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NIA arrests PFI weapons trainer Nossam Mohamed Yunus involved in the Nizamabad terror case, was living in Karnataka under fake identity

OpIndia Staff
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NIA arrests PFI weapons trainer Nossam Mohamed Yunus involved in the Nizamabad terror case, was living in Karnataka under fake identity

On Tuesday, 14th June 2023, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested a master weapons trainer associated with the Popular Front of India (PFI) in Karnataka. This arrest is linked to the Nizamabad terror conspiracy case, which involves a criminal plot devised by PFI leaders and members to recruit and radicalize young Muslim individuals. The objective of this conspiracy was to provide arms training to these individuals, encouraging them to carry out terrorist activities and ultimately establish Islamic rule in India.

The arrested individual, identified as Nossam Mohamed Yunus from Nandyal, had been evading law enforcement since the NIA conducted a search at his residence in September 2022. Further investigations conducted by the NIA revealed that he had relocated his entire family from Andhra Pradesh and was residing in Karnataka under a false identity.

Yunus, a skilled weapons trainer, was actively involved in imparting weapons training to recruited individuals associated with the PFI in the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana regions. Additionally, he held the position of Physical Education Training State Coordinator for these two states in the Nizamabad PFI Case. With his arrest, NIA has once again exposed PFI’s radical plans to drive a communal wedge and use innocent Muslim youths to disturb and disrupt peace and communal harmony in the country.

Telangana Police had initially registered an FIR in the case in July 2022 before NIA took over the case and re-registered it as (RC-03/2022/NIA/HYD). NIA has already filed two chargesheets against 16 accused persons in this case. PFI and its many affiliates were declared an ‘unlawful association’ by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in September 2022 after its involvement in violent activities came to light during investigations carried out by various state police units and national agencies.

The Nizamabad terror conspiracy case

On Wednesday, July 6, 2022, the Nizamabad police in Telangana arrested three Popular Front of India (PFI) members involved in training Muslim youths in anti-national activities. the three PFI members were nabbed from the residence of one Shadullah in the Gundaram area in Nizamabad town. The trio was residing in Nizamabad while posing as small-time labourers like wielding mechanics, but their prime objective was to identify gullible Muslim youths, radicalize them with Sharia law, and then recruit them for anti-national activities, according to Nizamabad Commissioner of Police KR Nagaraju. These arrested accused were identified as Shaik Shadullah (40), Mohammad Imran (22) and Mohammad Abdul Mobin (27).

One of the accused admitted to the police during questioning that the PFI was seeking to indoctrinate the local Muslim youths with Sharia law and Islamic fundamentalism in order to recruit them into anti-national activities. He also admitted that the group had been conducting workshops to teach Muslims how to use deadly weapons and martial arts with the primary goal of recruiting them to wage jihad in the state.

The arrested also confessed that similar workshops regarding legal matters were being conducted along with physical training by PFI members in Nizamabad, Jagitial, Hyderabad, Nellore, Kurnool, and Kadapa.

SC rejects plea to stop Mahapanchayat to be held by Hindu groups in Purola, PUCL had written a letter to CJI too: Dangerous antecedents of the organisation

OpIndia Staff
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SC rejects plea to stop Mahapanchayat to be held by Hindu groups in Purola, PUCL had written a letter to CJI too: Dangerous antecedents of the organisation

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of India rejected a request to stop a ‘Mahapanchayat’ planned by Hindu organisations in Purola, Uttarakhand. The court’s decision is made in the midst of rising communal strife in the state. The petition was filed by Association for Protection of Civil Rights.

The complaint also asked for the filing of an FIR against pro-Hindutva supporters for allegedly making hateful remarks that were directed at a certain group of people. Hindu organisations had scheduled the Mahapanchayat, a sizable assembly, for June 15 in response to the recent love jihad incident that happened on May 26.

This comes a day after the controversial civil society outfit People’s Union of Civil Liberties wrote a letter to the Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud alleging that the minority community in the region were being targeted and threatened by the locals. “We are writing this letter to bring to your attention the alarming rise of hate speech, vigilantism and targeted communal violence against the minority community in Uttarakhand,” the letter by the People’s Union of Civil Liberties read.

PUCL is a fraternal organization of the People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR). The People’s Union for Civil Liberties is the same organisation that has substantial links to Maoists, as OpIndia reported earlier.

Two individuals, one of whom is a Muslim identified as Uved Khan, attempted to kidnap and elope with a Hindu girl in Purola. Massive tensions erupted in the region after the incident in which the locals demanded police verification of ‘outsiders’, most of whom are Muslims. 

The lawyer who submitted the appeal, Sharukh Alam, was instructed by the vacation bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Ahsanuddin Amanullah to pursue all possible legal remedies through the high court or other pertinent authorities. The bench highlighted that it is the state government’s duty to uphold law and order and suggested turning to the high court for intervention.

“We are not short-circuiting the legal process. There is a high court and district administration; you can approach them. Maintaining law and order is the responsibility of the state government. Why do you think no action will be taken if the matter is brought to its notice? You should have faith in the high court,” the bench said.

Alam informed the court that letters and banners asking members of a particular community to leave Uttarkashi had been distributed. There has been no action taken thus far despite an ongoing mandate (court order) directing the police to file a FIR on their own initiative in situations containing hate statements.

