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Islamists begin their fear-mongering after the Gyanvapi verdict, Owaisi claims ‘another Babri’, AIMPLB says it will lead to violence

OpIndia Staff
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Islamists begin their fear-mongering after the Gyanvapi verdict, Owaisi claims ‘another Babri’, AIMPLB says it will lead to violence

Hours after the district court in Varanasi ruled that the suit in the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri case is maintainable and that the facts presented by the Hindu side are acceptable, Islamic outfit ‘All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB)’ resorted to fear-mongering about the verdict.

In a statement on Monday (September 12), it informed, “General Secretary Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani has said that in his press note that the verdict of the court is disappointing.”

AIMPLB claimed that the contentious Places of Worship Act of 1991, enacted by the Parliament, called for upholding the status quo of all religious structures (with the exception of the Ram Janmabhoomi case) and accused the Varanasi court of “ignoring the law”.

The Islamic outfit cast aspersions on the integrity of the Judiciary and accused it of making the path easier for ‘Hindu extremists’ to reclaim the disputed structure. While hinting at the possibility of Muslim mobs going berserk, AIMPLB said that the verdict will affect India’s unity and communal harmony.

“Extremism and violence will increase, and lead to conflict in cities,” it continued. “The government should implement the 1991 law with full force. All stakeholders must be made to follow this law. Minorities should not feel that all doors of justice are closed for them,” AIMPLB concluded.

PFI cries foul

The radical organisation, Popular Front of India (PFI), has cried foul after the Varanasi district court passed its verdict in the favour of the Hindu side. PFI President Oma Salam extended his support to the Anjuman Islamia Masjid Committee, which challenged the maintainability of the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri suit filed by five Hindu women.

He called upon the Committee to protect the disputed structure from being reclaimed by Hindus and supported the decision to appeal against the verdict in High Court. With an intent to create unrest in the country, PFI accused the court of encouraging supposed ‘fascist attacks’ against the country’s minorities.

Asaduddin Owaisi draws parallels to the Babri Masjid case

Following the historic verdict, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi told NDTV, “I was hoping that the court will nip these issues in the bud. Now it appears that more such litigations will be coming and this is going the way the Babri Masjid legal issue went.”

He claimed that the order by the Varanasi district court will ‘set off many things’. Owaisi further alleged that the objective behind the Places of Religious Act would fail and hoped that Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee would appeal against the order.

The AIMIM leader remarked, “Everyone will say that we have been here before 15 August 1947. Then the aim of the 1991 Places of Religious Worship Act will be defeated. The 1991 Act was made so that such conflicts end.”

“But after today’s (September 12) order, it seems there will be more litigations on this issue and we will be back to the ’80s and it will create a destabilising effect,” he concluded.

When Owaisi provoked Muslims against court-ordered proceedings 

In May this year, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi called upon Muslims to not lose the disputed Gyanvapi mosque at any cost. He made the contentious remarks after a Shivling was discovered inside the disputed structure.

“When I was 19-21, the Babri Masjid was snatched away from me. But we will never lose a Masjid again in front of the 19-20-year-olds. Do you take an oath that we will not lose any more mosque?” he asked a frenzied crowd.

Amidst chants of ‘Naara-e-Takbeer’ and ‘Allahu Akbar’, his supporters vowed to protect the disputed structure of the Gyanvapi mosque. “They must know that we will not lose any more of our mosques. We know all your tactics,” Owaisi remarked.

“A Momin is someone who doesn’t get bitten by the same snake twice. We will not allow them to bite us again. It (Gyanvapi) was a masjid and it will remain so till Qayamat (the Day of Judgment),” he continued to rage.

Asaduddin Owaisi added, “It is our responsibility to keep our mosques free.” He further called upon Muslims to visit mosques frequently all throughout the year and not just during the month of Ramzan.

While dubbing the whole exercise of videography of Gyanvapi as the work of shaitan, the AIMIM leader remarked, “If we keep our mosques filled with worshippers, then, these Satanic forces who want to deprive us of our culture will understand that Indian Muslims are now not ready to lose their mosques.”

It is notable here that the case of Hindu women seeking right to worship at the Shrigar Gauri shrine inside the Gyanvapi premises has only been deemed “maintainable” by the Varanasi District Court in the recent order.

Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri case: Explaining the arguments of Masjid Committee application, objections of the Hindu side and the Court verdict

Nupur J Sharma
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Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri case: Explaining the arguments of Masjid Committee application, objections of the Hindu side and the Court verdict

A Varanasi court on the 12th of September gave the verdict dismissing the application by Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee challenging a plea by Hindu women, seeking permission to worship the Hindu deities residing in the Gyanvapi complex. The decision by the Varanasi court is being considered a massive win for Hindus in the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri case and the Hindu side may now ask for a court-mandated ASI survey of the premises and also, carbon dating of the Shivling found inside the “wuzukhana” of the disputed premises, where thousands of Muslims would wash their hands and feet.

The verdict comes after a district court in Varanasi reserved its order in August on a plea brought by the Anjuman Islamia Masjid Committee, which challenged the maintainability of the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri suit filed by five Hindu women. The Court heard arguments on the merits of a petition filed by five Hindu women seeking permission to worship at the Shringar Gauri Sthal in the disputed Gyanvapi complex of Kashi Vishwanath on a daily basis.

It is in this case that the Varanasi court ordered a video survey of the disputed complex on May 12 this year. Stunning revelations were made after the survey including the discovery of a Shivling in the Wuzukhana of the disputed Gyanvapi complex. Following the survey, Civil Judge (Senior Division) Ravi Kumar Diwakar ordered the sealing of the disputed Gyanvapi structure as requested by Advocate Hari Shankar Jain to safeguard the premises.

