Home Blog Page 2344

Meet US politician Ro Khanna, member of Congressional Pakistani Caucus, trying to interfere in India’s internal politics

Dibakar Dutta
-
0
Meet US politician Ro Khanna, member of Congressional Pakistani Caucus, trying to interfere in India’s internal politics

On Friday (March 24), US House Representative Ro Khanna stirred the hornet’s nest by making unsolicited remarks about the internal political affairs of India. The development comes after Congress scion Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from Lok Sabha following his conviction in a criminal defamation case.

In a tweet (archive), he claimed, “The expulsion of Rahul Gandhi from parliament is a deep betrayal of Gandhian philosophy and India’s deepest values.”

The US politician further added, “This is not what my grandfather sacrificed years in jail for. Narendra Modi, you have the power to reverse this decision for the sake of Indian democracy.”

Ro Khanna was reacting to an article by The New York Times, which shrewdly insinuated that the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi was somehow due to his opposition to PM Narendra Modi.

Although he is of Indian origin by lineage, Khanna was born in Philadelphia city of Pennsylvania. He has been actively involved in US politics as a Democratic Party leader since 2016. As such, his interference in India’s internal affairs without fully understanding the political context has drawn the ire of Indians.

This is not the first time he has made unsolicited comments on internal affairs in India, he has done in earlier also.

Ro Khanna presented a distorted version of Hindutva, made passing remarks about farm laws

In August 2019, Ro Khanna courted controversy for presenting a distorted version of Hindutva to his American followers.

He had tweeted (archive), “Important article. It’s the duty of every American politician of Hindu faith to stand for pluralism, reject Hindutva, and speak for equal rights for Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhist & Christians. That is the vision of India my grandfather Amarnath Vidyalankar fought for.”

In that way, the US House Representative gave the impression that Hindutva promotes inequality and discrimination against other religions. In essence, Hindutava (as defined by Veer Savarkar [pdf]) is an inclusive term that represents everything ‘Indic’.

He argued that the residents of India are united by their common culture, race and affinity for the nation where they reside. Khanna’s demonisation of Hindutva has added to the misinterpretation of the Indic concept.

During the anti-farm law agitation in India in 2020, Ro Khanna tweeted (archive), “India & the US share a rich tradition of democracy & peaceful protests. Farmworkers are the backbone of both our nations & must have their voices heard.”

“I hope there’s a peaceful and fair solution so they can provide for their families. I am encouraged by the ongoing dialogue,” he further added.

Ro Khanna joined Congressional Pakistan Caucus in 2019

In August 2019, Ro Khanna joined the Pakistan Congressional Caucus, becoming the first Indian-American to do so. This move had raised eyebrows in the Indian-American community, while he was welcomed by the Pakistanis, including Pakistan’s ambassador to the US.

Notably, Ro Khann is also a member of the India Caucus in the Congress and is currently the Vice-Chair of the same. He is set to become the next chair of the Congressional Caucus on India.

In September 2019, around 230 Indian-American organisations in the US wrote a letter to Ro Khanna, urging him to withdraw from the Congressional Pakistan Caucus.

“Membership in (the Congressional Pakistan) Caucus is contrary to both American principles and our geostrategic interests in the Indian Subcontinent and the broader South Asian region,” the letter read. It also raised concerns about Ro Khanna’s social media interaction with an anti-Hindu activist, Pieter Friedrich.

“We further urge you to write directly to Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and meet with (Pakistan) Ambassador Asad Majeed Khan to address Pakistan’s ongoing use of terrorism to destabilise the region and its rampant and severe human rights violations,” the letter emphasised.

However, Ro Khanna refused to withdraw from the Congressional Pakistan Caucus. “I think it all stems from a naivete that they don’t understand politics. But it is really irrelevant in my district and that’s where my first priority is,” he defended his decision.

“I certainly will never bow my convictions because of a special interest lobby…I have no tolerance for right-wing nationalists who are affiliated with Donald Trump…They are maybe 2 to 3 per cent in an echo chamber in this district…But they will see that our values, our district, is pluralistic.” Khanna had said.

