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SC dismisses PIL seeking the preventive arrest of seer Yati Narsinghanand and Jitendra Tyagi, ban on book ‘Muhammad’: Details

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SC dismisses PIL seeking the preventive arrest of seer Yati Narsinghanand and Jitendra Tyagi, ban on book ‘Muhammad’: Details

On Friday, the Supreme Court rejected a petition filed against Hindu seer Yati Narsinghanand and Jitendra Tyagi (formerly known as Wasim Rizwi) seeking their immediate arrest on the ground that they have been making calls of violence against Muslims. The petition also sought a ban on Jitendra Tyagi’s book named ‘Muhammad’.

According to the reports, Indian Muslim Shia Isna Ashari Jamaat had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) demanding the two be restrained from making alleged derogatory remarks against Islam and Prophet Mohammed. However, the SC bench led by Chief Justice of India Uday Umesh Lalit and Justice S Ravindra Bhat rejected the petition and said that the matter cannot be entertained under Article 32 of the Constitution.

“These petitions cannot be entertained under Article 32. Petitioner at liberty to pursue an appropriate remedy. Plea dismissed”, the Court maintained on September 2. The plea which was filed through advocate Sachin Sanmukhan Pujari alleged that Hindu seer Yati Narsinghanand and Jitendra Tyagi were a threat to the security and the law-and-order situation. The plea also demanded the duo’s arrest as a preventive measure.

To bolster their case, the petitioner cited multiple occasions in which the two made alleged anti-Islam comments and attempted to incite communal emotions and controversy. “Both have had proceedings for violations under the Indian Penal Code initiated against them, and despite their criminal history, they continue to be anti-Islamic”, the petition claimed.

It further argued that the duo’s ‘hate mongering’ conduct had harmed the Muslim community’s right to live in dignity. Tyagi has recently been involved in a flurry of legal proceedings. A court in Srinagar recently heard a case against him for insulting Islam and the Prophet. In January, the Supreme Court sent a notice to the Central and Uttarakhand governments on a PIL requesting an investigation into the Haridwar Dharam Sansad.

Last year, the top court dismissed Tyagi’s petition challenging certain verses of the holy Quran by imposing a cost of Rs 50,000 on the petitioner who claimed that 26 verses of the Islamic Holy book attacked civilians. Also, in December 2021, the Delhi High Court dismissed a petition seeking to ban Tyagi’s book named ‘Muhammad’. The Allahabad High Court had sought his response to a petition calling that he refrains from expressing remarks against Islam on social media.

Recently a video surfaced in which Tyagi was seen stating that his life is in danger. He feared that he would be assassinated in an assault by Muslim fanatics.  According to the reports, Tyagi stated that minorities in India have greater freedom than the majority, thus they may speak out against Hindu gods and goddesses while claiming Article 19 of the Constitution as a cover.

Yesterday, Tyagi happened to publish another video in which he stated that he was depressed and had suicidal thoughts. This comes amid the SC’s order directing Jitendra Tyagi to surrender on or before September 2, 2022, in light of the end of the 3 months of medical bail which was granted to him in a matter of an investigation into the alleged hate speech at Haridwar Dharam Sansad.

Meanwhile, Hindu seer Narsinghanand has also attracted controversy over calls for genocide during the Haridwar Dharam Sansad. A first information report (FIR) was filed against him at the Haridwar Dharam Sansad for hate speech, and he was granted bail by the Haridwar Sessions Court on February 7.

‘INS Vikrant is massive, it’s a giant, it is distinct and special’, PM Modi while commissioning first Made in India aircraft carrier

OpIndia Staff
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‘INS Vikrant is massive, it’s a giant, it is distinct and special’, PM Modi while commissioning first Made in India aircraft carrier

The first Indian-made aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, was commissioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday at the Cochin Shipyard. INS Vikrant will now serve as the Navy’s second aircraft carrier alongside INS Vikramaditya. The event was attended by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and several armed forces officials.

