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Gujarat: Violent mob attacks police and sets vehicles on fire over municipality notice to demolish illegal Daragah in Junagadh

OpIndia Staff
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Gujarat: Violent mob attacks police and sets vehicles on fire over municipality notice to demolish illegal Daragah in Junagadh

On Friday, June 16, a mob comprising hundreds of people attacked a police post in Majievadi Chowk in the Junagadh district of Gujarat after a notice was issued to demolish an illegal dargah located near Uperkot Extension. The angry mob vandalized public property and set fire to vehicles parked outside the police post. The mob pelted stones at the police personnel present there, leaving several police officers including Deputy SP and a woman PSI injured. 

The visuals of the incident emerged online wherein it is seen that the large mob hurls stones at the police while officers try to bring the situation under control by using tear gas shells. An additional police force was deployed and a lathi charge was done to control the violent mob. The situation remains tense in the region. Meanwhile, police teams and Rapid Action Force has been deployed in the affected area.

Several vehicles have been burned or damaged and multiple police personnel have been injured, as per reports.

According to media reports, the Junagadh Municipal Corporation issued a notice on June 14 to demolish an illegal dargah built near the Majevadi Gate area. According to the notification issued by the senior town planner, the dargah in question was built unlawfully and will be dismantled within the next five days. It further ordered the Dargah authorities to furnish evidence to show the legality of the structure. The notice stated that if the authorities fail to provide necessary documentation the dargah will be demolished and the authorities will have to bear the costs.

In a statement, the police mentioned that one civilian has died in the incident and prima facie it appears that stone pelting was the reason for his injuries. Junagarh SP Raviteja Vasamsetty has informed that about 400-500 people had blocked the road near Majewadi Gate and had pelted stones. After the police tried to disperse the violent mob they attacked police personnel. Several police personnel have been injured in the incident. The police have so far caught 174 people and investigation is on.

The officers of the Municipal Corporation had arrived on Friday night to put up this notice, however, soon some miscreants gathered and started raising slogans against the authorities. The situation later took a violent turn. 

BJP Tamil Nadu State Secretary arrested for criticising Communist MP for his silence on the death of a sanitary worker

OpIndia Staff
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BJP Tamil Nadu State Secretary arrested for criticising Communist MP for his silence on the death of a sanitary worker

On Friday (June 16) night, BJP (Tamil Nadu) State Secretary SG Suryah was arrested by the cybercrime unit of Madurai police.

His arrest comes days after he accused a Communist ward councillor named Viswanathan of being responsible for the death of a hygiene worker. SG Surya said that Vishwanathan compelled the deceased to clean a drain filled with faecal matter, which resulted in allergies and his eventual death.

The BJP leader had also written a strongly-worded letter to CPI(M) MP Su Venkatesan, complaining about the death of the worker and questioning his silence on the matter. It is believed that the tweet triggered the arrest of SG Suryah.

In his tweet on June 7 this year, the BJP State Secretary pointed out, “Madurai Pennadam town panchayat 12th ward councillor Viswanathan had forced the worker to undertake the job after which the worker got infected and died. The hypocritical politics of the MP stinks.”

He further added, “The deceased is a scheduled caste brother! Where’s your red flag! Where is your fighting spirit? Where are your passionate words? If you are against the ruling BJP government, you will come forward immediately. Where have you gone now? Did you sneak out?”

“Why doesn’t your red flag fly against your fellow comrades? Or won’t your red flag take to the streets and fight in support of the Scheduled Caste brothers? Your fake politics draped in red flag stinks worse than the manhole. Find a way to live as a human being, my friend,” SG Suryah had written.

Police complaint against BJP leader

Soon after, a police complaint was filed against the BJP leader by the Madurai Urban unit of CPI(M). They accused him of tarnishing the image of MP Su Venkatesan on social media and sought action against SG Suryah.

“Suryah is intentionally creating tension among the conservancy workers as well as the public on an incident that did not happen in the city. The BJP functionary is creating tension,” the Communist Party of India (Marxist) claimed. 

The Communist party workers claimed that there is no councillor by the name of Vishwanathan or any ‘Pennadam town panchayat’ in Madurai district.

Annamalai backs SG Suryah

Following the arrest, BJP Tamil Nadu President K. Annamalai has extended his support to SG Suryah. In a tweet, he said, “The arrest of BJP Tamil Nadu
State Secretary Thiru @Suryah SG avlis highly condemnable. His only mistake was to expose the nasty double standards of the communists, allies of DMK.”

“Using state machinery to curtail free speech & getting jittery for the slightest criticism is unbecoming of a democratically elected leader and, indeed, are signs of an autocratic leader in the making. Drawing inspiration from autocrats, TN CM Thiru @mkstalin is turning the state into a lawless jungle,” he emphasised.

