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Election Commission rules that Eknath Shinde heads the real Shiv Sena, allots name ‘Shiv Sena’ and ‘Bow and Arrow’ symbol to his faction

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Election Commission rules that Eknath Shinde heads the real Shiv Sena, allots name ‘Shiv Sena’ and ‘Bow and Arrow’ symbol to his faction

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday announced that the party name “Shiv Sena” and the symbol “Bow and Arrow” will be retained by the Eknath Shinde faction.

Notably, both factions of Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray) have been fighting for the bow and arrow symbol of the party since Shinde (present Maharashtra Chief Minister) revolted against Thackeray last year. The Commission observed that the current constitution of the Shiv Sena party is undemocratic. It has been mutilated to undemocratically appoint people from a coterie as office bearers without any election at all. Such party structures fail to inspire confidence.

In a landmark decision with far-reaching implications on political parties and their conduct, ECI advised all political parties to reflect democratic ethos and principles of inner party democracy and regularly disclose on their respective websites aspects of their inner party functioning, such as organisational details, holding of elections, the copy of Constitution and list of office bearers.

“The constitution of political parties ought to provide for free, fair and transparent elections to the posts of office bearers and a further free and fair procedure for the resolution of internal disputes. These procedures ought to be difficult to amend and should be amendable only after ensuring larger support of the organisational members for the same,” the ECI said.

“The Constitution of SS amended in 2018 is not given to ECI. Amendments had undone the act of introducing democratic norms in the Party Constitution of 1999, brought by the Late Balasaheb Thackeray at the insistence of the Commission,” the ECI added.

The ECI observed that the undemocratic norms of the original Constitution of Shiv Sena, which was not accepted by the Commission in 1999 have been brought back in a surreptitious manner further making the party akin to a fiefdom.

The Rashtriya Karyakarini is a body which is ‘elected’ by a largely ‘appointed’ Pratinidhi Sabha. The Commission conveyed to Shiv Sena in the year 1999 on the draft amendments when Bala Saheb was made leader of Sena for life: “To put in a nutshell, the party Constitution envisages the President nominating the Electoral College that is to elect him. Therefore, any reliance on the ‘”Test of Party Constitution”‘ for determining the present dispute case will be undemocratic and catalytic in spreading such practices across parties.

The ECI said that the 2018 Constitution of SS, by way of its plain reading on the vital axis of remedy/modality of dissent, stifles all options of the rival group(s) in its very formulation. It confers widespread powers of making various organisational appointments on a single person.

“The 40 MLAs, supporting the Shinde faction, garnered 36,57327 votes out of a total of 47,82440 votes i.e ~76 per cent of votes polled in favour of 55 winning MLAs in the GA to the LA 19. This contrasts with 11,25113 votes garnered by 15 MLAs whose support is claimed by the Uddhav Thakre faction i.e ~ 23.5 per cent of votes polled in favour of winning 55 MLAs,” it said.

Further, as against 90,49,789, total votes polled by Shiv Sena in the General election to the Legislative Assembly of Maharashtra in 2019 (including the losing candidates), votes polled by 40 MLAs supporting the Shinde faction come to ~40 per cent whereas votes polled by 15 MLAs supporting the Uddhav Thakre faction come to ~12 per cent of total votes, the Commission said.

“The 13 MPs supporting the Shinde faction garnered 74,88,634 votes out of a total of 1,02,45143 votes i.e ~73 per cent of votes polled in favour of 18 MPs in the general election to the Lok Sabha, 2019. This contrasts with 27,56,509 votes garnered by 5 MPs supporting Uddhav Thakre faction (although claimed 6 and affidavits filed by only 4) i.e ~ 27 per cent of votes polled in favour of 18 MPs,” the Commission further stated.

Further, as against 1,25,89064, the total votes polled by Shiv Sena in the Lok Sabha election, 2019 (including the losing candidates), votes polled by 13 MPs supporting the Shinde faction come to ~59 per cent whereas votes polled by 5 MPs (claimed 6 whereas affidavits of only 4) supporting the Uddhav Thakre faction comes to ~22 per cent, the Commission added.

Last month, both the Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and former CM Uddhav Thackeray-led factions of the Shiv Sena submitted their written statements in support of their claims of control over the party name and symbol to the Election Commission.

The ECI had frozen the bow and arrow symbol of the Shiv Sena and had allotted the ‘Two Swords and Shield symbol’ to the Eknath Shinde faction of Shiv Sena and the ‘flaming torch’ (mashaal) election symbol was allotted to the Uddhav Thackeray faction for the bypoll in Andheri East assembly constituency in November last year.

