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As Punjab gets plunged into lawlessness with Khalistanis creating violence, here is what KPS Gill had said about AAP in 2017

OpIndia Staff
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As Punjab gets plunged into lawlessness with Khalistanis creating violence, here is what KPS Gill had said about AAP in 2017

As lawlessness has engulfed an Aam Aadmi Party-ruled Punjab, it is the right time to recall what KPS Gill had said about the Arvind Kejriwal-led party back in 2017. The IPS Kanwar Pal Singh Gill who was responsible for quelling the spread of separatism in Punjab had slammed AAP for providing a platform to the ‘radical Sikh diaspora’ which aimed to create a base to operate. 

In an interview with The Indian Express in 2017, KPS Gill had called the 2017 Maur Mandi blasts ahead of assembly polls “very very serious” and that the Aam Aadmi Party is “not aware of what they are doing.”

Notably, on January 29, 2017 twin blasts occurred in Maur, Punjab wherein 7 people lost their lives and 25 were severely injured.

Gill said in the interview that he had predicted a rise in terrorist activities in Punjab even before the Maur Mandi blasts adding that it was due to the activities of ‘certain’ political parties that such terrorist incidents were bound to take place. 

“Actually, I had predicted that because of the activities of certain political parties, there will be terrorist incidents,” Gill said.

‘With Aam Aadmi Party there began the influx of radical Sikh diaspora into Punjab’

KPG Gill had underscored that the Khalistan supporters abroad were looking for a window of opportunity to return to Punjab and work on their separatist designs, however, over the years they were not able to do so but with the presence of Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab, that window has opened leading to an influx of them from foreign countries. 

“Now with Aam Aadmi Party, there is an influx of them from foreign countries. They think this is the opportunity which is very good for them and they would be able to create a big base from which to operate”, he said.

Gill also asserted that AAP has ‘unwittingly’ provided a platform to radical NRIs who have a sole agenda of spreading terrorism in the state. He also stated that if the Bhartiya Janata Party and Shiromani Akali Dal or even Congress come to power, it will be difficult for the radical elements to revive themselves but the same cannot be said about AAP if it wins the elections.

AAP has time and again been accused of promoting extremist forces like Khalistan Liberation Force in Punjab, alleging that Arvind Kejriwal stayed at a KLF extremist Gurwinder Singh’s residence in 2017.

‘Arvind Kejriwal wanted to be either Punjab’s CM or Khalistan’s PM’: Kumar Vishwas

On February 16, last year during an interview with news agency ANI, former Aam Aadmi Party leader and poet Dr. Kumar Vishwas called out Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal for extending support to separatists. He said that at one point, Kejriwal claimed he would either become Chief Minister of Punjab or will become first Prime Minister of an independent nation (Khalistan).

Vishwas was talking about Kejriwal’s campaigns in the Punjab assembly elections. He said Kejriwal should understand Punjab is not just a state but an emotion. He said, “Amidst this, a person like him, whom I suggested not take support from the separatists and fringe elements who were linked to the Khalistani movement in the last elections, and he told me not to worry. When I asked him how he would become CM, he told me the formula as well. He is on the same path. Even if he is not on the same path, he will use a puppet to control the government.”

Anarchy in Punjab

After violence led by supporters of pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh in Ajnala this week, where they were seen brandishing swords, the Punjab Police was quick to surrender as it took back the FIR registered against Amritpal Singh’s close aid Lovepreet Singh Toofan. During the hours-long standoff and eventual takeover of the police station, the Punjab Police was compelled to give in to the demands of Khalistani Amritpal Singh. On February 21, Amritpal Singh had issued a veiled threat to Home Minister Amit Shah saying that the latter will have to face a similar fate as that of Indira Gandhi. “Indira tried to suppress, what happened? Now Amit Shah can fulfill his wish and see”, he said. Under the leadership of CM Bhagwant Mann the state of Punjab is left in utter chaos and anarchy while he claims that the law and order are in absolute control. 

Slave, voter cutter, Mir Jafar: Ghulam Nabi Azad slaps Congress leader Jairam Ramesh with a 2 crore defamation notice. Read what it said

OpIndia Staff
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Slave, voter cutter, Mir Jafar: Ghulam Nabi Azad slaps Congress leader Jairam Ramesh with a 2 crore defamation notice. Read what it said

Former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad has slapped his former colleague Jairam Ramesh with a defamation notice for damaging his reputation through the use of disparaging language.

