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Times Group’s duplicity: Economic Times publishes memes mocking Shivling, Times Now deletes video that ‘hurt Muslim sentiments’

OpIndia Staff
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Times Group’s duplicity: Economic Times publishes memes mocking Shivling, Times Now deletes video that ‘hurt Muslim sentiments’

Since Friday, 27th of May, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National Spokesperson Nupur Sharma has been facing rape and death threats after her appearance on Times Now, the flagship television channel of the Times group. Egged on by Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair and alleged journalist Rana Ayyub, Islamists have been threatening to behead her at the first available opportunity for ‘hurting Muslim sentiments’.

Reacting to the controversy over an appearance by Nupur Sharma on a ‘news debate’ on Times Now, the Times group decided to delete the ‘offending video’ and tried to distance themselves from the controversy instead of standing by the freedom of expression of their guest.

Taking to Twitter, Times Now tweeted that they don’t endorse the views of their guests. They also asked the participants in their debates to maintain restraint and avoid unparliamentary language.

From their reaction, it is very obvious that Times Now is worried about the backlash from Islamists over their ‘hurt religious sentiments’, and they don’t want any of their employees to face the same threats of beheading that their guest, Nupur Sharma, is facing right now.

However, the Times group hasn’t always worried about hurting religious sentiments and the backlash resulting from such acts. In fact, as recently as last week, the Times group was proudly mocking Hindus by posting offensive memes on Shivling in the print edition of Economic Times.

Even though multiple FIRs were filed by Hindus over the offensive memes about Shivling at the disputed Gyanvapi structure, Economic Times thought it is wise to reproduce those offensive memes in their print edition, a place where they will stay forever. Something that can’t be deleted like they deleted the video ‘offending’ Muslims.

Even after the outrage over the publishing of offensive memes, the Times group never thought it is worth their time to distance themselves from the memes, or even issue a token apology. They just ignored all the outrage and carried on. However, when it came to the hurt Muslim sentiments, they were very prompt in issuing a statement, deleting the offensive video, and by distancing themselves from their guest’s statement, threw her to the wolves.

This raises the question that why does the Times group think it is fine to abuse and insult Hindu sentiments, but when it comes to any other religion, they think they have to delete immediately and distance themselves from the ‘offensive content’.

Islamists issue death threats to BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma: What she said and what the Islamic scriptures say

OpIndia Staff
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Islamists issue death threats to BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma: What she said and what the Islamic scriptures say

Earlier yesterday, BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma found herself at the centre of a raging storm after Islamists, egged on by the likes of AltNews co-founder Mohammed Zubair, issued multiple threats against her and her family for expressing her views on Prophet Muhammad and Islam.

Sharma was a part of a debate panel on Times Now, discussing the finding of Shivling in the Gyanvapi complex and the subsequent mockery of the Hindu Gods and Goddesses that followed in the wake of the discovery. Islamists have claimed that the Shivling discovered inside the wuzukhana of the Gyanvapi disputed structure was not a Shivling but a fountain. Across social media platforms, detractors have been repeating ad nauseam that the Shivling found inside the Gyanvapi premises is a fountain and not an idol of a Hindu God.

In response to the contempt and scorn poured over Hindu Gods and Goddesses, which was evident even during the Times Now debate where some of the fellow panellists referred to the Shivling as a fountain, BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma asked them to refrain from insulting Hindu Gods and cited Islamic scriptures and Holy Quran for substantiating her remarks on Prophet Muhammad and Islam.

“Should I start mocking claims of flying horses or the flat-earth theory as mentioned in your Quran? You are marrying a 6-year-old girl and having sex with her when she turned 9. Who did it? Prophet Muhammad. Should I start saying all these things that are mentioned in your scriptures?” said Sharma, after being heckled by Taslim Ahmed Rehmani while talking about the longstanding practice of mocking Hindu Gods and Goddesses.

However, this did sit well with the AltNews co-founder Mohammed Zubair and others, who shared the video of the debate on social media, attracting an Islamist attack against the BJP spokesperson. Right after Zubair posted the tweet, Islamists descended on her Twitter page, dishing out vile expletives and issuing dangerous death threats against her and her family. A Twitter Spaces session conducted by Islamists made unapologetic and open calls for the murder of the BJP spokesperson.

As the controversy continues to rage on, it is difficult to determine whether the Islamists are offended by Nupur Sharma’s impertinence to cite Islamic scriptures and Holy Quran to put across her argument or do they dispute the authenticity of the assertions made by her during the debate.

