Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation on Friday, congratulated the country for administering 100 crore doses of the Covid-19 vaccine and taking another step forward in defeating the pandemic.
“India successfully crossed the bridge of ‘anxiety to assurance’ by administering 1 billion vaccine doses on 21st October to 130 crore Indians who have been behind this success,” said PM Modi at the beginning of his address.
India successfully crossed the bridge of ‘anxiety to assurance’ by administering 1 billion vaccine doses on 21st October to 130 crore Indians who have been behind this success: PM @narendramodi
Talking about the speed at which the 100 crore doses were administered, PM Modi said that the country managed to sidestep the VIP culture and ensured the vaccine reaches everyone in the urban and rural areas of the country.
‘We adopted a completely scientific approach’
The Prime Minister further shared that India had adopted a completely scientific approach to combat the pandemic.
“Science and scientific approach has been the building blocks to develop our vaccine and overcome all the shortcomings in the past 1.5 years to deal with this pandemic. It is a matter of pride for all of us that the entire vaccination program of India has been ‘science born’, ‘science driven’ and ‘science based’,” said Modi.
It is a matter of pride for all of us that the entire vaccination program of India has been Science Born, Science Driven and Science Based: PM @narendramodi
He also said that immense planning went into calculating which state needs how many vaccine doses and how to take vaccine doses to the hinterlands of India.
‘Go Vocal for Local’
Highlighting the government of India’s initiatives such as PM Gati Shakti to boost India’s economic growth, PM Modi said, “Today, not only record investments are coming in, but new employment opportunities are also being created for the youth.”
Today, not only record investments are coming in; but new employment opportunities are also being created for the youth: PM @narendramodi
As we are in the middle of the festive season, PM Modi said, “There was a time when there was a fad of ‘Made in this country’, ‘Made in that country,’ but today we need to encourage ‘Made in India.”
“We not only have to support ‘Vocal for Local’ but instead imbibe it in our attitude when we step out this festive season to buy goods for our near and dear ones. Today, every single citizen of India realizes that the power of Made-In-India is immense,” he said further.
“Let us ensure that we buy every little thing, which is Made in India, which an Indian sweats hard to make,” PM Modi added.
मैं आपसे फिर ये कहूंगा कि हमें हर छोटी से छोटी चीज, जो Made in India हो, जिसे बनाने में किसी भारतवासी का पसीना बहा हो, उसे खरीदने पर जोर देना चाहिए।
Concluding his speech, the Prime Minister urged the citizens to remain vigilant and not drop guards as the battle against the pandemic is still not over.
“India’s vaccine campaign is a living example of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas aur Sabka Prayas’. Only because of this mantra we are also set on a path of unprecedented economic progress and many milestones to achieve,” said Narendra Modi.
Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan’s arrest in connection to a drug case has rattled not just the Bollywood industry but even the political cartel (and some alleged journalists too). Collectively, the establishment has come to defend Aryan Khan and even cast aspersions on the NCB.
Bloomberg Quint’s Priya Ramani is rewatching ‘My Name is Khan’ in 2021 because, “As India’s most popular Muslim (with 3.5 billion global followers according to one estimate) battles to save his son Aryan in what increasingly seems like a vendetta, it’s clear why Khan’s ability to make Indians believe in the power of love might be perceived as a threat in present-day India,” says Ramani.
Several ‘notable journalists’ have claimed that this is targeted harassment of a ‘Muslim superstar’. But is that the case? Let’s look at why Khan has been refused bail by the special court.
Aryan Khan denied bail
Kartikeya Tanna, a lawyer, in his recent Twitter post said, “More I dwell into this case, more I realize that NCB may not be keen to pursue a case against Aryan Khan. Then why does it still want his custody? Because he can lead NCB to the real prize – the supplier network. Oddly, Aryan Khan doesn’t wish to disclose those names. Why?”
More I dwell into this case, more I realize that NCB may not be keen to pursue a case against Aryan Khan.
Then why does it still want his custody?
Because he can lead NCB to the real prize – the supplier network.
Oddly, Aryan Khan doesn’t wish to disclose those names.
He also shared a nugget from the court order which read, “As argued by learned ASG though no criminal antecedents are there, from Whatsapp chats of applicant no. 1it is reflected that he was indulging in illicit drug activities.”
“Respondent claimed that accused no. 1 is in touch with foreign national and other drug dealers who appears to be part of an international drug network and investigation in this regard is going on and the respondent is tracing out the criminal antecedents of said persons,” read the order further.