Association with Equality Labs

Equality Labs, which is known for anti-Hindu propaganda, has worked with Congressman Ro Khanna to introduce a resolution in celebration of the 129th birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar.

In a press statement, he said, “Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was a pioneer in the movement to make India a free, fair, and just society for everyone in it.”

He further stated, “He mobilized a generation to push back against discrimination and to instead celebrate equality, human rights, and universal tolerance. Today, we stand at a moment in world history when we could all use more of that compassionate spirit.”

“I’m proud to work with Equality Labs and South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) to make this landmark resolution a reality,” Ro Khanna added.

The controversial past of Ro Khanna’s grandfather

Ro Khanna, a supposed champion of free speech and civil liberties, had been in awe of his grandfather Amarnath Vidyalankar, who was part of the ruling Indira Gandhi government during the Emergency (1975-1977).

The US House Representative had expressed deep admiration for his grandfather on a number of occasions. In October 2019, he said, “My grandfather, or Nana Ji, as we called him, was a family legend.”

He further claimed, “Amarnath Vidyalankar spent his life fighting for India’s independence, which included spending four years in prison in Mahatma Gandhi’s movement. I still remember the conversations we had together, many of them while playing chess.”

“These conversations, and the stories that lived on after his passing left a lasting impression on me,” Khanna emphasised. However, he forgot to add that Amarnath Vidyalankar was part of the Congress government that suppressed freedom of speech and expression.

According to political analyst Abhijit Iyer Mitra, Khanna’s grandfather not only stood by Indira Gandhi but allegedly supported “the worst excess of that period: mass jailings, torture & forced sterilisation.” Mitra accused Amarnath Vidyalankar of ensuring the expulsion of Subramanian Swamy from the Indian Parliament.

Read how Mumbai man went on a rampage and ended up killing three people while wanting to kill his estranged wife and daughter

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Read how Mumbai man went on a rampage and ended up killing three people while wanting to kill his estranged wife and daughter

According to police sources, on Saturday, March 25, Chetan Gala, a 54-year-old resident of Grant Road was arrested after killing three people in his residential complex. Gala had initially planned to kill his estranged wife and daughter before going on a rampage in search of them.

A day after the horrific killings, which also included an 18-year-old girl, the DB Marg police stated that Gala’s deadly rampage was brought about following a dispute with his estranged wife Aruna. She had brought one of her three kids to his home at Parvati Mansion in Grant Road to bring him tiffin, as she did every day.

“Chetan and Aruna got into an argument over their separation, and he grabbed a dagger, after which he charged at their daughter. Aruna managed to save her, pushed him away, and the mother and daughter fled. He stormed out of his second-floor flat and entered the Mistry residence next door looking for them,” informed an officer.

A video (viewer discretion is advised) of the terrifying incident was also posted on social media.

Ilaben Mistry, 70, her husband Jayendrabhai, 77, and Jenil Brahmbhatt, 18, who ran up from the first floor upon hearing the commotion, were all fatally stabbed by Chetan Gala. A 55-year-old housekeeper, Prakash Waghmare, who was sleeping nearby, attempted to intervene but he also suffered a stabbing. He sustained a minor injury to his stomach but was able to save himself by holding up a pillow.

After hearing her daughter’s cries, Jenil’s mother Snehal, 44, raced to help her, but Gala stabbed her so brutally that her intestines split open. “Chetan uncle stabbed my sister in the neck and my mother in the stomach,” said Devanshi, Jenil’s younger sibling. The deranged man also attempted to kill an eight-year-old boy but was forced to release him when the crowd outside the building started throwing stones at him.

The injured were transported to B Y L Nair and Sir H N Reliance Foundation Hospital. The Mistrys and Jeniel were declared dead on arrival. Snehal is being treated at Sir H N Reliance Foundation Hospital and is critical. Waghmare is being treated at B Y L Nair Hospital.

