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‘I am a servant of Mahakal’: Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav on breaking 211-year-old myth of Ujjain

OpIndia Staff
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‘I am a servant of Mahakal’: Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav on breaking 211-year-old myth of Ujjain

From breaking records to myths, the Bhartiya Janata Party has been ahead of its rivals as seen in the recent electoral victories in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. In this line, BJP leader and the new Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav has broken the “Ujjain jinx” on Saturday (December 16).

Dr. Mohan Yadav visited Ujjain after being sworn in as Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh on December 13 and performed ‘Rudrabhishek’ at Mahakaleshwar Temple. However, contrary to popular belief, the newly-elected chief minister returned to his residence in Ujjain and stayed the night, shocking everyone.

On Saturday, CM Yadav attended the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra (VBSY) in Ujjain. Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with and addressed the beneficiaries of the VBSY via video conferencing. Notably, VBSY recently completed its one month.

It’s worth noting that Ujjain has an old myth that only one ‘Raja’ can spend the night here. And since Lord Mahakal is revered as ‘Ujjain’s Raja,’ no other chief or the ruler can spend the night here. It is claimed that if any head of state, chief minister, or prime minister spends a night in Ujjain, they will lose power and government. Interestingly, since Lord Mahakal is revered as the king of Ujjain, he is also given a Guard of Honour similar to the Guard of Honour given to “Ram Raja” daily in Orchha where Lord Ram is revered as the king.

The Ujjain jinx holds prominence due to several instances wherein political leaders had to lose their constitutional post after spending the night in Ujjain. Interestingly, it is said that former Prime Minister Morarji Desai had spent a night in Ujjain back in 1979 and the very next day he had to resign mid-term. Similarly, former Karnataka CM Yediyurappa who is said to have stayed in Ujjain for nearly 20 days also lost power.

Since Ujjain is CM Mohan Yadav’s hometown, he is aware of the prevalent myth. However, CM Yadav opines that he is not a Raja or king but a mere servant and son of Lord Mahakal. He said “I am no king, only Mahakal is the king. I am only his son. These myths are all pointless. I had instructed the collector to take me to KD Gate and then only I would go to my home. I can spend the night here as I have been a servant of Mahakal since childhood and was born here only, thus the myth does not apply to me.”

CM Mohan Yadav also hinted that a cabinet meeting will also be held in Ujjain. This meeting could take place in January 2024.

Before breaking the myth, CM Yadav while addressing a public gathering said that this myth was floated 211 years ago by the then-king Daulat Rao Scindia. CM Yadav further stated that after the death of Madhya Pradesh’s then-king, Mahadji Scindia, Daulat Rao Scindia intended to relocate the state capital from Ujjain to Gwalior. Due to this, he created this myth. He stated that because Ujjain has only one ruler, Baba Mahakal, two kings cannot stay there.

While it is a matter of subjective interpretation of the occurrence of such incidents. Some may dismiss it as superstition and myth while others may hold their beliefs as true. However, several priests and saints are of the view that since this does not find any mention in the Hindu scriptures, it cannot be considered valid from the religious point of view.

CM Mohan Yadav’s move warrants recalling the infamous “Noida jinx“. Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, broke the ‘Noida Jinx’ by visiting Noida in December 2017. This superstition began in 1988, shortly after former Chief Minister Vir Bahadur Singh lost power after visiting Noida. It was commonly believed that any chief minister who visited Noida would lose power. Despite the prevalence of this myth, the then newly-elected chief minister Yogi Adityanath visited Noida to inaugurate metro projects and other development projects.

Fact Check: Did a Hindu man masturbate in front of women in UK? No, the perpetrator is Sheraz Riaz

OpIndia Staff
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Fact Check: Did a Hindu man masturbate in front of women in UK? No, the perpetrator is Sheraz Riaz

On Thursday (14th December), social media was rife with malicious disinformation that an Indian Hindu man sexually harassed British women at Burton in Staffordshire county of England.

