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Anti-India, anti-Hindu French scribe served notice over ‘malicious’ work: Who is Vanessa Dougnac who could lose her OCI card? Details

Pragya Bakshi Sharma
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Anti-India, anti-Hindu French scribe served notice over ‘malicious’ work: Who is Vanessa Dougnac who could lose her OCI card? Details

The Union Home Ministry has issued a notice to French journalist Vanessa Dougnac asking why her Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card should not be withdrawn. The notice has reportedly been issued over her “malicious” work which has created a “biased negative perception” of India and over alleged violation of visa rules.

Vanessa Dougnac currently resides in India. She is married to an Indian and has been living here for 22 years. She has been given a deadline of 15-days due to end 2nd February for a response failing which she could lose her OCI status and would have to leave the country and apply for a visa to return.

Reports quote the FRRO notice served to Dougnac, which states that she has been “undertaking journalistic activities without any special permission as required under Citizenship Act 1955 and rules/regulations issued thereunder”.

Screen grab of Vanessa Dougnac’s X account

The Foreigners Registration Office (FRRO) notice of the MHA was issued to her on 18th January.

As per the notice, Dougnac’s reportage was “malicious and critical in manner that they create biased negative perception about India”.

It also accused her work’s ability to “provoke disorder and disturb peace in certain sections of the society.”

Vanessa Dougnac’s work permit was cancelled in October 2022 and has not been reporting since then at least within India. She has been reporting from Sri Lanka, Maldives, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal largely for French Newspaper Le Croix (The Cross), which is known for spreading fake news.

The Print quoting government sources said that Le Croix has published reports authored by Dougnac which have been factually wrong. This has been taken up by the concerned department, as per Print report.

Moreover, the sources have said that Dougnac is in “serious violation” of her visa rules despite the same communicated to her repeatedly.

If Dougnac does not respond to the FRRO notice, it will reportedly be presumed that she has “nothing to say in the matter and appropriate legal action under the Citizenship Act 1955 shall be taken by the competent authority without any further notice,” as per the notice.

The Print has quoted sources who claim that Dougnac is working with a team of lawyers to issue a timely reply.

Fake news peddler Ashok Swain has also tweeted on this development crying victim. Taking to X, the troll wrote, “They started it with me 4 years ago – Now it has become a trend.” Notably, Ashok Swain’s X account is withheld in India and his OCI card was cancelled in 2022.

Ashok Swain’s post on X on notice served to Vanessa Dougnac over her OCI card withdrawal

A journalist with Financial Times, John Reed, who has often written bitterly about the majority-elected Narendra Modi government, also decried the notice issued to Dougnac. “French journalist issued notice for withdrawal of OCI card over ‘malicious’ reporting, visa violations. Vanessa Dougnac has been in #India for 22 years,” he whined.

Heaps of anti-India, anti-Hindu reporting by Vanessa Dougnac

Vanessa Dougnac has extensively authored reports on India’s COVID-19 situation, particularly in the period before the cancellation of her visa.

All of Dougnac’s reports on India’s COVID-19 were heavily sensationalised adding to the uncertainty, fear, loss and pain of Indians.

Dougnac’s reports added to such narrative of the ecosystem that was set on damaging India’s global image even as the government took daily measures followed by press briefings to counter fake news and prevent collateral damage that may result out of the then prevailing situation.

In a French news website, a report published under Vanessa Dougnac’s name was titled “The Ganges, ghost cemetery of health carnage” – a title that shamelessly insults the revered Mother Ganga (river). She also used the word “illegal cemetery” for the Holy River saying that “Ganges symbolizes the ravages of the epidemic out of control.”

Here’s how she described the largest Indian state in this report: “The epicenter of social and political violence in India, the rural state of Uttar Pradesh has been hit hard.”

She quotes a so-called political scientist in this report, Gilles Verniers, who is thoroughly and motivated anti-Indian. Naturally, Dougnac has found voices that will target the UP government in this report. She goes onto identify the CM’s religion and identity and links him to PM Modi to malign them both.

A 4-minute 7-second-long video report filed by Dougnac on Covid-19 was published by the French media portal Le Temp. The highly sensationalised video was enough to bring down the morale of any number of Indians who would have watched it.

The video showed death and more death, as if to rub it in our faces when hope was most needed. This wasn’t reporting, this was exploiting the news that had become the life of many Indians.

