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‘Arunachal Pradesh a part of India, not China: US Senators introduce a bill, recognize McMohan line as the international border between India, China

OpIndia Staff
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‘Arunachal Pradesh a part of India, not China: US Senators introduce a bill, recognize McMohan line as the international border between India, China

A bipartisan Senate resolution reaffirming the United States’ recognition of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as an essential component of the Republic of India was introduced on Friday in collaboration among Republican Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee and Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon.

This motion is in reference to the fight between China and India along the Line of Actual Control in the Eastern Sector. Senator Merkley, who serves as the Co-Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China stated that America’s values supporting freedom and a rules-based order must be at the centre of all of their actions and relationships around the world, especially when China pushes an alternative vision.

“This resolution makes clear that the United States views the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Republic of India–not the People’s Republic of China–and commits the US to deepen support and assistance to the region, alongside like-minded international partners and donors,” he added.

Meanwhile Senator Hagerty stated that it is important for the US to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with its strategic partners in the region–especially India when China continues to pose grave and gathering threats to the Free and Open Indo-Pacific. “This bipartisan resolution expresses the Senate’s support for unequivocally recognizing the state of Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India, condemning China’s military aggression to change the status quo along the Line of Actual Control, and further enhancing the U.S.-India strategic partnership and the Quad in support of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific,” he confirmed.

The resolution staunchly rejects China’s claims that Arunachal Pradesh is its territory, which is a result of its increasingly aggressive and expansionist policies. It affirms that the United States recognizes the McMahon Line as the international border between China and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.

According to the reports, the senators’ resolution denounces further China’s provocations which include the use of military force to alter the status quo along the Line of Actual Control, the building of villages in disputed areas, the publication of maps with Chinese language names for cities and other features in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, and also the expansion of PRC territorial claims in Bhutan.

Further, the resolution lauds the Indian government for taking measures to safeguard itself from the People’s Republic of China’s aggressiveness and security threats. These initiatives include safeguarding India’s telecom infrastructure, investigating its supply chains and procurement processes, placing investment screening requirements in place, and increasing its collaboration with Taiwan in the public health and other fields.

The resolution advocates increasing country’s multilateral collaboration with India through the Quad, the East Asia Summit with its allies in the Association of Southeast Asian States (ASEAN), and other global fora. It also serves to further improve the US-India bilateral engagement concerning military, technology, economy, and people-to-people connections.

It was recently reported that the Indian government is seeking to build a 78-km strategic road in its easternmost village of Arunachal Pradesh, reaching as close as 4 km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC), near the crucial tri-junction of India, China, and Myanmar.

On February 1, the Centre embarked on the construction of a new road connecting Dong village to Jachep camp in Arunachal Pradesh by inviting bids with a deadline of three years. The road holds importance as Dong is India’s easternmost village and the new highway will reach Jachep, situated 4 km from China and 20 km from Myanmar’s borders.

China on many instances has indulged in cheap diplomatic tactics to exhibit its hegemony over the state of Arunachal Pradesh. In the last few years, Indian and Chinese Armed forces have locked horns in the forward positions along the border in Arunachal Pradesh. In December 2022, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh announced that Chinese soldiers tried to cross the LAC in the Tawang sector’s Yangtze area to unilaterally alter the status quo but were driven back by Indian troops’ prompt response.

Before that, in October 2021, a large contingent of Chinese forces tried to violate the LAC at Yangtze, resulting in a major confrontation between the two sides. It reportedly culminated in the temporary detainment of Chinese troops in the region. The Chinese soldiers also attempted to destroy some unoccupied bunkers at the Bum La and Yangtze border crossing near the Arunachal Pradesh LAC.

India and China have taken part in 21 rounds of talks over the so-called dispute. The same issue was also one of the prime reason for the 1962 Indo-China war, which had left many Indian soldiers martyred. China currently also has territorial disputes with other countries like Vietnam, Japan and the Philippines.

Already married Akhlaq poses as a Hindu to trap Hindu MBBS student, rapes her along with his father, forces her to convert to Islam for marriage: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Already married Akhlaq poses as a Hindu to trap Hindu MBBS student, rapes her along with his father, forces her to convert to Islam for marriage: Details

On Friday, February 17, Delhi police said that a 30-year-old banker and his father have been arrested for raping and pressuring a Hindu girl to convert to Islam for marriage. The victim is an MBBS student at a medical college in Noida and is originally from West Bengal. 

