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‘Please marry within Hindu Dharma’: Apoorva Puranik, who was stabbed 23 times by Mohammad Ijaz for leaving him, requests Hindu women

OpIndia Staff
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‘Please marry within Hindu Dharma’: Apoorva Puranik, who was stabbed 23 times by Mohammad Ijaz for leaving him, requests Hindu women

Apoorva Puranik, one of the recent victims of an alleged Love Jihad Karnataka’s Gadag, is currently under treatment at a local hospital in the city after she was attacked by her estranged husband Mohammad Ijaz, who had stabbed her 23 times with a machete as ‘revenge’ for leaving him.

In a video posted by journalist Chiru Bhat, Apoorva Puranik was heard requesting fellow Hindu women not to make the same mistakes she committed by involving in a relationship with a Muslim man. She further wished that no girl should suffer her fate and urged the Hindu women to discuss with their parents before making any major decisions.

“If you witness any small changes in your society, inform your parents. Do not fear that they will make you quit your education. Or else, you will face the same fate as me. Please trust no one other than your parents. Saving life should be your first priority,” said Apoorva Puranik, who miraculously survived a lethal attack on the streets of Gadag last week.

The 26-year-old survivor Apoorva Puranik also urged Hindu women not to fall into the trap of Muslim men and requested them to marry within the Hindu dharma.

“It is safe to marry within Hindu dharma as our sanskar (traditions) is different from others. It is difficult to get adjusted to other traditions. If we want to uphold and protect our cultures and traditions, we should marry within our own community, and we will also be safe,” said Apoorva Puranik.

Ijaz treated me like a dog, raped and threatened me to forcefully marry: Apoorva Puranik

According to Chiru Bhat, in her latest statement, Apoorva has revealed that Ijaz had first sexually assaulted her, video recorded the act and blackmailed her for marriage. He threatened to hurt me and my mother, she has added.

“When I agreed to the marriage, he asked me to convert to Islam. I had to sign on all documents as I had no choice. I must say this is nothing but Love Jihad. Even after marriage, he was not taking care of me. I was brainwashed. I didn’t even listen to my parents,” the journalist quoted the victim.

The 26-year-old victim also said Ijaz he asked her to cook and consume nonveg after their marriage. She added that she was treated like a dog after she delivered a baby.

“Ijaz used to feed nonveg to my baby forcibly. Only after my marriage, I came to know that he was married for 14 years to his first wife,” she said.

Apoorva also said that Ijaz used to send some vulgar messages in Urdu as she left him. She said she ignored those messages because as their divorce matter was in court, but just one day before the court hearing, Ijaz attacked me, she said.

Mohammad Ijaz stabs his wife Apoorva Puranik turned Arfa Bano 23 times

In a gruesome incident of the Love Jihad case, Mohammad Ijaz in Karnataka had brutally stabbed his wife Apoorva Puranik, alias Arfa Bano, for seeking a divorce after finding out that he was already married and a father of three children.

The 30-year-old Mohammad Ijaz had stabbed his second wife, 26-year-old Apoorva Puranik, 23 times with a machete as revenge for leaving him. The incident took place in the Gadag district of Karnataka last Thursday.

The accused – Ijaz, who works as an auto driver, was in a relationship with Apoorva Puranik, an MBA graduate. Ijaz had lied to Apoorva that he was pursuing his education and used to work as an auto driver in his free time. In 2018, the couple got married against the wishes of the girl’s family.

After the marriage, Apoorva was forced to convert to Islam. She changed her name to Arfa Bano and followed Islamic traditions such as wearing a burqa, hijab, etc. Apoorva even started consuming meat and completely abandoned Hindu traditions after Ijaz forced her to convert to Islam. Apoorva’s family also reconciled with her daughter and began to have a cordial relationship with the daughter and Ijaz. The couple also had a son.

A few months later, Apoorva, who comes from a well to do Brahmin family in the city, found out that Ijaz had concealed information about his first marriage. Reportedly, Ijaz had already married a Muslim woman before his wedding with Apoorva and had fathered three children. As she learned about Ijaz’s first marriage, Apoorva left Ijaz and shifted to her parent’s residence in Gadag district along with her two-year-old son. She had also filed for divorce at a local court after Ijaz began to torture her.

Almost four months after she left Ijaz to stay with her parents, on Thursday, the accused chased and stabbed his estranged wife nearly 23 times before she collapsed to the ground. Apoorva had gone to the ground to learn to ride a two-wheeler with one of her neighbours.

