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Newslaundry mocks people killed in West Bengal Panchayat poll violence, invents theory that the murders happened due to ‘personal enmity’

OpIndia Staff
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Newslaundry mocks people killed in West Bengal Panchayat poll violence, invents theory that the murders happened due to ‘personal enmity’

On 13th July, during the Hafta program, where Newslaundry discusses the most talked about topics of the world, the panellists openly mocked the people who were recently killed during West Bengal Panchayat polls. Abhinandan Sekhri, co-founder and CEO of Newslaundry, gave a bizarre theory that the murders during elections were not political murders but might have happened due to “personal enmity”. Though the episode’s content is paid, they publish a small version on YouTube that can be seen here.

At the 1:10 minute mark into the video on YouTube, Abhinandan Sekhri said, “I think it’s possible, it’s the thesis worth exploring, that if anyone has any enmity with anyone let’s wait for elections, pel denge [we will beat the person]. What else? I think that’s a very reasonable and rational Theory. What do you think.” While he completes his question, Manisha Pande says, “Bomb ke dhuein mein kuch nazar nahi aayega [nothing will be visible in bombs’ smoke]”, with a smirk on her face. Monideepa Banerjie agreed with Abhinandan and said, “Good point, you know. I mean, that’s a really good point.”

A total of 52 people have lost their lives in the violence during the Panchayat elections in West Bengal, apart from hundreds of people being injured. All the violence took place with the active support of the state govt and the state election commission, as they refused to deploy central armed forces, ignoring orders by the high court. But now Abhinandan Sekhri and others in NewsLaundy want people to believe that there was no political violence in WB during the polls, and all the murders were due to ‘personal enmity’.

Newslaundry made derogatory remarks against PM Modi

Newslaundry has a history of making bizarre comments in the past. Recently, they stooped to another low in journalism with a below-the-belt attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a 24-minute video, under their section ‘Tippani’ (comment in English), Newslaundry’s Atul Chaurasia ranted against Professor Anand Ranganathan for his comments on MK Gandhi. During the video, Chaurasia tried to draw a strange parallel between Gandhi’s celibacy experiments and PM Modi’s married life.

In this segment, Chaurasia essentially wonders why Anand Ranganathan would not use the same language for MK Gandhi (while talking about his experiments with celibacy) and PM Modi (talking about his marriage). While attempting to show that Ranganathan was somehow biased against Gandhi and favoured PM Modi, Newslaundry ended up displaying their own glaring bias by essentially comparing the two and saying that the same yardstick needs to be used while talking about the two situations – which have nothing in common – insinuating that PM Modi’s marital status was somehow equivalent or comparable to MK Gandhi sleeping naked with young girls.

His atrocious comments came in response to Prof Ranganathan’s recent video on the controversy surrounding Gita Press getting the Gandhi Award that went viral. In his statement, Prof Ranganathan said giving Gandhi Prize to Gita Press was an insult to Gita Press. Our detailed analysis of the video can be seen here.

West Bengal Panchayat Polls violence

A total of 52 people have lost their lives since the announcement of the rural panchayat elections on June 8. The violence, thanks to clashes between political party supporters, has raised concerns about the state’s security situation. The incidents of violence in West Bengal during the panchayat polls have raised concerns about the deteriorating law and order situation in West Bengal. The Calcutta High Court has already ordered the retention of central forces in the state for at least 10 days after the announcement of poll results to prevent post-poll clashes. Over 800 companies of central forces have been deployed in the state to maintain peace and security.

QR codes pasted outside mosques across states asking Muslims to send their opposition to Uniform Civil Code

OpIndia Staff
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QR codes pasted outside mosques across states asking Muslims to send their opposition to Uniform Civil Code

Muslim bodies are leaving no stone unturned to protest against the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) which is yet to be drafted by the government as the law commission gathers public recommendations on the matter. Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind (JUH) has now got QR codes pasted outside mosques across the country including in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, and Delhi, asking people to send opposition to the proposal.

The Muslim body has encouraged the community to access the law commission’s email address by scanning the QR code and sending their opinions against the UCC. JUH UP secretary, Qari Zakir Husain reportedly said, that they have apprised the local community, clerics, and imams about the QR codes to reject the UCC.

