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NIA Raids on PFI: Second round of raids underway in eight states, 45 PFI members detained in Karnataka, 25 in Assam

OpIndia Staff
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NIA Raids on PFI: Second round of raids underway in eight states, 45 PFI members detained in Karnataka, 25 in Assam

On September 27, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), along with other investigation agencies, carried out the second round of raids on the Islamist organisation Popular Front of India. As per reports, the raids took place in eight different states and the investigation agencies detained several members of the organisation.

NIA has reportedly received a lot of crucial information during the interrogation of the PFI leaders who were arrested during the first round of the raids. Based on the information, NIA, state police, and other investigation agencies carried out the second round of raids against the organisation.

As per reports, several PFI leaders were arrested in Assam by the State Police from the Nagarbera area of Kamrup district. In Assam, a total of 25 PFI leaders have been arrested in the second round of raids, as per a PTI report.

Furthermore, around 45 PFI members were detained in Karnataka by the investigation agencies. They will be produced in front of the local district collector to seek judicial custody. Reportedly, these PFI members were detained after they attempted to disrupt the raids or stop the NIA personnel from carrying out their duty.

Six PFI members were detained in Pune by the Police for questioning linked to alleged terror funding. State police have been working with Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and NIA for the investigation and raids.

Last night, raids were also carried out in Siana, Sarurpur and Lisri Gate in Meerut in Uttar Pradesh. Several suspects were picked by the investigation agencies from Meerut, Sitapur and Bulandshahr.

Delhi is also on the list of NIA as raids have been happening since the late night of September 26. So far, 12 people have been reportedly detained by the security agencies. Delhi Police Special Cell and local Police stations are providing necessary support to the national probing agencies.

Round one of NIA raids on PFI

On September 22, the NIA, Enforcement Directorate and state police in 15 states raided locations linked to PFI. The raids were carried out at 93 locations in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, West Bengal, Bihar and Manipur. Over 100 PFI leaders and members were arrested by the investigation agencies.

The raids were conducted based on the inputs and evidence that the organisation was linked to terror funding across the country. PFI reportedly organised camps to provide arms training and radicalised the members of the community to join banned organisations. PFI chief OMA Salam’s house was also raided during the first round. Similar raids were conducted on September 19 as well.

PFI organised protests

Following the raids, PFI members in 15 states organised protests and accused the government of attacking the organisation. Interestingly, during one of the protests in Pune, PFI members raised ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans.

Chinese app TikTok may be fined to the tune of $29 million for not protecting the privacy of children. Here is what we know so far

OpIndia Staff
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Chinese app TikTok may be fined to the tune of $29 million for not protecting the privacy of children. Here is what we know so far

Chinese video sharing app, TikTok, may be fined to the tune of $29 million for its failure to protect the privacy of children. A warning notice to this effect was sent to the company by the Information Commissioner’s Office in the United Kingdom on Monday (September 26).

As per reports, TikTok processed sensitive information of children without the permission of their parents between May 2018 and July 2020. The British regulators also pulled up the company for failing to explain its data practices in an easy-to-understand language to the children.

The Chinese video-sharing app also faced the ire of the British data protection agency for not having legal backing to process the data of minors. The provisional findings against TikTok came a year after Britain introduced the Children’s Code, a data protection code of practice for online services accessed by children.

In a statement, Information Commissioner John Edwards informed, “Companies providing digital services have a legal duty to put those protections in place, but our provisional view is that TikTok fell short of meeting that requirement.” As such, the British regulator issued a ‘notice of intent’ to TikTok and TikTok Information Technologies UK Ltd.

John Edwards further added, “We are currently looking into how over 50 different online services are conforming with the Children’s Code and have six ongoing investigations looking into companies providing digital services who haven’t, in our initial view, taken their responsibilities around child safety seriously enough.”

TikTok has formally disagreed with the findings of the British data protection agency and said, “While we respect the ICO’s role in safeguarding privacy in the U.K., we disagree with the preliminary views expressed and intend to formally respond to the ICO in due course.”

When India banned TikTok for being a security threat

In January 2021, the Government of India permanently banned 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, WeChat, Baidu, Alibaba’s UC Browser, Club Factory, BIGO Live and others. In June 2020, the government temporarily censored these apps.

The original action was initiated by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeiTY), Government of India, under Section 69A of the IT Act, stating that these apps were engaging in activities prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, the security of the State and public order.