Ajay Mishra, the court-appointed commissioner entrusted with inspecting the Gyanvapi complex, stated in his report that there are stone sculptures of Hindu Gods and Goddesses on the walls of the disputed edifice. According to Mishra’s report, the stone carvings on the eastern and western sides of the so-called masjid are comparable, indicating that they were all part of a bigger edifice that was destroyed.

The present litigation regarding the disputed Gyanvapi complex is centred on five female petitioners. On April 18, 2021, Rakhi Singh, Laxmi Devi, Sita Sahu, Manju Vyas, and Rekha Pathak filed a lawsuit demanding the right to regularly worship and perform rituals at Shringar Gauri, Lord Ganesh, Lord Hanuman, and Nandi, as well as prohibiting opponents from harming the statues inside the disputed Gyanvapi structure.

Gyanvapi verdict: What did the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee say in its application against the Hindu side

The application by the Masjid committee was filed under Order 7 Rule 11 of the CPC. This rule was essentially cited to claim that the suit (by the Hindu women) was barred in law. One of the provisions of Order 7 Rule 11 or CPC says that the suit will be dismissed by the court “where the suit appears from the statement in the plaint to be barred by any law”. The application by the Masjid committee said, “In this mosque, the common Muslims of Varanasi city and the nearby area have been offering Namaz of five times and Namaz of Eid & Jumma without any interference. The Parliament enacted the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 in the year 1991. In this Act, it has been provided that the places of worship will remain in the same position in which they were on 15th August 1947 and regarding such places of worship, no suit will be maintainable in any court. Further, in 1983, Shri Kashi Vishwanath Act, 1983 was enacted in Uttar Pradesh. In this Act, it has been provided that Board of Trustees will be created which will look after Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir and all Gods and Goddesses in its compound”. The Masjid Committee said that the Gyanvapi Mosque (disputed) has been situated in the same place for 600 years and therefore, such suits are barred by the Places of Worship Act 1991.

The Masjid committee further said, “It has also been mentioned in application 35C that Gyanvapi Mosque, which has been described in para 12 of the plaint and its sub-paragraphs from I to XIV, is a Waqf property and it has been entered at Sl. No. 100 (Varanasi) as property of U.P. Sunni Central Board of Waqf, Lucknow. It has also been alleged in the application that the suit is barred by Act no.42 of 1991 and Act no.29 of 1983 and Act no.43 of 1995”.

Therefore, the Masjid Committee claimed that the suit by the Hindu women should be dismissed since it is barred by 3 acts – the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991; the Waqf Act, 1995 and the Uttar Pradesh Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Act, 1983.

Gyanvapi verdict: What was the Hindu side’s arguments in their objection to the application by the Masjid committee

The Hindu side, in its objection to the application filed by the Masjid Committee made the following points, in essence:

  1. The Hindu side said that the plea based on the Places of Worship Act 1991 has been made by the Masjid Committee only to prolong the proceedings because they do not want the suit to be heard and decided on its merits.
  2. There is no Mosque within settlement plot no. 9130 situated in the area of Dashashwamedh ward Police Station-Dashashwamedh, District Varanasi which has been described as the property in question in the suit. It has been averred in the suit that the entire property in question vests in the deity from time immemorial.
  3. The suit says that if any person without the sanction of law, occupies a place and starts offering namaz, it does not turn the property into a mosque automatically.
  4. Nobody has the right to encroach upon the land/property already vesting in the deity. The principle of ‘first in existence’ or ‘prior in existence’ is the paramount consideration for determining the right of worship at a particular place where two communities are claiming the right to worship. 
  5. The nature of the suit has been specified clearly – The suit has been filed inter alia for restraining the defendants from interfering in the performance of Darshan, Pooja of Goddess Maa Shringar Gauri, Lord Ganesha, Lord Hanuman, Nandi Ji, Visible and Invisible deities, Mandaps and Shrines existing within the whole temple complex i.e. at the property in question.
  6. The plaintiffs (Hindu women) have said that the deities existed on the premises before 15-08-1947 and the devotees have the right to protect and worship the same. The right in question here flows from Article 25 of the Constitution of India (Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion).
  7. The Hindu side has argued that Shri Adi Visheshwar Jyotirlingam exists along with the images of Maa Shringar Gauri, Lord Hanuman, Lord Ganesh and other Visible and invisible deities within the temple complex at land no. 9130 commonly known as Shri Adi Visheshwar Temple which are being worshipped by devotees of Lord Shiva from time immemorial despite the fact that Aurangzeb during his barbarous rule got demolished a portion of the Temple, over which Muslims without any authority of law raised some constructions over the land of the deities but the deities continued to be dejure owner of the property.
  8. The image of Maa Shringar Gauri exists within the property in question at the back side of Gyanvapi in Ishan Kon. The Hindus are continuously performing pooja of Maa Gauri, Lord Hanuman, Lord Ganesha and other Visible and invisible deities with rituals and are doing circumambulation (Parikrama) of the temple of Lord Visheshwar. The Hindus continued in the possession of the cellar (Tehkhana) towards South and other parts of the demolished Temple with its ruins and Lord Adi Visheshwar is still in existence in its original shape in the western part of the old Temple at the property in question. The plaintiffs have already moved an application for appointing an Advocate Commissioner for an inspection of the property in question in the light of the averments made in the plaint.
  9. The Hindu side argued that according to Order 7 Rule 11 of the CPC, the court is supposed to take cognisance of the arguments made in the suit, not the arguments made by the defendants (in this case, the Masjid committee). Hindus said that from the arguments made in the suit, it is clear that the deities have existed within the temple property before 15th August 1947 and therefore, the Places of Worship Act 1991 cannot be applicable to the case.
  10. Under Hindu law, the property once vested in the deities shall continue to be the deity’s property and its destruction, if any, cannot change the nature of the property.
  11. Further detailing why the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 does not apply to this case, the Hindu side cited the Ayodhya judgement. The Supreme Court had, in their verdict, said that the “idol constitutes the embodiment or expression of the pious purpose upon which legal personality is conferred”. Therefore, even if the idol is destroyed, it does not end the property from being vested with the idol.
  12. The Hindu side has said that Shri Kashi Vishwanath Act, 1983 has not taken any step for proper Darshan, Pooja and performance of rituals of Maa Shringar Gauri, Lord Ganesh, Lord Hanuman and other visible and invisible deities within the whole temple complex. In the Ayodhya case, the Supreme Court had made clear that a devotee can bring a suit to protect the rights of the deities and the devotees if the shabait/trust fails in its duties.
  13. Section 4 of the Places of Worship Act 1991 says that the ‘religious character of a place of worship existing on the 15th Day of August 1947’ shall remain unchanged. Now, what the nature of the place of worship was on that day has to be proven in court. The Hindu side says that they have laid the foundation for the argument that the premises were indeed a Hindu temple on that date.
  14. The premises mentioned in the suit is already a ‘temple’ as defined in Section 4 (9) of the Uttar Pradesh Kashi Vishwanath Temple Act, 1983. The religious character of the entire property in the suit has already been declared by the U.P. State Legislature and there is no question of applicability of the provisions of the Act of 1991. The U.P. State Legislature has already recognised the existence of Jyotirlinga within the definition of a ‘temple’ which is in existence beneath the disputed structure and is being called Gyanvapi Mosque by Muslims.
  15. The property is not a Waqf property and the registration of this property as such is illegal and void.

