Home Blog Page 1192

Madhya Pradesh: ASI survey of Bhojshala complex in Dhar to start on March 22

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Madhya Pradesh: ASI survey of Bhojshala complex in Dhar to start on March 22

The ASI survey of the Bhojshala complex in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh will start on Friday (22nd March). Following the High Court’s directive, the Additional Director of the Archaeological Survey of India has written a letter to Indore Divisional Commissioner, Collector Dhar, SP Dhar in this regard. Earlier on 11th March, the Madhya Pradesh High Court (Indore bench) directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a scientific investigation, survey, and excavation at the Bhojshala complex.

ASI has further been directed to submit its report before the next hearing on 29th April.

Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain representing the Hindu community in the court case shared this information from his X handle. He wrote, “ASI survey to start in Bhojshala from tomorrow i.e 22.03.2024.”

Notably, the 11th-century Bhojshala is an ASI-protected monument. Hindus believe it is a temple of Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati) but the Muslim side disputes it claiming that it is Kamal Maula Mosque.

A bench of Justices SA Dharmadhikari and Devnarayan Mishra allowed the ASI survey of the complex while hearing an interlocutory application filed in a pending writ petition. The writ petition pending before the court was filed by the Hindu Front for Justice seeking a scientific survey of the Bhojshala premises and to reclaim it on behalf of the Hindus. 

On Wednesday (May 11), the Madhya Pradesh High Court also admitted a petition seeking a stay on the offering of Namaz by Muslims in the complex of the Bhojshala monument in the Dhar district of the State.

As per the arrangements made by the ASI on 7th April 2003, Hindus perform puja at the Bhojshala complex every Tuesday, while Muslims offer namaz there every Friday.

However, on 2nd May 2023, the Hindu Front for Justice filed a PIL challenging the ASI order. Apart from the ASI survey and reclamation of the Bhojshala, they have also sought a ban on the members of the Muslim community from offering namaz on its premises. 

Earlier in September last year, the guards reportedly found an idol of Goddess Vagdevi between 9th and 10th September. However, the administration had denied the claim of the idols ‘appearing’ and removed it.

OpIndia Exclusive: Mujahid Sheikh from Mira Road circulates derogatory image insulting saint Swami Samarth, FIR filed after MLA Geeta Jain seeks action

Siddhi Somani
-
0
OpIndia Exclusive: Mujahid Sheikh from Mira Road circulates derogatory image insulting saint Swami Samarth, FIR filed after MLA Geeta Jain seeks action

On Wednesday (20th March) Navghar Police Station in Mumbai’s Mira Road region booked an individual identified as Mujahid Sheikh for derogatory, hateful posts targeting Hindu religious beliefs. The accused is also said to have insulted Prime Minister Narendra Modi by calling him ‘Satyanashi Baba’ (annihilator).

The accused Mujahid Sheikh used the photograph of the Hindu saint ‘Guru Swami Samarth’ and replaced its face with that of PM Modi. The same photograph was published by the accused on his Facebook page with the caption ‘Swami Satyanashi Maharaj’. The accused through the post indicated that PM Modi was an annihilator. He also directly attempted to hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindus by using the image of Hindu saint Swami Samarth that is worshipped in many Hindu households.

Mumbai: Mujahid Sheikh circulates derogatory image insulting Swami Samarth, FIR filed after MLA Geeta Jain seeks action
Derogatory image of Lord Swami Samarth (Image obtained by OpIndia)

The Navghar Police station at Vasai Virar region filed a police complaint against the accused under sections 153A, 295A of the Indian Penal Code and section 66C of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Mumbai: Mujahid Sheikh circulates derogatory image insulting Swami Samarth, FIR filed after MLA Geeta Jain seeks action
FIR copy obtained by OpIndia

The said complaint was booked after the BJP MLA Geeta Jain from the Mira Road region issued a letter directing strict action against the accused. “The accused has caused insult to the great Hindu saint Swami Samarth by distorting his image. Swami is one of the greatest Hindu saints worshipped by many in Maharashtra. Further, he has not only insulted the Hindu Lord but also PM Modi by calling him an annihilator,” the letter by Jain read.

