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Kashmir: After Mehbooba Mufti’s misleading claims, Islamic bodies seek ban on ‘surya namaskar’ and ‘Hindu bhajans’ in schools

OpIndia Staff
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Kashmir: After Mehbooba Mufti’s misleading claims, Islamic bodies seek ban on ‘surya namaskar’ and ‘Hindu bhajans’ in schools

On Saturday, September 24, Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), a group of roughly 30 Islamic religious and educational organisations in Kashmir, demanded that the government and education department ban practises such as “singing of bhajans and Surya Namaskars” in schools, which they said had hurt the religious sentiments of Muslim children.

The demand was inspired by PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s misleading claims that Muslim students were being forced to sing Hindu bhajans in schools in Kashmir.

Islamic body claims Muslim children in Kashmir being forced to sing Hindu bhajans and do Surya Namaskar

The MMU, led by Jamia Masjid chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Hurriyat chairman, expressed dissatisfaction against imposing activities in the name of “yoga and morning prayers” in educational institutions, claiming that Muslim students are forced to sing bhajans and, at times, Surya Namaskar.

“The MMU today held a meeting at Jama Masjid, Srinagar, in the wake of unfortunate attempts to undermine the Muslim identity of Kashmir by asking Muslim students in schools and educational institutions to sing Hindu religious songs and do Surya Namaskar,” the collective said in a statement. “These diktats hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims and create anguish in them.”

MMU, the amalgamation of various religious, social and educational Islamic organisations said that “attempts are being made to undermine” the Muslim identity of Kashmir by asking students in government educational institutions to sing Hindu hymns and do ‘Surya Namaskar’. It said it strongly regrets activities being implemented through schools and educational institutions aimed at “furthering the Hindutva agenda” in the Valley. 

The resolution stated that this runs against the principles of their religious practices. According to the statement, the MMU meeting urged the government, education department, and other concerned parties that such actions will not be permitted by Kashmiri Muslims since they are a “direct challenge” to their religious and Islamic values.

“As such, MMU appeals to the government and concerned authorities to immediately withdraw its orders and stop these practices in schools and educational institutions, which deeply hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims and cause them grief,” it said. 

MMU’s action inspired by Mehbooba Mufti’s Tweet

The Islamic body’s statement came days after former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti claimed that Muslim students were forced to sing bhajans in schools.

Actually, on September 19, 2022, Mehbooba Mufti posted a video on her Twitter handle in which school children in Kulgam were seen singing the bhajan ‘Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram’. Claiming that Muslim students in schools in Kashmir were being forced to sing Hindu bhajans, Mufti rebuked the central government for imposing their ‘Hindutva agenda’.

“Jailing religious scholars, shutting down Jama Masjid & directing school kids here to sing Hindu hymns exposes the real Hindutva agenda of GOI in Kashmir. Refusing these rabid dictates invites PSA & UAPA. It is the cost that we are paying for this so-called ‘Badalta J&K’,” she said in a tweet.

The video soon went viral, and many people on Twitter shared it with similar claims.

Here is how the former Mufti was completely wrong

According to official directives, the singing of ‘Raghupati Raghav…’ was part of a series of ceremonies commemorating MK Gandhi’s 153rd birthday.

Because ‘Raghupati Raghav…’ was one of Gandhi’s favourite bhajans, it was included in the celebrations.

Land Jihad in Bihar: 2300-year-old Ashoka edict converted into Mazar in Sasaram, annual urs organised

OpIndia Staff
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Land Jihad in Bihar: 2300-year-old Ashoka edict converted into Mazar in Sasaram, annual urs organised

A fresh example of Land Jihad has emerged in Bihar, where a historical site, an Ashoka edict has been converted into a Mazar over time. More than 2300-year-old Ashoka edict has been made into a Mazar, and prayers are being offered at the site after it has been covered with a green cloth.

Ashoka the Great embossed the edict 2300 years ago in the natural cavern of Chandan Hill of the Kaimur hill range at Sasaram, the headquarters of Bihar’s Rohtas district. This inscription is in Brahmi script, and it is one of just eight in the country. This inscription is listed among them, and it is the sole inscription from Bihar.

The inscription has been encircled by unlawful construction around it. The inscription has been made a Mazar now by covering it with a green cloth after it had been coated with white lime. An annual Urs is also being organised there by declaring it as the tomb of a Sufi saint. The gate of the monument is kept closed following this illegal construction.

In the years following independence, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) designated this edict as a protected monument in 2008. The ASI had also put up a conservation board near the inscription at Kandara, which is located about 20 feet below the top of the Ashiqpur hill in the Kaimur hill range between Sasaram city’s old Grand Trunk Road (GT Road) and the new bypass. However, the encroachers removed the board.

In 2008, 2012, and 2018, the ASI ordered that the encroachments surrounding the Ashoka edict be removed by the District Magistrate (DM). Following this, the District Magistrate directed the SDM of Sasaram to take appropriate action. The SDM had ordered the Markazi Muharram Committee, which had illegally encroached on the site, to immediately hand over the key to the administration, but the committee refused. A large structure was gradually constructed illegally there.

During the British Raj, this inscription was rediscovered in 1917. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has addressed over 20 letters to the district administration requesting that the status quo on this site be maintained, however, attempts are being made to obliterate the trace of this monument.

Image: Dainik Jagran

Emperor Ashoka carved this edict in eight locations around the nation in 256 BC. One of them is on Sasaram’s Chandan hill. Ashoka had these inscriptions engraved in various locations to promote the teachings of Buddhism. Brahmi was the people’s language at the time and as a result, these messages were written in that language.

A similar incident recently occurred in Maharashtra, where Shivaji Maharaj’s ‘Lohagarh’ fort was unlawfully encroached and proclaimed to be the grave of an alleged Sufi saint named ‘Umar Shahawali Baba.’ Following that, the annual Urs (fair) was also held there.

Historians argue that there was no tomb or mosque there even during the reign of Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj. It was later formed as a result of unlawful occupancy. It is not, however, restricted to Sasaram and Lohagarh Fort. Such tombs can be seen from Ajmer fort to all the forts in the country and places of historic Hindu heritage. Locals claim that attempts are being made to seize such structures by illegally encroaching on them.

