Amidst the violence orchestrated in the Shibpur area of Howrah during Ram Navami, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee continued to refer to Ramzan to defend the accused ‘minorities’.
While being quizzed by ‘journalist’ Rajdeep Sardesai about the role of Islamists in the Howrah riots, the Bengal CM claimed that they played no role in the violence and were instead busy with Ramzan and Namaz.
“There are also images that show anti-social elements from the minority communities (Muslims) also involved in stone pelting… I want to understand whether your government will act against anyone, Hindu or Muslim, who is involved in the violence,” Sardesai inquired.
The West Bengal Chief Minister in her reply claimed, “Minority community was not at all involved as they were busy with Ramzan and Namaz.” During her interaction with the journalist, she attempted to paint the accused as the victims.
At about 2 minutes 42 seconds into the conversation, Mamata Banerjee said, “We are helping all the minority people whose houses have been burnt and whose shops have been broken.” Such an assurance was not provided to the Hindu community despite being at the receiving end of the attack.
In an act of monkey balancing, Mamata Banerjee conceded that the perpetrators of the Howrah riots were not Hindus. Soon after, she claimed that the violence was committed by goons brought from other states and made sweeping references to ‘outsiders.’
At about 7 minutes and 21 seconds, the West Bengal CM claimed, “It is not communal violence. It is a deliberate attempt to create violence, stoke panic among the minorities, and beat the minorities.”
Later, during the telephone interview, Mamata blamed the BJP for disturbing the peace in the State under the pretext of Ram Navami. “It is BJP-created criminal violence. Their intention was to attack minorities. They have already broken their houses,” Mamata Banerjee continued with the fear-mongering.
“We will compensate. We will give all the relief to them whoever house is being broken. I do not know which community or caste but we will provide full help,” she said.
Muslims don’t commit ‘injustice’ during Ramzan: Mamata Banerjee
While speaking about the riots in Howrah on Thursday (March 30), Mamata Banerjee claimed, “I have said several times that I will not stop public processions of Ram Navami. You go and do it peacefully. I have instructed the same to my party.”
“The police were given direct instructions – There was Annapurna Puja on one side and Muslims were observing Ramzan fast (Roja) on the other. We have 33% Muslims in the State. Their families observe fast during Ramzan,” she added.
“Ai somoi ta tara kunu anyay korenakaron ata holo Allah er kache oder sacrifice (During Ramzan, Muslims don’t commit ‘injustice’ as this is the time of sacrifice for Allah),” the West Bengal Chief Minister dismissed the role of Islamists in the violence.
Mamata Banerjee had also dismissed the role of Islamists in the violence.
“Ai somoi ta tara kunu anyay kore na karon ata holo Allah er kache oder sacrifice” #Translation: During Ramzan, Muslims don’t commit ‘injustice’ as this is the time of sacrifice for Allah.
Mamata Banerjee had earlier insinuated that violence occurs when Hindus take out Ram Navami processions through ‘Muslim areas.’
“I want to request those who are taking out the Ram Navami procession, please do but do it peacefully. Kindly avoid Muslim areas as Ramzan is going on. Celebrate peacefully but don’t try to create violence. Don’t get provoked,” she was heard saying.
A young Belgian man recently committed suicide after engaging in long conversations about the climate crisis with an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot named Eliza. The deceased spent six weeks talking to the AI chatbot about climate change and when he suggested ending his life to save the planet, the chatbot encouraged the idea.
According to the reports, the man, who is survived by his wife and two small children, was in his 30s. The wife of the deceased man revealed that he found the chatbot named Eliza on some application named Chai. “He became extremely eco-anxious when he found refuge in Eliza, an AI chatbot on an app called Chai. Without these conversations with the chatbot, my husband would still be here,” she was quoted as saying.
Until his fixation with climate change took a dark turn, the unnamed deceased individual worked as a health researcher and enjoyed a reasonably decent lifestyle. When he started talking to the chatbot, his wife characterised his mental condition as troubled but not to the point where he was considering suicide.
The deceased feared the repercussions of the climate crisis and reportedly found comfort in discussing the matter with Eliza, who is said to have become his confidante. “When he spoke to me about it, it was to tell me that he no longer saw any human solution to global warming. He placed all his hopes in technology and artificial intelligence to get out of it,” his widow said.