She was immediately shifted to a local hospital in the city. In the meantime, Ijaz has managed to escape from the spot. The Gadag police have launched a manhunt to nab Mohammad Ijaz.

‘Religiophobias not restricted to Abrahamic faiths, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs face discrimination and violence too’: India at the UN on Islamophobia resolution

OpIndia Staff
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‘Religiophobias not restricted to Abrahamic faiths, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs face discrimination and violence too’: India at the UN on Islamophobia resolution

On March 15, the Permanent Representative of India to United Nations in New York, Ambassador TS Tirumurti, gave a statement on the resolution for an International Day to combat ‘Islamophobia’. In his remarks, Tirumurti said that India was not convinced that there was a need to elevate phobia against one religion to the level of an International Day.

Ambassador Tirumurti expressed deep concerns on the rise of incidents linked to discrimination, intolerance and violence directed against the people of many religious communities across the world. He said as a pluralistic and democratic country, India has welcomed people from around the world, including Zoroastrians, Buddhists, and Jews, persecuted for their faith or belief.

‘Phobias are not restricted to Abrahamic religions’

He further said that India condemns all acts motivated by antisemitism, Christianophobia or Islamophobia. “However, such phobias are not restricted to Abrahamic religions only. In fact, there is clear evidence that over decades such religion-centric phobias have, in fact, affected the followers of non-Abrahamic religions as well. This has contributed to the emergence of contemporary forms of religiophobia, especially anti-Hindu, anti-Buddhist and anti-Sikh phobias.”

Pointing out the attacks on temples, gurudwaras and monasteries etc., he said the destruction of Bamyan Buddha, violation of gurudwara premises, the massacre of Sikh pilgrims in gurudwara, attack on temples, glorification of breaking of idols in temples etc. contribute to the rise of religiophobia against non-Abrahamic religions.

Ambassador Tirumurti said, “Hinduism has more than 1.2 billion followers, Buddhism more than 535 million and Sikhism had more than 30 million spread out around the world. It is time that we acknowledged the prevalence of religiophobia, rather than single out just one.”

He said celebrating a religion is one thing but commemorating a day to combat hatred against only one religion is not the same. “In fact, this resolution may well end up downplaying the seriousness of phobias against all other religions,” he added.

‘Not convinced over the need to elevate phobia against one religion’

Tirumurti pointed towards the fact that there is already an International Day commemorating the victims of acts of violence based on religion or belief, i.e. August 22. He said, “We are not convinced that we need to elevate phobia against one religion to the level of an international day. We need to always be inclusive, especially in the United Nations.”

He said India had suggested amendments to include the word ‘pluralism’ in the text, but it was not included by the sponsors of the resolution for ‘reasons best known to them’. He hoped the resolution adopted by the UN would not set a precedent that would lead to multiple resolutions on phobias based on selective religions that would divide the world further instead of bringing the nations together on one platform of peace and harmony and treating the World as One Family.

The resolution against Islamophobia

The resolution was introduced by Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). On March 15, 2019, a gunman killed 51 people in two mosques and injured 40 others in Christchurch, New Zealand. Interestingly, Pakistan, which introduced the resolution, is best known for atrocities against the minorities, including Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians and others living in the country. It has harsh laws against ‘blasphemy’ where followers of minority religions are targeted and sentenced over mere accusations.

Malhar Rao Holkar: From a valiant warrior who established Swarajya in Malwa to a father-in-law with a difference

Suyash
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Malhar Rao Holkar: From a valiant warrior who established Swarajya in Malwa to a father-in-law with a difference

In the spring of 1721, the Peshwa’s court received a letter written by a young footsoldier from a local battalion stationed at Khandesh’s Sultanpur. On the illustrious cushion which was overlooked by a sized Ganpati fresco at the back, sat some twenty-one-year-old Bajirao, who had big shoes to fill, of his late father, the Prime Minister or the Peshwa of the Maratha Empire. ‘Swarajya’ as envisioned by Chhatrapati Shivaji was reinstated again after a thirty-year long Maratha-Mughal War with Shivaji’s grandson Shahu now sitting as the Chhatrapati of Satara in 1713.

Young Peshwa Bajirao had made his objectives clear, “Strike off the roots of the Mughal Empire in Delhi, that all of its branches will fall inadvertently in our hands.” When the letter reached Bajirao it reminded him of a certain commander leading a band of young bucks who he had confronted him during his exploits in Khandesh. He knew that young ‘Malhari’ who had crossed his paths that day, was to become his strength for a lifetime. Malhar Rao Holkar’s letter to Bajirao asking him for an appointment in his battalion was to change his destiny forever.

