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‘You are a Shudra, you are a prostitute’s son’: DMK MP A Raja’s provocative statements against Hindus sparks outrage, BJP condemns

OpIndia Staff
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‘You are a Shudra, you are a prostitute’s son’: DMK MP A Raja’s provocative statements against Hindus sparks outrage, BJP condemns

The Bharatiya Janata Party has vehemently condemned the provocative statements of DMK MP A Raja against Hindus and has also doubted the ‘state of affairs’ in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai turned to Twitter and released a video of Raja making the inflammatory remarks. Annamalai slammed the DMK MP, accusing him of appeasement tactics by focusing on a specific group.

Annamalai wrote, “Sorry state of political discourse in Tamil Nadu. @arivalayam MP has yet again spewed hatred against one community with the sole aim of appeasing others. The very very unfortunate mindset of these political leaders who think they own Tamil Nadu.”

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP A Raja stirred outrage after making insulting remarks toward Hindus. The senior DMK politician stated last week at an event in Tamil Nadu’s Namakkal that Shudras, the lower caste in the varna system, are the progeny of prostitutes and would stay such as long as they follow Hinduism.

“You are a shudra until you are a Hindu. You are a prostitute’s son until you are a shudra. Until you are a Hindu, you are a Panjayathu (Dalit) and until you are a Hindu, you are untouchable,” Raja said.

“I haven’t seen any religion like this. Lingayats in Karnataka are petitioning the Supreme Court saying that their way of worship and religious principles are different. They are asking themselves not to be declared Hindu. But what is the Supreme Court saying? The Supreme Court is saying that if you aren’t a Christian, Muslim, or Persian, you have to be a Hindu. Is there any other country having such cruelty?” he added criticising the Supreme Court.

Speaking at the event, A Raja said, “All individual institutions like Election commission, CBI, Supreme Court, Enforcement Directorate and even Parliament are being captive to this government. To show the truth, Viduthalai Magazine is much needed. Secularism, socialistic, and sovereign republic are what it has been said about India in the Constitution.”

A Raja jumped to Twitter to defend his position as the controversy over the DMK leader’s statements intensified. “Who are Sudras? Are they not Hindus? Why they have been insulted in Manusmrithi and denied equality, education, employment and Temple entry? Dravidian Movement as the saviour of 90% Hindus questioned and redressed these, cannot be anti-Hindus,” he wrote.

A Raja is the deputy general secretary of the DMK and a Member of Parliament for the Nilgiris electorate. Recently, speaking at a local body representative gathering in Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, Raja warned the Centre ‘not to compel’ the party to resurrect the demand for a separate Tamil Nadu. It is pertinent to mention that A Raja was the Information Technology minister under Manmohan Singh’s UPA government when the 2G spectrum fraud was exposed.

The renaming of Rajpath and Central Vista: How the liberal Hammerwalas’ fixation with perpetual criticism has deprived them of their common sense

Virender Kapoor
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The renaming of Rajpath and Central Vista: How the liberal Hammerwalas’ fixation with perpetual criticism has deprived them of their common sense

“If you only have a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail

: Abraham Maslow

As a management teacher I observe – with pain though – that today journalists and amateur writers have changed their writing instruments. A hammer has replaced the pen and I would like to quote another apt slogan of the Parker Retro 51 pen—”Life is too short to carry an ugly pen!”, least a hammer.

As criticizers of PM Modi run out of ideas, they are desperately trying for helicopter shots in vain. Even if you want to fly a helicopter in the rarified atmosphere it will not take off, you can keep revving your engine and you will never even take off because rarefied air does not allow you to create the desired pressure. The journalists and opposition are trying to fly in a rarified atmosphere. Without realising it, they call it a stifling atmosphere. 

They would sometimes talk of fundamental rights, jobs, economy, and freedom of speech and sometimes use lofty English to say nothing; like someone would say the idea of doing all these is to keep the pot boiling – keeping the masses distracted. Everybody is scared today. But distracted from what? Scared of what?

We have very recently surpassed the economy of our Lords of the Kings in the UK and produced our own indigenous Aircraft carrier, the largest in our fleet today (not named INS MODI but INS VIKRANT). We are heading to be the third largest economy. There is food on the table, no power shortages, inflation well under control, over 200 crores vaccination jabs, Ayushman Bharat gives health coverage to poor people, and by September 2022, India is home to 107 unicorns with a total valuation of $ 340.79 Bn.

India’s foreign exchange reserves stand at a healthy $553.11 billion as of the week ended September 2. Over 23,000 Indian students, including some foreign nationals, were evacuated under the direct supervision of four union ministers from war-torn Ukraine. Our foreign policy is on the course, no one can bully us, and we are respected by the world. We are keeping a safe driving distance from the so-called big boys in the game. Is the government trying to hide all this? If yes, then you may be closer to the truth. Hammerwalas are using sniffer dogs to unearth a scam where there is none.

We are gagged they say, yet on every TV channel they keep abusing the government, they write whatever they want with their hammer and tongs on every news portal.

