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Union Home Ministry forms three-member committee to probe security lapse during PM Modi’s Punjab visit

OpIndia Staff
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Union Home Ministry forms three-member committee to probe security lapse during PM Modi’s Punjab visit

The ministry of home affairs (MHA) has formed a committee to probe the security lapses that occurred during PM Modi’s visit to Punjab on Wednesday. PM Modi’s convoy was blocked when he was heading towards Hussainiwala in Ferozepur district of Punjab to visit the National Martyr’s Memorial and subsequently address a public meeting. PM’s convoy was stuck on a flyover as the so-called protesting farmers had blocked the roads and the Punjab police responsible for drawing safe passage to the PM failed to perform their duties promptly. The MHA had already identified the incident as a major security lapse.

PM Modi had landed at the Bhatinda airport from where he was supposed to leave for Hussainiwala by helicopter. The aerial route was cancelled due to bad weather and about thirty minutes later, after ensuring and communicating with the state security agencies about his altered mode of journey, PM Modi left Bhatinda to reach the destination by the road. The road was already planned in advance as an alternative to the aerial route as per protocol, and Punjab police was aware of the same. The convoy on the way to Hussainiwala was blocked on a flyover where the farmer protesters had jammed the roads.

“Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA) has constituted a committee to enquire into the serious lapses in the security arrangements during Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s visit to Ferozepur, Punjab on 05.01.2022, which led to the exposure of the VVIP to grave security risk,” said the home ministry.

The committee formed by the MHA for an inquiry into the whole incident comprises three members. Sudhir Kumar Saxena, Secretary (Security), Cabinet Secretariat is chairing the committee while the other two members are Balbir Singh, Joint Director, IB and S. Suresh, IG, SPG. MHA added that the committee is advised to submit the report of the probe at the earliest. Earlier, the Punjab government had also formed a committee to probe the same.

In Delhi, Union Minister Anurag Thakur addressed a press conference for briefing the media about the decisions taken in the cabinet meeting today. On being asked about the incident that happened in Punjab, he said, “The Home Ministry will definitely act on the security breach. The home ministry has also spoken about taking action. After gathering information, whatever steps… big and tough decisions will be taken by it.” He further added, “It is my firm belief that the country’s judicial system does justice to everyone and when such mistakes happen, whatever steps need to be taken will be taken.”

Supreme Court to hear the plea on Friday

On the 7th of January 2022, the Supreme Court will hear a plea that seeks a court-monitored probe into the Prime Minister’s security breach when he was on his visit to Punjab on Wednesday, January 5. A bench headed by CJI NV Ramana will hear the case on Friday. Senior advocate Maninder Singh, who brought the petition before the SC bench has been asked to give a copy of the petition to the Punjab government. The petition contends that it must be ensured that what happened is not repeated. Advocate Singh urged the bench to take up the plea and in response to his request, the Supreme Court will hear the same on Friday.

Case registered against Jawed Habib in Muzaffarnagar for spitting on the hair of a woman while teaching hairstyling

OpIndia Staff
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Case registered against Jawed Habib in Muzaffarnagar for spitting on the hair of a woman while teaching hairstyling

Pooja Gupta, the centre of the ‘Jawed Habib spit debacle’, has lodged an official police complaint in Muzaffarnagar against Habib for humiliating her in the public. Celebrity hairstylist Jawed Habib, during a seminar in Muzaffarnagar, had spat in the hair of Gupta during an event and had boasted, “Thook mein jaan hain”.

The video of the incident went viral with many criticizing Jawed Habib for substituting water with his saliva in the course of hair cut. “If you have no water, use saliva. There’s life in this spit”, Jawed Habib spoke in the video as he actually spat on Gupta’s hair. Responding to the video, Pooja Gupta stated that she had asked certain questions to Habib at the seminar and then he invited her for a haircut demo on the stage. But he humiliated her by spitting on her hair.