Jignesh Shah, a neighbour, said, “Chetan came out of the house and attacked his immediate neighbours, Jayendrabhai Mistry and his wife who were sitting on the veranda. He held Ila responsible for his wife leaving him. He stabbed the two with a large knife repeatedly following which they started bleeding profusely.”

Shah’s young son Aarav came to the second floor where Chetan lives after hearing the noises. Chetan grabbed him too but released him immediately as others began to scream.

Before Chetan Gala attacked him, Jayendrabhai was able to make a police call, and teams were sent to the scene right away. Others in the neighbourhood brought Aruna and her daughter into a store on the first floor and locked the doors.

“Following the murders, he then locked himself in his house, changed his clothes and hid the blood-soaked ones. He even hid the murder weapon and gave us a kitchen knife when we arrived. However, the video of the murder helped us identify that we had the wrong weapon. We searched the house and recovered the dagger,” the official added. 

Abhinav Deshmukh, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone II said, “We received a call around 3.30 pm about a man stabbing his neighbours. By the time we reached the spot he had locked himself in his house and refused to emerge.” After police threatened to break down the apartment’s front door, he came out and was taken to the police station.

The perpetrator was produced in a holiday court on Saturday in an in-camera hearing. Asked if he needed mental health treatment, Gala responded that he was furious with his wife for leaving him and had been pleading with her to return for the last 50 days. Thereafter, until March 29, Additional Metropolitan Magistrate SS Ghare confined him to police custody.

Another AAP leader headed to jail: Delhi court convicts Akhilesh Pati Tripathi in 2020 assault case

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Another AAP leader headed to jail: Delhi court convicts Akhilesh Pati Tripathi in 2020 assault case

Akhilesh Pati Tripathi, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Model Town, was found guilty of assaulting a law student in 2020 by a Delhi court on Saturday, March 25. The court convicted him for voluntarily causing hurt to someone. The case was filed against him in 2020 for allegedly beating and using words prohibited under the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

Special judge Geetanjali Goel stated, “The prosecution has proved the guilt of Tripathi beyond reasonable doubt for the offence under Section 323 IPC and he is convicted for the same while he is acquitted of the offences under Sections 341/506 (1) IPC and under Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Act), 1989.”

On March 16, 2023, the court reserved the verdict in the matter, which was delivered on Saturday. On April 13, arguments on the sentence will be heard.

However, the MLA was cleared by the court of additional charges brought against him under the Indian Criminal Code (IPC) and the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The judge continued, “Further, in the circumstances of the case, it is difficult to believe the case of the prosecution that the accused had uttered any caste related-remarks against the complainant, much less to show any intention to humiliate or intimidate the complainant as he belonged to Scheduled Caste.”

“Though the complainant had stated about the accused abusing him by caste name, but in the circumstances of the case as referred to above the offences under Sections 3(1)(r) and (s) of the SC/ST cannot be said to be established in the present case,” she added.

The court further ordered the AAP leader to provide an affidavit detailing his assets and income within 10 days, and the government to submit another one stating the expenses incurred by the investigating agency within 7 days.

The court also highlighted that the complaint was not made on the day of the occurrence, which was February 7, but rather on February 10. It also noted that there is no convincing explanation for the delay, and the FIR was subsequently filed on March 1. Charges under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act had also been framed against him during the course of the hearing.

A first information report (FIR) was filed on the basis of a complaint made by Sanjeev Kumar, who claimed that Akhilesh Tripathi had stopped him and his friend Raj Kishore at Jhandewalan Chowk, Lal Bagh on February 7, 2020.

After reviewing the witness testimony and other documentary evidence, the court observed that Sanjeev Kumar and Akhilesh Pati Tripathi had both suffered simple injuries as a result of the dispute between them.

In his statement, Kumar mentioned that the latter and his supporters had beaten him with heavy objects, took away the keys of his scooty and used words prohibited under the SC/ST(Prevention of Atrocities) Act to tarnish his and his parents’ image.

