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Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan unveils 108 feet tall statue of Adi Shankaracharya: Read details about the ‘Statue of Oneness’

Gopal Tiwari
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Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan unveils 108 feet tall statue of Adi Shankaracharya: Read details about the ‘Statue of Oneness’

On Thursday, 21st September 2023, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan unveiled the 108 feet tall statue of Adi Guru Shankaracharya at Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh. Nestled along the scenic banks of the Narmada River, Omkareshwar lies roughly 80 kilometres from the vibrant city of Indore. Dominating the landscape, an impressive multi-metal sculpture graces the area, mounted atop a lofty 54-foot pedestal, soaring to a majestic height of 108 feet. This statue is called the Statue of Oneness.

The statue is made of bronze, copper, brass, and stainless steel. It depicts Adi Shankaracharya as a 12-year-old boy, symbolising the early years of his spiritual journey. The statue is seated on a pedestal that is decorated with carvings of Hindu deities and symbols. The statue is located on top of Mandhata Hill, which overlooks the Narmada River. It is surrounded by a complex of temples and other religious structures. The complex also includes a museum dedicated to the life and teachings of Adi Shankaracharya.

The Statue of Adi Shankaracharya is a masterpiece of engineering and design. It was built using the latest construction techniques and materials. The statue is supported by a strong internal structure that can withstand even the most extreme weather conditions. The statue is also equipped with a number of safety features. It has a lightning protection system and an emergency evacuation system. The statue is also under constant surveillance by CCTV cameras.

CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan also laid the foundation stone of Advait Lok and Ekatma Dham in Omkareshwar. The state government has ambitious initiatives underway to transform Omkareshwar into a cultural and spiritual heritage hub. One such endeavour is the creation of ‘Advait Lok’, a museum dedicated to the preservation and exhibition of the profound philosophical traditions of Advaita Vedanta. Advait Lok and Ekatm Dham will also include a library and a meditation centre. Additionally, the government is actively engaged in the development of an expansive ‘Advaita forest’ spanning 36 hectares in the Omkareshwar region, with the primary goal of ensuring the long-term sustainability and conservation of the area’s pristine natural beauty. Behind the towering statue’s establishment lies a monumental effort that continues to unfold.

The inspiration to erect the colossal statue of Adi Shankaracharya dawned upon CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan during his visit to Omkareshwar in January 2017. Subsequently, he engaged in extensive discussions with esteemed philosophers, spiritual leaders, and intellectuals across the nation to materialise his vision. In a meeting, it was collectively decided that mirroring Adi Shankaracharya’s visit to Omkareshwar at the age of 12, the statue should faithfully represent him at that young age.

Unfortunately, no photographic or painted representation of Adi Shankaracharya at the age of 12 could be located anywhere in the country. As a result, a meticulous search through various ancient texts led to the discovery and selection of an image of Adi Shankaracharya at that youthful age. Painter Vasudev Kamat had crafted a painting depicting a young Adi Shankaracharya in 2018. Drawing inspiration from Kamat’s artwork, sculptor Bhagwan Rampure conceptualised and crafted the statue. Soil, metal, and water from 23000 villages of Madhya Pradesh were collected by an Ekatma Yatra. This all is utilised in the making of this statue.

CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan said, “‘Acharya Shankar International Vedanta Institute’ will be built on the holy land of Omkareshwar, where students from all over the country and the world will come to learn ‘Advaita’ and after getting initiated in ‘Advaita’ they will establish peace in the world. Ekatma Dham will show the right direction by giving the message of peace to the whole world so that people will be able to make their lives blessed.”

Omkareshwar is the land of knowledge and guru of Adi Shankaracharya. This is where Adi Shankaracharya met his Guru Govind Bhagwatpada. Adi Shankaracharya studied there for four years. At the age of 12, he reached Omkareshwar for the study and further popularisation of Vedanta in Akhand Bharat. Therefore, a statue of 12-year-old Adi Shankaracharya is installed on Mandhata Mountain of Omkareshwar.

