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Rahul Gandhi meets anti-India politician Fabio Massimo Castaldo at Brussels, read his connection with Pervaiz Iqbal Losar, an ISI asset in Europe

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi meets anti-India politician Fabio Massimo Castaldo at Brussels, read his connection with Pervaiz Iqbal Losar, an ISI asset in Europe

On Thursday, 7th September 2023, Congress scion Rahul Gandhi met with the members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in Brussels, Belgium. The official X handle of the Congress party said that the round table meeting in the European Parliament was co-hosted by MEP Alviina Almetsa (Shadow Rapporteur on EU-India Relationship) and MEP Pierre Larrouturou (portfolios within Parliamentary budget, climate & employment generation).

In the photographs attached with the X post, Rahul Gandhi was seen with anti-India Italian leftist politician Fabio Massimo Castaldo. Fabio Massimo Castaldo is the person in a red tie seen on the extreme right in the second photograph of the X post by the Congress party’s official X handle. Fabio Massimo Castaldo’s association with Pervaiz Iqbal Losar – an ISI asset in Europe – puts Rahul Gandhi’s intent to visit the European Parliament under suspicion. It is, therefore, necessary to know more about Fabio Massimo Castaldo and his alleged ISI friend Parvaiz Iqbal Losar.

Fabio Castaldo with Rahul Gandhi

Fabio Massimo Castaldo is a former member of the European Parliament. The Italian leftist politician is friends with Pervaiz Iqbal Loser who is a Europe asset of the Pakistani spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Loser has been working to peddle anti-India propaganda on the Kashmir issue and lobbying against India’s interests in Europe. One of the old X posts by Fabio Massimo Castaldo is a testimony to this.

In his post on 2nd June 2020, Fabio Massimo Castaldo wrote, “I Have sent a letter to U. Von der Leyen and the High representative J. Borrell. The human rights situation in Kashmir, the world’s longest-running conflict, is extremely worrying. India’s government has to respond now and adopt the recommendations of the UNHCR report 2018-2019.”

In a subsequent post, he wrote, “A special thanks to the Chairman EU-Pak Friendship Federation Europe Pervaiz Iqbal Losar.”

This Pervaiz Iqbal Losar is also a supporter of the Khalistani terrorist movement. In a video that emerged in June 2023, he is seen endorsing the idea of Khalistan and supporting Avtar Singh Pannun who is the president of Khalistani terrorist outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).

Chaudhary Perveiz Iqbal Losar, chairman of the EU-Pak Friendship Federation Europe, has been long trying to lobby against Indian interests in Europe. As per reports, Losar is directly connected to the ISI and receives instructions from the GHQ. He is well-connected to Pakistani politicians and the power elite.

Pervaiz Iqbal Losar’s association with Fabio Massimo Castaldo and Rahul Gandhi – the leader of the grand old party that ruled India for nearly 55 to 60 years – meeting the anti-India European politician is certainly not in the good interests of India.

Rahul Gandhi is notorious for meeting foreign politicians and lobbyists with anti-India interests. On the same trip to Europe, he met Pierre Larrouturou. Rather, Pierre Larrouturou was the co-host of Rahul Gandhi’s round table meeting with the MEPs. Pierre Larrouturou is the same MEP who had shared a post from his X handle last year to support Alt News cofounder Mohammed Zubair who was arrested at that time.

In his tweet, Pierre Larrouturou wrote, “The news concerning the arrest of Mohammed Zubair of Alt News is deeply concerning. The government of India must stop suppressing journalists and human rights defenders, and respect the personal liberties of all its citizens.”

Besides, Pierre Larrouturou is a board member of the Spinelli Group which is funded by George Soros who has openly expressed his wish to topple the Modi government in India.

Pierre Larrouturou as an MEP was the key person behind the anti-India resolution passed in the European Parliament in July, targeting PM Modi’s France visit.

Both Pierre Larrouturou and Alviina Alametsa have been vocal against Indian interests. They have been actively campaigning against India and have championing anti-India lobbyists in the country and abroad.

The instances of Rahul Gandhi seeking ‘foreign help’ for his political gain in India are numerous. In April 2021, speaking at Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics, Gandhi insisted that the US government establishment should ‘say more’ about ‘what is happening in India.

In 2022, at the ‘Ideas for India’ conference in the United Kingdom, Rahul Gandhi had sought foreign intervention again. During his controversial address, Rahul Gandhi signaled his desire for foreign intervention two times. The first one is during the mention of the Russia-Ukraine issue, and the second one is when he criticized Indian diplomats for being unwilling to take orders from Europeans. In the same conference, he had even compared Ladakh to Ukraine, insinuating that it needs a US intervention.

Tripura by-polls: BJP wins big in Muslim-majority Boxanagar and Dhanpur seat with a large tribal population, says “end of the road for communists”

OpIndia Staff
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Tripura by-polls: BJP wins big in Muslim-majority Boxanagar and Dhanpur seat with a large tribal population, says “end of the road for communists”

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday secured a massive victory in the Tripura by-polls to the assembly seats of Boxanagar and Dhanpur. The voting was held on 5th September. BJP’s Tafajjal Hossain secured a staggering 34,146 votes defeating the CPI(M)’s Mizan Hossain who barely managed 3909 votes.

