On Tuesday (27th February), Bollywood producer Ektaa Kapoor, filmmakers, and the lead actor shared the teaser of their upcoming film titled, ‘The Sabarmati Report’, 22 years after the horrific Godhra massacre, on the same day. However, in her post on X, Ektaa Kapoor referred to the massacre of 59 innocent Hindus as a “train burning incident”.
Taking to X, she wrote, “Paying homage to the 59 innocent people who lost their lives in the Godhra train burning incident 22 years ago, today. Presenting ‘The Sabarmati Report’, in cinemas on 3rd May 2024.”
Paying homage to the 59 innocent people who lost their lives in the Godhra train burning incident 22 years ago, today.
Incidentally, the same caption has been shared by the film team drawing criticism for calling the incident ‘a burning incident’. Soon after she shared the post, it drew intense criticism as people slammed the Bollywood producer for watering down the horrific Godhra massacre in which 59 innocent Hindu devotees, including women and children, were burned to death in a cold-blooded massacre by Islamists.
Reacting to her post, an X handle asked, “WTF do you mean by ‘the train burning incident’? Oh you mean the train self-combusted? Say it like it is if you have the guts.”
WTF do you mean by “the train burning incident”? Oh you mean the train self combusted? Say it like it is if you have the guts.
Journalist Nirwa Mehta wrote, “It was not ‘train burning incident’. It was set on fire by a rioting Muslim mob to specifically kill karsevaks returning from Ayodhya. Have that much honesty.”
It was not ‘train burning incident’. It was set on fire by a rioting Muslim mob to specifically kill karsevaks returning from Ayodhya. Have that much honesty. https://t.co/3vuyv7Ibyl
Meanwhile, based on the reference “train burning incident”, many users also feared that the film could whitewash the dastardly act of the Islamist mob that set the train ablaze, killing 59 Hindus.
One X user wrote, “So your movie is coming out hope you portray the truth and nothing but the truth and not whitewash the Islamist mob that set the train on fire and locked the doors so no one would escape.”
So your movie is coming out hope you portray the truth and nothing but the truth and not whitewash the Islamist mob that set the train on fire and locked the doors so no one would escape
Meanwhile, in the teaser, Vikrant Messy is seen playing the role of a journalist named Shravan Kumar. In the opening sequence, Kumar is seen in a TV studio and breaking the news of the Godhra incident. However, as he starts reading from the teleprompter which describes the incident as an accident, Kumar stumbles before firmly stating that it was not an accident.
The film will be released on 3rd May this year and it will see Vikrant Massey and Rashi Khanna in the lead roles.
Godhra massacre
The dreadful incident took place on 27th February 2002, in which 59 innocent Hindu pilgrims were killed as the Islamic jihadis set on fire the S6 coach of the Sabarmati Express near the Godhra railway station in Gujarat. This incident is known as the Godhra carnage or massacre.
On that day, the Sabarmati Express was scheduled to reach Godhra station at about 3:30 am. On that day, the train was running four hours late. As such, it arrived at Godhra by 7:40 am. 8 minutes later, a mob of 2000 Islamists set 59 Hindus, including 25 women and 15 children, in the coach S6 of the train on fire in Godhra’s predominantly Muslim area – Signal Falia.
31 Islamists were found guilty of the Godhra massacre on February 22, 2011, by the trial court (with only 11 receiving the death penalty and 20 receiving life in prison), and all 31 convictions were affirmed by the Gujarat High Court in October 2017, resulting in everyone receiving a life sentence. Prior to that, based on the testimony of witnesses and survivors, it was established that it was not an accident rather the Islamists had set the train on fire. An elaborate campaign was carried on for years by Leftists and Islamist apologists to shift the blame from the Muslim mob and whitewash, even sometimes justify the cold-blooded massacre.
On Tuesday (27th February), the Kerala High Court dismissed writ petitions challenging the tradition of the appointment of Melshanthi (Chief Priests) in Sabarimala temple. The court upheld the temple’s age-old tradition that only Malayala Brahmins can be appointed as ‘Melsantis'(Chief Priests) at Sabarimala and Malikappuram temples. The court rejected the argument that the condition amounts to “untouchability” or violates Article 17 of the Constitution.
#BREAKING Kerala High Court dismisses petitions challenging the condition that only Malayala Brahmins can be appointed as 'melshantis'(Chief Priests) at #Sabarimala & Malikappuram temples.
HC rejects the argument that the condition amounts to "untouchability" and violates… pic.twitter.com/CNkuwqKfCx
Notably, a batch of petitions had challenged a notification issued by the Travancore Devaswom Board in May 2021 in which it invited applications only from Malayala Bhramins for appointment as Melshanthi(chief priest) of Sabarimala-Malikappuram temples.
