On Friday (May 5), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee resorted to fear-mongering over rumours about the Central government removing chapters on ‘Mughals’ from history textbooks. However, while objecting to rumoured deletion of chapters on Mughals from NCERT textbooks, she went on to mention several historical figures like MK Gandhi, Tagore, Ambedkar etc.
During a programme in Shamsherganj in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal, she said, “If Centre wants to erase history, then, fighting is my Dharma.” OpIndia had earlier reported how the mainstream media speculated that NCERT removed certain chapters on the Mughal empire from the 12th-class history book.
“Can I forget Mahatma Gandhi, Vivekananda, Raghunath Murmu, Abul Kalam Azad, Ambedkar, Rabindranath, Nazrul? Remember history is always preserved in books,” Mamata Banerjee inquired despite no reports about the Union government trying to remove these historical personalities from textbooks.
While Mamata Banerjee was talking about the alleged removal of chapters on Mughals from school textbooks, she mentioned several other personalities, who have nothing to do with Mughals, and they were born long after the demise of the Mughal dynasty. Moreover, no chapter on these personalities has been removed from these persons, but the Bengal CM tried to imply that the govt has removed the freedom fighters and other noted personalities from the books.
“They tried to divide Hindus and Muslims in 1905. Could they do it? No. Rabindranath Tagore organised Rakashabandhan between Hindus and Muslims,” the West Bengal CM said while conveniently forgetting about the Partition of India in 1947, which also divided Bengal.
It is notable that British Raj had divided the Bengal Presidency into two parts, Muslim-majority East Bengal including Assam and Hindu-majority West Bengal including Bihar and Odisha. But due to huge protests against the partition, Bengal was reunited in 1911. However, when India was partitioned into India and Pakistan, Bengal was partitioned again.
She also claimed that Mahatma Gandhi sang the ‘Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram’ song at the time of Independence in Kolkata, which is actually a distorted version to include a reference to Allah. Ahead of the Panchayat elections in the State, Mamata Banerjee hoped to reignite the rumour around the removal of Indian history from public memory.
It must be mentioned that the Director of NCERT, Dinesh Prasad Saklani, had earlier refuted the allegations that were being spread by various news outlets. He informed that chapters on the Mughals had not been removed. Only the overlapping chapters had been dropped to alleviate additional strain on children.
Mamata Banerjee blames the Centre for environmental damage
During the programme, the West Bengal CM also blamed the Central government for not preventing soil erosion and flooding in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal.
“If the Centre used the time devoted to political conspiracies, rioting, harassment, rumour mongering for the environment, then, Bengal would have flourished,” she brazened it out.
“This is a subject of the Central government…We have raised the matter with them but they did not help us… Controlling floods is the responsibility of the Central govt,” Mamata Banerjee said.
West Bengal CM accuses Modi govt of killing people, withholding funds
“BJP has two jobs – One is them is to kill people (Thok Do),” she alleged. Mamaya Banerjee also accused the Centre of withholding funds for MNREGA without informing her supporters about the circumstances leading to the decision.
It must be mentioned that the Central govt had invoked Section 27 of the MNREGA Act over the misappropriation of Central govt funds and other irregularities. “If I am lying, then, you tell me. I don’t lie often… I mean I don’t lie at all.” Mamata Banerjee claimed.
She then alleged that the Central government has told her that it will not give funds to West Bengal because it supposedly fights the ruling Trinamool Congress govt in the State.
The West Bengal claimed that CBI officers are supposedly instructed to malign the image of TMC leaders after supposedly finding no evidence of complicity. “Raam ka naam badnam maat karo, Desh ke naam badnam maat karo, agencies se Kuch kaam nahin hona vala,” Banerjee was heard saying.
In an alarming case of honeytrap, Pradeep Kurulkar, a 59-year-old scientist employed at a defence research and development organisation laboratory in Pune, has been arrested on allegations of spying and providing security-sensitive material to a purported female Pakistani intelligence operative. He is charged with violations of the Official Secrets Act (of 1923) sections 3 (spying) and 5 (wrongful transmission of information).
The Anti-Terrorism Squad of Maharashtra Police, Kalachowki, Mumbai, has filed a case under Section 1923 of the Official Secrets Act 1923 and other relevant sections. Further probe is being done by investigating officer: Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS)
Honey trapping is a strategy in espionage where an agent cultivates a relationship with a civilian in order to exploit their trust or gain access to confidential information.
He had been in touch with the Pakistani operator via voice messaging and video conversations over WhatsApp, according to the Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad (ATS). The perpetrator was removed from his post two weeks before the arrest. He was remanded in ATS custody till May 9 by the court of special judge S R Navandar.
#WATCH | DRDO espionage case: Accused DRDO scientist Pradeep Kurulkar brought to ATS office in Pune for investigation.
An employee of the DRDO’s vigilance and security office in Delhi filed a complaint, which led to the arrest late on Wednesday. The accused reportedly provided the Pakistani agent with a picture of a missile and its location as well as some of his personal photographs which were later used to blackmail the man.
Special public prosecutor Vijay Fargade informed, “A DRDO inquiry officer had seized a laptop and two mobile phones belonging to the scientist on February 24, and a forensic analysis of the same confirmed that the scientist shared information with the Pakistani intelligence operative in what appears to be a honeytrap.”
