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Karnataka: Priest of ‘low income’ temple asked to return salary of Rs 4.74 lakh, notice withdrawn after BJP calls Congress govt anti-Hindu

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Karnataka: Priest of ‘low income’ temple asked to return salary of Rs 4.74 lakh, notice withdrawn after BJP calls Congress govt anti-Hindu

The Karnataka government was chastised for delivering a notice to Hiremagaluru Kannan, a priest at the Kodanda Ramachandra Swamy temple in Hiremagaluru, Chikkamagaluru, requesting him to refund an amount of Rs 4.74 lakh paid to his account as remuneration between 2013 and 2022. The Chikkamagaluru tahsildar sent the letter on 2nd December, but the issue was discovered only on Tuesday (23rd January) and got rid of within hours.

According to the notice, the government “inadvertently” paid Kannan Rs 8.1 lakh as tasdik or honorarium between 2013 and 2022, instead of the statutory Rs 3.36 lakh. Thus, the tehsildar requested that Kannan repay the excess money of Rs 4.74 lakh.

The notification also stated that the temple generated Rs 9.34 lakh in revenue between 2013 and 2022, but spent Rs 12.96 lakh. The amount includes Kannan’s monthly salary of Rs 7,500.

The notice also stated that the temple is classified as category C, a low-income religious establishment. Kannan told the media on Tuesday, “I’ve been asked to return the amount because the temple’s revenue is less than the expenses for the tasdik.”

“I was supposed to get an annual tasdik of Rs 24,000 between 2003 and 2017 but I was credited Rs 90,000 per year. Likewise, I was supposed to get Rs 45,000 per year between 2017 and 2022 but I received Rs 90,000 per year. I was paid an additional amount of Rs 4.74 lakh over 10 years and I was asked to return the money as the temple was not generating good revenue. However, I wish to mention that it is because of priests like me, that the government hundi collections have increased,” Kannan said.

As the matter gained traction, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra turned to social media to assert that the Congress-led government is “targeting Hindu religious sentiments”.

Later, Minister of Transport and Endowment Ramalinga Reddy stated that the notice handed to the priest would be canceled. “I have directed officers to hold an inquiry against the tahsildar and other officers responsible for wrong payment and recovery of excess amounts.”

On Wednesday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated that the excess money “will be collected from the tahsildar” because it was the tahsildar’s error.

However, reports mention that some government personnel implicated in erroneous payments have retired. Notably, payments to the priests were halted in March 2022, as the procedure of recovering excess amounts paid to them began.

Tamil Nadu: Journalist Nesaprabhu brutally attacked with machetes while he was on call with police requesting help, cops asked him to file complaint instead

OpIndia Staff
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Tamil Nadu: Journalist Nesaprabhu brutally attacked with machetes while he was on call with police requesting help, cops asked him to file complaint instead

In a shocking incident, News 7 Tamil journalist Nesaprabhu was attacked on the night of Wednesday, 24 January, by unidentified assailants in the Palladam area of Tirruppur district of Tamil Nadu. Notably, the attack took place when he was on a call with police asking for help, the recording of which has emerged on social media. According to the call recording of Nesaprabhu’s conversation with the police, a police officer refused to reach the place to help him and instead asked him to come to the police station and lodge a complaint.

The journalist was severely injured in the attack and is currently undergoing medical treatment at a private hospital in Coimbatore. Reports say that the attack on Nesaprabhu was in response to his recent reportage exposing the alleged irregularities in the sale of liquor in Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation outlets operating in Tiruppur. Moreover, he also reported about an inspector allegedly demanding bribes and threatening a trader.

An unsettling phone conversation between the journalist and a police officer in which he pleads for protection from the assailants who were following him has sent shockwaves across the state raising questions over the security of media persons. Towards the close of the phone call, Nesaprabhu tells the policeman in a panic that several people in cars have surrounded him and started attacking him.

