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‘These projects will boost job creation and our resolve to be Aatmanirbhar’: PM Modi in Chennai while launching projects worth Rs 31,500 crore

OpIndia Staff
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‘These projects will boost job creation and our resolve to be Aatmanirbhar’: PM Modi in Chennai while launching projects worth Rs 31,500 crore

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Chennai on 26th May 2022. On his Chennai tour, PM Modi inaugurated various developmental initiatives and laid down foundation stones for different infrastructure projects.

In a step towards boosting infrastructure development, enhancing connectivity, and giving an impetus to ease of living in the region, Prime Minister dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone of 11 projects worth over Rs 31,500 crore in Chennai. These projects will also help significantly improve socio-economic prosperity in the region, have a transformative impact on several sectors and also help create employment opportunities.

In Chennai, Prime Minister dedicated to the nation five projects worth over Rs 2960 crore. The 75 km long Madurai-Teni (Railway Gauge Conversion Project), is built at a project cost of over Rs. 500 crore and it will facilitate access and give a boost to tourism in the region. The 30 km long third railway line between Tambaram – Chengalpattu, was built at a project cost of over Rs. 590 crore and it will facilitate the running of more Suburban services, thus offering greater options and enhancing comfort for the travelers.

The 115 km long Ennore-Chengalpattu section and 271 km long Thiruvallur-Bengaluru section of natural gas pipeline, built at a project cost of around Rs. 850 crore and Rs 910 crore respectively, will facilitate the supply of natural gas to consumers as well industries in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. He also inaugurated 1152 houses constructed as part of the Light House Project – Chennai, built at a cost of Rs 116 crore under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban.

Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of six projects, being built at a cost of over Rs. 28,540 crore.

The 262 Km long Bengaluru – Chennai Expressway will be built at a cost of over Rs. 14,870 crore. It will pass through the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu and help reduce travel time between Bengaluru and Chennai by 2-3 hours. The 4 Lane double-decker elevated road connecting Chennai Port to Maduravoyal (NH-4), about 21 km in length, will be built at a cost of over Rs 5850 crore. It will facilitate an uninterrupted approach of goods vehicles to Chennai port. The ​​94 km long 4 lanes Neraluru to Dharmapuri section of NH-844 and 31 km long 2 lanes with paved shoulders of Meensurutti to Chidambaram section of NH-227, being built at a cost of around Rs 3870 crore and Rs 720 respectively, will help provide seamless connectivity in the region.

The foundation stones for the redevelopment of five Railway stations: Chennai Egmore, Rameswaram, Madurai, Katpadi, and Kanniyakumari, are also laid by PM Modi. This project will be completed at a cost of over Rs. 1800 crore, and is being undertaken with a view to enhancing the convenience and comfort of the passengers through the provision of modern amenities. Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of a Multi-Modal Logistic Park at Chennai worth around Rs. 1430 crore. It will provide seamless intermodal freight movement and also offer multiple functionalities.

In this program, he said, “It is always wonderful to be back in Tamil Nadu! This land is special. The people, culture, and language of this state are outstanding. Just recently I hosted the Indian Deaflympics contingent at my residence. You would be aware that this time it was India’s best performance in the tournament. But do you know that out of the 16 medals we have won, youngsters from Tamil Nadu had a role in 6 of those medals?”

About the redeveloped railway stations, he said, “I am particularly happy that five railway stations are being redeveloped. This modernization and development is being done keeping in mind the needs of the future. At the same time, it will merge with local art and culture.”

About the houses constructed and distributed under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban, PM Modi said, “I would like to congratulate all those who will be getting houses as a part of the historic Chennai Light House project under the PM-Awas Yojana. This has been a very satisfying project for us.”

About the multimodal logistics center, PM Modi said, “Multi-modal logistic parks will be a paradigm shift in the freight ecosystem of our country. Each of these projects across various sectors will boost job creation and our resolve to be Aatmanirbhar. History has taught us that those nations which gave topmost importance to infrastructure made the transition from developing to developed countries. The Government of India is fully focussed on building infrastructure that is top quality and sustainable.”

About the gas pipeline and internet facilities being provided in various parts of the country, PM Modi said, “A few years ago, infrastructure referred to roads, power, and water. Today we are working to expand India’s gas pipeline network. Work is happening on i-ways. It is our vision to take high-speed internet to every village.”

