A case of sexual abuse of an 8-year-old child has come to light in Sehwag International School, founded by former cricketer Virender Sehwag, in Jhajjar, Haryana. The school was founded by Virender Sehwag, and his wife Aarti Sehwag is the current chairperson of the school. A case has been registered under the Juvenile Justice Act and the POCSO Act, and police have started investigations into the matter.
According to the police, the child is still traumatised from his experience and is unable to talk about the matter. However, the needle of suspicion is on his fellow students in the hostel and the staff employed there. Most of the students in the school reside in the hostel. DSP Rahul Dev has said that further details about the case will be shared on Sunday.
The incident came to light on Saturday when the father of the child registered a complaint about it. The father of the child met the local SP and alleged that his child was molested in the hostel itself. A case was registered and the SP assured the family that the culprit will be arrested soon.
The child hasn’t named anyone yet, though he has told his family members that his fellow students studying with him in the school and staying with him in the hostel did this disgusting act with him.
After being informed about the incident, the police along with forensics experts visited the hostel and carried out an inspection. The school staff was also questioned about the incident. The police are also looking at the CCTV footage to get to the bottom of the case.
The investigation has been handed over to the Mahila Police Station for further investigation after registering the case under the JJ act and POCSO.
On Saturday, a controversy erupted around a new advertisement by the online food delivery company Zomato. The Zomato advertisement featuring Bollywood superstar Hritik Roshan allegedly showed the actor in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, and asking for food delivery from the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple.
According to the reports, the Hindu saints of the Mahakaleshwar temple have condemned the advertisement in which the actor says, “Thaali khane ka man tha, Mahakaal se mangaa liya (I wanted to have a thaali, I ordered it from Mahakaal)”. Mahesh, the temple priest said that the actor and the advertisement had hurt the sentiments of the Hindu community and insulted the Mahakaleshwar temple.
He added that the company had used the temple to promote its service blatantly. “The Zomato company should have thought before doing something like this. Hindus are sensitive about their religion. Just because we do not outrage, companies should not take advantage of that. If such advertisement would have been made on other religion, those people would have set the company on fire”, he added.
Mahesh further added that devotees at Mahakaleshwar temple are served the prasad in thali (plate) but it is no way delivered on demand. “The company which also delivers non-veg food should immediately stop promoting their services by using the name of Mahakaleshwar temple. The advertisement has hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus. We strongly oppose this. If the company does not apologize then we will go to court”.
Meanwhile, Collector and chairman of Mahakal temple committee Ashish Singh agreed with temple priest Mahesh. He said that the temple prasad plate can be taken only in the food area in the Mahakal temple. The plate is not sent anywhere from here. “We will take action to stop this type of misleading advertisement”, he noted.
Mahakaleshwar temple is one of the 12 jyotirlingas and every day thousands of devotees are served free food in the temple. Reports mention that serving free food is one of the important temple traditions that has been going on for hundreds of years.
Zomato is an Indian multinational online restaurant search and food delivery company. It was founded by Pankaj Chadha and Deepinder Goyal in the year 2008. This company was established under the name FoodieBay. It was replaced by Zomato (Zomato Media PVT Ltd.) on 18 January 2010.
On Friday (August 19), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided the residence of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia over allegations of corruption in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-2022.
The central agency had named 14 others individuals in its First Information Report (FIR). The accused included excise officials, dealers, public servants, liquor company executives and private persons.
One of the accused named in the case was Vijay Nair. The FIR stated that Nair was “actively involved in irregularities in framing and implementation of the excise policy of GNCTD of Delhi for the year 2021-22”
Screengrab of the FIR copy, image via ANI
Association between Vijay Nair and Aam Aadmi Party
As per a 2019 report by the Caravan, Vijay Nair was the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a Mumbai-based entertainment and event management company named Only Much Louder (OML).
He worked as a ‘part-time volunteer’ of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), in the run-up to the 2020 Delhi State Legislative Assembly polls. During his stint with the Arvind Kejriwal-led party, he helped organise party events and manage social media handles.
