Amid the ongoing deadlock between the opposition and the treasury benches and continuous disruption in Parliamentary proceedings, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has reiterated that the government is ready to hold a discussion on the Manipur issue for as long as they want.
Speaking in Lok Sabha, Shah said, “The opposition is demanding that the government gives a statement but I want to tell you that the government is ready not only for a statement but also for a full-fledged debate.”
He emphasised that the government has nothing to hide while responding to the debate on the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill.
During the proceedings, Home Minister informed that he has written letters to the Leader of the Opposition in both houses – Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary (LoP LS) and Mallikarjun Kharge (LoP RS) seeking their support in resolving the ongoing conflict in Manipur. However, he also targeted the opposition alleging that they are not interested in issues of Dalits and the welfare of women, instead they are merely resorting to sloganeering.
He said, “They (Opposition) are not interested in co-operation, they are not interested in Dalits, nor in the welfare of women, so their sloganeering is very obvious. However, I want to say again that I have written to the leaders of Opposition in both Houses that I am ready for a detailed debate on Manipur. The government has no fear and anyone who wants to discuss is welcome.”
He pointed out that the people are watching how the parliamentarians are acting and everyone has to go to the polls. He stressed the need for creating a conducive atmosphere for a discussion on the sensitive issue of Manipur.
Taking to Twitter, he shared the letters he had written to both the leaders seeking their ‘invaluable support’ for discussions on the Manipur issue. He stressed that all parties should rise above party politics and cooperate in resolving this important issue.
Today, I wrote to the opposition leaders of both houses, Shri @adhirrcinc Ji of Lok Sabha, and Shri @kharge Ji of Rajya Sabha, appealing to them for their invaluable cooperation in the discussion of the Manipur issue.
In his letters, he highlighted that in the last six years of the BJP rule in Manipur, the area was witnessing a new era of development and peace. However, this all took an ugly turn because of some court decisions and some incidents. These led to incidences of violence and arson in Manipur in the beginning days of May.
Going ahead, he invited the leaders to come forward for the discussion, rising above party lines to find a just and permanent solution to the Manipur issue.
On 21st July, a Karnataka-based organisation, All College Student Power (ACSP), wrote the Superintendent of Police, district Udupi, about an incident at Netra Jyoti College where three female students of the Muslim community allegedly secretly made a video of Hindu female students and shared the mobile phone. As per the letter sent by ACSP, students at Netra Jyoti College learned about it on the 20th of July and protested against it.
The college took up the matter, and three students responsible for recording the videos were suspended effective immediately, pending internal investigation. Though the victim(s) did not wish to file an official complaint in the matter, the college went ahead and informed the police keeping in mind the sensitivity of the matter.
Media mentioned two communities
On 21st July, Mangalore Today pointed out that the incident involved two different communities, with one group of girl students “placing the camera to take pictures of students from another community”. The report further mentioned that the pictures were then shared on WhatsApp group.
Deccan Herald’s report from 21st July also mentioned that girl students from one community had placed a mobile camera in the toilet to take pictures of girl students from another community, and then the pictures were shared on WhatsApp group.
On the same day, Daiji World also reported that girl students of one community secretly filmed girls students of another community, when they were in the washroom. The report read, “Later, the video was made viral on WhatsApp group. The girl students of other communities objected as they came to know about the video made viral. Both parties had a severe altercation on the issue.”
OpIndia reported it for the first time on 22nd July. It was stated that the college administration suspended three female students of one community for recording private moments of female students of another community in the washroom. TV9 Kannada stated that the videos were shared with other pupils of their own community on WhatsApp.
The narrative shifted to clearly mentioning Muslims and Hindus in reports
Initially, reports did not mention Hindus or Muslims as victims and accused. However, later clear distinction was made by the media. On 22nd July, Public TV reported that three Muslim girls had allegedly recorded others in washrooms. When some Hindu girls found out about it, they took the trio to the task, and an argument between them took place. The college suspended three students who recorded other students.
On 23rd July, The Sports Grail shared the names of the three accused: Alimatul Shaifa, Shabanaz and Aliya. Their source of names seemed to be a tweet by Arun Pudur from 22nd July. The news portal alleged that Muslim female students recorded and shared the videos with Muslim men.
⚡ Karnataka: Horrific incident in Udupi. Three Female Muslim students Alimatul Shaifa, Shabanaz & Aliya of Prestigious Netra Jyoti College put spy cameras in Hindu girls toilets, recorded Hindu girls showering and using toilets and shared it with Muslim men.
However, we noticed that the names were mentioned in a local newspaper, and a clipping of that newspaper was shared on social media. The oldest tweet where names first appeared was by Twitter user Madhukara R Maiya who shared the newspaper clipping.
ಮಣಿಪುರದಲ್ಲಿ ಪುರುಷನಿಂದ ಹೇಯ ಕೃತ್ಯ ನಡೆದರೆ ಉಡುಪಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮಹಿಳೆಯರಿಂದ ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಸಮಾನವಾದ ಕೃತ್ಯ ನಡೆದಿದೆ ಆದರೆ ಇದನ್ನು ಖಂಡಿಸುವವರ ಸಂಖ್ಯೆ ಕಡಿಮೆ ಇದೆ. ಶಬನಾಝ್ , ಅಲ್ಫಿಯಾ ಹಾಗೂ ಆಲಿಮಾತುಲ್ ಎಂಬ ಮಹಿಳೆಯರು ಈ ಘನಂದಾರಿ ಕೆಲಸ ಎಸಗಿದವರು.
ಯಾರಿಗೊತ್ತು ವೀಡಿಯೋ ಮಾಡಿ ಇನ್ಯಾರಿಗೋ ಕಳುಹಿಸಿ ಬ್ಲಾಕ್ ಮೇಲ್ ಮಾಡಿಸುವ ಉದ್ಧೇಶವೂ ಇರಬಹುದು.… pic.twitter.com/wNf8wrh7oM
On 24th July, India Today named the three accused as well. However, they relied on the tweets of human rights activist Rashmi Samant. It is evident that Samant also relied on the newspaper clipping and other reports, as two days prior to her viral tweet, the media had already mentioned Hindu and Muslim communities.
Interestingly, The News Minute report that Alt News’ co-founder Mohammed Zubair heavily relied on also mentioned that it was alleged that Muslim girls recorded videos of Hindu girls and shared them on WhatsApp. TNM called it a case of bullying and said it took communal colour after “three Muslim woman students were suspended for allegedly videographing another student from the Hindu community in the restroom.” The report further claimed there was no criminal intent, as said by the police and college administration. Blaming Hindu rights activists and the right-wing, TNM claimed rumours are being spread that sexually explicit videos of Hindu women have been circulated to hundreds of Muslim men.
