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India and Canada announce appointments of new High Commissioners to each other, marking improvement of ties after Modi-Carney meeting during G-7 summit

OpIndia Staff
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India and Canada announce appointments of new High Commissioners to each other, marking improvement of ties after Modi-Carney meeting during G-7 summit

India and Canada have announced the appointment of new high commissioners to each other’s capitals, a move that signals a significant improvement in relations after strained ties and vacant diplomatic posts caused by former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

India has named Dinesh K. Patnaik, a 1990-batch Indian Foreign Service officer and currently Ambassador to Spain, as its new High Commissioner to Canada. A press release by the Ministry of External Affairs said, “Shri Dinesh K. Patnaik (IFS:1990), presently Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain, has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to Canada.” The MEA added that he is expected to take up the assignment shortly.

The position had been lying vacant since October 2024, when India’s previous envoy Sanjay Kumar Verma and several other diplomats were withdrawn from Ottawa amid worsening tensions.

On the Canadian side, veteran diplomat Christopher Cooter has been appointed as High Commissioner to India, filling a post that had been unoccupied since March 2022, when former high commissioner Cameron MacKay’s tenure ended.  Anita Anand, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced today that Christopher Cooterwillbecome High Commissioner for Canada in the Republic of India.

The vacancies reflected the deep chill in bilateral ties that began in September 2023, when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian agents of involvement in the killing of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India strongly rejected the allegations, but the fallout led to tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats, a suspension of trade talks, and eventually the withdrawal of high commissioners.

While Ottawa refrained from naming a replacement for more than two years, New Delhi pulled back its envoy and senior officials last year citing both security concerns and reciprocal measures.

A shift began to take shape earlier this summer at the G7 Summit in Canada, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney agreed that both countries would reappoint high commissioners as a first step toward normalising relations. The appointments announced today are the outcome of that understanding and are being seen as a strong gesture of intent to rebuild diplomatic engagement.

Dinesh K. Patnaik brings with him more than three decades of diplomatic experience. Apart from serving as ambassador to Spain, Morocco, and Cambodia, he has also held senior positions in the Ministry of External Affairs, including as Additional Secretary in charge of international organisations and global issues. Known for his expertise in multilateral negotiations and cultural diplomacy, Patnaik has often been regarded as one of India’s more versatile envoys.

Christopher Cooter is a seasoned Canadian diplomat with a career including postings in Europe, Africa, and multilateral institutions. He has previously served as Canada’s Ambassador to South Africa, High Commissioner to Nigeria, and Deputy Permanent Representative to NATO. Cooter is known in Ottawa’s diplomatic circles as a skilled negotiator and a steady hand in sensitive assignments, qualities expected to be crucial in managing relations with India.

The long delays – nearly ten months on the Indian side and more than two years on the Canadian side – underscored just how deep the diplomatic tension had been. But with the return of full-fledged envoys, both sides are now expected to gradually resume regular consular services, business facilitation, and political dialogue. The move could also pave the way for renewed discussions on trade, education, and security cooperation that have largely stalled in recent years.

Trump’s tariff assault also may have played a role, as countries affected by the tariff are boosting relations among themselves to contain the damages of tariff.

Hindu residents declined to 15%, Muslim population rose to 85% since Independence: Panel on 2024 Sambhal violence reveals drastic demographic change

OpIndia Staff
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Hindu residents declined to 15%, Muslim population rose to 85% since Independence: Panel on 2024 Sambhal violence reveals drastic demographic change

The Hindu Population in Uttar Pradesh’s communally-sensitive Sambhal district has declined to 15% while Muslim population surged to 85% since 1947.

This alarming revelation has been made in the report submitted by the panel appointed to probe Sambhal violence case. The report was submitted to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The 450-page report consists of details about the November 2024 Sambhal violence and also touches on the previous riots which took place in the city.

The report also mentions key details about the demographic changes in Sambhal, where, at one point, the Hindu community members comprised 45%, but their number has since decreased to 20%.

From 55% to 15%, Hindu population declined in Sambhal

According to the report, during independence, 55% of the population was Muslim and 45% Hindu in the Sambhal Nagar Palika area.

However, at the present time, the Hindu population has decreased to 15%, whereas the Muslim community has increased to 85%.

15 communal riots since 1947 and Hindu were always the victims

The report stated that a total of 15 riots took place in Sambhal since independence.

