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‘Modi Teri Kabar Khudegi’ slogans raised at wrestlers’ protests at Jantar Mantar after Pappu Yadav used the protests to target Yogi Adityanath

OpIndia Staff
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‘Modi Teri Kabar Khudegi’ slogans raised at wrestlers’ protests at Jantar Mantar after Pappu Yadav used the protests to target Yogi Adityanath

On Friday, 28th April 2023, ‘Modi Teri Kabar Khudegi’ slogans were raised at the wrestlers’ protests at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. India’s ace wrestlers including Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and Sakshi Malik are protesting at Jantar Mantar in Delhi against Wrestling Federation of India’s president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The wrestlers have accused him of sexual harassment and intimidation.

A video from the protest site shows anti-Modi slogans raised during the protests by some people. Several people were present today at the protest site. It is seen in the video one of them took up the mic and shouted various slogans. However, the slogans were against prime minister Narendra Modi, not Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Others joined him in raising the slogans.

The controversial slogans included “Modi Teri Kabar Khudegi, Aaj Nahi To Kal Khudegi” which means ‘Modi you will be buried, tomorrow if not today’. The person raising slogans also said that if justice is not done, all people from Haryana will come there.

When these slogans were being raised, several wrestlers including Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Sangeeta Phogat etc were also present there. However, they didn’t participate in raising these slogans. But when asked about the anti-Modi slogans, some wrestlers defended it, saying that people are angry. Wrestler Sangeeta Phogar said that people are angry against PM Modi for not taking action against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over allegations against him. She claimed that everyone present at the protest site is there to support the protesters, not to indulge in any politics.

On the other hand, Vinesh Phogat tried to distance from the slogans, as she said that nobody can dig anyone’s grave, and she does not believe in such thoughts.

However, the slogans were not the first politicisation of the wrestlers’ protests. Politicians have already started to use the protest for their political benefit by using the protests to target the Modi govt. Politician Pappu Yadav, who is accused in multiple criminal cases including allegedly misbehaving with an air hostess and threatening to hit with slippers, today joined the protest at Jantar Mantar and addressed the gathering. More importantly, he targeted and mocked UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in his speech, clearly indicating his objective behind attending the protests.

Former governor Satyapal Malik also joined the protests on 26 April, who have created controversies by making several comments attaching the Modi government recently.

On Friday, 28th April 2023, the Delhi police told the Supreme Court that it is ready to file an FIR against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, amid a second round of protests by several wrestlers demanding action against him alleging sexual harassment. In his initial reactions to this, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has said that he respects the court order. 

When asked whether he will resign, the BJP MP has an indirect answer saying that even if he resigns, wrestlers will say that his term was already over and he is doing no favour by resigning. However, he added that he is ready to resign if that will satisfy the protesting wrestlers.

Wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat, are protesting at Jantar Mantar in Delhi against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh alleging sexual harassment and intimidation. After the hearing in the Supreme Court, the wrestlers demanded that the WFI president be put in jail and the protest will continue until this happens.

Similar slogans raised in the past

This is not the first time that Modi Teri Kabar Khudegi slogans are raised. On 23rd February 2023, Pawan Khera and other Congress leaders raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying “Modi Teri Kabar Khudegi”. the opponents of the BJP government in the centre and various states have often used the phrase of burying somebody while registering their so-called protests. Many other Islamists have also raised slogans to bury Hindutva in the past few years, especially during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act in 2019 and 2020.

A complaint was lodged with the Aligarh police station regarding certain slogans that were chanted against Uttar Pradesh’s chief minister Yogi Adityanath at Aligarh Muslim University. The shocking slogan in the protest in AMU was ‘Yogi teri kabar khudegi, AMU ki dharti par’ meaning “Yogi, you will be buried in the AMU’s soil”. Similarly, AMU students had raised slogans during the anti-CAA protests saying Hindutva, Savarkar, etc. will be buried in AMU.

Now, politically motivated people attending the protests staged by wrestlers have raised “Modi Teri Kabar Khudegi” slogans against PM Narendra Modi at Jantar Mantar in Delhi saying.