PM Modi said that INS Vikrant is a testament to India’s hard work and dedication. “This event being held on INS Vikrant is a shout-out to India’s rising spirits on the world horizon,” said PM Modi. “Vikrant is massive, it’s a giant. Vikrant is distinct, Vikrant is special. It is not just a warship but a testament to the hard work, talent, influence and commitment of 21st century India,” he added.

“If the goals are quick, the journeys are long, the ocean and the challenges are endless – then India’s answer is Vikrant. The incomparable elixir of the elixir of freedom is Vikrant. Vikrant is a unique reflection of India becoming self-reliant,” PM Modi further said.

PM Modi further added, “Earlier, security concerns in the Indo-Pacific region and the Indian Ocean have long been ignored. But, today this area is a major defence priority of the country. That’s why we are working in every direction, from increasing the budget for the Navy to increasing its capability.”

The Prime Minister also unfurled the new flag of the India Navy onboard INS Vikrant. The Navy introduced a brand new ensign replacing the St George’s Cross, shedding the remains of coloniality.

The new naval design is meant to shed our colonial past and begin anew. (Image: via News18)
The new Indian Navy ensign.

INS Vikrant: India’s first Indigenous aircraft carrier

With the launching of the ‘Vikrant,’ India has joined a limited club of nations that have the unique capacity of designing and building an aircraft carrier in-house, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, China, and France. The carrier is given its name in honour of her historic predecessor, India’s first aircraft carrier, which was instrumental in the fight against Pakistan in 1971. It is designed by the Warship Design Bureau (WDB), an internal organisation of the Indian Navy, and is constructed by Cochin Shipyard Limited, a public sector company.

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INS Vikrant.

The battleship is built with indigenous equipment and machinery supplied by major industrial firms in India as well as over 100 MSMEs. Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) indigenised the warship-grade steel necessary for the building of the IAC in conjunction with the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) and the Indian Navy. 

ins vikrant, ins vikrant 2022, ins vikrant commissioning, ins vikrant details, ins vikrant length, ins vikrant narendra modi, Indian Express
Courtesy: Indian Express

When fully laden, the 262 m long and 62 m broad Vikrant displaces roughly 43000 tonnes and has a maximum permitted speed of 28 knots with a range of 7500 nautical miles. It includes over 2,200 compartments built for a crew of approximately 1,600 people, including specialised quarters for female officers and sailors.

It would be able to operate an air wing of 30 aircraft, including MiG-29K fighter planes, Kamov-31 and MH-60R multi-role helicopters, as well as indigenously developed Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) and Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).

INS Vikrant is powered by four General Electric LM2500+ gas turbines installed on two shafts, and they generate 80 megawatts of power.

The carrier features a STOBAR configuration along with a ski-jump. STOBAR or Short Take-off But Arrested Recovery mean the aircraft take off from the flight deck of the carrier on its own power, but during landing, they are watched by an arresting cable. The ski ramp at the end of the runway helps the planes to take off. More advanced Aircraft Carriers operated by the US and other nations feature a CATOBAR configuration, Catapult Assisted Take-Off Barrier Arrested Recovery, where the fighter jets are pushed using a steam-powered catapult installed on the flight deck, which helps in launching larger aircraft as the length of the deck on a carrier is not enough for them to take off on their own power.

India’s next indigenous carrier INS Vishal will likely feature CATOBAR.

The name Vikrant

The Sanskrit term Vikrant, which means brave, may be found in several texts, including the Bhagwad Gita. The term ‘Vikrant’ is used in the sixth shloka of the first chapter of the Gita to describe the bravery of several Generals from the Pandava army.

In terms of its roots, the ‘Vi’ prefix in the Sanskrit word implies something unique or exceptional, and the ‘Krant’ suffix means to move or progress in a certain direction. In a subsequent verse in the same chapter of the Gita, the term Viraat, which means magnanimous, appears.

