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Lunar eclipse controversy in Odisha: Traditionalists clash with rationalists for eating chicken biriyani, police lathi charge to disperse miscreants

OpIndia Staff
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Lunar eclipse controversy in Odisha: Traditionalists clash with rationalists for eating chicken biriyani, police lathi charge to disperse miscreants

‘Rationalists’ in Odisha have been in news recently for publically disobeying traditional religious norms around the solar and lunar eclipses and ‘protesting’ against such restrictions by eating chicken biriyani.

On 25 October, which was a partial solar eclipse across India, the ‘rationalists’ protested by organising Biriyani fests in several areas of Bhubaneswar. They had gathered with family members and had given media statements that traditional restrictions on cooking and consumption of food on a day of the eclipse are nothing but superstitions and hence they are making a statement by eating chicken biriyani on the eclipse.

There have been intense TV debates between the self-proclaimed rationalists and traditionalists over the issue, with one side claiming to be against superstition and the other side calling them disrespectful. The controversy raged so much that FIRs were filed against ‘rationalist’ leaders Debendra Sutar and Pratap Rath and even murder threats were issued.

On November 8, which is the festival of Karthika Purnima and also a day of the lunar eclipse, the debate between rationalists and traditionalists is no longer just a debate. Full-blown clashes and scuffles have broken out in Bhubaneswar and Berhampur.

A community feast was organised at Lohia Academy in Bhubaneswar where rationalists had gathered to eat biriyani to make their statement against traditional food restrictions on lunar eclipse. Bajrang Dal activists reportedly clashed there with the rationalists and raised slogans. The police had to resort to lathi charge to bring the situation under control.

Speaking to the media, the traditionalist Hindu leaders have stated that they don’t have anything to say against people’s food choices practised inside their homes, but the rationalists openly slandering traditional beliefs and making a purposeful display of eating chicken biriyani by organising community feasts is a deliberate attempt to insult Hindu beliefs.

A Hindu leader even called the community feast a ‘missionary conspiracy’ and stated that the rationalists have been bribed by Christian missionaries to defame Hindu beliefs.

The rationalists have stated that they have been organising Biriyani feasts on eclipse days to send a message to society that the traditional beliefs and restrictions on food and cooking are not based on scientific facts but are baseless superstitions. Apprehending unrest in the big cities, the police had provided security at the Lohia Academy and other venues where the rationalists had planned to gather.

It is notable here that Odisha, where the Hindu population share is over 90%, is one of the states where non-veg consumption is quite high. Though people refrain from eating non-veg on festival days, fish, chicken and mutton dishes are quite popular. The day after Kartika Purnima is celebrated as ‘Chhadakhai’ where people relish meat dishes after one month of abstinence from non-veg food during the month of Kartika.

NCP leader Dr Jitendra Awhad thanks Elon Musk, the new Twitter owner, for fixing WhatsApp, a messaging service offered by Meta

OpIndia Staff
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NCP leader Dr Jitendra Awhad thanks Elon Musk, the new Twitter owner, for fixing WhatsApp, a messaging service offered by Meta

NCP leader Dr Jitendra Awhad on Tuesday took to Twitter to thank its new owner Elon Musk to fix WhatsApp, an instant messaging service offered by Meta. 

Expressing his gratitude to Musk for taking “bold steps” for correcting the “wrongdoing” in Whatsapp, Awhad hoped that no loopholes would be left as far as the secrecy of WhatsApp is concerned. He further added that hacking of WhatsApp has become common these days.

“@elonmusk thanking u for ur bold steps in correcting the wrongdoing that the common man was suspicious about in @WhatsApp we hope no loopholes should be left as far as the secrecy of #WhatsApp is concerned. Hacking of #WhatsApp is common nowadays.. save the users @WhatsApp,” Awhad tweeted.

