verdict effectively grants legitimacy to the ‘Muslim areas’ argument, which distinguishes some areas from others based on the demographic composition and where the fundamental rights of citizens may not apply fully. It seems that the courts do not want to address the elephant in the room: the bloodthirsty Islamists who take to the streets and indulge in violence against those who don’t belong to their faith.

This distinction of Hindu-Muslim areas led to the partition in 1947. More than 75 years later, the left-leaning intellectual class and, worryingly, the courts also seem to be promoting the same notion that formed the bedrock of the creation of Pakistan. The court ruling that Ram Navami processions should not traverse from outside mosques is not only fundamentally against the concept of democracy, it also promotes religious segregation and empowers Islamists to take to street violence because the court has held that in case there is law and order problem, the organisers of such processions would be held responsible.

Instead of humouring Islamists, which will only whet their appetite for coming up with another set of unreasonable demands and push the envelope further, the courts must order the police to ensure law and order are maintained in whichever areas the Ram Navami procession chooses to travel, rather than applying the responsibility on the victims and blaming them for the ensuing violence and rioting.

For thousands of years, India has managed to be a bastion of multiculturalism, where people of different faiths and beliefs found refuge and flourished economically and socially, even though successive waves of Islamic invasions and subsequent British imperialism tried to alter its fundamental characteristics. It goes without saying that the Hindu way of life, deeply entrenched in the conscience of Indians, played a crucial role in shaping India as an epitome of pluralism and resisting the supremacism foisted on her, first by Islamic marauders and then by the British. The courts must preserve this distinction, and not allow Islamists what their ancestors failed to achieve here. Unfortunately, the legitimisation of ‘Muslim areas’ is not a step in that direction.

Australia: Police declare Syndney’s mass stabbing in a church a ‘religiously motivated terrorist act’, attacker was caught on camera shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’

OpIndia Staff
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Australia: Police declare Syndney’s mass stabbing in a church a ‘religiously motivated terrorist act’, attacker was caught on camera shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’

On Tuesday (16th April), Australian police declared yesterday’s mass stabbing incident at a church a religiously motivated ‘terrorist act’. Notably, a 16-year-old boy was arrested for stabbing multiple churchgoers, a bishop, and a priest at the Assyrian Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, Western Sydney. At least four people suffered injuries in the attack. As per reports, they suffered non-life-threatening injuries as the attacker couldn’t open the flick blade knife properly before striking. 

Addressing a press conference, New South Wales State Police Commissioner Karen Webb said, “We believe there are elements that are satisfied in terms of religious motivated extremism. After consideration of all the material, I declared that it was a terrorist incident.” 

While she did not comment on the specifics, Webb confirmed that the teen attacker had allegedly made religious comments during and after the attacker. She also confirmed that police believe a flick blade was used in the attack. 

Police said there was “a degree of premeditation” as the male attacker travelled to the church, far from his home, with a knife. 

As per Australian media reports, the teenager who attacked the bishop screamed “Allahu Akbar” after plunging a knife into his face, neck, and torso at least eight times. Apart from the religious sloganeering, Australian counter-terrorism authorities are also aware of other comments the attacker is accused of making, including a reference to the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The reports added that the teenage attacker had recently converted to Islam.  

The attack unfolded when the church service was being live-streamed. Several clips of the incident are doing rounds on the internet. In one of the viral videos, one witness who tackled the attacker and pinned him on the ground told a female police officer that he “ran and grabbed him (the teenage attacker) from behind and just pushed him down”. “He kept saying: ‘Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar’,” the witness told the officer.

Police save the attacker from an angry mob who allegedly chopped his fingers

In another viral video, the attacker can be seen calmly approaching the bishop before lunging at him and stabbing him repeatedly. In the background, people could be heard screaming while some of them charged toward him and pinned him to the ground. Later, the camera panned away and the live stream was cut off.

As per the visuals, several men held the attacker face down on the ground while one NSW Police officer arrived at the scene to save the attacker from the angry mob. 

As per a rough translation of the audio, the men asked the attacker if his actions were religiously motivated. However, the attacker’s response was unclear as he spoke in broken Arabic. As per reports, the teenage attacker had recently converted to Islam. 

Meanwhile, in a press conference in Canberra today, ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess said the intelligence agency was aware of alleged remarks made by the teen referring to the bishop having offended the prophet Muhammad.

