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What is ‘Operation Shield’, where will it be carried out, what will it entail: All you need to know

OpIndia Staff
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What is ‘Operation Shield’, where will it be carried out, what will it entail: All you need to know

The civil mock drills under Operation Shield will be conducted in India on 31st May 2025 in states and union territories along the International Border and Line of Control (LoC). The mock drills, earlier scheduled for 29th May, were postponed due to administrative reasons. However, the authorities have confirmed preparedness to conduct the mock drills on the revised date.

The drills will be conducted in the states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and Gujarat, along with the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Chandigarh. The civil mock drills have been announced in the wake of mounting tensions with the hostile neighbour Pakistan after India conducted Operation Sindoor in the aftermath of Pakistan-backed Pahalgam terror attack.

Through an official order, the Indian government has mandated that on May 31, the Civil Defence Exercise Operation Shield be carried out in every district of the states and Union Territories along the western border.

Why are civil mock drills being conducted

The civil mock drills are being conducted after the authorities found several improvement areas in civil defence preparedness in the nation’s most vulnerable regions during the 7th May civil defence exercise. In order to address these gaps, the necessary directives were issued, which resulted in the use of emergency powers and funding agreements via the SDRF.

What will happen during Operation Shield

Under Operation Shield, local administration stakeholders, volunteers, and Civil Defence wardens will help in civil defence efforts. The volunteers will be mobilised from organisations like Bharat Scouts and Guides, NYKS, NCC, and NSS. There will be simulated missile attacks, drone incursions, and air raids. Moreover, a deployment of centrally controlled air raid sirens and the activation of hotlines between the Air Force and Civil Defence Control Rooms would take place. All civilian buildings will be subject to complete blackout procedures, with the exception of emergency and vital services.

There will be a simulation of a military station attack by enemy drones, calling for coordination between the Station Commander and Civil Administration for the evacuation of families to safer locations.

In addition, twenty victim evacuation simulations will be rehearsed. The mock drills will also involve the augmentation of medical teams in reaction to mass injuries, and 30 units of blood will be procured for the injured.

The Indian Army has called for the urgent deployment of Border Wing Home Guards to assist certain Armed Forces units as part of the Rear Area Security Plan.

Exercises for de-induction and mobilisation before deployment to Indian Army operational sites will also be conducted.

Madhya Pradesh: Muslim man Mubarak Mansuri pretended to be Hindu tantrik and sexually exploited dozens of Hindu women in the name of occult practices, arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Madhya Pradesh: Muslim man Mubarak Mansuri pretended to be Hindu tantrik and sexually exploited dozens of Hindu women in the name of occult practices, arrested

Madhya Pradesh police arrested a Muslim man named Mubarak Mansuri in Baloda village in Garoth, Madhya Pradesh on 22nd May, for allegedly performing occult practices and sexually abusing Hindu women. Mansuri is said to have targeted dozens of Hindu women by luring them through his occult practices. The matter came to light after the family of one of the women filed a complaint against him.

According to Dainik Bhaskar, Mansuri declared a man as mentally unfit and had obscene conversations with the man’s sister-in-law. On finding out about this, the man’s family informed the police who arrested Mansuri.

Mansuri portrayed himself as a Hindu Tantrik

Mubarak Mansuri, a Muslim, used to portray himself as a Hindu and even forged an Aadhar card. He has been involved in occult practices for over 10 years. He used to specifically target vulnerable Hindu women who approached him seeking remedies for their problems. He used to sedate the women and rape them when they fell unconscious. Police seized incriminating material from his possession including books related to occult practices, pornographic literature and unlabelled medicine and aphrodisiacs.

Garoth Station House Officer, Harish Malviya said, “The accused was arrested as soon as the complaint was received. Investigation revealed that the accused had made fake Aadhar cards and other documents to hide his identity. Investigations are being conducted to find out how many people he has targeted so far.”

What the complainant family said

The members of the family who filed the complaint against Mansuri said that they were initially afraid to raise their voice. They said that he targeted around 25-30 women in the village but no one called him out.