A Hinduphobic X (formerly Twitter) account ‘Pajeet World Order’ shared a video of a man masturbating in front of a woman and her friends and claimed that it was the act of a Hindu, Indian immigrant.

In a tweet (archive), the user claimed, “United Kingdom. A Hindu Indian immigrant sexually harasses a British girl while she is in a restaurant with her friends. This was recorded in Burton #India #Hindu #Hindutva.”

In the disturbing video, a man could be seen making lewd gestures with his hand, pulling his pants down and ejaculating in public. Soon after, Islamists used the dubious claims of’Pajeet World Order’ to abuse Hinduism, its deities and adherents of the Hindu Faith.

“The ‘spirit of Hanuman’ lives inside him,” mocked (archive) one Islamist handle ‘Zenith Horizons’.

“That’s our cuIture Saar pleej respekt it SAAR! I don’t want my Student Visa Revoked SAARRR!!!” tweeted (archive) one Pakistani Muslim handle.

One Pakistani Muslim X handle wrote (archive), “Poor Indian men, no one likes them in Europe, there is nowhere to vent their desires.”

One Islamist shared (archive) a derogatory meme with the caption, “You have to show bobs and vegan. This is our culture.”

While reacting to the same story in a different X thread, one user claimed (archive), “An Indian Hindu immigrant sexually harasses a British girl while she is in a restaurant with her friends This was recorded in Burton Upon Trent… Sick culture!”

The Truth behind the viral claims

Contrary to the claims by Islamists on X (formerly Twitter), the perpetrator was identified as 37-year-old Sheraz Riaz. The police informed that the incident was reported to them on 10th December this year.

According to them, the incident took place on a street in Derby City of England. Riaz was arrested from the Normanton area of Derby and charged with an act of outraging public decency.

Although the accused is out on bail, he will be produced before the Southern Derbyshire Magistrates Court on 8th January next year.

As such, social media claims that the man, who sexually harassed women in a viral video, is Indian Hindu turns out to be false.

Uttarakhand: Woman files for divorce 2 years after marriage, gets husband’s job after he died

OpIndia Staff
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Uttarakhand: Woman files for divorce 2 years after marriage, gets husband’s job after he died

In Uttarakhand, a woman got her husband’s job after he died, even though a divorce case was going on. The Uttarakhand High Court awarded the woman named Sarita compassionate appointment, who had filed for divorce from her husband Hari Sevak because of their problematic relationship, reported The Times of India.

Sarita filed for divorce in 2015, barely two years after the wedding in 2013, alleging that he used to abuse her. Her husband worked as a watchman at a Tuberculosis (TB) hospital in Nainital. However, he died in 2019 when he was 40 years before the legal battle was settled.

Sarita promptly applied for a compassionate appointment in the post occupied by her late husband. Amit Kumar, Hari’s brother objected to the move and cited his right to the same because of the ongoing divorce proceedings. He also went to the High Court, but he also passed away in October. The High Court has now decided that Sarita’s standing as the deceased’s lawfully wedded wife is unaltered and allowed for her compassionate appointment.

Sarita’s lawyer Prabhat Bohra informed, “Class 12 pass-out Sarita was married to Hari in February 2013 when she was 26. Hari was a heavy drinker and due to his habit, their relationship became so strained that Sarita was forced to file a divorce case in 2015.” He elaborated that the majority of family conflicts are settled through counselling at the mediation centre. Therefore, even after filing for divorce, the couple’s status as husband and wife is maintained by the courts until the matter is concluded.

“For the compassionate appointment, the first and foremost claim is always of the wife of the deceased government servant. Moreover, the mess that her brother-in-law created, has now come to rest due to his demise. The hospital’s chief medical superintendent is directed to consider her claim for a compassionate appointment within six weeks,” the single bench of Justice Pankaj Purohit stated after considering the matter.

