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Gujarat: Hindu saints protest against Swaminarayan Sect for displaying Lord Hanuman a servant of Swami Sahajanand in murals of a temple in Salangpur

OpIndia Staff
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Gujarat: Hindu saints protest against Swaminarayan Sect for displaying Lord Hanuman a servant of Swami Sahajanand in murals of a temple in Salangpur

A controversy has erupted in Gujarat over the murals installed under the statue of Lord Hanuman in Salangpur where the Hindu deity is portrayed as a servant of Sahajanand Swami. There is a lot of opposition to this on social media, so now saints of Sanatan dharma have also come ahead to protest this display of God as a servant of a Saint. Many Hindu saints and mahants, including Morari Bapu, famous saint Harshad Bharti Bapu, and Mahant Manidhar Bapu of Kabrau Mughal Dham in Kutch, have publicly expressed their anger.

The Swaminarayan sect, which is divided into various factions, venerates Sahajanand Swami (1781-1830) as Lord Swaminarayan, around whom the sect coalesced. The Hanuman temple in Salangpur, under the management of the Vadtal Gadi faction, erected an impressive 54-foot-tall statue of Hanumanji Maharaj. On the base of the statue, numerous murals were created. However, in the murals, Hanumanji has been depicted as a devoted disciple of Sahajananda Swami.

In these murals, Hanumanji is portrayed standing before Sahajananda Swami, displaying deep reverence with folded hands in a salutation pose. Another mural depicts Hanumanji seated in an asana, once again with hands folded in a gesture of profound respect. Controversy ensued when images of these murals began to circulate widely.

Sanatan Dharma Seva Samiti activists have filed a complaint with the Shihor police station in Bhavnagar in this regard. In this complaint, the activists mentioned that when they visited the saints of Salangpur temple in this regard, the saints told them, “Mahadev and Mahabali Hanumanji used to be present for 24 hours in the service of Lord Sahajanand Swami.”

The organisation has said in the complaint that the way Lord Hanumanji has been insulted and has been shown as the servant of Swami Sahajanand, is not right. There is no such evidence in the scriptures, Puranas or Upanishads. Such a portrayal of Hanumanji has hurt the sentiments of those who believe in Sanatan culture. At the same time, the organisation has filed a complaint against the responsible persons, saints in the temple and their associate who made that statement and demanded legal action against them. Meanwhile, media entry is now banned in the Salangpur temple where these murals are seen.

Shernath Bapu of Junagadh Gorakhnath Ashram has also made a statement on this matter. He said, “The way Hanumanji is shown as a servant of Swaminarayan Bhagwan in the murals, he is shown standing with folded hands in front of Sahajanand Swami Maharaj. That’s a very sad thing. As we all know, in the Sanatan tradition, Hanuman, Ram and Shiva have been our deities for many years, since time immemorial. An attempt is being made to make him look low.”

Mahant Dilipdasji Maharaj of Jagannath Temple in Ahmedabad appealed not to harm the Dharma. He said, “If Hanuman ji is from time immemorial, then we should hold on to our tradition. By doing so, we and our gods and goddesses will also be respected.”

1008 Mahamandaleshwar Mahendranandgiri Maharaj of Muchkund Cave said, “The great men of the Swaminarayan sect believed in Mahadev and Hanumanji very much. Similarly, to date, no Sanatan Dharma saint has ever made any comment about your sect. It would be better if we all stay within our limits.”

Mahant Indrabharti Bapu of Junagadh Rudreshwar Ashram has also been angry in the Salangpur dispute case. He termed the act of the Salangpur temple as condemnable. He said, “Such pretentious sages who are there in the religion. This leads to internal disputes which also makes the heretics happy. So the person who commits this act will never be forgiven.”

Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad are also expressing their reactions to this matter. Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) general secretary Ashok Rawal said, “It is easy to keep illiterate people together, but it is very difficult to keep wise people together.” Apart from this, he said that he is trying to bring a good end to this dispute by meeting many saints. Apart from this, he clarified that Lord Ram and Hanumanji were in Treta Yuga. Sahajanand Swami’s period is 250-300 years from now. There is a lot of difference between the two times, he said.

On the same issue, religious leader Jyotirnath Maharaj has also opened a front. Talking to the media, he said, “The agitation will start from Vadodara, tomorrow the movement will be started by giving an application to the collector. After this, all the collectors, Governor, Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel will be given an application letter.”

