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‘You don’t keep hammering and chiselling after a murti is formed’: Aaditya Thackeray offers ridiculous analogy to explain Shiv Sena’s departure from Hindutva

OpIndia Staff
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‘You don’t keep hammering and chiselling after a murti is formed’: Aaditya Thackeray offers ridiculous analogy to explain Shiv Sena’s departure from Hindutva

Aaditya Thackeray, Maharashtra cabinet minister of Tourism and Environment, on Friday, offered a preposterous analogy to explain why his party, Shiv Sena, has departed from the hardline Hindutva ideology championed by his grandfather and founder of the party Balasaheb Thackeray.

Speaking at the ABP Ideas of India Summit on March 25, Thackeray equated hardline Hindutva to hammering and chiselling that an idol needs during its initial stages of creation, adding that once a murti is sculpted, one doesn’t need to hammer or chisel it.

On being asked if Shiv Sena needs to do hardline Hindutva politics that its ideological fountainhead Balasaheb Thackeray was known for, Aaditya Thackeray said, “Different times have different needs. When someone carves a murti(idol), you need hammering and chiselling to give a form that murti. What will happen if you keep hammering and chiselling the murti after it is formed? After it is sculpted, hammers and chisels are kept aside and the murti is worshipped.”

Shiv Sena barters its support for Hindutva for chief ministerial post in Maharastra

Even so, this is possibly the first time that a senior Shiv Sena leader had confessed to eschewing the cause of Hindutva. Ever since Shiv Sena broke its decades-old alliance with the BJP and joined hands with Congress and NCP, it has been accused of trading its much-revered Hindutva ideology for the position of chief ministership. Shiv Sena had severed ties with its erstwhile partner after being embroiled in a dispute over the rotational chief ministerial post following the Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019.

With the aim of installing a Shiv Sainik as the chief minister of the state, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party snapped its ties with the BJP and formed an alliance with the ideological rivals-NCP and Congress, sacrificing its support for Hindutva on the altar of chief ministerial position.

The first signs of Shiv Sena dropping the Hindutva issue came to the fore when a Common Minimum Programme(CMP) was hashed out between the allies of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra. It appeared that in their thirst for power, Shiv Sena had given up on the Hindutva cause. In fact, there were speculations then that the Congress and NCP wanted an assurance from Shiv Sena that their Hindutva agenda is going to take a back-seat once the government is formed.

After forming a government with NCP and Congress, Shiv Sena had drastically toned down its demand for a Bharat Ratna for the Hindutva ideologue and Freedom Fighter Veer Savarkar, indicating that it no longer championed the cause of Hindutva with the same intensity it once did. Reservations up to 5 per cent for Muslims in Maharashtra was another such incident that demonstrated that Shiv Sena had relinquished its support for Hindutva.

Detention of ‘activist’ Khurram Parvez, who dubbed Amarnath Yatra ‘militarised pilgrimage’, extended by 50 days: Here is what you need to know

OpIndia Staff
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Detention of ‘activist’ Khurram Parvez, who dubbed Amarnath Yatra ‘militarised pilgrimage’, extended by 50 days: Here is what you need to know

On Thursday (March 24), a National Investigation Agency (NIA) court extended the detention of Kashmiri ‘activist’ Khurram Parvez and 2 others for 50 days. The trio was arrested in a terror funding case in November last year.

An application was filed before the court by the NIA, seeking an extension of the investigation period, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The central agency argued that under UAPA, the detention of an accused can be extended up to 180 days if the investigation is not completed within 90 days.

The matter was heard by Judge Praveen Singh. During the hearing, he observed that evidence could be tampered with by the accused since the investigation was still underway. Justice Singh noted, “I find that as the investigation is in progress, the chances of tampering with evidence cannot be ruled out.”

“Considering all these facts and circumstances and considering the facts stated in PP report, many of which cannot be disclosed, I find that it is a fit case where further extension for the period of investigation as demanded should be granted,” the Court stated.

It further added, “The application at hand is accordingly allowed. The detention of accused persons, namely, Muneer Ahmad Kataria, Arshid Ahmad Tonch and Khurram Parvez for the purpose of investigation, is extended for a further period of 50 days,” Court said.

Justice Praveen Singh also rejected the argument made by the lawyers for the accused that the extension of detention violated the Right to Life as guaranteed under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.

Details of the terror funding case

According to the National Investigation Agency, Islamist terror outfit Lashkar E-Taiba (LeT) has developed a widespread network of operators in India. These operators are tasked with recruiting overground workers for planning and carrying out terror activities in the country.

