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Assam: Hindu minor girl allegedly kidnapped by a married Muslim man recovered

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Assam: Hindu minor girl allegedly kidnapped by a married Muslim man recovered

A minor girl who was kidnapped from Duliajan area in Assam’s Dibrugarh district was recovered by police from Bongaigaon on Wednesday. 

According to the reports, the 17-year-old girl was missing since December 31 and the family members lodged a complaint at Duliajan police station on January 1. Following the incident, a person named Manoj Bajaj tweeted about the incident and sought the intervention of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Chief Minister Sarma also directed Dibrugarh Police to enquire into the matter. 

In his tweet, Manoj Bajaj said that “one Marwari Hindu minor girl has been kidnapped by a married Muslim man under Duliajan police station.” 

GP Singh, Special Director General of Police, Assam on Wednesday said that the girl kidnapped from Duliajan, Dibrugarh has been recovered at Bongaigaon and would be reunited with her family.

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

MCD demolishes shanty of Pratima Devi, rendering her and 200 dogs homeless, Delhi HC orders status quo

OpIndia Staff
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MCD demolishes shanty of Pratima Devi, rendering her and 200 dogs homeless, Delhi HC orders status quo

On January 3, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) demolished a shanty where Pratima Devi, popularly known as ‘Amma’, lived. Pratima Devi also called the ‘Dog lady’ of Delhi, is an octogenarian (between the ages of 80 and 89) who has been taking care of over 200 stray dogs for over 30 years. As per reports, the demolition took place in two phases.

On Monday, January 2, the civic body took casual action against her, while on Tuesday, January 3, the shanty was completely demolished. A petition was filed on behalf of Pratima Devi in the Delhi High Court. One-Judge bench led by Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri issued a stay order and ordered the civic body to maintain the status quo. Notably, in December last year, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won 134 out of 250 seats in MCD, while Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 104 seats. The shanty was located in Saket, which falls under Lado Sarai, where AAP’s Rajeev Sansanwal had won the MCD election. However, the candidates who won the election are yet to take the oath.

In a statement to the news agency ANI, Pratima Devi said, “MCD workers demolished my jhuggi and shop. They took away my belongings and also beat my dogs. I have at least 250-300 dogs. I am sitting under the tree now with my dogs.”

She added, “Since morning, the dogs have not been fed. I came to Delhi in 1984. Since then, I have been taking care of dogs. I am 80 years old now. I do not have the physical strength to move around or look for work. I want to stay here and care for these dogs for as long as I live.”

Pratima Devi is a well-known dog lover in the area. Following the demolition drive made headlines, people reached out to her for help and delivered food for the dogs and warm clothes for her.

Animal lovers have expressed their dismay over the action by the MCD. An animal lover identified as Sooraj spoke to ANI and said, “In this severe cold where people find it difficult to leave the house, the woman is helping so many stray dogs by sheltering them. People should help her. The action taken by MCD is wrong. No notice was given before the action. Taking care of so many dogs is not an easy task, but she is giving homes to so many dogs and providing them with food and water. She is also taking full care of them, people should come forward to help her.”

Reportedly, many people who cannot manage their dogs leave them to Pratima Devi, who gives them shelter and food. Notably, MCD took action against her shanty in 2017 as well.

Delhi High Court ordered to maintain status quo

Advocates Vaibhav Gaggar, Monica Lakhanpal, Kokila Kumar and Shivani Sethi represented Pratima Devi in the court. Advocates Siddhant Nath and Arun Panwar represented MCD.

In the petition, the counsels of Pratima Devi alleged that her shanty was demolished without any prior notice, which is “not only against the principles of natural justice but also illegal and unlawful, and the same has resulted in leaving the petitioner without a roof over her head in the harsh winter”.

As per the Hindustan Times report, MCD opposed the petition and said she should look for an alternative location. Devi’s counsel informed the court about the nonavailability of an alternate shelter to support the stray dogs. The counsels alleged that behavioural changes in the dogs could lead to “instability” in the area.