“These arrests will not deter us & we will continue to be bearers of the uncomfortable truth!” Annamalai added.

West Bengal Panchayat polls: State govt and state election commission to move Supreme Court challenging Calcutta HC’s order to deploy central forces

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal Panchayat polls: State govt and state election commission to move Supreme Court challenging Calcutta HC’s order to deploy central forces

In a significant development, on 16th June 2023, the West Bengal Government and the State Election Commission decided to challenge the order of the Calcutta High Court regarding the deployment of central forces during the upcoming Panchayat elections. The High Court, on June 15, had directed the deployment of central paramilitary forces in all districts of West Bengal, a decision that faced opposition from the state government. The court had asked the SEC to seek central forces from the centre within 48 hours.

The Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, TS Sivagnanam, and Justice Uday Kumar had issued the order, emphasizing the need for the presence of central forces throughout the state, not just in sensitive areas. The court had criticized the State Election Commission for its failure to identify sensitive areas for the deployment of central forces, as previously instructed by the court.

Initially, the State Election Commissioner, Rajiva Sinha, had indicated compliance with the court’s order, but within 24 hours, the state government and the election commission changed their position. In a meeting with the ADG Law and Order and the Home Secretary, they decided to challenge the High Court’s decision in the Supreme Court.

The state government and the State Election Commission will file separate cases in the Supreme Court tomorrow, seeking to challenge the order to deploy central forces. The Commission’s argument will revolve around the ongoing evaluation of sensitive booths, claiming that no decision has been made in this regard yet. It is notable that the High Court had ordered the deployment of central forces in all districts only because SEC could not identify sensitive areas.

The state government, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has strongly criticized the deployment of central forces and intends to contest the verdict in the apex court. The state will argue that it has the necessary police force to conduct the election and doesn’t need central forces. The state govt has even proposed to deploy police from other states but is unwilling to allow the presence of central forces during the polls which is expected to be violent and volatile. Earlier in the morning today, the West Bengal govt withdrew a review petition it had filed at the High Court against the order, indicating that it was moving Supreme Court instead.

SEC and West Bengal govt will file the petitions at the apex court on Saturday morningng through e-filling, and will demand early hearing.

Opposition parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, have filed caveats against the High Court ruling, demonstrating their concern over the implications of the decision on the electoral process.

The dispute surrounding the deployment of central forces during the Panchayat elections in West Bengal has brought to the forefront the political dynamics and the debate over maintaining law and order. The state government had advocated for the deployment of police from opposition-ruled states to ensure fair elections, but the High Court’s order firmly asserted the necessity of central forces to safeguard the electoral process.

The Calcutta High Court’s stern remarks towards the State Election Commission for impeding the implementation of its order highlighted the judiciary’s determination to uphold its decisions. The court warned the Commission against delay tactics and even raised the possibility of contempt proceedings if the court’s orders were not adhered to.

With the West Bengal Government and the State Election Commission now challenging the High Court’s decision in the Supreme Court, the legal battle over the deployment of central forces is poised to continue. The outcome of the apex court’s verdict will be eagerly awaited by political circles and the residents of West Bengal, as it will have a profound impact on the conduct and fairness of the Panchayat elections.

The Supreme Court’s decision will ultimately determine whether central forces will be deployed as ordered by the Calcutta High Court or if alternative measures will be considered to ensure a smooth and secure electoral process in West Bengal.

‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ pulled down before its release in several Muslim-majority countries over the presence of a transgender poster

OpIndia Staff
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‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ pulled down before its release in several Muslim-majority countries over the presence of a transgender poster

In a surprising turn of events, the highly anticipated blockbuster movie “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” has been unexpectedly removed from cinema listings in over a dozen Muslim-majority countries. The decision appears to be linked to a transgender poster that briefly appears in the background of one frame, which has sparked controversy and led to the film’s withdrawal. Empire Entertainment, the Middle East distributor for the animated Sony Pictures film, has not provided any official explanation for this move despite multiple inquiries.

The movie was released in the US, India, and several other countries on June 2, and was scheduled to open in several Arab countries on June 22.

Although no explicit bans on the film have been announced, it is evident that “Across the Spider-Verse” will not be screened in several Muslim countries. According to reports, a source close to the film, who preferred to remain anonymous, stated that the United Arab Emirates, known for its strict censorship of movies targeting children and younger viewers, does not anticipate the film’s release.

Furthermore, the official Saudi Cinema Twitter account posted a statement along with a movie poster, affirming that the organization will not approve any film that violates the nation’s media content regulations or fails to comply with required amendments by production companies.