Confirming the development, Muzaffarnagar Police said that a case has been registered against the accused under relevant sections at Mansurpur police station on the complaint filed. They also said that they are proceeding with the case as per procedures.

Muzaffarnagar Police informed this on Twitter replying to a tweet by National Commission for Women, after they said that they have taken cognizance of the incident. NCW informed that Chairperson Rekha Sharma has written to DGP of UP Police to investigate the veracity of the video and take appropriate action.

‘He has ruined my career’, says Gupta

Pooja Gupta had attended the seminar in Muzzafarnagar conducted by the Wondersoft Professional which is managed by Mohammad Aman. “Jawed Habib was invited as the Chief Guest to the event and was supposed to teach haircut elements to all the attendees. I had gone there with my husband. I own a small parlor here in Badod and wanted to learn from Jawed Habib. I asked certain questions to him in the first session, but he refused to answer and arrogantly said that he owned 900 salons and I have only one”, she said in an interview with the media.

“Habib Sir later invited me on the stage. He first pushed me to which I strongly objected. He then said to audiences that ‘she is the model who has been arguing with me and is now here on the stage. See how much power I use’. He spat twice in my hair and insulted me in front of the audiences who enjoyed and laughed at the scene”, Gupta added. She said that Habib told her that if there is a shortage of water in her parlour, she can use spit as he did.

She also said that her husband has recorded the video and now they are to file an official complaint against Habib. The victim at the event objected to the matter but was unheard, as Jawed Habib’s assistant labelled it to be a joke. “All my students and people around me are making fun of me. He has ruined my career”, she said. She also asked why customers will come to her parlour if she spits on their hair.

Jawed Habib owns around 846 salon outlets scattered in 24 states and 110 cities. The brand enjoys over 15 lakh customers.

Journalist Aarti Tikoo Singh moves Delhi High Court against Twitter for blocking her account

OpIndia Staff
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Journalist Aarti Tikoo Singh moves Delhi High Court against Twitter for blocking her account

Co-founder of news website The New Indian, Journalist Aarti Tikoo Singh has taken Twitter to the Delhi High Court for suspending her account. Saying that her rights under the constitution were violated and Twitter was siding with Islamist terrorists by locking her account, she had filed the petition seeking to quash the decision of Twitter. The platform had suspended Aarti’s Twitter account after she had shared a video of Islamist extremists sending ‘death threats’ to her brother on December 15, 2021.

In a tweet tagging Twitter, she had alleged that Twitter India is allowing ‘Pakistan sponsored terrorists’ to use the feature ‘twitter spaces’ to threaten Indians and hatch conspiracy theories against Kashmiri Pundits. In the tweet, she had posted a screen recording of a session titled ‘Stop Innocent Killings’ where the members were seen targeting Sahil Tikoo – Aarti’s brother. Sahil, who is a resident of Srinagar also happens to be the spokesperson of Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha’s Jammu and Kashmir unit.

While Twitter didn’t take any action against the hate spewed on Sahil Tikoo; in retaliation, it took down the tweet by Aarti for ‘violation of rules’ against ‘hateful conduct.’ Later on December 15, her account was temporarily restricted from making further posts. Twitter then flagged the journalist’s account citing its rules against hateful speech, under which, users are not allowed to “promote violence against, threaten or harass other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability or serious disease.”

As her Twitter account remains locked, Aarti Tikoo Singh has now approached the Delhi High court against Twitter asking the government to protect her fundamental right to speech and life. The plea filed through advocate Mukesh Sharma stated that the manner in which her brother was targeted by some participants was reminiscent of January 1990. However, she was shocked to see that Twitter served her a notice for this Tweet saying it went against their Rules on Hateful Conduct, the petition said.

Tikoo has said that her Tweet very clearly did not incite violence or hatred against any community, as alleged by Twitter, instead, she was reporting such an act against her brother. The petition said that by locking her account, Twitter is siding with Islamist terrorists. The petition said that Twitter’s action violates her rights under Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India, and demanded that the decision of the social media company be quashed.