The court ordered to maintain the status quo and asked respondents to explore the possibility of rehabilitation. Source: Delhi High Court

The court issued a stay order on the demolition and ordered MCD to maintain the status quo until the next hearing on March 15, 2023. The court also allowed the petitioner to put a tarpaulin as an interim measure as an alternate shelter. While issuing notice to MCD and the Delhi Government, the court asked both respondents to explore the possibility of providing for the petitioner’s rehabilitation.

China is intimidating women journalists and researchers online to silence and discredit them, report says

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China is intimidating women journalists and researchers online to silence and discredit them, report says

China has been intimidating women journalists and researchers online to silence them and discredit their critical coverage of China, according to think tank Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI). 

The increased harassment over the past year directed at women analysts of Asian descent is likely the result of an orchestrated campaign by the Chinese government, research by a think tank said. China is not going to stop trolling journalists because of an advocacy campaign,” Hoffman wrote. “What we can do is put in place strong digital safety measures and online abuse policies in newsrooms that will help to mitigate the impact of these attacks.” 

A 2022 report by the International Center for Journalists found nearly three-quarters of women journalists it surveyed had experienced online threats. 

Of those, 30 per cent said they self-censored on social media and 20 per cent had quit posting entirely. Some said the harassment led them to quit their jobs or even their profession altogether. 

Harassment largely ranged from insults about an individual’s appearance to accusations of being a traitor or threats of violence and rape. 

The harassment “illustrates how online attacks can be used by authoritarian governments beyond borders to intimidate and silence journalists,” Nadine Hoffman, deputy director of the Washington-based International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF), wrote in an email to VOA 

According to June and November reports from ASPI, a network popularly dubbed Spamouflage is likely behind the harassment. 
“Spamouflage” refers to an extensive network of Beijing-linked accounts first identified in 2019. Activity from the network has been focused on Hong Kong pro-democracy protests, as well as Taiwan, COVID-19 and human rights abuses in Xinjiang, it reported. 

But embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu told VOA in June that “China condemns the harassment of female groups and opposes linking it to the Chinese government without evidence.” 

Twitter first attributed a “significant state-backed” operation to China in 2019 when the social media company identified over 900 accounts it said were linked to Beijing. 

And in June 2022, a Twitter spokesperson told VOA that the activity ASPI identified was part of the “Spamouflage” network, and the company had suspended more than 400 accounts in response. 

According to VOA,the latest report from ASPI determined that graphic online depictions of sexual assault, as well as homophobia, racist imagery and life-threatening intimidation — like telling targets to kill themselves — “are a growing part of the Chinese Communist Party’s toolkit of digital transnational repression.” 

“People like you who betray the motherland, smear and slander at will, are really inferior to dogs,” one tweet cited in the report said. Another read, “I advise you not to run around. Stray dogs are easy to kill.” 

Journalists and researchers who concentrate on China are familiar with the pattern of abuse. 

Yaqiu Wang, who focuses on issues including internet censorship for Human Rights Watch (HRW), has experienced online harassment over her work. 

The IWMF has found similar results in its research. As well as self-censorship, the IWMF has seen negative mental health repercussions for those targeted, Hoffman said. 

“Online violence is a tool intended to silence women’s voices in public spaces, whether by misogynists, authoritarian governments or other kinds of trolls,” Hoffman wrote. “And, it works.”

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

Madarsa teacher arrested for making obscene videos of minor students and blackmailing in Bihar

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Madarsa teacher arrested for making obscene videos of minor students and blackmailing in Bihar

Bihar Police on Wednesday arrested a madrasa teacher from Nawada for allegedly capturing obscene videos of minor students and blackmailing them. 

The incident came to light after a girl student of the madrasa lodged a complaint at Kawakol police station against the teacher. The family of the girl alleged that the teacher used to blackmail the girl by making obscene videos. 

Police took prompt action and arrested Shahadat Hussain, who has been teaching at the madrasa for the last three years.

