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Rajkot: PM Modi inaugurates and lays foundation stone for projects worth over Rs. 48,100 crores including 5 AIIMS, over 200 health projects, power plants, pipelines and others

OpIndia Staff
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Rajkot: PM Modi inaugurates and lays foundation stone for projects worth over Rs. 48,100 crores including 5 AIIMS, over 200 health projects, power plants, pipelines and others

Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth more than Rs 48,100 crores in Rajkot, Gujarat today, 23 February. The projects encompass important sectors like health, road, rail, energy, petroleum & natural gas, and tourism among others.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister acknowledged the virtual presence of Hon’ble Governors and Chief Ministers of States, Members of Parliament and Legislative Assemblies and Union Ministers and thanked them. The Prime Minister recalled the time when all key development programs were carried out in New Delhi alone and highlighted that the present government changed the trend and took the Government of India to every corner of the nation. “Today’s organization in Rajkot is a proof of this belief”, PM Modi said, underlining that the dedication and foundation stone laying ceremony is taking place in multiple locations in the country as it takes forward a new tradition. Recalling the inauguration of educational institutions of IIT Bhilai, IIT Tirupati, IIIT Kurnool, IIM Bodh Gaya, IIM Jammu, IIM Visakhapatnam and IIS Kanpur from a program in Jammu, Prime Minister Modi said that today marks the inauguration of AIIMS Rajkot, AIIMS Raebareli, AIIMS Mangalagiri, AIIMS Bathinda and AIIMS Kalyani. “The developing India is getting work done at a fast pace, especially when you look at these 5 AIIMSs”, Shri Modi added.

The Prime Minister recalled his long association with Rajkot and said that 22 years ago he was elected MLA from here. On 25th February 22 years ago, he took oath as the MLA. He said that he has done his best to live up to the trust of the people of Rajkot. “I can see that generations have changed but affection for Modi is beyond any age limit”, said a grateful Prime Minister.

Apologizing for the delay in today’s programme, the Prime Minister told the audience about his activities in Dwaraka earlier during the day where he inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of many development works including Sudarsan Setu. He once again narrated his divine experience of offering prayer at the submerged holy city of Dwarka. “Reading the archaeological and religious text fills us with wonder about Dwarka. Today I got an opportunity to see that holy scene with my own eyes and I could touch the holy remains. I offered prayers and offered ‘Mor-Pankh’ there. It is difficult to describe that feeling”, said the Prime Minister, still overcome with emotions from the experience. “In those depths, I was wondering about the glorious past of India. When I came out, I came out carrying the blessings of Bhagwan Krishna as well as the inspiration of Dwarka”, the Prime Minister said. “This gave a new strength and energy to my resolution of ‘Vikas aur Virasat’. A divine belief has become associated with my goal for Viksit Bharat”, he added.

Noting the development projects of today worth more than Rs 48,000 crores, the Prime Minister mentioned the New Mundra-Panipat pipeline commissioned to transport crude oil from the Gujarat coast to Indian Oil’s refinery in Panipat in Haryana. He also mentioned projects related to roads, railways, electricity, health and education. “AIIMS Rajkot is now dedicated to the nation after the inauguration of the International Airport”, the Prime Minister said, congratulating the people of Rajkot and Saurashtra. He also conveyed his best wishes to citizens of all cities where AIIMS is being inaugurated today.

“Today marks a historic occasion not just for Rajkot but the entire nation”, Prime Minister Modi said, highlighting that Rajkot today presents a glimpse of the desired levels of health facilities in Viksit Bharat. He pointed out that the nation had only one AIIMS for 50 years of independence, that too in Delhi. He added that even though only seven AIIMS were commissioned during the seven decades of independence, some of them couldn’t be completed. “In the last 10 days, the nation has witnessed the foundation stone laying and inauguration of seven new AIIMS”, the Prime Minister remarked, highlighting that the present government has accomplished things at a faster pace than what was done in the last 70 years, thereby taking the country on the path of development. He also mentioned laying the foundation stone and dedicating more than 200 health infrastructure projects including medical colleges, satellite centers of multi-speciality hospitals and centers for the treatment of worrying ailments.

Reiterating the promise of ‘Modi ki Guarantee meaning the guarantee of fulfillment of guarantee’ the Prime Minister said that the foundation stone for Rajkot AIIMS was laid by him 3 years ago and today that guarantee was fulfilled. Similarly, a guarantee of an AIIMS was given to Punjab and the foundation stone as well as inauguration was done by PM Modi. The same cycle has taken place for Raebareli, Mangalgiri, Kalyani, and Rewari AIIMS. In the last 10 years, 10 new AIIMS have been sanctioned in different states. “Modi ki guarantee begins where expectations from others end”, said PM Modi.

