Another witness in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case has taken a U-turn saying that he was pressurized by the Maharashtra ATS to name RSS leaders in this case. The witness has denied having given the earlier statements voluntarily. The witness has told the court on Thursday in Mumbai that the Maharashtra ATS had tortured him to take the names of RSS leaders during the probe. Citing this, Judge P R Sitre of the special court for National Investigation Agency (NIA) has declared him hostile.
Till now, 222 witnesses have been examined in this case. Out of these, 17 witnesses have refused to support the prosecution and turned hostile. The witness told the special court on Thursday that the ATS had taken him to custody repeatedly and he was tortured to name the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leaders in the Malegaon bomb blast case. According to the witness, he is not an RSS member. He also said that he does not know any of the RSS leaders.
“They wanted me to take RSS members’ names and take anyone’s name who is not from their association. They hit me every day while I was detained but today I’m courageous to speak the truth. Mumbai ATS even threatened that if I spoke the truth, they’d kill me,” the witness reportedly told the court.
Before this, another prosecution witness had similarly taken his old statement back saying that he was pressurized by the ATS to name Yogi Adityanath and four other RSS leaders.
On 29th September 2008, an explosive device attached to a motorcycle blew off near a mosque in Malegaon. Six people were killed while 100 others were injured in this incident. BJP MP from Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit, Sudhakar Dwivedi, Major Ramesh Upadhyay (Retired), Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, and Sameer Kulkarni are the accused in this case. However, by now several witnesses have revealed that Mumbai ATS used the incident to frame the BJP and RSS leaders, while they were not involved in the attack.
Malegaon is situated in Nashik district of Maharashtra and it is a town known for being communally sensitive. Recently, when fake news of disrespecting the Quran in Tripura had appeared, Muslims of this town had called for a bandh and the situation had become sensitive when the Hindus reacted back to this term dictating approach of the local Muslims.
Rahul Gandhi – the scion of Gandhi Parivar has ignited a massive debate in the country by questioning the very idea of India as a ‘nation’. Speaking in the Parliament on the motion of thanks to President’s Address in Lok Sabha, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi claimed that India was just a “union of states” and not as a nation.
“India is described in the Indian Constitution as a union of states and not a nation. One cannot rule over the people of a state in India. Different languages and cultures cannot be suppressed. It is a partnership, not a kingdom,” claimed Rahul Gandhi, who launched a tirade against the Modi government.
In his speech, Rahul Gandhi insisted that the power arrangement between the states and the centre is of a “negotiation” and insinuated that India did not have a single national identity, instead, the idea of India rose from an agreement or a negotiation between the provincial units. The Gandhi-scion also brought the reference of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, imagining them to be distinct entities and asserted that the ruling dispensation treated these constitutional units as its kingdom.
To put it simply, Rahul Gandhi views the provincial units, commonly referred to as ‘states’, as autonomous political entities which, according to him, were independent units that reached an agreement to form a new nation-state ‘India’ during the process of national integration. For Rahul Gandhi, India is just a political unity born after 1947, which arose due to the integration of several provincial units, comprising British Indian provinces that were directly ruled by the British Empire and the 565 princely states which enjoyed relative autonomy during the colonial rule.
Rahul Gandhi dismisses the very idea of India’s national identity and expectedly peddles the left-liberal narrative of India’s non-existence as a nation before 1947. Instead, the Gandhi-scion considers India a national entity that owes its existence to the British Empire, which created several provincial entities that later integrated based on an agreement to form the Republic of India.
Rahul Gandhi questions the idea of India:
In his hurry to target the Modi government, Rahul Gandhi resorts to the dangerous ploy of questioning the very idea of India as a nation. To do so, the fifth-generation dynast Rahul Gandhi displays his flawed understanding of the provisions of Article 1 of the Indian Constitution, from where he seems to have lifted the fallacious interpretation of the idea of India as a “union of states”.
Article 1 describes India, that is, Bharat, as a “union of states”. Rahul Gandhi twists the very basic idea of “union” to actually deliver a speech on the idea of “federation”.
