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Rath Yatra in the east and west, Amarnath Yatra in the north: After 2 years of Covid, Hindu devotees participate in overwhelming numbers for a darshan

OpIndia Staff
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Rath Yatra in the east and west, Amarnath Yatra in the north: After 2 years of Covid, Hindu devotees participate in overwhelming numbers for a darshan

After a long gap of two years, the Jagannath Temple administration in the state of Odisha has opened the doors of the Jagannath temple for the devotees who are all geared up to be a part of the world-famous Rath Yatra. For the past two years, the district of Puri in Odisha has been hosting devotee-less Rath Yatras due to the spread of the coronavirus disease.

Imposing the strict COVID protocols, the Administrator of Puri Jagannath Temple in the past two years had allowed only those servitors who tested negative to participate in pulling the chariots and had stopped the devotees from being a part of the procession. However, this year as the threat of the pandemic has reduced, the coordination meeting which was held under the chairmanship of State Minister Pratap Jena for Rath Yatra-2022 allowed the devotees to participate in the Rath Yatra.

According to the reports, the administration has undertaken proper measures to ensure the safe health and sanitation of the participants of the Rath Yatra. The administration has constituted various teams to take care of crowd management, health services, road and transport, drain and sanitation, and parking facilities. Also, it has deployed the police force, ODRAF, NDRF, and other special forces as part of a master plan to ensure proper traffic arrangement, cordon arrangement, and crowd management.

Given the still existing threat of COVID, Energy Minister Divya Shankar Mishra and Law and Order ADG RK Sharma who attended the coordination meeting for Rath Yatra-2022 have also decided to appoint 15 doctors at the Puri District Head Quarter Hospital as a preventive measure.

The Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath is held every year at Puri in the state of Odisha and Gujarat. It is the annual festival that is celebrated on Ashadha Shukla Paksha Dwitiya, the second day in the bright fortnight of the Ashadha month. Lord Jagannath during this period, along with his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra ride on the Rath to visit the sacred place of his first manifestation, the Gundicha Temple. The temple is at a distance of 4 kilometers from Sri Jagannath Temple where the deities spend seven days.

The name of Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath’s chariot is Nandighosh, Subhadra’s chariot is Devadalan and that of Balabhadra is Taladhwaja. Thousands of devotees from across the world join this annual festival and pull the chariots from the Jagannath Temple to Gundicha Temple.

Similarly, the Jagannath Rath Yatra procession in Ahmedabad is being held in a full-fledged manner after a gap of two years due to COVID. The Rath Yatra is scheduled from Jamalpur Darwaza starting around 7 am to Saraspur after an aarti by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and will return back to Jagannath Temple in Jamalpur by 6 pm.

Over 25,000 personnel of Gujarat Police and other security agencies have been deployed along the 18 KMs long Yatra route to ensure the smooth flow of the procession. Alternative traffic arrangements have been made for the public to ensure there is no traffic congestion on other routes due to the Yatra.

Rath Yatra, Puri, Odisha (Image Source- Ministry of Culture)

Return of the Amarnath Yatra

Similarly, a number of measures have been taken for the devotees at the Amarnath Yatra. The Yatra, which kicked off on June 30th, saw thousands of devotees participating in the procession after a gap of three years. Reports mention that around 7,000 pilgrims visited Barfani Baba on June 30, and around 700 reached the base camp of Panchtarni in over 150 sorties by helicopter.

Talking exclusively to Mirror Now, one of the devotees from the base camp said, “By the grace of Lord Shiva, we all will be safe and complete the pilgrimage. We are all excited and grateful to have been able to take part in the Amarnath Yatra this year.” Another pilgrim expressed happiness to have been able to participate in the procession this year.

Amid the COVID spread, the Amarnath Yatra was canceled for the past two years and the devotees were asked to see the online ‘aarti’ session that was being facilitated by the temple authorities. However, this year, the Jammu and Kashmir Police, BSF, and the Army have been deployed on the 48 km long Yatra route to ensure the safety of the devotees. The ground report by the Mirror now revealed that devotees from all walks of life have participated in the Yatra this year.

Amarnath Yatra is organized every year by Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board during the summer months. The 43-day yatra to the 3,880-meter-high cave shrine of Lord Shiva, located in the upper reaches of the Himalayas is filled with faith, thrill, and joy for the devotees. The divine feeling that always rules over the minds of devotees helps them realize ‘Moksha’ when they reach the cave and perform the prayer before the Shivling.

Udaipur beheading: Two other accused Mohsin and Asif arrested for plotting the murder, 32 IPS officers transferred after Congress Govt criticised for inaction

OpIndia Staff
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Udaipur beheading: Two other accused Mohsin and Asif arrested for plotting the murder, 32 IPS officers transferred after Congress Govt criticised for inaction

On the night of June 30, Udaipur Police made two fresh arrests in the Kanhaiya Lal murder case. The arrested accused, identified as Mohsin and Asif, have been charged with plotting the brutal beheading of the Hindu tailor for supporting Nupur Sharma.

Mohsin and Asif are currently being interrogated along with the other arrested accused, Mohammed Riyaz Akhtar and Mohammed Gaus, the two Islamists who had carried out the ISIS-style execution on June 28 and released a video gloating over the brutal killing of Kanhaiya Lal.

After receiving the interim report, the SIT has also increased the sections under which the accused have been charged. Arms Act has been added in the case after the weapon was found. IPC Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) was also added after the names of the conspirators came to the fore. IPC sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) have also been included in the FIR.

