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‘Never faced any trouble in getting funds’: Telangana CM Revanth Reddy punctures Arfa Khanum’s attempt to vilify the Centre

OpIndia Staff
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‘Never faced any trouble in getting funds’: Telangana CM Revanth Reddy punctures Arfa Khanum’s attempt to vilify the Centre

Telangana CM Revanth Reddy recently refused to walk into a supposed trap laid by The Wire ‘journalist’ Arfa Khanum Sherwani, who repeatedly asked him if his government had faced troubles in seeking funds from the central government.

In an interview for far-leftist portal ‘The Wire’, infamous for its hitjobs against the centre with stories like the ‘Tek Fog’ and ‘Meta’, which they had to eventually pull down, Ms Sherwani cited the resentment among the opposition-led government in Kerala, Karnataka, and West Bengal to ask if Revanth Reddy is also facing issues in securing funds from the Centre.

“This is just the start, I can’t take a sweeping position on it. Until now, I haven’t faced any issues concerning getting funds from the Centre. I have no complaints with them,” says Reddy, adding that he would not like to jump the gun and wait for the future to comment on something that has not happened yet with him.

Ms Sherwani then highlights how the governments of Karnataka, Kerala, and even Mamata-Banerjee led TMC government in West Bengal, who took a train full of people to Delhi to convey her displeasure over funds allocated to their respective states.

Mr Reddy astutely responds stating that he is unaware of the allegations against the centre by Karnataka CM or Mamata Banerjee.

“I am not aware what the Karnataka CM or Mamata Banerjee or others have been saying nor have I paid much attention to what they have been doing because it is not my responsibility…As of now, we (Telangana) have no problems with the Centre. If we ever face a problem with the Centre, we will straight away point them out to the central government,” Reddy said.

Interestingly, the interview was published on the day when the Centre informed the Supreme Court that it is prepared to permit the Kerala government to borrow Rs 5,000 crore, contingent upon specific conditions, to address the state’s financial challenges, marking it as a “highly unique and extraordinary step.”

Nevertheless, the Kerala government stated that Rs 5,000 crore “falls short of our needs” and emphasised that the bare minimum necessary amount stood at Rs 10,000 crore.

Mr Reddy also spoke about the excuses proffered by politicians who fail to win elections. When asked how would Congress and Rahul Gandhi win elections when the BJP supposedly manages the media, Mr Reddy stridently responds by saying that media can only create perception, it cannot make political parties win or lose.

“There, media is under control, but here in Telangana, 95 per cent of the media is owned by KCR, and yet we defeated him in the elections. Media can only create perception, it cannot decide the fate of the political parties,” Reddy said.

“Muslims have more brains than PM & Amit Shah, we won’t react now as elections are coming”: Moulana Mushtaq Malik of Tehreek Muslim Shabban fear mongers on CAA

OpIndia Staff
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“Muslims have more brains than PM & Amit Shah, we won’t react now as elections are coming”: Moulana Mushtaq Malik of Tehreek Muslim Shabban fear mongers on CAA

All kinds of counter-arguments are being launched by the opponents of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The Islamist, left-liberal ecosystem has used every word in their dictionary including calling CAA “unconstitutional, anti-Muslim, religion-based” and whatnot.

Now, Moulana Mushtaq Malik, the President of Tahreek Muslim Shabban has said that Muslims are more intelligent than Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Amit Shah.

The Muslim cleric also issued a veiled threat saying that Muslims know when to react and what to react.

“Musalman also knows. Like I said, Musalman has ruled for 700 years. Some brains the Musalman will have. We are more intelligent than Union Minister Amit Shah and PM Narendra Modi. We know what to react and when. They think we will react. It is election season now, we don’t know who will run to which jungle. We don’t know what will happen…although the issue about EVM is a different one. Whether they will win, form the government or not…,” the Moulana said.

In January 2020, amid the violent anti-CAA protests in the national capital, the Moulana had convened a joint action committee comprising around 40 Muslim groups from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka to rally against the CAA, which was passed by the Parliament in December 2019.

In October 2023, the President of Tehreek Muslim Shabban was put under house arrest to prevent him from taking out a pro-Palestine rally against Israel. The rally was cancelled.

In June 2022, too, the cleric was booked by the Chaderghat Police in Hyderabad for promoting enmity and hatred.

In a social media post, Malik had organised and incited Muslims to join a protest against former BJP leader Nupur Sharma over her remarks on prophet mohammad.

