Canadian Prime Minister Justine Trudeau is constantly in the news for the wrong reasons these days. Whether it is about picking up a fight with India to support Khalistanis or honouring a Nazi soldier in the parliament, Trudeau has made headlines for all the wrong reasons. Now, the Canadian PM is back in news and this time, for sticking his tongue out in House of Commons and winking.
CRINGE: Trudeau sticks his tongue out and winks at newly elected Speaker of the House of Commons. pic.twitter.com/pI6JlpTorS
The Liberal Party leader got too liberal as he took the liberty of making asinine gestures at the Speaker inside the House of Commons. Trudeau has since come under heavy criticism from Canadians and social media users across platforms after his video went viral on the internet.
Justin Trudeau can be seen sticking his tongue out and winking at the Speaker when the latter introduced the Prime Minister as “honourable Prime Minister”. Trudeau corrected the Speaker and said, “very honourable” and then winked. Trudeau also stuck his tongue out.
An X user said that Trudeau’s actions were questionable. “And Trudeau’s teeth look ground down. He really should give up the Coke. The tongue bit with the speaker of the house is kind of questionable too,” said the user @spiritualcat.
And Trudeau's teeth look ground down. He really should give up the Coke. The tongue bit with the speaker of the house is kind of questionable too.
— Catherine MacDonald-Robertson (@spiritualcat) October 5, 2023
Another X user shared a meme calling Trudeau’s actions “pure cringe” and another meme likening his behaviour to that at pride events.
Another internet user, George M Nicholas, wrote, “The tongue move is odd for man or woman regardless of position, on or off camera, in or out of Parliament, but even more so for a Prime Minister. What he does in private should stay there.”
This is not the first time that Trudeau has indulged in such questionable theatrics in the Parliament. In 2016, then Conservative MP for Banff-Airdrie said he had seen Trudeau sticking out his tongue.
“I rise reluctantly following question period today,” Blake Richards explained, “because I think all Canadians would expect our prime minister to always conduct himself with the highest level of dignity and I think to demonstrate the utmost respect for an institution such as the House of Commons. And that should happen whether the prime minister is on camera or off camera, Mr. Speaker.”
Richards said that he had witnessed the Prime Minister behave in a manner that was far below the dignity of his office that he holds on a number of occasions in the Parliament.
Moreover, in 2019, pictures of Trudeau wearing blackface makeup to a party at a private school where he was teaching in 2001 went viral.
Justin Trudeau was called out for being a racist when images of his from a past event went viral showing him wear brownface make-up at an “Arabian Nights”-themed event. (Source: TIME)
The images were taken at an “Arabian Nights”-themed event where Trudeau donned a turban and robes with his face, neck, and hands completely blackened. It was then revealed that Trudeau had a number of times donned blackface make-up at various events in the past.
Manindra Mani Tripathi, priest of a 100-year-old Ram Janaki temple of the Anapur royal family of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh was brutally murdered and his lifeless body was tossed in a field which is around 20 feet west of the holy place. The incident came to light on 2nd October. A cloth was shoved into his mouth and the attackers had bound his hands and ankles with a towel. He took care of the temple diligently for close to 25 years despite being disabled in both legs.
कितना दर्दनाक. ये दृश्य आपको अंदर तक झकझोर देगा. पुजारी मणिंद्र मणि त्रिपाठी की निर्मम हत्या कर दी गई. उनके दोनों हाथ-पैर बांधकर उनकी हत्या कर दी गई. पुजारी जी राम जानकी मंदिर में पुजारी थे. दिव्यांग थे. वो दोनों पैर से चल नहीं सकते थे. कातिल ने अंगौछे से हाथ-पैर बांधे, फिर गला… pic.twitter.com/jTFs1KUnAz
The temple is located within the Indrawas Kumari Memorial (IKM) PG College campus in Anapur under the jurisdiction of Nawabganj police station. The authorities were notified of this horrifying event in the morning which prompted a swift response from them. They arrived to discover the sacred idols scattered throughout the field and the lock on the temple smashed by force.
According to reports, robbery and a property dispute are intertwined in the murder mystery of the 48-year-old victim. The horrific instance and theft of idols from a temple are both being looked at by the police as possible outcomes of a dispute over 20 bighas of land in Bihar. Deputy Police Commissioner (DPC) Ganganagar Abhishek Bharti stayed in the area till late at night to probe the matter. CCTV footage from the vicinity is being scrutinised. The deceased’s phone number has been put on surveillance.
