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Reuters journalist blames Indian Hindus for Islamist violence against Hindus in Leicester; Scroll amplifies the fake narrative

Dibakar Dutta
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Reuters journalist blames Indian Hindus for Islamist violence against Hindus in Leicester; Scroll amplifies the fake narrative

On Tuesday (October 4), Reuters journalist Rina Chandran blamed the Indian Hindus for violence perpetrated by radical Islamists in Leicester against the Hindu community.

In a propaganda piece published in ‘Context’ (a media platform run by Thomas Reuters Foundation), Chandran alleged that disinformation, which supposedly originated in India, was the cause of Hindu-Muslim unrest in Leicester city in England’s East Midlands region.

“It was a social media storm – mostly cooked up a continent away – that materialised in real life in Leicester, where police made almost 50 arrests and a community was left in tatters,” she alleged.

Rina Chandran
Screengrab of the article by Rina Chandran

“Rumour had it that a Muslim girl had been kidnapped and a Hindu temple had sent masked thugs into combat,” she wrote, without mentioning that both these rumours were conceived in Leicester and disseminated by the Islamists living there.

Opindia reported how Islamists had blamed the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) for supposedly trying to kidnap a 15-year-old Muslim girl. A Hindu man was dubbed as a paedophile and his address was leaked on Facebook, as part of the onslaught. Later, it turned out to be fake news.

“Add in local fury over an India-Pakistan cricket match, and Hindu and Muslim men were soon fighting on the streets of central England,” Rina Chandran resorted to false balance despite the fact that it was only the Hindu community that has been at the receiving end of violence.

The ‘brown sepoy’ shrewdly pointed out the fake stories without specifying the group that spread it in the first place. For the fake abduction story of a Muslim girl, she conceded that it was debunked by the police without mentioning that Islamists deliberately spread it to create a foundation for violence against Hindus.

“…Police took to social media themselves, saying they had fully investigated reports of three men approaching a teenaged girl in an attempted kidnap, and found no truth whatsoever to the online story,” she had written.

Opindia had also reported how Islamists tried to mainstream the conspiracy theory that ‘truckloads of RSS workers’ were brought to Leicester by a travel agency named ‘Angel Tours’, with the support of a local Hindu temple.

“Fact-checkers also found no truth to claims that gangs of masked thugs were bussed into Leicester,” Rina Chandran wrote, again without mentioning the community that was at the helm of this fake news.

Bizarre fact checks

She then relied on ‘experts’ who claimed that disinformation that supposedly led to the unrest in Leicester came from India. “Some 80% of tweets with geographic coordinates, or geo-tagged information, were connected to India, Logically said,” the Reuters journalist wrote.

Logically’s claim that ‘fake news’ was manufactured in India was based on the fact that the majority of the tweets about Leicester violence originated from India.

“The ratio of tweets geo-tagged to the UK versus those geo-tagged to India was remarkably high for what, ostensibly, was a domestic incident. The involvement of high-profile figures in India setting the discourse was a key element,” a spokesperson claimed.

BBC made a similar claim based on Indians posting tweets with hashtags such as #Leicester, #HindusUnderAttack and #HindusUnderattackinUK

Given that the Hindu population in India is close to a billion and that the community was concerned about the atrocities committed by Islamists in far-off Leicester, it explains why most tweets demanding justice for Hindus were from India.

A Hindu temple was indeed desecrated by an Islamist, a fact testified by the police and conceded by a Muslim journalist. This however did not Rina Chandran from claiming, “Many of the misleading posts alleging that Hindus and Hindu sites were being attacked came from India, the analysis showed.”

The brown sepoy then went a step ahead and blamed the ruling BJP government for events that unfolded in Leicester in England. “Some commentators and rights groups say India’s ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party has a hand in the social-media warfare that targets religious and ethnic minorities,” she wrote.

Screengrab of the scroll article

Nonetheless, the left-propagandist website Scroll republished her article and further amplified her propaganda piece among its Indian reader base.

