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Maharashtra: Suspected conversion bid by Christian proselytisers foiled in Solapur, FIR registered

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Maharashtra: Suspected conversion bid by Christian proselytisers foiled in Solapur, FIR registered

A suspected conversion bid by Christian foreigners was foiled in rural parts of the Solapur district of Maharashtra on 19th September 2022. An FIR was registered against nine accused in the Natepute police station under section 295A of the Indian Penal Code, after two locals Devanand Kokate and Subhash Khilare filed a complaint.

In the complaint, Devanand Kokate and Subhash Khilare mentioned that on 19th September 2022, three unknown foreigners, Suhas Bawdekar and Shamrao alias Samson Kshirsagar (both residents of Solapur), and three unknown persons from Solapur gathered at Mahadev Landge’s house in the Mandve village in the Malshiras taluka of the Solapur district with the attempt of enticing and beguiling unsuspecting villagers into embracing Christianity.

An FIR was registered based on the complaint filed by Devanand Kokate and Subhash Khilare.

It is further said in the FIR, “Mahadev Landge had invited more than 100 Hindus belonging to the Matang caste and started the meeting. The foreigners were saying something. The people from Solapur were translating those things into Marathi so that the listeners understand them. They said that Jesus is the best and the Christian religion is the best of all religions and Hinduism is a bad religion. Hinduism is regressive while Jesus and Christianity are advanced. If you embrace Christianity, you will attain salvation. Surrender yourself to Jesus. He will relieve you from your ailments. He will finish off your poverty. And we pray to Jesus for that.”

“Showing such baits, they tried to take disadvantage of the ignorance of the common Hindus and attempted to inculcate superstitions in their minds. In this way, they asked people to leave Hinduism and convert to Christianity. While appealing to people to do so, they insulted Hinduism and various Hindu faiths.” It is notable that the Matang caste is one of the scheduled castes in Maharashtra,” the complaint read.

Source:

The three foreigners are US citizens. They are identified as Nathan Tucker (age 25, resident of Oklahoma, USA), Steven Ray (age 58, resident of California, USA), and Daniel Jordan (age 39, resident of Arkansas, USA). All three were detained by the police and released after a few hours. The police are further investigating the case. It is also being checked if any Visa rules are violated by these foreigners.

Devanand Kokate and Subhash Khilare are social workers in this area. They took an initiative to inform the local police as they saw suspicious Christian foreigners preaching Christianity to ignorant local Hindus. Kokate and Khilare have also submitted a memorandum to the superintendent of police of the Solapur district to look into this matter and take strict action against the accused.

Two Hindu temples vandalised and idols smashed within days in Trinidad, Biblical verses written on Kali Mandir walls, Ganesh Mandir looted

OpIndia Staff
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Two Hindu temples vandalised and idols smashed within days in Trinidad, Biblical verses written on Kali Mandir walls, Ganesh Mandir looted

As Hindus across the world are celebrating Navaratri and Durga festivals, two Hindu temples were vandalised and desecrated this week in Trinidad in the Caribbean nation Trinidad and Tobago. The temples which were attacked are located in Couva and Penal towns on the island.

On September 28th, a Kali Mata temple in Carli Bay in Couva was vandalised and desecrated by unknown miscreants. The vandals had broken into the temple in the night and damaged the idol of Goddess Kali. They also smeared olive oil on the idol.

The attackers wrote a verse from Bible on the walls of the temple, which contains a warning against non-Christians. They wrote ‘Read Exodus 20:3-4’ in big red letters on the outer walls of the temple.

Exodus is a book in the Holy Bible, and in chapter 20 of the book, verse 3 says, “You shall have no other gods before me.” And verse 4 in the same chapter says, “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.”

The message indicates that some Christian fanatics attacked the temple.

Pundit Satyanand Maharaj said that the incident took place after members of the temple left for their homes after completing Navaratri services. He said, “Today they woke to find the mandir broken into and their murti or consecrated image of the Divine Mother destroyed and smeared with olive oil! A warning from Exodus 20:3-4 was painted on the outside. A report was made to the Couva Police Station, however, no receipt for the report was issued by the TTPS.”

