As many as twelve school children and two teachers were killed after a boat capsized in Vadodara’s Harni Motnath Lake on Thursday.
A total of 20 people have been rescued in the operation.
“12 school children and two teachers died in the incident. 20 people were rescued and 14 people died. To ensure justice to them, the Chief Minister has ordered a strong inquiry and IPC sections 304, 308 and 114 have been invoked against the accused. Two accused have been nabbed and a magisterial inquiry has been handed over to Vadodara District Collector,” Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi told ANI.
Harsh Sanghavi further stated that an FIR has been registered and teams have been formed to arrest the remaining accused.
“FIR has been registered and 9 teams have been formed to arrest the accused. PM has announced Rs 2 Lakhs each for the next of kin of deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. The state Govt has announced Rs 4 Lakhs each for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured,” he said.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel arrived at the accident site of Harani Lake, inspected the relief and rescue operations and gave necessary instructions to mobilise the operation. He also visited the postmortem centre located at SSG hospital in Vadodara. He also met the families of the children who lost their lives in the boat capsize incident of Vadodara.
A relative of a child who was rescued, said, “They were being taken for a picnic. The children were not given safety wear (life jackets). The capacity of the boat was 12 but 27 people were seating there.”
Vadodara District Magistrate will submit a detailed report to State government within 10 days.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday called the incident ‘heart-wrenching’ and urged the state government to expedite relief measures.
“The news of the death of many students, including teachers, due to the boat capsizing in Vadodara, Gujarat is extremely heart-wrenching. Many students are still reported missing in this accident. The Gujarat government and administration are requested to expedite the relief and rescue operations and make every possible effort to save the lives of the students. In this hour of grief, we stand with the bereaved families and express our deepest condolences,” Kharge said.
Vadodara MP Ranjanben Dhananjay Bhatt said that strict action will be taken in this regard.
“The NDRF team is carrying out the rescue operation. The children have been taken to different hospitals. Strict action will be taken in this matter,” Vadodara MP said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives and also announced that an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000.
“Distressed by the loss of lives due to a boat capsizing at the Harni lake in Vadodara. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is providing all possible assistance to those affected.
An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000. (ANI)
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
Centre asked UP govt to remove Ram Lalla idol in 1949 after Pakistan Radio claimed that Hindus were capturing places vacated after partition: Ex Secretary Raghvendra Singh
The Uttar Pradesh government under the then Chief Minister Govind Ballabh Pant was asked by the Central government in 1949 to ensure the removal of the idol of Ram Lalla days after the news percolated of its sudden appearance and Pakistan Radio showed the news stressing that Hindus are capturing the space vacated by a certain community after Partition, recalled Raghvendra Singh, former Union Culture Secretary and ex-director of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library while explaining the pressure his grandfather Guru Dutt Singh, the then Faizabad city magistrate and additional district magistrate faced.
He (Guru Dutt Singh) obviously took cognisance of that and reported to the state government and which wanted that the ‘murti’ (the idol of Ram Lalla) which appeared on the night of December 22-23 of 1949 be removed forthwith “that it was not possible”, Raghvendra told ANI.
Raghvendra said it was all due to Pakistan Radio’s announcement which would obviously whether it was Kashmir or another major issue in our country keep on coming up with really false, sensational and mischievous reports.
“So, they (Pakistan Radio) came out with the report and that is how perhaps Delhi got to know…Pakistan Radio showed the Indians are now trying to occupy the space vacated by one section of the community since the Partition has taken place,” said Raghvendra.
#WATCH | "…The pressure that was being exerted that this cannot be, and fully knowing the sentiments of a large majority of people, but for the fact that certain section of the community may bear a grudge against the party of that time in power, be it Centre or State. I think… pic.twitter.com/7WPs3qUzCm
The former secretary pointed “When this happened (Ram Lalla idol appeared) on the night of December 22-23 of 1949, the news percolated around in the morning and it spread like fire.”
“A point in fact which had to be taken under consideration by the then City Magistrate who happened to be my Baba (grandfather), he obviously took cognisance of that and reported to the state government and which had wanted that the murti be removed forthwith that it was not possible.”
As per Raghvendra, the state government had asked for the “removable of the ‘Ram Lalla’ idol because they were being asked by the Central government to do that.”
“So, when he (my grandfather) reported the way he did, that went against him. When it was reported back to the centre, certain clear directions came and based on which the then UP Chief Minister Govind Ballabh Pant made an immediate dash to the district Headquarters Faizabad.”
