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PM’s new Mercedes Maybachs not an upgrade but a routine replacement; Sonia Gandhi had used Range Rovers procured for the then PM

OpIndia Staff
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PM’s new Mercedes Maybachs not an upgrade but a routine replacement; Sonia Gandhi had used Range Rovers procured for the then PM

PM Modi’s security detail recently included new Mercedes-Maybach S650 Guard in its convoy—a high-performance car which is equipped with VR10-level protection, the highest of armoured protection available on a production car.

However, the inclusion of a new car in PM’s convoy created quite a furore on social media, with the usual suspects insinuating that the new Mercedes-Maybach S650 Guard was profligacy on PM Modi’s part and not a security prerequisite. A raft of left-leaning liberals, journalists, activists, lawyers who associated themselves with the Congress ideology made a beeline to propagate anti-Modi propaganda on the internet.

Usual Suspects spread canards about the new Mercedes-Maybach S650 Guard cars included in PM Modi’s convoy

Former Prasar Bharati CEO Jawhar Sircar, who is also a Rajya Sabha member from TMC, took to Twitter to rant against PM Modi, accusing him of indulging in vanity and asserting that PM Modi would never leave the perks even after he is defeated.

Source: Twitter

Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, who has lately been associated with promoting vaccine hesitancy besides being accused of spreading fake news, too, joined the chorus to inveigh against PM Modi over the addition of the latest Mercedes car in his convoy. Disregarding the fact that the car is for the post of Prime Minister of India and not for PM Modi’s personal use, Bhushan tried to paint him as a sybarite wallowing in luxury.

Source: Twitter

Others from the ‘liberal’ brigade too partook in the effort to malign PM Modi.

Source: Twitter
Source: Twitter

As liberals presided over a smear campaign against PM Modi, the high-security Mercedes Maybach car became the focus of online discussion, with its features and security aspects being discussed threadbare. However, as media speculations are often prone to misinformation, in this even case too, some of the facts being bandied around on the internet are far from the truth.

Amidst insinuations made against PM Modi, here’s are some facts about the SPG security detail and why cars are needed

Contrary to conjectures peddled in media, the cars cost much less, approximately about 1/3rd of the price quoted in the media, sources told OpIndia.

In addition to this, sources also highlighted the norm followed by the SPG security detail to replace vehicles used for protectee.
The SPG security detail has 6 years norm to replace vehicles used for protectee. However, the previous cars were used for 8 years under PM Modi. In fact, an audit of PM Modi’s SPG security detail raised objections over the issue and remarked that it was comprising the life of the protectee.

The new cars included in PM Modi’s convoy are not an upgrade, but a routine procedure as BMW stopped making the model which was used previously. Since the BMW had stopped the production of the previous make, Mercedes-Maybach was finalised.

Furthermore, the decisions pertaining to security detail purchases are made on the basis of the threat perception of the protectee. These decisions are taken independently by SPG without taking the views of the protectee. Therefore, PM Modi had no say in the decision of procuring Mercedes Maybach S650 Guard vehicles as being alleged by the usual suspects.

Also, the widespread discussion on the security features of the protectee’s car is not in the nation’s interest as it puts a lot of necessary details in the public domain and thus, jeopardises the life of the protectee.

While PM Modi was not given any preference to choose which cars to be included in his convoy, Congress President Sonia Gandhi in the past had used Range Rover cars, which were actually procured for the then Prime Minister of India.

Tale of two UPs: Akhilesh promises compensation to those killed fighting bulls, while Yogi controlled stray cattle menace

Vijay Deo Jha
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Tale of two UPs: Akhilesh promises compensation to those killed fighting bulls, while Yogi controlled stray cattle menace

Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav who vowed to sweep away ‘bull and bulldozer’ from the state in the upcoming assembly election, has promised to pay an ex-gratia payment of Rs five lakh to the family of those killed by stay bulls.

“If a person dies in a bull-fighting accident, Rs five Lakh compensation will be given by the SP government,” Akhilesh Yadav has said. 

Akhilesh Yadav made the announcement of ex-gratia payment in Unnao on Tuesday (December 28) during his Vijay Rath Yatra when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was busy inaugurating the Kanpur Metro Rail Project.