It is important to note that the Drafting Committee of the Constitution was very careful in choosing the words to interpret the constitutional relationship between the federal and the provincial units. They had a purpose while choosing the word “union” to “federation”. They were of the view that the word “union” better defines the relationship between two units as the union of India is not the outcome of an agreement among the old provinces, and it is not open to any state or a group of states to secede from the union or to vary the boundary of their states on their own free will.
This is exactly why the constitution-makers stayed away from using the term “federation of states” and insisted on referring to “union of states”.
However, in his speech, Rahul Gandhi misinterprets Article 1 to subtly suggest that India is a federation of states, which was formed due to the outcome of an agreement or negotiation among provincial units.
Even Dr BR Ambedkar, the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution, was very categorical in explaining the idea of “union of states”. First, Dr Ambedkar suggested that the Indian Federation is not the result of an agreement among the states like the American Federation. Secondly, the states have no right to secede from the federation. The federation is a union because it is indestructible.
Most importantly, Dr Ambedkar clarifies that the country is an integral whole that is divided into different states only for the “convenience of administration”.
However, Rahul Gandhi is now trying to tread on this dangerous path by insinuating that the idea of India stood on the premise of some agreement between provincial units and the centre, without which India as a nation did not exist. Perhaps, Rahul Gandhi assumes this “agreement” between the states is negotiable in the future, threatening India’s very existence as a nation-state.
Not just Ambedkar, even Rahul Gandhi’s great grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru has several times insisted that the organisation of princely states and provinces were not just on linguistic lines, but also from the point of administrative efficiency.
It is important to note that the Linguistic Provinces Commission under the chairmanship of SK Dhar in 1948 had recommended the reorganisation of states based on administrative convenience rather than linguistic factors, suggesting that provincial units did not have any independent identity on their own. In contrast, the integration of the state was merely an act of national consolidation rather than establishing a new national identity as being claimed by Rahul Gandhi.
Is Rahul Gandhi stoking sub-nationalism and Balkanisation?
Rahul Gandhi’s repeated reference to Tamil Nadu and a direct challenge to the union government asking them to try and establish control over the state is deeply problematic and worrisome. Today, it is not an unknown fact that there is a slight discord among some northern and southern states over several political, economic, linguistic, and cultural issues. However, these grievances and differences have been addressed and accommodated in a non-partisan manner by the Indian leadership for over seven decades now.
However, by constant flaring up of regional identities, especially by riding on the sub-national sentiments, Rahul Gandhi intends to divide India and Indians on regional identities. After failing to polarise Indians along caste and religious lines, Rahul Gandhi perhaps thinks that he can stir up regional sentiments as a means to keep Indians fighting forever.
Intriguingly, this is not the first time Rahul Gandhi is resorting to milk the ‘North-South’ divide. In February last year, Rahul Gandhi had claimed that representing a constituency in Kerala has been a refreshing change for a person like him who had represented a constituency in Northern India for the first 15 years of his career. The Congress leader had said that people in Kerala are interested in issues, unlike others. Though it looked like he was praising Keralites, in reality, he was insinuating that the people in the north were not as serious as the people of the south.
It seems like Rahul Gandhi has now gotten hold of a new playbook of covertly reviving sub-nationalism sentiments to polarise the country on regional lines, if unchecked, which may slowly result in strengthening separatist tendencies in many states.
On Thursday, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) attacked two posts in Pakistan’s southwest province neutralizing more than 100 Pakistani persons and destroying a large part of their camps. The attack took place late on Wednesday in Panjgur and Nushki in Balochistan province.
The attacks took place late on Wednesday, targeting two paramilitary posts in the towns of Panjgur and Naushki. The BLA issued an official statement confirming that the major parts of both the camps were still under their control. “Baloch fidayees have so far killed more than 100 enemy personnel. Large parts of camps are completely destroyed. Backup troops have arrived for the enemy forces, however, they have failed to weaken fidayee positions inside the camp,” the statement read.
