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Violence erupts in Maheshtala in WB after Hindus prevent encroachment of temple land – Shiva Mandir vandalised, vehicles torched, several cops injured in stone pelting

OpIndia Staff
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Violence erupts in Maheshtala in WB after Hindus prevent encroachment of temple land – Shiva Mandir vandalised, vehicles torched, several cops injured in stone pelting

A Shiva Mandir was vandalised by a mob in South 24 Parganas in West Bengal on Tuesday after Hindus objected to encroachment of temple land. The clash then escalated as the mob attacked police with stones and bricks, and vandalised several vehicles and shops in the area. Several people including police personnel have been injured in stone pelting.

The incident took place in Maheshtala near Rabindra Nagar Police Station in Budge Budge area. Recently, the Hindus in the area noticed that the pond inside the local Shiva Mandir premises was gradually being filled with soil to encroach it. The locals had filed complaint with authorities regarding this, but no action was taken.

On Tuesday, some Muslims tried to set up some fruit shops on the encroached land of the temple. Seeing this, the Hindus in the area prevented them from doing so. This led to a communal clash between the two sides, which soon turned violent.

The Muslim mob then proceeded to vandalise the temple, and threw stones and bricks at it. When police from the nearby police station arrived, they were also attacked by the mob, escalating the situation. Soon, the entire area looked like as if was hit by a massive disaster, filling the entire area with stones, bricks and ruins of vandalised items.

According to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, the mob attacked the sacred Tulsi Manch, nearby Hindu shops, homes, apart from the temple. Stones and bricks were thrown at the temple, damaging installations.

He said that the incident took place just a stone’s throw distance from the Rabindra Nagar Police Station, but the police did nothing to stop the mob. “The Police simply couldn’t block the vandals and the entire episode happened in the presence of Police,” he wrote on X.

He also posted a video, where a huge crowd protesting can be seen. The video also shows the vandalised temple, and the police station can be seen in front of it on the opposite side of the road. A local Hindu said in the video that the mob also asked the Hindus to shut down the temple. He added that the temple will remain open.

The mob pelted stones and bricks at the police, and vandalised several vehicles on the road, apart from nearby shops. One two-wheeler belong to a cop was set on fire, and several other police vehicles were vandalised. A policeman said that they were outnumbered by the mob, and therefore could not do anything in the beginning. He said that several cops were injured in stone pelting, including a female constable. As per reports, stones and bricks were pelted at the police from the rooftops of the nearby buildings.

Police fired tear gas shells to bring the situation under control. Additional police forces and the RAF were rushed to the spot to control the situation. But the frenzied mob didn’t relent, and they continued to attack the police. Due to the gravity of the situation, the police were forced to retreat.

Later more police forces arrived, and the situation was brought under control. However, sporadic incidents of stone pelting still continues. Even the vehicles on the police reaching the spot are being targeted. Large number of police forces are being sent from Kolkata.

Karnataka caste census junked: Congress fails its own social justice pitch days after Rahul Gandhi accused Centre of not getting it done properly

Aditi
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Karnataka caste census junked: Congress fails its own social justice pitch days after Rahul Gandhi accused Centre of not getting it done properly

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Tuesday (10th June), scrapped the Karnataka government’s caste census which was to be tabled two days later on 12th June before the state cabinet. Concurring with Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, the AICC asked the Siddaramaiah government to conduct a fresh caste survey in the state based on the ‘Telangana Model’.

Following the AICC meeting in Delhi, Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar said that the caste census will be conducted afresh in a “very transparent manner”. “A fresh survey (enumeration) will be carried out now to clear the air over the earlier caste census with respect to its data accuracy and concerns raised over under-representation of certain communities. Data will be collected once again through door-to-door and online surveys. The entire process would be done in a very transparent manner,” said Shivakumar. He added that this time, when the fresh caste census is conducted, everyone will be taken into confidence.

The controversial caste census, which was conducted a decade ago, in 2015, during the earlier term of Siddaramaiah, has been the cause of infighting within the Congress government in the state. While CM Siddaramaiah, hailing from the backward Kuruba community, has been pushing forward the caste survey, Deputy CM Shivakumar, belonging to the OBC Vokkaliga community, has been demanding the survey to be reconducted purportedly to dispel the suspicion being raised on its sanctity.

The survey drew strong criticism from the dominant caste groups in the state such as the Vokkaligas and the Lingayats, which questioned the scientific basis of the survey and claimed that their numbers have been distorted to show a decline in their population. However, the state’s backward communities, including the Kurubas, have been calling for the immediate implementation of the survey report. Several leaders in the Congress party, including veteran Congress leader and former Chief Minister of Karnataka, Veerappa Moily, expressed apprehensions of polarisation resulting from the survey report and called for a fresh caste survey.

The survey report made several contentious recommendations like increasing OBC reservation from 32% to 51%, raising the EWS reservation from 10% to 24%. If the recommendations of the survey report were implemented, the net reservation in the state would stand at 85%. Furthermore, it categorised the relatively well-off community of Kurubas (to which CM Siddaramaiah belongs) as the ‘most backward.’

The Karnataka government spent ₹175 crore on the survey

The Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes (KSCBC), headed by H. Kantharaj, conducted the caste census in 2015 and submitted its report to CM Siddaramaiah in 2018. The Karnataka government spent a whopping ₹175 crore on the survey, which has now been reduced to garbage. Interestingly, the original survey report submitted by the KSCBC, was somehow mysteriously ‘lost’ by state government, after which, a revised report by submitted by K Jayaprakash Hegde in 2023.

How Congress government splurges on freebies

The scrapping of the Karnataka caste survey shows how the taxpayers’ money under the Congress regimes is either splurged on freebies or on government incompetence. The Congress government in Karnataka has been squandering freebies under its five guarantee schemes, viz. Griha Jyothi, Griha Lakshmi, Anna Bhagya, Shakti Yojana, and Yuva Nidhi. The freebie schemes intended to lure party’s voters, have increased the burden of the taxpayers and have exhausted the public exchequer.

The Karnataka government’s freebie schemes have pushed the state into a financial crisis. In July last year, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s financial advisor, Basavaraj Rayareddy, admitted that the state lacked funds for development projects due to guarantee schemes. The crisis arose as enormous amounts of funds had to be set aside for Congress’ freebies.

Similalry, due to freebie schemes implemented by the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, led by Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, has left the state’s economy in shambles.

