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Did the British make ‘Hindus and Muslims fight’? Deconstructing statement by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

Nupur J Sharma
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Did the British make ‘Hindus and Muslims fight’? Deconstructing statement by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat today delivered a speech at an event called Rashtra Pratham – Rashtra Sarvopari. The little snippet that was reported by ANI received widespread criticism on social media for furthering the same “trope” that has next to no foundation in reality. Speaking in Mumbai, Mohan Bhagwat said that it was the British who made Hindus and Muslims fight by creating misconceptions.

Bhagwat further said that the British told Muslims that they will not get anything if they decide to live with Hindus and that they were ‘extorted’ to demand a separate nation. Islam, they said would disappear from India but nothing of the sort happened.

The RSS Sarsanghchalak said that both communities have to walk together to take the country forward. “The basis of our unity is our motherland and glorious tradition. The ancestors of Hindus and Muslims living in India were the same,” he said. Bhagwat said, “From my point of view, the word Hindu is a symbol of motherland, ancestor and heritage of Indian culture. ‘Hindu’ is not a caste or linguistic noun, but it is the name of a tradition guiding the development, upliftment of every person of nature. Whatever it believes, irrespective of its language, creed, religion, it is Hindu and, in this context, we consider every Indian citizen as Hindu”.

From what is reported in the media, it would indeed seem like the RSS chief is disregarding the strife that existed historically and essentially, charting the dissonance solely to what the British said or did, instead of the inherent supremacist ideology of Islam.

However, there were other, crucial points made by the RSS chief that the media seemed to have ignored. Before talking about the strife created by the British, Bhagwat said, “Islam came to India with invaders. This is history & should be told in that manner. Sane Muslim leaders should oppose unnecessary issues & stand firmly against fundamentalists & hardliners. The more we do this at earliest, the less damage it will cause to our society”.

Mohan Bhagwat assured that there will be no disrespect to Islam, but for that, one will have to think about the dominance of India and not that of Islam.

It is to be borne in mind that the RSS Chief was addressing a seminar that was meant for Muslim intellectuals, scholars and leaders. At this gathering, from the full statement that has not come to light, it seems rational for Mohan Bhagwat to acknowledge the fact that Islam is indeed a faith that exists in India not naturally but because of the invading barbarians, however, Indian Muslims cannot as a group be tied to the crimes of the Mughals. The onus is indeed on Muslims to realise that their cultural roots are also ‘Hindu’, so to speak, and therefore, they need to be thinking about the supremacy of India that is Bharat and not the faith of Islam.

The statement that perhaps stirred the hornet’s nest was limited to Bhagwat talking about how Hindus and Muslims would have perhaps never lived in constant strife had the British not sowed the seeds of doubt. The statement, in itself, disregards the violent nature of Islam itself that leads to acrimony and almost renders the Muslim population, or at least large parts of it, incapable of surviving with Hindus – incidentally, a theory on which the partition was demanded and snatched, eventually.

In 1983, Sita Ram Goel, the stalwart Hindu scholar wrote, “As one reads the scriptures of Christianity and Islam with a morally alert mind, one starts getting sick of the very sound of word ‘god’ which word is littered all over this literature like dead leaves in autumn. The deeds which are ascribed to or approved of by this God are quite often so cruel and obnoxious as to leave one wondering that if these are the doings of the Divine, what else is there which is left for the Devil to do”.

While his criticism of Islam might be harsh, to move forward as a society one has to acknowledge the root of the problems at ails that society instead of draping oneself, out of cowardice or benevolence, with a cloak of wilful ignorance. In Islam, there are several verses that talk about the supremacy of one God – that is an indisputable fact. It is also an indisputable fact for those who are not completely ignorant that Islam ordains that Kafirs – those who refuse to submit to the will of Allah – are ones that need to be converted or killed (brutally so).

Surah 3 (Ali ‘Imran) Verse 151 says, “We will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve for what they have associated with Allah of which He had not sent down [any] authority.1 And their refuge will be the Fire, and wretched is the residence of the wrongdoers”. Verse 101 clearly says, “Indeed, the disbelievers are ever to you a clear enemy”.

Surah 21 (Al-Anbya) Verse 98 says, “Indeed, you [disbelievers] and what you worship other than Allah are the firewood of Hell. You will be coming to [enter] it”.

