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

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

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

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

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

OpIndia Staff
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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.

USAID grantee NGO in Pakistan has links with designated terrorist organizations Jamaat-e-Islami: What US lawmaker said in a letter

OpIndia Staff
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USAID grantee NGO in Pakistan has links with designated terrorist organizations Jamaat-e-Islami: What US lawmaker said in a letter

An American lawmaker has alleged that a US-based NGO in Pakistan has links with designated terrorist organizations. This NGO has been receiving financial aid from US Agency for International Development (USAID). In a letter dated January 24 to USAID administrator Samantha Power, Congressman Michael McCaul, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee requested suspension of the USAID funding to the NGO pending a full and in-depth review of these accusations.

Reportedly, the in question nonprofit organization, Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD), which is based in Michigan, is affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamist terrorist organization that operates in South Asia. USAID granted HHRD a grant of $110,000 in October 2021 to cover the costs of shipping associated with its humanitarian relief work.

“This award was made despite longstanding, detailed allegations that HHRD is connected to designated terrorist organizations, terror financiers, and extremist groups,” McCaul’s letter read.

Moreover, McCaul stated that the aid agency has failed to investigate the allegations against the NGO in question or suspend the grants made to it despite detailed information provided by congressional staff earlier. 

In November 2019, three Members of Congress requested that the State Department review these alleged ties to terrorism in a public letter, McCaul wrote. McCaul urged Samantha Power to conduct a personal and immediate review of the grants to HHRD and pause the grants until a full review is concluded. 

“Please immediately personally review this grant to HHRD. I strongly urge you to pause this grant while you complete a thorough review of the allegations, to include coordination with the intelligence community, federal law enforcement, the State Department Counterterrorism Bureau, and the Department of Homeland Security,” McCaul added.

Reportedly, Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), the charitable arm of Lashkar-e-Taiba, the terrorist organization responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, is one of the sponsors of HHRD events in Pakistan.

It is pertinent to note that FIF has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States in 2016.

With reference to Pakistani media reports that the NGO organized a conference in Pakistan with both FIF and the Milli Muslim League, two branches of Lashkar-e-Taiba that are both designated as terrorist organizations by the US and the UN, several members of the US Congress, Jim Banks, Chuck Fleischmann, and Randy Weber wrote to the US State Department in 2019 asking for further investigations into the HHRD.

Concerns about the HHRD’s relationship with Al-Khidmat, Jamaat-e-Islami’s official charitable organization, were also expressed in McCaul’s letter.

Remembering Haqiqat Rai: The first Hindu victim of the blasphemy law who was stoned to death on Basant Panchami in Mughal era

Gopal Tiwari
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Remembering Haqiqat Rai: The first Hindu victim of the blasphemy law who was stoned to death on Basant Panchami in Mughal era

In 2022, India witnessed a perverted and dangerous form of Islamic outrage over so-called blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad by former Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nupur Sharma. The suspended BJP leader had made the allegedly controversial remarks about Prophet Muhammad and his wife Ayesha while responding to Islamist Taslim Ahmed Rahmani during a TV debate where Rahmani was repeatedly insulting the Shivling found at the Gyanvapi complex of Varanasi.

Beheading calls and death and rape threats issued to Nupur Sharma by Islamists had become a routine for a few weeks across the country. Violence and arson also emerged as a byproduct of the same. Several persons were killed by Islamists for merely extending support to Nupur Sharma on social media. A few months after this, as India sees the Basant Panchami of 2023, it is time to remember Haqiqat Rai, the first Hindu victim of the blasphemy law according to Sharia rule.

Haqiqat Rai Puri was born into a Khatri family in 1719 at Sialkot which is now in Pakistani Punjab. Lala Bhagmal Rai was his father’s name. Goran Devi was his mother. His was a rich family in Punjab that followed Vedic Sanatan Dharma. It is notable that Hindu Khatris were among the first to support Guru Nanak Singh at the time when he founded Sikhism. Khatris would often send their elder child to become a member of the fighters’ group in Sikhism specially established to protect Sanatan Hindu Dharma from the Islamic tyrants.