“Electronic barcodes were pasted so that people could scan it using a mobile phone and send their contact details along with their views in Hindi or any other convenient language to the commission. UCC is against Islamic law. We will not accept it at any cost,” Husain said.

The QR codes were seen outside the Had Noorani Masjid in Mumbai’s Malad, Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, and other regions. In Mumbai, the police have reportedly called the manager of the mosque for investigation even as a former corporator, Ahmed Jamal, said that Muslims do not accept UCC.

The Jamiat had recently sent notices to its district presidents ordering imams to preach about the religious importance of the Muslim personal law. The QR codes are reportedly being shared widely on WhatsApp too. The codes lead to the AIMPLB website where people can register their protest against UCC.

AIMPLB and Jamiat have voiced their objections against UCC with the former saying that minorities should be excluded from UCC. On 15th July, All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) leader Badruddin Ajmal mistook the proposed law for uniformity in food and dress.

While speaking about the matter on Friday (July 14) in the Dhubri district of Assam, he claimed, “A debate has been sparked off over Uniform Civil Code (UCC). The bill will be tabled before the Parliament soon…After UCC is implemented, we will start wearing saree and you also do the same…”

Several such videos have gone viral on social media showing just how prevalent misinformation and lack of information is on the matter.

Uttar Pradesh: 16-year-old Hindu girl raped and forced to convert to Islam in Ayodhya, Khalid Ansari and one more arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: 16-year-old Hindu girl raped and forced to convert to Islam in Ayodhya, Khalid Ansari and one more arrested

A shocking case of rape of a minor Hindu girl has come to light in Kotwali Nagar of the Ayodhya district, Uttar Pradesh. Here, some clerics reportedly forced a 16-year-old girl to drink Zamzam (Islamic holy water) in an effort to convert her to Islam.

On July 14, her father filed a police complaint in which he named Khalid Ansari and Shivam Yadav as the perpetrators. The First Information Copy is available with OpIndia. Now, both of them have been arrested by the police. However, the identities of the clerics have not yet been made public.

The complainant revealed that Shivam Yadav was first introduced to the girl through one of her friends. After some time, the latter introduced her to Khalid Ansari who is a resident of Hasnu Katra. The accused used presents and other inducements in order to persuade her to embrace Islam. He further charged that the two offenders operated a conversion racket. They kidnapped and sold gullible Hindu females.

The victim is enrolled in a degree college in Ayodhya. According to her father, Khalid Ansari took her to several mosques and shrines where she met with multiple clerics. There she was forced to drink Zamzam by the latter as an alleged ritual to purify her.

The culprits raped the young girl after promising to marry her. She was discovered by her father living at a girl’s house in Janoura, Ayodhya on 13 July and she narrated her ordeal to her family members.

Khalid Ansari is reported to be married with children. He also used to send her outside to other people. He and Shivam Yadav, along with their other accomplices even took away her mobile. The charged individuals did this to obliterate the evidence, per the complaint.

The police have registered a case under section 376-D (gang rape) of the Indian Penal Code as well as the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the anti-conversion law has also been invoked.

Khalid Ansari and Shivam Yadav were apprehended on 16 July. The Superintendent of Police (SP) City, Ayodhya asked to talk with the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) City, Ayodhya in order to learn more about the involvement of clerics, mosques and shrines in the incident. However, the latter didn’t pick up the phone when we tried to contact him. More information will be added after we receive the police version of the situation.

8 years of my career will be destroyed, people of Wayanad will suffer without me: Rahul Gandhi’s plea in Supreme Court against his disqualification

OpIndia Staff
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8 years of my career will be destroyed, people of Wayanad will suffer without me: Rahul Gandhi’s plea in Supreme Court against his disqualification

On Saturday, July 15th, 2023, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi approached the Supreme Court after his plea for relief in a defamation case was denied by the Gujarat High Court. Challenging the High Court’s order from July 7th, Gandhi argued that if the decision is not overturned, it will severely impede free speech, expression, and thought.

Rahul Gandhi’s petition, filed in the Supreme Court, came in response to the dismissal of his request for a stay on his conviction in a criminal defamation case related to the Modi surname. Expressing concern over the potential consequences, Rahul Gandhi asserted that if relief is not granted, his career spanning eight years will be irreparably damaged.

