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‘Modi is a terrorist’: Shri Bhagavad Gita Park signboard defaced with anti-India graffiti in Brampton, Canada

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‘Modi is a terrorist’: Shri Bhagavad Gita Park signboard defaced with anti-India graffiti in Brampton, Canada

Anti-Hindu, anti-India activities are becoming increasingly prevalent in Canada as yet another signage at the Shri Bhagavad Gita Park in the city of Brampton in the Greater Toronto Area or GTA was vandalised on Friday (July 14).

According to reports, the park sign was spraypainted with graffiti targeting the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The signage that read “Modi is a terrorist (BBC),” was reportedly discovered by the temple management on Friday morning after which they informed the city officials, who quickly removed it and restored it to its original state.

“The City is deeply disappointed to learn of the recent act of vandalism targeting a park sign, which is an attack on a faith community. This matter has been promptly forwarded to the Peel Police for investigation and appropriate action,” tweeted the City of Brampton.

“At the City of Brampton, we stand united against such acts of intolerance and discrimination. We proudly uphold our values of diversity, inclusivity, and respect for all and these acts of hate will not be tolerated,” it added.

Talking about the incident, Brampton’s Mayor Patrick Brown told the network Prime Asia TV he was “outraged” with this vandalism and the city had “zero tolerance” towards “intimidation of any faith community.”

Indo-Canadians also expressed their anger over the vandalism. Brampton resident Vijay Jain described it as “purely an act of Hinduphobia.” Hiren Patel sought “immediate and decisive action” against radical elements.

Canada has become a hotbed of anti-India and anti-Hindu activities 

Friday’s attack was, however, the most recent in a string of anti-India and anti-Hindu incidents that Canada is increasingly becoming known for. Since July last year, there have been at least six incidents of desecration of Hindu temples in Canada.

On July 8, the Bharat Mata Mandir in Brampton was defaced with anti-India posters.

Similarly, on April 5 (local time), another Hindu temple in Canada was vandalised by anti-India elements. The walls of the Satyanarayan temple located in the 1700 block of Northway Avenue of Windsor were damaged. The police found graffiti of anti-Indian slurs and comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi written on the wall. The police have released CCTV footage of the incidents in which masked miscreants were seen painting graffiti on the temple walls.

Panchayat election was a fight for stature, Mamata Banerjee had to show that she is No.1: Rajdeep Sardesai downplays violence in West Bengal

OpIndia Staff
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Panchayat election was a fight for stature, Mamata Banerjee had to show that she is No.1: Rajdeep Sardesai downplays violence in West Bengal

Days after 50 people were killed in political violence during the West Bengal panchayat election, India Today ‘journalist Rajdeep Sardesai attempted to contextualise the violence and give Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee a clean chit.

On being asked by journalist Saurabh Dwivedi of Lallantop about the incumbent TMC government’s failure to contain the violence, Sardesai dodged the question altogether and narrated the history of political violence in West Bengal.

Unlike other times, Dwivedi pressed the veteran ‘journalist’ to answer his specific question about the current situation in the State. “Please speak on the failure of the Chief Minister, the State Election Commission, the improper deployment of central forces and the inability to hold free and fair elections,” he reiterated.

Rajdeep Sardesai tried to evade the question by raking up ‘chronology’, and ‘political culture of Bengal.’ He then resorted to tokenism and claimed that he condemns violence in all forms. “I am not trying to normalise violence,” he made a desperate appeal.

The India Today ‘journalist’ suggested that while the State government is responsible for maintaining the law and order situation, nothing much can be expected due to the development of a politically surcharged environment.

Saurabh Dwivedi intervened and informed Sardesai that it is the job of the journalists to hold State governments accountable when they fail to discharge their duties.

Rajdeep Sardesai then tried to blame the BJP by claiming that violence was at its peak in the constituency of Nisith Pramanik, BJP leader and the Minister of State for Home Affairs. He suggested that despite the deployment of Central forces, the situation in Pramanik’s constituency could not be controlled.

At that point, Saurabh Dwivedi intervened again and told Rajdeep Sardesai that the central forces were not notified about sensitive areas. “The intent should be there since you (TMC) are running the government,” he emphasised.

