A month after being denied regular bail by the Delhi High Court, so-called activist and former JNU student Umar Khalid applied for interim bail at the Karkardooma court. Khalid sought bail in connection with a case pertaining to the bigger conspiracy in the 2020 Delhi riots, involving offenses under the Indian Penal Code and UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act).
According to the reports, Khalid said that he wanted a two weeks bail to attend his sister’s wedding ceremony. After reviewing the contents of the motion, Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Amitabh Rawat of the Karkardooma Court in Delhi instructed the prosecution to file a reply to the petition.
“This is a fresh application u/s. 439 Cr. P.C moved on behalf of the applicant/accused Umar Khalid seeking interim bail for a period of two weeks. Put up for filing of reply and arguments on the interim bail application of applicant/accused Umar Khalid on 25.11.2022,” the Court noted.
Khalid has been in custody since September 2020. Earlier, in October, Khalid was denied bail by the Delhi Court which noted that the bail appeal had no merit. “We don’t find any merit in bail appeal, the appeal is dismissed,” the bench led by Justice Siddharth Mirdul and Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar had said.
On September 9, the division bench of Justice Siddharth Mirdul and Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar reserved their verdict on Khalid’s bail plea. Khalid appealed to the Delhi High Court after the trial court denied him bail on March 24. He was arrested on September 13, 2020, and has been detained since.
Umar Khalid had challenged the lower court’s order rejecting his bail application on the grounds that there is no evidence linking him to the violence that erupted in Delhi during the riots. The High Court on September 9, reserved its judgment on Khalid’s appeal after the completion of the arguments put forth by both parties.
Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad appearing for Delhi Police earlier stated that Khalid is one of the brains behind the riots and acted as a silent whisperer. He also presented Khalid’s Amravati address, proving that it was a premeditated speech in which the focus was not only CAA NRC but other alleged problems directly relevant to the Muslim community such as Triple Talaq and the Babri Masjid, among others. He said that Khalid was involved in managing the protest to sow dissatisfaction among the minorities.
The FIR filed against Khalid includes serious allegations such as Sections 13, 16, 17, and 18 of the UAPA, Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act, and Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act of 1984. He is also charged with several offences listed in the Indian Penal Code of 1860.
As per reports, the masseur of jailed Delhi Minister Satyendra Jain whose videos of getting massages went viral has been identified as one rape accused named Rinku, and not a physiotherapist. The masseur providing massage to Satyendar Jain is a prisoner Rinku. He’s a prisoner in a rape case, charged under Section 6 of POCSO Act & 376, 506 & 509 of IPC.
As Aam Aadmi Party pushed on saying that Jain was undergoing physiotherapy inside the jail, it has come out that the person giving therapy was not a physiotherapist. Instead, he is a criminal booked under charges of raping a minor and criminally intimidating the victim.
The masseur providing massage to jailed Delhi min Satyendar Jain is a prisoner Rinku. He’s a prisoner in a rape case, charged u/s 6 of POCSO Act & 376, 506 & 509 of IPC. He’s not a physiotherapist: Tihar Jail official sources
Notably, just days after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) mentioned that AAP leader Satyendar Jain, who was arrested in a money laundering case, was receiving special consideration in the Tihar jail, CCTV footage from within the jail premises was made public on Saturday, showing Jain ‘enjoying’ his stay.
The video, which went viral on November 19, shows Jain receiving preferential treatment while imprisoned. According to the clip, Jain is receiving foot and head massages in the jail while lying down on a bed and reading some paperwork. He is certainly supplied with adequate facilities to make his stay at Tihar prison more palatable.
मौज है मौज। सत्येंद्र जैन का तिहाड़ी मसाज पार्लर जैन की मौज सत्येंद्र जैन का मसाज वीडियो वायरल ! जेल में बंद सत्येंद्र जैन का वीडियो। #SatyendarJainpic.twitter.com/KasD0LP9kP
After the video of Jain receiving massages went viral, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia justified the VVIP treatment he was receiving, stating it was “treatment for injury.”
The deputy chief minister of Delhi claimed that a doctor had instructed physiotherapy for the minister due to a spinal injury. “Only the BJP can make cruel jokes by leaking CCTV footage of a patient’s treatment… “Satyendar Jain’s spine was damaged, and that’s on record,” Sisodia told the media.
