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Three murders, four brutal assaults and death threats: How radical Islamists have been attacking Hindus who have supported Nupur Sharma

OpIndia Staff
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Three murders, four brutal assaults and death threats: How radical Islamists have been attacking Hindus who have supported Nupur Sharma

Former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s alleged ‘blasphemous’ remark about Prophet Muhammad on May 26 sparked outrage amongst Islamists not just in India but around the world. Her decision to merely quote an excerpt from the Islamic Hadith during a TV show proved catastrophic for her political career and mental peace after AltNews co-founder Mohammed Zubair dog-whistled about her comments to Islamists.

This set off a series of incidents that culminated into a constant barrage of threats at Sharma and attacks on those who dared to speak out in her support, many of which turned out to be extremely brutal.

In the last few months, rabid Islamists, who have been using Nupur Sharma just as an excuse to show muscle power and challenge state forces, have brutally executed, attacked and threatened a number of people for voicing their support for the former BJP leader on social media.

Engineering student in Bhopal found dead on railway tracks a day after his father received ‘Gustakh-e-Nabi ki ek saza, sar tan sey judaa’ message

Only yesterday (July 26), the mysterious death of an engineering student from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh came to light. Nishank Rathore, a third-year college student, was found dead on the railway tracks near Obaidullaganj town in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh on Monday. Before his death, his father had received a message that read, “Gustakh-e-Nabi ki ek saza, sar tan sey judaa.”

Suleman attacks Mukesh Tiwari for supporting Nupur Sharma on social media

On July 23, a man identified as Mukesh Tiwari was beaten up by one Mohammad Suleman for alleged posts and comments in favour of former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma in Baikunthpur Police Station Area of Rewa, Madhya Pradesh.

But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Despite the suspension of Sharma and an apology from her for the alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammed, the Islamists have been unsparing toward those who have dared to support her.

Islamists attack Bajrang Dal activist for supporting Nupur Sharma

On July 20, a Bajrang Dal activist identified as Ayush Jadam from Agar, Madhya Pradesh, was allegedly attacked by Islamists for supporting the former spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Nupur Sharma. As per reports, Ayush was travelling on Ujjain Road when a group of 10-12 people attacked him with sharp weapons.

In a statement, Ayush said that during the attack, the Islamists threatened to behead him for supporting Nupur Sharma. Ayush added that he suspected someone was following him for some days but did not pay much attention to it.

Rajasthan Police arrest five over death threats to man for supporting the ex-BJP leader

On July 16, Bhilwara Police in Rajasthan arrested five people for giving death threats to a man identified as Ayush Soni. As per reports, he was receiving ‘sar tan se juda’ threats after he allegedly shared a social media post supporting Nupur Sharma. He had shared the post on WhatsApp, after which he received these threats.

When Hindu organizations came to know about the death threats given to Soni, they demanded quick and strict action. Protests and bandh were called by the Hindu organizations in Bhilwara. Later on Saturday, the Police arrested five people for threatening Soni, and security was provided to his family.

Ankit Kumar Jha was stabbed for watching a video of Nupur Sharma

Prior to the above incident, a 23-year-old man named Ankit Kumar Jha was stabbed multiple times for watching a video of former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma on social media. The incident took place in the Sitamarhi district in the Tirhut Division of Bihar on July 15.

As per reports, Jha was watching the video of his own social media status about Nupur Sharma on his mobile which drew the ire of the Islamists, who then attacked him with a knife at least 6 times, leaving him critically injured.

A complaint was filed by the victim’s family at the Nanpur police station against the four accused, namely, Mohammed Bilal, Mohammed Nihal, Gulab Rabanni (alias Gora) and Hilal. Two of the accused had been arrested and sent to judicial custody.

Young businessman receives death threats for supporting Nupur Sharma

Death threats to people supporting Nupur Sharma on social media still continue. A case appeared in the Umra area of Surat city in Gujarat on July 15, where a young businessman received death threats for supporting Nupur Sharma on social media. An FIR was registered in the Umra police station, and the police arrested three persons in the case. 

The complainant youth runs an amusement park in the city. A picture of former Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nupur Sharma was uploaded on the Instagram page of the park. After this, the youth received death threats from seven persons. Initially, the youth ignored these threats but as the threats continued, he contacted the police station and told the officials about the threats. The police initiated the procedure to file an FIR and arrested three youths.

The arrested accused were identified as Mohammad Ayan Atashbajiwala, Rashid Bhura, and a woman named Aliya Mohammad.

