On Tuesday, March 28, Congress leader and MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor, tweeted about how the Union Ministry of Finance came to the rescue of a young girl Niharika and let go of GST so that her life could be saved.
In a post titled ‘Good News Story’ he wrote about the entire incident. “A young couple approached me about their baby daughter, Niharika, who was suffering from a rare form of cancer,” the statement read. The child has High-Risk Neuroblastoma (Stage IV). The only treatment is an injection that costs 65 lakhs.
The doctors suggested immunotherapy treatment for her particularly the administering of Dinutuximab Bita (Qarziba) which costs 10 lakhs (each dose). According to their estimation, the immunotherapy cycle was around 63 lakhs. The parents raised the majority of the funds through crowd raising and donations.
However, the GST levied on these imported medicines increased their financial burden by several lakhs of rupees, which they couldn’t afford. Hence, they sought the help of the ex-minister to request a waiver of the additional GST component on humanitarian grounds.
“They had scrounged and saved and borrowed and crowd-funded to raise the money required but when they imported the drug, they need an additional seven lakhs for GST that they couldn’t afford.”
The former diplomat wrote to the Union Minister informing her of the entire situation. There was no reply and hence the couple pleaded with him again on 26th March. “The injection was stuck at Mumbai airport but Customs would not release it without the GST payment,” he continued.
“I called Mrs Sitharaman directly this time. I told her this baby depended on her exercising her authority immediately because the drug was perishable and would expire while in the custody of the customs. She was instantly sympathetic. She hadn’t seen my letter so I re-sent it,” he stated.
He mentioned the ministry’s prompt response in assisting in procuring the medication for the young patient. “Within half an hour her PS (Personal Secretary), Sernya Bhutia called to tell me she had spoken to the Chairman of the Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs. Within ten minutes Chairman Vivek Johri called me asking for more documents.” He announced that the exemption was granted by 7 pm on Tuesday.
“The family will get their injection, the baby will live, and our exchequer will sacrifice 7 lakhs in GST income to bring life and joy to a small child,” he added. Whenever he has reservations about investing so much of his life in politics, he remarked, that something like this happens and makes it all worthwhile.
He concluded by thanking everyone involved, the FM, the PS and the Chairman for making it possible, and reflected, that their action has reaffirmed his faith ‘in government, in politics, and above all in humanity.’
On Monday, March 27, a woman lodged a police complaint against her husband for allegedly giving Triple Talaq to her over a phone call in the Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh. The complainant has alleged that her husband had demanded a Scorpio car and 20 lakh rupees as dowry. Later the woman was thrown out of the husband’s house, and he demanded Rs 10 lakh in order to keep her in his house. When the woman’s family refused this demand, the man called her wife and issued triple talaq on the phone.
Apart from the husband, 9 other people including a professor from the Aligarh Muslim University, have also been named in the complaint.
According to the media reports, the incident took place in the Kwarsi police station precinct. The victim was married to Khalid Hanif on January 27, 2013 in Kanpur’s Kidwai Nagar locality of Juhi Lal Colony. AMU’s Department of Computer Science Professor Saiful Islam, a brother-in-law of Hanif, served as a witness to this marriage.
The complaint claims that the wedding took place in a guest house and that the complainant’s father sent her off with expensive jewellery and other valuables. The woman claims that despite spending around Rs 35 lakh in the wedding, her in-laws demanded more dowry, including Rs 20 lakh in cash and a Mahindra Scorpio SUV. When her family refused to give them more dowry, they used to torture her. It is further alleged that AMU Professor Saiful was also involved in all this.
Furthermore, the complaint states that the victim’s brother-in-law Tariq and husband Hanif are alcoholics. She also accused her husband and his brother of gambling and betting. The complaint further states that the girl’s family members were also misled about Hanif prior to the marriage. Hanif’s family members had told the woman’s family that he works in a big company and they will live in Delhi after the marriage, which turned out to be false.
Hanif, the victim’s husband, purchased a residence in Shaheen Bagh, Delhi, in December 2014. Hanif had also borrowed Rs 10 lakh from his father-in-law, the victim’s father, for this. The woman claimed that Hanif never repaid even this loan to her father. They didn’t move to the flat, and it was given on rent.
In addition, the victim dubbed her brother-in-law Tariq a womanizer. Tariq had given triple talaq to his first wife Rashmi alias Fatima. Later, Tariq got married to another woman named Reena alias Aamna. The victim claims that her brother-in-law Tariq has also been keeping a bad eye on her. Tariq is accused of peeping at the woman as she had a bath and used the restroom.
The victim alleged that on September 1, 2022, at 10 pm, Tariq entered the victim’s room and proposed to her adding that he would divorce his second wife for her. When the victim who is also the mother of a 7-year-old son, refused, Tariq tore her clothes and threw her on the bed. However, when she told her husband and his family about this, they dismissed it saying that Tariq did it by mistake as he was drunk.
According to the complaint, whenever the woman complained about Tariq, she was beaten up, and her husband Hanif was involved in this torture. The woman eventually told her parents about the matter. Following this, a panchayat was called, where both families were present.
At this panchayat, the complainant’s in-laws assured them that she would soon be taken to Delhi. But on September 12, 2022, the in-laws sent her back to her maternal house. Also, they kept all her jewellery. After this, the victim’s in-laws stopped even asking about her whereabouts.
On February 12, 2023, another panchayat between the victim’s parents and her in-laws was conducted at Professor Saiful Islam’s home after numerous requests. The victim’s husband in this panchayat blatantly refused to keep her with him. Hanif demanded Rs 10 lakh from the victim’s father in order to keep her with him. The girl’s father was humiliated and ousted from the meeting after he refused to accept his demand.
