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BJP constitutes 4-member fact-finding team to visit the violence-affected areas, WB governor to submit report on Panchayat poll violence to Amit Shah

OpIndia Staff
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BJP constitutes 4-member fact-finding team to visit the violence-affected areas, WB governor to submit report on Panchayat poll violence to Amit Shah

Amidst unprecedented incidents of violence, arson, looting, and tampering with Ballot boxes during Panchayat elections in West Bengal, Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) on Monday, July 10 constituted a four-member fact-finding committee to visit the violence-affected areas in the state.

The committee will be headed by former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. The other three BJP MPs who will constitute the fact-finding committee are Mumbai police commissioner and Baghpat MP Satyapal Singh, Silchar MP Rajdeep Roy and Dhaurahara MP and party vice-president Rekha Verma.

Reports quote official sources as confirming that the delegation will reach West Bengal on July 11 and has been asked to submit its report at the earliest. 

The development came just before West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose is set to submit a report on the violence that took place during the panchayat elections in the State to the Union HM Amit Shah.

A festival of death: Union Minister Nisith Pramanik on WB panchayat polls

Meanwhile, speaking about the mayhem that was unleashed in the state during the recently concluded Panchayat polls, Union Minister Nisith Pramanik slammed the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government for its abject failure to maintain law and order in the state. Coming down heavily on the ruling dispensation, Nishith Pramanik said the single-phased polls in West Bengal were not a festival of the republic but a festival of death.

Speaking to ANI, Pramanik said the Trinamool Congress government will not even put out an accurate official count of deaths that took place across the state since the date for the panchayat polls was notified.

The BJP leader, who himself hails from North Bengal, said, “This (the deaths and electoral violence) should not have happened. Elections are a festival of the republic but this time, the panchayat elections in Bengal turned out to be a festival of death. The state government will not even come out with official data on the number of people who lost their lives since the panchayat elections in Bengal were announced.”

He added that while political violence and clashes during elections were nothing new in Bengal, the scale of violence seen during the polling for the panchayats on Saturday was ‘unprecedented’.

The Union Minister also posted a video on Twitter on July 9, to share the pathetic state of the family members of those who fell prey to the political violence in West Bengal. “I am deeply pained to witness the misery of the People of #WestBengal, the barbaric behaviour by TMC for people who show their dissent to TMC’s violence and corruption. These tears will not stop, our fight will not stop, our wounds won’t heal until TMC goons are punished,” Pramanik tweeted as he shared a video of a beleaguered woman weeping inconsolably and narrating her trauma and pleading for justice after her father was killed in the state’s unprecedented outbreak of violence

BJP demands President’s rule in West Bengal

Meanwhile, BJP leader and LoP Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday demanded President’s rule in Bengal. The former TMC leader who joined BJP said he was not bothered about what the people in Delhi think asserting President’s rule is the only solution to violent incidents.

Repolling to be held at 600 booths after reports of violence and tampering with Ballot boxes

After widespread reports of violence, arson, looting, and tampering with Ballot boxes during Panchayat elections, the State Election Commission on Sunday evening, 9 July, announced to hold re-polling in Purulia, Birbhum, Jalpaiguri, and South 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal.

As per the information received, the Bengal State Election Commission has ordered re-polling in those booths where the voting was declared void. The SEC further announced that a fresh poll will be held on Monday, that is tomorrow, 10th of July from 7 am to 5 pm.

According to the announcement, re-polling will be held in 604 booths for the Panchayat elections. 

15 people killed during WB Panchayat polls

Violent incidents that took place in several districts killed as many as 15 people drawing severe criticism on law and order issues. After numerous incidences of politically motivated incidences of violence, arson, and killings of party workers, the State BJP President Dr Sukanta Majumdar had to write a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene and restore democracy in West Bengal. 

Kota: 17-year-old JEE aspirant commits suicide, his coaching centre named in the FIR for abetment

OpIndia Staff
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Kota: 17-year-old JEE aspirant commits suicide, his coaching centre named in the FIR for abetment

On the 8th of July, a 17-year-old student from Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur allegedly committed suicide in Kota, Rajasthan. Now, according to Kota Police, his brother has filed an FIR on the 9th of July, a day after the unfortunate incident came to light. 

