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After meeting home minister Amit Shah, former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh meets NSA Ajit Doval in Delhi

OpIndia Staff
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After meeting home minister Amit Shah, former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh meets NSA Ajit Doval in Delhi

On September 30, former Chief Minister of Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh, met National Security Advisor Ajit Doval at his residence in New Delhi.

Amrinder Singh’s meeting with Ajit Doval is significant given the fact that just a few days ago, he had termed Navjot Singh Sidhu a national security threat. After resigning from the post of CM, Singh had said that he will fight any move to make Sidhu the Punjab CM, terming him as anti-national, dangerous, unstable, incompetent and a security threat to the state and the country. “We have all seen Sidhu hugging Imran Khan and General Bajwa, and singing praises for the Pakistan Prime Minister at the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor while our soldiers were being killed at the borders every day,” he had said talking to media after handing over his resignation to the governor.

Notably, a day earlier, ex-CM Amarinder Singh had met Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi. However, Singh had denied that meeting BJP leaders were on his agenda during the Delhi visit. His meeting with HM Shah led to the rise in speculations that Amarinder Singh is going to join the BJP ahead of assembly polls next year.

After the 45-minute long meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah, Singh said in a tweet that he had urged the central government to repeal the laws and end the deadlock between farmer unions and the government. He wrote, “Met Union Home Minister Amit Shah Ji in Delhi. Discussed the prolonged farmers’ agitation against #FarmLaws & urged him to resolve the crisis urgently with repeal of the laws & guarantee MSP, besides supporting Punjab in crop diversification.”

The former CM of Punjab arrived in the national capital on Tuesday amid the ongoing turmoil in Punjab Congress.

Amarinder Singh’s resignation

On September 18, Captain Amarinder Singh had resigned from the post of the chief minister. He had said that he could not continue with the humiliation he was facing in the party. He had taken the decision after the party had called for a meeting of the Congress legislative party in Punjab without informing the CM, who is also the leader of the legislative party.

The political drama in Punjab started with the appointment of Navjot Singh Sidhu as the president of the Punjab Congress in July despite opposition from Amarinder Singh. Interestingly, unhappy with the selection of ministers in the new Charanjit Singh Channi government, Sidhu had resigned from the post of Pradesh Congress chief yesterday, which the party high command has not accepted yet.

Delhi: Aquila restaurant of the ‘No Saree’ controversy shut down by authorities for operating without a license and unhygienic conditions

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi: Aquila restaurant of the ‘No Saree’ controversy shut down by authorities for operating without a license and unhygienic conditions

The Aquila restaurant in Delhi’s upmarket Khel Gaon Marg, which was recently at the centre of a social media controversy after allegedly refusing entry to a saree-clad woman on the night of September 19, has been closed for licencing issues and operating under unhygienic conditions.

As per reports, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) issued a closure notice to the restaurant after it was found that it was operating without a proper trade licence. The notice, which was issued on September 24 mentioned that a health inspector found out the upscale Delhi restaurant has been operating under unhygienic conditions, without proper approvals from the civic authorities.

According to reports, the civic authorities are also mulling to impose a penalty against the eatery for flouting norms.

Confirming the news, Mukesh Suryan the SDMC mayor told PTI: “The Aquila restaurant was operating without a proper licence. It has now been shut after we issued a closure notice. We are also exploring other actions including imposing a penalty in accordance with the DMC (Delhi Municipal Corporation) Act against the eatery as it was functioning without approval from the civic body”.

The owner of the eatery has reportedly closed down the restaurant. He was quoted saying, “I have closed down the above-said trade immediately and I shall not run the same trade without SDMC Trade Licence under the unsanitary conditions from a health point of view and create a nuisance.”

The restaurant is located in South Delhi’s Ansal Plaza in Andrews Ganj. As per reports, an inspection by the Public Health Inspector had found that the restaurant was running under unhygienic conditions and some public land has also been encroached. The local Congress councillor Abhishek Dutt has proposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh upon any restaurant or hotel that denies entry to people wearing Indian clothes. He has also demanded a probe on how was the business running so far without a license.

