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Eid special music video of Malayalam actors Sumi Rashik and Vishnu K Vijayan draws Netizen’s ire for normalising love jihad: Read why

OpIndia Staff
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Eid special music video of Malayalam actors Sumi Rashik and Vishnu K Vijayan draws Netizen’s ire for normalising love jihad: Read why

On the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, Malayalam actors Sumi Rashik and Vishnu K Vijayan took to Instagram to share a music video to extend Ramzan wishes to their fans. The video by Juneberry Bridal Makeover and shot by Kcaptures, however, did not go down well with social media users who slammed it for normalising the phenomena of love jihad.

Netizens were outraged at how the music video not only normalised but also encouraged the conversion of Hindu women to Islam by Muslim men in the name of love.

It must be mentioned that the video, which is being widely condemned, depicts actress Sumi Rashik as a Hindu woman in love with Vishnu K Vijayan essaying the role of a Muslim man. In the first scene, Vishnu K Vijayan is seen wearing a black kurta pyjama and Kufi, an Islamic prayer cap, and performing Namaz. The girl, dressed in a red and yellow typical South Indian style lehnga choli peeps into the room. For the next few seconds, the duo are shown romancing each other. After some time, Sumi Rashik changes into a Salwar Kameez presented to her by her Muslim boyfriend.

In the next scene, the Hindu girl approaches her Muslim boyfriend in the outfit he gifted her. The man, in turn, drapes the girl’s dupatta on her head like a veil and removes the bindi the girl wears on her forehead.

Till the time this report was published, the aforementioned video, shared by Vishnu K Vijayan on his Instagram page yesterday (Friday, April 21), garnered 2541 likes. The Malayalam actress Sumi Rashik shared the video today and has garnered 220 likes. The video is, however, being met with severe criticism both on Instagram and Twitter.

Most of the Netizens, on Instagram as well as Twitter, were of the opinion that several portions in the video, especially in which the Muslim man removes the bindi the girl is wearing on her forehead and drapes the dupatta over the Hindu girl’s head are a subliminal depiction of religious conversion.

Below are a few responses that actor Vishnu K Vijayan received on his post. Please note that the responses provided below were originally written in Malayalam. The true meaning of several words was lost in the translation since we used the translation option and changed them to English for better understanding. Pottu (bindi in Malayalam) appears as pussy, for example.

Similarly, people on Twitter also called out the makers of the music video for normalising the phenomena of love jihad/grooming jihad. While there is nothing wrong with two adults from different religions falling in love, the fact that the Hindu girl is transformed into a Muslim girl by her Muslim lover by removing the bindi and putting a hijab on her presents a problematic depiction. Because many felt that it seemed to be promoting the religious conversion of Hindu girls to Islam to marry Muslim men.

Advocate Ashutosh J Dubey, a practising legal solicitor at Bombay High Court and the legal advisor of BJP-Maharashtra shared the video and tweeted, “A Muslim boy marries a Hindu girl, giving the world a clear indication of Love Jihad. He gently removes the bindi from her forehead and covers her head with a cloth. This is a clip from the popular Eid music video in Kerala, and whoever developed it had just the objective of upsetting Hindus – Wake up Hindu Girls.

“Love sees no religion yet a religious boy has to convert the girl before accepting her. Video by Sumi Rashik, Malayalam actress in collab with ‘Kcaptures by Kiran’ at Instagram with hashtags RamzanMubarak, RomanticVideos, MusIim, etc,” tweeted popular Twitter user The Hawk Eye.

Twitter user Monica Verma also shared the video and condemned the glorification of religious conversion in the name of love.

“Eid greetings! With this clip promoting love Jihad: In the name of Ramzan greetings this clip was shared on the internet where a Muslim man erases bindi from the forehead of a Hindu woman and asks her to wear a veil, as a symbol of conversion. Video from Kerala,” tweeted Swarajya journalist Subhi Vishwakarma.

Twitter user going by the handle @nach1keta opined that this video is an obvious hint of Love Jihad made with an intention to provoke Hindus.

Media outlet Indus Scrolls also shared the video and tweeted, “Muzlim Man Erases Bindi and Wears Hindu Girl a Veil: Video Glorifying #LoveJihad From Kerala Sparks Outrage.”