In an interview with the Republic, she said, “I have moved to the Delhi High Court with a writ petition, asking the GoI to protect my fundamental right to speech and life. The government is answerable to me. It is not just about Aarti Tikoo versus Twitter, it is about every Indian citizen whose freedom of speech is curtailed by Twitter on one pretext or another. Sometimes it is whimsical, sometimes it is the algorithm and other times it is T\witter’s own biases and prejudices against victims of Islamist terror” 

Sahil Tikoo, to whom online threats continue to remain by Islamists, had filed an FIR with the Srinagar Police on December 18. In the video that emerged from the Twitter space, some members can be clearly heard targeting Tikoo, calling him a ‘collaborator’ and an ‘agent’ while pointing out his display picture with ‘war criminal’ Late Gen. Bipin Rawat.

Another alleged sacrilege incident in Amritsar, police arrest the accused after locals wanted to interrogate him themselves

OpIndia Staff
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Another alleged sacrilege incident in Amritsar, police arrest the accused after locals wanted to interrogate him themselves

Local sangat and the management of Gurudwara Nanaksar in Bhagupur Havelian area of Ajnala town of Amritsar district caught a man accused of sacrilege on Wednesday. The police have arrested the man after he was handed over by local sangat to the police, although the locals had initially refused to hand him over. The accused, apparently in his twenties, was initially kept in a room in the gurdwara as the people wanted to interrogate him themselves. The alleged sacrilege incident took place at 2 AM and was recorded on the CCTV camera.

What is seen in the footage?

It was seen in the recording that the accused man entered the Sanctum Sanctorum of the Gurudwara when granthi Hardiyal Singh was not there. He picked up Guru Granth Sahib and picked it on a table. After that, he took the Chaur Sahib. He then picked up the warm cloth Rumal Sahib (the sacred winter cloth) and walked away with it. The whole sequence has been recorded on the CCTV camera. Soon spotted, he was caught by the people after which he was thrashed and detained in a room of the Gurudwara.

The locals demanded questioning him in public

As soon as the police got the information about the incident, a heavy police force reached the spot. The police troop was led by Manoj Kumar (SP – investigation) and Ravinderpal Singh (DSP Attari). A large number of Sikh activists were also present at the spot soon after the incident took place. The people gathered were not allowing the police to arrest the accused. Instead, they were demanding a questioning in public. However, the police managed to arrest the accused acter convincing the locals.

The accused was found mentally unfit and seemingly under the effect of some drugs, said police. The locals who caught him said that the man consumed some pills immediately after he was caught by them, which can be drugs.

Locals alleging the central government

As the number of alleged sacrilege incidences in Punjab is increasing, locals are making different claims and allegations as to why such things are happening repetitively. One such allegation came from locals in the current case where it was claimed that the accused may have done this act in exchange of money. A local person has said that the person who was killed on Singhu border had allegedly told that twenty people including have been assigned for attempting sacrilege in exchange for money. He also went on to allege that such acts are promoted by the central government and are intended to create unrest in society. Similar claims were made in connection with the sacrilege incident that happened at Nizampur Gurudwara in the last month. It was said that nine persons were paid Rs 10 lakh each to attempt such acts of sacrilege.

The updates from police

However, no such things have been ascertained by the local police. Police have said that they are keeping a strict watch on the spot and the situation is under control. SP Manoj Kumar has said, “The accused has not been telling his identification. He appears mentally unfit. Those who caught the accused have told us that he consumed some pills apparently drugs, immediately after being caught. The Sikh activists have demanded his interrogation in their presence, but we have a system and we can’t interrogate the accused in public. We are yet to file a case in this regard as the Sikh activists have repeatedly been demanding his questioning before giving their statements.”

