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‘Don’t listen to Mullahs, I haven’t seen a better person than PM Modi’ – BJP candidate Abdul Salam urges voters not to trust clerics

OpIndia Staff
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‘Don’t listen to Mullahs, I haven’t seen a better person than PM Modi’ – BJP candidate Abdul Salam urges voters not to trust clerics

In a significant turn of events, 71-year-old former Vice Chancellor of Calicut University, Abdul Salam, has secured a ticket to contest the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha Elections from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Salam, who is an expert in soil management, is the only Muslim candidate in the first list of 195 candidates released by the BJP for the general elections.

In a recent interview with BBC, Salam criticised local Mullahs and urged voters not to listen to them. He said, “There is no need to pay attention to what local mullahs say about this being infidel or that. What is an infidel? Until you accepted Islam, you too were an infidel. Let them remain infidels. My real work is to end this ignorance in Modi’s light. My mantra is to believe in Allah, the Quran, the Bible, and the Bhagavad Gita. If you look at all the religious texts, you will see that they all teach humanity, love, and care. Modi also believes in this.”

While praising PM Modi, he said that he has not seen a better person than PM Modi. Abdul Salam said, “I have not seen a better person than Modi. He may be a Hindu, but that’s not his fault. He believes in Sanatan Dharma. You see, even the Quran has these things. Some mullahs have twisted and presented the original Quran and have misled the youth.”

Sharing his experience of meeting PM Modi, Salam said, “He did not smile but he shook hands with me. I can still feel the softness of his palm. I felt a warmth-filled experience.”

Salam comes from a humble background and a distinguished career in academics and research. He has worked as a visiting professor in Suriname and Kuwait. During the interview, Salam profusely praised PM Modi and described him as an unparalleled leader. He added that PM Modi’s personality, mission, vision and work captivated him. He said, “The entire world revolves around Modi ji. His inclusive vision sees the country as one, which is his strength. I’ve been observing his journey from Gujarat to Delhi over the last 21 years.” Salam added that PM Modi’s anti-Muslim image is a fabricated narrative by the opposition.

Salam’s candidature is being seen as a strategic move by the BJP. Salam is contesting the election from Malappuram, Kerala, where Muslims are in the majority and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has a stronghold. With Salam as a candidate, the BJP has attempted to address the criticism of being anti-Muslim. It also goes in sync with the party’s notion of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas” where BJP is trying to include every section of the society for its vision for 2047 when the country will celebrate 100 years of independence.

‘Karnataka govt in a hurry to compensate Kerala victim while neglecting martyr soldiers in the state’: BJP questions ‘priorities’ of Congress

OpIndia Staff
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‘Karnataka govt in a hurry to compensate Kerala victim while neglecting martyr soldiers in the state’: BJP questions ‘priorities’ of Congress

On 6th March, National President of BJP Yuva Morcha and MP for Bengaluru South Lok Sabha Constituency, Tejasvi Surya, hit out at the Congress-led Karnataka government for delaying the release of honorarium to Shaurya Chakra decorated soldiers. Surya pointed out that the state had released funds as compensation within days based on Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi’s directions for a victim in Kerala while neglecting soldiers in own state.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Surya said that the state has been delaying the release of Rs 90 lakhs to Soldiers and kin of Martyrs despite reminders from the Sainik Welfare Board. He cited the case of Captain Pranjal’s unfortunate demise and accused the state government of showing indifference to the cause of soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the nation.

He said, “Clearly the priorities speak where the allegiance lies. State Govt, at once, must clear these dues and stop dishonouring soldiers. It’s a pity that such causes are to be reminded to State govt now and then,” and questioned if the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah, would show similar urgency in releasing funds for the soldiers like the state government did in the case where Gandhi directed the state government to do so.

His post was based on an exclusive report by Zee News Kannada that stated that a total of Rs 90 lakhs meant for to soldiers and the kin of soldiers who sacrificed their lives are yet to be given. The state has failed to release the funds despite the order issued by the Department of Soldiers’ Welfare and Rehabilitation in December 2023. One of the soldiers waiting for the funds is a Shaurya Chakra awardee.

The Department of Soldiers’ Welfare and Rehabilitation announced the grant for five soldiers in December 2023 and sent the documents to the finance department of the government. However, no money was released by the state government.

The Karnataka government released 15 lakhs as compensation for Kerala man who died in an elephant attack on Rahul Gandhi’s directions

On 10th February, Ajeesh Joseph Panachiyil lost his life due to an elephant attack in the Pulpally region of Wayanad. Reports suggest that the elephant that killed Ajeesh was radio-collared by the Karnataka government in December 2023. On 17th February, Rahul Gandhi paused his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and rushed to Wayanad to meet Ajeesh’s family.

In an official communication, Karnataka’s Forest Minister said, “The elected representative of Wayanad, Shri Rahul Gandhi, requested the Government of Karnataka to be largehearted and pay compensation for that case. The Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment, Sri Eshwar Khandre, took up the matter of compensation with Chief Minister Shri Siddaramaiah on Sunday, 18th February 2024… The Chief Minister agreed to pay compensation to the family of Shri Ajeesh at par with any citizen of Karnataka.”