Original letter by Malhar Rao Holkar asking Bajirao’s subsidiary Ambaji Pant for admission in the cavalry

Between the Deccan and the Marathas’ sparkling Delhi dreams lay the Malwa plateau stretching from the Vindhyas to Chittorgarh in the North and from Bhopal to Gujarat in the west. The character of this region underlined by its terrain, the alchemy of its forests and the overflowing rivers of Reva, Narmada and Chambal was distinctly different to what the Maratha warzone had been restricted to. With his aides which included generals like Ranoji Shinde, Udaji Pawar and Malhar Rao Holkar the Maratha army under Peshwa Bajirao – I, had already secured a strong base in Malwa.

With successive Maratha incursions by generals like Holkar, the realm of the Marathas had reached the Yamuna by the monsoons of 1729. To set a strong administration in the newly captured province, Malhar Rao was given the western part of Malwa to govern with a several thousand cavalry force. By this time, Malhar Rao had married Gautamabai, who was to play an equally pivotal role in the growing administrative aisle in Malhar Rao’s regime. He made his base in a small townlet of Indore which later became the stronghold of the Holkar domination.

Rajwada or the official residence of the Holkars built by Malhar Rao Holkar in the 1730s. Painting from 1857

It is to be noted that this new administrator of Malwa was a young lad from a shepherd family of ‘Dhangars’ who had showcased exceptional skills while rising as a warrior. In the cattle-rendering caste of Dhangars, the tradition to reserve a quarter of the family’s wealth as private assets for the women was old. With increasing riches as a Subhedar of the Maratha Empire, Malhar Rao did everything to keep the practice alive as a respect for his wives – Gautambai, Dwakabai and Banabai. In the January of 1734, he decided to break the wealth (Saranjam) he received from the Peshwas into two – the Daulat (earning) and the Khajgi (private assets for women).

Under this noble practice, The Peshwa gifted Gautambai Holkar the regions of Maheshwar, Saver and Depalpur in Malwa and the villages of Chandwad, Ambad and Koregoan in Maharshtra which collectively accounted for the revenue of Rs. Three lakh. The Holkar womenfolk could be seen using this money to build temple infrastructure and ghats from Varanasi to Somanth to Rameshwaram. Malhar Rao knew how to give his women their due. Going beyond the restrictions of caste, he married Harku Bai as his fourth wife, a girl from a Rajput lineage in Malwa and treated her equally in all legalities and protocols of the day.

A guiding light to Ahilyabai

Ahilyabai, whom history knows as the pious queen who patronised restoration of temples across the sacred geography of India, entered the house of Holkars as a wife of Khanderao – the son of Malharrao and Gautambai in 1733. Oral history has it – that Malhar Rao when on his ride to Pune, saw eight-year-old Ahilya lighting a lamp at a Shiva temple, thought of her as a perfect bride for his son, Khander Rao. Overwhelmed by the hustle-bustle of happenings at the Indore Rajwada as a new entrant, Ahilyabai was directed by Malhar Rao to look after some threads of the administrative work happening at the royal residence.

Ahilya soon started observing every letter that passed through the correspondence. Within a year, she went with Khander Rao on the exploits and noticed carefully the nitty-gritty of the happenings at the war zone. Just like, Malhar Rao, she was helped by Gautambai equally to get acquainted with the politics of the day. While Ahilya was blooming in the light of the day under the patriarch of the house, time, by now, had different plans to unfold.

In the May of 1754, when the Maratha army gheraoed Surajmal Jat’s fort at Kumbheri, a canon dashed into Khander Rao and he collapsed on the site. What stopped Ahilya from entering the pyre with Khander Rao was a tap on her back by Malhar Rao asking her to refrain. In the glaring eyes of Ahilyabai, Malhar Rao saw his hope for tomorrow as she witnessed her co-wives Parvatibai and Suratabai alongside two dancers and seven concubines of Khander Rao going Sati with his pyre in the evening twilight.

Ahilyabai was unshattered at twenty-nine; she had the people of the kingdom to look after, with her in-laws by her side. It was time for her to come into the foray. While Malhar Rao went on his excursions for collecting taxes, meeting neighbouring statesmen in the countryside, it was Ahilyabai who managed the chores at the capital. She was trained to keep the accounts, check and respond to the mails, solve issues of the subjects, look after their wellbeing all guided by her father-in-law.