According to reports, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), that has taken over the investigation, will be filing an application in the Special NIA Court in Jaipur shortly to seek the custody of the accused. As of now, the two prime accused Mohammed Riyaz Akhtar and Mohammed Gaus have been shifted to Ajmer High-security jail.

According to authorities, the inquiry has thus far revealed that Mohammad Riyaz and Mohammad Gaus were not responsible for the massacre alone; rather, they were part of a group that included more than a dozen other Islamists.

For a very long time, these Islamists discussed the news of the Hindu-Muslim conflict on their social media group. They had been preparing to accomplish something significant for a while. Mohammad Riyaz and Mohammad Gaus envisioned creating an Islamic State in India, similar to ISIS. Both accused admitted to regularly watching ISIS and Taliban videos.

Two prime accused confessed to working for Pakistan-backed sleeper cell

They considered Hindus as ‘kaafirs’ (infidels), and their sole purpose in carrying out this beheading was to terrorize Hindus. Post Nupur Sharma’s remark, when Islamists started unleashing mayhem in several parts of the nation, the accused saw it as an opportunity to become a hero of their religion. They thought Kanhaiya Lal would be the easiest target given his response to Nupur Sharma’s remark.

Notably, the Kanhaiya Lal murder case has been taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) after a Pakistan link emerged. During a press conference on Wednesday, Director General of Police (DGP) ML Lather confirmed that one of the two accused, Ghouse Mohammad, who carried out the brutal murder of a tailor in Udaipur has links with Pakistan-based organisation Dawat-e-Islami and had visited Karachi in 2014.

Meanwhile, Republic TV quoted sources as saying that the accused allegedly visited Karachi twice and spent about 45 days in the Islamic country before returning to India and carrying out the heinous murder.

Udaipur cops reshuffled after Congress govt led by Ashok Gehlot faces criticism

Meanwhile, the Ashok Gehlot administration has transferred 32 IPS personnel, including the Inspector General and Superintendent of Police of Udaipur, following harsh criticism for its handling of the case of the gruesome murder of the Hindu man.

Notably, the Udaipur police have came under criticism for not providing security to Kanhaiya Lal after he complained of threats over a social media post in support of Nupur Sharma. He was arrested by police for supporting Nupur Sharma, and after he was released on bail, he had started getting threats, and was forced to keep his shop. But despite multiple requests, the police had refused to provide him security or restrain the Islamists who were threatening him.

Now, as per reports, the SPs of 10 districts including Udaipur have been transferred in the list issued by the department late on Thursday night.

It is astounding to see, however, that Rajasthan Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot was seen patting himself on the back upon the ‘swift’ arrest of the killers of Kanhaiya Lal, despite receiving widespread criticism for the apathy shown by the state administration leading to the horrifying beheading of the Hindu man. Talking to the media, Gehlot said, “We found out within one night that this case has connections internationally. This tells us that this incident is an act of terror. This has nothing to do with two religions fighting with each other.”

It may be recalled how in a video that emerged on June 29, a day after Kanhaiya Lal was executed in broad daylight by the two Islamists who entered his shop posing as customers, the family of the slain Kanhaiya Kumar called Ashok Gehlot a “slave of Muslims”.

On being asked what she would like to tell the Rajasthan Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot, Kanhaiya Lal’s sister said, “I don’t want to say anything to him. He is the number 1 slave of Muslims”.

On Thursday, after the statements of the family and other Hindu organisations who have been protesting against the brutal murder, CM Ashok Gehlot finally decided to meet the family of slain Kanhaiya Lal. However, there too, while talking to the media, Gehlot glossed over the Islamist communal crime as an ‘act of terror’ with connections outside the country.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had, however, dismissed the ‘terror outfit’ angle in the Kanhaiya Lal murder case. On June 30 the probing agency denied the involvement of any terrorist organization in the brutal murder of a Hindu tailor by Islamists that took place on 28th June 2022 in Udaipur.

By calling it merely an act of ‘terror’ with international linkages, Gehlot whitewashed the fact that the incident was an Islamic act of terror. The religious angle in the case cannot be subsumed as admittedly it was revenge for the supposed ‘blasphemy’ committed by Kanhaiya Lal in supporting Nupur Sharma.

Moreover, with the assassination of Kanhaiya Lal, the Islamist fanatics have given a signal that they would murder anyone who is declared a blasphemer. Gehlot’s whitewashing of the Islamist violent act has hence come unwarranted.

SC judge who blamed Nupur Sharma for Udaipur beheading by Islamists had earlier expunged his ‘unnecessary’ comments on reservations: Read details

OpIndia Staff
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SC judge who blamed Nupur Sharma for Udaipur beheading by Islamists had earlier expunged his ‘unnecessary’ comments on reservations: Read details

Earlier today, the Supreme Court (SC) came down hard on former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma saying that she was responsible for the brutal Udaipur killings with her comments on Prophet Muhammad and said she should “apologise to the whole country”.

A bench headed by Justices Surya Kant and J.B Pardiwala observed, “The way she has ignited emotions across the country. This lady is single-handedly responsible for what is happening in the country.”

Justice J.B Pardiwala who blamed Nupur Sharma for the Udaipur hate crime had earlier expunged his “unnecessary” comments on reservations

Even as the court pinned the blame for the Udaipur beheading on Nupur Sharma, it is worth noting how one of the two judges, Justice J.B Pardiwala, who was then the Gujarat High Court judge, had to expunge comments made on reservations after Rajya Sabha members moved a petition seeking an impeachment motion against him.

