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Murtis broken after Taziya procession, JCB used to cut branches of holy Peepal tree: In Bareilly, Moin, Sakir, Raees and others arrested: Full details

OpIndia Staff
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Murtis broken after Taziya procession, JCB used to cut branches of holy Peepal tree: In Bareilly, Moin, Sakir, Raees and others arrested: Full details

Uttar Pradesh police have arrested 7 miscreants for vandalizing a Hindu temple in the Kanchanpur village of the Shergadh area in the Bareilly district on 11th August 2022. The arrested Muslims are accused of chopping larger branches of the holy Pipal tree near a temple located at the Brahmadev Sthal, allegedly to widen the path for Taziya procession during Muharram. During the process of cutting the branches, they allegedly vandalised the idol in the temple, threw away the donation box and damaged the temple by using a bulldozer.

On Tuesday, late in the night, the local Muslims of Shergadh deployed a JCB machine to cut the larger branches of the holy Pipal tree at the Brahmadev Sthal of the temple. After that, they also damaged the temple, vandalized the idol, and threw away the donation box. According to a report by Jagran, the Muslim miscreants were chopping the trees which could have allegedly caused an obstruction to the processions of Muharram. The Bareilly police have arrested 7 key accused in this case now. The names of the accused are Bundan, Shakkhan Khan, Moin Khan, Sakir Ali, Iqrar Ahmed, Chhote, and Raees Khan.

As the news spread, local Hindus started gathering on the spot in large numbers. The situation worsened and the police could not control the mob pressure. A case was then registered against the unknown accused. The forest laws and other relevant sections were imposed. The police also detained 29 suspected accused on the same day.

According to the villagers of Kanchanpur, the Muharram processions from several adjacent villages had already passed by peacefully. But at around 12, at midnight, some miscreants deployed a JCB machine to cut some larger branches of the Holy Pipal tree. The villagers have accused this is nothing but the execution of a preplanned conspiracy, because some of the people participating in the Muharram procession had said that they will make a way for themselves so that next time the processions will pass without any hurdles.

The aggrieved villagers informed the local police station. In order to control the situation, the local administration and police immediately ordered to repair the damages done to the temple structure, and thus, the temple was repaired. The arrested accused are being interrogated and the police will take necessary action in this case after the investigations.

It is notable that violent clashes erupted in the Bhojipura area of Bareilly on the occasion of Muharram. Amid the Muharram procession, the Islamists pelted stones at shops in the Majhoua Gangapur area of Bhojipura. The video of the incident went viral over social media. About half an hour after which the Police reached the spot and tried to pacify the matter.

Former England cricketer Monty Panesar joins the calls to boycott Laal Singh Chaddha, gets trolled by Islamists online

OpIndia Staff
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Former England cricketer Monty Panesar joins the calls to boycott Laal Singh Chaddha, gets trolled by Islamists online

Aamir Khan’s much-awaited film Laal Singh Chaddha is already struggling at the box office amidst poor reviews and boycott calls from all over India, now it looks like the boycott calls have gone global as well. Former England international cricketer Monty Panesar has now asked everyone to boycott the film over its portrayal of the Indian Army and the Sikhs.

Comparing Aamir Khan’s portrayal of Laal Singh Chaddha to Tom Hanks’ Forrest Gump, the left arm spinner wrote, “Forrest Gump fits in the US Army because the US was recruiting low IQ men to meet requirements for the Vietnam War. This movie is total disgrace to India Armed Forces Indian Army and Sikhs !! Disrespectful. Disgraceful.”

Monty Panesar further shared the number of honours won by Sikhs who have served in the Indian Army, and called Aamir Khan’s portrayal as disgraceful and disrespectful.

However, Monty’s opinion on the film didn’t go down well with everyone as several people, led by Islamists, descended upon his mentions to troll him for giving this boycott call.

For some reason, Monty Panesar was immediately linked to the ruling Bharatiya Janta Party of India by some of them for finding Aamir Khan’s portrayal disrespectful.

While there were others who began attacking him saying that Monty Panesar is only giving a boycott call for the film because he wants to work in India in future.

There was the inevitable questioning of Monty’s credentials as a bowler, even though he was not even talking about cricket.