Malhar Rao Hokar’s Chhatri in Alampur, built by his daughter-in-law Ahilyabai to commemorate his life

Malhar Rao’s letters to Ahilya are a testimony to how he saw her a his own daughter, a mentee and the one who would carry forward his legacy. After his death in 1766, she built a Chhattri for him at Alampur in his memory. Ahilyabai knew the fact that Malhar Rao was named after their family deity the Malhari Martanda or Khandoba of Jejuri, a manifestation of Shiva. Taking this into account she built many Shiva temples by his names including the ‘Malhareshwar’ and “Martandeshwar” temples at various places. It was due to Malhar Rao’s continued policy of Khajgi asset for women, that Ahilyabai could later patronise the re-construction of temples, pilgripage sites, wells, ghats and rest houses all from her personal expense.

An icon of the Maratha Empire

After the death of Bajirao in 1740, Malhar Rao in his sixties had garnered respect as an experienced general not only in Maratha politics, but in the whole of Hindustan. He had a considerable hold in the Rajputana states and was often called to Jaipur to solve the disputes between the scions Madho Singh and Ishwari Singh. In 1757, He accompanied Raghnath Rao to his campaign of Attock and making Delhi as his base captured Sarhind in 1758. His role in signing alliances with central Indian leaders during the third battle of Panipat, goes down into history as his excellent stints in diplomacy.

The Maratha Dominance in India in the 18th century

On June 18, 1751, Peshwa Nanasaheb received a letter mentioning Malhar Rao’s determination to sack the Gyanvyapi Mosque in Varanasi and rebuild the ancient Vishwanath Mandir at the site. “Malhar Rao has pitched his monsoon camp in the Doab. He is well intended to pull down the grand Masjid built by Aurangzeb at Benares and restore the original temple of Kashi Vishveshwar,” the letter read. With Marathas having no direct control over the region, Peshwa Nanasaheb sensed that sacking the Masjid would mean threatening the Hindu populace under the hands of the Awadh Nawabs and hence ordered a restrain. In 1780, it was only Ahilyabai to build a new Kashi Vishwanath Temple aside the mosque and commenced the worship of Shiva once again.

The Kashi Vishwanath Shrine built by Ahilyabai Holkar in 1780. The earstwhile Nandi can be clearly seen facing the original Gyanyapi Mandir upon which a Mosque stands to this date.

Malhar Rao’s long reign made him stand out as an architect of the empire in Central India. He played a lion’s share in conspiring Peshwa Bajirao’s dream of transforming Chhatrapati Shivaji’s Swarajya into a Samrajya. Beyond the binary assessment of Malhar Rao’s treatment of his women as Feminist or Patriarchal, he stands as an icon of leading female empowerment all throughout his life. While he continued to serve the house of Peshwas till his last breath, he left a strong legacy of leaders who secured much influence in the times of the Maratha confederacy.

In popular narratives, while Malhar Rao Holkar plays an impressive supporting role in the stories of Bajirao and Ahilyabai, our realisation of finding a hero in himself on his birth anniversary today, will go a long way.

Samajwadi Party fields Gorakhpur hospital tragedy accused Kafeel Khan as a candidate for Uttar Pradesh MLC elections

OpIndia Staff
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Samajwadi Party fields Gorakhpur hospital tragedy accused Kafeel Khan as a candidate for Uttar Pradesh MLC elections

The Samajwadi Party has named the controversial doctor – Dr Kafeel Khan as the party’s candidate from the Deoria-Kushinagar legislative council seat for the upcoming MLC elections in Uttar Pradesh.

Dr Kafeel Khan was named as the main accused in the deaths of several kids due to lack of oxygen cylinders at Gorakhpur’s Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College in 2017, where he worked as a paediatrician.

According to the reports, Khan is expected to file a nomination on Wednesday.

Earlier on Tuesday, Kafeel Khan met Akhilesh Yadav and presented him a book on the Gorakhpur hospital tragedy.

After the humiliating loss during the recently concluded assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party wants to field new candidates and prioritise new people instead of old faces. The party is also expected to deny tickets to non-performing sitting MLCs. In addition, some MLA candidates, who contested in the UP assembly polls 2022 and lost by a narrow margin, may also get a ticket in the MLC elections.

The MLC elections are scheduled to be held on April 9 for 36 seats under local bodies’ constituency of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council. The counting of votes will take place on April 12.

