Thirty-three opposition MPs, including Congress leader Adhir Ranjan, TMC’s Saugata Roy and Kalyan Banerjee and DMK’s TR Baalu, A Raja and Dayanidhi Maran, were suspended from Lok Sabha for the remaining part of the winter session for “misconduct” and not obeying the directions of the Chair.
Opposition leaders said a total of 33 MPs had been suspended for the remainder of winter session.
The motion for the suspension of MPs was moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi. When the House reassembled at 3 pm after adjournments earlier, BJP MP Rajendra Agrawal, who was in the Chair, said that the members had been violating rules.
“You have been repeatedly requested not to bring placards to the House,” he said. He then named the members and Joshi moved a motion to suspend them from the remaining part of the winter session, which ends on December 22. The motion was later adopted.
The House earlier suspended 13 members for displaying placards and violating the directions of the Chair. Opposition members have been demanding a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah over the breach of Parliament’s security on December 13.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said in post on ‘X’ earlier in the day that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had spoken on the issue outside the Parliament when the winter session is underway.
“The Prime Minister speaks to a leading newspaper on the very serious December 13th security breach in the Lok Sabha. The Home Minister speaks to a TV channel on the security breach. Parliament is in session. INDIA parties are demanding a statement from the Home Minister in both Houses on the shocking incidents. It is a simple, straightforward and legitimate demand. But Home Minister refuses to make a statement which is his duty and responsibility. This is why Parliament is getting adjourned repeatedly,” Jairam Ramesh said.
Rajya Sabha has also witnessed repeated adjournments on the issue.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
Jathedar Baba Harjit Singh, the descendant of Nihang Baba Fakir Singh Khalsa, who had barged into the disputed structure in Ayodhya and performed Havan in 1858, will organise Langar in Ayodhya.
Speaking to ANI, Baba Harjit Singh said, “We are part of Sanatan. This is our Dharma. We have worked to keep it alive.” He requested Hindus and Sikhs to celebrate the consecration of the Ram Mandir for Ram Lalla together on 22nd January 2024.
Speaking to the media, Baba Harjit Singh asserted his ancestors had devotion towards Bhagwan Ram. He added that he would like to carry forward the legacy of Nihang Sikhs by holding ‘Guru Ka Langar’ in Ayodhya. He said, “Now, when Lord Rama’s Prana Pratishtha (consecration) is being done on January 22, 2024, how can I lag behind?”
Baba Harjit Singh categorically denied affiliation to any political party and said, “I have no affiliation with any political party and am only a bearer of eternal traditions. I had to face criticism while maintaining harmony between Nihangs and Sanatan Dharma because, on the one hand, I am an amritdhari (baptised) Sikh. Still, on the other hand, I wear rudraksha mala around my neck.”
In an interview with Chardikla Time TV, Baba Harjit Singh said the Langar Sewa would start on 10th January 2024, and they would try to continue it till the end of February 2024.
The events of 1858
Notably, Nihang Baba Fakir Singh Khalsa had barged into the disputed structure along with 25 Nihang Sikhs in November 1858 and performed Havan inside. 165 years after the event, his eighth descendant, Jathedar Baba Harjit Singh Rasulpur, said he would conduct Langar started from Maghi in January in Ayodhya.
The Nihang Sikhs had written ‘Ram’ on the walls of the disputed structure and hoisted a saffron flag. A case was registered against the 25 Nihang Sikhs at the Awadh Police Station on 30th November 1858 on the complaint of the muezzin of the officer of the Masjid. In the Supreme Court’s judgment favouring Hindus in the Ram Janmbhoomi case, the event of 1858 was cited.
A report by Sheetal Dubey, the Thanedar of Oudh, stated, “Today Mr Nihang Singh Faqir Khalsa, a resident of Punjab, organised Hawan and Puja of Guru Gobind Singh and erected a symbol of Sri Bhagwan, within the premises of the Masjid. When pitching the symbol, 25 Sikhs were posted there for security.” The report further stated that the summons was delivered to Nihang Singh Faqir Khasla, who told the Thanedar that “every place belonged to Nirankar”.
On Saturday (16th December), a video of incumbent Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim endorsing Urduisation of West Bengal went viral on social media.