Haqiqat Rai Puri was a quick learner right from his childhood. He developed a keen interest in Hindu Dharmik books since he was 4 years old. Guru Har Rai Acharya Ji would teach her Hindu Dharmik scriptures which he quickly grasped. It was the teachings of his parents and master that made H/aqiqat Rai Puri a staunch devotee of Sanatan Dharma. He was married to Laxmi.

As the years passed by, he went on to complete his studies that he learned from his master. But, this was not sufficient for a person like him to make a living in those days. Persian was the official language of knowledge, administration, and communication in the Mughal rule. Therefore, to study Persian, Haqiqat Rai Puri was sent to a local Maulana where he was admitted with other Muslim students. At this time, he was just 12 years old.

According to those times, Muslim students used to abuse Hindu children and Hindu gods and goddesses and the child Haqiqat Rai would retaliate to them about this and defeat them in debate. One day, in the absence of the cleric, these Muslim students beat up the Haqiqat Rai. When the cleric inquired, they complained against Haqiqat Rai alleging that he had said bad things about Bibi Fatima. The cleric got angry. Haqiqat was taken in front of the qazi of the city. This incident took place in 1734.

In fact, it was the Muslim fellow students who after the Friday prayers started abusing Hindu Gods and Goddesses in front of Haqiqat Rai. They made fun of the goddesses Shri Ram and Durga. Haqiqat Rai was furious about this since his Muslim classmates had a habit of inciting him. He responded by giving facts about Bibi Fatima. Haqiqat Rai was a keen observer and used to interrogate Muslim clergy on their faith while they taught Persian and Islamic scriptures. Therefore he was already a target for these Muslim students.

It is notable that, Nupur Sharma had also made allegedly controversial remarks after TV debate panellist Taslim Ahmed Rehmani repeatedly insulted the Shivling found at the Gyanvapi complex in Varanasi. The similarities between the allegations of blasphemy, demands for beheading and death threats have not changed a bit across the centuries.

Haqiqat Rai was tried before Amir Beg who was the city administrator of Sialkot at that time. Qazi Abdul Haq argued in his court that the feelings of Muslims are hurt by the insulting remarks by Haqiqat Rai against Fatima. According to Sharia law, the punishment for this alleged offence was pouring hot oil on Haqiqat Rai. Haqiqat Rai’s parents wanted to save their child from this and offered to pay compensation for this punishment. But their plea was dismissed.

On the auspicious day of Basant Panchami, Qazi Abdul Haq said that Haqiqat Rai can be spared if he and his parents accept Islam. Haqiqat Rai did not agree with this and stood up to his faith in the Sanatan Dharma. He was brutally beaten and tortured by Islamists on the orders of the Qazi and Amir Beg, the city administrator of Sialkot. Haqiqat Rai still did not agree to convert to Islam. When Haqiqat Rai’s parents came to know about this condition, his parents also told him to stand by the Dharma and not to convert but face the tyrants bravely and set up an example.

After this, Haqiqat Rai was taken to Lahore where he was tried before Zakria Khan, then Governor of Lahore. He gave him the ultimate punishment for blasphemy that comes under the Sharia law, that is, stoning to death. Haqiqat Rai was stoned to death by an Islamist mob in Lahore. The brave kid embraced death with open arms but did not convert to Islam. He is identified as the first victim of the blasphemy law of Islamic Sharia.

Even after three centuries, in the so-called modern times, the mentality of supporting Sharia law prevails in the Indian subcontinent. Pakistan being an Islamic country and Bangladesh being a Muslim majority country, atrocities on non-Muslims in the name of blasphemy are regular incidents. Even in India, demands for Sharia-compliant blasphemy law were made after Nupur Sharma’s allegedly insulting comments against the Prophet Muhammad.

The Islamist mentality dates back to the seventh century. Millions were killed, converted, and persecuted during the repeated Islamic invasions of India. However, the first noted victim of the blasphemy laws of Sharia was Haqiqat Rai who laid down his life for Sanatan Dharma ion 1734 at the age of 15. He is remembered on the occasion of Basant Panchami. His Samadhi was in Lahore which was destroyed by Islamists after partition in 1947. An annual fare is still organized by locals. His another memorial is in the Hoshiyarpur district. There is a temple of Haqiqat Rai Puri in the Gurdaspur district’s Batala. The town also houses a temple of his wife Laxmi Devi.

