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Canada: Gurdwara in Vancouver and Surrey’s Lakshmi Narayan Temple desecrated with pro-Khalistan graffiti, people call it ‘attempt to instill fear’

OpIndia Staff
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Canada: Gurdwara in Vancouver and Surrey’s Lakshmi Narayan Temple desecrated with pro-Khalistan graffiti, people call it ‘attempt to instill fear’

On 19th April (local time), Khalsa Diwan Society Gurdwara, also known as the Ross Street Gurdwara, was desecrated with pro-Khalistan and anti-India graffiti. The management of the Gurdwara in Canada’s Vancouver has accused “extremist forces” of the vandalism. They claimed that it was an attempt to instil fear within the Sikh community in Canada. The miscreants used spray paint to desecrate the Gurdwara.

The management issued a statement that was published on their Instagram account. Calling for unity and reflection amidst extremism, the management said that the community was shocked to witness the act of vandalism at the Gurdwara. “A small group of Sikh separatists, advocating for Khalistan, defaced our sacred walls with divisive slogans like ‘Khalistan Zindabad’. This act is part of an ongoing campaign by extremist forces that seek to instil fear and division within the Canadian Sikh community,” the statement read.

The management further noted that such actions undermine the values of inclusivity, respect and mutual support that are “foundational to both Sikhism and Canadian society”. They added, “What occurred on April 19th is not only an attack on our Gurdwara but also an assault on the legacy our ancestors built – a legacy grounded in hard work, unity, and peaceful coexistence.”

They further called on all Canadians, Sikhs and people of goodwill to stand together in the face of extremism. “We must denounce these acts and reaffirm our shared commitment to the values of peace, unity, and respect. This attack is an attack on all of us – on the very unity that makes Canada strong. Let us unite against division and extremism, for the future we all share,” the management concluded in the press release.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Joginder Sunner, a member of the Gurdwara management, said the incident occurred between midnight and 3 AM on 19th April and described it as a painful moment in the history of the community. “A group of unidentified men arrived in a truck and then spray-painted the slogans on the gates and outer walls of the Gurdwara,” he added.

The Gurdwara was established in 1906. It had organised the Baisakhi Parade or “Nagar Kirtan” – Khalsa Sajna Diwas – last weekend, terming it as a “day that symbolises the strength, unity, and resilience of Sikhs”. Notably, pro-Khalistan elements were not allowed to attend the event, which might have led to the incident of vandalism.

Probe underway

The Vancouver Police Department said in a statement that a probe is underway in the matter. Speaking to the media, Sergeant Steve Addison, spokesperson for the VPD, stated that police are investigating the graffiti at the Gurdwara, which included the word “murdabad”. He said that so far, police do not have a suspect and more information may be released later.

Hindu temple in Surrey also defaced

Soon after the incident in Vancouver, Lakshmi Narayan Mandir in Surrey, also in British Columbia, was defaced with similar graffiti. Speaking to the media, temple spokesperson Parshotam Goel said these incidents might be linked, as the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir was at the forefront of an effort to forge unity between the Sikh and Hindu communities in Canada. He said, “This is not a coincidence; this was done in a planned way. Somebody is trying to intimidate us.”

A history of vandalism

On 22nd July 2024, extremists defaced the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Swaminarayan Mandir in Edmonton city in Alberta province of Canada. In the photographs, it could be seen that the wall of the Hindu temple vandalised with Hinduphobic, anti-Modi graffiti.

In September 2023, the Shree Mata Bhameshwari Durga Devi Society in Surrey British Columbia was sprayed with ‘Punjab is not India’ grafitti

In February 2023, a Ram temple in Mississauga was defaced with anti-India graffiti by unknown miscreants.

In January 2023, the Gauri Shankar Mandir was desecrated by Khalistani extremists in Brampton City in Ontario province of Canada. The walls of the temple were defaced with anti-India graffiti by Khalistanis associated allegedly with the banned outfit Sikhs For Justice (SFJ). The vicious slogan of ‘Khalistan Zindabad, Hindustan Murdabad’ was found spray-painted on the outer wall of Gauri Shankar Mandir.