She further argued that the information offered in the plea shows that a FIR under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) is required, pleading with the judge to take the facts into consideration. “The material suggests that an FIR needs to be registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). A ‘Mahapanchayat’ is scheduled to be held on June 15, and they have given an ultimatum to the district administration to remove members of a particular community by that date,” Alam said.

Uttarkashi administration refuses permission for Mahapanchayat

Since the love jihad incident, racial tensions have been progressively rising in Purola and neighbouring towns in the Uttarkashi area. A sense of uneasiness has been created among many populations as a result of the increase in tension, along with fears of violence and probable social unrest.

However, the Uttarkashi district administration has refused permission for a Mahapanchayat proposed to be held on June 15. The district administration has also imposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which prohibits the gathering of four or more people in a specified area, District Magistrate of Uttarkashi Abhishek Rohilla said. This means that even though the Supreme Court refused to stop the event, it has been stopped by the local administration and accordingly it will not take place, unless the govt reverts the decision.

The Mahapanchayat was organized by the Purola Pradhan Sangathan and was supported from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the Bajrang Dal among others. District Magistrate of Uttarkashi Abhishek Rohilla said, “The permission for the proposed mahapanchayat to be held on June 15 has been denied. No one will be given permission to break the law.”

Notably, a counter Mahapanchayat has also been requested by the Muslim Seva Santhan (MSS) on June 18 in Dehradun to draw the state government’s attention to the “mass exodus” of minorities from the hill town.

The controversial civil society outfit People’s Union of Civil Liberties who has filed a plea in the case had earlier extended support to the banned terrorist outfit named Popular Front of India (PFI) and had demanded that all the detained terrorist associated with the organization shall be released.

PUCL and its ties with Urban Naxals

PUCL is a fraternal organization of the People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR). The People’s Union for Civil Liberties is the same organisation that has extensive links to Maoists. ‘Urban Naxals’ who were arrested in the Elgar Parishad case and in connection with an alleged assassination plot against the Prime Minister are intimately linked with the PUCL.

The PUCL and its associate organisations have a history of ties to Naxals and separatists in Kashmir as well as Manipur. Over the years, numerous members of the organisations have been arrested for their links to Maoists. One of those raided in connection with the violence at Bhima Koregaon, Sudha Bharadwaj, is the General Secretary of the Chhattisgarh unit of People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL). 

Father Stan Swamy was also associated with the PUCL. The narrative that PUCL propagates is quite often antithetical to a layman’s idea of civil society. On the website of the organization, it can be seen that it condemned the hanging of the Islamic terrorist Afzal Guru.

As per the report of Delhi PUCL for 2016-17, they assisted Islamist outfit PFI “in the matter relating to violation of their right to protest and their freedom of speech violated by the Delhi police on 5th Nov. 2017 in Delhi”.

‘Naxalite’ Binayak Sen was also the Vice President of the PUCL even after his conviction by Raipur Sessions Court. The West Bengal unit of PUCL also published a book exonerating Sen of all his crimes and branded him a “victim of state atrocity”.

Also recently, the organization published an article in which it condemned the killings of gangster Atiq Ahmed and his brother in law and slammed the UP police for not assuring proper security measures during the incident. Ahmed and his brother in law were shot dead by three persons who posed as media individuals and fired around 22 bullets at the gangster. “PUCL is outraged by and strongly condemns the cold-blooded shooting down by a 3-member gang of politician and former minister, Atiq Ahmed and his brother, Ashraf Ahmed,” the article read.

Further downplaying the criminal activities of the gangster, PUCL wrote, “The killing is not just a security lapse on the part of the police, who failed to check the identity of the killers posing as media persons; a much more disturbing issue is how the killer gang knew that a media meeting would be held in the open, outside the hospital.

“Equally worrisome is the question why Atiq Ahmed and his brother were not transported by ambulance, why the medical check-up was at such an unusual time late at night and why despite the security concerns, the police permitted such a media meet in an open space and in public.  The other question is as to why the police did not seek  police custody of those who did the shooting? The answer to these questions will tell us whether it was a question of mere negligence by the UP police or a deeper conspiracy by the UP police and the UP administration, in the murders themselves?” it added.

Earlier, the organization in the month of August last year had objected to the organization of Ram Katha at the Raj Bhavan in Rajasthan. PUCL had cried foul saying that the 5-day programme undermined the dignity of the Governor’s office and also violated the Constitutional principles of secularism. “This event (Ram Katha) brazenly compromises the secular character of our Constitution. These are not personal programmes of the Governor. Will the Governor likewise organise religious events and arts exhibitions of faiths like Islam, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Jainism, Buddhism, Sarna-Adivasi, etc?” the state president of the organization had said.

MP: Married Hindu woman dies after consuming acid as one Zakir harassed her to convert to Islam and marry him, threatened to rape her

OpIndia Staff
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MP: Married Hindu woman dies after consuming acid as one Zakir harassed her to convert to Islam and marry him, threatened to rape her

In the Dewas district of Madhya Pradesh, a shocking case has come to the fore wherein a married Hindu woman named Reena committed suicide on Saturday (10 June) by consuming acid after five-six months of harassment by a Muslim man named Zakir. After the locals were outraged, the police arrested the accused and sent him to jail. 