In a video shared on X (formerly Twitter) by user ‘Mintu Roy’, Hakim was heard saying, “Inshallah, one day will come when half of the population of Bengal will speak Urdu and recite poetry.”
His remark aimed at the promotion of Urdu in West Bengal was greeted with applause by Muslims present at the event. It must be mentioned that Bengalis have a history of resisting the imposition of non-native languages particularly Urdu.
In fact, one of the reasons leading up to the Bangladesh Liberation War was the imposition of Urdu over Bengali in then-East Pakistan.
As such, the prophecy by Kolkata Mayor that half of the State of West Bengal will one day speak in Urdu was meant to spark controversy. The viral video of Firhad Hakim was recorded on 11th February 2021 during an event hosted by the West Bengal Urdu Academy.
During the event dubbed ‘Mushaira 2021’, he was heard saying, “There was a time when Urdu speakers did not feel like they belonged to Bengal. There was no official status for Urdu. I want to thank Mamata Banerjee for making Urdu the second official language of Bengal.”
“We have increased the budget of the Urdu Academy to ₹15 crore,” he informed. Firhad Hakim said that his ancestors came from Bihar and spoke Urdu at home. He also called upon the West Bengal Urdu Academy to take measures to propagate the language in the State of West Bengal.
It must be mentioned that Mamata Banerjee engaged in appeasement politics soon after becoming the Chief Minister of West Bengal in 2011. A year later in February 2012, she made Urdu the second language in areas of the State where Urdu speakers were equal to or more than 10% of the population.
The Trinamool Congress government had identified a total of 18 such Urdu-speaking areas -Goalpokhar I and II blocks, Islalmpur block, Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Islampur Municipality, Garulia Municipality, Titagarh Municipality, Kamarhati Municipality, Bhatpara Municipality, Champdani Municipality, Bansberia Municipality, Bhadreswar Municipality, Rishra Municipality, Asansol Municipal Corporation, Jamuria Municipality, Raniganj Municipality, Kulti Municipality and Bally Municipality.
Firhad Hakim not new to controversies
However, this is not the first time when the Mayor of Kolkata has been in the news for the wrong reasons. In April 2016, he had dubbed a Muslim-dominated area of Kolkata as ‘Mini-Pakistan‘
In February 2021, he was spotted delivering a political speech at a masjid in Kolkata, in blatant violation of the Model Code of Conduct. To pacify Muslim rioters during the anti-CAA movement, Firhad Hakim referred to them as ‘brothers.’
The Kolkata Mayor was earlier seen referring to the Central Armed forces and the BJP as ‘Suar er baccha‘ (progency of pigs).
The state of Rajasthan welcomed its new Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma last week. Sharma took the oath of office as Rajasthan’s 16th chief minister. Additionally, he’s made some important decisions. But much remains to be done, particularly because Rajasthan’s economy suffered considerable harm due to the previous Congress administration under Ashok Gehlot.
In Rajasthan, changing the government every five years has become a trend for the past thirty years. Nevertheless, the state’s economy has suffered each time the Congress government has taken office. The statistics indicate the same thing this time around.
Although Rajasthan has one of the highest debt-to-GDP ratios in the nation and a massive debt load, its GDP has not increased significantly over the previous five years. Apart from this, the Gehlot government’s profligacy has left the state in the throes of a severe economic crisis.
Rajasthan got buried under debt in Ashok Gehlot’s rule
Rajasthan is presently drowning in debt. A report by the Reserve Bank of India shows that Rajasthan has a debt of Rs 5.37 lakh crore by the end of the financial year 2022-23. This debt was only Rs 2.81 lakh crore in 2018 when Ashok Gehlot took over the office. Ashok Gehlot has imposed a new loan of Rs 2.55 lakh crore on Rajasthan in the last five years.
The Congress government looted the government treasury continuously to bring in new appeasement schemes and get votes. It is noteworthy that Ashok Gehlot referred to the Rs 1.63 lakh crore loan taken by the previous Vasundhara Raje government as extremely high when he took office in 2018. He is now the one who has buried the state in debt.