The SG’s argument in ‘same sex marriage’ hearing that people will soon demand legalisation of incest is not hollow rhetoric: Here is how it is a real possibility and threat

OpIndia Staff
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The SG’s argument in ‘same sex marriage’ hearing that people will soon demand legalisation of incest is not hollow rhetoric: Here is how it is a real possibility and threat

On Thursday (April 27), Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud chided Solicitor General Tushar Mehta for arguing that recognition of same-sex marriages could raise a defence for incest in the near future.

“Visualise a situation, when a person is attracted to those persons who are mentioned in prohibited relationships. Incest not uncommon in the world and world over it is prohibited,” Mehta submitted.

“Suppose a person is attracted to his sister, can they say we are consenting adults, we’re entering into activities privately and we claim our right of autonomy, choice,” he added.

“Based on that very argument can someone not challenge this definition (of prohibited degrees)? Why this restriction? Who are you to decide with whom?”, the Solicitor General emphasised.

CJI DY Chandrachud was quick to dismiss the possibility and claimed that such an idea is ‘far-fetched.’ Tushar Mehta then pointed out that the argument for the legalisation of same-sex marriage appeared far-fetched at one point.

“…These are all subject to regulation by law. So these are very far-fetched for anybody to even argue before us that orientation is so absolute that I can therefore commit an act of incest. No court will ever countenance this,” he stated.

As expected, the usual suspects pounced on the opportunity to mock and berate Tushar Mehta. Congress loyalist Dr Pooja Tripathi claimed, “Solicitor General just compared incest to homosexuality! The moral and intellectual bankruptcy is for real!”

“Comparing same-sex relationships to incest is morally wrong and disgusting! This comparison is fueled by the belief that only heterosexual relationships are ‘normal.’ These lawyers are in urgent need for education and sensitivity programs. Their words are unbearable,” posted one user.

‘Journalist’ Rohinin Singh tweeted, “Outrageous to compare homosexuality with incest. The government’s lawyer needs to stop arguing like a parochial RWA uncle.” This is despite the fact that the Solicitor General did not compare homosexuality with incest.

Another ‘journalist’ named Maya Mirchandani said, “For the government’s lawyers to use incest as an argument against legalising same-sex marriage is beyond repugnant. Just truly sickening.”

“It is not a legal argument. It is the kind of point that a schoolboy might make up. And it reveals something about his psychological make up that is worrying.
The term is Adelphogamy,” one Twitter user brazened it out.

“Tushar Mehta you spineless M೦ron LGBTQ+ is different from incest,” wrote another Twitter user (@ChekrishnaCk).

Normalisation of incest is not far-fetched

It must be mentioned that just a decade ago, the Supreme Court of India upheld the criminalisation of homosexuality in 2013. But 5 years later, the same apex court struck down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and decriminalised same-sex relationships.

Fast forward 5 years, and the Supreme Court is deliberating on giving a legal sanction to same-sex marriages. Given the trajectory of the demands, nothing seems to be unprecedented at this point.

It is thus difficult to rule out demands for the legalisation of incest, a hypothetical scenario proposed by the Solicitor General in the apex court on Thursday (April 27).

Attempts have been made from time and again to legitimise sexual relationships between extremely close relatives and immediate family members, on grounds of autonomy, consent and privacy.

As early as September 2014, the German Ethics Council had justified incestuous relationships.”Criminal law is not the appropriate means to preserve a social taboo,” it had said.

“The fundamental right of adult siblings to sexual self-determination is to be weighed more heavily than the abstract idea of protection of the family,” the Council further added in its statement.

Such a proposal was also floated in the Parliament of Switzerland in 2010. “Incest continues to be a taboo in our society, but it’s not up to criminal law to stop every morally reprehensible aspect of behaviour. Rather, the law should be for punishing behaviour that’s particularly socially damaging,” a Justice Department spokesperson had said then.

In April 2021, advocates of such ‘forbidden relationships’ came out in support of a New York parent who wanted to marry his/her own adult child. There is a global campaign to legitimise incest on the ground that two consenting adults must be allowed to live the way they deem fit.

