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‘Anyone with minimal intelligence will understand this’: Power Ministry slams Business Standard Deputy Editor for misleading allegations on coal import

OpIndia Staff
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‘Anyone with minimal intelligence will understand this’: Power Ministry slams Business Standard Deputy Editor for misleading allegations on coal import

On Thursday (August 18), the Ministry of Power slammed the Deputy Editor (Energy & Infra) of Business Standard, Shreya Jai, for misleading people about coal imports in the country.

The controversy began earlier this month when Shreya took to Twitter to claim that the Modi government has made U-turns in its energy policy. In a tweet, she alleged, “In 3 months, the Centre has gone from mandating imported coal blending for power gencos to making it optional.”

The journalist further stated, “In May, Ministry of Power directed gencos to blend 10% imported coal or face domestic supply reduction.”

Shreya Jai claimed that the Power Ministry allowed power generation companies to pass the escalated cost of imported coal to the end consumers. She also alleged that the National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPCL), a public sector undertaking, placed an import tender of 6.25 million tonnes (MT).

“It estimated a 50-70 paisa/unit increase in power tariff after 10% imported coal blending,” her tweet read. The journalist also insinuated ‘foul play’ in the manner in which the Adani Group managed to get hold of the tenders.

“As several states clamoured against the idea of importing coal, PowerMin asked them to put their tenders in abeyance. It instead directed national miner & world’s 2nd largest coal producer @CoalIndiaHQ to import coal for the first time in its history,” she said in a tweet.

“But as against an estimated demand of 40 million tonne, CIL received interest for barely 2.4 MT from states and private gencos. The first tender of Rs 4,500 crore went to Adani Enterprises and the second to a blacklisted firm from Indonesia,” the Business Standard Deputy Editor continued.

In another tweet, Shreya Jai alleged that the supposed ‘U-turns’ by the Modi government have led to a severe blow to the private and State-owned gencos.

While accusing the Union government of doublespeak, Shreya remarked, “Yesterday (August 2), the Power Ministry revoked all its earlier decisions on imported coal, leaving it up to the states and gencos to import coal, if need be. It even told NTPC to reduce blending to 5% from 10%.”

She also shared a press release from February 2020 wherein then Minister of Coal and Mines, Pralhad Joshi, stated that India would stop the import of thermal coal from Financial Year 2023-24. The idea was to suggest that the Union government had been contradicting its own claims.

Power Ministry slams Shreya Jai for ‘utter ignorance’

In a series of tweets on Thursday (August 18), the Ministry of Power denied the allegations and slammed Shreya Jai for “displaying an utter ignorance of the sector which she is reported to be covering.”

In the statement, the Ministry of Power clarified that coal is being imported into India for a long time. It pointed out how the imports have decreased drastically over time from 38.5 million tonnes in 2013-2014 to 12.2 million tonnes in 2022-2023.

“Our power demand grew by 15 to 20% in energy terms from August / September 2021 onwards. The domestic coal supplies increased, but not enough to meet demand,” it further informed.

The Power Ministry pointed out how the coal stocks at power plants were being used at a rapid pace, leading to a deficit of 1.2 lakh tonnes each day by April-May this year.

“Had we not started imports when we did, our coal stock would have touched a low of 7 million tonnes on 23rd July. This would have meant large numbers of plants having zero stock – leading to large-scale load shedding,” it justified its decision.

While explaining the rationale behind coal imports, it emphasised, “When the supplies of domestic coal are sufficient we do not import/import less coal. When domestic supplies are insufficient, we need to import coal for blending.”

“Anyone with minimal intelligence will understand this. Unfortunately, this correspondent does not,” the Power Ministry went on to slam Shreya Jai.

The Power Ministry made it clear that the decision to involve Coal India Limited in imports lies with gencos at State, Central and IPP level. “If the States want the CIL to import on their behalf they give their indent to the CIL,” it said.

While rubbishing the insinuation that tender was given preferentially to the Adani Group, the Ministry of Power said, “All procurement is through open international bids and contract is awarded to company which can supply coal at lowest rate.”

