On Friday, May 19, 2023, Syed Tahir Hussain, an assistant professor in the department of anesthesiology at Madurai Medical College (MMC) in Tamil Nadu, was suspended due to allegations of sexual harassment. A complaint was filed on May 6, 2023, by 23 women associated with the college, which included professors, nurses, and post-graduate students, accusing Tahir Hussain of sexual harassment. Following an internal inquiry conducted by the college, these allegations were found to be true. Additionally, Hussain is also accused of misconduct towards patients in the operation theatre.
The charges against Syed Tahir Hussain were investigated by the Vishakha Committee under the Directorate of Medical Education (DME). After a thorough investigation, the committee confirmed the validity of the victim’s allegations. Dr Dhanalakshmi, the dean and chief of the Vishakha Committee, announced the suspension of Professor Syed Tahir Hussain during a press conference.
The press conference also shed light on Tahir Hussain’s actions, revealing the nature of his misconduct. The complainants consisted of 18 students enrolled in the operation theatre course, two postgraduates, one nurse, and two professors from the department of anesthesiology. Each of them identified themselves as victims of Tahir Hussain’s sexual harassment.
Dr Dhanalakshmi, the head of the Vishakha Committee probing the allegations against Syed Tahir Hussain, disclosed that Tahir’s colleagues were hesitant to accompany him during surgeries due to fear. It was revealed that he would address the students with offensive obscene nicknames.
Furthermore, the students who accused Syed Tahir Hussain alleged that he would touch them inappropriately. Additionally, Tahir would force the students to remove their masks in the operation theatre, arguing that it was necessary to have a clear view of their faces.
The victims from the medical college further accused Syed Tahir Hussain of making comments about the girls’ complexion. He would describe the ‘fair’ girls as being born from virtuous parents. The victims also alleged that Syed Tahir Hussain would pull their hair, commenting on its beauty.
Additionally, Tahir Hussain would make inappropriate remarks about the girls’ eyebrows. Furthermore, it is alleged that he hugged a girl who was grieving over the death of a relative in an inappropriate manner, under the pretense of consoling her.
Syed Tahir Hussain is also accused of molesting his female patients. Media reports suggest that the number of victims who have come forward with allegations of sexual abuse by Tahir ranges from 23 to 41. Additionally, it is alleged that even after the complaint was filed on May 6, 2023, he continued his inappropriate behaviour towards girls, and continued to molest them. He is accused of sexually harassing female students both within and outside the operation theatre.
In 2017, a sexual harassment accusation was made against Professor Tahir Hussain within the college, but no action was taken at that time. However, he has denied the current allegations made against him. Tahir claims that he is being targeted with false complaints as a result of his efforts to expose irregularities in the promotions, transfers, and postings of government doctors in the state. He stated that he is prepared to face any investigation.
A five-member team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) departed for London on May 23 to conduct an inquiry into the event of the attack on the Indian High Commission in London two months ago, where the pro-Khalistani elements had pulled down the Indian national flag and tried to hoist the Khalistani flag. The development took place a day after meeting with British intelligence personnel in Delhi.
The NIA team is conducting an investigation on the United Kingdom’s soil for the first time. The NIA team has also carried a list of Khalistani links in the city which they may share with Scotland Yard. It, therefore, becomes necessary to know what is NIA, why it was formed, and how NIA was empowered to conduct an investigation on foreign soils.
NIA was formed after Mumbai terror attacks
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) was established in 2008, following the tragic events of the Mumbai terror attacks which resulted in the loss of 166 lives. The implementation of the NIA Act 2008 constituted the agency on 31st December 2008 with the aim of providing a dedicated agency to effectively tackle terrorism-related crimes. The agency started its operations in 2009.
The NIA, headquartered in New Delhi, is India’s central counter-terrorism law enforcement agency. It investigates offences that threaten India’s sovereignty, security, and integrity. Since its establishment, the NIA has been authorized to investigate terrorism-related crimes in various states without requiring special permission, as stated in a written proclamation from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The NIA Act 2008
Under the NIA Act, the NIA was given the authority to investigate and prosecute a wide range of offences, including acts of terrorism, terrorist conspiracies, organized crime, smuggling of arms and explosives, and offences under various other laws specified in the Schedule to the Act. The agency was empowered to take over cases from the state police forces, and it can also conduct parallel investigations with the state police.
the NIA has substantial powers for effective investigation. The agency can arrest and detain individuals suspected of terrorism-related offenses, conduct searches, seize properties, intercept communications, and gather evidence. It can also establish special NIA courts for the speedy trial of cases.
The NIA Act was amended in 2019 allowing NIA probes abroad
When the Modi government was voted to power for the second consecutive time in India in 2019, Narendra Modi’s trusted close aid Amit Shah was made the home minister of the country. As a home minister, Amit Shah went on to take the bold decision of revoking Article 370 and dividing the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories. Though most people know about the important decision regarding the northern border state signed on 5th August 2019, comparatively fewer people are aware of the amendments in the NIA Act that were brought to practice on 2nd August 2019.
A government notification said, “In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section 1 of the National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Act, 2019 (16 of 2019), the central government hereby appoints the 2nd August 2019, as the date on which the provisions of the said Act shall come into force.” A bill in this regard was passed in the parliament on 17th July 2019.
The NIA Amendment Act of 2019 introduced crucial provisions that bolstered the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) capabilities in combating terrorism and related offences. The amendment significantly broadened the scope of the NIA’s jurisdiction while granting it additional powers to effectively investigate and prosecute cases that pose threats to national security.
One notable provision included in the amendment was the extension of the NIA’s authority to investigate offences committed outside India. However, this provision is subject to the existing international treaties and the domestic laws of the respective countries involved. By enabling the NIA to operate beyond India’s borders, the amendment aimed to enhance the agency’s reach and effectiveness in dealing with transnational crimes that have implications for India’s sovereignty, security, and integrity.
Other important provisions of the amendment
Among the other important aspects of the amendment was the inclusion of offences related to human trafficking within the NIA’s purview. Recognizing the grave nature of this crime and its connection to national security concerns, the amendment empowered the NIA to investigate and prosecute cases involving human trafficking. This provision aimed to combat the exploitation of vulnerable individuals while disrupting the networks involved in this illicit trade.
Additionally, the amendment expanded the NIA’s jurisdiction to encompass offences associated with the circulation of counterfeit currency. Counterfeit currency not only undermines the country’s economy but can also contribute to financing illegal activities, including terrorism. By granting the NIA the authority to investigate such cases, the amendment sought to dismantle the networks involved in counterfeit currency circulation and curb their detrimental impact on national security.
In response to the escalating threat of cyber-terrorism, the amendment also conferred upon the NIA the power to investigate and prosecute cases related to this form of criminal activity. This provision aimed to equip the NIA with the necessary tools to address cybercrimes with national security implications, such as attacks on critical infrastructure and the utilization of the internet for promoting extremist ideologies. Besides, the 2019 amendment allowed the central and state government to designate Sessions Courts as Special Courts for the trial of scheduled offences under the Act.
Home Minister Amit Shah’s vision behind the amendments in the NIA Act
During the parliamentary discussion on 17th July 2019 when the bill NIA (Amendment) Act 2019 was passed, home minister Amit Shah said, “It is the responsibility of the Parliament to build a strong image of NIA in front of the world. The efficiency of the NIA should not be degraded by political considerations. Till now India does not have the power to prosecute terror accused for perpetrating acts of terror against Indians abroad. The new bill should be passed with the support of all parties and it should send a message to the world that India, as a Nation, and the Parliament are united behind building a robust NIA to fight terror.”