Given the recent arguments about gender, privacy, and sexual autonomy in the Indian Supreme Court, petitions seeking legal sanction for incest are not ‘far-fetched’ five years down the line.

Mukhtar Ansari grabbed temple land worth crores of rupees to build Ansari University, officers fear to take action: OpIndia Ground Report

राहुल पाण्डेय
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Mukhtar Ansari grabbed temple land worth crores of rupees to build Ansari University, officers fear to take action: OpIndia Ground Report

The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh is taking strict steps against mafias. The crime empire of mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari is also crumbling in the last few years. Recently, an order has been issued to attach the property worth Rs 50 lakh of Anand Yadav, a close aide of jailed gangster Mukhtar Ansari. Also, preparations have been made to bring Angad Rai – a shooter in his gang – from Bhabhua in Bihar to Ghazipur. He was arrested by the Bihar police.

Mukhtar Ansari is lodged in jail along with several members of his family. His wife Afsa Ansari is absconding. The police have announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for her. The police are also conducting search operations at various places to nab her, but she is not arrested so far.

There were times when leaders and officials would fear even speaking about the dreaded mafia. Mukhtar Ansari used to literally rule his district Mau. He also had a significant influence on other adjacent districts in Purvanchal. However, as the government is taking action against his crime empire, people and officials are opening up and sharing their views and experiences about this mafia.

Speaking to OpIndia about this, Mau DSP Dhananjay Mishra said that Mukhtar Ansari has no merit other than being a leader of a particular community and there are five dozen cases registered against him.

Mukhtar Ansari had become so brazen that he even grabbed the land of Hindu shrines. He occupied 4.60 acres of land belonging to a 125-year-old Hindu temple at Dakshin Tola under Sadar tehsil in Mau. In this regard, social activist Chhotelal Gandhi filed a complaint at the police station in 2016.

OpIndia has accessed a copy of this complaint wherein it is said that Mukhtar Ansari had prepared fake land documents in connivance with employees of the revenue department and took possession of the land by getting done an agreement on his own. The complaint also said that along with the documentary preparations, he also gathered criminals in the area and took possession of the land of the Deity by deploying a JCB machine.

However, even in that difficult time, Chhotelal Gandhi stood against Mukhtar Ansari and continues to fight that battle even today. Speaking to OpIndia, Gandhi said, “In 2016, the then MLA Mukhtar Ansari in the presence of 50,000 people laid the foundation stone of Ansari University. He also started occupying land worth about Rs 15 crore adjacent to it belonging to Thakur ji (the Hindu deity – Vishnu).

He further said, “When I came to know about this, I wrote a letter to all the officers in this regard. When no action was taken, in May 2016, I staged a sit-in protest continuously for seven days. When the District Magistrate came to know about this, he brought other officials and said that in seven days the entire land will be returned in the name of Thakur ji.”

Recalling the incident of political persecution by Mukhtar Ansari, Gandhi further said, “At that time, there was a Samajwadi Party government in the state and Mukhtar Ansari was an SP MLA. No DM or other officers would dare to conduct an inquiry against Mukhtar Ansari. There was no investigation. In 2019, Mukhtar Ansari’s close aide Ganesh Dutt Mishra fraudulently registered the land in his name.”

According to Gandhi, Ganesh Dutt Mishra, with the help of Mukhtar Ansari’s political influence, used to occupy large lands and make plotting layouts and sell them. In 2019, he got the deity’s land in his name as he involved some revenue officials and then he started making plotting layouts and selling them. Gandhi told that as soon as he knew this, he immediately informed the District Magistrate. Following this, an FIR was lodged against 60 people, including Mishra.

Chhotelal Gandhi further said, “SDM Nirankar Singh removed the names of all the people on that land record within two months and transferred the land in the name of Thakur ji and made the Mau Collectorate its manager. Mukhtar Ansari’s men still hold significant power in Mau. Even after the formal procedure of land transfer, that land has not been vacated to date.” He told that even today there are so many officers who are afraid of Mukhtar Ansari. They are afraid that they will be persecuted if the regime changes.

