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Politicians line up to call Pahalgam victims liars and speculators, dismiss actual witness statements and try to whitewash Islamic terrorists

OpIndia Staff
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Politicians line up to call Pahalgam victims liars and speculators, dismiss actual witness statements and try to whitewash Islamic terrorists

Days after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, where Hindus were massacred by Islamic terrorists, politicians across party lines came forward to brand the victims’ families as liars.

These politicians include BJD Rajya Sabha MP Sulata Deo, Congress MLAs Vijay Wadettiwar and R B Thimmapur, and TMC leader Marjina Khatun. They left no stone unturned to whitewash Islamic terror and negate the fact that Hindu tourists were ‘profiled’ before being killed.

Following the terror attack, Sulata Deo had claimed, “The number of people that died and the time it took to kill them, it is not at all possible to ask about religion or check religion in that time.”

“This is all speculation. No terrorist ever asks for anyone’s religion. Terrorists are never connected to religion, she brazened out.”

The BJD MP shrewdly gave a clean chit to the Islamic terrorists and suggested that the families of the victims were lying.

Maharashtra Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar also attempted to downplay the angle of ‘religious profiling’ and attempted to shift the blame of the terror attack elsewhere.

“The government is saying that terrorists killed people after asking them (about their religion). Do terrorists have time for all this?” he cast aspersions on the victim testimonials.

“Some people say that this did not happen. Terrorists have no caste or religion. Catch those who are responsible and take action. This is the sentiment of the country,” Vijay Wadettiwar further mouthed platitudes to protect his vote bank.

On Saturday (26th April), Karnataka Congress Minister R B Thimmapur courted controversy after he attempted to downplay the religious profiling of Hindu victims by Islamic terrorists during the Pahalgam terror attack.

R B Thimmapur, who serves as the Excise Minister in the Congress-ruled State, alleged, “The perpetrators of the attack in Pahalgam would not have asked the name and the religion of victims.”

“I personally don’t think the assailants would have asked the name and religion of the tourists…It is not just to add religious colour to cover up intelligence failure,” he brazened out. R B Thimmapur peddled these lies while interacting with the media in Bagalkot in Karnataka.

Trinamool Congress leader Marjina Khatun on Saturday (26th April) attempted to shield the Islamic terrorists by shifting the blame on the BJP.

While speaking to the media in West Bengal’s Malda, she alleged, “BJP carried out this attack to divert the public from the new Waqf law.” Marjina Khatun is the district council member and block President of the Trinamool Congress.

“BJP provides safe haven to terrorists. This was why there was no army personnel there,” she brazened out.

OpIndia had previously reported how the locals did not notify the security agencies, and the administration allowed tourist movement in the Baisaran area.

“The elections in Bihar are near. This is why the BJP is trying to create a communal environment,” Khatun resorted to peddling conspiracy theories to defend the Islamic terrorists.

The facts of the case

A total of 26 innocent civilians were shot dead by 4 Islamic terrorists in the Pahalgam terror attack, which took place on 22nd April.

24 of the victims were Hindus by Faith. All the terrorists were Muslims by Faith. Multiple victim testimonies have surfaced in the aftermath of the terror attack, which shows how Hindus were profiled before being killed.

They were forced to say their names, show ID cards, recite Kalma and even pull down their pants to show proof of ‘circumcision.’

Despite such overwhelming victim testimonials and disproportionate killing of Hindus, these politicians did not hesitate to discount religious angle, deviate focus from Islamic terrorists and whitewash the Pahalgam terror attack.

Lakshmi Mittal’s sponsorship of Pakistan Conference 2025 at Harvard sparks outrage amid escalating India-Pakistan tensions after Pahalgam horror

Jinit Jain
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Lakshmi Mittal’s sponsorship of Pakistan Conference 2025 at Harvard sparks outrage amid escalating India-Pakistan tensions after Pahalgam horror

In the immediate aftermath of the barbaric Pahalgam massacre, where Pakistan-trained terrorists unleashed unspeakable horror on innocent Indian tourists—selecting their victims based on religious identity, subjecting them to degrading inspections, and executing them point blank for their inability to recite the Kalima—Indians around the world have united in grief and fury. The national sentiment is one of shock, rage, and an uncompromising demand for justice.

Yet even as the blood of innocents still stains the soil of Kashmir, a baffling and deeply disturbing development has come to light: The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South-east Asia Institute at Harvard University, heavily funded by Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, is sponsoring The Pakistan Conference at Harvard 2025.

On its website, ‘The Pakistan Conference at Harvard’ describes itself as “the largest student-led gathering on Pakistan in the United States, convening policymakers, academics, business leaders, and civil society experts to engage in critical discussions on Pakistan’s economic trajectory, governance, and global positioning.”

But beneath these lines containing word salad, it is unmistakable that it is a platform promoting Pakistani talking points, which is essentially, endorsing and propagating the Pakistani government’s agenda. It is an academic effort to project Pakistan’s soft power regardless of how insignificant or diminishing it is. But it is nevertheless an attempt through which Pakistan academia rationalise Pakistan’s state policies, which infamously includes its military doctrine of “bleeding India through a thousand cuts.”

