On Wednesday, A Raja, the deputy general secretary of the DMK defended his provocative statements against the Hindu community and refused to apologize for hurting the sentiments of Hindus. “I am ready to apologize. But for what should I apologize? We are not enemies of Hindus”, A Raja said on September 21.
This is a day after several Hindu organizations called for a bandh in protest against DMK MP’s hate speech against Sanatan Dharma. “A Raja should be removed from his post. This is not a one-day protest. If he doesn’t apologize, we’ll gather in thousands and lay siege to his home”, the Secretary of a Hindu organization named Hindu Munnani had said.
According to a video released by the News Minute, DMK MP refused to apologize for his provocative statement against the Hindu community and alleged that Hindus themselves were enemies of Hindus. He claimed that it was Dravida Kazhagam and DMK who fought for the reservation of 60% of the Backward class people who are Hindus. “We asked for reservation of all Hindu caste people who belong to the backward class. But other upper-class Hindu people including Brahmins and Rajputs opposed it. We are not enemies of Hindus. But Hindus themselves are”, he hinted.
A Raja defends his comments on Hinduism, hits out at BJP, Governor RN Ravi
On Tuesday, state BJP IT cell chief CTR Nirmal Kumar also demanded action against A Raja and demanded an apology for his blatant statements. He had registered an official complaint against A Raja before the Lok Sabha speaker for his derogatory rant against Hindus. He demanded that Raja be refrained from contesting any elections in the future. BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy had also accused A Raja of creating a divide to hide the DMK government’s failures.
A Raja in an event on Monday had cornered State Governor RN Ravi for speaking in favour of Hindus and Sanatan Dharma. Raja had asserted that only upper-class Hindus support Sanatan Dharma and that it is founded on Manusmriti, which refers to backward-class Hindus as Shudras.
“You are a shudra till you remain a Hindu. You’re the son of a prostitute till you remain a shudra. You are a Panchaman (Dalit) till you remain a Hindu. You’re an untouchable till you remain a Hindu. How many of you wish to stay as children of prostitutes? How many of you wish to remain untouchables? Only if we are vocal about these questions, it will become elemental in breaking Sanathana (Sanatana Dharma),” A Raja said while addressing a meeting of Dravidar Kazhagam here”, he was quoted.
BJP on September 13 had vehemently condemned the provocative statements of DMK MP A Raja against Hindus. Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai had also slammed the DMK MP and accused him of appeasement tactics by focusing on a specific group. DMK MP A Raja on September 21 happened to stay firm on his blatant opinion about the Hindus and refused to apologize for his provocative statements.
Sorry state of political discourse in Tamil Nadu. @arivalayam MP has yet again spewed hatred against one community with the sole aim of appeasing others.
Very very unfortunate mindset of these political leaders who think they own Tamil Nadu. pic.twitter.com/UntspDKdQ3
“So what are Sanghis saying now? That A Raja must apologize. He has hurt the Hindus? Apologizing is not a big deal. It’s a humane quality. If someone says they will never apologize, there is no bigger fool than them. If someone has made a mistake, he must apologize. But I have made no mistake”, he said roughly in the Tamil language.
He also took a dig at Governor RN Ravi who had said that Sanatan Dharma should be followed even by those who don’t practice any religion. “The Governor has oathed to uphold the Constitution of India. Where did Sanatan Dharma come from then? Is a Hindu specified in Sanatan Dharma different than the Hindu specified in Indian Constitution?”, he pondered.
A Raja is the deputy general secretary of the DMK and a Member of Parliament for the Nilgiris electorate. Interestingly, he was the Information Technology minister under Manmohan Singh’s UPA government when the 2G spectrum scam was exposed. A Raja sparked controversy on September 12 first when he made provocative remarks about Hinduism. Reportedly, 18 Hindus were detained on Tuesday during the protest against DMK MP A Raja’s hate speech against Sanatan Dharma.
Russia has announced the mobilisation of 300,000 troops in a major development in the ongoing war with Ukraine. In an address, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the country is to mobilise 300,000 reservists, roughly 1% of the mobilisation resource available. He added that students will not be enlisted, but only reservists and those with military experience will be conscripted.
Shoigu also stated that Russia is not exactly at war with Ukraine, but is fighting the collective West and NATO on Ukrainian soil.