In one video, the men pinning the attacker turns his face towards the camera in which he can be seen grinning, prompting an outrage from one onlooker. One onlooker said, “You’re a f***ing idiot. Laughing? You’re a f***ing idiot.” As per the visuals, one of the men allegedly kicked the attacker. 

(Attacker’s grinding face triggered an angry outburst,Image Source – news.com.au)

Meanwhile, an image is also circulating in which the teenage terrorist is seen in handcuffs with his right hand bandaged. As per Australian outlet News.com.au, one of his fingers was severed. As per the Police, the attacker could have suffered this injury during the scuffle as they believe that it was not a deliberate act by the mob. Some videos have surfaced on social media that have captured the aftermath of the stabbing incident as an angry mob rioted and attacked police demanding that the attacker be handed over to them.

Meanwhile, the report added that there are rumours that the angry vigilantes had “chopped off” some of his fingers following which he underwent surgery at an undisclosed hospital. NSW Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland confirmed the teen had sustained “quite severe” injuries. Holland said, “His injuries are quite severe in his hand, he’s fairly upset and fairly distraught.”

(Reports claim that the mob attacked the attacker and as per rumours it is also alleged that they chopped his fingers off, Police believe injury happened in scuffle not a deliberate act, Image Source – news.com.au)

However, news.com.au confirmed that one graphic image circulating on Telegram claiming that four fingers of the attacker were severed is fake. 

Pertinent to note that according to the police, the accused was “known to the police” but was not on any terror watch list. As per Australian media, he had been on bail facing several offenses. These include possessing a flick knife, stalking, and property damage. 

The crimes were also proven but he was dismissed on the grounds of a “good behaviour bond”. Strikingly, this bond was active when he went on to commit yesterday’s stabbing at the church in Western Sydney. 

“Ready to issue public apology”: Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna propose to “redeem” themselves, SC gives one week time

OpIndia Staff
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“Ready to issue public apology”: Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna propose to “redeem” themselves, SC gives one week time

On Tuesday (16th April), Baba Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved MD Acharya Balkrishna proposed to “redeem themselves” and take several steps on their own initiative for the same. Baba Ramdev also offered to issue a public apology in the misleading advertisement case. Following this, the Supreme Court bench adjourned the matter next for 23rd April.

“I am willing to give a public apology,” senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Ramdev and Balkrishna, told a bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah.

The court questioned their “attitude” and questioned why they devalued other disciplines of medicine to emphasise the merits of Ayurveda. According to Justice Amanullah, the “law is the same for everybody”. To this, Ramdev said that he would be cautious in the future.

The court stated that it would review the case in light of all previous developments. “We haven’t decided whether to forgive you. You have violated (directives) thrice. We are currently reviewing previous orders. You are not so innocent that you did not know what’s happening in court,” the court said. The bench directed Baba Ramdev and Balkrishna to appear in court again and take measures to demonstrate their intent.

This comes after the Supreme Court on 10th April, refused to accept Baba Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurveda MD Acharya Balkrishna’s second apology in the misleading advertisements case. Patanjali and its MD, along with Ramdev, had filed affidavits expressing an “unconditional and unqualified apology” for airing the advertisements in breach of an undertaking given to the Court in November last year.

The bench comprising Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanudding Amanullah stated that the reason for issuing the “apology on paper” was because their “back was against the wall”.

Earlier, Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court and tendered an unconditional apology in regard to misleading advertisements by Patanjali Ayurveda and said that they undertake to always uphold the majesty of law and justice.

In an affidavit filed before the top court, Baba Ramdev said, “I seek pardon for the aforesaid breach of the statement. I undertake to always uphold the majesty of Law and majesty of Justice.” Baba Ramdev informed the top court that he sincerely regrets the lapse and he wished to assure that the same will not be repeated in future.

‘Only way Modi is similar to Gandhi is if he gets assassinated’: Old tweet of Harnidh Kaur, team member of Nikhil Kamath’s WTFund, goes viral

OpIndia Staff
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‘Only way Modi is similar to Gandhi is if he gets assassinated’: Old tweet of Harnidh Kaur, team member of Nikhil Kamath’s WTFund, goes viral

A day after Zerodha founder Nikhal Kamath launched the ‘WTFund’ for young entrepreneurs, it came to light that one of the team members, Harnidh Kaur, had previously wished for the assassination of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

As per reports, Kamath had launched the grant-based ‘WTFund’ for entrepreneurs who are aged 25 and below. The Zerodha founder was also pictured alongside Harnidh Kaur, who has now stirred the hornet’s nest with her old viral tweet.