Congress claims BJP leaders are spreading misinformation to disrupt Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, files police complaint against Priti Gandhi

OpIndia Staff
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Congress claims BJP leaders are spreading misinformation to disrupt Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, files police complaint against Priti Gandhi

On September 26, the Congress Party initiated legal proceedings against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Priti Gandhi for allegedly “spreading fake and divisive news to disrupt the grand old party’s Bharat Jodo Yatra.”

Congress leader and general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh shared a complaint filed by MP Hibi Eden to Kerala Police and said, “We have initiated legal action in 5 cases of fake and divisive news peddled by BJP leaders and their bhakt online hate factory to hurt  Bharat Jodo Yatra. Be warned! We will not take this lying down. Latest is a police complaint by MP Hibi Eden against a particularly vicious bhakt.”

In the complaint shared by Ramesh, Eden alleged that BJP’s Priti Gandhi shared a photograph of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on her Twitter handle with a caption, “Look carefully. Not Bharat Jodo, this is Bharat Todo!!” The said photograph was shared on September 24. The complaint further reads, “The impression these pictures sought to convey was that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was posing with an individual who had been accused of sloganeering ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ on a previous occasion.”

Eden pointed out that the person in the photograph and the person Gandhi claimed were different. He said, “Priti Gandhi then deleted the tweet and immediately uploaded another one to double down on her messaging, making the base and vulgar insinuations without the scantest regard for the individuals involved.”

Eden requested Police to file an FIR against Gandhi under sections 153A, 295A, 504, 505, 120B, and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Quoting Jairam Ramesh’s tweet, Congress leader Dr Ajoy Kumar issued a warning to BJP leader Priti Gandhi and netizen Rishi Bagree that further legal actions will be taken against the two. He wrote, “Priti Gandhi more coming to your way. And you too, Rishi Bagree.”

BJP hit out at Congress

BJP leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga hit out at Congress leader Jairam Ramesh for the notice issued to Priti Gandhi and said, “I am saying it again Rahul Gandhi is doing Bharat Todo Yatra, Not Bharat Jodo. Do whatever you can, Jairam Ramesh.” Bagga shared photographs of controversial Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar who was accused of raising anti-India slogans in 2016 at JNU.

The case of mistaken identity of a female Congress worker

In a case of mistaken identity, several netizens mistakenly shared a photograph of Rahul Gandhi hugging a female Congress worker suggesting the woman in the photograph was Amulya Leona, who was accused of raising pro-Pakistan slogans at a rally during anti-CAA protests in Bengaluru.

Upon investigation, OpIndia found that the person with Rahul Gandhi was not Leona, but a Kerala Student Union (KSU) leader named Miva Anreleo. KSU functions as the student wing of the Indian National Congress in the state. Notably, Anreleo had shared the photograph on her Instagram profile two days prior to the controversy and called it the ‘happiest moment’ of her life.

Uttar Pradesh: Family of a minor Hindu boy says Muslim classmates brainwashed their child to convert to Islam, was trying to flee to Ajmer after family objected

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Family of a minor Hindu boy says Muslim classmates brainwashed their child to convert to Islam, was trying to flee to Ajmer after family objected

An incident of forced religious conversion has emerged from Sanjay Gandhi Nagar, Naubasta in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. The family of a class 11 student has alleged that the boy’s classmates brainwashed him and converted him to Islam.

According to reports, the victim, Vansh Gupta’s family claimed that a plot was hatched by three Muslim children studying in his school Kidwai Nagar in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh to force their child to adopt Islam.

The victim’s father, Rakesh Kumar Gupta, told authorities that his son had begun reading Kalma and visiting local Islamic shrines. The family discovered Islamic literature scribbled in his notebooks as well. According to the family, the boy had penned accolades for various Mughal kings, including Akbar and Jahangir. In addition, Hazrat Ali and Allah-hu-Akbar were found written in his copies. If family members are to be believed, they once found him offering Namaz for which they chastised him.

On September 22, Thursday, the child reportedly ran away from his home due to rising pressure from family members to stop following Islam.

The father said that after the child did not return home until late evening on Thursday, they began searching for him in nearby localities. Unable to trace him, the worried family members sought the assistance of the Bajrang Dal. The members of the Hindu outfit approached the Hanumant Vihar police station for their help to bring the child back.

On receiving the complaint, the police launched a manhunt. They monitored the child’s whereabouts, which led them to the Mathura Railway Station. The police with the help of the Government Railway Police (GRP) in Jaipur apprehended the child and brought him back. The police revealed that the child was trying to flee to Ajmer.

The police checked his school bag and found religious writings in the books. Bajrang Dal activist Dilip Bajrangi and his companions, who are helping the family in getting the child back, said Vansh was brainwashed. 

The police further revealed that the student was influenced by activities relating to Islam that he saw on social media. The student’s family members have also accused a Maulana in the case, but the police have yet to find any evidence against Maulana. According to police, the student left the house after becoming upset by the family’s opposition.

Balochistan: Pakistani army helicopter sent to rescue kidnapped military personnel blown up by Baloch rebels, 6 killed

OpIndia Staff
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Balochistan: Pakistani army helicopter sent to rescue kidnapped military personnel blown up by Baloch rebels, 6 killed

On Sunday (September 26) night, six Pakistani army officials were killed in a helicopter crash in Harnai district in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. The development was confirmed by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), media wing of the Pakistani army.

As per reports, the deceased included two officers. The deceased were identified as Major Khurram Shahzad (39), Major Muhammad Muneeb Afzal (30), Subedar Abdul Wahid (44), Naik Jalil (30), Sepoy Shoaib (35), and Sepoy Muhamad Imran (27).

According to ISPR, the Pakistani army personnel were killed during a flying mission in Harnai. However, it has now come to light that the helicopter was deployed in Balochistan to rescue an abducted army official.