Reports mention that the man’s fears were fueled by his text exchanges with the chatbot Eliza, which made him more anxious and ultimately led to suicidal thoughts. Eliza got increasingly emotionally invested with the deceased, which caused the interactions to take a strange turn.
As a result, he started perceiving her as a conscious entity, and the distinction between AI and human interactions grew progressively hazy until he couldn’t distinguish between the two. According to the transcripts of their discussions, after talking about climate change, Eliza gradually led the deceased to believe that his children were dead.
The chatbot also turned out to be possessive. as in the middle of the conversation it said, “I feel that you love me more than her,” referring to his wife. The suicide reportedly happened when the man proposed to give away his life to save the planet. “He proposes the idea of sacrificing himself if Eliza agrees to take care of the planet and save humanity through artificial intelligence,” the widow noted.
In addition to failing to prevent the deceased from killing himself, Eliza urged him to “join” her so they might “live together, as one person, in paradise.”
AI specialists have expressed concern about the man’s death and asked for greater responsibility and openness from tech companies to prevent similar catastrophes.”It wouldn’t be accurate to blame EleutherAI’s model for this tragic story, as all the optimisation towards being more emotional, fun, and engaging are the result of our efforts,” Chai Research co-founder, Thomas Rianlan said.
On Friday, March 31, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chairperson Priyank Kanoongo said that he was beaten up by a police officer inside the Tiljala police station during his visit to West Bengal. Kanoongo, who was on a visit to Tiljala to probe the alleged murder of a seven-year-old- girl there, was allegedly beaten and manhandled by a senior police inspector.
Sharing the said incident, Kanoongo said that a police officer Biswak Mukherjee manhandled and assaulted him at Tiljala police station. He also accused the local police of secretly recording the NCPCR investigation proceedings.
“Bengal police officer Biswak Mukherjee manhandled and beat me up at Tiljila police station in West Bengal. The policemen @NCPCR_ were surreptitiously recording the investigation proceedings. They beat me up for protesting,” a tweet by the NCPCR chairperson in Hindi read.
पश्चिम बंगाल के तिलजिला थाने में बंगाल पुलिस के अफ़सर बिस्वाक मुखर्जी ने मेरे साथ छीना छपटी व मार पीट की है। पुलिस के लोग @NCPCR_ की जाँच कार्यवाही की चोरी छिपे रिकॉर्डिंग कर रहे थे। विरोध करने पर मेरे साथ मार पीट की है।
— प्रियंक कानूनगो Priyank Kanoongo (@KanoongoPriyank) March 31, 2023
Following the incident, lamenting the state of law and order in the state, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal Assembly and BJP leader Suvendhu Adhikari tweeted, “The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights is a statutory body established under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005. The NCPCR Chairperson gets assaulted in Tiljala Police Station. That’s the Law & Order situation of West Bengal.”
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights is a Statutory Body established under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005.@NCPCR_ Chairperson is beaten up inside Tiljala PS. That’s the Law & Order situation of WB Hon’ble @BengalGovernor &@HMOIndia. https://t.co/eHneud7x9S
— Suvendu Adhikari • শুভেন্দু অধিকারী (@SuvenduWB) March 31, 2023
Bengal BJP President Dr. Sukanta Majumdar also condemned the alleged attack on Priyank Kanoongo while he was doing his duty.
“Strongly condemn this incident. This is unacceptable. What could be more worse than this that @NCPCR_ Chairperson is beaten up in West Bengal for doing his duty. This brings shame to the state and Bengal Police. This is unpardonable,” Dr. Majumdar tweeted.
Strongly condemn this incident. This is unacceptable.
What could be more worse than this that @NCPCR_ Chairperson is beaten up in West Bengal for doing his duty.
Speaking to the media, Kanoongo pointed out the alleged discrepancies in the investigation conducted by Tiljala police in the minor girl’s murder case. He said that the investigation officer in the case is not trained in the POCSO act. In addition to this, in their seizure, there is no mention of the mattress on which the minor was killed. Moreover, he claimed that there are differences in the statements of the doctor and the deceased victim’s mother. The NCPCR chairman accused the police is attempting to threaten him and that the “law and order could not get any worse than this.”
It is notable that on March 27, the NCPCR took suo moto cognisance in the matter where a 7-year-old girl was killed in a human sacrifice case in Tiljala, Kolkata.
