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‘Does it matter?’ Former JNU prof and Afzal Guru supporter brazens out when called out for passing off an old video from Colombia as being from India

Jinit Jain
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‘Does it matter?’ Former JNU prof and Afzal Guru supporter brazens out when called out for passing off an old video from Colombia as being from India

The Indian communists are a special breed, for they have the shamelessness of leeching on the funds shared by the Indian government while being unabashedly brazen about vilifying India on every platform. And when caught red-handed peddling propaganda, they scarcely exhibit the grace of admitting to their prejudice. Instead, they brazen it out by employing sophistries and advancing specious arguments.

This is what happened when Jayati Ghosh, a self-proclaimed ‘economist’ and former professor at JNU, was called out for misrepresenting a video from Colombia as being from India. In a bid to take a swipe at the Centre over its doctrine ‘New India’— a much more confident and assertive country that no longer shares the timidity and servility of its former self—Ghosh shared a video of a man assisting pedestrians to cross the road during the rains.

“So much of ‘New India’ with its old inequality in this video: collapsing infrastructure devastated by climate change, human ingenuity grasping any income-earning opportunity in a jobless economic context, barefoot worker serving the middle class…” tweeted Ghosh along with a video that shows a scene where a barefoot man, dressed in a blue t-shirt, assists pedestrians in crossing a rain-soaked and flooded street. He collects money from two individuals, placing it in a bottle before guiding a wooden cart, already carrying two people, to the opposite side of the road.

In the video, we witness a patient queue of people eagerly awaiting their turn to be assisted by the man’s cart, showcasing his selfless dedication despite the difficult circumstances. It’s truly remarkable that he remains barefoot throughout the entire process. Amidst the flooded roadway, numerous automobiles can be observed cautiously navigating through the waterlogged path.

However, what she did not realise was that the video was neither from India nor a recent occurrence. It has been reported that the video actually originated in Barranquilla, Colombia and went viral on Reddit last year. The footage depicts a man using an improvised push cart to help pedestrians cross a flooded road, and he is shown accepting payment for his services.

This did not sit well with netizens who were quick to call out the former JNU professor for passing off an old video from Colombia as being from India, just to attack the current dispensation.

But then, being factually accurate has never been the priority of the Left ecosystem and its minions.

When one of the Twitter users highlighted that the video does not belong to India, Ghosh was swift in dismissing his criticism, saying, “Does it matter? Doesn’t it capture so much Indian reality?”

Of course, for the likes of Jayati Ghosh and leftist moochers like her, it does not matter whether videos or news items they share have anything to do with India as long as they have a bunch of followers who treat their ‘influencers’ as infallible and eagerly lap whatever is shared by them without verifying its accuracy. The ideologues, on their part, shamelessly resort to evazice sophism when encountered with facts, employing deceptive reasoning to advance their original stance.

Ghosh, too, perhaps, is acutely aware that as long as she continues to vilify India and its current regime, such glaring mistakes such as passing off a video from another country as from India would not invite criticism from her supporters, and it would only help her grow in stature among the Left ecosystem for “exposing” the assertions made by the Modi government. This confidence over the Left ecosystem’s silence and the incentive of gaining greater popularity among the ecosystem’s supporters is what propels Ghosh to brazen out her stand when social media users pointed out that the video shared by her belonged to Colombia and not India. The video continues to remain on her Twitter profile, misleading social media users who may not be aware of its origins.

To understand her pathological contempt for New India and everything it stands for, one has to look no further than 2016 when she slammed the Indian government for suppressing protests organised to commemorate the death sentence of terrorist Afzal Guru. In addition, Ghosh has also been allegedly named alongside Sitaram Yechury and Yogendra Yadav in the supplementary chargesheet of the Delhi Riots case.

With these antecedents, one would be foolish to expect the likes of Jayati Ghosh to be enchanted and enamoured by the idea of New India, which stands for a country capable of upholding its ancient heritage and restoring its spiritual and cultural glory while simultaneously making giant strides towards its modern aspirations.

Mumbai Ahmedabad bullet train project facing delays due to land acquisition issues: Railway Minister

ANI
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Mumbai Ahmedabad bullet train project facing delays due to land acquisition issues: Railway Minister

 Updating on the current status of the ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) Corridor project, popularly known as the Bullet Train project, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday said in Rajya Sabha that the project has been facing delays due to challenges in land acquisition.

Minister Vaishnaw said, “While the project has made progress in various aspects, land acquisition remains a critical bottleneck.” As per the Joint Feasibility Study report of 2015, the project was estimated to cost Rs. 1,08,000 Crore, with an expected completion period of 8 years. However, the timeline for completion has been contingent upon the availability of land and the site, leading to significant delays in the project’s progress.

Out of the total land requirement of approximately 1389.9 hectares, around 1381.5 hectares have been acquired so far. However, the delay in land acquisition, particularly in the State of Maharashtra, has significantly impacted the project’s pace. By 2021, only about 196.19 hectares of land had been acquired out of the required 430.45 hectares. Subsequently, the land acquisition process gradually progressed, and as of June 2023, it has reached 429.53 hectares.

Despite the challenges in land acquisition, certain milestones have been achieved in the construction phase. All the civil contracts for the MAHSR project have been awarded, and the project has been divided into 28 contract packages, with 23 packages already awarded. The completion of 248.64 kilometres of foundation and 206.96 kilometres of the pier is a significant accomplishment. Furthermore, 95.4 kilometres of Girder Casting and 69.8 kilometres of Girder Launching (Superstructure) have been completed.

The shifting of utilities has also been progressing, with 1612 out of 1651 utilities already relocated. Additionally, a substantial financial expenditure of Rs. 45,621.17 Crore has been incurred to date.