Poor start for Laal Singh Chaddha at the box office

As of Wednesday morning, or T-1, just 30,000 tickets for the Aamir Khan-starring movie had been sold at the three national chains, PVR, Inox, and Cinepolis. In terms of all India sales, Laal Singh Chaddha sold approximately 57,000 tickets for the opening day.

In the national multiplex chains, Laal Singh Chaddha’s T-1 is almost 50% lower than Kartik Aaryan’s Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and on par with Varun Dhawan’s Jug Jugg Jeeyo. Jug Jugg Jeeyo sold 57,000 tickets in the national chains, compared to Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’s 1.05 lakh sales across all three chains on opening day.

Noted film critic Taran Adarsh Today, put out a strongly worded tweet wherein he reviewed the latest Aamir Khan release in one word. “Disappoints,” Tweeted Taran Aadarsh giving the movie a two-star rating.

“#AamirKhan’s comeback vehicle #LSC runs out of fuel midway… Lacks a captivating screenplay to enthrall you [second half goes downhill]… Has some terrific moments, but lacks fire in totality,” Tweeted the movie critic.

Monty Panesar is not the first one to call for a boycott of the film

Boycott calls against Aamir Khan’s Lal Singh Chaddha have mired the promotion of the big-budget movie that is the official remake of Tom Hanks’ classic Forrest Gump. Aamir Khan’s anti-India statements in the past, his negative and derogatory portrayal of Hindu Gods in his movie PK and his overtly political statements of the past have all been adding to the prevailing sentiments of rejection among the audience of Hindi cinema.

Even Kareena Kapoor’s past statements of mocking the audience and participating in politically motivated campaigns have stirred negative sentiments against the movie.

Afghanistan: Taliban cleric Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani killed in suicide attack, killer had concealed the bomb in an artificial leg

OpIndia Staff
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Afghanistan: Taliban cleric Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani killed in suicide attack, killer had concealed the bomb in an artificial leg

Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani, a prominent Taliban cleric, was killed in a suicide attack at his Islamic seminary in Kabul. A staunch supporter of the Taliban, Haqqani was a critic of ISIS and its Afghan arm Islamic State Kohrasan Province (IS-K), and had survived multiple assassination attempts earlier.

Bilal Karimi, the deputy spokesperson of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, confirmed the death on Twitter. He tweeted that Sheikh Sahib Rahimullah Haqqani has reached the highest position of martyrdom in a brutal attack of the merciless enemy.

Afghan media house Tolo News added that the cleric was killed at his own seminary in Kabul.

According to a Reuters report, the attacker had hidden the explosives in a plastic artificial leg and detonated it entering Haqqani’s private office at his seminary. The attacker had lost his leg earlier and was using a prosthetic leg, which he used to conceal the bomb to carry out the suicide attack.

Taliban officials said that they are investigating the case to find out who the attacker was and who had brought him to the important place like the personal office of the cleric. “It’s a very huge loss for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” said the senior official of the interior ministry.

Haqqani had survived two previous attacks in Pakistan, including a large blast in Peshawar in 2020. That attack was carried out by the Islamic State and at least seven people were killed in it.

According to BBC, Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani was a supporter of female education, and it is suspected that the attack was carried out by IS-K. He had previously issued a fatwa in support of female education, which have become a contentious issue in Afghanistan after the Taliban captured the country in 2021.

Did you know that Balochistan celebrates Independence Day on 11 August? Read how Pakistan had occupied it within months of independence and continues atrocities

Jhankar Mohta
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Did you know that Balochistan celebrates Independence Day on 11 August? Read how Pakistan had occupied it within months of independence and continues atrocities

While India and Pakistan prepare to celebrate their respective independence days in the next few days, a region in Pakistan is actually celebrating their independence day today. Not many are aware that August 11 marks the Independence Day of Balochistan, the southwestern region of the country which has been fighting to regain its independence. According to a section of Baloch people, they got independence from the British on 11th August 1947, but the independence was extremely short-lived. On 27th March 1948, Pakistan occupied Balochistan and continues to occupy it till today.

According to reports, a Standstill Agreement was signed between Kalat and Pakistan on August 11, 1947, under British supervision, recognising Kalat as an independent state. Kalat was the name given to what is now known as Balochistan, a province of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan and Iran. Pakistan, however, acquired the province in 1948.

According to media accounts, Pakistan wanted Balochistan to be merged into its federation. Pakistan’s first Governor-General and Muslim League leader Mohammad Ali Jinnah presented this proposal to the Khan of Kalat and offered him to join their federation.

