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Luv-Kush Yatra: BJP embarks on a pilgrimage from Bihar to UP, yatra to coincide with consecration ceremony of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya

On Tuesday (2nd January), the BJP embarked on its 20-day pilgrimage named ‘Luv-Kush yatra’ from its office in Patna (Bihar) to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya town of Uttar Pradesh.

The 20-day yatra will coincide with the consecration ceremony of Ram Mandir on 22nd January 2023. It must be mentioned that Luv and Kush were the sons of Lord Ram and Maa Sita.

The yatra was flagged by BJP (Bihar unit) President Samrat Choudhary. It will cover important districts connected to Lord Ram such as Vaishali, Sitamarhi, Valmiki Nagar, Purnia, Kishanganj, Katihar, Nawada, Nalanda, Buxar and Ayodhya.

The BJP has invited the Heads and representatives of several Hindu organisations. The party will also conduct public meetings and havans as they travel to the town of Ayodhya.

While speaking to The Indian Express, BJP (Bihar) Vice-President Saroj Patel said, “The Luv-Kush community is grateful to PM Narendra Modi for the Ayodhya temple construction and for giving due respect to them. The yatra is just a way to express gratitude to the Central government and also pay respect to all important places connected with Lord Ram and Goddess Sita.”

Patel added that two raths are being used for the yatra, each equipped with a havan kund. He emphasised that people will be educated about the history of various religious sites such as Janki Sthan, Punaura Dham and Valmiki Ashram during the pilgrimage.

In political terms, the word ‘Luv-Kush’ is used to describe an alliance between the Koeri (Kushwaha) and Kurmi castes in Bihar. According to the census data, they constitute about 7% of the State’s population and are believed to be the support base of Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar.

Ayodhya ground report: Dargah near Dashrath Samadhi and Hanuman Temple, priest alleges Muslim crowd used to spit at temple gate during SP rule

The consecration of Ram Lalla’s idol is to take place in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on 22 January, 2024. On this occasion, celebrities from the country and the world including Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be present at Ram Janmabhoomi.

The team of OpIndia visited Ayodhya in the last week of December 2023 and introduced people to the untouched aspects of the holy place. On Saturday (30th December 2023), we were at the Raja Dashrath Samadhi site, 12 kilometers away from Ayodhya city.

To our shock, we learnt that a tomb has been built next to Raja Dashrath’s samadhi and a tomb has also been built near another temple located here.

While giving us this information, the Mahant (temple priest) said that the Dargah at both the Hindu religious places is a conspiracy against Hindu culture.

‘Dargah is a conspiracy of cultural attack’

Sandeep Das, the priest of Raja Dashrath Samadhi Sthal, told OpIndia that while the shrine remained a victim of neglect under governments run by parties like Samajwadi Party (SP), a dargah too was built next to it as part of a well-planned conspiracy.

Sandeep Das, priest of Raja Dashrath Samadhi Sthal, explains the situation in the temple and surrounding areas.

Sandeep said that like the Ram Janmabhoomi, the Raja Dasharatha Samadhi site has also been a victim of attacks by religious invaders in the past but due to the retaliation of Hindus, it could not be captured.

He further said, “When the shrine could not be directly occupied, a tomb was built 100 meters away from it. This tomb came to be known as Belhari Sharif whereas in reality the historical name of this place is Bilvahari.”

According to Sandeep Das, many people who follow the religion of Islam keep coming to the shrine. Loudspeakers were tied in front of the temple and there was frenzied sloganeering.

There is an ancient Hindu mandir, about one and a half kilometers before the Dasharatha Samadhi site. Its name is Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple which is said to be related to Sugriva Fort of Ayodhya.

OpIndia spoke to the priest here, Swami Ramdas. Ramdas told us that the distance of the Dargah from his temple is less than 1 kilometer. The name of the head of the Dargah is Chand Miyan.

Chand Miyan is said to be a religious Ulema of Barelvi sect who gives religious lectures in all parts of the country.

Reminiscing about the time of SP government, Ramdas said that during Islamic festivals, big mics were tied in front of the temple by the people of Dargah. Inciting slogans were raised loudly on these mikes.

People from as far as Nepal visit the Dargah

Mahant Swami Ramdas of Sankat Mochan Temple claims that there is a huge crowd at the Dargah for 3 days of the year around Bakrid.

Board with direction to the Dargah

He said that during this time, there is a crowd of people not only from the Muslim community of nearby villages and districts but also from citizens from as far as Nepal.

The real name of the Dargah is ‘Hazrat Makhdoom Syed Qayamuddin Bhika Makki Radi Allahutala Anhu’. But since last few days it has started being called by the name Bilhari Baba. Mahant Ramdas claims that a board with the name Bilhari Baba was also installed on the road here.