While the left and the so-called liberals have always dismissed these occurrences as a figment of the ‘right-wing imagination’, the cases are real.

To combat this grave threat, many states, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and Karnataka, have enacted stringent laws that criminalise Love Jihad and other forms of illegal conversions; however, several incidents continue to emerge every other day from every nook and corner of the country where susceptible and vulnerable Hindu women are being targeted and exploited in the name of ‘love’.

OpIndia has consistently been at the forefront of reporting incidents in which vulnerable Hindu women are groomed to accept their own subjugation at the hands of Muslim men. When the year 2022 came to an end, OpIndia reported as many as 153 instances of ‘Love Jihad’ or ‘Grooming Jihad’ we documented last year.

Uttarakhand: Char Dham Yatra begins with the opening of portals of Gangotri & Yamunotri on Akshay Tritiya

OpIndia Staff
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Uttarakhand: Char Dham Yatra begins with the opening of portals of Gangotri & Yamunotri on Akshay Tritiya

On the auspicious occasion of Akshay Tritiya on Saturday (April 22), the portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri have been opened for the devotees in Uttarakhand. With the opening of the portals, the Char Dham Yatra has begun today. While Vedic mantras were being chanted, the portals of Yamunotri Dham and Gangotri Dham were opened on Akshaya Tritaya at 12:35 pm and 12:41 pm respectively. Meanwhile,  Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was also present.

Taking to Twitter, the Uttarakhand CM shared a glimpse of the portal opening ceremony and wrote, “Opening ceremony of Shri Gangotri Dham.”

On the day of the Gangotri temple’s ceremonial opening, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami performed a pooja there. CM Dhami also did pooja when goddess Yamuna’s idol, carried by priests in a decorated palanquin, went for Yamunotri Dham, where the goddess will be worshipped for the ensuing six months. CM Dhami performed a pooja in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Today, before the opening of the doors of Maa Yamuna, in Kharsali, the first worship in the name of the respected Prime Minister of the country respected Shri @narendramodi ji wished for the happiness and prosperity of the country and the state. May Maa Yamuna bless everyone. Jai Maa Yamunotri,” CM Dhami tweeted in Hindi.

Earlier in the day, flower petals were showered to welcome the devotees in Kharsali. Sharing a glimpse of the same on Twitter, CM Dhami wrote, “Today in Kharsali, Maa Yamuna’s doli and devotees were welcomed by showering flowers from the helicopter.”

Notably, the Kedarnath portal will be opened on April 25, and on April 27, the doors of Badrinath will be opened. Meanwhile, CM Dhami said that the Chardham Yatra will be held with utmost enthusiasm and he also stated that the yatra is being closely watched and that all necessary facilities will be provided to the devotees. It is notable that the state government has made arrangements for all the required facilities such as water, toilets, electricity, and first aid are being made accessible to the devotees in the state. Moreover, medical relief camps have also been set up to provide health facilities to the devotees.

Gujarat: AAP leader Yuvrajsinh Jadeja arrested for extorting Rs 1 crore from perpetrators of a dummy exam candidate scam to hide their names

OpIndia Staff
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Gujarat: AAP leader Yuvrajsinh Jadeja arrested for extorting Rs 1 crore from perpetrators of a dummy exam candidate scam to hide their names

Gujarat’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Yuvrajsinh Jadeja was arrested on 21st April 2023 as he was accused of extorting 1 crore rupees for not taking names in a scam. A case has been registered against them at Bhavnagar police station.

“Yuvrajsinh Jadeja’s arrest was made at 11 pm on Friday. The other five accused in the new case are yet to be arrested,” an official from the Bhavnagar Local Crime Branch (LCB) said.

Yuvraj Singh Jadeja is known as a ‘whistle-blower’, as he has been exposing irregularities in competitive entrance and recruitment exams. But now it has been revealed that he was using his knowledge about such irregularities to extort money. He is accused of extorting money from those involved in a dummy exam candidate scam by not revealing their names when he exposed the scam. According to police, the AAP leader and his associates collected over ₹1 crore from two persons named Pradip Baraiya and Prakash Dave.