A defensive Rajdeep Sardesai then claimed, “This is why I told you about chronology at the start. The Panchayat election was a fight for relevance and maintenance of political stature.”

While implying that violence was a political necessity, he said, “Mamata Banerjee had to do something to show her opponents that she is leader No.1 in West Bengal.”

When Rajdeep Sardesai chose to eat ‘rasgulla’ over asking tough questions to Mamata Banerjee

In August 2021, the veteran ‘journalist’ conceded that he would have been denied ‘rasgulla’ (a traditional Bengali sweet) by Mamata Banerjee if he asked her about her post-poll pogrom in West Bengal.  

Rajdeep Sardesai was asked whether he questioned Banerjee over the saga of political violence in West Bengal. He chuckled and said, “I was not there to take her interview. I went there casually on ‘chai pe charcha’. Had I asked her about the post-poll violence I would not have gotten to eat rasgullas”.

Rajdeep Sardesai’s submissive response came when Dwivedi asked him whether he had questioned Mamata Banerjee on the recent post-poll violence, in which her party cadres unleashed mayhem on the BJP workers and supporters in the state.

When Saurabh Dwivedi again inquired whether Sardesai questioned Mamata Banerjee about the brutality of TMC workers, the veteran ‘journalist’ clarified that he was not there to take Mamata Banerjee’s interview but to wish her for her victory. “Whenever I do her interview I will ask her this question”, he said.

Azam Khan convicted in hate speech case, sentenced to two years in jail and fined Rs 1000

OpIndia Staff
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Azam Khan convicted in hate speech case, sentenced to two years in jail and fined Rs 1000

Azam Khan, a prominent leader of the Samajwadi Party, faced a significant blow as he was convicted in a hate speech case on Saturday, July 15, 2023. The Rampur MP-MLA Court sentenced Azam Khan to two years in jail and imposed a fine of Rs 1000. This verdict stems from a provocative and hateful speech delivered by Azam Khan during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Addressing a public gathering, Azam Khan made inflammatory remarks against CM Yogi Adityanath, the former DM of Rampur, and other officials.

The case against Azam Khan was registered at Shahzad Nagar police station in Rampur during the 2019 Lok Sabha election campaign. The charges included sections 171-G, 505(1)(b), and 125 of the Representation of the People Act. The court has now handed down a two-year jail sentence to Azam Khan. It is worth noting that he was previously sentenced to three years in prison in another hate speech case, but was later acquitted.

Reacting to the conviction, BJP MLA Akash Saxena expressed satisfaction, stating, “This outcome was inevitable. We have consistently fought for the truth, and the truth has prevailed. We are confident that this verdict will set an example for the nation, silencing those political leaders who fail to respect the judiciary. I believe the maximum punishment will be given in this case.”

The origins of the case trace back to a video of Azam Khan’s public meeting in Dhamora, Shahzad Nagar police station area, which surfaced during the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. At that time, the Samajwadi Party and Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party formed an alliance to contest the elections. Azam Khan was the alliance candidate for the Rampur parliamentary seat. Following the emergence of the video, ADO Panchayat Anil Chauhan lodged a complaint against Azam Khan at Shahzad Nagar police station.

‘The Battle Story of Somnath’: Film on Islamist tyrant Mahmud Ghazni’s invasion of Somnath Temple announced

OpIndia Staff
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‘The Battle Story of Somnath’: Film on Islamist tyrant Mahmud Ghazni’s invasion of Somnath Temple announced

On Saturday, July 15, a pan-India film titled “The Battle Story of Somnath” was announced. The film, as the name suggests, revolves around the invasions of Islamist tyrant Mahmud of Ghazni against the Somnath Temple in present-day Gujarat.

The film is written-directed by Anup Thapa and produced by Manish Mishra and Ranjit Sharma. The Battle Story of Somnath is a multilingual project which will be released in twelve major Indian languages including Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Marathi.

Taking to Twitter, noted film critic Taran Adarsh shared a teaser of the film giving an insight into the concept of the film.