Lawyer in Gujarat receives death threats from Islamists after he used the image of Nupur Sharma as WhatsApp status for 3 minutes

Yet another incident where Islamists exhibited extreme intolerance was when one Ahmedabad-based lawyer received threats for life after he used an image of Nupur Sharma as his WhatsApp status picture for just three minutes. The incident was reported on July 6.

The 32-year-old lawyer Krupal Raval had uploaded Nupur Sharma’s image as his WhatsApp status in last month but had removed it in just three minutes. But even in that short duration, Islamists took note of it. Raval said that soon after he had removed the status, he received threats for ‘supporting’ Nupur Sharma.

Around two hours after he had removed the image, he received a message on WhatsApp from a person who abused him using derogatory language and asked him why he was supporting Nupur Sharma. Krupal replied back asking for the person’s identity, but then blocked the number.

A few hours later, he received a call on his phone from an unidentified person, who threatened to kill him for supporting Nupur Sharma.

Hindu boy brutally assaulted by a Muslim mob for sharing social media post in support of Nupur Sharma

Islamists have been unrelenting toward all those Hindus who have voiced their support for the ex-BJP leader. On July 5, a frenzied Muslim mob in Arrah, Bihar, attacked a Hindu boy for posting a social media post in support of the former BJP leader.

Deepak, the victim, had shared a post on Facebook in support of Nupur Sharma that drew the ire of one Islamist named Raees, who responded to the social media post with indecent remarks. The matter escalated in the evening when the war of the words spilt onto the streets in the form of a fierce fistfight between Raees and Deepak, following which Raees brought 20 to 30 men to beat Deepak up. Reportedly, the Islamists also vandalised the tea shop owned by one Sonu Kumar Singh.

The assault against the Hindu man comes close on the heels of fatal attacks against Udaipur’s Kanhaiya Lal and Umesh Kolhe—two Hindu men killed for extending support to former BJP leader Nupur Sharma over her remarks on Prophet Muhammad, despite the fact that whatever Sharma told during a TV debate is corroborated by Islamic hadiths and many scholars.

Umesh Kohle was brutally hacked to death by Islamists for sharing a social media post supporting Nupur Sharma

On the night of 22nd June 2022, Chemist Umesh Kolhe was killed by some Islamists in Amravati of Maharashtra for allegedly sharing a social media post supporting former Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nupur Sharma.  Dr Yusuf Khan, Kolhe’s close friend, shared his social media post with another group called Rahebariya and informed his friends Sheikh Irrfan and others, and created hatred in their minds for Umesh Kolhe, resulting in the attack that led to his death.

Udaipur Hindu tailor Kanhaiya Lal beheaded in broad daylight

On June 28, a Hindu man named Kanhaiya Lal was brutally murdered in Udaipur, Rajasthan, over an alleged post in support of Nupur Sharma.

His neighbour Nazim filed a complaint against Kanhaiya Lal, following which he was arrested. Nazim also leaked Kanhaiya Lal’s number, photograph, and address to his community groups. After being released on bail, he continued to receive threats.

Gems of Andy Mukherjee: Bloomberg columnist whose hot takes on India should be free for all and put in museum for everyone’s enjoyment 

Jinit Jain
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Gems of Andy Mukherjee: Bloomberg columnist whose hot takes on India should be free for all and put in museum for everyone’s enjoyment 

Two years of coronavirus pandemic followed by Russia’s war on Ukraine not only had the world economy in a tailspin but also left a traumatising scar on the psyche of the people. India has been no exception to the adverse impact the pandemic and Ukraine crisis had on the economy and the population’s mental well-being.

Amidst this gloom and doom, there have been some altruist individuals who have taken it upon themselves to dispel the clouds of despair and entertain and amuse people with their hot takes on matters concerning economy. One such Good Samaritan is Bloomberg columnist Andy Mukherjee, whose opinion gems lately have been a source of amusement and distraction for the pandemic and war-weary population.

Here are some of the gems by Andy Mukherjee:-

Rupay can’t overthrow Visa and Mastercard and therefore, India should internationalise UPI

For instance, in March 2022, Andy Mukherjee wrote a column arguing if India can really overthrow Visa and Mastercard with its homegrown Rupay payment services. In his opinion piece, Andy asserted that Rupay must have an international approach instead of its current domestic-centric focus. However, while contending so, Mukherjee ironically also denigrated Rupay’a foreign tie-ups with Discover and Japan’s JCB International Co., stating that if the goal is to lower nation’s reliance on foreign payment services, partnering with overseas companies is not a good solution. 