About the steps taken by the union government for Tamil language and culture, PM Modi informed, “The Government of India is fully committed to further popularising Tamil language and culture. In January this year, the new campus of the Central Institute of Classical Tamil was inaugurated in Chennai. The new campus is fully funded by the Union Government. A ‘Subramania Bharati Chair’ on Tamil Studies at Banaras Hindu University was recently announced. Since BHU is located in my constituency, the joy was extra special.”

Sri Lanka, a neighboring country currently going through big financial turmoil, is a home for many Tamils. PM Modi did not forget to mention the efforts taken by the Indian government to help Sri Lanka in this hour of crisis. PM Modi said, “Sri Lanka is passing through difficult times. I am sure you are concerned with the developments there. As a close friend and neighbor, India is providing all possible support to Sri Lanka.”

Earlier in the day, PM Modi visited Hyderabad where he attended the celebration of the completion of 20 years of Indian School of Business (ISB) Hyderabad and addressed the graduation ceremony of the Post Graduate Programme (PGP) Class of 2022. ISB was inaugurated on 2 December 2001, by Former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Regarded as one of the top B-schools in the country, ISB also collaborates with several Ministries and Departments of the Government to provide training and capacity building.

Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government to amend law making herself chancellor of state-run universities replacing the Governor

OpIndia Staff
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Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government to amend law making herself chancellor of state-run universities replacing the Governor

In a new flashpoint between West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar and CM Mamata Banerjee, her cabinet has announced that the Chief Minister will take over as chancellor of all state-run universities. Banerjee would replace Jagdeep Dhankhar, who as the incumbent Governor had the responsibility of serving as the chancellor of state-run universities in Bengal.

The decision was taken by the West Bengal state cabinet on Thursday, May 26. According to the new law, The Chief Minister of the state will be made the chancellor of state-run universities. Bratya Basu, Bengal’s Education Minister announced the cabinet’s decision after the cabinet meeting took place today.

It is believed that the decision was taken after West Bengal Governor Dhankar earlier alleged that the state government had appointed several Vice-Chancellors to universities without Raj Bhavan’s consent. Dhankhar had written on Twitter that vice-chancellors of 25 universities in the state were appointed illegally without his approval.

On this issue, Dhankhar had openly called out CM Mamata Banerjee and Education Minister Bratya Basu seeking a response from them over their directive. He also called out the re-appointment of Sonali Chakravarti as the VC a ‘classic case of patronage’.

Earlier in December, Minister Basu had said in a tweet,”It is high time to introspect whether we should continue with the colonial legacy of the Governor being the Chancellor of Universities just by the virtue of his post or we should nominate eminent scholars and educationists as Chancellors.”

In the same month, Dhankhar had expressed his anguish when the VCs of private universities in Bengal did not turn up to a meeting hosted by him. While the state cabinet has given its nod to the proposal, the government will soon be introducing the bill in the assembly – which will likely get passed. However, the bill need governor’s consent to finally become a law.

Uttar Pradesh: 4 arrested for offering Namaz at Taj Mahal mosque on non-Friday, locals say ASI started enforcing the rule recently

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: 4 arrested for offering Namaz at Taj Mahal mosque on non-Friday, locals say ASI started enforcing the rule recently

On Thursday, the Uttar Pradesh Police arrested four men for offering Namaz at the mosque in the premises of the Taj Mahal on Wednesday. Three of the accused who hail from Hyderabad and one who hails from Azamgarh have been booked under section 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) of the Indian Penal Code.

“All the accused have now been booked under section 153 of the Indian Penal Code. They have been presented in the court,” said Agra SP Vikas Kumar, on May 26. According to The Archeological Survey of India, offering Namaz inside the premises of the UNESCO-protected world heritage site is prohibited on all days except Friday, as per a Supreme Court order.

The ASI Agra Circle, Raj Kumar Patel was also quoted saying that even on Fridays only residents of the Tajganj locality, where the mausoleum is located, are allowed to pray between 12 pm and 2 pm.

Police said that the four persons had visited the monument as tourists but they were found offering Namaz at the Shahi mosque inside the premises at around 5pm on Wednesday evening. They were caught by ASI officials and CISF personnel, and were later handed over to local police.

However, it has been learned that ASI has started implementing the Supreme Court order of not allowing Namaz on non-Fridays only recently, and till some time ago Muslims used to offer namaz at the mosque on a regular basis. “Namaz has been offered at the mosque of the Taj Mahal regularly. But some days ago the ASI cited a Supreme Court order barring offering of the namaz on the mosque premises except Friday,” said Ibrahim Zaidi, the head of the Intezamia Committee at Taj Mahal. Zaidi further said that the committee has asked the ASI to give the prohibition in writing with proof and also asked them display a board announcing the prohibition to the tourists.