He further said, “Saints and devotees will march to Salangpur if proper action is not taken by the administration. A total of 175 controversial pieces of evidence of the Swaminarayan sect have been collected. A petition will also be filed in the High Court in this matter.”

The Mahant of Rokadia Hanuman Mandir in Botad said, “These individuals are opposed to Sanatan Dharma. Hanumanji is a devotee of Sita and Ram, not a devotee of Swaminarayan. If they persist in such actions, we are prepared to take up arms. If these images are not removed within 24 hours, we will resort to more drastic measures, even if it means resorting to violence.”

Shankaracharya Shri Sadanand Saraswati of Dwarka said, “We want to make it very clear that we are all followers of Sanatan Dharma. We have been worshipping our Devi-Devta for thousands of years, just as our ancestors did. Sahajnand Ji Maharaj and his father also used to worship someone. He himself was a worshipper of Lakshmi Narayan Bhagwan and even installed Nar Narayan Bhagwan in Vadtal. However, now his followers have formed multiple sects and are engaging in arbitrary actions that are not right. This is neither right for Sanatan Dharma nor for them, or anyone else, for that matter. No sect can prosper by condemning another sect.”

He added, “We are all followers of Sanatan Dharma, and while we may follow different methods of worship and pooja, we should not condemn or insult the Devtas of others. This is the same issue faced in cinema: who should we fight with, and for how long? Even they (the Swaminarayan sect) are doing it now. For 200-300 years, no follower of Sanatan Dharma has ever spoken against the Swaminarayan sect. So, why are they doing it?”

In the meanwhile, an agitated person arrived at the statue and smeared black paint on the offensive murals. He was also hitting the murals with a stick. However, he was caught by police before he could do much damage.

“Blatant abuse of power”: Chhattisgarh BJP MLA says public money used to organise Rahul Gandhi’s political event in Raipur

ANI
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“Blatant abuse of power”: Chhattisgarh BJP MLA says public money used to organise Rahul Gandhi’s political event in Raipur

Hitting out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his visit to poll-bound Chhattisgarh, BJP MLA Ajay Chandrakar on Saturday claimed public money was spent to organise a “political event”.

During his visit to the Congress-ruled state, Rahul is scheduled to address a public meeting and interact with the youth.

Speaking to ANI on Saturday, the BJP MLA said, “Rahul Gandhi will hold a political event to which eminent journalists from across the country have been invited at government expense. Not just this, government officials from various departments were also involved in his programme at public expense. This is blatant abuse of power. Since the polls are drawing near, the Election Commission should take cognisance of this.”

“The Election Commission should also step in to stop the ruling party (Congress) from putting out fake advertisements of 10 new colleges opening in the state. Where are these 10 colleges?” Chandrakar questioned.

The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) issued a statement on Friday saying that Rahul will address the youth in the state capital, Raipur, on Saturday.

The Wayanad MP will attend the Rajiv Yuva Mitan Sammelan, an event organised by the state government.

On the proposed ‘One Nation, One Election’, the BJP leader said, “This is a national issue. We will soon get to know more about it.”

On Union Home Minister Amit Shah also visiting Chhattisgarh on Saturday to launch ‘Aarop Patra’, a list of allegations against the Bhupesh Baghel government, the BJP leader said, “There is still some more time for the Aarop Patra to be released. You will soon get to know more about it.”

Ahead of Rahul’s visit, the Congress levelled a series of allegations against the previous BJP government in the state, accusing it of indulging in multiple instances of corruption, including the alleged Civil Supplies Corporation (CSC) scam and the DKS scam, among others.

The BJP has been holding a series of meetings in the state as part of preparations for the Assembly polls that are scheduled to be held later this year. 

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Asia Cup: Rain cloud hangs over first India-Pakistan ODI encounter in 4 years

OpIndia Staff
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Asia Cup: Rain cloud hangs over first India-Pakistan ODI encounter in 4 years

The biggest cricketing rivalry will be back in action after a long gap of 4 years. Arch-rivals and Asian cricketing giants, India and Pakistan, are all set to face each other in the Asia Cup on the evening of 2nd September. The venue for the high-octane, revenue-making spectacle will be played at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Sri Lanka. 

In a highly likely scenario, both teams can clash more than once in Asia’s biggest cricketing tournament, but dark clouds of uncertainty are looming large over round one of the clash between both teams. The much-anticipated face-off could end up in a stalemate as the weather forecast has been hinting at heavy rain spells and thunderstorms throughout the day.