The victim claims that on February 18, 2023, her husband Hanif gave her triple talaq via net calling on a mobile phone. On February 20, two days later, Hanif also sent a divorce notice through his lawyer. He sent the notice over WhatsApp also. Professor Saiful Islam of AMU, his wife Farin, husband Hanif, brother-in-law Tariq, Nisha, Aamna, Noori, Sadia, Aman, and Adil have all been named as accused in the case by the police.
The complaint copy that OpIndia obtained states that the police have taken action in this case in accordance with Sections 498-A, 323, 354, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), as well as Sections 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act and Section 3/4 of the Triple Talaq Act.
Triple Talaq Law
It is notable that the central government has enacted the law against triple talaq in 2019 after the Supreme Court declared the regressive practice as unconstitutional in 2017. The law criminalizes the practice of triple talaq and prescribes punishment for up to 3 years. The woman is entitled to maintenance for her dependent children under the law.
Amritpal Singh, the Khalistani supporter released his first video since the Punjab police action against him and claimed that it was not about his arrest but an attack on the Sikh community. He opined that the government could have arrested him at home if they had wanted to.
#BREAKING: Khalistani Radical Amritpal Singh releases a new video from hiding in Punjab. Requests Jathedar of Akal Takht to call Sarbad Khalsa (congregation of Sikhs) to discuss issues to save Punjab. Dares Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and Punjab Police.
Amritpal declared that no one could hurt him and he does not fear imprisonment. Claiming that he would dispel the “terror” that the government had instilled in the public’s hearts, he asked Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh to host a Sarbat Khalsa (meeting) on the occasion of Baiskahi at Talwandi Sabo.
Earlier in the day, he visited Anandpur Sahib in Ropar after returning to Punjab from Uttarakhand. Moreover, his alleged vehicle has been found by the police.
The radical Sikh leader has been on the run since March 18 even as Punjab police launched a massive crackdown against him. He managed to give police a slip after his convoy was intercepted in Jalandhar and fled on a motorbike. He has been absconding since then.
Last week, Punjab and Haryana High Court criticised the Punjab government for Amritpal Singh’s escape despite a ‘well-planned operation’ and referred to it as an ‘intelligence failure.’ “You have 80,000 cops. How could Amritpal escape despite a well-planned operation and huge force to support the operation,” the HC questioned.
The Punjab Police, yesterday, informed the High Court that they were extremely close to apprehending him.
Reports claim Amritpal Singh can surrender at Golden Temple
According to media reports, the ‘ Waris Punjab De’ chief and Sikh separatist Amritpal Singh, is expected to surrender at the Golden Temple. The Punjab Police on Wednesday conducted a flag march in the area. However, there is no official confirmation of this development yet.
#WATCH | Flag march conducted by police in the area around the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab
Our focus is to make sure there are no obstructions on any of the routes leading to the Golden Temple and law and order is maintained: Parminder Singh Bhandal: DCP Law & Order pic.twitter.com/Hl6dmtqMYi
“Our focus is to make sure there are no obstructions on any of the routes leading to the Golden Temple and law and order is maintained,” conveyed Parminder Singh Bhandal, DCP Law and Order.
#WATCH | Commissioner of Police Amritsar Naunihal Singh speaks on media reports stating Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh likely to surrender at Golden Temple and law and order situation in the city pic.twitter.com/oKTXdI3cI7
Commissioner of Police Amritsar Naunihal Singh stated, that every arrangement is made to ensure the public’s safety and security. He acknowledged receiving media stories of Amritpal Singh will turn himself in but declined to corroborate them. He also mentioned that the latter will be dealt with according to the law if he surrendered.
On Wednesday, the Rajasthan High Court exonerated four suspects who were charged in connection with the fatal 2008 Jaipur serial bombings, which resulted in the loss of 71 lives and caused over 180 injuries. The four accused had been sentenced to death by a trial court in December 2019.
In 2019, a trial court convicted the four defendants, Mohammed Salman, Mohammed Saif, Sarwar Azmi, and Saifurehman Ansari, and sentenced them to death.
However, all four individuals were released by the high court on Wednesday, and the chief secretary was instructed to probe the investigating officer.
After considering 28 appeals, a division bench of Justices Pankaj Bhandari and Sameer Jain delivered the verdict, affirming the lower court’s ruling to release one of the defendants, Shahbaz.
Mohammed Saif was apprehended for his involvement in the Manak Chowk police station bombing, while Sarwar Azmi was taken into custody for his participation in the Chandpole Hanuman temple explosion. Mohammad Salman faced allegations of conducting the blasts at Sanganeri Hanuman temple, and Saifurehman Ansari was accused of planting bombs at five distinct locations.
There were eight FIRs registered by the police in the case, four at Kotwali and four at Manak Chowk police stations. The prosecution recorded statements from 1,293 witnesses. Jaipur lawyers declined to represent the accused, prompting the appointment of Legal Aid lawyers Pekar Farooq and Suresh Vyas to act as their advocates.
In this case, the defence presented 24 witnesses, while the government produced 1,270 witnesses.
On May 13, 2008, several locations, including two Hanuman Temples, in Jaipur were struck by a sequence of fatal bombings. These blasts resulted in the deaths of 71 individuals and injuries to 185 others. A live explosive device, found in a school bag on a bicycle near Ramchandra Temple, was safely defused by a bomb disposal unit.
