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Madhya Pradesh: Shamsher Khan arrested for vandalising a Shivling inside an ancient temple, had tried to stoke communal strife earlier

OpIndia Staff
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Madhya Pradesh: Shamsher Khan arrested for vandalising a Shivling inside an ancient temple, had tried to stoke communal strife earlier

In a highly condemnable incident that happened in Damoh in Madhya Pradesh, a Shivling placed inside an ancient Shiv-Hanuman temple in the Bilwari Mohalla was reportedly desecrated by a miscreant identified as Shamsher alias Monu Khan. The incident reportedly occurred in the wee hours of the night of December 18, Sunday.

According to reports, the accused was spotted roaming around in the temple premises with a stone in his hand. He vandalised the Shivling installed inside the temple premises, along with idols of other Hindu deities. Shamsher Khan had reportedly also verbally abused the local devotees around the temple before vandalising the Shivling. The accused was detained by police and confessed to his crime.

Tension has increased in the neighbourhood following the incident. Members of various Hindu outfits have taken to the streets demanding strict punishment for the accused, who they said has offended the Hindus by vandalising the centuries-old Shivling that their ancestors and forebears had long worshipped.

To control the situation, a large police contingent has been mobilised.

According to reports, some devotees were heading their way home from a religious place at the time of the incident. They were passing through the temple when they saw Shamsher vandalising the Shivling. The locals tried to catch him but Shamsher managed to flee. People who saw Shamsher feeling informed other people in the neighbourhood about the incident. As the news spread, many irate villagers along with members of various Hindu organisations started congregating near the temple premises. Fearing an escalation, the Damoh police sent in their forces.

The police team tried to pacify the angry crowd that demanded the immediate arrest of the miscreant.

In the meantime, another police team, that had been conducting raids in the nearby localities, arrested Shamsher Khan and brought him to the police station. Giving further details, Superintendent of Police Shivkumar said that Samsher Khan alias Monu will be produced in the court after questioning. He confirmed that the accused had conspired to spread communal tension in the area even before this incident.

On Saturday (December 16), a man was arrested for flashing his private part inside the premises of a Shiv temple in Indore. The man was seen doing obscene acts inside the Vishweshwar Mahadev temple in Prakash Nagar in Indore city of Madhya Pradesh.

As per reports, the accused was identified as Wasim. The incident of the man doing obscene acts in the temple was recorded in the CCTV footage. Wasim was arrested after police checked the CCTV footage after receiving a complaint about the obscene act. He has been booked under the National Security Act (NSA).

Jharkhand: Dildar Ansari had trapped Rubika in a love affair by hiding his previous marriage from her, confesses before the police

OpIndia Staff
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Jharkhand: Dildar Ansari had trapped Rubika in a love affair by hiding his previous marriage from her, confesses before the police

On Saturday (December 17), the police detained a man named Dildar Ansari in connection to the brutal murder of his wife Rubika in the Sahibganj district of Jharkhand. The accused has now admitted that he mercilessly killed his wife as a result of persistent disputes between them and also among family members who were against the marriage because Dildar was previously married. These conflicts started after Dildar and Rubika got married a month ago, as per a report in Amar Ujala.

As per reports, Dildar trapped the 22-year-old Rubika Pahadan into a love affair by not disclosing that he was previously married. When Rubika came to know about his first marriage, the couple started indulging in regular fights. Dilbar’s first wife, who also lived with the duo, was disapproving of Dildar Ansari’s relationship with Rubika and continuously brainwashed and instigated Dildar against Rubika. Additionally, Dilbar’s family members also pressurised Dildar to call it quits with Rubika.

The accused admitted to the police that he plotted to kill her in connivance with his family due to the constant pressure from them and the continuous fight between him and Rubika.

Dildar Ansari had reportedly killed his wife, chopped the body of the victim into 50 pieces using an electric cutter and stored it inside a sack in the house. The accused then disposed of some of the pieces in nearby localities. The matter came to light when a body part of the victim was found behind the Anganwadi centre in the Borio Santhali area of Sahibganj.

When the locals caught dogs feasting on the body parts, they immediately alerted the police. A large contingent of police has been deployed to maintain the law and order situation in the area. The police, as of now, have recovered 18 pieces of Rubika’s dismembered body.