As the Pakistani rupee sinks to a record low, social media erupts with meme fest amid deepening economic crisis

OpIndia Staff
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As the Pakistani rupee sinks to a record low, social media erupts with meme fest amid deepening economic crisis

Setting new benchmarks is positive unless your country’s currency is falling to historic lows. People in Pakistan are holding their heads in despair as a result of the Pakistani rupee’s massive decline. While Pakistani Twitter is justifiably incensed, some internet users have turned to memes to lighten the mood. Pakistani netizens are attempting to laugh through their pain by hilariously portraying the distressing scenario.

A user commented on Muhammad Ishaq Dar, the current finance minister of Pakistan, using a meme.

Another user tweeted about the sorry state of their economy with a funny image staring Bill Gates.

A Pakistani netizen used an image from the Bollywood movie Super 30 to mock Pakistan’s current economic crisis.

Another one posted a picture depicting the exact condition of Pakistan’s economy.

Another netizen tweeted about the impact of the country’s declining economy on his own pocket.

A user uploaded a still from the famous cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants.

Their Finance Minister seems to be the primary focus of the jokes.

The Pakistani rupee lost more value on Friday, trading at Rs 266.6 to the dollar in the interbank market. The largest single-day loss in both absolute and percentage terms since the current exchange rate system was adopted in 1999 when it had depreciated by Rs 24.54 to a record low of Rs 255.43 just yesterday.

Congress attacks Adani Group over the Hindenburg report, after the party-led governments awarded multiple contracts to the group

OpIndia Staff
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Congress attacks Adani Group over the Hindenburg report, after the party-led governments awarded multiple contracts to the group

The Congress party has attacked the Indian conglomerate Adani Group after US-based activist investor group Hindenburg Research published a 32,000-word report against it. The investment research firm claimed that Adani Group was involved in a “brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud scheme over the course of decades.”

Hindenburg Research claimed that it has conducted an investigation on the company for the last two years and that it has documents to prove its claims. Hindenburg Research Report accused Adani family members of creating and managing “a vast labyrinth of offshore shell entities” in tax havens like Mauritius, Cyprus, and the UAE. The report claimed that some of these entities were used for market manipulation.

It said Gautam Adani has a net worth of approximately $120 billion, mainly due to an 819% average stock price growth in the group’s seven most significant publicly traded companies over the last three years.

On Friday (January 27), Congress leader Jairam Ramesh launched a tirade against the Adani Group. “Hindenburg has put out a damning report on the Adani group which has reacted predictably”, he tweeted.

However, Congress has been supporting the Adani Group for a long time. The Indian conglomerate has obtained several projects in Rajasthan, under the governance of Congress Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. The conglomerate has outlined plans to invest Rs. 65,000 crores in Rajasthan over the next 5-7 years.

These projects consist of the development of a 10,000 MW solar power capacity, the expansion of a cement plant, and the upgrading of the Jaipur airport. Furthermore, according to an RTI, Adani Group and Reliance Industries jointly committed the largest investment under the ‘Invest Rajasthan’ program.

The companies pledged over Rs 1.68 lakh crore between December 2021 and March 2022 through Letters of Intent and Memoranda of Understanding with the government.

Adani Group had started the Mundra port in Gujarat after it was given wasteland during the Congress-backed Chimanbhai Patel government in 1993. The company had got more land during the Congress government headed by Shankersinh Vaghela in 1997. Subsequently, BJP governments under Keshubhai Patel in 1999 and Narendra Modi in 2005 gave the group more wasteland for expansion of the port.

Congress supported the Adani group in Maharashtra

During the tenure of the Maha Vikas Agadhi government, in which Congress was an alliance partner, the Adani Group was able to secure the Dighi port project in Maharashtra.

The company successfully purchased a 100% stake in Dighi Port Limited (DPL) for Rs. 705 crores with a plan to invest over Rs 10,000 crore to develop it as an alternative to Jawaharlal Nehru Port, the country’s largest container port.

