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UP govt increases security around mosques to prevent violence after Friday prayers, to use drones, conduct flag march and drills

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UP govt increases security around mosques to prevent violence after Friday prayers, to use drones, conduct flag march and drills

The Yogi Adityanath government has increased security measures in various areas in Uttar Pradesh ahead of Friday Namaz on June 17 to prevent violence. The action has been take after the violence that Islamists had unleashed in various parts of the Uttar Pradesh, as well as many other states in India, on June 10, after the Friday Namaz, in protest against former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.

The Uttar Pradesh government has reportedly sounded a high alert in all the districts and there will be tight security during Friday prayers tomorrow. Uttar Pradesh police have identified 24 districts in the state as hyper-sensitive. All these districts will have a higher degree of vigilance. Areas in and around mosques in Lucknow, Kanpur, Prayagraj, Agra, Mau, Sambhal, Meerut, Ambedkarnagar, Bahraich, Ayodhya, Gonda and Saharanpur will be kept under watch too. Drones would be used to conduct surveillance in these areas.

The additional director general (law and order) Prashant Kumar said elaborate arrangements have been made for Friday prayers on June 17.

Identify anti-CAA and NRC rioters, members of the PFI: Instructions to all district police chiefs

The DGP headquarters sent a set of instructions to all district police chiefs to prevent violence on June 17th. This includes compiling a record of persons arrested for law and order offences during previous public protests, including the anti-CAA and NRC riots, and maintaining tabs on their whereabouts.

The directive also specifies identifying members of the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its frontal organisations, as well as taking preventative action against them and determining whether or not they have a criminal record.

Police in Lucknow, Kanpur and Saharanpur said the district administrations have imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) for not allowing gatherings on roads and in public places.

“People have been advised to go back home after the prayers at the mosques. We have also asked local religious leaders to ensure that there is no untoward incident. Peace committee meetings are also being regularly,” said a senior Uttar Pradesh police officer.

Meanwhile, in Gorakhpur, the police have started conducting flag marches and mock drills ahead of tomorrow’s Friday Namaz. ANI quoted Vipin Tanda, the SSP Gorakhpur as saying, “We’re talking to all religious heads. We’re patrolling the city to maintain peace. With preparations at hand, we do not think anyone will try to break the law & order.”

According to a report by India Today, owing to the June 10 incident of violence, the Lucknow police have also enhanced security at Lucknow’s Teele Wali Masjid ahead of Friday prayers. Last Friday, an Islamist mob had gathered at Teele Wali Masjid after their Namaz to protest against ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. The protest had taken a violent turn, with Islamists reportedly shouting “Allah Hu Akbar” and indulging in stone-pelting, arson and vandalism. The incident raised the eyebrows of the Lucknow district administration, prompting them to deploy heavy security forces ahead of tomorrow’s (June 17) Friday prayers.

Lucknow Commissioner, DK Thakur was quoted as saying, “On June 10, a crowd raised Allah Hu Akbar slogans at Teele Wali Masjid. Police forces were deployed to bring the situation under control but the situation became tense in other areas. We have tightened the security and we have also appealed to the religious leaders to maintain peace.”

Moreover, a police official at DGP headquarters in Lucknow also informed that 130 companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) have been deployed in different districts to maintain law and order ahead of the June 17th Friday prayers.

“The state police social media cell is doing round-the-clock monitoring of different social media platforms to contain content inciting communal sentiments and action is being taken against those involved in such things,” he said.

Yogi Adityanath govt asks authorities to auction houses of absconding accused if they don’t surrender

On June 10, Islamist mobs ran riot in numerous parts of the country following the Friday Namaz. In some places, the enraged mob set fire to Nupur Sharma’s effigy and posters, while in others, stones were thrown, injuring cops and citizens, and causing property damage.

While continuing to crackdown on June 10 violence, the UP government ordered the state police to auction the illegally constructed residential properties of the absconders who refuse to surrender in the Prayagraj violence case. On June 10, like in many other cities in UP, violent protests were staged by Islamists in the city of Prayagraj after the weekly prayers. The city saw heavy stone-pelting on the police forces by Islamists who demanded strict action against ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma for her alleged blasphemous remarks.