Other regulars have also confirmed that the four arrested were not even aware that namaz is not allowed and they were violating rules. It is also notable that there is no notice board saying that Namaz is allowed only Fridays.  “They had no idea that they cannot offer namaz. They did it by mistake. There was no notice board saying that it is prohibited,” said Vinod Dixit, a tourist guide from Lucknow who accompanied the tourists.

It is evident that ASI has started to implement the Supreme Court order after recent drive by Hindu organisations to reclaim ancient temples which were demolished to build mosques. The issue of Taj Mahal is also brewing around for a while across the country. While some say that there was a Shiv Temple on the spot before Taj Mahal, others deny the fact and claim that the Mughal structure is pride of India and that the country is known worldwide only because of the monument built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.

On May 12, the Allahabad High Court rejected a plea seeking the formation of a fact-finding committee to research the real history of the Taj Mahal. The petitioner had sought directions from the court to open the 22 closed rooms of the Taj Mahal and register the observations to put the controversy around the Taj Mahal to rest.

The division bench of Justice DK Upadhyay and Justice Subhash Vidyarthi maintained that the prayers of the petitioner were non-justiciable and that the matter should be left to the historians. “Such debates are meant for drawing room, not for a court of law”, said the Court.

Rajasthan: Mob of 300 Muslims attacks refugee Hindu family from Pakistan, pelts stones, Police terms it as a clash over road accident

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan: Mob of 300 Muslims attacks refugee Hindu family from Pakistan, pelts stones, Police terms it as a clash over road accident

On Thursday, a Hindu refugee family in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur district was attacked by an Islamist mob of around 300 people. The family of the victim had migrated from Pakistan to Jodhpur 12 years ago. The Islamists in the said attack have severely injured at least four people including one woman.

According to the reports, one of the victims has been identified as Bhoora who operates a grocery shop around the Bakra Mandi area. On May 25, as Bhoora was returning to his shop in his van, a truck carrying cattle hit his vehicle. The victim was accompanied by a lady relative who was a medical patient. Bhoora got off the van and spoke to the truck diver. He told them that a lady patient was accompanying him and that it was better to sort the matter. But the brawl continued and within no time around 300 people from the Muslim community gathered from the Baka Mandi area and ransacked Bhoora’s house and shop injuring him and the other three persons.

The Boranada Police arrived at the spot and tried to pacify the matter. The authorities also tried to disperse the crowd. However, the video of the incident that went viral claimed that the Police were favoring the Muslim crowd and asking the Hindu refugees to leave the spot. The people who engaged with the police in the video could be heard saying that ‘we (Hindus) are being asked to leave, why no action is being taken against them (Muslims)’.

The Police have termed the incident as a clash between two sides due to a mere ‘road accident’. According to DCP Jodhpur West, the case has been registered in the case and further action is being taken. “Peace and order is maintained in the area”, the tweet read.

Opindia contacted victim Bhoora to know the exact trail of the ‘accident’. He said that the Islamist mob first bashed his car and then entered his house and attacked his family injuring more than 3. “The incident happened around 2.30 pm. First, the truck driver hit my Maruti van car. After a short scuffle, he called about 300 people from Bakra Mandi. They destroyed my house and my grocery shop”, he said.

He also added that the mob carried sticks and assaulted his brother, nephew, and other ladies in the house. “They also pelted stones at us which we have preserved for evidence. I have injuries in my head and a fracture in my hand”, he added. He confirmed that the mob had arrived at the spot from the Bakra Mandi area which is exactly in front of his house and that all the attackers were unknown.

Meanwhile, another Pakistani Hindu named Ranjeet, who is also a resident of Jodhpur now told OpIndia that the victim belongs to a Dalit Hindu family and the Bhil community. “The victim is Bhoora Lal who runs a grocery business shop named Balaji Kirana and General Store”.

Uttar Pradesh: Minor Hindu boy forcefully converted and married to older Muslim woman, cleric and three others arrested after video of ‘nikah’ goes viral

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Minor Hindu boy forcefully converted and married to older Muslim woman, cleric and three others arrested after video of ‘nikah’ goes viral

The Uttar Pradesh police have arrested a Muslim woman, her parents, and a cleric for forcefully converting a minor boy forcefully and marrying him off to the woman. The incident came to the fore after a purported video of the ‘nikah’ went viral on social media.

