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Delhi anti-Hindu riots: Shamim and Kafil charged with rioting, arson, court says it was done specifically because it was a ‘Hindu owned school’. Read details

The court filed charges in a case of Delhi anti-Hindu riots against 2 accused, Shamim Ahmad, Mohammad Kafil (Kapil) and Faizan for arson and vandalisation of a school called Arun Modern Public Senior Secondary School in Brijpuri during the peak of violence on 25th of February 2020. The third accused who was a part of the mob, Faizan, is absconding and has been declared a PO (proclaimed offender). In the order framing charges, the court categorically said that it is apparent from the facts of the case that the three joined the riotous mob with the specific intent to damage property belonging to Hindus.

Passing the order framing charges in the case of Delhi anti-Hindu riots, the court said:

I find that sufficient material is there to show that all the 3 accused persons and other unknown members of the mob comprising of more than 5 persons formed an unlawful assembly with a common object. In pursuance to their common object, they attacked and forcibly entered into Arun Modern Public Senior Secondary School with common object to cause maximum damage. It is also apparent that this school was chosen, because it belonged to Hindu and the common object of aforesaid mob was to cause damage to the properties of Hindu. The mob was equipped with different weapons. Thus, this mob committed riot. They burnt the computer lab and library of this school apart from above mentioned vehicles and other articles of the school.

Facts of the case: Arun Modern Public Secondary School and Delhi anti-Hindu riots

On the 25th of February 2020, a call was received by PS Dayalpur after a mob of 150-200 people had entered the Arun Modern Public Secondary School and started vandalising the school and indulging in arson. When the ASI reached this school, he found that the school had been completely vandalised and charred. He also found that other vehicles were also set on fire.

The court order says that because the police was busy maintaining law and order, further action could not be taken immediately on the DD entry. A DD entry is a daily entry, where every complaint received by the police is recorded. On the following day, Jyoti Rani, the Principal of the school, made a formal written complaint about the attack on the school.

According to the order, “In her complaint, she alleged that on 25.02.2020 at about 4 p.m., around 150-200 persons forcibly entered into the school. They vandalized various articles of the school as well as various vehicles parked inside the school campus. They set the vehicles on fire apart from various other articles viz. Generator, almirahs, numerous documents. Computer systems, items of chemistry lab, furniture etc. This mob also burnt the computer lab completely. They also burnt the school library. The school suffered a loss of Rs.1-1.25 crores due to such incident”.

The order says that after the registration of the case, several other complaints came to the fore. While 2 Hindus complained of their vehicles being burnt, there was one Muslim man as well, Gayyur Ali, who complained of his Honda Amaze being burnt by the mob. These vehicles and centre were inside the campus of aforesaid school or parked around it, which were burnt by the mob. The police officer who was on duty in the area attested to identifying the three accused and his version was corroborated by other witnesses as well.

The first chargesheet was filed in the court on 13.06.2020 and then there were two supplementary chargesheets that were filed in the case.

What was the case of the defence and what the court said

The defence counsel for the three accused made the following three claims:

  1. The witnesses who identified the accused were planted by the police.
  2. There was a variation in the complaint filed and the FIR registered by the police.
  3. That the FIR was registered much later (belatedly).

The prosecution countered the contention of the defence on all these counts. The court agreed with the prosecution that at this stage of the case, the court was not supposed to look at whether witnesses were planted or not. Further, the court held that there was no variation between the complaint filed and the FIR registered by the police. On the question of the delayed filing of the FIR, the court said, “IO has given reason for the same in the chargesheet and credibility of such reason shall be appreciated at the final stage”.

The court therefore ordered, “Thus, on the basis of above-mentioned discussion, I find that accused persons namely Shamim Ahmed and Mohd. Kafil @ Kapil are liable to be tried for offence u/s 147/148/427/435/436 IPC read with Section 149 IPC and Section 188 IPC”.