As per the findings of the central agency, Muneer Ahmad Kataria, Arshid Ahmad Tonch and Khurram Parvez worked as ‘LeT operators’ and actively recruited overground workers from different States in India. The trio was also in close contact with foreign handlers and had passed sensitive information about security forces and vital installations to them.

NIA informed that the three accused also identified key target locations for executing terror attacks. The central agency collected incriminating documents and pieces of evidence against them after conducting searches at several places in West Bengal, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir.

The duo, Muneer and Arshid, also received money from various individuals from several States such as Bihar, UP, Rajasthan, Telangana, Karnataka and West Bengal. They also maintained ‘fictitious’ bank accounts in the names of different individuals.

In September 2016, Khurram Parvez was arrested from his home in Srinagar for being a “threat to peace in the Kashmir Valley”. He was later released after he was detained for 76 days.

Khuram Parvez had called Amarnath Yatra ‘militarised pilgrimage’

Parvez is the founder of the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), which has a history of propagating anti-India narratives in Jammu and Kashmir. JKCCS, in collaboration with Bangalore based Equitable Tourism Options (Equations), had published a controversial report in 2017, titled “Amarnath Yatra: A Militarized Pilgrimage”.

In the report, Parvez and other writers had tried to downplay the religious significance of ‘Amarnath Yatra’. It claimed that the Hindu pilgrimage is a ‘political yatra’ and allegedly a ‘manifestation of Hindutva nationalist movement.’

“In the initial 140 years or so of the Yatra’s existence, it seems to have stabilised and became a matter of routine, with not too much of an impact on the people of Kashmir. In 1985, with the resurgence of the Hindu right-wing and the Ram Janmabhoomi campaign, several shrines attracted the attention of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and especially, one of its subsidiary organisations, the Bajrang Dal, which were used to revive a fundamentalist form of Hinduism,” the report had claimed.

Yogi Adityanath takes oath as Uttar Pradesh CM for the second time: Here is the list of ministers in the newly-formed government

OpIndia Staff
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Yogi Adityanath takes oath as Uttar Pradesh CM for the second time: Here is the list of ministers in the newly-formed government

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister-designate Yogi Adityanath took oath as the chief minister for a second term on Friday.

The oath-taking ceremony of the Yogi Adityanath government was organised at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Friday as the chief minister and his ministerial colleagues were sworn in by Governor Anandiben Patel.

The Bharatiya Janata Party leaders arrived at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Friday to witness the oath-taking ceremony of the Uttar Pradesh cabinet. PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Haryana CM ML Khattar, Himachal Pradesh CM Jairam Thakur and others were present during the ceremony.

After taking the oath, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath sought blessings from Prime Minister Modi for his second term.

Senior BJP leader Keshav Prasad Maurya yet again took oath as deputy CM of Uttar Pradesh. Brajesh Pathak, an MLA from Lucknow Cantonment and also former Minister of Legislative, Justice, Rural Engineering, took oath as another deputy CM of the state.

The other BJP leaders who took oath on Friday were Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary, Jaivir Singh, Dharam Pal Singh, Nand Gopal Gupta ‘Nandi’, Arvind Kumar Sharma, Yogendra Upadhyaya.

BJP ally Ashish Patel, the husband of Union Minister Anupriya Patel, Nishad party’s Sanjay Nishad take oath as cabinet ministers in UP. BJP leader Jitin Prasada, who quit the Congress party recently, also took an oath as minister in the Uttar Pradesh government.

Along with Yogi Adityanath, a total of 16 Cabinet ministers, 14 Ministers of State (Independent Charge), and 20 Ministers of State also took the oath on Friday. Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak took oath as the two Deputy Chief Ministers of the state.

Here is the complete list of ministers in the newly formed UP Cabinet: 

List of ministers in the newly formed Uttar Pradesh Cabinet/ Image Source: Twitter

Cabinet Ministers 

Surya Pratap Shahi, Suresh Kumar Khanna, Swatantra Dev Singh, Baby Rani Maurya, Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary, Jayveer Singh, Dharampal Singh, Nand Gopal Gupta, Bhupendra  Singh Choudhary, Anil Rajbhar, Jitin Prasada, Rakesh Sachan, Arvind Kumar Sharma, Yogendra Upadhyay, Ashish Patel, Sanjay Nishad.