The attackers surrounded and attacked Nesaprabhu while he was on the phone with the police, desperately asking for assistance. Earlier, the cops had failed to respond to several of his calls for protection. Nesaprabhu had made several calls to the local police station since Wednesday afternoon, after seeing that unidentified persons were trailing him and watching his home in Palladam.

According to an IndiaToday report, Nesaprabhu told the police that the assailants had been driving a vehicle without a number plate. As per the call recordings, one of the cops had asked Nesaprabhu to take note of the vehicle’s colour, thereby assuring him that “there would be no problem.” When Nesaprabhu called for the fourth time, the police told him they were busy attending a case in Karadivayal village. Nesaprabhu’s repeated calls for help and to identify the persons chasing him by analysing CCTV footage made no difference to the police and they instead assured that they would “look into the matter.”

Nesaprabhu reached out to the Police Control Room for help, which subsequently informed the local Kamanaickenpalayam police about the matter. However, instead of rushing to protect the journalist, the police reportedly asked Nesaprabhu to visit the police station in person and lodge a written complaint. 

When Nesaprabhu stepped out of his home and drove to a public area, the assailants followed him. The men assaulted him with machetes and knives near a petrol pump while he pleaded with a police officer for help over the phone. The News 7 Tamil reporter suffered severe wounds to his left hand, as well as cuts to his head, chest, and leg.

The locals present at the spot informed the Kamanayakkan Palayam Police Station about the assault. The police then arrived on the scene, rescued Nesaprabhu, who was lying in a pool of blood and took him to Palladam Hospital. Following that, he was sent to a critical care unit at a private hospital in Coimbatore for further treatment.

Later, District Superintendent of Police P Saminathan investigated the crime scene. The police have obtained the videos from the petrol station’s CCTV cameras, and an investigation is ongoing.

In addition to condemning the violent attack on its reporter, News7 also demanded action against the police for alleged negligence. The media outlet reported citing SP Saminathan that four special forces have been formed to probe the matter.

Meanwhile, journalists across the state have condemned the brutal attack on Nesaprabhu. A protest was held by reporters in Gudiyatham, Vellore. Meanwhile, the Chennai Press Club and Chennai Journalists Union have condemned the violent attack and demanded an investigation.

Taking to X, the State President of Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) K Annamalai, condemned the attack on the News 7 journalist in strong words and also raised questions over the situation of law and order under the Dravida Munetra Kazhagham (DMK) government.

“…I was shocked to hear the news that anti-social elements have tried to hack him to death. I pray to God that brother Nesaprabhu, who is undergoing treatment in the hospital, will get well soon. Such crimes have become a daily routine in Tamil Nadu. The hands of the police are completely tied by the DMK government. Law and order has broken down and there is no security for the public. But the media does not question the government’s mistakes or the law and order-disorder but tries to silence those who ask questions,” Annamalai posted.

“Senior journalists do not like to question authority or point out mistakes. All are implicitly forced to conform to authority as some honest journalists are also attacked by anti-social elements. Those who have the opportunity to question power do not use it for the people. Law and order has been a total failure in the DMK government. The media should be open about this. The failures of the DMK government cannot be kept hidden for a long time and cannot be peafowled. The media should realize that this is a life safety issue for all citizens in Tamil Nadu,” the BJP leader continued.

Sharing the call recording of the victim Nesaprabhu’s conversation with the police, former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami slammed CM MK Stalin on X.

“Today’s murderous attack on a journalist is the result of my constant pointing out that there is already an unsafe situation for the public in Tamil Nadu due to law and order disorders, but no action was taken. I pray to the almighty God for the speedy recovery of the injured journalist Nesaprabhu and to return home, to provide him with appropriate medical treatment for his recovery, and to immediately arrest those involved in the murderous attack and take strict action and ensure the environment for journalists to work freely,” he said.

“Also, I urge this government’s puppet Chief Minister, who has been destabilising law and order since the day he came to power, who claims to have the police in his hands, to wake up from his slumber and take appropriate measures to prevent such incidents from happening again,” Palaniswami added.