Rubika’s family demands accused be hanged

Speaking to the media, the deceased’s elder sister said it was a ‘love marriage’ and that the accused Dildar had told her that he wasn’t home at the time of the murder. “He told me his family members did it while he was out,” she said, adding that she feels threatened and suspects his family would try to kill the rest of her family too. “We demand they be hanged,” she said. 

Family members of Dildar Ansari involved in the crime

According to a report by Jagran, the cops have also detained and interrogated Dildar’s father Mustakim Ansari, mother Maryam Khatoon, first wife Gulera, sister Shareja Khatoon, brothers Amir Ansari and Mahtab Ansari.

The victim Rubika Pahadan was murdered in the house of Dildar Ansari’s maternal uncle, Moinul Ansari. After killing Rubika, her body was chopped using an iron-cutting machine.

The horrific murder is similar to that of Shraddha Walkar by her live-in partner Aftab Amin Poonawalla, which had sent shockwaves across the country. On November 14, the Delhi Police solved the six-month-old murder case of Shraddha Walkar and arrested Aftab Poonawala for murdering her, and then chopping her into 35 small pieces. Aftab executed the murder on May 18 and stored her body parts in a refrigerator he had recently purchased. He then disposed of the body pieces in Delhi’s Mehrauli forest during the next 18 days.

Delhi HC refuses to send ex-PFI chief Abu Becker on house arrest, orders to get him treated in AIIMS

ANI
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Delhi HC refuses to send ex-PFI chief Abu Becker on house arrest, orders to get him treated in AIIMS

The Delhi High court on Monday refused to send the former Chairman of PFI, Abu Becker on house arrest. The court directed authorities to take him to AIIMS for treatment. Abu Becker had sought interim bail on medical grounds.

A division bench comprising justices Sidharth Mridul and Talwant Singh refused to grant the order of house arrest of Abu Becker. The bench directed the medical superintendent to file the advice and treatment prescribed by the Onco surgery department of AIIMS on the Next date.

The court was told by the NIA that Abu Becker’s appointment is scheduled on December 22 in the Onco surgery department. Abu Backer’s counsel has submitted that he can be granted a house arrest as in the case of Gautam Navlakha’s matter by the Supreme court.


The High court said, “Gautam Navlakha is not a template that you come here and say I am 70 years old… We can’t grant you house arrest. The Hon’ble Supreme Court has powers that this court does not have. If your medical condition requires hospitalisation, we can direct that.”

The bench said,” When you ask for bail on medical grounds, why should we send you to your house? We will send you to the hospital.” The court directed authorities to take him to the AIIMS on December 22. The court has allowed his son to accompany him.

The matter has been listed on January 6, 2023, for further hearing.

Earlier on December 14, the high court was informed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) that the former PFI chairman E Abu Becker is being provided treatment and he is fine. NIA filed its report on the plea of Abu Becker seeking treatment. He was arrested by the agency in September.

On November 30, the High court directed the NIA to file a status report on the plea of Abu Becker.

Abu Becker was arrested during the nationwide crackdown on the outfit.

The division bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Talwant Singh directed the agency to file a status report. The opinion of a medical expert authorised by AIIMS was also sought.

While rejecting the request for placing the petitioner under House arrest, the bench had said that requisite medical treatment would be provided to the accused.

The bench asserted, “We are not inclined to do that. AIIMS is a premier hospital. If you are using this as a pretext for house arrest, we are not granting that. We are only concerned with his medical conditions.”

It was submitted by the petitioner’s counsel Adit Pujari that Abu Becker is 70 years old and suffering from cancer and Parkinson’s. He is in great pain.

The counsel also submitted that the petitioner needed urgent medical supervision but his plea was dismissed by the lower court.

The counsel also submitted that the matter needs urgent examination but the AIIMS has given a date of 2024. On this, the bench had expressed its displeasure and asked, “Where is the diagnosis and treatment? He can’t wait for a scan till 2024. It is an examination. It surely can’t wait till 2024.”

The bench said that it would consider the appeal for medical treatment. For regular bail, the petitioner may approach the trial court.

The special public prosecutor for NIA submitted that the agency is not opposing medical treatment to the petitioner. He also said that the probe in the matter is in progress.

The bench had said, “The point is the accused is seriously unwell. Eventually, we will have to consider whether AIIMS has to be directed to constitute a medical board and let this court know which is the best way possible.”