‘We are a joint family. We have been living here for generations. About 30 years ago, a Muslim family came and settled in the village. Mubarik Mansuri is a member of the family. When he came to the village with his parents, he must have been eight to ten years old. Now he is about 34 years old,” said a member of the family. Mansuri started practicing black magic and gained the trurst of the villagers over the years. His followers included mostly women.

“About three-four years ago, my elder brother had some problem in his head. He was taken to many doctors but nothing helped. When we got tired, for the past few days Bhabhi (sister-in-law) started going to a Tantrik for brother’s treatment. We did not like this but what could we do? We had lost hope from everywhere. My brother was her husband so we could not say much. We thought that she was doing everything for brother only. Bhabhi used to stay at the tantrik’s place for many hours. When asked, she used to say that exorcism is done, that is why it takes time. The tantrik used to give her some medicine to feed to the brother,” said the brother of the man declared as mentally unfit by Mansuri.

The family claimed that the condition of the man kept getting worse after taking the medicines given by Mansuri. They tried to talk to his wife about this but she was not willing to listen. Subsequently, one day, she forgot her mobile phone at home which had her objectionable pictures with Mansuri. Her family confronted her and filed a complaint with the police on 20th May.

Hindu organisations demand action

Members of several Hindu organisations staged protests against the incident and demanded the demolition of the house of the accused. They submitted a memorandum to the SDM and demanded strict action against Mansuri.

Chhattisgarh: Newly converted Christian man damages under-construction Hanuman temple in Raigarh using JCB

OpIndia Staff
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Chhattisgarh: Newly converted Christian man damages under-construction Hanuman temple in Raigarh using JCB

In Chhattisgarh’s Raigarh, an under-construction Hanuman temple has been illegally demolished using a JCB. Nirmal Sarathi, a resident of Bhatanpali village, has been accused of demolishing the temple. Reports say that he ran over the temple with a JCB even before the Pran Pratishtha on 28th May. The Hanuman temple was being built in front of Nirmal Sarathi’s house.

According to reports, Nirmal Sarathi was suffering from an illness after which he started going to Christian congregations. Even though he used to oppose the church earlier, he decided to convert after that.

After conversion, he started demanding removal of the temple. Earlier as well, he had come to the temple with a shovel to vandalise it but after people convinced him, he agreed to back down and leave the temple alone.

As per the locals, Nirmal’s son was also involved in demolition of the temple. According to the reports, 20-22 years ago, Nirmal himself was opposing the church built in the village. He was at the forefront of the opposition to the church. To protest against the church, he even donated money to start the construction of the Hanuman temple. The work of the temple was almost complete but the Pran Pratishtha was yet to take place.

Meanwhile, activists of Hindu organisations reached the spot and held a protest. Angry activists broke the cross of the church built in front of the temple. Police took 6 people into custody in the case and brought them to the police station.

Putting Khalistan flag outside the house, not paying rent, not paying for utilities: How Khalistani tenants have made life hell for their landlord in Ontario, Canada

OpIndia Staff
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Putting Khalistan flag outside the house, not paying rent, not paying for utilities: How Khalistani tenants have made life hell for their landlord in Ontario, Canada

A landlord in Ontario, Canada is suffering from serious mental stress just because he made the mistake of renting out his house to a bunch of Khalistanis. The landlord, Raman Kumar, had to move to US for work, had to move to the US for work, so he decided to rent out his house in Canada to 5 people in September last year, little did he know what a mistake he was making.

The 5 people turned out to be supporters of the separatist Khalistani movement in India. They paid the rent for the first 3 months, but since January 2025, they have not paid any rent. At 3,300 Canadian Dollars a month, the pending rent is now 16,500 Canadian Dollars (Around 10 lakh 20 Thousand Rupees). In addition to that, these tenants have not paid for any utilities, be it water, electricity, or any other charges, adding to further loss for landlord Raman Kumar who has to make these payments.

The tenants have also installed a Khalistani flag right at the entrance of the house. The landlord’s misery was brought to light by independent journalist Nitin Chopra through social media.

Sharing Raman’s ordeal, Chopra wrote on X, “Another Victim Landlord in #Ontario Tenants have not paid rent since Jan 2025, not paying Utilities bill either What a Landlord should do? When can we fix the system ? Enough is Enough!”