The latter had reportedly referred to Azad as a ‘slave,’ ‘Mir Jafar,’ and a ‘vote-cutter”. In a notice sent through Azad’s legal counsel Naresh Kumar Gupta, the former Congress leader has sought compensation of ₹2 crores for the harm caused to his reputation.

The notice stated that Jairam Ramesh intentionally used the name “Ghulam” to imply “slave,” which was a deliberate attempt to defame Azad in public.

It emphasised that the Congress General Secretary had committed an offence under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 500 (punishment for defamation) and was liable to pay monetary compensation.

The notice said, “…Mr. Jairam Ramesh in an overweeingly and predominantly manner, to quench your thirst with motive to lower down and cause harm to the unblemished life and strong character, integrity made aspersion, imputation by using defamatory language in your statements during press conferences and otherwise also thereby strongly violently criticised directly commenting defamatory remarks.”

“Admittedly, the reputation of my client has been effected, and there are cogent reason to believe, that there had been big conspiracy hatched by you Mr. Jairam Ramesh to tarnish and cause harm to the reputation of Mr. Azad deliberately, intentionally to lower down the reputation in the estimation of public,” it further underlined.

It further stated that Jairam Ramesh’s statements had caused mental agony, torture, and harassment to Ghulam Nabi Azad and sought an unconditional apology through print-electronic media and social media within two weeks from the date of receipt of the legal notice.

Meanwhile, the legal counsel of Ghulam Nabi Azad informed that if Ramesh failed to respond within the stipulated time, the former Congress leader might take further legal action against him.

It must be mentioned that the name ‘Mir Jafar’, who betrayed Bengal Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah during the battle of Plassey, is synonymous with the word ‘traitor’ in Indian history.

Ghulam Nabi Azad and his estranged relationship with the Congress party

Azad’s discontentment with Congress became evident when he joined the G-23 rebel group in Jammu last year. He had also showered praise upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and hinted at the lack of ‘reality check’ within the Congress.

After being unceremoniously ousted from the disciplinary committee and the party’s list of star campaigners before the 2022 Punjab elections, the resignation was on the cards.

The last nail in the coffin was perhaps his ‘downgrade’ appointment to 2 committees of the Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Congress on August 17 this year. In his parting note, Ghulam Nabi Azad did not mince any words in holding the Congress high command accountable for the party’s downfall.

He squarely blamed Congress scion Rahul Gandhi for single-handedly destroying the consultative mechanism within the party. Ghulam Nabi Azad, in his letter, drew attention to the childish, immature and non-serious attitude of Rahul Gandhi towards Congress and national politics. 

Ruckus returns to MCD elections in Delhi, BJP to lodge a complaint against Atishi Marlena alleging she instigated AAP leaders to start the fight

OpIndia Staff
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Ruckus returns to MCD elections in Delhi, BJP to lodge a complaint against Atishi Marlena alleging she instigated AAP leaders to start the fight

Violence returned to Civic centre in Delhi on Friday evening two days after BJP and AAP councillors engaged in a physical fight for an entire night. During the election of the standing committee of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), fights broke out again between the members of AAP and BJP.

The ruckus started after mayor Shelly Oberoi declared one vote invalid, which caused BJP to win only 2 seats instead of 3. According to BJP, the vote was cancelled by the mayor it was found that BJP is winning 3 seats in the 6-member standing committee of the MCD, and after that the AAP leaders started a ruckus. On the other hand, AAP alleges that BJP started the fight after sensing that they are losing the polls.

After the ruckus, the proceedings of the house were adjourned, and the standing committee election has been rescheduled on 27 February.

BJP has alleged that AAP MLA Atishi Marlena instigated the fight, and have decided to lodge a complaint against her. On the other hand, AAP has alleged that BJP started the fight. Atishi Marlena alleged that BJP leaders created a ruckus after realising that they were losing during the counting of the standing committee election. “The mayor was attacked & physically assaulted by the BJP male member,” she alleged.

“What behaviour is this? This is shameful and condemnable. The country is seeing this. BJP should accept their defeat. I request BJP to stop their goondaism. Those who have attacked the Mayor will be sent behind bars,” she further said.