The Hindu side, in detail, refuted all the points that were presented by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee challenging the plea of the Hindu women, who wanted their right to worship in the temple.

Gyanvapi verdict: What did the court rule after listening to the Masjid Committee and the Hindu side

The Muslim side had three contentions mainly:

(a) The suit of the plaintiffs is barred by Section 4 of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 (Act no.42 of 1991).

(b) The suit of the plaintiffs is barred by Section 85 of the Waqf Act, 1995 (Act no.43 of 1995).

(c) The suit of the plaintiffs is barred by the Uttar Pradesh Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Act, 1983 (Act no.29 of 1983).

The court went into the details of each act, explaining why the suit is not barred under any of the three laws.

Places of Worship Act 1991

Sections 3 and 4 of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, says that conversion of any place of worship of any religious denomination or any section thereto into a place of worship of a different section of the same religious denomination or of a different religious denomination is prohibited. It is also noteworthy that the religious character of a place of worship as it existed on 15th August 1947 shall remain the same and it will not be allowed to be changed.

The court then proceeded to examine if the relief sought in the suit is barred by the Places of Worship Act.

The 4 main reliefs sought by the Hindus are as follows:

  1. Deities are entitled to worship the deities present, visible and invisible, on the premises.
  2. The Muslim side cannot create any hindrance to the Darshan, Aarti, puja etc by the Hindus.
  3. Restraining the defendants from demolishing, damaging, destroying or causing any damage to the images of deities Goddess Maa Sringar Gauri at Asthan of Lord Adi Visheshwar along with Lord Ganesh, Lord Hanuman, Nandiji and other visible and invisible deities within the old temple complex situated at settlement Plot No. 9130 in the area of Ward and P.S. Dashashwamedh, District Varanasi.
  4. Directing the Government of Uttar Pradesh and District Administration to make security arrangements for devotees doing Darshana, puja, etc.

Taking into account that Hindus have been worshipping the deities, it is after 16/4/2021 that devotees have been stopped from doing puja, that the government of Uttar Pradesh in 1993, without any sanction of the law, directed authorities to stop devotees from performing daily puja and entering the premises after the Ayodhya movement in 1990 to appease Muslims and that the Hindus have had continuous possession of the Taikhana, the Court said according to plaintiffs, “even after 15th August 1947 they were worshipping Maa Sringar Gauri, Lord Ganesh and Lord Hanuman daily up to the year 1993. If this contention is proved then the suit is not barred by Section 4 of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. At this stage, the averments made in the plaint are to be seen and plaintiffs will have the right to prove their averments by cogent evidence”.

The court said, “The main argument of the learned counsel for the plaintiffs is that the plaintiffs have not sought declaration or injunction over the property/land plot no.9130. They have not sought relief for converting the place of worship from a Mosque to Temple. The plaintiffs are only demanding the right to worship Maa Sringar Gauri and other visible and invisible deities which were being worshipped incessantly till 1993 and after 1993 till now once a year under the regulatory of the State of Uttar Pradesh. Therefore, the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 does not operate as the bar on the suit of plaintiffs. The suit of the plaintiffs is limited and confined to the right of worship as a civil right and fundamental right as well as customary and religious right. I agree with the learned counsel for the plaintiffs”.

Section 85 of The Waqf Act 1995

The Masjid Committee argued that the suit of the Hindus (plaintiffs) is barred by Section 85 of The Waqf Act 1995 because the subject matter of the suit is a Waqf property and only Waqf Tribunal Lucknow has right to decide the suit.