‘The chickens have come home to roost’: Milind Deora comments after TMC ditches Congress in Bengal

OpIndia Staff
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‘The chickens have come home to roost’: Milind Deora comments after TMC ditches Congress in Bengal

On 25th January, former Congress leader Milind Deora targeted the grand old party over Trinamool Congress’s announcement that it will fight Lok Sabha elections alone in West Bengal. On social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Deora pointed out how the party leadership disregarded his warnings about Congress’s interests being taken for a ride.

He stated the Congress party has surrendered to a party lacking MPs, MLAs, candidates or ideology.

He wrote, “A few weeks ago, I stood as Maharashtra’s lone Congress leader, fighting to safeguard the party’s interests from being taken for a ride. My warnings were disregarded & Congress surrendered to a party lacking MPs, MLAs, candidates, or ideology. Yesterday, the chickens came home to roost in West Bengal.” The idiom “chickens came home to roost” means those who did evil or wrong things in the past are now experiencing the unpleasant effects of their actions.

Notably, TMC’s chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced that her party will fight Lok Sabha elections alone in the state, and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s leader and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has announced that Kejriwal-led AAP will fight General Elections alone in Punjab.

Both parties took a stand against the I.N.D.I. Alliance, dimming the possibilities of any ‘agreements’ for seat sharing that the I.N.D.I. Alliance has been allegedly discussing about months.

Deora, one of the top Congress voices in Maharashtra, left the grand old party on 14th January. In a tweet on 16th January, he slammed the party leadership for declining the invitation to the historic Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha event on 22nd January 2024. In an interview, he said Ram Mandir’s inauguration was not political. He asserted that Congress’s decision to skip the consecration ceremony underscores that it has lost a cultural connection with the people of India.

Accusing Congress of losing its cultural connection with the people of India, he said, “In my opinion, the Ram Temple inauguration is the issue that has been settled after 500 years by the Supreme Court of India. This issue is not a political event. It’s not an event for the Hindu community or the Muslim community. It is an event for the world. It’s an event for humanity. The story of Ramayana transcends religion. It transcends nationality. You can argue it transcends even species. It’s a spiritual story. It’s a moral story. I don’t know why the party did what it did.”

Deora joined Shiv Sena (Shinde group) after leaving Congress. On his induction into Shiv Sena, Maharashtra CM and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde said it was just a trailer and the complete picture was yet to come. “I am joining him to strengthen his hands further. Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah also have a vision for the country. I also want to strengthen their hands through the Shiv Sena,” Deora said.

Later, Milind Deora took on X and explained why he left Congress to join the Eknath-Shinde-led Shiv Sena. He stressed that the current Congress party doesn’t resonate with what the party stood for in the past when he and his father joined the grand old party in 1968 and 2004, respectively. In a scathing criticism of the current leadership of the Congress party, in his letter, Deora pointed out that the party is creating a division on caste and an artificial North-South divide.

Former UPA Minister Deora added that Congress has deviated from its ideological and organisational roots and lacks appreciation for honesty and constructive criticism. He said that the Congress party has failed to attain power and effectively serve as constructive opposition at the centre.

Details about his letter can be checked here.

UP: Man arrested for burning Ramayan and image of Lord Hanuman in Shahjanpur a day after Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha

OpIndia Staff
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UP: Man arrested for burning Ramayan and image of Lord Hanuman in Shahjanpur a day after Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha

On Wednesday (24th January), Uttar Pradesh police arrested a man named Rishi Dutt Mishra for allegedly burning a copy of the holy epic Ramayana and an image of Lord Hanuman in the Shahjahanpur district. The accused uploaded a video of his act on social media.

The accused is a native of Sarai Kaiyan in Ram Chandra Mission. Mishra was apprehended after a local police social media team identified him in a video, according to Superintendent of Police (SP) Ashok Kumar Meena.