Delhi Dy CM Manish Sisodia terms the video of jailed Delhi minister & AAP leader Satyendar Jain that surfaced “treatment for injury”, says, “Only BJP can make cruel jokes by leaking CCTV footage of an injured person’s treatment… His spine was damaged, it’s on record” pic.twitter.com/zzPriSLeFQ
Shockingly, it has now come to the fore that the man doing the massage of Jain is not a physiotherapist but instead a booked criminal that too in rape case.
Delhi Police have arrested four students of Don Bosco Technical Institute for allegedly beating a pregnant dog to death in the New Friends Colony area. As per reports, a video of the incident showed a group of students thrashing the dog. Later, they dragged the dead body of the female dog to a park and dumped it. As per the police, the students claimed they were bothered by the dog barking at them.
On the basis of a complaint, FIR was registered earlier under sections 429 and 34 of IPC & 11(1) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 at New Friends Colony Police Station in Delhi.
A complaint was registered against the students based on which the police registered an FIR under Sections 429 and 34 of IPC & 11(1) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, at New Friends Colony Police Station in Delhi.
Around 25 boys beat up a pregnant dog to death
On November 20, a group of around 25 boys reportedly brutally beat up a pregnant dog to death and dragged her carcass to a park to dump it. The incident took place at New Friends Colony area in South Delhi. In the video, the dog was seen sitting inside a tin shed. The boys continuously attacked the female dog. The boys around those who were beating the dog urged them to kill it repeatedly.
After the dog died, her carcass was dragged to a park where it was dumped. The video went viral on social media platforms. Social workers and animal lovers demanded strict action against the Don Bosco Technical Institute students involved in the incident. DCP South East of Delhi Isha Pandey said, “We have received a complaint from a woman who has accused unknown students of allegedly killing a female dog. We also have the video of the incident as proof.”
On November 21 (local time), Elon Musk said in a tweet that the relaunch of Blue Verified, which was expected to start on November 29, has been postponed. Furthermore, he said Twitter might come up with colour-coded verified checks to differentiate between organisations and individuals.
Holding off relaunch of Blue Verified until there is high confidence of stopping impersonation.
Will probably use different color check for organizations than individuals.
He said, “Holding off relaunch of Blue Verified until there is high confidence of stopping impersonation. Will probably use different color check for organisations than individuals.” Notably, when Twitter Blue subscriptions were started after Elon Musk took over Twitter, it included a verified badge. Though the description of the verified badge is different for those who got verified by following the due process and for those who got the badge by paying $8, one has to click on the badge to know what type of account they are visiting.
The Blue Subscription opened floodgates for impersonators to get verified badges and post unauthorised posts while posing and celebrities and official accounts. It led to a kind of chaos on the social media platform, so much so, that wealth worth $15 billion got wiped off after an account belonging to an individual impersonating Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals published a post suggesting insulin would be free. Eli Lilly is one of the largest insulin manufacturers in the world.
About the newly rolled out Twitter Blue
On November 5, Twitter began offering Twitter Blue for $8 per month. Initially, the feature is only available to iOS users in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Twitter Blue is available for $7.99 per month. It comes with a verification badge or a blue checkmark on the profile, limited advertisements and much more.
On Saturday (November 19), Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the ‘Kashi Tamil Sangamam’ in Varanasi as part of the government’s vision of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.’
Kashi and Tamil Nadu share cultural ties since ancient times, and the month-long programme is aimed at preserving them. During the event, PM Modi said, “Embracing the entire India, Kashi is the cultural capital of India whereas Tamil Nadu and Tamil culture is the centre of India’s antiquity and glory.”
“In Kashi, we have Baba Vishwanath, while in Tamil Nadu we have the blessings of Lord Rameshwaram. Both Kashi and Tamil Nadu are immersed in Shiva,” he highlighted their importance in the Indic civilisation.
In Varanasi, addressing the ‘Kashi-Tamil Sangamam.’ It is a wonderful confluence of India’s culture and heritage. https://t.co/ZX3WRhrxm9
The Indian Prime Minister also used the opportunity to call for an end to linguistic barriers and unite ourselves in the spirit of diversity. “This is the responsibility of 130 crore Indians to preserve the legacy of Tamil and enrich it,” he said during his address in Varanasi.
“If we ignore Tamil we do a great disservice to the nation and if we keep Tamil confined in restrictions we will do great harm to it. We have to remember to remove linguistic differences and establish emotional unity”, he further outlined.
