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Rajasthan: Maulvi drags a 17-year-old girl inside a mosque and attempts to rape her, arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan: Maulvi drags a 17-year-old girl inside a mosque and attempts to rape her, arrested

A shocking incident of a Maulvi attempting to rape a minor has emerged. A Maulvi forcibly took a 17-year-old girl into a mosque in the Halaina Police Station region of Rajasthan’s Bharatpur and attempted to rape her on Thursday. The victim’s cries for help, however, were heard by locals, who, along with the victim’s family members, dragged the Maulvi outside the mosque and brutally assaulted him. Police have registered a case under POCSO Act and the accused Maulvi has been arrested.

SHO Vijay Singh Chonkar informed that the 17-year-old girl in her complaint said that she went to fill out a scholarship form at around 11:30 am on Thursday when the accused Maulvi who has been identified as Rashid, asked the girl for her mobile and after the girl gave her mobile to Rashid he started walking towards the mosque, the girl also followed him, soon after reaching near the mosque the accused Maulavi dragged the girl inside the mosque and started touching her inappropriately. However, the family members of the girl were informed by locals about the Maulvi dragging her inside the mosque. After thrashing the Maulvi, the locals handed him over to the police.

The SHO also told that the victim knew the accused Maulvi Rashid. The mosque where the accused Maulvi used to reside for over 10 years is near the victim’s residence. Police are questioning the accused and necessary action will be taken.

Unnao: Maulvi attempts to rape a 5-year-old minor in madarsa, arrested

A similar case where a Maulvi attempted to rape a minor was reported in Unnao. A Maulvi attempted to rape a five-year-old girl studying in a Madarsa in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district. The Ganga Ghat police registered a case under serious sections on the complaint of the victim’s family members and arrested the accused Maulavi Abdul Rahim. The incident took place in the district’s Shukla Ganj area.

Maulvi Abdul Rahim from Baaghraasi, Darbhanga, Bihar, teaches in a madrasa named Jamia Rahmat near the Ganga Ghat police station. This madrasa was where the 5-year-old girl used to study, as per reports. The Maulvi lured the girl into seeing a pond. The Maulvi allegedly molested and attempted to rape the minor. When she returned home, she was in tears and told her family about her ordeal. Family members filed a complaint at the Ganga Ghat police station.

Another such incident was recently reported in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore. A Maulana molested a 12-year-old girl at a Madarsa in Madhya Pradesh. The 52-year-old cleric has been booked under relevant sections of the IPC and POCSO Act after the incident came to light. The maulana’s family members also have been booked for assaulting the relatives of the victim girl. The police registered a case against the 52-year-old Maulana of the Madarsa under section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (assaulting or using criminal force on any woman) and the relevant sections of the Protection of Children against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Rumour of Musk security review tanks Twitter stock price even as White House denies, reports emerge of hysterical employees: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Rumour of Musk security review tanks Twitter stock price even as White House denies, reports emerge of hysterical employees: Details

On Friday, Twitter shares fell as much as 8 percent in pre-market trading as investors anticipated last-minute uncertainties surrounding USD 44 billion acquisition of the corporation by Elon Musk.

According to the reports, the Biden administration officials are in early conversations about potentially subjecting some of Musk’s projects to national security scrutiny, including the anticipated Twitter purchase. Officials were concerned by Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s plan to buy Twitter in a deal that is partially funded by non-US investors, as well as his recent threat to cancel the Starlink service to Ukraine and also about a series of his recent tweets comprising pro-Putin regime proposals on the Ukraine conflict.

The US officials reportedly expressed further concerns regarding Musk’s plans to buy Twitter with the financial support of non-US investors, including Saudi Arabian investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud; Qatar Holding, which is part of the Qatar Investment Authority; and Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, whose holding company is incorporated in the Cayman Islands. Musk’s co-investors financial backing was valued at around $7 billion at the time.

The White House, however, denied talk of a security review. “We do not know of any such conversations,” National Security Council Spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement. Also, a Treasury spokesperson commented on the situation saying that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States does not publicly comment on transactions that it may or may not be reviewed by law and practice.