The prosecution alleged that the accused and his followers stopped the complainant from throwing trash into a dumpster, beat him up, and made caste-related comments. However, Akhilesh Tripathi asserted that the complainant was disseminating campaign literature in contravention of the Election Commission’s established guidelines and that he had objected to it.

Additional public prosecutor Manish Rawat appearing for the state had argued that the words uttered by the accused satisfied the ingredients of Sections 3(1)(r) and (s) of the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act as Akhilesh Tripathi had intentionally insulted or humiliated Sanjeev Kumar as he was the son of an ex-councillor and belonged to SC category and the words were uttered in the presence of independent witness.

Sanjeev Kumar, who came from a wealthy family, was asserting that he was protected by legislation intended for members of weaker sectors of society, which he was not, and that the intimidation was not covered by the Act, according to the solicitor appearing for the offender. More emphasis was placed on the fact that the former made no allegations that the latter had attempted to intimidate or degrade him because he belonged to a certain caste.

After reading through witness statements and hearing both sides’ arguments, the court concluded, “It is difficult to believe the case of the prosecution that the accused had uttered any caste-related remarks against the complainant, much less to show any intention to humiliate or intimidate the complainant as he belonged to Scheduled Caste.”

It further noted, “It cannot be discounted that the incident had taken place and the MLC of the complainant shows simple injuries. The MLC of the accused also shows simple injuries but on that basis, the offence committed by the accused cannot be washed away. In view of the same, the offence under Section 323 IPC would be made out against the accused.”

The Delhi Police charged him with assault last year after he attacked and wounded two people who were attempting to file a complaint about a sewer issue in their neighbourhood.

Akhilesh Pati Tripathi’s brother-in-law Om Singh, personal assistant (PA), Shiv Shankar Pandey alias Vishal Pandey, and a man named Prince Raghuvanshi were all arrested by the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) for allegedly accepting bribes in exchange for tickets to the 2022 Delhi Municipal Elections.

Tripathi was also convicted in 2021, by a Delhi court for causing unlawful assembly and for obstructing public servants from doing their duty in a 2013 case.

China forbids Uyghur Muslims from fasting during Ramzan, implement monitoring system to keep a check

OpIndia Staff
-
0
China forbids Uyghur Muslims from fasting during Ramzan, implement monitoring system to keep a check

While Muslims around the world are observing their holy month of Ramzan, Uyghur Muslims in China are facing a prohibition on their fasting. The Chinese authorities have instructed Muslims in the northwestern province of Xinjiang that their children should not fast during the month of Ramzan. The children were also questioned by the authorities to see if their parents were fasting.

Dilshat Rushit – the spokesperson of the World Uyghur Congress said that during Ramzan, the Chinese authorities have implemented a 24-hour monitoring system in 1,811 villages of Xinjiang, including home inspections of Uyghur families. According to reports, local human rights groups have warned that China’s 11.4 million Uyghur Muslims are at risk of being wiped out completely under the Communist Party’s harsh religious rules.

A report by a coalition of rights groups, including the Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD), said they have been identified by Beijing as a “threat to be solved through forced assimilation”. According to the report, this is in stark contrast to the relative freedoms enjoyed before President Xi Jinping launched a renewed attack on religious worship, forcing Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists alike to be subjected to party control and censorship of their religious lives.

China has also targeted Muslim communities with its “ethnic unity” campaign, under which authorities pressure members of ethnic minority Uyghur Muslim families to follow non-Muslim traditions, including drinking alcohol and eating pork. In Xinjiang, unity policies have been implemented amid the mass incarceration of at least 1.8 million Uyghurs and other ethnic minority Muslims in ‘re-education’ camps, and their deployment in forced labor, as well as rape, sexual exploitation, and forced sterilization of Muslim women in the camps.

On the other hand, USA president Joe Biden has expressed his solidarity towards the Uyghur Muslims in one of his recent statements. On Thursday, 23rd March 2023, Biden said, “Together with our partners, the United States stands in solidarity with Muslims who continue to face oppression, including Uyghurs in the People’s Republic of China, Rohingya in Burma (Myanmar), and other Muslim communities facing persecution around the world.”

