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Could the survey at the Gyanvapi compound lead to its exemption from the Places of Worship Act? Read what the law says

Shashank Bharadwaj
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Could the survey at the Gyanvapi compound lead to its exemption from the Places of Worship Act? Read what the law says

The disputed structure of Gyanvapi Masjid in Varanasi, which stands on top of the original Kashi Vishwanath Mandir, is now at the centre of a major controversy. Last week, a Varanasi court had allowed a video survey of the disputed structure and had ordered the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to investigate the architecture of the Gyanvapi Masjid.

Ever since the court ordered a survey inside the disputed structure, there have been severe protests from the usual entities such as the secular opposition forces and the Muslim groups. The survey team has met with opposition from local Muslims, who prevented them from entering the mosque.

However, the court-appointed advocate commissioner on Saturday resumed the survey and videography of Gyanvapi mosque premises, two days after the civil judge refused to change him and ordered him to submit the survey report by May 17.

While the team were able to survey the outer facade of the structure, they could not enter the structure for survey despite a court order, as the entrance to the mosque was blocked by the protesting Muslims. 

In support of the Muslims, the opposition parties have descended to oppose any bid to survey the controversial Mughal structure. Hyderabad MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi termed the Gyanvapi Masjid verdict a “blatant violation” of the Places of Worship Act, 1991.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram has also echoed the same sentiments claiming that PV Narasimha Rao’s government passed the Places of Worship Act with the only exception of Ram Janmabhoomi. He also claimed that all the other places of worship should remain in status as they are, and nobody should not change the status of places of worship as it will lead to a huge conflict.

Does the Places of Worship Act, 1991, really forbids any transformation in a location of worship’s religious character from what it was on August 15, 1947? Here is an explanation:

The Places of Worship Act, 1991

The Places of Worship Act, 1991 was passed by the PV Narasimha Rao-led Congress regime to maintain the status-quo of the religious character of places of worship as it was in 1947, except in the case of the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute, which was already in court. It was also to provide for the maintenance of the religious character of such a place of worship as on that day.

The law was meant to pre-empt any fresh claims by any community on any holy place and their efforts to reclaim the buildings or property on which they once stood. The law was brought in to maintain the status quo, which the then government thought would aid in the long-term preservation of peaceful coexistence.

Main characteristics of the Act:

The Act states that a site of worship’s religious character must remain the same as it was on August 15, 1947. The law also states that nobody ever shall translate any religious denomination’s holy site into one of a distinct denomination or section.

The law also asserts that each and every lawsuit, appeal, or other proceedings pertaining to changing the character of the area of worship pending before any court or authority on August 15, 1947, will be terminated as soon as the legislation becomes effective, meaning there cannot be any further legal proceedings.

The act also imposes a positive obligation on the state to maintain the religious character of every place of worship as it existed at the time of independence.

Exemptions to the law

However, there is an exception in the law. Under the Places of Worship Act, 1991, legal proceedings can be initiated if the change of status took place after the cut-off date of August 15, 1947. This saves judicial proceedings, lawsuits, and appeals concerning the possibility of status that occurred after the cut-off date.

Besides, the law exempts any place of worship, which is an ancient and historical monument or an archaeological site covered by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.

A suit that has been finally settled or disposed of or any dispute that has been settled by the parties or conversion of any place that took place by acquiescence before the Act commenced.

The current state of the disputed structure Gyanvapi Masjid and Shahi Idgah

A batch of petitions was filed in Varanasi court in 1991, seeking approval to worship inside the disputed Gyanvapi premises, where Kashi Vishwanath temple stood once.

In 2019, the appellants requested that the ASI conduct a survey of the Gyanvapi premises. However, in 2021, the Allahabad High Court ordered a stay on the ASI survey. The most recent controversy involves the routine worship of Shringar Gauri and other idols within the Gyanvapi complex.

In Mathura, the Allahabad High Court has restored a plea asking for the abolishment of Mathura’s Shahi Idgah Masjid, which is near a Krishna Mandir. On Friday, a plea was filed in the court of civil judge (senior division) in Mathura seeking the appointment of a commissioner to survey the structure, Shahi Idgah masjid, built on Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi.