Karnataka: Headmistress breaks hand of 7th-grade student for worshipping Lord Ganesh idol, suspended

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: Headmistress breaks hand of 7th-grade student for worshipping Lord Ganesh idol, suspended

In a shocking incident, a 7th-grade student was severely beaten and abused by the headmistress of Allikalli Village Primary School in KGF (Kolar Gold Fields) Taluk in Karnataka for worshipping Lord Ganesh. Bhavyashree’s left hand was fractured as a result of the severity of the punishment.

The accused, Hemalatha was suspended on 20 September after the girl’s family members lodged a complaint with the block education officer. Hemlatha was also directed to take care of the medical expenses of the student.

The action was taken on the directive of Kolar Deputy Director of Public Instruction, Krishna Murthy. She was ordered to cover the student’s medical expenses. Furthermore, villagers have also spoken up in opposition to the teacher’s behaviour.

According to the police, the perpetrator punished the minor for worshipping a Ganesh statue in school last week. The headmistress assaulted the student with such force that he suffered a fracture on her left hand.

The BEO, Munivenkataramachari, visited the injured student and submitted a report against the government teacher.

In a separate instance, a school teacher and a principal in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district were recently booked by the police for thrashing a Class 10th student for writing “Jai Shri Ram” on the blackboard. The student suffered injuries and was admitted to the hospital for treatment.

The occurrence happened at the Government High School in Kathmandu’s Nagri Parole neighbourhood. The principal joined the educator in beating the youngster with a stick and locked him in a room after becoming enraged at seeing the religious expression chalked on the board.

After receiving a complaint from the victim’s parents, the police opened an investigation into the matter under the Juvenile Justice Act and other sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The authorities informed that they are looking into the situation and would take the necessary action.

Love jihad in Lucknow: Muslim man wears Kalawa, Tilak to pretend to be Hindu, befriends minor Hindu girl and runs away with her after brainwashing

OpIndia Staff
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Love jihad in Lucknow: Muslim man wears Kalawa, Tilak to pretend to be Hindu, befriends minor Hindu girl and runs away with her after brainwashing

A case of love jihad has come to light from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh where a guy reached Mohanlalganj police station and informed that his minor sister had run away with a Muslim individual. She has been missing since 17 September. The police have registered a case on his complaint and started an investigation. They are also looking for the accused who is a resident of Barabanki and had come to the state’s capital to visit a relative.

The two became friends because the houses were close to each other. The family members are concerned because their daughter has not been located in spite of their efforts to find her. The name of the culprit as well as books related to Islam were recovered from her bag.

The complainant charged that the perpetrator befriended his sister by introducing himself as Aman and claiming to be a Hindu. He used to wear Kalawa (sacred Hindu thread) on his wrist and put Tilak (auspicious Hindu mark) on his forehead. Their bond intensified after a few days and a romantic relationship developed between them after which she learned about his real identity. She was shocked but continued her affair with him.

The offender then started turning her against the Hindu religion. He would tell her to remove pictures of Hindu deities from her house and later pressurised her to wear the hijab and offer namaz. He stated that he would only marry her if she followed Islam. He also threatened to kill anyone who got in the way.

The minor was seduced by his words and did wuzu (partial ablution) along with namaz at her place covertly. She would also send a video of the same to persuade him because she was compelled by him. According to the complainant, they were unaware of these developments for the first few days. However, as time went on, they noticed a significant change in her behaviours.

She never left her room unlocked and they were startled to find Islamic books and the hijab when they searched it after which the young girl told them everything. She was completely snared by him and talked about strange things as well as that she had been doing namaz for the last 40 days.

The brother mentioned that he once reprimanded his sibling for offering namaz and she promised not to do it again. He expressed that she has not even travelled from Mohanlalganj to Lucknow and now she has left the city.

She fled with him despite their attempts to explain things to her and make her understand them. She is not picking up her phone or talking to anyone. A case has been filed, per Deputy Commissioner of Police South Zone Vineet Jaiswal and the hunt for the offender is on. The location of the couple was revealed on the basis of electronic evidence. The accused was discovered to be in Kolkatta while the minor was in a different area.