But BJP leaders are sharing an video clip to claim that it was Atishi who instructed other AAP leaders to start the ruckus. In the video, Atishi is seen talking, and immediately after that a fight breaks out.

BJP leader Kapil Mishra tweeted, ‘Atishi told and AAP women councillors start to fight,’ sharing the video clip.

Talking to CNN News 18, Kapil Mishra said that the video makes it clear that Atishi called the women councillors and instigated them to attack BJP councillors. He said that everyone involved in the physical fights in the last couple of days should be identified and punished.

Former Delhi mayor and BJP leader Aarti Mehra also alleged that Atishi is responsible for the fight. She said that BJP will go to court to take legal action against her. “I can show video where Atishi is seen giving directions to create ruckus. Strong action will be taken. We will fight against these goons,” she said.

According to BJP leaders, the AAP leaders started the ruckus after realising that BJP has won three of the six seats in the standing committee. They are alleging that the mayor tried to declare one vote invalid to prevent BJP from having 3 members in the committee, as AAP wants to have majority in the committee that decides the fundings of the corporation.

BJP councillors also said that they were unofficially informed that BJP has won 3 seats, after which the ruckus was started. “We are unofficially informed that the BJP has won three seats in the standing committee. Still, the Delhi mayor is not accepting the technical team’s decision,” one BJP Councillor said.

After father, mother departed in son’s grief: Dinesh Yadav, who was convicted in the Delhi anti-Hindu riots, could not get to perform her last rites

राहुल पाण्डेय
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After father, mother departed in son’s grief: Dinesh Yadav, who was convicted in the Delhi anti-Hindu riots, could not get to perform her last rites

The first sentence in the anti-Hindu riots of Delhi in February 2020 was pronounced on January 20, 2022. Dinesh Yadav, who lives in Bhagirathi Vihar of the Gokulpuri police station area, has been found guilty by the Karkardooma Court. He has been sentenced to 5 years imprisonment and also fined Rs 12,000. Dinesh Yadav was convicted by Additional Sessions Judge Virendra Bhat on 6 December 2021. He was accused of setting ablaze the house of a 73-year-old Muslim woman and taking away her buffalo and calf.

In January 2022, the OpIndia team reached Dinesh Yadav’s house to hear his side of the story from the family. The house is near the drain of the Gokulpuri area. Through the narrow lanes, we reached house number 22 in E block – the house of Dinesh Yadav. The landmark of the house is Dhruv Public School. It is a colony of lower-middle-class people. 

After nearly a year, the OpIndia team returned to Dinesh Yadav’s home to learn how they are coping with the anguish of their son being charged with a crime that he says he did not commit.

It is pertinent to mention here that Dinesh Yadav had pleaded not guilty to all the charges and had said that he was being falsely implicated. In a ground report by OpIndia after the sentencing of Dinesh, the family had claimed that Dinesh was being falsely implicated because they had refused to pay bribes to the Delhi police officials falsely implicating him.

Dinesh Yadav’s brother Harish informed us that his brother is still in jail. Dinesh has spent nearly three years in prison since his incarceration. Shikha Garg, a government advocate, is pursuing the case of many others alongside his in the High Court.

After the father, the mother departs, grieving her son’s false conviction

OpIndia spoke with Dinesh Yadav’s brother, Harish Yadav. Harish told us that his mother, Budha Devi, died in August 2022, on the day of Raksha Bandhan. When we asked the cause of death, Harish responded, “Mother used to worry a lot remembering Dinesh. She contracted a number of ailments as a result of the stress.

Dinesh’s father, Jagannath Yadav, died on June 28, 2021, shortly after his son (Dinesh) was arrested on June 3, 2021. Dinesh’s family attributed his father’s death to the trauma of his son’s arrest.

Notably, when we had lasted visited Dinesh Yadav’s house, we had spoken to his mother who had then called her son’s arrest a ‘fight for society’.

Budha Devi had said, “We did not take help from any relative. This fight was for society. The people of this society are not getting up. What can you do now? The behaviour of the policemen was very bad. They have done all this by taking bribes from others. 4-5 lakh rupees were being demanded from our family. From where do we poor people give so much money? We could not give money.”

Dinesh could not perform his parent’s last rites

Dinesh was granted parole for barely four hours after his mother died, according to Harish. Dinesh, according to Harish, did not find this parole adequate and decided to remain in jail.