Rahul Gandhi cast aspersions on the Centre regarding a caste census

The development has come as a major embarrassment for Congress scion Rahul Gandhi, who recently cast aspersions on the BJP government at the Centre regarding the conduct of a national caste survey. Earlier this month, Rahul Gandhi claimed that the Modi government would never conduct a caste census properly in 2027 because it would destroy its politics while promising that he would get it done. “Do not be mistaken. They (the BJP) will never get the real caste census done in the country because it will destroy their politics. I feel they will not do it properly in 2027. Either the BJP should get it conducted properly or I promise to get it done,” Gandhi said.

Rahul Gandhi’s boastful claims of getting the national caste census done in a better manner compared to BJP fell flat as his own party’s government in Karnataka, which had a real chance of conducting the state caste census, messed it up badly due to infighting, incompetence and vote bank politics which possibly compelled his party’s high command to scrap the caste census.

Possible reasons for scrapping the state caste census

The most plausible reason for scrapping the caste census appears to be that its findings did not align with the Congress party’s pre-determined narrative of social justice. Perhaps, one would be inclined to believe that these assumptions were debunked by the Karnataka caste census, which is why Congress govt in the state junked an exercise that cost over ₹170 crores to the public exchequer.

When a party fails to execute a basic caste enumeration exercise in a single state where it holds full power, how can it be trusted to carry out a complex, nationwide caste census? Rahul Gandhi’s recent allegations against the central government seem, like many of his past claims, to be politically motivated jabs with little factual grounding. Before pointing fingers at others, he would do well to set his own house in order — starting by providing clarity to his party leadership on what exactly he expects from a caste census, and ensuring that state units like Karnataka don’t fumble such crucial initiatives again.

This is not the first time that Gandhi has made baseless claims, he is actually quite habital of randomly throwing around arbitrary numbers. Last year, Gandhi’s statement backfired after he said that his party would conduct a wealth redistribution claiming that around 90% of the country’s wealth was controlled by a small minority. Following the major backlash for his unfounded remarks, Gandhi later retracted from his statement.

As netizens outrage over new AC temperature rules, understand why the rules are being introduced, their impact on Indian homes and how they compare to global standards

Shraddha Pandey
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As netizens outrage over new AC temperature rules, understand why the rules are being introduced, their impact on Indian homes and how they compare to global standards

On 10th June 2025, Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs of India, Manohar Lal Khattar, announced new guidelines that will make it mandatory for air conditioners across India to operate only within a set temperature range. The step has been taken to promote energy efficiency and reduce electricity consumption.

After imposition of new rules, users will not be able to set their air conditioners below 20°C while cooling a room, and while using the heating functions, found in inverter or ducted systems, users will be unable to exceed 28°C. The new directive from the Centre will be applicable to all air conditioners, whether in homes, offices, shops or industrial settings.

“Regarding air conditioning standards, a new provision is being implemented soon. The temperature standardisation for ACs will be set between 20°C to 28°C, meaning we won’t be able to cool below 20°C or warm above 28°C. This is a first-of-its-kind experiment, aiming to standardise temperature settings,” Union Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal Khattar, said.

At present, most air conditioners available in the market allow temperatures as low as 16°C and heating settings up to 30°C. The manufacturers will now need to reprogram their devices to ensure compliance with the new 20°C–28°C range.

While the Central government aims to promote energy efficiency and reduce electricity consumption, a section of social media users is outraging over the proposed new rules.

Some deem it as government’s interference in their choices, some call the new rules unnecessary, while others are supporting the government’s move.

It is, thus, pertinent to understand why the government has taken this step and how it will bring a positive impact.

Why is the government bringing new AC temperature rules

The government decision stems from a larger national policy push for sustainable energy use. India is seeing a dramatic increase in energy consumption during the hottest summer months due to the fast expansion of urban middle class in India and rising air conditioner penetration rate.

The power grid is heavily burdened by air conditioners, especially when they are used at extremely low temperatures. The majority of Indians set their air conditioners at temperatures between 20 and 21°C, which is much below what is required for thermal comfort, according to the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).  In addition to raising electricity costs, these activities increase pollution from coal-fired power stations, which provide the majority of India’s electricity.

Source: BEE/PIB

The Modi government intends to increase energy efficiency, ease the burden on the national power grid, lessen greenhouse gas emissions, and bring a behavioural change in how people use cooling systems by setting a default minimum cooling threshold of 20°C and a maximum heating cap of 28°C. The objective is not just technological compliance but also a shift in perspective regarding energy-efficient usage of air-conditioners.

Responsible air conditioning methods have long been promoted by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency. The BEE says that people can save about 6% on power by raising the temperature of their air conditioner by just one degree.

Just increasing the temperature from 20°C to 24°C could result in savings of up to 24%.  This might result in much lower household electricity bills and less strain on the national grid over the course of a summer season.

The BEE says that normal human body temperature is between 36-37 degree Celsius. It is generally observed that in large commercial establishments like hotels, airports and offices, the AC operating staff, try to set the lower temperature (around 18-21 degree Celsius), believing that it indicates a better cooling performance of AC system. However, technically this is not true and the cooling action of compressor is same at other settings also.

On the contrary, setting the temperature in the range of 18-21 degree Celsius results into a very cool internal ambient conditions leading to wastage of energy. As per the comfort chart, the temperatures up to 25 degree Celsius are quite comfortable for human body, along with desired humidity and air movement values.

It is a misconception that setting the thermostat at 18 degree Celsius cools the room faster than keeping it at 24 degree Celsius. The thermostat simply measures the room’s air temperature and turns off the compressor when it reaches the preset setting.  This implies that if the temperature is set to a lower level, the compressor will operate for a longer period of time; that is, it will operate longer and consume more electricity if the temperature is set at 18 degrees Celsius as opposed to 24 degrees Celsius.  Because the compressor is using the same amount of power or wattage, the air will reach 24 degrees Celsius faster than 18 degrees.

It is neither essential nor beneficial to cool a room to 16°C in a country as hot and humid as India. The ideal temperature range for indoor areas is between 24°C and 26°C. The new rules the Centre is set introduce are thus, in line with health-friendly comfort levels, cost-effective not only for users but also ease burden on power grids.

Is India the only country set to regulate AC temperature? What are global standards

India is not the first country which is moving towards regulating indoor cooling to save energy and emissions. Many countries have either implemented government rules or have issued public guidelines in this regard.