Journalist Kiyya Baloch cited Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) to point out that two helicopters arrived to rescue the kidnapped army official, during which one helicopter carrying 6 personnel was shot down. The kidnapped official was identified as Naib Subedar Kaleem Ullah.

“An official said last night at 9:30, armed men kidnapped Kaleem Ullah, Naib Subedar FC 114 wing Lorala scout on his way to Quetta,” tweeted Kiyya Baloch.

The development was also confirmed by another journalist, Asad Ali Toor.

In a statement on Monday (September 26), BLA said, “Last night freedom fighters of Baloch Liberation Army arrested two personnel of Pakistani military in an intelligence-based operation near Zardaalo, an area in Harnai.”

It added, “Later, Pakistani helicopters arrived in the area. Baloch freedom fighters shot down at least one helicopter near Khost, Harnai, approximately 5 kilometres away from the area where Pakistani personnel were arrested. All six, including the two pilots, onboard the helicopter were killed.”

A similar attack on a helicopter was carried out by BLA on August 1, 2022, which killed 6 Pakistani army personnel. Interestingly, the DG ISPR tried to brush the incident under the carpet by pinning the blame on inclement weather conditions.

Notably, in February this year, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) attacked two posts in Pakistan’s southwest province neutralizing more than 100 Pakistani personnel and destroying a large part of their camps.

The BLA issued an official statement confirming that the major parts of both camps were still under their control. At that time, the Pakistan military’s media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) denied the intensity of the attack and declared a reduced number of deaths.

RSS headquarters in Nagpur and several top BJP leaders on PFI radar, suicide killers deputed: Reports

OpIndia Staff
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RSS headquarters in Nagpur and several top BJP leaders on PFI radar, suicide killers deputed: Reports

The Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) Monday revealed that the RSS headquarters in Nagpur and several top BJP leaders were the Islamist organisation Popular Front of India (PFI) targets.

As per reports, the Popular Front of India (PFI) was planning to attack the RSS headquarters in Nagpur, their leaders and many of the top politicians of the BJP.

Reportedly, the members of PFI had plans to collect information about the movement of RSS leaders during the annual Dussehra event organised by the Hindu outfit. The revelation comes just a week after NIA, CRPF and the state ATS raided people associated with PFI in 10 states and arrested hundreds of people.

PFI has taken recourse to deploy suicide killers against RSS, BJP leaders, and NIA officials, intelligence note reveals

An exclusive report published by CNN News 18 which has accessed an intelligence note said the Popular Front of India (PFI) has pressed into action to target government agencies, BJP, and RSS leaders and their organisations after the anti-terror raids last week.

“The PFI is planning a serious and sinister way to disturb public peace and tranquillity. They are “upset” after their senior leaders, E Abubucker, EM Abdur Rahiman, and others were detained in Tihar prison in New Delhi,” the note said.

The note further read that PFI, after having been caught unawares over the raids, has taken recourse to depute ‘bayathees’, an Arabic term that means ‘agents of death’ or ‘fidayeen’, who pledge their allegiance to their Amir (chief) either to kill or get killed.

The bayathees are asked to target the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Enforcement Directorate (ED), police and other government officials, who the organisation perceives to be working against their interests. They have also been instructed to attack Hindu outfits and leaders to communalise the situation and stoke hatred among people.

Popular Front of India spreading its tentacles in Uttar Pradesh

Meanwhile, on the other hand, security agencies in Uttar Pradesh have revealed that PFI is spreading its presence in the state. It has also started a special scheme to increase the number of members. According to agencies, PFI has offered cash incentives to people to convert Hindu girls to Islam. Apart from this, the organisation has also promised to provide employment, money and housing to the converts.

According to security agencies, PFI members had set up a training camp in Kakori, Kursi village on the Lucknow-Barabanki border. Where people were informed about love jihad, and how to convert vulnerable girls to Islam. Along with this, those who converted were told about the reward schemes that awaited them after their conversion. Umar Gautam, who was arrested in Lucknow recently, was one of the members actively involved in converting people. He was also an active member of SDPI as well as the Vice President of Hal-Haram Academy.

NIA raids PFI offices and houses across 10 states, 106 members, including top leaders arrested

NIA had on Thursday last week conducted raids across 10 states, including Assam, Bihar, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana and arrested 106 PFI activists for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country. 

The agency arrested 106 cadres, including top leaders of the organization. The maximum number of arrests was made in Kerala (22) followed by Maharashtra and Karnataka (20 each), Tamil Nadu (10), Assam (9), Uttar Pradesh (8), Andhra Pradesh (5), Madhya Pradesh (4), Puducherry and Delhi (3 each) and Rajasthan (2).

As per reports, the raids were conducted by joint teams of NIA, Enforcement Directorate (ED), and respective State Police, and the Union Ministry of Home Affairs was monitoring the action against the organization.

‘Rapid demography change happening, Islamists getting help from Pakistan’: MP from Kapilvastu discusses growing security concerns at the India-Nepal border

राहुल पाण्डेय
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‘Rapid demography change happening, Islamists getting help from Pakistan’: MP from Kapilvastu discusses growing security concerns at the India-Nepal border

There have been several reports in the recent past highlighting the rapidly changing demography in the sections of India near the Indo-Nepal border. The number of mosques and madrasas is constantly increasing. From August 20 to 27, 2022, an OpIndia team visited Nepal areas bordering India to take an account of the ground situation on that side of the border. This is the 23rd report in a series of articles documenting the facts discovered by the OpIndia team.

The OpIndia team also spoke to Abhishek Pratap Shah, MP from Kapilvastu in Nepal, on the demography changes noticed in the Dong and Kapilvastu districts of Nepal. The situations on the other side of the fence are not much different.

Changing demography

MP Abhishek Pratap Shah agreed that there is a massive increase in Islamic activities in the border area as well as in the interior of Nepal. He appealed to the Government of India to pay attention to this issue. He said that India and Nepal were separated overnight in 1923 by the British rulers with people living on either side of the border – in a balanced demographic situation in those days – continuing to practice their respective faiths. Off late, the demography in the border areas of Nepal is seeing a rapid change.

