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Rahul Gandhi narrates fake story to oppose India’s election system, claims Arun Jaitley threatened him on farm laws a year after his death

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi narrates fake story to oppose India’s election system, claims Arun Jaitley threatened him on farm laws a year after his death

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was caught spreading fake news regarding farm laws and Late Arun Jaitley on Saturday. Continuing his attack on the electoral system of India, he claimed that Arun Jaitley came to meet him to threaten him, a year after Jaitley had passed away.  

Speaking at the Congress Party’s Annual Legal Conclave in New Delhi, Rahul Gandhi claimed that when the Congress party was protesting against farm laws, Arun Jaitley was sent to threaten him. He said, “I remember when I was fighting the farm laws, Arun Jaitley ji was sent to me to threaten me. He told me ‘if you carry on opposing the govt, fighting the farm laws, we will have to act against you’.  I looked at him and said ‘I don’t think you have an idea who you are talking to.’”

While making up a story, which is often does, Rahul Gandhi forgot a crucial detail, Arun Jaitley was not alive when the farm laws were introduced and when the farmers in Punjab along with some opposition parties started protesting against them.

BJP leader Arun Jaitley died on 24 August 2019 after fighting multiple illness. He was union finance and corporate affairs minister in the first Modi government, and had handled Defence ministry and Information and Broadcasting ministry for some time.

However, Jaitley had retired from active politics after the NDA won the general elections for the second consecutive time in 2019. A day before Modi govt was to be sworn in on 30th May, Jaitley wrote to Modi opting out of the cabinet, citing his treatment and health. He died just a few months later on 24th August.

On the other hand, the farm bills came a year after Jaitley’s demise. The bills were approved by the union cabinet on 3 June 2020, and ordinances on them were promulgated on 5th June. The bills were introduced in the parliament in September 2020 to replace the ordinances. The three bills were passed by the both houses of the parliament in September that year. The protests against the laws began in December 2020, more than a year after Arun Jaitley died.

Therefore, Rahul Gandhi is definitely making up the story by claiming that Arun Jaitley was sent to threaten him to stop protests against the farm laws.

The Congress leader also claimed that the election system of India is rigged, because Modi govt has very thin majority. He said, “We are going to prove to you in the coming few days how a Lok Sabha election can be rigged and was rigged.” He further claimed, “The truth is that the election system in India is already dead. The Prime Minister of India is the Prime Minister of India with a very slim majority… If 15 seats were rigged, he would not have been the Prime Minister of India.” 

Ironically, Rahul Gandhi forgot that first two Modi governments had BJP majority, but the last three Congress governments were minority governments. Congress didn’t cross the majority mark when P.V. Narasimha Rao and Dr. Manmohan Singh became prime ministers, they led coalition governments.

Arun Jaitley’s son responds

Arun Jaitley’s son Rohan Jaitley responded to the false claim by Rahul Gandhi, pointing out that the farm laws came a year after his father’s death. In a post on X, he said, “Rahul Gandhi now claims my late father, Arun Jaitley, threatened him over the farm laws. Let me remind him, my father passed away in 2019. The farm laws were introduced in 2020.”

Importantly, he added that even if was Jaitley was alive when the bills were enacted, he would not have threatened anyone for protesting them, as it was not his nature to threaten anyone for opposite views. Rohan Jaitley said, “More importantly, it was not in my father’s nature to threaten anyone over an opposing view. He was a staunch democrat and always believed in building consensus. If at all such a situation was to occur, as it often does in politics, he would invite free and open discussions to arrive at a mutually acceptable solution to all. That was simply who he was and that remains his legacy today.”

Asking Rahul Gandhi be mindful while speaking of those who are no longer with us, he reminded that Rahul Gandhi had attempted something silimar with Manohar Parikar, as he had politicised his final days.

Donald Trump claims India will no longer buy oil from Russia even as Modi Govt refuses to bow down to his diktat and continues to purchase oil from Russian suppliers

OpIndia Staff
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Donald Trump claims India will no longer buy oil from Russia even as Modi Govt refuses to bow down to his diktat and continues to purchase oil from Russian suppliers

On Friday (1st August), US President Donald Trump stirred the hornet’s nest after he claimed that India would stop buying oil from its arch rival Russia.

“I understand that India is no longer going to be buying oil from Russia. That’s what I heard. I don’t know if that’s right or not. That is a good step. We will see what happens…” he was heard saying.