In December 2015, 58 lawmakers in the Rajya Sabha submitted a petition to Chair Hamid Ansari seeking to move an impeachment motion against Gujarat High Court judge J.B. Pardiwala. Following the petition, the judge deleted the remarks from his judgment saying they were not “relevant and necessary”.

Justice J.B Pardiwala had made comments on the reservation system while deciding a petition filed by the Patel agitation leader Hardik Patel, who had filed a plea demanding reservation benefits to the Patel community.

“If I am asked by anyone to name two things, which has destroyed this country or rather, has not allowed the country, to progress in the right direction, then the same is – Reservation and Corruption,” Justice J.B Pardiwala had said.

“It is very shameful for any citizen of this country to ask for reservation after 65 years of independence. When our Constitution was framed, it was understood that the reservation would remain for a period of 10 years, but unfortunately, it has continued even after 65 years of independence,” he had added, causing nationwide outrage and spurring lawmakers to move a petition seeking an impeachment motion against him. In the wake of the controversy, Justice Pardiwala expunged the comments and called them superfluous.

According to reports, Justice J.B Pardiwala is set to become the Chief Justice of India when Justice PS Narasimha retires in May 2028. He will have a tenure lasting till August 11, 2030, until his retirement. His father, Burjorji Cawasji Pardiwala, had joined the Bar in 1955 and was the president of the Valsad District Bar Association. Burjorji was also a Congress MLA and had served as the Speaker of the seventh Gujarat Assembly (1989-1990).

Islamists, triggered by Mohammed Zubair’s dog-whistling, hack Kanhaiya Lal to death in Udaipur

The court blamed Nupur Sharma for the touching off tensions across the country over her comments made during a debate on Times Now where the former BJP leader had quoted authentic and reliable Islamic Hadiths to comment on Prophet Muhammad.

Soon after the debate, Muhammad Zubair of Alt News, who is under arrest in a separate case on charges of hurting religious sentiments with his Hinduphobic posts, dog-whistled Islamists against Sharma, setting off a wave of angry protests and spasms of violence as Muslim fundamentalists took to the streets, running riot and demanding the beheading of Sharma.

Then on Tuesday this week, two Islamists, stirred by the prevailing communal tensions across the country, hacked Kanhaiya Lal, a Hindu tailor, to death for extending solidarity to the beleaguered leader over the incessant hounding by the Islamists and dangerous threats issued against her.

Islamists celebrate the beheading of Kanhaiya Lal: 3 arrested in Uttar Pradesh

OpIndia Staff
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Islamists celebrate the beheading of Kanhaiya Lal: 3 arrested in Uttar Pradesh

Following the ruthless beheading of Kanhaiya Lal by two Islamists in Rajasthan’s Udaipur, several incidents have been recorded in which other Islamists supported the act and in some even cheered the horrendous crime. Now, police have arrested several such persons in Uttar Pradesh who were found celebrating the murder.

According to reports, the Uttar Pradesh police have arrested a person accused of celebrating the beheading of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal.

Asif Khan, a native of Chhaprauli village in Noida Sector 168, has been nabbed by the Noida Police near the Expressway canal area. The individual reportedly posted a video of the crime on Facebook and commented in support of Kanhaiya Lal’s murder. He has been booked under sections 505(2) and 295A of the Indian Penal Code.

Another similar incident unfolded in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut district, where a father-son duo was detained for celebrating Kanhaiya Lal’s murder by lighting crackers. According to the police, Manzoor and his son Shahzad, residents of Mainaputthi village in the Sarurpur police station area, lighted off fireworks on Wednesday evening in support of the accused in the murder of Kanhaiya Lal. The event was reported by some residents on Dial 112. Following this, the police arrived and apprehended Manzoor and Shahzad.

Keshav Kumar, Superintendent of Police Meerut Rural, stated that the police had got information about the event on PRV 112. The police took the case seriously and detained both of the suspects on the spot. Firecrackers, both burned and unburned, were also confiscated from the accused’s possession by the police. An FIR has been filed against both of the accused for provoking religious sentiments.

Needless to say, the gruesome beheading of poor tailor Kanhaiya Lal by two Islamists in broad daylight horrified the nation, with people flocking out to condemn the heinous act. On June 29, 2022, at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) protested Kanhaiya Lal’s beheading.

A vast crowd gathered in Udaipur to witness Kanhaiya Lal’s last journey. Members of the Dogra front organised rallies in Jammu and Kashmir, seeking justice for the victim. On Thursday, June 30, Hindu vendors in Mysuru, Karnataka, initiated a poster campaign in support of the deceased Kanhaiya Lal to denounce his heinous murder. Similar protests were held in a number of other cities around the country.

‘Remorseless’ Kanhaiya Lal killers sent to 14-days judicial custody, lawyers refuse to represent them, demand accused be hanged to death instead

OpIndia Staff
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‘Remorseless’ Kanhaiya Lal killers sent to 14-days judicial custody, lawyers refuse to represent them, demand accused be hanged to death instead

The murderers of Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur, Rajasthan named Mohammed Ghous and Mohammed Riyaz were presented at the Udaipur district Court session on Thursday. The two Islamists who disguised as customers to kill Kanhaiya Lal who was a tailor by profession were sent to 14-days of judicial custody by the Court.