The Police officials informed that his brother has blamed the coaching centre for the demise of this brother. Subsequently, he lodged an FIR against the coaching centre where the victim was enrolled and was preparing for the engineering entrance exam. 

Mahaveer Nagar Circle Inspector Paramjeet stated that a case has been filed under Indian Penal Code’s Section 306 (abetment to suicide) against the coaching centre. The Police are further investigating the matter. 

As per the information received, on Saturday, the student’s roommate broke the door of their room and found the teenager’s body hanging from the ceiling fan. He then informed the caretaker about the alleged suicide. Media reports claim that this is the sixteenth such case of suicide this year. 

According to the FIR, the teenager was suspended on the 3rd of July by the coaching centre. They took this step when he had a fight with one of his classmates. 

The victim’s brother said that his brother was depressed and worried that he would not cope with his studies if the suspension was not revoked. 

His brother said, “My brother was depressed after his suspension. He told me that he feels that he might not be able to cope with further studies if the coaching centre does not withdraw his suspension.” 

He alleged that his brother was suspended over a petty issue and his brother was wary of studying online. 

He added, “I visited the centre two days after the suspension and urged the withdrawal of the suspension. They made the suspension permanent but my brother could avail of the online sessions. My brother was wary of studying online as the students do not get a lot of facilities there. I spoke to the coaching centre and his friends also, but none helped. The coaching centre did not agree to withdraw the suspension.”

However, the coaching centre defended the suspension and stated that the student was suspended for a certain period. They claimed that he was suspended because, in addition to fighting, he also behaved aggressively and ill-treated the centre’s staff.  

The coaching centre added that his brother visited the centre and said that he wants to get his sibling transferred. According to their claim, they soon initiated a refund of his admission fees.

Troubled past of India’s prominent coaching hub Kota

As per media reports, the 17-year-old boy’s alleged suicide was the sixteenth case this year. This has unfortunately surpassed previous records. Reportedly, at least 15 coaching students died by suicide last year.  

On the 12th of December 2022 alone, there were reports of three students committing suicide in India’s premium coaching hub, Kota. 

Back then, Superintendent of Police (SP), Kota, Kesar Singh Shekhawat highlighted that post-pandemic, the influx of students in Kota has risen and corresponding to that, suicide cases have also gone up.  

He said, “The number of students coming to Kota has risen post-pandemic. Earlier 1.5 lakh students came to Kota, but nearly 2.5 lakh students have come this year. Proportionate to that number, we are also seeing the numbers of suicides going up.” 

According to NCRB data, student suicides reached an all-time high in 2022. This unfortunate number rose by 4.5% as compared to 2021. 

According to an India Today report, in the last 12 years, more than 150 students have died by suicide in Kota.

Indore: Private school students slapped, threatened to be removed from school premises for sporting Tilak on their forehead

OpIndia Staff
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Indore: Private school students slapped, threatened to be removed from school premises for sporting Tilak on their forehead

On Saturday, July 8, some of the students from a private school in the Indore city of Madhya Pradesh were beaten for applying tilak (a symbol of Hinduism) on their forehead. Around 7-8, students were slapped and asked to remove the tilak. Meanwhile, one of the students was also removed from the school premises.

According to the reports, the incident is said to have happened in the Bal Vigyan Shishu Vihar Higher Secondary School located on Dhara Road, Indore. Around 6-7, students were slapped by a teacher identified as Padma Sisodia. The students were also threatened to be removed and issued TC if they continue to sport tilak on the school premises.

The controversy erupted after the parents of the students came to know about the incident and reached out to the principal to seek answers. The Principal Omprakash Singh happened to justify the teacher’s actions and said that no student was allowed to sport tilak on the school premises.

The video of the incident went viral over the internet in which the teacher could be heard saying that the school was run based on “sarva dharma sambhaav” (equality and harmony among all religions).

Higher authorities toying with children’s education in Indore.

Students were denied entry in school premises for applying “Tilak” on their forehead.