He added, “In Amrit Kaal, our resolutions will be fulfilled by the unity of the whole country. Kashi-Tamil Sangamam will become a platform for this resolution today while making us realise our duties, and being a source of energy to strengthen national unity.”
Rahul Gandhi busy pitting one state against the other
PM Modi’s resolve to use cultural events as a way to unite the entire nation comes at a time when his political opponent Rahul Gandhi is pitting one State against the other under the garb of ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra.’
On November 9 this year, the Congress scion attempted to create animosity between the States of Gujarat and Maharashtra by falsely claiming that projects meant for the latter were being moved to favour the former.
He alleged that projects such as the Tata-Airbus military aircraft partnership and the Vendanta-Foxconn semiconductor plant were stolen from Maharashtra and handed to Gujarat ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in the neighbouring state.
#WATCH | Maharashtra: Your projects are going to Gujarat as Airbus project went from Maharashtra because elections are there in Gujarat. Even the Foxconn project went. Apart from money, jobs & future of state’s youth are also being snatched: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in Nanded pic.twitter.com/1NDyEkEyNZ
DMK, linguistic chauvinism and its hate for North Indians
On September 7 this year, the Congress party led by Rahul Gandhi kickstarted its 3,570-km march from Kanniyakumari in Tamil Nadu. The march will last over 5 months and will cover 12 States before terminating at Srinagar.
One of the leaders who were present at the start of the ambitious ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ was MK Stalin, DMK supremo and ally of the Congress in the State of Tamil Nadu. His party, in particular, has been at the forefront of widening the linguistic divide and directing hate against North Indians in particular.
Tamil Nadu CM Sh. MK Stalin hands over Khadi Tiranga to Congress leader Sh. Rahul Gandhi in Kanyakumari before the beginning of Bharat Jodo Padyatra.
Rajasthan CM Sh. Ashok Gehlot and Chhatisgarh CM Sh. Bhupesh Baghel and senior leaders remained present. pic.twitter.com/AMb4Xrq3nY
In June this year, DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Health Minister blamed ‘North Indian students’ for spreading Covid-19 in the State.
“North Indian students are spreading Covid-19 in Tamil Nadu. Students from Kelambakkam VIT College and Sathyasai college have got affected by Covid in hostels and classes. In some North Indian states, Covid cases are still increasing,” he was quoted as saying.
Tamil Nadu | North Indian students are spreading Covid-19 in Tamil Nadu. Students from Kelambakkam VIT College and Sathyasai college have got affected by Covid in hostels and classes. In some North Indian states, Covid cases are still increasing: State Health Min Ma Subramanian pic.twitter.com/ekATYHgMaM
In February this year, DMK leader Dr DNV Senthilkumar S mocked the BJP-ruled States in the North by making the ‘gaumutra’ jibe on the floor of the parliament.
“According to NEP, gross enrollment ratio has to be 50 per cent which Tamil Nadu has achieved long ago. If they want to implement this policy, they should implement the Dravidian model for the development of the country,” he had remarked.
“Why is their policy being thrust upon us? We reject it. If they want to implement it, they should do it in their gau-mutra States”, he said in his 6 minute long speech.
* சங்கி நீதிபதி சாமிநாதனை மிதி மிதினு மிதிச்சுருக்கார் ?
* இரண்டு உயர்நீதிமன்ற நீதிபதிகள் சாதிய மாநாடுகளில் கலந்துக்கிறாங்க…
Recently, another DMK leader shared a snippet from a web series wherein several elite, snobbish ‘South Indians’ were shown reprimanding a rustic, Maharashtrian woman for assuming that ‘Hindi is India’s national language.’
The disturbing scenes drew the ire of netizens for fomenting the North-South divide. While Rahul Gandhi is attacking the BJP for supposedly dividing India, he and his allies are busy creating internal conflict between States, ethnicities and languages.
While Rahul Gandhi exploits existing faultlines and fuels new ones in the name of ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, it is India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, who has emerged as a statesman pitching for a united country and bridging cultural differences.
England had a comfortable first game of their World Cup campaign in Qatar as they dispatched Iran 6-2, and the 6th and last English goal saw an unusual celebration. Substitute Jack Grealish who scored that final goal did the celebrations that his young superfan asked him to do next time he scores a goal.