In Dhanpur, BJP’s Bindu Debnath won by 18,871 votes against CPI(M) candidate Kaushik Chanda who secured 11,146 votes. Debnath registered 30,017 votes. The results followed after six rounds of counting in both seats. BJP ally Tripura Motha and Congress did not field candidates.

Boxanagar assembly by-polls followed after the death of CPI(M)’s sitting candidate Samsul Haque who died of a cardiac arrest in July. The Dhanpur seat has been vacant ever since the resignation of Union Minister Pratima Bhoumik days after her election in the state assembly this year.

Interestingly, while Boxanagar is a Muslim-majority area, Dhanpur has a largely tribal population. Boxanagar assembly constituency is situated in the Sipahijala district which borders Bangladesh. About 55 per cent of the population in the seat is Muslim and has been a stronghold of the CPI(M).

BJP’s vote share has been moving northward in Boxanagar. In the Assembly elections held in February this year, the vote share of BJP candidate Tafajjal Hossain was 37.76 per cent. CPI(M) candidate Samsul Haque’s vote share was 50.34 per cent, a decline of 7.42 per cent in 2018.

In the 2018 Tripura elections, CPI(M) candidate Sahid Choudhury got 57.76 per cent votes. BJP candidate Baharul Islam Majumdar received 34.45 per cent votes in the 2018 elections. In fact, in 2018 too, the saffron party had breached its previous numbers from 2013 when its candidate Mantu Sarkar managed a mere 460 votes.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah took to Twitter to congratulate the party and the people of Tripura. He wrote, “I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the people of Tripura for making the BJP victorious in the Baxanagar and Dhanpur assembly bye-elections. It will further strengthen our determination to transform Tripura into a prosperous state under the leadership of PM @narendramodi Ji. Congratulations to the Tripura CM @DrManikSaha2 Ji and BJP President @Rajib4BJP Ji, along with the karyakartas, for this resounding victory. The BJP while celebrating the victory said that this is the end of the road for communists.”

BJP leader Amit Malviya also took to Twitter and called the BJP’s victory as “the end of the road for communists”.

The victory reaffirms the BJP’s winning streak in the northeast.

‘Rape, unnatural sex and forced conversion’: Techie from Bengaluru seeks police help, cites danger to life from Kashmiri man

OpIndia Staff
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‘Rape, unnatural sex and forced conversion’: Techie from Bengaluru seeks police help, cites danger to life from Kashmiri man

A software professional from Bengaluru, Karnataka has levelled charges of love jihad on a person from Kashmir. She requested assistance from the police and stated that her “life is in danger.” The victim revealed that she was subjected to “rape, unnatural sex and forced religious conversion.” The post was addressed to the Bengaluru Police, the Karnataka Director General of Police (DGP), and the Prime Minister’s Office.

Bellandur police tracked down the techie’s address details so they could forward her complaint to the relevant police officers for necessary measures and assured her to take action after she filed a police complaint. They then found out that she was residing within the same neighbourhood. She mentioned that she followed a lawyer’s suggestion to write the post on social media.

The victim thanked the Deputy Commissioner of Police of Bengaluru and proclaimed, “Thank you, I am in touch with the police inspector and he is giving priority to my FIR. I and my family have been assured of safety.” She also refused to talk to the media and voiced, “I don’t want any media involved,” when a journalist asked for her contact number.

The woman had earlier pleaded with Kashmir police to look into the case. She conveyed that the offender had extracted money from her and when she told him to return the amount, she was threatened with harm. He gained her trust, promised to marry her and continued to demand money. She voiced that she was not receiving any assistance from Kashmir police. She added that the two became friends on Facebook.

She also asked for legal support from Nazia Elahi Khan, an advocate and leader of the Bharatiya Janta Party, in multiple tweets. She sent her an email and requested to talk to her. She wanted the lawyer to fight her case.

Notably, the victim had written a similar post on 17 November of last year to then Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao and present Bharatiya Janata Party leader, highlighting her problems, “If I say that a Hindu girl had been promised marriage and then left behind by a Kashmiri Muslim guy.”

“The woman claims to be a software engineer is from Bengaluru. She had tweeted that she was a victim of love jihad. The incident is said to have happened around five to six years ago. We will have to investigate the delay in bringing the matter to the notice of the city police. A due investigation will give clarity about the case,” informed Additional Commissioner of Police (East) Raman Gupta. The Bellandur police have commenced an inquiry into the occurrence.

After meeting anti-India EU parliamentarians, Rahul Gandhi pulls out ‘minorities under attack’ card even as his allies call for the eradication of Hinduism

Amit Kelkar
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After meeting anti-India EU parliamentarians, Rahul Gandhi pulls out ‘minorities under attack’ card even as his allies call for the eradication of Hinduism

As New Delhi decks up for the upcoming G20 Summit and foreign dignitaries begin pouring in for the conclave, the Gandhi scion and Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi is busy dissing India during his trip abroad.