Statement from Baloch Liberation Army says that the group has killed more than 100 Pakistani soldiers during attacks on military bases in Panjgur and Nushki of occupied Baluchistan. #BLApic.twitter.com/UbV7SaaCDY
“After the successful major attack by Fidayeens, the occupying state has banned its media from reporting events. It has also disconnected all telecommunication networks. Pakistani military’s ISPR is claiming today’s attack were repulsed, this is a complete lie and BLA’s today’s operations are still underway with full intensity,” BLA added.
#BLA claims to have killed over 100 Pakistani soldiers in 2 major attacks in #Panjgur & #Noshki capturing FC bases.#Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed confirmed the operation still going on. Last night ISPR had claimed the attacks were repulsed & 4 attackers were killed. pic.twitter.com/WQrpSFZxi2
BLA also said that the Pakistani military claiming to have repulsed the attack is a complete lie, and added that the attack was still on.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan military’s media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has denied the intensity of the attack and declared a reduced number of persons killed. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad stated that only 15 militants and 4 Pakistani soldiers had lost their lives as ‘terrorists’ attempted to enter the security force’s camp in Panjgur and Naushki.
He further added that 15 attackers were put to death and four or five of them were still active in Panjgur. In a video statement, he said that Pakistani forces were continuing operations against them.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan also saluted the ‘brave’ security forces who were killed in Panjgur and Naushki. “The nation stands united behind our security forces who continue to give great sacrifices to protect us”, he tweeted.
We salute our brave security forces who repulsed terrorist attacks against security forces’ camps in Panjgur & Naushki, Balochistan. The nation stands united behind our security forces who continue to give great sacrifices to protect us.
The province of Balochistan is the largest, least populous and the poorest in Pakistan. Baloch groups have targeted security forces and civilians in regular raids across the province, demanding their rights and independence for ethnic Baloch areas of the province.
The tension has further been stoked by the Chinese investments under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, which according to the reports have never reached to the locals. Wednesday’s attack comes a day before Prime Minister Imran Khan left for the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, where he is supposed to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders.
Chandrawati Varma, the Samajwadi Party candidate from the Rath constituency of the Uttar Pradesh assembly, turns out to be the new glamourous sensation amidst the UP assembly election. A video of Chandrawati Varma dancing on the Bollywood song ‘Ole Ole’ has appeared on social media and it has gone viral immediately. She is accompanied by her two friends. The video is being widely shared on social media.
Samajwadi Party has given an assembly ticket to Chandrawati Varma from the Rath seat of Hamirpur in Uttar Pradesh. The party has denied the opportunity to its incumbent MLA Gayadin Anuragi from the seat. Earlier the party had offered the ticket to Anuragi but later within the next twenty-four hours, the decision was changed and the ticket was given to Chandrawati Varma.
हमीरपुर की राठ विधानसभा से सपा उम्मीदवार चंद्रवती वर्मा।
It is not known when the video was shot, but reportedly it is old. Going by the vertical format of the video, it can assume that the dance video was made for a video sharing platform like TikTok or Instagram Reels etc.
Chandrawati Varma had earlier too attracted attention when she was seen at a swimming pool in a viral video.
Chandrawati hails from the Itaura village of Gauhand block. Daughter of Dhaniram Varma, She has been a gym trainer in Hyderabad. After her initial schooling in Gauhand, she was graduated from a college in Urai. A sports enthusiast, she opted for the job of a gym trainer. Later she went on to start her own company.
Chandrawati Varma became active in the constituency just before the elections. She belongs to a scheduled caste and her inter-caste love-marriage with Hemendr Singh Rajput was a talk of the town back in December 2020. Hemendra Singh Rajput hails from the Goran village of Jalaun district.
It is notable that in the last month, the Congress party had allotted a ticket from Hastinapur to former Miss Bikini of India Archana Gautam, after which her images had also gone viral.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has alleged that four rounds of bullets were fired on his car after a poll event in Kithaur, Meerut in Uttar Pradesh. The incident reportedly took place on Thursday afternoon when Owaisi was returning to Delhi in his car after a poll event in UP.
