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Rahul Gandhi spreads fake news that President Murmu was ‘not invited’ to Ram Mandir because she is ‘Adivasi’: Here’s the truth

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi spreads fake news that President Murmu was ‘not invited’ to Ram Mandir because she is ‘Adivasi’: Here’s the truth

On Monday (19th February), Congress scion Rahul Gandhi attempted to spread fake information as he attacked the BJP-led government at the Centre, and claimed that the Indian President, Droupadi Murmu was deliberately not invited to the Ram temple consecration ceremony held in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, on 22nd January. Rahul Gandhi was addressing a public gathering in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi during his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ on Monday, February 19.

Attacking the BJP-led central government, Rahul Gandhi said that President Droupadi Murmu was not invited to the mega event because she is an ‘Adivasi’ (member of a tribal community).

“Did you see the Ram Mandir event? It was held with great fanfare. But did you see any Dalit faces? Our President is an Adivasi, so she wasn’t allowed to attend the event. Did you see any farmers or labourers during the event? No backward class faces were anywhere seen during the event. But you must have seen Adani, Ambani, and their families. All the businessmen were there. Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, and Narendra Modi were there,” he said.

On 22nd January, Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed the ‘Pran Pratishtha‘ ceremony for Shri Ram Lalla at Ayodhya’s historic temple, which was led by a group of priests. It was attended by people from all walks of life. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi said, “This is their India. This is not yours. All you do is chant ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, while all they do is have helicopter rides and make money.”

In this case, Rahul Gandhi has spread fake news against the ruling government by saying that the party deliberately did not invite President Murmu given her tribal background.

Apart from Rahul Gandhi, several social media posts also claimed that President Murmu was deliberately not invited by the Centre for the inauguration of Ram Mandir given her tribal background. The posts claimed that President Murmu had been a victim of casteism.

The truth is that President Murmu was formally invited by a delegation representing the Ram Temple Trust to attend the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya. The invitation was extended on 12th January by a delegation comprising Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) working president Alok Kumar, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Ram Lal, and Ram Mandir construction committee chairperson Nripendra Mishra.

However, President Murmu had said that she would soon decide the time to visit Ayodhya. In fact, on 21st January, the President hailed the Ram Mandir inauguration ceremony and sent heartfelt wishes to the Prime Minister for making the temple appear into reality.

“The nationwide celebratory atmosphere around the inauguration of the grand temple of Prabhu Shri Ram at Ayodhya Dham is an uninhibited expression of the eternal soul of India. We all are fortunate to witness the commencement of a new cycle in resurgence of our nation,” President Murmu was quoted as saying.

The President also appreciated ‘Maa Shabri’s’ reference made by PM Modi in his address before the inauguration of the Ram Mandir.

Notably, Rahul Gandhi had earlier spread fake news and lies against the Modi government on international platforms. While delivering a lecture to the MBA students of Cambridge University last year, Rahul Gandhi spoke on topics like the Hathras case, the Pulwama attack, and the Pegasus row to peddle his anti-India propaganda. He launched one of his usual attacks on the Modi government and said that Modi government was undermining the democracy of India. While delivering a presentation at Cambridge University, Rahul Gandhi lied that the Israeli spyware Pegasus was being used to monitor his phone.

Rahul Gandhi, who walks with dozens of commandoes, party leaders, and supporters surrounding him, claimed that he walked very safely in Kashmir, even through the stretch in Pulwama where a “car bomb” killed 40 soldiers, and he saw two “militants” there. He went ahead to claim that the militants saw him but could not harm him, because he was promoting the idea of non-violence and peace.

The Congress scion even compared his Bharat Jodo Yatra to Gandhi’s Dandi March, drawing equivalence with the freedom struggle against the British, painting himself as carrying the legacy of Mohandas Gandhi (they are not related), of fighting against tyranny.

This is not the first lie Rahul Gandhi has spread during his latest yatra. Recently, he visited Meghalaya and defamed the center for the ‘poor infrastructure’ in the state. He said that the state was not benefiting from the Centre’s policies due to its poor infrastructure. However, he was caught spreading lies as he claimed that the infrastructural development had not reached the state to make it economically and socially stable. The report regarding the same can be read here.

‘Chor, ch*mar, Jaanvar, Keeda’: Old video shows Muslim cleric Salman Azhari hurling abuses at CM Yogi over bulldozer action against criminals

OpIndia Staff
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‘Chor, ch*mar, Jaanvar, Keeda’: Old video shows Muslim cleric Salman Azhari hurling abuses at CM Yogi over bulldozer action against criminals

Amidst police action against hateful Islamic preacher Mufti Salman Azhari in multiple hate speech cases, yet another video of the Mufti has surfaced online wherein he is heard using casteist and derogatory slurs against Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath.

In a 49-second-long video, Mufti Azhari attacked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over his bulldozer action against criminals. Azhari asserted that CM Yogi was bulldozing houses and shops of poor Muslims and while doing this he was heard using highly derogatory slurs against Uttar Pradesh CM. This video was shared by a YouTube channel named ‘Barakati Network’ on 5th November 2023.