Pakistan Conference 2025 at Harvard University website

What was shocking is that one of the partners listed on the website is The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South East Asia Institute at the Harvard University. An Indian businessman’s institute supporting a Pakistani conference is equivalent to turkeys voting for christmas.

The South Asia Institute at Harvard University is one of the sponsors of the Pakistan Conference

At a time when India is deploying several measures to isolate Pakistan for its role as a terror sponsor, such an endorsement from an Indian billionaire is not just tone-deaf—it is a betrayal.

The news of the sponsorship broke across social media like wildfire. Indian users from around the globe have expressed dismay and anger at Mittal’s decision. Hashtags like #BoycottPakistanConference and #ShameOnMittal trended on X (formerly Twitter), as thousands of netizens questioned how an Indian business icon could so callously ignore the wounds of his own people, and instead offer a platform—funded by his own generosity—to a nation whose hostility towards India is written in blood, not ink.

Adding to the sense of betrayal is the wider context of recent events. Just days before the announcement, demonstrations were held by the Indian diaspora in London, mourning the Pahalgam victims and demanding accountability. These peaceful protests were met with disruption and intimidation—again, notably—from Pakistani-origin individuals, many of whom openly voiced anti-India slogans and hurled abuses. The message could not have been clearer: even abroad, certain sections of the Pakistani diaspora continue to carry forward their government’s hateful agenda.

It is, therefore, of little doubt that the Pakistan Conference at Harvard 2025 would be anything different from what we witness in the TV studios in Pakistan and the online Pakistani social media space. It would echo the same rhetoric that Pakistanis have long championed: blaming Indian armed forces for the terror attacks that rock Kashmir and dismissing honest attempts to scrutinise Pakistan’s role in them as vindictive and borne out of its historical animosity towards Islamabad.

Given this atmosphere, the decision of a prestigious institution like Harvard’s South-east Asia Institute to sponsor a Pakistan-focused conference, and by extension endorse voices from a country that actively foments anti-India sentiment, is deeply unsettling. But more disappointing is Lakshmi Mittal’s role—or rather, his refusal to pull the plug on bankrolling a Pakistani conference.

At a time when the Indian government is leaving no stone unturned to pressurise the Pakistan government to relinquish its support for terror, Lakshmi Mittal’s sponsorship of the ‘Pakistan Conference at Harvard 2025’ is not only tone-deaf, but it reflects a deep sense of betrayal by the Indian steel magnate towards the innocent Indian tourists who lost their lives in Pahalgam at the hands of Pakistan-trained terrorists.

Businessmen of Mittal’s stature do not operate in a vacuum. Once they step into the public sphere with their enormous wealth, influence, and global visibility, they cease to remain private individuals. They carry with them the prestige of India, the hopes of its people, and, of course, the responsibility to stand up for the national interest when it is most under threat.

The moral and patriotic duty of Indian Businessmen

At a time when the Indian government is undertaking comprehensive measures to diplomatically corner Pakistan—cutting trade ties, launching international campaigns to highlight Pakistan’s role in sponsoring terrorism, pushing for Financial Action Task Force (FATF) sanctions—Indian businessmen have a moral obligation to complement these efforts, not undermine them.

The reality is stark: Pakistan’s narrative survives on two legs—state-sponsored terror on the ground, and image rehabilitation abroad through academia, media, and diplomacy. By funding academic platforms that host Pakistani-centric conferences, Indian billionaires like Mittal inadvertently provide oxygen to Pakistan’s softer, “victimhood” portrayal, making it harder for India to expose its brutal realities before the world.

It is no longer acceptable for Indian elites to compartmentalize their patriotism. One cannot wave the tricolour at public events and quietly write cheques that fund platforms for a hostile nation. This is not business as usual. These are times of war—if not declared, then certainly waged by Pakistan in the form of asymmetric terror.

Supporting forums that promote Pakistani talking points is betrayal of Pahalgam victims

The stakes are not limited to sentiment. They are strategic. Every act of engagement with Pakistani academia, diplomacy, or business strengthens the very structures that deny and justify terrorism against India. Every platform given to Pakistani narratives chips away at India’s hard-fought efforts to present the truth globally.

Worse, it sends a demoralizing signal to the families of the dead: that the elite of India are too self-serving, too enamoured with their own global status, to care about the lives lost back home.

In a world increasingly shaped by narrative wars, silence is complicity. Financial support is endorsement. And lack of clarity is betrayal.

Indian business community must stand with the government

Lakshmi Mittal, and others of his influence, must take decisive action. First, by immediately withdrawing financial and institutional support to any event that legitimizes Pakistan’s narrative. Second, by issuing a strong, public condemnation of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Third, by aligning with India’s diplomatic efforts at international forums—not just through token words, but through tangible actions like funding think tanks, advocacy groups, and academic projects that expose Pakistan’s terror apparatus.

True patriotism demands sacrifice—sometimes of money, sometimes of reputation, but always of indifference and apathy.

The Indian business community must realize: this is not the age where you can afford to be apolitical. To stand with India today requires courage, clarity, and commitment. Anything less is an unforgivable abdication of duty.

The sponsorship of the Pakistan Conference at Harvard by an Indian-funded institute, particularly in the wake of the Pahalgam massacre, is a moral outrage. It must be condemned not just in angry tweets, but through collective action demanding accountability.