The Khan of Kalat established the House of Commons and the House of Lords in Balochistan within 24 hours after the country’s proclamation of independence in 1947. The conference of Balochistan’s two houses was convened by Khan of Kalat on December 16th, 1947, to examine the prospect of joining Pakistan. The lawmakers of both Houses opposed joining Pakistan. The Khan of Kalat and his family were then imprisoned within the palace while Pakistan invaded Balochistan and seized power.

The Pakistani establishment however disputes this assertion, claiming that Balochistan consisted of four provinces of Makran, LasBela, Kharan and Kalat. It said that among the provinces, all were willing to join Pakistan except Kalat, but due to a past treaty, it was incorporated into the country.

The Baloch nation has, however, been opposing Pakistani rule in Balochistan since March 27, 1948, and is still struggling for the restoration of their lost freedom. From Prince Abdul Karim to Nawab Khair Buksh Marri several veteran Baloch leaders have termed the annexation of Balochistan with Pakistan “a forceful occupation”. On the other hand, Pakistan terms this annexation as a merger of Islamic brotherhood. 

Since 1948, many cycles of violence had been erupting, each growing in scope and intensity. From 1948 till the present, there have been five distinct insurgencies in Balochistan. Following the initial insurgency in 1948, the Baloch launched a rebellion against the state three times in 1958, 1963–69, 1973–77 respectively.

At the end of the 1990s, the fifth phase of the Baloch insurgency against the Pakistan state began. Under the direction of the late Nawab Khair Buksh Marri, the current battle for a free Baloch state got underway. Beginning in the year 2000, the Baloch Liberation Army fought a conflict in Balochistan with Pakistani forces. After the assassination of senior Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti in August 2006, the violence eventually swept throughout Balochistan. Following Bugti’s death, there was a surge in support for an independent state.

Baloch Student Organisation Azad (BSO-Azad), Baloch National Movement and Baloch Republican Party became the faces of the political front against the state atrocities, they were advocating for the freedom of Balochistan and campaigning against the human rights violations in Balochistan.

The demand for Balochistan to become an autonomous state is motivated by a number of historical, social, political, and economic factors. The first and the primary factor is its history of marginalisation following its forced integration into Pakistan. Despite being Pakistan’s largest province, Balochistan has virtually little influence over the military and political decisions made in Islamabad. The second reason concerns its economic and social underdevelopment.

For years the people of Baloch have continued to feel a deep sense of insecurity and disgruntlement against the Pakistani regime. Various human rights organisations have, over the years, brought forward a number of charges of human rights violations. The Human Rights Watch (HRW) believes that the atrocities on the people of Baloch have reached “epidemic proportions” with the Pakistani government doing little to curtail these violations, which range from torture, extrajudicial executions and the inexplicable disappearance of those who disagree with the Pakistan military.

According to reports, in 2009, the Pakistani government implemented the “Kill and Dump” policy. Numerous political and student activists have been extrajudicially killed since 2009. By the end of 2014, political and student participation in Balochistan had become impossible since anybody who tried to criticise the government’s atrocities was hunted down by the Pakistani soldiers.

Enforced disappearances on the rise and extra-judicial killings in Balochistan

According to the Human Rights Council of Balochistan, 177 people were slain and 480 people forcefully disappeared in the province in 2020. In Balochistan, there has been an upsurge in false encounters, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial executions, target killings, torture, collective punishment, and the murdering of women for honour, according to the Human Rights Commission of Balochistan’s annual report for 2021. According to the study, the Police’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) conducted 47 fake encounters. According to the HRC of Balochistan, 366 people were killed and 442 went missing in only 2021. One hundred and seventy of them, supposedly, were freed after being tortured, but 272 were still missing.

According to the report, not only in Balochistan but also in other regions of Pakistan, the military and its shadow groups continue to target students as their main target.

During military operations, entire villages are bulldozed. Families from rural regions have vanished in large numbers, leaving no traces behind. Figures from the Human Rights Council of Balochistan show that only in the month of December 2021, 37 individuals were slain and more than 63 went missing in various locations around the troubled and unstable province. By 2022, there were allegedly 22,600 names on the list of Balochistan residents who had vanished.

