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‘An attempt to form parallel religious judicial system’: NIA Court sentences 3 PFI members to life term in TJ Joseph hand-chopping case

OpIndia Staff
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‘An attempt to form parallel religious judicial system’: NIA Court sentences 3 PFI members to life term in TJ Joseph hand-chopping case

On July 13 (Thursday), three of the six accused- Sajil, Nassar and Najeeb, found guilty in a 2010 Professor TJ Joseph’s hand-chopping case were given life sentences by a National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court in Kerala. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 under Section 20 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. 

The other three accused- MK Noushad, PP Moideen Kunhu and PM Ayoob were sentenced to rigorous imprisonment varying from three years to six months and a Rs 10,000 fine under the IPC.

Notably, the six accused were held guilty of the attempted murder of the Kerala Professor by a Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court on July 12. All of the convicted accused are alleged members of the now-banned Islamist outfit Popular Front of India (PFI). The remaining six accused namely Shafeeq, Azeez, Rafi, Subair, and Mansoor were acquitted. 

While handing over the punishment, Special NIA Judge Anil K. Bhaskar said, “The citizenry has a ‘fundamental’ and ‘human right’ from any kind of psycho-fear, threat, danger or insecurity at the hands of anti-social elements. Otherwise, they cannot strive towards excellence in all spheres of their individual and collective activity.”

“The accused, by their violent terrorist activity, had really struck terror in the people’s minds. To avoid repeating similar incidents, imposing stringent punishment on the accused is highly necessary”, he added.

“The convicts did not deserve any leniency. They committed a terrorist act which is a challenge to the secular fabric of the country. It attempted to establish a parallel religious judicial system that is absolutely illegal, illegitimate and unconstitutional. It has no place in independent India, it said.

2010 TJ Joseph hand-chopping case

On July 4, 2010, members of the now-banned radical Islamic group Popular Front of India (PFI) severed the right hand of T J Joseph, a professor at Newman College in Thodupuzha, Idukki district in Kerala.

In March 2010, one Malayalam Professor TJ Joseph prepared a set of questions for the Malayalam language paper for 2nd-year BCom students. Reportedly, one of the questions asked students to punctuate a conversation between God and a character.

The conversation was extracted from the book ‘Thirakathayude Reethisasthram‘, written by Malayalam Director Kunju Muhammed. The character in the passage was a man suffering from schizophrenia and having a constant dialogue with God. Without thinking much about the consequences, he named the man ‘Muhammed’ after the name of the Malayalam director. However, Islamists were quick to label this as ‘blasphemy’ and interpreted the question as a conversation between Prophet Muhammad and God.

Later, the matter escalated further when the Jamaat-e-Islami-run newspaper, Madhyamam, reported about it. Subsequently, radical Islamic outfits such as the Popular Front of India (PFI), Campus Front of India (CFI), Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), and even the Congress party led large-scale protests against Professor TJ Joseph.

The Kerala Police lodged an FIR against Professor Joseph for stirring communal hatred under Section 295 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The Police arrested him when he allegedly tried to evade law enforcement authorities, however, he soon was released on bail. To make matters worse, Newman College, which is a Christian minority institute affiliated with Mahatma Gandhi University, fired Professor Joseph.

On the fateful day of 4th of July, 2010, Joseph, 53 years old back then, was returning home from church in his car at about 8 AM. He was accompanied by his sister and mother. Within no time, a gang of 6 Islamists laid siege to his car. Armed with an axe, they chopped off his hand below the wrist and ditched the severed part in a nearby land. The assailants also stabbed the Professor in the leg and arm.

The Islamists burst crackers and bombs to create an atmosphere of panic. They soon fled the crime scene, leaving an injured Joseph to fend for himself.

Seema Haider got bail in 3 days while 23 Nigerians detained for living illegally in India are in jail for last 1.5 months: Know why

राहुल पाण्डेय
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Seema Haider got bail in 3 days while 23 Nigerians detained for living illegally in India are in jail for last 1.5 months: Know why

Seema Haider grabbed headlines after she was arrested on July 4, for illegally entering India. She was later released on bail on July 7. The Pakistani woman had entered India via Nepal around a month ago with her four children to be with her lover, Sachin Meena, in Uttar Pradesh’s Greater Noida.

Seema Haider was arrested on July 4 from Palwal in Haryana by Noida Police in Uttar Pradesh. The Uttar Pradesh police had also registered an FIR against Seema Haider’s boyfriend Sachin and Sachin’s father Netrapal under Section 120B of the IPC and Section 14 of the Foreigners Act, 1946 for conspiracy.