Hundreds of people gathered when protests erupted

Mahant Ramdas told us that there is relief for the last one year due to the administration of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, but in 2017 there was a dispute in front of the temple.

Sankat Mochan Temple and Mahant Ramdas

It is alleged that this fight started when the gate of Maa Durga was installed near the temple for Navratri celebrations.

People of Muslim community protested at this gate. Mahant said that during Tajiya procession etc., people of Muslim community used to put up a big gate near the temple but no one used to stop them.

It is alleged that when he raised questions on the different rules for Muharram and Navratri, a policeman present at the spot climbed up and scratched the gate of Maa Durga.

In 2017, FIR was lodged against Mahant himself.

Mahant Ramdas further said that many Hindu devotees got angry due to the tearing of the gate of Maa Durga.

On the other side, there was a crowd of people from the Muslim community who were getting the protection of a local SP leader.

So-called Belhari Sharif Dargah

It is alleged that during this time, policemen wearing leather boots even entered the sanctum sanctorum and kitchen of the temple and had a scuffle with Mahant Ramdas.

Due to the tense atmosphere outside, there was a clash between the two parties. The then SHO considered Mahant Ramdas guilty of this clash and lodged an FIR against him.

Even today Mahant Ramdas is fighting this case from his own pocket. Describing his plight further, Mahant Ramdas said that back then he also tried to register an FIR on the Muslim side but was refused.

Temple road covered with Islamist flags

When we asked more about the 2017 incident, Mahant Ramdas told that before that, a crowd of Muslims used to gather in front of the temple during various Islamic festivals.

The area around the temple was covered with green religious flags. A procession was taken out and stopped at the temple gate for hours. Here pudiya-gutka was eaten and spit out.

It is alleged that during this period, provocative statements like ‘India does not belong to anyone’s father’ were made.

According to Ramdas, at that time the police used to be a silent witness to all these activities and used to advise the Hindus to ‘have a little patience’.

‘Government should withdraw the case registered against me’

Mahant Ramdas termed the case registered against him in 2017 as wrong and one-sided action. He has appealed that the present Yogi government should withdraw the FIR registered against him because that action was taken by the then police station in-charge and outpost in-charge to appease the Muslims.

He also expressed hope of action against the policemen who vandalised the gate of Maa Durga and defiled the temple premises with leather boots.

Ramdas also claims that even though crazy activities have been curbed under the current government, they have not stopped completely.

He said that in the year 2022, two processions of Muslims carrying Tajiya had clashed with each other in front of his temple, due to which there was chaos.

Madrasa along with Dargah

OpIndia team visited Dargah Hazrat Maqdoom which is being prepared to be declared as Belhari Sharif Dargah. There are many houses of Muslim community around the Dargah.

Madrasa next to the Dargah

Green Islamic flags were seen fluttering on these houses. The Dargah is in a semi-built big building whose construction work is going on. Green flags have been pasted above and posters written in Urdu have been pasted outside.

In front of this Dargah, a Madrasa was also seen whose name is ‘Faiz-e-Subhani’. This Dargah and Madrasa, owned by Chand Miyan, is run by Hafiz Nurul Hasan.

Seeing the gates of Dargah and Madrasa closed, we started searching for Hafiz Nurul Hasan. We met Nurul Hasan about 100 meters away from the Dargah who was constructing another big building. This new building is less than 1 kilometre away from Raja Dasharatha Samadhi and Sankat Mochan Temple.

Nurul Hasan agreed to talk to us after giving directions to the workers constructing the building. He described himself as originally a resident of Sant Kabir Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh. According to Nurul, along with taking care of the Dargah, he also imparts education to the local children in the Madrasa.

Claim to command Saryu River

Nurul Hasan claimed that the Dargah of Makhdoom Syed is more than 600 years old. He claimed that Syed Qayamuddin Bhika had come straight from Mecca and settled at that place.

Information was also given about Syed Qayamuddin getting ‘Makki’ in his name due to his visit to Mecca. Nurul Hasan mentioned an incident related to Qayamuddin and Saryu River and claimed it to be completely true.

New building being built under the supervision of Hafiz Nurul near Dasharatha Samadhi and Sankat Mochan Temple

He claims that the mythical Saryu river had moved to him on its own accord on the orders of Qayamuddin Makki.

We asked Hafiz Nurul to narrate the incident in detail. Then Nurul said, “Saryu is a river. Earlier he (Qayamuddin Makki) used to go there to perform ablution. Then he would go away. Then one day it came to his mind. He said to the river, O river, should I come to you or do you come to me? So you kept coming forward and the river kept coming from behind. You came here and stopped and a river came out from the side.”