These riots occurred in 1947, 1948, 1953, 1958, 1962, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1990, 1992, 1995, 2001, and 2019.

The report also revealed that the Muslim-dominated Sambhal district has become a base for several terrorist outfits.

Hindus were primary target of 2024 Sambhal violence, police presence thwarted conspiracy

Moreover, the judicial commission found that historically, Turks and Pathans had violent clashes in this region.

After 1947, the local Hindus have been the “primary victims” of all the listed communal riots started by Muslims.

Even the Muslim mob violence in November 2024 was planned to attack local Hindus. However, the heavy police presence in Hindu-majority areas prevented large scale Hindu casualties.  

Sambhal violence and police action

On 24th November 2024, violence erupted during a court-ordered Archaeological Survey of India survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal.

The violence had resulted in the deaths of four individuals and injuries to several others, including officials and locals. As local Muslims gathered outside the mosque and tensions escalated, police resorted to force and opened fire on the protesters, killing at least four men and several injured, including officials and locals.

The violence unleashed by Muslim mobs resulted in 12 FIRs and 80 arrests for pelting stones at police officers from rooftops. According to the charge sheet, there were 159 total accused in the case. It also mentioned that the weapons recovered from the site of violence and other places were manufactured in the United Kingdom, USA, and Germany.

The Uttar Pradesh Police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) had filed a chargesheet of over 4,000 pages in six of the 12 cases. Following the violence, the UP government constituted a three-tier judicial inquiry commission to investigate Sambhal violence. The commission is chaired by retired judge Devendra Arora, former DGP AK Jain and former IAS Amit Mohan Prasad.

OpIndia reported earlier how Samajwadi Party, notorious for its Muslim appeasement politics came out in support of Muslim rioters. In fact, SP MP Zia-ur-Rehman Barq and SP MLA Iqbal Mehmood’s son Suhail Iqbal have also been named in the chargesheet.

Russian oil supply to Europe resumes after Trump was angry at Ukraine for bombing Druzhba pipeline, European Commission says it is important asset and should not be attacked

OpIndia Staff
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Russian oil supply to Europe resumes after Trump was angry at Ukraine for bombing Druzhba pipeline, European Commission says it is important asset and should not be attacked

Russian oil is once again flowing into Central Europe after a sudden disruption to the Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline after it was bombed multiple times in Russia by Ukraine. Russian oil supply to Hungary and Slovakia have restarted after both countries urged EU to prevent Ukraine from targeting it.

The Druzhba pipeline, its name meaning “friendship,” is one of the last living symbols of Europe’s Cold War dependence on Moscow. Stretching thousands of kilometres, it supplies crude to landlocked European countries such as Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, which still lack easy alternatives despite years of EU efforts to diversify away from Russian oil. For them, the pipeline is a fragile necessity, politically uncomfortable, yet practically indispensable.

That contradiction became glaringly visible after Trump’s remarks over the attack on the pipeline. The U.S. president was furious that Kyiv would risk Europe’s fragile energy security by targeting Druzhba.

Druzhba pipeline was hit in Russia by Ukraine thrice in a week earlier this month. This had stopped supply of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia, which are still importing large amounts of Russian oil.

Notably, while U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed an additional 25% tariff on India for importing Russian oil, he insists that these European countries keep receiving Russian oil. He had openly rebuked Ukraine for striking the pipeline, calling the attack reckless and destabilizing. He said that he was “very angry” over Ukraine for bombing the pipeline. Trump’s comments came in response to a note by Viktor Orbán, the Prime Minister of Hungary, calling the move unfriendly. 

Trump wrote a handwritten note below Viktor’s comments, saying, “Viktor – I do not like hearing this. I am very angry about it. Tell Slovakia. You are my great friend.” His intervention underscored an awkward truth, while he sanctions India for buying Russian oil, he acknowledges that Russian oil is indispensable for Europe’s energy security.

The European Commission has also issued a statement, describing the Druzhba pipeline as an “important asset” that “should not be attacked.” While they didn’t mention recent attacks on it by Ukraine, Commission spokesperson Eva Hrcinova said the EU remains in contact with the Ukrainian side and “calls on all parties to the conflict to ensure the safety of critical infrastructure.”

She said that the Druzhba pipeline plays a key role in the EU’s energy security. However, she added that previous strikes on the pipeline have not had a significant impact on the region’s overall energy security.