The Prime Minister said that the pandemic could be handled in a credible manner due to the improvements in the healthcare system and infrastructure in the last 10 years. He mentioned the unprecedented expansion of AIIMS, Medical Colleges and Critical Care Infrastructure. There are more than 1.5 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs in villages for small ailments. The Prime Minister said that today, the number of medical colleges has reached 706 from 387 in 2014, more than 1 lakh MBBS seats from 50 thousand ten years ago, 70 thousand post-graduate seats, up from 30 thousand in 2014. More doctors will come out of these colleges in the next few years than the number of doctors in the entire 70 years since independence, he said. There are 64 thousand crore rupees worth Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission going on in the country. Today’s event also saw projects like medical colleges, TB hospital and research center, PGI satellite center, critical care blocks and dozens of ESIC hospitals.

“Government prioritizes the prevention of disease as well as the capacity to fight it”, the Prime Minister said, highlighting the emphasis on nutrition, Yoga, Ayush and cleanliness. He underlined the commitment to promoting both traditional Indian medicine and modern medicine and gave examples of the two big hospitals and research centers related to Yoga and Naturopathy being inaugurated in Maharashtra and Haryana today. He also mentioned WHO’s global center related to the traditional medical system is also being built here in Gujarat.

In a bid towards helping the poor and middle class save money while also availing better healthcare facilities, the Prime Minister threw light on the Ayushman Bharat Yojna which has helped save Rs 1 lakh crore, and Jan Aushadhi Centers that provide medicines at an 80% discount thereby saving Rs 30 thousand crores. Under the Ujjwala Yojna, the poor have saved more than Rs 70,000 crores, citizens have saved Rs 4,000 every month due to low cost of mobile data and taxpayers have saved about Rs 2.5 lakh crores due to tax-related reforms.

The Prime Minister also elaborated on the PM Suryaghar Scheme that will bring the electricity bill to zero and will create income for the families. Beneficiaries will get 300 units of free electricity and the remaining power will be purchased by the government. He also mentioned large wind energy and solar projects such as two plants in Kutch for which foundation stones were laid today.

Noting that Rajkot is a city of workers, entrepreneurs and artisans, the Prime Minister talked about PM Vishwakarma Yojana worth Rs 13,000 crores benefitting lakhs of Vishwakarmas. In Gujarat only 20,000 Vishwakarmas have already been trained and every Vishwakarma received an assistance of Rs 15,000. He also informed that in PM SVANidhi scheme, assistance of Rs 10,000 crores has been disbursed to street vendors. Street vendors of Gujarat received about Rs 800 crores worth of assistance. In Rajkot itself, more than 30,000 loans have been disbursed, he said.

The Prime Minister underlined that the mission of Viksit Bharat gets stronger when the citizens of India get empowered. “When Modi guarantees to make India the world’s third largest economic superpower, the goal is health for all and prosperity for all”, the Prime Minister concluded.

Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendra Patel, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya and Member of Parliament, Shri C R Patil were present on the occasion among others.

Background

In a significant step towards strengthening tertiary health care in the country, the Prime Minister dedicated to the nation five All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Rajkot (Gujarat), Bathinda (Punjab), Raebareli (Uttar Pradesh), Kalyani (West Bengal) and Mangalagiri (Andhra Pradesh).

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation more than 200 Health Care Infrastructure Projects worth more than Rs 11,500 crore across 23 States /UTs.

The Prime Minister dedicated the Medical College of JIPMER at Karaikal, Puducherry and 300 bedded Satellite Centre of Post Graduate Institute of Medical and Educational Research (PGIMER) in Sangrur, Punjab among others. He inaugurated 90 bedded Multi Specialty Consulting Unit of JIPMER at Yanam, Puducherry; National Centre for Aging in Chennai;  new Government Medical College in Purnea, Bihar; 2 field units of ICMR namely, National Institute of Virology Kerala Unit, at Alappuzha, Kerala and National Institute of Research in Tuberculosis (NIRT): New Composite TB Research Facility, Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu among others. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for various health projects including 100 bedded Satellite Centre of PGIMER at Ferozpur, Punjab; new Medical College building in RML Hospital, Delhi; Critical Care Block in RIMS, Imphal; Nursing Colleges at Koderma and Dumka in Jharkhand, among others.

In addition to these, under the National Health Mission and Prime Minister-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), the Prime Minister also inaugurated, dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone of 115 projects. These include 78 projects under PM-ABHIM (50 units of Critical Care Blocks, 15 units of Integrated Public health Labs, 13 units of Block Public Health Units);  30 units of various projects like Community Health Centre, Primary Health Care Center, Model Hospital, Transit Hostel etc. under National Health Mission among others.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated the National Institute of Naturopathy named ‘Nisarg Gram’ in Pune. It comprises Naturopathy Medical College along with 250 bedded hospital with multi-disciplinary Research and Extension Centre. Further, he will also inaugurate the Central Research Institute of Yoga & Naturopathy at Jhajjar, Haryana. It will have apex level Yoga and Naturopathy Research facilities

During the event, the Prime Minister inaugurated and dedicated to the nation 21 projects of the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), worth around Rs. 2280 crores. Projects being dedicated to nation include  2 medical colleges and hospitals at Patna (Bihar) and Alwar (Rajasthan); 8 hospitals at Korba (Chhattisgarh), Udaipur (Rajasthan), Adityapur (Jharkhand), Phulwari Sharif (Bihar), Tiruppur (Tamil Nadu), Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh) and Raigarh & Bhilai in Chhattisgarh; and 3 dispensaries at Neemrana, Abu Road, and Bhilwara in Rajasthan. ESI dispensaries at 8 locations will also be inaugurated at  Alwar, Behror & Sitapura in Rajasthan, Selaqui (Uttarakhand), Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh), Koratty & Navaikulam in Kerala and Pydibhimavaram (Andhra Pradesh).