Earlier, when protests erupted in Wayanad after the incident, Khandre argued that it was incorrect to label elephants as “Karnataka elephants” or “Kerala elephants” as they are migratory.

Gandhi represents Wayanad in the Lok Sabha. In the 2019 general elections, Rahul Gandhi contested from two places, Amethi and Wayanad. In Amethi, BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani defeated Gandhi by a notable margin.

Rs 1,520 crores spent, only 5,839 jobs generated: RTI reveals how Kerala govt generated precious few jobs in 8 years despite spending big

OpIndia Staff
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Rs 1,520 crores spent, only 5,839 jobs generated: RTI reveals how Kerala govt generated precious few jobs in 8 years despite spending big

A recent Right to Information (RTI) response revealed that the state government of Kerala has generated only 5,839 jobs over eight years, from 2016 to 2024, with an investment of Rs 1520.69 crores. A media report exposing the state was exclusively covered by India Today.

The report added that the state government’s reported investment of Rs 1,520.69 crore resulted in less than 6,000 new jobs in Kerala over the given timeframe. According to the RTI response, the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC), a state-level organisation that promotes investments and firms, gave financial assistance to 119 enterprises in Kerala.

The information was made public in response to an RTI request filed by Kerala-based activist K Govindan Nampoothiry on 15th February.

Nampoothiry underlined the dramatic disparity, adding that the Directorate of Industries and Commerce in Kerala claimed to have created over 5 lakh jobs in the last 22 months through its ‘Year of Enterprises’ plan. They reported the establishment of 2,36,384 firms over this period, with an investment of Rs 14,922 crore. 

Nampoothiry voiced alarm about the considerable difference between the Kerala government’s investment and job creation, implying a short-sighted strategy by the current administration. He also emphasised the importance of immediate involvement to improve the advantages of state initiatives, calling for a thorough evaluation and adjustment of strategies targeted at increasing investment and entrepreneurship in the state.

The activist argued that the significant disparity in job creation and investment figures raises serious concerns about the effectiveness and productivity of the government’s assistance schemes, and he called for an evaluation to ensure that the state lives up to its claims of making Kerala an attractive investment destination.

This comes days after reports emerged revealing that the state failed to pay salaries to its employees due to an acute financial crisis. As per the reports, not even half of the government employees had received their salary by 6th March. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K. Sudhakaran criticised the state CM for financial mismanagement and said that the Ministers had drawn the salaries on time however, salaries of other state employees were delayed. “Social security pensions had also not been disbursed for the past six months,” he was quoted as saying.

He said that the delays impacted around 50 lakh individuals, including employees, retirees, and their relatives. Delays in salary and pension payments would reduce consumption, causing a market crisis. It would also exacerbate the hardship of the common people during a period of substantial price increases in the state. The government also neglected to pay the employees’ DA and salary revision arrears.

According to the reports, salaries are now being paid using the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) ‘Ways and Means Advance’. The RBI provides this advance as a loan when the state treasury lacks sufficient finances. Its cap is at Rs 1670 crore. Another Rs 1670 crore could be used as an overdraft. However, these funds must be returned to the RBI within 14 days, otherwise the treasury will be put on hold.

The state treasury went empty on 1st March due to the Kerala Government’s payback of Rs 2736 crore, which was received from the Central Government as the overdraft term expired, and another Rs 1386 crore allocated as IGST settlement, to the RBI. 

​”I will shed rivers of blood of Hindus”: UP court declares Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan mastermind behind the 2010 Bareilly anti-Hindu riots. Read chilling details of the case

OpIndia Staff
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​”I will shed rivers of blood of Hindus”: UP court declares Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan mastermind behind the 2010 Bareilly anti-Hindu riots. Read chilling details of the case

Radical Islamist cleric Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan has been declared as the mastermind behind the 2010 anti-Hindu Bareilly riots by the Additional Session’s Judge Court in Uttar Pradesh. The controversial maulana has been summoned on 11th March in the case.

Anti-Hindu riots rocked the Bareilly district in 2010 after a mob, which was part of a Muslim Barawafat procession, diverted from its decided route and attempted to forcefully pass through a Hindu area. Large-scale violence and arson by Islamists continued in parts bringing the city to a standstill owing to curfew for more than 10 days.

The case diary reportedly cited by the court reveals how Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan was at the helm of the riots. Several accounts researched by OpIndia reveal how the Muslim mob was armed and had even indulged in communal sloganeering during the religious procession. It was after Maulana’s violent address that the mob unleashed a terrorising attack on Hindus.

Not only Hindus, Sikhs too were targeted by the Jihadi mobs. BJP MP SS Ahluwalia raising the issue in the Parliament said that shops of Sikhs along with other minorities and Hindus were also targeted by the mob. He said that several Sikhs in Bareilly had relocated from Punjab and surrounding regions following the ani-Sikh riots in 1984 in order to find a fresh start but they met the same fate with the attacks by the mob.

