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Jharkhand Congress MLA Irfan Ansari makes a sexist jibe, promises to make roads ‘smoother than cheeks of Kangana Ranaut’

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Jharkhand Congress MLA Irfan Ansari makes a sexist jibe, promises to make roads ‘smoother than cheeks of Kangana Ranaut’

On Friday, January 14, Jharkhand Congress MLA Dr Irfan Ansari released a video where he has vowed to make roads of his assembly constituency, Jamtara, smoother than the cheeks of Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut.

“I assure you that roads of Jamtara will be smoother than cheeks of film actress Kangana Ranaut. Construction of fourteen world-class roads will begin soon… Chakachak sadke banegi…yeh kaam hain Irfan Ansari ka,” the Congress leader directed the sexist jibe at the Manikarnika actress while boasting about constructing fourteen world-class roads in his constituency.

The Congress MLA further claimed that such roads would never have been developed under the former government of BJP leader Raghubar Das in Jharkhand. He went on to say that people were suffering from a range of diseases as a result of the dust and that when his administration is formed, he plans to focus on development projects for the locals.

“Now, I have got 14 roads approved in the Hemant Soren government. The roads have now gone for tender, soon the construction work will start,” he said.

Interestingly, earlier this week, Irfan Ansari had courted another controversy as he claimed that wearing a mask for a long time is detrimental to health. The Congress MLA who touts his credentials as an ‘MBBS doctor’ had said during a program that excessive and prolonged use of masks leads to inhalation of carbon dioxide.

“Masks should not be worn for long. I am saying as an MBBS doctor that there should not be prolonged mask usage. One should wear a mask in crowds. There is no need to panic during this third wave of Covid-19. The symptoms will get cured in five-six days,” said Dr Irfan Ansari.

Now, the Congress MLA has once again sparked a new round of controversy by comparing the roads in his assembly constituency, Jamtara to the cheeks of actor Kangana Ranaut.

Politicians who have made similar sexist jibes like the Jharkhand Congress MLA in the past

The comparison of highways and roads to the skin and cheeks of movie actors appears to be a favourite of politicians of all hues and times. In November 2021, newly appointed Rajasthan minister and Congress MLA Rajendra Singh Gudha had courted controversy after his remarks comparing the state’s roads to actor Katrina Kaif’s cheeks went viral.

As per the reports, the minister first said the roads should be made like Hema Malini cheeks. After a few moments, he said, “no… Hema Malini has become old.” Then he asked the people present at the meeting, “Which actress is famous in films nowadays?” When people took the name of Katrina Kaif, he said, “Then the roads of my village should be made like the cheeks of Katrina Kaif.”

Likewise, Maharashtra minister and senior Shiv Sena leader Gulabrao Patil also had to apologise after the state women’s commission strongly objected to his remarks likening the roads in his constituency to Hema Malini’s cheeks.

In 2019, Congress leader PC Sharma compared the roads of Madhya Pradesh with the cheeks of BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya and said the Congress government would make them like the cheeks of Hema Malini.

Back in 2005, RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav also gave a similar sexist statement. At the time, he had said that Bihar roads would become as smooth as the cheeks of Hema Malini. 

FIR filed against 2500 Samajwadi Party workers for flouting covid norms: Details

OpIndia Staff
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FIR filed against 2500 Samajwadi Party workers for flouting covid norms: Details

The Uttar Pradesh Police has filed an FIR against 2,500 Samajwadi Party workers on the grounds of flouting COVID-19 norms. A notice was issued to party chief Akhilesh Yadav in this regard on Saturday, warning him against the violation of guidelines enforced by the Election Commission while the Model Code of Conduct is in effect.

The police informed in its notice that the state’s electoral code of conduct is in effect and that Section 144 has been enforced along with it. The police have requested the Samajwadi Party to refrain from gathering crowds and adhere to Covid norms implemented in the state in the wake of a resurgent wave of COVID-19 powered by the Omicron variant.

Swami Prasad Maurya, a former cabinet minister in the BJP government, and his followers joined the Samajwadi Party on Friday, in presence of several senior SP members, including party president Akhilesh Yadav. However, the election code of conduct and the Covid guidelines were not observed.

After a large crowd gathered at the Samajwadi Party headquarters for the joining-in event of two rebel ministers and some MLAs, the UP police filed a complaint against over 2,500 unknown persons for disobeying Covid-19 guidelines, according to news agency PTI. Officials said the FIR was filed in accordance with the Election Commission’s guidelines on Covid-related regulations.