The Twitter handle of Saudi Cinema posted, “Out of our keenness on the safety of the content shown in cinemas, and our responsibility towards the viewers, we would like to point out that we will not permit or license any film that contradicts the content controls in force in the media system and it’s implementing regulations unless the production companies commit to implementing the required amendments.”

The decision to pull the movie from theatres came just days before its scheduled release on June 22, in time for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. Initial listings included countries such as Kuwait, the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, and Egypt, but the film was quietly removed from their cinema programs without any official reasons provided. The inclusion of a brief transgender reference in the film may have caused offence in Arab countries where Islamic law, or Sharia, and societal norms consider homosexuality and transgender identity as contrary to religious beliefs.

The controversial scene in question depicts a transgender flag bearing the message “Protect Trans Kids,” displayed in the room of Gwen Stacy, a spider superhero voiced by actress Hailee Steinfeld.

It is worth noting that the UAE, known for its modern metropolis Dubai and iconic skyscrapers, has not officially banned the film. The federation of seven sheikhdoms had previously announced an end to film censorship in an effort to promote itself as a liberal and cosmopolitan destination. However, the UAE has occasionally chosen to withhold specific movies from its theatres.

Emaar Entertainment, the parent company of major UAE cinema company Reel Cinemas, confirmed that they will not be screening “Across the Spider-Verse.” The decision was attributed to Empire Entertainment, the exclusive theatrical distributor for Sony Pictures movies in the Middle East. Multiple attempts to reach Empire Entertainment, the UAE Ministry of Youth and Culture, and the Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology for comment were unsuccessful.

This incident recalls a similar occurrence last year when Disney’s “Lightyear” faced bans in thirteen Muslim-majority countries due to a scene featuring a lesbian kiss. Although the scene had been initially removed from the film, it was later restored following protests by Pixar employees against Disney’s response to a controversial legislation in Florida dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a computer-animated movie featuring the Marvel character Spiderman. The prequel to “Across the Spider-Verse,” titled “Into the Spider-Verse,” enjoyed a successful run in the region upon its release in 2018. The film “Across the Spider-Verse” serves as the second instalment in a trilogy, with the final chapter set to release in regional cinemas next year.

As West Bengal panchayat elections inch closer, Mamata’s TMC unleashes ‘Khela’ of violence against Opposition. Here is what happened

Dibakar Dutta
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As West Bengal panchayat elections inch closer, Mamata’s TMC unleashes ‘Khela’ of violence against Opposition. Here is what happened

Ahead of the Panchayat polls that are scheduled to take place on July 8 this year, the State of West Bengal is witnessing an orgy of political violence.

Goons, associated with the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) party, have created an atmosphere of chaos and unrest since the commencement of the filing of poll nominations. So far, at least 3 people have lost their lives.

The ongoing violence in West Bengal is part of the ruling dispensation’s playbook to intimidate the Opposition parties. The State has witnessed similar cases during the infamous 2021 Vidhan Sabha election and the 2022 civic body polls.

Congress worker killed by TMC goons in Murshidabad

On the night of June 9, 2023, a Congress worker by the name of Fulchand Sheik was shot dead at his residence in Ratnapur village in the Khargram community development block in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal.

Reportedly, the deceased was a nominee of the Congress party for the upcoming Panchayat elections in the State. The police arrested two accused, identified as one Safique Sheikh and Kaber Sheikh, on June 10.

Both of them are said to be the workers of the Trinamool Congress party. They were presented before the Kandi sub-divisional court, which remanded the duo to 5 days in police custody.

Meanwhile, TMC Block President (Khargam) Shamsher Momin conceded, “How can we deny that those arrested are our workers?” According to the family members of Fulchand Sheik, the accused killed him for deserting the TMC and joining hands with the Congress party.

“Trinamool activists killed my husband as he was likely to win the election on a Congress ticket. I want justice as a wife and a mother of two minor children,” lamented the deceased’s wife Manija Khatun. Besides Fulchand Sheik, two others were gravely injured in the attack.

While speaking about the matter, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, “The police are protecting the Trinamul leaders accused of involvement in the murder. It shows complete lawlessness in the area at a time the state election commission is promising to conduct free and fair elections.”

Violence breaks out between TMC, CPIM and Congress workers

On June 10, 2023, violence broke out between the ruling Trinamool Congress party workers and those belonging to the CPIM-Congress alliance. The incident took place in Domkal in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal.

According to workers of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), foot soldiers of the TMC surrounded the office of the Block Development Officer (BDO) and attacked them.

Later, workers of the CPIM and Congress came together and chased away Trinamool Congress goons. Reportedly, both groups pelted stones at each other. Several vehicles in the area were damaged.

