Aneesh Jasy, from Coimbatore who describes himself as an ‘ex-Muslim rationalist’, has been arrested by Tamil Nadu Police on December 29th, for posting supposedly anti-Islamic posts on Facebook. What can be known from Aneesh’s friend is that his arrest was done without a warrant while he was taken to the Police station asking for his presence concerning an inquiry about his colleague.
On December 29th, Aneesh who is a popular ‘rationalist’ among atheist groups in Tamil Nadu was arrested and taken to the Kuniyamuthur Police station. However, Aneesh’s friend has alleged that an FIR was made only after his arrest. At night, he was taken to the police station with a Police subjugate citing requirement of Aneesh’s statement concerning an inquiry about his colleague.
Sub-Inspector V Ganesh Kumar has stated that he was made aware of the ‘anti-Islamic’ posts by Aneesh insulting Islam, the Prophet and the Holy Quran. He confirmed that he has gone through the Facebook posts and copies of them have been attached in the FIR. According to a report by The News Minute, one of the posts included in the FIR is a meme saying ”people cry crocodile tears over a book that they insist is holy.” Featuring an ex-Muslim the meme says “he is ashamed when he reads the Hadith.” Another post on Aneesh’s profile can be seen him comparing prophet Mohammad to a self-styled Godwoman.
After assessing the posts, The rationalist has been charged under 295(a) [deliberate and malicious acts meant to outrage religious feelings], 153A(1)(c) [promoting enmity between different groups of religion, race place of birth etc.] and 505(2) [statement conducing to public mischief] by the Kuniyamuthur Police station.
Aneesh’s (unnamed) friend has raised serious questions over the intent and sequence of his enquiry followed by the arrest. He suspects the actions of conservative Muslims behind the arrest. It is important to note here that Aneesh has always been on the end of getting threatening criticism from orthodox Muslim handles over his social media accounts. “I don’t believe that the police themselves went looking for his posts and took it upon themselves to file a complaint. What Aneesh was doing was nothing new. People from various religious backgrounds have become atheists and written about the flaws of their previous faiths. Since Periyar’s time, this has been happening here. He was only criticising hypocrisy within the religion he had left.” He stated.
Aneesh, who now remains in the Coimbatore Central Jail was initially sent to the Perundurai sub-jail. A bail plea submitted by his friend was rejected on January, 05.
Note: Some identifiable details in this report are changed to respect privacy of the individuals in the case.
Surat is about 270 kms away from Ahmedabad in Gujarat. Like Vadodara, it is one of those cosmopolitan places where a lot of non-Gujaratis have come to call it their home. Its proximity to Mumbai and it being textile and diamond hub has also brought in people from other states.
One such family that has made Surat their home for the past 15 years is Pooja (name changed). Her family lives in the industrial area of Sachin, on the outskirts of Surat. Back in 2015, when she was 17 years old, she would often accompany her sister to her workplace, in an apparel manufacturing factory. There she got acquainted with one Dilshad.
Pooja explains that she met Dilshad where she used to work with her sister and mother. He used to sit next to her while working and got acquainted. One day, during tea break, Dilshad took her phone and obtained her phone number. A few days later, two days before Shivratri, he called her. “I got a call from an unknown number and I answered and that is when he told me that his name was Dilshad,” she said.
Dilshad told Pooja, who was a minor at that time, that he loves her and wants to meet her. She turned down the advances saying that her father is home and she cannot meet him. She also told him that she does not like him and hence nothing will happen between them. She said that despite that he would continue to call her. When she blocked the number, he would call from other numbers.
One day, he asked her to meet him. “If you meet me once, I will not call or message you again,” he told her. That day she was on a leave and she went to meet him near her place. “That is where they took me,” she said.
Pooja was kidnapped and taken to a village in Katihar, Bihar
After having turned down his advances a number of times, Pooja finally decided to go meet him to tell him that she does not have feelings for him the way he had for her. However, a shock was in store for her when she went to meet him.
Pooja then revealed that there were 2-3 people who took her away. She was first taken to a place called Sainath near Sachin where she was kept for a few days. Later, her parents and sister got suspicious and tried to get in touch with Dilshad but he never let her speak to her family. From Sainath, she was taken to Mumbai.
In Mumbai, there was one of his family member and his friend where they kept her for one day. From Mumbai, she was taken to Bihar.
“I cried, but they still took me,” she says.
“I want to marry you”
Dilshad then took her to Bihar where he said he wanted to marry her. Pooja said how her family members raised concerns that the girl he has brought to marry is not ready to marry. But then he gave money to get the marriage registered. She then said that he called a maulana for the nikah.