Vaishnaw emphasized that the final timeline and project cost can only be ascertained once the land acquisition process is completed, and all contracts are finalized. The delays in land acquisition have been a major impediment and resolving these issues remains a priority for the authorities involved in the project.

It is pertinent to note that Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor holds great promise for revolutionizing rail travel in the country, reducing travel time between the two major cities to a fraction of what it currently takes. However, to realize this vision, it is imperative to address the challenges in land acquisition and ensure the smooth execution of the project.

The government’s commitment to completing the Bullet Train project successfully remains unwavering, and efforts to expedite land acquisition are expected to be intensified in the coming months, he added. 

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

‘Necktie originated from Christian cross’: Taliban leader wants to ban neckties in Afghanistan, says only religious education mandatory in the country

OpIndia Staff
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‘Necktie originated from Christian cross’: Taliban leader wants to ban neckties in Afghanistan, says only religious education mandatory in the country

Ever since the Taliban overthrew the democratically elected government in Afghanistan in 2021, the Islamic regime has imposed certain bans and restrictions over anything it deems not in line with the Sharia laws. In their latest onslaught on Western outfits, the Taliban has raised concern over neckties, stating that they appear like a Christian cross and called for a complete ban on it in the Sharia-governed country.

Mohammad Hashim Shaheed Wror, the chief of the Invitation and Guidance Directorate, the department that aims to guide the Afghan people along the legitimate Islamic rules, stated on July 26 that wearing neckties is in violation of Sharia law.

“When I go to hospitals and other places, an Afghan Muslim engineer or doctor sometimes wears a necktie,” Mohammad Hashim Shaheed Wror stated at an event in Kabul, as reported by Tolo TV.

Necktie is like a Christian cross

Mohammad Hashim Wror made a bizarre claim that a necktie originated from the Christian cross. He went on to say that the Islamic Sharia commands Muslims to raze and destroy the Christian cross. The head of the Islamic organisation insinuated that neckties should be banned in the country. 

“The history of (the necktie) is obvious in Islam. What is a tie? It is the cross. The cross looks like this. It is ordered in Shariah that you should break it and eliminate it,” he said.

“The cross is a symbol of pagans. The cross is the symbol of Jesus’ martyrdom. They say Jesus was hung like this,” he added.

It is pertinent to recall that in April last year, it was reported that the Taliban directed the school teachers and students to refrain from wearing neckties. The ban on neckties in schools was confirmed by Taliban’s Ministry of Education spokesperson Ayaz Ahmad Rayan. 

Sharia education is compulsory, not modern education

Speaking at the same event, Mohammad Hashim Shaheed Wror also said that learning modern education is not obligatory, but religious education is compulsory and Afghans need to learn it. “The education that we say is obligatory at every stage for both men and women is religious education, not other education,” he said.

However, Mohammad Tahir Ahmadi, the deputy Minister of Higher Education, disagreed with him. Speaking at the same event, he said that learning modern education is also obligatory and that the Afghans need to learn it apart from Islamic education.

Taliban and its orders imposing Sharia in Afghanistan

Notably, Afghan women have been the worst sufferers of the regime change in the country as they have been barred from getting school and university education. Furthermore, the Taliban administration dictates what the women there are permitted to wear and what they cannot, based on Islamic Sharia law. 

In July of this year, the Taliban’s morality ministry ordered that all women-run establishments such as hair and beauty salons be closed down within a month of receiving initial information, which was delivered to them on July 2nd. 

Under Taliban leadership, teenage girls and women were forbidden from entering classrooms, gyms, and parks. The women in Afghanistan have also been barred from working for the United Nations and several international non-governmental organisations after the Taliban’s order on 24th December 2022. The Taliban banned women from working in NGOs alleging that they are not wearing the Islamic headscarf correctly

In addition, the Taliban has imposed a severe dress code for women. Women in Afghanistan are required to cover up and wear a garment that only exposes their eyes. Women must also be accompanied by male relatives if they are travelling more than 72 kilometres (48 miles).

Another diktat issued by the Taliban regime in January this year directed female apparel businesses to conceal mannequins displaying the clothing articles. The mannequins with their heads covered symbolised the Taliban’s puritanical rule over Afghanistan.

True Indology vs Devendra Fadnavis – The two ‘Hindutvas’ and why they clash

Rahul Roushan
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True Indology vs Devendra Fadnavis – The two ‘Hindutvas’ and why they clash

Popular Twitter handle “True Indology” had, more than a year ago, tweeted some information and opinions about Savitribai Phule, who is often recognized as the ‘first female teacher’ of India. He argued how that claim – about her being the first female teacher of India – was historically not accurate and how the British missionaries had actively helped her set up the school.

Both of the above assertions were merely a matter of putting out pieces of information from the annals of history, but what caused it to become controversial was the mention of exploitation, including sexual, of young women in the schools that the British set up. Both these assertions placed together were construed as True Indology accusing Savitribai Phule of helping the British colonialists exploit Indian girls through her school – an allegation True Indology summarily rejected on social media before deactivating his account.

True Indology maintains that his ‘Twitter thread’ on Savitribai Phule was deliberately twisted to mean something he never suggested, that he merely put out various pieces of information with citations, which third parties went on to link with each other to insinuate something that was never his intention.

Merits of the argument and accuracy of the claims apart, it is interesting to note that the entire thing blew into a controversy more than a year after the Twitter thread and articles on it by a couple of websites were published. When the thread and articles were published, there was an MVA (coalition of NCP, Shiv Sena, and Congress) government in power in Maharashtra, but the MVA constituents decided to make it an issue only after they were kicked out of power. Cynical politics can’t be ruled out behind the entire controversy.

However, the response of the BJP to this cynical politics is being seen as equally cynical by a section of BJP supporters, or rather, a section of ‘Hindutva’ supporters. On Friday, in the Maharashtra assembly, senior BJP leader and one of the deputy CMs of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis reiterated that he wants to punish True Indology for his remarks.

