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Land for jobs scam: ED conducts raids at Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav’s residence in Delhi

OpIndia Staff
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Land for jobs scam: ED conducts raids at Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav’s residence in Delhi

According to reports, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting raids at the Delhi residence of Tejashwi Yadav, the deputy chief minister of Bihar, in connection with the land for jobs scam investigation. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader’s home is in the New Friends colony in Delhi, where the ED investigators began the raids at 8.30 am.

Not just Tejashwi Yadav’s residence, searches are going on at several other locations in connection with the case. According to reports, several teams of ED are conducting raids at over 15 locations in Delhi, NCR and Bihar. The locations include residents and offices of suspects and beneficiaries of the land for job scam.

Along with Tejashwi Uadav’s house, searches also took place at the residence of former RJD MLA Syed Abu Dojana at Phulwari Sharif in Patna. Premises linked to Lalu Prasad Yadav’s daughters Misa Bharti, Rohini Acharya, Ragini Yadav, Chanda Yadav, and Hema Yadav are also being reportedly searched by the ED.

Lalu’s daughter Rohini Adharya criticised the raid at Tejashwi Yadav’s house, questioning the searches conducted at the house of a pregnant woman, referring to Tejashwi’s wife. “We will remember this injustice. Everything will be remembered. What crime have the sister’s little children committed? What crime has the pregnant sister-in-law committed? Why is everyone being tortured? Everyone is being tortured since this morning. The only crime of these people is that the Lalu-Rabri family did not bow down in front of fascists and rioters. You will get the answer to this injustice when the time comes. Now all this is beyond tolerance,” she tweeted in Hindi.

Days before the raid, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) questioned his parents, former Bihar Chief Ministers and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife Rabri Devi separately, on the scam.

After conducting raids at Rabri Devi’s home in Patna on Monday, a group of CBI officials interrogated her for about four hours. Lalu Prasad Yadav was interrogated in his daughter and Rajya Sabha member Misa Bharti’s house in Pandara Park.

His daughter, Rohini Acharya, attacked the Center, for ‘intimidating her ailing old father.’

The properties connected to Lalu Yadav and his family are among those being searched in Delhi, NCR and Bihar by the ED. In Bihar’s Patna, raids are also transpiring at the house of RJD leader and his aide Abu Dojana.

Almost 15 different areas are being searched. The ED simultaneously investigated these premises, which included the homes and businesses of suspects and others who allegedly profited from the purported fraud.

Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi, along with 14 other people are accused by the CBI of engaging in criminal conspiracy and violating the Prevention of Corruption Act. All of them are charge sheeted by the agency.

Special Judge Geetanjali Goel issued summons to the accused persons for March 15 while taking cognizance of the chargesheet.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, the leaders of the opposition parties alleged, that the government was abusing central agencies to settle political scores. Tejashwi Yadav too, was among the signatories. 

The letter listed Lalu Yadav and AAP leader Manish Sisodia, among opposition leaders being pursued by investigating agencies.

What is land for job scam

CBI has alleged, that Lalu Yadav, who served as the minister of railways from 2004 to 2009, received financial benefits in the form of the transfer of landed property into the names of his family members in exchange for the appointment of substitutes to ‘Group D’ posts in various railway zones.

The recruitment took place between 2004 and 2009 without the positions being announced.

According to the agency, up to 12 Patna residents were hired for ‘Group D’ positions. Lalu Yadav’s  family received seven parcels of property in the city and elsewhere for a pittance in exchange for these appointments. 

The RJD chief’s family reportedly paid Rs 26 lakh for more than 1 lakh square feet of land, even though the circular rate at the time estimated the land’s total value at more than Rs 4.39 crore.

The agency through the investigation discovered that Lalu Yadav’s wife Rabri Devi and daughter Hema Yadav received gifts of land from job seekers who were subsequently hired by the railways.

In addition to the 12 individuals who obtained employment in the railway zones of Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hajipur, those named in the FIR as accused include Lalu Yadav, Rabri Devi and his daughters Misa Bharti and Hema Yadav.

Saudi Arabia imposes strict restrictions during Ramzan month: Loudspeakers prohibited, worshippers ordered to do Iftar inside mosques and more

OpIndia Staff
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Saudi Arabia imposes strict restrictions during Ramzan month: Loudspeakers prohibited, worshippers ordered to do Iftar inside mosques and more

On Friday, 3rd March 2023, Saudi Arabia announced new regulations during the upcoming Muslim month of Ramzan which starts on 22nd March 2023. According to this order, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah, and Guidance has imposed strict restrictions on Ramzan practices this year. Loudspeakers in mosques are prohibited as per this order while worshippers are ordered to do Iftar inside the mosques.