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

While pliant media like The Hindu want to sing praises of ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, here is how Rahul Gandhi can’t even accomplish ‘Congress Jodo’

S. Sudhir Kumar
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While pliant media like The Hindu want to sing praises of ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, here is how Rahul Gandhi can’t even accomplish ‘Congress Jodo’

Recently in Telangana, a very crucial by-election happened in the Munugode assembly constituency. The by-election was necessitated because the incumbent Congress MLA quit the party and joined the BJP. In a tight race, the TRS won over the BJP by over 10,000 votes. The Congress party lost its deposit in a seat it held multiple times before. When the campaigning was peaking up for this seat, Rahul Gandhi was in Telangana as part of his Bharat Jodo Yatra. During the polling, the yatra was still in Telangana. 

This debilitating result for the Congress party, while Rahul was in the state, did not deter our English media from telling us how stunningly brilliant the yatra was in Telangana; how the cadre is excited like never before; how different factions were bought together by the “tallest leader” of the Congress party. One such sample report, published by The Hindu on November 9th, is pasted below for your reading pleasure (we will get to the highlighted part soon). 

Article by The Hindu

“Energised” by the “constructive and positive” yatra, the Congress party announced a “jumbo” executive committee for the Telangana Congress on the 10th of December. So about one month after Rahul Gandhi’s awesome yatra left the state, the Congress party sets up various committees in the state. On 17th December, the Congress Legislature Party Leaders, some elected MLAs, some elected MPs, some former ministers – all of them revolted against the incumbent party President and announced a – believe it or not – “Save Congress” plan.

Article by The Hindu

I would request you to take a close look at the names mentioned in the November 9th report of The Hindu that glorified Rahul Gandhi as the greatest unifier, and the names in the report above (again by The Hindu!). The exact names that The Hindu (and other media) mentioned in their great analysis of the Yatra are the exact same people who revolted and initiated a “Save Congress” plan. 

Can there really be a more stunning example of the glorious failure of the Bharat Jodo Yatra? All those memes that joked about how Rahul Gandhi should first do a Congress Jodo Yatra make so much more logical sense now, isn’t it? By the way, the leaders who are revolting against Rahul Gandhi’s TPCC President aren’t just seniors who are past their prime (There are a few former MPs, MLAs and ministers too in this revolting batch). 

The Congress party won 19 seats in the 2018 Assembly elections. 12 of them moved to the TRS; 1 seat was lost by the Congress; thus, leaving them with 6 MLAs only. The Legislature Party leader of these 6 MLAs has now claimed that he wasn’t even consulted on the formation of these jumbo committees. The Congress party won 3 MP seats in the 2019 elections. 2 of these 3 are now revolting against Rahul Gandhi’s TPCC president (who is the 3rd MP by the way). 

Rahul Gandhi must really possess some extraordinary talent. He has been very successful in scaring away the few leaders who have won elections and chose to stay with the Congress party in Telangana! The drama of course is never-ending – supporters of Rahul Gandhi’s TPCC President, Revanth Reddy have announced that they will “sacrifice” their party posts for the sake of the party. You would now assume that The Hindu will be a wee bit careful before glorifying the Gandhi family members. And then here is where they stump you again. The TPCC President called for a meeting of the Congress party to discuss the modalities of a program called “Haath se haath badao”. The revolting members announced that they will not attend this meeting (and they didn’t too). Now, what is this “Haath se haath badao” program? The Hindu tells us that this is the “brainchild of Priyanka Vadra Gandhi”. 

Article in The Hindu

Also, notice how hastily the report is written – We are told that she will visit all states and then immediately told that she is likely to visit all states. How difficult is it to really write a simple accurate report without praising the Gandhi family to the hilt? 

The intent of this article is not to discuss the merits (or the lack of it) of the revolt in the Congress party. But it is to highlight how the media is so out of tune with the reality of the real impact of Rahul Gandhi’s yatra. It is crystal clear that, outside of silly photo ops, Rahul Gandhi is unable to even accomplish a real “Congress Jodo” too. Good language and catchy headlines can never make up for the lousy groundwork in politics. I wonder how much longer we have to bear these headlines/reports that elevate this first family of the Congress party! 