Journalist Swati Goel Sharma of Swarajya shared the video on May 24, wherein the cleric could be seen solemnising his nikah of the 16-year-old boy, who was reportedly converted to Islam by the woman’s family after brainwashing him for a year.

The Hindu boy Nikhil Kumar Singh was born in 2005 and is currently studying in the 8th grade. The boy was reportedly brainwashed by the divorced Muslim woman, a mother of 2 children. She then converted him to Islam forcibly so that she could marry him.

“This is Nikhil Singh from Kanpur having nikah with Simran, daughter of Mohd Haneef, after his conversion. Simran has two kids from a previous marriage. As per his Aadhaar, Nikhil is a minor We are told we are living under fascist Hindu Rashtra but this looks straight from Pakistan,” Tweeted the journalist, as she shared the video of the ‘nikah’.

In her subsequent Tweet, Swati mentioned that “as per reports, police were not filing any case when Nikhil’s family approached them. Hindu outfits intervened and got a case filed based on Nikhil’s Aadhaar card age.”

“An FIR (number 117) was filed at Kakadeo PS last night, under IPC sections 363 and 342, along with sections of UP’s anti-forced conversion Act. The station head officer told me they have acted as per the boy’s Aadhaar though he may not really be a minor. But some arrests likely today”, the Swarajya journalist had Tweeted on May 24.

On the same day, the Kanpur police commissionerate responded to Swati Goel Sharma’s Tweet confirming that the Kakadev PS had registered a case under relevant sections in the case after the video of the incident went viral on social media. They said that the police are probing the case.

Later in the day, NCPCR chief Priyank Kanoongo also responded saying that the child rights body has taken cognisance of the incident and instructions had been issued to take necessary action in the case.

According to media reports, NCPCR also wrote to the Kanpur Police Commissioner to file an FIR and initiate an inquiry into the issue. It has also instructed that the boy should be produced before the District Child Welfare Committee and send a report to the commission within 7 days.

The victim’s mother was quoted by The Indian Express as saying, “I came to know that my 16-year-old son has adopted Islam and married a woman, who has a four-year-old daughter. My son’s friend told me that he (son) was in touch with the woman for the last one year. The woman’s relative lives near the shop where my son works… They brainwashed my son.”

The mother said she went to the police station immediately after she got to know about the ‘nikah’ to lodge a complaint but the police did not register her complaint until she informed the Bajrang Dal, which held a protest outside the police station. Bajrang Dal’s Kanpur Prant Suraksha Pramukh Ashish Tripathi said that initially the police did not take the matter seriously and did not file an FIR on the complaint lodged by the boy’s mother.

“After we came to know about the incident, we went to the police station and briefed the police officers about the seriousness of the case. They then lodged an FIR,” Tripathi added.

According to reports, the police had booked the four persons, all residents of Kanpur. under IPC sections 363 (kidnapping) and 342 (wrongful confinement). Police have also invoked the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and provisions of the anti-conversion law against the four accused.

Khalistani outfit Sikhs For Justice calls Kashmiri Muslims to block Amarnath Yatra to take revenge against sentencing of Yasin Malik in terror-funding case

OpIndia Staff
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Khalistani outfit Sikhs For Justice calls Kashmiri Muslims to block Amarnath Yatra to take revenge against sentencing of Yasin Malik in terror-funding case

A day after a special NIA court sentenced pro-Pakistan Kashmiri terrorist Yasin Malik to life imprisonment in a terror funding case, Khalistan terror outfit ‘Sikhs for Justice’ has come in support of the terror accused and has called on terrorists in the valley to block the upcoming Amarnath Yatra. 

In a video statement, the banned Khalistani terror outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) chief and designated terrorist, Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, came out in defence of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chief Yasin Malik, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in a terror funding case. The Khalistani terrorist incited Kashmiri people saying that the Supreme Court of India is always biased against the minority Muslims.

Calling Yasin Malik an “iconic freedom fighter of Indian-occupied Kashmir”, Pannu said the pro-Pakistan terrorist did not believe in the Indian Constitution. “Funding separatism is not terrorism”, said the Khalistani terrorist as he accused the Indian government of committing crimes against the minority community. 

Gurpatwant Pannu also asked the Kashmiri people to come out in support of Yasin Malik and block the Amarnath Yatra to highlight the Kashmir independence movement internationally.