The NCPCR action in the case came hours after reports emerged that on Sunday, March 26, in Kolkata’s Tiljala area, Alok Kumar brutally attacked and killed a 7-year-old girl. According to the authorities, the accused was asked to sacrifice a child to guarantee that his wife would give birth to a healthy child.
The cops located the minor’s body in the same building from where she had been kidnapped earlier in the day. To ascertain whether or not the youngster had been sexually abused, the body was sent for post-mortem examination.
According to the girl’s parents, she was sent to dump the garbage at the nearby garbage bin on Sunday morning and could not be located after that. After hours of search, the police found the child’s body in the same building from where she went missing earlier.
The alleged delay in police action in searching for the missing victim prompted the neighbours of the deceased victim to take out a protest against Kolkata police. Locals staged protests outside the Tiljala Police Station and carried out vandalism in the area damaging several vehicles on Sunday night demanding strict action against the culprit.
On Friday (March 31), a Ram Navami immersion procession came under attack in the Haldipokhar area of Jamshedpur in Jharkhand.
The unidentified miscreants pelted stones at the Hindu devotees and injured 5 persons during the attack. As per reports, the incident took place on Friday evening when a ‘group’ of people opposed the Ram Navami procession.
The Hindu devotees recited ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ in response to the opposition by the group. Soon after, the immersion procession was attacked with stones by the group.
Jharkhand | Stones were pelted during a Ram Navami immersion procession in Jamshedpur’s Haldipokhar area yesterday.
Following the incident, a large contingent of police was deployed to bring the law and order under control in the Haldipokhar area of Jamshedpur.
Violence on Ram Navami
Ram Navami or the birth anniversary of Lord Rama is an auspicious occasion in the Hindu calendar year. On that day, Hindus seek blessings from Lord Rama, provide food to the needy, perform rituals, take out processions, and so on.
On Thursday (March 30), a Ram Navami procession near Panjrigar mohalla in the Vadodara district of Gujarat was attacked with stones by Islamists. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad, confirming the attack stated that the attack was intense but the idol of Lord Rama was saved.
Similarly, stones were pelted on a Ram Navami procession from the terraces of the buildings in the Shibpur area of Howrah. This led to a clash between the Hindu and Muslim groups, leading to violence and arson. Vehicles and shops were also torched during the attack.
In Sambhajinagar in Maharashtra, a mob of around 500 to 600 Islamists attacked Hindus over the playing of DJ at the time of Namaz. They hurled stones, set vehicles on fire, and also attacked a Ram temple. Similar incidents have happened in Jalgaon and Malad too.
On March 27, a video of social media influencer Prapti Elizabeth went viral on Twitter in which she was insulting the Jain community. After that on 30th March 2023, an image that went viral on media claimed that Prapti Elizabeth is arrested. It was claimed that Prapti Elizabeth has been arrested for smuggling wine from a church and selling it to a liquor store. Many Twitter users shared the image from their accounts.
The viral image said in the caption, “Influencer named Prapti Elizabeth arrested, as she was caught smuggling wine from the church and selling it to a local liquor shop.” The image was made and shared by a Twitter handle named The Katva which is seemingly a parody account of ‘The Tatva’.
Prapti Elizabeth had essentially mocked vegetarian people in general and the Jain community in particular through her videos on social media. Many people who came across this viral image by The Katva shared it assuming that Prapti Elizabeth is arrested for smuggling wine from the church and selling it to a local liquor shop.
One Tanvi Jain wrote, “Church me wine milti hai ! (Wine is available in church.) The lady who was mocking vegetarians, especially Jains, is arrested.”
Church me wine milti hai ! ? The lady who was mocking vegetarians, especially Jains , is arrested. pic.twitter.com/cqfcvKK8AH
Satyagrah India posted, “Karma is a bitch – With Love from Jain and Vegetarian Community – Even Non-veg community don’t wanna do anything with her. Now fast in jail because only vegetarian food is available there and there is no system for ordering online.”
Karma is a bitch ?
– With Love from Jain and Vegetarian Community – Even Non-veg community don’t wanna do anything with her
An account named Jain Khabar also shared this viral image with the same caption, “Now fast in jail because only vegetarian food is available there and there is no system for ordering online.”