Section 85 of the Waqf Act says ‘no suit or other legal proceeding shall lie in any Civil Court, revenue Court and other authority in respect of any dispute, question or other matter relating to any waqf, waqf property or other matter which is required by or under this Act to be determined by a Tribunal’.

The Muslim side cited several case laws to claim that whether a property is a Waqf property or not cannot be decided by the Civil Court, but only a Tribunal constituted under Waqf Act can adjudicate such cases and therefore, the Hindu side suit should be dismissed. The contention of the Muslim side is that the said property of Gyanvapi is Waqf property. It is pertinent to note that the Hindu side has claimed that the said registration as Waqf property is void and illegal.

Against this argument, the Hindu side argued that in para 7 of the plaint, it is mentioned that it is undisputed that no waqf can be created over the property belonging to and vested in the deity. A mosque can be constructed only on waqf property. There is no evidence up till now that Aurangzeb had created any waqf for the construction of the mosque. Therefore, the Muslim community is an encroacher on the land and they have no right to use the land for the performance of any religious act concerning the Muslims. The. Hindu side also cited several case laws to bolster its position.

Taking this into consideration, the court ruled:

“In the present case, the plaintiffs have claimed relief that they should be allowed to worship the deities of Maa Sringar Gauri and other Gods and Goddesses in the disputed property but such relief is not covered under Sections 33, 35, 47, 48, 51, 54, 61, 64, 67, 72, & 73 of the Waqf Act. Therefore, the jurisdiction of this court to entertain the present suit is not barred. Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that the bar under Section 85 of the Waqf Act does not operate in the present case because the plaintiffs are non-Muslims and strangers to the alleged Waqf created at the disputed property and the relief claimed in the suit is not covered under Sections 33, 35, 47, 48, 51, 54, 61, 64, 67, 72 & 73 of the Waqf Act. Hence, suit of the plaintiffs is not barred by Section 85 of the Waqf Act 1995”.

Uttar Pradesh Sri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Act, 1983

“In my view, the defendant no.4 failed to prove that the suit of the plaintiffs is barred by the U.P. Kashi Vishwanath Temple Act, 1983 (Act no.29 of 1983). Section 5 of the Act declares that the ownership of the temple and its endowment shall vest in the deity of Shri Kashi Vishwanath. Section 6 of the Act provides that with effect from the appointed date, the administration and governance of the Temple and its endowments shall vest in a Board to be called the Board of Trustees for Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple”, said the court.

The court cited Section 4(5), saying that endowment includes any property, movable or immovable, endowed for the support of the Temple or to perform rituals etc. Section 4(9) defines the “temple” as, the “Temple of Adi Visheshwar, popularly known as Sri Kashi Vishwanath Temple, situated in the City of Varanasi which is used as a place of public religious worship, and dedicated to or for the benefit of or used as of right by the Hindus, as a place of public religious worship of the Jyotirlinga and includes all subordinate temple, shrines, sub-shrines and the Asthan of all other images and deities, mandaps, wells, tanks and other necessary structures and land appurtenant thereto and additions which may be made thereto after the appointed date”.

The court said that from the perusal of these sections, that no bar has been placed on a suit asking for the right to worship at the endowment within the temple or outside the temple.

Concluding their observations, the court said, “In view of the above discussions and analysis, I have come to the conclusion that the suit of the plaintiffs is not barred by the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 (Act no.42 of 1991), The Waqf Act 1995 (Act no.43 of 1995) and the U.P. Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Act, 1983 (Act no.29 of 1983) and the application 35C filed by the defendant no.4 is liable to be dismissed”.

The court then fixed 22nd September 2022 as the date for filing of written arguments and framing of the matter presented by the Hindu side.

Auto ride drama: After demanding additional security, Kejriwal seen misbehaving with Ahmedabad police, says he doesn’t want protection

OpIndia Staff
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Auto ride drama: After demanding additional security, Kejriwal seen misbehaving with Ahmedabad police, says he doesn’t want protection

On September 12, Chief Minister of Delhi and Aam Aadmi Party’s National Convener Arvind Kejriwal was seen arguing with the Ahmedabad Police over his security. The video was shared by AAP’s official account that attracted criticism as netizens accused him of using unparliamentarily language for the officers on duty.

Kejriwal was in Ahmedabad to promote his party for the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections. During a meeting with the locals, he accepted a dinner invitation by an auto driver in the exact same manner he had done in Punjab before Assembly Elections. Kejriwal wanted to go to the auto driver’s house in his auto with two other AAP Gujarat leaders but the Ahmedabad Police urged him to avoid travelling in an Auto for security reasons. This was the moment Kejriwal got ‘irked’ and lashed out at the Police officers.

While the Police officer in conversation with him was calm and tried to convince him to follow the protocol in place for VIPs, Kejriwal kept on accusing Gujarat Police of stopping him to meet the public. He said, “Why can’t we go? What kind of security will you give? This is a blot on you. You should feel ashamed. The people of Gujarat are suffering because your leaders do not go and meet them. We are going to meet the public and you are stopping us. You have kept us hostage.”

When the Police officer said there was communication to the state government seeking security as per protocol, he said, “I do not want your security. You are forcefully providing security. I want to go in public. Give your security to your ministers. You cannot arrest me. This is an arrest. I have given you in writing I do not want your security but you are forcefully giving it. You are keeping me hostage. You are arresting me.”

The Police officer mentioned he was a Z category protectee and the Police are duty bound to provide a security cover, he said, “I do not want your Z protection. Keep it to yourself.” During the whole conversation, Kejriwal kept shouting at the officer as he tried to do his duty.