⚡️Defence Minister Shoigu Breaks Down Military Mobilization:
– 300,000 reservists will be called up – roughly 1% of the mobilisation resource available
– 70 military and 200+ civilian satellites, entire NATO alliance, working in the interests of Kiev pic.twitter.com/Xf37O25Jbe
Shoigu further added that 70 military and 200+ civilian satellites and the entire NATO alliance are engaged in the war, working for the Ukrainian government and aiding in the fight against Russia. He claimed that Ukraine has lost over half of its entire army and Russia has lost only 5937 personnel so far, a claim that is being called dubious by several reports.
Russia’s announcement is seen as a major development because despite 6 months of the war in Ukraine, so far the Russian government had termed it only as a ‘special military operation’. President Vladimir Putin in his address stated that Russia is going to use ‘all available means’ in the fight. Putin also referred to the threat of nuclear war, saying that Russia has a ‘lot of weapons to reply’.
The LPR and DPR regions have announced that they are going to hold a formal referendum for officially joining Russia from 23 to 27 September. If that happens, the Donbas region will officially be recognised as Russian territory and will give further legal and constitutional legitimacy to Russia’s actions in the area for Putin’s government. Also, any bombing and shelling of these regions by Ukrainian forces will be termed an attack on Russia, providing ground for stronger military retaliation.
The USA has reacted sharply stating they will never acknowledge the referendum.
Russia’s move comes after a major Ukrainian counter-offensive in some areas
As per reports, in the last few weeks, Ukrainian troops have dealt a heavy blow to the Russian military and have taken back over 10% of the regions that were under Russian control. This is seen as the worst loss so far suffered by the Russians in the war.
Recently many reports have emerged highlighting the rapid demographic change on the Nepal-India border. The number of mosques and madrasas is increasing continuously. Team OpIndia visited the border areas from August 20 to 27, 2022 to take stock of the situation on the ground and released reports in a sequential manner. This is the 18th report of the same series.
A day after reporting on places of worships of the Muslim population in Shravasti and Balrampur districts, team OpIndia moved towards Siddharthnagar district, which is adjacent to the Nepal border. The way to Siddharthnagar district goes through Pachpedwa road in Balrampur district.
The number of places of worship on the road and in the markets in Siddharthnagar district is more or less the same as we had reported in the districts of Shravasti and Balrampur. Here in this report, we are to discuss the demographic change on those roads and markets areas of Siddharthnagar district, which are close to the Nepal border.
We arrived in Malgahiya village as soon as we entered Siddharthnagar from Pachpedwa in the Balrampur district. This settlement is located near the Nepal border, on the side of the road that touches the border. From the road, two places of worship could be observed in this settlement. Both shrines were white, and their minarets could be seen from a reasonable distance. The locals also informed our people about the operation of a madrasa in the region.
Two Islamic places of worship spotted in Malgahiya village
We must have travelled not more than two kilometres from Malgahiya hamlet when we reached a market named Jiabhari. Another shrine located behind trees and stores in the Ziabhari bazaar was visible from the road. This shrine was also white.
Islamic shrine located behind the tree in Jiabhari
Ugly border and goats in the no man’s land
We further arrived at Badhni Bazaar on the Nepal border after passing through many more shrines and tiny and large places of worship. On the border, reporters noticed a heap of debris and mud and pet goats could be seen grazing in the border’s No Man’s Land. On the way to Siddharthnagar, the team observed several businesses like Ahmed Boot House, Maqsood Shoe Centre, Salim’s Shoe Shop, and others.
Heap of debris in No Man’s land
Restrictions on celebrating festivals in earlier governments
Meanwhile, the Veda mantras printed on the board of a school in the Barhni area of Siddharthnagar drew our attention. This is the last school on the Indian border, and its name is Dayanand Laghu Madhyamik Vidyalaya. It was a holiday here, but we spoke with the woman principal who was present.
The woman principal of Dayanand Laghu Madhyamik Vidyalaya told us that under previous regimes, orders were issued to remove the Durga Puja idol at 12’o clock, but under the present government, the people here feel much more secure as there are no restrictions. The principal stated that she had been at the same school for about a decade and a half. This school also includes Aryakanya Vidyalaya.
Dayanand Laghu Madhyamik Vidyalaya and Aryakanya Vidyalaya
Hindus are no longer the land owners
An elderly person who runs a store called ‘Jai Maa Annapurna Giri Gas Chulha Repair’ next to the border of Dayanand Vidyalaya told us that most of the land on the Barhni border used to belong to this Dayanand School’s former principal, Tiwari Ji. He went on to say that over time, numerous individuals acquired his land and that Tiwari ji’s lone school is now left.