“My family members would keep calling him but he kept threatening me. One of his relatives worked in the same company where I worked. He would tell me that if I do anything, he will harm my family. Out of fear, I had to marry him. Those who came for the nikah also knew the marriage was not consensual. Even the person who facilitated court marriage knew this. But they all took money for the marriage,” she said.
Pooja then reveals that after the ‘nikah’, her name was changed there. Her hair was cut and she was asked to wear a burqa and she was not allowed to go out. “I thought that if I stay properly and follow what they ask me to do, they may let me speak to my family. He used to also beat me up,” she said.
She says how Dilshad’s mother would come in the night when she would be sleeping and spread something where she would sleep. She stayed at Dilshad’s place for 15-20 days. She further revealed that she heard Dilshad speak to the maulvi who had come for nikah that they get money for bringing Hindu girl for marriage. “He was marrying me for this money only,” she said.
Dilshad’s mother used to make her read the namaz and force her to wear burqa.
The return
Pooja pleaded to Dilshad to let her speak to her parents because she was so well behaved. One day, he let her speak to her father where he informed her that her mother is seriously ill. “My father didn’t know where I was,” she said. Pooja then requested Dilshad to let her go and see her mother once. But Dilshad refused. He even threatened her with death threats to her father should he come to the village to rescue her with police.
Pooja revealed that her brother then reached out to someone about how his sister was abducted and taken away. She then got in touch with one Girish Ahir in Sachin, who is the secretary of Hindu Jagran Manch of Surat Mahanagar. Meanwhile, one day when Dilshad was away, she managed to get access to the phone and she called up her father and informed her about her whereabouts.
Somehow Dilshad got to know that her father was on his way to Katihar and so he beat her up. She then called up her father and asked her father to not go there with her father. That is when he told her that he is only going because her mother is ill. Even then Dilshad refused to let her go and gave her death threats.
“I then tried to convince them that I will return. I stayed there nicely so that they have faith that I will return. I had to do it and stayed for a few days,” She said. When her father came to ‘meet’ her, Dilshad first sent some people to check on him if he is alone or has police with him and only then he was allowed to meet her.
“My father cried a lot on seeing me,” she said. Pooja then asked for a copy of the ‘marriage certificate’ to take it along with her but neither Dilshad nor his mother allowed it. She said that while leaving she still managed to take a copy of the certificate. Her father finally managed to bring her home.
Back home, Pooja was taken to temple
Pooja then said that when she saw her mother so unwell and in ICU, she did not feel good. “My family members told me that when I would be sleeping, I would keep reciting the namaz. I did not know that,” she said. She said that one day she was feeling low. She did not want to stay back. Her father told her to stay back but she was not feeling right as everyone in the neighbourhood knew of her ordeal and she had to face a lot of societal pressure.
“I did not like hearing the comments of everyone about how I was taken away and what happened to me,” she said, pushing back her tears. Pooja then decided to go back to Katihar with Dilshad and left the house.
Her sister then again reached out to Girish Ahir, who had earlier helped her family to bring Pooja back. Girish Ahir and his team managed to spot Pooja on a train at Sachin station and got her off the train. Later, she was taken to meet one Deepika Bhavsar, who works extensively with women like Pooja, to counsel them, make them feel safe. Pooja said that Bhavsar got her to read about Hindu texts and regular prayers and that helped her feel better.
Fighting back her tears, Pooja says that had it not been for the ones who rescued her, she would not have been able to walk so confidently. “Had it not been for these people, I would have not been alive,” she said. She said that they helped her file cases and take the legal route. Pooja reveals that when she would offer namaz, she was taken to a temple. There a Pandit told her that when she was taken to Dargah, they had allegedly done some black magic because of which she has started reciting namaz.
Speaking to OpIndia, Girish Ahir said that Pooja’s case has been one of the most successful cases. While a police complaint was filed and police did try to catch the culprit, but nothing quite came out of it. It has been over 6 years now and the girl has also become an adult and the family is looking to get her married.
Ahir spoke about another case from 2016 of one girl Sheetal (name changed) who was a student in class nine. A Muslim man had eloped with her. Subsequently, an FIR was registered and he was given life imprisonment. The girl has since been married to a Hindu boy as per Hindu rituals.