As per reports, the police alleged that Moulana Malik was provoking people in the name of religion and asking them to come out in large numbers. He was put under house arrest all day.

Surprisingly, the so-called protest was turned into a public meeting on the suggestion of the police.

The Moulana and his Tehreek Muslim Shabban in November 2023 officially announced their support for the Congress in the assembly elections.

Sheikh Shahjahan, currently in the custody of CBI, begged the court to protect him from arrest by ED in ration scam, plea rejected by Calcutta HC: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Sheikh Shahjahan, currently in the custody of CBI, begged the court to protect him from arrest by ED in ration scam, plea rejected by Calcutta HC: Details

On Tuesday (12th March), the Calcutta High Court dismissed an application made by suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shahjahan Sheikh for anticipatory relief in the multi-crore ration distribution scam case. It is pertinent to note that several women from Sandeshkhali had accused Shahjahan of grabbing land, rape and sexual harassment. However, he has not yet been booked for those complaints.

A division bench of Justices Debangsu Basak and Shabbar Rashidi denied Sheikh’s plea for pre-arrest bail in cases concerning the Ration scam. The scam is being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Shahajahan’s advocate Sabyasachi Banerjee claimed that the charges against him were ambiguous and that he was not named in the FIR filed on December 12, 2023. He stated that when Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials raided Shahjahan’s home on several occasions, nothing incriminating was discovered. He further claimed that Shahjahan was summoned solely based on the confession of another accused, Jyotipriyo Mallick, a former food minister. Reports suggest that Sheikh Shahjahan is a close aide of Jyotipriyo Mallick.

DSG Dhiraj Trivedi, representing the ED, stated that the Sheikh had been uncooperative with the investigation and had not replied to the summons, culminating in attacks on ED personnel who had gone to raid the residence. As a result, the motion for anticipatory bail was denied due to the lack of validity in Sheikh’s plea and the fact that the ED’s investigation had no shortcomings.

Notably, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has not arrested Sheikh in connection with the ration scam.

He is currently in the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with a 5th January incident in which approximately 200 local residents encircled and gheraoed ED officers who had arrived to raid Sheikh’s residence in Akunjipara in connection with the ration scam case. ED officials were injured during the attack, and Sheikh’s associates were suspected of planning the attack.

Notably, just days after Sheikh Shahjahan’s rise to infamy, another horrific misdeed of the erstwhile TMC strongman came to the fore.

Sheikh Shahjahan was arrested on 29th February, in connection with last month’s attack on an Enforcement Directorate (ED) team in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district. The arrest came 55 days after he fled in the wake of the public and political upheaval over allegations of sexual atrocities, land grabbing, robbing people, physical assault, and sexual abuse against Sheikh Shajahan and his supporters. He was arrested from a hideout barely 30km from Sandeshkhali.

The incompetency of the Bengal government machinery and the state police was so stark in the case that on 20th February, the Calcutta High Court slammed the Mamata Banerjee-led-West Bengal government for failing to arrest ‘absconding’ Sheikh Shahjahan, responsible for the violence and unrest in Sandeshkhali village. During the hearing, the court observed, “He (Sheikh Shahjahan) cannot be encouraged by State dispensation. There is a prima facie material to show he has done damage…”

On 5th March, the Calcutta High Court dismissed the SIT formed to probe the arrest of TMC strongman Sheikh Shahjahan and handed over the probe to the CBI. Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam ordered the Mamata Govt to hand over the custody of the TMC leader to the CBI and said that the directions be compiled. Subsequently, Shahjahan was turned over to the CBI.

As reported earlier, BJP’s Amit Malviya had slammed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after Shahjahan’s arrest saying that the state government had been left with no option but to arrest him. Naming TMC leaders for similar cases, Malviya alleged that they ‘run a similar reign of terror because they deliver votes to Mamata Banerjee’. 

Interestingly, a video has surfaced online which shows Padma Shri awardee Dr Narayan Chakraborty, renowned for his pioneering work in arsenic toxicity, particularly in West Bengal, confirming that suspended TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan’s school leaving certificate is from Bangladesh.

Dr Narayan Chakraborty confirmed that Sheikh Shahjahan was a student leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Union in his college days. He added, “How and when he infiltrated India and acquired Indian citizenship is a matter that the National Investigation Agency should probe.”