Musk is seeking to finalize a proposed $44 billion acquisition of Twitter by a court-imposed deadline of October 28th, after which he would face legal action from the social networking site to force him to conclude the transaction.

Bloomberg reported that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which may assess corporate agreements and propose that the president freeze or reject a transaction, was one possible path available to the Biden administration to probe Musk’s companies.

Meanwhile, Musk responded to a tweet on Friday which cited the Bloomberg article and read, “it would be hysterical if the government banned Elon from overpaying for Twitter.” Musk reacted with a laughing emoji and the number 100, signifying his approval of the words.

Earlier on Wednesday, Musk said that he was excited to be the owner of the company. “I’m excited about the Twitter situation. I think it’s an asset that has just sort of languished for a long time but has incredible potential, although obviously myself and the other investors are overpaying for Twitter right now”, he was quoted.

Amid this, reports have emerged claiming that Musk has big plans for the micro-blogging platform and would start with the layoffs. He informed prospective investors in his deal to acquire Twitter that he intends to slash 75 percent of Twitter’s 7,500 workers in the coming months, reducing the company’s headcount to just over 2,000. However, after the news surfaced, Twitter promptly issued a statement to employees, stating that there are no prospects for company-wide layoffs as it agreed to be acquired by Musk. Twitter General Counsel Sean Edgett sent emails to the staff on Thursday and confirmed that the firm had no plans for layoffs.

However, even if Musk’s proposal falls through, major layoffs are anticipated as Twitter’s existing management tries to eliminate $800 million from the company’s payroll by the end of next year. According to the reports, this would imply layoffs of almost 25 percent of all staff.

Musk sought to back out of his first bid to acquire Twitter in April, claiming the firm misrepresented the number of bot and spam accounts on the social media network, sparking a series of litigation between the two sides. However, early this month, the billionaire businessman modified his position and stated that he would proceed with the acquisition on the original conditions. Twitter filed a lawsuit against Musk, and a Delaware court has given both parties time until October 28 to work out on the facts and details. Otherwise, a trial will be held in November.

Karnataka govt issues licenses to 10,889 mosques out of 17,850 religious places, to use loudspeakers, sound decibel to be maintained: Report

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka govt issues licenses to 10,889 mosques out of 17,850 religious places, to use loudspeakers, sound decibel to be maintained: Report

The Karnataka state government has recently given 10,889 licences to mosques to use sound equipment and loudspeakers for Azaan, according to a report by the Deccan Herald. More than 10,000 mosques are among the 17,850 organisations that have been given 2-year licences to use loudspeakers; each costing Rs 450.

The distribution of licences comes amid a heated campaign earlier this year by Hindu organisations urging a ban on loudspeakers. According to home department statistics analysed by DH, Bengaluru has the most loudspeaker licences (1,841), which include mosques, temples, churches, and even eateries. Vijayapura has the most mosques with loudspeaker licences (744).

The government allowing mosques to use loudspeakers, according to BJP national general secretary CT Ravi, is not a setback of the effort against Azaan on loudspeakers. “All we said was that the rule has to be followed,” he remarked, adding that the Supreme Court has set guidelines regarding the use of loudspeakers. “Even if the licence is given, what’s the decibel level? We want these things to be enforced,” he said.

Earlier this year, the Karnataka government outlawed the use of loudspeakers between 10 PM and 6 AM, following a lot of controversy about loudspeakers. According to a government notification, a loudspeaker or public address system may not be deployed unless formal authorization from the relevant authority is obtained.

The Karnataka government permitted noise levels in the industrial region of 75 decibels during the day and 70 decibels at night. Noise levels of 65 decibels during the day and 55 dB at night are permitted in commercial areas. In residential zones, the noise level is 55 dB during the day and 45 decibels at night. In addition, 50 decibels of noise are authorised during the day and 40 decibels at night in the quiet zone.

The announcement came barely days after Sri Ram Sene Chief Pramod Muthalik prompted the government to take action against mosque loudspeakers and asked temples to play Hanuman Chalisa at 5 AM as a counter to Azan.