Chhotelal Gandhi also informed that he had recently met Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and requested action against Mukhtar Ansari’s assets worth about Rs 8 billion. Chhotelal Gandhi also emphasised that he does not fear Mukhtar Ansari and has taken this task against the mafia as a mission.

‘If I resign, wrestlers will say my term was already over’, says Wrestling Federation president Brijbhushan Sharan Singh

OpIndia Staff
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‘If I resign, wrestlers will say my term was already over’, says Wrestling Federation president Brijbhushan Sharan Singh

On Friday, 28th April 2023, the Delhi police told the Supreme Court that it is ready to file an FIR against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, amid a second round of protests by several wrestlers demanding action against him alleging sexual harassment. In his initial reactions to this, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has said that he respects the court order. When asked whether he will resign, the BJP MP have an indirect answer saying that even if he resigns, wrestlers will say that his term was already over and he is doing no favour by resigning. However, he added that he is ready to resign if that will satisfy the protesting wrestlers.

Wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat, are protesting at Jantar Mantar in Delhi against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh alleging sexual harassment and intimidation. After the hearing in the Supreme Court, the wrestlers demanded that the WFI president be put in jail and the protest will continue until this happens.

While speaking to India Today, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said, “I am content with the decision of the honourable court. The wrestlers have been raising their demands for so many days and they were protesting for the same. They went to the court and the court also took cognizance. The Supreme Court has ordered that an FIR should be registered and the matter be investigated. I am totally content with the decision. I will cooperate in the investigation wherever necessary.”

He further said, “I am not only content with the decision but also I agree with it because I am a citizen of this country and the Supreme Court is the apex court in this country. We cannot disagree with or raise questions on the court. We welcome the decision of the Supreme Court.”

When asked if he would resign for ensuring a fair trial, he said, “Their demand changes every now and then. You should consider the agitation right from the beginning. At that time they demanded that the WFI president should resign. After that, they brought up the issue of sexual harassment. After that, they demanded that the government should conduct an inquiry. The government formed two committees. the inquiry was completed. They did not wait for the report of the probe by the committees and started a sit-in protest on some other issue. Then they reached the Supreme Court. If they will be satisfied just with my resignation, I will send it to you, and show the resignation to them. Even if I resign, they will say that he is not favouring anybody by resigning, as anyways his term was already over. You tell them to start their practice and stop this protest, I send my resignation to you. If you are asking me to resign, I can resign, but not as a criminal.”

According to a report by ABP News, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said that he is happy with the court’s decision. He added that he believes in his Karma and that he will get justice.

Wrestler Vinesh Phogat said, “The court’s decision has come, but we do not trust the Delhi Police. We have been sitting here for 6 days. Our next step will be based on the action of the Delhi Police. Our demand is that he (WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh) be put in jail. I appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on moral grounds that he should be removed from every post. As long as he remains in that post, he will misuse that position and influence the investigation. We have full faith in the Supreme Court.”

Another protesting wrestler Bajrang Punia said, “He (Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh) should be put in jail immediately. We are waiting for the police FIR. We will see under which sections the case is registered. Our phone was not picked up by Union Minister Anurag Thakur.” Sakshi Malik said, “Our protest will end only after he is put in jail and removed from all posts.”

In the meanwhile, some unusual appearances were seen at the protests by wrestlers, which have the potential of raising questions about the true motive of the protests. Politician Pappu Yadav, who is accused in multiple criminal cases including allegedly misbehaving with an air hostess and threatening to hit with slippers, today joined the protest at Jantar Mantar and addressed the gathering. More importantly, he targeted UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in his speech.

Former governor Satyapal Malik also joined the protests on 26 April, who have created controversies by making several comments attaching the Modi government recently.

Delhi High Court allows minor rape survivor from Nepal to terminate 27-week pregnancy

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi High Court allows minor rape survivor from Nepal to terminate 27-week pregnancy

On Friday, April 28, the Delhi High Court allowed a minor victim of rape from Nepal to undergo medical termination of her 27-week pregnancy. Notably, the permissible limit for the termination of pregnancy is 24 weeks of gestation period.