Police arrested a total of 13 individuals, three of whom are currently being held in Hyderabad and Delhi jails, while three others remain at large. Two individuals were killed during the Batla House encounter, and four others were transferred to Jaipur jail.
Another day in a secular country and another case of street veto by the Muslim community. We have seen on numerous occasions how law enforcement agencies dance to the tunes of Islamists, this time the incident is from the national capital. Jahangirpuri in Delhi is known to have a sizeable Muslim population and with this strong number comes the usual sociocultural and political dominance that Islamists seek everywhere.
In Jahangirpuri the Police have denied permission to the Hindus to take out a religious procession on Rama Navami citing potential risks to the law and order situation.
To monkey-balance the issue, the Delhi Police also passed a diktat saying that just as Ram Navami procession was being denied in Jahangirpuri, in Maurya Enclave, Ramzan program has been denied permission in a park near “other community” and Muslims have been asked to celebrate indoors. Why this is classic monkey balancing is not difficult to understand – it was the Islamists in Jahangirpuri who committed violence against Hindus and the victims, Hindus are being denied permission to celebrate their festival. The Hindus of Maurya Enclave or any other area committed no violence against Muslims and therefore, there is clearly no threat perception because of which the police will have to deny permission for Ramzan.
Permission for the procession of Shree Ram Bhagwan Pratima yatra (Ram Navami procession) at the riot-affected Jahangirpuri area has been denied. Similarly, in Maurya Enclave area, Ramazan program have been denied in the park near other community and suggested to do inside the…
The question that we should be asking the authorities is this – why is the law and order situation so fragile in Muslim-dominated areas? Has it got something to do with the way the procession was to be taken out or is it solely based on how sections of Muslims conduct themselves in these ‘Muslim areas’? The answer to this question is very simple but in light of the street power that Islamists wield in India, it becomes highly difficult to be stated.
The stand taken by the Delhi police to avoid a potential law and order situation if the Hindu religious procession were to be taken out doesn’t address the elephant in the room which is the proclivity of Islamists towards violence and their use of violence on the streets as a form of veto. This desire to stop everything un-Islamic in ‘their areas’ emanates from the two-nation theory which continues to live in the minds of certain sections of the Muslim community even after the horrific partition of India on religious lines. This is not some wild claim that I am making, the predisposition of some Muslims towards violence and use of the same to keep their areas clean of ‘kafirs’ has been a regular feature of their collective behaviour before, during and after the independence of India.
Islamic separatism is not a localised issue
The two-nation theory was/is essentially an Islamic construct with the entire world divided into the land of believers and the land of infidels. And the believers are duty-bound to convert the land of infidels into their land. To achieve this end, Islamists resort to many instruments, violence being the principal one.
Sitaram Goel says in his book ‘Muslim Separatism: Causes and Consequences’, “If the Hindus sang Vande Mãtaram in a public meeting, it was a ‘conspiracy’ to convert Muslims into kãfirs. If the Hindus blew a conch or broke a coconut, or garlanded the portrait of a revered patriot, it was an attempt to ‘force’ Muslims into ‘idolatry’. If the Hindus spoke in any of their native languages, it was an ‘affront’ to the culture of Islam. If the Hindus took pride in their pre-Islamic heroes, it was a ‘devaluation’ of Islamic history. And so on, there were many more objections, major and minor, to every national self-expression. In short, it was a demand that Hindus should cease to be Hindus and become instead a faceless conglomeration of rootless individuals.”
He continues, “On the other hand, the ‘minority community’ was not prepared to make the slightest concession in what they regarded as their religious and cultural rights. If the Hindus requested that cow-killing should stop, it was a demand for renouncing an ‘established Islamic practice’. If the Hindus objected to an open sale of beef in the bazars, it was an ‘encroachment’ on the ‘civil rights’ of the Muslims. If the Hindus demanded that cows meant for ritual slaughter should not be decorated and marched through Hindu localities, it was ‘trampling upon time-honoured Islamic traditions’. If the Hindus appealed that Hindu religious processions passing through a public thoroughfare should not be obstructed, it was an attempt to ‘disturb the peace of Muslim prayers’. If the Hindus wanted their native languages to attain equal status with Urdu in the courts and the administration, it was an ‘assault on Muslim culture’. If the Hindus taught to their children the true history of Muslim tyrants, it was a ‘hate campaign against Islamic heroes’. And the ‘minority community’ was always ready to ‘defend’ its ‘religion and culture’ by taking recourse to street riots”
The Muslim Veto
Islamists have long employed violence as a strategic tool of contention to exact obedience, assert their hegemony, and silence their critics. More so with street violence, which they have monopolised by institutionalising thuggery over centuries, to prevent a critical assessment of their religious dogmas and immutable convictions.
For Islamists, having an open discussion of the teachings of Islam or the life of Prophet Muhammad is a strict no-go zone. While the public scrutiny of the Islamic religious texts has attracted intellectual opposition from ideological enablers of Islamists and left-liberals, it has also drawn crude reprisals in the form of violence and intimidation from extremists, as evident in the Nupur Sharma case.
There have been several instances where we have seen the state submit to Islamic street veto. Whether it was the 295A legislation that came into force after the Rangeela Rasool controversy, the partition of India on religious lines, Salman Rushdie being forced into hiding over Satanic Verses, the Fatwa against him and his eventual stabbing, the Rajiv Gandhi government surrendering to Muslim hardliners to overturn the Shah Bano verdict or the Narasimha Rao government buckling under the pressure of the Muslim community and enacting the Places of Worship Act 1991 and denying Hindus their right forever.