“Why we are doing early morning first because they cannot use mics or speakers between 10 PM to 6 AM according to Court, but they use it at 5 AM. So we too will violate and thereby warn the government…our fight is not against Azaan in mosques or offering prayers, but against using loudspeakers,” he had said.

As AAP blames BJP for stubble burning menace, here is a reminder how it supported the violent farmers’ protest that led to decriminalisation of Parauli

OpIndia Staff
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As AAP blames BJP for stubble burning menace, here is a reminder how it supported the violent farmers’ protest that led to decriminalisation of Parauli

As farmers in the AAP-ruled state of Punjab begin their annual ritual of burning stubble and suffocating the National Capital with thick smog, the Aam Aadmi Party has begun its traditional practice of playing the blame game. Delhi Environment Minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai on Friday said the “Centre’s blunt refusal to provide cash incentives to Punjab farmers to avoid stubble burning has impacted the entire campaign against stubble burning in the State.”

Rai said at a press conference here on Friday that the Punjab government had devised a plan to provide farmers with financial support of Rs 2,500 per acre to dispose of crop waste without harming the environment. However, the central government’s ‘blunt’ refusal to provide cash incentives has jeopardised their efforts.

“The farmers had demanded financial support for not burning stubble. The State government then prepared a proposal stating that the governments of Delhi and Punjab would give Rs 500 each with the Centre contributing the remaining Rs 1,500,” said Rai.

“However, the way the Centre has bluntly denied the request… it has impacted the entire campaign against stubble burning in the State. But the Punjab government is conducting awareness campaigns and we hope that there will be fewer fire events this year compared with last year. There would have been a big impact on stubble burning had the Centre provided support,” he added, trying to pass the buck to the centre.

According to Punjab government officials, the Centre rejected the idea, claiming that it has been providing subsidised machinery like as happy seeders, rotavators, and mulchers for in-field management of paddy straw to the farmers in the state.

Centre agreed to the demand of farmers’ organisations to decriminalise stubble burning

As the Aam Aadmi Party has begun blaming the centre for its incompetence in handling increasing incidents of stubble burning in the state, it becomes imperative to recall that, last year, days after PM Modi announced the withdrawal of three farm laws, that were passed for the benefit of the farmers, the Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar had said the Centre has also agreed to the demand of farmers’ organisations to decriminalise stubble burning.

Speaking to the news agency ANI, Narendra Singh Tomar said, “Farmer organisations had demanded to decriminalise stubble burning by farmers. The Government of India has accepted this demand as well.”

It is notable that during negotiations with the farmer organisations during the farmer protests, which had received unwavering support from the Aam Aadmi Party, the central govt had already agreed to decriminalise stubble burning in December 2020, along with agreeing to take back the Electricity Amendment Act.

AAP extends unwavering support to the farmers’ protest

It is no secret that when so-called farmers camped up at the Delhi border last year, demanding the repeal of the three farm laws, political parties, particularly the Congress and AAP, saw a chance to attack the Modi government and earn political points. While the Congress fueled a demonstration with evident Khalistani roots, it emerged how the Aam Aadmi Party was also inexorably linked to the global conspiracy against India.

In fact, after the attempted insurrection and unbridled violence that took place on the 26th of January last year, Greta Thunberg, a young ‘activist’ whose organisation has resorted to violence and illegal means to supposedly fight for the climate, accidentally tweeted a ‘toolkit’ which contained the entire plan to destabilise India using social media, physical protests in front of embassies and either digital or physical presence in Delhi on the 26th of February.

Two individuals who were seen editing the toolkit in real-time to remove all problematic references (including the names of media houses, references to Khalistan etc) were Shantanu and Nikita Jacob. It was later reported that Nikita Jacob was an active part of the Aam Aadmi Party.

Furthermore, in an earlier interview with Disha Ravi, the co-author of the anti-India toolkit that we covered, Ravi stated unequivocally her support for AAP.