Lakshmi Mittal has a choice: to continue down the path of globalist detachment, or to stand tall with Bharat Mata, in her hour of grief and defiance.

History will not forget which side he chose.

Centre bans 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for spreading disinformation after Pahalgam terror attack, check full list

OpIndia Staff
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Centre bans 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for spreading disinformation after Pahalgam terror attack, check full list

On 28th April, the Modi government banned 16 Pakistan-based YouTube channels from being viewed in India in the aftermath of the deadly Pahalgam terror attack.

Based on the recommendations of the Union Home Ministry, the Government of India banned major YouTube channels, Pakistani news outlets and individual ‘analysts’ who were peddling disinformation and anti-India propaganda after the Pahalgam attack by Pakistan-backed Islamic terrorists.

Among the accounts banned are Geo News, Dawn, Raftar, Bol News, ARY News, Samaa TV, and Suno News. Additionally, YouTube channels of well-known journalists, including Muneeb Farooq, Umar Cheema, Asma Shirazi, and Irshad Bhatti, have been blocked. Other banned handles include Uzair Cricket, The Pakistan Reference, Razi Naama, and Samaa Sports.

These Pakistani propaganda channels collectively have around 63 million subscribers.

Government sources are reported to have said that the YouTube channels in question have been propagating content that is inflammatory and communally sensitive. Moreover, these channels were pushing false and misleading narratives and disinformation about India, its Army, and security services.

The Modi government’s strong action comes amid deterioration of the already strained relations between Bharat and Pakistan following the Islamic terrorist attack in Pahalgam, in which Jihadis belonging to Pakistani terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba’s offshoot The Resistance Force, murdered 26 people after confirming their Hindu identity.  

Pakistan flag or Islamic flag: Indian Muslims object to ‘disrespect’ of Pakistani flag during protests against Pahalgam terror attack, say it is Islamic flag

Shraddha Pandey
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Pakistan flag or Islamic flag: Indian Muslims object to ‘disrespect’ of Pakistani flag during protests against Pahalgam terror attack, say it is Islamic flag

The Pakistan-sponsored Islamic terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which claimed 28 lives, has caused widespread anger among the Indian people. Tensions between India and its hostile neighbour are rising while Indian people are united, expressing their anger against Pakistan in various forms of protest. In many areas, some people pasted Pakistani flags on roads and other places for people to trample upon them. However, there have been instances wherein some Muslims objected to the disrespect to the Pakistan flag, saying that it is the “Islamic flag”.

Maharashtra: Two incidents in Nalasopara where Muslims objected to disrespect to Pakistani flag, claiming it to be the Islamic flag

In Maharashtra’s Nalasopara, protests were held against the Pahalgam terror attack on 27th April, wherein the protestors laid Pakistani flags on the road. However, some Muslim youths objected to this, claiming that the flag was Islamic. The protest was near Orange Heights, Yashwant Complex, when some Muslim youths, including one Usman, started arguing with the protestors over the flag.

Meanwhile, the local police have registered a case and taken two youths into their custody.

In another such incident reported to be from Nalasopara, some Burqa-clad women and Muslim men objected to placing the Pakistani flag on the road. Despite it being visibly evident and being told by those protesting against the Pahalgam terror attack that the poster contains a Pakistani flag and not an Islamic flag, the Muslim men and women remained adamant about stopping the protestors from disrespecting the Pakistani flag.

Pakistan flag burning irks Muslim mobs, clashes erupt in Mumbai’s Santacruz

In Mumbai’s Santa Cruz, clashes erupted over flags of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Palestine being pasted on a road in Santacruz East on Saturday night (26th April). During the clash, two to three people sustained injuries. The incident unfolded on Nehru Road.

Meanwhile, seven people have been arrested. According to the police, a mob of 25-30 persons was involved. The local police reached the spot and brought the situation under control. An FIR has been registered in this matter, and further investigation is underway, the Vakola Police said.

Karnataka: Bajrang Dal activists pasted Pakistani flags on the road in Kalaburgi, Burqa-clad Muslim women removed them

In Karnataka’s Kalaburgi, two-Burqa clad Muslim women carefully removed Pakistani flags pasted on roads, ensuring that it is not damaged. In the video of the incident, the two Muslim women could be heard saying “take our photos”, suggesting that they do not fear police action or public backlash.

These flags were pasted on the streets of Jagat Circle, Aland Naka, Market Chowk, and Sath Gumbaz by activists belonging to the Hindu rights group Bajrang Dal in protest against a Pakistan-orchestrated Islamic terror attack in Pahalgam. The Kalaburgi police were reported to have taken six Bajrang Dal activists into preventive custody, citing a lack of prior permission.

City Police Commissioner Sharanappa S D, and other officials visited the affected areas and ordered the removal of Pakistani flags.

West Bengal police stopped Hindus from burning Pakistan’s flag

On Saturday (26th April), BJP spokesperson Amit Malviya shared a video where the West Bengal police were seen stopping Hindus from raising slogans against Pakistan and burning the hostile nation’s flag. The incident occurred in Ashoknagar in West Bengal. In the video, a police officer was heard saying, “This is a sensitive area. You cannot do these here. This is a sensitive area”.