What is the Barawafat procession

Barawafat procession is carried out by the Barelvi sect of Sunni Muslims on the day of Milad-un-Nabi (birthday of Prophet Mohammad) in Bareilly, which is the seat of the holiest shrine of Barelvis, the Bareilly Sharif Dargah or Dargah-e-Alahazrat.

Muslims march across the city of Bareilly in small groups called anjumans. Each anjuman comprises about 100-150 people and over 100 anjumans form a large congregation which marches from Kohadapeer to the main shrine. The rally is reportedly organised by the Anjuman Khuddama Rasool Tanzeem (AKRT) and passes through a fixed route.

2010 anti-Hindu Bareilly riots

On 2nd March 2010, a large congregation of Barelvi Muslims embarked on a Barawafat procession in Bareilly.

One of the groups of Muslims from the rally diverted from their decided route of Prem Nagar area to the Kohada Peer locality. This did not sit well with the residents of Kohada Peer.

Another account of the riots quoting The Bareilly Jagran states that the procession was planned to move through the Kohara Peer area but was diverted by the mob at around 3 pm to pass through the Chahbai area.

Both accounts confirm that the route pre-decided for the procession by the district administration was diverted by the Muslim mob.

It must be noted that this sinister change of route by the Muslims came following the decision of the district administration to postpone the procession on account of Holi, which was on 1st March. As per reports, the rally was scheduled for 27th February but was postponed by the administration to 2nd March owing to Holi.

Another account of the riots raises questions on the then-Mayawati government for allowing a second Barawafat procession.

According to the Organiser, the Muslims had already carried out a procession on 27th February, which was the birthday of Prophet Mohammad. But another procession was announced on 2nd March.

“Here the intention of the local administration becomes doubtful why it granted permission for the second procession when one procession had already been allowed?” the report asks.

Interestingly, reports from 2010 reveal that a similar situation erupted in 2006 when the Barawafat procession tried passing through the Kohada Peer area drawing an objection from the residents. An alternative route was then decided for the same.

Despite this history, the BSP-led administration appeared unprepared in 2010. The procession diverted from the pre-decided route and tried to pass from Kohada Peer area knowing fully well that the residents had reservations against the same.

The residents objected following which the Muslim mob in the procession manhandled the locals, and began pelting stones at them, drawing ire from the residents. Police outposts, shops and vehicles were set on fire. Moreover, shots were also fired.

Nearly 20 shops were set on fire in the Kabutarkhana market. The Kohada Peer police station was also set ablaze and an idol in the temple inside the police station was also destroyed by the mob. Several police personnel were also injured.

According to Bareilly Jagran, the Muslim mob forcefully entered and vandalised the house of the residents. Shockingly, they set the gas cylinders in the houses on fire leading to multiple explosions.

The violence quickly spread from Kohada Peer to other areas including Subhash Nagar and Kotwali, Baradari, Qila and Prem Nagar. Amid escalating tensions, the administration imposed a curfew that was in place for at least 14 days.

Despite the curfew, small-scale firing and stone pelting from the mob continued till late night on 2nd March. Witness accounts, which find no mention in the mainstream media reports from then to this day, reveal that the mob was heavily armed.

“The police was, obviously, not able to do anything as they were encountering a mob with weapons. To add fuel to fire, there was stone pelting on temples from the aggressive mobilized minority which lead to retaliations from the majority community,” an account quoted in a blog rajeev2004 states.

The blog further quotes the witness equating Bareilly to Pakistan on 2nd March. “I literally saw Bareilly turning into Pakistan that day…there were just green flags and people swinging swords everywhere on the street. When the police tried to stop the crowd and fired in air, the mob went on a rampage,” the witness states.

Another report quoted Mahesh Sharma, a resident of Kotwali area which was one of the worst-hit in the riots, saying “It was a deliberate attempt of the communal elements to provoke the sentiments of Hindus. The sequence of incidents and changing the route of the procession despite specific directions from the local administration and the public display of arms and raising communally sensitive slogans throughout the route of the procession fomented the communal clash.”

As per reports, more than 60 houses of Hindus were charred and at least 10 people were seriously injured. Property worth crores of rupees was damaged. What’s more shocking is that the vandalism by Muslim mobs continued unabated holding the city to ransom.

Welcoming the court’s order, BJP leader Rajesh Aggrawal said that while the shops of Hindus were targeted, the shops of Muslims were saved and not attacked because they had green flags on them for identification. Fire brigade was not allowed to enter and douse fire in the shops that belonged to Hindus.

Despite a two-week-long curfew, Muslim mobs issued warnings to the Mayawati-led BSP government and local administration over the arrest and then subsequent release of Maulana Tauqeer Raza, the mastermind of the riots.

How Maulana Tauqeer Raza not only incited the Islamist mob in the procession but also sparked another spate of violence amid the curfew

The founder of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (Jadeed) and the Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC), Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan has now been declared by a UP court as the mastermind of the Bareilly violence.

The court in its order reportedly mentioned that the maulana had got a stage made in the Kohada Peer area and began addressing the procession with hate speech, inciting the mob.

