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West Bengal: BJP leaders Suvendu Adhikari and Locket Chatterjee detained amid ‘Nabanna Cholo’ march, police lathi-charged and arrested BJP workers

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal: BJP leaders Suvendu Adhikari and Locket Chatterjee detained amid ‘Nabanna Cholo’ march, police lathi-charged and arrested BJP workers

On Tuesday, several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders including Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, Rahul Sinha, and Member of Parliament Locket Chatterjee were detained by the West Bengal Police ahead of the ‘Nabanna Cholo’ (march to secretariat) mega rally by the BJP. The leaders were taken to the Kolkata Police headquarters located in the Lalbazar area of Kolkata.

According to the reports, BJP had staged the massive ‘Nabanna Cholo’ march to condemn the TMC-led government and its alleged corrupt practices in the state of West Bengal. Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, was detained on September 13 while attempting to visit Santragachi during the BJP’s street protest in front of the state secretariat ‘Nabanna’. Other BJP leaders like MP Locket Chatterjee and party leader Rahul Sinha, Taapshi Mondol, and Dibankar Gharami were also detained and taken away in a prison vehicle.

On Tuesday morning, BJP supporters from all over the state began pouring into Kolkata and neighboring Howrah to take part in BJP’s ‘Nabanna Chalo’ march to protest against the alleged corrupt practices of the state government. Reports mention that the West Bengal Police denied permission for the rally and stopped many BJP workers from participating in the rallies. The Police also arrested thousands of BJP workers.

Taking cognizance of the event, Sukanta Majumdar, the Bengal BJP head stated that the police in the state were behaving like the governing Trinamool Congress cadres and that there was no need for permission to march to the secretariat. As per the BJP’s plan, rallies from three places would attempt to reach Nabanna, the state headquarters. LOP Suvendu Adhikari was supposed to lead a rally from Satraganchi, while Sukanta Majumdar, the party’s state president, was supposed to lead one from Howrah Maidan. Meanwhile, Dilip Ghosh, a former state BJP head was supposed to lead the workers from College Street.

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari criticised the Police action and slammed the Mamata Banerjee-led government for deliberately trying to crush a democratic political event. “The barricade of steel raised at Santragachi symbolizes her anxiety and timidity. Remember this Mamata Banerjee, no wall can stand up to the wave of democracy, it would be breached sooner than later,” Adhikari tweeted.

“CM Mamata doesn’t have the support of her people and so she is enforcing dictatorship, similar to North Korea in Bengal. Police will have to pay for what it’s been doing since yesterday, BJP is coming”, the Leader of the Opposition added.

After the West Bengal Police detained several BJP leaders ahead of the rally, BJP workers commenced the marches from Howrah Maidan and College Street, and the protesting workers from Santragachi are said to have clashed with police. The workers reached the Police headquarters in the Lalbazar area and also protested against the action taken against several BJP leaders including LOP Suvendu Adhikari. The Police then deployed water cannons and lobbed tear gas shells at the protesters to disperse them. The Police also lathi-charged BJP workers in Santragachi, Howrah Maidan, Mahatma Gandhi Road, and Rabindra Sarani.

Police dispersing the crowd using tear gas shells and water cannons (Image source- The Indian Express)

Several BJP workers are said to have sustained injuries in the Police attack. BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta has also been reportedly injured amid the party’s mega-protest in West Bengal against Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) government. As police cracked down on the ‘Nabanna Chalo’ march participants, visuals going viral over social media show a tired Dasgupta resting on a seat with the left side of his body coated in dirt.

BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta resting on a seat amid the rally (Source- Republic TV)

“They fired tear gas shells and lathi-charged protestors. I got pushed by a policeman. A peaceful demonstration was attacked in this fashion. They also attacked BJP workers in Howrah and Santragachi. This was a march against corruption. This was a march against those looting the exchequer. The initial attack was by police. It looked like a pattern the way police attacked”, Dasgupta said after the attack.

Dasgupta also slammed the TMC-led government and stated that the whole country should know the true face of this Bengal government. “Stashes of cash were found from their associates. People can form their own conclusions. This is becoming an illegitimate government”, he was quoted.

Meanwhile, Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar also claimed that crude bombs and stones were hurled at his party workers. Majumdar who was supposed to lead the march from the Howrah Maidan was also detained by the Bengal Police. Before detention, the BJP leader happened to talk to Republic TV to mention that the West Bengal Police was using force upon the direction of Mamata Banerjee. “They are entering every station and beating up our workers”, he said.