“People across the land of Hindustan are getting scared, they have started panicking (Hindustan ki sarzameen par log abhi se ghabrane lag gaye, darne lag gaye). What will happen…if these thieves, Ch*mar, such an animal living in the jungle bulldoze a poor person’s house then do not be afraid (Kya hoga…arey chor, ch*mar aaye, jungle mein rehne wale aise janwar hukumton par baith kar ke agar kisi gareeb ke ghar par bulldozer chalate hain toh tum khauf na khana). This baba [Yogi Adityanath] has less strength than even insects (keede).

You [Muslims] should not fear their terror (Arey ye toh keedon se bhi kam taaqat rakhne wale baba [Yogi Adityanath] hain jinki haibat se tumko ghabrane ki zarurat nahi darne ki zarurat nahi). Challenge them and say that you have destroyed a house or bulldozed someone’s shop. These are walls and can be built again (Unko lalkaar karke kaho tumne toh ek ghar nasht kiya hai ya kisi ki dukaan par bulldozer chalaya hai. Ye toh deewarein hain ban jayengi).  And if it pleases you then run your bulldozer over our chests, even then we will keep calling the name of our Prophet (Jis din tumhara mann kare seene par chalao uss waqt bhi hum apne nabi ka naam pukaarte rahenge),” Mufti Salman Azhari said.

Mufti Salman Azhari has a history of delivering inflammatory speeches and instigating Muslim youths against Hinduism. On February 14, a video of Mufti Salman Azhari, whom Gujarat Police recently arrested for his inflammatory remarks, made rounds on social media. In the video, Azhari could be seen instigating the youths against Hindus and the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

Prior to this, he also gave a speech in Jamsar, Bikaner, Rajasthan, where he asked the Sunni Muslim youths to sacrifice their lives for Islam.

On 12th February, controversial Islamic cleric Mufti Salman Azhari was arrested and he is now facing legal action in Gujarat for making provocative remarks. Modasa police arrested him within 24 hours of the Bhachau Court of Kutch granting him bail. A case was filed against Azhari at Modasa Town Police Station, and action was subsequently taken by the police. The court granted five days remand after Mufti Azhari was produced in the court.

Right after Mufti Salman Azhari was granted bail in Kutch, Modasa police intervened and took him into custody from Kutch police. Azhari was taken into custody by Aravalli police and brought before a court asking for a 10-day remand. However, after hearing both sides’ arguments, the court ordered a 5-day remand.

Earlier, Gujarat Police arrested him on 4th February for his inflammatory speech in Junagadh on 31st January. On January 31, accused Mufti Salman Azhari gave a hateful speech during a program attended by a large number of Muslims on the grounds of Narayan Vidya Mandir near the Junagadh court.

In June 2022, during Kanhaiyalal and Umesh Kolhe’s brutal murders, Mufti Salman Azhari instigated and dog-whistled Muslims across India to commit Jihad and execute suicide attacks.

Notably, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) had recently said that an investigation will be conducted into the terror angle in the case against Azhari. As reported earlier, Gujarat ATS SP Om Prakash Jat said that ATS will probe the financing of Mufti Azhari’s trust ‘Al-Amaan Education and Welfare Trust’ in addition to his activities.

West Bengal Governor opens doors of Raj Bhavan for the victimised women of Sandeshkhali; offers shelter, food and free transport

ANI
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West Bengal Governor opens doors of Raj Bhavan for the victimised women of Sandeshkhali; offers shelter, food and free transport

A ‘peace home’ has been opened at the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata since Monday to provide temporary refuge to the victims of Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district.

Speaking to ANI, the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Governor CV Ananda Bose, Sandip Rajput, said on Monday that the idea of opening the peace home was initiated by Governor CV Anand Bose after his recent visit to Sandeshkhali.

“The governor recently visited Sandeshkhali. He had issued a helpline number, and so we have been receiving several calls. A peace home/safe home has been opened in Raj Bhavan in Kolkata to accommodate the victims of Sandeshkhali. The food and water will be made available for free,” Sandip Rajput said.

When asked whether any women expressed willingness to come to the peace home, OSD said that many people have expressed their desire to come and Raj Bhawan is ready to accommodate them.

“We are fully prepared,” he added.

Replying to the question of whether people from Sandeshkhali will be able to come to Raj Bhavan, he said that we have provided the transportation services.

“The Governor has said that we will provide transport. Transport services will also be provided if required. 100-200 can be accommodated,” he added.

West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali area has been witnessing massive unrest for over 10 days as women protestors are seeking justice against alleged atrocities committed by TMC leader Sheikh Shajahan and his aides.