In his plea, Rahul Gandhi contended that allowing the High Court’s decision to stand will gradually erode democratic institutions, leading to the stifling of democracy and negatively impacting the future of India’s political landscape. The Congress leader vehemently refuted the complainant’s claim that his speech defamed individuals bearing the Modi surname.

Highlighting his role as a representative of the Wayanad constituency in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi emphasised that penalising him for what he termed minor defamation charges deprives the constituents of their voice in Parliament and their ability to participate in democratic governance. He also said that failing to stay the conviction and sentence would cause significant harm to the people of Wayanad, leaving them without representation for an extended period.

On 23rd March 2023, the Metropolitan Magistrate Court of Surat convicted Rahul Gandhi and sentenced him to two years in jail for his remarks made during an election rally in Karnataka back in 2019. It was during this rally that Gandhi questioned why individuals with the surname Modi are thieves. Following his conviction, Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from membership in Parliament. He had been elected to the Lok Sabha from the Wayanad constituency in Kerala during the 2019 general elections. As per Section 8(3) of the Representation of the People Act, a person convicted of an offence and sentenced to two years in jail is rendered ineligible for the term of their punishment and an additional six years, barring him from contesting elections.

Despite the setback in the Gujarat High Court, Rahul Gandhi now pins his hopes on the Supreme Court to overturn the decision and protect his political career while he paints it as if he is ensuring the welfare and representation of the people of Wayanad.

Uniform Civil Code: After a closed-door meeting, Congress rejects the idea of uniformity of all laws, to prepare an internal report on the matter

OpIndia Staff
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Uniform Civil Code: After a closed-door meeting, Congress rejects the idea of uniformity of all laws, to prepare an internal report on the matter

The Congress party on Sunday, July 16, held a closed-door meeting to discuss its approach to the issue of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). The party has reportedly rejected the idea of uniformity of all laws and decided to prepare an internal report on the matter. The party has decided to formally react to the issue only after a draft is presented by the government.

In the meeting chaired by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, the party reportedly supported aspects of UCC like gender parity.

A Congress leader reportedly said, “We are clear that there can be nothing uniform about all laws. How can the country have the same civil laws for North East, South India, Muslims, and Hindus? However, some angularity of individual laws can be looked at.”

The party also reportedly pointed out that reforms in personal laws can be made by amending individual laws instead of uniformity across personal laws.

Another report quoted a ‘senior Congress leader’ as saying, “We will support aspects like equality of inheritance. But we will oppose the imposition of uniformity.”

The party also spoke about the parliamentary standing committee’s discussion on the matter. Committee chairman Sushil Kumar Modi reportedly proposed to keep tribal communities and the Northeast out of the ambit of UCC. The Congress has formed an eight-member panel to prepare an internal report for the party leadership on Uniform Civil Code.

So far, Congress has decided to not react officially on the subject until the government draft is out. Last month, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) claimed that the Congress in a meeting with the board assured to take cognisance of their concerns when the issue will be debated in the Parliament.

The debate around UCC is heating up ever since PM Modi made a statement on the same last month during his address on 27th June in Bhopal. Saying that political parties are trying to mislead Muslims, PM Modi strongly batted for equal rights and Uniform Civil Code enshrined in the Constitution. He dropped a major hint that UCC may be on the cards in the upcoming Parliament session.

Batting in favour of UCC, the PM said, “Today people are being instigated in the name of UCC. How can the country run on two laws? The Constitution also talks of equal rights. Supreme Court has also asked to implement UCC. These (Opposition) people are playing vote bank politics.”

UP Waqf Board defers construction of hospital on the alternate mosque site given as per Ayodhya verdict, says it has no fund

OpIndia Staff
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UP Waqf Board defers construction of hospital on the alternate mosque site given as per Ayodhya verdict, says it has no fund

On the 16th of July, the Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF) announced that it has deferred the construction of a hospital at the alternate site in Ayodhya allotted in place of the Ram Janambhumi site. The decision has been due to a lack of funds. The trust is responsible for overseeing the construction of a mosque the alternate site given as per the Supreme Court’s 2019 verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi case, and it had decided to other facilities including a hospital at the site.