“Rajnath Singh: ‘Modi has followed Mahatma’s footsteps’. The only way that is correct is where someone will assassinate him. Seriously,” Kaur had tweeted in April 2013. It must be mentioned that her tweet previously went viral in April 2020.

In the controversial tweet, Harnidh Kaur was seen casually calling for the assassination of PM Narendra Modi. She was also seen using abusive language in some of her old tweets.

“Sidharth ki maa ki ch**t mein aata jisko Kunal ne chaata’, read one of her disturbing tweets. Harnidh Kaur was also seen making references to ‘g*nd’ and ‘behench*d’, ‘gori ch**t’ ke pille’ in several other posts.

In 2018, the left-wing ‘activist’ was also at the helm of whitewashing urban naxals in India for the Shekhar Gupta-run-propaganda outlet, The Print.

She had also abused Lord Ram and Ramayana in some of her now-deleted tweets. “He (Lord Ram) was a terrible man in context. Shit husband, shit brother, shit son, self-absorbed to the nth degree,” her tweet from October 2016 read.

Screengrab of the tweet by Harnidh Kaur

“I fucking hate the Ramayana. It’s the best example of privilege, skewed stakeholder patterns and a narrow tunnel vision of history,” Kaur had posted.

Screengrab of the tweet by Harnidh Kaur

Harnidh Kaur is one of the important team members of the ‘WTFund.’ Her LinkedIn bio says, “Funding the future of Indian entrepreneurship @WTFund”

Screengrab of the LinkedIn profile of Harnidh Kaur

Her Instagram profile reads, “Headling @thewtfund”.

Screengrab of the Instagram profile of Harnidh Kaur

In April 2020, the Indian online ticketing platform BookMyShow stoked a huge controversy on social media after it promoted Harnidh Kaur on its platform

Temple activist serves notice to TN HR&Ce dept over encroachment on historic Temple property: The Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple and its significance

OpIndia Staff
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Temple activist serves notice to TN HR&Ce dept over encroachment on historic Temple property: The Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple and its significance

On Monday, 15th April, temple activist and president of Indic Collective Trust, TR Ramesh sent a notice to the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department to clear encroachments on Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple in Tiruvannamalai and take action against encroachers.

Ramesh, in his notice to the HR&CE department’s commissioner and joint commissioner alongside the principal secretary of Tamil Nadu government’s tourism, culture and religious endowments department, pointed out the encroachment of Hindu temples—Sri Elaiyanar Temple and Sri Idumbanar Temple—in Tirvannamalai, negligence of HR&CE department officials in protecting the temples. He said that these two temples have now gone “missing”.

“Blatant and chronic encroachments of Hindu Temples and Endowments in Tiruvannamalai town – Criminal dereliction of duties by the authorities in the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department in their failure to protect the properties – Two temples – Sri Elaiyanar Temple and Sri Idumbanar Temple in Tiruvannamalai have been effaced from their sites by the encroachers – These two temples are now missing – Lands belonging to Sri Ekambareswarar Temple near Ayyan Kulam, Tiruvannamalai and the temple precincts themselves are encroached the Amman Sannati of the said temple destroyed and Amman Deity missing – More Hindu Endowment lands brazenly encroached,” the notice reads.

Ramesh further called upon the authorities to file criminal complaints against those involved in encroaching on the temples and arrest them. He also asked the authorities to take steps to collect all dues and recover and restore all Tiruvannamalai temples and endowment lands and sites so encroached in the State of Tamil Nadu.

Moreover, the president of Temple Worshippers Society sought action against HR&CE department officials who failed to perform their duty and protect the temples from encroachment.

“Section 79-B of the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959 not invoked and the encroachers not arrested You are now called upon to cause the arrest of the encroachers by making appropriate criminal complaints, take steps to collect all dues, recover all Tiruvannamalai temples and endowment lands and sites so encroached in the State of Tamil Nadu, restore them to the concerned temples and endowments and further initiate departmental and criminal proceedings against those officials in the Department who had failed to take credible steps to recover the said encroached properties and to collect their due income in the last 30 years – Notice issued,” TR Ramesh added in the notice.