Rajasthan’s financial situation is appalling. This state’s debt amounts to 40% of its GDP. It shouldn’t go over 20% in any state, according to the FRBM Act, which establishes borrowing caps for the federal government and the states. However, it has doubled as a result of the Congress government’s extravagant spending.
GDP has not increased, but debt continues to rise
It’s not like accepting this loan would have allowed Ashok Gehlot to propel the state’s development in a new direction. Conversely, the economy of Rajasthan has expanded at a fairly normal rate during his tenure. When the state’s Congress government left office in 2013, Rajasthan’s GDP was Rs 4.93 lakh crore.
Under the BJP government, it rose to Rs 6.28 lakh crore by 2018. Following this, the state’s GDP was Rs 7.99 lakh crore in 2023 compared to 2018. Over these two periods, the state’s GDP grew by 27.2%. Yet, the Congress government borrowed far more money to achieve the same growth.
Income decreased, Expenses increased
The Congress government has indulged in careless expenses to carry on its appeasement policies over the last 5 years. The difference between the state’s revenue and expenses, or the fiscal deficit, has grown dramatically over the previous five years. It was Rs 25,342 crore in 2018, the year the BJP government was forced to resign, and it has more than doubled to Rs 58,212 crore when Ashok Gehlot leaves office in 2023. This represents 4.3% of the GDP of Rajasthan. The rule says it should not exceed 3%.
Ashok Gehlot has left office after taking the state’s economy on a nosedive. Under these circumstances, Bhajanlal Sharma, the new chief minister, will need to exercise extreme caution. He will need to pay back debts while simultaneously bringing the economy back to life. Apart from this, strengthening law and order will be critical to the growth of the economy.
Amidst a string of terrorists dropping dead in mysterious circumstances in Pakistan, a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist and recruiter Habibullah was reportedly killed by unknown gunmen on Sunday evening (17th December). According to unconfirmed reports, a few unknown gunmen opened fire at him in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tank district.
As per reports, Habibullah goes by several aliases including Bhola Khan and Khan Baba. The reportedly slain Lashkar terrorist was accused of being involved in the Pulwama and Uri terror attacks. He is the cousin of PTI leader Dawar Khan Kundi, a Former Member of the National Assembly (MNA).
According to the 24News HD TV Channel, culprits opened fire at Bhola Khan in Runwal, a village in Tank, and he died on the spot. Local police immediately reached the village and shifted the dead body to the Civil Hospital in Tank. As per the initial police report, Bhola Khan was a cousin of former district Nazim, Mustafa Khan Kundi.
As per an old Dawn report, several members of the Kundi family have been active in politics, and their father Amanullah Kundi even served as Minister in the Pakistani government and died in January this year.
According to several media reports, Habibullah’s reported death is the 23rd such incident in which terrorists have been killed by unknown gunmen at different places in Pakistan in the last few months. The most recent killing comes after the assassination of Adnan Ahmed, a close associate of Hafiz Saeed, the founder of LeT and mastermind behind the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Adnan Ahmed was shot in Karachi city just weeks ago. You can click here, to read details about these recent mysterious killings and antecedents of these Pakistan-backed terrorists.
It is important to note that the development came at a time when social media was abuzz with rumours of the death of wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, who has been hiding in Pakistan for decades.
As per the rumours, Dawood was poisoned by an unknown person, and he was rushed to the hospital. Some posts on social media claimed he was critical, while others claimed that he died. The rumours began spreading on Sunday (17th December) after Pakistan’s internet went down.
Responding to media reports of a spate of targeted killings of terrorists in Pakistan, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stressed that individuals wanted by India should be extradited to face our legal system.
MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi stated, “Those who are wanted in India to face justice for criminal and terrorist activities, we would like them to come to India and face our legal system, but I cannot comment on developments that are taking place in Pakistan.”
Massive crowds gathered at Dera Gazi Khan in Balochistan as the March against Baloch genocide staged a sit-in against the arrest of several Baloch cadre as well as against the disappearance of Baloch people.