In November last year, Uddhav Thackeray had moved a writ plea in the Delhi High Court against the ECI decision to freeze Election Symbol of Bow and Arrow. However, the plea was dismissed by the court.

Notably, EC passed the interim order saying in Andheri East bypolls, neither of the two groups shall be permitted to use the symbol “Bow and Arrow”, reserved for “Shiv Sena”.

The Commission’s ruling had come amid the ongoing symbol war between the Uddhav Thackeray camp and rival Eknath Shinde camp. 

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

“The storm is coming’: Image of Hanuman reappears on the full-scale model of HAL’s HLFT-42 aircraft on the last day of Aero India 2023

OpIndia Staff
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“The storm is coming’: Image of Hanuman reappears on the full-scale model of HAL’s HLFT-42 aircraft on the last day of Aero India 2023

In the latest development at Aero India 2023 being held at Bangalore in Karnataka, the picture of Bajrang Bali Hanuman reappeared on the full-scale model of HLFT-42 (Hindustan Lead-in Fighter Trainer) made by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). On 14th February 2023, the picture of Lord Hanuman was removed from the tail of the fighter aircraft in order to ensure that the program runs through successfully without getting into any controversy. But the image reappeared on the aircraft on the last of the Aero India 2023 on 17 February, where the HLFT-42 full-scale model was displayed.

The Aero India show 2023 was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on 13th February 2023, Monday, in Bangalore. At the expo, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) revealed a scale model of the Hindustan Lead-in Fighter Trainer (HLFT-42). The image of Bajrang Bali Hanuman embossed on the tail of this fighter aircraft has become one of the key attractions. The image of the Sanatan deity symbolizing power and devotion toward one’s duty comes with a declaration mentioned near the image that reads ‘The storm is coming’.

On 14th February 2023, the picture was removed from the model of the plane. In a statement, CMD of HAL CB Ananthakrishnan said, “It is not with any intention that it has been put, and it has not been with any intention that it has been removed. It is just to see that the program runs through successfully without getting into any [controversy].”

In another statement, Ananthakrishnan said, “We put up Lord Hanuman’s image only to showcase the plane’s strength. However, we decided to remove it after the controversy. The idea was to establish a link with our trainer aircraft, Marut. However, we saw controversy erupting around it. The project is at its first stage. We only want to concentrate on it.”

However, the removal of the image created another controversy, and there was a backlash against HAL for the removal. The public sector company was accused of bowing to the pressure of anti-Hindu elements.

Following the outrage, the Hanuman sticker with the ‘The storm is coming’ text has been put back on the vertical stabiliser of the model of the aircraft on the last day of Aero India 2023 on Friday. In the image, Hanuman is seen in battle mode carrying his mace.

Significance Bajrang Bali Hanuman

The HLFT-42’s forceful Lord Hanuman design on the tail establishes the connection between the new aircraft and the HLFT-24 Marut. HLFT-24 Marut was the first Indian-developed fighter aircraft. It was developed by HAL in 1961.

According to Hindu scriptures, Marut means the Pavan Dev which is the lord of air and wind. Pavan Dev is Lord Hanuman’s heavenly father. He bestowed many superpowers to Bajrang Bali Lord Hanuman including the one of flying at great speeds anywhere in space. Therefore, Bajrang Bali Hanuman is also called Maruti, that is, the son of Marut.

HLFT-42 with a picture of Bajrang Bali Lord Hanuman on its tail is thus seen as the successor of the fighter aircraft HLFT-24 Marut that helped Indian forces destroy many tanks of the Pakistani army in the battle of Longewala during the 1971 Indo-Pak war.

‘Loudspeaker was removed from Hanuman temple but azaan from the mosque blares 5 time a day’: Priest in Palamu complains of discrimination by police

OpIndia Staff
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‘Loudspeaker was removed from Hanuman temple but azaan from the mosque blares 5 time a day’: Priest in Palamu complains of discrimination by police

Violence erupted at Panki Bazar in Palamu of Jharkhand over a welcome gate being built ahead of Mahashivratri celebrations. In this case, local Hindus are accusing the administration of being biased against Hindus. There is a Hanuman temple near the mosque. Locals say that some Islamists planned the violence because they did not want Hindus to worship and perform rituals in this temple.

The administration has imposed Section 144 in the area and has also shut down the internet service in the area. After Section 144, a gathering of more than four people has been banned in the area.

The priest of the Hanuman temple says that the administration has also removed the loudspeaker from the temple. Worship and aarti etc. were organized through this loudspeaker. The priest says that the administration has removed the loudspeaker from the temple, but has not removed it from the mosque. Azaan is still being offered on loudspeaker five times a day.