On Friday, September 8, Gandhi, who had yesterday met with Alviina Alametsa and Pierre Larrouturou—EU parliamentarians known for their anti-India disposition—today defamed India, saying there is an increase in discrimination and violence in the country. 

The Gandhi prince also trotted out what he had been repeating ad nauseam for some time: democratic institutions in India are under relentless assault. However, like always, Rahul Gandhi did not offer corroborative evidence to prove his contentions, leading one to believe it was an exercise in political rhetoric and not rooted in reality.

“Certainly, there is an increase in discrimination and violence in India, and there is a full-scale assault on democratic institutions in India, which everybody knows and is internally and globally commented on,” Gandhi said during his visit to Europe.

He further added, “Of course, minorities are under attack, but so are other communities, Dalit communities, Tribal communities, and lower-caste communities are also under attack.”

While Gandhi claimed that minorities are under attack in India, he maintained a deafening silence on the inflammatory remarks by members of I.N.D.I alliance—a bloc of opposition parties of which his party, Congress, is a part.

While Gandhi claims minorities are under attack in India, his alliance partners are relentlessly attacking and dehumanising Hindus

Recently, Udhaynidhi Stalin, a senior leader of DMK, an important alliance partner in the I.N.D.I. bloc, made hateful remarks against Sanatan Dharma, comparing it with mosquitos and coronavirus and calling for its “eradication”. When confronted on his genocidal calls against the adherents of Sanatan Dharma, one of the oldest faiths in the country that prides itself on pluralistic traditions and inter-faith tolerance, instead of tendering an unqualified apology, Stalin doubled down on his stand, vowing to uproot the Sanatan Dharma.

The partners of I.N.D.I alliance either remained silent on the raging issue or chose to defend the DMK leader’s provocative statements. Another DMK leader, A Raja, infamous for being one of the accused in the 2G Spectrum case and against whom CBI had filed a charge sheet in disproportionate assets case, came out in support of Stalin, saying he was soft on Sanatan Dharma by likening it to mosquitos and that it should have instead been compared with HIV and social stigmas.

Congress has historically been close to DMK. Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin is regarded as a significant partner for Congress’ goal to depose PM Modi from the Centre in the upcoming 2024 general elections. Priyank Kharge, a minister in Congress-ruled Karnataka, threw his weight behind Udhaynidhi Stalin and equated Sanatan Dharma to a disease.

Speaking to the media personnel, the Congress leader said, “Any religion that does not promote equality or does not ensure you have the dignity of being human is not religion, according to me. Any religion that does not give equal rights or does not treat you like humans is as good as disease.”

How Congress is playing up the ‘minorities are under attack’ rhetoric to cultivate a vote bank in an increasingly fragmented opposition

Rahul Gandhi and Congress have long sought to keep up the “minorities are in danger” rhetoric game up to consolidate the minority votes in an increasingly fragmented opposition, where every party is trying to cultivate its vote bank to take on the Modi juggernaut, which draws its strength from broad support from all sections of the society. 

Besides polarising the political climate in the country, the ‘minorities are in danger’ narrative is also played up to malign the Centre as communal. Seemingly ordinary incidents of crime are given a religious spin to either defame the Centre or consolidate the minority vote bank. 

For instance, over 80 per cent of fatalities during the Nuh violence came from non-Muslims. The violence erupted after Hindu devotees of Jalabhishek Yatra faced attacks from Islamists in Nuh, nestled in the Muslim-majority region of Mewat in Haryana. Even Hindus who did not participate in the procession became the victims of the macabre dance of death witnessed in Nuh and adjoining areas in late July and early August this year.

Yet, Congress, armed with its well-oiled ecosystem and an army of online trolls and supporting journalists, many of whom have turned into YouTubers after being unceremoniously removed from their jobs for peddling propaganda under the pretext of honest and upright journalism, shifted the blame on the Centre and the Hindus for instigating the violence. 

With G20 Summit being hosted in India, Gandhi Scion seeks to deviate the world’s attention from India’s stunning growth

Such perversions by Congress leaders and online trolls are then legitimised by central leadership, including Rahul Gandhi, who shields the perpetrators in the hopes of cultivating the minority vote bank and guilt-tripping Hindus into believing that they had elected a party that had enabled hate and violence in the country. This gaslighting is a part of the Congress propaganda to chip away at the cross-section popularity enjoyed by the Modi government.

With hosting its maiden G20 Summit, the Congress machinery has once again hunkered itself in what it does best: deflect attention from India’s giant leaps in GDP growth, rising global stature, and great strides in social inclusion, and instead focus on a straw man that minorities are in danger in the country.

An uneventful G20 would cement Modi’s image as a global leader who brought laurels to the nation, elevated its international standing, and positioned itself as an emerging powerhouse. It would run counter to Congress’ meticulously built propaganda of dystopian conditions prevailing in the country. The comments made by Rahul Gandhi should be viewed in this context—a desperate attempt by a restive opposition leader who seeks to defenestrate the existing leader, even at the cost of defaming his own country.