Minister of State (Independent Charge)

Nitin Agrawal, Kapil Dev Agrawal, Ravindra Jaiswal, Sandeep Singh, Gulab Devi, Girish Chandra Yadav, Dharmveer Prajapati, Asim Arun, JPS Rathore, Dayashankar Singh, Narendra Kashyap, Dinesh Pratap Singh, Arun Kumar Saxena, Dayashankar Mishra’ Dayalu’.

Minister of State

Mayankeshwar Singh, Dinesh Khateek, Sanjeev Gond, Baldev Singh Olakh, Ajit Pal, Jaswant Saini, Ramkesh Nishad, Manohar Lal Mannu Kori, Sanjay Gangwar, Brijesh Singh, KP Singh, Suresh Rahi, Somendra Tomar, Anoop Pradhan ‘Valmiki’, Pratibha Shukla, Rakesh Rathore Guru, Rajni Sharma, Satish Sharma, Danish Azad Ansari, Vijay Laxmi Gautam.

According to provisions of the Constitution, under the tenth schedule, there can be a total of 60 ministers in Uttar Pradesh, including the chief minister.

‘US-UK funded media and PR organisations running Ukraine’s propaganda ops, lobbyists working to send more weapons to prolong the conflict’: Report

OpIndia Staff
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‘US-UK funded media and PR organisations running Ukraine’s propaganda ops, lobbyists working to send more weapons to prolong the conflict’: Report

A detailed article titled “Ukraine’s propaganda war: International PR firms, DC lobbyists and CIA cutouts” in mintpressnews.com, written by journalist Dan Cohen has discussed how an extensive, massively funded specialised PR campaign is being run by several entities associated with the governments of US, UK and NATO bodies to portray the war in Ukraine to suit Western agendas.

In the article, Cohen starts how the ‘brilliant’ propaganda by Ukraine is being hailed by several international experts. The strategic communications aimed to depict the Ukrainian military as righteous, tiny heroes standing up to the brutal Goliath that is the Russian military, has been praised openly.

Behind this massively successful propaganda campaign are a group of international PR firms working directly with the Ukrainian foreign ministry, Cohen writes.

‘Massive PR blitz launched within hours’

As per the report, hours after the beginning of the Russian ministry operation in Ukraine, an anonymous figure, who runs a PR firm in Ukraine, had started collaborating with the Ukrainian foreign ministry. Working in collaboration with a wide network of over 150 international PR firms, a massive propaganda blitz was soon launched.

The report says the PR blitz is led by PR Network co-founder Nicky Regazzoni and Francis Ingham, a top consultant closely associated with the UK government. Ingham reportedly sits on the UK Govt Communication Service Strategy and Evaluation Council and leads the membership body of the UK government’s local govt communicators.

The report further states that with the PR firms offering entire teams to help Ukraine, the Ukrainian MFA distributed a dossier containing key messages, approved language, and other details. The dossier is run by one Yuroslav Turbil, a communications specialist who has worked with several US govt organisations.

Dossier contains already debunked lies, Nazi propaganda and racist, hateful artworks

The dossier by the Ukrainian MFA reportedly contains several constructs that have already been proven false. For example the ‘Snake Island heroes’ and the ‘ghost of Kyiv’ stories. Artworks and posters supporting Stephen Bandera, a Nazi collaborator who led OUN-B, an organisation that had murdered thousands of Jews and ethnic Poles during WWII find prominence.

The dossier celebrates Molotov cocktails as ‘Bandera smoothie’, lists Russia, Belarus, North Korea, Eritrea, and Syria as “incurable diseases”, and includes derogatory, racist and violent depictions against Russians, and Putin. It also contains page links for foreign ‘volunteers’ to sign up for fighting in Ukraine.

False claims and fear-mongering

The said dossier also contains several claims that have already been debunked. ‘Key messages’ aimed primarily at spreading disinformation and panic among people in Europe. For example, it says “entire Europe was put on the brink of a nuclear disaster when Russians began shelling the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant.”

This was a fake claim. Similar fake claims were made by Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and his ministers, trying to spread panic over an ‘imminent nuclear disaster’. In reality, the International Atomic Energy Agency had confirmed that the building that was hit in Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant was not a part of the reactor. No radiation leak had happened and the Russians had put the NPP back on the grid soon after taking control.

Cohen further writes that the dossier also claims that Turkey had ‘blocked access to Russian warships to the black sea”, while in reality, Turkey had banned all warships, including those from NATO nations from passing the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits.