V K Kaushik, a Delhi- based DRDO spokesman refused to speak on the development. The offender was referred to as “one of our leading scientists in developing various launchers, including for missiles” by a senior coworker.
“The (Pakistani) operative roped in a woman who posed as an engineering student from Ambala and approached the scientist for research in engineering equipment. Later, on the pretext of discussing her project, the girl started interacting with him over the phone and sending messages,” revealed a senior ATS official. The Pakistani operative got a woman to befriend the culprit on a social media platform.
The official added that the Pakistani agent was supposed to visit the scientist in New Delhi but never did. “Later, she started blackmailing him with photos and clips of video calls.”
After earning his Bachelor of Engineering (BE) in Electrical Engineering from COEP Pune in 1985, Pradeep Kurulkar began working with the DRDO at Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE), Avadi, in 1988. He was working as Director of the Research & Development Establishment (Engineers), a premier Systems Engineering Laboratory of DRDO.
On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the France-India Strategic Partnership, the French government has invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be the Guest of Honour at France’s National Day celebrations on July 14. According to a joint statement issued by France and India and released by French Embassy in Delhi, PM Modi has accepted the invitation, and he will attend this year’s Bastille Day Parade as Guest of Honour on 14 July 2023 in Paris.
French President Emmanuel Macron posted a tweet in French and Hindi saying that he will be happy to welcome PM Modi to Paris as guest of honor at the July 14 parade.
Cher Narendra, heureux de t'accueillir à Paris comme invité d'honneur du défilé du 14 juillet !
प्रिय नरेंद्र, 14 जुलाई की परेड के सम्मानित अतिथिके रूप में तुम्हारा पेरिस में स्वागत कर के मुझे बहुतखुशी होगी। pic.twitter.com/XTJi4MiE0E
Emmanuel Lenain, the Ambassador of France to India, also informed the same on Twitter and posted the joint statement.
The joint statement states, “To mark this important milestone, an Indian armed forces contingent will participate in the Parade alongside their French counterparts. Prime Minister’s visit is expected to herald the next phase in the France-India Strategic Partnership by setting new and ambitious goals for our strategic, cultural, scientific, academic, economic cooperation, including in a wide range of industries.
France and India have a shared vision on peace and security, especially in Europe and the Indo-Pacific and uphold the objectives and the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, which are also the basis of our cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.”
The statement states that it will be a historic visit by PM Narendra Modi.
“This historic visit will also deliver common initiatives in order to respond to the key challenges of our time, including climate change, biodiversity loss and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals and will be an opportunity for France and India to reaffirm their commitment to multilateralism, including in the context of India’s G20 Presidency.”
PM @NarendraModi has accepted President @EmmanuelMacron’s invitation to be the Guest of Honour at France’s National Day celebrations on July 14!
This will be a historic moment, marking 25 years of ???? strategic partnership.
PM Modi was invited as the Guest of Honour for the parade last month by the French president. Modi and Macron are expected to discuss a number of major agreements between the two countries during the visit, including issues related to Into-Pacific region, nuclear power and defence.
The Bastille Day Parade, also known as 14 July military parade, is a military parade held every year on 14 July in Paris. The parade is held commemorating the storming of the Bastille prison on July 14th, 1789, which was a turning point in the French Revolution.
Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair, who dog-whistled Islamists against Nupur Sharma by sharing an incomplete video of her comments on Prophet Muhammad, filed an FIR with Bengaluru Police alleging that he is receiving death threats.
Zubair lodged a complaint alleging that 16 Twitter accounts disclosed his address on social media and issued death threats to him.
The Alt News co-founder, in his complaint, has alleged that popular Twitter user Ajeet Bharti, known for his deadpan take on political affairs in the country, repeatedly refers to him as Potassium Oxide (K2O) on social media, claiming that it is a religious slur against Muslims alluding to circumcision.
Additionally, he raised a grievance that a Twitter user under the name @cyber_Huntss sent him pork through a pet food website during Ramzan.
@cyber_Huntss posted a tweet on April 9th referencing the dispatch of pork to Zubair and exposing his location, which was subsequently removed from the platform.
Zubair’s complaint mentioned that the persons exploited social media networks to provoke mob aggression towards him by disclosing his location, disseminating “falsehoods and lies” about him, and attacking his Muslim identity.
The FIR mentions several people, including journalist Ajeet Bharti.
According to an Indian Express report, Zubair stated, “The targeting of my identity is unmistakable from the act of sending pork, which is not permissible for Muslims. Sending the banned meat, particularly during Ramzan is an assault on my religious identity and an affront to my dignity.”
Zubair accused the individuals named in the complaint of not only calling for his harm or assassination but also instigating hostility between two religious communities by singling out his Muslim identity.
The Alt News co-founder, infamous for sparking communal tensions and defaming Jai Shri Ram slogans by peddling lies in the Ghaziabad Loni fake hate crime case, alleged that Ajeet Bharti ‘targeted and abused’ his religious identity in a tweet on March 6, 2023.
The tweet purportedly referred to circumcision and had referred to him as “jiska kata hua hai” as per Zubair’s allegations in the complaint.