Not untouchability, Article 25 not absolute: High Court
A division Bench comprising Justices Anil K Narendran and PG Ajithkumar passed the verdict upholding the traditions of the temple in the appointment of High priests. The court rejected the petitioner’s arguments that the conditions amounted to “untouchability” and violated Article 17 of the Constitution.
The court explained, “The right protected under Article 25(2)(b) of the Constitution is the right to enter a temple and worship. This right is not absolute and unlimited in character. No member of Hindu public could claim as part of the rights protected under Article 25(2)(b) that a temple must be kept open for worship at all hours of the day and night or that they could perform the services which the archakas alone could perform. Therefore, we find absolutely no merit in the contention of the learned counsel for the petitioners that the conditions stipulated in the notification issued by the Devaswom Commissioner that the applicant for appointment as Melshanthis at Sabarimala Devaswom and Malikappuram Devaswom shall be a Malayalee Brahmin would amount to untouchability abolished under Article 17 of the Constitution.”
The Court dismissed the writ petitions on the ground that they had no merit and lacked proper pleadings.
“There is a total lack of pleadings and grounds raised in the writ petitions. Though the counsel for the petitioners addressed arguments with respect to the provisions of Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India, the challenge made in these writ petitions is regarding the selection of Melshanthis in Sabarimala and Malikapuram temples for the year 1193 ME and 1197 ME. In the absence of proper pleadings on Articles 25 and 26 we are of the view that there is no need to keep these writ petitions open for the larger bench of the Supreme Court to decide on the issue. However we make it clear that the contentions of both sides in this respect are kept open to be raised in an appropriate proceedings at an appropriate time,” the Court added.
It is not a secular activity: Advocate J Sai Deepak
Apart from claiming that the notification violated several Articles of the Constitution including 14,15,16,17 and 21, the petitioners said that the appointment to the post of Melshanthi has been held to be a secular act.
They argued that the post of high priest can’t be confined to one particular community, especially in an institution administered by the Travancore Devaswom Board, which is fully controlled by the Government of Kerala.
Challenging the argument, Advocate J Sai Deepak had submitted that the petition was filed on a false premise that the appointment of an individual as Melsanthis was a secular activity.
it was argued that Sabarimala temple is a tantric temple with diverse traditions and peculiar practices while referring to Article 26 of the Indian Constitution. It was thus stated that insisting on the selection of Malayala Brahmins alone amongst other Brahmins to the position of Melsanthis is not a caste-based reservation, but a religious requirement.
Meanwhile, following the court’s verdict, elated J Sai Deepak tweeted, “The practice of the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple with respect to appointment to the position of Melsanthi will remain unaffected. Tradition of the Temple upheld on all counts. Writ Petitions dismissed. Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa.”
The practice of the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple with respect to appointment to the position of Melsanthi will remain unaffected. Tradition of the Temple upheld on all counts. Writ Petitions dismissed. Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa. https://t.co/6lqQN4c0yS
Here is the link to the counter affidavit and written submissions filed on behalf of @People4Dharma, since this was being selectively circulated by Dravidianists and their closet Left and non-Left sympathisers over the last few weeks. https://t.co/DZzzQLgfyh
In another tweet, Sai Deepak also shared a link to the written submissions by the People for Dharma in this case. He added, “Here is the link to the counter affidavit and written submissions filed on behalf of People for Dharma, since this was being selectively circulated by Dravidianists and their closet Left and non-Left sympathisers over the last few weeks.”
On Tuesday (27th February), Prime Minister Narendra Modi came down heavily on the I.N.D.I. Alliance partners Congress and CPM during his visit to the Southern state, Kerala. PM Modi said that both parties take a hypocritical stand as they are enemies of each other in Kerala but become BFFs (best friends forever) outside the state politics. He accused them of working only for the welfare of their own families adding that they consider their family welfare above the welfare of Indians.
While addressing a rally in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram, PM Modi said, “BJP has never come to power in Kerala but I have laid my track record in front of you. Congress and its other communist alliances have only one priority. They only let their family to rule the country. For them, the welfare of their family is superior to the welfare of Indians…In Kerala, they are each other’s enemies but outside Kerala, they are BFFs, which means Best Friends Forever…”
#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi says "BJP has never come to power in Kerala but I have laid my track record in front of you. Congress and its other communist alliances have only one priority. They only let their family to rule the country. For them, the welfare of their… pic.twitter.com/gB6rapgk1A
Elaborating on the same, PM Modi stated that both these parties accuse each other of political murders, putting other party leaders’ lives in danger. He added that Congress accused the Communist party CM of corruption and called him ‘fascist’, in retaliation Communist party did a lathi-charge on Congress leaders and accused the previous Congress dispensation of Corruption.