How NATO-backed entities used Facebook to block Russian media

The article further says Facebook has acted against Russian state-run media outlets, censoring several of them, upon recommendations from a self-proclaimed ‘fact-checking’ portal called StopFake. StopFake is reportedly funded by the National Endowment for Democracy, Atlantic Council, Czech and UK foreign ministries, and the International Renaissance Foundation, which is funded by billionaire George Soros’ Open Society Foundation, as per the article.

“StopFake was hired by Facebook in March 2020 to “curb the flow of Russian propaganda” but was found to be employing multiple figures closely tied to violent Neo-Nazis. The journalist who co-authored the exposé received death threats and ultimately fled Ukraine”, Cohen writes.

The article further names PR and experts like Nataliya Popovych, co-founder and board member of Ukraine Crisis Media Center, a propaganda arm funded by the US Agency for International Development, the National Endowment for Democracy, the US Embassy, and NATO, among many others including CEO of Edelman PR Richard Edelman, who is a member of the Atlantic Council’s board of directors.

CIA-linked organisations provide the content for PR, says report

The report further says that the content for the PR campaign is largely derived from specific media outlets run by billionaire foundations. At the core of it all is a project called ‘Russian Language News Exchange’, which was founded by opposition media outlets in ex-Soviet nations. Several journalists from these outlets were reportedly flown to Warsaw in 2021 to participate in a training program.

While the Russian Language News Exchange claims to be ‘independent’, Cohen writes that it is a project by Free Press Unlimited, funded by the Dutch government and European Commission. The 14 media outlets included in it act as nodes, cross-publishing and amplifying each other’s reports in various countries.

The website’s introductory video is by Maxim Eritsavi, head of the Millennium Leadership Program at NATO. On March 4, Free Press Unlimited had launched a project called Media Lifeline Ukraine to raise funds for pro-Ukraine coverage. They soon announced a joint project with the Institute of Mass Information, which is funded by USAID, and the UK government.

‘Lobbyists in USA getting US congress to approve more and more weapons for Ukraine’

Cohen writes that while PR firms are working to build public opinion around Ukraine and against Russia, some dedicated lobbyists are working in Washington DC to get the US Congress to approve more and more weapons for Ukraine.

Daniel Vajdich, one of the ‘lobbyists’ named in the article reportedly wrote Zelenskyy’s recent speech to the US Congress, citing Martin Luther King Jr’s ‘I have a dream’ quote to ask for a no-fly zone over Ukraine. Another lobbying firm SKDKnickerbocker’s MD Stephen Krupin had reportedly written the speech for the Ukrainian Permanent Rep. to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya’s Feb 23 speech at the UNGA. Krupin was a former speechwriter for Obama and had worked also in the Biden campaign.

The other lobbyists working for the Ukrainian government in the USA cited in the article include Andrew Mac from Asters Law, Global Strategy’s Shai Franklin, and a Maryland-based lawyer named Lukas Jan Kaczmarek.

In conclusion, the article adds that a Ukrainian defeat is imminent and can only be prevented if NATO joins the war, a possibility that has been ruled out by US president Biden. However, a number of PR groups and lobbyists are working relentlessly to promote the Ukrainian side as brave heroes who are fighting a desperate war against Russian aggressors and facilitating the flow of massive amounts of weapons into the country, thus, prolonging the conflict.

No blue eyes, no blond hair: Is that why victims of war in Ethiopia and Yemen are children of a lesser God?

Sandeep Singh
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No blue eyes, no blond hair: Is that why victims of war in Ethiopia and Yemen are children of a lesser God?

For the past one month, the entire world has been justifiably horrified by the events in Ukraine. Ever since Russia started its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, thousands have died, and millions have become refugees leaving their homes. The Western world has acted as one and has imposed strict sanctions on Russia while providing Ukraine with Billions of dollars worth of aid and weapons. Meanwhile, there are other conflicts around the world, including in Ethiopia, Yemen and other places, with more civilian deaths and more refugees, which continue to get ignored by global media and powerful nations who suddenly seem very vocal about Ukraine.

The civil war in Ethiopia

The Tigray war in Ethiopia started in November 2020, leaving tens of thousands dead, millions as refugees, and hundreds of thousands in a famine-like situation. The civil war started when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops to a military base in the northern region of Tigray, which borders Eritrea and Sudan. Abiy Ahmed accused Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF), the party ruling the region, of attacking the base and announced that the Ethiopian military had bombed the facility in retaliation.

Soon, militias from the neighbouring Amhara region of Ethiopia, and forces from adjoining country Eritrea joined Ahmed’s troops starting this long-lasting conflict in Tigray. Surrounded from all sides, TPLF continues to fight and resist Ahmed’s forces, but the war has had a devastating effect on the local population.