“Before Pant could come to Faizabad, as of the protocol, the government officials would go and receive him at the boundary of the district. So, my grandfather went to receive him at the boundary of the district and told him that it was not possible for him to be brought over to the spot because the devotees had gotten an impression that the state government as well as the Central government wanted to remove the statue of Ram Lalla, and they would resist that,” Raghvendra explained the situation his grandfather faced.
“If they resist that and we try and implement the order, there would be a law and order situation. And Pant’s presence at that time would be a risk that my grandfather would not want to take.”
Raghvendra said, “Debate got heated up and Mr Pant said basically what Guru Dutt ji was suggesting that neither would you take responsibility for mine neither would you carry out my orders for the removal of this statue.”
“So, this will actually lead to some serious repercussions which you understand what is going to happen,” the clear message, Raghvendra said, his grandfather was conveyed.
“My grandfather stood his ground and he did not allow CM to go to the spot, which I think was the big decision in itself, and not satisfied at all with what had transpired, the CM returned to the state headquarters,” he added.
Knowing fully well what was to follow and before it could follow, Raghvendra said, “My grandfather decided to tender his resignation.” “He immediately tendered his resignation.”
“But before he did that, he passed two orders: one was an executive order that the ‘puja-archana’ (prayer) at the Ram Chabootara and at the ‘garbh-grah (sanctum sanctorum) where Ram Lala idol was there should be carried on without any obstruction, and secondly that there should be promulgation of Section 144 of CrPC which would ensure that there would be no assemblage of a kind which would lead to confrontation with the other set of people who were already there. And these two orders were implemented. But, my grandfather tendered the resignation.”
“My grandfather’s luggage was removed at midnight and was put on the road and he was asked to leave his official residence,” said Raghvendra, who got emotional while speaking to ANI.
“He (my grandfather) spent the whole night on the road with his family. Thereafter, he shifted to the flat of one of his friends Bhagwati Babu, and also his pension was stopped. So that was the small prize he paid for the decision he had taken. But, looking back, I think it was a brave and crucial decision that he had taken. People of that area know about it,” he added.
Asked what kind of pressure the then Central government would have faced, Raghvendra, “It was a muse which was relayed. The pressure which was being exerted… Fully knowing the sentiments of the large majority of people, but the fact that a certain section of the community may actually not like the idea and may bear a grudge against the party of that time and power at the Centre or the state. I think that was the pressure the then Prime Minister must have faced or the then CM of the United Province must have faced.”
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
On Thursday (18th January), Pakistan launched “precision military strikes” against what it claimed “terrorist hideouts” of armed rebel groups such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province leaving seven people dead. Now, the Balochistan Liberation Army, which has been active in the region since 2000, has released a statement where it has sworn to avenge the attack launched by Pakistan, reports India Today.
“Pakistan will have to pay a price for it,” the group warned.
“Now the Baloch Liberation Army will not remain silent. We will avenge it and we announce war on the state of Pakistan,” the ethnic group was further quoted as saying by India Today.
Meanwhile, a statement claimed to be issued by the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) is also doing rounds on social media. X user @RealBababanaras posted the BLF statement and said that the rebel group has refuted Pakistan’s claims and said that they do not have any hideouts in Iran.
Aljazeera also quoted the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) as saying that it “has no hideouts in Iran” and none of “our Saramchar [fighters] was martyred in the recent attacks by Pakistan”.
This comes after the Pakistan army today (Thursday, January 18) released operational details of its strikes and said it carried out precision strikes in Iran using killer drones, rockets, loitering munitions and stand-off weapons that struck ‘terrorist’ groups Balochistan Liberation Army and the Balochistan Liberation Front
On January 18, Pakistan launched “precision military strikes” against what it claimed “terrorist hideouts” in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province leaving four children and three women dead in its “intelligence-based operation” named “Marg Bar Sarmachar”. Subsequently, Iran summoned Pakistan’s charge d’affaires to protest against the missile attack.
Pakistan’s ‘precision strike’ came after on 16th January, Iran attacked the headquarters of a terrorist group with drones and missiles inside Pakistan’s territorial borders. Two important headquarters of Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice) in Pakistan were destroyed. The strikes were concentrated in an area in Pakistan’s Balochistan region where “one of the largest headquarters” of Jaish al-Adl was located. Following the air strike by Iran, Pakistan expelled the Tehran envoy and recalled its ambassador.