Bihar: Congress leader Mohammad Naushad, who organised the rally where PM Modi and his late mother were abused from the stage, offers apology after public outrage

OpIndia Staff
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Bihar: Congress leader Mohammad Naushad, who organised the rally where PM Modi and his late mother were abused from the stage, offers apology after public outrage

After a video of a Congress-RJD rally in Darbhanga, Bihar, in which a person shouted vulgar abuses against Prime Minister Modi and his mother from the stage, the rally’s organiser and Congress leader, Mohammad Naushad, tendered a public apology.

In a video message, Mohammad Naushad admitted that an individual participating in the rally shouted expletives in the microphone from the stage against PM Modi and his late mother. Condemning the incident, Naushad offered an apology. “I condemn the incident and offer an apology for the incident,” said Naushad.

Naushad said that the person who shouted the abuses was slapped by people present on the stage, and the microphone was immediately snatched from him. He said that the person was mentally unstable.

Speaking to India Today, Naushad said that he was not present on the stage at the time of the incident, and had left about 15-20 minutes before with Rahul Gandhi to attend a rally in Muzaffarpur. “I have contested elections twice from Delhi. For 20 years, I have been a party worker. We cannot do such a thing. Still, I apologise. Since we organised the program, I apologise,” Naushad said.

An undated video of the incident, showing a person using slurs like  ‘Maderch*d’ against PM Modi, went viral on social media, attracting widespread outrage. Although no prominent leader was apparently present on the stage, the workers were heard raising slogans in support of Naushad, who is aspiring for a ticket in the upcoming assembly elections in the state.

Soon after the video went viral, the Congress Party dissociated itself from the incident. Senior Congress leader Rashid Alvi condemned the incident and said that his party did not approve of such language.

The BJP has demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav as the incident happened during their parties’ rally. No statement has been made by Rahul Gandhi or Tejashwi Yadav regarding the incident.

Migrant worker from Bihar brutally assaulted for wearing saffron scarf in Bengaluru, his manager too attacked, three Muslims arrested after outrage

OpIndia Staff
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Migrant worker from Bihar brutally assaulted for wearing saffron scarf in Bengaluru, his manager too attacked, three Muslims arrested after outrage

Wearing saffron under the Congress government in Karnataka’s Bengaluru city is becoming dangerous. On the night of 24th August, Surendra Kumar, a migrant worker from Bihar in Kalasipalya locality, was assaulted merely because he was wearing saffron-coloured scarf on his head. When the manager of the company where he works, Harikrishna, attempted to step in, the Muslim assailants assaulted him and ripped his shirt.

According to the media reports, the accident occurred at approximately 9:30 pm on Sunday, 24th August, in the busy area of Bengaluru, Karnataka. Surendra Kumar, a labourer by occupation, was at work outside a transport company called Royal Travellers.

The moment he was engaged in work, three Muslim youths arrived. First, they insulted him and then asked why he was wearing saffron scarf, and ordered him to take it off. Shilendra had no time to understand anything when they pushed him down and started beating him.

Harikrishna, the company manager, who has been with the company for the past 15 years, arrived at the place after hearing the noise. He attempted to stop them, but the Muslim mob did not spare him either and beat him also, ripped his shirt, and abused him.

Manager Harikrishna, in-charge of loading and unloading at Royal Travels, filed a complaint with the police after the incident. “They shoved Shilendra Kumar after asking him why he wore a saffron towel. When I intervened, they abused and beat me up, and tore my shirt. They also asked me why my workers were allowed to wear saffron towels,” Harikrishna mentioned in the FIR.

Firstly, the police had made a non-cognizable report, means no arrest on an immediate basis can be made, and they had treated the incident as a minor rivalry. But the moment the video of the incident went viral on social media and Hindu organizations staged protests, the police action began. Police have filed a case and arrested three accused.

The three accused have been identified as mechanic M Tabrez (30), radium cutter Imran Khan aged 35, and A Aziz Khan (37), a real estate professional.

They have been booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), 302 (uttering words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings of any person), and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace). Police added more investigation is ongoing and strict action will be taken against the culprits.