The accused and his father who has been identified as Mohammed Akhlaq and Mohammed Moin (52) are residents of Sangam Vihar in Delhi. Both the accused raped the 23-year-old Hindu girl.

In her complaint, the victim stated that she met the accused Akhlaq on a social media platform, Akhlaq had not revealed his real identity on his social media profile and befriended the victim. Later, the two got into a physical relationship.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Greater Noida), Dinesh Kumar Singh, stated that the victim was sexually abused, assaulted, threatened, and forced into conversion to Islam.

DCP Singh added that an FIR was registered on the basis of the victim’s complaint and subsequently, the accused father-son was arrested.

Mohammed Akhlaq posed as a Hindu to trap the victim 

Speaking to PTI, Dankaur Police Station In-charge Sanjay Kumar Singh informed that the accused Mohammed Akhlaq had met the victim during her coaching days on a social media site where he posed as a Hindu named Aditya Sharma. He added that the two met face-to-face for the first time in 2021 and it was only then that she got to know about Akhlaq’s real identity. The accused told the victim that he hid his identity as she would stop talking to him after knowing about his real identity.

Mohammed Akhlaq was already married

Moreover, the accused Akhlaq is already married and also has two children, it was only after the victim got to know about his marriage and children that she approached the police.

According to police, Mohammed Moin, the father of the accused advised him to ask the Hindu girl to convert to Islam so that Akhlaq could marry her. The accused were earlier called for questioning and later arrested, currently, both of them have been sent to judicial custody.

EAM Dr Jaishankar calls George Soros ‘old, rich, dangerous’ while exposing him for employing resources who shape ‘narrative’: What he said

OpIndia Staff
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EAM Dr Jaishankar calls George Soros ‘old, rich, dangerous’ while exposing him for employing resources who shape ‘narrative’: What he said

On Saturday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar slammed the Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros for his accusations against PM Modi and said that he is an old, rich opinionated person and that he is dangerous. “Soros is an old, rich opinionated person sitting in New York who still thinks that his views should determine how the entire world works,” said EAM Dr S Jaishankar.

He also added that Soros employs and invests in resources that shape the narrative, which is dangerous. Further, the Minister opined that people like Soros start questioning the democratic setup when the electoral outcomes are not according to their liking. 

“People like him think an election is good if the person they want to see, wins and if the election throws up a different outcome then they will say it is a flawed democracy and the beauty is that all this is done under the pretence of advocacy of open society,” he added.

This is days after Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros accused PM Modi of crony capitalism and of being complicit in the supposed ‘misdealings’ of the Adani Group. On February 16, Soros claimed that PM Modi and business tycoon Adani are close allies and that their fate is intertwined.

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.

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.

Yesterday, Union Minister Smriti Irani also held a press conference and slammed the controversial financier for claiming that the Adani Group dispute would significantly weaken Modi’s grip on India’s federal government.

“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,” she said.

The Minister further stated that those whom Soros considers the 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 added.

She also called Soros’ remark a declaration to destroy India’s democratic processes and reiterated that war was being mounted against India and PM Modi. EAM Dr S Jaishankar also said on February 18 that Soros had earlier accused India of planning to strip millions of Muslims of their citizenship. “This didn’t happen. It was a ridiculous accusation,” the Minister added.

Jaishankar reiterated that the global financier was dangerous as he invests in resources that shape the narrative. As reported earlier, George Soros is a Hungarian-American businessman and a self-proclaimed philanthropist who had vowed to ‘fight nationalists’ and conservative governments worldwide, which he often refers to as ‘authoritarian governments’. During the course of his life, if there is one thing George Soros has hated the most, it is India and its nationalist government led by Prime Minister Modi.

Through his Open Society Foundation, which started its operations in India first in 1999 by offering scholarships and fellowships to pursue studies and research at Indian institutions, Soros has made great strides in creating disorder within India. In the name of running philanthropic activities, the left-wing international organisation led by Soros has begun to spread its tentacles across the country through his active support to anti-India elements operating inside India.

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

Recently, he made statements against PM Modi accusing him of crony capitalism and of being complicit in the supposed ‘misdealings’ of the Adani Group. This is after the 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.