AAP MLA Atishi Marlena told Caravan that Nair was an ‘ad-hoc worker’, a claim denied by the party’s national council member Ankit Lal. He pointed out that the ex-OML CEO has been associated with AAP for over 5-6 years. Lal stated that Nair is his go-to person for strategising digital campaigns.
Screengrab of the article by Caravan
A news report published in The Times of India shows that Vijay Nair has been with the Aam Aadmi Party since January 2014. “Nair said he will reach out to musicians across the country and use music as a medium to spread the party’s work and message,” the report said.
It further added how he was planning to rope in regional folk performers to hold shows in different parts of Maharashtra. A tweet by anti-corruption activist, Anjali Damania, dated July 19, 2014, also exposes the long-standing connection between AAP and the ex-CEO of Only Much Louder.
Screengrab of the tweet by Anjali Damania
“Congratulations, Vijay Nair. Your name has appeared in Hind Times Mumbai’s 50 Young stars. Proud to have you with AAP,” she had tweeted.
Nair had made a name for himself in the industry by organising music festivals such as the Invasion Festival, Bacardi NH7 Weekender, and the television show ‘The Dewarists.’ He exhibited his personal admiration for the Aam Aadmi Party while speaking to The Quint in 2015.
“Nair praises the Delhi administration and the Aam Admi Party-led government for being the first state to streamline procedures by introducing the One-Window Licence in India. An elated Nair claims he even got a receipt for the money paid to obtain licences in Delhi,” the report said.
Screengrab of the news report by The Quint
Even before being personally benefitted by the association, the ex-OML CEO had confessed to donating to the AAP. As such, it came as a surprise when Atishi Marlena introduced Vijay Nair as an ‘Adhoc worker’, who was not in a position of power.
At that time, Atishi was also the head of the AAP’s internal complaints committee, which was constituted to probe cases of sexual harassment at the workplace. However, she was evasive when Caravan confronted her about #MeToo allegations against Nair.
Allegations of sexual harassment against Vijay Nair
In an article published in November 2018, Caravan cited victim testimonies to claim that the ex-OML CEO created an unsafe and misogynist environment for the female workers.
“Nair stands accused of abetting an environment that perpetuated sexual harassment, sexism and misogyny during his time as the CEO of OML. Based on first-person accounts of women who had worked with him, The Caravan reported that Nair’s position as CEO allowed him to act brazenly and with impunity,” the report said.
Caravan alleged that the man, behind India’s premier music festivals, asked a woman to get into a bathtub with him. It claimed that Nair engaged in sexual activity during a work call with a woman, without her consent.
Screengrab of the news report by Caravan magazine
The article went on to say that Nair messaged his female co-workers regularly and how they were caught in a state of fix while trying to refuse his sexual advances.
When Caravan reached out to Atishi Marlena in 2019, she refused to have any knowledge of allegations against the ex-OML CEO. She did not provide details about the roles and responsibilities of Vijay Nair in the Aam Aadmi Party.
Atishi was however able to deflect the #MeToo allegations by claiming that ‘power dynamics played a key role in sexual harassment cases’ and how Nair was not placed in any position of power. Interestingly, a woman who applied for the job of digital communication strategist was told to meet Nair, as he was managing communications for AAP.
Allegations of corruption in the Excise Policy Scam
At the heart of the controversy is the Delhi Excise Policy of 2021-2022. The now-scrapped liquor policy of the Delhi government was originally proposed in 2020. After coming into effect in November 2021, it changed the manner in which alcohol was sold in Delhi.
Until then, only government-owned liquor vendors were permitted to sell alcohol. The Delhi Excise Policy 2021-2022 introduced private players in the market. The National Capital was divided into 32 zones and a total of 27 private vendors were to ply in each zone.
Every municipal ward had 2-3 liquor vendors operating in the area. The private liquor shops were allowed to attract crowds by offering discounts on the Maximum Retail Price (MRP). They could deliver liquor at home, and even keep shops open till 3 am in the morning.
The drastic policy change resulted in a 27% increase in government revenue to ₹8900 crores. At the same time, it marked the complete exit of the Delhi government from the liquor business.