Fadnavis was responding to a statement by a Congress leader who demanded that True Indology should be tied up and ‘publicly paraded’ – Please note, a ‘progressive party’ demanding Taliban-like punishment, which also brands India Lynchistan when public ties up and parades thieves. Fadnavis topped this stupid statement with something that can be loosely translated to “forget parading, I say hang him publicly, but nothing will be achieved by just saying, we have to abide by laws of the land”.

Not the best of the words in the best of the order, even though it was said to underline the importance of following laws as against giving in to mob justice, and for which Fadnavis is getting all the flak on Twitter from a section of Hindutva supporters. Even if we forget the semantics and syntax of Fadnavis’ statement, the question being raised by those outraged is ‘what kind of Hindutva is this?’

Sangh and ‘Sanghis’

RSS has been branded in a certain way by those who had the power of branding – the media, academia, the ‘activists’, et al. i.e. those who shape the narrative. People subscribing to the communist and broadly ‘anti-Hindu’ ideologies have always had the upper hand in shaping the narrative. RSS has been branded fascist, fundamentalist, conservative, orthodox, communal, regressive, violent, patriarchal, casteist, Brahminical, and what have you. They have been bestowed with all kinds of labels, the kinds the Left likes to put on others to feel superior.

RSS, on its part, didn’t lose much sleep on these labels as they thought it a waste of energy to do so. Their policy has to ‘continue doing ground work’ and ignore much, almost all, the criticism. This led to a peculiar situation where the haters of the RSS as its admirers, who were not swayamsevaks and did not work closely with the Sangh, conjured up an image of RSS that was far disassociated with reality.

The anger and frustration of a certain section of Hindutva supporters over Fadnavis’ remarks, as well as the confusion over what BJP/RSS stands for with respect to Hindutva, is a manifestation of this phenomenon.

This section warmed up to the RSS thinking what the RSS was accused of by the Left could possibly be true! No, that’s not counterintuitive, that’s how narratives work. They believed in the narrative shaped by the Left. Now that doesn’t mean they thought that being fascist, regressive, violent, patriarchal etc. were good things – well, a very small section might even think so – but that their own understanding of these labels, when bestowed by the Left, was very different. Because the Left, in its love for using labels to win arguments, would put similar labels on them too.

Left will brand anyone fascist merely for disagreeing or casteist merely for challenging certain interpretations (and on occasion downright fabrications) of Hindu scriptures. In fact, the Left will randomly label people ‘Sanghis’ to win arguments. RSS should actually be thankful to the Left for creating many ‘Sanghis who never went to a shakha’.

The marriage solemnized between such ‘Sanghis’ and Sangh was bound to go through ‘the seven-year itch’. That is what has been happening. The understanding and approach of RSS (and by extension the BJP) towards Hindutva is proving to be different than that of its new admirers and sympathizers.

Truth is – that difference was always there. BJP/RSS hasn’t totally changed track due to politics, but just that most of the sympathizers assumed RSS to be what it was not. There are just three words that prove it – Sita Ram Goel.

Most of the criticism of RSS from this section is in line with the criticism Sita Ram Goel had to offer about Sangh, almost four decades ago. So honestly, you can’t really accuse RSS of losing or changing the track after some recent events (political victories of BJP under Modi to be precise). You can at best accuse it of being on the wrong track, for decades now. It won’t be wrong to say that ghost of Sita Ram Goel has come back to haunt the Sangh.

However, there is a new line of criticism too, which is different from Sita Ram Goel’s, and that is the rediscovery of traditionalism, or let’s say scripturalism. New eloquence and articulation in defence of traditional Hinduism and Hindu scriptures are there, which appeared a lost cause for many decades.

While Sita Ram Goel broadly found fault with RSS for not having developed a native and robust framework that could help them counter ideas of Marxists, Islamists, and Macaulay-shaped systems, the second section of critics expect RSS to adopt the framework they have been articulating.

As always, RSS reaction to these sets of criticism is to ignore and continue doing what they do – again – not something they have started doing only recently, but something they have adhered to historically.

RSS and Ambedkar/Phule

One can very well ask that if RSS can ignore criticism by these groups, why can’t it ignore what was said about Savitribai Phule? Now there one has to make a distinction between RSS and BJP. It’s the BJP that can’t ignore because Phule is supposed to be a big draw in Maharashtra and no political party can afford to ignore the issue.

However, this particular approach by BJP is not pure cynical politics either and it is also not completely divorced from what RSS believes. The truth is that RSS, especially in Maharashtra, had accepted Ambedkar and Phule in their pantheology way back, again almost four decades ago. It is not that the organization rejected them earlier, but they started appearing regularly in Sangh discussions and literature.

I got to know this recently when I was gifted an English translation of a Marathi book “Me, Manu Ani Sangh” (I, Manu, and Sangh) that has been written by Mr Ramesh Patange, a senior journalist and RSS ideologue. He was awarded with Padma Shri earlier this year.

The book was published in 1994 in Marathi. It recounts Patange’s days as Swayamsevak and offers a commentary on incidents in those years, including the days of Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi when he was jailed along with other political dissidents. He writes that that is when he started reading more about Ambedkar and Phule and got drawn towards their struggles.

The book tries to explain how the lives and deeds of Ambedkar and Phule are not in conflict with the missions and objectives of the RSS. In short, Sangh sees them as reformists who tried to do away ills of Hindu society, primarily untouchability and caste hierarchy, which Sangh sees as an obstacle to ‘Hindu unity’.