The Delhi High Court on Thursday dismissed Trinamool Congress Party (TMC) leader Mahua Moitra’s plea seeking to stay the govt order asking her to vacate her government accommodation following her expulsion from Lok Sabha.
Justice Girish Kathpalia of Delhi High Court dismissed Moitra’s application seeking a stay of the eviction order in view of the pendency of the issue of her expulsion from Lok Sabha before the Supreme Court. The court also refused to grant an extension of the eviction notice letting her stay in the govt house for a few more months.
The court noted that the issue of extension of time to vacate the government accommodation is inextricably linked with the plea pending with the Supreme Court. The Court further noted that as of date she has no right to govt accommodation as she is no longer an MP.
“This court is not inclined to invoke jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India at this stage to restrain the operation of the impugned eviction order. Accordingly, the application stands dismissed,” the court said.
The court order further said, “The petitioner having been allotted the government accommodation incidental to her status as a Member of Parliament and that status having ceased upon her expulsion, which expulsion has not been stayed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court despite hearing afforded to her, presently she has no right to continue in the said government accommodation and accordingly, under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, she cannot be granted protection as sought.”
Senior Advocate Brij Gupta, along with Advocates Shadan Farasat and Warisha Farasat, appeared for Moitra. ASG Chetan Sharma appeared for Union Government’s Directorate of Estates.
Earlier on Wednesday, the former MP received fresh notice to vacate her government-allotted accommodation in New Delhi after she failed to vacate the house. This was the third notice served to Moitra by the Directorate of Estate, under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, asking her to vacate her official bungalow and comes shortly after she was expelled from the Lok Sabha in connection with the ‘cash-for-query’ case.
The Noice also warned of “use of force” if necessary, in case she does not vacate by the deadline.
“The Applicant vide Letter dated 08.01.2024 requested to initiate eviction proceedings against, you under the provisions of Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Act, 1971,” the notice of Office of the Estate Officer and Assistant Director of Estates (Litigation), Directorate of Estates read.
The Ministry of Urban Development served the second notice to Mahua on January 11 this year.
The TMC leader had approached the Delhi High Court, seeking the quashing of the notice issued by the Directorate of Estate cancelling her government accommodation in the national capital.
The plea stated that a notice had been issued to her on December 11, 2023, which directed her to vacate the house by 7.01.2024, failing which proceedings under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants Act) 1971 (‘PP Act 1971’) will be caused to be initiated.
The plea prayed to allow her to retain possession of her government accommodation till the results of the 2024 General Elections.
It also stated that the absence of government accommodation poses a significant impediment to the petitioner’s ability to host and engage with party members, parliamentarians, fellow politicians, visiting constituents, key stakeholders and other dignitaries, which is essential, especially in the lead up to a general election.
Rejecting these arguments, Justice Kathpalia observed that the allotment of government accommodation to Moitra was “co-terminus” with her status as an MP which has come to an end upon her expulsion from the Lok Sabha. “No specific Rule has been brought before this court which would deal with the eviction of Members of Parliament from the government accommodation after they cease to be the members,” the court said.
The court said that from the arguments of Mahua Moitra it was clear that she wanted to retain the govt bungalow so that she can effectively campaign for upcoming Lok Sabha elections. It further said that is not even a whisper of her unfortunate medical condition, which was being claimed by her counsel.
Moitra was on December 8, 2023, expelled from the Lok Sabha after a discussion on the report of the Ethics Committee in the ‘cash for query’ that was tabled in the Lower House. It was done after she admitted that she had given her parliament portal credentials to businessman Darshan Hiranandani. Using her login ID, Hiranandani had posted multiple questions on the TMC MP’s behalf in Lok Sabha. The questions were related to his businesses and targeted his rival, Gautam Adani.
While Moitra admitted she gave him the login credentials, she claimed it was not illegal. The expelled Lok Sabha MP alleged that she has been found guilty of breaching a code of ethics that ‘does not exist’.
She was forced to confess after Darshan Hiranandani filed an affidavit admitting that he had posted questions using her credentials. He had also disclosed that he gave her several expensive gifts and other favours in exchange of this.
The Ethics Committee report probing ‘Unethical Conduct’ of the TMC MP had recommended that Moitra “may be expelled” from the Lok Sabha and called for an “intense, legal, institutional inquiry” by the central government in a “time-bound manner”.