In September 2022, some Khalistani terrorists defaced BAPS Swaminarayan Temple in Toronto with anti-India slogans. Several videos circulating on social media showed slogans of ‘Khalistan Zindabad, Hindustan Murdabad’ painted on the walls of the temple.

In February 2022 alone, six Hindu temples were attacked in Toronto.

‘Throw my ashes in drain if justice not done to me’: Engineer takes own life alleging harassment by wife and in-laws in UP’s Etawah, says there is no law for men

OpIndia Staff
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‘Throw my ashes in drain if justice not done to me’: Engineer takes own life alleging harassment by wife and in-laws in UP’s Etawah, says there is no law for men

A 33-year-old engineer, Mohit Yadav, committed suicide in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, accusing his wife and in-laws of harassment. Yadav was reportedly found hanging in a room in the Jolly Hotel outside the Etawah railway station on Friday (18th April) by hotel staff. He checked into the hotel on Thursday (17th April). The hotel staff came to check after he did not leave the room the next morning, and found him hanging inside the room.

Yadav recorded a video before committing suicide

Yadav, a resident of Auraiya district, recorded a video before taking his life in which he alleged that he and his family were facing harassment by his wife and her family. The police found the video on his phone. “If I don’t get justice even after my death, throw my ashes into a drain,” Yadav said in the video. He expressed frustration over the lack of legal remedies available to men who face similar harassment. “By the time you get this video, I will be gone from this world. I wouldn’t have taken this step if there were a law for men. I couldn’t tolerate the harassment by my wife and her family,” he said.

He levelled serious allegations against his mother-in-law, saying that she made his wife abort their child after she got a teacher’s job in Samastipur, Bihar. He added that his mother-in-law kept his wife’s jewellery with her and threatened his family with false cases. Yadav said that he and his wife got married after 7 years of knowing each other. He said that he did not demand any dowry in his wedding as it was a love marriage, yet his wife threatened to file false dowry cases against him and his family if he did not register his house and property in her name. He said that his father-in-law filed a false complaint against him, and his brother-in-law threatened to kill him. Yadav, who worked as a field engineer in a cement company, concluded the video by apologising to his parents for failing to fulfil their expectations. Abhay Nath Tripathi, Superintendent of Police (City), said that the police are investigating the case.

Similar cases of suicide by men on the rise

Many cases of men taking their lives after facing harassment by their wives and in-laws have come to light recently. Last year, in December, a 34-year-old software engineer, Atul Subhash, committed suicide at his home in Marathahalli, Bengaluru, leaving a 24-page suicide note behind. In the same month, a head constable with Bengaluru Police, Tippanna Alugur, ended his life in the city, blaming his wife and her family.

In a similar case, in February 2025, Manav Sharma, who was an employee at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), was found hanging at his home in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. Before taking his life, he recorded a video in which he pleaded for society to acknowledge the struggles that men face. He also repeatedly urged people to think and talk about men, while apologising to his parents for his decision.

Is West Bengal police acting as ‘mouthpiece’ of TMC? Official X handle shares politically motivated ‘peace appeal’ targeting BJP and RSS

OpIndia Staff
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Is West Bengal police acting as ‘mouthpiece’ of TMC? Official X handle shares politically motivated ‘peace appeal’ targeting BJP and RSS

West Bengal is in a state of chaos, with Muslim mobs running rampage in the garb of protests against the Waqf Amendment Act. While the Mamata government has remained a mute spectator to the carnage, it has co-opted the law enforcement authorities to work as its propaganda machinery.

The West Bengal police, which have failed to protect Hindus in riot-torn Murshidabad, prevent the destruction of their homes and properties, and stop the exodus of victims to the nearby Malda district, is now acting as the ‘mouthpiece’ of the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

On Sunday (20th April), it shared a so-called ‘peace appeal’ signed by the West Bengal Chief Minister on its X (formerly Twitter). This was despite the fact that the 4-page document was politically motivated and directly targeted the Opposition BJP.