Thousands of people were seen participating in the ongoing rally by the Baloch Unity Committee in Dera Ghazi Khan. Ghayur Baloch of Makran, Jhalawan, Sarawan, Kohistan, Koh-e-Sulaiman and Dera Ghazi Khan are raising their voice against state terrorism. The protestors held placards and banners with slogans like ‘Stop your terrorism in the state of Balochistan’. The Protestors said the the Baloch nation will no longer accept the process of kidnapping, killing and killing people in fake encounters.
Mehrang Baloch a political worker in her post on X said “If this state thinks that it has the force of paid soldiers, then it should remember that we have people’s power and with this people’s power the sit-in will continue till the recovery of our youth in DG Khan. Baloch people should ensure their participation in Dharna and tomorrow’s protest rally.”
Earlier, n Turbat, Balochistan, the Long March had faced resistance as at least 20 participants, including women, were detained as the Baloch Yakjehti Council’s (BYC) long march reached Dera Ghazi Khan, Dawn reported.
Led by Mohammad Asif Laghari, the BYC’s long march was intercepted on Shah Sikander Road. The police claimed the participants resisted, leading to the detention of several men and women, although the women were later released.
“Baloch Solidarity Committee’s Dharna is continuing at DG Khan, Gadai Changi, but the police have blocked the road from all sides and are continuously harassing and harassing the Baloch people participating in the dharna,” posted the Baloch Yakjahti Committee on X.
ASP City Rehmatullah Durrani informed protesters of the imposition of Section 144, prohibiting processions or rallies, a directive the participants defied, as reported by Dawn.
Legal proceedings have been initiated under Section 144, with police warning of action against violators until December 19, according to police.
Previously, a rally in Barkhan expressed solidarity with Balaach Mola Bakhsh’s family. The BYC’s spokesman reported the marchers’ departure from Kohlu town to Dera Ghazi Khan via Barkhan, where they were halted by a heavy police contingent. Attempts to enter Dera Ghazi town, observing a partial strike, resulted in a police baton charge.
Approximately 20 participants, including two women, were taken into custody and moved to an undisclosed location. BYC leaders condemned the baton charge, vowing to continue their struggle and reach Islamabad to protest the ‘extrajudicial killing’ of Bakhsh.
The committee also stated that the sit-in would continue until the arrested activists from DG Khan are released.
“The sit-in of Baloch Yakjehti Committee continues at Gadhai Chowk, Dera Ghazi Khan till the arrested activists from DG Khan are released. Despite hurdles and repression, a huge amount of people came from all areas of DG Khan to welcome the Caravan of the long march against the Baloch Genocide. We urge the people of Dera Ghazi Khan and peripheries to come and join the sit-in and protesting rally tomorrow at midnight to halt the collective genocide of the Baloch nation,” the committee said in another post on X.
The committee also requested Baloch people of Dera Ghazi Khan and surrounding areas to reach DG Khan where the dharna is currently being staged.
The committee said “The brutal actions taken by the police in DG Khan for the last two days prove how much the state is afraid of the Baloch unity. By erecting obstacles in Sakhi Sarwar, Bawata Check Post and all other areas, the state sent a message to the Baloch that Baloch has no human and constitutional rights.”
The Baloch Long March is being organised by the Baloch people, who have called for an end to state terrorism and massacres in Balochistan.
(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 13th December night (Wednesday), an attempt was made on the life of Mahesh, the younger brother of Hindu activist Bittu Bajrangi, in Dabua Colony, Faridabad.
The accused tried to burn Mahesh Panchal alive. He remains in a critical condition and has been transferred to a third hospital for treatment.
35-year-old Mahesh, who has suffered 60% burns, is the father of a daughter. The daughter is the only successor of Bittu’s family.
Bittu Bajrangi family’s survives with hand-to-mouth earnings by selling vegetables. OpIndia team met Bittu Bajrangi’s family on Thursday (14 December 2023).
Bittu Bajrangi’s entire family was present in Prachi Hospital in Faridabad where we met them. Bittu’s father and mother have died a long time ago. Bittu is not married.
The reason for this, he says, is to dedicate himself to the service of Hindu dharma. Bittu’s brother Mahesh, who was set on fire by pouring thinner, is admitted in the burn ward of the hospital.
Policemen were seen deployed at the gate. Apart from administrative officials, no one is allowed to meet Mahesh except doctors.