Jitendra Awhad Elon Musk WhatsApp
Source: Twitter

It is worth noting that billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk is the owner of the social media platform Twitter and not WhatsApp, a popular instant messaging service offered by Meta, an organisation owned by Mark Zuckerberg (controlling stakeholder). Musk had recently completed his bid to own Twitter, and fired its top executives as a part of his plan to overhaul the microblogging platform. Musk has also promised to introduce Twitter Blue, a subscription-based service offering added value to the users, along with the coveted verified mark for all who subscribe to the services at the price of $8 per month.

Social media users mock Jitendra Awhad for mistaking Elon Musk as owner of WhatsApp 

Even so, Awhad’s approbatory tweet for the new Twitter owner for ‘fixing’ Whatsapp had Twitter users amused, many of whom took a swipe at the NCP leader for mistaking Musk as the owner of WhatsApp.

A Twitter user sarcastically replied that Musk owns Zomato and not WhatsApp and that he should reach out to Kayne West for WhatsApp.

Source: Twitter

Another Twitter user shared a meme from a popular Amrish Puri-starrer Nayak movie to mock the NCP leader over his gaffe of tagging Musk for problems concerning WhatsApp.

Jitendra Awhad Musk Whatsapp
Source: Twitter

Yet another Twitter user shared a photoshopped image of Musk laughing with the news headline reading that “Elon Musk fires WhatsApp employees after NCP leader’s tweet in India.”

Jitendra Awhad Musk Whatsapp
Source: Twitter

‘Please remove his blue tick asap for spreading fake news @elonmusk,” posted another Twitter user.

Jitendra Awhad Musk Whatsapp
Source: Twitter

WhatsApp runs a media campaign to address rumours of privacy concerns

Nevertheless, Awhad’s tweet to Musk was concerned about the privacy issues related to WhatsApp. The popular messaging service has, time and again, issued clarifications about the concerns regarding the app’s ability to protect user data.

In a tweet posted last year, WhatsApp said, “We want to address some rumours and be 100% clear we continue to protect your private messages with end-to-end encryption.”

Earlier this year, WhatsApp launched a campaign in India to educate users on the built-in layers of privacy protection added by the company over the years. The new features included leaving groups silently, controlling who can view the online status of users and blocking the screenshots for ‘view once’ messages. Around 2 billion people across the world use WhatsApp.

“This is our way of extending awareness and assurance to our users on how the new and existing built-in layers of protection help you message freely without compromising on your privacy,” said Avinash Pant, director of marketing, at Meta India, “We want users to know that they always have a safe and private space on WhatsApp, no matter where they are.”

Haryana: Property dealer Dharmesh Yadav killed by his wife and her lover Bablu Khan in Gurugram, accomplice Mohammaddin arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Haryana: Property dealer Dharmesh Yadav killed by his wife and her lover Bablu Khan in Gurugram, accomplice Mohammaddin arrested

Days after a 42-year-old property dealer was shot dead in Sector 22 in the Palam Vihar area of Gurugram, the police arrested his wife Neetu and the alleged killer Mohammaddin in connection with the crime.

The deceased, identified as Dharmesh Yadav, was killed at his new under-construction building on October 30, 2022. According to the police, Neetu confessed to hatching the murder plot with her lover named Bablu Khan.

It must be mentioned that Dharmesh and Neetu were married for 20 years and also had two children. The woman reportedly gifted 650 grams of gold (worth around 37 lakhs) to her new-found lover to carry out the murder.

The murder plot was Neetu’s brainchild: Police

As per reports, Neetu masterminded the crime in order to marry Bablu, whom she met through a maid about 6-months ago, and was living with him in her husband’s house. She had hoped that all of Dharmesh’s property will be transferred to her name after his death.

She informed Bablu that the victim would be sleeping in his under-construction building in Sector-22 of Gurugram on October 29 night. In accordance with the plan, Bablu and his accomplice Mohammaddin reached the spot and killed Dharmesh.

The duo had reportedly removed their sim cards and concealed the number plate of their car to avoid getting caught. While the police have arrested Neetu and Mohammaddin, Bablu Khan is still on the run from the law enforcement authorities.

Bablu Khan is still on the run

Sharing details about the case, ACP Preet Pal Sangwan informed, “She wanted to capture the entire property of the deceased Dharmesh Yadav (42), and then marry a man named Bablu Khan. It was Neetu who had passed on the location of her husband to Khan.”