There are several such verses in the Holy Quran that urge Muslims to wage a war against “non-believers”. These are not verses that have been concocted by the author, but some of the 26 verses that Waseem Rizvi, a Muslim himself, listed as those that promote Jihad against Hindus. The rest of them can be read here.

Now, when we believe that Muslims of India follow “Indian Islam” and share the “culture” of Hindus, we assume that there is a different version of Islam itself that Indian Muslims seem to follow, or at least, ought to follow. However, Islam is the same everywhere because the “word of God” is one, sacrosanct and remains unchanged for Muslims everywhere – Indian or otherwise.

There is no geographical variant of Islam. The Quran is the Quran and the verses contained in them that promote war against Kafirs are just that – it is time that we are honest about this fundamental truth rather than accepting tropes about how Indian Islam is “different”, somehow, or the far more idiotic explanation given once on television – that Hindus of India are not the “non-believers” being spoken about in the Quran at all since Hindus of India are actually “believers” (no idea what that means).

This is not to say that Muslims individually cannot choose to reject the hardline approach and follow the spirituality of religion instead of the militant aspects of it. But, the nature of Muslim separatism and the constant conflict the community exists in, stems from their own faith and not from the inducement or incitement of others. The partition that tore India apart was summarily a product of the two-nation theory espoused by the Muslim community at the time where they claimed that Muslims form a nation of their own since their culture, religion and way of living is distinct from Hindus.

During the provincial elections in 1946, it is an undisputed fact that Muslims voted overwhelmingly for Muslim League which had stirred up religious passions with its demand for a separate Islamic State at the time. In total, 87% of seats were won by the Muslim League in India in 1946. The Muslims who stayed back and could not move to the “land of the pure”, away from the unclean Kafirs, joined the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) promising to preserve the vision of Jinnah in India.

The Moplah massacre, Direct Action Day, Naokhali massacre, the countless temples desecrated, Hindus slaughtered, women raped and the religious hate is a part of history. The letter that Jogendra Nath Mandal wrote to Liaquat Ali Khan, is a part of history. The fact that despite joining hands with the Muslim League and helping in the formation of Pakistan, he came back after seeing the blood of fellow Hindus flow like water by Jihadist hate is also a matter of history.

Coming back to what Mohan Bhagwat said, the anger, to a large extent, is understandable. Hindus have got the short end of the stick for the longest time and have been forced to accept their own persecution. Not only have Hindus been forced to accept their own persecution, but a systematic attempt has been made by every successive government to mollycoddle a violent minority that exercises unbridled street-veto to make the state submit to their whims. The violent minority has often complained, whined, rioted and blackmailed the state. The complacent majority, along with the state and those elected to protect us, cajoled, begged, gave in, submitted. This process was seen not just during the partition but has played out ever since.

While the state submitted, the Hindu majority has largely endorsed that submission with fervour. Whether the submission is a product of cowardice or Gandhian brainwashing is hard to tell. Through the ages, while a section of Hindus have dared to speak up and stand up against the tyranny of a violent minority, a large part of the Hindu community has given in to the idea that the minority is violent because they are disgruntled with the submissive majority, not because they are inherently a violent minority the world over.

The criticism that is coming Mohan Bhagwat’s way is because the section of Hindus who are vocal have had enough, and that is certainly understandable. Often, I get there too and wonder how these tropes help us in the civilisational war. However, there are two things to consider before we lose our minds.

Firstly, Mohan Bhagwat was talking to a congregation of Muslim scholars and intellectuals. It is a reality that certain Muslims, even if few in number have to be reasoned with. Mohan Bhagwat said that Hindus and Indian Muslims, owing to their shared heritage, have to keep the interest of the nation above that of religion. Specifically, Indian Muslims need to keep the interest of the nation above the supremacy of Islam.

Secondly, while the statement itself could be a trope to appeal to sensible Muslims, I personally and I am sure a lot of Hindus have lost the optimism that such statements could bring about even semblance of harmony, given the post-2014 events – the Delhi anti-Hindu riots being a prime example. However, there exists a large section of Hindus who would still find merit in Gandhian statements of peace and harmony. For that to change, for that fundamental deracination of the Hindu population to change, the Overton Window will have to be shifted by those Hindus who are willing to speak the truth, not by a social organisation that is doing as much as they possibly can in their own capacity – even if they fall short and are considered intermittently “soft” on the narrative. It is the people who need to ensure that the truth is normalised. That the cowardice is dispelled and that the Gandhi in us is replaced by Sita Ram Goel.

