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Canada: Police arrest three Punjabi Canadians for series of break-ins, vandalism, theft in Hindu temples, Jain temples and Gurudwaras in Toronto, one at large

OpIndia Staff
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Canada: Police arrest three Punjabi Canadians for series of break-ins, vandalism, theft in Hindu temples, Jain temples and Gurudwaras in Toronto, one at large

The Peel police in Toronto, Canada, have arrested three Canada based Punjabi men responsible for the series of break-ins, vandalism and theft that have been happening in Hindu temples in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) from November 2021 until March 2022. The fourth suspect is still at large.

The arrested accused have been identified as Jagdish Pandher, a 39-year-old man from Brampton, Gursharnjeet Dhindsa, a 31-year-old man from Brampton and Parminder Gill, a 42-year-old man from Brampton. They have been slapped with as many as 78 charges including Disguise with intent (13 counts each) and Break, enter and commit an indictable offence (13 counts each).

OpIndia had reported in February how there had been a series of attacks on Hindu temples in the Greater Toronto Area in a span of two weeks. According to reports, six temples had been vandalised in ten days. In addition, the attackers have stolen cash from donation boxes and ornaments that were adorned on the stolen idols. The incident had happened amidst the truckers’ protest in Canada.

Meanwhile, according to the latest reports, the accused have been charged for the loot and vandalism that occurred in nine Hindu temples, two Jain temples and two Gurdwaras in Peel Region which include Maa Chintpurni Mandir and Shri Gauri Shankar Mandir in Brampton as well as the Hindu Heritage Centre in Mississauga and the Hamilton Samaj Temple between November 2021 and March 2022.

These incidents started in November last year when the first break-ins happened at the Hindu Sabha Temple and Shri Jagannath temple, both in Brampton.

The spate of these attacks on Hindu temples increased with a failed attempt of a break-in at the Shri Hanuman Mandir in Brampton, Ontario on January 15, 2022. Unfazed, the criminals have been on the loose ever since.

According to the report, in a span of the next ten days, the miscreants vandalised and burgled nearly half a dozen temples in the vicinity. They broke in into the worship places, vandalised, stole cash from donation boxes and even ornaments adorning idols.

Another temple in Brampton, the Maa Chintpurni Mandir, was broken into on January 25, followed by a series of similar incidents at the Gauri Shankar Mandir as well as the Hindu Heritage Centre in Mississauga.

The management committee of Maa Chintpurni Mandir and Shri Gauri Shankar Mandir in Brampton confirmed that more than $30,000 cash was stolen from these two mandirs.

Hindu Heritage Centre in Mississauga, Canada had also taken to its official social media page to share the news on February 9, 2022.

“Devotees and priests have been left traumatised with this incident,” the Hindu Heritage Centre had said in a statement released after the incident.

source: Hindu Times Canada

On January 30, two persons created a hole in the wall to enter the Hindu Heritage Centre (HHC) in Mississauga. The miscreants rummaged through donation boxes and stole the cash. Multiple statues of Hindu gods and goddesses were broken. The centre’s office and gift shop were ransacked as well.

CCTV footage showed masked men wearing winter gear and carrying backpacks entering the temples. They appeared to spend a significant amount of time examining the temple premises for cash in donation boxes or other valuables such as jewellery adorning the deities. The loot was carried out mostly in the wee hours of the day.

The centre had reported the incident to Peel Regional Police, which in turn said in a release issued on February 11 that the 21 Division Criminal Investigation Bureau is investigating 10 breaks and enters that occurred at multiple places of worship across Peel since November 2021. 

Meanwhile, all three arrested Punjabi men had been presented at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton for a bail hearing on March 4, 2022.

The police said that they are continuing their hunt for the known fourth suspect. According to them, there is no evidence, as of now, that these crimes were motivated by hatred, and they appear to be purely theft-related acts. However, as the investigation continues, all conceivable motives will be investigated, they said.

Russia-Ukraine conflict: NMC allows MBBS students returned from Ukraine to complete medical internships in India

OpIndia Staff
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Russia-Ukraine conflict: NMC allows MBBS students returned from Ukraine to complete medical internships in India

In a huge relief to the Indian medical students evacuated from Ukraine, the National Medical Commission (NMC) on Saturday announced that it would allow Foreign Medical Graduates to apply for complete internship programme in India provided they clear the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE).

Amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, many of the Indian medical students with incomplete internships had to return to India and are facing hardships in getting themselves registered in the State Medical Councils. The NMC said that it has opened the doors also for those students who came back to India during the COVID times and are not able to continue their education in the countries out of India now.

“It has been observed that some Foreign Medical Graduates with incomplete internship due to situations beyond their control are face stress and agony. Therefore, the application to complete the remaining part of their internship in India is considered eligible”, the letter by NMC read.

The NMC also said that the students intending to appear for the FMGE and internship further will have to submit all the relevant identity documents and papers of completion of their primary medical education or successful completion of physical training.

The Commission reiterated that the provisions contained in the FMGL Regulations, 2021 would not apply if the graduates have acquired a foreign medical degree or primary qualification, prior to November 18, 2021. However, candidates who have joined their undergraduate medical education in a foreign institution prior to November 18 will be included in this category.

National Medical Commission is an Indian regulatory body of 33 members which regulates medical education and medical professionals. It has regulated that all those medical students who have returned from Ukraine and who intend to complete their internship in India, shall appear for FMGE. FMGE is an exit exam medical students must take in order to be able to pursue their postgraduation in Medicine and become eligible to get a license to practice medicine in India.

It is worth noting that the Indian government has undertaken a special evacuation operation named ‘Operation Ganga’ for the stranded Indian students. Several special flights have been running from Poland, Romania, and Hungary to bring the students home. Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, and SpiceJet have joined the Operation Ganga mission operating multiple flights from Ukraine’s neighboring countries to Delhi and Mumbai.

Nearly 20,000 Indian students, most studying medicine were stuck in Ukraine amid the conflict. Out of the total number, 60% have already reached India and efforts are being made to evacuate the balance 40% of the Indian nationals.

NDTV anchor tries to persuade the USA to be ‘disappointed’ with India, gets snubbed: How India’s stand in the Russia-Ukraine conflict is nuanced

Shashank Bharadwaj
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NDTV anchor tries to persuade the USA to be ‘disappointed’ with India, gets snubbed: How India’s stand in the Russia-Ukraine conflict is nuanced

Two weeks ago, in a surprise move, Russia launched a large-scale military operation inside Ukraine, causing a geopolitical disruption. The Russian military intervention in Ukraine has altered the strategic dynamics, making countries adopt prudent ways to deal with the ongoing crisis.

India, as a responsible global power, has so far taken a nuanced stand on the Ukraine-Russia crisis considering its own strategic interests. India has abstained from voting on the US-sponsored United Nations resolutions that “deplores” Russia in the strongest terms, with New Delhi saying dialogue is the only answer to settling differences and disputes.

The Indian government has called both parties to adhere to UN Charter and international law while asking them to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states. In fact, for the first time in seven decades, India has taken an independent and balanced position on a critical issue. Ever since the clashes broke out, the Indian government has made it clear that Western countries cannot force them to take a stand that compromises their national interest.

Some in the west, including a few within India, view this as a pro-Russian stand and often claims that India has a ‘moral’ compulsion to stand with west-backed Ukraine and not its time-tested ally Russia.

However, this decision does not tantamount to supporting any side. On the contrary, it means that India will not take anyone’s side in an ongoing intra-European conflict and wishes to see it resolved through dialogue and discourse. For India, the evacuation of its stranded citizens in Ukraine has been the greatest priority in this hour of crisis and has been working to evacuate its citizens from the war-torn country safely.

In fact, this neutral stand of the Indian government has yielded good results, with both Ukraine and the Russian government are actively helping the Indian government to evacuate its citizen despite the absence of any ceasefire agreement. Perhaps, India is the only country in the world that has managed to bring its citizens back home safely within two weeks of the military intervention.

However, a certain vested interest within India is now dispirited after realising that the Indian government can take its own decisions to protect its strategic integrity and cannot be bullied by the west to blindly accept the diktats issued by them, as was the case in the past. These vested interests are now making all efforts to persuade the United States, another strategic ally of India, to act against the Indian government for its alleged support to Russia.

On Friday, controversial far-left ‘news’ outlet NDTV did something similar to persuade the United States government to take a firm stand against the Modi government for abstaining from voting on a US-backed UN resolution targeting Russia.