Dear Irfan Habib, Shivjayanti should be celebrated everywhere in Bharat, not just Agra fort: Why your Marxist self fails to see the relevance

Gopal Tiwari
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Dear Irfan Habib, Shivjayanti should be celebrated everywhere in Bharat, not just Agra fort: Why your Marxist self fails to see the relevance

Dear Irfan Habib,

I read your views published in an article based on your discussions with Sanjeev Shrivastav and published on the ABP News website on 16th February 2023. The note written below the article says that you are responsible for all the claims, hence this letter.

The compilation of excerpts from your discussion with Sanjeev Shrivastav is titled “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s image has been presented as communal, the decision to celebrate his birth anniversary in Agra fort is nonsensical”. My disagreements with this article start from the title itself. First, the title of the article calls the Hindu King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and not just Shivaji, I would love it if every Marxist historian makes it a habit to say so every single time in public. Secondly, the decision to celebrate his birth anniversary in Agra fort makes more sense than the said article. Let’s see how.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s birth anniversary celebration in Agra is relevant

The article says, “Historical monuments have their own importance. I wonder why the ASI gave permission because such monuments should not have public events. Even if any public event is to be held, it should have some relevance. There is no relevance here. I don’t understand why the Maharashtra government wants to do this and why it is linking Agra fort to Shivaji’s birth anniversary. They only know it.”

So, you look offended by the Archeological Survey of India giving permission to the government of Maharashtra to celebrate Shivjayanti at the Agra fort. Further, you implied that there is no relevance Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj holds with the Agra fort. It is quite natural for a person spending his whole life whitewashing tyrant Mughals to “not understand” the relevance of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj with the Agra fort where he stood tall and replied to Aurangzeb in a language no one would ever dare to speak.

Keeping a few tactical letters apart, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj never showed any submissive approach while dealing with any Muslim tyrant of his era. Aurangzeb was no exception. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj went on to reclaim all the forts taken by Aurangzeb in the Purandar treaty within a short span. Aurangazeb invited Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to Agra fort on his fiftieth birthday. Both met each other in Deewan-e-Aam of the fort on 12th May 1666 where and when Aurangzeb insulted the son of Sahyadri by making him stand behind the ones who were miserably defeated at his hands.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj roared like a lion in the court of the Muslim fanatic tyrant to assert that he is an independent King and not a slave or ally of the foreign dynasty of the Mughals. It takes a lot to say this in front of someone as mighty as Aurangzeb while being accompanied by just a handpicked few soldiers and a 10-year-old son than to question the relevance of celebrating the Hindu king’s birth anniversary in the hall where he showcased his intent without fearing the consequences. Celebrating Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s birth anniversary in Agra fort is relevant in this way. So the question of relevance ends here. Any Marxist historian would “never understand” why Hindus and especially Marathi people, and their government wants to celebrate the birth anniversary there.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was not just imprisoned in the Agra fort

The article further says, “There is no doubt that you celebrate Shivaji’s bravery. It is also true that he was imprisoned there but all that is part of history. But there is no logic in celebrating the birth anniversary inside the fort just because he was imprisoned here. There was no reason to celebrate the birth anniversary.”

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was not just imprisoned in Agra. There was a great probability that he would have been tortured and killed by Aurangzeb – like what he later did with Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in 1689. Any harm to the father of the Indian navy while imprisoned in Agra would result in permanent terror in people’s minds and hardly would anyone dare again to stand against all odds for the pride of the motherland and Hinduism. This is why Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj escaped from Agra – the great escape as it is renowned – and came back to Maharashtra to establish a Hindu state with all Dharmik rituals only to assert independence and the Dharmik identity of Hindus.

So, let’s not forget – rather keep this carved in mind – that he was not just imprisoned there, but he was surrounded by all the possible evil and religiously motivated intentions of Aurangzeb which were potent enough to change the course of history so much so that people like Mohammad Habib would never need to hide the historical facts while being called a historian. For more information, one may also refer to a book by Neeraj Atri and Munieshwar Saagar. That book is called, “Brainwashed Republic” – an apt term for what Marxist historians have turned this country into. I am also attaching a lecture by Gajanan Mehendale in which he has detailed the relevant things.