On Thursday, the Allahabad high court also directed a Mathura court to dispose of the petitions claiming ownership of the entire land on which the Srikrishna Janmabhoomi stands and seeking to remove the adjoining Shahi Idgah Mosque within the four months.

So far, nine petitions are currently pending in the Mathura district courts with regard to the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah case. A Mathura court will pronounce its orders on one of the petitions on May 19.

If Hindu structures are found inside the Gyanvapi compound, can they be exempted from the Place of Worship Act?

One of the pertinent exemptions to the Places of Worship Act is if the site falls under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. This means that if the place of worship of any religion is regarded as an ancient and historical monument or an archaeological site, it could be exempted from the ambit of the Places of Worship Act.

According to the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, an “ancient monument” is “any structure, erection or monument, or any tumulus or place of interment, or any cave, rock-sculpture, inscription or monolith, which is of historical, archaeological or artistic interest and which has been in existence for not less than one hundred years.”

As per the above definition, any monument or place of worship that is more than 100 years old could be deemed as an ancient monument under the law, and thus automatically becomes exempt from the Places of Worship Act. Thus, if the ASI survey finds the existence of a Hindu temple structure inside the Gyanvapi compound, which would naturally be more than 100 years old, it could be declared as an ancient monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, and therefore, exempt from the Places of Worship Act.

CBI arrests three people for alleged Pakistan-linked match-fixing and betting in IPL, says results in 2019 were influenced

OpIndia Staff
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CBI arrests three people for alleged Pakistan-linked match-fixing and betting in IPL, says results in 2019 were influenced

A case of alleged match-fixing and betting appeared in the Indian Premier League when the Central Bureau of Investigation on 14th May 2022 arrested 3 people in this regard. Press Trust of India reported that there is a racket involved in match-fixing and betting in the IPL. The reports say that this racket allegedly influenced the results of some IPL matches as per the inputs it received from Pakistan. Meanwhile, a case is registered against the three arrested by the CBI.

Reportedly, this case is related to the 2019 season of the IPL and the registered FIR is also about the same. “In the garb of betting related to IPL matches, they are cheating the general public by inducing them for betting,” CBI said in the FIR.

“A part of the money received from the general public in India for such betting activities was also shared with associates based in foreign countries using hawala transactions. As per the information, the said network of individuals are involved in cricket betting since 2013,” the FIR says.

However, it is not yet clear who was involved in it and what was the scale of the match-fixing. It is notable that the 2019 season of the IPL was organized in India and in the final match, Mumbai Indians defeated Chennai Super Kings to win the trophy.

Out of the three arrests, one is from Delhi and two are from Hyderabad. The agency arrested Dilip Kumar from the Rohini area of Delhi while Gurram Vasu and Gurram Satish were arrested in Hyderabad. According to the CBI officials, the racket is active since 2013 and they have cheated many people in the name of betting and by making fake bank accounts. CBI also found that they were in contact of a Pakistani suspect named Waqas Malik, who was identified through a Pakistani phone number.

The people involved in this racket had opened bank accounts using fake documents and the concerned bank officers are also alleged to not checked the details of these accounts properly. The money of betting taken from common Indians was collected in these accounts. It was then sent to the foreign members of this racket through hawala.

This is not the first time that a match-fixing racket is exposed in IPL. In 2013, Rajasthan Royals players S. Sreesanth, Ashok Chandila, and Ankit Chavhan were caught in spot-fixing. They were arrested by the Delhi police and the BCCI imposed a lifetime ban on the players. However, it was lifted later.