Further, the BJP MLA sought action against the accused under sections 124, 124A, 153A, 295A, 500, 504, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and sections 66 and 67 of the IT Act, 2000.

Mumbai: Mujahid Sheikh circulates derogatory image insulting Swami Samarth, FIR filed after MLA Geeta Jain seeks action
Letter issued by BJP MLA Geeta Jain specifically obtained by OpIndia

OpIndia has obtained the FIR copy in the case. The complainant in the complaint mentioned that the accused has hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindu community by insulting Lord Swami Samarth and PM Modi. The FIR in the case has been filed under section 153A, 295A of the Indian Penal Code and section 66C of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Notably, BJP MLA Geeta Jain while exclusively talking to OpIndia mentioned that the accused is a repeat offender and that he has been creating chaos in the Mira Road region in the past too.

“This is not the first time that Mujahid Sheikh has insulted the Hindus. He keeps on doing it often. The communal situation in Mira Road has just calmed down and someone from a specific community doing something like this is very serious. He has insulted Swami Samarth primarily and also PM Modi, both of these things are highly condemnable. Strict action in this case needs to be taken,” Jain said.

Team OpIndia contacted the Police to learn more about the case. PI Patil of the Navghar Police Station informed that the accused has been booked but efforts are being made to execute his arrest. The Police meanwhile also informed that the said controversial post has been taken down by the accused.

Investigations in the case are underway.

Mira Road has been communally sensitive

It is important to note that the Mira Road region in Mumbai is a Muslim-dominant area and has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. The Police recently caught 8 illegal Rohingya Muslims from the coastal area of Uttan near Bhayandar. The 8 accused persons originally from Myanmar were charged under the Foreigners Act as well as Passport Entry in India Rules for illegally entering the country.

In June 2023, massive controversy erupted in the capital city of Maharashtra after one of the Muslim families living in a society on Mira Road, Mumbai brought two goats a day ahead of Bakrid (Bakra-eid, Eid-Ul-Adha). The society members happened to refuse the Muslim family to get the goats inside the society premises for slaughter and said that they wouldn’t allow any kind of slaughtering activity within the society premises. However, chaos erupted after the Muslim family claimed that they were harassed by the society members.

In the second crucial incident that was reported recently in January 2024, the Islamists attacked Hindus with stones, iron rods, sticks, and bamboo, leaving over a dozen people who participated in rallies to commemorate the return of Lord Ram in Ayodhya injured.

In the incident reported from Mira Road, Mumbai, Islamists also disrespected the Hindu religion and hurt the Hindu religious sentiments by tearing flags bearing images of Lord Hanuman. Islamists are also said to have vomited over the flags causing disrespect to the Hindu faith. 

Recently, OpIndia also recorded 15 brutal cases of forceful conversion and community crimes from the Mira Road region in the past year. Hindus, especially the women in the region have been deliberately harassed and then forced to convert their religion to Islam. OpIndia accounted for 15 such cases. The detailed analysis of these reports can be read here.

‘Swiggy ad’ mocking Zomato shared by online trolls, Swiggy issues clarification: Here’s what happened

OpIndia Staff
-
0
‘Swiggy ad’ mocking Zomato shared by online trolls, Swiggy issues clarification: Here’s what happened

Days after food aggregator Zomato launched a pure veg fleet to serve its pure veg customers and received online backlash from wokes and liberals for the same. Meanwhile, an ‘advertisement’ attributed to Swiggy taking a swipe at Zomato surfaced on social media.

On the 20th of March, several X users shared an alleged Swiggy ad titled: “Eviction-Safe Food Delivery”, which depicts a food delivery man at a customer’s door with an order, while in the background, a few men appear to be following another delivery person wearing a green t-shirt with sticks in their hands.

The text in the ‘advertisement’ read, “Eviction-safe food delivery. In Indian neighbourhoods, your dietary preferences are best kept private. Our delivery fleet doesn’t leak your private habits to the world. You also save some money as we don’t have to pay for the life insurance of our delivery staff against mob lynchings.”

An online troll Salil Tripathi shared the said ‘ad’ and wrote, “Well played @Swiggy!”

