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Pakistan: Hanuman Mandir desecrated by miscreants in Sindh, jewellery of idols and cash from donation box stolen

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: Hanuman Mandir desecrated by miscreants in Sindh, jewellery of idols and cash from donation box stolen

Ahead of the Hindu festival of Diwali, extremists desecrated and vandalised a historic Panchmukhi Hanuman temple in the Kotri area in the Sindh province of Pakistan. According to reports in Pakistani media, some thieves had entered the Hanuman Mandir who stole cash and jewellery from the idols in the temple, apart from desecrating it.

The temple was attacked on Thursday when thieves reportedly stole two silver necklaces worth around PKR40,000 from the idols of Hindu gods, apart from stealing cash worth PKR20,000 from the donation box.

A statement issued by the Sindh CM House on the issue said, “The thief entered through the roof of the mandir and stole necklaces from the moortis. The moortis were stored in a glass frame and were wearing two necklaces made of silver. The two necklaces are reported to be worth Rs40,000. The thief also stole Rs20,000 cash from the donation box.” Reportedly, the thieves also removed and took away the crown from the moorti of the Devi Mata. Pakistan National Commission for Minorities Chairman Chela Ram Kewlani and Sindh Minorities Minister Giyan Chand Essarani took up the issue with the police.

An FIR has been registered in the case under Pakistan Penal Codes 295 (injuring or defiling a place of worship, with intent to insult the religion of any class), 297 (trespassing on burial places) and 380 (theft in a dwelling house). Pakistan National Commission for Minorities Chairman Chela Ram Kewlani and Sindh Minorities Minister Giyan Chand Essarani also took up the issue with the police.

Earlier, the matter was first reported by the ‘Voice of Pakistan Minority’ Twitter handle. In a tweet, they informed, “It started again. Suppressing #Hindu community and their deities a few days before the #Diwali2021. A historic temple located in Kotri, Sindh has been attacked and vandalized by religious extremists.” The ‘Voice of Pakistan Minority’ Twitter handle had also shared images that showed the extent of desecration of the temple premises.

Pakistan-based journalist Naila Inayat further informed that the miscreants not only attacked the temple but also looted valuable items from the premises. She emphasised, “Thieves desecrate Hindu temple in Kotri, steal the crown of the Devi Mata, silver necklaces worth Rs40,000 from deities and Rs 25,000 from the mandir’s donation box.”

On Saturday (October 30), Akali Dal leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa condemned the attack on the Hindu temple. In a tweet, he stated, “A Hindu temple in Kotri, Sindh province of Pakistan vandalised ahead of Diwali and no one from the authorities has uttered a word. Religious radicalism and targeting minorities is at the apex in Pakistan.” He had asked EAM S Jaishankar to take up the matter with Pakistan and ensure the safety of Hindus.

He shared a video where a man could be heard narrating about the valuable items that were stolen from the Panchmukhi Hanuman temple. The man added how the crown of Shri Ram had been missing ever since the temple was attacked.

Earlier on August 30, radical Islamists had vandalised a Hindu temple and broke the idol of Lord Krishna at Khipro in the Sanghar district of Sindh province of Pakistan. The incident happened when locals were celebrating Janmashtami rituals at the temple. Journalist Aditya Raj Kaul had shared pictures of the vandalised Krishna Idol on Twitter.

In one picture, the idol could be seen lying desecrated on a piece of red and white cloth. The hands and one leg of the idol was broken. In the other three pictures shared by Kaul, a section of Hindu devotees could be seen carrying and attempting to secure the broken pieces of the Krishna idol together.

Maharashtra Congress Sevadal cracks ‘Rice Bag’ joke to target PM Modi for meeting Pope Francis: Read what it means

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra Congress Sevadal cracks ‘Rice Bag’ joke to target PM Modi for meeting Pope Francis: Read what it means

On October 30, quoting ANI’s tweet that talked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Sevadal cracked a ‘Rice Bag’ joke. The organization wrote, “BIG BREAKING: IMD warns of a massive shortage of rice due to low yield and untimely rains. PM Modi taking all necessary steps in the direction.”