In a step to boost the production of renewable energy in the region, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for various renewable energy projects including 300 MW Bhuj-II Solar power project; Grid Connected 600 MW Solar PV Power project; Khavda Solar Power Project; 200 MW Dayapur-II Wind Energy Project among others.

The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of the New Mundra-Panipat pipeline project worth over Rs. 9000 crore. The 1194 km long Mundra- Panipat Pipeline with an installed capacity of 8.4 MMTPA was commissioned to transport crude oil from Mundra on the Gujarat coast to Indian Oil’s refinery at Panipat in Haryana.

Strengthening the road and rail infrastructure in the region, the Prime Minister dedicated doubling of Surendranagar- Rajkot Rail line; four laning of Bhavnagar- Talaja (Package-I) of old NH-8E; Pipli-Bhavnagar (Package-I) of NH-751. He also laid the foundation stone of six laning with paved shoulder of Samakhiyali to Santalpur section of NH-27, among others.

Madhya Pradesh: Panic ensued after a hand grenade was found in the vacant ground of Bhind’s RSS office, bomb squad revealed it was ‘inactive’

OpIndia Staff
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Madhya Pradesh: Panic ensued after a hand grenade was found in the vacant ground of Bhind’s RSS office, bomb squad revealed it was ‘inactive’

A hand grenade was recently found in the office compound of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh located in Bhind, Madhya Pradesh. The discovery was made in the vacant ground of the complex after some children were playing with a ball-shaped object which was later found to be a hand grenade, creating a panic in the area. Following the discovery, Bhind police called the bomb disposal squad from Morena, which revealed that the hand grenade was more than three decades old and was ‘inactive‘, that is, it couldn’t detonate. 

According to the information, on Friday (23rd February), some children were playing in the RSS office compound which is located in the residential area of Hanuman Bajaria. The Sangh officials had gone to another city for a meeting and the office was lying vacant. Meanwhile, the children found a ball-shaped object, which turned out to be a hand grenade which led to a sensation in the area. The hand grenade had a pin attached.

Receiving information from Swayamsevak Ram Mohan, SP Asit Yadav arrived at the scene with his team and initiated an inspection. The Police called the bomb disposal squad from Morena which found in its investigation that the hand grenade was around 30-35 years old and was ‘inactive’ that is, it could not explode. 

Meanwhile, after getting the information, local BJP MLA Narendra Singh Kushwaha also visited the RSS office.

Regarding the incident, the Bhind Police said on Sunday (25th February), that an inactive hand grenade believed to be 30-35 years old, had been found at an empty ground of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) office campus in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhind city. 

Superintendent of Police Asit Yadav said that the grenade possibly made its way to the Sangh office campus from a nearby area where a police firing range was located earlier in Didi village. He added that a bomb disposal squad along with sniffer dogs was sent to the spot and found the hand grenade was inactive.

According to the official, the ball-shaped object was found on Friday by some children who were playing at the RSS office ground in the Bajaria locality of the city. 

The SP stated that the police got the information about it at around 10.30 pm on Saturday following which the bomb disposal squad was sent there.

According to the SP, the ground at the Sangh office complex must have been filled with soil earlier and the grenade reached with it. A police release said the grenade looks around 30-35 years old and it made its way with the soil brought from a nearby area and spread on the Sangh office campus ground earlier.

It is pertinent to note that RSS and its Swayamsevaks frequently face threats and two years back, the RSS headquarters in Nagpur received a bomb threat following which its security was heightened.

Indus Water Treaty: India fully stops the flow of Ravi River water to Pakistan, water to be used for irrigation and hydropower generation

OpIndia Staff
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Indus Water Treaty: India fully stops the flow of Ravi River water to Pakistan, water to be used for irrigation and hydropower generation

On 24th February, India reportedly completely curtailed the flow of water from the Ravi River into Pakistan following the completion of the Shahpur Kandi barrage, which is situated on the boundary between Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. According to this development, 1150 cusecs of Ravi water is going to be utilized to irrigate more than 32,000 hectares of land in the Jammu and Kashmir districts of Kathua and Samba, rather than spilling into Pakistan.

The irrigation and hybrid power generation project has encountered many difficulties during the last thirty years, based on official sources. The process of pondage at Shahpur commenced barely two days ago, after the conclusion of the barrage work. Nonetheless, Shahpur’s water retention process has already started with the completion of the barrage.