The Hindus accused the Palamu administration of unilateral action, saying Hindus were being harassed. Locals say that if the administration had taken strict measures in the beginning, the riot would not have spread so much. Along with Hindus, many policemen have also been injured in stone pelting from the mosque.

Locals have also complained that on the day of the violence, there was a wedding of a Hindu girl in the area. The police did not allow dhol baaja and processions, and Baraatis (wedding guests) were only allowed to the wedding venue in small groups.

Local administration and police harassed Hindus, say locals

Locals told OpIndia that Hindus were being targeted by the administration. Most of the Hindu boys in the area are on the run from their homes. People allege that the police administration is assaulting them. The women of their houses are being abused by the police.

It is being said that a TV journalist was also beaten up by the police. At the same time, the police are accused of entering the house of a teacher and assaulting him. People say that the police are torturing Hindus while giving protection to Muslims. However, the district administration has denied any such incident.

People say that after the incident the police lathi-charged the Hindus. Many Hindus have also been injured by this. People say that the police administration is forcibly entering the houses of Hindus. The police allegedly broke the doors to enter Hindu houses and abused the women. The local administration has denied these claims.

People allege that Hindus are being forcibly taken away and beaten up badly. At the same time, the police are giving protection to Muslims. Locals say that local Congress MLAs are also supporting Muslims. For this reason, the police administration is not taking any action against Muslims.

Locals say that there are backward and Dalit people living in the area. That is why Muslims often torture them. People say that the area of upper caste people is 5-6 kilometres away. That’s why they often have to bear the apathy of local administration.

How did the violence start?

Locals said that on the night of February 14, some labourers were digging pits on the road to build a welcome gate. Around six pits had to be dug. One of these pits was falling in front of a shop named Muskan Mobile. The owner of this shop is Kaleem Alam. He stopped Hindus from digging the pit.

After this, the tent owner was called to install the welcome gate. When local Hindus asked why he is not allowing the gates to be installed, Kaleem said that it falls right in front of his shop. On this, the local Hindus said “Aren’t the same pits dug at that place when Muslims set up tents to celebrate a program? This welcome gate will be there for just four days, after that the gate will be removed.” On this, Kaleem said that he will not allow the Hindus to raise even a pole of the gate. He said, “Do whatever you want to do.”

Local Hindus told OpIndia that in response to Kaleem’s adamant stand, the local Hindus replied, “This is government land and you cannot stop here.” After this, Kaleem and another person named Mehboob went to the mosque. After this, they started talking to each other and gradually 50-60 people gathered there.

The Hindus informed the police station. When the police officer came here, he asked what was happening. The police officer said, “If the welcome gate has not been installed here before, then why are you installing it now?” The locals asked him, “Sir, you tell us where to set it then if not here. We will install the gate wherever you tell us to.” The police officer said that leave this spot and go to another place. After this, the police officer left.

Locals said that during this time, Muslims came and started uprooting the installation and hit a Hindu on the head. In this attack, the victim received 8 stitches. People say that Muslims went to their homes from there and started throwing stones from the roofs. They also started pelting stones from the mosque. People say that stones were brought in a tractor and were kept on rooftops.

‘Evidence of tax avoidance and discrepancies found, used dilatory tactics in producing documents’: Finance Ministry on I-T survey at BBC offices

OpIndia Staff
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‘Evidence of tax avoidance and discrepancies found, used dilatory tactics in producing documents’: Finance Ministry on I-T survey at BBC offices

The Ministry of Finance has issued a statement detailing the survey done by the Income Tax department at the Delhi and Mumbai offices of the BBC. The survey, which started on 14th February, Tuesday, continued for 3 days and ended on Thursday evening. The survey went on for almost 60 hours.

Without naming BBC, the statement said that a survey action under section 133A of the Income tax Act, 1961(the Act) was carried out at the business premises of group entities of a prominent international Media Company at Delhi and Mumbai.

The statement noted that BBC is engaged in the business of development of content in English, Hindi and various other Indian languages; advertisement sales and market support services, etc in India.

The statement said that the income/profits shown by various group entities under BBC India do not match their scale of operations in India, as the quantity of content in India is substantial. In the raid by the Income tax department, which has been described as a survey, several evidences were found that shows that tax has not been paid on certain remittances which have not been disclosed as income in India by the foreign entities of the group.

The ministry further informed that the survey revealed that BBC India had made remittances to its foreign offices for utilising the services of seconded employees, or temporary employees sent from overseas. While such remittances are subjected to withholding tax, BBC avoided it.

Further, the I-T department also found discrepancies and inconsistencies with regard to Transfer Pricing documentation. Such discrepancies relate to the level of relevant Function, Asset and Risk (FAR) analysis, incorrect use of comparables which are applicable to determine the correct Arms Length Price (ALP) and inadequate revenue apportionment, among others, the statement said.