The temple priest further added, “While Trinidad and Tobago is a multi-religious country where we all enjoy freedom of worship, it seems that some people are bent on destroying the peaceful co-existence that religious groups enjoy. This act of violence under the guise of Christianity must be condemned by all people of Faith.”

However, the worship in the temple continued as devotees attended the temple yesterday and sang devotional songs outside the defaced temple. Many regular devotees shed tears seeing their idol smashed, as they had contributed to building the temple.

The attack on the Kali temple in Couva took place just a week after a Ganesh Mandir was vandalised in Penal on the night of 22 September. Worshipers at Lakrani Ganesh Mandir at Gopie Trace discovered on Friday morning that the temple was broken into from the back door. It was found that a Ganesh murti was broken, clothes were pulled out from other murtis, and a cigarette butt was left behind. The vandal had also drunk milk kept in a fridge in the temple and ate some nuts kept there.

A speaker box worth between $3,000 and $4,000 was also stolen, which was mounted on a tripod. A flash drive with religious information was also missing, but later it was found. CCTV footage from that night showed a man walking along the road with the speaker box from the temple, indicating that it was the job of only one man.

Temple’s vice president Rekha Cassie, who first discovered the vandalism, said, “We saw the temple was broken into through the back door. The person kicked open the door, burst up the locks and entered the temple, ransacked the temple, came inside, searched the murtis between the clothes to see if there was money hidden there, damaged our donation box and took one of the speakers from the temple.”

The police suspect that the man had broken into the temple with the intention of stealing money offered by devotees, as he might have visited the temple earlier and saw people offering money as part of religious rituals. But he didn’t get any money as the temple management does not keep money in the temple in the night. It is also suspected that the attacker broke the Ganesh Murti thinking money could be hidden inside it.

‘BJP govt implemented development projects without wasting money on publicity’: PM Modi in Gujarat while launching several projects

OpIndia Staff
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‘BJP govt implemented development projects without wasting money on publicity’: PM Modi in Gujarat while launching several projects

Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated on Thursday that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Gujarat completed various large-scale projects along the state’s coastline without wasting money on publicity. Modi was addressing a public rally in Bhavnagar city of Gujarat’s Saurashtra region after launching projects worth over Rs 6,000 crore.

PM Modi is on a two-day trip to Gujarat where, besides attending a number of rallies and roadshows, he inaugurated and laid the groundwork for projects worth Rs 9,400 crore, declared the 36th National Games open, launched the new and improved Vande Bharat Express from Gandhinagar and also inaugurated Phase I of the Ahmedabad Metro rail project between Thaltej and Vastral.

Addressing a public rally in Bhavnagar city on Thursday, Modi further stated that by implementing the Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation (SAUNI) programme, he had proven his detractors wrong.

“We did all this work without making any noise or wasting money on publicity. For us, power is only a means to serve the people,” Modi said addressing a huge crowd.

“I have proved everyone wrong by implementing the SAUNI Yojana, which was once dubbed as an election-centric announcement. We always stick to our promises. We (BJP) are those who live for the society,” the Prime Minister added.

Modi started the ambitious SAUNI Yojana while he was Gujarat’s chief minister. The programme aims to fill 115 major dams by channelling floodwaters from the Sardar Sarovar Dam across the Narmada River to drought-stricken districts.

PM Modi is on a two-day trip to Gujarat. On Thursday, Modi inaugurated and laid the groundwork for projects worth Rs 9,400 crore, attended a Navratri ceremony hosted by the Gujarat government, and declared the 36th National Games open.

The PM also held two roadshows in the poll-bound state, in Surat and Bhavnagar, where he was greeted by cheering crowds. He also went to Ahmedabad on Thursday.

On Friday, PM Modi launched the new and improved Vande Bharat Express from Gandhinagar.