Trinamool Congress leader Shibu Hazra, one of the associates of TMC strongman Shahjahan Sheikh, was arrested earlier in connection with the Sandeshkhali violence issue and was sent to police custody for eight days on Sunday. After visiting West Bengal’s Sandeshkhali, National Commission for Women’s (NCW) Chairperson Rekha Sharma on Monday demanded the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

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

Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi says Uniform Civil Code is against Islam, incites Muslims against CAA-NRC while asking them to get their documents in order

OpIndia Staff
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Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi says Uniform Civil Code is against Islam, incites Muslims against CAA-NRC while asking them to get their documents in order

In a recent programme organised in Mumbai’s Kurla, Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi said that the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is against Islam. Speaking at the annual conference of Shikalgar Jamaat Trust, Azmi advised Muslims to ensure they have all their valid government documents ready.

The Samajwadi Party leader said that Muslims should get their names registered in the voter list and also ensure whether their name is included in the voter list or not. 

“We [Muslims] should make sure that there no discrepancies and spelling mistakes in our birth certificates and identity cards… We all should check our names in the voter list to save the constitution of this country,” Azmi said adding that every Muslim must cast their vote to uphold ‘secularism’ in the country.

The Mankhurd Shivajinagar MLA resorted to fearmongering among Muslims against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

“…In 1947, Mohammad Ali Jinnah had given the Muslims a choice to move to Pakistan, but Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad said that if you Muslims will leave this country [India], then lakhs of mosques will be deserted. No one will be left to give Azaan…and then Muslims decided to stay back. But those who were traitors of this country at that time are now using CAA-NRC to expel us [Muslims] from this country. Those who licked the feet of Britishers are sitting in power today and testing our patience. They are demanding certificates from us…” Azmi said.

He further talked about how the Muslims vehemently protested against CAA-NRC back in 2020. Azmi said that people from all the corners of the country had come together. “Our Muslim sisters had strongly protested against it…if they [the government] try to bring it again then  Muslims will gather to protest against it this time as well. This country is not anyone’s ‘Jaageer’ (estate)…” the Samajwadi Party leader said.

Moreover, Abu Azmi asserted that the government wants to ‘change’ the “constitution” of Islam as he said, “1400 years ago a constitution of Islam was formulated but the government wants to make amendments even in that…that you will have to marry according to our laws, have to divide your properties as per the laws made by the government. What shall we do? Shout we follow the government’s Uniform Civil Code or the teachings of the Quran Sharif and Allah…the situation is deteriorating in the country and Muslims are worried.

The Samajwadi leader went on to raise questions over the Supreme Court verdict in the Babri. He said that even though the court acknowledged that the placement of the Ram Lalla idol in 1949 at the Janmabhoomi site and the Babri structure demolition in 1992 was a criminal act, the court gave the decision in favour of Hindus saying that the “majority community wants a Temple to be constructed there”. He emphasised that Muslims should focus on receiving education and becoming officers to make ‘right’ decisions since the country is run by IAS, IRS and not politicians.

Abu Azmi, however, conveniently ignored the fact that the Hindu side presented numerous scriptural evidence to back its claim that the mosque was erected after demolishing a Hindu Temple in Ayodhya. Moreover, the Supreme Court determined that the ASI report contained sufficient evidence to conclude that the Babri Masjid was not built on vacant ground. There was a structure that supported the disputed construction. The Supreme Court had stated that the underlying structure was not Islamic.

The apex court had stated that the ASI abstained from recording a finding on whether the mosque was built after demolishing a Hindu temple, and that title cannot be determined only based on the Archaeological Survey of India’s expert report. The title to the land should be determined according to established legal principles. While the Muslim side failed to provide evidence to show possessory title, the Hindu side established unimpeded possession of the outer courtyard.

Thus, ending the five-century-long dispute with a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court allowed the entire 2.77-acre disputed site for the construction of a temple dedicated to Bhagwan Ram Lalla, one of the three claimants in the case.

Nihang ‘archer’ warns of ‘bloodbath’ on Baisakhi in Punjab, claims he can destroy drones with arrows

Anurag
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Nihang ‘archer’ warns of ‘bloodbath’ on Baisakhi in Punjab, claims he can destroy drones with arrows

On 19th February, Rozana Spokesman published an interview with Nihang Sikh Gurvant Singh, known for his archery skills among the Nihang Sikh community. In the interview, Singh made highly problematic statements on the sidelines of the ongoing farmer protests. Singh warned of a ‘bloodbath’ on Baisakhi in Punjab and said the state would face unprecedented repercussions of the farmer protests. He called for action on the borders and claimed if Panth Samaj (Sikh leaders) reached the borders, protesters would remove the barricading in no time.

Singh condemned the use of tear gas shells by Haryana police on the protesters. He said how could they [Haryana police] use tear gas against those who serve langar. In the past few years, it has become a trend for protesters to use “Langar Sewa” as a shield. While it is believed “Sewa” should be done humbly, some miscreants are using it to mark their “superiority”,

He extended his concerns beyond the ongoing protests and asserted they [he and his fellow Nihang Sikhs] would happily join the protests, but the plight of “Bandi Sikhs” has to be included in the demands. Bandi Sikhs refers to the pro-Khalistani Sikh prisoners who are convicted or accused of their involvement in terror activities. Sikh groups have been demanding their release for a long time. Singh claimed that their cause cannot be overlooked amidst the farmer protests.