‘Modi ki guarantee, India will be among the top three economies in my third term: PM Modi at inauguration of world’s largest office complex in Surat

OpIndia Staff
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‘Modi ki guarantee, India will be among the top three economies in my third term: PM Modi at inauguration of world’s largest office complex in Surat

On 17th December (Sunday), Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that it is ‘Modi ki guarantee’ that India will be among the top three economies during the third term of his government. PM Modi noted that in the last ten years,India has moved up from 10th position to become the 5th largest economy in the world.  

The Prime Minister said, “I have given this guarantee to the nation that India will be among the top three economies in the world in my third term. The government has fixed the target for the coming 25 years…”.

PM Modi made this promise after inaugurating the World’s largest office building, Surat Diamond Bourse, in Gujarat. He pointed out that the country has been witnessing the phenomenon of ‘Modi ki guarantee’, which gained strength after the recently concluded state assembly elections where BJP formed governments in three states. The PM noted that the people of Surat had seen it manifest much earlier citing Surat Diamond Bourse as the evidence of ‘Modi ki guarantee’.

“The Surat Diamond Bourse showcases the capability of Indian design, designers, and materials. This building is the symbol of new capabilities and the new Sankalp of New India,” PM Modi added. Referring to the bourse, he said that diamond, which is the best in the world, has embellished the grandeur of Surat city. Surat diamond industry already employed 8 lakh people, and now this Surat Diamond Bourse will employ 1.5 lakh more people, the Prime Minister said addressing a large gathering. 

He added, “Today the people of Surat and the traders and businessmen here are getting two more gifts. Today itself the new terminal of Surat Airport has been inaugurated and the second big thing that has happened is that now Surat Airport has got the status of International Airport. I congratulate the people of Surat and the people of Gujarat for this wonderful terminal and international airport.”

PM Modi recalled that in 2014, Delhi held the World Diamond Conference, back then, he announced special notified zones for the diamond industry which led the path for this Surat Diamond Bourse. 

PM Modi noted that India is among the leading players in terms of the export of Diamond jewelry, be it in silver cut diamonds or lab-grown diamonds. However, he highlighted that in terms of the overall gems and jewelry sector, India’s share is only 3.5% in total export. 

He added that Surat has the potential to catapult India into double-digit figures, assuring that it is Modi’s guarantee that the government will be in its steadfast support. The PM noted that the Union government has already chosen this sector as a focus area for export. 

He listed out several measures taken by the Central government for the Diamond Industry, including promotion of patented design, diversification of export products, collaborating with other nations to improve the technology, and promotion of lab-grown or green diamonds. PM Modi added that the government has made special provisions for Green Diamond in the budget urging the people to make maximum utilisation of these measures.  

PM Modi stated that the Union government has placed special emphasis on developing modern infrastructure in Surat. The city now boasts an International Airport, a metro rail service, and a coastal port capable of handling large cargo, including the Hazira port, a deep-sea LNG terminal, and a multi-cargo port. Surat is also becoming connected to international trading ports, a feature limited to very few cities globally. Moreover, Surat is part of the Bullet train project, and work on the western dedicated freight corridor is progressing rapidly. 

Eyes gouged out, genitals mutilated, tongue chopped off: Shiv Temple Pujari, who was missing in Bihar for 5 days, found dead

OpIndia Staff
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Eyes gouged out, genitals mutilated, tongue chopped off: Shiv Temple Pujari, who was missing in Bihar for 5 days, found dead

In a horrifying incident in Bihar’s Gopalganj, a priest (Pujari) of a Shiv Temple, who had been missing for the last five days, has been brutally murdered. The deceased victim has been identified as Manoj Kumar Sah. The matter pertains to Danapur village in the Manjhagarh police station area. The mutilated body of the victim, with his eyes gouged out, and tongue and genitals chopped off, was recovered in the bushes near a dairy shop on Saturday (December 16). The 32-year-old victim was also shot with a bullet near the neck.