What NIA is probing in London now?
NIA is probing the Khalistani anti-India protests in London. On March 19, a group of demonstrators brandishing pro-Khalistani signs and waving Khalistan’s yellow and black flag grabbed a Tricolour atop the Indian High Commission in London. Videos of the violent crowd showed them waving the Khalistan flag and demanding that the Waris Punjab De chief and extremist Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh be freed. One of them is even filmed scaling a balcony and amid applause from the other individuals, removing the Indian flag from a pole in front of the high commission.
However, police officers arrived on the spot and prevented the protestors from approaching the entrance of the Indian High Commission. An employee of the High Commission had said that the one who attempted to knock down the Tricolour assaulted and wounded him, and that the throng outside had done extensive damage to the mission’s property. The footage indicated that the Khalistanis shouted obscenities towards Indian authorities inside the building.
The agency is probing the matter in London as the NIA Amendment Act of 2019 ushered in crucial changes to strengthen the NIA’s mandate. By allowing the agency to investigate offences committed outside India, in compliance with international treaties and domestic laws, the amendment recognized the global nature of contemporary crimes against India. Such crimes may seem sporadic on a superficial level but deep down there are well-planned conspiracies beneath and n agency like NIA must always be backed and empowered to unearth these dark secrets. The 2019 amendment is therefore very important in this direction. Moreover, by incorporating provisions related to human trafficking, counterfeit currency, and cyber-terrorism, the amendment reinforced the NIA’s ability to counter diverse threats and uphold India’s sovereignty, security, and integrity.
On May 24, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Australia, a group called ‘We The Diaspora’ screened the controversial BBC documentary on Gujarat Riots in the Australian Parliament House. The Government of India banned the documentary in January 2023. The opening address given was Haroon Kasim followed by the screening of the documentary.
Furthermore, the daughter of jailed former IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, Dr Aakashi Bhatt, spoke at the event on the topic “Gujarat Pogrom and Prime Minister Modi”. It was followed by a panel discussion with Aakashi, Professor Mohan Dutta of the Center for Culture-Centered Approach to Research and Evaluation (CARE), Aakar Patel of Amnesty India and Senator Jordan Steele John and David Shoebridge.
The screening was organised by We The Diaspora in collaboration with CARE, Hindus for Human Rights (Australia and New Zealand), Amnesty International, Periyar Ambedkar Thoughts Circle-Australia (PATC-A) and The Humanism Project.
The group ‘We The Diaspora’
OpIndia tried to find information on the group that organised the screening. We could not find who runs the group or any key members of it. There are several reports on different media outlets that talked about the screening of the film and they all mentioned that SBS News quoted We The Diaspora speaking about the screening.
When we checked SBS News, there was only one report on the screening of the documentary and it had no mention of the group We The Diaspora. The group appears to have no social media presence. There was only one event organised by them which was a screening of this documentary. Maybe the panellists like Aakashi, Aakar and Mohan could explain who these people are.
Meet Haroon Kasim
Haroon Kasim is the founding member of Australia-based anti-Hindu group The Humanism Project. The group was also behind the screening fo the film. A Kashmiri Separatist, Kasim has been close to Khalistani outfits and Jamat-i-Islami’s Kashmir propaganda front Stand With Kashmir. He is also linked to the International Council of Indian Muslims.
When CAA protests were happening, he had said, “The CAA law in India is going to result in a lot of Muslims losing their citizenship. Amnesty International called it the largest statelessness exercise in the history of the world. Detention camps have already been built in Assam. These are very strong similarities with Nazi Germany.”
The problematic background of Aakar Patel
Aakar Patel was the chair of Amnesty International’s India chapter, Amnesty India. The organisation closed its India Chapter closed its shop permanently in 2020 after Indian investigation agencies initiated a probe into FCRA violations and other activities. Since then, Amnesty India is only active on social media and Aakar Patel periodically shows his creepy obsession with PM Modi. In many photographs and posts on social media, Patel has added a bobblehead of PM Modi.
Recently, apart from being involved in the screening of a documentary in Australia, Amnesty India has laid down three demands from the newly elected Congress government in Karnataka that included revoking a ban on cow slaughter, hijab in educational institutions and religious conversions. They also demanded action against Hindus who call for a boycott of Muslim businesses.
Crimes of Amnesty International
There have been several instances where Amnesty International and its Indian chapter have openly worked against India and its people. In a report published in OpIndia in 2019, the connections between Amnesty International India, the British government, and radical Islamists were exposed. The organisation has a history of meddling with the internal affairs of India. It has constantly been trying to falsely project India as a violator of human rights and the ‘oppressor’ of Muslims.
Amnesty India and its former head Aakar Patel kept peddling blatant lies and fake news to portray India negatively. It also campaigned for the arrested Urban Naxals in the Bhima Koregaon violence case. Therefore, its actions are clearly tantamount to foreign interference in the domestic issues of India, and it is only appropriate that strict action is taken against it.
There is an ongoing investigation against Amnesty in India. In October 2022, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) attached assets worth Rs 1.54 crore of Amnesty International India under the anti-money laundering law for alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act making the total attached assets worth over 21 crores. “A provisional order for attachment has been issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). With this attachment, the total attachment now stands at Rs 21.08 crores”, the ED said.
According to the reports, the order has been issued against the so-called NGO trust named Indians for Amnesty International Trust (IAIT), in connection with a case involving an alleged breach of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). The ED issued a statement that the organization carried out NGO activities in the guise of services export and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to escape the FCRA laws.
Meet Senator Jordon Steele-John
Senator Jordon Steele-John is a politician at Australian Greens and an advocate for disabled rights. Before Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Australia, he, deputy leader of Greens Mehreen Faruqi and Senator David Shoebridge wrote a letter to the Australian PM and Foreign Minister urging them to raise human rights violation issues in India.
— Senator Jordon Steele-John (@SenatorJordon) May 18, 2023
In the letter they claimed that the Indian diaspora living in Australia including Punjabis, Kashmiris, Muslims and Sikhs have expressed concern over so-called human rights violations in India and they were worried about their relatives. They accused PM Modi of running an aggressive right-wing nationalist agenda. In another tweet, he claimed PM Modi was a key player in anti-Muslim rights without showing any proof.
Labor has to be consistent in its response to human rights abuses in our region. Modi has been a key player in anti-Muslim riots & promoting Hindu nationalism. Friends are honest with eachother. The PMs trip to India is a perfect opportunity to raise concerns with Modi #auspoI
— Senator Jordon Steele-John (@SenatorJordon) March 9, 2023
Furthermore, they mentioned the 2022 Press Freedom Index 2022 ranking of India that further slipped from the previous year. They also talked about a report called Early Warning Project that ranked India as the eighth country to have the highest risk of mass killing in 2022 and 2023. They quoted the report that claimed Muslim rights were being suppressed in India and there were calls for mass killings of Muslims by religious leaders in December 2021. They also pointed out that Muslim-owned properties were bulldozed by the authorities.
Notably, OpIndia has debunked the Press Freedom Ranking and showed how they used old reports full of misinformation and dubious data to support the ranking.
2022 has passed and almost half of 2023 has already passed. There were no incidents of so-called mass killings of Muslims. However, what happened in India was the opposite. The so-called fact-checker Mohammed Zubair who is the co-founder of propaganda portal Alt News dog whistled against former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma using an edited video from a debate. The situation spiralled into a series of murders of Hindus who supported Sharma. Hindu tailor Kanhaiya Lal from Udaipur was beheaded. Hindu businessman Umesh Kohle was murdered in Amravati.