NDTV news anchor Sreenivasan Jain was caught pleading with the United States representative desperately to be ‘disappointed’ against the Indian government’s supposed ‘fence-sitting’ in the ongoing Ukraine-Russia clashes. Speaking to Patricia Lacina, the chief of the US mission to India, Jain told the US diplomat that India had taken a stand that was contrary to the US interests.

The news anchor asked whether there was any sense of disappointment within the Biden administration after India, one of its strategic allies, as it abstained from voting on the US-backed resolution.

However, to Sreenivasan Jain’s disappointment, Lacina did not want to make any unnecessary comment on India’s stand on the current issue but insisted that the US did not believe India is in “Russia’s camp” on the Ukraine war. The American diplomat said that America understood that India’s relationship with Russia is “very different” from the US relationship with Russia.

Interestingly, the United States has also been consistent in its position regarding India’s approach to the Ukraine-Russia crisis. The Biden administration has time and again repeated that India’s relationship with Russia is “distinct” from that the US shares with the latter and that they have no problem.

“India has a relationship with Russia that we certainly don’t have. India and Russia have a relationship, including in the defence and security sector, that we don’t have. And again, we have asked every country that has a relationship, and certainly those countries that have leverage, to use that leverage in a constructive way,” the state department had reiterated last week.

Despite the United States of America making it clear that it cannot dictate India anymore, the left-liberals are desperately attempting to goad the west to make an intervention and command the Modi government to take decisions even at the cost of India’s national interest.

Pakistan: ISIS claims responsibility for the suicide blast at Shia mosque in Peshawar, death toll rises above 50

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: ISIS claims responsibility for the suicide blast at Shia mosque in Peshawar, death toll rises above 50

The Islamic State (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the deadly bomb blast inside a Shia Mosque in Peshawar. During Friday prayers, a bomb exploded, killing at least 56 people and injuring nearly 200 others. It is one of the bloodiest attacks in Pakistan.

The Islamic State’s regional unit, Islamic State Khorasan, or ISIS-K, claimed responsibility for the attack, according to an ISIS statement. According to the statement, the explosion was performed by an Afghan suicide bomber.

According to authorities, at least one assailant on a motorbike shot two police officers before entering the mosque and detonating what seemed to be a suicide vest.

The blast occurred during Friday prayer in a Shia mosque in Qisa Khwani locality of Peshawar.

Sheikh Rashid, Pakistan’s Minister of Interior Affairs, stated that the intelligence agency did not issue an alert or directive that the attack was initiated from overseas. He made no mention of any country or group. However, he stated that it is a big conspiracy to destabilize Pakistan.

The devastating attack occurred on the opening day of a cricket Test match between Pakistan and Australia in Rawalpindi, 190 kilometres to the east. For the first time in 24 years, Australia’s cricket team is in Pakistan. The Australian team was hesitant to travel to Pakistan for the bilateral series, but consented when Pakistan stated that it was ready for “anything.”

According to sources, Australian team officials were keeping a close eye on the issue and communicating with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The Australian team is in Islamabad for the ongoing Rawalpindi test match, and they have presidential-level protection for the entire tour. The remaining games of the series will be played in Lahore and Karachi.

Following an attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in 2009, international cricket in Pakistan was halted for a decade.

Farmer orgs concoct new reasons to protest: From capital for Punjab, control of dams, Ajay Mishra’s bail, Ukraine and more. What they are angry about now

OpIndia Staff
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Farmer orgs concoct new reasons to protest: From capital for Punjab, control of dams, Ajay Mishra’s bail, Ukraine and more. What they are angry about now

The Farmer organisations seem to have found new, overarching reasons to protest. On Friday, Balbir Singh Rajewal, President of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) strongly opposed the bail to Ashish Mishra, son of MoS Home Ajay Mishra Teni who was named as the prime accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. “Cancel bail of MoS Ajay Teni’s son”, Rajewal said as he held protests along with the members of 22 farmer organisations outside the Governor’s house in Chandigarh.

This is a day after the Supreme Court has nodded to hear the plea seeking the cancellation of Ashish Mishra’s bail in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case on March 11. Mishra was granted bail in the case on February 10 by the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court.

