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Meet Majid Freeman, terror sympathising Leicester man who instigated violence against Hindus and is influencing the media’s anti-Hindu coverage

Nupur J Sharma
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Meet Majid Freeman, terror sympathising Leicester man who instigated violence against Hindus and is influencing the media’s anti-Hindu coverage

Leicester has been burning with Muslim mobs going on a rampage against the Hindu community in the city. After hundreds of people crowded the streets in the city’s eastern section, violence erupted on Friday night in Leicester, United Kingdom. This comes after a spate of targeted attacks on Hindus followed the Asia Cup India-Pakistan cricket match on August 28, when armed Islamists attacked Hindus and their residences in the vicinity.

On Friday, hundreds of Hindus had taken to the streets of Leicester to protest against the earlier violence by Muslims against Hindus in the area. During the protest by Hindus, the Muslim mob started indiscriminately attacking Hindus with stones and glass bottles. The protest by Hindus was disrupted by Islamists as they hurled glass bottles at the protestors. A Saffron flag was also desecrated by a mob of Islamists in front of the police.

The violence on the 17th of September erupted after a spate of violence that had gripped the city over a span of 3-4 days, starting from the 4th of September, where Muslim mobs had gone on a rampage identifying Hindus and unleashing violence against them. During the rampant violence by Islamists in the city earlier in September and on the 17th, several Hindus were specifically targeted after being identified by the display of Hindu symbols. 

Speaking to OpIndia, Insight UK, a Hindu organisation bringing the issues of the Leicester community to the forefront through advocacy, said that during the 6th September violence, several Hindu houses were attacked after the Islamists identified these houses through the display of religious symbols. 6th September was the third consecutive night of attacks against the Leicester Hindu community, Insight UK told us. During this, hundreds of Muslims had taken to the streets and were attacking Hindu homes after identifying them with the display of the Om symbol, saffron flags, picture of Lord Ganesh etc.

The media, however, has been peddling a grotesquely false narrative about the Leicester violence. The foundation of the media narrative is that it was “RSS goons” and “Hindutvavadis” who attacked the marginalised Muslim community of Leicester.

A journalist associated with UK-based leftist media outlet The Guardian, Aina Khan, tweeted about her ‘tense day’ while covering the Leicester violence. She claims to have interviewed one Hindu man who was wearing a motorbike helmet and holding an Indian flag. She ranted against RSS, Hindus, and Hindutva and placed the blame for the violence against Hindus squarely at the doorstep of the Hindu community, claiming that it was the Muslim community that was victimised by the violence. A comprehensive report on her assertions can be read here and here.

As temples, and religious symbols got desecrated, homes got attacked and Hindus were under siege by the Muslim community of Leicester, Aina went on a rant praising the Muslim community for their conduct. She tweeted that she was accompanied by Majid Freeman, a local Muslim “activist”.

Majid Freeman is a local Leicester Muslim “activist” who is known to harbour problematic and extremist Islamic views. Throughout the Leicester violence, Majid was at the forefront of spreading fake news that instigated violence against Hindus.

It was on the 28th of August that a scuffle had broken out after India defeated Pakistan in a T20 match after the Indian flag was desecrated. After the scuffle, Hindus had even calmed the situation down and tended to the individual who had snatched and desecrated the Indian flag. Majid Freeman, however, had a different story to tell.

On the 30th of August, after the Leicester police got influenced by the Muslim organisations and lied about “death to Muslims” being chanted by Hindus (they later clarified their investigation found no such chants were heard), Majid took to Twitter to rabble-rouse against Hindus.

On the 30th itself, he lied about Quran being desecrated in Leicester, insinuating that the Hindus had committed this act. However, OpIndia tried to verify these claims. There is one video about this supposed Quran desecration where 2 men and 1 woman are seen collecting torn pages of the Quran from the street. There is no video evidence of the Quran being desecrated. Moreover, there has been no complaint filed by the police and no video evidence submitted for investigation either.

There was another incident that was cited by Majid Freeman to claim that Hindus had been attacking Muslims. He claimed that a mob of 30+ Hindus had chased and assaulted a Muslim teenager. When confirmed, it turned out that while the Muslim organisations had claimed this, no video evidence was submitted to the police and no investigation was underway, OpIndia was told by Insight UK.

This is what Majid Freeman wrote in an article on 5PillarsUK, an Islamist website that talks about Muslims and the Ummah.

Meet Majid Freeman, terror sympathising Leicester man who instigated violence against Hindus and is influencing the media's anti-Hindu coverage
What he wrote in his report

On the 4th of September, when the violence against Hindus started with mobs hunting them down in their houses and on the streets, Majid Freeman took to Twitter to dog-whistle against Hindus again.

On the 4th, no procession was planned and the Hindus had decided to let the incident go, however, Majid decided to talk about potential violence again to instigate Muslims against Hindus. In fact, he even lied that Hindus had attacked a Sikh man because he had raised objections to them chanting “death to Pakistan”.

The truth that has now emerged is that this individual, a Sikh man, had snatched the Indian flag and desecrated it. The Hindus at that time had thought of the Sikh man as a Pakistani and started chanting “Pakistan Murdabad”, which does not literally translate to “Death to Pakistan”. Actually, it simply means “down down Pakistan”, a slogan common world over in protests and even in cricket matches. In the scuffle, his t-shirt was torn, however, later, the Hindus themselves took the Sikh man to a nearby cafe and ensured that he was ok.

Here is a still from the video posted by Insight UK that proves that Indians had taken the man in the cafe and tended to him.

Meet Majid Freeman, terror sympathising Leicester man who instigated violence against Hindus and is influencing the media's anti-Hindu coverage
Still from video posted by Insight for UK

This incident was given a communal colour only after Muslim organisations like FMO and Leicester Council of Faiths insisted to the police that “death to Muslims” was chanted by Hindus. They then approached the police and insisted that this fact was mentioned in an email that was circulated widely. Later, it was the Hindus who approached the police and asked for evidence and when that evidence was not available, the police were forced to clarify that such chants were not heard. The Muslim organisations did not bother to circulate the clarification thereby furthering hate against Hindus. Majid completely misses these facts on purpose.

From the 4th to the 7th of September, Muslim mobs went on a rampage against Hindus. On the 4th of September, when Majid tweeted and dog-whistled, the Muslim mob went on a rampage unprovoked while the Hindus were celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi. Eggs were thrown when Hindu symbols were spotted and where Ganesh puja was being held. A Hindu man was dragged out of his home and stabbed, when his aunt ran out of the house to defend him, she was injured because the Muslim mob punched and beat her.