UDF govt awarded new Vizhinjam port contract to the conglomerate

In 2015, the government of Kerala, led by Congress, awarded the contract to develop a new port at Vizhinjam to Adani Ports. The contract was given through the use of Viability Gap Funding (VGF), as Adani Ports had submitted the lowest grant of Rs 1,635 crore in the auction.

Despite signing a deal worth Rs 7,525 crore between Adani Group and the Kerala government, the project faced several obstacles. Upon completion, the Vizhinjam port is expected to become a significant competitor to the transhipment ports of Colombo, Singapore, and Dubai.

It will be the only transhipment hub in the Indian subcontinent, situated in a strategic location on the Indian coastline and close to international shipping routes. This location makes it a central hub for shipping in the region.

It should be noted that even during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) era, the Union government had awarded the Adani Group 10 projects worth Rs 21,000 crore.

Adani Group slams Hindenburg Research report

On Wednesday (January 25), the Adani Group trashed the Hindenburg Research report as a ‘malicious combination of selective misinformation and stale, baseless and discredited allegations’.

The Group stocks lost Rs 46,000 crores in market cap after Hindenburg claimed that the Indian giant had participated in a clear stock manipulation and accounting fraud scheme over decades.

While the Congress party is now using the controversial report to indirectly take potshots at the BJP, it has been at the helm of supporting the very industrialist it had been accusing of crony capitalism.

‘Hindu saints are Aatanki and Jallad’: SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya; had earlier made objectionable remarks on Ramcharitmanas

OpIndia Staff
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‘Hindu saints are Aatanki and Jallad’: SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya; had earlier made objectionable remarks on Ramcharitmanas

On Friday, January 27, Senior Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya once again stirred a controversy after he insulted Hindu saints and seers by dubbing them ‘Aatanki’ and ‘Jallad’. Previously, the SP leader drew criticism for demanding a ban on Ramcharitmanas claiming that certain verses ‘insult’ a large section of society.

In a tweet posted on January 27 in Hindi, the SP leader wrote, “Recently, some religious contractors have declared a reward for those who cut my tongue and head; if someone else had said the same thing, the same contractor would have called him a terrorist, but now these saints, mahants, religious leaders, and caste-specific leaders have declared a reward for those who cut my tongue and head. What do you call such people aatanki, mahashaitan or jallads.”

Defending his remark on Ramcharitramanas in front of the media, the SP leader further lashed out at Hindu saints by saying, “they are barking like maniacs because their earnings will stop as the tribals, Dalits, backwards, and women will stop visiting the temples.”

The SP leader made disparaging remarks against Hindu seers and saints while targeting a local leader of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha who had on Monday announced a Rs 51,000 prize for anyone who would “chop off” his tongue.

“Any courageous person, if they cut off the tongue of SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya, would be rewarded with a Rs 51,000 cheque. He has insulted our religious text and hurt the sentiments of Hindus,” the Mahasabha’s district in-charge Saurabh Sharma said.

The remark came a day after Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Swami Prasad Maurya claimed that certain portions of the Ramcharitmanas “insult” a large section of society on the basis of caste and demanded that these be “banned”.

On January 22, Maurya, while speaking to a news channel, said that Ramcharitamanas, written by Goswami Tulsidas in the 17th century, promoted social discrimination and spread hatred. “Religion is meant for the welfare of humanity and for strengthening it. If there is any insult to a section of society due to certain lines in the Ramcharitamanas on the basis of ‘jaati’, ‘varn’ and ‘varg’, then it is certainly not ‘dharma’, it is ‘adharma’. There are certain lines in which names of castes such as ‘teli’ and ‘kumhaar’ are mentioned,” said the SP leader. He added Tulsidas wrote the book for his own pleasure while demanding a ban on the “objectionable portions” of the Ramcharitmanas.