Due to the sensitivity of the situation, when Seema Haider was taken into custody by the police, it was anticipated that both she and her lover would spend a significant amount of time behind bars. But it turned out that none of these theories were accurate. In just 3 days, the Pakistani woman along with her lover were granted bail by a Noida court.

According to the details received by OpIndia from reliable sources, the Uttar Pradesh government has taken cognizance of the matter. The government has asked the Noida police to explain how Seema Haider received bail so fast and effortlessly. The Noida administration has submitted a report to the government regarding this entire situation.

Why was Seema Haider released within three days?

The Seema Haider case was heard in Judicial Magistrate Nazim Akbar’s court. On two local sureties totalling Rs 30,000 each, Magistrate Nazim granted bail to Seema. Along with Seema, Sachin and Netrapal were also granted bail by Judicial Magistrate Nazim Akbar.

The terms of bail, according to the information OpIndia got, include not leaving the country and current address without authorization and refraining from committing any crimes in the future.

Reportedly, the person acting as bailiff for Seema is well-known and close to her boyfriend Sachin Meena. It has also come to the fore in our investigation that Magistrate Nazim Akbar did not seek a counter from the police before releasing Seema Haider on bail. Additionally, the sureties were not verified by the police before the accused were released.

If one sees the FIR filed in Seema Haider’s case, one would see that the police itself is the complainant in the case. The FIR names SHO Rabupura Inspector Sudhir Kumar as the plaintiff. According to the latest information, this case has now been sent to the Jewar police station and the SHO has been tasked with conducting a detailed and fair probe into it.

A female constable has also been assigned to argue the matter in court. Higher officials and the Uttar Pradesh government have been apprised of all the developments in this matter since it first began.

What is the difference between Seema Haider and Nigerians living illegally?

When we compare the Seema Haider case with other similar cases, this case stands out from the rest. On June 3, twenty-three foreign nationals, including eight women from Nigeria, were arrested from Uttar Pradesh’s Gautam Buddh Nagar district for allegedly staying illegally in India. They were all essentially Nigerian citizens residing illegally, without proper documentation in Noida.

All of these Nigerians were subjected to the same provisions of Section 14 of the Foreigners Act of 1946 as Seema Haider. Along with section 7 of the Criminal Act, the IPC 332, 353 and 147 were also applied to the African nationals. Meanwhile, in Seema Haider’s case, she was also charged with conspiracy under Section 120B of the Foreigners Act.

It is noteworthy that all those Nigerians had been detained for almost one and a half months. In this case, the lower court summoned the investigating officer for the Nigerians’ bail hearings; but, in Seema Haider’s case, Magistrate Nazim Akbar granted her bail in just three days, and that too without calling the police to appear before the court.

Both the FIRs pertaining to Seema Haider and the Nigerians are in the possession of OpIndia.

Notably, a person will be arrested in accordance with 41(1) clause (a) if they commit a cognizable offence in police presence. While making the arrest, the police do not consider the extent of punishment that would be granted to the accused. However, in the case of the Nigerians, Section 332 of the IPC (voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty) had been invoked so it is plausible that the cops were assaulted in the case. Since Section 332 of the IPC is a non-bailable offence, Nigerians are still in jail.

What do the police and lawyers think about the Seema Haider case?

When OpIndia called Supreme Court attorney Prashant Patel to get the legal perspective on the situation, he said that while it is the police’s responsibility to bring an accused person before the court as required by law, the court ultimately determines whether to free or imprison him.

OpIndia also spoke to retired deputy SPs of Uttar Pradesh Police, Vivekanand Tiwari and Avneesh Gautam in this matter.

Vivekanand Tiwari told us that until there is a permanent solution to the Seema Haider issue at the government level, it is not in the interest of the country for her to roam freely. Vivekanand Tiwari also said that the bail granted to Seema Haider should be challenged by the police in the higher court. Not considering Seema Haider’s marriage in Nepal as valid in India, Vivekanand Tiwari told that the intelligence department of the police will have to be extra vigilant in this matter.

At the same time, former Deputy SP Avneesh Gautam stressed the need to further strengthen India’s Foreign Act law, describing it as very weak. Avneesh Gautam also said that in such cases the government has to reach one of the two options. In this, the first option is to return Seema Haider to her country and the second option, if this is not possible, is to give her Indian citizenship.

