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PTI tweets video claiming ANI beat reporter assaulted their reporter, sources claim ANI reporter was assaulted first, matter escalated later: What we know

OpIndia Staff
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PTI tweets video claiming ANI beat reporter assaulted their reporter, sources claim ANI reporter was assaulted first, matter escalated later: What we know

On the 28th of March 2024, news agency PTI tweeted a video claiming that while at a press conference in Karnakata, an ANI journalist physically assaulted and abused their female reporter. In the video, the male reporter can be seen slapping the PTI female reporter.

Tweeting the video, PTI wrote, “VIDEO | Abominable behaviour by ANI (@ANI) reporter who physically assaulted and verbally abused with sexual expletives a young PTI female reporter at a press event (@DKShivakumar @DKSureshINC) in Bengaluru today. Does ANI (@smitaprakash) condone such behaviour by its staffer? PTI management and her colleagues are outraged, and condemn this unprovoked violence in the strongest possible terms. PTI will go to any lengths to protect its employees. An FIR is being lodged over the shocking incident, which has left the reporter traumatised. PTI will also file a complaint with the National Commission for Women (@NCWIndia). @sharmarekha“.

PTI tagged ANI chief Smita Prakash asking her if she condoned the action of her beat reporter. They also said that they were in the process of filing an FIR and a complaint with the National Commission for Women.

OpIndia reached out to Smita Prakash for her comments on the matter. Prakash said that since PTI has decided to approach the police and the NCW, it would be appropriate if the agencies investigate what really happened.

After the tweet by PTI, sources reached out to OpIndia and sent two images of the ANI reporter, who is accused of assaulting the PTI reporter. In the images, the ANI reporter has a gash on his face.

Image sent to OpIndia by a source of the ANI reporter

The source has claimed that it was the ANI reporter who was first hit with a mic by the PTI female reporter, after which the matter escalated.

Trinamool Congress leaks personal information of BJP candidate and Sandeshkhali victim Rekha Patra, BJP urges EIC to take action

OpIndia Staff
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Trinamool Congress leaks personal information of BJP candidate and Sandeshkhali victim Rekha Patra, BJP urges EIC to take action

On 28th March, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ‘s IT Cell chief Amit Malviya called out Trinamool Congress for leaking sensitive personal information of the party’s Lok Sabha candidate Rekha Patra from Basirhat. Rekha is one of the victims in the Sandeshkhali matter and the first woman to raise her voice against the atrocities happening against women in the area.

OPIndia is using screenshots instead of embedding the posts to avoid further leakage of data. Source: X

In a post on X, Malviya quoted the post by AITC’s official handle and wrote, “Shame on Mamata Banerjee. In a bid to denigrate the protesting women of #Sandeshkhali, TMC stoops to a new low and officially leaks sensitive government data, including personal details of Rekha Patra, BJP’s candidate from Basirhat. TMC has to take the blame for any eventuality.”

He added, “The Swasthya Sathi card, referred to here, is as good as defunct. The healthcare facilities in West Bengal, under Mamata Banerjee, are abysmal, forcing lakhs of people from Bengal to seek medical care in other states. Besides, a petulant Mamata Banerjee has not allowed Prime Minister Modi’s Ayushman Bharat to be implemented in West Bengal, denying benefits to crores of people.”

Urging the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take cognisance of the post made by TMC and take immediate steps to ensure personal data of West Bengal residents are not leaked or misused, he wrote, “Urge ECI to take immediate steps, to ensure personal data of all residents of West Bengal is safe with the government of WB and not leaked or misused by the ruling TMC.”

TMC leaked the personal information of Rekha Patra

Earlier, TMC put up a screenshot of information from the state government database to put Rekha in a bad light. In the post, TMC claimed they caught Rekha Patra red-handed as she “enjoys benefits of Mamata Banerjee’s schemes while aligning herself with Delhi’s zamindars”. TMC wrote, “Caught red-handed! BJP’s MP candidate from Basirhat, Rekha Patra, plays the ultimate game of hypocrisy, enjoying the benefits of Smt Mamata Banerjee’s schemes while aligning herself with Delhi’s JOMIDARS. PM Narendra Modi, don’t forget to inquire about her Swasthya Sathi card the next time you call her. It might help you understand how our leader’s brainchild, Swasthya Sathi, surpasses the failed Ayushman Bharat scheme.”