Expressing his frustration, Raman Kumar said, “I’m paying the mortgage, property tax, and insurance out of my own pocket. This is putting me under extreme mental stress. I myself live in a rented house (in the us) and have my own expenses. These tenants are making my life miserable.”

When asked about the Khalistani flag, Raman said that it was put up without his permission. He further said, “I am very scared by these kinds of activities, and the neighbourhood is also unhappy. Authorities need to intervene. We’ve always lived peacefully as a community, and this is creating unnecessary tensions.”

In the visuals shared by Nitin Chopra, one can also see that the garbage is overflowing outside the house now, and the Khalistani tenants have no problem living in filth around them, and don’t make any effort to clean the space.

Raman Kumar also shared that he suspects way more than 5 people are now living in his house as he sees a number of people coming and going from the house at all hours. He said that his neighbours are also upset with the behaviour of these tenants but there is little he can do due to the existing rules in Canada where the legal process is right now painstakingly slow. Even though he is following the legal process, Raman says it may be several months before he gets any justice.

Raman appealed to the authorities to change the existing rules so that the landlords have some recourse when they run into such tenants.

Bangladesh: Muhammad Yunus deletes tweet blaming OpIndia for exposing anti-Hindu attacks in Jessore, after his blatant whitewashing of Islamist violence gets exposed

OpIndia Staff
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Bangladesh: Muhammad Yunus deletes tweet blaming OpIndia for exposing anti-Hindu attacks in Jessore, after his blatant whitewashing of Islamist violence gets exposed

In a major development, Muhammad Yunus has deleted the tweet wherein he blamed OpIndia for ‘misleading’ about the arson attacks on Hindu homes in Abhaynagar upazila in Jessore district of Bangladesh.

In a tweet on Tuesday (27th May), the ‘chief advisor’ to the interim government of Bangladesh had claimed, “Opindia published an article titled “Muslim mob sets Hindu homes on fire after death of local politician, lawlessness continues under the watch of Muhammad Yunus,” claiming systematic repression against Hindus and referencing the arrest of journalist Munni Shaha as evidence.”

Muhammad Yunus, who came to power through a US-backed regime changed operation, tried to downplay the collective punishment meted out to the Hindu community by Muslim mobs as the result of ‘anger and retaliation’ and not ‘targeted communal hostility.’

Screengrab of the now deleted tweet of Muhammad Yunus

OpIndia had explained how Yunus vindicated our report but desperately attempted to whitewash the torture and systematic communal violence in Jessore.

OpIndia’s Editor-in-Chief, Nupur J Sharma, had additionally lambasted Muhammad Yunus and his sinister attempt to pass off the anti-Hindu violence in Jessore as isolated incident. She had highlighted how Islamists have been emboldened under his regime, with violent mobs seemingly having a free hand to persecute religious minorities.

Having realised that his tweet aimed at negating OpIndia report exposed his own Islamist nature, the ‘chief advisor’ to the interim government of Bangladesh deleted his controversial tweet.

Darbhanga: Road constructed with BJP MP’s funds, after 2 months, District Council sanctions lakhs for the same: Has corruption of Prashant Kishor’s ‘Jan Suraj’ already started?

OpIndia Staff
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Darbhanga: Road constructed with BJP MP’s funds, after 2 months, District Council sanctions lakhs for the same: Has corruption of Prashant Kishor’s ‘Jan Suraj’ already started?

In Darbhanga, Bihar, a road was constructed in March 2024 at a cost of ₹11 lakh. After 2 months, strangely, ₹6 lakh was again sanctioned in the name of the construction of the same road. Sita Devi, the chairperson of the District Council, is under the scanner now for approving ₹6 lakh for the construction of an already constructed road.

Dainik Bhaskar has published a detailed report about this case of fake payment. When the newspaper questioned Sita Devi about this case, she replied,” You (journalist) come to the office, we will talk.” She also claims that Darbhanga BJP MP Gopal Ji Thakur got constructed in Dekuli village with Rs 11 lakh is on the other side of the village, while she has built the road on the other side.

However, the villagers are rejecting her claim. Villagers have told OpIndia that the road has been built from Gopal Thakur’s MP funds. The road that Sita Devi is claiming does not exist on the ground.