Dougnac also published a report decrying the arrest of a staunch India-hater and anti-Hindu Disha Ravi. This was published in La Croix, the newspaper/website that also maligned India’s global image during the pandemic by publishing fake news about PM Modi and the country. Le Croix has also published anti-Semitic reports in the past.

Disha Ravi, a self-proclaimed climate change activist for the want of fame, was arrested after the toolkit leaked by brattish environmentalist Greta Thunberg showed her involvement in manufacturing the notorious farmers’ protests which led to casualties.

Dougnac’s report on her arrest is titled, “India: the arrest of climate activist Disha Ravi, a “chilling message to youth”.” Similar such reports have been published by Dougnac in La Croix on the Farmers’ Protests too, all maligning India and Hindus.

Vanessa Dougnac has targeted Hindus through her reports on Love Jihad in Le Croix. One such report is titled “The ‘Love Jihad, ghost crusade of Hindu nationalists”.

A full-blown Hindu bashing, targeting and maligning followed in this report without actual proof to support Dougnac’s basic argument that love jihad is a conspiracy theory. The report takes one case of an inter-religious marriage and follows it with anti-Hindu holier-than-thou rant.

On Kashmir, Dougnac believes that it was the temporary internet ban that had “stifled” the valley and not terrorism, largely Pakistan-sponsored.

Going by the tone of her report, she finds the revocation of Article 370 abrupt and wrong. She quotes Pakistan-sympathisers in this report.

A post from 2019 on X shows the malafide intentions of the likes of Vanessa Dougnac.

An economist Jean-Joseph Boillot wrote on X, formerly Twitter, ““The largest democracy in the world” at #Kashmir under the leadership of PM Modi. Ah, there are fewer demonstrators or journalists than at #HongKong except our correspondent Vanessa Dougnac who brought back these photos for the next Modi-Macron meeting.”

Vanessa Dougnac’s anti-Hindu face exposes itself completely when she begins a report on the French people residing in India by maligning a Hindu religious ritual.

Dougnac has also used the chilling rape and murder of Nirbhaya to malign Indian men altogether by inciting stereotypes using leftist dictionary words like “patriarchal”. This after the woman herself is married to an Indian and been living amongst Indians.

Fed and fattened by UPA

Vanessa Dougnac has been a South Asia correspondent for the French news magazine Le Point. She arrived in India in 1998 reportedly as a backpacker.

She has reportedly researched on the Ambanis and on Gujarat in the past. She has been a member of the Indian Women’s Press Corps.

As per a report dated 2010, Dougnac had said that visas are non-issue for her and that she had a person of Indian Origin (PIO) card since she was married to an Indian.

In this report, she was quoted saying, “Nobody asks me anything. And I can actually work on my stories instead of doing the rounds of government offices.”

Attacked with sharp weapons, houses destroyed, shops looted: Hindus flee their homes as atrocities on minorities continue after Bangladesh elections

OpIndia Staff
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Attacked with sharp weapons, houses destroyed, shops looted: Hindus flee their homes as atrocities on minorities continue after Bangladesh elections

The minority Hindu community in Bangladesh has been living in fear ever since the federal elections in Bangladesh were conducted on 7th January this year.

As per a report by the Bangladeshi newspaper ‘The Daily Ittefaq’, the Hindus had to brave arson attacks, forcing many to flee their homes.

There have been communal attacks across Bangladesh including Faridpur, Sirajganj, Bagerhat, Jhenaidah, Pirojpur, Kushtia, Madaripur, Lalmonirhat, Daudkandi, Thakurgaon, Munshiganj and Gaibandha.

Screengrab of the news report by The Daily Ittefaq

On 7th January 2023, two Hindus named Piplu Saha and Ranjan Saha, supporters of the Awami League party, were brutally attacked by sharp weapons at the Begum Amena Sultan Govt. Girls’ High School in Daudkandi in Comilla.

On the same day, Islamists associated with the Awami League attacked the homes of Hindu supporters of independent candidate AK Azad in the Faridpur-3 constituency of Bangladesh.

According to The Daily Ittefaq, about 15 people were injured in Majhipara in the post-poll communal violence. Two Hindus namely Suresh Chowdhury and Pankaj Chand were attacked by Awami League supporters in Boalkhali Upazila in Chittagong.

Attacks on Hindu community continue unabated

The shop of Bhogirath Chandra Roy and his son Rajesh Roy was also vandalised by local leader Moshiur Rahman Mridha along with his nephew Sifat Mridha.