The court issued the order after two doctors from Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital informed it that, while the medical board believes that a medical termination of pregnancy is possible, there is a risk to the minor because her haemoglobin level is low and the gestational period is 27 weeks.

“Accordingly in view of the fact that though the child and family are Nepalese citizens, this court directs that the termination of pregnancy is effected as soon as possible by the doctors at LNJP hospital,” Justice Prathiba M Singh ordered.

The court was hearing a plea moved by the victim’s mother seeking direction to allow the termination of the pregnancy of her minor daughter.

The court was informed that the girl discovered she was pregnant after moving in with her parents in India in March, but by the time she requested the appropriate authorities for a pregnancy termination, the gestation period had already reached 25 weeks.

The court allowed the MTP and instructed the hospital’s medical staff to make sure that the minor receives the finest pre-and post-operative care possible before being released.

“The order is being passed in the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case. The family has assured (the court) that if the baby is born alive, the family would give adequate care,” the court said.

Notably, in March 2021, the Rajya Sabha passed the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2021 which extended the upper limit for abortions to 24 weeks from 20 weeks. The Bill was approved in Lok Sabha on 17th March 2020.

Kaliyaganj minor rape-murder case: Calcutta HC directs state police to file a detailed report of investigation

OpIndia Staff
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Kaliyaganj minor rape-murder case: Calcutta HC directs state police to file a detailed report of investigation

The Calcutta High Court ordered a comprehensive report from Mekhilygunge Police in the case involving the untimely death of a minor girl in Kaliyaganj, West Bengal.

The state police were instructed to submit a progress report on its investigation into the incident by the next day of the hearing, May 2, 2023, by the single judge bench of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha. He also directed for the victim’s post-mortem recording to be saved for future research.

The victim’s father requested that the case be forwarded to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for additional investigation. The state government was then mandated by the court to provide him with copies of the inquest and postmortem reports as well as the FIR in the case.

The deceased was claimed to be raped and tortured to death, according to the petitioner’s attorney, Krishnendu Bhattacharya, who additionally urged that the case be transferred to the CBI because the victim’s parents had lost faith in the state’s probe.

He added that the girl’s family hadn’t received any paperwork from the police yet and asked for a second postmortem because the body had been buried rather than burned to preserve the evidence. In response, the Justice stated that such an appeal is premature at this time.

The National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which had also sought copies of the FIR, the inquest, and the postmortem report, was permitted by the court to gather information from the police files and the inquiry in accordance with statute.

The girl was reported missing on April 20 and her body was discovered close to a pond the next day, as per the state’s lawyer. He contended that the postmortem report found no signs of sexual assault on the body, but there were indicators of poisoning.

However, he acknowledged that dragging the body was a mistake and informed the court that four policemen had been suspended as a result.

He argued that some people started the commotion and transported the body to a nearby market area where it was intended to be burned. The police then had to remove it so that an autopsy could be performed.

The West Bengal police were subsequently instructed to provide a status report on their investigation into the death by the court.

The 17-year-old victim’s body was discovered floating in a pond on April 21 in Kaliyaganj, North Dinajpur District, West Bengal. She was allegedly raped and murdered. Following grave violence over the incident, internet services have been suspended in West Bengal’s Kaliyaganj community development block until April 30.

Uttarakhand: Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority takes cognisance of a mosque constructed illegally inside Madarsa Jami ul uloom, sends notice

OpIndia Staff
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Uttarakhand: Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority takes cognisance of a mosque constructed illegally inside Madarsa Jami ul uloom, sends notice

Continuing the crackdown against illegally constructed madarsas and mazars in the Uttarakhand state, Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) recently sent a notice to the Madarsa Jami ul uloom in Sahaspur in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The authorities said that a mosque is being illegally constructed on the premises of the Madarsa, which was also constructed by flouting the guidelines of the development authority.