Another online user wrote, “New swiggy ad amid the Zomato PURE veg issue.”

As this advertisement attributed to Swiggy went viral online, the food aggregator issued a statement and said, “We came across a fake ad this morning regarding a recent controversy. If it isn’t already obvious, this is NOT an ad by Swiggy. It was neither created by us nor anybody affiliated with Swiggy. Kindly refrain from circulating or attributing it to Swiggy.”

Notably, this fake advertisement featuring an AI-generated image was created by an X user and a “Swiggy fan” Nilesh whose X post read, “New #Swiggy ad hits hard.” Although Nilesh added “/s” meaning sarcasm, the fake ad went viral as “real”.

In an additional post, Nilesh clarified that it was a sarcastic post and said that he added sufficient clues. “This image is not an authentic ad by Swiggy. It is sarcasm/satire/parody. I thought I had dropped sufficient clues: – “/s” – Snarky language – Bad graphic design – AI-generated art – Corporations taking a stand with an apparent spine But it seems like this was still widely misunderstood. My mistake.”

Notably, on the 19th of March, Zomato’s CEO Deepinder Goyal announced that Zomato has brought a new service ‘Pure Veg Mode’ to serve its pure veg customers.

Despite Zomato explicitly mentioning that “anyone who prefers pure veg food can avail the service and this Pure Veg Mode, or the Pure Veg Fleet doesn’t serve or alienate any religious, or political preference”, the online woke/liberal mob launched a scathing attack on Zomato and its CEO.

Rahul Gandhi’s divisive politics on caste attracts opposition within the party, Congress leader Anand Sharma says it disrespects Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi’s legacy

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Rahul Gandhi’s divisive politics on caste attracts opposition within the party, Congress leader Anand Sharma says it disrespects Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi’s legacy

As Rahul Gandhi continues to use caste divisions and religious hatred as his main strategy for Lok Sabha elections, finally a senior Congress leader has objected to it. Anand Sharma, senior party leader and a member of the Congress Working Committee, has written a letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, objecting to the national caste census promised by Rahul Gandhi.

Anand Sharma noted that the National Caste Census has emerged as an important issue in the electoral debate and has been endorsed by INDI Alliance led by Congress. “However, the Congress policy on social justice is based on a mature and informed understanding of the complexities of Indian society,” he wrote.

Anand Sharma said that though caste is a reality of Indian society, Congress has never engaged in nor endorsed identity politics. He said, “That is detrimental to democracy in a society with a rich diversity of region, religion, caste and ethnicity.” He added that as a national party, Congress has believed in inclusive approach, which is non-discriminatory in formulating policies for equity and social justice for the poor and the under-privileged.

Sharma wrote that the caste census issue is disrespect for Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi’s legacy, saying that a departure from the historic position of the party on caste divisions is a matter of concern for Congress workers across the country. He recalled how both Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi had opposed caste-based divisions, adding the caste census issue goes against that position.

He wrote, “It is pertinent to recall Smt. Indira Gandhi’s clarion call of 1980 : “Na jaat par na paat par, Mohar lagegi Haath par”. After the Mandal riots of 1990, Sh. Rajiv Gandhi, as a Leader of Opposition, in his historic speech in Lok Sabha on 6th September 1990 said : ‘We have problems if caste is defined to enshrine caste ism in our country…We have problems if casteism is going to be made a factor for parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies. The Congress cannot stand by and watch this nation being divided.”

Anand Sharma argued that implementation of caste census “will be misconstrued as disrespecting the legacy of Indira ji and Rajiv ji.”

He also stated that the last nationwide caste census was done in 1931 by the British government, and after independence, a conscious policy decision was made by the Government not to canvas caste related questions in the census, except for SCs and STs. “All Census Commissioners, after independence, have recorded their reasons and disapproval of a National Caste Census citing overlap, duplication, data lacking in accuracy and doubtful authenticity,” Sharma writes.

The Congress leader also argued that the caste census will not bring the benefits as claimed by the party. He wrote, “In my considered view, a Caste Census can not be a panacea nor a solution for unemployment and prevailing inequalities. A fundamental departure from time honoured policy on this critical and sensitive subject has major long-term national implications.”