Furthermore, the Uttar Pradesh police have made 357 arrests from nine districts in the state in the June 10 incident. It includes 20 in Firozabad, 41 in Ambedkar Nagar, 40 in Moradabad, 85 in Saharanpur, 97 in Prayagraj, 55 in Hathras, 6 in Aligarh, 5 in Jalaun and 8 in Kheri.

Rainbow-coloured toys confiscated in Saudi Arabia: Authorities say they ‘contradict the Islamic faith and promote homosexuality’

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Rainbow-coloured toys confiscated in Saudi Arabia: Authorities say they ‘contradict the Islamic faith and promote homosexuality’

Saudi Arabian officials have recently seized rainbow-coloured toys and children’s clothes, arguing that they promote homosexuality. The country’s Commerce Ministry posted a video on Twitter showing officers removing similar products from a retail mall in Riyadh.

Rainbow-coloured ribbons, skirts, hats, and pencil bags were among the stuff, the bulk of which appeared to be intended for children.

It is worth noting that homosexuality invites capital punishment in Saudi Arabia, which is infamous for its strict interpretation of Islamic Sharia law, which serves as the cornerstone of the whole judicial system. Consensual same-sex sexual activities are punished by death or flogging, based on the seriousness of the case, according to the country’s application of Islamic law.

“We are giving a tour of the items that contradict the Islamic faith and public morals and promote homosexual colours targeting the younger generation,” said an official from the commerce ministry of Saudi Arabia.

Although there are no laws restricting sexual orientation or gender identity in Sunni Muslim-ruled Saudi Arabia, sexual relationships outside of marriage, including gay intercourse, are prohibited.

In April, the kingdom stated that it had demanded that “LGBTQ undertones” be deleted from the most recent Marvel film, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but that Disney had refused. As a result, the film was not shown in Saudi theatres. As part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s social makeover, which is shaking up the old monarchy, Saudi Arabia lifted a decades-long ban on all theatres in late 2017.

Authorities in neighbouring Qatar claimed in December 2021 that rainbow-coloured pop-its and other toys had been confiscated from retailers for having messages that violated Islamic values.

National Herald case: Rahul Gandhi to skip Jumma appearance for ED questioning, seeks more time

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National Herald case: Rahul Gandhi to skip Jumma appearance for ED questioning, seeks more time

Senior Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi has sought more time to appear before the ED for questioning in the National Herald scam. He has cited his mother and co-accused, Sonia Gandhi’s health as the reason. Sonia Gandhi, also the party president, too, is summoned by the ED for questioning on 23rd June. Days after the summons, Sonia Gandhi said she had tested positive for coronavirus and was then subsequently admitted to Sir Ganga Ram hospital.

As reported by Republic, Rahul Gandhi may now appear before the ED for fourth day of questioning on Monday.

Earlier it was reported that during the questioning, Rahul Gandhi has thrown now-deceased senior Congress leader and Gandhi family loyalist Motilal Vora under the bus and said it was Vora who was in charge of financial dealings and that he had no knowledge of the same.

As per a report by Times of India, Rahul Gandhi told the ED officials that former Congress Treasurer was responsible for all transactions related to the acquisition of Associated Journals Limited (AJL) by Young Indian. AJL publishes National Herald, the party’s mouthpiece masquerading as a newspaper.

Motilal Vora passed away in December 2020 at age 92. Young Indian and AJL are both companies which are controlled by the Gandhi family. During the questioning,  Rahul Gandhi has denied having any knowledge of loans or the accommodation entries made by the Young Indian and put the blame squarely on shoulders of Motilal Vora, a Gandhi family loyalist who is no more.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi together hold 76% stake in the Young Indian. Of the remaining 24%, deceased Motilal Vora and another Congress loyalist Oscar Fernandes held 12% each.

In April this year, the ED recorded statements of Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and current treasurer of Congress Pawan Bansal, who are also office bearers in AJL and YI. The summons to Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi were issued after that.

However, the Congress workers have taken to streets since Monday to protest against the summons by ED. In fact, the party workers indulged in arson and burnt tyres on streets of Delhi to protest. Now the questioning will likely be resumed on Monday.

