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Prayagraj: Islamists pelt stones at police, protest against Nupur Sharma’s remarks on Prophet Muhammad

OpIndia Staff
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Prayagraj: Islamists pelt stones at police, protest against Nupur Sharma’s remarks on Prophet Muhammad

The row over the remarks made by former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma on Prophet Muhammad is showing no signs of ending any time soon. Last Friday, violent protests were seen in Kanpur after the Namaz, and similar scenes were repeated by Islamists across many cities this Friday after the weekly prayers. Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh saw heavy stone-pelting on the police forces by Islamists after the Friday Namaz and the situation continues to remain tense.

The protest staged against Nupur Sharma quickly turned violent with the protestors pelting stones at the security forces after sloganeering. After the protests turned violent, Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) lathi-charged the protestors to clear the area. However, the stone-pelting continued intermittently despite the best efforts of the security forces.

The incident took place in Kareli Police Station area of Atala in Prayagraj district. In anticipation of the violence following the Friday Namaz, police had deployed their personnel in large numbers in advance, but the violence still broke out. Hundreds of Islamists took to the streets and started targeting the police officials to protest. The District Magistrate and the Senior Superintendent of Police tried to calm the situation down but to no effect. The protesters were demanding hanging of Nupur Sharma for her remarks.

The miscreants initiating violence seem better prepared than the local administration, and despite the use of tear gas and lathi-charge, police hasn’t been able to bring the situation under control thus far.

Prayagraj was not the only place to see protests over the issue this Friday in Uttar Pradesh as violent protests were observed in places like Lucknow, Saharanpur, Deoband and Moradabad. Protests also broke out in the National Capital Delhi over Nupur Sharma’s remarks as Jama Masjid saw a massive protest over the issue.

NDTV’s Vishnu Som admits that most terrorists are from Islam, but says the truth must not be spoken to preserve Muslim sentiment: Here is what he said

OpIndia Staff
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NDTV’s Vishnu Som admits that most terrorists are from Islam, but says the truth must not be spoken to preserve Muslim sentiment: Here is what he said

NDTV (New Delhi Television Ltd) journalist Vishnu Som recently courted controversy after he claimed that speaking about Islamic terrorism can hurt the sentiments of common Muslims.

During a debate hosted by Som on the ongoing Nupur Sharma saga, lawyer and co-panellist Desh Ratan Nigam alleged, “95% of the declared terrorists are from Islam. And 95% of terrorist organisations are from Islam.” He had cited the United Nations to bolster his claims.

“So do we, therefore, typecast everybody who are Muslims (billions of them exist around the world)?” the NDTV journalist defended. “So it is not the BJP that is creating the facts,” Nigam pointed out.

While referring to the Nupur Sharma case, he emphasised, “The matter has gone to the Court. FIRs have been registered.” Desh Ratan Nigam said the Courts will judge the facts presented by her and will determine whether her statement was in response to provocation.

The statement of Nupur Sharma can be scrutinised in isolation

“You can provoke me but that doesn’t mean I can say whatever I want,” Vishnu Som came up with a bizarre defence. The news anchor, who suggested that people must exercise restraint in their speech, also agreed that others however need not do that and can continue to provoke. Essentially saying that it was acceptable for the Muslim panellist to provoke Nupur Sharma and Hindus, however, Nupur Sharma’s comment breached the limits of freedom of expression and speech.

The flawed argument stems from the NDTV journalist’s willingness to ignore the circumstances that forced Nupur Sharma to discuss the religious intricacies of Islam during a debate on Times Now.

Opindia had earlier reported how the Shivling found inside the disputed Gyanvapi mosque was labelled as a ‘fountain’ by Islamists and used as ‘wuzukhana’ for years. Vile and derogatory remarks were made about the sacred Hindu symbol.

This had prompted Nupur Sharma to discuss the marriage of Prophet Muhammad and his child bride Ayesha. As such, her remarks cannot be seen in isolation as it would imply giving a clean chit to those hurling abuses at Lord Shiva and setting the stage for such retaliatory remarks.

Vishnu Som worried more about ‘typecasting’ than actual terrorism

Vishnu Som went further ahead and suggested that one community must not be maligned for the actions of a few individuals, although Desh Ratan Nigam had insisted that Islamists comprise 95% of the terrorist organisation.

In a typical apologetic tone, the news anchor said, “The moment you say that 95% of terrorists from around the world are Muslims or from Islamic Faith. I don’t know the statistics but even if they are correct but aren’t you doing exactly what we are saying that you should not be doing?”

He added, “You are typecasting an entire Faith. There are billions of Muslims in the world. They are almost all peaceful people…Why make that statement if your intention is not to typecast an entire Faith? It is such a wrong number, sir.”

Som appeared more worried about the potential that ‘data’ might have in stereotyping Muslims than the actual over-arching implications of terrorism. Nigam repeatedly claimed that his numbers were correct and sourced from the United Nations.

“I am sure the number is correct but why say that? Because the moment we say, that is what goes on Twitter,” Som clarified. However, Nigam rebuked, “Then you are running away from facts.”

The NDTV journalist denied the charges vehemently. “I am just saying that, in the context of a debate, there is so much hate online. The moment you as a respected person say that it typecasts an entire community. Isn’t that what we as Indians want to avoid?” he inquired.