We saw a girl of about 5 years playing at the gate of the hospital. When we asked her name, the girl introduced herself as Deepika.
Deepika said her father’s name is Mahesh. Deepika is too young to realise the seriousness of what has happened to her father.
She says she is student of class KG. She identifies her father as Kariya too, which is Mahesh’s nickname at home. She also recited ABCD to us.
Her mother, Mahesh’s wife, could not hold back her tears while we tried speaking to her.
When we asked Deepika what she wants to become when she grows up, she said, ‘a doctor’. When we asked her the reason for becoming a doctor, she said she wants to cure sick people.
Deepika may be too young to ascertain the seriousness of the situation, but she knows that something has happened to her father. This was clear to us when she said that the first person she will give injection to when she becomes a doctor is her father.
Deepika’s mother told us that her daughter is a bright student but due to incidents like Bittu’s arrest and now the attack on her husband, her daughter’s studies are getting affected a lot.
The family has spent all their money on Mahesh’s treatment and is now facing a financial crisis.
OpIndia spoke to Bittu about his family background. Bittu said that his late father had built a small house in Faridabad by doing small jobs.
Their family lives in the same house. After the death of their father, Bittu and his brother Mahesh started supporting the family by selling vegetables.
Due to Bittu’s involvement with Hindu organizations, the responsibility of running the family fell on his brother Mahesh. Mahesh was married in a village near Palwal. Five years ago he became the father of a girl. This girl is now the only light in Bittu Bajrangi’s house.
On the day of the incident, Mahesh was selling vegetable at his shop. A group of men threw thinner on him and set him on fire. Mahesh’s in-laws were also present at the hospital.
Speaking to OpIndia on the evening of 16th December, Bittu Bajrangi said that his brother’s condition has improved by about 10%. He also told that due to the calamity at home, his niece’s education has stopped.
In one of his Facebook posts, Bittu Bajrangi has also accused local leaders of ignoring him. Apart from Arman Khan, no other name has come to light among the accused till now. SIT is investigating the case.
On 18th December (Monday), the Times of India commemorated the birth anniversary of Soviet Dictator Joseph Stalin describing him as ‘The Man of Steel’. Shared as a Trivia factoid, the post eulogised him with a poster listing key facets of his “leadership”. The portrait depicts him in an all-colour pallet of revolution.
Here are the bullet points that the media house noted about the Communist Dictator –
Joseph Stalin, the dictator who “transformed” the Soviet Union into a “superpower”, was born on this day in 1878
Education is a weapon whose effects depend on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed
Born as loseb Dzhugashvili, he wasn’t a native Russian, but hailed from Georgia
A “skilled but ruthless organiser” was the chief architect of Soviet totalitarianism and ruled for a quarter of century
Industrialised the USSR and forcibly collectivised its agriculture
Was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize twice in 1945 and 1948 for his role in World War II
Further, the caption, “You share your #birhday (sic) with…The Man of Steel – Joseph Stalin”, insinuates that sharing a birthday with the ‘Steel Man’ is some kind of an achievement.
Meanwhile, apart from the TOI post, some other users also praised Joseph Stalin on his birth anniversary. CPI(M)’s Puducherry unit praising the Communist dictator wrote, “Comrade Joseph Stalin, born on December 18, 1878, a revolutionary Bolshevik who led the victorious Antifascist war and laid the foundation for a strong working-class state of the planet. His universal contributions live on, shaping history. Long live the legacy of.”
Comrade Joseph Stalin, born on December 18, 1878, a revolutionary Bolshevik who led the victorious Antifascist war and laid the foundation for a strong working-class state of the planet. His universal contributions live on, shaping history. Long live the legacy of #JosephStalin. pic.twitter.com/5eEtBCodp7
However, the majority of the reactions on the post slammed the media house for eulogising a dictator, reminding that he killed millions.
Criticising the post, one X user wrote, “This colourful depiction and shameless admiration by Times of India of Joseph Stalin… A man who is responsible for the deaths of at least 20 million people..The man of steel… my foot… Cowards at best..”
This colourful depiction and shameless admiration by Times of India of Joseph Stalin.. A man who is responsible for the deaths of at least 20 million people..