Abhishek Pratap Shah further said while the Muslim population has increased exponentially in recent decades, the population of Hindus is declining. He said that nobody in Nepal realized it initially, but now, when everything is crystal clear, everyone is suddenly concerned about this problem.

Some unscrupulous Muslim elements in Nepal, according to MP Shah, have committed crimes in order to make more money. He asserted that if data from the border areas of Nepal and India is acquired, 90% of illegal drug traffickers will be Muslim.

Muslim population doubled in the last 20 years

According to Nepal’s MP Abhishek Pratap Shah, in the last 20 years, the Muslim population in Nepal has doubled from 4.5% to 9% and it may double to 18% in the next 20 years. Moreover, demographic change is a phenomenon not limited to the Indo-Nepal border regions only, but the demographics in the hilly regions of Nepal are also changing very rapidly. Shah said that the people dwelling in the remote mountains of Nepal are so naive that they fall prey to the nice deceptive talks of Islamists. No wonder, the number of cases of love jihad in Nepal is also on the rise like never before.

The problem of Rohingya Muslims

While shedding some light on the problem of Rohingya Muslims, Abhishek Pratap Shah told OpIndia, “A large number of Rohingyas have infiltrated the northern areas of Nepal. This infiltration took place because the appearance of Rohingyas is slightly similar to the residents of northern Nepal.”

There was once only one mosque in Kathmandu; now there are 12

He also expressed his concern about the increasing number of mosques in Kathmandu – the capital city of Nepal. He said, “The situation in Nepal is sounding an alarm of caution for us. Once there used to be only 1 mosque in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu, today there are 12 mosques in the same city. All these mosques are being built in the name of Sunni and sometimes Wahabi Islam.”

He added, “Even though Nepal is called a poor country, Muslims here invest their zakat money in mosques and madrasas. Money is also poured in from abroad for these mosques. Nepal’s mosques and madrasas are flourishing because of this money.”

The reflections of this problem in Nepal’s politics and social harmony

The reflection of changing demography appeared in Nepal’s policy and government as well. MP Abhishek Pratap Shah told that 7 years ago, when a new constitution of Nepal was being drafted, Muslims in Nepal had asked for a Sharia law for themselves and every Muslim member of parliament supported this demand irrespective of their parties and differences. The Nepali parliament houses 260 seats. 20 of the people’s representatives are Muslims. A few of these 20 are women MPs. At present, many Muslims are active in Nepal’s central and regional politics. The government also passes a budget for Muslims. Along with this, grants are also released for madrasas.

Abhishek Pratap Shah said, “Right now many people of Nepal are ignoring all the things, but when a situation like France will be created here, then everyone will understand. The French are funloving people who lead their lives peacefully. But, they did not realize that this day would ever come. There is a Hindu-Muslim dispute in my constituency almost every year, in which many times a conspiracy has been hatched to trap me too.”

Explaining more about the modus operandi of the crimes in his constituency, he said, “The riots in Kapilvastu every year are planned by the Leftists, but they are executed by the Islamists. Islamist criminals who earn money from crimes like smuggling etc. are also set free because they bribe the Nepali administration with some money. A case is registered against the person who demands action against the accused after the riots.”

The Anti-India Communist Manifesto active in Nepal

Nepal being a buffer state between democratic India and communist China, Abhishek Pratap Shah emphasized the role of communists in attempts to destabilize Dharma. He said, “Every leftist in the world including the Communists of Nepal is against Hinduism. The agenda of finishing the Hindu nation and the king of Nepal was of the Nepali Leftists. Almost every anti-India conspiracy from Nepal is planned by the Left here. Illegal money from Pakistan is being used in activities like conversion, but both China and Pakistan have already joined hands against India.”

Analyzing the reasons behind these anti-India conspiracies, he said, “Nepal’s army fought on behalf of the British, due to which the British used to give them extra respect. Because of this, the former rulers of Nepal considered themselves equal to the British, and in their view, Indians remained their slaves. Somewhere that thinking was fuelled here in Nepal and that is why anti-India sentiments flared up in the minds of many Nepalis.”

The Lipulekh dispute explained

Explaining the Lipulekh border dispute, MP Abhishek Pratap Shah said that the dispute was deliberately created by Nepalese Prime Minister Oli. Abhishek Shah said that the controversy’s timing was fixed when Article 370 was removed in India. According to Shah, KP Oli was assured that if the situation worsens from the Indian side, Chinese troops will be sent to help Nepal. According to Shah, the arrival of Article 370 has dealt a blow to China’s CPEC project.

Abhishek Pratap Shah lashed out at the communist approach to the issue of poverty. He said, “The Left is taking advantage of Nepal’s poverty and this is the way Communists always think. Communists were also behind India’s Shaheen Bagh because communists have always been against India. Leave aside Nepal, these communists are capable of choking a country like India.”

“Nepal is going to have elections once again in November 2022 and this time we pro-India activists will defeat Oli’s Left party in these elections,” Shah said.

ISI and increased criminal activities

Shah told that criminals like Mirza Dilshad Baig, who came inside Nepal from the Deoria district in India, made their hideouts in Nepal. Initially, outsiders came to Nepal on business, etc., and later settled more people. This was a big reason behind the current situation. He said, “Pakistani intelligence agency ISI has been active in Nepal for a long time. ISI not only promotes cross-border terrorism but is also running illicit businesses like fake currency notes.”

Expectations from the Government of India

Abhishek Pratap Shah expressed more cooperation from the Government of India. He said, “The Indian government needs to pay special attention to Nepal because now European countries and America have perhaps become Delhi’s priority. Even though European countries are beneficial to India from a business point of view, Nepal is important for India from the point of view of security. An atmosphere is being created in Nepal under a well-planned anti-India conspiracy.”

MP Shah demanded the formation of a joint patrolling team of the two countries for security and said that he has raised this demand in Delhi too. According to Shah, due to the open borders, any criminal can easily escape by committing a crime anywhere in the two countries and due to the absence of an extradition treaty, there is a lot of difficulty in catching the culprit later. According to Shah, these forces should be authorized up to 20 km of the border and if this happens then a lot can be improved in the border areas.