But records of Akhilesh Yadav and Yogi Adityanath suggest that the former did nothing to control stray animal menace in Uttar Pradesh while Yogi systematically addressed this issue with long term plans.

The party has also officially announced this poll promise on the official Twitter handle of the party with an attractive portrait of Akhilesh Yadav.

Samajwadi Party chief spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said that the announcement was made based on feedbacks from common people about the problem they face which they want Akhilesh Yadav to solve when he comes to the power in 2022.

This may be an important announcement but it has triggered funny reactions of many people giving comic relief when the battle for power has intensified.

Some netizens mischievously tagged Aam Aadmi Party MP and UP in-charge Sanjay Singh. BJP’s Dr. Richa Rajpoot asked whether the SP government will give Rs five Lakh compensation to jilted lovers.

“Amazing. Since childhood, I always wished to fight with the bull because apart from this, what else is there to do in life! But I was afraid of who would look after my family if I die. With this announcement, Akhilesh Bhaiya has cleared my dilemma. As soon as the SP government comes to power, my fight with the bull is sure,” a user Skin Doctor said. He further asked whether this scheme will be named as ‘Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia socialist bull fight scheme?

People asked Akhilesh Yadav to focus on the real issues rather than seeking votes on the name of bulls.

UP government controlled bulls as well as bullies

In October during the election campaign in Kanpur Akhilesh Yadav lashed out at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and said that after state elections both the ‘Baba Chief Minister’ and his ‘bull and bulldozer’ would be swept away. The ‘bull and bulldozer’ remark referred to stray cattle seized by the government and the demolition of unauthorised properties.

Uttar Pradesh is not the only state in the country facing problems due to stray animals. But the government has been tackling the problem by catching and putting such animals at the shelters.

In the last five years, over 1.03 lakh stray cows were adopted by 56,853 people in Uttar Pradesh under the scheme of the government. The government has made functional all 5,384 ‘Gau Sanrakshan Kendras’ (Cow Protection Centres) in which 650052 cow progeny were kept. To ensure food for the Yogi government has established 3,548 hay banks for them.

His government also introduced a scheme, ‘Mukhyamantri Nirashrit Besahara Govansh Sahbhagita Yojana’, for interested farmers and livestock rearers to adopt and nurture destitute cattle. Such persons are provided with Rs 900 per month for the upbringing of the animal. About 20,000 cows have been given to families with malnourished children under the state’s Poshan Mission.

Yogi Adityanath also instructed district collectors to ensure destitute cattle are taken at cow shelters and be taken care of during winter.

The Yogi government has also planned is rehabilitate about 400,000 stray cattle in the state over the next two months even if the majority are antelopes and other wild animals causing damage to crops. As per the 2019 livestock census, there are nearly 1.16 million stray cattle in the state.

Kolkata: Employees of Karim’s restaurant attack customers with knives and rods following arguments over cold food and extra onion

OpIndia Staff
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Kolkata: Employees of Karim’s restaurant attack customers with knives and rods following arguments over cold food and extra onion

An incident has come to light from Kolkata where the employees of a restaurant attacked the customers with sharp knives and rods during a spat. Jenifer Kirti Desai, sister of one of the victims, posted details of the incident on her Instagram account with photos and videos of injured victims.

According to her post, the incident took place on the night of December 26. Her 23-year-old brother Nand Desai, his 23-year-old friend Navneet Soni, Vinayak Choubey and one of Nand’s relatives had visited Karim’s restaurant located at Aurobindo Sarani for dinner at around 11:15 PM. As it was closing time, the restaurant staff demanded full payment before serving the food, which they did. The food that was served to them was cold. When they complained to the waiter, he allegedly said that they could only serve the food like that post-closing time.

While eating the food, they requested the waiter to bring some extra onions that was denied by the waiter. Nand and his friends requested the waiter that they do not mind paying extra with the tip. Speaking to OpIndia, Jenifer said, “When they said they do not mind paying extra, the waiter got irked and started abusing. He told them he did not care for money and could feed them for free. Nand did not like the way he was talking and told the waiter that they were not eating food for free.”

Meanwhile, the relative approached the manager and questioned why the employee was misbehaving. The relative got quite angry and left the premises. From the outside, he called up Nand’s father and told him the whole ordeal that had happened till he left the premises.