However, many Hindu texts mention the Saryu River, including Ramayana. Lord Rama himself and his ancestors and descendants used to worship this holy river.

Claim of children being born from the tree planted in the Dargah

While talking to OpIndia, Hafiz went on to enumerate the alleged miracles of Nurul Hasan Dargah. He claimed that there is a tree inside the Dargah whose fruits and leaves can be eaten by women who have problems in giving birth to children and becoming mothers.

Hafiz Nurul recounting the alleged miracles of the Dargah

Nurul said that the tree that helps in childbirth was planted by Makhdoom Syed Qayamuddin Makki with his own hands 600 years ago. According to him, people come to Nurul Dargah every day but there is more crowd on Friday night. Once a year after Bakrid, a 3-day Urs is held here.

Bengaluru: Kannada media channels hound women, shoot derogatory videos on New Year’s Eve, attack them over clothes and demeanour

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On 31st December, as the city of Bengaluru in Karnataka celebrated the New Year with laughter, lights, and music, the Kannada news media channel chose to follow and film women outside the pub without their permission. Moreover, the Kannada media channels also posted chastising videos on social media with inappropriate captions with the alleged intention to defame the women.

News media channels like News First Kannada, Public TV, and Zee Kannada posted videos in which the cameraman zoomed in on women‘s outfits, faces, and bodies outside pubs. The women tried to cover their faces with their palms and requested the media persons to not shoot them but the latter didn’t stop. They captured the inappropriate videos of the women as they left the pub and posted those videos online inviting immoral comments.

The videos of preying on women were documented in the police presence outside the pubs on MG Road, Church Street, and Koramangala in Bengaluru.

The channel’s coverage featured one unrelenting footage of a drunken woman being carried into an auto rickshaw. The woman according to the media reports was unable to actively question or control the camera crew’s activities. The thumbnail for the video reads, “Look at the woman in an auto falling on anyone in sight.”

In another video posted by NewsFirst Kannada, one of the women could be seen getting molested while her partner engaged in a brawl with the suspected molester. The Kannada media channel sensationalized the incident as it posted the video with the caption, “Lover beats up man for molesting ‘his’ woman.” 

Several other videos with captions like, “The woman is pouncing on everyone,” “Drunken girl’s whims,” “Drunk woman creates ruckus in Koramangala,” and “Woman not even in the condition to walk,” etc were published by the NewsFirst Kannada media channel. 

Similar footage was also shown on other Kannada news networks, such as Public TV and Zee Kannada News. However, though these media houses used visuals that were less persuasive of the women’s faces in comparison, the thumbnails used were quite nasty. “Drunk woman passed out on the road,” “Woman full tight male-friends full tired,” and “Drunk woman loses consciousness on the road” were among the captions published on videos posted by Public TV.

Images- The News Minute

All of these videos’ comment sections quickly overflowed with offensive commentary on the women’s clothing, “insinuating and inviting lewd behavior.”

DCP South East CK Baba took cognizance of the event and said that police would probe into the matter if someone came forward and filed a police complaint. Some of the videos posted by News First Kannada were deleted.

A similar incident was reported in November from Chennai

Earlier, a similar incident was reported from the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu. In November 2023, some of the local media channels in the state of Tamil Nadu crossed their limits and targeted young women for personal revenge. Local media channels like Thanthi TV, Polimer News, NewsTamil 24×7 and others had chased young women, harassed them, and shot their derogatory videos after a group of 5 men levelled scandalous allegations against the pub in Chennai for denying entry to them.

Many people were shocked and outraged by Thanthi TV, Polimer News, and News 24×7’s coverage. The shots repeatedly focused on the women’s clothing, with the cameras purposefully taking close shots of their bodies. Despite the women’s clear discomfort, the camerapersons could be seen hounding them, the majority of whom covered their faces with a scarf or dupatta. The camera repeatedly attempted to get close-up shots of the women’s faces.

The headlines flashed by the local media channels including Thanthi TV also targeted women as they screamed, “All-night alcohol party busted by police; half-dressed women ran out during the incident.”

In one video, a woman is seen urging a cameraman to stop filming her and threatening to sue him. To which the cameraman responds angrily, “Go ahead, Get lost.” Thanthi TV edited their post on X as public outrage grew on social media but failed to make it less offensive. “Here’s what the ladies did at night, and how the police arrived at the scene quietly,” the headlines read. 

The coverage attempted to portray women wearing whatever they wanted at a pub as an ‘immoral’ activity that had to be stopped by police. The other local media channels also showed women in the wrong picture. However, later the police who arrived at the spot took cognizance of the event and termed the matter to be an event of revenge.