According to media reports, the matter pertains to the Kshipra Haat Maidan in Kshipra Village where Reena Joshi resided with her husband Sundar Joshi and their two children. On Saturday, Reena consumed acid, and she was rushed to a nearby hospital. As her health deteriorated, she was referred to Indore. The family, however, took her to a private hospital. Later in the evening, she breathed her last. Reena’s death enraged the villagers as they demanded justice and said that the accused Zakir be hanged till death. 

The agitated villagers led a protest outside the accused person’s house demanding that his house be demolished. Following this, police teams from five police stations were deployed to bring the situation under control.

Deceased victim Reena’s brother accuses Zakir of forcing her to consume acid

Speaking to Dainik Bhaskar, the deceased victim’s brother Deepak Joshi said that on Saturday, he received a call from Reena at around 10 am. Reena told Deepak that she has consumed acid pleading with him to save her. An appalled Deepak then rushed to Reena’s home. “When I reached Reena’s home in Kshipra village, I saw her suffering immense pain and vomiting,” Deepak said.

Deepak also said that his sister had told him eight days back that a person named Zakir who resided in the same locality used to harass her. “He used to follow her wherever she would go. Zakir was pressurising her to marry him. He would say that after marrying Reena, he would convert her to Islam. I told Sundar (Reena’s husband) about this and he said that they will sort it out. But before they could take a decision, all this happened,” Deepak said.

The deceased victim’s brother further alleged that Zakir had threatened his sister two days prior to her death. He also raised suspicion that Zakir may have forced Reena to consume acid as she was alone at home on Saturday.

“He has given acid to my sister as she cannot do this. When I took my sister to the hospital, about 200 grams of acid was found in her stomach. Nobody can drink that much acid,” Deepak asserted.

Deepak also said that he warned Zakir not to harass his sister. However, accused Zakir was adamant about his pursuit. He resided near the rented house where Reena stayed with her family. Zakir would stalk her regularly.

Meanwhile, the deceased victim’s sister-in-law told Dainik Bhaskar that Zakir persistently harassed Reena. For the sake of the family’s honour, Reena did not inform anyone about the harassment she was facing. For the last few days, Zakir was forcing her to establish sexual relations with him. 

Reena and Sundar Joshi got married twelve years ago and had a daughter and a son. Earlier they resided in their ancestral home in Kshipra. However, they later shifted to a rented house. In the last six years, they changed four homes in the same area. Five months back, Reena along with her family moved to another rented house Sunvani Marg area. It is said that Reena may have moved to Sunvani Marg house due to Zakir’s harassment. 

Angry locals and Hindu organisations protest outside accused Zakir’s house

As soon as the news of Reena’s death reached the Hindu rights organisation in the middle of the night, they marched to the police station and demanded harsh punishment. Some irate people arrived at Zakir’s house at midnight. Zakir’s family members escaped somewhere late at night. When no one could be found at home, the agitated locals hurled stones at the house and set fire to the loading van parked outside. The police arrived on the scene and deployed their teams in Shipra village as soon as they received information about the serious situation. Later, they managed to bring the situation under control.

Following the last rites on Sunday, the crowd pressed on demolishing the accused’s house. In addition to keeping Shipra Nagar closed in protest of the incident, traders also kept their shops closed in protest. Reportedly, a force of five police stations from the city, Police Line, Sonkach, Bhaunrasa, and Baretha, was deployed in the area. The Revenue Department team sealed the accused’s residence in the presence of the police. 

According to the In charge of the industrial area police station, Ajay Channa, a woman ingested acid in the Shipra area. Her relatives claimed that she had been harassed for 4-5 months by a youth named Zakir. The accused has been arrested and imprisoned. No evidence of conversion has been found. If any evidence is found in this respect, stern action will be taken.

Ahead of film 72 Hoorain’s release, Twitter suspends co-producer Ashoke Pandit’s account after Islamists and Leftists mass report him

OpIndia Staff
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Ahead of film 72 Hoorain’s release, Twitter suspends co-producer Ashoke Pandit’s account after Islamists and Leftists mass report him

On June 14, left-liberals and Islamists rallied against filmmaker Ashoke Pandit ahead of the release of the film ’72 Hoorain’, of which he is a co-producer. Directed by Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan and produced by Gulab Singh Tanwar, Kiran Dagar and Anirudh Tanwar, the film is set for release on June 7, 2023. A couple of days back, the teaser of the film was released.

Ashok Pandit is vocal against Islamists on social media, making him a prime target. This time, a vague tweet was picked by the dubious Twitter handle ‘Team Saath’ to target him and get his account suspended.

On June 13, after Jack Dorsey’s allegations against India went viral, a Twitter user ArunSFan who wrote his name as “Raghuram Rajan”, the former RBI governor, shared a report in that context. Quoting him, Pandit, who apparently confused him with the real Rajan, wrote in a now-deleted tweet, “Why are you dancing? Don’t worry. All demons like you will be killed”.

Now-deleted tweet by Ashoke Pandit. Source: Twitter/Jix5a

Left-liberals and Islamists were looking for such an opportunity, and Team Saath saw it as an opportunity to target Pandit right ahead of his film. In a tweet quoting Pandit, Team Saath tagged Twitter and wrote, “Dear Twitter, Ashoke Pandit is issuing a death threat to ArunSFan in full public view. This calls for an immediate suspension of his account as per your rules. They also tagged Twitter Safety and Elon Musk in the Tweet.