The whole drama ended after that and two Police vehicles escorted the Auto to his destination. A Police officer also accompanied the Delhi CM inside the auto. Sadly, as three of the AAP leaders including Kejriwal were sitting in the back seat of the auto, the Police officer had to sit with the driver in a very dangerous position which was visible in another video shared by AAP.

Netizens fumed over Kejriwal’s language

Assam Minister Pijush Hazarika said, “The mockery created by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal ji yesterday in Gujarat is a testimony to the fact that how great actor Kejriwal ji is! Any award show on this planet will be low to recognise his talent!”

BJP leader Tajinder Singh Bagga said, “Stop defaming Gujarat. Your party itself had written a letter seeking protection from the Gujarat Police and expressed the possibility of an attack on Kejriwal. Now due to hunger for publicity in front of media cameras you started drama in front of Gujarat Police.”

BJP leader Priti Gandhi said, “Aam Aadmi Party Gujarat unit wrote a letter demanding special protection for Kejriwal on his Gujarat visit. They emphasized that there is a possibility of a violent attack on him. Now when Gujarat Police is giving him protection, he is accusing them of holding him hostage!!

AAP Gujarat had sought security for Kejriwal

Interestingly, AAP Gujarat had sought security for Arvind Kejriwal. In April 2022, when Arvind Kejriwal started his campaigning in Gujarat, AAP’s Gujarat wing sought security for him. The letter submitted seeking security for Delhi CM was shared by the official handle of AAP Gujarat. They wrote, “The Aam Aadmi Party has informed the Commissioner to maintain proper security vigilance in view of the possibility of a violent attack by anti-social elements at any place or time during the entire Gujarat tour program of Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Shri Bhagwant Maan Sahib.”

As the Police officer mentioned, they had a communication to provide security to the VIP, in this case, Arvind Kejriwal, who is Chief Minister of Delhi. Not to forget, Kejriwal himself had said in Delhi Assembly targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi that if PM cannot provide security to Kejriwal, he should leave his post.

Muslim encroachment of temple land, Karbala built in temple compound, and more: Ground report on Islamisation underway along the UP-Nepal border

राहुल पाण्डेय
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Muslim encroachment of temple land, Karbala built in temple compound, and more: Ground report on Islamisation underway along the UP-Nepal border

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. 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 seventh episode of the series of reports documenting the facts noticed by the OpIndia team.

The Dang district in Nepal falls in the Lumbini state. We entered Dang from the Jarwa border in the Balrampur district of Uttar Pradesh. On the Shravasti road, there is a base camp of the paramilitary SSB (Sashastra Seema Bal) patrolling the Nepal border. This border is situated in dense forests. First and foremost, we gathered information regarding this district’s urban areas.

The very first thing one can see on entering the village is a Mosque

We observed a sugar factory from a distance as we neared Bhagwati Ganj village in Balrampur town along the Gonda road. The first thing we noticed when we entered the area was a mosque on the road itself. Neeraj Tiwari, a local resident of the same neighbourhood, told us that numerous sections in the town are Muslim-dominated, with the Balua Mohalla being the most well-known. It is worth noting that in September 2020, a bomb exploded at the house of a man named Akram in the Balua neighbourhood, resulting in huge destruction of life and property.

Mosque visible as one enters the village

We had only walked 500 metres in Balrampur’s Bhagwati Ganj village when we observed another mosque on the side of the road. The police outpost Bhagwati Ganj is not far from this mosque. From here, there was a road leading to Shri Dutt Ganj Bazar.

The second mosque at a distance of barely 500 metres

Illegal encroachment on Balarampur’s Hanuman Garhi temple

The OpIndia team arrived at the Hanuman Garhi temple, which is located in the heart of Balrampur. Mahendra Das Ji Maharaj, the successor of Ayodhya’s revered saint Kamalnayan Das Ji Maharaj, is the Mahant of this temple. This temple is linked directly to Choti Chawani, a revered structure in Ayodhya.

When we spoke with the manager here, Naresh Singh, he told us that there was formerly illegal Muslim encroachment on the premises of this temple, which is still present but much less than before. Naresh Singh further stated that two shops adjacent to the temple are still owned by Muslims and that a legal case against them is still ongoing in court. One is called Badruddin, and the other is called Cashew Hotel.

Balarampur’s Hanuman Garhi temple

Bones thrown inside the Hanuman Mandir

Pawan Shukla, a social worker from Balrampur, informed us that once the Yogi Adityanath assumed office, his government and the temple mahant worked together to restore many illegally encroached lands in the main city. He recalled how a former MP Munnan Khan had opened an eatery named Ajmeri Hotel beside Hanuman Mandir’s main gate and afterwards had his office built there.

Pawan Shukla added that Munnan Khan use to get non-veg food cooked in his restaurant and then throw the remaining bones inside the Hanuman Mandir. According to Pawan Shukla, a lot has changed now.

This particular area of the temple is said to have still illegally encroached

Mahants of the temple seek security from Yogi Adityanath’s government

Mahant Mahendra Das Ji of Hanuman Garhi temple has written to the government several times requesting additional security for himself.

Meanwhile, as we went closer to the temple, we saw two home guards stationed at the temple’s main gate. Within a one-kilometre radius of the temple, there are around a half-dozen mosques and madrasas.

There is also a Dharamshala of the Hanuman Garhi temple on the other side of the temple. According to the temple’s manager, Naresh Singh, a portion of Dharamsala was formerly occupied by Muslims and the temple authorities had to wage a lengthy court battle to get it back from them.