According to the reports, the murderers seemed remorseless when they were produced before the magistrate. Reportedly, several furious lawyers on the premises of the Court protested against the duo and chased the Police vehicle which was carrying the assailants.

While the Court has sent Mohammed Ghous and Mohammed Riyaz to 14 days of judicial custody, lawyers in Udaipur have refused to represent the murderers. They stated that the act committed by the duo, in no way could be justified and that it was not normal.

“No lawyer would represent them. Their act is not normal, it’s an act of terrorism. They are trying to spread terror not just in society but to PM himself”, said Girija Shankar Mehta who is the President of the Udaipur Bar Association. The lawyers meanwhile have demanded the accused be hanged to death in the case.

Earlier, BJP leader Gajendra Singh Shekhawat had slammed the Congress-led Rajasthan government and the state police for ignoring the FIR that was lodged by Kanhaiya Lal seeking protection. He said that the state of Rajasthan has become the hub of corruption and the one which boasts the spirits of the miscreants high. He added that the state was earlier known for peace and now it was being handed over to the miscreants. “The people of Rajasthan will never forgive the Gehlot government which works to protect the criminals”, he said.

As reported earlier, the family members of Kanhaiya Lal had also slammed the state government and had alleged that the government was not for Hindus, but Muslims. “Hindus are being killed every day but nobody listens to the Hindus. But, if anything happens to Muslims, even a little bit, the government will be standing for them”, a sister of Kanhaiya Lal had said.

However, CM Gehlot who met the family of the deceased earlier, said on Thursday that the whole country was shaken by what happened in Udaipur. “This is a heinous crime, with no forgiveness. Police did good work, and nabbed them quickly. It’s a matter of terror. NIA was called. Everyone is enraged. We’re appealing for peace to be maintained”, he was quoted.

Kanhaiya Lal was murdered on June 29 by two radical Islamists named Riaz and Ghous Mohammed. The duo disguised as customers and entered the tailoring shop of the deceased. While Kanhaiya Lal was busy taking the cloth measurements, one of the accused attacked him with a long sharp knife. According to the post-mortem report, he was stabbed 26 times on his body from his neck to shoulder. Kanhaiya Lal was killed for uploading a social media post in support of ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.

SC Judges end up emboldening Islamists, conducts a witch trial blaming Nupur Sharma’s ‘loose tongue’ for Hindu man’s beheading by Islamic fanatics

Editorial Desk
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SC Judges end up emboldening Islamists, conducts a witch trial blaming Nupur Sharma’s ‘loose tongue’ for Hindu man’s beheading by Islamic fanatics

The Supreme Court of India has blamed former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma for the brutal Udaipur murder and has stated that her ‘loose tongue’ has set the entire country on fire and she should apologise to the whole country.

As per reports, Nupur Sharma had moved the SC seeking the transfer of all the FIRs registered against her, across several states to Delhi for further investigation. Sharma, in her application, stated that she is facing constant life threats.

The apex court, surprisingly, had placed all the blame on Nupur Sharma and her ‘loose tongue’ over the remarks on Prophet Muhammad that were deemed as ‘blasphemy’ by Islamists. The SC has lambasted Sharma saying that it was her and her ‘loose tongue’ that has set the entire country on fire and she should apologise to the whole country.

Blaming Nupur Sharma for the chaos unleashed by the Islamists and the regressive ideas that ambiguously declare any criticism of the Islamic prophet as ‘blasphemy’, the apex court of the country has surprisingly ignored the hatred and violence unleashed by Islamists and has instead blamed the woman who had stated merely what is written in Islamic hadiths, and affirmed by Islamic scholars all over the world.

The Supreme Court of the so-called secular, democratic country, which is supposed to be the conscience of the nation, has shockingly chosen to behave like a Church figure in a medieval witch trial.

It is notable here that there have been brutal murders in India committed by Islamists in the name of ‘blasphemy’ against Islam and the SC is aware of that. Also, the comments by Nupur Sharma were in retaliation to insulting and derogatory comments against the Hindu faith by a fellow panellist, and Sharma had cited instances from the Prophet’s life, telling that those can be said too (if the other side keeps insulting the Hindu faith with derogatory remarks).

The specific reference to the Prophet’s age and the age of his third wife is asserted in Islamic hadiths and is affirmed by Islamic scholars as facts.

The SC has not stopped at just blaming one woman for violence and murder committed by religious fanatics in the name of Islam, it has also refused to grant any relief to Sharma and has rejected her application to transfer all FIRs against her to Delhi.

SC’s statement on Nupur Sharma, screenshot from Live Law

Ignoring the submission by Sharma’s advocate that the statements in the news debate were withdrawn by Sharma after an apology, the court questioned her right and need to make those statements. Upon reminding that she had apologised, the Court stated that she should have apologised to the whole country on TV and that she was ‘too late’ to withdraw.

SC’s statement on Nupur Sharma, screenshot from Live Law

Justice Surya Kant stated, “The way she has ignited emotions across the country… This lady is single-handedly responsible for what is happening in the country.”

In other words, Justice Surya Kant made it clear that for him, it is Sharma’s fault that she spoke in a manner that ‘provoked’ the Islamists, not the Islamists’ fault who have declared openly to behead anyone who they deem as ‘blasphemous’.

The apex court even stated that Nupur Sharma does not deserve the relief granted to the common people of the country (by transferring the FIRs to one jurisdiction). It declared that Nupur had no right to say the things she said in the first place, indirectly justifying the open calls for her murder and hanging.

