The Delhi High Court on August 29 made it possible for a lesbian couple to continue living together by disregarding the objections raised by the family of one of the partners.
A division bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Neena Bansal Krishna ruled that the woman, whose parents raised objections over the relationship between two girls is an adult of 22 years.
The Court had previously ordered counseling for both of her parents, but the Court was told that after reading about homosexuality, the parents found it hard to accept the relationship involving two women.
As a result, the Court disregarded the parents’ objections and held that the woman cannot be forced to go anywhere against her will and that she may reside with anyone she wants and wherever she wants.
The Court also stated that the two of them can spend their life in society as they see fit.
“The petitioner and survivor are at liberty to live their lives in the society as per their own style…We hereby make it clear that the parents, relatives, and their associates shall not extend any threat in whatsoever manner directly or indirectly or undue pressure upon the petitioner as well as survivor,” the Court ordered.
The Court was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by the spouse of a woman who was reportedly taken away by her parents. Her family was said to have problems with her relationship with a woman.
The High Court, in a decision issued on August 22, ordered counseling for the parents of the woman in order to make them accept her “as per her wishes.” The woman had also been ordered to attend counseling by the Court.
When the case was heard in court on August 29, the woman’s family claimed that her lover had brainwashed her and that they tried reading about homosexuality but found it difficult to accept.
Meanwhile, the woman confirmed that she wanted to stay with her partner and did not want to return to her family.
As a result, the Bench ruled that the couple be allowed to live together at the petitioner’s residence and told the local Station House Officer (SHO) to share the contact information of the lady sub-inspector and beat constable with them.
A similar case was reported from Kerala’s Malappuram district where a lesbian woman reunited with her partner after she was kept apart by the latter’s family. The partner of the woman was taken away by her family who did not approve of their relationship. However, the duo were united after they sought help from the Malappuram Women’s Police Station.
The petitioner in the current case was represented by attorneys Amritananda Chakravorty, Mihir Samson, Asawari Sodhi, Vaishnavi Prasad, and Pradip K Singh. Meanwhile, Sanjay Lao, Additional Standing Counsel (Criminal), and attorneys Abhinav Kumar Arya and Priyam Agarwal represented Delhi Police.
On 30th August 2023, Karnataka’s chief minister Siddaramaiah inaugurated the redeveloped Al Badr Circle in Mysore. The intersection close to Al-Badr Mosque in Rajiv Nagar Second Stage of Mysore has recently undergone a redevelopment that draws inspiration from iconic landmarks in Dubai. As some media reports from Karnataka are calling it a new attraction of Mysore city, it is necessary to know the Islamic understanding of the term Al Badr and how fanning the sentiments around it is fundamentally against Hindu interests.
ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ @siddaramaiah ಅವರು ಮೈಸೂರು ನಗರ ಪಾಲಿಕೆ ವತಿಯಿಂದ ರಾಜೀವ್ ನಗರದಲ್ಲಿ ಆಯೋಜಿಸಿದ್ದ ಸಮಾರಂಭದಲ್ಲಿ ಅಲ್ ಬದರ್ ಸರ್ಕಲ್ ಅನ್ನು ಉದ್ಘಾಟಿಸಿದರು. pic.twitter.com/qjWIw0XbVi
Mysuru takes pride in its distinguished roundabouts including Chamarajendra Wadiyar Circle, Krishnaraja Wadiyar Circle, and Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Circle. These meticulously designed and visually appealing intersections were conceived by the Wadiyar Maharajas. More recently, additional junctions have been revitalized in localities like Saraswathipuram, Kuvempunagar, Vivekanandanagar, Ramakrishnanagar, and Sharadadevinagar.
Constructed with an expenditure of Rs. 2.47 crore, the Al-Badr Circle features a prominent centrepiece in the form of a large kettle, drawing significant attention, particularly during the evening hours when the entire junction is adorned with illumination. Many people identifying themselves with the Al Badr Circle flock to the location daily, seeking to experience a sense reminiscent of Dubai, something alien to India, Karnataka, and Mysore.
At the heart of the Al Badr Circle stands a decorative kettle, towering at a height of 8.25 meters, positioned on a raised pedestal, and encompassed by a pool and graceful fountains. To enhance the overall visual appeal of the environment, ornamental plants and trees have been thoughtfully arranged in symmetrical patterns. Haseeb ur Rahman, a skilled architect from Teamwork Architects located in Bengaluru is the brain behind this design. While everything in the circle appears so beautiful to the eyes of a common Hindu passing by, what is the most dangerous with this circle is the fact that not every Hindu knows the historic significance behind the name of the circle and the way it is strategically placed in the Mysore city that witnessed the havocs of Islamic tyrant Tipu Sultan in the eighteenth century.
What about Badr?
Al Badr means ‘The Badr’. Badr, situated within the Al Madinah Province in Al-Hijaz, Saudi Arabia, rests approximately 130 km away from the sacred Islamic city of Medina. This town gained historical significance as the site of the Battle of Badr, a pivotal clash that transpired between the polytheistic Quraishi forces and the Muslims, who were led by Muhammad – the Islamic Prophet.