In her response, Sharma said Islamic scriptures talk about a celestial creature in the form of a flying horse. As it turns out, the Muslim texts do talk about something called ‘Buraq’, a heavenly equine or chimeral beast, which according to Islamic traditions, served as the mount of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad during his Isra and Mi’raj journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and up through the heavens and back by night.

According to an article published in leftist rag Scroll, Islam’s winged horse bears a mention in various Islamic records from medieval times, with most of them linking it to the enigmatic steed that carried Prophet Muhammad on his night journey to heaven.

What do Hadiths, and Islamic scriptures say about the existence of winged horses?

Hadith 22 of Book 38 talks about the existence of winged horses in paradise. Abu Ayyub, an Ansar who supported Muhammad after the hijra (migration) to Medina in 622, recounts an incident about a Bedouin asking the Islamic prophet if there indeed are winged horses in paradise.

“O Messenger of Allah, indeed, I love horses. Are there horses in Paradise?” The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: “If you are admitted into Paradise, you shall be brought a horse of rubies with two wings, then you shall be carried on it, then it will fly with you wherever you want,” the Hadith says.

Islamic hadiths on the marriage between Prophet Muhammad and Aisha and the latter’s age when the marriage consummated

However, Islamists appeared most offended by Sharma’s comment regarding Prophet Muhammad and Aisha. Sharma had said that Prophet married Aisha at the age of 6, and the marriage was consummated when Aisha was 9.

There are reliable Islamic hadiths that support this assertion. According to the revered Sahih al-Bukhari, 5134; Book 67, Hadith 70, ‎”The Prophet [ﷺ] married Aisha when she was six years old, and he consummated his marriage when she was nine years old.” Bukhari mentions that Prophet Muhammad was 53 years old when he married Aisha.

Likewise, Hadith 3380 of Book 26, Vol 4, of Sunan an-Nasa’i 3378, quotes Aisha as saying: “The Messenger of Allah [ﷺ] married me when I was six years old and consummated the marriage with me when I was nine, and I used to play with dolls.”

Most Sunni clerics and scholars consider the aforementioned-hadiths reliable. According to them, Prophet Muhammad had indeed married Aisha when she was six and consummated the marriage after she turned nine. In addition, numerous other authentic Hadiths outside support these two ages. Thus, it would be fair even for one with limited knowledge of Islam and Hadiths to accept these accounts as authentic and as a part of Islamic history.

However, some contemporary Maulanas try to rationalise marriage and the sexual union by leaning on science, claiming that in those times, females could reach puberty at the age of 9, and thus consummation of marriage at nine should be viewed with this ‘context’. For instance, in the video shared below, a Muslim preacher justifies how Aisha had attained puberty at the age of nine and, therefore, there were no problems with her marriage to Prophet Muhammad.

“A lady came to me and told me about her doubts about Prophet’s marriage with a six-year-old girl. I told her Aisha attained puberty at the age of nine, by which she was ready to conceive. Medical science also proves that girls aged between 12-13 are sexually mature and capable of bearing children, then why is there a problem with the consummation of Aisha’s marriage with Prophet Muhammad,” the Islamic scholar said.

Some Sunni sects and Shia claim Aisha was well into her adulthood when she married Prophet Muhammad

However, there is a contrarian viewpoint among Muslims who peg Aisha’s age to be between 17-19 when she married Prophet Muhammad. Some Sunni sects and overwhelming sections of Shia claim Aisha was a teenager when she tied the knot with the Islamic prophet. They premise their argument on the age difference between Aisha and her elder sister to conclude that Aisha had married Prophet Muhammad in her adulthood.

According to them, Asma, the elder sister of Aisha, was ten years older than Aisha. In Taqreeb al-Tehzeeb, as well as in Ibn Kathir’s Al-Bidayan Wan al-Nihayah, Asma died at the age of 100 and in the 73rd year after the migration of Muhammad. The proponents of this theory claim as Asma died at the age of 100 and during the 73rd year of Muhammad’s migration, she would be 27 or 28 years old at the time of migration. Citing that Aisha was 10 years younger than Asma, they claim that Aisha would have been 17-18 years old at the time of migration and she must be 19-20 years old at the time of her marriage.

Several Shia accounts believe Aisha, along with Hafsa, poisoned Muhammad to death

However, Shias generally harbour an unfavourable view of Aisha. They believe she was contemptuous toward Ahl al-Bayt (Prophet Muhammad’s family) and her actions during the first civil war. Her participation in the Battle of Camel is widely regarded as her most significant sign of such contempt. Moreover, Shias also believe that she did not conduct herself in an appropriate manner in her role as Muhammad’s wife.