There were several other incidents where Hindus were killed or threatened if they supported Nupur Sharma. Notably, Sharma is still living away from public life with a bounty on her life. On the other hand, Taslim Ahmed Rehmani, who used derogatory language for Bhagwan Shiv and instigated Sharma to retaliate, is roaming free. Rehmani is a Muslim. He was not even touched. There are no complaints against him. He continued to participate in debates. Sharma, who only retaliated to what he said, has to look over her shoulder for the rest of her life.
Authorities have bulldozed several properties across states and most of them happen to be Muslim-owned. However, the owners of those properties were either encroaching on government lands and/or were involved in criminal activities including riots. Not even a single property was razed without prior notice. Providing half-baked information in the letter to the PM and Foreign Minister shows how propaganda and misinformation against India have deep roots not even in India but also in foreign countries.
Meet Senator David Shoebridge
David Shoebridge is a Greens Senator for NSW. He was one of the panellists in the discussion following the documentary on PM Modi. He was also a signatory of the letter written to the Australian PM and Foreign Minister.
Notably, Shoebridge has been sympathetic to anti-India voices for a long. He appeared in discussions with a group called “Stand With Kashmir” which is linked to Jamat-e-Islami. Stand With Kashmir (SWK) for example, is considered as “one of the most influential voices in America on the subject of Kashmir.”
.@Greens cavort with terrorist sympathisers and support Pakistan- sponsored terrorism against #India and #Hindus. Adam Bandt and David Shoebridge sympathetic to Jamat-e-Islami's Stand With Kashmir while Lee Rhiannon is pally with terrorist Yasin Mallick's wife Mushaal Mallick. https://t.co/PSaAACQd7Wpic.twitter.com/Ze9Ecnjsa9
— Stop Hindu Hate Advocacy Network (SHHAN) (@HinduHate) May 19, 2023
It is believed to be backed by Sikh progressivist groups such as Ruthless Collective which was allegedly a British-Canadian Sikh organization. SWK also coordinated with Organization for Minorities of India (OFMI) and the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) to stage a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act in December 2019.
SWK social media accounts and websites are withheld in India.
CARE and Mohan J Dutta
One of the sponsors of the screening was the Center for Culture-Centered Approach to Research and Evaluation (CARE). Its chief at Massey University, Mohan J Dutta has been a vocal critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. From whataboutery to straightforward Hindu hate, his tweets are full of propaganda.
In one tweet, he called PM Modi an “Urban Nazi”. When PM Modi raised their voice against attacks on Temples in Australia in March this year, he whitewashed it by calling it “graffiti resisting Hindutva amidst growing Hindutva violence in Australia”. He also took the path of whataboutery and spoke of the murder of missionary Graham Stuart Staines who was killed along with his family. Staines was accused of forced religious conversions in the name of supporting the locals.
Hindus for Human Rights (Australia and New Zealand)
Hindus for Human Rights is an anti-India and anti-Hindu organisation. Its Australia and New Zealand chapter was one of the organisations behind the screening.
In 2022, OpIndia reported that ‘Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR)’ had been promoting the misleading narrative of ‘Hindu Vs Hindutva’. The same organisation was also seen endorsing the ‘Dismantling Global Hindutva’ event.
HfHR was formed in the year 2019 by two Islamist advocacy groups named Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) and the Organization for Minorities of India (OFMI). Interestingly, the three organisations had formed another outfit called the Alliance for Justice and Accountability (AJA).
the co-founder of Hindus for Human Rights also runs an organisation named ‘Women for Afghan Women’, which is funded by the Soros Open Society Foundation.
The group CARE has already planned another screening of the documentary on June 24. As the General Elections are approaching in India, anti-India, anti-Hindu and anti-BJP forces are working at full capacity to change the regime at the centre.
The Sanjiv Bhatt saga
Sanjiv Bhatt is a former police officer who claimed that then-Chief Minister Narendra Modi was involved in Gujarat Riots in 2002 and he stopped the police from taking any action against rioters. Furthermore, from time to time, Sanjib and his family have claimed that the Gujarat government and later the Indian government, after Narendra Modi became PM, conspired against Bhatt. His daughter has been a vocal critic of the Modi government and propagated misinformation and lies about Gujarat Riots 2002 on several platforms. Sanjiv Bhatt is currently facing life imprisonment for a custodial death. Our detailed reports on Bhatt can be seen here.
After 19 opposition parties led by Congress announced that they will boycott the inauguration of the new parliament building by PM Narendra Modi on 28 May, the ruling alliance NDA has issued a statement strongly condemning the move. In a statement issued by the constituents of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), they said that they “unequivocally condemn the contemptuous decision of 19 political parties to boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament building scheduled for Sunday, 28th May.”
The NDA statement said, “This act is not merely disrespectful; it is a blatant affront to the democratic ethos and constitutional values of our great nation.”
Saying that the Parliament is a hallowed institution, the beating heart of our democracy, and the epicentre of decision-making that shapes and influences the lives of our citizens, the NDA parties said that “such flagrant disrespect towards this institution betrays not only intellectual bankruptcy but a disturbing contempt for the very essence of democracy.“
The audacity of these opposition parties to preach about parliamentary decency and constitutional values is, in the light of their actions, nothing short of laughable. Their hypocrisy knows no bounds – they boycotted the special GST session presided over by the then President of… pic.twitter.com/xA9GaiM64A
The NDA says that the audacity of these opposition parties to preach about parliamentary decency and constitutional values is, in the light of their actions, nothing short of laughable. Calling out the hypocrisy of the opposition, the statement says that they had boycotted the special GST session presided over by the then President of India Pranab Mukherjee and skipped the ceremony when he was awarded the Bharat Ratna.
It further adds how the Congress extended a late courtesy call to Ramnath Kovind after his election as President, and the disrespect shown to current president Droupadi Murmu. “The staunch opposition to her candidature is not just an insult to her but a direct affront to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes of our nation,” it says.
Further giving examples, the statement mentions the emergency imposed by Congress govt and frequent misuse of the Article 356 of the Constitution.
The NDA further says, “It is painfully apparent that the Opposition shuns Parliament because it represents the will of the people – a will that has repeatedly rejected their antiquated and self-serving politics. Their preference for semi-monarchic governments and family-run parties shows an aversion to vibrant democracy, an ideology incongruent with the ethos of our nation.”
The statement adds, “What these Opposition parties are perpetrating is a disgrace to the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, Sardar Patel and the legacy of countless others who served this nation faithfully. Their actions tarnish the values these leaders upheld and worked tirelessly to instil in our democracy.”
The NDA parties implored the opposition parties to reconsider their decision, saying that if they do not, the 140 crore people of India will not forget this “egregious insult to our democracy and to their elected representatives”.
The statement was ended by saying, “Their actions today will echo through the annals of history, casting a long shadow over their legacy. We urge them to think about the nation and not individual political gains.”
The statement has been signed by representatives of BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), National People’s Party, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party, Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, Jananayak Janata Party, Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party, Apna Dal – Soneylal, Tamil Manila Congress, AIADMK, IMKMK, AJSU, and Mizo National Front.
In a recent development, the Valmiki community residing in Mandal has written a letter to the Taluka Development Officer (TDO), expressing their desire to migrate due to a recent tragic incident. The incident involved two Valmiki youths who were brutally attacked by Muslim youths. The Valmiki Samaj, in their letter, cites the growing influence of anti-social elements within the local Muslim society as the primary reason behind their decision. Furthermore, they have highlighted concerns about the potential threat to their lives.
On May 2, 2023, two individuals, namely Samir Salim Adi and a minor companion, viciously attacked two youths who had intervened to prevent them from making an offensive joke. Tragically, one of the youths sustained serious head injuries, while the other suffered severe fractures.