SC’s statement on Nupur Sharma, screenshot from Live Law

In short, the Supreme Court of India today declared Nupur Sharma a culprit of blasphemy and essentially validated the Islamic calls for her beheading and murder. They just stopped short of using the words “Gustakh-e-Nabi ki ek hi saza, sar tan se juda’.

Since the Supreme Court has declared that the Udaipur murder, where a Hindu man was killed for just sharing a social media post in Sharma’s support, is Sharma’s fault, it seems that if Sharma herself becomes a victim of violence that Islamists have declared for her, the Supreme Court of this country might actually say that she deserved it.

Update: The headline of this article has been changed as the said comments by the Judges were not included in the written order by the Supreme Court. However, our criticism of the comments holds and the same has been attributed to the judges as they were oral comments not amounting to the official view of the Court.

‘Even after murder of my husband, nobody concerned about our security,’ says wife of Kanhaiya Lal as Rajasthan Police guard house of his killer: Reports

OpIndia Staff
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‘Even after murder of my husband, nobody concerned about our security,’ says wife of Kanhaiya Lal as Rajasthan Police guard house of his killer: Reports

In the wake of the horrifying beheading of a Hindu man named Kanhaiya Lal by two Islamists named Mohammed Riyaz and Mohammed Gaus for just supporting former BJP spokeswoman Nupur Sharma, Lal’s wife has complained that they are still being given any security even after Lal has been murdered.

According to reports, Kanhaiya Lal’s wife told the Chief Secretary of Rajasthan, Usha Sharma, that no one was concerned about their security as evident from the fact that not a single constable was stationed in front of their home. Kanhaiya Lal’s wife remarked, “Who knows who would trick their way into our home.” According to reports, the chief secretary assured her that she would have the adequate arrangements for their protection.

It is pertinent to note that as the wife of Kanhaiya Lal says she has been provided with no security, Rajasthan Police has been guarding the house of the perpetrators. According to a report in Bhaskar, police offered security to Riyaz’s family members who live in the Asind locality in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara district. Local Police Station Incharge Satish Meena said that security is being provided to the family members of Riyaz as there is a possibility of them being attacked.

Article by Dainik Bhaskar.

Reports also indicate that many relatives of Riyaz have locked their houses and escaped to unknown locations.

As per accounts, accused Mohammad Riyaz has a history of instigating conflicts. It has been revealed that the murder accused Riyaz previously established a wide network to incite public emotion in the adjacent districts of Udaipur and Bhilwara. According to close family members, he has had no contact with the family for the past twenty years.

Riyaz went to Udaipur 20 years ago after leaving his home. His family was unaware of Riyaz’s whereabouts over the years, when and with whom he married, or what he did for a living. Meanwhile, Riyaz had established a vast network in Udaipur, where he used to incite people over a multitude of issues.

On Thursday, June 30, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot visited Udaipur to meet the family of Kanhaiya Lal. BJP leader Kapil Mishra organised a fundraiser to assist the destitute dead tailor’s family. Within 24 hours, the campaign had reached its goal of raising Rs 1 crore. As donations continue to pour in for Kanhaiya Lal’s family, the campaign is projected to reach its goal of Rs. 1.25 crore very shortly.

Is YouTube suppressing information on the Kanhaiya Lal murder case and the Zubair saga? Here is what we know so far

OpIndia Staff
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Is YouTube suppressing information on the Kanhaiya Lal murder case and the Zubair saga? Here is what we know so far

The brutal beheading of Hindu tailor Kanhaiya Lal by two Muslim perpetrators, Mohammed Riyaz Akhtar and Mohammed Gaus, has shaken the conscience of the nation. While the global media gave the murder of Samuel Patty the attention it deserved, names like Kanhaiya Lal are often brushed under the rug with media and social media giants actively suppressing information on the Islamist killing and also shield those who hurt the sentiments of the Hindu community, like AltNews co-founder Mohammad Zubair.

On the 28th of June 2022, OpIndia published a report headlined “Mohammed Zubair moves to Delhi High Court against remand order, Police takes him to Bengaluru to recover his laptop, hard disk”. In the report, OpIndia had embedded a YouTube video from TimesNow that showed visuals of the police escorting Mohammad Zubair to his Bengaluru residence in an attempt to recover the laptop used by him.

According to the reports, Zubair earlier had refused to hand over his electronic devices and had formatted them. The Police said that despite repeatedly asking for the devices, Zubair had refused to hand his devices over to the Police.

On the 1st of July 2022, Twitter user @BeffitingFacts posted a screenshot that showed that the TimesNow video that OpIndia had embedded in its report had gone missing. The notice read that the video had been taken down for violating community standards.

There were several people who reacted questioning YouTube India wondering why this video had been taken down and was it an attempt to shield Zubair.

The video by TimesNow was a live coverage video of the police taking Zubair to his residence. It is quite possible that YouTube removed the video because the video was mass reported by supporters of Zubair claiming that it breached his privacy. In the visuals of the live reporting, Zubair was seen being escorted inside his residence with the visuals of his building visible clearly.

When OpIndia went through the guidelines of YouTube, the most likely guideline used to report and take down the TimesNow video could have been their privacy policy.

The YouTube privacy guidelines says:

For content to be considered for removal, an individual must be uniquely identifiable and the complaint we received from that individual, or their legal representative, must uniquely identify the individual by a combination of image, voice, full name, government identification number, bank account number, contact information (e.g. home address, email address), or other uniquely identifiable information. We also take into account public interest, newsworthiness, consent, and whether the information is otherwise publicly available when determining if content should be removed for a privacy violation. YouTube reserves the right to make the final determination of whether a violation of its privacy guidelines has occurred.