As a management teacher and an author, I always told my students that management and leadership are ‘just common sense’.

Tell me why for heaven’s sake we could not get an International Yoga Day earlier. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his UN address in 2014, had suggested the date of June 21, as it is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and shares a special significance in many parts of the world. This is common sense in action– we got it so many decades later! United Nations made 21 June International Yoga Day—this was nothing short of a game changer—not a penny spent by us and we were catapulted into the international arena.

All the ‘hammerwalas’ must have thought ‘Why the hell it didn’t strike us? Modi baazi maar gaya re!’ Har Ghar Tiranga is also just an idea. It worked! Of course, other nations have been doing it for decades ago. ‘Par nakal ke liye bhee akaal chahiye’- ‘Oops! We missed this one too,’ they would have miserably pondered.

As George C. Marshall, former U.S. Army General, noted, “Morale is a state of mind. It is steadfastness and courage and hope. It is elan and determination.” And right now, the morale and hope of Modi detractors seem to be at their absolute nadir, which is why they are angling for outrage on seemingly benign issues.

Now, you have a problem with ‘Kartavyapath’. For god’s sake stop asking for only rights, have we ever spoken of our fundamental duties, which are eleven in number? Are these only meant for the armed forces and not every citizen including ‘Hammerwalas’.

The popular green spot for the public has been given a complete facelift with sandstone fixtures in this effort.

Don’t do hair-splitting, you will lose all your hair. OK, Rajpath was a literal translation of Kingsway, but couldn’t we connect it to something more meaningful, more actionable rather than a literal translation? Nah—you need common sense for that too.

A couple of more important landmarks created in recent years. As part of the Central Vista redevelopment project, over 7,000 employees of the Ministry of Defense now move to new office complexes. A senior defence official said ‘Since Independence, many of our employees have been working in dilapidated hutments. For the first time, they will move into proper offices. Some of the hutments are over 75 years old and some were stables back then. The existing hutments are spread over 50 acres as against 13 acres for the new modern complexes. The War memorial that was long overdue has also come in this integrated effort. The new parliament has a 150 per cent higher seating capacity and is built to last for 150 years. This is called killing four birds with one stone—common sense.

India Gate has not been named Modi gate or Rajpath as Shahpath or Modipath whereas Connaught place is now Rajiv Chowk where there was no objection. Every college, road, university, and hospital has only five great names—Nehru, Indira, Rajiv and not to miss, Sanjay—where Gandhi was a necessary appendix and not an annexure. We have not seen anything extraordinary named after V.P. Singh, Lal Bahadur Shastri or Narsimha Rao—not even a bus stop for Manmohan Singh as per my knowledge.

Of course, Mayawati has dozens of elephant statues and her own life-size statue in Lucknow. But that was done during her reign in Uttar Pradesh. She probably was acutely aware that given the propensity of Congress to adulate over only the Nehru-Gandhi family, she might as well create statues for herself and her party for posterity to know there existed a leader besides the ubiquitous presence of Gandhi family members.

I feel like humming the song sung by Paul and Mary and later by Trini Lopez.

‘If I had a hammer

I’d hammer in the morning

I’d hammer in the evening

All over this land’

Good luck to you Hammerwalas, but don’t hammer your own thumb in your exuberance- it hurts badly.

Mosque with two minarets funded locally, another one funded by Saudi Arabia, Maulana at Nepal border speaks about construction mafia, foreign fundings and more

राहुल पाण्डेय
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Mosque with two minarets funded locally, another one funded by Saudi Arabia, Maulana at Nepal border speaks about construction mafia, foreign fundings and more

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 along the border. From August 20 to 27, 2022, an OpIndia team visited several areas in Nepal bordering India to observe the ground situation. What follows here is the ninth episode of the series of reports documenting the facts noticed by the OpIndia team.

We came across a man in the Balapur neighbourhood, right in front of Jarawa police station, as we were returning from the Dang district of Nepal to Balrampur city in India. He appeared to be a Maulana and was waiting on the roadside to seek a lift. We gave him a ride in our car, and after a while, we started chatting with him about neighbourhood issues including those in our border areas. Speaking to us, the Maulana identified himself as Barkatullah Khan, a resident of Basantpur village, located in Tulsipur tehsil of Balrampur district in Uttar Pradesh. He was 60 years old.

There were not so many madarsas in my childhood days: Maulana Barkatullah Khan

When we questioned Barkatullah Khan about his early education, he admitted to attending a government school in Balrampur. We questioned him why he chose not to attend a nearby madrasa as the government school was located roughly 30 kilometres from his home.

In response to our question, Maulana Barkatullah Khan stated that there were fewer madarsas during his childhood than there are now. The Maulana, who identified himself as an adherent of the Ahle Sunnah, added that then, madrasas used to be located in a very limited number of areas.