She added, in the restaurant, the spat between her brother and employees got uglier. “During the argument, the waiter got very close to them. My brother pushed him a little and told him not to come too close. That was the point when my brother turned and told Navneet that they should leave the premises as things were getting out of hand. At this moment, someone from behind the waiter came and hit my brother with a sharp knife. Navneet, who saw Nand falling down, tried to save him and pushed the waiter and other employees. During that time, he was hit as well with a sharp knife and iron rods.”

Jenifer said that by that time, Nand tried to get up and got hit again. “They were in a half-conscious state when the employees of Karim’s grabbed them from their collars and threw them out of the restaurant. There are three stairs outside Karim’s from where they both fell down.” She added, Nand somehow managed to get up and brought Navneet home. Nand’s family rushed them to the nearest hospital, where they got the first aid. From there, they were taken to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital as the cuts were deep and needed a specialist surgeon to get the stitches done. During that time, Nand’s bleeding did not stop.

“The doctor at the hospital tried to stop the bleeding, but an artery was ruptured, causing continuous bleeding. A surgeon was called immediately, and it took him an hour to stop the bleeding and close the wound. My brother got 13 stitches. Navneet also got multiple injuries and two cuts on the head,” she added.

‘Police did not cooperate at first’

Jenifer claimed that initially, Police did not cooperate, and they had to run from pillar to post to get the FIR registered. “After getting them treated, we went to Burtolla Police Station to file the complaint. By the time we reached, the Police were already contacted by Karim’s. The Police officer told us that they got the whole story from Karim’s, and it was my brother and his friends who initiated the fight. He also alleged that my brother and his friends were drinking.”

When Jenifer argued with the Police officer, he did not pay heed to what she was saying and asked her to take care of her brother. “It was only the next day [December 28] that the FIR was registered. I don’t know if the Police will investigate the case properly or not.”

Details of FIR

According to the copy of FIR accessed by OpIndia, Jawed Akhtar, Asif Karim Siddique, Pradip Dey, Paritosh Kumar Mondal, Sudip Pant and others have been named as accused. The FIR has been registered under Sections 326 (Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and 114 (Abettor present when offence is committed) of the Indian Penal Code. Notably, offences under Section 326 are cognizable and non-bailable.

FIR copy.

The FIR does not contain the details of the incident but only mention that the accused caused grievous injuries to the complainant and his friend.

Jenifer, who recently lost her mother, broke down while talking to OpIndia. She said, “I am not denying that my brother used foul language or fought back in retaliation. But it is not fair to attack someone over a petty argument.” 

The restaurant has also shared some CCTV videos and shared in an Instagram story that the customers had behaved very rudely with their staff members. They have also claimed that the said customers were drinking from their own water bottles that ‘contained alcohol’ and they were ‘surreptitiously drinking from those bottles’. The restaurant, however, has not shared any footage of the violent altercations which left the customers injured.

Karim’s have stated in the post that they have lodged an FIR against the said customers for violently attacking their staff and injuring them.

Ever Given: The most famous ship of 2021, and why we love it

OpIndia Staff
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Ever Given: The most famous ship of 2021, and why we love it

Ships are not usually discussed much, unless they sink. For thousands of years, ships have been the drivers of human migrations, economy, trade, and culture but we do not pay much attention to them. They just go about their business silently, running the world.

March 2021 was an exception. It was a time when almost the whole world took notice because a ship got stuck. And what a place it was to get stuck indeed.

Ever Given, one of the largest container ships in the world, got stuck in the Suez Canal on March 23, 2021, and since the Suez Canal is so narrow, the stuck ship blocked the Canal. That was it, a ship got stuck and a significant chunk of global trade came to a halt. That was when the world took notice.

It was not exactly the poor giant’s fault. There was a sandstorm just when it was crossing the Canal and in a nasty gust of wind, the ship ran aground to a sandbank.

Suez Canal drives 12% of global trade, so that is a very, very wrong place to get stuck. Estimates said, the block was holding up goods worth 9.6 billion dollars a day, that is 400 million dollars an hour.

The ship, while stuck, became the world’s favourite news, and favourite meme material of the year. After all, it is not the well behaved, disciplined ships that make history.