Rina Chandran and her contentious views

The Reuters journalist then cited Thenmozhi Soundararajan of Equality Labs and dubious ‘fact-checkers’ such as Pratik Sinha to further her claims.

None of this is surprising, however, given that Rina Chandran has a history of peddling fake news. For years now, Chandran has been using social media platforms to vilify Hindus and make false allegations against them. In April this year, Chandran resorted to scaremongering and spreading fake news alleging that Hindu goons in India were destroying Muslim livelihoods, but without providing any evidence to prove her claims.

Rina Chandran
Source: Twitter

On one occasion, she has also equated Hindus with white supremacists, underscoring her hatred for the followers of one of the oldest and most composite faiths in the world.

Rina Chandran
Screengrab of the tweet

Rina Chandran is not new to drawing false equivalence or defaming Hinduism at a global level, based on her skewed understanding of faith. She has also cast aspersions on Indian democracy and the autonomy of its institutions through her tweets. And these credentials made her a worthy candidate for leftist rag Scroll to piggyback on the claims made by her and peddle the false narrative that Hindus in India are responsible for the havoc wreaked by Islamists in Leicester.

Mahsa Amini died due to illness and not because of police beatings, claims Iran

OpIndia Staff
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Mahsa Amini died due to illness and not because of police beatings, claims Iran

Three weeks after the death of an Iranian woman named Mahsa Amini, Iran’s Forensic Organisation revealed a report stating that the woman had died due to illness and not due to blows and beatings given to her in police custody. “Mahsa Amini’s death was not caused by blows to the head and vital organs and limbs of the body. Her death was related to surgery for a brain tumour at the age of eight”, the medical report read.

Mahsa Amini dies after being taken into custody by ‘morality police’

According to the reports, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was abducted by the ‘morality police’ in Tehran for not complying with the mandatory hijab laws of the country. Amini who was on a pleasure trip to Tehran had not covered her hair properly in the hijab. She was arrested by the police and then beaten in the police van while being taken to a detention centre, dubbed as a ‘re-education class’ for not conforming to the country’s mandatory hijab rules.

The police took the woman to the police station on Vozara Avenue where already dozens of other women were being held for not following the hijab rules. They beat the women and schooled them about the proper dress rules of the country. Mahsa was brutally beaten and taken to the hospital after she stopped responding in the custody. The doctors at the hospital stated that her heart continued to beat but her brain was no longer functioning.

The Police back then had tried to cover up the matter. The Tehran Police released a statement claiming that Mahsa was already suffering from a heart problem and that she was never beaten in the custody. “The police cooperated and provided her immediate medical facility”, the statement read. The girl however died three days after the incident.

Amini’s custodial death sparks anti-hijab protests across Iran

Her killing sparked massive protests in Iran, with women taking to the streets to up raise their voices against the regime. Several ladies including school-going girls burnt their hijabs in sympathy with the tragedy, while women all throughout the world trimmed their hair in the protest. Protests erupted in dozens of places around the country in the aftermath of her death after which the government retaliated with a harsh crackdown.

Meanwhile, in reaction to the death of the Iranian woman, the US placed further penalties on Iranian government officials on Thursday, as protests engulfed dozens of Iranian cities for weeks and developed into the broadest threat to Iran’s authority in years. The US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control identified seven high-ranking leaders for punitive measures as a result of Iran’s internet shutdown, suppression of free expression, and violence against protesters and civilians.

Sanctions have been imposed on Iran’s interior and communications ministers, as well as many law enforcement officials. In recent months, Iran’s state-sponsored ethical patrols have increased their appearance in major cities, intimidating and pulling women from the streets due to their attire choices.

Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the hijab became mandatory in public for Iranian women and girls above the age of nine in Iran. Many Iranian women have broken the prohibition and pushed the limits of what officials consider acceptable apparel throughout the years.

Delhi HC reserves plea of AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan challenging the order declaring him ‘BC’

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi HC reserves plea of AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan challenging the order declaring him ‘BC’

On Friday, the Delhi High Court reserved its order on the plea of AAP MLA and an accused in the Waqf Board irregularities case Amanatullah Khan, challenging the Delhi police order declaring him a bad character (BC).