“PAN-INDIA FILM ‘THE BATTLE STORY OF SOMNATH’ ANNOUNCED. Producers #2idiotFilms and #ManishMishra have announced a PAN-#India film, titled #TheBattleStoryOfSomnath. Directed by #AnupThapa. Co-produced by #RanjeetSharma,” Taran Adarsh tweeted.

The teaser of the film, The Battle Story of Somnath, gives a background of the Somnath Jyotirling’s history across the Yugas as it says, “The saga of history, the first Jyotirling of Lord Shiv. Chandra Dev made it from gold in Satyug. Made from brass by Ravan in Tretayug. Lord Shri Krishna in Dwaparyug. The first biggest invader Mahmud Ghazni, the 1025 CE attack. Only battle fought by the common people.”

The teaser further talks about more than fifty thousand lives sacrificed as it moves forward to Independent India’s first Union Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel taking the initiative to rebuild Somnath. 

It further shows a quote of India’s first President Dr Rajendra Prasad saying, “Somnath is a symbol of the victory of construction on destruction.”

The main casting for the film will be done later as the makers are currently focusing on developing the story. The release date of the film has not been specified as of now.

Reportedly, The Battle Story of Somnath director Anup Thapa has said that the film is different from other cinematic retellings of Mahmud Ghazni’s invasion and destruction of the Somnath Temple and the first Jyotirling of Lord Shiv. Thapa plans to offer a version of Indian history through the film that has often been forgotten or distorted by some historians. 

Mahmud Ghazni and the invasion of Somnath

Mahmud of Ghazni was a Muslim invader and Islamist from the dynasty of Ghaznavids who sacked and ravaged the temple in Gujarat in the 10th century. He also broke the Jyotirling and is known for murdering thousands of devotees who were attempting to safeguard the temple. He is said to have raided and looted India 17 times, drawn by its riches. In addition to the Somnath temple, he is thought to have destroyed temples in Kangra, Mathura, and Jwalamukhi. He earned the moniker ‘idol breaker’ as a result of anti-Hindu invasions.

In 1025, Mahmud Ghazni made his sixteenth voyage to India and pillaged the renowned deity of Somnath. In Hindi, “Somnath” means “moon master.” Ghazni destroyed the Somnath Jyotirling into four pieces, displaying his profound hatred for Kafirs (infidels) and their idols, or symbols of worship. 

During his 16th raid on the Somnath Temple, he smashed and destroyed Lord Somnath’s idol into four pieces, according to ancient accounts. It is believed that he not only broke the Somnath idol, he even took its pieces to tread over the footsteps of the Jama Masjid in Ghazna, Afghanistan. 

It is said that before looting the riches of the temple, Mahmud Ghazni fought a battle against the Hindus comprising the temple guards, brahmins and locals defending the temple, the battle resulted in over 50,000 deaths.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India’s first union home minister, spearheaded the reconstruction of the Somnath temple following independence. The idea of rebuilding the ancient temple was opposed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who saw it as an act of Hindu revivalism.

Andra Pradesh: Police arrest a 42-year-old man in Eluru for raping and impregnating his minor stepdaughters

OpIndia Staff
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Andra Pradesh: Police arrest a 42-year-old man in Eluru for raping and impregnating his minor stepdaughters

On Friday, the 14th of July, police arrested a woman and her second husband for committing a heinous crime on two minors. Reportedly, a case has been filed against them under the stringent POCSO Act. 

It is alleged that the mother surrendered her two minor daughters to her second husband in an attempt to safeguard her marriage with him. Subsequently, the minor victims gave birth to their step-father’s children. This horrifying incident took place at Pedapadu Mandal in Eluru district. 

According to the police, the 42-year-old accused impregnated his 17-year-old stepdaughter and also forced sexual relations with her 16-year-old younger sister.

As per PTI, a police official said, “Instead of playing the role of a father, that person (stepfather) has committed sexual assault on both girls.” 

According to Disha police inspector Indra Srinivasa Rao, the accused woman was married in 2004. Later, she gave birth to two daughters, but due to ill health, her husband passed away in 2007. Afterwards, she married her paternal aunt’s son in 2010. 