While the objective of Excise Policy 2021-2022 was to end black marketing and the liquor mafia, the AAP government soon came under fire over allegations of corruption. Naresh Kumar, who was appointed the Chief Secretary of Delhi in April 2022, found irregularities and procedural lapses in the new liquor policy.
The Chief Secretary prepared a report and sought the response of Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, the head of the Excise Department. The report blamed the Deputy CM for making changes to the excise policy without the authorisation of the Lieutenant Governor and providing ‘undue benefits’ to the liquor vendors.
Manish Sisodia reportedly waived off ₹144.36 crores on the license fee, to be paid by the private liquor vendors, under the garb of the Coronavirus pandemic. He also caused loss to the Excise Department and benefitted liquor licensees by waiving the import pass fee of ₹50 per beer case.
All these changes were made without the final approval of the Lieutenant Governor and thus considered illegal under the Delhi Excise Rules of 2010 and Transaction of Business Rules of 1993. The CBI had therefore registered a case against Vijay Nair and 14 others.
Rise of Nair as India’s go-to-concert man
In 2002, a 19-year-old Vijay Nair became the manager of an independent Pune-based rock band named Acquired Funk Syndrome. At that time, he was a student at Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics.
Thereafter, he began managing Mumbai-based rock bands, Pentagram and Zero. He soon dropped out of college to lay the foundation of Only Much Louder. He worked on the development of the Indie Music scene in India.
Later on, OML grew to have its own booking agency, record label, and production house. Nair created a reputation as India’s best concert organiser.
OpIndia on Saturday introduced “Reality Bytes”, a weekly podcast hosted by Editor-in-chief Nupur J Sharma. Every week, Sharma will broach topics and viewpoints on the podcast that the Left and the mainstream media organisations have either wilfully suppressed, maliciously bastardised or consciously ignored.
From raising questions on the civilisational history of India to idolising the British and the Mughals to brushing under the carpet the invaluable contributions and towering legacies of Hindu kings such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chandragupta Maurya, Raja Raja Chola, Krishna Devraya, and many more Hindu kings, the podcast will challenge the prevailing narrative set by the Left and provide a political context to their treachery.
As promised, here is a teaser of #RealityBytes – our brand new podcast!
For the full promo, go to any of these links. Do follow! See you there.
Sharma will dissect leftist tropes and reveal insights from guest contributors on how the “liberal” lobby has teamed up with the Islamists and their apologists to undermine the interests of Hindus and fed the country with distorted narratives laced with adulterated facts.
“For them(Left), the Malabar genocide of the Hindus was a peasant uprising, not Muslim going on a rampage, killing and raping Hindus because they wanted to establish an Islamic caliphate in Kerala much like the fledgling one in Turkey,” Sharma says in the introduction episode of “Reality Bytes”.
“They wish to tell you that Hindus while being hacked to death, are responsible for the sectarian hate. This they tell us when we are standing at the precipice of the Khilafat 2.0,” says Sharma, highlighting the treachery of the Left that has come to define their existence.
The podcast will also shine a light on the political history of India, its cultural legacy, and various other topics from a perspective that has scrupulously brushed aside by the leftist ideologues populating the mainstream media organisations and other commentariat bodies.
In the introduction episode, the OpIndia Editor-in-chief lays out what listeners can expect from the brand new podcast. Sharma, who says she picked up the pen because others sold theirs, will discuss the sheer brutality with which the Islamists and the Left take down those they disagree with, as manifested in the concerted attack against Hindus for merely speaking up on the Islamic invasions of India or ”Sar Tan Se Juda” campaign against Hindus that culminated in the deaths of Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur, Umesh Kolhe in Amravati, and many more.
“I am here to deliver a harsh dose of reality. Over the years, we have closely followed the sheer brutality with which the Islamists and the Left hunt down those they are at variance with.