Police claimed there was no communal angle
TNM further quoted police saying there was no communal angle in the case. The same was narrated by India Today during a panel discussion in which Rashmi Samant was also present. Both TNM and India Today said the police categorically denied any communal angle in the case.
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.”
The whitewashing of criminal intent
Mohammed Zubair, who is famous for whitewashing crimes against Hindus, randomly came forward and claimed it was fake news. He launched a vicious attack against female right-wingers and activists, including Shafali Vaidya and Rashmi Samant, for raising their voices against the heinous incident. When Zubair was called out, he played the victim card and said when he exposes fake news; people accuse him of dog whistling.
Source: Twitter
The reality is Zubair is the main reason a narrative was set against former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. He cunningly used a clip of a debate where Tasleem Ahmed Rehmani repeatedly insulted Bhagwan Shiva, and Nupur Sharma retaliated with a warning that if he did not stop, she would speak against his religion. Mohammed Zubair trimmed Rehmani’s statements and shared only what Nupur Sharma said. In the aftermath, there were incidents of violence across the country. Islamic nations supported Zubair in his campaign against Sharma, which led to immense pressure on BJP, and the party eventually suspended her. Later, people were killed for supporting Nupur Sharma on social media, including Kanhaiya Lal from Udaipur and Umesh Kolhe from Amravati.
As Zubair and Rehmani walked free without facing any consequences for their wrongdoings, Rehmani often appeared in events and debates. On the other hand, Zubair wakes up on an odd day and paints a target on someone on social media. Author Shefali Vaidya, Union Minister Smriti Irani, human rights activist Rashmi Samant and ANI’s director Smita Prakash are some of his regular targets.
The detailed information by Udupi resident
Udupi resident Mithesh Kumar Moodukonaje. In a detailed threat, Mithesh said he talked to the students of the same college and the victim girls over the phone.
— Mithesh Kumar Moodukonaje (@miraclemithesh) July 25, 2023
As per the information, the incident occurred on 18th July 2023 at around 3 PM. One of the victims noticed a hand-holding phone camera above her washroom door, recording her activities. When she came out of the washroom, she noticed her classmates standing on the porch, talking in their native language. As the victim understood their language, she understood they were talking about video recording. She reported the matter to the college office immediately.
Student A overheard culprits talking about video recording in their native Beary language. Since victim is good friend with AS,S & A, she can understand Beary language & she reported the matter to college office immediately.
— Mithesh Kumar Moodukonaje (@miraclemithesh) July 25, 2023
The accused were called into the office and questioned about the incident. They accepted recording the video but claimed it was just a prank and “they need fun and entertainment within the campus”. The administration let them go immediately with their phones. Mithesh said it is unclear whether the accused deleted the videos after returning.
College management upon hearing the incident called the culprits to office and made enquiry to which culprits accepted recording video as prank, claiming they need fun & entertainment within the campus.
— Mithesh Kumar Moodukonaje (@miraclemithesh) July 25, 2023
By the next morning, the information about the incident spread across campus. More victims came forward and said similar things had happened to them. On 19th July, the administration assured the victims that the accused would be debarred from the institution.
Overnight students came to know that such washroom video recording was carried out for one year in a systematic way as such incident already happened with Victim R. a year ago, but R was successful in convincing the culprits to delete video without informing the management.
— Mithesh Kumar Moodukonaje (@miraclemithesh) July 25, 2023
Meanwhile, the students came to know that it had been happening for over a year. Another victim came forward and said a year ago that, the accused convinced her that they deleted the video, and the administration was not informed. As the female students were scared, they started a protest on the 20th of July and refused to attend classes. The admin officer of the college tried to silence the students and claimed action had already been taken against the accused students. They were asked to write imposition five times and were suspended. However, they were allowed to write exams. The protesting students were not satisfied and demanded to debar the accused permanently.
Mr.K, admin officer of the college came to the scene & tried to silence the students saying that culprits already accepted their crime & action against culprit students were taken in the form of giving them punishment of writing imposition for 5 times & students were suspended.
— Mithesh Kumar Moodukonaje (@miraclemithesh) July 25, 2023
Finally, the trustees were informed, and at around 11:30 AM, they arrived with an advocate. They asked the students to end the protest and discuss the matter, but the students refused. The management finally called the police. At 12:30 PM on 20th July, police arrived and convinced protesting students they would take appropriate action.
Trustees requested students to end the protest & come upstairs to classroom for discussion as it is matter of their personal prestige but students refused. Without much choice college management finally informed & called the police.
— Mithesh Kumar Moodukonaje (@miraclemithesh) July 25, 2023
The students gave a request letter and were then taken to a classroom upstairs. When students asked for a copy of their request letter, police allegedly denied it. They were made to sit through lectures about online fraud by police, trustees, advocate, admin and principal.
Students demanded police to give duplicate copy of the request letter they have signed but the police didn’t entertain the request. In classrooms students were made to sit for hours & given unnecessary lecture about online frauds by police, Trustees, Advocate, Admin & principal
— Mithesh Kumar Moodukonaje (@miraclemithesh) July 25, 2023
Around 2:30 PM, media and Bajrang Dal activists reached the college. The students were locked in the classroom. The media was then taken away by the police, trustees and advocate, and they convinced them to leave. On the other hand, Bajrang Dal activists refused to leave.
Around 2.30pm Media personnel & Bajrang Dal activist visit the campus demanding the access to protesting students. That time police & trustees left classroom leaving the students locked up inside and preventing them from Media & Bajrang dal activist.
— Mithesh Kumar Moodukonaje (@miraclemithesh) July 25, 2023
At 4 PM, students were allegedly warned by trustees, admin and principal not to approach media or seek help from Bajrang Dal; otherwise, they would be debarred from the college. They were asked to go home.
At 4pm students were given strong warning by Trustees, Admin & Principal that if any student seen approaching the media or seeking help from the outside organisations like Bajrang dal then such students will be debarred. After warning they unlocked classrooms & let students home.
— Mithesh Kumar Moodukonaje (@miraclemithesh) July 25, 2023
Later, the college administration called the parents of the accused students. The mobile phones were confiscated during the meeting and handed over to the police. They were let go without any further action. Since then, the accused students did not come to college and remained unreachable.
But culprit students were sent home with parents without any further action. Those students were not seen at college ever since and remain unreachable.
— Mithesh Kumar Moodukonaje (@miraclemithesh) July 25, 2023
On 21st July, the college administration called the victim students and their parents. They were allegedly threatened to make written assurance that they would not approach the police or register a complaint. Since then, students have been demanding police conduct a cyber forensic investigation on the phones and take girls into custody for investigation, but there has been no action. Both the college and police allegedly refused to register the complaint and investigate the matter.