As soon as Disha Ravi was arrested, an activist who works closely with Greta Thunberg heads her Indian chapter and, created and distributed the toolkit which had the blueprint to break India, Arvind Kejriwal, AAP supremo, came out in support of her.

He tweeted that the arrest of Disha Ravi was an attack on democracy itself.

On the 29th of January, the official account of AAP further fanned the narrative that the toolkit wanted it to further.

It was on the 3rd of February, that Greta tweeted the toolkit. Interestingly, it was also on the 3rd of February, much before the toolkit was tweeted accidentally by Greta and then, was asked to be deleted by Disha Ravi, AAP had held a press conference saying exactly what the Toolkit wanted it to say.

This was not all. Several AAP accounts had used the phrase “Stand with Farmers”, something mentioned in the toolkit and also tweeted with the hashtag “Modi planning farmers genocide”. A phrase used by several accounts fanning the insurrection. In fact, the government of India had given a list of 250 accounts and tweets using this hashtag, to be withheld in India by Twitter.

Even as ‘protesting farmers’ were vandalizing and destroying cell towers in the 1000s, with lakhs worth of property damage on record, AAP still facilitated them. AAP gave the disruptive ‘farmers,’, who were causing damages worth lakhs and crores, free Wifi at their protesting site on the Singhu border. 

While AAP government now blames the centre, it must be kept in mind that stubble burning was decriminalised after a violence “farmers’ protest” that was fanned and given unbridled support by opposition parties like AAP and Congress.

After resignation by Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak is back in the race for UK PM, Boris Johnson tries to amass support for a dramatic comeback: Details

OpIndia Staff
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After resignation by Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak is back in the race for UK PM, Boris Johnson tries to amass support for a dramatic comeback: Details

Rishi Sunak stands to be the favourite to succeed Liz Truss as the leader of the deeply divided Conservative Party and as the next prime minister of the United Kingdom, days after Truss announced her resignation as a result of a number of policy reversals, Cabinet reshuffles, and an open revolt against her. In the meantime, Boris Johnson is amassing support for a theatrical comeback to power months after his abrupt resignation while on his way back to the UK from vacation.

If the former chancellor openly confirms his candidacy, he will have the support of at least 100 Tory MPs and will be put to the vote of party members the following week. The party has set a threshold of 100 MPs for candidates to even be placed on the voting ballot, and there are a total of 357 Tory MPs, therefore the most that may run is three.

Penny Mordaunt also formally declared her candidacy for leadership, stating she was heartened by her colleagues’ backing. Mordaunt, the former defence secretary, ran against Boris Johnson for the office of Prime Minister but was defeated by Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss.  She was one of the staunchly pro-Brexit members of parliament.

According to an Opinium poll, UK citizens would prefer Sunak and Mordaunt as the future Prime Minister over Johnson. According to Opinium data collected on Thursday night, when asked to select between Sunak and Johnson, 44% preferred Sunak and 31% chose his former boss.

Boris Johnson is returning to London to bolster his support base. Six current Cabinet ministers have backed the former Prime Minister, but some MPs feel his return would send the Conservative Party into a “death spiral,” according to The Guardian. Boris Johnson’s arrival is also clouded by an imminent parliamentary probe into the party gate affair, which was one of the catalysts for a mutiny and his subsequent removal from the top job.

Resignation by Liz Truss

United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Liz Truss resigned on Thursday 20th October 2022. She resigned from the Prime Ministerial post on the 45th day of joining the office. Truss made the statement outside Downing Street, following her near-complete loss of political power. Liz Truss announced her resignation following the collapse of the markets after her controversial economic policies. She also lost two important ministers, and lose the trust of nearly all of her own MPs. Truss will hold the record for the shortest tenure as prime minister of the UK.

On 5th September 2022, Mary Elizabeth Truss, serving as the Foreign Secretary since 2021, emerged victorious in her race with Rishi Sunak to become the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Liz Truss got over 57% of the votes compared to Sunak, who served as the Chancellor of the Exchequer in Boris Johnson’s administration before resigning, who could only get just over 42%.