The report was adopted by a 6:4 majority in the panel last month. The report on Moitra’s cash-for-query case revealed that she visited the UAE four times from 2019 to 2023 while her login was accessed several times.
Ayodhya is all set to consecrate the idol in the grand temple being built at the birthplace of Lord Ram. On Monday (22nd January), the idol of Ram Lalla will be consecrated in the sanctum sanctorum at the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. There have been countless sacrifices in this struggle that lasted for more than 500 years since the time of invader tyrant Babur.
There are also living witnesses to this struggle, who have suffered more persecution in independent India than during the Mughal period only because they worked for Lord Ram’s cause. Among them are Ramkaran Singh, Harilal Singh, and many other residents of the Sandpur village in the Basti district of Uttar Pradesh. OpIndia visited Ramkaran Singh’s village to gather information about the atrocities committed against him during the Mulayam Singh Yadav’s government in 1990.
Ramkaran Singh is originally a resident of the Sandpur village in the Basti district. On 22nd October 1990, on the information of the presence of Kar Sevaks, the local Dubaulia police station team raided this village. In this raid, the police had also opened fire. Ram Chander Yadav, and Satyawan Singh were martyred at this same time and later Jairaj Yadav was also martyred after a long fight with bullet injuries. Besides firing, the police also registered an FIR and brutally tortured the remaining villagers.
Ramkaran Singh was made the main accused in that FIR. Even today Crime No. 132/90 State Versus Ramkaran Singh is going on in the district court of Basti. When we went to meet Ramkaran Singh in his village, he was at home. He is around 70 years old now. The incident of the year 1990 is etched in his memory as if it happened not 34 years ago but just 34 minutes ago.
Serving Karsevaks was considered a crime
Ramkaran Singh revealed that the sole crime of the residents of Sandpur village was their dedication to assisting Kar Sevaks who had come there from various regions across the country. In Sandpur, a village following the Vedic principle ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’, all the villagers were united in efforts to take Ram Bhakts to Ayodhya safely with proper provisions of their food and shelter. Ramkaran claimed that at that time Mulayam Singh Yadav had instructed to take action against those who gave shelter to the Kar Sevaks. Those who gave shelter to Kar Sevaks were thus treated as criminals. The school was closed and the Dubaulia Inter College was converted into a temporary jail.
Ramkaran Singh told OpIndia the situation of 1990. Image Source: OpIndia Hindi
Villagers wearing vests were dragged to the police station
Ramkaran Singh elaborated that on 21st October 1990, the SHO of Dubaulia at that time visited Sandpur village and forcefully took Raghvendra Singh, the school manager, from his home while he was seated, dressed only in a lungi and vest. The police station accused Raghvendra Singh of sheltering the Kar Sevaks.
On the way, the police found Ramkaran Singh. He opposed the police and asked them to allow Raghvendra Singh to wear clothes. Listening to this, the police station in-charge started abusing him. The officer said, “If we want to take him naked, he must come with us naked.” It is believed that the police were preparing to torture Raghvendra Singh and reveal information about the halting places of the Kar Sevaks and their secret routes to Ayodhya.
There were orders to catch Ram Bhakts alive or dead
Ramkaran claimed that seeing the opposition of the villagers, the police station in charge then released Raghvendra Singh and went directly to the Superintendent of Police of Basti district. There, the SP instructed the police to catch the villagers who gave shelter to the Ram Bhakts and Karsevaks present in the village dead or alive. For this, the Superintendent of Police also provided additional force to the police station after the order was received from his seniors.
The police team raided at 4 am on 22nd October 1990. Subsequently, women, elderly individuals, and children – anyone encountered – were subjected to brutal beatings by the police. Nevertheless, the villagers had received prior information about the police raid, allowing them to securely relocate the Kar Sevaks outside the village.
The villagers protested the atrocities by the police
Male policemen were deployed to torture the women. In this operation, the forces of PAC, paramilitary and 4 police stations were involved. Ramkaran Singh said that in the early morning, screams of women and children were heard from the Sandpur village. Due to this, people from nearby villages also started gathering.
The police became angry with the protest by the villagers. The police opened fire at villagers. Ram Chander Yadav and Satyawan Singh were martyred on the spot in this firing. Jairaj Yadav and Mahendra Pratap Singh received bullet injuries.