Bhavnagar police gave information about this matter by holding a press conference. A case has been registered against Yuvrajsinh Jadeja and others under sections 386, 388 and 120(B) of the IPC at the Nilambagh police station for allegedly siphoning off Rs 1 crore from Pradeep Baraiya and Prakash Dave. Apart from Yuvrajsinh Jadeja, a case has also been registered against his two brothers-in-law Shivubha and Kanbha as well as accused Bipin Trivedi and Ghanshyam Langhwa.

Police said that when Yuvrajsinh Jadeja was questioned about the allegations against him, he did not give a satisfactory answer and gave evasive answers. During interrogation, Yuvrajsinh Jadeja also gave some names, the police said, which will be investigated after verification. Yuvrajsinh Jadeja had made allegations against Jitu Vaghani and Asit Vora before questioning but the police said that Jadeja did not say any such thing during the interrogation.

The entire matter came to light after Bhavnagar Local Crime Branch arrested 4 people for their involvement in a racket of supplying dummy candidates for government recruitment examinations and board examinations. Reportedly, they were caught sending dummy candidates for the junior clerk recruitment exam held recently. The four arrested accused are Sharad Panot, Pradeep Baraiya, Prakash alias P K Dave and Baldev Rathod. They used to charge Rs 5 to Rs 10 lakh to send dummy candidates instead of the real candidates by forging documents. The dummy candidates are paid Rs 25,000 per exam.

During their interrogation, they alleged extortion by the AAP leader. As per the complaint, Yuvrajsinh Jadeja and his men made a video of a dummy candidate appearing for an exam on 25 March. However, instead of using the video to expose the scam, he showed the video to Prakash Dave’s wife. After this, a meeting was held on 28th March at Jadeja’s office, where his aides were also present.

Yuvrajsinh Jadeja demanded Rs 70 lakh and made a deal of Rs 45 lakh after bargaining for not taking names in the press conference revealing the dummy candidate scandal. After the deals were finalised, Yuvrajsinh showed the list of names to his aide Ghanasyam to confirm the names of Prakash Dave and his aides which are to be not revealed. Apart from Prakash, three other names Rajan Dave, Rakesh Baraiya and Parth Pandya were confirmed to be not revealed as per the deal.

After that on March 30, he had a meeting with Pradeep Baraiya, in which Yuvrajsinh Jadeja showed Pradeep a diary containing names of people involved in the scam, and told him that he would disclose these names in the press conference. Yuvrajsinh Jadeja then demanded Rs 60 lakh from him to not disclose his name, while Pradeep offered Rs 10 lakh. At the end of the conversation and bargaining, the deal was finalised for Rs 55 lakh. The amount was paid to the AAP leader’s aides in 3 instalments of Rs 20 lakh, Rs 30 lakh and Rs 5 lakh.

When Yuvrajsinh Jadeja held the press conference on 5 April to expose the dummy candidate scam, he did not take the names of those for whom he had collected payments.

A few days ago, Bipin Trivedi, a person close to Yuvrajsinh Jadeja, revealed in front of the media that the AAP leader had demanded lakhs of rupees for not disclosing the names in the dummy scandal. He also said that he had a meeting with Yuvrajsinh Jadeja about this. Bipin Trivedi alleged that Rs 55 lakh and Rs 45 lakh, respectively, were taken from Pradeep Baraiya and Prakash Dave for not naming them in the scam. He also said that there was a meeting between Ghanshyam, Pradeep, Shivubha, Kanbha and Yuvrajsinh Jadeja and a deal of Rs 55 lakh was made. In this, Ghanshyam was the middleman with Bipin, while Shivubha and Kanbha are said to be Yuvrajsinh Jadeja’s brother-in-law.

Recently, Yuvrajsinh Jadeja revealed in a press conference that dummy candidates are being made to appear in competitive examinations for government jobs. A police complaint was lodged in Bhavnagar recently. It is alleged that Yuvrajsinh Jadeja took money for not taking names in the scam. Following these allegations, the Bhavnagar Police detained Bipin Trivedi.