“Ajeet Bharti, in a tweet on 06.03.2023, targeted and abused my religious identity by calling me ‘jiska kata hua hai’, which is a religious insult referring to circumcision since I am a practising Muslim. Further, he referred to me as Potassium Oxide (chemical combination K2O), which is another reference to the religious slur “Katwo” which is used to dehumanise and abuse Muslim men,” Zubair said.
However, Ajeet appeared unfazed by the FIR, choosing to respond to Zubair’s complaint with a popular meme from the ‘Welcome’ movie.
While a complaint was filed with the DJ Halli police on April 17th, the case was brought to attention only on Thursday, May 4th.
The case was registered under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 505 (public mischief), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and committing acts prejudicial to maintaining harmony), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 504 (intentional insult to provoke a breach of peace).
In addition, Zubair also alleged that Bharti fabricated a statement linking him to the murder of six Hindu men, which is an effort to provoke mob aggression against him. The statement refers to the killing of 6 Hindus in the wake of Zubair’s dog whistling against former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, which touched off Sar Tan Se Juda violence across the country, with Islamists baying for the blood of Sharma for her comments on Prophet Muhammad.
Mohammed Zubair touches off Sar Tan Se Juda violence against Nupur Sharma; Hindus, including Kanhaiya Lal and Umesh Kolhe, were killed for supporting the beleaguered leader
Earlier last year, former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma found herself at the centre of a raging storm after Islamists, egged on by the likes of AltNews co-founder Mohammed Zubair, issued multiple threats against her and her family for expressing her views on Prophet Muhammad and Islam.
Sharma was part of a debate panel on Times Now, discussing the finding of Shivling in the Gyanvapi complex and the subsequent mockery of the Hindu Gods and Goddesses that followed in the wake of the discovery. Islamists had claimed that the Shivling discovered inside the wuzukhana of the Gyanvapi disputed structure was not a Shivling but a fountain. Across social media platforms, detractors had repeated ad nauseam that the Shivling found inside the Gyanvapi premises was a fountain and not an idol of a Hindu God.
In response to the contempt and scorn poured over Hindu Gods and Goddesses, which was evident even during the Times Now debate where some of the fellow panellists referred to the Shivling as a fountain, BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma asked them to refrain from insulting Hindu Gods and cited Islamic scriptures and Holy Quran for substantiating her remarks on Prophet Muhammad and Islam. Zubair shared an incomplete video of the debate, touching off Sar Tan Se Juda protests all over the country.
The ominous hounding of Nupur Sharma prompted many to extend their support to her. Kanhaiya Lal from Udaipur, Umesh Kolhe in Amravati, and many others extended their solidarity with the beleaguered leader, voicing their support for her amid the death threats from Islamists. However, Lal, Kolhe, and others became the victims of the Islamist fury, which regarded support for Nupur Sharma as supportive of blasphemy against the Islamic Prophet and, therefore, deserving of death.
On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue of the movie ‘The Kerala Story’ and said that the movie is based on a terror conspiracy. “It shows the ugly truth of terrorism and exposes terrorists’ design,” PM Modi said while addressing the masses at Ballari in Karnataka ahead of the State Assembly Elections. The prime minister’s comments came amid the controversy over the movie which was released today.
The Prime Minister also slammed the Congress party for opposing the film and demanding to impose a ban on its release. “Congress is opposing the film made on terrorism and standing with terror tendencies. Congress has shielded terrorism for the vote bank,” he said.
This is days after the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) which is the political wing of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) declared that it would contest only 16 Assembly seats in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Election 2023 in order to help Congress.
#WATCH | 'The Kerala Story' film is based on a terror conspiracy. It shows the ugly truth of terrorism and exposes terrorists' design. Congress is opposing the film made on terrorism and standing with terror tendencies. Congress has shielded terrorism for the vote bank: PM… pic.twitter.com/qlUQlc3qQf
The SDPI had earlier said that it would field its candidates in 100 constituencies. However, it decided to contest only 16 seats in the upcoming state elections. This is to help Congress in defeating the BJP in the state. Also, the Congress, as a part of vote appeasement, has vowed to ban the Bajrang Dal if it comes into power.
“The Kerala Story film has exposed the terror conspiracy taking place in the beautiful state of Kerala. But look at the unfortunate situation in the country where the Congress is seen standing with this trend of terrorism that destroys societies. Not just this, the Congress is also taking part in backdoor political negotiations with those who are linked to this trend of terrorism,” PM Modi added.
The movie, the Kerala Story—written and directed by Sudipto Sen is based on the true stories of thousands of girls from Kerala who were converted to Islam and sent to Syria to become ISIS terrorists and sex slaves. The movie released today, May 5.
Notably the Kerala High Court today refused to issue stay on the release of the movie stating that India is a democratic country with secularism embedded in it. “This is not a historical movie. This is a story. It is fiction. In Kerala we are so secular. They say it is inspired by true events. What is wrong in it?” the Court said.
A mob attacked BJP MLA Vungzagin Valte on Thursday in Imphal as he was leaving the state secretariat following a meeting with the chief minister N Biren Singh. He was en route to his official residence when the attack took place.
He belongs to the Kuki tribal community and is a three-time member of the legislative assembly (MLA) from Thanlon in Pherzawl district. He was the Tribal Affairs and Hills minister of Manipur in the last BJP government.
