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Pahalgam terror attack: US Govt designates Pakistani terror group Laskhar’s offshoot TRF a ‘foreign terrorist organisation’

OpIndia Staff
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Pahalgam terror attack: US Govt designates Pakistani terror group Laskhar’s offshoot TRF a ‘foreign terrorist organisation’

US Department of State on Thursday (local time) designated The Resistance Front (TRF), the offshoot of Pakistani Islamic terror group Laskar-e-Taiba (LeT) behind the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, as a terrorist organisation.

In a statement issued by the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the statement acknowledged the fact that the organisation claimed responsibility for the April 22  Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir which claimed the lives of 26 civilians.

The US therefore, accorded the TRF as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).

“Today, the Department of State is adding The Resistance Front (TRF) as a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). TRF, a Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) front and proxy, claimed responsibility for the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam attack which killed 26 civilians. This was the deadliest attack on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks conducted by LeT. TRF has also claimed responsibility for several attacks against Indian security forces, including most recently in 2024,” the statement read.

The statement said that this action demonstrated the US President Donald Trump administration’s commitment of countering terrorism.

“These actions taken by the Department of State demonstrates the Trump Administration’s commitment to protecting our national security interests, countering terrorism, and enforcing President Trump’s call for justice for the Pahalgam attack,” the statement said.

“TRF and other associated aliases have been added to LeT’s designation as a FTO and SDGT pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, respectively. The Department of State has also reviewed and maintained the FTO designation of LeT. Amendments to FTO designations go into effect upon publication in the Federal Register,” the statement added.

Jaishankar calls for uncompromising stand against terrorism at SCO

Earlier on Tuesday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stressed the importance of taking an uncompromising stance against terrorism, citing the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack in India, which was condemned by the UN Security Council.

The Minister was speakting at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting in Tianjin. He highlighted three evils – terrorism, separatism and extremism, which often occur together in his X post.

Jaishankar said, “Recently, we in India witnessed a graphic example in the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on 22 April 2025. It was deliberately conducted to undermine the tourism economy of Jammu and Kashmir, while sowing a religious divide. The UN Security Council, of which some of us are currently members, issued a statement that condemned it in the strongest terms and “underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of this reprehensible act of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice”. We have since done exactly that and will continue doing so. It is imperative that the SCO, to remain true to its founding objectives, take an uncompromising position on this challenge.”

The Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor

On 22nd April 2025, the Islamic terrorists belonging to LeT offshoot The Resistance Front (TRF) invaded the Baisaran Valley in Pahalgam, separating Hindu tourists from muslims and executing 26 civilians (25 tourists, 1 local) at point-blank range. In its investigation the National Investigation Agency emphasised that this “selective killing based on religious identity” marked it as a calculated act of communal terror. The Pahalgam attack triggered Opration Sindoor (May 7) – India’s precision airstrikes destroying 9 terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and killing over 100 terrorists. Subsequent strikes on Pakistan’s Noor Khan airbase forced Islamabad to seek a ceasefire on May 10. India has warned of “more severe responses” to future provocations.

(With inputs from ANI)

ECI exposes Rahul Gandhi and opposition leaders for fake claims of voter fraud in Bihar through SIR, debunks Ajit Anjum’s viral video as misinformation

OpIndia Staff
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ECI exposes Rahul Gandhi and opposition leaders for fake claims of voter fraud in Bihar through SIR, debunks Ajit Anjum’s viral video as misinformation

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday, 17th July, busted fake claims made by opposition leaders, including Gandhi scion Rahul Gandhi, Congress party leaders Supriya Shrinate, Pawan Khera, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, and others about the commission allowing the BJP to dominate the revision of the voter list in Bihar.

The controversy erupted with Ajit Anjum’s video, which purportedly showed Booth Level Officers (BLOs) signing on behalf of voters during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Patna. The video was shared by several politicians, including Rahul Gandhi, Pawan Khera, Supriya Shrinate, Tejashwi Yadav, and others to claim that the voter list in Bihar was tweaked to benefit the ruling dispensation.

Taking to X, Rahul Gandhi claimed that the Election Commission was caught red-handed stealing votes in the name of ‘SIR’.

But the Election Commission of India was quick to rebut the claims, stating that the suppositions made in the video shared by Rahul Gandhi are false. It also shared a post detailing a comprehensive inquiry undertaken after the video had gone viral.

The Election Commission also called out Congress, Supriya Shrinate, and Pawan Khera for amplifying false claims made in the video.

Source: X

The Election Commission also hit back at Tejashwi Yadav’s claims, firmly rejecting the allegations of voter fraud.

Source: X

Even propagandists masquerading as ‘journalists’ weren’t spared from being held to account by the Election Commission. The ECI fact-checked Abhisar Sharma for spreading fake claims about the SIR in Bihar.