By the end of 2020, a total of 267 apps originating from China were banned in batches. PUBG, a popular mobile game, was also banned as a Chinese company that owned shares in the game although it is owned and developed by PUBG Corporation, a South Korean gaming company.

US whistleblower Edward Snowden gets Russian citizenship, Putin signs decree

OpIndia Staff
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US whistleblower Edward Snowden gets Russian citizenship, Putin signs decree

On September 26 (local time), President Vladimir Putin granted Russian citizenship to former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden. 39-year-old Snowden made headlines after he exposed large-scale secret surveillance operations by the National Security Agency (NSA) at domestic and international levels in 2013. Following the expose, Snowden fled to Russia, where he was granted asylum in 2014.

The US authorities have been trying to bring Snowden back to the United States to face a criminal trial on espionage charges. If proven guilty in the US court, Snowden may face prison for up to 30 years. Snowden was granted citizenship along with 71 other foreign-born individuals via a decree signed by President Putin. Russia did not comment on anything specific about Snowden.

However, Snowden published a tweet asking for privacy. His message was an updated version of the 2020 tweet where he had announced that he would be applying for Russian citizenship. He wrote, “After years of separation from our parents, my wife and I have no desire to be separated from our SONS. After two years of waiting and nearly ten years of exile, a little stability will make a difference for my family. I pray for privacy for them—and for us all.”

Notably, Snowden was granted permanent residency rights by Russia in 2020, which cleared the way for him to apply for citizenship. In the same year, a US appeals court ruled that the program Snowden had exposed was unlawful. The court further noted that the US intelligence leaders who defended the program were ‘not telling the truth’. Furthermore, in 2017, Putin himself said that Snowden was wrong to leak US secrets but refused to call him a traitor.

Snowden’s counsel Anatoly Kucherena was quoted by the RIA news agency saying that Snowden’s wife Lindsay Mills would also apply for citizenship in Russia. Mills gave birth to a son in 2020.

Speaking to the media, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said he was unaware of any change to his citizenship status of Snowden. He said, “I am familiar with the fact that he has in some ways denounced his American citizenship. I don’t know that he’s renounced it.”

YouTube finally complies and blocks Dhruv Rathi video in India, but questions still remain as to who tipped him off after govt order

Nupur J Sharma
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YouTube finally complies and blocks Dhruv Rathi video in India, but questions still remain as to who tipped him off after govt order

On Monday (26 September 2022), the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) decided to block 45 YouTube videos from 10 YouTube channels under the IT Rules 2021, which empowers the government to block digital content that is seen as a threat to sovereign integrity, internal security, or for maintaining law and order of the nation. OpIndia reported last night (Monday, 26th September) that YouTube had failed to comply with the government order as far as one video in that list was concerned. In the list provided by the Ministry, one video was that by popular YouTuber Dhruv Rathi.

Rathi is known to be a pro-AAP commentator and has been accused of spreading misinformation and propaganda through his videos by his critics.

In the video that was included in the block list by the Government of India, Rathi had included a distorted map of India in his video where parts of Kashmir were shown as part of Pakistan or ‘disputed’. Carrying such a map of India is a punishable offence.

While YouTube blocked all other videos, this particular video by Dhruv Rathi remained online hours after the government informed about the decision via a press release. On Monday evening, Akhilesh Sharma, a senior journalist from NDTV, tweeted and included a screenshot of the concerned video by Dhruv Rathi. However, several individuals responded to Sharma pointing out that while the government had ordered that the content be blocked, his video was still available for Indian audiences.

After the OpIndia report pointing towards possible insider help by YouTube, it has now emerged that YouTube has finally conceded to the government’s demand and blocked the video from being viewed by Indian audiences.

Dhruv Rathi video blocked by YouTube
Dhruv Rathi video blocked by YouTube

When one clicks on the YouTube link of the video, the message that is displayed says, “Video Unavailable: This content is not available on this country domain due to a legal complaint by the government”.

The said video was uploaded by Dhruv Rathi on 11 April 2022 and it claimed to explain why Imran Khan lost power in Pakistan. Dhruv Rathi makes videos on various issues where he claims to explain anything from politics to science to movies to travel and just about anything. The said video also included “paid promotion”.

At 4.41 minutes in the YouTube video, the distorted map of India was displayed by Dhruv Rathi where parts of Indian territory were shown in Pakistan, due to which this video was included in the block list by the Ministry of I&B.