Amidst the chaos, a TMC leader by the name of Bashir Mollah was arrested for illegal possession of a pistol in Domkal. He was taken to a nearby police station

Mob attacks cops in Canning

A violent clash broke out near the BDO office in Canning in South 24 Parganas while several BJP and other opposition party leaders had arrived to file nomination papers for the panchayat elections.

Canning Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Dibakar Das said, “There was a clash between two groups. The mob attacked the Police as well. I was also injured. Some Policemen got minor injuries. 2 people were injured. They are undergoing treatment at the hospital and are currently stable. We have arrested 17-18 people. The incident is being investigated.”

CPIM worker killed in firing in Uttar Dinajpur

On Thursday (June 15), a Communist Party of India (Marxist) worker named Mansur Alam was killed after being fired upon by members of the ruling Trinamool Congress party. The incident took place in Chopra community development block in Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal.

Alam was en route to the office of the Block Development Officer (BDO) for filing his nomination papers, when he was shot dead. Two other CPI(M) workers were critically injured in the attack.

The duo was rushed to the Islampur sub-district hospital. One of the injured CPI(M) workers narrated, “We were going to submit nominations in a group at the BDO office when we were attacked by  TMC supporters. We were also beaten up.”

A video of the incident was shared on Twitter by prominent Communist leader, Mohammed Salim. The Trinamool Congress has however denied the allegations.

TMC MLA (Chopra) Hamidul Rahman claimed it to be a case of infighting in the Opposition camp. He remarked, “None of our workers or supporters went to the place where the incident took place. They (Opposition workers) fought among themselves…”

Clashes between TMC and ISF in Bhangar

Members of the ruling Trinamool Congres and the Islamist party ‘Indian Secular Front’ (ISF) clashed several times in Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district between June 13 and June 15.

Reportedly, stones and bombs were hurled at each other by both political groups. ISF has accused the Trinamool Congress of preventing their candidates from filing nomination papers. One worker of the party, identified as Mohammad Mohiuddin Molla, was killed on June 15, 2023.

“Two of our party workers have been killed and four others injured… I will not go back to my house. I don’t want to die,” remarked ISF leader Kutumuddin Molla.

ISF MLA, Naushad Siddiqui, also said, “TMC supporters snatched our candidates’ nomination files in front of the police. The state police are incompetent to handle the situation.”

Given that it was the last day for filing nomination papers, the deadline was extended till late in the night on the directions of the Calcutta High Court. The panchayat elections for 75000 seats are scheduled to take place on July 8 while the counting is scheduled for July 11.

Calcutta HC orders the deployment of central forces

On Thursday (June 15), the Calcutta High Court, led by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam, ordered that Central Paramilitary forces should be deployed in all districts in West Bengal during the upcoming Panchayat Polls on July 8.

The court directed that the State Election Commission should request the central govt for central forces. It is notable that the State government had opposed deploying central forces, and had offered to deploy police from opposition-ruled states to ensure fair elections.

The State Election Commission had approached the High Court requesting to reconsider the order to deploy central forces in sensitive areas, but instead, the court ordered to deploy the forces in all the districts. The court was not happy with the plea by the SEC. The

Bomb-making material recovered in South 24 Parganas

On Friday (June 16), the West Bengal police recovered bomb-making material in Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. A total of seven bags filled with husk-like material were recovered.

As per a report by The Indian Express, West Bengal has now become the hub for the ‘crude bomb’ cottage industry and children in the poor and marginalised areas of the State are paying the price for it.

The newspaper interviewed the families of 24 victims, who had either lost their lives in crude bomb attacks or been gravely injured between 2021 and 2022. The incidents took place across 5 districts of West Bengal, namely, North 24 Parganas, Burdwan, Birbhum, Malda, and South 24 Parganas.

Bomb-making has become a profitable business due to the easy accessibility and procurement of raw materials. Crude bombs, such as the commonly used “Peto” and “Lal Sada,” are priced at an average of just over ₹150 in rural areas, making them a cost-effective choice for criminal activities.

2021 post-poll violence in West Bengal

Using violence as an instrument to subdue their political opponents has become a distinctive feature of the TMC rule in West Bengal. Ever since the Mamata Banerjee-led retained power in the state, the persecution of dissenters and opposition workers has only intensified.

More than a dozen BJP workers lost their lives in the post-poll violence that ensued following the victory of the TMC party in the assembly elections. There were reports that said women in West Bengal were raped, assaulted and, in some cases, even killed, just because they adhered to a different political ideology.

In 2021, a victim who was raped by the TMC goons in front of her father shared her harrowing ordeal with OpIndia. She narrated how she was attacked and sexually assaulted by perpetrators associated with the TMC party.