YouTube privacy

YouTube says that if they receive a complaint regarding privacy, they give the user 48 hours to amend and if not amended, they proceed to take the video down.

But here is a catch. They also say that complaints can’t be raised on behalf of third parties unless the person whose privacy is being violated is incapacitated. Therefore, it is entirely possible that the privacy complaint, that YouTube took cognisance of, was raised by some family member or colleague of Zubair.

YouTube privacy

The TimesNow video, however, was not breaching his privacy. It was an on-ground report about an accused who was being questioned by the police while being escorted to his residence.

The question that is now being asked is would YouTube act in the same manner had some other criminal been escorted to his residence by the police and the media had reported the development similarly.

The intentions of YouTube have come under question with people asking if YouTube acted against this video of TimesNow because they want to shield information being decimated in the investigation against Mohammad Zubair who had insulted Hindu Gods and Goddesses. It is pertinent to note that YouTube has hardly acted against several threats issued to Nupur Sharma by the very people who were unleashed by Zubair’s dog-whistling, however, it seems more than happy to take down videos where the investigation against Zubair is being reported.

YouTube’s action against a video that showed protests after Kanhaiya Lal’s brutal beheading

When it was pointed out that YouTube took down the TimesNow video showing Zubair being taken to his Bengaluru residence by the police, OpIndia noticed that some other videos from Republic TV had also been taken down by YouTube for violating community standards.

One of the videos removed by YouTube showed the massive protests against the murder of Kanhaiya Lal by two Islamists. In the tweet by Republic TV, a short video is added along with a YouTube link for the full video.

However, when one clicks on the YouTube link, it shows that the video is not available.

Video unavailable

In this case, we could not confirm if the video was taken down by YouTube or Republic TV themselves since the notice says the video is not available anymore. However, in another case, it was clear that it was taken down by YouTube.

In another tweet, Republic had posted a YouTube link about Kanhaiya Lal’s family demanding justice.

When one clicks on the YouTube link, it says that the video was removed due to violation of community standards.

Video taken down

The family of Kanhaiya Lal, obviously, was extremely agitated while talking about the murder. In some instances, some family members also demanded that the perpetrators be killed exactly the way Kanhaiya Lal was murdered by them.

It was also said in one of the videos that CM Ashok Gehlot was a “slave of Muslims”.

While we don’t know exactly what was said in this particular video, it is entirely possible that it was taken down by YouTube after mass reporting by Islamists and Leftists for “hate speech”. It is interesting that while Islamists beheaded Kanhaiya Lal, his family cannot even express their anguish without YouTube curtailing their voice probably for hate speech.

In the hate speech policy of YouTube, they mention that any “targeting” based on religion is a reason for videos being taken down.

YouTube hate speech guidelines

In this case, while YouTube hardly acts against insults to Hindus, it seems to have removed a video where the family of a murdered Hindu man were expressing their anguish.

How Western media shut their eyes to the brutal murder of Kanhaiya Lal

While fears are now being expressed about YouTube suppressing news about the Kanhaiya Lal murder and Zubair being arrested, the western media has also actively suppressed news about the Islamist brutality.

Showcasing again the crooks of the selective media reporting, one of the Asian News International (ANI) editors revealed on Wednesday that many of the western media outlets had chosen not to report about the brutal killing of a Hindu tailor named Kanhaiya Lal in Rajasthan’s Udaipur. Western media outlets, which work as the reflection of leftist, liberal understanding were given 5 detailed video stories by ANI on the Udaipur murder, but only a handful of them had reported the gruesome murder.

Elaborating the fact, ANI editor Ishaan Prakash on June 30 tweeted that ANI had globally shared 5 detailed video stories on Kanhaiya’s murder through Thomson Reuters, the largest news agency in the world. He stated that the vast majority of the international media outlets had ignored the story. “ANI has pushed out 5 detailed video stories on the Udaipur murder through our partner Thomson Reuters. A handful of western outlets may have reported on it, the vast majority have ignored it. The stories are in their newsrooms, they ignore it”, he tweeted on Wednesday. 

The handful of western media outlets who reported the incident as mentioned by Prakash include the BBC, Waco Tribune-Herald, The Washington Post, and the Toronto Sun. However, while the BBC highlighted the Hindu nationalists staging violent protests and the visible tensions between the ‘majority Hindus and minority Muslims’, it selectively failed to report the names of the Islamist murderers (Riaz Mohammed and Ghous Mohammed) who had identified themselves in a video released by them. Also, the Waco Tribune-Herald twisted the report to mention that the attack ‘represented a dramatic escalation of communal violence in a country riven by deep religious polarization’.

“There have been a spate of attacks by Hindu nationalists on minority groups, especially Muslims — who have been targeted for everything from their food and clothing style to interfaith marriages. Muslim homes have also been demolished using bulldozers in some Indian states, in what critics call a growing pattern of bulldozer justice against the minority group”, the Waco Tribune Herald wrote later stating the fact that Kanhaiya was killed for sharing a post in support of ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma who had made alleged ‘blasphemous’ remarks in the recent past.

With the western media and big tech trying to actively suppress the news of the Islamist brutality and blame Hindus instead, it becomes increasingly important to remember that according to the new social media guidelines by the government, YouTube and other social media giants could lose their safety net as an intermediary if they continue to act as ‘editors’ and suppressing vital news without logical basis.