After meeting with victims & parents, the trustees & management enforced some unseen strict rules – girls & boys should not sit together, should use separate stairs, lunch time is reduced to just 30 mins, etc…but no further action was taken on the culprit girls and the incident
— Mithesh Kumar Moodukonaje (@miraclemithesh) July 25, 2023
On 24th July, victims, students and their parents met Yashpal Anand Suvarna, BJP MLA from Udupi and requested help in getting justice. Mithesh further added that the video was recorded in a systematic manner. One girl would stand outside and warn the other girls recording the video. Once the recording was done, it was handed over to another girl. They were always in touch with the boys outside campus.
But their demands were not met as both the college & the police refused to register the complaint & begin the investigation. So, victims, students & parents met local MLA @YashpalBJP on July 24, 2023 requesting him to oversee & resolve the issue & seeking justice. pic.twitter.com/cwlCvf88Qz
— Mithesh Kumar Moodukonaje (@miraclemithesh) July 25, 2023
The students alleged that the accused used to exchange mobile phones with the boys outside campus. The constant meeting between outside boys and accused girls was reported a year ago to a faculty member who informed about the same to the college management. However, only a verbal warning was given to the accused. Mithesh added that the students suspect that the college management has already threatened the entire faculty team as those supporting students have backed off.
Contradictions over the incident
In a recent statement, ACSP said the videos were not shared the way it has been projected on social media. The statement read, “Regarding Netra Jyoti college incident of 18-07-2023 full details have been given to the police – regarding BB the three students who had transferred the video to other mobiles.“
“At the outset, no videos have been transferred, don’t have any doubt about it; the Administration of the college has given full details to the police. As such, our college has banned the usage of mobiles in the classrooms since the beginning.
As soon as the incident occurred, the college gave an application to the police have been, and the college administration has given full cooperation for investigation from their side itself.
Thanks to the police department, which did a thorough investigation of the incident.
Whatever is shared on social media by some people and organisations is unrelated to this incident or Udupi. This is related to the Tamil Nadu incident. Let nobody have any doubt in their minds.
We extend hearty thanks to the people, elders who cooperated with us in this regard, especially our media friends, several organisation leaders and members.
Let their guidance and support be present for us in the coming days too.“
Police’s visit to Rashmi Samant’s residence
Hours after Rashmi Samant raised the issue on social media, a police team from Udupi visited her house at around 8 PM. She was not at her house then, and her parents were repeatedly questioned about her whereabouts. Detailed information about what happened in Rashmi Samant’s case can be read here. It is notable that Rashmi is being accused of drawing parallels or comparing the incident with the Ajmer mass gang rape incident of 1992. However, Rashmi categorically said it “could have turned to another Ajmer”. The fear was genuine but Rashmi did not say it was like “Ajmer” even once.
Let me remind you of what happened in Ajmer in the year 1992 where hundreds of girls were raped with blackmail of releasing nude photos that were illegally solicited. I cannot bear to think that Udupi could have turned to another Ajmer.
In a recent tweet, Rashmi said that police were not acting against her but trying to intimidate her with no probable cause. She said their actions were very different from trying to combat misinformation.
It is misinformed to say that the Karnataka police is acting against me. They tried to intimidate me with no probable cause, very different from trying to combat misinformation. Get your facts right before pinning me down instead of the actual perpetrators of the crime. https://t.co/i8QKbj2iIQ
Mohammed Zubair relied heavily on the TNM report. Shockingly, TNM tried to whitewash the incident as a “prank”. The report quoted the chairman of the college, who said the accused female students said that it was meant to be a prank, and they deleted the video in front of the victim.
The same “prank” argument was presented by India Today during the report, where Rashmi Samant was also present as a panellist. India Today’s anchor said the police said it was “meant to be a prank”.
Udupi college row escalates, Cops deny any communal angle to the case. BJP accuses Congress of misusing state police force. #5LIVE@ShivAroor@sagayrajp
In a tweet, Rashmi said, “How to whitewash a crime 101. Call the criminal recording of a female toilet a prank! I am from Udupi and absolutely ashamed to see this level of absolute BS.”
How to whitewash a crime 101 Call the criminal recording of a female toilet a prank! I am from Udupi and absolutely ashamed to see this level of absolute BS.
Nevertheless, the whitewashers are busy demonising those who are outraged over the incident, insisting that the incident had no communal undertones, even though the accused and the victims’ identities had been firmly established.
For the past couple of days, a seemingly systemic and organised onslaught has been unleashed on some of the Hindu Rights activists and popular social media handles for speaking on issues that the ecosystem has been desperately trying to brush under the carpet – the Udupi video recording case of few Hindu girls in a private institution.
As a part of this, on 24 July, a coordinated campaign was launched to intimidate popular Hindu Human Rights activist and Former Oxford Student Union President Rashmi Samant. All of this comes in the wake of her Twitter thread where she raised her voice for Hindu female victims.
It is alleged that their videos were recorded by girls of the Muslim community in the washrooms of a private institution in Udupi. It is also alleged that their videos were shared in some community Whatsapp groups. However, several news reports by regime-friendly media organisations quoted police officials as saying that the video may not have been ‘extensively’ shared on Whatsapp.
I'm from Udupi and nobody is talking about Alimatul Shaifa, Shabanaz and Aliya who placed cameras in female toilets of their college to record hundreds of unsuspecting Hindu girls. Videos and phots that were then circulated in community WhatsApp groups by the perpetrators.
Several social media handles which were spearheaded by Alt News Co-founder Muhammad Zubair, engaged her in a Twitter spate and hurled accusations, and name-calling. Zubair also issued a veiled threat of legal action under the pretext of spreading false information.
It is important to note here that the Congress-led Karnataka government is setting up a ‘fact-check unit’ to combat ‘misinformation’. For this, they have sought the help of notorious fake news peddlers such as Alt News.
She also shared the details about the case and vetted her claims made in the tweet which has irked the entire Islamo-liberal ecosystem.
Classic @zoo_bear trying to incite mobs against the Hindu women @ShefVaidya like he did to Nupur Sharma. Udupi is my home and I will not be intimidated into silence by the misinformation you peddle in the name of fact-checking. Now I don't have the time to teach you Kannada. https://t.co/8W4mPqHUhQpic.twitter.com/LyrWZFEcJC
I can't find enough proof in this whole world for your bigotry @zoo_bear
Local newspaper cuttings, naming all the perpetrators, statements from local student unions acknowledged by the SI Udupi and more. All I pray is that mahadev blesses all bigots with renewed sense of… https://t.co/pHO5MCUCiHpic.twitter.com/VQDfWoL8DZ
Additionally, she too stressed that strict action needs to be taken against fake-news peddlers online to stop the murderous dog-whistling that’s currently happening.
Spoke with @ShobhaBJP avaru yesterday on the issue. We agreed that strict action needs to be taken against fake-news peddlers online inorder to stop the murderous dog-whistling that's currently happening!