New York: Diwali party organised to raise funds for Pakistan-based jihadi outfit responsible for genocide and links to HAMAS: What we know so far

OpIndia Staff
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New York: Diwali party organised to raise funds for Pakistan-based jihadi outfit responsible for genocide and links to HAMAS: What we know so far

On Sunday (October 23), a Diwali party is being held at ‘The Bell House’ in the Brooklyn borough of New York to raise funds for a Pakistan-based jihadi outfit. Under the pretext of raising funds for victims of flooding in Pakistan, the proceeds from the event are being channelised to Alkhidmat Foundation (the charity wing of the radical outfit Jamaat-e-Islami).

The matter was first flagged by the Stop Hindu Hate Advocacy Network (SHHAN) after ‘The Bell House’ posted a tweet, confirming the development.

Screengrab of the tweet by the Bell House

“This Sunday 10/23, Arti Gollapudi and Maya Deshmukh present DIWALI PARTY 2022! Feat. Aparna Nancherla, Sunita Mani, Proma Khosla, Pooja Reddy & Zubi Ahmed, with music by DJ Rekha and Cardamami! Proceeds go to Alkhidmat Foundation to support relief efforts in Pakistan,” the tweet read.

The said event is being held on Sunday (October 23) at ‘The Bell House’ from 7:30 pm (local time) onwards. The cost per head, for general admission to the programme, is $19.72 (equivalent to INR 1,627).

Screengrab of the event

A poster of the event has been doing the rounds of the internet. On being called out on social media, ‘The Bell House’ quickly deleted the tweet without any explanation. However, the link to the ticket window was still live at the time of writing.

Screengrab of the poster

Alkhidmat Foundation, for which the New York DIWALI PARTY is raising funds, and its links to terrorism

As per a 2018 report in Rabah Times, Alkhidmat Foundation serves as the charity wing of the Islamist political party, Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) Pakistan. The organisation was responsible for the genocide of the Bengali population during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War.

In 2006, JeI reportedly transferred $1,00,000 to the terror outfit, Hamas, to continue their Jihad against Jews and the State of Israel. Rabah Times had flagged how the organisation had been working closely with the ‘Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD)’, a Muslim American charity.

Last year,  Jamaat-e-Islami chief Siraj-ul-Haq rejected the idea of using taxpayers’ money for constructing temples in Pakistan.

While assuming taxpayers in Pakistan to be only ‘Muslims’, Haq said that the money cannot be used against the guidelines of the Sharia and the discretion of the Muslim population in the country. 

While slamming Siraj-Ul-Haq for his comments, Pakistani Hindu activist Kapil Dev tweeted, “Siraj-ul-Haq, there are five million Hindu tax payers in this country. You make it with their money. Even if it is not approved, make it from the taxes received from buying and selling alcohol in our name. If not, the endowment department will be closed. Build from the rents of temples and gurdwaras.”

It is thus ironical that a Hindu festival is now being used to raise funds for the charity wing of the Islamist outfit under the garb of relief work. Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamist political party that is based in Pakistan, is the Pakistani successor to Jamaat-e-Islami, which was founded in colonial India in 1941.

Founded by Abul Ala Maududi in Lahore, The Jamaat-e-Islami was split into Jamaat-e-Islami(Hind) and Pakistan soon after the partition. Earlier in an OpIndia report, we revealed how the organisation is receiving funds from Saudi Arabia universities to spread radical Islam in the country.

India at UNSC: Our approach to the Ukraine conflict is people-centric, Ukraine and Russia should return to dialogue and diplomacy

OpIndia Staff
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India at UNSC: Our approach to the Ukraine conflict is people-centric, Ukraine and Russia should return to dialogue and diplomacy

On Friday, India stated at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that its approach to the Ukraine conflict will remain people-centric, as India continues to support nations affected by a rise in food, fuel, and fertilizer prices.

Ambassador R Ravindra, Deputy Permanent Representative of India at UNSC briefing the council on Ukraine said, “India’s approach to the Ukraine conflict will continue to be people-centric. We are providing humanitarian assistance to Ukraine as well as economic assistance to some of our neighbours in the Global South who are experiencing economic turmoil due to the growing costs of food, fuel, and fertilizers as a result of the ongoing conflict.”