Source: X

Patna District administration debunks viral video claims by Ajit Anjum; confirms no misconduct by BLOs

The ECI shared a detailed post uploaded by Patna District Administration, debunking the false claims made by opposition parties and leaders about the SIR process in Bihar.

The Patna District Administration has categorically rejected the allegations made in a viral video shared by YouTuber Ajit Anjum, which claimed that government-appointed Booth Level Officers (BLOs) were improperly filling voter forms during the electoral roll revision in Bihar. According to the official press note and supporting documents released by the administration, the accusations are baseless and misleading.

A high-level inquiry committee, comprising senior officials including the Additional Development Commissioner and the Additional District Magistrate (Law and Order), was promptly constituted to investigate the matter. The probe focused on the BLOs featured in the video and covered multiple booths, notably Booth Nos. 226, 224, 257, 25, and 260. All the BLOs concerned were thoroughly questioned, and the documents shown in the video were carefully reviewed.

The investigation confirmed that no evidence was found of BLOs signing or submitting voter forms on behalf of active voters. The committee clarified that the entries and signatures visible in the video related only to voters marked as ‘Dead’ or ‘Shifted’, which are categories routinely addressed during door-to-door voter verification. These are legitimate actions permitted under the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) standard operating procedures.

The video also identified a woman allegedly committing irregularities; she was confirmed to be Kavita Kumari, the officially appointed BLO for Booth No. 156 in Darbhanga. She was found to be performing her duties in strict adherence to the prescribed voter verification process. Of the 878 voters in her jurisdiction, 725 entries had already been uploaded well before the video surfaced. At no point did she or any other BLO submit forms on behalf of eligible or living voters.

The committee further stated that the lists shown in the viral video had already been digitally uploaded before the video was recorded. Every action taken by the BLOs was duly documented, and their fieldwork was part of the normal electoral roll revision process mandated by the ECI.

In its closing remarks, the Patna administration warned against spreading half-truths or unverified content, noting that such videos could mislead voters and erode public trust in democratic institutions. It urged journalists, media houses, and social media influencers to act responsibly and verify facts before making sensational claims.

The administration has warned against spreading misinformation without verification and called for public vigilance. It emphasized that some YouTubers and journalists were pushing misleading narratives without checking facts, thereby eroding public trust in electoral processes.

The district authorities urged political parties to work in coordination and reminded all stakeholders that BLOs are required to verify the lists submitted by party-appointed BLAs to ensure transparency and accuracy. The entire episode, officials say, is an attempt to politicize routine electoral work.

SIR exercise in Bihar

The SIR is being conducted in Bihar to sanitise and revise the voters’ lists for the upcoming assembly elections in the state. This kind of intensive revision occurred in the state for the last time in 2003. Due to changes such as urban migration, fatalities, new young voters, and the problem of illegal immigrants, a new verification became necessary. 

BLOs have been designated to go to houses and ensure the rolls are correct. The objective is straightforward: to register all legitimate voters, eliminate illegitimate ones, and maintain transparency in the procedure.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited receives first set of wing assemblies for Light Combat Aircraft Mk1A made by Larsen and Toubro

ANI
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Hindustan Aeronautics Limited receives first set of wing assemblies for Light Combat Aircraft Mk1A made by Larsen and Toubro

The first set of wing assemblies for Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A, produced by Larsen and Toubro, was handed over to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu on Thursday, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar attended the event virtually as General Manager (LCA Tejas Division) M Abdul Salam received the assemblies on behalf of HAL from Precision Manufacturing and Systems Complex unit of L&T.

In his address, the Secretary (Defence Production) commended the efforts of HAL and L&T towards achieving self-reliance.

He hailed HAL for spearheading collaboration with different private sector partners, nurturing them and ensuring enhanced capability.

He expressed confidence in meeting the requirement of the production target for LCA Tejas. He called for expanding horizons and focusing on reducing dependency on other countries.

CMD, HAL, DK Sunil, who was present during the handing over, termed it as a testament to years of dedicated hand-holding and a shared commitment to excellence from HAL and L&T.

“HAL is working with suppliers, both large and SMEs, as an initiative towards achieving Aatmanirbharta in the aerospace and defence sector. HAL has effectively built a parallel aircraft structural assembly line in the private sector which will help in capacity augmentation of the LCA Tejas programme,” he said.

Senior Vice President and Head, L&T Precision Engineering and Systems Arun Ramchandani said L&T is set to supply four wing sets annually, with plans to scale up production to 12 sets per annum through advanced assembly processes and automation, he added.

Till date, the LCA Tejas Division has received structural modules of Air Intake Assemblies from Lakshmi Machine Works, Rear fuselage assembly from Alpha Tocol, Loom Assemblies from Amphenol, Fin and Rudder Assemblies from Tata Advanced Systems, Centre Fuselage Assembly from VEM Technologies and Wing Assemblies from Larsen and Toubro for the LCA Mk1A.