The incident occurred when Manipur’s law and order situation worsened amidst widespread violence between tribal people and the Meitei community, which makes up the bulk of the state’s population.
An outraged crowd attacked the lawmaker and his driver, but his personal security officer (PSO) was able to escape. He is currently receiving treatment at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal and is presently in critical condition.
The first instance of violence erupted in the Churachandpur district on April 27 when a crowd organised by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) set a recently built gym/sports complex on fire a day before Chief Minister N Biren Singh was supposed to inaugurate it.
The tribal groups were protesting against the proposed survey of reserved and protected forests and wetlands by the state administration and the demolition of three unauthorised churches.
Security forces responded swiftly to the situation, however on May 3, All Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM) organised a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ in the Torbung neighbourhood of Churachandpur to protest the demand for the Meitei community to be classified as a Scheduled Tribe (ST). Tyres and other items were set ablaze by protesters on the highways, which sparked arson and mayhem.
Similar demonstrations in support of the march were held in numerous places throughout Manipur, many of which descended into violence. Both the non-tribal Imphal West, Kakching, Thoubal, Jiribam, and Bishnupur regions and the tribal-dominant Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, and Tengnoupal districts experienced violent outbursts.
Curfew was implemented in 8 districts, mobile internet was suspended and Army along with Assam Rifles did flag marches in several affected areas.
On Friday, the Kerala High Court refused to issue a stay on the release of the new movie named ‘The Kerala Story’ directed by Sudipto Sen. A community as secular as Kerala would accept the movie for what it is, the court noted, emphasising that the movie is fiction and not history. Screening the movie will not disrupt the communal harmony prevalent in Kerala, stated the court.
The court also rejected a petition seeking to declare that the ‘A’ certification issued by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for the movie should be declared illegal.
During the hearing, a division bench of Justices N Nagaresh and Sophy Thomas stated that the release of movies cannot be blocked just because it is deemed offensive by a certain section of society. “One religion says my God is the true God, that is allowed,” the court observed.
Court: One religion says my God is the true God, that is allowed.
Counsel: Can they say your God is bad? No! Clergies are a different thing.
Court: If you make a speech that all Gods are bad, that is different. But cant I say in private?#KeralaHighCourt#KeralaStory
“The constitution gives freedom of faith. You can say my God is the only God. But if you say this to a person belonging to another religion, is it not offensive? But still, the constitution protects it,” the court said.
The Court stated that in one of the Malayalam movies named ‘Nirmalyam’ which was released earlier, it was shown that a pujari spits on an idol and no problem was there. “There was a famous award-winning movie wherein an oracle spits on the face of the idol of a goddess. No one found it objectionable,” the court said.
The bench led by Justices N Nagaresh and Sophy Thomas also questioned why the movie was generating so much buzz now when its teaser was released in November 2022. However, Advocate Dushyant Dave appearing for the petitioner said that the movie included conversations to incite hatred.
“Certification of the film is in violation of statutory provisions and the Constitution of India. Films can cause serious damage to innocent minds. This may create a serious public law and order problem. Really, one should view the entire film. The trailer itself shows how dangerous it is,” Dave remarked adding that one particular community in the movie was depicted in a particular way.
To this, the Court said that there is nothing against the entire society in the trailer. “The board has seen it and advised cuts. This is not a historical movie. This is a story. It is fiction. In Kerala, we are so secular. There is a movie where a pujari spits on an idol and that was welcomed by society,” the bench reiterated.
“There are umpteen movies where Hindu sanyasis are depicted as smugglers or rapists. Nothing happens, and no one protests. Many such Hindi and Malayalam films are there,” the Court stated.
Court: There are umpteen number of movies where Hindu sanyasis are depicted as smugglers or rapists. Nothing happens, no one protests. Many such Hindi and Malayalam films are there.
Advocate Dushyant Dave then said that he respected the freedom of expression but “not if it is likely to create enmity, poison the minds of innocent people it must be curbed. He pleaded with the court to cease the telecast of the movie.
At this point, the Court noted that the movie is a piece of fiction and it is ‘based’ on true events. “They say it is inspired by true events. What is wrong with it? I don’t understand what is so provocative. Ours is a democracy with secularism embedded in it,” the bench noted after going through the transcripts of the trailer today.
Earlier on Thursday, the Kerala High Court had dismissed a public interest litigation petition which sought to ban the multilingual movie, ‘The Kerala Story’, contending that it makes a baseless claim of 32,000 Hindu and Christian women from Kerala having been converted to Islam and made to join the ISIS, an Islamist terror group.
Meanwhile, the producer of the film said that the figure of 32,000 women being converted to Islam was based on the information which the makers got. The producer has agreed to remove the teaser from the social media accounts which made the claim.
It is notable that The Kerala Story—written and directed by Sudipto Sen is based on the true stories of thousands of girls from Kerala who were converted to Islam and sent to Syria to become ISIS terrorists and sex slaves. The movie was released today, May 5.
Amidst the ongoing controversy over the movie “The Kerala Story,” a clip from an old interview of former Kerala Chief Minister and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPIM or CPM) stalwart V S Achuthanandan from the year 2010 is making the rounds on social media. The leader can be heard warning about the impending objective of Muslim fundamentalists including the Popular Front of India (PFI) to turn Kerala into a Muslim state.