Aligarh Muslim University suspends student for raising “Allah hu Akbar” slogans on Republic Day, investigation team formed for further probe

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Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has suspended a student for shouting “Allah hu Akbar” slogans on Republic Day. The incident of some NCC cadets raising slogans during Republic Day celebrations had come to light on Thursday. The video of people shouting the slogan at the program had gone viral on social media. The management of AMU has now acted upon it by suspending the student involved.

Dr. Wasim Ali, vice chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, provided information on this by stating that an NCC student raised religious slogans during the Republic Day programme. He stated that after the incident’s footage has come before us and we suspended the student in question. He revealed that the student is a first-year BA student by the name of Wahidduzzaman, a resident of West Bengal. He said that the student was residing at the dorm since he had not been assigned a room on campus.

Although just one individual was seen in the viral video, a three-person team has been assembled by the university administration to further probe the matter. The committee is directed to review the evidence and submit a report with suggestions within five days. The probe will be followed by additional action, according to the Proctor.

The Aligarh police contacted the university administration shortly after the video was shared on social media, asking them to take cognizance of the situation. The sloganeering started immediately after the vice chancellor departed the area.

Wahidduzzaman’s mobile had been turned off after the incident was first reported, and it wasn’t until Friday evening that the university administration was finally able to get in touch with him.

UK: Student nurse Mohammed Farooq arrested for planning an attack on an airforce base

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On Friday, January 27, a student nurse named Mohammed Farooq who was arrested on January 20 outside the maternity unit at St James’s university hospital in Leeds, was presented before a British court. The accused has been charged with planning to attack a Royal Airforce base. During the arrest, accused Farooq was found with a pressure cooker bomb containing 13.7 kilograms (30 pounds) of a homemade low-explosive mixture which he took to the maternity ward of the hospital.

Farooq allegedly conducted “hostile reconnaissance” of a Royal Air Force base in northern England earlier this month after being urged online to attack it, according to the prosecution.

According to the prosecutor Mark Luckett, Farooq allegedly had instructions on how to assemble a homemade explosive device, purchased supplies, and made the bomb, as well as conducting online research about the RAF base and conducting its recce.

He is accused of conspiring to prepare a terrorist act in relation to the air base plan, which the prosecution claims was inspired by Islamic extremism between 12 July last year and January 20, 2023.

Farooq is also accused of possessing an explosive substance and a replica firearm a Gediz 9mm PAK semi-automatic pistol. Farooq was carrying the imitation firearm to spread fear of violence on January 20. According to the prosecution, Farooq was acting out of resentment toward another staff member.

At Westminster Magistrates’ Court, Farooq appeared via video conferencing. He was told to remain in custody until his next court appearance on February 3 at London’s Central Criminal Court.

Teacher, from school managed by Sikh Committee in Delhi, suspended for organizing Saraswati Puja, management says ‘no tradition of idol worship’

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On Friday, a teacher from a school in Delhi was suspended for performing Saraswati Puja on the occasion of Vasant Panchmi. The teacher who is employed by the Guru Harkishan Public School in Delhi to teach music to its students happened to organize Saraswati Pujan on January 25.

According to the reports, the school is managed by the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee which opposed the event and issued a suspension order against the teacher. Also, a separate committee has been formed by the management to investigate the matter after several Sikh leaders criticized the act.

Former president of the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC), Harvinder Singh Sarna, and other Sikh leaders, including Parminder Pal Singh, general secretary of Jag Asra Guru Ott, opposed the execution of Saraswati Puja in the school. Funds should be spent on the promotion of the Sikh religion, the leaders opined.

“There is no tradition of idol worship in the educational institutions run by the committee. The school is attended by students of every religion. But, the school is run with the money provided by the management. The amount received from the Sikh management should be spent on preaching the words of Sikhs and their Gurus,” Sarna said.