‘Keep a close watch on the changing demographics in the border areas’: Amit Shah tells cops at DGP Conference

OpIndia Staff
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‘Keep a close watch on the changing demographics in the border areas’: Amit Shah tells cops at DGP Conference

On Thursday 18th August 2022, Union Home Minister Amit Shah instructed the DGPs of border states, especially West Bengal and Bihar, as well as Jharkhand, to keep a close eye on changing demographics in respective areas. He was speaking at the closing ceremony of the two-day National Security Strategies Conference held in New Delhi. Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister, emphasized national security, saying the objective is to “fight for the future of the nation and the youths,” and he asked all states to work together in this mission.

Amit Shah also shared this in a tweet in which he wrote, “The two-day National Security Strategies Conference concluded today. Deliberations were held on challenges like narco-trafficking, demographic changes in border areas, and cyber fraud. Urged all the states that the issues related to national security should be our top priority.”

The minister claimed that since 2014, PM Narendra Modi has altered the DGP Conference’s focus to place more emphasis on bolstering domestic security and utilizing technology to address new issues. He said, “A system has been developed in the country for the first time in the form of the National Automated Identification System (NAFIS). We should percolate it down to the grassroots in addition to regular district-level meetings of coordination committees.”

The two-day security conference explored themes such as Maoist overground workers and front organizations, counter-terrorism tactics, radicalization, counter-drone technology, cyber and media surveillance, and upcoming concerns related to 5G technology. He said, “It is the responsibility of the DGPs of states to bring all technical and strategic information in their states, especially in the border districts, and share with others.”

According to the minister, the government has made great progress in addressing three major concerns related to internal security: terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, different extremist organizations in the Northeast, and Left-wing extremism. He said, “Under the leadership of Modiji, we enacted many new laws, increased coordination with states, increased budgetary allocation, and made optimum use of technology.”

Shah stated that the government is willing to dismantle the network of smuggling syndicates and determine the source and destination via rigorous investigation. He said that the central government is creating a record of all sorts of crimes that will be communicated instantaneously with all intelligence and security organizations for enhancing cooperation. This will be accomplished through the use of 5G technology.

Underlining the importance of sharing the crime records amongst various law enforcement agencies, Amit Shah said that the fundamental concept of a contemporary intelligence agency should not be “need to know,” but “need to share,” as we will not succeed until we modify our methodology.

Did you know: Hundreds of Bollywood artists used to get ‘pensions’ from the Akhilesh government till Yogi Adityanath put a stop to it

OpIndia Staff
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Did you know: Hundreds of Bollywood artists used to get ‘pensions’ from the Akhilesh government till Yogi Adityanath put a stop to it

The condition of Bollywood, the mainstream Hindi filmmaking industry, is deteriorating by the day, with several high-budget and big-banner films suffering widespread boycotts for various reasons. The most recent is Aamir Khan’s Laal Singh Chaddha, which is facing a popular boycott. Aamir Khan’s past anti-India rants, his negative and derogatory portrayal of Hindu Gods in his film PK, and his explicitly political remarks have all led to the film’s rejection by the viewers.

As the industry has drawn the ire of the general public by making popular opinions irrelevant and producing films that are overtly explicit and disparaging towards the majority, it is worth noting that hundreds of artists and filmmakers in Bollywood used to receive a monthly pension from the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh. The pensions were discontinued only after Yogi Adityanath became the state’s chief minister, putting paid to the government-funded scheme of doling out Bollywood artists and filmmakers with a monthly pension.

Yogi Adityanath puts a stop to doling out Bollywood artists and filmmakers with monthly pensions

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath declared in an interview that the state has now stopped offering free stuff. When questioned if he had discontinued providing pension to filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, he said, “We’ve stopped giving out freebies. Whether it was Anurag Kashyap or anyone else, their habits worsened after obtaining funds for free. Undoubtedly, the money belongs to the state’s inhabitants and must be used accordingly.”

In 2016, a year before the state assembly elections, Akhilesh Yadav, the then-chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, announced a scheme to provide monthly pensions of Rs 50,000 to Yash Bharti Samman awardees in the state. As per the scheme, 172 beneficiaries received the pension till February 2017. Raj Babbar, his wife Nadira Raj Babbar, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, Vishal Bharadwaj, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui were among those who benefited.