The tweet by Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Sevadal

Netizens react to the Rice Bag joke by Congress Sevadal

While BJP supporters took a dig at Congress saying that the account might have been hacked, the Christians did not find it funny. A Twitter user Thamson Antony, wrote, “So you people are gross too.”

Another user, Jaadoo, said, “Congress just hate people in general.”

Several users mocked Congress. A Twitter user Akshay said, “Are they really trolling Christian missionaries or Modiji.”

Vipra Srivastava asked if their account had been hacked. “Rice bag joke by Congress? Is this the official Maha Congress handle? Someone hacked it?”

Another netizen Emperor was confused when and how Congress started trolling the converts. He said, “are yeh kab Hua (when did this happen)? congress trolling rice bags….lmao.”

What is ‘Rice Bag’ Convert?

‘Rice Bag Convert’ or ‘Rice Christians‘ or simply ‘Rice Bag’ refers to people who convert to Christianity after being induced to do so by Christian missionaries on the promise of material benefits. The term has been in use for centuries. According to The Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, published in the 19th Century, Rice Christians are “Converts to Christianity for worldly benefits, such as a supply of rice to Indians. The profession of Christianity born of lucre, not faith.”

Over time, the usage of the term has entered mainstream use to mock Christians who converted for material benefits.

Former Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar slams Congress govt in Punjab for forgetting Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary

OpIndia Staff
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Former Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar slams Congress govt in Punjab for forgetting Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary

Former president of Punjab Congress, Sunil Jakhar, on Sunday (October 31) slammed the Congress government in Punjab led by Charanjit Singh Channi for its failure to give tribute to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary and forgetting her completely.

“I can understand BJP trying to erase ‘Iron Lady of India’ from history but don’t we still have a Congress Government in Punjab. PS. I know Capt Saab (Amarinder Singh) won’t mind my using this PB Govt’s ad from last year, as none appeared today,” Sunil Jakhar posted on his Twitter handle.

Jakhar shared last year’s release of the Public Information Department of the Punjab government issued on the occasion of the death anniversary of Indira Gandhi for publication. According to Jakhar, no such official release was issued by the Punjab government this time. He made another cryptic comment, asking if it was the case of “once burnt twice shy” in light of certain appointment two days ago.

Jakhar was referring to appointment of Jagdish Tytler as a permanent invitee to the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee. The prime accused in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots accused has been appointed one of the 37 permanent invitees to the Delhi Congress by Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Upon checking the Twitter timeline of Punjab Chief Minister and Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu, Indira Gandhi was found missing. However, hours later Jakhar made the pinching remark, a tribute message was posted on the official Twitter handle of Punjab Congress. Chief Minister was in Jalandhar where he visited Devi Talab temple and announced the exemption of langar from GST. Deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Raj Kumar Verka have some official engagements in Ludhiana. Similarly the transport minister Amrinder Singh Raja Warring was busy participating in a marathon. But none had time to pay tribute to Indira Gandhi.

Indira Gandhi who is not less than a presiding deity for the Congress and the biggest asset becomes a burden for the Congress in the case of Punjab and Sikh voters. Her killing by two Sikh bodyguards in 1984 had triggered a massive anti-Sikh riot across the country. As Punjab will go for assembly poll in the next year, it can’t be ruled out that Punjab Congress decided to quietly stay away from the tribute.

But Jakhar pointing a finger at his own party has triggered a fresh controversy in Punjab Congress which is in a deep crisis. Captain Amarinder Singh was humiliated and forced to resign. Prior to Amarinder Singh, Sunil Jakhar who was heading the Punjab Congress was removed from his post. Jakhar is considered a man of few words who was close to Captain Amarinder. It was widely expected that Congress leadership will replace Captain Amarinder Singh with Jakhar. But a strong lobby of the Congress party had opposed the same.