Aquila restaurant in Delhi involved in the ‘No Saree’ controversy

Recently, the aforementioned restaurant had received a lot of flak after a 10-second video emerged on social media platform on September 20, in which a staff member of the restaurant was seen stopping a woman identified as Anita Choudhary from entering as she was wearing a saree. The staff member in the video was seen saying, “saree is not a smart casual” dress.

The footage drew strong criticism from across sections, and the restaurant started to get negative reviews on all platforms. On the other hand, some netizens stood by the restaurant and said being a private entity, they have the right to admission on their premises. The incident took place on the night of September 19.

On September 23, the National Commission for Women (NCW) had taken cognisance of the viral Delhi restaurant saree entry video and directed authorities to take action for the same. It had also directed the restaurant’s marketing and PR director to appear before it on September 28.

Aquila restaurant in Delhi responds, says guest created nuisance

A day after the social media uproar, Aquila had issued a statement on its Instagram profile. In the statement, the restaurant said that the 10-second video is just a snippet of what had happened on the day of the incident. They also published a couple of videos to show their side of the story and said that the lady was stopped for creating a nuisance.

In one of the videos, the patron who claimed she was stopped from entering the restaurant because of saree as attire was seen slapping one of the staff members of the restaurant.

The restaurant said that the excuse their staff member gave for not allowing them to enter was not in sync with the restaurant’s policies. However, they could not have allowed someone on the premises who had allegedly assaulted a staff member.

Counter statement by the patron

Later, a Twitter user named aryaminii had claimed that the lady in the saree was her mother. She claimed that her mother had only pushed the staff members and not ‘slapped’. She had also acknowledged that they had arrived late, past their reservation time and were told that no seats were available. She also alleged that her mother was confronted by ‘bouncers’ and was misbehaved with by staff.

Uttarakhand: Illegal mosque built near Tehri dam finally removed by authorities

OpIndia Staff
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Uttarakhand: Illegal mosque built near Tehri dam finally removed by authorities

On September 30, authorities finally demolished the illegal mosque in the Khand-Khala Koti Colony that was in close proximity to the Tehri Dam. Recently, OpIndia has covered the problems faced by the locals because of the mosque.

In a conversation with OpIndia, Akshat Biljwan, the activist who was leading the protests, said that the coverage caused a nationwide uproar over the illegal mosque, and finally, the administration decided to remove it.

Notably, since the report was published in OpIndia, hashtag #RemoveTehriMosque was trending on social media. The netizens echoed the demand of the locals to remove the illegal mosque and tagged Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to take swift action in the case.

Today, Akshat called OpIndia and informed that the mosque was being demolished. He also shared videos of the demolition process in which the temporary structure that had been standing there for the last 20 years was being removed from the site. The structure was encroaching upon government land and locals have been objecting to it for a long time.

Akshat, in a video message, thanked all the Hindu organizations, including Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Hindu Jagran Manch, for the support they had provided in the case. He also thanked the administration for taking action on the illegal mosque. In his message, Akshat said, “I would also like to thank the Muslim community in the region for the support they have provided in getting the illegal structure removed.”

The Tehri Dam illegal mosque case

In the early 2000s, during the construction, the company (JP) that was building the dam built a temporary mosque for the Muslim workers. After completing the project, the company and the workers went away, but the temporary mosque was not removed. Local leaders, Hindu organizations and locals have raised their voices against the mosque several times in the past, but no action was taken to remove the structure.

The locals claimed that on namaz days, the structure caused a large gathering in the area and several incidents of harassment of school and college going girls have been reported.

In the first week of September 2021, locals led by Akshat and Hindu organisations started a new phase of protests against the mosque. It is notable here that the district administration and the Tourism Department which owns the land had already carried out inspections and had ordered the removal of the illegal mosque. All other illegal structures in the area like temporary shops etc were already removed, but the illegal mosque kept standing.

Interestingly, the administration of the mosque filed an application with the Uttarakhand minority commission against the demand of the locals.

Acting on the plea, the minority commission summoned the local authorities, and the demolition order was derailed. On September 25, SDM met the protestors and promised that action would be taken as soon as possible as the Tourist Department, which owned the land, had deemed the structure illegal. However, SDM also stated the fact that as the minority commission was involved, the locals may have to wait for the structure to get removed.