‘What was found is much more than we had imagined’: Says Gyanvapi petitioner after coming out of survey at the disputed structure

OpIndia Staff
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‘What was found is much more than we had imagined’: Says Gyanvapi petitioner after coming out of survey at the disputed structure

The disputed structure at the Gyanvapi in Varanasi was surveyed on Saturday 14th May 2022 as per Varanasi court order. Jitendra Singh Bisen, head of the Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sangh, told the media after he came out of the structure finishing today’s round of the survey that there is a lot more seen inside the disputed structure than imagined. The survey work in four cellars has been completed. In addition, a survey was also conducted on the western wall of the disputed structure. The survey will continue on Sunday, which has to be completed by May 17th.

It may be noted that Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sangh is one the plaintiffs in the case demanding to pray at the Shringar Gauri Sthal, located inside the disputed mosque structure. Five women named Rakhi Singh, Laxmi Devi, Sita Sahu, Manju Vyas and Rekha Pathak Rakhi Singh have filed the petition, and among then Rakhi Singh is a founding member of Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sangh.

Jitendra Singh Bisen said, “During the survey, some locks were opened and some had to be broken. There’s a lot remaining to survey right now. There’s so much more than I imagined. I would say that it is beyond the imagination of not only me but all. We can’t tell all the things in the media. About 40 percent survey is completed and it will continue tomorrow.”

The survey continued for four hours as per the court’s order. At 8 AM, everyone associated with it arrived at the disputed structure. The survey was stopped at 12 noon. Plaintiff-defendant and police-administration, all parties were cooperating, and the survey was done peacefully. Lawyers said the survey report was highly confidential.

Reportedly, 2 basements at the structure were surveyed today. While videography was done using special cameras, the members of the survey team were not allowed to carry mobile phones so that there is unauthorised leak of photos of the interiors. The Varanasi police commissioner and a trustee of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust were also present during the survey.

Today, more than 1,500 policemen and PAC personnel were deployed in the security of the disputed structure at the Gyanvapi complex. Also, the movement of people within 500 meters of the Gyanvapi complex was stopped. The police also restricted the movement of vehicles from Godaulia and Maidagin areas.

Days after members of the Muslim community impeded the survey, 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 the survey will now be held and a report to be submitted by May 17. As per the report, it is also reported that the basement of the disputed structure has also been directed to be opened.

In the meanwhile, the Muslim side has filed a petition with the Supreme Court seeking to stop the survey. While the petitioners had requested to stay the process immediately, the CJI refused to do that, and the matter has been listed before Justice DY Chandrachud. However, with the survey to be completed by 17th May and almost half of it almost completed, it is possible that the survey might by completed before the matter is taken up by the Supreme Court. It is interesting to note that while the survey will continue on Sunday also, the court will be closed on next two days, on Sunday and and then on Monday due to Buddha Purnima.

Bihar: Miffed over husband’s second marriage, Gulshan Khatun immolates herself, husband, and two other family members

OpIndia Staff
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Bihar: Miffed over husband’s second marriage, Gulshan Khatun immolates herself, husband, and two other family members

A 35-year-old woman named Gulshan Khatun alias Praveen Bibi immolated herself, her husband, and two other family members in the wee hours of Saturday, May 14 in the Sapaul village of Darbhanga, Bihar. Khatun is said to have taken the extreme step as she was upset over her husband’s second marriage.

While Gulshan Khatun’s mother-in-law Zubeida Khatun and her husband’s second wife Roshan Khatun succumbed to burn injuries at the Biraul community health center, Khatun and her husband Mohd Khurshid Alam died while being taken to Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital.

According to Biraul Sub-Divisional Police Officer Manish Chandra Chaudhary, Gulshan Khatun and her husband, Mohd Khurshid Alam’s relationship became strained as she could not bear his child even after 10 years of their marriage. Alam then married Roshan Khatun (28) two years ago. Roshan Khatun recently became pregnant with Mohd Khurshid Alam’s child.

After her husband’s second marriage, Khatun grew bitter toward Roshan Khatun and her mother-in-law Zubeida Khatun for supporting her son’s second marriage.

For the last two years, Khatun had regular fights with her husband. Many a time she had warned him of dire consequences for getting married to Roshan Khatun. A day prior to the incident too, they had a massive fight. In a fit of rage, Praveen sprayed petrol on herself, her husband, her husband’s pregnant second wife, and her mother-in-law and set everyone ablaze.