Court order. Image Source: Twitter
“During interrogation applicant/accused no. 1 did not disclose names of said persons. Accused no. 1 is the only person who could disclose the details of said persons which are in the exclusive knowledge of accused no 1. In such circumstances if applicant/accused no. 1 is released on bail there are every chance of tampering with evidence as argued by Ld. ASG,” it concluded.
Judge Patil in the order denying bail to Khan also wrote, “It appears that there is a case of conspiracy and abetment as alleged by the prosecution.”
Is NCB after Bollywood?
Right after Sushant Singh Rajput’s mysterious death, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has summoned multiple Bollywood celebrities in connection with possession or consumption of drugs since last year.
It all started with the arrest of Rajput’s rumoured girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty. Since then, the left ecosystem calling it the centre’s hit-job against Bollywood has flooded several media and social media platforms painting the ones caught in connection to drug cases as innocents.
However, in January this year, the NCB had busted a drug factory in South Mumbai, allegedly owned by gangster Dawood Ibrahim’s aide Chinku Pathan.
The agency had recovered drugs worth crores, cash, and firearms reserves from the factory located in Dongri, which was once the strongholds of Dawood, and his associates.
Gangster and henchman of Dawood Ibrahim, Chinku Pathan arrested
The NCB, in the raid, had also nabbed Parvez Khan alias Chinku Pathan, a henchman of fugitive Underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.
Khan who is also a relative of late Karim Lala- a mafia don active in Mumbai in the early 80s, was picked up by a team of NCB sleuths led by Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede from his hideout.
Reportedly, Khan also has links with some drug peddlers, who were arrested by the NCB for Mephedrone (MD) trade earlier.
Gangster arrested after 1200 km chase
In April this year, the NCB had arrested another gangster and drug kingpin who was allegedly involved in running a drug laboratory behind a vegetable van for Dawood’s aide Chinku Pathan in Mumbai.
A team led by zonal director Sameer Wankhede arrested Danish Chikna from Rajasthan with the help of the local police of Rajasthan after a chase of 1200km.
Danish Merchant aka Danish Chikna, is the son of Dawood Ibrahim’s former aide Yusuf Chikna and was wanted in two cases by NCB.
Apart from dealing and supplying Mephedrone, Chikna was also involved in supplying Codeine to street children and addicts across Mumbai through his operators.
Drug supplier suspected to have links with Sushant Rajput case arrested
The NCB in June this year had arrested Haris Khan (25), known to be working for Dawood Ibrahim’s aide Chinku Pathan.
He was a supplier who ran his network in areas close to Bandra Reclamation and was suspected to have links with Sushant Singh Rajput’s murder case.
Khan supposedly a fan of Dawood, had his social media page full of images with him posing like the dreaded gangster. Cops also found pictures of illegal weapons and drugs on his phone.
Haris Kahn’s social media profile. Image Source: India Today
Haris too was arrested by a team of NCB led by Sameer Wankhede who raided the Bandra Reclamation-based tower where Haris resided with his family.
“Haris has a network of drug peddlers working for him and he is closely associated to Chinku Pathan, a drug lord, who had been neutralised by NCB some time ago. A lot of young people are suspected to be in the clientele of Khan,” said Wankhede after the arrest of Haris.
Dawood Ibrahim’s brother Iqbal Kaskar arrested
In the latter half of June, the NCB had arrested Dawood Ibrahim’s brother Iqbal Kaskar in a drug case after conducting raids at various locations in suburban Andheri, Lokhandwala and Bandra.
Sonu Pathan arrested
Mohammed Khan alias Sonu Pathan, alleged to be an important member of the network of Dawood Ibrahim aide Chinku Pathan was arrested by the NCB in July.
Another member of a gang run by Dawood Ibrahim’s aide Chinku Pathan arrested
The NCB in September had arrested Mohammad Arif Hingora, a drug peddler and a member of a gang run by Dawood Ibrahim’s aide Chinku Pathan in South Mumbai.
As per the report, Mohammad Arif had made connections with African gangs in Mumbai after his regular drugs supply chain was hit after the arrest of Pathan.
NCP goes after Sameer Wankhede
As the NCB is tightening its noose around the drug cartel in Mumbai, several high-profile individuals have objected to the central agency’s operations.
While threatening and taking personal digs at NCB’s Sameer Wankhede, NCP leader and Maharashtra Minority Affairs and Skill Development Minister Nawab Malik alleged that the raid was conducted on the luxury cruise liner on October 2 was ‘fake’ and that the department found no drugs during the raid.
Malik claimed that BJP has misused the central agency to frame Aryan Khan. He had also asserted that a BJP person was accompanying the NCB team during the raid. Nawab Malik had levelled these allegations on Wednesday, October 6.