कुछ देर पहले छिजारसी टोल गेट पर मेरी गाड़ी पर गोलियाँ चलाई गयी। 4 राउंड फ़ायर हुए। 3-4 लोग थे, सब के सब भाग गए और हथियार वहीं छोड़ गए। मेरी गाड़ी पंक्चर हो गयी, लेकिन मैं दूसरी गाड़ी में बैठ कर वहाँ से निकल गया। हम सब महफ़ूज़ हैं। अलहमदु’लिलाह। pic.twitter.com/Q55qJbYRih
While tweeting about the Incident, the leader has said, “Some time ago my car was fired at Chhijarsi toll gate. Four rounds were fired. There were 3-4 people, all of them ran away and left the weapons there. My car got punctured, but I got out in fled in another car. We are all safe. Alhamdulillah.” According to ANI, two people fired bullets on Owaisi’s vehicle near the Chhijarsi toll plaza while all the 3-4 of them ran away while leaving their weapons on the site.
Images posted by Owaisi showed two holes on the two doors of his car apparently created by the bullets fired at the car. He also said that the tyres of his vehicle were also punctured in the alleged attack.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi says that 3-4 rounds of bullets were fired upon his vehicle near Chhajarsi toll plaza while he was heading to Delhi after an election-related event in Kithaur, Meerut (in Uttar Pradesh).
It can be seen in the photos that the bullets were aimed very low, as they hit the tyres and the bottom part of the car. Which shows that the attackers were not after Owaisi’s life.
One person apprehended. He's being questioned, weapon recovered from him. His accomplice managed to flee, search operation is underway for him. We'll update you when more facts come to the fore. Nobody was injured so far. We are checking the CCTV footage: Deepak Bhuker, SP Hapur pic.twitter.com/dn5DOULgxM
According to the police, one of the shooters has been arrested already. The weapon used in the firing also has been recovered from the spot. Hapur SP Deepak Bhuker informed that another culprit managed to flee, and a search operation has been started to nab him. He informed that nobody was injured in the incident, and they are checking the CCTV footage.
Kerala police have arrested a man named Mohammed Nazim (27) from Chathanoor in Kollam district in Kerala in a case of grooming jihad who allegedly trapped a Hindu girl posing as a Hindu man. He brainwashed and raped the girl multiple times on the pretext of marriage. When she became pregnant, he kicked her in the abdomen causing abortion and killing her unborn child.
According to reports, Nazim pretended to be unmarried to befriend the girl. But actually, he is married with a kid. They gradually became friends and got into a relationship. A few months ago, the girl fell for his ruse and eloped with him after he made promised to marry her. After fleeing, the duo went to a nearby temple and exchanged garlands and started living together in a rented house in Chavara, about 30 km from Chathannoor.
Trouble started when the victim became pregnant. After sexually assaulting her multiple times, Nazim turned to violence and began abusing her on a regular basis. He recently kicked her in the abdomen and thrashed her severely, causing her to bleed and resulting in a miscarriage. Currently, she’s being treated in Paripally Medical College Hospital, where she was admitted in a critical condtion.
After the incident, the girl’s parents lodged a complaint against Nazim at the Paripally police station. Following the registration of the case, the accused was nabbed from Chathannoor and sent to judicial custody.
A video of an ongoing classroom session at the Jindal Global Law School has surfaced on the Internet in which a professor is seen ranting about Kashmir being a territory “occupied by India”. Identified as Arijeet Ghosh, the Assistant Professor who is a faculty at the Law school who is seen giving his opinion on Kashmir being a ‘contentious issue’ in a class that reportedly took place on September 9, 2021.
In the screen recording of the video, shared by columnist Shefali Vaidya on Twitter, during the class of BA LLB course at the Jindal Global Law School, the assistant professor is seen answering a question by his student. He says. “Yes, it has never happened and that is why Kashmir always remains a contentious issue…And if you want my opinion, I call Jammu and Kashmir to be India-occupied-Kashmir although India tries to say it is Indian territory and Indian-administered-Kashmir. I’ll definitely think it is an aspect of occupation, which is what Kashmiris also say.”