Maharashtra fiasco: How Sanjay Raut became Shiv Sena’s Mani Shankar Aiyer

Gopal Tiwari
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Maharashtra fiasco: How Sanjay Raut became Shiv Sena’s Mani Shankar Aiyer

As Eknath Shinde takes the oath as the chief minister of Maharashtra, it becomes evident to recall what made the Thackerays in the Shiv Sena look more like the Gandhis in the Congress party. Among many factors, one important point is Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut playing a Mani Shankar Aiyar for Shiv Sena.

Mani Shankar Aiyar’s infamous attacks that helped Narendra Modi gain support among the masses

Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar is infamously known for the jibe he took at Narendra Modi in 2013 and 2014 when Modi was declared the Prime Minister candidate by the Bharatiya Janata Party. At that time, Mani Shankar Aiyar said that Narendra Modi will not become the Prime Minister of the country, but he can sell tea if he wants. It was an elitist jibe at the then Gujarat CM’s humble background where he used to sell tea in his childhood at Vadnagar station.

After this Chaiwala jibe, Congress lost the Lok Sabha elections in 2014. It was anyways going to lose that election given that the second term of the United Progressive Alliance government was infamous for the corruption cases and the rising popularity of Narendra Modi’s Gujarat model of good governance. But Mani Shankar Aiyar’s Chaiwala remarks made Modi the face of the common hardworking Indian and exposed the elite arrogance of the Congress party and its top leadership. Not only this, but Mani Shankar Aiyar also went on to call Narendra Modi ‘neech’ in 2017.

Sanjay Raut playing Mani Shankar Aiyar for Shiv Sena

Sanjay Raut also used similar abusive language for the Shiv Sena MLAs when they joined the Eknath Shinde camp for taking Hindutva ideology ahead. Just like Mani Shankar Aiyar called Narendra Modi a Chaiwala, referring to Modi selling tea for a livelihood at a very young age, Sanjay Raut also publicly recalled the humble background and hardworking professions of the Shiv Sena MLAs in a derogatory tone.

Sanjay Raut said, “This Gulabrao Patil. Listen to his speeches. He talks like he is the only tiger in Shiv Sena. (abusive words for his mother) He ran away like a coward. He says that I used to run a Pan Shop and the organization made me a cabinet minister. Now, we will make him a Panwala again.”

In the same speech, Sanjay Raut insulted another two Shiv Sena MLAs Sandipan Bhumre and Prakash Surve. Sanjay Raut said, “And that Sandipan Bhumre. He was a watchman in a sugar factory at Paithan when he got the ticket for the first time. It was me who urged Balasaheb Thackeray to replace the stalwart like Moreshwar Save and give the ticket to that watchman. He was a watchman. He was just a watchman. He came to Mumbai for the first time in his life. He did not know how to eat Wada Sambhar in a hotel. He would sit cross-legged on the floor of the hotel and eat Wada Sambhar. We have seen that. He became a cabinet minister and started crying in front of Uddhav Saheb and said that he became a cabinet minister because of the Shiv Sena. Today he proved those tears false.”

Sanjay Raut also insulted Prakash Surve, who once used to sell vegetables for earning his livelihood. Sanjay Raut said, “What was Prakassh Surve? What was he? Tell me. He used to sell vegetables. Let us send him back to sell vegetables again. Today I knew he used to sell rotten vegetables.”

Not only elected representatives, but Sanjay Raut also used to speak very rudely while addressing the media. In one such media briefing, he started saying, “Don’t ask any useless questions. What do you want?” In the same media briefing, he said that the rebel MLAs of Shiv Sena are high on some sort of marijuana and that he does not know what exactly they are fed.

Sanjay Raut not only insulted the Shiv Sena MLAs for their humble backgrounds. He also went on to threaten them which underlined the arrogance of the top leadership of Shiv Sena. Sanjay Raut said, during the 10 days of the coup in Shiv Sena, that Shiv Sainiks are waiting for his orders to come to the streets against the rebel MLAs. He also said that the MLAs are there in Guwahati but their dead bodies will only come back to Maharashtra and then there will be a postmortem done on those dead bodies.

Sanjay Raut often took jibes at opponents, and rebel MLAs and used poetic couplets and rhyming gimmicks to put his points. When rebel MLAs were living in a hotel in Guwahati, Sanjay Raut tweeted, “Kab take chhipoge Gohati mein, Aana hi padega Chaupati mein.” It means, “Till when will you hide in Guwahati. You are bound to come to Chaupati.” Chaupati refers to beaches in Mumbai.

Even after Uddhav Thackeray resigned as the chief minister of the state, Sanjay Raut kept his vague talks going on. He said, “Shiv Sena is not made for power. In fact, it is the power that is made for Shiv Sena.” It was Sanjay Raut’s arrogance that seems to have widened the rift in the party. Even after Uddhav Thackeray’s resignation, Shiv Sena MLAs in the Eknath Shinde camp said that they are hurt as no action is taken against Sanjay Raut who used abusive words for them and their family members.

In this way, Sanjay Raut’s blabbering has cost more to Shiv Sena than a passive chief minister and supreme party leader like Uddhav Thackeray. Sanjay Raut ended up playing the same role for Shiv Sena as Mani Shankar Aiyar has played for the Congress.