After Alt News’ Zubair ‘flagged’ her tweet for allegedly spreading false information, the Udupi police also launched a campaign to locate Samant.
Samant’s advocate Adhitya Srinivasan took to Twitter and shared the ordeal faced by her family. According to Srinivasan, at around 8 PM, a group of policemen visited Rashmi Samant’s residence in her absence. They then questioned her parents and were repeatedly asking about her whereabouts. This was also confirmed and reiterated by many other journalists, popular social media users, and politicians.
I just spoke to @RashmiDVS , & she informed me that policemen were sent to her house in Udupi as she raised her voice for the Hindu girls. I am shocked to know that the Congress government is using intimidatory tactics to silence her. I urge all to stand with her! pic.twitter.com/tWFnsosTT9
— Pradeep Bhandari(प्रदीप भंडारी)?? (@pradip103) July 24, 2023
Karnataka police have visited the residence of @RashmiDVS for stating the truth.
I am not surprised that the CONgress government is using police to strangle the truth. It has been the practice of CONgress to silence truth that tries to expose its agenda. pic.twitter.com/ERId38bfb9
Additionally, the police called her father multiple times to locate her. Her counsel, Srinivasan said, “It is clear that the police visited my client’s residence in connection with Rashmi’s recent tweets condemning the secret video recording of Hindu girls in a college toilet.”
1. At 8:00 PM this evening, a group of policemen visited the residence of my client, @RashmiDVS . As Rashmi was not at home at the time, it was her parents who were questioned by the police and repeatedly asked about Rashmi’s whereabouts.
Apart from Rashmi Samant, the alleged fact checker Zubair bayed for Nupur Sharma’s life in the past. Recently, he has been dog whistling against ANI’s Editor-in-Chief Smita Prakash, popular social media user Shefali Vaidya and OpIndia’s Editor-in-Chief Nupur Sharma among others. And as stated above, the formation of a so-called ‘Fact check’ unit in Karnataka has bolstered the confidence of these ‘Fake News’ peddlers doing the exact opposite, baying for free speech.
The unfortunate thing is that these are not one-off incidences and are not even limited to a geographical area alone. Instead, crushing dissent under the garb of curbing fake news has become a new norm for states ruled by the I.N.D.I.A. bloc.
‘Fact checking’ and ‘curbing fake news’: A new blatant tool to suppress dissent and critical voice
Earlier this year, on 18 March, the Police arrested YouTuber Manish Kashyap aka Tripurari Kumar Tiwari from Bihar in connection with the alleged attacks on migrant workers in Tamil Nadu. A special team of the Tamil Nadu police brought him to the southern state on transit remand after the Madurai Crime Branch police registered a case against him.
Back then, it was reported that Kashyap had tweeted a ‘fake video’ of the attacks on migrant workers from Bihar in Tamil Nadu which went viral over social media. However, the video was created by the main accused Rakesh Ranjan Kumar, a native of Gopalganj district in rented accommodation in Patna.
Later, the Tamil Nadu police slapped stringent NSA on him. He has been in jail since then despite moving bail petitions multiple times.
Similarly, many more journalists were also booked for sharing the concerns of the migrant workers from Bihar, which, however, were reportedly found to have relied on some fake videos. In connection with this ‘fake news’ of Bihar migrant workers assaulted in Tamil Nadu, the state police had also filed FIRs against OpIndia CEO Rahul Roushan and Editor-in-Chief Nupur Sharma, for publishing articles based on claims made in a Bhaskar report – which also explicitly and prominently added the police version.
Additionally, Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai, the Twitter handle of the BJP’s Bihar unit – BJP4Bihar, BJP spokesperson Prashant Umrao and Dainik Bhaskar newspaper’s editor, Mohammed Tanveer, were also booked for sharing the news of the ordeal Bihar migrant workers.
Kolkata-based journalist arrested for shedding light on anti-Hindu violence
Similarly, in October 2022, a Kolkata-based Manab Guha was arrested and framed in non-bailable sections for sharing the ground reality of the anti-Hindu Mominpur Violence. The photojournalist’s alleged “crime” was that he dared to post footage and images of anti-Hindu violence on social media.
The West Bengal police justified the arbitrary action by claiming that such recordings could have generated additional hostility in society. In another case of ‘witch hunt’ against media voices, the Kolkata Police, on 9 January, registered an FIR against 10 journalists and BJP state president Dr Sukanta Majumdar for allegedly ‘misreporting’ the stone pelting incidents on the Vande Bharat Express.
They were booked under specific sections of the Information Technology Act for giving the state a ‘bad name’. The arbitrary action was a follow-up of Mamata Banerjee’s earlier threat to media outlets that legal action will be taken against journalists for spreading ‘fake news’ about the stone pelting incident on Vande Bharat Express trains in West Bengal.
Raipur-based journalist arrested for posting satire against Chhattisgarh Congress leaders
In March 2022, the Chhattisgarh Police arrested Raipur-based journalist Nilesh Sharma who is an Editor of the web portal indiawriters.co.in and print magazine ‘India Writers’. He was accused of spreading ‘fake news’ against the ruling Congress leaders in the state of Chattisgarh. According to reports, Sharma runs a popular series based on political satire, ‘Ghurva Ke Mati’.
The series uses fictional characters resonating with the Congress leaders and Chattisgarh MLAs.
OpIndia targeted by West Bengal government
Earlier, in 2021, the West Bengal government had singled out OpIndia and filed as many as four cases for reports – highlighting the Covid handling in Bengal; Azan being played in Durga Pandal – the video of it had gone viral back then and was widely reported by many media houses. However, in a major relief to media freedom and free speech, in December 2021, the Supreme Court quashed all these FIRs.
The apex court raised concerns about how journalists are having to bear the repercussions of publicly available information.
The bench had observed, “State force should never be used to either browbeat a political opinion or the journalists suffer the consequences of what is already in the public domain.”
Social media user arrested in West Bengal for critical remarks against CM Mamata Banerjee
Since 2014, the Islamo-liberal leftist ecosystem has been crying foul claiming that fascist voices are curbing free speech and dissent. Apart from gagging journalists, several dissenting voices have also been booked and jailed flagging virtue as vice and vice versa.
In October 2019, 28-year-old Chandan Bhattacharya was arrested for allegedly posting critical remarks against Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee.
In fact, in May 2019, the West Bengal government’s misuse of state machinery was called out by the Supreme Court. While asking for the immediate release of BJP youth worker Priyanka Sharma, the Apex court observed that her arrest was “prima facie arbitrary”. Sharma was arrested on 10 May for allegedly posting a morphed picture of state CM Mamata Banerjee.