According to the information received, she underwent birth control surgery and could not get pregnant again. Following this development, her second husband allegedly kept threatening to leave her and marry another woman. To safeguard her marriage, the biological mother of the victims gave consent to her second husband to have children with her minor daughters once they attained puberty. 

Reportedly, she then compelled her elder daughter to have sex with her second husband, that is, her stepfather. In 2017, the teenager gave birth to a baby girl. 

When the stepfather wished to have a boy, the biological mother surrendered her younger daughter to him. One year later, the younger daughter gave birth to a baby boy but the infant died soon after. Her mother and stepfather threw the body of the deceased baby into a canal. 

However, both of them had some differences and the woman went to her mother’s home in Visakhapatnam. When Eluru SP D Mary Prashanthi received confidential information about the criminal incident, she directed the Disha police inspector to investigate the matter.

Later, the younger daughter shared her ordeal with the police officials. She stated that she and her sister have been sexually assaulted for years. The step-farther reportedly sexually assaulted both her minor stepdaughters when they were 13 and 14 years of age and when they were studying in classes 9 and 10.

Meanwhile, when the minor victims were undergoing this horrifying ordeal, no one in the victim’s family or neighbourhood noticed these ongoing crimes for years. Apparently, the woman had earlier lodged a complaint with the Disha police station in Visakhapatnam. In her complaint, she alleged that her second husband was harassing her and the police counselled them. However, at that time, the woman hid all these crimes and did not reveal the suffering of her minor daughters. 

Similar horrifying cases of abuse of stepdaughters

Earlier today, one accused named Sohel was arrested for allegedly sexually abusing his minor stepdaughter in Karnataka’s Udupi district, stated a report in India News. According to the Kundapur police, the accused is a resident of Kundapur and has been booked under the stringent POCSO Act. 

Reportedly, the accused Sohel used to lock the woman and her other daughter in a room and then sexually abuse the victim. 

Earlier this week, a similar case took place in Uttar Pradesh’s Chitrakoot district. Back then, a man was arrested for allegedly raping his 13-year-old daughter. 

Similarly, earlier this month, three accused were arrested in Rajasthan’s Baran district. They were accused of sexual exploitation and gang-raping a 13-year-old girl. 

According to the Baran Police, the minor victim was allegedly assaulted by her 68-year-old father. Later, two others allegedly gang-raped her on the pretext of rescuing the minor from her father.

Further, an autorickshaw driver was arrested in Assam’s Kamrup district for allegedly raping and murdering a 16-year-old girl, earlier this week. The body of the minor victim was found in the Digaru River at Sonapur. 

Congress leader spreads fake news, wrongly claims highest French award to PM Modi is not significant as 10 lakh people including SRK and Tharoor got it

OpIndia Staff
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Congress leader spreads fake news, wrongly claims highest French award to PM Modi is not significant as 10 lakh people including SRK and Tharoor got it

In a historic moment, French President Emmanuel Macron bestowed the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, 13th July 2023. It is the highest French honour in military or civilian orders. With this, PM Modi became the first Indian PM to receive this honour.

However, Surendra Rajput, a national media panellist of the Congress party, claimed that there is nothing to celebrate over this award as it has been awarded to around 10 lakh people, including Indians like Shahrukh Khan and Shashi Tharoor in the past. Replying to BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya’s tweet informing about the award given to the Prime Minister, Surendra Rajput wrote, “Illiterate Amit Malviya These awards have been given to nearly 10 lakh people including Shashi Tharoor and Shahrukh Khan.”

While it is true that France has awarded Shahrukh Khan and many other Indians the Legion of Honour, it does not mean the award given to them are the same as the one bestowed upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is because there are five levels in the Legion of Honour. At the top is the Grand Cross which has been awarded to Narendra Modi, and at the bottom is the Knight which has been awarded to Shashi Tharoor and Shahrukh Khan.

This is similar to India’s civilian awards which have four levels, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhusan and Bharat Ratna.

The Legion of Honour, known as “Légion d’honneur” in French, is one of the most prestigious and esteemed awards in France. Established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, it recognises outstanding achievements and contributions to the nation in various fields. The Legion of Honour is awarded to both French citizens and foreigners who have made significant contributions to the country in areas such as arts, science, literature, military, and public service.