First case of ‘Love Jihad’ in Gujarat was in Surat
The first case of ‘love jihad’ under the new anti-conversion law in Gujarat was filed in Surat’s Dindoli area. A 50-year-old Muslim man was accused of luring and impregnating a young Hindu girl using a false identity. He was also accused of trying to convert her to Islam. In 2018, 50-year-old accused Mohammad Akhtar Sheikh met a 22-year-old Hindu girl and introduced himself as Mukesh Mahavir Gupta. He slowly developed a friendship with the girl and claimed he was employed by the Indian Railways.
He had claimed he was unmarried and a year later in 2019 proposed marriage to the girl. The two got married as per Hindu rituals. The marriage was solemnised at the Hanuman temple, which is located in the Kadodara area of Surat. The accused soon impregnated the girl and the duo had a son together. He also began staying at her house. He also took Rs 12 lakh from the girl’s family members under the pretext of getting her a job.
However, it was only in 2021 she discovered the truth about him. She found his Aadhaar card and discovered that he was not Mukesh Mahavir Gupta but Mohammad Akhtar Sheikh. Not only that, he was already married and also had five children with his first wife.
The women then alleged that upon discovery of his true identity, Sheikh forced her to read namaz and also tried to force her to convert to Islam.
Constitution vs Muslim Personal Law
Kavita Dubey, a social activist, while speaking to OpIndia said that one of the major issues with such grooming jihad cases is the legal loopholes. In a lot of cases, the culprits get the girls’ confidence by telling them that they will get married under the Special Marriage Act and hence the girl will not need to change her religion. But soon after, they get her converted and have a nikah as per Islamic rituals.
Once the girl converts, the Muslim Personal Law Board is applicable and if she then is abandoned or the man gets another wife, she has very little legal recourse, Dubey said.
“It is the responsibility of parents to make sure the girls don’t fall into such traps. If the girl does not get love, comfort and warmth at home, she tends to fall on such wrong paths and then it gets difficult to bring these girls back,” she said. “In 90% cases, if a Hindu girl has eloped with a Muslim boy, she will not return despite realisation of mistake because of society. So society also needs to be more accepting of girls who come back. They need counselling, not our taunts,” she said.
However, what is unfortunate here is that in a major chunk of cases, victims are Hindu Dalit girls and other girls from lower income bracket who are easily lured.
SheThePeople is an Indian digital media website purporting itself to be a champion of women empowerment. On its website, the organisation says that it is India’s first women’s channel inspired by real stories and seeks to change the discourse on, about and for women. It provides a platform to women from various walks of life who shatter the glass ceiling in every sphere of life.
However, the reality is in stark contrast to what the organisation would want to have us believe. On the surface, it does appear to promote the cause of women, but that affirmation appears to be rather symbolic and selective, something which got exposed after actor Siddharth was found making crass sexual innuendos at Saina Nehwal following his disagreement with the Badminton champion.
For years now, SheThePeople hailed actor Siddharth as someone who is passionately working towards empowering women and fighting decades-old prejudices against them. He was listed by the media website among the list of Bollywood icons who are “true feminist icons” for the year 2019. It has also routinely engaged with the actor on issues plaguing women, including on how cinema has played a part in glorifying incidents of stalking.
This is a tweet of appreciation for @SheThePeople. It truly takes conviction & courage to promote someone as a feminist icon & then do an ostrich when he turns out to be anything but. pic.twitter.com/1mmc6nqCNU
It cited sporadic instances when Siddharth castigated the film industry for their brazen glorification of stalking and when he slammed advertisements that objectified women for declaring him as a “feminist icon”, fighting the social evils faced by women on a daily basis.
Actor Siddharth hurls crass sexual comments at Badminton champion Saina Nehwal
But, actor Siddharth turns out to be anything but a “feminist icon”, especially in the light of the recent remarks made by him against ace Badmintonist Saina Nehwal. On January 6, Tamil actor Siddharth attacked ace Badminton player Saina Nehwal with a crass, sexually derogatory comment. He said, “Subtle cock champion of the world… Thank God we have protectors of India. Shame on you #Rihanna.”
In her tweet, Saina had condemned the security lapse in Punjab during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Ferozepur.
‘Cock’ is a slang used for the male sexual organ. By twisting the badminton term ‘shuttlecock’, Siddharth was trying to insult Saina in a crass, sexual manner.
The crass sexual comment against one of India’s most prominent and successful women came soon after the same actor pretended to be concerned about issues of women safety and posed as a conscientious feminist.
As outrage over his comment swelled and NCW was asked to take cognisance of his tweets, Siddharth brazened out his remarks, stating that his “cock” reference was not meant to disrespect anyone and there was no insinuation in it.