SHO Jamia Nagar had prepared a dossier on March 28 proposing opening a “history sheet” against Khan and labelling him a “Bad Character” as he had been previously involved in 18 cases. On March 29 and 30, the ACP, New Friends Colony, and the DCP, South-East, respectively, approved the decision.

He began his business in Jamia Nagar and quickly formed a group with people from his village and nearby villages, engaging in land grabbing and illegal building projects. Intimidation, threatening, bodily harm, riots, impeding the performance of public officials’ duties, and fostering hatred between groups and communities were among the most common charges brought against him, according to a report from the Jamia Nagar police station.

According to Delhi Police, Khan was declared a “history-sheeter” and “bad character” on March 30 and has more than 18 FIRs registered against him. Police claim that Khan is declared a ‘history-sheeter’ and a ‘Bad Character’ because he is a habitual offender and has serious cases such as land-grabbing and assault lodged against him.

The order came just days after a court last week granted bail to AAP MLA saying that “prima facie the allegations against the accused are not grave and serious in nature”.

The FIR states that Khan engaged in a number of irregularities while serving as the head of the Delhi Waqf Board, including illegally hiring 32 people while flouting all rules and regulations.

According to the CEO of the Waqf Board’s testimony, the court found that it was “prima facie demonstrated that the accused, as Chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board, proceeded with the recruitment in violation of the Delhi government’s instruction, just to favour his relatives and members of his constituency.” 

The court ruled that there was no material on record to support Khan receiving bribes from any contractual employees.

Noticeably, Delhi police had registered 3 FIRs against the supporters of Amanatullah Khan for attacking an ACP and ACB, and for possessing illegal weapons and live cartridges and Rs 10 lakh cash. Two FIRs have been registered against his aides Hamid Ali & Kausar Imam Siddique, and a 3rd for blocking the raiding party of ACB in the discharge of government duty.

BJP files complaint against Arvind Kejriwal and AAP MLA Rajendra Pal over conversion rally, accuses them of attempting to incite riots

OpIndia Staff
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BJP files complaint against Arvind Kejriwal and AAP MLA Rajendra Pal over conversion rally, accuses them of attempting to incite riots

In relation to a conversion video, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lodged a complaint against AAP minister Rajendra Pal Gautam on Friday. On October 5, the Delhi BJP released a video of Gautam taking part in a ceremony when almost 10,000 Hindus converted to Buddhism.

The AAP minister and other guests made a vow not to worship Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva, Lord Brahma, Lord Ram, Lord Krishna, Goddess Gauri, Ganpati, or any other Hindu God after joining Buddhism.

On Friday, Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta went to the Parliament Street police station to file a case against Gautam. The BJP accused the AAP minister Rajendra Gautam of “provoking general public at large against the Hindus and subsequently defaming them to incite riot, violence and public nuisance by making statements in Ambedkar Bhavan and sharing the same on social media platforms.”

The complaint accused Arvind Kejriwal of collaborating with Gautam, adding, “Arvind Kejriwal in conspiracy with Rajendra Pal Gautam and other unknown persons used social media platforms to build a tensed situation by spreading such videos. It can be made out that the posts quoted above are prima facie acts of criminal nature with criminal motive of dividing the country on the basis of religion resulting in violence, riots and the overall spread of enmity between various religions.”

Further, the complaint reads, “I shall be grateful if you kindly investigate the matter by Special Investigation team and take appropriate steps to unearth the conspiracy and motive behind this, as prescribed by law and charge the accused criminally or take any other action as you may deem fit in these above-mentioned circumstances.”

Gupta and BJP MP Manoj Tiwari held a news conference earlier today, accusing the AAP administration of “anti-Hindu” acts and disrespecting Hindu deities.

Tiwari stated that this is a slap in the face to Hinduism and Buddhism. “AAP ministers are attempting to incite riots. The minister should immediately be removed from the party. We’re submitting a complaint against him,” he added. 