There were apprehensions that the Friday questioning may coincide with the Jumma namaz where Islamists across India have been taking to streets, pelting stones and running riots since past three weeks now over ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s statements on Prophet Muhammad. That the violent Congress workers and rioting Islamists may worsen law and order situation in the country was a concern raised by many.

National Herald case

The National Herald scam is one of the most notable legal cases in Indian history, as the Gandhis are directly accused. The Mother-Son duo of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul, along with their aides – Oscar Fernandez, Motilal Vora and Sam Pithroda are alleged to have been involved in massive ‘cheating and breach of trust’ in the acquisition of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) by Young Indian Pvt Ltd (YIL). Assets worth crores of rupees had been allegedly transferred for purposes other than originally intended for a paltry sum. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi got unconditional bail in December 2015.

Here is an explainer in under 1 minute:

Who is Leo Kalyan? The he/she/they who performed on Sonam Kapoor’s baby shower sporting a beard on a dress

OpIndia Staff
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Who is Leo Kalyan? The he/she/they who performed on Sonam Kapoor’s baby shower sporting a beard on a dress

Bollywood actor Sonam Kapoor, who is expecting her first child with husband Anand Ahuja, recently threw a baby shower. For lunch, the couple welcomed a few friends at a party. Leo Kalyan, a Muslim homosexual singer and model was spotted performing at the occasion.

Instagram story by Sonam Kapoor.

Leo Kalyan caused quite a sensation when videos of his performance surfaced in the public domain, showing him performing in a single-piece skirt and sporting a beard.

Who is Leo Kalyan

Leo Kalyan is a homosexual British Pakistani Muslim singer-songwriter, model, and music producer famous on social media. He has mentioned in the bio section that he/she/they are his preferred pronouns. He has around 79,000 Instagram followers on his Instagram account is ‘leokalyan,’, where he publishes photos of himself in various costumes.

Leo Kalyan. (Source: Instagram-leokalyan)

Leo is probably in his twenties. His precise age is unclear because there is no public information on him. As per Notion, from the age of ten to seventeen, Kalyan grew up between the conflicting worlds of South London and Lahore. He has remarked that he feels more comfortable in London than in Pakistan. 

He describes himself as queer and prefers the pronouns he/she/they for his gender. Many feel he acts as a role model for many LGBTQ+ persons who are frightened to be themselves. He has a great reach, particularly among individuals from the Indian subcontinent. Supporters from all over the world have gravitated toward him.

He is interested in several musical genres and has tried them. His eagerness shows up in his lyrics and music. Leo has made all of his compositions available on Spotify, where they may be accessed. He has almost 25,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.

Leo maintains that far too many LGBT people of colour do not feel they will ever be happy. In 2018, he said, “It takes real strength to be a queer person. You go through so much shit – so much discrimination, abuse and rejection – whether you’re black, white or brown. Find that strength, find that support from your community – and find a way to be your true self… because you’ve only got one life. There’s no point wasting it trying to be someone else.”

Jharkhand govt seeks explanation from police over posters of Ranchi rioters, BJP MP Giriraj Singh slams the move

OpIndia Staff
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Jharkhand govt seeks explanation from police over posters of Ranchi rioters, BJP MP Giriraj Singh slams the move

On June 15, the Jharkhand government sought an explanation from the Senior Superintendent of Police over posters of Ranchi violence accused that the Police had pasted across the city. In its letter to SSP Surendra Kumar Jha, Home Secretary Rajiv Arun Ekka said that the posters released by Jharkhand Police on June 14 in connection to the violence that erupted in Ranchi on June 10 contained personal details of the accused.

Home Secretary sought explanation from SSP Ranchi over posters of accused of violence. Source: Twitter/girirajsinghbjp

Such posters, according to the letter, were again “unlawful” as they go against the judgment of Allahabad High Court in PIL 532/2020 dated March 9, 2020. The Home Secretary asked SSP to submit an explanation in two days.