The postmortem report of the priest was delivered late on the night of 2nd October. Princess Anapur State informed that the autopsy result confirmed what circumstantial evidence suggested about the cause of death which was suffocation. He would have strangled and succumbed to death due to his hands, legs and mouth being tied. He passed away at about 2 a.m. on the fateful day. A panel of two doctors conducted the examination amid videography.
Inspector Anoop Singh of Nawabganj noted that in 2021 the body of the sister-in-law of the priest also turned up in a similar manner with her hands and feet bound. Her family members had submitted a case of dowry death and his brother is behind bars. The priest also obtained 20 bighas of land which is presently disputed on his maternal grandfather’s property.
The princess voiced that the priest was a simple gentleman who was loved by everyone. “He came here when he was only 20 years old. Our royal family had put him on salary as a priest of the Ram Janaki temple because he was differently abled and a Pandit. The IKM College management also made arrangements for his meals and accommodation.”
“Who murdered him and why,” she asked and mentioned, “All of us are unable to comprehend this. He held no animosity against anyone here and there was no disagreement regarding the ownership of the land because the temple is owned by IKM College Society. He was like a tree for us.”
The DCP who rushed to the spot on the evening of 2nd October revealed that the motive behind the crime is unclear. “Police are examining the nearby CCTV footage. The occurrence transpired between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. on Sunday night. The entire CCTV archive from that time is being reviewed. The priest’s mobile was not functional for a week. A cell phone with a keypad and no SIM card was recovered from him. He was using someone else’s device. Both of the numbers have been placed under observation. The instance is going to be disclosed soon.”
Inspector Anoop Singh proclaimed that information about his lifeless body was received at 7 a.m. “The news was followed by immediate inquiry. The manner in which the crime was committed has not been unveiled yet. All samples and proof have currently been gathered from the premises. The issue is being probed by a police team. The school administration and villagers residing in the neighbourhood have also been questioned in connection with the case.”
Shivangi Sharan Singh remarked, “We have two temples. One temple is of Satti Chaura and the other is Ram Janaki temple. On 21st August of this year, there was a burglary attempt at the former place. The thieves had run away after hearing the sounds of the workers in the mansion. Three individuals had come to steal the precious Kaskut idols of Ram Janaki which are highly valuable along with that of Lord Laxman.”
She added, “They succeeded in removing them, however, could not leave with the statues which have now been taken out of their original place and require another consecration. A Bhandara (Hindu religious community feast) would take place and only after that worship is going to commence at the temple.” The perpetrators were reportedly able to take an eight-metal murti and a one-foot idol of Laddu Gopal (Baby Krishna).
Furthermore, they looted every piece of gold and silver from the temple. Notably, a robbery of the idol of lord Krishna on the same level took place in 2014 at a temple inside the Gaurishankar Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya in Shringverpur, however, no leads were found then.
The royal family is extremely hurt as a result of the gruesome instance. Their reputation and trust have been damaged. The princess has requested DCP Ganganagar to expose the entire conspiracy as soon as possible.
Durga Prasad Dhuria who runs a grocery store right in front of the temple in Anapur market conveyed that the priest had nothing to do with anyone and was preoccupied with God and himself. He never had any conflict with anybody and people treated him with love and respect. Bhupendra Nath Paday, lecturer of Zoology at IKM Degree College of Anapur State commented that the priest used to wake up at 4.30 in the morning and prayed till 7 a.m. He had no concern with anyone. His behaviour was good and had no enmity towards anyone. He neither passed any statements nor criticised anyone.”
On 14th August 2023, a similar incident came to light from Rajasthan’s Nagaur district where the corpse of a Hindu priest named Maharaj Mohandas was discovered. The 72-year-old was found lying on the floor of his ashram with his wrists and legs bound and his mouth muffled which prompted questions about possible foul play. He had spent the previous 14 years working there.
The 93-year-old priest Mahant Siyaram Das of Bhuriya Mahadev Baba Dham temple in Diggi village in Rajasthan’s Tonk was tragically killed on the 29th of the same month. His body was found the next morning when devotees arrived to offer their prayers in the temple. Mahant Gorakhnath Das suffered a similar fate in April of last year when robbers in Bihar’s Saran district stole thirteen idols of Hindu deities as well as the ornaments that adorned them.