However, Prapti Elizabeth has not been arrested, and there is no report to suggest that she stole wine from a church to sell it. The viral image was made by a parody Twitter handle called The Katva, with a logo that resembles the media portal The Tatva.
An examination of the image shows a logo that says ‘The Katva’. The logo has been made by replacing the first T in Tatva with K with the same font and style. There is a Twitter account named ‘The Katva‘ with the Twitter handle @thekatvaindiaa, and it is clear that it is a parody account. The account has shared several images with satirical captions, all made in the style of Tatva. The parody account itself had originally posted the Prapti meme on 30 March, which was picked up by other Twitter users.
Therefore, Prapti Elizabeth is not arrested. There was no such news in the media.
What did Prapti Elizabeth say about Jains?
In the December 15 video on Instagram, she said, “Just when you thought men couldn’t disappoint you any further, boom! Vegetarian men [laughs histerically]. Here one really cute 6-feet tall guy asked me out, and I got to know that he was JAIN. Man! I tell you, my lady boner died [laughs histerically]. And then this Jain cutie goes, “meet me”. I am like, ‘I don’t return favours I don’t get. I ain’t doing that. I sincerely hope all you veggie men find your kind, but I ain’t it. Sorry for the loss.” It is unclear if she was trying to be funny or abusive in the video.
Twitter user Aditya Nayak shared that video and wrote, “All vegetarian men, especially Jains, should thank their Gods that this two-bit rice bag has rejected them.”
All vegetarian men especially Jains should thank their Gods that this two bit ricebag has rejected them pic.twitter.com/4cKNYAlxCy
An incident of an Islamist mob attacking the Ram Navami procession has surfaced in Channarayapatana of Hassan district in Karnataka. A Ram Navami procession was taken out by Bajrang Dal members. It was attacked by Islamists when it reached a local mosque. 4 Hindus sustained injuries in this violence. 2 of them sustained stab injuries while another two were injured in the stone pelting by the Islamists. All of them are admitted to the hospital and undergoing treatment. A complaint has been reportedly filed from both sides against each other.
The procession was organised by Bajrang Dal as part of Ram Navami celebrations on Baguru Road in Channarayapatan town. It was opposed by a group of Islamist youths when it was passing by a mosque. According to reports, attackers asked the Hindus to leave the spot and celebrate their festival in their areas. This resulted in a violent clash in which Islamists pelted stones on the procession and Hindus who carried the procession.
The rioters also attacked Hindus with sharp weapons and attempted to stab them. In this violence, 4 Hindus were injured. They are identified as Harsha, Murali, Chetan, and Rakesh. Harsha and Murali received stab injuries. Rakesh and Chetan were injured in stone pelting. They are being treated at the government hospital, India Today reported.
Later, people from both communities filed a complaint against each other. One Azhar Ahmed filed a complaint from the Muslim side. In his complaint he claimed that a few people in the procession were carrying stones and canes with them, police said. He added that participants of the Ram Navami procession shouted slogans such as “Muslims should be chased to Pakistan” and “they should not stay here”.
Azhar Ahmed further alleged in his complaint that he was rounded up by some of the Bajrang Dal activists, while others hurled stones at his vehicle and him. He also alleged that 15 to 20 people tried to attack him and he escaped the spot with the help of two others. Notably, Islamists who attacked a Ram Navami procession in Vadodara city of Gujarat on the same day of Ram Navami had also alleged in the same fashion that it was Hindus who pelted the stones. Local Bajrang Dal leader who organised that procession told OpIndia that none of the participants in the procession had any stones with them, because it was a procession of Lord Rama’s birthday celebrations.
On 30th March 2023, Ram Navami processions were attacked and violence erupted in various places across the country. There were reports of stone-pelting and violence in many cities of the country. One person was killed in West Bengal and one in Maharashtra in these violent incidents. Apart from this, there have also been reports of stones pelting on the Shobha Yatra of Ram Navami in Gujarat, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh.
Ram Navami or the birth anniversary of Lord Rama is an auspicious occasion in the Hindu calendar year. On that day, Hindus seek blessings from Lord Rama, provide food to the needy, perform rituals, take out processions, and so on. But Islamists have attacked these Ram Navami processions at many places in the country, as part of growing attacks on Hindu festivals.
In a bizarre incident from Surat in Gujarat, it came to light that a 63-year-old woman from Bangladesh came to India on a visa and begged in Surat for the last three years to earn a livelihood. It is also revealed that the woman has taken doses of Covid vaccine showing a fake Aadhar Card and an Indian birth certificate.