Actor Ketaki Chitale arrested for sharing Facebook post criticising Sharad Pawar
Another example of stifling dissent and free speech was the case of Marathi actor Ketaki Chitale. She was booked and arrested for sharing a Facebook post that was alleged to be directed at Sharad Pawar even though there was no explicit reference to the NCP patriarch. She was merely arrested for sharing a critical post written by Advocate Nitin Bhave. Yet, she was booked under sections 500, 501, 505 (2), and 153 A of the Indian Penal Code.
Modus operandi of the ecosystem: Dispelling doubts, if any
As blatantly obvious from this earlier tweet by Supreme Court advocate Prashant Bhushan, the ecosystem has been trying to suppress voices that do not conform to their ideological stance and exposes their inherent prejudice. Bhushan had made no bones about using police power to intimidate critical voices, in this case, OpIndia, exhorting opposition parties to file FIRs against the portal, presumably to exact obedience.
OpIndia is a godi media portal created to spread hateful fake news. They are committing serious offences under the Penal Code. Why are they having a free run? Time for people to lodge FIRs against them & for the police at least in Opp run States to hold them accountable https://t.co/KhldUgM9bD
In the tweet, he had asked opposition-ruled states to register FIRs en mass against dissenters in their state – particularly the likes of OpIndia – a direct call for excesses by the state machinery to hide uncomfortable truths and narratives of the common people who had been enslaved in the tyranny of one artificially constructed narrative.
The ecosystem has been aggressively gunning opposition parties to target those media houses or individuals who are reporting inconvenient truths about forced conversions, and how many Islamist groups are preying on innocent Hindu girls whether through Love Jihad or other means.
In all of these cases, which is merely an indicative list, the opposition has misused the state machinery to file flimsy cases merely to harass those who the ecosystem does not agree with. First, these false cases are filed when journalists or individuals talk about Islamists targeting Hindus. Second, dissenting voices are booked for criticising politicians from ‘secular-liberal’ parties and third, those they despise are booked when they dare to mock their leaders, as is the democratic right of every citizen. Hilariously, the very politicians who misuse state machinery to silence citizens are the ones who talk about freedom of speech and expression, freedom of the press and the right to express opinions. Further, they claim to espouse the lofty ideals of democracy while stifling the very essence of it – the right to dissent. The ecosystem especially gets riled up when individuals, organisations or journalists report crimes against Hindus by Islamists and demand accountability from the dispensation, presumably because it is the Islamists on whom they depend to someday get them back to power at the centre, displacing the Modi government.
Bengal, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, and now Karnataka governments are the states where administrations appear to be inclined to use state machinery with an iron fist and cage dissenting voices so that it has a “chilling effect” on journalists and common people and discourages them from raising voices on stories that are either brushed under the carpet or grotesquely misrepresented. The hounding of Rashmi Samant is just another manifestation of this unfortunate template.
On Sunday (July 23), an American pastor and televangelist named Hank Kunneman went on an anti-Hindu tirade against Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy for running as a Republican candidate for the upcoming 2024 US Presidential elections.
At about 51 minutes and 30 seconds into his programme, Kunneman claimed, “We are in danger as a country and listen to me Generation Z and millennials. Those of you, who are watching, may like this new young guy (referring to Vivek Ramaswamy).
“If he does not serve the Lord Jesus Christ and stand primarily for Judeo-Christian principles, you will have a fight with God…What are we doing, even entertaining the fact you’re going to have some dude put his hand on something other than the Bible,” he brazened it out.
The televangelist remarked, “You are going to let him put all of his strange Gods up in the White House and are we just supposed to blink because he understands policies? No.”
His racist remarks received an overwhelmingly positive response from the audience. Hank Kunneman then drew inspiration from the King of Judah, Jehoshaphat, and claimed that God loved him for ‘kicking out idols from his kingdom.’
He went on to fearmonger about Vivek Ramaswamy and claimed how all Presidents of the United States have supported Judeo-Christian values. The pastor then claimed that his God was jealous and that it would not tolerate other Gods.
“It is why our country has been blessed. Whether the presidents have followed Jesus? No. They have been held to a standard – you’re not bringing your idols into our country,” he continued with his bigoted remarks against idolators.
Hank Kunneman claimed, “You know what took Solomon (the wisest King) out? He brought foreign idols into his garden…And I don’t care how good someone’s policies are and how good they sound if they don’t profess the name of Yeshua.”
He added, “Here’s the point. I am not calling someone out. I am saying that we will have a fight with God on our hands if you believe in the God of our Bible (Old Testament and New Testament).”
“There are things that God does not like, that he hates and he is jealous about…And one of the things that he doesn’t like and it’s why he blessed Jehoshaphat because Jehoshaphat was a king that stood up and took out the false idols and brought Israel back to honouring the one true God,” he alleged.
“So America be smarter than that because it won’t matter what the prophet’s prophecy is if we now take on a fight with God over his jealousy…Dangerous and no they would not make a great vice president,” Hank Kunneman concluded his anti-Hindu tirade.
British commentator targets Rishi Sunak for reading the Bible
Earlier in May this year, British conservative political commentator Calvin Robinson called Prime Minister of Britain, Rishi Sunak, a heathen. He was talking about PM Sunak reading the 1:9-17 passage from the biblical book of Colossians at King Charles’ coronation.
Rishi Sunak is a Hindu, and his act of reading the Bible at King Charles’s coronation ceremony became a topic of discussion, with many people hailing it as his commitment to representing the UK’s diversity.
Meanwhile, over on GB News they're asking "is it appropriate for a heathen Prime Minister to be reading a gospel reading" pic.twitter.com/KseFXONzGk
While the PM of the UK always participates in the coronation of the monarch, Rishi Sunak is the first person of colour and the first non-Christian to play such a lead role in the ceremony. However, Calvin Robinson exploited the opportunity to display his Hinduphobia.
On Sunday, July 23, the Darbhanga district in Bihar was gripped by communal clashes after some members of the Muslim community created a ruckus and stopped the last rites of a Hindu villager named Shrikant Paswan. The incident occurred in the Hariharpur tola- Mallpati village under Kamtaul police station limits on Sunday evening.
Various media outlets reported the incident and said that the clash occurred over ownership rights to a cremation ground. Compelled by their biases, however, they went on to hide the religious identity of the perpetrators and other details related to religion.
Mostly all the reports said that the ruckus ensued after members of ‘a particular community’ from the nearby Mallpati village stopped the funeral of a local villager named Shrikant Paswan.
The reports quoted locals as saying that members of ‘a particular community’ hailing from Malpatti village arrived on the spot and opposed the cremation, leading to a confrontation. Soon, the situation escalated into stone-pelting and clashes, resulting in injuries to nearly a dozen people, including some policemen.
Some media reports, however, added that the miscreants assaulted and tossed the dead body of Shrikant Paswan and urinated on it. This particular allegation was, however, refuted by the Bihar police.