Shahadat is a resident of Garhi village under Khaira police station area of Jamui district. Police booked Shahadat Hussain under POCSO Act. 

“On the basis of a complaint in Kawakol police station that a madrasa teacher used to shoot obscene videos of minor students and blackmail them, the accused has been arrested. Case registered under relevant sections of POCSO Act. The probe is on,” said Mahesh Chaudhary, Sub-Divisional Police Officer. 

The investigation is underway. 

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

Sheru Pathan conceals identity to join Vadodara school as a temporary dance teacher, harasses Hindu girls on Instagram

OpIndia Staff
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Sheru Pathan conceals identity to join Vadodara school as a temporary dance teacher, harasses Hindu girls on Instagram

Cases of Muslim youths changing their names to trap Hindu girls keep appearing almost every day. A similar case has come to light from Vadodara, where a school dance teacher named Sheru Pathan started messaging students of class 8th and 9th of the school on Instagram by concealing his identity and started saying inappropriate things. Reportedly, he was using the name Shiv, and he was contacting only Hindu girls even when there are girls from other religions in the class.

Recently, a video was going viral on social media in which a person says his name is Sheru Pathan. He apologises in the video by admitting to the wrong thing he did in front of the camera. Sheru Pathan posed to be a Hindu dance teacher named Shiv and targeted Hindu girls in the school and followed them on Instagram after which he sent them obscene messages. He made this confession after Bajrang Dal workers in the area caught him.

In the video, Sheru Pathan is heard saying, “My name is Sheru Pathan. I went to a school as a dance teacher, where I messaged some Hindu girls, after which the Bajrang Dal people caught me. They have taught me a lesson. So from today, I will not message any Hindu girl. At the same time, I apologize to everyone.”

After noticing the viral video, the OpIndia team tried to check the veracity of the incident during which we came in contact with Ketan Trivedi, a Bajrang Dal activist from Vadodara. He not only confirmed the incident but also gave information that was really disturbing.

Sheru Pathan only Hindu girls in the class 8th and 9th

Sheru Pathan posed to be a Hindu while approaching the school for a temporary appointment as a dance teacher for the annual cultural festival of the school. A lady teacher in the school appointed him by reference through someone. It is notable that as this appointment was temporary only for the annual festival, stringent scrutiny and identity verification were not carried out by the school. Sheru Pathan told his name to be Shiv.

In an exclusive conversation with OpIndia, Ketan Trivedi said, “A choreographer was appointed by the school for a school event who used to teach dance to school girls. Sheru Pathan had joined this place by hiding his identity.”

He further said that Sheru used to remember the names of the girls in classes 8 and 9 who came to learn dance and later followed them on Instagram and then sent messages to them. Initially, he used to start talking by sending different reels. Later he used to harass girls by saying obscene things in chats.

When one of these girls told this to her brother, he contacted the Bajrang Dal. The Bajrang Dal activists then went to the school and caught this dance teacher and the whole thing was revealed. Bajrang Dal activists checked his mobile phone and found that he was harassing at least 10 girls across Instagram, all of whom were studying in classes 8th and 9th.

Ketan Trivedi sent the photos of those messages to OpIndia. Many of the messages are very obscene, so we have added only selective photos here. It can also be clearly seen how Sheru Pathan was harassing the girls by messaging them against their wishes. Not only this, but he was also making inappropriate discussions like ‘Do you like me?’ which the girls are also seen resisting in those chats.

The shocking thing that came to light in this whole sequence was that Sheru Pathan was harassing only Hindu girls by messaging them. There was no conversation with any Muslim girls on his entire phone.

Sheru Pathan was already accused of misbehaving with a 15-year-old girl

When the matter reached the Bajrang Dal, the activists of the organization inquired and it came to light that his real name was Sheru Pathan and he lived in Manjalpur in Vadodara. In the investigation, Bajrang Dal members found that 3 years ago, the same Sheru Pathan was beaten by the public for one such act. He was then running the Nawab dance classes in Manjalpur. Once he was molesting a 15-year-old girl by locking the classes inside when the people around him caught him red-handed and beat him.

