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Pakistani Hindus left homeless after the Jodhpur administration in Rajasthan bulldozes their homes, read details

On April 24, hundreds of homes, most belonging to migrant Hindus from Pakistan, were razed down by the Jodhpur Development Authority. A video of the incident has been made to social media in which migrant Hindus can be heard expressing their anguish over the action taken by the authorities.

In the video, a woman appeared unconscious due to the stress of the action taken on their houses. The man recording the video said, “Look at her. She fainted. Look around. This is our India. We came to India. They are bulldozing our homes. We were facing atrocities in Pakistan, and we are now facing atrocities in India. Look around. We are dying here.” Meanwhile, another man could be heard asking for two-day time to vacate the premises. The heavy police force was present with the authorities. A bulldozer was seen in the video.

Authorities claimed Hindu migrants from Pakistan were encroaching govt land

As per news agency PTI, Jodhpur Development Authority launched an anti-encroachment drive and razed down around 200 structures, including homes of the migrant Hindus. On the other hand, Hindus alleged they bought the land from the land mafia by paying anywhere between Rs 70,000 to Rs 2 lakh.

During the drive, the migrants got agitated and allegedly pelted stones at the team that came to demolish the houses. The driver of the bulldozer and JDA personnel sustained minor injuries. Two complaints were filed in the matter.

A JDA official told the media that around 400 Bigha land was cleared of encroachment. It belonged to Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, and many structures were raised on the land without permission. When the residents alleged they owned the land, JDA authorities asked to present papers. The migrants could not produce any papers, after which the structures were razed down.

NCP leader Uday Sonawane gets relief in ‘harassment’ case, after an amicable settlement between parties, Bombay HC quashes case

NCP leader Uday Sonawane has been given relief by the Bombay High Court in criminal writ petition 1299 of 2023 in the alleged harassment case levelled against him by lawyer and Twitter user Adv Shweta Chatur Sangtani. alias @penguinhowler. OpIndia has learnt that a settlement was reached between the two parties and Sangtani has given a ‘no objection’ to quashing proceedings against Sonawane.

On the 10th of April 2023, an order was passed by the Bombay High Court ordering the quashing of the case against Sonawane. The case pertains to an FIR based on the complaint filed by Sangtani on the 16th of March 2022 under sections 354-D, 506, 507 and 509 registered in Marine Drive Police Station, Mumbai.

On the 15th of March 2023, Sonawane approached the Bombay High Court. In his petition, he says that Sangtani and Sonawane have reached an amicable settlement and therefore, Respondent 2 (Sangtani) does not want to pursue the case any longer. The terms and conditions of the settlement were also mentioned in the petition. The conditions mentioned that neither of them would contact each other in the future, bring frivolous lawsuits against each other, that there will be no act, orally or in writing, of defaming each other by either of the parties, that Sonawane will not attempt to contact the partner of Sangtani’s husband henceforth etc. The settlement also mentions that if any of these conditions are breached, then the agreement that both parties have reached because the High Court would be considered violated.

After this petition by Sonawane on the grounds of amicable settlement and that there was no criminal intent in the case, an additional affidavit was filed by Sangtani on the 10th of April 2023 affirming that she had no objections if pursuant to the amicable settlement reached between the two parties, the High Court quashes the case against Sonawane.

On the 10th of April 2023, the Bombay High Court thus passed an order accepting the prayer of Sonawane for the quashing of the case since there was an amicable settlement.

Sangtani, in January 2022 had alleged Sonawane subjected her to online harassment for years. She had narrated on Twitter how, Sonawane, who she said is married and has a child, has been stalking her since the 1st year of law school. She was 35 years old when she made the allegations as per her tweet.

Note: This report has been updated as on 25th April, 2023 with latest developments.

American television host and political commentator Tucker Carlson quits Fox News in a surprise exit

In a sudden and unexpected departure, Tucker Carlson, the host with the highest primetime viewership on Fox News Channel, will be parting ways with the network.

“Fox News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways,” the company said in a statement Monday. “We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor.”

“Mr Carlson’s last program was Friday, April 21st Fox News Tonight will air live at 8 PM/ET starting this evening as an interim show helmed by rotating FOX News personalities until a new host is named,” the statement further read.

Carlson, a famous personality in the American media landscape, hosted the nightly political talk show Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News from 2016 to his exit in 2023.