We played the ‘Selmon Bhoi’ mobile game Salman Khan went to Court against: Here’s what it is all about

Anurag
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We played the ‘Selmon Bhoi’ mobile game Salman Khan went to Court against: Here’s what it is all about

On September 7, the Bombay Civil Court provided some relief to actor Salman Khan by imposing a temporary restraint on a mobile video game named Selmon Bhoi that is allegedly based on the Hit and Run case of Salman Khan. The court has noted that the images, mechanical features and make of the game give an impression that it is based on the case linked to Salman Khan.

The court said, “When the plaintiff has not given any consent for installing, preparing and running such game which is very similar to his identity and the case which was against him, certainly his right to privacy is being deprived and is also tarnishing his image.” Judge KM Jaiswal temporarily restricted access to the game and restrained the company, Parody Studios Pvt. Ltd that created the game by disseminating, launching, re-launching and recreating it or creating any content related to Salman Khan. The court has directed to immediately take down/block/disable the access to the game from all platforms, including Google Play Store.

Reportedly, Salman Khan, through DSK Legal, had approached the court against Parody Studios Pvt Ltd and its Directors, Google LLC and Google India Pvt Ltd seeking injunctions and reliefs related to the game developed by the company that is available on Google Play Store. In his plea, Khan said that the game is phonetically similar to Salman Bhai, a popular name by which his associates and fans call him. The images and the format of the game appear to be a caricatured version of the Hit and Run case and the Blackbuck case in which Salman was named as accused. Both the cases are sub-judice before different courts.

Khan’s legal team said that the defendants intentionally created the game to gain a commercial advantage by his image without seeking his consent. They claimed it would tarnish the actor’s reputation and goodwill which is against the purview of Article 19 of the constitution of India. Further, he sought enforcement of his right to privacy under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.

The court observed, “It is clear that right to privacy is implicit in the right to life and property guaranteed to the citizens of this country by Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.” The court said that the defendant company used Khan’s identity for commercial gains and restricted them from using the actor’s name for any purpose in the future without getting the required consent.

As time was granted to the defendant to file a reply, the court ordered, “Till the defendants file the reply and as the prima facie case is made out by the plaintiff, the balance of convenience also lies in his favour and if no ad-interim reliefs are granted the plaintiff will suffer irreparable loss which can not compensated in terms of money.”

The game has striking similarities to the Salman Khan case

Parody Studios Pvt. Ltd. is a Nagpur based company owned by Mrunal Atulrao Bodkhe and Chinmay Subhash Gawande. Incorporated in December 2020, the company recently launched a game by the name Selmon Bhoi which is loosely based on the Hit and Run case linked to Salman Khan. The tutorial of the game shows blackbucks instead of humans. Interestingly, Salman is linked to a case where he was accused of killing an endangered animal in Rajasthan.

We downloaded and played the game for a few minutes to see if it has any similarities with the actor or the case. Here are the observations.

Selmon Bhoi allegedly based on a Hit and Run case involving Salman Khan
Screenshot of Selmon Bhoi’s Play Store page

When you first install the game, there is a disclaimer in Hindi and English that says, “This game presentation is merely a fictional context. Any driver who tries to relate this video game to the real world is a complete a**hole and can go f**k themselves.”

Selmon Bhoi allegedly based on a Hit and Run case involving Salman Khan
Screenshot of the disclaimer from the game

The language of the disclaimer perfectly matches with the description of the company that says on LinkedIn, “We are a Game development company. As the title suggests, we don’t care about anything.” Also, if you open their website, the top banner says, “Parody Studios – F**K Everything”.

'Selmon Bhoi' allegedly based on a Hit and Run case involving Salman Khan
Screenshot of the banner of the website

Now let’s discuss the game. The character used in the game has a striking similarity to Salman Khan and looks like a caricature of the character. The description of the game reads, “Selmon Bhoi is on a quest to finish all life on earth by smashing the hell out of every single BOO-slims life. The BOO-slims took Aish from him (Generally sleeping on the footpath) when he was drunk. Surely, he had beaten her too much but still, love is love, and nobody can separate two lovers from each other, not even Bach…ns. These merciless BOO-slims must DIE! Join Selmon Bhoi and his driver on the quest to: Kill.”