Reports say that the victim’s brother Ashok Kumar Sah has been a village head, and is a local Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader (Mandal President). Ashok said that his brother went missing five days ago and that they had filed a missing persons complaint as well on December 11, however, the police did not take any concrete action despite giving assurance that they will find Manoj within hours. The victim’s family had raised suspicion that Manoj might have been abducted.

After the victim’s mutilated body was found, the infuriated villagers staged a protest accusing the police of inaction in the matter. The protestors even blocked National Highway 27. Subsequently, Sadar SDPO Pranjal arrived at the protest site and tried to pacify the agitated locals. Meanwhile, heavy police force was called in to control the situation. The police have said that an FIR has been registered in the killing of the temple priest and an investigation into the matter is underway.

Notably, the police have not made any arrests so far and the motive behind the brutal murder also remains undisclosed. However, the victim’s brother Ashok has said that attempts were being made by some people to grab the temple’s land. He added that whenever any program or event was organised at the temple, the people belonging to another community raised objections. Moreover, Ashok said that his brother, who had been taking care of the temple for the last five years, was quite disturbed as some land bought for the temple was grabbed by the accused who used it for farming. He added that his brother was also getting death threats for some time.

According to the CCTV footage recovered from the cameras installed in the Temple, the victim was last seen stepping out of the temple after locking the room at around 12:40 AM on December 10. Three youths, including Manoj, used to reside in the temple. Meanwhile, Gopalganj Police said that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the matter.

The brutal murder of the Hindu priest has sparked outrage in the victim’s village as well as on social media. Taking to X, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla called Manoj’s horrific murder an “ISIS style killing” saying that “jungle raj” prevails in Bihar now.

“Bihar now has Jungle Raj not Nitish Raj. ISIS style killing of Pujari in Gopalganj. Shot dead, eyes gouged out, private parts damaged. Who is safe in Bihar? Neither Sadhus. Neither cops and nor is the common man,” Poonawalla posted.

20-year-old Dalit woman gang-raped by two drivers in a moving bus on its way to Rajasthan from Uttar Pradesh; Arif arrested, Lalit at large

OpIndia Staff
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20-year-old Dalit woman gang-raped by two drivers in a moving bus on its way to Rajasthan from Uttar Pradesh; Arif arrested, Lalit at large

A startling incident has occurred in a moving bus going from UP to Rajasthan that is reminiscent of the notorious Nirbhaya case in Delhi. Two bus drivers named Mohammed Arif and Lalit are accused of gang-raping a 20-year-old Dalit woman who was travelling from Kanpur to Jaipur on the nights of 9th and 10th December. She had taken a bus on the evening of 9th December and was on her way to her uncle’s house. She was told to sit in the cabin because of the unavailability of seats.

The perpetrators exploited the situation to satisfy their vile cravings and sexually assaulted her in the moving vehicle. Mohammed Arif has been arrested and is presently under judicial custody while Lalit was able to evade capture, according to the Station House Officer of Kanota police station Bhagwan Sahay Meena. Authorities have launched a search operation to nab him.

The victim was in the closed cabin of the bus with few individuals. She sounded the alarm when the incident happened and alerted the other passengers who halted the bus and thrashed the culprits. Afterwards, Mohammed Arif was apprehended while Lalit managed to flee.

Bassi Assistant Commissioner of Police Phoolchand Meena informed, “Around 7:30 pm on 9th December, a girl was travelling from Kanpur to Jaipur, to her uncle’s home. She boarded a bus and since she didn’t get any seat, she was made to sit in the cabin. During the journey, when other passengers in the cabin left, the drivers raped her.”

The official added, “When the passengers sitting outside grew suspicious, they opened the cabin door. Passengers beat up the drivers but one of them managed to escape. One of the drivers Mohammed Arif has been arrested and the other one Lalit is still absconding. A search is underway for him.