After the report got published in OpIndia, the issue was raised on social media at the national level by the netizens. Questions were asked as to why the state minority commission is trying to intervene in the due process of removal of an illegal structure.

BBC follows ‘standards’ set by propaganda website The Wire, solicits applications based on caste and religion

OpIndia Staff
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BBC follows ‘standards’ set by propaganda website The Wire, solicits applications based on caste and religion

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has posted a ‘job opening’ for aspiring journalists, however, their definition of the ‘ideal candidate’ that they seem to be looking for, gives one a glimpse into the propaganda that they aim to push in the coming months. BBC, in its job opening categorically called for individuals from “marginalised and ethnic groups” who are “keen to tell stories about them, which are underrepresented in Indian and international media”.

Job opening posted by The BBC
Job opening posted by The BBC

They further said that they want candidates from “marginalised and ethnic groups” because their ideas would help BBC “reach new audiences”.

While BBC would like to coat their bigotry and agenda in righteous sounding words, it becomes evident what the aim of BBC in the coming months would be, or the editorial line they are planning to take with these hires.

When BBC says they want candidates from the “marginalised” groups, they are specifically calling for candidates from the Hindu OBC, SC and ST community. To say that BBC wants stories that would mainstream their concern in India is sophistry that BBC hopes people would buy into, lock, stock, and barrel. The truth is, however, that by focussing on hiring on the basis of caste, BBC aims to exploit the fissures in the Indian society and peddle ‘atrocity literature’ that shows Hindus as the eternal oppressors.

Interestingly, while BBC wants people to believe that they genuinely care about reporting the stories of ‘oppression’, in 2019, BBC itself was accused of caste discrimination.

When BBC was accused of caste discrimination

A journalist who said she was a Dalit had accused BBC of mentally torturing her, discriminating against her to the extent that she had contemplated suicide and self-harm.

With this, it becomes rather evident that BBC is not exactly concerned about the marginalised Hindus (yes, OBC, SC and ST Hindus are HINDUS), but is far more interesting is primarily using them to ensure they get more reach and acceptance in the “liberal” crowd. Furthermore, they want to use these candidates to peddle their narrative and propaganda in India that the liberal crowd has been attempting to push – Hindus discriminate on the basis of caste and Hindutva is against those who belong to the “lower caste”.

Beyond caste, it is also pertinent to note that BBC has asked for applications from those who belong to the “marginalised ethnic groups” for this job opening. What The BBC means by “marginalised ethnic groups” is rather clear from the trajectory of their reportage. BBC wants candidates who are either OBC, SC, ST or Muslims, to peddle the “oppressive Hindus” propaganda.

Interestingly, BBC doesn’t seem like the only one doing this. In fact, they seem to have taken their inspiration from Indian propaganda outlet, run by an American citizen, The Wire.

In 2019, The Wire had posted a job application appeal on its website where it had in no uncertain terms mentioned they “encourage” Dalit, Adivasi and Muslim candidates to apply.

Job posting by The Wire

The Wire, run by American citizen Siddharth Varadarajan, is the same Left propaganda website that had told one of its journalist to “let it go” after a Dalit activists had heckled and molested her.

Damayantee Dhar was covering a case of one Doctor Mariraj, a third-year resident doctor of the BJ Medical College who had alleged caste discrimination against nine people of the department. As per Damayantee, while she was investigating, she came across some proof against Dr. Mariraj and proof that some of his allegations don’t hold water.

She said back then that while she was interviewing Dr Mariraj, Keval Rathod, a group of men led by Keval Rathod entered the room where the interview was being held and starting abusing and heckling Dhar. She said that in this incident that took place on 7th January, she and a journalist from the Ahmedabad Mirror were attacked by a mob of 15-20 Dalit men (presumably led by Keval Rathod, an advocate/Dalit activist from Una). They were manhandled, heckled, their press card and mobile phones were snatched and their recording was deleted. She said all this happened while 7-8 men kept recording what was happening to them while abusing them verbally.