India will now use all of the water from the Ravi River, as stipulated under the Indus Water Treaty. Water that once flowed towards Pakistan from the ancient Lakhanpur dam will now serve purposes in Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir. After the Shahpur Kandi barrage was successfully completed, the old Lakhanpur dam’s water resources were redirected towards the two northern states, allowing India to make the most of the Ravi River’s water resources.

India has exclusive rights over the waters of the Ravi, Sutlej and Beas rivers, while Pakistan has authority over the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab rivers, as per the 1960 Indus Water Treaty between the two countries. India’s capacity for water management is further enhanced by the treaty’s clauses, which allow it to build storage facilities on the western rivers.

Former Prime Minister late PV Narsimha Rao had laid the foundation stone of the significant Shahpur Kandi Barrage Project in 1995. However, internal disagreements between the governments of J&K and Punjab presented numerous challenges for the project from the outset. The project was put on hold for multiple years before being revived in 2018 after a four and a half-year pause owing to the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Dr. Jitendra Singh.

The sources revealed, “This multipurpose project worth Rs 3300 crores (Revised cost) would not only provide 1150 cusecs of irrigation water to the J&K and over 5000 cusecs of water to Punjab state, but also generate about 206 MW of electricity besides attracting tourists to the site. Punjab state would be the major beneficiary of the power generated from this project.”

Dr. Jitendra Singh also made a statement in which he asserted that political reasons alone prevented the project from moving forward in Jammu and Kashmir, even though it would have benefited the districts of Samba and Kathua. He recounted, “In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was briefed about Shahpur Kandi project and its benefits. He set up high level committee under the chairmanship of PM’s then Principal Secretary Nripendra Mishra. Even former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti tried to sabotage the project by raising the demand of Rs 600 crore compensation from Punjab Government.”

He mentioned that the project was awarded national project status, allowing for its prompt completion, and that it was resurrected after 40 years due to the imposition of Governor’s Rule in Jammu and Kashmir as a result of PM Modi’s efforts and initiative.

Ajit Kumar, the Executive Engineer at RTIC Kathua, confirmed in a phone conversation that the pondage process has commenced and that water from Ranjeet Sagar Dam is being discharged in a methodical way for the Shahpur Kandi barrage. He noted that the Shahpur Kandi dam will reach its necessary height in ninety days.

In response to a query, he stated that the project’s budget was altered multiple times. The project was originally estimated to have cost Rs 2793 crores, but its current updated cost is Rs 3300 crores. The development of a 206 MW hydropower project is also included in the project cost. The Power House is being built approximately three kilometers from Shahpur Kandi and according to the agreement, Punjab State will be the primary recipient of the electricity produced there, with J&K receiving no share of it.

When asked how much water J&K and Punjab will receive from the Ravi River, the Executive Engineer replied that J&K would receive a maximum of 1150 cusecs, while Punjab state would receive 5000 cusecs. According to him, the Ravi-Tawi canal has a design capacity of 1350 cusecs, and Punjab’s authorities would release water in line with our expected demand.

He added, “We can, however, request a maximum of 1150 cusecs of water. In addition to other regions of Kathua, Rajbagh, Sanji Morh, Mareen, Hiranagar, Rajpura, Samba, Vijaypur, and Ramgarh, and others, roughly 32,000 hectres of land in the Kandi belt of Kathua and Samba, nearly 82 kilometers in length up to Ramgarh sub division would be irrigated. It will be a huge relief for the farmers in this belt.”

He further revealed that work on a 1378-meter stretch of the canal that runs from the Shahpur Kandi barrage to the J&K intake point is still outstanding, approximately a month and a half in duration. He stated that construction is underway on a nearly 20-meter bridge close to the Lakhanpur village of Kulyarh, while head regulators are being expected as part of mechanical work on the J&K side of the canal. He pointed out that the remaining work will be finished in little more than 45 days well in advance of the barrage’s required water level.

In reply to a different question, he replied that it is anticipated that Shahpur Kandi Power House will begin producing energy by the end of the following year based on inputs. He claimed that following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s participation and designation of the project as a Project of National Importance, real work on the project began in 2018. He highlighted, “Ranjit Sagar Dam which is about 11 kilometres upstream of this project, is already generating over 600 MW of power and 206 MW will be additional benefit from river Ravi with Shahpur Kandi project.”

India has built storage facilities including the Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej, the Pong and Pandoh Dam on the Beas, and the Thein (Ranjitsagar) on the Ravi as part of a number of water management projects. India is now able to use almost all (95%) of the water from the eastern rivers because to these efforts and other projects like the Indira Gandhi Nahar Project and the Beas-Sutlej link. However, below Madhopur, almost 2 million acre-feet of the Ravi River’s water flowed to Pakistan without being harnessed. India is well-positioned to capitalize on these water resources, promoting agricultural and economic growth in Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab, with the completion of the Shahpur Kandi barrage.

During a rally in 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to make sure that Indian farmers could effectively use the waters of the Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers. He underlined that India has a legitimate claim to these waterways and that Pakistan must stop wasting them. To ensure that every drop of water from these rivers reaches Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, a task force was subsequently formed.