Amid the ongoing diplomatic standoff between India and Canada over Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s baseless claims against India for killing Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Nijjar in British Columbia, reports emerged confirming that a man has been arrested for the vandalism of the Laxmi Narayan and Bhameshwari temples in Surrey, Canada. This is reportedly the first arrest the Canadian police have made since the temple desecration incident occurred in August this year.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Surrey, confirmed to Hindustan Times that a suspect was apprehended in connection with the August 12 and 14 incidents. The media house quoted the official as saying that the individual has been charged with two counts of mischief and will be asked to appear in court at a later date.
Though the temple targeted on August 14 could not be identified, on August 12, Khalistani terrorists in Canada attacked the Laxmi Narayan Mandir in Surrey, near the Canada-United States border.
The Khalistani terrorists had placed posters at the entrance of the temple, aiming to sow fear within the Hindu community. The poster advocated for a referendum pertaining to “the assassination of Hardeep Nijjar” and investigating India’s role in the terrorist’s assassination.
The news outlet “Australia Today” shared a video capturing the disturbing act of vandalism at the temple, which was carried out by Khalistani terrorists. In the video, two masked individuals can be observed affixing posters to the temple’s entrance.
The displayed poster announces the intention of Khalistanis to conduct a referendum about examining India’s involvement in what they called the “assassination of Hardeep Nijjar”. Featuring an image of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the poster commemorated him as a “martyr”.
Diplomatic standoff between India and Canada
Recently, Canada levelled baseless allegations against India for killing Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. This triggered a stern reaction from New Delhi, leading to a diplomatic standoff between the two countries. India staunchly denied the allegations, while Canada is yet to provide evidence to back its claims that Indian diplomats were hand-in-glove with the militants who assassinated Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Khalistani extremist designated as a terrorist by India.
Trudeau’s remark, however, underscores India’s position that, as a result of its appeasement policy, Canada has always rolled out the red carpet for Khalistani terrorists, resulting in them using Canadian soil for anti-India activities on numerous occasions.
Recently, we compiled a list of eight incidents this year in which Khalistani terrorists incited violence and carried out anti-India activities on Canadian soil, with the tactical assistance of Canadian authorities.
A terrible instance of kidnapping and forced religious conversion has emerged from West Bengal’s Paschim Medinipur area. A 15-year-old Hindu girl was abducted and forced to convert her religion to Islam. The accused has been identified as one Asibur Rahman and is said to have close relations with a prominent figure within the ruling TMC (Trinamool Congress) part.
The young Hindu girl lived in Maligram village, which is under the jurisdiction of Pingla Police Station in the Paschim Medinipur region. She went missing on June 18 in Namchi, Sikkim.
According to an exclusive report published by the Organizer, the incident came to the fore after the family members of the girl filed a missing person’s complaint at the Pingala Police Station in Paschim Medinipur district. The police unfortunately failed to take action in the case as the accused is said to have connections with some persons from the TMC.
The father of the girl then approached the Calcutta High Court. The distraught father, in a bid to get his daughter back, filed a petition in the High Court. The High Court then ordered the Police to provide necessary security for the girl’s family.
Documents collected by Organzer, obtained by OpIndia
“The abductor, Asibur Rahman, is closely related to a high-ranking leader within the ruling TMC party. Asibur had threatened to take my daughter. In an effort to ensure her safety, I sent her to Sikkim, where her uncle is employed. However, it was from there that Asibur Rahman abducted my daughter. Despite filing a complaint, Pingla Police have taken no action to locate her. I fear she may have been subjected to forced conversion. All I want is my daughter back,” the father of the girl said in the complaint.
During the petition hearing, Division Bench Justices Tapobrata Chakraborty and Parthasarathi Chattopadhyay expressed their displeasure with the Police’s handling of the issue. The Division Bench has ordered the police to track down and bring back the underage girl within one week, and to transfer her to the Child Welfare Committee.
Tanmay Basu, the girl’s lawyer, alleges that “the Police appear to be protecting the abductor, Asibur Rahman, due to his close association with a powerful TMC leader who serves as the Anchal Sabhapati of Pingla.”
The next hearing has been scheduled for 6 October this year.
On Wednesday, 4th October, the Uttar Pradesh police arrested 4 cattle smugglers after a short encounter in the Tanda and Swar region of the Rampur district. The accused were arrested after being caught taking a bull for slaughter. The four accused got injured during an encounter and were taken to the hospital for treatment. Two police personnel have also been reported injured. They are also being treated at a hospital.