Kolhapur: Violent Muslim mob brutally attacked Hindu family, vandalised house, after a Muslim girl eloped with a Hindu man

OpIndia Staff
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Kolhapur: Violent Muslim mob brutally attacked Hindu family, vandalised house, after a Muslim girl eloped with a Hindu man

A Hindu man was brutally thrashed by a Muslim mob on Monday (25th August) in Kanwad village in Shirol taluka of Kolhapur, Maharashtra, on the suspicion of helping a Muslim girl elope with a Hindu man.

A Muslim family, along with several others, attacked the victim, Akshay Ashok Koli, and his family with stones and sticks, and vandalised his house. Koli was seriously injured in the attack, while five members of his family sustained minor injuries. As per reports, ten people, including two women, have been arrested by the Shirol police. They were produced before the Jaysingpur court and were remanded to two days’ police custody.

The incident happened after a girl from a Muslim family eloped with a person named Ganesh Bankar. The family of the girl suspected that Koli helped the girl run away. As a result, Javed Mujawar, his wife Umran, Asim Chilu, Sadiq Mujawar, Alam Mujawar, Nadeem Awati, Tohid Mujawar, Saad Buran, Lajam Mujawar’s wife and Said Ali Taral and 4-5 other individuals reportedly barged into Koli’s house and brutally beat up his mother, Sunita Koli, father Ashok Koli, cousin Seema Koli, cousin Sandeep Koli and younger brother Rishikesh Koli, leaving them injured. Akshay Koli sustained severe injuries and was admitted to a hospital for treatment.

What the victim said

According to Akshay Koli, his father called him around 7:30 pm on the day of the incident, informing him that a Muslim mob had attacked their house. Hearing this, Koli immediately rushed to his house. When he reached near his house, he was first attacked by Javed Mujawar, who grabbed his collar and beat him with a chain. “When I was near my house, on my way, first of all, Javed Mujawar came ahead to stop my bike midway using a stick. Javed grabbed me by my shirt’s collar and pulled out a chain and started beating me,” Koli said.

According to Koli, there were around 150-200 people in the mob and the entire street in front of his house was jammed. He said that it looked like a planned attack. Some people in the mob dropped the cylinder that was kept inside Koli’s house several times to cause an explosion.

He added that he was later attacked by Asim Chulu and another individual, who hit him in the head. He said that Mujawar and his relatives repeatedly punched and kicked him on the head and genitals. When Koli’s two brothers, sister and father asked the people in the mob as to why they were beating him, the mob attacked them too. “They hit my father with a stone. They hit him in his leg with the stone so hard that it is almost fractured,” said Akshay Koli.

Koli said that he sustained 9 wounds after being constantly hit on the head. His brothers somehow managed to pull him out of the clutches of the mob and rushed him to a hospital. The mob kept chasing them till the hospital. One person from the mob caught him outside the hospital and hit him on his bleeding wound, saying that he (Koli) had abused his father.

The mob stood outside as Koli received treatment at the hospital. Koli said that he and his brothers could not go to the police station as the violent mob waited outside the hospital for them. He added that he would not have been alive had his brothers not saved him from the mob. Koli demanded that the culprits should be tried for attempt to murder.

Temple funds only for temples: Madras High Court strikes down Tamil Nadu govt’s plan to build marriage halls with that money

OpIndia Staff
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Temple funds only for temples: Madras High Court strikes down Tamil Nadu govt’s plan to build marriage halls with that money

The Madras High Court has put a stop to the Tamil Nadu government’s plan to use temple money for building marriage halls. The court said this move was completely against the law because temple funds can only be spent on religious purposes, not for commercial projects.

On 19th August, a division bench of Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice G Arul Murugan repealed five government orders approving the construction of marriage halls on temple property.  

These orders were issued between 2023 and 2025 and pertained to temples such as the well-known Arulmigu Dhandayuthapani Swami Devasthanam at Palani, Petitioner Rama Ravikumar had filed the case, challenging that the government was misusing temple assets.

In the Tamil Nadu State Assembly, HR&CE Minister P.K. Sekarbabu had announced that the state would construct marriage halls in 27 temples. The project was estimated to cost Rs. 80 crore, taken from surplus temple funds. The plan was that these halls would later be rented out.

But the petitioner objected strongly, saying that temple money cannot be diverted for such purposes. According to the HR&CE Act, 1959, temple resources can only be used for maintaining temples, conducting festivals, feeding the poor, or helping needy devotees. Using the money for halls meant for rent, he argued, was like running a business with funds given by devotees for religious reasons.