It is also worth noting that several prominent Shia accounts hold Aisha, along with Hafsa, responsible for Prophet Muhammad’s death. They believe Aisha and Hafsa poisoned Muhammad to death.

‘Shivling at Gyanvapi damaged with a saw, accused caught by police’: says BJP leader Vinay Katiyar, demands ban on entry of Muslims

OpIndia Staff
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‘Shivling at Gyanvapi damaged with a saw, accused caught by police’: says BJP leader Vinay Katiyar, demands ban on entry of Muslims

Amidst the ongoing controversy over the disputed structure at Gyanvapi, BJP leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Katiyar has made a big statement. He claims that the Shivling located inside Gyanvapi was damaged with a saw, after which the police have arrested the accused. He said that to check whether it is ‘Shivling’ or ‘fountain’, a man from Muslim community ran a saw over it, and damaging it in the process. The BJP leader also said that instead of arresting such people, both their hands should be cut off.

Katiyar has said that the hearings in the Gyanvapi case, which has reached the threshold of the Supreme Court of the country starting from the district court of Varanasi, will continue to take place. But before that, in view of the security of the Shivling, the entry of Muslims into the disputed structure should be banned. Vinay Katiyar, who was involved in the Ram Mandir movement, alleged that symbols of Hindus have been tampered with in Gyanvapi. He announced that he will continue to support those who are demanding the protection of the Shivling and the expulsion of Muslims from there.

According to the BJP leader, Mughal invader Aurangzeb forcefully captured Gyanvapi, so Muslims should not be allowed to enter it. He said that Asaduddin Owaisi’s mental balance has been shaken and now he should be thrown out of the country.

There was also a case of holes being drilled in the Shivling.

It is worth mentioning that the Muslim side is referring to the Shivling found in the wuzukhana inside the Gyanvapi complex as a fountain. However, these claims seem to be hollow. Meanwhile, on May 25, Vishnu Shankar Jain, counsel for the Hindu side in the Gyanvapi case, had alleged that Muslims had tried to break the Shivling in the wuzukhana and tried make it a fountain. Vishnu Jain had claimed that if the video and photography of the storeroom are done, then it will be proved how the Shivling was drilled and how Muslims tried to make it a fountain. This will also prove how the 63 cm hole was made in the Shivling.

It is worth mentioning that recently a picture had also surfaced, from which it was revealed that there was also an idol of Lord Hanuman inside Gyanvapi.

Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind raises Gyanvapi issue at Deoband event, to pass resolution

OpIndia Staff
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Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind raises Gyanvapi issue at Deoband event, to pass resolution

On Saturday (May 28), the Islamic outfit Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind organised a mega gathering of 5000 Muslim organisations to discuss the raging issues of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), disputes surrounding the Gyanvapi mosque and Qutub Minar.

The event, which will continue till Sunday (May 29), is being held in the Deoband district of Uttar Pradesh. During the 2-day programme, various issues related to the Muslim community will be discussed by the Ulemas.

The district administration oversaw security arrangements for the event and deployed a large contingent of police forces. The programme was initiated by the unfurling of the Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind’s flag, followed by the presentation of Naat Pak and Tilawat-e-Quran Pak.

While speaking about the development, President Maulana Mahmood Madani had alleged Islamophobia over the ongoing debate on the Gyanvapi mosque.

He claimed, “The condition of the country and the government’s silence on it is concerning…This needs to change, and therefore, the people who wish well for the country, will have to manage it, and end the prevailing environment of division.”

Madani stated, “For now, debates on the Gyanvapi mosque, the Shahi Idgah mosques are going on…A resolution with respect to them will come either by today evening or tomorrow morning.”

He informed that the Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind will fight for the Gyanvapi mosque and that he would go to jail if necessary. One Maulana Niaz Ahmed Farooqui threatened that the claim over the Gyanvapi mosque could lead to the creation of another Pakistan.

Farooqui, who serves as the media-in-charge of Jamiat- Ulama-I-Hind, warned, “Hatred is being propelled against Muslims in the country. Pakistan was created the last time there was a tirade of this sort against the Muslims. I don’t understand what exactly these people want.”

War of words between Congress, BJP over Deoband event

The 2-day programme by Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind has been endorsed by senior Congress leader Rashid Alvi. He claimed, “Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind is a secular and non-political organisation. Its leaders have contributed a great deal, and even made a lot of sacrifices during the freedom movement…They have spent their nights in jail.”