Aside from a monthly pension, the awardee received Rs 11 lakh, a shawl, and a certificate. Yash Bharti Samman, started by Mulayam Singh Yadav in 1994, was disbanded by the Mayawati government, but Akhilesh Yadav revived it in 2013. The government declared in October 2015 that recipients will receive a monthly pension.

Yogi Adityanath ordered a full assessment of the Yash Bharti awards, concentrating on the process for determining honorees, during a review meeting of the cultural department on April 21, 2017. The CM stated that the dignity of the recipients should be maintained because honouring ineligible persons compromised the honour. He had also stated that action would be taken based on the review report.

Later in December 2020, it was reported that the Uttar Pradesh government intended to discontinue the Yash Bharti Samman in favour of a new honour called the Rajya Sanskriti Puraskar. According to the government’s proposal, this award will be bestowed to a total of 25 people in the field of literature, arts, sports, social service, culture, medicine, education, etc. The top reward in this scheme would be Rs 5 lakh, awarded in the name of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

‘Neither MHA nor FRRO proposed to shift Rohingyas to EWS flats’: Home ministry denies AAP claims, says it was proposed by Delhi govt

OpIndia Staff
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‘Neither MHA nor FRRO proposed to shift Rohingyas to EWS flats’: Home ministry denies AAP claims, says it was proposed by Delhi govt

After union Housing & Urban Affairs minister Hardeep Singh Puri created a storm by claiming that the government has decided to settle Rohingyas living in camps in Delhi EWS flats, the matter refuses to die down. While the MHA had denied taking such a decision, a letter written by the Delhi govt the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) had appeared which suggested that an office under the union home ministry had proposed such a move. But now the home ministry has denied this too, saying that it never asked for shifting Illegal Rohingyas from their current location at Kanchan Kunj, Madanpur Khadar to EWS flats at Bakkarwala in New Delhi.

The Home Ministry today clarified that while Foreigners Registration Regional Office under it had earlier proposed that the illegal migrants be shifted to some other place, they never proposed the EWS flats, and this location was proposed by the Delhi government only.

On Wednesday, both BJP and AAP had targeted each other using the letter written by the Deputy Secretary of the Delhi government’s home department saying that the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), which comes under the union home ministry, had proposed to shift the Rohingyas to a detention centre to be set up at the flats built for people from Economically Weaker Section, as they had run out of space at the current location. As the flats are under NDMC, the Delhi govt had written to the NDMC to hand over the flats to FRRO.

The letter and other media reports on meetings on the issue had created the impression that the home ministry wanted to shift the Rohingyas to a bigger detention centre because of logistical reasons, but minister Hardeep Singh Puri had presented it as a humanitarian move for the illegal foreigners which created outrage and forced MHA to scrap the move.

But now, the home ministry had denied that FRRO wrote to Delhi asking for allotment of the EWS flats to be used as a detention centre for Rohingyas. On Thursday, the Ministry of Home Affairs rebutted the claims made by Delhi Dy CM Manish Sisodia on the shifting of illegal Rohingyas migrants to economically weaker sections (EWS) flats in West Delhi. In the letter, MoS Ajay Kumar Mishra said that the decision to shift the Rohingya illegal migrants was that of the Delhi government.

Ajay Kumar Mishra wrote a letter to Manish Sisodia rejecting the claims made by AAP that MHA had proposed to shift the Rohingyas, and said that it was the Delhi govt which made the proposal. Mishra cited the meeting that was conducted by the Delhi Chief Secretary on July 29 during which Foreigners Registration Regional Office (FRRO) was informed that the Rohingya illegal migrants would be sifted to the EWS flats in Delhi. “In the July 29 meeting, an officer rank of a director who represented the MHA and the head of the FRRO, Delhi had clearly stated that India is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Convention on refugees or related protocol of 1967, therefore treats all foreigners who enter the country without valid passports as illegal immigrants”, Mishra wrote.