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Islamic Affairs, Abdul Latif Al-Sheikh released the document and also shared it from his ministry’s Twitter handle on March 3. This document has 10 key instructions regarding the Ramzan celebrations in Saudi Arabia. As per this order, during the holy month of Ramadan, imams and the muezzin should not remain absent. If required, they should delegate the task performer for the absence with the permission of the regional branch of the Ministry, and the person acting on their behalf has agreed not to breach the obligation. The permitted time of absence cannot be exceeded.

The order further instructs the imams and muezzins to adhere to the calendar and timings of all the prayers during the month. They are asked to keep the evening prayers short and complete the night prayers with sufficient time so that worshippers do not have to face any inconvenience. At mosques, it is also forbidden to take pictures or use cameras to broadcast worshippers or the recital of prayers by any medium. Also, the Ministry prohibited attendees to mosques from bringing children.

The order says that Iftar for the fasting people – if any – should be in the places prepared for that in the courtyards of the mosque, and under the responsibility of the imam and the muezzin and that the one responsible for iftar for the fasting person should clean the place immediately after finishing the iftar, and not create any temporary rooms or tents and the like to hold the iftar in them. The mosque authorities are also banned from collecting any funds for iftar or any other reason.

UK: Riaz and Hassan convicted for killing a Muslim man outside a Hindu temple

OpIndia Staff
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UK: Riaz and Hassan convicted for killing a Muslim man outside a Hindu temple

Six months after a 24-year-old Muslim man named Mohammed Rafaqit Kayani was killed outside a Hindu temple in Slough town of England, a jury at the Reading Crown Court on Thursday (March 9) convicted two of his co-religionists for committing the heinous crime.

The convicts were identified as Riaz Miah (21) and his accomplice Hassan Al-Kubanji (22). As per reports, Miah had earlier pled guilty to possessing a blade in public and supplying narcotics including cocaine and heroin.

The judge has reserved the sentencing until April 3 this year. The duo had a 42-year-old aide named Miguel Parian John who was found guilty of 2 counts of blade possession and assisting one of the offenders.

Reportedly, he will be sentenced at a later date. While Hassan is a resident of Pimlico in London, Riaz has no fixed address. The duo stabbed the victim Mohammed Rafaqit Kayani on August 30 last year in the car park outside a Hindu temple in Keel Drive in Slough.

The victim later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital, where he was undergoing treatment. The wife of Mohammed Rafaqit Kayani described him as “a loving son, caring brother, selfless friend and proud Muslim man”.

She further emphasised, “(He was) a truly indescribable husband, a proud loving family member of the Kayani family as well as flying through his career at Virgin Atlantic always looking dashing as ever, beaming with pride in his uniform”.

The Background of the Case

During the three-week-long trial, the court was informed that Riaz and Hassan went to Concorde Way in Slough on August 30, 2022, to see Miguel Parian John.

They encountered Adil Mahmood, a friend of Mohammed Rafaqit Kayani, in a park. The duo believed that he was angry with them for being on his drug-dealing turf. They claimed that the deceased approached them aggressively, swinging a sword/ a huge knife at them.

The duo also alleged that they tried to defuse the situation. They thought they heard Adil Mahmood say ‘get the strap’ or ‘get the mash’, which they took as an instruction for Adil to fetch a gun. They ran out of the park, believing that there might have been others with Adil and Mohammed.

The encounter later continued in the car park of a Hindu temple on Keel Drive. Riaz said he believed Hassan would be killed by Mohammed Rafaqit Kayani. In his defence, the convict said he entered fight or flight mode, took the machete from Hassan, and then charged at the victim with it.

He hit Mohammed Rafaqit Kayani in the legs to ensure that he wouldn’t get up again. Given that there were multiple blows on the body of the victim, the jury ruled out the case of manslaughter and convicted Riaz and Hassan of murder.