Selmon Bhoi allegedly based on a Hit and Run case involving Salman Khan
Screenshot of the description of the game on the website

There is an introduction video that plays for a single time when you first install the video. The commentary of the video says, “It was a dark lonely night. Selmon was sad. He had used Aish (wine bottle in the game) and threw it away. (In the background, there were some noises that sounded like straight out of a porn film). Suddenly, he realized what has happened in his life. He turned his car towards the footpath. There he noticed some aliens sleeping and he hit them with the car. The whole world was filled with happiness. But our tiger was not aware that the army of the alien planet is coming for him. However, there was a question in everyone’s mind if Selmon killed the aliens or his beloved driver did it.”

Notably, in the Hit and Run case, Salman Khan’s driver has claimed that he was driving the car that night.

Selmon Bhoi allegedly based on a Hit and Run case involving Salman Khan
Screenshots from the game: From Left: 1 – Screen after hitting an obstacle | 2 – Man flying after getting hit by the car. | 3 – Camel flying after being hit by the car. | 4 – Car collecting coins.

Basically, in the game, you have to move the car saving it from the obstacles that can be trees and rocks. You need to hit people or animals and collect coins while moving ahead on the rotating earth. When you hit an obstacle, the windows of the car get damaged, and after three hits, the game would be over. When you hit a person, you will hear screams.

Screenshots from the game – Left: After hitting an obstacle, the windows get shattered | Right: Deer flying after getting hit by Solmen’s car.

In the practice session, there are no human beings but blackbucks that you have to kill by hitting with your car. 

‘It happens, part of the course’: India Today journalist normalises heckling, harassment of her colleague by ‘farmer protestors’

OpIndia Staff
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‘It happens, part of the course’: India Today journalist normalises heckling, harassment of her colleague by ‘farmer protestors’


It’s part of the course”, India Today journalist Preeti Choudhry was heard normalising the harassment meted out at her colleague in the hands of anti-farm law protesters in Muzaffarnagar on Sunday, September 5.

When BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, who was a panellist on Preeti Choudhry’s debate show, expressed displeasure with how these so-called farmers had harassed Choudhry’s own colleague during the Muzaffarnagar Kisan Mahapanchayat event, the India Today anchor, rather than condemning the harassment, says that such incidents are common and she has faced them as well.

“Since you have raised my colleague’s situation, she is a reporter, I am a reporter on the ground as well. This is part of the course. This happens everywhere, wherever you go. It happens in Mahapanchayats and in political rallies as well”, said India Today journalist Preeti Choudhry, justifying and normalising the behaviour meted out to AajTak editor Chitra Tripathi at Muzaffarnagar Kisan Mahapanchayat.

AajTak journalist Chitra Tripathi was harassed by anti-farm law protesters in Muzaffarnagar on Sunday, September 5, where they gathered around her and chanted ‘Godi media haay haay’. Ultimately, the journalist, who had gone to cover the event, was chased away from the spot.

During the conversation, Nupur Sharma interjects, attempting to remind Preeti Choudhry that she, too, is a woman and that normalising harassment against women is despicable, but Choudhry persists in defending the ‘farmers’ heinous behaviour, claiming that it is normal for journalists to face such situations.

When Nupur Sharma sternly demands to know which woman journalist has been ever harassed during any past Mahapanchayat events, Preeti Choudhry quickly dismisses the question saying that the debate is not about her colleague.

“My colleague has gone there, done her work, and will do it again without passing judgement on any political rally or Mahapanchayat,” Choudhry remarked.

Incidentally, only two days ago, a ‘journalist’ with Newsclick, Shyam Meera Singh, had also justified the atrocious conduct, accusing Chitra Tripathi of ‘fooling’ the public.

Throughout the protests, anti-farm law demonstrators have been engaging in vile behaviour on a regular basis. On Republic Day, the protests turned violent, resulting in riots in the nation’s capital. Interestingly, it was Preeti Choudhry herself who had revealed that a “sizable chunk of depraves” among the farmer protesters had been harassing female reporters, pinching their buttocks among other things.

A woman from West Bengal was also raped at the Tikri border protest site. After the death of the victim on April 30, the protesters had taken out a procession by placing the dead body in an open jeep, even though she allegedly died of Covid-19.