Yogi Adityanath is also popular in Nepal

Abhishek Shah praised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, describing him as the most serious person toward India’s Nepal interests. He said that since the formation of the Yogi government in UP, the UP Police immediately catches the criminals crossing the border from Nepal. Shah believes that relations between India and Nepal have improved significantly after Yogi Adityanath became the Chief Minister as most of Nepal’s border is with UP. According to the MP, the pro-India people here want to see Yogi as the Prime Minister after PM Modi and after that, the relations between the two countries will be strengthened further.

Looking forward to the Hindu nation’

“Nepal is going to have elections once again in November 2022 and this time we will defeat Oli’s Left party in pro-India elections,” Shah said. On the possibility of Nepal becoming a Hindu nation again, MP Abhishek Pratap Shah said, “Even today cow is our national animal and despite all the opposition, no one knows if we will be able to make this country a Hindu nation again. We also want India and Nepal to become Hindu Rashtra together.”

A creeping Islamisation of Nepal and its border areas appears to be underway, with Islamists steadily establishing their foothold in distant villages, including those on the Indian border. In the first four parts of this series, OpIndia documented the demography change ongoing in Nepal, as well as the worrying surge in the number of mosques and madrasas in the Himalayan nation’s border villages. Additionally, we also spoke about the rising incidents of love jihad in Nepal, as well as its Delhi connection and smuggling, and various other notorious activities that are going on along India’s border with Nepal.

The first report in this series can be read here in Hindi: कभी था हिंदू बहुल गाँव, अब स्वस्तिक चिह्न वाले घर पर 786 का निशान: भारत के उस पार भी डेमोग्राफी चेंज, नेपाल में घुसते ही मस्जिद, मदरसा और इस्लाम – OpIndia Ground Report

The same report can be read here in English: Demographic change hits other side of the border too, Mosques and Madarasas mushroom in former Hindu dominated areas in Nepal: Ground report

The second report in this series can be read here in Hindi:  घरों पर चाँद-तारे वाले हरे झंडे, मस्जिद-मदरसे, कारोबार में भी दखल: मुस्लिम आबादी बढ़ने के साथ ही नेपाल में कपिलवस्तु के ‘कृष्णा नगर’ पर गाढ़ा हुआ इस्लामी रंग – OpIndia Ground Report

The same report can be read here in English: Islamic flags flying atop houses and mosques, madarsas influencing businesses: The creeping Islamisation of Nepal’s Krishnanagar

The third report in this series can be read here in Hindi:  नेपाल में लव जिहाद: बढ़ती मुस्लिम आबादी और नेपाली लड़कियों से निकाह के खेल में ‘दिल्ली कनेक्शन’, तस्कर-गिरोह भारतीय सीमा पर खतरा – OpIndia Ground Report

The same report can be read here in English: Rising cases of love jihad in Nepal and its Delhi connection, smuggling plaguing India’s border with Nepal: Ground report

The fourth report in this series can be read here in Hindi: बौद्ध आस्था के केंद्र हों या तालाब… हर जगह मजार: श्रावस्ती में घरों की छत पर लहरा रहे इस्लामी झंडे, OpIndia Ground Report

The same report can be read here in English: Steady rise in mazars and madarsas adjoining Buddhist places of worship in UP’s Shravasti near Indo-Nepal border: Ground report

The fifth report in this series can be read here in Hindi: महाराणा प्रताप के साथ लड़ी थारू जनजाति बहुल गाँव में 3 मस्जिद, 1 मदरसा: भारत-नेपाल सीमा पर बढ़ती मुस्लिम आबादी का ये है ‘पैटर्न’ – OpIndia Ground Report

The same report can be read here in English: Rising number of mosques, madarsa along Indo-Nepal border: Ground report on Islamisation of village of Tharu tribe that fought along Maharana Pratap

The sixth report in this series can be read here in Hindi: बौद्ध-जैन मंदिरों के बीच दरगाह बनाई, जिस मजार को पुलिस ने किया ध्वस्त… वो फिर चकमकाई: नेपाल सीमा पर बढ़ती मुस्लिम आबादी – OpIndia Ground Report

The same report can be read here in English: Dargah and mazar built around Buddhist and Jain temple premises, illegal mazar once demolished surfaces again: UP’s Shravasti near Nepal border

The seventh report in this series can be read here in Hindi: हनुमान गढ़ी की जमीन पर कब्जा, झारखंडी मंदिर सरोवर में ताजिया: नेपाल सीमा पर बढ़ती मुस्लिम आबादी, असर UP के बलरामपुर में – OpIndia Ground Report

The same report can be read here in English: Muslim encroachment of temple land, Karbala built in temple compound, and more: Ground report on Islamisation underway along the UP-Nepal border

The eight report in this series can he read here in Hindi: पुरातत्व विभाग से संरक्षित जो जगह, वहाँ वक्फ की दरगाह-मजार: नेपाल सीमा पर बढ़ती मुस्लिम आबादी, मुसीबत में बौद्ध धर्मस्थल – OpIndia Ground Report

The same can be read here in English: Mazars built at places protected by Archaeological Department along India-Nepal border, Buddhist shrines in trouble- OpIndia Ground Report

The ninth report in this series can he read here in Hindi: 2 मीनारों वाली मस्जिदें लोकल, 1 मीनार वाली अरबी पैसे से… लगभग हर गाँव में मदरसे: नेपाल बॉर्डर के मौलाना ने बताया इसमें कमीशन का खेल – OpIndia Ground Report

The same can be read in English here: Mosque with two minarets funded locally, another one funded by Saudi Arabia, Maulana at Nepal border speaks about construction mafia, foreign fundings and more

The tenth report in this series can he read here in Hindi: SSB बेस कैंप हो या सड़क, गाँव हो या खेत-सुनसान… हर जगह मस्जिद-मदरसे-मजार: UP के बलरामपुर से नेपाल के जरवा बॉर्डर तक OpIndia Ground Report

The same can be read in English here: From SSB base camp to deserted fields, Madarsas and Mazars cropping up everywhere between UP’s Balrampur and Jarwa border in Nepal: Ground Report