BJP MP Gopal ji Thakur got the road constructed

According to the report of Dainik Bhaskar, this irregularity has happened in Dekuli village of Darbhanga district. The PCC road from Dilip Jha’s house to Narayan Jha’s house in Dekuli village was constructed through funds provided by MP Gopal ji Thakur from his MPLAD funds. This road was built under the 15th Finance Commission. MP Thakur had approved this road in January 2023.

After this, the construction department got approval for the construction of this road in January 2024, and this road was completed by March 2024. The payment for the construction of this road was made in March 2024 itself. This payment amount in total was ₹ 11.67 lakh. Information about this work is available on the portal of the 15th Finance Commission.

The road’s scheme code is 67389875. This road is very much there, and people in the village use it regularly. The plaque of Gopalji Thakur inaugurating it is also installed on the side of the road, mentioning that MPLAD funds were used for this project.

Sita Devi accused of sanctioning Lakhs

In the name of the construction of the same road, ₹6 lakh has been allegedly sanctioned by Sita Devi, Chairman of Darbhanga District Council, in May 2024. This payment was allegedly made in three installments.

The name of this project was ‘Construction of road from Ranjit Jha’s house to Chandramohan Jha’s house’. Ranjit Jha is the son of the same Narayan Jha, next to whose house the road construction was done through funds sanctioned by MP Gopal ji Thakur.

The report says that Sita Devi had proposed this construction when she used to be a member of the District Council and the payment was made when she became the president. But the question arises that when this road was already built, then which road was constructed again and were there any kickbacks involved.

Many questions arise about the District Council’s actions

The question also arises that if ₹ 11 lakh was spent for the construction of the road in March 2024, then how did its cost become ₹6 lakh in May 2024. Apart from this, the question also arises in this whole matter that why was the road re-constructed within just a few months?

If it was not done, then why was the payment made and if it was done, then was the reason for it the poor quality of the road built earlier? The argument of poor quality also does not fit in this case, because if a road breaks down in 2 months, then there would be an investigation about it. OpIndia has also spoken to a local person in this matter.

OpIndia asked him about the road construction. On the condition of anonymity, he said that this road was built by Gopalji Thakur and it was of a very good quality. He said that the entire village including him had seen the construction of this road.

He told us that this road is in use since then and there is no need to build it again. He also clarified that once the construction was over, he did not see any other activity there. The villager said that if funds have been approved again for this, then it is a scam. An investigation has been demanded regarding this scam.

People associated with the District Council have also expressed apprehension that this scam was done to spoil the image of the government in the election year. People have said that Sita Devi is part of Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraj Party. Sita Devi has talked to Dainik Bhaskar in this matter.

She told Dainik Bhaskar, “It is a matter of both sides. On one side the road has been built by the MP and on the other side by the District Council. You come to the office, we will talk.” Now there is a demand for investigation in this matter.

A fraud of ₹15 crores had come to light earlier as well

Even before this, irregularities worth ₹15 crore have been detected in the District Council. In May 2025 itself, it was revealed that 142 projects were approved by forging signatures in the name of the Chief Engineer of the District Council. The cost of these projects was ₹15 crore. Later, the Chief Engineer himself denied approving these projects. After this irregularity came to light, these schemes were stopped and an investigation was initiated.

Islamists abuse, assault, dox and even rape Muslim girls in the name of alleged “Bhagwa Love Trap”: OpIndia investigates 1000+ victims

अर्पित त्रिपाठी
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Islamists abuse, assault, dox and even rape Muslim girls in the name of alleged “Bhagwa Love Trap”: OpIndia investigates 1000+ victims

Islamists are running a new propaganda campaign called the “Bhagwa (Saffron) Love Trap” and publicly sharing information about Muslim girls who are in relationships with Hindu men. They are posting the personal details of the couples on social media. Posters and banners have also been created, urging people to “protect the faith” (imaan) of Muslim females.

Several incidents have come to light in which Muslim girls were harassed, assaulted, abused and in some cases even raped, simply for being Hindu males. Multiple social media accounts on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram are actively engaged in doxing Muslim girls who are seen with or known to be friends with Hindu boys.