On March 13, 624 CE (corresponding to 17 Ramadan 2 AH in the Islamic calendar), the historic Battle of Badr unfolded, pitting a group of 313 men against a vastly outnumbered Meccan force led by the Quraish army, degraded and dehumanised by their Arab Muslim counterparts as the ‘Army of Pagans’. This momentous engagement culminated in a resounding victory for the Muslims, who were led by Prophet Muhammad.
It is notable that the Battle of Badr is the first battle fought by the companions and the followers of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad after he received a ‘divine revelation’ that authorised the Muslims to launch attacks on the polytheists (read non-Muslims) without being attacked first. This was the first time that Muslims following Prophet Muhammad were ordained to attack the idol-worshippers of Mecca because they did not subscribe to the faith of Muslims.
This was the first attack on ‘Kafirs’ by ‘Momins’. Any remembrance of the battle of Badr thus gives soothing instances to the minds of practising Muslims, whose religious scriptures sanction them to slaughter Kafirs without any good reason but just so because they are non-Muslims- the battle of Badr being the legitimate religious citation of the same.
India has historically been a homeland of different faiths. The motherland of faiths like Sanatan Hindu Dharma, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism, India is the most tolerant country in the world. Therefore, anything like the battle of Badr which revives the memories of Muslims killing ‘Kafirs’ (read non-Muslims) just because of what they are—is a grotesque commemoration of an event where Kafirs were slaughtered and provides encouragement to Islamists to continue dehumanising and degrading the non-Muslims.
What Siddaramaiah could be looking for by inaugurating this Badr circle in Mysore?
Siddaramaiah inaugurating the Badr Circle in Mysore essentially has Islamo-apologetic connotations. It is an attempt to appease the Muslims in the Kannada state who demanded deputy chief ministerial posts and important ministries to be given to Muslim leaders immediately after Congress was voted to power. Such projects play right into the hands of Islamic fundamentalists who not only idolise Tipu Sultan, infamously known as the ‘Butcher of Mysore’ but also harbour deep and visceral contempt for non-Muslims, most notably Hindus.
Medieval Islamist tyrant Tipu Sultan forcefully converted thousands of Hindus to Islam. The previous Siddaramaiah government had celebrated Tipu Sultan’s birth anniversary for two consecutive years. The BJP had cancelled these celebrations after returning to power and has been consistently raising questions about eulogizing the Islamist tyrant.
Badr, Mysore, Tipu Sultan—all these things together form a complete course of the support extended by Congress to such anti-Hindu symbolisms and concepts, whose historical significance and religious undertones often go unnoticed by an average unsuspecting Hindu. The entire exercise is touted as an exercise into embracing inclusivity, whereas in reality, it is nothing short of the appeasement of Islamists.
Initially, there’s a mosque named after Badr. Subsequently, a neighbouring circle identified by the prominent mosque comes up. Gradually, the name Badr is mainstreamed into local psyche without the majority realising its religious significance, especially in an Islamic context. Then, the government releases substantial funds to beautify the square with Middle-eastern embellishments—an Arabic-style decorative kettle— perhaps to win over the local Muslim community. All of this takes place even as an average Hindu passerby, who remains busy in his daily life, could not grasp the subtle implications of Islamism associated with the landmark.
Muslim appeasement has been the policy of the Siddaramaiah government from Day 1.
One must not forget that this fanning of Muslim religious sentiments is no different than what the Congress chief minister had guaranteed in the very first meeting after taking the oath. On Tuesday, 23rd May 2023, Karnataka’s chief minister Siddarmaiah gave instructions to the state police to initiate “ruthless action” against provocative posts on social media in the state. Was this action against Hindus posting something on social media? While Siddarmaiah talked about not tolerating hooliganism, he initially kept unclear what is going to be his government’s stand against the Islamists in the state. But his actions in the next two months made it clear what he meant.
Muslim religious public figures vocally asking the Congress government to give important ministries to Muslim leaders in exchange for the dedication the Muslim vote bank showed towards the party was perfectly in line with the appeasement policies offered in the manifesto of the Congress. Congress had vowed to ban Bajrang Dal in the state to appease the Muslims. However, the government has yet to pass an order proscribing the Hindu advocacy group.
Siddaramaiah government allegedly collaborated with leftwing propaganda website Alt News to ‘debunk’ fake news
Within two months of forming the government, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah directed the Departments of Information Technology, Biotechnology and Home Affairs to take action against those who supposedly post fake news. On 24 July 2023, a report published by the Kannada newspaper Vijayvanisaid that the Karnataka government will seek help from dubious fact-checking portal ‘Alt News’ to fight misinformation.
Earlier in June, Congress MLA Priyank Kharge publicly displayed his camaraderie with Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair by referring to the latter as ‘chief.’ Interestingly, Kharge heads the same IT and biotechnology Departments, which are now entrusted to set up the ‘fact-checking unit.’
Will do Chief
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) June 16, 2023
Alt News is anything but a fact-checking agency
The ‘fact checking’ portal, run by Pratik Sinha and Mohammed Zubair, has disseminated and amplified fake news on several instances. This is without accounting for the numerous lies peddled by the founders of the Alt News themselves. Moreover, Mohammed Zubair is known for sharing a cropped video of a TV debate in which BJP’s former spokesperson Nupur Sharma made allegedly insulting remarks against Islamic Prophet Muhammad. The mobs of Muslims came to the streets in protest in various cities across the country.