On 8th January 2023, Rajesh Roy was attacked while he was en route to the market. The Hindu man was hacked with sharp weapons. He suffered injuries to his eyes and knee.

Bangladeshi freedom fighter Keshab Lal Mandal informed that houses, shops and businesses of Hindu community leaders, who supported independent candidates, were attacked on the night of polling. MP Habibun Nahar is accused of orchestrating the attack.

Islamists associated with the Awami League attacked four Hindu houses in Kulipatti village in the Gaibandha-5 constituency. They took away 8 goats, amounting to Tk 5 lakh from the house of a Hindu man named Shibu Roy.

The Hindu family is said to be a supporter of independent candidate Farzana Rabi. On the following day, it came to light that the houses of the Hindu communities were attacked and looted in Debhatta and Sirajganj.

The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council informed that minorities were intimidated with batons and sharp weapons in Lalmonirhat upazila on 6th January 2023.

It added that two Hindus named Roshani Roy and Jaydev Barman were attacked in Thakurgaon-1 constituency by BNP-Jamaat workers while they were returning home after casting vote at Tenai Tola Primary School Center. Many Hindus have been forced to flee their homes.

Bangladeshi Hindus protest against communal violence

On Saturday (20th January), the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad formed a human chain in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka, demanding a complete cessation of the post-poll communal attacks against the Hindu community in Bangladesh.

Demonstrations were also organised in Khulna and Barisal. They have demanded immediate action against the culprits and ensure the safety and security of the minority community.

Although the administration has taken action in this regard, the situation is far from being under control.

Bangladesh: Masked man sets 150-year-old Buddhist monastery on fire

On 5th January night, a fire broke out at the entrance of an ancient Buddhist monastery in the Cheranghata area in Ramu upazila in Cox’s Bazar district of Bangladesh.

According to the officer-in-charge of Ramu police station Abu Taher Dewan, the incident took place at 2 a.m. when the priests of the 150-year-old monastery were asleep. Dewan said that after the priests shouted for help, the locals came to the rescue and doused the fire.

he fire that broke out at the 150-year-old monastery completely gutted the stairs. It must be mentioned that the holy shrine is sacred to the Rakhine community of Cheranghata. A large contingent of police was deployed in the area in the aftermath of the incident.

The cops began investigating the matter and analysing CCTV footage in the area. They were trying to determine whether the incident was an accident or an act of sabotage.

It later emerged that a ‘masked man’ scaled the wall of the monastery, poured kerosene on the staircase and set it on fire. The development was confirmed by Rapid Action Battalion-5 spokesperson Jamilul Haque.

“Everything will be clear once we identify the youth in the CCTV footage and the person who called the Fire Service,” remarked Officer-in-charge of Ramu police station Abu Taher Dewan.

ULFA disbanded 44 years after its formation; had signed a tripartite memorandum pact with the Centre and Assam govt

OpIndia Staff
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ULFA disbanded 44 years after its formation; had signed a tripartite memorandum pact with the Centre and Assam govt

On 23rd January (Tuesday), the pro-talk faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) officially disbanded itself. The undivided ULFA was formed forty-four years earlier on 7th April 1979, at the Rang Ghar in Sibsagar to establish a “sovereign socialist Assam” through an armed struggle. Later the outfit split into two factions and the pro-talk faction began discussions with the Centre in 2011.

The decision to disband the ULFA was taken at the outfit’s final general meeting held at Sipajhar which is located around 55 km from Guwahati. It comes twenty-five days after the pro-talk faction of ULFA signed a tripartite memorandum of settlement in New Delhi with the Centre and the Assam government on 29th December.

Regarding the dissolution of the outfit, ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa said, “The decision to disband and dissolve the outfit was taken at the meeting today as stipulated by the settlement signed in Delhi. With this, the cases of sedition on the outfit will be lifted.”  

The pro-talk faction of ULFA has around 700 total members. The anti-talks faction of the outfit, ULFA-Independent (ULFA-I) has camps in Myanmar and parts of the northeast. They have around 200 members and are opposed to any settlement till Assam’s sovereignty is discussed.

The ULFA’s general secretary Anup Chetia had earlier stated that after the meeting, they would hand over the letter of the outfit’s disbandment to the Chief Minister of Assam.

According to Chetia, after the disbandment, the ULFA leaders and cadres will have different identities. He added that he will personally be involved in social work.