OpIndia has retracted the sensitive information from the screenshot of the post by TMC. Source. X

Netizens react to Rekha Patra’s doxxing by TMC

Following the post by TMC on Rekha Patra, netizens strongly objected to doxxing of BJP’s candidate Rekha Patra. X user Shiva said, “Needs to be mass reported.. this should fall under doxxing,” and tagged Amit Malviya in his post.

Source: X

BefittingFacts wrote, “Shameful act by Trinamool Congress Party. They are not only leaking personal data of BJP MP candidate but also using govt website to set political goals. According to TMC, anyone who is beneficiary of govt schemes should not speak against govt or fight election against ruling party. If that is the case, every beneficiary if Ayushman, PM Awas, Swachh Bharat should vote for BJP?”

Source: X

X user Darshan Pathank said, “Feminist party is leaking private information of a woman BJP candidate Rekha Patra from Basirhat who is also the victim of Sandeshkhali.”

Source: X

BJP fields Rekha Patra, woman who led protests against Sheikh Shahjahan in Sandeshkhali, as Basirhat candidate in LS polls

Notably, Rekha Patra was the first woman in Sandeshkhali who had raised her voice and spearheaded the protests accusing Shahjahan and his aides of land grabbing and sexual assault in Sandeshkhali. Patra was also a part of the group that met Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his public meeting in Barasat on 6th March, where they discussed the challenges faced by women in Sandeshkhali with the Prime Minister. Later, she was announced as the candidate for Lok Sabha Elections 2024 from Basirhat seat.

Sandeshkhali horror

On 8th February this year, hundreds of women in Sandeshkhali took to the streets to protest against land grabbing, non-payment of wages and sexual violence committed by Trinamool Congress goon Sheikh Shahjahan and his two aides Shiba Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar.

The women attacked Shahjahan’s illicitly obtained properties and set fire to a poultry farm owned by Shiba Prasad Hazra. They also surrounded the Sandeshkali police station and demanded the immediate arrest of the trio. The agitation in the village lasted for 3 days.

During that time, the TMC goons retaliated and the police acted as mute spectators. In several cases, the cops themselves resorted to harassment of the women. It had come to light that the residents were the subject of sexual violence by the TMC for a long time.

In a bid to pacify the angry villagers of Sandeshkhali, the TMC leadership suspended Uttam Sardar from the party for six years. The suspended TMC leader and Zilla Parishad member was subsequently arrested in the Sandeshkhali police station area on 10th February 2024.

On 17th February, the police arrested TMC leader Shibu Prasad Hazra over land grabbing and sexual exploitation of women in Sandeshkhali. 

After large-scale protests and intervention of the Calcutta High Court, the primary accused Sheikh Shahjahan was arrested on 29th February.

Delhi HC dismisses PIL for Arvind Kejriwal’s removal as CM, says no scope of judicial interference and President or Governor will act if needed

ANI
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Delhi HC dismisses PIL for Arvind Kejriwal’s removal as CM, says no scope of judicial interference and President or Governor will act if needed

Delhi High Court on Thursday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) that sought removal of Arvind Kejriwal from the post of Delhi Chief Minister following his arrest by Enforcement Directorate in excise policy case and said there is no scope of judicial interference in the matter.

A bench of Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, while dismissing the plea, said there is no scope of judicial interference and it is for the other wing of the government to examine the issue.

If there is a constitutional failure, President or Governor will act on it, the court said.

The plea, filed by one Surjit Singh Yadav through lawyer Shashi Ranjan Kumar Singh, stated that continuance of Arvind Kejriwal as the chief minister of the Government of NCT of Delhi after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in the money laundering case related to the alleged liquor policy scam has degraded the credibility and image of the Government of NCT of Delhi in the eyes of the general public.

It said Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in the money laundering case related to the alleged liquor policy scam. Prior to his arrest by ED, the High Court of Delhi had also refused to pass orders granting interim protection from coercive action.

The plea said Delhi Minister Atishi gave interviews to various channels on March 21, stating and affirming that Kejriwal will not resign from his post and, if needed, will run the government from jail.

The continuation of Kejriwal as the Chief Minister of Government of the NCT of Delhi will not only lead to the obstruction of due process of law and disrupt the course of justice but will also lead to the breakdown or the constitutional machinery in the state, the plea stated.

Following arrest in the Delhi excise policy case, Kejriwal was remanded to ED custody till March 28. The case pertains to alleged irregularities and money laundering in framing and implementing the Delhi excise policy, which was later scrapped.