Atrocities against Baloch women and children

According to a recent police report from the Punjab province, over 41,000 women were reported missing from the area in the previous five years, with a startling 3,571 of them still unaccounted for. According to the HRW’s Annual World Report 2022, Pakistan, which is ranked 167 out of 170 nations on Georgetown University’s Global Women, Peace and Security Index, has committed serious rights violations against women and children.

“Violence against women and girls, including rape, murder, acid attacks, domestic violence, and forced marriage, is endemic throughout Balochistan. Human rights defenders estimate that roughly 1,000 women are killed in so-called honour killings every year,” the HRW report stated.

Women suffer from a variety of forms of social abuse and brutality, such as forced marriages, forced conversions, imposed seclusion, and being used as property to resolve tribal conflicts.
According to a study published by the Aurat Foundation Balochistan, there were 129 occurrences of violence against women in total in 2021. According to the research, Quetta, the province capital, is at the top of the list since there were the most instances (129) there. In 2021, there were 33 violent occurrences, including 12 cases of torture, three rape, and two honour killings.

In several industries across the nation, the use of forced and bonded labour was pervasive and ubiquitous. According to an NGO that focuses on bonded labour, 4.5 million employees across the country are forced into this type of job, especially in Sindh and Punjab but also in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to a survey from the UN Development Program, minors made up more than 70% of bonded labourers. Balochistan has about 15,000 underage workers in the coal mines, car shops, building sites, and waste collection.

Rampant honour killings in Balochistan

Honour killing of 57 women was reported in 2021. They were killed on the charge of alleged adultery. Those who killed the women got a free hand from the government as not a single arrest was made, the report stated.

The Silence of International Organisations on Balochistan

The Human Rights activists in Balochistan have time and again emphasised the need for international organisations such as the Red Cross, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, European Council, Human Rights Without Frontiers, etc. to take cognisance of the humanitarian crisis in Pakistan. Besides requesting them to set up their offices in Balochistan, they have demanded reports on the deaths of civilians at the hands of the Pakistani army.
 
They have demanded trial against guilty army personnel and high-ranking officers for crimes against humanity. Owing to the atrocities perpetrated on the people of Balochistan, they have demanded freedom from the Punjabi-dominated army. Several people are forced to pick up arms and resist the tyrannical army. Locals say, “This vicious circle of exploitation and Human Rights abuse will end only when they get freedom. Till then their freedom struggle will continue.”

CWG medallist Divya Kakran once again hits out at Delhi government for lack of support, highlights support provided by UP government

OpIndia Staff
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CWG medallist Divya Kakran once again hits out at Delhi government for lack of support, highlights support provided by UP government

Hours after the BJP slammed the Delhi government over AAP’s mistreatment of CWG medallist Divya Kakran, the athlete addressed a press conference on Thursday to reveal that by the year 2017, she had earned around 58 medals for Delhi. She added that she decided to play for Uttar Pradesh in the year 2018 since the Delhi government did not provide any financial assistance to her.

Indian freestyle wrestler Divya Kakran, who won a Bronze medal in the recently concluded Commonwealth Games, shared how she came from a humble background and needed money for survival. She said that there were times when she would have no money even to travel for the competitions. “I would sit next to train toilets and travel in general bogie for competitions. Delhi’s government never helped us. I started wrestling from Uttar Pradesh in 2018”, she said.

The controversy began when Indian wrestler Divya Kakran stated that she did not get any support from Delhi Government despite promises. As Aam Aadmi Party-led (AAP) Delhi Government started to get criticism over the allegations, its MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj tried to claim that Kakran never represented Delhi. In reply to the August 9 tweet of Bharadwaj, Kakran produced certificates to prove she had represented Delhi between 2011 and 2017.

In a tweet, Kakran wrote, “I represented Delhi from 2011 to 2017. This is my certificate from Delhi State. If you still do not believe me, I can upload 17 Gold medal-related certificates as well.” It is noteworthy that she has won over 60 medals including 17 Gold medals in Delhi State Championship.

Divya Kakran had thanked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his wishes on winning a medal at Commonwealth Games 2022 and reminded him that despite the promises made by the Delhi Government, she did not receive any help from the state. Kakran had earlier highlighted the lack of support from the Delhi Government in 2018 as well.

Quoting Kakran, Bharadwaj added screenshots of news reports that pointed to Divya Kakran representing her home state Uttar Pradesh. He wrote on August 7, “The whole country is proud of you sister. But I do not remember that you play for Delhi. You have always been playing for Uttar Pradesh. But the player is of the country. You do not expect respect from Yogi Adityanath Ji. I think the Chief Minister of Delhi will listen to you.”