Islamist Majid Freeman, who had instigated violence against Hindus in Leicester, now spreads fake news to target Janmashtami celebration. Read details

Siddhi Somani
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Islamist Majid Freeman, who had instigated violence against Hindus in Leicester, now spreads fake news to target Janmashtami celebration. Read details

Majid Freeman, the terror-linked ‘Muslim activist’ who had instigated violence against Hindus in England’s Leicester city attended the festival of Shri Krishna Janmashtami organized by the Hindu community on Thursday, September 7 in the city and termed the event a Hindu extremist event. He claimed that the flags of the Hindu activist organization Bajrang Dal were waived at the event and asked the Leicester police to remove the flags.

“Far right Hindu nationalist ‘Bajrang Dal’ flag being waved in Spinney Hill Park in #Leicester during a Hindu celebration. Why are such flags being waved at local Hindu celebrations?”, a Muslim ‘activist’ who is known to harbour problematic and extremist Islamic views tweeted adding that the police confirmed that the flags were of the Bajrang Dal organization using the internet search engine.

Freeman also attempted to spread fake news by claiming that the Hindu flags bearing photos of Hindu deities belonged to the Hindu organization named Bajrang Dal. “Flags of extremist organization Bajrang Dal are being raised in the Hindu festival. This is in Spinney Hill Park. This is where the troubles took place last year. I even told the police but the flags have still not been removed,” the Islamist activist could be heard saying in the video.

Instigating violence yet again by branding innocent Hindus as extremists, Freeman also asked the Leicester city police to take action against the flag and claimed that the police had confirmed that the Hindu flags raised at the event belonged to the Bajrang Dal organization.

Bajrang Dal has no flag, Majid spreading fake information: VHP

OpIndia talked to the National Spokesperson of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Vinod Bansal who confirmed that Majid Freeman was spreading fake news by claiming that the Hindu flags raised at the celebration belonged to Bajrang Dal. “Bajrang Dal has no specific, defined flag. There’s no flag registered in the name of the organization,” he said.

Bansal also added that by spreading fake information, propagandists like Freeman were also influencing the local police there against the Hindus. “This should stop,” he said.

“Massive propaganda is being spread against Hindus outside India. Such people are also influencing police organizations and framing hate against Hindus. Firstly, Bajrang Dal is not an extremist organization and is not restricted on banned in any part of the world. Secondly, the flag used in the event is not of Bajrang Dal. The police should take strict action against people like Majid for spreading fake news,” Bansal said while exclusively talking to OpIndia.

Further, the VHP leader stated that Hindu celebrations are incomplete without Hindu flags which are saffron in color. “Saffron flags are identities of Hindus not only Bajrang Dal. Bajrang Dal is proud of these flags, no doubt but the organization has no specific flag registered in its name,” he reiterated.

Incident showcases Islamists’ deep hatred for Hindus

Bansal meanwhile also opined that Islamists have deep hate for Bajrang Dal. “For a moment even if we consider that this flag is that of the Bajrang Dal organization, what problem do these people see in it? It was a Hindu festival, the saffron flag is the identity of Hindus and as I said before, Bajrang Dal is not banned in any part of the world. These people have deep have deep hate for Hindus and this incident is the first-hand proof of it,” he said.

Majid meanwhile also shared a statement by the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) published on August 14 this year. The statement blatantly called the Bajrang Dal, a Hindu militant group and also a violent Hindu supremacist group.

The statement targeted Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal and claimed that “these organizations in India have a long history of killing Muslims, calling for Muslim genocide, and leading violent processions which devolve into attacks on mosques and Muslim homes.”

The statement was issued on August 14 as Hindu flags were raised in the city on the occasion of India’s Independence Day event. The Council also informed the police about the event and had forced them to take action against the event. “When people wave Bajrang Dal flags, these constitute explicit threats to Muslim Americans,” the statement had said in an attempt to spread hate against Hindus abroad. IAMC is the US-based advocacy organization of Indian American Muslims.

Bajrang Dal is not banned; See no problem in raising saffron flag

As confirmed to OpIndia by VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal, the flag raised in the Krishna Janmashtami celebration is not of the Bajrang Dal. It is just a normal saffron flag with a photograph of the Hindu deity on it. The flag represents the Hindu community and does not belong to any specific organization. Even if it was Bajrang Dal’s flag, no problem should arise in the eyes of the law as the organization is not banned or restricted globally nor is it some extremist organization.

Bajrang Dal is a Hindu organization that stands as one of the few active-on-ground solutions to atrocities committed against Hindus. The members of Bajrang Dal to date have actively exposed several incidents of forced conversion in India and have saved the Hindu people, especially the women whose lives were deceptively, and deliberately destroyed at the hands of Islamists.

VHP National Social Media Head, Rakesh Pandey also confirmed that the flags used by Hindus during the Janmashtami celebration had nothing to do with Bajrang Dal. He also confirmed that Freeman was spreading fake news by influencing the city police against Hindu organizations.

Majid Freeman and IAMC have links to terrorist organizations like ISIS, Al Queda

Bajrang Dal is not an extremist organization. In fact, terrorist organizations are the ones to which Islamists like Majid Freeman and organizations like IAMC are linked to. It was reported earlier by OpIndia, how Majid Freeman, a radical Islamist extended and continues to extend his unwavering support to terrorist organizations like ISIS and Al Queda. It was also learned that Freeman has links to the Popular Front of India (PFI), an Islamist terrorist organization banned by India.