Media reports allege inhumanity with the dead body
A detailed report on this incident was published on 25 July 2023 in the Darbhanga edition of Dainik Bhaskar. The report carried a headline in Hindi which roughly translate to: “Dead body was not only beaten but also thrown away in Kamtaul: When protested, houses were set on fire and vandalized in front of the police.”
Dainik Bhaskar published the same news in its online edition on July 24 with the headline: “Dead body thrown from burning pyre in Darbhanga… People beaten: Ruckus over cremation ground, stones pelted on police; House arson, vehicles burnt”.
According to the details provided in both of these reports, members of “a particular community” mistreated the dead body of Shrikant Paswan. The reports said that the miscreants thrashed the dead body; picked it out of the pyre and threw it to the ground. They then urinated on the corpse. The miscreants did not stop at that but also looted, vandalised and set fire to the deceased’s house. They pelted stones at those who had gathered there for Shrikant Paswan’s last rites.
In fact, the report by Hindi daily Dainik Jagran also reported that the trouble began during the last rites of one Shrikant Paswan.
None of these reports, however, specified the identity of the ‘community’ that created the ruckus.
News 18 Hindi also reported the incident refraining from mentioning the name of the community that started the commotion resulting in the communal clash.
दरभंगा के कमतौल में श्मशान की जमीन पर अंतिम संस्कार को लेकर आपस में भिड़े दो समुदाय के लोग। मारपीट में दस लोग घायल। pic.twitter.com/H4GtKzTRcz
The Darbhanga police took to Twitter on July 24, to share a press statement released by the SSP office on the issue. It read that clashes broke out during the funeral of Shrikant Paswan in Hariharpur tola- Mallpati village under Kamtaul police station limits on Sunday evening. The police said that the clash happened between members of the two communities. It added that eight people were apprehended in connection with violence and that the situation has since returned to normal, with the police conducting flag marches in the area.
“There was an incident of conflict between the two sides over the accusation of preventing the cremation of a dead body, which led to the vandalisation of one another’s houses by the two sides,” the press statement issued by the SSP office added.
दरभंगा पुलिस द्वारा कमतौल थाना क्षेत्र के ग्राम- हरिहरपुर टोला मालपट्टी स्थित शमशान घाट पर दो समुदायों के बीच उत्पन्न विवाद से संबंधित कार्रवाई ……..#biharpolicepic.twitter.com/Ux5mUrLenR
Nowhere did the press statement mention that the members of the Muslim community mistreated the dead body of Shrikant Paswan.
Additionally, when OpIndia contacted the Kamtaul police station in charge, he also refuted the claims that the body of the deceased Shrikant Paswan was mistreated. He said that the deceased body was kept on the pyre when the police arrived at the scene after learning about the incident. He added that police reinforcements were dispatched to the scene, and Paswan was ultimately cremated under police supervision. Top officials intervened to pacify the gathered crowd.
He also said that the victim’s family had not made any mention of the dead body being mistreated in their complaint either.
When we asked him to give the names of those who had opposed the cremation which ultimately led to the confrontation, the officer refused to divulge any details.
Which ‘community’ was opposing the last rites?
The identity of the ‘community’ opposing the last rites has not been officially disclosed, but the cremation ground where Shrikant Paswan’s body was taken for his last rites shares the border with the Malpatti village in the neighbourhood. According to the local people, members of the Muslim community hailing from Malpatti village have been for the last two years claiming ownership rights to the cremation ground.
As per the locals, this land actually belongs to the Gram Panchayat. They said that this was the first time that a clash happened over the cremation of a dead body, adding that the Muslim residents from the Malpatti village were the ones who had opposed the cremation.
Notably, Ashraf Ahmed, the District President of All India Muslim Bedari Caravan, a Muslim outfit based in Darbhanga had also written a letter to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar apprising him about the aforementioned incident, in which they also confirmed that some Muslims hailing from Malpatti village had arrived on the spot and opposed the cremation. The outfit accused the Mukhiya (head) of Hariharpur panchayat, Ajay Jha of conspiring and spearheading the Sunday clash.
Additionally, the tweet posted by Darbhanga police also confirmed that those opposing the funeral were residents of the Malpatti village.
Locals who were privy to the incident refuted the allegations meted out at Ajay Jha by the Muslim organisation. They confirmed that Jha had arrived there with the local authorities after learning about the dispute over the cremation of Shrikant Paswan. A Royal Enfield bike of the mukhiya (head) of Hariharpur panchayat, Ajay Jha, was also burnt by the miscreants.
Locals also said that Ajay Jha was summoned to the police station the following day on the pretence of causing a disturbance after the Muslim side filed a complaint in this regard.
Nazere Alam, a member of the India Muslim Bedari Caravan, who spoke with OpIndia, also said that Ajay Jha was taken into custody the next day after the Muslim side filed a complaint against him. Kamtaul police station in-charge also confirmed that Ajay Jha is in police custody.
Dalit community being stripped of their basic rights in Bihar: BJP condemns the incident
Condemning the incident in a tweet, the state unit of BJP slammed the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar and accused it of playing appeasement politics. “In the Grand Alliance government, the Dalit community cannot even burn a dead body. A particular community removed the dead body from the pyre in a crematorium in Darbhanga and threw it. Then the houses of the people who came to burn the dead body were also burnt. Paswan community people were brutally assaulted,” BJP tweeted with the hashtag #ThagbandhanAppeasement.
महागठबंधन सरकार में दलित समाज अब लाश भी नहीं जला सकता।
दरभंगा में श्मशान में जलती हुई लाश को एक विशेष समुदाय ने निकालकर फेंका। फिर लाश जलाने आए लोगों का घर भी फूंक दिया।पासवान समाज के लोगों का सिर भी फोड़ा।
The tweet includes a video, which depicted the one-sided coverage of the incident by the biased media. Along with this, the BJP questioned the appalling apathy of the Nitish Kumar government towards such incidents happening in the state.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) attached three properties owned by members of Organised Crime Syndicates in Haryana and Delhi on Tuesday.
This came after multi-state raids were conducted across 129 locations as part of its continuing offensive against the terrorist-gangster-drug smuggler network, having links with ‘listed individual terrorist’ Arsh Dala and other foreign-based terrorists.
The raids were conducted at locations linked with gangsters and their associates in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) on May 17 this year.
The properties attached include a house of Irfan alias Chhenu Pehalwan in Delhi and two houses belonging to Kaushal Chaudhary and Amit Dagar in the Gurugram district of Haryana, the agency said on Tuesday, adding “all these properties constituted ‘proceeds of terrorism’, which were used for hatching terror conspiracies and execution of crimes”.