Sucking away all the hype and anticipation, the weather could play a spoilsport. There is almost an 85 percent chance of rain during game time. Although the play is scheduled to start at 3 PM India Time, there are chances, that the toss and first ball could be delayed in the wake of bad weather.    

Pallekele has seen cloudy and gloomy weather for the last two days, with dark clouds overhead. Although there hasn’t been any rain since Thursday, the forecast for Saturday evening is quite worrisome, predicting a 90 percent chance of rain until 6 PM. This could either completely jeopardise the India-Pakistan encounter or could curtail the match time. 

However, in a slight sense of relief, the heavy breeze on Saturday blew the dark clouds away from the vicinity, and locals claimed that the morning was the brightest since Wednesday. The locals added that with the heavy breeze around, there could be chances that the stadium receives only passing showers that could last only for half an hour to an hour. 

In such a possibility, both the skippers would have DLS equations in mind while going for the toss. In a rain-washed game, most captains tend to choose to field first so as to get a clear picture of how well is the game poised at the halfway stage. 

However, cricketing legends and past games played on this track suggest that the pitch could be on the slower side and it could get tougher for the chasing side, especially under lights. With these stark possibilities, it would be a dicey situation for skippers when they make their decision correcting calling for the coin toss. 

Meanwhile, a day prior to the game, the Pakistani skipper Babar Azam announced that they would not make any changes to their winning XI against Nepal and would field an unchanged playing XI against India.  

In the last match against Nepal, the Pakistan side managed a comfortable win. As per that squad, Pakistan Playing XI against India would be: 

Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Agha Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf. 

On the other hand, the Indian skipper Rohit Sharma could go with 6/7 batters, 1/2 all-rounders and 2/3 pacers. India’s Probable XI could look like: 

Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur/Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

Previous encounters

Most India vs Pakistan encounters have lived up to the expectations and have gone down to the wire. The last time both sides squared off in the 50-over ODI format was way back in the 2019 World Cup with India going past the finish line quite comfortably. The top three in that game scored big with Rohit Sharma’s fiery knock of 140 runs in 113 balls ensuring India pilled up 336/5 in its quota of 50 overs. In the rain-curtailed match, Pakistan could only muster 212/6 in its 40 overs ending up 89 runs short of the DLS par score. 

Since then, both sides have played four T20I matches, in the 20-over version of the Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup.  

In an anti-climax, if the bad weather persists, the high-stake encounter on Pallekele could also be another shortened affair. Despite the fact that it is a game of nerves rather than match form, fitness, skills, or stats going into the game, the history of previous encounters could also play in the back of the minds of players. 

Overall, in head-to-head encounters in the 50-over format, Pakistan and India have played each other 132 times. Though Pakistan has won more games with 73 wins, and India winning only 55 matches, the gap has been narrowing down in past decades. 

Contrarily, in the ODI format of the Asia Cup, the Indian squad has a better track record with 7 wins out of the 13 matches played between the arch-rivals. While one game ended in no result, Pakistan has won 5 games in this Asian tournament. 

The last ODI match in the Asia Cup between the two rivals was played in 2018 when the tournament was held in the UAE. During the Super 4 stage, India and Pakistan played each other in which the Indian side steamrolled their Pakistani counterparts and handed them a crushing defeat. 

India comfortably won the game by nine wickets after it chased down the Pakistani total of 237 runs courtesy of a 210 runs-opening partnership between Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan.

With Nepal as the third side in the group, both India and Pakistan are certain to progress to the next stage of the tournament, but the result of this match is going to decide who finishes top of the group.

Cauvery dispute: Farmers continue protest in Karnataka’s Mandya over release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu

OpIndia Staff
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Cauvery dispute: Farmers continue protest in Karnataka’s Mandya over release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu

On Friday, September 1st, the farmers in Karnataka’s Mandya continued their protest seeking to stop the release of Cauvery River water by Karnataka authorities into Tamil Nadu.

Farmers demonstrated on Tuesday, one day after the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) issued an interim ruling requiring Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu every day for the next 15 days, until September 2. The protesting farmers blindfolded themselves and staged a sit-in in front of the Cauvery Irrigation Corporation headquarters at the main gate of the KRS dam in Mandya on Tuesday.

On Thursday (August 31), the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CMWA) submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court noting that a meeting was held and that Karnataka followed the CWMA’s directives by releasing 1,49,898 cusec of water at Biligundulu from August 12 to August 26.

Previously, the Supreme Court stated that it lacked expertise on the subject and sought a report from the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on the volume of releases made by Karnataka.