As YouTube makes an exception for Dhruv Rathi, questions about “insider help” still remain

What was intriguing in this entire fiasco, was the fact that Dhruv Rathi had, prior to being blocked, edited the video and blurred the portion where Kashmir was shown as a part of Pakistan. When OpIndia spoke to Ministry officials before the video was finally blocked by YouTube, we were told that there are suspicions that a YouTube ‘insider’ is helping Dhruv Rathi.

“Normally YouTube or any other intermediary will send a standard communication to a user informing them about a legal or executive order, advising them to talk to respective law enforcement or government agencies for a redressal. Such communication doesn’t include specific information as to which particular part of their content was problematic. This is clearly someone going out of the way to help Rathi circumvent a government order,” the official said.

Ministry of I&B officials also disclosed that Dhruv Rathi has not even bothered to furnish information as was sought by the ministry. Many content creators and digital news publishers, including OpIndia, have duly furnished such information to the government.

It is to be kept in mind that even before YouTube complied with the government orders, Dhruv Rathi had edited the problematic part of his video. Without an insider giving him information about government action, one wonders why Rathi would edit the very video that the government wanted to be blocked. Further, what gives credence to the speculation about insider help, is the fact that YouTube complied with government orders and blocked all other videos except the one by Dhruv Rathi. Such delay is unexplainable unless someone in YouTube was helping Rathi and wanted his content to not be blocked.

While YouTube has complied, after making an exception for the video by Dhruv Rathi, questions about big tech companies helping a certain narrative prevail on its platforms is a concern that the government of India ought to consider in all seriousness, given that big-tech companies are flouting the IT guidelines issued by the Government with impunity.

Exclusive: YouTube ‘insider’ helping Dhruv Rathi? Govt officials left puzzled as Rathi’s video not blocked by YouTube

Nupur J Sharma
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Exclusive: YouTube ‘insider’ helping Dhruv Rathi? Govt officials left puzzled as Rathi’s video not blocked by YouTube

On Monday (26 September 2022), the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) decided to block 45 YouTube videos from 10 YouTube channels under the IT Rules 2021, which empowers the government to block digital content that is seen as a threat to sovereign integrity, internal security, or for maintaining law and order of the nation.

Such blocking of content has been a regular practice by the government for at least a year now. The bulk of the digital content blocked comprises blatant fake news, Pakistani propaganda, incendiary content, or content that violates the laws of the land such as showcasing a wrong map of India or other violations of content guidelines.

Officials of the Ministry of I&B prepare such ‘block lists’ after getting inputs from intelligence agencies and other monitoring groups or after receiving complaints from the public. Such lists are then given to the ISPs (Internet Service Providers) or Intermediaries (like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) who comply with the government order, which is issued under the IT Rules, 2021.

However, on Monday, YouTube made an unusual exception to the block list and refused to block a video by popular vlogger Dhruv Rathi, which featured in such a block list. The presence of Rathi’s video in this list was confirmed by media reports and tweets by journalists. Rathi is known to be a pro-AAP commentator and has been accused of spreading misinformation and propaganda through his videos by his critics.

Akhilesh Sharma, a senior journalist from NDTV, tweeted and included a screenshot of the concerned video by Dhruv Rathi. The screenshot clearly showed that Rathi had included a distorted map of India in his video where parts of Kashmir were shown as part of Pakistan or ‘disputed’. Carrying such a map of India is a punishable offence.

Screengrab of the video that was sent for blocking

The said video was uploaded by Dhruv Rathi on 11 April 2022 and it claimed to explain why Imran Khan lost power in Pakistan. Dhruv Rathi makes videos on various issues where he claims to explain anything from politics to science to movies to travel and just about anything. The said video also included “paid promotion”.

At 4.41 minutes in the YouTube video, the distorted map of India was displayed by Dhruv Rathi where parts of Indian territory were shown in Pakistan, due to which this video was included in the block list by the Ministry of I&B.

While YouTube blocked all other videos, this particular video by Dhruv Rathi remained online hours after the government informed about the decision via a press release. Not only that, what made the whole affair suspicious was the fact that the controversial part of the video was subsequently edited by Dhruv Rathi and the Kashmir map was blurred.

Dhruv Rathee’s subsequently edited video

What Ministry sources said about Dhruv Rathi video being in blocked list and why YouTube has not taken it off yet

Intrigued by this development, OpIndia reached out to officers in the Ministry of I&B, who confirmed that Dhruv Rathi’s video was indeed there in the list sent to YouTube. They expressed shock and surprise that YouTube made this special allowance for Rathi.