“It is our duty to put out facts,” Nigam remarked, adding that lawyers commit blasphemy in courts everyday. After having failed to make his impression, despite sounding like a true apologist, Vishnu Som then moved on with co-panellists.

When Som said that he was sure the data was correct, he essentially willingly admitted that 95% of terrorists (or at least most terrorists) belong to the Islamic faith, however, rather than having a problem with the fact that most terrorists are Muslim, he was afraid that these facts were being verbalised and discussed. Som displayed the typical mentality of liberals where the truth must be hidden to spare the feelings of a community they like to mollycoddle constantly.

Note: Opindia could not independently verify the ‘UN data on Terrorism’, which Desh Ratan Nigam referred to during the debate on NDTV.

900 Sodha Rajput Hindus from Pakistan blacklisted by the Indian govt miss weddings and funerals, can’t visit family in Rajasthan and Gujarat

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900 Sodha Rajput Hindus from Pakistan blacklisted by the Indian govt miss weddings and funerals, can’t visit family in Rajasthan and Gujarat

The Narendra Modi government had brought a law for persecuted minorities from neighbouring Islamic nations like Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan by passing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, set to fast-track citizenship applications for such migrants.

However, its recent decision to blacklist almost 900 Sodha Rajputs from Pakistan has left the fate of these Hindu minorities in jeopardy. Blacklisting means that they will no longer be given a visa to come to India.

The majority of those on the blacklist are Sodha Rajputs from the Parmar Kshatriya clan, who live in Umarkot, Pakistan. Amarkot is the princely state of the Sodha Kshatriyas in Pakistan, commonly referred to as Umarkot. Most of these Kshatriya families have kinship ties in India, particularly in Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Hindu tradition forbids Hindus from marrying inside their own gotra (ancestral lineage), which the Sodha Rajputs also follow. The Sodha Rajputs have been visiting India for decades, particularly Gujarat and Rajasthan, in search of marital alliances for their children. This is why nearly every member of this group has a marital linkage to Gujarat or Rajasthan.

The Kuldevi (ancestral deity in Hinduism) of the Sodha clan is Hinglaj Mata also known as Hinglaj Devi, Hingula Devi and Nani Mandir, a Hindu temple in Hinglaj, Pakistan. It is a Siddha Shaktipeeth of Hindus. After marriage, the Sodha Rajput’s children travel to Pakistan to worship their Kuldevi Hinglaj Mata. In the same way, married Hindus in Pakistan travel to Rajasthan to offer prayers to their Kuldevi.

More than 900 Sodha Rajputs blacklisted by the Indian government

The predicaments of the Sodha Rajputs in Pakistan have increased after the central government has stopped issuing visas to them in the last 4-5 years. The central government is of the opinion that these Pakistani Hindu nationals come to India and stay on even after their visa expires.

The Sodhas argue that the 30 or 40-day city-specific visa granted by India is insufficient for their needs. Marriage preparation takes time, as it entails many visits to the potential bride’s or bridegroom’s family, as well as lengthy wedding ceremonies. They also maintain that they do not stay in the country illegally and instead apply for visa extensions.

Due to this visa policy adopted by the Indian government for the last five years, several such Sodha Rajputs have not been able to attend marriages or funerals of their loved ones back in India.

There are many other such families being kept apart by the visa issue. Shakti Singh Sodha is one such person. He lives in Umerkot in Pakistan. He is the only brother to his four sisters, who are married in Rajasthan, India. For years, Shakti Singh Sodha has not been able to meet his sisters. He claims that he has been applying for a visa for many years, but every time the Indian embassy in Pakistan has been rejecting his application.

Actually, when Shakti Singh Sodha visited India in 2017, he got a visa extension through the local foreign resident registration office (FRRO). He now wants to go again but he is being refused a visa on grounds of overstaying last time.

Similarly, there are many such families who are missing out on family functions or even the last rites of their loved ones living in India. Visa issues are also keeping brides and grooms apart. 

Rana Hamir Singh, the last Hindu royal of Sindh speaks to OpIndia

Rana Hamir Singh Sodha, the erstwhile Kshatriya king of Amarkot (now Umarkot) in Sindh and a well-known Hindu leader in Pakistan, spoke to OpIndia about this issuing looming on the Sodha Rajputs

“For decades, our people have married people from other Kshatriya clans in Rajasthan and Gujarat,” Rana Hamir Singh remarked. After the partition, the Rajputs of Sindh in Pakistan must now travel to Gujarat and Rajasthan in India.

Rana Hamir Singh further said that the Sodhas of Pakistan’s Sindh state’s Tharparkar, Umerkot, and Sanghar districts, which border Rajasthan’s neighbouring districts, come to Rajasthan not only for marital alliances but also for their religious and cultural beliefs associated with their ancestors.

In fact, in 2007, the Congress government chose to extend the period of the Sodha Rajputs’ visas from 40 days to six months, in response to their issues. The then-Governor of Rajasthan, SK Singh, who was also the High Commissioner to Pakistan, had granted Sodha Rajputs a six-month visa extension.

“SK Singh had been Ambassador to Pakistan and was a very dear friend of my father Rana Chandra Singh ji,” says Rana Hamir Singh Sodha. I had suggested that they provide our workers with the option of extending their visas, keeping in mind their problems. As governor, SK Singh ji had granted his quick approval,” recalled the 26th generation Sodha royal, the erstwhile rulers of Umerkot.