Gautam has insulted Hindu deities, said Adesh Gupta, who was also present at the press conference. Gupta stated that Kejriwal’s minister Rajendra Gautam’s insulting of Hindu deities is unacceptable and that he should be penalised. He asserted that the AAP’s history has always been one of inciting hatred and denigrating the Hindu faith.

Rajendra Pal Gautam, AAP MLA (Seemapuri), was sighted at a ceremony when 10,000 Hindus got converted to Buddhism on Wednesday (October 5). The Buddhist Society of India hosted the contentious event in the Dr BR Ambedkar Bhavan in Jhandewalan, New Delhi.

Gautam, the Delhi Cabinet’s Social Welfare Minister, rushed to Twitter to celebrate the widespread conversion of Hindus. The ceremony coincided with the Hindu festival of Dusshera, which commemorates Lord Ram’s triumph over Ravana.

US issues travel advisory to its citizens planning to go to Pakistan, cites terrorism and kidnappings

OpIndia Staff
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US issues travel advisory to its citizens planning to go to Pakistan, cites terrorism and kidnappings

Due to terrorism and sectarian violence, the United States has issued a travel warning to its nationals, urging them to rethink travels to high-risk regions in Pakistan. The US has advised its nationals not to go to Balochistan province and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province, including the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), owing to terrorism and abductions, according to a Level 3 travel advice released on Thursday 6th October 2022.

It was advised that owing to the threat of terrorism and the possibility of violent conflict, the area immediately bordering the Line of Control is dangerous. Terrorists may strike with little or no notice, targeting transportation hubs, marketplaces, retail malls, defence installations, airports, colleges, tourist destinations, schools, hospitals, places of worship, and state buildings, according to the advisory, which warned its residents that terror groups are still planning attacks in Pakistan.

It alerted the public to the fact that terrorists had previously targeted US diplomats and diplomatic buildings. The advisory encouraged US nationals to be wary of their surroundings and local happenings. It added, “A local history of terrorism and ongoing ideological aspirations of violence by extremist elements have led to indiscriminate attacks on civilian as well as local military and police targets. Terrorist attacks continue to happen across Pakistan, with most occurring in Balochistan and KPK, including the former FATA. Large-scale terrorist attacks have resulted in numerous casualties.”

The US administration also stated that owing to the security situation, it had a “limited capacity to offer emergency services to its people in Pakistan.” The advisory said, “Travel by US government personnel within Pakistan is restricted, and additional restrictions on movements by US government personnel outside of US diplomatic facilities may occur at any time, depending on local circumstances and security conditions, which can change suddenly. The US Consulate General in Peshawar is unable to provide any consular services to US citizens”

Due to the unpredictability of the security situation in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan, the advice urged citizens to take extreme care. It further said, “Do not travel to Balochistan province. Active terrorist groups, an active separatist movement, sectarian conflicts, and deadly terrorist attacks against civilians, government offices, and security forces destabilize the province, including all major cities. In 2019, several bombings occurred in Balochistan province that resulted in injuries and deaths.”

About the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the US advisory said, “Do not travel to KPK province, which includes the former FATA. Active terrorist and insurgent groups routinely conduct attacks against civilians, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), government offices, and security forces. These groups historically have not discriminated between government officials and civilians. Assassination and kidnapping attempts are common, including the targeting of polio eradication teams.”

Noida: Amjad, Rashid and half-a-dozen Islamists attack BJYM leader Abhishek Rathaur for supporting Nupur Sharma

OpIndia Staff
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Noida: Amjad, Rashid and half-a-dozen Islamists attack BJYM leader Abhishek Rathaur for supporting Nupur Sharma

A leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party Youth Wing was attacked by Islamists for supporting former BJP Spokesperson Nupur Sharma. The youth leader, Abhishek Singh Rathaur, shared the information about the attack against him on Twitter. “Because I supported Nupur Sharma, the people of the Muslim community ambushed and attacked me,” Rathaur tweeted.

OpIndia reached out to Abhishek in order to learn more about the incident. Abhishek, who is from Champaran in Bihar, lives in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, and works for the BJP as a Yuva Morcha worker. He was on his way to a restaurant in Noida Sector 44 yesterday when he noticed a gathering of individuals involved in a political conversation. Abhishek joined them in the discourse.