The problem of Marxist historians

The article says, “History has importance in our lives, but nowadays we are seeing whatever is being done about history. Today’s history is especially used in political needs. No one reads history like history. Shivaji fought many battles and became a part of history. How you see it, why you want to see it, it is today’s politics. What part of history do you want to remember and how do you want to remember it? See, everyone is looking for their own heroes.”

Marxist historians wrote about history for political needs. None of them wrote history as history. It seems that Marxist historians found their own heroes in the Mughals. How do they see them, and why do they want to see them like that? What part of history do they remember and how do they want to remember it? Answers to this could be a part of the politics of one of the darkest eras of this civilization.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj fought many battles yet did not become a part of history. His emblem – The Rajmudra, and not the union jack nor some cross, is the inspiration for Indian Navy’s flag. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj revived the maritime forces of India. I would suggest Marxist historians beware of the people who are inspired by Aurangzeb and his rule. It is not in the best interests of our country to glorify that tyrant and his followers.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Muslims, and Irfan Habib

The article says, “The communal image that has been created today was not the image of Shivaji. There were people of other religions in Shivaji’s army, especially Muslims who used to fight wars, so why does no one talk about it today? That should also be done. That too is a part of Shivaji’s life.”

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was tolerant towards other faiths only up to when the faith was not the motivation of tyranny. He established Hindavi Swarajya and not a secular state. Most of the other-faith-subscribing people in his squads were sale-swords, unlike countless other Hindu Mavlas who were fighting a battle for the survival of their faith, culture, and civilization. Chhatrapati’s Muslim associates however loyal were always “part of exceptions” and they are always credited by his followers and historians who are honest and integral. Moreover, a part of one’s life cannot be painted as his whole character; especially in the case of someone like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj who declared himself to be a Hindu king by undergoing Rajyabhishek rituals at the hands of Gaga Bhatt on 6th June 1674.

The same arguments can be given in the case of Maharana Pratap. The article says, “These battles were not communal at all. We made it communal. They were fighting for their empire and power. Everyone was involved in that. It was a mixed fight.” Readers, don’t buy anything of this. It was always a civilizational fight which is still going on at various levels.

We will celebrate Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s birth anniversary “Shivjayanti” everywhere in our country

There were times when Hindu icons would be demeaned by the “state apparatus”. The mood of the nation – rather most of the people in this nation – is no more generous for any such institutions. People are finding ways to vent out what they feel. They get a chance to manifest it once in five years. They are manifesting it as clearly as never before in a democratic setup. The permissions to celebrate Shivjayanti are sought, approved, and received by relevant authorized entities. Therefore, Shivjayanti will be celebrated in the Agra fort.

Moreover, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his Hindavi Swarajya was a pivotal point in history that turned the tide against the Mughals in the century that followed. Valor of warriors like Vishwanath Balaji Ballal (Bajirao Peshva) and Malharrao Holkar freed many parts of India from the clutches of colonial rulers. Ahilyadevi Holkar revived the holy shrines of Hinduism across the country. All this was possible because of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s vision. His statues inspire our soldiers who protect our borders. Therefore, his birth anniversary Shivjayanti should be celebrated everywhere in the country.

Palamu violence: No permission for Shiv Baraat in Panki on Mahashivratri after a Muslim mob attacked Hindus over the construction of welcome gates

OpIndia Staff
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Palamu violence: No permission for Shiv Baraat in Panki on Mahashivratri after a Muslim mob attacked Hindus over the construction of welcome gates

Following the violence perpetrated by a Muslim mob on February 15 in the Palamu district of Jharkhand over Hindus installing welcome gates ahead of Mahashivaratri, section 144 was implemented there, and the internet was shut down. Amidst the claims of having the situation under control, the administration has decided not to allow ‘Shiv Baraat’ processions in Panki on the occasion of Mahashivratri. A meeting of prominent persons from both communities was held at Panki police station, wherein both sides reiterated their resolve to maintain a peaceful atmosphere.

Palamu DC A Dode, SP Chandan Sinha, one IPS officer from Ranchi, and several other senior officers took note of the situation and inspected the Masjid Chowk of Panki Bazaar. Following the inspection and interaction with locals, the officials held a meeting and decided not to allow the Shiv Baraat procession in the area and also urged Hindus not to get emotional about the same.

It is notable that forces have been stationed around the area due to the unrest. Along with this, the area is being monitored by drones. Senior district officers have also camped in Panki.