The development comes days after the United States imposed 25% tariffs on goods imported from India and an unspecified penalty for purchasing Russian oil and arms.

Despite the diktat of the US President, India has refused to bow down and continues to make decisions based on the interests of the people of the country.

Indian oil refiners will continue to source oil from Russian suppliers due to competitive price, grade of crude, inventories, logistics and other economic factors.

Sources to ANI, “Indian oil refiners continue to source oil from Russian suppliers. Their supply decisions are guided by price, grade of crude, inventories, logistics and other economic factors.”

Indian embassy in Ireland issues advisory to take precautions for personal safety: Read how Indians have become unsafe in the country

Aditi
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Indian embassy in Ireland issues advisory to take precautions for personal safety: Read how Indians have become unsafe in the country

The Indian embassy in Ireland issued an advisory to Indian nationals on Friday (1st August) to take reasonable precautions for their personal security and avoid deserted areas, particularly during odd hours. The advisory comes in the wake of increased instances of physical attacks on Indian nationals in the country.

Indian national stabbed in face, partially stripped and left bleeding

On July 19, an Indian national was brutally attacked in Tallaght, Dublin. The 40-year-old victim, an Amazon employee, was mercilessly beaten, stabbed in the face, partially stripped by a teenage gang and left profusely bleeding. He had arrived in Ireland just three weeks before the incident. The victim was accused without evidence of acting inappropriately around children. However, the Irish police denied the allegations. The authorities are investigating the case as a hate crime. An Irish woman, Jennifer Murray, who helped the victim after the attack, said that this was not the first instance of a racially motivated attack in the area.

“At least four Indian men and another man have been facially stabbed by this gang of teenagers in the last four days in Tallaght. How many of you knew that or saw it on the news?” Murray reportedly said. Talking about another similar attack, Murray said that a man, who worked in a delivery job at a multinational company, had to get a brain scan done and was “scarred for life”.

After the unfortunate incident, the Indian embassy got in touch with the victim and his family and assured them of all possible assistance. The incident sparked outrage among people from Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Irish communities, leading to protests. Around 800 protestors reportedly marched after the incident from Dublin City Hall to the National Gallery, holding signs like “Say no to racism” and “Ireland is home”. An petition was also floated online that reportedly gathered around 15,000 signatures.

Teenage gang attacked an Indian national, fractured his cheekbone

In another recent incident, a 32-year-old Indian national named Santosh Yadav also became a victim of a hate crime. Yadav was brutally attacked by a gang of six teenagers near his Dublin apartment. The assault was so savage that it left Yadav with a fractured cheekbone and multiple injuries. Yadav said that cases of racially motivated crimes are on the rise in the country.

Teresa Buczkowska, CEO of the Immigrant Council of Ireland, reportedly said that the Indian community did appear to be a particular target of these attacks, but the attacks are not limited to the Indian community. According to Buczkowska, the situation is worsened by the Irish Police lacking the training to handle and deal with the attacks.

“There are certain outdated mechanisms within An Garda Síochána that are not fit for purpose in this age when people are constantly on the move. “We’ve been highlighting this issue with the guards for a long time, especially with incidents that happen on public transport,” Buczkowska was quoted as saying by Dublin Live. An Garda Síochána is Ireland’s national police and security service. It launched an investigation after the attack on an Indian national in Tallaght.  

Leftists and Islamists spread fake news about Hindu man assaulting Muslim passenger onboard Indigo flight, peddle victimhood narrative: Here is the truth

OpIndia Staff
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Leftists and Islamists spread fake news about Hindu man assaulting Muslim passenger onboard Indigo flight, peddle victimhood narrative: Here is the truth

On Friday (1st August), social media was rife with targeted disinformation about a Hindu man assaulting a fellow Muslim passenger onboard an Indigo flight.

The fake claims were peddled by prominent leftists and Islamist handles on X (formerly Twitter) to further the dubious narrative of ‘Muslim victimhood.’

While some of them over-emphasised the ‘Muslim identity’ of the victim, others were quick to associate the perpetrator with terms such ‘Hindu’, ‘sanghi’ and other assorted euphemisms.

Screengrab of the tweets by prominent leftists and Islamists on X

While peddling the ‘Muslim victimhood’ narrative, leftists and Islamists alike conveniently omitted the fact that the perpetrator was also a Muslim.