“Cock and bull,” he said. “That’s the reference. Reading otherwise is unfair and leading,” he tweeted.
Apparently, this is not the first time that Siddharth has been in news for his cheap antics. Earlier in October 2021, Siddharth shared a veiled tweet targeted at actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu. Samantha’s divorce from Naga Chaitanya was on the news and the actor, who was once rumoured to be dating the actress, had shared a tweet saying “cheaters never prosper.”
The tweet received wide criticism, not just from Samantha’s fans but many others, who reminded the actor that it is not in good taste. He had later clarified that his tweet was not about Samantha, but rather a general comment.
The hypocrisy of SheThePeople in turning a blind eye to Siddharth’s sexist remarks
Nevertheless, SheThePeople did not issue any comment or distanced themselves from the actor. Now, the actor is found making sexual innuendos against the Badminton superstar and yet the media website that fashions itself as a crusader fighting for the empowerment of women, did not bother to condemn the actor for his remarks. Instead, they have ignored the controversy, pretending that Siddharth did not make those comments and that the outrage surrounding his remarks would die a natural death over the course of time.
This, in a nutshell, is how the liberal ecosystem operates. While they sermonise others on having strong moral principles and preen themselves on following higher standards of ideals, their own when one of their own is caught violating those principles and indulging in deplorable behaviour, they pretend as if nothing happened and that they are not obligated to issue either clarification or condemnation.
Unfazed by the severe criticisms he has been receiving from various quarters for attacking ace Badminton player Saina Nehwal with a crass, sexually derogatory comment, Tamil actor Siddharth posted another Tweet defending his remarks on Twitter.
The Rang De Basanti actor brazened out his crass sexual tweet against the Padma Bhushan awardee badminton player by Tweeting: “COCK & BULL” That’s the reference. Reading otherwise is unfair and leading! Nothing disrespectful was intended, said or insinuated. Period,” wrote the actor, followed by a folded hands emoji.
"COCK & BULL"
That's the reference. Reading otherwise is unfair and leading!
Nothing disrespectful was intended, said or insinuated. Period. ??
The actor Tweeted this in response to his January 6 Tweet wherein he had attacked ace Badminton player Saina Nehwal with a derogatory tweet.
Actor Siddharth’s crass sexual comments on Saina Nehwal
It is appalling that instead of apologising or deleting his crass and Tweet, the actor posted another Tweet where he defended it. Siddharth’s today Tweet, by far, is one of the most ridiculous defences for a nasty and offensive remark he made against Nehwal on January 6.
Actually, in his January 6th Tweet the actor had shamelessly twisted the badminton term ‘shuttlecock’ to insult Saina in a crass, sexual manner. “Subtle cock champion of the world… Thank God we have protectors of India. Shame on you #Rihanna,” the actor had Tweeted after Saina condemned the security lapse in Punjab during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Ferozepur.
Siddharth’s tweet against Saina
Actor gets called out for his sexual innuendo against Saina
The Tamil actor’s obscene remark drew the wrath of a number of social media users, including politicians and celebrities, who chastised him for using such demeaning language to criticise Saina, one of India’s most accomplished and successful women.
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi wrote, “Absolutely unacceptable and unbecoming language to use for anyone. Whatever the disagreement, there has to be civility in discourse,” Tweeted the Shiv Sena leader, in response to Siddharth’s Tweet posted on January 6.
Saina Nehwal is our country’s sporting pride, she has as much right to a political opinion as rest of the nation. You disagree-you debate, you don’t ever demean even if you strongly opposed to her thoughts and ideas. This illiberal approach to ‘liberal discourse’ is damaging.
In her subsequent Tweet, the SS leader wrote: “Saina Nehwal is our country’s sporting pride, she has as much right to a political opinion as rest of the nation. You disagree-you debate, you don’t ever demean even if you are strongly opposed to her thoughts and ideas. This illiberal approach to ‘liberal discourse’ is damaging”.
Meanwhile, Saina Nehwal’s husband and ace badminton player Parupalli Kashyap also condemned the actor for using “not so cool” words to express his opinion. Using hashtags like #notcool and #disgraceful, Parupalli Kashyap slammed the actor for his sexist remark.
“This is upsetting for us … express ur opinion but choose better words man. I guess u thought it was cool to say it this way. #notcool #disgraceful @Actor_Siddharth,” wrote Parupalli Kashyap.