Mazar in the shape of Karbala constructed in Jharkhand temple pond

As we drove from Veer Vinay Chauraha Balrampur toward the SSB Camp, we crossed the railway line. There we spotted a temple named Jharkhandi Temple just next to the main road. There is a big pond just adjacent to this temple, which the local people called Jharkhandi Sarovar.

The Jharkhandi temple was packed with worshippers. The main deity revered here is Mahadev Shiva. However, some green flags were seen fluttering near Jharkhandi Sarovar.

Green flags were spotted near the Jharkhandi Sarovar

Local social worker Pawan Shukla told OpIndia that although this place is listed in official documents as Jharkhandi Sarovar, it has been turned into a Karbala. Every year, according to Pawan Shukla, new Tazias are interred in this water body. Shukla said even he is unaware as to who did this and why. Omkar Tiwari, a Balrampur resident, claimed that some individuals continued to maintain their supremacy despite the administration’s efforts.

Mosques found along other routes as well

The Jharkhandi Mandir is located just a short distance from the railway station. While travelling, we saw numerous Muslim-owned establishments, mosques, auto mechanics, etc. on Tulsipur Road in UP’s Balrampur city. Even within a radius of 2 km from the SSB camp, we could see the minarets of about half a dozen mosques.

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 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

Delhi: 2 AAP MLAs convicted in a 7-year-old case of rioting and assaulting policemen

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi: 2 AAP MLAs convicted in a 7-year-old case of rioting and assaulting policemen

Two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs Akhilesh Pati Tripathi and Sanjeev Jha, and 15 others have been convicted in a 7-year-old case by Rouse Avenue Court’s Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate. The two MLAs have been found guilty of rioting and injuring police personnel at a police station in Delhi in 2015.

The MLAs were part of a mob that attacked policemen at Burari police station in Delhi in February 2015 over allegations that the police is not acting in a kidnapping case. Police said that the mob was asking them to hand over the accused persons to them so that they themselves can act against the accused. When denied, the mob attacked the on-duty police officers.

The court noted that the 2 MLAs were not only a part of the mob, but they were actively provoking and instigating the crowd.

The court in its judgment said, “This court is of the view that the prosecution has been able to establish that both the accused persons namely Sanjeev Jha and Akhilesh Pati Tripathi were present at the spot when the crowd turned violent and in fact had played a major role in provoking and instigating the crowd.” 

Along with the 2 AAP MLAs, 15 others were also found guilty by the court. They were found guilty under Sections 147 (rioting), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), and 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence commit­ted in the prosecution of common object) of Indian Penal Code.

The quantum of the punishment will be announced on September 21 by the court.

This is the latest legal setback for the Aam Aadmi Party which is currently ruling Delhi. Their Health Minister, Satyendra Jain, is still in custody for money laundering, while their Education Minister Manish Sisodia is also under the CBI scanner for the alleged Excise Policy scam.

Aam Aadmi Party MLA Amanatullah Khan’s PA held with live cartridges at Patna Airport

OpIndia Staff
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Aam Aadmi Party MLA Amanatullah Khan’s PA held with live cartridges at Patna Airport

On Sunday, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Amanatullah Khan’s Personal Assistant was caught with live cartridges at the Jai Prakash Narayan International Airport in Patna. Noman Ahmed, a resident of Abul Fazal Enclave, Shaheen Bagh, Delhi, has been identified as the passenger.

Noman Ahmed had arrived at the airport to catch a Spice Jet flight to Delhi. When the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officials searched his hand baggage, they discovered a 7.65 mm live cartridge. CISF couldn’t find any weapon license with Noman to explain the live cartridge. He was handed over to Patna Airport Police after the discovery.

During the police investigation, Noman revealed that he is the PA to Delhi’s Okhla MLA Amanatullah Khan. He had arrived in Patna with the bag of Amanatullah Khan’s Personal Security Officer (PSO).

According to an airport official, Noman Ahmed had a ticket for Spice Jet flight SG-8390 to Delhi at 9:20 PM on Sunday. Following check-in, at around 8.23 PM, CISF officials searched his handbag in the security hold area. During the security check, a cartridge was found in his bag. During interrogation, Noman could not disclose any information regarding the cartridge. After which his journey was cancelled and he was handed over to Patna Airport Police. Further details in the matter are awaited.

Siddique Kappan bail: PFI celebrates the release of UAPA-accused journalist; his friend reportedly threatens witnesses of “dire consequences”

OpIndia Staff
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Siddique Kappan bail: PFI celebrates the release of UAPA-accused journalist; his friend reportedly threatens witnesses of “dire consequences”

Islamist organisation Popular Front of India celebrated the release of controversial journalist Siddique Kappan, who was granted bail by the Supreme Court earlier last week after being arrested in 2020 arrested while he was allegedly proceeding to cover the Hathras case of alleged rape & murder of a 19-year-old Dalit woman, was using the garb of journalism to create a caste divide and law & order disturbance in the state.

PFI chairman O M A Salam issued a statement hailing the apex court’s decision to grant bail to Kappan and said it was a relief for people everywhere who voiced for justice. 

“The judgement will reaffirm the trust in the judiciary and is a source of hope for political prisoners across the country”, Salam said as per the official Twitter account of PFI that shared its chairman’s statement over Kappan’s release. 

Salam, who leads the organisation accused of grievous crimes, including arranging funds to carry out violent protests in India, said the charges against Kappan were fabricated and that the UP police had been obstructing his bail to deflect public outrage from the gang rape that had taken place in the Hathras district. 