He also alleged that the DSGMC has failed to follow the Sikh code of conduct. “Many cases which challenge the Sikh dignity have come to the fore,” he noted. DSGMC president Harmeet Singh Kalka blamed the music teacher and stated that the event was not organized by the school management but by the music teacher at her own level. “Sikh dignity is fully followed in the educational and other institutions related to the committee,” he maintained.

The teacher has been suspended with immediate effect. A three-member committee has been constituted for an impartial inquiry into the matter. Next action will be taken after the report of the committee is submitted to the authorities.

Assam police foil child marriage attempt in Barpeta, arrests Imam Sanidul Ali, groom Sanuar Hussain and two others: Details

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The Assam police on Friday (January 27) arrested four people for conducting child marriage in the Kurbaha area in the Barpeta district of Assam. The arrested accused included the Qazi (Imam) Sanidul Ali, the groom Sanuar Hussain, and two of his family members identified as Soib Ali and Nur Islam. The four have been booked under the charges of the Prevention of Child Marriage Act, 2006.

The area where the purported incident took place falls under the limits of Sorbhog Police station.

The arrest came barely four days after the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Assam government announced that strict measures will be implemented across the state to keep a check on the spike in child marriages in the state.

The Sorbhog police revealed that the 29-year-old youth Sonuar Hussain, of the Gubardhana district near Barpeta, had planned to marry a 16-year-old minor girl. The arrest was made based on a tip-off the police received from a source.

“The groom along with Qazi and other persons reached Kurbaha village to marry the minor girl on Thursday,” an official privy to the case was quoted as saying.

Sorbhog officer-in-charge Amar Ghosh said, “We had information that a child marriage is going to take place at Kurubaha on Thursday,” he said. After receiving the information, our team reached the spot and apprehended the four people, including the groom, his father and Qazi for arranging the child marriage. The minor girl was rescued and later handed over to Sakhi-One Stop Centre, a component of the umbrella scheme for the National Mission for Empowerment of Women. The arrested were sent to judicial custody on Friday by a local court.

Assam Govt to initiate stringent action under POCSO Act against child marriage across the state

Notably, on Monday, January 23, the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Assam Government announced that strict measures will be implemented across the state to keep a check on the spike in child marriages in the state. The Assam government said that legal action against men who marry girls below 14 years of age would be initiated under the POCSO Act and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act.

“We have directed the police to launch within 15 days a massive crackdown against those marrying underage girls. It will be a priority in our governance, to take sustained steps against child marriage so that our state can become free from child marriage within five years,” the chief minister said. 

Under the actions that the Assam government has planned, it said, “FIR would be lodged under POCSO Act in situations where the girl’s age is under 14 years and under The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 in cases where the girl’s age is between 14 years and 18 years.”

Controversial news anchor Sreenivasan Jain, who dubbed the plot to kill PM Modi as a ‘chota mota bomb blast’, resigns from NDTV

On Saturday (January 28), controversial news anchor Sreenivasan Jain called it quits after a 3-decade stint at the leftist propaganda news outlet, NDTV.

The development was confirmed by him on social media. In a tweet, he said, “Hi all. An amazing, nearly three-decade-long run at NDTV comes to an end today. The decision to resign wasn’t easy, but .. it is what it is. More later.”

Sreenivasan Jain had been mired in controversies throughout his career as a news anchor. In July last year, he furnished a surety bond of ₹50,000 to secure bail for dubious fact-checker Mohammed Zubair, whom he described as a ‘close friend.’ 

In August 2021, he cast aspersions about India’s indigenously developed Covid-19 vaccine, Covaxin. He made a startling claim that Dr N K Arora, Chairperson of the National Vaccine Advisory Group, said that the initial batches of Covaxin ‘were not of the right quality’. He later deleted his tweet.

Interestingly, Sreenivasan Jain has been humiliated by his guests on multiple occasions.

“I find you prejudiced. I find NDTV prejudiced against the government…The press is not a political animal. You are supposed to be unprejudiced,” businessman Rakesh Jhunjhunwala once told him.