Notably, the last time we spoke to Dinesh’s mother she had told us “Ever since my son has been arrested, I haven’t seen him. When his brother visits him in jail, Dinesh tells him, don’t bring mother here in jail to meet me. Her health is already unwell,” Budha Devi recalled adding that Dinesh intended to meet her only once he was released, not for a short period of time. Sadly, now Dinesh would never be able to see his mother again.

According to Harish, Dinesh Yadav is very sad in jail and is expecting the judiciary would uphold the rule of law and release him soon.

House seems deserted

Harish Yadav bemoaned how, following his parents’ deaths and Dinesh Yadav’s incarceration, their once-vibrant home now appeared deserted. He recalled that once upon a time, the walls of his house resonated with the laughter of his mother, father, brothers, wife, and children. Harish added that his parents are no longer alive and that having his brother in jail is the same as not having him at all.

Dinesh’s house currently houses his brother Harish, one of his sisters, Harish’s wife, and Harish’s child. Harish has been struggling to support his family on his meagre monthly salary of Rs 10 to 15 thousand rupees.

No one offered any assistance

Harish Yadav told us that after Islamists rioted in several areas of the national capital in 2020, his brother was labelled as an accused in the incident. He has been spending his sentence in jail for the last two years, but no one has come forward to assist his family during this time. Harish stated that he has had to pay every penny out of his earnings, which he relies on to support his family.

Throughout our conversation, Harish shared his despair over the state of affairs and said that he now has no demand from anyone.

It is worth noting that in last year’s article, we stated that Harish’s mother, Budha, had made serious allegations against the Delhi Police, accusing them of not only emotionally tormenting her family but also demanding a bribe. Budha Devi then told us that her son was innocent and was only imprisoned because he couldn’t pay the bribe to the police.

Dinesh’s mother said, “The Muslim woman who made the allegation was already having a fight with the Muslim people. Those people had already taken the buffalo away. All of them have accused the Hindus, just to save themselves. News spread in our area that Muslim people are coming here to kill. Then all the people of this colony gathered. Everyone went there to stop those Muslims so that they should not come here. Nobody even came. My son also went to see the same. My son was told that this is a fight for the community. The people of the colony called it a fight for the community. Some of them ran away and some others stood back. The names of those who stood back were taken into the case. 22 people from my colony were named in this case.”

‘EU DisinfoLab’s consistent attacks suggest an agenda and someone else’s talking points’: ANI trashes European NGO’s report

OpIndia Staff
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‘EU DisinfoLab’s consistent attacks suggest an agenda and someone else’s talking points’: ANI trashes European NGO’s report

Indian news agency ANI on Friday rubbished the allegations levelled against it by the Brussels-based EU DisinfoLab, stating that the consistent attacks by the European NGO hinted at agenda and someone else’s talking point.

In a detailed statement issued by ANI, the news agency raised questions about the EU DisinfoLab report and denied in totality the allegations against them.

“This ‘report’ was expected as such ‘NGOs’ routinely target ANI when election season appears in India. We have seen the same allegations being repeated in 2019, 2020 and now 2023. I would like to pose some questions to the NGO and the actors funding this NGO…” the statement shared by ANI chief Smita Prakash read.

Rubbishing EU DisinfoLab’s assertion that ANI quotes ‘Bad Sources’, ANI dared the European NGO to send its reporters to strife-torn regions such as Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, Balochistan, Sindh, Tibet, and other regions in Pakistan and China to present a counter view of the ‘picture perfect democracy’ that EU DisinfoLab professes to claim.

The news agency also questioned the EU DisinfoLab’s report on casting aspersions on the OSINT-based reports published by ANI.

“If OSINT coverage is now discredited, how would you report the current Russia-Ukraine war? It appears information from Russia on the Kremlin is entirely based on information from dissidents and authors with assumed identities…therefore, going by the EU Disinfo’s logic, do we consider all those reports fake?” the ANI statement asked.

Speaking about the bona fides of the sources quoted by the news agency, ANI statement said, “We track social media handles and blogs for years in areas where we or other news agencies have limited or no presence at all, and we built up our confidence in their reportage through corroborating what these anonymous and other handles have said, to what becomes publicly available later. As you know in an age of citizen journalism, where reporting in these zones is prone to extreme retribution, we have found their reporting to be accurate.”