On June 14, Jharkhand Police had put up posters that contained photographs of those who were allegedly involved in the Ranchi violence on June 10 over remarks on Prophet Muhammad by former spokesperson of Bharatiya Janata Party, Nupur Sharma, during a debate on Times Now. The Police had released the photographs of the persons who were caught on camera pelting stones and taking part in the violence. Within a day, Jharkhand’s home secretary sought an explanation why such posters were put up.

A day before the photographs were put up, Ramesh Bais, Governor of Jharkhand, had summoned Director General of Police Neeraj Sinha, Ranchi Senior Superintendent of Police Surendra Kumar Jha and Deputy Commissioner Chhavi Ranjan along with other senior officials and sought a reply as to why the administration failed to take preventive measures or action to disperse the crowd when the mob got violent on June 10 in Ranchi.

The governor had instructed the Jharkhand Police to find all details of protestors and put up hoarding with their photographs across Ranchi so that they could be identified with the help of the public.

Furthermore, a PIL was filed recently in Jharkhand High Court seeking an investigation of Ranchi violence by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Two people had died, and 20, including Police personnel, were injured in the violence.

The Posters were removed by the Police, citing ‘technical flaws’. The Police said they would be installed again after removing the errors. So far, the Police have arrested 29 people in connection with the violence. The situation is still tense in Ranchi, and Section 144 of CrPC has been imposed in the city.

BJP leader slammed the government

Following the letter issued by State Home Secretary, BJP MP Giriraj Singh slammed the Jharkhand government and said, “For the Jharkhand government, the safety of jihadis has become more important than the safety of the common citizen.”

Allahabad High Court judgment over posters of accused

In March 2020, after Uttar Pradesh Police put up posters of the accused in anti-CAA protests and violence, PIL was filed in Allahabad High Court against the move. On March 9, Allahabad High Court instructed the state government to remove the posters calling them an unwarranted interference in the privacy of the people.

UP govt challenged the judgment in Supreme Court

The judgment of the Allahabad High Court was challenged in the Supreme Court. On March 12, the Supreme Court [PDF] refused to stay the Allahabad High Court judgment and said, “Considering the nature of the matter and the issue of significance involved therein, in our view, the matter be placed before a Bench of at least Three Judges as early as possible and preferably in the week commencing March 16 2020.”

Later, on March 17, Allahabad High Court granted more time to the state government to submit a compliance report as the matter was sub judice in the apex court. Since then, the matter has been under consideration by a three-Judge bench at the Supreme Court.

Notably, the Uttar Pradesh State Government has passed an Act titled ‘Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damages To Public and Private Property Act’ that allows the government to put up posters of the accused with their details (if applicable) in riots and violence for recovery of the damages.

Patna HC refuses anticipatory bail to one Wasif Hasnain, accused of posting a Facebook video with derogatory remarks on Goddess Durga

OpIndia Staff
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Patna HC refuses anticipatory bail to one Wasif Hasnain, accused of posting a Facebook video with derogatory remarks on Goddess Durga

The Patna High Court has refused to grant anticipatory bail, protecting one Mallick Wasif Md. Hasnain @Basu from arrest. The man is accused of sharing a video containing defamatory and derogatory remarks against the Hindu deity Goddess Durga on his Facebook account. After taking the facts and circumstances of the case into consideration, the bench of Justice Sudhir Singh denied the pre-arrest bail to Wasif Hasnain, reports the legal news portal Law Beat.

According to the report, Hasnain had moved the Patna High Court seeking anticipatory bail in a case filed against him under IPC 153(A), 295(A), 505(2) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 66 of IT Act, pending in the court of Sub Judge 1, Jehanabad.

The lawyer appearing for Hasnain argued in the court that the latter his been falsely implicated in the case. He said that Hasnain was unaware of the defamatory video against the Hindu deity uploaded on his Facebook account. The lawyer contended that Hasnain’s Facebook account was hacked and that he had no knowledge of the same.

He further claimed that Hasnain had no criminal history and that no charges of witness tampering had been levelled against him.

Meanwhile, objecting to the pre-arrest bail, the counsel representing the State government in the case, argued before the bench of the Patna High Court that there were specific allegations that the videos posted by Hasnain were defamatory and had disparaging remarks against Goddess Durga. He added that Hasnain’s act was nothing more than an attempt to disrupt society’s social peace.