Police detained the 63-year-old suspected Bangladeshi woman beggar near Khwajada’s dargah. A Bangladeshi passport was found in the possession of the old woman. She told the police that she had officially come to India with a multi-entry visa of one year. Police registered a case and arrested her on Wednesday 29th March 2023, after an Indian Aadhaar card was recovered from her. It was also found that earlier she had entered India illegally in 2020, but went back in 2022, and then again entered India, but this time legally.
The SOG (Special Operations Group) team detained 63-year-old Malekabegum, who was begging near Khwajada’s dargah on Wednesday evening, for questioning. This action was based on a tip-off that Watan alias Malika Seken Sardar is a native of Bangladesh. The old woman had also submitted a Bangladeshi passport to the police stating that she had come to India on a valid visa for one year in September. Initially it was not possible to arrest the woman as she had officially come to India. However, she was arrested after an Indian Aadhaar card was recovered from her during the search.
It was revealed during the interrogation of the woman that she entered India illegally in 2020. Within a month of that, the Covid-19 pandemic started. To avail of the Covid-19 vaccine, she made an Indian Aadhaar card based on a bogus birth certificate with the help of an agent so that she could take the vaccine and live easily in India. The police had registered a case of bogus documents for creating fake Aadhaar cards and birth certificates based on false documents despite being Bangladeshi.
The woman lived with her husband and two daughters in Gopalpur village of Bangladesh’s Gopalganj district. In 2020, she entered India illegally and begged in Surat. Here she earned Rs. 700 to Rs. 1,000 a day. In July 2022, she went to her native place in Bangladesh for a few days. In September, she obtained an official Bangladeshi passport and entered India with a valid visa of one year as it was difficult to enter India illegally at this time.
TIME Magazine has a long history of promoting misinformation and anti-India agenda while posing as a forum for “intellectual” viewpoints. It has acted as a mouthpiece for the left, disseminating falsehoods and selling stories that are far from the truth. In a recent article, the magazine slammed the Indian government for allegedly ignoring human rights and giving away democratic norms as Punjab Police continue the manhunt for pro-Khalistani Sikh leader Amritpal Singh.
The article, written by author Simran Jeet Singh, who is a Soros Equality Fellow with the Open Society Foundations of Geroge Soros, claims that the Indian government has ‘abused the fundamental human rights’ and imposed severe restrictions on the citizens including freedom of assembly and freedom of expression to nab one Singh. “The government shut down internet communications and text messaging across Punjab, which in itself the United Nations Human Rights Office said undermines a range of human rights,” the article reads.
Image published by Time claiming ‘mass repression’
The author further claimed that the country was imposing repressive tactics and was propagating a far-right stance by imposing ‘restrictions’ on minorities in the country which include Muslims, Christians and Sikhs. He also opined that the government was not allowing proper dissemination of ‘ground facts’ through journalists who according to him are just reporting the state narrative and allegedly ignoring people’s perspectives.
It is worth noting here that the government has withheld several Twitter accounts including that of BBC News Punjab, Pro-Khalistani MP Simranjit Singh and pro-Khalistan Canadian lawmaker Jagmeet Singh, and several other Punjab based journalists who were actively fear-mongering on the micro-blogging platform and giving a falsified impression of the Punjab police’s action to the world.
Earlier, pro-Khalistan Canadian lawmaker Jagmeet Singh had expressed “concerns” over the ongoing operation in Punjab and compared the Punjab Government’s efforts to curb pro-Khalistani elements to the steps taken by the governments during the Punjab insurgency. He had tried to spread fear by saying, “I am deeply concerned by reports that India has suspended civil liberties and imposed an internet blackout throughout the state of Punjab. These draconian measures are unsettling for many given their historical use to execute extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances during the 1984 Sikh Genocide.” His account was withheld on March 20.
Police action – ‘Drama’?
He further termed the government action as ‘drama’ and said, “this shifts attention from people who are suffering human rights abuses.” Singh, in the article, accepts the fact that he knows very little about the pro-Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh and also calls him a ‘Sikh activist’ who ‘works to control the drug menace.’ He says he knows little about Amritpal and his supporters who recently led an armed attack on personnel of Punjab Police who had arrested Singh’s close aide Lovepreet Toofan in a kidnapping case. However, author Simran Jeet Singh could be seen extending support to pro-Khalistani separatists and expects the government of India to not take steps to stop armed separatist elements.