FIR against 2,500 Samajwadi Party workers for defying COVID-19 guidelines

According to the Lucknow Police Commissioner, the FIR was filed against roughly 2,500 Samajwadi Party leaders under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 188, 269, 270, and 341 as well as relevant parts of the Epidemic Diseases Act. He stated that video footage was collected prior to the filing of the FIR in this case. Lucknow Police disperse a throng formed outside the SP’s office for breaking the COVID-19 protocol, according to footage from the ‘Virtual Rally.’

Naresh Uttam Patel, the Uttar Pradesh unit chairman of the Samajwadi Party, claimed, “It was a virtual program that took place in our party’s office. We didn’t call anyone, yet they showed up. The COVID-19 procedure was followed.”

After the Lucknow Police posted the notice outside the Samajwadi Party’s office on Saturday, party president Akhilesh Yadav urged all leaders and workers to follow the Election Commission’s instructions. “I appeal to the leaders, party workers to abide by the EC guidelines, Covid protocols whenever they come to the office…I have also heard that a notice was also put up at our office today,” Akhilesh Yadav said, as reported by ANI.

Dinesh Singh Bisht, in charge of the Gautam Palli police station, has been suspended by the Election Commission of India for gross carelessness in the performance of his responsibilities.

Akhilesh Singh, Lucknow’s assistant police commissioner, and Govind Maurya, Lucknow’s additional city magistrate, were also ordered to give clarification over the massive crowd at the SP office by the poll authority.

In the midst of the Covid-19 wave, which is being driven by the Omicron variant across the country, the EC has barred political parties from campaigning physically until January 15.

‘Muslims most secure and happy under BJP rule’, says Muslim Rashtriya Manch appealing to the minority community to vote for BJP

OpIndia Staff
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‘Muslims most secure and happy under BJP rule’, says Muslim Rashtriya Manch appealing to the minority community to vote for BJP

Ahead of the assembly elections in five states, the Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) on Friday hit out at the Congress, SP and BSP for considering Muslims just as a vote bank. MRM further appealed to the minority community to vote for BJP and said that the Muslims felt most secure and happy under the BJP rule.

The MRM yesterday released a letter of appeal for distribution in the poll-bound states. According to reports, the leaflet seeking votes for BJP will be distributed among the minority community members of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur and Punjab.

The leaflet mentioned that the BJP has done a lot for Muslims and that it cared most about the minority community. “Over the past 70 years, all political parties treated Muslims as a vote-bank and turned them into bonded slaves through appeasement. This was broken by the Modi government in 2014 with his slogan of ‘Sabka saath, sabka vikas and sabka vishwas’. That is why, in 2019, both Hindus and Muslims voted for the BJP. We request you to cast vote for the BJP this time,” the letter read.

Continuing to bash the opposition parties, the organisation stated that Congress, SP and BSP have long been running propaganda against the RSS and BJP. The minority community members are falsely being told that they will be thrown out of the country if BJP comes into power, it added.

It claimed that Muslims have suffered a lot due to poverty, illiteracy and hatred towards Hindus during the Congress regime. The MRM also praised various government schemes launched under PM Modi’s regime like Pradhan Mantri Avas Yojana, Jan Dhan yojana, Startup India, etc and said that Muslims have benefited a lot from these schemes.

“BJP is the biggest well-wisher of country and will continue to be so”, it said in the appeal letter pleading the minority community members to vote wisely in the upcoming election.

Uttar Pradesh: Goons open fire at Kannauj District Panchayat member and BJP leader’s car for refusing to join Samajwadi Party

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Goons open fire at Kannauj District Panchayat member and BJP leader’s car for refusing to join Samajwadi Party

Bhupendra Shakya, the district panchayat member elected from ward number 18 of Saurikh, the Nagar panchayat in Kannauj district, Uttar Pradesh has claimed that he was saved by a whisker after some goons opened fire on his car in broad daylight for refusing to join the Samajwadi Party. Taking to Facebook on January 13, the BJP leader informed how some goons had managed to breach the security and open fire at him near his house.

According to a report by Hindi daily Dainik Jagran, the incident took place on Wednesday, January 12, when Bhupendra Shakya was returning to Saurikh from Chhibramau.