Majid has, essentially, encouraged European Muslims to “do jihad in Syria,” and has promoted “tributes” to the late Al Qaeda terrorist Anwar Al-Awlaki. He has expressed his support for Pakistani terrorists Aafia Siddique and Oliver Bridgeman, an ISIS terrorist.

Also, the IAMC who called Bajrang Dal a ‘militants’ organization, itself has links to several terrorist organizations. Rasheed Ahmed, the executive director of the group has links with banned terror organizations such as the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and has a long history of lobbying against India.

IAMC founder Shaik Ubaid and member Abdul Malik Mujahid have headed the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), the US front for Jamaat-e-Islami, Pakistan. According to DisInfo Lab, ICNA has established links with Pakistan-based terror groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba. 

IAMC had also been caught spreading fake news and misinformation to further the Islamist cause in India. It had also been slapped with the UAPA in 2021. IAMC had recently extended support to the wrestlers’ protest and under that garb, had also whitewashed terrorist Yasin Malik.

As reported earlier, both Majid and IAMC have a history of spreading anti-India and fake information, especially against Hindus. They have links to various terrorist organizations and don’t leave a chance to spread hatred and violence against India and Hindus.

Majid dog whistled against Hindus last year in Leicester

Last year, Majid Freeman instigated violence in the city of Leicester where Muslim mobs went on a rampage against the Hindu community following the Asia Cup India-Pakistan cricket match on August 28. The armed Islamists attacked Hindus and their residences in the vicinity. Later during the protest organized by Hindus, a Muslim mob pelted stones and glass bottles at Hindus and also desecrated Hindu flags.

Majid Freeman is a local Leicester Muslim “activist” who is known to harbor problematic and extremist Islamic views. It was reported that Freeman played a key role in spreading fake information and instigating the Muslim mob to launch an attack on Hindu homes and religious places. Amid the violence, he lied about the Quran being desecrated in Leicester, insinuating that the Hindus had committed this act. He also claimed that a mob of 30+ Hindus had chased and assaulted a Muslim teenager. However, no evidence for the same was provided for investigation.

Later in September that year, he repeated his lie claiming that a Muslim boy had been targeted and attacked by Muslims in the city. However, the Leicester police had responded to Majid saying that such an incident had not happened.

Majid later confessed to several incidents saying that he had been spreading false information amid the violence. The Leicester police also then opened no investigation against Majid Freeman in the anti-Hindu violence. 

Freeman trying to incite violence amid Janmashtami?

In the given case, it seems that Majid Freeman is again trying to incite violence by making fake claims amid a simple Hindu festive celebration. Freeman influencing the police personnel negatively against Hindu organizations showcases anything but Islamist hatred against Hindu celebrations and organizations. The Leicester city police, however, refused to take any action based on the complaint of Freeman and said that they were permitted to only monitor the festival.

People like Freeman and organizations like IAMC should instead be interrogated and their intentions should be investigated given their links to terrorist organizations. Freeman deliberately instigated the violence last year as reported earlier. Even today, he had nothing to do with the Hindu celebrations but had been to the Janmashtami celebration as if only to stalk and keep watch on the activities of local Hindus. People like Freeman are not just ‘activists’ as they claim but are dangerous given the concerns revolving around maintaining religious harmony all over the world.

‘New facet of discrimination’: Rajasthan HC pulls up State govt for denying jobs to women owing to their unmarried status

OpIndia Staff
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‘New facet of discrimination’: Rajasthan HC pulls up State govt for denying jobs to women owing to their unmarried status

The Rajasthan High Court came down heavily on the state government, quashing a condition in the government circular which mandated a woman to be “married” to be appointed as an Anganwadi worker. The court said that depriving a woman of public employment based on her marital status impinges upon a woman’s dignity.

The single-judge bench headed by Justice Dinesh Mehta held that such a condition violates a woman’s right to equality and right to equal opportunity. “In the opinion of this Court, depriving a woman of public employment on the ground of her being unmarried, apart from being violative of fundamental rights guaranteed to a woman under Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India impinges upon a woman’s dignity.”

The HC further added that denying public employment to a woman on such grounds is a display of a new form of discrimination against women. The court said, “The present case is a classic case wherein, the discrimination encountered by women has been given a new facet. An unmarried woman is discriminated against a married woman. The ostensible reason given to support the said condition that an unmarried woman after marriage would migrate to her matrimonial house does not pass muster the test of reasonableness and prudence.”

The High Court in its final judgment has posed a number of questions to the Rajasthan government. “What if, the candidate marries a boy of the same village or vicinity? What if, a married woman after being engaged as Anganwadi Karykarta moves to another place? What if a woman’s husband decides to live in a woman’s parental home? What if, a woman gets widowed or divorced and decides to move to a new place? And what if, a woman does not wish to marry at all!” the HC said.

The court further added that “the State can neither pre-empt any such situations nor can it prevent a woman from claiming a job simply because she has not tied the nuptial knot.”