Just to show that I’m not paraphrasing to mean something else, the following is a paragraph from the book, which follows after the author talks about after talking positively about Ambedkar:

“Disunity or lack of integration in the Hindu society is projected as a major weakness by the Sangh. This weakness was responsible for the domination of this country first by Muslims and then by the British. Our glory and affluence faded and poverty set in. Our compatriots were converted to other religions. That is why there is a great need for unity and cohesive organisation in the Hindu Society. Unity means strength. Strength helps us to win freedom and defend it after it is won. We can recapture the lost splendour. That is how the Sangh puts it.”

The book further mentions that RSS ideologues have written many articles and books that highlight the common cause of the Sangh and of ‘reformists’ like Ambedkar and Phule. Let me again reproduce two paragraphs from the book below:

“Thereafter, we started trying to harmonize the Phule-Ambedkar thought with the Hindutva philosophy. That was not difficult. Balasaheb Deoras had often said from public platforms that both Phule and Ambedkar were concerned with the problems of the Hindu society. The problems they took in hand belonged to the entire Hindu society and therefore, it would be quite appropriate to call them Hindu reformers. 

I studied Dr Ambedkar and Mahatma Phule on my own, in the light of the viewpoint expressed by Balasaheb Deoras. Sukhadev Navale, and Bhikhu Idate also studied them. Damuanna Date too is well-versed in the subject. Our studies prompted us to find out what were the timeless thoughts in the writings of Phule and Ambedkar, what were purely topical issues, and to analyze their thoughts in the context of time. Along with others, I developed a habit of reflecting on these questions.”

Remember, these are words written more than 30 years ago and deal with incidents even older. The 70s and 80s were also the time when Ambedkar and Phule became hugely mainstreamed in Maharashtra politics as ‘anti-Brahmin’ rhetoric gained currency. Almost every party employed this rhetoric to some or the other extent, including Shiv Sena. Later the Hindi belt saw the same thanks to the Mandal Commission.

One can argue that instead of countering the anti-Brahmin rhetoric, RSS simply decided to co-opt some elements of it to its stated objective of ‘Hindu unity’. Essentially, this is not something recent and the result of any political needs of the BJP, as many critics claim. Funnily, despite this approach, RSS would still be called ‘Brahminical’ for decades to come, and maybe many of the sympathizers too believed that.

Hindutva of the RSS

Hindutva of RSS does not follow any strictly codified framework; it’s mostly circumstantial with the stated objective of Hindu unity and samrasta (harmony) in the society and thus it keeps adapting to changes. In that sense, it has been a reformist organisation (belief in change with times) from the word go – something that will fill its haters as well as the sections I mentioned earlier with horror.

And RSS will continue to be like that. “Do not fix if it is not broken” is an accepted wisdom and RSS doesn’t feel the need to ‘fix’ what others see as broken in its approach. They have been like this for decades now and they can very well argue that they have only grown thanks to this approach. The number of Shakhas is reported to have gone up while its sister BJP has gained impressive political dominance. So what is there to fix?

Obviously, for both the groups – Sita Ram Goel redux and the scriptural Hinduism activists – this is very frustrating, and I personally agree with many of their arguments, but I don’t know what is the solution.

On a side note, an incident similar to True Indology’s comments on Savitribai Phule had already happened in Maharashtra. The same is mentioned in the aforementioned book by Mr Patange. I’m reproducing two paragraphs below:

“Even as the Samarasata conference was just ending, an article on Mahatma Phule by Dr. Bal Gangal, a writer advocating Hindutva, published in the December issue of the ‘Sobat’ weekly, once more created a kind of upheaval in Maharashtra. “What sort of Mahatma is he? He is a stench called Phule”, was the heading of the article. Dr Gangal had taken strong exception to Mahatma Phule’s abusive language and his statements culled from his writings. The ‘Sobat’ weekly was in no way related to the RSS. Though Bal Gangal was a swayamsevak, he was not a spokesman of the Sangh. Even then, a violent commotion was created, needless to say by progressives, with a view to maligning the Sangh. 

The progressive gangs who called themselves champions of the freedom of writers, freedom of expression, freedom of the individual concertedly stood up to gag the mouths of Editor G V Beherey, the Editor of a famous Marathi weekly “Sobat” and Dr Bal Gangal. I too, was encountering the ferocity of intellectual terrorism, cunning, and double-dealing. The jealous and the rancorous hypocrite had ganged up. They were blessed by the high priest of progressives, Sharad Pawar. Copies of ‘Sobat’ were consigned to flames at various places. Threats were hurled at Bal Gangal. It was made difficult for him to move in public places. Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini had issued a fatwa against Salman Rushdie. Progressives did not believe in religious edicts as Khomeini did, but in all other aspects the mentality of both appeared identical to me. Mahatma Phule can criticise our religious scriptures, he can interpret them as he likes. In the same way, if somebody criticizes Phule, why should he be subjected to intellectual terrorism? Why is an intellectual answer not given to him?”

The more things change, the more they remain the same.

Bihar: 10-year-old girl raped and murdered by neighbour in Begusarai, buried in his basement

OpIndia Staff
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Bihar: 10-year-old girl raped and murdered by neighbour in Begusarai, buried in his basement

In a brutal incident from Begusarai, Bihar, a 10-year-old girl has been raped and killed by her neighbor named Guddu Singh. The girl had gone to collect henna leaves at around 10 am on 24th July. After the rape and murder, Guddu Singh reportedly buried her body in the basement of his residence.

The little girl was missing since she left to pick up the leaves. Her family lodged a complaint in the police station after which the police recovered her body from the neighbour’s house on 27 July. The accused is charged with rape, murder, and destruction of evidence.

Bihar Police, however, refused to reveal anything about the case. The news of the horrifying incident quickly traveled across the village and its surroundings. The offender’s home was attacked, ransacked, and torched by an enraged crowd. The house furniture, bike, and car which was parked inside the premises were also set on fire.