Rajasthan: Muslim mob protest against Hindus for putting up ‘Pakistan Murdabad’, ‘Terrorism Murdabad’ posters

On 25th April, the atmosphere in Jaipur’s Walled City area turned tense after members of the Muslim community became violent over posters with slogans of “Pakistan Murdabad” and “Terrorism Murdabad” pasted outside Jama Masjid. The posters were put up by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Hawamahal, Baba Balmukund Acharya, and his supporters during a protest in response to the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

Following the incident, the Muslim community pressured police to file an FIR against MLA Balmukund and several BJP workers at Manak Chowk police station. As the FIR was registered against those who condemned a terrorist attack and Pakistan, the hostile neighbouring country, it raises questions about why it caused such outrage among the Muslim community.

Outrage by Muslims over trivial reasons is an attempt to deflect attention from real issues, and play victim?

Evidently, many Muslims are ignoring the larger facts and are outraged over trivial things, including the supposed similarity between Pakistani and Islamic flags. However, this outrage over trivial matters to play victim and get offended is a pattern.

Back in 2015, the offices of the Marathi newspaper Lokmat witnessed angry protests by outraged Muslims who claimed that the newspaper had insulted their faith by publishing a ‘blasphemous’ picture. Copies of the newspaper were burnt at various cities in Maharashtra and the protesting men demanded arrest of the editor and the artist who drew the illustration. A couple of offices are reported to have been attacked too, as the editor extended an immediate apology.

Alongside a social media boycott campaign, protests were held at various cities such as Malegaon, Dhule, Nandurbar, etc. To keep the situation in control, the police registered cases against the editor and the writer of the article at Aurangabad, Jalna, Pune, Jalgaon, Parbhani and Yavatmal.

The outrage was triggered over an article explaining how Islamic terror group ISIS gets funding to carry out Jihadist attacks. The article also carried an illustration that showed symbols of various national currencies – representing international sources of funding – falling into a piggy bank, which was painted like the ISIS flag i.e. black in color with the terror group’s seal depicted in Arabic script. Since the piggy bank is supposed to look like a pig, and pig is considered a haraam animal in Islam, the Muslim groups claimed that the illustration was blasphemous, for the ISIS seal has elements of the Islamic shahada. Ironically, Muslim had never outraged to this extent against Islamic terrorism and beheading carried out by Jihadis after raising Islamic slogans, but over a harmless illustration.

Indian Muslims failing to differentiate between a Pakistani flag and an Islamic flag is outrageously shocking. The Pakistani flag ironically has a white vertical strip which represents its religious minorities, which the country never really respected. In contrast, the Islamic flag carrying a star and crescent moon does not contain any white strip. It thus, raises question whether there is genuine confusion among several Muslims or the excuse of ‘confusion’ is being used to defend Pakistan and prevent its much-deserved humiliation despite the hostile neighbour not only sponsoring jihad against Indians, particularly, Hindus, but also issuing nuclear attack threats.

TMC leader Marjina Khatun claims BJP orchestrated Pahalgam terror attack to shield Islamic terrorists, Mamata Banerjee made similar claims about Pulwama

OpIndia Staff
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TMC leader Marjina Khatun claims BJP orchestrated Pahalgam terror attack to shield Islamic terrorists, Mamata Banerjee made similar claims about Pulwama

Days after the massacre of Hindus in the Pahalgam terror attack, Trinamool Congress leader Marjina Khatun on Saturday (26th April) attempted to shield the Islamic terrorists by shifting the blame on the BJP.

While speaking to the media in West Bengal’s Malda, she alleged, “BJP carried out this attack to divert the public from the new Waqf law.” Marjina Khatun is the district council member and block President of the Trinamool Congress.

“BJP provides safe haven to terrorists. This was why there was no army personnel there,” she brazened out.

OpIndia had previously reported how the locals did not notify the security agencies, and the administration allowed tourist movement in the Baisaran area.

“The elections in Bihar are near. This is why the BJP is trying to create a communal environment,” Khatun resorted to peddling conspiracy theories to defend the Islamic terrorists.

When Mamata Banerjee called Pulwama terror attack ‘staged incident’

In July 2023, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee courted controversy for trying to pass off the 2019 Pulwama terror attack as a ‘staged incident.’

She made the contentious remarks during the Martyr’s Day rally at Esplanade in Kolkata.

At about 14 minutes and 37 seconds into her speech, Banerjee claimed, “I will tell the students and the youth that the BJP is planning to pull off staged events such as Pulwama (terror attack).”

“They are planning to create fake, staged videos like in movies. They will stage dramas, shoot videos and defame Bengal. This is their conspiracy,” she brazened it out.

Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Pannu claims in interview with Pakistani media that Sikhs won’t let Indian Army fight with Pakistan

OpIndia Staff
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Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Pannu claims in interview with Pakistani media that Sikhs won’t let Indian Army fight with Pakistan

On 27th April, Pakistani propaganda YouTube channel Azaad Siasat published an interview with Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. During the interview, Pannun made several baseless and provocative claims, including that two crore Sikhs living in Punjab would not allow the Indian government to attack Pakistan. He also claimed that it was Indian agencies who carried out the Pahalgam terrorist attack so that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) could gain political mileage for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. The interview was conducted against the backdrop of the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack, which led to the loss of lives of 27 innocent Hindus who were in Kashmir as tourists.