In his complaint, the Zila panchayat member has named Vivek Kumar Shakya, Annu Sharma, Dilip Pal, resident of village Paraur and Rahul Yadav, resident of village Khanpur as the accused. Based on the complaint a case has been registered and the Uttar Pradesh police are trying to nab the accused.

Bhupendra Shakya told the police that the 4 accused had been pressuring him to join the Samajwadi Party. They had threatened him with life if he did not concede to their demands, said Shakya.

Coverage of the issue

Narrating what transpired on Wednesday, Bhupendra Shakya told the police that he was returning to Saurikh from Chhibramau when the four accused, who also came in a car, tried to intercept his car near the Ishan river bridge in Sakhauli, Uttar Pradesh. Shakya added that when he did not stop, Rahul Yadav opened fire on his car with the intention of killing him.

After escaping narrowly, the Zila Panchayat member reached out to the BJP’s top leadership and informed them of the situation. Based on his complaint an FIR was registered against the accused.

Informing the same, Inspector in charge, Madan Gopal Gupta was quoted by Dainik Jagran as saying that a case has been registered. Soon the accused will be arrested.

Meanwhile, Bhupendra Shakya claims that after the case against the accused was filed, they came to his house on Thursday and threatened his father with death if the complaint was not withdrawn. Following this, some BJP leaders met with Prashant Verma, the leader of the Samajwadi Party, to inform him of the situation. For added security, a police team was stationed outside the Zilla Panchayat member’s home.

Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Aazad puts a full stop over possibilities of an alliance with SP, says Akhilesh Yadav only wants Dalit vote bank

OpIndia Staff
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Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Aazad puts a full stop over possibilities of an alliance with SP, says Akhilesh Yadav only wants Dalit vote bank

Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Aazad has abruptly ruled out any possibility of a coalition between his party and the Samajwadi Party. Aazad said at a media briefing that he unified the ‘Bahujan Samaj’ and met with Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav for six months but to avail with no agreed outcome.

Chandrashekhar Aazad stated that he was in Lucknow for two days to meet SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, but the SP chief insulted him by not calling him. “I’d delegated responsibilities to him [Akhilesh Yadav]. By not calling me, he insulted me” Aazad added.

Azad claimed on Saturday that an alliance with Samajwadi Party would be impossible since Akhilesh Yadav just wanted a Dalit vote bank, not a Dalit leader. “My people feared that our leader would also join the Samajwadi Party. Akhilesh Ji does not need Dalits,” Aazad said.

“After all the discussions, in the end, I felt that Akhilesh Yadav does not want Dalits in this alliance, he just wants Dalit vote bank. He humiliated the people of Bahujan Samaj, I tried for 1 month 3 days but the alliance could not happen,” ANI quoted Aazad as saying.

Aazad wrote on Twitter on Saturday that defeat of BJP is not possible without alliance. “There is great power in unity. It is not easy to defeat an elusive party like BJP without strength and unity. It is the responsibility of the leader of the coalition to take care of the representation and respect of the people of all the society. The Dalit class in UP deems Akhilesh Yadav fit for this responsibility.” (Translated) Aazad Tweeted.

This development comes after there were media reports claiming the alliance to happen between the two parties. Chandra Shekhar Aazad previously told India Today about the collaboration with the Samajwadi Party “The alliance has been confirmed. That’s why I’m going [to the press conference]. At 10 a.m., I will inform the press on what terms everything has been decided.”

Recently, several BJP MLAs and leaders joined SP ahead of the elections. Shifting is also taking place from SP. It would be interesting to watch how such tendencies affect the upcoming UP state assembly elections, which are slated to take place in seven phases beginning February 7, with the counting on March 10.

Arvind Kejriwal wanted to become Punjab CM by staging in-party feud: BJP shares video of once-loyal aide Kumar Vishwas, exposing AAP politics

OpIndia Staff
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Arvind Kejriwal wanted to become Punjab CM by staging in-party feud: BJP shares video of once-loyal aide Kumar Vishwas, exposing AAP politics

Ahead of the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections in Punjab, the State unit of the BJP has exposed how Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal wanted to stage infighting within the party during the 2017 polls to become the Chief Minister of Punjab.

In a video shared by BJP Punjab, a close aide of Arvind Kejriwal and former AAP leader Kumar Vishwas was heard divulging the sinister plans of the AAP supremo during the 2017 State Legislative polls in Punjab. “He (Kejriwal) was under the impression that the party will get 90 seats and that he will become the Chief Minister. I told him that the people of Punjab will not accept you. I pointed out that the Punjabis will not accept anyone who does not wear a turban,” Kumar Vishwas emphasised.