Team Saath started a campaign against Pandit and got his account suspended. Source: Twitter

While the algorithm suspended Pandit’s account due to mass reporting, it is pertinent to note that he was not issuing a death threat to the user or anyone, for that matter. He was tweeting in a ‘matter of speaking’ and he meant that evil will be vanquished, not that someone should be killed.

Soon after the account got suspended, several prominent voices on Twitter came out in Pandit’s support. BJP leader Tejinder Pall Singh Bagga wrote, “why Ashoke Pandit account is suspended by @TwitterIndia? #RestoreAshokePandit”

BJP leader Kapil Mishra wrote, “Why account of Ashoke Pandit is suspended right before the release of his movie #72Hoorain? @Twitter Pls restore the handle immediately.”

BJP MLA from UP Dr Shalabh Mani Tripathi wrote, “Ashoke Pandit account is suspended by Twitter India. Why? #RestoreAshokePandit”

Nationalist leader Ramesh Solanki wrote, “Account of producer and director Ashoke Pandit is suspended right before the release of his movie #72Hoorain? @Twitter @elonmusk Pls restore the handle immediately. #BringBackAshokePandit”

Activist Vijay Patel wrote, “After releasing the trailer of the #72Hoorain movie radical Islamists and the leftist ecosystem have been rattled and they have mass reported the Twitter account of Ashoke Pandit sir. Hello, @elonmusk your Indian office still have left-leaning employees?”

News18 Managing Editor Amish Devgan wrote, “Unfortunate right to freedom curbed Twitter suspended account filmmaker Ashoke Pandit.”

Director of 72 Hoorain, Sanjay PS Chauhan said, “Calling on Twitter India to reconsider the suspension of Ashoke Pandit’s account. Transparency and open dialogue are crucial in building trust. #RestoreAshokePandit”

About 72 Hoorain

The film titled ’72 Hoorain’, featuring Pawan Malhotra and Aamir Bashir in lead roles, is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Sanjay Puran Singh, a two-time recipient of the National Award. Natottam Bain, Ashok Pathak, and Rashid Naaz are among the other actors in this film. The production of the film is undertaken by Gulab Singh Tanwar, Kiran Dagar, Anirudh Tanwar, and Ashok Pandit, who serve as its producers.

The teaser of the film depicts pictures of many Islamic terrorists including Osama Bin Laden who planned and executed the 9/11 attacks in America, Ajmal Kasab who was one of the 10 terrorists in the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai, Yakub Memon who executed the serial bomb blasts in Mumbai in 1993, Masood Azahar responsible for the Delhi plane hijack in 1999, and many others. In the background, the voice of some leader in the Islamic terrorist outfit is heard that says, “You will get those 72 hoors. Those hoors are made for you.”

About Team Saath

‘Team Saath’ is a malicious troll account on Twitter that routinely indulges in targeted harassment of people who do not conform to its views. They use their Twitter account to target those who do not toe the Islamist and Leftist line.

It has been notorious for misusing Twitter for online bullying and targeted harassment of individuals whose political views do not align with theirs. ‘Team Saath’ Official is the go-to Twitter account for left-liberals and rabid Islamists to silence nationalist voices in the country. Not just celebrities, but even influential Twitter accounts, are subjected to targeted harassment by ‘Team Saath’ and its army of brainwashed Islamists.

As per speculations on social media, actor Sushant Singh is inextricably linked to the account ‘Team Saath’, with rumour mills claiming that he is the founder of the troll account meant for targeting and browbeating nationalistic voices into silence. Singh also boasts of his support to ‘Team Saath’ by mentioning it in his Twitter bio, raising suspicions that the account is indeed operated by him. However, a tweet by ‘Team Saath’ clarified that Sushant Singh is not the founder of the group and is rather ‘The Goodwill Ambassador’. The account, the tweet said, is run by one ‘The Linguist’, who, according to investigative journalist Vijay Patel, is an inveterate Islamist harbouring pathological hatred for PM Modi.

‘Is this where 85% deals are being orchestrated’: Opposition questions Congress after Randeep Singh Surjewala attends official meeting in Bengaluru

OpIndia Staff
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‘Is this where 85% deals are being orchestrated’: Opposition questions Congress after Randeep Singh Surjewala attends official meeting in Bengaluru

Randeep Singh Surjewala, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary, reportedly attended an official meeting in Bengaluru which was presided over by the deputy chief minister and Bengaluru Development Minister DK Shivakumar. The meeting was organised to discuss the upgrading of infrastructure in Bengaluru and was held at Shangri-La Hotel in the state capital on Tuesday.

The state cabinet minister met with representatives from the state government and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) at a private hotel after touring Bengaluru to assess municipal projects that were being carried out. Both the Congress leaders were seen seated next to each other in a photograph from the meeting shared by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

“What is his capacity or authority to chair the meeting with the BBMP and BDA (Bangalore Development Authority) Commissioners /Officials? Is this where the 85% deals are being orchestrated by the ATM Sarkara to raise funds ahead of the 2024 Elections,” asked the primary opposition party. However, DK Shivakumar denied the accusation. He claimed, “Officers had come to take me to the BDA office when I was with Surjewala. Let BJP tweet whatever they want.” There was no official meeting, according to several Congress officials as well.

Rakesh Singh BBMP administrator and assistant chief secretary of the urban development department and BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath can be spotted along with Randeep Singh Surjewala and DK Shivakumar. Other prominent figures in the room included Energy Minister K J George, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, Minority Affairs Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, Political Secretary to the Chief Minister Naseer Ahmed, and Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad.