Last month on 29th December, the pro-talk faction of the outfit signed an agreement in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

This was a significant pact as the banned ULFA-Independent has been the only major insurgent outfit in the state after the ULFA pro-talks faction signed the agreement with the Centre and Assam government. ULFA (Independent), the other faction of the group led by Commander in Chief Paresh Baruah remains outside the peace agreement. Except for Baruah, all other founding members of ULFA have left armed struggle.

Click here, to read the details of the tripartite agreement signed last month.

The agreement covered a wide range of subjects, including politics, land rights, NRC and immigration, employment, economy and skill development, flood control, industries, agriculture, education, culture, sports infrastructure, tourism, demands of ST status, Act East Policy, and settlement of ULFA cadres who have returned to the mainstream.

Last month’s settlement stipulated, “ULFA shall abjure the path of violence, give up all arms/ammunition, and disband the armed organisation within one month”.

PM specifically asked me for Lord Ram’s charanamrit: Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj reveals why he offered Charanamrit to break PM Modi’s 11-day fast

OpIndia Staff
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PM specifically asked me for Lord Ram’s charanamrit: Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj reveals why he offered Charanamrit to break PM Modi’s 11-day fast

Following 11 days of arduous ‘Yama Niyama’, PM Modi broke his fast by drinking Lord Shri Ram’s Charanamrit after he performed sacred rituals of Ram Lalla’s Pran Pratishtha on 22nd January (Monday). Now, the Treasurer of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra, Govind Dev Giri Maharaj, who offered him Lord Shri Ram’s Chararnamrit, has revealed that he did it on PM Modi’s request. 

Speaking with ANI on Tuesday (23rd January), Govind Dev Giri Maharaj pointed out that generally anyone who does fasting is offered honey mixed with a few drops of lemon juice and water to break the fast. However, PM Modi had separately asked him to offer Shri Bhagwan’s Charanamrit. Charanamrit is a holy mild sweet drink prepared with milk by washing the feet (Charan) of the deity and is considered equivalent to divine nectar/ elixir (Amrit). 

Govind Dev ji further added that the way PM Modi had made the request, he felt a motherly love.  

He said, “…We were supposed to offer him honey with a few drops of lemon juice in water…But he told me separately to offer him ‘charnamrit’ of Bhagwan Sri Ram. So, we made changes…I felt a motherly love at that time and I felt as if I am offering it to my son and breaking his fast.”

Notably, during his yesterday’s address, Swami Govind Dev Giri Ji Maharaj had lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his deep spiritual commitment and strict observance to be worthy of the auspicious ritual. He highlighted how PM Modi practiced rigorous fasting and meditation, which far exceeded the expectations set by the religious leaders.

Swami Ji revealed that 20 days before the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha, a request from the Prime Minister came asking for a list of observances he should follow as PM Modi was scheduled to be Yajmana at the Pran Pratishtha ceremony. After consulting with the religious leaders, an advisory was prepared for PM Modi that included different observances, including fasting, sleeping on the floor, and more.

While the advisory mentioned only a three-day fast, PM Modi undertook an 11-day complete fast, relinquishing even the consumption of grains. According to Swami Ji, this act of devotion is a profound spiritual undertaking similar to the practices of the most dedicated spiritual figures in Hindu religious texts. 

Swami Ji also shed light on PM Modi’s pilgrimage to sacred sites across India during this period.

In his speech, Swami ji drew parallels between PM Modi’s dedication and the legendary devotion of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He recounted how Shivaji Maharaj, after visiting the shrines of Mallikarjuna, expressed a desire to renounce his kingdom for spiritual pursuit, which was a testament to his deep spiritual commitment to the deity. He remarked, “It’s rare to find such spiritual depth and dedication in a national leader.”

21 Israeli soldiers killed in Hamas missile fire in Gaza: PM Netanyahu expresses condolence to their families

OpIndia Staff
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21 Israeli soldiers killed in Hamas missile fire in Gaza: PM Netanyahu expresses condolence to their families

 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement expressing his remorse after twenty one Israeli soldiers were killed on Monday when Hamas terrorists launched an anti-tank missile at a building next to a Gaza compound being prepared for demolition.

“Yesterday we experienced one of the most difficult days since the outbreak of the war,” he said. “I would like to stand by the dear families of our heroic fighters who fell on the battlefield. I know that for these families, their lives will change forever.”