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

From giving HIV-infected injections to assault: 10 cases of forced conversion of Hindu transgenders by Muslim transgenders from different states of India

पूजा राणा
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From giving HIV-infected injections to assault: 10 cases of forced conversion of Hindu transgenders by Muslim transgenders from different states of India

A troubling case of forced conversion transpired in Indore of Madhya Pradesh where Hindu transgenders charged their Muslim peers with pushing them to embrace Islam and stated that they were given injections infected with HIV after they refused to comply. As a result, 60 transgenders contracted HIV.

Hindu transgender leader Sakina Guru took the names of Seema Haji also known as Farzana and Payal alias Naeem Ansari as the prime accused. Out of fear, many Hindu transgenders have become Muslims. Those who remained steadfast in their faith and refused to submit have been subjected to HIV-infected injections. Currently, over 100 such victims are present in Indore.

A formal complaint was submitted to the Chief Justice of India, the Prime Minister’s Office, the Chief Minister’s Office, the District Magistrate and the Police Commissioner.Afterward,, a Special Investigation Team had been established to look into the matter. However, this is not the first instance as over the years, numerous cases have emerged where Muslim transgenders pressurised Hindu members of the community to convert. These instances have been reported from states such as Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh.

Threats of social exclusion

Muslim transgenders intimidated Hindu transgenders to convert to Islam in the Sakri region of Bilaspur district, Chhattisgarh. The victim, Asma disclosed that Raja exerts pressure on them to provide sandalwood and impose charges ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 19,000 for the service. She added that failure to comply results in threats of social ostracism, including physical harm perpetrated by hired thugs. On 6th May, a formal complaint was lodged with the Superintendent of Police regarding the matter.

Assault for conversion

A Muslim transgender compelled Sita, also known as Sapna, to convert to Islam in Kesorpur village of Bibinagar area of Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh. She unveiled that her ustad (leader/teacher) forcibly kept her hostage inside a room and assaulted her after she declined to embrace Islam. She managed to escape from her captor and subsequently filed a First Information Report (FIR) with the police.

Dalit Hindu transgender thrashed brutally

Dalit Hindu transgender Muskan filed a complaint with the police concerning the attempts to convert her and a violent assault. The incident occurred in the jurisdiction of the Mansurpur police station in Muzaffarnagar. She charged that Preeti, Kaushar Ali and Guddu severely thrashed her for refusing to embrace Islam. Additionally, she was obstructed from performing puja-paath. She added that Kaushar Ali introduces himself as Geeta. Preeti, although a Muslim, has a Hindu name. She informed that Preeti was a man who became a transgender following surgery.

Death threats and pressure to become Muslim

A Hindu transgender complained to the authorities that she was being pressured to convert to Islam in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore.. The majority of the transgenders reside in Nandlalpur, an area predominantly inhabited by Muslims and the victim was also forced to live there and participate in namaz. The perpetrators broke into her residence and threatened to kill her upon her refusal. She was even barred from conducting puja-paath.

Pressure on Hindu transgenders to convert, temple removed

Muslim transgenders exerted pressure on Hindu peers to embrace Islam by dismantling a temple, in Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur. The latter stated that the accused were roaming in the area, trying to indoctrinate others to convert. The victims then alerted Hindu organizations regarding the matter. The police filed a case against four Muslim transgenders based on the complaint.

Hindu transgenders forced to eat meat and read namaz

Hindu transgenders in the Civil Lines police station vicinity reported that Muslim transgenders summoned thugs to assault them, in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. They pressured the victims to consume meat and perform namaz. Furthermore, they entered Hindu neighborhoods to collect funds. A violent confrontation erupted between the two sides amidst the chaos. The cops rushed to the scene and diffused the tension. An FIR was also launched by them.

Muslim cleric converted Hindu transgender

A transgender was converted by his peer with the assistance of a Maulana (Muslim cleric). The mother of the victim went to the Georgetown police station to file a complaint against the accused. She stated that her child, Pankaj was forcibly made to consume inappropriate substances and was subjected to physical abuse. She revealed that the cleric at Patthar Gali converted her to Islam at the behest of other transgenders.

Eat beef, accept Islam or leave

Hindu transgenders faced pressure to convert to Islam in the Jundla Gharaunda region of Karnal, Haryana. When they protested, they were threatened with expulsion from the houses. They were made to eat beef and other meat. Transgender Jyoti reported that the Muslim transgenders, Abdu Kar Rehman and Abdul Karim also known as Lallu, forcefully entered her residence and verbally assaulted her and her teacher.

Pressure on Hindu transgenders to change religion

Hindu transgenders in the Sector-16 area of Haryana’s Faridabad endured pressure to convert. The victims, Kumkum, Sapna, Radhika, Somya, Saloni and Lovely reported that Guddu, another transgender embraced Islam after which she had been exerting pressure on other Hindu transgenders to follow suit. The Hindus requested protection from the police authorities.