“Neither MHA official nor FRRO had proposed that the illegal Rohingya immigrants be shifted to EWS flats built by NDMC in Bakarwala. Neither had they proposed this earlier”, he added in the letter.

He also clarified that the UNHCR cards issued to illegal migrants don’t grant any legal status under Indian laws. “MHA and FRRO said all foreign nationals, including Rohingyas, who enter into India without valid travel documents are treated as illegal migrants & dealt as per the law. UNHCR cards or refugee cards are not recognized by Indian law”, he said.

Letter written by MoS Ajay Kumar Mishra (Source- Navbharat Times)

Mishra meanwhile also asked the Delhi Dy CM to take immediate action against the illegal migrants and said that the Centre would extend full support in that direction. He reiterated that the decision to shift the Rohingya illegal migrants was taken by the Delhi government and that the information was out only on August 17. “It was learned through media reports on Aug 17 that Delhi Govt has decided to shift the Rohingya immigrants from Kanchan Kunj, Madanpur Khadar, to Bakarwala”, Mishra stated in the letter adding that the MHA then wrote immediately to the Delhi government asking it not to do so.

According to the MHA, the Foreigners Registration Regional Office had earlier proposed that the illegal migrants be shifted from Rampur Sadan to some other place. It is the Delhi Govt’s home department and social welfare department who proposed that EWS flats in Bakarwala would be made the detention centre.

To note, the Ministry of Home Affairs has repeatedly been asking Delhi and other state governments to initiate deportation proceedings against illegal migrants including the Rohingyas. The MHA on August 18 reiterated its request to take strict action against the Rohingyas under the Foreigners Act, 1946.

Earlier the day, Delhi Dy CM Manish Sisodia alleged that it was the Centre’s conspiracy to rehabilitate Rohingya illegal migrants in Delhi. Demanding a thorough investigation of the case, he said, “The center’s conspiracy regarding rehabilitation of Rohingya in Delhi was exposed yesterday. Neither I nor Delhi CM had any clue about a plan to move Rohingyas to flats earmarked for the economically weaker section in Bakkarwala”.

“We got to know through newspaper reports that a scheme to provide flats to Rohingya was on. I checked with the officers and got to know from them that some meetings had taken place in the presence of central government officers,” Sisodia was quoted.

This is after Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on August 16 tweeted that all the 1100 Rohingya illegal foreigners would be provided with accommodation (EWS flats) and round-the-clock protection. “India has always welcomed those who have sought refuge in the country. In a landmark decision, all Rohingya Refugees will be shifted to EWS flats in the Bakkarwala area of Delhi. They will be provided basic amenities, UNHCR IDs, and round-the-clock Delhi Police protection”, tweeted Puri.

The Ministry of Home Affairs then immediately clarified saying that the Rohingya illegal foreigners will not be given EWS flats in Delhi. “Govt of Delhi proposed to shift the Rohingyas to a new location. Illegal foreigners are to be kept in Detention Centre till their deportation as per law”, the HMO had said. The Ministry had also made it clear that Rohingyas are ‘illegal foreigners’ illegally staying in India, and that they will be deported, not be given refugee status.

MK Gandhi statue outside New York’s Tulsi Mandir vandalised for the second time in two weeks: Details

OpIndia Staff
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MK Gandhi statue outside New York’s Tulsi Mandir vandalised for the second time in two weeks: Details

A statue of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (MK Gandhi) placed outside Shri Tulsi Mandir in South Richmond Hill, located in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Queens, was vandalised on the night of August 16 Tuesday, a second such incident of hate crime in less than two weeks. Incidentally, the same statue was vandalised by unidentified miscreants on August 3, 2022.

The founding pandit of the temple, Lakhram Maharaj, told reporters that a group of five to ten unidentified miscreants, armed with sledgehammers, vandalized the Tulsi Mandir. After vandalising the Gandhi statue, the miscreants spray-painted the word ‘Dog’ both in front of the temple and down the block before fleeing in two cars, a white Mercedes Benz and a darker car, possibly a Toyota Camry that is possibly used as a livery cab, police said.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the vandalism at the Tulsi Mandir last night,” the Cityline Ozone Park Civilian Patrol tweeted. “This is not the first time something like this has happened, and it must stop. We must work together to send a clear message that hate crimes towards any religion will not be tolerated.”