This train, which connects the capital cities of Maharashtra and Gujarat, is the third Vande Bharat Express in the country. The first such train was started on the New Delhi-Varanasi route, while the second one on the New Delhi-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra route.

Besides, PM Narendra Modi, Friday inaugurated Phase I of the Ahmedabad Metro rail project between Thaltej and Vastral.

Speaking on the occasion, Modi said, “today is a big day for India of 21st century, for urban connectivity and for India to become self-reliant.”

“India of the 21st century is going to get new momentum from the cities of the country. With the changing times, it is necessary to continuously modernize our cities with the changing needs. The system of transport in the city should be modern, there should be seamless connectivity, and one means of transport should support the other,” Modi added.

He added how Gandhinagar-Ahmedabad is an excellent example of how a twin city can grow. “Gujarat is developing a number of twin cities along the same lines. Until recently, people talked about New York-New Jersey. My India cannot be left behind, said the PM.

Lauding the BJP government in the state, Modi said, “We started the FAME scheme to manufacture and operate electric buses for our poor, middle-class people in cities to get rid of smoky buses. So far, more than seven thousand electric buses have been approved in the country under this scheme.”

Pakistan Railways come to a standstill owing to crippling fuel shortage, only two passenger trains remain operational

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan Railways come to a standstill owing to crippling fuel shortage, only two passenger trains remain operational

The deepening fuel crisis in Pakistan has disrupted Pakistan Railways (PR) services, with trains progressively grinding to a halt. Several stations have ran out of fuel to keep the engines running. To alleviate the difficulty, Pakistan Railways is acquiring diesel from private companies. Reportedly, the fuel shortage is chronic owing to low income.

According to the reports, there are various reasons for the suspension of railway services across Pakistan, including a shortage of money as the state body continues to suffer financial setbacks as a result of the floods.

Amir Baloch, Additional General Manager, denied any diesel problem and confirmed that the Pakistan Railways was getting diesel from a private business. “The railroads will continue to purchase diesel from the private sector as needed,” he said. Reports mention that one of the contributing causes is the major disruption in railway operations caused by disastrous floods, as well as the resultant losses and damages. As a result, the railways have been unable to receive their monthly revenue.

The Lahore engine shed management had just 90,000 litres of diesel on hand, while the fuel at the Faisalabad station was not anticipated to last a day as of Tuesday. The problem is even worse in Multan and Sukkur divisions. The sole dedicated freight train and two passenger trains functioning on the entire network, however, were receiving much-needed diesel from the Lahore government.

According to local reports, the railway network now has only one train running between Lahore and Rawalpindi, one Khyber Mail train from Peshawar to Rohri station, and a few freight trains. Notably, Pakistan’s energy situation is expected to intensify as the country tries to obtain LNG at a reasonable price from the international market that has been severely impacted by the political fallout from the Russia-Ukraine war.

Furthermore, as fuel prices have risen, Pakistan’s energy production costs have also risen. Almost two-thirds of the country’s power is produced from fossil fuels. Crude oil prices have also reached their highest level in three years, reaching USD 86 a barrel. The energy situation is intensifying as the cost of LNG rises, and Pakistan is on track to face its third consecutive winter energy crisis due to a shortage of energy resources.

As Kharge files nomination for Congress President poll, an old video where he warns the country about Sanatan Dharma ruling the nation goes viral

OpIndia Staff
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As Kharge files nomination for Congress President poll, an old video where he warns the country about Sanatan Dharma ruling the nation goes viral

Hours after Mallikarjun Kharge filed nomination for Congress President elections, an old video where he warns the country about Sanatan Dharma ruling the nation went viral. Kharge gave this statement before the 2019 general elections. In this video, Mallikarjun Kharge first criticizes Narendra Modi’s work during his tenure as the prime minister and then warned the countrymen about Sanatan Dharma ruling the nation.

In this viral video, Mallikarjun Kharge said, “They did not march ahead even four steps and now they are asking us what we have done. If Modi Ji gets more power in the country, then once again there will be a rule of Sanatan Dharma and RSS in this country.”