He also pointed out that in some cases, the halls were planned more than 100 km away from the temples that provided the money, and that the projects didn’t have the proper statutory approvals. This, he said, reduced space for devotees and violated the basic idea of how temple resources should be managed.

State government’s defence

The Tamil Nadu government, however, defended its move. The Additional Advocate General told the court that marriage is a religious activity in Hinduism, and so the construction of halls from temple funds should be considered a religious purpose. He also argued that these halls would help Hindus conduct weddings at a lower cost, and said that loans taken from temple funds would be repaid according to rules.

High court’s judgement

The High Court was not convinced. The judges said that while marriage may be a sacred bond, it cannot automatically be called a “religious purpose” under the HR&CE Act. They also pointed out that there was no element of charity in the project since the halls were meant to be rented out for a fee.

The court stressed that temple funds are not government property. Devotees give money, jewellery, and land to temples with the belief that it will be used for maintaining the shrine and performing rituals. Using this money for government-driven projects, the judges said, was a clear misuse.

The bench also reminded that the utilisation of Surplus Funds Rules, 1960, had been ignored. These rules require a transparent process, including public objections and strict limits on how much money can be diverted.

Declaring the government’s actions “illegal and unconstitutional,” the court cancelled all five orders. It also said that any loss or misuse of temple money should be recovered from the officials responsible. 

The court cited previous decisions, such as a 2025 Supreme Court ruling prohibiting the use of temple funds for shopping complexes, to clarify that such a commercial venture cannot be justified as “religious purposes.”

Hurting Americans, most confusing policy: House Democrats in US criticise Donald Trump for his tariffs against India

OpIndia Staff
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Hurting Americans, most confusing policy: House Democrats in US criticise Donald Trump for his tariffs against India

On Wednesday (27th August), the Democrats in House Foreign Affairs Committee criticised US President Donald Trump for imposing tariffs on India over its purchase of Russian oil. They questioned why China and other countries buying larger quantities of Russian oil have been spared.

In a post on X, the Committee alleged that Trump’s decision to focus solely on India with tariffs is “hurting Americans and sabotaging the US-India relationship in the process.” The committee questioned the administration’s intent, remarking, “It’s almost like it’s not about Ukraine at all.”

Quoting a NYT report, they stated, “It would be one thing if the Trump administration had opted to follow through on the threat of secondary sanctions for any country that purchases Russian oil. But the decision to focus solely on India has resulted in perhaps the most confusing policy outcome of all: China, the largest importer of Russian energy, is still purchasing oil at discount prices and has so far been spared similar punishment.” The post was shared on X on Wednesday, coinciding with the day the 50 per cent tariffs on imports from India to the United States came into effect.

This follows the draft notice published by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that stated that the tariffs order would come into effect from 27th August.

According to the notice, the additional duties are being imposed to give effect to the President’s Executive Order 14329 of August 6, 2025, titled “Addressing Threats to the United States by the Government of the Russian Federation.”

The order set a new rate of duty on imports of articles that are products of India. The move follows the announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump to raise tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent. The CBP said that the Secretary of Homeland Security has determined it necessary to modify the Harmonised Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) in line with the executive order. The higher duties are applicable to all Indian products that are either entered for consumption in the U.S. or withdrawn from warehouses for consumption. With this, the 50 per cent tariffs on India’s imports to the U.S. are now in effect.

Trump first announced a 25% duty on Indian goods, but he subsequently declared that he would increase it to 50% by adding 25% more as a ‘penalty’ for purchasing Russian oil, which he wrongly insisted “funded the war in Ukraine.” He had set the implementation date for 27th August.

Interestingly, while Trump has imposed tariffs on India, the seller of Russian oil-made petroleum products, he has not penalised the buyers of Russian oil, including Europe and his own country. Moreover, China, which is the biggest buyer of Russian oil, has been not been subjected to high tariffs and criticism from the White House. In fact, China is getting rewarded by Trump.

India, however, remains undeterred and has repeatedly said that it will not stop buying Russian oil simply because the US wants it to. OpIndia earlier reported that while Trump and his officials blame India for the continuation of the Russia-Ukraine war and profiteering from it, it is the US which has profited the most and even in brokering peace between the two warring nations, America is signing lucrative trade deals for itself.