“Because I am politically active, I felt inclined to take part in the discussion and share my opinions. There, I discussed a variety of subjects, including the Nupur Sharma controversy,” said Abhishek. However, as he left the discussion and moved forward, around half a dozen people with rods and sharp objects attacked him from behind.

“They attacked me from behind. I remember the names of two of them, Amjad and Rashid,” Abhishek added. Abhishek stated that they were all standing beside him when the discussion was going on and they kept listening to him speaking and as he moved away, they attacked him with the intention to kill.

Two friends of Abhishek saved him as he fell unconscious and took him to the hospital. There he was given emergency treatment and the police were informed. Abhishek has been discharged now from the hospital and has submitted a written complaint to Noida ACP Rajneesh Verma, who has ordered an investigation into the matter.

This attack on Abhishek is the latest in a string of assaults following the controversy over Nupur Sharma’s comments during a TV debate, which has taken a terrible turn, with Sharma receiving numerous death threats and numerous others being attacked by Islamists simply for supporting her on social media and elsewhere. Many individuals have already been brutally killed by Islamists because of their support for Nupur Sharma. Several other persons have received death threats.

Further, the terrorist organisation Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) threatened Hindus and Sikhs in June of this year in response to Nupur Sharma’s remarks on Prophet Muhammad. On June 6, this year, Al Qaeda issued a letter threatening suicide bombings in Delhi, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat in order to “fight for the honour of the Prophet.”

Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi counters actor Kamal Hassan, says Cholas spread Sanatan Dharma in many countries

OpIndia Staff
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Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi counters actor Kamal Hassan, says Cholas spread Sanatan Dharma in many countries

Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi criticized Kamal Haasan’s claim that Hinduism did not exist during the Chola empire. On Friday, 7th October 2022, Abhishek Manu Singhvi said in a tweet that Tamilians adhered to Sanatan Dharma while acknowledging that the term Hindu may not have been in use at the time.

He also noted that the Cholas propagated the Hindu religion to many nations in addition to worshipping a number of Hindu deities, including Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. In a subtle jab at the actor-turned-politician Kamal Hassan, the Congress MP emphasized that the negation of religion is not a fundamental principle in Tamil Nadu.

Abhishek Manu Sanghvi said, “The term Hindu didn’t exist, but Sanatan Dharma was the foundation of early Tamils. Cholas worshipped Shiva, Vishnu & Durga & spread Sanatan to many countries. Denial of religion or God is not foundational in Tamilnadu. Yes, ritualism & religious elitism are rightly decried.”

Actor-turned-politician Kamal Hassan had jumped into the current row about the Chola king Rajaraja Chola. The controversy erupted after Tamil director Vetrimaaran claimed that the Chola king was not a Hindu. Kamal Hassan then said that there was no Hindu religion during the time of the Chola king.

Kamal Hassan said, “There was no name called ‘Hindu religion’ during Raja Raja Cholan’s period. At that time there were Vaishnavas and Shaivites. It was the British who coined the term ‘Hindu’ because they did not know how to express it collectively. It’s just like they turned Thoothukudi into Tuticorin.” Haasan further said that many religions and faiths were flourishing among the people in the eighth century.

Interestingly, an old video of Kamal Hassan’s interview with Karan Thapar is going viral on social media after this remark by the actor. In this video, he said that he used to spread the message of Christ to the world.

While it is true that the term Hindu, used to describe the followers of Sanatan Dharma, didn’t exist at the time of Cholas, it does not mean Hinduism or the Sanathan Dharma didn’t exist at that time. The Chola kingdom had built several magnificent Hindu temples. Abhishek Manu Singhvi has now come ahead to refute the claims made by Kamal Hassan that there was no Hinduism in the Cholas regime.