PM Modi further pointed out that Communists are now advising Congress’s Yuvraj, a reference to Rahul Gandhi, to not contest from Kerala. Notably, Rahul Gandhi, fearing a defeat in Amethi from BJP’s Smriti Irani had contested two Lok Sabha seats in 2019 – Amethi in UP and Wayanad in Kerala. He lost his election from Amethi and is currently an MP from Wayanad.
Further in his rally, PM Modi slammed CPM and Congress stating that outside the state, they sit in I.N.D.I. alliance meetings and have snacks together. Pointing out their hypocrisy, PM Modi highlighted that both of them adopt one line in Thiruvananthapuram, and have a different narrative in Delhi. The people of Kerala will respond to this in the upcoming elections, the PM asserted.
PM Modi also slammed the two alliances in Kerala – LDF and UDF. He said that they had been forming governments in the state alternatively but LDF retained its power in the last assembly elections. He accused them of ruining the education system in the state. Pm Modi vowed that it is a ‘Modi guarantee’ that BJP will work on the development of educational institutions in Kerala during the third term of the Modi government.
Addressing the rally, PM Modi blasted left-front alliances saying, “Everyone knows what LDF and UDF have done to the education system in Kerala. Everyone knows about the struggle faced by the students of the poor and the middle class of Kerala while pursuing higher education. Our third term will work on the development of educational institutions in Kerala. This will pave the way for opportunities for students hailing from poor and middle-class families.”
#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi says "Everyone knows what LDF and UDF have done to the education system in Kerala. Everyone knows about the struggle faced by the students of the poor and the middle-class of Kerala while pursuing higher education. Our third term will work on… pic.twitter.com/BbEleF7RGb
PM Modi emphasised, “Everyone is talking about the third term of the Modi government. In our third term, India is set to become the world’s third-largest economy. This is ‘Modi Ki Guarantee’. In our third term, our fight against corruption is going to be more defined…”
#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi says "Everyone is talking about the third term of the Modi government. In our third term, India is set to become the world's third-largest economy. This is 'Modi Ki Guarantee'. In our third term, our fight against corruption is going to be… pic.twitter.com/gSMvu39m0b
Addressing the rally ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi said that the opposition parties have accepted defeat reiterating that the voters will make sure that BJP wins over 370 seats. PM Modi lambasted the opposition arguing that they don’t have any agenda and have united only to abuse Modi.
Taking a jibe at the opposition, PM Modi asserted, “The opposition has accepted its defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. It does not have a road map for the development of the country, hence it has made only one agenda, to abuse Modi. I know that Kerala will never stand with those having such negative thoughts, Kerala will bless the BJP and NDA for nation-building. People are walking shoulder to shoulder with BJP on the streets, which in itself is a big message…”
#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi says "The opposition has accepted its defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. It does not have a road map for the development of the country, hence it has made only one agenda, to abuse Modi. I know that Kerala will never stand with those… pic.twitter.com/684iddK9iW
During his address in Kerala, the PM reiterated that his government is returning for the third time.
He said, “There is a different level of enthusiasm among the people of Kerala. The hope that was aroused for the BJP in Kerala in 2019 seems to be changing into confidence in 2024. In 2019, the people of Kerala voted for BJP-NDA in double digits, in 2024 the people of Kerala will give double-digit seats to us. In 2019, the country was giving slogans of ‘Phir ek baar Modi Sarkar’, in 2024, everyone is saying ‘Abki baar, 400 paar’…”
#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi says "There is a different level of enthusiasm among the people of Kerala. The hope that was aroused for BJP in Kerala in 2019 seems to be changing into confidence in 2024. In 2019, the people of Kerala voted for BJP-NDA in double digits, in… pic.twitter.com/3yGZXGD47q
#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi says "BJP has never seen any Indian state from the perspective of a vote-bank. Even when the BJP was not strong in Kerala, even then we worked day in and day out to empower Kerala. Over the past 10 years, the benefits of development have been… pic.twitter.com/SCyjOzgilw
He also stressed that the Bhartiya Janata Party doesn’t work with the mindset of vote-bank politics noting that BJP worked to empower Kerala when it was not that strong in the state.
PM Modi said, “BJP has never seen any Indian state from the perspective of a vote-bank. Even when the BJP was not strong in Kerala, even then we worked day in and day out to empower Kerala. Over the past 10 years, the benefits of development have been reaped by Kerala as much as by the BJP-ruled states…”
Punjabi music composer and lyricist Bunty Bains narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in Mohali, Punjab. The incident is said to have occured on Monday (26th February) when he went to a restaurant with his family and friends in the city’s Sector 79. According to reports, he had left the restaurant when the unknown assailants opened fire. Consequently, he managed to escape unhurt in the attack.
Reportedly, Bains was close to the late Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala who was fatally shot in his car in May 2022.