Apolice officer said that the accused appears to be from UP or Bihar and police have not found any document from his possession with the help of which his identity and the whereabouts could be traced. The DSP said that this is a case of sacrilege with CCTV footage as the primary proof and further action will be taken as per the law. The SP has also said that the police have questioned the accused and he is not giving any satisfactory response to the interrogation. The SP informed that police are also in talks with the Sikh activists and the case will be investigated thoroughly. OpIndia contacted the police station and when asked about the case, the police informed that they will soon bring the accused in front of the court.

This incident comes after two incidents of lynchings for alleged sacrilege in Punjab last month on two consecutive days. While an alleged sacrilege attempt was seen in the first incident in Golden Temple, it has been found that a mentally unstable man was beaten to death for stealing some rotis from a Gurudwara, and he was falsely accused of sacrilege in a Gurudwara in Kapurthala.

China used actors to stage flag hoisting video in Chinese territory claiming to be Galwan valley, reveal Weibo users before their accounts suspended

OpIndia Staff
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China used actors to stage flag hoisting video in Chinese territory claiming to be Galwan valley, reveal Weibo users before their accounts suspended

The communist government in China have been left red-faced after some users on the Chinese social media platform Weibo revealed that the Xi Jinping government used Chinese actors to shoot the entire propaganda video on Galwan Valley. It may be recalled that the video was shared by journalist Shen Shiwei and CCP mouthpiece Global Times wherein PLA personnel were seen unfurling the China flag at what they claimed to be the Galwan Valley. The Weibo users have pointed out that that the CCP staged the dramatic flag-raising event on the first day of 2022 with Chinese actor Wu Jung and his wife Xie Nan.

Media reports quoted Weibo users confirming that the shooting, which lasted for almost 4 hours, took place about 28 kilometres behind Galwan River, deep within the Chinese-controlled Aksai Chin region.

Chinese actor Wu Jung (source: carbuntracy.com)
Chinese actress and wife of Wu Jung, Xie Nan (source: carbuntracy.com)

Chinese actor Wu Jung has often essayed the role of a PLA soldier in various Chinese movies, including The Battle at Lake Changjin, the most expensive movie made in China. His wife Xie Nan, who was also spotted by Weibo users in China’s propaganda video, rose to fame in a 2007 drama series, Jian Xing Tian Xia. She is also a TV host.

Weibo users accounts get suspended after revealing the truth

As per some Weibo users, on the 24th of December, a team of directors, junior actors, Wu Jing, Xie Nan, and some PLA officers went to the filming location to shoot the propaganda video. The film was released at an event that occurred on January 1, 2022, and it took four hours to shoot.

All of the accounts of the Weibo users were suspended shortly after the names of the actors were exposed by them.

China shares propaganda video on intruding in Galwan Valley, sections of Indian media lap it up

Interestingly, in the 45-second Chinese propaganda video shared by Shen Shiwei and CCP mouthpiece Global Times, PLA personnel were seen unfurling the China flag at what they claimed to be the Galwan Valley. The video was amplified by some media organisations, journalists, opposition politicians, including Rahul Gandhi, who took the Chinese claims of intruding into Galwan Valley at face value and slammed the government for not being able to safeguard the country’s territorial integrity.

The Government of India had, however, refuted the Chinese claims made in the video, adding that the clip was shot not at the India-China Line of Actual Control along the Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh but was from deep inside the Chinese territory.

Indian Army busts Chinese propaganda video

Notably, pictures of a group of Indian Army men proudly hoisting the tricolour in the Galwan Valley on New Year’s Day emerged three days after China released the video. The images released on 4 January by Union Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju were considered as a potent response to the propaganda video shared on January 1, 2022 by the Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece Global Times.

Bindu Ammini, first woman to enter Sabarimala, attacked by a drunk fisherman in Kerala, the activist blames RSS

OpIndia Staff
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Bindu Ammini, first woman to enter Sabarimala, attacked by a drunk fisherman in Kerala, the activist blames RSS

Bindu Ammini, the first woman to enter the Sabarimala temple in 2018, was attacked by a man in north Kerala’s Kozhikode on Wednesday evening. While she has blamed Hindu outfits like RSS for this act, the attacker was identified as a drunk fisherman, who was arrested by police.