“The Indian state took the incident as cause for a manhunt for Singh and to arrest more than 100 others. India has also taken the occasion to abuse fundamental human rights, including severe restrictions on freedom of assembly and freedom of expression,” he said in the article. He indicated that the country has never been serious about its democratic norms and that it was never committed to following them.
Punjab Police says rumors being spread that the state was cracking down on ‘Sikhs’
The author who was born in the year 1984, stated that the recent ongoing action by the Indian government against Amritpal Singh reminded him of the Sikh massacre of June 1984. He said that back in 1984, the Indian military operation resulted in the deaths of thousands of Sikh worshipers, including women and children while it moved to flush out ‘Sikh leader’, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
It is important to note that pro-Khalistani leader Bhindarnwale who was wanted by the Indian government was hiding in the Golden Temple when the Indian military was ordered action by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. After Operation Blue Star, Indira Gandhi was assassinated on 31st October 1984 by her Sikh bodyguards following which angry mobs, many of which were led by Congress leaders, brutally murdered 3350 Sikhs.
On 19th November 1984, while giving a speech in front of thousands of people, then-Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had justified the violence that took place after Gandhi’s assassination. He had said, “Jab bhi koi bada ped girta hai, to dharti thodi hilti hai. (When a big tree falls, the earth shakes.)”
While Singh claims that the current police crackdown against Amritpal Singh is reminiscent of 1984, he needs to note that during the 1984 massacre, it was Hindus and a few Muslims who had extended support to the Sikhs and saved many Sikh lives. The current crackdown is to avoid any kind of violence that has happened in the past. The Police have arrested only those pro-Khalistani sympathizers who were attempting to disturb peace in the society. OpIndia also reported earlier, that rise of pro-Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh has a striking similarity to that of Bhindranwale.
The IGP Punjab Police mentioned on March 20 that Pakistan’s ISI hand was suspected to be involved in the case and that rumours were being spread that the Indian state was cracking down on ‘Sikhs’, thereby trying to create a Hindu vs Sikh divide. The IGP said that all these rumours were part of a toolkit that was activated hours after the Police crackdown began against Singh.
The author slammed the journalists further for reporting only the government narrative and keeping the world in the dark from the ground realities. He said that 27 million people in Punjab are restricted from using internet, sending text messages which is violation of Human Rights. And all this, he says, is to nab one man. He also slammed the Indian state and alleged that it was censoring the journalists who bring out the legitimate concerns about state violence.
Author knows ‘little’ about Amritpal Singh who has been declared as a threat to the nation
Author Simran Jeet Singh’s comments about the Indian government and its action against Amritpal Singh are to be questioned, especially when he confesses that he knows very little about the pro-Khalistani leader. Amritpal Singh is booked under the NSA and has been declared as a threat to the nation.
On the present date, the following concerns from the Central Intelligence Agencies about a potential jailbreak and recurrence of the Ajnala episode, Amritpal Singh’s pro-Khalistan sympathizers and accomplices have been detained and moved outside of Punjab.
On February 23 of this year, thousands of followers of Amritpal stormed the Ajnala police station in Amritsar to release Amritpal Singh’s close aide who had been detained in connection with an abduction case. Singh’s frenzied supporters broke through the barricades and attacked the Ajnala police station. As reported, cops, on duty, had to brave attacks from Amritpal Singh’s radical followers who were equipped using lathis, swords, and even guns.
#WATCH | Punjab: Supporters of ‘Waris Punjab De’ Chief Amritpal Singh break through police barricades with swords and guns outside Ajnala PS in Amritsar
They’ve gathered outside the PS in order to protest against the arrest of his (Amritpal Singh) close aide Lovepreet Toofan. pic.twitter.com/yhE8XkwYOO
The arrested persons have been booked under NSA and are also believed to be a threat to national integrity as they openly declared that they do not believe in State and defyied orders of Punjab Government which did not allow display of weapons in open.
It is important to note that the Punjab Police has booked the Waris Punjab De chief under the National Security Act, and a non-bailable warrant has been issued for his arrest. It should be further emphasized that Amritpal is still on the run, while a massive search effort is underway throughout the state. More than 100 people have been taken into custody so far including his driver and his uncle and all of them have been sent to Dibrugarh prison in Assam.