The video went viral on Facebook too.

In an exclusive conversation with OpIndia, Ketan Trivedi of Bajrang Dal said, “This is an eye-opening case. Every parent must take care of this. Every parent should inquire from time to time so that no one harasses their daughter in this way, otherwise, due to such anti-social elements, the life of the girls can be spoiled.”

Maharashtra: Woman from Mahadev Koli community denied caste certificate for worshipping Hindu Gods, sparks protests

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: Woman from Mahadev Koli community denied caste certificate for worshipping Hindu Gods, sparks protests

A woman belonging to the Mahadev Koli community in Maharashtra’s Nanded was denied caste validity certificates because she worshipped Hindu Gods, a report published in TV9 Marathi said.

On being denied the caste validity certificate, the Mahadev Koli community took to the streets to protest against the decision by surrendering the idols of the gods worshipped by them to the authorities. They carried out a march to the Nanded Collector’s office to surrender their idols. 

The Koli community is classified as Other Backward Class by the Government of India in the Indian States of Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. But in Maharashtra, Tokre Koli, Malhar Koli and Mahadev Kolis are listed as Scheduled Tribe by the State Government of Maharashtra.

The unique protests started in Kharatwadi village in Hadgaon taluk of Nanded district. Mayuri Punjarwad, a young woman living in the village, has completed her MBBS education. The young lady is currently studying MD.

Interestingly, Mayuri’s father, who is in government service, got a caste validity certificate. But the committee refused to grant the validity certificate to Mayuri. The report given by the Caste Validity Committee has come to the strange conclusion that because she worshipped Hindu Gods, she was not a Mahadev Koli.

“If we are denied a caste validity certificate for worshipping a god, then we have taken the stand that we are abandoning our gods. For this, the Mahadev Koli Samaj will take out a grand march at the collectorate office of Nanded and hand over the idols, idols and images of the gods in the house to the administration,” said Mayuri Punjarwad.

Mamaearth co-founder Ghazal Alagh refutes charges that the company’s IPO is overvalued, says DRHP doesn’t mention valuation

OpIndia Staff
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Mamaearth co-founder Ghazal Alagh refutes charges that the company’s IPO is overvalued, says DRHP doesn’t mention valuation

On Wednesday 4th January 2023, personal care brand Mamaearth’s co-founder took to Twitter to respond to rumours that the company’s proposed IPO is highly overvalued. After Mamaearth owner Honasa Consumer filed the Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) to the market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for raising capital through an IPO, it is being speculated in the media that the IPO values the company at ₹24,000 crore. Following the reports, social media users are claiming that it is highly overvalued.

However, Ghazal Alagh refuted the claims saying that the valuation figure is purely speculative and the company has not released any valuation number. She said in her thread of tweets that there is no mention of valuation in the Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) filed with the SEBI to raise around ₹2,900 crores through an initial public offering (IPO). She added that the valuation of the company will be discovered during the process of issuing the IPO, and it has not been determined yet.

Ghazal Alagh wrote, “Sharing a thread to throw some clarity on all the noise around valuations around our prospective IPO. In our DRHP as is the standard practice there is no mention of valuation. Valuation discovery is a process which will take place over time as we get into deeper conversations with the investor community.”

The Mamaearth co-founder also refuted allegations on social media that the founders are trying to sell their stake through the IPO. She stressed that the founders love the company just like parents love their children, saying that they will never leave the company.

She further said in her tweet, “We have not quoted or subscribed to the valuation numbers which are getting mentioned in various posts on social media. We have built this company and our brands with a lot of love, the same way we have raised our children. The way one never leaves the side of their children we firmly stand behind building our brands and this company for times to come. We started Mamaearth with the purpose of providing toxin-free products for babies since we ourselves could not find the right products for our babies.”

Ghazal Alagh added, “God has been kind, luck favored us, consumers loved us and our team has put in crazy efforts to take it to a level where we are today with 6 amazing brands serving millions of Indian consumers. Even in the eye of the storm, we will keep working hard, innovating, and building a business that our next generations can be proud of.”