After a while trying to replug his opinion, he said, “I am not going into that, it is an emotive issue right..? We see Sunny Deol screaming on the border saying Doodh mangoge to Kheer Denge, Kashmir mangoge to Cheer denge (If you ask us milk, we will give you custard. If you ask us Kashmir, you will be sliced)” With a goofy grin, the unapologetic professor tried to cover it up saying, “There is a lot of emotional aspect to Kashmir and hence I am not going into that…”
Why has @JindalLaw become such a den of anti-India vipers @MPNaveenJindal? This statement allegedly by Prof Arijeet Ghosh of Jindal Law is shocking. As a founder VC, do you ratify the sentiment that Kashmir has been ‘occupied’ by India? pic.twitter.com/AYaiKIRkqi
The bio of Prof. Arijeet Ghosh on the school’s website says he was also part of the 21st Law Commission of India as a consultant. With a specialisation in Human Rights in LLM from University College, London, Ghosh has worked with think tanks, ‘Human Rights Initiatives’ besides being an assistant professor at the Jindal Global Law School.
In an earlier development, the school was caught in controversy in a similar incident regarding the syllabus of the Political Science course. The course manual of the Political Science course taught in the school had topics calling the Indian state ‘oppressive’ while talking about the revolutionary struggle in India. In another segment, Claims of ‘Rise of Hindu Authoritarianism’ were also made. The issue was pointed out by Shefali Vaidya on Twitter when she was seen asking for an explanation from Naveen Jindal, the industrialist who runs the school.
Statements by #ShrutiPandey (Associate Professor Legal Practice and Director of the Centre for Human Rights at Jindal Global Law School) in the video:Prof.Shruti Pandey quoting a scholar,“You cannot be a Hindu without being a practitioner,every Hindu practices untouchability.(1/n pic.twitter.com/8cQFRTet5q
This is not the first time when anti-Indian rhetorics like these have come out of Jindal classrooms. The Anti-India and Hinduphobic apologia runs deep in private university campuses like Jindal Global Law school. Earlier, another faculty from the same institution, Shruti Pandey had associated Untouchability with the Hindu religion as a necessary practice.
In a video that had gone viral on social media, Shruti Pandey was heard as saying, “My professor Upendra Bakshi, who taught in the law school, used to say that every Hindu practices untouchability…Initially, when he said that, I didn’t think so… But it is true, guys. Go back and look at yourself and how you practice untouchability in quiet, invisible ways that we don’t even understand.”
Congress veteran and former external affairs minister Natwar Singh has slammed Rahul Gandhi for his incorrect remarks about Pak-China relations while he was speaking in Lok Sabha on 2nd February 2022 in the budget session of the parliament. Natwar Singh has said that Pakistan and China are allies since the 1960s, refuting Rahul Gandhi’s claim that the Narendra Modi govt brought the two countries together. Crediting this friendship to Nehru’s era, Natwar Singh said, “it started in his great grandfather’s time, who took the Kashmir issue to UN.”
Not only Natwar Singh but the former foreign secretary of India Kanwal Sibal has also criticized Rahul Gandhi’s ill knowledge of the topic. He has cleared that Pakistan-China collaboration had started well before the BJP came to power in India.
As reported by ANI, Natwar Singh has said, “I am surprised that nobody from Govt side got up to remind Rahul Gandhi that what he has said is not completely accurate. China & Pakistan have been close allies since the 1960s. It started in his great grandfather’s time, who took the Kashmir issue to the UN”
I am surprised that nobody from Govt side got up to remind Rahul Gandhi that what he has said is not completely accurate. China & Pakistan have been close allies since the 1960s. It started in his great grandfather’s time, who took the Kashmir issue to UN: Former EAM Natwar Singh pic.twitter.com/P9t0eR6T2l
Praising the current external affairs minister S. Jaishankar, Natwar Singh further said, “now, we are not isolated. We have good relations with our neighbours and the foreign policy is not a failure. We have a foreign minister who spent all his life dealing with foreign policy issues.”