Roads, colleges in Srinagar to be named after Kashmiri Hindus who were forced to flee during the exodus

OpIndia Staff
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Roads, colleges in Srinagar to be named after Kashmiri Hindus who were forced to flee during the exodus

The NDA government Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ushered in fundamental changes in Jammu and Kashmir over the past couple of years. Now, it has taken the decision to rename famous roads, buildings and colleges in Srinagar to honour the Hindus who were thrown out of the valley during the violent exodus 30 years ago. 

As per a Times Now report, the government has decided to rename a college after prominent Kashmiri Hindu and Indian contemporary playwright Moni Lal Kemmu. Furthermore, a road will be named after Pandit Zinda Koul, a Kashmiri poet and writer fondly known as ‘Masterji.’

The step, however, has received criticism from several political parties who see this as mere ‘tokenism’ and have alleged that the government is not serious about making the valley habitable. 

Portal for reclamation of property in J&K launched

The Centre today has launched a portal for Kashmiri pandits to facilitate reclaiming their property that they were forced to abandon or sell during the exodus. 

The Kashmiri Hindus while appreciating the intent have cast aspersions on the successful implementation of these measures. Indian filmmaker and Kashmiri Hindu Ashoke Pandit said that the reclamation of land and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Hindus is a tiring job. He also urged the government to include the community in the entire process. 

Another Kashmiri Hindu activist Sushil Pandit revealed that a law for property restoration was brought a decade after their expulsion, however, it just led to harassment. 

“..if a Kashmiri pandit was to sell his property, he had to prove that it was not in distress. This became another harassment because someone in the need of money now had to bribe government officials who made money along with real estate sharks. These kinds of half-hearted legislative prove worse than the problem,” said Pandit on the old law. 

However, fully implementing the Immovable Property Act for the Kashmiri Pandits by launching the portal, the government has also ensured devolution of powers to the District Commissioners. 

Additionally, the District Commissioners will now be responsible to ensure that there is no illegal encroachment of Kashmiri Pandit properties, even if no complaint has been registered.

Tripura: Former CM Manik Sarkar’s event faces protests, BJP and CPM supporters clash in Dhanpur

OpIndia Staff
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Tripura: Former CM Manik Sarkar’s event faces protests, BJP and CPM supporters clash in Dhanpur

Multiple persons have reportedly been injured in clashes that broke out during former CM Manik Sarkar’s recent visit to his Dhanpur constituency on Monday. CPM leaders have accused the BJP workers of blocking Manik Sarkar’s convoy near Dhanpur market upon his visit to a party event in Sonamura Subdivision in the Sipahijala district of Tripura. The BJP has accused CPM of violence.

As per reports, BJP and CPM supporters clashed on Monday, September 6 over Manik Sarkar’s visit. Manik Sarkar, Leader of the Opposition, Tripura was reportedly shielded by party workers who created a barricade around the former CM as the skirmishes and protest continued. The CPM and BJP party workers locked horns twice on Monday. As per reports, Manik Sarkar’s convoy, which included CPM legislators Shahid Chowdhury and Shyamal Chakraborty was blocked by locals, resulting in clashes.

Later, at Bashpukur, the confrontation between supporters of CPM and BJP took a violent turn when Manik Sarkar arrived there on foot surrounded by a barricade of CPM activists and was asked to return by the police. As the clashes between supporters of the two parties intensified, the police had to resort to firing tear gas shells to disperse the crowd, as per reports. The BJP has denied the involvement of its workers.

BJP denies involvement of its party cadre, says Rose Valley scam victims opposed Manik Sarkar’s visit

The BJP has stated that Sarkar’s convoy was stopped by locals who had lost deposits in the Rose Valley scam.

“The name BJP has been implicated intentionally to malign our party and our cadres have not been involved in the incident. The people were cheated by Ponzi firms during the left front regime and they had committed people to return their deposit but nothing happened. Not only the then Chief Minister but many of the top leaders of CPI-M were also involved in the business, which had encouraged people to deposit money and finally got cheated”, said Khurshed Alam, a local BJP leader.

Manik Sarkar, the leader of the opposition said on the matter, “Tripura did not have such political culture and it reflects that the present government is getting the message that their days are coming to an end. Such an act is not possible without the patronage of those in power, said the former Tripura CM.

Several persons, including four from the BJP, have been injured and multiple bikes have been damaged in the incident.

Recently, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee had accused BJP leaders of attacking his convoy upon his visit to Agartala.