The court also underlined that the marital status of a woman to be able to work in Aanganwadi hardly fulfils any objective.

“The apprehension that after marriage, a woman will move onto her matrimonial house is firstly baseless and secondly, it cannot be a reason to justify or protect the offending condition. The condition of a woman to be married being absolutely unconscionable and violative of women’s right to apply and get public employment is liable to be declared arbitrary and unconstitutional,” the bench observed.

Madhu Charan applied for a job at the Aanganwadi Centre in her village in response to an advertisement published on 28 June 2019 based on a circular issued by the Rajasthan government on 9th November 2016. The job description mentioned that an unmarried woman cannot apply for the jobs advertised.

The petitioner is a graduate degree holder in Arts and a Computer Proficiency Certificate (RS-CIT) holder. Yet she was informed that she was ineligible for the post since she was not yet married. She then moved High Court in 2019 and interim relief was granted to her with the directive to the authorities to consider her candidacy.

The bench has, however, allowed the government to take a requisite undertaking from the unmarried woman candidates or amend the circular in order to ensure that if an Aanganwadi woman worker migrates away from her Centre on account of marriage or otherwise, her engagement with the Centre can be terminated.

Another bribing scheme for specific community: Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar slams Karnataka govt’s vehicle subsidy scheme for religious minorities

OpIndia Staff
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Another bribing scheme for specific community: Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar slams Karnataka govt’s vehicle subsidy scheme for religious minorities

On Friday, September 8, Union Minister of State Rajeev Chandrashekhar slammed the Congress government in Karnataka over its alleged appeasement politics. The Union Minister highlighted the guidelines and qualifications for the Congress government’s Subsidy Scheme for the Purchase of Taxi/Goods Vehicle/ Passenger Autorickshaw. It is notable that the said scheme is available only for religious minorities and it is implemented by the Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation Limited.

As per an advertisement attached by the minister in his tweet, a subsidy of 50% of the vehicle’s value with a maximum of 50% is being offered to religious minorities to purchase Auto Rikshwas, Taxis and Goods vehicles. The Swavalambi Sarathi Scheme was launched by Karnataka Housing and Minorities Welfare Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan last month.

Taking to X, Minister Chandrashekhar said that the scheme is meant exclusively for the non-Hindus keeping even the financially deprived Hindu communities out of it. The union minister said that it is a brazen discrimination and violation of Article 14 of the Constitution from a party that goes abroad and talks of Bharat’s constitution being under threat. He called it “State sponsored Conversion inducement”.

He called the scheme an ‘example of shameless, lazy, appeasement politics of bribing certain communities by Rahul Gandhi’s Congress in Karnataka.’

Rajeev Chandrashekhar said, “Shameless bribing of a community by using public resources meant for All Kannadigas. Brazen discrimination & violation of Art 14 of the constitution from a party that goes abroad and talks of Bharat’s constitution being under threat. State-sponsored Conversion inducement. This is the appeasement and corrupt politics of Dynasts of UPA/I.N.D.I alliance.”

The minister also pointed out the possibility of corruption using the scheme, as he claimed people can buy vehicles under subsidy and then immediately sell the vehicle at a price lower than the market price but higher than the subsidised price, thereby making a profit. He gave an example that someone can buy a vehicle worth ₹6 lakh for ₹3 lakh under the scheme, and then sell it for ₹5 lakh, making a profit of ₹2 lakh.

“Buy a vehicle for Rs 6L, using 50% subsidy, sell it the next day for Rs 5L. Cool profit of Rs 2L,” Chandrasekhar wrote.

Although the scheme guidelines mention the vehicle purchased under this scheme should not be sold to others during the tenure of the loan, people can still make money this way if the vehicle is unofficially sold and the registration is not changed. However, that will be illegal, and both the buyer and seller can face issues if the vehicle meets with some incident or accident.

Bangladeshi man flashes cabin crew on Muscat-Mumbai flight, hugs and tries to kiss her; arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Bangladeshi man flashes cabin crew on Muscat-Mumbai flight, hugs and tries to kiss her; arrested

A 30-year-old Bangladeshi man named Mohammad Dulal was arrested on 8 September in Mumbai for sexually harassing a female flight attendant on board a Muscat-Dhaka flight that was travelling through the area. Furthermore, he flashed cabin crew members and passengers when they tried to intervene and appeared to masturbate.

A police official informed, “The accused, identified as Mohammed Dulal, who is a Bangladeshi national, was going to Dhaka from Muscat via Mumbai on a Vistara flight. Half an hour before the plane was to land in Mumbai, Dulal got up from his seat, hugged a female flight attendant and tried to kiss her.”

The offence was committed by him around 30 minutes before the Vistara plane’s planned landing in Mumbai at 4:25 a.m. He was turned over to security officers, who took him to the Sahar police station after the plane touched ground at the airport. The perpetrator was scheduled to join a connecting flight to Dhaka. A red warning card was read out by the flight’s captain, who labelled the accused as a hostile passenger, however, he did not pay heed to it.

He was brought before the Andheri Court on 7 September. He was represented by attorney Prabhakar Tripathi who contended that he had a mental illness and did not understand Hindi and English. He was placed under arrest after a first information report (FIR) was filed against him in compliance with the pertinent sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The passenger was apprehended by police on remand until 8 September.