On the 8th of September, he repeated the lie that a Muslim boy was attacked by 30+ Hindus, and his evidence to back that claim was an unverifiable video and the fact that he wanted people to trust his word. As mentioned before, there is no investigation into this because there was no evidence provided.

Even after the violence that was perpetrated on the 4, 5, 6 and 7th of September, Majid continued to lie. He claimed on the 9th of September that a Muslim boy was held by Hindus and asked for his religion. When they found out he was a Muslim, they tried to beat him, however, the Muslim boy managed to escape after beating the Hindus up. The Leicester police responded to Majid saying that such an incident had not happened.

On the 12th of September, a dangerous lie started. It was alleged that Hindu men had attempted to abduct a Muslim girl while she was going to school. The school was alerted about this by Muslim organisations and a subsequent complaint was filed. The Leicester police on the 13th said that they were investigating the complaint. That statement was used by Majid to claim that the police had “confirmed that the incident took place”.

After the story went viral, aided by Majid Freeman, the Hindu man started getting threats from Islamists since they had outed his car number, his location and his picture.

The Muslim mob had also reached his house and started circling the area.

On the 14th of September, the Leicester police confirmed that the news was fake. There was no kidnapping attempt on the Muslim girl. It is pertinent to note that in front of the police, even the young Muslim girl had corroborated the story and given specific descriptions of the Hindu man, probably egged on and coached by the Islamists.

Meet Majid Freeman, terror sympathising Leicester man who instigated violence against Hindus and is influencing the media's anti-Hindu coverage
Statement by Leicester police

It was only on the 15th that Majid admitted that the news was fake. But it was too late by then. The Muslim mob had already been stirred and Hindus were already marked. In fact, that Hindu boy’s life had been perennially jeopardised.

On the 17th, Majid Freeman basically admitted that Muslims were victimising Hindus by tweeting that the locals were fed up of Hindus playing loud music and had started feeling much safer since Muslims started “patrolling the area”. Given the violence, Freeman’s jugglery of words notwithstanding, we know what “patrolling the area” meant. He essentially and clearly meant that the Muslim population of Leicester felt “safe” after their goons had started targeting Hindus.

Pertinently, it was the 17th of September when Hindus came under attack yet again by the Muslims, the day that Majid Freeman tweeted.

On the 17th, Hindus had decided to peacefully march in Leicester, protesting against the Islamist violence that had continued throughout all these days. From the 7th to the 17th, while Majid claimed that the area was peaceful, Insight UK told OpIndia that Hindus were constantly under attack with stones and glass bottles being pelted at them and their homes. When the rally was being taken out peacefully by Hindus, Majid Freeman started dog-whistling again.

Simply because there was a mosque from where the Hindu procession passed, Majid Freeman warned Hindus in his tweet that Muslims are “getting provoked again”, almost as a precursor to the violence that was about to erupt.

While the Hindus marched, Muslims took to the streets and started performing Namaz. Since it was a Saturday and Friday, one can safely conclude that this was a planned move. The Hindus, OpIndia is told, waited patiently to let them finish their namaz before proceeding with their protest.

While the media tried to paint this as an “India vs Pakistan” violence, it was clear from Majid’s tweet on the 18th that it was violence by Muslims of all hues against Hindus. “Muslims from ALL backgrounds in #Leicester are united. Whether they be Indian, Pakistani, Bengali, Somali, Arab etc. We’re here united as one. We won’t allow this #Hindutva extremism to spread here. This isn’t India where we’re the minority & they have the state supporting them”, he tweeted.

From the 17th, Hindus feel gravely under attack. A temple was also desecrated by the Muslims when they took down the Om flag and burnt it. Hindu houses were attacked and Hindus were being chased down, being met with stones and glass bottles.

Majid on the 17th justified the violence by the Muslims against Hindus calling it the community “standing up for themselves” because the Hindu community “broke peace” by marching past a mosque and chanting “Jai Shree Ram”.

While justifying violence by the Muslims, Majid lied about Hindus coming in from London to create violence. The truth is that it was the Muslims who had congregated from several places outside Leicester. In fact, among those arrested were two Muslims from Birmingham.

In fact, Majid slipped up in one of his tweets on the 17th where he thanked other Muslims for “responding on short notice” clearly indicating that Muslims had come to Leicester to target Hindus.

In fact, another lie that was circulated by Majid Freeman and his Islamist cohorts was that a Mosque was attacked by Hindus during their peaceful protest. The Leicester police confirmed that no such mosque was attacked, however, they did confirm that a Hindu temple had been vandalised.

Meet Majid Freeman, terror sympathising Leicester man who instigated violence against Hindus and is influencing the media's anti-Hindu coverage
Tweets by Leicester police

With Majid and his cohorts instigating violence against Hindus, the Hindu community of Leicester have been living in mortal fear since late August. There has been violence perpetrated against them, which is backed by plenty of evidence. The Leicester police have secured its first conviction in the violence and the individual who has been sent to 10 months in prison is not a Hindu – his name is Amos Noronha, who is a resident of Illingworth Road in Leicester.

Who is Majid Freeman

To understand who Majid Freeman is, we must travel back to 2013 when ISIS activity was at its peak in Syria. In 2013, BBC aired a documentary about the “Aid for Syria” convoy which had “humanitarian organisations” and “activists” travelling to Syria to help those affected by ISIS atrocities. BBC at the time hid the names of the charities involved in the convoy – it was later revealed by analyst and scholar Sam Westrop that those charities were One Nation, Al Fatiha Global and Aid4Syria.

At the time, this is what Westrop wrote:

These charities regularly organize fundraising events with Islamist themes, and invite radical preachers as guests. In mid-November, for instance, the Aid for Syria convoy ran an event named “O’Ummah [Community of Muslims], Wake Up and Rise”, starring as its key speakers, Zahir Mahmood and Moazzam Begg.

Zahir Mahmood just so happens to be a supporter of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, the charter of which calls for genocide against the Jewish people. Mahmood claims that, “Hamas are not terrorists. They’re freedom fighters.”