The elderly guy who talked to OpIndia
The famous naqab centre in Badhni Bazar
The very special thing that we saw in Badhni Bazar of Siddharthnagar was the naqab center. We saw a naqab shop, which is named ‘Omar Naqab Centre’. The shop is not located far from Barhni railway station. Interestingly, the advertisement flex of this shop featured women wearing hijabs and burqas. Something written in the Arabic language could be seen printed on the board. The shop is known to sell Irani chadar. A customer who was purchasing a mask from this business informed us that hijab is popular here.
It is also worth noting that in Siddharthnagar district, there is a market called Dumariaganj, where, during the previous assembly elections, unacceptable slogans were raised in support of the SP’s woman candidate Syeda Khatoon. The police had also filed an FIR against the newly elected MLA and several of her supporters in that case. Dumariaganj market is also considered to be Muslim-dominated.
Omar Naqab Centre in Badhni Bazar
We previously published a report on Dumariaganj in Siddharthnagar district as part of a series on Nepal’s rising Muslim population and booming mosque-madrasas. Dumariaganj is the only place where water taps with Urdu and Arabic nameplates have been installed on the Indo-Nepal border by ‘The Khair Technical Society. On these taps, the ‘United Arab Emirates Association‘ is written in Arabic and the ‘Khair Technical Society India‘ is written in English. According to the locals interviewed for this report, such taps were installed using ‘zakat’ money.
Hundreds of mosques-madrasas near the border
OpIndia also gathered information regarding mosques and madrasas in the Siddharthnagar region of Nepal. According to the data, in Siddharthnagar, within the area of 15 kilometres from the Nepal border, there are around 260 mosques, and 175 madrasas operating presently. 20 mosques have madrasas attached.
The above numbers do not include the number of mazars that are to be found basically everywhere. These estimates presented in this report do not cover the entire Nepal border adjacent to Siddharthnagar district. Locals told us under the condition of anonymity, that the actual number of mosques and madrasas is much higher.
Ahmedabad’s Naroda Patiya saw some of the most horrific scenes unfold during the 2002 riots that took place in Gujarat after a train returning from Ayodhya was set on fire by Islamist mob in Godhra on 27 February. 59 people were burnt alive. What followed were some of the worst communal riots. Hundreds lost their lives, families were destroyed.
One such family was of Shashikant. Naroda Patiya resident Shashikant had saved lives of at least 17 Muslims amid the riots. This, when as a Hindu, his shop was also looted and burned down. He chose humanity over anger. But Abdul Sattar, an autorickshaw driver and one Shabana Bano falsely implicated him in a crime he never committed, because of which he was in jail for over 15 years.
Shashikant alias Tinniyo was mistaken for another man of same name, Tinniyo, who was actually involved in the crime. The real culprit is since missing. His parents have confessed to being involved in the alleged crime but also admitted that they kept quiet back then fearing arrest of their son. Because of which, Shashikant spent 15 years in jail for a crime he never committed.
A report by Sunday Guardian states that soon after the riots, Shashikant was taken to police station for identification parade and then released. He was then arrested a second time followed by another round of identification parade. Shashikant was yet again released. However, soon after he was arrested a third time. All this took place within just one and a half month of Godhra carnage.
Abdul Sattar, who was present during the first two rounds of identification parade, did not identify Shashikant. Out of nowhere, during the third round of identification parade, Abdul named Shashikant as accused. Shashikant came home and narrated the ordeal to his father, Yuvaraj Gambhir, a police constable himself. He told his colleagues that his son was being framed by Sattar because of personal dispute. Sattar used to beat up his wife, had number of police complaints in his name and was often called out by Shashikant. This irked Sattar who felt Shashikant was ‘interfering’ in his family affairs. Sattar had vowed to ‘fix’ Shashikant.
Shashikant saved lives of Muslim labourers during 2002 riots
When riots broke out, Shashikant and his wife Manglaben reached out to their Muslim neighbours and helped them and even offered groceries from their kirana store. However, days later, a rioting mob burned down their store out of revenge. And then Shashikant was arrested. The family faced social boycott.