The award is divided into five different classes: Chevalier (Knight), Officier (Officer), Commandeur (Commander), Grand Officier (Grand Officer), and Grand Croix (Grand Cross). Recipients are chosen by a council, and the President of France is the Grand Master of the order.

The Legion of Honour is characterised by a distinctive red ribbon worn on the left side of the recipient’s chest. It not only serves as a symbol of recognition but also as a mark of distinction and national pride. The award is a testament to the exceptional contributions made by individuals to France’s cultural, social, and political fabric, fostering a sense of honour and respect within the nation.

While Shahrukh Khan and Shashi Tharoor both have received the prime civilian award of France, it is notable that they have not received the top honour in the list. Shahrukh Khan received the Knight of Legion of Honour in May 2022. Shashi Tharoor also received the same award in August 2022.

Therefore, they were awarded the bottom-most level award, while PM Modi received the top-most level. Even though all five awards belong to the Legion of Honour, they are clearly not the same. Claiming that both are same is similar to claiming that Bharat Ratna and Padma Shri are same, which is completely wrong.

While it is true that over 1 million Legion of Honour awards, it includes awards in all five levels. The number of recipients of Grand Croix is only around 3,000, including French nationals.

The award was established in the year 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte to honour both civilians and soldiers. That is why the number of recipients is so large, as it is being awarded for around 200 years.

Uttar Pradesh: Ranjit Singh became Saddam Sheikh after meeting a Muslim family, idolised Osama bin Laden, wanted to run over people with trucks

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Ranjit Singh became Saddam Sheikh after meeting a Muslim family, idolised Osama bin Laden, wanted to run over people with trucks

Two men named Saddam Sheikh (38) and Rizwan Khan (23) were arrested by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Uttar Pradesh Police on 2 July for publishing radical posts that incited hatred on social media. Now, shocking information concerning Saddam Sheikh has come to light during the police interrogation.

Saddam Sheikh is originally a resident of Tarabganj in the Gonda district of Uttar Pradesh. His real name is Ranjit Singh and he fled to Mumbai after being beaten by his father 20 years ago for stealing. In Mumbai, he embraced Islam and took the name Saddam Sheikh. He came in contact with a Muslim family in Mumbai and they indoctrinated him to join their religion. Afterwards, they converted him to Islam through a cleric.

He then began working as a truck driver for a business in Bengaluru. In the meantime, he came into contact with the radicals and developed extremist tendencies of his own. He even joined Al Qaeda in the year 2020. He also suspected his wife, Rubina, of engaging in an extramarital affair and wanted to kill her and their children in the same year.

On the other hand, his spouse claimed on 3 July that he did not live in Gonda. He was brought by a man named Rakesh, a native of Lalapurwa, Gujarat, in the year 2005. She was granted a parcel of land in the village and an individual called Khan, who worked on the silk farm owned by the former head of the hamlet had the couple married in 2010.

Rubina alleged, “We attempted to find out where was he from multiple times. He insisted that he had no one. His parents had died. They left him in his childhood. He used to be very calm and quiet in the village.”

Saddam Sheikh desired to commit acts of terrorism

Saddam Sheikh identified himself as Hizbul Mujahideen Saddam on a calling app. In addition, he had direct communication with numerous terrorists based in Kashmir and Pakistan. He intended to carry out terrorist attacks like those that occurred in France and Germany in 2016 and wanted to run over people with trucks. He used to watch videos for this purpose.

His social media provided insight into the degree to which he had been radicalised. “Muslims need to wake up about the change in the constitution,” he stated in his post. “Jihad runs in our blood. We won’t be averse to making a sacrifice. The government commits atrocities on Muslims. I’m outraged by the decision over Babri Masjid. There is a hunger for vengeance. My heroes are Osama bin Laden and Burhan Wani,” he declared.

He intended to replace the Indian tricolour’s Ashok Chakra with the Islamic symbol. He used to consistently publish offensive messages. His account had been terminated by Facebook three times as a consequence of his actions. He aspired to become like terrorists Burhan Wani, Zakir Musa and Osama bin Laden. Moreover, he aimed to receive weapons training from terrorist groups.