The Hindus of Pakistan were granted a 10-year visa extension under the Congress regime, which was valid until 2017. They didn’t have to travel to Delhi to extend their visas during this time, and they could only receive them via the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO).

Pakistani MP has faith in PM Modi

In the year 2014, the BJP government was formed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the centre. After the completion of the BJP government’s first term in the year 2017, the centre did not extend the visa rules. In fact, those Sodhas who had availed of a 6-month visa extension were barred for ‘overstaying’ during that tenure.

Pakistani MP Rana Hamir Singh Sodha further added, “The Modi government of India has done considerably more for Pakistani Hindus than other governments, and it is still doing so now. It should consider removing the names of these Hindus from the blacklist.”

“They have said that these Sodha Rajputs who were blacklisted had valid visa extension papers, then how could they have overstayed? The Indian Government should re-consider,” said Hamir Singh Sodha.

Heaping praises for the central government for providing a home to the persecuted minorities from neighbouring Islamic nations and showing immense confidence in Modi’s leadership, Hamir Singh continued, “BJP has done the commendable job of offering citizenship and other benefits to Hindus moving from Pakistan to India in five years. I don’t think any leader in India has raised this issue ever. If this issue comes to the notice of the government, it is sure to resolve it.”

The issues of Sodha Rajputs remain irrelevant to every political party

Rana Hamir Singh has rightly pointed out that as of now, no politician has brought this issue to the attention of the Centre. To check the authenticity of Singh’s remarks, OpIndia also spoke to a number of Rajasthan government secretaries about the issue, but the majority had no knowledge of it. They had no idea whether the Rajasthan state administration had taken any action or, for that matter, had even responded to the Central government’s decision to not give visas to over 900 Sodha Rajputs from Pakistan, most of whom have their kinship linkage to Rajasthan.

OpIndia spoke with a number of top Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) officials on the situation. According to a spokesperson of the Hindu organisation, Alok Kumar, VHP’s executive chairman is the only person who will be able to say anything about the matter.

When OpIndia contacted Alok Kumar, his assistant picked up the phone and informed that Kumar was in a meeting and would talk after some time. OpIndia briefed his assistant about the topic we wanted to speak to him about. After this, OpIndia tried calling Kumar several times, but he did not answer the call.

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot was also approached by OpIndia. An official at his residence took our number and said that the CM would be available for a statement on this subject on Friday, June 10, 2022. OpIndia would update the article as soon as we get a response.

Congress’ blame game

Pratap Singh Khachariyawas, a Congress leader and a cabinet minister in Ahok Gehlot’s government has blamed the BJP government in the centre for the visa issue. He said that the work that Congress had done was not extended by the BJP. He said that he would write a letter to the central government regarding the same.

Speaking to OpIndia, Congress’ Pratap Singh Khachariawas said, that the central government has wronged these people. “We will write a letter on behalf of the state government to the Center on this matter and demand that these Pakistani Hindus be first removed from the blacklist and then allowed visas immediately.

Shakti Singh Gohil, a senior Congress politician and MP, told OpIndia that all Hindu families from Pakistan, including the Sodhas and Jat families, have for the last few decades, continued to flock to the border districts of India. The past Congress regime has done a lot for these people, he claimed.

“They (Pakistani Hindus) are our people,” Shakti Singh Gohil added. “It is not appropriate to blacklist them. I will be approaching the Prime Minister and suggest that he show some empathy for these individuals and withdraw their names from the blacklist.

Congress’ Delhi in-charge Gohil said that he had also raised the issue in the assembly during his tenure as the Leader of the Opposition in Gujarat. Not only this, but he also met the Governor and urged him to find a solution to this problem. However, the matter remains the same today.

Government working towards the issue: BJP

Gopal Krishna Agrawal, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) national spokesperson, who has been sympathetic to Pakistani Hindus and has worked for them, spoke to OpIndia about this. He said that he will definitely bring up the issue of Pakistan’s 900 blacklisted Hindus to the attention of the central government. He assured that he would speak out on behalf of Pakistani Hindus who are having difficulty obtaining visas to travel to India.

The BJP leader opined that the central government has stood by persecuted minorities of neighbouring Islamic nations by bringing in CAA. Therefore, the Congress’ accusation that the administration doesn’t care about Hindus in neighbouring countries is false and politically motivated.

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the Union Minister for Jal Shakti, also told OpIndia that the Central Government is concerned about the issue and is striving to address it. “It will soon yield positive outcomes,” he said.

Video of ‘fakirs’ being harassed: Villagers tell OpIndia they were concerned after Kanpur violence, strangers had come dressed as Sadhus before

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Video of ‘fakirs’ being harassed: Villagers tell OpIndia they were concerned after Kanpur violence, strangers had come dressed as Sadhus before

On Thursday, the Gonda Police in the state of Uttar Pradesh arrested Amresh Tiwari and one other person on the charges of allegedly harassing three men dressed in Islamic costumes, who were collecting alms in the Dingur village. The Police said that the duo treated the three Muslims indecently and based on that a case has also been registered at Khargupur police station.