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun tried to whitewash Islamic terrorists, claims Indian agencies behind Pahalgam attack

During the interview, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun made baseless claims to whitewash Islamic terrorism sponsored by the Pakistani government and Army. He claimed that Pakistan was not behind the Pahalgam terrorist attack and that it was Indian agencies who killed innocent Hindus. According to him, the attack was politically motivated to secure electoral gains for the Bharatiya Janata Party for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. Pannun claimed that such incidents are meticulously timed with visits from US leaders, suggesting that Indian agencies used proxies to carry out attacks and malign the image of Pakistan on the international platform.

Pannun claimed Sikhs, including Sikh soldiers, are with Pakistan

Pannun made a shocking and outrageous claim that not only the people of Punjab but also Sikh soldiers and officers of the Indian Armed Forces are with Pakistan at his call. Citing India’s announcement that the Indus Waters Treaty would no longer be followed, Pannun claimed that India wants to block Pakistan’s water supply. He also referred to the statements made by the Army Chief and Prime Minister of Pakistan warning India that any action to stop water would be treated as an act of war. He raised concerns about the fate of Sikhs living on the Indian side of Punjab in the event of conflict between India and Pakistan.

Pannun claimed that Sikhs would support Pakistan and asserted that the current situation is different from that of 1965 and 1971. “This is 2025,” he said, and asserted that Sikhs would stand with Pakistan like a brick wall. He emphasised that Sikhs would not allow Indian forces to attack Pakistan through Punjab. However, this would be possible, according to him, only if Pakistan openly supported the cause of Khalistan, a separate Sikh nation.

He demanded that the Pakistani government should actively raise the Khalistan issue at the United Nations Security Council and internationally legitimise the ongoing Khalistan Referendum as a peaceful and democratic process. He claimed that the entire Sikh diaspora would unite with Pakistan if it stood firmly behind the Khalistan movement. He claimed that India has demonstrated aggression against Pakistan repeatedly and gave examples of the 1971 war that led to the formation of Bangladesh. He asserted that now India wants to break Balochistan from Pakistan, as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to destabilise Pakistan from within.

He argued that open support for Khalistan is Pakistan’s “trump card”. He claimed that Pakistan’s official endorsement of the Khalistan movement would ensure that millions of Sikhs in India’s Punjab would stand with Pakistan. He claimed that many Sikhs are already ideologically aligned with this cause and are merely awaiting formal support.

Further making the statement more unbelievable, he claimed to have been working on outreach programmes to convince Sikh soldiers in the Indian Armed Forces to abandon loyalty to the Indian state. He claimed that his efforts have led to sedition charges against him by the Indian authorities.

He further attacked the Indian government and claimed that Sikhs are now aware that Pakistan is not their enemy. “Your real enemy is the Indian government,” he said, referencing the 1984 Operation Blue Star, the anti-Sikh massacres in November 1984, and the years of action against insurgency in Punjab between 1984 and 1995 by the Indian forces. According to him, thousands of Sikh youths were killed during that period, making India’s government, not Pakistan, the true enemy of the Sikhs.

Pannun on Pakistan’s gesture towards Sikhs

Pannun then thanked the Pakistani government for continuing to facilitate Sikh pilgrimages to Kartarpur Sahib while rejecting visas for Indians. He called it a noble gesture but emphasised that mere visa policies are not enough to counter India’s aggression. He insisted that Pakistan must take active, decisive steps, including openly supporting Khalistan at the United Nations Security Council. Pannun argued that millions of Sikhs worldwide were ready to stand with Pakistan and that India would not dare to cross Punjab to attack Pakistan if Khalistan received official support.

Reflecting on the so-called Khalistan Referendum, he stated that despite the lack of government backing, the movement had steadily progressed through the collective efforts of the Sikh community. He pointed out that the voting would soon be extended to Punjab in India and stressed that people of all religions, including Hindus and Muslims, would be able to vote there. He further highlighted that the 17th August Referendum voting in Washington DC would be important as it is a global political hub. He claimed that he and his associates are carrying out lobbying efforts at the White House and US Congress under the campaign titled “Punjab Vote for Independence”.

Pannun’s defiance against Indian actions and global developments

Pannun claimed that India has escalated its crackdown on Khalistani terrorists and sympathisers, citing the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar as an example. He further claimed that Indian agencies carried out an attack on UK-based Khalistani terrorist and SFJ associate Paramjit Singh Pamma, highlighting the growing risk to his life. He claimed that there is a bounty of $500,000 for his beheading announced by a BJP MP and asserted that he is not scared of death. He further challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to an open fight between Sikhs and RSS, head-on.

Pannun’s message to Kashmiris and call for Khalistan support from Pakistan

Pannun claimed that pro-Khalistani Sikhs have supported Kashmir’s freedom movement and expressed disappointment over the inaction of Kashmiris living abroad. He praised the Islamic terrorists carrying out terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir, referring to them as “freedom fighters”. However, he criticised Kashmiris living in the US, UK, and Canada for not carrying out protests outside Indian embassies.