Read the report in Hindi here.

Kerala govt allows euthanasia of stray dogs with diseases as rabies cases across the state cause concern

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala govt allows euthanasia of stray dogs with diseases as rabies cases across the state cause concern

In Kerala, the state government has allowed local bodies to conduct euthanasia of diseased stray dogs in accordance with the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Animal Husbandry Practices and Procedures) Rules 2023.

On 16th July, Minister for Local Self Governments M.B. Rajesh and Minister for Animal Husbandry J. Chinchurani announced this decision after holding a high-level cabinet meeting in view of the surge in cases of stray dog bites and deaths due to rabies.

According to the Section 8 of Animal Husbandry Rules, the euthanasia of an animal can be carried out when the Union government or the State government finds any animal which is so diseased that it can spread the disease, in order to control such diseases.

Minister Rajesh said that since the Animal Birth Control (ABC) rules do not allow euthanasia, the government relied on the Animal Husbandry Rules for allowing euthanasia of diseased stray dogs.

“The State government will again request the Union government to amend the ABC rules as it slows down the progress of ABC activities. Another challenge is the opposition from the local population against opening ABC centres. The government will take action related to obstructing public servants in discharge of public functions against those who try to impede the functioning of ABC units,” the minister said.

The Animal Husbandry Department will deploy eight ABC machines. In the next two months, the Local Self Government Department will deploy ABC machines in 152 block panchayats in Kerala.

In recent times, there has been a significant rise in the cases of rabies-caused deaths across the country. Notably, Rabies is a viral zoonosis spread most often by dogs. It is transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal, typically via a bite or a scratch. There is no cure for rabies once the patient starts exhibiting clinical symptoms, and death is 100% certain within a few days. Even minor exposure can be deadly.

While the government data show only dozens of confirmed deaths each year, for example, 21 deaths in 2022 and 54 in 2024, WHO and independent studies estimate roughly 18,000 to 20,000 deaths in India by rabies. Notably, WHO’s numbers match a 2006 press release of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Opindia is doing a series (link) on stray dog menace, existing laws, their implications and how India can tackle this issue.

The unheard screams: First Yazidi genocide, now Druze facing annihilation in Syria’s killing fields, how many minorities have to go extinct before the world takes notice

Balendu Singh Angad
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The unheard screams: First Yazidi genocide, now Druze facing annihilation in Syria’s killing fields, how many minorities have to go extinct before the world takes notice

The moustache was sacred, a symbol of faith and identity for generations of Druze men. So when the masked fighters pinned down Sheikh Kamal in Suwayda, Syria, and shaved his face raw with a rusty blade last week, they weren’t just humiliating an 80-year-old cleric, they were erasing a people. His whimpers, captured on a terrorist’s phone and gleefully shared online, echoed a horror Yazidi survivors know too well—a horror the world vowed “Never Again” to ignore. Yet here we are, again!

The Ghosts of sinjar: A prologue to suffering

Eleven years ago this August, Islamic State terrorists descended on Sinjar, northern Iraq. Their mission: Exterminate the Yazidis, an ancient ethno-religious community they deemed “infidels.” Men were executed en masse, dumped in over 80 unmarked graves. Women and girls, some as young as nine, were sold in slave markets.

“ISIS captured us when we were trying to reach Sinjar Mountain. At the beginning, they only separated my father from us in Sinjar. They did not take me from my mother because I was only 14 at that time. Then, they took us from Sinjar to Til-Afar. Life was so bad there. We did not have enough food or good shelter. After 8 months, they separated us from each other. They sold me more than 10 times to different people,” Badyra, 24, narrated.

The numbers still steal breathing as 5000+ Yazidi men and older women were slaughtered, 6,000+ women and children were enslaved, 2,800+ are still missing, likely in graves or bondage, 400,000+ displaced in squalid camps, forgotten. Today, mass graves pepper Sinjar like open wounds. Reconstruction is paralysed by political feuds. Survivors battle trauma without therapy, justice without courts. “We have been forgotten,” whispers Bahar, 32, in a Duhok displacement camp. The world moved on. ISIS didn’t.

Damascus 2025: The Druze crucible

Now, history convulses in Syria’s south. Since Sunday, Suwayda, a Druze heartland, has been drowned in blood. Bedouin tribes, backed by Syria’s new regime, clash with Druze militias. The spark? A robbery. The Tinder? Sectarian hate was stoked by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, an Al-Qaeda warlord who rebranded himself in a suit.

In an exhibition of atrocity, Government-aligned forces stormed a Radwan family wedding hall on Tuesday (15th July), murdering 15 unarmed guests. “I lost nine close friends… They shot them like dogs,” Maan Radwan told the Guardian from London. Videos show bodies splayed in blood-pooled rooms. Snipers now pick off civilians daring to retrieve corpses.  