Transport associations, bus and truck drivers protest against new law on hit-and-run cases that has jail term for 7-10 years

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The Transport Association and drivers staged a protest against the new law on hit-and-run cases in Maharashtra’s Nagpur. The new law attracts a 7-10-year prison sentence for drivers falling foul of it. As a result of this protest, people at petrol pumps faced long queues.

Meanwhile, similar protests over the new hit-and-run law were staged across states. Private bus and truck drivers on Monday enforced a ‘chakka jam’ (traffic jam) across the state of Madhya Pradesh in protest against the new law. Drivers enforced a ‘chakka jam’ on Pithampur Highway in Dhar by putting obstacles on the road.

Members of an organisation representing the drivers also staged a protest on the streets of Bhopal at the Board Office intersection.

Gyansingh Yadav, a cab driver who was also among the protesters on Monday, couldn’t hold back his tears.

“The likes of myself, who drive cabs for a living, could still be home at night. But the truck drivers often don’t get to meet their loved ones for 15 days or more. We are not against any government or law but I feel some amendments should be made, especially about the penal provisions against drivers. The new law attracts a 10-year prison term for errant drivers. I feel it should be reduced to 1-2 years,” Yadav told ANI on Monday.

A similar protest also broke out in the Chhattisgarh capital, Raipur, where bus drivers staged a demonstration against the new central law.

With the buses anchored in their sheds, regular commuters and interstate passengers bore the brunt of the protests.

“We are poor people. Penal action should be taken against the owners of our vehicles. This law is unfair on us and we’ll continue to be on strike till our demands are met,” a bus driver said.

The ongoing strike has impacted the movement of about 1,000 buses across Chhattisgarh.

Under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), which replaced the Indian Penal Code, drivers who cause a serious road accident by negligent driving and run away without informing the police or any official from the administration can face punishment of up to 10 years or a fine of Rs7 lakh. Earlier, the punishment in such cases was two years in the IPC.

In the Winter Session of Parliament, the Union Government passed the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 2023 and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, 2023.

Private transport operators claim the law discourages drivers and may lead to unjust punishments. They claim that the drivers could be subject to mob violence when they attempt to transport the injured to hospitals and demand the repeal of the law.

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

Vadodara: Muslim student attacks a Hindu boy with a blade, his family breaks into the school and assaults students for complaining

A shocking case has come to light from a school in Vadodara where an altercation between students of fourth graders led to a tense situation. Reportedly, a commotion broke out when a Muslim student stabbed a Hindu student with a sharp blade. 

Following the incident, the victim student accompanied by his friends registered a complaint to the school principal. Later, the parents of the minor student who was accused of stabbing another student came to the school. However, they didn’t approach the principal but rather went straight to the classroom. As per reports, the parents of the minor accused allegedly strangulated one student and thrashed three students who had submitted a complaint to the principal in this matter. 

This incident took place in Jeevan Sadhana School which is located in the Nagarwada area of ​​Vadodara. A fourth-standard Muslim student studying in this school had injured a Hindu student with a blade over a minor altercation. After the incident, when some of the students complained to the school principal, the parents of the accused minor student who hit the blade were called to the school. However, instead of coming and explaining the aggressive act of their child, the parents publicly beat up his friends who had taken the side of the aggrieved student.

OpIndia contacted the parents of one of the students who were beaten up regarding this whole incident. During the conversation, he said, “When the Muslim student (we are not mentioning the name as the child is a minor) used the blade, my son and his three other friends complained to the principal, then his guardian was called by the school. Then two members of the Muslim student’s family rushed into the school and instead of meeting the principal, entered the classroom straight away.”

The parent of the victim student told OpIndia, “Going to the class, the parent asked the kid who stabbed the blade, “Bol tera naam kisne principal ko bataya.” (Tell us, who gave your name to the Principal) They slapped one of my son’s friends and strangled another while they dragged my son to the principal’s office during class.” 

Meanwhile, the incident sparked outrage. Subsequently, parents of other students started gathering there and local Hindu organisations also reached the school to demand strict action in this case. 

OpIndia also spoke to Vadodara city Bajrang Dal co-coordinator Prataparao Mohite to get information on this matter. He said, “As soon as we received information about the incident, we promptly reached the school. However, when we attempted to speak with the administrators, we were prevented from doing so as the gate was closed. Meanwhile, parents of students studying in the school had also gathered. Parents gathered there, and various organisations and the media, all entered the school. We collectively demanded an explanation from the school trustee regarding the incident.”

According to Mohite, when the school administrators were asked about the incident while they were accompanied by the media, the administration behaved rudely with them and threatened to throw them out. 