The ministry has said that the survey operation has resulted in the unearthing of crucial evidences by way of statements of employees, digital evidences and documents which will be further examined in due course. “It is pertinent to state that statements of only those employees were recorded whose role was crucial including those connected to, primarily, finance, content development and other production related functions,” the ministry said.

The finance ministry also said that BBC used dilatory tactics in providing documents sought during the survey. “Even though the Department exercised due care to record statements of only key personnel, it was observed that dilatory tactics were employed including in the context of producing documents/agreements sought,” the statement added. The finance ministry added that despite the lack of adequate cooperation from the group, the survey was done in such a way that it does not interfere with regular operations of the media group. “Despite such stance of the group, the survey operation was conducted in a manner so as to facilitate continued regular media/channel activity,” the ministry said in the statement.

‘Ye Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai’: BJP questions why Rahul Gandhi’s close aide tweeted George Soros’s statement as Congress distances itself from Soros

OpIndia Staff
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‘Ye Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai’: BJP questions why Rahul Gandhi’s close aide tweeted George Soros’s statement as Congress distances itself from Soros

Ever since billionaire and controversial financier George Soros said that the Narendra Modi government will be weakened by the woes of Adani, opening the door to a “democratic revival” in the country, a political war of words has erupted.

BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla said that the Congres party cannot distance itself from the controversial statement by Soros saying that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s close aide Praveen Chakravarty has tweeted Soros’s statement. This comes after senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh desperately tried to distance Congress from Soros’s statement.

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla tweeted, “Jairam, Since you love movie titles – how is this one? “yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai” or “Ham Saath Saath Hai” Suits you well on this closet relation between Congress & Soros – for ref see Praveen Chakravarty tweet. Congress ka haath hamesha desh virodhiyon ke saath kyu?.

Congress leader and Rahul Gandhi’s close aide Praveen Chakravarty in a tweet shared a news article on the recent statement by George Soros and wrote, “Modi may dodge answering questions about Adani in Parliament and in India but he cannot escape from foreign investors – George Soros.”

Who is Praveen Chakravarty?

Praveen Chakravarty was the Data Analytics head of the Indian National Congress and was a close aide of the party leader Rahul Gandhi. He was actively associated with Rahul Gandhi during the run-up to the 2019 general elections and many reports indicated that the Rafale bogey, which Rahul Gandhi invested a lot of political capital on, was his idea.

Congress tried damage control after Soros statement

This comes after senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh rushed to do the usual ‘damage control’ and tried to distance his party from the controversy.

In a tweet, Jairam Ramesh asserted that the ‘democratic revival in India depends entirely on Congress, the opposition and the electoral process.’ 

“Whether the PM-linked Adani scam sparks a democratic revival in India depends entirely on the Congress, Opposition parties & our electoral process. It has NOTHING to do with George Soros. Our Nehruvian legacy ensures people like Soros cannot determine our electoral outcomes”, Ramesh tweeted.

It is notable here that in a recent talk, Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of crony capitalism after claiming that the latter has a good relationship with Indian businessman Gautam Adani.

“Modi and business tycoon Adani are close allies. Their fate is intertwined,” Soros said. He made the contentious remarks at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in Germany ahead of the Munich Security Conference. “Adani Enterprises tried to raise funds in the stock market, but he failed. Adani is accused of stock manipulation and his stock collapsed like a house of cards,” the American billionaire alleged.

“Modi is silent on the subject, but he will have to answer questions from foreign investors and in parliament,” Soros said.

Subsequently, BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani lambasted controversial investor George Soros for saying that the Adani Group issue will seriously undermine Modi’s hold on India’s federal government.

On February 17, Smriti Irani held a press conference and said, “The man who broke the bank of England, a man who is recognized as an economic war criminal, has now stated his wish to break the Indian democracy. George Soros, who hedges his bets against several nations, has now made clear his ill intentions with regard to India’s democratic processes.

Soros is widely accused of leading efforts to overthrow governments in developing nations through his “Open Society Foundation,” which funds a huge network of political and legal NGOs, activists, and civil rights organizations working against governments deemed ‘unfavourable’ by Western powers.

Muslims object to bhajan and aartis in Mandir while Azan blares on mosque loudspeakers: Hindus in Palamu say the violence was pre-planned – Ground report

OpIndia Staff
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Muslims object to bhajan and aartis in Mandir while Azan blares on mosque loudspeakers: Hindus in Palamu say the violence was pre-planned – Ground report

Following the February 15th incident in Palamu, Jharkhand, in which a Muslim mob engaged in violence over the installation of welcome gates by Hindus ahead of Mahashivaratri, section 144 was imposed in the area and the internet has been shut down. Under the supervision of Inspector General (Palamu range) Raj Kumar Lakra, paramilitary forces and Palamu district police held a flag march in riot-affected Panki town in Jharkhand to instil confidence in the people, and the situation in the town, albeit tense, is now well under control.