Source: Bloomberg

He further added that India should instead internationalise Unified Payments Interface or UPI as it is widely known, rather than pushing its card payments services to the Indian masses. Of course, for Mukherjee, UPI and card payments services are perhaps exact substitutes, which is why he is so confidently pontificating to the Indian government to export UPI instead of developing indigenous card payments services.

While the West guzzles up Russian oil, India should refrain from importing energy at discounted rates from Moscow

In another article titled “India Shouldn’t Fall for Putin’s Rupees-for-Rubles Deal”, dated March 31, 2022, Andy Mukherjee made a case against India buying discounted Russian oil in rupees, contending that such a transactional relationship between Moscow and New Delhi could irk the West.

Source: Bloomberg

Mukherjee was willing to forgo a steep $35 per barrel discount Russia was offering along with millions of rupees saved in dollar conversion just because such a mercantilist setting would annoy the West, which, by the way, did not mind guzzling up gazillions of Russian oil to power houses and factories despite imposing sanctions against Moscow in the wake of its war on Ukraine.

RBI is raising interest rates to recoup its “lost credibility”

In still another article, Mukherjee advised the Central Bank of India to raise rates more to “regain credibility”. The article that was published on 5 May 2022 said the Reserve Bank of India’s unhurried approach toward inflation has caused damage to the Indian economy, and its decision to hike 40 basis point in benchmark rates will be a hard slog. 

Source: Bloomberg

What Andy conveniently glosses over in his article is that aggressive action by the Central Bank could have led to the risk of setting in recessionary pressures, especially on the heels of the coronavirus pandemic that had the businesses and economy in its throes due to sweeping restrictions.

Andy Mukherjee says curbing wheat exports amid disruption from Ukraine war is akin to brewing food crisis in home

Andy Mukherjee, a doomsayer of sorts but rarely gets it accurate, had also penned an article about looming wheat crisis in India. The author claimed that India has flip-flopped on its decision to feed the world with its ban on wheat export as it was facing a “chapati crisis” at home. 

Source: Bloomberg

India’s decision to stop wheat exports, Andy alleged, was due to stunted grain formation caused by climate change that had sent the mercury rising to unprecedented levels. However, the Indian government clarified its stance, stating that it had imposed a ban on wheat to ensure food security amidst the global crisis touched off by the Russian war on Ukraine.

India should buy Chinese made vaccines to fight COVID-19: Andy Mukherjee

However, the best piece of advice Andy Mukherjee had for the government of India was about importing Chinese coronavirus vaccines. In May 2021, barely four months after India kickstarted its inoculation campaign, Mukherjee authored an article declaring that India’s vaccine strategy had failed. Amid delays in vaccine production, Andy suggested the government procure Chinese-made vaccines to inoculate its over 1.4 billion population to blunt the impact of the pandemic and foster immunity to fight future variants of the ever-evolving coronavirus.

Source: Bloomberg

Thankfully, the Indian government did not heed his advice and ploughed on with its vaccination drive, which recently reached the milestone of jabbing 200 crore vaccine doses. On the contrary, China, which boasted its authoritarian system in swift vaccine production and administration, is still reeling under chronic waves of coronavirus pandemic despite having administered its population with Chinese-made vaccines.

At present, when a semblance of normality is beginning to return across the world, China has still imposed sweeping curbs in some parts of the country to tackle the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.

Andy Mukherjee loses hope in India

In November 2020, Andy Mukherjee wrote an opinion piece in Bloomberg titled “Why I am losing hope in India.” The piece apparently led to a global rethink about India and even a headline in Scroll that ran“Why columnist Andy Mukherjee is losing hope in India…” Eventually, the Society of Publishers in Asia decided to give an award to this piece for “Excellence in Global Writing.”

What did Andy Mukherjee get from Indians in return for his grand intellectual contribution? Trolling, mostly.

But there was a fundamental problem with Andy’s piece. It did not jibe with the available data. While he continued to lament over losing hope in India, the data suggested that India was powered by strong growth that kept it on the path to the world’s fastest growth. Real investors continue to invest real money in India. In the most recent quarter of that year, it was $22.5 billion.

As for FDI equity inflows in Apr-Jun 2021, that was up by 168 per cent. Somehow the opinion pandits know something that the real investors just don’t seem to grasp. India’s economy was failing, according to Andy, and it was collapsing even before the pandemic struck.