Netanyahu said that he mourns for “our heroic fallen soldiers” and that he embraces the families in their “hour of sorrow and we all pray for the well-being of those who were wounded.”

He also stated that the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) opened an inquiry into the tragedy.

“We must learn the necessary lessons and do everything to safeguard the lives of our fighters,” said Netanyahu.

“On behalf of our heroes, for our very lives, we will not stop fighting until total victory,” he declared. 

IDF reported on January 23 that 21 of their soldiers have been killed in the Khan Younis area. It reported that at around 16.00 hours, a Hamas RPG struck a tank and a nearby structure where IDF soldiers were present. IDF added that Rescue operations are still ongoing in the area after a 2-story building collapsed.

The incident has been the worst single-day casualty event for IDF after their offensive against Hamas terrorists started in Gaza. On October 7, Hamas terrorists had launched a massive attack against Israeli civilians, killing over 1200 persons.

(With inputs from ANI)

Comments of party leaders won’t matter: Rahul Gandhi snubs Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for rejecting seat-sharing with TMC

OpIndia Staff
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Comments of party leaders won’t matter: Rahul Gandhi snubs Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for rejecting seat-sharing with TMC

On Tuesday (23rd January), Congress scion Rahul Gandhi publicly snubbed party leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury after he declared that Congress would fight elections in West Bengal without the assistance of the Trinamool Congress.

While speaking about the matter during his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’, Gandhi remarked, “Mamata Banerjee is very close to me. Sometimes our leaders say something. Such comments won’t matter.”

He added that talks with the Trinamool Congress on seat-sharing in West Bengal for the 2024 Lok Sabha election were underway.

On Saturday (20th January), Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury hit out at Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee and called her an ‘opportunist.’ The development came hours after media reports suggested that the TMC was planning to avoid seat-sharing with Congress and field candidates in all Lok Sabha constituencies.

He said, “We won’t fight the election with Mamata’s help. Congress knows how to fight on its own strength, and Mamata Banerjee should remember that it was with Congress’s support she came to power in Bengal.”

Reportedly, TMC had offered only 2 seats to the grand old party while it was hoping for a larger share of seats. In the meantime, Rahul Gandhi had invited Mamata Banerjee to join his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ when it would pass through the State of West Bengal.

Mamata Banerjee throws Rahul Gandhi under the bus

In December last year, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee squarely blamed Congress scion Rahul Gandhi after a video of Kalyan Banerjee mimicking and ridiculing Indian Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar went viral on social media.

It must be mentioned that Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress is a member of the I.N.D.I. Alliance propped by the Congress party in the hopes of defeating the Narendra Modi-led-BJP government in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

But she did not think twice before throwing Rahul Gandhi under the bus and protecting her own party member Kalyan Banerjee.

Program was in Meghalaya, he is abusing Assam: Himanta Biswa Sarma responds to Rahul Gandhi’s allegations that Assam CM disrupted his program

OpIndia Staff
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Program was in Meghalaya, he is abusing Assam: Himanta Biswa Sarma responds to Rahul Gandhi’s allegations that Assam CM disrupted his program

In a series of tweets, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for ‘provoking the crowd’ and making false claims during his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’. In addition to the factual counter of allegations and claims made by the Congress party, Sarma has also asserted that the latter will have to face the music of law for its ‘unruly behaviour’ and ‘naxalite tactics’.  

After Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra entered the Assam leg, the Congress party has been claiming to be victims of violence at the behest of state CM Sarma. Taking the allegations further, Rahul Gandhi, on 23rd January, claimed that the Assam CM intervened and stopped him from meeting students from the North East region and delivering an address before them. 

Congress leveled allegations from the official X handle that the Home Minister of India called the Chief Minister of Assam asking him to stop Rahul Gandhi from meeting university students.st. That’s why I could not come to meet you at your university, the tweet added. 

The party further claimed that today (23rd January) Rahul Gandhi had an interaction program with students at a university but suddenly the university cancelled this program.

Responding to the post, Assam CM Sarma took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi and pointed out that the purported program was in Meghalaya but he is abusing Assam in his allegations. 

In a sarcastic tone, Sarma tweeted, “What a man – the program was in Meghalaya but he is abusing Assam.”

In another tweet, CM Sarma pointed this out saying, “Brother, the university you have mentioned is in Meghalaya not in Assam.”