The villagers fleeing the village were gunned down by the police at this place. Image Source: OpIndia Hindi
Police robbed women of their jewellery
According to Ramkaran, the police personnel in the front line opened fire killing unarmed people and injuring some of them. Then the second-line policemen came. They took possession of the corpses instead of giving them to their families. Along with this, they also took the injured with them, who were sent to jail without better treatment. This also led to the death of Jairaj Yadav 32 years later.
After this, the third-line police personnel entered the village. They started arresting the innocents present in the houses. At the same time, in the name of search, they looted the jewellery kept hidden by the women. On protesting, the cots of the sick elderly people were broken.
Nobody listened to the villagers
After a pause, Ramkaran Singh said that the villagers had to suffer unilateral action in the Sandpur massacre that took place under the Mulayam Singh Yadav government. Despite the murder of the villagers, no action was taken against the police.
Ramkaran Singh and other villagers together complained with every competent officer and leader right from the local level up to Lucknow to take action against the district administration. However, all these complaints were put in the dustbin. On the contrary, 40 named villagers and many others were identified as accused in the case against the villagers. These included the ones who lost their family members in the police firing, those who were injured in the firing and other villagers.
Not only humans but even the animals of the village were tortured
Suresh Kumar Pandey, a local public representative from Ramnagar, a neighbouring village of Sandpur, told OpIndia that he was well aware of the incident of 22nd October 1990. Then he was an intermediate student. He said that then even small trails were sealed, let alone the main roads.
Suresh claimed that the brutality shown by the police at that time by raiding the Sandpur village would not have been seen in India under the rule of tyrants. According to Suresh, not only humans but also the animals reared in the village starved due to police brutality for several days. There was no one left to feed them.
Suresh Kumar Pandey of the neighbouring village. Image Source: OpIndia Hindi
Careers of youth ruined
Suresh Kumar Pandey also claimed that in the incident of 22nd October 1990, the police had named many young villagers who were not in the village on the day of the incident. Due to being named in the case and subsequently going to jail, the careers of all those youths were also ruined.
According to Suresh, all this brutality took place on the orders of the then Mulayam Singh Yadav regime. Whoever went to the police station to advocate for the villagers named in this case was beaten up and called a Kar Sevak. People were sent to jail in false cases.
SC/ST, OBC, General Category – everyone was tortured
Numerous victims of police brutality secured bail from the Allahabad High Court, while others, who had been evading arrest due to fear of the police, eventually surrendered in court. Ramkaran Singh was identified as the primary accused by the police in this case. The individuals subjected to accusations and torment encompassed individuals from various categories within Hindu society, including SC/ST, OBC, and those in the general category.
As per Ramkaran, Sukhu, Ram Sumer, and Dadhibal Singh, who were subjected to police brutality, were incapacitated, and unable to rise from their beds for six months. The legal proceedings are currently ongoing in the Basti district court. All the accused are contesting the case by liquidating their land and assets or utilising their hard-earned funds.
Out of the 40 named accused, about 20 villagers have died at different times due to different reasons. Speaking to OpIndia, another villager, Harilal Singh, said that he too was named as an accused in the same case.
Harilal asserts that he was completely unrelated to the dispute, yet the police apprehended him from outside his house and incarcerated him. After spending 16 days behind bars, Harilal Singh managed to secure bail. According to him, when the men were imprisoned, their female counterparts were taken to safe homes by relatives. The situation reached a point where, for an extended period, there was no one left in the village to kindle the lamp.
Harilal Singh, named in the case, said he was not guilty. Image Source: OpIndia Hindi
It is good that the police did not find the Kar Sevaks
Ramkaran Singh shared that in 1990, he held the position of a school principal. The police action during that time had a profound and devastating impact on him and his family. Despite dedicated efforts over the past 34 years, Ramkaran’s family continues to grapple with the aftermath. Nevertheless, Ramkaran Singh finds solace in the thought that, for the greater good, the police did not apprehend the karsevaks who had come from different parts of the country. Otherwise, no one can guess what would have happened to them.
Even today, ready to sacrifice in the name of Lord Ram
Regarding the police rampage in his village, Ramkaran added, “Those who died went to heaven. All those who are alive like us are still ready to sacrifice in the name of Ram if needed.”
Ramkaran Singh has no regrets about what he and his family suffered for taking the police’s anger towards the Kar Sevaks on his head. Ramkaran and his family express immense joy over the construction of the grand temple dedicated to Lord Ram at Ramjanmabhoomi. They take pride in the fact that their family has played a role in this noble endeavour, acknowledging the sacrifices made for the cause.