Maulana was successful in his attempt and the enraged Muslim mob began attacking the police deployed in the area. It was after the Maulana’s speech that the Kohada Peer police station was attacked by the Islamists and the idols in the temple inside it were also broken.

Shops and houses of Hindus were targeted in what appeared to be a spate of terrorist attacks as the armed mob set off gas cylinders and hurled petrol bombs.

The court further cited the case diary which mentions that the Maulana, along with his party members, threatened the administration and the Hindus saying that if the procession is not allowed to pass through the Chahbai area then the result will not be good.

“I will shed rivers of blood of Hindus. I will set their (Hindus’) homes and shops on fire,” the Maulana had reportedly said.

The court said that this clarifies that it was after Maulana’s inciteful address that riots were sparked across Bareilly thus making him the mastermind of the anti-Hindu riots.

The court while making the observation expressed its shock that the maulana’s name was missing in the chargesheet.

Furthermore, the arrest of Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan on 8th March, four days after the violence, angered the Muslim mob which went on a spree of violence and vandalism once again. Muslim groups began to threaten the BSP government that they would boycott Mayawati’s rallies thereby threatening her votebank.

The jihadis rendered the security arrangements impotent as they defied the curfew not only upon the Maulana’s arrest but also after his release three days later on 11th March. Once again, police personnel were injured in the violence unleashed by the Muslim mob upon the release of the Maulana. As the Muslim mob went on a rampage for a full two weeks, the state remained a mute spectator.

His release was also condemned by the Bareilly Bar Association stating that the local administration had made a mockery of the judicial system and some lawyers even wrote to the then CM Mayawati.

Haldwani Violence: Lakhs of rupees collected through mosques to assist offenders, Abdul Malik also used Darul Uloom Deoband to gather money while on the run

OpIndia Staff
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Haldwani Violence: Lakhs of rupees collected through mosques to assist offenders, Abdul Malik also used Darul Uloom Deoband to gather money while on the run

Paltan Bazar Masjid Markaz has announced that the Muslim community should make a monetary donation to assist the victims and perpetrators of the violence in Banbhoolpura in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani where a rabid mob attacked the officials for demolishing an illegal mosque-madrasa, according to a report in Panchjanya. A video featuring Dehradun City’s Qazi Imam (cleric) who has been asking for money is gaining traction on social media.

A video of Qazi Maulana Mohammad Ahmad Qasmi is currently doing the rounds in which he urged the clerics and dignitaries of the mosques to donate money to the ‘victims’ of the occurrence during the Friday prayer in the Dehradun Valley. Around 350 mosques are linked to Paltan Bazar Masjid Markaz in the Dehradun Valley. According to his statement, the money gathered from these mosques will be transferred to Paltan Bazar. Additionally, each mosque reportedly has been assigned a particular amount of money to be raised. This sum is also intended to cover the litigation costs of the jailed culprits and will be given to their family members along with the families of those who died.

According to information, the key conspirator of the violence Abdul Malik utilized Darul Uloom Deoband to obtain money from these mosques when he was absconding. Afterwards, the effort to gather donations currently reached its last phase. Funds totalling lakhs of rupees have reportedly been raised through these Dehradun mosques to date. An alleged non-governmental organization (NGO) from Hyderabad and members of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind were also spotted distributing money among the family members of the deceased there in a viral video.

Notably, the rioting in the area resulted in five fatalities and hundreds of injuries including male and female (at least 250) authorities. The violence broke out on the evening of 8th February after the administration took measures to remove encroachments which resulted in the loss of life and property. At least ninety-two people including Abdul Malik, have been arrested and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) has been invoked against over three dozen perpetrators.

Furthermore, the Municipal Corporation issued a recovery notice of Rs 2.44 crore against Abdul Malik, asking him to deposit the money to cover damage caused to government property during the clash. According to OpIndia’s ground reports, victims and eyewitnesses revealed that the rioters were purportedly sparing the Muslims while hitting journalists, police officers, administrators, and regular individuals after demanding their identities. They even attempted to burn journalists and police officers alive as well.

Jharkhand: ‘Adam Sena’ in Ramgarh issues rape and murder threats to Muslim girls for violating Sharia, police say ‘it is a land dispute’

OpIndia Staff
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Jharkhand: ‘Adam Sena’ in Ramgarh issues rape and murder threats to Muslim girls for violating Sharia, police say ‘it is a land dispute’

In Ramgarh, a district located in Jharkhand, an organisation comprised of Muslim youths known as Adam Sena has imposed Sharia law in the local villages, as per reports. Under this, Muslim girls are prohibited from interacting with non-Muslims and are required to wear burqas. Those who dissent face threats of rape, murder, or expulsion from the community by members of Adam Sena. Despite these alarming developments, police authorities have categorised the situation as a mere land dispute and are saying that a thorough investigation will be done in this case.

Attempted rape, land grabbing, and Sharia

According to reports, this case is from the Rajrappa police station area, where the complainant girl has pleaded in the police station that she has a threat to her life from Salman and Ahmed, the alleged leaders of Adam Sena. The girl alleged that in December 2023, one Sabir Ali from the same village attempted to rape her. She said that she somehow escaped.