This is after a video went viral over social media where Tiwari could be seen interrogating the three fakirs. He, along with the other villagers first asked them their full names and about the place from where they had come from. But reportedly, none of them could give satisfactory answers. Tiwari also asked them to show their Aadhaar card but, “we forgot”, is what they said. Tiwari then ‘punished’ them by making them hold their ears and apologize for collecting funds from the villagers.

The villagers have stated that they were alert and concerned after the recent Kanpur violence and wanted to prevent any such incident in Kharagpur’s Dingur. In the viral video, some of the boys running behind the claimed Islamic ‘fakirs’ could be heard saying that ‘people like these dress up as sadhus, fakirs, collect funds and then enjoy Chicken Biryani’. Another one added, “a few days ago, these people also pelted stones in Kanpur”. When asked again about their address, the three men dressed in Islamic costumes said that they belonged to Dulhapur village. The villagers then also asked the claimed ‘fakirs’ to carry their identity cards.

The DSP taking the cognizance of the event accused two persons of deliberately harassing the three persons claiming to be Muslim fakirs. “The villagers behaved indecently with the three men after they failed to prove their identity. While the case has been registered against two, we are investigating the three men and the reason why they had entered the Dingur village”, the DSP added. Confirming the development to Opindia, the DSP stated that the two men named in the FIR will be sent to the Court for further proceedings.

Three claimed ‘fakirs’ failed to prove their identity, say villagers

Meanwhile, team OpIndia also contacted the family of Tiwari who has been arrested by the Police. Amresh Tiwari’s brother Kishan Tiwari while talking to OpIndia said that Dingur is surrounded by areas where Muslims reside and after the Kanpur violence, people in Dingur were on alert. “Amresh is a student. People in my village were quite worried after the Kanpur violence. Amid this, three Muslim men from somewhere entered the village and also failed to prove their identity when asked. My brother didn’t beat them, he only posed a few questions. But the police have booked Amresh and Krishnamohan, the boy who shot the video. Nobody in the village knows anything about the claimed fakirs”, Kishan said.

‘Earlier 2 Muslim men dressed as Hindu Sadhus were caught in the village’

Kishan added that a similar kind of incident had happened in the past when two Muslim men dressed up as Sadhus had arrived in the village. “This happened around one and a half months ago. We made mistake then by not informing the Police. We also fear that Bangladeshi infiltrators might deceptively enter the village and harm us. I myself had called the police in Charbagh, Lucknow a few months back after seeing some suspects but they all had fled before the police arrived”, he stated. It is notable here that in small rural communities, ‘strangers’ are seen with caution as incidents of theft are quite frequent.

Gram Pradhan Farid Khan alleged villagers of harassing three victims

Also, Gram Pradhan of Dingur village, Farid Khan spoke to OpIndia. But he contradicted the concern of the villagers. He denied Kishan Tiwari’s claim that two Muslim men dressed up as Sadhus had arrived in the village. He said, “There’s 40% Muslim population and 60% Hindus here. All stay merrily together. But such incident has happened for the first time”. He called the ‘fakirs’ victim and said that they are known people and belonged to Salar Ghazi Dargah Sharif in Bahraich. “The three men were collecting funds for a fair. People who have harassed them do such things for cheap politics with intention to enter the BJP party”, he alleged.

According to Kishan, villagers had elected Farid Khan as Gram Pradhan who was fighting against Jitendra Shukla. Shukla stated that Dingur village houses a significant Muslim population. He also confirmed that the incident of Muslims dressed as Sadhus entering the village was true and said that these people (Muslims) have been infaming Sadhus. “A couple of people do the wrong and all others have to face the troubles aligned. It looks like the three people who recently came to the village were nothing but fake fakeers”, he added.

Politicians and Journalist target UP CM Yogi Adityanath

Amid the ruckus, a few Islamist minds on social media began to target UP CM Yogi Adityanath over the incident. Without confirming the exact trail of incidents, AIMIM supporter Sayed Khalid Faridi posted the video and captioned it with anti-Hindu words. “This is the new thinking of the new youth of New India who is doing the work of poisoning provided by the new political party, the new Chief Minister (Baba), and the new journalist”, he roughly tweeted in Hindi.

Aam Aadmi Party leader in Uttar Pradesh Rashid Siddiqui also commented on the incident and stated it is a blot on ‘Indian culture’. He also tagged the UP Police and asked them to take a note of the event. “Three Sufis passing through the Dingur village of Khargupur were harassed by a devil who asked them to show an aadhar card. He also forced them to say Jai Shri Ram. This is against Humanity and Indian Culture. I condemn”, his tweet in Hindi roughly read.

Also, journalist Wasim Akram Tyagi took the cognizance of the incident and blatantly stated that Hinduism had been hijacked by a particular ideology. “How religious would be of those who beat fakirs in UP’s Gonda and call them terrorists and make the chant Jai Shri Ram? No vulnerable who can curse should be harassed”, his tweet added.

Claimed ‘fakirs’ had forcefully entered the village to collect funds

On the other hand, journalist Rajat Mishra of SudarshanNewsTv stated that the three men had forcibly entered the village to collect funds. “People of Gonda district of UP have become aware. The villagers gave proper advice to the people who had entered the village forcibly to collect donations for the Urs to be held at the Dargah”, he added.