The Pakistan Army released operational details of its strikes against militants in Iran, targeting hideouts used by terrorist organisations such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), Geo News reported.
The operation, code-named “Marg Bar Sarmachar,” aimed to neutralise terrorists responsible for recent attacks within Pakistan.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), in a statement, emphasised the use of precision strikes, including killer drones, rockets, loitering munitions, and stand-off weapons, with a focus on avoiding collateral damage.
“The precision strikes were carried out using killer drones, rockets, loitering munitions and stand-off weapons. Maximum care was taken to avoid collateral damage,” it said.
The military’s media wing said it identified notorious terrorists utilising the targeted hideouts, including Dosta alias Chairman, Bajjar alias Soghat, Sahil alias Shafaq, Asghar alias Basham, and Wazir alias Wazi.
“Pakistan Armed Forces remain in a perpetual state of readiness to ensure the safety of Pakistani citizens against acts of terrorism,” the statement added.
The ISPR stated that the armed forces’ resolve to ensure that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan are respected and safeguarded against any misadventure remains unwavering.
“We reaffirm our determination to defeat all enemies of Pakistan with the support of the people of Pakistan,” it added.
The operation followed a reported violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty by Iran, which launched a strike in Balochistan, resulting in the tragic deaths of two children and the injuries of three girls.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed a series of coordinated and targeted military strikes against terrorist hideouts in Sistan-o-Baluchistan province of Iran, under the codename “Marg Bar Sarmachar.”
“This morning, Pakistan undertook a series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes against terrorist hideouts in the Siestan-o-Baluchistan province of Iran,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
The Foreign Office accused Iran of unprovoked and blatant breaches of Pakistan’s sovereignty, describing it as a violation of international law and the United Nations Charter. Pakistan had previously expressed concerns to Iran about safe havens and sanctuaries for Pakistani-origin terrorists inside Iran. Despite sharing multiple dossiers with concrete evidence, there was a lack of action, allowing these terrorists, known as “Sarmachars,” to continue attacks on innocent Pakistanis.
“Last night’s unprovoked and blatant breach of Pakistan’s sovereignty by Iran is a violation of international law and the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,” FO Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in a statement on Wednesday.
The military operation was a response to credible intelligence indicating impending large-scale terrorist activities by these groups.
“This morning’s action was taken in light of credible intelligence of impending large-scale terrorist activities by these so-called Sarmachars,” read the statement.
Pakistan asserted its unflinching resolve to protect national security and defended the professionalism of its armed forces in executing the complex operation.
“The successful execution of this highly complex operation is also a testimony to the professionalism of the Pakistan Armed Forces. Pakistan will continue to take all necessary steps to preserve the safety and security of its people, which is sacrosanct, inviolable and sacred,” it added.
While emphasising respect for Iran’s sovereignty, Pakistan clarified that its actions were solely in pursuit of its own security and national interests, which cannot be compromised.
“As a responsible member of the international community, Pakistan upholds the principles and purposes of the UN Charter, including the territorial integrity and sovereignty of member states. Guided by these principles and in exercise of our legitimate rights within international law, Pakistan will never allow its sovereignty and territorial integrity to be challenged under any pretext or circumstances,” according to the statement.
Acknowledging Iran as a brotherly country, the Foreign Office stressed the importance of dialogue and cooperation to address common challenges, including terrorism.
“We have always emphasised dialogue and cooperation in confronting common challenges, including the menace of terrorism and will continue to endeavour to find joint solutions.”
Escalating tensions led to Pakistan downgrading diplomatic ties with Iran, expelling the Iranian ambassador, and recalling its envoy from Tehran. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar cut short his visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos in light of the unfolding developments.
China, a close partner of both Iran and Pakistan, called for restraint and offered to mediate between the two countries. The United States condemned Iran’s actions, accusing Tehran of violating the sovereign borders of three neighbouring countries. Iranian officials reported casualties, including seven individuals without Iranian nationality who were killed during Pakistan’s missile attack.
As tensions escalated, Pakistan initiated strict monitoring of flights from the West, including Iran. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) began monitoring air activities over the western border, directing authorities to stay alert regarding all flights from the west. However, no decision had been made to close Pakistan’s airspace to Iran, Geo News reported.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
A seventeen-and-a-half-year-old student in 12th grade filed a case of sexual assault and love jihad in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore after which Moin Khan, a resident of Lal Gali was arrested by the authorities. Khan has been charged under appropriate sections of rape under IPC as well as the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act. The matter pertained to the Pardeshipura police station area.