Clashes erupted between the BJP workers and the Police inside the Bolpur railway station and at several other locations including Birbhum, Durgapur, Sealdah, Santragachi, Howrah, Nandigram, and Barakar. Reports mention that the BJP protesters were carrying out a peaceful demonstration when they were baton-charged by the West Bengal Police.

Woman entrepreneur accuses WaPo columnist Rana Ayyub of sending abusive trolls after her: Here is what happened

Pallav
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Woman entrepreneur accuses WaPo columnist Rana Ayyub of sending abusive trolls after her: Here is what happened

A young woman entrepreneur has accused Washington Post columnist and financial fraud suspect Rana Ayyub of sending abusive trolls after her, who not only threatened her but also caused her grave mental stress.

Divya Gandotra Tandon, a 20-year-old Youtuber and journalist who hails from Jammu & Kashmir, has alleged that Rana Ayyub has unleashed her abusive supporters after her, who are threatening her with life and that if anything happens to her, only Rana is should be held responsible for that.

Divya took to Twitter and said, “One follower of Rana Ayyub is sending me Death threats on my WhatsApp number and he is also messaging my personal contacts over WhatsApp and spreading false narrative about me and my work.” “If anything happens to me then only Rana Ayyub will be responsible for it,” Divya further added with some screenshots in subsequent tweets.

OpIndia contacted Divya to know more about the issue and the nature of threats and abusive messages she is receiving allegedly at the behest of Rana Ayyub. Divya told that she is facing these threats since January this year after her company made a video on Rana Ayyub.

“I am facing such abuses and trolls since January after my venture Scoop Beats made a video on her. She even filed an FIR on us and got a couple of my teammates arrested. It is soon after that I started to get random calls and WhatsApp messages. She then got my name in the case included even though I had no appearance in the video,” Divya said.

Divya said that the company took down the video days after the complaint but the threats and abuses continued. Rana Ayyub even took to Twitter to celebrate the arrest of two of her teammates. She mentioned in a subsequent tweet that the owner of Scoop Beats, i.e., Divya, will soon face action.

Tweet by Rana Ayyub in March.

Divya further said that she was summoned to Mumbai in the case and was interrogated for days. Meanwhile, the abusive messages and threat call continued. “I was so disturbed by these things so I filed a complaint with the police and got an FIR registered against unknown persons for mentally harassing me and threatening me with life. I even mentioned the name of Rana Ayyub in the supplementary details to the investigating officer,” Divya further continued adding that even her contacts are now receiving filthy messages concerning her.

A chat was sent to one of her WhatsApp contacts.

She went on to add, “I don’t know how my WhatsApp contacts are receiving messages from the same numbers. It seems my phone has been hacked. I am fearful of my life and if anything happens to me then Rana Ayyub is to be single-handedly held responsible.”

One WhatsApp chat from an unknown number has a Display Picture of Rana Ayyub.

Divya shared the screenshots of the messages she is receiving and the copies of the FIR and supplementary details.

Copy of FIR shared by Divya

In the FIR filed by Divya on June 20, she stated, “Almost every day, the accused makes sexually abusive and indecent statements/ remarks about my body parts, character, and physical appearance, among other things. which have repeatedly outraged my modesty as a woman and caused considerable harassment and mental anguish to me repeatedly.”

“On a daily basis, the Accused has been threatening me and making repeated requests for ransom with the intent of illegally obtaining my hard-earned money. The accused is openly and publicly abusing me and spreading rumours about me to everyone who knows me. Apart from this, the accused is also publishing objectionable content about me on several social media platforms from fake accounts resembling my real name,” the complaint made by her further reads.

Divya told OpIndia that she is terrified of everything and that she is unable to focus on her profession and maintain a balance in her life. She stated that she is the child of a single mother hailing from Jammu. The hateful texts and threats, she added, not only disrespected her modesty as a woman but also brought her constant harassment and mental distress. She is apprehensive of physical harm from the accused in near future.

Uttar Pradesh: Never-ending appetite for murder- Hindu doctor in Ghaziabad gets ‘Sar Tan Se Juda’ threats for supporting Hindu organisations

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Never-ending appetite for murder- Hindu doctor in Ghaziabad gets ‘Sar Tan Se Juda’ threats for supporting Hindu organisations

According to reports, a Hindu doctor in Ghaziabad received threats through WhatsApp warning him of beheading if he backed Hindu organisations. Dr Arvind Vats, who has run his clinic close to the Lohia Nagar police outpost under the jurisdiction of the Sihani Gate police station in Ghaziabad for 20 years, stated that he had received threatening phone calls from an American number.