Viral video shows armed policemen watching as 2 rival groups engage in a gunfight, Patna Police says 22 arrested in the Jethuli Ghat shootout case so far

OpIndia Staff
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Viral video shows armed policemen watching as 2 rival groups engage in a gunfight, Patna Police says 22 arrested in the Jethuli Ghat shootout case so far

On Friday, March 10, Bihar police took to Twitter to respond to a post shared by NavBharat Times pertaining to the Jethuli Ghat shootout case. In the thread of tweets, the Bihar police had given an update on the case earlier. They had confirmed that a total of 3 people had been killed in the gunfight that ensued from an altercation between two rival factions at Jethuli village of Fatuha block on the outskirts of Patna on February 19 and 20, 2023.

The Bihar police had further confirmed that a total of 22 people were arrested in the case out of which 9 were arrested in connection with the gunfight, while thirteen people were arrested in the case of arson and attack.

The Bihar police were responding to a tweet posted by the Hindi media outlet Nav Bharat Times on Friday, wherein they shared a video of the shootout that had taken place in Jethuli Ghat last month.

In the video, one can see two factions engaging in a gunfight while some armed policemen standing in the corner watching without trying to prevent the rampant violence happening before them.

Jethuli Ghat shootout in Bihar: how it started

A fight over parking space turned deadly in Bihar’s Patna on February 19, 2023. The incident had taken place near the Jethuli Ghat area under Nadi Police Station. Jethuli is situated on the banks of the river Ganga, about 27 kilometres southeast of Patna.

Three people were killed on the spot in the clash that occurred between two rival groups, one led by Umesh Rai and his brother Satish Kumar alias Bachcha Yadav and the other by their rival Bittu Kumar. According to police, Umesh had contested the parliamentary election in 2014 on a Samajwadi Party ticket and later joined the RJD. Bachcha Yadav’s wife Anju Devi is said to be the mukhiya (head) of Jethuli panchayat while Umesh’s wife Meena Devi is the former vice-president of the district board.

According to media reports, a fourth victim, Chenarik Rai (42), son of Rajendra Rai, had also succumbed to his injuries a week after the incident took place, taking the death toll to 4. All four victims belong to the same family. They were identified as Gautam Kumar (24), son of Pramod Rai and Roshan Kumar (18), son of Nagendra Rai. 

Reportedly, an altercation erupted between two groups had resulted in violence after which one of the groups resorted to firing. Notably, the argument started when LPG cylinders being unloaded, allegedly on the road, from Bachcha Yadav’s godown, blocked the way for a tractor owned by his rival Bittu Kumar. Yadav’s elder brother Ramesh allegedly slapped the tractor driver, which led to brick batting between the two groups. 

The matter escalated and Bachha Yadav called his relatives, who then opened fire on the family members and associates of Bittu Kumar. At least 50 rounds of bullets were fired. 

Hours later, the family members of Bittu Kumar and an irate mob set ablaze houses, a marriage hall and at least six luxury vehicles owned by Yadav and his family members.

A day after the incident, Bittu’s father Munarik Rai, son of Rajendra Rai, also died during the treatment, following which the locals again went on a rampage on February 20 and attacked the cops. Patna district administration had also imposed Section 144 at Jethuli.

Four separate FIRs filed in the Jethuli Ghat shootout case

Patna senior SP Manavjit Singh Dhillon had then informed that a total of 4 FIRs were filed in the Jethuli violence case. Two separate FIRs had been lodged with the local River police station. In the first FIR, 14 people had been named for the murder of three persons, of which eight, including Bachcha Yadav, had been arrested. In the second FIR lodged on the basis of a police statement, 12 people have been booked for arson, loot and pelting stones at police and all have been arrested.

“Preliminary investigation suggests Bachcha Yadav has a licensed rifle. He had also hired a private guard from Punjab, who also used his licensed weapon to fire,” the SP had confirmed.

An old rivalry over land led to the clash in Bihar

According to reports, the gunfight between the two groups was a culmination of an ongoing land dispute between them. The fight between Bachcha Yadav and Bittu Kumar took place over a piece of land measuring 8000 sq feet outside the gym. Estimated at around 3 crores, the land is presently occupied by Baccha Rai.

The accused and Bittu had a political rivalry and other mutual disputes over land for a long time and both had gone to jail last year after a scuffle. A police team under Fatua SDPO is investigating the entire matter,” SP Dhillon stated.

The lawlessness in the area and the inability of the police to prevent such violent crimes in public places were highlighted by a lot of people on social media after the case.