The USA’s Energy Star programme recommends households set air conditioners to 25.5°C (78°F). Meanwhile, China strictly imposes a minimum cooling temperature of 26°C in government buildings in peak summers and levies penalties for non-compliance.

In Italy, the minimum temperature cannot be set below 25° in public buildings like schools etc. The country legally enforces this to conserve energy and foster an environment of energy responsibility in public infrastructure.

In Spain, a legislation was passed in 2022, which mandated that cooling temperatures will not be lower than 27°C in public buildings, offices, and commercial establishments.

In Australia, however, the focus is more on energy efficiency of ACs than on restricting lowering of temperature. The country has Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS), and only those air-conditioners meeting specific efficiency standards are allowed to be sold there. Australia does not legally enforce specific thermostat settings, however, the government authorities recommend comfort temperatures of around 22°C to 24°C.

Standardising AC temperatures can significantly help India

The Indian government mandating standardisation of AC temperatures between 20°C and 28°C is likely to significantly help the nation reduce power consumption, slashing electricity bills, and promoting energy efficiency. This becomes even more crucial in a populous country like India since cooling demand is rising due to climate change and expanding urban middle class. With ACs accounting for around 50 gigawatts of power load, which is approximately one-fifth of India’s maximum demand, just 1° Celsius increase in temperature can curb energy consumption by 6 per cent, which in turn, will potentially save up to 3 gigawatts during peak summer times.

This reduction will alleviate strain on the national power grid, curb reliance on coal-fired power plants, and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, aligning with India’s sustainability goals. In addition, the new policy is also expected to save massive infrastructure costs estimated at  ₹7.5 lakh crore by 2035. Contrary to the assertion that the government is interfering in personal choices, it is actually pushing a much-needed behavioural shift towards a more responsible cooling practice across households and public buildings.

CBI files chargesheet against 8 including Local Law Officer of French Embassy in Schengen Visa fraud case, India’s first Silver Notice was issued to trace assets abroad

OpIndia Staff
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CBI files chargesheet against 8 including Local Law Officer of French Embassy in Schengen Visa fraud case, India’s first Silver Notice was issued to trace assets abroad

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday said that it has filed a chargesheet in French Embassy Visa fraud case against 8 accused persons. This includes Local Law Officer in Visa Department of the Embassy of France, his father, brother and wife, two visa agents and two middle men. The chargesheet was filed before the CBI Court in New Delhi.

International Operations Division of CBI had registered the case on the basis of inputs of a visa fraud in the Embassy of France in New Delhi. During investigation, it was established that during the period of January, 2021 to May, 2022, while working as Local Law Officer in Visa Department of the Embassy of France, New Delhi, the accused targeted applicants from Punjab seeking Schengen visas, through a network of visa agents. The applicants were induced to give huge amount of money for obtaining Schengen visas.

As per CBI, a network of visa agents, mostly based in Punjab, received money ranging from Rs. 13 Lakh to Rs.45 Lakh from each visa applicant. In lieu of these large sums of money, visa applications were processed by the accused. Moreover, after issuing the Schengen visas, the accused destroyed the visa documents and files.

Notably, a Schengen visa is a short-stay visa that allows a person to travel to any of the 27 Schengen Area countries in Europe for up to 90 days within a 180-day period, for tourism, business, or transit purposes. It enables border-free travel across member states, which include most European Union nations and a few non-EU countries like Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland. Travelers only need one visa to move freely within the entire Schengen Zone, making it highly convenient for multi-country European trips.

During investigation, huge amounts of cash and multiple documents relating to properties worth crores in India and abroad were found at various locations in Punjab and Delhi. Two accused Visa agents were the key co-conspirators who funnelled the money through various bank accounts. The money ultimately reached the accused Local Law Officer and his family members, which included his brother, father and wife.

In order to trace the proceeds of crime in foreign countries, International Operations Division of CBI, in coordination with International Police Cooperation Unit of CBI, were also successful in getting India’s first Silver notice published in this case. CBI successfully coordinated with multiples agencies including international agencies to secure evidence in the case.

Indian Army to get Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM) system worth ₹30,000 crore: Meet country’s strongest missile system and its significance in air defence

Rukma Rathore
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Indian Army to get Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM) system worth ₹30,000 crore: Meet country’s strongest missile system and its significance in air defence

The Indian Army is ready to receive a significant upgrade worth Rs 30,000 crore, with the expected purchase of the indigenous Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM) systems. The Defence Ministry is likely to authorize the proposal in the near future, in a major initiative aimed at bolstering the country’s air defence capabilities.

Three regiments of the highly mobile QRSAM systems are set to be considered for acceptance of need (AoN) later this month by the Rajnath Singh-led defence acquisitions council. They will be jointly produced by Bharat Electronics and Bharat Dynamics, both defense PSUs (Public Sector Undertakings).

Over the past three to four years, the Army and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have tested the QRSAM systems against fast-moving airborne targets that simulate different kinds of threats to assess their performance in a variety of daytime and nighttime tactical settings.

“The QRSAM systems can operate on the move with search and track capability and fire at short halts. They are tailor-made to move along with tanks and infantry combat vehicles to provide them air defence in the tactical battlefield,” informed an official. The system can counter threats from airplanes, hovering helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles and other airborne targets because it is constructed for multi-target engagement.

The Army Air Defence (AAD) which did a fantastic job during “Operation Sindoor” after the Pakistan-backed Pahalgam terror attack, needs 11 regiments of the QRSAM. Additionally, it also incorporates units from the native Akash system which currently has an interception range of roughly 25 kilometers.

The introduction of the QRSAM systems will supplement the Indian Air Force and Army’s current air defense network which includes the Russian shoulder-fired Igla-S missiles (6 kilometers), the upgraded L-70 anti-aircraft guns (3.5 kilometers), the indigenous integrated drone detection and interdiction systems (1-2 kilometers).

It also consists of the long-range Russian S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile systems (380 kilometers) and Barak-8 medium range surface-to-air systems (70 kilometers) which were developed in partnership with Israel. The Defense Acquisition Council meeting is scheduled for the fourth week of June.

“Operation Sindoor” brought India’s air defence into the limelight

This significant development followed “Operation Sindoor” in which Indian air defense effectively intercepted and destroyed multiple aerial threats, including drones, missiles and even aircrafts of Pakistan. Three QRSAM regiments are set to increase New Delhi’s ability to respond swiftly and precisely to short-range aerial strikes, which are becoming quite challenging along the northern and western border along Pakistan.