The newly commissioned INS Vikrant also displays the Rigvedic slogan “Jayema Sam Yudhi Sprudhah,” which translates to “I conquer those who battle against me,” along with the pennant number R11.

File:INS Vikrant crest.jpg - Wikimedia Commons
The motto. (Wikimedia Commons)

However, the preceding portion of this Rigveda line, which is addressed to the Hindu deity Indra, provides context for this saying. It reads, “Strengthened by the thunderous weapon given by you, we conquer.”

Prayagraj: Hassan and Faizan consume Hookah and non-veg food on boat in Ganga near Nagvasuki temple, police on the lookout after video goes viral

OpIndia Staff
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Prayagraj: Hassan and Faizan consume Hookah and non-veg food on boat in Ganga near Nagvasuki temple, police on the lookout after video goes viral

The Prayagraj police have sprung into action after a video went viral on social media wherein a group of men could be seen consuming hookah and non-vegetarian food on a boat on the river Ganga. The video which went viral on August 31, was reportedly recorded near the Nagvasukhi Temple situated on the banks of the Ganges at the northern end of the Daraganj locality in Prayagraj. This temple is one of the most ancient and revered Hindu temples in Prayagraj.

Soon after the video surfaced on social media, several netizens and members of various Hindu organisations called for stringent action against the offenders. Prayagraj police soon registered an FIR against a total of 8 people including Hassan and Faizan.

On Wednesday, the Prayagraj Police, in a Twitter post, updated about the incident and revealed that they have booked two identified and six unidentified individuals in the case and will soon arrest all of them. 

Shailesh Pandey, SSP Prayagraj, had said that the video is being examined and the man seen consuming hookah and non-veg food in the video is being identified. After that action will be taken against him under relevant sections, the SSP said.

According to reports, the accused have gone missing ever since the video went viral. The police, however, have launched a manhunt to nab the miscreants.

It is suspected that the accused shot the video and shared it on social media.

Since Prayagraj is regarded as a holy destination by Hindus, there was outrage on social media from devotees who demanded the immediate arrest of the men in the video.

Ankita murder case: NCPCR to investigate gross negligence by Jharkhand police, says the victim was deprived of proper treatment and hearing

OpIndia Staff
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Ankita murder case: NCPCR to investigate gross negligence by Jharkhand police, says the victim was deprived of proper treatment and hearing

Priyank Kanoongo, the chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has voiced serious concerns about the Jharkhand police investigation into the brutal murder of the 15-year-old Hindu girl Ankita Kumari was set ablaze by her stalker named Shahrukh Hussain. According to reports, the chief of the apex child rights body will be travelling to Dumka to investigate the negligence in handling the incident.

The team is scheduled to visit Dumka on September 4, according to ANI.

“We’ll go there, meet doctors & family members of the child. We’ll investigate the whole matter & convey it in our report…According to service rules, stern action will be taken against people who deprived the child of her rights,” Kanoongo said.

“I spoke to the child’s father over call. Police did not do proper hearing, proper treatment was not given to her. If a child dies due to lack of treatment, it is gross negligence of the administration and government. We’ll collect facts on it and ensure action is taken,” the NCPCR chief added.

Kanoongo went on to say that the Jharkhand Police concealed several things and misquoted the victim’s age, causing the girl child to be denied Juvenile Justice Act provisions. It amounts to criminal negligence. Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) sections was not utilized in the case. It was invoked only yesterday in response to a request from the Child Welfare Committee, he said.

Here it becomes imperative to recall that a week after the crime occurred, DSP Noor Mustafa of Dumka had been suspended following allegations of negligence and helping the accused Shahrukh Hussain in weakening the case. In fact, the former Jharkhand CM Babulal Marandi shared some documents stating that DSP Mustafa has not only been anti-tribal but also had a communal trait to him.