Mosque with two minarets along the Indo-Nepal border built by local funding, those with one minaret funded by Saudi Arabia

According to Barkatullah, Saudi Arabia has provided funding for almost all of the mosques that have been built over the years along the Indo-Nepal border. The mosques with two minarets were built with funds from Indian Muslims, he explained, whereas the mosque with just one minaret was funded by Saudi Arabia.

The mosques constructed in the border region, according to Maulana Barkatullah Khan, are connected to Ahle Sunnah and other firs. Barkatullah stated that although the residents of Girdhardih village are impoverished, these mosques were built using funds sent by individuals who had left the village in search of employment.

Madarsas running on donation money

When asked which madarsa was the best in the neighbourhood, Barkatullah gave the name of one that was close to the Shaktipeeth Devipatan temple and was situated in the Etawa square of the Tulsipur market. He mentioned that the madarsa receives government funding.

Besides the aforementioned madarsa, the Maulana listed the names of various additional functional madrasas that are operating on donation money. Pointing to a neighbouring village that came up on our way, Barkatullah stated that practically every village has a madarsa, even if they are running with the support of voluntary donations by locals.

Land along the road costs Rs 15 lakh per bigha

When we asked Maulana about the cost of land near the mosques and madarsas, he said that it costs somewhere around Rs 15 lakhs a bigha (1 bigha is equal to 0.619 acres or 27,000 square feet). He further claimed that land costs roughly Rs 3 lakh bigha in areas that are not near a road.

When we asked Maulana Barkatullah whether only those earning in Gulf countries send money for the Mosques being built on the Nepal border, he answered in the negative. He confirmed that people who have relocated to Mumbai and other cities for jobs also send their contributions. Lauding the Sheikhs of the Gulf (in most of the Arab nations, members of the Gulf Royal Houses are referred to as sheikh and sheikha), Maulana said that during Ramzan he spends sacks full of money received from the Sheikhs. He continued, that many locals from the village also come to them asking for money.

Construction of shrines is a commission-based game: Maulana

The Maulana expressed his concern and explained how the legacy of cuts and commissions is pervasive in the region. He declared that no mosques, madarsas, or mazars could be built in this area without paying a commission to the local mafias. He added that there are established vendors of cement, bricks, bars, sand, and other items who offer a commission to clients. These vendors belong to various faiths and it’s almost mandatory that all construction materials are brought from these set vendors.

More Hindus than Muslims visit the shrines

As we were conversing, our vehicle arrived at the Tulsipur market, about 20 kilometres from the border. Pointing to a Mazar that could be seen from the market’s entrance, Maulana claimed that this specific tomb is visited more by Hindus than Muslims.

The mazars, in Maulana Barkatullah’s opinion, is a means of extorting money, and anyone in the area who wants to make quick money builds a Mazar on his piece of land. Over the passage of time, several highly educated people in the village have also become ‘believers’, said Barkatullah (becoming a believer entails adopting the Muslim faith).

Many villages are Muslim dominated

Maulana Barkatullah, who was conversing with us while seated in our car, concurred that many of the bordering villages along the Nepal border are largely Muslim now. Additionally, he listed some predominantly Muslim villages, including Semri, Chainpur, Sivli, Jeevali, and Basantpur. According to Barkatullah, these settlements have mosques and madarsas where people can live and eat for free. These Madarsas offer free classes in Arabic and Urdu as well. Barkatullah indicated a madrasa by the side of the road in the hamlet of Madarhwa. He described it as a private Madarsa.

Shia or Sunni on the paper, with many inner spins

According to Maulana Barkatullah, although they are referred to as Shia or Sunni in official documents, there are significant divisions among them. He claims that it contains Ahle Hadith, Wahhabi, and many more firs and that their mosques are likewise separated in the same manner.

Barkatullah exuded a great deal of rage for the Yogi administration. He claims that under the current administration, inflation soared and there are many animals roaming the streets. He claimed that since Yogi’s government came to power, they are not allowed to use loudspeakers in Mosques during Azan.

Maulana further lamented, “Be it Yogi Adityanath’s Gorakhpeeth or the Devipatan temple in Tulsipur, the morning there starts and ends with the playing of drums.” There are still loudspeakers in some mosques, but according to Barkatullah, it has to be played at a reduced volume.

Koilabas in Nepal predominantly has Manihar Muslim population

Maulana Barkatullah went on to speak to us about the history of Koilabas, a bazaar town situated in Gadhawa Rural Municipality in Dang Deokhuri District in Lumbini Province of southwestern Nepal. This is the first village in Nepal that is located near the Indian border. Sharing information on how the village is headed by a Muslim, the Maulana said that it predominantly has Manihar Muslim population.

He characterised the Muslims of Koilabas as prosperous businessmen. Barkatullah stated that these people are never spotted traversing the border areas but are always seen inside Nepal. He asserted that Koilabas would in the near future, once again become overcrowded.

Before we got to his house near the Tulsipur market area, Maulana Barkatullah spoke to us for almost 30 minutes. As soon as our car stopped near his house, Maulana exited, greeting us with Khuda Hafiz.

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

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’.

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