He also attempted to solicit negative comments against the Modi government from HDFC Chairman Deepak Parekh. Instead of having his wish fulfilled, he got told to his face that all the discussion about curbing dissent and intolerance was exaggerated and the government was willing to discuss matters.

However, the true highlight of his career was his attempt to downplay a vicious plot to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi by Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Ishrat Jahan.

He had claimed that terrorists such as Ishrat Jahan, gunned down by the Gujarat Police during an encounter, did not come to kill the then Gujarat Chief Minister but to do a ‘chota-mota‘ (small-time) bomb blast.

Under the garb of informing the viewers about the CBI investigation into the encounter, the NDTV journalist had insinuated that since Ishrat Jahan had come to only execute a small-time terror attack,she ought to have been treated well by the Gujarat police.

While conveying that the terrorist deserved a ‘fair trial’, he tried to paint terrorism as a ‘no-big-deal’ issue. His vicious attempt to provide intellectual cover fire to a slain terrorist has been the key highlight of his stint at NDTV.

Madras HC allows Hindu outfit meet in Tamil Nadu after police denied permission as they might comment against ‘other religion’, public parade still disallowed

On Friday, the Madras High Court ruled that the state cannot impose a complete ban on religious meetings under article 25 of the Indian Constitution which allows free practice and propagation of one’s religion subject to public order, morality, and health. The court also allowed the Hindu outfit, Indu Makkal Katchi- Tamizhagam (IMKT), to hold its State conference in the Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu on January 29.

According to the reports, the group had petitioned the High Court after the local police rejected permission for such a conference on the grounds that IMKT, a Hindu entity, would make remarks against other religions and faiths, causing stress and friction among the public and a law and order scenario.

The Cuddalore police also referenced an April 1986 Tamil Nadu government Government Order (GO) that forbade religious procession through any location predominantly inhabited by other religious communities. However, High Court Justice G Chandrasekaran highlighted people’s basic freedom to exercise and spread religion and granted permission for IMKT’s conference on January 29 between 3 pm and 10 pm, subject to certain limitations.

“Considered the rival submissions. Article 25 of the Constitution of India gives freedom of conscience and free profession, practice, and propagation of religion. It reads as follows: ‘Subject to public order, morality, and health and the other provisions of this part, all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practice and propagate religion.’ Therefore, there can be no total ban for the conduct of religious meetings organized by the petitioner,” the Court said.

However, the High Court forbade conference attendees from either performing songs about or speaking ill of any person, caste, religion, etc. The Court further stated that participants must not discuss or say anything about organizations that the Union government has outlawed. They must not engage in any conduct that jeopardizes India’s sovereignty and integrity, it added. 

IMKT had also requested permission to hold a public parade on the same day. However, the High Court denied authorization for the march after taking into account the local police and State administration’s concerns about traffic congestion and the potential spread of COVID-19, among other things.

The TN government told the Court that the intended meeting would feature the participation of Sanyasis, Dharmakarthas, and fervent adherents of the Hindu faith. “There is a strong likelihood that they may disparage other religions while discussing Hinduism,” the govt said suggesting that it would inevitably cause dissatisfaction among other religions, as well as a law and order concern.

Members of the Hindu organization, on the other hand, volunteered to submit an affidavit indicating that the conference will not disrupt law and order. The High Court considered the submissions and granted permission for the conference. The Court further ordered the petitioner to guarantee that conference attendees follow all safety measures, traffic and noise pollution regulations, and so on. S Mayilnathan, an advocate, represented the petitioner. The responding police were represented by Government Advocate S Santhosh.

Ruhal and Adnan insult the national anthem, as video goes viral, sparking outrage, Meerut police arrest one

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On 26 January, when India celebrated its 74th republic day, in the Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh two Muslim youths insulted the national anthem. The accused, who was identified as Ruhal, was seen dancing and mocking while the national anthem was playing. While Ruhal was dancing, his friend Adnan was seen laughing in the video. 