“Is Surjewala Super Chief Minister of Karnataka? Under what capacity he called for a meeting of the BBMP Commissioner, ACS (Additional Chief Secretary) Urban Development, and BDA Chief? I heard Advocate General was also present in this meeting conducted by the Congress Party in charge,” questioned Senior BJP leader and former Union minister Basangouda Patil Yatnal. He sought the BBMP Commissioner to make it clear what was on the meeting’s agenda and what the officers’ assignment was.

HD Kumaraswamy, Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former chief minister, also criticised the state administration for allowing Randeep Singh Surjewala to meet with ministers and top officials. He charged, “Do we have a government headed by Siddaramaiah or a government that is at the mercy of Delhi’s 10 Janpath? Did people vote for a Congress government or a puppet government? That has been proved even before the government completed a month in office.”

He challenged who gave the Congress stalwart the permission to host the official meeting with senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers in attendance. He remarked, “There are senior ministers in the meeting. Senior IAS officers are also present. This means it was an official meeting. But, Surjewala is in the centre seat. Minister is sitting in a seat beside him. Isn’t it strange? The Chief Minister should answer.”

Meanwhile, Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan tweeted, “Participated in the meeting which was called by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar at Shangri-la Hotel in Bengaluru and discussed various issues and betterment of Bengaluru. AICC General Secretary and in-charge of Karnataka State Randeep Singh was also present,” along with an image from the meeting. Afterwards, he took the tweet down. The meeting lasted two hours, according to sources in the government, and they covered a range of topics, including the BBMP elections.

On Wednesday afternoon, a BJP delegation led by the former ministers and party legislators R Ashoka and Suresh Kumar is scheduled to meet with Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to demand that DK Shivakumar be held accountable for allowing Randeep Singh Surjewala to chair an official meeting that included senior IAS officers. A BJP official confirmed that the party would also seek action against the latter for attending the formal session.

Minority Affairs Ministry led by Smriti Irani scraps 58,456 infrastructure projects that were defunct since they were sanctioned by Congress govt in 2008-2009

OpIndia Staff
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Minority Affairs Ministry led by Smriti Irani scraps 58,456 infrastructure projects that were defunct since they were sanctioned by Congress govt in 2008-2009

The Union Minority Affairs Ministry, led by Union Minister Smriti Irani, has scrapped about 58,456 “units” or small infrastructure projects that were sanctioned under a centrally sponsored socio-economic development scheme. As per media reports, the Ministry took this step after it was discovered that these projects were defunct and had never taken off even after being proposed nearly one-and-a-half decades back in 2008-09 when the Congress party was in power.

An official in the Minority Ministry said, “We have done this in consonance with the states. After having found that these units had not taken off in the past decade, we had asked the states to consider whether they want to drop the proposals altogether.” Interestingly, while several non-BJP state governments hanker for Muslim votes, it is pertinent to note that more than Rs 4,000 crores are lying unutilised with the state governments under various minority schemes. Even with crores lying unutilised, over 50,000 projects have been defunct for over a decade and a half.

Minority Affairs Ministry reviews PMJVK projects

Since 2008-09, the Union Minority Affairs Ministry has reviewed more than 11 lakh projects that come under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK). Notably, the Ministry implements this centrally sponsored scheme and develops small units or infrastructure projects for socio-economic development.

Under PMJVK, States and UTs send their proposals to the Union Minority Affairs Ministry. Afterward, they are considered and approved by the Empowered Committee of PMJVK while taking into consultation with the concerned Union ministries. Funds are released to the states and UTs on a project-wise basis.

According to reports, officials within the Union Minority Affairs Ministry have revealed that a large sum of money, to the tune of more than Rs 4,000 crore, remains unutilized with states under various schemes announced for minorities.

As per media reports, an official in the Ministry said, “We have now said that future projects will be sanctioned, and funds will be given based on utilisation certificates. We will also map all physical assets under the Ministry schemes through Gati Shakti and geotag them to understand the actual utilisation of funds and the building of infrastructure.”

Between the period of 2014-15 to 2021-22, an expenditure of Rs 9,37,819 lakh was incurred under this PMJVK scheme. More than 50 major projects were sanctioned during the same period and these include school buildings, hostels, and classroom aids.

It is worth noting that the Central government funds 60% of the project while 40% is shared by the state or UT governments. However, the projects are jointly sanctioned by the state and centre.

Post 2014-15, projects worth Rs 17,65,904 lakh have been sanctioned by the Union Minority Affairs Ministry under this PMJVK scheme out of which the central share has been Rs 12,33,688.93 lakh.

As Hindus stand up for themselves after the recent Purola love jihad case Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind writes to Amit Shah playing the victim

OpIndia Staff
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As Hindus stand up for themselves after the recent Purola love jihad case Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind writes to Amit Shah playing the victim

On 13th June 2023, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind led by Maulana Mahmood Madani published a press release to inform that it has written a letter to the union home minister Amit Shah regarding the recent communal situation in Uttarakhand. In the letter, the president of the Islamic organisation Maulana Mahmood Madani urged the union home minister to halt the Mahapanchayat scheduled to be held in Uttarkashi town of the mountain state on 15th June 2023. Madani has stated that this event may lead to ‘communal conflict’ in the state.