Following the incident, Bunty Bains filed a police complaint. Cracked windows and a bullet embedded in the wood frame could be seen in the visuals of the incident.
Breaking: Gunfire occurred at a Katani Premium Dhaba in Sector 79, where Punjabi lyricist Bunty Bains was having dinner with his family and friends. After Bunty Bains posted a story on Instagram, bullets were fired at the restaurant 30 minutes later. Fortunately, they were not in… pic.twitter.com/1eZuDM0OU8
Bains told Aaj Tak/India Today that after the attack, he received a threatening phone call. The caller was trying to extort Rs 1 crore from him. The caller also reportedly warned him that failure to meet the demand would lead to his death.
It is said that the threat was made in the name of Lucky Patial, said to be operating from Canada. Patial is a notorious gangster and is said to have connections with the Lawrence Bishnoi and Bambiha gangs. These two gangs have been allegedly involved in various criminal activities across Punjab.
The police are investigating the incident from all angles including personal enmity and extortion bid. ADGP Jaskaran Singh stated that the pattern seems to be related to extortion, and an investigation is underway, as per Punjab-based Journalist Gagandeep Singh.
Bains allegedly attacked for closeness with Sidhu Moosewala
Bains is considered to be close with the late Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala. His closeness with Moosewala is also suspected to be one of the reasons for the attack on him. Notably, he is credited for shaping the careers of several prominent Punjabi singers, including the late Moosewala. Before Moosewala’s death, Bains’ company used to manage his affairs.
Moosewala was killed on 29th May 2022. Back then, assailants shot and killed Moosewala in his car in Jawaharke village, Mansa district, Punjab. Gangster Goldy Brar had claimed responsibility for the murder.
That year, Sidhu Moosewala contested unsuccessfully for the Punjab Assembly seat in Mansa on a Congress ticket. He lost the polls to Vijay Singla of the Aam Aadmi Party in the 2022 Punjab elections.
31 people have been charged in the Moosewala murder case. These include criminals Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar, while 25 have been arrested.
Earlier in the day, Moose Wala’s parents announced that they are expecting to welcome a new family member shortly.
On Tuesday (27th February), voting for 56 Rajya Sabha seats from 15 states is underway. In January, the Election Commission notified elections for 56 seats across 15 states that would fall vacant in April, but only three states are holding polls because the remaining MPs were elected unopposed.
Despite the BJP’s strong Assembly election victories in three Hindi heartland states in December and the changing political dynamic in Bihar, earlier estimates projected that the composition of the Rajya Sabha would remain relatively stable. However, in Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Karnataka, where there have been indications of cross-voting, the votes might surprise some.
Before voting day, the ruling NDA had 109 MPs in the Upper House, 10 short of the halfway point in the 238-member Rajya Sabha. The opposition group had 89 MPs.
Uttar Pradesh has the most seats up for vote (10), followed by Maharashtra and Bihar (6 each), Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal (5 each), Karnataka and Gujarat (4 each), Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan (3 each), and Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Chhattisgarh (1 each).
According to the Assembly’s strength, the BJP and the main opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) had enough seats to send 7 and 3 members to the Upper House, respectively, but this changed when the BJP fielded Sanjay Seth as their eighth candidate. The result in one seat could now be decided by cross-voting.
In Karnataka, three Congress MPs and one BJP MP will retire. However, by forming an alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular) and nominating one of its members for a Rajya Sabha seat, the BJP has ensured a struggle between five contenders for four vacancies. Congress, which has 134 MLAs, claims to have the support of three Independents, while two BJP and many JD(S) MLAs were expected to vote for Congress candidates. The BJP-JD(S) alliance has 85 MLAs, five less than the 90 votes needed to elect two MPs.
In Himachal Pradesh, where the Congress has 40 MLAs after winning the 2022 Assembly elections, there is just one Rajya Sabha seat, which was vacated by the BJP President J P Nadda. However, due to internal party unrest, at least 9 MLAs are reported to have cross-voted on Tuesday.
The Congress has fielded Abhishek Manu Singhvi, while the BJP’s candidate is Harsh Mahajan. Interestingly, with 25 MLAs, the BJP is nine votes shy of the halfway point in the 68-member Assembly.
Of the 56 retiring MPs, 28 are from the BJP and 10 from the Congress. The BJP, which was anticipated to retain around the same number of seats, could possibly win more seats in Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. The Congress, which was expected to win 9 seats and possibly 1 more in Bihar with the support of its ally Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), is certain to lose in Himachal Pradesh.
Notably, polling for Himachal Pradesh’s lone Rajya Sabha seat began at 9 am on Tuesday and finished with Congress MLA from Chintpurni Sudershan Babloo casting the final ballot. The polling was quick, and all 68 members voted. Ashish, an independent MLA from Hamipur, cast the first vote.