The incident happened when she was on a beach where she had gone to meet one of her lawyers. The Dalit activist is the first woman who had entered into the sanctum sanctorum of the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala after the Supreme Court in one of its most discussed and controversial judgements of recent times allowed the women of menstruating age to enter the temple as against the tradition of the temple.

Bindu Ammini has filed a complaint in the police in which she claimed that a man on the beach overpowered her and showered blows on her till she fell on the road. Bindu said, “I arrived on the beach to consult one of my lawyers. All of a sudden, a person came and blocked my two-wheeler, and started abusing me and showered blows on me. He ran away when some of the onlookers intervened. This was a planned attack.”

The attack was recorded by nearby people on their mobile phones. Several people had shared the video of the attack on social media, which Bindu had re-shared on her Facebook account.

Blaming Hindu outfits

Bindu Ammini underlined that this was not the first time that she was attacked. As per her claim, she was under similar attacks earlier too. She blamed RSS for targeting her and alleged she is being attacked regularly for the Sabarimala incident. She claimed that she has been attacked over ten times so far.

“Sangh Parivar gave instructions to attack me in general. The police are safeguarding the assailants. The man who attacked me has only been charged with bailable offences. The Sabarimala incident left me a target. So many people tried to enter the temple. They are now targeting only me because of my dalit identity,” Bindu Ammini said.

Last month she was reportedly hit by a speeding autorickshaw and was subsequently admitted to hospital. Later, police had cleared that it was just an accident. Considering her so-called activism which whirled around delicate matters of faith, she was provided with police security earlier which was withdrawn later.

Attacker arrested

According to reports, Bindu Ammini was attacked by one Mohandas, a fisherman. Police said that he is a native of Beypore. The police had registered the case and checked the footage of the nearby CCTV cameras so that the alleged attacker can be identified.

According to the police, Mohandas had attacked Bindu in an inebriated condition. The officer investigating the case has informed that a detailed statement will be taken and Mohandas’ arrest will be registered after that. The police have said that Mohandas also sustained some injuries in the scuffle.

A brief recap of who is Bindu Ammini

Bindu Ammini is one of the first two women who entered the Sabarimala Temple on January 2, 2019, after the Supreme Court allowed the entry of female devotees of menstruating age inside the shrine. Traditionally, the deity of the temple Ayyappa requires a prohibition on the entry of the women of menstruating age inside the Sanctum Sanctorum because the deity inside this particular temple resides in the form of a Brahmachari. As the court granted the permission in contrast with the Dharmik tradition, the activist Bindu had entered the temple which attracted a lot of enraged devotees to surround the temple in the protection of their faith. The temple authorities too had to close the shrine for performing the purification rituals. The Supreme Court later formed a larger bench and referred this issue to the bench. The verdict is not yet delivered.

‘Shameful display of collusion’: Former IPS officers write to the President regarding PM Modi’s breach of security in Punjab

OpIndia Staff
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‘Shameful display of collusion’: Former IPS officers write to the President regarding PM Modi’s breach of security in Punjab

27 IPS officers, including 16 former DGPs, have written to India’s President, expressing their concern about the security failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent visit to Punjab and requesting him to take an aggressive stance against the Punjab government’s deliberate and premeditated act of security breach of the country’s Prime Minister.

The letter read that the SPG security for the Prime Minister of the country is provided as per the established protocol, in which the MHA coordinates with the State Police, which is primarily responsible for travel and security of the PM within the State and is required to provide secure passage on all routes and roads as per the established protocol.

According to media sources, the State Government not only took a casual approach but there appeared to be a blatant involvement of State functionaries, which has culminated in this horrible security violation. The State was well aware of the other routes that had been planned as part of the Prime Minister’s security arrangements, read the letter.