To eradicate their culture, Druze moustaches, religious symbols are forcibly shaved. Clerics are tortured. Homes are torched to chants of “Swine!” As of Wednesday, 250+ lie dead, including 21 executed “field-style”. “No electricity, water, or internet. Landlines dead. We’re caged with killers,” Fadi Hamdan, a Suwayda carpenter, told CNN. Hospitals overflow; surgeons operate by phone-light on neighbours they recognise.

The World’s silence: A chorus of complicity

As tanks rolled into Suwayda, global reactions ranged from muted to morally bankrupt. Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres issued a statement “condemning violence”, a hollow echo as social media filled with videos of Druze elders begging for rescue. While the European Union offered “concern” while accepting Jolani’s “moderate” rebrand. The EU gifted his regime $235 million in February blood money for suits, not salvation. 

Apart from that, during the Biden administration, US has already sent $1.2 billion to Syria after Jolani took power. In March, Jolani’s forces slaughtered minorities with ISIS-level brutality. A commander ordered troops: “Do not leave alive any Alawite… Slaughter them all, including children in bed.” Yet headlines yawned. Again.

Why Israel strikes: The unspoken fear

Wednesday (16th July), Israeli air raids on Damascus, collapsing the Defence Ministry, shaking the presidential palace—weren’t mere geopolitics. They were a scream into the void that “We see you. We remember.” 

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz vowed “painful blows” until Syria withdraws from Druze areas.

“The Jews know they’re next,” says Moshe Levi, a Golan Heights Druze teacher. “Who wiped out Yazidis? Islamists. Who slaughters Druze? An ex-Al-Qaeda regime. Who’s left? Us.” When Netanyahu pleaded with Israeli Druze not to cross into Syria (“You’ll be murdered or taken hostage!”), It wasn’t just strategy, it was recognition of shared peril.  

Israel’s critics decry “violations of sovereignty.” But what sovereignty exists in a nation led by a terrorist who films himself burning Druze holy images? “Europeans flocked to shake Jolani’s hand,” scoffed Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. “But jihadists remain jihadists—even in suits”.

The recurring nightmare: The numbers of tear

During the years between 2014-2019, ISIS killed 5000+, displacing and enslaving 400,000+, with 2800 still missing, their fates buried in mass graves or hidden in bondage, met with global indifference. Then, this March, Alawites and Christians fell to the knives of Jolani’s rebranded terror regime: 7,000 butchered in Latakia, tens of thousands purged from their homes—a massacre answered only by empty condemnations.

Now, as you read this, the Druze bleed in Suwayda. Since Sunday, 250 souls and counting have been executed, mutilated, or burned alive by Jolani’s forces. Their ancient heartland is besieged, their holy symbols desecrated, while the world offers silence. Only Israel dares act—launching solitary airstrikes on Damascus—as the pattern screams truth: Minorities are exterminated one by one, while “Never Again” becomes “Not Our Problem”.

Epilogue: The clock ticks for us all

As Syria “withdraws” troops under Israeli fire a temporary ceasefire brokered by U.S. pressure—the pattern chills: Genocide thrives where empathy dies. First Yazidis. Now Druze. Alawites. Christians. When minorities fall like dominoes while the world drafts “concerned” statements, the only question left is “Who’s next?”

Lured using Hindu name, attempt to sell in Saudi Arabia and conversion to Islam, gangraped on refusal: How a Karnataka woman was trapped by Jalaluddin’s conversion racket

OpIndia Staff
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Lured using Hindu name, attempt to sell in Saudi Arabia and conversion to Islam, gangraped on refusal: How a Karnataka woman was trapped by Jalaluddin’s conversion racket

New cases are coming to light every day related to the Balrampur Islamic conversion racket run by Jalaluddin alias Chhangur Baba in Uttar Pradesh. In a disturbing case that reveals a spreading trend of forced conversion, a Karnataka woman has exposed gruesome details of how she was lured, entrapped, and exploited in an intensely sinister religious conversion racket running from India to Saudi Arabia. The woman, Rashmi (changed name), recalled her horrible experience on a phone call with Aaj Tak, narrating the trauma, falsehood, and abuse she suffered for years.

Her journey starts in late 2019, just after the passing away of her only family, her older brother. Vulnerable and alone, she was contacted on Instagram by a person named “Raju Rathore.” At first, she did not give him any attention. But soon, a lady presenting herself as Raju’s sister-in-law began chatting with her, assuring her that Raju was reliable and seriously interested in her.

He introduced himself as a Rajput Hindu and posed with images of Hindu deities as his profile pictures. Gradually, a friendship developed, and ultimately, Raju offered her his hand in marriage. His so-called sister-in-law told her that they would be Rashmi’s new family because she no longer had anyone.

Raju, who was allegedly employed in Saudi Arabia, invited Rashmi to go there, stating that she could try her luck there for a job. A forged Aadhaar card and passport under a different identity were procured for her, although the photograph used for the documents was hers. Since she had never been abroad before and had no one to show her the way, Rashmi relied on the process. She even sold the house and beauty parlour in Karnataka to finance her new life.