Tucker Carlson’s media career began in the 1990s when he wrote for The Weekly Standard and other publications. He worked as a CNN commentator from 2000 to 2005 and was a co-host of the prime-time news debate program Crossfire from 2001 to 2005. Later, from 2005 to 2008, he hosted the nightly program Tucker on MSNBC. Carlson has been a political analyst on Fox News since 2009 and has appeared on various programs before launching his current show. In 2010, he co-founded the opinion website, The Daily Caller, and served as its initial editor-in-chief until he sold his ownership stake and departed in 2020. Carlson has authored three books, including Politicians, Partisans, and Parasites (2003), Ship of Fools (2018), and The Long Slide (2021).

‘Go to court if you have evidence’: Amit Shah rubbishes Rahul Gandhi’s ’40 PC commission’ allegation in Karnataka

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday hit back at Rahul Gandhi over his allegations of terming the Bommai government in Karnataka as a ’40 per cent commission BJP government’ and said if the Congress has evidence they should go to court.

Shah said on Monday after he held a roadshow in Sakleshpur in Hassan district. Amit Shah also reacted to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s allegation of a ’40 per cent commission government functioning in Karnataka, terming the allegations as baseless.

“They can talk about it and should go to court if they have concrete evidence. Neither there’s any probe nor there’s any case. How will people believe in such baseless allegations?” he said.

Shah further expressed his confidence in the upcoming Karnataka elections and said that Bharatiya Janata Party would form the government with an absolute majority.

Talking to ANI, during the roadshow, Shah said, “Congress has a casteist nature, BJP is taking every sector along with it. We’ll form the govt in Karnataka with an absolute majority”.

Rahul Gandhi while campaigning in the state had alleged that the BJP government in Karnataka takes 40 per cent commission. “BJP govt is the most corrupt in India, they take 40% commission…the same money was used to steal MLAs of the previous govt. Will the PM tell about the source of money used to buy MLAs in Goa, MP, Karnataka, Northeast…”,

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday hit out at the incumbent BJP regime in Karnataka, claiming the “40 per cent commission government” will be reduced to 40 seats in the May 10 Assembly elections.

Addressing a roadshow in Vijayapura, Rahul said, “The Congress will form the government in Karnataka with 150 seats while 40 per cent commission government of the BJP will be reduced to 40 seats.”

Amit Shah is on a three-day visit to Karnataka that started on Sunday. Earlier in the day, he offered prayers at Sri Chamundeshwari Devi Temple in Karnataka’s Mysuru.

Ahead of the Assembly elections in Karnataka, Bharatiya Janata Party which is in power in the only southern state seems to throw all its efforts into the poll campaign aiming for the second consecutive term.

The party’s mega election campaign is likely to get a boost with Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting the State on April 29.

According to Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, PM Modi will start his campaign from Belgavi. He will visit Chikodi, Kittur and Kudachi in Belagavi, one of the biggest districts of Karnataka. Prime Miniter will also visit Uttara Kannada district. The PM will also visit the poll-bound State on May 3.

The 224-seat Assembly will go to polls on May 10 and the votes will be counted on May 13.

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

Another mid-air peeing incident: Drunk passenger urinates on co-passenger on a Delhi-bound American Airlines flight

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Another incident of ‘urinating’ on a co-passenger came to light last night when American Airlines landed at the Delhi Airport around 9 pm.

The security officer on duty told ANI on Monday, “It was learnt that an unruly passenger (Indian) arriving from New York by American Airlines Flight No. AA 292 in inebriated condition has argued with a co-passenger and urinated on him.” 

Soon after the aircraft landed at Delhi airport, the crew members contacted to Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officer regarding the incident. The airport aviation security took cognisance and escorted the passenger to the airport police station.

“The said unruly pax along with complainant was taken to IGIA PS by concerned airlines security under the escort of CISF for further legal action,” an official said.

Delhi Police sources told ANI, “No official complaint has been lodged by the complainant yet.”

There was no statement from American Airlines till the publication of the news.

A similar incident happened last month when a passenger was caught allegedly urinating on a US passenger in mid-air on an American Airlines flight from New York to New Delhi. The airline also imposed a ban on the passenger from flying on any of its flights in the future.

“We received a complaint from American Airlines stating that there is one accused identified as Arya Vohra, a resident of Delhi. They stated that he did not behave properly and created a nuisance and also urinated on the co-passenger. On the basis of the complaint, we are contemplating action under IPC and Civil Aviation Act. The strongest possible action will be taken against him to deter other flyers not to behave in this manner or doing any such activity in the future,” Devesh Kumar Mahla, DCP, IGI Airport earlier told ANI.