It may be recalled that the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) had on July 10, submitted a 1,000-page charge sheet against Nawab Malik’s son-in-law Sameer Khan for procuring, purchasing, transporting, and distributing drugs.
Sameer Khan was arrested for possession of drugs on January 13th this year.
Police arrests Dawood’s aides in extortion case
While the NCB is relentlessly cracking the drug nexus, the police on the other hand are making arrests in cases related to extortion and money laundering.
The Thane police investigating the extortion case against former Thane and Mumbai commissioner Param Bir Singh, arrested one Tariq Parveen in September, who is reportedly a close aide of underworld fugitive gangster Dawood.
On October 17, Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch also informed that it is on a hunt for Dawood’s another aide Riyaz Bhati who has been named in the FIR against former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh in an extortion case.
As per a 2020 report, an aide of Dawood had allegedly dialled up now in hiding Maharashtra’s former Home Minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh after making calls to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
Meanwhile, Aryan Khan will continue to remain in custody till October 30 for further interrogation.
With the history of NCB cracking down on the drug nexus, it becomes evident that the agency is not after Bollywood per se. In fact, it would seem that they are not even after Aryan Khan, however, they want to ensure that the international cartel peddling drugs in India are nabbed. Aryan Khan too, was denied bail because he refused to reveal the names of the foreign drug peddlers that he may be in touch with or have knowledge of. Any insinuation about the NCB “framing” Aryan Khan seems motivated, to say the least.
Last week, a group of Nihangs had brutally lynched a poor labourer named Lakhbir Singh to death. Lakhbir was brutally hacked with sharp weapons, beaten up, and one of his hands was chopped off. The Nihangs had posed with their weapons and had tortured Lakhbir while he begged for help.
Lakhbir was then tied up to a metal barricade and his chopped hand was tied beside him. His body was found early morning on October 15.
As per a report in Indian Express, the police investigation has revealed that Lakhbir, a poor labourer and allegedly an addict, was probably taken to the Singhu border protest site by a Nihang leader named Sarbjit Singh.
Sarbjit Singh was the first Nihang to be arrested by the police in the case. He was seen in the video footage of Lakhbir’s murder.
The Indian Express report stated that Sarbjit frequently visited Lakhbir’s village Cheema Kalan in Punjab Tarn Taran district. IE has quoted a top police official in Punjab as saying that Lakhbir was regularly in touch with Sarbjit Singh and it is possible that he was taken to the Singhu border protest site by Sarbjit Singh himself.
Sarbjit Singh was the first Nihang leader to be arrested by police after Lakhbir’s murder. He hails from Gurdaspur and had been ‘baptised’ as a Nihang in Hazoor Saheb at Nanded in 2017. Sarbjit had become a Nihang soon after his divorce in 2017, as per the report.
Punjab govt forms SIT
Though the murder case is under the Haryana Police, the Punjab government has formed an SIT to probe the claims of Lakhbir Singh being taken to the Singhu border. Many ‘farmer leaders’ had hinted at a conspiracy behind the alleged ‘blasphemy’ incident, claiming that Lakhbir may have been deliberately brought to the Singhu border.
Lakhbir Singh’s family had lodged a complaint, saying that he was ‘incapable’ of going to the Singhu border protest site from Punjab on his own, and he was taken there by some unknown people. The SIT will work under ADGP Varinder Kumar.
Soon after Lakhbir Singh’s murder, claims had surfaced that he was brought to the protest site with a promise of Rs 30,000. The Nihangs who had killed Lakhbir were seen in viral videos torturing a heavily bleeding and barely conscious Lakhbir, asking him whether he was paid.
It is notable here that a group of Nihangs had brutally lynched Lakhbir Singh over the allegations of ‘blasphemy’, for allegedly ‘disrespecting’ the Sikh holy book. Lakhbir was a poor Dalit man who worked as a labourer.
In another development, there are many allegations and counter-allegations floating among Nihang leaders about who is a ‘real’ Nihang and who is ‘fake’. Some reports have claimed that one Nihang leader named Baba Aman Singh had once met Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar.
Baba Aman Singh has now claimed that he was offered money to end the farmer protests. In a photograph, the Nihang leader is seen along with over a dozen people, meeting the minister. Aman Singh has also stated that the Nihangs are ‘fighting a religious war’ and demand justice for ‘blasphemy’ incidents. They are not sitting on Dharna for farmers, he added.
Aman Singh has also stated that on October 27, the Sangat will convene a meeting and then will decide whether to continue protests at the Singhu border or not.