Pahalgam terrorist attack

On 22nd February, terrorists affiliated with The Resistance Force (TRF), which is an offshoot of Pakistan-based Islamic terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, orchestrated the deadly Pahalgam attack that claimed the lives of 27 Hindus. The victims were asked if they were Muslim and told to recite the Kalma. Their trousers were pulled down to check if they were circumcised. Those who failed the circumcision test were shot dead.

Who is Gurpatwant Singh Pannun?

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is a US-based Khalistani terrorist who has citizenship in both the US and Canada. He poses as an attorney in the US and claims to be a frontrunner in the fight for the rights of Sikhs. In reality, he consistently propagates the Khalistani sentiments and often issues threats against India. He has been actively promoting violence against Indian diplomats in Canada, the US and other countries where pro-Khalistani Sikhs have been living. He was designated as a terrorist by the Government of India under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for his anti-India activities. His organisation, Sikhs For Justice, was also listed as a terrorist outfit by the Government of India.

Indians in London stage counter protest in response to Pakistani protest following Pahalgam terror attack

ANI
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Indians in London stage counter protest in response to Pakistani protest following Pahalgam terror attack

Members of the Indian diaspora countered the Pakistani protest outside the Indian High Commission in London on Sunday.

Several protesters condemned the April 22 attack and highlighted that it was not the first time such terror activity has taken place in the region.

“I am an Indian citizen and a Hindu of Jammu and Kashmir. Today, I have come here because there was a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which was carried out by Pakistan. I have come here to protest against Pakistani terrorists who were involved. This is not the first accident in Jammu and Kashmir,” a member of the Indian diaspora said.

“Many such accidents have happened by the terrorist which Pakistan has committed. Many such times in Kankot, Gaddi Kot, in Dangri of Rajouri, where Hindus were identified and attacked. Selective targeting has been done. As we saw in Pahalgam, they were asked to tell which religion they belonged to. They were asked to read something. So we are standing here against what is happening,” she added.

Referring to the mass exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits from Kashmir valley in 1990 when Pakistan-backed radicals threatened the minority community, forcing them to flee, the woman said that the Indians in London were raising their voices against the terror attacks.

“Already Kashmiri Hindus have migrated from the Kashmir Wadi and many terrorist attacks have taken place from the Jammu division where I come from. Here in London, the Indian diaspora has stood up to raise its voice against this,” she added.

Another member of the Indian diaspora said, “We are really saddened by what has happened and that’s why we have come over here to support our Indian community that lives abroad but our hearts are always with our motherland. And it’s happening again and again and that’s what saddens us. We are doing a peaceful demonstration over here. I know there are people from the other side standing there shouting slogan, instigating us, but that’s not us. We are here to tell them to stop terrorising us. We do not support this. Please go away and if you have to do something, do in your home,” he said.

An Indian said that the terrorists will face their karma one day.

“We are protesting peacefully. The opposite site is furious with us, but we will always be on the side of peace. We are following the footsteps of peace and believe that the karma of everyone will come back to them,” he said.

A member of the Indian diaspora told ANI that they gathered there to counter Pakistan’s protest.

“Pakistanis protested outside the Indian High Commission and we gathered here for a solidarity protest to counter their protest. We are all protesting peacefully.”

Another member of the Indian diaspora said, “People of Indian origin organised a peaceful protest in the UK, after some anti-social elements announced a protest outside the Indian High Commission. We are here to show our support and solidarity to the families of the 27 people who died in the terror attack. We hope the Indian government gives a reply to Pakistan in a language they understand.”

Members of the Indian community held a protest outside the Pakistan High Commission in London on Friday and condemned the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.

The demonstration was peaceful yet powerful, drawing participants from various age groups and backgrounds who came together in solidarity with the victims and their families.

Terrorists attacked tourists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam on April 22, killing 25 Indian nationals and one Nepalese citizen while leaving several others injured. 

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Pahalgam Terror Attack: Pakistan media using Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah’s statement that ‘There is no need for war’ to say that the voice of rebellion is rising within India

OpIndia Staff
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Pahalgam Terror Attack: Pakistan media using Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah’s statement that ‘There is no need for war’ to say that the voice of rebellion is rising within India

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s statement on India-Pakistan tension after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, is in the headlines. 26 people were killed in the attack, including two people from Karnataka. When journalists asked Siddaramaiah how tough a stand India should take against Pakistan, he said, “There is no need for war with Pakistan. We are not in favour of war. We should take strict steps and strengthen our security.”

The video of Siddaramaiah’s statement is going viral on Pakistani social media. Pakistani media is showing that and claiming that voices are being raised within India against the government of India.

BJP has launched a scathing attack on Siddaramaiah over this statement. Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Assembly, R. Ashok, said, “Siddaramaiah is speaking like a puppet of Pakistan. At such a sensitive time, when there is a threat of war on the border, his statement is shameful.” Ashok sarcastically called Siddaramaiah ‘Pakistan Ratna’ and wrote on X, “Congratulations! If you go to Pakistan, you will get a royal welcome. Maybe Pakistan will give you the Nishan-e-Pakistan award.”

BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya wrote on ‘X’, “Congress is trying to save Pakistan. Siddaramaiah is saying this to get Muslim votes, while Pakistani terrorists are killing Hindus.” Malviya also shared a clip of a Pakistani news channel which was showing Siddaramaiah’s statement.

Seeing himself surrounded from all sides in this matter, Siddaramaiah issued a clarification. He wrote on X, “I said that war is the last resort, not the first. The Center also accepted that the Pahalgam attack happened due to our intelligence and security lapse. This should be corrected first.” He said that the Center has taken steps like cancelling the Indus Water Treaty, which he welcomes. Siddaramaiah also said, “Pakistan is economically broken. It has no fear of losing anything. India should take steps thoughtfully. The world is with India. We should take advantage of this and teach Pakistan a lesson.”

Siddaramaiah appealed to the countrymen to unite and said that some people are spoiling the atmosphere by spreading war hysteria in the country. The Centre should also take action against such people.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor talks sense once again, says questioning the govt on security failure should be done after India gives a befitting response to Pahalgam massacre

OpIndia Staff
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Congress MP Shashi Tharoor talks sense once again, says questioning the govt on security failure should be done after India gives a befitting response to Pahalgam massacre

On 27th April, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor once again talked sense while speaking to ANI on the Pahalgam terrorist attack. In his statement, while citing the example of Israel, Tharoor said that no country can ever have foolproof 100% intelligence. He further asserted that people of the country, including him, never know about the various terror attacks that were successfully thwarted.

“We only get to know about the ones that we failed to thwart,” he added. He said that questioning the government on security failure should be done once India gives a befitting response to Pahalgam massacre.

Shashi Tharoor pointed out that it was an intelligence failure but “we have got the example of Israel, the world’s best intelligence services according to everybody, which were taken by surprise on October 7, just two years ago. It seems to me, just as Israel is waiting till the end of the war before they demand accountability.”

“We will never know about the various terror attacks that were successfully thwarted. We only learn about the ones that we failed to thwart. This is normal in any nation. There were failures, I agree, but that should not be our main focus right now,” the Congress leader said.

Tharoor had dismantled narrative of the opposition over Indians being deported while being in opposition

This is not the first time the Congress leader has chosen to divert from his party’s narrative on a topic and speak his mind openly. In early February this year, when illegal Indians living in the United States were being deported, opposition parties, including Congress, tried to paint a picture that the PM Modi-led Indian government failed at foreign policy. However, speaking to ANI, Tharoor said it was not the first deportation and would not be the last.

Tharoor said, “This is not the first deportation and won’t be the last, even before Trump came, during the Biden regime, there were already 1,100 Indians sent back from America. The Americans estimate that 7,25,000 undocumented Indians are eligible for deportations. They have arrested around 2 lakh Indians from the Mexico and Canada borders in the last four years. If they are citizens of India, we have an obligation to take them back, there is no debate about it.”

At a time when India is standing tall against the terrorists and the hostile neighbour Pakistan, several political leaders have chosen the path of blaming the government. Tharoor’s words, however, show a balanced approach. While he agreed that there was an intelligence failure, he also stressed that unity is needed as India prepares to give a strong response. In a time of crisis such as the Pahalgam terrorist attack, it is essential for political leaders to stand with the country while seeking answers, instead of going for a completely anti-government narrative to score political points.

Pahalgam Terrorist Attack

On 22nd February, terrorists affiliated with The Resistance Force (TRF), which is an offshoot of Pakistan-based Islamic terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, orchestrated the deadly Pahalgam attack that claimed the lives of 27 Hindus. The victims were asked if they were Muslim and told to recite the Kalma. Their trousers were pulled down to check if they were circumcised. Those who failed the circumcision test were shot dead.

Muslim man killed for not chanting Gayatri mantra and not commenting on Pahalgam massacre of Hindus? How ‘The Quint’ amplified fake news spread by LinkedIn user

Dibakar Dutta
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Muslim man killed for not chanting Gayatri mantra and not commenting on Pahalgam massacre of Hindus? How ‘The Quint’ amplified fake news spread by LinkedIn user

Days after the Pahalgam terror attack, where Hindus were massacred by Islamic terrorists, social media has been rife with fake lists of victims, old reports of ‘persecution’ of Kashmiris and make-believe stories of ‘Muslim victimhood’.

One such fake news was posted on LinkedIn by a user named Ishan Saxena on Friday (25th April). He claimed that his close friend, who is a Muslim by Faith, was fighting for his life in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a hospital in Bengaluru.

Saxena alleged that his ‘Muslim friend’ (whose identity wasn’t supposedly revealed at the family’s request) worked at a reputed vehicle manufacturing company and was brutally assaulted by his colleagues.

Screengrab of the LinkedIn post of Ishan Saxena

Saxena suggested that the attackers were Hindus, who forced his ‘Muslim friend’ to speak out against the Pahalgam terror attack and forced him to chant ‘Gayatri Mantra (sacred Hindu hymns).’

“He (the Muslim friend) chose not to engage in a conversation about the recent Pahalgam issue during lunch with some local colleagues. He quietly refused to comment and excused himself from the discussion. Later, after his shift ended, the same individuals confronted him, demanded he recite the Gayatri Mantra, and when he didn’t, they attacked him mercilessly,” Saxena wrote in his post.