Moazzam Begg, meanwhile, was a detainee at Guantanamo Bay who now runs a group called CagePrisoners, which lobbies in support of imprisoned Al Qaeda terrorists. Begg has previously admitted that he was responsible for “small arms and mountain tactics” at al-Qaeda training camps, to which he also sent money, on the Afghan-Pakistani border. Begg has also admitted that he fought alongside jihadists in Bosnia. Through CagePrisoners, Begg presently campaigns for the release of his fellow Guantanamo detainee, Shaker Aamer, whom Begg himself had previously described as a “recruiter” for al-Qaeda. The human rights activist Gita Sahgal has called Begg: “Britain’s most famous supporter of the Taliban.”

In fact, the Aid for Syria convoy had named some of their vehicles Aafia Siddiqui, an Al Qaeda activist described by FBI Director Robert S. Mueller as “an al-Qaeda operative and facilitator.” During her trial, she insisted that she did not want any Jewish lawyers.

In 2013, when the Aid For Syria charity was being exposed as Islamist by several scholars, Majid Freeman was in Syria under this banner, with another “aid worker” Alan Henning, who was later abducted and beheaded by ISIS. He was with Henning when he was abducted by ISIS, indicates reports.

Freeman spoke at the memorial service for Henning, calling him a beautiful man who helped when the international community looked away, however, according to a Telegraph report, only two weeks after the beheading, he started posting messages supporting ISIS. In his Facebook post, he asked for “dua” for a British ISIS terrorist Ifthekar Jaman who was charged with a Syrian terror plot. He also posted a video that essentially said that ISIS was a reasonable response to Western policy and said, “This brother hit the nail on the head”.

Majid Freeman, according to the Telegraph report, has expressed support for Al Qaeda terrorists calling them Shaheed, said that Al Aqsa will be conquered by Jihad and expressed sympathy and support to Al Qaeda cleric who incited terrorist attacks against non-Muslims.

Excerpt from Telegraph report

Interestingly, the Telegraph report also reveals that Freeman has been questioned by the police but has not been charged with any crime in relation to Aid4Syria.

Majid has, essentially, encouraged European Muslims to “do jihad in Syria,” and has promoted “tributes” to the late Al Qaeda terrorist Anwar Al-Awlaki on his Twitter and Facebook accounts – this screenshot was posted by Sam Westrop in his expose.

Post by Majid Freeman

Not only this, Majid Freeman has expressed his support for Pakistani terrorist Aafia Siddique.

Aafia Siddiqui is a 49-years-old terrorist of Pakistan origin. She is currently serving an 86-year prison sentence for attacking US Army and FBI personnel in Afghanistan. In 2008, she was detained by Afghan authorities. According to the Department of Justice, they had found a number of items in her possession, including handwritten notes that mentioned a mass-casualty attack. There was a list of various locations such as Plum Island, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, and the Brooklyn Bridge in the US, including in the items.

According to DoJ, she was being held in an unsecured manner when she grabbed a rifle from US Army personnel and fired it at the officers interviewing her. An FBI agent and a US Army officer were injured. She was convicted in 2010 and currently serving an 86-year prison sentence. Her supporters from Pakistan believe she is innocent and a victim of the American war on terror.

The Taliban and Islamic State, along with Majid Freeman, of course, had sought her release in exchange for American and European hostages. One of the notable trade offers was of journalist James Foley who was captured in Syria and later beheaded in August 2014. In July 2014, ISIS offered the release of Kayla Mueller, a 22-year-old woman who was abducted in Syria, in exchange for Siddiqui.

Siddiqui did her graduation and PhD from the US in behavioural neuroscience. Reports suggest she worked as a courier for Khalid Sheikh Muhammad, who was the main accused of the 9/11 attacks. After 9/11, Siddiqui had returned to Pakistan with her first husband and children. When she tried to help Taliban terrorists near the Pakistan-Afghan border, her husband disapproved, leading to their divorce in 2002.

Pakistan has also come forward in her support. In September 2021, Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, Special Aide to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Interreligious Harmony and the Middle East, sought early release of Siddiqui on the pretext of an alleged attack on her in prison. Pakistan’s ambassador to the US, Masood Khan, also extended support for Siddiqui.

Majid Freeman also supported Oliver Bridgeman, an ISIS terrorist whose passport was cancelled after he travelled to Syria. According to a report, he essentially painted the terrorist as an aide worker, much like himself. Oliver Bridgemen converted to Islam and became Yusuf. He is still in Syria fighting for ISIS.

Majid Freeman and his links with organisations connected to Al Qaeda, IHH – Is there a PFI connection?

At the heart of this question, are three so-called charities that were ‘working’ in Syria – Aid4Syria, Al Fatiha Global (Aid4Syria’s parent organisation), IHH and Children in Deen and One Nation.

It is pertinent to note that Majid Freeman was travelling in the humanitarian convoy to Syria along with these organisations and is personally involved with others like One Nation and Aid4Syria.

The Telegraph report says:

Aid4Syria’s parent charity, Al Fatiha Global, is under investigation by the Charity Commission for alleged “links [with] individuals purportedly involved in supporting armed or other inappropriate activities in Syria”. The investigation was launched in March after one of its workers, Adeel Ali, was apparently pictured with his arms around two masked men holding rifles. He denies the picture is of him.

Two other charities involved in the aid convoy joined by Mr Henning and Mr Freeman, IHH and Children in Deen, have also been accused of aiding jihadist terrorism in Syria. IHH, a Turkish group, was raided by that country’s police earlier this year. Children in Deen is under investigation by the Charity Commission. The first British suicide bomber in Syria, Abdul Waheed Majeed, travelled to the country in a convoy organised by Children in Deen.

A third charity involved in the aid convoy, One Nation, is the subject of “concerns” by the Charity Commission over its work in Syria. One of its trustees, Arshad Patel, was arrested by police investigating the 7/7 London suicide bombings, but not charged. His sister, Hasina, is the widow of Mohammed Sidique Khan, the leader of the suicide bombers. Mr Freeman is also closely linked to One Nation.

While other organisations seem to have sympathies for Al Qaeda and ISIS terrorists and have also been under investigation for their activities in Syria, one Turkish group, IHH, is of particular concern to India as well.

In 2020, news emerged that IHH, which has links to Al Qaeda, has forged an alliance with PFI in India. According to the report by Nordic Monitor in 2020, the meeting was held on the 20th of October, 2018, seven months ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections in 2019.