Anand Sharma further wrote that “the Congress should strive to reclaim its role as builder of national consensus and build a harmonious society. The articulation of Party position should be balanced and eschew the radical posturing of regional and caste based organisations.”

He added that he felt duty-bound to place on record his views and share the concerns with the CWC and senior colleagues in the Party, giving the reason of writing the letter.

It is notable that Rahul Gandhi has been promising to hold a nationwide caste census in his speeches for some time. He has also promised to remove the 50% cap on reservations, if Congress-led alliance comes to power.

Karnataka: Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot refuses to sign controversial temple tax bill, asks ‘why only Hindu temples?’

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Karnataka: Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot refuses to sign controversial temple tax bill, asks ‘why only Hindu temples?’

On Thursday (21st March), the Karnataka government faced a significant setback as Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot declined to sign the controversial Temple Tax bill, raising concerns about the taxation of only Hindu temples. Advocating for the taxation of all religious bodies Gehlot stressed that singling out one religion for taxation under the proposed bill is discriminatory.

Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot’s withdrawal of the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions & Charitable Endowment (Amendment) Bill, 2024 came as a huge embarrassment for the Congress government in the state. The governor questioned whether other religious organisations would be included in this bill. He further asked the state government’s intention to enact similar legislation for non-Hindu religious institutions with amendments.

The Muzrai department (Department of Religious and Charitable Endowments) oversees approximately 35,000 Hindu religious institutions that receive funding from the Government of Karnataka.

This bill gives the government the right to collect more tax from temples. According to this bill, if the revenue of a Hindu temple is 1 crore rupees, then the government can take a 10% tax from the temple, and if the temple’s revenue is less than 1 crore but more than Rs 10 lakh, then the government can take 5% tax from the temple. Bharatiya Janata Party, in opposition in the state, had opposed this bill.

The bill additionally proposed the establishment of committees at both state and district levels tasked with “examining, evaluating, and presenting” proposals regarding infrastructure development for pilgrims.

The contentious draft called Hindu Religious Institutions & Charitable Endowment (Amendment) Bill, 2024 was passed in the Karnataka state legislative assembly on 21st February 2024. However, it faced defeat by a voice vote in the upper house on 23rd February 2024, where the BJP-led opposition held a majority. The Karnataka Temple Bill underwent reconsideration and was subsequently approved in both the Assembly and the Legislative Council on 1st March.

Opposition parties including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (Secular), had condemned the bill, labeling it as anti-Hindu. They accused the Congress government in Karnataka of attempting to strengthen its financial position by utilising funds from temples. The opposition also argued that the Siddaramaiah administration wanted to redirect temple revenues to support other religions.

Previously, temples earning between ₹5 lakh and ₹10 lakh annually were required to contribute 5% of their net income to the Common Pool Fund, while those with incomes exceeding ₹10 lakh were mandated to allocate 10% of their net income to the fund.

Notably, if the Siddaramaiah government intends to obtain the Governor’s signature on the bill, they will have to pass the bill again in the Legislative Assembly. However, if the Governor decides to send the bill to the President, it could lead to reconsideration of the decision to tax temples by the Congress government.

West Bengal: TMC goon and his family brutally assaulted pregnant lady in Belgharia killing the foetus, no arrest almost two months after the incident

OpIndia Staff
-
0
West Bengal: TMC goon and his family brutally assaulted pregnant lady in Belgharia killing the foetus, no arrest almost two months after the incident

Last month, a worker of the ruling Trinamool Congress Party and his family members brutally beat a pregnant woman in Belgharia, West Bengal, killing the foetus. The incident took place in the Texmaco area of ward number 29 of Kamarhati municipality. All the accused TMC goons are close associates of the local ward councillor Nirmala Rai. A complaint in this regard is lodged in the Belgharia Police Station. The victim’s husband has alleged that the police are not taking any action in this case.

All accused are absconding and the Bharatiya Janata Party has demanded immediate arrest of the accused. The incident took place in the first week of February.