The seer community in Uttar Pradesh slammed Maurya’s statements. Some even urged that the chief minister take action against him. The management of Lete Hanuman Ji temple in Lucknow’s Chowk area has even banned the entry of the SP leader. On Tuesday, the temple administration placed a banner at the temple’s main entrance prohibiting Maurya from entering. Protests were launched in various parts of Uttar Pradesh demanding the arrest of the SP leader for mocking the Hindu epic based on the Ramayana.

On January 24, an FIR under sections 153A, 295A,298, 504 505(2) of the IPC was registered against Samajwadi Party MLC Swami Prasad Maurya in connection with his remarks on Ramcharitramanas. The complaint was registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by one Shivendra Mishra.

The Samajwadi Party had later distanced itself from its leader Swami Prasad Maurya’s offensive remarks against the Ramcharitmanas.

Kashmir police refute Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of security lapse at Bharat Jodo Yatra, say Gandhi discontinued the yatra without informing them

OpIndia Staff
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Kashmir police refute Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of security lapse at Bharat Jodo Yatra, say Gandhi discontinued the yatra without informing them

On Friday, Jammu and Kashmir refuted the accusations of security lapses at Bharat Jodo Yatra made today by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at a press conference. In a series of tweets, Kashmir Zone Police said that adequate security has been provided for the yatra, and accordingly people were searched before allowing to join the yatra.

The police said that only authorised persons as identified by organisers and frisked crowd were allowed on the route of Yatra. They said that the organisers didn’t inform them that a large crowd will be joining the Bharat Jodo Yatra at Banihal, which caused major chaos and blocked the route, and forced Rahul Gandhi to withdraw from the walk.

Senior police officer Vijay Kumar denied any security lapse. “The organisers did not inform us about a large crowd joining the march from Banihal. The police were not consulted before the Bharat Jodo Yatra was discontinued. We will provide foolproof security,” Mr Kumar stated.

Jammu and Kashmir Police added that full security arrangements were in place for the yatra, including 15 companies of CAPFs and 10 Coys of Jammu and Kashmir Police, comprising of ROPs and QRTs. The arrangements included route domination, lateral deployment and security forces were also deployed for high-ridge and other deployments.

The morning train service between Baramulla and Banihal was cancelled, according to the police, as part of security preparations for the yatra. They also stated they had closed the Srinagar-Jammu national highway to traffic.

The police also stated that the organisers also didn’t inform after the discontinuation of the yatra by Rahul Gandhi.

The response by police came after the Congress alleged “very serious security lapses” when the Bharat Jodo Yatra entered the Kashmir Valley, leading to the cancellation of Rahul Gandhi’s march today in Qazigund, Kashmir.

Rahul Gandhi only walked 4-5 km of the 16 km (20 km according to some reports) planned for the day, while the other participants continued on foot. Omar Abdullah, the head of the National Conference and former chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir, was with him.

According to Congress leaders, Rahul Gandhi was met by a sizable, unanticipated audience as he exited the Banihal Tunnel on his route to Srinagar.

“Police personnel supposed to manage the crowd were nowhere to be seen. The police arrangement collapsed after we exited the tunnel. My security got uncomfortable, so we had to cancel. I had to call off my walk because I can’t go against my security people,” Rahul Gandhi told reporters later. “It is the administration’s responsibility to guarantee crowd control,” the Congress leader added.

A layer of security “simply vanished,” tweeted Omar Abdullah, who attended the yatra with Rahul Gandhi.

The Congress party alleged that Jammu and Kashmir’s administrations mishandled the crowd and that there was a “sudden withdrawal of security personnel.”

According to Congress leaders, Rahul Gandhi was unable to move for almost 30 minutes because he was trapped in the midst of a swarm of people. The party eventually decided to call off the yatra for the day after the Congress MP from Wayanad was driven away in a bulletproof car.

“The police drove off after we crossed Banihal Tunnel. Who ordered this? The authorities responsible must answer for this lapse and take steps to prevent such incidents in future,” said Congress leader KC Venugopal. There were no security officers for 15 minutes, he claimed.

“For 15 minutes, there were no security officers with the Bharat Jodo Yatra. This is a very serious lapse. Rahul Gandhi and other yatris cannot walk without security,” Mr Venugopal told reporters.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that the security breach was “disconcerting.”