Image via Twitter

It took every single tugboat around that part of the world, a lot of ocean salvage specialists, and a lot of efforts to free the 200,000-ton cargo ship. But before the ship was freed, a little excavator also became famous.

The little guy, trying its best to dig up sand to refloat the Goliath ship looming before it will be the image of hope and determination and efforts for a long time to come.

Little excavator trying to refloat Ever Given, image via Twitter

The ship inspired some of the best, most creative memes this year.

People were coming up with ideas to refloat the ship or deblock the Canal.

Image via MS Ever Given on Twitter

A Canadian woman won a Halloween costume contest by becoming ‘Ever Stuck’.

There is a website that allows you to make poor Ever Given get stuck anywhere you’d want it to get stuck. The creatively named website, ‘Ever Given Ever Ywhere’ allows you to stuck Ever Given anywhere, because, why should the Suez Canal have all the fun.

Image from the home page of Ever Given Ever Ywhere

Ever Given was finally freed after nearly a week. Egyptian authorities had declared a state of emergency while the Canal was blocked. They had even sued the ship owners for a billion dollars. While the legal battle lingered, Ever Given was stuck, not physically, but legally, in the Great Bitter Lake, for months after being refloated.

Finally freed, the ship completed its voyage in July and in August this year, it crossed the Canal again, thankfully not getting stuck. The world-famous ship has since crossed the canal a couple of times safely and is currently in the North Sea, after arriving at the UK’s Felixstowe port on December 27. It is currently en route to Germany’s Hamburg.

The Suez Canal, roughly 120 miles long, is the shortest shipping route between the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean. It links the Persian Gulf with the Mediterranean and is very important, because, if the Canal were not there, ships would have to circulate around the entire landmass of the African continent before arriving in the Indian Ocean, as they did till 1869.

By getting stuck, Ever Given provided us with some much-needed respite from the Ever-gloom that the Covid pandemic has been. For a change, we were not discussing death, viruses, pathogens and hospitals. In a way, the ship symbolised how the world needs to keep running, the pandemic is just a sandbank. It can halt us, but not stop us.

Let us all hope that global trade continues uninterrupted in 2022, and no ship gets stuck anywhere.

Bet Dwarka Waqf Board controversy: MP Poonam Maadan says ownership claims made for Shiyal Bet in Amreli not for the holy site

OpIndia Staff
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Bet Dwarka Waqf Board controversy: MP Poonam Maadan says ownership claims made for Shiyal Bet in Amreli not for the holy site

BJP MP from Jamnagar, Poonamben Maadan, has issued clarification that the Waqf Board has staked claim on Shiyal Bet in Amreli and not the two islands in Bet (or Beyt) Dwarka as reported earlier. Shiyal Bet is an island off Amreli coast in Gujarat which is accessible only through boat. Shiyal Bet has a population of little over 5,000 people. Only in 2016 did the village get electricity connection, 70 years after India’s independence.

At the eastern end of Shiyal Bet, there is a rocky island called Savai Bet, which is detached during high tide. There is a tomb of a Pir (Muslim saint) called Savai Pir on that island. The petition was for the Savai Pir Dargah. Further, local media reports suggest that the application in high court was not filed by Waqf Board but a private Sunni trust that had filed the petition.

Shiyal Bet near Amreli

Shiyal Bet is part of Amreli district while Bet Dwarka is part of Devbhoomi Dwarka district.

Speaking to Gujarati news channel GSTV, Maadan said that she spoke to the law minister regarding the case and added that prima facie it appears the confusion was created over the usage of ‘Krishnanagari’ by the bench in Gujarat High Court in response to the application to stake claim of the island. She said that because of the reference to ‘Krishnanagari’, people might have wrongly assumed it to be Bet Dwarka, but there is still confusion. “However, as long as we are concerned, we are watchful of the developing situation. I assure you that we will not anyone stake claim on the island at Bet Dwarka which belongs to Shri Krishna and his devotees,” she said.

Bet Dwarka (left), Shiyal Bet (right)

Earlier, Gujarati newspaper Divya Bhaskar had reported that Waqf Board had written an application to Gujarat High Court staking claim on the ownership of two islands in Bet Dwarka in Devbhoomi Dwarka. The report stated that the Waqf committee in its application claimed that the ownership of two islands on Bet Dwarka island belongs to the Waqf Board. On hearing this, the Gujarat High Court expressed disproval and hit out, “Are you aware of what you are saying? How can Waqf Board claim ownership of land in Krishnanagari?” and refused to hear the application.