‘We don’t need to learn the grammar of democracy from agenda-driven media’; Here is what Minister Anurag Thakur said about anti-India op-ed in NYT

OpIndia Staff
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‘We don’t need to learn the grammar of democracy from agenda-driven media’; Here is what Minister Anurag Thakur said about anti-India op-ed in NYT

On 10th March 2023, the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Youth Affairs, and Sports Anurag Thakur lashed out at New York Times for an anti-India editorial published on 8th March 2023. Anurag Thakur said, “We don’t need to learn the grammar of democracy from agenda-driven media.”

Taking to Twitter, Anurag Thakur published a thread of tweets in which he wrote, “New York Times had long back dropped all pretensions of neutrality while publishing anything about India. NYT’s so-called opinion piece on freedom of the press in Kashmir is mischievous & fictitious published with the sole motive to spread propaganda about India and its democratic values. This is in continuation with what NYT and a few other link-minded foreign media have been spreading lies about India and our democratically elected Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji. Such lies can’t last long.”

Minister Anurag Thakur added, “Some foreign media nourishing a grudge against India and our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi have long been systematically trying to peddle lies about our democracy and pleuritic society. Freedom of the Press in India is as sacrosanct as other fundamental rights.”

Anurag Thakur further said in his next tweets, “Democracy in India and We the people are very mature and we don’t need to learn the grammar of democracy from such agenda-driven media. Blatant lies spread by NYT abt press freedom in Kashmir are condemnable. Indians will not allow such mindsets to run their decisive agenda on Indian soil.”

The said article published in New York Times was written by Anuradha Bhasin, the Executive Editor of The Kashmir Times who criticized PM Modi’s stance against the Indian media and its freedom of expression. Donning an anti-India outlook on the international media platform, she alleged that the Modi-led government had imposed ‘repressive’ media policies in the country and was deliberately targeting the media organizations who chose to voice an opinion against it or the Prime Minister.

In an article titled ‘Modi’s final assault on India’s Press Freedom has begun’, Bhasin who has been a vocal critic of the Indian establishment for a while said that her outlet, The Kashmir Times, could not survive Modi. She also blatantly alleged that the government was intimidating media outlets into serving as mouthpieces and creating an information vacuum in the Union Territory.

PM Narendra Modi raises the issue of attacks on Hindu temples by Khalistani elements with the Australian PM, at least 5 attacks were reported last 2 months

OpIndia Staff
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PM Narendra Modi raises the issue of attacks on Hindu temples by Khalistani elements with the Australian PM, at least 5 attacks were reported last 2 months

Amid the frequent incidents of attacks on Indians and Hindu temples in Australia by Khalistani elements, today prime minister Narendra Modi raised the matter in front of Australian PM Anthony Albanese, who is on a visit to India. PM Modi said in a joint press conference held today that he has raised the matter in front of the Australian PM.

PM Narendra Modi said that it is a matter of concern that for the last several weeks, reports of attacks on temples in Australia are regularly coming. ‘Naturally people in India are concerned after reading these reports, and we are worried about it,’ he said. ‘I have conveyed our such feelings and concerns to Prime Minister Albanese, and he assured me that the safety of the Indian community is a special priority for him’, PM Modi added.

“Our teams will be in regular contact on this matter, and will cooperate as much as possible,” PM Modi further added. He said the issue was raised with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during their bilateral meeting at Hyderabad House.

PM Modi also said that the Indian community in Australia is now the second-largest immigrant community, and this Indian community is making a significant contribution to Australian society and economy.

Several Indian temples have come under the attack of Khalistani elements in Australia in the lats several weeks, especially in Victoria state. These attacks are part of rising anti-Hindu violence in several countries in the world, including Canada, the UK, and Australia.

In the last two months, five separate Hindu temples in Australia were attacked and vandalised in Australia. Just last week, Shree Laxmi Narayan Temple in Brisbane’s Burbank suburb was vandalised with anti-Hindu and anti-India graffiti defacing its walls by Khalistani elements. Before that on 16 February, a Kali Mata temple in the northern suburbs of Melbourne received threats from Khalistani terrorists for organising a Bhajan program of Indian singer Kanhiya Mittal.

January saw three such incidents on vandalism of Hindu temples. BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Melbourne, Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple in Carrum Downs in Melbourne, and Hare Krishna Temple located at Albert Park in Melbourne were vandalised by Khalistanis. The walls of the temples were defaced with pro-Khalistan and anti-India slogans.

Messages like ‘Target Modi’, ‘Modi Hitler’, ‘Hindustan Murdabad’, ‘Khalistan Zindabad’, ‘Sant Bhindranwale is Martyr’ etc were seen written on the walls of the Hindu temples.