The Police in the case is investigating the matter and trying to ascertain the identities of the fakirs. The Police have meanwhile registered a case against two villagers named Amresh Tiwari and Krishnamohan and arrested both on the charges of harassing the three fakirs.

Karnataka: Suspected Islamists hang an effigy of former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma in Belagavi after her comments on Prophet Mohammad

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: Suspected Islamists hang an effigy of former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma in Belagavi after her comments on Prophet Mohammad

An effigy of suspended BJP leader and former spokesperson of the party, Nupur Sharma, was found hanging on the Fort Road in Belagavi on Friday, 10th of June 2022. Nupur Sharma, who has been under an intense attack from Islamists and facing several death threats after quoting hadiths during a TV debate, was suspended from her party earlier this week over her comments which mentioned Prophet Muhammad.

The local police said that the effigy was hanged at night on the cables on Fort Road in the city and it came to the notice of the police at dawn. The effigy has since been removed from the area described as ‘communally sensitive’.

How Nupur Sharma ended up in the crosshairs of Islamists

In the last week of May 2022, during a news debate, Nupur Sharma asked what if she makes offensive remarks about Islam the way people were making offensive remarks about Shivling and Hinduism. Since then, Nupur has found herself at the center of a raging storm after Islamists, egged on by the likes of Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair, issued multiple threats against her and her family for expressing her views on Prophet Muhammad and Islam.

Diplomatic storm over Nupur Sharma’s comments

Following her comments, even the Arab world joined in the outrage along with Islamists from India, and countries like Qatar, Kuwait, and Iran called on the Indian ambassadors to register their displeasure with the entire thing. There were hashtags trending in almost all Islamic countries calling for a boycott of Indian products over her remarks.

Facing an unprecedented diplomatic storm, the BJP suspended Nupur Sharma from the party. In the suspension letter, the party’s central disciplinary committee wrote, “You have expressed views contrary to the party’s position on various matters… Pending further inquiry, you are suspended from the party and from your responsibilities with immediate effect.”

Meanwhile, the death threats towards Nupur Sharma and her family continued to flow thick and fast, and this hanging of her effigy is another reminder of the very real threats she is facing. There are multiple bounties on her head as well now ranging from 20 lakhs to 1 Crore.

Will Arif Mohammerd Khan be the NDA’s presidential candidate? Know why the Kerala governor is favourite of many

Suyash
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Will Arif Mohammerd Khan be the NDA’s presidential candidate? Know why the Kerala governor is favourite of many

The Election Commission has announced the schedule for the presidential elections, with the voting to be held on July 18 and counting on July 21, if required. With the start of of the process for electing the next President of India, speculations on probably candidates have started. Among these speculated names, one of the names that has emerged is that of Kerala governor Dr Arif Mohammad Khan.

Arif Mohammed Khan, who is currently serving as the Governor of Kerala has had a long career in politics, starting with students politics, and moved around in various political parties. Khan emerged as a student leader from the Aligarh Muslim University and joined the Indian National Congress in 1980. However, his open rife with PM Rajiv Gandhi over the Shah Bano case in 1986 and a continued discontent over the Congress’ appeasement of Muslim Conservatism made him part ways with the party. Subsequently, he joined and left various parties.

Over the years, Arif Mohammed Khan has led an ideological war against political and radical Islam. He joined the Bharatiya Janta Party in 2004, and was appointed as the Governor of Kerala in 2019.

A veteran in Indian Politics

1951-born Arif Mohammed Khan started off as a student leader originally hailing from Bulandshahar, UP. He was elected as Aligarh Muslim University Student Union’s President for the 1972-73 term. As a Chaudhary Charan Singh’s follower, he entered the UP legislative assembly on a Bhartiya Kranti Dal ticket at the age of 26. After joining the Indian National Congress in 1980, Khan entered national politics and won the Lok Sabha elections for two successive terms from Kanpur in 1980 and Bahraich in 1984.

After a tussle with Rajiv Gandhi over the Shah Bano Case and the Muslim Personal Law, Khan left the Congress to join Janata Dal and was re-elected to the Parliament in 1989. In the VP Singh government, he served as a Cabinet Minister for Civil Aviation and Energy. In 1998, he joined the Bahujan Samaj Party and again represented Bahraich as an MP. In 2004 he joined BJP and contested from Kaiserganj in the general election in that year on a Bhartiya Janta Party ticket. But he lost the polls and after that he took a break from Politics.

Arif Mohammed Khan was appointed as the Governor of Kerala in 2019. As a vocal advocate of reforms among Muslims, he has been supporter of Modi government’s moves in this regard like banning triple talaq. He was opposed to passing the Muslim Personal Law Bill, and has been saying that All India Muslim Personal Law Board should be abolished.

President Khan?

Even though called anti-Muslim by most Muslims and liberals, it was BJP which had elected the first Muslim president of India, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, who became president in 2002 after he was nominated by BJP led NDA. Therefore, it is being speculated in some sections of media that Arif Mohammed Khan could be chosen by BJP this time for the post.

Yesterday AAP leader Somnath Bharti claimed the same, who tweeted that he has “learnt from a credible source” that Arif Mohammad Khan is a strong contender for president of India. He argued that it is believable, because Narendra Modi is taking steps to counter anti-India narrative in Muslim nations over comments by some BJP leaders.