The Indian Army’s air defense units employed L-70 and Zu-23 air defense guns to destroy most of the drones during the four-day conflict with the Islamic Republic which was armed with Chinese weapons. The Indian Air Force’s Spydwr and Sudarshan S-400 air defense systems, as well as the Akash and MRSAM (Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile) were also instrumental.

Furthermore, the Army Air Defense is receiving several new radars, very short range air defense systems, jammers and laser-based systems to combat Chinese and Turkish drones.

The true game-changer will be an air defense system with a 350 kilometer range being developed under the ambitious Project Kusha as the DRDO continues to manufacture the very short-range air defense missile systems (VSHORADS), which have a 6 kilometer interception range. India intends to put this long-range system into service by 2028-2029. The defense minister authorized the AoN to purchase five of its squadrons for the IAF at a cost of Rs 21,700 crore in September 2023.

Interestingly, defense inventories have risen since “Operation Sindoor” which targeted Pakistani terror facilities. The stock prices of BEL (Bharat Electronics Limited), BEML (previously Bharat Earth Movers Limited), BDL (Bharat Dynamics Limited) and Paras Defence have increased by up to 43% in the past month and 81% in the last three months.

What is QRSAM

A cutting-edge, domestic air defense system called the Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM) was created to protect armored and motorized mechanized forces from enemy aerial threats. The short-range air defense system designed to meet the demands of the Indian Army’s frontline, has substantially improved India’s domestic defense capabilities.

Since QRSAM is a canister-based system, it is kept and used in compartments that have been expressly made for the purpose. The environment inside the canister is regulated which not only makes transportation and storage simpler but also greatly extends the weapons’ shelf life.

The complete weapon system can provide air defense while in motion as it is propped up on a platform that is both mobile and maneuverable. The command and control mechanism for the QRSAM armament ensemble is completely automated. It also has one launcher and two radars.

It has a mid-course inertial navigation system with a two-way data link and terminal active seeker that was developed by DRDO. It is small and employs a single stage solid propelled missile. It is intended for high mobility and quick deployment in dynamic battlefield settings and was created by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) in partnership with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).

Why QRSAM is important

Indian troops can maneuver with continuous air support from the QRSAM, which is mounted on an 8×8 high-mobility Ashok Leyland Defence Systems vehicle and can fire either on-the-go or from brief stops. It includes a tracking radar that works at 80 kilometers and a phased array surveillance radar that can detect up to 120 kilometers of distance.

Its dual radar structure, the Active Array Battery Surveillance Radar and the Active Array Battery Multifunction Radar, is a major technological achievement. Both radars offer 360-degree coverage for the simultaneous engagement, tracking and identification of multiple aerial objects.

It is also connected with Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) technology. The system is capable of engaging several aerial targets, including fighter planes, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles and other airborne threats even when it is moving or making brief stops. It has the ability to engage six targets at once.

The QRSAM has been built to detect threats as far as 10 kilometers above the ground and within a 25-30 kilometer range. It uses a laser proximity fuze coupled with an in-house active radar seeker that operates in both the Ku and X frequency bands, improving strike accuracy and lowering susceptibility to electronic jamming.

Developed for both day and night operations, QRSAM is extremely effective against contemporary aerial threats since it can destroy helicopters, drones, cruise missiles and fast-moving aircraft. Its capacity to take on several targets simultaneously guarantees strong protection for troops moving through dangerous territory.

QRSAM and India’s air defence ecosystem

In India’s multi-layered air defense shield, QRSAM serves a crucial short-range function by protecting ground forces in situations where longer-range systems would not be practical or timely enough.

It is positioned between medium to long range systems like the L-70 and Igla-S cannons and very short-range systems like the indigenous medium-range Akash Missile System which has an operating distance of about 25 kilometers, MRSAM which is developed jointly with Israel and has a range of about 70 kilometers, the Russian-made S-400 Triumf which is a long-range system with a 380-kilometer capacity and the India-Israeli medium-range missile Barak-8 with capability of about 70 kilometers.

The Army uses QRSAM for frontline air defense because of its unique mobility and responsiveness, especially along India’s delicate northern and western borders. The system will be installed in several regiments as part of a Rs 30,000 crore purchase strategy that aims to modernize the Army’s air defense regiments and improve their capacity to respond in real time to changing aerial threats.

Mamata Banerjee’s ‘no religion-based OBC list’ lie busted: 86% of new OBC additions are Muslims as per West Bengal govt data

Amit Kelkar
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Mamata Banerjee’s ‘no religion-based OBC list’ lie busted: 86% of new OBC additions are Muslims as per West Bengal govt data

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently made a bold claim in the state assembly, asserting that the Other Backward Classes (OBC) list in the state “is not based on religion.” 

“A section is trying to campaign that our government is giving reservation based on religion. This is baseless… There is no question of making the OBC list on the basis of religion,” she stated while laying the annual report of the West Bengal Commission for Backward Classes (WBCBC) for the financial year 2024–25.

At first glance, this statement appears to uphold the constitutional principle that affirmative action must be based on social and educational backwardness — not religious identity. However, a closer scrutiny of the data provided by her own government betrays a very different story. 

Not only does it exposes the hollowness of this claim, but it also raises serious concerns about misuse of the OBC category for blatant minority appeasement, in direct violation of judicial verdicts and the Constitution.

What the data actually shows

Let’s start with the numbers. Before 2010 — the year Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress rose to power — West Bengal had 66 OBC classes, of which 11 were Muslim and 55 were non-Muslim. That means Muslims accounted for only 20% of the total OBC categories at the time.

Fast forward to 2025, and the picture has changed dramatically. The state government recently added 76 new classes to the OBC list.

These were split into two parts:

  • Part 1: 51 new classes — 46 are Muslim (90%)
  • Part 2: 25 new classes — 21 are Muslim (84%)
West Bengal’s new OBC list
West Bengal’s new OBC list

This clearly indicates that the additions were overwhelmingly skewed toward a single religious community — Muslims. Such a pattern can hardly be defended on solely socio-economic grounds, especially when it so disproportionately benefits one religious group over others.

OBC or religious appeasement?

When over 86% of new inclusions to the OBC list in West Bengal belong to one religious group, it no longer appears like a neutral effort at benefitting the socially backward. Instead, it resembles a systematic, state-sponsored attempt to include Muslims under the ambit of reservations in the guise of caste-based social justice. 