The police went to the scene as soon as the incident was reported and took them all to the hospital, but could not save any of them.

Kerala: Former school teacher & CPI(M) councillor Sasi Kumar arrested under POCSO for molesting students for 30 years

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala: Former school teacher & CPI(M) councillor Sasi Kumar arrested under POCSO for molesting students for 30 years

A former teacher and CPI(M) councillor named KV Sasi Kumar was arrested on charges of sexually abusing a large number of students during his more than a three-decade-long stint as a teacher at St. Gemma’s Girls Higher Secondary School in Malappuram. A police team picked him up from a homestay in Wayanad and brought him to Malappuram on Friday 13th May 2022.

In a shocking incident that took place in Kerala, it was revealed that a former school teacher and CPI(M) councilor of Malappuram named KV Sasi Kumar was involved in molesting his girl students for more than 30 years of his service. The truth surfaced as the teacher shared a post on his Facebook account on the occasion of his retirement and alumni of the school started sharing their bad experiences with him in their Facebook posts.

On the complaint of one of the victim alumni, KV Sasi Kumar was booked under the POSCO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) act. The police have succeeded in arresting the accused who was absconding for the last few days.

According to a report by The News Minute, KV Sasi Kumar on March 31, the day of his retirement as a teacher, shared a Facebook post reminiscing his 38-year-old career at the Government-aided Girls High School in Malappuram. An alumnus of the school shared a post hinting at alleged abuse by Sasi Kumar.

As the posts went viral, more students came up with similar allegations and started sharing them on social media. The alumni association of the school then informed about the allegations to the police and a complaint was filed on 7th May 2022 against the former teacher who is a three-time councillor of the Malappuram municipality on a CPI(M) ticket.

The teacher went absconding shortly after a case was registered against him, prompting police officials to launch a manhunt for the accused. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, 11th May 2022, Beena Pillai and Mini Sakeer, two former students of the school, held a press conference, wherein they enumerated myriad instances of abuse, including sexual assault, by Sasi Kumar. They also alleged that two students were on the verge of committing suicide after having endured sexual abuse at the hands of the teacher.

The students further added that the teachers to whom some of the students disclosed the alleged abuse were insensitive, and the school management took no action despite a complaint filed with its Ethics Committee in 2019. Beena Pillai also said that the complaints registered by the students clearly mentioned sexual abuse but still, the school teachers did not take it seriously.

She said, “The students had even complained to the teachers. The teachers, however, were not sensitive enough to understand the nature of the complaint. Instead, they told the students who were only 9 to 12 years old to not be coquettish to him. It is high time to educate teachers against victim-blaming. Children don’t get protection despite laws like POCSO Act being in place. There is a counselor at the school who is a nun, who is not approachable. I am not aware of the students filing a complaint with Childline.”

She added, “Two girls were on the verge of suicide. One girl had to be hospitalized for treatment because she was assaulted brutally. We have information on this from the doctor who treated the girl. A complaint was also filed at the Ethics Committee. Students realized that they had been sexually abused when they reached the tenth standard. If the normal course of action was followed, if such instances were reported at a school, the teachers would be fired with a show-cause notice. But Sasi Kumar was probably only suspended or sent on leave once. There was an attempt to file a police complaint, but that was compromised.”

According to reports, there are at least 25 alumni who have shared on social media how the teacher misbehaved and sexually abused them. But only one case is registered so far in this regard. District Police Chief Sujit Das S. said, “We will register any number of cases if complainants come forward and file their charges.”

It is notable to mention that outrage broke out in Malapurram after allegations of sexual misconduct were levelled against the teacher. A raft of protesters had hit the streets demanding action against the teacher, prompting police to use baton-charge to bring the situation under control.

Understanding the baby formula crisis in USA: How Joe Biden administration ignored a problem brewing since January

Pallav
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Understanding the baby formula crisis in USA: How Joe Biden administration ignored a problem brewing since January

The United States has been experiencing a scarcity of baby formula, which has distressed parents. Many parents are finding it difficult to obtain for baby formula thanks to a combination of short and long-term issues that have plagued most of the major US brands.