In the aftermath of the assembly election results, TMC goons wreaked havoc, attacking and plundering the houses of their opponents. In one such attack, TMC goons lynched BJP worker Avijit Sarkar to death.

Hindus persecuted due to fear of pseudo seculars, prosecutors scared of specific community NGOs: What Gujarat court said while acquitting 35 in 2002 riots case

OpIndia Staff
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Hindus persecuted due to fear of pseudo seculars, prosecutors scared of specific community NGOs: What Gujarat court said while acquitting 35 in 2002 riots case

Thirty-five individuals were exonerated by a sessions court in Halol town, Panchmahal district, in relation to four separate riot incidents during the Gujarat riots in 2002, in which three people were killed. The trial concerned violence that occurred in the Kalol town, Delol village, and Derol Station areas on February 28, 2002, under the jurisdiction of the Kalol police station, following the burning of the Sabarmati Express Train the day before.

The police were reportedly notified of three missing people when they visited the relief camps that had been established in the wake of the instance. Three missing people named Yusuf Ibrahim Sheikh, Harun Abdul Sattar Tasiya and Ruhul Amin Padva from the minority community were found dead a few days later.

Initially, the First Information Report (FIR) listed assault, rioting, arson, and stone-pelting. However, an allegation of murder was added as a result of additional assertions made by the witnesses. Fifty-two people had been charge-sheeted out of which seventeen died during the trial that went on for over 20 years.

The court acquitted the accused due to a “lack of evidence” as witnesses turned hostile during the course of the trial. The prosecution was found to have failed to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that they were involved in the four riot instances, according to the judgement rendered by Halol Additional Sessions Judge Harsh Trivedi on June 12. The court ruled that none of them could be found guilty of engaging in rioting and that the former also failed to establish the recovery and seizure of any weapons.

The prosecution claimed that they were “killed by inflicting deadly weapons and then burning them, causing disappearance of evidence of offence” during an incident on February 28, 2002, at the Derol railway station, but the court countered that the victims’ statements submitted to various authorities were contradictory.

The judgment also criticised the pseudo-secular lobby. “Peace-loving Gujarati people were shocked and anguished by this incident. We have seen that then pseudo-secular media and politicians rubbed salt into the wound of anguished people. Reports say that sixteen of Gujarat’s twenty-four districts were engulfed in communal rioting post-Godhra carnage. Nowhere mobs were less than 2000-3000 or more. Often they were more than 5,000-10,000 strong.”

It added, “There were spontaneous riots in Gujarat. They were not planned ones, as described by pseudo-secular persons. Due to the uproar of pseudo-secular media and organizations, the accused persons have unnecessarily faced prolonged trial.”

The court stated, “In the case on hand the prosecution witnesses, particularly, Muslim witnesses who are alleged sufferers of riots have given widely divergent versions of the riots.” A total of 130 witnesses were examined during the trial. It mentioned that during communal riots, a significant number of people are usually involved and the evidence is frequently wholly partisan.

“In cases of communal riots cases the police usually prosecute members of both the community. But it is for the court to ascertain in such cases, which of the two versions is correct and the court can not shirk this duty on the ground that the police did not ascertain which of the stories was true,” it remarked.

It pointed out, “There is moreover, great danger of innocent persons being implicated along with the guilty, owing to the tendency of the parties in such cases to try to implicate falsely as many of their enemies as they can. Therefore, the possibility of innocent persons being falsely implicated should always be borne in mind by the judge.”

The court proclaimed that none of the police witnesses in the instances had “identified miscreants, even during the investigation and during the trial,” making them “unreliable.” It quoted famed Gujarati author and Congress politician Kanhaiyalal Munshi and voiced, “If every time there is inter-communal conflict, the majority is blamed regardless of merits of the question, the spring of traditional tolerance will dry up.”

“In the case on hand, the police have unnecessarily implicated the accused in the alleged commission of the crime. Police implicated prominent Hindu persons in the area, doctors, professors, teachers, businessmen, panchayat officials etc., who hail from the Hindu community,” it observed.

The court noted that the trial was drawn out to the point where “the first and last IO (investigating officer) died before they could be called as witnesses” as a result of the “continued and repeated written assertions from members of the Muslim community.” It declared that all of the surviving defendants had been cleared because “there is no evidence that the accused persons committed the offences under the sections (they were booked for)”.

They were indicted under sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with deadly weapon), 149 (offence committed by a member of an unlawful assembly for the prosecution of the common object), 302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 395 (dacoity), 435 (mischief by fire), 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house) of the India Penal Court (IPC).