The reason behind Mishra’s outrageous act was not clear immediately. Police said that the incident took place on 23rd January (Tuesday) night. SP Meena informed that an FIR has been registered against the accused at Ram Chandra Mission Police Station.

“The accused Rishi Dutt Mishra burnt the picture of Lord Hanuman and a copy of Ramayana. He recorded a video of this act and posted it online. The incident took place on Tuesday night. On Wednesday, social media. The accused was caught after the video went viral. An FIR has been registered against him at Ram Chandra Mission Police Station,” SP Meena said.

The outrageous incident came just a day after the consecration of Ram Lalla was performed at Ayodhya Ram Mandir.

Notably, similar incidents have been reported recently. On January 22, one Shakib was arrested for burning Lord Ram’s picture. He burned a picture of God with a heater installed in his home and filmed his act. Following this, he uploaded the video on social media. Subsequently, the video went viral sparking an uproar. Within a few hours after receiving the information, the police apprehended Shakib.

On 19th January, a man named Gopal Argal alias Gopal Ravan was arrested in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, for tearing a poster with an image of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir. He also posted a video of his outrageous actions on social media. The poster seen in the video is a photo of Ram Mandir distributed by Vishwa Hindu Parishad members as a part of their “Akshat Nimantran” drive across the country. The accused was arrested after a Hindu Sena activist lodged a complaint against him.

In Karnataka, police arrested two persons on 17th January for tearing Shri Ram posters in Jahangir Mohalla and Gungunte Palya villages in the Kolar district. One of the accused was identified as Zaheer Khan. The CCTV footage showed the arrested individual Zaheer Khan cutting the banner with a sharp object at approximately 10:45 PM on January 16.

‘We need Rahul Gandhi during elections’: Assam CM Sarma responds to Congress’ Priyank Kharge

OpIndia Staff
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‘We need Rahul Gandhi during elections’: Assam CM Sarma responds to Congress’ Priyank Kharge

On Thursday, January 25, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma responded to Congress leader Priyank Kharge and explained why Rahul Gandhi is important for the BJP, in a hilariously satirical reply.

Priyank Kharge had shared a newspaper clip of CM Sarma informing about the FIR against Rahul Gandhi in Assam and saying that he will be arrested after the elections.

“Why wait for the Lok Sabha elections Himanta Biswa ji? If Rahul Gandhi ji has broken the law, why don’t you go ahead and do the needful. You won’t do that, because you are fully aware that he speaks the truth, you did not stand up for your neighbors in Manipur and are looting the people of Assam. He is merely echoing people’s sentiments which scares you”, Kharge had written.

The Assam CM, in a hilarious comeback to Kharge, stated, “We need Rahul Gandhi during elections brother”.

Why did Himanta Biswa Sarma say so?

It is a standing joke among the BJP’s workers and supporters that Congress scion Rahul Gandhi, through his gaffes, stupid utterances, and activities, indirectly encourages people to vote for the BJP. Some BJP supporters even call Rahul Gandhi as the unofficial ‘star campaigner’ for the party, because seeing Rahul Gandhi as the alternative, the voters get nudged to choose PM Modi over him.

Assam police FIR and Rahul Gandhi’s Yatra

Yesterday, Rahul Gandhi’s party workers in Assam clashed with the state police after the Congress scion’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ was stopped from entering the Guwahati city. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma cited the unruly behaviour, vandalism of the Congress workers and asked the police to file an FIR against Rahul Gandhi, for creating disruption to traffic movement and a law and order situation in the busy state capital.

In response, Congress has claimed that Assam government is using BJP workers to disrupt Rahul Gandhi’s Yatra. Congress workers in various states have been carrying out protests against Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma to display their support to their leader Rahul Gandhi.