Protesting farmers sought that the release of water to Tamil Nadu be halted immediately, citing water constraints. “Farmers here don’t have water, so why should we give it to Tamil Nadu?” They claimed the state government did not “care” about the farmers here. The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing on the Cauvery water-sharing issue between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu for September 6.

On August 14, 2023, the Tamil Nadu government petitioned the Supreme Court for their intervention in mandating Karnataka to immediately release 24,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs) of water from its reservoirs.

For decades, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have been at odds over the distribution of water from the Cauvery River, which serves as a key supply of irrigation and drinking water for millions of people in the region.

On June 2, 1990, the Centre established the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) to resolve water-sharing disputes between Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Puducherry.

Gujarat shocker: Teen girl develops relationship with mother’s boyfriend, gets her mother killed for objecting to the affair

OpIndia Staff
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Gujarat shocker: Teen girl develops relationship with mother’s boyfriend, gets her mother killed for objecting to the affair

A shocking incident of illicit liaisons with an even more alarming end has come to light in Gujarat. In Bhuj, a 17-year-old girl along with her boyfriend ended the life of her own mother. Both females were having an affair with the same person and the victim didn’t approve of her daughter’s relationship with him.

Hence, the accused devised a scheme to remove her from the way. She and her lover killed the woman with the help of a friend and buried her body on the beach by the sea in Kutch. The Mundra Marine police have arrested her as well as her 37-year-old lover Yogesh Jotiyana and his 35-year-old friend Naran Jogi. All are residents of Madhapar village close to Bhuj.

Lakshmi wedded Jeetendra Bhatt seven years ago and this was her second marriage. Her only daughter from the first marriage came to live with them in Madhapar. Things started to take a turn for the worse when Lakshmi fell in love with Yogesh Jotiyana who was a painter by profession, six months ago. This led to major fights between the husband and wife when he learnt about the affair. The perpetrator had begun to visit their house in his absence.

Meanwhile, the teen started accompanying him to painting jobs and the two grew a liking for each other. Lakshmi Bhatt found out about the development which resulted in bitter altercations with her daughter.

The discovery of the crime

Police found the decomposed body of a woman at an isolated spot near the seashore close to Hamirmora village, some 55 km from Madhapar on 13 July. The forensic postmortem did not produce any clues about her identity or the reason behind the death and no missing report had been filed in any police station either. They were only confident that it was a murder.

Authorities commenced the probe and printed leaflets with a description of the deceased which were distributed in Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) buses, private passenger cars, villages and other public locations. People were asked to notify them immediately if they learned anything.

An officer stated, “The place where the body was found was completely isolated. Very few people like local fishermen or cattle breeders who are familiar with the area’s geography come here. Therefore, there was a strong possibility of involvement of some local person.”

Police then enlisted a few residents of adjacent villages as informants after they gained their trust and found out whether any strangers had lately visited the village or the coastline. They were also informed by several locals that four individuals came to Hamirmora around a month and a half prior in order to attend a social event. They obtained the function’s date and obtained that day’s call detail records.

The police also uncovered that Yogesh Jotiyana’s home was close to the crime scene. He was nabbed by police after they acquired his address and questioned him, during which he admitted to the murder. The three culprits planned to kill Lakshmi Bhatt by bringing her to the social gathering, according to the investigation.

They arrived in Hamirmora on 13 July and, as intended, spent the day at the beach where Yogesh Jotiyana struck the victim repeatedly with a blunt object. The accused buried her body in a remote location after she passed away before departing.

Maharashtra: Hunger strike for Maratha reservations turns violent as protestors pelt stones, police respond with lathi charge

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: Hunger strike for Maratha reservations turns violent as protestors pelt stones, police respond with lathi charge

On 1st September 2023, Maharashtra Police lathi-charged protesters who were on a fast unto death for their demand of the Maratha reservation. The incident took place in the Antarawali Sarati village in the Jalna district of Maharashtra. The incident has evoked sharp reactions across the state. Some vehicles were set on fire on the Dhule-Solapur highway. In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, stones were pelted at three to four places and buses were vandalised. An attempt was also made to set a bus on fire at Sambhajinagar Bus Depot. As various political leaders and ministers have made different remarks about this incident, Sharad Pawar is set to visit the Antarawali Sarati village on 2nd September 2023.

Maratha Morcha coordinator Manoj Jarange Patil and 10 others sat on a protest demanding reservation in Antwarli Sarati village of Jalna district since August 29. The protest was in the form of a fast unto death. The condition of hunger striker Manoj Jarange Patil was deteriorating. On Thursday, the police personnel went to the hunger strike site and urged Manoj Jarange Patil to get admitted to the hospital. The protestors rejected the police instructions and asked the police to visit later on the next day.