Andhra Pradesh: CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to inaugurate elevated expressway in Tirupati funded by Tirumala temple

OpIndia Staff
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Andhra Pradesh: CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to inaugurate elevated expressway in Tirupati funded by Tirumala temple

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is set to inaugurate the Srinivasa Setu elevated expressway Project at Tirupati in November. According to reports, the Rs.684 crore project is funded by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) and the Tirupati smart city corporation limited in the ratio 67%-33%.

Srinivasa Setu Corridor is meant to provide an easy route for the Tirumala devotees and reduce the traffic congestion in the area. The six km long flyover between the Tiruchanur highway junction and Kapila Theertham also links the city from different directions. The flyover is expected to decrease the current 40-minute drive to just 10 to 12 minutes, as it avoids several traffic junctions.

As per reports, TTD Chairman YV Subbha Reddy has also directed the TTD officials to expedite the release of funds to the contractors involved in the Srinivasa Setu works so as to finish the construction of the project on time.

YV Subbha Reddy has informed that Tirupati MLA Bhumana Karunakar Reddy had requested CM YS Jagan to direct the temple body (TTD) to release the funds on time so that the work might be completed without delay.

The elevated expressway was originally named Garuda Varadhi flyover, but it was renamed as Srinivasa Setu in August this year by the Municipal Corporation of Tirupati. Reportedly, the decision to change the name of the flyover to Srinivasa Setu was taken after people were against travelling on ‘Garuda Varadhi’ as the flyover is named after the vahan of Lord Vishnu.

CM Jagan Mohan Reddy had appointed his uncle and senior YSRCP leader YV Subba Reddy as the Chairman of Tirumala Tirupati Devastanam (TTD) Board in 2019. Reddy was reappointed again as the Chairman of the TTD this year after serving two years at the post.

Earlier this month, the Andhra Pradesh High Court had issued notices to 18 newly-appointed members of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Trust Board and sought their response to the petition filed by BJP leader G. Bhanuprakash Reddy. It was claimed that the individuals were unfit to be members of the prestigious TTD Trust Board for their alleged involvement in some cases and that the details needed to be confirmed.  

Two Muslim youths detained by police in Ayodhya for roaming around dressed up as Hindu Sadhus ahead of Diwali

OpIndia Staff
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Two Muslim youths detained by police in Ayodhya for roaming around dressed up as Hindu Sadhus ahead of Diwali

On October 29, Ayodhya Police detained two Muslim youth dressed up as Hindu saints from Purakalandar square. They have been identified as Suddhu and Muharram, residents of village Darjipur. Police and intelligence agencies are interrogating the suspects. As per reports, Pura Kalandar Police got a tip on Saturday evening from an unknown youth about two suspects roaming around in the city in the guise of Sadhus on the pretext of begging.

After this, the police caught them and brought them to the police station. The suspects said that they have been dressing up like Sadhus and begging in Ayodhya around Diwali for years. They claimed to have been living at the residence of one Ajay Yadav, resident of Village Surji Virva. They further claimed that several families of their village are indulged in begging.

They told the Police that they are residents of Darjipur Village, Gosainganj Police Station, District Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Ayodhya Police has contacted Sultanpur Police to verify their details.

However, considering the potential security implications, the agencies have decided not to go by their words and investigate their motives. The Police are tracing the locations where the duo went. It is noteworthy that the Government of Uttar Pradesh is planning a large-scale festival, ‘Deepotsav’, on Diwali in Ayodhya. Governor, Chief Minister and Union Ministers, along with other VIPs, are scheduled to attend the festivities. The security agencies are on high alert to ensure safety during the festival.

Vijaysen Singh, Inspector-in-charge, said that the suspects have said that they are beggars. The Police are verifying the details. An investigation is underway in the matter.

OpIndia tried to contact Police but could not connect.