Two years since the pandemic swept India, the country remains among the fastest growing economy, as per the IMF. But perhaps, the IMF does not have the “divine foresight” that Andy Mukherjee appears to possess, who continues to make apocalyptic predictions for the Indian economy.

Unfortunately, such treasured quality that Andy Mukherjee possesses should not remain restricted behind a paywall, as is the case with his pieces on the Bloomberg website. In the interest of humanity, Bloomberg should grant free access to Andy Mukherjee’s column, whose opinion pieces should perhaps be preserved in a museum for not just public consumption for the current generation but for posterity as well. After all, there are few economic analysts and geopolitical observers who have been as consistent in being terribly wrong as Andy Mukherjee has been.

To borrow a quote from George Orwell and modify it to pay tribute to Andy Mukherjee’s invaluable contribution, one can say “In the times of universal distress, writing amusing pieces is a revolutionary act”, and there should not be any restriction to access revolutionary acts.

VHP announces Gharwapsi campaign for those whose ancestors were Hindus: Aims to connect 5 lakh people against love jihad and forced conversions

OpIndia Staff
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VHP announces Gharwapsi campaign for those whose ancestors were Hindus: Aims to connect 5 lakh people against love jihad and forced conversions

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) announced a Gharwapsi campaign for those people whose ancestors were Hindus. The decision was taken in a two-day meeting organized in Prayagraj. It was decided in the meeting that the organization would connect with the people who have left Hinduism and would try to reawaken the faith in Hinduism in their minds. VHP will run a Gharwapsi campaign for these people.

In this meeting, the VHP also decided to convey its activities to every household in order to stop forced conversions. Champat Rai, the vice-president of VHP, said that attacks on Hinduism are increasing every day. Therefore, a Hitchintak Abhiyan (Wellwishers Campaign) will be carried out in the 19 districts of the Kashi region and we will connect 5 lakh people with our organization. This campaign will run from 6th November 2022 to 20th November 2022.

The issue of love jihad was also discussed in this meeting along with forced conversions. In this meeting, Champat Rai said, “VHP is continuously trying to connect the Hindus. Hindus are continuously attacked. Incidents of love jihad are increasing. Huge inducements are offered to people getting converted. We should come ahead to stop all this.”

This two-day meeting of the VHP was organized on 23rd and 24th July 2022 in the RD College of Prayagraj. In this meeting, Champat Rai also told about the other activities of the organization. He told that the organization is about to complete its 60 years and many programs will be organized to celebrate this occasion.

Champat Rai stated that from 12th August 2022 to 16th August 2022, the organization will organize the foundation day program with the intent of ensuring the integrity of the undivided nation. From 17th August to 24th August 2022, there will be various programs in every locality of the Kashi region. The organization will also hold programs on various occasions like Durga Ashtami and Geeta Jayanti.

As most Monkeypox cases remain confined to gay men, WHO warns against stigmatisation, says it can spread to general population

OpIndia Staff
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As most Monkeypox cases remain confined to gay men, WHO warns against stigmatisation, says it can spread to general population

As World Health Organisation designated Monkeypox as Global Health Emergency, it has emerged that the disease is most prevalent among gay men. While initial reports suggested that the virus can be transmitted to humans through a person, animal, or any material which is already infected by the virus, WHO chief Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has stated that the disease has only been reported in men who have sex with other men, particularly those who have multiple sexual partners.

While declaring the disease as global health emergency, Dr. Tedros had said. “For the moment this is an outbreak that is concentrated among men who have sex with men, especially those with multiple sexual partners. That means that this is an outbreak that can be stopped with the right strategies in the right groups.”

Concerning the communities further who have sex with men, Dr. Ghebreyesus directed the affected countries to work for the health and dignity of the affected communities. “It’s therefore essential that all countries work closely with communities of men who have sex with men, to design and deliver effective information and services, and to adopt measures that protect the health, human rights, and dignity of affected communities”, he said.

He also said that the stigma and discrimination could be as dangerous as any virus. So far, about 16,000 monkeypox cases from over 75 countries have been reported. However, reports mention that it is not clear yet if Monkeypox is just a sexually transmitted illness. The disease reportedly is said to spread through close contact, including kissing, caressing, oral, and penetrative vaginal or anal intercourse with an already affected partner. But it is also not clear yet if an asymptomatic person can spread the virus.

Statistics show that overwhelming majority of people infected with Monkeypox virus are men men who have sex with men. For example, a study by UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) showed that out of 152 patients interviewed, 151 of them identified themselves as identified as gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). Similarly, among 336 confirmed cases in the UK till June 6, 311 were male and only 3 were female, while gender information was not available for the rest.