The majority of newborns in the United States rely on formula, which is the sole recommended source of nourishment for infants who are not completely breastfed. The challenges related to the supply of baby formula began last year when the Covid-19 outbreak disrupted labour, shipping, and raw supplies – concerns that impacted the whole economy. Parents hoarding stocks during Covid-19 lockdowns significantly reduced availability.

Here’s a look at what’s causing the problem and what circumstances contributed to it, as well as the US federal government’s response.

What is a baby formula?

When their moms are unable to nurse their kids, they are given baby formula. These are cow milk compositions that have been altered to approximate the composition of human breast milk.

Dietary recommendations are established by the Food and Drug Administration and contain minimal protein, fat, calcium, and vitamin requirements. Manufacturers use sugars, oils, and minerals to achieve certain ratios. Although studies have consistently shown that breastfed babies have better health outcomes, the formulas are designed to resemble breast milk.

Medical practitioners urge solely breastfeeding newborns until they are 6 months old. However, according to one report, just one in every four children of that age is entirely dependent on breast milk. Some mothers are unable to breastfeed their children for various reasons, and such babies are completely dependent on baby food for survival. And after the age of of 6 months, most babies are fed baby formula in addition to mother’s milk to meet their growing nutrition needs.

When did the crisis start?

The problems with baby formula supply began last year when the Covid-19 epidemic impacted the whole economy. During the Covid-19 lockdowns, parents stockpiling stocks drastically decreased the availability of baby formula. Supply disruptions, along with a recent safety recall, have left numerous pharmacies and supermarkets out of stock.

According to WVNS TV, baby formula supply was roughly 20% lower in January at major stores than it was before the epidemic began. Then, in February, Abbott Nutrition recalled several major brands of powdered formula and closed its plant at Sturgis, Michigan, after federal investigators began looking into four newborns who became ill after drinking formula from the company. At least two infants had died, and FDA found traces of the bacteria Cronobacter sakazakii in the Abbott plant, after which several brands made in the factory were recalled. After that, Abbott decided to shut down the plant.

Because Abbott is one of just a few businesses that produce the great bulk of the US formula supply, their recall wiped off a significant portion of the market. Apart from marketing own brands, Abbott also supplies ingredients to several other makers of baby formula, therefore, the shutdown of just one plant had cascading effect on several others.

Role of Biden administration

Because of technicalities like labelling regulations, the FDA controls formulas so carefully that most of what comes out of Europe is illegal to purchase in the United States. So, the larger issue is trade policy. According to Scott Lincicome, the Cato Institute’s director of general economics and trade, the United States is a captive market for domestic dairy producers like Abbott, and at times of crisis, a lack of alternative suppliers becomes a major issue.

Most baby formulas produced in Europe meet the FDA nutritional guidelines, and in some might even be better than American formula, but still they are banned in USA due to technicalities like labelling requirements.

Moreover, there are lack of clarity over the shut down of the Abbott plant. The plant was closed voluntarily by the company in February itself after there were complaints of contamination in some of the packages, and therefore the shortage within a few weeks should have been anticipated. The plant is closed for over three months now, but it is not known why FDA and Abbott have failed to come to an agreement that to resume the production of baby formula.

Another point is that product recalls are common in USA and other developed countries, but they generally don’t lead to shut down of the plants. Only the effected or suspected to be effected batches are recalled from the market, and the plants continue production after necessary precautionary measures. But in this case, the Abbott plant has been closed for months for unknown reasons.

Is hoarding the only reason behind the shortage?

In a press briefing of the White House, Press Secretary Jen Psaki stated that a major problem with the crisis is hoarding as parents are hoarding baby food for their babies and retailers are hoarding to get profit for them. On being asked by a journalist about the parents having a stock with them, she stated that mothers stocking the formulas are also a concern.