Authorities have assembled a squad to rescue her. The perpetrator spoke with the police and alleged that he refused after the girl forced him to escape with her after she was caught performing namaz. The cops are trying to reach the offender. Meanwhile, her family is in a depressed state and crying over the alarming occurrence.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar had weekly meetings with Canadian Intelligence Agency before his killing, was being regularly briefed: Nijjar’s son

OpIndia Staff
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Hardeep Singh Nijjar had weekly meetings with Canadian Intelligence Agency before his killing, was being regularly briefed: Nijjar’s son

Amid the collapsed diplomatic ties between India and Canada after Canadian PM Justin Trudeau alleged that the Indian govt was behind the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, it has been revealed that Nijjar was in regular touch with Canadian intelligence agencies before his death.

Balraj Singh Nijjar, the son of slain Hardeep Singh Nijjar, has told the Canadian media that his father had weekly meetings with Canadian intelligence officials before his murder. As per a report by Canadian news website National Observer, Balraj Singh Nijjar said his father had been meeting with Canadian Security Intelligence Service officers “once or twice a week.”

Balraj also said that his father had such a meeting just 1 or 2 days before his death on 18th June, and another meeting was scheduled for two days after the murder. The meetings started in February this year, and their frequency increased gradually. Balaraj said that the meetings were regarding threats his father was facing.

The son said that he also attended such a meeting between Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) last year, where they were told about the alleged threats to Nijjar’s life. Balraj Nijjar added that the authorities had advised his father to stay at home due to the threats.

Balraj Singh Nijjar added that the threats were due to his father’s active support to the Khalistan movement. He said that his father had received hundreds of threatening messages telling him to stop his advocacy for Sikh independence. “If you don’t stop talking about Khalistan, we’ll kill you. We know where you live. We know you go to this gurdwara,” said one such messages, as per Balraj.

He said that they always informed the police about the police, felt protected in Canada, and didn’t want to hide due to the threats. “We weren’t worried about safety because we weren’t doing anything wrong. We were just using freedom of speech,” he said.

In the memorial service of his father at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, Balraj said that he feels a sense of relief after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government Monday of being involved in the fatal shooting. He said that his family and close friends always suspected the Indian government was behind his father’s killing.

He also informed that after his father’s death, Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) have been in regular contact with him regarding the investigation into the case.

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of the banned group Sikhs for Justice confirmed the same, adding that Nijjar had asked Canadian authorities whether he should wear a bulletproof vest in the weeks before he was killed. Nijjar’s lawyer had asked about the vest in April or May, but the agencies had said that they could not provide him a bulletproof vest.

Pannun also informed that Canadian authorities had advised Nijjar to not go to the Gurudwara at his usual time, and should avoid public places. He added that Nijjar chose to continue with his usual routine, because the ‘Khalistan movement in Canada is peaceful’.

The media officer for the RCMP in British Columbia said that a request to confirm the warnings and advice given to Nijjar had been forwarded to its national headquarters.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed in his truck in the parking lot Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey on June 18 evening by unidentified gunmen.

NIA starts attaching properties of Khalistani terrorists

In the meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has begun attaching the properties of fugitive Khalistani terrorists. A list has been redrawn to complete the attachment process under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The agency has prepared a list of terrorists and their properties to be attached under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. 

The agency may also send a team to Canada to complete a probe against Khalistani elements.

NSUI uses old photo of ex-SFI leader Prashant Mukherjee to accuse ABVP of violence in DUSU polls, exposed

OpIndia Staff
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NSUI uses old photo of ex-SFI leader Prashant Mukherjee to accuse ABVP of violence in DUSU polls, exposed

Amid the Delhi University Student’s Union (DUSU) Polls, the Congress student’s wing, National Student’s Union of India (NSUI), falsely claimed that the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members were engaging in ‘violence’ at the university campus. They claimed that the ABVP members ‘attacked’ the vehicle of the NSUI presidential candidate, Hitesh Gulia.

ABVP denied the allegations and affirmed that it was NSUI members who were roaming around campus with sticks and creating a ruckus within the varsity. A day after the incident, the NSUI posted a tweet with a caption that read, “ABVP in pursuit of Violence!” The post made false claims as it posed a six-year-old picture of the then Students’ Federation of India (SFI) leader Prashanta Mukherjee engaging in violence. NSUI indicated that the person seen in the photo (Mukherjee) belonged to the ABVP and that the image was from recent election campaigns.