As per NIA investigations, Irfan had been involved in multiple criminal cases of murder and extortion, besides being a supplier of all types of logistics support, including men and material (supply of arms and ammunition), to the notorious Bambiha gang.
“Irfan had provided a safe haven to the gang’s absconding associates on the instructions of Kaushal Chaudhary, Bhupi Rana and other key operatives of the gang to reach out to the ground level operatives for the execution of terror and criminal activities,” the NIA said.
The other two, Kaushal Choudhary and Amit Dagar were closely associated with key conspirators-foreign-based Arshdeep Dala and Gaurab Patyal alias Sourav Thakur alias Lucky, with the help of other accused persons.
Both Kaushal and Amit were involved in extortion, threatening and killing of businessmen and striking terror among singers, businessmen and sportspersons, as well as in arranging weapons for the execution of acts of terror and violence.
“They were both in touch with and conspired with foreign-based terrorists, as well as ground operatives, through social media platforms for execution of extortion and killing terror activities. The money raised from the extortions was being utilised for furtherance of terror activities and for providing logistic support to other gangs, including the Bambiha gang, active in India,” said the NIA.
The NIA registered cases against three major Organised Crime Syndicates under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in August last year.
These syndicates were spreading their mafia-style criminal networks in the northern states of India and were involved in the commission of many sensational crimes, such as the murder of popular singer Sidhu Moosewala. and large-scale extortions from businessmen and professionals.
Their crimes included the killing of Maharashtra builder Sanjay Biyani, as well as Sandeep Nangal Ambia, an international Kabbadi organiser in Punjab, the NIA said.
“Many of these conspiracies were found to have been masterminded from abroad, including Pakistan and Canada, or by leaders of Organised Criminal Syndicates lodged in jails,” it added.
The NIA also said it has planned to intensify its drive, in active and close collaboration with police forces of various states to dismantle such terror and mafia networks and their support infrastructure and to attach and seize their assets procured from ‘proceeds of terrorism and crime’.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
An outrageous incident recently occurred in the MG Road area of the city where a young women aged around 20 was molested by a shopkeeper identified as Kaif Karimullah Sheikh (24). The Pune Police has taken the cognizance of the incident and has filed an FIR in the case.
In the past few days, the issue of women’s safety has become a serious matter in Pune, especially after a college girl was attacked in broad daylight in the Sadashiv Peth area. According to the local reports, this recent incident is said to have happened in the cantonment area of the city. A 20-year-old college girl was molested by Sheikh while she visited his shop on MG Road to get her trousers exchanged. The accused molested the victim girl and touched her inappropriately as he offered to ‘help’ her check the size of the clothing.
Reportedly, the shop in which the girl was molested is located in the Nath Chowk area on MG road in the Pune Cantonment region. Sheikh, who has been identified as the accused works as an attendant at the shop. The incident happened on July 20 at around 1:10 pm. The girl was molested as she attempted to try the T-shirt she wanted to pay for. “I’ll help you wear the T-shirt,” said Sheikh as he offered to ‘help’ the girl check the size before the purchase.
The accused then attempted to sexually assault her and he also touched her inappropriately. The 20-year-old victim pushed the accused and managed to escape from the spot. She then called her brother for help who reached there with some of his friends. The brother of the victim further is said to have thrashed the accused for molesting the girl.
The victim girl later filed a police complaint at the Camp area police station. Accordingly, a case has been registered against the accused, identified as Kaif Karimmullah Sheikh. The FIR has been registered under section 354 of the IPC. Also, a cross FIR has been registered against the brother of the victim girl for thrashing the accused. The police confirmed the event and said that the notices have been issued to both the parties and that the investigation in the case is underway.
Confirming the incident, Police Sub-Inspector Shekhar Mokate stated, “The woman, who resides in Swargate, has been a regular patron of the shop for the past two years. On Wednesday, she visited the shop to get her purchased trousers replaced.”
According to the Police, upon her arrival at the shop, the owner informed her about the arrival of a new stock of T-shirts and inquired if she was interested in purchasing one. The woman decided to take a look at some of these T-shirts and chose one to try on. She alleged that while ostensibly demonstrating how to wear the T-shirt, the owner touched her inappropriately.
Following the incident, the woman reacted by pushing the shop owner away and immediately recounted the ordeal to her brother over the phone. Without delay, the brother arrived at the shop accompanied by a friend, and a heated verbal confrontation ensued. Subsequently, they physically assaulted the shop owner. Mokate further stated, “The surveillance footage from outside the shop shows the brother striking the owner repeatedly with a stick on his head and neck, while his friend also joined in the attack.”
Crimes against women in Pune
Several crimes against women have recently been reported from Pune raising the alarm of women safety in the city. In June this year, a 20-year-old college student was attacked with a machete by a 21-year-old youth in the Sadashiv Peth area after she had ended a relationship with him given his abusive behavior.
Also, a brutal case of Love Jihad was reported from the Manchar region of Pune in which a Hindu minor girl was abducted, raped and assaulted by one Javed Sheikh. The girl was rescued after 4 years and was scared so much so that she even refused to identify and go close to her father. The girl during the period of 4 years was tortured, assaulted and given the bruises of lit cigarettes.
The Police then had arrested the accused and booked him under sections 363 (kidnapping) and 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 4, 6, 8, 10 of the POCSO Act. Further investigations are underway.
In the current case the FIR against the accused worker identified as Kaif Karimullah Sheikh has been registered under section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Further investigations in the case are underway.
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang was dismissed from his position and succeeded by former Foreign Minister Wang Yi, state media reported on Tuesday.
The reports did not disclose any specific reasons for Qin’s removal, but it was mentioned that President Xi Jinping signed a presidential order to formalize this decision.
State media outlet Xinhua reported that during a session convened on Tuesday, China’s top legislature voted to appoint Wang Yi as the new foreign minister. Simultaneously, it was announced that Qin Gang had been removed from the post of foreign minister.
Qin Gang ‘missing’ since June 25
Since his meeting with Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko in Beijing on June 25, Qin has not made any public appearances. Notably, he was absent from an international diplomatic summit in Indonesia, and China’s Foreign Affairs Ministry attributed his nonattendance to unspecified health issues.
The lack of clarity surrounding Qin’s current location has sparked speculation regarding potential disagreements with Chinese leadership or the possibility of him being under official investigation. On Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry asserted that it had no information to disclose regarding Qin’s status.
It is important to note that China’s Communist Party is well-known for its opaque approach to internal personnel matters, and media freedom and free speech are severely restricted in the country.
Wang Yi returns as Chinese foreign minister
Having held the position of the leader of the Communist Party’s foreign affairs commission, Wang holds a higher rank than Qin in China’s government hierarchy. For the past month, Wang has been handling Qin’s responsibilities. Wang previously served as the foreign minister from 2018 to 2022.