Roots of the problem

Since 1994, Ethiopia has had a federal system in which different ethnic groups control the affairs of the 10 regions in the country. The TPLF was the leader of a four-party coalition that governed Ethiopia from 1991 and was the most influential party in the region. However, discontent among the coalition led to a reshuffle in 2018, resulting in Abiy Ahmed being appointed the Prime Minister.

Ahmed set up a new Prosperity Party and removed key Tigrayan government leaders accusing them of corruption and repression. Tigray’s leaders accused Abiy Ahmed of trying to centralize power and destroy Ethiopia’s federal system.

The tensions between the two escalated in September 2020 when Ahmed postponed elections in the country citing Coronavirus as the reason. Meanwhile, TPLF held elections in Tigray, which were deemed illegal by Ahmed’s government, and the war broke out a few weeks later.

Ethiopia
Image source: Anadolu Agency

Current situation

As per reports, the situation is really dire in Tigray right now. Even by conservative estimates, around 50,000 have died in the war due to violence, starvation, and diseases. Over 2.5 million have been displaced as refugees, and live in the neighbouring regions in abject poverty. Over 4 million desperately need food assistance to survive as famine has gripped the region. However, unfortunately, the world’s heart doesn’t bleed for them the way it does for European refugees.

The millions of refugees, along with dealing with food shortage, also have to deal with communicable diseases such as malaria, cholera, as well as reduced access to treatment for non-communicable diseases and maternal and child health services.

Ethiopia
Image Source: Associated Press

Yemen civil war

The civil war in Yemen began in September 2014, when Iran-backed Houthi insurgents seized the capital Sana’a and took control of the government. By March 2015, they had taken control of most of the country leading President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi to flee the country and go to Saudi Arabia.

Image Source: Parliament of Australia

In response to Iran-backed Houthis seizing control of Yemen, Saudi Arabia announced a military intervention in Yemen against the Houthis. A 9 country coalition of countries from the Middle East and North Africa led by Saudi Arabia started a bombing campaign against the Houthis in 2015.

Yemen
Image source: BBC

The bombing campaign later expanded to include a naval blockade, and then ground forces of the coalition in Yemen. The United States provided intelligence and logistical support to the coalition and accelerated the sale of weapons to the coalition states.

The war has been absolutely devastating for the civilian population of Yemen. As per UN estimates, 377,000 people have died due to the war since 2015. Diseases and starvation have wreaked havoc on the locals, with the majority of the casualties being children. Thousands of children have died due to a Cholera outbreak that infected a million people. Poor sanitation and no access to clean drinking water have led to various water-borne diseases among the population.

Image source: United Nations

Over 4 Million people have been displaced since the start of the conflict, and now nearly half the country’s population lacks enough food in the country of 30 million people, as per the world food program.

Ethiopia
Image source: TRT World

As the civilian population in these regions continue to starve and fall to diseases, the world refuses to move beyond token gestures to help them. United Nations recognizes that these are the two biggest humanitarian disasters staring the world today, but even then the efforts to end the conflicts are nowhere in sight.

There are no sanctions placed on Ethiopia and Abiy Ahmed (a Nobel Peace Prize winner) to pressurize them to stop the violence in Tigray. There are no talks to stop buying oil from Saudi Arabia till they stop bombing Yemen, in fact, the USA wants to replace the Russian oil supply with oil from Saudi Arabia.

The forgotten civilians of these countries may rightly think that they are the children of a lesser God, or maybe God just cares for the blonde, blue-eyed refugees.

Parth Jindal, MD of JSW Sports and chairman of Delhi Capitals endorses Arvind Kejriwal’s derisive remarks on ‘The Kashmir Files’

OpIndia Staff
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Parth Jindal, MD of JSW Sports and chairman of Delhi Capitals endorses Arvind Kejriwal’s derisive remarks on ‘The Kashmir Files’

In a shocking display of insensitivity towards the plight of Kashmiri Pandits, Parth Jindal, the managing director of JSW Sports, the chairman of IPL cricket team Delhi Capitals and Bengaluru FC, on Thursday endorsed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s callous statements on the genocide of Kashmiri Hindus that took place in the 1990s.

On Thursday, Parth Jindal retweeted Aam Aadmi Party leader Abhijeet Dipke’s tweet that endorsed Arvind Kejriwal’s insensitive remark on the movie – ‘The Kashmir Files’. In the tweet, Dipke had hailed Kejriwal’s speech where the Delhi CM was seen making contemptuous remarks for the movie.