These protests turned violent causing damages to the properties worth crores. Besides, 6 innocent Hindus were beheaded in India for extending support to the freedom of speech of Nupur Sharma in their social media posts. This whole mess was initiated after Mohammed Zubair dog-whistled Islamists by sharing the clipped video. The Siddaramaiah Government is collaborating with Mohammed Zubair’s ‘Alt News’ for ‘fact-checking’.
It is essential to highlight that the Congress party received support from the SDPI, which is the political arm of the banned Islamist extremist group PFI. The PFI has expressed a desire to transform India into an Islamic nation by 2047 and has advocated for policies that have raised concerns about the safety of Hindus. Additionally, Siddaramaiah has previously celebrated Tipu Jayanti with great enthusiasm. Now, he has participated in the inauguration of a redeveloped circle named after the battle of Badr.
If the Chief Minister celebrates Islamic tyrants like Tipu Sultan and inaugurates circles named after the battle of Badr, known for the Islamic slaughter of innocent non-Muslims, it is a message to Hindus, especially in Karnataka, that a Congress rule in the state stands for polarising figures and incidents—a stark contrast to the historical and civilisational plurality of India.
Shocking details have emerged in the case pertaining to the killing of a 16-year-old Hindu boy Satyam Sharma in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj wherein he was allegedly beaten up by some Muslim youths on August 28 for protesting against the harassment of her sister. As reported earlier, although the police denied the harassment charges as well as the communal angle, an FIR has been registered against four accused including Mohammad Yusuf, the head (Pradhan) of Kheri village under Koraon tehsil.
The cousin sister of the deceased victim Satyam Sharma has opened up about the village head Mohammad Yusuf’s role in the incident. According to a Dainik Bhaskarreport, the girl has alleged that while her brother was getting brutally thrashed by accused Turkpura mohalla resident Muslim youths, she had begged before the village head Mohammad Yusuf to intervene and protect her brother, however, Yusuf refused to help her. Moreover, he kicked the girl and walked away. The girl lamented over her brother’s death saying that if somebody had intervened, her brother would have been alive today.
Reportedly, the boys accused of harassment are also from Mohammad Yusuf’s house. It is also notable that many criminal cases are already registered against Mohammad Yusuf.
Speaking to Dainik Bhaskar, several locals claimed that after Mohammad Yusuf became the Gram Pradhan (village head), the confidence of the local Muslims increased. The locals alleged that Yusuf has been involved in violence in the past, additionally, as he is a powerful goon and has a “setting” with the police as well nobody dares to oppose or file a complaint against him.
Furthermore, the locals alleged that since Kheri village mainly has Hindu residents while in Turkpurwa across the road, Muslims form the majority, there is always an India-Pakistan border-like situation.
Shocking revelations have been made in the FIR registered against the accused persons. The FIR mentions that Satyam Sharma’s sister was harassed in the school (Parmanand Inter College) and the accused had threatened to kill Satyam after he opposed his sister’s harassment. One of the accused had harassed Satyam Sharma’s sister inside the school premises, to this, Satyam intervened and opposed the act. Subsequently, the accused youths threatened to kill him. Later, when Satyam was returning to his home, Mohammad Yusuf along with other accused persons attacked Satyam with sticks and sharp weapons outside his house leaving the 10th standard student dead.
Earlier it was reported that the victim’s relatives had alleged that Satyam’s sister was harassed inside the school premises as well, however, Manoj Pandey, manager of Parmanand Inter College, has said that acting “on the complaint, he called the youths and explained to them.
Speaking to Dainik Bhaskar, Rajesh Pandey, the principal of the school in question said that several miscreants sit near a makeshift shop (Gumti) in Turkpurwa and harass and pass cheap comments against the schoolgirls passing by. “The girls had even complained about this after coming to school. The Kheri police were informed, that they had arrived here as well, but the miscreants are adamant,” Principal Rajesh Pandey said adding that many parents discontinued the education of their daughters fearing harassment they would face in Turkpurwa on their way to the school.
Bhaskar report suggests that the girls in Turkpurwa have been living in an atmosphere of terror and persistent harassment for nearly a decade. The girls who should be holding their heads high, educating and empowering themselves are compelled to go to and return from the school with their heads down and fear in hearts. Moreover, anyone who dares to oppose this, is publicly thrashed by the goons in Turkpurwa, which is mainly a Muslim-dominated area.
Meanwhile, the SHO and Kheri station in charge have reportedly been suspended. So far, five persons have been taken into the police custody. The police have filed an FIR against Mohammad Yusuf and several other unidentified people under sections 34, 302, 324, 354 and 506 of the IPC. OpIndia has obtained a copy of the FIR. In a statement, Prayagraj Police Commissioner Ramit Sharma stated that a total of five accused, including some minors have been taken into custody.