IT Dept raids UP YouTuber Taslim Khan, who earns Rs 1 cr annually from videos

Anurag
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IT Dept raids UP YouTuber Taslim Khan, who earns Rs 1 cr annually from videos

On 15th July, Income Tax Department raided the house of a YouTuber identified as Mohammed Tasleem Khan based on the information provided by Bareilly Police. As per reports, police got an anonymous tip that Tasleem Khan, s/o Mauzam Khan, was earning lakhs using illicit means. Based on the tip, police raided his house located in village Milak Pichauda in the Nawabganj Police Station area on 15th July. During the raid, police found 24 lakhs in cash and some jewellery. The information was forwarded to the Income Tax department that reached Tasleem’s house for further investigation.

During questioning, Taslim informed police that he runs a YouTube channel called ‘Trading Hub 3.0’ with around 99,000 subscribers. He started the track in 2017 and provided information about the share market in his videos. Last year, Tasleem reportedly earned Rs 1.20 crore from YouTube and paid around 40 lakhs in taxes. He claimed that the money found at his house was the amount he got at his wedding six months ago. He got Rs 10 lakh for the wedding and withdrew Rs 9 lakh from the bank.

According to Lokmat News, sources from Income Tax Department said that Tasleem’s bank accounts were under the department’s radar. They found several discrepancies in his accounts. However, Tasleem’s family denied the claims and said all the money he earns goes to the bank. They further claimed there was no chance of any lapse in paying taxes as everything goes through banking.

OpIndia checked his channel, which goes by the TRADiNGhub handle on YouTube. The channel was started on 14th September 2018, and it has gathered over 45 lakh views in total which is significantly low in terms of money he claims to have earned in the last year. He also runs a Hindi channel by the name ‘Logic_Trading’ that has over 41,000 subscribers, and it was started in August 2022. The channel has gathered over 16 lakh views so far.

Source: YouTube

When we checked his Instagram channel, we found a link tradinghub[dot]taplink[dot]ws that took us to a page where he sells access to his private course that includes a Discord group.

Source: Instagram

He has included a video course, e-book, market tips, access to private groups, weekly private Webnair and 24×7 support in the package. The price of the package is USD 299 for a lifetime subscription. This is where things get away from YouTube. He claims to have a 2000+ Active Traders Community. Access to the group is available only after paying USD 299. It is safe to assume he has made USD 5,98,000 or over Rs 4 crore just by selling this package. This amount is separate from what he makes from YouTube.

Source: Taplink.ws

Furthermore, he also runs Telegram channels in sync with his YouTube channels. While the English Telegram channel has over 38,000 subscribers, his Hindi Telegram channel has over 13,000 subscribers. On both telegram channels he promotes his course of $299.

Source: Telegram

He is also an active user of TradingView, a charting platform and social network for traders and investors worldwide. Interestingly, his account was suspended from socially interacting on the platform for violating the rules.

Tasleem was suspended from TadingView for violating the House Rules. Source: TradingView

Though Tasleem has been working since 2018, he formed a company recently in April 2023. Tasleem and his brother Firoz Khan formed a company name Khan Digital Marketing Pvt Ltd.

Source: Tofler

The company accounts are used for accepting PayPal payments for the SMC package that we talked about earlier.

Source: paypal

He also accepts payment in cryptocurrency via USDT, Bitcoin, Binance, and also via UPI. While UPI and PayPal payments are easy to trace, the other modes of payments, like cryptocurrency, are not.

IT Department raided YouTubers for tax evasion

This is not the first time YouTubers have come under IT Department’s radar. In June 2023, residences and workplaces of famous YouTubers were raided by IT officials. The raid unearthed tax evasion of approx Rs 25 crore. Vloggers, including actress and TV host Pearle Maaney, Sujith Bhaktan, Arjou, Jayaraj G Nath, Akhil and others, faced action by the IT Department. These vloggers were making Rs 1 crore to Rs 2 crore annually from creating content.

Crucial bridge connecting Crimea to mainland Russia attacked again, 2 dead in blast

OpIndia Staff
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Crucial bridge connecting Crimea to mainland Russia attacked again, 2 dead in blast

On Monday (July 17), two people lost their lives after an attack on the Kerch Bridge, which connects Russia’s Krasnodar region to the Crimean Peninsula.

As per reports, Moscow has accused Ukraine of orchestrating the incident, with allegations of US and UK involvement. While speaking about the matter to CNN, a source conceded that the attack was carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and Ukraine’s naval forces.

Meanwhile, Russia’s transport ministry has informed that the bridge’s supports were not damaged. Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of Russia’s Western Belgorod region, confirmed that the parents of a young girl, had tragically died in the incident.

Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, reported that President Vladimir Putin had been briefed on the attack. He emphasised that the incident had no connection to Russia’s decision to suspend its participation in a United Nations-brokered agreement allowing Ukraine to ship grain through the Black Sea.