Dipke had claimed that the speech of Kejriwal was ‘vintage’, in which the Delhi CM had called the movie a ‘lie’. The AAP leader had also mocked the BJP and movie director Vivek Agnihotri, asking them not to watch the video.

Netizen Mr Sinha took to Twitter to point out that he had retweeted the tweet, endorsing the derisive comment by Kejriwal.

Arvind Kejriwal mocks ‘The Kashmir Files’ to launch an attack against BJP

Speaking in the Delhi Assembly on Thursday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had displayed callous insensitivity by ridiculing the demands to make ‘The Kashmir Files’, a movie based on the 1990s Hindu genocide in Kashmir, tax-free in the state.

Mocking the decisions of various state governments of making The Kashmir Files tax-exempted in their respective states, CM Arvind Kejriwal stated, “They are saying to make the movie The Kashmir Files tax-free, better upload it on YouTube and the whole movie will become free.”

Arvind Kejriwal, laughing and giggling, said that if they wanted The Kashmir Files to be tax-free, Vivek Agnihotri, the director of the movie, should simply release it on YouTube so everyone can watch it for free. Refusing to stop the insult there, Kejriwal further said that the movie was not based on reality and was a “jhoothi film”.

The mocking of the plight of the Kashmiri Hindu genocide had met with a strong reaction from the Hindu community, who came forward to react sharply to the insults heaped by Arvind Kejriwal. Several Kashmiri Pandits had slammed Arvind Kejriwal for calling their genocide a lie and defended the movie saying it was indeed a true movie and not a ‘Jhooti film’.

Some even said that the insensitive remarks made by Arvind Kejriwal were akin to Bitta Karate killing Hindus on the streets of Kashmir.

Parth Jindal’s endorsement for Kejriwal’s remarks on ‘The Kashmir Files’ draws social media backlash

By endorsing such careless statements made by a sitting Chief Minister, Parth Jindal is now facing widespread condemnation across social media platforms. Netizens slammed Parth Kiindal for his cruel act, who also urged the Hindus to boycott the products of Jindal Group, including withdrawing support to his IPL franchise Delhi Capitals and ISL team Bengaluru FC.

Vijay Patel, a fact-checker and researcher, said that Jindal Group should not forget that their income source is mostly from Hindus and warned them against mocking victims of genocide.

‘The Kashmir Files’ film is based on the genocide of the Kashmiri Hindus by the fanatic Islamists in Kashmir in 1990 and the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus following that. The film stars Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty, Pallavi Joshi, Darshan Kumar, Chinmay Mandlekar, and Mrinal Kulkarni are in lead roles.

Many Islamists opposed the film before its release. A petition was also filed in the Bombay high court after the trailer of the film was published on YouTube. The petition sought a ban on the release of the film, citing that it could potentially hurt the sentiments of the Muslims in the country.

Thousands of birds rescued by Delhi Police in a raid on illegal bird market near Jama Masjid

OpIndia Staff
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Thousands of birds rescued by Delhi Police in a raid on illegal bird market near Jama Masjid

On Wednesday, Delhi Police in collaboration with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) raided the illegal bird market in Delhi. Police raided the Kabutar Market near Jama Masjid in a massive operation against the pervasive illicit wildlife trade. Thousands of birds were rescued from the hands of vendors.

The majority of the birds rescued are native parrots. They were held in cages here after being unlawfully hunted. Apart from that, several other native birds such as Muniya, hill Myanas, and pigeons were rescued. These rescued birds were in terrible condition.

The Delhi Police and Forest Department confiscated the birds, which included over 500 chicks, and they are now being treated and cared for at Wildlife SOS.

Kabutar Market Delhi
Image: Indiatimes

The birds were crowded into cramped cages and housed in rooms with little natural ventilation. Several young parakeets were discovered dead after being placed on top of each other in little cardboard boxes.

PETA India filed a complaint under multiple provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA), 1960, and the Indian Penal Code, 1860, which led to the search. In addition, an FIR has also been filed in accordance with the Wild Life (Protection) Act (WPA) of 1972.

The birds were taken into custody by the Forest Department, and the rescued birds, which included adults, chicks, and juveniles, were placed in the care of Wildlife SOS under the direction of the Deputy Conservator of Forests.

Kabutar Market Delhi
Image: Indiatimes

The WPA makes it illegal to possess or sell wildlife species. Several of the bird species rescued on Friday were not indigenous to the National Capital and had to be smuggled in from neighbouring states. Despite the fact that the birds have been rescued, they require special attention to ensure their survival.