In her press conference, Kakran also expressed gratitude towards the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government saying that her efforts were recognized by the state who awarded her with Rani Lakshmibai Award. “In 2019 UP govt gave me the Rani Laxmi Bai award. In 2020 they gave me a life-long pension. Yesterday, they announced Rs 50 lakh & a gazetted officer rank post. UP govt helped me, even the Haryana govt did. But Delhi never came to help”, she reiterated.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla criticized the Delhi government for insulting the athlete. “It’s an insult to athletes, the youth, and the Tricolour. Whether it’s a stadium or a battlefield, people fight for the glory of Tiranga. Asking (wrestler) Divya Kakran where she is from is an insult to the athlete. CM Kejriwal did not even deign to disavow Saurabh Bharadwaj”, he said addressing a press meeting on August 11.

Lashing out further at AAP leader and chief spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj for doubting Kakran’s claims and humiliating her, the BJP spokesperson demanded that the leader be sacked. He said this was the same modus operandi of the Aam Aadmi Party when they asked for proof of surgical strikes in Pakistan and today they are asking for proof from a player who has brought laurels to the country.

Divya Kakran bagged the bronze medal in the Asian Games in the year 2018, won a gold medal in the 2020 Asian Wrestling Championship, and recently made India proud by bagging bronze in the 68-kg category in the commonwealth games 2022.

Praveen Nettaru murder case: 3 more accused arrested, police suspect PFI links

OpIndia Staff
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Praveen Nettaru murder case: 3 more accused arrested, police suspect PFI links

On Thursday 11th August 2022, three main accused in the Praveen Nettaru murder case were arrested. Mangaluru police nabbed the suspects near Talapady check post at 8 pm on Thursday morning. ADGP Law and Order Alok Kumar informed that the arrested accused are identified as Shiyabuddin Ali and Bashir from Sullia and Riyaz from Subramanya. He also suspected that the arrested accused can be linked with the Islamic organisation Popular Front of India and its political wing the Social Democratic Party of India.

On July 26, Praveen Nettaru was killed by Islamists in front of his workplace in Bellare in Karnataka. Seven people who planned the murder were already apprehended. ADGP Alok Kumar said, “Today around 8 am, Dakshina Kannada police nabbed 3 people who were involved in the murder. Earlier we had arrested 7 people who were part of the conspiracy. So, a total of 10 people have been arrested. Now we are going to ask for police custody and after obtaining custody for all three, we are going to question them thoroughly. All these factors will be brought on the record and after that, we will hand over the case to the NIA. An order has already been issued in that regard.”

ADGP Law and Order Alok Kumar said, “The motive behind the killing is yet to be ascertained. We suspect that the trio has links with SDPI and PFI. We will establish the link after gathering evidence. Immediately after the crime, they escaped to Kerala and kept on changing their location.”

After Praveen Nettaru was killed by the Islamists, there was a massive reaction in the Dakshina Kanna district of Karnataka. Many workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party protested on the streets and demanded protection for Hindus.

Earlier, two theories had emerged about the murder of Praveen Nettaru. One is that he was killed because he posted on social media supporting Kanhaiya Lal, who was beheaded by Jihadis recently for supporting Nupur Sharma. The second theory was that he may have been murdered as retaliation for the death of a Muslim man, who had been beaten up by Hindus after he had beaten up a Hindu youth.

Madras High Court fines lawyer for plea against mask mandate, dismisses petition saying that people can’t inhale oxygen due to masks

OpIndia Staff
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Madras High Court fines lawyer for plea against mask mandate, dismisses petition saying that people can’t inhale oxygen due to masks

The Madras High Court on Thursday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) filed against the Tamil Nadu government’s order making it mandatory to wear masks. Apart from dismissing the plea, the High Court also fined the lawyer who filed that PIL alleging that people find it difficult to breathe due to masks. The High Court imposed a fine of Rs 10000 on the lawyer. A bench of Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice N Mala passed the order on Thursday, 11th August 2022. The petition was filed by advocate SV Ramamurti who had challenged the the state govt order making it mandatory to wear masks in Chennai in July.