The ‘peace appeal’, which was shared both in English and Bengali by the official X handle of the West Bengal police, attacked the BJP and the RSS for being ‘aggressive’ and supposedly running ‘false campaign’ in the State.

“These forces are using the backdrop of an unfortunate incident that happened on provocation. They are using the backdrop to play divisive politics. They are planning to play the ‘divide and rule’ game. This is sinister,” the so-called peace appeal claimed.

Mamata Banerjee made unsubstantiated claims about the BJP and RSS wanting to ‘play with fire’ during Ram Navami and tried to deviate from riots carried out by her Muslim vote bank in the name of protests against the new Waqf law.

“BJP and its allies are defaming the universal Hinduism of ours in the name of their so-called political agenda,” she brazened out. But this again did not stop the State police from amplifying such lies.

The West Bengal Chief Minister peddled falsehoods about other BJP-ruled States and claimed, “The BJP and their allies are propagating are false and narrow. Their utterances are garbage of lies, based on misquotes. Please do not trust them. They want to incite riots, and riots can affect everyone.”

She further attempted to downplay the role of Muslim mobs in Murshidabad by making shallow, secular-sounding remarks. “Please remember that riots are created neither by Hindus, nor by Muslims riots are engineered by criminals,” she continued her appeasement politics.

As part of her nefarious strategy to divide Hindus as ‘Bengalis vs outsiders’, Mamata Banerjee alleged, “Those who create riots always come from outside and then go away…Do not trust some outsiders who come, create communal tensions and generate riots for their narrow political gain.”

In reality, victim testimonies show that there were ‘no outsiders’ but local Muslims who orchestrated the riots. Despite such glaring falsehoods peddled by the CM, the police shared her ‘peace appeal’ from its official X handle.

Conclusion

While it is common for political parties to trade charges and seek to score political brownie points, it was shocking to witness the West Bengal police (which is supposed to act in a non-partisan manner) targeting the main Opposition party in the State.

This explains how institutions within the State have been captured by the Trinamool Congress, making it impossible to function without political directives.

Mangaluru: Video shows Muslims protesting against Waqf law being ferried in police vehicle, police deny allegations

OpIndia Staff
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Mangaluru: Video shows Muslims protesting against Waqf law being ferried in police vehicle, police deny allegations

Recently, a video went viral on social media, allegedly showing the vehicle of a senior police officer ferrying protestors during the anti-Waqf Act protests being organised at Shah Garden Grounds near Adyar Kannur in Mangaluru, Karnataka on 18th April. The video was widely shared on social media, raising questions about the police for facilitating the protestors who blocked the National Highway-73 in Adyar, Kannur.

Refuting the allegations of the police vehicle being used to ferry protestors, Mangaluru City Police Commissioner, Anupam Agrawal, issued a clarification stating the police vehicle was not used for facilitating protestors but to carry an injured minor boy to the hospital.

Agrawal said that a 16-year-old boy was seriously injured by an overspeeding Tempo Traveller near Adyar Garden around 7:30 pm on the day of the protests. Meanwhile, the vehicle of the ACP traffic sub-division was passing from there, which was stopped by two on-duty women police officers and the boy’s associates to take him to a nearby private hospital.

He added that considering the condition of the injured boy and the heavy traffic jam in the area, the police officers promptly decided to use the police vehicle to take him for treatment. Later on, the driver of the Tempo Traveller was detained at the Mangaluru South Traffic police station, and a case was registered against him.

Anti-Waqf Act protesters unlawfully blocked the national highway

The Congress-ruled state witnessed a massive demonstration against the recently passed Waqf Act on 18th April. Lakhs of Muslim demonstrators gathered at Shah Garden Grounds in Mangaluru, under the leadership of the Ulema Coordination Committee, Karnataka. However, later on, some of the protestors deliberately gathered on the side and in the middle of NH-73 and blocked the free movement of the traffic. The protestors reportedly ignored the instructions of the officials to move away from the National Highway and continued to obstruct the movement of the traffic and the emergency services.