SP Chandan Sinha said that the Police have registered two separate FIRs, in this case, naming around 100 identified people and around 1000 unknown people. Police have so far arrested 13 of them. The SP added that the internet service will remain suspended in the area for the time being.

The police have imposed severe restrictions on the number of people who can visit the temple and the mosque in the area for Mahashivaratri on Saturday and Namaaz on Friday. Only 4 persons are allowed in the mosque for the Friday prayers, and similarly, only 5 persons including one priest will be allowed in the temple for Shivaratri.

Muslims attempt to obstruct Hindu festivals under various pretexts: Local Hindus in Palamu speak about their plight

In response to the incident on February 15th, local Hindus stated that attacks on them by members of the Muslim community are extremely common in their area. Locals complained that they are never permitted to celebrate their festivities peacefully. Furthermore, whenever Hindus organise weddings or other functions in the vicinity, the Muslim side constantly causes a commotion under one pretext or another.

The locals said that in this particular incident as well, the Muslims created a nuisance over the installation of welcome gates under the pretext that it was being installed in front of the mosque. The Muslim mob not only pelted stones from the mosques but went to the extent of committing arson. 

Palamu SP Chandan Sinha stated that for Shivratri, members of the Shivratri committee proceeded to make an archway in front of the mosque. Every year, the archway is built at a different location. This year, the archway was installed in front of the mosque, without the authorisation of the administration or the police station. Muslims were outraged. Following this, there was a conflict.

The attack was planned over a month

According to information acquired by OpIndia, the February 15th violence was not a spontaneous act, but rather a well-planned attack that had been schemed for months. It is being said that an old Hanuman Mandir situated at a distance of about 150-200 meters from the mosque is the prime cause behind the recent spate of violence.

According to local Hindus, bhajans and aartis were previously held every Tuesday at the Hanuman temple, however, the administration suddenly stopped devotees from performing them inside of the temple.

Muslims took objection to bhajan-aarti being performed in Mandirs but Namaz continued to blare from loudspeakers installed in the mosque

Locals say a loudspeaker was placed at the temple around a month ago to play bhajans. People associated with the mosque were outraged at this. The mosque committee began protesting and complaining to the local police about it. The temple’s loudspeaker was eventually removed, but Azaan continued to blare from loudspeakers installed in the mosque.

Local Hindus stated that Hindus in the region are being harassed at the behest of Abu Hasan, the leader of the mosque committee, and chief Nehal Ansari. Lamenting how the police and administration favour the Muslim community, they stated that Muslims in the neighbourhood frequently approach the police and complain about not being able to offer Namaz due to the Bhajan and Aarti being performed in the Hanuman Temple, and the police respond by taking action against the Hindus, but whenever the Hindu side complains, they are only summoned to the police station and humiliated and mistreated.

The local Hindus further recalled that prior to the Palamu incident, in which Muslims engaged in violence over the building of ‘toran dwar’ (welcome gates) by Hindus ahead of Mahashivratri, a message was being circulated by the Muslim side to gather at the mosque on Friday for the Juma Namaz. The Hindus, who live in constant fear of retribution at the hands of the Muslim community, became wary as soon as they learned of the message being spread.

Local Hindus claim that they were stoned from the mosque across the archway. In addition, petrol bombs were thrown. Only the Muslim side set fire to the building. According to locals, the Muslim side set fire to the property assuming it belonged to Hindus. According to these sources, approximately 20 Hindus have been injured in this assault.

Hindus being singled out and targetted

On the condition of anonymity, a local stated that the state administration supports the Muslims in the area, which is why Hindus are being picked out and attacked, and the police are taking unilateral action against Hindus in the incident. “Hindus have been singled out and named in the FIR. The names of those Hindus, who were not even in the city at the time of the occurrence, are also included in the FIR,” a local Hindu stated.

The arrested persons include Nehal Ansari, Mobin Ansari, Mehboob Alam, Shahzad Alam, Zahid Ansari, Karan Kumar Singh, Roshan Kumar, Sumit Singh, Deepak Kumar Gupta, Ritesh Kumar Singh, Dhananjay Kumar Bhuiyan, Madan Ram, and Rajiullah Ansari. Among them, Nehal is a former head of Panki Paschim Panchayat.