The fact that this reclassification was followed up with a June 3, 2025 decision to increase OBC reservation in State Services from 7% to 17% only deepens suspicions. This hike inordinately benefits these newly included Muslim groups — effectively turning the OBC quota into a backdoor for religion-based reservation.

This is not just unconstitutional — it’s a deliberate manipulation, and perhaps a willful undermining of India’s reservations policy, to serve a political objective even if it comes at the cost of sabotaging the interests of OBC communities.

Mamata Banerjee insisted in the Assembly that these inclusions were “scientific” and “based on field surveys” carried out by the WBCBC. She added that the recommendations were made after a Supreme Court directive in December 2024 allowed the state three months to prepare a revised list, following a Calcutta High Court order that had previously struck down several OBC categories introduced since 2010 — including many of the same Muslim groups.

The CM claimed that the WBCBC proposed 140 communities (49 under OBC-A and 91 under OBC-B) based on “scientific surveys,” and that a survey of 50 more communities is underway. She also stated that all legal procedures were followed, including public notification and SC-mandated criteria. While such procedural compliance may appear reassuring, it does not explain the disproportionately high percentage of Muslim groups in the list — a figure that cannot be coincidental or purely data-driven.

In a state where Muslims make up roughly 27% of the population, this skew cannot be justified as a statistical coincidence. Instead, it appears to be a calculated political maneuver aimed at securing the Muslim vote ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

Judicial red flags ignored

The most glaring issue here is that both the Supreme Court and the Calcutta High Court have explicitly ruled against this very approach.

  • On December 9, 2024, the Supreme Court reaffirmed that “reservation cannot be granted on the basis of religion.”
  • Even before that, the Calcutta High Court struck down the previous iteration of the same OBC list, citing that it was religion-based and therefore invalid under constitutional norms.

Yet, the West Bengal government seems undeterred. By reintroducing a near-identical list of Muslim groups into the OBC category, the government has effectively shown contempt of court and undermined the very principle of secular, caste-based affirmative action. What’s unfolding is not an administrative error, but a calculated defiance of both constitutional morality and judicial authority.

An assault on social justice

OBC reservation exists to uplift those historically disadvantaged due to their caste, not to serve as a tool for political appeasement of any religious group and reinforce a loyal vote bank. By flooding the OBC list with Muslim groups under the garb of socio-economic backwardness — and then inflating the reservation ceiling — Mamata Banerjee’s government is diluting the purpose of caste-based affirmative action, sidelining genuinely backward Hindu, SC, and ST communities in the process.

If this trend continues unchecked, it sets a dangerous precedent where any political party can simply bypass constitutional checks, override court orders, and redefine social justice according to vote-bank priorities.

Mamata Banerjee’s claim that the OBC list is “not based on religion” is not only misleading — it is demonstrably false. Her own government’s data reveals a massive, deliberate skew toward including Muslim groups under the OBC umbrella, despite Supreme Court and Calcutta High Court rulings explicitly prohibiting such actions.

At its core, this episode is not about backwardness or social justice — it is about securing electoral gains at the expense of constitutional morality and judicial compliance. If this trend is allowed to continue, the very foundation of India’s reservations policy could be upended, and well, replaced — not by data or justice, but by political convenience.

Population of Muslims growing the fastest in the world, while population share of Hindus declining in several countries including India: Pew Research

Aditi
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Population of Muslims growing the fastest in the world, while population share of Hindus declining in several countries including India: Pew Research

Muslims are the fastest growing religion in the world and form the second largest religious group globally. A report of Pew’s Global Religious Landscape Study released on 9th June analysed the changes in the populations of religious groups at the global level between 2010 and 2020. The study revealed that the number of Muslims have increased sharply around the world while the populations of all other religions, including Hindus, registered a decline.

As per the study, the Muslim population grew by 347 million, which is more than the combined increase in the populations of all other religions.

Image via Pew Research Center

Globally, the number of Muslims grew 21% in 10 years, increasing from 1.7 billion to 2.0 billion. The study says that the number of Muslims grew twice as fast as the population of the rest of the world which grew by 10% during the same time period. Consequently, the share of Muslims in the world population increased from 24% to 26%.

Image via Pew Research Center

Notably, after Christians and Muslims, the third largest group in the world is the group of religiously unaffiliated people. Hindus are in 4th position with 15% share.

Muslim population increased across all regions globally

Considered regionwise, the research indicates that the Muslim population expanded across all geographic regions with varied percentage of increase. North Amercia witnessed the highest rate of gowth of its Muslim population, which spiked by 52%. This was followed by sub-Saharan Africa, where the Muslim population reached 369 million in 2020 after increasing by 34%. The share of Muslims in the population of the region is 33%.


Image via Pew Research Center

The rate of Muslim growth was the highest in North America, where Muslims numbered 5.9 million in 2020 (up 52%), followed by sub-Saharan Africa, where Muslims grew to 369 million (up 34%). According to the study, the Muslim population increased by highest rate in every region with one exception of the Latin-America-Carribean region. In this region, though the Muslim population registerd an increase of 6%, it was surpassed by the region’s non-Muslim population growth of 10%.

Notably, the share of Muslims in the population of the Asia-Pacific rose up to 26% in 2020, rising up by 1.4%. However, the concentration of Muslims has decreased by 2%, going down from 61% in 2010 to 59% in 2020. The Pew study claims that since 2010, the Muslim population has slightly concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa, which now accomodates 18% of the world’s Muslims, increasing by 2%.

A third of Muslims live in India, Pakistan and Indonesia

The study shows that one-third of Muslims in the world live in the three countries of India, Pakistan and Indonesia. Around 213 million of Muslims live in India as of 2020, making up to 15% of the country’s population. India lies slightly behind Indonesia, with the latter accomodating around 240 million of Muslims as of 2020, accounting for 12% of the world’s Muslims. Around 65% of the world’s Muslim population lives in 10 countries, including India. 1.3 billion of Muslims live in these 10 countries. In nine of these countries, Islam forms the majority religion with the only exception of India.


Image via Pew Research Center

5 countries where Muslim population changed substantially

The population of Muslims experienced significant changes in the five countries of Kazakhstan, Benin, Lebanon, Oman, and Tanzania. Out of the five countries, three (Kazakhstan, Benin, Lebanon) registered a significant increase in the population of Muslims. In Kazakhstan, the Muslim population grew by 8.2%, in Benin by 7.9% and in Lebanon by 5.5%. In Oman and Tanzania, the Muslim population registered a decrese of 8.3% and 5.5% respectively.