When the victim girl made noise and called people for help, Sabir Ali Sabir Ali and his family members beat the girl. A complaint in this regard is registered with the police. The victim alleges that all this is being done so that she and her family leave the village and their land is grabbed.

Adam Sena pressuring victim to withdraw the complaint

On 17th February 2024, the female victim once again visited the police station regarding the issue. She lodged a complaint stating that Sabir Ali, who had recently been released on bail, along with his accomplices, Salman and Ahmed, were intimidating her to retract her case. She said in the complaint that these individuals were pressuring her to withdraw the charges.

The girl said, “They both told me, ‘We don’t accept administrative action, Sharia law prevails here.’ These people beat me and the whole family and also threw our belongings out of the house and locked the house.”

Rape and death threats

The victim girl alleged that some people associated with Adam Sena threatened her and asked her to make a ‘compromise’ in the case. Ahmed Ansari threatened by abusing on the phone. She said that she came back to the ancestral village with two other siblings after the death of their father. However, the disputes related to their ancestral land surfaced at that time.

Now, Adam Sena has enforced Sharia law, instructing her to wear veils and refrain from communicating with individuals from other communities, as per the victim. The victim said in her complaint that her family is being harassed and if the administration does not take action against Adam Sena, she will commit suicide in front of SP’s residence.

Police say Adam Sena does not exist

Rajrappa police station in-charge Navin Prakash Pandey said in a conversation with OpIndia, “This whole dispute is about land. We are investigating the matter. We have also talked to the Sarpanch and others. The Adam Army, which is being named, is not active anywhere in this area. Nor has any such complaint been received against it. The victim’s family earlier lived in Singrauli. After the father’s death, the girl has come to her ancestral village. At the same time, two FIRs have been registered so far in the land dispute with her uncle, which is in court.”

Modi government set to return with 378 seats, BJP will also make gains in southern state of Kerala: India TV opinion poll

OpIndia Staff
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Modi government set to return with 378 seats, BJP will also make gains in southern state of Kerala: India TV opinion poll

The 2024 General Elections, the most significant political battle in the democratic system, is approaching. In the next week or two, the Election Commission of India will declare the dates for the Lok Sabha elections. Political leaders are already campaigning tirelessly for the elections with BJP also releasing its first list of candidates.

Powered by the ‘Modi-wave’, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has set an ambitious goal of winning more than 400 Lok Sabha seats. In contrast, the Congress and other opposition parties have established I.N.D.I.A. bloc to put an end to the BJP’s winning streak.

Amid this, the India TV-CNX Opinion Poll tried to decode the voters’ mood ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. As per the India TV-CNX Opinion Poll released on Tuesday (5th March), BJP-led NDA is likely to win 378 seats while rival I.N.D.I.A. bloc may secure 98 seats in Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

“The opposition Congress-led I.N.D.I.A. bloc (minus Trinamool Congress) may win 98 seats, while others including the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC), the Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSRCP, the TDP led by Chandrababu Naidu, Naveen Patnaik’s BJD, and independents may get the remaining 67 seats,” said the survey.

The survey also stated that the BJP is projected to win 335 seats on its own, including a clean sweep of all 26 seats in Gujarat, all 29 seats in Madhya Pradesh, all 25 seats in Rajasthan, all 10 seats in Haryana, all 7 seats in Delhi, all 5 seats in Uttarakhand, and all 4 seats in Himachal Pradesh.

Regarding the seats in Kerala, the poll suggested that the Congress-led United Democratic Front (Kerala) would maintain its lead. However, BJP might win 3 seats in the state, which would be the first time the party will open its account in the state.

According to the survey, the UDF may win 11 seats, while the LDF may gain an advantage in the remaining seats. The opinion poll predicts a close race between BJP candidate Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor in the Thiruvananthapuram constituency.

Notably, in the last election, the UDF nearly won a clean sweep, winning 19 of Kerala’s 20 Lok Sabha seats.

As per the poll, the Congress has an edge in the Wayanad constituency in Kerala, Congress ally Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) is likely to win the Malappuram constituency, and BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar holds the advantage in the Thiruvananthapuram constituency.

The most dramatic victory is anticipated in Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP is expected to win 74 seats, with alliance partners Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and Apna Dal winning two each out of a total of 80 seats, leaving two for Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party (SP). The Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) may end up empty-handed in Uttar Pradesh.

Other states where the BJP is expected to win big are Bihar (17 out of 40), Jharkhand (12 out of 14), Karnataka (22 out of 28), Maharashtra (25 out of 48), Odisha (10 out of 21), Assam (10 out of 14), and West Bengal (20 out of 42).

In the South Indian states, apart from Kerala and Karnataka, the party is expected to win four seats in Tamil Nadu and five seats in Telangana.

The opinion poll was conducted in all 543 constituencies from 5th February to 23rd February, with a total of 1,62,900 respondents. These include 84,350 males and 78,550 females. 