In addition, a large water tank has been built on the site, which appears to belong to the Government Jal Nigam department at first glance, but when information was obtained, it was discovered to have been illegally built privately by the Madrasa Committee.

All these structures, including the madarsa, the mosque and the water tank, as per a report by Amar Ujala, were built flouting the construction guidelines of the development authority in this area. Taking cognizance of the various complaints received about the same, the Mussoorie-Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) issued notices to the operators for getting the construction done without prior permission and proper papers.

The Tehsil administration has also begun an investigation into the illegal construction of the madarsa and the mosque on the premises. Land measurements and other documents are being scrutinised by the authorities.

The action was taken after locals complained that the madarsa was constructed by completely disregarding the construction rules and regulations. According to the complaint filed with the MDDA, the madarsa was built unlawfully by occupying the land of the Barsati River. According to the complainants, such religious places cannot be built without the authorization of the DM.

After the matter came to the fore, the village Tehsildar and Patwari, the village officer in the local authority who is responsible for measuring the land and maintaining land records, reached the area and assessed the land on which the madarsa was built. During the inspection, the administrative team was also notified that a loudspeaker had been mounted on the mosque built at the madarsa premises, which was then removed. The authorities were further notified that the construction blueprints, map and other documents were not in place after which the MDDA officials issued a notice to madarsa managers inquiring about their responses.

It is worth noting that this is not the first time MDDA authorities raised the issue with madarsa operators. In fact, they had earlier sent them a notice seeking construction plans, maps, and other papers, but they had received no answer from the owners. Following the complaint, the authorities have issued a new notice, failure to respond to which may aggravate the predicaments of the owners of Madrasa Jamiul Uloom in Sahaspur, Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

Uttarakhand government launches crackdown on illegal madarsas and mazars

It may be recalled how last month, the Uttarakhand government rolled bulldozers over illegal mazars which were built by encroachment on the reserved forest land. The authorities conducted a survey and identified around 1400 religious structures built illegally on government land.

Prior to this, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reiterated his government’s unsparing stance on illegally constructed mazars on designated forest land that are mushrooming all over the state, including the Jim Corbett National Park, one of the oldest and one of the most famous forested wildlife sanctuaries set amidst the foothills of the Himalayas in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand.

In September 2021, we reported a case of land jihad in Uttrakhand near Tehri Dam. We reported about an illegal mosque that was built during the early 2000s at a site in Khand-Khala Koti Colony, which was in close proximity to the dam, and since then, Hindu organizations have tried multiple times to get it removed. Recently, in the first week of September 2021, a group of local Hindus started fresh protests against the mosque and paced up the efforts to get over 150 square meters of land freed from illegal possession.

In May 2022, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced action against the mazars mushrooming everywhere in the state calling them encroachments.

In June 2022, our team visited various parts of the state, including Jim Corbett National Park, to delve into this issue further. To our horror, there were several mazars that mushroomed up inside Jim Corbett National Park, one of the oldest and one of the most famous forested wildlife sanctuaries set amidst the foothills of the Himalayas in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand.

OpIndia also spoke to Swami Darshan Bharti, a veteran saint working against illegal mazars and drug addicts, who raised concerns about this radical problem plaguing the state of Uttarakhand.

Swami Darshan Bharati told OpIndia that the biggest boost to the Muslim population in Uttarakhand came during the Congress government led by ND Tiwari. He stated that it was not the BJP government, but the previous Congress regime that helped illegal Roginyas settle here by preparing their official documents.

Months after OpIndia brought the demographic imbalance in Uttarakhand to the fore, the state government took cognisance of this impending issue and directed the state authorities to clear forest land of encroachment. The authorities, in turn, launched a major crackdown, rolling bulldozers over illegal mazars which were built by encroachment on the reserved forest land.