The letter written by former IPS officers to President Ram Nath Kovind
The letter written by former IPS officers to President Ram Nath Kovind
The letter written by former IPS officers to President Ram Nath Kovind
The letter written by former IPS officers to President Ram Nath Kovind

It added that it has never happened before in the history of this country that state agencies make excuses after excuses and the Chief Minister too makes contradictory comments about the Prime Minister’s route, which had been blocked by so-called protestors. If it’s not clear how the protestors learned of the route, which is normally only disclosed with State Police officials and the so-called protestors were present in huge numbers, that too on a bridge/ flyover which obstructed the convoy of the Prime Minister, which resulted into the serious security lapse.

No Senior Police Officer was present on the scene, as evidenced by videos covered by the media and in the print media. Surprisingly, instead of attempting to remove the so-called protestors, police officers were merely interested in drinking tea, which belies their intentions, added the letter to President Ram Nath Kovind.

It may be noted that yesterday, several videos emerged on social media showing the Punjab Police casually hanging with the protestors and sipping tea while the PM’s convoy remained stranded.

IPS officers call the breach of security of Modi in Punjab the gravest security lapses in the history of this country committed through conspiracy and collusion

Meanwhile, further excoriating the Congress government in the state and questioning its intent, the IPS officers wrote in their letter to the President: “By evening, we were more surprised as the video clips which were shown in the Media, clearly indicate a bigger conspiracy which requires detailed and fair investigation. This is one of the gravest security lapses in the history of this Country committed through conspiracy and collusion. Even certain tweets from various verified accounts of the particular party show the intention and irresponsible behaviour of the State Government which is quite worrisome and alarming for the Indian democracy,” the IPS officers wrote in their letter, excoriating the Congress government in the state and questioning its intent.

Invoking the recent IED blast at district courts in Ludhiana and the alleged involvement of an ex-cop of Punjab in the attack, the former IPS officers raised concerns since Punjab, they said, “is preparing for the elections and various senior leaders from other parties are also going to visit Punjab and even the local leaders will be holding public meetings and rallies. It is the duty of the State Machinery to ensure the security of all the leaders and elections be conducted in the safest and secure environment.”

They urged President Ram Nath Kovind to take prompt action in this situation, which has major implications for national security and the state’s responsibilities to preserve law and order in a border state where elections are coming up in a few months.

It may be noted that, earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhawan and briefed him on the security breach that happened yesterday (January 5) during his visit to Punjab’s Ferozpur. In a tweet, the President’s secretariat said that President Kovind received ‘first-hand account’ of the security lapse from the prime minister himself.

“President Ram Nath Kovind met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan today and received from him a first-hand account of the security breach in his convoy in Punjab yesterday. The President expressed his concerns about the serious lapse,” tweeted the official handle of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Major security lapse by Punjab Police

The Union Home Ministry had yesterday stated that the security breach has been a major lapse by the Punjab Police. The Punjab Police were informed ahead about the PM’s schedule and the convoy had started only after necessary clearance by the Punjab DGP. It is the state police’s responsibility to provide a clear path for the PM’s convoy and the Punjab Police had evidently failed to do so.

As per available details so far, the Punjab Police was aware that there is a roadblock in the area due to farmer protests. The Punjab Police still gave the go-ahead to the security staff of PM Modi on the same route, knowing there is a roadblock. Further, the Punjab Police failed to clear the roadblock and created a major security lapse as the PM’s convoy was held for over 20 minutes, with dozens of civilian vehicles and thousands of people blocking the path. The police also did not provide an alternative route and eventually, the PM’s security staff decided to bring the PM back to Bathinda airport.

Questions raised over Congress’ intentions

As the Punjab CM Charanjeet Singh Channi of Congress party entangled himself with various contradicting statements and stands after this incidence of lapse in the security of PM Modi, questions are being raised on the intentions of the Congress party who is currently ruling the state. The party workers were also seen celebrating the security breach while its leaders were seen posting comments like “How’s the josh, Modi ji?” on social media.