He told OpIndia, “Administrators were saying that we are not allowed to come to school, then where do their laws go when some outsider man comes to school and beats up students? The school administrators attempted to downplay a grave incident, such as a student being stabbed on the premises.”

Seeing the uproar, the school was finally forced to file a police complaint against the accused parent. Consequently, the police filed a case against the 2 parents of a Muslim student who had entered the school and thrashed friends of the victim student. Later, the parents of the accused minor student were sent to jail. Currently, the Vadodara police are investigating the matter based on the CCTV footage and the questioning of the victim student.

Ground Report: Read how Ayodhya’s Dashrath Samadhi Sthal was refurbished by Yogi Sarkar, temple pujari says earlier govts paid no attention

In the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the idol of Ram Lalla will be installed within the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on 22nd January 2024. The entire nation will be in the festive spirit of Diwali on this particular occasion. Since the last week of December 2023, the OpIndia team has been stationed in Ayodhya. In the series of field reports, we desire to inform readers not only about the unsung sacrifices of Hindus but also about the forgotten places that are related to Lord Ram. The Raja Dasharatha Samadhi Sthal is one of these sites.

Raja Dasharatha Samadhi Sthal is the place where the last rites of King Dashrath were performed. King Dashrath died after Lord Rama, Goddess Sita, and Lakshmana entered 14 years of exile in Dandakaranya. The OpIndia team visited Dasharatha Samadhi and its premises on Saturday, 30th December 2023 to learn that the temple received proper developmental attention only after CM Yogi came to power in Uttar Pradesh.

The cremation place of King Dashrath is situated near Pura Bazaar along the Ayodhya-Azamgarh road. This location is roughly 12 kilometers away from Ayodhya. This location is known as Bilvahari Ghat in the Puranic texts. It is roughly 1.5 km north of the major highway and goes through a heavily populated area with a diverse population. The flood plains of the Sarayu river start just after the Temple premises. Adjacent to the temple is the expanse of the Saryu River.

A memorial has been built where King Dasharatha’s last rites were performed

There is a temple inside where Lord Rama and King Dashrath are worshiped daily. Further, a platform-like monument has been built at a height. Sandeep Das, the priest and successor of the temple, said that King Dasharatha was cremated and his ashes were stored where the memorial now stands. Additionally, Sandeep Das informed OpIndia that the Saryu River’s mainstream was then directly adjacent to the shrine. But over time, it shifted somewhat to the north. The Saryu River still runs alongside the temple during the rainy season.

The memorial is surrounded by numerous antique weaponry. According to Sandeep Das, those weapons haven’t corroded in decades. The Pind Daan, symbolically offered by Ram, Lakshman, and Bharat, is situated atop the memorial. There is also a Shivalinga built on it. The priest claimed that in addition to Lord Ram, the entire lineage of Ikshayaku kings were Mahadev worshippers. The feet of the four sons of King Dasharatha are symbolically carved on the monument towards the feet.

Nobody was cremated here before the last rites of Maharaj Dashrath were performed

Das meanwhile also narrated the story behind why King Dashrath’s cremation took place in such an isolated place. Das said that during the death of the king, Lord Ram, Lakshman, and Goddess Sita were in exile while Bharat and Shatrughan were in their maternal home. Bharat and Shatrughan came to Ayodhya after hearing the news of their father’s death. Then Bharata, acting as king, called a meeting of his cabinet. He asked to find a place for his father’s cremation where no one else’s cremation had taken place before in history.

Priest Sandeep Das claims that King Bharat and his ministers took a very long time to locate an area of this sort. The mortal remains of King Dasharatha were safeguarded during this period. After much searching, a location at Bilwahari Ghat was eventually discovered where no cremation had previously taken place. Sandeep Das added that after completing his exile and conquering Lanka, Lord Rama also visited the funeral site of his father and performed the necessary rituals there as per Vedic customs.

The genealogy of Lord Ram is carved in the temple

When the OpIndia team visited the temple, it was found that another temple of Shani Dev is also present in the premises. On the walls of the temple, there are plaques of Chalisa of various gods and goddesses along with Ramcharitmanas and Ramayana. The genealogy of Lord Ram was also seen carved on these plates. This lineage starts from Lord Brahma and ends with Lord Rama.