A Sahar police station officer stated, “Dulal was arrested based on the complaint from the 22-year-old flight attendant for hugging her and trying to kiss her onboard. He even flashed at a flight supervisor and other onboard passengers when they intervened. He did not listen to the captain who read out the Red Warning Card and declared him an unruly passenger for not obeying warnings.”

The victim also narrated her ordeal. “I was collecting the food plate trays from passengers when I noticed the accused flyer signalling me. After collecting the food tray from the accused in seat no 19-E, I pushed the trolley to go ahead. The accused jumped from his seat, and over a passenger and stood in front of the trolley. I was left in shock when suddenly he hugged me and tried to kiss me.”

She instantaneously screamed for help and a male attendant attempted to free her. Police revealed, “Dulal who had held the victim’s left hand tightly was subdued with the help of other onboard passengers.” When requested to sit down, he refused and continued to spew insults. He flashed the attendant and “shook his organ” in front of her and other passengers, according to the remand application.

The aeroplane captain was also made aware of the situation. Police proclaimed, “Dulal continued his act despite passengers next to him being shifted and the Red Warning Card being read out. He was overpowered and seated by the male. attendant till the flight landed in Mumbai.”

The Bangladesh consulate has been notified by the police, and on 8 September it is going to set up his bail and other case-related procedures. The offender’s lawyer argued that he comes from a low-income background in Bangladesh and that his ignorance caused him to argue with the complainant.

Vistara released a statement which read, “An incident regarding an unruly passenger was reported on Vistara flight UK 234 operating from Muscat to Mumbai on 6 September 2023. Given the gross misconduct, the captain issued a warning letter and decided to restrain the customer. By the guidelines and our stringent standard operating procedures (SOPs), the security agencies on the ground were informed to take immediate action upon arrival.”

It further added, “The customer has been taken into custody for further investigation by the security agency at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai. The incident is being reported to the local authorities as per the SOPs. Vistara stands firm with its zero-tolerance policy against unruly behaviour that endangers the safety, security, and dignity of its customers and staff.”

This is the 12th instance of disorderly passenger misbehaviour to have been documented in Mumbai in 2023. There have been a total of 23 instances reported between 2017 and 2023 as of 7 September.

‘Misleading’: PIB fact checks media reports based on an article by Reuters claiming Gautam Adani-Mukesh Ambani invited to G20 special dinner

OpIndia Staff
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‘Misleading’: PIB fact checks media reports based on an article by Reuters claiming Gautam Adani-Mukesh Ambani invited to G20 special dinner

On Friday, September 8, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) took to X, formally Twitter to debunk a Reuters report that suggested 500 Indian businessmen including billionaires Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani have been invited to join G20 leaders at a dinner in the national capital on Saturday. PIB Fact Check called the report “misleading.”

The official X handle of the PIB Fact Check shared a screenshot showing pictures of Mukesh Ambani- the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries; Gautam Adani- the founder and chairman of the multinational conglomerate Adani Group; N Chandrasekaran- chairman of Tata Sons, Sunil Bharti Mittal- founder and chairman of Bharti Airtel and Kumar Mangalam Birla- the chairman of Aditya Birla Group.

The post read, “Media reports based on an article by @Reuters have claimed that prominent business leaders have been invited at #G20India Special Dinner being hosted at Bharat Mandapam on 9th Sep,” The Press Information Bureau (PIB) went on to call the claim “misleading.”

Notably, on September 6, Reuters published a report with a headline that read, “Indian billionaires Ambani, Adani set to attend G20 summit dinner.”

The report (archived version can be viewed here) quoted two sources as informing that “among the 500 businessmen invited are Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, billionaire Kumar Mangalam Birla, Bharti Airtel (BRTI.NS) founder-chairman Sunil Mittal, in addition to Reliance Industries’ (RELI.NS) Ambani and the Adani Group chairman.”

SS of report published by Reuters

Various Indian mainstream media houses like India Today, India TV, etc. picked up the report published by Reuters. These reports explicitly quoted Reuters and wrote that Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla, and Bharti Airtel founder-chairman Sunil Mittal, as well as Reliance Industries’ Ambani and Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani, have been invited for the G20 dinner to be held today (Saturday, September 8).

However, PIB Fact Check has debunked the claim made by Reuters specifying that none of the mentioned business leaders have been invited to the G20 India Special Dinner.

The G20 Summit

New Delhi is set to host the Group of Twenty (G20) Heads of State and Government Summit on 9th and 10th September. The 18th G20 Summit will be a culmination of all the G20 processes and meetings held throughout the year among ministers, senior officials, and civil societies across India under its presidency.

The theme of India’s G20 Presidency is “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “One Earth, One Family, One Future”. It is drawn from the ancient Sanskrit text of the Maha Upanishad. Essentially, the theme affirms the value of all life – human, animal, plant, and microorganisms – and their interconnectedness on the planet Earth and in the wider universe.