“The murder was a fallout of the illicit relationship and Neetu’s greed for her husband’s property. The couple didn’t have a cordial relationship after marriage,” he emphasised.

Reportedly, it became clear from the circumstantial evidence that an insider was involved in the murder. Neetu was remanded to one day in custody while Mohammaddin was remanded to 3-days in custody by a local court on Monday (November 8). A manhunt has been launched to nab the absconding Bablu.

‘PM Modi’s personality is an affront to India’s intellectual class’: Australian sociologist Dr Salvatore Babones heaps praises on the Indian PM

OpIndia Staff
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‘PM Modi’s personality is an affront to India’s intellectual class’: Australian sociologist Dr Salvatore Babones heaps praises on the Indian PM

Australian sociologist Dr. Salvatore Babones on Tuesday happened to corner India’s ‘intellectual’ class and said that they were probably losing their place in the society. He also lauded India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said, “The personality of Modi is an affront to India’s intellectual class. It has brought them to a new fever pitch of anger over the loss of their place in society”.

Massive criticism arose against Babones after he slammed India’s left-liberal ecosystem and called the so-called intellectual class ‘anti-India’ at the India Today Conclave. ‘Journalist’ Madhavan Narayanan took to Twitter to openly criticize the sociologist for his comments and indicated that he was nobody to opine on the Indian Democracy.

“Who is Salvatore Babones? Why is he important? Why should his opinion or perspective matter over mine or yours?,” he tweeted on November 5, hours after Babones participated in the India Today Conclave in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Also, ‘journalist’ Rajdeep Sardesai who interviewed the sociologist at the Conclave seemed upset by Babones’ opinions and tried defending the anti-India brigade. He said that asking questions to the government is considered to be an act of patriotism and that criticising the government didn’t mean criticising the country.

“Babones’ argument on flawed democracy rankings deserves attention but A) GOI not equal to India b) many intellectuals were also critical of UPA government,” Sardesai tweeted sharing the entire video of the interview on social media.

However, Dr. Salvatore Babones on Tuesday stood steadfast by his comments and reiterated that India’s intellectual class in its public persona is anti-India. “I stand by what I have said. India’s intellectual class in its public persona is anti-India. In their hearts, I am sure, they are very proud patriots. But when they go out in the public arena to talk about India, they are certainly not highlighting India’s accomplishments,” he said.

“More importantly, when they criticize India as well as they should, they are, as a class, not doing so fairly and objectively. Instead, I see tonnes of evidence of intellectuals selectively attempting to present the worst possible picture of India in their international commentary. That is a problem for all Indians, even for India’s intellectuals,” he added.

He also said that India’s ‘intellectuals’ were making the Western world who does not follow Indian politics closely, believe that India is a fascist country. “..India is not a fascist nation but the Indian intellectuals are making the world believe that it is. Indian politics is not closely followed by the western world. Why would not the world believe it,” he stated.

Dr. Salvatore Babones also meanwhile said that the world is not interested in knowing the negative narrative about India. “What they are more interested to see is India’s authoritative narrative. Indian activists who speak the language of the west should be honest. That’s their role”, he said.

He also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that the leader is superior enough to bring the left liberals to a new fever pitch of anger over the loss of their place in society. He also stated that he would be happy to be linked with the world’s most extraordinarily successful democracy viz India. “I’m very happy to be a bhakt of the world’s most extraordinarily successful democracy,” he tweeted.

On Saturday, Dr. Salvatore Babones participated in the India Today Conclave in Mumbai, Maharashtra to opine that India is being wrongly portrayed as a fascist state by the global media, which is affecting its image internationally. He also cornered the left-liberal ecosystem in India who usually keeps on targeting the BJP-led government and called them ‘anti-India.

He added that the left-liberal intellectuals base their criticism on the aspect which probably is never going to change. “Suppose that the UPA government comes into power. Is it going to take down the Ram Mandir, is it going to get rid of the UAPA? So the basis on which the criticisms are made, that basis will probably remain in place. If they do, the same criticisms will apply to them”, he noted.