Subsequently, a case was filed by the police at Kankanady Town Police Station under sections 189(2), 126(2), 270, 324(4), 132, 285, and 190 of the BNS against the protestors including, Jaleel, a resident of Krishnapura, Fazal, a resident of Valachil and Mohammed Hanif Noufal. The police are trying to identify the other protestors using video footage.

Hyderabad Cricket Association ordered to remove Azharuddin’s name from Stadium stand, was renamed from VVS Laxman Pavillion when the Congress leader was HCA president

OpIndia Staff
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Hyderabad Cricket Association ordered to remove Azharuddin’s name from Stadium stand, was renamed from VVS Laxman Pavillion when the Congress leader was HCA president

The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) has been ordered to remove the name of Mohammed Azharuddin from the North Pavilion Stand of the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. The order has been issued by Justice V Eswaraiah, Ethics Officer and Ombudsman of the HCA.

The cricket body has also been ordered to ensure that no more tickets are printed for the ongoing IPL season with the name of Mohammed Azharuddin, former cricketer and Congress leader, who was accused of match fixing. The order was issued in response to a petition filed by the Lords Cricket Club.

The Ombudsman decided that putting his name on the pavilion is a case of conflict of interest, as Azharuddin was the president of the Hyderabad Cricket Association, and the stand was named after him. The order noted that he had taken the decision personally in his own favour, and it was not ratified by the general body of the association.

“The fact that there has been no ratification/modification of the decision by the General Body further strengthens the case against the Respondent No. 1 (Azharuddin), as the Respondent No. 1 has exceeded his authority to benefit himself. In consequence of my findings, a clear case of conflict of interest is made out,” the order stated.

The issue dates back to 2019, when a decision was made to name the North Stand ‘Azharuddin Stand’, and Azharuddin was the HCA president at that time. The stand was named V.V.S. Laxman Pavilion before that.

In February this year, the Lords Cricket Club of the city, one of the members under HCA, filed a plea stating that the renaming of the stand violated rules. It said that as per Rule 38 of the Memorandum of Association and Rules & Regulations of HCA, a member of the Apex Council cannot take any decision in their favour.

The plea also urged to revert the name of the stand to VVS Laxman Pavilion.

However, the former India skipper denied the allegations of any wrongdoing, saying there was no conflict of interest. Azharuddin also said that he will go to the court challenging the ombudsman’s decision.

“There’s no conflict of interest in this. I don’t want to comment, I don’t want to stoop to this level. The cricketing world will laugh at the association. 17 years of cricket, almost 10 years as captain of the side, and with distinction. This is how you treat cricketers in Hyderabad. It’s a very sad state of affairs. We will go to the court, 100%. The law will take its course,” he told The Hindu.

BJP distances itself from comments made by Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma about Supreme Court, says party always respects Judiciary: Here is what the MPs actually said

OpIndia Staff
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BJP distances itself from comments made by Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma about Supreme Court, says party always respects Judiciary: Here is what the MPs actually said

The Bharatiya Janata Party has distanced itself from the controversial statements made by its two MPs, Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma, regarding the Supreme Court.

BJP National President Jagata Prakash Nadda issued a statement on Saturday (19th April) clarifying that the remarks made by the two MPs were their personal opinions and the BJP does not concur with them.

Criticising the views expressed by Dubey and Sharma, Nadda emphasised that the BJP has always respected the judiciary and considered all the courts, including the Supreme Court, as an internal part of the democracy.

“The Bharatiya Janata Party has nothing to do with the statements made by BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey and Dinesh Sharma on the judiciary and the Chief Justice of the country. These are their personal statements, but the BJP neither agrees with such statements nor does it ever support such statements. The BJP completely rejects these statements. Bharatiya Janata Party has always respected the judiciary and gladly accepted its orders and suggestions because, as a party, we believe that all the courts of the country, including the Supreme Court, are an integral part of our democracy and are a strong pillar of the protection of the Constitution. I have instructed both of them and everyone else not to make such statements,” Nadda wrote on X on Sunday (20th April).

What did the MPs say

Speaking to the media yesterday (19th April), BJP MP Dinesh Sharma took a veiled dig at the Supreme Court, saying that no one has the right to issue directions to the Parliament or the President.