Pandit Maharaj, founder of the Shri Tulsi Mandir in South Richmond Hill, said that the community members are sad and heartbroken after Gandhi’s statue was again vandalized late on Tuesday night. “To see them coming after us like this is very painful,” he told CBS News.

Second vandalistic attack on Gandhi statute in two weeks

Notably, the same statue was vandalised less than two weeks earlier, on August 3, 2022. Then too, some unidentified men had knocked over the statue outside the Shri Tulsi Mandir in Richmond Hill, leaving it to face down on the ground with the hand in pieces and an arm cracked.

Following this incident of hate crime, on August 8 (local time), New York State Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar announced that she would hold a press conference on August 9 with community leaders and elected officials to denounce an alleged hate crime at Shri Tulsi Mandir located in South Richmond Hill. Condemning the incident, she had said that the desecration of Gandhi statues and anti-Hindu hate crimes would not be tolerated in Richmond Hill or anywhere across New York State.

Incidentally, the Shri Tulsi Mandir in New York has previously also been targetted. In 2020, a woman was captured on surveillance video setting fire to a flag outside this same temple in Queens.

The August 3 incident of vandalism, however, came after a previous vandalism incident in New York in July when a giant statue of Gandhi was defaced. According to the York Police, the statue was 5 meters high and placed at the Vishnu Temple on Yonge Street and Garden Avenue. The statue was reportedly defaced with words like “Khalistan” and “rapist”. 

Ousted AIFF President and NCP leader Praful Patel had written to FIFA instigating the international body to boot India out of FIFA: Read details of his letter

OpIndia Staff
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Ousted AIFF President and NCP leader Praful Patel had written to FIFA instigating the international body to boot India out of FIFA: Read details of his letter

At a time when the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup was just two months away, India was not only stripped of the right to host the event, but the All India Football Federation (AIFF) was also suspended with immediate effect on August 16. It has now been revealed that Praful Patel, the former AIFF president and NCP leader, wrote a letter to FIFA instigating the sport’s world body to boot India out of FIFA.

On August 16, Federation International de Football Association (FIFA) suspended the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and cited ‘third party’ intervention as the reason. In the letter written by FIFA, the body had elaborated on how Patel had told FIFA that the Supreme Court’s intervention may be a ‘third-party intervention. The development happened after the Supreme Court of India, in May this year, relieved Praful Patel from the post of AIFF President as he had completed the maximum permitted tenure of 12 years as per the Sports Code.

It has now been revealed that the ousted AIFF chief and NCP leader Praful Patel allegedly wrote a letter to FIFA in May of this year, instigating FIFA to put a ban on India. In the letter, Praful Patel wrote, “Appointment of CoA by the Supreme Court could be prime facie seen as a third-party influence.”

Though Praful Patel wrote that he “requests AFC and FIFA not to impose a suspension at this stage,” his letter provoked FIFA by implying that the Supreme Court decision is contrary to FIFA policy and that the body has a zero-tolerance attitude towards undue third-party interference/influence, and that several Member Associations (Pakistan, Thailand, Indonesia, Kuwait, Maldives, Zimbabwe, Kenya, to name a few) have been suspended to re-establish their autonomy.

Letter Praful Patel wrote to FIFA
Letter Praful Patel wrote to FIFA

The excerpt of the letter written by Praful Patel on May 23, 2022, to FIFA chief Gianni Infantini is as follows:

In my capacity as a FIFA Council member, I would like to bring to your kind attention the below recent developments concerning the AIFF.

On 18 May 2022. the Supreme Court of India issued an order regarding the current governance status of the AWE its elected Executive Committee, term clarification, and the appointment of a Committee of Administrators (“CoA”).

BACKGROUND

The AIFF’s Executive Committee was elected vide elections in December 2016. However, in October 2017. the High Court of Delhi disapproved of the Statutes/constitution of the AIFF and set aside the elections while appointing Mr SY Quarishi as the Ombudsman to manage the affairs or the AWE amend the Statutes, and subsequently, hold fresh elections.