After constant complaints by the parents no action has been taken. pic.twitter.com/5eAp4lVeRT— Hate Tracker (@HatetrackIN) July 9, 2023

The enraged parents of the students said that their children go to the temples daily and hence they wear the tilak on their forehead. On this, the principal said that the school didn’t want to encourage any dharmic activity in the school and also added that the students shall not sport any kind of tilak on their forehead. He further said that the school would take the decision post the District Education Officer (DEO)’s directions.

District Education Officer (DEO) Manglesh Kumar Vyas commented on the issue and said that the issue was discussed well with the Principal. “The school principal told me some people are giving this matter undue importance. However, he has expressed regret and said he would hold a meeting with parents of students to sort it out,” Vyas said.

“The school management has been asked to maintain harmony among all religions in the institution. To maintain discipline in schools, students can be asked to wear the same uniform. However, if a student comes to school with a tilak on his birthday, after worshipping or on any special occasion, he cannot be asked to remove it,” he was additionally quoted.

Peru declares national emergency amid rising cases of Guillain Barre Syndrome, fears immunoglobulin shortage

OpIndia Staff
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Peru declares national emergency amid rising cases of Guillain Barre Syndrome, fears immunoglobulin shortage

Peru has declared a state of emergency for 90 days amid a surge in cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), which is said to be linked to Covid-19, respiratory or gastrointestinal infection, or Zika virus. The Guillain-Barre syndrome is a rare disorder in which the immune system attacks the nerves which can lead to paralysis.

Peruvian Health Minister Cesar Vasquez sought the emergency declaration before the Council of Ministers noting that if the number of cases increases then there could be a shortage of immunoglobulin (antibodies).

Published in El Peruano, the official gazette of the Republic of Peru, the government termed the rise in Guillain-Barre Syndrome cases as unusual. It said that until 23rd June, 103 cases of the syndrome were reported and the “average monthly number of cases was less than 20 cases per month at the national level (less than that reported in years prior to the 2019 outbreak).

However, between June 11 and 17, a slight increase in cases was reported compared to the average observed in previous weeks, in which between 2 and 8 cases were reported.

The departments that reported the highest number of cases during the year 2023 were Lima (26 cases), La Libertad (19), Cajamarca (11), Piura (9), Cusco (7), Junín (8), and Callao (5); and, of the 16 cases reported with a date of onset of muscle weakness in the SE 24 come from Piura (4), La Libertad (3), Lima (3), Cajamarca (2), Callao (2) and Junín (2).

“This week, deaths from said syndrome have also been reported,” the decree stated.

A rigorous campaign is now being conducted in Peru including epidemiological surveillance, investigation, supply of medicines, and patient care.

The action plan includes carrying out specialized diagnosis of the biological agents associated with GBS, acquisition of intravenous immunoglobulin (5%), acquisition of 20% human albumin x 50 ml, monitoring and coordination to improve the operational capacity of GBS care services, air transport of patients in emergency cases, case management by teleinterconsultation, and so on.

What is that Guillain-Barre syndrome?

The nerve-attacking syndrome leads to weakness and tingling in the hands and feet in the initial symptoms. The symptoms can spread all over the body sometimes even paralyzing the patient in severe cases.

While most people must receive hospital treatment in this case, recovery is generally achieved anywhere between 6 months to some years in some cases.

GBS is often preceded by a virus infection. In Peru, there have been 4,512,091 cases of covid-19 from January 2020 to 5th July 2023. Notably, one of the post covid problems has been neurological or related to nerves.

Mohammad Tariq was taking training in ‘love jihad’ by ISKP terrorist Sumera, was spreading ISIS ideology through online games: UP ATS reveals

OpIndia Staff
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Mohammad Tariq was taking training in ‘love jihad’ by ISKP terrorist Sumera, was spreading ISIS ideology through online games: UP ATS reveals

On Monday, July 10, Uttar Pradesh Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) made some startling revelations about Mohammad Tariq, whom they arrested on Thursday, July 6 for spreading the ideology of ISIS on multiple social media platforms. The UP ATS revealed that Mohammad Tariq was in touch with the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) terrorist Sumera Bano, whom the Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) of the Gujarat Police arrested along with three others from Porbandar last month.