On 14th January, the perpetrator was brought before the court and was subsequently placed under arrest. Meanwhile, Hindu organisations assembled at the police station and held signs while demanding stringent action against the accused. The demonstrations started over the mishandling of the issue.
The victim’s father submitted a written complaint to the police. He stated that the offender entrapped his daughter and brought her to the Oyo Hotel in Pardeshipura where he compelled her to establish a physical relationship with him. He persisted and even filmed an explicit video of her during the time, despite her resistance. He then threatened to make the video viral on social media. Furthermore, he issued death threats to her. The minor girl’s statement was taken in a closed room by cops in the presence of a female police officer.
Her father also divulged that she continued to remain quiet for a long time. He also mentioned that his daughter had not spoken anything in a long time. She remained silent while repeated attempts were made to get her to talk. When another effort was made to speak with her on 13th January, she disclosed that she was friends with a local man named Moin Khan.
The accused picked her up from Pardeshipura and drove her to a hotel in Bicholi Mardana on 17th September which was two months after her birthday. He pushed her against her will into having a sexual affair. He warned her of the serious repercussions when she protested. The accused eventually dropped her home and put further pressure on her to meet him again.
She became confined to her residence as a result of his constant insistence to meet with her and opened up about her alarming situation after receiving counselling. The father informed his acquaintances and launched a complaint after learning of his daughter’s ordeal leading to the registration of the case.
Sub Inspector Kamal Raghuvanshi allegedly did not listen to the family members as they waited for four hours at the police station. However, their plea was heard after a protest by Hindu groups. Hindu activists asserted that Moin Khan had taken Rs. 25,000 from the account of the girl’s father and had made a video to malign the girl. They further charged that he demanded Rs. 5 lakh and committed love jihad by forcing the juvenile to convert to Islam.
On Thursday (January 18th), the recent Iran-Pakistan tensions took an ironic turn when the Taliban government in Afghanistan called the airstrikes by Iran and Pakistan’s counter-offensive “alarming” and urged the two nations to exercise restraint.
Taking to X, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, the Taliban government’s foreign ministry spokesperson said, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan considers the recent violence between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan alarming, and calls on the two neighboring countries to exercise restraint.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan considers the recent violence between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan alarming, and calls on the two neighboring countries to exercise restraint. pic.twitter.com/NlOQMRSn4i
Balkhi further asserted that after attaining peace and stability post prolonged “imposed wars” both Iran and Pakistan should make efforts to bolster regional stability and resolve disputes via dialogue and diplomatic means.
“In light of the region’s newfound peace and stability after protracted imposed wars and instability, both sides should direct efforts towards further strengthening regional stability and resolving disputes through diplomatic channels and dialogue,” the spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan (IEA) added.
In light of the region's newfound peace and stability after protracted imposed wars and instability, both sides should direct efforts towards further strengthening regional stability and resolving disputes through diplomatic channels and dialogue.
This comes after Pakistan launched “precision military strikes” on 18th January against what it claimed “terrorist hideouts” in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province leaving four children and three women dead in its “intelligence-based operation” named “Marg Bar Sarmachar”. Subsequently, Iran summoned Pakistan’s charge d’affaires to protest against the missile attack.
Pakistan’s ‘precision strike’ came after on 16th January, Iran attacked the headquarters of a terrorist group with drones and missiles inside Pakistan’s territorial borders. Two important headquarters of Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice) in Pakistan were destroyed. The strikes were concentrated in an area in Pakistan’s Balochistan region where “one of the largest headquarters” of Jaish al-Adl was located. Following the air strike by Iran, Pakistan expelled the Tehran envoy and recalled its ambassador.
Ironically, the Taliban which is a hardcore Islamist group with a history of violence is calling on other countries to exercise restraint and resolve issues via diplomatic channels. Taliban itself grabbed power in the country after it entered Afghanistan’s capital Kabul in August 2021 overthrowing the democratically elected government there after the US withdrew its forces. Since the Taliban takeover, a Shariah-compliant administration government has been running the country. In addition to the displaced population and extreme poverty, the country witnessed the prohibition of girls from enrolling in schools. Both employment and public life are off-limits to Afghan women.