More sections of the IPC including 427 (mischief to cause loss or damage of Rs 50 or more), 333 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship, with intent to insult the religion of any class), 153(A) (offence in any place of worship or in any assembly engaged in the performance of religious worship or religious ceremonies), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (insulting someone intentionally to provoke them) and 502 (sells or offers for sale any printed or engraved substance containing defamatory matter), as well as Section 135 of the Bombay Police Act, was invoked against them.

Prabhas starrer Adipurush set to do well at Box Office, but Hindus express concerns about dialogues, depiction: Here are some of them

OpIndia Staff
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Prabhas starrer Adipurush set to do well at Box Office, but Hindus express concerns about dialogues, depiction: Here are some of them

Director Om Raut’s film Adipurush was released on 16th June 2023. Based on Ramayana, the film stars Prabhas as Ram, Kriti Sanon as Sita, Saif Ali Khan as Ravan and Deodatta Nage as Hanuman. Though the film is set to do well at the box office, many Hindus on social media have expressed concerns over dialogues and depiction in certain scenes of the movie. The snippets and video clips of these dialogues and scenes are going viral on social media with comments by Hindus showing their disagreements and unhappiness with the makers of the film.

Twitter account Cogito criticised the depiction of 10 heads of Ravan in this film. The ten heads of Ravan are not shown as traditionally known to one and all but shown as randomly floating faces on the screen. Commenting on this, Cognito wrote, “In Adipurush, Saif Ali Khan has channelled his inner Taimur, the Hindu genocider who he named his son after. Ravana was a Brahmarakshasa, devout Shivbhakt, credited with writing the Shiva Tandava Stotram, master in the Vedas & Astrology, exponent in playing Veena but gets portrayed here like a badly edited meme.” A wine glass can also be seen in the right hand of this Ravan played by Saif Ali Khan.

Filmy Baap Official criticised the VFX and casting of this film. The Twitter handle posted, “Om Raut and T Series should be given belt treatment for ruining Ramayana. Adipurush is a big letdown. Even Prabhas looked uncomfortable playing Raghav. Saif Ali Khan tried his best to make Raavan menacing but they didn’t change his looks. Kriti Sanon is okayish. Poor VFX!”

Dr Diksha Vaingankar compared the ten heads of Ravan with a bunch of balloons. She wrote, “From when Saif Ali Khan’s face printed balloons came? Adipurush.”

In one of the scenes of the movie, it is shown that Ravan slits the throat of Sita. While it is not yet clear if it is shown as the part of main plot of the film or as a dream sequence, social media is flooded with the reactions of Hindus angry over this portrayal of the Hindu epic while beheading is not a part of religious practices in Hinduism.

Amitabh Chaudhary wrote, “Why Adipurush promoting STSJ, which version of Ramayan says that Maa Sita was brought into the battlefield by Ravan. Why have Bollywood always made a mockery of Hindu dharma, culture and epics in the name of artistic freedom.”

The video clip has been now removed due to copyright violation. While according to the epic, Ravan’s son Indrajit had created an illusion of killing Sita, it was done in front of Hanuman, not Ram as shown in th movie. Moreover, the illusion didn’t show Sita getting beheaded.

In the iconic scene of Lanka Dahan in which Ravan sets Hanuman’s tail on fire and then Hanuman burns the Golden city of Lanka with the same, dialogues assigned to Deodatta Nage are also causing rage in the Hindus. In this dialogue, Hanuman says to Indrajit, “The cloth is of your dad, the oil is of your dad, the fire is also set by your dad, and what will burn now is also of your dad.”

Akku Johar tweeted, “Adipurush is doing more damage to our history than glorifying it. Hanuman ji was a great devotee of Shri Ram ji. Jai Shree Ram. They never used it …. ‘Tera Baap’. Manoj Muntashir have some shame for this dialogue!”

The white long robes given to the character of Ram played by Prabhas resembled to the clothes of Jesus. Criticising this, Duhan posted, “Christianity’s Jesus cameo in Adipurush confirmed. Hallelujah.”

Manish slammed the VFX of this film and said that even the Chhota Bheem was a better VFX than Adipurush. He also asked if Ravan was a part-time smith as Ravan is shown forging a sword when Hanuman is captured and brought to him for the first time in Lanka.

Deep posted, “WTFFFF! Is he Ravan or Thanos? I have booked tickets for tomm. But I guess I won’t be going tomm! I can’t see this. What the hell is THIS? Om Raut you should be jailed.”

The tattooed depiction of Ravan’s son Indrajit also came under the fire of criticism. Soldier 2.0 posted, “Visionary director Om Raut represented Indrajeet as Aquaman in Adipurush.”