Digi Yatra: A step-by-step guide on how to use the new app for seamless boarding at airports

Anurag
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Digi Yatra: A step-by-step guide on how to use the new app for seamless boarding at airports

On December 1, Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia launched Digi Yatra from the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi. Initially, the service was launched for three airports: New Delhi, Bengaluru and Varanasi. Digi Yatra is a mobile application that has been launched to achieve contactless and seamless processing of passengers at airports based on Facial Recognition Technology or FRT.

Digi Yatra allows the traveller to pass through various checkpoints at the airports through paperless and contactless processing using facial features to establish his or her identity that could be linked to the boarding pass. The facility is linked to Aadhar-based validation and a self-image capture. The traveller has to do a one-time registration on the Digi Yatra app to start using the service.

With a technology that uses Facial Recognition, privacy concerns are common. Regarding such concerns, Scindia said the system does not use any central storage of Personally Identifiable Information or PII. The ID and travel credentials of the person are stored in a secure wallet of the passenger’s smartphone. The uploaded data will be validated using blockchain technology, and the information will be purged from the servers within 24 hours of use.

India is one of the very few countries that use this technology. World Class Airports, including Heathrow in London and Atlanta in the United States, use this technology. Notably, with similar technology, passengers at Dubai Airport save up to 40 per cent of the time spent onboarding. At Atlanta Airport, around nine minutes are saved per passenger.

Following the initial launch at three airports, the government plans to launch it on four more airports in the first phase by March 2023. The four airports are Hyderabad, Pune, Kolkata and Vijayawada. The facility will get implemented across various airports in the coming months. It is only available for domestic passengers for the time being. Notably, Digi Yatra is not compulsory. It can be used voluntarily. The app is available for both Android and iOS platforms.

Netizens praised Digi Yatra

Several users have shared their experiences on social media with Digi Yatra. Retired Indian Navy Commander and Stand Up Comedian Manish Tyagi shared his experience and said he completed the check-in only in 11 minutes.

Another Twitter user Rajeev Kohli was also pleased with the experience.

Twitter user Sandeep Kumar said, “Record fastest check-in in the world at the Delhi Airport It took less than 5min. From getting down the cab to pass the security gate Skipped all queues at the Airport gate & security gate.”

Step-by-step instructions on how to use Digi Yatra

First of all, download the Digi Yatra app for Android or iOS. Please note that you need to download the app by Digi Yatra Foundation. There is another app available on Android by PrepBuddies that is NOT a government app.

Open the Digi Yatra app on your phone.

Now, use your mobile number to register on the app. Wait for the OTP and enter it to register. Make sure you register with your Aadhaar-linked mobile number.

Click on “Wallet” to upload your Aadhaar and Health credentials.

The next step, choose which credentials you want to link to Digi Yatra App.

Now upload your Aadhaar verified Identity Credentials. You can do it either by linking it to your Digilocker or offline by uploading an Aadhar XML file that you can get from MyAadhar App or UADIA’s website.

Once done, upload your health credentials linked to CoWin.

Use your name and mobile number linked to CoWin to link.

In the next step, the app will ask you to upload a selfie. Please make sure that the image has no obstructions and that it is clear. Make sure you stand in a well-lit room to ensure the best results.

In the next step, you can update your upcoming travel details by uploading your boarding pass. You can scan it, upload an image or upload a PDF file.

Your upcoming travel is linked to the Digi Travel app. Using the facility, you can skip the queue as there will be a dedicated path for the Digi Yatra users.

For example, at IGI Airport, you will use the E-Gate facility at Gate No 2 on Terminal 3.

Scan the bar-coded boarding pass.

Now, look into the Facial Recognition System camera. Once the system validates your credentials, it will open the gate and allow you to enter the terminal.

Now drop the luggage at the airline check-in desk. If you do not have luggage, proceed to Digi Yatra Gate at Zone 1 PEDC. It is close to Business-class entry.

Now again, look into the FRS camera. The E-Gate will open for you to enter. Go through the Security Check.

Once the security Check is done, proceed towards the boarding gate. The gateless boarding system using biometrics is available at Gate 27 and Gate 39. It will be expanded further across the airport.

In case of children accompanying adults, a separate account will have to be created for the child using the mobile number which is used in the Aadhar card of the child. In case both numbers are same, the adult/parent can register using Digi Locker and use the Aadhar number of the child in place of a mobile number for the registration process.