The meeting, clouded in secrecy, was apparently part of Erdogan’s outreach towards Muslims in the Southeast Asia. The two key PFI leaders who attended the meeting were E.M. Abdul Rahiman and Prof. P. Koya, members of the National Executive Council of the PFI, the report claims. It was attended by IHH Secretary-General Durmuş Aydın and IHH Vice President Hüseyin Oruç as well and partnership in various fields were discussed.

The Nordic Monitor says that IHH works with Turkish intelligence service MIT, led by Erdogan loyalist Hakan Fidan, an Islamist as well. It also said that the PFI was promoted by Turkic state-run media Anadolu as a civic and social group the members of which were abused by Indian police. The IHH was accused to have smuggled arms to Al-Qaeda-affiliated Jihadists in Syria in January 2014.

The report states further, “The IHH had long been flagged by Russia as an organization that smuggled arms to jihadist groups in Syria, according to intelligence documents submitted to the UN Security Council on Feb. 10, 2016. Russian intelligence documents even furnished the license plate numbers of trucks dispatched by the IHH loaded with arms and supplies bound for al-Qaeda-affiliated groups including the Nusra Front.”

The Nordic Monitor also said that the Erdogan regime in Turkey is helping the IHH in global operations using its diplomatic clout. The PFI in India has been accused of involvement in numerous instances of violence and their members have been accused of murder as well. The Enforcement Directorate had accused the PFI of funding anti-CAA riots across the country.

Here are the pictures that had emerged at the time.

Photograph of meeting between IHH and PFI (Image Credit: Nordic Monitor)
Photograph of meeting between IHH and PFI (Image Credit: Nordic Monitor)

Given the involvement of Majid Freeman in the violence against Hindus in Leicester, the misinformation he spread to instigate Muslims to target Hindus and his terror sympathising views and associations, one has to wonder if there is more to the violence than meets the eye. The fact that IHH was involved in the Syrian convoy, of which Freeman was a part of, and that IHH has forged an alliance with radical Islamist PFI in India which works explicitly against Hindus (read this vision document to know about their plans to turn India Islamic and subjugate Hindus) raises far more questions than it answers.

That Majid Freeman is a radical Islamist has been proved by publicly available information about his views. However, whether the Leicester police would investigate his alleged terror links and his potential links to India, is something one can only speculate about. As of now, the Leicester police have opened no investigation against Majid Freeman in the anti-Hindu violence. Given that it is this individual who is being relied on by journalists like Aina Khan to “investigate” and “report from the ground” in Leicester, one is not surprised that the coverage of the incident by global media has been skewed against Hindus. What is far more worrying, is that none of the publications quoting Majid Freeman has included his problematic views in their reports, leading people to believe that he is merely a local “activist” working for Muslims.

Maharashtra: Food delivery boy Raees Shaikh molests 19-year-old engineering student in Pune, arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: Food delivery boy Raees Shaikh molests 19-year-old engineering student in Pune, arrested

On Monday, the Pune Police arrested a person named Raees Shaikh for molesting a 19-year-old engineering student in the Yewalewadi area of the city. Shaikh is 40-years-old and claims to be associated with the Zomato food delivery company.

According to the reports, the incident is said to have happened on September 17 at around 9 pm when the teenage girl ordered dinner from Zomato. She was alone at home when Shaikh arrived at her apartment to deliver her order. He then asked her for a glass of water. In the meantime, he observed her apartment and learned that she was alone residing in the space.

As soon as the girl gave him the glass of water, he held her hand tight to ‘express gratitude’. The girl tried to free her hand but could not. Shaikh then forcefully pulled the girl closer, kissed her twice on her cheek, and said, “thank you”. The girl immediately called the Kondhwa Police and narrated the incident that happened in a well-known residential complex in the city.

Sub-inspector Sachin Khetmalis confirmed the incident and registered a complaint against Shaikh. According to the complaint, the delivery boy had arrived on the 5th floor of the building to deliver the dinner parcel ordered by the victim girl. “He asked for water as he was thirsty. After drinking the water, he caught hold of the girl’s hands forcibly and touched her inappropriately. He then tried to flee from the spot but the girl raised an alarm. The residents of the building caught the suspect and handed him over to police”, Khetmalis was quoted.

According to the local reports, the girl is an engineering student and resides in an apartment in Pune on rent. After the incident, the girl first called the landlord who later contacted the police. The girl then visited the Kondhwa Police Station and registered an official complaint against the food delivery person.

Earlier a similar incident was reported from Pune where the police had arrested a food delivery executive for sexually harassing an 8-year-old girl in the Bavdhan area. The accused was a native of Tuljapur in Osmanabad and had gone to a building to deliver the food parcel. He had sexually harassed the minor girl who was returning to her home in the same building after playing at around 1:30 pm.

In the current case, the Pune Police arrested Raees Shaikh and booked him under sections 354 (outraging modesty of a woman) and 354 (a) (sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code. The Police said that the charge sheet would be filed against him upon completion of the investigation. However, the accused has been released on bail.

OpIndia tried to contact Kondhwa Police for additional details but the call remained unanswered. According to TOI, the food delivery partner Zomato has stated that the accused, Raees Shaikh, was never associated with their platform. Further investigations into the case are underway.

Leicester: The Guardian’s Aina Khan confirms Hindu temple desecrated, flag burned by Islamist mob, but invokes ‘good Imam’

Nirwa Mehta
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Leicester: The Guardian’s Aina Khan confirms Hindu temple desecrated, flag burned by Islamist mob, but invokes ‘good Imam’

UK’s leftist outlet The Guardian’s Aina Khan has now invoked a ‘good Imam’ who stood guarding the Hindu temple in Leicester while Islamist mob ran riots, perpetrating violence on Hindus. Khan cites her own report where she named one Dharmesh Lakhani obliquely referenced as someone who ‘represents and works with Hindu temples across Leicester’. This ‘Dharmesh Lakhani’ apparently also works with mosques and local Muslim leaders as per their report.

Aina Khan’s tweets

Khan then tweeted portion of her ‘conversation’ with ‘Dharmesh Lakhani’, who works with Hindu temples and mosques, who confirmed the flag outside Hindu temple was torn down by the Islamist mob. Another flag was burned. However, Khan steers clear from mentioning who attacked Hindu temples. Idol worship is considered biggest sin in Islam. Over the years, during the Mughal rule in India, hundreds of Hindu temples were destroyed and disputed structures (mosques) were built over them. The disputed structures called ‘Babri Masjid’ and ‘Gyanvapi Masjid’ are just some of the examples of persecution of Hindus in their own land.