“Right-minded people in the country and outside have voiced against the unjust incarceration of Kappan and this is a moment of relief for them all. Let’s hope that this will end the ordeal of Kappan and his family soon and lead to the freedom of other innocents” Salam said.

The statement celebrating Kappan’s release came from PFI months after liberals embedded in mainstream media organisations desperately tried to portray the contentious journalist as a stellar scribe wronged by the state and attempted to scrub clean his links with the Islamist outfit. 

Best friend of Siddique Kappan threatening witnesses of “dire consequences”

Meanwhile, a report published in Janmabhumi highlighted how Kappan’s friends and associates have felt empowered after the court ordered his bail earlier last week. According to the report, Kappan’s best friend, Rasheeduddin Alappatta, is threatening the witnesses in the Kappan case. Rasheeduddin is the former Delhi Bureau Chief of Media One. Threats have been made against the Manorama correspondent and two other journalists. A Facebook post has been posted with the threat of ‘dire consequences’ to witnesses testifying in the Kappan case. 

Rasheed has reportedly said that Kappan told his wife that journalists with Manorama and other organisations had tipped the UP Police during his visit to Hathras close to two years ago. As per Rasheed, Kappan was framed by those involved with the Journalists’ Union and had worked at Media One and Manorama. 

It is worth noting that Rasheeduddin is the same man who conducted interviews with Kashmiri terrorists, videos of which were submitted by Pakistan to the UN to back their efforts in maligning the Indian Armed Forces and accusing them of committing atrocities against the natives.

SC grants bail to Siddique Kappan

On 9th September 2022, the Supreme Court granted bail to so-called journalist Siddique Kappan who is accused of planning to incite riots over the Hathras case. The court has asked him to deposit his passport and mark regular attendance at the police station as he is released on bail close to 2 years after his arrest.

Siddique Kappan was arrested by the UP Police on October 5, 2020, while he was proceeding to cover the Hathras case where a 19-year-old Dalit woman had died after a strangulation attempt. He was arrested along with three other persons, under stringent sections of UAPA and sedition charges for attempting to create a caste conflict in the state amidst the Hathras case controversy.

Dargah and mazar built around Buddhist and Jain temple premises, illegal mazar once demolished surfaces again: UP’s Shravasti near Nepal border

राहुल पाण्डेय
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Dargah and mazar built around Buddhist and Jain temple premises, illegal mazar once demolished surfaces again: UP’s Shravasti near Nepal border

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. 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 sixth episode of the series of reports documenting the facts noticed by the OpIndia team.

Shravasti district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh. 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. We learned during our visit to the area, that in Shravasti, it is very common to find mosques and madrasas next to Buddhist temples and places of faith. The majority of the settlements near Angulimal Cave are predominantly Muslim.

As we were exploring the area, we noticed a large mosque (dargah) named Meera Shah adjacent to the Angulimal cave. What is the relevance of a mazar right next to a Buddhist temple? We attempted to learn about the history of the area from people there, including the Khadim and Dargah’s custodian, in order to acquire answers to our questions.

Devotees from India, as well as Nepal, visit the Dargah every year on Basant Panchami

Mushtaq Ahmed, the mosque head, told OpIndia that every Jummerat, a wider set of devotees visit the Dargah. Salana Urs is also celebrated at the mosque every year on Basant Panchami or Saraswati Puja, the Hindu festival that is celebrated on the Panchami Tithi (fifth day) in the month of Magh (a Hindu calendar month corresponding to January/February in the Gregorian calendar).

According to Mushtaq Ahmed, hundreds of visitors converge at the dargah on this day not just from India but also from Nepal. The visitors belong to both the Hindu and Muslim communities, said Ahmed adding that the government deploys home guards, police and other personnel to regulate the throng.

Meera Shah Dargah situated near a Buddhist temple in UP’s Shravasti district

Mushtaq also informed us that Hazrat Meera Shah’s dargah is linked to the Dargah of Hazrat Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh. Alluding to Salar Ghazi as the supreme authority, Mushtaq stated that these mazars have been present since the time Bahraich’s Dargah Sharif existed.

According to Mushtaq Ahmed, the dargah was registered with the Waqf Board and is overseen by a committee. He named Jawwad and Naib Sadar Mushtaq Raza the two chieftains of the dargah. We noticed that the dargah was adorned with Islamic flags.

Dargah adorned with rad and green Islamic flags

Dargah should receive facilities akin to Buddhist and Jain temples, demands Mushtaq Ahmed, the mosque caretaker

In response to the security and other public services made available to nearby Buddhist temples, the dargah’s patron Mushtaq remarked that the dargah is deprived of basic amenities. He claimed that anyone visiting the dargah has to sleep in the open because there are no facilities. Mushtaq observed that the Dargah committee handles everything.

Mushtaq Ahmed noted that the dargah has not received any government aid despite repeated requests. He added that he alerted the Waqf Board about the same, which, in turn, presented the demands before the state government. The government, he believes, should construct a concrete boundary for the dargah and provide all public facilities within it. While bemoaning the lack of amenities, Mushtaq referenced a Jain temple 200 metres away from the dargah, which he described as well provisioned with all government resources and facilities.

Taps installed by the Government for local villagers, placed inside the dargah

When we asked about the bulbs that illuminated the dargah, Mushtaq Ahmed said the government was yet to provide them with electricity. According to Mushtaq, the Dargah committee has put solar light panels in the mosque at their own expense.

Besides, we noticed four government taps and four government dustbins, that were meant to be used in the village, installed inside the Dargah campus. When we inquired, Mushtaq said that earlier he was the head representative of Hussainjot village and stated that the taps and dustbins were installed from supplies provided for the village. Additionally, a generator had also been installed at the dargah to run the submersible pump.