After considering the submission, the Court decided that Hasnain’s case was not suitable for anticipatory bail. Nevertheless, it stated that if Hasnain surrenders to the court and requests normal bail, the case will be assessed on its own merits, unaffected by this judgement.

Hyderabad: Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury grabs the collar of a police officer on duty in the AICC protests against ED

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Hyderabad: Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury grabs the collar of a police officer on duty in the AICC protests against ED

The Congress Party’s ‘Chalo Raj Bhavan’ rallies called in Hyderabad on Thursday 16th June 2022 turned violent, with party workers torching a scooter and shattering Telangana State Road Transport Corporation’s bus windows. Senior Congress leader and former Minister Renuka Chowdhury grabbed the collar of a Sub Inspector during a protest called by the All India Congress Committee over Enforcement Directorate’s summons to Rahul Gandhi.

The protesters, including TPCC president A Revanth Reddy, CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Geetha Reddy, Anjan Kumar Yadav, and Sridhar Babu, were arrested by local police. The leaders detained by the police were subsequently taken to the Bollaram police station.

During the protests, members of Congress clashed with police officers attempting to control the scene. When the officers were attempting to take Renuka Chowdhury into custody while handling the situation, she and the cops got into a dispute. Renuka Chowdhury lost her calm and grabbed the collar of a police Sub-Inspector.

The police officer was seen maintaining restraint and not taking any coercive action against Renuka, even while some other Congress worker tried to calm Renuka down and move her hand away from the policeman’s collar.

The Telangana Congress has called for a ‘Chalo Raj Bhavan’ demonstration in protest of the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) summons to Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case. The Congress state unit was also protesting at all Central government offices in Telangana.

Bihar: Jehanabad, Chhapra see vandalism and arson by youth protesting against Agnipath recruitment scheme who claim they want to ‘protect the nation’

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Bihar: Jehanabad, Chhapra see vandalism and arson by youth protesting against Agnipath recruitment scheme who claim they want to ‘protect the nation’

On Thursday, a rioting situation occurred in Bihar’s Jehanabad where young men claiming to protest against the Central Government’s Agnipath scheme indulged in vandalism and arson. Candidates who said they want to apply for the armed forces in Bihar halted a passenger train starting from Patna and created a ruckus at the railway station.

The agitators could also be seen throwing stones at the Police, which were controlled by the action of lathi-charge. In an incident, the mob ran so violently that it set a parked train on fire in Bihar’s Chhapra. Protests have spread widely in Bihar over the confusion over the recruitment process in the Armed Forces among youth in Bihar, Haryana and connected states.

As of now, The situation in Jehanabad remains tense after angered youth are staging violent demonstrations across the city with road and railway traffic left suspended. As reported by News agency ANI, the protestors could be seen giving calls to take back the Agnipath scheme. In the videos that have emerged, it could be seen that tyres were burnt to create unrest in the city.

In a video posted by Journalist Himanshu Singh, Youth could be seen halting a train by climbing over it. The protestors took it to the railway tracks to raise their demands, which have seriously affected the railway timings. In the video, a youth could be seen complaining that while a politician could rule for over five years, why should an Army personnel be restricted only for four years. “Where will we go thereafter?” he asks.

Besides, this law and order situation has been seriously affected in Bulandshahar, Chhapra, Arrah and Saharsa where students are flocking to the railway stations with sticks and stones with an intent to disrupt the railway traffic.

Widespread Protests and the confusion over the scheme

Ever since the Agnipath scheme was announced by the Central Government, it has been landed in controversy over the recruitment of Jawans in the forces. Aspiring candidates in Bihar have taken to violent protests and agitations to disrupt the law and order in the region.

While talking to ANI, an agitator from Jehanabad said, “Where will we go after working for only 4 years?… we will be homeless after 4 years of service. So we have jammed the roads; the country’s leaders will now get to know that people are aware,” he added.

The protestors are under the impression that the tenure of army service has been restricted to mere four years, which is not the case. Moreover, mainstream recruitments in the army will not be affected by the additional recruits through the 4-year Agnipath programme which is similar to a ‘tour of duty’ that is operational in the armed forces of several countries worldwide.