“They (YouTube) have been complying with our orders and this is the first time we have come across such a development. This is very strange and we are trying to get more information,” an officer in the ministry said, “A content creator has all the rights for redressal and the same has been accounted for in the IT Rules, 2021. In this case, the creator has to submit their case and offer an explanation to the government and the government can decide the case on merit. But this is the case where YouTube appears to have taken the liberty of deciding a matter themselves.”

The official wondered if there was some ‘insider’ actively helping Dhruv Rathi circumvent the block list by taking remedial action without having to appeal to the government.

“Normally YouTube or any other intermediary will send a standard communication to a user informing them about a legal or executive order, advising them to talk to respective law enforcement or government agencies for a redressal. Such communication doesn’t include specific information as to which particular part of their content was problematic. This is clearly someone going out of the way to help Rathi circumvent a government order,” the official said.

Ministry of I&B officials also disclosed that Dhruv Rathi has not even bothered to furnish information as was sought by the ministry. Many content creators and digital news publishers, including OpIndia, have duly furnished such information to the government.

Since Rathi has taken a remedial step in this particular case and he doesn’t reside in India, acting against him will be a little tricky, the official said, but the entire episode puts a question mark over the conduct of YouTube. The video-sharing platform by Google appears to be hands in glove with someone who has been actively doing anti-government propaganda.

It should be noticed that various content creators have complained about high-handedness by YouTube and vague communication by the US-based company when it comes to content-related policies, but there the company seems to have gone out of its way to help Dhruv Rathi with specifics.

Users also have long been complaining how YouTube have been pushing and promoting Dhruv Rathi’s content to them despite them not being interested. There has been complaint of a rigged algorithm to favour content creators of a particular ideological and political bent.

A few months ago, a YouTube channel named “SabLokTantra” by popular Hindi vlogger Rachit Kaushik by deleted. Kaushik tried his best to reach out to YouTube to resolve the issue, but all his attempts were stonewalled. But Dhruv Rathi seems to have special access to YouTube. YouTube clearly needs a lot to explain here.

Update: After the OpIndia report, YouTube proceeded to block the video by Dhruv Rathi where he had spread misinformation and displayed the wrong map of India, for Indian audiences. When one clicks on the YouTube link of the video, the message that is displayed says, “Video Unavailable: This content is not available on this country domain due to a legal complaint by the government”.

Dhruv Rathee video finally taken down by YouTube
Dhruv Rathee video finally taken down by YouTube

Government of India blocks 45 videos from 10 YouTube channels for spreading disinformation: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Government of India blocks 45 videos from 10 YouTube channels for spreading disinformation: Details

The Indian government Monday once again dropped the axe on another 10 Youtube channels for spreading disinformation related to the Agnipath scheme and on matters related to national security and foreign relations. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has informed that it has blocked as many as 45 videos on YouTube from across 10 different YouTube channels under IT Rules, 2021.

“Based on the inputs from intelligence agencies, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has directed YouTube to block 45 YouTube videos from 10 YouTube channels. Orders to block the concerned videos were issued on 23.09.2022 under the provisions of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021. The blocked videos had a cumulative viewership of over 1 crore 30 lakh views,” the statement issued by the I&B ministry read.

The Press Information Bureau has taken to its official Twitter handle to inform the same. “@MIB_India blocks 45 YouTube videos from 10 YouTube channels under IT Rules, 2021 Videos containing hateful speech against religious communities & spreading communal disharmony blocked,” read the Tweet, while it shared images of some unverified claims that have been disseminated.

“Some of the videos blocked were being used to spread disinformation on issues related to Indian Armed Forces, India’s national security apparatus, Kashmir, etc. Certain videos depicted erroneous external boundary of India with parts of J&K and Ladakh outside Indian territory,” it added.

In its press release, the Ministry of I and B stated, “the content was observed to be false and sensitive from the perspective of national security and India’s friendly relations with foreign States.”

Blocked videos include one from YouTuber Dhruv Rathee’s YouTube channel which shows parts of the Indian Territory in Pakistan

It added that such videos were found to have the potential to cause communal disharmony. The content blocked by the Ministry, the statement further read, was found to be detrimental to the sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the State, India’s friendly relations with foreign States, and public order in the country.