For some reason, several people are speculating that BJP will nominate a Muslim for the post this time, and apart from the name of Arif Khan, the name of BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi is also being taken in this regard. However, this remains a speculation, as the last election of president Ram Nath Kovind shows, BJP is good at maintaining secrecy and does not let information to leak.

It is being argued that election a Muslim as the president will help the party at a time when it is being painted with a broad stroke of being ‘Hindu-nationalist’, supposedly ‘trampling the rights of India’s minorities’ in the western press.

While Arif Mohammed Khan fits the bill of being a Muslim, it is unlikely that Muslims and liberals will stop hating BJP if he is indeed nominated and elected. BJP didn’t earn any brownie points from its traditional opponents by electing a Muslim or a Dalit as the president, and there is no reason why there should be any change this time. Moreover, while Kalam and Kovind had uncontroversial past before becoming presidents, Arif Mohammed Khan has already earned enough hatred from radical Muslims by his open advocacy of reforming Islam and opposing regressive practices in Islam like polygamy and triple talaq. He has long a history of fighting against radical Islam.

Stand against Muslim extremism

In 1986, Khan was in the headlines for sternly walking out of the Rajiv Gandhi government after being displeased by its stand over the Shah Bano case. The case was a watershed moment in Indian history with a direct tussle between Constitutional values and the argument for separate laws for Muslims in the country. Despite a Supreme Court verdict, the Rajiv Gandhi government overturned the judgement and denied alimony to a divorced Muslim woman – Shah Bano Begum.

The Congress instead enacted a separate law putting the onus of the woman’s maintenance upon her relatives or the Waqf board, in consonance with the Sharia law. Khan took a stand against the government for buckling down under the pressure of Muslim clergies and parted ways with it. Since then, he has also been a vocal supporter of scrapping down the Triple-Talaq law – a move which he appreciated, when finally the law was passed by the Modi government in 2019.

Khan in his political stances has never contested his Islamic identity with his appreciation for Hinduism and its umbrella philosophies. In a critically acclaimed article titled ‘When Aanchal became the Parcham‘ on the Burqa debate, Khan assertively argued, “In the name of freedom of religion, I have the right to profess, practice and preach what I believe in. But this right to religion does not give me a licence to indulge in oppression and suppression of any other person. I have the right to practice my faith, I do not have the right to indulge in practices which are injurious to the health of others.”

Moreover, in the public discourse, Arif Mohammed Khan has supported the BJP’s moves of banning the Tripple-Talaq, Abrogation of Article 370, bringing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and welcomed the decision on Ram Mandir as ‘need of the hour’.

While his name has been taken for the post of president in the backdrop of comments of Arab nations over the alleged blasphemous comments by some BJP leaders, and BJP went in a damage control mode by suspending the leaders and distancing from the comments, Arif Mohammed Khan has actually said there is no apologise for the comments. After several Muslim nations demanded apology from India, Khan said that the government need not apologise. “People are entitled to their opinions. How does it matter?”, he had said, adding that “India cannot bother about such small reactions” while talking about the demand for apology.

Because of this, Arif Mohammed Khan may be favourite of moderate Muslims, and BJP supporters support him because his stances on various issues matches with the stance of the party. However, due to the same reason, even if Arif Mohammed Khan is elected as the president, it is unlikely that Muslims who are ritong on the streets demanding to behead Nupur Sharma will be calmed. It is very possible that Khan will declared a non-Muslim, just like an Imam had declared in 2017 that Abdul Kalam was not a Muslim.

‘Shiv Sena gets backing from Nizam’s successors, its Hindutva is a sham’, MNS slams MVA for taking AIMIM’s support during the Rajya Sabha elections

OpIndia Staff
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‘Shiv Sena gets backing from Nizam’s successors, its Hindutva is a sham’, MNS slams MVA for taking AIMIM’s support during the Rajya Sabha elections

Ahead of the start of the polling for the Rajya Sabha seats in Maharashtra, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi extended support to the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi, an alliance of Shiv Sena, Congress, and Nationalist Congress Party. Following this development, Raj Thackeray’s party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena attacked the Shiv Sena for taking AIMIM’s support in the Rajya Sabha elections which are being held on 10th June 2022.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s spokesperson Gajanan Kale wrote in his tweet, “The current Rajya Sabha election is bringing shame to the state. The ruling parties are playing the five-star game of the Rajya Sabha elections when the people in the state are facing countless problems. Taking the help of the Nizam’s successors, that is the MIM, not only underlined that the Maha Vikas Aghadi is shameless, but also exposed Shiv Sena’s fake and hypocritical Hindutva.”

In another tweet, the MNS spokesperson wrote, “So, finally the people of Maharashtra know the secret. MIM is the B team of the Maha Vikas Aghadi. Universal Spokesperson Sanjay Raut is soon to announce this in a press conference.”

AIMIM declared its support for MVA candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections

Ahead of the polling on Friday, All India Majilis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Imtiaz Jaleel informed that the Islamic party will support Maha Vikas Aghadi during the Rajya Sabha polls. Jaleel took to Twitter to announce that AIMIM’s 2 MLAs will support Congress candidate Imran Pratapgarhi during the polls for the Upper House of the Parliament.