Soon after, the video went viral on social media, sparking outrage with people demanding action against the accused youths. Taking cognizance of the video, Meerut Police initiated action and nabbed accused Adnan. Both the accused are residents of the Idgah locality in Meerut. 

Taking to Twitter, Meerut Police informed that a case has been registered against the accused youths at the Railway Road Police Station and that one accused has been arrested and the search is on for the other.

In the video, the national anthem is playing in the background. The youth can be seen mocking the national anthem in the 29-second clip. Initially, a youth who is seen wearing a black jacket and jeans started singing the national anthem while saluting. In about 8 seconds, the national anthem ends. The accused youth then breaks out into an obscene dance while still holding the jacket. 

Behind the dancing youth Ruhal, Adnan is seen giggling at the dancing youth’s derogatory antics. The video of the incident was recorded by another person present nearby. 

Speaking about the incident, Railway Road police station SHO Sanjay Kumar Sharma on Saturday said, “Three youths were seen dancing while the national anthem was playing in a video that quickly went viral on social media. Two of them were identified as Adnan and Ruhal during the investigation.”

Former Hindu Jagran Manch city president Sachin Sirohi reacting to the video said that it was an insult to the national anthem and demanded that a sedition case be registered against the accused youths.

It is notable that, in accordance with the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act of 1971, disrespecting the national anthem is a criminal offense that carries a maximum three-year prison sentence, a fine, or both.

Meeting to remember 33 years of Kashmiri Pandit genocide held at UK Parliament campus, British MP slams BBC documentary as ‘propaganda’: Details

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Earlier this week, a commemorative meeting was held in the premises of the United Kingdom parliament to mark the exodus and genocide of Kashmiri pandits that happened in Jammu and Kashmir in early 1990. The meeting was supported by the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Hindus, which includes British MPs from the Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora in the United Kingdom.

Bob Blackman, Jonathan Lord, Theresa Villiers, Virender Sharma, and Lord Waverley were among the UK MPs who attended the meeting. Sarvjeet Soodan, first secretary, Political, Press, and Information also attended the meeting and represented the Indian high commission.

“The right to return to the valley..is an absolute right (of Kashmiri Pandits). We have an illegal occupation by Pakistan of sovereign India that continues”. He lauded the removal of special status for the erstwhile state, pointing, “it was imposed on a temporary basis,” said MP Bob Blackman during the meeting.

According to the reports, Bob Blackman is also the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Hindus. All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) are cross-party informal groups organised by and for Members of the Commons and Lords in the UK Parliament. Individuals and organisations from outside Parliament may be included in the group’s administration and operations. Such gatherings have occurred in the past as well.

The MP also made a comment on a recent programme by the BBC about PM Modi and terming it “simply terrible propaganda”. First-person testimonies and second-generation stories of Kashmiri Hindus living in Britain were shared during the event.

Sonal Sher moderated the event on behalf of the APPG Secretariat. “It is important that our voice is heard at the highest levels in the UK and around the world, which is why this was held at the UK House of Commons. Kashmiri Hindus want an acknowledgement of genocide from the GOI, followed by a viable roadmap of how our people can safely be repatriated (on our terms),” she said.

“We commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day, and it is only right that our story is not forgotten or erased. The world narrative on Kashmir has been seized by Pakistan when it has nothing to do with Kashmir. As the indigenous inhabitants of the valley, we want to ensure that our voices and our concerns are centered. Justice may be delayed but it will not be denied to us,” she added.

Meanwhile, MP Bob Blackman reaffirmed his backing for India and the Kashmiri Hindu community, and reminded them that it was Pakistan’s attack on Kashmir that led to the former Maharaja acceding to India.