Twitter users criticized the valuation of Mamaearth

On December 29, Honasa Consumer, the parent company of Mamaearth, filed Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP). In its Draft Red Herring Prospectus, Mamaearth said it is planning to raise as much as Rs 2,400 crore through its IPO. It expects to raise about Rs 400 crore through a fresh issue of shares and the rest through an Offer For Sale (OFS) of about 4.7 crore shares.

At the end of FY22, Mamaearth posted a net profit of Rs 14.4 crores and revenues of Rs 943 crores. With speculations abounding that the organization is looking at a $3 billion market capitalization (Rs 24,000 crores), the organization’s price-to-earnings ratio would be about 1,666x, raising caution among investors and market experts, who assert that the valuation of the brand is exorbitant.

Several social media users raised the alarm over Mamaearth IPO and exercised retail investors to exercise caution over applying for the Initial Public Offering in an already volatile market, especially after their unpleasant experience with Zomato and PayTM shares, which have had similar over-valuation concerns.

‘What if stones are hurled at us?’ Ratna Pathak scared over Naseeruddin Shah’s outspokenness, months after Islamist violence over Nupur Sharma controversy

OpIndia Staff
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‘What if stones are hurled at us?’ Ratna Pathak scared over Naseeruddin Shah’s outspokenness, months after Islamist violence over Nupur Sharma controversy

Actor Ratna Pathak in her recent interview conceded that she is scared of her husband Naseeruddin Shah’s outspokenness and has advised him to maintain discretion for the fear of being attacked by stone-pelters and those offended by his remarks.

Pathak made the remarks during her interview with Siddharth Kanan. At 11:50 onwards in the interview, Pathak talks about her fear of Shah’s outspokenness and how she had been holding him back from expressing his opinions. 

When asked if she stops her husband, Naseeruddin Shah, known for airing his controversial views, Pathak replied, “In today’s era, if anyone comes and stands in front of you and starts pelting stones at us at home, what will you do. That’s why I often stop Naseer from giving his opinion on any issue. And anyway, we are all finding it difficult to get work. Nowadays, there are many reasons why people are not getting work.”

However, she added that one has to be sensible and not scared in expressing their opinions in public.

“Many things are going wrong in the world. If we do not point out them then how will they improve, we have not taken the responsibility of correcting every wrong thing. What will happen next will be seen. Just living with this thought,” Pathak said. 

Nupur Sharma faced Islamist outrage for defending her faith

Pathak’s remarks come months after former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma faced Islamist outrage and calls for beheading for standing up for her faith after Islamic leader Taslim Rehmani insulted Shivling on a Times Now debate. 

Earlier this year, former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma found herself at the centre of a raging storm after Islamists, egged on by the likes of AltNews co-founder Mohammed Zubair, issued multiple threats against her and her family for expressing her views on Prophet Muhammad and Islam. 

Sharma was a part of a debate panel on Times Now, discussing the finding of Shivling in the Gyanvapi complex and the subsequent mockery of the Hindu Gods and Goddesses that followed in the wake of the discovery. Islamists have claimed that the Shivling discovered inside the wuzukhana of the Gyanvapi disputed structure was not a Shivling but a fountain. Across social media platforms, detractors have been repeating ad nauseam that the Shivling found inside the Gyanvapi premises is a fountain and not an idol of a Hindu God.

In response to the contempt and scorn poured over Hindu Gods and Goddesses, which was evident even during the Times Now debate where some of the fellow panellists referred to the Shivling as a fountain, BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma asked them to refrain from insulting Hindu Gods and cited Islamic scriptures and Holy Quran for substantiating her remarks on Prophet Muhammad and Islam.

However, her edited video was later shared by Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair to dog whistle Islamists against her, prompting ‘Sar Tan Se Juda’ protests across the country, with Islamists calling for the beheading of Nupur Sharma under the pretext of ‘blasphemy’. 