Yuvrajsinh Jadeja was also summoned and was asked to be present to respond to these allegations. However, the very next day after receiving the police summons, Yuvrajsinh Jadeja’s health ‘suddenly deteriorated’. Due to this, he sought more time to appear before the police. On the other hand, as Yuvrajsinh Jadeja was not present on the date mentioned in the summons, the police issued a fresh summon and ordered him to appear on April 21. He appeared on April 21.

In the FIR filed in the case, AAP leader Yuvrajsinh Jadeja, his brothers-in-law Shivubha and Kanbha, his aides Ghanshyam Ladhwa and Bipin Trivedi and another person named Raju has been charged with Extortion.

Madhya Pradesh: 18-year-old Hindu girl commits suicide after Asmat pressurises her for marriage and conversion to Islam; 2 arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Madhya Pradesh: 18-year-old Hindu girl commits suicide after Asmat pressurises her for marriage and conversion to Islam; 2 arrested

A novel case of Love Jihad was reported from the Khudel region of Indore after the state police arrested a person named Asmat Patel, his father Shabbir Ali and his brother Haider Ali for forcing a Hindu girl to commit suicide. While the entire family of Asmat has been booked in the case, it is known that Asmat and his father were earlier arrested by the Police, however, Haider Ali was arrested today and the police are still looking for his mother, Shahjahan who is absconding.

According to the reports, Asmat met an 18-year-old Hindu girl in his college and later developed a friendship with her. He then forced her to get married to him and accept Islam and also threatened that he would abduct her if she doesn’t agree. The girl informed about Asmat to his father who warned him and his family members, Haider, Shabbir and Shahjahan to stay away from the girl.

However, Asmat issued threats to the father of the girl and said that he wanted to marry her and would abduct her if she doesn’t agree. He also pressured her and used to send her derogatory messages on her phone. The father then took possession of the phone and happened to delete the messages.

Asmat, after knowing this, accessed the contact of the girl’s uncle and continued to send derogatory messages. The girl felt pressured by the continuous terrorization and decided to end her life to end the saga. She consumed poison and was declared dead after she was immediately taken to the hospital by her family members.

Several Hindu organizations in the city took cognizance of the event and claimed that the incident was a ‘love jihad’ case. They demanded severe action against the accused. The police have filed a police complaint in the case and have booked Asmat and his family members. The police have so far made three arrests which include Asmat Patel, Shabbir Ali and Haider Ali. The police are meanwhile still looking for the mother of the accused, Shahjahan.

Gujarat: Mohd Saif Qureshi caught cleaning chicken with the national flag in viral video, arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Gujarat: Mohd Saif Qureshi caught cleaning chicken with the national flag in viral video, arrested

On Friday, April 21, a man named Mohammad Saif Qureshi has been arrested by the police for cleaning chicken with the Indian national flag in Silvassa of Dadar and Nagar Haveli. This comes after a video of 21-year-old Mohammad Saif Qureshi cleaning chicken at a meat shop named Apna Chicken Shop in Silvassa’s Bavisa Faliya went viral on social media and sparked outrage. It is said that a person passing by noticed the accused cleaning chicken with the national tricolour, after this, he recorded it and uploaded the video of the incident on social media and sought action.

Following this, the Silvassa Police reportedly arrived at Bavisa Faliya and arrested accused Saif Qureshi at night. The accused was produced before the court on Friday following which the police initiated the process to move into the sub-jail. It has been reported that Apna Meat Shop was sealed by the municipality. The shop is owned by a person named Hashim Qureshi. 

Flag Code 2002

According to the Indian Flag Code, 2002, there are two ways to dispose of a torn or damaged national flag – burning or burying it. A strict rule should also be followed while choosing any procedure. These rules are notified as follows.

The code says, “To bury the national flag, collect all the damaged flags in wooden boxes, fold them, and place them properly. Bury the box in the ground. Observe silence for a moment after the flag is buried. Another option is to cremate the flag. Choose a safe place and clean it, fold the flag, light the fire, and place the flag carefully in the centre of the flame. It is also a criminal act that the national flag is cremated without being folded properly or burnt first and later put into the fire.”

It should be noted that the national flag is a symbol of pride and its dignity should be maintained while disposing of it. Insulting the national flag is a criminal act.