When things got worse, the family went to a friend’s place in Bhopal. They then took refuge in a village in Maharashtra, Sunday Guardian reported. However, media reports ran headlines that ‘mastermind’ of Naroda Patiya, Shashikant, had run away. Matters reached Supreme Court. He was soon put behind bars.
The family’s woes, on the other hand, mounted. They were constantly subjected to taunting and humiliation. No one came forward to help them financially, no neighbours, no relatives. His father’s colleagues would mostly avoided him. One day, he got a celebral stroke and collapsed. He was paralysed waist down.
When he was out on parole, despite staying at home, his bail was cancelled. Turns out, their neighbour who went to police to say that Shashikant had indeed stayed at home during his parole was also slapped with a police complaint by Abdul Sattar. In 2005, police took him away and he was never out of jail again.
Sattar has since died and Shabana Bano has admitted she gave a false statement against Shashikant because she was paid Rs 10,000. Ahmedabad Police says Bano has left the city.
Teesta Setalvad and 2002 riots
In 2010, Shashikant moved Supreme Court against Teesta Setalvad saying that false affidavits were filed on her behest. He accused her of filing false and fabricated affidavits in SC and said that she tutored witnesses to thwart investigation and trial so that accused continue to languish in jails. By then, Shashikant had already spent 8 years in jail.
Teesta Setalvad’s former aide, Rais Khan, had said that Congress funded Teesta’s agenda to target Modi, who was then the chief minister of Gujarat. He revealed that all the activities undertaken by the claimed rights activist Teesta Satalwad during the 2002 Gujarat riots were politically sponsored by the Congress party. An SIT report said that Setalvad received Rs 30 lakh from Ahmed Patel along with a Padma Shri during UPA era for her campaign against Modi.
Shashikant’s family’s struggles
Speaking to OpIndia, his widow, Manglaben said that he was arrested soon after 2002 riots and subsequently jailed. He was released in 2018 but before that he was out on parole a few times. Soon after his release he got a brain haemorrhage followed by twin heart attacks and within days passed away, leaving behind Manglaben and her two children.
His younger son, Paresh (name changed), is in class 9 and wants to join the navy. Older son, Praful, is 23 now and despite a diploma, he has not been able to find a job that pays well. Manglaben manages expenses working as a tailor. Praful said that he could not pursue degree after diploma because of financial constraints. Their loans kept getting rejected.
He finally decided to take up graphics designing as there is better scope. Two years back when he had inquired, the fees were about Rs 2 lakh. But then covid struck and like many others, the lives came to a standstill. Recently, when he inquired, the fees were about Rs 3.1 lakh. The yearly school fees of Praful’s younger brother come to about Rs 20,000 and then tuition fees are of about Rs 5,000 a month. He had even cleared an entrance test for an online app for further studies, but could not pursue because of financial constraints.
Manglaben just wants to ensure good education to her children so that they can become financially independent and live a life of dignity. Twenty years is a long time. Past has been cruel to them, hopefully the future will be better.
Earlier today, veteran comedian Raju Srivastava breathed his last in Delhi at the age of 58. The comedian died at 10.20 am in the morning, after 41 days of hospitalisation. He was admitted to AIIMS Delhi on August 10 after he suffered chest pain and collapsed while working out at a gym.
Raju Srivastava’s health was frail for over a month and was kept on a ventilator after he was admitted to the hospital following a heart attack. Recently, his brother Dipoo Srivastava said that the comedian was recovering gradually but was unconscious.
Srivastava became a household name after he participated in a comedy show ‘The Great Indian Laughter Challenge’ in 2005 and is often known by his screen name Gajodhar Bhaiya. He is survived by his wife and two children.
Usually, sombre occasions such as someone passing away evoke sympathy and condolence messages. The death of Raju Srivastava pushed the nation into collective mourning. People across the country condoled the death of one of the greatest comedians of all time.
However, not everyone in the country was mourning the loss of the comedian. When news trickled in that Raju Srivastava has passed away, vultures belonging to the left-leaning liberal fold, stand-up comedians, and Islamists, who had long harboured a grouse against him for wearing his nationalism on his sleeves and for more benign reasons such as simply disagreeing with the ‘liberal’ worldview, descended on social media platforms to celebrate his death and abuse the comedian.
Islamists and leftists, for whom death does nothing to temper their innate hate impulses and instead offers them yet another opportunity to spew venom against people who did not conform to their ideology, took to social media to attack Srivastava and celebrate his death.