Image via Pew Research Center

In all five countries, the changes in the Muslim population were mostly caused by migration. In some of these countries, the increase resulted from non-Muslims moving out of the countries, while in the others, the increase happened due to influx of Muslim refugees. Several countries in Europe, witnessed an increase in their Muslim population because of immigration and above average fertility rate among Muslims. However, the change in the share of Muslim population in these countries remained below 5%.

Christians remained the largest religious group globally, their population decreased over the last decade. Number of Christians rose by 122 million and reached 2.3 billion, but their share in the world’s population fell by 1.8% marking their share at 28.8%.

The population of Hindus declined globally including in India

According to the Pew study, the share of Hindu population registered a slight decline, though less than 5%, in four countries of the South Asian region viz. India, Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh. However, the share of Hindus did not register any significant increase or decrease in any country or region.


Image via Pew Research Center

Hindus form the fourth largest religious group in the world after Christians, Muslims and religiously unaffiliated people. Viewed in the global context, the number of Hindus increased by 12% between 2010 and 2020, rising from abroud 1.1 billion to around 1.2 billion. But, their share in the world population registered a slight decline from 15.0% in 2010 to 14.9% in 2020. Since the rate of growth of non-Hindus remained about the same, Hindus, as a share of the global population, remained stable.


Image via Pew Research Center

Around 99% of the world’s Hindus live in the Asia-Pacific region and constitute the largest religious group in India, Nepal and Mauritius.

As per the research, the population of Hindus increased sharply, by 62%, in the Middle East-North Africa region, in the last decade. Around 3.2 million Hindus are currently living in the Middle East-North Africa region. Hindu population in North America also rose by 55% in the same decade, reaching 3.6 million. The study says that the regions, such as the United Arab Emirates and Europe, which saw a faster rate of increase in the Hindu population, was primarily due to migration of Hindus to these regions for economic opportunities.

The geographic concentration of Hindus experienced a slight change between 2010 and 2020. The number of Hindus living in Asia-Pacific region dropped by 0.2%, while the population of Hindus living in North America and the Middle East-North Africa region rose by 0.1%.

Muslims grew by 43.15% between 1950 and 2015: Study

Similar to the global scenario, the Muslim population has registered an increase in India as well. According to a study titled, Share of Religious Minorities – A Cross-Country Analysis (1950-2015), released in May 2024, revealed that the population of Muslims witnessed a sharp increase of 43.15% between 1950 and 2015 while the population of Hindus declined by 7.85. The populations of Christians and Sikhs also dropped by 5.38% and 6.58% respectively. According to the study, the share of Hindus in India’s population saw a decrease from 84% in 1950 to 78% in 2015, while that of Muslims witnessed an increase from 9.84% to 14.09% in the same period.

Notably, in India’s neighbouring countries where Muslims (or their sect) constitute more than 50% – a majority, the community’s share witnessed an increase in the demographic mix. Bangladesh saw the steepest increase of 18.5%, followed by Pakistan (3.75%) and Afghanistan (0.29%).

As per the fifth National Family Health Survey report released in May 2022, the total fertility rate (TFR) is highest among the Muslims. While the country’s TFR has declined over the years, decreasing from 3.4 to 2.0 children between 1992-93 and 2019-21, the TFR among the Muslim community was recorded at 2.36. The lowest TFR of 4.1 children per women was found among the Buddhists/Neo-Buddhists.

Furthermore, the report also revealed that teen pregnancy was more common among Muslim women aged 15 to 19 years (8%) than among other religious groups. Also, when it comes to the desire for another kid, Muslims have the lowest percentage of women who do not want another child. 72% of Sikhs and 71% of Hindus presently married women aged 15-49 prefer no additional children, compared to 64% of Muslim currently married women.

What is Meta Superintelligence and why is it important enough for Mark Zuckerberg to get personally involved in the hiring process

Rukma Rathore
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What is Meta Superintelligence and why is it important enough for Mark Zuckerberg to get personally involved in the hiring process

Meta has recently lost some ground in the AI (Artificial Intelligence) space, particularly after it suspended a major model rollout last month. Nevertheless, the social media company is striving to recover by making a new $15 billion investment in Scale AI.

According to Bloomberg and The New York Times, the Mark Zuckerberg-led corporation has signed an agreement to purchase a significant minority investment in the startup, which provides data labelling and model evaluation services to Microsoft, Google and OpenAI, among other industry giants. Meta would acquire a 49% interest in Scale AI as a result of the $14.8 billion deal.

The development transpired with Meta’s strategic efforts to create a new research lab focused on the pursuit of “superintelligence” as Zuckerberg is putting together a group of professionals to create artificial general intelligence. These experts are drawn from a team of AI engineers and researchers who have visited with him in recent weeks at his homes in Palo Alto and Lake Tahoe.

Alexandr Wang, the 28-year-old founder and CEO of the Scale AI start up, has been recruited by Meta to work at the new laboratory. The two companies have been in negotiations to invest billions of dollars which would also bring other Scale AI people to Meta. Several researchers from top AI firms, including OpenAI and Google, have been offered seven to nine figure remuneration packages by Meta.

The 41-year-old referred to artificial intelligence as “possibly one of the most important innovations in history” in February. “This year is going to set the course for the future,” he remarked.

The new lab is reportedly a part of a bigger reorganization of Meta’s AI initiatives. The firm, which currently owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has recently struggled with internal management issues related to the technology, as well as staff turnover and multiple unsuccessful product releases.

The Meta’s CEO has spent billions of dollars transforming his business into a dominant force in artificial intelligence. The technology sector has been racing to develop ever-more-powerful artificial intelligence since OpenAI’s 2022 release of the ChatGPT chatbot. Zuckerberg has encouraged his company to integrate AI in all of its products, including its smart eyewear and the newly launched Meta AI software.

Mark Zuckerberg steers “superintelligence” project

Zukerberg has been upset with the disappointing performance of Meta Platforms Inc. He has therefore made it his primary objective to hire for the fresh and covert unit, which is internally known as a “superintelligence group” with an ambitious mission in mind.

According to him, Meta has the potential to surpass other tech firms in reaching artificial general intelligence, or AGI, the idea that machines are capable of performing a wide range of jobs just as effectively as humans. It is noteworthy that superintelligence, if developed would surpass AGI.