According to reports, Sumera used to provide Mohammad Tariq training to execute ‘love jihad’, in which Hindu girls are trapped by Muslim men who later either forcefully convert them to Islam, push them into terrorism, groom them or murder and rape them.

ATS revealed that the information regarding Tariq was obtained from Sumera’s phone when she was apprehended in Porbandar last month. Immediately after that Gujarat ATS alerted UP ATS and Tariq was arrested on July 6, 2023.

During interrogation, Mohammad Tariq accepted that he was propagating ISIS ideology and alluring youths on social media to associate with him. He further said that he had always wanted to be a mujahid (people who engage in jihad) and that Baghdadi’s weapons had always fascinated him.

Further, when the ATS team investigated Mohammad Tariq’s mobile phone they discovered numerous images of ISIS terrorists carrying different types of arms and weapons. The police also recovered several incriminating materials including ISIS flags and literature and transcripts written in Arabic from his possession.

Also revealing details of the modus operandi adopted by Mohammad Tariq, the ATS officials said that he usually lured and trapped his targets through online games. Tariq connected with the boys of his locality and across the country by playing online games with them.

The ATS said that Mohammad Tariq was an introvert and mostly remained indoors and once in a while went to the supermarket when he had to buy essentials like milk and biscuits. He lived with his father, who was a government school teacher, his mother his brother, who was a tailor by profession and his elder sister.

In fact, a report by Danik Bhaskar quoted ATS officials as saying that when Tariq was detained, some people living in his neighbourhood could not believe that he was radicalised and was spreading the ideology of ISIS through social media platforms.

Mohammad Tariq was in touch with ISKP terrorist Sumera Bano on Telegram

The ATS during the probe also revealed that Mohammad Tariq was a member of a Telegram group, where he took instructions from Sumera on how to connect with vulnerable youths and trap them. The admin of this group is on Haj currently, but the ATS is tracking down all the youths of the locality who were in touch with Mohammad Tariq through various social media platforms and online games.

According to the ATS, Tariq is from the Khoonipur neighbourhood in Gorakhpur, which was one of the areas affected by the anti-CAA riots in 2019. The ATS asserted that a significant amount of youths from Tariq’s neighbourhood had participated in the anti-CAA violence that erupted in 2019.

Gujarat ATS busts terror module in Porbandar, arrests 4 terrorists of Islamic State of Khorasan Province

It is pertinent to note that on June 6, busting a secret module of the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) in Porbandar, the ATS arrested four terrorists associated with the terror outfit. Sumera Bano, Tariq’s mentor was one of the 4 terrorists that were nabbed then. The others were identified as Ubaid Nasir Mir, Hanan Hayat Shal and Mohammad Hajim Shah. Ubaid, Hanan, and Mohammad Hajim Shah hail from Kashmir, while Sumera Banu is from Surat.

The three Kashmir residents were about to escape by sea route to join the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) with the help of their handler Abu Hamza. Materials related to the ISKP and sharp weapons such as knives were also recovered from them. For several days, the ATS team continuously conducted raids to arrest people associated with the terrorist organisation.

All the arrested terrorists are members of the terrorist organisation ISKP active in Afghanistan and they were in touch with each other for a year. According to the reports, all these terrorists were trying to escape from Porbandar to Afghanistan.

After Gujarat ATS arrested Sumera Bano, they found Mohammad Tariq’s details from her mobile phone. The Gujarat ATS passed the information to the UP ATS who then conducted searches and finally nabbed Mohammad Tariq on July 10.

Sumera wanted to travel to Iran to receive terrorist training via the sea. She was in touch with Abu Hamza, the Iranian-born ISIS handler. When Sumera got back from there, she started training Muslim youths in India to join ISIS and execute ‘love jihad’, a well-organised and systematic crime that has been spreading its tentacles all across the country with financial and logistical support from various Islamic organisations.