She further alleged that The Wire asked her to ‘let it go’ simply because the assailants were “Dalit” and it would presumably hurt the cause.

In another case, The Wire had invented a “caste angle” to a fake case but had forgotten to mention that the accused were Muslims and not Hindus.

In all of this, and many more cases, The Wire and other media outlets like The BBC that get inspired by The Wire, have proved that their sole aim is to show that Dalits are “oppressed” by Hindus to deepen the fissures in the Hindu society. Further, they want to create a divide to peddle the narrative that Hindus belonging to the OBC, SC, ST community are not Hindus, to begin with, and that they are “minorities” that have, or need to have an alliance with the Muslims to ‘take down the ‘oppressive Hindu society’. It does not come as a surprise that only recently, The New York Times had also posted a job opening that needed their candidate to harbour visceral hatred for Hindus and PM Modi.

Both the job posting by The Wire in 2019 and the inspired job posting by the BBC today point towards a propaganda Blitzkrieg that the liberal media plans to unleash against Hindus. Blitzkrieg is a method of offensive warfare that the liberal media has been at war with Hindus for several years, with such job postings hinting that the war against Hindus is only going to get worse.

FCRA license of Christian missionary organisation Harvest India suspended, was getting foreign funding worth crores

OpIndia Staff
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FCRA license of Christian missionary organisation Harvest India suspended, was getting foreign funding worth crores

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday cancelled the foreign funding license of a Christian missionary organization ‘Harvest India’ for violating the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) 2010. 

List of organizations in suspension category. Image Source: FCRA website

The organization was in the news after NGO watchdog Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF) exposed its activities in violation of FCRA rules and released videos of its chief functionary Suresh Kumar indulging in proselytization activities.

Evangelical activities by Harvest India

Reportedly, Harvest India has more than 1500 ‘community centres’ functioning across the country for proselytizing purposes. In addition to this, there are over 1500 to 2000 pastors working for the organization engaged in conversion activities. 

The NGO also conducts ‘Crusade’ events to induct new members to Christianity and train them as preachers. Kumar with his wife runs a Church named King’s Temple and several Bible colleges.

Irregularities spotted 

The LRPF recently, in a letter to MHA had sought action against Harvest India and Kattera Suresh Kumar, for collecting foreign funds through fraudulent misrepresentation. Harvest India’s foreign contributions between 2017-18 and 2019-20 had totalled around Rs 19.6 crore which were allegedly being used for missionary activities.

In its complaint, the LRPF had raised queries over the organization utilizing funds for paying salaries to pastors and church maintenance. 

Reports suggest that several members of the organization had also violated the Indian visa rules and visited India to participate in proselytizing activities. 

Misusing SC/ST benefits

Bishop Kattera Suresh Kumar has also been accused of misusing the benefits meant for Scheduled Castes. Early this month, LRPF and the SC-ST Rights Forum had written to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes seeking action against Kumar for holding a Scheduled Caste certificate to avail reservation benefits despite being a Christian Bishop. 

Anti-Hindu speech

Suresh Kumar in an anti-Hindu speech delivered at Mission Conference 2018 held at Biola University in the US, was heard saying, “Right now, we are under Hindu rule. Our Prime Minister is a bad guy. He doesn’t want any Christians in India. He wants to make India a Hindu country. So many pastors killed in the last 5 years. Many missionaries were sent back.”

In a bid to manipulate voters, Kumar had said further, “There is unrest, turmoil. Pastors are dying, Churches are burning. The government is not doing anything. We do not know what is going to happen tomorrow to Christianity in India, to Church in India but I am believing a powerful God on our side. Next year we have an election, please pray. I don’t want this party to come back. This guy is doing so much bad for Christianity”.

Harvest India is the tenth organization to face the axe this year. Prior to this, the FCRA licenses of evangelical organizations such as People’s Organisation of Empowerment of Tribals and Heavenly Grace Ministries, Russ Foundation and Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, an NGO that is said to have received funds from George Soros’s Open Society Foundation were suspended by the MHA. 