Notably, on Thursday, almost 10 days after the heinous incident, the Jharkhand Police added the sections of the POCSO Act to the Ankita Singh murder case of Dumka. The girl was set on fire alive while she was asleep at 4 am in her home on August 23. The accused were identified as Shahrukh Hussain and Naeem alias Chotu and were booked under the relevant sections of the IPC. Now, POCSO charges have been added to the case.

This is after the Jharkhand Child Welfare Committee took cognizance of the incident and revealed that Ankita who was studying in class 12 was a minor as per her birth documents and certificates. Earlier the Police had claimed that she was 19 years old when she died. However, the CWC brought out the deceased’s class 10 mark sheet which mentioned her date of birth as November 26, 2006.

Ankita Singh, a 15-year-old Dumka resident, was burned alive by two accused named Shahrukh and Naeem. The accused allegedly poured the flammable fuel on her from her bedroom window while she was fast asleep. She was taken to the hospital shortly after the incident and died from her burn injuries on August 28.

Days after Ankita’s death, videos of her last words went viral over social media where she could be heard demanding painful death for the accused who set her on fire. “He should die the way I am dying today,” the Dumka girl had said who breathed her last at 2.30 am on Sunday.

PM Modi brings the seal of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to Indian Navy’s new ensign, previous govts had kept the St George’s cross, a colonial burden

OpIndia Staff
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PM Modi brings the seal of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to Indian Navy’s new ensign, previous govts had kept the St George’s cross, a colonial burden

The Indian Navy’s new ensign was inaugurated today by PM Modi. The Navy dropped the earlier ensign with the St George’s cross and the newly introduced design features a distinct shape, the shape of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s royal seal.

The meaning and significance of the new ensign were explained in a short video. The video also honoured the heritage of the Maratha emperor and depicted how the design has undergone changes over the years. Here is the video.

“From a small harbour police outfit at the beginning of the 17th century to one of the world’s finest naval forces in the 21st century, the Indian Navy has come a long way. It is the proud custodian of a rich maritime legacy. For years, the rank and file of the Indian Navy have dreamt of a change in its ensign that would honour its civilisational heritage. Over the years, the Indian navy’s ensign has undergone several changes and has transformed on many occasions. Shedding the last remnants of the colonial past, on September 2, the Indian Navy adopts its new ensign,” the video says.

Indian Navy’s new ensign

It goes further to narrate, “With the national flag on the upper canton and a blue octagonal shape encompassing the national emblem, sitting atop an anchor depicting steadfastness, and superimposed on a shield with the Navy’s motto, ‘Sha Nau Varunah’ in Devnagari script.”

“The octagonal shape represents the 8 directions symbolizing the Indian Navy’s multidirectional reach and multidimensional capabilities. The octagonal shape with twin golden borders draws inspiration from the seal of the great Indian emperor Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, whose visionary maritime outlook established a credible naval fleet, with 60 fighting ships and approximately 5000 men. The rising Maratha naval power, during Shivaji Maharaj’s period, was the first to secure the coastline against external aggression.”

The video then plays a clip from PM Modi’s speech at Red Fort on the occasion of India’s Independence Day celebrations this year. The part where PM Modi emphasised the need to discard the remnants of a colonial mindset, thought process and outlook.

“As India marks the 75 years of its independence, the new Naval ensign is a step towards liberating the mind, and further empowering the sentinels of our seas, the Indian Navy”, the video ends.

Shivaji Maharaj’s seal

The new Navy ensign features the distinctive octagonal design of the royal seal of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, as a mark of respect towards the Maratha emperor, who is regarded as the father of the Indian Navy.

The octagonal seal in the Indian Navy’s new ensign and the royal seal of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

The St George’s cross was brought back in 2004

The is notable here that the St George’s cross, a remnant of India’s colonial past, has been a part of the Indian Navy’s ensign all these years, apart from a brief period between 2001-2004, under the Vajpayee govt, when it was dropped. Curiously, the cross was brought back in 2004, with the minor change of including the National Emblem in the middle.