However, the Supreme Court through an interim order dated 10 November 2017, constituted a committee of Administrators (also described as Ombudsmen) for formulating the Statutes of the AWE in consonance with National Sports Council (NSC), model guidelines, while keeping in view the Statutes of the AFC and FIFA so as not to undermine AIFF’. position vis-a-vis the two apex football bodies of which the AIFF is a member, the Ombudsmen were to complete their exercise in eight weeks and present the new Statutes to the Supreme Court for consideration. Unfortunately, it has been more than three years since.

This was not objected to at that point in time by the AFC and/or FIFA as a duty elected body In the form of the Executive Committee would still be in place to manage the affairs of the AIFF and then fresh elections would have been held on schedule under the new Statutes.

WAY FORWARD

Noting that the appointment of the CoA by the Supreme Court could be prima fade interpreted by both the AFC and FIFA as a case of undue third-party influence/judicial interference, I fear that a suspension by the AFC and/or FIFA will automatically prevent India and/or Indian clubs and players from participating in any international competitions, and deprive the AIFF of receiving much-needed development funds at a crucial juncture of development for the game in India.

Any suspension of the AIFF would also jeopardise the upcoming AFC Asian Cup 2021 Qualifiers, which will be hosted by India from 8 June 2022 in the football-loving city of Kolkata and for which all preparations have been completed. Further, the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup is scheduled to be held in three States across India from 11-30 October 2022, the first time ever a FIFA women’s competition will be held in India, and which is widely expected to boost the women’s game in my country.

I would also like to point out that the Supreme Court has expressed a sense of urgency in resolving all the issues by July 2022. I request the AFC and FIFA to not impose a suspension at this stage, but to consider this important aspect of the Supreme Court order and enter into a dialogue with the CoA to receive a commitment that the said timelines laid down by the Supreme Court would be respected and strictly followed without allowing for delays on any account.

I also note that the AFC and FIFA have a zero-tolerance attitude towards undue third-party interference/influence and several Member Associations (Pakistan, Thailand, Indonesia, Kuwait, Maldives, Zimbabwe, Kenya, to name a few) have been suspended to restore their autonomy and that a different standard cannot be applied in the case of the AIFF. I am also cognizant that the aforesaid timelines set by the Supreme Court – though well-meaning and in the interests of an expedited process, – may not be acceptable to the AFC and FIFA.

Further, noting that the draft AIFF Statutes prepared by the Ombudsmen/CoA and circulated to the stakeholders needs to be in alignment with the AFC and FIFA Statutes, it is my duty to request you to expedite your feedback to the same, so that all comments can be tabulated per the Supreme Court order and placed before it by 30 June 2022.

Aside from Praful Patel’s letter to FIFA, two allegedly leaked audio tapes have recently caused quite a stir in both political and administrative circles. The audio, allegedly of a meeting between Praful Patel and at least 7 state football administrators on 6th August sparked a huge controversy. In the audio tapes, a man, purportedly former AIFF chief and National Congress Party (NCP) MP Praful Patel, was heard instructing the people about the ban threatened by FIFA on Indian football.

Since May this year, a lot has happened in the world of Football in India. On August 16, Federation International de Football Association (FIFA) suspended the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and cited ‘third party’ intervention as the reason. This means that the national team and all Indian clubs cannot compete in any international competition. Additionally, India may lose hosting rights for the U-17 World Cup that was to be held in October 2022.

OpIndia recently chronicled a timeline of events to explain what led to the suspension of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and how is NCP leader Praful Patel is related to all this controversy.

Uttar Pradesh: Nafees abducts, sexually assaults 22-year-old Hindu girl in Fatehpur, arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Nafees abducts, sexually assaults 22-year-old Hindu girl in Fatehpur, arrested

On Thursday, the Uttar Pradesh Police arrested a person named Nafees for abducting and sexually assaulting a Hindu girl in Fatehpur. The accused was reportedly in a relationship with the girl and had called her to meet in Fatehpur. He then raped her in the city corner hotel after threatening to kill her. The Police has charged the accused under section 366 and 367 of the Indian Penal Code.