Punjab: Three associates of Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Landa arrested, 17 guns recovered during arrest

OpIndia Staff
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Punjab: Three associates of Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Landa arrested, 17 guns recovered during arrest

On 24th February, Jalandhar Commissionerate police arrested three associates of dreaded Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh Landa. In the intelligence-led operation, the police seized 17 guns and 33 magazines that were procured using hawala money. The inter-state weapon smuggling network was busted in a seven-day-long operation based on a tip-off. The three accused arrested have been identified as Gurlal, Khushal and Parvez.

Commissioner of Police Swapan Sharma said police laid a trap to bust the racket. Khushal is a resident of Ferozepur and has seven cases pending against him, including an attempt to murder, drug smuggling and more. Gurlal and Parvez are cousins. Reportedly, all three met in jail and were operating the Hawala network on behalf of Landa.

During the investigation, it was revealed that the weapons were being procured from an Indore-based supplier. CP Sharma said that Gurlal’s brother Sharanjit is closely associated with gangsters Lakhbir Singh Landa and Gurdev Gill. Both gangsters are involved in terror activities and extortion. Notably, Landa was declared a terrorist in December 2023 by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.

Furthermore, CP Sharma said that Landa and Gill are handlers of the weapon smuggling racket. Kushal was being paid to procure weapons via the Hawala channel. A total of twelve .32 bore pistols, five .34 bore pistols, 33 magazines and 20 live ammunition were recovered from the accused.

CP Sharma added that the weapons were seized during raids in districts Tarn Taran and Ferozepur. The accused were supposed to hand over the guns to Landa’s associates in districts Moga, Ferozepur and Tarn Taran.

Canada-based Lakhbir Landa was declared a terrorist

On 29th December, MHA declared Lakhbir Singh Landa as an “individual terrorist” under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). According to the MHA, 33-year-old Lakhbir Singh Landa belongs to the Khalistani terrorist group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and planned a rocket strike on the Punjab Police Intelligence Headquarters in Mohali in 2021, among other terrorist activities. National Investigation Agency announced a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh in September 2023 after several raids conducted on premises linked to Landa and his associates. 

TN film producer Jaffer Sadiq, wanted in Rs 2,000 cr drug racket, was seen donating money during Michaung cyclone, photo with Udayanidhi Stalin emerges

OpIndia Staff
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TN film producer Jaffer Sadiq, wanted in Rs 2,000 cr drug racket, was seen donating money during Michaung cyclone, photo with Udayanidhi Stalin emerges

The Tamil Nadu-based film producer who is wanted in a Rs 2,000 drug racket has been identified as Jaffer Sadiq. According to the Narcotics Control Bureau, he operated the racket for three years. Based on the inputs provided by the authorities from Australia and New Zealand, the Indian agencies busted the racket and recovered large quantities of pseudoephedrine, which is a crucial component in methamphetamine generally known by its street names meth, ice, poor man’s cocaine, speed, glass, crystal trash, and more.

Meth is a highly addictive drug that increases heart rate and blood pressure. It can cause anxiety, paranoia and other side effects. High doses of the drug may lead to convulsions, stroke, cardiovascular collapse and death. The drug sells at around Rs 1.5 crores per kg in countries like New Zealand and Australia.

Who is Jaffer Sadiq?

Jaffer Sadiq is a Tamil Nadu-based film producer who has produced a film called Mangai under the banner of JSM Pictures. The film’s song was released by the wife of the Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development, Special Act Implementation Department of Tamil Nadu, Udhayanidhi Stalin, Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi. Notably, on 17th December 2023, Sadiq and actor/director Ameer met Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin. They donated Rs 10 lakh towards the Chief Minister’s relief fund on the sidelines of the Michaung cyclone. Sadiq donated another two lakhs to Udhayanidhi Stalin for the CM Relief Fund.

Source: X

In a post on social media, Udhayanidhi acknowledged the donation, which has now been deleted. In the post, Udhayanidhi wrote, “In all areas affected by heavy rains, rescue work and relief assistance are being provided systematically. To join hands with the government in this work, the district deputy organizer of the Chennai West district neighbourhood team, brother A.R. Zafar Sadiq, handed over a check of Rs.2 lakh to us today for the “Chief Minister’s General Relief Fund”. My love and gratitude to him. @nchitrarasu”.

In his bio on X, Sadiq claimed to be part of the DMK NRI Wing. Furthermore, he was seen with several politicians linked to DMK.

Source: X

His photographs were shared by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Tamil Nadu chief, K Annamalai, on social media. He wrote, “In Delhi, a gang trying to smuggle drugs worth around Rs 2,000 crore has been arrested by the Anti-Narcotics Unit. In the investigation, it has been revealed that these people are from Tamil Nadu, and the leader of this gang is Zafar Sadiq, deputy organizer of DMK’s Chennai West district team, and his brother, Central Chennai Regional Deputy Secretary of the Liberation Tigers of India, Mohammad Salim and Mydeen are his assistants. It has come to light that they may have sent around 3,500 kg of narcotics abroad 45 times in the last three years and have earned thousands of crores of rupees from them.