One such example is a handle on X named Indra (@itsme_jk). This account frequently posts such content. There is a specific thread on the account where more than 1,200 photos of Hindu-Muslim couples have been shared, with names listed alongside.

On X, most of these accounts are simply sharing information about such pairs, however, the situation is even more alarming on Instagram. . Muslims extremists are not just making the names and photos of Muslim girls public but they are also stalking them and making derogatory and obscene remarks about them. This trend is reportedly more widespread on Instagram than on X.

OpIndia has identified one such account on Instagram named “Islamic_Contenth” which is largely filled with similar uploads. In one particular post, the account has reportedly shared a photo of a Muslim girl from Patna, referring to her by the name Aashika.

The people behind this account are attempting to make the girl go viral because she is allegedly in a relationship with a Hindu boy. The post contains abusive and insulting comments directed at the girl who is identified as Muslim and she has even been labeled a “mistress.” Similar posts have been made targeting other girls as well with their personal information being publicaly shared. These posts often include the Instagram ID of the girl, the Instagram ID of the Hindu boy, their photographs and in many instances even their phone numbers.

There are also several videos on Instagram showing Muslim girls wearing burqas being followed and harassed. In these videos, the Hindu boys are interrogated on the spot. The girls are pressured to call their family members during the confrontation. If, in any case, the girl is separated from her Hindu partner or forced to break off the relationship, the incident is labeled as “case solved.”

These accounts are also posting videos of Muslim women riding scooters or bikes without their consent. In some cases, even women who are simply standing or talking in public places are secretly filmed and those videos are then uploaded online.

The hatred is not limited to social media alone

It’s not just a social media issue as real-world violence has already occurred in multiple instances involving Muslim girls who were with Hindu boys. One such case took place in Muzaffarnagar in April 2025. A Muslim girl and a Hindu boy were attacked by a Muslim mob while they were near a sweet shop.

The girl was brutally assaulted and the boy accompanying her was also thrashed. They even forcibly pulled off her burqa, subjecting her to public humiliation and harassment. Afterward, police arrested six individuals. Furthermore, these incidents have even escalated into horrific acts sexual assault committed in the name of “protecting faith.”

In January 2024, a group of seven Muslim men abducted a Muslim woman from a hotel and raped her in Haveri of Karnataka. The reason they gave for this heinous act was to punish her for not following Islam, claiming it was their way of “saving deen” (religion). They showed complete lack of remorse.

In May 2025, when these perpetrators were granted bail, they were celebrated like heroes. A “victory parade” was held in their honor. Later, the bail of four of them was revoked. Hence, to believe that these matters are limited to social media would be a grave mistake.

Banners and posters are being circulated

The fundamentalists are promoting banners and posters declaring “Bhagwa Love Trap.” Furthermore, accounts that function under Islamic names are engaging in an awareness campaign concerning the supposed love trap. The identities of those responsible for these banners and posters are occasionally included and at other times omitted.

In one specific poster, Muslims have been asked to “wake up.” Muslim families are urged to defend their daughters as Hindu boys are blamed for “luring” their girls. In another message, Muslim parents and mobile devices are shown as taking Muslim girls away from their faith. This represents the same conservative ideology that restricts women from connecting with the outside world and using modern tools like mobile phones. Additionally, a poster from an organization known as “Ehsaas Foundation” has surfaced.

Muslim fundamentalists assert that the saffron love trap theory is premeditated. Self-proclaimed journalist Ali Sohrab, who persistently promotes jihadi ideology, described it as an initiative carried out under “constitutional protection.” He alleged that Hindu boys receive financial assistance for these activities.

Why are the stories of “Bhagwa Love Trap” fabricated

Numerous inconsistencies exist in the “Bhagwa Love Trap” narratives propagated by Islamists who aim to frame it as “love jihad.” However, their assertions appear to lack substantial evidence. The Hindu boys have not been accused of hiding their identity in any of the cases brought up by them.

On the contrary, Hindu boys are being recognized through the sacred thread or other religious markers. The Hindu boys whose social media profiles have been disclosed have also accurately represented their names on those platforms. It is evident that they did not obscure any aspect of their identity.