The incident happened in the Bachhwara police station area. The family of the perpetrator was questioned repeatedly after the minor didn’t return home, but no one provided any information. Later, the family members of the victim filed a formal complaint about the matter at the Bachhwara police station.

Notably, two servants of Guddu Singh were apprehended. However, they were released soon after following an interrogation by the police. Later, when the victim’s family coaxed both the servants and asked them, they confessed to the crime. The family recorded a video of their statement and sent it to the Superintendent of Police.

Once the servants were taken into custody by the police and subjected to a strict inquiry, the entire episode was exposed. The police reached the scene of the crime and discovered the dead body by digging the ground in the basement of the culprit’s house after it was located with the help of a dog squad. The deceased was partially naked and wrapped in plastic.

Union Minister and MP from the region Giriraj Singh has also attacked the Bihar government regarding this unfortunate occurrence. He posted, “Nitish Kumar has made Bihar a hell. A 10-year-old girl is raped and murdered in Begusarai’s Bachhwada, and according to the news report, even after a written complaint, the police called the two accused to the police station and released them, and later the body was recovered from their house.”

Notably, Guddu Singh’s public image is already very controversial. The dead body has been taken into custody by the police and transferred to a hospital for postmortem. The case is presently under investigation. The dog squad assisted the police in their probe of the area. According to Assistant of Sub-Inspector Ajay Kumar of the Bachhwara police station, a First Information Report has been registered and the whole matter is being looked into.

Delhi: Irfan kills his cousin by hitting her with a rod in a park for refusing to marry him, arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi: Irfan kills his cousin by hitting her with a rod in a park for refusing to marry him, arrested

In a horrific incident in Delhi, a 22-year-old girl identified as Nargis was killed by her cousin Irfan for refusing to marry him as he does not have any permanent job. The girl was attacked with an iron rod by 28-year-old Irfan in a park in the Malviya Nagar area of Delhi.

On being informed, the police immediately reached the spot and recovered the dead body of the girl and the iron rod with which the girl was hit. The Police have lodged an FIR in the case and have nabbed the accused, who initially fled from the spot after murdering the girl.

The incident happened in the park which is close to Aurobindo College. The Police have confirmed that the victim girl has graduated from Kamala Nehru College.

Talking about the incident, South Delhi DCP Chandan Chowdhary said that Nargis went to the park with a friend when she was attacked by the man. The DCP added that they found a rod near the body, and there are injuries on the head of the deceased. “Further investigations in the care are underway. Legal action will be taken,” she added.

The police officer later revealed that the motive behind the murder is love angle and denial. The girl is 22 years old and the boy is 28 years old, and they are maternal cousins. Irfan wanted to marry Nargis, but she and her family refused the proposal because he does not have a proper employment. The girl completed graduation with Hindi honours and was doing Steno coaching at present. Her family said that she is well educated and she will get a good match, and they are not going to marry her to an unemployed boy. Subsequently, the girl also stopped talking to him.

Recently, Irfan’s younger brother’s marriage was fixed, and he realised that he will not get a bride easily for marriage as he is jobless, said DCP Chandan Chowdhary. He is currently working as a delivery boy and knew where the girl goes for the steno coaching. He was in a disturbed mental state, and decided to commit the crime today, the police officer said.

The city of Delhi has been witnessing several murders lately raising the concern about the safety and security of human life.

The murder reported today happened a day after a girl named Renu was shot dead in front of her house in Delhi’s Dabri area. The accused who have been identified as Ashish first fled from the spot and later killed himself on his terrace with a country-made pistol.

Also, in May this year, a girl named Sakshi was brutally murdered by one Sahil Khan in Delhi’s Shahbad Diary area. The accused had stabbed the girl for more than 20 times after which he was arrested.

In the current given case, the accused hit the girl with an iron rod leaving her dead in a park near Aurobindo college, Delhi. The accused has been arrested. Further investigations are underway.

Cloth in mouth, tied to a tree, stripped and beaten brutally: Dalit woman assaulted in Jharkhand over a love affair

OpIndia Staff
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Cloth in mouth, tied to a tree, stripped and beaten brutally: Dalit woman assaulted in Jharkhand over a love affair

On Wednesday, 26th July 2023, in Giridih, Jharkhand, a disturbing incident took place where a Dalit woman was brutally beaten and tied to a tree. Her clothes were also torn by the mob. The victim bravely shared the names of the perpetrators with the police, leading to the registration of a case and an ongoing investigation. Up to this point, the police have made four arrests, including two women, in connection with the incident.

The incident occurred in the Saria police station area of Giridih district. A woman from the Dalit community living in Kobadia Tola received a call while in her home. Upon stepping outside, she encountered two bikers who abducted her and took her to a nearby jungle. There, they were joined by another group of people, including a few women.

The victim stated that she was tied to a tree in the forest and a cloth was put in her mouth. The victim was then brutally beaten up. Her clothes were also torn. When the victim fell unconscious due to excessive injuries, the accused left her there and fled.

In the morning, when the villagers were informed about an injured, naked woman tied to a tree, they immediately went to the location. The woman was then taken to a hospital for medical treatment. The police were notified about the incident. They registered a case and began their investigation.

The victim has also given the names of the accused in the statement given to the police. Based on this statement, Vikas Kumar Sonar, Shravan Sonar, Rekha Devi and Munni Devi have been arrested so far. According to the information received so far, the victim had a relationship with a young man from another village. Both families were opposing this relationship. An attempt was made to dissuade her first. However, when this did not work out, people from one side assaulted the victim.

‘Not safe, helpless’: ANI journalist on viral video of neighbours assaulting her parents over parking dispute in Delhi’s Sant Nagar area

OpIndia Staff
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‘Not safe, helpless’: ANI journalist on viral video of neighbours assaulting her parents over parking dispute in Delhi’s Sant Nagar area

On Thursday, July 27, an ANI journalist identified as Kaushiki Goel published a video in which her parents, residents of Delhi’s Sant Nagar could be seen assaulted by their neighbours over a parking dispute. The girl acknowledging the viral video said that her family was not safe in the locality as the accused had been roaming out on bail.