Dr Vats alleged that on September 1, he got a call from the number for the first time. Vats was sleeping, therefore he didn’t answer the phone. On September 7, he got a call from the same number again, and this time the caller warned him that supporting Hindu organisations would have severe ramifications.

The caller allegedly warned the doctor that neither UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath nor Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be able to save him. “I was threatened. I then lodged a complaint with the police. I have installed 12 CCTV cameras at home and clinic. I am also not taking the usual route to the clinic. The family is in fear. I have never said or done anything to provoke religious sentiments. I am a Hindu and I support Hindu organizations”, Dr Arvind Vats said.

“Yesterday a doctor came and complained that he had received a threatening call on WhatsApp. FIR has been registered. We’ve given the number to the cyber cell for tracking. He has not asked for security yet,” SSP Ghaziabad Muniraj G said. The investigation by the police is underway.

The incident should be seen in the context of recent beheadings in which several persons were slain for their support of Hindu organisations. Umesh Kolhe, a pharmacist from Maharashtra’s Amravati, was killed by four Muslim assailants on June 22 while returning from his pharmacy that night. Umesh Kolhe was assassinated because he stood with ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma when Islamists threatened her with death and rape for making innocuous remarks against Islam and Prophet Muhammad.

A spate of killings has followed the comments by ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. Not only Umesh Kohle, but a Hindu tailor named Kanhaiya Lal was also brutally killed by Muslim assailants because of his sympathy for Sharma. Two Islamists, Mohammad Riyaz and Ghouse Mohammad murdered the Hindu tailor in Udaipur on June 28, 2022.

Mohammed Riyaz Akhtar and Mohammed Gaus fled the scene on a motorcycle with the number 2611 after killing Hindu tailor Kanhaiya Lal. It should be noted that 26/11 is the date of the Mumbai Terror Attack. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is currently investigating this case.

WSJ columnist asks for a building more beautiful than Victoria Terminus in Mumbai built after 1947, netizens oblige

OpIndia Staff
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WSJ columnist asks for a building more beautiful than Victoria Terminus in Mumbai built after 1947, netizens oblige

On September 12, WSJ Columnist Sadanand Dhume came out in support of Fox News’ Tucker Carlson over his statement where he had claimed India progressed only because of the British and said India failed to build any architectural marvel since the British left. So much so, Dhume went ahead and challenged Indians to show one building built post Independence that was as ‘beautiful’ as the Victoria Terminus train station in Mumbai.

Carlson’s racist rant following Queen Elizabeth II’s demise

In his 5-minute-long monologue on Fox News, Carlson said, “When the US government withdrew from Afghanistan after 20 years, we left behind airstrips, shipping containers and guns. When the British pulled out of India, they left behind an entire civilization, a language, a legal system, schools, churches and public buildings, all of which are still in use today. Here’s the train station the English built in Bombay, for example. There’s nothing like that in Washington, DC right now, much less in Kabul or Baghdad.”

While netizens were already fuming at Carlson’s rant, Dhume came out in his shining armour to defend the brits and challenged people to show photographs of a building built after 1947 that is ‘more beautiful than VT’. He said, “Folks are attacking Tucker Carlson for saying independent India hasn’t built anything to match the Victoria Terminus train station in Bombay, completed in 1888. Fine. But if he’s wrong, then please share a photo of a building built after 1947 that’s more beautiful than VT. Thanks.”

Netizens flooded the internet with architectural marvels

Netizens took it upon themselves to show Carlson and Dhume some of the architectural marvels built in post-independence India. Here are some of them:

Akshardham Mandir, Delhi

Akshardham or Swaminarayan Akshardham complex in Delhi is a Hindu temple that was opened to the public in 2005. It is a spiritual and cultural campus that displays the vast history of traditional Hindu and Indian culture, spirituality and architecture.

Lotus Temple of Baha’i House of worship, Delhi

The Lotus Temple of Baha’i House of worship was dedicated to the public in December 1986. It has a notable Lotus Flower-like structure and has become a prominent attraction in the city.

Somnath Mandir, Gujarat

Though the history of Somnath Temple goes back centuries, the most recent construction was done post-independence after the ruins of the mosque built in place of the temple were pulled down and shifted to a nearby place. The construction of the temple was completed in 1951 and then-President of India Rajendra Prasad performed the installation ceremony of the temple.