Understanding the Muslim street veto is not a particularly difficult task. We have seen examples aplenty. Essentially, the Muslim community is one that is easily offended and one that uses that offence to go on a rampage often. In 2012, for example, Islamists went on a rampage in Azad Maidan not because they had been wronged in any manner whatsoever, but because they were supposedly protesting against the Rakhine riots – an issue far divorced from India. The Delhi anti-Hindu riots are a prime example of the Muslim street veto. They picked a subject that had nothing to do with Indian Muslims, made it about a perceived injustice to themselves, got offended, ignored clarifications and went on a rampage, culminating in riots where Muslim mobs murdered Ankit Sharma by stabbing him several times and Dilbar Negi, whose hands and legs were chopped up before he was burnt to death.
After they go on a rampage because of perceived injustices to their community, and ensure that the state bends a knee and submits to their demands, they further paint themselves as victims. If you dare to call them out, they have a global ecosystem in place which will not only twist facts to suit their narrative but would also call those reporting the truth as Islamophobic. Once the state submits because of their unbridled capacity for violence and violence alone, it will tout the move as a victory and proof of the perceived injustice. The next time they are offended (which is not a rare occurrence by any stretch of the imagination), they will merely threaten the state with violence and fearing the repercussion, the state will submit to their demands. The state knows for a fact that the intolerant minority is capable of violence. They also know for a fact that they will use their capacity for violence to ensure their demands are met. Fearing impending violence, for which there is ample evidence through the centuries, the state submits to avoid “law and order” situations, often victimising an already victimised majority.
In the case of Jahangirpuri as well, one can see the Muslim street veto in action in the decision taken by the Delhi Police.
On April 16 last year, a Hanuman Jayanti procession was attacked by Islamists in the Jahangirpuri area of Delhi. The procession was moving peacefully but was stopped by one Ansar Sheikh and his accomplice near the Jama Masjid. They initiated an argument, which quickly escalated into stone-pelting, resulting in a stampede in the procession. According to the FIR, the police attempted to take control of the situation, but Islamists disregarded the orders and set vehicles on fire. They also pelted stones and glass bottles at the Hindu devotees. Later, a video of an Islamist named Sonu Chikna, firing shots at the procession, went viral on social media.
The Jahangirpuri violence, without a shred of doubt, was a Muslim mob going on a rampage against “Kafirs” because they simply could not tolerate Hindus taking out their religious procession. It “offended them”, something, which the mere existence of Hindus can accomplish.
By denying Hindus their right to celebrate Ram Navami, the police has essentially submitted to the Muslim street veto and with this move, the Islamist mob has accomplished what they wanted – that Hindus cannot celebrate their festival in an area where they are present in large numbers. The Delhi Police, thus, submitted to their street veto and no amount of monkey balancing, claiming that Ramzan has been stopped as well in a different area, would change that reality.
The violence unleashed by Islamists is real and we have thousands of instances where this has really happened. Comparing this very real threat of violence to an imagined threat to Muslims offering Ramzan prayers by Hindus not only trivialises the agony of victims of Islamist aggression but also underpins that the Police can not be relied upon when it comes to the rights of the Hindus vis-a-vis Muslims.
The peace that is achieved by offering concessions to Islamists and by snatching the rights of Hindus cannot be sustained because in this case, one party keeps giving while the other party devours all that is given to them without showing any signs of gratefulness therefore it is for the authorities to decide whether they want this short-lived peace or they want to address the “real issue”.
A Supreme Court bench today heard a contempt plea filed in a bunch of petitions seeking directions to regulate hate speech in the country. The bench of justice justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna made significant observations while hearing the contempt plea filed against Maharashtra government for allegedly failing to control hate speeches by Hindu organisations despite orders of the apex court.
When advocate Vishnu Jain raised the matter of hate speeches by leaders of other religions also, the court declined to consider it. Vishnu Jain had said that ‘sar tan se juda’ or beheading calls are made in the country and no actions is taken against it. But Justice Joseph said that this is a different matter, and only the contempt plea will be heard.
After that the Hindu Samaj filed an intervention application, and their lawyer questioned whether the right of Hindus to hold processions according to Hindu beliefs can be challenged by someone from some other religion, and that too without making Hindus a party. However, Justice Nagarathna countered them by saying that while they have righty to hold rallies, what they do at these rallies is under challenge.
Justice Joseph said that Hindus were breaking the law by making hate speeches against Muslims in the rallies. He said, “they are saying things which are denigrating and most imp thing is dignity which is demolished on a regular basis, like statements like ‘Go to Pakistan,’ they are who had actually chosen this country. They are your brothers and sisters.”
The court said that while it is accepting the intervention petition of the Hindu Samaj, they can’t ask the court to throw away the contempt plea.
After that the advocate of the portioner mentioned the specific incidents of hate speech made at the rallies by Hindu activists, and read some of the alleged hate speeches. Responding to this, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju appearing on behalf of Maharashtra govt said that the state govt is duty bound to register an FIR if there is a cognizable offence.
However, the discussions in the court changed after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta made submissions. He praised the petitioner for bringing the important matter to the court, and added that he has some similar hate statements made in Tamil Nadu and Kerala which sould be added to the case, but they were dismissed by the court.
Mehta said, “we have also found some statements.. which should be added to this petition. Leader of DMK party says that if you want equality you should butcher all the Brahmins.” However, Justice Joseph smiled at this submission, according to legal media portals. When Mehta said that this is not a matter which should be laughed at, Justice Joseph asked if knows who was Periyar.
Justice Nagarathna: Develop a mechanism so that it does not come to Supreme Court.