Child marriage of a Muslim girl reported in Malappuram, New Indian Express uses ‘Hindu’ images

OpIndia Staff
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Child marriage of a Muslim girl reported in Malappuram, New Indian Express uses ‘Hindu’ images

In a September 20 report, the New Indian Express has used a misleading representational image for the child marriage of a Muslim girl in Malappuram, Kerala. As per a TNIE report, a qazi was booked for officiating the marriage along with the groom and the parents.

Qazi, who is the magistrate of the Sharia Court, was there to solemnise the marriage, which proves that it was a Nikah or a Muslim wedding. However, the representational image used by TNIE shows a bindi-clad minor Hindu girl with garland showing as if it was a Hindu child marriage.

Interestingly, another report on the same case published by TNIE on September 19 mentioned that the couple was from the ‘minority community’. The representational image in that report also was of a ‘Hindu’ wedding, misleading the readers.

Misleading representational images used by The New Indian Express

The case of child marriage in Kerala

The incident took place on September 18 in Karuvarakundu, district Malappuram, Kerala. Reports suggest that the police registered a case against four persons, including the qazi, groom and the parents, after they learned that the bride was a 17-year-old girl studying in 12th standard. On the next day, the police recorded the girl’s statement and initiated a probe in the case.

Manoj Parayatta, Inspector, Karuvarakundu Police Station, said that they had registered a case under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. He said, “Child marriage is a serious offence that will attract a punishment of five years imprisonment or Rs 10 lakh fine. Those abetting the marriage which may include the guests who participated in the marriage, caterers and videographers can be booked under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act.”

The officer added that it is hard to gather evidence in cases involving child marriages. He said, “Usually, such marriages are conducted secretly. They won’t take photographs, and the people in the area will not cooperate with the investigation by handing over the pieces of evidence. Still, we will carry out the investigation seriously and ensure maximum punishment for the people involved so that such cases don’t happen again.”

Malappuram district, a Muslim majority region, is known for such child marriages. In 2017, ten such weddings were stopped by the authorities. In 2016, 12 such marriages were blocked in the Moothedam panchayat that is adjacent to Karuvarakundu.

Mainstream media regularly use misleading representational images

Using misleading representational images that stigmatise the Hindu community when the crime involves persons from the Muslim community is a common practice in mainstream media. Such representational images often contact graphics associated with the Hindu religion even though the parties involved are from the Muslim community. There have been countless such incidents where media houses change the representational image after the uproar.

In July this year, Maharashtra Police arrested occult practitioner ‘Baba Karim Khan Bengali’ for cheating a young woman, but the mainstream media decided to call him ‘Tantrik’. In the same month, occult practitioner Afzal Malik and his aides gang-raped a minor girl in Amroha, but the reports in ‘secular media’ referred to him as ‘Tantrik’.

Often, even the imagery associated with the reports is ‘Hindu’, creating a false impression in the mind of readers that Hindus were the perpetrators of the crime.

OTV announces 20 lakh compensation for family of journalist Arindam Das, IIMC Alumni Association raising funds too

OpIndia Staff
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OTV announces 20 lakh compensation for family of journalist Arindam Das, IIMC Alumni Association raising funds too

The Odisha Television Limited (OTV) has announced Rs. 20 lakh compensation for journalist Arindam Das who died while covering the rescue operation of an elephant in Cuttak on September 24. Colleagues of Das also came forward to help the family.

Jagi Mangat Panda, Managing Director, OTV, while announcing the compensation for the family, said, “Losing Arindam is a colossal loss not only for me but for our entire organization. There will never be another Arindam.” She further added that just monetary compensation would not fill the void Das’s death has created. “His family is now our family, and we will take care of them,” she said.

While paying tributes to Das, Panda said, “In the last 23 years of OTV’s journey, I have not seen a more fearless journalist than Arindam anywhere in entire Odisha. His demise is not only a loss to OTV but the whole state. I salute the mother who gave birth to such a brave reporter,” she said.

Journalist body holding fundraiser for Das’ family

The Indian Institute of Mass Communication Alumni Association (IIMCAA) also announced a fundraiser for Das’s family. In a tweet published from their official Twitter account, the association urged everyone to come forward and support the family by participating in the fundraiser.