Meanwhile, rather than the open barbarism and violence displayed by the Nihangs, the Punjab government seems more concerned with the internal politics of Nihang groups. Home Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhwa has reportedly spoken with Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh and has asked him to discuss with various Nihang leaders about real and fake Nihangs, including the claims over Baba Aman Singh.
4 Nihangs arrested so far
In the last week since Lakhbir Singh’s brutal murder, 4 Nihag Sikhs, namely Sarbjit Singh, Narain Singh, Bhagwant Singh and Govind Singh have been arrested over the incident. The murder accused, who were seen hailing and boasting over the helpless victim’s ravaged body, were cheered and adorned with garlands by the Sikh Nihangs while the police took them into custody.
Recently, the Nihangs had also declared that if the police arrests any more people, they will forcefully free the arrested persons. The Nihangs had also declared that they will continue killing over allegations of disrespect to their holy book.
It is notable here that victim Lakhbir Singh’s family had stated that he was a deeply religious person and it is totally unlikely that he would ever ‘disrespect’ the Guru Granth Sahib. They had stated that he was in touch with some unknown person and might have been taken to the protest site with the promise of money for doing labourer work.
In a situation that could have potentially escalated, the UP administration took action against 7 policemen for negligence after a man carried a revolver to a Basti district event where Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was set to make an appearance.
Reportedly, the accused came in with his revolver 40 minutes prior to the scheduled appearance of CM Yogi Adityanath. Reportedly, as soon as he entered the auditorium, he was escorted out by the policemen.
However, four Policemen posted in Basti district have been suspended and reports on 3 policemen have been sent to the department.
SP of Basti, Amit Srivastava said, “There was a VIP event of CM in Basti district. 45 minutes before his arrival, a man came to the auditorium with his licensed revolver. Circle Officer present on duty there saw him, he was taken out of the auditorium. His identity was ascertained. It all happened 40 minutes before VIP’s landing in the district. In initial probe 7 Policemen, including 4 posted in Basti district, were found to be negligent. 2 of them were posted in Siddharthnagar & 1 in Sant Kabir Nagar”.
It all happened 40 minutes before VIP's landing in the district. In initial probe 7 Policemen, including 4 posted in Basti district, were found to be negligent. 2 of them were posted in Siddharthnagar & 1 in Sant Kabir Nagar: SP Basti, Ashish Srivastava (2/3)
He further said, “The four Policemen posted in Basti district have been suspended, reports have been sent to the SPs concerned regarding the remaining 3 Policemen. Departmental action will be taken”.
The four Policemen posted in Basti district have been suspended, reports have been sent to the SPs concerned regarding the remaining 3 Policemen. Departmental action will be taken: SP Basti, Ashish Srivastava (3/3) pic.twitter.com/ueGKLwMgAf
Gearing up for elections, Adityanath is currently participating in government programmes on 4-5 days in a week since October 1. He is also set to tour all districts to get the local pulse ahead of the elections. Moreover, Adityanath will also visit local BJP MLAs’ homes and visit people’s homes to know the impact of his government’s schemes. The 403-seat UP assembly where Yogi rules with an iron-clad majority of 314 seats, is up for grabs in February 2022.
In a twist in the tale, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), the main farmer body that is organising protests against the three farm laws by the Central government suspended Yogendra Yadav for one month. Incidentally, it was a Samyukta Kisan Morcha protest site where Lakhbir Singh was brutally murdered recently by Nihang Sikhs, with his hand and foot chopped off.
“He (Yadav) cannot participate in the meetings and other activities of Samyukt Kisan Morcha”, said a farmer leader talking to media after the decision to suspend Yogendra Yadav was taken in the general body meeting of SKM. It is pertinent to note that Yogendra Yadav was a member of the core committee of SKM and had actively participated in the farmer protest and had, on several occasions, fanned violence.
According to media reports, there was a meeting held on the 21st of October 2021 by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha. In the meeting, Yogendra Yadav was first asked to apologise for meeting the families of those BJP workers who were lynched and murdered during the Lakhimpur Kheri violence by “farmer” protestors.
When Yogendra Yadav refused to apologise, the SKM decided to suspend him for one month as punishment for meeting the families of those who were murdered by “farmer” protestors.
According to India Today, while Yogendra Yadav refused to apologise for meeting the families, he did apologise for not consulting his “colleagues” and the SKM before meeting the families. However, since he did not admit that he did anything wrong by meeting the families of the BJP workers, he was suspended by SKM.
It was on October 12th that Yogendra Yadav had tweeted about meeting the families of BJP workers who were lynched and murdered by farmers.