Public Distribution System Scam in which Sheikh Shahjahan is accused

On 26th October, ED raided the residence of West Bengal Minister Jyoti Priya Mallick in Kolkata in connection to a corruption case related to ration distribution. Mallick is a senior TMC leader serving as the forest minister. Previously, he held the food minister portfolio. In response to the raid, Banerjee strongly criticised the central agency and accused the BJP-led government at the centre of using such actions as part of a “broader strategy” ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Interestingly, Mallick’s daughter Priyadarshini reportedly deposited Rs 3.37 crores in her bank account after the 2016 demonetisation. Being a school teacher, she draws an annual salary of 2.48 lakhs. During ED’s interrogation, she claimed to have earned the money as tuition fees. Furthermore, ED found a deposit of Rs 4.3 crores in the IDBI bank account of Mallick’s wife, Mandipa. ED arrested Mallick over an accusation of laundering Rs 95 crores using shell companies.

Babita Ji of ‘Tarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah’ fame rumoured to be engaged with Tappu aka Raj Anadkat, sources close to the actor reject claims

OpIndia Staff
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Babita Ji of ‘Tarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah’ fame rumoured to be engaged with Tappu aka Raj Anadkat, sources close to the actor reject claims

Munmum Dutta (36) and Raj Anadkat (27), who play Babita ji and Tappu in the popular TV show ‘Tarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah’ (TMKOC), are engaged. As per the News18 Showsha report, Munmun and Raj sealed their commitment in a private ceremony earlier this month. The report added that the couple exchanged rings in Vadodara (Gujarat) in a low-key ceremony.

In an exclusive report, the portal reported that a source revealed, “The engagement took place just a few days back. The two apparently exchanged rings in Vadodara (Gujarat). Munmun and Raj’s families have accepted their relationship and they were also present at the ceremony.”

The source added, “They have been dating ever since Raj joined Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. It was very evident. Everyone on the sets knew about it. In fact, some people were certain that Munmun and Raj would get married eventually. Therefore, it is not shocking that they are engaged now.”

The report added that despite repeated attempts to take their comments, Munmun Dutta and Raj Anadkat have not reverted yet.

However, sources close to Munmun Dutta have rejected the rumours of engagement.

The actors from Tarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah had strongly refuted the reports that they were dating, Dutta added that she was ashamed to call herself ‘India’s daughter’

The Times of India first reported in September 2021 that Munmun Dutta and Raj Anadkat were allegedly dating. According to the TOI report, every member of the ‘Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah’ team was aware of their relationship. However, Munmun strongly denied the report on her social media platform.

In September 2021, Dutta released statements on Instagram refuting the rumours about their real-life relationship. In her statement, Dutta called journalists out for publishing reports about personal life without consent. She also called out public hate-filled messages. She added that she was ashamed to call herself ‘India’s daughter’.

Dutta shared two posts. In the first post, she ridiculed the media. She refuted the claims of the affair and claimed that the reports were imaginary and made up. She asked the media who should be held responsible for the damage they have done.

In his statement, Anadkat urged everyone who has been writing about him to think of the repercussions that could happen in his life before publishing a report based on rumours that too without his consent. He said, “To everyone, who has been constantly writing about me, THINK of the repercussions that can happen in my life because of your ‘COOKED UP’ (false) stories, and that too about my life without my consent. All the creative people out there please channelise your creativity somewhere else it will be helpful to you. May God bless them with good sense.”

Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah has been among the longest-running hit TV Shows in which Dutta continues to play her famed role of Babita Ji. While Raj who used to play the role of Tapu, the son of Jethalal, left the show in December 2022. 

‘Petitioner has itself to blame’: Delhi HC rejects plea by Congress seeking a stay on proceedings initiated by IT Dept for recovery of Rs 135 crores

OpIndia Staff
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‘Petitioner has itself to blame’: Delhi HC rejects plea by Congress seeking a stay on proceedings initiated by IT Dept for recovery of Rs 135 crores

The Delhi High Court delivered a decision that rejected the Indian National Congress Party’s (INC) appeal against the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal’s (Tribunal) decision to dismiss their application to halt the Income Tax Department’s recovery proceedings for Rs 135 crores (comprising interest accrued).

The party had been requesting an adjournment since September 2023, therefore the bench, which was made up of Justices Yashwant Varma and Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, decided against interfering with the Tribunal’s decision on the grounds that there was no justification for it.