“Their plan is to make Kerala a Muslim state in the next 20 years. For that, they are luring youngsters, offering them money and insisting them to marry Hindu girls to increase the Muslim population. This is how they are growing their majority and these tricks are working,” he expressed.
Their plan is to make Kerala a Muslim state in the next 20 years. For that they are luring youngsters. Offering them money. Insisting them to marry Hindu girls to increase Muslim population. This is how they are growing their majority. And these tricks are working!
Notably, V S Achuthanandan is a veteran communist leader who was foresighted to the brewing dangers of Muslim zealots in the southern state. Prior to this, he had also addressed the growing influence of both Muslim and Christian communalism in the state. He emphasised that certain sections of these religions were attempting to advance their communal agenda.
He had reiterated the accusations put forth by religious organisations regarding fundamentalist groups on the practice of love jihad. While Kerala Catholic Bishops Council had asserted that more than 4,500 girls in Kerala have been the target of Muslim fanatics, outfits like Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam have maintained that an effort is being made to convert members of the Hindu community to Islam.
The ex-member of Politburo had remarked that terrorists were creating grave problems in the state. “PFI provided training funds and weapons to children to kill rivals in its previous iteration as the National Development Front (NDF). They were now making an effort to project a positive image by planning freedom parades on Independence Day.” He added that the parade was prohibited by several district authorities.
The incumbent CM of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, had also come out in defence of his political rival. “The reaction to V S Achuthanandan’s comments proves the nexus between the militants and the United Democratic Front (UDF),” he proclaimed in response to the criticism that followed the latter’s statement.
Prakash Karat, the general secretary of the CPM, had also discussed the PFI actions in relation to the danger posed by Muslim terrorism. When talking about the rise in terrorist activity in the country, the party specifically referred to the organisation and noted the interconnection between communalism and the spawning of such terrorist activities.
On 4 July 2010. T. J. Joseph, a professor of Malayalam at Newman College, at Thodupuzha, a Syro Malabar Catholic institution of higher education affiliated with Mahatma Gandhi University had his hand cut off at the wrist on an allegation of blasphemy by the members of PFI.
In response to the attack, Kerala’s Education Minister M. A. Baby announced on August 4, 2010, that the state would outlaw the Freedom Parade, an annual PFI event held on August 15, India’s Independence Day, where its cadres march in synchronised formations through the cities of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
The Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba and al Qaeda are just a few of the terrorist organisations that PFI has been linked to, according to information that was provided to the state High Court of Kerala by investigators on September 6 of the same year.
The argument in this regard was made by R. Rajashekharan Nair, Deputy Secretary (Home), in a counter affidavit submitted in a Public Interest Litigation brought by a citizen named Gireesh Babu who sought to have the PFI banned and the National Investigation Agency take over the investigation into the attack on the lecturer.
PFI was founded in 2006 with the merger of the Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD), Manitha Neethi Pasarai (MNP) of Tamil Nadu and the National Development Front (NDF) of Kerala. It is important to note that on 28 September 2022, the Government of India declared the group as an unlawful association and banned it for five years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act also known as UAPA Act.
Kerala government’s official number on conversions
In a report that was presented to the Kerala Assembly in 2012, the then-chief minister Oommen Chandy of the Congress party reported that 7,713 persons had converted to Islam between 2006 and 2012. He presented the facts in response to a query posed by K. K. Lathika, a leader of the CPM. He pointed out that 2,667 girls embraced Islam between 2006 and 2009.
The figures affirmed that women made up the majority of individuals who converted to Islam during this time, and marriage was the primary incentive for them. It also emphasised the need for the government to guarantee that religious conversion is voluntary and not forced and to raise awareness among young people about the repercussions of the same.
Furthermore, Muslims make up about 26.56% of Kerala’s overall population, according to the 2011 India Census. The state now has a comparatively high percentage of Muslims living in it. According to the data, the Muslim population increased at a pace of 12.8% between 2001 and 2011, which is significantly greater than Kerala’s 4.9% total population growth rate over the same time period.
Charges of love jihad
In his pastoral letter to be read in local churches on Easter this year, Metropolitan Archbishop Mar Joseph Pamplany of Thalassery (formerly Tellicherry) Archdiocese, Syro-Malabar Church in Kerala, expressed his serious concerns over the matter, which he called love traps (love jihad). He appealed for their prevention in light of the worrisome increase in incidents of girls being tricked by Muslim men who coerce them into love traps.
In 2022, the archbishop proclaimed that the love traps that target young women linked with the Christian community are real and that he is basing the assertions on credible evidence.
The Thalassery archdiocese specified in a pastoral letter in September of last year that terrorist organisations use these love traps to find and lure naive Christian women.
The twin issues of love jihad and narcotic jihad were covered by Pala Bishop Mar Joseph Kallarangatt in his sermon in the Kottayam area in September 2021. He stated that by claiming to be in love, jihadis entrap and then expose Christian females to exploitation, coerced conversion to another religion (Islam), and terrorist activities.
The Bishop declared, in 2020, that those who argued that love jihad doesn’t exist in Kerala are blind to reality. “Such people, be they politicians or those from social and cultural spaces, media may have their own vested interests. But one thing is clear. We are losing our young women. It is not just about love marriages. It’s a war strategy to destroy their lives,” he had pronounced.