The victim pregnant woman is a resident of ward number 29 of Kamarhati Municipality under the jurisdiction of Belgharia Police Station. On the 19th of March, four members of a family including Raju Valmiki, Babli Valmiki, Asha Valmiki and a minor child barged into her house. They dragged the pregnant woman outside and assaulted her brutally. The woman was kicked in the stomach and back several times. The attackers live in the same neighbourhood, and are members of Trinamool Congress.

After the assault, she was taken to Sagar Dutta Hospital in a seriously injured state. As her health declined, she was sent to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Physicians there diagnosed that her unborn child died in the womb. Presently, the woman’s condition is stable.

Talking about the event during a protest organised by BJP women’s wing, the victim said that on the fateful day, she was at the house along wither her mother-in-law and sister-in-law. Her husband was not home at that time. She was sweeping the forntyard while the other two women were sleeping inside. Asha Valmiki and Babli Valmiki, who were sitting nearby, approached her asked why was she sweeping the ground. The woman said that it her her yard so she is cleaning it. This led to argument and shouting among the women.

Hearing the commotion, Babli’s husband Raju Valmiki along with his son arrived at the scene. He said, ‘why are you arguing, beat her’. After this, they proceeded to beat her mercilessly. Raju Valmiki kicked her in her stomach, while the women held her hands and legs. The minor son also assaulted her and pulled her hair.

The victim’s family has complained against the attackers at Belgharia police station. However, the Belgharia police station allegedly played a passive role in the incident, and has not arrested the accused persons yet even more than a month after the incident. The woman is still in a panic and is unable to step out of the house. The husband of the woman alleged that the West Bengal police are not taking any action in this matter. All the accused are absconding.

The local BJP leadership has demanded immediate arrest and punishment of the culprits. The BJP has also accused the Belgharia police of inaction in this case. The women’s being of the party gheraoed the police station on 15 March and held a massive protest, where the victim woman, now recovered from the injuries, were also present.

Meanwhile, Nirmala Rai – the councillor of ward number 29 where the incident took place – admitted that the accused are TMC workers. She said that the law will take its course. She also mentioned that the reason behind this incident was a family dispute between the victim and the attackers.

Sajid’s family has 11 shops, all shut down before the murders, residents suspect conspiracy: Locals share shocking details in Badaun double murder case

राहुल पाण्डेय
-
0
Sajid’s family has 11 shops, all shut down before the murders, residents suspect conspiracy: Locals share shocking details in Badaun double murder case

Many new details are emerging after the brutal killing of Aayush and Ayaan at the hands of Sajid and his brother Javed in the Baba Colony of Badaun in Uttar Pradesh. The residents informed that the accused’s family has monopolised the barber jobs in the area and has eleven such shops. Furthermore, it has been reported by locals that all the shops belonging to Sajid’s family were closed hours before he committed the heinous crime. The people also accused his father of deceiving the authorities about the whereabouts of Javed, who was a party to the heinous act.

OpIndia is obtaining information about Sajid and Javed from locals by travelling to the sensitive area, and was informed that there was a conspiracy behind the murder of the two Hindu children. People mentioned that they became aware of the incident much later despite living close to the crime location. The locals mentioned that the family of the perpetrators had closed their shops a lot earlier on the day of the murders. Their shops are generally open till 8 to 9 in the evening, but all were shut down earlier on the fateful day.

The locals asserted that there seems to be a massive plot behind the double murders, and Sajid’s family knew in advance. They also revealed that Sajid’s family was evicted from a village in Upraila 20 years ago, after which they settled in the Sakhanu area.

Those who visited their establishment noted that Sajid and Javed were both normal in general conversation, and even had “kalawa” (Hindu sacred thread) around their wrists.

Some customers of Sajid’s shop told OpIndia that they weren’t initially apprehensive of his conduct. They disclosed that Sajid attacked and killed the young boys while Javed waited outside the deceased’s home on a bike at the time of the crime. They also charged that Sajid and Javed’s father Babu misled the police in this case. The locals pointed out that Babu claimed that Sajid was at Javed’s place at the time of the crime when he was present at the crime scene.