It was claimed in the petition that wearing masks has adverse effects and people cannot properly get necessary oxygen because of it. The petitioner, in his PIL, had challenged a Tamil Nadu government order issued by the state health department on January 12. Another order was issued by the Greater Chennai Municipal Corporation according to which a fine of Rs 500 will be imposed on those not wearing masks. Advocate SV Ramamurti filed a petition in the court against this rule. The court rejected the plea and imposed a fine of Rs 10000 on the petitoiner.

Citing the increasing number of corona cases in the country, the Tamilnadu government has recently made masks mandatory once again in the capital Chennai. The Greater Chennai Corporation has become active in view of the increasing corona cases too. According to the order issued, those who do not wear masks will be fined Rs 500. Teams appointed by the Corporation will patrol at the zonal level and are authorized to impose fines. Corona cases are also increasing continuously in Maharashtra, Delhi, and Kerala. Due to this, the mask has been made mandatory in Delhi also.

Chandigarh: Tricolour unfurled at SFJ’s Gurpatwant Pannu’s house, US-based terrorist had asked Sikhs to hoist Khalistani flag on Independence Day

OpIndia Staff
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Chandigarh: Tricolour unfurled at SFJ’s Gurpatwant Pannu’s house, US-based terrorist had asked Sikhs to hoist Khalistani flag on Independence Day

On Thursday, amid the ongoing ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign launched by the central government ahead of the 75th Independence Day, the tricolour was hoisted at the house of Sikhs For Justice’s Gurpatwant Singh Pannun at Sector 15 in Chandigarh. Congress supporters led by Congress leader Gursimran Singh Mand from Ludhiana reached the house of Pannun and hoisted the Indian national flag at its main gate.

According to the reports, they carried the tricolours with them and also raised slogans like ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ and ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ outside Pannun’s house. This came days after Gurpatwant Pannun, who is the founder of the banned organization SFJ, had opposed the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign and had asked the people to hoist Khalistani flags on Independence Day instead.

Pannun also tried to instigate the people of Punjab to burn the Tricolour on August 15. Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) chief Simranjit Singh Mann had also called for a boycott of the Centre’s ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign. “I request you to hoist the Nishan Sahib on August 14-15 at homes and offices. Deep Sidhu, who is not among us, said that Sikhs are independent and a different community”, Mann was quoted.

SFJ has reportedly ‘challenged’ the Indian government that they will replace the tallest Tiranga at the Attari border and replace it with the Khalistani flag. In yet another announcement about the ‘Khalistan Referendum’ by SFJ’s Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, they announced that they will launch a ‘Ghar Ghar Khalistan’ campaign from August 15 till January 26 when the Khalistan Referendum will materialize in Punjab.

Another SFJ video doing rounds on social media also shows SFJ’s Pannun making claims that the Tricolour will be burned and every house in Punjab will fly the Khalistan flag. It is notable here that the SFJ has, in the past, offered cash rewards for anyone who hoists the Khalistani flag at key Indian establishments. In November last year, they offered 125,000 dollars for anyone who unfurls the Khalistani flag at the Indian parliament on the first day of the winter session.

Earlier this month, the pro-Khalistani group Dal Khalsa had opposed the Ghar Ghar Tiranga campaign and had asked Sikhs to hoist the Nishan saheb instead. It is notable here that the 360-foot tall flagpost at the Attari-Wagah border was inaugurated in 2017, hoisting India’s tallest Tricolour.

Karnataka: Violence in Koppal over a Hindu boy, in love with a Muslim girl, went to meet her during Muharram, two killed, several injured

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: Violence in Koppal over a Hindu boy, in love with a Muslim girl, went to meet her during Muharram, two killed, several injured

On Thursday, August 11, the Karnataka police imposed Section 144 in the Hulihyder village of Koppal district in Karnataka, after Hindus and Muslims came face to face over an alleged inter-faith love affair where a Hindu boy and a Muslim girl were in love.

According to the police, two people namely Pasha Walli (22) and Yenakapaa Talavad (60) died in the clashes and at least six more were injured as the two groups, armed with sticks and weapons, assaulted each other. Several vehicles parked in front of the houses of the boy and a girl who belong to two different communities were also vandalised. Miscreants also pelted stones at several houses breaking window glasses.

In what had transpired, a Hindu boy was in love with a Muslim girl. During a Muharram program, the boy went to meet the girl, after which an argument broke out between them. Soon, other people from both communities joined them and started beating each other.