“This is my call to Kashmir freedom fighters, come out to support Yasin Malik and block Amarnath Yatra. This will highlight the Kashmir Independent movement internationally. We (SFJ) will support your blocking of Amarnath Yatra,” Pannu is heard saying in the provocative video.

Pannu also claimed that the Sikh community, especially the pro-Khalistan Sikhs, would support the blocking of the Amarnath Yatra. He also warned the Kashmiri Hindus to stay out of the issue as it is the issue between Kashmiri Muslims and India.

The call for violence during the Amarnath Yatra by pro-Khalistani terrorist groups comes just a few weeks before the start of the annual pilgrimage, scheduled to begin on June 30 and expected to end on August 11.

Yasin Malik convicted in terror funding case

Kashmiri separatist terrorist Yasin Malik was found guilty in a terror funding case. On May 10, 2022, Yasin Malik pleaded guilty to all charges, including those under the stringent Unlawful Activities and Prevention Act (UAPA), before a Delhi Court in a case related to terrorism and secessionist activities in Jammu and Kashmir that convulsed the valley in 2017. Yasin Malik had admitted that he was involved in terrorist activities, had also hatched criminal conspiracies, and that the sedition clauses against him were also correct.

Yasin Malik told the court that he did not wish to challenge the charges against himself under Sections 16 (terrorist activity), 17 (raising funds for terrorist activities), 18 (conspiring to commit terrorist activity), 18 (conspiring to commit a terrorist act), and 20 (being a member of a terrorist group or organisation) of the UAPA and sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 124-A (sedition) of the Indian Penal Code.

Under the sections under which a case is registered against Yasin, he can get a maximum punishment of lifelong imprisonment. Yasin Malik has been active in Kashmir politics. He is one of the key instigators and secessionist leaders in the Kashmir valley.

Malik has been in jail since 2019 as a part of the crackdown against the anti-India and secessionist elements in the valley in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack. He was later remanded to the NIA custody and was shifted to Delhi’s Tihar jail from Jammu’s Kot Balwal jail.

Karnataka: Hindu youth Vijaya Kamble killed by a mob over Interfaith love affair in Kalaburgi

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: Hindu youth Vijaya Kamble killed by a mob over Interfaith love affair in Kalaburgi

Wednesday saw a brutal killing of a 25-year-old young man in Karnataka’s Kalburgi for having an inter-faith love affair. Identified as Vijaya Kamble, the deceased was in love with a woman of different faith and was beaten up by a gang of miscreants who avenged his death over the relationship.

Kamble, who hailed from a Hindu family, was in love with a girl belonging to another religion. He was a resident of Bheema Nagar Layout in the Wadi town of Kalburgi district. The victim who wanted to marry the woman faced opposition from the woman’s family over their relationship. The religion of the girl has not been disclosed in reports on the incident.

The Police have informed that on the night of May 25, 2022, Kamble was taken down under a railway bridge by a mob who attacked him using weapons, stones and bricks. The Police said that the victim had been attacked brutally and finally succumbed to death. He suffered heavy bleeding on the spot and lost his life after the attack.

After the incident, the situation in Wadi has turned intense. The Police has beefed up the security in the area. While the case has been taken for investigation, the Police team is monitoring sensitive areas in the town to avoid any escalation of communal violence among different religious groups over the incident.

Earlier this month, 25-year-old Billapuram Nagaraju, a resident of Marredpally, Hyderabad was stabbed to death by the family of his Muslim wife after family members of both Nagaraju and Sultana were not happy with their inter-faith marriage. In a different case, A 24-year-old Hindu man from Gujarat’s Sarkhej was beaten up by three of his wife’s family members and also kidnapped his wife after they objected to their interfaith marriage.

Pakistani journalist cites Jogendra Nath Mandal to boast about Jinnah’s secularism: Here is why their first law minister had returned to India

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistani journalist cites Jogendra Nath Mandal to boast about Jinnah’s secularism: Here is why their first law minister had returned to India

On Wednesday, May 25, Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir took to Twitter to counter an open threat of Hindu genocide given by Pakistan minister Ali Muhammad Khan. In his efforts to do so, the Pakistani journalist boasted about how ‘secular Jinnah’, the founder of Pakistan, had inducted Jogendra Nath Mandal, a born Hindu, into the then Pakistan government. Here is how the Pakistani journalist is completely wrong.