The press statement included screenshots from two such fake videos that were used to undermine the Indian government and had the potential to endanger India’s relations with other foreign powers, one of which was created by pro-AAP vlogger Dhruv Rathee on his YouTube channel. The video showed parts of the Indian Territory in Pakistan.

The other one was from a different channel spreading misinformation about CISF.

The detailed press release can be read here.

Image source: pib.gov.in
Image source: pib.gov.in

Speaking to the media, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said that the videos contained fake news and morphed content with the intent to spread hatred amongst religious communities.

Government of India blocked 8 YouTube channels in August 2022

It may be recalled that last month also, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting blocked 7 Indian and 1 Pakistan-based YouTube channel under IT rules, 2021. The ministry has informed that the blocked channels had a combined viewership of over 144 crores, and a total of 85 lakhs 73 thousand subscribers.

The channels were blocked for airing fake anti-India content and earning money from it. Apart from the above Youtube channels, the Facebook account of Loktantra TV was also banned then.

Hadis Najafi: The young Iranian woman gunned down for protesting against the hijab mandate

OpIndia Staff
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Hadis Najafi: The young Iranian woman gunned down for protesting against the hijab mandate

Hadis Najafi, a woman in her early 20s, was killed by the security forces in Karak city in Alborz Province of Iran for protesting against mandatory hijab rule for women in the Islamic republic. The development was confirmed on Sunday (September 25) night although she was murdered on Wednesday (September 21).

As per reports, Najafi sustained six bullets to her face, neck and chest. She is one of the few dozen victims, ruthlessly killed by the oppressive Islamic regime in Iran. Najafi was reportedly protesting against the torture and death of Mahsa Amini.

A video of her funeral was released on social media by her family. In the video, Najafi’s family can be seen grieving in front of her picture.

Screengrab of the funeral video via Al-Arabiya

Hadis Najafi: Claims and counterclaims of mistaken identity

Several influential social media users have claimed that the deceased Hadis Najafi is the same girl, who was earlier seen tying her blonde hair in a ponytail in a viral video. The video had instantly gone viral as the woman tied up her hair off the nape of her neck— a move that symbolises determination, resolve, and firmness of purpose in tackling a situation.

The video was shared several thousand times on Twitter, including by historian Dr Nina Ansary, who wrote, “This is Hadis Najafi getting ready to protest.”

Similar claims were made by Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad. “This 20 Yr old girl who was getting ready to join the protest against the murdering of #MahsaAmini got killed by 6 bullets,” she wrote while sharing a video of the ponytail girl.

“This is Iran. This is a Women revolution. This is #IranRevolution. This is 21st century & women get killed for a bit of hair. How many people need to be killed for the world to wake up? Now this is the time we need Women’s March everywhere. Would you help us?” wrote Masih Alinejad.

BBC claims the woman in the viral video is alive and is not Hadis Najafi

The British Broadcasting Corporation has however alleged that the ponytail girl is alive and is not related to Hadis Najafi, killed by the Iranian regime.

In an Instagram post by BBC Persian, it said, “(This is) the message of a woman whose tying her hair became a symbol of street protest. In a video call to BBC Persian, she said that she is not Hadis Najafi whose news of death was announced.”

The unnamed woman remarked, “I fight for Hadis and Mahsas… The purpose of recording that video was to encourage women to come out on the streets.” She clarified that she is safe and urged her supporters to not worry about her.

Death of Mahsa Amini

A 22-year-old Iranian woman named Mahsa Amini, who fell into a coma after she was beaten by the ‘Morality Police’ for wearing ‘improper hijab’, died on September 16 in Tehran. Iranian media reported that Amini died in hospital, quoting official sources.

Earlier on September 13, Mahsa Amini was declared brain dead, hours after she was arrested by the ‘Morality Police’ in Tehran for “improper hijab.” She was arrested by the police and then beaten in the police van while being taken to a detention centre, dubbed as a ‘re-education class’ for not conforming to the country’s mandatory hijab rules.

Following her death, there have been protests in Iran. Videos of women surfaced where they cut off their hair and burn hijab as a mark of protest against the compulsory hijab in Iran.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MMU’s action inspired by Mehbooba Mufti’s Tweet

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

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

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

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

Here is how the former Mufti was completely wrong

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Image: Dainik Jagran

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BJP hit out at Congress

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

The case of mistaken identity of a female Congress worker

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

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

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