Jaleel wrote in his tweet, “To defeat BJP, our party AIMIM has decided to vote for Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the Rajya Sabha elections in Maharashtra. Our political/ideological differences however will continue with Shiv Sena which is a partner in MVA along with INC and NCP.”

However, AIMIM’s support has come with certain conditions. Giving the details of those conditions, Jaleel wrote in the next tweet, “We laid certain conditions related to the development of our MLAs’ constituencies in Dhulia and Malegaon. Also demanded Govt appointment of a minority member in MPSC and to take steps to increase the income of the Maharashtra Wakf Board. Also demanded reservations for Muslims.”

Rajya Sabha elections in Maharashtra

A total of 6 seats are up for grabs in Maharashtra. However, the number of candidates contesting the polls is 7. Reportedly, the BJP has fielded 3 candidates, namely, Dhananjay Mhadik, Piyush Goyal and Anil Bonde.

Similarly, Congress has fielded Imran Pratapgarhi while NCP’s Praful Patel is contesting for Rajya Sabha. Sanjay Raut and Sanjay Pawar of Shiv Sena are also in the fray. The voting commenced on Friday (June 10) morning and will conclude at 4 pm.

Beheading call from Jammu mosque: How TOI, HT watered down ‘sar tan see juda’ threats to Nupur Sharma and Ashish Kohli

Jinit Jain
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Beheading call from Jammu mosque: How TOI, HT watered down ‘sar tan see juda’ threats to Nupur Sharma and Ashish Kohli

Mainstream media organisations have long served as reliable partners for the Islamists and rabid extremists in whitewashing and downplaying their offences while obfuscating the facts of the matter and keeping their readers in the dark. Something similar played out recently when prominent media organisations such as Times of India (TOI) and Hindustan Times (HT) chose to limit information consumed by their readers over the threats issued by a Muslim cleric in a Jammu mosque.

In the wake of the controversy over comments on the Prophet Muhammad, a video from Jammu had gone viral on the internet showing a large number of Muslims congregated around a Masjid and comments about beheading and killing people over blasphemy allegations being shouted over loudspeakers. The threats, hurled by a Muslim cleric at the mosque, were directed at former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma over her comments on Times Now debate last month, where she cited Islamic Hadiths to comment on Prophet Muhammad.

Besides, Ashish Kohli, a journalist based out of Jammu, also attracted the wrath of the Islamists for simply extending his support to Nupur Sharma amidst the vile death threats hurled at her for her comments on Prophet Muhammad that were derived from Islamic scriptures.

In addition, the Muslim cleric at the Jama Masjid in Jammu echoed Islamic terrorists in dehumanising Hindus and mocking them with gaumutra jibes. A curfew was imposed in the region to maintain law and order amidst communal tensions that flared up in the wake of the hate speech by a Muslim cleric in Jammu.

Hindustan Times and Times of India obscure facts to water down threats by Islamists in Jammu mosque

However, for mainstream media organisations like the Times of India and the Hindustan Times, it was yet another occasion to muddle their readers by feeding them incomplete and deceptive information. In an article published in the Hindustan Times titled “Curfew imposed, the army called to hold flag march”, the organisation failed to mention how the Muslim cleric from the Jammu mosque aped Islamic terrorists in deriding Hindus as “cow urine drinkers”.

Even though the video of the inflammatory video had gone viral on the internet, the article was substantially economical with the truth, conveniently missing out on critical details of the incident and failing to mention who made the provocative speeches and against whom.

TOI HT Jammu
Source: Hindustan Times

Neither did the report mention the thunderous applause the Muslim cleric received from the crowd as they chanted ‘sar tan se juda’ slogans after being inflamed over comments made by Nupur Sharma and support extended to her by Ashish Kohli.

Similarly, the Times of India also published a piece steeped in vagueness and ambiguity instead of grounding in facts and the truth. In its article titled “Curfew in J&K town after communal tension”, the Times of India refrained from including damning details of how a Muslim cleric in a mosque in Jammu insulted Hindus with gaumutra barbs, whipped up a communal frenzy by issuing death threats to former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and journalist Ashish Kohli.

TOI HT Jammu
Source: Times of India

The Times of India article went a step ahead and defended the murderous Islamists baying for the blood of Nupur Sharma and Ashish Kohli, stating that two miscreants provoked the community with objectionable comments. Of course, what transpired outside the Jama Masjid in Jammu was not elaborated on in detail lest it would shift the focus on the Islamists for issuing ‘sar tan se juda’ threats and insulting Hindus with gaumutra jibes.

Muslim cleric in Jammu mosque threatens to behead Nupur Sharma, Ashish Kohli over comments on Prophet Muhammad

The incident took place at Jamia Masjid in Bhaderwah in the Doda district in Jammu, where a Muslim cleric was openly threatening to behead Nupur Sharma and those supporting her over comments on Prophet Mohammad made by Nupur on a TV show, which had resulted in her suspension from the party. The cleric also threatened that if the police do not arrest those who oppose azan and hijab, then Muslims will catch them and behead them.