This reshuffling in diplomatic roles comes amidst efforts by China and the US to mend their strained relationship, which has been marked by disagreements on various issues such as trade, human rights, technology, Taiwan, and territorial claims made by Beijing. In recent times, senior Chinese diplomats have also visited European countries in an attempt to improve relations.
However, Qin’s absence at the top of China’s foreign ministry has created a void. As a consequence, the planned visit to Beijing by the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, had to be called off. Furthermore, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly also postponed his visit to Beijing this month due to Qin’s unavailability, as reported by Bloomberg on Friday.
MenFive, the first conjugate vaccine to protect against the five predominant causes of meningococcal meningitis in Africa, has been prequalified by the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to Adar Poonawalla, CEO, Serum Institute of India, MenFive is a game changer vaccine, “MenFive is a game-changer vaccine developed through a powerful 13-year collaboration between Serum Institute of India Private Limited (SIIPL), PATH, and vital support from the UK government, in the fight against meningococcal meningitis in Africa.” PATH is a global nonprofit dedicated to achieving health equity.
“As the first conjugate vaccine to safeguard against the five predominant causes of this deadly disease, MenFive offers hope for a future free from annual outbreaks and epidemics in the African meningitis belt. It is a big moment as we, together, pave the way towards a healthier Africa, saving countless lives,” Poonawala said.
“MenFive is a much-required medical intervention that will be available at an extremely affordable price”, said Dr Rajeev Dhere, Executive Director of SIIPL.
“The prequalification of MenFive represents a turning point for the African meningitis belt and a step forward in the global effort to Defeat Meningitis by 2030,” says Dr Bill Hausdorff, director of PATH’s meningitis vaccine development projects.
“The introduction of new multivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccines is a key strategy for bacterial meningitis prevention and control. MenFive is a critical addition to the toolbox that will save thousands of lives every year,” he added.
WHO prequalification—which ensures a vaccine meets strict international quality, safety, and efficacy standards—was supported by extensive clinical studies in The Gambia, India, and Mali that demonstrated a high level of safety and immunogenicity. Importantly, prequalification allows MenFive to be procured by United Nations agencies and Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance.
Meningococcal meningitis is a bacterial infection that sets in rapidly and can kill within hours. It can cause severe brain damage and sepsis leading to limb amputation and is fatal in 50% of cases if untreated. Anyone can contract meningococcal meningitis but children under age five—especially infants—are likely to suffer the most severe effects.
Polysaccharide vaccines have traditionally been used in response to African meningitis epidemics, but they have limitations. They only provide short-term protection, don’t promote herd immunity and are not generally effective in infants and children younger than two years of age. Conjugate vaccines provide better, longer-lasting protection against meningococcal disease.
Multivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccines that protect against serogroup A, C, W, and Y have been available on the global market for decades, but they aren’t affordable for meningitis belt countries to include in their meningitis prevention strategies—leaving 450 million people at risk of death or severe disability due to meningococcal disease.
“MenFive is currently undergoing an additional Phase 3 study in healthy children between 9 and 15 months of age in Mali, to examine MenFive’s safety and immunogenicity when administered alongside measles/rubella and yellow fever vaccine. The study is being conducted by the Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Consortium in collaboration with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health,” reads the statement.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
Rajendra Singh Gudha, who was sacked as a minster by the Congress government in Rajasthan recently, has since made some startling accusations about the rampant corruption in the Ashok Gehlot-led government in the state. The Udaipurwati MLA has repeatedly made references to a “red diary” that allegedly contains information allegedly exposing corruption in Rajasthan and implicating even the Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
Gudha was physically stopped from presenting this “Red Diary” in the state assembly that he says exposes the corruption in the state. On Monday, July 24, he was physically stopped by Congress lawmakers from talking about this red diary in the state assembly. This came just days after he was sacked by the Congress party for talking about the atrocities against the women in the state.
Later, in an extraordinary move, House Marshalls forbade Gudha from even entering the Assembly building. He was then suspended along with BJP MLA Madan Dilawar for the duration of the monsoon session. Gudha asserted that this was done to stop him from presenting this “red diary”.
Gudha while talking to the media on July 24 said that he wanted to give a statement on the red diary but the speaker did not allow it. “Shanti Dhariwal stood to speak and I went to him and said that I want to give a statement in the House, but Congress MLAs pushed me to the ground and overpowered me. Some of them including Shanti Dhariwal kicked me and snatched the diary from me. However, some part of the diary was left with me,” he said.
What is in that ‘Red Diary’ of Rajendra Gudha?
Rajendra Gudha claims that the red diary is jam-packed with facts and proof of Ashok Gehlot and his son’s wrongdoings during Gehlot’s term as the chief minister of Rajasthan. The infamous “Red Diary,” according to Gudha, has a number of ominous secrets that could pose problems for the Gehlot administration.
According to Gudha’s assertions, Dharmendra Rathore, currently Chairman of the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation, wrote the book. Gudha is of the opinion that the diary includes all financial dealings and donations made to MLAs throughout the elections.
Gudha said that the diary was secured by him during an income tax raid at the residence of RTDC chairman Dharmendra Rathore as per the instructions of CM Ashok Gehlot.
Crying before the media yesterday, Gudha also said that he does not fear going to jail. He accepted that he secured the diary from Rathore’s residence to save the political power of CM Ashok Gehlot. “I saved him. I admired Gehlot as my leader. He asked me to get the diary containing all the details of the ill transactions. I did it all for him. And now the government is not allowing me in,” he said.
Gudha says he will drag CM to jail
Rajendra Gudha also said that Gehlot had asked him to burn and destroy the diary but that didn’t happen. “I am accusing the government of fraud and that is true. I know what I am saying. If I am wrong, put me in jail or kill me. Half of the Ministers in the Ashok Gehlot government are corrupt and involved in criminal cases and deserve to be in jail,” he said.
Gudha meanwhile cleared that he was not desperate for becoming the Minister and that if he is sent to jail, he will take CM Ashok Gehlot with him to the jail.
Rajasthan government sacked Gudha for criticising the state over crimes against women
Notably, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot recently sacked Congress’ Rajendra Gudha as a minister in his government for commenting and criticising the state government over crimes against women. Gudha questioned his own government’s efforts to combat crimes against women in Rajasthan while his colleagues condemned the violence in Manipur.
Congress legislators raised placards in protest of the violence in Manipur during the consideration of the Rajasthan Minimum Income Guarantee Bill 2023 in the state Assembly, but Gudha did not appreciate the protest and wanted accountability from his own administration for atrocities committed against women.
“The way we have failed to provide security to women in Rajasthan and atrocities on women have increased, instead of raising the issue of Manipur, we should introspect,” Gudha said in the state assembly.
He also reiterated his statement on July 23 saying that “Rajasthan is number one when it comes to crime against women.”