Zafar Sadiq, Deputy Organizer of DMK’s Chennai West District Team, whom Narcotics Control Unit officials want, has used this money to produce Tamil films and the photos of Tamil Nadu Government’s relief fund to Chief Minister Stalin and Minister Udhayanidhi of lakhs of money received from drug trafficking. Pictures of him with Shekharbabu and photos of another wanted person, Central Chennai Regional Deputy Secretary of the Liberation Tigers of India, Mohammad Salim, who has given party funds to Vishika leader Thirumavalavan, have surfaced on social media. Photos of her in close contact with many directors and actors in the Tamil film industry have surfaced. Ever since the DMK came to power, the DMK government has repeatedly urged the government to take strict action on behalf of  BJP4Tamilnadu that there is a lot of drug traffic in Tamil Nadu, the influence of drugs has spread even to school students, and the media reports that drugs are widely available in Tamil Nadu. Nothing seems to have been taken. At present, the fact that one person who is in a critical position in the DMK has been involved in drug smuggling from Chennai for all these years has raised serious doubts. To avoid further strengthening of these suspicions and bearing in mind that drug trafficking is a war waged on our country, I request on behalf of BJP4Tamilnadu that the Tamil Nadu government immediately identify all those involved in drug trafficking and take strict action.”

Drug racket busted in Delhi

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Delhi busted a sprawling drug trafficking network on 15th February. The NCB officials shared this information on Saturday (24th February). The operation, led by NCB officials in conjunction with the Delhi Police Special Cell, culminated in the arrest of three individuals hailing from Tamil Nadu and the seizure of 50 kilograms of pseudoephedrine, a key chemical used in the production of methamphetamine. A Tamil film producer is reportedly the mastermind of the racket and is currently absconding.

During interrogation, the three arrested individuals disclosed that they had orchestrated a total of 45 consignments over the past three years, collectively amounting to approximately 3,500 kilograms of pseudoephedrine. These shipments, valued at over Rs 2,000 crore in the international market, underscored the scale of the operation and the substantial profits involved in the illicit trade. They also had planned to conceal pseudoephedrine within seemingly innocuous food products. Furthermore, the interrogation unveiled the transnational reach of the drug trafficking network, spanning across India, New Zealand, Australia, and Malaysia.

TMC MLA Ajit Maity, close aide of absconding Sandeshkhali mastermind Sheikh Shahjahan, removed from his party post following a fresh protest seeking his arrest

OpIndia Staff
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TMC MLA Ajit Maity, close aide of absconding Sandeshkhali mastermind Sheikh Shahjahan, removed from his party post following a fresh protest seeking his arrest

After Friday’s assault by protesters on the TMC leader Ajit Maity, a fresh round of protest erupted in the Bermajur area of Sandeshkhali on Sunday (25th February). Protesters, particularly women, took to the streets demanding the immediate arrest of TMC MLA Ajit Maity who is believed to be a close aide of absconding Sandeshkhali mastermind Sheikh Shahjahan. Protesters have said that Maity was also involved in land grabbing and extortion.

Following the massive protest by locals demanding his arrest, the Trinamool Congress removed Ajit Maity from his post of party’s Anchal President. Pertinent to note that Maity is a TMC MLA from Paschim Medinipur’s Pingla Assembly constituency.

Maity’s removal from the post was also confirmed by West Bengal Minister Partha Bhowmick who is on a visit to violence-hit Sandeshkhali. Responding to a media query, Minister Bhowmick said, “Action will be taken if there is a complaint against anyone. The party is not on the side of those who committed atrocities.” He also added that Ajit Maity has been removed from the post. However, yesterday after his interactions with Sandeshkhali victims, Minister Bhowmick downplayed the allegations. He claimed that the sexual assault allegations made by multiple women in Sandeshkhali are ‘fake’. 

Apart from the removal of Ajit Maity, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) had earlier attempted to distance itself from Sirajuddin, brother of Sandeshkhali mastermind Sheikh Shahjahan. A day after angry villagers of Sandeshkhali in West Bengal set fire to the property, West Bengal Cabinet Minister Partha Bhowmik said that Sheikh Sirajuddin had been removed as the ‘head of the Panchayat’ a long time ago.

TMC MLA Ajit Maity claims himself to be a victim of TMC’s violence

Meanwhile, in an attempt to defend himself, Ajit Maity claimed innocence of any wrongdoing or being involved in land grabbing.

Regarding aggressive protest against him, the TMC leader said that he was chased by the locals and took shelter in the house of a civic volunteer. Women later protested outside that house. 

Maity claimed, “I am innocent. I am scared. I did not know about land grabbing. I am not involved in any scam. I do not know who is involved. Let them face the law. I will accept the punishment as per law. I have not taken any land. Let me be investigated. If I have taken it, I will return it. I have not filed a complaint against 70 people. I have filed a complaint against 5 to 6 people who went to my house on Friday. I don’t know where Siraj is.”