‘Dharmesh Lakhani’ then also conjures up one Imam (Islamic religious head), who just happened to stand outside the Hindu temple in Leicester while an Islamist mob destroyed it but the ‘Imam’ was standing guard to ‘make sure nothing happens’. It is important to mention here that many crimes of murders over ‘blasphemy’ in India as well as forced religious conversions as well as sexual exploitation, Maulanas or other such religious heads have played a major role. Of course, the ‘good Imam’, by grace of Gods and Goddesses, just happened to be there to save the Hindu temple.

Yeh Pehle Ho Chuka Hai

The ‘good Imam’ is straight out of the toolkit Indian Islamists have often used to show how amid the violence perpetrated by their own coreligionists, the ‘good men’ are still out to ‘protect’ the Hindu places of worship. This despite history having shown otherwise – a cursory glance at pleas in various courts of India will give you an idea on how historically, the temples have always been demolished by radicals.

The ‘good Muslims’ card is invoked as cover fire when the radicals choose violence. We’ve seen it August 2020 when an Islamist mob took to streets in Bengaluru over alleged ‘blasphemy’ of divine figures of Islam and set things on fire. When the ‘liberals’ and ‘seculars’ saw how an average person is waking up to reality that you do not call for beheading someone just because your ‘religious feelings’ are hurt, they started showing how Muslims had formed ‘human chain’ to ‘protect temple’.

The same happened after Delhi anti-Hindu riots as well. Day after the Delhi’s Anti-Hindu riots in February, media reports had emerged how Muslims formed human chains to ‘save temples’ in Delhi. The trick was first tested in recent history during the anti-CAA riots.

The fact that an Islamist mob wanted to destroy it while chanting Allahu Akbar gets forgotten because ‘good Muslims’ formed ‘human chain to save it’. Similarly, the removal, burning of flag in Leicester by Islamist mob is whitewashed by ‘good Imam’ who just happened to be there coincidentally amid violence to ‘protect temple’.

And we are to believe this. We are to believe the mob which attacked the temple had no religion, but the person who appeared miraculously there to ‘save it’ had.

‘Celebration of Hindu festivals a challenge, Muslims acquire all lands on highways’: Ground report from Indo-Nepal border

राहुल पाण्डेय
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‘Celebration of Hindu festivals a challenge, Muslims acquire all lands on highways’: Ground report from Indo-Nepal border

Recently there have been several reports which suggest that the demographics along the Nepal-India border are changing rapidly. The number of mosques and madrasas is increasing continuously in these regions. The OpIndia team toured the border areas from August 20 to August 27, 2022, to assess the ground reality of the population of Muslims and Hindus. We have been reporting what we have witnessed in chronological order. Here is the 16th report of the series.

We have highlighted the Islamic religious sites on the Tulsipur-Harraiya road parallel to the Nepal border, some distance from the Tulsipur-Harraiya road up to Prem Nagar in our 15th report. We witnessed not just mosques erected in remote locations, but also madrasas and Mazars along the roadways. This time, we spoke with the locals we encountered along the way. They told us about their village and the problems in the surroundings.

Harish Chandra Sharma, the village head of Ahladdih village panchayat in Balrampur district, is one of the first people we met. We asked him specific questions concerning the border areas. The village head has historically been elected only by Sharma’s family for more than 20 years.

The rise in the dominance of Muslims in the last 20 years

Harish Chandra Sharma informed us that the demographic imbalance in his region is fast growing and that this imbalance has occurred at a very rapid rate in the previous 20 years. Sharma said that many strangers have migrated to his village and settled. Along with this, he stated that the primary cause of the imbalance is the rapid population growth among Muslims due to multiple marriages and more children. According to Harish Chandra, the population of Muslims in his neighbourhood has grown, as has their political and economic influence.

Harish Chandra Sharma.

According to Sharma, when Hindus go to question the arrival of an outsider, the local Muslims come forward claiming them as their relative. He told that in this way they settle here and purchase land and property. Sharma confirmed that Hindus too sell their land to newcomer Muslims.

On the topic of Muslims spending large sums of money to acquire land, Sharma stated that while Muslims appear to be impoverished, they actually have a lot of money. He stated that they earn this money by working in large cities such as Mumbai. Sharma went on to add that the Hindu-Muslim ratio has changed from 70-30 to 50-50 as a result of the demographic shift.

He further stated that if a Muslim owns a room or property, he will only give it to a Muslim. With this, Muslims are continuously striving to acquire land, particularly around highways and crossings. He requested that his locality be monitored more closely by the authorities. He noted that no specific administrative action has been taken as of yet.

Several Muslim majority villages on the Nepal border

Sharma noted the villages around his village, such as Rehra and Khapri, as having a 100% Muslim population. He claims that just a few Dalit Hindu households exist among them. According to Harish Chandra Sharma, many Hindus in these villages recently sold their homes and relocated. He also mentioned the significant demographic change in the adjoining bazaar of Tulsipur.

Sharma stated that two madrasas and two mosques had been built in his village. One mosque is quite old, but the other was erected just in front of him. In addition, he stated that both madrasas in his area were built during the past 20 years. He stated that these madrasas are not state-funded.

According to Sharma, there is no harmony at Hindu festivities in his locality. He claims that because his village is Hindu-dominated, there is no disruption, but Hindus are unable to openly celebrate their festivals in adjacent villages such as Khaira. He described Khaira village as having roughly 90% Muslim residents and stated that it is one kilometre away from his village.

Sharma said, shockingly, that any outsider Muslim may simply get his name put on the voters’ list or ration card owing to influence. According to Sharma, one of the downsides is that outsiders profit from all of the government’s schemes, putting deserving Hindus at a disadvantage.

The village head highlighted Muslim-majority villages such as Gudaria, Rajwapur, and Khapripur. With this, he claimed that there are 20 villages within a 10-kilometre radius of him with a Muslim population of 70% or more. According to Harish Chandra Sharma, the Pradhans and other positions there are exclusively for Muslims, and the condition is such that Hindus stand nowhere in the competition. Sharma also named some villages where no Hindu contests elections.