Sharma said, “There is an apprehension among the public that when Dr BR Ambedkar wrote the Constitution, the rights of the Legislative and Judiciary were clearly written. According to the Constitution of India, no one can direct the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and the President has already given her assent to it. No one can challenge the President, as the President is supreme.”

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey had also made some contentious remarks against the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna. Dubey accused the Supreme Court of driving the country towards a state of anarchy and overstepping the limits of its constitutional powers by interfering with the work of the legislature and the executive. He also held CJI Khanna responsible for the ‘civil wars’ happening in the country.

He added that the government will introduce the National Judicial Appointment Commission (NJAC) in the next session of the Parliament to get rid of nepotism in the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court.

Allegations of judicial overreach

The statements of the BJP MPs followed the remarks made by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, questioning the Supreme Court for putting a time limit on the constitutional powers of the President and the Governors in a recent judgment.

The criticism of the Supreme Court by the BJP leaders and the Vice President came after two recent developments. The Supreme Court passed a judgment on 8th April in which it set a time limit, not envisaged in the Constitution, on the exercise of power to grant or refuse assent to a state Bill by the President and the Governor.

Apart from that, while considering a slew of petitions filed before it challenging the Waqf Act on Thursday (17th April), the Supreme Court hinted at staying the Act, after which the Centre assured the Court that no no-Muslims will be appointed to the Waqf Councils and that no Waqf properties, including ‘Waqf by user’ will be denotified.

The entire controversy around the recent observations of the Supreme Court and the criticism that followed has once again sparked the debate around judicial overreach.

Terrorist Santokh Singh Khela features in ‘Khalsa day’ parade in Canada: Read about his role in AI-112 bombing plot and association with SFJ

Anurag
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Terrorist Santokh Singh Khela features in ‘Khalsa day’ parade in Canada: Read about his role in AI-112 bombing plot and association with SFJ

On 20th April, Canada’s Conservative Party leader and candidate for the Prime Minister’s post in the General Elections, Pierre Poilievre, attended the Khalsa Day Parade in Surrey, British Columbia. He shared the stage with the Jathedar of the Khalistani terrorist organisation, Babbar Khalsa, Santokh Singh Khela, who is a convict in the AI-112 bombing plot. He was arrested shortly after the infamous Kanishka Bombing that killed 329 on-board, mostly Canadians.

At the event, slogans such as “Kill Modi Politics” were chanted, and images of Kanishka bomber Talwinder Singh Parmar were glorified.

In videos shared by investigative journalist Bezirgan Mocha, Khalistan flags were seen. Also, cut-outs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar were placed in a mock-up jail. All three cut-outs were dressed in orange prison outfits with handcuffs.

Mocha also shared a video of the speech given by Khela at the event. Khela, while holding an axe in his hand, stated, “We will keep fighting till Khalistan gets freedom.

We will fulfil the dream of Hardeep Bhai (Hardeep Singh Nijjar). We will lead the war for Khalistan.” There were posters of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar behind him on the stage.

Mocha also talked to Khela a day before the event. During the conversation, Khela admitted that he was convicted for conspiracy but refused to shed light on the details.

He was released six years after he was sent to prison for his crimes. However, he was released as the prosecution failed to prove his involvement in the bombing, reports suggest.

When asked if he was a Jathedar of Babbar Khalsa, a terrorist organisation, he said, “No, I am a sewadar of Khalsa Panth,” with a smile on his face.

When Mocha said he had the insignia of Babbar Khalsa on his back, he claimed it was the insignia of “Khalsa Panth”. He added, “We will continue the fight. We want to liberate Punjab from India. The fight will continue until we get the liberation, independent Khalistan. We are supporting the peaceful referendum which is going on.”

Shockingly, towards the end of the video, there were some Sikh youth donning t-shirts with AKF written on the back. AKF stands for Anandpur Khalistan Fouj, a new terrorist outfit that Khalistani separatist/preacher-turned-MP Amritpal Singh was raising at the time of his arrest. Amritpal Singh is currently lodged in Assam jail facing charges under the National Security Act (NSA). There were reports that his NSA was being revoked by the Punjab Government; however, recent reports suggest that it has been extended for another year.