In the genealogy of Lord Rama, before him respectively Dasharatha, Aja, Raghu, Dirghavahu, Khashtravad, Vishwas, Vishwasah, Livil, Dasharath, Moolak, Ashmak, Saudas, Sudas, Sarvkaam, Rituparna, Ayutayu, Sidhudeep, Ambarish, Nabhag, Shruti, Suhotra, Bhagiratha, Dilip, Anshuman, Asamanjas, Sagar, Bahu, Vrik, Ruruk, Vijay, Chachu, Harita, Rohitashva, Harishchandra, Satyavrat, Tryaruni, Tridhanva, Suman, Hartasya, Hayashva, Prishadashva, Anarashya, Trasadadasyu, Purukutsya, Amit, Nikumbh, Haryaashva, Daddhaashva, Kuvalyaashva, Vrihadashva, Shashwat, Yuvnashwa, Chandra, Vishtarashva, Prithu, Anena, Kukutstha, Puranjaya, Vikukshi, Ikshayaku, Vaivasvat, Vivasvan, Kashyap, Marichi and Lord Brahma’s names have been mentioned.

According to this inscription, the Suryavansh started during the time of King Vaivaswat, who is believed to be the 5th generation of Lord Brahma. According to the same list, Raghukul started from the era of King Raghu, 60th generation. King Raghu is considered to be the most glorious king of the Suryavansh. His name has also been mentioned many times in scriptures. The couplet “Raghukul Riti Sada Chali Aayi, Pran Jaay Par Vachan Na Jaay” was composed based on this name.

CM Yogi Adityanath and PM Modi ensured the development of this place

The temple’s priest, Sandeep Das, informed us that King Dasharatha’s cremation site has been maintained and revered for many generations. He referred to the location as historical and sacred and charged that earlier administrations had neglected it. According to Sandeep Das, no one had ever considered working towards the maintenance of Dashrath Samadhi but the Yogi and Modi governments did. The road leading to and from the temple was in extremely poor condition earlier, in addition to the issue of the temple not having enough water or light.

On the grounds of the temple, a small Dharamshala has now been constructed. This location is used for pilgrims who have nowhere else to stay, as well as for religious ceremonies and auspicious occasions. The road that currently runs beside Dasharatha Samadhi will shortly be made wider. Sandeep says that the present government will further develop the temple and give it elements grandeur. He became emotional and wished well for Modi and Yogi. 

We would like to inform you that the OpIndia team has been in Ayodhya since the last week of December 2023. From this point on, we shall tell you in great detail about several lesser-known yet holy locations in Ayodhya, in addition to the unsung sacrifices and forgotten incidents of the Ramjanmabhoomi movement. We have introduced the readers to the families of the unsung martyrs of the Ram Janmabhoomi Mukti Movement in the last two publications. The upcoming update in this series will be published shortly.

Ahead of Pran Pratishtha, Sony Entertainment releases ‘Shrimad Ramayan’ serial

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The atmosphere in India is filled with the chants of Ram Naam. Celebrations are galore across the country. Every art on Shri Ram ever imagined has been brought to life. The 22nd January Ram Lalla consecration and Ram Mandir inauguration ceremony in Ayodhya is going to be a timeless affair, larger than life.

With just days to go for the much-awaited ceremony, Sony Entertainment has released a new Ramayan series titled “Shrimad Ramayan” on 1st January.

The show will air every Monday to Friday on Sony TV at 9 PM. The serial is based on the historic Hindu story of Ramayana.

The role of Shri Ram is being played by Sujay Reu and the role of Sita Mata is being played by actress Prachi Bansal. Hanuman Ji’s role is being played by Nirbhay Wadhwa and Lakshman by Basant Bhatt.

Bollywood actor Nikitin Dheer is playing Ravan. Dheer has also played a role in the movie Chennai Express.

The serial has been created by Siddharth Kumar Tewary. “Shrimad Ramayan” series is replacing the show Kaun Banega Crorepati 15 which aired its final episodeon 29th December 2023.

The cast had embarked on a pilgrimade to Ayodhya, the birthplace of Shri Ram, before the show was telecast. The team visited Ram Janmabhoomi site, Kanak Bhavan and Hanuman Garhi.

Speaking about the visit, Tewary said, “Our visit to Ayodhya brings a tangible depth to our series, infusing it with the historical resonance of this revered city, thereby enhancing the narrative of ‘Shrimad Ramayan’.”

The entertainment industry, which is largely distant from the Indian and Hindu culture and roots as far as its art is concerned, has brought about significant changes in its content.

There has been a sudden rise of such content in the industry which caters to the Hindu religious sentiments. This shows that the industry has guaged the mood of the nation and is perhaps acknowledging importance the Hindu sentiments too.

SC agrees to hear Vedanta Group’s plea over the closure of the Sterlite Copper Unit in Tamil Nadu

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court agreed to entertain the plea from the Vedanta group concerning the shutdown of its Sterlite copper unit in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu.

Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud along with Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, acknowledged the arguments presented by senior advocate Shyam Divan, representing the Vedanta group firm. Divan emphasized the necessity for the matter to be heard.