Ample supply of baby formula to migrant detention centres

Hoarding is not the only issue as there are supplies which are not being directed to the states facing the crisis, according to accounts. According to Congresswoman Kat Cammack, the Biden administration has been transporting pallets of baby formula to migrant detention centres despite a nationwide shortage. Cammack tweeted about the problem. She said, “The first photo is from this morning at the Ursula Processing Center at the U.S. border. Shelves and pallets packed with baby formula. The second is from a shelf right here at home. Formula is scarce. This is what America last looks like.”

Cammack stated that she was alerted to the problem by a border patrol agent who sent her images of the packages.

Going further

Health officials recently proposed numerous efforts to increase availability, including allowing for speedier importation of formula manufactured elsewhere. The FDA is collaborating with Abbott to correct the infractions that led to the closure of its Michigan factory, which manufactures Similac, EleCare, and numerous other major powdered formulations.

President Joe Biden met with executives from baby formula producers and merchants on Thursday, urging them to do all necessary to ensure that families had access. President Joe Biden and top officials indicated on Friday that the United States’ baby formula deficit should ease considerably in the coming weeks.

Rajya Sabha MP Manik Saha elected as new chief minister of Tripura after the resignation of Biplab Kumar Deb

OpIndia Staff
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Rajya Sabha MP Manik Saha elected as new chief minister of Tripura after the resignation of Biplab Kumar Deb

Tripura BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Manik Saha will be the new chief minister of Tripura after Biplab Kumar Deb stepped down from the post. In a BJP legislative party meeting in Agartala today evening, Dr. Manik Saha was unanimously elected as the new chief minister of the state.

Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav, who was in Agartala as central observer for the legislative party meeting confirmed the development on Twitter. “Congratulations and best wishes to @DrManikSaha2 ji on being elected as the legislature party leader. I believe under PM Shri @narendramodi Ji’s vision and leadership Tripura will prosper,” he tweeted.

Outgoing CM Biplab Deb also tweeted to congratulate Manik Saha on being elected as the new CM.

Before that, he had thanked the party and the people of Tripura for giving him the responsibility to serve Tripura as a Chief Minister. “I have wholeheartedly served my State & will always work for the betterment of my State. Tripura shall definitely march ahead in the path of devt. Jai Hind,” he had added.

Manik Saha was elected to Rajya Sabha from Tripura in March this year. This means, he will have to be elected to the assembly withing six months of taking oath as the CM.

Manik Saha will lead BJP in the elections for the 60-member assembly scheduled in the state next year. BJP had formed the government after a historic win 2018, ending a 25-year long rule of CPM-led Left Front government in the state.

Apart from the left, this time the party is also facing challenges from Trinamool Congress, which has made significant inroads in the state in recent times.

Mumbai: Marathi actor Ketaki Chitale booked and arrested for sharing a “derogatory Facebook post” against Sharad Pawar

OpIndia Staff
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Mumbai: Marathi actor Ketaki Chitale booked and arrested for sharing a “derogatory Facebook post” against Sharad Pawar

Thane Police has taken Marathi actor Ketaki Chitale into custody over her allegedly derogatory post on Facebook against NCP supremo Sharad Pawar.

The action came after an offence was registered in Thane city against the actor for sharing an allegedly derogatory post against Sharad Pawar, with NCP leaders demanding stern action against the actor.

Interestingly, Ms Chitale was arrested for sharing a critical post written by Advocate Nitin Bhave. The post, which was in Marathi, made no direct mention of the NCP chief’s full name and mentioned the surname of Mr Pawar and the age of 80. It is worth noting that the NCP patriarch is an 81-year-old octagenarian. The post had comments like “hell is waiting” and “you hate Brahmins” to criticise the former Maharashtra CM, whose party is in alliance with the Shiv Sena and Congress.

A person named Swapnil Netke had filed a complaint against the Marathi actor at Kalwa police station in Thane on Saturday, based on which an offence was registered against her. The complainant alleged that the actor posted objectionable content against Pawar, and her post might undermine the relationship between the two political parties in the state and stir up trouble.