According to the reports, the victim girl is a resident of the Gauriganj area of Amethi district and the accused is a resident of Badagaon. The duo reportedly knew each other. However, the incident is said to have happened on August 16 when the accused deceptively called the girl to Fatehpur and took her to the city corner hotel forcibly. He then raped her and threatened to kill her.

According to the police, the case under section 366, 367 was registered against Nafees as he had forcefully assaulted the victim. The incident came to light when the Police went to the city corner hotel for checking. The victim girl appeared before the Police to reveal the incident. Based on the complaint of the victim woman, the Police booked the accused and arrested him immediately.

Earlier on July 19, the Uttar Pradesh Police had registered a complaint against an auto driver named Rahmat Hasan for forcefully converting a poor woman and her two-year-old child in Ghaziabad. Hasan had posed himself as a Hindu and deceptively married the woman and converted her to Islam. He also circumcised the two-year-old boy and forcefully converted him to Islam.

On July 11, a case in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly was reported that said that a youth named Imran had concealed his religious identity to trap a Hindu woman. He had pressured her to convert to Islam and marry him. Imran also raped her and clicked objectionable pictures of her. He thereafter used the pictures to blackmail her into eating beef forcefully against her will and offer Namaz.

Also, on June 3 this year, Waseem Ansari had become Ravi Sharma to lure a 21-year-old girl from the Baradari area of Rampur, Uttar Pradesh. The girl was sexually assaulted by Ansari who had blackmailed the victim saying that he would upload all her private pictures on social media. The Izzatnagar Police then registered an FIR against the accused.

Karnataka: Islamic groups furious over Ganesh Chaturthi celebration in schools, make a host of demands including ‘religious studies’, demand resignation of education minister

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: Islamic groups furious over Ganesh Chaturthi celebration in schools, make a host of demands including ‘religious studies’, demand resignation of education minister

Muslim organisations have slammed Karnataka State Education Minister BC Nagesh for allowing Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in educational institutions. The Campus Front of India, the student arm of the radical Islamist outfit Popular Front of India (PFI), criticised the minister’s remarks and sought his resignation.

“Education Minister should focus on the development of quality education and infrastructure, not on Communal policies and statements,” the CFI said in a tweet on Thursday.

Shaafi Saadi, head of the Karnataka Waqf Board, questioned the government’s decision and presented many demands to the authorities. He sought a separate room for students to offer namaz on a daily basis, permission to celebrate Muslim festivals, and religious courses to be taught as part of moral education.

This criticism comes after Karnataka State Education Minister BC Nagesh gave the go-ahead to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi in schools, describing it as a non-religious event that brings the nation together. Nagesh made the announcement on Thursday, stating that it has been held in schools even before Independence.

“Schools have complete freedom to celebrate Ganesh Chaturti this year and they can continue to do so just like every year,” Nagesh told reporters at a press conference in Bengaluru.

“Ganeshotsava was started in this country as a weapon of the freedom movement. Before that Ganapati puja was done inside the houses. On the orders of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Ganapati Utsav was started in schools, hostels and public places. It was not started after any government came to power. It was a weapon of the Independence movement. Such practices have been going on for generations and there is no question of stopping it. We have not given any new permission for religious practices,” Nagesh further said.

The Minister stated that educational institutions that previously celebrated Ganesha celebrations may continue to do so, but that other religious activities in schools are not permitted. Given the government’s strict position on religious dress in educational institutions, BC Nagesh’s comment has received criticism.

Karnataka Hijab row

Notably, major controversy erupted in Karnataka in January 2022 after a Udupi school prohibited hijab inside classrooms. Some Muslim girl students, supported by PFI had appealed against this in the Karnataka High Court. On February 25, the court reserved its decision on the case. Protests, allegations, and counter-allegations occurred in response to the hijab ban.

The Karnataka High Court declared on March 15 that wearing a headscarf does not constitute an essential Islamic practice as the petitioners failed to provide evidence in that regard. The Karnataka High Court dismissed all petitions contesting the hijab ban in Karnataka schools and decided that the rules for the uniform dress were fair and that students can not object to respective dress codes mandated by educational institutions.