Gujarat: Farooq Pathan of Kheda tries to behead a Hindu woman for refusing his proposal, case filed against the absconding accused

મેઘલસિંહ પરમાર
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Gujarat: Farooq Pathan of Kheda tries to behead a Hindu woman for refusing his proposal, case filed against the absconding accused

On Sunday (17th December), Gujarat police reported that a Hindu woman, in a village in the Kheda district, was subjected to a brutal assault by Farooq Pathan after she refused to engage in an affair with him. Accused Farooq Pathan tried to even behead the victim woman on Thursday (14th December). The victim is currently hospitalised at SVP Hospital in Ahmedabad, while the accused, Farooq Pathan is absconding. A police complaint has been filed, leading to the registration of a case. The police launched an investigation into this case.

The incident took place in Sanadara village within the Galateshwar taluka of Kheda. The 33-year-old victim, residing in this village, got married in 2010 to a man from a nearby village. However, due to a dispute with her husband, she has been residing at her father’s house for the last three years. She is the mother of an 8-year-old son.

According to her official complaint, the victim reported that Farooq Abbas Pathan, a resident of her village for the past two months, had been persistently stalking and pressuring her to engage in a romantic relationship. Despite her repeated refusals, Farooq continued to pursue her, insisting on initiating a love affair.

On Thursday (14th December), at approximately 7 AM, Farooq Pathan abruptly approached the victim, hurling verbal abuse at her, including caste-related insulting remarks. Armed with a knife, Farooq Pathan attacked the victim’s neck. The victim tried to save herself with her hands during the assault. Consequently, serious wounds were inflicted on her wrists by the sharp-edged weapon.

At the time of the attack, the victim was accompanied by her sister-in-law. Farooq Pathan also targeted the sister-in-law, attempting to cause physical harm to her, the victim’s son, and father. He then fled from there. The family members also rushed to the spot and moved the victim to the local hospital.

Subsequently, she was transferred to SVP Hospital in Ahmedabad, following a referral, where necessary procedures and operations were conducted. Currently, the victim is receiving medical treatment and remains hospitalised.

The Sewalia police have initiated legal proceedings by filing a case under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code, including sections 326 (voluntarily causing hurt by weapon), 504 (insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), and 506(2) (criminal intimidation). Additionally, Section 135 of the Gujarat Police Act and various sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have been invoked. A comprehensive investigation is underway. The accused, Farooq Pathan, remains unapprehended as of the time of writing this report. OpIndia has a copy of the First Information Report (FIR).

Farooq Pathan threatened to kill the victim’s son

Speaking to OpIndia about the incident, one of the victim’s family members said, “He tried to slit her throat, but her wrists received serious cut injuries as she tried to shield her neck with her hands. Her thumb had a narrow escape when he attacked for the second time with that knife.”

According to the family member, Farooq threatened to kidnap the victim’s son on his way to school and kill him, as well as the entire family. The family has now lodged a police complaint.

Hindu organisations also reached out to help

Hindu organisations also rushed to the aid of the victim’s family after learning about the incident. Bhavesh Kansara, a Bajrang Dal worker from Ahmedabad, told OpIndia, “We rushed to the hospital along with our workers when the incident was reported. We are discussing what to do next after getting the details from the family. Our only aim is that the family should get justice and there should be awareness among the people on this issue and Hindu daughters should avoid getting trapped.” He added that Farooq’s family had also approached the victim’s family and talked about a solution, but they have categorically refused.

Anti-India outfit ‘The People’s Forum’, associated with NewsClick linked CCP stooge, saw 803% rise in funding

Dibakar Dutta
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Anti-India outfit ‘The People’s Forum’, associated with NewsClick linked CCP stooge, saw 803% rise in funding

The People’s Forum, financed by Chinese Communist Party (CCP) stooge Neville Roy Singham, has witnessed a staggering rise in funding in 2022. The organisation has been at the helm of anti-India propaganda since 2019 in cahoots with communists, Kashmiri separatists and anti-Hindu activists.