Operation Kaveri: 754 Indians evacuated from Sudan reaches Delhi and Bengaluru from Jeddah on IAF’s C-17 Globemaster planes

OpIndia Staff
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Operation Kaveri: 754 Indians evacuated from Sudan reaches Delhi and Bengaluru from Jeddah on IAF’s C-17 Globemaster planes

As the evacuation of Indians from battle-torn Sudan continues, 754 more Indians reached India today in two batches. A C-17 Globemaster aircraft of the Indian Air Force carrying 392 passengers evacuated from Sudan landed today in Delhi, while 362 Indians reached Bengaluru in another C-17 plane.

Taking to his Twitter handle, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar wrote, “#OperationKaveri update. Another C-17 flight carrying 392 passengers reaches New Delhi.”

The Indian Air Force C17 Globemaster took off from Jeddah airport earlier today (local time) under the supervision of MoS V Muraleedharan, who saw them off at Jeddah.

“Glad to see happy and energetic faces of 392 of our nationals returning to Delhi from Jeddah on IAF C17 Globemaster after evacuation from Sudan. Saw them off at the aircraft. They will be with their beloved ones in India soon,” the MoS tweeted.

Meanwhile, another batch of 362 Indian evacuees from Sudan took a flight for Bengaluru from Jeddah on Friday, in the presence of Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan under ongoing Operation Kaveri.

“Bon voyage! Delighted to see off 362 Indians evacuated from Sudan on a flight bound for Bengaluru from Jeddah. Good number of these are from Hakki Pikki tribe,” tweeted Muraleedharan.

Updating about the same, Jaishankar tweeted today, “India welcomes back 362 Indians as another #OperationKaveri flight touches down in Bengaluru.”

It is notable that V Muraleedharan is stationed in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia to oversee the evacuation of Indians from Sudan via Saudi Arabis. Indians, and other foreign nationals, as being taken from Port Suran to Jeddah on ships and planes, from where they are being airlifted to their home countries.

Muraleedharan also informed that the tenth batch of 326 Indian evacuees from Sudan reached Jeddah by INS Tarkash.

Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, further informed that a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft of the IAF carrying 11th batch of 135 Indians took off from Port Sudan for Jeddah.

The Indians were evacuated from Port Sudan to Jeddah after the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) agreed to extend their ceasefire amid ongoing violence in the capital Khartoum and the western Darfur region. Indians are being taken from Port to Jeddah on Navy ships and C-130J planes, from where they are being flown to India on C17 jet planes. However, the finest batch was evacuated from Sudan by Saudi Arabia on its navy ships.

This comes after the army said it would extend the ceasefire “for an additional 72 hours” following mediation efforts by Saudi Arabia and the United States in the final hours of the repeatedly broken three-day truce, due to end at midnight (22:00 GMT) on Thursday.

The RSF also said it approved the extended truce, adding that the proposal came from two diplomatic groupings: the US, Saudi Arabia, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates.

On Thursday, warplanes patrolled over the capital’s northern suburbs as fighters on the ground exchanged artillery and heavy machine-gun fire.

The previous ceasefire has not stopped the fighting but created enough of a lull for tens of thousands of Sudanese, as well as, foreign nationals to leave for safer areas.

‘Islamic extremism and terrorism biggest faith-based challenge’: UK faith advisor Colin Bloom

OpIndia Staff
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‘Islamic extremism and terrorism biggest faith-based challenge’: UK faith advisor Colin Bloom

Days after UK faith advisor Colin Bloom released his report “The Bloom Review” where several revelations were made regarding growing faith-based extremism in the United Kingdom, Bloom said in an interview with ANI that “Islamic extremism and terrorism is the biggest faith-based challenge.” He, however, added that Muslims are somehow the biggest victim of Islamic extremism.

“Most of the Muslims are kind, decent, generous people who are let down by the minority causing these problems,” Bloom said.

In the “Bloom Review,” Colin Bloom asserted the need to reinforce the difference between Islam and Islamism.

“Take action against these Sikh and Islamic groups who spread hate and glorify innocent killing and incite hate, [redacted] are misusing charity funds coming from Sikh Gurdwaras and many Islamic groups doing [the] same, no place in our civilized society for these groups, must be banned!”, the report reads.

As reported earlier, the report states that prisoners in jails across Britain are being converted to Islam by Muslim inmates and are also being provided ‘protection’ on converting. 