One user highlighted that the post didn’t include the oppressive regime and actions of the communist dictator including hangings and famines under his regime.
The user wrote, “Should you not also add about the Stalinist purges, the gulags, the famines, etc that were the hallmark of his reign of terror? Looks like your newsroom is filled with Stalin fanbois from radical left universities.”
Should you not also add about the Stalinist purges, the gulags, the famines etc that were the hallmark of his reign of terror? Looks like your newsroom is filled with Stalin fanbois from radical left universities.
Historical antecedents of Joseph Stalin: Mass murderer and Genocide enabler
As per various Russian accounts, a whopping 20 million people are said to have perished under Joseph Stalin’s regime, after being at the receiving end of labour camps, forced collectivisation, famine and executions.
Besides these measures, Stalin had also initially colluded with the Nazis during the latter’s Polish invasion in 1939 and at the end of the war, the Communist soldiers under Stalin have been alleged to have raped at least 2 million German women.
In a century, communist states have killed approximately 100 million people, according to Ilya Somin’s articles. Joseph Stalin’s attempts to collectivise agriculture and production in Russia resulted in the deaths of 6 to 10 million people. Stalin imposed collective agriculture, prohibiting people from cultivating on their own, and imprisoning dissenters in Siberian labour camps.
In Russia and Ukraine, millions went hungry, and hundreds of thousands died in prison camps. When Ukrainian production fell short of Stalin’s quota, he punished them even more by taking away everything they had. In Ukraine, Stalin’s forced famine is termed ‘Holodomor’ by joining the words for hunger (holod) and mor (extermination or mass-murder).
Stalin’s atrocities were not restricted to the Soviet famine; he also carried out the ‘Great Purge,’ in which everyone he disapproved of was imprisoned, tortured, or executed. No one was spared, even wealthy peasants, politicians, military men, and ethnic minorities. The Purge alone is thought to have killed over 1.2 million people.
Teams of NDRF, SDRF and the Ghaziabad police have been deployed in the Ganga canal in Muradnagar area to search for the body of a teen named Sheeba. 17-18 year old Muslim girl named Sheeba was murdered by her brothers for being in a relationship with a Hindu boy.
Her brothers brought Sheeba to Ghaziabad on the pretext of taking her on a tour. They strangulated her to death and threw her body in Ganganahar of Muradnagar.
Sheeba was around 17-18-years-old. She lived with her family in Roorkee in Haridwar district of Uttarakhand. Sheeba was in love with a local Hindu boy. Her brothers – 21 year old Sufiyan and 24 year old Mahtab – did not like this. The family sent her to her cousin in Delhi. However, even here she was in touch with her lover over phone.
When the cousin, Mahtab, came to know about this, he informed Sheeba’s brother Sufiyan. Both of them then hatched a plan to murder Sheeba.
Mahtab and Sufiyan brought Sheeba to Muradnagar’s Ganganahar in Ghaziabad on the pretext of taking her for a ride. Here they strangled Sheeba to death and threw the body in the Ganganagar (canal).
DCP (Rural) Vivek Chandra Yadav said, “Both the accused were returning on foot after committing the crime. Meanwhile, the Phantom team of police patrolling there stopped them. Both became nervous during interrogation. Finding both of them suspicious, the police brought them to Muradnagar police station. Here they confessed to the murder of their sister.”
The DCP said that during interrogation, the accused told that due to their sister’s love affair, they were being insulted in the society and so, they murdered her.
According to DCP Yadav, both the brothers had come from Delhi to Muradnagar town with Sheeba in an auto. After this, they walked on the track of Ganganahar (canal) for about one and a half kilometres. During this time, taking advantage of the opportunity, they killed Sheeba.
Sheeba’s real brother Sufiyan works as a laborer, while cousin Mahtab drives an auto in Delhi. DCP Yadav said that a case has been registered against both of them under murder and other sections and they have been arrested. On the information of both of them, the police have recovered the sandals, clothes, Aadhar card and towel of the deceased.
Due to the strong flow of water in Ganganahar, the body has not been recovered yet. For this, teams of NDRF, SDRF and police have been deployed. The police of nearby districts have also been informed about this.