Sergey Aksyonov, the head of the Russian administration in Crimea, released a statement on Telegram informing the public about the suspension of traffic on the Crimean bridge due to an emergency at the 145th support area on the Russian side.

“Measures are being taken to restore the situation. I ask residents and guests of the peninsula to refrain from travelling through the Crimean bridge and, for security reasons, choose an alternative land route through new regions,” he said in a Telegram message.

This marks the second major incident on the Kerch bridge within the past year. In October 2022, a significant explosion prompted a partial closure of the bridge, which was subsequently fully reopened in February 2023. The bridge serves as a crucial supply route.

The bridge, built on the directives of Russian President Vladimir Putin and opened in 2018, served as a vital transportation connection for transferring military supplies to Russian forces serving in Ukraine, notably in the south. The longest bridge in Europe spans the 19-kilometer Kerch Strait between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

The $3.6 billion project is a concrete reminder of Moscow’s claims on Crimea, as well as an important link to the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014. Despite the war in Ukraine, Russia insisted the bridge was safe and threatened Kyiv with retaliation if it was targeted.

Ahmednagar: Stalker Salman Sayyed harasses, and threatens a Hindu girl with death for rejecting him, arrested with accomplice Ajay

OpIndia Staff
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Ahmednagar: Stalker Salman Sayyed harasses, and threatens a Hindu girl with death for rejecting him, arrested with accomplice Ajay

In a case that has been reported from the Loni region of Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district, a 20-year-old Hindu girl was harassed and threatened with death by an accused person who has been identified as Salman Sayyed. Sayyed is said to have taken the help of his friend Ajay Gunjal who has also been named as an accused in the case.

As per the FIR copy obtained by OpIndia, the victim girl is a resident of the Loni region but stays in the Rahuri area of Ahmednagar for her education. On July 13, the girl was blocked on her way home from the main market by Sayyed who said that he is interested in pursuing a relationship with the girl. The girl, however, said that she was not interested and she was getting married to somebody else.

The accused person then threatened the girl and said that he would kill her and her fiance. As per the complaint copy, the accused persons followed the girl for around 2-3 months and attained the phone number of one of her roommates. He called the girl on the number and harassed her for refusing his proposal.

The girl was not swayed by Sayyed and firmly told him that she is not interested in him. Sayyed then asked her to think twice and picture the probable ‘repercussions’ of the refusal. He also threatened and demanded that she shall not be seen with any other man in the locality.

FIR copy obtained by OpIndia

Later on the same day, he along with his friend Ajay followed the girl while on her way to the bakery and blocked her way. Sayyed then assaulted and abused her verbally and also extended the death threats. “If I see you with anyone else, I’ll kill you and that boy,” he said.

The local Hindu organizations took cognizance of the case and helped the girl’s family to file a police complaint in the matter. The organizations meanwhile confirmed to OpIndia that the prime accused in the case is Sayyed as he was harassing the girl. OpIndia has also obtained a few call recordings between the accused and the victim in which the latter can be heard pressuring and threatening the former for a relationship.

Investigation Officer, Loni API Athare was contacted for an official statement in the case but the authority was not available at the time of reporting this case. However, it was informed that the two accused named in the FIR have been arrested by the police.

The accused persons have been booked under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354 D (stalking), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.

Similar cases reported from Ahmednagar recently

Earlier, a dreadful case of Love Jihad was reported from the Kopargaon region of Ahmednagar district. A Hindu girl was reportedly kidnapped, raped, and threatened with death before her forceful conversion by accused persons identified as Sayam Qureshi, Imran Sheikh, Chotu alias Kaleem, Faiyyaz, and one unidentified Maulvi.

The primary accused Sayam got introduced to the girl via Instagram. He trapped her in a love affair and then raped her. He also took her to Indore and forced her to convert her religion to Islam. The accused had also threatened the family members of the girl that she would be thrown into prostitution if they failed to convert their religion. The accused were arrested by the police.

Also, on July 3, the city police had arrested one Rafiq Munir Pathan for harassing, molesting, and abusing two minor girls on the busy streets of the main market in Pathardi, Ahmednagar. The incident is said to have happened on July 1 in the Hanuman Takli village. Two minor girls were blocked by the accused who held one of the girl’s hands, forcefully touched her inappropriately, and publicly harassed her. He also thrashed the girls and threatened their grandfather over the phone.

The accused has now been arrested and has been booked under sections 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 323 ( punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 427, and 506 (Criminal Intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. Sections of POCSO have also been imposed upon the accused.