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 Hindia 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…

The sixteenth report in this series can be read here in Hindi: ’10 km में 20 गाँव मुस्लिम बहुल, हिन्दू दब कर मनाते हैं अपने त्योहार’: नेपाल सीमा के ग्राम प्रधान ने बताया – गरीब दिखने…

Leicester violence against Hindus: 20-year-old man sentenced to 10 months in jail, 47 arrests made so far by police

OpIndia Staff
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Leicester violence against Hindus: 20-year-old man sentenced to 10 months in jail, 47 arrests made so far by police

A 20-year-old was sentenced to 10 months in jail in connection with the anti-Hindu violence in East Leicester in England’s East Midlands region on Monday, thereby making it the first conviction in the case.

The development was confirmed by the local police in a statement on Monday (September 19). The accused was identified as one Amos Noronha, who is a resident of Illingworth Road in Leicester.

He was produced before the City Magistrate’s Court on Monday where Amos pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon.

As of September 19, 2022, the East Leicester police have arrested 47 people in connection with the anti-Hindu violence in the city. “An additional 18 people were arrested on Sunday night for a number of offences including affray, common assault, possession of an offensive weapon and violent disorder,” it informed.

The police added that some of the accused are not from Leicester and belong to other cities, including Birmingham (which boasts of a 13,78,000 Muslim population).

“In total, 47 people have been arrested for offences in relation to the unrest in the east of the city. Some of those arrested were from out of the city, including some people from Birmingham,” it added.

Horror at Leicester: Targeted attacks on Hindus and Misinformation campaigns

Leicester City in England’s East Midlands region has witnessed a sharp increase in targeted attacks against the Hindu community. The orgy of violence by Islamists began soon after India clinched victory against Pakistan in the group stage match of the Asia Cup on August 28.

According to a Hindu organisation (@INSIGHTUK2), a casual banter between Indian fans and Pakistani supporters turned serious when the latter snatched and disrespected the Indian Tricolour. Soon after, the police took cognisance of the matter but added to the raging misinformation by Islamists that religious slurs were hurled in Hindi.

India and Pakistan again met at the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup. After Pakistan succeeded in settling scores on the field, its supporters attacked a Hindu home celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi.

The accused men also received overwhelming support from their co-religionists on social media. Homes, cars, and properties belonging to the Hindu community, which were easily identifiable with sacred symbols, were damaged. In order to control the situation, Chief Superintendent Adam Slonecki granted dispersal and stop search powers to the police.

Recently, a Hindu temple came under attack by Islamists in Leicester. In a viral video, one extremist was seen uprooting a saffron flag affixed to the temple structure. On September 16, the police informed that a total of 27 people were arrested in connection with the violence.

Meanwhile, the Islamists resorted to making outlandish claims to deviate public discourse from the targeted attacks on Hindus. While speaking to Opindia, research scholar Sarah L Gates said, “This was a planned clean out aka religious cleansing. They want to purge Hindus.”

Hindus in Leicester are now at the mercy of the police for their safety. With motivated news publications and Islamist groups portraying them as the perpetrators, they are left to fend for themselves.

New York: Police arrest 1 of 5 suspects who had attacked Hindu temple, smashed Gandhi statue at South Richmond Hill in August

OpIndia Staff
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New York: Police arrest 1 of 5 suspects who had attacked Hindu temple, smashed Gandhi statue at South Richmond Hill in August

On September 17 (local time), a man identified as 27-year-old Sukhpal Singh of Douglaston was arrested by the New York Police in the Tulsi Mandir desecration case that took place on August 16. The accused, along with his associates, had vandalized the Gandhi statue placed at a temple premised located in South Richmond Hill.

In a statement, the Police said, “On 9/17 an arrest was made, but our job is not done yet. We are following up on additional leads to bring EVERYONE responsible to justice for our Hindu community. The perpetrator was charged with felony Criminal Mischief as a hate crime.”

Earlier on August 19, the Police had released images from CCTV footage and urged the community members to help identify the attackers.

Singh was arrested and charged with criminal mischief in the second degree as a hate crime and aggravated harassment in the first degree. They had smashed not only the statue but also spray-painted the temple area. The incident took place at around 3:30 AM on August 16. When the priest arrived at the temple premises early morning, he found the Gandhi statue smashed and the ‘Kutta dog’ written with spray paint.

The Police initiated a probe into the matter. During the investigation, with the help of CCTV footage, they found that Singh was involved in the crime alongside four others who are still at large. As per the reports, the miscreants toppled the statue at around 3 AM and hit it multiple times with a sledgehammer. The Police traced him back to one of the getaway cars the group had used, which was a Mercedes Benz C-Class registered under his name.

Singh, if convicted, might face prison time up to 15 years. He was presented in court on September 18 and was called back on October 17.

In a statement in August, the Police had said that the pattern of the attack was similar to that of the August 3 attack on the temple where the statue was toppled but not damaged to that extent. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement, “As alleged, the defendant, along with several unapprehended others, committed a disgraceful act of violence against a Mahatma Gandhi statue that has become a universal symbol of peace, unity, and inclusivity. Hate and bias-motivated attacks have no place in our communities, and my Office will hold such perpetrators accountable.”

Following the first attack in August, Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Woodhaven), in a press conference, denounced the attack. Katz, Mayor Adams, and community leaders were also present at the Press Conference. Following the arrest, Rajkumar issued another statement where she thanked the authorities for standing up against hate crimes.

She said, “This kind of interfaith and global unity is exactly what we need right now to defeat the forces of hate. Incidents of anti-Hindu hate have been increasing, with a study by Rutgers University finding that anti-Hindu sentiments are on the rise. The FBI’s hate-crime data explorer has also recorded several incidents of “anti-Hindu bias” around the country.”

Notably, she called for not punishing the culprits harshly in her statement. He said, “Today, I do not call for harsh punishment against the perpetrator apprehended, for Gandhi himself believed that an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. In keeping with this spirit, I call for all those involved in this act of hate to educate themselves about the mutual respect and inclusivity taught by Gandhi and adopt love in their hearts towards all. Myself and the Hindu community are ready to embrace them with open arms. I invite the perpetrators to drop the sledgehammer and join with us in the cause of peace.”

Footballer Mohamed Salah gets panned by Arabs for condoling Queen Elizabeth II’s demise, gets cancelled as Muslim, again

OpIndia Staff
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Footballer Mohamed Salah gets panned by Arabs for condoling Queen Elizabeth II’s demise, gets cancelled as Muslim, again

Liverpool FC footballer Mohamed Salah was panned by Arabs after he condoled the demise of Queen Elizabeth II via Twitter.