The tiles outside the store that Sajid and Javed have rented features images of Hindu gods and goddesses. The locals highlighted that it was just for show, and they had other things on their minds. Local residents told OpIndia that the two would frequently join people during festivals and other occasions. They reiterated that the murders were a conspiracy and labelled the pair as terrorists.

Locals voiced that in the last five to six years, they never thought that Sajid and Javed could carry out such a horrific crime. Now their confidence has been broken and they are demanding strict action from the administration against the perpetrators.

Sajid and Javed, who ran barbershops in Badaun, murdered two Hindu boys Aayush and Ahaan alias Honey on the evening of 19th March. After the murders, Sajid fled the scene and was eliminated in an encounter with the state police the same day. Javed has surrendered himself in Bareilly, and has been arrested. A reward of Rs 25,000 was announced on him. The accused also tried to kill Piyush, the brother of the victims, but he managed to escape with injuries.

Patanjali’s Acharya Balkrishna apologises in SC for misleading ads, says 1955 Drug and Magic Remedies Act needs changing to consider latest research in Ayurveda

ANI
-
0
Patanjali’s Acharya Balkrishna apologises in SC for misleading ads, says 1955 Drug and Magic Remedies Act needs changing to consider latest research in Ayurveda

 Patanjali Ayurved Managing Director Acharya Balkrishna has tendered an unqualified apology in the Supreme Court over alleged misleading advertisements.

In an affidavit, Patanjali Ayurved Managing Director Acharya Balkrishna said that he submits an unqualified apology before the top court for the breach of the statement recorded in the order copy of the top court dated November 21, 2023.

Acharya Balkrishna said that he will ensure that such advertisements are not issued in the future and submits that its intention is only to exhort the citizens of this country to lead a healthier life by consuming products of the Ayurvedic company, including products for lifestyle ailments, through the use of age old literature and materials supplemented and backed by Ayurvedic research.

“The deponent regrets that the advertisement in question, which was meant to contain only general statements, inadvertently included the offending sentences. The same was bona-fide and added to the routine course by the media department of the Respondent No. 5 Company. The personnel of the media department of the Respondent No. 5 Company were not cognizant of the order dated November 21, 2023,” read the affidavit

Acharya Balkrishna further submitted that Schedule J of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, read with the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1955, is in an archaic state and the last changes were introduced in 1996. The Drug & Cosmetic Act, 1940, was passed when scientific evidence in Ayurveda research was lacking.

“The Ayurvedic Company now possesses evidence-based scientific data with clinical research conducted in Ayurveda, which would demonstrate the advances made through scientific research in the context of diseases mentioned in the said schedule. In light of the same, it is humbly submitted that the deponent’s only quest is for a better and healthier life for each and every citizen and to reduce the burden on the country’s healthcare infrastructure by providing holistic, evidence based solutions for lifestyle-related medical complications through the use of the age-old traditional approaches of Ayurveda and Yoga,” the affidavit said.

In fact, the idea was to promote the Ayurvedic products, which are based on age old literature/material backed by scientific research, the affidavit said.

The affidavit came as a response to the SC’s earlier order, whereby the court sought from Patanjali Ayurveda Managing Director Acharya Balkrishna a response to the show cause notice in contempt proceedings against him over alleged misleading advertisements of Patanjali Ayurved.

In the earlier hearing, the top court issued notice to Ayurvedic Company, asking it to show cause why contempt of action should not be initiated against the company and its managing director for giving misleading advertisements.

The top court had observed that the ayurvedic company has prima facie violated the top court’s order dated November 20, 2023, where it cautioned against misleading advertisements about its medicines.

The court had also restrained the Ayurvedic Company (Patanjali Ayurved) from advertising or branding their products specified as treating disease under the drug norms and also cautioned it from making any statements against any system of medicine in the media.

The court’s observation came when it noted that the company has given alleged misleading advertisements.

The court was dealing with an Indian Medical Association plea seeking to frame guidelines for prohibiting false and misleading advertisements in relation to allopathy and modern medicine.

IMA, a registered society, has more than 3,30,000 medical doctors as its members all over the country.