Vidhan Soudha, Karnataka

The foundation of Vidhan Soudha was laid down by then-Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru in 1951. The building was completed in 1956. It was built in a style known as Mysore Neo-Dravidian. To date, it is considered one of the most beautiful buildings constructed post-Independence.

Prem Mandir, Vrindavan

Prem Mandir is a Hindu temple located in Vrindavan. It is maintained by Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, an international non-profit, educational, spiritual, and charitable trust. The temple was open to the public on February 17, 2012.

Statue of Unity, Gujarat

The Statue of Unity is the world’s tallest statue located in the state of Gujarat. The construction was announced in 2013 by then-Chief Minister Narendra Modi to mark the beginning of his tenth year as CM of the state. It was dedicated to the public in October 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Gujarat.

Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad

People from unexpected quarters also came to let Dhume know about brilliant architectural designs in post-Independence India.

The Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad was established in 1961 and the campus, obviously came up after that and has been an iconic structure and matter of pride for all Indians.

India, the civilisation that attracted British and barbarians before them

And while Carlson and Dhume talk about the legacy the British have left behind, they both forget the civilisation that India has been even before being invaded by barbarians that actually attracted them in the first place.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted pictures of splendid temples of India some of which were built centuries before the British came to India.

Many netizens shared images of the rich and glorious temples dating back centuries. Beauty is subjective and Victoria Terminus is indeed a fine piece of architecture. However, to say that it was just the British who built India and ‘left behind a civilisation’ would be stretching it too far, even for Brown Sepoys wearing colonial goggles.

Mazars built at places protected by Archaeological Department along India-Nepal border, Buddhist shrines in trouble- OpIndia Ground Report

राहुल पाण्डेय
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Mazars built at places protected by Archaeological Department along India-Nepal border, Buddhist shrines in trouble- OpIndia Ground Report

Several recent reports have shown that demography is changing rapidly along India’s border with Nepal. The number of mosques and madarsas is constantly increasing on the border. From August 20th to August 27th, 2022, an OpIndia team visited several areas in Nepal bordering India to observe the ground situation. What follows here is the eighth episode of the series of reports documenting the facts noticed by the OpIndia team.

Shravasti district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh along the Nepal border. Shravasti was the capital of the ancient Indian kingdom of Kosala where Gautam Buddha spent most of his time after attaining enlightenment. It is near the Rapti river in the northeastern part of Uttar Pradesh India, close to the Nepal border. Angulimal cave is located in the ancient city of Shravasti in Uttar Pradesh.

The name of the Angulimal cave or the stupa, excavated in 1863, has been derived from the name of the ruthless decoit of Shravasti – Angulimala. In Hindi, Anguli means fingers and mala means necklace. Angulimala earned the particular moniker because he always severed his victims’ fingers and wore them as a necklace around his neck.

One day, Angulimala, in a fit of rage, was about to kill his mother. Lord Buddha, who was passing from there, saw this. Buddha bestowed wisdom on him and forbade him from killing his mother. Angulimala became Lord Buddha’s disciple and later, went on to establish himself as one of Buddha’s biggest disciples. He built the Angulimala Stupa in Lord Buddha’s honour.

This cave, built in the memory of Lord Buddha was also not spared by Islamists who, over the years, built innumerable mosques and mazars in and around this revered Buddhist site.

Mazar has been present creation?

There is a highway that connects the border districts of Siddharthnagar and Nepal. It connects Balrampur and Pilibhit via Shravasti. Continuing on the same highway, we reach the newly created Modern Police Station in the Shravasti district. The road right in front of this station leads to Angulimal cave.

As we proceeded on the road leading to the Angulimal cave, after walking about 400 metres, we saw a huge crowd of local villagers gathered outside the Buddhist monasteries and stupas, but what caught our attention was a Mazar that was constructed alongside the road. A local man named Banwari, who was present there, told us that it was Imam-e-Hasan Hussain’s tomb.

Imam-e-Hasan Hussain’s tomb

Around the Mazar lay the remnants of many tazias. Some people were calling the place a Karbala.

Tazia is a replica of the mausoleum of Prophet Muhammad’s grandson Imam Hussain and is made in numerous forms and sizes. Basically, Muslims bring home the Tazia on any day between the eve of the first day of the Islamic month of Muharram and the ninth day. It is buried on the tenth day of Ashura when Imam Hussain died.

We came upon two tombs in the same location. We noticed a woman dressed in Hindu attire laying near the Mazar and a male lying further away. People said the woman was from a nearby town and was possessed by a jinn (evil spirit). They told us that it was customary to lie near the Mazar in order to mark your attendance.