“It is curious therefore that the EU DisinfoLab report mentions some of these individuals but avoids comment on what they said or indeed if what was said was accurate or not,” the ANI statement further read.

ANI also lambasted the EU DisinfoLab for suggesting that the veil of anonymity in hostile regions such as Balochistan and Xinjiang—places where dissidents could lose their lives for speaking up against state-sponsored atrocities—should be broken and generalising the peculiarities of reporting from Pakistan and China to all of ANI’s reporting.

The statement also cited reports published by Reuters and BBC, which likewise use similar anonymous sources and cite analysis from popular but anonymous OSINT Twitter user DETRESFA.

One of the reports published by Reuters cited anonymous OSINT experts to report on filtration locations run by Russia. ANI said it used the exact same process to establish the reporting credibility of such OSINT experts, but the EU Disinfo Lab’s motivated attack against the news agency hints at a baiting tactic aimed at doxxing the anonymous sources than checking the veracity of the reportage.

Even as Punjab police gives in to demands of Khalistani Amritsingh Pal, DGP says ‘action being taken against attackers: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Even as Punjab police gives in to demands of Khalistani Amritsingh Pal, DGP says ‘action being taken against attackers: Details

A day after surrendering to pro-Khalistan leader Amritpal Singh in Ajnala by cancelling the FIR against his close aide Lovepreet Toofan, Punjab Police Chief Gaurav Yadav declared on Friday that action is being taken against the supporters of Amritpal Singh who unleashed violence during hours-long standoff and eventually took over the Ajnala police station on February 23.

“Videos of the incident are being analysed by police,” the director general of police said at a press conference in Chandigarh hours after Lovepreet Singh walked free from Amritsar central jail.

“The protesters attacked the police in a cowardly manner under the garb of Guru Granth Sahib,” Yadav said, adding that the Punjab police worked with utmost restraint to maintain the dignity of Guru Granth Sahib.

“The police could have opened fire and it could have led to more issues that is why we acted in utmost restraint. Six policemen, including former national hockey player and SP Jugraj Singh, were injured in the incident,” he said.

He claimed that Amritpal and his allies informed the police of a peaceful protest, but they used the alibi of the Guru Granth Sahib to break down barricades.

Adding that “appropriate action” will be taken against the perpetrators, Punjab DGP said, “As far as yesterday’s incident is concerned, appropriate action will be taken. Video footage is being analysed. SP has been injured with 11 stitches. Five other Police personnel were also injured. Their statement will be recorded & further legal action will be taken.”

As Punjab police decided to free Khalistani aide CM Bhagwant Mann said law and order is under control

Interestingly, yesterday, following the state’s hours-long state of anarchy, CM Bhagwant Mann also claimed that law and order were under control in Punjab.

Speaking at the fifth Progressive Punjab Investors Summit, CM Bhagwant Mann claimed that the state of Punjab has the right environment and peaceful atmosphere to set up factories and plants here.

Despite the assurances of the Punjab police and Bhagwant Mann, the recent events in Punjab and the “peaceful” protests conducted by supporters headed by the Waris Punjab De leader imply otherwise. It was witnessed how supporters of Amritpal and Lovepreet Toofan staged a “peaceful” protest with lathis, swords, and weapons, attacking Punjab Police officials with sticks, and breaking down barricades.

During the hours-long standoff and eventual takeover of the police station, the Punjab Police was compelled to give in to the demands of Khalistani Amritpal Singh. The Punjab Police agreed to release his aide Lovepreet Toofan on February 24.

Supporters of Amritpal Singh protest with swords, attack Police in Amritsar

On February 23, tension gripped Ajnala, Amritsar, as the supporters of pro-Khalistani self-proclaimed religious leader Amritpal Singh surrounded the Police station in massive numbers. Notably, Singh is the president of Waris Punjab De, an organisation that was started by pro-Khalistani actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu who died in a road accident last year.

Singh’s followers congregated in the morning to hold a demonstration at Ajnala police station concerning an FIR lodged against Amritpal and associates. To impede them from arriving at the station, Police barricaded the area with additional forces from five districts. The previous day, Amritpal Singh had called his supporters to come in large numbers to the Police Station at 11 AM, where he was scheduled to appear and demand the cancellation of the FIR.