The petitioners then moved to the Supreme Court seeking an urgent appeal before the Chief Justice of India NV Ramana who has agreed to hear the case this month. Mishra was arrested on October 9 last year, accused of being primarily involved in the incident that took place in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3.

On October 3, eight people were killed amidst violence that erupted when farmers were protesting against Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya’s visit to the area. Four farmers died and a driver and two BJP workers were lynched by farmers.

Other new demands for which the farmer organisations have now decided to start protesting

The farmers demanded a separate capital for Punjab and accused the Centre of taking control of the state dams. He also complained that the School Education Board had distorted information in history books and that the students were made to learn the wrong history.

BKU President, Balbir Singh Rajewal amid the protests on Friday also opposed the privatization of the Power department of Chandigarh which is scheduled to be executed by the end of April this year. “We don’t allow privatization, as Chandigarh admin tried to privatize electricity board”, he affirmed.

The privatization of the power department of Chandigarh will be executed as it will be transferred to the Kolkata-based Eminent Electricity Distribution company by the end of April. According to the reports, the transfer is said to affect its 700 regular employees, 90% of which will be transferred to the private bidder with financial security and benefits.

It is important to note that the move of transferring the power department in the private hands is being opposed by its stakeholders, employees and also the consumers fearing of the raised tariff rates to satisfy the private pockets. Earlier the All India Power Engineers Federation also urged the govt to scrap the decision of privatization.

Meanwhile, Rajewal also commented on the ongoing war in Ukraine and India’s efforts to get back the Indian nationals safe back to our country. He stated that many of the Indian students were stuck in Ukraine and the speed with which the Indian government was evacuating the students would result in severe loss.

Pertinently, the BKU President happened to ignore the fact that the Indian government has undertaken a special evacuation operation named ‘Operation Ganga’ for the stranded Indian students. Several special flights have been running from Poland, Romania, and Hungary to bring the students home. Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, and SpiceJet have joined the Operation Ganga mission operating multiple flights from Ukraine’s neighboring countries to Delhi and Mumbai.

Nearly 20,000 Indian students, most studying medicine were stuck in Ukraine amid the conflict. Out of the total number, 60% have already reached India and efforts are being made to evacuate the balance 40% of the Indian nationals.

Pakistan donating poor quality wheat to Afghanistan, India’s quality far better: Taliban official slams Pakistan, gets fired

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan donating poor quality wheat to Afghanistan, India’s quality far better: Taliban official slams Pakistan, gets fired

Even the Taliban seems to be not very happy with Pakistan standards. According to reports, the Taliban has criticized Pakistan for providing low-quality wheat in aid while praising India for supplying high-quality wheat. A spokesperson of the Taliban slammed Pakistan saying that the wheat sent by Pakistan is rotten and is not fit for consumption.

However, it is reported that the Taliban official who made these statements about Pakistani wheat’s poor quality was fired from his position.

A video of a Taliban spokesperson making comments about wheat given by Pakistan and India is making the rounds on social media sites.

Many people have seen the clip, and many Afghans have expressed their gratitude to India for its generosity.

A Twitter user based in Afghanistan wrote with the video, “Hear the difference between a Muslim neighbour and a Hindu neighbour. Hey India! Thank you #India for your continued support to the Afghan people. Our Public to public-friendly relations will be forever. Jai Hind!”.

Indian humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan

It is notable that after declaring humanitarian assistance for the Afghan people, India dispatched the first consignment of 2,500 tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan via Pakistani land routes.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Afghan Ambassador Farid Mamundzay, and World Food Program Country Director Bishaw Parajuli sent off the first convoy of 50 trucks delivering the shipment during a ceremony in Amritsar in February.

The second humanitarian assistance convoy carrying 2000 MTs of wheat left Attari, Amritsar, for Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on Thursday.

All this is part of India’s 50,000 MT wheat pledge to the Afghan people, which will be distributed by the UN’s World Food Programme.

On October 7, India made a proposal to Islamabad requesting a passage route to transport 50,000 tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan via Pakistan. On November 24, it received a positive reply. Following that, both parties communicated to finalize the shipment’s transit methods.

Russia blocks Facebook, global media outlets, including BBC and CNN stop reporting from the country after it passes ‘fake news law’: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Russia blocks Facebook, global media outlets, including BBC and CNN stop reporting from the country after it passes ‘fake news law’: Details

On Friday (March 4), Russia’s communication regulator Roskomnadzor blocked Facebook for allegedly restricting the dissemination of news content by state-owned media channels.