Dr Khan is presently suspended from his job over medical negligence charges levelled against him in 2017 after 72 infants had died in BRD medical college in Gorakhpur due to lack of oxygen supply. In January 2020, he was arrested for his speech at Aligarh Muslim University on December 10, 2019, during anti-CAA protests.

Khan had made some inflammatory remarks in his speech delivered during the anti-CAA protests in Aligarh Muslim University. He had reportedly remarked against Home Minister Amit Shah that he was a murderer whose clothes are foul with blood.

Khan had also said that the CAA made Muslims second class citizens, a complete lie because CAA had nothing to do with existing Indian citizens. He made several false allegations, adding that the students in the RSS run schools are taught that people with beards are terrorists and that with the CAA, the government has told Muslims that India was not their country.

Gujarati film ‘Prem Prakaran’ withdraws itself from theatres voluntarily to make way for Kashmir Files, will be re-released later

OpIndia Staff
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Gujarati film ‘Prem Prakaran’ withdraws itself from theatres voluntarily to make way for Kashmir Files, will be re-released later

On March 15, producers of the recently released Gujarati film ‘Prem Prakaran’ withdrew the movie from cinemas so that film ‘The Kashmir Files’ could get more shows. Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri’s latest film is based on the real events revolving around the exodus of the Kashmiri Hindus from the valley.

Vandan Shah, distributor of the Gujarati film, said in a statement that though the film was doing well at the box office, the producers wanted The Kashmir Files to get more shows. “We will return to the cinemas with ‘Prem Prakaran’ a little later,” he added.

Chandresh Bhatt, producer-director of the film, in a tweet said, “Nation first. Make way for The Kashmir Files so that you can enjoy the magic of cinema one at a time. We will see you again in the theatre soon. Thanks a lot to our audience for the immense amount of love. We will be back in cinemas for you very soon. Vande Mataram.”

He was quoted by E Times saying that as a filmmaker and as an Indian, he felt The Kashmir Files was bigger than just a film. “Although my film is a Gujarati film but this decision to withdraw our film from theatres is our way of contributing and giving way for ‘The Kashmir Files’ to get more shows. My film was doing well at the box office, but we will come back sometime later to cinemas,” he added.

Showing his gratitude towards the Gujarati Filmmakers, Agnihotri tweeted a ‘thank you’ tweet in Gujarati and said that he was grateful to the team of Prem Prakaran.

“I wish your film Prem Prakaran also gets resounding success. Thank you so very much,” he said in a tweet in Gujarati.

Actor Darshan Kumar, one of the leads in The Kashmir Files, called it an overwhelming experience. He said, “I have no words to express my gratitude to Chandresh Bhatt. I thank him for all the support that he has shown to our film. The Kashmir Files is now the people’s film, and a big thanks to the viewers for holding it so close to their hearts. My best wishes and a huge success for ‘Prem Prakaran’ as well. Thank you.”

The Kashmir Files

Based on the true events revolving around the Kashmiri Hindus’ exodus, The Kashmir Files by filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri was released on March 11. Despite the backlash from Islamists and the liberal section of the society who deemed the film as ‘Islamophobic’ and propaganda, the film has touched the hearts of the viewers and brought the plight of the Kashmiri Hindus to the mainstream.

Muslim girl student moves SC after Karnataka HC dismisses petitions saying hijab is not essential religious practice

OpIndia Staff
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Muslim girl student moves SC after Karnataka HC dismisses petitions saying hijab is not essential religious practice

Hours after the Karnataka High Court dismissed the collective pleas by Muslim student petitioners against the ban on wearing the hijab (headscarf) in classrooms, the latter has moved the Supreme Court against the verdict.

The petition filed in the apex court by a Muslim student named Niba Namaz through Advocate Anas Tanvir challenges the Karnataka High Court decision verdict in the hijab case. This challenge came after the High Court upheld the ban on religious symbols in pre-university colleges, stating that the hijab is not an essential practice of the Islamic faith.

The petition claims, that in upholding the ban, the Karnataka High Court “erred in creating a dichotomy of freedom of religion and freedom of conscience.” It goes on to say that the High Court overlooked the fact that the Karnataka Education Act, 1983, and the Rules enacted under it make no provision for students to wear a mandatory uniform.