Washed-up ‘comedian’ of now-defunct AIB, Rohan Joshi, spews hatred against Raju Srivastava after his death, deletes comment after online backlash
‘Comedian’ Rohan Joshi, most known for being part of the now-defunct comedy company All India Bakchod (AIB) and who had expressed glee at Hindus losing their family members to the Coronavirus pandemic, posted a nasty message on Instagram on the death of Raju Srivastava.
Calling Raju Srivastava’s death a “good riddance”, Joshi commented, “We haven’t lost a thing. Whether it was Kara whether it was the roast or any comic in the news, Raju Srivastav took every opportunity he ever got to shit on newer comics, especially after a new wave of stand-up started.”
He further added, “He went on every fuckall news channel every time he was invited to go shit on an upcoming art form and call it offensive just because he couldn’t understand it and new stars were rising. He might have told a few good jokes but he understood nothing about the spirit of comedy or defending someone’s right to say something even if you don’t agree. Fuck him and good riddance.”
No sooner he posted the spiteful comment than he drew the ire of social media users who slammed him for abusing and hating on a person who died just hours ago. Chastened by criticism, Joshi deleted his comment and offered what appeared like an insincere apology.
“fair point. Yahi soch kar delete kiya kyonki after a minute of anger I realised today is not about my personal feelings. Sorry if it hurt you and thanks for the perspective,” Joshi commented when one of the Instagram users pointed out how his comment is distasteful and unwarranted.
Rohan joshi has deleted the pathetic comment after getting bashed by people. He’s justified saying he was angry and it’s not time for his “personal feelings”. His Personal feelings filled with toxic hatred & venom. No wonder, he calls other hate mongers & intolerant. pic.twitter.com/unAttYTwgK
Islamists and Liberals descend on social media to hate on the late comedian
However, like Joshi, Islamists and ‘liberals’ too joined in abusing the decedent comedian and expressing happiness over his death.
“In the last stage of his life, he abused muslim. Behind his comedy face, he hid a monster Raju,” read a tweet posted by one Wasim Akram.
Source: Twitter
Yet another Islamist said Raju Srivastava was a bigot, a racist, and anti-Islamic.
Source: Twitter
A Twitter user mocked Raju Srivastava after his death. “This is soo good. When I heard he was brain dead. I was like wasn’t he brain dead for years now? Only the news got out now,” he said.
Source: Twitter
A bevvy of Islamists quoted an old tweet by Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair to spew their venom against the comedian. Zubair, who is known for painting a target behind those who stood up against Islamist bullying, had made ‘sanskari gaalis’ jibe at Raju Srivastava in January 2021 while sharing a collage of unflattering comments made by Raju Srivastava on social media.
Several Islamists and ‘liberals’ quoted the tweet today to justify why they are pleased with Raju’s death. Congress leader Pankhuri Pathak quoted Zubair’s tweet and commented “disgusting”.
Source: Twitter
Another Islamist commented that she is not shedding tears for someone who was a “misogynist, Islamophobe” while quoting Zubair’s tweet.
Source: Twitter
Others quoted Zubair’s tweet and posted mean tweets against Raju Srivastava on his death.
Source: Twitter
How Islamists and liberals had attacked Lata Mangeshkar after her death
The hateful posts by Islamists and ‘liberals’ against Raju Srivastava do not come as a surprise since they have long had a penchant for celebrating the death of those whose views are at odds with their left-leaning ideology. Earlier this year, ‘liberals’ and ‘Islamists’ had taken to Twitter to abuse Lata Mangeshkar after her death. They claimed she deserved no sympathy as she was a ‘Sanghi’. Lata Mangeshkar’s admiration for nationalist icons and her close association with the RSS became a rallying point for the left liberals, who did not shy away from making harsh comments on the deceased.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the PM CARES Fund and lauded the people of India for contributing wholeheartedly to the fund. During the meeting, PM Modi also revealed that the PM CARES for Children scheme which was launched in May this year was supporting 4345 children. During the meeting, it was announced that three eminent personalities have been nominated as new members of the Board of Trustees, while an Advisory Board to the Fund also has been formed with three members.
PM Modi welcomed Former Supreme Court Judge KT Thomas, former Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Karia Munda and industrialist Ratan Tata who joined in as new Trustees of the PM CARES Fund. Along with these three, Rajiv Mehrishi, Former Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Sudha Murthy, Former Chairperson of Infosys Foundation, and Anand Shah, Co-founder of Teach for India were also nominated for the constitution of the Advisory Board to PM CARES Fund.