Subsequently, outrage poured in on social media and Jamnagar MP Poonamben Maadan has now issued clarification that the application was for Shiyal Bet in Amreli and not Bet Dwarka in Devbhoomi Dwarka.

Bharuch mass conversion case: Arrest warrant issued against five of the main accused including NRI Haji Abdullah Fefdawala, read details

Nirwa Mehta
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Bharuch mass conversion case: Arrest warrant issued against five of the main accused including NRI Haji Abdullah Fefdawala, read details

Bharuch Police has obtained arrest warrant from a district court against five of the main accused in the Bharuch mass conversion case. An arrest warrant under CrPC section 70 has been issued against Abdulsamad Mohammad alias Dawood Suleiman Patel (Bakerywala), Shabbir Mohammad Patel (Bakerywala), Hasan Isha Patel (Hasan Titli), Ismail Yakub alias Ismail Achhodwala (maulvi), all residents of Amod as well as Abdullah Aadam Fefdawala from Nabipur, Bharuch, who is currently residing in London, UK.

Subsequently, the police can now issue summons, look out circulars as well as take possession of property as per the provisions of the law against the accused. A case had been registered against the accused on November 15, 2021 in Amod Police station in Bharuch against nine accused on complaint of one Pravin Vasava where it was alleged that they had indulged in religious conversion of 37 tribal families to Islam by luring them with money, jobs and marriage amongst other things.

Subsequently, six people have been arrested in the case while four, residents of Bharuch have not been arrested. The fifth accused, Abdullah Fefdawala, originally the resident of Nabipur in Bharuch, but currently residing in London, UK, is also absconding. The arrest warrant issued against these five of accused which will now expedite the arrest procedure against them, said a source on condition of anonymity.

On issuance of the arrest warrant under section 70 of the CrPC, the police can take help of police from across the state as well as outside of state to arrest the accused. The police can also issue notices in newspapers in a bid to arrest them. Even after issuance of the arrest warrant if the accused are not arrested, they can be declared absconding by the police under section 82 of the CrPC. Under this, the police have the authority to even forfeit their properties.

Bharuch mass conversion case

On 15th November 2021, a case was registered at Amod Police Station Part A under Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act under section 4, 5, 4-G along with Indian Penal Code section 120 (B), 153 (B) (C), 506(2), 153A (1), 295 (K), 466, 467, 468, 471, Atrocities Act section 3 (2) (5-a), 3 (2)(5) and Information Technology Act, 2000 section 84-C against nine accused. The nine accused were: Shabbir Bakerywala (Amod), Samaj Bakerywala (Amod), Abdul Aziz Patel (Kankaria, Amod), Yusuf Patel (Kankaria, Amod), Ayub Barkat Patel (Kankaria, Amod), Hasan Tisli (Achhod, Amod), Fefdawala Haji Abdullah (Nabipur, currently, London, UK), Ismail Achhodwala alias Delawala (maulvi) (Achhod, Amod) and Ibrahim Patel (Kankaria, Amod).

As per the FIR filed, the accused had promised job and money to Hindu Vasava tribal families in the area and got them to convert to Islam in 2018. The complainant has accused them of a nationwide racket of religious conversion and alleged that they were given death threats if they complaint against the religious conversion. The accused had threatened that they are well connected from Kashmir to Pakistan, the FIR states.

As part of investigation, of the nine named in FIR, four have been arrested till now. These are, Abdul Aziz Patel, Yusuf Patel, Ayub Barkat Patel and Ibrahim Patel. Over and above these four, the police have also arrested six more people, Yakub Ibrahim Shankar, Rizwan Mehboob Patel, Thakorbhai Girdharbhai Vasava, Sajidbhai Ahmedbhai Patel, Yusuf Wali Hasan Patel and Ayub Basirbhai Patel.