Alt News’ Mohammad Zubair continues to shield Congress workers who chanted ‘Pakistan Zindabad’: Here’s how this is not the first time a forensic report was dismissed

OpIndia Staff
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Alt News’ Mohammad Zubair continues to shield Congress workers who chanted ‘Pakistan Zindabad’: Here’s how this is not the first time a forensic report was dismissed

On 4th March, 3 persons were arrested by the Bengaluru Police after a forensic report confirmed that ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans were indeed raised inside the Vidhana Soudha after a Congress candidate Syed Naseer Hussain won the Rajya Sabha elections recently.

Despite the confirmation, Altnews co-founder and ‘fact-checker ’ Mohammad Zubair continues to shield the three arrested accused Ilthaz, Munavar, and Mohammad Shafi. As the forensic report confirmed that pro-Pakistan slogans were raised in the Karnataka state Assembly, several people demanded Zubair’s arrest for peddling lies that ‘Nasir Saab Zindabad’ slogans were raised.

In a long post on X on Tuesday (5th March), Zubair, who sees forensic reports and police statements as universal truth when it suits his agenda, is in this case, repeated his former claims and insinuated that the police arrest and the forensic report are wrong. “Karnataka Police has arrested 3 individuals for allegedly raising ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans in Vidhana Soudha. The Home Minister has also given a statement confirming that Pro-Pakistan sloganeering were raised.  Many want @BlrCityPolice to arrest me for my tweet. But ? ????? ????? ?? ?? ??????. ? ?? ???% ???? ????? ???? ?? ???-???????? ???????, ??? ‘????? ???? ????????’.

The self-proclaimed fact-checker blamed the Kannada news channels for starting ‘false claims’ about the slogans raised after the Congress leader’s Rajya Sabha victory on 27th February.

He then cited the examples of the recent Hanuman flag removal controversy, the Congress government’s Hindu Religious Institutions & Charitable Endowment (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the current pro-Pakistan slogans controversy to literally reprimand the Congress Party for ‘failing to counter the ‘propaganda’ and registering FIRs against people.

“…This is how, BJP with the help of Local and National Media is winning the Propaganda war and Congress in Karnataka is still clueless on how to counter it,” Zubair added.

Clearly, Zubair’s long rant was nothing more than a face-saving exercise and an attempt to save himself from apologising for blatantly lying and shielding the arrested Congress supporters. It seems like the ‘Chief’ sees himself as someone bigger than the police, FSL and even the government.  Zubair ‘standing by’ his statements and refuting the findings of forensic analysis of the contentious video, the fact-checker is telling the people that his opinion is more factual than the forensic report since he cannot abandon his co-religionists in distress.

This, however, is not the first time that Mohammad Zubair, infamous for dog-whistling Islamists against Nupur Sharma, has dismissed even forensic reports confirming pro-Pakistan sloganeering by Muslims in past incidents. Back in the year 2022, a person named Abdul Salam, the former district president of the banned Islamist outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) was arrested by Bhilwara Police for raising ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans in a rally. In that case, Zubair had claimed that the slogans were “SDPI Zindabad” and not “Pakistan Zindabad”. Soon after, Altnews’s co-founder Pratik Sinha dismissed the forensic report of the viral video as ‘faulty’.

“Forensic report, if any, in this case, is faulty if it claims that ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans were raised. It can be clearly heard that the slogan raised was ‘SDPI Zindabad’. An innocent man is being jailed and those who call themselves journalists are on the side of injustice,” Sinha wrote on X on 23rd November 2022.

Much like in the recent ‘Nasir Saab Zindabad’ claim, Alt News had then claimed in their “fact check” of the said video that ‘SDPI Zindabad’ slogans were raised. Even though the SHO of the concerned police station found in the investigation that pro-Pakistan slogans were raised, later the forensic analysis of the video proved the same, Alt News co-founders somehow found even the forensic report as ‘faulty’. An OpIndia report on Alt News and Mohammad Zubair’s whitewashing of pro-Pakistan sloganeering by Muslims can be read here.

Taking corrupt politicians head on to acting on Bengal recruitment scam: Read who is Abhijit Gangopadhyay, the High Court Judge entering politics

OpIndia Staff
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Taking corrupt politicians head on to acting on Bengal recruitment scam: Read who is Abhijit Gangopadhyay, the High Court Judge entering politics

On Tuesday, 5th March, Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay of Calcutta High Court submitted his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, and Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court TS Sivagnanam. Hours later, Justice Gangopadhyay announced that he would be joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on 7th March. Justice Gangopadhyay’s decision to join BJP did not come as a surprise as there were speculations that he would be joining a political party. Considering his views about Trinamool Congress (TMC) over the years, it was evident that he would be staying away from Bengal’s ruling party.

Justice Gangopadhyay was born on 19th August 1962. He graduated from Calcutta University’s Hazra Law College. Justice Gangopadhyay started his career as a Grade A officer of the West Bengal Civil Services. During his tenure as a land revenue officer, he acted on local corruption which led to threats to his life. Soon after, he resigned from his government job and moved back to Kolkata. After that, he started working as a lawyer and remained a penal lawyer for several insurance companies and the insurance regulator.