According to the reports, the police initiated the action in the case after they received a tip regarding the presence of cow smugglers in the Swar region of the city. The police reached the spot to see that the accused had tied a bull to a rope and were taking it somewhere illegally. The accused saw the police and initiated firing at them.
UP Police arrested notorious cow smugglers Faheem, Saleem & Mohammad farman from Rampur.
They were smuggling cows when intercepted. Police also found a cow's head from their vehicle.
During the incident they attacked police. UP police responded by counter firing & injured them pic.twitter.com/jvZhgzqNnn
The police also began firing in retaliation and injured the accused. One of the police officers who reportedly sustained injuries during the encounter has been identified as Rakesh Kumar. All the accused are residents of Rampur.
The accused persons have been booked by the police under the relevant sections of the law and are being treated at the hospital.
Image- Dainik Bhasker
The police confirmed the development and stated that the accused are cow smugglers and have slaughtered, and sold the beef illegally several times in the past. “It’s just this last week that these people are said to have slaughtered a bull,” the police said.
Cattle are a source of livelihood for millions in rural India and are loved as their family members. Cows, especially, are also considered holy by Hindus.
Cattle smuggling is a criminal menace where smugglers, often working in tandem with butchers, steal cows, sometimes even stray cows, for slaughter.
Further investigations into the given case are underway.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Member of Parliament Sanjay Singh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on 4 September 2023 in connection with the Delhi liquor policy scam following 10-hour-long raids at his residence in Delhi. The arrest has sent shockwaves through the political landscape, with allegations of corruption and counter-allegations dominating headlines. It has now emerged from sources that ED has concrete evidence against AAP MP Sanjay Singh.
According to sources privy to the investigation, the ED claims to have concrete evidence that Sanjay Singh received substantial sums of money from an accused-turned-approver, Dinesh Arora, in the case. The ED has reportedly established a clear money trail between the two individuals. It is alleged that Singh played a significant role in formulating the now-defunct liquor policy and received kickbacks for his involvement.
Furthermore, sources indicate that the ED possesses additional statements beyond those of the approver, Dinesh Arora. This development prompted the ED to write to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to broaden the scope of the investigation.
Sanjay Singh’s arrest has added fuel to an already heated political feud between the AAP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal condemned the arrest as “completely illegal” and suggested that it was driven by the BJP’s apprehension about the upcoming 2024 general parliamentary elections.
Sanjay Singh’s arrest is the second high-profile apprehension in the Delhi liquor policy case, following that of former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. Singh’s arrest comes shortly after Raghav Magunta, son of YSR Congress Party Lok Sabha MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, and businessman Dinesh Arora were allowed to turn approver in the money laundering case related to the alleged liquor policy scam.
In a video message recorded before his arrest, Singh vehemently denied the allegations against him and accused the ED of arresting him “without any evidence.” He pledged to continue his fight against corruption and asserted that he would not be intimidated.
Amidst the political turmoil, the BJP released posters highlighting the liquor scam allegations against AAP leaders. The opposition alliance also intensified its criticism of the central government in response to Singh’s arrest.
Arvind Kejriwal, who visited Sanjay Singh’s family after the arrest, called the ED’s actions a “last desperate attempt” by the ruling party and suggested that it reflected their fear of defeat in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Sanjay Singh is scheduled to appear in court today, where the ED will seek his custody for further questioning. The case continues to unravel, and with political tensions running high, it remains to be seen how this situation will impact the political landscape in Delhi.
Mohammad Zubair, the co-founder of propaganda website Alt News is nominated for an award, not the Nobel Peace Prize, but the Index on Censorship’s Freedom of Expression Awards 2023. The propagandist is nominated in the category of journalism alongside two others. The website of Index on Censorship (IoC) states that this award is given to “the people carrying out courageous, high-impact and determined journalism that exposes censorship and threats to free expression.”
Notably, Index on Censorship is a nonprofit that claims to defend “people’s freedom to express themselves without fear of harm or persecution.”
In a three-paragraph description of Mohammad Zubair, IoC mentioned that Zubair and others founded Alt News to “bust fake news to address flaws in the Indian media ecosystem” including “overt political pressure” and “opaque methods” employed by the government to fund certain media outlets. Furthermore, the Index of Censorship noted that since Zubair and Alt News have been amplifying ‘dissenting’ voices and creating barriers to prevent the spread of mis/disinformation, the outlet has “faced considerable social, litigious and political pressure to halt their work.”