Apart from the vandalization of Hindu temples, Khalistanis also clashed with Indians for opposing their anti-India activities in Australia. On 21 February, the Khalistan supporters attacked the Consulate of India in Brisbane in Queensland and raised their flag at the office.

Last month, the ministry of external affairs had issued a statement condemning the attack on the Indian community by the extremist Khalistani groups in Australia. The MEA had urged the local authorities to launch an investigation into the case and punish the perpetrators. Khalistanis are also holding the so-called referendum in Australia for an independent Khalistan.

Usual suspects share old videos to attack Holi and malign Hinduism: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Usual suspects share old videos to attack Holi and malign Hinduism: Details

Days after the festival of colours, Holi, was celebrated around the world, the Hindumisic usual suspects rushed to social media to share videos maligning the Hindu festivals and guilt-tripping Hindus over its celebrations.

Sharing videos of stray and isolated incidents, the Hinduphobic elements defamed the festival of the colours and insinuated that it glorifies and normalises molestation and harassment, especially of women.

Jas Oberoi, a Khalistani sympathiser and a columnist for Newslaundry whose contempt for Hindus and Hinduism is evident through his disparaging tweets, posted a video of a man forcing his sister-in-law to play Holi with him and forcibly kissing him.

“An underage girl forcefully kissed & groped by her ‘Jija’ – husband of an elder sister – under the garb of playing Holi. Kya mast tyohaar hai!” Oberoi tweeted along with the video.

Many others also shared the video uploaded by Oberoi. Kaveri, a Twitter user, quoted Oberoi’s tweet in a thread she had compiled over the nonconsensual celebration of Holi.

The video instantly went viral on social media, particularly on Twitter, where users, primarily belonging to the Islamolesftist persuasion, who are often on the prowl to attack and defame Hindu festivals, reposted the video and vilified Holi over the same.

Similarly, other videos targeting Holi and humiliating Hindus were also shared on the internet.

Vinod Kapri, a self-proclaimed filmmaker, shared another video of a foreigner talking about what she had to go through during Holi.

This video, too, had instantly gone viral, with social media users asserting that the incident was from this year’s Holi and did not reflect well on the Hindu festival.

The truth about the viral videos maligning Holi

Several videos shared on social media are old and are not from this year’s Holi celebrations. They are shared by anti-Hindu elements on Twitter to attack the festival and target the Hindu community.

The video that is doing the rounds on the internet, which was also shared by Khalistan sympathiser Jas Oberoi, is at least one year old. It was uploaded on YouTube on 5 April 2021.

Source: YouTube

Yet, the propagandists shared the old video to slander the Hindu festival and induce guilt among Hindus over one of their festivals.

Another video, which was shared by the likes of Vinod Kapri, about a foreign woman sharing her experience while celebrating Holi in India, was at least 2 years old. A more extended version of the video was uploaded on YouTube two and a half years ago, in September 2020. The video, shared by a YouTube channel ‘Under The Same Skye’, was uploaded on 13 September 2020.

Source: YouTube

However, several social media users continued to bandy about the old video, alluding that the incident may have taken place during this year’s Holi celebrations.

How Hindu festivals continue to be attacked by usual suspects

But Holi is not an exception. Hindu festivals continue to be the object of contempt for many ‘journalists’ and media organisations who claim to follow the principle of ‘secularism’ religiously but are often found indulging in blatant Hinduphobia while gushing over the festivals of other religions. These usual suspects have a dubious distinction in maligning Hindu festivals while glossing over the uncomfortable truths about the festivals of other religions.

The modus operandi espoused by such people entails pontificating Hindus about the vices purportedly associated with their festivals and holding the festivals responsible for the perpetuation of those vices. This procedure is exclusive only for the Hindu festivals and for non-Hindu festivals, lofty ideals of brotherhood, peace, inclusiveness etc. are attached while glaring vices are intentionally concealed.

Union home ministry announces 10% reservation, exemption from physical test for ex-Agniveers in BSF

OpIndia Staff
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Union home ministry announces 10% reservation, exemption from physical test for ex-Agniveers in BSF

The union ministry of home affairs has announced that 10% of all vacancies at the Border Security Force will be reserved for the Agniveers after their terms in the army under the Agnipath scheme is over. As the tenure of the Agniveers in the Agnipath is only 4 years, this will ensure that ex-Agniveers will have the opportunity to join the BSF under this reservation.