A Full Bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice Krishna Dixit, and Justice JM Khazi pronounced the decision. The Bench ascertained that the petitioners’ basic rights were not violated by a uniform dress code at educational institutions.

Excise Policy corruption case: CBI raids residence of Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and multiple other locations, all you need to know

OpIndia Staff
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Excise Policy corruption case: CBI raids residence of Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and multiple other locations, all you need to know

On Friday (August 19) morning, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided the residence of Manish Sisodia, who serves as the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi.

Besides Sisodia, the central agency conducted searches in the residence of 3 Aam Aadmi Party officials. CBI had raided more than 20 locations over allegations of corruption in the implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-2022.

While dismissing allegations levelled against him, Manish Sisodia claimed, “CBI had come to our house. They are welcome. We (he and his party leaders) are extremely honest. We are building the future of millions of children.”

He added, “It is very unfortunate that those who do good work in our country are harassed in this manner. That is why our country has not yet become number 1 in the world.”


Amidst the controversy, AAP chief and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has announced that Manish Sisodia is the “best education minister of independent India.”

Allegations of corruption against Manish Sisodia

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 Manish Sisodia.

Virat Hindu Subramanian Swamy heaps praise on Mamata Banerjee, who declared ‘jihad’ against BJP, oversaw post-poll violence

OpIndia Staff
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Virat Hindu Subramanian Swamy heaps praise on Mamata Banerjee, who declared ‘jihad’ against BJP, oversaw post-poll violence

On Thursday (August 18), former Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy met Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata. The author of ‘Virat Hindu Identity: Concept and Its Power’ heaped praise on the West Bengal Chief Minister, despite being aware of her recent anti-Hindu remarks and the plight of the Hindu community during the 2021 post-poll violence.

In a tweet, he remarked, “Today I was in Kolkata and met the charismatic Mamata Banerjee. She is a courageous person. I admired her fight against the CPM in which she decimated the Communists.”

Screengrab of the tweet by Subramanian Swamy

The development comes amidst rumours about Subramanian Swamy, defecting to the Trinamool Congress. Last month, he praised the Trinamool Congress Chief for being an ‘intelligent leader.’ “We have to recognise talent even if we have ideological differences,” he had insisted.

Screengrab of the tweet by Subramanian Swamy

In November last year, he met Mamata Banerjee and compared her with the likes of Jayprakash Narayan, Morarji Desai, Chandrashekhar, Rajiv Gandhi, and P V Narasimha Rao.

Screengrab of the tweet by Subramanian Swamy

Post poll violence and anti-Hindu remarks of Mamata Banerjee

A staunch critic of the Modi dispensation, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy had ignored the anti-Hindu antecedents of the West Bengal Chief Minister out of political convenience. The ‘Virat Hindu’ has compromised on his values to remain under the spotlight and it is not the first time he seems to be changing his ideology either.

Mamata Banerjee had courted controversy in May this year after she was heard saying, “Hum Kafir nahin hai“. While addressing a crowd on the occasion of Eid, she said, “Let them do what they want. We are not scared. We are not cowards. We are not ‘Kafir’.”

“We fight. We know how to fight. We will fight against them. We will finish them,” she continued. Netizens were in disbelief as the video went viral. Many expressed their concern over a sitting CM using the word in a public address, given that it is often used by Islamists to dehumanise non-Muslims.

Recently, she called for a ‘jihad’ against the BJP, a radical Islamist term that calls for the annihilation of the disbelievers of Allah. Mamata Banerjee later defended her remark by claiming that it meant ‘strong protest’ in Banga.

Under her leadership, goons associated with the Trinamool Congress wreaked havoc on Hindu BJP workers in the aftermath of the 2021 West Bengal Vidhan Sabha polls.

In a statement, Hindu rights outfit Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) said, ” “More than 3500 villages and over 40-thousand Hindus, including our SC & ST brethren in great numbers, are badly affected by the violence.”

It pointed out how shops, houses, and crops belonging to Hindus were systematically destroyed in the post-poll violence. VHP highlighted that unspeakable atrocities were committed against women in the State.

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