Read- Three Muslims roam around dressing up like Hindu Sadhus, reveal true identity when threatened

‘Journalist’ with monster level IQ claims there’s an unofficial ‘internet ban’ in Srinagar while chatting on WhatsApp and tweeting

OpIndia Staff
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‘Journalist’ with monster level IQ claims there’s an unofficial ‘internet ban’ in Srinagar while chatting on WhatsApp and tweeting

On Saturday (October 30), independent ‘journalist’ Adnan Bhat courted controversy on social media after he claimed that the internet was banned unofficially in Srinagar in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. As per his Twitter bio, he has worked for several news organisations such as Al-Jazeera, Foreign Policy, South China Morning Post, Caravan, AJ+ etc.

In a tweet, Bhat claimed, “Went out to buy medicine for mother. Forgot prescription. Asked dad to WhatsApp it. But couldn’t download it because we have an unofficial mobile Internet ban in Srinagar. #Kashmir.” A screenshot attached with his tweet was accompanied by the message – “Couldn’t download image. Check your iPhone’s Internet connection and try again.”

Screengrab of the tweet by Adnan Bhat

While the screenshot shared by him bore the time stamp of 7: 42 pm, the journalist had tweeted about the incident at 7:58 pm (within a span of 16 minutes). Social media users were quick to point out that his father was able to send him the image of the prescription and that he was able to receive it as well. However, Bhat failed to download the same image due to ‘unofficial internet ban’, even though he was able to tweet about it.

Screengrab of the image posted by Adnan Bhat

Popular Twitter user (@BefittingFacts) pointed out,” Ok your dad was able to send it and you are able to tweet it but internet is ban. Cute”

Screengrab of the tweet by @BeffitingFacts

Another Popular Twitter user (@theskindoctor13) wrote, “He received the message. He got the image despite no internet but he isn’t able to download it.”

Screengrab of the tweet by @theskindoctor13

Another user tweeted about the contradictions in the story of Adnan Bhat. “You managed to receive the image. You were able to share it on Twitter. But somehow, your internet isn’t working. Wow,” he said.

Screengrab of the tweet

A Twitter user pointed out how Adnan Bhat had deliberately kept his mobile data to give the impression that there was an internet ban in Srinagar. “Your data is not on… What kind of journalist will you become?” he inquired.

Screengrab of the tweet

One Twitter user, Pankaj, asked how did the journalist regain his internet connection within just 16 minutes’ time.

Screengrab of the tweet

After realising several loopholes in the story, another Twitter user recommended Adnan Bhat to stick to cab driver stories that are often peddled by left-liberal journalists on the micro-blogging site.

Screengrab of the tweet

There is a new genre of fiction that has gained prominence in the market. The protagonist in these stories, generally less than 280 characters in English (the character limit on Twitter), is usually a taxi driver or a maid and the narrator is usually an intellectual yet idiot (IYI) from the media fraternity.

In this genre of fiction, the narrator projects his own political inclinations onto the protagonist in order to further his own agenda under the thin disguise of neutrality. The protagonist, usually a taxi driver, is portrayed as an individual with capabilities far beyond the usual level of intellect one would expect from people working those particular jobs.

#PoopyPantsBiden trends on social media after rumours emerge of Joe Biden suffering a ‘bathroom accident’ at the Vatican

OpIndia Staff
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#PoopyPantsBiden trends on social media after rumours emerge of Joe Biden suffering a ‘bathroom accident’ at the Vatican

#PoopyPantsBiden is trending on social media after former Nevada Republican Party Chairman Amy Tarkanian claimed that there are rumours floating in Rome that US President Joe Biden had a “bathroom accident” during his meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican.

“I know we joke often about this, but this is the actual rumor going around Rome now,” Amy Tarkanian said. Associate Editor at The Spectator, Damian Thompson, said that he heard the same from an “excellent source”.

Source: Twitter

Subsequently, #PoopyPantsBiden began to trend on Twitter. Joe Biden has been under the scanner in recent months due to health concerns. Rumours of the “bathroom accident” has once again brought the same into the spotlight.

People on social media heavily criticised and mocked the US President over the rumoured accident.

It is not clear whether the hashtag is trending because users genuinely believe that Joe Biden excreted in his pants or if they find the rumours to be plausible. It could also be the case that the hashtag is trending because users find it obscenely funny, or either of the combinations of all three.