“Punjab is not just a State but an emotion, not just for the people of Punjab but those Punjabis and especially Sikhs spread across the world,” he added. Kumar Vishwas revealed how Arvind Kejriwal confided his game plan to him during a conversation about the election outcomes. The noted poet recounted, “He told me the formula to make this a reality. He suggested that once the party bags 90 seats, we will stage a feud between the Bhagwant Mann group and Poolka group.”

He added, “He told me that the infighting between the two factions will continue for 3-4 days, enough to grab national headlines. Kejriwal suggested that I and Ashutosh will then go to Punjab to mediate the situation. And then it will be decided that the power be handed over to Arvind Kejriwal. He said that he would then hand over the administration of the Delhi government to Manish Sisodia.”

Kumar Vishwas had made it clear to the AAP supremo that the chances of him becoming the CM of Punjab was negligible, given that it is a border State and he has a major disagreement with the Centre. “This will be extremely difficult and the situation will be worsened by those, who you are trying to appease. He asked me to shut my mouth and wait for the invitation to the oath-taking ceremony in Punjab.”

The video was earlier shared in February 2020 by BJP IT Cell Head Amit Malviya during the Delhi elections. Interestingly, in the 2017 Punjab Legislative Assembly election, the Lok Insaaf Party and Aam Aadmi Party alliance (represented as AAP+) won only 22 seats out of the total 117 seats. Only 2 seats were won by the Lok Insaaf Party while the other 20 were won by the Aam Aadmi Party. Congress won the elections after bagging 77 seats and Captain Amarinder Singh went on to become the Chief Minister of Punjab.

As per the schedule announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI), elections in the State of Punjab will be conducted in a single phase on February 14, 2022. On the same day, polls will also be held in Uttarkhand, Uttar Pradesh (2nd Phase) and Goa. The votes will be counted on March 10, 2022.

Cache of explosives including Tiffin bombs recovered from Malkangiri in Odisha, after similar recoveries in Punjab, Delhi and Srinagar

OpIndia Staff
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Cache of explosives including Tiffin bombs recovered from Malkangiri in Odisha, after similar recoveries in Punjab, Delhi and Srinagar

On Friday, the Malkangiri police in Odisha detected a huge cache of explosives in the erstwhile cut-off area near the Andhra Pradesh – Odisha border. Malkangiri Superintendent of Police Nitesh Wadhwan said that four tiffin bombs and 20 web belts and huge quantities of medicines were recovered.

According to the local reports, the search operation was carried out by the Special Operation Group (SOG), District Voluntary Force (DVF) and the district police in an area between Mariveda and Nadmenjeri villages under Jodambo police limits. “The items seized were to be used by the Maoists for making explosives planned for use against civilians and security forces”, the police said.

This is the third similar incident in and around the Malkangiri border since last year. On December 25, a joint team of SOG and DVF personnel had unearthed a Maoist dump and recovered hand grenade, generator set and other raw materials used for making IEDs and other explosive devices in Malkangiri district. Also, in October 2021, the Police has busted an explosive unit in the Malkangiri district and killed 3 Maoists, two of which were women.

Pertinently, on Friday, similar such situations were tackled by the Police in the states of Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and New Delhi in one day. The Police in each case recovered explosives that were about to explode and cause huge damage.

IED found in East Delhi’s Flower Market

The security establishment in New Delhi had discovered 3 kg of explosives, including RDX and ammonium nitrate, a timer device, an electric detonator and some shrapnel from a bag at East Delhi’s Ghazipur flower market yesterday. According to the reports, the police had first received a call at 10.19 am from a man in the market. The bag was examined by the bomb detection and disposal experts who found that it contained an IED scheduled to explode at 11:40 am. The officers immediately decided to dispose of it.

Reports mention that an FIR has been registered in the case, at the Special Cell police station and officers are checking CCTV footage to gather clues.

RDX, Iron balls planted near Wagha-Attari border, seized-

The Amritsar Police also on Friday seized IED weighing about 5 kgs from a village near Wagha-Attari border. Registering the case, the police said that the IED is of high intensity and could have caused huge damage to the village.

The IED recovered includes around 2.7 kg of RDX, 1.3 kg iron balls, codex wire, electric detonator and digital timer. Meanwhile, Rashpal Singh of Amritsar Police informed that the explosived had been sent from Pakistan and that the police was investigating the case.