FRS will help in enhancing security

Speaking to the media, Scindia said that Digi Yatra is linked to Aadhaar. In case there is an ongoing case against any person, the airport administration will be aware of it. “The system is an important step in enhancing the security at the airports,” he said.

Lionel Messi was born in Assam: Congress MP Abdul Khaleque invents a local connection to the Argentinian great

OpIndia Staff
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Lionel Messi was born in Assam: Congress MP Abdul Khaleque invents a local connection to the Argentinian great

On Monday (December 19), Congress MP Abdul Khaleque claimed on Twitter that the Argentinian football legend Lionel Messi was born in the Assam State of India.

Khaleque represents the Barpeta constituency of Assam in the Lok Sabha. He took to Twitter to make these bizarre assertions, following the victory of Argentina against France in the FIFA World Cup Final.

“#Messi Congratulations from the core of heart. We are proud of you for your Assam connection,” he had tweeted.

Screengrab of the tweet by Abdul Khaleque

On being quizzed about his post by a Twitter user named Aditya Sharma, the Congress leader claimed, “Yes, he was born in Assam.” The tweets have now been deleted.

Screengrab of the tweet by Abdul Khaleque

As expected, his outlandish claims drew widespread ridicule on social media. “Yes sir, he was my classmate,” one Twitter user took potshots at the Assam MP.

“After the world cup, Messi and his wife visited Assam…Never forget where you come from,” tweeted another user.

Another Twitter user posted a picture of Lionel Messi with the caption, “I learnt today that I was born in Assam.”

“First I thought it was just another social media joke but after checking bio…”, one user expressed doubt on the intelligence of the Congress leader.

Earlier, a Trinamool Congress spokesperson named Riju Dutta likened the victory of Argentina in the FIFA World Cup Final to that of his political party.

In a tweet, he wrote, “Ei joy sudhu Argentina r jai noi, eta Maa Mati Manusher jai…Jai Bangla (This is just not the victory of Argentina but of Trinamool Congress… Hail Bengal).”

Screengrab of the now-deleted tweet of TMC spokesperson

It must be mentioned that Maa Mati Manush (Mother, land and people) is one of the official slogans of the Trinamool Congress. Following social media mockery, Riju Dutta was quick to delete the tweet, just like Khaleque.

‘Mulnivasi Muslim Manch’ and ‘Bhim Army Bahujan Ekta Mission’ oppose launch of book on Lt Col Purohit, who was falsely accused in Malegaon blast case

OpIndia Staff
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‘Mulnivasi Muslim Manch’ and ‘Bhim Army Bahujan Ekta Mission’ oppose launch of book on Lt Col Purohit, who was falsely accused in Malegaon blast case

On Sunday, December 18, members of a Pune-based Muslim organisation Mulnivasi Muslim Manch and Bhim Army staged a protest against the launch of ‘Lt Colonel Purohit: The Man Betrayed?’. The book is about Lt Col Shrikant Prasad Purohit, who was falsely implicated in the Malegaon Blast Case during the UPA Government’s tenure.

According to reports, the Muslim organisation and Bhim Army held demonstrations against the book on the SP college premises, the location of the book launch. Meanwhile, Hindu Mahasangh members came out in support of the book. Cops detained members from both sides and released them only after the event.

The book, written by Smita Mishra was launched at the SP College in Pune, Maharashtra on December 18, Sunday. It was released by retired IPS officer and former Pune police commissioner Jayant Umranikar. Author Smita Mishra, publisher Renu Kaul Verma, retired Major Gaurav Arya and others were present on the occasion.

Invitation to the book launch event (source: Twitter user Nisheeth Sharan)

The Muslim organisation and members of the Bhim Army, meanwhile, staged a protest during the day demanding the cancellation of the book launch event. The protest was reportedly launched after their plea to the SP College authorities to cancel the event did not elicit a response.

The organisations claimed that it was inappropriate to hold such an event when the trial in the case was underway. “It is inappropriate to hold such an event to launch a book such as this when the trial in the Malegaon blast case is underway. Our protest is against Purohit,” Mulnivasi Muslim Manch president Anjum Inamdar said.

The 2008 Malegaon blast case and how Lt. Col. Purohit was maliciously framed

On September 29, 2008, bomb blasts took place in the Malegaon region of the Nashik district of Maharashtra which resulted in 6 deaths and 100 injuries.