“All these issues, be it Gyanvapi mosque or Shahi Idgah, instead of blaming the Muslims, we should blame the parties that call themselves secular…For they have kept silent, thinking that they do not lose one side,” he added.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla has expressed concern about the Deoband event, organised by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind. He stated, “In the name of the procession (jalsa), a few parties are working to provoke the sentiments of people. It is being said that the patience of Muslims is being tested. This is a clear attempt at provocation.”

He had lambasted Owaisi, Akhilesh Yadav and Tauqeer Raza for inciting the religious feelings.

Gyanvapi mosque controversy

The Gyanvapi Mosque is a disputed structure built over the ruins of the desecrated old Kashi Vishwanath Temple by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

The Kashi Vishwanath Temple complex, which is adjacent to the disputed mosque complex, was built by Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore in 1780. A Varanasi court on May 12 allowed a videographic survey of the disputed structure.

Varanasi’s Civil Judge (Senior Division) Ravi Kumar Diwakar issued guidelines for the same and added that a report of the survey must be submitted by May 17. A 54-member team, led by advocate commissioner Ajay Kumar Mishra, surveyed the Gyanvapi complex basement and the western wall on May 14.

According to the reports, the survey team opened eight vaults of the disputed structure of the Gyanvapi mosque. On May 16,  counsel Hari Shankar Jain representing the Hindu side informed the court that a Shivling was discovered inside the premises during the survey.

While speaking to Aaj Tak, he claimed that the Shivling was originally studded with a diamond and was removed after occupation. He explained the missing diamond as the cause behind the crack on the upper part of the Shivling.

Madan Mohan Yadav, another lawyer representing the Hindu side, said the Shivling is 12 feet by 8 inches in diameter and is in the direction where Nandi is facing, as is customary.

‘Can’t do anything, monkeys are Hanuman incarnation and now all chant Hanuman Chalisa’: Maharashtra minister when farmer complained about monkey menace

OpIndia Staff
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‘Can’t do anything, monkeys are Hanuman incarnation and now all chant Hanuman Chalisa’: Maharashtra minister when farmer complained about monkey menace

Maharashtra has been seeing heated politics around Hanuman Chalisa and Azaan for the past few months. Now, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Minister of Water Resources Jayant Patil has used the Hanuman Chalisa issue to run away from his responsibility to serve the people of the state. He dodged a poor farmer’s complaint about monkey menace and used the reference to the recent controversy to avoid his responsibility.

Jayant Patil was interacting with the farmers residing in the areas under Gosikhurd National Irrigation Project in the Bhandara district of the state. While he was listening to various complaints, a villager told him about the problem of monkeys in his village and how they trouble the farmers. However, rather than assuring him some way out or some help through the local administration, minister Jayant Patil, in return, told the audience about his childhood memories of monkeys. Moreover, he went on to dodge the complaint and used the Hanuman Chalisa issue for the same.

The poor villager asked Jayant Patil, “There are very big trees here in this area. But we don’t see any monkeys here. In our village, there are fewer trees but the monkeys come and sit on the roofs of our houses. They not only damage our roofs but also cause a great loss to the crops.”

In response to this, Jayant Patil laughed and said, “I had been to a temple in Ramtek when I was a kid. A monkey had snatched away a banana from my hands. What you are saying is correct, and in the last 40-50 years, the number of monkeys must have increased a lot.”

Everyone accompanying the minister on the stage laughed at this. The farmer again urged what will he do if the house does not remain intact. Listening to this, Jayant Patil suggested to him something very unexpected. He said, “How much land do you have? Ok, five acres. So now, you leave that old earthen house and build a new cement-concrete house. So that the problem of monkeys damaging the roof will be arrested.” Jayant Patil did not say what the local administration or the forest department may jointly do on this issue. He did not say anything about what kind of instructions he may give to concerned officials.

Taking this opportunity to make a politically motivated remark, he further said, “The problem of monkeys damaging the roof will be arrested, but monkeys will be there for sure. We can’t do anything about it. Look, the monkey is an incarnation of Hanuman. And now we all chant Hanuman Chalisa. And now you are saying that the monkeys are troubling you.”

It is notable that Jayant Patil was present on the dais when NCP leader Amol Mitkari made fun of Hindu rituals while addressing a public meeting on 19th April 2022. Jayant Patil was seen laughing aloud on the stage as Mitkari ridiculed Hindu rituals of marriage. Now Jayant Patil himself has used the Hanuman Chalisa issue to dodge the complaint of a common citizen of the state and ran away from his responsibility to serve the people.