Hand pump inside the dargah

BSP MP promised to provide facilities to the dargah: Mushtaq

Ram Shiromani Verma, the local MP of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), has shown his support for Ahmed, the dargah’s patron. According to Mushtaq, the BSP MP has assured all of them that he will fully assist in obtaining all government amenities for the dargah. Expressing his displeasure that the BSP MP didn’t adhere to his long-standing commitment, Mushtaq said that they would all go and remind him about his promise once again.

Women are not permitted in the dargah

Khadim Jawwad Ali of Mira Shah Dargah stated that as per the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) women are not allowed to enter the Dargah. When we questioned him if Allah will grant the wishes of such women who violate Shariat law by entering the Dargah, he replied in the affirmative. “Of course, it will be,” said Jawwad Ali.

Maulana wearing saffron gamcha

One thing we observed about this mazar was that the Hindu devotee whom Ahmed, the mazar’s patron, led us to talk to was clothed in saffron. He introduced himself as Harihar Baba and described himself as a follower of Meera Shah Dargah. At the same time, someone who looked like another Maulana had a saffron gamcha (scarf) wrapped around his neck.

Dargah’s caretaker Mustaq Ahmed (R), another Maulana with saffron gamcha around his neck (back)

Illaglly constructed Mazar demolished by authorities reappears

OpIndia learnt that in 2018, the Shravasti Police had written a letter alerting the Archaeological Department regarding the number of illegally built places of worship mushrooming rapidly in the area. However, what action the Department of Archeology took in response to the letter is not yet known, but it will be updated as soon as it becomes available.

We were also told that a Mazar, which was illegally built close to the road near this dargah, was removed by the district administration in the year 2020. However, the demolished tomb has since been reconstructed and people have started swarming the place.

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 madrasas 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

Punjab: Police initiates probe after video of a woman under the influence of drugs goes viral

OpIndia Staff
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Punjab: Police initiates probe after video of a woman under the influence of drugs goes viral

A video of a young woman from Amritsar, who is visibly under the influence of drugs and struggles to move, has gone viral on social media. The reports suggest she allegedly ‘injected herself with smack’. The Punjab Police has initiated a probe in the matter. The video is believed to be from the Maqboolpura locality of the Amritsar East constituency.

In the video, the young woman dressed in a red suit and wearing chooda was almost in a state of unconsciousness as she stood in the middle of the road unable to move. She was trying to walk but she was under such a strong influence of the drugs that she could not take even a single step.

The man recording the video talked about the sad state of the region that has been plagued by cases of drug abuse. The man was heard saying that the condition of the woman was because of the smack that she injected herself with.

Following the video that went viral on social media, the Police initiated a search operation in the area. As per reports, three people were detained by the Police, and drugs were recovered from them. A case has been filed under appropriate sections by the Police.

Police commissioner Arun Pal Singh said in a statement that the government of Punjab is trying to tackle the drug problem in the state. He added that the person who shot the video should have informed the Police about the incident instead of uploading the video on social media.

He urged people and the media to inform the Police department about such cases or any other crime. He further added that the Police have registered 483 cases under NTPC Act and arrested 650 people since April 1. Commissioner Singh said without the support of the Public it is not possible to eradicate drug abuse from the state.

One more video was uploaded on social media by journalist Nikhil Choudhary in which a woman said she has been taking drugs for 10-11 years. She further added she visited Maqboolpura as drugs are easily available in the area.

In recent times, there have been several cases of drug abuse in the region. The Police launched several de-addiction drives in the area to change the situation.

‘It is Congress Yatra, not UPA Yatra’: Ajit Pawar on NCP staying out of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra

OpIndia Staff
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‘It is Congress Yatra, not UPA Yatra’: Ajit Pawar on NCP staying out of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra

Former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar reacted to the Congress’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ on Monday, saying it was the party’s own campaign and not the collective effort of the United Progressive Alliance.

When asked if the Opposition parties backed Rahul Gandhi’s 150-day Container Yatra, Ajit Pawar said, “Congress started Bharat Jodo Yatra, they started on their own. It’s not the UPA’s Bharat Jodo Yatra and they won’t ask us about it.” The response by Pawar comes at a time when Congress has been slammed for the so-called Bharat Jodo Yatra and the intent behind the move is questioned by several political parties.

On September 7, Rahul Gandhi, together with other political personalities, Congress members, and other ‘activists,’ started the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra.’ It started in Kanyakumari and is expected to end in Kashmir after 150 days. The Yatra will cover 3,500 kilometres and pass through 12 states.

Though the party claims to be trying to avoid disruptions during the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra,’ it has made headlines for all the wrong reasons from the outset. The luxurious containers in which the leaders sleep, the involvement of so-called activists such as Yogendra Yadav, and the inclusion of anti-Hindu speakers such as George Ponnaiah have all raised eyebrows.

During a press briefing over his ‘Bharat Jodo yatra’ in Tamil Nadu, Rahul Gandhi recently stated, “we’re not fighting anymore a political party. It’s now between the structure of the Indian state & opposition.”

Talking to the reporters, Rahul Gandhi further said, “As I’ve said, the BJP has taken control of all the institutions of this country. They have inserted most of their people in most of the institutions. They pressurize through these institutions. You know the role of the CBI, of the ED, of the Income Tax Department. You know how they deal with these things. So, we’re not fighting anymore a political party. We used to fight a political party. Now the fight is between the structure of the Indian state and the opposition.”

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