IoC’s description of Zubair’s work calls the dog-whistling against Nupur Sharma by the usage of a cropped video as “exposing”
In the description, the IoC has blatantly whitewashed the act of sharing a cropped video without context as ‘exposing’. It is notable here that in the TV debate, Nupur Sharma was responding to derogatory and extremely Hinduphobic remarks given by an Islamist with details about Prophet Mohammad’s life as mentioned in Islamic scriptures. However, Zubair had intentionally cropped the part where Hinduphobic comments were made, and shared Sharma’s video without context, branding her statement as ‘Islamophobia’. The subsequent allegations of ‘blasphemy’, and the outrage it generated among radical Islamists caused multiple murders and several acts of violence and vandalism in India by Islamist elements.
In the description, the IoC has blatantly whitewashed the act of sharing a cropped video without context as ‘exposing’. It has hailed the act of branding some factual statements found in Islamic scriptures as ‘blasphemy’ and equated it with some kind of journalistic bravery, completely ignoring the fact that Islamists committed murder over it, and Nupur Sharma faces a threat of life due to Zubair’s actions.
AltNews and Zubair, the habitual fake news peddlers
Interestingly, while the IoC claims that Mohammad Zubair and his propaganda outlet are preventing the spread of mis/disinformation, the so-called fact-checking website often spreads fake news, obfuscates the truth, and invents details to shield Islamists and those opposed to the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party. In fact, Alt News’s Zubair himself has been called out for spreading lies and peddling fake news.
In July this year, Zubair shared a cropped video of Kanwariyas pelting stones in Bareilly to hide the fact that it was carried out in retaliation for an unproved attack by Islamists. By shrewdly avoiding the context of the video, he thus insinuated that it was somehow a ‘free-for-all’ case of stone pelting.
Prior to this, Zubair in June this year falsely suggested that YouTuber Akshat Shrivastava took money from the Union government to criticise the Congress party. Shrivastava later took to Twitter to lambast Zubair for his ‘half-baked research’ and ‘baseless allegations.’
A month earlier, Alt News co-founder and his lackey shared a cropped video to falsely claim that BJP Tamil Nadu chief, Annamalai, claimed credit for CSK’s win in the Indian Premier League.
Zubair had also used misinformation to target the BJP over the inauguration of the new Parliament building. The ‘ignorant’ fact-checker made it clear that he did not know the difference between the ‘foundation’ and ‘inauguration’ of a structure.
Alt News also attempted to shield Congress workers, who were allegedly heard raising ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans. Initially, he had claimed that there was no contentious sloganeering but later claimed that the proof was inconclusive. These are just a few instances where Zubair and Alt News have peddled fake news.
The Index for Censorship then mentions that in June last year, Mohammed Zubair ‘exposed’ a national spokesperson of the BJP who made ‘hateful’ and ‘Islamophobic’ remarks on national television. The organisation added that following his tweet exposing the BJP spokesperson, whose IoC decided not to mention, was arrested by Delhi Police and Uttar Pradesh Police. It goes on to lament over Zubair’s arrest and FIRs. The IoC downplayed the fact Mohammed Zubair dog whistled against Nupur Sharma. He is the man responsible for unleashing Islamists and jeopardising the safety of former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, who, due to the threats, continues to live a restricted life and makes rare public appearances.
Md Zubair had shared a cropped video to brand Nupur Sharma’s statement as ‘blasphemy’, subjecting her to death threats by Islamists
It is worth recalling that in May 2022, ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma was part of a debate panel on Times Now, discussing the finding of Shivling in the Gyanvapi complex and the subsequent mockery of the Hindu Gods and Goddesses that followed in the wake of the discovery. Nupur Sharma in response to the repeated derogatory remarks being made by an Islamist on the debate panel made some comments about Prophet Muhammed’s life that is given in Islamic scriptures. The Alt News fact checker, however, shared an incomplete video of the debate, triggering Sar Tan Se Juda protests all over the country, the horrific killing of some supporters of Nupur Sharma and outrage in Islamic countries.
The question is why any organisation would nominate a fake news peddler and propagandist like Mohammed Zubair for an award despite being aware of these facts. The background of the Index for Censorship, including its funding sources, is the answer to the question.
IoC and its links to Soros and CIA
Taking to X, The Hawk Eye pointed out that the Index for Censorship is an organisation funded by controversial financier George Soros’s Open Society Foundations (OSF) which has been backing anti-India elements operating inside India. OpIndia has in detail covered OSF’s history and its anti-India activities.