Trump administration proposes regulations to reduce visa duration for international students and media persons

OpIndia Staff
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Trump administration proposes regulations to reduce visa duration for international students and media persons

As part his continuous attempts to tinker with the US visa policy, the Trump administration is set to announce fresh measures to reduce visa duration for non-immigrants in the country. The proposed visa regulation, which was issued by the US government on Wednesday (27th August), is likely to affect international students, cultural exchange visitors, and media persons. If the regulations are implemented, individuals in these categories will be required to apply for an extension of their visas to remain in the country.

The regulation reportedly aims to set fixed durations for F visas for international students, J visas for cultural exchange participants working in the US, and I visas for media members. According to the existing rules, these visas remain valid for the entire period of the program or employment.

As per reports, the US government data shows that in 2024, there were 1.6 million international students with F visas in the US. In the same fiscal year, the US government granted visas to around 355,000 exchange visitors and 13,000 media persons.

What the proposed changes are

An upper limit of four years on student and exchange visa periods is envisaged under the proposed regulations. The period for a journalist visa, which can currently last for years, will be set for 240 days. In case of journalists carrying a Chinese or a Hong Kong passport, the limit will be 90 days. Journalist visa holders can apply for an extension. With the proposed changes, the Trump administration intends to “monitor and oversee” the visa holders during their stay in the country. 30 days have been set to receive public feedback on the proposed regulations.

The proposed regulations are reportedly similar to a 2020 proposal introduced at the end of Trump’s first term. The 2020 proposal received backlash from NAFSA, a non-profit organisation representing international educators at more than 4,300 institutions across the world. It was withdrawn in 2021 after Joe Biden came to power.

Trump adopted a stricter immigration policy in his second term

Since assuming office for the second time in January this year, Donald Trump has adopted a stringent approach towards legal as well as illegal immigration into the US. In July this year, the Trump administration proposed sweeping changes to the H-1 B visa policy. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed a “weighted selection process” for applicants under the visa cap system as opposed to the current lottery system for the distribution of the H1-B visas.

The changes will significantly impact Indian nationals, who continue to be the primary recipients of H1-B visas. In 2022, out of the 320,000 approved visas, 77% were granted to Indian nationals. Maintaining their dominant position in 2023, Indian nationals received 72.3% of the total visas issued. Changes in the H1-B visa system will not only affect Indian nationals but also the US tech companies that hire highly skilled foreign nationals, many of whom are Indians.

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said yesterday (27th August) that the country is set to introduce some significant changes in the existing green card and H1-B visa system. Additionally, the US government announced a ‘Gold Card’ investor visa programme which will offer permanent residency to wealthy foreign nationals who invest $5 million in the US. Earlier this month, the US Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs adopted a proposed regulation regarding H1-B visa. The regulation recommends allocation of H1-B vias based on their earnings. Trump administration also enhanced scrutiny in the US visa application process for students by mandating social media screening before visa approvals.

The abrupt changes introduced by the Trump administration to the US immigration policy have left thousands of foreign nationals, including students, and their furture in a limbo.

Bareilly Islamic conversion racket: Main accused Abdul Majeed’s gang spread across 13 states, 200 maulanas involved, foreign funding suspected

OpIndia Staff
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Bareilly Islamic conversion racket: Main accused Abdul Majeed’s gang spread across 13 states, 200 maulanas involved, foreign funding suspected

The investigation into the Bareilly religious conversion racket has revealed a much larger network than initially thought. Police officials have revealed that the gang led by Maulana Abdul Majeed has links spread across at least 13 states in India and is supported by more than 200 maulanas. They lured vulnerable people into converting to Islam using both temptations and threats.

On Wednesday, 27th August, police teams raided the house of another accused, Mahboob Beg, a resident of Rahpura in Izzatnagar, but he managed to escape. 

According to media reports, Beg is the second most important figure in the gang after Majeed. He used to work as a middleman, maintaining contact with the gang leader and other members. Police are also interrogating the relatives and friends of the accused who have been arrested, and monitoring their financial transactions as well.

Suspected foreign funding

The conversion racket is now being linked to foreign funding. According to officials, the accused were handling unusually large amounts of money that did not match their income levels. Abdul Majeed and his wife operated five bank accounts, and deposits of more than ₹13.20 lakh have been found in these accounts.