Mallikarjun Kharge hand made the comment during an event in 2018, a clip of which was posted on Twitter at that time by BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra.

Mallikarjun Kharge filed his nomination after Digvijay Singh denied contesting the election for the post of party president. Following a one-day stint, veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh Friday withdrew from the race for the party’s presidential chair. The development came on Friday, 30 September, the last day for filing nominations. Interestingly, only yesterday, Digvijaya Singh had confirmed that he would be contending for the post alongside Congress senior leader and the Lok Sabha MP from Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor.

Announcing his withdrawal, Singh told the media that he would become the proposer for Kharge instead. “I met Kharge Ji yesterday to tell him that I will not contest if he is planning to, he is my leader. He told me yesterday that he is not willing to. Today, I came to know from the press that he is a contender. So, I met him today morning to convey that if he is contending, I won’t.” Now, Mallikarjun Kharge’s old video criticizing Modi and Sanatan Dharma has gone viral.

‘The party high-command culture to expire soon’: Shashi Tharoor bats for workers taking party decisions rather than top leaders. What he said

OpIndia Staff
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‘The party high-command culture to expire soon’: Shashi Tharoor bats for workers taking party decisions rather than top leaders. What he said

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who has filed his nomination for the post of Congress president, said that the expiry date of the ‘high command’ culture has come closer. Shashi Tharoor made this statement on 30th September 2022 in an interview with ABP News.

Shashi Tharoor said that it is time that the party’s decisions be taken from the bottom and not from the top. Earlier, every decision was from the top, which was not right, he said. On being asked why he is contesting the election, Tharoor said, “Elections in our party are very good for India’s democracy. This is not a fight of enemies, we have worked together. Everyone is fighting elections together in a good atmosphere. India needs a strong opposition.”

He further said, “We have to pull back our voters. It is not that all have become staunch Hindutvawadis and will vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party. Many people are dissatisfied with the BJP, and they want to see whether the Congress is successful or not. I want to show that there should be a change in Congress.”

When asked about what is his opinion about the G-23 group of senior Congress leaders, Shashi Tharoor said, “There was no such group. It is in the minds of the media. Senior Congress leaders had written a letter. All those who were in Delhi had signed that letter. At that time only 23 people were in Delhi, so it is called G-23. Many of them have left Congress. I have always given many suggestions to the Congress high-command and said that there is a need for reform within our party. I had raised questions before the G-23 as well.”

Shashi Tharoor also expressed his views on top leaders leaving the party and the need to consider party workers while making any decisions. He said, “When so many people have left the party, it is time to implement the new model. In this, we should provide strength to the workers on the ground. Let them decide what their future will be. Socializing should increase and the grievances of the workers should be heard. Whenever a big decision is taken by the top leadership, it should be discussed with the party workers first.”

Shashi Tharoor was also asked, in this interview, about how he will revive the party organization if he becomes the president. He told in his answer to this question, “There is a need for de-centralization within the party. It has been a habit in the party for years that everything is fixed in Delhi. The party members come from blocks, districts, and states. The party should be strong there. No ground worker in the party has authority and all decisions are made at the top. It should be left to the states to do their job. Nowadays, the name of district Congress presidents is also decided from Delhi, whereas, its authority should be with the state office-bearer.”

Bihar: BJP leader and contractor Bablu Singh shot by two masked miscreants in broad daylight in Arrah

OpIndia Staff
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Bihar: BJP leader and contractor Bablu Singh shot by two masked miscreants in broad daylight in Arrah

On Friday, BJP leader and contractor Bablu Singh was shot in broad daylight by two masked criminals in the Arrah city of Bihar. Singh was shot from a very close range while he was on his morning walk. He was immediately shifted to the local hospital where he is undergoing treatment.

According to the reports, the doctors have removed the bullet from the body of the BJP leader and have decided to keep him under observation for three days. Superintendent of Police Himanshu confirmed the incident and said that the health condition of Singh is stable now and that the police investigation into the case is underway.