Chandigarh: Video of cook spitting on rotis goes viral, dhaba owner claims conspiracy, says video six month old

OpIndia Staff
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Chandigarh: Video of cook spitting on rotis goes viral, dhaba owner claims conspiracy, says video six month old

On 9th July, angry customers reached Delhi Darbar Dhaba in Daddu Majra, Chandigarh and forcibly shut it down after a video of its cook went viral where he was seen spitting on tandoori rotis. The video went viral during the past 2-3 days, while the dhaba owner claimed it was a six-month-old video and the employee is no longer employed there.

In the viral video, a cook can be seen making tandoori rotis. He is wearing an orange cap. Before putting the raw dough in the tandoor, he allegedly spits on it. The person making the video said in Punjabi, “Look, look! What he is doing!” Someone in the background tried to call the cook, but the person recording the video stopped him. He continued, “Look, this person is spitting while making Naan. See what he did. This is Delhi Darbar in Daddu Majra.”

As per Bhaskar’s report, angry customers reached the dhaba and tried to shut it down. They allegedly tried to damage the property. The police were informed about the incident and they pacified the situation after reaching the spot. The dhaba was closed by the police pending an investigation.

Speaking to OpIndia, dhaba owner Mohammed Arif claimed that the video was from last winter and was shot six months ago. He said, “I learned about the viral video three days ago. The person in the video, Mohammed Adil, went to his village before Holi and did not return. We were not aware of what happened and who recorded the video. It is a planned conspiracy against me. They could have shared the video on social media to inform the public about such an incident. Why did they wait for six months? Understandably, they want to ruin my business.”

During a preliminary investigation, the police found the video was around six months old. Speaking to OpIndia, SHO Jaspal Singh of Maloya Police Station said that upon receiving the complaint, he visited the dhaba to alleviate the situation and shut the dhaba to maintain law and order. He said, “We verified the dhaba owner’s claims that the video was old. The dhaba has been shut down.”

Multiple incidents of spitting on roti

Multiple spitting incidents on Rotis have come to light in recent years. In January 2023, a video of one Taseeruddin spitting on the dough while making rotis in Ghaziabad went viral. The police later arrested him. In April 2022, a similar video went viral where a cook was seen spitting on rotis during a wedding.

In March 2021, the Ghaziabad police arrested Mohammad Mohsin after a video of him spitting on rotis at a wedding ceremony went viral on Twitter. The cops said they had registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the youth and were interrogating him about the case.

In November 2021, another video surfaced where a cook was seen spitting on the dough at an engagement ceremony in Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh. The video of the incident was shared on Twitter by Sudarshan News. Details of similar incidents of spitting on rotis can be checked here.

Court proceedings should not be used to escalate violence or create further problems: Supreme Court tells counsel while hearing plea on Manipur violence

OpIndia Staff
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Court proceedings should not be used to escalate violence or create further problems: Supreme Court tells counsel while hearing plea on Manipur violence

On Monday, 10 July, the Supreme Court resumed hearing in connection with the Manipur Violence and took on record the latest status report filed by the State of Manipur. While hearing the matter, the bench asked the petitioner to exercise restraint and refrain from acting in a ‘partisan’ manner. 

During the court proceedings, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud remarked that everyone has to see this case as a humanitarian issue rather than seeing it as a partisan matter.

The Court also asked the petitioner not to make allegations against any ethnic group. The two-judge bench cautioned Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves appearing for one of the petitioners, Manipur Tribal Forum Delhi. The bench stressed that the court proceedings should not be used as a platform to escalate the violence. 

CJI said, “We don’t want this proceeding to be used as a platform for further escalation of violence & other problems which exist in the State. We do not run the security apparatus or law and order. If you have suggestions we can take them.” 

The two-judge bench comprises Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha. Going ahead, the bench asked the petitioners to present “concrete suggestions” to de-escalate the situation.

The Petitions filed before the court

The Supreme Court is hearing two petitions in connection to the Manipur Violence. Out of the two, one petition was filed by the Manipur Tribal Forum Delhi. They have sought the protection of the Kuki tribe by the Indian Army. 

The other petition was filed by the Chairman of the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) of the Manipur Legislative Assembly, Dinganglung Gangmei. They have challenged the direction of the Manipur High Court to consider the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe list. As per media reports, the issue related to ST status for Meitei triggered the riots in the Northeastern state.