This comes after violence erupted at Panki Bazar in Palamu of Jharkhand over a welcome gate being built ahead of Mahashivratri celebrations. The enraged Muslim mob hurled stones and petrol bombs at Hindus leaving several injured. 

Pre-planned attack

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.

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 favor the Muslim community, they stated that Muslims in the neighborhood 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.

Pakistan, which has been exporting terror in the name of Islam to the world, has been declared not terrorist enough by ISIS: Here is what happened

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan, which has been exporting terror in the name of Islam to the world, has been declared not terrorist enough by ISIS: Here is what happened

Pakistan, which has been exporting terror to the world in the name of Islam has been proclaimed cancerous and not terrorist enough by ISIS, an Islamic terror organisation. “Pakistan is cancer for Islamic existence and is run at the behest of the United States,” said Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), an affiliate of terror group ISIS active in South Asia and Central Asia as it warned that it will continue to work against the country.

ISKP asserted that Pakistan is governed by an institution that follows instructions from the United States in its periodical magazine named “Khorasan Ghag”. It used Imran Khan’s rise to and fall from power as an example to support its point. According to the report, Khan was brought into power by manipulation and removed following his trip to Moscow. It further stated that Gen. Asim Munir, head of the Pakistani army, had visited the US to take orders.

It has pledged to continue executing jihad against the ‘American agents’ and working against the Pakistani government. According to the reports, the journal also devoted a significant amount of space to a recent argument between Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan’s TTP) Mufti Noor Wali and Pakistani scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani, a supporter of so-called ‘Slams banking.’

The Afghan Taliban have been referred to be “pawns” of the Pakistani establishment by the ISKP, which is engaged in a power struggle with the Taliban.

ISKP attacked Pakistani academics, alleging that after giving a fatwa on Jihad in Afghanistan, he termed it a riot in Pakistan in recent days, despite the fact that Pakistan is experiencing its worst political, economic, and security scenario in 75 years of its history. “This shows that Pakistani politicians, journalists and scholars also follow the instructions of the establishment,” the outfit said.

ISKP has issued a warning that it would continue to work against the Pakistani government, claiming that it is not acting on behalf of anybody else and that it will continue its jihad against American agents.

ISKP was created in 2014 as a result of terrorists from the Tehrik-e-Taliban (TTP), al Qaeda, and Taliban organisations operating in Afghanistan and Pakistan standing down. Following their departures, the Islamic State sent representatives to meet with local terrorists, including a number of TTP leaders, in Iraq and Syria. These initiatives were made official in January 2015 when the Islamic State declared the creation of its “Khorasan” province.

It has conducted operations in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan and has taken credit for a slew of notable attacks. The Pakistani state and its interests are the ISKP’s primary aims, just like they are for the TTP. Moreover, it strives to discredit the Afghan Taliban’s claims of reestablishing peace in the country.

Inspired by ‘The Fountainhead’, SS Rajamouli says ‘religion is essentially a kind of exploitation’: Here is what the RRR, Bahubali Director said

OpIndia Staff
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Inspired by ‘The Fountainhead’, SS Rajamouli says ‘religion is essentially a kind of exploitation’: Here is what the RRR, Bahubali Director said

Indian film director SS Rajamouli recently gave an interview with the New Yorker. In this interview, SS Rajamouli expressed his views about films, his sources of inspiration, his choices regarding faith, and other things. However, the interview published on 16th February is being discussed for his one statement in which he said that religion is essentially a kind of exploitation.

The director of blockbuster films like Bahubali and RRR was asked in this interview how his films are influenced by Ramayana and Mahabharata. He answered, “I’ve read these stories since I was a child, and in the beginning, they were just nice, engaging stories. As I started growing up, I read different versions of the text, and the story started evolving into something much bigger for me. I could see the characters, the conflicts within the characters, and their motivating emotions. And I started understanding and loving these texts even more. Anything that comes out of me is somehow influenced by these texts. Those texts are like oceans: every time I visit them, I find something new.”

In the next question, the interviewer asked SS Rajamouli, when he first identified himself as an atheist. SS Rajamouli answered, “We have a giant family, and everyone—my father and mother, cousins and aunts, and everyone else—is deeply religious. I remember, as a young kid, I had doubts after reading stories about the Hindu gods. I used to think, This doesn’t seem real. Then I got caught up in my family’s religious fervour. I started reading religious texts, going on pilgrimages, wearing saffron cloth, and living like a sannyasi [ascetic] for a few years. Then I caught onto Christianity, thanks to some friends. I’d read the Bible, go to church, and do all kinds of stuff. Gradually, all these things somehow made me feel that religion is essentially a kind of exploitation.”