On Friday, 1st September 2023, the police revisited the hunger strike protest site and attempted to take Manoj Jarange Patil to the hospital. The protestors present at the site then started pelting stones at the police and in this ruckus many police personnel were injured. This attack by the protestors forced the police to open lathi-charge. Some tear gas canisters were also fired. As the videos of the incident went viral on social media, the reactions were seen in various cities of Maharashtra. Stones were pelted in Beed, Jalna. State Transport buses were vandalised in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “The incident in Jalna is unfortunate and serious. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde himself had held talks with the hunger strikers there. The government is working seriously on the issue of the Maratha reservation. This is a matter related to the Supreme Court judgment. So it’s not an issue that will be solved in a day. The hunger strikers were told that various efforts were being made to resolve it.”

Devendra Fadnavis added, “As the protesters were not ready to end their hunger strike their health was deteriorating. It is the responsibility of the government to admit any person to the hospital if his health is deteriorating. Efforts were made on Thursday to get the hunger strikers admitted to the hospital. But, the protestors told the police to come on the next day. After the police went there today (Friday), they were surrounded by the protestors and pelted with stones. Twelve police persons including officers and other policemen were injured. This has been followed by a lathi charge.”

Devendra Fadnavis said, “The lathi charge has been minimal. Some tear gas canisters were also fired. Had tear gas not been fired, the police would have faced a dire situation. I had given reservations to the Maratha community when I was the chief minister. Even now, the chief minister has formed a committee. Efforts are going on to address various demands of the Maratha community. No one should take the law into their own hands. The entire matter will be investigated. Whoever is at fault, action will be taken against him. Peace should be maintained.”

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said, “It is the role of the government to provide sustainable reservation. A petition has also been filed in the court. Chandrakant Patil’s sub-committee has been holding frequent meetings. The government is working to ensure that the Maratha community gets reservation that lasts in the courts. However, a high-level inquiry will be conducted into the incident. Action will be taken against those involved.”

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said, “Prima facie, it appears that the Maratha protesters were lathi-charged, rubber bullets and abuse of force by the police is also seen. I assure the people of the state that a thorough, impartial investigation will be conducted into the role of the police in this regard and strict action will be taken against the guilty policemen. We have to ensure that this movement moves forward in a democratic manner while maintaining law and order.”

Sharad Pawar has once again taken this incident as an opportunity to broaden the differences between the Maratha and Brahmin communities in Maharashtra. In his initial reactions to this incident, Sharad Pawar attacked Devendra Fadnavis without directly naming him. He also insinuated that the police action is a reflection of the feelings the home minister has for a particular community.

Sharad Pawar said, “I got a call or two from Jalna and they told me what happened there. Manoj Jarange and his colleagues sat on a hunger strike. The police consulted them. Everything was going on peacefully in that discussion. However, after the discussion, an attempt was made to drive them out of the area using police force.”

Sharad Pawar added, “The protesters were severely lathi-charged. In fact, once discussed, there was no need for a lathi charge or the use of force. However, the state home minister might have suggested that if people working in such social sectors come out on the streets when their issues go unanswered, they (police) should use force.”

Sharad Pawar said, “The feeling of the state home minister towards certain elements is expressed through the actions of the police. This picture has been seen in Jalna. Why to blame the police for this? The police received such instructions from the top level and they performed. This led to acrimony between the police and the youth for no reason. The entire responsibility lies with the state government and those in charge of the home department.” It is notable that Sharad Pawar will visit the hunger strike site today.

After historic moon landing, ISRO’s maiden solar mission, Aditya- L1, launched successfully from Sriharikota

ANI
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After historic moon landing, ISRO’s maiden solar mission, Aditya- L1, launched successfully from Sriharikota

The PSLV-C57.1 rocket carrying the Aditya-L1 orbiter, lifted off successfully from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh at 11.50 am on Saturday.

The successful launch of the maiden solar mission of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) came on the heels of the historic lunar landing mission — Chandrayaan-3.

The ISRO successfully placed a lander on the unexplored lunar South Pole, a feat that put India in the record books as the first country to do so. According to the agency, the Aditya-L1 mission is expected to reach the observation point in four months.

It will be placed in a halo orbit around Lagrangian Point 1 (or L1), which is 1.5 million km away from the Earth in the direction of the sun.