It is neither compulsory for the young men in the country to join the Agnipath scheme nor the regular recruitment into the military forces have been affected in any way. So it is clear that the young men running riots in Bihar are either ignorant about the scheme or have been motivated by some political forces to indulge in violent protests.

However, the intent of the protesting youth looks dubious as those claiming to serve the country through the armed forces are destroying public infrastructure and amenities, causing loss to the public.

The Agnipath Scheme

On June 14, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, along with the chiefs of three armed forces, launched the Agnipath scheme for the recruitment of youth in the armed forces. Those who get enrolled in the armed forces under this scheme would be called Agniveers. The enrollment under the scheme will be open for both men and women for a four-year period, including the training.

Being an internship-kind of initiative, the Agnipath scheme would allow the patriotic and motivated youth to serve in the armed forces for a short period of four-year. Moreover, 25% of the candidates will be recruited as regular cadres after the end of four years after an exam.

It provides a regular salary for the duration of 4 years and a lumpsum amount of Rs 11.71 lakhs as a Seva Nidhi package that has a portion saved from the salaries, plus an equal amount contributed by the government for the entire period. The salary offered in the scheme is at par with most entry-level jobs for graduates. The scheme only acts as an additional option for those willing to join the Armed Forces and in no way does it hamper the traditional mainstream recruitment process.

‘Attacking Prophet Mohammed means death, Kamlesh Tiwari was killed after 5 years’: Islamic cleric issues threat over alleged blasphemy

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‘Attacking Prophet Mohammed means death, Kamlesh Tiwari was killed after 5 years’: Islamic cleric issues threat over alleged blasphemy

Amid the political turmoil in the country over Nupur Sharma’s remarks on Prophet Muhammad, Islamic fundamentalists are constantly issuing death threats to her. A video has recently appeared on social media in which an Islamic cleric is seen openly issuing death threats to former BJP leaders Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal at a press conference.

An Islamic cleric named Hamid Engineer was openly threatening Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal in a press conference, saying that ‘insulting Islam means signing own suicide note’. The video was shared by the Middle East Media Research Institute. According to the report, Minorities Democratic Party held a press conference in Nagpur on 5th June 2022. Hamid Engineer, President of Iman Tanzim Islamic, was present at this press conference. In this press conference, he reacted to the allegedly derogatory remarks about the prophet Muhammad given by former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and former Delhi BJP leaeder Naveen Jindal.

While addressing the press conference, the Islamic scholar openly issued death threats to Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal. Hamid Engineer said, “To attack the honorable Prophet Mohammed and to attack his honor, there is only one consequence of this – and that is death. No one can stop you (from being killed). You are signing a suicide note (by making such remarks). Kamlesh Tiwari was killed after five years. People killed him after five years by entering his home. Don’t think that, if the issue is resolved today, you will be spared. So better you don’t commit blasphemy.”

It is notable that the Islamists killed Kamlesh Tiwari in 2019 for his so-called derogatory comments about Prophet Muhammad. In the last week of May 2022, in a TV debate, Nupur Sharma made some allegedly insulting remarks about Prophet Muhammad. A video clip of this TV debate was shared and made viral by Mohammed Zubair of Alt News. This was actually a dog-whistle for the Islamic radicals on social media who started issuing death threats to Nupur Sharma in response to Zubair’s post. Not only this, the mobs of Islamists took it to the streets in various cities across the countries on the consecutive Fridays of 3rd June and 10th June to ‘protest’ against Nupur Sharma and Navin Jindal. These so-called protests turned into violent outbreaks.

Jharkhand stone quarry case: How a sitting CM approved mining licence for himself, granted forest & environment clearances to himself

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Jharkhand stone quarry case: How a sitting CM approved mining licence for himself, granted forest & environment clearances to himself

The Election Commission has granted Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren a final opportunity to appear before it in the quarry lease allotment matter after he claimed the absence of his lawyer on Tuesday. The personal hearing, at which Soren was to appear in person or through his lawyer, was scheduled at 3 PM on Tuesday (June 14). A new date of June 28 has been set, with the caveat that it will be the last chance for such a hearing.