Earlier in the day, the Karnataka High Court had pronounced its verdict in the hijab case filed by Muslim girl students. The court, as per its order, had stated that the hijab is not an essential practice of the Islamic faith. Therefore, all the petitions filed by Muslim girl students seeking permission to wear hijab in educational institutions stands dismissed.

The verdict was pronounced by the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court. 

The court found that wearing of hijab is not the essential religious practice of the Islamic faith and the prescription of a uniform is a reasonable restriction on fundamental rights. The court further stated in the order that no case is made out for invalidating the Government Order of February 5.

Karnataka hijab row

Some Muslim students at Karnataka’s Pre University College petitioned the High Court, asking to wear hijab in their classes. They were denied admission to courses because the hijab is not the part of the college’s uniform and so cannot be worn in class. The students have been demonstrating while wearing burqas since then.

After meeting with the Campus Front of India (CFI), the student branch of the Islamist organization Popular Front of India (PFI) in October 2021, Muslim students began wearing hijab and burqa to school and college in violation of uniform requirements.. The students confessed that they had spoken with the CFI.

However, this High Court Verdict is unlikely to settle the issue, as the case is set to go the the Supreme Court. A school’s uniform will be decided by the constitutional court of India.

Karnataka hijab verdict: Drawing false parallels is an older technique, Swara Bhaskar must learn something new to peddle her agenda

Pallav
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Karnataka hijab verdict: Drawing false parallels is an older technique, Swara Bhaskar must learn something new to peddle her agenda

The Karnataka High Court’s decision in the hijab matter has garnered widespread attention from all segments of society. However, the left-liberal cabal appears to be shattered by the discernment of a court of law ruling in a secular spirit. The prohibition of hijab in educational institutions not only protects the equality of status of students learning in schools and colleges but also reinforces the legitimate point of reasonable restrictions on Fundamental Rights under the constitution.

Swara Bhaskar, the “acclaimed” actor and “heralded” human rights activist, also appears to have booked a ticket in the same train of liberals criticizing and mocking the court’s order. Though her ‘intellectual brilliance’ cannot be questioned, she has often displayed it by exhibiting her low Intelligence Quotient. In a recent tweet, she reaffirmed that the degree of reasoning she employs is unfathomable to anybody other than some of the members of her left-leaning cabal.

The tweet by Swara Bhaskar.

In her tweet, she connects hijab restrictions at schools to the chapter in the Indian epic Mahabharata about Eklavya. She intentionally compares the denial of hijab in schools to Eklavya being denied training by Guru Dronacharya. Anyway, it is somewhat nice to know that at least she is reading some scriptures of the Hindu religion against which she never forgets to speak. However, her comparison and her understanding are completely dumbfounded in this case.

Eklavya was not denied training for any reason in particular. Dronacharya had his own reasons for refusing to teach him, or rather, for refusing to instruct anybody other than the Kauravas and Pandavas. Eklavya, as is well known, was a prince of the Nishada kingdom and he could not get trained by Dronacharya due to Dronacharya’s commitment to his kingdom, which made him duty-bound and loyal only to the Kauravas and Pandavas. It was in the best interests of his kingdom not to train anybody other than his princes.

Also, Eklavya learned archery in his own way, given the conditions of the time. When he encountered Dronacharya, he even paid the Gurudakshina (fees). Eklavya was a person of conscience who chose education and did not protest by holding placards on the side of the road. There is no comparison between the restriction on hijab in educational institutes and the refusal of Dronacharya to teach Eklavya archery. In fact, as the left keeps on harping about preserving individual rights, Dronacharya was well within his rights to refuse to teach Eklavya the art of archery. By drawing false equivalences, Swara is deviously trying to buttress her untenable argument that girls in institutes across Karnataka are denied education.

Drawing absurd parallelism and then exploiting them is the modus operandi of the global left-liberal ecosystem. The outpouring of rage in response to the hijab ruling, as well as the attempt to portray it as selective targeting of Muslim girls and women, are all a part of the same strategy—to mainstream Islamism and push towards a Sharia-compliant society. When the society revolts against such perverse practices, the left resorts to McCarthyism, which entails drawing false equivalences and using false allegations so that critics can be cowed into silence, if not obedience.

This is not the first time that Swara has resorted to drawing false parallels. She’s done it several times and at regular intervals. Her dedication to defaming Hindus has been highlighted several times in the past. One such instance can be referenced when, in 2021, she propagated fake news by labelling a criminal suspect as a Hindu and defaming the Hindu faith. She said that the perpetrator of the incident yelled Jai Shree Ram while perpetuating the offence, demonstrating Hindus’ intolerance. However, no footage of the incident was found, and the Uttar Pradesh government even filed a complaint against certain people for spreading misinformation. Swara, thankfully, was not mentioned in the FIR, but her role is clearly documented.