SG Mehta: absolutely we have also found some statements.. which should be added to this petition. Leader of DMK party says that if you want equality you should butcher all the Brahmins
The SG countered him by saying that a hate speech cannot be pardoned because it is said by someone famous. Then he mentioned a video from Kerala, where a minor Muslim boy was seen calling for the death of Hindus and Christians. “A child has been used to say this, we should be embarrassed,” Mehta said, and when justice Joseph said that they know about it, the SG said the court sound take Suo Motu cognisance in that case.
The court refused to see the clip, saying that this is the result of politics. ‘The moment politics and religion are segregated, this will end. When politicians stop using religion, all this will stop. We can only say depends on you will listen or not,’ justice Joseph said.
When asked why the court refused to watch the video, the bench said there is a method to see it, and added that it can be included in the submission. When the solicitor general asked the court not to be selective, and said that the clip is in public domain, justice Joseph made shocking remarks saying that “hate speech is a vicious cycle and people will react.”
At this point, advocate Jain asked about the “Gustaakh e Rasool ki ek hi saza sar tan se juda sar tan se juda,” slogan heard in Muslim rallies. Justice Joseph made another comment, saying “action has an equal reaction,” seemingly saying that the hate speeches by Muslims are the results of hate speeches by Hindus.
SG Mehta told the court that this comment will be justification of the call for murder of Hindus and Christians by Muslims, and asked the court to not make such remarks. But the judge justified his comment by saying that the state is behaving as impotent and does not take action on time.
Justice Joseph: action has an equal reaction..
SG: please please please do not do this and this will be a justification of the clip. No no.
Justice Joseph: state is behaving impotent and does not take action in time
SG: Why do you not see the Kerala clip? Mr Jain’s plea has…
When the Solicitor General said that the state will take action against hate speeches and there is no need for the sword of contempt, the court said that I is necessary to send a message that orders of the court can’t be defied. “Our orders have to be implemented,” justice Joseph said.
After that the court adjourned the matter till 28 April, asking not to turn the matter into a drama. The court said that the Hindu Samaj counsel can present his arguments on anti-Hindu hate speeches on that day. The SG had requested the court issue notice to the Kerala govt, to respond on actions taken on the PFI anti-Hindu rally seen in the video cited by Mehta, but the court didn’t respond to this.
On Wednesday, a Maharashtra police constable identified as Vaibhav Kadam, 41, was found dead in a suspected case of suicide. The Police found the dead body of Kadam on the railway tracks near the Taloja region of Mumbai, Maharashtra.
According to the reports, the deceased Kadam was once assigned the security duty of former state minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Jitendra Awhad. He was also arrested for allegedly assaulting Anant Karmuse, an engineer from Thane.
“The incident occurred around 9.30 am when Kadam, who was with State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) and deputed to Special Protection Unit (SPU), was sleeping on railway tracks between Taloja and Nilje railway stations. The train ran over him, leading to his death,” the Police confirmed.
This is Supreme Court ruling Maharashtra Sarkar to open Anant Karmuse case again ???? https://t.co/yPsjIGfUxe
The incident was first spotted by the locals who called the police. Later the dead body of the deceased was transported to the nearby hospital for a postmortem. According to a police official, the Thane Government Railway Police (GRP) has reported an accidental fatality.
Locals then called the police, who transported the body to a neighbouring hospital for a postmortem. According to a police official, the Thane Government Railway Police has reported an accidental fatality (GRP).
Pandhari Kande, a senior inspector from GRP Thane, stated that the death seemed to be a suicide at first glance. However, no suicide note has been recovered. According to Kande, the officer was on leave from the SPU unit, where he was assigned as a telephone operator, as of March 26.
Kadam was being investigated in the Anant Karmuse case who was kidnapped by the guards of former state minister Jitendra Avhad on his instructions. As per the reports, Karmuse was abducted and brought to Awhad’s residence over a social media post. He was then brutally beaten by security personnel of Awhad, including Kadam.
Kadam was later arrested by the Police in the case and was released on bail. However, the victim Anant Karmuse approached the apex court for justice and demanded a CBI investigation into the case.
Today, Kadam who was being investigated in the case was found dead on the railway tracks in Mumbai in a suspected suicide case. However, no suicide note was recovered by the police.
On Tuesday, protests and clashes over the distribution of free government wheat flour were witnessed in several parts of Peshawar. The city’s police revealed their inability to handle the situation and requested that the province administration enlist the support of the Frontier Constabulary (FC).
A number of locations throughout the city experienced unrest, including Ashraf Road, Khyber Colony, Yousufabad, Ittehad Colony, Zaryab Colony, Faqirabad, Ring Road, and Badhber. Due to protesters blocking Kohat Road over not obtaining the free flour, the area experienced severe traffic congestion.
A similar scenario caused demonstrators in Hayatabad to obstruct Masjid-e-Zarghoni Road. They also blocked a road in Zaryab Colony.
They lamented that despite spending the entire day in huge lines, they still had to go home empty-handed. They asserted that political connection and nepotism were both factors considered in the distribution of flour. The number of complaints about not receiving free government flour is growing every day.
Due to the sluggish flour distribution on Monday, a stampede resulted in numerous injuries in Peshawar. Police using batons to maintain order further exacerbated the situation. Nine people were trampled during the incident, with one person succumbing to their injuries at the hospital.
Five people have died in similar events across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since the beginning of Ramazan. On the first day, one person was killed and eight others injured in a stampede for free flour in Charsadda. People were also injured in Swabi and Kohat. Another individual lost his life in Bannu after a flour mill’s perimeter wall fell just before distribution.