Proceedings of the Court

In the last hearing, the Supreme Court asked the State of Manipur to file an updated status report regarding violent clashes in the state. 

After submitting the updated status report, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta requested that the case should be taken with “utmost sensitivity” as the prevailing normalcy may get disturbed by any misinformation.  

He said, “We, on this side, are for the public. The matter may be taken up by the petitioner with the utmost sensitivity because any misinformation may aggravate the situation in the State. Things are returning to normalcy after a lot of efforts from the central and state government.”

When the CJI asked Advocate Gonsalves to have a look at the Status report, he expressed scepticism regarding the claims of the State.

Responding to this, CJI categorically stated that the court cannot run Law & Order situation on the ground and that it is only for the elected government to handle. 

CJI said, “Your scepticism cannot lead us to take over the law and order. This is under the centre and the State.”

Petitioner’s counsel Gonsalves claimed that the other side is against the tribals. The bench asked him to refrain from making such allegations and asked not to use court proceedings as a platform to escalate violence or create more problems. 

Despite the court’s appeal to exercise caution, Advocate Gonsalves hurled allegations against the government.   

Reflecting on this, CJI observed that the court is not the platform where this should be done and added that the petitioners should be conscious of the remit of the Supreme Court.

The CJI also remarked that the issue of law and order is in the purview of the elected government and the court can’t do anything on that. 

Later, the bench posted the matter for further consideration tomorrow.

Adhik Maas: Know why the Shravan month is 59-days long this year, and has 8 Mondays

Siddhi Somani
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Adhik Maas: Know why the Shravan month is 59-days long this year, and has 8 Mondays

The month of Shravana also widely known as Sawan is considered to be auspicious by every Hindu as it attaches significance to worship of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. It is also the first month of the Chaturmas period which usually consists of four months as per the Hindu calendar- Shravan, Bhadrapada, Ashwin, and Kartik.

Hindus believe that Goddess Parvati had conducted hard penance and had performed strict fasting for the entire Sawan month to marry Lord Shiva. Pleased and satisfied by Goddess Parvati’s devotion and dedication, Lord Shiva was obliged to fulfill her wish.

The month of Sawan this year is said to have begun on July 4 with its first Monday falling on July 10. However, the month of Sawan is believed to last for 59 days consisting of 8 Shravana Mondays and 9 Tuesdays. People following the Shravan rituals usually fast every Monday and visit the temple of Lord Shiva seeking his blessings for the holy month. Some Hindu women meanwhile conduct fasts also on Tuesdays to extend their worship to Goddess Parvati, seeking long life for their respective husbands and their families.

Lord Shiva is worshiped in Shravan (Instagram)

However, this year, Hindus will have to conduct fasts for 8 Shravana Mondays and 9 following Tuesdays due to the addition of an extra month in the Hindu calendar, known as the Adhik maas (additional month). According to the reports, Adhik maas occurs after every three years but this year it has come along with the month of Shravana which is a rare phenomenon and it occurs only once after every 19 years.

The addition of Adhik Maas explained

As per the Hindu panchang (calendar), Adhik maas is nothing but the difference in the period between the Solar year and the Lunar year. The Solar year consists of 365 days, 15 Ghatis, 31 Pals, and 30 Vipals whereas the Lunar year consists of 354 days, 22 Ghatis, 1 Pal, and 23 Vipals. The astrological calculator suggests that the Ghati-Pal-Vipal is the unit of measuring time just like it is the Hour-Minute-Second for the English clock.

Generally, the day as per the English rituals starts at midnight, but it starts as the sun rises in the Hindu scriptures. Similarly, a day in the English calendar is made up of 24 hours but it is made up of 60 Ghatis as per the Hindu calendars. The combination of hour-minute-second is known usually known as time but the same given in Ghati-Pal-Vipal is called ‘Ishta-kaal’.

So, considering the calculations, there appears a difference of 10 days, 53 Ghatis, 30 Pals, and 7 Vipals every year in the years of both the Sun and Moon (solar year and lunar year). And further combining these days three times makes an automatic addition of one month to the lunar year after every 3 years. This happens to ensure that the difference between the solar year and the lunar year is balanced.