When she reached Delhi, she saw Raju’s so-called sister-in-law and father, who took her to the airport. A man who took her along to Saudi Arabia told her about flight protocols and remained with her on the flight. She felt accepted, even loved. Within a matter of hours, she had begun to construct a new life.

Rashmi first met Raju at the Saudi airport. Everything appeared normal. He appeared Hindu, spoke in a familiar tone, and tended to refer to Hindu gods. Yet, just after entering the car, he made an odd telephone call, uttering, “The package has arrived.” Later on, she found out that “package” meant Indian girls being trafficked.

Rashmi was brought to a hired two-room residence in an area she remembers being referred to as something like “Al-Badiha.” There, before strangers, Raju fastened a mangalsutra around her neck and put sindoor in her hair, mimicking her marriage. Several hours later, he called someone saying, “Rashmi is ready to convert.”

She was shocked, and she asked him what he meant. He then told her that his real name was Wasim, and he wished she should convert to Islam and rename herself Ayesha. When she refused, abuse started. She was beaten and raped for three days. He locked her up in the room when he left home, and even confiscated her telephone.

Three days passed, and a man named Badr Akhtar Siddiqui visited the house. He greeted her warmly and talked about the ‘truth’ of their religion. However, when Rashmi asked him a few questions, he got angry and talked to Wasim. She heard them saying that Wasim had been paid Rs 15 lakh by the operator of the Balrampur Islamic conversion racket, Jalaluddin alias Chhangur Baba, for bringing her to Saudi Arabia.

Persuasion failed, so Wasim went darker. Wasim took a video of himself raping Rashmi and blackmailed her with it. She remained terrorised for three months, living in this hell. After her tourist visa’s term ran out, Wasim sent her back to India but held the video hostage.

In Karnataka, Rashmi attempted to restart her life, taking a small accommodation on rent and working at beauty parlours. But Wasim and his family kept their eyes on her, calling her over and over and threatening her. She switched jobs several times. From Saharanpur, individuals started calling, asking for money for all sorts of false reasons.

More than two and a half years went by in this manner, with Rashmi being trapped. Fear of her explicit video going viral stopped her from taking her life, even when life became too tough. She finally approached the police with a complaint in Karnataka. But soon she received threats, asking her to reach Saharanpur.

In May 2024, she went to Saharanpur, where the woman whom she had referred to as ‘bhabhi’ was Wasim’s actual wife. She was kidnapped a second time by an entire family. She was threatened and beaten, attempting to convert her. She begged, telling them she was a Hindu and even promised to teach them Hanuman Chalisa. They were furious at this and increased the beatings.

She attempted to get assistance from local police, but everybody was on the same page. She was invariably brought back to Wasim’s residence whenever she tried running away, quite frequently by the police themselves. They had received money from Chhangur Baba, the mastermind behind the Balarampur Islamic conversion racket, to make sure that she got converted.

In December 2024, it reached a new low. After endless threats and manipulations, she was forced to eat beef and beaten when she wouldn’t touch it. The following day, while shopping in town, she was kidnapped by 12-14 men, gagged, tied, and gang-raped.

One of Wasim’s so-called uncles also made videos of the assault. She was tortured using cigarette burns, belts, knives, bricks, and the like. Throughout, they abused her religion. That is where she was led to Chhangur Baba’s den.

Rather than assisting her, Chhangur was enraged that her face had been hit. “Who will purchase her now?” he supposedly remarked. He ordered that her wounds be treated and spiritual healing done. He placed a taweez around her neck.

She was then hospitalised with a different identity. After discharge, she was again imprisoned. With fractured bones and innumerable injuries, she managed to escape and arrived at a court nearby, where she met the members of an organisation. They introduced her to Gopal Rai, who is the President of the Vishwa Hindu Raksha Parishad.

On June 3, a ‘shuddhikaran’ was conducted for her in Lucknow, along with 15 other victims of Jalaluddin’s racket. Last week, Jalaluddin was arrested. But Rashmi asserts that his people are still around and following her.

She has been allotted a single room in the Saharanpur house where she was once imprisoned. The room has no kitchen, no toilet. The rest of the house is locked and empty. No electricity supply reaches her room after Jalaluddin’s arrest.

To survive, Rashmi goes door-to-door offering beauty services. But she is still harassed. The rapists loiter around her. Some blow cigarette smoke at her; others make obscene gestures. She keeps receiving threats from different phone numbers.

“I was an orphan. The dream of a family is what made me lose everything,” Rashmi says.

Now, she fears every day. Not only to be assaulted once more, but also of things from her past coming back to ruin whatever little harmony she was able to reconstruct.