This illegal bird market in Delhi has been around for a long time and is located in front of the Red Fort, near the Jama Masjid. This sort of raid has occurred several times in the past. Nonetheless, the business of purchasing and selling birds is undertaken without concern.

Chhattisgarh: Shivling of a temple uprooted and carried on a hand cart to the Tehsil office to appear before a Court for a summon

OpIndia Staff
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Chhattisgarh: Shivling of a temple uprooted and carried on a hand cart to the Tehsil office to appear before a Court for a summon

In an unusual move, a Shivling of a Shiva temple in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, was uprooted on Friday, March 25 and brought to the Tehsil office to appear before the Court in response to a summoning order issued by the Tehsildar Court a few days ago, reports LiveBeat.

RGHNews, a local media platform, provided LawBeat with photographs and videos showing the Shivling of the temple being carried to the Court on a hand trolly. However, the hearing was reportedly cancelled due to a lack of officers in the tehsil, and the date of appearance was set for April 13.

According to the report by LiveBeat, the development occurred as a result of a petition filed by Sudha Rajwade before the Chhattisgarh High Court, in which 16 people, including the Shiv temple, were accused of trespassing on government property.

The copy of the judgement (source: LiveBeat)

Rajwade claimed that illegal construction is taking place on government land adjacent to the proposed construction of a housing residential real estate project called Banshi Enclave.

On February 14, 2022, the high court directed the Municipal Corporation to ensure that no further illegal construction on the said government land is permitted. The court also ordered the authorities to inspect the alleged encroachment sites.

In response, the Tehsildar Court directed the concerned officials to inspect the said land and found the encroachment allegations to be true. Following that, the Tehsildar Court summoned ten people, including the temple, to appear before the Court today.

The Tehsildar had also warned everyone in the notice that failure to appear at the hearing could result in a Rs 10,000 fine and eviction from the premises.

Unprecedented increase in Muslim population in West Bengal has forced many Hindus to migrate, some areas in rural Bengal have 70:30 demographic: Report

OpIndia Staff
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Unprecedented increase in Muslim population in West Bengal has forced many Hindus to migrate, some areas in rural Bengal have 70:30 demographic: Report

The demographic imbalance in West Bengal has become a growing cause of concern. A journalist with the Organiser magazine named Pranay Kumar visited a few cities like New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri, Islampur, Malda Town, Murshidabad etc., villages and towns situated adjacent to them, where he noticed a terrible imbalance in the demographics in these villages. Many Rohingya immigrants from Bangladesh have come and settled in these areas. This unprecedented increase in the Muslim population in specific areas of the state bordering Bangladesh has forced many Hindus to migrate from these regions.

Describing the unmatched scenic beauty of these small hamlets in West Bengal, the Organiser journalist said that there are limitless business opportunities here since the land in this area of West Bengal is very fertile and hundreds of small villages are attached to and dependent on each market here but the only problem is the law and order situation and changing demographics. 

The journalist went on to write that the condition of cities is comparable to that of other states in the country, but there is a severe demographic imbalance in the villages. In most villages and small towns, Muslims outnumber non-Muslims. There are also a large number of suspected Rohingyas from the bordering country of Bangladesh, who are being deliberately pushed into the villages for vote banks, despite the Centre identifying them as a security threat. As a result of their abundance, local Hindus migrate to other cities or safer locations. They flee as a result of organised and sponsored violence. They are terrified by the spread of violence, said the journalist.

As a result, Hindu migrants are selling their homes, farms, businesses, and other assets. Following their escape, some Muslims share their land, take gardens, and care for their homes with great care and skill. They then obtain ownership rights to those lands at rock-bottom prices, have them registered in their names by demonstrating a fear of losing possession of the house, and so on. The majority of these mango, orchard, fruit and vegetable markets are now controlled by Muslims.

It is critical for a border province like West Bengal to put a stop to this migration. Hindus’ main issue is migration and self-forgetfulness, opines Pranay Kumar.

Speaking further about the clout and influence that these Muslims have developed in these regions over time, the journalist stated that when he met a few Muslims living in these regions, he was surprised to see that they were living such a luxurious life despite living in a village. He described how a particular Muslim man he met owned over 125 madarsas, schools and professional institutions and a number of hospitals.