He further alleged that no First Information Report (FIR) was lodged in connection with the case. “I received a devastating call from his wife last night. She’s shattered. What’s worse? No FIR has been registered. And the organization he has served loyally has yet to issue a statement,” he continued.

Screengrab of the LinkedIn post

His LinkedIn post quickly garnered 400+ likes. When another LinkedIn user expressed concern about the well being of his friend, Ishan Saxena claimed that his ‘Muslim friend’ had passed away. “He is no more. We lost him 30 minutes back,” he declared.

The alleged story of a Muslim corporate employee being forced to chant the Gayatri Mantra and killed for not speaking out about the Palgham terror attack in a cosmopolitan city like Bengaluru was shocking. It also had the potential to create social unrest and communal disharmony at a time of national crisis.

However, there was no news report about any such incident of assault (let alone murder) in the English media. Such an explosive story did not feature in any local Kannada news channel or print media. This raised even more suspicion about the story.

Screengrab of the tweet by OpIndia journalist

OpIndia’s Assistant Editor Dibakar Dutta reached out to the Bengaluru police, tagged the handles of Deputy Commissioners in various zones, but received no response.

A few hours later, Ishan Saxena deleted his LinkedIn post. Thereafter, he deactivated his LinkedIn account altogether.

The bogus story of a ‘close Muslim friend’ and his eventual killing in Bengaluru by Hindu colleagues over the Palgham terror attack was becoming clearer by the day.

Given that Ishan Saxena claimed to work in the HR department of Cashkaro, our journalist, as well as other netizens reached out to the company.

On Saturday (26th April), it put out a statement saying that Ishan Saxena is an ex-employee at Cashkaro.

“We are aware of certain posts circulating online regarding statements made by Mr. Ishan Saxena (ex-CashKaro employee). We would like to clarify that Ishan Saxena was relieved of his duties at CashKaro on 27th February 2025, and the views expressed in their personal posts do not reflect the values, beliefs, or position of our company in any way. CashKaro remains committed to promoting a respectful, inclusive, and responsible environment—both within our organization and in the communities we serve,” it said in a statement.

The Quint amplifies fake claims of Ishan Saxena

Screengrab of the story published by the Quint

On Friday (25th April), The Quint published (archive) his story as part of a series of stories to peddle the ‘Muslim victimhood’ angle. Without verifying any facts of the case, it re-published the post of Ishan Saxena.

‘An auto company employee allegedly beaten up brutally’, read the subheading of the Quint article (which has now been removed).

The Quint ‘journalist’ Aliza Noor did not follow up with the police or try to find any other corroborating sources.

Screengrab of the Instagram post by ‘The Ummah Insights’

The fake claims of Ishan Saxena were re-posted verbatim with heart-wrenching graphics by an Islamic page dubbed ‘The Ummah Insights’ on Instagram. At the time of writing, it had garnered 1428 likes.

The version of Ishan Saxena

On Saturday (26th April), Ishan Saxena reached out to OpIndia and informed that the post did not belong to him. He claimed to have copied the post from another user on LinkedIn, but did not remember his name.

On being asked about his claim that the ‘Muslim friend’ passed away, Saxena said that he saw another commentator make the claim and that he just repeated it. He agreed that the incident could have been fake.

He told us that he had been interrogated by the Bengaluru police. According to Saxena, the police told him that no such incident took place.

They also directed him to delete his post and refrain from posting any communally sensitive content without verification in the future.

The official statement of Ishan Saxena has been reproduced below –

“I am Ishan and I recently made a LinkedIn post regarding a muslim man being attacked by his colleagues. This post was actually a copy of another LinkedIn post mentioning the incident and I had shared it in the haste of feeling bad about what all is happening in our country. I should have fact checked the post which I didn’t and I am hence issuing this apology statement for making the post regarding an incident which I thought to be true but did not fact check.“

OpIndia could not find any post on Google Cache, other than that of Ishan Saxena, that alleges the death of a Muslim corporate worker in Bengaluru for not reciting the Gayatri Mantra and not commenting on the Pahalgam terror attack.

Other social media posts only cite his LinkedIn profile and claims made by him.

Conclusion

Time and again, fake stories surface on social media aimed at demonising the Hindu community or painting it in a poor light.

In the latest instance, a story where no names (or details of the crime) were mentioned was picked up by a prominent media outlet (The Quint) only because it fitted the narrative of ‘Muslim victimhood’.

This was done by ‘The Quint’ to deviate public discourse from the Pahalgam terror attack where 24 Hindus were killed by Islamic terrorists for the virtue of their Faith.

Hindus were forced to say their names, show ID cards, recite Kalma and even pull down their pants to show proof of ‘circumcision.’ Attempts are made to brush this ‘religious profiling’ of the victims under the carpet.

The Quint did not cite any apology for amplifying the fake news shared by Ishan Saxena and quietly deleted their story.

In the past, fake stories like semen filled ballons being hurled during Holi were peddled in the media with the intention to malign the Hindu festival. Later, when investigations revealed that no such incident occurred, the usual suspects quietly deleted their stories without any apology.

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