In another case, a minor Hindu girl was harassed, threatened and kept hostage by one of her Muslim classmates in Pathardi, Ahmednagar. The accused also forced the girl to marry him. He was booked by the police under sections 354 (criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, and also under sections 8, 12, and 17 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

Kedarnath temple committee bans the use of mobile phones, photography, and videography on temple premises; violators to face legal action

OpIndia Staff
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Kedarnath temple committee bans the use of mobile phones, photography, and videography on temple premises; violators to face legal action

Following the viral video of a YouTuber proposing to her boyfriend within Kedarnath temple premises, Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) has announced that the usage of mobile phones has been banned inside the temple premises. After the ban, devotees can no longer do photography and videography on the temple premises. Notably, the BKTC manages the revered Hindu shrine Kedarnath in Uttarakhand. 

The temple committee has installed boards, in both Hindi and English language, at various places on the temple premises announcing this ban. 

The notice reads, ‘Do not enter the temple premises with mobile phones; any kind of photography and videography is strictly prohibited inside the temple and you are under the surveillance of CCTV cameras’.

The President of BKTC, Ajay Ajendra informed the news agency ANI that pilgrims have been asked to wear “decent clothes” and desist from setting up tents or camps in the temple premises. He stressed that a religious space follows a set of belief systems and the devotees should respect the same.

He stated that in the past, some pilgrims were making videos and reels inside the temple in an indecent manner as well as clicking pictures. But now, the ban will be implemented strictly, which is why warning boards have also been installed at Kedarnath.

He added that the pilgrims to Kedarnath have been urged to dress modestly. Additionally, the authorities have issued a stern warning to the devotees, stressing that legal action will be taken against any pilgrims who fail to comply with the order.

However, BKTC President stated that no complaints have been received from the Badrinath Dham yet, so a ban has not been imposed there. He added that if authorities receive any complaints, warning boards will also be installed there.

A fortnight earlier, on the 3rd of July, the temple committee had already issued a notification hinting that mobile phones will soon be banned in the Kedarnath temple premises. 

This prohibitory order comes days after a video went viral over the Instagram App in which a woman was seen proposing to her boyfriend right in front of the Kedarnath Temple. In the viral video, the woman sat down on her knees and proposed to her boyfriend on the temple premises.

The woman in the viral video was identified as Vishakha Fulsunge. She is an influencer with more than 8 lakh followers on Instagram. 

It is important to note that electronic gadgets are already banned inside many Hindu temples. In the recent past, there has been steady demand to ban mobile phones and urge devotees to respect the sanctity of temples including adhering to appropriate dress codes.

AAP govt flouted reservation rules for SC, STs to induct ‘party workers’, run Delhi’s administration. Here is how

Dibakar Dutta
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AAP govt flouted reservation rules for SC, STs to induct ‘party workers’, run Delhi’s administration. Here is how

The Arvind Kejriwal-led-Delhi government has reportedly appointed 437 ‘private persons’ as advisers, fellows and consultants on hefty salaries by flouting reservation guidelines.

Most of these ‘private persons’ are said to be workers of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the National Capital. According to the sources at the LG House, these appointments were made through a rigged selection process.

They also informed that many of these ‘private persons’ have dubious qualifications but were inducted as specialists by the Delhi government with complete disregard to the constitutional provisions on the reservation.

As per reports, 49 such ‘private persons’ have been engaged at different designations at the Delhi Transport Corporation. A chief media advisor and a consultant (water bodies) have been hired by the Delhi Jal Board at a monthly compensation of ₹1.5 lakhs and ₹2 lakhs respectively.

Similarly, the Dialogue and Development Commission of Delhi has 6 advisers, who draw a monthly salary of ₹2.65 lakhs. Besides, it has 21 consultants who make ₹1.25 lakhs each month. The Delhi Vidhan Sabha has 50 fellows, who earn about ₹1 lakh a month.

About 140 fellows and associate fellows have been appointed by the Delhi Assembly Research Centre (DARC) since the year 2019. The AAP government in Delhi has thus been accused by the LG office of creating a ‘parallel civil service’ without any accountability.

LG office slammed AAP for flouting reservation rules, benefitting party workers

The modus operandi of the AAP government, as alleged by the Lieutenant Governor’s office, involved circumventing constitutional norms and rules.

These private individuals, who were often political workers, were appointed to various departments, agencies, boards, and public sector undertakings (PSUs) under the Delhi Government. In some cases, they replaced senior government officers, seemingly to evade accountability and manipulate rules to their political advantage.