The police promptly apprehended both assailants in connection with the case. In response to this disturbing incident, the local Hindu community and various organizations rallied together, submitting petitions to various authorities, including the Ahmedabad district collector, urging for stringent punishment to be meted out to the accused.
The court granted bail to one of the accused, the juvenile (son of Mehboobbhai Adi), leading to his release. Meanwhile, the court is currently deliberating on the bail application of Sameer Salim Adi, the other accused. However, the Valmiki community has raised objections to this bail plea. Additionally, community members have come forward, alleging that they have been receiving threats from certain leading and powerful individuals within the local Muslim community.
The Valmiki community in Mandal seeks permission to migrate
The Valmiki community of Mandal has sent a letter to Taluka Development Officer (TDO) seeking permission for migration. “We have been living for years in Mandal at the old Valmiki colony, where the Muslim community population lives in and around the entrance of the Valmiki colony, and the Valmiki community has been troubled for years by them,” the letter said.
The letter further adds, “Adjacent to the colony, individuals from the Muslim community have erected shops without obtaining prior permissions from the panchayat. These shops remain operational throughout the day and extend their operating hours late into the night. Disturbingly, the children and young girls belonging to the Valmiki community face verbal abuse and derogatory comments pertaining to their caste when they visit these shops to make purchases.”
In the letter addressed to the TDO, the victims highlighted the distressing situation where certain individuals from the local Muslim community subject the Valmiki community to relentless torture. This torment has become so severe that it has compelled the Valmiki community to consider fleeing their own colony. Furthermore, the perpetrators continuously instigate quarrels as a pretext to launch attacks on the Valmiki community.
The continued torture inflicted upon them not only jeopardizes the well-being of individual families but also poses a significant threat to their very existence. Consequently, the Valmiki community finds themselves left with no choice but to contemplate mass migration as a means to escape the physical and psychological torture they endure.
Threats of mowing down a car
In order to gather additional information regarding the matter, OpIndia reached out to Bhavin Siresia, a prominent leader representing the Valmiki community. As per Siresia’s account, the victims are currently facing coercion to retract the police complaint that was filed subsequent to the previous incidents of assaults.
In a letter addressed to the TDO, Rahul Siresia, one of the victims, expressed that the accused individuals from the Muslim party were exerting pressure on the victim’s family to withdraw the case. Moreover, the family has been receiving death threats from different people. Disturbingly, threats have also been made to blow up the family’s vehicle while travelling on the road. These grave circumstances have instilled such fear in the family that they are reluctant to leave their house. Consequently, they are seeking permission to relocate. OpIndia has obtained a copy of this letter.
As it happened
On Tuesday, May 2, at approximately 6 pm, a 10-year-old boy visited a shop located near the entrance of Valmiki colony. While there, he became the target of ridicule by a group of Muslim youths present, including Sameer Salimbhai Adi and the minor son of Mehboobbhai Adi. Witnessing this incident, two Dalit youths who were standing nearby intervened and requested the group to refrain from mocking the child. This led to a heated altercation between the two factions.
During the incident, the minor accused and Sameer, who had initially engaged in the quarrel, became agitated and proceeded to physically assault the Dalit youths, employing casteist slurs. Shockingly, the minor offender wielded a large stone and struck Rahul, a young member of the Valmiki community, on the head, resulting in grave injuries. Meanwhile, Sameer Salim Adi attacked Haresh with a wooden stick, inflicting severe harm upon him as well. Seizing the opportunity, the two accused hastily fled the scene, amidst the commotion caused by local bystanders. Throughout their escape, they continued to intimidate and issue threats to the victims.
Following the victim’s complaint regarding the assault on the Valmiki community youth, the Mandal police took action and filed a case against the minor accused and Sameer Salim Adi. The charges against them include offences under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), viz. 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 506(2) (criminal intimidation), and 114 (abettor present when the offence is committed). Additionally, sections 3(1)R, 3(1)S, 3(2)(5-A) of the Atrocity Act and section 135 of the G.P. Act were invoked. OpIndia has obtained a copy of the First Information Report (FIR).
Ever since it was announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the newly constructed Parliament House on 28 May, opposition parties have started to allege that it is an insult to the president saying the new parliament should be inaugurated by the president. 19 opposition parties including the Congress party, which has been opposed to the Central Vista project from the beginning, have said that they will boycott the ceremony.
Now notorious propaganda peddler masquerading as fact checker Md Zubair has jumped into the debate by peddling blatant fake news. The Alt New cofounder tried to ‘fact check’ BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya, but actually posted fake claim.
Responding to the Congress allegations of insult to the president, BJP leader and Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said yesterday that former PM Indira Gandhi inaugurated the Parliament annexe in 1975, and after that former PM Rajiv Gandhi inaugurated the Parliament library in 1987. “If your head of government can inaugurate them, why can’t our head of government do the same,” Puri had asked while talking to ANI.
#WATCH | In August 1975, then PM Indira Gandhi inaugurated the Parliament Annexe, and later in 1987 PM Rajiv Gandhi inaugurated the Parliament Library. If your (Congress) head of government can inaugurate them, why can't our head of government do the same?: Union Minister Hardeep… pic.twitter.com/syv8SXGwIS
“From criticising the new Parliament Building and questioning its very necessity despite many of them advocating for it before but not executing it, Congress president and other worthies are now shifting the goalpost by generously misquoting an article a day from the Constitution!” Puri also tweeted.
However, the Congress party tried to dismiss Puri’s comments by saying that the inaugurations of the Parliament annexe and Parliament library were not as significant as the new parliament building. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor called them subsidiary buildings. He tweeted, “But those were subsidiary buildings, dear @HardeepSPuri – an Annexe and a Library. This is a whole new Parliament! Doesn’t the Constitution say the President is its head, convenes Parliament & prorogues it? So shouldn’t she inaugurate it rather than the PM?”
But those were subsidiary buildings, dear @HardeepSPuri – an Annexe and a Library. This is a whole new Parliament! Doesn’t the Constitution say the President is its head, convenes Parliament & prorogues it? So shouldn’t she inaugurate it rather than the PM? https://t.co/SUIrHtPZgC
Responding to the Congress claim of “subsidiary buildings”, Amit Malviya tweeted that “the Congress is free to belittle their leaders’ accomplishments,” and asked “whose fault is it if Congress leaders were constrained by their vision and content building incremental infrastructure or worse lending their name to even the smallest installations in the precinct of the Parliament?”
Malviya also pointed out that Jawaharlal Nehru had unveiled portraits in the Lok Sabha chamber and the Parliament hall, and Sonia Gandhi had laid the foundation stone of Atal tunnel in 2010 and inaugurated the Bandra – Worli Sea link and the Railway Coach Factory in Rae Bareli in 2019, despite holding no public office and was not part of the government.
The Congress is claiming that Indira Gandhi inaugurating the Parliament Annexe on 24th Oct 1975 and Rajiv Gandhi laying the foundation stone for the Parliament Library in 1987 are not as significant as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the New Parliament…
In this argument between Congress and BJP leaders, Md Zubair of Alt News decided to jump in, claiming that BJP leaders were lying that Indira Gandhi inaugurated the Parliament annexe in 1975. He tweeted, “Hello @amitmalviya On 4 August 1970, President VV Giri laid the foundation of Parliament House annexe,” in an apparent attempt to fact check BJP. He also posted a link to a report saying that former president Giri had laid the foundation stone of the Parliament House annexe.