As per reports, Roskomnadzor claimed that the social media giant had ‘discriminated’ against Russian media on 26 occasions since October 2020. It further alleged that Facebook has been imposing restrictions on State-controlled media outfits such as Russia Today (RT), Sputnik and RIA. Citing these reasons, the communication regulator blocked the services of Facebook.

The social media giant has over 7.5 million users in Russia, as of 2021, and over 122.2 million users across Instagram, Messenger and Whatsapp. Social media giants have been under immense pressure to take action against Russia after it launched a full-scale invasion in Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

Facebook issues statement, claims efforts underway to restore services in Russia

President of Global Affairs at Facebook’s parent company Meta, Nick Clegg, informed that Facebook will do everything to ensure its services are restored in Russia. He stated, “Soon millions of ordinary Russians will find themselves cut off from reliable information, deprived of their everyday ways of connecting with family and friends and silenced from speaking out. We will continue to do everything we can to restore our services so they remain available to people to safely and securely express themselves and organize for action.”

In a blog post on Friday, Meta stated, “Despite the Russian government’s announcement that they will be blocking Facebook, we are working to keep our services available to the greatest extent possible. However, due to the difficulties of operating in Russia at this time, ads targeting people in Russia will be paused, and advertisers within Russia will no longer be able to create or run ads anywhere in the world, including within Russia.”

On February 26, the Head of Security Policy at Meta, Nathaniel Gleicher, announced that Facebook would stop Russia’s State-controlled media from running ads or monetising their content. The Russian government had earlier limited access to the social media giant partially for turning down a request to allow ‘independent fact checking’ by State-controlled media outlets.

Russia enacts ‘fake news law’, global media suspends reporting

The Russian government, led by President Vladimir Putin, has enacted a new ‘fake news law’ that has provisions to jail journalists for up to 15 years for publishing ‘fake news.’ The law also imposes fines against those calling for sanctions on the country for invading Ukraine.

Russia has also objected to the use of the word ‘war’ to describe the invasion of Ukraine. It has instead directed media channels to use ‘special military operation’. The new move by the Russian government is aimed at censoring independent journalism and intimidating journalists with retaliatory measures.

Keeping the situation in mind, global media outlets have temporarily suspended reporting from Russia. These organisations include the BBC, CNN, CBC, CBS News and Bloomberg News. Many news outlets also removed the bylines of Russia-based journalists, after assessing threats to their security.

In its defence, Russian communication regulator Roskomnadzor had claimed that false information was being peddled in the country on the behest of its enemies, including the US and its Western European allies.

“We have with great regret decided to temporarily suspend our news gathering inside Russia. The change to the criminal code, which seems designed to turn any independent reporter into a criminal purely by association, makes it impossible to continue any semblance of normal journalism inside the country,” Bloomberg Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait remarked on March 4.

BBC Director-General, Tim Davie, said: “It leaves us no other option than to temporarily suspend the work of all BBC News journalists and their support staff within the Russian Federation while we assess the full implications of this unwelcome development. Our BBC News service in Russian will continue to operate from outside Russia.”

“Our top priorities are the safety of our employees and covering this important story fairly and fully. Being in Moscow, freely able to talk to officials and capture the mood, is key to that mission,” reported Dow Jones spokesperson Steve Severinghaus.

The international news outlet, The New York Times, had attempted to defend fake viral stories under the pretext that it is a part of warfare tactics and crucial to keep the morale of Ukranian soldiers high.

“Viral stories like the Ghost of Kyiv — a Ukrainian pilot who supposedly single-handedly shot down several Russian fighter jets — are of questionable veracity. But they’re a key part of Ukraine’s war plan, experts say, as it tries to keep morale high,” it had tweeted on Friday (March 4).

Centre opposes full-reopening of Covid-19 epicentre Nizamuddin Markaz, says only a few will be allowed to offer prayers for Shab-e-Baraat: Read why

OpIndia Staff
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Centre opposes full-reopening of Covid-19 epicentre Nizamuddin Markaz, says only a few will be allowed to offer prayers for Shab-e-Baraat: Read why

The Union government opposed the full re-opening of the controversial Nizamuddin Markaz building in southeast Delhi, the epicentre of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country during the first wave, and submitted that only a few people could be allowed to offer prayers at the mosque in the complex during the festival of Shab-e-Baraat.