Assam: Muslim mob attacks police team during eviction drive in Paikan Reserve Forest; 1 killed and several injured after police retaliate

OpIndia Staff
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Assam: Muslim mob attacks police team during eviction drive in Paikan Reserve Forest; 1 killed and several injured after police retaliate

On Thursday morning, 17th July, in Paikan Reserve Forest under Krishnai Range of Goalpara district, an eviction drive led by the Assam Police and the forest department came under attack for clearing encroachments. Police opened fire, resulting in one person dying and the other getting seriously injured.

According to the sources, the clash erupted when a large group of Muslims who illegally occupied the government land attacked the eviction team. Eyewitness accounts and video footage from the scene show Muslim residents pelting stones at the eviction team and attacking an excavator used in the operation. In an act of self-defence, police opened fire upon the mob. One person died and the other sustained injuries. At least 10 from the team of forest and police personnel have also been injured, officials said.

The eviction was part of the state government’s initiative to reclaim over 140 hectares of encroached land within the Paikan Reserve Forest. The encroached areas include the densely populated areas of Bidyapara and Betbari, where 1,080 families of East Pakistan/Bangladesh-origin Muslim immigrants have reportedly been living for years without valid land documents.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has issued a stern warning, saying, “Once the eviction is completed, we plan to undertake afforestation in the cleared areas. Anyone attacking police personnel will face legal consequences. Our aim in Paikan is to reclaim forest land and restore it to its natural state”.

Madhya Pradesh govt spent 10 Crores on Hindi medium MBBS, books found using English terms, zero students appeared for exams in Hindi

Chandrani Das
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Madhya Pradesh govt spent 10 Crores on Hindi medium MBBS, books found using English terms, zero students appeared for exams in Hindi

On October 12, 2022, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and then CM Shivraj Chouhan introduced the Hindi medium MBBS course in Madhya Pradesh, marking it as a major step towards making medical education more inclusive for Hindi-speaking students. However, nearly three years later, the ambitious project seems to have failed to find any acceptance among the students.

Not a single MBBS student from the Hindi-medium MBBS course in the state has appeared for the exam in Hindi, according to a Dainik Bhaskar report. The government have spent Rs 10 crore on printing medical textbooks in Hindi. The initiative that was intended to benefit students from Hindi medium backgrounds has failed to make any significant impact.

Students from various medical colleges told Dainik Bhaskar that they prefer studying and writing exams in English. The reasons are largely tied to better career prospects and the standard practices within the medical profession.

A social media user asked whether the 10 crores would have been better utilised in improving college and hostel infrastructure.

Dr. Aruna Kumar, Dean of Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal, stated that teaching methods have not significantly changed since the introduction of the Hindi curriculum. Although teachers are encouraged to use Hindi language to communicate during lectures, English remains the dominant language for reading and writing for medicos. From July 12, medical college admissions for the new academic year will begin.

What students faced?

The Bhaskar report quoted Ankit Pandey, from Sidhi district, who joined a government medical college in 2022 after completing Class 12 and NEET in Hindi. Initially apprehensive about studying in English, Ankit was relieved to find Hindi textbooks and teachers communicating in Hindi during lectures. However, he soon discovered that lecture slides and reference material were in English.

“When I started reading, I realised the Hindi textbooks were just transliteration, all the medical terms were still in English, simply written in Hindi script,” he says. Eventually, he shifted to English textbooks entirely and has written all his exams in English over the past three years.

In another case, Muskan Prajapati, a third-year student at Gandhi Medical College, explains that the Hindi and English textbooks are nearly similar. “They haven’t translated the medical terms. ‘Liver’ is still written as ‘liver,’ not ‘yakrit’; ‘limb’ is still ‘limb,’” she says. She adds that medical terminology is so embedded in English that they refer to Hindi books only when something in the English version isn’t clear. All notes and exams are in English, which they find more convenient.

The registrar of Madhya Pradesh Medical Science University confirmed that all government medical colleges in the state now offer MBBS in Hindi. When asked how many students had written their exams in Hindi over the last three years, he said, “Not a single one.” Despite the availability of Hindi textbooks and bilingual question papers, students prefer English.

He also noted that, until now, students weren’t even given an option to choose the exam language in application forms. English was the default language. Even when the Hindi curriculum was launched, there was no formal provision for language choice. While students were allowed to write in either Hindi or English, they consistently chose English.

Government incentive plan for choosing Hindi

To promote the use of Hindi, the Madhya Pradesh government has announced a 50% discount on examination fees for students opting to write exams in Hindi. The average MBBS exam fee in government colleges is ₹6,000. Additionally, those who rank high in graduation or post-graduation will receive cash rewards. Madhya Pradesh is the first state in India to offer such incentives to promote Hindi in medical education.

Challenges on Hindi language implication

On July 2, members of the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language visited Gandhi Medical College to assess the challenges of implementing the Hindi MBBS curriculum. Committee convener and MP Ujjwal Singh Raman told Dainik Bhaskar that they were evaluating whether this model could be replicated in other states. “We found that students from Hindi medium backgrounds do use these books, but English-medium students show little interest. Only 10–15% of MBBS seats are filled by Hindi medium students,” he said.