According to police, the accused arrested collected Rs 14 lakh funds through donation from foreign countries. Of this, Rs 7 lakh were collected by Rizwan Patel from on Ismail in Bahrain. Bharuch Deputy Superintendent of Police M P Bhojani said that during the investigation it was revealed that Yakub Shanker and Rizwan Patel collected Rs 14 lakh which was used to construct one Ibadatgah (prayer house) as well as to distribute amongst those who convert to Islam. No permission from Bharuch District Collector was taken for such conversion activity.

Bhojani further added that Thakorbhai Girdharbhai Vasava played an important role in the various conversion activities of the tribal families into Islam. This amount was used for further religious conversion activities. Abdul Bashir Patel of Jambusar is a member of Mohammedi mosque in village and would take newly converted tribals there to teach them about Islam.

Sajid and Yusuf are members of Baitulmaal Trust in Achhod village and Salauddin Sheikh had given them donation of Rs 3.71 lakh. In October this year, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Vadodara city police found that city-based American Federation of Muslims Of Indian Origin (AFMI) had routed hawala funds for activities including construction of 400 flats for ‘displaced’ Bangladeshi and Rohingya Muslims near Ghaziabad. It was also accused of funding maulvis near the Indo-Nepal border.

Sheikh is one of the trustees of AFMI. Sheikh started the trust after getting influenced by Islamic preacher Zakir Naik in Mumbai a few years back. His name had also surfaced in the Uttar Pradesh mass conversion racket where Umar Gautam is one of the prime suspects.

Haji Fefdawala, one of the accused who is currently believed to be in London, UK, is accused of giving a provocative speech in Vadodara in 2019 and had invoked the 2002 Gujarat riots which took place in aftermath of burning down of a train in Godhra where karsevaks returning from Ayodhya were burnt alive. He had said that in 2003, he set up the trust in UK where he contacted about 125 donors and started sending donation money to India. Fefdawala had said that the money was collected to strengthen the community so it can ‘defend itself against attacks from other religions’. For an hour, Fefdawala continued to speak about ‘strengthening community’ in Gujarat.

The said event was also attended by Salahuddin Sheikh and Umar Gautam, who were recently arrested for their involvement in hawala and religious conversion. It is believed Fefdawala has routed ‘donations’ of over Rs 150 crore in past 18 years to India.

‘Bachpan Ka Pyar’ fame Sahdev Dirdo is stable and out of danger, had suffered head injury in accident: Read what doctors said

OpIndia Staff
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‘Bachpan Ka Pyar’ fame Sahdev Dirdo is stable and out of danger, had suffered head injury in accident: Read what doctors said

Sahdev Dirdo, the young boy who became an internet sensation after his video singing ‘Bachpan Ka Pyar Mera Bhool Nahi Jana Re’ went viral all over the country, had been admitted to the hospital after he met with an accident.

As per the latest reports, the boy is now out of danger.

The Medical Superintendent from the Shaheed Mahendra Karma Memorial Hospital, where the boy was being treated, has shared in a statement that Sahdev is out of danger. His initial investigation reports are normal. Though he will be kept under observation, for now, he is talking with his parents and responding well.

The medical officer added further that Sahdev may be referred for a neurological examination as a precautionary measure, but as of now, he looks stable and healthy.

As per reports, Sahadev was riding pillion in a motorbike on the evening of Tuesday, December 28, when the accident happened. As per reports, Sahadev was riding pillion with his father and they were returning to their village in Sukma, Chhattisgarh when the accident occurred.

The boy did not have a helmet and suffered a serious head injury. He was first taken to Sukma District Hospital and was then referred to the Jagdalpur Medical College for treatment.

Sukma collector Vineet Bandanwar and SP Sunil Sharma had also reached the hospital for updates on the boy’s health condition.

SP Sharma stated that the accident took place in the Shabari Nagar area at around 6.30 pm on Tuesday. The bike rider got minor bruises but Sahadev has suffered a grievous head injury.

Rapper Badshah, who had made a popular music video with the boy, had tweeted that he is in touch with Sahadev’s family and friends. He had added that the boy is being taken to hospital and is unconscious.

Sahadev had shot to fame after his video singing ‘Bachpan Ka Pyar’ went viral. The video was shot by a teacher in his school. The boy later even met the CM and was praised by him. In August this year, rapper Badshah had made a music video featuring Sahadev.