“In this podcast, I want to talk about subjects that the corporate media and payroll commentators would never want us to talk about…Let’s talk about the subjects that they don’t want us to talk about, let’s talk about things they want us to shut up about, let’s shout, let’s be heard, let’s don’t go down with a fight, let’s survive.” Sharma concludes in the introduction episode of the OpIndia podcast.
Episodes publish every Saturdayand can be accessed here or wherever you get your podcasts.
On Friday, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) issued a second notice to former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in the prohibited funding case. Khan failed to appear before the agency for the second time. Reports emerged on Saturday claiming that if Khan failed to appear before the agency for the third time, the agency will arrest the leader in the prohibited funding case.
“The final decision to arrest Imran Khan could be taken after issuing three notices”, the report said quoting the FIA. According to the reports, Khan was sent the first notice to appear before the agency last Wednesday, but he refused to appear. Instead, he asked the FIA to take back the legal notice. “Neither am I liable to answer to you nor is it liable on me to provide information to you. If notice is not taken back in two days, then I will take legal action against you”, he had said in a written response to the FIA.
Later he was sent another notice on August 19. The FIA has identified five firms associated with Khan’s party that were functioning in the United States, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Belgium that were not listed in reports given to Pakistan’s Election Commission (ECP). “The FIA committee has collected enough evidence to prove Imran guilty of hiding the factual position from the ECP,” the report was quoted adding that the third and probably the final notice would be issued next week.
In a big blow for Khan, Pakistan’s Election Commission announced earlier this month that his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party had received donations illegally from 34 foreign citizens, including an Indian-origin businesswoman. The ECP issued a show cause notice to Khan’s party for accepting unlawful funds from foreign nationals and foreign-based corporations and concealing it.
It also demanded an explanation from the party and its leader, Imran Khan. The case was filed in November 2014 by the party’s founding member Akbar S Babar, who is no longer associated with PTI. In its ruling, the Election Commission asked the party why the cash should not be confiscated and stated that it was forced to hold that Imran Khan failed to execute his duty as demanded by Pakistani legislation.
In a first, a museum based in the Scottish city of Glasgow in the United Kingdom signed an agreement with the Indian government to repatriate seven artefacts including a 14th-century Indo-Persian sword and an 11th-century carved stone door jamb taken from a temple in Kanpur.
Glasgow becomes first UK museums service to repatriate artefacts to Indiahttps://t.co/G8HWOXLNWy
Notably, 6 of the 7 artefacts were stolen from temples and shrines in various Northern Indian states during the nineteenth century, while the seventh was bought after the owner was robbed. All seven objects were ‘gifted’ to the collection of the University of Glasgow.
According to a statement from Glasgow Life, a charitable organisation which runs the city’s museums, the transfer of ownership took place on Friday in the presence of Indian High Commission officials.
The delegates from the Government of India and the Archaeological Survey of India with Glasgow Life Museum authorities (source: Glasgow Life)
Following the meeting at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, delegates from the Government of India and the Archaeological Survey of India were given access to the objects at Glasgow Museums Resource Centre, where they are safely stored.
The transfer of ownership ceremony took place after Glasgow City Council’s City Administration Committee approved a recommendation made in April by the cross-party Working Group for Repatriation and Spoliation to return 51 items to India, Nigeria, and the Cheyenne River and Pine Ridge Lakota Sioux tribes in South Dakota, US.
“Glasgow Life Museums has been working on the repatriation of the Indian artefacts, alongside the High Commission of India in London, since January 2021. The antiquities include a ceremonial Indo-Persian tulwar (sword) which is believed to date back to the 14th century and an 11th-century carved stone door jamb taken from a Hindu temple in Kanpur,” the statement said.
According to Duncan Dornan, Head of Museums and Collections at Glasgow Life, “The transfer of ownership of the Indian antiquities represents a significant step for Glasgow, with the city continuing its positive repatriation history by ensuring these cultural artefacts are placed back in the hands of their legitimate owners.”
The Indian High Commission and the British High Commission must be commended for their cooperation and support. We are looking forward to continuing our collaboration with Indian authorities to ensure the safe return of these artefacts, he added.