Several protests saw stone-pelting and other violent incidents, including one in protesters hung an effigy of Nupur Sharma, indicating the fate that awaited the former BJP leader for her comments on Prophet Muhammad and Islam. 

In fact, several Hindus became victims of the Islamist outrage, including Kanhaiya Kumar from Udaipur and Umesh Kolhe from Amravati, who were both mercilessly hacked to death by Islamists for merely expressing solidarity with Nupur Sharma. 

Kanjhawala death case: Victim Anjali’s mother refutes claims of victim’s ‘friend’, says Nidhi might be involved in a well thought-out conspiracy

ANI
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Kanjhawala death case: Victim Anjali’s mother refutes claims of victim’s ‘friend’, says Nidhi might be involved in a well thought-out conspiracy

The mother of the victim in the horrific Kanjhawala incident in the national capital on Wednesday dismissed claims made by deceased Anjali’s ‘friend’ Nidhi and said that she “might be involved” in this “well thought-out conspiracy”.

Rekha, the deceased’s mother, said that she does not know Nidhi who claimed to be Anjali’s friend on Tuesday. “She was in a drunken state but insisted on driving the two-wheeler. After being hit by the car, she came under the car, and got dragged with it. I was scared and ran away and returned home, didn’t tell anything to anyone. It is the fault of the girl who was driving in an inebriated state. I insisted to her so much that don’t drive, I am conscious, let me drive. She didn’t believe me and believed herself,” Nidhi had claimed before the media yesterday.

Refuting her claims, Anjali’s mother said that she would not believe her remarks as her daughter “never used to drink”.

Speaking to ANI, Rekha questioned how Nidhi left the spot of the accident if she was Anjali’s friend and termed the incident a “well thought-out conspiracy”.

“Nidhi is saying all the wrong things. If Nidhi was my daughter’s friend, then how did she leave her alone? This is a well thought-out conspiracy, Nidhi might be involved in this. There should be an investigation,” she said.

“I don’t know Nidhi, I have never seen her. Anjali never used to drink, she never came home in an inebriated state, and we don’t believe whatever claims Nidhi made,” Rekha added.

The mother demanded punishment for the accused who have been arrested.

“The 5 men should be punished,” she said.

Meanwhile, Anjali’s maternal uncle, Prem also suspected Nidhi’s involvement in the case and demanded a CBI inquiry into the case.

“Nidhi and her family should have informed the police about the incident. Nidhi should be interrogated. She too is involved. We demand CBI enquiry in the case, it isn’t a small case, it’s a painful incident,” he said.

Earlier today, Nirbhaya’s mother Asha Devi visited the family of the 20-year-old girl. She also said that she does not support the statement of Nidhi.

“I request authorities to investigate the case & support the family financially. A job should be given to the family member as soon as possible. I do not level allegations on anyone but I do not support what that girl (Nidhi) has said in her statement,” Asha Devi said.

Special CP of Delhi Police Shalini Singh said that the inquiry into the incident is underway and the police are analysing every perspective.

“The enquiry is underway into the incident, we are analysing every perspective. Once that’s done we’ll submit the report to the union ministry of home affairs,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has found CCTV footage in which the deceased woman Anjali and her friend, identified by police as Nidhi, were seen coming out of a hotel at around 1.30 am on January 1.

The hotel manager has revealed that the deceased woman Anjali and her friend, identified by police as Nidhi, had a fight in the hotel after which they left the hotel on a scooty.

“Both of them were arguing. When I told them not to fight, they went downstairs and started fighting, after which both of them went on a scooty,” said the hotel manager.

The Special CP while addressing the media said that another girl was present with the victim at the time of the accident. However, she walked away after the incident.

She said that the police now have an eyewitness to the incident and her statement will be recorded.

“She is cooperating with the police. Her statement is being recorded under section 164. The investigation is still on. It is still at a primary stage,” said the Special CP.