Congress MLA Babloo was flown to the Assembly via helicopter due to illness. Further, after casting his vote, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu stated that the MLAs voted based on the party’s principles.
In Himachal Pradesh, the Congress had issued a whip urging all MLAs to vote for the party’s nominee, Abhishek Manu Singhvi. The BJP then criticised the measure, claiming that parliamentarians have the freedom to vote based on their views.
Meanwhile, of the 56 Rajya Sabha seats up for grabs today, 41 have effectively secured their positions in the upper house.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday conducted raids at 16 locations in Punjab and Rajasthan in its ongoing investigations against Khalistan and organised criminals’ nexus, detaining six persons to question them.
The raids are underway at these 16 locations, which include 14 in Punjab and two in Rajasthan. The NIA’s investigations are ongoing and include efforts to destroy the nexus between terrorists, gangsters, and drug smugglers. The NIA’s goal is to dismantle the nexus’s infrastructure, including funding channels.
The agency has carried out the search operation since early Tuesday morning in close coordination with state police forces. The raids are being conducted based on some specific inputs.
The places being searched are residential and other premises of the suspects having links with Khalistani supporters and those involved in criminal nexus.
“NIA is conducting searches in ongoing investigations against Khalistan and organised criminal nexus at 14 locations in Punjab and 2 locations in Rajasthan. Subsequent to searches, six people are being examined for their involvement in terrorist activities,” said the NIA.
The six persons picked for questioning are reportedly having indulged in terrorist activities and are in close contact with some fugitive designated Khalistani terrorists through social media networks and other means of communication.
The move comes almost two months after NIA Director General Dinkar Gupta raised candid and wide-ranging issues in December 2023 while meeting with the Director of the FBI, Christopher A Wray. He had raised activities of terrorist-organised criminal networks, ongoing investigations in the US in the attack on the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, and investigations of cyber-terror and cyber-crimes of various kinds in the meeting.
Gupta then highlighted the active nexus between the terrorist outfits and terrorist elements with members of organised criminal syndicates, which was spreading to the US as well. (ANI)
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
On Saturday (27th February), the Supreme Court imposed a temporary ban on Patanjali Ayurved’s advertisements until further order. The court also issued a contempt notice to its founders Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balakrishna for flouting the court’s November orders regarding the ‘misleading claims advertisements’ of Patanjali Ayurved products.
BIG BREAKING: Supreme Court imposes a COMPLETE BAN on Patanjali advertisements after SC came down heavily upon Baba Ramdev and Patanjali for 'false and misleading' ads. Notice for contempt of court issued to Patanjali and Acharya Balakrishnan.#SupremeCourt#Patanjalipic.twitter.com/yFsIT0ZZ2h
A bench comprising Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah stated that Patanjali has duped the country by making misleading claims that its medicines can cure various diseases despite the lack of scientific evidence.
The Court also questioned the Union Government on what action it had taken under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act 1954 about Patanjali’s advertisements.
“The entire country has been taken for a ride! For two years you wait when the Drugs Act says this is prohibited?” Justice Amanullah said to Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj.
While acknowledging that deceptive advertisements are unacceptable, the Centre’s law officer emphasised that it is up to the concerned States to take action under the Act. The apex court asked the central government to submit an affidavit outlining what steps it has taken.
The Supreme Court today ruled that Patanjali cannot advertise or market any of its medicinal products that claim to heal conditions listed in the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act.
The Supreme Court slammed the Patanjali group while hearing an Indian Medical Association (IMA) petition about ‘misinformation against Allopathy’.
Furthermore, the Court warned Patanjali Ayurved against making any adverse statements about any medical system. The case will be heard after two weeks.
Senior Advocate PS Patwalia, representing the Indian Medical Association, alleged that the day after the Supreme Court issued the ruling, on the 21st of November last year, Baba Ramdev and Patanjali conglomerate’s Managing Director Acharya Balakrishna of Patanjali held a press conference and made deceptive claims again.
SC slams Patanjali Ayurved for ads against modern medicines
As reported earlier, on 21st November 2023, a Supreme Court bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Prashant Kumar Mishra had pulled up Patanjali Ayurved for “publishing misleading claims and advertisements against modern systems of medicine”
The bench had also issued a stern warning to the company stating that it would impose a Rs 1 crore fine on every product if the company made false claims that the product ‘cures’ a particular disease.
“All such false and misleading advertisements of Patanjali Ayurved have to stop immediately. The Court will take any such infraction very seriously, and the Court will also consider imposing costs to the extent of Rs. 1 crores on every product regarding which a false claim is made that it can “cure” a particular disease,” Justice Amanullah said back then.