This is upsetting for us … express ur opinion but choose better words man . I guess u thought it was cool to say it this way . #notcool#disgraceful@Actor_Siddharth
Others who criticised the actor for the tweet include BJP leader Khushbu Sundar, who said, “Sid you are a friend but definitely wasn’t expecting this from you. It’s very crass. I am sure uncle and aunty wouldn’t be proud of you. Don’t get carried with your hatred towards an individual.”
Sid you are a friend but definitely wasn't expecting this from you. It's very crass. I am sure Uncle n Aunty wouldn't be proud of you. Don't get carried with your hatred towards an individual. https://t.co/0NjR4NWMuZ
NCW takes note of the “misogynist and outrageous” Tweet against the badminton player
Taking serious note of the offence, NCW has written to DGP Maharashtra to investigate the matter and demanded an FIR to be registered against the actor.
NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma on Monday wrote to the Resident Grievance Officer, Twitter India to immediately block the actor’s account and take appropriate action against him for posting a “misogynist and outrageous” Tweet against the badminton player, “thereby, outraging her modesty and insulting her right to live with dignity.”
National Commission for Women chairperson writes to Twitter India "to immediately block actor Siddharth's tweet on shuttler Saina Nehwal, calls it "misogynist and outrageous."
The actor later said, "Nothing disrespectful was intended, reading otherwise is unfair." pic.twitter.com/ln6SCBs9fG
The National Commission for Women (NCW) has also sent the actor a notice over the tweet.
Meanwhile, responding to the actor’s sexual innuendos against her, Nehwal reportedly told Republic TV: “Ya I’m not sure what he meant, I used to like him as an actor but this was not nice. He can express himself with better words but I guess it’s Twitter and you get noticed with such words and comments. If the security of the PM of India is an issue then I’m not sure what is secure in the country.”
Deposits in bank accounts opened under the Modi government’s Jan Dhan initiative, which was introduced roughly seven and a half years ago, have surpassed Rs 1.5 lakh crore. The total balance in approximately 44.23 million Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) accounts was Rs 1,50,939.36 crore at the end of December 2021, according to the latest finance ministry statistics.
In August of last year, PMJDY, the National Mission for Financial Inclusion, had completed seven years of implementation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced it in his Independence Day address on August 15, 2014.
Deposits in bank accounts opened under the scheme had crossed the ₹1 trillion mark in August 2019.
According to statistics from the finance ministry, 34.9 crore accounts were with public sector banks, 8.05 crore with regional rural banks, and the remaining 1.28 crore with private sector banks. In addition, RuPay debit cards were provided to 31.28 crores PMJDY beneficiaries. It’s worth noting that the number of RuPay cards available and their use has grown over time.
According to the data, rural and semi-urban bank branches maintained 29.54 crore Jan Dhan accounts. Women made up around 24.61 crore account holders as of December 29, 2021. During the scheme’s first year, 17.90 crore PMJDY accounts were created.
There is no necessity to maintain a minimum amount in Basic Savings Bank Deposit (BSBD) accounts, including Jan Dhan accounts, according to RBI guidelines. The amount in any Jan Dhan account might fluctuate from day to day, and may even become zero on a given day, depending on the activities carried out by the account user.
The government notified Parliament last month that the overall number of zero balance accounts as of December 8, 2021, was 3.65 crore, accounting for nearly 8.3% of all Jan Dhan accounts.
The government’s flagship scheme’s goals include offering affordable access to financial goods and services. Through Direct Benefit Transfer, benefits like scholarships, subsidies, pensions, and COVID relief monies are credited to bank accounts, including Jan Dhan Accounts (DBT).
Hours after it was reported that Supreme Court lawyers were getting threatening calls from Khalistani terror group Sikhs for Justice, a transcript of the threat call has emerged. A social media user Priyang Pandey tweeted the details of a number registered in the UK, from which many lawyers got threat calls from the SFJ earlier in the day.
Many Journalists & SC AoRs got a call from a UK number of an organisation ‘Sikhs for Justice’ taking responsibility of blocking @PMOIndia in Punjab
From what can be heard, it is a pre-recorded message of a man saying, “You were quiet at call given for the death of the Sikh farmers. If you help Modi today, this will be the most disgraceful act that would be committed by you. The message is from Sikhs for Justice General Council from the USA and we take the responsibility for blocking Modi in Punjab”. Lawyers had said they were threatened with such calls from the SFJ with a warning to lawyers against attending the SC hearing.
Sikhs for Justice a Khalistani Terror Organisation, which is banned in India had earlier taken responsibility for the Republic Day riots which took place on the Red Fort on 26th January 2021. The SFJ’s Gurpatwant Singh Pannu had also earlier shared a video where he was seen boasting about stopping PM Modi’s convoy and ‘forcing him to go back’ in Punjab.