Sikh youth wearing t-shirts with AKF logo spotted at Khalsa Parade in Canada. (Image: Left: Indian Express/ Right: SS from video shared by journalist Bezirgan Mocha)

Khela masterminded the Air India 112 bombing

In May 1986, five members of the terrorist organisation Babbar Khalsa were charged with plotting to blow up Air India Flight 112. Months after the proceedings, while the Canadian court freed three men, it found Santokh Singh Khela and Kashmir Singh Dhillon guilty of conspiring to commit mass murder by blowing up Air India (AI) Flight 112 which originated at JFK airport in New York City. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1987. The sentence was later overturned.

The Canadian government claimed that the alleged plot was conceived on 4th April 1986, targeting an Air India flight departing from John F Kennedy International Airport on May 30 in New York. All five men involved were from Montreal, Quebec. It was later revealed that Santokh Singh Khela had been under surveillance by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) since at least May 1985, when they recorded a phone call he made to Talwinder Singh Parmar, the mastermind of the Air India Flight 182 bombing.

When Khela and his associates were sentenced to life, Quebec Superior Court Justice Claire Barrette-Joncas said in her passing sentence that Santokh Singh Khela and Kashmir Singh Dhillon are examples to the world of how Canada treats terrorists.

“The crime you were found guilty of is so mind-boggling that the primary end of these sentences must be deterrence, a firm notice to you and any would-be terrorist that such conduct is not to be considered lightly in Canada,” she said.

However, six years later, he was aquitted as crown prosecutors failed to disclose crucial information, and Canadiam government had to issue an apology to him, which he had confirmed while talking to Mocha.

Khela was awarded by Ajaib Singh Bagri, a close associate of the mastermind of the Kanishka bombing and who pledged to kill 50,000 Hindus

As mentioned by journalist Mocha Bezirgan Santokh Singh Khela was this year, presented with an award in Calgary by Ajaib Singh Bagri. Notably, Ajaib Singh Bagri was a close associate of Talwinder Singh Parmar, the mastermind of the Kanishka bombing, which happened a year before the Air India Flight 110 bombing plot. Ajaib Singh Bagri is the same person who had also pledged to kill 50,000 Hindus.

The bombing of Air India Flight 182 on June 23, 1985, was one of the deadliest acts of terrorism in aviation history. The Boeing 747 aircraft, operating as “Kanishka” and en route from Montreal to London, was destroyed mid-air by a bomb, killing all 329 people on board, most of whom were Canadian citizens of Indian descent. The bomb was planted in the plane’s cargo hold, and it exploded over the Atlantic Ocean near the coast of Ireland.

The investigation into the bombing revealed that the conspiracy had been planned and executed in Canada, where members of the Sikh terrorist group Babbar Khalsa, including Talwinder Singh Parmar and Inderjit Singh Reyat, were involved.

Pierre Trudeau is vastly blamed for the Kanishka bombing, as it was only after the Trudeau-led government saved Parmar he started preparing for the bombing. In 1984, Parmar told his fellow Khalistanis that “Indian planes will fall from the sky”.

In the same year, Ajaib Singh Bagri, a close associate of Parmar, pledged to kill 50,000 Hindus. He said at the founding convention of the World Sikh Organization, “Until we kill 50,000 Hindus, we will not rest!” It was reported by Milewski, who extensively covered the Khalistani movement in Canada and abroad.

To date, many consider the Kanishka bombing one of the darkest moments in Canada’s history, and it highlighted the growing influence of Khalistani extremists operating from within the country.

The bombing of Air India Flight 182 stands as a tragic reminder of the impact of terrorism and the long-lasting scars it leaves on victims’ families, while also bringing attention to the international dimensions of extremism.