Chitale is charged under sections 500 (defamation), 501 (printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory), 505 (2) (making, publishing or circulating any statement, rumour or report promoting enmity, hatred or ill will between classes), 153 A (spreading disharmony among people), of the Indian Penal Code.

NCP leaders and supporters slam actor Ketaki Chitale for her critical post against Sharad Pawar; demand action against her

Ketaki’s allegedly defamatory post against Sharad Pawar has generated a strong feeling of resentment among NCP cadres and leaders, who demanded that the actor be arrested. NCP leaders in Pune submitted a letter to the police demanding action against the actor over her post.

“The social media post by Chitale is defamatory. She has defamed Pawar and his daughter Supriya Sule in the post. This post may create unrest, which is why we have given a letter to the cyber police, urging them to take action against her,” said NCP’s Pune city unit president Prashant Jagtap.

Maharashtra Housing Development Minister Jitendra Awhad also reacted to the post, threatening that NCP workers and cadres will register offences in “at least 100-200” police stations across Maharashtra in connection with the said post.

“Our youth and cadres in Maharashtra will visit at least 100-200 police stations to register offence. He is the father of the family—the family of NCP. He is everything to us and such repulsive remarks are made against him and that too by a woman!” Awhad told a news channel.

Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal shared similar sentiments, calling for immediate action against the actor. “Immediate action should be taken. It doesn’t matter if she is an actress, actor or minister. She has no right to make such a statement,” Bhujbal said.

Rahul Bhat murder: Wife says his colleagues must have shared his details with the Islamic terrorists

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Bhat murder: Wife says his colleagues must have shared his details with the Islamic terrorists

Slain Kashmiri Hindu Rahul Bhat’s wife has alleged that the terrorists must have got the information about his whereabouts from his workplace. In yet another case of targeted killing of a Kashmiri Hindu in the Union Territory, terrorists killed a young Kashmiri Hindu Rahul Bhat on Thursday at Chadoora in Budgam.

Speaking to the media, Bhat’s wife said, “He used to say everyone behaves nicely with him and nobody can harm him. Yet nobody protected him, they must have asked someone about him and his identity, otherwise, how would they’ve known?”

Speaking to India Today, Bhat’s wife also shared that he felt insecure and was trying to get transferred to the district headquarters. However, his requests for a transfer were denied despite his repeated attempts.

Bhat’s father has also called for a detailed probe into the murder so that the entire truth of the matter can come out in front of everyone. He said, “First, they asked who Rahul Bhat is and then they shot him. We want an inquiry. There was a police station 100 feet away. There must have been security at the office but nobody was there. They should check CCTV footage.”

Protests by Kashmiri Hindus have erupted in the area following the dastardly murder. 350 Kashmiri Hindus working under the Prime Minister package submitted resignation en-masse after the murder by the Islamic terrorists. They said that since the state can’t provide them with adequate security, they don’t feel safe. Bhat was also employed under that scheme in the valley since 2011 and used to live in Budgam with his wife and 7 years old daughter.

Hundreds of Hindus in the area hit the streets to protest against the murder. The protesters blocked the highway and staged protests against the killing of Rahul Bhat. The demonstrations saw participation from government employees and families of Kashmiri Hindus living in Budgam. The protestors were lathi-charged and tear-gassed by the administration to break up the protest.

The 3 Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists involved in the murder of Rahul Bhat were neutralized by the security forces yesterday. However, the Kashmiri Hindus in the valley continue to live under a cloud of fear as targeted killings continue to take place, at an ever-increasing rate.

‘Good luck and goodbye’: Ex-PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar quits Congress, warns Rahul Gandhi to stay away from sycophants

OpIndia Staff
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‘Good luck and goodbye’: Ex-PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar quits Congress, warns Rahul Gandhi to stay away from sycophants

Former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar Saturday announced his decision to quit the party. The senior party leader made the announcement in a 35-minute-long Facebook Live. Congress had recently removed him from all party positions for his involvement in anti-party activities.