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

Supriya Shrinate denied ticket by Congress after she made derogatory ‘mandi’ comment against Kangana Ranaut, had fought and lost to BJP in 2019

OpIndia Staff
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Supriya Shrinate denied ticket by Congress after she made derogatory ‘mandi’ comment against Kangana Ranaut, had fought and lost to BJP in 2019

Congress refused Supriya Shrinate a ticket from the Maharajganj constituency in Uttar Pradesh, where she was defeated in the 2019 general elections, amidst the controversy after her offensive and derogatory social media post against actress Kangana Ranaut.

On the night of 27th March, the grand old party unveiled its eighth list with the names of 14 contenders for the upcoming polls. Virendra Chaudhary replaced Supriya Shrinate in Maharajganj in the list. Incidentally, Maharajganj is close to Rae Bareilly, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s pocket burrow constituency which she would not run for this time.

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.

She later released a clarification to explain herself following intense criticism for the despicable comment from her verified social media accounts. She stated in her explanation video that it was made by “someone who had access to her account,” and promised to hold the individual responsible for the post accountable. Congressmen like Srinivas BV and Pawan Khera also spoke in support of her.

Notably, Supriya Shrinate is the daughter of former Maharajganj MP late Harsh Vardhan who was also a congress leader. The Congress chose her as its Lok Sabha candidate in 2019 from the area in place of Tanushree Tripathi who is the daughter of convicted politician Amarmani Tripathi. Interestingly, initially, both the Congress and the Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia, led by Mulayam Singh Yadav’s brother Shivpal Singh Yadav, had revealed Tanushree Tripathi’s name as its candidate.

Supriya Shrinate was a journalist earlier

Supriya Shrinate who served as an Executive Editor with ET resigned from her position to join active politics and became a member of the Indian National Congress in 2019 to contest the general election from Maharajganj. “I have stepped down as Executive Editor at ET Now to pursue the next challenging phase of my life outside media. I thank The Times group for the most exciting 10 years of my journalism. Wish the channel, mgmt all my colleagues the very best. I will be taking an active plunge in politics, am grateful to Indian National Congress, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindia for trusting me with Maharajganj,” she wrote on social media.

However, Supriya Shrinate suffered an embarrassing defeat at the hands of BJP candidate Pankaj Choudhary who managed to score around 60% of the vote share while she came in the third position after the Samajwadi Party candidate Akhilesh who received 31.45% of the votes. The Congress candidate only secured 5.91% of the votes.

Source: Oneindia

Afterwards, she was appointed as the party’s spokesperson in 2022. Randeep Singh Surjewala had informed, “Sonia Gandhi has approved the appointment of Shrinate as spokesperson of the All India Congress Committee,” in an official statement. In the same year, she took over as the party’s chairperson of the social media and digital platforms in its new communications department replacing Rohan Gupta.

‘What’s wrong with London’: Cricketer Kevin Pietersen and many others ask as violent street crimes spike in UK capital

OpIndia Staff
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‘What’s wrong with London’: Cricketer Kevin Pietersen and many others ask as violent street crimes spike in UK capital

On March 28, Thursday, former England cricket captain Kevin Pietersen took to X to voice his concerns about the staggering rate at which street crimes in London are rising.

Resharing a post by @CrimeLdn, which had posted a video of a recent knife attack on a train in London, the cricketer labelled London as “a disgrace of a place”.

The video shared by @CrimeLdn showed a man brutally stabbing another in a broad daylight attack on a train in London. The incident took place between Shortlands and Beckenham on a train heading to Victoria on Wednesday, March 27. The victim was reported to have serious injuries.

“WTAF is this now in London?!?!?! London was once the most amazing city. It’s an absolute disgrace of a place. • You cannot wear a watch of any value. • you cannot walk around with your phone in your hand. • women get their bags and jewellery ripped off them. • cars get smashed in for a quick smash and grab. • there’s this rubbing in the video below. @SadiqKhan must be really proud of what he’s created?!” Pietersen captioned his post.

Internet users were horrified by the audacious crime that occurred in the U.K.’s largest metropolis, that too in broad daylight. “London has become a ghetto run by gangs and criminals, but the mayor of London is concerned with ULEZ because, of course, climate change,” wrote @cevizor, expressing concern over the fact that London had become the epicentre of street crime while the government had looked the other way.