The Facts of the Case

A passenger identified as Hossain Ahmed Mazumdar, who was travelling on a Kolkata-Mumbai flight, was slapped by a fellow passenger. The victim is from the Cachar district of Assam and has reportedly been missing since the incident.

Hossain had a panic attack on the flight, which delayed the takeoff. Miffed by the development, a fellow passenger named Hafijul Rahaman assaulted the victim.

A video of the incident has now surfaced on social media. A fellow passenger was heard saying, “Why did you slap him? You don’t have any right to hit anybody.” Hossain was seen crying after this incident.

The perpetrator was deboarded in Kolkata and subsequently arrested by CISF. Indigo has issued a statement on this matter on Friday (1st August).

In a statement, the airline operator stated, “We are aware of an incident involving a physical altercation on board one of our flights. Such unruly behaviour is completely unacceptable and we strongly condemn any actions that compromise the safety and dignity of our passengers and crew. Our crew acted in accordance with established Standard Operating Procedures.”

“The individual involved was identified as unruly and handed over to the security authorities upon arrival. All appropriate regulatory agencies have been duly informed, in line with protocol. We remain committed to maintaining a safe and respectful environment on all our flights,” it added.

The narrative of Muslim victimhood vs reality

Soon after the video of the incident went viral, the usual suspects assumed that the perpetrator was a Hindu and began making doomsday predictions about India’s secularism and future based on the isolated incident.

However, their vicious agenda was punctured by ‘The Hindu’ journalist Jagriti Chandra who first pointed out that both the accused and the perpetrator belong to the same religious community.

She cited Indigo as the source of her information.

Later, other journalists reported the name of the perpetrator as Hafijul Rahaman.

Once it was ascertained that the culprit is a Muslim, leftists and Islamists dropped the case and moved on to other issues to discover a new story of victimhood.

Jalaluddin, who was running a mass conversion racket targeting Hindus, admits to receiving crores in foreign funding

OpIndia Staff
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Jalaluddin, who was running a mass conversion racket targeting Hindus, admits to receiving crores in foreign funding

Jalaluddin alias Chhangur, who once claimed to be a spiritual guide, is now under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for his role in a massive illegal religious conversion racket. During custodial interrogation, Jalaluddin made shocking revelations about the foreign funding his organisations received, some of it even coming from countries like Pakistan.

ED grills Jalaluddin on foreign funding trail

According to media reports, the ED questioned Jalaluddin for hours on Thursday, 31st July, focusing on his financial dealings and assets in India and abroad. When asked directly about foreign donations, he admitted that several of his institutions received money from outside India, including from Pakistan. Trying to defend himself, Jalaluddin reportedly told officials that the funds were meant for spreading his religion. “What’s wrong with promoting one’s religion?” he asked during the questioning, according to ED sources.

Links with Dubai-based associates exposed

Jalaluddin also revealed details about his frequent travels to Dubai. He confessed to having connections with several individuals in the emirate and said that his followers sponsored his trips. He claimed the purpose of his visits was purely religious and aimed at helping the poor.

Admits to receiving crores in funding

When probed about why he often took a woman named Nasreen along on foreign trips and why several properties were bought in her name, Jalaluddin said that she was trained in conversion activities and was carrying forward his mission. He denied forcing anyone to convert to Islam but admitted that his network had received crores of rupees in funding, which he claimed was used for welfare purposes.

₹106 crore under the lens

The ED has now intensified its investigation into Jalaluddin’s international funding and property connections. Officials say they have already collected details about his properties in Dubai, most of which were earlier flagged by the Uttar Pradesh ATS. Records show that more than ₹106 crore came into over 40 bank accounts linked to Jalaluddin from countries in the Middle East and elsewhere. A part of this money is suspected to have been used for illegal religious conversions and property purchases. The case has raised serious questions about the misuse of foreign donations and the organised networks operating under the guise of religious work. 

Centre announces 71st National Film Awards: Shah Rukh Khan and Vikrant Massey share best actor, Rani Mukherjee wins best actress, 12th Fail named best feature film – See full list

OpIndia Staff
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Centre announces 71st National Film Awards: Shah Rukh Khan and Vikrant Massey share best actor, Rani Mukherjee wins best actress, 12th Fail named best feature film – See full list

The winners of the 71st National Film Awards were announced on Friday evening, celebrating the best of Indian cinema in various categories for the year 2023. From Bollywood stars, including Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, and director Sudipto Sen, to powerful regional films such as ‘Parking’ and ‘HanuMan,’ the winners represent a wide spectrum of talent across languages and genres.