It is important to note that Congress leaders have themselves said that Rahul Gandhi was reportedly invited to address the students of the University of Science and Technology which is in Meghalaya. However, the Congress party hurled accusations at the Assam government for alleged disruption or cancellation of Rahul Gandhi’s event in another state. 

However, when Assam CM pointed out, in a series of tweets, that the Congress leader was making false claims, Rahul Gandhi presented it as a win for Yatra. According to him, Assam CM Sarma was helping them get publicity which they might have not gotten otherwise by engaging and pointing out factual errors in their unfound allegations.  

Regarding the development, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, “Whatever the Assam CM is doing against the Yatra, it benefits the Yatra. The publicity that we might have not got, by doing this the Assam CM & Union Home Minister Amit Shah are helping us. Now, the main issue in Assam is the Yatra…It is their intimidation tactics…Our message of Nyay is reaching the people…”

Meanwhile, apart from busting the false allegations, Assam CM also asserted that Rahul Gandhi and others will have to face the law for inciting people to attack Assam Police personnel. Notably, the Bharat Jodo Yatra which had gone to Meghalaya, tried to return to Assam for its last leg in the state. 

However, the Guwahati police denied permission to them to enter the city limits. Afterward, the Congress leader attacked the Police barricades and broke them. 

Regarding the attack on Police personnel, the Assam CM had, earlier in the day, instructed the Assam DGP to register a case against Rahul Gandhi for ‘provoking the crowd’. He condemned the ‘unruly behaviour’ of the Congress workers and pointed out that such “naxalite tactics” are alien to Assamese culture. 

Furthermore, he mentioned that he has directed police to use the footage shared by Congress workers as evidence of the “unruly behaviour” of their leader and that they violated the agreed guidelines.

In another tweet, he shared another video ‘evidence’ which, as per his post, revealed how Rahul Gandhi and one man named Jitendra Singh instigated the mob to attack Assam Police personnel.

Assuring that there will be action for such acts, Sarma tweeted, “Evidence is emerging as to how Rahul Gandhi and Jitendra Singh instigated the mob to attack Assam Police personnel. Our policemen are servants of the public, not of any royal family. Rest assured, the law has a very long arm and will definitely reach you.”

Threats, vandalism, desecration of Lord Hanuman’s posters amid chants of ‘Allahu Akbar’: What FIR in violence by Islamists in Mira Road reveals

Siddhi Somani
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Threats, vandalism, desecration of Lord Hanuman’s posters amid chants of ‘Allahu Akbar’: What FIR in violence by Islamists in Mira Road reveals

The Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya on 22nd January brought tears of joy and pride in the eyes of every Hindu as the community welcomed Lord Ram to his home after about 500 years. However, the grand event in Ayodhya did not sit well with Islamists who rushed to attack Hindus immersed in celebrating the homecoming of their God after 5 centuries.

Reports of Islamists launching attacks on Hindu devotees came in from Gujarat’s Mehsana, Maharashtra’s Solapur district, and also from Mumbai’s Mira Road region. The Islamists attacked Hindus with stones, iron rods, sticks, and bamboo, leaving over a dozen people who participated in rallies to commemorate the return of Lord Ram in Ayodhya injured.

In the incident reported from Mira Road, Mumbai, Islamists also disrespected the Hindu religion and hurt the Hindu religious sentiments by tearing flags bearing images of Lord Hanuman. Islamists are also said to have vomited over the flags causing disrespect to the Hindu faith. OpIndia contacted the Police to know the details of the incident. The police confirmed that around 13 persons had been arrested in the case, however, IO Dilip Rakh revealed no information about the accused persons given the sensitivity of the case.

Team OpIndia, meanwhile, also obtained the FIR in the case filed by the victim identified as Vinod Jaiswal. The incident is said to have happened on 21st January at around 10:30 at night. Jaiswal in the FIR mentioned that around 50-60 people from a specific community threatened him and attacked his car while he was travelling in the Mira Road region. The Islamists attacked his car with rods and also took down the Hindu flag that he had placed atop his car.

FIR copy obtained by OpIndia

“I was driving the car and my friends accompanied me on their bikes. We were just travelling across the city that day. As soon as we reached the Mira Road region, we got stuck in the traffic so we took a U-turn and headed towards Bhayander road. But the road was jammed so we eventually decided to go through the Shivar garden road in Nayanagar. A boy suddenly stopped the car and began threatening. ‘I’ll show you who we are now. Let us see if your Ram comes to save you, the boy said. Immediately after that around 50-60 people arrived at the spot and began attacking us with rods and sticks,” the complainant in the FIR read.