Despite guidelines set by the Union Government and the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) that mandate reservations for SCs, STs, and OBCs in all temporary appointments lasting more than forty-five days, the Arvind Kejriwal government allegedly proceeded with the appointments without reserving any seats for these categories.

The Lieutenant Governor’s office claimed that a Brahmin Minister in the AAP Government, Saurabh Bhardwaj, facilitated government jobs for several fellow Brahmin AAP workers through unofficial channels, thereby depriving SCs, STs, and OBCs of their rightful opportunities.

Furthermore, the selection process was allegedly manipulated to appoint an unqualified individual as an associate fellow. Anchal Bawa, the wife of Aam Aadmi Party MLA Durgesh Pathak, who currently serves as AAP’s in-charge for MCD, reportedly claimed false NGO experience without providing any supporting certificate. This appointment was a clear violation of established rules.

The Lieutenant Governor’s office highlighted another case involving Deepshika Singh, who appeared to be working full-time while simultaneously attending college.

Her resume claimed full-time experience between 2013 and 2018, but the provided experience certificate from Manu Educational Cultural & Social Welfare Society, Delhi, raised suspicions.

Notably, she completed a regular post-graduation degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University in 2018, making it implausible for her to maintain full-time employment while attending university regularly.

In conclusion, the Lieutenant Governor’s office emphasised that the AAP government is seeking the annulment of the “Services Ordinance” as it exposes their dubious intentions to operate a parallel administration in Delhi. They allege that the government has been disregarding Constitutional provisions and misappropriating public funds by employing AAP workers in government positions.

Delhi Services Dept declares appointments by AAP as ‘void’

As per a letter sent by the Special Secretary (Service) YVVJ Rajasekhar to the Delhi government on July 5 this year, several appointments were made and contracts were renewed without the approval of the Lieutenant Governor.

“It is observed that the extant provisions of reservations for SC/ST/OBC have been prescribed by DOPT vide Office Memorandum No. 27/4/67(II)-Estt. (SCT) dated 24.09.1968 and reiterated vide OM No. 36036/3/2018-Estt.(Res.) dated 15.05.2018 for reservation in temporary appointments lasting for 45 days or more have also not been followed in these engagements. It is also observed that the above-mentioned engagements have been made in gross violations of the Constitutional Provisions on Reservation, thus, void ab initio,” the letter read.

YVVJ Rajasekhar also referred to the ordinance by the Union government, which reinstated the power of the Lieutenant Governor (LG) over ‘administrative services’ in the Delhi government (also called GNCTD).

The official letter thus directed the Delhi government to stop the services of ‘private persons’, approval of which was not obtained from the LG. It also asked the Finance Department to stop paying them salaries.

“If any administrative department finds it appropriate to continue such engagements, the detailed case with all records and proper justification shall be forwarded by the concerned Departments to the Services Department, GNCTD for onward submission to Hon’ble Lt. Governor for consideration and approval immediately,” it said.

The letter emphasised, “All the departments are accordingly directed to comply with the above instructions failing which action, as may deem ni, may be initiated against the concerned Administrative Secretary for violation of the Constitutional Provisions on Reservation.“

Defence of AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj

AAP Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj filed an additional affidavit before the Supreme Court on July 8 this year, justifying the decision of the AAP government to forgo reservation for SC, STs in the appointment of 437 ‘private persons.’

In his affidavit, he referred to the letter by the Delhi Services Department and claimed, “…(It) makes an unsubstantiated and bogus claim that the extant reservation policy for temporary appointments lasting for 45 days or more has not been followed in case of the aforesaid engagements.“

“That it is common knowledge that reservation in government service is only given in direct recruitment and promotion and not where consultancy or deputation services are availed. Since the aforesaid engagements are done through composite method of deputation/contract, the extant reservation policy is not applicable to such engagements,” Bhardwaj said, claiming it has no basis in law.

In the same affidavit, the AAP leader claimed that the ‘private persons’ appointed by the Delhi government are alumni of premier institutions such as IIT Bombay, NALSAR, IIM Ahmedabad and the University of Cambridge. He also added that they play significant role in facilitating day-to-day functioning of the various Departments of the Delhi government.

Centre’s stance over reservation in temporary positions

On November 21 last year, the Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions issued an Office Memorandum (OM), reiterating that reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) must be provided in temporary appointments.

The only exception highlighted by the Ministry was for appointments, which are less than 45 days. “…It has been reiterated that in respect of appointments to Central Government posts and services, there shall be reservation for Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe/ Other Backward Class candidates in temporary appointments which are to last for 45 days or more,” the OM emphasised.