In the press release, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind said, “President of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Maulana Mahmood Asa’d Madani has expressed deep concern over the open threat of expulsion of the Muslim community in Uttarkashi Uttarakhand. In this regard, Maulana Madani wrote a letter to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami, urging them to take strict action against the forces spreading division and to protect the lives and property of the citizens of India.”

According to the press release, Maulana Madani said that Uttarakhand has been an exemplary state in terms of law and order and communal harmony, what is happening in Uttarkashi does not match its nature. He alleged that people in Uttarkashi are openly inciting fear and fanning enmity between the two sects. Maulana Madani also said in the letter that the inaction on the part of the government and its agencies further aggravated this critical communal situation. He also mentioned that this was the land of Uttarakhand where some communal elements threatened to massacre Muslims by holding “Dharma Sansad”.

In his letter, Maulana Madani further said, “The people who organized these programs a year ago are not only beyond the reach of the law, but they are also among the hatemongers and intimidators in this current incident. They are openly putting up posters and releasing videos and unfortunately, local police are standing as mere spectators. The increasing Islamophobia and communalism in the state are further dividing society and eroding communal harmony.”

Maulana Madani further added in his letter to Amit Shah, “I request you to halt the event (Mahapnachayat) scheduled to be held on 15 June 2023, which may lead to a communal conflict in the state and further increase the gulf between Hindu and Muslim communities. I not only request you to personally intervene and issue the necessary order but also to take strict action against divisive forces, besides instructing the law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety and security of every citizen irrespective of their religion and ethnic background.”

Notably, on Wednesday, the Supreme Court of India rejected a request to stop a ‘maha panchayat’ planned by Hindu organisations in Purola, Uttarakhand. Since the Purola love jihad incident, racial tensions have been progressively rising in Purola and neighbouring towns in the Uttarkashi area. A sense of uneasiness has been created among many populations as a result of the increase in tension, along with fears of violence and probable social unrest.

The Purola Pradhan Sangathan has organised a Mahapanchayat to discuss this issue of growing love jihad in the state. This Mahapanchayat will be held on 15th June 2023. It is supported by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal. Earlier, Hindus in Uttarkashi held massive protests against love jihad.

The truth about Purola Love Jihad case: OpIndia ground report

The Uttarkashi region of Uttarakhand is currently the topic of conversation throughout all media outlets and social media. This happened after an alleged love jihad case was reported from the hilly town of Purola in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district. Uved Khan, who was accused of trapping a minor Hindu girl and then attempting to abduct her, was taken into custody on Friday (26 May 2023) from Purola.

While the local Hindus agitated as several similar cases of love jihad continued to emerge in Uttarakhand, Islamists and Leftists yet again made an attempt to whitewash the love jihad cases and instead painted the Muslims as victims. 

Many media outlets like Times of India, Zee News, News 18, etc furthered the ‘Dara Hua Musalman‘ narrative by claiming that Muslim traders are being forced to vacate their shops and leave Purola following protests and demonstrations and ultimatums by right-wing Hindu organisations. They further reported how threatening posters have been pasted on shops owned by Muslim traders in Purola town of Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, asking them to vacate the place immediately.

The Purola police had, however, denied several media reports claiming that members of the minority communities have left the city. “Nobody has left the town as it is not that easy to just leave businesses and homes behind in one night. The situation is completely under control. The accused, who were arrested, were produced before the local court which later sent them to jail,” V Murugesan, additional director general of police (law & order) was quoted as saying.

When OpIndia inquired about this issue with certain individuals connected to Hindu organisations in Uttarkashi, the situation turned out to be contrary to what had been reported. Hindu organisations alluded to the Hindus of Uttarakhand as being the victims of the rapid demographic changes and land, business and love jihad happening in the state, rather than the Muslim migrants whom the leftist media and the ‘liberal’ coterie are busy projecting as victims.

The OpIndia team also examined the so-called ‘threat’ posters that these leftist media outlets have extensively reported about. According to various media reports, posters asking Muslim shopkeepers to leave or “prepare for consequences” were found pasted on shops of Muslim traders. They were given a deadline of June 15 to flee or “face action”. The posters mentioned the name of an organisation- Devbhoomi Raksha Abhiyan which warned ‘Love Jehadis’ to vacate their shops by June 15. It also read that a ‘Mahapanchayat’ on the issue has been called by Hindu outfits on the same date.

When OpIndia spoke to the locals, we learned that contrary to the narrative that was being peddled, the local Hindus in Devbhoomi were the ones who were truly terrified. The Uttarakhand police also denied that Muslims in Uttarkashi town were under any sort of threat. Swami Darshan Bharti, the founder of the Devbhoomi Raksha Abhiyan Sangathan, spoke with OpIndia. He confirmed that he was in Purola on the day of the incident, but neither he nor anybody else he knows of had put up those posters. Swami Darshan Bharti termed the posters as a conspiracy by some individuals who want to project themselves as the victims.

It is also true that the Purola region has seen several cases of Love Jihad and onslaught by Islamist radicals. There were several cases, like that of a Hindu student being killed, a pregnant cow being murdered and her unborn calf being thrown away, a minor Hindu girl being held hostage for 5 days and more. Our full ground report on Purola can be read here.