Punjab: Nihang Sikh, who killed a youth in a Gurudwara for ‘sacrilege’, now faces a murder charge

OpIndia Staff
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Punjab: Nihang Sikh, who killed a youth in a Gurudwara for ‘sacrilege’, now faces a murder charge

On 24th January, the police remand of Nihang Singh Ramandeep Mangumath was increased for one week till 31st January. The police arrested Mangumath for killing a young man at Gurdwara Chhevi Patshahi in Bansanwala Bazar on the morning of 16th January. Singh has now been slapped with murder charges. Earlier, he was booked under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and now Section 302 has been added.

A young man identified as Vishal Kapoor from Delhi was killed by Nihang Ramandeep Mangumath Singh, allegedly over attempted sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib. Several Sikh organisations came forward in support of the Nihang Sikh, claiming he killed Kapoor in self-defense.

In a statement, ADGP (Law and Order) Gurinder Singh said that Kapurthala SSP Vatsala Gupta and her team investigated the matter and found no evidence of any attack by the victim. Following the investigation, Mangumath was charged with murder.

Furthermore, the investigating team found that Mangumath and his associates had no religious background. ADGP said, “They are rather imposters donning Nihang’s attire. They are also suspected to be getting funding from unknown foreign sources. For the same reason, we have got his police remand extended by a week from the court. We will probe that angle, too.”

Earlier, it was reported that the accused, Nihang Sikh, uploaded a video of Kapoor before murdering him. After committing the heinous crime, the accused locked himself inside the Chaura Khooh Gurudwara. Senior police officers rushed to the scene when they were informed about the incident and recovered the body of the victim, but he has not been identified yet. In a viral video shared on social media, the victim acknowledged that he was sent to desecrate Gurudwara Shri Choura Khooh Sahib, but he clarified that he did not carry out the act. He is heard saying, “I did not commit sacrilege; I am an honest and hardworking man.”

Telangana: Rs 40 lakh Cash, assets worth Rs 100 crore found during Anti-Corruption Bureau investigation at premises of govt official

OpIndia Staff
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Telangana: Rs 40 lakh Cash, assets worth Rs 100 crore found during Anti-Corruption Bureau investigation at premises of govt official

On 24th January, the Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) discovered assets valued at around Rs 100 crore and Rs 40 lakh in cash at a Hyderabad residence and offices linked to a town planning officer. The official has been identified as Shiva Balakrishna. He is the Secretary of Telangana State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (TSRERA) and Planning Officer in Metro Rail. He was a former Director of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA). 

The probe began at 5 am without the cooperation of the accused’s family members and it was scheduled to resume the next day. Furthermore, Shiva Balakrishna was arrested at 3 am on 25th January. The anti-corruption bureau stated that 14 teams conducted searches on premises linked to the official. Preliminary investigations suggested that he amassed substantial money by brokering licenses for numerous real estate firms.

The anti-corruption agency examined multiple places throughout the state including the residences of a few of the officer’s relatives. Till now Rs 40 lakh cash, 2 kg gold, documents of movable and immovable assets, 60 expensive wristwatches, 14 mobile phones and 10 laptops have been seized by the agency. The bank lockers of the official have not yet been unlocked. Lockers in at least four banks have been identified by the ACB. Cash counting machinery had allegedly been discovered by ACB authorities at the official’s home.

The investigators also found other benami properties. It was reported that he had accumulated a fortune during his time with the HMDA. More assets are likely to turn up as inquiries are carried out.

The Income Tax department seized nearly Rs 300 crore in cash from the premises of a distillery company in Odisha’s Balangir that belonged to the brother of Congress Rajya Sabha MP Dhiraj Prasad Sahu in December of last year. A shocking total of Rs 454 crore cash was uncovered in the raids connected to the Congress leader across multiple locations. 

Similarly, the IT department searched multiple locations in Bengaluru in October and collected over Rs 42 crore from a flat owned by R Ambikapathy who was the vice-president of the Karnataka State Contractors’ Association and the president of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Contractors’ Association at the time.