It is notable that Muslims in Xinjiang province of China are subjected to persecution by the Chinese state which wants them to “assimilate” with the Chinese communities rather than just identifying as Muslims. A report published in November 2022 said that the Chinese government is taking special measures to promote intermarriage between Uyghur Muslims and Han Chinese ethnic groups. The means employed by the Chinese government consist of both incentivization and coercive actions, underlines the report.

Samajwadi Party MLA Swami Omvesh seeks permission to shower flower petals on Namazis from helicopter in Bijnor

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Samajwadi Party MLA Swami Omvesh seeks permission to shower flower petals on Namazis from helicopter in Bijnor

On Saturday, March 25, Swami Omvesh, a Samajwadi Party MLA from the Chandpur assembly constituency in the Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh, wrote a letter to the District Magistrate seeking permission to shower flower petals from a helicopter on the Muslims offering namaz at Chandpur Eidgah on the occasion of Eid. 

In his letter addressed to Bijnor DM Umesh Mishra Swami Omvesh stated, “To welcome and offer respect, greetings, and salutations to the Musalman brothers on the occasion of their holy festival of Eid, the applicant seeks permission to shower flower petals from a helicopter for half an hour on the namaz is offering namaz at the Chandpur Eidgah. The helicopter will not land anywhere during this half an hour and will return where it took off from after showering flower petals. Thus, your permission is requested.”

Media reports state that the District Magistrate has sought a report from the concerned officers and a decision will be made after receiving the report.

Swami Omvesh shared the said letter in a Facebook post captioned, “Tayyari Eid ke din Eidgah Chandpur par helicopter se pushp varsha ki” (Preparation to shower flowers on Eidgah Chandpur from a helicopter).

It is notable that the Chandpur constituency has a sizeable Muslim population. According to the 2011 census data, around 40 percent population here is Muslim. 

Chandpur religion population (Source: censusindia2011.com)

The Samajwadi Party MLA had in November last year showered flower petals from a helicopter on devotees who arrived to take a holy dip during the Vidur Kuti Ganga Snan Mela. MLA Swami Omvesh had showered flowers on devotees from the helicopter for around three hours.

Chhattisgarh: Gujarati community writes to police seeking action against Tejashwi Yadav for his ‘only Gujaratis can be thugs’ remark

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Chhattisgarh: Gujarati community writes to police seeking action against Tejashwi Yadav for his ‘only Gujaratis can be thugs’ remark

On 23rd March 2023, Sarv Gujarati Samaj Chhattisgarh – an organization of all Gujarati people living in Chhattisgarh state – submitted an application to the SP of Dhamtari district in the state asking him to take an action against Bihar’s deputy chief minister Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav for his remarks against Gujarati people. On 22nd March 2023, Tejashwi Yadav had insulted the Gujarati community by suggesting that only Gujaratis could be fraudsters in the current scenario, as they would be forgiven for their actions due to the fact that both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister are Gujaratis.

The letter signed by Preetesh Gandhi – State President of Sarv Gujarati Samaj Chhattisgarh – said, “The statement made by Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav in the media is highly condemnable. He has said in the media that only Gujaratis can be fraudsters.” The letter addressed to the SP was submitted with the Kotwali police station in-charge.

It further states, “He has used such indecent words for benefitting his politics. This statement made by Tejashwi Yadav has hurt the Gujarati community as well as the entire Gujarati people.”

The Gujarati community asked to file an FIR against the RJD leader in this case. The letter concluded by saying, “The Sarv Gujarati Samaj Chhattisgarh state strongly condemns this statement of Tejashwi Yadav. All Gujaratis living in Chhattisgarh are hurt by this statement of Tejashwi Yadav and we all request you take appropriate action by filing an FIR against Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav. His statement is an insult to all of us.”

Sarva Gujarati Samaj Chhattisgarh chief Pritesh Gandhi said that Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Tejashwi Yadav has made indecent and indecent remarks on Gujarati society. In protest against this, they have submitted a memorandum addressed to Dhamtari SP at Kotwali police station in-charge Vishishta Vaidya. “We want strict action against them,” he said.