Despite mounting evidence that the Islamists have been running a rampage in Purola, the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind craftily turned the Muslim community into the victim. After the onslaught by Islamists, the Hindus of Purola merely decided to stand up for themselves in the face of victimisation. As evidenced, the posters were not put up by Hindus, however, they did decide to hold a maha panchayat to discuss their plight and the way forward. It is interesting that Islamists believe that their religiously motivated crimes don’t create communal disharmony, however, the moment Hindus decide to take a stand for themselves, they become the victims and claim that the Hindu community merely voicing their plight would ruin communal harmony and brotherhood.

As the court rejects petition to stop Purola Mahapanchayat, Uttarakhand CM and DGP assure action if anyone breaks the law

OpIndia Staff
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As the court rejects petition to stop Purola Mahapanchayat, Uttarakhand CM and DGP assure action if anyone breaks the law

On 14th June 2023, the Supreme Court rejected a petition that demanded to put a stop to the Mahapanchayat scheduled to be held in Uttarkashi of Uttarakhand. The court said that it is the state’s responsibility to ensure that law and order in the state are maintained. After the apex court directed the petitioner to go to the high court, the CM and DGP of the mountain state assured that if anyone broke the law in the state, strict action will be taken. Notably, the Mahapanchayat in Purola is organised by the Hindu community to discuss the problem of love jihad prevailing and growing in the state.

However, the Uttarkashi district administration refused permission for the Mahapanchayat and imposed restrictions under section 144 of the CrPC. The Mahapanchayat was called by the Purola Pradhan Sangathan and has received support from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the Bajrang Dal among others. The situation in Purola has been tense after two men were caught in an alleged attempt to elope with a minor girl from Purola last month.

The chief minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami said, “We have appealed to everyone to maintain peace and not to take law into their own hands. Whatever incidents have taken place till now, the administration has acted on it properly. There is no incident of violence against anyone or looting anyone. But still, we have appealed to the people that everyone must maintain peace. If anyone is guilty, the law will act against him. No one will be allowed to take the law into his hands. Everyone is instructed regarding that.”

Uttarakhand’s Director General of Police Ashok Kumar said, “District Police and administration are fully prepared. We’re taking all the steps to maintain the law & order in the state, no one will be allowed to disturb the peace. I appeal to all the parties to cooperate with us to maintain the peace. No one will be allowed to break the law. Action will be taken against those who will break the law. We have deployed all the forces there. We are alert and aware. We will not allow anyone to undertake any unlawful activity and the peace will be maintained at all costs.”

Hindus in Uttarkashi of Uttarakhand have organised a Mahapanchayat on 15th June 2023, to discuss the problem of love jihad that has rapidly grown in the state in the past few years. The Uttarkashi region of Uttarakhand is currently the topic of conversation throughout all media outlets and social media. This happened after an alleged love jihad case was reported from the hilly town of Purola in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district. Uved Khan, who was accused of trapping a minor Hindu girl and then attempting to abduct her, was taken into custody on Friday (26 May 2023) from Purola.

Manipur: 9 killed, 10 injured in a fresh terrorist attack using sophisticated weapons in Khamenlok

OpIndia Staff
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Manipur: 9 killed, 10 injured in a fresh terrorist attack using sophisticated weapons in Khamenlok

Police on Wednesday reported that at least nine people have been killed and ten were injured in a village in the Khamenlok region of the ethnically troubled state of Manipur in a new terrorist strike. The terrorists equipped with sophisticated weapons surrounded the residents of the village, which is located on the borders of the tribal-dominated Kangpokpi district and the Meitei-dominated Imphal East district. Police stated the attack started at one in the morning. The injured have been taken to the Imphal hospital. Based on some reports, the perpetrators also set a number of homes on fire in the village.

Armed militants and village volunteers engaged in gunfire on Monday night in the Khamenlok area. In accordance with accounts, security personnel and Kuki insurgents were also involved in a gunfight on Tuesday at Phougakchao Ikhai in the Bishnupur district. Security troops confronted the Kuki militants as they attempted to build bunkers near Meitei communities, which led to the exchange of fire.

District authorities have shortened the curfew relaxation hours from the customary 5 am to 6 pm in Imphal East and Imphal West to 5 am to 9 am in an effort to get the situation under control. In 11 of Manipur’s 16 districts, the curfew is still in effect, and internet access is not available anywhere in the sensitive northeastern state.

Imphal East police superintendent K Shivakanta Singh informed, “There was firing in the village around 10-10:30 pm and nine people were killed and 10 others injured. All injured have been admitted to hospital where the condition of one is stated to be critical.” He added that Assam Rifles is in charge of maintaining security in the region and everything was now under control.

On Monday, important civil society groups from the feuding Meitei and Kuki communities rejected to be a part of the Union government’s peace committee to mediate peace in the state.

The ethnic violence that broke out between the Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur a month ago resulted in at least 100 fatalities, 310 injuries and another 40,000 displaced. To reestablish peace in the state, the army and paramilitary forces were deployed there.

Violence erupted after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was called on May 3 by the All Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur (ATSUM) in all the 10 hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Many homes were destroyed in several parts, including Imphal Valley, inhabited mostly by the Meitei community. 

The majority of Meiteis, who make up around 53% of Manipur’s population, reside in the Imphal Valley. Another 40% of the population is made up of the Naga and Kuki tribal groups, who live in the hill districts.