Varanasi court defers verdict on plea seeking carbon dating of Shivling found in Gyanvapi, verdict likely on October 11

OpIndia Staff
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Varanasi court defers verdict on plea seeking carbon dating of Shivling found in Gyanvapi, verdict likely on October 11

The Varanasi High Court on Thursday postponed hearing on a petition by Hindu devotees seeking carbon dating of the Shivling discovered within the disputed Gyanvapi mosque premises until October 11. The bench led by District Judge AK Vishvesha announced that the decision would be issued at 2 pm on Tuesday.

The Court had ordered the filming of the disputed Mosque earlier this year based on a petition that requested permission to offer prayers to the Hindu deities on the outer side of the disputed Gyanvapi mosque. Following the filming, a Shivling was discovered in the ‘wuzukhana’, a place where Muslim devotees were washing their hands and feet before offering namaz. 

However, the mosque administration denied any such existence, blatantly claiming that it was instead a component of the fountain system. “The court asked us to clarify two points – whether the structure found inside the mosque is a part of this suit property or not? Secondly, can the court issue a commission for scientific inquiry? We have submitted our reply,” Advocate Vishnu Jain, representing the Hindu side in the case was quoted saying.

“We said that it is part of our suit property and by virtue of Order 26 Rule 10A of CPC (Civil Procedure Code), the court has the power to direct scientific investigation. The Muslim side has sought some time to reply. The matter will now be heard on October 11,” he added.

Last month, the Varanasi district court had urged the Muslim side to register its objections after the plea was admitted. According to the Hindu side, its request was for seeking permission for carbon dating of the Shivling located on the Gyanvapi mosque compound, walls, and other buildings on the masjid complex.

However, there appeared to be a split among the Hindu litigants later on, when one of them filed a protest. Rakhi Singh, one of the five female plaintiffs in the Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi complex dispute, stated that carbon dating of the Shivling is anti-religious conduct and it would result in a mockery of the Sanatanis (Hindus) sentiments and beliefs.

According to Jitendra Singh Bisen, chairman of Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Singh and Rakhi Singh’s representative, it might be regarded as an act of desecration.  “It’s like placing a question mark on Shivling’s existence,” he had stated.

The Shringar Gauri-Gyanvapi complex lawsuit has been a sensitive one, with the initial action seeking the restoration of the ancient Kashi Vishwanath Temple on the site of the Gyanvapi Mosque. Five female Hindu petitioners argued in the complaint that the mosque is a component of the temple.

Meanwhile, on September 29, the Allahabad high court granted an interim stay on a Varanasi court judgement mandating the Archaeological Assessment of India to perform a survey of the Kashi Vishwanath temple-Gyanvapi mosque complex until October 31.

Congress, AAP stoop lower, poke fun at PM as the front section of Vande Bharat train gets damaged after animal collision

OpIndia Staff
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Congress, AAP stoop lower, poke fun at PM as the front section of Vande Bharat train gets damaged after animal collision

Several political parties, including the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, and Samajwadi Party, criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and tried to use a minor incident with the Vande Bharat train as a chance to sly on the BJP government.

The pictures of the damage to the front section of the Mumbai-Gandhinagar Vande Bharat Express train when it collided with several buffaloes in Gujarat were used by many Congress and AAP members. The Congress party’s official Twitter account poked fun at the disaster and targeted PM Modi.

Congress party wrote, “Buffalo crashed with the Vande Bharat train, breaking the front end of the train. PM Modi inaugurated it just 6 days ago.”

On similar lines, Aam Aadmi Party leader and MLA Naresh Balyan took to Twitter and wrote, “The train, which was started by the great man 5 days ago, got damaged by a buffalo today. The buffalo accident caused the front portion of the train’s engine to break. A buffalo hit the locomotive for the first time in 70 years, and the engine of the train was shattered. This is the quality of their work.”

Rajkumar Bhati, a spokesperson of the Samajwadi Party poked fun at PM Modi writing “Train is big or buffalo? This is the new phrase. The Vande Bharat train inaugurated by Modi Ji broke down due to a buffalo collision…”

Several other people and parties made fun of the accident, holding the Prime Minister responsible for the damage. It is funny to note that none of them looked into the technical details of the accident, which could have cost many lives had the train got derailed from the tracks.