Indian Navy ensign over the years, image via Shiv Aroor on Twitter

St George’s cross: From crusades to England’s flag

If we look at the images carefully, the St George’s cross, which is a part of the flag of England, has been a part of our navy’s ensign all these years, a sad reminder of our colonial mindset. St George is regarded as the ‘military saint’ and the red cross on a white background was a widely used symbol for the Christian crusaders. Even the Knights Templar used it. The flag with the red cross on a white field has been used by ships from England from 1190 onwards. The St George’s cross has been adopted by many Western countries due to their shared Christian past.

Inaugurating the new ensign today in Kochi, PM Modi said in his address, “Today on September 2, 2022, we have finally discarded a colonial burden.”

However, the fact that the flag with a Crusade-related symbol, representing the rulers of England remained for so long in the Indian Navy’s ensign is another proof of the levels to which our governance, our thought process and the mindset of the people in power are influenced and controlled by a colonial hangover. The Navy of New India discarding the St George’s cross and embracing the octagonal seal of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is a welcome step, a significant step towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

Filmfare 2022 fails to invite ‘The Kashmir Files’ stars: Here is why Vivek Agnihotri said he is happy to not be invited

OpIndia Staff
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Filmfare 2022 fails to invite ‘The Kashmir Files’ stars: Here is why Vivek Agnihotri said he is happy to not be invited

On Thursday, the 67th event of the Filmfare Awards was organized at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai where many Bollywood celebrities including Ranveer Singh, Kiara Advani, Disha Patani, Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif, Deepika Padukone, etc were invited. The evening was star-studded but unfortunately, not a single person from the team of the movie ‘the Kashmir Files’ was invited to the event.

The matter was flagged by a Twitter user named Rajeev Singh Rathore who happens to be associated with the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), Madhya Pradesh. He said that the Filmfare event organizers had failed to invite persons associated with the biggest blockbuster of the year 2022 named ‘the Kashmir Files’. He also suggested that it was high time for people to boycott Bollywood completely.

“So Filmfare didn’t invite a single person associated with the movie ‘The Kashmir Files’ and nobody from Bollywood objected against it shows why Bollywood needs a permanent boycott and not just a few films. If you can’t respect our sentiments, you don’t deserve our money and appreciation”, he tweeted.

The incident was further confirmed to OpIndia by ‘The Kashmir Files’ director Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri. “This is 100% true. The organizers used to call me and my wife till the year 2014, but after that, they stopped and I am very happy about it”, Agnihotri said. Further, he stated that he had lost interest in the Bollywood Award nights and that would not go even if invited. “It is time that people take a stand so everyone knows who stands with India and who does not. Now if Pakistan calls me, will I go?”, the director added.

Earlier, Agnihotri had also slammed a certain section of media houses who tried to downplay the movie by claiming that it had failed to grab National Awards, despite being a super-hit at the box office. “A lot of reputed media houses are running a vicious ‘Hit Job’ against #TheKashmirFiles. And no one is fact-checking them. If they do this to ‘terrorist-friendly’ Bollywood films, the ecosystem would instantly call it Islamophobia. I leave it here for your conscience to decide”, he had said.

As reported earlier, the 68th National Awards were decided by a 10-member jury, led by director Vipul Shah. Given that only films made in 2020 were honoured, it was obvious that ‘The Kashmir Files’ released this year did not feature in any of the categories.

The film ‘The Kashmir Files’ takes the viewers back to 1989, when due to rising Islamic Jihad, a huge conflict erupted in Kashmir, forcing the great majority of Hindus to flee the valley. According to estimates, roughly 100,000 of the valley’s total 140,000 Kashmiri Pandit inhabitants migrated between February and March 1990. More of them fled in the years that followed until just about 3,000 families remained in the valley by 2011.

The movie which was released on March 11, this year proved to be the biggest hit of the decade. Though the film was praised all over the world, a section of Indian opposition parties and leftists tried to run down the film or discredit the story shown within. While some directly called the film a pack of lies, others tried to target the BJP over the issue. Multiple theories were also peddled to discredit the film and its makers, but the public verdict muted all the criticism.