Muslims play the victim

Notably, on February 15th, 2023, the Muslim mob not only pelted stones from the mosques but committed arson. After indulging in violence against Hindus, Muslims started playing the victim.

After the violence against Hindus, Hyderabad MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi proceeded to dog whistle and paint the perpetrators as the victims. “Stones were hurled at the mosque and two houses and some vehicles were burnt”, he said. However, in reality, it was a Hindu who was first hit in the head and then stone pelting took place from the mosque.

Asaduddin Owaisi didn’t stop here. He said that the welcome gate should not have been built in front of the mosque. He blamed the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for it, saying the rioters and the Sangh Parivar won. Interestingly, while the blamed the victims, the Hindus, he also justified the violence by the Muslim mob by saying that the Mahashivratri celebrations should not have taken place in front of the mosque.

In the kind of narrative being created about the Palamu violence, an attempt is being made to prove Muslims as victims, and Hindus – who are actually victims – as goons. It is being clearly said in the media report that Hindus of Panki in Palamu were preparing for Mahashivratri. During this time they built a welcome gate on the square. The mosque is located near the square.

Locals say that this mosque, known as Jama Masjid, has been built with the help of Hindus. Locals say that this mosque is not very old nor is there much of a population of Muslims in the surrounding area. The area where the mosque has been built is Hindu-dominated.

After the construction of the welcome gate, some Muslims came out of the mosque and asked to dismantle this gate. They said that there is a mosque nearby and a welcome gate can not be built near the mosque. The Hindu side did not agree to this and said that they are building the welcome gates on the road, which is government property.

MEA launches mPassport Police App, police verification process to become faster

ANI
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MEA launches mPassport Police App, police verification process to become faster

The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday introduced the ‘mPassport Police App’ to streamline and expedite the process of police verification of passport issuance.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday dedicated 350 mobile Tablets to personnel of Delhi Police Special Branch, on the occasion of the force’s Raising Day. These devices will now enable the entire process of police verification and submission reports to become paperless, according to a release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs Regional Passport Office (RPO), Delhi on Friday.

Verification using tablets will reduce the verification time from 15 days to five days, effectively reducing the passport issuance timeline by ten days, according to the release by Delhi’s Regional Passport Officer, Abhishek Dubey.

RPO Delhi in a tweet on Friday said the office is committed to efficient service delivery and Digital India. The mPassport Police App will reduce the verification time to 5 days.

“Hon’ble HM@AmitShah has dedicated 350 Mobile Tablets to personnel of Spl. Branch/Delhi Police. With these tablets, the entire process of passport application verification will become digital and paperless and verification time will be reduced to 5 days,” the Delhi Police tweeted on Thursday.

Shah on Thursday tweeted in Hindi: “Launched the Passport Mobile Application for quick verification of passports. Having digital verification will save time as well as bring transparency to police investigations.”

“These steps taken today are important efforts in the direction of the Police Technology Mission of Modi-ji for smart policing,” the minister further wrote.

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

Jairam Ramesh rushes to distance Congress from George Soros after regime change architect admitted that Adani-Hindenburg issue was politically motivated

OpIndia Staff
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Jairam Ramesh rushes to distance Congress from George Soros after regime change architect admitted that Adani-Hindenburg issue was politically motivated

Soon after George Soros’ statement over the Adani-Hindenburg issue went viral in India, triggering discussions that the attack on the conglomerate was intended to target PM Modi politically, the Congress Party has turned on its “damage control” mode.

In a tweet, Congress chief of communications Jairam Ramesh has hastened to clarify that the Congress party, which has been most vocal against Adani, and has been doing exactly what George Soros endorsed, has nothing to do with George Soros.

“Whether the PM-linked Adani scam sparks a democratic revival in India depends entirely on the Congress, Opposition parties & our electoral process. It has NOTHING to do with George Soros. Our Nehruvian legacy ensures people like Soros cannot determine our electoral outcomes”, tweeted Ramesh.

Jairam Ramesh offers clarification, distances Congress party from George Soros

It is notable here that in a recent talk, Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of crony capitalism after claiming that the latter has a good relationship with Indian businessman Gautam Adani.

“Modi and business tycoon Adani are close allies. Their fate is intertwined,” Soros said. He made the contentious remarks at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in Germany ahead of the Munich Security Conference. “Adani Enterprises tried to raise funds in the stock market, but he failed. Adani is accused of stock manipulation and his stock collapsed like a house of cards,” the billionaire alleged.

“Modi is silent on the subject, but he will have to answer questions from foreign investors and in parliament,” Soros was heard as saying.