Deshraj and Rambharose, two locals who were standing near the tomb, told us that some Khunti Baba was the caretaker of the Mazar. When we inquired how old the structure was, some others exclaimed that it has been ‘eternally present’. The green paint on the tomb, on the other hand, appeared to be fresh.

‘Sunni Waqf’ sign in front of Dargah

We observed a big green board of a dargah on the main road itself after travelling a little further from this tomb. The number 786 was inscribed at the top of the board, and ‘Sunni Central Waqf Board Lucknow No. – 2 Inazaniya Committee Dargah’ was written at the bottom. The dargah’s name was written beneath this: ‘Hazrat Syed Mir Shah Rahmatullah.’ This dargah is located in the village Mahet of the Shravasti district, according to the board.

Dargah Khadim Jawwad Ali

This dargah is around 200 metres from the Angulimal Cave and has to be approached through a kuccha road. On this road, dense trees can be seen from the outside, but once inside, it is evident that a big portion has been transformed into an empty field.

In the middle of this big vacant field, we found a dargah. The dargah’s boundary was made of bamboo sticks, and outside the limit, a considerable piece of ground was cleared for parking of the vehicles.

Dustbins and taps provided by the government for villagers installed inside the Dargah premises

We noticed a Swachh Bharat dustbin in this Dargah compound. Public representatives or government authorities place such bins in various regions of cities and communities. We spotted several individuals pitching new tents in the empty spaces near the dargah. Pucca platforms were built around a few of the trees that had been left intact in the otherwise vacant ground. More than two government taps that were meant to be used in the village, were installed inside the Dargah campus.

Swachh Bharat dustbin in this Dargah compound

Woman seen inside the premises despite ‘women not allowed’ boards placed outside the Dargah

Mira Shah Dargah’s main centre has been covered with a tent, green nets have been installed, and a pucca boundary wall has been constructed around it. There are green Islamic flags flying atop the main centre. There was a placard placed outside the dargah, prohibiting ladies from entering, but when we went inside for the purpose of reporting, we spotted a woman sitting inside.

Outside the dargah, there was an incense shop and a Muslim man was preparing tea. The rate of offering at the dargah is Rs 35, we were told.

Placard placed prohibits ladies from entering the dargah

OpIndia team spoke in length with Khadim Jawwad Ali of Mira Shah Dargah on various aspects, which you can read here. The same can be read in Hindi here.

How do you have Mazars and Dargahs in an archaeologically protected area?

We crossed a Buddhist shrine, only to see, devotees from Thailand, Cambodia, Japan, and other countries present at this location. We realised that Buddhists from nearly every region of India were also present at the temple. Some of them said, under the condition of anonymity, that the Archaeological Department of India protects the entire site and that ambassadors from many countries visit this place every day. No one knew when or how these Mazars were erected in this archaeologically protected area. They told us how the government intends to construct a new airport no more than 2 kilometres away from these Mazars.

Buddhist shrine

Large gathering outside the Mazar even during Covid times, Urs festival attracts a large crowd

On our way back, a person walking alongside the under-construction airport in Shravasti told us, on conditions of anonymity, that there always is a large gathering outside the Mazar even during Covid times. The person took the name of the station in charge and the outpost in charge and stated that both of them used to have a tough time stopping the mob from congregating during those days. The person also said that during the Urs festival, this dargah attracts a large audience from all over the country.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Uttarakhand Waqf Board Chief exposes activities in Piran Kaliyar Sarif, says it has become a hub of sex racket and human trafficking

OpIndia Staff
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Uttarakhand Waqf Board Chief exposes activities in Piran Kaliyar Sarif, says it has become a hub of sex racket and human trafficking

On Monday, Shadab Shams, the newly elected president of the Uttarakhand Waqf Board exposed the activities undertaken at the Piran Kaliyar Sharif, a centre of faith for crores of people. Shams said that Piran Kaliyar Sarif, which is located in Uttarakhand’s Roorkee, had become a hub of the sex racket.

Shadab Shams was unanimously elected as the president of the 10-member-board on September 7. Shams has alleged that many other illegal activities like human trafficking and drugs are also carried out at the Piran Kaliyar Sharif, a place that is regarded as sacred by a large section of people.

According to the President of the Uttarakhand Waqf Board, Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami has directed that cases of human trafficking, drugs, and prostitution in connection with shrines be investigated.