Case filed against Salman Khan, Farhan Akhtar, Anupam Kher and dozens of other celebrities for revealing identity of rape victim

OpIndia Staff
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Case filed against Salman Khan, Farhan Akhtar, Anupam Kher and dozens of other celebrities for revealing identity of rape victim

A Delhi-based lawyer, Gaurav Gulati has filed a case against 38 Bollywood and Tollywood celebrities including Salman Khan, Farhan Akhtar and Akshay Kumar for revealing the identity of a rape victim. 

Two years after the horrific rape and murder of a doctor just outside of Hyderabad shocked the entire nation, the lawyer has demanded immediate arrest of the celebrities for revealing the name and identity of the rape victim on social media. 

Bollywood actor Salman Khan on December 01, 2019, had made two social media posts on the incident urging people to not let ‘Beti Bachao’ be a mere campaign, while Anupam Kher had tagged the Union Home Minister demanding a death penalty for rapists. 

The complaint was filed under IPC section 228 A against Bollywood actors Anupam Kher, Farhan Akhtar, Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan, Maharaja Ravi Teja, Rakul Preet Singh, Allu Sirish, Charmme Kaur, and several others.

The lawyer has also filed a petition in Tees Hazari Court, alleging that the celebrities have acted irresponsibly. Reportedly, Gulati feels that instead of setting an example for common people, the celebrities have broken a law sending out a wrong message. Hence, the lawyer has sought an immediate arrest of all the celebrities, alleging that they failed to show any social responsibility and tampered with the privacy of the victim.

As per Section 228A of the Indian Penal Court, disclosing the identity of a victim is a punishable offence. Anyone found violating the law is liable for imprisonment or a fine. The case pertains to the horrific rape of a veterinary doctor in Hyderabad, the brutal nature of which shocked the entire nation.

Exclusive: Tamal Bhattacharya apologises after praising Taliban and clicking pictures with them, WB MHA forwards complaint to Joint Secretary

Dibakar Dutta
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Exclusive: Tamal Bhattacharya apologises after praising Taliban and clicking pictures with them, WB MHA forwards complaint to Joint Secretary

Afghanistan evacuee Tamal Bhattacharya has been under the spotlight ever since he made pro-Taliban remarks after returning to India. A slew of petitions and complaints have been filed against him, the latest one being registered with the West Bengal Ministry of Home Affairs.

On August 31, petitioner Raj Chowdhury had filed a complaint (GOVWB/E/2021/01466) against Tamal Bhattacharya with the Government of West Bengal. His grievance was accepted and forwarded to the Joint Secretary of the State Ministry of Home Affairs, Ajay Kumar Pal.

Screengrab of the grievance status – I
SScreengrab of the grievance status – II

Raj Chowdhury had earlier filed a petition with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. After having found Tamal Bhattacharya’s picture with the Talibs, he had also lodged another petition with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Tamal, who was successfully rescued by the Indian government from his perilous state on August 21, heaped praise upon the Taliban after reaching home. On August 29, a complaint was filed with the Principal Secretary of West Bengal against the Afghanistan evacuee by a BJP member from Kolkata named Suraj Singh.

Tamal Bhattachearya has a ‘change of heart’, cites apology after public outrage

While speaking to Banga Bhumi about the petition filed with the Greivance cell of the Union Home Ministry, Tamal said, “I want to apologise if my speech and remarks hurt anyone’s feelings.” While taking a U-turn from his earlier statement about Taliban, he claimed that he was lucky to be spared by the ‘extremist group’. His sudden ‘change of heart’ was followed by praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, EAM S Jaishankar and the Indian Air Force (IAF).

“When a Taliban ‘Bhai’ asked us to play cricket and said that we have to play all kinds of games, I did not have the courage to say no. These groups are vengeful and could kill you if you say no to them,” claimed Tamal. He alleged that he was under stress and fear of death, given the Taliban’s violent past record. Tamal also claimed that he has been developing symptoms of PTSD (post-Traumatic stress disorder) and urged people to consider the ‘circumstances’ which forced him to play cricket with the Talibs.