The saga dates back to the month of June when the family of Daljeet Singh, his son Harjap Singh, his wife Kudrat Kaur and other family members attacked Dushyant Goel, Mona Goel and their daughter Kaushiki. The family is said to have attacked the Goels over a parking issue.

The video of the said incident had gone viral over social media in July in which the accused members could be seen assaulting the Goels with a stick. One of the accused women also bashed Mona Goel and pushed her away constantly.

Kaushiki on July 27 quoted the tweet containing the viral video and said that she was ashamed of the incident and that she was feeling helpless. “Ashamed to acknowledge that this is me & my parents who were being thrashed in broad daylight. I want to take up the case against Harjap Singh under section 509 of IPC. Ikjot, Kudrat & Harmeet Kaur were equally a part of this crime. I am helpless,” the tweet read.

The ANI journalist also said that she and her family were not safe and that she needed help in the case. “My mother is a prof. & my father is a senior engineer. Our dignity has been compromised. We are not safe as they are out on bail & are very aggressive. Please guide me,” the girl added.

Reportedly, the Police had filed an FIR in the case against Singhs under section IPC 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide); IPC 506 (criminal intimidation); IPC 509 (word, gesture, or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) among other offences. Also, the Police had arrested 4 persons in the case including two women.

“Based on the enquiry, the police registered a case against Singh’s family under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Singh and his son were arrested and sent to judicial custody,” Delhi Police deputy commissioner (southeast), Rajesh Deo was quoted as saying.

“Anticipatory bail of 3 ladies involved in the case was dismissed twice. Consequently, two ladies were arrested and sent to judicial custody. One lady got interim protection from the high court,” he added.

However, Kaushiki on July 27 stated that the accused persons booked and arrested in the case had already attained bail and were throwing aggressive attitudes towards them. She also said that she was helpless and that her family was not feeling safe in the locality.

Udupi: 10 unanswered questions that police, Congress govt and college administrator need to answer – from which phone was handed over to the clear lapse in investigation

Nupur J Sharma
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Udupi: 10 unanswered questions that police, Congress govt and college administrator need to answer – from which phone was handed over to the clear lapse in investigation

The case where 3 Muslim women secretly recorded Hindu women in the restroom in Netra Jyoti College in the Udupi district of Karnataka is one where one realises just how easy it is for the media and the Left-Islamist ecosystem to play politics over the safety of women. The dehumanisation of Hindus, especially Hindu women, reached its zenith when the fascist ecosystem came together to package the serious crime as a friendly prank. The narrative soon went from “it was a prank” to “the Udupi case is merely a rumour” after NCW member Khushboo Sundar’s response to the media was taken out of context. One can’t deny that her response could have been more measured and better crafted, however, the desperation of Congress and their ideological brethren to use that statement to downplay the Udupi case was a new low discovered.

Yesterday, a student from the same Netra Jyoti College came on record to talk about the video recording scandal and how the administration of the college has actively tried to intimidate Hindu students in a bid to suppress the case. The student said that these three Muslim women have been recording Hindu women in the washroom for a year and six months ago, when they were caught doing it, the administrator of the college ensured that the case was suppressed.

Speaking to TV9 Kannada, the student said, “This incident was happening for the past 1 year. Post capturing in mobile the Muslim girls were exchanging the Mobile with their Muslim Male friends who were waiting in a car outside the college. The exchange of mobile was happening in the afternoon lunch hour. This was highlighted to the college management but they did not take any kind of action”.

Making shocking revelations, the student also said, “In our College Management, our Administrator is Mr Abdul Khader. He saw these 3 Muslim girls Shafa, Alfiya, and Shabnaz standing and came to us and said, “I have given a beautiful action to the 3 Muslim girls, I have asked them to write 5 times that they will not repeat this”. The student also said that they don’t expect the investigation to yield result since they believe that the phone which was actually used to record the videos have not been given for investigation.

On 27th July, Khushbu Sundar spoke to the media and refused to divulge details of the case, repeatedly telling the media that the matter was under investigation. The media posed a specific question to her, asking if she found any hidden cameras inside the washrooms of the college. To this, Sundar said that there was no hidden cameras and one must not believe rumours.

Since this statement is being used to discredit the entire case and even disregard the direct testimony of the student to TV9 Kannada, one has to deconstruct this before we delve into further specifics of how this case is being covered up. Firstly, it is pertinent to remember that NCW’s Sundar visited the college 8 days after the news of the illegal videography had surfaced. 8 days is a long time for evidence to be removed, especially taking into consideration the fact that there are allegations of covering up the case against the administration of the college and an FIR for destruction of evidence and hiding material information has also been filed against the college administration.

Secondly, the phrasing of the question by the media was also interesting. Sundar was asked if she found any “hidden cameras” inside the restroom. As we discussed, even if there were hidden cameras, the college would certainly not keep them around 8 days after the case surfaced. Further, the case was never about “hidden cameras” inside the restroom. It was about 3 Muslim women using their phones to secretly film Hindu girls. Did the media expect Sundar to find the phones hidden in some hole in the wall in the restroom? Is the media that stupid? Or are they plain malicious to ask this question and they play it up in the media to ensure that this selective statement can be used to discredit the case? Since the answer would go into the realm of speculation, one is compelled to ask the question and leave it upon the readers to make up their minds.

As the cabal used this statement, which even Sundar should have been circumspect about making, to discredit the case and shift from calling it a ‘prank’ to a ‘rumour’, the real questions that arise from this case have been left unanswered – by the college administration, the police, Congress which is in power in the state and the media which is focussing on whitewashing the case instead of ensuring justice for the women wronged.