In Sahiwal, stampedes at free flour centres in the Sahiwal, Bahawalpur, Muzaffargarh, and Okara districts of the province on Tuesday resulted in the deaths of an elderly woman, a man and the injuries of 56 people, including 45 women, as the mismanagement in the distribution has persisted since the government started the exercise and the populace started scurrying to distribution points.
The app used to confirm the beneficiaries purportedly had a technical issue and ceased to function. There were apparently more than 1,500 women present in the stadium who had come to collect flour, and the app link remained down and did not restart for three to four hours.
As a result, there was a huge crowd at the free flour distribution centre, and many were impatient due to the lengthy wait for the system to resume functioning. In the stampede, one woman, Naseem Akhter, died and more than 45 women and two men were hurt.
A 73-year-old man, Muhammad Anwar, from tehsil Liaqatpur in Rahim Yar Khan who had come to get free flour at a distribution point at the Govt High School Taranda Muhammad Pannah died earlier in another incident. There was a rush of people at the centre, and he was reportedly shoved until he fell and suffered grave injuries. Some people claimed that the chaos had happened as a result of the deputy commissioner’s protocol upon his arrival at the facility.
Due to the massive influx of people, the wall of the banquet hall in Shehr Sultan, Muzaffargarh, where the flour centre was put up fell, injuring seven individuals. The rescue team admitted that a lot of people caused the banquet hall’s mud wall to collapse.
Four women suffered injuries and two fell unconscious at the free flour supply point at Depalpur, Okara. The intense crowding at the centre caused a stampede. Four women were hurt as they fell to the ground and were run over by others.
At least five ladies were hurt in a stampede at a location where free flour was distributed in the southern district of Hasilpur, Punjab.
A video shows a truck carrying flour being looted in Peshawar, Pakistan.
A truck carrying flour looted in Peshawar, Pakistan as the country faces it’s worst economic and political crisis since formation and is on the verge of debt default.
Catastrophic flooding, exploding inflation, energy shortages and food shortages …
More clips coming out of Pakistan exhibit police action on citizens waiting to get free flour as well as long queues at free flour distribution centres.
— Tarangini das ???♀️ (@Tarangini_das47) March 26, 2023
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the employees of Pakistan Railways (PR) continued to demonstrate against the non-payment of their salaries for the second day running. A large number of protesters gathered at the PR diesel engine shed in Lahore. They demanded immediate payment of their salaries. The railways’ BC and class IV employees are yet to receive their pay.
Workers protested at the diesel engine shed, washing line, railways headquarters, and division offices across the country at the behest of the Pakistan Railways Employees (PREM) Union. The diesel engine shed employees organised a massive protest and halted the engines.
Pakistan is witnessing violent protests which often lead to fatalities due to its continuous economic turmoil and inflation reaching a nearly 50-year high. Political instability has further added to the festering woes of our hostile neighbour.
In the city of Nashik, known as ‘Mini Maharashtra’, which is famous for its rich cultural heritage, there is an 18th-century-old historical monument that once served as the administrative headquarters of the Peshwas. The monument ‘Sarkarwada’, located in the heart of the city in Saraf Bazaar, old Nashik area is drawing attention these days after a few members associated with a local Hindu group objected to the presence of ‘Sayyed Shah Vali Baba Dargah’ in the premises.
Rushikesh Dapse (Bapu), who says he is a common citizen of Nashik but is a social activist associated with a local Hindu organization, claims that the Dargah in the Sarkarwada, which was once home to Peshwas, is an ‘illegal encroachment’ and that it shall be removed as it represents the wrong history of the Peshwas. “There is no reference to the Sayyed Shah Vali Baba in the history of Sarkarwada or the Peshwas. He was in no way associated with Peshwas. Our Maratha leaders fought against the Mughals and how they must have allowed a Dargah to be built inside their home? This Dargah was never part of the Sarkarwada and was constructed later. It is illegal encroachment as the government also has no documents about the claimed religious place,” Bapu said putting up his point initially.
New City Survey map shows Dargah’s separate entrance
Team OpIndia travelled to Nashik to verify the incident and accessed the old blueprint and the current blueprint of the Sarkarwada. The documents clearly show that the Dargah was not a part of the Sarkarwada which was built in the 18th century. The ‘Sayyed Shah Vali Baba Dargah’ where even some Hindus come to pray, was built in the later years and has been given a separate entrance in recent years. However, the State Archaeology Department stated that the Dargah is old and was not shown in the city survey map earlier. “It has been shown now,” it said.
Current blueprint (L) and Old blueprint (R) of the Sarkarwada accessed by OpIndia
The Dargah is clean and is open for worship for specific official hours in the day. No Muslim trust or organization controls the Dargah. It is part of the Sarkarwada and is protected by the State Archaeology Department since the year 1995.
History of the 18-century-old Sarkarwada
As per the historical records, the Sarkarwada was built by a Peshwa Sardar named Ranganath Odhekar and was later taken over by Raghobadada Peshwa. It is also believed that Gopikabai Peshwe, the Peshwin of the Maratha Empire used to visit the Wada and control the Maratha administration from there. Later, after the defeat of Peshwas in the year 1818, the Sarkarwada was taken over by the Britishers who also used the palace to continue British administrative business from there. Hence, the name ‘Sarkarwada’.
Today, the Sarkarwada hosts a Regional Antiques Museum and the office of the Assistant Director of State Archaeology. However, the left side of the property is officially occupied by the ‘Sayyed Shah Vali Baba Dargah’, the inception of which is a big question.