However, a day later, Baba Ramdev called a press conference and expressed displeasure over SC’s warning to Patanjali about making ‘false’ and ‘misleading’ claims in the commercials about its medicines as cures for various diseases. Ramdev Baba said that the medical mafia has been targeting him and running propaganda against him and the Ayurveda.
“SC said that if you do false propaganda, then you will be fined… We respect SC. But we are not doing any false propaganda. A few doctors have formed a group that continuously does propaganda against yoga, Ayurveda. We are also ready for the death penalty. But if we are not liars, then punish the ones who are spreading the false propaganda. For the past 5 years, propaganda has been going on targeting Ramdev and Patanjali,” Baba said adding that if Patanjali is a liar, it should be fined Rs 1000 crores.
On 25th February, the world received another shock from Pakistan as a woman wearing a dress with Arabic alphabets almost got lynched by an agitated mob. Someone in Pakistan saw the dress of the woman and assumed it had “Allah” written on it, deeming it blasphemous.
Shortly after, the woman was surrounded by religious hounds raising ‘Sar Tan Se Juda’ slogans. She was seen begging for her life. A brave female police officer rescued her from the mob and took her into custody for further investigation. The history of fanatic mob lynching in Pakistan is disturbing.
Woman in Lahore’s Ichra wearing a digital print shirt taken into police custody after a mob complained that the shirt had Quranic verses on it. pic.twitter.com/bVjtkuZlsP
A video of the woman emerged on social media apologising for the alleged “sacrilege” she committed. She apologised to everyone in her statement, though there was no intention to hurt religious sentiments. The Kuwait-based brand that made the dress urged the people of Pakistan not to message them over the matter. They reminded everyone that they use Arabic texts in different fonts because, wait for it, it is “THEIR LANGUAGE”.
While the incident had a shock value, this is not the first time Islamists living in Pakistan resorted to violence and barbarism because they thought someone did something ‘blasphemous’. Let’s start with “blasphemous” QR codes that generated quite a stir.
The QR code mayhem
In January 2022, a video of a man from Pakistan went viral on social media where he was seen threatening American company Pepsi for printing a QR code with the name of “Prophet Muhammad” on its 7UP bottles. The man identified himself as Mulla. He threatened the driver of the truck that was transporting 7UP bottles. He said the driver would face dire consequences if the QR code were not removed.
Man named Mullah threatened Pepsi of consequences claiming QR code on 7UP had the word “Allah”
He insisted that the QR code was the name of the Prophet, and if the company did not remove it, he would burn the truck. The video was recorded by a social media user who tried to convince the agitated Islamist, but it did not help. The agitated Islamist threatened the social media user with consequences.
In July 2022, Samsung became the target of fanatics as its QR codes were deemed blasphemous. Reportedly, dozens of Islamists of the extremist Barelvi organisation Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) unleashed mayhem in the mobile market of Karachi, Pakistan, after rumours of alleged blasphemy against the company.
The protestors tore down the billboards of Samsung in the mobile market in the city and indulged in vandalism after they heard that the company had committed ‘blasphemy’ against Islam. From QR code to name of WiFi network were deemed blasphemous by the mob so that they could continue burning things.
27 employees of Samsung were detained by the police in Karachi over claims that they were using a WiFi network whose name was insulting to Ummayad Dynasty Caliph Muavia.
Sri Lankan man brutally murdered in Pakistan by a large mob
In December 2021, a heart-breaking incident of fanatics lynching a man over blasphemy took place in Pakistan. A Sri Lankan man, Priyantha Kumara, was tortured and burnt to death by an angry Islamist mob that believed in rumours of blasphemy. The incident took place on Wazirabad Road in Sialkot, where reportedly, the workers of private factories attacked the export manager of a factory and burnt his body after killing him. Barbaric visuals of a large mob of hundreds of people lynching and then burning the body of Kumara went viral on social media.
A video of the incident emerged on social media where the angry mob can be heard chanting “Nara e Taqbeer” and “Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah”. Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah means “Here I am at your service, O Messenger of Allah”. Other slogans that could be heard as the fanatics burnt the man to death were ‘gustakh-e-nabi ki ek hi saza, sar tan se juda sar tan se juda’.
Hindu teacher sentenced over false allegations of blasphemy
In February 2022, a Pakistani court sentenced Notan Lal, a Hindu teacher, to life imprisonment on the charges of blasphemy. Lal, owner and principal of a private school, was accused of ‘insulting’ Prophet Muhammad during an Urdu class as charged by a student named Muhammad Ihtisham, who later said he had lied. In September 2019, an FIR was filed against the Hindu principal of the Sindh Public School for allegedly passing derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad.