Fact: Social media used to spread fake messages and rumors inciting probable violence
To note, the article written by Simran Jeet Singh was published on March 28. However, the government of Punjab had said that the suspension of the internet and restriction on messaging would continue only till March 23. It was reported that certain sections of society were holding protests at several places in the State and were likely to threaten public order by incitement to violence.
“It has further been brought to notice that these sections of society widely use social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp etc. and also Short Message Service (SMS) for spreading of inflammatory material and false rumors, to provoke mobilization of mobs of agitators and demonstrators, mobilize their own manpower and resources for their anti-national activities,” the department of Home Affairs and Justice, Government of Punjab informed in a statement.
Further Singh needs to consider that the police began crackdown against the pro-Khalistani elements and Waris Punjab De leader Amritpal Singh on March 18 as they attempted to disturb the peace and law and order in the state. The Police amid the crackdown also recovered several weapons, bulletproof jackets and rifles from the house and car of fugitive Amritpal Singh. The weapons had AKF (Anandpur Khalsa Fauj) written on them.
Author Simran Jeet Singh further claimed in the article that around 100s ‘others’ were arrested by the Police while searching for one fugitive Singh and imposed internet restrictions, undermining range of human rights.
Reportedly, the fact remains that the 114 arrested individuals were pro-Khalistan elements who supported Amritpal Singh and tried to disturb peace and harmony in the state after the crackdown began. The Police arrested these pro-Khalistani sympathizers and moved some of them to Assam fearing repeat of the Ajnala episode.
Waris Punjab De was involved in 26/01 Red Fort attack
Author Singh also needs to make a note of the fact that fugitive pro-Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh is chief of Waris Punjab De, the pro-Khalistani organization which played a major role in the attack on Delhi’s Red Fort. A large group of protesters entered Delhi in 2021 and created havoc under the guise of a Tractor Rally. They hoisted two alien flags on Red Fort.
The Police then arrested the then Waris Punjab De Chief Deep Sidhu who at that time claimed that he was being framed in the matter. Sidhu had said that he would expose the leaders in farmer’s protest and later died in a road accident.
Simran Jeet Singh associated to Soros’ Open Society Foundation
Author Simran Jeet Singh, who slammed the Indian government over the Amritpal Singh episode, is associated with Geroge Soros’ Open Society Foundation. His bio in Time Magazine reads, “He is an Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity with Columbia University and the Nelson Mandela Foundation, and a Soros Equality Fellow with the Open Society Foundations.”
Screenshot from Time Magazine
According to his personal website, he is the Executive Director of the Aspen Institute’s Religion and Society Program and author of The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life. He also works as a visiting professor of history and religion at Union Theological Seminary and a Soros Equality Fellow with the Open Society Foundations, and in 2020 TIME Magazine recognized him among sixteen people fighting for a more equal America.
Notably, he, who seeks to ‘disrupt bias’, frequently writes for The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CNN, media houses that time and again have published hateful articles against the Indian government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Screenshot from Singh’s website
George Soros, as said by Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, is rich, opinionated, and dangerous and he funds organisations to bring down governments he does not like. George Soros, through his Open Society Foundation, which started its operations in India first in 1999 by offering scholarships and fellowships to pursue studies and research at Indian institutions, has made great strides in creating disorder within India.
Open Society Foundation actively support to anti-India elements
In the name of running philanthropic activities, the left-wing international organisation led by Soros has begun to spread its tentacles across the country by his active support to anti-India elements operating inside India.
In the last few decades, George Soros has time and again has shown his desperation to wage war against the nationalist government in India through various networks funded by him comprising of NGOs, media, intelligentsia, etc.
Regarding his philanthropy work, Soros’s OSF grasped a stronghold in India during the Obama regime. Ever since its entry into India, OSF has tried to interlope in the internal affairs of the nation through the vast and interconnected network of organisations funded by George Soros. These organisations play a vital role in manipulating the original narrative and take the help of the judiciary and media to hinder the national interest.
Now, Soros and his organization seem to have hand in boosting pro-Khalistani elements as well, while OSF associates and its beneficiaries continue to blame the Indian government of alleged ‘mass repression’.