Rizwan Khan wanted to become a terrorist

Rizwan Khan is from Jammu’s Poonch district. He himself took the radical path and had perilous designs. He was active on social media and posted inflammatory messages there. Furthermore, he shared numerous posts related to AK-47, Jihad and the implementation of Sharia.

The UP ATS has learned that he swore an oath to join Zakir Musa’s terrorist outfit. He announced that he was waiting for his turn to get involved in the path of Jihad, on social media.

Saddam Sheikh and Rizwan Khan promoted terror ideology

Anti Terrorism Squad statement read, “One Saddam Sheikh (38), a resident of Gonda district who was currently employed with a Bangalore-based firm, arrested for posting radical posts inciting hate on social media platforms. He wanted to become an enabler of the terror activities and thus used to post radical social media posts regularly.”

He was “highly motivated” by terrorists and cross-border terror groups. He was in touch with a Kashmir-based terrorist over a social media platform. “Rizwan Khan is motivated by terror groups and used to promote their ideology via radical posts on social media groups,” the ATS added.

Both of them are the subjects of separate cases that have been filed at the ATS police station in Lucknow.

Pakistan’s former science and technology minister who earlier questioned the point of going to the moon congratulates India for Chandrayaan 3

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan’s former science and technology minister who earlier questioned the point of going to the moon congratulates India for Chandrayaan 3

On Friday, July 14, Fawad Hussain Chaudhry, the former science and technology minister of Pakistan congratulated India and the ISRO on the successful launch of the Chandrayaan-3. “Congratulations to Indian space and Science community on the launch of #Chandrayan3 wishing you all the best,” the Pakistan ex-minister tweeted.

The Pakistan minister’s tweet garnered a lot of criticism on Twitter as it brought back memories of the controversial statements he made during his tenure in 2019, where he had mocked ISRO and India after it faced disappointment in its Chandrayaan-2 moon landing mission. The ex-minister’s change in tone attracted a lot of attention on Twitter, resurfacing the incident that drew widespread criticism at the time.

As soon as the Pakistan Minister’s congratulatory tweet appeared on Twitter, several Twitter users started extensively sharing screenshots of his 2019 tweets in an effort to expose the Pakistan ex-minister’s hypocrisy. Many mocked him for jumping the gun to mock India over its moon mission.

Interestingly, several Netizens also shared a video of an old TV discussion, wherein he was once again seen displaying his low IQ as he questioned the point of going to the moon, to mock Pakistan’s ex-science and technology minister.

In the interview with Pakistan’s ARY TV in 2019, the ex-minister of Pakistan can be heard asking what use it is to travel to the moon, do extensive research on it, and put in so much hard work when you can see the moon from Earth. He said, “Humare science and research team ki philosophy hai, itna papad belne ki kya zaroorat hai. Chand jo hai who nazar aa jata hai. Exactly uski location pata hoti hai. Yeh pata hota hai kab uski birth ho rahi hai. Kis territory mein uska kya altitude hoga.”

On Friday, the Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO) Chandrayaan-3 mission successfully launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The mission was launched four years after the Chandrayaan-2 mission was launched but sadly failed in the year 2019.

In the wee hours of 7th September 2019, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) lost touch with Vikram Lander, when it was only 2.1 kms away from the lunar surface. As Indians along with the people from the science and technology community across the world hailed ISRO for the remarkable feat, Fawad Hussain Chaudhry, who is now praising India on the success of Chandrayaan -3, decided to mock India and ISRO after the unexpected outcome of Vikram Lander not going as per the plan of ISRO and losing communication with the ground stations.

Fawad Chaudhry mocked ISRO and India over Chandrayaan-2 mission

In a tweet from 2019, the former minister had mockingly written, “Dear Endia; instead of wasting money on insane missions like Chandrayaan or sending idiots like Abhinandan for tea across the LoC, concentrate on poverty within. Your approach on Kashmir will be another Chandrayaan, just the price tag will be far bigger.”