“OSF (Soros), NED (alleged CIA’s leg), VICE funded org ‘Index on Censorship’ has nominated propaganda portal Alt News co-fo Md Zubair for an award. This is usual perks for ‘useful idiots’ for such orgs,” The Hawk Eye posted on X.
OSF (Soros), NED (alleged CIA's leg), VICE funded org 'Index on Censorship' has nominated propaganda portal Alt News co-fo Md Zubair for an award. This is usual perks for 'useful idiots' for such orgs.
In February this year, George Soros openly expressed his disdain for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and accused him of crony capitalism saying that he has good relationships with businessman Gautam Adani. In January 2020, the American billionaire committed $1 billion to start a global university to “fight nationalists” and climate change, calling them twin challenges that threaten the survival of our civilization. Soros had also accused PM Modi of creating a “Hindu nationalist state” adding that he is somehow threatening the Muslims to deprive them of their citizenship.
IoC’s website had mentioned NED and George Soros’ OSF among its list of donors.
Financial information given in IoC website
Another prominent body funding the Index for Censorship is National Endowment for Democracy which has often been labelled as the “second CIA”. Although the NED’s website states that it is a “nonprofit foundation dedicated to the growth and strengthening of democratic institutions around the world”, a 1985 NYT article mentioned that NED provided French right-wing student groups with $575000 to campaign against former president François Mitterrand. The NED has been accused of involvement in regime change operations in many countries including Bolivia, Venezuela and Ecuador.
It is interesting to note that NED’s founder Allen Weinstein had in 1991 said that what NED does today was done by the CIA secretly over 25 years back. “A lot of what we do today was done covertly 25 years ago by the CIA,” Weinstein said.
In February this year, OpIndia published a report detailing the connection between the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) and The Poynter Institute for Media Studies, which runs the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), both funded by George Soros’s Open Society Foundations and the propaganda portal Alt News.
The arrest of Prabir Purkayastha, founder and editor of NewsClick, along with HR head Amit Chakravarty by the Special Cell of Delhi Police on Tuesday, October 3rd, has catapulted this case into the spotlight. The duo was subsequently remanded to seven days of police custody by a Delhi court on October 4th.
Before Additional Sessions Judge Hardeep Kaur at Patiala House Courts, the police put forth their arguments for custodial interrogation of the duo. Their reasons included the need to unravel the entire conspiracy, confront the accused with evidence extracted from digital devices, complete the search at the PPK Newsclick office, and probe the accused about the content of incriminating emails. Notably, the police initially sought a 15-day extension of police custody for both individuals.
What has emerged as particularly shocking are the details within the remand note submitted by the police to the court. This document outlines various allegations, ranging from a conspiracy to disrupt the 2019 general elections to the dissemination of distorted maps of India.
What is there in the remand note submitted in the court
The remand note mentions that Prabir Purkayastha, Neville Roy Singham and some other Chinese employees of Neville Roy Singham-owned Shanghai-based Company by the name of StarStream have exchanged emails that expose their intent to not show Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh as part of India.
It also said that Prabir Purkayastha and others received funds to create dissatisfaction in India. These persons hatched a conspiracy to peddle a narrative, both globally and domestically, that Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh are disputed territories. The remand note states that their attempt to tinker with the northern borders of India amounts to an act intended towards undermining the unity and territorial integrity of India.
Special cell mentioned in the remand note, “A false narrative has been propagated to discredit the efforts of Indian Govt to contain Covid-19 Pandemic. It was learnt that Prabir Purkayastha conspired with a group namely People’s Alliance for Democracy and Secularism (PADS) to sabotage the electoral process during the 2019 General Elections.”
Special cell said in its remand note, “It is learnt that Gautam Navlakha, who has been a shareholder in PPK Newsclick Studio Pvt Ltd since its inception in the year 2018, remained involved in anti-Indian and unlawful activities such as actively supporting banned Naxal organisations and having anti-national nexus with Gulam Nabi Fai who is an agent of ISI of Pakistan. It was also learnt that Gautam Navlakha has been associated with Prabir Purkayastha since 1991 when they incorporated Sagrik Process Analyst Pvt Ltd.”