Dargah located in the left portion of the Sarkarwada property
‘Dargah is illegal, people organize Sandals in Baba’s name,’ says Hindu activist Dapse
Bapu, while talking to OpIndia said that most of the worshippers who offer prayers at the Dargah are Hindus and that nobody knows who Sayyed Shah Vali Baba is and how was he connected to Peshwas. “We have been staying in this city, in the Saraf Bazaar area for generations now. Mine is the fourth generation. This Dargah is believed to be old. But in recent times, people have begun organizing Sandal processions (religious fairs) in the name of Baba. Nobody knows about the Baba or the Dargah, not even the archaeology department. Nobody knows when and why the Dargah was established. Amid this, isn’t organizing religious fairs and processions and allowing worship at the location reflecting the wrong history of Peshwas? Peshwas had nothing to do with this Sayyed Shah Vali Baba. In fact, Marathas fought against the Muslims. But the coming generations might think that Peshwas were the worshippers of the Sayyed Shah Vali Baba, which is untrue,” he said.
‘No documents,’ confirms State Archaeology Department in RTI response
He also said that a few members of his organization filed an RTI to seek information about the Dargah from the State Archaeology Department but to no avail. The RTI filed in the name of one Kailash Deshmukh, was responded to by the Director of State Archaeology saying that there are no documents regarding the existence of the Dargah. “The entire property of the Sarkarwada was declared as the archaeological site in the year 1995. The Dargah also, being part of the property from before 1995, is protected under the law. As per the archaeological norms, any property attached to the archaeological site since its official declaration ought to be protected under the law. It cannot be separated, removed, or expanded. It has to be protected as it is. The department has no documents regarding the Dargah. Also, the department has no idea when the Dargah was established,” the RTI response read.
RTI response copy obtained by OpIndia
Bapu Dapse has also sent official letters to several political leaders including Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis, Cultural Affairs Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, and Director Department of Archaeology and Museums Tejas Garge demanding strict action against the Dargah, but the letters have not yet been communicated. “The Dargah at the Sarkarwada in Nashik is an example of illegal encroachment. There are no documents about the Dargah. No historian and no govt officer have any official document which proves the inception of Dargah. Also, the Peshwa history reflects no connection with the Sayyed Shah Vali Baba. The Dargah shall be removed or strict action against it shall be taken,” the letter written by Dapse reads.
The letter also states that the encroachment in the Peshwekalin Sarkarwada has hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindus.
Letter copy sent by Bapu Dapse to several political leaders obtained by OpIndia
Local shopkeepers in Saraf Bazaar see no problem with Dargah, claim, ‘mostly Hindus worship it’
Team OpIndia meanwhile talked to several other shopkeepers who have their businesses set up in the busy market of the Saraf Bazaar area. Many of these shopkeepers who are Hindus and wear a tilak on their forehead, offer prayers at the Dargah daily before starting their businesses. This part of their routine was observed by the team and noted as well.
One of the gold jewellers provided information on the condition of anonymity. He said that the Dargah is believed to be around 150 years old and nobody in the bazaar area has a problem with its existence. “This dargah is worshipped by Hindus mostly. Earlier the entry to this Dargah was from within the Sarkarwada but after the renovation, it was given a separate entrance and since then it has been under controversy. Many Hindu organizations are demanding its removal claiming that Peshwas had no connection with Sayyed Shah Vali Baba and they never built the Dargah. They claim that wrong history is being represented and that their sentiments are hurt by this. But nobody in the bazaar feels alike. In fact, most Hindus in the Saraf Bazaar, daily visit the Dargah and seek blessings,” he said.
On asking about the establishment of the Dargah, he said that nobody knows when it has been in the Sarkarwada but people have faith in that place. Giving more historical reference, he said, “After Peshwas, a Hindu ruler named Raje Bahadar ruled over the Wada. He had many Muslim sepoys in his army. It is said that he built this Dargah for his sepoys to worship. But nobody is sure about this. People also say that Peshwas might have built it themselves for their Muslim sepoys.” Notably, the old blueprint of the Sarkarwada (attached above) shows no existence of a Dargah during the 18th century.
Another shopkeeper who deals in perfumes reiterated on the condition of anonymity that a few Hindu people recently objected to the Sandal procession (religious fair) at the Dargah and raised saffron flags. He stated that the Hindu organizations claimed that Dargah at Peshwa’s Sarkarwada is illegal and organization of Sandal had hurt their religious sentiments. “We believe in religious unity and nobody in the Saraf Bazaar has a problem with the Drgah. These Hindu people are trying to create a religious divide in the society by raising this issue,” he alleged.
Notice displayed at the Sarkarwada reads that “Dargah is part of archaeological site and is protected by the State Archaeology department. No trust, no religious organization looks after the Dargah”
State Archaeology Department says Dargah cannot be removed as the site is protected
During the visit, team OpIndia also met the head of the State Archaeology Department, Nashik, Aarti Ale, who confirmed that the State Archaeology Department has no information about the Dargah. “The site is protected under the archaeological norms since the year 1995 and as per the norms the site has to be protected as it is. No removal, separation, or expansion can be allowed at the site,” she said.
She added that the department tried to search for the history of the Dargah but could not. “The Dargah is open to worship. Several people, mostly Hindus worship it. In recent years, some organizations have raised the issue of the Dargah’s history and its connection with the Peshwas, but we too have no clue about it. We have no documents and no papers regarding the Dargah,” Ale confirmed.
When asked about the demands put forth by the Hindu organizations, she said, “They want this Dargah to be removed. But it is in no way possible. It is part of the Sarkarwada and the entire property is protected under the Archelogy Department. We can’t do anything about it. In an extreme case, I can issue orders to close the Dargah for worshippers. But it can’t be removed,” she confirmed.