Screenshot from Twitter (X)

The false claims of the NSUI were exposed by Diksha Verma who is the National Spokesperson of the BJP Youth Wing. She said that the photo shared by the NSUI was that of the then SFI leader Prashant Mukharjee and that it was from the year 2017.

“Following its parent organization Congress’s footsteps; here’s NSUI shamelessly lying! This is a picture from 2017, a protest that I was a part of too, and where the leftists from JNU/DU molested and assaulted us. This man in the picture was the then President of SFI, Prashant Mukherjee!” she wrote on Twitter (X).

The lie by NSUI was also exposed as one of the government official’s old tweets, Kanchan Gupta’s tweet from the year 2017 revealed that the person seen in the image shared by NSUI is Mukharjee and that it was captured in the year 2017 when he was brutally assaulting a student and an ABVP activist.

The NSUI has stated that the ABVP attempted to vandalize the vehicle of its DUSU presidential candidate, Hitesh Gulia, while the ABVP has stated that it is the Congress-backed organization that is wandering around campus with sticks.

A video purportedly showing a group of people vandalizing a car with Gulia’s name on it surfaced on social media. These charges have been refuted by the ABVP. Ashutosh Singh, National Media Convenor, ABVP said, “We have videos which show that NSUI’s candidate members are going around the campus with sticks and guns.”

Notably, Police have registered a case of breach of peace in connection with the attack on the car.

The campaign for the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections concluded on Thursday morning, September 21 ahead of the elections on Friday. The voting process will begin on September 22. 

Delhi: AAP MLA Jai Bhagwan Upkar abuses and assaults MCD employees, FIR registered

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi: AAP MLA Jai Bhagwan Upkar abuses and assaults MCD employees, FIR registered

On Wednesday, September 20, Jai Bhagwan Upkar, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA allegedly abused and assaulted Delhi Municipal Corporation (MCD) employees in northwest Delhi’s Shahbad Dairy area. The video of the incident surfaced online with netizens criticising the AAP MLA from Bawana over his alleged misconduct. An FIR has been registered against MLA Jai Bhagwan Upkar after MCD’s Assistant Sanitary Inspector Mukesh Kumar accused the AAP MLA of assaulting the on-duty MCD staffers as well as obstructing government work.

Notably, Mukesh Kumar is the assistant sanitary inspector of ward number 28, Narela Zone, and he oversees the ward’s sanitation personnel.

A case has been registered against MLA Jai Bhagwan Upkar at Shahbad Dairy police station under sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), and 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt).

According to the FIR, the AAP MLA manhandled MCD staffers on Wednesday at around 10 a.m. when Mukesh Kumar and Sanitary Inspector Nanhe Ram were supervising cleaning work done by the workers in the Shahbad Dairy area in front of the JE store.

The AAP MLA arrived with several of his workers and complained loudly to Kumar that they do not clean his area and are paid despite doing no work. Kumar answered by explaining that they clean the area on a regular basis and pointed out that the MLA was causing obstruction in government work. Moreover, the MCD official assured the MLA that if the cleanliness in his area was not up to level, they would clean it again at which point MLA Upkar started hurling abuses. The Aam Aadmi Party leader then dragged Kumar by the collar towards the main market, grabbed him by the neck, and began hitting him. When Nanhe Ram stepped in, the MLA began misbehaving with him, the FIR states.

Speaking to Times Now Mukesh Kumar narrated a sequence of events that transpired on Wednesday when the AAP MLA assaulted MCD staffers. Kumar added that this is not the first time that the MLA has misbehaved with the staffers/ Moreover, he alleged that MLA Jai Bhagwan Upkar demands around Rs 50,000 as monthly cut-money from the MCD staffers. Kumar, however, added that despite his repeated demands, he has never given the cut money sought by the MLA.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla slammed the Aam Aadmi Party government and the MLA in question calling AAP as “Anarchist Apradhi Party”. Poonawalla also questioned if Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal would sack Jai Bhagwan Upkar.