Here are 10 questions about the Udupi case that remained unanswered by the college administration, the police and the Congress party, which governs the state of Karnataka:

1. TNM quoted ASP of Udupi Siddalingappa, saying, “We looked through the phone and didn’t find any such video. We thoroughly investigated the matter, and there is no evidence that the video was shared. It was a one-off incident in the college and had no communal angle to it. The purported victim doesn’t want to file a police complaint.” In this, the police make a few assertions. One that they looked through the phone and they found no video. Now, given that the police only investigated the case after outrage on social media and it had been days since the reported crime, it is only logical that the videos would not be found on the Muslim women’s phones. In fact, the obvious assumption is that they would have deleted the videos when the investigation has been delayed for days and the police would widen the search net instead of dismissing the case.

Further, it is pertinent to note that the students of the college have come forward and specifically said that the administrator of the college made the Muslim women delete the videos and suppressed the case. In such a scenario, how did the police expect to find the videos on their phones still? Given the logical flow of this case, one has to ask why did the police not widen their search net instead of simply dismissing the case publicly and aiding the narrative that would potentially deny victims justice.

2. The student who spoke to TV9 Kannada said that phones were being exchanged by the accused Muslim women with Muslim men outside the college. They said they would come on their bikes during lunch hour and the Muslim women would exchange phones (which had the videos of Hindu women) with them. They would then take the phones away. The student also categorically stated in specifics that “The videos were being shared with Muslim men from Ucchila”. If this student has spoken to the media and made these assertions, two important questions arise – a) did the police speak to the Hindu students of the college to ascertain what was happening? Had they spoken to the students, since they say they conducted a thorough investigation, this statement would have been made to the police as well. If they did, and acquired this testimony, then on what basis did they say this was a one-off incident, that they found no video and that no videos were forwarded by the girls? If they did not acquire this testimony, then how did they claim to have conducted a “thorough investigation”? b) the second question that arises is that if the Hindu students are saying that the Muslim women were exchanging phones with the Muslim men who came outside the college, which phone has been investigated by the police and which phone was confiscated by the college administration? Is it the same phone which was used to videograph the Hindu women in the washroom or a different one?

3. As mentioned earlier, if phones were being exchanged and the Muslim women were taking videos of Hindu women and exchanging that phone itself with the Muslim men who would come outside the college, how would the police find evidence on whichever phone was handed to them? Even if we assume that this particular phone was used to videotape the Hindu women in this one instance, we have reasoned how the police were unlikely to find videos on this phone. Were these inquiries made during the supposed ‘thorough investigation’?

4. The student on record has made a clear assertion – the administrator of the college – Abdul Khader – suppressed the case and intimidated the Hindu students. He is claimed to have asked them to forget about the case because it was a prank, despite the fact that the 3 Muslim women were doing this for a year. In fact, the allegation is that he suppressed the case when it happened 6 months ago as well. In such a scenario, why have the police not taken Abdul Khader in for questioning? Has he been investigated and asked material questions?

5. The police have clearly jumped the gun in this issue by declaring that it was a one-off incident, given the revelations by the college students on video. If so, why did they do so? Was there political pressure to suppress this case, given that Congress is actively trying to call this case a rumour?

6. Why is the Congress party trying actively to compromise the dignity of Hindu women and insist that this case was a ‘rumour’? Is there a political angle in the case or they are simply trying to shield the culprits and the college administrator? Is it merely a case of them trying to ensure that there is no controversy in their state even at the cost of the lives and dignity of Hindu women?

7. While Khushbu Sundar ended up making irresponsible statements that were then twisted to delegitimise the case, it is also pertinent to ask why it took NCW 8 full days to take cognisance of the case? Why did Sundar not realise that there were such pitfalls in the case and that cognisance should have been taken sooner? And if she did not, why did she not give a detailed response as to what her interaction with the Hindu students in the college revealed, if at all.

8. It is evident that the FIR against Rashmi Samant, who took to Twitter to raise the Udupi case, was based on the fake news allegations that were made by propagandists and Islamist apologists like AltNews’ Mohammad Zubair. The allegation was that she had spread “fake news” about the videos being forwarded to community groups and Muslim men. This was based on the police saying that there was “no communal angle” to the case and that they checked the phones where they found no such videos. After the FIR filed by the police against the administrator of the college for destruction of evidence and hiding material evidence, and the revelations of the student (that phones were being exchanged with Muslim men for a year), will the FIR against Rashmi Samant be retracted by the police? If not, is there political pressure to ensure those raising the Udupi case are persecuted?

9. If the Congress government in Karnataka is truly as fair as it claims to be, will it file an FIR against those who were spreading misinformation about this case just to whitewash this case? This would, of course, include their own functionaries, leaders and those they ally with officially, including AltNews’ Mohammad Zubair. It is unlikely, of course, but the question at least must be raised.

10. The most important question to my mind is if the police and the administration is looking into another crucial revelation by the college student to TV9 Kannada. The student said that after the incident, the phone was returned to the accused Muslim women by the college administrator. If the phone was returned to the students, then which phone has been handed over to the police? If it is so, did the police interrogate Kader and the students to confirm this aspect?

These 10 questions are crucial to unravelling the case unfolding in the Udupi college. It is pertinent to understand that there are several suspicions of a larger nexus at play victimising Hindu students. These suspicions have only grown stronger after a college student spoke to the media and made revelations about how phones were exchanged with Muslim boys, how this crime has been perpetuated for a year and the complicity of the college administration. While the Congress government is actively trying to call this case a “rumour”, it remains to be seen what the result would the police investigation yield and would it lead to the Hindu women, violated by the accused women, getting the justice they deserve.