As per a report by the Washington Examiner, ‘The People’s Forum’ received a whopping $4.4 million (~₹36.53 crores) in 2022 while it could rake in only $4,86,900 (~₹4.04 crores) a year earlier.

The US news outlet reviewed the tax forms of the Singham-financed organisation and found that there has been an 803% increase in funds amassed by it in a year-long period.

Screengrab of the news report by The Washington Examiner

According to the Washington Examiner, The People’s Forum received about $4 million (~₹33.2 crores) in grants and contributions in 2022. A review of the organisation’s financial disclosures also revealed that it made $52000 (~₹43.18 lakhs) in investment and $3,31,000 (~₹2.74 crores) in program service revenue.

At the same time, its assets were valued at $18.5 million (~₹153 crores). As per the Washington Examiner, the assets of The People’s Forum saw a $4.9 million (~₹40.69 crores) rise in its valuation in 2022.

As per its tax forms, the organisation incurred an expenditure of $3.8 million (~₹31.55 crores) in 2022. Its office and studio space lease contracts were valued at $343,000 (~₹ 2.84 crores)

The People’s Forum gained IRS tax-exempt status, foreign policy experts share concern

“The flood of cash to the People’s Forum underscores how far-left organizations boosting China and other overseas interests have gained significant footing in the U.S. in recent years,” the Washington Examiner emphasised.

According to the US news outlet, the Neville Roy Singham-financed organisation gained IRS (Internal Revenue Service) tax-exempt status in 2017 i.e. it is not required to pay federal corporate tax on its income.

Given that it is registered as a ‘charity’, The People’s Forum is not obligated to report its donors to the public. Washington Examiner reached out to the general manager of the organisation, David Chung, via email but he did not comment on the matter.

While speaking about the development, Republican leader Elise Stefanik said, “I support immediately investigating the People’s Forum and organizations like it to determine what level of funding and coordination these pro-Hamas rallies have received from America’s adversaries.

Washington Examiner pointed out, “Foreign policy experts and members of Congress have recently raised concerns about the People’s Forum having tax-exempt status, particularly as it boosts Hamas.”

The People’s Forum and its anti-India agenda

OpIndia has found that ‘The People’s Forum’ has been peddling anti-India narratives since 2019. It has been organising teach-in sessions, seminars and movie screenings since 2019 to disseminate a distorted idea of Jammu and Kashmir to its global audience.

The Chinese Communist Party stooge-backed organisation has openly called for the secession of the integral part of the Indian territory and extended support to extremist elements, calling for ‘Azadi.’ ‘

The People’s Forum reiterated pro-Pakistani talking points about Kashmir, referring to the region as ‘Indian Occupied.’

In Sep 2019, the People’s Forum conducted a ‘teach-in session’ dubbed ‘Self-Determination and Solidarity in Kashmir.’ The anti-India event was sponsored by the likes of ‘Codepink’, founded by Neville Roy Singham’s wife Jodie Evans.

It has also held the screening of a propaganda film titled ‘Khoon Diy Baarav’ and promoted a book, written by ‘ISI operative’ Hafsa Kanjwal, and titled ‘Colonising Kashmir: State Building under Indian Occupation.’

“August 5 marks 4 years since India’s complete annexation of Kashmir—Author Hafsa Kanjwal & Mohamad Junaid will also discuss recent developments in the region,” The People’s Forum lamented the abrogation of Article 370.

The Neville Roy Singham-funded organisation was also seen disseminating the myth of the ‘Kerala Model’ in one of its events, organised on April 11, 2020.

A year later on August 7, 2021, ‘The People’s Forum’ held another event, promoting a book titled ‘Local Democracy and Development: The Kerala People’s Campaign for Decentralized Planning’. Interestingly, the book is written by a Communist Party of India (Marxist) politician Thomas Isaac.