Interestingly, Pakistan has been the biggest benefactor and cheerleader of the Taliban. Pakistan is one of the only three countries (with UAE and Saudi Arabia) that recognised the Taliban when they first took power in Afghanistan. However, the Afghan Taliban’s success in acquiring power through violence has emboldened the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) which time and again carried out terror activities in Pakistan.
Days ahead of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the newly built Ram Lalla idol was placed in the sanctum sanctorum of the Mandir on Thursday, 18th January. The murti was transported to the temple site on a truck on Wednesday night, and it was placed on the marble pedestal in the Garbhagriha in the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra.
The idol reached the Ram Mandir with a procession that made a brief stop at the Hanumangarhi temple in Ayodhya. The idol of Shri Ram Lalla has been carved in black stone by Mysuru-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj and weighs around 150-200 kg.
As per reports, the idol was placed on the marble asana with religious rituals and chanting of mantras that lasted 4 hours. Sculptor Arun Yogiraj was present during the event. Images from the temple show that a crane was used to transport the idol to the sanctum sanctorum. It is seen that the idol was completely covered.
Although the sculpture has been installed on the asana, it remains a stone statue for now. The black stone sculpture will become an idol only after the Pran Pratishtha or consecration ceremony on 22 January, Monday. Till then, the sculpture will remain fully covered. The eyes of the idol also are blindfolded, which will be removed on Monday. A curtain also has been drawn on the door of the Garbhagriha. Only a select number of priests will perform rituals till the consecration ceremony.
The rituals for Pran Pratishtha started on 16 January, and a different ritual is being held every day till 22nd. As per the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra, the rituals for today included Teerth Poojan, Jal Yatra, and Gandhadhivas.
The 51-inch-tall figure depicts Ram Lalla or lord Ram in his child form, as a five-year-old child. Arun Yogiraj from Mysore has used ‘Krishna Shila’ (black stone) from Karnataka to carve the Ram Lalla idol.
Notably, three sculptors were assigned the task of sculpting the Ram Lalla idol by the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra. They were Ganesh Bhatt and Arun Yogiraj from Karnataka and Satyanarayan Pandey from Jaipur. Two of the idols were made using two stones from Karnataka and one from Rajasthan. Earlier, a stone was brought from Nepal, and later stones were also brought from Odisha and Maharashtra to carve the idol, but those were found unsuitable.
After all three idols were completed by the three sculptors in Ayodhya, the one by Arun Yogiraj was unanimously selected on Monday by 11 trustees of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra as the idol that will be placed in the sanctum sanctorum of Ram Mandir. Earlier the trust had said that the other two idols would be placed at prominent places in the temple compound.
The Pram Pratishtha of the idol installed on the mandapa will be during the auspicious ‘Abhijeet Muhurta’ from 12.20 pm to 1 pm on Monday. Starting Tuesday, Kashi-based Vedic scholar and priest Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid will oversee and anchor a team of 121 acharyas tasked with performing the rituals leading to the main event. Laxmikant M Dixit from Kashi has been named as the principal acharya.
Former MP Ashok Tanwar tendered his resignation from the primary membership of the Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday citing the reason as the alignment of AAP with the Indian National Congress for Chandigarh Mayor elections.
In his resignation letter to AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal he said, “In view of the current political scenario and your alignment with the Indian National Congress, my ethics won’t allow me to continue as Chairman, Election Campaign Committee, Aam Aadmi Party Haryana. Therefore, kindly accept my resignation from Primary Membership and all other responsibilities of the Aam Aadmi Party.”
He further wrote that as a responsible citizen of this country and having been in active politics since his student days, he has always believed in the Constitution, the Country and the People first. “I will continue to work for the betterment of the state of Haryana, our beloved country Bharat and its People,” he added.
Congress and Aam Aadmi Party had decided to jointly contest the Chandigarh Mayor elections. AAP was going to contest for the Mayor seat while Congress was contesting for Senior Deputy Mayor.
The date of the Chandigarh mayoral elections, which were scheduled to be held today (Thursday), was pushed back citing the “ill health” of the designated presiding officer.
The announcement triggered protests by the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party, who had formed an alliance for the mayoral elections. Meanwhile, AAP MP Raghav Chadha also reached the Municipal Corporation Office and while speaking to media personnel, he claimed that BJP wanted the election postponed with fear of defeat.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