The fact is that Mandal had to resign from the Pakistan government due to the systematic persecution of Hindus in Pakistan with the tactical support of the founding fathers of Pakistan, like Jinnah.

“First Law Minister of Pakistan Jogindra Nath Mandal was a Hindu and he was appointed by Jinnah. As for as a term used by @Ali_MuhammadPTI is concerned it doesn’t mean genocide of Hindus this term was used 1500 years ago in some history books. Pls read history again,” Tweeted Hamid Mir defending a statement made by Imran Khan’s minister Ali Muhammad Khan on his show.

The Pakistan minister had openly called for Hindu genocide by threatening Ghazwa e Hind, an Islamic fantasy that refers to the complete conquest of India by invading Islamic forces.

The fact is that Jogendra Nath Mandal had, in fact, resigned from the newly formed Pakistan government soon after the partition and decided to return to India, precisely because of the systematic persecution of Hindus and other minorities in Pakistan with the active support of the founding fathers of Pakistan to commit such crimes against the Hindus in their quest to transform Pakitan into an ‘Islamic’ republic.

Born in 1904 in British Bengal, Jogendra Nath Mandal went on to serve as a legislator and also Pakistan’s first minister of law and labour. Later, he was appointed as the second minister of commonwealth and Kashmir affairs. However, a series of incidents in Pakistan, especially the targeted persecution of minorities made him realise that the idea of Pakistan was bound to fail eventually.

As Jogendra Nath Mandal decided to quit the newly formed Pakistan government soon after the partition, he wrote a letter to the Prime Minister of Pakistan Liaquat Ali Khan, which itself was explanatory as to why he chose to return to India.

His resignation letter revealed not only how Hindus and other minorities in Pakistan were persecuted systematically, but also how the founding fathers of Pakistan actively supported such atrocities against Hindus in their goal to transform Pakistan into an ‘Islamic’ country.

In his letter to Prime Minister Khan, JN Mandal cited a series of incidents where Hindus and other minorities were persecuted by the Islamists in several communal riots that took place after the partition. 

As per Mandal, the military not only oppressed these people and took away stuff forcibly from Hindus’ houses, but also forced Hindus to send their women-folk at night to the camp to satisfy the carnal desire of the military. Mandal says despite appraising the matter to Prime Minister, no action was forthcoming.

He further spoke about how this persecution of Hindus by Pakistan authorities went on to become perhaps one of the principal reasons for the Dacca and East Bengal riots in February 1950, in which hundreds of innocent Hindus were killed in trains, on railway lines between Dacca and Narayanganj, and Dacca and Chittagong.

The letter spoke in length about how Pakistani officers helped the Muslim mob to loot Hindus. It threw light on how the continuous persecution had led to a large-scale exodus of Hindus from Bengal. Addressing the condition of Hindus in East Bengal, Mandal had talked about fifty lakh Hindus that had left since the partition of the country.

In his letter to the Prime Minister in 1950, Mandal strongly asserted that the present condition is not only unsatisfactory but absolutely hopeless and that the future is completely dark and dismal Confidence of Hindus in East Bengal.

He further referred to the atrocities of non-Muslims in West Pakistan, by writing how in Sindh, after partition, about a lakh of Scheduled Castes people were converted to Islam.

In terms of the Hindu community in Pakistan, Mandal stated that Hindus in Pakistan have been rendered “stateless” in their own homes for all intents and purposes. He had gone on to say that the only flaw of these Hindus was their religion.

While making these scathing observations, which rose out of the personal experience of Jogendra Nath Mandal, the latter had tendered his resignation from the Pakistan government and returned to India.

Despite court orders to demolish illegal tomb of Afzal Khan at Pratapgad, Maharashtra govt continues to protect it: Here is what we know about it

Suyash
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Despite court orders to demolish illegal tomb of Afzal Khan at Pratapgad, Maharashtra govt continues to protect it: Here is what we know about it

On November 10, 1659, Afzal Khan – the magnanimous Bijapur General barged onto the fort of Pratapgad near Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra. A few metres above its base, a Shamiyana was erected to welcome Khan over his meeting with Shivaji. With open hands, Khan welcomed Shivaji as he entered the setting. Soon, during his paternalistic cuddle, he tried to clench Shivaji and removed a dagger from his pocket.