Interestingly, Congress has been doing exactly what Soros said. Highlighting the Adani-Hindenburg issue, accusing PM Modi of crony capitalism without any factual basis, and trying to raise the issue in parliament. Also going a step further and making the Adani-Hindenburg issue a tool to launch political attacks on PM Modi, exactly like Soros said. So now it is going to be very difficult for the Congress party to convince the people that though they have been doing exactly what George Soros said, they have nothing to do with him.

Soros, whose ‘Open Society Foundation’ supports a vast network of political and legal NGOs, activists and civil rights groups is often accused of running regime change operations in developing countries.

In the last few decades, George Soros has time and again has shown his desperation to wage war against the nationalist government in India through various networks funded by him comprising of NGOs, media, intelligentsia, etc. 

Soros’ mention of the Adani-Hindenburg issue has validated the theories that the attack on Adani may have been planned to hinder India’s growth story and use it as a smear campaign against PM Modi.

BJP’s Smrti Irani slams George Soros over his Adani remarks, says ‘designated economic war criminal intends to weaken Indian democracy’: What she said

OpIndia Staff
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BJP’s Smrti Irani slams George Soros over his Adani remarks, says ‘designated economic war criminal intends to weaken Indian democracy’: What she said

On Friday, Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani slammed controversial financier George Soros for claiming that the Adani Group dispute would significantly weaken Modi’s grip on India’s federal government.

Holding a press conference on February 17, the leader said, “The man who broke the bank of England, a man who is designated as an economic war criminal has now pronounced his desire to break the Indian democracy. George Soros, who hedges bets against many countries has now declared his ill intentions in the democratic processes of India.”

“George Soros wants a government that is pliable to his needs for making his nefarious plans successful. It is evident from his statements that he has pronounced funding over one billion dollars particularly to target leaders like PM Modi is significant,” she said.

Smriti Irani continued by saying that the imperialist intentions of the businessman who seeks to demonise our democracy have come to the fore at a time when India has risen to become the fifth-largest economy in the world and when India receives gratitude from global leaders like the Presidents of the USA and France, and the PM of England for enabling employment not only in India but also in these three nations.

“Today, as a citizen, I call upon every individual, organisation, and society to denounce the intention of this individual who is seeking to weaken our democratic interests for his personal gains,” she added.

Smriti Irani further stated that those whom Soros considers pliable need to be aware that India has already thwarted imperialistic plans and will do so again. “In India, democracy has and will continue to triumph.  These attempts to weaken Indian democracy will be addressed with the might of India led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” she stated. 

The Minister called Soros’ remark a declaration to destroy India’s democratic processes and reiterated that war was being mounted against India and PM Modi. On February 16, Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros accused PM, Modi of crony capitalism, after claiming that the latter has a good relationship with Indian businessman Gautam Adani.

“Modi and business tycoon Adani are close allies. Their fate is intertwined,” Soros said. He made the contentious remarks at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in Germany ahead of the Munich Security Conference. “Adani Enterprises tried to raise funds in the stock market, but he failed. Adani is accused of stock manipulation and his stock collapsed like a house of cards,” the American billionaire alleged.

Soros further accused the Indian Prime Minister of being complicit in the supposed ‘misdealings’ of the Adani Group. He also claimed that the ‘shakedown’ caused to the Indian markets due to the Hindenburg Research report will result in ‘much needed institutional reforms’ and ‘democratic revival’. Soros also alleged that so-called anti-Muslim violence in India has spearheaded the ‘meteoric rise’ of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This is after US-based investment research firm Hindenburg Research published a 32,000-word report, accusing the Adani Group of stock manipulation and use of tax havens.

The Adani Group trashed the Hindenburg Research report as a “malicious combination of selective misinformation and stale, baseless and discredited allegations”. On January 29, the Indian conglomerate slammed Hindenburg Research with a 413-page report, dismissing allegations levelled by the latter.

George Soros is the world’s 253rd wealthiest person and has a net worth of $8.5 billion. Through his Open Society Foundation, Soros has made great strides in creating disorder within India. By actively supporting anti-Indian groups working inside India, Soros’ left-wing international organisation has started to extend its roots across the nation under the guise of doing charitable works.

In the last few decades, George Soros has time and again has shown his desperation to wage war against the nationalist government in India through various networks funded by him comprising of NGOs, media, intelligentsia, etc.

In January 2020, he also committed $1 billion to start a global university to ‘fight nationalists’ and climate change, calling them twin challenges that threaten the survival of our civilization. While speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Soros pledged to fund a university project to battle the erosion of civil society in a world increasingly ruled by ‘would-be and actual dictators’ and climate change.

Soros also claimed back then that the ‘biggest and most frightening setback’ was in India, as he accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of creating a Hindu nationalist state.