Notably, the complaint against Amritpal Singh and his associates was filed by Varinder Singh, a resident of Chamkaur Sahib. The complainant accused Amritpal and his gang of abducting and attacking him when he came to Ajnala for a spiritual event. Amritpal denied the accusations and claimed that the case was registered against him and his followers on the complaint of a “mentally unstable” person who had made derogatory statements against his jatha.

Notably, on February 21, Amritpal Singh had issued a veiled threat to Home Minister Amit Shah saying that the latter will have to face a similar fate as that of Indira Gandhi. “Indira tried to suppress, what happened? Now Amit Shah can fulfil his wish and see”, he said.

Didn’t retaliate against Amritpal Singh supporters attacking Ajnala police station because they were carrying Guru Granth Sahib: Punjab Police

OpIndia Staff
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Didn’t retaliate against Amritpal Singh supporters attacking Ajnala police station because they were carrying Guru Granth Sahib: Punjab Police

Amritpal Singh’s supporters, in a shocking act of chaos and lawlessness, stormed a police station in Ajnala, Amritsar, Punjab, on Thursday, to protest the arrest of Amritpal’s close companion Lovepreet Toofan Singh. They were seen donning lathis, swords and guns, in an attempt to intimidate the police force.

The Khalistanis had taken control over the police station for several hours, while the policemen looked on helplessly. No action was taken against the rioters. Punjab Police later cancelled the FIR against Lovepreet Toofan Singh, giving into the demands of the Khalistanis.

After the incident, Punjab Police have now responded with a statement in defence of their inaction, after taking heat for their passivity and caving to the demands of armed anarchists brandishing swords.

According to reports, the police exercised caution and didn’t retaliate against the attack of the Khalistanis, because they did not want to let things spiral out of control and make the already volatile situation worse. The police have said that the gang of Amritpal Singh used the holy Guru Granth Sahib as a shield to attack the police station, as they knew that the police would not want to be accused of sacrilege if something happens to the Granth Sahib in police action.

Senior Superintendent of Punjab Police, Harpal Singh Randhawa in an interview with NDTV, stated that the assailants were not only armed with weapons but also carried Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of Sikhs, which caused the police to ‘back off.’

“What happened yesterday should not have happened. Punjab Police did not retaliate because Amritpal had brought Guru Granth Sahib with him. If we had retaliated, things would have gone awry. We respected Guru Granth Sahib,” the official remarked.

He asserted, that in spite of the separatist leader’s assurances of a quiet protest, his men attacked the police.

“Amritpal had earlier said that he would hold only peaceful dharna. But he cheated us. His men attacked the Punjab Police. But we did not retaliate at all because Guru Granth Sahib was in front. I would like to salute the Punjab Police personnel who did not retaliate,” he said.

The senior police officer claimed that the cops made the best effort possible, given the circumstances.

“There is a rule of law in Punjab. Amritpal is not above the law. If we had taken even a little action, the situation could have worsened across Punjab. We did what we saw fit. Whatever happened yesterday, action will be taken according to the law,” he added.

Randhawa refuted charges that Thursday’s police response would inspire people like Amritpal Singh who have campaigned for a separate nation of Sikhs called Khalistan and that it was a sign of eroding peace and order under the state’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. He also denied the presence of any separatist movement in the state.

“No Khalistani movement is going to happen in Punjab. People of Punjab, Punjab Police have finished terrorism from Punjab. These are some bad guys. Amritpal is being called wrong everywhere today. We want to assure the whole country that there is rule of law in Punjab,” he proclaimed.

He assured, that the police case against Lovepreet Toofan ‘has not been dropped.’ He declared, “A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted and every person’s role will be probed.”

Jumping to the defense of his party, state minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal commented, “People of Punjab should have faith in chief minister Bhagwant Mann to maintain law and order in the state.”

Ex-Chief Minister of the state, Captain Amarinder Singh also expressed concern over the dramatic episode and alleged, “this is not only a complete collapse of the law and order situation in Punjab, but it is also more serious than that.” He further emphasized that the occurrence had significant security ramifications for both the state and the nation.

Punjab Police had released Lovepreet Toofan claiming, “enough proof of his innocence,” after the violent protest.

It is notable that the allegation of sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib is a very sensitive issue in Punjab, and police generally keep their distance from the issue. There have been several murders of people by mobs on the allegations of sacrilege of the holy book or other holy items associated with Sikhism. In most such cases, no police action is taken.