Screenshot of Pakistan’s former minister Fawad Chaudhry’s 2019 tweet

“Endia only way now you can reach moon is through Bollywood, another 100 crore and you guys ll be on the moon. you failed when instead of scientists you relied on Jotshi and delayed the mission, Come out of hatred for other communities,” he wrote in another tweet in 2019. 

Screenshot of Pakistan’s former minister’s 2019 tweet which was later deleted

Who is Fawad Chaudhary who has 11 cases, including theft of taps, pipes and wires from school filed against him

For the uninitiated, Fawad Ahmed Hussain Chaudhry is a former Pakistani politician and a former senior member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. He served as the  Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting in Imran Khan’s cabinet from 14 April 2021 to 10 April 2022. Previously, he held the office of Federal Minister for Science and Technology from 19 April 2019 to 16 April 2021. He parted ways with Imran Khan and the PTI on 24 May 2023 announcing he was leaving politics.

Recently, on July 11, 2023, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Imran Khan, the Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, and his former close aide Fawad Chaudhry. The warrants were issued due to their failure to appear before the electoral body in a contempt case.

Last year, the commission initiated contempt proceedings against Imran Khan, Fawad Chaudhry, and Asad Umar, the former PTI senior vice president and party secretary general, for repeatedly making statements against the ECP and its Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).

The ECP had ordered Imran Khan, Fawad Chaudhry, and Asad Umar to ensure their presence at the next hearing. However, during Tuesday’s hearing, Imran Khan and Fawad Chaudhry were absent.

In May this year, 11 criminal cases, including one relating to alleged washroom tap theft, have been registered against Fawad Ahmed Hussain Chaudhry, the former Pakistani federal minister for Information and Broadcasting and senior vice-president of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

Sweden: After Quran burning, police authorises protest to burn Torah and Bible outside the Israeli Embassy, Jewish community condemns the approval

OpIndia Staff
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Sweden: After Quran burning, police authorises protest to burn Torah and Bible outside the Israeli Embassy, Jewish community condemns the approval

The burning of the Bible and the Torah as part of a protest against the Israeli embassy in Stockholm was approved by the Swedish police on Friday, July 14. Stockholm police informed that they had given permission to a man who has stated that he intended to burn the Torah and the Bible outside the Israeli Embassy in the country’s capital this weekend as a protest. The individual mentioned he wanted to burn the Torah and the Bible outside the Israeli Embassy in retaliation for the burning of the Quran.

Israeli officials urged the Swedish government to put an end to the demonstration, which is slated to occur outside the diplomatic mission on Saturday, July 15. The Quran burning by 37-year-old Iraqi refugee Salwan Momika during recent anti-Islam protests in the country drew harsh criticism from Muslim nations. He tore up the Quran and set fire to the pages outside the central mosque of Stockholm on the first day of Eid-Al-Adha.

Three persons would reportedly take part in the demonstration outside the Israeli Embassy on 15 July at 1 PM local time (1100 GMT), according to an announcement from Stockholm police.

Notably, the Swedish constitution strongly supports and protects the right to organise public demonstrations. The blasphemy laws in the country were abolished in the 1970s. The authorities decided to grant permission based on their assessment of whether a public gathering can be held without significant disruptions or hazards to the public’s safety.

Stockholm police highlighted the distinction and emphasised that they “do not give permission for different actions. We give permission to hold a public meeting. That’s an important difference.”

Meanwhile, Israeli officials appealed to Sweden to call off the event. Isaac Herzog registered his sadness over the development and remarked, “As the President of the State of Israel, I condemned the burning of the Quran, sacred to Muslims the world over, and I am now heartbroken that the same fate awaits a Jewish Bible, the eternal book of the Jewish people.”

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen commented, “Burning a Torah scroll is a crime of hate, provocation and serious harm to the Jewish people and Jewish tradition. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Israeli ambassador in Sweden are working through every possible channel to prevent the despicable act.”

Israel’s Chief Rabbi, Yitzhak Yosef, even urged Sweden’s monarch to step in and prevent the scheduled event. He denounced the same along with the recent Quran burning in front of the mosque in Stockholm.