During the previous three years, approximately 12 Christian women, as per Kerala’s Syro-Malabar Church, underwent conversions to Islam and were transported to Syria, where some of them may have even died.
The synod (council of bishops) of the church, led by Cardinal George Alencherry, said that the 21 women who went to Syria after being recruited by the IS in 2016 included the 12 Christian women who converted to Islam.
In 2019, Vice-Chairman of the National Commission for Minorities George Kurian voiced that he had addressed a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting an investigation into incidents of love jihad committed by extremist Islamic groups in Kerala.
In 2015, the mouthpiece of the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council, Jagratha, produced a report affirming that between 2005 and 2012, 4,000 young females converted to Islam.
The case of Nimisha Fatima
Nimisha Fathima also known as Fathima Isa, a Hindu from Kerala whose real name was Nimisha Sampath married an alleged Islamic State operative. Both were reported missing, along with 19 others from Kerala in June 2016 before reaching an ISIS-ruled territory in Afghanistan.
She, Merin Jacob P. alias Mariyam, Sonia Sebastian alias Ayesha, and Rafala Ijas, all of whom were from Kerala, went to the Afghan province of Nangarhar between 2016 and 2018 together with their spouses who were from Kasargod or Palakkad.
Nimisha Fathima married Bexin Vincent, an MBA graduate from Palakkad, in 2016. They both changed their names to Fathima and Isa after converting to Islam. Bestin Vincent alias Yahiya, the brother of Bexin, was the husband of Merin Jacob P. In 2011, Sonia Sebastian got married to Kasargod native Abdul Rashid Abdulla, who the NIA has identified as the driving force behind the entire migration. Ijas Kallukettiya Purayil, a physician who was also from Kasargod, was the spouse of Rafala.
The Kerala Story
V S Achuthanandan’s alarming revelation also made into the teaser of The Kerala Story where he is stating, “Popular Front is determined to make Kerala an Islamic state. Like the banned organization NDF, its aim is to convert Kerala into a Muslim state in the next 20 years.”
The film is under attack by liberals and opposition parties particularly the left and the Congress who are referring to it as propaganda cinema and want it banned. It is directed by Sudipto Sen and narrates the story of a young Hindu girl named Shalini Unnikrishnan who converted to Islam with the help of her Muslim companions. She married a Muslim and fled to a territory ruled by ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) also known as IS (Islamic State) with her spouse. The film is scheduled to release in theatres on 5 May 2023.
Harman Singh Kapoor, a Sikh restaurant owner in London, and his family have become the target of persistent threats since they uploaded a video about the Khalistan movement on social media.
This occurs despite several police guarantees of safety and specialized safety procedures. According to the reports, the family has been the target of three attacks and does not feel secure in London. Just days after the Indian High Commission in London was vandalised last month, pro-Khalistan supporters attacked Harman’s restaurant named ‘Rangrez, the taste of Punjab’.
After that, Harman released a video that had two million views in only two days, which prompted threatening phone calls, online harassment, and social media trolls to target him and his family. Kapoor stated that the threats began after he posted a video on TikTok, in which he said, “This Khalistan movement started a while back and then it died down. Today again, a section of people who are settled in Canada, in England and Australia want Khalistan but those in India don’t want it. Those who need Khalistan should go back to India and ask for it.”
Harman said that after the video, he started getting death threats and that people started attacking his restaurant. He was threatened with death if he didn’t take down the video, shout pro-Khalistan, and burn the Indian flag.
The restaurant located in Hammersmith, West London, was also vandalised by the Khalistani elements in March in reaction to the video. Several men in masks and hoods had arrived at the restaurant, banged on the doors and asked those inside to come out and face them. After the video of the attack had emerged on social media, REACH-UK had urged the Met Police to take swift action against the perpetrators. “Majority of Sikh do not follow this ideology and hence are harassed by the Khalistani separatist. Provide protection to the minorities of UK,” they had added.
We urge @metpoliceuk to take the cognisance of this attack on a Punjabi restaurant “Rangrez Restaurant “ in Hammersmith. Majority of Sikh do not follow this ideology and hence are harassed by the Khalistani separatist. Provide protection to the minorities of UK. @HCI_London… https://t.co/gpjJMZ6rTU
Harman said that threats of rape were also made against his wife and daughter. “Calls to rape and murder them were posted online along with our address. Videos of criminals licking images of my wife and daughter were also shared”, Kapoor continued.
The wife of the restaurant owner, Khushi also said that their car was being followed after the video went viral and that they had to go into hiding for around 10 days. “The restaurant was shut, we were scared, education of my children has suffered. Moreover, this is severe mental torture and the Police is not even helping us,” Khushi said in an interview with India Today.
Recalling the attack in the same interview, Harman said, “After I posted the video, I got two million views for it in two days. But, I started getting calls to take down the video else they would kill me and my family. I wondered who could threaten me like this as I am in the UK. However, five people came and attacked my restaurant. They raised slogans like “Khalistan Zindabad” and “Hindustan Murdabad” and asked me to burn the Indian flag, or else they said would kill me.”
Harman Kapoor also slammed the attackers and said that they were ‘sick’ and not ‘Sikhs’. “I wonder if these people are asking for Khalsa raj or gunda raj,” he added.