The report adds that Qurans were left on the beds of the new prisoners and they were given the choice to either “convert or get hurt”. 

Talking about the pro-Khalistan extremism, Bloom said that the majority of the Sikhs are the best of the British, however, there is a tiny minority that is “very aggressive and loud and is not representative of the majority of the British Sikh community.”

Bloom also added that during the evidence gathering, a significant number of Sikhs said that something needs to be done about the growing extremism within their own community. 

The government-appointed faith advisor also asserted this extremism is a big problem saying that although the extremists form only a minority, they are very aggressive and loud and are also “using collusive tactics and sometimes subversive behavior to get their point across.”

The pro-Khalistan extremists use such tactics to make all the Sikhs believe what they believe, be it about Khalistan as a state or other issues. 

Speaking about the recent attack on the Indian High Commission in Britain and if it will have any adverse impact of India-UK ties, Bloom opined that he hopes that the Indo-British ties which are one of the strongest are not damaged. He said that India and Britain have a shared history of hundreds of years adding that he hopes this continues.

“Propagating hate and divisions, trying to brainwash youth to cause divisions and hate in India, [is] really sad. [Some Sikh extremist groups] are using places of worship to fund or getting funds under the name of faith and spearheading hate, these types of organizations shouldn’t be allowed to operate in our great country,” the report states on the issue of rising Khalistani extremism in the UK.

Jailed SP MLA Irfan Solanki’s lawyer Gaurav Dikshit refuses to fight his case due to non-payment of fees, Solanki hires new lawyers Karim Ahmed and Syed Naqvi

OpIndia Staff
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Jailed SP MLA Irfan Solanki’s lawyer Gaurav Dikshit refuses to fight his case due to non-payment of fees, Solanki hires new lawyers Karim Ahmed and Syed Naqvi

The attorney of imprisoned Samajwadi party MLA Irfan Solanki, Gaurav Dikshit, has declined to represent him in court any longer on the grounds that he hasn’t received payment for the last four months and has had to pay for the costs of pursuing the proceedings against Solanki out of his own pocket.

Irfan Solanki allegedly owes a legal bill of Rs 32 lakh that has accrued over the course of four months, according to Dikshit. “I have been paying for all legal costs associated with his case from the very beginning. But for now, I am unable to defend his case,” Dikshit said in a media interview on Wednesday.

Gaurav Dikshit said that he has been asking for payment from Irfan Solanki, but the SP leader is avoiding the matter. Every time he asks for payment, Solanki’s family assures payment and gives him a date, but when the date comes, they don’t make any payment. Gaurav said that this happened several times. In the recent such conversation, they assured payment on 20 April, but when the date arrived, they went back on the assurance again.

Unhappy with the non-payment, the lawyer withdrew the bail plea of the jailed SP leader from the court on Tuesday. After that on Wednesday, he verbally told the court that he is refusing to represent his client as it is not possible for him to fight the case from his own pocket. In this context, the attorney has filed a complaint with the ADJ-1 court against the MLA.

The lawyer said that he has secured several favourable judgements for Solanki, but despite that, the family is refusing to pay him.

Talking about the matter, Joint Police Commissioner Anand Prakash Tiwari said that whatever complaint has been submitted by the lawyer, will be examined on the basis of merit.

While Gaurav Dikshit was handling all cases of Irfan Solanki, after he started asking for payment, his family recently hired two more lawyers, senior advocates Karim Ahmed and Syed  Naqvi. After the refusal of Dikshit to work for Solanki, Ahmed and Naqvi will appear for him in court in future.

Irfan and his brother Rizwan are being detained at Mahe Rajganj Prison after an FIR was filed against them under the appropriate IPC provisions in connection with the arson case, whereby he and his brother, along with others, had set a woman’s home in Defence Colony on fire. A case was filed against him at the Jajmau police station. A total of 17 cases are registered against Irfan Solanki.

It is notable that the administration has seized properties worth crores from Irfan Solanki, and has identified more properties linked to him and his family.

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