However, ‘fact checker’ Zubair actually published fake claim, because the incident he mentioned is different from the incident mentioned by BJP. Minister Puri and other BJP leaders said that Indira Gandhi inaugurated the Parliament annexe in 1975, and Md Zubair said former President VV Giri laid the foundation of Parliament House annexe.
Both the statements are true, and one statement does not negate the other. Because Md Zubair may be unaware that laying foundation of a structure and inaugurating that structure are completely different events. Construction of a structure is marked by laying its foundation stone, and its completion is marked by its formal inauguration. Which is why the foundation stone of the parliament annex was laid in 1970, and it was inaugurated five years later in 1975.
Congress leaders misquote constitution to claim president is head of the parliament
Congress leaders including Shashi Tharoor also claimed that President is the head of the parliament, and therefore the president should inaugurate the parliament. Tharoor claimed that as per Articles 60 and 111 of constitution of India. But this is also another false claim, because these Articles of the Indian constitution do not say that the president is the head of the parliament.
Yes @kharge Sahib is right. Articles 60 and 111 of the Constitution of India make it clear that the President is the head of parliament. It was bizarre enough that the PM performed the ground-breaking ceremony & puja when construction began, but totally incomprehensible (&… https://t.co/fuan2AyMJm
The Article 60 describes the process of the president taking the oath before becoming president, and Article 111 describes the process of passing of bills by the parliament and the president assenting to the same. As per Article 111, after bills are passed by both houses, they are sent to the president for assent. The president can return a bill, but if the parliament passes the bill again, the president has to give assent to it. The president can’t decline a money bill. Therefore, the president has no authority over the parliament and is not the head of the houses.
Therefore, these two articles, 69 and 111, do not say that the president is the head of the parliament, as claimed by Shashi Tharoor.
Puri had also tweeted responding to this claim, “From criticising the New Parliament Building & questioning its very necessity despite many of them advocating for it before but not executing it, Congress President & other worthies are now shifting the goalpost by generously misquoting an article a day from the Constitution!”.
From criticising the New Parliament Building & questioning its very necessity despite many of them advocating for it before but not executing it, Congress President & other worthies are now shifting the goalpost by generously misquoting an article a day from the Constitution! pic.twitter.com/GUwexamcZy
Congress leader Manish Tewari then tried to fact-check Puri, by falsely claiming that another Article of the constitution says that president heads the parliament. Responding to Hardeep Singh Puri’s tweet, he claimed that President is the head of the parliament as per Article 79 of the constitution.
Article 79 “Constitution of Parliament “There shall be a Parliament for the Union which shall consist of the President and two Houses to be known respectively as the council of States and the House of the People”If I am misquoting then @HardeepSPuri is reading A different Const. https://t.co/71PxwNPHns
He posted Article 79 by saying, “There shall be a Parliament for the Union which shall consist of the President and two Houses to be known respectively as the Council of States and the House of the People.” Tewari even added, “If I am misquoting then Hardeep Puri is reading A different Constitution.” But actually, not only he was misquoting the article, he didn’t read the article that he himself posted.
This article states, “There shall be a Parliament for the Union which shall consist of the President and two Houses to be known respectively as the Council of States and the House of the People.” It makes it clear that the parliament consists of three components, the Council of States (upper house or Rajya Sabha), the House of the People (lower house or Lok Sabha), and the President.
The Article makes it absolutely clear that President, Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha are three constituents of the Parliament, and nowhere it says that the President have primacy over the other two. The president is a part of the parliament, not its head.
In a major impact of the report published by OpIndia, Mohammad Ashfaq, deputy registrar of the National Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation (NIMHR) located in Madhya Pradesh’s Sehore, has been expelled from his job. In January 2023, OpIndia published a detailed report on his illegal conduct of classes, misinterpretation of Hindu characters and an utterly arbitrary way of managing and operating the institute.
The investigation against Ashfaq was launched after OpIndia’s report and it resulted in his removal from his job. Along with this, the additional charge of the Deputy Director of the Disabled Sports Center in Gwalior has also been taken away from him.
After the report of OpIndia, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) launched an agitation for the dismissal of Mohammad Ashfaq in the state. Sehore MLA Sudesh Rai also wrote a letter to Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar Khatik demanding strict action. NIMHR comes under this central ministry. Several financial irregularities of Ashfaq in the institution also came to fore during the investigation. Later on May 22, 2023, the director of NIMHR issued an order for the dismissal of Mohammad Ashfaq. It stated that “Ashfaq was appointed to the post of deputy registrar on May 30, 2022 on a two-year probation period. Now it has been decided to terminate his service with immediate effect.”
Letter against Ashfaq was sent to PMO
In a letter addressed to the PMO, students at the National Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation (NIMHR) had made some serious accusations against Mohammad Ashfaq, the institution’s deputy registrar. In the letter dated December 16, 2022, Mohammad Ashfaq was accused of insulting the historical epic Mahabharata by poking fun at some of the characters while lecturing the students about mental health. Furthermore, students had accused him of unilaterally running the institute like a ‘madarsa’ and forcing his Islamic beliefs on the students. He had also been accused of harassment.
The letter further stated that the students at the institution were under ‘mental pressure’ due to Ashfaq. “Immediately pay attention to the institute, otherwise it will become a complete jihadi base. He (Mohammed Ashfaq) threatens to spoil our future, so sending this letter to you without signing. You save this national property from Jihadis,” the letter roughly read.
Speaking to OpIndia, Mohammad Ashfaq admitted that he conducted classes even though he was primarily a deputy registrar. Ashfaq, however, refuted the allegation levelled against him, terming them incorrect.
OpIndia reported the matter first in January, 2023
After hearing the children’s complaint, there was much hush on the matter at hand. Even the main stream media failed to report on the terrible event. On January 23, 2023, OpIndia released a report outlining the institution’s condition. Mohammad Ashfaq admitted to taking the class during the conversation we had, but he refuted the other claims. He said that some students were unable to take the exam because of poor attendance, and that they must have complained.
But when we spoke with several of the pupils at the institution and some past and present employees, the information that emerged confirmed that this institute is being managed in accordance with the regulations in force. Additionally, it was discovered that the institute had no such environment prior to the hiring of Mohammad Ashfaq.
After OpIndia’s report, a Delhi-based PMO investigative team travelled to Sehore. Ashfaq was questioned. The Vigilance team began looking into the claims of financial misappropriation made against him. He lost his additional duty for the Gwalior center. Following this, national media outlets and neighbourhood newspapers began covering the story. Local governmental officials and student organisations like ABVP also later spoke up.
About NIMHR and its courses
The National Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation (NIMHR) is the country’s only institute of its sort. It is the result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision. It was started in Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, in 2019. It is currently operated out of the old Zila Panchayat building. The institute’s new campus is being built on approximately 5 acres of land in Sekdakhedi village, Sehore district, along the Bhopal-Indore highway, at a cost of approximately Rs 180 crore. The first National Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation in the country will have nine Departments and will conduct 12 courses to offer diploma, certificate, graduate, postgraduate and M.Phil degrees in the area of mental health rehabilitation.
Currently, the institute offers three courses, namely:
– Diploma in Vocational Rehabilitation Intellectual Disability (DVR-ID) – Diploma in Community-Based Rehabilitation (DCBR) – Certificate Course in Care Giving (CCCG)
DVR-ID is a one-year course, DCBR is two years, and CCCG is a ten-month course. Each course has 30 seats. The institute currently has more than 100 students. Approximately 60% of these are female students.