According to the WHO, 99% of confirmed cases in United Kingdom, the United States, Canada have been detected among gay men, especially who have multiple partners.

With the increasing information that the disease is mostly confined to gay and bisexual men, concerns about stigmatisation have also emerged. Warning against associating the disease with the GBMSM community only, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that “Stigma and discrimination can be as dangerous as any virus.”

Moreover, the WHO has clarified that while the disease spreads among gay men, that is not the only mode of transmission, and it is not limited to gay men, saying that is ‘not the case everywhere’. The UN health agency said that while cases have so far been concentrated primarily within gay and bisexual communities, there is little evidence to suggest that the disease will remain confined to those groups. WHO officials also expressed alarm about the stigma and discrimination surrounding monkeypox by associating with the gay and bisexual community.

At a news conference in Geneva, Dr Rosamund Lewis, WHO Technical Lead on Monkeypox, said that such stigma around Monkeypox should be avoided since it would compromise the fight against the illness. Dr. Catherine Smallwood, senior emergency officer at the WHO, said that there is no certainty that the disease will remain confined to these specific groups only. “At the moment, cases continue to be reported among men who have sex with men for the most part, but we should not expect that to remain as such,” she said. Smallwood added that it is not uncommon for a virus outbreak to start in one particular group or setting before spreading more widely in the general population.

Monkeypox, a rare tropical illness transmitted by wild creatures, has spread suddenly all over the world in the last two months, raising worries about what it is and how harmful it might be. While there have been hundreds of confirmed cases in the UK, infections have been recorded in many countries outside of Africa, including the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and India.

India at present houses five such patients one from Delhi and Telangana each and three from the state of Kerala. The newly identified suspect is a 40-year-old man from Indiranagar Colony, Kamareddy district who showed monkeypox symptoms after he returned from Kuwait on July 6. The three cases reported from Kerala all in their thirties also showed symptoms after they returned from UAE. However, the one from Delhi who tested positive for the disease has no travel history. The recent case reported on Sunday has alarmed the country of the newly arrived zoonotic disease which belongs to the same family of viruses that causes smallpox.

How does the disease spread

The virus spreads mostly through direct or indirect contact with the afflicted patient’s body. Scientists have yet to determine if it is solely transmitted through intercourse. News agency ANI talked to Dr. Dhiren Gupta, a senior consultant at Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital to know the truth about the spread. He agreed with the statement of the WHO chief and added that hugging and massages, use of sex toys as well as prolonged face-to-face contact could also lead to contraction of the virus.

Meanwhile, another dermatologist Dr. Deepali Bharadwaj suggested that people needed to take care amid the spread. “Monkeypox can spread by sex, the touch of all sorts hence strict isolation is the key. Use of face masks, hand hygiene, and social distancing might help”, she added.

Symptoms of Monkey pox

Fever, severe headache, back pain, myalgia (muscle pains), severe asthenia (lack of energy), and lymphadenopathy (swelling of the lymph nodes) are all symptoms of the virus. Reports mention that these signs and symptoms might linger for up to five days.

The skin eruption generally develops one to three days after the fever appears. The rashes are more noticeable on the face and limbs. The rashes afflict the face in 95% of monkeypox cases, while the palms of the hands and soles of the feet are affected in 75% of cases. The rash might also progress from macules or flat-based lesions to papules or slightly elevated firm lesions. It then progresses to vesicles or lesions with clear fluid, followed by pustules or lesions with yellowish fluid. The rash eventually heals and falls off.

Steps taken by Indian government to curb the spread

In a move to take major steps to the prevention of the spread in India, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has directed the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the ICMR to keep a close watch and monitor the situation. The Union Health Ministry has also directed airport and port health officers to be vigilant. They have been instructed to isolate and send suspected samples to the National Institute of Virology of any sick passenger with a travel history to infected countries.

While Ukraine gets ravaged, Zelenskyy and his wife set up ‘wartime’ theme for Vogue photoshoot, now the PR stunt is drawing ire

OpIndia Staff
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While Ukraine gets ravaged, Zelenskyy and his wife set up ‘wartime’ theme for Vogue photoshoot, now the PR stunt is drawing ire

On July 26, fashion magazine Vogue published an article on Olena Zelenska, wife of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, where they portrayed her as a brave woman. The article talked in length about her ‘struggle’ during the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia and how she always stayed behind the scene. While such articles are often well-received, this particular one drew ire. The reason behind the outrage is the photoshoot that Vogue did for the article.