The Kashmir Files starring Darshan Pathak, Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty, and Pallavi Joshi in their lead roles earned around Rs 337.23 crore, making it the only Hindi film to cross the Rs 300 crore club during the pandemic as well.

‘Temples cater to larger needs of society’: Supreme Court gives sermons to Hindus, doubts necessity of revisiting 1863 Religious Endowments Act

OpIndia Staff
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‘Temples cater to larger needs of society’: Supreme Court gives sermons to Hindus, doubts necessity of revisiting 1863 Religious Endowments Act

The Supreme Court questioned the relevance of public interest litigation (PIL) that pushed for Hindus to have the same right as Christians and Muslims to manage religious places like temples without government interference, noting that since all temple revenues come from society, they may very well be returned to the people by way of creating colleges and universities.

A bench of Chief Justice of India UU Lalit and Justice S Ravindra Bhat heard the case. While the PIL emphasised the problem of Hindus being “singled out,” with state governments overseeing temples and their profits, the bench questioned the need to revise the 1863 Religious Endowments Act, noting that the statute has enabled temples to serve “larger needs of the society.”

“What is the need for this? This has been functioning for such a long time…If it is a receipt of the temple, it is by the people. So, it has to go back to the people. Take the example of Tirupati, you have colleges there…Universities are set up in Delhi by state enterprises. What’s wrong with that?” the bench observed during the hearing.

“This Act has been working since 1863. We have a history of 150 years where these denominations catered to the larger needs of society and not for their purpose only. Some temples have even given their lands. Now, you are asking us to roll the clock back,” the bench further remarked.

Petitioner Ashwini Upadhyay, an advocate and former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson, through senior counsels Arvind Datar and Gopal Sankaranarayanan contended that Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs should have the same rights as Muslims, Parsis, and Christians to establish, manage, and maintain religious places and that the state cannot deny this right.

According to the PIL, the government controls around 400,000 of the country’s 900,000 temples, but no church or mosque-related religious organisation is under government control or administration.

It is notable that religious endowments are included in the concurrent list, which allows both the Centre and the states to enact legislation that allows governments to exert certain authority over administration, supervision, and levy on Hindu religious sites.

A similar statute exists in the state of Tamil Nadu. All temple hundi collections (offerings) are placed in the specified temple bank accounts. The government uses 14% of this as administrative costs, 4% as audit fees, and between 4 and 10% as the ‘Commissioner Common Good Fund.’ Furthermore, funds are allocated to various government-run programmes.

Datar protested, citing the Tamil Nadu statute, that similar laws have been enacted in other states, including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, allowing state governments to use temple money for non-religious or just administrative reasons. In support of him, Sankaranarayan stated that 50,000 temples in Karnataka had been shuttered due to a lack of funds, and temple properties have been utterly wasted.

In reference to the Naganathswamy Temple case, the PIL argues that the cause of action in the matter began on April 10, 2016, when the King Rajendra Chola-built Naganathswamy Temple under Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, was “pulled down by the State in the garb of renovation.”

The petition notes that mosques and churches are not under the supervision of State governments, but that this causes “injury to Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs is extremely large.” However, the bench directed the lawyers to present evidence to back up their claims about temple closures and other allegations of money embezzlement. It then scheduled the issue for hearing on September 19.

As the Supreme Court made these observations, it is notable that the Madras High Court made a strange observation while hearing a plea where the petitioner had sought protection to offer worship at a temple of the family deity. The Madras HC observed that temples become a cause of law and order problems, and such temples should be closed down to restore peace and normalcy in society. “It is a paradox that closure of a temple actually leads to peace,” the court had then observed.