“We hope that the international community will continue to respond positively to the call for humanitarian assistance. We support calls for guarantees of safe transit for humanitarian and medical goods. India has already delivered twelve consignments of humanitarian aid to Ukraine and is prepared to send more,” India’s Deputy Permanent Representative at UNSC added.

India also laid emphasis on the need for both Ukraine and Russia to return to the path of diplomacy and dialogue. It called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and violence. 

“We believe that no solution can be reached at the expense of innocent people’s lives. Our Prime Minister has spoken to the Presidents of Ukraine and Russia several times and has underlined India’s position. India remains ready to support any and all de-escalation efforts,” the Indian representative said.

Russia launched its military action in Ukraine in the last week of February, resulting in a massive humanitarian crisis. According to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, notwithstanding the uncertain global backdrop caused by COVID-19, climate change, and the Russia-Ukraine crisis, India continues to convey good business sentiment globally.

In his speech to the 77th United Nations General Assembly, Jaishankar stated, “We are on the side of those striving to make ends meet, even as they face growing food, gasoline, and fertilizer expenses.”

“It is thus in our joint interest to cooperate constructively, both within and outside the United Nations, to find an early resolution to this dispute,” he continued.

Since the outbreak of the conflict, India has always maintained that the global order is based on the values of the UN Charter, international law, and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all governments.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has only become worse when a truck exploded on the Crimea road bridge, burning seven fuel tanks on a train bound for the Crimean Peninsula.

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has time and again advocated for peaceful dialogue and urged both Russia and Ukraine to resolve their disputes by the means of diplomacy.

In his efforts to stop the war, on September 16, Prime Minister Modi spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the importance of establishing world peace and ending the crisis in Ukraine. He made the statements during a bilateral meeting with Putin in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Summit (SCO). “Today’s era is not one of war,” the Indian Prime Minister told the Russian President. PM Modi heaped praises from the international media for his straightforward approach in urging Putin to stop the war.

Muslim leaders meet Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray, extend full support in Maharashtra civic polls, say were ‘hurt’ when he was ousted

OpIndia Staff
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Muslim leaders meet Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray, extend full support in Maharashtra civic polls, say were ‘hurt’ when he was ousted

Ahead of the forthcoming civic elections in Maharashtra, a delegation of Marathi Muslim leaders led by the Marathi Muslim Seva Sangh (MMSS) met with former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and declared their full support for Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray. The delegation included MMSS President Fakir M Thakur, Nooruddin Naik, Ismail Samdule, Dr AR Khan, Captain Akbar Khalfe, and other important members from around the state.

Elections for many municipal corporations, including Mumbai, are due over the next few months.

While extending his support to the Uddhav Thackeray’s faction of Shiv Sena MMSS President Fakir M Thakur said, “We expressed our deep sense of hurt at the manner in which Uddhav Thackeray ji was forced out as the CM in June and the attempts made by the group of selfish rebel leaders out to destroy the teachings of the late Balasaheb Thackeray.”

He stated that following discussions with all of its members and other linked organisations, the MMSS resolved to provide full support to all the initiatives of Thackeray in the “interest of politics of pride, unity, development and progress of the state.”

Thakur added that MMSS leaders are optimistic that in the upcoming civic polls, people will rally behind Shiv Sena-UBT and its allies to oppose the state’s and country’s current ‘communal politics.’

Founded in 2014, the MMSS has approximately 80 large and small non-governmental organisations (NGOs) under its umbrella, with many social-cultural-educational initiatives involving thousands of members of the minority community, including women and youth, across Mumbai, Konkan, western and northern Maharashtra, Marathwada, Vidarbha, and major cities.

It may be recalled how the Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray resigned from the post of the Chief Minister of Maharashtra on June 29, minutes after the Supreme Court of India refused to intervene with the Maharashtra Governor’s direction for a trust vote. The Governor had asked Uddhav Thackeray-led SS-NCP-Cong ruling coalition to prove a majority in Assembly on June 30, with voting at 5 pm.