He expressed confidence in his archery abilities and boasted of his capability to bring down drones with arrows. Notably, Haryana police were seen using drones not only to keep an eye on the protesters but also to throw tear gas shells at the violent protesters. While he claimed he could bring down drones with his arrows, he expressed concern about who would fight a legal battle for him that might ensue afterward, as he would be arrested. Drawing a parallel with the cases of Sikh prisoners, he said, “Bandi Sikhs are still in jail. What will happen to me? Who will fight my case?”

He criticised CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) personnel securing the borders between Haryana and Punjab to stop the violent protesters from entering Delhi. He claimed CRPF personnel were ‘brainwashed’ into stopping the protesters and were lured with promises of medals to quell protests.

Singh further invoked the “philosophy” of pro-Khalistan actor-turned-leader late Deep Sidhu, a figure associated with the farmer protests 1.0. He urged protesters to march towards Delhi under Nishan Sahib (holy Sikh symbol) and called for the inclusion of Panth Khalsa in the protests. He asserted that the protesters were not working in a group and were behaving like scattered frogs. He said, “Currently, they are behaving like frogs. If you release 1,000 frogs, they will go in all directions. We need a locust approach. Just like a group swarm of locusts, we need to work in a group (and attack).”

Singh prophesied unrest in Punjab around Baisakhi. He warned of a bloodbath around the festival while putting upcoming Lok Sabha elections on the sidelines. He warned of potential internet shutdowns and called for steadfastness at the protest sites. Furthermore, he called for using Chandi Da Vaar, a spiritual composition by Guru Gobind Singh Ji, to invoke strength among the protesters. He said, “We are getting excited by the songs of Sidhu Moosewala and others. Instead, they should play Chandi Da Vaar at the protest site. We should do this experiment. It will invoke divine power in the muscles of the protesters, and the opposition side will look like a group of mice.”

Singh’s disregard for the law-and-order situation needs immediate condemnation and action from the authorities. His assertion that he could take down drones with arrows should be seen as a serious threat to the security at the protest sites. Though he considered the legal consequences of using weapons at protest sites, his views and warning about a ‘bloodbath’ and possible attacks contradict the popular claims that the farmer protests are “peaceful.”

By championing the cause of Khalistani prisoners and equating their plea with the farmer protests, he risked legitimising violence and extremism within the protests. His statements during the interview could serve as an enzyme to the tensions between the government and the protesters.

There is a greater need for accountability and responsibility from those who appear on camera to speak on farmer protests. Any inflammatory rhetoric and divisive tactics that might spark further tension between authorities and protesters need to be condemned by all stakeholders.

‘Polling officers ink our fingers without letting us vote, cops work as party cadres’: 7 women expose rampant vote rigging by TMC in Sandeshkhali

OpIndia Staff
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‘Polling officers ink our fingers without letting us vote, cops work as party cadres’: 7 women expose rampant vote rigging by TMC in Sandeshkhali

Amid the ongoing unrest in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, several women have narrated the large-scale vote rigging orchestrated by Trinamool Congress (TMC) goons in the village.

During an interview with TV9 Bangla, at least 7 women spoke on camera against the election fraud carried out by TMC workers in cahoots with polling officers and the police.

“Before I go to the polling station, they tell me that my vote has been cast,” a woman recounted. “If we go to the polling station, the polling officers put ink on our fingers and say that our vote has already been cast…”, another woman informed.

She added, “Men in the village cannot stay here at least 6 months (during to intimidation) before elections…Men dressed in police uniform have even threatened to destroy our homes if we cast votes.”

“They do not allow us to cast our votes,” one victim lamented. Another woman narrated, “Casting votes here is same as not casting your votes.”

Aarati Patra, who had filed nomination papers from the BJP, informed TV9 Bangla, “They warned me that if I contest elections, then, they will beat me with sticks and spades. There are 3 primary goons (Sheikh Shahjahan, Uttam Sardar, Shibu Hazra) but they have a lot of followers.”

Police act as TMC cadres: Sandeshkhali villagers

“There is no voting here. They would threaten people and forcibly take them to the polling station and put ink on their fingers,” she added.

One woman informed, “Even if police are present at the polling station, they do not tell them (TMC goons) anything. They instead work as cadres of the party,”

Another woman said that her family members were sent ‘funeral essentials’ after deciding to contest the Panchayat elections. “One of my uncles contested in the election. On the same evening, they (TMC goons) sent us flower beads, a white saree, and sweets,” she narrated her ordeal.

TMC cries foul, BJP says West Bengal left Bihar behind in election rigging

After the matter came to light, Trinamool Congress leader and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim quickly dismissed the testimonies of the women and claimed that no TMC worker could send ‘white sarees’ to intimidate the villagers.

BJP State President Sukanta Majumdar told TV9 Bangla, “Once upon a time such level of vote rigging used to happen in Bihar. Now that State has improved but we are going backwards. Over 45 people were killed in the last panchayat election and many women have been sexually harassed.”