Last month, OpIndia reported an exclusive case from the Pune district of Maharashtra where two minor girls were forcefully sent to an orphanage in Daund and were forcefully converted to Christianity. The girls were also forced to clean toilets, were influenced against Hinduism and Hindu Gods and Goddesses, and were beaten, and tortured after their mother’s death in the year 2020.
The Police have taken cognizance of the event and have filed an FIR against the Pandita Ramabai Mukti Mission and its three Matrons identified as Sakshi Bhalerao, Nisha More, and Vaishali Bhasker for assaulting and torturing the minor girls and converting them to Christianity.
As per the FIR copy obtained by OpIndia, all four accused have been booked under sections 354B (Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint), 295A (Whoever, with deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any class) and 298 of the Indian Penal Code and sections 11 and 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. FIR has been filed based on the complaint registered by one of the maternal aunts of the victims.
It has come to the fore that the two minor girls aged 9 and 11 respectively were confined to the Pandita Ramabai Mukti Mission orphanage which is located in the Daund region of the Pune district. The girls were forced to clean public toilets and were not provided with good food and clothes in the orphanage. They also were forced to take baths in public by the authorities at the orphanage.
FIR copy obtained by OpIndia
The girls were converted to Christianity and baptized by the authorities at the orphanage. They were also forced to go to church on Sundays and were barred from wearing Bindi, bangles, and any Hindu religious symbol in jewellery form on their body. They were brain-fed that “Hindu Gods are dead. They don’t exist. People only apply haldi kumkum on idols unnecessarily.” The girls were also made to believe that Jesus is the only existing God.
The aunt of the girl mentioned in the complaint that she was rarely allowed to meet the girls for 1 and a half years and was not allowed to take them at home for vacations. The aunt of the girls also said that the orphanage refused to hand over the girls to the family saying that they were receiving foreign funds from every girl confined in the orphanage and that they could not afford to lose the girls for money. “However, they kept on trying to convince us that the girls were being taken care of and that they would be sent to foreign countries for education. But we were being cheated,” the complainant said.
How did the two minor girls land in the Pandita Ramabai Mukti Mission?
The two victim minor girls are from the Shivajinagar area of Pune. They had been staying with their maternal aunt in the Bhavani Peth area after their mother died. The girls’ father shared minimal bond with them given that they were girls. “My sister and her husband shared no relation after these two girls were born. She had been staying with our mother in Pune. And after she died in 2021, I took responsibility for her daughters (two victims of this case),” said the maternal aunt of the two minor girls.
As per the information obtained by OpIndia, the girls had been studying at the Bapusaheb Pawar Prathmik School in Bhavani Peth. Some of the NGOs like the Bharatiya Samajseva Kendra were associated with the school ensuring the welfare of the students. In the year 2021, one of the social workers from the NGO called the aunt of the girls and said that the father of the girls wouldn’t take proper care of the girls. She suggested the woman admit the girls into a good hostel for better education and lifestyle. Despite several refusals from the aunt, the social worker convinced the family and contacted the Bal Kalyan Samiti in Yerwada through which she got the girls admitted to Pandita Ramabai Mukti Mission in Daund.
The aunt of the girls was assured that they would be allowed to meet the girls and talk to them over the phone whenever they wanted. The aunt and the other family members of the girls were also assured that all the financial needs of the girls would be taken care of and that they would be sent to foreign for further education. The authorities at the orphanage also reportedly told the family that the marriage expenses of the women would also be taken care of.
Earlier, the aunt of the girls was told that they would be kept at the hostel. However, they were deceptively kept at the orphanage and were confined for almost two years. The girls were not allowed to meet their aunts and were not allowed to communicate with them openly.
Representative Image (The Federal)
What happened to the girls in the orphanage; force-fed ‘wine, bread ‘grape juice’, bread
The two minor girls in their confession to the police said that they were tortured at the orphanage and were not provided with proper clothes, food, and other basic needs. The girls also said that they were made to clean public toilets and wash vessels at the orphanage.
As per the FIR-
The girls were made to eat white bread and drink Grape Juice (Red wine).
They were barred from praying to Hindu Gods and Goddesses and were made to believe that “Jesus is the only existent God and all Hindu Gods and Goddesses are dead.”