The petition also raised the issue of the campaign of misguidance, misinformation and disparagement against the modern system of medicine.

IMA, in its plea, had sought to pass an order directing the Center and others to

immediately take strict and prompt action, in accordance with law, for the violation of the provisions of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, the Drugs & Cosmetics Rules, 1945 and the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 by the repeated acts of omission and commission of Respondent Patanjali Ayurved Ltd., including by publishing advertisements all over the country making illegal and prohibited claims. 

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

‘It will lead to chaos’: Supreme Court refuses to stay appointment of Election Commissioners

OpIndia Staff
-
0
‘It will lead to chaos’: Supreme Court refuses to stay appointment of Election Commissioners

With the general elections right around the corner, the Supreme Court has refused to order a stay on the law to appoint Election Commissioners, stating that doing so at this stage would be “creating chaos”. The apex court’s decision came on Thursday, March 21, while hearing applications asking for a stay on the law to appoint Election Commissioners.

Announcing the order, bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta said, “You cannot say that the Election Commission is under the thumb of the executive. At this stage, we cannot stay the legislation, and it will lead to only chaos and uncertainty.”

The bench was addressing the arguments of Prashant Bhushan, who, while appearing for the petitioners, said, “There was a vacuum, the constituent assembly expected it to be filled by an independent panel, not one dominated by the executive.”

The bench also noted that there are no allegations against the newly appointed Election Commissioners, Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, who were picked under the new law by the selection panel.

The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023, had been passed by the Parliament last year and subsequently got the President’s assent. 

The new law replaced the Chief Justice of India on a committee to pick election commissioners with a Union Cabinet minister. The committee now has the Prime Minister, a Union Cabinet minister and the Leader of the Opposition, raising concerns over its impartiality. 

MP girl stages her own kidnapping to extort Rs 30 lakh ransom from father, wanted to flee abroad with friend

OpIndia Staff
-
0
MP girl stages her own kidnapping to extort Rs 30 lakh ransom from father, wanted to flee abroad with friend

On Wednesday (20th March), Rajasthan Police said that a girl from Madhya Pradesh who pretended to stay in Kota for NEET preparation staged her abduction to extort Rs 30 lakh ransom from her father. The 21-year-old girl plotted her kidnapping along with her two friends. Police said that the girl wanted to go abroad.

Recently, it was reported that a girl student hailing from Madhya Pradesh was kidnapped in Rajasthan’s Kota. The girl’s father had also approached the police on 18th March and informed them that the kidnappers had demanded Rs 30 lakh. He also showed the pictures of his daughter in the kidnapper’s captivity with her hands tied with a rope and a cloth stuffed in her mouth. Notably, the girl had moved to Kota in August last year to enroll at a coaching center for NEET preparation.

Upon investigating the matter, the police traced the girl to Indore. Moreover, the girl stayed in the Kota hostel only for three days after her admission to coaching last year. Since then she has been staying in Indore with her two male friends.

One of the girl’s friends informed the police that the girl and one of her friends wanted to flee abroad but lacked sufficient money, therefore they faked the abduction to demand a ransom.

The police further stated that the girl had her abduction photos taken in a common friend’s room. Meanwhile, she and her two male friends had their mobile phones switched off.

Notably, the Kota Police have asked the woman and her friend to report to a nearby police station. According to reports, Kota SP has also announced a reward of Rs 20000 to anyone providing information about the girl.

Speaking about the case, Kota SP Amrita Duhan said, “Last evening (Tuesday), we received information from Shivpuri police station in Madhya Pradesh that a person has filed a complaint of his daughter’s abduction from Kota, after receiving a ransom call. We formed a team immediately and started gathering technical evidence. We later identified the Indore-based spot from where the image of the girl was sent to her father, and it belonged to the boy who is helping the police in this investigation. Our team has reached Indore, and further investigation is underway.”

Reports say that the girl, along with her two friends was seen in a CCTV footage from Jaipur’s Durgapura railway station three hours before her staged kidnapping. Notably, the matter also caught Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia is reported to have talked to Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma to ensure the girl’s safe return.

1...1,1911,1921,193...7,606Page 1,192 of 7,606