Reacting to the incident, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has alleged that Satyam Sharma’s killing was a well-planned conspiracy directed at instigating the local Hindus. The VHP has also demanded bulldozer action against the properties belonging to the perpetrators in addition to Rs 20 lakh compensation to the bereaved family.
The price of petrol and diesel in Pakistan has surpassed the Rs 300 mark for the first time in history amid protests over the country’s skyrocketing electricity costs and added to the fears of those already reeling from the dire economic condition. As per a notification issued by the Finance division of the Pakistan government, the new price of petrol is Rs 305.36 per litre, while Diesel will cost Rs 311.84 per litre.
High-speed diesel (HSD) and petrol prices have been drastically increased by the caretaker government of Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar by Rs. 14.91 and Rs. 18.44 per litre, respectively. Kerosene and light diesel oil tariffs were not subjected to modification.
The price hike followed a significant rise on 15 August when the interim administration increased fuel rates by as much as Rs 20 per litre. Petroleum prices climbed similarly on 1 August under the previous administration.
The increase in cost is based on current tax rates and import parity prices and is mostly caused by currency depreciation and a minor escalation in global oil costs. The rupee lost much more ground on 1 September versus the US dollar in the interbank market and dropped further by Rs 1.09. It ceased at a record low of Rs 305.54.
The currency has fallen by 4.6 per cent since the caretaker setup was implemented. The currency plummeted 6.2 per cent in August.
According to the official figures provided on 25 August, Pakistan’s short-term inflation soared 27.57% year over year for the week ending on 17 August primarily as a result of a jump in oil prices. However, the inflation slowed down from the week before, when it was 30.82%. The weekly inflation as assessed by the Sensitive Price Index (SPI) increased 0.78 per cent regularly over weeks and continued a four-week trend of upward movement.
Massive protests against rising electricity costs recently took place throughout the nation. People burned their bills in large demonstrations that took place in Multan, Lahore and Karachi, among other protest places. They also confronted the representatives of the power distribution companies.
The authorities claimed that they were making an effort to solve the problem. The caretaker prime minister called an urgent conference on the subject earlier this week and ordered officials to come up with “concrete steps” to lower electricity costs. However, no solution has yet been proposed.
The electricity bill does not constitute an electricity bill because only 20% of the total is believed to be related to actual power consumption whereas 30% is taxes, and a sizeable 50% is reportedly related to government ineptness.
The circular debt in the electrical industry peaked at 100 billion Pakistani Rupees (PKR) around the year 2008. This amount has increased to an astounding PKR 2,400 billion as of 2023. Every political administration that ruled the country between 2008 and 2023 bears some responsibility for the complex crisis that has gripped the country as a result of the steep increase.
The approval of the price boost for fuel and diesel comes as Pakistan experiences one of the greatest economic crises in its history combined with political unrest and terrorist attacks. At 21.3%, inflation in the country has reached a record level. The rupee’s value against the US dollar fell by approximately half in the previous year. The nation’s foreign exchange reserves which are at about $10 billion, are severely low.
Wheat, a necessary commodity, has seen an enormous 130% bump in price over the past year. Petrol costs have gone up by 108% at the same time, and the cost of tea, rice and sugar has shot up by 90% and 80% respectively.
According to experts, a jump in fuel prices is expected to have a terrible effect on Pakistan’s population.
After efforts to target the Adani Group were thwarted, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) has turned its focus towards one of India’s leading mining companies, the Vedanta Group. In a report published on August 31, 2023, the George Soros-backed organisation claimed that Anil Agarwal-led company ‘covertly’ lobbied the Modi government to weaken key environmental regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Employing similar strategies it used while carrying out a hit job at the Adani Group, OCCRP accused the central government of bending and modifying environmental policies to profit Vedanta Group chairman Anil Agarwal, whom the organisation went on to call ‘powerful people close to India’s government.’
Similar to the Adani-Ambani rhetorics that the Indian opposition, especially the Congress and both leftist Indian and International media have been overusing since Modi came to power, the report by OCCRP used terms like “a fan of Modi” for the Vedanta chairman to insinuate that the PM Modi-led BJP government was giving undue favours to the businessman.
It read that the central government approved the changes requested by the mining giant, without public consultation and implementing them using what experts say are illegal methods.
The OCCRP report read that in January 2021, when the world was grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, Anil Agarwal, Chairman of Vedanta Group, communicated to former environment minister Prakash Javadekar that mining companies could enhance production by up to 50 per cent without requiring new environmental clearances, potentially boosting India’s economic recovery.
“The government could add “impetus” to India’s “rapid” economic recovery by allowing mining companies to boost production by up to 50 per cent without having to secure new environmental clearances, he (Anil Agarwal) wrote in a letter to the then environment minister Prakash Javadekar that January,” said the OCCRP report.
The George Soros-backed organisation claimed Vedanta’s oil business, Cairn India, also successfully lobbied to have public hearings scrapped for exploratory drilling in oil blocks it won in government auctions.
“The year before Agarwal wrote to Modi, one of the company’s subsidiaries, Cairn Oil & Gas, also started lobbying to scrap public hearings for oil exploration projects. As with mining, the government quietly amended the law with no public consultation. Since then, at least six of Cairn’s oil projects in the northern deserts of Rajasthan have been greenlit for development,” the report read.