Attacks on Hindus for Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha: 18 processions across the country targeted by Islamists

OpIndia Staff
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Attacks on Hindus for Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha: 18 processions across the country targeted by Islamists

On 22nd January, the country witnessed the grand Pran Pratishtha ceremony with much pomp and fervour in Ayodhya Ram Mandir conducted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the presence of Uttar Pradesh CM Yogiadityanath and RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat.

While Islamists had already been crying foul, the celebrations in certain parts of the country were subjected to violent attacks by Jihadis a day before the ceremony and after too. Here is a list of the attacks unleashed by the Islamists on Hindu processions.

21st January: Hindu procession attacked in Mumbai’s Mira Road, women too not spared by Islamist mob

Amidst the celebrations of Ram Mandir Pran Prathishtha in Ayodhya, Hindus carrying out a procession were attacked by an Islamist mob at Mira Road in Mumbai.

While the members of the Hindu community were taking out a procession via Mira Road with flags of Bhagwan Ram and Bhagwan Hanuman on their vehicles and chanting, “Jai Shri Ram”, an Islamist mob of about 50-60 people attacked the procession.

The Islamists attacked the Hindus with sticks and rods, attacked the members of the Hindu community, damaged the vehicles and desecrated the religious flags.

Religious slogans like “Allah-hu-Akbar” were raised and in a most despicable act, the mob also puked on Hindu flags. Iron rods and sticks were used on women too.

22nd January: Hindus attacked in Nanded for celebrating Pran Pratishtha

Reports of Islamists attacking Hindu devotees came in from Nanded district of Maharashtra. Hindus in the Chikhli village of Nanded were abused and threatened by Islamists for celebrating the event of Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha at the local temple.

The Police took cognizance of the incident and booked two individuals identified as Aslam Khan and Gaffar Khan under sections 294 (humiliation), 504 (punishment for insulting someone intentionally to provoke them), 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation), and 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.

In the complaint, the complainant mentioned that the accused persons threatened the Hindus to death for celebrating the Ram Navami Pran Pratishtha ceremony and also abused the Hindu faith

22nd January: Hindu bike rally attacked in Panvel

A bike rally was organised in Navi Mumbai’s Panvel to celebrate the Pran Pratishtha when fanatical Muslims attacked it. As per reports, the mob attacked from the back seriously injuring three Hindus. Vehicles were vandalised and one person was stabbed in the back and one in the head.

22nd January: Group of Hindu boys attacked in Nagpur

Some Hindu boys who were chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ while passing through the Mominpura area in Nagpur were attacked with slippers. The boys were reportedly walking to the Hanuman mandir in Chhoti Khadan.

When the boys stopped to ask about who threw the slippers, a mob of over 30 Islamists gathered and brutally beat up a 14-year-old Hindu boy.

22nd January: Clashes in Sambhaji Nagar

Similar scenes emerged from Padegaon area in Sambhaji Nagar where sticks and stones were hurled between the two groups. 64 people have been arrested.

21st January: Shobha Yatra attacked in Mehsana, Gujarat

Gujarat Police officials said that they fired teargas shells at a crowd after it pelted stones at Shobha Yatra of Lord Ram in Mehsana district. Police also detained 15 people in a combing operation.

The incident occurred in Kheralu town. When the procession was passing through the Hatadiya area in Belim Vas of Kheralu, stones were pelted at the procession.

In one of the videos that has surfaced, some women and youths are seen throwing stones from the roof of a nearby building.

Soon the women leave and some other young men arrive with blunt objects in their hands. They are also seen throwing stones at the Yatra. Inspector General of Police Virendra Singh Yadav said that three shells had to be fired to control the situation.

22nd January: Hindu procession attacked in Bhoj, Vadodara

Hindus carrying a procession of Shri Ram were attacked by a Muslim mob in Bhoj in Vadodara. A Muslim mob in Bhoj collectively attacked the procession to kill Hindus.

In the FIR lodged at Vadu police station on January 22, a policeman himself became the complainant.