The Bench voiced dissatisfaction with the Congress party’s handling of the issue during the March 12 hearing, pointing out that the tax demand dates back to 2021. The bench criticized the party for what appeared to be passivity, noting that the current state of affairs appeared to result from someone in the Congress office ignoring the matter since 2021.

“As we read this order (ITAT order), the petitioner has itself to blame. The demand is for 2021…It seems you made no efforts to securitize the demand…Someone in the petitioner’s office has remained asleep since 2021,” it added.

In July 2021, the Congress party was subject to legal action by the IT department, which challenged their statement of nil income and demanded more than Rs 105 crore in taxes for the assessment year 2018–19. The demand was made in response to the late submission of the return and the purported receipt of donations totaling more than Rs 2,000 each, which violated the Income Tax Act’s Section 13A’s tax exemption provisions for political parties.

The Congress went to the ITAT to voice its disapproval of the IT department’s conduct and to argue against the rejection of tax exemption. On March 8, 2024, the ITAT, however, affirmed the department’s decision, concluding that the Congress’s claim lacked substantial evidence.

Representing the Congress, Senior Advocate Vivek Tankha expressed apprehension regarding the party’s accounts being frozen and threatened severe repercussions should the situation continue, particularly in light of the approaching Lok Sabha elections. The bench did stress that last-minute fixes would not address the problem, which has been since 2021.

The attorney for the IT department, meanwhile, denied that the case was being handled close to the elections, stating that it has been going on since 2021 and rejecting charges that it was placing an excessive financial strain on the party.

Fact-check: Has the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs appointed two Election Commissioners? No, PIB busts fake news

OpIndia Staff
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Fact-check: Has the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs appointed two Election Commissioners? No, PIB busts fake news

On 13th March, a notification by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs surfaced on social media claiming that two Election Commissioners to the Election Commission of India have been appointed. As per the notification, the High-Powered Committee (HPC) comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, appointed Dr Rajesh Kumar Gupta (retd IAS) and Priyansh Sharma (retd IAS) as Election Commissioners. Furthermore, the notification suggested both would assume office from 31st March 2024.

Source: X

The said notification was shared by several social media users.

Source: X
Source: X
Source: X

However, a courtesy search about the gazette notification revealed that the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs still needs to issue such notification. Furthermore, the Press Information Bureau’s Fact Check unit also dismissed the notification as fake. In a post on X, PIB Fact Check wrote, “A notification regarding the appointment of two Election Commissioners to the Election Commission of India is circulating on social media. This notification is #fake. No such Gazette notification has been issued.”

Arun Goel resigned ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections

Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Election Commissioner Arun Goel on 9th March resigned from the post. His resignation was accepted by the President.  the election dates are likely to be announced next week. With Goel’s resignation, the Election Commission is left only with Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, because the EC already had a vacancy. The Commission is down to two members after the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey in February this year. The government has already started the process of selecting a new EC in place of Pandey, but now they will have to recruit two new ones.

The reason for the resignation just ahead of the general elections is not known. Goel assumed charge as Election Commissioner (EC) of India on November 21, 2022. His appointment was challenged in the Supreme Court by the Association for Democratic Reforms, but the court dismissed the petition in August last year. ADR has approached the Supreme Court to stop the Government from appointing Election Commissioners as per Section 7 of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023.

‘The Kerala Story’-like incident in Ghaziabad: Minor Hindu girl lured by her Muslim friend found with Rahisuddin, was drugged and reportedly raped

OpIndia Staff
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‘The Kerala Story’-like incident in Ghaziabad: Minor Hindu girl lured by her Muslim friend found with Rahisuddin, was drugged and reportedly raped

An instance eerily similar to “The Kerala Story” has come to light in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad district where a Muslim girl is accused of deceiving a 15-year-old Hindu girl and then taking the victim with her. Afterwards, the latter was found with a 25-year-old Rahisuddin, two days later. The incident transpired on 6th March and the two perpetrators were apprehended by the authorities and a case has been registered.

The matter pertained to the Sahibabad police station area of Ghaziabad. A Hindu woman residing there filed a police complaint on 9th March and stated that her 15-year-old daughter was lured away by a Muslim girl who is their neighbour. On 8th March, the underage girl was discovered at the house of Rahisuddin two days after her mother started searching for her. The place is reportedly near Mustafa Masjid which falls under the jurisdiction of Sahibabad police station.