The nose of the newly inaugurated Mumbai Central-Gandhinagar Vande Bharat Express train was damaged when it collided with a herd of buffaloes near Ahmedabad at about 11:15 AM on Thursday, while on its route to Gandhinagar. The nose cone was composed of FRP (fibre-reinforced plastic).

It is widely accepted that even little projectiles colliding with fast-moving vehicles, such as trains and aeroplanes, have the ability to cause serious damage. Fortunately, a disaster was averted due to the attentiveness of the loco pilots, and the mishap did not halt the train, which continued immediately after removing the carcasses and arrived in Gandhinagar on time.

Plane damaged due to bird strike. (Image: nypost)

The train has been repaired and is set to resume its services. However, the attitude of Congress, AAP and other parties got exposed as they stoop lower to criticise everything for the sake of narrow political gain.

Belarusian rights activist Ales Bialiatski wins Nobel Peace Prize, TIME Magazine, which had listed AltNews duo as ‘favourites’, had not included his name

OpIndia Staff
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Belarusian rights activist Ales Bialiatski wins Nobel Peace Prize, TIME Magazine, which had listed AltNews duo as ‘favourites’, had not included his name

Human rights advocate Ales Bialiatski from Belarus, the Russian human rights organisation Memorial and the Ukrainian human rights group Center for Civil Liberties have won the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to document human rights abuses.

The winner was announced Friday in Oslo, Norway by Berit Reiss-Andersen, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

Interestingly, Ales Bialiatski, who won the 2022 Nobel peace prize, did not even find a mention in the Time Magazine’s list of favourites to win the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize”, which had named self-proclaimed fact-checkers and founders of propaganda website Alt News, Muhammed Zubair and Pratik Sinha as the contenders for the award.

It may be recalled that TIME Magazine had placed Mohammed Zubair and Pratik Sinha, founders of the fake news factory that calls itself the “fact-checking” website Alt News, among the list of prospective winners for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize alongside Volodymyr Zelensky, WHO, David Attenborough, Greta Thunberg, Alexey Navalny among others.

Mohammad Zubair is the man responsible for unleashing the wave of Islamist violence in India that resulted in the death of at least 6 Hindus, including Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur and Umesh Kolhe in Amravati. These brutal deaths were a direct fallout of Mohammed Zubair’s dangerous dog-whistling against ex-BJP leader Nupur Sharma, which instigated Islamists, who then went on to kill the Hindus who came out in support of the BJP leader. Not only this, Zubair was arrested in June for hurting religious sentiments, destroying evidence, and other charges majorly belonged to Pakistan, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and other middle-east nations.

Considering all these facts are in the public domain, it is incredibly ironic that the Times Magazine included his name on a list of qualified contenders for the Nobel Peace Prize 2022.

While making a case for their win, Time Magazine described Sinha and Zubair as crusaders battling misinformation online, conveniently missing out and pointing out occasions when the two were caught red-handed spreading fake news and falsehoods. 

“Journalists Pratik Sinha and Mohammed Zubair, co-founders of Indian fact-checking website AltNews, have relentlessly been battling misinformation in India, where the Hindu nationalist BJP party has been accused of frequently stoking discrimination against Muslims,” read the article on TIME Magazine, dressing up pro-Congress propagandists as ‘journalists’ and revealing the organisation’s penchant for vilifying the democratically elected government of India, besides scaremongering over the imaginary institutional “discrimination” against Muslims. 

As Time’s report authored by Sanya Mansoor got published, several leftist Indian media houses like The News Minute, Outlook India, NDTV, The Wire, The Pioneer etc as well as the liberal cabal jumped to the front to announce that the duo got “nominated” for the Nobel Peace Prize or at least suggested that they are indeed in the race.

OpIndia had, however, debunked the claim by pointing out how there is no such thing as an official list from which the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded, and that the names cited by TIME Magazine were simply speculations made by a media organisation whose ideology is anchored in the global left. But cheerleaders of Zubair and Sinha, who extol them for “fact-checking”, could not distinguish between a shortlist and a speculative list by a media organisation.

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