Claiming to be a victim himself, he alleged that he was brought into Trinamool Congress by force. He further claimed, “I used to be BJP. When the region was lost to Trinamool in 2019, they attacked me. It was the Trinamool people who did it. They assaulted and brought me to the ruling party. Shyam Sarkar, Tapas Andi, Kamaluddin Lashkar beat me. Sheikh Shahjahan, Sirajuddin Sheikh, it was the leadership that did it.”

Earlier on Friday (23rd February), TMC leader Ajit Maity was manhandled by protesters at his residence. Protesters targeted his residence, vandalising his motorcycle and accusing him of involvement in the land grab. They also broke through fences and as per the visuals shared by news agency ANI, villagers were seen ransacking his house and beating him with slippers.

The background of the villagers’ protest against TMC leaders

It is pertinent to note that after TMC’s local leader Sheikh Shahjahan went into hiding in connection with the Enforcement Directorate’s crackdown on an alleged ration scam, multiple women came forward in his absence, alleging mass land grabbing and systematic or institutionalised rape of Hindu women by Shahjahan, along with his two accomplices, Uttam Sardar and Shibu Prasad Hazra, and their henchmen. While Uttam Sardar and Shibu Hazra were arrested earlier in this case, Shahjahan is still absconding.  

Meanwhile, the real extent of criminal antecedents of TMC local leaders is coming to the fore as more than 700 complaints against Sheikh Shahjahan and others were registered at the Block Development Office in just 6 days.

Unattended goods train runs for over 70 km at 100 Kmph after driver left with the locomotive running, halted in Punjab

OpIndia Staff
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Unattended goods train runs for over 70 km at 100 Kmph after driver left with the locomotive running, halted in Punjab

A major train mishap was averted on Sunday (25th February) after an unattended driverless goods train travelled at 100kmph for more than 70 km, causing a scare in Punjab. Following the incident, the Railways has ordered a probe into the incident.

A video of the ‘Runaway Train’ is going viral on social media which shows the train passing by a station at a very high speed.

According to reports, the 53-wagon goods train carrying construction materials for railways took a halt at Kathua station in Jammu and Kashmir for a crew change but its engine was allegedly left running when the driver and co-driver de-boarded it. 

According to sources, the driver also failed to pull the hand brake before getting down. The unattended train with its engine on started to move before the next team of crew could board it. The train travelled towards Pathankot, picking up pace on the journey. It crossed about five stations at a speed of 100 km per hour before it was stopped in Uchi Bassi with the help of sandbags and woodblocks placed on Railway tracks. “The train was stopped after a Railway official placed wood blocks on the tracks to stop the train,” officials said.

The scary incident took place on Sunday between 7:25 am and 9 am when the runaway train moved due to the slope towards Pathankot, as per officials. The train was finally stopped on a steep slope close to Unchi Bassi railway station in Mukerian, Punjab. 

Visuals show that the train was pulled by a WDG-3A class locomotive, a diesel-electric locomotive of the Indian railways. The dedicate freight locomotive generates 3100 hp power.

Government Railway Police (Jalandhar) Sub-Inspector Ashok Kumar said that upon receiving information about the runaway train all rail-road crossings on the Jalandhar-Pathankot section were secured. The officials added that the train was successfully halted with the assistance of sandbags.

Speaking with PTI, Divisional Traffic Manager, Jammu, Prateek Srivastava said, “An inquiry has been initiated to know the exact cause of the incident. Prima facie, it seems that the train started rolling down the slope gradient towards Punjab without the driver and his assistant”. The Railway Department officials ensured that no other train was on its track from the opposite direction, thereby avoiding a major mishap. Consequently, no damages or injuries were reported in the scary incident. 

The spokesperson stated that an investigation is ongoing to determine if the train was properly secured at Kathua on the downhill slope, and a thorough inquiry is in progress.

Uttarakhand govt to table Public and Private Property Damage Recovery Bill for recovery of damages to property during riots and protests

ANI
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Uttarakhand govt to table Public and Private Property Damage Recovery Bill for recovery of damages to property during riots and protests

The Uttarakhand government is set to table the ‘Uttarakhand Public and Private Property Damage Recovery Bill’ in the assembly during the upcoming budget session commencing on February 26 (Monday) to deal strictly with miscreants damaging government and private property during protests.

Under this bill, the losses incurred during protests and strikes will be recovered from the accused involved in the disturbance. To compensate for the loss, a tribunal will be constituted under the chairmanship of a retired district judge.

The neighbouring Uttar Pradesh government has already passed a similar bill in 2020.

Days ago, Uttarakhand became the only state to introduce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). The draft proposes uniform civil laws for all communities in the state.

Earlier on February 7, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the passage of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) bill in the Legislative Assembly marked a “historic day in the history of Uttarakhand.”

He emphasized that the legislation benefits every section of society, asserting that a government promise to the people has been fulfilled.

The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill was passed with a comfortable majority during a special session of the Uttarakhand assembly on February 7.

The Uniform Civil Code, which proposes similar or uniform laws for all communities, was tabled during the special session by the Chief Minister.