#BREAKING | PM Modi chairs meet of PM-CARES fund; Ratan Tata, former SC Justice KT Thomas (Retd), fmr Dy Speaker Karia Munda join as trustees; Sudha Murthy, Rajiv Mehrishi & Anand Shah join advisory board https://t.co/fyBXoa0vacpic.twitter.com/ZzLMUfsFrX
According to the reports, PM Modi welcomed the new members for becoming an integral part of the PM CARES Fund and said that the participation of new Trustees would provide wider perspectives on the functioning of the fund. “Their vast experience of public life would impart further vigor in making the fund more responsive to various public needs”, PM Modi was quoted.
During the meeting, various initiatives undertaken with the aid of the fund, including the PM CARES for Children scheme which is supporting 4345 children were also discussed. PM Modi appreciated people’s support towards the fund and lauded them for contributing wholeheartedly to PM CARES Fund. It was noted that PM CARES has a broader vision for successfully responding to disaster and distress situations, not just via relief aid, but also through mitigation and capacity building.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the PM CARES Fund yesterday. A presentation was made on the various initiatives undertaken with the help of PM CARES Fund, including the PM CARES for Children scheme which is supporting 4345 children: PMO pic.twitter.com/pjoJH9IEmS
PM-CARES (Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations) Fund was first launched by Prime Minister Modi on March 28, 2020, in wake of the spread of the Chinese coronavirus. The public charitable trust famously known as PM CARES Fund is a dedicated national fund with the objective of dealing with any kind of emergency or distress situation, like the COVID-19 pandemic. Prime Minister who is the Chairman of this trust on September 13, 2020, donated Rs 2.25 lakh from his savings as an initial corpus to the PM-CARES fund.
However, PM CARES for Children Scheme was launched by PM Modi on May 29, 2021, to support children who have lost both their parents or legal guardian or adoptive parents, or surviving parents to the COVID-19 pandemic, during the period from March 11, 2020, to February 28, 2022. According to a communique from the Prime Minister’s Office, the scheme’s primary objective is to provide children with long-term care and protection by providing them with boarding and lodging, empowering them through education and scholarships, and equipping them for self-sufficiency with financial support of Rs 10 lakh when they reach the age of 23, as well as ensuring their well being through health insurance.
On May 30 this year, PM Modi released the benefits under the PM CARES for children who lost their parents to COVID-19. During the program, the Prime Minister had headed over scholarships to school-going children and had also issued a PM CARES for Children passbook to them. Further, the eligible children were provided with a health card under the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. PM Modi had also announced to provide of education loans for professional courses or higher education under the fund.
India, the world’s largest democracy, has a rich history of kings and queens, who had a deep-rooted connection with the common people. Today we are discussing the people of Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, where the locals remember King Pravir Chandra Bhanj Dev and venerate him as a deity.
A short documentary film titled “I Pravir The Adivasi God” directed by filmmaker and IIM Ahmedabad alumnus Vivek Kumar on Pravir Chandra Bhanj Dev, the king of Bastar, has been released on OpIndia’s YouTube channel, after watching which you will know what the local people think about him and why he is held in such high regard even after so many years.
The film captures community members lovingly reminiscing memories of the king and provides fascinating insights into the battle between monarchy and democracy. This film is now available exclusively on OpIndia.
Raja Pravir Chandra Bhanj Dev was assassinated in 1966. He was fighting the then-government for his subjects at the time. For the Bastar tribal people, he is still God, and they worship him in this guise.
The tribal people of Bastar recall their king Pravir Chandra Bhanj dev in this film, noting that while India now has a democratic system, the king valued his people and their aspirations more than today’s leaders. Even today, King Pravir Chandra Bhanj Dev’s photo is found in the homes of the people of Bastar. People from tribal society stated that there must have been developments in the current democratic system, but the tribals have not benefitted as much as they should have.
Pravir Chandra Bhanj Deo was an ardent supporter of tribal rights who frequently clashed with the Congress government of the time. He was the elected legislator from the Jagdalpur Vidhan Sabha seat in undivided Madhya Pradesh. He came to the streets in defense of tribal rights and spearheaded popular anti-government rallies at the time.