The Chief Justice of India said that he would notify the counsels involved once he confirms whether any constitutional bench matters are scheduled for a hearing during the day.

Previously, the Supreme Court had mentioned that it instructed the registrar to assign “two specific dates” for the hearing of the Vedanta group’s plea.

In May of the previous year, the Supreme Court had directed the Tamil Nadu government to make suitable decisions in compliance with its April 10 directive. This directive permitted the Vedanta group to undertake maintenance activities for its Sterlite copper unit in Tuticorin under the oversight of a local-level monitoring committee.

In its order dated April 10, 2023, the Supreme Court additionally granted permission for the removal of the remaining gypsum at the plant and facilitated the provision of necessary manpower as per the company’s request.

It was observed that the district collector had not endorsed actions such as conducting a civil and structural safety integrity assessment study within the plant premises, the removal and transportation of spares and equipment, and the evacuation of in-process reverts and other raw materials left idle.

The Supreme Court observed in its order dated April 10 that concerning actions not endorsed by the district collector, C S Vaidyanathan, senior counsel representing the State of Tamil Nadu, asserted that the state government would reevaluate whether additional or supplementary directions should be issued in that regard.

In a previous hearing, the representative for Tamil Nadu mentioned that measures had been initiated to execute the directives outlined in a specific paragraph of the April 10 order. This paragraph stipulated, “As regards those actions which have been permitted to be carried out by the communication dated March 6, 2023, we allow necessary consequential steps to be taken.”

“We instruct that the state of Tamil Nadu must make all necessary decisions in accordance with the observations outlined in paragraphs four and five of the order dated April 10, 2023, on or before June 1, 2023,” stated the bench.

The highest court had subsequently scheduled the hearing for final resolution on August 22 and 23 of the preceding year.

On May 22, 2018, a tragic incident occurred where at least 13 individuals lost their lives, and many others were injured as the police fired upon a large gathering protesting pollution allegedly stemming from the copper smelting unit.

Responding to the violent protests regarding pollution concerns, the Tamil Nadu government, on May 28, 2018, directed the state pollution control board to seal and “permanently” close the mining group’s plant.

Bangladeshi Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus sentenced to 6 months in prison: What happened

On Monday (1st January), a labour court in Dhaka found Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus guilty of violating the labour laws of Bangladesh. He was convicted, sentenced to 6 months of simple imprisonment and fined Tk 30000 (~$260).

As per reports, Yunus and three other directors at ‘Grameen Telecom’ violated labour laws by failing to create a welfare fund for the workers in the company. The 83-year-old economist is known for pioneering microfinancing (giving loans less than $100) to the poor in Bangladesh.

The labour court Judge, Sheikh Merina Sultana, noted that 67 Grameen Telecom employees were supposed to be made permanent in the company which did not happen. As per the company’s stated policy, it is supposed to share 5% of the dividends with the staff, which failed to materialise.

Yunus and his colleagues were each sentenced to 6 months of simple imprisonment. However, they managed to secure immediate bail from the court. They have 30 days to appeal against the labour court verdict.

It must be mentioned that the Nobel laureate is currently facing 100 other charges for graft and labour law violations in Bangladesh. While speaking to the media, Muhammad Yunus said, “We are being punished for a crime we did not commit.”

“It was my fate, the nation’s fate. We have accepted this verdict, but will appeal this verdict and continue fighting against this sentence,” he emphasised. Lawyers of Yunus have described the case as ‘meritless, false and ill-motivated.’

While speaking about the matter, prosecutor Khurshid Alam Khan said, “We think business owners will now be more cautious about violating labor laws. No one is above the law.”

Past corruption allegations against Muhammad Yunus

The 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner founded Grameen Bank in 1983 to lend small loans to the poor. He had previously drawn the ire of Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina for ‘sucking blood’ of the poor.

Yunus is being investigated over charges of corruption and fund embezzlement for more than a decade. He was earlier fired as Managing Director of his bank for violating retirement regulations of the Bangladeshi government.

He was also on trial for receiving money in 2013 for receiving money without government permission.

OpIndia impact: Proposed plan for Qabristan in Hindu locality canceled in Pune’s Kondhwa. Read details

In an update to the case from Pune’s Kondhwa region where a government plot was being converted into a Muslim burial ground in the middle of a Hindu residential area, it has come to the fore that the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has canceled the permission for the construction of the proposed Qabristan.

This is days after OpIndia exclusively reported the matter detailing the concerns of local residents after NCP MLA Chetan Tupe and BJP’s Yogesh Tilekar who had earlier requested the PMC to allow the construction of a burial ground for the minority community in a Hindu crowded locality.