Grenade bomb defused in Srinagar’s market-

In another such incident on Friday, the Bomb Disposal Squad of the security forces had defused a grenade that was recovered inside a cooker wrapped in a bag at Srinagar’s Khwaja Bazaar Chowk. According to the reports, a suspicious bag containing the pressure cooker with some wires visible outside the bag was detected by the Police and CRPF, triggering panic in the area. The bomb squad later destroyed the IED on the spot, police said.

Slaughterhouse politics: Congress candidate for UP’s Moradabad makes promises about slaughterhouses, says Yogi govt ‘harasses’ Qureshi community

OpIndia Staff
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Slaughterhouse politics: Congress candidate for UP’s Moradabad makes promises about slaughterhouses, says Yogi govt ‘harasses’ Qureshi community

Rizwan Qureshi, the Congress candidate for Moradabad city, has now claimed that if he wins the upcoming election from his constituency the first thing he would do is reopen the slaughterhouses that remain shut in the state, reported Bhaskar.

It’s worth noting that when Yogi Adityanath’s government took office in 2017, one of the first things it did was shut down all of the state’s illegal slaughterhouses.

Qureshi claimed that the Uttar Pradesh police regularly harasses the Qureshi community, which he said have run out of business since the govt has shut down slaughterhouses in the state. So, the first thing he would do after coming to power is, reopen those slaughterhouses, said the Congress leader.

He said that he had lost the Nagar Nigam election of Uttar Pradesh by a very thin margin. Hopefully, people would vote for him and fill up the gap and once he is elected he would construct modern slaughterhouses in the district, promised Qureshi.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Qureshi said: “I will construct slaughterhouses equipped with modern and new technologies if I win the elections. In 2012, the NGT had directed the government to close the slaughterhouse and construct a new one with modern equipment. Until then, the government should make alternative arrangements for the slaughterhouse owners to earn their livelihood. If I win the election, I will ensure modern slaughterhouses are constructed in my constituency.”

Interestingly, Qureshi’s statements were ambiguous where he not only mentioned re-opening the illegal slaughterhouses but also promised that he would open modern slaughterhouses in his constituency.

Slaughtering cows and beef is banned in Uttar Pradesh, like in most states of the country. It’s worth mentioning here that prior to the Yogi govt, the regulations governing the operation and upkeep of slaughterhouses were not properly implemented, and permission was randomly granted to individuals who wanted to open slaughterhouses without regard for the rules.

Following Yogi Adityanath’s election as chief minister in 2017, the Supreme Court’s order and the Central Government’s directions in this regard were issued with stern instructions for execution. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued orders to ban cow smuggling and asked police for a plan to close down illegal slaughterhouses in Uttar Pradesh

It may be noted that as part of its continuous drive to safeguard cows and stop smuggling, the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP administration in Uttar Pradesh has shut down 150 illegal slaughterhouses and identified 356 cattle mafias.

According to reports, in the last four and a half years, the state government has taken legal action against 1,823 suspects and seized assets worth more than Rs 18 crore from 68 smugglers charged under the UP Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act.

Cow smuggling, which has always been a big problem in Uttar Pradesh, resulting in numerous violent occurrences was also tackled firmly by the Yogi government, which in June 2020 approved to pass an ordinance aimed at protecting the cow and preventing crimes related to cow slaughter. The UP cabinet approved the Cow-Slaughter Prevention (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020.

According to the reports, the proposed amendment includes a penal provision of imprisonment ranging from one year to ten years for physical damage to the cow and a fine from Rs one lakh to Rs three lakh in cases related to cow slaughter.

IAF inquiry rules out failure or sabotage, blames weather for helicopter crash killing CDS General Rawat

OpIndia Staff
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IAF inquiry rules out failure or sabotage, blames weather for helicopter crash killing CDS General Rawat

The study of the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder in the investigation of the December 8 tragedy that killed many others, including the country’s first Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), General Bipin Rawat, has been completed.

In its preliminary inquiry, the Court of Inquiry of the three agencies examined these tapes. It has been determined that the accident was caused by a mechanical malfunction, damage, or negligence. This information was provided by the Indian Air Force on Friday.

According to the Air Force, the accident occurred as a consequence of a rapid change in weather, which caused clouds to shift. As the helicopter flew into the clouds, the pilot became disoriented about his flight path. The Court of Inquiry has also made several suggestions based on the facts discovered in the inquiry, which are presently being examined.