SS Rajamouli added, “I worked under a cousin of mine [the Telugu writer Gunnam Gangaraju] for a few months. He introduced me to Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. I read those novels and was greatly inspired by them. I didn’t understand a lot of her philosophy, but I understood the basics of it. It was around that time that I slowly started moving away from religion. Even at that time, my love for stories like the Mahabharata or the Ramayana never diminished. I did start pushing away from those texts’ religious aspects, but what stayed with me was the complexity and the greatness of their drama and storytelling.”

SS Rajamouli said that he respects people’s feelings about God. He said, “They (family) feel very sad for me because I am going away from the path of religion. I don’t say bad things about God, I never do that. I respect people’s feelings because I know a lot of people depend on God a lot. Still, my father used to get angry when I used to say that I don’t believe in religious rituals or that kind of stuff. Now he’s made peace with it and respects my way of life.”

SS Rajamouli’s magnum opus ‘RRR’ bagged the Best Original song trophy for its song ‘Naatu Naatu’ at the 2023 Golden Globes2023 Golden Globes. ‘RRR’ received two nominations at the prestigious award ceremony under the categories Best Non-English Language Film and Best Original Song for ‘Naatu Naatu’. This was Rajamouli’s first project after the 2017 blockbuster ‘Baahubali 2: The Conclusion’, which was released across the globe in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam simultaneously early this year. The film received a huge response in several countries, including the US and Japan.

Modi govt takes back 123 properties, gifted by the Congress govt to the Waqf Board before the 2014 elections, Amanatullah Khan cries foul

OpIndia Staff
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Modi govt takes back 123 properties, gifted by the Congress govt to the Waqf Board before the 2014 elections, Amanatullah Khan cries foul

On Friday (February 17), the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs posted notices outside 123 properties in Delhi, stating that they are no longer considered properties of the Delhi Waqf Board.

The said properties include mosques, dargahs, and a cemetery. Prior to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, these properties were given to the Delhi Waqf Board by the Congress-led UPA government. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad raised concerns about the prominent locations of these properties and approached the court.

Two committees were formed to hear from the affected parties, including a 1-member committee and a 2-member committee comprising a former judge of the Delhi High Court and a retired SDM.

The 2-member committee’s report stated that the Delhi Waqf Board had been given the opportunity to present its case but had not done so within the prescribed time. As a result, the Board was absolved of all matters relating to the 123 properties.

The committee also recommended a physical inspection of the said 123 properties. Following the development, AAP leader Amanatullah Khan tweeted, “We have already raised our voice in the court on 123 Waqf Properties, our Writ Petition No.1961/2022 is pending in the High Court. Some people are spreading lies about it, the proof of this is in front of all of you.”

He further added, “We will not allow any kind of encroachment on the properties of the Waqf Board.” The Delhi Waqf Board has written an official letter to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and has challenged the formation of the 2-member committee.

The timeline of the case: Congress handed 123 properties to Delhi Waqf Board

In 2014, the Central government exercised its powers under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act of 2013 to denotify 123 properties from the land acquisition process. The said properties were to be handed over to the Delhi Waqf Board.

The government notification was subsequently challenged by the Indraprastha Vishwa Hindu Parishad. In the same year, a Delhi court passed an order asking the Centre to listen to the grievances of the stakeholders and make a decision.

Two years later in 2016, a one-member committee was constituted by the Centre to decide on the issue. In 2017, the one-member committee submitted its report. The Delhi High Court had observed on February 10 this year that the Qabristan Qadeem was undisputedly handed over to the ITBP in 2017.

“The Waqf Board earlier told the court that they learnt about the transfer of property only in 2017 in a different case. Its application sought stay on any activity at the graveyard,” reported The Indian Express.

Thereafter in August 2018, the Centre constituted a 2-member committee to decide on the fate of the 123 properties. The Delhi Waqf Board had alleged that the one-member committee report was never made public and that the Union government arbitrarily appointed a 2-member committee to re-examine the properties’ status.