“India has problems. And activists, journalists, and intellectuals absolutely have a role to call out the problems. But the problem is that they allow internationally to color the overall evaluation of this system,” he said. He reiterated that India is not a fascist country and that it is being wrongly portrayed as a fascist state by the global media.

Qatar foreign minister calls European nations ‘arrogant and racist’ for raising objections over human rights and anti-LGBTQ laws ahead of World Cup

OpIndia Staff
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Qatar foreign minister calls European nations ‘arrogant and racist’ for raising objections over human rights and anti-LGBTQ laws ahead of World Cup

Qatar, which will host this year’s Football World Cup, has been under fire for its position on LGBTQ+ rights and use of “slave labour,” with voices raising from many Western countries such as Germany asking for a boycott of the upcoming event in the Arab country. Qatar’s Foreign Minister, HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, has responded to the criticism by calling the opposing countries “arrogant” and “racists.”

Last month, Qatar had summoned the German ambassador over the concerns raised by his country over the alleged human rights violations in Qatar. Speaking to media, HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani accused Germany of ‘double standards’. He also reminded the people that the European countries have no problem with Qatar when it comes to energy partnerships or investments.

“It is ironic when this tone is struck in countries in Europe that call themselves liberal democracies. It honestly sounds very arrogant and very racist,” the minister was quoted as saying to the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

“It seems difficult for some to accept that a small country, a small Arab country, should be allowed to host the soccer World Cup. Racist clichés also keep cropping up. But that is not the case everywhere for a long time. There are fewer than ten countries from which such sharp criticism comes. The rest of the world is happy for us. 97 per cent of the tickets have already been sold. That is a clear sign.”

In an interview with Sky News, the minister further lashed out at the critics and pro-LGBTQ activists and human right watchers.

“Preaching from a distance is not a solution. Calling to boycott the World Cup or those who are not coming to the World Cup, it’s their decision at the end of the day, but why to deprive the people and the public of attending and enjoying the World Cup,” said Qatar’s foreign minister.

Meanwhile, according to a poll conducted, a large majority of people in Britain think the World Cup should not be held in Qatar because of its position on LGBTQ+ rights. According to the Guardian, 62% of British people believe Qatar’s stance on homosexual rights should have been enough to disqualify it from hosting the event.

Qatar won the right to host the summer World Cup in December 2010 against all odds in 50 degrees celsius temperature, before FIFA moved the World Cup to winter for the first time in history to protect players from that heat. The tournament will now be held from 21st November to 18th December in the small Arabian country.

LGBTQ+ rights aren’t the only problem with Qatar hosting the World Cup, there have been some concerns raised over the use of “slave labour” and poor working conditions in the Gulf state. Thousands have reportedly died while working on the infrastructure for the World Cup due to poor working conditions.

However, the football governing body FIFA, which has banned Russia for the Ukrainian invasion, has chosen to overlook all these human rights abuses. In a recent press statement, FIFA had asked participating teams to focus on the game and not to drag the game into issues of politics and ideology.

Kerala suffered a loss of Rs 86 lakh during PFI hartal violence: State govt to HC

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala suffered a loss of Rs 86 lakh during PFI hartal violence: State govt to HC

The episode of the dusk-to-dawn hartal organised by the now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI) witnessed random incidents of violence causing disarray in the state of Kerala, causing the state a loss of Rs 86 lakhs, the state government told the high court.

The hartal was called in response to NIA’s sweeping raids on the PFI hideouts across the country in September this year. The one-day strike saw instances of vandalism of public and private properties, attack on police officers and petrol bombs hurled at civil localities in Kerala.

On Monday, the Kerala government revealed to the High Court that the state had suffered a total loss of Rs 86 lakhs while private persons endured a loss of Rs 16 lakhs. The state on November 7 said that it had begun the procedure to reclaim the losses incurred and had appointed former district judge P D Shargadharan as the claims commissioner.