If Hindu boys are forming friendships with Muslim girls openly, what issue do Muslim radicals have with this? Do they wish to prevent two individuals over the age of 18 from communicating and meeting? Notably, equating this situation with love jihad is entirely misguided. In instances of love jihad, Muslim boys explicitly deceive Hindu girls by adopting false identities.

OpIndia has documented multiple such occurrences. These cases often highlight matters such as forced conversions and pressuring Hindu partner to consume meat, especially beef.

So far, there have been no such reports regarding the alleged “Bhagwa Love Trap” in the media. In fact, this appears to be a form of propaganda focused at discrediting love jihad. However, beneath the pretense of this “Bhagwa Love Trap” narrative, they are revealing the identities of Muslim women, tracking them, mistreating them and attempting to curtail their freedom.

Mamata Banerjee attacks Modi govt for stopping PM Awas Yojana funds over corruption in the state, says she rejected Ayushman Bharat because she doesn’t want to give 40% for ‘Modi’s scheme’

Shraddha Pandey
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Mamata Banerjee attacks Modi govt for stopping PM Awas Yojana funds over corruption in the state, says she rejected Ayushman Bharat because she doesn’t want to give 40% for ‘Modi’s scheme’

In a classic case of suppressing uncomfortable truth with the shrieks of victimhood, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the Central government of halting funds for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), days after boycotting NITI Aayog meeting alleging discrimination against the state by Centre.

“We have built over 2 lakh kilometres of rural roads — you should know this. But why have you stopped the housing funds for Bengal for the past four years? Still, we managed to build 28 lakh houses — 16 lakh under one phase and 12 lakh under another…”

She further boasted having refused to implement the Ayushman Bharat Yojana so that the state government does not have to bear the 40 per cent expense of a scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Whatever you have done, may you remain ‘Ayushman’, may God bless you with a long life, even up to 175 years. But remember, we also have our own health support scheme that provides ₹5 lakh. I will not ask you for money for education or healthcare, because even in Ayushman Bharat, 40 percent of the funds are to be borne by the state. Why should I give 40 percent for your scheme?” CM Banerjee said.

Notably, PMAY is based on a 60:40 formula, with the Centre providing 60% of the funding.

Interestingly, the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya boycotted the recently-held meeting of Niti Aayog “as a mark of protest against the deprivation of Bengal”.

Explaining the rationale behind skipping the crucial meeting, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh said, “the central government’s withholding of funds owed to Bengal”, adding that the dues had been kept pending for the past couple of years.

“The PM “speaks about working in unison but when it comes to Bengal, Centre does not provide the dues”, he added. Ghosh was speaking at a presser at Trinamool Bhavan. The CM had written “innumerable letters to the PM for the release of funds”, Ghosh said, adding that “it is time to release Bengal’s dues to the tune of over Rs 1.7 lakh crore. The TMC leaders have also alleged the BJP-led Central government deliberately neglect West Bengal.

Was Awas Yojana funds stopped by Centre due to disdain for West Bengal?

While the TMC government is painting a picture of victimhood, alleging discrimination by the Modi government for halting funds for the PMAY housing scheme, TMC conveniently sidestepped a critical detail. Contrary to the TMC government’s claims, the PMAY funds for West Bengal were frozen due to rampant corruption and mismanagement in West Bengal’s handling of this housing scheme. It seems like beyond political mudslinging, CM Banerjee pulled a calculated move to deflect accountability and stoke regional sentiments ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

It is essential to note that the Central government’s decision to withhold PMAY funds since 2021 stems from documented financial irregularities, misappropriation of resources and ineligible beneficiaries. This corruption was flagged in multiple audits and probes. The TMC government in West Bengal failed to meet transparency and implementation standards, thus, the Central government

Back in 2019, OpIndia reported West Bengal was among the states which provided land to just 1% of the targeted people until July 27 2018. West Bengal was the worst performing state as it had not provided land to a single person under the scheme.

In 2022, the Ministry of Rural Development conducted a state-wise survey concerning the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Scheme. This came after the Ministry found massive irregularities in the implementation of the scheme within the states. It was stated that the concerned states of Odisha, West Bengal, and Chhattisgarh had flouted the rules of the PMAY scheme.