11 years old Finlay, who has cerebral palsy, had written to Manchester City star Grealish and told the midfielder that he was his hero. Grealish then surprised Finlay by turning up at a training session where he promised the youngster he would use his celebration the next time he scored a goal. Grealish lived up to that promise after netting the goal against Iran at the World Cup.
Jack Grealish made a promise to Manchester City fan Finlay that he would do his celebration the next time he scored a goal.
He has kept his word and done exactly that, on the biggest stage in world football.
Grealish’s sister, Holly, also has cerebral palsy and the fan Finlay’s original letter touched Grealish’s heart. He met Finlay at the Manchester City Football Academy earlier this month, where Finlay plays every Monday as part of the disability football team. That was when Grealish promised to perform the celebrations asked by Finlay the next time he scored a goal.
Jack Grealish’s goal completed a superb performance from England who dominated Iran from the first whistle to the last. England put 6 past Iran with Bukayo Saka scoring twice and Jude Bellingham, Raheem Sterling, and Marcus Rashford scoring once each apart from Jack Grealish.
Iran did manage to get two goals in response but the result was never in doubt once England took the lead through Bellingham in the 35th minute.
The other two teams in the group, USA and Wales will meet later tonight in the other game in the group.
The Mathura police on Monday, November 21, said that they had solved the murder of a girl whose body was found stuffed in a trolley bag near Yamuna Expressway last week. The body was identified as that of 21-year-old girl Ayushi Yadav, a resident of Delhi’s Badarpur. The deceased reportedly had bloodstains on the face and injuries, besides the mark of a gunshot to the chest. As per reports, Nitesh Yadav, father of the deceased shot her dead.
The Mathura police in a video byte revealed that the girl had gone somewhere a few days ago without informing her father. The girl had reportedly married someone against her family’s wishes. On Friday, November 18, when she returned home, an argument ensued between the girl and her family members, following which the father, who hails from UP’s Gorakhpur, fired two shots at the girl, leaving her dead.
लाल ट्राली बैग में अज्ञात बालिका की जघन्य हत्याकाण्ड (आनर किलिंग) का सफल अनावरण करते हुये बालिका के माता पिता को मय आलाकत्ल व घटना मे प्रयुक्त कार सहित गिरफ्तार करने के सम्बन्ध में अपर पुलिस अधीक्षक नगर,मथुरा द्वारा दी गयी बाइट । pic.twitter.com/nmHnbLuUHX
The parents then wrapped their daughter’s body in a plastic bag and packed it into a suitcase. Around 3 am, the mother and father drove down to Yamuna Expressway with the suitcase containing their daughter’s dead body and dumped it in the bushes near the Agricultural Research Centre on the Yamuna Expressway service road.
The police stated that when they investigated the mother and father, they discovered several discrepancies in their statements. After additional questioning, the duo admitted to the crime. They disclosed that the father shot the girl before the mother and the brother of the girl.
Mathura police instituted 14 teams to crack the case
The police formed as many as 14 teams for the identification of the deceased. Two days later, manual surveillance helped the cops trace the girl’s identity as Ayushi Yadav.
Nitesh, however, went missing. He was later found, taken into custody and brought along with the mother and brother to Mathura to identify Ayushi’s body. Soon after the body was identified, UP police filed an FIR under Indian Penal Code Section 302 (murder).
On November 18, the police acquired information about the dead body, and the blind murder investigation began. When they reached the spot, they discovered a red stroller bag, inside which there was a dead body wrapped in plastic. The body had a bullet wound in the chest and several injury marks.
Apart from the victim’s damaged body, which the police were unable to identify at first, a ‘kalawa’ and a black thread, as well as a saree, were recovered from the trolley bag. The investigation was expanded to include the victim’s relatives in order to find the accused, who turned out to be her own father.
The police said that they became suspicious on discovering Ayushi’s family had not filed any missing complaint with the police.
Days after the central government filed a review petition contesting the Supreme Court’s decision to free all convicts in the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, one of the six convicts, RP Ravichandran, stated that he will fight the review petition legally.
Ravichandran’s statement came after he visited the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) party headquarters on Monday. Speaking to reporters, Ravichandran, who was serving life sentences for almost thirty years for the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, said, “Today I came to meet VCK chief Thirumavalavan at his Chennai office. I thanked him as they (VCK) were with us for our freedom.” He added that he would be pursuing a legal fight against the centre.