During the hearing of the Prime Minister’s Security breach case on Monday, some lawyers said that they got calls from the Khalistani Organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) threatening them with consequences if they appeared before the court. The Khalistani organisation SFJ, which is banned in India, threatened Supreme Court lawyers over pre-recorded messages on calls claiming responsibility for blocking the PM’s convoy on January 4th.
While speaking to Times Now, Lawyer Nishant Kanteshwar said he received a pre-recorded call on Monday morning, with Sikhs for Justice claiming responsibility for blocking the PM’s convoy and making him wait on the fly-over. Secondly, the caller threatened the Supreme Court not to investigate the matter of PM’s security breach. According to the Lawyer, the caller confessed that the call was from SFJ based in the United Kingdom.
I received two calls. It said that we take the responsibility for blocking the PM’s cavalcade. It was a pre-recorded message of 47 seconds: Advocate Vishnu Jain, lawyer who has been threatened.
Another lawyer Vishnu Jain, who received two similar pre-recorded calls at 10:38 AM and 12:30 PM respectively, was asked not to hear the plea in the Supreme court. The call reminded the lawyer of the Supreme Court’s alleged inaction to provide justice to the victims in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. According to Jain, many lawyers involved in the case have received such calls before or after the hearing.
“I received a call from a UK number which said that they would take responsibility for the blockade the motorcade of the PM. The caller said that SC should not be hearing the matter when they did not find a single culprit responsible for the killing of Sikhs in 1984,” one of the lawyers who received the call told Times Now.
“I received two calls. It said that we take the responsibility for blocking the PM’s cavalcade. It was a pre-recorded message of 47 seconds,” said Advocate Vishnu Jain. If established and proved, the claims may point towards a possible and orchestrated conspiracy behind the blockade of the PM’s convoy, as against the existing claims that it was a mere ‘lapse’ of security.
VP of SCAORA (Supreme Court Advocates On Record Association), Manoj Mishra while talking to the Republic said, “It is unfortunate that many members of my organisation are informing about the threat calls they are receiving.” “While I was in the midst of my argument, I too received such call” he added. With Many advocates receiving threat calls from the banned terror organisation, attempts have been revealed to scuttle the investigation involving the grave security breach of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
After the Monday Hearing, the Supreme court has decided to set up a committee headed by a retired SC judge to investigate the probe. The independent investigations by the Punjab State Government and The MHA will now be suspended.
The Supreme Court directed on Monday to appoint an independent panel to investigate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security breach in Ferozepur, Punjab. The panel will be headed by a retired Supreme Court judge. The top court, while hearing a plea on the subject, told both the Centre and the Punjab governments that their investigations into the matter should be halted.
The court further proposed that the independent panel should incorporate the DGP Chandigarh, the IG National Investigation Agency, the Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Courts, and the ADGP (security) of Punjab.
Earlier today, a Supreme Court bench led by CJI Ramana began hearing a petition seeking a court-monitored investigation into an episode involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security breach during his visit to Ferozepur in Punjab. A three-judge panel chaired by Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana and comprised of Justice Surya Kanta and Justice Hima Kohli heard the plea made by the “Lawyers’ Voice” organisation.
CJI: Mr Mehta, And Adv General, we are thinking.. one retired SC Judge will head the committee, members will be same as we indicated- DGP Chandigarh, IG NIA & Registrar General & Addtl DG Intelligence Bureau. #PMSecurityLapse#SupremeCourt
On Friday, the Supreme Court had instructed the Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to “protect and preserve” records pertaining to the prime minister’s travel to Punjab when there was a major security breach.
Following notification that the Centre had issued show-cause notices to Punjab authorities, the Supreme Court informed the Centre that the notices issued to Punjab officials were self-contradictory. The court went on to say that by forming the Committee, the Centre is attempting to determine whether there was a violation of the SPG Act while also holding the Punjab Chief Secretary and Director General responsible.
“There is a security breach and the Punjab government has admitted as well. The question is if an inquiry is held, what will be its scope. If you want to take disciplinary action against officers what remains for this court to look into?” the Court asked.
During the hearing on Monday, senior counsel DS Patwalia, the Punjab government’s Advocate General, informed the Supreme Court that the documents had been reviewed by the Registrar General of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, arguing for the Centre, said the Supreme Court that show-cause letters were given to the DG and the Punjab Chief Secretary before the Committee’s activities were suspended. The appointed committee had no hearings, he said.
Senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for petitioner Lawyers’ Voice, told the Supreme Court on Friday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security breach in Punjab is a matter under the Special Protection Groups (SPG) Act, not only a law-and-order issue.
The breach of PM’s security, according to the petition, was a deliberate failure on the side of the state authorities. It has urged the Supreme Court to take stringent action against the Punjab government’s “erring” officials. The PIL also raised concerns about why and how private individuals were granted access to PM Modi’s route.
On January 5, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cavalcade was stalled for about 20 minutes on a flyover in Punjab owing to farmers blocking the flyover. A hugesecurity breach occurred when private automobiles were spotted approaching the cavalcade. According to the MHA, the Punjab government failed to deploy adequate security to ensure the safety of any road traffic. The Punjab Police had reportedly directed the protesters towards the flyover where the PM’s convoy was about to pass.
Do you believe in creationism? In other words, do you believe, as it says in the Bible, that God created the world approximately six thousand years ago, with all living things as they are today? Before you answer that, let me ask you another question. Do you believe in Australia? Yes, I’m asking if you think Australia is a real place.
Both questions may appear to be similar because both have been framed in the same way: Do you believe in …. ? But the proponents of Australia and the proponents of creationism differ in the way they handle the question.
The proponents of Australia will give you the coordinates for where it is. If you sail there, and you don’t find the continent, well then there is no Australia.
What about the proponents of creationism? You show them fossil remains. They say these are remains of the monsters mentioned in the Bible. But you tell them that you can date the fossils and prove that these are millions of years old. So that disproves creationism, right?
No, the proponents of creationism say. What if God made the world six thousand years ago and then made everything look like it is millions of years old?
Stumped?
The purpose of this long-winded introduction is this. Anyone can claim anything. How do we know which claims are scientific? Because claims that are scientific are always falsifiable. In other words, there has to be a way to disprove them using observations. If you don’t find Australia where they say it is, then there is no such thing as Australia. Superstition, on the other hand, argues that observations don’t matter. The conclusion is always the same.
Now think about the so-called ‘Kerala model’. How do the proponents of the Kerala model know that it is the best in the world? They say it is based on observation. But remarkably enough, the conclusions don’t change with observations.
What does it mean when the test positive rate for Covid in Kerala is low? It means that Kerala has successfully contained the spread of the disease. Ok, but guess what it means when the test positive rate in Kerala is high? It means that the state govt strategy of “targeted testing” is working.
No matter what the observations are, the conclusion is always the same. Kerala model is a success!
Death rates in Kerala are high? It is because it is the most aggressive and honest in updating data.
What does it mean when there are few Covid deaths in Kerala? It is a win for Kerala’s amazing healthcare system. So what does it mean when there are lots of Covid deaths in Kerala? It means that the state is doing a stellar job of recording deaths. As with creationism, you can’t disprove the Kerala model. Every observation, as well as its exact opposite, is explained by the Kerala model.
That’s how you can tell that the Kerala model is not science. It is superstition.
There is another way. Scientific results are reproducible. The effects of an antibiotic such as penicillin can be reproduced over and over again, with millions of human subjects. A magic potion or powder given by a fakeer baba is different. There is always someone willing to testify to its effectiveness, but the results can never be reproduced independently.
Nobody knows what is “targeted testing”
Just like “targeted testing.” No government, whether inside or outside India, has been able to reproduce the Kerala government’s technique of targeted testing. The World Health Organization has no clue what it is. The WHO still says that a test positive rate above 5% means that the pandemic is going out of control. However, in “targeted testing,” a higher positive rate indicates things are going very well, only in Kerala.
Right now, there is a huge shortage of testing kits in the US, for instance. Think about how much waste could have been avoided if we didn’t have to go through say 100 tests to find 5-6 cases. We could have used “targeted testing” and cut down the number of test kits needed by a factor of 4 or 5! But no government has tried to acquire Kerala’s unique technology. Neither has the Kerala government tried to export it.
The Kerala model cannot be falsified by observation. Its results cannot be reproduced anywhere else. Because the Kerala model is faith-based.
What? Communists and faith? Heresy!
But here is what settles the matter. The people running the scam know exactly what they are doing. We know the Kerala model is superstitious because those running it don’t believe in it themselves. And that is why Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan is off to the US for just a “medical check-up.”
Apparently, Kerala’s much-acclaimed healthcare system cannot do so much as a medical check-up. Also observe that the Communist CM is not going to Cuba, or China, or any other place that inspires his politics. He is going to America!