After reaching that milestone, Meta might incorporate the functionality into its product line, which would include a variety of AI tools such as the Meta chatbot and its AI-powered Ray-Ban glasses, in addition to social media and communications platforms.

Zuckerberg is personally hiring nearly all of the 50 employees he seeks to assemble for the new team, including a new head of AI research. He has moved desks at the company’s Menlo Park headquarters to ensure that the new hires will sit close to him as they discuss private plans.

He is assembling the team together with the projected multi-billion dollar investment in Scale AI, which provides data services to assist businesses in training their models and creates unique AI applications for governments and corporations.

Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Meta have to compete as the technology could prove to be the industry’s future. The titans have invested in their own artificial intelligence labs and start-ups. Amazon has spent $8 billion in the artificial intelligence start-up Anthropic, while Microsoft has invested over $13 billion in OpenAI. They have also licensed their technology and hired staff from well-known start-ups, spending billions of dollars in the process.

Meta has almost ten years of experience in artificial intelligence. Zuckerberg established the company’s first dedicated artificial intelligence lab in 2013 after failing to acquire DeepMind, a revolutionary start-up, to Google. Now, Google’s AI initiatives revolve around the same.

Zuckerberg has made it clear that his company would prioritize artificial intelligence. He has apparently entered “founder mode” in the past two months, exhibiting a more involved management style. Giving away its AI code openly, or “open source,” is one of Meta’s tactics for advancing in the field to make sure developers and others can use its tools.

The business unveiled Meta AI, a chatbot, and Llama, an open-source artificial intelligence model. Meta AI was integrated into its Ray-Ban smart glasses, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. According to Zuckerberg, Meta AI is used by over one billion individuals each month as of May.

Quality of Llama 4 triggers Mark Zuckerberg’s involvement

The CEO’s desire to control the hiring process stems in part from his dissatisfaction with the reaction and quality of Llama 4, the latest iteration of Meta’s extensive language model used to power chatbots and other services. Zuckerberg, who had repeatedly informed Meta insiders that he wanted the finest AI solution by the end of the year, both in terms of overall usage and performance, felt let down by the most recent release in April.

His demands put a lot of strain on AI-focused employees who worked weekends and evenings to meet those targets. However, the performance of the model has been questioned by developers who believe they overpromise and underdeliver, as well as by Meta’s own leadership.

Later, Meta postponed plans to launch “Behemoth,” its largest model, which it had hailed as even better than rival models from Google, Anthropic and OpenAI. However leadership reportedly became worried that it didn’t go far enough in improving upon earlier versions. Moreover, Meta’s AI division even lost staff members to competitors. Infighting among team leaders, a competitive labor market and the demanding speed of product development were the causes of the departures.

Zuckerberg then became more interested in expanding the new team as a result of these shortcomings. He created the “Recruiting Party” group WhatsApp chat for senior management to talk about possible hiring candidates. The chat group’s members have been speaking extensively in an effort to find talent.

Zuckerberg has been creating his own list of potential hires and prefers to be in charge of the first approach and maintain constant communication during the hiring process. He expects that the new bench would help Meta strengthen its Llama models and provide stronger AI tools for speech and personalization features.

Zuckerberg persuaded AI researchers, infrastructure engineers and other businesspeople to join Meta’s team during lunches and dinners at his homes in California throughout the previous month.

Mark Zuckerberg pins his hopes on Llama

The foundation of Meta’s AI aspirations is its Llama models, which drive its AI chatbot and have aided in the training of the algorithms that provide users of social media with relevant material and advertisements. Additionally, Meta has made Llama open-source, which means that anybody can use the model’s blueprints to build upon it. The company wants Llama to serve as the basis for AI solutions around the world, just how Google’s Android has fueled a generation of mobile software applications.

Several years of changing goals and AI leadership transition at Meta preceded the release of Llama 4. Meta swiftly reallocated expertise and resources to establish a new, more customer-focused AI division, called GenAI, after OpenAI’s ChatGPT established a new AI benchmark in 2022. That team was entrusted with transforming the Llama models and years of AI-related research from Meta scientists into real consumer products.

However, there were growing pains associated with the recalibration. Internally, some believed that Meta’s early consumer-focused AI initiatives, such as the development of AI personas modeled after famous people like Snoop Dogg and Tom Brady, were pointless in comparison to rivals like OpenAI’s attempts to achieve more ambitious objectives, like artificial general intelligence (AGI).

Many employees left because they were worried that Meta didn’t take AGI’s disruptive potential seriously enough. The churn has persisted as Meta has implemented major alterations in its GenAI and FAIR divisions this year.

Scale AI

Alexandr Wang and Lucy Guo, an engineer who was eventually let go by the company, co-founded Scale AI in 2016 which aided other companies in developing artificial intelligence technologies. It employed hordes of contract workers to sort through enormous volumes of data, labeling and “cleaning” it so that sophisticated AI systems could be trained on it. OpenAI, Microsoft and Cohere, a Toronto-based AI start-up, were among its clients.

Scale AI has recently pushed to expand its commercial and public sector businesses, sending engineers and consultants to assist corporations and governments in developing AI-powered software.

The pressure on Meta is only increasing as some startups decide to use open AI technologies that Meta’s Chinese rivals are developing instead. In January, DeepSeek, a Chinese business, unveiled a cutting-edge open-source AI model that was supposedly developed at a fraction of the price of American versions.

FuriosaAI, a Korean AI chip startup, turned down Meta’s $800 million acquisition offer in March. Meta wished to enhance its own chip development operations by bringing in the engineering talent and expertise of FuriosaAI. Both Meta’s pipeline of people with an infrastructure focus and its own efforts to create high-performance, customized processors for AI applications were called into question by the unsuccessful acquisition.

Journalist Shazia Nisar tries to extort Rs 65 Crore from CEO of Bharat24 by threatening him with a false rape case, arrested along with her accomplice Adarsh Jha

OpIndia Staff
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Journalist Shazia Nisar tries to extort Rs 65 Crore from CEO of Bharat24 by threatening him with a false rape case, arrested along with her accomplice Adarsh Jha

On 10th June, Noida police arrested two journalists, Shazia Nisar, a former anchor of Bharat24, and Adarsh Jha, a digital journalist, for allegedly blackmailing the channel’s 75-year-old CMD Jagdish Chandra and extorting over Rs 2.26 crore from him. Nisar allegedly demanded Rs 65 crore through threats of a false rape case.