Soon, Sadhvi Pragya Thakur and Lt Col Purohit were arrested in connection with the blast. They continued languishing in jails till 2017, when they were finally granted bail in April and August respectively. The then UPA government and the left-wing media at that time continuously labelled Lt Col Purohit as a traitor to further their agenda of establishing the idea of ‘Hindu Terror.’

Many reports and statements by former bureaucrats had, however, pointed out that Lt Col Purohit was maliciously framed, with planted ‘evidence’, to fan the imaginary ‘saffron terror’ narrative and distract the public from the scams of the Congress-led government.

It is important to note that one of the accused, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, had told the NIA court in 2017 that the Mumbai ATS tried to frame the then BJP MP Yogi Adityanath and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat at the behest of the Congress-NCP government.

In 2018, Republic TV accessed an official letter by the Army which also revealed that the then UPA government deliberately framed Lt Col Shrikant Prasad Purohit despite having information that he was on duty and was gathering intelligence.

Further, in the year 2021, one of the witnesses made similar statements against the Maharashtra ATS. The witness told the Special NIA court that he was threatened, tortured, and kept in illegal custody by the Mumbai ATS and forced to take the names of five Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) members including Yogi Adityanath, Indresh Kumar, Deodhar, and Kakaji.

‘Will participate in Bharat Jodo Yatra’: Anti-Sikh riots accused Jagdish Tytler after attending Delhi Congress Unit’s meeting on container rally

OpIndia Staff
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‘Will participate in Bharat Jodo Yatra’: Anti-Sikh riots accused Jagdish Tytler after attending Delhi Congress Unit’s meeting on container rally

Controversial leader and anti-Sikh riots accused Jagdish Tytler on Monday attended the Delhi Congress unit’s meeting over the preparations of the Bharat Jodo Yatra. 

“We will participate because we are in favour of what he (Rahul Gandhi) is doing. So, we will participate in a big way,” said Jagdish Tytler, Congress leader whose name cropped up in the 1984 Sikh pogrom that took place after the assassination of former PM Indira Gandhi. 

Warding off charges against him, Tytler said, “Is there any FIR (in 1984 anti-Sikh riots ) against me? CBI has also given me clearance. Some are only doing politics…Yes, will join the (Bharat Jodo Yatra), and I will be with the party until my last breath,” he said, reported ANI. 

When asked about Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s claim of forming government in Gujarat in 2027, Tytler said, “Let Kejriwal speak. We know Rahul Gandhi’s program has got the entire nation working on it. We’ve seen what happened in Indira Gandhi’s time & now we are again seeing this happening. People are joining him.” 

It is worth noting that Tytler still holds sway in Congress and has repeatedly attended meetings and political events organised by it. He was last seen campaigning for the Congress party in the run-up to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections.

The Congress party’s Bharat Jodo Yatra on Monday resumed from Rajasthan’s Bandikui and will halt for the day at Mahua Khurd in the state. It is scheduled to reach Delhi on December 24 and will take a 9-days break, resuming on January 3, 2023, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said. 

Who is Jagdish Tytler

The 1984 anti-Sikh riots erupted in the aftermath of the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and culminated in the horrific killings of over 2800 people, according to government data.

Congress leaders Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler were accused of a direct role in instigating the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in India. Jagdish Tytler was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1991 and later served as the Union Minister of State for Surface Transport. 

He was only dropped in 2009 by Congress due to the controversy over his actions in the 1984 riots. The CBI gave a clean chit to Tytler during the second term of the UPA government. However, the closure report was rejected by a Sessions Court, and an investigation into his role was requested. 

Despite public calls to cut relations with Tytler, Congress has frequently accommodated him on public platforms. In January 2019, Congress was criticised for granting Tytler a front-row seat during the ceremony of former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit taking over as Delhi Congress chief on January 16, 2019.

Netizens accuse New York Times of putting the Nazi symbol in their crossword on the eve of the Jewish festival Hanukkah

OpIndia Staff
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Netizens accuse New York Times of putting the Nazi symbol in their crossword on the eve of the Jewish festival Hanukkah

On Sunday (December 18), the New York Times courted controversy after the crossword in the American newspaper bore an uncanny resemblance to the Nazi symbol ‘Hakenkreuz’ (or Hooked cross).