A group of pro-Khalistani activists demonstrated in front of the Indian High Commission in London on March 22. And the attack at Harman’s restaurant took place that same evening at 6.30.
On March 19, a group of pro-Khalistan activists broke windows, smashed doors, climbed onto the balcony, and took down the Indian flag at the Indian High Commission. One individual was detained by the police at the time, who eventually released them on bail so they could reappear in court in June.
The UK police however responded to the attack and said that they had reached the spot within 15 minutes of the attack. “We have been in regular contact with him (Harman) and are working to put extra safeguarding measures in place to ensure that he feels safe returning home. This includes panic alarms being installed at relevant properties and the offer of alternative accommodation. Our investigation is progressing, led by detectives from CID. This includes reviewing CCTV and other enquiries. We will continue to update the victim on a regular basis,” the police was quoted as saying by India Today.
Harman’s home was also attacked
Harman said that a second attack occurred at their place of residence on March 23 around 7:30 pm. “Police reached out to us. They said they would come again in two days to take our statements and arrest the suspects. But it is more than two weeks now,” said Harman who had fled into hiding to avoid the threats but had to return to work.
As per the reports, the family is living in constant fear and does not feel safe as the attackers are still at large. “Police told us that we are not on priority because nothing has happened to us. Unless someone is injured or hurt or killed, they can act in full force. Those who are harassing us know that till they don’t touch us, the police won’t do anything. So, these people are out in the open threatening and harrasing us while the police are waiting for us to be killed so that they can take action,” Harman alleged. “Do we have to die for the police to take action,” he remarked.
Similar threats faced by many Sikhs, claims Bloom review report
Reportedly, there are many Sikhs who are suffering due to the Khalistani supporters. An independent report, the Bloom review recently released a report on ‘How government engages with faith’ on April 26 and said that there are repeated cases of individuals being intimidated and threatened by aggressive Sikh activists, either directly or indirectly through family members, for openly standing against them.
The report commissioned by former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called on the Rishi Sunak government to address the issue urgently and safeguard most of the Sikhs in the UK who do not support the extremist ideology.
The urgency of resolving the problem has been highlighted in the report. According to the research, fringe Khalistani groups intimidate and coerce the Sikh community in the UK. These pro-Khalistan organisations lobby political figures under the cover of human rights activity, which artificially increases their power and draws excessive attention.
As per the report, the acts of pro-Khalistan organisations project a false sense of legitimacy that is at odds with the Sikh faith. It is crucial to understand that the majority of British Sikh communities do not share the ideas of Khalistani separatists.
On Friday, May 5, the weather in Goa turned ‘cold’ when external affairs minister S Jaishankar ‘welcomed’ his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The two leaders exchanged namaste and a few words, but Minister Jaishankar was quick to show the Pakistani foreign minister the way forward after posing for photographs half-heartedly.
Jaishankar’s gesture triggered hilarious reactions from Indian netizens while the Pakistani are fuming for obvious reasons.
One Twitter user named Varun Kumar Rana shared a meme saying “Bilawal Bhutto be like: Gajab bejjati hai yaar (what an insult it is).”
Another Twitter user named Subrat Saurabh lauded EAM Jaishankar for not shaking hands with the Pakistani foreign minister and wrote, “Just a namaste, no handshake..! Great move by Jaishankar ji. Aukaat dikhani jaruri hai inn bhikhariyon ko (It is important to show these beggars their place).”
Just a namaste, no handsake.. ! Great move by Jaishankar ji. Aukaat dikahni jaruri hai inn bhikariyon ko.
While Indian users were amused by EAM Jaishankar’s cold gesture towards his Pakistani counterpart, several Pakistani netizens fumed and even trolled their own foreign minister.
One Pakistani Twitter user named Asfandyar Bhittani said that Bilawal Bhutto only roars at home and does not even get a handshake from the host in a bilateral meeting.
“Like Grandfather, like Grandson. Roars like a tiger at home and delivers “Suar k bachay” speeches on the fly, but doesn’t even get a handshake from the host, forget a bilateral meeting. A True Bhutto,” Bhittani tweeted.
Like Grandfather, like Grandson.
Roars like a tiger at home and delivers "Suar k bachay" speeches on the fly, but doesn't even get a handshake from the host, forget a bilateral meeting. A True Bhutto. pic.twitter.com/HYCRsaEZoD
Another one named Ali Salman wrote, “India’s EAM (External Affairs Minister) Dr S Jaishankar ‘warmly’ welcomes Pak FM Bilawal Bhutto for the meeting of the SCO-CFM in Goa, except the ‘warmth’ was completely missing! “
One Sarmad Hussain compared the way Jaishankar represented India to the way Bhutto represented his country and wrote, “Nothing wrong with the Namaste but Bilawal is a live meme. Jaishankar on the one hand represents the lean and mean India of today. Bilawal is the typical ironic representation of an overburdened, self-loathing Pakistan, trying to save grace by breathing in and keeping a high neck,” Hussain tweeted.
Nothing wrong with the Namaste but Bilawal is a live meme.
Jaishankar on one hand represents the lean and mean India of today.
Bilawal is the typical ironic representation of an over burdened, self loathing Pakistan, trying to save grace by breathing in and keeping a high neck. https://t.co/4rKEQXmSnC
Another one named Saleem Wattoo opined that Bilawal Bhutto was somewhat chased like a beggar and wrote, “It has been dealt with in a very dirty way. As they chase away the beggars. Let’s go. And Balu Rani’s dressing.”