In an X post, Ramesh informed about the notice he sent to the concerned authorities and also shared some visuals of the temples encroached in Tiruvannamalai.

Highlighting the significance of Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple, he wrote, “Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple in foothills of Tiruvannamalai is an extraordinarily important heritage temple in Tamil Nadu.  Repeatedly plundered and targeted by Milechas –  restoration of this temple owes a lot to Hoysala Kings, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s Maratta warriors and Vijaynagar kings.”

The temple activist added that this temple has been controlled by the Tamil Nadu HR&CE department since 13th December 1951. “This temple is controlled by #FRAUD by the  @tnhrcedept and shamelessly so from 13.12.1951. The town of Tiruvannamalai has many Hindu endowments dedicated to this temple. These endowments have very valuable landed properties. Most of them are under chronic encroachment and hostile occupation.  In the last 30 years or more the misfits in the @tnhrcedept have been watching the encroachments grow and the taking place of illegal constructions of shops and houses in temple and endowment lands,” Ramesh added in his X post.

He further highlighted that two temples have gone “missing” and the Devi Sannathi in Sri Ekambareswarar Temple has been demolished with houses built there. The encroachment extends to 23000 square feet of the temple land.

“Two temples have gone missing right in middle of town. The Devi Sannathi in Sri Ekambareswarar Temple, Tiruvannamalai demolished and houses built there and in about 23,000 sq. ft land of that temple. Unbelievable atrocities that happened under the “watchful” eyes of  the very honest @tnhrcedept officials  in Tiruvannamalai Temple Town,” Ramesh stated while accusing the HRCE department officials of doing “nothing” in the matter in last 30 years.

Drawing attention towards the level of encroachment of Hindu temples in Tiruvannamalai, Ramesh shared videos and photos of the encroached temple land. “Unbelievable encroachment of about 25,000 sq. ft of Sri Ekambareswarar temple precincts and land – This temple is next to Ayyan Kualam – a huge water body of Tiruvannamalai temple – unscrupulous people in that area have built houses within the temple – the Goddess sanatti demolished – The Goddess Murti gone missing. Shameless people – colluding officials,” Ramesh said.

In the next post in the thread, TR Ramesh mentioned Sri Ilayanar Temple and Sri Idumbanar Temple which have allegedly gone missing and shops have been constructed at the temple site.

“Two temples – Sri Ilayanar Temple and Sri Idumbanar Temple – gone missing in Tiruvannamalai – shops have sprung up in the places where these temples were there. This @tnhrcedept should be legally booted out of our Hindu Temples to protect the temples and their properties. Shops, lodges, houses have come in lands where ancient temples were thriving and in the Hindu endowment lands in Tiruvannamalai,” Ramesh posted.

Notably, the Arunachaleswarar Temple is one of the Pancha Bhoota Stalams (five sacred temples) that represent the five essential elements of life, namely Earth, Fire, Water, Air, and Sky. It is one of the most revered Shaivite temples that represents the element Fire. Lord Shiva is worshipped here as the Agni Lingam. The Shiva Purana lists the four most sacred places where one can gain salvation. Arunachaleswarar Temple at Tiruvannamalai is one of them.

PM Modi slams opposition for using Ram Mandir as ‘political weapon’, talks about Sanatan Dharma, Electoral Bonds & One Nation One Election at ANI podcast

OpIndia Staff
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PM Modi slams opposition for using Ram Mandir as ‘political weapon’, talks about Sanatan Dharma, Electoral Bonds & One Nation One Election at ANI podcast

Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the opposition parties including the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress for using the Ram temple as a ‘political weapon’. PM Modi, in an exclusive interview with the news agency ANI indicated that several videos of AAP jailed leader Arvind Kejriwal are making rounds on social media and that is all just for gaining the public sentiments.

While slamming Congress, the Prime Minister said that the party used the Ram temple as a ‘political weapon’ and now it has been built, “the issue has gone out of their hands”. “When we were not even born, when our party was not even born. At that time, this matter could have been dealt with in the court. There could have been a solution to the problem. When India was divided, then during the time of partition, they could have decided to do so and so. That was not done. Why? Because this is like a weapon in their hands, a weapon for vote bank politics,” Modi said.