Another key focus of the theme is LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) highlighting the Modi government’s dedication to climate change and environment by encouraging environmentally sustainable and responsible choices. The G20 website describes India’s Presidency as the beginning of “Amritkaal”, the 25-year period beginning from the 75th anniversary of its independence on 15th August 2022 leading up to the centenary of its independence.

Members of the G20 include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States of America, and European Union; Heads of States and Governments along with delegates will be in attendance.

However, Chinese President Xi Jinping will reportedly give the global event a miss. Chinese Premier Li Qiang will be attending in place of Jinping. Reports claim that Russian President Vladimir Putin will also not be attending the Summit.

Besides, heads of regional organizations invited include the African Union (AU), the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), and ASEAN. India is also inviting some international organisations as guests including International Solar Alliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), and Asian Development Bank (ADB).

A G20 Leaders’ Declaration is expected to be adopted at the conclusion of the New Delhi Summit, stating leaders’ commitment towards the priorities discussed and agreed upon during the respective ministerial and working group meetings.

Another assault on Hinduism by I.N.D.I. alliance: Bihar RJD chief Jagdanand Singh says Tilak-wearing Hindus enslaved India

OpIndia Staff
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Another assault on Hinduism by I.N.D.I. alliance: Bihar RJD chief Jagdanand Singh says Tilak-wearing Hindus enslaved India

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Bihar chief, Jagdanand Singh, was denounced by the Bharatiya Janata Party on 8 September for his inflammatory statement that those who applied ‘tika/tilak’ (a Hindu religious sign) to their foreheads caused the country to become a slave and that such individuals are now attempting to do the same.

He was addressing some party workers at RJD headquarters in Patna on 7 September where he alleged, “Religion is a thing of faith, and if it is implemented as a principle, crores of people living in India will go the opposite way. Ask them (Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) who made India a slave. Those who put Tika on the forehead made India a slave. They are making efforts again to make India a slave country.”

The leader further claimed, “Demolishing mosques or constructing temples would not benefit anyone. The country would not go on if we divide between Hindus and Muslims.”

BJP leaders slammed him and conveyed that he was splitting the nation along caste and community lines. “Does he even know the history of India,” asked former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. He accused, “Neither does he know anything, nor does he want to read anything. He should read Dr Ram Manohar Lohia to understand how he has described Lord Ram, Krishna and Mahadev.”

The veteran leader who also hails from Bihar charged Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi of “maintaining silence” over the contentious comments about the Hindu faith made by some of her party’s officials and Tamil Nadu ally Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).

“Has a decision been taken to degrade Hindus at the recent Opposition meeting,” he questioned while talking to the reporters at the party headquarters in Patna.

Arvind Kumar Singh, BJP leader and spokesperson mentioned, “Lalu Prasad Yadav was recently seen in a video while cooking mutton along with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the auspicious month of Sawan. It is a matter of investigation about what kind of meat he had cooked. People of the country need to be alert to such leaders.”

Nikhil Anand, the national general secretary of BJP Other Backward Class (OBC) Morcha proclaimed, “Jagadanand Singh is a leader who does not believe in Lord Krishna or Lord Rama. Hence, we do not expect much from him.”

He added, “He is objecting to the Ram temple in Ayodhya and supports the statement of Udhayanidhi Stalin. He is making statements against Hindus and Sanatan Dharma. Anyone can understand his mindset. These statements he makes are only to please his bosses in the party.”

However, the state leaders of the Left and Congress parties, which are allies with the Mahagathbandhan declined to respond to the RJD stalwart’s remarks. A senior Congress party leader in the state, who asked to remain anonymous, voiced, “Though, it was having religious connotation and leaders of his stature must stay away from making such comments.”

Udhayanidhi Stalin’s derogatory comments on Sanatan Dharma

DMK youth wing chief and Tamil Nadu Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin equated Sanatan Dharma with diseases and called out for its complete eradication. “Mosquitoes, dengue, flu, malaria, corona, we should not oppose these things. They’ve to be eradicated. The same is the case with Sanatan,” he stated while addressing the ‘Eradicate Sanatan Conference.’

When the controversy escalated, he asserted that he would stand by every word he uttered concerning the religion and further urged for uprooting it completely. “Uprooting Sanatan Dharma is upholding humanity and human equality. I spoke on behalf of the oppressed & marginalised, who suffer from the Sanatan Dharma. I spoke on behalf of the oppressed & marginalized, who suffer from the Sanatan Dharma.”

Meanwhile, he garnered support from the Congress party including the son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge, son of veteran Congressman P Chidambaram and Lok Sabha MP Karti P Chidambaram and Tamil Nadu Congress spokesperson and General Secretary Lakshmi Ramachandran for his outrageous statement.

The party exposed more of his anti-Hindu bigotry when Nilgiris MP A Raja, on 6 September asserted that Udayanidhi Stalin had been too lenient and that Sanatan Dharma should be compared to HIV and social stigmas. He alleged, “Sanatan Dharma should be compared to diseases with social stigma like HIV and leprosy.”

Another DMK leader and spokesperson Constantine Ravindran spewed more venom on Hinduism and claimed, “No one is educated in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar because of Sanatana Dharma. They are brainless. They don’t have rational thinking about life.”

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