Social media users questioned the editorial decision-making process of the English daily and harbouring anti-semitism. They also raised alarms about the timing of the word puzzle, given that it was published on the eve of the Jewish festival of ‘Hanukkah.’

Former reality TV producer, Keith Edwards, asked, “What the hell, New York Times?”

Bryan E. Leib, the Executive Director of ‘Iranian Americans for Liberty’, pointed out, “Being a Jew in 2022 in America looks like this…What the f*ck is happening to this nation? Today’s #NYT crossword”

Another Twitter user wrote, “Happy Hanukkah to everyone but the person who designed this swastika themed crossword puzzle in the NYT.”

The son of the former US President Donald Trump also called out the New York Times over the publication of the controversial crossword.

“Disgusting! Only the New York Times would get Hanukkah going with this is the crossword puzzle. Imagine what they would do to someone who did this and was not ideologically aligned with them?”

He added, “I’ll give them the same benefit of the doubt they would give those people… Exactly Zero.”

Another Twitter user accused the American newspaper of siding with the Nazi party of Adolf Hitler in World War II.

“Never use NYT as your “source” on anything Jewish and/or Israel related. They supported Nazis in WWII, refused to report on the Holocaust, and just today – on Hanukkah – put a swastika in their crossword section. They never stopped profiting from Jew-hatred,” the handle claimed.

New York Times has been a repeat offender

It is not the first time that the New York Times had resorted to using the design of a Hakenkreuz for their daily word puzzle. In October 2017, the newspaper had committed the same offence.

At that time, it had issued a statement, distancing itself from the controversy. “Yes, hi. It’s NOT a swastika. Honest to God. No one sits down to make a crossword puzzle and says, “Hey! You know what would look cool?” the New York Times said in a tweet.

The contentious word puzzle bore alikeness with the hooked cross (Hakenkreuz), which was adopted in 1920 by the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NAZI party).

The Nazi symbol comprised of the hooked cross, a white disc and a red background. It was popularised by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, responsible for the death of 6 million Jews.

In its 2017 tweet, the New York Times had deliberately conflated the Vedic symbol of Swastika with the Nazi symbol of Hakenkreuz. For decades, the Hindu symbol has been maligned and characterised as a sign associated with the murderous Nazi ideology.

Hinduphobic organisations and left-wing ‘intellectuals’ have used equated the two to denigrate Hindus and paint those who use the symbol as proponents of the Nazi ideology.

However, there is a huge difference between the two symbols, which they have ridiculously considered as one and the same, thereby not only hurting Hindu feelings but also displaying their innate Hinduphobia.

Jharkhand: Scuffle breaks out between locals and railways officials after an old Shivling is uprooted while laying down the tracks

OpIndia Staff
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Jharkhand: Scuffle breaks out between locals and railways officials after an old Shivling is uprooted while laying down the tracks

On Sunday. December 18, a clash broke out between local villagers and the railway officials in Jharkhand’s Bandidih railway station, Chas Muffasil, Bokaro district. According to the Hindi daily Jagran, the scuffle broke out after the railway officials forcefully uprooted a Shivling installed near the railway tracks.

The villagers protested after the Railway Protection Force (RPF) jawans uprooted the Shivling while the railway officials laid the railway track and doubled it. The angry villagers first chased away the labourers and then blocked the road at the Bandhdih turn.

The villagers claimed that this Shivling was installed at this location roughly 200 years prior to the construction of the TT line. The villagers objected, asserting that the officials had offended the Hindus by vandalising the centuries-old Shivling that their ancestors and forebears had long worshipped.

According to reports, the villagers demanded that a temple be constructed and the Shivling be re-installed amid prayers and chants, but the railway authorities allegedly disregarded their demands and forcibly uprooted the Shivling before taking it away.

The locals added that Dhanbad MP PN Singh had also given the Divisional Railway Manager information in this regard but to no avail. They lamented the fact that the railway management had not even paid anyone compensation for the land.

This enraged the villagers who then drove away the railway workers who were doubling the railway track and blocked the road at the Banddih junction. On learning of the incident, six station in-charges, including those from Siyaljori, Bangaria and Chas Muffasil, arrived at the site and tried to pacify the villagers. The enraged villagers didn’t stop protesting and unblocked the Banddih intersection until the Shivling was reinstalled in its original location.

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