He further added that the accused persons saw Lord Hanuman’s poster on the car bonnet and puked on it. “They raised slogans of Allah-hu-Akhbar, hit me on my head with an iron rod, and tried to kill me. They also saw a poster of Lord Hanuman on the car and puked on the poster. This has hurt our Hindu religious sentiments. They even pelted stones at women and small kids who accompanied me for a ride,” the FIR read.

The said complaint has been filed under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint), 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups), 141 (Unlawful assembly), 143, 147, 149 and 427 (Mischief causing damage) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.

The videos of the incident have been going viral over the internet in which the Islamists can be heard raising the slogans of ‘Allah-hu-Akhbar’ while attacking the cars. They can be seen using iron rods and sticks to attack the Hindus. Even the videos of women being attacked are making rounds on social media.

Several other videos shared on social media show the poster of Lord Hanuman covered in puke, as mentioned in the FIR. The glass of the car and the windows could also be seen damaged.

A day after the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony, Hindus are also said to have responded to the attack by Islamists. The Hindus gathered in numbers at Mira Road region and retaliated to the stone pelting by Islamists. The video was shared by Raushan Sinha, a political commentator on X in which enraged Hindus could be seen seeking police action and justice in the case of attack by Islamists on 21st February.

OpIndia has obtained exclusive information that BJP leader Nitesh Rane will be addressing Hindus today at Mira Road in an event organized by Sakal Hindu Samaj. One of the members of the Sakal Hindu Samaj while talking to OpIndia stated that the Nayanagar area is dominated by a Muslim population and that Islamists have been spreading communal tension in the region for too long. “There are rumours that they have also planned riots and the Police have been stationed in some of the crucial areas as a precaution,” the members of Sakal Hindu Samaj said.

OpIndia also contacted the complainant, Vinod Jaiswal for exclusive comment, but he could not speak given his severe head injuries. The victim is lodged in the Bhimsen Joshi General Hospital and is undergoing treatment after being attacked by the Islamists on 21st February.

The Police, however, exclusively informed OpIndia that 13 people in the case have been arrested and the interrogation is underway. On asking about the identities of the accused, the police said, “This is a super sensitive case. Revealing names might escalate tensions. I can’t reveal any further details. 13 so far have been arrested. Efforts are being taken to calm the situation,” said IO Dilip Rakh.

The member of the Sakal Hindu Samaj however asserted that the arrested persons belong to the Muslim community. “The Police also had detained some of the Hindus but they were released immediately after some time. 13 attackers who raised slogans of Allah-hu-Akhbar have been arrested. We seek strict punishment against the accused persons,” he added.

Earlier, a video of Islamists from Naya Nagar threatening Hindus was shared by High Court advocate Avd Ashutosh Dubey. The Islamists in the video could be seen threatening Hindus with dire consequences for roaming in the Naya Nagar region which is dominated by the Muslim population.

“You Hindus are idiots, illiterates. This is all happening because of you. Why do you have to come here and pinch us? We are Kattar Muslims. Don’t mess with us. You all saw what happened and this is because of you. We ignored. This is just a trailer. Do not think this is UP. This is Maharashtra and the police here are also sane. They’ll arrest the wrongdoers,” the Islamist could be heard saying. However, Dubey stated that the person in the video himself was later arrested.

The situation in Maharashtra’s Mumbai continues to remain tense as Islamists continue to attack Hindus. The Police have been deployed at several locations to avoid any untoward incident from happening. The Sakal Hindu Samaj has organized a massive rally in response to the attack by Islamists. The rally will be addressed by BJP leader Nitesh Rane, as informed to OpIndia by Sakal Hindu Samaj.

Mahua Moitra bribery scam: CBI summons lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai for preliminary inquiry

ANI
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Mahua Moitra bribery scam: CBI summons lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai for preliminary inquiry

The Central Bureau of Investigation has summoned Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai to appear before the agency on January 25 for a preliminary inquiry in connection with the ongoing investigation on the cash-for-query case, sources said on Tuesday.

Earlier this month, Dehadrai said that he has filed a complaint with the CBI and would not back down after he alleged that former Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra was conducting surveillance against him.

Dehadrai was also the complainant in the alleged ‘Cash for Query’ case, which led to the suspension of Moitra from Parliament.