“AAP = Anarchist Apradhi Party. AAP has a history of violence against journalists, and bureaucrats, inciting violence & riots & now it has been caught on camera too! AAP KA “GUNDAGARDI MODEL” AAP MLA Jai Bhagwan Upkar beats up and drags an MCD staffer by the collar in Delhi’s Shahbad Dairy area. The victim has accused AAP MLA of seeking 50 thousand per month as cut money. Will Kejriwal sack him?” Poonawalla posted on X.

Love jihad in Lucknow: Shoaib befriends a Dalit girl by posing as Saurabh, rapes her and records video, forces her to convert to Islam

OpIndia Staff
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Love jihad in Lucknow: Shoaib befriends a Dalit girl by posing as Saurabh, rapes her and records video, forces her to convert to Islam

A sensational case of love jihad has surfaced in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, where a man named Shoaib pretended to be Saurabh, befriended a Dalit girl and lured her into a relationship after which he repeatedly raped and blackmailed her. He visited her residence under the pretext of meeting her, spiked her cold drink with drugs and sexually assaulted her.

He took pictures and recorded video of the heinous crime and used them to intimidate and sexually violate her multiple times. He also forced her for marriage and religious conversion to Islam. She came to know about the accused’s real identity after listening to a call on his mobile. Afterwards, he thrashed her and threatened to make her explicit footage viral on social media when she confronted him.

The family members of the female have registered a complaint with the Mahanagar police station after learning about the incident. Police have lodged a First Information Report and a probe is underway.

The 23-year-old conveyed that six years prior she had become friends with a young man by the name of Saurabh and they started talking on the phone. He came to her house with a cold beverage in 2019 when she was alone. She consumed it and lost consciousness after which he raped her and made a video of the horrific instance. He placated her using the excuse of marriage after she regained consciousness and protested. The perpetrator frequently raped her after that.

The victim disclosed that he came home a few days ago and had gone to the washroom when his phone rang. When she picked it up, the caller asked if Shoaib was there and she replied that it was Saurabh’s number after which the latter unveiled the offender’s actual name to her. He was outraged to see his mobile in her hand after he came out of the bathroom.

She questioned him about what heard and the enraged man physically assaulted her and ran from there. He then called her and told that he was in possession of her video and that if she revealed his truth to anyone, he would release it on social media. She did not share the occurrence, but the culprit began pressuring her to embrace Islam as well as threatened to harm her family if she did not obey him which scared her and a report was eventually submitted to the cops. The girl mentioned that during his visits to her home, the accused had taken her signatures on black paper on several occasions.

According to Inspector Prashant Mishra, a case has been filed under the UP Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and sections of misbehaviour and threatening in response to the complaint. The offender lives in the city at his aunt’s (mother’s sister) place and raids are being carried out to nab him.

’Reservations were brought in 1996, current batch of Secretaries are from before 1992′: JP Nadda demolishes Rahul Gandhi’s tropes on OBC representation

OpIndia Staff
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’Reservations were brought in 1996, current batch of Secretaries are from before 1992′: JP Nadda demolishes Rahul Gandhi’s tropes on OBC representation

On 21st September, Bhartiya Janata Party president Jagat Prakash Nadda (JP Nadda) schooled Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on his comment about the low number of OBCs (Other Backward Class) in secretaries. Responding to his comments in Lok Sabha on 20th September, Nadda said, “How many secretaries were OBCs from 2004 to 2014? A leader will have to be a leader, tutor will not work out.”

Questioning Gandhi’s knowledge of parliamentary and government matters, Nadda said, “I say it repeatedly. The leader has to become a leader. Tutoring cannot work all the time. These tutored statements do not work. It could have worked if the tutor was a leader. But they [Congress] bring an NGO to tutor. These NGOs have zero knowledge and give you statements. What you do? You say those things [in the parliament] ‘I was shocked and shattered’. It was obvious you were shocked. You did not read the details.”

Nadda reminded Gandhi that it was in 1992 when the Supreme Court passed an order to give reservations to OBCs in All India Services, and the first SC/ST and OBCs category batch joined the Services in 1995-96. Considering the dates and the current cut-off year for the empanelment of secretaries, that is, 1992, the secretaries present are the people before the 1992 batch. He said, “In 1992, the Supreme Court said that you should give reservation to OBCs in All India Services. In 1995-96, the SC/ST and OBCs category joined the Services. Today, the cut-off year for the empanelment of secretaries is 1992. The secretaries present are the people before the 1992 batch. How many secretaries were at OBC from 2004 to 2014? A leader will have to be a leader; tutor will not work out.”