Aware of his motives, 19-year-old Shivaji swiftly scratched out Afzal Khan’s intestine with tiger-claws. Khan collapsed on the spot with a scream calling his almighty and collapsed on the spot. The incident went into history as one of the glorious chapters of the life of Shivaji Maharaj who later went on to become the first Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire. To honour Afzal Khan’s right to be laid after death, he was buried at the same spot and a decent tombstone was placed over it.

Afzal Khan’s tomb on Pratapgad in 1916. Source: Mahabaleshwar by D.B. Parasnis

Until over two decades ago, the grave of Afzal Khan was lying unnoticed in a jerkwater condition. One could see it on the right side after climbing a few steps after passing the main entrance gate of the fort. However, it gained prominence only after some Muslim ascetics in the 2000s claimed the grave and decided to build a shelter over it. According to unverified shreds of information, the state forest department had allotted reserved land to the dargah trust and allowed new construction in the tomb’s vicinity a decade ago.

Gradually over a decade, a permanent structure with an arcade from all the four sides was raised on the grave. Covered with a tapering roof of asbestos sheets, the interior is said to have independent rooms for wandering Muslim ascetics who often take refuge in the newly developed ‘Shrine’. Soon, Afzal Khan – the tyrant from Bijapur who was a staunch enemy of Shivaji, was being gloried on his own fort.

Present-day encroached structure upon Afzal Khan’s tomb on Pratapgad

Apparently, the construction was carried out illegally in the name of a “Hazrat Mohammed Afzal Khan Memorial Trust” which had occupied around 5,500 square feet space on the fort. Soon, the glorification of Afzal Khan was naturalised on Shivaji Maharaj’s Paratapgad, with Maulavis asking visitors to pay respects to the Afzal Khan’s shrine. According to local superstitious folklores, praying before the tomb of Afzal Khan was said to have healed mental illnesses. Soon nearby villagers followed suit and started abiding by the Maulavi’s requests.

In 2004, however, The Vishwa Hindu Parishad raised an objection against the illegal capture of land on the ASI regulated site. Furthermore, questions were raised by VHP activists over the alleged transfer of land to the Shrine trust. When the VHP threatened to lead an agitation on the fort, the nearby Mahabaleshwar Police bolstered security around the fort and tomb.

The iconic Pratapgad fort was one of the important bastions of power in the Hindavi Swarajya.

Unaware of the true history of the place, Prabhavati Shetye, deputy chairman of the Mahabaleshwar Municipal Council, said, “Enough is enough. We will not tolerate the VHP anymore. Who are they to make a controversy over this tomb? What do they know about it?” Unhappy with the state government for allotting official forest land to the trust, the Pratapgad Utsav Samiti was constituted by some of the members of the VHP. The group got active support from Vijayatai Bhonsale, who represented the royal lineage of the Bhonsales, hailing from Wai, Satara.

Vijayatai Bhonsale says in an interview that she was appalled to see the growing influence of the newly constructed shrine for Bjiapuri tyrant Afzal Khan, who was one of the staunch enemies of Shivaji Maharaj. When she made complaints with local authorities and sought appointments when officers, none of them paid heed to her concerns. However, when she desired to dig into the case further, she found that a provision for upkeep of the grave was being funded by the state government itself. “I saw garlands coming on a daily basis to the fort. When I enquired the reason behind the garlands, I was told they are for Afzal Khan,” she notes in an interview with Saam TV.

“At a time when Shivaji Maharaj’s statue and the Bhavani temple on the fort continue to be in a neglected state, garlands were being decorated upon a fictitious shrine of Afzal Khan,” she says. She has noted that the illegal encroachment over the tomb of Afzal Khan has been receiving state protection from the local authorities and the state government as well.

Ignorance by the government to remove the illegal construction

The Pratapgad Utsav Samiti, headed by local corporator Milind Ekbote and backed by Vijayatai Bhonsale had filed public interest litigation in 2007 to remove the dargah at the tomb of Afzal Khan who was killed by Chhatrapati Shivaji at Pratapgad. In an order, A bench of Justice J N Patel and Justice S K Kathawala of Bombay High Court had ordered to demolish the illegal structure. The order stated that the land belonged to the forest department and hence no structure would be allowed there.

However, the state government failed to comply with the order. Milind Ekbote again filed a contempt petition in the High Court which was challenged by the state government in the Supreme Court. However, after a two-year delay in asserting its position concerning the demolition, the state government failed to defend its stand protecting the unauthorised dargah at the tomb. The bench comprising Justices D K Jain and Anil Dave in its order on February 13, 2012, said the SPL filed by the state government will be dismissed if the government fails to file a better affidavit.