#BREAKING: Innocent Hindu minority teacher Notan Lal in Pakistan sentenced to 25 years in prison for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad during an Urdu lesson. Accusation came from a student Muhammad Ihtisham who later said he had lied. Yet courts convicted him under pressure. pic.twitter.com/Y8urpp33Kg
After the false accusation by the student, violence and vandalism were unleashed by residents of Ghotki. Local Islamists vandalised the school and destroyed a Hindu temple in the area. The Police, to control the situation and avoid further damage, detained Lal under Article 295 (c) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The demonstrators had already vandalized three temples, a private school and multiple houses belonging to the Hindu community, posing a threat to the minority community in Pakistan. Lal was taken into custody and was questioned about the incident. Also, the child Muhammad Ihtisham was interrogated. Ibtisam had then confirmed the allegations that Lal ‘insulted’ the prophet during a lesson on his life and travel between two holy cities.
Hindu boy arrested over blasphemy charges
In December 2022, a Sindhi Hindu boy identified as Love Kumar Meghwad, a resident of Mithi, district Tharparkar (Thar) of Sindh Province in Pakistan, was arrested by the Police for alleged blasphemy. As per social media posts, Love used ‘Mola’ instead of Bhagwan in a Facebook post while addressing God. A case was filed against Love. Reportedly, Love had complained to God that He was missing when Hindu girls were abducted from their homes every day and how their families were suffering! He also said that when fathers and mothers of such girls cry, God does not listen to them. Notably, the word ‘Mola’ is commonly used in the Sindhi language to address God.
Man brutally beaten to death over blasphemy
In February 2023, a man was brutally lynched to death by a fanatic mob over alleged blasphemy. The incident took place at a police station. Reportedly, the victim, identified as Muhammad Waris, had been taken into custody for allegedly desecrating the Quran. They said news of the alleged crime outraged residents, and hundreds of them later surrounded the police station, demanding Waris be handed over to them. Seeing the massive violent crowd, police officers fled the facility. Protesters grabbed the man and dragged him out to the street, where they beat him to death.
Man lynched for comparing Imran Khan to Prophet
In May 2023, a fanatic mob lynching took place in Pakistan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mardan after a man was accused of blasphemy during a rally of Imran Khan’s political outfit Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). A video went viral on social media, in which several people can be seen beating the man violently. The mob even dragged and were seen beating mercilessly the lifeless body of a man believed to be in his 40s in the Sawal Dher area. The deceased has been identified as Maulana Nigar Alam. He was accused of announcing before the crowd at a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rally that he respects PTI chairman Imran Khan like a Prophet as he is honest. His comments did not go well with the people present at the scene, and he was lynched.
Akbar Ram arrested for ‘insulting Islam’
In August 2023, a Hindu man named Akbar Ram was arrested in Punjab province, Pakistan, after he was accused of blasphemy. The Pakistan police claimed they stopped him to “save his life” from a fanatic mob lynching. Akbar Ram was a Rahim Yar Khan district resident, some 400 km from Lahore.
A man named Faisal Munir filed a complaint against him and produced two witnesses to prove his allegations. He claimed that Akbar Ram came to his shop and made “insulting” remarks against the holy places of Muslims and also Islam. Ram has reportedly been booked under Pakistan’s Blasphemy law and Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance.
Christian attacked in Pakistan
In August 2023, a Christian man became a victim of lynching by a fanatic mob in Pakistan. The man was killed in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The victim’s house was looted, and his belongings were thrown out. A video surfaced on social media where the mob was seen gathered in the streets while gunshots could be heard in the background.”
Graphic Warning ⛔️ #Punjab#Pakistan has become a hell for Pakistani minorities right now. Another alleged #blasphemy case, A Man shot dead without Investigating or any evidence.
Just a month after the murder of a Christian man, a Christian couple was arrested in Pakistan for allegedly desecrating a copy of the Holy Quran in Lahore on Saturday. Taimur, a resident of Harbanspura, filed a complaint with the police, saying he was standing at a food shop on a street near the Rangers headquarters when he saw some pages being thrown from the roof of a nearby house. He picked up the pages, which were found to be from the Holy Quran.
Blasphemy in Pakistan
Pakistan has suffered widespread communal violence and riots over perceived blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad. An unfavourable reference to Prophet Muhammad, or what is referred to as ‘Blasphemy,’ is frequently used by Islamists as a rallying cry to commit violence and communal rioting against ‘non-believers.’ There have been myriad reports of violence and barbarity committed against non-Muslims in the name of blasphemy and desecration of Prophet Muhammad.
All that is needed to rile a mob to go on a lynching, killing, burning rampage is a vague claim that some person has ‘insulted’ Islam, just like the claim against Priyantha Kumara and the woman in the dress with Arabic letters.