On 20th September, Gandhi said, “I was shocked to find out that out of 90 secretaries in the government of India, only three are OBCs. These secretaries only control 5 per cent of the budget. If the country’s budget is 44 lakh crore, then 2.4 lakh crore controls it.”

Furthermore, Nadda pointed out that the BJP gave the country its first OBC Prime Minister. He said, “BJP and NDA gave the first OBC Prime Minister for India, and that is Narendra Modi. They talk about OBC. Out of 303 BJP MPs, 85 are OBC, which makes 29 per cent. Out of 1358 MLAs, 27 per cent are OBCs. Out of 163 MLCs, 40 per cent are OBCs. We have more OBC MPs than the total number of Congress MPs in the Lok Sabha.”

Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier schooled Rahul Gandhi on the same statement. HM Shah said, “One of my colleagues (Rahul Gandhi) was saying that the number of those who run the country is three who belong to the OBC category. Now who will make him (Rahul Gandhi) understand that the government runs the country, not the secretaries.” He added, “You (Rahul Gandhi) are not here to listen, but I want to tell you that 29 per cent of MPs in our party belong to the OBC community. If you want to do a comparison, just come to us.” He further added that there are 29 ministers who belong to the community. Out of 1358 MLAs, 365 MLAs in the BJP belong to the OBC community.

Gandhi, who tried to target the ruling party, claiming they did not take care of the OBCs, was brutally refuted by the ministers and senior BJP leaders as he had failed to get his facts and numbers right in the first place.

‘Canada has growing reputation as a safe haven for terrorists, extremists, and organised crime’: MEA spokesperson

OpIndia Staff
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‘Canada has growing reputation as a safe haven for terrorists, extremists, and organised crime’: MEA spokesperson

On Thursday, 21st September 2023, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Arindam Bagchi held a press conference for weekly briefings. Expectedly, the majority of the questions were regarding the rapidly deteriorating relations with Canada after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that the Indian govt was behind the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Bagchi said that Canada has a growing reputation as a safe haven for terrorists, extremists, and organised crime.

Significantly, the MEA spokesperson said that the number of staff in Canadian missions in India will be reduced to match the same with India’s presence in Canada. On the issue of the strength of the diplomatic presence of Canada in India, Arindam Bagchi said, “We’ve informed the Govt of Canada that there should be parity in strength in our mutual diplomatic presence. Their number is very much higher than ours in Canada. I assume there will be a reduction from the Canadian side.”

When asked about the allegations by Canada and India’s response, he further said, “I do think there is a degree of prejudice here. They have made allegations and taken action against them. To us, it seems that these allegations by the government of Canada are primarily politically driven. We have been engaged with our partners on various issues including this one. We have conveyed our positions to them and those are part of ongoing conversations.”

Arindam Bagchi also confirmed that India has stopped issuing visas in Canada, saying that the Indian offices in Canada are facing security threats and therefore are unable to work properly. He said, “You are aware of the security threats being faced by our High Commission and Consulates in Canada. This has disrupted their normal functioning. Accordingly, our High Commission and Consulates are temporarily unable to process visa applications. We will be reviewing the situation on a regular basis.”

However, Bagchi clarified that Canadians who already have valid Indian visa, and OCI cardholders can travel to India without any restrictions, and only issue of new visas has been stopped temporarily. He said, “The issue is not about travel to India. Those who have valid visas, OCIs are free to travel to India. The issue is the incitement of violence, inaction by Canadian authorities and the creation of an environment that disrupts the functioning of our consulates which is what is making us stop temporarily the issuance of visa services. We will review this situation on a regular basis.”

Arindam Bagchi also said that the Canadian government is not providing any specific information about the allegations levelled against India over the murder of Khalistani extremist Hardeep Singh Nijja in Canada. On the other hand, he clarified that the government of India has provided very specific information about the criminal activities and evidence has been shared on a regular basis.