The jury, led by filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker (Feature Film), P. Sheshadri (Non-Feature Film), and other distinguished members, unveiled the list of awardees in the presence of Dr. Ajay Nagabhushan MN, Joint Secretary (Films), and Mattu J P Singh, Director General, PIB. The awards were announced at a press conference held at the National Media Centre in New Delhi.

12th Fail has been honoured with the Best Feature Film award at the 71st National Film Awards. Flowering Man won the Best Non-Feature Film award, while God Vulture and Human was recognised as the Best Documentary.

This year, one of the biggest highlights was Shah Rukh Khan winning his first-ever National Award. The actor bagged the Best Actor award for his role in the blockbuster film ‘Jawan.’ Known for his long and successful career, this win is seen as a special moment for the superstar.

Khan shares the Best Actor award with Vikrant Massey, who was honoured for his performance in Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s ’12th Fail.’ The film, which tells an inspiring story of determination, was widely praised by both audiences and critics. Meanwhile, Rani Mukerji won the Best Actress award for her emotional role in ‘Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway.’ Sudipto Sen, on the other hand, won Best Director for ‘The Kerala Story.’

Here is the complete list of winners for the year 2023:

Feature films:

Special mentions: MR Rajakrishnan (Animal – Re-Recording)

Best Tai Phake Film: Pai Tang…Step of Hope

Best Garo Film: Rimdottianga

Best Telugu Film: Bhagavanth Kesari

Best Tamil Film: Parking

Best Punjabi Film: Godday Godday Chaa

Best Odia Film: Pushkara

Best Marathi Film: Shyamchi Aai

Best Malayalam Film: Ullozhukku

Best Kannada Film: Kandeelu

Best Hindi Film: Kathal

Best Gujarati Film: Vash

Best Bengali Film: Deep Fridge

Best Assamese Film: Rongatapu 1982

Best Action Direction: Nandu-Prudhvi (HanuMan)

Best Choreography: Vaibhavi Merchant (Dindhora Baje Re – Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani)

Best Lyrics: Kasarla Shyam (Ooru Palleturu – Balagam)

Best Music Direction: GV Prakash Kumar (Vaathi), Harshavardhan Rameshwar (Animal)

Best Makeup: Shrikanth Desai (Sam Bahadur)

Best Costume Design: Sachin, Divya, Nidhhi (Sam Bahadur)

Best Production Design: Mohandas (2018)

Best Editing: Midhun Murali (Pookkaalam)

Best Sound Design: Sachin Sudhakaran, Hariharan (Animal)

Best Screenplay: Sai Rajesh (Baby), Ramkumar Balakrishnan (Parking)

Best Dialogue: Deepak Kingrani (Sirf Ek Bandha Kaafi Hai)

Best Cinematography: Prasanthanu Mohapatra (The Kerala Story)

Best Playback Singer: Shilpa Rao (Chaliya – Jawan), Rohit (Premisthunna – Baby)

Best Child Artist: Sukriti Bandireddi (Gandhi Thatha Chettu), Kabir Khandare (Gypsy), Treesha Toshar, Shrinivas Pokale, Bhargav (Naal 2)

Best Actor in Supporting Role: Urvashi (Ullozhukku), Janki Bodiwala (Vash), Vijayaraghavan (Pookalam), Muthupettai Somu Bhaskar (Parking)

Best Actor in Leading Role: Rani Mukerji (Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway), Shah Rukh Khan (Jawan), Vikrant Massey (12th Fail)

Best Direction: Sudipto Sen (The Kerala Story)

Best Film in AVGC: HanuMan

Best Children’s Film: Naal 2

Best Film Promoting National, Social Values: Sam Bahadur

Sam Bahadur bagged the National Award for Best Film Promoting National and Social Values. Meghna Gulzar, in a statement, expressed her “immense pride” for the film winning the honour.

Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani

Best Debut Film: Aatmapamphlet

Best Film: 12th Fail

Non-feature films:

Special mentions: Nekal – Chronicle of the Paddy Man, The Sea and the Seven Villages

Best Script: Sunflowers Were The First Ones To Know

Best Voiceover: Hari Krishnan S (The Sacred Jack – Exploring The Tree of Wishes)

Best Music Direction: Pranil Desai (The First Film)

Best Editing: Niladri Roy (Moving Focus)

Best Sound Design: Shubarun Sengupta (Dhundhgiri Ke Phool)

Best Cinematography: Meenakshi Soman, Saravanamaruthu (Little Wings)

Best Direction: Piyush Thakur (The First Film)

Best Short Film: Giddh The Scavenger

Best Non-Feature Film Promoting Social and Environmental Values: The Silent Epidemic

Best Documentary Film: God Vulture and Human

Best Art/Culture Film: Timeless Tamil Nadu

Best Biographical/Historical Reconstruction Film: Mo Bou Mo Gaan, Lentina Ao

Best Debut Film: The Spirit Dreams of Cheraw

Best Non-Fiction Film: Flowering Man

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

Cambodia nominates Donald Trump for Nobel Peace Prize for halting its war with Thailand after White House said he should get the prize for resolving 6 conflicts

OpIndia Staff
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Cambodia nominates Donald Trump for Nobel Peace Prize for halting its war with Thailand after White House said he should get the prize for resolving 6 conflicts

The Cambodian government will nominate US president Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, the country’s Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol said on Friday. He said that his country is nominating Trump for his direct intervention in halting Cambodia’s recent border conflict with Thailand.

Talking to reporters in capital Phnom Penh, Chanthol thanked Trump for bringing peace and said he deserved to be nominated for the prize. When asked whether Cambodia was planning to nominate Trump for the prize, Chanthol responded saying “yes.”

This comes after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt demanded the Nobel Prize for Trump claiming that he has ended six conflicts, including those between Israel and Iran and India and Pakistan.

She said, “The President has now ended conflicts between Thailand and Cambodia, Israel and Iran, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India and Pakistan, Serbia and Kosovo, and Egypt and Ethiopia. This means President Trump has brokered, on average, about one peace deal or ceasefire per month during his six months in office. It is well past time that President Trump was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.”

Last week after Thailand and Cambodia agreed to halt the war, Karoline Leavitt posted on X saying “President Trump made this happen. Give him the Nobel Peace Prize!” 

Cambodia becomes the second country to endorse Trump for the award he is yearning for, as last month Pakistan said they will nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize for his “decisive diplomatic intervention” in halting the military conflict with India.

On their X account (which is withheld in India), the Pakistan government posted, “Government of Pakistan Recommends President Donald J. Trump for 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. The Government of Pakistan has decided to formally recommend President Donald J. Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, in recognition of his decisive diplomatic intervention and pivotal leadership during the recent India-Pakistan crisis.”

Pune: Syed shares offensive post on social media leading to protest from the Hindu community in Yavat, watch video

OpIndia Staff
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Pune: Syed shares offensive post on social media leading to protest from the Hindu community in Yavat, watch video

Violence erupted in the Yavat region of Daund tehsil in Maharashtra’s Pune on 1st August. The unrest was triggered by the dissemination of an objectionable message on a WhatsApp group. This issue began on the 25th July when an individual identified as Syed posted an objectionable message in a WhatsApp group.

Afterward, the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was defaced the next day which heightened tensions in the locality, leading to the arrest of the accused who is from the Sahakar Nagar neighbourhood of Yavat. A bandh was then declared in Daund and Yavat while many Bharatiya Janata Party leaders visited the area. However, now another insulting Facebook post has provoked further turmoil.

Syed is charged with uploading this offensive content as well. He had been taken into custody, however, the situation remained volatile. The members of Hindu community took to the streets in protest, expressing their anger. Markets were shut down, vehicles were damaged, peoperties were vandalised and reports of stone pelting by some young miscreants also surfaced. Enraged mob also threw stones at the perpetrator’s residence. However, no injuries were reported.

Pune Rural SP Sandeep Singh Gill stated that tear gas shells were deployed to restore order. He arrived at the scene and urged the public to maintain peace. Police also did lathicharge to disperse the crowd. Authorities also enforced prohibitory orders (Section 144).

“Here in Yavat village, around 12-12.30 pm, police received information that a young boy posted an objectionable status on his WhatsApp/Facebook. Following the complaint, the boy was brought to the police station. Action was initiated. A few villages also reached there. Our police team started a meeting with the representatives of the village to maintain peace in the village. But by then, the message on social media had become viral,” Gill conveyed.