IICF secretary and spokesperson of the trust, Athar Hussain stated that because there are already many mosques in the area, the trust wanted to first build a charitable hospital and community kitchen. However, the lack of funds has forced the trust to focus on the construction of a mosque. 

Hussain said, “We have put on hold the project for the hospital because of lack of funds. The hospital project was to cost around Rs 300 crore and we have put that on hold for now. We will go ahead with the construction of the mosque as soon as it can be done so that at least some work can start at the site. But as far as the hospital is concerned, we have put it on hold because we couldn’t garner funds.”

According to him, the trust will submit a revised plan without the hospital in it. It will only include the mosque in the drawings so that the development fee is reduced. Earlier, the development fee for the whole project, including the hospital, was running into crores. So, the trust has decided to put on hold the hospital project for now. However, they still hope that they can collect more funds in the future and then build a hospital over there.

Earlier, in May 2021, the IICF submitted the drawings of the maps with the proposed mosque and other projects in it to the Ayodhya Development Authority. 

As planned earlier, the trust was supposed to build community facilities like a hospital, library, community kitchen, and an Indo-Islamic cultural research centre along with a mosque at the 5-acre plot. The trust had released renderings of the proposed construction, which showed futuristic buildings next to a smaller traditional mosque.

Rendering released earlier for the proposed construction

The alternate site was given to the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board as per the SC verdict. It is in Dhannipur village under the Sohawal tehsil, which is around 25 km away from the Ram Mandir site.

In July 2020, the Waqf Board formed the IICF trust to oversee the construction of the mosque and other structures.

In its historic judgement on the 9th of November, 2019, the Supreme Court awarded the Ram Janmabhoomi to the Hindu side for the proposed Ram Mandir. Using its special powers, the apex court granted five acres of land on an alternate site for the Muslim side for the construction of a mosque.

While the construction of Ram Mandir is in its final stage, the construction of the mosque in Dhannipur is yet to start. The grand Ram Mandir is scheduled to be opened in January 2024.

The chief trustee of the foundation and also the chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board, Zufar Farooqui told The Indian Express about this new development.  

He said, “We will focus on the mosque project for now, while putting on hold the construction of the hospital. We will soon hold a meeting of the IICF to discuss the strategy for the collection of funds and donations.” 

He argued that it is unfair to compare the two projects as the preparations for Ram Mandir had been going on for a long time and there was no rush for the mosques. 

He added, “It is unfair to compare the project of the mosque with the temple. Preparations for the temple have been going on since 1983-84. We got to know about the construction of the mosque only in 2019. The project will take a lot of time, and we can’t give a timeline for it. It may take 10-20 years. We are in no rush because there is no pressure from the community too for the construction. We are trying our best.” 

Delhi floods: Mayur Vihar relief camp residents protest against AAP minister Saurabh Bhardwaj over poor facilities as he comes for a tour

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi floods: Mayur Vihar relief camp residents protest against AAP minister Saurabh Bhardwaj over poor facilities as he comes for a tour

On 16th July 2023, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj faced a heated backlash during his visit to the Mayur Vihar flood relief camp. Angry and frustrated individuals raised slogans and staged a protest against Bhardwaj, highlighting the widespread issues prevailing within the camp. Concerns of the residents ranged from insufficient food, water, and sanitation facilities, creating a volatile atmosphere.

Amidst the chaotic scene, a scuffle broke out between the residents of the camp and workers from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Demonstrators expressed their grievances directly in front of Bhardwaj, accusing him of various wrongdoings and even labelling him a thief. The camp, accommodating displaced residents from the flood-hit Yamuna Khadar area, has been plagued by inadequate arrangements, exacerbating the frustration of those seeking relief.

Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj denounced the protest as a BJP-sponsored event, asserting that the party was orchestrating the unrest using women activists. In response, Bhardwaj highlighted that individuals were being obstructed from accessing relief camps established by the Delhi government. He further alleged that the BJP was preventing Delhi ministers and MLAs from visiting the camps to divert attention away from the absence of BJP MPs in Parliament, which is currently not in session.

Amidst the slogans and protests, the minister’s interaction with the affected people at the relief camp was limited, prompting him to conclude his visit prematurely.