Earlier on November 26 last year, a man named Shankar Mishra allegedly urinated on a 70-year-old woman co-passenger in an inebriated condition in business class of an Air India New York-New Delhi flight, but the incident was not reported to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) which was attributed to the delay in reporting the incident by the airline crew. Mishra was later arrested by the Delhi Police.

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

Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin guiding cadres of 13 Pakistan-based Kashmir-centric terror outfits: NIA

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The self-styled supreme commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, Syed Salahuddin, is guiding and instructing the cadres of the banned terror group as well as activists of United Jihad Council (UJC)– a conglomerate of around 13 Pakistan-based Kashmir-centric terror outfits, National Investigation Agency (NIA) said.

As per the anti-terror agency, Salahuddin alias Mohammed Yusuf Shah has been guiding and instructing these activists of the UJC from Pakistan. The Central probe agency said that Salahudeen is the chairman of the UJC which is also known as Muttahida Jihad Council (MJC)– an umbrella organisation of terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed that operate out of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The 77-year-old terrorist Salahuddin, who had fled to Pakistan in 1993, was designated as an individual terrorist by India in October 2020, said the NIA, adding “the designated terrorist continues to operate from Pakistan.”

The NIA made the revelation after its fresh action against Salahuddin’s two sons– Shahid Yusuf and Syed Ahmed Shakeel. Earlier on Monday, the agency attached two immovable properties of Yusuf and Shakeel that are located in Kashmir’s Soibugh area in Budgam district and Nursing Garh’s Mohalla Ram Bagh area in Srinagar district. The properties have been attached under section 33(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967.

Both Shahid Yusuf and Syed Ahmed Shakeel are lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail since their arrest in October 2017 and August 2018. They were charge-sheeted on April 20, 2018, and November 20, 2018, respectively.

“Yusuf and Shakeel had been receiving funds from abroad from the associates of their father and overground workers of Hizbul Mujahideen,” said the NIA, adding “Besides instigating and operationalising militant activities in India, primarily in Kashmir valley, Syed Salahuddin has been raising funds and routing finances to India through trade routes, Hawala channels, and international money transfer channels for furthering the terrorist activities of Hizbul Mujahideen cadres.”

The property attachment of Salahuddin’s sons is based on NIA’s investigation into a terror conspiracy case registered by the agency in 2011 naming Yusuf and Shakeel among other accused.

The NIA launched investigations in November 2011 into the criminal conspiracy to raise, collect and provide funds to commit terrorist acts and distribute funds among the terror groups and their sympathizers in Jammu and Kashmir for the purpose of committing terrorist acts.

The Special Cell of Delhi Police had initially registered a case in January 2011 and the NIA subsequently took over the case. Chargesheets as well as Supplementary Chargesheets were filed against eight accused in the case, including in 2011 and 2018.

In a money laundering probe related to a terror funding case involving Salahuddin, the Enforcement Directorate has also alleged that Jammu Kashmir Affectees Relief Trust (JKART) was a front through which Hizbul Mujahideen received Rs 80 crore between 2004 and 2011 to carry out terror activities in India.

Salahuddin was declared a specially designated global terrorist by the US Department of State in June 2017 on charges that he “vowed to block any peaceful resolution to the Kashmir conflict, threatened to train more Kashmiri suicide bombers, and vowed to turn the Kashmir Valley into a graveyard for Indian forces. “

Born Mohammed Yusuf Shah, Salahuddin changed his name after taking over as head of the militant outfit in the late eighties. Hizbul Mujahideen is one of the several homegrown militant groups that have for decades been fighting for an independent Kashmir or a merger with Pakistan.

Prior to joining the Hizbul Mujahideen, Salahuddin unsuccessfully contested in the 1987 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections from the Amirakadal constituency. Salahudeen has been vocal in his anti-India stand. He has also time and again mentioned Pakistan’s role in the Kashmir unrest.

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

Video of Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad beating a naked man goes viral

On Monday (April 24), a disturbing video of slain dreaded gangster Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad Ahmed and his accomplice torturing and assaulting an unarmed, naked man has gone viral on social media.

In the footage, the son of gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed could be seen hitting the victim with a leather belt. One of his henchmen could also be seen kicking the man, who was stripped to his toes.

The incident is said to be from January 19, 2021, and was reportedly recorded in a flat in Lucknow city of Uttar Pradesh. The cops have recovered the disturbing footage from Asad Ahmed’s phone.

The cops have also found bloodstains and knives from the said residence in Lucknow. While posting the video on Twitter, Times Now journalist Vinod Kumar Mishra said, “Police found a shocking video in the mobile phone of Atiq’s son Asad who was killed in the encounter.”