Tamil Nadu government is set to break the 89-year-old tradition of the Mandaikadu Bhagwathi Ammam Temple: All you need to know

OpIndia Staff
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Tamil Nadu government is set to break the 89-year-old tradition of the Mandaikadu Bhagwathi Ammam Temple: All you need to know

In Nagercoil city of Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari district, Hindu devotees have been protesting against a ban imposed by the Tamil Nadu government on gathering at the Mandaikadu Bhagwathi Ammam Temple. This temple is dedicated to Goddess Shakthi. 

For more than 80 years, a religious conference is organized by the Haindava Seva Sangham (HSS)  at the temple during the famous Masi Kodai festival held annually on. Starting on March 5, this festival will last for ten days. This time, however, the Hindu Religious and Charity Endowment (HRCE) Board has decreed that “private” religious gatherings and conferences would not be permitted, effectively outlawing the religious conference hosted by the Haindava Seva Sangham.

Hindu devotees protesting against TN government (Image via JanamTV)

This move by the HRCE department of the Tamil Nadu government has been widely criticized by the local Hindus who have been peacefully protesting in various parts of Kanyakumari. On Wednesday (February 15), several Hindu devotees including women blocked the roads at multiple locations in Kanyakumari including Melpurum, Marthandam, Nagercoil, and Towala. The protesting Hindus said that they will not allow the government to succeed in stopping activities related to Hindu Dharma.

Haindava Seva Sangham

In its report, Swarajya highlighted the persistent efforts of the Haindava Seva Sangham in the service of Hindu dharma. For over the last 89 years, Haindava Seva Sangham has been organizing Hindu religious conferences at the Mandaikadu. During the British colonial rule, HSS posed a significant resistance to the evangelist forces which were well-funded and backed by the British administration. HSS did the Herculean task of uniting Hindus against the conversion missionaries. 

Prominent festivals of Hindus were frequently the targets of Christian missionaries’ conversion campaigns. In the precise place where Hindus had gathered to worship, they would build a platform and denigrate the Hindu devi-devtas. Since there was no proper organization of the Hindus, there was hardly any opposition to the activities of the Christian missionaries.  Even at the Mandaikadu Bhagwathi Amman Temple, which is also known as the ‘Sabrimala of women’ as women devotees here carry ‘Irumudi Kattu’ to the temple, and follow rituals similar to those performed by Hindu men at the Sabarimala temple in Kerala.

The Church deliberately intimidated Hindus by positioning speakers towards the temple during this shrine’s festival. This was opposed by the HSS. 

1982 Mandaikadu riots

In March 1982, when MGR, the popular actor-turned-politician was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, under the influence of the Christian priest, several Christian locals barred Hindu women from accessing the sacred bath and molested them. This resulted in violent clashes. Six persons died and 21 others were severely injured on March 1 when police opened fire upon Christian fishermen who reportedly stopped Hindu women from taking the ceremonial bath. 

Following this, Venugopal Commission was constituted by the then CM MGR-led government to examine the circumstances that led to the communal riots and also sought suggestions in order to prevent such incidents from happening in the future. The commission led by Justice P Venugopal made several recommendations including the implementation of a common civil code in line with the guidelines stated in Article 44 of the Indian constitution, curbing of foreign funds by amending the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act as most of these foreign funds sent for educational purposes of the Christian institutions were diverted to fund conversion activities on Indian soil. Moreover, the commission also recommended enacting an anti-conversion law.

Swarajya report has pointed out the change in the strategy adopted by the ‘church’ as now they have claimed that Mandaikadu Bhagwathi Ammam is a sister of Mary. To back this claim, “the inputs from Folklore study Departments of Catholic controlled autonomous universities around are used.”

Mandaikadu Bhagwathi Ammam Temple – ‘Sabrimala of women’

The Mandaikadu Bhagavathi Amman Temple is dedicated to Goddess Shakthi. A 15-foot-tall anthill is revered as the Goddess in this location. It is believed that the anthill, which has five heads, is constantly growing. It is believed that it is the same place where Adi Shankaracharya once offered pooja to a Sri Chakra. There is also a Sri Chakra sanctum sanctorum. 

The name “Women’s Sabarimala” was derived from the large number of women who fast for 41 days, especially those from Kerala, and who thereafter travel to the Mandaikadu Bhagavathi Amman Temple while carrying the “Irumudi Kettu” on their heads. The temple’s design is reminiscent of Sabarimala Ayyappan Temple in Kerala.

Every year during the Maasi Kodai Festival, which takes place in February, women in Kerala fast for 41 days and visit Mandaikadu Temple, much as men fast for 41 days to pray at Sabarimala Ayyappan Temple.

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