In November 2024, the Calcutta High Court said that contrary to the assertion made by the West Bengal government’s lawyer, there was deliberate misappropriation of in PMAY funds disbersal.

In a case from 2021, funds allocated to a few beneficiaries of PMAY were transferred to the bank accounts of a few other people in Canning in South 24-Parganas. 

Justice Kapur, the court’s noted that fund allocated under the scheme had been embezzled.  The police were directed by the judge to thoroughly investigate the anomalies.

The order was issued on the petition filed by one Sirajul Islam, a resident of Canning, and four others. In 2021, the residents of Canning Block 1’s Itakhola village sought funding through the PMAY. After a prolonged period of no funds being deposited into their accounts, these locals began to question local authorities regarding this. After getting no satisfactory response from the government, the affected persons moved High Court.

“The court primarily held that the money allotted to people under this scheme had been misappropriated deliberately and the issue needs thorough investigation,” Justice Kapur had noted and also dismissed state government’s argument that the funds were “erroneously” transferred to other accounts.

Instead of ensuring corruption-free implementation of the Central schemes, Mamata Bannerjee launched the state-funded Banglar Bari scheme, touting it as a triumph of self-reliance while shrewdly glossing over how why Centre-allocated funds dried up in the first place. The Central government discontinued its share of funding to the West Bengal government for this scheme only after renaming of scheme as Bangla Awas Yojana, sanction of houses to ineligible households, deletion of names of eligible households, and irregularities were reported. Before this, the Centre had allocated a target of 11.36 lakh houses from finalised lists in November 2022 for the state.

Protests had erupted earlier in Purulia, Birbhum, Paschim Medinipur, South 24 Parganas among other districts against outside the offices of Block Development Officers (BDO) alleging that their names as beneficiaries were excluded at the whims of local TMC leadership.

The TMC government’s assertion that the Central government is discriminating against West Bengal in releasing funds, finds its root in political theatrics of blaming others to dodge accountability while invoking self-reliance, regional pride and whatnot to rally public support. CM Banerjee that PM Modi deliberately halted PMAY funds to West Bengal, however, in reality, the state received Rs 41,888.33 crore — the third-highest allocation in the country, around 11 per cent of the total 3.71 lakh crore disbursed to the states under this scheme.

CM Mamata Banerjee should, thus, remember that those who live in a glasshouse should not throw stones at others. The TMC government goes conveniently silent on corruption and irregularities in implementation of Central schemes under its watch but harangues ‘deliberate deprivation’, ‘discrimination’ and whatnot when Centre halts funding to prevent further misappropriation of taxpayer’s money.

160 illegal immigrants being deported from Delhi to Bangladesh, to be flown to Tripura and then sent to Bangladesh border by road

ANI
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160 illegal immigrants being deported from Delhi to Bangladesh, to be flown to Tripura and then sent to Bangladesh border by road

Around 160 Bangladeshi nationals are being deported from the capital city of Delhi to Bangladesh through the Hindon airbase on Thursday, said sources.

The sources added that the Bangladeshi nationals will first be flown to Tripura on a special aircraft, from where they will be deported by road to the Bangladesh border for repatriation.

In recent months, after the Pahalgam terror attack, Delhi Police has identified nearly 470 Bangladeshi nationals living illegally in the city and has deported them through the same channel — via Tripura and then across the Bangladesh border by road.

Among these 160 deportees, most of them had infiltrated into India, while many of them did not go back to Bangladesh even after their visas expired.

Earlier today, the Crime Branch of Delhi Police detained four illegal Bangladeshi nationals from the Narela area of Delhi after a team from the Inter-State Cell (ISC), Crime Branch, Chanakyapuri carried out an operation.

“The team had been conducting surveillance and intelligence-gathering for over a month to identify undocumented migrants residing in vulnerable areas,” said an official statement from Delhi police.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch, Harsh Indora stated that the detained individuals were identified as Hafijul (19), Mominul (21), Shamim (22), and Inamul (38), who are allegedly from the Rangpur district in Bangladesh.