Bailie Annette Christie, Chair of Glasgow Life and Convenor for Culture, Sport and International Relations for Glasgow City Council, said, “The repatriation of these objects is of great historical and cultural importance to both Glasgow and India, so it’s a privilege to welcome Indian dignitaries to our city for such a momentous occasion.”
Meanwhile, speaking about the agreement, India’s Acting High Commissioner, Sujit Ghosh said that these artefacts are an integral part of India’s civilisational heritage and will now be sent back home.
“We express our appreciation to all the stakeholders who made this possible, especially Glasgow Life and Glasgow City Council,” Ghosh said.
Notably, the Narendra Modi government has over the last seven years, managed to bring back almost 200 antique artefacts from foreign countries since 2014.
PM Narendra Modi brought back 157 artefacts and antiquities returned by the United States
Last year in September, Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought back home 157 artefacts and antiquities from the United States. According to reports, the artefacts and antiquities were handed over by the United States administration to Prime Minister Modi. Among the Artefacts & antiquities returned by the US administration included an 18th-century sword with the name of Sikh Guru Hargobind Das in Persian.
According to reports, around 71 artefacts among those were cultural while 60 among them were connected to Hinduism, 16 belonged to Buddhism and 9 were connected to Jainism. Most of the items largely belonged to the period between the 11th & 14th centuries. However, some were much older, like a copper anthropomorphic object from 2000BC and a terracotta vase from 2nd CE.
The forthcoming movie Liger starring Vijay Deverakonda is being talked about a lot on social media, with new calls for a boycott coming from netizens. The internet community is calling for the Telugu movie “Liger” to be boycotted for a number of reasons, but mostly because Karan Johar is involved with it.
The upcoming sports drama, produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, is directed by Puri Jagannadh and also has Ananya Panday in the lead role. It is scheduled to hit theatres on August 25. Asking to boycott the movie, a Twitter user wrote, “Don’t forget this film is also produced by Karan johar who hates Hindi culture and listen carefully Vijay’s words he didn’t care about anything so we must be unite this time also for boycott his upcoming movie.”
Dont forget this film is also produced by karan johar who hates hindi culture and listen carefully vijay’s words he didnt care about anything so we must be unite this time also for boycott his upcoming movie. #boycottLigermoviehttps://t.co/higPt0905S
Actor Vijay Deverakonda has been relentlessly promoting his upcoming movie Liger in various cities. However, since early Saturday morning, the hashtag ‘Boycott Liger’ has been trending on social media. The trend started after Vijay supported actor Aamir Khan and his latest box office failure, Laal Singh Chaddha.
In an interview with India Today, Vijay stated, “When you decide to boycott a film, you are not only affecting Aamir Khan, you are affecting thousands of families who lose work and livelihoods. Aamir Sir is someone who pulls the crowd to the theatres. I am not sure why this boycott call is happening, but for whatever misunderstanding, this is happening, please realise you are not affecting Aamir Khan alone but the economy.”
Referring to these remarks by Vijay Deverakonda, a Twitter user wrote, “Vijay Deverkonda blackmails Indians for families of film making crew. Indians have taken contract to look after these families. Vijay Jee, you must convince Bollywood why they make jokes of Hindu Deities while 80% population is Hindu in India.”
Vijay Deverkonda blackmails Indians for families of film making crew. Indians have taken contract to look after these families. Vijay Jee, you must convince Bollywood why they make jokes of Hindu Deities while 80% population is Hindu in India.#BoycottLigerMovie#BoycottLigerpic.twitter.com/hzPFxBqXeQ
It is worth noting that two recent releases starring Bollywood celebrities Aamir Khan and Akshay Kumar tanked at the box office. Aamir Khan’s Laal Singh Chaddha and Akshay Kumar’s Rakshabandhan both failed at the box office even with an extended weekend, amidst widespread boycott calls.
Aamir Khan’s anti-India sentiments in the past, his harsh and disparaging representation of Hindu Gods in his film PK, and his blatantly political pronouncements in the past have all contributed to Laal Singh Chaddha’s dismal performance. As far as Raksha Bandhan is concerned, the boycott calls emanated from the Hinduphobic comments made by its writer, Kanika Dhillon. Under the guise of targeting the BJP and PM Modi, she had repeatedly attacked Hindu beliefs and religious sentiments.