शहीद किसान श्रद्धांजलि सभा से वापिसी में बीजेपी कार्यकर्ता शुभम मिश्रा के घर गए। परिवार ने हम पर गुस्सा नही किया। बस दुखी मन से सवाल पूछे: क्या हम किसान नहीं? हमारे बेटे का क्या कसूर था? आपके साथी ने एक्शन रिएक्शन वाली बात क्यों कही? उनके सवाल कान में गूंज रहे हैं! pic.twitter.com/q0sYAT8gV6
It is also reported that Yogendra Yadav’s suspended was pushed by several Punjab based farmer organisations.
Lakhimpur Violence Case
On October 3, a ‘farmer’ mob attacked a BJP convoy with stones and sticks in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh. Amid the ensuing commotion, a vehicle was seen running over the protestors. Following that the angry mob of protestors had burned two vehicles, dragged the people inside the vehicle and had beaten them to death.
A total of eight people lost their lives in the violence. The incident turned into a major political drama over the past couple of weeks. So far, ten arrests have been made in the case. Uttar Pradesh government has given Rs. 45 lakh to the kin of the deceased and promised government job to one member of the family. A one-member committee has also been formed to probe the case.
On October 18, the Uttar Pradesh Police arrested four more people in connection to the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. The arrested people have been identified as Sumit Jaiswal, Shishi Pal, Satya Prakash Tripathi alias Satyam and Nandan Singh Bisht. The total number of people arrested in the case have reached 10.
On October 21, netizens across borders raised voice against the atrocities Bangladeshi Hindus have faced in the last few days. The hashtag #SaveBangladeshiHindus was trending on Twitter and Koo for several hours. The hashtag was specifically aimed to highlight the attacks on Hindus that started after a Quran was found in a Durga Puja Pandal. Muslim mobs attacked Hindu temples, puja pandals, houses and businesses for over five days across Bangladesh, alleging sacrilege of their holy book.
Twitter User Anonymous Sanantani said, “Bangladesh: Islamic extremists vandalise multiple Durga Puja pandals, three Hindus reported dead #SaveBangladeshiHindus”.
ABVP’s Anurag Gautam said, “Being a Hindu in Majority Islamic state like Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan is in itself a crime, this is their secularism and in India, they have all rights still abuse Hindus. Hypocrites killing Innocent Hindus in Bangladesh.”
— अनुराग गौतम Anurag Gautam?? (@anuraggautam07) October 21, 2021
Nikunj Batra said, “25yr old Shri Krishna devotee Partha Das brutally murdered by peaceful mob in Bangladesh Any Human right activist raising their voice against this brutal incident? Does Hindu life really matter?”
25yr old Shri Krishna devotee Partha Das brutally murdered by peaceful mob in Bangladesh
Any Human right activist raising their voice against this brutal incident?
Poet Kavi Kamal Agney said, “Vandalism and riots during Durga Pooja in Bangaladesh is a fresh example of violence against Hindu Community. Such attacks have continued for decades be it in India, Pakistan or else.” He urged PM Modi to intervene and save Hindus.
#SaveBangladeshiHindus Vandalism and riots during Durga Pooja in Bangaladesh is a fresh example of violence against Hindu Community. Such attacks have continued for decades be it in India, Pakistan or else. Can @PMOIndia help to resolve this issue once and for all? pic.twitter.com/aAgFxsJkm3
ABVP’s Ankitaa Biswas said, “To restore the tyrannical Caliphate of Ottoman Empire, Muslims in ?? launched Khilafat Movement. Hindus across the globe must unify to #SaveBangladeshiHindus & their basic ‘Right To Life’ with dignity at the ongoing Hindu Genocide(Not the 1st but must be the last) in Bangladesh.”
To restore the tyrannical Caliphate of Ottoman Empire,Muslims in ?? launched Khilafat Movement. #Hindus across the globe must unify to #SaveBangladeshiHindus & their basic ‘Right To Life’ with dignity at the ongoing Hindu Genocide(Not the 1st but must be the last) in #Bangladeshpic.twitter.com/KjnxALqhMq
Apart from the netizens, on-ground protests have also been happening in India and other countries. A couple of days back, UK Councillor Pushpita Gupta sat on a hunger strike.
A protest was organised against the attacks outside the Finnish Parliament as Finland heads The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. In a video of the event, a woman was heard saying that Bangladesh needs to save minorities. “Hindu Lives Matter,” she added.
Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s Nepal chapter also staged protests against the attacks.
What happened in Bangladesh?