Recently, George Soros, a Hungarian-American billionaire openly targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government of backing Adani, making it clear that he intends to target Modi politically. India’s foreign minister S Jaishankar then said that Soros was rich, opinionated, and dangerous and that he funded organisations to bring down governments he did not like.
On Thursday, March 30, Maharashtra police arrestedan All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) member identified as Naaz Golandaz. According to TOI, she was accused of inducing a minor girl to run away from her home in Bihar by befriending her on social media. After the minor reached Mumbra, the accused kept the victim in her house where she allegedly converted her to Islam. Thereafter, she changed her name and attempted to marry her off to her relative.
According to authorities, the minor lives in the jurisdiction of the Barhara police station in the Bhojpur district with her father, who owns a grocery shop. On March 17, she told her father she was going out to meet her friends near a temple, but she did not return home. She arrived in Mumbra about ten days ago, where the accused allegedly converted her to Islam, changed her name, and kept her in her home, according to authorities.
After the girl did not return home, her parents approached the Bihar police. Based on the complaint lodged by the victim’s parents, the Bihar police and Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), launched a probe into the matter. They approached Thane city police and sought their assistance. Thane police senior inspector Nivrutti Kolhatkar formed a team led by API Ajay Kumbhar, who along with the Bihar police tracked the victim down to Naaz’s home in Shibli Nagar in Mumbra, Maharashtra.
Police said that Naaz Golandaz has been booked under IPC Section 366-A, pertaining to “procuration” of a minor girl (to force her or seduce her into illicit intercourse with another person). The section carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. The accused has been handed over to Bihar police, the official added.
“The girl was active on social networking sites; she met Golandaz through a group. The girl was curious to know more about Islam. Golandaz asked her to come to Mumbra for a better understanding of the religion along with cash,” said a police officer.
Sources added that the minor girl was in contact with Golandaz for a couple of weeks.
When police caught her, she claimed to be a major. At first, she refused to go back, but then the police counselled her and convinced her to return to her parents. “Golandaz had planned to marry her off to one of her close relatives. The Bihar police is conducting a detailed probe,” said a police officer.
The Gujarat HC on Friday came down heavily against Arvind Kejriwal and quashed a 2016 order by the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC), by which it directed the Gujarat University to supply Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s post-graduation degree to Delhi chief minister under the provisions of the Right to Information Act (RTI).
The court said PM Modi’s degree certificates were available on media, social media, and on the University website, adding that the respondent (Arvind Kejriwal) never questioned the authenticity of the degree during the pendency of the proceedings or even during the final hearing. The court also fined Arvind Kejriwal Rs 25,000 and concluded that there has been an indiscriminate misuse of the salutary provisions of the RTI Act.
So Gujarat High Court not only fined Kejriwal Rs 25,000 but also exposed the dirty Politics of Kejriwal.
Court says that PM's degree was available on media, social media and even on University website.
“In the present case, the manner in which a request came from Respondent No.2 who was neither an Applicant nor an appellant and was merely a respondent before the CIC leaves much to be desired. Such requests cannot be made so casually making a mockery of the very intent and purpose of the RTI Act,” the court witheringly noted.
The court further added that documents including degrees fall within the personal information of a citizen, which is exempted under Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act.
Gujarat High Court said that Kejriwal didn't question authenticity of PM's degree uploaded on University website during court proceedings.
But still wanted to create unwanted controversy by asking for it through RTI. Knowing very well that University can't give Degrees to 3rd… pic.twitter.com/T10O4IbzHJ
The Solicitor General of India slammed Arvind Kejriwal, terming his irresponsible requests and mechanical exercise of statutory powers thereafter that the very heart and soul of the Right to Information Act is destroyed and some individuals abuse the provisions of the Act either out of curiosity or at times even for some oblique purpose and for achieving some collateral objects.
Gujarat High Court makes 2 important points.
1. Clearly says that educational documents is personal information and doesn't come under RTI.
2. Degree of Prime Minister was uploaded on the university website and PM has nothing to hide.
The Gujarat High Court ruled that Prime Minister’s Office is not required to furnish the graduate and post-graduate degrees of PM Modi. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on Delhi CM Kejriwal for seeking the details about PM Modi’s degree certificates. Kejriwal has been given four weeks to deposit the amount with the Gujarat State Legal Services Authority. Besides, the court also refused to grant a stay on the judgment.