Before continuing, we should first examine the veracity of the serious charge OCCRP has brought against the Vedanta Group and the central government. In its report, the organisation has tried to portray that Anil Agarwal, the chairman of Vedanta Group wrote a letter to the then environmental minister asking for a personal favour, which the latter immediately approved due to Modi’s ‘friendship’ with such big industrialists. It basically accused the Modi government of approving environmental clearance for Vedanta without public consultation due to the personal equation it shared with the likes of Anil Agarwal.
The report also went on to claim that previous industry initiatives aimed at encouraging similar change had failed. But Agarwal got his way around.
However, this was no personal favour the Modi government granted to Anil Agarwal. This is, in fact, a government decision applicable to all miners not just Vedanta. It is normal for companies to write such letters to the ministry. These are official letters on record and do not suggest any scam.
In fact, an official press release by the Coal Ministry in August 2022, stated that in order to enhance coal production to meet the country’s energy requirement, the Ministry of Coal requested the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to consider expansion of mine without public consultation up to 50% of their production capacity.
In the press note, the Ministry of Coal mentioned the names of 10 such projects, undertaken by various companies, other than Vedanta, that were granted such environmental clearances.
List of clearance given to projects on May 7, 2022, by the Ministry of Environment (Source: PIB)
Here it becomes abundantly clear that the letter written by Anil Agarwal to Prakash Javedkar was a similar official communique that the aforementioned companies that undertook those 10 projects might have written to the ministry asking for environmental clearance to enhance coal production. In the given situation it is laughable that the Soros-backed organisation OCCRP is calling an official communication, lobbying. This appears to be a clear case of prejudice against the incumbent BJP government, a similar one which has deliberated the organisation to maliciously target the Adani Group.
Unfazed by the erroneous information it disseminated in its unrelenting contempt for the incumbent Modi government, the report continued its ad hominem attack on the Prime Minister. It claimed that while Modi vowed to reduce India’s carbon emissions by a billion tons by 2030 and reach net zero emissions within 40 years, he approved changes to environmental laws and policies to economically benefit specific corporate entities or sectors, even though he was aware of the negative effects those changes would have on the environment.
“Publicly, Modi has pledged to reduce India’s carbon emissions by a billion tons by 2030 and reach net zero emissions within 40 years after that. But experts who reviewed OCCRP’s findings say they show his government has prioritized the interests of oil and mining companies over the fight against climate change,” OCCRP report read.
“Over the last few years, it is clear that most changes in environmental laws and policies have been largely guided in terms of the economic benefit it would bring to certain corporate entities or sectors,” it added.
Towards the end of the report, OCCRP quoted Vedanta’s response to its report. “One of the leading natural resources organizations in India” the company operated “with an objective of import substitution by enhancing domestic production in a sustainable manner,” it quoted Vedanta spokesperson as saying in an email response.
“In view of the same, continuous representations are submitted for consideration to the Government in the best interest of national development and India’s march towards self-reliance in natural resources,” the Vedanta spokesperson added in the email.
Well, here it becomes imperative to recall that OCCRP, following the footsteps of US-based short seller ‘Hindenburg Research’, recently did a hit job on the Adani group. Global left-wing media houses like the Financial Times and Guardian used the report by OCCRP to claim that the Adani family secretly invested in the Adani group shares, calling it a ‘family linked to PM Modi’.
The report by Financial Times claimed that Gautam Adani’s brother Vinod Adani was behind this and that the investment structures were “provided by an Indian financial group now called 360 One”.
The Guardian report, also based on the same report by OCCRP, didn’t mention the name of 360 One. It alleges that investments into Adani stock from two Mauritius-based funds were overseen by a Dubai-based company run by a known employee of Vinod Adani. It does not mention any involvement of any fund manager like 360 ONE.
No sooner, Rahul Gandhi rushed to address a press conference where he used these reports to resume his attack on PM Modi alleging links with Adani. He repeated already debunked lies, like the claim that Chang Chung-Ling is a Chinese national when the fact is that he is from Taiwan.
Mauritius-based fund 360 One denies allegations in OCCRP report
However, the allegations levelled by OCCRP and parroted by the leftist media and the Congress scion fell flat after yesterday (Thursday, August 31) 360 One came up with a clarification denying any links with the alleged transactions. 360 ONE made a filing with the BSE and NSE denying the claims made in the Financial Times report.
OpIndia also tried to delve into the ambiguity of the claims. We specified how it was not clear what the allegation was exactly as if the Vinod Adani company invested in stocks other than Adani, there is no question of buying Adani shares to inflate prices. It was also not clear why 360 One would pay money to an Assent subsidiary to advise on the investment. Ideally, it should get payment for investment advice.
Notably, just a few days ago, OpIndia also predicted that the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) is planning a shakedown of India’s financial markets, following the footsteps of US-based short seller ‘Hindenburg Research’. OCCRP is funded by the likes of George Soros’ Open Society Foundations (OSF), the Ford Foundation and the Rockefeller Brothers Foundation, groups with a history of funding anti-India activities.