Someshwar Rao who lost a leg in landmine blast will now represent India at Para Asian Games: His life is an example of how a soldier never gives up

OpIndia Staff
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Someshwar Rao who lost a leg in landmine blast will now represent India at Para Asian Games: His life is an example of how a soldier never gives up

The soldiers stationed on borders and deployed in conflict zones face challenging and dangerous conditions. They work tirelessly to protect their country from external threats, often far away from their families and homes. As civilians, we enjoy the comfort and security of our homes, largely due to the dedicated efforts of the men and women who serve in the military.

Their commitment to duty, even in the face of adversity, is commendable and worthy of our utmost respect and gratitude. The resilience and determination of soldiers are remarkable qualities that are often exemplified throughout their service and even beyond. The heartwrenching story of one such brave Indian soldier, Someshwar Rao, is a testament to the indomitable spirit of soldiers who face adversity head-on, refusing to give up in the pursuit of their dreams and service to their country.

Someswara Rao, who hailed from a family with a long history of military service, joined the army way back in 2011. He was appointed to the 11 Madras Regiment. He was drafted into the Ghatak Platoon, a reputed unit made up of the country’s finest soldiers.

As a member of the engineering corps, Someshwar was involved in critical tasks, including detecting and defusing landmines to ensure the safety of his fellow soldiers and civilians in border regions. His dedication and skills in this dangerous field earned him the respect and admiration of his comrades.

On one fateful day in 2013, his life changed completely. While on a mission in the Uri region in Jammu and Kashmir, a tragedy struck him. As Someshwar was cautiously navigating an area suspected of having landmines, he inadvertently stepped on a concealed mine. The explosion was devastating, and Someshwar was gravely injured. His left leg was severely damaged, and despite the prompt medical attention he received, it was necessary to amputate the limb to save his life.

In an interview with the Indian Express, Someashwar Rao narrated what transpired to him. “A landmine had gone off in a trench in Uri the previous night. We went there to inspect and since it was pitch dark we had light flares…. That night nothing happened. But the next morning, while we were going back to the trench, I stepped on a landmine.” Rao said.

“That’s a path we had taken so many times but that day it wasn’t the same,” he added.

Someshwar recalled how at that moment, his world seemed to shatter. The pain of his physical injuries was nothing compared to the emotional toll he felt. He questioned why fate had dealt him such a harsh blow, robbing him of his ability to walk and continue his service in the same way.

Despite undergoing treatment, he was unable to deal with the fact that he has lost one leg. Someshwar Rao, in that one moment of weakness, decided to end his life. He picked up a blade and went to the bathroom, but at that instance, he received a phone call which forced him to change his decision.

“It’s because my mom called me that day that I am sitting here and talking to you today. When I heard my mom’s voice, I started weeping and then just fell unconscious. For the next 10 days, I was in and out of the ICU,” the 33-year-old Rao told The Indian Express.

Someshwar Rao had a life-changing encounter

Rao made a commitment to himself that he would never consider taking such drastic steps again but the amputation brought back painful memories. He was recovering from the traumatic experience, but still, the thought of losing his leg continued to haunt him. That was when he got a chance to meet Lt Colonel Gaurav Dutta, who gave him a new lease on life. Dutta was an army para-athlete and Rao met him at the Artificial Limb Centre in Pune.

In the darkest hours of his struggle, Someshwar found an inner strength and resilience that he had never known before. He refused to let his disability define him, and with unwavering determination, he decided to embrace his new reality and make the best of it.

Supported by his family, friends, and fellow soldiers, Someshwar began his rehabilitation journey. He underwent extensive physical therapy and adapted to using a prosthetic limb.

Inspired by Lt Colonel Gaurav Dutta, Someshwar Rao decided to pursue track and field sports. In order to support the training of para-athletes within the Indian Army, Dutta formed the Army’s Paralympics Node (APN) in 2017. Rao soon started his training and spent a lot of time developing his abilities. His efforts paid off as he went on to compete in International Grand Prix competitions and win multiple medals while representing his country as a para-athlete.

Someswara Rao representing the country in track and field (Source: Insidesport)

Rao had finished fourth in the men’s 400m T64 race in Indonesia’s 2018 Asian Para Games. At the 2017 World Para Athletics Grand Prix in China, Ramudri Someshwara Rao bagged the gold in the 200 m T44 event.

Image source: ANI

Later, he changed his focus to long jumping in which he also brought fame to the country. At the Dubai 2022 World Para Athletics Grand Prix, Someshwar Rao bagged a gold medal for India after he took a leap of 6.40m in the finals. Overall, the Indian contingent won six medals on the day and set two Asian records.

Someswara Rao in action at Dubai 2022 Grand Prix

Speaking after the event, Rao said, “This is my international gold medal in the long jump. And I am very happy. But during my training in India, I have attained more distance. I will try to improve and do well in the upcoming Asian Para Games.”

This year, eight trainees from Army’s Paralympics Node (APN), including Rao, will compete for India in the October 22–28 Para Asian Games.

The jumpers will include Rao, Solai Raj, and Unni Renu, while Jasbir Singh and Ajay Kumar will compete in the 400-meter race. Virender, Hokato Sema, and Soman Rana will compete in the shot put competition.

The trials were held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Tuesday, July 25.

Despite losing a limb, Someshwar’s military career did not come to an end. Instead, he found new approaches to help the army. He, in fact, emerged as an advocate for his fellow soldiers suffering from disabilities.

The lessons he learnt along the way and the journey he embarked on touched people’s hearts all around the country. He received the highest civilian honour for courage from the government for his bravery and sacrifice.

The life of Someshwar Rao is a testament to the unwavering spirit of soldiers who don’t give up in the face of hardship while pursuing their goals and serving their country. His legacy continues to inspire generations and serves as a constant reminder that true bravery is rooted not just in physical skill but also in the resilience of the human spirit.

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