The note added, “During the course of the investigation, it has also come to the knowledge that ED has also registered a case Vide number F.No.: ECIR/14/HIU/2020, dated 14.08.23, against PPK Newsclick Studio Pvt ltd. and during the investigation they seized electronic gadgets pertaining to the company and the suspects named in the present FIR. The data extracted by them was received from their office in the five hard disks and the same was analysed. The data contain a total of 4.27 lacs emails in email dumps of Prabir Purkayastha, Amit Chakraborty and other suspects. It also contains a huge number of documents pertaining to the alleged company and alleged suspects.”
The special cell of Delhi police also underlined that the accused persons have conspired to disrupt supplies and services essential to the life of communities in India and abet damage and destruction of property by protraction of the farmers’ protest through such illegal foreign funding.
Crackdown on NewsClick
On 3rd October (late at night), a Delhi court sent Newsclick founder and editor Prabir Purkayastha to a 7-day police remand. HR head of the controversial news portal, Amit Chakravarty, has also been sent to police custody for seven days after being quizzed for hours.
The Delhi Police arrested both of them on 3rd October under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The special cell of the Delhi Police had registered an FIR in the matter on 17th August under Sections 13, 16, 17, 18, and 22 of the UAPA and Sections 153A and 120B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the news portal.
On 3rd October, the NewsClick office was raided and sealed by Delhi Police in connection to the case regarding foreign funding from China to propagate anti-India narratives. Apart from locations linked to NewsClick, the residences of 40 journalists were also raided by Delhi Police across the country as they were connected to the news portal. Teesta Setalvad, Abhisar Sharma, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yetchury, Sanjay Rajoura, and others were among those who faced action by the Delhi Police.
Reports suggest that around 46 people were questioned by the Delhi police, and their electronic devices and documents were seized during the raids for examination. The investigation against Newsclick for allegedly receiving funds from China started in 2021. In August 2023, a New York Times investigation also revealed that the portal received funds from China via businessman Neville Roy Singham.
Madhya Pradesh government has issued a notification for providing 35 percent reservation in recruitment to women, barring the Forest department in the state.
The state government has made amendment to the Madhya Pradesh Civils Services (Special Provision for Appointment of Women) Rules, 1997 to give 35% reservation to women.
#MadhyaPradesh makes amendment to the Madhya Pradesh Civils Services (Special Provision for Appointment of Women) Rules, 1997 providing 35% reservation in recruitment to women, barring the Forest Department. pic.twitter.com/jS6VKCn1OF
According to the copy of notification, “Notwithstanding anything contained in any service rules, there shall be reserved 35 percent of all posts in the service under the state (except Forest Department) in favour of women at the stage of direct recruitment and the said reservation shall be horizontal and compartment-wise.”
Earlier, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan also announced to provide 35 percent reservation to women in police and other government jobs and 50 percent reservation for women in teaching posts. Priority would be given to women in local bodies, including aldermen and other positions. Education fees of girls will be borne by the government while ensuring better education to them.
Recently, the women’s reservation Bill passed by the Parliament, became law after it received assent from President Droupadi Murmu.
The ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Adhniyam’, which provides 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha as well as the state legislative assemblies, was unanimously passed by the Rajya Sabha, becoming the first bill to be passed in the new Parliament building.
On September 20, the Bill was passed following division with 454 members voting in favour of the legislation and two against it on the motion seeking its passage.
The amendments moved by the Opposition members were negative and separate clauses of the draft legislation were also voted on. On September 21, Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was ‘unanimously’ passed in Rajya Sabha which marks the PM’s birthday according to the Hindu calendar.
Notably, Madhya Pradesh is scheduled to go for the assembly polls later this year. Through the polls, the state will elect legislators from 230 Assembly constituencies.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
In a recent revelation, it has come to light that Mohammad Arshad Warsi involved in the ISIS Pune module was also in contact with the conspirators of the anti-Hindu Delhi riots of 2020. Arshad Warsi, a terrorist in the guise of a Ph.D. student at Jamia, was arrested by the Special Cell on Monday, 2nd October for his involvement in various unlawful activities, including his association with ISIS (Pune module) and the planning of terrorist attacks within the country. Pertinently, Arshad Warsi’s name also featured in the Delhi anti-Hindu Riots chargesheets where he was constantly in touch with Sharjeel Imam.
Arshad Warsi played a significant role in orchestrating the conspiracy behind the communal violence during the CAA-NRC protests in Delhi. Moreover, his active involvement in setting up the protest site at Shaheen Bagh has also been revealed in the investigations. Mohammad Arshad Warsi was in touch with the 2020 Delhi riots accused Sharjeel Imam.