A Saudi Arabia court has sentenced a retired teacher to death over his comments online, CNN reported citing his brother as well as the advocacy group Human Rights Watch.
The 54-year-old retired Saudi teacher, Muhammad al-Ghamdi, was sentenced “following 5 tweets criticizing corruption and human rights violations,” his brother Saeed bin Nasser al-Ghamdi tweeted last week.
According to Human Rights Watch, Muhammad al-Ghamdi was arrested last year and given little access to a lawyer before his conviction in July “under Article 30 of Saudi Arabia’s counterterrorism law for ‘describing the King or the Crown Prince in a way that undermines religion or justice,’ article 34 for ‘supporting a terrorist ideology,’ article 43 for ‘communication with a terrorist entity,’ and article 44 for publishing false news ‘with the intention of executing a terrorist crime.’”
Saudi Arabia researcher at Human Rights Watch, Joey Shea, said in a statement on Tuesday: “Repression in Saudi Arabia has reached a terrifying new stage when a court can hand down the death penalty for nothing more than peaceful tweets.” According to the European Saudi Organization for Human Rights, Saudi Arabia has executed at least 92 people this year so far.
In 2022, UK-based human rights organization ALQST cataloged 148 executions in Saudi Arabia – more than twice the number of executions it recorded in 2021.
The death sentence comes amid an “escalating crackdown” on free speech in the country, said Lina Alhathloul, ALQST head of monitoring and advocacy and sister of released Saudi political prisoner Loujain al-Hathloul.
“They are sending a clear and sinister message – that nobody is safe, and even a tweet can get you killed,” she said, as per CNN.
Al-Ghamdi’s brother Saeed, a well-known Saudi Islamic scholar and government critic living in self-imposed exile in the United Kingdom, said he believes the severity of the sentence is designed to punish him as well.
He said: “The Saudi authorities asked me several times to return to Saudi Arabia, but I refused to do so. It is very probable that this death sentence against my brother is in retaliation for my activity. Otherwise, his charges wouldn’t have carried such a severe penalty.”
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
After 20 days of investigating, a Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) squad on August 28 apprehended one individual, who was planning bomb blasts, from Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh. The arrested man was planning and had threatened to carry out serial bomb attacks in several areas in Nainital.
According to the reports, the accused person has been identified as Khalid though his previous name was Nitin Sharma. He confessed during the investigation that he had converted his religion to Islam. The STF is interrogating Khalid who had warned to carry out attacks with bombs in the name of the terrorist organization Hizbul Mujahideen.
“On July 17 this year, the accused Nitin Sharma threatened the Nainital Media Cell police through Facebook Messenger that serial bomb blasts would take place in the next 24 hours,” Uttarakhand STF’s Additional Superintendent of Police Chandra Mohan Singh said to the media.
On October 4, 2022, the Nainital Police Control Room received bomb threats over social media. The message sent on the official Facebook page of Nainital Police read, “We will blast bombs in different parts of Nainital district within 24 hours and Hizbul Mujahideen takes the responsibility.”
After the police took cognizance of the threat, a case was registered against Khalid at Tallital police station. However, on July 27, the police received a similar message on Facebook. After this, the case was transferred to STF’s cyber police in Dehradun.
Reports mention that the investigation led by the deputy superintendent of cyber police Ankush Mishra helped the police nab the accused from Vijayawada on August 28.
The ASP stated that no tangible evidence has been produced to prove that the accused has links to international terrorist gangs. However, the STF affirmed that bomb threat complaints have been filed against the accused in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala.
ASP also stated that the accused is 10th pass but was digitally clever. The accused, as per the police, did not leave any digital footprint that could help the police nab him easily. The arrested accused will have to appear before the Nainital court.
According to STF sources quoted by the New Indian Express, Nitin Sharma, a Delhi resident who completed Class 10, admitted during interrogation that he had converted his religion to Islam and that he goes to different mosques to pray. He also confessed that there was no one backing him.
“Preliminary interrogation and investigation has revealed that the accused Nitin Sharma alias Khalid used to visit mosques in different states and collect money from there,” ASP Singh informed.
The ASP also revealed that though Nitin had converted his religion to Islam and changed his name to Khalid, all his IDs continued to identify him as Nitin Sharma. “He has not been talking much during the interrogation but has revealed that he has converted to Islam and is now called Khalid. However, all his IDs show Nitin Sharma as his real name. He has also not stated clearly why he sent those texts to the police. It appears that he did those texts for amusement,” the police added.
The Police also added that the accused had no psychological problems as learned from the investigation so far. “It is an ongoing investigation and police will gather more information about the case,” the ASP stated.
At least nine soldiers were killed and twenty others were critically injured, as per the latest accounts of a terror attack in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region on 31 August. The incident took place in the Bannu district when a suicide bomber exploded himself. Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), according to the military, was responsible for the terror strike.
A press statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) read, “On 31 August 2023, a motorcycle-borne suicide bomber exploded himself on a military convoy in general area Jani Khel, Bannu District. Resultantly, nine soldiers including Naib Subedar Sanobar Ali embraced shahadat, while five soldiers were injured.”
Security officials estimated that 20 people had been injured, however, they were not authorised to speak to the media on the record. Hence, they consented to disclose the number on the condition of anonymity.