The Centre in its defence told the Delhi High Court that the report of the one-man committee was inconclusive and therefore a 2-member committee was constituted. It, however, refused to share the said report with the Delhi Waqf Board.

In November 2021, a public notice was issued by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), seeking public representation with respect to the disputed properties.

In March 2022, the Delhi High Court refused to provide relief to the Delhi Waqf Board, which had filed a petition against the delisting of its 123 alleged properties by the Centre.

Vice president of George Soros founded Open Society Foundation was part of Bharat Jodo Yatra, anti-CAA protests and farmer protests: Read details

OpIndia Staff
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Vice president of George Soros founded Open Society Foundation was part of Bharat Jodo Yatra, anti-CAA protests and farmer protests: Read details

Earlier today, Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros made certain comments which proved what was already being speculated by many in India, his hand behind short-seller Hindenburg’s report on the Adani group that resulted in the stocks of the group crashing in the market. Soros, who has openly declared his intention to remove nationalist governments from power, including the Narendra Modi government in India, said that while PM Modi is silent on the issue, he will have to answer questions from foreign investors and the parliament.

“This will significantly weaken Modi’s stranglehold on India’s federal government and open the door to push for much-needed institutional reforms. I may be naive, but I expect a democratic revival in India,” George Soros said reading from a prepared statement in the video.

He also made a bizarre claim that the Adani group tried to raise funds in the stock market, but failed. The fact is that the ₹20,000 crore follow-on public offering (FPO) of Adani Enterprises was fully subscribed, but the company chose to withdraw the offer and refund the money to the investors after the controversy around the Hindenburg report. Therefore, Adani group had successfully raised funds in the stock market, and it chose to return that money.

Soros also said that while India is a democracy, PM Narendra Modi is not a democrat, and he expects a democratic revival in India. With this, he made it clear that he wants to see a regime change India. While Narendra Modi has come back to power winning an election, Soros does not consider Modi to be a democratically elected PM because Modi does not subscribe to his leftist ideology.

This stand of George Soros has strange similarities with the claims by the opposition in India, particularly the Congress party. Congress has been claiming that PM Modi has been assaulting on democracy and destroying institutions. George Soros made exactly the same claims in his comments.

However, it does not end here, the ties between Congress and Soros go deeper, who is widely known for his anti-India views. On 31 October 2022, a person named Salil Shetty joined Rahul Gandhi in his Bharat Jodo Yatra in Harthikote in Karnataka. Salil Shetty is the global vice president of Open Society Foundations founded by George Soros. In its regular update on the Yatra on its website, Congress wrote, “Yatris commenced their journey from Harthikote this morning. Walking alongside Shri Gandhi, among others, were two social and human rights activists. Salil Shetty, previous Secretary General of Amnesty International. Also, Nikhil Dey of the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan, an organisation known for its work in helping bring about the ‘Right to Information Act’.”

Visuals of Salil Shetty with Rahul Gandhi during the yatra were shared by BJP leaders and netizens after the Congress party sought to distance itself from the comments of Soros.

Before becoming VP of Open Society Foundation, Shetty was secretary general of Amnesty International, another left-wing organisation known for its anti-India activities. Shetty’s involvement in India does not end with Bharat Jodo Yatra, earlier he was seen in several events against the Modi government.

Popular Twitter account @BefittingFacts has unearthed that from anti-CAA protests to farmer protests, Shetty was at the forefront everywhere.

In 2020, Salik Shetty was actively involved in the anti-CAA protests various places across the country, including Bengaluru and Delhi. He had posted several tweets from his Twitter account, showing him participating and addressing various protest events against the CAA.

Privileged to speak with the brave and inspirational women @BilalBaghBnglur. Every Indian who believes in our constitution and #Gandhi & #Ambedkar stands with the hundreds of thousands of peaceful protestors against #CAA_NRC_NPR across the country. pic.twitter.com/Y4fxrTldy9

— Salil Shetty (@SalilShetty) March 10, 2020

He also regularly tweeted against the Citizenship Amendment Act, and when the CAA was notified by govt of India, he had said, “We will never allow #India to be divided by the Hindutva fundamentalists. We will unmask them.”