“Police administration responded here and patrolled the village. The situation is peaceful right now,” he further noted. Additionally, the official also issued warnings to those responsible for spreading rumors. “We are closely monitoring the situation. I appeal to everyone to refrain from spreading rumours,” he added.

“An irate mob vandalised structures and properties belonging to the other community, pelted stones and also set a motorcycle ablaze. We had to lob teargas shells to disperse the mob and restore law and order. A sizable number of police personnel have been deployed at the site. The youth who uploaded the post has been detained,” an official informed.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also reacted on the development and remarked, “Based on the information we have gathered, this issue arose from an objectionable post made by an outsider. Certain individuals intentionally share such posts to incite tension within society. We will take stringent action against them. No one has the right to make comments regarding any religion. It is entirely incorrect to claim that the chaos was caused by any gathering or event.”

He mentioned, “The area is currently peaceful and both communities are having a dialogue. We urge the public to uphold peace and refrain from taking the law into their own hands.”

Supreme Court to decide whether Rohingyas are ‘refugees’ or ‘illegal immigrants’: Is the judiciary again overstepping its boundaries and playing the role of the government

Aditi
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Supreme Court to decide whether Rohingyas are ‘refugees’ or ‘illegal immigrants’: Is the judiciary again overstepping its boundaries and playing the role of the government

The Supreme Court, on Thursday (31st July), said that it would decide the question of whether the illegal Rohingyas living in the country are ‘refugees’ or ‘illegal immigrants’. While hearing a slew of petitions concerning Rohingyas, a three-judge bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and N Kotiswar Singh said that the court would extensively hear the case for three days.

The court listed several issues to be dealt with during the hearing of the case, which included-

1) Whether Rohingyas are entitled to be declared as refugees; if so, what protection emanates from the right they are entitled to?

2) If Rohingyas are illegal entrants, are the Government of India and the states obligated to deport them in accordance with the law?

3) Even if Rohingyas have been held to be illegal entrants, can they be detained indefinitely, or are they entitled to be released on bail subject to conditions?

4) Whether Rohingyas who are not detained but living in refugee camps have been provided basic amenities like sanitation, drinking water, education, etc. (in conformity with Article 21)?

Indian government has been deporting illegal Rohingyas

The Indian government has been identifying and deporting Rohingyas, who entered the country illegally. Considering the threat these illegal Rohingyas pose to law and order, national security and demography, the Union government has been making efforts to identify and deport them. However, the government’s action had triggered several foreign-funded human rights organisations and NGOs, which have approached the apex court seeking rights for them, at par with those available to Indian citizens, and to prevent the Indian government from deporting them.

Notably, in May 2025, during the hearing of the petitions against the deportation of illegal Rohingyas by the Indian government, the Supreme Court displayed remarkable judicial clarity by refusing to pander to the petitioners who wanted the court to address the matter with great urgency.

NGOs want to protect the illegal Rohingyas who pose threat to national security

The petitioners want the Indian government to adopt a ‘humanitarian’ approach towards the illegal Rohingyas, many of whom are found engaged in serious criminal activities like human trafficking. These illegal immigrants lay claim to the resources of a country which already has a vast population to cater to.

However, with the so-called human rights activists and advocates voicing their concerns nationally and internationally, these illegal immigrants have gradually spread their roots across the country. Many of them have obtained fake Aadhaar Cards and other local ID cards by taking advantage of appeasement politics.

As per the UNHCR data as of 31st December 2024, over 95,000 Rohingya Muslims are staying in India, including 22,500 refugees and asylum seekers considered stateless by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

India not legally bound to keep the illegal Rohingyas

The 1951 Refugee Convention, an international treaty which defines who refugees are and lays down obligations of its signatories regarding the refugees/asylum seekers, including not to return the refugees/asylum seekers to the country where they are persecuted. India is not a signatory to the 1951 convention, therefore, it is not bound by the provisions of the convention, which means that India is not bound to keep the illegal Rohingyas and can deport them.