The situation at the Mayur Vihar flood relief camp remains highly critical, as discontent and frustrations among the affected population continue to grow.

Meanwhile, Delhi continues to grapple with severe flooding caused by the swollen Yamuna River. While the water levels of the Yamuna have started to recede, challenges persist as heavy rainfall poses a threat, and the city faces waterlogged regions, infrastructure issues, and health risks. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has taken prompt action, assessing the situation upon his return from a visit to France and the UAE.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been actively involved in rescue and relief operations, rescuing thousands of individuals. However, amidst the crisis, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led Delhi government has engaged in a blame game with the Lieutenant Governor (LG) and the BJP, blaming them for the floods, raising concerns about effective coordination in mitigating the effects of the floods.

Madhya Pradesh: 8-year-old Jain boy converted to Islam and circumcised in Indore by his mother and her Muslim lover, fake documents made

OpIndia Staff
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Madhya Pradesh: 8-year-old Jain boy converted to Islam and circumcised in Indore by his mother and her Muslim lover, fake documents made

An 8-year-old Jain boy was forcibly converted and circumcised in Indore, Madhya Pradesh and his name was also changed to create a phoney birth certificate by his mother and her lover named Ilyas Qureshi. The woman had already abandoned her husband’s home to stay with Ilyas. The boy was also forced to leave with her. After circumcising the boy, they created fake documents with a Muslim name and showing Qureshi as his real father.

The incident happened near the Khajrana police station. The police have now filed a case against the accused man in serious offences which involved forced conversion and cheating after receiving a complaint from the father of the minor. In the complaint filed on 15 July, he stated that his son is a Jain and charged that the minor boy is being inculcated with a jihadi mentality.

Dinesh Verma, an inspector at the Kharjana police station informed that the culprit was arrested late in the evening of 15 July. He has been interrogated by the police on how and where he obtained the fraudulent documents and is scheduled to appear in court.

Mother and son went missing from the train while returning home

The father Mahesh Kumar Nahata is a resident of Barmer in Rajasthan and he is a grain merchant. He married a girl from Shajapur in June 2014 and their son was born in the next year. Everything was running smoothly until he visited Shajapur on 25 February 2018, along with his wife and son, to attend an engagement.

He boarded a train to travel to his hometown of Siwana after the function, but his wife and son went missing from there. Disappearances of the mother and the son was reported to the Ratlam police station.

Investigation revealed that the wife had gone to Ilyas Qureshi from Indore. Police apprehended him from Ratlam and the court sent him to jail. However, after his release from prison, he contacted the woman again and called her to him.

Son was forcibly taken by his mother and the father’s name was changed

The complainant said that he requested her to keep the son with him, but his wife refused and left. He continued to look for them, but nothing was known for a long time. He said, “I submitted an application to the Shajapur court regarding the custody of my young boy. The warrant could not be served since the cops were unable to locate their place of residence. I kept on looking for him in Indore, Shajapur, Ratlam and Barmer.”

In the meantime, it was discovered that his wife was staying in the Raza Colony of Khajrana with Ilyas Qureshi. Both her wife and his son were converted to Islam. He further added, “Ilyas Qureshi had my son circumcised. He also got the father’s name and birth certificate changed by claiming himself to be the father of the 8-year-old. He forcefully enrolled the minor in a religious institution.” Afterwards, he complained to the police regarding the shocking developments.

Ilyas Qureshi’s involvement in a conversion ring

He disclosed that both his wife and the offender are natives of Shajapur and already knew each other. He alleged, “A whole racket of religious conversion is collaborating with Ilyas Qureshi. There’s a case registered against his father in Shajapur as well. His family had a tailoring business. Later, he came to Indore and started living here.”

He demanded that the cleric who helped the perpetrator to create bogus paperwork and converted his son should also be made an accused in the case. “But the police have taken action only on Ilyas Qureshi,” he expressed his disappointment.

On the complaint of Mahesh, the police arrested the accused Ilyas Qureshi. The police have registered a case against Ilyas under sections 420, 467, 468,471 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and under Madhya Pradesh Religious Freedom Act 3 and 4. 