Congress leaders were also seen boasting that they were aware of the planned protests and intentions to prevent the PM’s public address in the state.

Pakistan: Christian man tortured in jail to confess, convert to Islam, sentenced to death on blasphemy charges

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: Christian man tortured in jail to confess, convert to Islam, sentenced to death on blasphemy charges

On Thursday, a sessions court judge in Pakistan’s Rawalpindi district sentenced to death Zafar Bhatti (51), the longest-serving blasphemy convict who has been rotting in Pakistan jail since 2012. Zafar Bhatti who belongs to the Christian community has been sentenced to death under section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Bhatti, a Christian leader, was arrested on the accusations of sending blasphemous text messages insulting the Prophet Muhammad’s mother. According to the reports by the US Commission for International Religious Freedom, Bhatti was tortured into confessing and that the mobile through which the messages were sent never belonged to him. Earlier in the year 2017, he was sentenced to life in prison on similar charges and is lodged in Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi since then.

What had happened

A local Islamic leader back in July 2012 had forced the New Town police station in Rawalpindi to lodge a complaint against an unregistered mobile number for sending messages insulting the mother of Islam’s Prophet Mohammed. He threatened that his organisation would take matters into its own hands if investigation for blasphemy was not opened under Section 295-C of the Penal Code. According to Pakistan’s Blasphemy Laws, section 295-C of the Penal Code demand mandatory death to anyone who uses derogatory remarks for the Prophet.

An FIR was filed against an unknown person, but the police later arrested Zafar, charging him under section 295-C. Bhatti insisted on his innocence but the police tortured him to confess. Several reports proved that the SIM was not registered to Zafar but was in fact registered to Ghazala Khan.

Interestingly, Ghazala Khan, whose national identity card details had been used to register the SIM in question, was arrested and charged with blasphemy. At her trial in April 2013, the Lahore High Court did not pass judgement against her and instead tried to convince the petitioner to forgive her. She was granted bail.

Tortured to convert to Islam

Zafar Bhatti belongs to a minority community in Pakistan which combines around 1.27 per cent of the total Pakistan population. Bhatti while in prison was tortured by the police to confess the case and also beaten by the Muslim prisoners to convert to Islam. Reports suggest that his food was poisoned which caused bleeding from the nose and mouth and left him in a critical condition for days.

Further, in the year 2014, he was ‘mistakenly’ reported dead. Some rumours circulated that Bhatti had been killed in his prison cell. But later it was found that it was not Bhatti who had been attacked, but the prisoner in the adjacent cell who had been sentenced to death for blasphemy. Zafar had also lodged many appeals to the High Court, but such sessions were repeatedly delayed, says a report by US Commission for International Religious Freedom. After countless torture attempts by the state, the sessions court today has pronounced death sentence to Zafar who is diabetic and a severe heart patient.

Ashoka University founders charged with Rs. 1600 Cr Bank fraud by CBI, raids conducted at 12 locations: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Ashoka University founders charged with Rs. 1600 Cr Bank fraud by CBI, raids conducted at 12 locations: Details

Ashoka University founders Pranav Gupta and Vineet Gupta have been accused of bank forgery of Rs. 1,600 crore by the CBI. This came after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted raids at 12 locations in Delhi and NCR on December 31, 2021. The CBI has registered a case against their pharmaceutical company – Parabolic drugs.

Vineet Gupta is the founder and trustee of the Ashoka University in Sonepat while Pranav Gupta is the co-founder and trustee on the board. The raids were conducted after they took Rs 1,626.74 crore as a loan from the Central Bank of India and other banks followed and allegedly siphoned off the money. The CBI has filed a case against their Chandigarh-based pharmaceutical company involving the Gupta brothers and 10 others. The Gupta brothers have been charged with cheating the consortium of banks by using forged documents.