Kotwali police station in-charge Prasad Vaidya said that the memorandum has been received, and action will be taken as per the orders of higher authorities.

On 22nd March 2023, Bihar’s deputy chief minister said, “In the country’s present scenario, only a Gujarati can be a thug as their thuggee would be forgiven.” Attacking the BJP, he said, who would be responsible if someone runs away with the money of LIC or banks.

The statement is not only a factually incorrect one but is also highly demeaning of the hard-working Gujarati community. And his statement becomes laughable when seen in the light of the scams that took place in Bihar during his father, Lalu Prasad Yadav’s rule. When Tejaswi Yadav, who is himself an accused in the Land-for-job scam says something like this, it doesn’t go down very well.

UP Police reaches Gujarat to bring gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed to Uttar Pradesh

OpIndia Staff
-
0
UP Police reaches Gujarat to bring gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed to Uttar Pradesh

On Sunday, March 26, Uttar Pradesh Police reached Sabarmati Jail in Gujarat and presented a production warrant to bring gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed to Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. Earlier today, his medical examination was also conducted to confirm his health status before the move.

Media reports state that the necessary paperwork is being completed before taking the former Samajwadi Party leader from Sabarmati Jail by road to Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh. Reportedly, Atiq Ahmed will be questioned regarding his involvement in the Umesh Pal murder case. 

As per a Zee News report, late in the evening, UP police would depart from Sabarmati Prison along with Ahmed. Gangster Atiq Ahmed will be brought to Prayagraj by a 45-member police team. A team of 40 police constables in addition to two IPS officers and three DSPs would bring him to Prayagraj. On the evening of March 27, Atiq is expected to reach Prayagraj.

According to DCP Nagar Deepak, the gangster is being brought from Sabarmati Jail to Prayagraj as he is an accused in the Umesh Pal murder case.

Once in Prayagraj, he will be presented before the MP MLA court on March 28 in the Umesh Pal kidnapping and murder case. Atiq will return to police custody following the court’s ruling where he will be interrogated in relation to the Umesh Pal murder case.

Notably, Umesh Pal was the key witness of the Raju Pal murder case and the Atiq Ahmed gang killed him on 24th February 2023. On 21st March 2023, Prayagraj police arrested five associates of the Atiq Ahmed gang in connection to the murder.

FIR filed against Amethi youth Arif for keeping a Sarus Crane he had rescued, Akhilesh asks if Yogi’s pet dog will be sent to zoo after the bird shifted to Kanpur Zoo

OpIndia Staff
-
0
FIR filed against Amethi youth Arif for keeping a Sarus Crane he had rescued, Akhilesh asks if Yogi’s pet dog will be sent to zoo after the bird shifted to Kanpur Zoo

On Saturday, March 25, a case was registered against a person named Mohammad Arif under the Wildlife Protection Act who gained media attention last year after he brought home an injured sarus crane he found in his village of Mandhka in Amethi district of Uttar Pradesh and took care of it.

Officials reportedly showed up at the home of farmer Mohammad Arif, who found the crane last year, on Tuesday afternoon and informed him that the bird could no longer stay with him. Arif said that the officials informed him that they had received orders from the wildlife department to confiscate the sarus crane. After shifting the bird to Samaspur bird sanctuary, it was later shifted to Kanpur Zoo.

30-year-old Mohammad Arif, a resident of Amethi’s Jodhpur Mandkha village, had saved the life of the badly injured sarus crane in February 2022, and took care of it by keeping it with him. After full recovery in April of that year, the sarus chose to stay back like a domesticated bird, forming a close bond with Arif. However, after reels Arif had posted on social media with the bird flying by his side went viral. When this was spotted by wildlife officials, they took action, took away the bird, and then went ahead to file an FIR against the man.