“Areas such as Sandeshkhali are in now present in several parts of West Bengal,” he added.

Voice in Sandeshkhali

On 8th February this year, hundreds of women in Sandeshkhali took to the streets to protest against land grabbing, non-payment of wages and sexual violence committed by Trinamool Congress goon Sheikh Shahjahan and his two aides Shiba Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar.

The women attacked Shahjahan’s illicitly obtained properties and set fire to a poultry farm owned by Shiba Prasad Hazra. They also surrounded the Sandeshkali police station and demanded the immediate arrest of the trio. The agitation in the village lasted for 3 days.

During that time, the TMC goons retaliated and the police acted as mute spectators. In several cases, the cops themselves resorted to harassment of the women. It had come to light that the residents were the subject of sexual violence by the TMC for a long time.

On 10th February, the local police imposed Section 144 in various areas in Sandeshkhali and also banned the use of the Internet in 16 panchayats scattered over the two blocks of Sandeshkhali-I and Sandeshkhali-II.

In a bid to pacify the angry villagers of Sandeshkhali, the TMC leadership suspended Uttam Sardar from the party for six years. The suspended TMC leader and Zilla Parishad member was subsequently arrested in the Sandeshkhali police station area.

The Mamata Banerjee-led-TMC government arrested a former CPI(M) MLA named Nirpada Sardar in connection to the case on 11th February. BJP leader Vikas Singh, who happens to be the Convenor of the Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency, was also arrested in connection to the women’s protest against TMC goons.

On Friday (17th February), the police arrested TMC leader Shibu Prasad Hazra over land grabbing and sexual exploitation of women in Sandeshkhali. The primary accused Sheikh Shahjahan, is still on the run from the law enforcement authorities.

Delhi anti-Hindu Riots: Court acquits 4 Hindus in murder of Jakir and Hussain, says no evidence to establish their presence or involvement in death

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi anti-Hindu Riots: Court acquits 4 Hindus in murder of Jakir and Hussain, says no evidence to establish their presence or involvement in death

A Delhi court acquitted four individuals accused of allegedly murdering two people during the 2020 Delhi anti-Hindu riots noting that there was no evidence on the record to substantiate their presence among the rioters.

In a February 16 judgment, Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala stated that “there is no evidence to even establish any of the accused being part of rioters at the given place and time. Therefore, all the accused persons are acquitted of all the charges alleged against them in this case.”

The court was considering two complaints filed against Ashok, Ajay, Subham, and Jitender Kumar for allegedly murdering Ashfaq Hussain and Jakir in Delhi’s Brijpuri area on 25th February, 2020, during the riots.

The men were charged with murder, rioting, and other offenses at the Dayalpur police station. In two separate orders, the court stated that the prosecution was unable to prove that any of the accused were engaged in the murders of Jakir and Hussein.

The accused persons, as per the court document obtained by OpIndia, pleaded innocence and affirmed that they were falsely implicated in the given case by the Investigating Officer who allegedly failed to conduct fair investigation.

A few pieces of circumstantial evidence were presented to the court, including call data records (CDRs), the discovery of swords and scissors, and clothing worn by some of the accused, according to disclosure statements. The court took note of the witness in the instances becoming hostile and not supporting the prosecution’s story.

However, the court stated that it could not draw a solid judgment about the presence of a specific individual at a specific location based simply on the CDR. “CDR in itself is a very weak kind of evidence because it does not confirm the presence of a particular person at a particular place. It only shows the presence and use of a particular mobile number at a particular place. The user of that mobile phone can be anyone. Therefore, one cannot reach a concrete conclusion about the presence of a particular person at a particular place, solely based on the CDR of a mobile phone,” the Court stated.

“As far as swords and scissors recovered and relied upon by the prosecution is concerned, it is not that these weapons were found with remnants of the blood of the deceased, to show that they were the weapons through which deceased were killed,” it added.

The court also stated that the prosecution did not perform a forensic analysis to prove that the deceased’s bloodstains were present on the garments. The CCTV footage showing the accused’s attendance as part of the unlawful assembly that murdered the two victims was not presented in court.

“The CCTV footage as relied upon by the prosecution was never played to show the appearance of the accused therein and to show if such a video was connected with the incident in question in any manner. Therefore, even in the form of circumstantial evidence, there is nothing on the record to establish the presence of accused persons among the rioters, who killed Jakir,” the Court noted.

The Dayalpur police station had registered FIRs against the accused u/s 144, 147, 148, 149, 188, 302, 120B, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.

Modi Ki Guarantee: Jammu gets AIIMS, for which PM Modi laid the foundation stone; 5 more AIIMS in next 5 days

ANI
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Modi Ki Guarantee: Jammu gets AIIMS, for which PM Modi laid the foundation stone; 5 more AIIMS in next 5 days

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Jammu on Tuesday to launch multiple development projects, including for education, railway, aviation, and road sectors, worth over Rs 32,000 crore.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the projects relate to several sectors, including health, education, rail, road, aviation, petroleum, and civic infrastructure, among others.