It will carry seven different payloads to have a detailed study of the sun, four of which will observe the light from the sun and the other three will measure in-situ parameters of the plasma and magnetic fields.

The largest and technically most challenging payload on Aditya-L1 is the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph or VELC.

VELC was integrated, tested, and calibrated at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics’ CREST (Centre for Research and Education in Science Technology) campus in Hosakote in collaboration with ISRO.

This strategic location will enable Aditya-L1 to continuously observe the sun without being hindered by eclipses or occultation, allowing scientists to study solar activities and their impact on space weather in real time. Also, the spacecraft’s data will help identify the sequence of processes that lead to solar eruptive events and contribute to a deeper understanding of space weather drivers.

Major objectives of India’s solar mission include the study of the physics of solar corona and its heating mechanism, the solar wind acceleration, coupling and dynamics of the solar atmosphere, solar wind distribution and temperature anisotropy, and origin of Coronal Mass Ejections (CME) and flares and near-earth space weather.

According to the Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Astrophysics, the atmosphere of the sun, the corona, is what is seen during a total solar eclipse.

A coronagraph like the VELC is an instrument that cuts out the light from the disk of the sun, and can thus image the much fainter corona at all times.

Earlier, on August 23, India became the fourth country after the US, China, and Russia to have successfully placed a lander on the moon’s surface. After the historic touchdown, the ‘Vikram’ lander and the ‘Pragyan’ rover performed different set tasks on the lunar surface, including finding the presence of sulphur and recording relative temperature.

The stated objectives of Chandrayaan-3, India’s third lunar mission, were a safe and soft landing on the lunar surface, the rover moving on the moon’s surface, and in-situ scientific experiments.

Chandrayaan-3 is the ISRO’s follow-up attempt after the Chandrayaan-2 mission faced challenges during its soft landing on the lunar surface in 2019 and was eventually deemed to have failed its core mission objectives.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

“Systematic conspiracy to destroy the institution of marriage”: Allahabad HC slams live-in relationships while granting bail to one Adnan accused of raping live-in partner

OpIndia Staff
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“Systematic conspiracy to destroy the institution of marriage”: Allahabad HC slams live-in relationships while granting bail to one Adnan accused of raping live-in partner

On Tuesday, August 29, the Allahabad High Court observed that there is a “systematic design” at work to “destroy the institution of marriage in India.” The court also opined that films and television serials are also contributing to this. The Allahabad High Court made these observations while granting bail to a man accused of raping his live-in partner.

Justice Siddharth while hearing the matter on Tuesday stated that the brutish concept of “changing partners in every season” cannot be considered a hallmark of a “stable and healthy” society and that the security and stability provided by the institution of marriage cannot be achieved from live-in relationships.

The court further noted that films and TV shows that are currently airing are serving to annihilate the institution of marriage. Infidelity to a married partner and having a free live-in relationship are depicted as manifestations of a progressive society. “The youth get attracted to such philosophy being… unaware of the long-term consequences,” Justice Siddharth noted.

The court noted that life becomes very difficult for women if they suffer break-ups after live-in relationships, as society refuses to accept such women. Justice Siddharth said that while it is not difficult for males to find a female spouse for marriage or another live-in relationship after leaving a live-in relationship, it is “very difficult” for women to find a male partner for marriage or a subsequent live-in relationship. “The social middle-class norms, irrespective of the religion of the female partner, militate against her efforts to regain her social status,” Justice Siddharth said.

The judge emphasised that by keeping exceptions apart, no family would willingly accept such a female as a family member. “There is no dearth of cases coming to the courts where the female partner of a previous live-in relationship commits suicide out of disgust resulting from socially ill behaviour,” he observed.

Furthermore, Justice Siddharth stated that in a country like ours, middle-class morality cannot be overlooked. “The morality of the highest and lowest classes has nothing to do with each other because morality dies in riches and chokes in poverty,” he explained.

“The security, social acceptance, progress and stability which the institution of marriage provides to a person is never provided by live-in-relationship. Live-in-relationship shall only be considered as normal after the institution of marriage becomes obsolete in this country,” said Justice Siddharth.

Making another strong statement, Justice Siddharth said that a person who does not have cordial family relationships cannot contribute to the progress of the nation. “He/she has no anchor in life to bank upon. Hopping from one relationship to another does not lead to any fulfilling existence.

The court order stated that “children born from live-in relationships face numerous challenges. “When their parents divorce, their children become a burden on society. They end up in the wrong company, and the country loses good citizens.”