According to reports, the centre said that a few people might be allowed to offer prayers on the upcoming Shab-e-Baraat as fully opening of the Markaz would hamper the investigation in connection with a Tablighi Jamaat event held at the Nizamuddin Markaz, an event that emerged as the Covid-19 epicentre in March 2020.

In its affidavit, the Centre submitted to the court that it was necessary and incumbent to preserve the Markaz property as the investigation in the case registered for violation of the Covid-19 protocols has “cross borders implications and involves nation’s diplomatic relations with other countries”.

Delhi Waqf Board had filed a petition seeking the complete reopening of the Markaz building, which was sealed for violating Covid-19 norms during the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in March 2020. The application was filed seeking to reopen the premises comprising the Banglewali Masjid, Madarsa Kashif-ul-Uloom and attached hostel, which are currently locked up.

However, the centre argued that the mosque is a case property, and the petitioner board has no locus to seek its reopening. The counsel said even on earlier occasions, a concession was made to allow a few people to offer prayers, and the Centre had no objection to allowing a few people if certain conditions were fulfilled.

During Ramzan last year, the court had allowed 50 people to offer namaz five times a day at the Nizamuddin Markaz, contending there is no direction in the DDMA notification to close down places of worship.

The Nizamuddin Markaz – the epicenter of Covid-19 in India

In March 2020, hundreds of people who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Nizamuddin Markaz tested positive for coronavirus. Reportedly, thousands of people had travelled to attend the event from various states. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, 1746 people lived in Markaz, including 216 foreign nationals. The Delhi government said that the congregation violated the Covid-19 protocols in place that prohibited large gatherings.

Countering the allegations, Markaz claimed that they had not flouted any rules and ended the congregation when the nationwide lockdown was imposed. In addition, it alleged that several of the participants were stuck as no mode of transport was available.

From the Markaz, Tablighi Jamaat members travelled all over India, often hiding their travel details and avoiding quarantine. Those members that were caught and sent to institutional quarantine centres were found misbehaving with healthcare staff and creating a nuisance.

On March 31 last year, Delhi Police registered a case against the officials of the Markaz, including Maulana Saad, under sections of Epidemic Disease Act,1897 and Section 269, 270, 271, and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code. By April 3, 2020, 30% of the Covid cases in India were reportedly linked to the congregation that took place at the Markaz.

Rahul Gandhi peddles lies yet again, needlessly drags in Hinduism to target PM Narendra Modi in Varanasi: What he said

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi peddles lies yet again, needlessly drags in Hinduism to target PM Narendra Modi in Varanasi: What he said

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections are in their last leg now. The 6th phase of voting has just concluded and the 7th phase is scheduled for 7th March. With result day only days away (10th March), Congress scion Rahul Gandhi seems to be making a last-ditch effort to garner some residual votes by lying through his teeth and dragging in Hinduism to make his lies seem elaborate.

While the Uttar Pradesh Elections are on, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are already on a temple run. Hours before PM Modi was supposed to pray at the Kashi Vishwanath temple, Rahul and Priyanka reached there as a part of their seasonal-Hindu program.

However, right after visiting the temple, Rahul Gandhi peddled a long-debunked lie against PM Modi and dragged in Hinduism to provide more impact to his lie. Speaking in Varanasi, Rahul Gandhi repeated the “Rs 15 lakh” lie.

He said, “Never seen a religion telling you to lie, let alone Hinduism…I’ll die but never tell you that I’ll deposit Rs 15 Lakh to your accounts…I respect you enough to not lie to you. Modi Ji lies&says he protects Hinduism; no, he protects lies”.

In the past 7 years, the lie about PM Modi promising the deposit of Rs 15 lakhs in every citizen’s account has been repeated over and over by various political opponents of PM Narendra Modi.

However, this assertion is just that – a lie.

The speech that Rahul Gandhi is now lying about is from the 7th of November 2013 when PM Modi was addressing a public rally in Chhattisgarh.

While speaking about Black Money stashed abroad, Modi said rhetorically that the amount stashed abroad is so large that if the Indian government could succeed in bringing back all of that, then every citizen would get 15 lakh rupees in their account.