Reports suggest the company – Parabolic drugs – used forged documents to secure a loan from public sector banks including The Central Bank of India, State Bank of India, UCO Bank, State Bank of Patiala, ICICI Bank, IDBI Bank, State Bank of Hyderabad, Union Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Exim Bank, Canara Bank and SIDBI.

Screengrab of the CBI press release following the raids

Waves of controversies have been hitting the university since political analyst Pratap Bhanu Mehta resigned from the university as a faculty member. Following Mehta’s resignation, former Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) Arvind Subramaniam too resigned citing issues over lack of ‘academic freedom’. The University courtyard became a new breeding ground of protests by the students demanding an explanation from its founders over the resignation of the professors.

ISIS magazine asks Muslims to ‘take back Babri’, calls Hindus ‘filthy urine drinkers’ who learned civilised living from Muslims

OpIndia Staff
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ISIS magazine asks Muslims to ‘take back Babri’, calls Hindus ‘filthy urine drinkers’ who learned civilised living from Muslims

Voice of Hind, the propaganda digital magazine of ISIS has released its new edition in which it has gone on to instigate Muslims to “Take back Babri from Hindus”. The cover of the latest edition of the ISIS mouthpiece read: “If you are a Muslim then you must be a terrorist so terror(ise) them….”.

Image from ISIS mouthpiece

On a subsequent page, there is an image of Hindus with saffron flags atop a building with the caption: “O’ Muwahhid take back Babri Masjid from Hindus”. Muwahhid means a ‘good’ Muslim who believes in the oneness of Allah.

Image from ISIS mouthpiece

The ISIS magazine spoke in detail against the demolition of the Babri Masjid. It also spoke about the acquittals in the case and sought ‘a kind of punishment that coming generations of Hindus would remember’ It exhorted the Indian Muslims to wage violent jihad against the Indian government.

Image from ISIS mouthpiece

Referring to Hindus as “cow worshipping polytheists”, the new edition of the ISIS-backed magazine provoked Muslims by calling the demolition of the Babri Masjid one of the “most shameful and insidious attacks on the Muslims of India by a rabid mob of Hindu Mushrikeen”. Cow, because cows are considered holy in Hinduism.

It is notable here that the ‘cow urine’ jibe is commonly used by Islamists to display hatred against Hindus. The Pulwama bomber’s video, which he had made before blowing himself up, had called the bombing a punishment to ‘cow urine drinkers’.

The ISIS propaganda magazine continued to peddle the same old rhetorics that Hindus constructed a temple over the ruins of Babri Masjid. It mocked Hinduism by suggesting that the gods and goddesses the Hindus worship aren’t real, but rather a figment of their imagination.

The ISIS mouthpiece Voice of Hind went ahead to claim that Hindus were indecent and uncivilised till the Muslim invaders came and civilised them.

Image from ISIS mouthpiece

The magazine’s latest edition also exhorted the Indian Muslims to wage violent jihad against the Indian government and the Hindus in the country. “Instead of defending ourselves we need to attack as ‘attack is the best defense’, read the digital magazine of ISIS.

It then goes on to instigate Indian intelligence organisations and our country’s soldiers, claiming that they will only be used as pawns by the Indian government. ISIS asked Indian soldiers if they would like to die a similar fate to that of General Bipin Rawat and other soldiers who die fighting battles for their governments.

Image from ISIS mouthpiece

ISIS magazine calls for destroying Idols in India

It may be noted that the ISIS magazine’s earlier edition had threatened to break Idols of Gods in India. The cover of this edition showed a computer-generated broken idol of Bhagwan Shiv with an ISIS flag hovering at the apex of the broken statue. Under the idol, the cover said: “It’s time to break false Gods”.

“Spread coronavirus to as many Kuffars as possible to take them down easily and with minimum effort,” the ‘Voice of Hind’ had said in one of its earlier issues. It also mentioned keeping chains, rods, and wires on hand, as well as being ready to choke and bludgeon Kuffars to death.

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