Congress set to meet to decide its Rajya Sabha nominees, Rahul Gandhi to join ‘virtually’ as he extends his London trip

OpIndia Staff
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Congress set to meet to decide its Rajya Sabha nominees, Rahul Gandhi to join ‘virtually’ as he extends his London trip

On Saturday, the Indian National Congress Party is likely to decide upon the nominees for the upcoming Rajya Sabha biennial elections. The meeting which will be chaired by Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, will be attended by party general secretaries, former party chief Rahul Gandhi will join the meeting via video conference from London.

According to the reports, the meeting will include veteran leaders like P Chidambaram, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Vivek Tankha, Ajay Maken, Rajeev Shukla, Mukul Wasnik, and Pramod Tiwari along with other local leaders and minority faces.

In the Rajya Sabha elections that are scheduled to be held on June 10, the Congress party is expected to win eight Rajya Sabha seats, largely from Rajasthan and Chattishgarh. Reports mention that the party has decided to contest three Rajya Sabha seats in Rajasthan while it is confident to bag two seats from the state of Chattisgarh. The party is also expecting a seat from Jharkhand where it is in alliance with Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).

Further from the Congress, former Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Rajya Sabha Chief whip Jairam Ramesh are likely to be renominated. Reports speculate that while Ramesh would get a renomination from the state of Karnataka, P Chidambaram, who represents Maharashtra, may move to Tamil Nadu to fight elections

Meanwhile, leaders like Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, and Vivek Tankha who had spearheaded the G-23 rebel group are also under consideration. It is speculated that Azad may be fielded from either Maharashtra or Rajasthan while senior leader Bhupinder Hooda would contest from Haryana. Other leaders like Ajay Maken, Randeep Surjewala, Pramod Tiwari, Dr. Ajoy Kumar, Mukul Wasnik, and Rajiv Shukla are also in the fray for the ticket and are hoping to bag the nominations.

Recently, the Congress lone Rajya Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh Kapil Sibal quit the party and decided to fight the said elections as an independent with the support of the Samajwadi Party. He resigned from the party on May 16 and stated that he had always wanted to be an independent voice in the country.

Rahul Gandhi to join the Congress meeting ‘virtually’

Reportedly, Rahul Gandhi who seems to have extended his controversial visit to Great Britain is supposed to attend the meeting virtually. Last week, the Congress scion left for a controversial visit to London to attend a few events, where his comments about India created a lot of outrage back home. He delivered a speech at the ‘Ideas for India’ conference organized by the think-tank Bridge India, where he promoted sub-nationalism, besides trying to instigate anarchy in the country by calling for a ‘mass action’ against the Indian state.

Rahul also delivered another controversial speech at an event titled ‘India at 75’ at Corpus Christi College at Cambridge University, hosted by a Congress party sympathizer Shruti Kapila. He blatantly compared India to confederations such as European Union and refused to acknowledge the federal democratic setup which exists in India. As per Gandhi, India’s political formation is much like a loosely-connected supranational European Union, where multinational political unions together negotiated power as an arrangement.

According to the reports, Rahul neither took the mandatory government approval for this trip, which is mandatory nor informed the government before he traveled abroad.

The upcoming Rajya Sabha election on June 10 is extremely crucial as it comes ahead of the Presidential election in 2022. The 57 Rajya Sabha seats up for grabs are spread across 15 states including Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Out of these, the maximum number of seats falling vacant is in Uttar Pradesh. While 11 seats will fall vacant in Uttar Pradesh, six each will retire from Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, five from Bihar, and four each from Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Karnataka.

‘One didi came to UP in support of SP, then there were 12,000 incidents of violence in Bengal’: Yogi Adityanath slams Mamata Banerjee for post-poll violence

OpIndia Staff
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‘One didi came to UP in support of SP, then there were 12,000 incidents of violence in Bengal’: Yogi Adityanath slams Mamata Banerjee for post-poll violence

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari Saturday, thanked Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath for speaking about the dastardly incidents of violence unleashed by TMC goons in West Bengal in May last year after Mamata Banerjee returned to power in the state. Adhikari also expressed gratitude to Yogi Adityanath for showing solidarity to WB post-poll victims while speaking on the motion of thanks on the Hon’ble UP Governor’s address to the state legislature.