He also visited several madrasas, or religious schools for Muslim girls, as well as nursing and pharmacy schools. He said that he was surprised to see madrasas, schools, and nursing-pharmacy colleges operating with excellent infrastructure in areas bordering Bangladesh. Every year, around 50 young people from these madrasas travel to Saudi Arabia to study religion. The majority of them go on to become imams and bukharis. These madrasas educate Muslim children ranging in age from 7 to 30 years. They receive funds from all over the country. Saudi Arabia provides the funding, and they take full advantage of all state government schemes. Their entire system is designed to exploit government funds and schemes, said the Organiser journalist.

The journalist went on to say that he was surprised by how many Muslim officials were in charge of police administration in most of those border areas, which he believes is impossible without collusion with the power elite.

The journalist said that he also interacted with many Muslim girls and women and realised that there was terrible fanaticism among the youth.

Concerned about the growing Muslim population in these areas, the journalist stated that the demographics of rural conditions have a 70-30 ratio in some areas. He further narrated how a Muslim he met told him that fewer children are considered a “Gunah” in their society. 

“When I came to know a Muslim family, they proudly told me he is a father and his 3 wives have in total 39 brothers and sisters apart. When my friend asked, “Do you have 3 children?” he proudly replied – “No, 6”. Again, fewer children are considered a “Gunah” in our society. It does not have any bad effect on the health of our wives due to “Allah ke Fazal”, and after the death of my brother, I have adopted his child on paper as well,” wrote the journalist.

The journalist further stated how a Muslim man, he encountered, confessed that the Madarsas being operated in those areas receive funds through hawala networks from Islamic countries in the Gulf.

“A Muslim told me we do not charge any fee for these children studying in Dini Talim or Madrasa-Pharma-Nursing. Those who are capable pay a fee of 1000 rupees per month. At first, he kept avoiding the question “Where does the money come from?” but on my repeated asking, he said that the rich Muslims of the Gulf countries, Kerala and the country give him charity,” wrote the Organiser journalist.

The journalist went on to say that the local Hindus in these areas believe that the only way to solve this growing crisis is for the ruling dispensation to change. “They want the BJP to win so that the winds of development flow in these areas, capital comes, the industry comes, making a place for itself in the minds of the people on the development front is a big achievement of the BJP, but it is a big failure of the BJP leadership to not provide qualified candidates. Even among the Muslims, people accepted it in a suppressed tongue that better development takes place under the BJP rule!” opined the journalist.

Further elucidating what went wrong with the BJP’s inroads into West Bengal, the journalist said that BJP is a ray of hope for West Bengal. People know and believe that only BJP can change the picture and destiny of West Bengal. But the local Hindus need a grassroots leader, who works on the ground, fights for them, and passes the benefits of various government schemes down the line to the common Hindu voter. The real problem of BJP, West Bengal, is that they do not have leaders to fight on the ground. If the BJP finds such leaders, then Hindus will vote for them along with a few Muslims, too. But unfortunately, most of the BJP’s winning leaders do not even spend time in the region, stay outside the state, are more interested in the politics of Delhi.

Days after Birbhum violence, cops seize 200 crude bombs from Margram: Here is what we know so far

OpIndia Staff
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Days after Birbhum violence, cops seize 200 crude bombs from Margram: Here is what we know so far

On Friday (March 25) morning, the police recovered 200 crude bombs from Margram village in Rampurhat II CD Block in Birbhum district of West Bengal. The area falls under the administration of the Hansan Vidhan Sabha constituency.

As per reports, about 6 barrels of crude bombs were seized by the police. The bomb squad was also summoned to detonate the live bombs. The police have initiated a probe into the matter.

It must be mentioned that Margram is located only a few kilometres away from Bogtui village, where 8 people were charred to death following the alleged murder of a TMC leader named Bhadu Sheikh.

At this point, it remains unclear as to what the unidentified miscreants intended to do with the crude bombs or whether it is connected to the violence in Bogtui village.

Violence in Birbhum

On Tuesday (March 22) night, a group of enraged miscreants set ablaze around 12 homes which resulted in the gruesome death of eight people including women and children in Birbhum’s Rampurhat. 

The autopsy report of the burnt bodies showed that the victims were beaten before they were locked in their own homes and set ablaze. The gruesome killings are believed to have been orchestrated to avenge the alleged murder of TMC leader Bhadu Sheikh.

Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had issued a notice to the West Bengal government and the state’s police chief and requested a report within four weeks detailing the steps taken to ensure people’s safety. A TMC block President by the name of Anarul Hossain has been arrested so far.

In the aftermath of the Birbhum violence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a strong message of condemnation and appealed to the State government to bring the perpetrators to justice. On Friday (March 25), the Calcutta High Court transferred the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

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