Hindu girl gang raped by Khalid and Dilsher on the pretext of providing food amid devastating floods in Sindh, Pakistan

OpIndia Staff
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Hindu girl gang raped by Khalid and Dilsher on the pretext of providing food amid devastating floods in Sindh, Pakistan

Amid heavy floods unfolding in the Sindh province of Pakistan, adversities and devastations continue to shatter the minds of Hindus living in the area. On Friday, reports emerged revealing that a young girl was gang-raped by two Pakistani Muslims in the flood-hit area on the pretext of providing grocery items and food.

The two accused have been identified as Khalid who is an auto-rickshaw driver and Dilsher. The duo who belong to the Macchi caste allegedly drugged the victim woman and raped her brutally for two days. The incident is reported to have happened in Shahdadpur, Sanghar district of Sindh province.

The woman recorded her plight in a video that is now going viral over social media platforms. She said that the accused auto rickshaw driver duped her and said that he would provide grocery items. “He took me and made me eat poisonous substance and raped me. They were two men Khalid and Dilsher. Later they offered me water and left me”, she added.

Hindu people residing in Pakistan have been facing adversities and severe institutionalized discrimination in Pakistan. However, the recent flood-like situation in the Sindh province has added to their plight. Earlier on August 31, a similar video from Pakistan had gone viral over social media where a man was seen complaining of attempted rapes of their women by the Pakistani goons.

Also, a heart-wrenching incident was reported yesterday from Sindh, Pakistan where an 8-year-old Hindu girl was gang-raped amid the devastating floods. The suspects scratched her entire face and also gauged out her eyes.

To note, many of the Hindus living in Sindh province of Pakistan are among the poorest sections of Pakistani society. They face human rights violations in cases regarding land grabbing, abduction, and conversion. They have fewer employment opportunities and many still live as bonded labourers under Muslim landlords. Hindus also suffer routine exploitation which they dare not report to the police.

The current floods in the southern part of Pakistan have created havoc by killing more than 1100 people. According to the reports, a surge of water is flowing down the Indus river and is threatening the communities living in the southern part of the Sindh province.

Jhatka meat based ‘Kulhad Biryani’ debuts on Zomato, Tajinder Bagga says AAP supporters giving fake reviews

OpIndia Staff
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Jhatka meat based ‘Kulhad Biryani’ debuts on Zomato, Tajinder Bagga says AAP supporters giving fake reviews

On Thursday (September 1), BJP National spokesperson Tajinder Bagga took to Twitter to announce the launch of his cloud kitchen ‘Kulhad Biriyani’.

The cloud eatery serves only jhatka meat, thereby making it a first-of-its-kind initiative against the hegemony of Halal. Bagga also received praise for renaming the ‘Hyderabadi chicken biriyani’ dish to ‘Bhagyanagar Dum Chicken Biriyani’.

The launch of India’s first jhatka biriyani brand drew the ire of the usual suspects, who systematically posted negative reviews to tarnish the image of Kulhad Biriyani.

Tajinder Bagga accused the supporters of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of carrying a negative campaign against his newly launched cloud kitchen.

He tweeted, “AAPtards started campaign against our Brand and sending message to all groups to post negative reviews. Giving example of Mayukh Roy who is sitting in Kolkata giving feedback in Delhi. You can check the comments here.”

The BJP spokesperson also attached screenshots of the fake reviews posted by Roy.

Tajinder Bagga also pointed out the case of one Sangam Garg, who had posted a negative review on the Zomato page of Kulhad Biriyani. Interestingly, Garg had earlier batted for AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal after the latter mocked the sufferings of the Kashmiri Hindus.

In another case, Bagga pointed out how his eatery received a negative review for the ‘Dal Makhni’ even though the dish is not served by Kulhad Biriyani.

The BJP spokesperson also exhibited how Islamists and their sympathisers were deliberately posting negative feedback about the Jhatka meat eatery on Zomato.

It must be mentioned that Tajinder Bagga has been at loggerheads with the Aam Aadmi Party. Earlier on May 6 this year, the BJP leader was arrested from his residence in Delhi by the Punjab police.