When asked whether Hindi could be introduced at the postgraduate and research levels, he replied that the current focus is solely on the MBBS program. Introducing Hindi in PG and research will be a gradual process.

Despite the government’s push for Hindi in medical education, students continue to rely heavily on English for study and exams. The gap between the intent of inclusivity and the practical demands of the medical profession suggests that language reform in technical education requires more than just transliterated textbooks. More importantly, the intent behind such experiments with taxpayer money has to be based on actual demand and necessity of students, not mere righteous opinions of individuals or headline chasing.

Previous experiment to offer Engineering courses in Hindi has also failed

This isn’t an isolated case of the government attempting to push Hindi in professional education as a student friendly policy, and students rejecting it. Madhya Pradesh first introduced Hindi in engineering education. However, similar feedback has emerged, students showed little interest in pursuing engineering courses in Hindi.

At Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), Bhopal, only a handful of students opted to study engineering in Hindi. MANIT Director Professor K.K. Shukla stated that students are generally not inclined toward engineering in Hindi.

In the 2022-23 academic session, 1,200 students were admitted to engineering courses at MANIT, of which just 150 chose the Hindi medium. However, many of them either dropped out or left the institute. After a year into the 4-year course, just 27 students were left in Hindi medium, a report by NavBharat Times found.

In the next session, only 89 students enrolled for the Hindi-medium courses in BTech Engineering and Diploma.

Are these policies rooted in practicality?

Even though political leaders claim that offering professional courses in Hindi will “help” students, the reality tells a different story. These appear more like appeasement experiments rather than initiatives aligned with the actual academic and career needs of students.

The core issue lies in the mismatch between policy and practicality. In fields like medicine and engineering, where global standards, research papers, terminologies, and career opportunities are overwhelmingly rooted in English, students naturally gravitate towards English-medium education, regardless of their background. As a result, these Hindi-medium initiatives tend to fall short of their goals, with students ultimately reverting to English for better understanding, competitiveness, and future prospects.

UK: Labour government plans to lower the voting age from 18 to 16 ahead of the next general elections

OpIndia Staff
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UK: Labour government plans to lower the voting age from 18 to 16 ahead of the next general elections

In a major electoral change, the UK government is set to reduce the voting age from 18 to 16 by the next general election. The Labour government announced the decision to alter the voting age on Thursday (17th July).

Justifying his government’s decision, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that many 16 and 17-year-olds work and pay taxes, and therefore, they should have a say in how their tax money is spent.

“Today, we’re delivering on our promise to give 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote. Young people already contribute to society by working, paying taxes and serving in the military. It’s only right that they can have a say on the issues that affect them,” UK’s Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner wrote on X.

The decision will lower the voting age across the UK to 16. Scotland and Wales have already lowered the voting age for local-level elections. With the decision, the Labour Party government will be fulfilling a promise in the Labour Manifesto. Once the voting age is lowered to 16, the UK will join the league of countries like Austria, Brazil, and Scotland, which allow their respective citizens aged 16 and above to vote in the national and local elections.The UK government is also reportedly taking steps towards automatic voter registration to reduce the need to repeatedly fill out voter details across different government services.

“For too long, public trust in our democracy has been damaged and faith in our institutions has been allowed to decline. We are taking action to break down barriers to participation that will ensure more people have the opportunity to engage in UK democracy, supporting our plan for change, and delivering on our manifesto commitment to give 16-year-olds the right to vote,” Rayner said. “We cannot take our democracy for granted, and by protecting our elections from abuse and boosting participation, we will strengthen the foundations of our society for the future,” she added.

The government will also tighten its noose around foreign money being used to influence elections in the UK. It aims to crack down on shell companies and illegitimate political donations. Before receiving donations from companies, Political parties will have to assess them against a series of tests to prove their connection to the UK or Ireland. The companies will be required to prove that they are generating income in these countries. In case of any violation of rules, including false or misleading declarations, hefty fines up to £500,000 will be imposed.

As per the existing rules, any UK company can make political donations regardless of when it was established, where it earns money, or who its owners are. This will no longer be the case. The Election Commission will guide on how the assessment of these companies will be done. The government is also planning to protect election candidates against intimidation, harassment and abuse by eliminating the requirement to publish their home addresses on their election material. Those found intimidating or abusing a candidate will be barred from contesting elections in future.

Many other countries, including Nicaragua, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Ethiopia, Ecuador, and Cuba allow their citizens aged 16 and above to vote in elections. Similarly, in Sudan, South Sudan, North Korea, Indonesia, Greece, and East Timor, the voting age is 17 and above. In Indonesia, a citizen is allowed to vote at 17 but a married individual is allowed to vote regardless of age.

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