South Korea: Nine bodies recovered from flooded tunnel as death toll reaches 35

OpIndia Staff
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South Korea: Nine bodies recovered from flooded tunnel as death toll reaches 35

Nine dead bodies were found by rescuers while trying to reach automobiles, trapped in a flooded tunnel close to the South Korean city of Cheongju. Passengers and drivers were stranded in their vehicles as flood water from heavy rains flowed into the subway.

Overall fatalities from flooding, landslides and power outages, which affected a large portion of the country, now stand at 35. Furthermore, more than ten individuals are reported as missing.

Although the exact number of people still trapped inside the 685-meter-long tunnel in Osong, South Korea is unknown, 15 vehicles are believed to be buried underwater. The bodies of several of the deceased were found inside a bus. Meanwhile, nine survivors were saved yesterday ().

The majority of the other casualties have occurred in the mountainous North Gyeongsang area where entire homes have been destroyed by landslides. South Korea reportedly received around 300mm (11.8in) of rain on 15 July.

According to the Korean Meteorological Association, the nation normally receives 1,000mm (39.4in) to 1,800mm (70.9in) of rainfall a year, but a large portion of that arrives during the summer. Only the tops of roofs can be seen protruding out of deep brown mud in aerial photographs taken in flood-affected areas.

Numerous local governments have issued evacuation orders that have impacted thousands of people. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has urged the military to assist with the rescue operations. The Goesan Dam, also in North Chungcheong, started to overflow early on Saturday morning local time, forcing 6,400 residents to flee, per the agency.

Several low-lying hamlets close to the dam were drowned, along with many of the roads that connected them, trapping people inside their residences. A train derailed in North Chungcheong late on 14 July as a result of a landslide. It was not hauling passengers at the time, but one of the engineers received injuries.

All slow trains and some bullet trains have been suspended while other bullet services are expected to experience disruptions, as stated by Korail, South Korea’s national rail operator. The Korea Meteorological Administration anticipated further precipitation through the following Wednesday. It forewarned that the weather poses a “grave” peril.

Over the past two weeks, excessive rain has triggered floods and landslides in a number of nations, including India, China and Japan. Flooding is caused by a variety of variables, but experts agree that the likelihood of heavy rainfall is increased by a warming environment brought on by climate change.

More droplets and greater precipitation, sometimes in a shorter period of time and over a smaller region, result from the atmosphere’s ability to hold more moisture as the climate warms.

Met our leader, he heard us: Rebel leader Praful Patel says after meeting NCP supremo Sharad Pawar; Ajit Pawar and Chhagan Bhujbal also present

OpIndia Staff
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Met our leader, he heard us: Rebel leader Praful Patel says after meeting NCP supremo Sharad Pawar; Ajit Pawar and Chhagan Bhujbal also present

Ajit Pawar, the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, along with all Nationalist Congress Party ministers paid an unexpected visit to the party president Sharad Pawar on Sunday, July 16, a day before the start of the monsoon session of the Maharashtra Assembly. Ajit had recently rebelled against his uncle and the patriarch of the party to join the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party government in Maharashtra.

Ajit Pawar was joined by party veterans like Praful Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal, Hasan Mashrif and Aditi Tatkare at the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre to meet the senior Pawar.

Following the meeting, senior party leader Praful Patel remarked, “We have all arrived at the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre to meet with our revered leader Sharad Pawar. We learned that he was present here while we were at Ajit Pawar’s residence. All of our ministers and leaders, including the respected Ajit Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil and Dhananjay Munde among others are in attendance at this time.”

Patel further added, “We came here without letting him know. We greeted him and asked for his blessings. We requested that our party should stay united and work together in the future. We urged him to think about the same. He listened to us but didn’t respond to our submission.”

Ajit Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal, as well as other rebel NCP leaders, however, didn’t talk to the media.

NCP-Sharad Pawar faction leader Jayant Patil also reached the centre and stated, “I got a call from Supriya Sule who asked me to reach YB Chavan centre soon. I do not know why Ajit Pawar and other MLAs have come here.”

In a startling political move, Ajit Pawar and eight other prominent leaders including Praful Patel and Chhagan Bhujbal joined the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government on July 2 which resulted in a major split in the NCP. Ajit Pawar was appointed deputy chief minister while the others were sworn in as ministers in a ceremony conducted at the Raj Bhavan.

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