It further added that the Parliamentary Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes has observed that the government’s directives are not being followed in letter and spirit.

A dead rat fell on the food table at Bengaluru IKEA: Customers left horrified at the lack of hygiene at popular outlet

OpIndia Staff
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A dead rat fell on the food table at Bengaluru IKEA: Customers left horrified at the lack of hygiene at popular outlet

On 16th July, Twitter user Sharanya Shetty shared a horrifying ordeal she had to face during her visit to IKEA in Bengaluru, Karnataka. As per her tweet, a mouse fell on her table from the ceiling while she was having food at the food court.

She wrote, “Guess what fell in our food table at IKEA. I can’t even. We were eating, and this rat just dropped dead… Most bizarre moment ever!”

Speaking to OpIndia, Sharanya said it was her first time at IKEA. Two of her friends and the son of one of the friends accompanied her to IKEA located at Nelamangala – Majestic Service Road, Manjunatha Nagar, Nagasandra, Bengaluru. After reaching the store at around 11:30 AM, they did some shopping, and one of her friends said he would go and pick up some desserts from IKEA’s food court. He asked them to keep the trolley in the parking area and meet him at the food court.

He went ahead and collected the food while she went to keep the cart at the corner. “I went back and looked for him. He waved from a place, and when I reached there, he handed me a chocolate cake and asked me to take it. This was the time when the rat fell from the ceiling. It was crazy and unbelievable. Everybody around us was eating and looking at the table while we were trying to find someone to do something about it. We called two cleaners and then another guy from Embassy group. That guy called another lady from IKEA, who then went on to call somebody else.”

While they waited for someone to help, nobody from the store came to cordon off the area or at least cover the rat’s dead body. “Instead, the tables around were let to continue eating. They took some time to come and change the table,” she added. Furthermore, Sharanya said no one bothered to do anything about sanitizing the area and went on by just changing the table.

She said, “I didn’t create a scene because there were way too many people, and it would create havoc. So I simply walked off to see what they would do, and what they did was terrible. There was no system in place. Kids and babies were eating around and on the table kept in the same place.”

OpIndia tried calling the IKEA store but could not connect. We have sent an email regarding the incident, and the mail bounced from their media contact email ID.

Interestingly, this is not the first time IKEA Bengaluru has been accused of maintaining low hygiene standards. During the research, we found that a person named Arjun Maniath left a review on Google Reviews stating he found a fly on the Mango cake at IKEA. In a sarcastic tone, he wrote, “Mango cake made with delicious house fly.. unfortunately, I don’t eat house flies so missed the opportunity.. superb hygiene also.. please visit IKEA Bangalore for more…”

Earlier, a costumer found a fly on IKEA’s mango cake slice. Source: Google Reviews

Why IKEA has a Food Court?

At first, it may appear as if IKEA’s food court does not benefit the company much. However, as per IKEA’s own research, around 30% of the shoppers visit IKEA just for the food. Reports suggest that the company made around USD 2.24 billion from food sales alone in 2017. It is considered to be among the top food retailers in the world.

The food court at IKEA not only impacts the revenue model but also improves sales. The food court is believed to change how customers think, feel and act at any IKEA store worldwide. Food’s smell and taste are directly linked to dopamine release, a hormone that gives the person a state of happiness. Customers are more likely to spend extra at the store as the mood shifts. The former head of IKEA food operations once said in a statement, “We’ve always called the meatballs’ the best sofa-seller. When you feed them, they stay longer, they can talk about their [potential] purchases, and they make a decision without leaving the store.”

As per an Economic Times report from 2018, Ingvar Kamprad, IKEA’s founder, realized that people buy less when they are hungry. He said, “It is difficult to do business with someone on an empty stomach”. The first self-service cafeteria in IKEA was opened in 1958. Initially, it was priced cheap, and the aim was not to profit but to bring people to shop at IKEA. The idea is to encourage people to spend more time in large stores. The more time they spend, the better their chances of spending more. This is why well-maintained public toilets exist in stores like IKEA.

UPDATE: Ikea has since apologised for the incident and has said that they are currently investigating the situation & ensuring to take all precautionary efforts.

Rajasthan: Minor girl gang-raped by three in front of her boyfriend in Jodhpur’s university campus, accused arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan: Minor girl gang-raped by three in front of her boyfriend in Jodhpur’s university campus, accused arrested

On Monday, the 17th of July, Police officials shared that a minor girl, from the Dalit community, was allegedly gang-raped by three college students in front of her boyfriend in the Jodhpur district. After assaulting the victim’s boyfriend, the three accused reportedly took turns to rape the minor girl. Police added that they have arrested all the accused and further investigation has started. 