Australia to replace all Chinese-made security cameras to prevent intelligence gathering by Beijing

ANI
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Australia to replace all Chinese-made security cameras to prevent intelligence gathering by Beijing

Amid potential security threats from Chinese-made security cameras, Australia has decided to remove them, reported Australian Publication The Age.

Victoria Police has confirmed it will replace all Chinese-made cameras by the end of next year to counter foreign intelligence gathering. The Age revealed on Tuesday, the City of Greater Geelong is replacing Chinese-made CCTV cameras amid concerns the makers of such devices are compelled to hand over data to Beijing if asked.

The force said a number of cameras were still operating across the state and despite being deemed low risk, would be progressively replaced, reported The Age.

Victorian Liberal senator James Paterson, who has been pursuing this issue at a federal level through Senate estimates, said he’d like Victoria Police to replace all Chinese-made cameras before the end of 2024.

“I’d like to see much more urgency,” he said. “If they are a national security risk, there should be no delay in addressing it.”

Earlier this week, the Victorian government confirmed it would conduct an audit of all security cameras at government-owned sites.

The federal government has already removed hundreds of Chinese-made devices from Commonwealth departments and locations such as the Australian War Memorial, reported The Age.

A spokeswoman for Victoria Police said the agency was aware of the debate surrounding Chinese-made cameras.

“There continues to be a number of Chinese-manufactured cameras used across the state and these are being progressively replaced,” she said.

The spokeswoman added that while police would continue to monitor the situation, the cameras in question were currently considered low-risk because they were connected to a secure network.

“It is expected the cameras in question will all be replaced by the end of 2024,” she said.

The development has been welcomed by upper house Liberal Democrats MP David Limbrick, whose party opposes mass surveillance, reported The Age.

Devices made by Chinese companies Hikvision and Dahua have been linked to Beijing’s efforts to ramp up facial recognition technology, and coerce and control Uyghur minorities.

An audit of surveillance equipment, conducted by the shadow cybersecurity minister, James Paterson, has confirmed that more than 900 products built by Chinese companies Hikvision and Dahua are installed at government locations.

The US and the UK have already banned these products at government locations, with the US Federal Communications Commission warning of an “unacceptable risk to national security” due to possible espionage and spyware.

Meanwhile, Hikvision has said it was categorically false to suggest the company was a threat to national security, reported The Age. 

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

Jamshedpur: Shabbir Khan poses as Sameer Kumar to trap a minor Hindu girl, starts blackmailing after she learns the truth

OpIndia Staff
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Jamshedpur: Shabbir Khan poses as Sameer Kumar to trap a minor Hindu girl, starts blackmailing after she learns the truth

On Thursday, February 23, several members of Hindu organizations staged a protest at the Kadma police station in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand after a 14-year-old Hindu girl lodged a complaint accusing a Muslim youth of threatening and blackmailing her for refusing to convert to Islam and marry him. 

In her complaint, the minor has alleged that the 20-year-old accused identified as Shabbir Khan posed as a Hindu named Sameer Kumar and befriended her near her school about a month ago. The two soon grew close and entered into a relationship, following this, Shabbir clicked several obscene pictures of the victim. 

However, after a month the minor girl found out that Sameer was actually Shabbir Khan, and he had changed his identity to start the relationship with her. When she learned about the real identity of the accused, she broke up with him and tried to distance herself from him. However, the accused Shabbir started blackmailing the victim to convert to Islam and perform a Nikah with him. On refusing, the accused threatened to circulate her private pictures on social media. 

Following this, the victim informed her family members about the matter, who later approached Hindu rights organizations. Activists of Hindu organizations including Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Durga Vahini, and a BJP leader gheraoed the Kadma police station on Thursday demanding stringent action against the accused Shabbir Khan. BJP leader Abhay Singh and VHP’s Ashok Kumar said that this is a case of ‘love jihad’. 

Meanwhile, Kadma police station in-charge S Ram said that a case has been registered on the basis of the victim’s complaint and further action is being taken.

After threatening Amit Shah with Indira Gandhi’s fate, Amritpal Singh says Khalistan should be viewed from an ‘intellectual point of view’

OpIndia Staff
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After threatening Amit Shah with Indira Gandhi’s fate, Amritpal Singh says Khalistan should be viewed from an ‘intellectual point of view’

On Friday, radical preacher Amritpal Singh in Amritsar said that Khalistan should be viewed from an intellectual prism, a day after his supporters – some armed with swords and guns – forcibly entered the Ajnala police station by breaking barricades.