Another police officer was quoted by Hindustan Times, “A Valmiki boy and a Muslim girl were in living together and had eloped. Both are major. We brought them back and handed them to their respective families. But the girl came back and this caused a lot of tension,” said a police official from the Kanakagiri police station, on condition of anonymity.

As the ruckus flared, the police arrived on the scene and took the situation under control. Koppal sub-divisional officer has imposed Section 144 in and two kilometres around the village till August 20. Eight police officers and a KSRP platoon have been deployed as a precautionary measure in the village. School children were sent home after communal clashes took place in the village.

Koppal SP Arunangshu Giri, who visited the village and reviewed the situation, said, “two people have died and another seriously injured in Hulihaidar village clashes. Section 144 has been imposed in the village. Bashavali had gone to a shop in the village where a war of words ensued which led to clashes.

“The situation has been contained now as SP, DySPs and other police personnel are present on the ground,” the official said.

Delhi: AAP government grants loans to two students in 2021-22 for higher education, spends Rs 19 crore on advertising the scheme

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi: AAP government grants loans to two students in 2021-22 for higher education, spends Rs 19 crore on advertising the scheme

The AAP government in Delhi is once again in the middle of a controversy as an RTI by Newslaundry has revealed that the government spent Rs 19 crores on advertisements for a scheme called the ‘Delhi Higher Education and Skill Development Guarantee Scheme’. The RTI also revealed that the government has granted loans to only two students in 2021-2022 under the scheme.

The AAP government launched the ‘Delhi Higher Education and Skill Education Guarantee Scheme’ in 2015. The objective of this scheme is to provide a loan facility of up to Rs 10 lakh to students in Delhi studying in the 10th to 12th standard so that they can study in college.

On 12th June 2015, Manish Sisodia announced this scheme.

In the financial year 2021-22, 89 students applied to get the benefit of this scheme, out of which only two students got loans. Loans up to Rs 10 lakh are available under the scheme. Even if these students availed the maximum possible amount under this scheme, the cost of advertising by the Delhi government is many times more than that. According to a report by Newslaundry, the AAP government in Delhi has spent Rs 19 crore on advertising the scheme in 2021-22. This information has been obtained by Newslaundry through the Right to Information (RTI).

While announcing the scheme on June 12, 2015, Delhi’s deputy chief minister and education minister Manish Sisodia said, “For the first time in the country, parents will not have to worry about finances to get higher and skill education for their children. Today we are launching the Delhi Higher Education and Skill Education Guarantee Scheme, under which the government will guarantee its loan.”

Contrary to Manish Sisodia’s claim, the scheme seems to be dying a slow death within 7 years. Year after year, the number of students benefiting from it is declining. According to the information received from the RTI, so far a total of 1139 students have applied for the loan, but only 363 students eventually got it.

Despite all the claims, only 31 percent of the students who applied got the benefit of this scheme. In the financial year 2015-16, the year the scheme was launched, 58 students applied for the scheme and all the students got loans. In the financial year 2016-17, 424 students applied for loans and 176 got loans, in 2017-18, 177 students applied and 50 were successful in getting the loans.

In the financial year 2018-19, 139 students applied for the loan, and 44 got it, while in 2019-20, 146 students applied for this loan but only 19 could get a loan. In the financial year 2020-21, 106 students applied and only 14 got loans and in the last financial year 2021-22, the number of students who applied for loans was only 89 and out of them, only 2 students got loans.

While very few students could get the benefit of the ‘Delhi Higher Education and Skill Education Guarantee Scheme’, the government spent crores of rupees on its advertisement. Advertisements were given in print and television media to promote the scheme. According to the report by Newslaundry, the AAP government provided data about the advertisement expenses on this scheme for the financial year 2020-21 while the RTI filed had asked for the total advertisement expenses on this scheme since its launch.

In the financial year 2021-22, advertisements worth Rs 46,22,685 were given in print media and Rs 18,81,00,618 in television media. In all, Rs 19.27 crore was spent on advertising the scheme, while only two students benefited from the scheme during the financial year.

This is not the first time that the Delhi government has spent more than the cost of the scheme on its advertisement. To get rid of pollution, the Delhi government deployed bio-decomposers. An amount of Rs 68 lakh was spent on this spray in two years, while Rs 23 crore was spent on advertisements for this scheme.

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