Salah tweeted that the people of Great Britain and the world pay tribute and bid a final farewell to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. “My thoughts are with the Royal Family on this historic and emotional day,” he tweeted. However, his tweet wasn’t taken too well in the Arab world. Salah is an Egyptian footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League Club Liverpool and is captain of Egypt national team.

However, his wishes did not go down well in the Arab world and other African countries, most of which were at one point colonised by Great Britain.

Many tweets were in Arabic and reminded him of the destruction the British Empire had brought on to Egypt and other nations.

The British entered Egypt through Port Said in 1882 and subsequently occupied it. After the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, the then Egypt President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalised the Suez Canal Company escalating tensions with Britain and France. The two countries colluded with Israel and attacked Egypt and the main battle occurred at Port Said. The above images are of the destruction left behind at Port Said after the tripartite aggression against Egypt that took place during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.

He was also cancelled as a Muslim and an Arab.

Some also called his condolence message as a PR disaster.

This is not the first time Mohamed Salah has been on the receiving end of the ire of Muslim world. In December 2021, his Muslim credentials were cancelled for sharing a picture of himself with his family for Christmas. This was the third time in a row his Christmas pictures had upset Muslim fans as they thought it was inappropriate for him to participate in religious activities of another faith.

He was also attacked when he said that he doesn’t consume alcohol because he doesn’t feel like and many Islamists felt he should be a proud Muslim and say it as it is that alcohol is haram (prohibited) in Islam.

Chandigarh University MMS: 2 nights of student protests and subsequent police action that left us with more questions than answers

Amit Kelkar
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Chandigarh University MMS: 2 nights of student protests and subsequent police action that left us with more questions than answers

On September 18, India woke up to a horrible news story coming out of Punjab. In a private university named Chandigarh University near Mohali in Punjab, a girl was accused of recording videos of 60+ girls while taking a bath and then forwarding them to her friend in Shimla.

Multiple videos went viral on social media following that where the hostel’s warden and the accused girl’s fellow students can be seen confronting the girl and asking her how can she do that to her fellow female students. She was also being asked to apologise in the videos and prepare for a police case.

After the students in the university came to know what had happened, they came out in large numbers and started protesting outside the university gate and around the hostel where the incident took place. Accusing the Chandigarh University of trying to suppress the matter, the students raised slogans demanding justice for the girl students in the hostel.

The university finally called the Police to control the students. Upon arrival, the Police tried to talk to the students, which further irked them, and they allegedly overturned a few PCR vans. The Police eventually used lathi charge to disperse the crowd.

Following the protests, on Sunday, September 18, local police and university administration, both issued statements that refuted the news of recordings of 60+ girls. They said that the accused girl used to only record her own videos and send them to her friend in Shimla. They also dismissed the rumours that any girl attempted suicide on campus over this news.

However, this didn’t placate the agitating students of Chandigarh University as they once again gathered to protest on the night of September 18. Not satisfied with the police action and university response, the students kept protesting well into the night. Eventually, the police and the administration agreed to their demands and agreed to form an SIT to probe the matter. Two more accused in the case were also arrested from Shimla, including the girl’s friend who allegedly received the videos from her.

Despite multiple police statements, several questions still remain unanswered

Even though the police have been communicating with the general public and the students regularly during the course of these protests, their communication has left people with more questions than answers.

The very first morning after the protests, Mohali SSP Vivek Soni said that the accused has not recorded videos of any other girls, and she has only sent her own videos to her friend in Shimla. In such a short space of time, how did police manage to conduct a thorough forensic examination of the accused’s phone and come to this conclusion?

In the viral videos from the university, the accused girl is being asked how can she do this to fellow girls, and not once did she say that she hasn’t done anything to her fellow students. Implying that she indeed was guilty of something at the very least, however, police were quick to say that she hasn’t recorded or forwarded anyone else’s videos. What was the rush to come to such a conclusion without conducting a thorough probe?

If the police believed that nobody’s videos have been recorded and forwarded, then why have there been 3 arrests in the case, including an ‘accomplice‘ who wasn’t even initially named by the girl?

The initial statement from the police is hard to believe because it is hard to fathom that the entire Chandigarh University came out to protest when there was no substance behind their accusations, and nobody else’s video was recorded.

The university administration repeated pretty much the same thing as the police that the girl recorded only her own videos and there were no recordings of any other girl. However, the university went on to suspend two hostel wardens after the protests and set up an inquiry committee 2 days later.

If the university knows that there were no other videos recorded by the girl then why are they acting now, after 2 days of sustained protests by the students? Was their initial reaction just to cover up the case and put an end to the investigations?

Interestingly, as per reports, two videos have been found in the mobiles of the accused that will now be sent for a forensic probe. One video is that of the accused girl, while the other one is of some other girl. ANI quoted the accused’s lawyer Sandeep Sharma as confirming to the media. This totally contradicts the initial stand taken by the administration that there are no other videos.

The investigations into the case are underway and the forensic examination of the accused’s phones may shed some new light on the case. However, the initial reaction from the police and the administration does raise a few eyebrows.

Delhi HC proceeds ex-parte against Vivek Agnihotri, Anand Ranganathan, and Swarajya magazine in a 2018 contempt of court case

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi HC proceeds ex-parte against Vivek Agnihotri, Anand Ranganathan, and Swarajya magazine in a 2018 contempt of court case

The Delhi High Court Monday decided to proceed ex-parte against filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri, scientist and political commentator Anand Ranganathan, Swarajya Magazine and others in a 2018 Contempt-of-Court case. The contempt of court case was filed for comments criticising Justice S Muralidhar for granting bail to Urban Naxal Gautam Navlakha in the Bhima Koregaon violence case.

The Division Bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Amit Sharma made the decision, noting that despite the issuance of fresh court notice in May, no one, on their behalf, appeared during the court hearing scheduled today.

“None appears on behalf of remaining respondents despite service of notice. The said respondents accordingly proceed ex-parte,” the Court ordered today.

The case will now be heard on March 16.

Earlier on May 4, the Court had also noted that no one had attended on behalf of the trio in the previous hearings. The Bench then stated that deferring adverse orders is in the best interests of justice.