He further added, “In the video, a man is being stripped naked and thrashed, kicked, punched, and thrashed with a belt. The video is said to be of a flat in Lucknow where Asad used to live.”

Asad Ahmed and aide Ghulam were neutralised in an encounter by the Uttar Pradesh Police on April 13, 2023. Two days later, Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead from point-blank range in Prayagraj.

Islamists online rejoice at the death of progressive Muslim commentator and author Tarek Fatah

Author and progressive Muslim commentator Tarek Fatah, who did not mince his words calling out the dangers posed by the radical strand of Islam, breathed his last on 24 April 2023. While his admirers and fans are mourning, some Islamists took to social media to express their glee over his demise.

Fatah’s death was announced by his daughter, Natasha Fatah, on Twitter. In a tweet, Natasha said, “Lion of Punjab. Son of Hindustan. Lover of Canada. Speaker of truth. Fighter for justice. Voice of the downtrodden, underdogs, and the oppressed. @TarekFatah has passed the baton on… his revolution will continue with all who knew and loved him. Will you join us? 1949-2023”

No sooner did Natasha tweet about his father’s demise, a host of Islamists descended upon her Twitter timeline to rejoice over the death of Fatah, who made no bones about his contempt for the puritanical interpretation of Islam and often laid into fundamentalists, in his inimitable style, exposing their hypocrisy and evoking laughter among his fans.

A Twitter user used cuss words to run down Fatah’s daughter over her eulogising tweet to her father.

Yet another Islamist referred to Tarek Fatah as a ‘pig’ while quoting his daughter’s tweet confirming her father’s death.

Islamists rejoice Tarek Fatah death

Yet another Islamist Fatah appeared to draw sadistic pleasure from the death of Tarak Fatah. He said Fatah died a painful death suffering from cancer and that everything will perish but only the name of Allah shall prevail.

Islamists rejoice Tarek Fatah death

“Finally,” tweeted another Islamist with the username ‘Aurangzeb’, the infamous Mughal tyrant known for persecuting Hindus and pursuing an aggressive religious conversion campaign, killing those who refused to convert to Islam.

Islamists rejoice Tarek Fatah death

The euphoria among Islamists was not limited to Twitter alone. On Facebook too, Islamists could not help but express their glee over the death of a man they deeply despised.

The Times of India posted on its official Facebook page the death of author and columnist Tarek Fatah.

Islamists rejoice Tarek Fatah death

While most of his supporters and fans poured in expressing their commiserations over his death, Islamists, on the other hand, responded to the death of Tarek Fatah with laughing emojis.

Who was Tarek Fatah and what earned him the ire of Islamists?

Tarek Fatah was born on November 20, 1949, in Karachi, Pakistan. He was a leftist student movement leader during the late 1960s and 1970s. During these decades, he was imprisoned twice by Pakistan’s successive military rules. General Zia-ul Haq charged him with sedition in 1977 and prevented him from working as a journalist in the country. He went to Canada in 1987 and worked as a journalist ever since. 

He was very proud of his Indian origins. He often told in his interviews that he hailed from a Rajput family that was forcibly converted to Islam in the 1840s. He identified himself as a Hindustani born in Pakistan. He was a staunch critic of Islamic fanaticism. Therefore, he was often attacked by Muslims across the world. However, he fearlessly put his thoughts through his writing for various media, blogs, and books.

In the late 1990s, Fatah became increasingly critical of Islamic fundamentalism and its impact on Muslim communities around the world. He wrote several books on the subject, including “Chasing a Mirage: The Tragic Illusion of an Islamic State” and “The Jew is Not My Enemy: Unveiling the Myths that Fuel Muslim Anti-Semitism.”

In his long public appearance, he would often show his respect for Hinduism and the pride he took in the Indian civilization. He also hosted a show on Zee News titled ‘Fatah Ka Fatwa’ which literally means ‘Fatah’s opinion’. He was often targeted by Islamist Maulanas for his bold and clear critical comments on radical Islam.

Punjab: ‘Beadbi’ in Morinda, Sikh man enters Gurudwara while wearing shoes, slaps granthis, situation tense

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On Monday, April 24, an incident of sacrilege has come to light in Punjab from a Gurudwara. A Sikh man entered the Gurudwara wearing shoes and started beating the granthis reciting Shri Guru Granth Sahib. The incident took place at Morinda in Ropar district. After the incident, the people present in the Gurudwara caught the youth and thrashed him for his sacrilegious act.

After the incident, the people of the area started protesting on the road in Morinda as the situation in the area became tense.