Violence caused by PFI cadres in Kerala

The PFI extremists during the protest created a ruckus and damaged several KSRTC buses by pelting stones at them and breaking the bus windshields. Buses and cars were damaged by the PFI extremists in the Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Kozhikode, and Wayanad districts of Kerala. As reported earlier, the PFI workers also destroyed many of the private buses. Around 71 of the KSRTC buses were damaged and 11 KSRTC employees were injured.

The extremists at Pallimukku in the Kollam district rammed a speeding motorbike on police foot patrol, injuring two officers. The state that day also witnessed several incidents of petrol bombings at Uliyil in Narayanpara in Kannur and also private vehicles being ambushed near Aralam. As the police initiated action against PFI cadres to control the situation in the state, the protest turned violent, with demonstrators vandalising several private businesses for refusing to close the shutters for the day.

The protesters also blocked the traffic and targeted the state conveyance system by launching attacks on public buses and private vehicles carrying passengers to their destinations. Several passengers travelling in the buses were also reportedly injured during the protest. According to the reports, helmet-clad persons travelling on motorbikes had targeted the KSRTC buses and had also pelted stones at the passengers. The PFI hartal reportedly ruined the everyday life of the state and forced the Kerala High Court to take suo-moto cognizance of the incident.

‘Hartal was organised without permission’: Kerala HC

The Kerala High Court maintained that the one-day statewide bandh in the state was organised by the PFI without permission for inciting violence. The court stated that hartal had previously been prohibited and that the damage to public property could not be tolerated. It further impleaded PFI State General Secretary A Abdul Sathar as an additional respondent in the case and directed the state government to file a report.

Also, on September 27, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) moved to the Kerala HC seeking compensation of Rs 5.06 crores from the Popular Front of India (PFI) for losses caused to the corporation during the strike called by the PFI. The corporation noted that the buses would become operational and resume services only after repair works.

Notably, the Court on September 29 directed the PFI to pay Rs 5.20 crores for the damages estimated by the state government and the KSRTC. The PFI had been ordered to deposit the fine within two weeks with the Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department. The state on Monday however revealed that it had initiated the process to reclaim the losses incurred during the protests and that it has appointed former district judge P D Shargadharan as the claims commissioner.

The Kerala Police had earlier detained around 724 persons in connection with the PFI hartal case and had identified and arrested the majority of them. As per the reports, the police have so far registered 361 cases and have arrested around 2674 people in connection with the violence which happened on September 23 under the pretext of a ‘general strike’.

PFI was banned on September 27

Following two rounds of the massive crackdown, the Ministry of Home Affairs on September 27 issued a notification banning Popular Front of India and its affiliate organizations. The MHA stated that the organizations including All India Imams Council, Campus Front of India (CFI), Rehab India Foundation, National Conf of Human Rights Org, National Women’s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation, and Rehab Foundation, Kerala-operated unlawfully and needed to be banned under UAPA.

The ban on the PFI came after two rounds of searches by the NIA in a multi-agency investigation against the organization for sponsoring terror operations in the nation. The initial series of raids occurred on September 22, with a follow-up on September 27 in multiple states, resulting in the arrest of multiple persons associated with PFI.

The NIA officials also recovered several incriminating materials from the PFI hubs located in around 17 states of the country. Prominent among them include a brochure and CD related to ‘Mission 2047’. As reported earlier, the document has been recovered from the possession of the vice president of PFI Maharashtra and PE training material from Irfan Milli’s house, the State President of PFI Maharashtra.

Further, a huge amount of undocumented cash was also recovered from the PFI leaders of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and also document in a ‘short course on how to make IEDs using easily available materials. Meanwhile, pen drives containing videos related to ISIS, and Gajwa-e-Hind were found from the Uttar Pradesh PFI leadership and Marine radio sets from Tamil Nadu PFI leadership. Many such other materials including wireless communication devices have been taken into custody by the official.

Kerala govt vs Freedom of Press: Pinarayi Vijayan government plans to change IPC provisions to gain greater control over media outlets

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala govt vs Freedom of Press: Pinarayi Vijayan government plans to change IPC provisions to gain greater control over media outlets

The Pinarayi Vijayan-led-Kerala government is mulling amending certain Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) to increase State control over the media, reported Mathrubhumi.