The attacks happened over the alleged sacrilege of Quran in a Puja Pandal. However, Police found that the man who triggered communal violence against Hindus by placing Quran at the Durga Puja venue was Iqbal Hossain, a Muslim. For over five days, houses and temples of the Hindu community in Bangladesh have been under the attack of radical Islamists. It started on October 12 when multiple incidents of idol vandalism took place ahead of Puja. On Sunday, Islamic extremists vandalized the Durga idol of Sri Shamshaneshwar Shiva Vigraha Mandir in the Firingibazar area in Chittagong, Bangladesh.
On October 14, it was reported that several other Puja pandals were vandalized. Videos of broken idols, demolished pandals and Moorti of Maa Durga being thrown in a pond emerged on social media platforms along with other videos of attacks on Hindus. On October 16, the ISKCON temple was attacked by a 400-500 strong Muslim mob. On October 17 and October 18, the attacks continued, and houses of Hindus were vandalized. Many were reported injured, and some reported dead after the attacks.
Ashlee Marie Preston, the activist behind the ‘Team Trans’ Netflix walkout over the Dave Chappelle comedy special, has made a series of problematic tweets in the past. Screenshots of tweets she has made in the past have gone viral that reveal a deep-seated hatred towards Asians and homosexuals.
Matt Orfalea, who is a documentary filmmaker and journalist according to his Twitter profile, shared screenshots of her tweets where she can be seen expressing a desire to commit violence against homosexuals.
Source: Matt Orfalea/Twitter
A series of tweets also show bigotry towards Asian Americans. In one tweet, she claimed that she had broken her phone on the head of an Asian woman. The tweets are littered with abuses of the worst kind.
Source: Matt Orfalea/Twitter
Ashlee Marie Preston has served as a campaign surrogate for Elizabeth Warren during the latter’s presidential campaign in 2020. It was then that her past tweets had first surfaced, for which she issued an apology. Preston blamed her substance abuse for the tweets.
She had said in October, 2019, “At the height of my meth addiction (8/9 years ago) I made a series of racially insensitive and homophobic tweets. I wasn’t out yet, and was dealing with internalized transphobia while homeless in a neighborhood where I felt culturally inferior. I’d stay up for days on end, tweeting from an impaired conscious—while shadow-boxing (via tweet) with anyone who made me feel less than.”
“Although those tweets were resurfaced as a political play; I take full responsibility for my actions and deeply apologize to those I’ve offended or hurt. I also apologize to those indirectly impacted by these developments. At over 7 1/2 years clean and sober; I’ve learned to make amends when I’m wrong and to take complete accountability for my actions. I didn’t have the education, information, mentorship, or cultural competence I have now. I’m also not strung out on drugs and have a clear heart and mind, today,” she had added.
The tweet appear to have been deleted since then.
The Netflix Walkout over Dave Chappelle comedy special
Netflix employees on Wednesday staged a walkout accusing comedian Dave Chappelle of making “transphobic” comments in his comedy special for the streaming platform. The walkout has received support from celebrities across the board, although ordinary people on social media appear to be firmly behind the comedian.
CEO Ted Sarandos, too, stood by the comedy special and said that it is consistent with the kind of content Netflix seeks to offer to its audience. After his initial memos, where he asserted that “content on screen doesn’t directly translate to real-world harm”, Sarandos claimed to have screwed up his response in an interview later. But even so, he stood by his decision to let the comedy special remain as it is on the platform.
A 55=year=old woman was found brutally murdered in Jaipur Rural in Rajasthan, with her feet chopped off. The woman has been identified as Geeta Devi Sharma, who was found dead in the fields at Khatepura village in Jaipur Rural’s Jamwa Ramgarh sub-division.
The assailants hacked off her feet and remove the silver anklets she was wearing. Besides, assailants also stole her earrings. The severed limbs were found near her body. There were also injury marks on her head and neck. On Tuesday the victim, who was a native of Khatepura village, had taken her cattle to the fields for grazing. In the afternoon a villager passing through the area spotted her body lying in the pool of blood. The place of crime is a secluded place with few people passing through the area.
Police suspect that it was a handiwork of robbers who were apparently hiding to rob people. There are also possibilities that she was murdered out of enmity and assailants deliberately chopped off her legs and remove anklets so that it looks like a case of road robbery. As the Ashok Gehlot government came under fire for the total collapse of law and order in Rajasthan, the government announced compensation for the family. Local residents have angrily protested this killing.
Villagers protesting against killing. Picture source Dainik Bhaskar
The family of the woman has accused police of surpassing facts relating to the case, saying that there were 15 cut marks on the body which was not revealed by police. Radheshyam Sharma, the brother-in-law of Geeta Devi, said, “The police mentioned to the media that Geeta Devi had been cut at three places, whereas the fact is that her body had been cut at 15 places. The woman who bathed her body before cremation even fell unconscious upon seeing the condition of her body.”