He said, “We are willing to look at any specific information that is provided to us, but so far we have received no specific information from Canada. From our side, specific evidence about criminal activities by individuals based on Canadian soil has been shared with Canada but not acted upon.”

On increasing security at the Indian Consulate in Canada, MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “We have always believed that it is the host government’s responsibility to provide security. In some places, we have our own security posture also. But, I don’t want to discuss security measures in public. That’s not an appropriate situation.”

Taking a strong stance on Canada for its inaction against the criminals even after sharing the information, and making an important remark on the current diplomatic issue, Arindam Bagchi said, “If you’re talking about reputational issues and reputational damage, if there’s any country that needs to look at this, I think it is Canada and its growing reputation as a place, as a safe haven for terrorists, for extremists, and for organized crime. And I think that’s a country that needs to worry about its international reputation.”

He added, “Safe haven is being provided in Canada, we want the Canadian govt to not do so and take action against those who have terrorism charges or send them here to face justice. We’ve sought either extradition request or assistance related to that, at least more than 20-25 individuals we’ve requested over the years but the response has not been helpful at all.”

He also clarified that before mentioning the allegations in the Canadian parliament, Justin Trudeau raised this concern with PM Modi but he denied all the allegations. He said, “Yes these allegations were raised by Canadian PM Justin Trudeau with PM Modi and the PM rejected them.”

On the question of reports of threats to Canadian diplomats in India, he said, “We take our obligations very seriously. We will be certainly providing all security to foreign diplomats in India. We also expect Canadian authorities to show similar sensitivity to our diplomats in Canada.”

On Indian students in Canada, MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “We’ve issued an advisory to take precautions. Our Consulate is working there. We have said that if they face any problem, they can contact our Consulate.”

On a question regarding the child Ariha stranded in Germany, Arindam Bagchi said, “German authorities have granted counsellor access to the child. We remain in constant engagement with the German authorities on this matter.”

In serious damage to its diplomatic relations with India, the Canadian government on 19 September expelled a top Indian diplomat. This was owing to the Canadian government’s inquiry into the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar whom Justin Trudeau deems a “Canadian citizen”. Trudeau’s government, without any evidence whatsoever, suspects the role of the “agents of the Indian government” in Nijjar’s murder. Indian govt also expelled a Canadian diplomat as a retaliatory step.

Amid the ongoing issues between the India-Canada diplomatic situation, the High Commission of Canada in India has issued an official statement saying that the country has decided to temporarily adjust its staff presence in India. Playing victim after creating a massive diplomatic storm over baseless allegations, Canada has also sought security for its diplomats and consular officers in India.

Jammu and Kashmir: DSP Sheikh Adil Mushtaq arrested on charges of corruption, fraud and extortion

OpIndia Staff
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Jammu and Kashmir: DSP Sheikh Adil Mushtaq arrested on charges of corruption, fraud and extortion

On Thursday, 21st September 2023, the Srinagar police arrested a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) from the Jammu and Kashmir Police force. The officer, DSP Sheikh Adil Mushtaq, was arrested on multiple charges, including corruption, extortion and fraud. Preceding this arrest, a specialised team from the Srinagar Police had executed a search operation at DSP Sheikh Adil Mushtaq’s residence, located in the vicinity of the BSNL Exchange in Sanathnagar, Srinagar, on the preceding Tuesday.

According to sources, some documents and a laptop besides other electronic devices were seized during the search operations. DSP Sheikh Adil was questioned in this case. On Thursday, the officer was formally arrested by Srinagar police. DSP Sheikh Adil was arrested under sections 167, 193, 201, 210, 218, 221 and 7, 7A of the Indian Penal Code under FIR No. 149 of 2023 at police station Naugam. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to further probe the case, police said.

It has been reported that DSP Sheikh Adil had established significant connections with certain segments of the Delhi media. Additionally, he had maintained long-standing associations with reputed officers within the Jammu and Kashmir Police Department. Sheikh Adil Mushtaq was in Srinagar two days ago. He jumped out of the house to evade arrest. But he was nabbed by the police. In the past, several officers of the Kashmir Police have come under scrutiny on various important issues related to security and terrorism.

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