بہت گندے طریقے سے ڈیل کیا ہے۔۔۔۔ جسطرح بھکاریوں کو بھگاتے ہیں۔۔۔۔ چل دفع ہو۔۔۔۔ اور بلو رانی کی ڈریسنگ ?
One Raquif Ali Rana tweeted, “Terrible optics & body language.FM didn’t bother to have reasonable eye contact. Certainly not a body language of a welcoming host. Doesn’t even smile for the picture, no handshake & shown the way to leave. @BBhuttoZardari does namastay, looks dominated & desperate. Sad.”
Terrible optics & body language.
?? FM didn’t bother to have a reasonable eye contact. Certainly not a body language of a welcoming host. Doesnt even smile for the picture, no handshake & shown the way to leave.@BBhuttoZardari does namastay, looks dominated & desperate. Sad https://t.co/5yq2BuQXAc
Apart from this, several Pakistanis were also outraged over Bilawal Bhutto doing a namaste to EAM Jaishankar, as some alleged that Bilawal has brought shame to Pakistan by doing namaste, a Hindu way of greeting people while representing a Muslim country—Pakistan.
One Tayyeb Naseer wrote, “What a shame it is for all the Muslims in Pakistan, this Hindu kid @BBhuttoZardari instead of doing namaste should have at least greeted by putting his hand on his chest in good gesture keeping in mind he represents Pakistan which is a Muslim nation. Shame.”
What a shame it is for all the Muslims in Pakistan, this Hindu kid @BBhuttoZardari instead of doing namaste should have atleast greated by putting his hand on his chest in good gesture keeping in mind he represents Pakistan which is a Muslim nation. Shame
One Arsalan Shakeel was upset over Bilawal Bhutto’s namaste to EAM Jaishankar as he wrote, “Kia bakwas hai yar sir hila deta Namaste ki kia need thi (what nonsense is this, he should’ve just nodded his head what was the need to do namaste).”
Kia bakwas hai yar Sir hila deta Namaste ki kia need thi
“Politicla Raza” tweeted, “What the heck why is he replying namastay with namastay what is happening where is Forign office why he was not trained for not making a fool out of himself and us back home. This guy is representing us??”
What the heck why is he replying namastay with namastay what is happening where is Forign office why he was not trained for not making a fool out of himself and us back home. This guy is representing us??
One Muhammad Faran prayed that Allah guides Bhutto to the ‘right’ path as he explained the meaning of namaste. “namastay ka matlab hota hai “kay main appkay samnay jhukta hun”. Allah hidayat dai.”
namastay ka matlab hota hai "kay main appkay samnay jhukta hun". Allah hidayat dai. https://t.co/HycZT08el9
Syeda Jawaria mocked Bilawal Bhutto for doing namaste as recalled that Bhutto once performed pooja in a Hindu temple in Pakistan years back. “Jou Log Pooja Kersaktai Hai Wou Namstai Bhi Kerlai Tou Is Mai In Logon Kai Liyai Kon Si Bari Baat Hogi…(People who can do pooja can also do namaste, what is the big deal for such people),” Jawaria wrote.
Jou Log Pooja Kersaktai Hai Wou Namstai Bhi Kerlai Tou Is Mai In Logon Kai Liyai Kon Si Bari Baat Hogi…
One Yousar Mahmood called a Bilawal Bhutto a “jahanummi” (sinner) and wrote, “Lanat is jahanumi Namoonay pe aur isko foreign ministry denay waloon pe (shame on this sinner clown and on those who gave him the foreign ministry.”
Lanat is jahanumi Namoonay pe aur isko foreign ministry denay waloon pe ?
While social media is rife with reactions to Jaishankar and Bhutto’s namaste to each other and the former’s cold gesture, EAM Jaishankar snubbed Pakistan over the issue of terrorism as well as he said that cross-border terrorism must be stopped.
“The menace of terrorism continues unabated. We firmly believe that there can be no justification for terrorism and it must be stopped in all its forms and manifestations including cross-border terrorism. Combating terrorism is one of the original mandates of SCO,” EAM Jaishankar said at SCO meet in Goa.
Compared to the reaction to his Pakistani counterpart, EAM Jaishankar was seen smiling and talking to the Russian Foreign Minister quite warmly.
#WATCH | EAM Dr S Jaishankar welcomes Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov for the Meeting of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers in Goa pic.twitter.com/SzLmR4GEIF
It is notable that ever since the Narendra Modi government abrogated Article 370 in Jammu Kashmir, the already strained Indo-Pak bilateral ties have been affected. The Modi government also took a strict stand against Pakistan’s state-sponsored cross-border terrorism.
About Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
The SCO currently has eight member countries (China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan), four observer states interested in acceding to full membership (Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia), and six “Dialogue Partners” (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Turkey).
Notably, the Shanghai Five, which was formed in 1996, became the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in 2001 with the addition of Uzbekistan. The SCO expanded to become one of the largest multilateral organizations in the world, representing more than 30% of the world’s GDP and 40% of the world’s population, with the addition of India and Pakistan in 2017 and the decision to admit Tehran as a full member in 2021.