Earlier on September 11, Shams had announced that the board plans to destroy unauthorized constructions on its lands across the state as soon as possible. He had claimed that Waqf properties worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore were being unlawfully occupied throughout Uttarakhand. “Thousands of acres of Waqf land are illegally occupied in different parts of the state. We want to free our properties from the clutches of the mafia to make them useful for people they are meant for”, Shams had said.

To note, the Uttarakhand Waqf Board is now headed by BJP leader Shadab Shams. Shams was elected unopposed as president in the election held at the secretariat on Wednesday. Shams, who was BJP’s state spokesperson, had earlier served as vice-chairman of the 15-point program implementation committee. After being elected president, Shams, along with other board members, met Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. Later, he held discussions with the waqf board members and officials on various topics.

‘Why are we fooling the audience?’: Director Subhash Ghai speaks on the failure of Bollywood movies at the box office

OpIndia Staff
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‘Why are we fooling the audience?’: Director Subhash Ghai speaks on the failure of Bollywood movies at the box office

Veteran director Subhash Ghai has spoken out about the recent failure of Bollywood movies at the box office. He squarely blamed the film directors for using actors to attract the audience instead of focusing on good stories.

Ghai made the remarks during a recent interview with Pinkvilla on September 1. “You are misleading the audience when you want them to come to theatres for the cast and not the story. You are not showcasing your movie but parading your stars through posters, teasers and trailers.”

“When people are lured in this manner, they feel betrayed after watching the movie. They complain about how they were misled into believing that the movie was great. And the result of such predatory practices is reflected at the box office on Mondays.”

“It is a matter of shame that we are betraying the trust of our audience, for whom we are creating the film in the first place. After putting laborious work into making a movie, why are we fooling our audience?” Subhash Ghai asked.

“This is wrong. All studio owners must think about this. The word ‘marketing’ has now changed the dynamics of movie distribution. I had never heard of that term during my early days in the industry. We would make a movie, put up banners and people would happily come to watch,” he pointed out.

The veteran film director also lambasted actors who interfere in the direction, editing and production of the movie. “When you want to do everyone else’s job, it clearly shows that you are incapable of doing your work,” he remarked.

Ghai also added how the decision maker is different for every aspect of the movie, unlike in the past, where the command remained with the directors. He briefly touched upon the disadvantages of owning a studio and how investors often prioritise quantity over quality.

He explained that the directors often have to give in to the demand of the investors and produce 2-3 movies in a year, which seriously undermines the quality. “The result is that while one movie works, the other flops,” the veteran director said.

In recent times, several Bollywood actors and directors have faced the wrath of the audience for taking them for granted. This ‘boycott Bollywood trend’ has affected Aamir Khan’s ‘Laal Singh Chaddha,’ Akshay Kumar’s ‘Raksha Bandhan,’ Taapsee Pannu’s Dobaaraa, and Ranbir Kapoor-Alia Bhatt’s ‘Brahmastra’.

Arvind Kejriwal skirts question on whether anti-Gujarat ‘activist’ Medha Patkar is AAP’s Gujarat CM face: Here is what happened

OpIndia Staff
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Arvind Kejriwal skirts question on whether anti-Gujarat ‘activist’ Medha Patkar is AAP’s Gujarat CM face: Here is what happened

Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday dodged a question of whether anti-Gujarat ‘activist’ Medha Patkar is the party’s CM face for the upcoming assembly polls. 

When one of the journalists present at the press conference asked if Medha Patkar, the famed ‘activist’ known for her ‘Narmada Bachao Andolan’ against the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada river, will be the CM face of AAP, Kejriwal sidestepped the question and asked the journalist to ask BJP if they are planning to have Sonia Gandhi as PM candidate after PM Modi. 

“I have heard that the BJP is going to anoint Sonia Gandhi as PM candidate after Modi Ji. Ask them what are their views on it. Tell them, Kejriwal has accused that you are going to make Sonia Gandhi the successor of PM Modi for the post of Prime Minister,” Kejriwal said while circumventing the question of whether AAP has chosen Medha Patkar to be CM candidate in Gujarat. 

Kejriwal’s evasive manoeuvres over the chief ministerial face of AAP stem from the apprehensions about the prospect of Medha Patkar’s elevation to a leadership role in the state evoked among party cadres.

Medha Patkar’s name as AAP CM face in Gujarat stirs trouble

Earlier this month, reports had emerged that anti-Gujarat ‘Narmada Bachao Andolan’ ‘activist’ Medha Patkar would be the chief ministerial candidate for Gujarat for AAP. This came as a surprise to many because till now it was AAP Gujarat chief Isudan Gadhvi who was believed to be the favourite candidate. However, things got more wind when AAP MP Sanjay Singh retweeted a video hailing Medha Patkar and the same was later amplified by Isudan Gadhvi. 