“On March 25th, Maharaja Pravir Chandra, who also was a Congress MLA from Jagdalpur Assembly seat, along with several tribals, was killed in the police firing on the orders of then Congress government inside his palace at Jagdalpur,” according to the documentary. One member of the judicial committee, formed to investigate the incident, reprimanded the government for mishandling the matter but did not hold anyone directly responsible for the occurrence.”
Decades later, his death in the police firing is thought to have had a significant influence on the emergence of Maoist insurgency in the state. It is one of the great “What ifs” in Indian history to speculate on what course Bastar would have taken if King Pravir Chandra Bhanj Dev had not been assassinated.
According to one tribal seen in the film, after Pravir Chandra Bhanj Dev was shot dead, his body was never discovered, just his clothing was found. His samadhi was afterwards created by placing his clothes. One person told that Pravir Chandra Bhanj Dev was killed due to the iron mine dispute. The king considered that the indigenous tribals had the highest claim to Bastar’s natural resources.
The film showcases the Adivasi culture, dance, and other tribal art forms. However, there is a harsh reality in the video that some people today have entirely forgotten the king and do not even recognize his image. On the contrary, several locals believe that whatever Bastar is today is the result of the king’s efforts. People also claim that King Pravir Chandra Bhanj Dev has always been generous to the people. The film also depicts Bastar’s current development work.
On Tuesday, Srinagar Police slammed All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi for his remarks about the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar being closed every Friday at a time when movie halls had opened in Pulwama and Shopian. “Staying far is no excuse of ignorance”, the Srinagar Police said while correcting the member of Parliament from Hyderabad.
The city police said in a tweet that Jamia Masjid is ‘totally open’ and that the mosque was only temporarily closed for Friday midday prayers three times after COVID restrictions were relaxed owing to inputs of terror attack/law and order situation. “This was after Jamia authorities failed to take responsibility for happenings inside. Staying far is no excuse of ignorance”, Srinagar Police added in the tweet.
Jamia is fully opened,only on 3 occasions post-covid,it was temporarily shut for friday noon prayers owing to inputs of terror attack /law & order situation.This was after Jamia authorities failed to take responsibility of happenings inside. Staying far is no excuse of ignorance. https://t.co/wqicG3oAr2
Owaisi had earlier urged Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to not shut Srinagar’s Jama masjid on Fridays. He had poked Governor Manoj Sinha for recently inaugurating the first multiplex in Srinagar on Tuesday. “Sir you have opened Cinema Halls in Shopian and Pulwama but why is Srinagar Jamia Masjid shut every Friday at least don’t shut it during the afternoon matinee show”, Owaisi had tweeted.
Sir @manojsinha_ you have opened Cinema Halls in Shopian & Pulwama but why is Srinagar Jamia Masjid shut on every Friday at least don’t shut it during the afternoon matinee show https://t.co/Yh4ZCbTHlV
On Tuesday, Jammu, and Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha got back cinema in Kashmir after a gap of three decades by inaugurating the first multiplex in the Sonwar area of Srinagar. “Inaugurated INOX multiplex theatre in Srinagar. A major Socioeconomic revolution is sweeping through Jammu and Kashmir in the last 3 years. It is a reflection of a new dawn of hope, dreams, confidence, and aspirations of people”, Sinha tweeted.
Inaugurated INOX multiplex theatre in Srinagar. Congratulations to the people, Sh. Vijay Dhar & INOX Group. A major Socio-economic revolution is sweeping through J&K in the last 3 years. It is reflection of a new dawn of hope, dreams, confidence and aspirations of people. pic.twitter.com/VhdiVTHhQw
Sinha also inaugurated Multipurpose Cinema Halls in South Kashmir’s twin districts of Shopian and Pulwama on Sunday and dedicated those to the people, especially the younger generation of Kashmir.
#JammuAndKashmir, Lieutenant Governor @manojsinha_ inaugurates Multipurpose Cinema Halls in South Kashmir’s twin districts of Shopian and Pulwama and dedicates these to the people, especially the younger generation of Kashmir who has waited for a long time for this moment. pic.twitter.com/j04EVVVnI0
Reports mention that the multiplex designed by INOX in the Sonwar area has three movie theatres with a combined capacity of 520 seats. There’s also a food court on the premise to promote local cuisine. A Kashmiri wood “Khatambandh” is also utilized in the lobbies to showcase Kashmir’s art and design, giving it a Kashmiri cultural flair.