Many other X users also blamed the London government for the rise in street crimes in the city.

However, harsh it may sound the truth is that street crime has been rising in London over the last few years. In fact, last month, Indian renewable energy entrepreneur Devin Narang created quite a buzz after he said that people are apprehensive about wearing their expensive Rolex watches, especially in the poshest areas of London like Mayfair due to the risk of being mugged for their expensive watches.

Though he had not personally been targeted on his numerous trips to London, he said between five and eight Indian businesspeople have told him they have been mugged in the past few years.

Data from Watchfinder & Co. last year revealed that between 2015 and 2022, the number of stolen watches in England and Wales nearly doubled, from 6,696 to 11,035.

More than 6,000 of the thefts in 2022 took place in London.

Among the most well-known targets was Amir Khan, the former world boxing champion who was coerced into giving up his £70,000 Franck Muller watch during an armed robbery in east London in 2022.

Similarly, in an interview with The National in 2023, founding director of Beauchamp Estates Gary Hersham, who deals with high-end clients from the Gulf, stated that London must control crime if it hopes to continue being a global hub that draws in foreign investors.

“London is competing with other wealth centres around the world to attract investment, visitors and new full and part-time residents so the provision of security for both residential and commercial property, and controlling crime, is extremely important,” he said.

“Destinations such as Monaco, Dubai, Qatar and Abu Dhabi are popular with wealthy residents and visitors because security is taken extremely seriously.

Rowley is the representative for a region of Westminster Council that is near the Middle Eastern-populated Edgware Road neighbourhood of central London.

The borough is also home to a few of the city’s most wealthy neighbourhoods, renowned retail avenues, and many of the tourist attractions that draw in approximately 4.5 million people annually.

It is, however, also the “most dangerous” area of London, according to the CrimeRate database, with a crime rate that is 215 per cent higher than that of the entire city and 265 per cent higher than that of the entirety of England and Wales.

Data shows knife crimes and theft in London increasing exponentially year after year

According to Met Police data, the region saw a 32% increase in crime in the year ending in April compared to the same period in 2022 with theft being the most common offence.

Data shows that throughout the same period, stealing increased by 66% and robbery by 34%.

In comparison to 2021, knife crime increased by 25% in 2022 and 12% from March to April of 2023, the data revealed.

With 2,834 offences and an 8 crime rate in 2023, other theft is the most common crime in the City of London, according to CrimeRate. This represents a 25% increase over the 2,260 offences in 2022 and a 1.60 increase over the 6 crime rate in 2022.

Moreover, knife crime is common in London, with some of the city’s wealthiest neighbourhoods serving as hubs for robberies and knife crimes. The most unsafe location in London is the Westminster Council neighbourhood near Edgware Road in the heart of the city, with a crime rate that is 215% greater than that of the entire city.

Along with knife crime, “theft from a person”—a category that includes stealing watches, handbags, and cell phones—rose by 27% in 2022 compared to the previous year. Metropolitan Police statistics show that in the year ending December 2023, there were 72,756 such instances in the capital, up from 57,468 in the year prior.

Mayfair, which is located in Westminster, has been especially hard hit; last year, theft from an individual increased by 40%. In 2023, there were 25,650 of these instances, as opposed to 18,310 in 2022.

Police have documented a wave of watch and cell phone thefts committed by gangs riding mopeds and e-bikes.

To be honest, based on the information above, it’s safe to assume that pickpockets, con artists, and muggers have made London into a hotbed of petty crimes, freely robbing locals and visitors alike. However, these facts are not even worth a debate to the pseudo-liberals who are otherwise eager to discredit India. Recently, one such group of anti-India trolls trended ‘What’s wrong with India?’ on X, where they used petty crimes happening in India to show it in a bad light.

It is questionable if the Western media, which has always been eager to disparage India, would turn inward and voice worries about problems that exist in their own countries as well. Take London for example, which has developed into an epicentre for petty crimes as well as organised crimes like drug smuggling and financial fraud.

“Vested interest group pressuring judiciary ahead of elections”: Over 600 prominent lawyers including Harish Salve, Manan Mishra, Adish Agarwala write to CJI

OpIndia Staff
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“Vested interest group pressuring judiciary ahead of elections”: Over 600 prominent lawyers including Harish Salve, Manan Mishra, Adish Agarwala write to CJI

On 28th March, 600 prominent lawyers, including Harish Salve, Manan Kumar Mishra, Adish Agarwala, Chetan Mittal, Pinky Anand, Hitesh Jain, Ujjwala Pawar, Uday Holla, Swaroopama Chaturvedi and others wrote a letter to the Chief Justice of India. They expressed their concerns over attempts to undermine the integrity of the Judiciary in the country.