The eleventh report in this series can be read here in Hindi: हिंदू बच्चों का खतना, मंदिर में शादी के बाद लव जिहाद और आबादी असंतुलन के साथ बढ़ते पॉक्सो मामले: नेपाल बॉर्डर पर बलरामपुर जिले में OpIndia Ground Report

The same can be read here in English: Circumcision of Hindu children, love jihad, increased POCSO cases and more: Ground report from UP’s Balrampur district along Indo-Nepal border

The twelfth report in this series can be read here in Hindi: गाँवों में अरबी-उर्दू लिखे हुए नल, UAE के नाम की मुहर: ज्यादा दाम देकर जमीनें खरीद रहे नेपाली मुस्लिम – OpIndia Ground Report

The same can be read here in English: Muslims buying Hindu land at higher price, building ‘Saudi-style’ mosques, installations with details inscribed in Urdu and Arabic- Ground report from UP-Nepal border areas

The thirteenth report in this series can be read here in Hindi: नए बने ओवरब्रिज के नीचे मज़ार-कर्बला, सड़क किनारे मस्जिद-मदरसे-दरगाह: नेपाल के बढ़नी बॉर्डर हाइवे पर ‘हरा रंग’ हावी – OpIndia Ground Report

The same can be read here in English: Mazar-Karbala emerge under newly constructed overbridges, ‘green’ colour pervasive throughout Barhni highway along Indo-Nepal border: Ground report

The fourteenth report in this series can be read here in Hindi: ‘4 और 14 वाली नीति से एकतरफा बढ़ रही आबादी… उस गाँव में मस्जिद बनाने की कोशिश, जहाँ नहीं एक भी मुस्लिम’ : UP-नेपाल बॉर्डर से OpIndia Ground Report

The same can be read here in English: ‘Saudi-returned Muslims of the new generation do not want to live in harmony with Hindus’: Ground report from Indo-Nepal border

The fifteenth report in this series can be read here in Hindi: फ़ारसी में ‘गरीब नवाज स्कूल’ का बोर्ड, उस पर बने चाँद-तारे… घरों-दुकानों में लहरा रहे इस्लामी झंडे, सड़क से सटी हुई मजारें: UP-नेपाल बॉर्डर से OpIndia Ground Report

The same can be read here in English: Signboards on Mazar in Persian, Islamic flags and symbols on almost every house, shop, and commercial establishment: Ground report from UP-Nepal border

The sixteenth report in this series can be read here: ’10 km में 20 गाँव मुस्लिम बहुल, हिन्दू दब कर मनाते हैं अपने त्योहार’: नेपाल सीमा के ग्राम प्रधान ने बताया – गरीब दिखने वाले मुस्लिमों के पास भी बहुत पैसे: UP-नेपाल बॉर्डर से OpIndia Ground Report

The same can be read here in English: ‘Celebration of Hindu festivals a challenge, Muslims acquire all lands on highways’: Ground report from Indo-Nepal border

The seventeenth report in this series can be read here: 150 मदरसे, 200 मस्जिदें… नेपाल सीमा से 15 km के दायरे का हाल, जानिए बॉर्डर के उन गाँवों की स्थिति जो बन गए हैं मुस्लिम बहुल: UP-नेपाल बॉर्डर से OpIndia Ground Report

The same can be read here in English: Over 150 madarsas and 200 mosques mushroom within a 15-kilometre radius, rapid demographical shift in villages along UP-Nepal border: Ground report

The eighteenth report in the series can be read here: ‘संयुक्त अरब अमीरात एसोसिएशन’ के नल से UP-नेपाल बॉर्डर पर पानी, सिद्धार्थनगर का मुस्लिम बहुल बाजार डुमरियागंज है सप्लायर: OpIndia Ground Report

The same can be read here in English: Water supply from ‘UAE Association’ tap, hundreds of mosques, madrasas and shops selling burqa in villages of Siddharthnagar: Ground Report

The nineteenth report in the series can be read here: ‘नेपाल से अपराधी को पकड़ कर लाना Pak से लाने के बराबर’: सीमा पर तैनात रहे DSP ने बताया – नेपाल पुलिस नहीं दिखाती हमारे जैसी सक्रियता – OpIndia Ground Report

The same can be read here in English: ‘Extraditing a criminal from Nepal as difficult as bringing one back from Pakistan’, police officer posed at Nepal border says: Ground report

The 20th report in the series can be read here: रामजन्मभूमि ट्रस्ट के अध्यक्ष का मंदिर लैंड जिहाद का शिकार: बॉर्डर UP-नेपाल का… लेकिन जमीन कब्जा के लिए फिलिस्तीनी मॉडल – OpIndia Ground Report

The same can be read here in English: Temple of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust’s President also falls prey to ‘land jihad’, Muslims along Nepal border using Palestinian land grab model: Ground report

The 21st report in the series can be read here: ‘मस्जिद-मदरसे-मजार हैं ठिकाने, बाहरी लोगों से भरे पड़े’ : भारत-नेपाल बॉर्डर के 5 Km दोनों तरफ साजिश की पट्टी – OpIndia Ground Report

The same can be read here in English: Hawala, Love Jihad, and human trafficking rampant in Muslim-dominated areas along the Indo-Nepal border: Ground report

The 22nd report in the series can be read here: ‘खाली जगह घेर कर बना देते हैं मजार, फिर कहते हैं ये सदियों पुरानी है’: नेपाल सीमा के विधायक ने माना बॉर्डर क्षेत्र में जमीनों के अधिकतर ख़रीददार मुस्लिम – OpIndia Ground Report

The same can be read here in English: ‘They build mazar on vacant land, then claim it is centuries old structure’: MLA from Indo-Nepal border admits land encroachment in the area: Ground report

Russia school shooting: At least 6 killed, including children, and 20 injured as gunman fires in school before killing himself

OpIndia Staff
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Russia school shooting: At least 6 killed, including children, and 20 injured as gunman fires in school before killing himself

A gunman opened fire in a school in the central Russian city of Izhevsk, killing at least At least six people and injuring 20 before killing himself, the interior ministry said Monday.