Incidentally, he isn’t even the only minister in his government right now who is going to America for medical reasons. His sports minister is doing the same.
Where does that leave you, the common citizen? Well, if you are a resident of Kerala, congratulations! You will be picking up the bill, because all expenses will be borne by the taxpayer. So, if you have relatives in the Gulf who are sending money home, better call them and tell them to work just a bit harder. Don’t worry, because it is all going towards a good cause, which is fighting fascism. You don’t want Modi taking over Kerala, do you? So work a little harder, comrades! Thanks to Comrade Pinarayi, the harvest shall be plentiful this year.
Oh, and Comrade Pinarayi also changed the commissar who supposedly led Kerala so successfully through Covid. Remember Comrade Shailaja? I haven’t heard her mentioned once in the media since mid-May. Remember the revolution isn’t about individuals, it is about the collective.
Have you ever seen a faith healer take their own “medicine”? And so does Comrade Pinarayi head to the US, leaving behind his famed Kerala model. The real Kerala model isn’t healthcare or education. It is about making sure nobody in the media dares to say a word against it.
On Sunday, January 9, Dr Param Navdeep Singh, a leader of the Indian National Congress, took to her official Twitter handle to share the same manipulated video which Pakistanis and their Indian agents shared on January 7 to claim that the Indian government is planning to remove Sikhs from the Indian army.
Despite the Indian government rubbishing the fake video on the very same day, the Congress leader continued to peddle the fake news in her deliberate attempt to berate the Modi government.
In a fresh new effort to portray PM Modi as anti-Sikh, the Congress leader Tweeted the fallacious claim, two days later, with the hashtag #ModihatesPunjabis.
In her now-deleted Tweet, Dr Param Navdeep Singh wrote: “During 6 January Meeting of Modi’s Cabinet Committee on security BJP Minister Calls For Removal of Sikhs From Indian Army #ModihatesPunjabis” while sharing a screenshot from the same ‘fake’ video that went viral, showing anti-Sikh views being expressed during a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting chaired by PM Narendra Modi.
Now-deleted Tweet of Congress leader Dr Param Navdeep Singh
Dr Param Navdeep Singh who identifies herself as a social activist and doctor is a former Congress MLA of the Sangaria assembly constituency in Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh district.
Screenshot of Dr Param Navdeep Singh’s Twitter bio
It may be noted that after being called out for sharing the erroneous claim that too, two days after it was fact-checked by the government of India itself, the Congress leader deleted her Tweet saying, “No harm/ ill-will was intended by hashtagging it”.
A fake video of a meeting showing Hon’ HM of India Sh. Amit Shah appeared in the media…about Panjabis/ Sikhs. No harm/ ill-will was intended by hashtagging it..Deleted and Regretted.
Congress toes Pakistan’s line to berate Modi government
Congress, which is infamous for always toeing Pakistan’s line when it comes to demonising the Modi government, did so again this time, parroting the false assertions made by an Inter-Services Public Relations propaganda Twitter handle (ISPR). In her eagerness to criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the Congress leader likely overlooked the fact that the falsehood she was pushing had already been debunked by the Indian government two days prior.
On Saturday (January 8), several accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and Telegram were reportedly blocked by the Ministry of Information and Technology (MeitY) for disseminating modified recordings of a cabinet briefing and promoting inappropriate or hostile content.
In a tweet, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar revealed that 73 Twitter accounts had been suspended, four YouTube videos had been deleted, and one Instagram game had been taken down. The proprietors of these accounts are being identified and will face legal action, and these social media networks’ due diligence will be examined, he added.
Propaganda to divert from PM Modi’s security breach
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) propaganda Twitter handle released a doctored video on Friday (January 7) claiming that the Indian government is intending to remove Sikhs from the Indian army. The news comes amid a standoff between the central government and the Punjab government over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security lapse on January 5 of this year.
“Cabinet Committee on Security Meeting Minister Anurag Thakur, S Jaishankar calls for removal of Sikhs from the Indian army,” according to Anjali Kaur’s Twitter profile (@heyanjaliii). The aforementioned account was established in October of last year and currently has 987 followers. Someone was heard in the video arguing for the removal of all Punjabis from the Indian Army.
The propaganda handle used visuals from a Union Cabinet meeting and superimposed an audio transcript from a Clubhouse discussion. It was pointed out by several social media users on Twitter.
The false account’s allegations were also refuted by the Press Information Bureau’s (PIB) official handle.