Its important today to speak up
Mohammad Ashfaq was charged with converting a national institution out of a fervent desire for religion into a madarsa. We are aware, however, that there are other instances of religious infiltration in several of our institutions. Meanwhile, a case in point of fostering love jihad and religious extremism as well as propaganda against the nation and the army has also come to light while students are ostensibly enrolled in a government law institution in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. We must protect each of our institutions from people like Mohammad Ashfaq. Given this, it’s important to monitor what’s happening in the institutions nearby. If you notice something strange, speak out. It is essential to speak out. OpIndia had also raised its voice. And its outcome has also created a change.
On Wednesday, May 24, Uddhav Thackeray, former chief minister of Maharashtra and president of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) Wednesday slammed the central government for ‘trying to overthrow democracy and subvert the constitution.’
Thackeray claimed that the BJP, which is the duly elected central government of the country, should be called the ‘opposition.’
Uddhav Thackeray has promised us that they will support us in the Parliament and if this bill (ordinance) does not pass in the Parliament then in 2024, the Modi government will not be coming back to power: Delhi CM and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal pic.twitter.com/1Cgi6mz6Iy
The remark was made when he met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at his residence in Mumbai on Wednesday as part of his nationwide tour to garner support against the Centre’s ordinance on control of administrative services in the national capital.
“The word opposition is misleading. Which opposition? Whose opposition? We all love our country, and in my opinion, the centre should be referred to as the opposition since they want to eliminate democracy,” he charged.
The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) supremo continued, “We have united to fight them and save the country and our constitution. The supreme court has made two rulings in the past few days regarding Maharashtra and Delhi. The selected should be given the highest weight in a democracy.”
“The supreme court’s decision was crucial for democracy, but the centre brought an ordinance against it. These people were elected, shouldn’t they have some sort of authority? There will come a day when there won’t be any state elections, only general polls and those just up until 2024 and the people will then decide. In light of this, we’ve all come together to rouse them (the populace) from sleep,” he added.
Furthermore, he pledged his support for the chief minister of Delhi and the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party, Arvind Kejriwal in the parliament over the legislation the centre had introduced regarding the transfers and postings of bureaucrats in the national capital.
“Arvind Kejriwal has visited twice in recent days. Politics is fine, but we count ourselves among those who can maintain connections. Election season is set to begin next year. Our country’s democracy will end if we miss the train this time,” he remarked while addressing the media in Matoshree, Mumbai.
Central govt brings ordinance to amend GNCTD act
The centre has introduced an ordinance establishing guidelines for the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) relating to transfer-posting, vigilance and other incidental matters in the national capital. This decision has been taken keeping in mind that Delhi is a Union Territory and the National Capital and the central government has to have an equal say in the administration of the territory.
The Modi-led administration adopted a statute modifying the GNCTD Act a few days after the Supreme Court delivered its verdict, which declared that the Delhi administration (AAP) has power over the transfer, posting, and appointment of employees while the Central Government (LG) has control over the order, police and land.
Uddhav Thackeray’s bizarre remark where he calls the constitutionally elected federal government the ‘opposition’ is not surprising given that he and his faction members have frequently attacked the BJP administration with far more filthy, mostly extremely Hinduphobic jibes.
Uddhav Thackeray uses Hinduphobic ‘gaumutra’ jibes to attack BJP
Recently, while defending the actions of the Muslim youths who had forcibly entered the Trimbakeshwar Temple and attempted to desecrate the Shivling situated in the temple’s sanctum santorum on May 13, 2023, Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray accused BJP of engaging in what the party referred to as ‘Gaumutradhari Hindutva.’
“The threat to Hinduism comes not from Muslim youths offering ‘dhup’ (burning of incense), but from these ‘gaumutradharis,’ the party said in an editorial piece in its mouthpiece Saamana.
BJP’s Hindutva is nothing more than cow urine. Their Hindutva is devoid of logic as was seen in the way it handled the recent Trimbakeshwar incident. This Hindutva gang attempted to propagate their hatred throughout Maharashtra by sparking riots in the name of Hindutva, but this conspiracy was foiled by the calm and reasonable residents of Nashik-Trimbak, the article in Shiv Sena’s Saamana read.
Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray and its Gaumutra jibes
Last month, Thackeray used the Hinduphobic ‘gaumutra’ barb to launch yet another tirade against the BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Nagpur after BJP slammed his group for joining forces with the Congress Party.
“Every time I am accused of going with the Congress and leaving Hindutva, is there no Hindu in the Congress? There (RSS-BJP) Hindutva is Gaumutradhari Hindutva,” he stated at Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi’s event to show ‘unity and strength.’
“Did our country get freedom by sprinkling cow urine? Did it happen that cow urine was sprinkled, and we got freedom? It was not so. The freedom fighters had made sacrifices, and then we got freedom,” he said during a meeting held at Khed village in Ratnagiri, in March after the Election Commission decided to hand over the Shiv Sena party symbol to Eknath Shinde’s faction after the original Shiv Sena split into two groups in 2022.
On the 21st of May 2023, Pratik Sinha, the co-founder of propaganda ‘fact-checking’ website AltNews, took to Twitter to plug a The Hindu article. He informed that a program called ‘AltED’, incubated by AltNews, conducted a session with children where they were taught a course on ‘Digital Literacy’. “altED, incubated by @AltNews, is working on a curriculum that helps children be more cognizant of the information they consume. Here, @the_hindu has covered one of our recent efforts where the students showed what they have learnt”, he tweeted.
altED, incubated by @AltNews, is working on a curriculum that helps children be more cognizant of the information they consume. Here, @the_hindu has covered one of our recent efforts where the students showed what they have learnt.https://t.co/lGbmXkkh6Y
An Archive version of the tweet can be found here.
A research associate at AltNews who goes by the name Mahaprajna quoted Pratik Singh and confirmed the development. “For two months we worked on a media and information literacy programme with the children at Naba Disha community centre run by the NGO Vikramshila. Here is a report on the Consolidation event where children shared their learning experience. #AltED#MILCurriculumForIndia“, she tweeted.
For two months we worked on a media and information literacy programme with the children at Naba Disha community centre run by the NGO Vikramshila. Here is a report on the Consolidation event where children shared their learning experience. #AltED#MILCurriculumForIndiahttps://t.co/saB7vyIzy7
This is current Mahaprajna’s ‘pinned tweet’, which clearly indicates she is extremely proud of this accomplishment, something she seems to have been personally involved in as well, given that she used the pronoun “we”.
Mahaprajna’s tweet was also dutifully retweeted by Mohammad Zubair, the co-founder of AltNews who regularly spreads fake news himself.
Retweet by Mohammad Zubair
Another individual, Anish Mukherjee also tweeted about the same. He wrote, At altED, we believe that in today’s world, media and information literacy is must-have life’s skill for all, especially for our children. We are not only building a curriculum, but making it happen in the classrooms. @AltNews“.
At altED, we believe that in today's world, media and information literacy is must-have life's skill for all, especially for our children. We are not only building a curriculum, but making it happen in the classrooms. @AltNewshttps://t.co/yqFHl9eHp3
In his Twitter bio, Anish does not identify himself as working with AltNews. However, this individual is of particular important to this story and we will delve into his work with AltNews a little later in this report.
As soon as The Hindu article was published and the AltNews coterie tweeted the article out, there were several tweets lauding the efforts of AltNews and how they were taking their wisdom to the children now.
What The Hindu report said about the training session on ‘Digital Literacy’ conducted by AltNews
The Hindu report which was shared by Pratik Sinha and others on social media was wholly based on the version of Pratik Sinha – essentially – The Hindu had printed what Pratik Sinha had told them apparently, without talking to the NGO itself, it would appear.