The mother has asked that the police take strong measures against the culprits who are booked under section 363 (punishment for kidnapping) of the Indian Penal Code. The minor was then sent for a medical examination. Hindu organisations asserted that there’s a possibility that the identities of additional implicated persons in this case could surface and that the number of sections in the First Information Report could increase based on the medical report and the girl’s statements.

OpIndia has a copy of the FIR. Hindu groups residing in the Ghaziabad district have called for the offenders to face severe consequences for this crime. They have also called for a high-level investigation, comparing the occurrence to the “The Kerala Story.”

The hands and feet of the young girl were tied

The mother of the victim has talked to OpIndia and asked us to speak to Sushil Saxena, district head of the local Vishva Hindu Parishad’s Dharmaparavartana unit for complete information. He and Vishva Hindu Parishad Matrashakti district president Mamta Mittal mentioned to us that they are in continuous contact with the girl’s family. They further revealed that the accused girl was the victim’s friend and probably a juvenile.

According to Sushil and Mamta, the female Muslim acquaintance had previously brought the Hindu girl to her aunt’s house and spent a day there before she was taken to the residence of Rahisuddin’s sister. He was also present at the location. Sushil Saxena noted that she was given an intoxicating drug which caused her to pass out after which she was allegedly subjected to sexual assault. He did, however, clarify that a medical report is required before the rape can be confirmed.

Sushil and Mamta further disclosed that Rahisuddin’s aunt and sister were also involved in the crime. They also accused that his family members had begun preparing to claim that Rahisuddin was mentally ill, identical to multiple terrorists. However, they added that until the culprits are punished, the victim’s family will have complete protection and legal support.

Media fans the same flame as 2019 that caused 2020 riots: After CAA notification, media jumps to paint Shaheen Bagh Muslims as victims, even though the law has nothing to do with them

Anurag
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Media fans the same flame as 2019 that caused 2020 riots: After CAA notification, media jumps to paint Shaheen Bagh Muslims as victims, even though the law has nothing to do with them

On 11th March, the Government of India notified the Rules for Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA). The rules opened the way for Hindu, Sikh, Parsi, Jain, Christian and Buddhist immigrants from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh who faced religious persecution in the specified countries. Though CAA has nothing to do with the Muslims in India, and it would not affect or snatch away their citizenship, an atmosphere of fear has been created once again among the Muslim population in the country. Media has started fanning the same narration that the Muslims are fearful of their future while covering Shaheen Bagh as they did in 2019, which led to the anti-Hindu riots of 2020 in Delhi.

‘No humgama in Ramzan but hum kagaz nahi dikhayenge’

Times of India’s report suggested that the residents of Shaheen Bagh did not protest because of Ramzan. They quoted a Shaheen Bagh resident questioning the presence of a heavy police force in the area. She said, “Why are there so many police personnel? Are they afraid of Shaheen Bagh? It is the month of Ramzan, so there are no protests, but we will not show papers”. After four years, the resident was still not ready to believe no one was asking for her papers. CAA has nothing to do with Indian Muslims. However, the media conveniently ran the narrative.

A 68-year-old shopkeeper said, “Why Muslims are precluded from the decisions on this law is a question that will remain unanswered. Implementing CAA is a tactic to divide and rule and polarise voters ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Not surprisingly, police have been patrolling here since Monday night.”

Another resident claimed they have only two choices: accept or get beaten up. “There is no choice for us,” he asserted. He further contended that the constitutional values of secularism were at stake. It is unclear how constitutional values of secularism would be at stake when no Indian would get affected by CAA. India already gives citizenship to asylum seekers after due process, irrespective of religion. After CAA, Muslims from any country can still apply for Indian Citizenship if they meet the criteria. The only thing that CAA has done is to simplify the process for the persecuted minorities in three neighbouring countries who have already been living in India.

The New Indian Express quoted a person named Yusuf, who claimed that there was “fear and uncertainty among Muslims”. Another person from Shaheen Bagh said, “We refuse to comply with this directive,” and asserted that they would not comply with the central government’s directive. However, it has to be noted and communicated to the Muslim citizens of India that CAA is not going to affect them. The fearmongering and unnecessary doubt that has prevailed in the minds of Muslims need to be dealt with with accurate information.

‘If not Ramzan, we would have protested.’