However, sources in the know said that after the reports emerged that Medha Patkar will likely be the chief minister candidate for AAP in Gujarat, 13 out of 19 leaders who were given AAP tickets for upcoming elections had decided to quit the party. Kejriwal going to reportedly hold a meeting to pacify the leaders. 

Therefore, when a journalist asked about reports that said Medha Patkar might be the CM face of AAP in Gujarat, Kejriwal cleverly dodged answering the question and instead came up with an absurd allegation that Sonia Gandhi will be the PM candidate from the BJP. 

Why Medha Patkar is considered a pariah in the state of Gujarat

Medha Patkar is not the most liked person in Gujarat because of her anti-Gujarat stand especially her role in stalling the Sardar Sarovar Dam work which kept Gujarat dry for decades. Parts of Gujarat are just receiving Narmada water because the dam height work was stalled by the likes of Patkar. Obviously, the people of Gujarat have not forgiven her. 

Patkar had earlier joined Aam Aadmi Party in 2014 ahead of general elections but had eventually resigned from the party in 2015. And while she has not officially announced her return to mainstream politics, Aam Aadmi Party has also not denied in as many words that Medha Patkar will not be the CM candidate for the party in upcoming polls. 

Medha Patkar, over and above having an anti-Gujarat stand, is also accused of misusing funds. An FIR was lodged against her in July this year accusing her of misappropriating funds. Prior to this, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had also filed an FIR against activist Medha Patkar on April 5 this year for suspected money laundering during the “Narmada Bachao Andolan”. In addition to the ED, investigations into Patkar’s shady dealings have also been initiated by the Department of Revenue Intelligence and the Income Tax Department.

If her credentials are anything to go by, Medha Patkar is a match made in heaven for the Aam Aadmi Party. Kejriwal’s refusal to proffer an unambiguous denial over Patkar being the Gujarat CM face for the party only strengthens the reports that the anti-Gujarat ‘activist’ might be in serious contention for being the party’s CM nominee for upcoming assembly elections in Gujarat.

India inches closer to becoming global player in semiconductors as Vedanta-Foxconn choose Gujarat to invest Rs 1.54 lakh crore, read details

OpIndia Staff
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India inches closer to becoming global player in semiconductors as Vedanta-Foxconn choose Gujarat to invest Rs 1.54 lakh crore, read details

The Vedanta Group and Foxconn, a Taiwanese electronic manufacturing powerhouse, have announced plans to establish a massive semiconductor manufacturing facility in Gujarat. Anil Agarwal, the chairman of Vedanta Group, announced the news on Twitter.

“Happy to announce that the new Vedanta-Foxconn semiconductor plant will be set up in #Gujarat. Vedanta’s landmark investment of 1.54 lakh crores will help make India’s #Atmanirbhar Silicon Valley a reality,” Agarwal tweeted. He further added, “This project will help fulfil Hon’ble PM @narendramodi Ji’s vision of creating a robust manufacturing base in India. It will reduce our electronics imports & provide 1 lakh direct skilled jobs to our people…going from job seekers to job creators!”

Vedanta and Foxconn also inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Gujarat government on Tuesday to establish the plant in the state. The MoU was signed in Gandhinagar in the presence of Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister for Railways, Communications, Electronics, and Information Technology.

According to reports, Vedanta received financial and non-financial incentives from Gujarat, including capital expenditure and low-cost power, to establish the semiconductor facility. The project would feature display and semiconductor factories in Ahmedabad.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel stated that the initiative will create more than 100,000 jobs and that the state was willing to provide whatever assistance to the project, which it won in a close contest with India’s wealthiest state, Maharashtra. This, according to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is a crucial step in accelerating India’s semiconductor manufacturing goals.

According to Foxconn, the state’s infrastructure and the government’s active assistance “increases confidence in setting up a semiconductor factory.” According to the government, India’s semiconductor business would be worth $63 billion by 2026, up from $15 billion in 2020.

West Bengal police manhandle, forcefully detain lady passenger going to Kolkata to join BJP’s ‘Nabanna Cholo’ rally: Watch viral video

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal police manhandle, forcefully detain lady passenger going to Kolkata to join BJP’s ‘Nabanna Cholo’ rally: Watch viral video

On Tuesday, September 13, a video went viral on social media wherein some women police officers can be seen harassing, manhandling, and forcefully detaining a lady passenger on a railway platform. The incident reportedly occurred on Monday at the New Jalpaiguri Railway Station in West Bengal, from where these ladies were travelling to Kolkata to participate in the BJP’s ‘Nabanna Cholo’ rally, which is taking place today (Tuesday, September 13).