Congress leaders sitting in Delhi are ruining the party in Punjab: Sunil Jakhar

While announcing his exit from the party, Jakhar said that Rahul Gandhi is ‘a good person’. He called on him to retake control and warned him to distance himself from sycophants. He said that Congress was facing an existential crisis. “Good luck and goodbye,” said Jakhar as he wound up his outburst. 

On his Facebook Live post, Jakhar ripped into “Congress leaders’ sitting in Delhi for ruining the party in Punjab”.

The former MP castigated Sonia Gandhi for issuing a show-cause notice despite him not holding any position in the party. “I don’t hold any post (in the party). I have an ideology. I want to ask Sonia Gandhi that being Congress president, doesn’t she know that I hold no position in the party? Then why a show-cause notice is being given to me?”

The announcement by Jakhar comes at a time when the Congress party is holding the ‘Chintan Shivir’ in Udaipur, a last ditched attempt to relaunch itself ahead of the crucial 2024 general elections.

The “chintan shivir,” according to the former Gurdaspur MP, was merely a formality and should have been called “chinta shivir,” or a gathering to express concerns. “But the worry was nowhere to be seen,” he said in the video message. “If there had really been a sense of worry, there would have been a committee on the party’s poor show in Uttar Pradesh,” said Jakhar.

He added that Congress’ 390 candidates received less than 2,000 votes in the poll. He claimed that this indicated the party’s top leadership’s poor status.

It may be recalled that in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress won only two of the 403 Assembly seats. Although she did not run for office, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra played a crucial role in the party’s campaign.

Jakhar questioned why Harish Rawat, the former chief minister of Uttarakhand, was appointed as the party in charge of Punjab. He said, “Harish Rawat ji had one foot in Punjab and the other in Dehradun.”

Rawat was to a considerable measure responsible for the party’s failure in Punjab, according to Jakhar, although he did not want to blame him entirely.

The former Punjab Congress head also blamed the party’s defeat on party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ambika Soni. He accused her of leading Rahul Gandhi, the party’s leader, astray, not only in Punjab but also in other states.

Jakhar claimed Soni wanted to divide Hindus and Sikhs, and questioned why she hadn’t been kicked out of the party. “There can be no resurgence of the party unless you get rid of leaders like Ambika Soni,” he remarked.

Reacting to his announcement Navjot Singh Sidhu described Jakhar as an ‘asset’ and Tweeted, “The Congress should not lose Sunil K Jakhar… (he) is an asset worth his weight in gold …. Any differences can be resolved on the table.”

Jakhar tears into Congress for not choosing him as the party’s chief ministerial candidate because he is Hindu

Notably, Jakhar had previously stated that he was not chosen as the party’s chief ministerial candidate because he is Hindu. He had also taken a dig at the party for the appointment of Charanjit Singh Channi as the chief minister of the state. Channi was appointed Punjab CM months ahead of the all-important Punjab assembly polls following the removal of Captain Amarinder Singh from the CM post.

Post his remarks, the party had removed Sunil Jakhar from all party positions. The decision came after the Congress Disciplinary Committee suggested on April 26 that former Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sunil Jakhar be suspended for two years from the party.

The panel’s proposal to suspend Jakhar came after Punjab AICC in-charge Harish Chaudhary wrote to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, drawing her attention to some of Jakhar’s remarks. Sonia Gandhi then referred Chaudhary’s letter to the Antony-led disciplinary action committee.

“You have made derogatory statements against Congress leaders and also attributed motives to the leadership of thinking on communal lines while deciding the leadership of CLP Punjab,” Tariq Anwar, member secretary of the disciplinary action committee, said in a show-cause notice issued in response to Chaudhary’s letter.

The notice further stated that Jhakar’s remarks were also found to be a blatant violation of the party’s ethos. “The committee deliberated and decided to give you an opportunity to explain your action and decided to issue (a) show cause notice (to you on) why action should not be taken as per the Party Constitution XIX(f)(5),” the notice read.

Soon after the recommendations of the Congress disciplinary panel, Jakhar wished his party “good luck” while refusing to share his own plans.

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