Jaipur District Collector Antar Singh Nehra who visited the spot on Wednesday and met the family said that under Victim Compensation Scheme, Rs 5 lakh will be given and an additional Rs 3 lakh will be given under CM Relief Fund to the family of the victim.
SP of Jaipur (Rural) Shankar Dutt Sharma told the media that 30 teams comprising 400 policemen including four Additional SPs, eight Deputy SPs, 15 Circle Inspectors and two companies of Rajasthan Armed Constabulary have been pressed for investigating the case and tracking accused. Besides, the forensic team and dog squad too have been deployed for the investigation. But there is no breakthrough so far.
Opposition party BJP has raised the issue of deteriorating law and order situation in the state under the Congress government. State BJP president Satish Poonia said that women are suffering in Rajasthan under Congress rule.
कांग्रेस सरकार के शासन में राजस्थान की अबलाएँ खून के आँसू रो रही हैं; हमारा शांतिपूर्ण राजस्थान अब अपराधिस्थान रेपिस्तान बन गया है।
BJP national spokesperson and Jaipur Rural MP Rajyavardhan Rathore joined the protest against the broad daylight killing of an elderly woman. “Is this the state of law and order in Rajasthan where criminals murdered a woman in the village in broad daylight? The Rajasthan government has stated that an FIR has been lodged. Whether the responsibility of the Rajasthan government ends with FIR? The government is stating that a compensation of Rs 5 lakh will be given to the family. We the people raise fund and give it to Rajasthan government to save life of people,” Rajyavardhan Rathore said.
राजस्थान में दिन-दिहाड़े एक महिला की ऐसे निर्मम हत्या हो सकती है तो असल में यहाँ कौन सुरक्षित है? जनता असुरक्षा की भावना के साथ जीने के लिए मजबूर है; यह कड़वा सच है। pic.twitter.com/rl7Ch8DX0e
BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Lal Meena asked when Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will visit Rajasthan to fight for women. Referring to her slogan ‘Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon (I’m a girl who can fight) in Uttar Pradesh, Meena asked whether the crime record of Rajasthan is enough for her to visit Rajasthan. “Padharo Mhare Desh, (come to our land),” Meena.
“Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi rush to Uttar Pradesh. They should also come to Rajasthan to see what is happening here under Congress rule,” Meena added. He said that the Rajasthan chief minister instead of protecting women is busy praising and glorifying Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and their family to save CM post.
Sameer Wankhede, the Zonal Director of the Mumbai unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has said that he will be sending a legal notice to NCP leader and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik for levelling allegations against him in connection to the Mumbai cruise drugs case. Rejecting the allegations made by Nawab Malik, Sameer Wankhede said that Malik should give evidence instead of levelling allegations.
Talking about his visit to the Maldives that Malik had alleged to be part of some nexus with Bollywood, Wankhede told Republic TV that he had gone to the Maldives with his family using his own money, and he had taken due permission before the vacation. He asked if he had done a crime by going to the Maldives using his own salary. He also said that he has never visited Dubai, and called it a blatant lie, refuting the charges made by Malik.
I've never been to Dubai; took due permission when I went to Maldives; have I committed crime by travelling on my own salary? Let them give evidence instead of levelling allegations: NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede on NCP Leader Nawab Malik's charges https://t.co/oefJxIhn1Dpic.twitter.com/Vt1EEGqZzp
Referring to continuous allegations made against him in the last few days after the NCB busted the rave party in a cruise ship and arrested Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan, Sameer Wankhede said that his dead mother has been attacked, his father and sister have been targeted and abuse.
Sameer Wankhede added that he is being personally targeted by minister Nawab Malik because he has booked a case in which Malik’s relative is involved. In January this year, Nawab Malik’s son-in-law Sameer Khan was arrested by NCB in connection with a drug case. Sameer Khan was arrested in a connection with a case where 200 kilograms of marijuana was seized from Bandra. He was released on bail in September, after spending 8 months in jail.
Yasmeen Wankhede, lawyer and Sameer Wankhede’s sister also refuted the allegations by NCP, saying the minister should felicitate the NCB officer instead for works he has been doing against drugs.
Earlier today, Nawab Malik had accused Sameer Wankhede of ‘extortion’, and released some photographs of Yasmeen Wankhede in the Maldives. He had said, “A special officer was brought in to the NCB after Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide. CBI is investigating the case but the mystery over his suicide or murder remains unresolved. But the NCB is now after the film industry. Dozens of actors were paraded before the NCB. Rhea Chakraborty was implicated.”