The Hindu report said that this was a 2-month long program held at Nabadisha Community Centre, next to Taratala Police Station in Kolkata with kids who were between the ages 12 and 14. The course revolved around ‘media literacy’ and how to identify fake news, the report said.
“The community centre is being operated by Vikramshila Education Resource Society while the media literacy programme for children was conducted by Alt News, a well-known fact-checking website“, the report said.
The report also quoted an official media release by AltED, an initiative ‘incubated by AltNews’. “Children were introduced to the concept of misinformation and its components, taught skills to identify information received from social media as right or wrong based on available cues, and further encouraged to think about sources of misinformation within the media business context and how this impacts the information digital media users receive,” a media release by AltED, an initiative incubated by Alt News said, according to The Hindu report.
“The pre-pilot programme is an activity-based curriculum designed and taught by practitioners at AltED to develop knowledge, mindset, and skills in media literacy amongst youngsters by harnessing critical thinking and empathy,” Pratik Sinha, co- founder of Alt News told The Hindu.
The Hindu report said that the kids were taught how to identify fake news and along with that, they were also taught how to identify media bias. In the report, there was a section that spoke about the Taj Mahal. Apparently, the AltNews team taught young kids between 12 and 14 years of age how Taj Mahal being called Tejo Mahalaya was ‘fake news’.
“The programme also made an attempt so that the children can distinguish between kinds of sources. For instance, a game was devised between two groups of students who delved into fake information that ‘Taj Mahal was Tejo Mahalaya (a Hindu temple)’. One group of students who were reporters had to identify the right source to fact-check the information, while the other group of students who were in the audience cross-checked the reporters on the information they brought, the report said.
Gloating, Pratik Sinha told The Hindu, “We are approaching more schools and also working on finalising the curriculum. After that, the matter of scale will come and then we will approach the government so that they can include this in their regular syllabus”.
The archived version of the report by The Hindu can be read here.
Interestingly, when one is dealing with children between the ages of 12 and 14, telling them that sources identifying Islamic structures as Hindu temples are not to be believed, one pushes an ideological bias where Islamic onslaught is completely whitewashed since children would doubt even authentic history from reliable sources which do not conform to a Left/Islamist bias.
It is this part of The Hindu’s report that made OpIndia reach out to the Vikramshila Education Resource Society which operates the Nabadisha Community Centre where this AltNews program was supposedly held.
The NGO, which appears to only work with children to help them get an education without any ideological bias whatsoever (Left or Right), says they were manipulated, with AltNews associations remaining undisclosed.
Interestingly, the NGO told OpIndia that “The purpose of the program we agreed upon was to foster self-awareness, empathy, and critical thinking. It was based on these objectives that we gave our consent”. It also appears from the press release and the comments by AltNews that ‘fact-checking’ and ‘media bias’ was not meant to be the subject of the program at all.
What OpIndia found about AltNews and its supposed 2 month long program at this NGO, with kids aged between 12 and 14: Response from the Director of the NGO
OpIndia reached out to the Director of the NGO Vikramshila Education Resource Society which operates the Nabadisha Community Centre and posed a set of questions to her. We first informed her of the tweet by Pratik Sinha, who is a co-founder of AltNews and the report by The Hindu which named her NGO, the Community Centre it runs and the 2-month-long program conducted by AltNews.
Ms Shubhra Chatterji responded to the email sent by editor-in-chief Nupur J Sharma with the following statement:
We have been extremely disturbed by your mail as we were not aware of the piece that was published in The Hindu. Thank you for bringing our attention to this. I feel we have been manipulated into this kind of situation – because we extended our support to an individual called Anish Mukherjee and we were not aware of his links with Alt News or its agenda. In future, we will be more careful and will not allow any such thing to happen.
Following this statement, Ms Chatterji responded to each of the 8 questions that were posed by OpIndia. Following is a verbatim reproduction of the questions and the answers provided by Ms Chatterji, the Director of NGO Vikramshila Education Resource Society which operates the Nabadisha Community Centre:
Q1: Could you perhaps tell us the gambit of the course that AltNews was providing to children. Was there any cultural, religious and/or political aspect to this course as well?
A: We were approached by Anish Mukherjee of “Art for Play” – one of the partners of Wipro Foundation (we are also one of the partners). We had met him in one of the Wipro Forums. He requested us to give him permission to field test a course on Digital Literacy with some children in one of our community learning centres. Because of his credentials we agreed to his request – and we were not aware of any cultural, political agenda. We are a 33 year old organisation, and it is our organisational policy to keep ourselves free from any kind of political /cultural bias.
Q2: What was the process of partnering with AltNews? Were they recommended by someone or was this association spearheaded by your NGO itself?
A2: We just gave Anish verbal permission to interact with our children and try out his sessions. Our teachers were present during his interactions – and did not report any kind of political/ cultural bias in the interactions he had with the children. So your mail has come as a complete surprise to us. We would like to clarify that we DO NOT HAVE any kind of partnership with Alt News or Alt Ed – it was purely a gesture of good will to an individual who came with reliable references. And I feel we had been misguided.
Q3: Are you aware of the pronounced ideological leanings of AltNews and its founders – Pratik Sinha and Mohammad Zubair?
A3: No! Not at all! We do not know them personally. Nor we were aware of their role in the work Anish wanted to do.
Q4: Was AltNews’ ideological leaning and bias one of the deciding factors when the NGO partnered with AltNews?
A4: No! We would definitely not have agreed if we were aware. And we thank you for updating us so that we can cautious in future.
Q5: Were any steps taken to ensure that their own ideological biases don’t creep into the program and contribute to affecting how the children’s ideological bent is shaped?
A5: Our teachers were around when Anish conducted the sessions – they would have definitely reported to us if they had found something amiss. So I am assuming that any such kind of dialogue may have taken place without our knowledge and outside the formal interactions. Henceforth we will be more careful.
Q6: The Hindu report states, “The programme also made an attempt so that the children can distinguish between kinds of sources. For instance, a game was devised between two groups of students who delved into fake information that ‘Taj Mahal was Tejo Mahalaya (a Hindu temple)’. One group of students who were reporters had to identify the right source to fact-check the information, while the other group of students who were in the audience cross-checked the reporters on the information they brought”. Under the garb of media literacy, were any other cultural and religious issues touched upon by AltNews?
A6: We were very surprised to see this and we were not aware of any such discussion or session with the children. If it was done it was not in our knowledge – and we do not endorse any kind of controversial political discussion with children within our organisation. We cannot take responsibility for any such reporting as it was not in our knowledge. You may consider informing this to the concerned newspaper.
Q7: Do you believe that young children should be taught only one viewpoint of history that dismisses the existence of Hindu Temples when the historical barbarity of invaders is a documented fact?
A7: We feel children should be exposed to different and multiple view points and not a one-sided or biased view of History. However, we are an organisation that works mainly with very young children at the early childhood education and primary stage. The Naba Disha Community learning centres are run in collaboration with the Kolkata Police to provide slum children with a safe space where they can do their studies.
Q8: Does Vikramshila Education Resource Society resonate with the ideological beliefs of AltNews and endorse that ideological bent being imparted to the children under their care?
A8. No. We were introduced to Anish by people who are completely neutral and free from any ideological bias. We do not know the people behind Alt News. As an organisation, we strictly do not endorse any kind of ideological bent imparted to children.
What does it all mean: AltNews manipulated an NGO working with children, lied about association, according to the NGO
The crux of the matter can be summarised in a few lines – AltNews manipulated an organisation based in Kolkata with lies, and hidden associations and then publicly claimed credit for it, again, without the knowledge of the NGO. There are also suspicions that they blatantly lied to The Hindu about the course structure. We have also learnt that Pratik Sinha was not forthcoming while introducing himself that the program was meant to be an AltNews initiative.