Representative Image of the solar system (Rudralife.com)

Two different Shravana months followed by Hindus

The Adhik maas consists of 33 days and this year it has come along the Shravana month, extending the number of Mondays to 8. The northern states of India including Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh follow the Purnimanta Hindu calendar which marks the beginning of Shravana from July 4 to August 31. However, Hindus living in the states like Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu follow the Amavasya Lunar calendar according to which the actual month of Shravan begins on August 18 and ends on September 15.

Significance of Shravan month

It is believed that to get married to Lord Shiva, Maa Parvati underwent arduous penance and fasted for the full month of Shravan. Lord Shiva consented and granted her request after being pleased with her commitment and devotion.

Goddess Parvati worshiping Lord Shiva (Instagram)

The first month, Shravan of the four months known as Chaturmas- Shravan, Bhadrapada, Ashwin, and Kartik is dedicated to devotion and worship of the Divine power. According to the scriptures, Lord Shiva is in charge of the entire creation during this time while Lord Vishnu enters a state of deep meditation known as Yoga Nidra on the Adi Shesha, a seven-headed serpent, beneath the cosmic ocean (Kshirasagara).

This can be interpreted as the nurturing and preservation aspect of life (ruled by Lord Vishnu) stopping to make way for devastation (regulated by Lord Shiva). Finally, the old requires to make room for the young, continuing the eternal cycle of creation, nurture, and destruction. During this time, devotees practice a strict sattvic lifestyle and engage in acts of devotion and worship to ask the Divine for blessings and protection.

Lord Vishnu entering deep state of meditation (Zee news)

Each day of the given month carries a spiritual significance. The Mondays are dedicated to Lord Shiva while the Tuesdays are dedicated to Goddess Parvati. Hindu women fast on Tuesdays to seek blessings for a long and healthy life for their respective husbands and familes. Wednesdays are dedicated to Lord Vitthal, which is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Thursdays hold significance for Gurus and Fridays for Goddess Laxmi or Tulsi. Saturdays and Sundays meanwhile are dedicated to the worship of Lord Shani (Saturn) and the Sun God respectively.

What devotees do in Shravan Maas

Shiva devotees consider Shravan maas as the holiest and month of all. Hence, Hindus look forward to the month for starting any huge venture of their life if any. They further worship Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and also conduct rigorous fasts and ‘Abhisheks’. During the ‘Abhishek’, Hindus seek to cleanse all their sins by offering Panchamrut to Lord Shiva which includes a mixture of honey, milk, ghee, sugar, and curd. The devotees also offer Bilva leaves to Lord Shiva and seek blessings for a healthy and pleasant life.

Hindu man worshiping Lord Shiva (Live Hindustann)

The devotees are also expected to chant Gayatri Mantra, Mahamrutyunjay Matra or the Rudra Gayatri Mantra for 108 times during the day. They are also expected to follow the Sattvic way of life which excludes consumption of non vegetarian food, alcohol and tobacco.

Gayatri Mantra chant (vedicology India)

Festivals usually celebrated in the month of Shravan

The month of Shravan brings along with it calmness in the weather and happiness to the minds of Hindus as several festivals tend to fall in this one month. The festivals celebrated this month include Hariyali Teej, Nag Panchmi, Varalakshmi Vratam, Rakshabandhan, and Krishna Janmashtmi.

Hariyali Teej is the festival in which Hindu women and girls conduct fastings, and pray to Lord Shiva for the long life of their husbands and would-be husbands respectively. Teej is a festival usually associated with weddings in the Hindu culture.

Women celebrating Hariyali teej (Prokerala)

Nag panchmi is the day when snakes or serpents are worshiped according to the Vedic culture. They are offered milk. The devotees seek blessings for the welfare of their families and seek protection from probable dangers.