The girls were baptized and were forcefully converted to Christianity.
They were asked to attend Sunday churches and read Christian prayers failing which they would not be provided with proper food.
The girls were also asked to take an open bath (with no clothes on the body) in front of the public.
They had also attained infection in their fingers given they were forced to clean toilets using chemicals and acids.
The girls were frequently tortured, assaulted, and beaten by the Matron Nisha More and Vaishali Bhasker
They were abused over their low caste
They were given weird, shapeless haircuts and were made to wear torn clothes deliberately. Photographs of the girls would be shot in such weird attire.
The two minors were also barred from wearing Bindi and bangles.
Matron Sakshi Bhalerao would confine the girls into the bathroom for hours if her orders were not followed.
Girls were not allowed to talk to the aunt
The aunt of the girls maintained in the complaint that the girls would not be allowed to talk properly to them. They would be kept watch on continuously when we would visit them. “After the admission of the girls to the hostel (orphanage), me and my two other sisters went to meet the girls. The first time we were treated very nicely. But as I demanded to take the girls home for a few days or vacations they would not allow. Slowly slowly they began keeping us away from the girls. Someone from the orphanage authorities would always be present with the girls ensuring that they don’t reveal the atrocities faced by them,” the aunt said.
The orphanage receives foreign funds for every child confined
On 3rd May 2023, after the mistreatment came to the fore, the father of the girls submitted a letter to the orphanage saying that he wanted his kids back and that he was capable enough to take care of them. Nisha More from the orphanage then rejected the proposal and said that the girls now belonged to the orphanage and that ‘the father now had no relation with the girls.’
Accused Nisha More also replied to the father saying that the orphanage received specific amounts from the foreign countries behind every child in the orphanage and that they would not lose the girls. She further convinced the father saying that the orphanage would take all the financial responsibility of his kids and need not worry about them now.
FIR copy obtained by OpIndia
The girl’s aunt learned about the orphanage’s response and found it scary. She sought help from the Bal Kalyan Samiti to get custody of the kids. However, the authorities at the Samiti, Wasim Sheikh, and other women officials abused her and hurled caste-related abuse. “You low-caste, illiterate people will never change,” the authorities said.
About Pandita Ramabai Mukti Mission
The Pandita Ramabai Mukti Mission in Kedgaon, Daund, was established in the year 1889. As per its official website, the missionary is ‘committed to the empowerment of destitute women and children since 1889’.
It is a Christ-centered home where destitute women and children irrespective of their background are ‘cared for’, transformed, and empowered as per the vision statement mentioned on its website. “We seek, in the Spirit of Christ, to sow seeds of change in the lives of every individual under the care of Mukti Mission, skillfully counselling them to Deal with the issues of life, Initiating varied opportunities of healing and shaping them prayerfully as models of God’s kingdom for the society at large,” the NGO’s mission statement reads.
Screengrab from the website
The basis and operation of the Mission are based on Isaiah 61: 1 & 4 of the Bible which reads, “The spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.”
In the given case, the two minor girls have been forcefully converted by the Missionary.
NCPCR demanded action based on a complaint by IHRC
As reported earlier, the entire incident got exposed when one of the aunts got associated with a Pune-based NGO named the Indian Human Rights Council (IHRC) and local Hindu organizations. The complaint was then sent to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) which issued a notice seeking severe action in the case.
The Commission also noted that the details of the two minors had not been uploaded on the Commission’s Bal Swaraj Portal- Covid Care given the reason for the death of the minor’s mother was suspicion of COVID-19.
The girls were finally released by the Pandita Ramabai Mukti Mission on 11th November 2023 and were safely handed over to the aunts by the local Hindu organizations.
Team OpIndia tried to contact the orphanage for a comment but to no avail.
A complaint has been filed against the Pandita Ramabai Mukti Mission and its three Matrons identified as Sakshi Bhalerao, Nisha More, and Vaishali Bhasker for assaulting and torturing the minor girls and converting them to Christianity.
All four accused have been booked under sections 354B (Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint), 295A (Whoever, with deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any class) and 298 of the Indian Penal Code and sections 11 and 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 based on the complaint registered by one of the maternal aunts of the victims.