During the program, the Prime Minister will distribute appointment orders to about 1500 new government recruits of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Prime Minister will also interact with beneficiaries of various government schemes as part of the ‘Viksit Bharat Viksit Jammu’ program.

In a significant step towards upgrading and developing education and skilling infrastructure across the country, the Prime Minister will inaugurate, dedicate to the nation, and lay the foundation stone of several projects worth about Rs 13,375 crore.

The Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation the permanent campus of IIT Bhilai, IIT Tirupati, IISER Tirupati, IIITDM Kurnool; the academic and residential complex in IIT Patna and IIT Ropar; two permanent campuses of Central Sanskrit University – at Devprayag (Uttarakhand) and at Agartala (Tripura).

The Prime Minister will inaugurate the permanent campuses of IIM Visakhapatnam, IIM Jammu, and IIM Bodh Gaya. He will also inaugurate the Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) – a pioneering skill training institute on advanced technologies in Kanpur.

The Prime Minister will also inaugurate and dedicate to nation-improved infrastructure like hostels, academic blocs, administrative buildings, libraries, auditoriums, etc in multiple higher educational institutes across the country, like IIT Jammu, NIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, NIT Durgapur, IISER Behrampur, NIT Arunachal Pradesh, IIIT Lucknow, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, and the Central University of Kerala Kasaragod, among others.

The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for multiple projects for upgrading the infrastructure in several higher educational institutes across the country. These projects include the construction of the permanent campus of Sindhu Central University and IIIT Raichur; the construction of an academic block, hostel, faculty quarter, etc. in IIT Bombay; the construction of Hostel and Staff quarters in IIT Gandhinagar, construction of Girls hostel in BHU, among others.

PM Modi will inaugurate the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Vijaypur (Samba), Jammu. The institute, whose foundational stone was also laid by the Prime Minister in February 2019, is being established under the Central sector scheme Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana.

Established at a cost of over 1660 crore and in an area spanning over 227 acres, the hospital is equipped with facilities like 720 beds, a Medical College with 125 seats, a Nursing College with 60 seats, an AYUSH Block with 30 beds, residential accommodation for faculty and staff, hostel accommodation for UG and PG students, a night Shelter, Guest House, Auditorium, Shopping Complex etc.

The state-of-the-art hospital will provide high-quality patient care services in 18 Specialities and 17 Super Specialities including Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Nephrology, Urology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Medical Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Endocrinology, Burns and Plastic Surgery. The Institute will have an Intensive Care Unit, Emergency and Trauma Unit, 20 Modular Operation Theatres, Diagnostic Laboratories, Blood Bank, Pharmacy etc. The Hospital will also leverage Digital Health Infrastructure to reach out to far-flung areas of the region.

The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for a new terminal building at Jammu Airport. To be spread over 40,000 sqm area, the new terminal building will be equipped with modern facilities catering to about 2000 passengers during peak hours.

The new terminal building will be environment friendly and will be built such that it showcases the local culture of the region. It will strengthen air connectivity, boost tourism and trade, and accelerate the economic growth of the region.

Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation various rail projects in Jammu and Kashmir including the new rail line between Banihal-Khari-Sumber-Sangaldan (48 Km) and the newly electrified Baramulla-Sringar-Banihal-Sangaldan section (185.66 Km). Prime Minister will also flag off the first Electric Train in the valley and also train service between Sangaldan station & Baramulla station.

The commissioning of the Banihal-Khari-Sumber-Sangaldan section is significant as it features the usage of Ballast Less Track (BLT) all along the route providing a better riding experience to the passengers. Also, India’s longest transportation tunnel T-50 (12.77 Km) lies in this portion between Khari-Sumber. The rail projects will improve connectivity, ensure environmental sustainability and boost the overall economic development of the region.

During the program, Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of important road projects including two packages (44.22 KM) of Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway connecting Jammu to Katra; Phase two for four-laning of Srinagar Ring Road; five packages for upgrading the 161 km long Srinagar-Baramulla-Uri stretch of NH-01; and the construction of Kulgam Bypass and Pulwama bypass on NH-444.

The two packages of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, once completed will facilitate the visit of pilgrims to the holy shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi, and will also boost economic development in the region; The Phase two for four-laning of Srinagar Ring Road involves upgrading the existing Sumbal-Wayul NH-1. This brownfield project of length 24.7 Km, will reduce the traffic congestion in and around Srinagar city.

It will improve connectivity to popular tourist destinations like Manasbal Lake and Kheer Bhawani Temple, and also reduce travel time to Leh, Ladakh; The project for the upgradation of 161 km long Srinagar-Baramulla-Uri stretch of NH-01, is of strategic importance. It will also boost the economic development of Baramulla and Uri; Kulgam Bypass and Pulwama bypass on NH-444 connecting Qazigund – Kulgam – Shopian – Pulwama – Badgam – Srinagar will also boost road infrastructure in the region.

Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for a project to develop the CUF (Common User Facility) Petroleum depot at Jammu. The state of art fully automated depot which will be developed at a cost of about Rs 677 crore, will have a storage capacity of about 100000 KL for storing Motor Spirit (MS), High-Speed Diesel (HSD), Superior Kerosene Oil (SKO), Aviation Turbine fuel (ATF), Ethanol, Bio diesel and winter grade HSD.

Prime Minister will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of several development projects worth more than Rs 3150 crore for strengthening the civic infrastructure and provisioning of public facilities across Jammu and Kashmir.

The projects to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister include, Road projects and Bridges; Grid Stations, receiving stations transmission line Projects; Common Effluent Treatment Plants and Sewage Treatment Plants; Several Degree College buildings; Intelligent Traffic Management system in Srinagar city; Modern Narwal Fruit Mandi; Drug Testing Laboratory at Kathua; and Transit accommodation – 224 flats at Ganderbal and Kupwara. The projects whose foundation stone will be laid include the development of five new industrial estates across Jammu and Kashmir; Data Centre/ Disaster Recovery Centre for Integrated Command and Control Centre of Jammu Smart City; Up-gradation of Transport Nagar at Parimpora Srinagar; Up-gradation of 62 road projects and 42 bridges and project for development of transit accommodation – 2816 flats at nine locations in districts Anantnag, Kulgam, Kupwara, Shopian and Pulwama, among others.

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

Sagarika Ghose’s affidavit for Rajya Sabha nomination reveals Rajdeep Sardesai’s earning – running in crores – even during COVID: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Sagarika Ghose’s affidavit for Rajya Sabha nomination reveals Rajdeep Sardesai’s earning – running in crores – even during COVID: Details

On 11th February, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) party announced that ‘journalist’ Sagarika Ghose, wife of Rajdeep Sardesai, has been given a ticket for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in West Bengal.

In a tweet, the Mamata Banerjee-led-party informed, “We are pleased to announce the candidature of @sagarikaghose, @SushmitaDevAITC, @MdNadimulHaque6, and Mamata Bala Thakur for the forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections.”

“We extend our heartfelt wishes to them and may they work towards upholding Trinamool’s enduring legacy of indomitable spirit and advocacy for the rights of every Indian,” it added.

Sagarika Ghose joining TMC after pontificating about how a journalist’s integrity is compromised when they accept RS nomination from political parties reveals just how hollow the ideals of these so-called journalists are when it comes to self-interest. They often pontificate to others, while doing exactly what they claim to stand against when it suits their agenda.

Besides revealing just how shallow their declared morals are, a cursory perusal of Sagarika Ghose’s Rajya Sabha affidavit also reveals the crores that her husband, Rajdeep Sardesai, has been getting as salary by India Today for being an anchor even during the difficult years of COVID. The affidavit also reveals how Sagarika Ghose’s income was steadily decreasing over the years as her relevance in the world of journalism also plummeted.

Salary of Rajdeep Sardesai and the assets in the name of Sagarika Ghose and him

According to Sagarika Ghose’s affidavit, Sagarika Ghose was earning about 40 lakh in 2019. During the COVID year of 2021, her earning dropped to 10 lakh and then came up to 17 lakh in 2023.

Sagarika Ghose affidavit

As for Rajdeep Sardesai, the affidavit revealed the crores he earns every year.

Sagarika Ghose affidavit

Rajdeep Sardesai, according to the affidavit, was making 4.55 crores in 2019. Even during the COVID years, his earnings only dropped to 2.83 crores and went back to 3.54 crores in 2023.

While this is Rajdeep Sardesai’s total earnings, in the absence of other known declared sources of income, people are assuming that bulk of it could be from salary from India Today Group.

The affidavit also reveals that Rajdeep Sardesai has almost Rs 25 crore in Mutual Funds, Stocks, and bonds.

Sagarika Ghose affidavit

Further, the house that the duo purchased in 2008 for a price of about Rs 25 crores is valued at about Rs 49 crores on paper today. The house is in the name of Sagarika Ghose.

Sagarika Ghose affidavit

It is interesting to note that not only during the COVID years, but the media has been laying off its staff for a long time, claiming that the move to digital journalism is impacting the need for on-field and technical staff. Several activists have been raising the issue of anchors like Rajdeep Sardesai and others making crores every year while other staff and journalists are laid off by the company.

In 2017 for example, NDTV, citing financial stress and the move to mobile journalism fired 70 of their staff members leaving them in the lurch. The report said that close to 60 or 70 staffers, including 35 camera persons, were affected by the layoffs. Other than the camera persons, the other people affected were mostly technical staff. While 70 such staff members were fired, it is reasonable to assume that given Rajdeep Sardesai’s presumed salary as we know it today, anchors in NDTV like Ravish Kumar at the time were also drawing comparable salaries.

In 2013, reports said that TV18 Broadcast Ltd, the arm of Network18 Ltd which runs the channels CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz, CNN-IBN, IBN7, and IBN Lokmat, dismissed many of its staffers – 300 employees across departments. The staffers were simply called in and handed over their letters, again, leaving them in the lurch.