OpIndia had reported that a convoy of 10-12 cars, carrying 50 odd police personnel from Punjab forcibly entered the BJP leader’s house and took him away. The cops also assaulted his aged father and did not inform Bagga about the ‘arrest warrant’.

Although the FIR was later withdrawn, it soon surfaced that the Aam Aadmi Party-run-Punjab government had constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the ‘provocative remarks’ of Tajinder Bagga.

It is important to note that the Arvind Kejriwal-led party had faced criticism in the past for harbouring Khalistani elements. Bagga, who is a Sikh by Faith and a vocal critic of the separatist movement, has thus drawn the ire of the party.

Kavita Krishnan tweets about socialist regimes being autocratic, removed from primary membership by CPI(ML) after differences of opinion

OpIndia Staff
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Kavita Krishnan tweets about socialist regimes being autocratic, removed from primary membership by CPI(ML) after differences of opinion

CPI(ML) Liberation’s Polit Bureau member and a Central Committee member for more than two decades Kavita Krishnan has been relieved of all posts she held in the party and all responsibilities after ideological differences between the party and Kavita as far as socialist regimes were concerned, reported The Hindu. According to the report, she has also been removed from the primary membership of the party.

Only recently, Kavita Krishnan had commented on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and asserted that socialist regimes were autocratic regimes, far worse than parliamentary democracies. Evidently, for stating this proven fact, differences emerged between her and the party that led to Krishnan being relieved of her posts.

Interestingly, Kavita Krishnan has expressed these views in the past as well while supporting “true communism” and Kark Marx, nonetheless.

She had in June called China a totalitarian regime.

She had also criticised USSR under Stalin.

Speaking to The Hindu, Kavita Krishnan said that she had requested the party to relieve her of her posts since she felt an urgent need to defend parliamentary democracies, not just in India but across the world. While she would remain a primary member of the party, she said that there was a need to recognise that socialist regimes, past and present, have been authoritarian, far worse than Capitalist parliamentary democracies.

Kavita Krishnan said that she needed to explore these political questions and it was not possible to do so while holding posts and responsibilities with the Communist party. “The party Central Committee has agreed to my request,” she said. “It was not possible to write on these questions remaining in the leadership. It is not a resignation, it is a mutually agreed to step aside from the responsibilities. There is no quarrelling with the party,” she said. 

“The conviction that for our fight for democracy against fascism and growing totalitarianism in India to be consistent, we must acknowledge the entitlement to the same democratic rights and civil liberties for all people across the world, including subjects of socialist totalitarian regimes past and present,” she added.

Interestingly, while Kavita Krishnan wanted to remain a primary member of the party, the Communist party, that has been talking about dissent and freedom of expression, decided to remove her from primary membership.

It is evident from this development that the Communists believe that authoritarian regimes like China, USSR led by Stalin etc are acceptable forms of government, where people are starved, subjugated and beaten. Any deviation from this line that calls out Communist and Socialist regimes as authoritarian would not be tolerated by the Communists. It is also worthy to note that while Kavita Krishnan lost her political career with CPI(ML) for stating a basic fact about socialist regimes, her other opinions continue to be vile and problematic. That even those vile opinions were not enough for her to continue with CPI(ML) speaks volumes about the space for dissent in the Communist ecosystem.

In the past, Kavita Krishnan has compared Hindutva to the Taliban and the Ku Klux Klan and denied the existence of “Love Jihad” (Grooming Jihad) which has claimed the lives of several Hindu women. Over the last few years, Kavita Krishnan has been caught several times for peddling fake news, however, she continues to do so with impunity.

Besides expressing solidarity with anti-national elements, Kavita Krishnan has a history of backing radical Islamists, fake news peddlers, and pro-Pakistan propagandists. Last year, she was exposed for standing in support of a notorious fake news peddler Mohammad Asif Khan, who has a history of propagating communally sensitive fake news.

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