Here is a summary of that the Director of the NGO told OpIndia:
The NGO was approached by one Anish Mukherjee who founded “Art for Play” to seek permission to field-test a course on digital literacy.
Since Art for Play partners with Wipro and the NGO does as well, the NGO gave verbal permission to Mukherjee to conduct this course with the children.
They agreed for him to conduct the course because of his personal credentials and because he was introduced to the NGO by reliable people.
Anish Mukherjee pparently did not disclose his association with AltNews and that the course would be conducted by AltNews.
AltNews itself had no permission to conduct the 2-month-long program.
Despite the non-disclosure, AltNews released a press note and spoke to The Hindu, saying that the program was conducted by them.
The NGO was not aware of the ideological bias that AltNews harbours.
The NGO did not partner with AltNews.
The Director says that their teachers were present when Mukherjee was conducting the course and per their knowledge, the Taj Mahal conversation never came up. This means that either AltNews is lying or that Mukherjee had this conversation with the children without the knowledge of the NGO.
The NGO also does not endorse controversial subjects like that of the Taj Mahal, or any conversation with an ideological bias of any kind, being had with the young, impressionable children.
Anish Mukherjee and the curious case of Pratik Sinha at the NGO
On Twitter, Anish Mukherjee does not mention in his bio that he is associated with AltNews.
Twitter bio of Anish Mukherjee from which he tweeted about AltEd
However, on his LinkedIn page, he mentions specifically that he is developing the “education intervention” vertical for AltNews.
LinkedIn profile of Anish Mukherjee
Interestingy, there is an image of Pratik Sinha himself present at the Nabadisha Community Centre where this 2-month program was being held.
Pratik Sinha at the Nabadisha Community Centre, picture taken by The Hindu photo journalist
When OpIndia reached out to the NGO again, OpIndia was categorically told that the NGO was not aware that AltNews was meant to conduct the program. After the NGO went back to confirm why Pratik Sinha was present at the venue, the NGO said:
“On further scrutinising, I got to know there was a couple of mail exchange between the person in charge from us and Anish, in which Pratik Sinha was copy marked along with many others since we do not sign any written MOU, this mail was not read properly and ignored. In reference to your query, our director has stated that we do not possess any information regarding AltNews’ involvement, except for what was mentioned during the closing. From what I recall, Mr Sinha made a reference to Alt News. The entire closing programme and an invitation to the press were done by Anish without our knowledge. They just invited us to the closing programme”.
Essentially, the NGO says that when the one or two emails were exchanged between the NGO and Anish Mukherjee, Pratik Sinha was marked as a recipient among many others. There was no clarification that it would be AltNews that would be conducting this program. The press release thereafter to The Hindu, The Hindu photojournalist being present there was also not agreed upon by the NGO. Pratik Sinha, according to the NGO, was present on the last day and made some tangential reference to AltNews, however, the NGO was not aware of their association with this 2-month program itself.
Being an NGO, they are also not diligent in following emails and social media. They had agreed to this program because of Anish Mukherjee and his association with Wipro on the basis of verbal discussions. They maintain that they were misled into this association with AltNews.
What is far more interesting is that this image of Pratik Sinha was taken by Debasish Bhaduri, according to The Hindu report. Debasish Bhaduri is a photojournalist with The Hindu itself. Therefore, it appears as though it was Pratik Sinha who invited the media there, which clicked his picture, without the knowledge of the NGO.
It therefore also calls into question as to whether The Hindu was complicit in this charade by AltNews and were the top editors aware of the misrepresentation.
A Missouri man of Indian origin has been arrested by police after he deliberately rammed a U-Haul truck into a security fence at a park across from the White House. He was identified as Sai Varshith Kandula, 19, of Chesterfield, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis.
He crashed into the barrier close to the north side of Lafayette Square on Monday night at 10 p.m., according to a statement from the Secret Service. He was apprehended on the scene and no injuries were reported.
He rented the vehicle in Herndon, Virginia and had a valid contract in his own name. As per U-Haul, a moving truck, trailer and self-storage rental company based in Phoenix, one must be 18 to hire a truck, and there were no issues with his rental history that would have stopped the contract from being signed.
???BREAKING: A 19-year-old from Missouri has been arrested on multiple charges including threatening to kill or harm the president or vice president, after crashing into barriers near the White House.
After the crash, the perpetrator exited the truck with a Nazi flag and started shouting as Park Police and Secret Service officers approached him. He was charged with threatening to kill, kidnap or inflict harm on a president, vice-president and their families.
He professed admiration for the Nazis and a desire to enter the White House to kill the president. He wanted to seize power and rule the country. These specifics were mentioned in an affidavit that a Secret Service agent provided.
The culprit told the authorities that the Nazi flag he had displayed at the site was one he had ordered online because he believed the Nazis had a long and illustrious history. He apparently showed appreciation for their one-world government, Eugenics (planned breeding), and totalitarian ways. Additionally, he stated that he idolised Adolf Hitler and considered him to be a strong leader.
“Preliminary investigation reveals the driver may have intentionally struck the security barriers at Lafayette Square,” proclaimed Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the Secret Service. The investigators are looking into every facet of the issue, which includes his prior neo-Nazi ties and mental health issues.
U.S. Park Police would file charges with investigative support from the Secret Service.
Vehicle collision at Lafayette Square: Roadways and pedestrian walkways are closed as teams investigate. pic.twitter.com/4QqNyRoa0T
Chris Zaboji (25) a witness from Washington said that the motorist struck the barrier at least twice. He was wrapping off a run near Lafayette Square when he heard the automobile striking the barrier, which caused a loud boom.
He remarked that before hearing approaching sirens, he pulled out his phone and recorded the second time the vehicle slammed into the barrier. “When the van backed up and rammed it again, I decided I wanted to get out of there,” he added.
The Secret Service and Park Police informed Joe Biden about the occurrence on Tuesday morning. “He’s relieved that no one was injured last night,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
Kandula flew from St. Louis, Missouri, to Dulles, and then leased a U-Haul truck, and drove it straight to the White House. At the time of the incident, President Biden was inside the White House. No explosives or weapons were found in the truck or with Kandula, who said that he had planned the ‘attack’ for six months.
Kandula graduated from Marquette Senior High School, located in Chesterfield, Missouri, in 2022. According to a LinkedIn page that purportedly belongs to Kandula, his “career pursuit” is dedicated in the field of data analytics and has completed coursework and skills certifications.
FBI agents searched his house in the St. Louis suburb of Chesterfield on Tuesday after the incident. According to reports, his friend found it difficult to belive that a ‘chill’ guy like him tried to attack the White House armed with an empty truck and a Nazi flag. There was no record regarding him at the local police station, which means he was never named in any police case.
The US Secret Service keeps track of hundreds of individuals who have sent threats to the president, but it’s unclear whether Sai Varshith Kandulawas previously on their radar or whether he had ever warned the former in the past, which would have brought the Secret Service into the situation.
Multiple phone lines listed under his surname in public records were inactive, there was no counsel named for him in court documents, and attempts to get in touch with his family members who could speak on his behalf on Tuesday were unsuccessful. People reported as being connected to him at a residence in Missouri also declined to talk to the media.
Lafayette Square, which has the greatest public view of the White House, has long been one of the most well-known locations for protests in the US. In the midst of widespread protests against policing following the assassination of George Floyd in Minneapolis, federal officials walled off the area, forcing the park to close for over a year. However, it reopened in May 2021.