The uncanny obsession with Kerala did not end with praising the Communist Party of India’s make-believe governance model. ‘The People’s Forum’ appeared fascinated with Communist hardliners such as EMS Namboodiripad who infamously called Mahatma Gandhi a ‘Hindu fundamentalist.’

Neville Roy Singham, NewsClick funding and the aftermath

On August 5 this year, The New York Times published a detailed article, revealing the ties of Neville Roy Singham with the Chinese government and his financial support to an Indian leftist propaganda outlet NewsClick.

The New York Times pointed out that Singham has been successful in disseminating Chinese government talking points under the pretext of ‘progressive advocacy’ in countries such as India, Brazil, South Africa and the United States.

During its investigation, the American newspaper found that Neville Roy Singham had financed an India-based leftist propaganda outlet named NewsClick. 

Screengrab of the article by The New York Times

“In New Delhi, corporate filings show, Mr. Singham’s network financed a news site, NewsClick, that sprinkled its coverage with Chinese government talking points. “China’s history continues to inspire the working classes,” one video said,” noted The New York Times.

It was later revealed that Neville Roy Singham had close ties with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Prakash Karat. Emails exchanged between NewsClick owner Prabir Purkayastha and Neville Roy Singham show that the latter instructed the former on ways to report the India-China border dispute and China’s handling of COVID-19.

On 16th November this year, the Enforcement Directorate issued summons to Neville Roy Singham in China in the NewsClick-Chinese funding case.

Don’t underestimate the seriousness of the Indian Parliament security breach: PM Narendra Modi

OpIndia Staff
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Don’t underestimate the seriousness of the Indian Parliament security breach: PM Narendra Modi

PM Narendra Modi has said that the seriousness of the security breach of the Indian parliament should not be underestimated. He made these remarks in a recent interview with Dainik Jagran.

PM Narendra Modi said, “The seriousness of the incident that happened in Parliament should not be underestimated at all. The Speaker sir is taking necessary steps with full seriousness. He has implemented all necessary measures. The investigating agencies are investigating the matter strictly. We need to go deep into the matter to understand what are the elements and intentions behind this. Solutions should also be found with one mind. In such cases, everyone should avoid debate or resistance on such topics.”

The Delhi Police has so far arrested six persons for using smoke canisters and raising slogans after intruding into the Lok Sabha hall and Parliament premises on 13th December. Sagar Sharma and D Manoranjan had jumped into the Lok Sabha hall while Neelam Singh and Amol Shinde raised slogans after releasing smoke from canisters in the Parliament premises. All four accused were assisted by conspirators Lalit Jha and Mahesh Kumawat.

The four accused were detained in Parliament itself. The main accused Lalit Jha surrendered before the Delhi Police the next day. The sixth accused, Mahesh Kumawat, was taken into custody on 16th December. All the six accused have been booked under the UAPA. Eight employees of Parliament have also been suspended for security lapses.

Police has since recovered burnt mobile phones of all the accused from Rajasthan, where the key accused Lalit Jha tried to destroy them. Further investigations into the case are underway as police tries to unravel the entire conspiracy.

UK: Islamists protest against Indian-origin MP Virendra Sharma for not standing with Palestine, the MP had earlier invited Rahul Gandhi to British House of Commons

OpIndia Staff
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UK: Islamists protest against Indian-origin MP Virendra Sharma for not standing with Palestine, the MP had earlier invited Rahul Gandhi to British House of Commons

On 16th December (local time), a pro-Palestinian mob chanted slogans against UK MP Virendra Sharma for not voting in favour of the Scottish National Party’s proposed amendment (h) in King’s Speech Motion for an Address calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. The slogan, “Virendra Sharma Shame On You”, was raised outside the Southall Town Hall in England. The slogans were raised against other MPs as well.