Bapu Dapse, who meanwhile reiterated that the Dargah is illegal encroachment of not only the Peshwa property but its history as well, demanded strict action against it. “There are no documents about the Dargah. Govt itself should take note of this and consider the matter at the earliest,” he stated.
Notably, a similar issue was reported from the Mahim coast area in Mumbai where an illegal Mazar has come up in recent years. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on March 23 employed bulldozers to demolish the illegal construction around the Mazar. This is after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray played a clip in his Gudi Padwa address and exposed that an ‘illegal dargah’ has come up off the Mahim coast in Mumbai. He demanded the removal of the illegal dargah and said that if it is not demolished immediately, then his party would construct a huge Ganpati temple at the same place.
The Mahim Dargah Trust however took cognizance of the incident and said that the ‘illegal dargah’ as alleged by Thackeray is 600 years old. “This place is 600 years old. It is not built recently as claimed by Thackeray. Basically, Hazrat Makdoom Ali Shah used to sit at this place and take lessons from Hazrat Khwaja Khizr Ali Shah. This is a historical place,” Suhail Khandwani, Trustee of Mahim Dargah was quoted as saying.
Reportedly, the BMC authorities razed down only the illegal structure around the Mazar and not the Mazar itself.
Illegal structures had also been built inside the Pratapgarh Fort where Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had killed Afzal Khan. The old grave has been over the years converted into a religious shrine by Islamic groups. Despite orders by the Bombay High Court, the Maharashtra government was hesitant to remove the illegal structures inside the important historical monument.
In November 2022, the Shinde government finally sent police and local administration to remove the illegal structures around the grave.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday was hearing a contempt plea regarding alleged hate speech made against Muslims in rallies across Maharashtra. While reporting on the proceedings, Bar and Bench stated that Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta mentioned about problematic statements by prominent persons on Hindus which are also hate speeches. SG Mehta talked about DMK leader who said that if one wants equality, one should butcher all Brahmins.
Justice Nagarathna: Develop a mechanism so that it does not come to Supreme Court.
SG Mehta: absolutely we have also found some statements.. which should be added to this petition. Leader of DMK party says that if you want equality you should butcher all the Brahmins
To that, Bar and Bench reported that Justice Joseph smiled. When SG Mehta pointed out that this (idea of butchering Brahmins) is not a matter that should be laughed at, Justice Nagarathna asked what made him (DMK leader) says so. Justice Joseph then asked if he knows who Periyar is. SG Mehta said that just because it is a hate speech, it cannot be pardoned because it is said by someone famous, Bar and Bench reported.
In June 2022, DMK leader R Rajiv Gandhi said that Tamil Brahmins should have been killed as per the directions of Dravidian icon Periyar. In a contentious tweet, the DMK leader remarked, “If we Shudras had done what Periyar told us back then, we wouldn’t have had to struggle with Brahmins for justice, rights, education and equality. 3% of you (Brahmins) are still dominating some areas.”
R.Rajiv Gandhi, DMK Spokesperson’s tweet from June 2022
His tweet, endorsing the genocide of Tamil Brahmins, came after political commentator Sumanth Raman had shared a snippet of the Periyar’s 1973 speech in Karikudi in Tamil Nadu.
Periyar’s 1973 hate speech
In the said speech, the anti-Hindu activist was heard calling for the annihilation of Tamil Brahmins. Periyar had lamented how a Brahmin ‘Lord Murugan’ killed demon king ‘Soora Padman’, who supposedly said that there was no God.
“Tamil Brahmins killed him. So, now we can kill those buggers. That won’t be wrong. Maybe legally it will be wrong. That legal offence and all is humbug. We can’t be bothered that it is legally wrong. We have to come to this conclusion,” he had remarked.
Periyar had emphasised, “Wherever we see a temple, we must go inside and break all the idols inside. Wherever we find a Paapaan (slur for Tamil Brahmins), we must kill and destroy him. Brahmins have done this to us. We must avenge it.”
The Dravidian icon had suggested that a few non-Brahmins might have to die for the cause. “If one non-Brahmin Tamil dies while trying to kill one Tamil Brahmin, only 3 of us will die out of every hundred. 94% of us will still remain but Tamil Brahmins will be eliminated. We will definitely go to this level. We can take one step at a time,” Periyar had suggested.
Netizens shocked at Justice Joseph smiling at calls for genocide of Brahmins
Soon after it was published by Bar and Bench on its Twitter account that Justice Joseph smiled at DMK leader’s idea of wanting to butcher all Brahmins, netizens were shocked.
Supreme court it self is biased…If same thing would have been said against other religion…or with respect to the judges religion… would he be laughing…??@jsaideepak@PanickarS
Netizens felt this was a biased expression by Justice Joseph and wondered if he would have reacted similarly if the talk was about ‘butchering’ people of any other faith instead of Brahmins.
Some even pointed out how the Brahmin community gets hate in this country is beyond imagination.
This right here is intellectualization of calls to commit genocide of Brahmins. From the reaction it seems that call for genocide is acceptable if it's issued against Brahmins. What more reasons do Brahmins need to acknowledge that their enemy is not Abrahmics but BRAite hellhole https://t.co/DSDdWnQsrn
Some even pointed out that a sitting judge smiling at calls for genocide of Brahmins could be considered intellectualisation of calls to commit genocide of Brahmins. As if such hate speech is acceptable if it is issued against Brahmins.
The case is now listed for further hearing on April 28, 2023.