Krisna Janmasthmi on the other hand is celebrated all over the country to mark the birth of Lord Krishna, the eighth incarnation of lord Vishnu. The devotees engage in bhajans and ras celebrations at midnight and offer Lord Krishna butter and panjeri (sweet believed to be loved by Lord Krishna). The devotees also conduct a fast for the entire day and break it only on the next day after the Rohini Nakshatra period is over.

Cannot be trade partner and home for fugitives at the same time: PM Modi told the UK govt about extradition of Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi

ANI
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Cannot be trade partner and home for fugitives at the same time: PM Modi told the UK govt about extradition of Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought up the issue of the extradition of fugitives Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi in every India-UK trade-related meeting, according to sources.

The UK government is facing immense pressure from the Indian side over the pending issue of their extradition. Time and again, the delegations from the UK that have come to India have faced Indian pressure to extradite Mallya and Nirav Modi, the sources revealed.

In a recent interview with private English news channel Times Now, senior advocate Harish Salve said that the British always complain that as soon as there is a meeting the first question that PM Modi would ask is the progress of the extradition proceedings of Mallya and Nirav Modi.

“PM Modi has strongly told the UK government that you can’t be a trade partner and a home for fugitives at the same time,” Salve said. Vijay Mallya, chairman of Kingfisher Airlines, was ordered to be extradited by the British judiciary in 2019 and is yet to be sent to India.

Similarly, diamantaire Nirav Modi has been held in custody at south London’s Wandsworth prison since he was arrested in 2019. India and the UK had signed an extradition treaty in 1992. This was ratified the following year and has been in force since.

Fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi’s plea to move the UK Supreme Court against his extradition to India on charges of fraud and money laundering was denied in December last year.

Nirav Modi lost the bid to take his fight against extradition to India on charges of fraud and money laundering to the UK’s Supreme Court. Nirav Modi, a prime accused in the Rs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam, had fled India.

He lost his appeal after he moved the High Court in London against his extradition on mental health grounds. Earlier this March, without mentioning the names of fugitive economic offenders, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly had said that the British Judicial system is independent of the government and it is them to decide.

Cleverly told ANI, “The legal process in the UK, just as it is in India, is independent of the government. We always want to see the machinery of the justice system working promptly but those are the decisions of the British Judicial system.”

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

Stray dogs kill 12-year-old in Rajasthan, bit him over 50 times: Doctors failed to find a vein to inject drip due to injuries

OpIndia Staff
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Stray dogs kill 12-year-old in Rajasthan, bit him over 50 times: Doctors failed to find a vein to inject drip due to injuries

On 9th July, three stray dogs attacked a 12-year-old boy identified as Mangilal s/o Bhojraj Gujjar in Teekha Bada village of Sadar Thana under district Boondi, Rajasthan. They bit the boy over 50 times before the villagers rescued him. The boy succumbed during treatment.

As per reports, the victim left to visit his family farm at around 6 AM. Three dogs attacked him before he could reach the farm. Mangilal tried to run away from the dogs but could not succeed. His family members were at the farm when the incident happened. They heard his screams and rushed to save him. They hit the dogs with sticks, but before they could rescue Mangilal, he was bitten over 50 times. There were 22 deep injuries on his body.

His father reached the spot and rushed him to the hospital. The attack was so severe that doctors could not find a vein to inject drip. Half of his skull was missing, and there were injuries on his shoulder and legs. The dogs bit him on the face and pulled him from his legs.

Minor boy died due to excessive blood loss due to dog bites. Image source: Bhaskar

Speaking to Amar Ujala, Medical Jurist Dr Ashish Sharma said dogs ruptured a major artery leading to excessive blood loss. The victim could not be saved. After giving primary treatment, he was referred to the district hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital.

His body was handed over to the family after post-mortem. Reportedly the incident took place only 150 meters away from his house. Following the incident, the villagers are scared of sending their kids outside. Villagers told Hindustan that there are around two dozen dogs in the village. In less than a month, they have attacked six animals.

His father told Bhaskar, “My son died before my eyes, and I could not do anything. He regularly visited the farm, but nothing had happened before. The villagers urged the administration to remove the dogs, but no one listened.”

Mangilal’s family members have demanded that the stray dogs be shifted to wild areas away from the village. The police are investigating the matter.

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