Salman, one of the arrested men who works as a tailor, was operating 12 accounts, including six in the name of his wife. Police noted that the transactions in his accounts are around 12 lakhs, which is far higher than what could be justified by his income. Similarly, two accounts each of Arif and Faheem have also been found, and further scrutiny is underway.

SP (South) Anshika Verma informed that call detail records (CDRs) of the arrested accused, Abdul Majeed, Salman, Arif, and Faheem, are being scrutinised thoroughly. 

As per their records, Majeed used to call individuals on landline numbers in Telangana, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan very often. “We are also studying these call records and their bank accounts. The hawala aspect is being looked into, and more arrests are imminent,” the SP further stated.

CDs of Pakistani clerics and Zakir Naik speeches

Police are also trying to find out how the gang obtained religious literature, CDs of Pakistani maulanas, and speeches of fugitive Islamist preacher Zakir Naik. Police suspect that the gang may have been working with a larger ideological network that provided them with this material.

On social media, the accused ran several groups on WhatsApp and other platforms where they promoted Zakir Naik’s lectures and other radical content. They shared audio and video clips of Islamic fundamentalists. Police also discovered that photographs and videos of young Hindu girls were circulated in these groups.

All of the accused’s mobile phones and digital devices have been seized. The data is now being examined to trace more people who were either influenced or directly involved.

Converted Hindu men through marriage

New details have emerged showing how Abdul Majeed even used his own family to trap Hindus into conversion. A few years ago, he arranged the marriage of his sister, Ayesha, with a Hindu man from Agra named Piyush. After the marriage, Piyush was converted to Islam and given the name Mohammad Ali. Not only Piyush, but also his family members were also drawn into the network and made to join the gang’s activities.

Possible links to drug trafficking

Police are also exploring another disturbing angle, possible links between the conversion racket and narcotics smuggling. Some known drug traffickers, who had earlier been jailed, were found to be in contact with Abdul Majeed. Investigators believe that the gang may have been using illegal trade networks to fund their operations.

More families targeted in Subhashnagar

During the investigation, police discovered that the racket had converted multiple Hindu families in the Subhashnagar area of Bareilly. Earlier, it was revealed that Brijpal Sahu, his mother Usha Devi, and sister Rajkumari were converted and given new names, Abdullah, Amina, and Ayesha.

Now, police say another Hindu family in the same locality was also converted using pressure and inducements as the tactics. Abdul Majeed had kept four members of this family at his madarsa in Faiznagar for several days before converting them. This family is now living in Subhashnagar. The police are still trying to trace them.

Intelligence agencies tracking his travel history

With the growing size of the racket, intelligence units have become actively involved. They are mapping out Abdul Majeed’s travel history, which shows that he visited more than 13 states and built networks there. So far, no evidence of foreign travel has been found, but agencies are not ruling out the possibility of overseas connections.

How the racket was busted

The racket first came to light on Monday, 25th August, when Bareilly police arrested four people, Abdul Majeed (35), Salman Raza (30), Mohammad Arif (29), and Mohammad Faheem (24). A case has been registered by the police under Sections 140(3)/351(3) of the BNS and Section 3/5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021.

The arrests followed a complaint from an Aligarh-based woman, Akhilesh Kumari, who said that her visually impaired son, Prabhat Upadhyay, was being forced to convert to Islam under the pretext of marriage.

When police raided Faiznagar madarsa, they found the four accused preparing to circumcise the boy as part of the conversion ritual. Initially, the boy introduced himself as “Hamid” but later revealed his real name as Prabhat. He was rescued and handed over to his family.

During the raid, police seized conversion certificates, sharp blades, CDs of Zakir Naik’s speeches, religious books, laptops, and mobile phones.

Targeted vulnerable individuals and brainwashed them

According to investigators, the gang carefully targeted vulnerable individuals, the poor, unmarried youth, and people with disabilities. They were lured with marriage proposals, jobs, and money.

Salman, a tailor by profession, acted as a recruiter who visited Hindu households under the pretext of offering help or introducing them to Muslim girls. Faheem, a barber, identified potential victims among his customers. Once a target was found, they were taken to the madarsa, where they were brainwashed using religious texts and propaganda material.

This is the sixth Islamic conversion racket busted by the authorities in Uttar Pradesh in this year. Earlier, the authorities, uncovered Islamic conversion rackets in Balrampur, Agra, Prayagraj, Kushinagar, and Aligarh.

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