The multiplex would be permanently stationed here in the districts of Kashmir and the most recent films would be released soon, allowing Kashmiris to enjoy the same leisure amenities as the rest of the country. Due to the spread of terrorism, all movie halls in the Kashmir valley were shut on December 31, 1990.
On the night of September 20 massive protest broke out at Lovely Professional University in Jalandhar, Punjab, after a first-year student identified as Agni S Dilip allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in his hostel room. He was pursuing a Bachelor of Designing from the University. As per the Police, a suicide note was recovered from his hostel room in which he had cited personal reasons behind his action.
Jalandhar, Punjab | Students gathered in large numbers last night inside the Lovely Professional University campus to protest over the suicide of a first-year student
In a statement, DSP Phagwara Jaspreet Singh said, “We received information at around 5:30 pm on September 20 that a first-year student of B. Design at Lovely Professional University died by suicide. We reached the spot and sealed the room. Upon investigation, we recovered a suicide note which cited personal reasons. The family of the deceased has been informed. Further investigation is underway.”
A first-year student of B. Design at LPU has committed suicide on Tuesday afternoon. DSP Phagwara stated that prima facie the student was having some personal issues, as has been suggested by the suicide note left by the deceased. #LPU#University#Suicide#Phagwara#Kapurthalapic.twitter.com/KW957uXl63
Phagwara SDM Lal Vishwas Bains said, “I urge the students not to fall for any rumors on social media. I also request everyone not forward any rumours. This is an unfortunate incident. We must act responsibly.”
Mukhtiar Rai, Superintendent of Police, Phagwara, said, “We have managed the situation after some time as students were sent to their rooms. We also informed the deceased’s parents, and they were expected to reach today, and we shall proceed further according to their statement.”
Lovely Professional University also issued a statement. It read, “The unfortunate incident saddens LPU fraternity. The initial investigation by the Police and the contents of the suicide note point towards personal issues of the deceased. The University is providing full support to the authorities for further investigation. The University mourns the loss of the student and expresses its condolences to the bereaved family. Heavy deployment of Police has been made on the university campus as officials are not ruling out the possibility of further protests. Meanwhile, the University, in its statement, said, “Initial investigation and all contents of the suicide note points towards personal issues of the deceased. University is providing full support to the authorities for further probe.”
— Lovely Professional University – LPU (@lpuuniversity) September 20, 2022
The incident in LPU happened at a time when another university in Punjab was in the headlines over the alleged MMS leak case. Three persons, including a female student of Chandigarh University in Mohali, were arrested by the Police earlier this week for allegedly sending nude videos of fellow female hostel mates to a person in Shimla. The probe in that matter is underway, and the three accused were sent to Police custody for seven days.
Leicester City, in England’s East Midlands, has seen a rise in targeted attacks on the Hindu minority. The outbreak of Islamist violence began shortly after the India-Pakistan match in the Asia Cup on August 28.
Adam Yusuf, a 21-year-old man, was given a sentence of a year in prison, suspended for 18 months after confessing to carrying a knife at a protest march on Sunday, thereby making it the second conviction in the case. This comes after a 20-year-old named Amos Noronha, a resident of Illingworth Road in Leicester was sentenced to 10 months in jail for the anti-Hindu violence in Leicester.
So far, 47 people have been arrested in connection with an attack by Islamic fundamentalists on a gathering of Hindus in Leicester, England. On Monday, Leicester Police tweeted this information (19 September 2022).
With their tweet, Leicester Police published a link, writing, “Latest update on the turmoil in the city of East Leicester.” So far, 47 people have been arrested in this case. If you have heard about this occurrence or have any other information, please send it using our report link.”
A further update on our response to the disorder in areas of East Leicester.
Islamists recently attacked a Hindu temple in Leicester. One fanatic was seen in a viral video uprooting a saffron flag tied to the temple structure.
According to a Hindu organization (@INSIGHTUK2), what began as friendly banter between Indian fans and Pakistani supporters became serious when the latter snatched and disrespected the Indian Tricolor. The individual who grabbed and desecrated the Indian flag was later determined to be a Sikh man. Hindus subsequently calmed the situation down by talking to him in a cafe. Soon after, the police took cognizance of the matter but added to the raging lies and propaganda by Islamists that religious slurs were hurled in Hindi.
India and Pakistan faced again in the Asia Cup Super 4 stage. After Pakistan won the game, its supporters stormed a Hindu home that was celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi.