According to the FIR, a group of Muslims came together from the street in front of the Nagina Mosque in Bhoj with stones in their hands and they said ‘Today we have to reduce the number of Hindus by two or four, so they will not do such a thing again’. ‘Kill as many Hindus as you can’; ‘Don’t leave these people alive today’, they shouted as they marched towards the Shobha Yatra to carry out the attack.

22nd January: Shobha Yatra attacked in Kushinagar

Bhagwan Ram’s procession was organised in Kushinagar when an altercation reportedly occurred between two communities.

Stones were pelted during the altercation damaging motorcycles and leading to injuries to several people. But the police has refuted the claims.

22nd January: Islamists block Hindu procession in Azamgarh

A similar case of altercation ensued in the Jehanabad police station area in Azamgarh district when a group of Islamists gathered in large numbers on the streets blocking the procession and shutting the accompanying DJ.

The police reportedly noticed the Islamist mob armed with batons

22nd January: Shobha Yatra attacked in Bihar’s Darbhanga

Hindus were attacked with stones by Jihadis in Bhapura village of Darbhanga, Bihar. Several people were left injured and the procession sustained damages. The incident occurred in Singhwara police station area.

Vehicles, including the DJ music, were attacked. Panic gripped the area and devotees began to scatter to defend themselves.

22nd January: Stone pelting in Muzaffarpur, Bihar

A heated dispute led to intense stone-pelting between Hindus and Muslims in Muzaffarpur, Bihar.

According to reports, the Islamists not only engaged in stone-pelting at the participating youth but also targeted several houses. Additionally, there were reports of attacks with swords.

22nd January: Muslim woman chants Allah-hu-Akbar at the place where prasad for Pran Pratishtha was being made in Shimoga

A Muslim woman travelling on a two-wheeler along with her child stopped to take photos of the place where prasad was being made at SN circle in Shimoga.

An argument broke out between the woman and the Hindu group. The Hindu groups chanted Jai Shri Ram while the woman countered with “Allah-hu-Akbar”.

23rd January: Clashes erupt in Belagavi, stones pelted

Tension gripped the Bazaar police station area in Belagavi in Karnataka after stones were pelted on a Hindu rally organised to celebrate Pran Pratishtha.

22nd January: Fatal attack on RSS worker Rohit Mahato

Several cases of altercations were reported in Giridih. One such event involved the fatal attack on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker Rohit Mahato of Birni near Azad Nagar due to which he was gravely injured.

22nd January: Stone pelting on Hindu procession in Chunjka

Intense stone-pelting took place in the vicinity of Chunjka in the Mufassil police station area. It was reported that a procession was leaving from Purnanagar Ram temple and headed for the Chunjka Bajrang Bali temple.

Multiple individuals were hurt when people from other community began throwing stones from the roofs of their homes when the devotees reached close to their destination. Numerous police personnel who arrived at the scene also sustained injuries.

22nd January: Tensions in Lohardaga’s Kairo

Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha celebrations were hampered in the Lohardaga region of Jharkhand. The people were celebrating the inauguration of Ram Mandir on the night of 22nd January in Hanhat village of the Kairo police station area.

People from both sides faced each other as the religious songs were being played in the temple and the throng ringed the building with sticks.

21st January: Riots at two places including in Tundi in Dhanbad

After tensions erupted on 21st January at the Tundi police station area of Dhanbad, individuals from the opposing side emerged from their homes during an evening religious parade in Chhatabad the next day after which arguments and fights ensued between the two sides.

Simultaneously, a clash between two communities over the hoisting of a religious flag in Kadiya on 21st January resulted in many casualties. Each side submitted a written complaint to the authorities in connection to the incident.

22nd January: Scuffle erupts between ABVP members and Students’ Federation of India (SFI) of Jadavpur University in West Bengal

A heated confrontation erupted in Jadavpur University in Kolkata on 22nd January when Pran Pratishtha was being telecast live on campus.

Members of the Students’ Federation of India arrived at the scene of screening and clashed with ABVP members, who were reportedly conducting the screening sans permission.