General Rawat, the country’s first CDS, his wife Madhulika, and 12 armed forces members died in a helicopter crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu, prompting the establishment of the Court of Inquiry.

“The Court of Inquiry has ruled out mechanical failure, sabotage, or negligence as a cause of the accident. The accident was a result of entry into clouds due to unexpected change in weather conditions in the valley.” the Indian Air Force said on Friday. “It led to spatial disorientation of the pilot resulting in Controlled Flight into Terrain or CFIT.” It added.

The Air Force’s Mi-17 helicopter was involved in a mishap in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, on December 8 of last year. This disaster killed CDS General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, and 12 other army officers.

While 13 of the 14 people on board died in the crash, Group Captain Varun Singh died a week later from his afflictions. General Bipin Rawat, as Chief of Defense Staff, was tasked with improving the country’s three armies’ ability to operate together. He also had a significant influence on the modernization of the army’s three wings.

Hamid Ansari’s nephew Mukhtar Ansari, who once terrorized Purvanchal, now fears for his own life: How his empire of crime was shattered by Yogi govt

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Hamid Ansari’s nephew Mukhtar Ansari, who once terrorized Purvanchal, now fears for his own life: How his empire of crime was shattered by Yogi govt

Mukhtar Ansari had become a synonym for terror not only in Purvanchal but in entire Uttar Pradesh. People all over North India now recognize him by his name, but now the reason for this is not the terror his name used to inspire. Since Yogi Adityanath became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, the multi-crore empire of crime seems to be crumbling and how.

Before we talk about what happened to this mafia of Purvanchal, especially after Yogi became the CM of UP, let us first know how he built an empire of hundreds of crores by murder and ransom. He is the grandson of Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari, who was the President of ‘Indian National Congress (INC)’ in 1927. His brother Afzal Ansari is an MP from Ghazipur. Another Ansari – called Sibkatullah Ansari – has also been an MLA. Hamid Ansari, who was the Vice President of India for a decade, comes from this family.

How Mukhtar Ansari created an empire of crime in Purvanchal

In backward areas like Purvanchal, the situation in the 70s was that more than many criminal gangs and mafia were ready to capture every project of the government. The era of shedding blood for government contracts had begun. There are 16 cases registered against this mafia who became MLA from Mau for the 5th time. The crimes enlisted in these cases are murder, attempt to murder, armed riots, criminal conspiracy, criminal intimidation, fraud for property expropriation, interference with public affairs, and willful attack to injure someone.

There was a time when more than 30 criminal cases were registered against this gangster. The most important of these is the incident of the murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai. It was 29 November 2005, which is still called ‘Black Day’ by the people of Ghazipur. Krishnanand Rai was the MLA from Muhammadabad. He was also close to Manoj Sinha, who was a minister in the previous central government for 5 years. The same Manoj Sinha, defeating whom from Ghazipur, Mukhtar Ansari’s brother Afzal Ansari, became MP.

The killers, fearless of the UP state government, fired 400 rounds of bullets. During the postmortem after the incident, 67 bullets were removed from the bodies of the dead. After getting shot by such a large number of bullets, hardly anyone is left alive, that too when these bullets are fired by AK-47. Hanuman Pandey alias Rakesh Pandey who had executed this shooting was killed in an STF encounter during Yogi Adityanath’s reign. He, at the behest of Mukhtar Ansari, had killed BJP MLA Krishnanandan Rai who had come to inaugurate a cricket match at Sonadi village in the Karimuddin area, on November 29, 2005.

Mukhtar Ansari was first elected as MLA on the BSP ticket. He has won the last three elections sitting in jail. This is the effect of fear and polarization of Muslims in his area for him. In the 80s, he was involved in a gang war with another mafia Brijesh Singh. He had established his presence till Mau, Jaunpur, Ballia, and Varanasi. He pushed many youths from this area into the world of crime. In those years, the area was infamous for the cultivation of opium. His ancestral residence ‘Barka Phatak’ (literally meaning ‘Big Gate’) in Yusufpur of Ghazipur was once the hub of politics of 4 districts.

In 2009, Mukhtar Ansari had a total of 48 FIRs were registered against him. His name also appeared in the contractor Ajay Prakash Singh’s murder case in Mau. The witness of this murder crime was also murdered. Similarly, the witness of the Krishnanand Rai murder case also died under suspicious circumstances. Mukhtar Ansari is from a rich family and his father used to be a communist leader. Mukhtar Ansari’s brother Afzal Ansari is also a 5-time MLA and a 2-time MP. Mukhtar Ansari was once expelled from BSP by Mayawati.