Centre files a review petition challenging the Supreme Court order to release the killers of Rajiv Gandhi
On 17th November 2022, in opposition to the Supreme Court’s decision to release all convicts in the killing of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, the Center filed a review petition with the top court.
The centre has asked for this review petition on the grounds that the centre wasn’t heard on the matter by the Supreme Court despite this being the case of the murder of a former Prime Minister of India. The centre is contending as to why it was not made a party in this case when its top office bearer was the victim in this incident that took place on 21st May 1991.
On November 11, the court released Nalini Sriharan and the five other remaining prisoners who were serving life sentences for almost thirty years, stating that the previous decision freeing AG Perarivalan also applied to them.
It is notable that, on May 18, a panel of Justices B R Gavai and B V Nagarathna, exercising its exceptional authority under Article 142 of the Constitution, ruled in favour of Perarivalan, who had spent more than 30 years in prison.
Iran started their 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar against England today, however, there was one distinctly noticeable thing about it. None of the Iranian players sang the national anthem of Iran when it was played before the match. Iranian footballers apparently did it in support of the protestors back home who have been protesting against the oppressive Iranian regime since the murder of Mahsa Amini.
To extend support to the protestors, the entire starting line-up of Iran was silent as Iran’s national anthem was played at the Khalifa International Stadium. The hardline Islamic leadership of Iran has been facing its biggest challenge since the revolution of 1979 that put them in power.
Iranian footballers are not the first celebrities to protest against the Iranian regime for their brutal dictatorship, just yesterday, 2 famous Iranian actresses were arrested for protesting against the ruling Ayatollah regime. Hengameh Ghaziani and Katayoun Riahi, the two actresses, are accused of collusion and acting against Iran’s authorities. Both women earlier appeared in public without their headscarves – a gesture of solidarity with demonstrators.
Mahsa Amini murder in Iran
A 22-year-old Iranian woman named Mahsa Amini was beaten to death by the ‘Morality Police’ in Iran for wearing hijab improperly. Iranian media reported that Amini died in hospital after suffering a heart attack after she was arrested for her improper hijab but her death ignited a series of protests that the Iranian regime is struggling to control.
Since Mahsa Amini’s death, protests have been raging across Iran with women showing up in public without a hijab and challenging the Iranian regime. Despite the brutal suppression of the protests by the government, the protests have only grown bigger and bigger during the past couple of months. Interestingly, most of these protests have been led by Iranian women who have had enough of the mandatory hijab imposed by the Iranian regime.
Under these circumstances, it is really brave of the Iranian football team to register their protest against the regime by refusing to sing the national anthem. However, it will be interesting to see how the Ayatollah regime in Iran deals with them upon their return to Iran.
Left-leaning liberals and intellectuals had a meltdown after the Times of India reported PM Modi’s factual comments against ‘activist’ Medha Patkar after she participated in Congress party’s PR stunt ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’.
Rohini Mohan, an Indian journalist and writer, who is currently working independently, took to Twitter to object to the Times of India’s report on PM Modi’s remarks against ‘activist’ Medha Patkar.
“I’m sure TOI journalists & editors know that Narmada Bachao Andolan activist Medha Patkar is not an anti-state actor. (for 30yrs NBA works with people displaced by Sardar Sarovar canals, a dam, and a statue of unity there). Why carry PM’s inaccurate, defamatory political statements?” tweeted Mohan, implying that TOI must stop being a news organisation that reported incidents as they happened and counter the factual statements made by politicians with their partisan opinions.
Source: Twitter
Mohan found support from her ilk, who rushed to the Times of India’s Twitter timeline to condemn the organisation for publishing a report that carried statements made by the Prime Minister.
Lending his support to Mohan’s misbegotten outrage, a Twitter user named Uttam Sengupta tweeted that he had banned reporting on VHP when he was in TOI Lucknow, an illustration of how personal prejudices shaped the newsroom policies that claimed to be neutral and objective.
Source: Twitter
Uttam Sengupta is currently employed with Congress mouthpiece National Herald as a Consulting Editor. He worked for the Times of India in various capacities for over 12 years, from February 1991 to May 2003. During his time at the TOI, Sengupta worked as Resident Editor for the organisation for two and a half years. After leaving TOI, he hopped on to many other publications, including Anand Bazar Patrika, Dainik Bhaskar, and The Tribune, before joining Congress mouthpiece, National Herald.