The law department of Kerala has prepared a Bill to this effect. Mathrubhumi reported that the government plans to amend Section 292 of the IPC and introduce a new sub-section 292A to penalise the publishing of content ‘intended to defame someone.’

However, Mathrubhumi reported that the law department has made it clear that the Bill would require the nod of the President, given that the ‘amendment’ went against the current provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and IPC.

The new bill, which has been placed before the Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet, is being viewed as a setback for press freedom in the State. Recently, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan had expressed grave concern about the State’s crackdown on dissent.

While speaking to reporters, Khan stated that there was a fear regime in the state, with the state administration arresting people, wearing a black shirt, and attending a program, under the guise of putting an end to protests.

When Pinarayi Vijayan amended the Kerala Police Act

Earlier in 2020, the Left government introduced Section 118-A in the Kerala Police Act to allow law enforcement authorities to curtail the freedom of the press and arrest anybody on the ‘charges of exploiting social media’ to target individuals.

The new provision read, “Anyone who produces content, publishes or propagates it through any means of communication with an intention to threaten, insult or harm the reputation of an individual will be punished with an imprisonment of five years or a fine of Rs 10,000 or with both”.

The draconian amendment was brought in through an amendment approved by the State Governor. Following outrage by the Opposition and civil society, CM Pinarayi Vijayan was forced to roll back Section 118-A of the Kerala Police Act.

‘I was hunted by Qatari police and raped’: Gay expatriate alleges sexual harassment by authorities in Qatar

OpIndia Staff
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‘I was hunted by Qatari police and raped’: Gay expatriate alleges sexual harassment by authorities in Qatar

A gay man who had resided in Qatar alleged that the police there “hunted” him before gang-raping him in a hotel room. The incident reportedly took place in 2018.

The victim, a Filipino, alleged that while employed as an office assistant in the nation hosting the Football World Cup, he was approached by six men. He said that a different individual sent him a message on a gay dating app posing as a Turkish worker and offering him a sizeable sum of money in exchange for visiting his hotel room. The victim was then confronted by six men who were later identified as Qatari police as he entered the room on the eleventh floor. He said that he was trapped there and later sexually assaulted.

“I really wanted to jump the window but I can’t, it’s too high and I’m already cornered inside the room. They catch me and threw me on the bed. They started to rape me,” he said.

A British news outlet called “I News” first reported on November 2—just two weeks before the FIFA World Cup in Qatar—that Ali, a Filipino office worker in Doha, had made the decision to go public with his claims that he had been gang raped at a hotel in 2018.

He alleges that as soon as one officer stopped harassing him, another began. After searching his suitcase and accusing him of being a prostitute, another gay male arrived after being persuaded into the hotel as well. Both were subsequently transported to a police station and fined 300 Qatari Rial. Ali was held in custody that night before being taken to a deportation centre and having his visa terminated.

“I slept in the jail for one night and when I woke up, they took me to the deportation centre. There I waited for two days to receive my passport and ticket to go back to the Philippines. They cancelled all my papers,” he said.

Recently, there has been widespread coverage of the alleged gang rape of Ali by Qatari security personnel in both the LGBT+ media and the British press.

Reports allege that several other LGBT persons were also similarly ‘hunted’ by Qatar’s police personnel. LGBT+ campaigners have been told not to travel despite Al Khater’s claims that the territory is safe. According to the country’s penal code, homosexuality is illegal in Qatar and is punishable by up to seven years in prison.

Qatar is hosting the next FIFA World Cup despite its appalling record on human rights. The anti-homosexual laws in Qatar, which put lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in fear of jail time or perhaps the death penalty, are one of the biggest causes for concern.

Conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar hits out at Kejriwal: Says he has transaction records of money taken by AAP leaders

OpIndia Staff
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Conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar hits out at Kejriwal: Says he has transaction records of money taken by AAP leaders

On November 7, conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar’s fourth letter surfaced addressing the media houses. Sukesh hit out at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its chief Delhi CM, Arvind Kejriwal, in response to his allegations that Sukesh was doing all this purposely for the upcoming elections.