Kanchan Gupta, a veteran journalist and the senior adviser to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, took to Twitter to reshare a Tweet posted by Raju Bista, the BJP spokesperson and MP from Darjeeling. While re-sharing the video, Kanchan Gupta Tweeted, “This is how @MamataOfficial Cops are stopping people from going to Kolkata to join a protest rally. This is how democracy functions in @MahuaMoitra’s republic of fear.”

Kanchan Gupta reshared a thread of Tweets from BJP leader Raju Bista, in which he shared a video of the alleged act as well as a copy of the complaint letter he wrote to Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Minister of Railways, Communications, and Electronics and Information Technology in the Government of India, drawing his attention to the incident.

In the 2.20-minute long video shared by the BJP MP, a woman in a black salwar suit is seen walking on the railway platform along with another woman when three-four female police officers abruptly stop her. The officers inquired as to her destination. When the lady tries to leave, three female officers grab her. The officers try to take the lady’s phone from her hands as well. While struggling to free herself, the lady asks the woman accompanying her to record the event. She is seen urging the cops not to touch her and to speak to her from a safe distance.

The lady filming the act can be heard asking the police officers what crime they committed to be treated in this manner. “Police are supposed to protect us,” she cries, “why are you doing this, what is her fault?” The cops, on the other hand, do not respond and continue to grip the woman tightly.

Three female officers continue to tightly grab the woman’s hand, preventing her from releasing herself. While the other woman and she continue to ask the police officers about their offence and why they are being harassed and manhandled, the officers remain silent and continue to tighten their grip on her.

“Section 147(1) and 175(c) of Railways Act was designed to prevent such highhandedness, which could have escalated, leading to stampede, and even death of a passenger. @RailMinIndia | @MinistryWCD@smritiirani | @BJPMahilaMorcha,” Tweeted Raju Bista while sharing the video.

In his subsequent Tweet, Bista, the BJP MP from Darjeeling, shared a copy of a complaint letter he wrote to Ashwini Vaishnaw wherein he urged the latter to initiate an inquiry against the officers responsible for the “rash and negligent” act.

BJP leader Raju Bista’s letter to the railway minister

Condemning the high-handedness of the West Bengal police working at the behest of CM Mamata Banerjee, the BJP leader wrote, “I have grounds to believe that the WB Police personnel entered the Railway stations and platforms without seeking due permission from the Railway authorities, and went onto detain and physically assault many passengers. They terrorised the passengers, and put their lives at grave risk due to their rash and negligent act. This situation could have escalated, leading to a stampede, and even the death of a passenger.

I am, therefore, writing to request you to kindly initiate an inquiry into these incidents and ensure that all those who entered the railway premises illegally and unlawfully are dealt with strictly according to law.

I am attaching videos of some passengers who were arrested and tortured for your kind reference,” read the letter.

BJP organises ‘Nabanna Cholo’ mega rally in Kolkata against Mamata Banerjee government

Notably, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has organised a mega ‘Nabanna Cholo’ rally on Tuesday to protest against the alleged corrupt practices of the ruling TMC government. The BJP has hired seven trains, three from north Bengal and four from the south, to bring its party members and supporters from different parts of West Bengal to join ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ (march to the secretariat) on September 13.

Senior BJP leader and former state president of the party, Rahul Sinha had earlier on Monday warned that the TMC-run administration was “trying to create hurdles in the way” of supporters willing to come to the city to join the rally.

Meanwhile, according to reports, the West Bengal police have put police barricades on the way to railway stations. The cops have also put up water canons at critical areas like Howrah.

Reports of BJP workers and police clashing outside the Raniganj railway station as workers headed for Kolkata for the Nabanna Cholo rally surfaced on Tuesday morning.

West Bengal police detain BJP leaders Suvendu Adhikari and Locket Chatterjee

As per the latest reports, BJP leaders Suvendu Adhikari and Locket Chatterjee have been detained by police ahead of the march.

“CM Mamata doesn’t have the support of her people & so she is enforcing dictatorship, similar to North Korea in Bengal… Police will have to pay for what it’s been doing since yesterday, BJP is coming,” Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said ahead of the ‘Nabanna Chalo’ march.

Earlier, BJP leader Abhijit Dutta had said, “Twenty of our workers stopped by police near Durgapur railway station. I reached here using other paths.”

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