There are many other objections of the audience in general and Hindus in particular. People coming out of the cinema exhibition halls were seen criticising the film for various reasons. Some of them did not like the VFX. Some others were unhappy with the wrong depiction of Ramayan. The viewers accused the director of distorting the story of epic Indian history in the name of modernising the story. The cringe dialogues were also criticised.

There are many flaws in the characterisation also, according to people who watched the movie. Viewers pointed out that no one has ever been able to harm Lord Hanuman, but the Adipurush film shows that he is being kicked. Ravan – a son of a Brahmin – is shown feeding meat with his own hands. Ram is shown wearing a leather jacket while in Vanvas. People demanded that this film shall not be exhibited anymore. Those who brought their kids to show the story of Ramayan on the big screen are themselves confused about how to answer the questions of the kids after watching this film.

Though the first-day collections of the film are heading towards Rs 40 Crores, the public reactions to such scenes and dialogue may cause damage to the box office collection of this film in the next few days.

Karnataka: Paan shop owner writes social media post criticising Congress’ ‘Shakti’ scheme, booked for ‘inciting hate’ in society

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: Paan shop owner writes social media post criticising Congress’ ‘Shakti’ scheme, booked for ‘inciting hate’ in society

On Friday, June 16, a case was registered against a man from Gajendragad town in the Gadag district in Karnataka for allegedly ‘defaming’ the Congress government in the state and inciting hate in the society through a social media post. The complaint was allegedly lodged over a Facebook post about the ‘Shakti’ scheme implemented by the Congress government in the state for women.

On June 11, the accused Yamanappa Mageri, a paan shop owner shared a post on his Facebook account, Muthu Mageri, about the ‘Shakti’ scheme implemented by the Congress government in the state for women.

“The purpose of the guarantee is to put condition after condition and eventually deliver the scheme to only their relatives,” he wrote in the post. He slammed the Karnataka Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Siddharamaiah and accused him of favouring one community.

Reacting to this post, the complainant alleged that Yamanappa Mageri’s posts on Facebook hurt the sentiments of one community and incited hate in society.

Arjun Hanumanthappa Rathod, the person who lodged the complaint, claimed that the accused had not only posted derogatory posts against the Chief Ministers of state but also incited the sentiments of people of one community.

Speaking about the complaint Arjun Hanumanthappa Rathod told Republic TV, Gajendragad is a peaceful town and such posts would only disturb the communal peace and harmony in the region.”

He added that members of both communities have been living harmoniously for ages and their brotherhood should not be destroyed, therefore he has filed the case.

Based on his complaint, the Gajendragad police have registered a case under IPC sections 295A, and 505(1)(b) and assured that an investigation is underway and that action will be taken in accordance with the law against the accused. 

Karnataka Congress’s Shakti scheme costs the state exchequer Rs 21 crore in 3 days

The promises made by the congress party before the state assembly elections have been facing a lot of criticism, primarily due to the delay in implementation and the financial burden on the state.

The five main promises made by the congress party before the state assembly elections are- Gruha Jyoti: 200 units of free power to all households, Gruha Lakshmi: Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family, Anna Bhagya: 10 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household; Yuva Nidhi scheme: diploma holders will get an allowance of Rs 1,500 per month for two years, while graduates will receive Rs 3,000 per month and Shakti: Free bus rides for all women in the state.

Congress’ Shakti scheme which took off on Monday, June 12, cost the state exchequer Rs 8.84 crore in one single day and Rs 21.05 crore in the first three days, according to the transport department. If one were to take into consideration the Monday figure, the annual expenditure on this scheme may touch between Rs 3,200 crore to Rs 3,400 crore, a transport officer told the media.

Karnataka: Cop on duty mowed down by tractor of sand mafia in Kalaburagi, driver arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: Cop on duty mowed down by tractor of sand mafia in Kalaburagi, driver arrested

A head constable was brutally killed by the sand mafia in Karnataka’s Kalaburagi on Thursday after he was run over by a tractor. Head constable Mayura, 51, of the Nelogi police station was trying to stop the transportation of illegally-mined sand when he was crushed to death by a tractor near Narayanpur in Jewargi taluk of Kalaburagi.

The tractor driver named Sidhanna has been arrested.

Head constable Mayura Chauhan and constable Pramod Dodmani were assigned patrolling duty on Thursday following complaints of illegal sand mining from Hullur village in Kalaburagi. They were conducting rounds on a bike when they noticed a tractor. It was past 10 pm by this time.

The two policemen began to chase it. The driver of the tractor increased the speed and ran overhead Constable Chauhan killing him on the spot. Constable Pramod sustained injuries.

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameswhara said the search is underway for one more accused.