During the COVID years, several media houses like Times of India, Indian Express, The Quint, etc had laid employees off while their star anchors and names presumably continued to draw higher salaries – given that we know the COVID years certainly did not impact Rajdeep Sardesai adversely as well.

Sagarika Ghose joins TMC even as Sandeshkhali women narrate their tales of horror

Since February 8, several areas in Sandeshkhali of North 24 Parganas district in West Bengal have been on the boil as locals, mainly women, have hit the streets demanding the arrest of absconding TMC leader and Mamata Banerjee’s close aides Sheikh Shahjahan and two other TMC workers Shiba Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar, believed to be close to Shahjahan. Hundreds of women residents of Sandeshkhali came out on the streets with brooms, sticks and farming tools and blocked the roads. They are demanding the arrest of Sheikh Shahjahan and his two aides Shiba Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar, whom they have accused of making their lives miserable for quite some time, even from before the attack on the ED’s men. Sheikh Shahjahan is a close aide of Mamata Banerjee herself. 

The women of Sandeshkhali have mounted grave allegations against Shahjahan and his men. They have said that married Hindu women from the area are picked up, based on how young and pretty they are, and are violated night after night till the TMC men are “satisfied”. The husbands of these women are also threatened and told that they have no “right” over their wives. If they attempt to stop the exploitation of the women, they are mercilessly beaten. 

“You may be the husband but you cannot exercise your right. They would take your wife away for nights at a stretch. They would not release the women from their captivity until they were ‘fully satisfied. They have 20-30 goons with them. They would come in bikes and exercise their writ in the village,” one said. 

Even as the Sandeshkhali horror brewed with several women speaking up about the sexual harassment, molestation, rape, land grab and torture they were inflicted with at the hands of TMC strongman Sheikh Shahjahan as his men, Sagarika Ghose defended her decision to join TMC by claiming that Mamata Banerjee is the face of democratic values.

With several such testimonies pouring in, it is particularly insidious that Sagarika Ghose would tout her political foray as a moral decision to uphold democracy.

‘FedEx courier’ scam in Bengaluru: Tech company CEO loses Rs 2.3 crores to fraudsters claiming to be Mumbai Crime Branch officers

OpIndia Staff
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‘FedEx courier’ scam in Bengaluru: Tech company CEO loses Rs 2.3 crores to fraudsters claiming to be Mumbai Crime Branch officers

In India’s tech capital Bengaluru, a 66-year-old man, the CEO and founder of a software company in the city, has lost a whooping Rs 2.3 crores after falling victim to a classic courier fraud.

As per a report in TOI, a person from CV Raman Nagar has filed a complaint with the East CEN Crime Police Station, against unknown persons. As per the complaint, the senior citizen and CEO got a call from an unknown number on February 6.

The unknown caller told the victim that they were calling from FedEx Mumbai and they repeated his name, Aadhar number, and mobile number to confirm his identity. The caller then told the victim that there is a parcel in his name and it contains clothes, 4 different passports, and 150 grams of an illegal narcotic substance known as MDMA.

The caller said that the parcel was being illegally sent to Shanghai, China and there was a case filed against the victim with Mumbai’s narcotics department at a police station in Andheri.

Another person introduced himself as Balaji Singh, DCP Crime Branch, at Andheri East police station. They asked the victim to come to Mumbai immediately if he wanted to escape arrest. At this point, the victim got scared and asked for help.

The callers then asked the victim to download a Skype app and connected with him via video call. The victim could see a full police station set up, with police personnel in uniforms working. The victim thought that the call and the case were all genuine.

The victim was told that there is a bank account linked with his Aadhar number and money laundering is happening from that account. He was further told that the Andheri police are watching and tracking the victim via their “sleeper cells”. The callers then told the victim that if he wanted to escape and prove his innocence, he should transfer all his money to the “RBI” and after the RBI “verifies” his money, it would be returned to him.

The callers then started sending bank account numbers and between February 7 and 14, he transferred Rs 30 lakhs, Rs 20 lakhs, Rs 10 lakhs, Rs 50 lakhs, Rs 30 lakhs, Rs 30 lakhs, Rs 50 lakhs and Rs 5 lakhs to 8 different bank accounts. After nearly 2.3 crore rupees were transferred, the Skype calls stopped.

The victim then realised that he had been conned and approached the police in Bengaluru for help.

A similar incident was reported in November 2023 when another senior citizen from Bengaluru was defrauded of Rs 1.5 crores via the same methodology of a parcel containing contraband and a Skype call.

In another case reported in January this year, a 70-year-old journalist was made to transfer Rs 1.2 crores to fraudsters posing as FedEx officials and telling a similar story of a FedEx parcel containing drugs.

On Jan 11 this year, an SIT of Bengaluru police arrested 13 persons from Rajasthan, Gujarat and Bihar fir running a racket carrying out the ‘FedEx courier’ scam. The SIT has been investigating over 300 cases of similar fraud and cheating.

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