He said AAP was attempting to provoke him with a ‘war of words instead of answering the allegations that he levelled in previous press releases and complaints to Delhi LG.

‘You are trying to cover up’

AAP levelled allegations against Sukesh that he was doing all this purposely in view of upcoming elections. The party leaders questioned why Sukesh did not say anything before when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioned him. Replying to the allegations, Sukesh said he kept quiet and ignored everything due to the constant threats and pressure he received in jail.

He said, “Let me tell you that I kept quiet and ignored everything. But due to your constant threats and pressure through the Jail administration and Mr Jain asking me to give funds during Punjab and Goa polls, brazenly even though I was undergoing investigation this year, as it becomes too much and I don’t have any need to take all this from you, I decided to move as per law. Not because someone or anyone is asking me to do so. So stop your old-style drama, it’s too evident and all can see that you’re trying to Cover up, and divert the issue.”

He further questioned Kejriwal why Jain was constantly asking him to withdraw the complaint he had filed in the High Court against former DG Sandeep Goyal and the jail administration. He said, “Why was I constantly threatened apart from asking me to give more funds for your election Campaigns? Why afraid of enquiry? What are you scared off if you are truthful?”

Replying to the allegation levelled by Manish Sisodia that he was doing all this to ensure he gets help in his case, Sukesh said he was not interested in anyone’s help. “Fortunately I am very capable of handling my case and proving my innocence. So stop diverting the matter from the main issue, I have all the resources to the best to take care of my case. I don’t need to please anyone in any form to be helped. So don’t divert the topic or from the issue to be answered by you,” he said.

‘Why scared and defensive?’

Replying to the statements given by AAP spokesperson Saurabh and Atishi, who questioned the authenticity of his allegations, he said if Kejriwal did not know him, why he was scared and defensive? He said, “Even as you think many would not know, now even that many would know as the person who exposed AAP, black and white in the open, even after threats and assaults orchestrated by you through the DG and the Jail administration on me, time and again since last 3 months.”

He added, “I am not Satyawadi Harishchandra, But you and your Associates be the sathyawadi and answer all the Questions asked, welcome detailed investigation, and say the truth why you took 50 crores then again 10 crores, then pressurising me to Bring 500 Crores to the party, then asking to Bring MLA from other parties in Tamil Nadu to yours, to bring actions, then again this year asking me to fund for Punjab and Goa elections, threatening me to withdraw complaint from HC against DG, Jail administration and Jain. So first you answer all this then comment on my integrity.”

‘Don’t hallucinate, don’t daydream’

He urged Kejriwal not to say that he was doing all this in view of the elections. He said, “Let me tell you Something and give to a piece of advice. You know me very well. You and Mr Jain are among the few people, who know me very well. So, don’t hallucinate that I won’t give evidence against all that I have said or won’t testify. I will give every single thing that I have, which you know very well, as your mask has to be removed in the open. Also please you, Kejriwalji don’t daydream about winning elections as people are seeing everything. Your drama won’t work anymore, your karma, your lies, you will be defeated badly for sure.”

He further added AAP would be out of power everywhere. He urged Kejriwal to stop playing the victim card and suggested Sukesh was doing all this purposely for elections. “Stop playing this Card that all this is being done because of elections, which anyways you are not winning to Power, or going to be voted for,” he said.

‘Stop sending offers and threats through jail administration’

Sukesh urged Kejriwal not to send offers and threats through the jail administration and ‘cronies’. He added such acts would not intimidate or interest him. “I will not back out, I will make sure every single transaction given to you and Mr Jain is brought before a court of law with every piece of evidence that I saved from the start knowing how you are dual-faced. I am thankful to God that he gave me that thought at that time when all this started in 2016, to keep a record of everything,” he added.