In the letter, they expressed their deepest concerns over the vested interest group attempting to pressure the Judiciary, influence the judiciary process and defame the courts based on stale political agendas and frivolous logic.

The letter further pointed out that the false narrative of a supposed “better past” and “golden period of the courts” is being created to show a “contrast” of what has been happening in the present. The letter read, “Their antics are vitiating the atmosphere of trust and harmony, which characterises the functioning of the Judiciary. Their pressure tactics are most obvious in political cases, particularly those involving political figures accused of corruption. These tactics are damaging to our courts and threaten our democratic fabric.”

The letter further added that intentional statements had been made to influence the court’s decisions and embarrass the court for political gains. It read, “It’s troubling to see some lawyers defend politicians by the day and then try to influence judges through the media at night.”

The letter also highlighted the theory of “bench fixing” created, raising concerns that it led to slanderous attacks and insinuations against the judges. It read, “There is a clear “My way or the highway” approach at work – any decision they agree with is hailed, but any decision they disagree with is trashed, smeared and disregarded. This cherry-picking has been visible in very recent judgments, too.”

The lawyers called for a closer scrutiny of this group’s actions. They suggested that the vested interest group act strategically and choose the timing when the nation is all set to poll for Lok Sabha elections. They further added that similar attempts were made duing 2019 General Elections.

The letter concluded, saying, “We request the Supreme Court to stand strong and take steps to protect our courts from these attacks. Staying silent or doing nothing could accidentally give more power to those who mean to harm. This is not the time to maintain a dignified silence, as such efforts have been happening for a few years and too frequently…Sir, in these tough times, your leadership is crucial. We trust you and all Hon’ble Judges to guide us through these issues and keep our courts strong.”

BJP reacted to the letter written by lawyers to CJI

Speaking on the letter written by 600 prominent lawyers, BJP leader and senior advocate of Supreme Court Gaurav Bhatia said, “Advocates related to opposition parties like Congress, AAP and others, the kind of pressure they put on Judiciary and the objectionable comments they make on Judges without any proof, is problematic. This letter depicts the public emotions.”

He added, “I have witnessed that if the judgement comes in their favour, then they do ‘wah wah’ of the Judiciary and in against if the verdict is passed then they do ‘hai hai’ of the Judiciary and the judges become ‘dishonest.’…A leader like Rahul Gandhi says that one or two people running the Judiciary is highly unfortunate. Therefore, this letter is a positive initiative…”

Sewa Bharati of RSS establishes 1250 schools in Kashmir teaching Muslim students the true value of Kashmiriyat, keeping them away from stone-pelting: Report

OpIndia Staff
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Sewa Bharati of RSS establishes 1250 schools in Kashmir teaching Muslim students the true value of Kashmiriyat, keeping them away from stone-pelting: Report

On 28th March, an exclusive report by News18 revealed that Sewa Bharati which is an affiliate organization of the Rashtriya Swayasevak Sangh (RSS) has done an extraordinary job in the Kashmir valley by establishing 1250 schools and teaching them the importance of patriotism and ‘Bharatiyata’. The organization which is believed to be an educational initiative of the RSS, affiliated to the Ekal Vidyalaya Abhiyan project teaches students, 95% of whom are Muslims, the true values of ‘Hindustani’, ‘Bharatiyata’, and ‘Kashmiriyat’.

The 1,250 Ekal Vidyalayas (an informal school education system) are dispersed over ten districts in Kashmir Valley including 180 such schools in Baramulla, which has been the site of multiple terror attacks on civilians and security forces. According to data accessible by the organization, the Valley has seen a 53% increase in the number of Ekal Vidyalayas since 2022, from 800 to 1,250 in the last two years.

Violence experienced in the valley due to the project

As per the report by News18, the schools run by the organization house Muslim students, primarily girls. Also, the teachers at the said schools are Muslims who teach the students along with the Aviyan Pramukhs (project in-charges). Further, the schools are supervised by village committees and the primary objective of the project seems to be to teach students the true values of ‘Kashmiriyat’, ‘desh prem’, duties of being a ‘Hindustani’, and protecting them from joining the stone-pelters.