Now, we are not isolated. We have good relations with our neighbours and the foreign policy is not a failure. We have a foreign minister who spent all his life dealing with foreign policy issues: Former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh pic.twitter.com/C8KrZvZHTD
Joining Natwar Singh’s bandwagon, former Indian foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal has also responded to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on Pak-China relations. He has said, “After the 1962 conflict, China-Pakistan saw an opportunity to strengthen their relations. Everyone is aware that China & Pakistan have illegally collaborated in the nuclear sector. This collaboration started well before BJP came to power in India.”
After 1962 conflict, China-Pakistan saw an opportunity to strengthen their relations. Everyone is aware that China & Pakistan have illegally collaborated in nuclear sector. This collaboration started well before BJP came to power in India: Kanwal Sibal, Former Indian Foreign Secy pic.twitter.com/DRs7MYKiJD
Rahul Gandhi had said in the Lok Sabha earlier on 2nd February 2022 that due to the BJP’s government in India, Pakistan and China have come closer to each other and it is a threat to the national security now. It is notable that even Joe Biden’s government has refused to endorse his recent remarks against the Modi government
Opposing the bail plea of former JNU student Umar Khalid and six other accused in the 2020 anti-Hindu Delhi riots case, the Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad told the court that witnesses have testified that the accused wanted to create a separate nation for Muslims, for which they conspired to incite violence.
In the bail hearing that continued on Thursday, February 3, SPP Amit Prasad told the bench of Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat, that they have witnesses on record saying the accused gave a statement saying ‘musalmaano ke liye alag rashtra banana hai’ (Have to create a separate nation for Muslims). “There is no ambiguity in this,” said SSP.
The Government counsel presented another statement of a professor named Dr Apurvanand who had said before the magistrate that the Delhi riots accused had reportedly said “Sarkar ko Jhukana and, Hindu-musalman karwana hai” (We need to bring the government on its knees, separate Hindu-Muslims).
Prasad further presented another statement by a witness named Victor. His statement recorded before the magistrate read: “‘Hinduon ko khatm karna hai’ ke naare lagrahe the chand bagh mei” (Slogans of ‘Hindus need to be finished’ were raised in Chand Bagh).
One statement by a person named victor reads which has been recorded before the Magistrate reads – “Hinduon ko khatm karna hai” ke naare lagrahe the chand bagh mei: Prosecutor #DelhiRiots
The prosecutor indicated that there is evidence to suggest UAPA and sedition charges after presenting various similar testimonials in court.
SPP Amit Prasad said the prosecution was relying on numerous judgements to lay forth the principles to be followed in situations of criminal conspiracy in his arguments before Additional Session Judge Amitabh Rawat in the Delhi riots case.
“All persons accused of conspiracy don’t have to have played a role in every part of the conspiracy. When people reach an agreement, they become agents for one another,” said Prasad. He went on to say that he has presented enough proof to establish that many were reporting from riot sites to Umar Khalid.
The prosecution also alleged that former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, another accused in the case, was also charged with turning white money to black in order to execute the anti-Hindi Delhi riots.
Delhi Riots funded by terrorist organisations, Tahir Hussain
“Funding came was from terrorist organisations. There are evidences of Tahir Hussain converting money from white to black. It is a very unusual thing, we have a complete chain of evidence. Why was it needed to convert money to black? This money went to sites,” Prasad told the court.
To prove his point, Prasad read out a statement of a witness, who confirmed before the magistrate that “Protest ke liye kuch paisa Jamia se aata tha, kuch atankwadi dete the” (While some funds for the protest came from Jamia, some were given by terrorists).
“Protest ke liye kuch paisa Jamia se aata tha, kuch atankwadi dete the – again a statement before the Magistrate, not before the Police.” – statement recorded before Magistrate by one, Robert says: Prosecutor #DelhiRiots
He added that Meeran Haider, a PhD student at the Jamia Millia Islamia University and an accused in the Delhi riots case had also received funds from various “NGO’s” namely, one “New education welfare organisation”
Further mentioning a speech by Meeran Haider, a PhD student at the Jamia Millia Islamia University and an accused in the Delhi riots case, Prasad argued in court that his speech suggested that there was a decision for Chakka Jam and Violence during the Delhi riots. “There is an entire gamut of evidence to suggest that the model was Chakka jam, ensuing violence. In the entire violence, it has led to 53 deaths and 275 FIRs have been. Many police personnel have died. Almost 2400 people have been arrested. The conspirators have not suffered. People have suffered. Although the individual role is not to be seen in case of conspiracy,” said Prasad presenting excerpts from Haider’s speech using the violence.