Moving further, Sukesh warned Kejriwal not to provoke him and make things “dirty” as it would force him to “reveal other personal things”. He added that Kejriwal and Jain would not like the revelation of the “personal things” and it would shock the country. “You know exactly what I am talking about. So kindly maintain the decorum and answer the investigation, and accept the truth, instead of talking about my individuality and integrity,” he added.

BJP hits out at Kejriwal and AAP

Following the latest press release of Sukesh, Bharatiya Janata Party national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, “Yes, another candid confession from Sukesh has come into the public domain where he says that the Aam Aadmi Party has extorted money from him for Punjab and Goa elections. It is a party of Mahathugs who are thugging and who are doing thugai, ugai and kamai from a thug like Sukesh inside Tihar jail. Aisi koi jagah nahi jahan thuga nahi… inside jail or outside jail.”

He added, “But the question is, will Mr Kejriwal act against the vasooli Bhai Satyendra Jain who is still a minister in his cabinet. Was he kept as a minister so he could extort 10 crore rupees as protection money inside jail? And how many more people was he extorting money from? Is it not true that Rs 50 crores were paid for the Rajya Sabha seat? Is it not true that more money was extorted to expand the party in the south? That he spoke to Sukesh on a black iPhone where his name was saved as AK2? That money was transferred in exchange at Kailash Gehlot’s farmhouse? All of these questions must be answered and answered specifically. But instead of answering them the victimhood card is pulled out and it is shown that this is vendetta politics.”

Advising Kejriwal to stop playing the victim card, Shehzad said, “Mr Kejriwal should stop playing the victimhood card and he should tell us if he has nothing to hide. Why not have a free and fair probe by allowing Kailash Gehlot and Satyendra Jain to be sacked and to be made to resign till the time a free and fair probe takes place. Satyendra Jain is in the jail for the last one and half months and he got no relief from the court of law.”

Sukesh’s allegations against AAP

Sukesh has filed a complaint to the LG against Kejriwal and his party, alleging they extorted money from him. In his complaint, he alleged to have paid Rs 10 crores for ‘protection’ inside jail. He has also alleged that AAP had extorted a sum of Rs 50 crores for a Rajya Sabha seat.

International Halal Show, scheduled to be held at Islam Gymkhana in Mumbai, cancelled: Details

OpIndia Staff
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International Halal Show, scheduled to be held at Islam Gymkhana in Mumbai, cancelled: Details

The International Halal Show, which was to be held at the Islam Gymkhana in Mumbai between November 12-13, has now been called off.

As per reports, over 100 Halal businesses were supposed to participate in the event. The organisers received messages from Hindu organisations, which raised objections about the discriminatory practices in the Halal industry. Following this, the 2022 edition of the event was cancelled.

The show was scheduled to feature dairy, meat products, grains, fruits, vegetables and leather garments. Besides, ‘Muslim-friendly’ hospitals, Halal e-commerce, Halal tourism, interest-free finance and Halal hospitality were to be promoted at the ‘International Halal Show 2022.’

International Halal Show called off before the event

International Halal show cancelled in interest of peace and harmony: Venue President

While speaking about the development to The Times of India, Islam Gymkhana President Yusuf Abrahni remarked, “We received messages that some organisations were opposing the holding of the halal show and we cancelled it in the interest of law and order, peace and harmony.”

“We want to promote peace and, given the times we live in, it is not prudent to allow such a show,” he further added. A similar show was earlier conducted in 2020 at the Islam Gymkhana between January 25-26, 2020, with the support of the Halal Council of India.

An organiser anonymously told TOI how there were supposedly misconceptions about Halal products and that they facilitated healthy living.

In a tweet, author Shefali Vaidya wrote, “Hindus need to understand that when they are united and speak in one voice, things happen! Mumbai: Halal show at Islam Gymkhana cancelled.”

130 year old Islam Gymkhana is a sea-facing property in Marine Drive and occupies 19,300 square meters. It was started in 1891. Earlier the membership was limited only to Muslims but now it is open to non-Muslims too. However, it hosts meetings of Muslim organisations only. One of the trustees, Abbas Kazmi was found defending 2008 Mumbai terror attack convict Ajmal Kasab in the court. Following the same, he was removed from his position.

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