AIIMS doctors call off strike after receiving assurance from Union Health Minister

OpIndia Staff
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AIIMS doctors call off strike after receiving assurance from Union Health Minister

AIIMS Delhi Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA) has called off the December 29 protests after receiving assurance from the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in a meeting that the counselling for NEET PG 2021 will be conducted at the earliest time, according to reports.

The official statement said, “Since our demands are met, accordingly the AIIMS, New Delhi RDA has decided to take back the decision of strike on 29th December 2021… All services to be continued as normal.,”. Further, the AIIMS Delhi RDA has stated that all services that were withdrawn will be brought back to normal.

Press note published by the AIIMS Delhi RDA read, “In a meeting with the Union Health Minister has met with the resident doctors and assured that the NEET PG 2021 counselling to be held at the earliest,”

AIIMS Delhi RDA Protests

Resident doctors from various government-run Delhi hospitals have been protesting against the delay of NEET PG 2021 counselling and were demanding that the counselling process be fast tracked. Besides Delhi, Doctors from several hospitals in Kolkata too joined in the protests and suspended all services.

Following the protests, a meeting took place between a 12-member team of representatives from the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) and the Union Health Ministry. Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya informed that the government was unable to conduct the counselling as the case was still heard by the Supreme Court.

Delay of the counselling

Notably, a petition was filed against the central government and the Medical Counselling Committee’s notice which said that it would give 27 per cent reservation to OBC and 10 per cent to EWS students in all India quota medical seats. The petition subsequently delayed the NEET UG counselling process.

On December 10, MCC told undergraduate medical aspirants about the petition filed in the Supreme Court of India and that the case was pending with the next hearing to take place on January 6.

NGO director lies about Christmas celebrations being banned in Uttarakhand to malign Hindutva, apologises after being called out

OpIndia Staff
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NGO director lies about Christmas celebrations being banned in Uttarakhand to malign Hindutva, apologises after being called out

The Uttarakhand police have taken to Twitter to refute allegations that Christmas celebrations were banned in the state. Taking to its official Twitter handle, the Uttarakhand police wrote in Hindi which roughly translated as: “Nowhere in the state was there a prohibition on the Christmas festival. This event has been enthusiastically celebrated by the Christian brethren throughout the state. It is an appeal to all of you not to pay heed to the rumours that are tainted by such religious malpractices. Here, in the state of Uttarakhand, as per the Constitution of India, all religions are respected equally.”

The Uttarakhand police were replying to Jo Chopra-McGowan, the co-founder and director of the Latika Roy Foundation (LRF), a voluntary organization based in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, who alleged in her now-deleted Tweet that the authorities had banned Christmas celebrations in Uttarakhand.

Jo Chopra lies about Christmas being banned in Uttarakhand, gets called out

In a classic example of how the left-liberal intelligentsia has always spread hatred maligning Hindutva, the NGO founder had Tweeted on December 25: “Shopping yesterday in Dehradun – this state where #Christmas has been banned. In every shop, every person I met greeted me with a smile and a “Merry Christmas, Ma’am”. Sorry, #Hindutva. You can’t win. Indians are too open, too kind, too cool for your silly agenda of hate.”

Screenshot of Jo Chopra’s now-deleted Tweet

As evident from her Tweet, she concocted the entire news on the Christmas ban in Uttarakhand so that she could accuse the Hindus of being intolerant towards people of other communities. Her shenanigans, however, did not go unnoticed. Soon after Jo Chopra took to Twitter to spew venom on Hinduism by spreading the fake news, several Twitter users called her out for defaming Hindus and asked her to immediately delete her Tweet and render an apology.

Dehradun based popular social media user Alok Bhatt urged Uttarakhand police to take cognisance. “Dear @uttarakhandcops, @JoChopra shud be booked for spreading enmity amongst communities by spreading lies that Christmas is banned in Ukd. Please ask her to delete this tweet and apologise or else book her under 295A and 153B pls- Jo read this & retract ur tweet with lies,” wrote Bhatt.

Irked by her malicious attempt to spread communal discord, Alok Bhatt urged Dehradun police to call Jo Chopra for questioning. He asked the NGO founder to delete her malicious Tweet and apologise for the same.

Alok Bhatt went on to tag the Home Ministry urging it to take appropriate action against Jo Chopra’s NGO and investigate her citizenship records or visa terms.