Another Bollywood movie Dobaara, featuring Taapsee Pannu as the lead character, has also failed to garner popular views. The film, directed by controversial filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, has largely failed to pique the interest of the audience. It was released in theatres on Friday, August 19, but had only a 2-3% occupancy rate on Day 1. A number of early screenings of the film were also reported to have been cancelled.
On Saturday, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manoj Nagpal tendered his resignation from the party amid the ongoing controversy revolving around the excise scam in Delhi. This came a day after CBI booked 15 people including Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia following hours of raids into the alleged excise fraud. Nagpal stated that the party which once led campaigns against corruption was now itself involved in corruption.
Manoj Nagpal, the Subhash Nagar ward party President tweeted his resignation letter and said, “Today I resign from AAP party. Please accept and oblige”. The letter was also posted by Delhi BJP Spokesperson Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga. “AAP leader resigned after Manish Sisodia scam”, he tweeted.
In the handwritten resignation letter, Manoj Nagpal said that the party which used to fight against corruption was now itself practicing corruption. He added that the excise scam had played a major role in ruining the party’s character. “AAP today has become a corrupt party. AAP’s excise policy boosted the youngsters to consume more alcohol and furthered their addiction”, he said.
He also said that one of the private liquor shops in his ward was provided a license illegally. “Many people from within the ward opposed but to no avail. When I asked the AAP leaders for help, I was asked to shut up. The AAP leaders instead threatened me and said that I would be forced to leave the party”, he added. Nagpal further alleged that AAP never gave respect to its party members. “The Aam Aadmi Party initially used to say that the Congress leaders are corrupt. But during the municipal elections in January 2022, AAP had invited the ‘so-called honest’ Congress leaders and asked the AAP members to look after them”, he said.
Signing the resignation letter he said that he was feeling suffocated in the party and that he wanted to be free from all the responsibilities of the party. The CBI yesterday named Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia in an FIR filed into the alleged excise fraud. CBI FIR stated that Manish Sisodia and Excise officials were instrumental in recommending and taking decisions about excise policy for the year 2021-22 without the approval of competent authority to extend undue favors to the licensees post tender
The policy was proposed in 2020 and came into force in November 2021. Delhi was divided into 32 zones, each with 27 liquor vends. It also marked the end of the government’s sale of alcohol, only private liquor shops functioned in the city, with 2-3 vends in each mayoral ward. The objectives of the policy were to put a stop to the liquor mafia and black marketing, raise income and improve the customer experience, and ensure equal distribution of liquor vends.
The government also made laws more flexible for licensees, such as enabling them to provide discounts and establish their pricing rather than selling at the government-mandated MRP. Following it, vendors gave discounts, attracting people. Following opposition rallies, the tax agency temporarily suspended discounts. Reports mention that the excise policy 2021-22 helped the government to earn increased revenue, generating around Rs 8900 crore.
Sisodia reportedly changed the excise policy without the LG’s consent, such as providing a remission of Rs. 144.36 crores on the surrendered licensing fee due to the COVID-19 epidemic.
Days after Kshama Bindu of Gujarat announced her plan to have India’s first ‘sologamy marriage’, television actress Kanishka Soni followed suit. The actor best known for starring in the TV shows Pavitra Rishta and Diya Aur Baati Hum, took to Instagram on August 6 to announce that she has married herself.
“Married to myself ?❤️ since I fulfilled all my dreams on my own & the only person I am in love with is MYSELF? ? answer to all questions I am getting ????? I don’t need any Man Ever .. I am happy always alone & in solitude with my guitar ? I am the goddess , Strong & Powerful , shiva & Shakti everything is inside ME , Thank you”, the actress had written in her Instagram post as she shared pictures of herself wearing mangalsutra and sindoor.
Soon after the post went viral, social media users started questioning her for her decision to pursue sologamy. Recently, the actress posted another post where she responded to the people who called her out for disrespecting Indian culture by marrying herself instead of a man.