In a letter written to CBI Director Praveen Sood and Union Home Minister Amit Shah dated December 29, Advocate Dehadrai said that there might be a possibility that the TMC leader is “tracking” his physical location by using his phone number.

The advocate in his letter also alleged, “Moitra has a demonstrated history of misusing her clout and connections with certain senior officers of Bengal Police to obtain the Call Detail Records (CDR) of private individuals to satisfy her desire to stalk the precise whereabouts of certain individuals as also the details of the individuals they are in touch with.”

Advocate Dehadrai also stated in his complaint that earlier, the TMC leader was actively “tracking a person named Suhaan Mukerji in 2019”.

“Moitra informed me orally on multiple occasions in the past as also in writing (on WhatsApp on 26.09.2019) that she had been actively tracking her ex-boyfriend, one Suhaan Mukerji as she suspected him of being in a relationship with a German lady,” the letter read.

Dehadrai further alleged that Moitra, with the assistance of “Senior Bengal Police Officers”, had the entire call records and history of Mukerji’s phone in which she had precise information about the individuals who had been “in contact with Mukerji as also the precise physical location of Mukerji’s phone for all hours of the day”.

The advocate also stated that Mahua Moitra has made several threats to him in the past and also said that on several occasions he felt that his car was being followed outside his residence in Delhi.

Responding to allegations made in the complaint, Mahua Moitra in her post on X, urged the Home Ministry to appoint a Special Director in the CBI for complaints by ‘jilted exes’ all over India.

“Urging MHA to set up a special Director CBI to probe all complaints by loser jilted exes pan India. Gratified to see Shahenshah of all Peeping Toms cc’d on the complaint. – he honed his surveillance skills covering up for his Sahib in Gujarat and can supervise CBI,” she said in a post on X.

Moitra, facing cash for query allegations, was expelled from the Lok Sabha after the Parliament adopted the report of its Ethics Committee, which was probing the matter. Moitra alleged that the Ethics Committee, without getting to the root of the investigation, decided to hang her. 

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

Bengaluru: CBI court orders transfer of seized gold and diamond jewellery of former Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa to the TN government

OpIndia Staff
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Bengaluru: CBI court orders transfer of seized gold and diamond jewellery of former Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa to the TN government

On 22nd January (Monday), a special CBI court in Bengaluru ordered that the gold and diamond jewellery belonging to the late former Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa should be transferred to the Tamil Nadu state government for legal action.

The Court refused a prayer to auction jewellery worth crores seized from the late CM in connection with the disproportionate assets case. Her jewellery is currently in the court’s custody and kept in treasury. 

The ornaments had occupied the centre stage after J Deepa, kin of the late CM, moved the court arguing that she is entitled to properties that were confiscated by the state. However, the court had earlier held that the family of Jayalalithaa was not entitled to the properties which are confiscated. Thus, the Special CBI Court had rejected the petition filed by J Deepa and J Deepak, the niece and nephew of Jayalalithaa, respectively.

Regarding the recent order, Special Court Judge H A Mohan said, “I am of the opinion that instead of auctioning the jewels, it is better to transfer the same to Tamil Nadu by handing over the same through the department of home, state of Tamil Nadu. Accordingly, they are directed to appoint and authorise the competent persons preferably in the rank of secretary along with police to come and collect the jewels.”

Further, the court also ordered the Tamil Nadu government to pay ₹5 crore as compensation to Karnataka for conducting the disproportionate assets case against former TN Chief Minister (CM) late J Jayalalithaa. As per Judge Mohan’s order, the payment has to be made by way of a demand draft (DD).

The Court issued the above order while hearing a plea filed by RTI activist T Narasimha Murthy, who sought compensation for the amount spent by the Karnataka government in the disproportionate assets case, through the auction of items seized from J Jayalalithaa.

On 27th September 2014, a special court in Bengaluru had sentenced Jayalalithaa to four years in jail. It also fined her ₹100 crore in connection with a disproportionate assets case. The court had also directed that her seized valuables should be sold to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) or State Bank of India (SBI) through public auction. 

The court directed that the proceeds should be adjusted to the fine amount, prompting the plea by Murthy before the special court. 

Under the direction of the Supreme Court, the trial was conducted by the Special Court in Bengaluru. The court heard the disproportionate assets trial against Jayalalithaa, her former close aide V Sasikala, V N Sudhakaran, who is the disowned foster son of Jayalalithaa, and Sasikala’s sister-in-law J Ilavarasi. 

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