Whatever be the reason, the hashtag was one of the top trends in the USA.

Joe Biden is the subject of intense mockery over the rumours.

Joe Biden has been committing a series of gaffes ever since he became the president of the United States of America. Recently, during a CNN Town Hall, Joe Biden had his fists clenched and held them in a weird position, leading many to question his mental fitness again.

Even during the run-up to the US presidential elections, political observers and commentators had raised concerns about Joe Biden’s cognitive decline and ominous signs of senility creeping in, which they claimed would seriously cloud his ability to function as the President of the most powerful country on Earth.

China used diesel to generate electricity as there was coal crisis, now there is diesel crisis

OpIndia Staff
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China used diesel to generate electricity as there was coal crisis, now there is diesel crisis

After facing a shortage of coal, now China is facing a shortage of diesel that is causing a nationwide problem in the supply chain. As per a report by Caixin, a Chinese business news service, a cap of 100 litres per truck has been imposed in many parts of the country, which is only 10% of the original capacity. Some reports have suggested that the cap is even lower in some parts of the country where the drivers can only fill the tank with 25 litres of fuel. 

Notably, the factories in China have been running diesel-fuelled generators to power their machinery amidst a severe shortage of coal and natural gas for the past few weeks. The shortage of coal is so severe that factories and households in China have been facing long power cuts. As a result, the excessive use of diesel for localised power generation has now resulted in a shortage of diesel across the country. Anything that disturbs China’s local supply chain brings more trouble for the already-affected global supply chain.

According to a report by BBC, posts have emerged on Chinese social media platform Weibo that claim some truck drivers have to wait for days to refuel their trucks. Mattie Bekink, China Director at the Economist Intelligence Unit, said, “The current diesel shortages seem to be affecting long-distance transportation businesses which could include goods meant for markets outside of China.” He further added such a crisis for long-duration would add to the woes of the global supply chain.

To add to the crisis, there is an additional charge applied on the purchase of fuel if the driver wants to fill up the truck’s tank. Caixin reported that the fuel stations are charging up to 300 Yuan or $47 additional for filling up the tanks. A truck driver said, “I have never seen anything like this,” while referring to the surcharge over fuel price. Chinese government’s mouthpiece Global Times quoted an employee from a gas station in Shijiazhuang, Hebei, “Each customer can only buy a fixed amount because there isn’t enough at the moment.”

China’s Coal Crisis

In September, it was reported that China was facing a severe coal shortage leading to a major dip in power generation. The reports suggested that the power outage affected most of Eastern China, where the majority of the population lives. At least 17 provinces in recent months faced blackouts. Experts linked the crisis to economies opening worldwide that led to a shortage of coal for power generation. The situation was grim enough to force Apple and Tesla to halt production in their China-based factories. 

Punjab: College orders 4 students to leave hostel allegedly for opposing Kashmiris supporting Pakistan, refuses to divulge details

Anurag
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Punjab: College orders 4 students to leave hostel allegedly for opposing Kashmiris supporting Pakistan, refuses to divulge details

On October 30, four students of Baba Farid Group of Institutions hailing from Bihar got a notice from the hostel warden to vacate the hostel with their belongings within 24 hours. The order was issued against them for allegedly “indulging in in-disciplinary activities in the hostel” on the 30th of October. The institute is located in Bathinda, Punjab.

The notice made it to social media platforms and has been making rounds since Sunday morning. It is not clear why the date of incident mentioned is 30th October, or what precisely happened on that day.

Notice issued against four students ordering them to leave hostel at Baba Farid Group of Institutions. Source: LiveAdalat

OpIndia tried to talk to the students, but they refused. As per our sources, the incident that led to the action against found students took place on the night of October 24. The four students were watching the match between India and Pakistan. When India lost the match, they allegedly heard pro-Pakistan slogans coming from the corridor where Kashmiri students live.