Constitution empowers Parliament to decide on citizenship

Even though the Supreme Court has stepped in to decide on the question of the legal status of the illegal Rohingyas, it is the legislature which is primarily empowered to decide the issues relating to their legal status and citizenship. Article 11 of the Constitution empowers the Parliament to regulate citizenship by framing laws relating to the acquisition and termination, and all other matters relating to citizenship.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs is primarily responsible for implementing the laws relating to citizenship and dealing with matters relating to citizenship. The Parliament has enacted the Indian Citizenship Act, 1955, which lays down the framework for the acquisition, renunciation and deprivation of Indian citizenship. Rohingyas, being illegal immigrants, are not governed by the Citizenship Act. The constitutional mandate of the Supreme Court is to interpret the law enacted by the legislature and to ensure that the law is applied fairly.

The Indian government has maintained that the Rohingyas are illegal immigrants with no right to enter or stay in the country and, therefore, the government is deporting them. Considering the fact that letting certain elements permanently reside in the country can have serious implications for the law and order as well as the people of the country, it makes sense that the decision is left with an institution like the Parliament, which has direct public accountability.

Now that the Supreme Court has taken upon itself to decide the matter relating to the status of illegal Rohingyas, it is expected that it is not only guided by dry logic and bare legal provisions, but also by the interests of the nation and its people.

ECI sharply refutes Rahul Gandhi’s ‘vote-theft’ allegations, says he never responded to communications and didn’t file any complaint, asks officials to ignore his threats

OpIndia Staff
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ECI sharply refutes Rahul Gandhi’s ‘vote-theft’ allegations, says he never responded to communications and didn’t file any complaint, asks officials to ignore his threats

The Election Commission on Friday used very strong words to refute Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of large-scale voter fraud. The ECI said that the Congress leader’s claims are baseless and irresponsible, adding that the poll body ignores such baseless allegations being made on a daily basis.

In a statement, the ECI said, “The Election Commission ignores such baseless allegations being made every day and, despite the threats being given every day, it asks all election officials who are working in a fair and transparent manner to not pay heed to such irresponsible statements.”

The poll panel also added that while Rahul Gandhi is making comments against the ECI and the election process in the media, he has not responded to the ECI’s commutations regarding his allegations. Despite his constant allegations, he has not filed any formal complaint with the poll body.

The Election Commission said that they had sent a mail to him on 12th June asking him to visit with his complaints, but he didn’t come. He was also sent a letter on the same date, but he has not responded to the same yet.

The ECI made it clear that Rahul Gandhi has not sent any letter to the commission on any issue. The Chief Election Commissioner said that ⁠it is very strange that he is making wild allegations and has now even started threatening EC and its staff, calling it deplorable.

“⁠ECI ignores all such irresponsible statements and asks all its staff to continue working impartially and transparently,” the ECI said.

The strong reaction from the ECI came after Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused the poll body of direct involvement in vote theft. He also issued threats to ECI officers, saying that he will come after them even after their retirement.

“We have open and shut proof that the Election Commission is involved in vote theft. Most importantly, whoever in the Elections Commission is involved in this exercise, right from top to bottom, we will not spare you,” Rahul Gandhi said while talking to the media outside the parliament.

He said, “After the results of the Madhya Pradesh and Lok Sabha elections, we had our suspicions. Those only deepened after the Maharashtra Assembly polls — especially when we saw that 1 crore new voters had suddenly been added to the final voter list. That’s when we realised the Election Commission wouldn’t act. So, we launched our own six-month investigation. And what we uncovered is nothing short of an atom bomb. Once it explodes, the Election Commission will have no place to hide,”

Issuing a direct threat to ECI officials, he said, “Most importantly, whoever in the Elections Commission is involved in this exercise, right from top to bottom, we will not spare you. You are working against India, and this is no less than treason. Wherever you are, even if you are retired, we will find you.” 

Rahul Gandhi has been attacking ECI for years after his party lost in several state elections. He has been particularly vocal against the SIR exercise conducted in Bihar.

Responding a video of his comment posted by the Congress party on X, Election Commission said that not a single Congress candidate who lost the elections mentions by Rahul Gandhi has filed any complaint regarding the results. It said that while 10 petitions were filed after the results, none of them from Congress candidates.

ECI said that levelling baseless allegations against lakhs of election officials one year after the elections, repeatedly issuing threats and using words like “vote theft” is completely irresponsible behaviour.

This is not the first time ECI is fact-checking Rahul Gandhi’s wild allegations. The poll body is regularly responding to his statements, clarifying that there is no fraud in the election process as alleged by him.

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