“The medium of teaching is Kashmiri and Urdu. We do not want our children to become stone pelters or join groups of terrorists. We do not want them to indulge in drug addiction,” one of the local officials associated with the project was quoted as saying by News18.

“Over the last five years, no Ekal Vidyalaya student in Baramulla district has dropped out or joined the stone-pelters for money. They are all proud Hindustani Muslims. We teach them the Quran here, and we have never received a negative reaction from the organization,” he added.

The official also added that some of the radicals in the rally have been opposing the project and terming it a conspiracy. The valley has also experienced violence due to the project, the project went on to change the lives of children with the help and support of local administration and village panchayats.

Local Kashmiris are the young members in charge of the entire system. They refer to the project as their “fight to save Kashmiriyat”. Ekal Vidyalayas have been operating in the region for over a decade, but they have gotten a resounding response and support from the community in the last five to six years.

Even if senior members of the state committees refuse to link the increase in numbers to the repeal of Article 370 parts, they argue that society and locals are seeing a shift as they connect with the concept of national integration.

Women teachers from minorities teaching nationalist ideas

According to a senior member of the group, PM Narendra Modi’s Viksit Bharat Viksit Jammu-Kashmir event last month drew a large crowd, demonstrating the transformation in Kashmiri culture.

The Ekal Vidyalaya Abhiyan runs the schools through a four-tier system that includes Anchal Abhiyan Pramukh (area head), Prashikshan Pramukh (teaching head), Mulyankan Pramukh (evaluation head), and Jagaran Pramukh (campaign head). According to the senior member, all of these roles are filled by Kashmiri Muslims who volunteer to “fight for Kashmiriyat”.

Women make up around 70% of all teachers. The schools follow the J&K general education system’s curricula. “Some children come from the villages where there are no formal schools, while others come from very poor families who cannot afford the school education system,” one of the female teachers was quoted as saying.

“We try to provide primary and post-primary education to the kids. Apart from the general subjects, we teach about nationalist ideas and have a special subject called Kashmiriyat. We also teach them about the history of the region,” she added.

The students in the school celebrate Independence Day, Republic Day, and all other major local and national festivals.

Sewa Bharati intends to establish more than one school in each village

According to the Ekal Vidyalaya Abhiyan’s most recent annual report for 2021-22, the organization operated these schools in 480 villages across the Kashmir valley until 2022. There could be more than one school in each village. In 2021-22, the charity collected Rs 129 crore in domestic donations and Rs 44 crore from international contributors.

“Ekal emphasizes through its school curriculum, student enrolment, volunteers’ selection, and other operating practices with equal respect for all religious faiths. Due emphasis is placed on local cultural heritage to consolidate a sense of pride and self-respect. The fact that Ekal Vidyalaya runs in 480 villages of Kashmir valley, which is exclusively inhabited by Muslims and similarly in several villages of Tamil Nadu and Kerala which are predominantly Muslim or Christian, is testimony to such true secular practice,” the report stated.

Manmohan Vaidya, a prominent Sangh functionary, and joint general secretary, stated at a meeting of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), the RSS’s highest decision-making body, this month that the minorities are becoming more involved with the organisation.

Kutch Copper: Adani Group’s greenfield copper unit in Mundra commences operations, to become the world’s largest single-location smelter

ANI
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Kutch Copper: Adani Group’s greenfield copper unit in Mundra commences operations, to become the world’s largest single-location smelter

Adani Enterprises Limited, through its subsidiary Kutch Copper, marked a milestone today with the commissioning of the first unit of its greenfield copper refinery project in Mundra.

According to a press release, the maiden dispatch of cathodes to customers signals the commencement of operations at the state-of-the-art facility, representing Adani’s foray into the metal industry.

The project underscores the Adani Group’s commitment to pioneering large-scale ventures.

Adani Enterprises has earmarked an investment of nearly USD 1.2 billion for the initial phase, aiming to establish a copper smelter with a capacity of 0.5 million of tonnes per annum (MTPA).

Upon completion of the second phase, which mirrors the capacity addition of the first, Kutch Copper’s facility will emerge as the world’s largest single-location custom smelter, boasting cutting-edge technology and digitalization while adhering to exemplary environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards.

Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, said, “With Kutch Copper commencing operations, the Adani portfolio of companies is not only entering the metals sector but also driving India’s leap towards a sustainable and aatmanirbhar (self-reliant) future. Our speed of execution in this ambitious, super-sized project underscores our commitment to take India to the forefront of the global copper sector.”

He added, “We believe the domestic copper industry will play a crucial role in achieving our nation’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2070 by strengthening our green infrastructure hand in hand with mature environmental stewardship. When commissioned, our modern smelter will set new benchmarks in copper production, with an enhanced thrust on innovative green technology.”

The demand for copper is poised for exponential growth, driven by burgeoning sectors such as renewable energy, electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, and power transmission networks.

Kutch Copper’s strategic forward integration plans include the establishment of Kutch Copper Tubes Limited, expanding its portfolio to include copper tubes catering to applications in air conditioning and refrigeration.

Kutch Copper’s operations are engineered to achieve the lowest carbon footprint in its class.

A portion of the plant area is dedicated to green belt space, with substantial capital allocated towards environmental protection measures.

The facility operates on a zero-liquid discharge model, utilising desalinated water for operations while recycling treated wastewater to minimise waste.

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

Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra to skip ED summons and campaign in her Krishnanagar constituency, had ignored previous two summons

OpIndia Staff
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Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra to skip ED summons and campaign in her Krishnanagar constituency, had ignored previous two summons

All India Trinamool Congress (AITC or TMC) leader Mahua Moitra has stated that she will campaign in her Krishnanagar seat on 28th March disregarding the summons from the Enforcement Directorate asking her to come in for an interrogation at the agency’s headquarters in the national capital. “I will be out for campaigning in the Krishnangar constituency in the afternoon,” she declared while talking to the media.

She and businessman Darshan Hiranandani who is located in Dubai, received a new summons from the Enforcement Directorate to appear in court for a potential violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). The ED had earlier requested to question the 49-year-old politician. She avoided the probe and failed to show up before the investigators on 11th March and 19th February which resulted in the two previous summons being followed by the current one.

In the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, Mahua Moitra, who was dismissed from the Lok Sabha in December due to “unethical conduct,” has been renominated by her party from the Krishnanagar seat in West Bengal. The new summons was sent days after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) agency was ordered by anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal to look into the accusations made against her by Bharatiya Janata Party Lok Sabha MP Nishikant Dubey, prompting the agency to raid properties linked to her about the cash-for-query issue.

Nishikant Dubey has charged that Mahua Moitra posed inquiries in Parliament to launch an attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and entrepreneur Gautam Adani, among others in return for money and presents from Darshan Hiranandani. He based his complaint on a letter from Supreme Court attorney Jai Anant Dehadrai. The sources informed PTI that, in addition to a few other overseas remittances and financial transfers, transactions connected to a non-resident external (NRE) account are being closely monitored by the ED.

Mahia Moitra has claimed innocence and filed a case with the Supreme Court contesting her removal from the lower house of the Parliament due to the cash-for-query accusations.

Minor girl raped during Holi celebrations in Guwahati, accused Raju Ali and Mandal Ali nabbed while Inamul Ali on the run

OpIndia Staff
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Minor girl raped during Holi celebrations in Guwahati, accused Raju Ali and Mandal Ali nabbed while Inamul Ali on the run

A minor girl was abducted, raped and then thrown onto the streets from a car in Guwahati on Tuesday, the day Assam was celebrating Holi. The main accused has been identified as Inamul Ali, who along with his friends Raju Ali and Mandal Ali, drugged the girl and then raped her.

As per reports, the culprits had picked up three girls in an Innova car from Bhagaduttapur in the Kahilipara locality of Guwahati in the pretext of playing Holi. However, later Inamul drugged them and rapped a minor girl in the presence of his friends and the other two girls. The entire incident was also recorded on their phones by his friends. According to some reports, the other two girls were partners of the crime and they also recorded the video.

After committing the heinous crime, they dropped the victim near her residence in Kahilipara. She was found in the critical condition by locals, and was immediately taken to the Gauhati Medical College Hospital. She is currently receiving treatment for physical and emotional trauma.

A case was been registered at the Bhagaduttapur Outpost over the crime after a complaint filed by the family. The police launched an operation and nabbed two co-accused, Raju Ali was caught in Hatigaon while Mandal Ali was caught in Azara area of the city. However, the main accused Inamul Ali is still absconding. The police also recovered the Innova car used in the crime.

The arrested accused have been sent to Dispur Police station and further probe is on.

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