The association wrote, “We lost a braveheart journalist Arindam Das, while he was reporting a rescue operation. We cannot compensate for the pain and loss his family has suffered but can support them at this crucial juncture. As the only son, he had many liabilities and responsibilities towards his family.”

The incident that took Das’s life

On September 24, a young elephant got stuck in the Mahanadi river at the Mundali barrage in the city. Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) team launched a rescue operation to save the animal as it was stranded amidst the high-speed river current, terrified and unable to escape.

Arindam Das, along with cameraman Prabhat Sinha, had boarded a boat and followed the ORDAF team to cover the rescue mission. Sadly, the boat was capsized by the strong river current. The duo was swept away, and it was too late before they could be recovered. Das and Sinha were admitted to the SCB Medical College and hospital in Cuttack. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of the doctors, the Chief reporter of OTV did not survive.

Cameraman Prabhat Sinha was also admitted to the SCB Medical College and hospital in a critical condition. As per the latest reports, he has recovered and has been discharged from the hospital.

West Bengal bypolls: BJP candidate from Bhabanipur alleges booth jamming by TMC, bombs hurled in Samserganj constituency

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal bypolls: BJP candidate from Bhabanipur alleges booth jamming by TMC, bombs hurled in Samserganj constituency

As voting for the bypolls commenced in three constituencies of West Bengal on Thursday, reports of violence and misconduct have surfaced in the media. 

Bhartiya Janta Party’s (BJP) Bhabanipur candidate Priyanka Tibrewal has accused Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Madan Mitra of ‘purposely shutting the voting machine to capture the booth.’

The Bhabanipur constituency has garnered sharp attention as the poll result will decide the fate of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee as a Chief Minister. Standing against her from BJP is Tibrewal an advocate by profession who had joined the BJP in the year 2014.

Tibrewal’s candidature was much talked about for two reasons. First, she is one of the petitioners in the plea filed in the Bengal post-poll violence cases, which have led to the Calcutta High Court ordering CBI and SIT probes in the cases. Her petition has also led the high court order for a second autopsy of BJP worker Abhijit Sarkar, who was killed in post-poll violence on May 2.

Second, by fielding Tibrewal, BJP has tried to pit a daughter of Bengal against another daughter of Bengal (as Mamata Banerjee calls herself one). 

Bombs hurled in Samserganj

Reportedly, bombs were hurled in West Bengal’s Samserganj just before the polling began. This is despite the tight security measures undertaken at polling booths.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 have been imposed within 200 metres of the polling booths. There will be a heavy deployment of forces, including quick response teams, in Bhabanipur. Security has also been heightened in the Samserganj constituency.

The voting will continue till 6:30 PM on 30th September and the result will be declared on 3rd October.

As Kejriwal includes ‘patriotism’ in the school curriculum, here is why he should be the first one to take those lessons

Jinit Jain
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As Kejriwal includes ‘patriotism’ in the school curriculum, here is why he should be the first one to take those lessons

The Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi on Tuesday announced the inclusion of “deshbhakti” or patriotism in the school curriculum to instil a sense of patriotism among students and inspire them to feel proud about their country.

Reportedly, every class — from elementary nursery to higher secondary class 12 — will mandatorily have what AAP has dubbed to be “deshbhakti curriculum” to cultivate patriotic sentiments among students in their formative years. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched the patriotism curriculum at an event in Chhatrasal Stadium on September 28 to mark the occasion of the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.

As per the so-called deshbhakti curriculum, schools in Delhi are mandated to have one period every day for patriotism studies for students in the nursery to class 8, and classes per week for students studying in classes 9 to 12.

The circular released last week by the Directorate of Education (DoE) said, “Every deshbhakti period shall start with a five-minute ‘Deshbhakti Dhyaan’, where the teacher and students shall practice mindfulness, reflect on their gratitude for the country, freedom fighters, and any five persons that they consider deshbhakts, and pledge their respect for the country.”

Lauding his government’s move to include a curriculum that aimed to engender patriotism among students, Kejriwal said, “They (the students) will be prepared to fulfil their responsibilities and contribute towards the nation’s progress. They will also be prepared in a way that if the need arises, they can lay down their lives for the nation and be willing to give their all to the country.”