Netizens slam Rohini Mohan over her tweet criticising TOI for covering PM Modi’s comments
Nevertheless, many social media users called out Mohan for her tweet criticising the Times of India for reporting an event attended by the country’s Prime Minister.
A Twitter user criticised Mohan for her tweet, saying TOI simply reported whatever PM spoke in the rally, adding that reporting as it is not unethical as Mohan seemed to suggest.
I'm sure TOI is only reporting a factual news story. PM held a rally? Yes. Said something? Yes. Political? Yes. Factual? May be or may be not. As a news publication, TOI reported whatever PM has said. TOI may write an editorial if it disagrees. Simply reporting is not unethical.
Another Twitter user replied to Mohan’s tweet stating that Medha Patkar is a paid activist whose intervention caused the cost of the Sardar Sarovar Dam to bloat manifold.
She was paid activist then she is paid activist now. Only due to her cost of Sardar Sarowar increased manifolds. So मोदी will definitely question मेधा पाटकर Only and he must. There was nothing logical in her protest then at all. She just wanted to stall the project that's it
Yet another Twitter user highlighted how Medha Patkar delayed a project that has helped scores of people across different states, adding that all Patkar wanted was anarchy.
And how many people, in more than one state is Sardar Sarovar helping? Instead of finding an amicable solution for people she seems so dearly to care for, she made then dig their heels to not let a critical development project happen. She wanted anarchy & not a solution.
PM Modi hauls Congress over the coals after Medha Patkar joins ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’
PM Modi on Sunday launched a blistering attack against Congress after ‘activist’ Medha Patkar, infamous for her role in delaying the Sardar Sarovar Dam on Narmada, joined Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’.
PM Modi lashed out at the Congress leaders and so-called social workers who delayed the Narmada project that has brought water to the households in the drought-hit areas of Kutch and Kathiawad in Gujarat.
In his 30-minute speech, PM Modi spoke at length about the water revolution that took place in Gujarat during his tenure as the chief minister first and the prime minister later and how it was achieved with the spirit of people’s power. At the same time, PM Modi did not forget to slam those responsible for delaying the projects related to this revolution for more than three decades.
PM Modi said, “There has been so much delay in the Narmada project. Pandit Nehru laid the foundation stone of the Sardar Sarovar Dam and it took so much time to complete that Narendra Modi had to come for the inauguration of the same. Just imagine how much time and money was wasted by this delay. And so many people came in between to resist this project for their own reasons.”
“Recently, a photograph was published. A Congress leader is seen in that photograph. Ask him, with what face would he come to you to seek votes. This Narmada was the only way to provide drinking water to our people living in the Kutch and Kathiawad regions. The water of this Narmada river was stopped from reaching your homes for more than three decades. Decades went into courts and procedures. Problems were created. Dirty agitation movements were started to ensure that the water does not reach here. Gujarat was being defamed in order to ensure that no one in the world including the world bank invests money in or gives money to Gujarat,” he further added.
Medha Patkar and her role in delaying Sardar Sarovar Dam
Medha Patkar is best known for her ‘Narmada Bachao Andolan’ against the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada river. The protest contributed to the years-long postponement of the Sardar Sarovar Dam project on the Narmada River. So-called social activists and environmentalists like Medha Patkar expressed concern as soon as the construction of the project started. When Medha Patkar visited the project site in 1985, she accused that the dam had fallen short of the social and environmental requirements set forth by the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
For suspected money laundering during the “Narmada Bachao Andolan,” the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed an FIR against activist Medha Patkar on April 5 this year. In addition to the ED, investigations into Patkar’s shady dealings have also been initiated by the Department of Revenue Intelligence and the Income Tax Department.
According to a Pioneer report, Patkar’s NGO received a donation of roughly Rs 1.2 crores within a year of its foundation in 2004 but managed to elude authorities for almost 17 years.
The investigation raised a number of concerns regarding the payments. According to records obtained by Pioneer, the NGO received the funds on June 18, 2005, from 20 different sources in a single day. Surprisingly, the amount of all 20 donations was the same, which was Rs 5,96,294. Pallavi Prabhaar Bhalekar, one of the donors, was a minor at the time the donations were transferred.