The haranguing following the hijab verdict is predicated on similar lines, with the whole left-Islamist ecology congregating and labelling this verdict as majoritarian and religiously particular. They even refuse to recognize the most fundamental fact that this judgment is made by a court of law, not by any other authority. These people are now claiming that they have lost trust in the country’s courts. Interestingly, just as the rubber on a slingshot returns to its original place after stretching, their trust in the judiciary returns immediately when a verdict favours their agenda. This is the same gang that expresses trust in the system when a member of their cadre is acquitted or given bail but rejects any legal ruling that contradicts their divisive and bigoted intentions.

The court has in the first place clarified that after hearing all the parties, it has come to the conclusion that hijab is not an essential practice in Islam and a school uniform is a reasonable restriction on the fundamental rights under the constitution. The court has nowhere stated or mentioned to deny education to any student for any reason. The order just made the point that one must adhere to the rules and regulations of an educational institution.

Surprisingly, if an issue falls on the left side of the court, the entire theatrics and chest-thumping around secularism subside. A nation-state is supposed to be secular at all times, but when it comes to specific goals that fit the leftist-Islamist agenda, the state should strip off its secular cloak.

Whatever the clamor, a sovereign, and secular state is not supposed to accept the view of a group of people comprised of persons like Swara Bhaskar, whose convictions are coloured by the Islamist ideology. Neither is the state bound to adopt Islamic principles. And, if one wants to wear a burqa or a hijab, a madrassa, which receives substantial funding from the public exchequer in the name of minority education, can be a viable option. Muslim girls and women who insist on wearing hijab/burqa can enrol themselves to madrassas or other Islamic seminaries where wearing a veil is not barred.

In fact, in solidarity with the Islamists who are bent on wearing hijab, even at the expense of forgoing education, Swara Bhaskar can perhaps don a burqa and walk to the local madrassa, in support of a deeply regressive practice and a symbol of sexist patriarchal oppression.

‘Ek Bihari 100 Bimari’: TMC MLA goes on a vitriolic rant; Mamata Banerjee had earlier sowed the seeds of Bengali vs outsiders narrative

OpIndia Staff
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‘Ek Bihari 100 Bimari’: TMC MLA goes on a vitriolic rant; Mamata Banerjee had earlier sowed the seeds of Bengali vs outsiders narrative

A Trinamool Congress legislator has courted controversy after his vitriolic rant against the people of Bihar went viral on social media. The TMC leader, identified as Manoranjan Byapari, made the contentious remarks during the 45th International Kolkata Book Fair.

In a video shared by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, Byapari was heard as saying, “They (Biharis) say that there is nothing in Bengal. So, why are you here? Go back to Bihar. We are satisfied with what we have here in Bengal. Who has asked you to be here?”

“You will live here, eat here and still complain that there is nothing in Bengal. If everything is fine in Bihar, then, get lost from here,” he had claimed.

“If you have the blood of a true Bengali like Binay-Badal, Khudiram and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and love the Bengali language, then, ignite the fire in you. You will also have to say it out loud: Ek Bihari, 100 Beemarii (One Bihari is equal to 100 diseases). We don’t want diseases. Make Bengal disease-free,” the lawmaker was heard as saying.

Manoranjan Byapari is a first-time MLA from the Balagarh constituency in Hoogly district of West Bengal.

Suvendu Adhikari slams TMC

While tweeting the contentious video, Suvendu Adhikari asked veteran Bollywood actor from Bihar, Shatrugan Sinha, about his decision to join the Trinamool Congress.

“Sir, what do you feel about this disgraceful rant of TMC MLA Manoranjan Byapari? Your new party colleague is very transparent about his feelings towards Biharis. His recent speech at the Kolkata International Book Fair,” the BJP leader asked.

He further pointed out, “First his leader Mamata Banerjee labels Biharis & UPites as “Bohiragotos” & now this clarion call to make Bengal free of Biharis.”

Mamata Banerjee and her prejudiced remarks against UPites, Biharis

In the run-up to the 2021 West Bengal Vidhan Sabha polls, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee made several distasteful remarks against the people of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. She tried to consolidate the Bengali vote by first labelling the BJP as a party of ‘outsiders‘ (Bohiragoto).