Family member of Kanhaiya Lal calls Ashok Gehlot a ‘slave of Muslims’, demands the culprits be killed the way he was killed: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Family member of Kanhaiya Lal calls Ashok Gehlot a ‘slave of Muslims’, demands the culprits be killed the way he was killed: Details

The brutal beheading of Hindu man Kanhaiya Lal by two Islamists, Mohammed Riyaz Akhtar and Mohammed Gaus, merely for posting in support of Nupur Sharma has shaken the conscience of the nation. While the investigation of the case has been taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), a video has now emerged from the 29th of June 2022, where the family of the slain Kanhaiya Kumar called Ashok Gehlot a “slave of Muslims”.

In an exclusive report by Republic TV, while the journalist spoke to the family of Kanhaiya Lal, his sister said that Hindus are being killed everywhere. “The government is not for Hindus. Hindus are being killed every day but nobody listens to the Hindus. But, if anything happens to Muslims, even a little bit, the government will be standing for them”, a sister of Kanhaiya Lal was heard saying. She further demanded that the two Muslim accused should be cut up just the way they cut her brother, Kanhaiya Lal.

One being asked what she would like to tell the Rajasthan Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot, she said, “I don’t want to say anything to him. He is the number 1 slave of Muslims”.

In the full report by Republic TV, after the sister spoke, there were others who also chimed in that they demand justice for the family and that the culprits who beheaded Kanhaiya Lal should be hanged to death. Another woman said, “Jaise mere bhai to kaata, waise hi usko kaato, hume bas yahi chahiye” (The way they killed my brother, they should also be killed the same way, that is all we want).

The full video report by Republic TV can be watched here:

On Thursday, after the statements of the family and other Hindu organisations who have been protesting against the brutal murder, CM Ashok Gehlot finally decided to meet the family of slain Kanhaiya Lal.

Lal’s son, Yash, demanded security for the family and also the death penalty for the guilty. We have demanded security. My father was not provided security but we should be provided. We have been assured of the same. The culprits should not be given anything less than a death sentence,” Yash said.

“I have spoken with the Chief Minister. He has provided us with financial help too. He has also assured me of a Government job. He is cooperating with us, and we are ready to cooperate too,” he added, according to a report by Republic TV.

NIA dismisses terror angle – one propagated by CM Ashok Gehlot to claim this was not a ‘communal incident’

On Thursday, June 30, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot reached Udaipur to meet deceased Kanhaiya Lal’s family who was killed by two Islamic assailants over his post in support of Nupur Sharma. While talking to the media, Gehlot glossed over the Islamist communal crime as an ‘act of terror’ with connections outside the country.

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot was seen patting his back upon the ‘swift’ arrest of the murderers of Kanhaiya Lal, a Hindu tailor who was killed in his own shop on June 28 in Udaipur. Talking to the media, Gehlot said, “We found out within one night that this case has connections internationally. This tells us that this incident is an act of terror. This has nothing to do with two religions fighting with each other.”

The NIA, on the other hand, which is now investigating the case, has dismissed this theory peddled by Gehlot to claim that this was not a “communal incident”. On June 30 the probing agency denied the involvement of any terrorist organization in the brutal murder of a Hindu tailor by Islamists that took place on 28th June 2022 in Udaipur. 

NIA said that some media reports about the links of the two accused with some terrorist outfit are based on speculation. It also held that the preliminary inquiry suggests that there may not be any terrorist group involved in the murder but a terror gang.

The NIA also informed that there will be many group members of the accused and not just two. A six to ten-member NIA team is supposed to investigate the case under the supervision of an Inspector General and a Deputy Inspector General ranks officer.

It is pertinent to note that several questions have been raised on the role of Rajasthan police in the murder of Kanhaiya Lal. The name, photograph and details of Kanhaiya Lal were leaked to other Islamists by his neighbour, Nazim. It was also Nazim who had filed an initial complaint against Kanhaiya Lal for the post supporting Nupur Sharma. On June 15, 2022, five days after the initial complaint by Nazim, Kanhaiyal had approached Police for legal action and had sought protection. In his application to the Police, he said few days prior to the complaint, his son accidentally shared a post on Facebook while playing games on his mobile phone. Two days after the post was made, two men approached him at his shop and demanded to see his phone. They told him about the post, to which Kanhaiya Lal replied that he did not know how to operate the phone, and his son used it to play games. They deleted the post and warned him not to repeat it.

It was later found that Nazim and other Islamists were doing recce of Kanhaiya Lal’s shop and the police ignored pleas by Kanhaiya Lal after he started getting threats for the post. In fact, the police had arrested Lal and later released him, however, did not provide him security after his life was endangered by his neighbour and other Islamists.

ASI Bhanwarlal called those who were threatening him and had initiated a ‘compromise’ between Kanhaiya Lal and the others. He told Lal nothing would happen as there was a compromise between Lal and the other party. He told Lal to take care and inform the Police if he suspected anything.

Lal also submitted a letter to Police that as there was a compromise, he did not want any legal action against the five. Now, after Kanhaiya Lal has been killed, ASI Bhanwarlal has been suspended, and ADG Law and Order Hawasingh Ghumaria said they would question the five who signed a compromise agreement regarding how the incident took place despite the compromise.

Fundraiser for Kanhaiya Lal’s family

BJP leader Kapil Mishra floated a fundraiser to help the family members of the poor deceased tailor. Within 24 hours the fundraiser completed its target of pooling Rs 1 crore.

As the help is still coming in for the family of Kanhaiya Lal, the fundraiser is expected to complete the target of Rs. 1.25 crore very soon.

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