Mukhtar Ansari was afraid even to step into Uttar Pradesh in Yogi government

Mukhtar Ansari, who was in jail in Punjab, was afraid to come to Uttar Pradesh because he feared getting killed in a police encounter. When he was going to be transferred from a jail in Punjab to jail in UP, at that time, he did not eat or drink anything on the way and his face was swollen with fear. The Congress government of Punjab had tried hard to save him. The matter reached the court. Eventually, the Yogi government succeeded in shifting him to a jail in Banda.

Then in a letter to Priyanka Gandhi, late MLA Krishnanand Rai’s wife Alka Rai had said, “I have to say with sorrow that under your leadership the government of Punjab and Rajasthan has given the status of state guest to the killer of my husband and the notorious criminal Mukhtar Ansari and his son Abbas Ansari. The proof of this is the photographs published in the newspaper, from which it is clear that under the government’s patronage, the Rajasthan government got Mukhtar’s son married.”

Now know how Mukhtar Ansari’s property worth hundreds of crores has not only been sealed and auctioned under the Yogi government but many of his shops and properties have also been demolished by bulldozers. His assets worth about Rs 300 crore have been either confiscated or razed off. More than 100 criminals of his gang are in jail now. In addition, about 75 arms licenses have also been cancelled. Afzal Ansari now talks about the threat to the family from the Yogi government.

Recently, 17 shops built on the ground floor of Ghazal Hotel of Ghazipur were confiscated. This was located in Mahuabagh and belonged to Mukhtar Ansari’s wife Afsha Ansari. Prior to that 0.091 hectares of land was freed from the possession of one of his close associates. Earlier, coal mafia close to Ansari and owner of Tridev Construction, Umesh Singh’s four-story house built in Bhiti at a cost of Rs 10 crore, was bulldozed. Mukhtar Ansari’s sharpshooter Ali Sher was killed.

Mukhtar Ansari, who once inspired fear in the hearts of people, is now afraid himself. So much so that before being brought to UP, he had expressed the possibility of his murder during the virtual appearance in the court. He feared being killed by poisoning the food. His assets near assembly, worth crores, were confiscated. His henchman Shakeel Haider was arrested for debunking a Rs 66 crore loan. Property worth about Rs 2 crore 18 lakh was confiscated in August 2021.

Property worth Rs 53 lakh of his close friend Nanhe Khan was seized. The police also arrested him. Two of Mukhtar Ansari’s henchmen Meraj and Mukeem were murdered inside the jail. While shifting from Punjab to UP, he was so much frightened that from eyes to the throat, he used to tell the court new diseases every day. Efforts to cancel his assembly membership also started. Afraid of coming to UP, he started eating food only once a day. He was in a wheelchair.

Also, know how the officials who took action against Mukhtar Ansari were intimidated during the SP-BSP regime. In January 2004, Shailendra Kumar Singh was the Deputy SP in charge of the Varanasi unit of UP STF. He had recovered LMG from Mukhtar Ansari’s hideout, after which he was tortured by the then Mulayam Singh Yadav government. He had to resign. FIR was lodged against him. When he went to jail, Yogi Adityanath had called his family and said, “I will do justice, when I will come to the power.” Fake cases registered against him were canceled by the Yogi government.

The judiciary has also ordered to seize the passports of Mukhtar Ansari’s wife and sons. Yogi government removed two IAS officers who benefited his family. Mohammad Azam, a close associate to MLA Mukhtar Ansari, himself demolished his illegal construction. Ansari gang’s Meraj and Isa Khan’s illegal buildings in Mau costing 20 crores were bulldozed. Several cases are registered against Mukhtar Ansari’s wife. She started writing a letter to the President seeking protection.

Similarly, UP Police also bulldozed the property of Azam, a close associate to Mukhtar Ansari. Azam had built an illegal hospital on the banks of the Ganges for ₹ 70Cr. Ansari’s Ghazal Hotel called ‘Mukhtar Ansari’s Taj Mahal’ in Ghazipur was demolished. FIR was lodged against Afzal Ansari’s wife Farhat for encroachment of the property. Property worth Rs 39 lakh was seized from his gang’s Rajneesh Singh. His vehicles worth 4.5 crores were seized. His sons were declared criminals.

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