The 20-year-old woman named Anjali was killed in the early hours of the New Year after her scooty was hit by a car and she was reportedly dragged for 13 kilometres under the vehicle on the city’s roads.

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

US-based billionaire Darshan Singh Dhaliwal picked for Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award, was denied entry to India for supporting farmer protests

OpIndia Staff
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US-based billionaire Darshan Singh Dhaliwal picked for Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award, was denied entry to India for supporting farmer protests

On January 2, the Ministry of External Affairs announced the names of 27 overseas Indians for the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) – 2023. United States-based billionaire, Dr Darshan Singh Dhaliwal’s name was on the list. It is interesting to note that just two years ago, Dhaliwal was not allowed to enter India, when he was supporting the farmer protests ongoing at that time.

Darshan Singh Dhaliwal was denied entry into India on the intervening night of October 23-24, 2021. After questioning for several hours at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, he was asked to return to the US. Reportedly, Dhaliwal had organised a community kitchen for the farmers during protests against the now-repealed farm laws.

Dhaliwal, who is in the gasoline business in the United States, will get facilitated with the award during the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas (PBD) Convocation scheduled for January 8 to January 10, 2023, in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Darshan Singh Dhaliwal is one of the largest gasoline retailers in the United States. By 2004, he owned over 1,000 gas stations in 11 states and had annual sales of $2 billion (Rs 9,000 crore), which was five times the size of Punjab’s yearly budget. In 1999, Dhaliwal entered into Punjab’s electoral politics by running his younger brother Surjit Singh Rakhra on a SAD ticket in the Lok Sabha elections.

During farmer protests, Dhaliwal was one of many overseas Indians who faced action for supporting anti-India protests. At that time, Dhaliwal had alleged, “When I asked why I was being denied permission to enter India, the immigration officials asked the same questions that they had been asking earlier too – why I organised the langar at Singhu border and who is paying for it. They said I should stop funding this langar if I wanted to enter India.”

As per a Hindustan Times report, Dhaliwal said that he is shocked to learn that he has been picked for the award. “It has come as a shock for me. In fact, this is the second shock given to me by the Indian government within two years. This time, I am pretty glad that the Indian government has recognised my work for the Indian diaspora in the US,” he said.

He added, “Apart from doing my business, I do my bit in giving back to society. I help Indians to study, work and do business in the US. It is an honour that my work has been recognised in the country of my birth. My family and friends in the US will also accompany me to Indore,” he added.

As per Jagran’s report, Dhaliwal said he was not part of the farmer protests against the farm laws. The objective of the community kitchen was to provide food to the protesters. He praised PM Modi and said, “He has done much for the country. He has done much work for the Sikh community, and I wish he continues his work.”

Govt of India’s action against PIOs and OCIs for their role in anti-India protests

Dhaliwal was not the only one who faced the action during farmer protests. The ministry of exterior affairs has cancelled the long-term visas of about 12 PIOs in Canada and Overseas Citizen Of India (OCI) cardholders who have been directly or indirectly trying to create chaos in the country by propagating false propaganda against India.

“Many Indians, including students, used offensive language against India during the protests that are in our notice. A dozen such individuals have been blacklisted and will be repatriated from the Indian airports upon arrival,” said sources privy to the case.

As part of the crackdown against those individuals endorsing violence in the name of supporting ‘farmer’ protests, besides Dhaliwal, a Spain-based businessman Amrik Singh was flown back on his arrival at Delhi airport on October 21.

Amrik Singh, while speaking to TOI, said he had been supporting the farmer’s protest from the start. He said that he has also participated in protests in support of farmers in Spain. Singh, however, claimed that he did not support any activity which could be called anti-India.

About Pravasi Bhartiya Samman

The Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) is the highest honour for overseas Indians. The President of India confers it as part of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, an annual convention to recognise achievements by members of the Indian diaspora. A jury-cum-awards committee, with the Vice President of India as Chairman and External Affairs Minister as vice chairman and other distinguished members from various walks of life, considered nominations for PBSA awards in 2023 and unanimously selected the awardees.

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