As per High Court documents, he was appointed an Additional Judge at the High Court on 2nd May 2018. On 30th June 2020, he was appointed as a permanent Judge in the Calcutta High Court. Justice Gangopadhyay was scheduled to retire on 19th August 2024. However, he decided to resign from his post and join BJP. It is unclear if he is going to get a ticket for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections but the probability of that happening is high.

Justice Gangopadhyay directed CBI and ED to probe recruitment scam

One of the major cases that Justice Gangopadhyay heard was the multi-crore recruitment scam where TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee was one of the main accused. In 2022, he directed the CBI to probe the alleged recruitment scam leading to a scuffle between the judiciary and the ruling party. Justice Gangopadhyay’s decision to terminate over 32,000 appointments of teachers rocked the state government like never before. However, the order was later stayed by the Supreme Court.

During the hearing of the matter, he threatened to summon the entire cabinet to court and said, “No one has the right to do anything with the Constitution of India. I might have to ask the Election Commission to cancel the recognition of Trinamool Congress as a political party and withdraw its party logo.”

Justice Gangopadhyay’s clean track record impressed colleagues

Reports suggest that those who have worked with Justice Gangopadhyay deem him as an honest judge. A former judge of the Calcutta High Court told Indian Express, “He probably has a view that you have to adopt different methods to tackle corruption. But it’s not that he has any love for one party. He quit his civil services job after seeing massive corruption under the Left government. But despite his intentions, this may not be the way to do things.”

Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay’s heated Reaction to fellow judge’s actions

In the fake caste certificate case, Justice Gangopadhyay ordered the West Bengal police to hand over case documents to CBI. The state was accused of issuing fake caste certificates to applicants so that they could gain admission to medical courses. However, a Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court stayed the order. Justice Soumen Sen was part of the bench. Reacting to the decision of the Division Bench, Justice Gangopadhyay accused Justice Sen of “acting for a political party in the State”.

Later, he took up the matter and ordered the Advocate General to hand over the case papers to CBI while insisting that he wasn’t informed about the stay order. He also accused Justice Sen of pressuring another Justice not to take a tough stance against TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee. According to the allegation, Justice Amrita Sinha was presiding over cases involving TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee. Justice Sen then summoned Justice Sinha to his chambers and advised her not to disturb Abhishek Banerjee, citing his political future. Following the remarks by Justice Gangopadhyay, the Supreme Court of India took Suo Moto cognizance of the matter and transferred the matter to itself while staying Justice Gangopadhyay’s orders.

Supreme Court’s reaction to Justice Gangopadhyay’s interview related to sub-judice case

In April 2023, the Supreme Court of India came down heavily on Justice Gangopadhyay for giving an interview to a Bengali news channel related to the recruitment scam. During the interview, Justice Gangopadhyay allegedly spoke against TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee.

Reacting to the interview, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said, “I just want to say that judges have no business granting interviews on matters which are pending. If he said that about the petitioner (Mr Banerjee), he has no business participating in the proceedings. The question is whether a judge who has made statements like these about a political personality should be allowed to participate in the hearings. There has to be some process.”

Later on 28th April, the Supreme Court asked the Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court to reassign the recruitment scam case to another judge. Justice Gangopdhyay did not shy away from taking the matter head-on with the apex court and on the same day issued an order to the Secretary General of the Supreme Court to produce the documents of his removal from the case before him by midnight. Supreme Court stayed the order on the same evening.

Decoding how PM Modi hacks EVMs, Part 4: How his govt improved lives of women – rural and urban – at home, school and work

S. Sudhir Kumar
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Decoding how PM Modi hacks EVMs, Part 4: How his govt improved lives of women – rural and urban – at home, school and work

Many big economies globally have maternity leave policy of a minimum of 3 months only. So, when my colleagues and friends in global organisations come to know that India has a mandatory 6-month maternity leave policy, they are still pleasantly surprised. As important as this reform is for women in the organised sector (bought of course by the Modi government), there was another scheme by the Modi government that caught my attention – the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana. 

The unorganised sector, such as agriculture, for example, has lakhs of women in rural and urban India where they have to work right up to the last days of pregnancy and resume working very soon after childbirth. They typically don’t have the luxury of a 6-month paid leave. The nature of the work also takes a toll both on their health and that of the baby. 

Through the Matru Vandana Yojana, the Modi government started a direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme under which “cash benefits are provided to pregnant women in their bank account directly to meet enhanced nutritional needs and partially compensate for wage loss”. Coupled with the POSHAN Abhiyaan (that emphasises the nutritional status of adolescent girls, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children from 0-6 years of age), a holistic support system has been developed for pregnant women & lactating mothers, in the unorganised sector! 

While nutrition efforts were done earlier too, the direct cash transfer to also compensate for wage loss will bring in mental peace that cannot be quantified. Efforts such as these have improved the Maternal Mortality Rate from 132 per 1 lakh births to 97 per 1 lakh births. Now, you just have to ask yourselves why these women wouldn’t press the lotus button on the EVM. 