While it is admirable of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal to roll out a curriculum that emphasizes patriotism and mandates students to take lessons on deshbhakti, he should be the first one to enrol himself in taking those lessons. If Kejriwal’s past antecedents are anything to go by, they indicate patriotism has never been a strong suit of the Delhi CM.

There have been umpteen incidents in the past when Kejriwal’s patriotism has left a lot to be desired. From using the Pulwama terror attack to further his brand of petty politics to the brazen pandering of the Khalistanis to win votes in Punjab to raising aspersions on the calibre of India’s Armed Forces in conducting Surgical Strikes against terrorists, Kejriwal has not been subtle in expressing his disdain for patriotism and nationalistic feelings for India.

Here are some of the occasions that demonstrate why Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal should take the lessons on patriotism first:-

Brazen politicisation of the Pulwama terror attack

On February 14, 2019, a convoy of vehicles carrying security personnel on the Jammu Srinagar National Highway was attacked by a vehicle-borne Islamic terrorist at Lethpora in the Pulwama district, Jammu and Kashmir, India. The attack resulted in the deaths of 40 CRPF personnel. The responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed.

At a time when the entire country should have united against the scourge of terrorism that emanates from Pakistan, Kejriwal tried to use the dastardly attack in Pulwama to peddle preposterous conspiracy theories. A couple of months after the attack, Kejriwal took to Twitter to insinuate that the Pulwama attack was carried out by Pakistan at the behest of the Modi government to help PM Modi in the forthcoming General elections in May 2019.

“Pakistan and Imran Khan are openly supporting Modi Ji. It is clear now that Modi Ji has some secret pact wid them. Everyone is asking – did Pakistan kill 40 of our brave soldiers in Pulwama on 14 Feb just before elections to help Modi Ji?” Kejriwal had tweeted.

His political rivalry with the BJP notwithstanding, Kejriwal did not flinch from asserting that the Indian government was working in cahoots with its arch-nemesis Pakistan and was responsible for the killing of 40 CRPF soldiers so that they continue to remain in power after the Lok Sabha elections. This incident demonstrated Arvind Kejriwal’s willingness to throw patriotism to the winds if that helped to discredit his political adversaries.

Proof of Surgical Strikes conducted in PoK after Uri terror attack

Another incident that raised questions on Kejriwal’s patriotic credentials was demanding proof for the Surgical Strikes conducted by the Indian Armed Forces on terror camps located in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir in the wake of the Uri terror attack.

In the aftermath of the Surgical Strikes when the nationalist sentiments were high, Kejriwal released a rare video congratulating the Modi government and the Indian Army for avenging the deaths of martyrs in the Uri attack. However, towards the end of his video, Kejriwal sought a piece of evidence to establish that Surgical Strikes indeed happened, cunningly claiming that he is asking for evidence to bust the Pakistani propaganda that refuted the occurrence of any Surgical Strikes in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.

Delhi CM’s demand for proof was instantly lapped up by Pakistani propagandists to reinforce their narrative that the Surgical Strikes as claimed by India was nothing but a sham. During that time, Pakistan had vigorously denied the occurrence of any surgical strikes in its controlled territory. Pakistan’s denial of the incursion was on expected lines, given that the acceptance of the attack would have been tantamount to a tacit admission of the presence of terrorists at those launch pads and more importantly admission that the Indian forces carried out the attack right under the nose of its Army.

Notably, Pakistani Twitter users had then trended #PakStandsWithKejriwal on Twitter as a mark of support to the AAP supremo for his video raising doubts about the Armed Forces’ claims of having conducted surgical strikes in PoK.

Although Kejriwal’s narrative on Surgical Strikes converged with that of Pakistan, his supporters and other AAP leaders nonetheless continued to raise suspicions over the veracity of the attacks. AAP ran a campaign of sorts to discredit the government by casting aspersions over the authenticity of the operation and seeking corroborating evidence to prove the claims.