There were a total of five photographs published by Vogue with the article. All photographs were staged and well-lit to make Zelenska look like a powerful woman who stood by her husband during difficult times. However, netizens did not take it well and criticized the way the photographs were shot. Vogue posted videos of the photoshoot, which showed how it was well planned and how the scenes where the photos were taken were staged.

In the video posted by Vogue on Instagram, the President and the first lady of Ukraine were seen discussing with the Vogue photographer about the photoshoot, followed by getting photographs clicked. From the cover photograph to the couple’s shot, every photograph seems to have been well thought out, well planned and perfectly lit as per the requirements of the magazine. President Zelenskyy was seen involved in a discussion with the photographer about the shots. In the 18-second video, different locations were shown to portray the first lady as strong support for the President during war times.

Netizens criticized the photoshoot

Writer and producer David Angelo said, “Zelensky is such a fraud. I swear to god, what are we doing here? I’m not risking WWIII for a Vogue shoot.” He added, “We paid like 90 billion dollars so they could air drop Annie Leibovitz into Kyiv.” Annie Leibovitz is a celebrated American photographer famous for dramatic celebrity portraits. Declared a ‘living legend’ by the Library of Congress, Leibovitz took the photographs of Olena Zelenska and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Republican leader from California David Giglio said, “I’m confused. The Ukrainian people are stuck fighting a war that they cannot possibly win, and instead of working towards a life-saving solution Zelensky has time for photo shoots with Vogue. This is the “world-class” leader the media was telling us about??”

Legal correspondent for The Federalist Margot Cleveland said, “People are criticizing the Zelensky Vogue wartime glamour shoot as narcissistic, in poor taste, and wrongly timed but what they forget is that it’s also tone deaf and elitist.”

Rebel News Australia Chief Avi Yemini said, “I respected Zelensky at the beginning of the war when we were flooded with photos of the Ukrainian President on the frontline in tactical gear. Turned out the photos were faked. An act like the man himself. Now posing for Vogue. All to grift billions from western taxpayers.”

Presenter Max said, “No shade, but I find the First Lady #olenaZelenska and President #Zelensky doing a shoot with #Vogue odd .. I know it’s about how she is coping and being strong. This pic just looks so posey and maybe not the right vibe.”

Why do people find the photoshoot problematic?

The Russia-Ukraine conflict has been going on for over five months. Since the war started, President Zelenskyy has appealed the citizens to take up arms and join the army to fight Russia. Weapons were provided to the civilians for the same. Many soldiers and civilians have died during the ongoing war.

Notably, he has refused to negotiate with Russia even though, despite endless help from the western countries, Ukraine has lost a major share of the land to Russian troops. More and more weapons are being provided to Ukraine for the war by the USA and other NATO countries, but it has not done any good for the country so far.

Amidst all the pain and suffering during the war, Zelenskyy apparently thought that this was the best time to improve his image by doing a well-planned photo shoot for a fashion magazine. Countries like the United States have provided aid in the form of weapons and more. Russia is facing sanctions from the Western countries, but overall the situation has not shown any signs that go in favour of Ukraine. Still, the President of a war-hit country found time to do a photo shoot for a fashion magazine that looked odd and tasteless to netizens.

The photographs will be used in the October 2022 issue of the magazine.

SC upholds ED’s power to make arrests, constitutional validity of PMLA: Here is what the petitioners had gone to Court against

OpIndia Staff
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SC upholds ED’s power to make arrests, constitutional validity of PMLA: Here is what the petitioners had gone to Court against

On Wednesday (July 26), the Supreme Court of India upheld the constitutional validity of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, and the power of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to arrest, search, seize and attach properties.

As per reports, the matter was heard by a 3-Judge Bench of Justices Dinesh Maheshwari, AM Khanwilkar, and CT Ravikumar. The apex court in its verdict upheld Sections 5, 8, 15, 17 and 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

It further pointed out that ED officials are not ‘police officials’ and thus recording statements of the accused by the central agency is not hit by the fundamental right against self-incrimination.

The Supreme Court also stated that an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), which is essentially an internal document of the central agency, cannot be equated with a First Information Report (FIR) filed by the police.

As such, provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which are applicable to an FIR, will not affect the filing of ECIR. The Court also held that supplying ECIR was not mandatory although Special courts can seek for it to determine whether continued imprisonment of an accused is essential to the case.