While we are on the topic of pregnancy, the upper limit for termination of pregnancy has been increased from 20 weeks to 24 weeks. This is important because certain abnormalities can only be detected after 20 weeks, and therefore gives a medical option to terminate if necessary. While we continue on the topic of pregnancy, did you know that India did not have any law governing Surrogacy? Modi government is the first government to enact a law that lays down rules for both Surrogacy and Assisted Reproduction. This may not fetch votes yet but lawmaking is the first step to help prevent the exploitation of women (especially for Surrogacy). 

In the unorganised sector, the participation of women in the workforce is much higher than in the organised sector. Women constitute nearly 57% of the popular MNREGA program (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act). An International Labour Organisation study has pointed out how India improved the gender pay gap in MNREGA itself, over the last 8 years. We have already discussed how the Modi government revolutionised MNREGA with excellent high funding. So, in summary, more women participate in MNREGA; they earn more money now than before; they earn equivalent to men unlike how it was before. Now, you just have to ask yourselves why these women wouldn’t press the lotus button on the EVM! 

In the unorganised sector, the participation of women in entrepreneurial ventures is also higher than in the organised sector. Nearly 10 crore rural women are part of nearly 1 crore Self Help Groups. However, with Prime Minister Modi, it’s never about maintaining the status quo. From the ramparts of the Red Fort on August 15, 2023, he has announced the aim of creating 2 crore lakhpati didis from these groups. While announcing these, the Prime Minister has also spoken about skilling them even in the latest technologies such as drone repairing, and LED bulb making so that they aren’t far off from technology. The concept of the scheme is simple – make these women lakhpatis!

An endearing conversation with one such lakhpati didi gives a great glimpse of why these women feel so comfortable talking to the Prime Minister of India. The rural women have bought into the concept of thinking big and achieving big, and are now fully in tandem with the Prime Minister’s vision. Another conversation with women diary entrepreneurs of Varanasi is another proof of how big a hit he is. Now, you have to ask yourselves why these women wouldn’t press the lotus button on the EVM! 

With so much money coming in, where would the women keep all this money? Gone are the days of hiding money at home, away from the prying eyes of others. The amazing success of the Jan Dhan Scheme means that all these women have their own bank accounts (Out of the total 51.80 crore accounts, 28.75 crore accounts are owned by women!) and therefore access to their own money in the safest manner possible. 

Rural women are also now able to spend more time working (either as entrepreneurs or employees) because they now have to spend less time worrying about one basic necessity in their house – drinking water. We all have read about and also seen how women have to endure scorching conditions and walk long distances to get drinking water for their home, or we have witnessed the fights that break out at the water tanker that comes to your village. The Jal Jeevan Mission (the slogan is catchy – Har Ghar Nal se Jal) now ensures every house must have a tap and 55 litres of water supply every day. Nearly 12 crore households out of eligible 19 crore households have already been provided this connection. Now, you just have to ask why these women wouldn’t press the lotus button on the EVM!

Speaking of their homes; Swach Bharat has ensured toilets have been built, thus making it safer for women in rural areas; electricity availability is not a problem; electricity bills are also reduced through LED bulbs in the Ujala Scheme; cooking is through gas cylinders and not through inhaling dangerous smoke from wood (10 crore connections so far, through Ujjwala Scheme!) – I mean, I can go on and on, but do you see how holistic the focus on improving the lives of women, at home and at work, has been?

Through Beti Bachao, Beti Padao, our sex ratio at birth has improved from 918 in 2014-2015 to 933 in 2022 (meaning more girl children are born now or lesser girl children are being aborted now, as compared to before). Not only are more girl children studying now, but even the last barriers to their education have now been removed (Did you know that Sainik Schools didn’t allow admissions to girls? That rule was removed in 2021 by the Modi government). 

The legal age for girls to get married was 18. It has now been changed to 21, on par with men. Can you imagine the possibilities this opens up for the girls to pursue education and careers of their choice? Where will they get the money, you ask? The answer lies in the Sukanya Samriddhi Scheme – a parent opens an account for the girl child and can deposit up to 1.5 lakhs every year until she is 21 years of age. The account gets ~8% interest every year; the girl can withdraw 50% of the amount when she reaches 18, for higher education purposes. After she reaches 21, the entire money is hers. And already 3 crore accounts are opened and have deposited 1,62,000 crores of money into this scheme! 

And then there are the small things that matter big – for example, including victims of Acid attacks into the divyang category so that they get benefits meted out to the physically handicapped. 

Not too long ago, we used to discuss the multi-fold problems that girls and women face in our country. There is perhaps no other government that has had such a holistic approach to improving the lives of women – at home, at school, and at work. And with the passing of the Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament, we will now have 33% of women participation in law-making too. Now, ask yourselves again why crores of women wouldn’t press the lotus button on the EVM! 

This is the 4th article in the series Decoding How PM Modi hacks EVMs (an allegation the opposition often throws at him). Part-1 speaks about the focus on small-scale entrepreneurs; Part-2 speaks about the revolutions in the labour/employment sector; Part-3 speaks about the focus on both prevention and cure in health. 

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