She wrote in her caption, “I know you guys have been raising lots of questions on my self marriage decision, I truly believe in Indian culture and here is my POV, that’s why I chose to live in solitude. Marriage is not about sex, it’s about love and honesty one seeks for and I have lost that faith, so it’s better to live alone and love myself than seeking it in outside world when it’s difficult to find, but thanks a lot for making my post on google trending and in news though… it wasn’t my intention.” She added, “It is a decision made by my full heart and soul with full conscious mind and I am happy that I am in USA now and focusing on my career.”
Kanishka Soni, who completed her MBA in Finance from the University of Mumbai, started her career in 2007 when she participated in a singing reality show Bathroom Singer and was a guest contestant in Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 2. Kanishka then featured in a Tamil movie Pathaveram Kodi in 2013, and went on to do films like Devaraya and Yuvrajayam. She has also acted in TV shows like Do Dil Ek Jaan, Pavitra Rishta, Diya Aur Baati Hum and Devon Ke Dev…Mahadev.
India’s first sologamy: Gujarat girl Kshama Bindu marriesherself
Interestingly, this is the second such recent marriage in the country where a woman has chosen to marry herself. In June this year, Kshama Bindu, from Gujarat, grabbed headlines when she announced that she had married herself.
Kshama Bindu had ‘married herself’ with all the rituals including Haldi and Mehendi. She has also shared the visuals of the same from her Instagram handle.
Kshama Bindu had declared that she will marry herself on 11th June in a temple. However, in response to criticism on social media, she decided to have the ceremony sooner than planned. Bindu married herself, complete with Mehendi and Haldi rites. This was the first sologamy marriage in India. After finishing the wedding rites, she thanked everyone in a video message on Facebook. Bindu expressed her appreciation for the encouragement and support she had received.
As per a report by Aaj Tak, the central government is set to take strong steps to tighten the noose around the Khalistani network and drug trafficking module in five states. Citing sources, Aaj Tak reported that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has directed investigative agencies to neutralise the Khalistani network across Delhi/NCR and the neighbouring states of Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh.
According to the report, the Ministry made this decision during a meeting with the NIA, ED, IB, RAW, and Delhi Police as well as other state police organisations. According to sources, the NIA would file an FIR over the rising Khalistani activities in Delhi and the other states.
MHA has ordered the NIA to file a secret complaint against the Khalistani factions and their affiliated organisations for using drones to smuggle weapons, IEDs, and other explosives. Strict action is to be taken against the Khalistani organisations. These include organisations like Khalistani Liberation Front (KLF), Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), Sikh Youth Federation (SYF), Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), and Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF).
The intelligence agencies have substantial evidence, as indicated in the report, that the IEDs and explosives found in Delhi and surrounding states in recent months were planted there by the ISI and Khalistani organisations operating from Pakistan. Several events in the past have revealed the growing Khalistani sentiment in and around Punjab.
SFJ’s call to replace Tiranga with Khalistan flag at Attari border
Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), a Khalistani organisation based in Canada, recently ‘challenged’ the Indian government to replace the highest Tiranga at the Attari border with the Khalistani flag. Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of the SFJ said in yet another announcement about the “Khalistan Referendum” that they will start a “Ghar Ghar Khalistan” campaign on August 15 and continue it until the Khalistan Referendum materialises in Punjab on January 26.
Election of pro-Khalistan MP from Sangrur
The by-election results for many Lok Sabha and Assembly seats across states, including the Lok Sabha seat in Sangrur, Punjab, which became vacant when Bhagwant Mann, the MP from Sangrur, was elected Chief Minister of Punjab, were declared by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on June 26. Gurmail Singh received a ticket from the Aam Aadmi Party but lost against Simranjit Singh Mann of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar).
Simranjit Singh Mann has long supported the Khalistan movement, which is significant. He has long been known to publicly back the Khalistan movement. He had left Police Services because of Operation Blue Star, which was initiated by the Government of India to eliminate Khalistani terrorists lodged in Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar.