He wrote, “By preventing this event from occurring, you would send a powerful message to the world that Sweden stands firmly against religious intolerance and that such acts have no place in a civilized society.”

According to the Council of Swedish Jewish Communities, “Our tragic European history links the burning of Jewish books with pogroms, expulsions, inquisitions, and the Holocaust.” The Council also expressed regret that the police had permitted the protest.

During Eid al-Adha last month,  Salwan Momika burnt a copy of the Quran in front of Stockholm’s central mosque. The incident sparked widespread condemnation in the Islamic community.

Following the Quran burnings, the United Nation’s top human rights panel overwhelmingly passed a resolution urging countries to do more to combat religious intolerance. It was adopted despite opposition from Western member nations that worry that harsher government measures may impinge on freedom of expression.

Gujarat: Dwarakadhish temple issues dress code for devotees banning short dresses, instruction banners put up outside the temple

OpIndia Staff
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Gujarat: Dwarakadhish temple issues dress code for devotees banning short dresses, instruction banners put up outside the temple

The Dwarakadhish Temple in Dwaraka in Gujarat, the main pilgrimage site of Hinduism where thousands of devotees visit every day for darshan, has banned devotees wearing short clothes from entering the temple. The temple management has decided not to allow entry for devotees coming for darshan wearing short clothes. This decision has been implemented by the Devasthan Committee. Banners have been put up outside the temple instructing visitors to enter the temple wearing clothes that adorn Indian culture and maintain the dignity of the temple.

According to reports, the banners have been put up at different places outside the Dwarakadhish temple, a symbol of the faith of crores of people, in the three languages of Hindi, English and Gujarati. Devotees have been informed to come to the temple wearing clothes that suit the Indian culture instead of wearing short clothes.

The banner reads, “All Vaishnavas visiting Sri Dwarakadhish Jagat Mandir are requested to wear clothes suitable to the Indian culture or to enter the temple premises by wearing clothes that maintain the dignity of the Jagat Mandir.”

The board outside the temple reads, “The temple is a place of darshan, not an exhibition of one’s own. All the devotees coming to the temple are requested to enter the temple wearing plain clothes. People wearing short clothes, half pants, bermudas, mini tops, mini skirts, night suits, frocks, and ripped jeans will not be allowed to enter the temple.”

Banner informing dress code for the temple

Regarding the dress code, Dwarkadhish Temple Trustee Parth Talsania said, “This decision has been taken only after complaints from many devotees visiting the temple. This time, many people said that wearing such clothes distracts the attention of other devotees. Due to this, the dress code is now being implemented in many temples of the country.”

After the Dwarakadhish Temple, a similar decision was taken by the Ranchhodraiji Temple of Dakor. Dakor Temple Trust, a famous pilgrimage site in the Kheda district of Gujarat, banned men and women wearing short dresses from coming to the temple. A notice in this regard has been put up in the temple. The notice reads, “All Vaishnava brothers and sisters visiting Dakor temple are appealed not to enter the temple wearing short clothes.”

It is notable that recently the dress code was also implemented in three temples of Uttarakhand. Earlier, the dress code has also been implemented in the Radha Rani Temple of Mathura. After this, the same rule has been implemented in many temples of UP, Madhya Pradesh. Devotees have been appealed to follow Hindu culture and not to wear distracting and small clothes in the temples.

In many temples of the country, devotees are instructed to come to the darshan by covering 80% of the body. For the last few years, rules have been framed not to wear certain costumes in temples in order to maintain the dignity of Indian culture, as the youth of the society has become obsessed with the dressing styles of Western culture. According to the people, such decisions show awareness towards Indian culture.

Earlier, devotees were appealed by two temples in Jammu and Jaipur not to come wearing short clothes. The priest of a temple in Jammu had issued guidelines regarding the attire for the devotees coming there for darshan. Devotees were asked to come inside the temple with their heads covered. Along with this, wearing short clothes was also banned in the temple. The Baawewali Mata Temple in Jammu urged devotees to cover their heads and refrain from wearing shorts, capri pants, etc. inside the premises. The Jharkhand Mahadev temple in Rajasthan’s Jaipur district also implemented a similar dress code for devotees.

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