The incident happened on September 30 when the victim was exercising in the Friends colony of the city. Two masked criminals carrying guns arrived on a bike and shot at Bablu, injuring him severely. Reports mention that Singh and his family were being threatened by the head of Agiaon Panchayat and that the attack was also executed by the same persons.

Bablu Singh (42), son of Ramesh Singh and Prema Devi belongs to Agiaon village and had been staying at the Friends colony in Arrah district of Bihar. He is a contractor by profession and has executed a few national highway projects in the state. Prema Devi is the former head of Agiaon Panchayat. According to the reports, the attack was planned and executed as a result of the ongoing dispute in the Agiaon village.

Ritesh Kumar Singh alias Bhuar Singh, brother of the victim, stated that a project was undertaken by the Panchayat under some government scheme. One of the persons from the village had opposed the project and had alleged that the administration money was being misused by the current head of the Agiaon Panchayat. Bablu then demanded an investigation into the case and asked the villagers to call the police.

Following this, the son of the Agiaon Panchayat head threatened to shoot Bablu and his family members. Bablu had also informed the local police and the Superintendent of police about the threats issued by the family member of the Agiaon Panchayat head. However, Bablu was shot by two armed men in the Friends colony, Arrah on Friday.

The Arrah Police have taken cognizance of the event and have assured a proper investigation in the case. “We are looking for the CCTV footage. The affected person just isn’t in a position to communicate. The exact trail of incidents will be confirmed only after the statement of the victim is recorded”, the Police added. Meanwhile, Ritesh, the brother of the victim, has accused the son of the present head of Agiaon Panchayat of attacking Bablu Singh.

Return of Jungle Raj in Bihar after CM Nitish Kumar joined hands with RJD

To note, the incidents of murder, theft, and other crime have been on the rise since CM Nitish Kumar broke the alliance with BJP to join hands with the Rashtriya Janata Dal in the state. Earlier similar incidents were reported in which the criminals unapologetically shot innocents.

On September 15, unknown criminals shot dead a businessman in Bhagalpur, Bihar. According to the reports, the attackers had planned to kill the businessman and fired four bullets before fleeing from the spot.

Also, before that two bike-borne miscreants had carried out the firing at several places on National Highway 28 and 31 in Begusarai, Bihar. The miscreants had shot 11 innocent people while travelling over a distance.

On August 18, a vegetable vendor’s 15-year-old daughter was shot in the neck allegedly over a love affair in the Indrapuri area of Sipara in Patna. The incident happened at around 7:30 in the morning when the girl was returning from coaching classes.

On August 11, a journalist named Gokul Yadav was shot dead in broad daylight in Gopalganj. He was shot five times by five miscreants leading to his death on the spot.

On the same day, a Ram Janki temple priest named Rudal Sah was murdered in Bettiah, Bihar. While the objective of the murder is as yet unclear, reports mention that the murderers carried the severed head of the priest to Pipra Kali temple.

Also, the Buddha Toyota showroom was robbed of Rs 9 lakhs in Patna, Bihar. As reported, 12 miscreants had entered from the back door, killed a private security guard, and looted the showroom cash and 6 laptops.

Jamia Millia Islamia university student Zalal shoots another student Nauman Ali inside a hospital following a fight between two groups

OpIndia Staff
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Jamia Millia Islamia university student Zalal shoots another student Nauman Ali inside a hospital following a fight between two groups

On Thursday, September 30, a Jamia Millia Islamia University student was injured after allegedly being shot at by another student inside the Holy Family Hospital premises.

According to Delhi Police, a PCR call was received at Jamia Nagar police station at 9 pm on Thursday about a brawl at the library of the varsity campus.

Following an investigation, authorities discovered that the fight had occurred between two groups of students. Noman Chaudhary (26), a law student from Meerut’s Sardahan village, was injured in the head in the incident. He was sent to Holy Family Hospital to be treated.

According to the police, another student, Nauman Ali, a friend of Nauman Chaudhary, also went to the hospital to meet the latter. Meanwhile, one of the second group’s students, Zalal, a resident of Mewat, Haryana, arrived at the hospital with his friends and opened fire on Nauman Ali outside the Emergency ward of the hospital.