Suvendu Adhikari, who had defeated the TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in a closely fought battle in Nandigram during the state assembly polls held last year, Tweeted, “I earnestly extend my gratitudes to Hon’ble UP CM Shri @myogiadityanath ji for highlighting the dastardly WB post poll violence incidents, while speaking on the motion of thanks on the Hon’ble UP Governor’s address to the state legislature. Thank you for your words of solidarity.”

On Friday, while speaking on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address to the state legislature, slammed the Mamata Banerjee government over the post-poll violence in West Bengal. He stated how peacefully the elections in Uttar Pradesh were held, as compared to West Bengal’s state Assembly election held last year which was marred with violence.

Without naming Trinamool Party chief Mamata Banerjee, Yogi Adityanath recalled her visit to the state during the UP campaign to support the Samajwadi Party of Akhilesh Yadav, as he listed the number of violent incidents and the number of people including BJP workers who were killed in West Bengal in May last year.

“A ‘didi’ from West Bengal came in support of the Samajwadi Party in the elections,” he said, adding that “in all, over 12,000 incidents of violence took place in 142 of 294 assembly constituencies. 25,000 booths were affected. Over 10,000 BJP workers were forced to go to shelter houses and 57 party workers were brutally killed. Over 123 women were assaulted. About 7,000 FIRs had been filed – this was the condition there,” the UP CM said.

“The population of West Bengal is half of Uttar Pradesh. There was no pre-poll or any post-poll violence in Uttar Pradesh. This is an example of law and order,” Yogi Adityanath said.

It may be recalled that on May 2, 2022, Suvendu Adhikari had shared how West Bengal had last year during this time, plunged into violence when Mamata Banerjee returned to power. On the first anniversary of TMC’s return to power, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari shared disturbing visuals of TMC workers attacking the saffron party members to mark the occasion.

In most such incidents, the victims were BJP supporters and workers while the accused were the supporters of the ruling Trinamool Congress. 

Pertinently, in March this year, the Calcutta High Court granted police protection to 303 victims of the West Bengal post-poll violence. The decision was made after petitioner Priyanka Tibrewal informed the court that the victims were being constantly threatened by local TMC goons and that the cops were reluctant to take action against the perpetrators.

OpIndia had also reached out to some of the victims of the violence and spoke to them about their horrific experiences, which they claim were overtly sponsored by West Bengal’s state machinery.

While speaking, all of the victims attributed the entire series of violence to Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress, stating that their only fault was that they were affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party. Throughout the talk, they all said unambiguously that being a BJP voter is a crime in Bengal and being a BJP Party Worker is an absolute sin. It is just by offering one’s life, that one is absolved of this sin in Bengal.

New dispute in Gyanvapi issue: Varanasi weaver Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari produces British era record to allege the land area has shrunk by two-third

OpIndia Staff
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New dispute in Gyanvapi issue: Varanasi weaver Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari produces British era record to allege the land area has shrunk by two-third

In a new development, a person has voiced serious concerns about the area of the land of the Gyanvapi complex adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi. Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari, a weaver from Lohta in Varanasi, claims that a large portion of land have gone missing, as the area has come down substantially.

Ansari said that the land of Gyanvapi was 31 Biswa according to the 1883 revenue record, but its current record shows only 10.5 Biswa, only one third of the original area. He said, “Gyanvapi’s land is merely 10.5 Biswa, according to the commission action that has been taken thus far. So, what happened to the remainder of the land? Why is the Anjuman Intrazia Masajid Committee not providing clarification…?” Ansari has also filed an application regarding the same in the court. It is notable that 1 Biswa equals 1,350 square feet.

Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari stated that when the report of the court-appointed committee showed up, it was discovered that the Gyanvapi Masjid owns only 14000 square feet of land, which is equivalent of less then ten and a half Biswa. When he began investigating the related records and obtained an copy of old records, he discovered that in 1883, during British rule, the land of Araji No. 9130, i.e. Gyanvapi Masjid, was around 31 Biswa. In this regard, he requested that the Anjuman Prajataniya Masajid Committee clarify the matter.

मुख्तार अहमद अंसारी ने अपनी बातों के समर्थन में रेवेन्यू रिकॉर्ड भी दिखाए।
The revenue record of the plot. (Source: Bhaskar)

Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari said that it took a lot of efforts to find the old land record of the site. First he went to the Municipal Corporation office, then he went to the Waqf Board, and after that to the Revenue Office, where he found the plan from 1883.

Remarking what he spoke to the AIM Committee members, he stated, “You don’t tell the people anything they should know. They tell people what should not be told. Those people were furious with us, and we were labelled traitors. We were accused of questioning them by accepting money from the BJP. Aside from that, we were told a lot of other things. It had little impact on us.”