On February 10, a Bharatiya Janata Party delegation led by former Chief Minister Raghubar Das presented a memorandum bringing the issue of leasing a quarry to CM Hemant Soren to the notice of the Raj Bhavan.

According to the memorandum, Soren had breached Section 9A of the Representation of the Peoples Act 1951 by abusing the power of his office. The poll commission had issued a notice to Soren in May under Section 9A of the Representation of the People Act, which deals with a lawmaker’s disqualification for government contracts.

What is the case about?

The case involves a stone quarry mining lease granted to Hemant Soren by the District Mining Department in June 2021 for 0.88 acres of land in Ranchi’s Angara block. Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das presented a bundle of documents accusing Soren of “misusing his post” to obtain “in-principle approval” for a stone quarrying licence in Ranchi district under his name last year during a news conference he held in February.

Das alleged violations of the Representation of the People Act and said the action would result in prosecution under the Prevention of Corruption Act, which would include additional similar offences, by pointing to the Mining Department papers that issued the lease.

According to an Indian Express story, Soren applied for a mining licence for granite-gneiss rocks known as ‘construction stones’ spanning an area of 0.88 acres (0.356 hectares) in Ranchi’s Angara block, as per papers uploaded on the Centre’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change website.

The mine’s predicted life was 5 years, and the projected rate of production was 6,171 tonnes per year. The estimated project cost was Rs 26 lakh, and the advised plan duration was 5 years.

Unravelling the case

Ranchi District Mining Officer (DMO) received Hemant Soren’s application for a mining lease on May 28, 2021. The DMO sought inspections from the Angara Circle Officer on June 1st. The Angara gramme panchayat convened on June 7 to give their approval for the mining. The DMO was told on the same day by the Angara Block Development Officer that the panchayat had confirmed the mining lease.

Following that, a land leasing letter was signed. The Ranchi DMO indicated in a letter dated June 16, 2021, that the Ranchi Deputy Commissioner had issued a Letter of Intent providing ‘in-principle approval’ for the mining licence with a few corrections in an order dated June 15, 2021. Soren sought environmental approval for the aforementioned mining on September 9, and the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority granted clearance by September 22.

It’s worth noting that Soren himself is in charge of both crucial portfolios – forest, environment, and climate change, as well as mining and geology.

On the 11th of February, a day after former CM Raghubar Das’s allegations, Soren surrendered the lease. However, in April, Das made further allegations against the Jharkhand chief minister, alleging that Soren had given his wife 11 acres of property in Ranchi’s industrial zone. Soren is also the head of the state’s industry department.

The Soren family and cases against them

the Soren family has been a part of several controversies earlier too. Shibu Soren, Hemant Soren’s father, who is presently a member of the Rajya Sabha was one of the four Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) members of parliament accused of taking money to back the PV Narsimha Rao-led minority Congress government in 1993. All the MPs, interestingly, escaped court examination due to parliamentary privilege under Article 105 (2) of the Indian Constitution.

Shibu Soren was disqualified from serving in the Rajya Sabha in 2002 for holding a profit-making office while chairman of the Jharkhand Area Autonomous Council. Again, Shibu Soren, then a Union minister, was condemned to life in prison in 2006 for his role in the kidnapping and murder of his private secretary Shashi Nath Jha in 1994.

Hemant Soren’s brother Basant Soren has also been named as a respondent in the current mining lease case.

Response of Hemant Soren

However, at the hearing of a case brought against him on this subject on April 8, Advocate General Rajiv Ranjan stated that the state made a “mistake” in awarding the lease. The AG stated that it was a “violation of the Code of Conduct,” but there was no legislative or constitutional violation “even if” Soren was involved in some companies while holding the post of Minister of Mines.

Soren “has disassociated himself from it subsequently on 11.02.2022 by surrendering the lease,” said AG Ranjan. The court, though, recognised the gravity of the situation and issued summons to Soren and the state to produce an affidavit. There have been no more hearings in the case.

According to JMM spokeswoman Supriyo Bhattacharya, Soren received a “renewal” of his mining licence, and the leased land (0.88 acres) was declared in various affidavits to the ECI as recently as January 2019.

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