Tweeting a picture of the incident, Congress leader Rajni Patil wrote the administration “failed to provide security to the Bharat Jodo Yatra,” and the security lapses revealed the administration’s “unfair and unprepared attitude.”

Landslides and bad weather resulted in the cancellation of the Yatra early on Wednesday.

The Bharat Jodo Yatra, which embarked from Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari on September 7 and travelled 3,970 kilometers across 12 states and two union territories, will conclude in Srinagar on January 30.

‘ISI propaganda movie’: Netizens slam makers of ‘Pathaan’ for portraying Pakistan’s ISI in a good light

OpIndia Staff
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‘ISI propaganda movie’: Netizens slam makers of ‘Pathaan’ for portraying Pakistan’s ISI in a good light

Shahrukh Khan’s film ‘Pathaan’ has been released in theatres on January 25. While the movie has received an overwhelming response at the box office, several social media users have slammed the movie makers for portraying Pakistan’s ISI in good light.

Pointing out how Pakistan’s ISI has always been involved in the deaths of innumerable innocent Indians and fuelling unrest in India, several Twitter users lambasted the Shah Rukh Khan starrer film for its blatant bias towards the terrorist nation.

India Today journalist, Gaurav Sawant tweeted, “Pak ISI is friendly only in Bollywood films. In life #ISI has been responsible for bleeding #India from 1993 Mumbai serial blasts (257 killed) to 26/11 (166 killed) & despite being permitted to probe #Pathankot has refused to probe & punish perpetrators of radical Islamist terror.”

Popular Twitter user Sameet Thakkar expressed dismay at the makers’ blatant bias in portraying an Indian RAW agent as the villain who builds a virus to use against India and a Pakistan ISI woman officer as the hero who helps India for the sake of humanity.

“Indian scientist and former Indian RAW officer creates virus to use against INDIA. Pakistan ISI lady officer helps India for the cause of humanity. This is the plot of SRK movie Pathaan. Moral of the story: some Indian’s are Inhumane and some Pakistani are humane. Kya bole?” tweeted Sameet Thakkar.

Another prominent Twitter user, @Sassy Hindu, was equally disturbed by the makers of Pathaan’s open prejudice. “Pathan Plot: Former Army man, Param Vir Chakra recipient & a Hindu scientist develop a deadly virus to attack Indians. Pakistani ISI agent joins hands with a Pathan to save India. Really? This movies plot is enough for it to flop on its own. No boycott needed,” she tweeted.

Another person Tushar enquired as to why Bollywood is so fascinated by Pakistan that they only come up with stories glorifying the nation.

Twitter user Barbarian Indian castigated the Hindi film industry by calling it ‘Pakistan’s soft power’.

“Bollywood can do anything but will never show Pakistan or ISI in bad light. Newly released movie showing ISI helping India and personnel of own intelligence agency as a terrorist. Doing this in 2023, when everyone is well-aware of propaganda of bollywood is an open challenge,” tweeted @BiffitingFacts.

Twitter user going by the handle @Lotus_Indrajit drew a comparison of what ISI actually is vis-a-vis what Bollywood portrays it to be. He emphasised how, in actuality, Pakistan’s intelligence agency has fomented violence in India, such as the 26/11 Mumbai bombings or the Mumbai serial Bomb attack, despite which Bollywood Pathaan has gone on to portray ISI as India’s saviours.

Directed by Siddharth Anand, the spy action film ‘Pathaan’ follows the story of an exiled RAW field operative, played by Shah Rukh Khan, who is tasked to bring down Jim, a former RAW agent-turned-rogue played by actor John Abraham. Deepika Padukone essays the role of a Pakistani ISI agent, Rubina, whom Shah Rukh Khan falls in love with. Rubina helps Shah Rukh Khan accomplish his mission.

It may be recalled how prior to its release, the film already struck controversy twice with its songs. In Besharam Rang, actress Deepika Padukone was seen wearing a Saffron bikini that hurt religious sentiments. On the other hand, ‘Jhoome Jo Pathaan’ was mocked as music directors Vishal Shekhar reused their old composition instead of coming up with a new one.

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