BJP’s Yogesh Tilekar, after realising the concerns of the residents, pursued the matter and appealed to the PMC to cancel the proposed construction of the Qabristan in a Hindu-majority residential area.

In an official letter copy to the BJP’s Tilekar who has served as the former MLA of the locality, PMC on 28th December stated that the amenity space on survey no. 44 plot which houses a jogging track at present shall not be converted into a Muslim burial ground. “The permission allotted to construct a burial ground in the given space stands canceled,” the official letter read.

Copy of the official letter obtained by OpIndia

Tilekar in May 2023 had submitted a letter to the PMC advocating for the construction of a ‘Qabristan’ on survey no. 44 land. The letter had stated that making a burial ground on survey no. 44 space would be feasible for the Muslim community given the maximum population that resides in the Kondhwa region of Pune is Muslims. The leader had failed to realize that the said space was in a crowded area and that around 12000 to 15000 Hindu families resided in apartments built around the space. The PMC on 16th May 2023 then approved the proposal based on the letter submitted by Tilekar.

However, Tilekar later backtracked from the suggestion, reportedly after realizing the problems of the Hindu locals and after he was informed about the issues in the area. Several Hindu residents residing in the locality raised objections against the construction of a burial ground for the minority community and said that the said space was allotted by the PMC for the construction of a playground. The Hindu residents also stated that there were several temples in the locality and that a ‘Qabristan’ being established very close to these temples might cause harm to the religious sentiments of the residents.

The residents also complained that the construction of burial grounds in a crowded locality would pose a threat to the health of residents residing near the said government land. There are several residential apartments close to the ground and many of them have windows and balconies opening towards the plot that was going to be converted into a Muslim burial ground.

Tilekar, after learning this, wrote to the PMC in October 2023 and requested the authorities to cancel the permission for the construction of the burial ground. The PMC is said to have taken the final decision on 28th December, canceling the permission for the construction of Qabristan in the Kondhwa region of Pune.

BJP’s Yogesh Tilekar exclusively talked to OpIndia and confirmed that the permission for the Muslim burial ground had been denied by the PMC. “I was anyway going to get it done. I am happy that I could be of help to the Hindu residents here,” he said.

BJP’s Yogesh Tilekar (L) submitting letter to PMC demanding cancellation of permission for Qabristan (Image obtained by OpIndia)

Earlier, he had told OpIndia that he was misinformed about the survey no. 44 spaces and the ongoing project of playground construction on the land. “I didn’t know the land was already allotted by the PMC for a playground construction. Neither did the local Muslim representatives tell me nor the PMC. The letter I sent in May 2023 pressed for a burial ground on survey no. 44 space. However, after I learned that the maximum of population residing around the survey no. 44 space is Hindu, I sent another letter demanding the cancellation of the allotment of the land for a Muslim burial ground,” Tilekar said while talking to OpIndia.

The letter of cancellation that Tilekar sent to the PMC on 23rd October 2023 clearly states that the survey no. 44 amenity space is located in a crowded area and most of the population that resides in the societies around the space is Hindu. “I first thought that the area housed a large Muslim population but I was misinformed. Most of the population residing in the locality is Hindu,” the letter reads.

Letter exclusively obtained by OpIndia

Rs 49 lakhs already spent for construction of playground, space still vacant

The entire incident was exposed after an RTI activist Dr Paritosh Zaware Patil residing in the Raviraj Colorado Co-op Housing Society (next to survey no 44 amenity space) filed an RTI demanding details of the location. It came to the fore that the PMC had already allotted the land for the construction of a playground and that the government had already spent Rs 43 lakhs for construction. Surprisingly, the land still is vacant and so had been trapped under the controversy over the Muslim burial ground construction.

The land was allotted for the construction of the playground in the year 2017 and in 2019 grant of Rs 43 lakhs for the purpose was also obtained. The project of construction of the playground was given to some Salim Construction in the year 2019 and Rs 49 lakhs had been spent for the purpose. “The land is still vacant and no playground has been constructed here. There’s just a jogging track inside. They want to make a Muslim burial ground here. This is a crowded locality and we don’t want our children to see things that are inappropriate for them,” Dr Patil had confirmed.

However, Patil talked to OpIndia on 2nd January and confirmed that the PMC had taken back its decision to allot the land for the Muslim burial ground. “We are happy that the decision has been taken back. We are not against the Muslim community. All we want is to keep our health and our children safe. Even if there was a request to build a Hindu burial ground there, we would have opposed similarly,” he reiterated.

Patiil and the other Hindu residents called OpIndia specifically and thanked us for highlighting the voice of residents in the issue. The community also hailed Tilekar listening to the residents, and being considerate of their concerns.

The detailed report filed on 14th December 2023 explaining the entire case can be read here.

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