In a notification released on 6 march 2023, the Ministry of Home Affairs said that “10 percent of the vacancies shall be reserved for Ex-Agniveers”. Apart from this, the notification also said that the first batch of Ex-Agniveers shall also receive a 5 years relaxation in the Upper Age limit, whereas the Upper age limit shall be relaxed by up to 3 years for Ex-Agniveers of other batches. The notification further said that Ex-Agniveers shall be exempted from the Physical Efficiency test.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had earlier in June of 2022 said that 10% of vacancies in the CAPF and Assam Rifles will be reserved for those persons who have completed the four years of service under the Agnipath Scheme. This reservation was over the existing 10% quota for ex-servicemen. The ministry had also announced a five-year age relaxation for the first batch of Agniveers.

The extension of 10 per cent reservation benefits to Ex-Agniveers in the Border Security Force is a move to further reduce the anxiety about the employment of the Agnivees after the end of their terms in the army.

About the Agnipath Scheme

On June 14, 2022, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, along with the chiefs of three armed forces, launched the Agnipath scheme for the recruitment of youth in the armed forces. Those who get enrolled in the armed forces under this scheme are called Agniveers. Enrollment under the scheme is open for both men and women for a four-year period, including the training.

The Agnipath scheme allows patriotic and motivated youth to serve in the armed forces for a short period of four-year. As per the press release by the Defence Ministry, the scheme has been designed to enable a youthful profile of the Armed forces. While 25% of the Agniveers will be absorbed into the army permanently after the 4-year term, the rest 75% will retire.

Other benefits of the Agnipath scheme

The recruits under the Agnipath scheme, also known as Agniveers, get attractive benefits that include a customized monthly package clubbed with risk and hardship allowances as applicable in the three services. After Agniveers complete four-year of service in the armed forces, they get a one-time ‘SevaNidhi’ package that would comprise their contribution, including accrued interest thereon.

The benefits that the government is giving to Agniveers are attracting many young men and women to join the scheme. This move to offer a 10 per cent reservation in BSF will further add to the attraction of the scheme for the youth.

Kerala Muslim couple, who remarried under Special Marriage Act, faces threats, fatwa issued calling it ‘drama’ to ‘mock religious personal law’: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala Muslim couple, who remarried under Special Marriage Act, faces threats, fatwa issued calling it ‘drama’ to ‘mock religious personal law’: Details

Days after a 29-year-old Muslim couple got remarried under the Special Marriage Act to ensure that their property and assets would transfer to their three daughters, the Kerala police intensified surveillance around their house. Kerala police said on Thursday that they had increased monitoring around this residence.

This is after the couple identified as advocate-actor C Shukkur and Dr Sheena received threats for remarrying under the Special Marriage Act. “The vigil has been stepped in the area of C Shukkur’s house in Kanhangad here in the wake of news reports on threats by some outfits against the man and his family,” the police was quoted as saying.

Also, Darul Huda Islamic University condemned the marriage and issued a fatwa against the couple calling it a drama. “The marriage registration of advocate C Shukkur and his wife Dr Sheena Shukkur under the Special Marriage Act is a drama aimed at mocking religious personal law,” said the Council for Fatwa and Research, Darul Huda Islamic University.

“There is no law against handing over all their wealth to children when they are alive. Personal law matters only for inheritance. Those who believe in God and accept his wholeness will have no qualms about it. They will not have the obstinate greed that their wealth must go to their children,” it added.

On March 8, citing the occasion of International Women’s Day, Dr Sheena, the former pro-vice chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University, and eminent attorney and actor C Shukkur, who is well known for his portrayal as a lawyer in the Kunchacko Boban film Nna Thaan Case Kodu (Sue Me Then), who had been married for 29 years reaffirmed their vows under the Special Marriage Act in order to ensure that their property and assets would transfer to their three daughters.

Due to the fact that their previous union was governed by Sharia law, which is Muslim Personal Law, their daughters would have only received two-thirds of their father’s estate, with the remaining portion going to Shukkur’s brothers, in the absence of an heir.

The couple remarried under the Special Marriage Act, which stipulates that the Indian Succession Act would control the succession of property of any person solemnized under it, in order to ensure that their property passes on to their children.

Shukkur said that he had previously experienced two near-death encounters, which caused him to reflect on his daughters’ future and whether or not they would receive all of his assets.