In October 2018, the Delhi High Court initiated contempt proceedings against Economist S Gurumurthy over his article on Justice S Muralidhar, where he had questioned S Muralidhar’s credibility as the High Court judge in connection with granting bail to Gautam Navlakha, one of the accused in the Koregaon Bhima violence case. Agnihotri and Ranganathan, who had tweeted about the issue on similar lines, were slapped with the charges of contempt later.

It all started when Senior Advocate Rajshekhar Rao wrote a letter to then Chief Justice Rajendra Menon, about an article written by S Gurumurthy alleging bias on the part of Justice Muralidhar for granting bail to Urban Naxal Gautam Navlakha in the Bhima Koregoan case. Gurumurthy had penned the article “Why has Delhi High Court Justice Muralidhar’s relationship with Gautam Navlakha not been disclosed?” on Desh Kapur’s blog ‘Dhristikone’. The article was retweeted by Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri in a tweet, following which a contempt of court notice was sent to him as well.

It all started when Senior Advocate Rajshekhar Rao wrote a letter to then Chief Justice Rajendra Menon, about an article written by S Gurumurthy alleging bias on the part of Justice Muralidhar for granting bail to Urban Naxal Gautam Navlakha in the Bhima Koregoan case. Gurumurthy had penned the article “Why has Delhi High Court Justice Muralidhar’s relationship with Gautam Navlakha not been disclosed?” on Desh Kapur’s blog ‘Dhristikone’. The article was retweeted by Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri in a tweet, following which a contempt of court notice was sent to him as well.

Anand Ranganathan, who is a free speech absolutist, condemned this action by the High Court in a couple of tweets. It turned out that certain tweets of his were withheld in India with the message “This tweet from @ARanganathan72 has been withheld in India in response to a legal demand.” The two tweets were withheld evidently in response to legal demand which was criticising the contempt of court notices that were earlier served to S Gurumurthy and Vivek Agnihotri. It was later known that the same charges had been levied against Dr Ranganathan as well.

However, Gurumurthy was dropped as a respondent in the matter after he offered to retweet an unconditional apology tendered by the blog host Kapoor on his Twitter handle.

Nevertheless, the proceedings against Agnihotri, Ranganathan and several others continued in the case.

‘Thodi Si Jo Pee Lee Hai’: Number of times Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann was caught allegedly drunk

Amit Kelkar
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‘Thodi Si Jo Pee Lee Hai’: Number of times Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann was caught allegedly drunk

You might have heard the popular song starring Amitabh Bachchan ‘Thodi Si Jo Pee Lee Hai’. The immortal song fits perfectly in the lives of many habitual drinkers who try their level best to stop drinking but often fail miserably. The most recent incident with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has raised speculations that he has failed to stick to the promise he made early this year that he would stay away from alcohol forever.

Recently, a report said that Mann was deplaned from a flight to India in Germany as he was drunk. AAP has refuted the claims, saying Mann was not deplaned for being drunk. Earlier, AAP had claimed he was deplaned due to bad health.

In January 2019, Bhagwant Mann had promised he would not drink anymore. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal called it a ‘great sacrifice for the people. By that time, Mann, MP from Sangrur, had faced much criticism over his drinking habits. Though the promise made by a leader was supposed to be fulfilled, things allegedly did not turn in his favour.

From time to time, CM Mann was reportedly caught drunk. After becoming Chief Minister of Punjab, reports have suggested he visited places, including Gurudwara, while being in an inebriated state.

Here is a list of incidents where CM Mann was caught allegedly drunk:-

In 2015, former AAP leader Yogendra Yadav alleged that Mann had attended Parliament sessions while being under the influence. In a statement, he said, “I discovered it first in July 2014 when AAP had a meeting of all its Lok Sabha candidates. Mann was sitting next to me and was smelling of alcohol. I mentioned it to Arvind Kejriwal, and he nodded. Around this time, I heard rumours that Mann was going to the Lok Sabha sessions drunk.”

In October of the same year, former Granthi of Darbar Sahib, Amritsar, allegedly noticed that Mann was drunk. He was attending the bhog ceremony of the Faridkot firing victims. Mann was asked to leave the stage, and the incident caused the party embarrassment at the national level.

In 2016, AAP leader Harinder Singh Khalsa accused Mann of being drunk in the house. He wrote to then-Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan and stated it was “torturous” to sit next to Mann, who “reeks of liquor.” Three more MPs wrote to a nine-member committee set up by Mahajan on the same issue in August 2016.

In July 2016, Mann live-streamed his trip to Parliament and published the video on Facebook. His actions triggered outrage from other house members as he breached security by shooting a video of the Parliament. It was alleged that Mann was drunk on that day and had leaked the Parliament security apparatus. Following the incident, then-Speaker Sumitra Mahajan asked him not to attend the sittings of the House until a decision was taken on the matter.

Former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and Charanjit Singh Channi have accused Mann of being a drunkard. Former CM Singh had called him an alcohol addict in 2016, while former CM Channi accused him of being a drunkard before the Punjab Assembly elections in 2022.

In November 2016, Mann had allegedly turned up at the funeral of Manmeet Alisher in an inebriated condition. The family had asked Mann to leave the premises since he misbehaved with them and the journalists at the venue.

In 2018, Bhagwant Mann went to address an election rally at Gol Diggi in Bhatinda. When it was Mann’s turn to speak, Mann could not even stand. He was seen blowing flying kisses to the people before collapsing on the dais. He managed to get up somehow and, after blowing some more flying kisses, he started speaking.

In April 2022, The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) alleged that the Punjab chief minister and AAP leader Bhagwant Singh Mann had entered Takht Damdama Sahib in a drunk state on the occasion of Baisakhi, which was celebrated across the country on April 14. The organization has demanded an apology from the Punjab Chief Minister for the same. The SGPC is in charge of the management of Sikh shrines in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Chandigarh.

In a statement issued in Amritsar, SGPC senior vice president Raghujit Singh Virk stated that the chief minister visited a highly revered spiritual site of the Sikh community while under the influence of alcohol and “violated the Sikh rehat maryada (code of conduct).”

Though AAP has refuted the claims that Mann was deplaned in Germany as he was allegedly drunk, the reputation he carries from the past raised red flags in the minds of many. Maybe, someday, CM Mann would like to sing the famous song starring late Dilip Kumar “muje duniyaa waalon, sharaabee naa samajho… main peetaa nahin hoon, pilaai gayi hai.”

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