— Nawab Malik نواب ملک नवाब मलिक (@nawabmalikncp) October 21, 2021
Alleging a link between Sameer Wankhede and Bollywood, Malik had questioned why Wankhede was visiting the Maldives when several Bollywood celebrities were visiting the nation at the same time. “During the pandemic, the entire film industry was in the Maldives. Sameer Wankhede must clarify what he and his family members were doing there at that time,” he said. Malik also added that Wankhede should clarify whether he was in Dubai.
Nawab Malik later posted photographs Yasmeen Wankhede had posted on her social media accounts to prove that the family had visited Maldives. He had also said, “We are very clear. All this extortion took place in Maldives and Dubai”.
The Nihang Sikhs camping at the Singhu border have been in the headlines ever since they brutally lynched a Dalit labourer Lakhbir Singh. Now, once again, reports have emerged where another Dalit worker has fallen victim to their rage. A poultry farm worker was allegedly beaten up at the border area for not yielding to the demands of a Nihang Sikh.
The incident reportedly took place on Thursday, October 21. Two videos of the worker, whose leg is alleged to have been broken, have also surfaced online.
A report by the Hindi daily, Dainik Bhaskar, suggests that a Nihang named Naveen Sandhu, who is involved in the ‘farmers’ protest, had assaulted the labourer who supplied chicken near the Singhu border. In a fit of rage, Naveen Sandhu purportedly broke the poultry worker’s leg when the latter refused to give him chicken.
In a video shared by Newsroom Post, the injured victim, a poultry worker named Manoj Paswan, sits helplessly on the floor while narrating his ordeal. Manoj, who is a native of Bihar, said that he had come from the farm and was going to deliver the chicken when a “Sardarji” demanded chicken from him. The injured worker further added that he refused to give a chicken to the Sikh as he was carrying a limited and accounted quantity of poultry.
At this point, Manoj Pawan took out some slips from his pocket and showed them in the camera. He claimed that the slips were proof that he had counted number of chicken pieces that he had to deliver, hence he could not spare one for the Nihang. He said he conveyed the same to Sandhu who refused to listen to him and started assaulting him.
सिंघु बॉर्डर: निहंगों पर मारपीट का आरोप, निहंग ने मजदूर से मुर्गा मांगा, नहीं देने पर तोड़ दी टांग pic.twitter.com/1w6uqxq2Xa
Reportedly, another boy who was accompanying Paswan was also beaten up by Sandhu, but he managed to slip out. He then ran back to the poultry farm and informed the people there as to what transpired.
After this, the people of the farm reached the spot and caught the Nikhan Sikh who assaulted Manoj Paswan and handed him over to the Kundli police.
Manoj Paswan works with Satyavan, who runs a chicken shop at Kundli Border. Satyavan told that he has a business of supplying chicken in Kundli and nearby villages. Manoj has been supplying chicken in the villages for 15-16 years. On Thursday too, as usual, when he came out on his rickshaw with chicken from the shop, the Nihang stopped and beat him on the way.
Another video that has gone viral shows Paswan lying on the stretcher of a hospital, saying, “I showed the Nihang the slips of the poultry numbers as well. While I was taking the slip out of my pocket, a beedi came out with it as well. The Nihang abused me for it and said ‘you smoke beedi‘. When I said that everyone smokes beedi, I do as well but do not smoke here, he beat me up again.”
Reports suggest that the accused Sanghu belongs to the Nihang sect that is headed by Baba Aman Singh.
Series of attacks conducted by Nihang Sikhs
Prior to this, the Nihang Sikhs had made it to the news for the brutal execution of a Dalit Sikh labourer at the Kundli border farmers’ protest site just outside of New Delhi on Friday morning.
He was found hanging with his limbs chopped off and tied near his body. A group of Nihang Sikhs were seen admitting to the murder on claims of disrespecting the Guru Granth Sahib.
Following the incident, a video went viral on social media in which the Nihang Sikhs were not only heard justifying the murder of the man in cold blood but also gloating about the sheer barbarity inflicted by them on Lakhbir Singh.
While it may be difficult to forget the scars of this heinous act, this is only one of several recent incidents in which Nihang Sikhs have ruthlessly mutilated and killed people in recent times.
In April last year, a group of five Nihangs, armed with swords and iron rods, had attacked two policemen and chopped off the hands of ASI Harjeet Singh.
Two weeks after the aforementioned incident, a Nihang Sikh identified as Tej Singh allegedly attacked two locals in Mandayali village in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh over a small argument. While one victim’s four fingers were chopped off, the other received severe injuries on the head.