Amit Shah also visited the state and appealed for peace and announced a judicial inquiry commission headed by a retired Supreme Court judge to probe the violence among other significant measures. He also declared the formation of a peace committee and an inter-agency unified command for better coordination.

In a worrying decline of democratic principles, former President Donald Trump looks at up to 400 years in prison, pleads not guilty as supporters say charges fabricated

OpIndia Staff
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In a worrying decline of democratic principles, former President Donald Trump looks at up to 400 years in prison, pleads not guilty as supporters say charges fabricated

On June 13 (local time), in a worrying decline of democratic principles, former President Donald Trump faced charges of allegedly unlawfully storing national security documents when he left office. The authorities also claimed that he lied to the officials who sought to recover the documents. Trump was arrested and presented in court, where he pleaded not guilty. His supporters said the charges against him were fabricated. If proven guilty by the court, Trump may face prison of up to 400 years.

Notably, Trump is the first President in US history to get charged with federal crimes. The upcoming trial in the case will be crucial as 77-year-old Trump is looking ahead to win back the Presidency in the 2024 elections scheduled in the month of November. As per experts, it may take a year for the trial to begin.

Soon after pleading not guilty in court, he was allowed to leave the court without any travel restrictions or conditions. The court did not order any cash bond to be in place for letting him leave. US Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman, in a federal court in Miami, ordered Trump not to communicate with potential witnesses in the case. As per reports, his former aide Walt Nauta was also charged in the case. Nauta also pleaded not guilty.

In April this year, Trump made the first courtroom visit of the year in an unrelated case. He pleaded not guilty to state charges in New York for allegedly paying hush to a porn star.

Trump said the Biden administration is targeting him

Trump has categorically denied the charges against him. He accused President Joe Biden’s administration of targeting him. In a Truth Social post, Trump said, “ONE OF THE SADDEST DAYS IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY. WE ARE A NATION IN DECLINE!!!” He also called Special Counsel Jack Smith, the leading prosecutor in the case, a “Trump hater” on his social media platform.

Source: Truth Social

Notably, Smith has accused him of risking national security by keeping sensitive documents in his possession after leaving the White House in January 2021. He claimed the documents were stored in a “haphazard manner” at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and at New Jersey Gold Club. The indictment released last week also includes photos of boxes of documents stored on a ballroom stage, in a bathroom and on a storage-room floor. The indictment claimed the documents included information about the secretive nuclear program and potential vulnerabilities in case of an attack on the US. It was further claimed that Trump lied to the officials who tried to recover the documents from his possession.

Charges against Donald Trump

In the unsealed 49-page indictment against former President Trump, he faces up to 400 years of prison and USD 9,250,000 in fines for the alleged storage of classified documents on private property. He has been charged with 37 counts.

Count 1 to 31 – Willful retention of national defence information

Per the indictment, he has been charged with 31 counts of retaining national defence information. If proven, he will face a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison, a maximum supervised release period of three years, and a USD 250,000 fine for each count. As per the law, the information the accused retains does not have to be classified as “illegally retained”.

Count 32 – conspiracy to obstruct justice

Trump faces one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. If proven, he will face a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison, a maximum of three years of supervised release and a fine of USD 250,000.

Count 33 – withholding a document or record

The former President also faces one count of withholding a document or record. If proven, he will face a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison, three years of maximum supervised release and a USD 250,000 fine for the alleged crime.

Count 34 – corruptly concealing a document or record

Ex-commander in chief of the US Armed Forces faces one count of corruptly concealing a document or record. If proven, he will face a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison, a maximum of three years of supervised release and a fine of USD 250,000.

Count 35 – Concealing a document in a federal investigation

He has been charged with one count of concealing a document in a federal investigation. If proven, he will face a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison, a maximum of three years of supervised release and a fine of USD 250,000 for the alleged crime.

Count 36 – Scheme to conceal

Trump faces one charge of scheme to conceal. If proven, he will face a maximum punishment of five years in prison, a maximum of three years of supervised release and a fine of USD 250,000.

Count 37 – False statements and representations

He has also been charged with one count of fake statements and representation. If proven, he will face a maximum punishment of five years in prison, a maximum of three years of supervised release and a fine of USD 250,000.

Supporters rallied in Trump’s support

Hundreds of Trump supporters came out on roads wearing Make America Great Again hats and carrying American Flags. They chanted “Miami for Trump” and “Latinos for Trump” as his vehicle passed outside the courthouse.

The case has not clouded Trump’s campaign to regain access to the President’s office. After the court hearing, he went to New Jersey Golf Club to speak. His voters came in large numbers to listen to their beloved leader.

As per a recent poll released by Reuters/Ipsos, 81 per cent of Republican voters believe the charges against him are politically motivated. His Republican rivals have also lined up behind him and accused the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of political bias. One such candidate, Vivek Ramaswamy, said if he gets elected, he will pardon Trump. In a tweet, he said, “I challenge every US Presidential candidate to join me in standing for TRUTH. Commit to pardon Donald Trump for these federal charges on Day 1, or explain why you won’t. No one should hide. Not Biden. Not DeSantis. Not Haley. Not Pence. Not RFK. Not Scott. Not anyone. Principles over politics.”

Author Brigitte Gabriel said, “We, The People, stand with President Donald Trump!”

Anchor Richrd Grenell said, “The President of the United States had his opponent arrested. The Democrats hatred of Donald Trump have pushed them to give up America’s moral authority on the world stage.”

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