Victims of the attack include children and a security guard at the school, media reports from Russia said. 

The incident took place reportedly at school number 88, which has close to 1,000 pupils and around 80 teachers.

The school was evacuated and the area around it has been cordoned off. The Governor of the Udmurtia region confirmed that the gunman shot himself dead.

The authorities revealed that after randomly firing at the pupils, the gunman killed himself. They are yet to ascertain the motive behind the killing. 

The videos posted by the Russian media outlets show gory visuals of blood splattered on the floor and a bullet hole in a window, with children crouching down underneath desks. 

Meanwhile, some reports say the death toll has risen to nine, with 8 children and a security guard among the victims.

Izhevsk, a city of 640,000, is located west of the Ural mountains in central Russia, about 960 kilometres (596 miles) east of Moscow. 

Asaduddin Owaisi jumps into Gujarat area to eat a slice of Muslim votebank as he announces first three candidates

Nirwa Mehta
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Asaduddin Owaisi jumps into Gujarat area to eat a slice of Muslim votebank as he announces first three candidates

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi last week announced three candidates for the upcoming Gujarat assembly polls which are expected to be held in December 2022. One Wasim Qureshi will contest from Surat East and Sabir Kabliwala, Gujarat state president AIMIM, would contest from Jamalpur-Khadia in Ahmedabad. One Kaushika Parmar will contest from Dani Limda in Ahmedabad. Dani Limda is a reserved seat and Parmar is AIMIM’s women’s wing president for Ahmedabad city unit.

Surat East constituency

Surat East area is where Gopipura area situated which has significant Muslim population. Some parts of the constituency has the Disturbed Areas Act in place which was brought in to prevent polarisation of communities and demography change. The Surat Municipal Corporation building where the waqf recently staked claim, that is also in Surat East area. Earlier this year, OpIndia had reported how Gopipura, where most residents were of Jain community, has seen demography change and many such apartments are being sold on lower than market rate because most Jain residents want to leave.

In 2014, a Jain Sadhvi who stayed in Surat’s Gopipura area wrote a letter to President of India, Governor of Gujarat, Prime Minister Modi, the then Chief Minister of Gujarat, Anandiben Patel and other leaders about the harassment she was facing in Gopipura, a traditionally Jain locality in Surat, which has slowly turned into a Muslim majority area. In the letter, the Sadhvi had written how near the Upashrays where Jain Sadhvis stay in Gopipura, there are around 25 Jain temples and 35 Upashrays within a 1 km radius. About 70-80 Jain Sadhvis were staying in this place. The Sadhvi pointed out that slowly the area has seen more and more Muslim residents come and live there. 

The Sadhvi in her letter had stated that God has made all living beings the same but Muslims have very ‘tamsic and janooni‘ (aggressive, to put it mildly) and the Sadhu-Mahatma are facing difficulties. “Some Muslim families keep 4-5 cats and goats. Near Sulasa Shravika Aaradhana Bhawan, a Muslim family that has come to stay has tied two goats. These goats can be heard crying in middle of the night because of cold. This pains me too much. I have grown up being kind to animals and this kind of suffering of theirs is very painful for me,” she said.

Of total voters, about 77,365 voters are of Muslim community in Surat East while Hindu voters are 35,427. Interestingly, despite being Muslim majority area, the BJP has managed to win this seat over the years since 1990 – except for 2002 when Congress’ Manish Gilitwala won. Political analysts say that this is because the majority of the Muslim residents here belong to the business-class Bohra community who just want peace and want to make their own living. Bohra/Vohra community voters prefer to vote for the BJP which promises conducive environment for thriving business.

Jamalpur Khadia constituency

Jamalpur-Khadia area in Ahmedabad is also a predominantly Muslim area. Earlier this area had a mix population with Hindus being in majority, but with time, the Hindus migrated to newer parts of the city while more and more Muslim residents purchased properties here.

Jamalpur area is also where the Jagannath temple in Ahmedabad is situated. Every year on Rath Yatra a procession is carried out of Lord Jagannath and invariably it would culminate into communal riots as the procession would pass through old city where demography change had made those areas ‘Muslim dominated areas’.

For the last two decades, the Rath Yatra has been going on in a very peaceful and grand manner. But that was not always the case. In Gujarat, when Congress was in power, the Rath Yatra witnessed bloodshed, and stones pelted at it, forcing the administration to impose curfews. Devotees had to attend the Rath Yatra under a perpetual threat of being attacked.

But this picture changed after Narendra Modi became the Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2001. From 2001 to date, not a single such incident took place during the Jagannath Rath Yatra of Ahmedabad. During his tenure as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi paid special attention to the safety of the Rath Yatra and also ensured that the Rath Yatra event is respected on the global stage.

This constituency includes majority of the old city of Ahmedabad where Muslim voters constitute about 60% of total voter base. Like Surat East, this area, too, has many portion which are notified under the Disturbed Areas Act. Currently, Congress’ Imran Khedawala is the MLA from this constituency who defeated BJP’s Bhushan Bhatt with over 30,000 votes.

Don Abdul Latif, a close aide of Dawood Ibrahim, operated mostly from in and around these areas. The film Raees starring Shah Rukh Khan was loosely based on Latif. The area has also been controversial in recent times due to violence during the anti-CAA protests. This seat has been traditionally a Congress stronghold but in 2012 BJP had registered a surprise victory. Sabir Kabliwala is a former Congress leader and has also contested and won from Congress ticket. He is currently the Gujarat state president for AIMIM.

Interestingly, in the 2021 local body polls in Ahmedabad, AIMIM had fielded 21 candidates of which 7 had won. All four corporators of Jamalpur ward which falls under the Jamalpur-Khadia constituency belong to the AIMIM. Earlier, all these were with Congress. Similarly, in Behrampura ward which also falls under Jamalpur-Khadia constituency, AIMIM leaders gave a very tough fight to Congress corporators where victory margin was just 200-1000.