Channel owner alleges threats and extortion

According to Noida Police, the FIR was lodged by Jagdish Chandra, who is also the Chief Editor and CEO of Bharat24. In his complaint, Chandra stated that Shazia Nisar had been working with the channel since 2022. She allegedly threatened to falsely implicate him in a rape case and commit suicide unless he paid Rs 65 crore. Over the past year, Rs 2.26 crore was paid to her via cheques, Chandra alleged, and he had recordings and evidence to support this.

According to the Indian Express, the FIR read, “Shazia Nisar, 30, has been working as an anchor in my channel since 2022. She has been blackmailing me by threatening to implicate me in a false rape case and commit suicide. She has been illegally demanding Rs 60 crore from me. In the last year, she has taken Rs 2 crore 26 lakh through cheques several times. I have evidence of this (transaction). Adarsh Jha… is helping her blackmail me.”

The FIR also named Adarsh Jha, a journalist formerly associated with a digital news portal, as an accomplice in the blackmail. Police said the duo jointly attempted to extort Rs 65 crore in total. The complaint was filed on 8th June.

Speaking to media, SHO Amit Kumar said, “When asked about the money in her account, she (Nisar) did not have a proper explanation for it… it was a compensation, she told us.”

More complaints from channel staff

Two additional complaints were filed against the accused by Bharat24’s consulting editor Anita Hada and HR head Anushri Dhar. Hada dismissed Nisar’s allegations of harassment and said, “Had that been the case, she would have filed a complaint. I would have supported her.”

Speaking to the media on the question of why the company paid Nisar instead of going to the police earlier, Hada said, “We were worried about the company’s reputation being damaged.”

Raids and recoveries

Following the FIRs, Noida Sector 58 police raided Nisar’s residence in Delhi and seized Rs 34.5 lakh in cash, three mobile phones, two laptops, and a Scorpio vehicle. Simultaneously, a raid was conducted at Jha’s residence in Indirapuram, Ghaziabad, where he was arrested. Both of them were produced before the Gautam Buddha Nagar District Court and sent to 15-day judicial custody.

Nisar’s mother also named in FIR

Police confirmed that Nisar’s mother was also named in one of the FIRs for her alleged role in the racket. However, she has not been arrested yet. Station House Officer Amit Kumar of Sector 58 police station said investigations are underway.

The police are investigating whether others were involved in this alleged blackmail syndicate.

Pakistani Mohd Shahzeb Khan, who was planning mass attacks on Jews in New York, extradited from Canada to US

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistani Mohd Shahzeb Khan, who was planning mass attacks on Jews in New York, extradited from Canada to US

Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, a Pakistani citizen residing in Canada, has been extradited to the United States on charges of attempting to provide material support to ISIS and attempting to commit acts of terrorism, FBI Director Kash Patel announced in a post on social media platform ‘X’.

“Earlier this afternoon, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, a Pakistani citizen residing in Canada, was extradited to the United States on charges of attempting to provide material support to ISIS and attempting to commit acts of terrorism. In the fall of last year, Khan allegedly planned to travel from Canada to New York and carry out a mass shooting in support of ISIS at a Jewish Center in Brooklyn. Khan allegedly planned his attack to occur on October 7, 2024 –the one-year anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel,” Patel stated.

“Thankfully, the great work of FBI teams and our partners exposed those plans and shut them down — and Khan was arrested by Canadian authorities on September 4, 2024. He has now arrived in the U.S. and will face American justice,” Kash Patel added.

Calling the case a reminder of the “constant threat of terrorism facing every corner of the world,” Patel also warned about the “disturbing rise in threats against our Jewish communities.”

He acknowledged the efforts of multiple FBI field offices, saying: “@NewYorkFBI, @FBIChicago and @FBILosAngeles did great work in this case with our partners and we thank them.” The investigation highlights ongoing global efforts to counter terrorism.

Informing about the Pakistani jihadi’s terrorist activities, U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said, “As alleged, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan attempted to enter the United States to carry out a deadly terrorist attack on a Jewish center in New York City. He planned to use automatic weapons to kill as many members of our Jewish community as possible, all in support of ISIS.  Khan’s deadly, antisemitic plan was thwarted by the diligent work of our law enforcement partners and the career prosecutors in this Office who are committed to rooting out antisemitism and stopping terror.  Thanks to their efforts, Khan will now face justice in New York.”

As per a press release by US Attorney’s Office, Pakistani national Muhammad Shahzeb Khan residing in Canada started posting on social media and communicating with others on an encrypted messaging application about his support for ISIS, including by distributing ISIS propaganda videos and literature in 2023.

“Khan then began communicating with two undercover law enforcement officers (collectively, the “UCs”) about his desire and plan to carry out terrorist attacks in the United States in support of ISIS.  During those conversations, KHAN confirmed that he and a U.S.-based associate (“Associate-1”) had been planning to carry out a terrorist attack in a particular U.S. city (“City-1”) using AR-style assault rifles to “target[] Israeli Jewish chabads . . . scattered all around [City-1],” the press release reads adding that Khan instructed undercover officers to obtain AR-style assault rifles, ammunition, and other materials to carry out the attacks.

In August 2024, the Pakistani terrorist changed his target to New York and told the undercover law enforcement officers that the target location would now be a prominent Jewish religious center in Brooklyn, New York. Shahzeb Khan wanted to carry out this attack on October 7, the same day when Palestinian Islamic terror group Hamas massacred Israeli civilians in 2023. The Pakistani jihadi picked New York as his target to attack Jews since the city has the “largest Jewish population in America,” and, as such, “even if we don’t attack a[n] Event[,] we could rack up easily a lot of jews.”

“KHAN then told the UCs that he intended to kill as many Jewish civilians as possible, proclaiming that “we are going to nyc to slaughter them,” and later sent a photograph to the UCs of the specific enclosed area inside of Location-1 where KHAN planned to carry out his attack.  In the days that followed, KHAN continued to urge the UCs to acquire AR-style rifles, hunting knives to “slit their throats,” and other equipment for the attack, and reiterated his desire to carry out this attack in support of ISIS.  During one such communication, KHAN noted that “if we succeed with our plan this would be the largest Attack on US soil since 9/11,” the press release stated, adding that Shahzeb attempted to reach the U.S-Canada border using a human smuggler to enter the United States and carry out his attack in September 2024.

The 20-year-old Pakistani jihadi has been booked on charges of attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of attempting to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

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