Modi said, “The whole world says that crooks in India deposit their money in banks abroad. Black money is hoarded abroad in banks. My brothers and sisters of Kanker, tell me, this stolen money should be brought back or not? Should we take back every penny hoarded by these crooks? Doesn’t the public have a right over this money? Should this money not be utilized for the welfare of the people? If even once, the money hoarded by these crooks in banks abroad, even if we bring only that back, every poor Indian would get free of cost Rs 15 to Rs 20 lakhs, just like that. There’s so much money.”

Quite clearly, Narendra Modi was making a rhetorical point about the amount of black money stashed abroad and was hinting at the strict measures his government would take when it came to power. He was not actually promising to deliver 15 lakh rupees to every citizen’s account.

This lie has been repeated ad nauseam before every election and other occasions as well by politicians of the Congress party, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra despite facts being put to the fore several times.

In this occasion, Rahul Gandhi did not only peddle this lie but also dragged Hinduism to give his lie more heft, in his mind.

He said that Narendra Modi claims to protect Hinduism but he lies and that no religion teaches to lie. There was essentially no need to drag in Hinduism into the discourse in a political speech targeting a political opponent. Ironically, Rahul Gandhi said that those who protect Hinduism don’t lie and goes on to lie, thereby admitting that he is the last person who can protect Hinduism.

This is not the first time that Rahul Gandhi has dragged in Hinduism for no apparent reason. Recently, Rahul Gandhi had blamed Hindutva for inflation.

He had started off with a lot of philosophy saying that two ‘jeevs’ cannot have one ‘aatma’. He then asked the rhetorical question to the stunned audience whether two lives can have the same soul. When he did not get an answer, he answered it himself and said how two words don’t have the same meaning. After a lot of buildups, he said that the two words he was speaking about ‘Hindu’ and ‘Hindutvawadi’. The rally was to protest against inflation and high prices, but somehow, Rahul Gandhi thought this was the perfect time to talk about Hindu and Hindutva.

Largest British supermarket chain Sainsbury renames popular dish ‘Chicken Kiev’ to ‘Chicken Kyiv’ to show solidarity with Ukraine, to stop selling Russian products

OpIndia Staff
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Largest British supermarket chain Sainsbury renames popular dish ‘Chicken Kiev’ to ‘Chicken Kyiv’ to show solidarity with Ukraine, to stop selling Russian products

British supermarket chain Sainsbury has decided to rename ‘Chicken Kiev’ to ‘Chicken Kyiv’ to support Ukraine amidst the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. According to reports, Sainsbury’s – the UK’s second-biggest supermarket said they would be changing the packaging of the dish to reflect the change in the next few weeks, switching the Soviet-era name for the country’s capital for the Ukrainian version.

Kiev was the standardised spelling of the Ukrainian capital during Soviet rule. However, after its breakdown in 1991, the spelling was changed to ‘Kyiv’, to reflect Ukrainian ethos.

Not only did the chain decide to change the spelling, but also remove all products sourced from Russia. “We stand united with the people of Ukraine. We have reviewed our product range and have decided to remove from sale all products that are 100% sourced from Russia,” a spokesperson for Sainsbury’s said.

The move comes after several vendors in the UK announced a switch to Chicken ‘Kyiv’, including the Better Naked brand and Essex-based Our Local Butcher, and Marks & Spencer. Chicken Kiev, a popular dish across Europe, is chicken breast stuffed with cold herb-infused butter. The marinated chicken is then coated in flour, eggs and breadcrumbs before being deep-fried or baked.

In addition to Chicken Kiev, the supermarket chain will no longer sell two other Russian products – Russian Standard vodka and Karpayskiye black sunflower seeds.”

Sainsbury’s also said it had also reviewed JJ Whitley products, a range of vodkas and other spirits made in Russia.

Meanwhile, other supermarkets such as Waitrose, Aldi and Morrisons have also decided to withdraw Russian-made vodka from their shelves to show solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

In a statement, Waitrose said that it would not be selling Russian vodka, while its sister department store chain, John Lewis, will take off pizza oven pellets that are sourced from Russia.

Aldi has also decided to remove Russian vodka on Friday after the Co-op and Morrisons decided to boycott the Russian products earlier this week.

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