According to the court, “In the case of a female child born out of a live-in relationship, there are other ill effects that are too obvious to elaborate on.”

The court was hearing the bail motion of a man named Adnan from Saharanpur district who has been in jail since April 18, charged with rape of a 19-year-old girl, causing the death of an unborn child by act amounting to culpable homicide, and criminal intimidation under IPC sections 376, 316, and 506, as well as the POCSO Act.

The couple lived together for a period of one year. When the woman became pregnant, Adnan refused to marry her, subsequently, the woman filed a complaint against him, stating that he had sexual relations with her under false pretences of marriage.

Accused Adnan’s counsel claimed that the victim was not a juvenile because she was 19 years old and that there was no medical proof against the accused of committing an offence under Section 316 of the IPC (causing the death of an unborn child by conduct amounting to culpable murder).

The single-judge bench took note of this and concluded that this was another instance where the young couple had split ways after enjoying a live-in relationship. The girl, as in most instances, had filed an FIR in an unsuccessful attempt to enter into a stable marriage relationship with the accused.

Consequently, the bench granted the bail plea, taking into account the nature of the offence, evidence, the accused’s complicity, and the arguments of the counsel for the parties, among other things.

Karnataka High Court disqualifies HD Deve Gowda’s grandson as Lok Sabha MP over irregularities in election affidavit

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka High Court disqualifies HD Deve Gowda’s grandson as Lok Sabha MP over irregularities in election affidavit

On Friday, September 1, Karnataka High Court ruled that Prajwal Revanna was ineligible to serve as a Lok Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) for the Hassan constituency due to inconsistencies in his affidavit for the 2019 general election. He is the grandson of Janata Dal-Secular supremo and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda.

He was the sole MP for the party and won the Hassan district in the last Lok Sabha elections. The judgment was pronounced by a single bench judge of K Natrajan.

The two petitions submitted by G Devarajegowda, a voter from the constituency, and A Manju, the Bharatiya Janta Party candidate who was defeated in the 2019 general elections were partially allowed in the judge’s decision. He also ordered the Election Commission of India to take action against the Parliamentarian for violating the Conduct of Election Process Rules.

A Manju, who ran against Prajwal Revanna in the Lok Sabha election on a BJP ticket and lost, later joined the JD(S) and presently serves as an MLA. He appeared before the court and submitted that Prajwal Revanna’s seat should be vacated because the Election Commission was given incorrect information and he should be announced as the MP in his place.

The latter reportedly engaged in election fraud and failed to disclose his assets to the Election Commission, according to the petitioners.

Justice K Natrajan stated, “Both the election petitions filed by the petitioners are allowed in part. The election of the returned candidate, respondent No. 1 namely Prajwal Revanna alias Prajwal R, Member of the Parliament, Constituency 16, Hassan (General) having been declared as returned candidate dated 23.5.2019 is hereby declared as null and void.

The High Court further ordered the Election Commission to take action against Suraj Revanna (MLC) and H D Revanna (MLA), his brother and father for their participation in electoral fraud.

The court added, “H D Revanna and Suraj Revanna are named in the complaint under Representation of People’s Act for having committed corrupt practice at the time of election and also A Manju, who is also involved in corrupt practice. Election Commission to issue notice and comply with Conduct of Election Process Rules.”

The High Court, however, denied the petitioner’s request to proclaim A Manju victorious candidate since he was “involved in corrupt practices.” It remarked, “The prayer of the petitioners in both the cases to declare A Manju as the returned candidate is rejected in view of the findings that he himself is involved in corrupt practices.” 

The petitions had provided numerous incidents of errors as well as his failure to declare his holdings. The Chennambika Conventional Hall had a value of at least Rs 5 crore but Prajwal Revanna reduced it to just Rs 14 lakh.

H D Revanna responded to the development and mentioned that he has not yet received information about the court’s verdict but noted that it is everyone’s duty to respect the court’s decision and abide by the law.

$250 million to Ukraine since 2014, support for Balkans, fear-mongering about Trump’s return as US president: Alexander Soros to continue to influence politics in Europe

Dibakar Dutta
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$250 million to Ukraine since 2014, support for Balkans, fear-mongering about Trump’s return as US president: Alexander Soros to continue to influence politics in Europe

On Thursday (August 31), the son of Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros dismissed media reports, that suggested that the nefarious Open Society Foundations (OSF) was exiting its operations in Europe.