The motive behind the young man’s action is not clear as yet and police are questioning him to find out more details.

CCTV footage related to this incident, which took place at Kotwali Sahib Gurudwara in Morinda town in Ropar district, has come to the light as well. It is clearly visible in the CCTV footage that around 1.15 pm, the Sikh man entered the Gurudwara wearing shoes. As soon as he entered the Gurudwara, the young man started moving straight towards the two granthis who were reciting Sri Guru Granth Sahib and started telling them to leave the Gurdwara.

Before anyone could understand anything, the young man reached behind the holy Sri Guru Granth Sahib by leaping over the steel grills and started beating the two granthis sitting there. He continuously slapped both of them in front of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. In a fit of anger, the young man also disrespected Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

All this happened so quickly that the Sangat chanting in the Gurudwara did not understand anything at all. After this, in a hurry, the Sangat present there caught hold of the young man, beat him up and dragged him out of the gurudwara.

As soon as the information about the incident was received, the police also reached the spot and took the youth into custody.

This incident of sacrilege enraged the people of Morinda and they have started protesting on the road. The situation in the town is very tense as a result. The people sitting on the dharna alleged that the police wanted to declare the young man mentally unstable while the youth’s actions were very intentional. People said that till action is not taken against the youth, they will not end the protest.

Taking strong notice of the incident, Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Harjinder Singh Dhami has demanded strict and exemplary action against the accused person. Principal Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami said that Sri Guru Granth Sahib is highly respected by Sikhs, but it is sad that the incidents of disrespect/sacrilege are not stopping.

Dhami said that due to the lax action taken by the government against the accused persons previously, such forces are getting emboldened. Harjinder Singh Dhami said- If strict punishment is given, then no one will have the courage to commit the crime.

As Bench headed by CJI objects to the interview of Calcutta HC Judge Abhijit Ganguly, here is what the Judge had said about Abhishek Banerjee

On Monday (April 24), the Supreme Court objected to an interview given by Calcutta High Court Judge Abhijit Ganguly to ABP Ananda last year wherein he made critical remarks about Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Abhishek Banerjee.

The matter came up for hearing before a Bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha. The apex court noted that a sitting judge should refrain from giving interviews to the press on pending judicial matters.

It ruled that Justice Abhijit Ganguly cannot hear a case regarding Abhishek Banerjee if he had made comments about him in the media. The court has asked the Registrar General of Calcutta High Court to verify whether Justice Ganguly gave an interview to ABP Ananda.

“If he has done so, then he cannot participate anymore (in the hearing). We will not touch the investigation but when a judge who gives opinion on the petitioner on tv debate, then he cannot hear it,” the apex court ordered while seeking a report on the matter from the Calcutta High Court.

CJI DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha made the observations while hearing a Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by Abhishek Banerjee, challenging Justice Ganguly’s order to CBI and ED to probe the role of the TMC leader in West Bengal teacher recruitment scam.

Banerjee had also presented a transcript of Justice Ganguly’s interview with ABP Ananda before the apex court and alleged that the Judge cast ‘unsubstantiated aspersions’ on him.

“The question is whether a judge who has made statements like these about a political personality – should he be allowed to participate in the hearings,” CJI DY Chandrachud stated.

The Background of the Controversy

On September 19, 2022, Justice Abhijit Ganguly was interviewed by journalist Suman De of ABP Ananda. During the 1.5-hour-long interview, the Calcutta High Court judge spoke on an array of issues, including the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal.

He told ABP Ananda that he was angry at the attempt of Abhishek Banerjee to cast aspersions on the integrity of the Court. “I feel ashamed to say that there are a few in the judicial system who are working in tandem with BJP, working as their porters, ordering CBI probe at the drop of a hat,” the TMC leader had said in May 2022.

Although a Division Bench did not find contempt in Banerjee’s remarks, Justice Abhijit Ganguly was disturbed. “If such comments are made in the future involving me, I will show how tough the judiciary can be,” he told ABP Ananda.

The Calcutta High Court Judge also informed journalist Suman De that he came across another video of Abhishek Banerjee wherein he was heard claiming that the court would easily grant bail to BJP leaders.

Aghast at the attempts by TMC leadership to tarnish the dignity of the Judiciary, Justice Abhijit Ganguly said, “What if I ask him to provide proof? Can he prove it? He can be sent to three months in prison for telling lies.“

If we do not take stringent action against those trying to malign the judiciary, people’s trust in the system will suffer…Heard that she (Mamata Banerjee) also often gets angry and acts in a vindictive way,” he had said during the infamous September 2022 interview.