The Police said that the vigil has been strengthened around the residence of the couple as their marrige has been extensively reported by the media. “As of now, there is nothing like personal protection. There is no full-time security to the family or the house. The media has extensively reported about the remarriage incident in the last two days. Today, some newspapers have carried reports about an alleged fatwa issued by certain religious institutions against the family,” it said.

“Though the state police have no first-hand information regarding the threat, a decision has been taken to intensify the surveillance in the area based on media reports, the officer added,” the Police added.

US: Sikh man, Rajvir Gill, arrested on suspicion of hiring assassins and plotting to burn down Gurudwaras in Bakersfield

OpIndia Staff
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US: Sikh man, Rajvir Gill, arrested on suspicion of hiring assassins and plotting to burn down Gurudwaras in Bakersfield

A Sikh man, Rajvir Gill, who had previously run for a seat on the Bakersfield City Council in the United States was taken into custody for allegedly attempting to employ assassins to shoot individuals at a prominent Sikh temple in Bakersfield and set fire to the premises. This has intensified a long-standing dispute within the congregation’s leadership and led to legal action in Kern County Superior Court.

After receiving less than 7 per cent of the vote in Ward 7’s November election, 60-year-old Rajvir “Raj” Singh Gill was subject to a temporary restraining order preventing him from harassing the Gurudwara. Despite this, Bakersfield police arrested him on Saturday for allegedly soliciting to commit six criminal acts. Although he has since been released from jail, records indicate his arrest.

On Tuesday, a Gurudwara elder reported that Gill had been causing disturbances and making threats to members of the congregation while carrying a firearm at the temple property over the past few months. He had been arrested once before but there are no records of any other previous arrests prior to the incident on Saturday.

Sukhwinder Singh Ranghi, the elder, stated that the ongoing confrontations were due to a disagreement over a sum of over $800,000 that had been contributed by the congregation members. The funds were intended to reimburse a corporate entity established to purchase the temple out of foreclosure in July 2020.

According to Ranghi, Gill allegedly offered $10,000 to two Hispanic men to assassinate several leaders of the congregation, including Ranghi, who are currently involved in court cases. Ranghi also claimed that Gill personally drove the men around the city, indicating the homes of the targeted temple leaders. The information regarding Gill’s actions was disclosed to the temple leadership by an associate of the would-be assassins.

Ranghi alleged that Gill taught the men how to set fire to the temple using the defective electrical wiring that was installed by Gill’s own workers during the construction of the temple over ten years ago.

During a religious service at the temple, Ranghi presented a video clip that allegedly showed Gill unplugging microphones that were still in use.

Shaheed is among the most well-attended Sikh temples in Bakersfield, with over 500 members. Every year in late October, it holds a celebration that attracts thousands of attendees. Last fall, notable guests such as Rep. David Valadao, Mayor Karen Goh, Assemblyman Vince Fong, and Kern County Supervisor Zack Scrivner were in attendance.

According to court records, in 2019, when Shaheed was at risk of losing its property due to foreclosure proceedings, the temple’s leadership came up with a plan. The plan involved the board members forming a limited liability corporation, which would purchase the property at a public auction and subsequently transfer ownership back to the temple’s nonprofit organization.

However, the transfer of title back to the temple never occurred, and there are conflicting accounts as to why.

In October 2021, Shaheed’s nonprofit organization filed a lawsuit against Jujhar LLC, the entity formed to purchase the property, alleging that four of the eight individuals chosen to execute the transaction collaborated to manipulate the formation process of the LLC. The lawsuit claimed that the defendants concealed the limited composition of the board in accordance with a premeditated plan to “hostage” the property.

In January 2022, Jujhar filed a separate complaint accusing nine members of the congregation of falsely portraying themselves as acting board members of the temple, which led to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claimed that the defendants had taken $430,000 that was intended to be paid to Jujhar, contrary to the LLC agreement, and had used the funds for personal and other unsuitable expenditures. It also stated that the nine individuals had declined to deposit the money into escrow as promised, resulting in a loss of over $25,000 for Jujhar.

The court is currently reviewing and overseeing the consolidated cases, which are still pending.

Shaheed obtained a restraining order against Gill on November 21 from the Kern County Superior Court, which prohibited him from harassing or disrupting the temple’s peace or interfering with its routine activities. On February 14, Court Commissioner Gina Cervantes extended the order until April 15, when a hearing is scheduled to take place.

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