‘Ladki hoon, lad sakti hoon’, says Priyanka Gandhi, but Angkita Dutta complaining about abuse is anti-party activity

OpIndia Staff
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‘Ladki hoon, lad sakti hoon’, says Priyanka Gandhi, but Angkita Dutta complaining about abuse is anti-party activity

On Saturday (April 22), the grand old party unceremoniously kicked out the Youth Congress President (Assam) Angkita Dutta for daring to file a police complaint against her alleged harasser.

Dutta had filed the complaint against Srinivas BV, President of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC), and Vardhan Yadav, the Secretary in-charge of IYC, for harassing her for 6 months.

She accused Srinivas of making sexist comments, using abusive language, and resorting to mental harassment. In her complaint, Angkita Dutta narrated a recent incident in Chhatishargar, where Srinivas allegedly held her arm, pushed and pulled her, and used slang words to threaten her. 

Instead of paying heed to the serious nature of the allegations, the Congress party resorted to intimidation and pressure tactics.

On Thursday (April 20), the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Bhupen Kumar Borah issued a show-cause notice to Angkita Dutta, seeking an explanation for not taking disciplinary action against her.

On Tuesday (April 18), Roopesh S Bhadauria (National Chairman of the Indian Youth Congress Legal Cell), sent a legal notice to her on behalf of Srinivas.

In the notice, it was claimed that the IYC President was a “well-known public figure”, and the allegations levelled by Dutta in tweets and other statements were “sexist, chauvinistic, false and frivolous”.

The notice also stated that the language used by the victim was “unparliamentary, undignified, defamatory and malicious”.

Screengrab of the legal notice against Angkita Dutta

And on Saturday (April 22), Angkita Dutta was expelled from the primary membership of the Congress party for a period of 6 years. The reason cited for her expulsion was ‘anti-party activites’ even though all she did was file a police complaint against her alleged harasser.

Source: Twitter user @shemin_joy

Such a drastic decision by the Congress party sets a dangerous precedent, forcing victims of harassment to maintain silence in order to avoid jeopardising their political careers. It will also bolster the accused, who are holding positions of power within the grand old party.

As ironic as it might sound now, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi coined the infamous slogan ‘Ladki hoon lad sakti hoon‘ in the hopes of empowering her female voters.

“I had come up with half of the line. We wanted a slogan that would identify with women and especially young girls,” she had said.

But when a party leader raised the complaint of harassment, she was swiftly shown the door without any redressal. Such has been the tragedy that befell the fate of Angkita Dutta.

This not only trivialises complaints of harassment but discourages women from taking steps to seek legal recourse. Women empowerment, as espoused by Priyanka Gandhi, for society seems to be lacking within her party.

This is also evident from the scathing remarks of Priyanka Maurya, the former Vice-president of the Mahila Congress (UP), who dubbed the slogan of ‘Ladki hoon lad sakti hoon‘ a sham.

‘Why was he silent when he was Governor’, Amit Shah questions credibility of Satypal Malik’s remarks on Pulwama attack

OpIndia Staff
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‘Why was he silent when he was Governor’, Amit Shah questions credibility of Satypal Malik’s remarks on Pulwama attack

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday suggested that the veracity of statements made by former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik should be examined. Malik, who was the last governor of Jammu and Kashmir before that state was divided into Union territories, had made disparaging statements against the BJP-led government at the Centre in a recent interview with journalist Karan Thapar. 

“The BJP hasn’t done anything that needs to be hidden. The issue should not be discussed in a public forum. If he had information about irregularities, he should have spoken during his tenure. Why is he making such claims now? This calls for a credibility check,” said Amit Shah while speaking at the India Today Karnataka Roundtable 2023 on April 22.

In a recent interview, Satya Pal Malik made a number of accusations, including the claim that the Pulwama tragedy happened because of the Central government’s “lackadaisical approach” as “the Army was denied air movement of troops by the Central government.”

Further talking about Malik’s CBI summons following his allegations, Shah said, “It is not the first time that he has been called in. He is being probed in an alleged insurance scam and the probe agency is just doing its duty. There is no relation between the CBI summons and his allegations.”