Sarus is protected under Schedule (II) of the Wildlife Protection Act and can’t be domesticated. Moreover, it is the state bird of Uttar Pradesh. Under the Wildlife Protection Act, if any wildlife is kept in captivity, it is considered a crime equivalent to hunting, and there is a provision for filing FIR in such cases. 

The matter became political after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav claimed that the bird was snatched from Arif because he had gone to Arif’s village to meet him. “Because I went to meet the man, the bird was snatched away from him. Is this democracy? The government should also take away peacocks from those who feed them,” the former UP chief minister said.

A day after the bird was brought to the sanctuary, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav stated in a tweet that the sarus crane was missing. He tagged a news article that claimed that the bird has gone missing. “The famous stork, which was forcibly taken away from Amethi by the UP Forest Department and released in the Samaspur Bird Sanctuary in Rae Bareilly, is now missing. Such government negligence towards the state bird of UP is a serious matter. The BJP government should immediately find the stork, otherwise the bird lovers of the whole world will agitate,” Yadav wrote in Hindi.

Taking a dig at the BJP govt for renaming places, Akhilesh Yadav said that the CM can give a name to the bird if he wants, but he should ensure that it is found and saved.

The Sarus crane reportedly flew away after being transported to the Samaspur bird sanctuary. Videos of locals feeding the bird also surfaced online. But the officials denied that it had gone missing, and asserted that the bird was inside the confines of the sanctuary.

“It’s not been confined to a room but has been released in the sanctuary. Although we provide it with water, wheat, and bread in addition to the food it finds on its own,” Rupesh Srivastava, a forest official, told BBC Hindi. However, after that, the bird was shifted to Kanpur Zoo as it was feared that it will not be able to survive in the wild as it has become domesticated after staying at Mohammad Arif’s house for a long time.

The team of Kanpur Zoo told that the sarus crane has been brought there by the team of Bird Sanctuary. It will remain in quarantine for 15 days. Following that, it will be let out in that large portion of the zoo where it can sit on the trees. The crane is totally healthy, according to the zoo administration, and is being monitored for 15 days as per protocol. Apart from the caretaker, no one else is allowed to get inside.

Akhilesh Yadav posted two videos showing the bird being transported to the zoo, and a video of the bird inside an enclosure at Kanpur Zoo. “The Sarus has been sent to Kanpur Zoo… Will Golu be sent to the Gorakhpur zoo as well?” he tweeted. By Golu, probably he was referring to Gullu, a pet dog owned by UP CM Yogi Adityanath. In an earlier tweet, he said, ‘A bird locked in a zoo… what kind of freedom is this?’

Meanwhile, Arif who still is hopeful of getting the sarus crane he named ‘baccha’ will return to him. He has been summoned by the Assistant Conservator of Forest, Ranveer Singh, to record his statement.

It is notable that Arif has been accused of flouting the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Sarus is also the ‘state bird’ of Uttar Pradesh and it is protected under Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. Sarus cranes are the world’s tallest flying birds, standing around 150 cm tall.

While technically Arif committed a crime, some forest officials are of the opinion that intention also should be considered before implementing laws. Arif had rescued the bird and kept it with him taking full care. Officials also point out that not everyone is aware of wildlife-related rules and regulations, and don’t know that they are not allowed to keep wild animals even if they have no intention to harm them or sell them.

Priyanka Vadra compares her family to Lord Ram and Pandavs, claims her family’s blood nurtured Indian democracy

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Priyanka Vadra compares her family to Lord Ram and Pandavs, claims her family’s blood nurtured Indian democracy

Following the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi as a Lok Sabha MP after his conviction in a criminal defamation case, the entire Congress party has stepped out to defend their leader, and leading the charge is Rahul’s sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. While addressing party workers in the nation’s capital, Priyanka Vadra attacked the ruling BJP and tried her best to defend Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party.

Responding to BJP’s regular accusation that Congress is just a Nehru-Gandhi family party and there is parivarvaad (family rule) in the party, Priyanka Vadra said, “You (BJP) talk about ‘Parivarvaad’, I want to ask who was Lord Ram? Was he ‘Parivarvaadi’, or were the Pandavas ‘Parivarvaadi’ just because they fought for the culture of their family? Should we be ashamed because our family members fought for the people of the country? My family has nurtured the democracy of this country with their blood.”