Security officers have sealed off the location and sanitization is underway to neutralize any terrorists who might have been present there. It further added, “Security forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve.”
Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar ul Haq Kakar expressed grief over the occurrence. He posted, “Heartbroken by the loss of 9 valiant soldiers in Bannu Division, KPK, to a cowardly terrorist act that injured many. Such acts are utterly reprehensible. My thoughts are with the families of the martyred and injured. Pakistan stands resolute against such terror.”
Heartbroken by the loss of 9 valiant soldiers in Bannu Division, KPK, to a cowardly terrorist act that injured many. Such acts are utterly reprehensible. My thoughts are with the families of the martyred and injured. ?? stands resolute against such terror.
This is the second occurrence of this kind in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in more than a month. On 30 July, a suicide bomber detonated a device during a political party conference leaving at least 54 people dead and over 100 injured. There were more than 400 members and supporters of politician Fazal-ur-Rehman’s Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party present there.
Authorities mentioned that after the Taliban took control over Afghanistan, TTP grew more confident and discovered safe havens there and lived in the open. Bannu is close to North Waziristan, a former terrorist bastion that housed insurgents until the army claimed a few years ago that it had cleansed the area of both domestic and international terrorists.
There has been an upsurge in terrorism in Pakistan in recent months, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the TTP broke its truce with the government in November of last year.
The military’s media wing revealed last week that six soldiers perished on 22 August during a gunfight in the South Waziristan neighbourhood. There were up to 12 Pakistani Army soldiers killed during separate military operations in the Balochistan provinces of Zhob and Sui.
The military has never witnessed such a high number of terrorist attacks-related deaths in a single day. Before this, 10 soldiers lost their lives in a “fire raid” in Balochistan’s Kech region in February 2022.
According to research by the think tank Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies which was released in July terror and suicide assaults increased progressively and dramatically in the first half of the current year.
A total of 271 attacks took place over the time period under consideration which claimed the lives of 389 people and wounded 656 others. 151 incidents occurred within the same time period last year and led to 293 fatalities and 487 injuries. These numbers show a startling 79% surge in militant attacks during the first half of 2023 compared to the corresponding period in 2022.
228 assaults, 246 deaths, and 349 injuries were documented in the second half of last year. As a result, the number of attacks increased by 18% in the first half of 2023 compared to the second half of 2022, along with a 58% increase in mortality and an 88% increase in injuries.
Massive protests erupted on August 31 in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan over the imprisonment of a Shia cleric following Pakistan’s solidified blasphemy laws. The demonstrations are said to be the greatest in the region’s history, with slogans such as “Chalo, chalo Kargil chalo” being raised.
Local leaders in Gilgit have cautioned the Pakistan government of civil war, and some have even called for an association with India. According to the reports, Skardu locals protested after Shia cleric Agha Baqir al-Hussaini was booked and arrested for remarks made at a religious gathering.
Agha Baqir al-Hussaini was detained for his comments made at a Skardu Ulama Council meeting about Pakistan’s blasphemy laws being strengthened, ostensibly to target the Shia community. Islamic fundamentalism is shared by both Shia and Sunni Muslims, however, Shias do not revere religious personalities who challenged the fourth Caliph, Ali.
Highway connecting Pak-China blocked at multiple places in #PoK & #GilgitBaltistan as Shia-Sunni tensions rise after a top Shia cleric arrested for "disrespectful" comments about the Prophet
The majority of people in Pakistan are Sunnis, however, Gilgit-Baltistan contains a sizeable Shia population. Starting with Gen Zia-Ul Haq’s administration, successive Pakistani governments made an effort to change the ethnic composition of Gilgit-Baltistan by moving Sunnis there.
Baltistan, Diamer, and Gilgit are the administrative divisions of the Gilgit-Baltistan area. Gilgit and Skardu are the primary administrative centers.
Locals say will go to Kargil instead of Punjab, Sindh in Pakistan
Despite the fact that the protests in Gilgit have received no attention from the Pakistani media, several photos and video instances have emerged on social media, demonstrating the magnitude of the discontent.
Several reports suggest that the initial protest began on August 22 by Sunni community people who demanded the arrest of Agha Baqir al-Hussaini. The protesters in Daimer are said to have blocked the Karakoram Highway that connects the region to Pakistan.
Shias have now begun putting out demonstrations as a reaction to those protests and the arrest of cleric al-Hussaini, videos of which are currently being circulated on X.
In the videos, protesters can be heard yelling anti-Pakistan slogans and also slogans criticizing Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir.
Local leaders also appear in videos saying that if the route remains closed, people will make their way to Kargil rather than Punjab or Sindh of Pakistan, referring to merging Gilgit with India. They also threatened civil war if their demands for the release of al-Hussaini and the opening of the roadway were not met.
— Sajjad Kargili | سجاد کرگلی (@SajjadKargili_) August 29, 2023
Blasphemy law targets Shia; What Hussaini said?
In January, Pakistan amended its already stringent blasphemy laws, extending them to penalize anyone who offends persons associated with Prophet Muhammad. The change now makes insulting the Prophet Muhammad’s associates, which included many early Muslims, a crime. One of them is Yazid, the source of controversy in this case.