The CM had addressed the public through a live video on Facebook and announced that he is resigning. Along with the post of CM, he had also resigned as an MLC.

Uddhav Thackeray and Shiv Sena were facing a coup since 21st June 2022 when Eknath Shinde and 39 other Shiv Sena MLAs rebelled against the Maha Vikas AGhadi alliance in the state and asked to get back into an alliance with their former partner BJP.

Shiv Sena broke the pre-poll alliance with BJP and joined hands with NCP and Congress to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra after the 2019 assembly elections. Eknath Shinde and other rebels have emphasized that they essentially took the stand for Hindutva ideology that Shiv Sena was moving away from, especially after making a coalition government with NCP and Congress.

Terror financing watchdog FATF removes Pakistan from grey list saying it has made good progress in addressing deficiencies

OpIndia Staff
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Terror financing watchdog FATF removes Pakistan from grey list saying it has made good progress in addressing deficiencies

Pakistan has been removed from a list of nations subject to “enhanced surveillance” for funding terrorism, known as the grey list, by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a worldwide organization that keeps tabs on money laundering and terrorist financing. The decision was taken by the FATF in its plenary held in Paris on October 20 and 21. However, the nation known for harbouring terrorists will continue to work to improve its systems to prevent money laundering and terror financing in the country, FATF said in a statement.

The Paris-based organization said, “Pakistan is no longer subject to FATF’s increased monitoring process; to continue to work with APG (Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering) to further improve its AML/CFT (anti-money laundering & counter-terrorist financing) system.”

FATF made the latest report on Pakistan. In its report, the organization observed, “Overall, Pakistan has made good progress in addressing the technical compliance deficiencies identified in its MER (mutual evaluation report).”

FATF said, “Pakistan has strengthened the effectiveness of its AML/CFT regime and addressed technical deficiencies to meet the commitments of its action plans regarding strategic deficiencies that the FATF identified in June 2018 and June 2021, the latter of which was completed in advance of the deadlines, encompassing 34 action items in total. Pakistan is therefore no longer subject to the FATF’s increased monitoring process. Pakistan will continue to work with APG to further improve its AML/CFT system.”

What is the FATF grey list?

The FATF placed Pakistan on its grey list more than four years ago for failing to control the danger of money laundering, which may result in corruption and the financing of terrorism. For Pakistan to shift from the grey list to the white list, 12 votes out of 39 are required. It needs the backing of three nations to get off the blacklist. Pakistan has benefited from assistance from friendly nations like China, Turkey, and Malaysia on several occasions to avoid being included on the blacklist.

A nation that FATF believes to be a shelter for money laundering and terrorism financing gets placed on its grey list. It suggests that “strategic weaknesses” in a country’s anti-money laundering and anti-terror funding laws have been found. It is a warning to the nation to address the problems or risk being blacklisted, the most serious degree of the indictment. Iran and North Korea are the only two nations that have been blacklisted thus far.

Why Pakistan came out of the FATF grey list?

The agency stated in October 2021 that Pakistan had resolved 30 of the 34 issues for which it had expressed concerns and suggested further compliance. In order to fight money laundering and stop the funding of terrorism, it was observed that Pakistan’s legal, financial, regulatory, investigation, prosecution, judicial, and non-government sectors were lacking.

A few major action items, including Pakistan’s failure to act against terrorists listed by the UN, such as Lashkar-e Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) leader Masood Azhar, and his dependable assistant and the group’s “operational commander,” Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, were unfulfilled as of June 2022. In its July 2022 report, FATF rated the country on the remaining four parameters as “Largely Compliant,” “Compliant,” “Largely Compliant and “Partially Compliant,” respectively.

According to a report by the Times of India, Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Washington-based Wilson Center think-tank said, “When Pakistan, in recent months, announced new sentences for Hafiz Saeed and Sajid Mir – two top terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba, one of the key terrorist groups under the FATF spotlight – that’s what got things done in the end.” These two terrorists were involved in conspiring the 2008 Mumbai attacks in India that killed over 160 people.