Dani Limda constituency

Dani Limda is another Muslim-dominated area. However, this is a reserved seat and only a member of the Scheduled Caste can contest from this seat. Here about 50% voters are Muslims and has significant population of people from Dalit community. This area is also considered a communally sensitive area and the Disturbed Areas Act is in place here.

It is notable that Shah Alam area in Ahmedabad falls under the Dani Limda constituency and during the anti-CAA violence, this area saw some of the worst communal riots where even policemen were attacked by rioting mob consisting mostly of people belonging to Muslim community.

Investigation had revealed how local Muslim leaders including a corporator were involved in the violence.

It is also believed many illegal Bangladeshis live in this area, especially near the Chandola lake area. During the 2008 Ahmedabad serial bomb blasts, many bombs had gone off in this area and accused were found living in this area. Indian Mujahideen terrorists who planted the bombs lived in the Dani Limda society and many provocative speeches were given to the Muslim youth to join the terror ranks.

Currently, Congress’ Shailesh Parmar is the MLA. Local residents believe Parmar has the patronage of local Muslim leader Nawab Khan’s family. One of his relatives, Shehzad Khan Pathan is also a corporator here. Localites believes that if the seat were not a reserved seat, Pathan would have been the MLA. However, due to the reservation, they have extended support to Parmar instead.

The Disturbed Areas Act

District Administration, to maintain communal harmony and peace, could declare certain areas as ‘Disturbed Areas’ which are susceptible to demography change. The transfer of immovable property in these areas would require an elaborate procedure. The seller, in the application, must mention that the seller is selling the property of their own free will.

Disturbed Areas Act is often wrongly interpreted as it applicable where at least one party between buyer and seller is either Hindu or Muslim. The thing is, any such transactions in such areas would require following due process. This is to preserve the religious and community value and identity of the areas which are susceptible to demographic change.

AIMIM vote-cutter party?

Political observers believe that AIMIM along with Aam Aadmi Party may end up winning a few seats here and there mostly because the disgruntled Congress voter may end up voting for them. More than AAP gaining ground, it is likely the AIMIM might bite into a significant chunk of the Muslim voter-base which has traditionally belonged to the Congress. Thus, the entry of new players in Gujarat arena may just end up reducing Congress’ relevance in the state even further.

With inputs from Lincoln Sokhadia. You can read his analysis in Gujarati here.

Alt News again comes to rescue Islamists, this time to save PFI supporters who chanted Pakistan Zindabad slogans

OpIndia Staff
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Alt News again comes to rescue Islamists, this time to save PFI supporters who chanted Pakistan Zindabad slogans

On September 25, the self-proclaimed fact-checking website Alt News again came to rescue Islamists. This time, they attempted to give clean chit to the Popular Front of India members that were protesting in Pune. As per reports, videos of the protests organized by PFI members in Pune surfaced on social media platforms where they could be heard raising slogans of ‘Pakistan Zindabad.’ As the videos got traction on social media, the obvious saviours of Islamists, including Alt News and Newslaundry, came rushing to their rescue.

Alt News shielded PFI workers raising “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans. Source: Twitter

Alt News propaganda to twist the facts

In its report, Alt News talked about the protests that took place to oppose the raids by National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) on several locations linked to PFI in 15 states. During these raids, 106 PFI officials and workers were arrested by the investigating agency.

The protests were organized against the raids and arrests by PFI workers in multiple cities across the country in Pune. In the videos of the Pune protests, the members of PFI were heard raising slogans of ‘Pakistan Zindabad.’ Several netizens and prominent personalities on social media shared the videos and condemned the slogans. OpIndia had also covered the matter.

Alt News, owing to its reputation, could not digest the fact that such slogans were raised. In their “explanation,” the portal said the slogans were not “Pakistan Zindabad” but “Popular Front Zindabad.” They even targeted those who condemned PFI workers for raising the slogans.

The portal shared a 26-second video and claimed that upon gathering videos from different sources, including journalists on the ground, they “found” that slogans were not “Pakistan Zindabad” but “Popular Front Zindabad.” They also shared a long video version of the protest recorded by Policenama.

The reality of the slogans

OpIndia re-examined the videos, including the video shared by Policenama. There were multiple slogans that were being raised by the protesters. Among those slogans, ‘Nara-e-Takbeer Allah hu Akbar,’ ‘Popular Front Zindabad,’ and others were included. Now, the question is, was the slogan ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ raised? The answer is yes, the slogan was, in fact, raised.

At the 7:34 timestamp in the video, the slogan ‘Popular Front Zindabad’ can be easily heard. However, following the said slogan, ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ was also raised by the protesters.

Twitter user Hawk Eye also published the analysis of the video and debunked Alt News claims. In his reply to Alt News, The Hawk Eye published the video compilation at three different speeds. He said, “Sharing the same video in a loop, with 3 different speed variations. The last part is with zoom to read the lip sync. Let ppl decide – “Pakistan” or “Popular front.”

Hawk Eye also slowed down the video and zoomed in on the PFI member who was detained by the Police and raised the controversial slogan. It was clearly evident that the slogan was, in fact, ‘Pakistan Zindabad.’

As there was a lot of background noise in the video, there was still a chance that the likes of Alt News may raise questions over the slogans raised. The Hawk Eye went ahead and cleared the background noise to make it clearer. In the three-speed variants of the audio with reduced background noise, the slogan ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ became more prominent.

Newslaundry’s attempt to shield PFI

A similar “fact-check” was done by the Leftist propaganda website Newslaundry. They quoted Pune Police, suggesting that no such slogans were raised, and shared the same video by Policenama as well. They talked to the protesters as well, who “denied” the allegations of raising ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans.

RJD leader shielded PFI

While Alt News and Newslaundry were insisting that ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans were not raised, RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari bluntly supported PFI workers and said such slogans are part of routine protests. He said that ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans raised during a protest in favour of PFI were only a “sign of protest.” Tiwari’s comments came after over a hundred PFI activists were arrested in several states in a nationwide operation on Thursday, after which PFI workers had chanted Pakistan Zindabad slogans in Pune during a protest against the arrests.

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