Santokh Singh Khela is associated with the banned terrorist organisation Sikh for Justice

Khela is also the organiser for the Khalistan referendum conducted by Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) at Dashmesh Gurdwara. Sikhs For Justice was banned by the Indian Government on July 10, 2019, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for anti-India activities. The Indian government designated its founder, Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, a terrorist. The organization has announced Referendum 2020, demanding a separate state of Punjab from India. Since its inception, the organization has been trying to lure the youth of Punjab with monetary rewards for instigating war against the Indian government. A day ahead of the parade, he was seen preaching about the so-called Khalistan Referendum being organised by SFJ. He was also seen standing with pro-Khalistani Sikhs chanting “Khalistan Zindabad” in the video.

Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk visits water terminal and India’s first Multi Modal Logistics Park at Assam’s Jogighopa to assess functionality for exports from Bhutan

ANI
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Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk visits water terminal and India’s first Multi Modal Logistics Park at Assam’s Jogighopa to assess functionality for exports from Bhutan

King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk visited the IWT terminal at Jogighopa in Bongaigaon district to assess its functionality and technical calibre as an important port of call for cargo exports from Bhutan to the global markets.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi applauded the IWT Terminal as “a noteworthy addition in our quest for improving infrastructure as well as encouraging inland waterways for progress and prosperity.”

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, inaugurated the IWT Terminal at Jogighopa on 18 February 2025, along with Lyonpo Namgyal Dorji, the Minister of Industries, Commerce & Employment in the Royal Government of Bhutan.

Cargo movement commenced from that day from IWT Jogighopa, confirming its operation for business.

Speaking on the visit, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said, “It is a historic moment that the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk, visited the recently inaugurated IWT Jogighopa terminal as well as the Jogighopa Multi Modal Logistical Park (MMLP). Both projects are aligned with the vision of PM Narendra Modi’s Act East policy for inclusive growth and sustainable development. This visit further deepens the long-standing friendship, trust, and shared prosperity for both India and Bhutan.”

The terminal is strategically important as it is located 91 km from Gelephu in Bhutan, 108 km from the Bangladesh border, and 147 km from Guwahati. This makes it crucial for India’s bilateral trade ties with Bangladesh and Bhutan.

The Jogighopa terminal is also one of the declared Ports of call under PIWT&T between India and Bangladesh. By the year 2027, this terminal is expected to handle a cargo of 1.1 million tonnes per annum.

Built at a cost of more than Rs 82 crore, the Jogighopa terminal has an RCC jetty with an RCC approach designed for an Electric Level Luffing (ELL) crane for cargo handling.

The terminal also has infrastructural facilities such as an administrative building, a customs office building, an immigration office, a truck parking area, a 1100 sqm covered storage area with power backup, and 11,000 sqm open storage.

Among those who were present were Assam Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah, the Chief Secretary, Government of Assam, Ravi Kota, the Director, Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), senior officials of District Administration and IWAI, and officials from the Royal Government of Bhutan.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey accuses Supreme Court of driving the country towards anarchy, says Parliament should be shut down if the court makes laws

OpIndia Staff
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BJP MP Nishikant Dubey accuses Supreme Court of driving the country towards anarchy, says Parliament should be shut down if the court makes laws

After Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s open criticism of the Supreme Court, now BJP MP Nishikant Dubey as hit out at the Apex Court, accusing it of interfering with the functioning of the legislature. In a sarcastic statement, Dubey said that Parliament should be closed down if the Supreme Court were to make laws.

Dubey posted his remarks on X on Saturday (19th April): “If the Supreme Court makes the law, then the Parliament House should be closed.” His comments came in the context of the recent Supreme Court judgment, where the court prescribed a time limit to be followed by the President and the Governor in the exercise of their powers to grant or refuse assent to a Bill passed by a state legislature.

Supreme Court overstepping its constitutional powers

The Godda MP accused the Apex Court of transgressing the limits of its Constitutional power in striking down the laws passed by the Parliament and inciting religious wars in the country. Referring to the Supreme Court’s decision with respect to section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, Dubey alleged that the court nullified the provision and legalised homosexuality, while all the religions consider it a crime.