Satya Pal Malik has been called by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for questioning in relation to his allegation that he was offered a Rs 300-crore bribe to clear two files related to Reliance Insurance during his tenure as governor of J&K.

Regarding rumours that Malik had joined forces with an opposition group, Shah stated, “He made the claims after separating himself from us, so his claims are doubtful.” For a very long time, Malik Ji has been a member of the party. People occasionally undergo transformation. Voters should exercise caution, Shah advised.

According to authorities, the CBI has asked Satya Pal Malik, a former governor of Jammu and Kashmir, to provide answers to specific questions on an alleged insurance scam in the Union Territory.

Malik, who has held office as the governor of many states, will be interrogated by the CBI for the second time in seven months. He was interrogated in October of last year after completing his duties as governor of Meghalaya, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, and Bihar.  

Malik responded to the situation by telling PTI that the CBI had requested his attendance at the agency’s guesthouse on Akbar Road for “certain clarifications”.

Rajasthan: Mali, Saini, Kushwaha, and Maurya communities block highway demanding 12% reservation, police use tear gas after stone-pelting

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan: Mali, Saini, Kushwaha, and Maurya communities block highway demanding 12% reservation, police use tear gas after stone-pelting

On Friday, 21st April 2023, people of the Mali, Saini, Kushwaha, and Maurya communities in Rajasthan blocked the important Jaipur-Agra National Highway in Bharatpur. Demanding 12% special reservation in government employment and educational institutions, these people protested and blocked the roads.

The protesters also threw stones at the police, who responded by using tear gas to disperse the crowd. The communities, which fall under OBC, are now asking for a separate 12% reservation. They had already made it known that on Friday they will hinder the motorway. It is notable that chief minister Ashok Gehlot also belongs to the Mali community.

To prevent the agitators from reaching the main road, the police installed roadblocks on the highway near the villages of Ballabhgarh, Halaina, Vair, Aronda, and Ramaspur. However, some protesters made a ruckus and threw rocks at the police, who then used tear gas to subdue the crowd.

Superintendent of Police Shyam Singh said, “The agitators pelted stones at police following which mild force was used to disperse them. Tear gas was also used.”

In order to stop rumours from propagating, the Bharatpur district administration has shut down internet access for 24 hours in three tehsils. Bharatpur Divisional Commissioner Sanwarmal Verma said, “The protest is continuing. We have suspended internet services in Vair, Nadbai and Bhusavar tehsils for 24 hours.”

Members of the Saini community held a meeting with social justice department officials in Jaipur on Friday. A distinct Luv Kush Welfare Board, a hostel facility for the community’s youngsters, a reserve of 12%, and other demands were made during the meeting, according to an official statement from the Saini community leaders.

The state government has established the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Welfare Board, and April 19 has been designated as Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Day, a public holiday, they said. Similar protests were organised by the community in June 2022, but they were put down after certain promises.

Ahmedabad: Stray dogs snatch infant from the cradle and maul her

OpIndia Staff
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Ahmedabad: Stray dogs snatch infant from the cradle and maul her

In alarming news from Ahmedabad, a seven-month-old baby, Pooja, a child of construction workers was carried for roughly 30 metres by four stray dogs. Bystanders noticed the terrifying situation and intervened to save the infant. The incident happened on Thursday, April 20.

The child was put in a makeshift cradle near Sonal Cinema Road in Sarkhej, Juhapura, where her parents were working when the stray dogs suddenly attacked her. The entire instance that took place at Bagh-e-Nishat Society in Juhapura was captured on CCTV. The footage (video discretion advised) was also posted on social media.

The child was severely bitten and scratched, resulting in significant injuries, and was transferred to Civil Hospital. She was discharged following the treatment.

“It is a horrifying incident. The baby girl, Puja, after the severe attack was rushed by her parents to the Sarkhej Arogya Center, later to VS Hospital, and then to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital where she was treated. She was given an injection, however, there is concern over the infection since she has injuries all over,” Haji Mirza, Congress Councillor from Maktampura stated.

“The parents were working at a construction site near Sonal Cinema Road and had put the infant in a cradle. Suddenly stray dogs attacked the child. The 7-month-old girl would have died had residents not chased away the dogs in time,” he continued.