However, at a time when he should have resolutely and unconditionally stood behind the Indian Armed Forces and exhibit his patriotism, Kejriwal instead questioned the Army’s claim of conducting Surgical Strikes in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and sought evidence for the same, echoing Pakistani stand on the raid. Perhaps, Kejriwal thought patriotism meant hewing to enemy country’s propaganda and disregarding one’s own Army’s assertions.

Brazen pandering to the Khalistanis

The interests of Khalistanis run counter to that of patriotic Indians. Khalistanis still harbour the dream of hacking off Punjab from India and establish it as a separate sovereign country. This demand has never found popular support among common Sikhs as they feel that their interests are well protected within India. However, this movement has always found support from Pakistan.

Khalistan movement was at its peak during the Indira Gandhi regime with the likes of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale leading an armed struggle. But it slowly fizzled out thanks to nationalist Sikhs in Army and politics, who could save India from another partition.

But in his attempt to win Lok Sabha seats from constituencies in Punjab, Arvind Kejriwal and his party AAP had no qualms in courting Khalistani separatists during the 2014 elections. This revelation was made by none other actor-turned-politician Gul Panag in 2018 when she admitted in a Twitter post that AAP blatantly pandered to Khalistani proponents in the run-up to the 2014 General elections.

Kejriwal and his deputies in AAP had then thought that Khalistani ideologues and supporters held electoral weightage and by ingratiating with them they would be able to brighten their chances of winning Lok Sabha seats on constituencies in the Punjab region. This charm offensive was reciprocated by pro-Khalistan outfits by declaring their support to the AAP during the Lok Sabha elections.

The inclusion of the “deshbhakti curriculum” in the school syllabus in Delhi does not jibe with Kejriwal and AAP’s previously held stance. The Delhi CM now wants students in the city to imbibe the importance of remaining loyal to one’s motherland and be proud of their country, a far cry from what Kejriwal has indulged in all these years. Contrary to what he is preaching, Kejriwal’s behaviour in the past could be termed as unpatriotic at best and treasonous at worse. Therefore, before asking Delhi students to study patriotism, Arvind Kejriwal should himself take those lessons first.

NIA court rejects plea of Sachin Vaze requesting three months house arrest on medical ground

OpIndia Staff
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NIA court rejects plea of Sachin Vaze requesting three months house arrest on medical ground

A Special Court of National Investigation Agency (NIA) headed by A.T. Wankhede on Wednesday rejected a petition of dismissed cop of Maharashtra Police Sachin Vaze where he had requested the court to keep him on house arrest for the next three months. He had requested house arrest as he has undergone Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) surgery recently.

The NIA court allowed him homemade food but it directed the jail authorities to take Sachin Vaze to Taloja jail after he is discharged from the hospital. The court further said that Sachin Vaze will be kept in the jail hospital for a month. The hospital authority too has been asked to inform the court 48 hours before Sachin Vaze is discharged from the hospital.

On September 13, Sachin Vaze had undergone surgery at the Wockhardt Hospital in Mumbai. After the bypass surgery, he had filed a petition through his lawyers Sajal Yadav and Aarti Kalekar for three months house arrest, so that he can spend the next three months at his home. He had pleaded that he has undergone a complex heart surgery with five grafts and he is likely to be discharged from the hospital on September 28. But owing to the unhygienic condition of jail there is a high chance of infection hence he should be kept in house arrest.

The court, however, during the course of the hearing had deferred his discharge from the hospital since the court wanted a response from Taloja jail where he was taken after his arrest.

Sachin Vaze, the dismissed inspector of Mumbai police was arrested by NIA for his role in Antilia bomb scare and the murder of Mansukh Hiran murder case.

In his plea he had cited medical grounds as well as the case of alleged Maoist ideologue Varavara Rao. Sachin Vaze maintained that Varavara Rao, arrested in the Elgaar Parishad case, was given bail for six months on medical grounds by the Bombay High Court.

NIA opposed the application saying the case of Varavara Rao and Sachin Vaze are quite different. The NIA said that investigation against Sachin Vaze has been completed and a charge-sheet filed. Hence in such a situation, judicial custody can’t be converted into a house arrest.

NIA said Taloja jail hospital is equipped with facilities that will take the best care of him. It also raised apprehension that Sachin Vaze may abscond from house arrest.

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