The three accused have been identified as Samandar Singh, Dharampal Singh, and Bhatam Singh. They have been booked under Section 376(g) of the Indian Penal Code and various sections of the POCSO, SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. 

According to police, the 17-year-old girl eloped from Ajmer with her minor boyfriend on Saturday, 15th of July. After reaching the Jodhpur bus stand on Saturday night, they searched for a place to stay nearby. 

Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Amrita Duhan stated that the minor couple went to a guest house to get a room. However, when the caretaker misbehaved with the girl, they left the place. On allegations of harassing the minor girl, the police later arrested the guest house caretaker.

DCP Duhan said, “The minors could not find a place to stay. They were walking on the road when three men approached them near Pawata Circle and offered to help them.”

When they came outside, the three accused approached and enticed them by offering food and promising to find them a place to stay. At around 4 AM on Sunday on the pretext of taking them to the railway station, they took the minor couple to a hockey ground at the old campus of JNVU. 

When they reached the ground, the three accused assaulted the boy, gang-raped the minor girl, and fled in haste as morning walkers had begun to arrive on campus. The minor boyfriend sought help from passers-by who then called the police. 

DCP Duhan stated that the police launched a search for the accused and deployed a dog squad and a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team. With the help of CCTV footage, they successfully traced the accused to a house in Ganeshpura, Jodhpur. 

DCP Duhan said, “One of the accused was identified based on CCTV footage. When police went to arrest him, they found the other two accused as well.”

He added, “The police have collected forensic evidence. We will try to present the charge sheet within a week. Once that is done, the police will seek a fast-track trial in the case.” 

In failed attempts to escape, the accused fell and got injured. While one accused sustained injury to his hand, the other two accused fractured their legs. 

USA: Pramila Jayapal apologises for calling Israel a ‘racist’ state, after House Democrats distance themselves from her statement

ANI
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USA: Pramila Jayapal apologises for calling Israel a ‘racist’ state, after House Democrats distance themselves from her statement

US Representative Pramila Jayapal has apologised for calling Israel a “racist” state.

Jayapal is the Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and is known for her anti-Israel positions. In an official statement on Sunday, Jayapal clarified that she does not believe the idea of Israel as a nation is racist. “Words do matter,” said Jayapal in the statement adding “and so it is important that I clarify my statement. I do not believe the idea of Israel as a nation is racist.”

Jayapal’s posted her statement on Twitter and said that she was attempting to “defuse a tense situation” and offered her “apologies to those who I have hurt with my words.”

“At a conference, I attempted to defuse a tense situation during a panel where fellow members of Congress were being protested. Words do matter and so it is important that I clarify my statement. I do not believe the idea of Israel as a nation is racist. I do, however, believe that Netanyahu’s extreme right-wing government has engaged in discriminatory and outright racist policies and that there are extreme racists driving that policy within the leadership of the current government,” Jayapal said.

Jayapal was responding to criticism about comments she made during a panel discussion at a conference in Chicago on Saturday.

In her official apology, the Washington Democrat said, “I believe it is incumbent on all of us who are striving to make our world a more just and equitable place to call out and condemn these policies and this current Netanyahu government’s role in furthering them.”

She reaffirmed her commitment to promoting a two-state solution that enables Israelis and Palestinians to live side by side in freedom, safety, and self-determination.

“I have always worked toward a two-state solution that allows both Israelis and Palestinians to live freely, safely, and with self-determination alongside each other and that is still what I am absolutely committed to. I also know that the many policies of the current Israeli government, including rampant settlement expansion, make it extremely difficult for Palestinians who simply want the same rights as their Israeli neighbors to believe such a solution is possible.”

“On a very human level, I was also responding to the deep pain and hopelessness that exists for Palestinians and their diaspora communities when it comes to this debate, but I in no way intended to deny the deep pain and hurt of Israelis and their Jewish diaspora community that still reels from the trauma of pogroms and persecution,” she continued.

Meanwhile, in a statement released on Sunday, the House Democratic leadership attempted to distance themselves from Jayapal by stating that “Israel is not a racist state.”

“As House Democratic leaders, we strongly support Israel’s right to exist as a homeland for the Jewish people,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) and Vice Chair Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) said, according to The Hill.

Jayapal’s remarks came at a time when Israeli President Isaac Herzog prepares to address a joint session of Congress on Wednesday during a trip to Washington, D.C., in order to commemorate Israel’s 75th anniversary of its founding.

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

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