SM Yasin, the Joint Secretary of Anjuman Insanjariya Masajid Committee refuted all the allegations by Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari. He said that they don’t know much land the mosque had a century ago. He added the land belonging to the mosque had shrunk in 1937, but he does not have its details. He informed that the Anjuman Prajataniya Masajid Committee has a plot of more than 2500 square feet in the Gyanvapi premises. Apart from it, they had another plot of 1400 square feet in the same premises. He also remined that the committee had exchanged 1700 sq ft of land with the temple administration on its own will.

It may be noted that in 2021, the Sunni Waqf Board had given away 1700 square feet of land near the mosque site to the Kashi Vishwanath Mandir in exchange of another plot of same value measuring 1000 square feet. The plot was needed for the Kashi Viswanath Corridor project, and as the land belonged to the Waqf Board, it couldn’t be sold, hence it was exchanged.

However, Ansari has stood his ground. He said that he is being labelled as BJP agent after raising the question, but he is quoting 139-year-old record which can’t be denied by anybody. Referring to the petition filed by 5 Hindu women which led to the survey of the premises, Ansari said that the petition mentions the plot number 9130, and asked why the acreage has not been mentioned. Questioning the intention behind not mentioning the area of the land, he said that he has submitted a prayer before the court to become a party to the case. He said that after the maintainability of the petition by Hindu side is decided, his plea will be considered by the court.

It is worth noting that the Varanasi court ordered that the survey report and videography report be sent to both parties on May 30th. However, the Gyanvapi Mosque Committee has asked the court not to make the survey photographs and videos public. On the other hand, the Hindu side applauded the court’s judgement. After receiving a copy of the report, both parties will have seven days to file their objections.

During a discussion on the disputed construction at Gyanvapi on May 24, Hindu side lawyer Vishnu Jain alleged that the Muslim side wilfully desecrated the Shivling in order to install a fountain-like structure. He further stated that a 63cm hole had been bored in the Shivling.

Uttar Pradesh: Abbas, Mujabir arrested for attempting to kill woman for refusing to convert to Islam, had pushed her out of the car, fired at her

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Abbas, Mujabir arrested for attempting to kill woman for refusing to convert to Islam, had pushed her out of the car, fired at her

The Uttar Pradesh police arrested two people on Wednesday for attempting to murder one of the accused’s estranged wife after she refused to convert to Islam.

According to the reports, the accused was identified as Abbas, along with his friend Mujabir Hussain of Sakhni village, an unnamed person has been arrested near the Jahangirabad Police Station area in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district for attempting to murder Abbas’s wife for refusing to convert to Islam.

The arrests were made after the 21-year-old victim, a native of Jahangirabad town in the district had filed an FIR against her estranged husband.

In her complaint, the woman alleged that Abbas trapped her in his love and married her. Later, he forced her to convert to Islam by blackmailing her with some obscene photographs of hers. The couple also had a son, adding that Abbas began beating her up soon after the marriage, following which she left him and began living separately.

The victim also said the Abbas and two other accused confronted her on May 21 near the Kali river bridge and kidnapped her in the car. The three accused beat her up and tore her clothes, she said. Later, they pushed her out of the running car. She was later rescued by some people on hearing her cries for help.

She alleged that Abbas pushed her out of the car, fired at her with an intention to kill her, and she narrowly escaped the murder bid.

The police have arrested the accused and booked a case against the trio under IPC sections 323 (causing hurt), 354(B) (assaulting a woman to disrobe her), 307 (attempt to murder), 506 (issuing threat) and 504 (causing insult).

Besides, Uttar Pradesh has also lodged an FIR at Bulandshahr’s Kotwali police station under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, which deals with forcing or tricking one to change their religion and the punishment for it.

Vivek Agnihotri reveals how The New York Times wrote an article against his movie without quoting him in full, releases screenshots of answers: Read

OpIndia Staff
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Vivek Agnihotri reveals how The New York Times wrote an article against his movie without quoting him in full, releases screenshots of answers: Read

National Award-winning director Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri has exposed the ploy of the New York Times to peddle propaganda against his critically acclaimed movie ‘The Kashmiri Files’ and accused them of misquoting him in a recently published report.

Taking to Twitter, the award-winning filmmaker shared a few screenshots of his conversation with New York Times reporter Suhasini Raj. The screenshots came days after New York Times had published a report targeting his blockbuster movie ‘The Kashmir Files’ ahead of its international OTT release and Vivek Agnihotri’s ‘Humanity Tour’.