“The attack by dogs is a huge concern in this area. Earlier, a similar incident occurred in Fatehwadi about four months ago. There are crores of rupees spent in the department without fruitful results. Children are scared of dogs and a child has recently been bitten by a dog thrice in Nasheman society. It is unfortunate that dogs are not caught by the teams,” the leader added.

In Ahmedabad city, 58,668 dog bite incidences were reported in 2022, 7,457 more than in 2021. The month of December 2022 saw the highest number of dog bite reports, with 5,880 incidents being recorded in hospitals and urban health centres, according to Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) data.

As per AMC, dog bite cases decreased during the lockdowns in 2020–2021. 65,881 dog bite cases were reported to hospitals and UHCs in the city in 2019, 51,244 in 2020, and 50,668 in 2021.

“However, as 2022 saw activities resume, cases of dog bites increased,” an AMC official informed. The 2022 number, he specified, is still less than that of 2019.

Gaddar party… BJP agent: Mamata Banerjee attacks BJP and AIMIM while addressing crowd on Eid in Kolkata

OpIndia Staff
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Gaddar party… BJP agent: Mamata Banerjee attacks BJP and AIMIM while addressing crowd on Eid in Kolkata

While addressing a gathering for Eid-ul-Fitr namaz in Kolkata’s Red Road on Saturday, April 22, West Bengal CM and TMC supremo launched a veiled attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and All India Majilis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). Without taking names, Mamata Banerjee went on to call BJP a ‘Gaddar Party’ (traitors) while accusing AIMIM of being a BJP stooge.

“All I would like to tell you is stay peaceful, don’t listen to anyone. A ‘gaddar party’ with whom I have to fight… I have to fight agencies too – I fight them because I have the courage to do so. I am not ready to bow down,” she said, without naming any party.

In an obvious reference to the All India Majilis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), the TMC supremo further claimed that some political parties were trying to divide Muslim votes to help the BJP. She assured the gathering that she would not let it happen. 

“Someone takes money from BJP and says that they will divide Muslim votes. I tell them that they don’t have the courage to divide Muslim votes for BJP,” she snarled, attempting to instigate the Muslim crowd assembled for Eid-ul-Fitr namaz on Kolkata’s Red Road.

It is pertinent to note here that Mamata Banerjee’s allegations of Owaisi being hand-in gloves with the BJP are not new. In 2021, she made similar inference while addressing a crowd in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar. “A person came to Bengal from Hyderabad, he took money from BJP. Don’t allow him here”, she said. Basically, Mamata Banerjee had insinuated that Asaduddin Owaisi, who is predominantly from Hyderabad, is on the payrolls of BJP and is trying to make inroads in Bengal to divide the Muslim vote on BJP’s command.

Mamata Banerjee vows to maintain peace and unity in West Bengal

Ironically, Mamata Banerjee further emphasised her commitment to maintaining ‘peace’ and ‘unity’ in the state. The West Bengal chief minister asserted she did not want riots or divisions in the country and promised to do everything in her power to prevent such occurrences.

Here it becomes imperative to recall, how only last month several incidents of violence were reported from many places in the state during Ram Navami celebrations. Recently, Mamata Banerjee had also downplayed the post-poll violence in her state, which claimed the lives of more than a dozen BJP workers, by calling it ‘small-time incidents.’

Clearly disregarding all her past apathetic remarks and attitude towards the several violent incidents that have rocked the state under her regime, the West Bengal CM said, “We want peace in Bengal. We don’t want riots. We want peace. We don’t want divisions in the country. Those who want to create divides in the country — I promise today on Eid, I am ready to give my life but I will not let the country divide.” 

Mamata Banerjee further attacked the central government by evoking democracy. She said, “If democracy will go away, everything will go away. Today Constitution is being changed, history is being changed. They brought NRC. I told them that I will not let them do that.” 

“In one year’s time, elections will be held to decide who will come to power in our country. Let us promise that we will unite and fight against divisive forces. We must ensure that all of us together vote them out in the next polls. If we fail to protect democracy, then everything will be finished,” she added.

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