In the video from Thursday, a cleric is heard saying that Hindus drink cow urine and bathe in cow dung. The person from the balcony of the Masjid announces in the microphone, “Gaaye Ke Peshaab Peene Walon Ka, Gobar Se Nahane Walon Ka, Haisiyat Kya Hai Inki. Inko Jo Hawa Milti Hai Humari Ibadat Se Milti Hai, Inko Jo Dariyaon Se Paani Milta Hai Humari Barqat Se Milta Hai. Inka Wajood Kya Hai (What is the status of these people who drink cow piss and bath in cow dung. The air they breathe is because of us and the water they drink is because of us. What is in their existence.)”

Further in the video, the person announces, “Mere Bhaiyon, Ek Baat Zehen Me Baitha Lo, Hum Tabhi Tak Shant Hain Jab Tak Humara Bardasht Kayam Hai. Agar Hum Bardaasht Se Bahar Nikal Gaye Toh Fir Wo Nupur Sharma Kya, Wo Ashish Kohli Kutta Kya. Wo Nupur Sharma Ke Sar Kahi Aur Dhad Kahi Aur Milenge (Brothers, keep it in your minds, we’re silent until we are patient. If we become impatient, then Nupur Sharma and that dog Ashish Kohli will not be left. Nupur Sharma’s head will be found somewhere else and torso somewhere else.)” This followed a shout by the crowd screaming the infamous Islamic slogan, “Naara-e-Taqbeer Allahu Akbar.”

Mumbai Police links Lawrence Bishnoi gang in Salman Khan threat case, actor denies receiving any threat in recent past

OpIndia Staff
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Mumbai Police links Lawrence Bishnoi gang in Salman Khan threat case, actor denies receiving any threat in recent past

In the case of the threat letter sent to Salim Khan and his son, the Bollywood star Salman Khan, Mumbai Police have traced the links of the threat to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Lawrence Bishnoi gang is already making headlines these days over their links to the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala.

This link emerged during the interrogation of Lawrence Bishnoi gang member Siddhesh Hiraman Kamble alias Mahakal. According to the Mumbai Police, Vikram Brar, a close aide of Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar (who took responsibility for Moosewala’s murder), is also at the heart of the conspiracy “to terrorize and extort money” from Salman Khan and his father Salim Khan.

Brar allegedly dispatched three men to Mumbai to deliver the threat letter to Salman Khan. “Jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi had issued the letter to Salman Khan and his father Salim Khan. Three people from his gang had come from Jalore, Rajasthan, to Mumbai to drop the letter and had met accused Saurabh Mahakal,” the Mumbai Police said on Thursday.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Mumbai Police Department recorded Salman Khan’s statement in the death threat case. The actor was asked whether he had gotten any recent threat calls or messages or had any disputes or arguments with anyone. Salman Khan stated that he has not received any threats.  He also indicated that he had had no recent conflicts with anyone that may have resulted in the death threats. Salman’s father, the writer Salim Khan, received a threat letter on Sunday and Bandra Police filed a report against an anonymous individual based on that letter.

After the threat letter was delivered to Salim Khan on Sunday, June 5, the Maharashtra Department of Home Affairs reinforced the security of Bollywood actor Salman Khan and his father Salim Khan. “Salim Khan, Salman Khan, Bahut Jald Aapka Moosewala Hoga KGBLB” (Salim Khan, Salman Khan, very soon you will end up like Moosewala), said the anonymous message addressed to the star and his father.

Salim Khan was seated on a bench at the Bandra Bandstand after a morning stroll on Sunday morning at about 7.40 AM, according to the police, when an unidentified individual handed him a note.

After mosque announcement calls for beheadings of anyone who opposes hijab and Azan, stone-pelting reported amid curfew in Bhaderwah

OpIndia Staff
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After mosque announcement calls for beheadings of anyone who opposes hijab and Azan, stone-pelting reported amid curfew in Bhaderwah

Stone pelting on security forces has been reported in the Bhaderwah locality of the Jammu region in Jammu & Kashmir, as per sources. A curfew has been enforced in the region after members of the Hindu community took to the streets to protest hate speech emerging from a mosque.

The situation in the region is tense, and police have initiated an inquiry into the reported hateful remarks announced from the mosque, warning residents against taking the law into their own hands. The army was called in to do a flag march on Thursday evening as tensions in the neighbourhood reached their peak.

Times Now reported that continuous stone pelting was reported from near the mosque and the local authorities had to shut down the internet in the area. Stones were pelted from nearby houses too.

This comes after a video of a hate speech delivered through a mosque in Bhaderwah, Jammu and Kashmir, went viral, spewing hatred against local Hindus and sparking outrage on social media. The incident happened at the Jamia Masjid in Bhaderwah, Doda district, Jammu, when a Muslim cleric openly threatened Nupur Sharma and those who backed her over comments she made on a television broadcast regarding Prophet Mohammad.

In a video posted on Thursday, a preacher is heard instructing that Hindus “consume cow urine and bathe in cow dung.” The preacher said that if anyone opposed the hijab and Azaan, the government should arrest them otherwise Muslims must behead them.

It is worth noting that dramatic violence occurred in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur district last Friday, only days after BJP Spokeswoman Nupur Sharma got death threats for allegedly committing ‘blasphemy’ against Prophet Muhammad. The Muslim community in the neighbourhood had called for a shutdown to oppose Sharma, and the demonstration turned violent with stone-pelting after Friday prayers.

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