BJP starts 2024 campaign, launches theme song for upcoming Lok Sabha elections

OpIndia Staff
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BJP starts 2024 campaign, launches theme song for upcoming Lok Sabha elections

With the 2024 Lok Sabha elections around the corner, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) launched its campaign on Thursday, January 25. The campaign was launched by party president JP Nadda in the presence of PM Modi. The saffron party sounded its poll bugle for the 2024 general elections by releasing a campaign video. The two-minute and ten-second video has the party’s theme song “Tabhi toh sab Modi ko chunte” (That’s why people select Modi) which explains why people support Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The election song featured government initiatives that were introduced while Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in office, including the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), Har Ghar Nal Scheme, and Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.

The campaign song highlighted how Namo fulfilled his word and the goal of creating a developed nation did not stay a mere distant dream. Namo walked the correct path and turned the dreams and aspirations of crores of Indians into reality.

The video offered an overview of the accomplishments made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party during its two terms in power.

Along with the video, the BJP released a press note informing about the launch of the campaign for Lok Sabha Election 2024.

An excerpt from the press note read, “The ‘Tabhi Toh Sab Modi Ko Chunte Hai’ campaign has emerged
organically from among the people and the BJP has adopted it in tune with the mass sentiment.

The theme of this new campaign also complements the ongoing national fervour building in consonance with the ‘Modi Ki Guarantee’, mass movement.

During the campaign launch, which was done at the First time Voters Conclave (Nav Matdata Sammelan), a music video was released that showcased how Prime Minister Modi has turned the dreams and aspirations of crores of Indians into reality.

The BJP firmly believes that this campaign slogan is not just a sentiment experienced by a few, but one that resonates with the masses.”

Maharashtra ATS arrests engineer who transferred funds to ISIS multiple times, several incriminating evidence recovered

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra ATS arrests engineer who transferred funds to ISIS multiple times, several incriminating evidence recovered

On Wednesday (24th January), Maharashtra ATS (Anti Terrorism Squad) filed a case against a 32-year-old engineer from Nashik who transferred funds to the Islamic terrorist organisation ISIS. The ATS has arrested the accused and presented him before a court to secure his custody till 31st January for further investigation in this case.

Electronic devices such as mobile phones, SIM cards, laptops, and pen drives, as well as incriminating documents, were seized during the search operations carried out at this engineer’s place. He is involved in an export-import business in Nashik. The case is filed against the arrested accused under sections 39(1)(a), 40(1)(b)(c) of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967. During the probe, it was found that the accused transferred money to ISIS three times.

ATS had launched the investigation against the accused after reviewing intelligence inputs about links to terror groups. A team was deployed to keep an eye on the movement of the man. It was found that the man was in constant touch with ISIS. He had also made radical posts on social media. However, the ATS has not revealed the identity of the accused.

According to ATS, the accused “maintained continuous communication with a foreign entity associated with ISIS, a proscribed organisation banned by the Government of India”. In a statement, the ATS said, “The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) Maharashtra has filed a case under sections 39(1)(a), 40(1)(b)(c) of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967 against an individual. The investigation by the ATS has revealed that the accused, a resident of Nashik city, maintained continuous communication with a foreign entity associated with ISIS, a banned organisation according to the Government of India. The investigation discloses that the accused, who has exhibited signs of radicalisation in recent years, actively supported ISIS by transferring funds to the mentioned foreign entity.”

Following these recent developments, the competent court has issued an order to detain the accused in police custody for 7 days, with the extension reaching until 31st January. Additionally, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) is intensifying its investigation to scrutinize associates of the accused spanning across various states.

The statement by the agency said, “Electronic devices, including mobile phones, SIM cards, a laptop, and a pen drive, along with incriminating documents, were seized in the search, conducted as part of the ATS investigation. Many associates of the accused are under investigation across multiple states. The competent court has ordered the accused to be remanded in police custody for 7 days, extending up to 31st January 2024. Further investigation is being conducted by the ATS.”

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