Telegraph, in its report, claimed that the residents believe CAA’s implementation would “adversely impact the Muslim population”. How? They did not explain. They quote a resident saying, “Ramadan has started, so most of the residents in the area are busy with preparations. But in our hearts, we feel anger and anguish that our struggle (anti-CAA protests during 2019-20) has gone wasted. If it were not for Ramadan, we would have protested again.” Another resident, Huzaifa, said, “We are angry with this decision. The Centre is using its power to target Muslims. We will not accept this order. It is only for the safety of our families that we are quiet.”

The Print quoted a resident, Hina Ahmed, saying, “We gathered together in 2019 to express our concerns to the government. But they didn’t listen to us. We don’t intend to protest if this government doesn’t listen.”

No protests, more awareness among residents of Shaheen Bagh

Hindustan Times, however, showed a different side of Shaheen Bagh. In its report, the newspaper noted that Shaheen Bagh was “calm but tense” after the rules were notified. Why? Nobody knows. Notably, multiple Delhi police teams and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) were deployed in Shaheen Bagh to maintain law and order in case a protest broke down after the notification by the GoI over CAA Rules. However, nobody came out to protest. Residents told Hindustan Times that rules would not impact Indian Muslims and there was nothing to worry about.

Fearmongering and misinformation around CAA have deeply entrenched apprehensions among the Muslim community in India. Despite the government’s efforts to communicate that CAA is not going to impact Indian Muslims in any way, there is unrest among a large portion of them. This unnecessary fear can largely be attributed to the opposition parties, left-liberals and propagandists who have been instrumental in establishing the narrative against CAA. They propagated that CAA is a threat to the Muslim population.

These entities have repeatedly highlighted imaginary implications of the Act, which led to a widespread belief among the Muslim population that their rights and citizenship are at stake. The misleading narrative has contributed to communal tension and unrest across the country, leading to anti-Hindu riots in Delhi in 2020. The misrepresentation by the media, particularly around the Muslims of Shaheen Bagh, has added fuel to the fire of fear and resistance among the community. Despite repeated clarification from the central government, the Muslim community has failed to understand the law and continued to believe who used it for their vested agendas.

2024 Lok Sabha elections: Mamata severs ties with brother Babun Banerjee who opposed candidate from Howrah, says “don’t want to be a dynast politician”

OpIndia Staff
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2024 Lok Sabha elections: Mamata severs ties with brother Babun Banerjee who opposed candidate from Howrah, says “don’t want to be a dynast politician”

Responding to Babun Banerjee’s public dissent, the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has severed all ties with her younger brother.

“Some people become greedy. I don’t consider him as a family member. We will sever all ties with him. Please don’t use my name with him. Don’t identify him as my brother. We will stick to the candidate whom the party selected,” she said.

Babun Banerjee on Wednesday, 13th March expressed his disappointment over Trinamool Congress’ decision to re-nominate Prasun Banerjee from the Howrah constituency in West Bengal.

Babun, currently in New Delhi, spoke to several media declaring that if needed, he would contest as an Independent from Howrah.

“I am not happy with the selection of the candidate from Howrah Lok Sabha seat. Prasun Banerjee is not the right choice. There were many capable candidates who were overlooked,” he said.

He added, “I know Didi (Mamata Banerjee) would not agree with me. But if needed, I will contest as independent from Howrah Lok Sabha seat.”

Ironically, he had also said that as long as Mamata is there, he would never quit TMC and neither would he join any other party.

Now, Mamata Banerjee has distanced her own brother calling him “greedy”.

“If everybody from my family starts demanding Lok Sabha tickets, then I will also be a dynast politician. This is not the first time but he creates problems before every election. He can go anywhere he wants. I don’t like greedy people,” Mamata said.

She added that there are 32 people in her family and she cannot give tickets to everyone and said that everyone is upset with Babun.

Prasun Banerjee has won twice from Howrah, a seat held by the TMC since 2009. Babun said that he can never forget the insult meted out to him by Prasun, a former footballer.

Prasun Banerjee is also an Arjuna Award winner and also captained the Indian national football team.

Babun or Swapan Banerjee has also been a sportsperson. In 2016, he was the secretary of the Bengal Olympic Association. He is also the football secretary of Mohun Bagan Athletic Club.

As per reports, in January 2022, Mamata had reprimanded Babun publicly for “roaming around with a Covid case at home”.

The showdown comes 3 days after the TMC announced the names of all 42 candidates for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.