Reminding people of the awkward hug that Rahul Gandhi dramatically gave PM Narendra Modi in the parliament, Ms Vadra said, “We might have different ideologies but we do not have the ideology of hatred. In 2018, Rahul Gandhi gave the PM a hug after his nearly hour-long speech.”

Congress is holding a day-long satyagraha across the country on Sunday, March 26, to protest against party leader Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha. The alleged satyagraha is led by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

Rahul Gandhi disqualified from Lok Sabha after his conviction

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from Lok Sabha following his conviction in a criminal defamation case. He was disqualified under section 8(3) of the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951, which states that any MP or MLA convicted of any offence and sentenced to imprisonment for not less than two years shall be disqualified from the date of conviction.

Rahul Gandhi, the Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad in Kerala, has been disqualified with immediate effect, as section 8(3) of the Representation of Peoples Act states that an MP or MLA will be disqualified from the date of conviction, if the jail sentence awarded is two years or more.

Apart from the current disqualification, Rahul Gandhi will also not be able to contest the next general election, and also perhaps the 2029 elections, if the conviction is not overturned by a higher court. According to the law, the disqualification will continue for six years after release from jail.

‘Don’t take Lawrence Bishnoi’s name’: Sidhu Moosewala’s father receives death threat

ANI
-
0
‘Don’t take Lawrence Bishnoi’s name’: Sidhu Moosewala’s father receives death threat

The father of late Punjabi rapper Sidhu Moosewala, Balkaur Singh, on Sunday alleged that he was threatened once again through an email saying that he would be killed soon. 

“I’ve received threats on email from Rajasthan saying that I’ll be killed soon, so don’t take Lawrence Bishnoi’s name”, alleged Moosewala’s father. Previously also, Balkaur Singh alleged that he was threatened and said that he will be killed before April 25. 

“What wrong am I doing? Should I not fight my son’s case? I was threatened on February 18, 24 and 27 that I will be killed before April 25…I would like to tell the Government, to take back my security, I will continue to fight,” he added. 

According to the police, a case has been registered against unknown people for threatening Moosewala’s father. 

On March 7, Singh held a protest outside the Punjab Assembly and demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation into the murder of his son. 

Speaking to media persons outside the Punjab Assembly, Singh said no investigation is happening in his favour. 

“In the last 10 months, I went to Police and Administration several times. I was assured. But what’s happening here is being done to brush under the carpet the murder of my child. Nothing is going in my favour. So, I had to come to Assembly,” said the father of the late singer. 

He questioned the government about action taken against the gangster Goldy Brar. 

“CBI should investigate the matter…Who are these gangsters (arrested in the case), they are just henchmen. They took the money and shot him dead. The mastermind, who targeted my son…what action is being taken against Goldy Brar?” he asked. 

Sidhu Moosewala, 28, was shot dead on May 29 last year in Mansa, a day after the state government curtailed his security cover. 

The Punjabi singer was shot at point-blank range and declared dead on arrival at the Mansa civil hospital. 

The assailants fired over 30 rounds at Moosewala, who was found slumped in the driver’s seat by locals. 

The investigation suggested gangster Lawrence Bishnoi was the mastermind of the daylight killing. His close aide Goldy Brar, who is said to be based in Canada, was also under investigation in this case. Police issued a Red Corner Notice against Brar through Interpol. 

The incident occurred two days after Punjab Police withdrew the security cover of 424 persons, including that Moosewala. 
Moosewala had fought an election from Mansa in the last Assembly election on a Congress ticket but was defeated by AAP’s Vijay Singla. 

On November 23, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Bishnoi in a case related to the alleged conspiracy to recruit youth to carry out terror strikes in Delhi and other parts of the country.

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

1...2,3432,3442,345...7,639Page 2,344 of 7,639