“Even, when the case was going on in the court, they tried to delay the judgment of the court. Why? Because for them, it was a political weapon. They kept saying Ram Mandir will be built, they will kill you. It was a way to appease a vote bank. Now what happened? Ram Mandir was built, no untoward incidents happened and that issue has gone out of their hands,” he added accusing Congress and the opposition parties of trying to delay the judgment of the court.

Further, while criticising the Congress for turning down the invitation for the consecration ceremony, Modi said, “You should be proud that the people who have built the Ram Mandir, those who have also struggled for it, they forget all your sins. They come to your house and invite you. And they want to start anew. You also reject them.”

“Then it seems that for you, the vote bank has made you helpless. And because of that vote bank, things like this keep happening. And this… showing someone down, insulting someone, this is their nature,” he was quoted as saying.

When questioned about the opposition’s allegation that the government is exploiting agencies and queries about possible EVM manipulation, he said, “In reality, they are trying to come up with a reason for their defeat. So that blame for defeat is not attributed to them directly.”

“Out of these, not a single law (ED, CBI filing cases) was brought by my government, on the contrary, Election Commission reforms were brought by my Government. Those close to the ‘family’ were made Election Commissioners who later got Rajya Sabha seats and ministries. We (BJP) can’t play at that level,” he added.

In yet another apparent dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, PM Modi said, “Unfortunately, these days, we see no dedication and accountability for one word. You must have seen old videos of a leader whose every notion is conflicting. When people observe this, they believe the leader is deceiving the public. I just heard a politician declare, “Ek jhatke mein garibi hata dunga (I will eradicate poverty instantly)”. When those who have had the opportunity to be in power for 5-6 decades say this, the country wonders what this man is talking about.”

“I have big plans…kisi ko darne ki zaroorat nahin hai (No one needs to be afraid). My decisions are not made to scare anyone or to diminish anyone. They are made for the overall development of the country,” PM said when asked about his future plans and governance”, he said.

PM Narendra Modi also addressed the criticism of electoral bonds, saying, “Due to electoral bonds you are getting the trail of the money. Which company gave it? How did they give it? Where did they give it? And that is why I say when they (opposition) will think honestly, everyone will regret it (on the Supreme Court decision to scrap electoral bonds).”

He further elaborated on the BJP’s poll pledge of ‘One Nation, One Election’, saying, “One nation, one election is our commitment…Many people have joined forces across the country…Several people have made suggestions to the committee. Very positive and imaginative recommendations have been made. If we can execute this report, the country will reap significant benefits.”

The Prime Minister further spoke about Sanatan Dharma and said that the Congress supports those who spew venom against Sanatan Dharma. “The Congress should be asked why they are sitting with those who are spewing venom about Santana Dharma…People’s anger against the DMK is getting diverted towards the BJP in a positive way,” he said.

The Prime Minister further attacked the so-called ‘North-South divide’, saying, “…seeing India as various pieces is a result of mindlessness for India. Which part of India has the most villages bearing Lord Ram’s name? Tamil Nadu. Diversity is our strength, and we should celebrate it.”

“India is a country of diversity…Viewing India as different units is a result of mindlessness regarding India. Which part of India has the most number of villages associated with Lord Ram’s name? Tamil Nadu…How can you term it a separate (unit)?…There is diversity. An individual from Nagaland will not be like a person from Punjab. A person from Kashmir will not be like a Gujarati. Diversity is our strength, we should celebrate it. India is a bouquet where everyone can see their flower. That is the sentiment which should be harbored,” he could be heard saying.

On the claim that the NDA winning 400 seats in the Lok Sabha would result in changes to the Constitution and the abolition of diversity, PM Modi disputed the notion saying, “We worship diversity. We celebrate it.”

“I don’t understand that on what basis you (Congress) are leveling such allegations against a man who celebrated the Tamil language – the oldest language – at the UN? They have issues when I wear attires from different states. The problem lies with them – they want to cast the country in the same mould. We worship diversity. We celebrate it…We have said, why can’t one become a doctor or an engineer using their mother tongue (curriculum in local languages)? When I speak about the mother tongue, it means I am celebrating it, I am enhancing its greatness. I met young gamers recently. One of them asked me if I had a message for them. I told them – do a thing, wherever you put down your signatures – do it in your mother language. Take that pride (in your mother tongue). I am trying to bring in diversity. If they have to level allegations, what can I do?” he said.

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