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

Land worth crores seized on Rs 10 stamp papers, Fauji Colony renamed to Rehmat Nagar: Shocking demographic change in Uttarakhand’s Ramnagar similar to Haldwani

OpIndia Staff
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Land worth crores seized on Rs 10 stamp papers, Fauji Colony renamed to Rehmat Nagar: Shocking demographic change in Uttarakhand’s Ramnagar similar to Haldwani

Amidst all the conspiracies to change demography in Uttarakhand, following the violence in Haldwani, a case of illegal occupation of government lands has also surfaced in the popular tourist destination of Ramnagar. A list of over a thousand such families is in the possession of the forest department itself. Those people have started referring to the area by Islamic names in addition to preparing all the paperwork. Notably, the first step in the encroachment is to construct temporary homes for girls and women. However, as soon as the issue was brought to light, the administration took the initiative and began clearing out illegal incursions from some neighbourhoods.

Dainik Jagran has mentioned that the Puchhdi village of Ramnagar in one of its reports. There have been complaints of invasion of forest department properties by the people of the Muslim community who have settled here. The Forest Department has identified around 1002 such households who have seized the land. Using Rs 10 stamp papers, these families have pilfered land valued at crores of rupees.

They have also acquired basic facilities like electricity and water on the under-siege properties. The Fauji (Military/Army) Colony constructed in the revenue area is being called Rehmat Nagar by them. There are accusations that incursion has already begun in the surrounding regions of the 800 Bigha territories that were illicitly grabbed.

This Ramnagar area is believed to have been took over by people since 2004 or 2005. At that time, the majority of the population living there was Muslim which had immigrated from the Uttar Pradesh districts of Rampur and Moradabad. Later they started selling it to their co-religionist on stamp paper of 10 rupees each. Rows of wooden and tarpaulin houses can be witnessed at the location. Additionally, a place called Nai Basti is also under occupation. Originally, a few Muslim families came here to work as labourers with buggies but now they own trucks and dumpers.

The head of the village in Puchhdi hamlet is now a Muslim woman, indicating the drastic changes in the area’s demographics. The Forest Department went to the High Court to get rid of the illegal encroachments. The court’s ruling in 2017 resulted in the demolition of 36 illegal concrete constructions as well, but things quickly grew worse soon after.

The current state of affairs is that the total number of voters in this encroached area has crossed 3500. In an interview with Dainik Jagran, the former chief of Puchhdi village also mentioned that he had seen the demographic shift following 2005. Diwan Singh Bisht, a Bharatiya Janata Party MLA, has spoken out against the ongoing annexation of government land in Ramnagar. He blamed the Forest Department for the alarming situation while talking to the media house.

He advocated for a thorough screening process for those who have entered the area illegally and are living there. He expressed shock that a section of the Fauji Colony was given the name Rehmat Nagar and pledged to investigate and address the matter.

Jaipur: Posters come up in Nandpuri colony urging Hindu families not to sell homes to Muslims, allege ‘land jihad’ going on in the area

OpIndia Staff
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Jaipur: Posters come up in Nandpuri colony urging Hindu families not to sell homes to Muslims, allege ‘land jihad’ going on in the area

In Jaipur’s Nandpuri colony, several posters have been found pasted on walls of houses requesting residing Hindu families not to sell their properties to Muslim families. Nandpuri is a dominant Hindu area in the Hawa Mahal assembly constituency. However, in the last couple of months, several Hindu families sold their houses to Muslim families. The local Hindu families have expressed fear of demographic shift and called for unity against “land jihad”.

In an exclusive report by Times Now Navbharat, several women in the Nandpuri colony expressed concerns over the rising number of Muslim families in the area. The residents fear that the change in demography might lead to alterations in the culture and social dynamics of the region. They see the rising number of Muslims as a threat to their traditional way of life and community values.

The residents emphasised the fact that the culture of Muslim families is considerably different from that of Hindu families living in the area. One of the residents told the reporter that a few days ago, one of the Muslim families had a party at their house, and they cooked meat on the street leading, and they had to ask them not to do so.

One of the female residents expressed concerns over women’s safety in the area. She said, “Whey came on bikes and whistles [at us]. We do not feel safe anymore.” The residents expressed distress over the necessity of leaving their ancestral homes, while others articulated apprehensions about the possible impact of demographic change.

The migration trend among Hindu families resulted in public outcry and complaints to the local authorities. Speaking on the matter, one of the residents said, “There will be problems [if the migration continues]. Their language and culture are different.” Another resident said, “Many families have already taken advance to sell their house. We want them to either not sell or sell it to a Hindu family. They can always take a few lakhs less but sell among the community to ensure harmony in the colony.”

The residents believe that it could be a planned conspiracy to pay higher prices for the properties belonging to Hindu families so that the demography could be changed.

Locals have approached MLA Balmukund Acharya for support to stop Hindus from leaving the area. Acharya made headlines after becoming MLA as some of his initial projects included the action of open chicken carts and a plan to trace down illegal immigrants from Myanmar (Rohingya) and Bangladesh. Notably, local authorities and leaders have already taken cognisance of the matter.

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