“We have already taken action. It is unfortunate that our Policeman has died on duty. We have arrested a person who has done it, we are searching for one more person. It will be done very soon. Rs 30 Lakhs compensation has already been given to that family. On humanitarian grounds, that family will also get employment. That process is on…,” Parameswhara said.

Jewargi MLA Ajay Singh has promised a compensation of Rs 30 lakh to head constable Mayura’s family. State Minister Priyank Kharge has taken stock of the situation and assured his full support to the police, according to Isha Pant, SP Kalaburagi.

BJP calls out Congress govt

The BJP has accused the Congress government in Karnataka of promoting mafias. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla tweeted that “Congress is destroying law and order in Karnataka.”

Karnataka, which is under the Congress-led Siddaramaiah govt, has been in the headlines lately for all the wrong reasons.

Yesterday, the Karnataka government announced its decision to repeal the anti-conversion law.

Hindu Sena approaches Delhi HC against Adipurush, says it makes a mockery of the Ramayana, Lord Ram, Sita and the Hindu culture

OpIndia Staff
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Hindu Sena approaches Delhi HC against Adipurush, says it makes a mockery of the Ramayana, Lord Ram, Sita and the Hindu culture

Hours after Om Raut’s Adipurush, starring Prabhas, Saif Ali Khan and Kriti Sanon, hit the theatres, the movie has run into trouble. Vishnu Gupta, National President of the Hindu Sena has filed a PIL against the movie, asserting that it has mocked the Hindu epic Ramayana, Hindu God and Goddesses and the Hindu culture.

The plea seeks directions to remove the objectionable scenes related to the Hindu gods Ram, Ravana, Sita and Hanuman. It alleged that the depiction of these deities in the film is inaccurate and inappropriate and contrary to depictions of religious characters as found in Ramayana.

Hindus have a distinctive view of the images of Lord Ram, Sita, and Hanuman, and the plea contended that any alteration or tampering with those images by movie producers, directors, or performers would be a violation of their fundamental rights.

The plea stated that the scenes show the religious characters in bad taste and are an absolute insult to Hindu civilization, Hindu religious figures, idols, etc.

Slamming the makers of Adipurush for distorting the image of the revered Hindu deities, Vishnu Gupta stated in the PIL that the hairstyle, beard and dress are well-defined as per the image created in epics. Any variation by film producers, directors and actors would certainly hurt the sentiments of worshipers, devotees and religious believers, he stated.

“Therefore, such feature films may not be permitted for public exhibition until corrective measures are taken by the film producers and directors,” the PIL read.

“Distorted public exhibition of Hindu religious figures by film Adipurush is a clear cut violation of freedom of conscience and practice in as much as the freedom to manage religious affairs as guaranteed under Article 26 which is also violated,” PIL added.

The Hindu Sena urged the Union Government and the Central Board Of Film Certification to not permit any filmmaker to publicly exhibit any feature film “which may tend to disturb public order and secular fabric of the society.”

It added, “The Deputy CM of Uttar Pradesh has also made a public statement not to allow the exhibition of Adipurush which may hurt religious sentiments. Therefore, the implication of its release may have far-reaching consequences if it is passed and cleared for unrestricted exhibition.”

Film Adipurush causes upheavals in Nepal

The movie has also caused a stir in Nepal with the Kathmandu Mayor Balen Shah raising objections to dialogue in the film. Balen Shah claimed that the film refers Sita to as the “daughter of India” while she is widely regarded as the “daughter of Nepal.”

As per reports, a dialogue in the movie Adipurush, where Lord Ram (played by Baahubali star Prabhas) is asking the Vanar Sena to fight to save India’s daughter from the captivity of Ravana, has created some controversy in Nepal.

Belen Shah, the Mayor of the Kathmandu metropolitan area had taken a strong objection to Mata Seeta being referred to as ‘India’s daughter’, had asserted that she is, in fact, Nepal’s daughter, and the makers of Aadipurush had been given 3-days time to remove the allegedly controversial dialogue from the movie.

‘Adipurush’ disappoints viewers, gets 1.5-star rating from film critics

Popular film critic Taran Adarsh took to Twitter on Friday (June 16) to review the movie and gave it a disappointing 1.5-star rating. In a tweet, he said, “One-word review: Disappointing. Rating – 1.5 stars. Adipurush is an epic disappointment…Just doesn’t meet the mammoth expectations…Director OmRaut had a dream cast and a massive budget on hand but creates a huge mess. #AdipurushReview.”

A number of moviegoers and bloggers also expressed their displeasure, pointing out the numerous areas where the filmmakers have erred. Some people were offended by the movie’s cringe dialogues, others were irate at how crassly the Hindu mythological characters were depicted. Most were, however, appalled by how the Hindu epic Ramayan was grossly misrepresented in the film.

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