Just to prove that #ModiShah don’t care a damn about the protests and the international outcry, #CitizenshipAmendmentAct comes into force! We will never allow #India to be divided by the #Hindutva fundamentalists. We will unmask them #JNUKaSachUnmasked #IndiaAgainst_CAA_NRC_NPR pic.twitter.com/zkDpw1or58

— Salil Shetty (@SalilShetty) January 10, 2020

Salil Shetty was seen addressing the protesters at the infamous Shaheen Bagh protest site, where the anti-CAA protesters had blocked a major road in Delhi for several months, which eventually led to the anti-Hindu riots in the national capital in 2020.

After anti-CAA protests, came the farmer protests at the borders of Delhi, and Salil Shetty was seen there also. On 7 February 2021, he posted video of his joining the protests against the three farm laws at the Singhu border. He had tweeted, “Honoured to convey our solidarity to #FarmersProtests in #Singu border, #India. Truly inspired by the determination & sacrifice of the farmers – they are not alone.”

In December 2020, he had said that the farmers protest is a mother of all protests and “abhi to party shuru hui hai” (the party has just begun), celebrating that people were protesting against Modi govt for trying to bring reforms to the farm sector.

Salil Shetty of Open Society Foundation does not limit himself to participating in anti-BJP govt protests only, he also claimed that India’s vaccination drive against Covid-19 was a failure.

Just like other liberals, he had also batted for Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, despite their high cost, after criticising the pricing of India made vaccines at private hospitals. He had called the Indian government’s stand that foreign vaccines must undergo trials in India as “foolish arrogance from the regime in a crisis.”

When Arvind Kejriwal had falsely claimed that Pfizer and Moderna agreed to sell their vaccines directly to Delhi govt, Shetty called it a mess and suggested that the Modi govt should not get away scot free for not allowing the American vaccines in India.

He also didn’t stop attacking the Modi government alleging that the govt is ‘anti-democracy’ even during the pandemic. Talking to CNN, he had said, “There are two viruses in this country – one is a coronavirus and the other is an anti-democracy virus. There is vaccine only for one.”

The Twitter timeline of Salil Shetty is filled with anti-Narendra Modi and anti-BJP tweets, making his political stand clear. And such such a person is the vice president of the primary organisation George Soros.

India was never a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ and never will be, Islam is the only true religion: Samajwadi Party MP Shafiqur Rahman Barq

OpIndia Staff
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India was never a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ and never will be, Islam is the only true religion: Samajwadi Party MP Shafiqur Rahman Barq

Shafiqur Rahman Barq, a Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and member of parliament (MP) from the Sambhal Lok Sabha seat, has made yet another provocative statement. He asserted that India has never been and would never be a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ while emphasizing that Islam is the only true religion.

The MP was furious with Juna Akhara Mahamandaleshwar Yatindranand Giri’s declaration that India is a ‘Hindu Rashtra’.

Barq in response pronounced that nobody in India will ever agree to a ‘Hindu Rashtra’. He further advised Giri to read Quran and said that Giri has no right to discuss Islam if he hasn’t read the Quran and isn’t a Muslim. While commenting on Hindu saints, Barq said that saints have no business making pronouncements about Islam or issuing fatwas.

Barq declared, “Muslims in this country will not put up with the remarks expressed by the CM, as well as those of Dhirendra Krishna Shastri.”

He contended that Islam, which was founded by Allah, is the only true religion in the world and the rest are all cults formed later. Quran, as per the senior SP leader, “is a divine scripture, and it serves as an incentive for millions of individuals to flourish in life. This book cannot be changed.” He threatened, that anybody who attempts to do so will be subject to severe consequences.

Mahamandaleswar Yatindra Nand Giri of the Juna Akhara has responded to Barq’s remarks saying that people like Barq can only issue controversial statements and nothing else.

Meanwhile, Manoj Tiwari, BJP leader from Delhi, who was attending a Literary Festival in Khajuraho Hotel, proclaimed, “India is already fundamentally a Hindu Rashtra. There is no need to emphasize this viewpoint, even though it may be shared by many.” He added, that we adhere to and use the constitution as a guide.

Barq may be the latest, but he is by no means the first to make such problematic statements. Earlier, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind president Mahmood Asad Madani had declared India as the primary homeland of Muslims.

Maulana Arshad Madani, another senior Jamiat leader, had equated Om with Allah, while speaking at Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind’s recently concluded convention in Delhi, earning the ire of religious leaders of other faiths, who walked off the stage in protest.

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