In the ISIS module case, the Delhi Police Special Cell arrested two more individuals, namely Shahnawaz, who also goes by the name Shafi Uzzama, and Mohammed Rizwan Ashraf. This development followed the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) announcement last month, offering a cash reward of Rs 3 lakh for any information leading to the capture of the primary suspect, Shahnawaz.
Shahnawaz is an engineer by profession and was wanted in the ISIS Pune module case. According to media reports, he is originally from Delhi but had moved to Pune. Two of his associates were arrested in a raid in July, while he managed to flee, returned to Delhi, and lived in a hideout.
It was Mohammad Arshad Warsi who facilitated the sheltering of Shahnavaz, a most-wanted terrorist with a reward of 3 lakh rupees on his head. Warsi was also involved in plotting terrorist attacks. Following the information revealed in the interrogation of Mohammad Arshad Warsi, the Delhi Police Special Cell managed to locate and arrest Shahnavaz.
Hailing from Jharkhand, Mohammad Arshad Warsi holds a BTech degree from Aligarh Muslim University and is presently enrolled in a PhD program at Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), where he specialises in ‘Islamic Principles in Management’. Notably, Warsi’s name has also surfaced in the Delhi Police chargesheet concerning the February 2020 anti-Hindu riots. The chargesheet indicates that Warsi was affiliated with ‘Students of Jamia (SOJ)’, a student organisation operating within JMI.
Immediately following their arrest on Monday, the police asserted that Warsi, Shahnawaz, and Ashraf had extensively consumed online information related to various forms of religious indoctrination and had strategised for potential “attacks” within India. The police report that they have confiscated bomb-making manuals, along with pistols, cartridges, basic plastic materials, and pipes from Shahnawaz’s concealed location in Delhi.
Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) H.S. Dhaliwal said, “They had conducted reconnaissance in western and southern India to conduct controlled trial explosions. They are very educated and Shahnawaz was sent PDF documents by their Pakistan-based handlers on bomb-making and how to increase the potency of the bombs.”
Mohammad Arshad Warsi had consistently posted on Facebook regarding the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi. Terrorist Arshad revealed during questioning that he had held radical beliefs since 2016. He had been acquainted with Shahnavaz for a considerable period, and both were actively involved in plotting terrorist attacks together.
What does the 2020 riots conspiracy charge sheet say about Mohammad Arshad Warsi and Sharjeel Imam?
The chargesheet, which spans a substantial 2,700 pages and pertains to FIR 59/2020, notably allocates nearly 700 pages to detailing the chronology of the plotted conspiracy. What stands out in the chargesheet is the Delhi Police’s impressive ability to unearth the conspiracy’s timeline, tracing it all the way back to December 5, 2019, just one day after the Citizenship Amendment Bill was introduced in both houses of Parliament.
According to the chargesheet filed by the Delhi Police, after CAB was tabled in both houses of the parliament on the 4th of December, on the 5th of December a group called Muslim Students of JNU (MSJ) was formed by Sharjeel Imam who was the main member of the group and its creation was also his brainchild.
The chats that been procured by the Delhi police after a perusal of the phones confiscated from Sharjeel and other accused, it was revealed that Sharjeel Imam and Arshad Warsi (a student of Jamia) were in constant touch and Sharjeel was also in touch with “radical communal group” Students of Jamia (SOJ).
On the 6th of December, pamphlets which were written by Sharjeel Imam himself were distributed in the Jama Masjid area by the MSJ group. This fact was revealed by the chats recovered between Sharjeel Imam and Mohammad Arshad Warsi. The pamphlets were communal in nature and essentially aimed to incite hate in the Muslim community by invoking the Supreme Court decision in the Ram Janmabhoomi case.
Some of the pamphlets read “Law of Allah above all else” and “The command of Allah is above every law”. The pamphlets that were distrusted in mosques on the 6th of December also had a call to join the protest called by ‘United Against Hate’ at Jantar Mantar in large numbers and to “mobilise mob”.
The charge sheet says, “Sharjeel Imam revealed his intention of joining the protest of United Against Hate, at Jantar Mantar on 7 December 2019 in his chats to Arshad Warsi of SOJ.” The chargesheet includes screenshots of this conversation, revealing that Imam had reached out to Mohammad Arshad Warsi for the purpose of “mass mobilisation” in connection with the Delhi riots. Details of the same can be read here.