Nauman Ali received a superficial scalp injury, according to authorities. He has been transferred to the AIIMS Trauma Center, where he is undergoing treatment.

The police, meanwhile, have launched an investigation into the incident.

The crime scene is being examined by the investigation team. Legal actions have been initiated at the Jamia Nagar and New Friends Colony police stations, according to the police.

Notably, the Jamia Millia Islamia University students have often been at the heart of many controversies. Recently, Students at Jamia Millia Islamia University protested and shouted slogans after the college revoked admission of anti-Hindu Delhi riots accused Safoora Zargar. Provocative and aggressive slogans such as ‘RSS Ki Kabr Khudegi, Jamia Ki Dharti Par’ and ‘ABVP Ki Kabr Khudegi Jamia Ki Dharti Par’ were raised on the campus by a group of students waving banners and placards.

Safoora Zargar was booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for her alleged role in the conspiracy that led to the Delhi Riots in February. She was arrested in April 2020. The Delhi Police had claimed that she was part of the conspiracy to “destroy, destabilize and disintegrate the Government of India in order to compel to withdraw the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the alleged National Register of Citizens.”

Notably, following the passing of the Citizenship Amendment Act in December 2019, violent riots erupted across India, with universities such as Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University at the forefront of this anti-Hindu violence.

‘Is Bajwa the sports Minister’: Pakistanis slam their Chief of Army Staff for inaugurating a sports ground

OpIndia Staff
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‘Is Bajwa the sports Minister’: Pakistanis slam their Chief of Army Staff for inaugurating a sports ground

On Thursday (September 29), Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Bajwa courted controversy after inaugurating a newly renovated Chakala cricket ground in Rawalpindi.

In a statement, the media wing of the Pakistan army (ISPR) said, “The cricket ground was upgraded to provide state-of-the-art sports facility to cricket fans, especially to the youth of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.”

It further added, “The ground will be available to students and cricket clubs of the twin cities to promote the game of cricket and provide a healthy sports environment.” General Bajwa also applauded the Rawalpindi Corps’ effort in the renovation of the old cricket ground.

While the inauguration of sporting arenas and stadiums is done by government officials and sports authorities, the sight of the Pakistan Army chief overtaking the role left several Pakistanis shocked. Facebook users in Pakistan were angry at the Chief of Army Staff for clearly overstepping his role.

“Another milestone for our respected Chief, after PM, FM, now the Minister of Sports as well. We the general masses will never forget your services after your retirement but don’t go to Belgium after retirement. Keep the good job,” said Waqazz Ahmad.

“O Thank God now our Chief have Cricket ground to Play his game and crush his opponents in the stadium….. maybe now he will stop playing with Nation,” wrote Rasheed in a sarcastic tone.

Screengrab of the Facebook comments

Another Pakistani Facebook user, Wakar Baksh, lamented how the country’s army is incapable of resolving internal security issues but keen on poking its nose into every other issue.

“Which new player will be prepared in this lumber one ground who will be the Prime Minister of Pakistan? Earlier Imran Khan Niazi was prepared very well but he proved to be extremely incompetent…” said Shafait Ur Rehman.

Screengrab of the Facebook comments

Several Pakistani netizens pointed out that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) may lose its Chief Selector soon. “Now the cricket team chief selectors job is also in danger!” wrote one Aaqib Khan.

One Qazi Fahad asked, “Why do we have a sports minister if this is all to be done from their end?”

Screengrab of the Facebook comments

“MashAllah cricket, movies, songs, drama serials, housing, construction, banking, transport, hospitals, and schools such great performance in all fields and yet PM house gets bugged with hundreds of hours worth of sensitive audio conversations leaked,” wrote one Sarki Atta Shaan.

Pakistani user Umair Murtaza remarked, “Diversifying the empire even further with a new cricket venture…Fauji Cricket Company Limited (FCCL).”