Earlier, Banerjee had announced that TMC would contest the General Elections alone though the party is part of I.N.D.I. Alliance.

Some of the notable names on the list include expelled MP Mahua Moitra and former cricketer Yusuf Pathan among others.

‘Come back king, save the country’: Protests erupt in Nepal for the return of Hindu monarchy and the nation’s former status as a Hindu state

OpIndia Staff
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‘Come back king, save the country’: Protests erupt in Nepal for the return of Hindu monarchy and the nation’s former status as a Hindu state

King Gyanendra Shah was compelled to abdicate and make way for a republic sixteen years ago in Nepal as a result of widespread protests. However, a fresh movement of demonstration is now attempting to reinstate him, reported the Associated Press (AP). Now, Kathmandu, the capital of the tiny nation in the Himalayas is once again brimming with agitation for the restoration of Hinduism for the past few months as the official state religion and the re-election of Shah as its king.

The main political parties in the nation are accused by royalist organisations of corruption and poor governance and they asserted that the public is fed up with the politicians. A crowd in Kathmandu raised slogans including, “Come back king, save the country. Long live our beloved king. We want a monarchy,” in a rally in February of this year.

An increasing discontent with the current system has given rise to demands for drastic modifications. Rallies in favour of the monarchy have been growing bigger and a greater number of residences and commercial establishments are sporting pictures of the former king and his forebears.

Before taking over total authority in 2005, Gyanendra Shah was a head of state recognized by the constitution but he lacked political and executive authority. Two years after the parliament voted to abolish the monarchy, he left the Royal Palace to live a commoner’s life and was compelled to cede authority to the government in 2006 following protests that drew hundreds of thousands of people. However, a lot of Nepalis are now angry with the republic, claiming it hasn’t succeeded in establishing political stability and holding it responsible for the country’s faltering economy and pervasive corruption. Since the monarchy was overthrown in 2008, Nepal has had thirteen governments.

According to independent Kathmandu-based researcher Dhruba Hari Adhikary, many Nepalis think elected officials are more focused on maintaining their position of power and receiving favours than they are on addressing the concerns of citizens. He stated, “That’s why some people started to think that, well, it was far better under the monarchy.” He added, “But the movement is too small to prevail any time soon.”

Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in favour of the monarch in November 2023 in Kathmandu but were prevented from marching into the heart of the city by riot police officers using batons and tear gas. In the predominantly Hindu nation, kings were long regarded to be reincarnations of the god Vishnu. One of the agitators Rudra Raj Pandey, in a rally in February, noted, “Our country will retain its values and identity only if it is turned back to a monarchy and the king is reinstated to the throne.”

The number of people in Nepal who prefer the monarchy is unknown because polls and surveys are rarely carried out there. Even though Gyanendra Shah was an unpopular king, the monarchy was still widely accepted before he absorbed power. The major political parties in the nation have rejected the idea of the monarch taking the throne again.

Narayan Prakash Saud, the leader of the Nepali Congress, the largest party in parliament at the time of the 2006 uprising claimed, “Nepal is a republic and the monarchy will never be reinstated. The only way it would be possible would be through changing the constitution, but there is no possibility of that happening at all.”

The national democratic party or Rastriya Prajatantra Party was established in the 1990s by pro-monarchy supporters and is currently the most influential group advocating for the return of the monarchy. It represents the protest movement with 14 seats in parliament, or around 5% of the total although it wields an enormous amount of power.

In February, party leaders met with the prime minister to put forward their demands. Rabindra Mishra, deputy chairman of the party remarked, “I think it is very possible and the environment throughout the country has never been so congenial for this agenda. If we can’t restore the institution of the monarchy in this country, there is no future for the youth in this country and the existence of this country itself could be at risk.”

Gyanendra Shah has not addressed the movement in his own words. Since his abdication, he has avoided explicit involvement in politics and has made few public appearances. There are now numerous organizations backing the king.

Pasupathi Khadga, the head of a young group that advocates for the restoration of the monarchy highlighted, “We need a monarchy. Without a king, we have no identity as Nepalese and all of us might as well just declare ourselves as refugees.”

Political parties were not permitted to be established in Nepal’s monarchy until 1990 when elections were introduced and the king was reduced to a ceremonial position by a pro-democracy movement. After the murder of his elder brother, King Birendra and his family in a massacre that took place at the royal palace in 2001, Gyanendra Shah ascended to the throne.

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