The rising number of fanatic lynching incidents over alleged blasphemy in Pakistan should concern everyone. It highlights a troubling trend of intolerance and violence among the general public. It is the failure of the law enforcement of Pakistan to protect individuals from mob justice and street veto.
Fanaticism over religion has reached such an extent in Pakistan that thousands of Pakistanis had marched against French products, just because the President of France had chosen to stand with the Charlie Hebdo magazine’s right to free speech. Pakistanis are often seen denouncing other Muslims in Saudi Arabia and UAE as ‘not Muslim enough’ and shaming them for not being as fanatic as them.
On Tuesday (27th February), a research report published by the State Bank of India (SBI) corroborated the findings of the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES), which was conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO).
It noted the positive impact that the schemes of the Union government had in reducing poverty, checking inflation, increasing the Monthly Per-capita Consumer Expenditure (MPCE) and bridging the urban-rural divide in spending power.
For instance, rural poverty has decreased from 25.7% (2011-12) to 7.2% (2022-2023) while urban poverty has reduced from 13.7% (2011-12) to 4.6% (2022-2023).
Decadal changes in MPCE show decline in consumption inequality, graphic via SBI Research
“Rural Poverty has thus staged a significant 440-basis point decline since 2018-19 and Urban Poverty a 170-basis point decline post-pandemic…This indicates that many Government programmes currently for those at the bottom of the pyramid are having a significant salutary impact on Rural Livelihood,” the SBI Research report said.
According to the report, the significant reduction in consumption inequality can be attributed to increased government spending on the development of physical infrastructure including rural roads and 4/8 lane national highways.
“Around 30% of the Rural MPCE is explained by factors that are endogenous to the Rural ecosystem. Such endogenous factors are mostly due to the initiatives the Government has taken in terms of DBT transfers, building Rural infrastructures, augmenting farmer’s income, improving the rural livelihood significantly,” it further emphasised.
Difference in Rural and Urban MPCE down to 71.2% now from 88.2% in 2009-2010, graphic via SBI Research
The difference between rural and urban Monthly Per-capita Consumer Expenditure (MPCE) has decreased to 71.2% in 2022-20234 from 88.2% in 2009-2010.
Reportedly, the difference was as high as 90.8% in 2004-2005 but is now projected to reduce to 65.1% in 2029-2030.
According to SBI Research, the biggest beneficiaries of reducing consumption inequality are States such as Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Difference in rural and urban consumption in India, data and graphics via SBI Research
The SBI Research report also noted, “India is becoming more aspirational as indicated by the increasing share of discretionary consumption (like spending on beverages, intoxicants, entertainment, durable goods, etc.) in rural and urban areas. The speed of aspiration is swifter in rural areas as compared to urban areas.”
Difference in Aspirational consumption between 1999-2000 and 2022-2023 in rural and urban India, graphic via SBI Research
Data reflects the status of India’s poverty level
The data provided in the NSSO survey also paints an accurate picture of the poverty level in the country. According to BVR Subramaniam, CEO of NITI Aayog, India’s poverty level has fallen to just five per cent, signalling an improvement in the nation’s economic landscape.
In light of this data, he asserted that there is now no scarcity issue in the villages. The assertion that village expenditures were declining and that the villages’ conditions remained unchanged was refuted by the CEO of NITI Aayog.
He underscored the narrowing gap between rural and urban consumption, suggesting a positive trajectory towards economic parity.
On Sunday (25th February) night, Bijan Das, a 49-year-old Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader from Ashoknagar in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, was shot dead by a group of men after a confrontation over a land deal.
The police on Monday said that the TMC leader was shot dead at around 11 pm on Sunday when he visited the house of a party colleague to attend a birthday party in the Ashoknagar police station area.
A TMC leader has been shot dead in West Bengal.
The victim, identified as Bijan Das from West Bengal, was shot by a group of men during a dispute over a land deal.
Das had a heated argument with Goutam Das, a local businessman, as per reports. A person allegedly fired two rounds at Bijan from point-blank range suddenly when he and Goutam Das were arguing. The police said that one bullet hit Bijan Das’s head and another pierced through his left ear. Bijan was declared dead at the state-run Barasat Medical College Hospital.
According to reports, TMC leader Bijan Das was killed due to party infighting, and outraged locals vandalised the house of Goutam Das, who is accused of involvement in Das’s murder.
TMC Barasat MP Kakali Ghosh Dastidar, who visited the hospital, stated, “Bijan’s death is a big loss for the party. He began his political career in student politics and has remained with the party since then.”
Meanwhile, reports say that the police have detained several people after an initial investigation.
Bijan Das was a prominent leader of TMC in Ashoknagar and Habra. He served as the panchayat pradhan of Guma (I) panchayat for ten years, beginning in 2003. He was appointed deputy panchayat pradhan in 2013. He also served as TMC’s president of the Habra Block (II).