Screengrab of the Facebook comments

Pakistanis slam their Air Force for wasting money on Independence Day songs

On August 14 this year, the Pakistani Air Force drew the ire of the citizens for releasing a brand new song on the occasion of the country’s Independence Day (also called Partition Horrors Remembrance Day in India).

The 4-minute long song was based on the theme of the cash-strapped country’s Diamond Jubilee of Independence. In a statement, PAF said, ” (The song is) a tribute to the courage and bravery of the soldiers of the Pakistan Air Force who created stories of bravery in air battles with the enemy and raised the prestige of the country.”

However, Pakistanis were not impressed with the theatrics of the PAF. They slammed the country’s Air Force over misplaced priorities at a time when the people are faced with economic distress.

While anticipating the reaction of the ordinary citizens, the official Youtube channel of the Pakistan Air Force turned off the comment section. However, this did not stop Pakistanis from venting their anger on social media posts about the new song of the PAF.

NCPCR points toward complaints from Punjab and Rajasthan about Christian priests converting children in the name of ‘healing’, asks to email evidence

OpIndia Staff
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NCPCR points toward complaints from Punjab and Rajasthan about Christian priests converting children in the name of ‘healing’, asks to email evidence

On Thursday, National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chairman, Priyank Kanoongo tweeted that there have been several complaints concerning Christian priests promoting superstition in the name of treatment of children and pushing them towards conversion to Christianity.

“Some complaints have been received from Punjab and Rajasthan about priests spreading superstition in the name of treatment of children and deceiving them for conversion, action is being taken,” NCPCR chairman tweeted.

He further recommended people to send their complaints and recordings to “[email protected]” and refrain from sharing the videos on social media, in order to maintain the privacy of children.

It is important to note that the number of Christian sects is rapidly increasing in Punjab. These self-styled pastors and ‘ministers’ organize healing sessions or Changai Sabhas and often employ weird techniques to fool gullible people that Jesus Christ is healing their fatal illnesses and thus trick them into conversion.

Following two appalling incidents of atrocities against girls in Dumka, Jharkhand, Priyank Kanoongo had previously scheduled a visit to Dumka to meet with the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police.

“The Commission has learned of yet another alleged rape and murder of a young tribal girl on Friday by a guy by the name of Arman Ansari…under Mufassil police station. In its report, ANI cited an NCPCR official notification as saying, “The culprit, named Arman Ansari, has been apprehended and a complaint has been registered under relevant sections of the IPC, POCSO, and SC-ST Act.

“In addition to the scheduled visit of NCPCR team led by Shri Priyank Kanoongo, Chairperson, NCPCR to Dumka on September 5, 2022, as communicated by letter dated August 31, 2022, the team will also take notice of the status of the said incident on September 5, 2022, by convening a meeting with the DC, SP, Investigating Officer of the case, Doctors who conducted the autopsy of the minor victim girl, as well as to meet/interact with the family of the minor girl,” it added.

“Murder and rape case reported under the SC/ST Act and the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act. Armaan Ansari, the accused, was arrested. The Superintendent of Police for Dumka, Amber Lakra, indicated that soon after gathering evidence, a charge sheet would be filed.

In this case, a 14-year-old indigenous girl was found hanging from a tree.

Notably, the NCPCR chairman on September 5 had alleged that the Jharkhand government is being uncooperative and impeding the probe into the deaths of two young girls in separate incidents in Dumka district. The NCPCR director shared his difficulties contacting and visiting the victims’ relatives on Twitter.

In a tweet, Kanoongo wrote back then, “I have come to Dumka to investigate two cases, had informed the Jharkhand government earlier that the family of a Scheduled Tribe girl who was raped and hanged from a tree, will be visited by a team of @NCPCR_ on which the local collector had also consented.”

He continued, “And after deciding the program to go to the victim’s residence, the administration had confirmed us,” in a later tweet. However, when we arrived in their village and the parents were nowhere to be found, the neighbors informed us that the parents had been taken in a vehicle before we arrived. The government’s approach is very uncooperative and impeding the probe.

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