While addressing an election rally in March last year, she alleged, “They (BJP) have a plan to kill a woman from their own party. As you know, they had brought goons from Uttar Pradesh (to Bengal). They will make those goons torture her, blame the State and divide the Hindus and Muslims. Remember this is the plan of the thugs that have come from Bihar, and Rajasthan.”

“Baira thaka goondara aisa bangla ke dhokhol kora nibe, Banglar sanskriti ke dhokhol kore nabe, banglar asthitya dhokhol kore nabe.(Goons from other States will come here and take over Bengal, destroy its culture and identity),” the incumbent West Bengal Chief Minister alleged during another election rally in Nandigram.

Given that the party leader had espoused sectarian hate during the 2021 election campaign, it comes as no surprise that TMC MLA Manoranjan Byapari is now spewing hatred against the Biharis in West Bengal.

State-owned PNB reports borrowing fraud of over Rs 2000 crores in the NPA account of IL&FS Tamil Nadu Power Co. Ltd.

OpIndia Staff
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State-owned PNB reports borrowing fraud of over Rs 2000 crores in the NPA account of IL&FS Tamil Nadu Power Co. Ltd.

On March 15, state-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB) said in a letter to BSE and NSE that it had reported a borrowing fraud of over Rs 2000 crores in the non-performing (NPA) account of IL&FS Tamil Nadu Power Co. Ltd.

The bank made the disclosure under Regulation 30 of Securities Exchange Board of India (LODR) Regulations, 2015. As per the regulations, the bank has to report such events to the stock exchanges. In the letter, the bank said, “Reporting of Borrowal Fraud of Rs.2060.14 crore in NPA account of Mis IL&FS Tamil Nadu Power Co. Ltd. at Extra Large Corporate Branch at Delhi, Zonal Office: Delhi.”

Source: deepakshenoy/twitter

It further added, “A fraud of Rs. 2060.14 Crore is being reported by Bank to RBI in the accounts of the Company. Bank has already made provisions amounting to Rs. 824.06 Crore, as per prescribed prudential norms.”

The Nirav Modi scam case was also linked to PNB.

This is a developing story. Details awaited.

SP workers conduct “checks” of govt vehicles with returning officers: Attempt to murder charge slapped against over 100 people

OpIndia Staff
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SP workers conduct “checks” of govt vehicles with returning officers: Attempt to murder charge slapped against over 100 people

The Uttar Pradesh police have filed a case with “attempt to murder” charge against over 100 unknown people and 6-7 known people in connection with the illegal checks of government vehicles with returning officers made by SP workers, ahead of the election result day.

“On the 9th March, government vehicles with returning officers headed towards counting centres were being illegally checked by the Samajwadi Party workers. 7 complaints have been registered in this regard,” said Ashish Srivastava, SP Basti, Uttar Pradesh, while briefing the media. 

Srivastava further added that Section 307(attempt to murder charge) has been attached in the case for obstructing government officials from performing their duties. A case has been registered against 6-7 known and 100 unknown people, he added.

Samajwadi Party workers create ruckus after exit polls predict BJP’s return to power in UP

In the wake of exit poll results that predicted a return of the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh, a raft of Samajwadi Party workers had hit the streets alleging that EVMs will be hacked to ensure the victory of the BJP. At several places across the state, Samajwadi Party workers took to the streets, making outlandish claims of EVM machines being hacked and obstructing the government officials from doing their duties.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav also partook in the effort to perpetuate the EVM hack bogey. He claimed that the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) had been tampered with and that he no longer trusted the poll body, the Election Commission.

Claiming that the Varanasi district magistrate was transporting EVMs without informing the local candidates, Yadav Tweeted in Hindi on March 8, which roughly translated as, “The news of an EVM being captured in Varanasi has sent a message to every assembly in Uttar Pradesh to be on the lookout. All SP-alliance candidates and supporters should be prepared with cameras to thwart any attempt to rig the vote-counting process. Become soldiers in the counting of votes to protect youth democracy and future!”

Uttar Pradesh assembly elections 2022

Yogi Adityanath’s government registered a resounding victory in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, racking up a staggering 255 seats out of the total 403 Vidhan Sabha seats and in the process, creating history by becoming the first party in over 35 years to return to power in the state. Samajwadi Party, on the other hand, made tall claims of coming to power and defenestrating Yogi Adityanath from the CM post. But it fell short of the majority mark as it managed to bag only 125 seats.

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