The students tried to reach out to the warden to file a complaint, but his phone was switched off. After that, a few students went to that corridor with bats and wickets to find out who were raising the slogans. The students did go with bats and wickets, but there was no fight between the two groups, our sources said.

The next day, the warden called four of the students whom they identified using the CCTV footage. They were asked to write an apology and promise not to indulge in any such activities in the future. The students obliged, and the issue, according to the students, was over. However, our source added that on the morning of October 30, four students, Kumar Kartikey Ojha, Ayush Kumar Tiwari, Ujjwal Pandey and Aayush Kumar Jaiswal, were called by the warden.

They were handed over a notice to vacate the hostel premises with immediate effect. The source said that the students were not given a chance to tell their side of the story. The action was taken allegedly only against the four students and not against the Kashmiri students.

BJP leader Kapil Mishra took cognizance of the notice and pledged support for the Bihari students.

Institute refused to divulge details

OpIndia reached out to the warden, Lakhbir Singh, of the boys’ hostel who had signed the notice. When we asked him why the notice was issued, Singh refused to talk over the matter. He said, “We cannot talk about this. Give me his number who gave you the notice.” We informed the warden that the notice is being circulated over Twitter, and we can send him a copy if he like. He said, “No, I do not need the copy.” He further declined knowledge of any such notice and said, “There is no such notice issued. I do not want to talk about it.”

We have been informed by sources that the warden has threatened students with consequences if they share the notice on social media.

Scuffle between students from UP-Bihar and Kashmir in Punjab

Another incident was reported on October 26 between the students from UP-Bihar and Kashmir at Bhai Gurdas Institute of Engineering and Technology, Sangrur, Punjab. There were reports that the students from UP-Bihar were rusticated after the scuffle following India’s defeat in Indo-Pak T20 world cup match. The Kashmiri students had allegedly raised pro-Pakistan slogans that led to the fight between the two groups.

This is a developing story.

BJP leader Mohit Kamboj files Rs 100 crore defamation case against Nawab Malik for comments in the cruise ship drugs case

OpIndia Staff
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BJP leader Mohit Kamboj files Rs 100 crore defamation case against Nawab Malik for comments in the cruise ship drugs case

As the Nationalist Congress Party leader and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik has been casting aspersion on Narcotics Control Bureau zonal director Sameer Wankhede and others following the arrest of Aryan Khan in the drug case, BJP leader Mohit Kamboj aka Bharatiya has filed a Rs 100-crore defamation suit against him at Bombay High Court. Maharashtra-based Kamboj is the former General Secretary of BJP Mumbai and former president of BJP Yuva Morcha.

Kamboj has alleged that the minister made false allegations against him and his family members in connection to the Cordelia cruise drug bust case in which Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan was arrested along with others by the NCB on October 2, under section Section 27A of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. Kamboj had given enough opportunity and warnings to Malik to restrain from defaming him which Malik ignored and continued the vendetta.

Nawab Malik, whose son-in-law Sameer Khan was also arrested by NCB in a separate drug case, has been holding press conferences on a daily basis to make new charges like the soap opera. The NCP chief spokesperson also levelled various allegations against Kamboj and his family. He said that Rishab Sachdeva, the brother-in-law of Kamboj and two others were let off by the NCB despite they were present during the alleged rave party on the cruise. Malik claimed that they were detained by NCB and released later on. Kamboj had earlier issued a notice to Malik on October 9 asking him to desist from making defamatory statements. But Malik on October 11 again repeated the same allegation while talking to some news channels. Kamboj sent him a second legal notice on the same day and asked him to prove the allegations.

On Oct 26, Kamboj filed a criminal complaint before the Court of Metropolitan Magistrate at Mazgaon requesting the court to take legal action against Malik under sections 499 and 500 (defamation) of the IPC.

Kamboj who alleged that he was being threatened by the minister also lodged a separate FIR on October 29.

The plea filed by Mohit Kamboj has requested that pending the hearing and final disposal of the suit, the court should issue a temporary injunction against Nawab Malik restraining him from making any defamatory comments about Kamboj.

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