There has been a campaign against MP Sharma because he voted against the amendment calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Notably, two amendments were tabled in King’s Speech Motion for an Address. One was proposed by the Labour Party (amendment r in the name of the Leader of the Opposition Keir Starmer), while the other was proposed by SNP (amendment h in the name of Stephen Flynn, a SNP leader).

In the amendment (r), there was a call for adding text to the speech for condemning the Hamas terrorist attack and murder of civilians. It also called for the release of hostages and reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend its citizens from terrorism. Further, it called for a reaffirmation of the UK’s commitment to the rules-based international order, international humanitarian law and the jurisdiction of the ICC to address the conduct of all parties in Gaza and Hamas’s attacks in Israel. In the amendment, the call was basically made to support Israel’s right to defend itself while assisting the civilians living in Gaza. When the amendment went for a vote, Sharma voted in favour. The amendment was, however, defeated with 183 Ayes and 290 Noes.

SNP leaders called the other amendment for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East. When the amendment went for voting, Sharma abstained. The motion was defeated by 293 Noes against 125 Ayes.

In a post on X, Sharma wrote, “I voted in Parliament for an end to the violence in Israel and Palestine and reaffirmed my commitment to ensuring humanitarian aid on scale reaches the people of Gaza. Despite online disinformation, you can see how I voted here, voting for amendment r.” He added the link to the amendment where he had voted in favour.

Virendra Sharma invited Rahul Gandhi to the British Parliament

In March 2023, Sharma organised an event for Rahul Gandhi in the British House of Commons. Gandhi was invited to talk about the Bharat Jodo Yatra. He said he was proud to have invented a broad range of leaders to discuss and share their views. He introduced Gandhi as, “Rahul Gandhi is no different, a political leader with a vision for the future, and as a key leader of Congress and an MP, he is part of the discussion about the future UK-India relationship. The public, the media, politicians, and academics should all be part of this conversation, and so I look forward to them all contributing to this discussion. The debate is not limited to a political future but must embrace the cultural, social and business ties that bind both countries, as the people are the living bridge,” before the discussion.

Sharma praised UP CM Yogi Adiyanath

In October 2023, biographer of UP Chief Minister, and author Shantanu Gupta was invited and awarded with Global Gandhi Awards 2023 in the House of Commons in Britain. The honour was awarded in the British Parliament in the International Conclave hosted by Business man Vijay Goel and social leader Nachiketa Joshi.

Shantanu also gifted his bestseller graphic novel – “Ajay to Yogi Adityanath” to British parliamentarian Virendra Sharma. MP Virendra Sharma wrote a heartwarming message for UP CM saying, “Hon Yogi Adityanath, I would like to congratulate you on achieving great success in UP. Bringing Peace to the State. Best Wishes, Virendra Sharma. Member of Parliament, UK. 21-Sep-2023….”

Israel-Hamas war and anti-Jew protests

On 7th October 2023, Hamas terrorists launched a massive terror attack on Israel, leading to the death of at least 1,300 Israelis and foreign nationals. Following the attack, Israel launched a counter-attack on Hamas to wipe out the terror outfit from the face of the Earth. Initially, Israel hit Hamas locations in Gaza via air strikes. Later, a ground attack by Israeli forces was started to eliminate Hamas terrorists. Hamas is known for using civilians as human shields. When the Palestinians tried to flee the Gaza Strip after IDF urged them to evacuate to save themselves from Israeli air strikes, Hamas reportedly forcefully stopped the civilians. Furthermore, they established underground bunkers across the Gaza Strip, especially under hospitals and schools, as a countermeasure against Israeli forces, as they knew Israel would hesitate in attacking such establishments. The Israel-Hamas war entered its 71st day on 17th December 2023.

Notably, Harvard student associations released a joint statement in support of Palestine whitewashing the crimes committed by Hamas. They faced serious backlash, and Jewish billionaires who were funding these Universities or recruiting their students announced to cut off ties. Several student organisations pulled back from the statement following the backlash.

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