On January 19, 1990, Kashmiri Pandits were forcibly removed from their homeland as a result of a brutal campaign initiated by Pakistan-backed terrorists to ethnically cleanse the Valley. On this day, in 1990, lakhs of Kashmiri Hindus were forced into exile by the Islamist violence that included targeted killings of Hindus in the valley. There were announcements made from mosques asking Kashmiri Hindu men to leave the valley, leaving their women behind. The chants of ‘convert (to Islam), leave or die’ echoed in the valley.

According to estimates, roughly 100,000 of the valley’s total 140,000 Kashmiri Pandit inhabitants migrated between February and March 1990. More of them fled in the years that followed until just about 3,000 families remained in the valley by 2011.

It has been 33 years and the Pandits are still looking up to the political dispensation for redressal and resettlement in the Valley but have faced opposition from the usual suspects who allege that resettlement would impact the demography in the state.

Jerusalem: Palestinian terrorist kills 7 Jews, injures 3 others in a deadly attack, Hamas celebrates with fireworks in the streets of Gaza

On Friday (January 27) night, a 21-year-old Palestinian terrorist went on a killing spree and gunned down 7 Jews outside a synagogue in Neve Yaakov in East Jerusalem.

As per reports, he started shooting at the victims at around 8:15 pm using a handgun, marking the deadliest attack on the Jewish community since 2008.

The unnamed terrorist then fled the scene in his car, only to be tracked down by the police within 5 minutes. He was neutralised following a brief encounter with the cops. Meanwhile, his parents have been nabbed by the Israeli police.

A total of 7 people were killed while 3 others were injured in the lone wolf attack. While 5 victims died on the spot, 2 others passed away on their way to the hospital.

While speaking about the matter, Inspector General Yaakov Shabtai remarked, “One of the worst terror attacks we’ve encountered in recent years. He got out of his car not far from here and began a killing spree with a pistol…Everyone who crossed his path — he shot at them from close range.”

Islamist terror outfit, Hamas, celebrated the death of Jews and even civilians were seen cheering with fireworks in the Gaza strip and other disputed territories.

Israeli journalist Emily Schrader said, “After a terror attack on a synagogue in Jerusalem in which 7 people were killed tonight, this is what the streets of Gaza looked like: celebrating the death of innocent civilians who were slaughtered because they were Jews.”

Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who recently courted controversy by visiting the Al Aqsa mosque, also arrived at the crime scene and assured the Jewish community that they will be granted permission to carry guns for protection.

He said, “I hope that soon we’ll change the gun policy. More and more civilians need to have guns. The government needs to respond. With God’s help, I hope that that’s what happens.”

“Itamar, deal with them, Itamar! We elected you, Itamar. Had I been armed I would have prevented three or four people from being killed. I’m not armed. They won’t give me a gun,” a Jewish bystander had confronted the Israeli Minister.

In a statement, the U.S. State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said, “This is absolutely horrific. We condemn this apparent terrorist attack in the strongest terms. Our commitment to Israel’s security remains ironclad, and we are in direct touch with our Israeli partners.”

Raids by the Israeli Army in Palestine

Reportedly, the Israeli Army carried out raids in the Palestinian city of Jenin on Thursday (January 26), resulting in the death of 9 Palestinians. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) had entered a refugee camp in a bid to foil attack by Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group.

A senior IDF officer said, “This squad was a ticking time bomb. If we didn’t act, they would have. During an attempt to arrest them, the wanted men opened fire and were killed in an exchange of fire with our forces.”

“The wanted men, PIJ operatives, have been involved in recent extensive terror activity, and are suspected of carrying out several shooting attacks against IDF forces, and planning other significant attacks,” it emphasised.

The IDF neutralised 3 terrorists associated with Palestinian Islamic Jihad and arrested one terrorist. The death of civilians had sparked off protests in the city of Jenin. The attack on a synagogue in East Jerusalem by a Palestinian terrorist is being seen as an attempt to avenge the raids by the Israeli Defence Forces.