Replying to Alok Bhatt’s Tweet, Twitter user Vijay Patel divulged some personal details about the NGO’s founder claiming that her and her husband’s NGOs are running illegally and receiving funds worth lakhs from certain suspicious foreign organisations. “This husband wife due has separate NGOs and both of them are receiving lakhs of rupees from foreign. Their son Anand is married into a Chinese family and has relatives in Beijing! I will write a detailed thread on this today,” Tweeted Vijay Patel.

In fact, replying to Alok Bhatt, Legal Rights Observatory (LRO) also Tweeted that it would be studying Chopra’s NGOs activities and subsequently lodge a complaint with the Home Ministry to cancel her license.

Subsequently, Uttarakhand police responded and confirmed that Jo Chopra had lied when she claimed that Christmas celebrations were banned in the state. The police, indeed, testified that the founder and director of Latika Roy Foundation had maliciously resorted to spreading false news with the sole intention to malign the Hindus.

Jo Chopra McGowan issues an apology but continues her propaganda against Hindutva

Spooked by the raging controversy, Jo Chopra issued an apology but continued with her efforts to malign Hindutva. She said that her tweet about Christmas being banned in Uttarakhand had been misunderstood. She added that she wanted to convey that Indians are not hateful and the Hindutva agenda is not widely shared.

“Many people have misunderstood my tweet about Christmas being banned in Uttarakhand. My intention was to say that Indians are NOT hateful and that the Hindutva agenda is not widely shared. As a Christian, I’ve always felt welcome + appreciated here. If I’ve hurt anyone, I’m sorry,” she tweeted.

Sikh man who broke into Windsor Castle claims he wanted to assassinate Queen Elizabeth for Jallianwala Bagh massacre: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Sikh man who broke into Windsor Castle claims he wanted to assassinate Queen Elizabeth for Jallianwala Bagh massacre: Details

A 19-year-old Indian origin man, Jaswant Singh Chail, who had allegedly attempted to assassinate Queen Elizabeth (95) on Christmas Day has been arrested and detained by the police under the Mental Health Act, according to reports. Jaswant Singh Chail reportedly wanted to kill the Queen and avenge the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre when 379 unarmed Indians were killed and 1100 wounded by British forces.

According to reports, the man scaled the walls of the Windsor Castle in Berkshire, south-east England, on Christmas Day dressed in black, donning a white mask and armed with a crossbow. The Queen was reportedly having breakfast when the 19-year-old man intruded on her premises and was later briefed about the illegal entry and break-in incident.

Reportedly, Jaswant Singh Chail was caught by armed police officers after his wall scaling attempt set off the alarms on Christmas morning. An alleged Snapchat video was also sent by the man to his Snapchat friends minutes before the break-in. In the video, a sinister hooded figure appeared with the crossbow speaking in a distorted voice while looking at the camera. The hooded figure said, “I will attempt to assassinate Elizabeth, Queen of the royal family. This is revenge for those who have died in the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre,” adding, “It is also revenge for those who have been killed, humiliated and discriminated on because of their race. I’m an Indian Sikh, a Sith. My name was Jaswant Singh Chail, my name is Darth Jones,”. Darth is a title assumed by Sith Lords who waged wars against the Jedi Knights in the popular Star Wars series.

A 19-year-old girl and former schoolmate of the suspect Chail said, “He was nerdy, but not in a way like, ‘I’m so clever’… he was pretty normal.” About Chail’s time in school, she said “he never had many views on anything to do with racism”, and added, “I don’t know if lockdowns are getting to him or something.” Jaswant Singh Chail reportedly lived in Southampton, Hants.

Besides, there was a small message along with the Snapchat video that read, “I’m sorry to all of those who I have wronged or lied to.” adding, “If you have received this then my death is near. Please share this with whoever and if possible get it to the news if they’re interested.”

Chail’s father, Jasbir Singh Chail, told The Times, “Something’s gone horribly wrong with our son and we are trying to figure out what. We’ve not had a chance to speak to him but are trying to get him the help he needs,”. Jasbir Singh Chail further stated that the family was going through a difficult time, he said, “From our perspective, we are going through a difficult time. We are trying to resolve this issue and it’s not easy,”

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