In a major relief to the Union government, the Judges upheld the competence of the Parliament to amend the provision of ‘twin conditions for bail’ that is enshrined in Section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

This was despite the fact that the twin conditions were struck down by the apex court in the Nikesh Tarachand Shah vs Union Of India case of 2017. It must be mentioned that the Supreme Court had earlier reserved the judgment in the case on March 15, 2022.

Currently, the Enforcement Directorate is probing matters involving the unlawful recruitment of non-teaching personnel, teaching staff, and primary school teachers in West Bengal under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.

The petition against PMLA and ED

During the hearing, the petitioners had argued that the offence of “money laundering” under Section 3 is applicable only if the property is projected as untainted property. The SC dismissed it, asserting that the ‘and’ in Section 3 has to be read as ‘or’ and stated that the section has a wider reach, and covers every activity involved in the process of money laundering, not just the final act. The section also says that possessing the proceeds of the crime can also be termed as money laundering.

The case was before the courts as Vijay Madanlal Choudhary v Union of India, later, 240 other petitions against the PMLA and ED’s powers were also clubbed in the case. The petitioners in the case had questioned the ED’s powers to arrest, the need for a magistrate’s permission, and had argued that the provisions under PMLA violate the fundamental rights of a person by placing the burden of proof on the accused.

The petitioners had also asked the SC if the act of money laundering can be considered a standalone offence and whether it is constitutional to add actions that took place prior to the addition of offences under the PMLA act. They have also questioned the validity of provisions under PMLA that allow authorities to attach properties, saying that it is a violation of rights to property under Article 300A.

Madhya Pradesh: Nishank Rathore’s sister ties Rakhi to his mortal remains before cremation, family deny ‘financial problem’ angle

OpIndia Staff
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Madhya Pradesh: Nishank Rathore’s sister ties Rakhi to his mortal remains before cremation, family deny ‘financial problem’ angle

On July 26, a video of Rathore’s sister tying Rakhi on his lifeless hand went viral on social media. Rathore’s dead body was found on a railway track in Bhopal. Notably, before his dead body was found, a ‘sar tan se juda’ message was sent from his phone to his father. A similar story was uploaded on his Instagram account as well. Rathore’s last rites took place on Monday.

The investigation into the matter is underway. Police are investigating all possible angles in the matter. There are some reports that suggest Nishank had invested in the share market and cryptocurrency and faced losses. Furthermore, he also owed money to some of his friends. Some media houses are using the information to downplay his murder, and his family has objected to such reports.

Shiv Rathore, Nishank’s cousin, was quoted by Swarajya saying that his brother was brave and was not stressed about anything. He said, “Police are trying to divert the issue but this is a murder through conspiracy.” Shiv is Vibhag Mantri of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). Nishank’s family has categorically said that he could not have committed suicide and that it was a well-planned murder. Also, the family members have denied having any financial crisis.

It is noteworthy that Nishank was vocal about his religious views and often took part in religious functions. Shiv further added that his family had prepared a memorandum on behalf of the Rathore community. The family is planning to submit the memorandum to officials and politicians. They want an in-depth investigation over the death of their son and will urge the authorities not to downplay the ‘murder for blasphemy’ angle.

20-years-old Rathore was a third-year college student. He was found dead on the railway tracks near Obaidullaganj town in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh on July 24. Before his dead body was found, his father, Uma Shankar Rathore, had received a message that read, “Gustakh-e-Nabi ki Ek saza, sar tan sey judaa.”

Sri Lanka: Protester Danish Ali arrested, had interrupted official TV Rupavahini broadcast to give his own message during anti-Govt protests

OpIndia Staff
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Sri Lanka: Protester Danish Ali arrested, had interrupted official TV Rupavahini broadcast to give his own message during anti-Govt protests

On Tuesday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CID) in Colombo, Sri Lanka arrested the protester who had aggressively invaded Sri Lanka’s official television, the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation on July 13. The protester identified as Danish Ali was arrested by the CID officers from the Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport while he was trying to escape to Dubai.

According to the reports, the Police arrested him after the Sri Lanka Court issued a warrant of arrest in his name. On July 13, Danish Ali who represents ‘Aragala Protestors’ had come on air along with one of his aides and disrupted the scheduled TV program. He had taken over the special broadcast talk show and had told the anchor and audience that they had taken over the station on behalf of the people.

“Protesters are on the premises. We have not even aimed a stone at Rupavahini. We only requested to change the broadcast and join the arugula and not to join any leader than comes but to be independent. Now as aragala we took this over for the people we thank the staff for accepting us”, Danish Ali had said on air. The Sri Lanka Rupahavini Corporation (SLRC), the state-owned television network was heavily guarded as the demonstrators invaded the station.