Delhi court frames UAPA and sedition charges against Sharjeel Imam
Notably, while the court said it would continue hearing the bail plea of Umar Khalid and six other accused next week, it said it has found sufficient grounds to proceed against Sharjeel Imam for offences in the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1949 (UAPA) and sedition in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) under Sections 124A, 153A, 153B, 505 IPC & Section 13 UAPA.
Prosecutor provides WhatsApp chats as more evidence to oppose bail plea of Umar Khalid
It may be recalled that in the previous hearings also, SPP Amit Prasad has presented many such evidences to oppose the bail petition of Umar Khalid, Khalid Saifi and 5 others who are accused in Delhi Riots larger conspiracy case involving charges under IPC and UAPA. The SPP Amit Prasad had included WhatsApp chats between numerous accused parties in his arguments, which were included in the chargesheet and additional chargesheets.
Prasad further informed the court that various WhatsApp groups, including the Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC) and the Delhi Protest Support Group (DPSG), were formed to coordinate information regarding protest places.
To substantiate claims that a larger conspiracy to cause communal riots was hatched by Umar Khalid, SSP Amit Prasad read out a statement of a witness who had confirmed that Umar Khalid during a meeting had said: “Sarkar musalmano ke khilaaf hai, bhashan se kaam nahi chalega, khoon bahana padega,” translated as (The government is against the Muslims, only talking is not enough, we will have to shed blood), the screenshot of which were shared by LawBeat while covering the proceedings.
Lawyer of Delhi riots accused wants screenshots of WhatsApp chats that implicate Umar Khalid and others deleted
Interestingly, today when the bail proceedings had commenced, Senior lawyer Rebecca John, who is representing Northeast Delhi riots suspect Khalid Saifi, had urgedthe Delhi court to order LawBeat, an Indian legal news portal, to pull down Tweets regarding Umar Khalid’s yesterday’s bail hearing, which she referred to as ‘contemptuous’.
LawBeat had posted screenshots of WhatsApp messages that Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad, appearing on behalf of the Delhi police presented as evidence to oppose the bail plea of Anti-Hindu Delhi Riots accused Umar Khalid.
The Ministry of External Affairs has said that China politicising the Olympics is regrettable after the communist country made the PLA soldier Qi Fabao who was involved in the June 2020 Galwan Valley clash one of the torchbearers ahead of Winter Olympics in Beijing.
“India has taken up the issue with the Chinese side,” says MEA on torture of Arunachal Pradesh boy by Chinese PLA
Chinese PLA handed over the young boy from Arunachal Pradesh to Indian Army at Wacha Damai in Arunachal Pradesh on Jan 27
MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Thursday said that the Indian envoy will not attend the opening or closing ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics. He also said that the India has taken the issue of the torture of Arunachal Pradesh boy who was taken in custody by the Chinese side earlier in January. The Chinese PLA handed over the young boy from Arunachal Pradesh to Indian Army at Wacha Damai in Arunachal Pradesh on Jan 27.
Following the announcement by MEA, Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati took to Twitter to announce that the national broadcaster Doordarshan will also not telecast the opening and closing ceremony of the games live.
— Shashi Shekhar Vempati शशि शेखर (@shashidigital) February 3, 2022
On February 2, 2021, Qi Fabao, a PLA regiment commander who was involved in the June 2020 Galwan Valley clashes was made the torchbearer by China.
Qi Fabao, a PLA regiment commander who sustained head injury while fighting bravely in the #Galwan Valley border skirmish with #India, is a torchbearer during Wed’s #Beijing2022 Winter Olympic Torch Relay. pic.twitter.com/aWtWTDsVKF
The Chinese side reportedly used lethal weapons including iron rods, batons wrapped in barbed wire and clubs embedded with nails breaking the protocol of bilateral agreement between the countries signed in 1996.