In his speech, Al-Hussaini allegedly insulted Yazid, son of Muawiya, which led to the blasphemy allegations against him. At Yazid’s command, Hussain (the Prophet Mohammed’s grandson) was killed in the Battle of Karbala.
Shias do not hold figures like Yazid in the same regard as Sunnis do because they mourn Hussain’s martyrdom in the month of Moharram. That is the reason why Moharram is a sensitive topic in places where Shias and Sunnis live together.
The minimum punishment for insulting prominent figures of Islam in Pakistan has recently been doubled under an amended law from three to ten years in prison and a fine of one million Pakistani rupees. Further blasphemy is an offense that cannot be banished on bail under the most severe punishment, which is a life sentence.
Protesters say Hussaini will never apologize for his statement
The blasphemy laws had already been altered to specifically target Ahmadis, who had already been labeled as non-Muslims. However, now the protesters say that the laws have been amended to specifically target the Shia community.
The protesters demanded the withdrawal of the FIR against Hussaini and also stated that he would not apologize for his statement.
The cleric previously had claimed that he would never seek forgiveness, no matter how many FIRs are filed against him, or if he gets detained or assassinated. The demonstrators stated that if the authorities cannot make the highway to Punjab accessible, they will not travel there and instead requested that the road to Kargil be opened.
A Local activist of Skardu is raising concerns regarding recent protests on KKH Chilas He addressed Pakistan" If you create trouble for the citizens of this disputed region #GilgitBaltistan, then we don't want connectivity with #Pakistan. Open the way to Kargil for us… pic.twitter.com/1Xq6WfVWCj
Following communal tensions, the administration has decided to keep all educational institutions in Skardu closed. Many tourists have been stranded as a result of KKH’s closure. The highway is being reported to be open on social media, but it is still not fully operational, and the situation remains tight.
Three days after India, four more countries have slammed China for publishing a map showing their territories as its own. On Tuesday evening (29 August), India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) hit back at China hours after it had released the 2023 edition of its territorial map as per its imagination. In regard to media queries regarding China’s bizarre claims, the MEA issued an official statement rejecting the so-called 2023 “standard map” of China.
The distorted map released by China shows Indian territories including Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin as part of China. (Source: X)
Now, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Vietnam have joined India in rejecting the “standard map” released by China showing territories of these countries as its own. Vietnam reportedly said that the map violates its sovereignty over the Spratly and Paracel Islands and jurisdiction over its waters.
A spokesperson for Vietnam’s foreign affairs ministry, Pham Thu Hang, said in a statement on the government’s website that “Vietnam resolutely opposes all China’s claims in the South China Sea based on the dotted line.” The Philippines too has issued a strong statement on the issue.
“This latest attempt to legitimize China’s purported sovereignty and jurisdiction over Philippine features and maritime zones has no basis under international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” a statement by the Philippines government read.
China released the latest version of its imaginary territorial map in which it claimed the Indian territories such as Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Ladakh (Aksai Chin region) as its own. Apart from Indian territories, China also included Taiwan and the contentious 9-dash line in the South China Sea but this time it expanded the same to 10-dash line extending its claim further into the South China Sea; much of this area includes the West Philippines Sea.
The 9-dash line map by China has been rejected by Vietnam and the Philippines time and again. (Source: Business Insider)
The official Philippines News Agency quoted Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza saying, “(the 2016 Arbitral Award) categorically stated that ‘maritime areas of the South China Sea encompassed by the relevant part of the ‘nine-dash line’ are contrary to the Convention and without lawful effect to the extent that they exceed the geographic and substantive limits of China’s maritime entitlements under the Convention.”
In the newly-released distorted map by China, it has displayed its expansionist agenda in the 10-dash line map staking claims further into parts of South China Sea. Philippines news network ANC claims that the 10-dash line map covers most of West Philippines Sea. (Source: ANC digital/Youtube)
Malaysia and Taiwan too came out criticising China’s aggressive expansionist display. Malaysia reportedly said it will send a protest note to China. “This has been our practice (when dealing with issues like this)…and based on the statement issued by Wisma Putra (foreign ministry) yesterday, the next step includes sending a protest note,” the Bernama news agency quoted Foreign minister Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.
Taiwan said it has never been ruled by the People’s Republic of China. “Taiwan, the Republic of China, is a sovereign and independent country that is not subordinate to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The PRC has never ruled Taiwan. These are universally recognised facts and the status quo in the international community,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jeff Liu told Taiwan News.
The controversy came to light when the mouthpiece of the Chinese government, The Global Times carried a post. In the post, it stated that the Ministry of Natural Resources launched China’s latest ‘standard map’ on its website on 28th August. This is marked as the latest edition of the ‘standard map’ of the country.
It is notable here that Chinese President Xi Jinping just recently met PM Modi during the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, asserting that the two nations should hold comprehensive talks to ease border tensions. Against the backdrop of that discussion, and just days before the G20 Summit, China’s belligerent behavior in claiming Indian territories as its own displays a lack of sincerity on its part to resolve tensions at the LAC.