A day after the protest, however, Ali, the ‘Gota Go Gama’ activist addressed a press brief and clarified that the protest led by the ‘Aragala Protestors’ was peaceful and that no properties were damaged by the demonstrators. “The ones who damaged the properties belonged to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa”, he said.

He had also mentioned that the protestors had vacated every building stormed except for the President’s Secretariat. “President’s secretariat is for the people. We want to show that we are capable. If we leave, we can come back the next minute if we want”, he had added. On July 9, the protesters forcibly entered the office of the President and the Prime Minister and his residence, and a fierce face-off between the protesters and security forces was reported from Colombo.

Following the fierce protest, former President Rajapaksa left Sri Lanka on July 13 and went to the Maldives and then to Singapore. Ranil Wickremesinghe was later appointed as the new President of Sri Lanka on July 21. The CID arrested the protester named Danish Ali after the Court orders. Investigations in the case are underway.

SC lawyer Vineet Jindal, who had filed complaint against Ajmer Dargah’s Adil Chishty, gets threat letter warning ‘Sar Tan Se Juda’

OpIndia Staff
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SC lawyer Vineet Jindal, who had filed complaint against Ajmer Dargah’s Adil Chishty, gets threat letter warning ‘Sar Tan Se Juda’

On Tuesday night, Supreme Court attorney Vineet Jindal received death threats and requested protection from the Delhi Police. “Allah ka paigham hai Vineet Jindal, tera bhi sar tan se juda karenge jald hi (It’s Allah’s message, Vineet Jindal; we’ll behead you soon)”, an unidentified letter stated.

According to the reports, Jindal seeking protection from the Delhi Police informed them that he received the anonymous letter after he got back home on July 26, at around 8:30 pm. His residence has CCTV, however, those who hurled the piece of paper with the threat on it were not caught by the CCTV.

He took to Twitter to share the letter and urged DCP Northwest to look into the matter. He tweeted, “Today the jihadis threatened to separate me from my body and sent it to my house. This is a threat to my life and my family’s life, and the Delhi Police has already accepted that.”

Jindal also mentioned in the application filed to Delhi Police that earlier had received similar threat messages and calls. “Earlier as well, I have received threat messages and calls from the US, Taiwan and Canada, about which I had informed the Delhi Police. Please investigate the matter,” Jindal said.

It is notable here that Vineet Jindal had lodged a complaint against the Khadim of Ajmer Dargah and Anjuman committee member Adil Chishty with the Delhi Police and the Islamist threat may have been because of that.

Reports mention that Vineet Jindal has already been given protection by Delhi Police, and a PSO has been assigned to him. Jindal claimed to have requested a PSO for his security a few days ago.

Karnataka: BJP Yuva Morcha worker Praveen Nettaru hacked to death in Bellari

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: BJP Yuva Morcha worker Praveen Nettaru hacked to death in Bellari

On July 26, a Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha worker Praveen Nettaru was hacked to death by unidentified assailants. As per reports, the killers came on a bike in Bellari, Dakshina Kannada of Karnataka, in the late evening and attacked Nettaru with sharp weapons. Nettaru, who ran a poultry business, was coming returning home when the attack happened. The assailants escaped after the attack. Nettaru was rushed to the hospital, but he could not be saved.

Chief Minister of Karnataka Basavaraj Bommai expressed his deep condolences to Nettaru’s family and assured justice in the matter. In a tweet in Kannada, he said, “The barbaric killing of our party activist Praveen Nettaru from Dakshina Kannada district is condemnable. The perpetrators of such a heinous act will be arrested soon and punished under the law. May Praveen’s soul rest in peace. May God bless his family with the strength to bear this pain. Om Shanti.”

Following his death, many BJP workers sat in protest in Bellari and Puttur and demanded justice for the deceased.

It is unclear why Nettaru was killed. However, in a report in Manorama Online, it was mentioned that eyewitnesses alleged the assailants came on a bike with Kerala’s registration number. The location where the incident happened is close to the Kerala border. Times Now Navbharat also reported that the assailants were on a Kerala-borne bike.

Karnataka Police has registered the case, and an investigation is underway. Reports suggest two recent incidents, including the murder of a Muslim man and a matter related to a mosque, could have led to the murder of Nettaru. Heavy Police forces have been deployed in the area to maintain law and order.

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