The development was confirmed by Alexander Soros aka Alex, the heir of his father’s $25 billion enterprise, in an article on Politico. He wrote, “News reports that the Open Society Foundations (OSF) and Soros are “leaving Europe” are misleading. We are not leaving.”

“Europe remains of huge strategic importance to the work of OSF, which began in the 1980s, when my father started funding independent thinkers in his native Hungary, then a Soviet satellite in Communist Eastern Europe. And today, for all its faults, the European Union still stands as a global beacon of the values that shape our work,” Alexander Soros emphasised.

Screengrab of the article in Politico

The son of George Soros informed that the Open Society Foundations (OSF) will be shifting its focus to Eastern Europe, influenced by the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia and the rise of Poland as an economic powerhouse.

“So, as OSF retools the way it works globally, we are shifting our priorities in Europe accordingly. Yes, this means we will be exiting some areas of work as we focus on today’s challenges, as well as those we will face tomorrow,” he said.

Alexander Soros added, “And yes, we will also be reducing our headcount significantly, seeking to ensure more money goes out to where it’s most needed,” he added. But this isn’t any kind of a retreat.”

Support for Ukraine’s civil society, Balkans and colour revolution

The son of George Soros conceded that the OSF is supporting the war efforts in Ukraine against Russia through its funding of a ‘network of civil society groups’ to the tune of $250 million (~ ₹2068 crores) since 2014.

“We will not be abandoning allies who stand up for democratic rights in the face of autocrats and would-be dictators — neither in Europe nor the rest of the world. But we need to be ready and able to respond to an uncertain and dangerous future,” Alexander Soros reaffirmed.

This is in line with the textbook approach adopted by George Soros and his Open Society Foundations to influence civil society and ‘distort’ public perspectives across different nations.

Alexander Soros also highlighted that OSF will continue to work to ensure the membership of Moldova and Western Balkans in the European Union, a cause championed by his father in the 1990s.

Alexander Soros worried about anti-war Donald Trump

The son of George Soros also resorted to fear-mongering about the victory of Donald Trump in the 2024 Presidential elections and claimed that such a development would be detrimental to the European Union.

“Such an outcome will imperil European unity and undermine the progress achieved on many fronts in response to the war in Ukraine,” the junior Soros brazened it out. It must be mentioned that Trump had vowed to end the Russia-Ukraine war within a span of 24 hours.

“But there remains more work to be done. And it is my great hope that OSF, in its reconfigured form, will be able to help the European project realize its full promise,” Alexander Soros concluded.

Leftist media lament exit of OSF from Europe

Earlier on August 15, 2023, several leftist media publications claimed that the Open Society Foundations (OSF) was retreating from Europe and lamented that it would somehow affect ‘human rights work.’

“Several beneficiaries of Soros’s Open Society Foundations (OSF), chaired since the start of this year by his son Alex, told the Observer they would struggle without its support amid an authoritarian rollback,” wrote The Guardian.

The Financial Times wrote, “It unnerved political observers and civil society groups that have used funding to counter illiberal policies in central and eastern Europe, including Hungary.”

“Grantees told The Associated Press that a withdrawal of support for human rights, political participation or digital protections in the European Union would be a strategic mistake and questioned whether the foundations had made a final decision to do so,” emphasised ABC News.

Who is Alexander Soros

In June this year, George Soros decided to hand over the reins of his $25 billion business empire to his younger son. The junior Soros identifies as a ‘centre-left thinker’ and has vowed to expand on the ‘liberals aims’ of his father.

The 37-year-old also confirmed that he has the same mindset as George Soros. “We think alike…I am more political,” he emphasised. Alexander Soros is also focused on using the family’s wealth to support leftist politicians and champion the cause of abortion, voting rights and gender equity.

He yields considerable influence in the White House and has met officials of the Biden administration, top Democrat leaders and even Canadian PM Justin Trudeau. Until 2016, Alexander was touted as the ‘playboy son’ of senior Soros, known for hanging out with NBA friends and gorgeous models at his mansion.

All of that changed in the past 7 years so much so that he came to be known as George Soros’ deputy. According to the Wall Street Journal, Alexander Soros is more interested in domestic politics in the United States.

He has been an open critic of Donald Trump. The 37-year-old has indicated that he is willing to use his wealth to keep the ex-US President out of the Oval Office. He reportedly paid $7,00,000 (₹5.76 crore rupees) to the Biden Victory Fund in 2020 and was one of the top donors.

The junior Soros also coughed hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Democratic National Committee (DNC), Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), Nancy Pelosi Victory Fund, State Democratic parties, and individual campaigns.

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