He added that even US President Donald Trump passed a law to declare that there are only two genders. He said that we (Parliament) brought the IT Act to stop women and children’s pornography, but the Supreme Court struck down section 66A of the Act. “If one has to go to the Supreme Court for everything, then Parliament and the State Assembly should be shut,” said Dubey.

“I have studied Article 141 in detail. It says that the law we (Parliament) make is applicable from the lower court to the Supreme Court. Article 368 says that under the Constitution of this country, the Parliament has the right to make all laws. The Supreme Court is telling the President, the Governor what work to do in three months. This country is the tradition of Ram, Krishna, Sita, Radha, Sanatan, etc. When there is a matter of Ram temple, you say show the papers. They ask for papers in Gyanvapi, Mathura, but on the mosques built after the Mughals, they say where will you show the papers from?” he added.

Supreme Court driving the country towards anarchy, says Dubey

Using strong words to criticise the Apex Court, Dubey alleged that the Supreme Court is driving the country towards a state of anarchy. He questioned the Court for prescribing a time limit on the President and the Governor’s Constitutional powers, which is not envisaged under the Constitution. “How can you give direction to the appointing authority? The President appoints the Chief Justice of India. The Parliament makes the law of this country. You will dictate that Parliament?… How did you make a new law? In which law is it written that the President has to make a decision within three months? This means that you want to take this country towards anarchy. When the Parliament sits, there will be a detailed discussion on this…,” Dubey remarked.

Dubey said that the government will introduce the National Judicial Appointment Commission (NJAC) in the next session of the Parliament to get rid of nepotism in the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court.

Dubey also held Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, responsible for the “civil wars” happening in the country after Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kalyan Banerjee demanded the resignation of BJP leader and Chairman of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Bill, Jagdambika Pal.

The Supreme Court has been receiving flak from political quarters after the controversial judgment. Recently, Vice President Dhankhar accused the Supreme Court of transgressing the boundaries of its power and interfering with the work of the legislature and the executive. He said that the Court was using the Constitutional provisions like a ‘nuclear missile’ to override the democratic process.

PM Modi’s Saudi visit to focus on regional and global issues including situation in West Asia, Israel-Palestine conflict, threat to maritime security from Houthis: MEA

ANI
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PM Modi’s Saudi visit to focus on regional and global issues including situation in West Asia, Israel-Palestine conflict, threat to maritime security from Houthis: MEA

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia would provide an important opportunity to discuss pressing regional and global developments, including the situation in West Asia, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and the threat to maritime security posed by Houthi attacks.

Misri was addressing a special press briefing organised by the Ministry of External Affairs ahead of the April 22-23 visit.

“This is a very important opportunity to compare notes on several issues of mutual concern in the related to the regional situation as well as the global developments and what you have referred to the attacks by the Houthis with regard to shipping and navigation, etc, is obviously something that India has been closely monitoring as well and also watching with some concern,” Misri said.

“The developments in the region, including, most recently we have obviously great concerns about freedom of navigation, the safety and security of our vessels and sea,” he added, referring to the strategic significance of the Red Sea and nearby waterways amid growing instability,” he added.

During the briefing, Misri said the evolving situation in West Asia, especially the Israel-Palestine conflict, would also feature prominently in the bilateral discussions.

“For discussions on the situation, about on West Asia, the current state of affairs between Israel and Palestine, and obviously on that front, also, we’ve seen developments of some concern. Saudi Arabia plays a very important role in addressing this issue,” he said.

“India has remained involved with all the principal actors in this issue. We’ve met with and discussed with leadership, both from Palestine as well as Israel, as also regional leaders, whether it be from Jordan, Egypt and indeed, Saudi Arabia as well, and given the multiple initiatives that are underway in the region right now, whether it is trying to settle the situation with regard to release of hostages or about the facilitation of humanitarian assistance or a ceasefire, in some ways, these are interlinked issues,” Misri stated.

“So I think this is going to make for a very interesting and rich discussion between the two sides, between the two leaders,” he said, referring to Prime Minister Modi and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The visit will be PM Modi’s third to the Kingdom, and his first in his third term as Prime Minister.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

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