Effects of greylisting

When dealing with nations on a grey list, the FATF emphasizes the need to take associated risks into account. Islamabad’s troubles with receiving financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the European Union (EU) have gotten worse as a result. According to a study released by the Islamabad-based think tank Tabadlab, Pakistan’s repeated inclusion on the FATF’s grey list from 2008 to 2019 may have caused a $38 billion loss in GDP overall.

Will Pakistan really benefit from this?

Pakistan would effectively gain a bit of a reputation boost and a clean bill of health from FATF if it were taken off the list. According to economist and former Citigroup banker Yousuf Nazar, it would lessen monitoring of international transactions involving Pakistan while having little effect on the country’s suffering overall economy.

Two significant banks in Pakistan, HBL and the National Bank of Pakistan, each paid fines of $55 million and $225 million to US authorities for anti-money laundering and compliance failings in 2017 and 2022, respectively. Pakistan would benefit from being taken off the FATF list after Moody’s reduced the nation’s sovereign credit rating. Additionally, it would raise spirits, which is significant in terms of foreign direct investment.

West Bengal: Police unleashes brutality against protesters demanding appointment letters despite clearing TET exam in 2014

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal: Police unleashes brutality against protesters demanding appointment letters despite clearing TET exam in 2014

The Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal has been playing with the lives of candidates, who have cleared the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) in 2014.

Despite qualifying for the exam 8 years ago, they did not receive appointment letters to date. The West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE) has now asked the 500-odd candidates to reappear for the TET, claiming that the tenure of the appointment panel of 2014 had expired.

Miffed by the apathy of the State government, the candidates took to a sit-in-protest from October 17 onwards, outside the office of WBBPE in the Salt Lake area of Kolkata. They have demanded the immediate disbursement of their appointment letters.

In a bid to curb dissent, Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) was imposed in the area. On the intervening night of October 20-21, the fasting candidates were roughed up, assaulted and detained by the police.

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari took to social media to share visuals of the State’s suppression of genuine demands by TET-qualified candidates.

He tweeted, “WB’s current situation is alarming. Mamata Police applied brute force on agitating candidates of the Teacher Eligibility Test 2014 candidates at Salt Lake to forcefully end their legitimate sit-in demonstration near the State Primary Education Board Office. WB or Hitler’s Germany?”

Protestors demand immediate appointment letters and want an end to 8 years of lull

While speaking to The Indian Express, a protestor named Paromita Pal said, “We do not want to appear in fresh exams as announced by the state education department. We should be appointed in state-run and state-aided schools as per the previous merit list.”

“We don’t want to be a part of the new requirement process. We want appointment letters immediately. Our movement will continue till we get it,” she emphasised.

Another candidate said, “There were immense irregularities in the recruitment of teachers in the primary section. How will we know that we were not unfairly rejected in the previous recruitment process to suit the interest of those who scored less? Therefore, there is no question of turning back.”

Reportedly, a panel was constituted to interview and appoint the qualifying candidates. Despite appearing for the interviews, the candidates were never given appointment letters. To add salt to the wound, WBBPE has now claimed that the tenure of the panel has expired.

West Bengal adamant on fresh recruitment

In a statement on October 18, the President of the West Bengal Board of Primary Education reiterated that the protesting candidates will have to reappear for TET to be held this year.

Goutam Pal, WBBPE President, claimed that the protestors had failed the interviews twice and hence could not secure appointments as teachers. He said that the West Bengal government might provide ‘age relaxation’ to the agitating candidates but they will have to appear in the fresh recruitment process.

Pal added, “Those having qualified the TET in the past 10 years or so are eligible to participate in the future recruitment process. If the government relaxes the age limit for candidates who had qualified the written test earlier, then those having crossed 40 years may sit for the exam again.”

“The board would request the candidates not to disrupt a fair TET recruitment process or go against the interests of other job aspirants. I will urge the people who are instigating the candidates not to disrupt a fair recruitment process,” he concluded.

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