Defending himself and his supporters in the aftermath of the unrest, Singh made a case for Khalistan and its supposed “geopolitical benefits”.

“The pursuit of Khalistan should not be viewed as a negative or taboo concept, but rather from an intellectual standpoint of its potential geopolitical advantages. He also added that Khalistan is an ideology that will never perish and that they are not requesting it from Delhi,” ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief Amritpal Singh was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Amritpal Singh stated that they have received assurances that the detained individual will be released shortly, pending the completion of necessary legal formalities.

He mentioned that he and his supporters are anticipating the release of Lovepreet Singh by Friday evening. Once released, they plan to offer their respects at the Golden Temple.

Satinder Singh, the Superintendent of Police in Amritsar Rural, informed reporters that the Amritpal side has presented evidence demonstrating that Lovepreet Singh was not present at the location in question, pertaining to the purported kidnapping incident.

“They gave the evidence on Thursday. On the basis of that he is being discharged through the court…We are submitting that evidence to the honourable judge,” the SSP said.

However, the police have remained ambiguous over the action taken in connection with the violence witnessed on Thursday. The police have placed a tight security cordon around the complex. At least three policemen were injured during the clashes on Thursday.

Reportedly, a substantial police presence continues to remain in place as the radical preacher, who has unabashedly supported the secessionist idea of Khalistan, and other demonstrators remained stationed at the Ajnala police station for several hours. Despite this, the police did not take any immediate action.

The Amritsar Police did not immediately disclose on Friday morning whether any charges had been filed against Amritpal Singh or his supporters for the violence that took place on Thursday.

Amritpal Singh’s veiled threat against Amit Shah and the unrest caused in Punjab

The attempt to contextualise the demand for Khalistan by Amritpal Singh comes hot on the heels of a threat issued by him against India’s Home Minister. Earlier this week, on the death anniversary of pro-Khalistani actor-turned-activist and founder of ‘Waris Punjab De’ Deep Sidhu, the current chief of the organization and Sikh leader, Amritpal Singh, issued a veiled threat to Home Minister Amit Shah. Singh visited Budhsingh Wala Village of district Moga in Punjab on February 19 where he insinuated that if HM Shah tried to suppress their voice, he would face a similar fate as Indira Gandhi.

Singh said, “Indira tried to suppress, what happened? Now Amit Shah can fulfil his wish and see”. Notably, HM Shah recently said in a statement that the Home Ministry is keeping an eye on the Khalistani supporters in Punjab. A media representative asked a question to Singh about HM Shah’s statement. In his reply, Singh claimed every child in Punjab talks about Khalistan.

“We are asking for our right, not someone else. For over 500 years, our forefathers have shed their blood on this land. So many people made sacrifices. We are claimants of this land. Nobody can snatch our claim. Neither Indira could remove it, nor could Modi or Amit Shah remove it. Let the armies from all over the world come. We will die, but we will not give up our claim,” he said.

Days later, violence swept Punjab as Amritpal and his supporters attacked the Ajnala police station with lathis, swords, and guns, breaking the police barricades and injuring the law enforcement officials. The protesters took over the police station as they demanded the cancellation of the FIR and the release of Lovepreet Toofan.

Singh’s followers had congregated in the morning to hold a demonstration at Ajnala police station concerning an FIR lodged against Amritpal and associates. To stop them from arriving at the station, Police had barricaded the area with additional forces from five districts. This came a day after Amritpal Singh, the chief of Waris Punjab De, had called his supporters to come in large numbers to the Police Station at 11 AM, where he would appear and demand the cancellation of the FIR.

The organization Waris Punjab De was established by Deep Sidhu, an actor-turned-activist. He gained popularity among pro-Khalistani elements during farmer protests. Sidhu died in a road accident in February 2022. Amritpal Singh was declared head of Waris Punjab De following Sidhu’s death. At that time, Singh was in Dubai. In September 2022, he returned to India and officially took charge of the organization. Since that day, he has been preaching Sikhism in Punjab and connecting with the youth. Armed guards accompany him everywhere, and there is a striking resemblance between how he preaches and how Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale preached Sikhism during his initial days as a Sikh leader.

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