According to the director, the interview was taken on April 9, and the report was published first on April 29, which was rehashed a month later ahead of the movie’s international OTT release.

“Since it’s a matter of public records now, I am posting a few SS of my Q&A with Suhasini Raj of NYtimes on April 29. See how I knew about their evil design. Pl judge yourself how malicious Brown Coolies like Suhasini are working to divide India,” Vivek Agnihotri tweeted.

During the conversation, as shared by Agnihotri, the reporter was seen asking about the testimonies of the victims of the Kashmiri Hindus genocide, based upon which the movie ‘The Kashmiri Files’ was made. The reporter asked Agnihotri how many of the 700 testimonies he had mentioned belonged to Hindus and how many those were of Muslims.

Angered by the communal overtones of the question, Vivek Agnihotri can be seen criticizing the New York Times reporter for looking at a human tragedy from a communal angle.

“Can’t it think beyond Hindu Muslim? Sikhs, Buddhists, Dalits, Gujjars and even Christians were killed… don’t they matter to you. I find your question very objectionable, an attempt to lead to a communal narrative and therefore, I refuse to participate in such a divisive narrative,” Agnihotri responds, adding that for him, anyone who is killed in terrorism is a victim, irrespective of religion, region, caste or creed.

He further schooled the reporter saying that the New York Times had already damaged India’s image with its biased reporting and begged her to refrain from it for Humanity’s sake.

“I am surprised that despite being an Indian, you are promoting NYT’s vicious agenda against India. Shame,” Agnihotri responded.

The reporter, however, unrelentingly asks whether Vivek Agnihotri can provide more details on how many Muslim testimonies he had heard before making the movie. She says it is totally fine if he did not reply to that question.

In response, Vivek Agnihotri refuses to answer, saying that her question is linked to a communal agenda. He adds that his response will be converted in ratios of Hindus and Muslims to prove NYT’s vicious communal point.

“You don’t have a word to say against terrorism. No EMPATHY for the dead and victims. All you are interested in is Hindu vs Muslim. I am smart enough to know your agenda, which is to lead it to ‘ISLAMOPHOBIC’. If you have the guts then please publish my reply Which is as above. If there is any conflict, it’s because of media like yours,” Vivek Agnihotri says in his conversation with NYT reporter Suhasini Raj dated April 9.

Almost 20 days later, as per Agnihotri, the purported interview with Vivek Agnihotri was published on April 29. However, a month later, again on May 26, the same article titled ‘Film on Expulsion of Kashmir’s Hindus Is Polarizing and Popular in India’ is published to claim that the movie has been used by the BJP as a tool to advance its alleged narrative of Hindu persecution in India.

Interestingly, Suhasini Raj, in her report, for which she had interviewed Vivek Agnihotri, has clipped his response, although the director had explicitly asked her to include his entire response. Rather than reporting Agnihotri’s opinion, Raj has edited his response to concoct the quotes to misinform the readers.

Here is the clipped version of Vivek Agnihotri’s response that NYT carried in its report refusing to share Agnihotri’s entire response as requested by him.

NYT’s hitjob on Vivek Agnihotri’s movie ‘The Kashmir Files’

Reacting to the full report, the filmmaker said that Karma will haunt Suhasini Raj for backstabbing victims of the Kashmir genocide and for selling India’s interests for a few dollars.

‘You aren’t a journalist, you are a slave of India’s enemies,” he said slamming the journalist.

He also questioned why an interview which was taken on April 9 and then published on April 29 is again re-published one month later when the film is released internationally on OTT and exactly when his Humanity Tour began.

The continuous attack on ‘The Kashmir Files’

The Kashmir Files by Vivek Agnihotri is the top-rated Hindi film of 2022. Based on the exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits from the valley in the 1990s, the film has been under continuous attack from the left-liberal section of the media and society.

The film portrayed the brutal atrocities on Kashmiri Hindus and their eventual exodus from the valley brought about by Islamic jihadis. Agnihotri has repeatedly stated that every incident of brutality shown in the movie is based on hard facts and the actual testimony of victims.

Earlier, before the release of the much-awaited movie, Vivek Agnihotri had accused Film critic Anupama Chopra of trying to ‘sabotage’ his movie. The movie faced attacks from several other sections as well, with NDTV calling it a propaganda movie even before the trailer of the film was released.

The film stars Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty, Pallavi Joshi, Darshan Kumar, Chinmay Mandlekar, and Mrinal Kulkarni in lead roles and had released in the cinemas on March 11, 2021.

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