The police launched this operation based on multiple intelligence inputs and reports indicating the presence of undocumented foreign nationals in the city. These individuals were believed to have entered the country illegally, bypassing immigration checks, and had been living without any valid documents.

“Officers conducted ground-level verifications at makeshift settlements, roadside dwellings, and known labour congregation points in Narela. Individuals were questioned and subjected to identity verification, during which the four were found lacking any legal documentation and admitted to their illegal entry and continued stay in India,” the statement read.

None of the detainees were able to produce any valid identity proof of either Indian or Bangladeshi origin, DCP Indora added.

According to the police’s preliminary investigation, all four individuals had entered India during childhood with their parents, who subsequently returned to Bangladesh. Since then, they have been residing illegally in India, moving across several cities, including Bahadurgarh, Sonipat, Khurja, Mahendragarh, Ghaziabad, Behror, and finally Delhi, to avoid detection.

“They had been living secretly on roadsides and informal settlements for years and stated that they had no relatives or legal ties in India. Their families, including parents, siblings, and grandparents, continue to reside in Bangladesh,” the statement read.

Police said that the four individuals are currently in a detention centre and are being processed in accordance with the law.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

After Chinese propaganda that Indonesia was cancelling deal for 42 Rafale jets over Pakistani claim of shooting down Indian jet, Indonesian govt signs agreement for 18 more Rafales

OpIndia Staff
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After Chinese propaganda that Indonesia was cancelling deal for 42 Rafale jets over Pakistani claim of shooting down Indian jet, Indonesian govt signs agreement for 18 more Rafales

The Indonesian government on Wednesday signed a letter of intent to purchase additional 18 Rafale jets from Dassault Aviation of France. This will be additional purchase over a previous order for 42 Rafale fighter aircraft placed in 2022. The LOI was signed during French president Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Jakarta.

Notably, this development comes after Chinese media tried to spread the rumour that Indonesia was having a second thought about an earlier deal for 42 Rafale jets after Pakistan claimed to have shot down Rafale jets of India during the recent India-Pakistan conflict.

Earlier this month, Chinese outlet South China Morning Post had claimed that the deal was under scrutiny after the Pakistani claim that they shot down three Indian Rafale jets, a false claimed amplified by Chinese media. The SCMP wrote that the development triggered alarm in Indonesia, and raised questions in Jakarta about the cost, capability and strategic logic behind the US$8.1 billion deal signed in 2022 for 42 jets.

Other reports had claimed that Indonesia’s Ministry of Defence initiated a review of the aircraft’s operational reliability after the Pakistani claims. Spanish defence portal Galaxi Amilitar claimed that Indonesian govt has paused the purchase of 42 Rafales, citing ‘unverified sources’. It said that the news that Pakistan may have shot down three Rafales in the recent clash with India has cast a shadow over the aircraft’s combat reputation. 

However, the report quoted an Indonesian official as saying, “Unverified allegations in conflict zones cannot be used as the sole basis for assessing the effectiveness or failure of a particular weapons system.” Dave Laksono, a senior member of Indonesia’s Commission I, said that even American jets like the F-16, F/A-18, and F-22 have suffered losses in complex combat conditions, and therefore he Rafale’s performance cannot be measured by a single incident, that is not even confirmed.

However, now as Indonesia has signed a letter of interest for additional 18 Rafale jets, it shows that the all the claims of the country having second thoughts about the deal was false and baseless. Notably, the LOI is a preliminary defence pact, which may lead to a formal order.

Talking about the agreement, French president Emmanuel Macron said “I am delighted that the letter of intent signed today could open up a new perspective with new orders for Rafales, Scorpenes, light frigates.”

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who addressed a joint press conference with Macron, said that France was one of Indonesia’s main partners as it upgrades its military hardware and develops its defence industry through joint production and technology transfers.

Apart from the Rafale jets, Indonesia has also shown interest in acquiring two Scorpène submarines, frigates, and CAESAR artillery systems from France.

While Indonesia placed orders for 42 Rafale jets in 2022, it is expected to receive its first fighter jet by 2026. The Indonesian Air Force chief Mohamad Tonny Harjono said in February that six jets would arrive in early 2026.

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