In 2017, a PIL was again submitted to the Bombay High Court after which the ruling gave an ultimatum to the government to bring down the structure. In 2020, some local politicians demanded to open the structure for public use. However, while the Maharashtra state government has continued to defend the encroached structure over the years, MNS Supremo Raj Thackeray has recently given calls to demolish the grave.

On Sunday, MNS chief Raj Thackeray said at a rally in Pune, “Afzal Khan who was killed by our Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. His tomb is there and is being offered flower garlands on his grave by the people of a particular community. The Maharashtra government is sitting quietly on this issue. If the state government does not demolish this grave, then MNS party workers will demolish it soon.”

With Thackeray’s open threats, the state government has now deployed Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel around the grave of Afzal Khan at fort Pratapgad in the Satara district of Maharashtra. According to SP Ajay Kumar Bansal, Afzal Khan’s tomb has been a restricted area since 2005. Hence, an additional police force was also been deployed at the spot.

Dear Liberals, the blood of Texas children is on your already blood-soaked hands: Here is how

Ganesh R
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Dear Liberals, the blood of Texas children is on your already blood-soaked hands: Here is how

Dear liberals, let us face the facts and come straight to the point – Blood of Texas children is on your already blood-soaked hands. 

Let me explain why.

For years, you have been soft on crime. 

You deliberately lied about “peaceful protests”, standing right in front of burning neighbourhoods and looted shops. You even came up with “research” to justify what was there was anyone not blind to see.

You were mealy-mouth about arson, looting, violence, and murder. You offered anarchy as a “solution” for racial tension and discrimination, problems that require a soft touch and long-term action, not empty words and new pronouns.

You justified and dismissed murderous anarchist ANTIFA thugs as “just an idea”.

You embraced and provided direct, as well as indirect support for Islamist killings and hate using a variety of camouflage tactics. You helped cover up the genocide of Hindus in Kashmir and made it a crime even to talk about it. 

You mainstreamed Hinduphobia, antisemitism and holocaust denial. Your thought leaders are the likes of Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib. Of course, you can invent “context” and “nuance” to justify your venom and hate. Let a prominent BJP ideologue say “some people did something” and watch the outrage!

Instead of going after criminals, you went after law enforcement – calling for defunding the police. Well, be careful what you wish for – it is happening now. Police officers are quitting in record numbers and murders and violent crimes are up – guess who are the victims? Mostly blacks!

But then maybe that is exactly what you wanted – after all, as rich mostly white elites with a comfortable lifestyle, you just want virtue signalling and vote bank politics – not genuine solutions. 

And you are busy punishing Wisconsin middle school kids for not using “them” to describe transgender students.

Your wish for America is not that much different from your wish for India – a country looted by corrupt fascist dynast figureheads remote-controlled by Stalinist mass butcher left, some in liberal masks.

Perhaps your wish for gun control is simply to make sure law-abiding citizens don’t carry any but criminals who don’t care anyway will continue to do so. Because that fits in with your strategy of encouraging crime and painting anyone to the right of you as a ‘redneck racist’, or in the Indian context, ‘Hindutva fascist’.

And you will take another 50 years to go through the process as slowly as you can so that you can milk the issue for votes and demonise opponents in the meantime. Just as poverty and illiteracy suited the Indian left, its NGO frauds and the fascist dynasts – know their business model shuts down when there is less of it.

You have argued for “liberal” sentencing, repeated bails for criminals and other foolish policies that send signal to criminals that they are free to do as they wish. 

I have news for you – you don’t get to decide which crime is permissible and justifiable and which one isn’t. The criminals do it for you. The slippery slope doesn’t forgive.

I know you and your media ecosystem is using this incident as just another weapon to blame the conservatives instead of trying to address the real issue. 

I know you will find ways to attack Trump and everyone that is not hardcore fringe left, including some in your own camp that are not rabid left enough, using your extensive media and academia ecosystem. 

This technique is something you share with your Islamist friends and allies – the constant search for the purity that makes today’s pure tomorrow’s infidel. 

You will try to find connecting lines where they don’t exist. But you will not take ownership of crimes or apply those lofty standards to yourself. 

You will do everything other than doing what is necessary – sending a clear signal in talk and action that crime is a crime and there must be consequences. Right now, your talk and action simply give them the secure feeling that they can get away with it if they are of the right profile.

And you continue to do what you do best – fake outrage.

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