(Video Courtesy: Youtube/Banga Bhumi Live)

In his defense, Tamal claimed that supporting ‘terrorist outfits’ is not in the DNA of Indians who grew up in the world’s largest democracy. He stressed how Indians believe in peaceful resolution of conlfict and not at gun point. He claimed to be quoted out of context and has been ‘falesly’ labelled as a ‘Taliban sympathiser.’ Tamal Bhattacharya went on to say that as a disciple of Ramakrishna Mission, he was bound to speak the truth about what transpired in Afghanistan. In a bid to whitewash his earlier statements about Taliban, Tamal claimed that he did not speak ‘ill’ of the radical Islamist orgnaisation to ensure the safety of other Indians stranded in Afghanistan.

“Don’t be hostile to me. I am an Indian who just returned home from Afghanistan. I am having symptoms of PTSD. I sometimes feel that I am still hearing the gunfire in Afghanistan…Please support us so that we can recover from this trauma as soon as possible…I am not your enemy,” he pleaded. Tamal went on to clarify that the Talibs ‘helped’ the stranded Indians out of self-interest and international recognition. “A terrorist organisation will not become good just because they helped us. It was in their interest,” he added.

Although Tamal had earlier hailed Sharia law for lack of deceit in ‘naam kababs’, he changed his statement to claim that the ‘ideology’ of the Taliban wasbad. He had also appealed to everyone to keep aside political differences and stand by the side of the Indian government. Lastly, on being asked whether his foreign travel plans (Opindia had earlier reported how sources claimed about his plans to flee India) would be marred by the current petitions, Tamal expressed hope that the Indian government would stand by him.

The case of Tamal Bhattacharya

Tamal, a 34-year-old resident of Nimta in the North Dum Dum area, was stranded in Afghanistan ever since the Taliban took control of the country on August 15-16. He had been working as a physics and chemistry teacher at an army school (Kardan International school) in Kabul since March this year. A mechanical engineer by training, Tamal was living in the staff quarters of his school. However, after the Taliban took over the city of Kabul, he was forced to lock himself up inside the principal’s residence.

He alleged to have contacted the Indian embassy and couldn’t reach the Hamid Karzai International airport despite several attempts. Later, he claimed to have reached the airport gate at 11 pm on August 20, only to be returned by the US security forces due to the absence of government officials and documents. He added that Talibs were surrounding the airport and had to spend the night in a nearby wedding hall. While speaking to Anandabazaar Patrika, he said, “Please inform PM Modi and Amit Shah so that immediate action is taken for our evacuation”

Eventually, Tamal was evacuated by an Indian Air Force (IAF) carrier along with 10 other Bengali residents. He boarded the flight late on August 21 night and reached the National capital on August 22 morning. On the same day, he returned to Kolkata via a flight from New Delhi. Tamal, who was successfully rescued by the Indian government from his perilous state, heaped praise upon the Taliban after reaching home.

As per a report in ABP News, Tamal Bhattacharya claimed that the Taliban has not only treated him well but also fed him good food. “They (Talibs) also played cricket with us,” he claimed. Tamal later hailed the radical Islamist outfit for being ‘trustworthy’. This is despite the fact that he had earlier pleaded with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to evacuate him immediately from Taliban-controlled Kabul. Tamal’s contentious claims found overwhelming support among the radical Islamists, who were seeking opportunities to whitewash the atrocities committed by the Talibs. It was also alleged that he might be planning to flee the country soon.

Watch: Taliban fires gunshots as Afghans chant ‘Azadi’, ‘Death to Pakistan’, ‘support Panjshir’ in Kabul, journalists arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Watch: Taliban fires gunshots as Afghans chant ‘Azadi’, ‘Death to Pakistan’, ‘support Panjshir’ in Kabul, journalists arrested

The Taliban fired shots in the air in response to massive protests against Pakistan in Kabul. The protesters chanted ‘Death to Pakistan’ and ‘Freedom’ as they marched through the streets. The Jihadis group’s close ties with Pakistan have come under the scanner, with Afghans rising against the new regime for their collaboration.

Visuals from the protests show a significant crowd chanting slogans against Pakistan.

Chants of ‘Azadi’ (freedom) filled the air as well. Meanwhile, chief of Pakistan’s ISI is on a visit to Afghanistan and there are reports that the former will help the Taliban reorganize the military.

The Taliban responded to the protests with gunshots in the air, in an effort to intimidate the protesters

The protesters reached the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul, where they raised ‘Death to Pakistan’ slogans.

There are huge crowds that can be observed in the visuals that have emerged.

Slogans in support of Panjshir, which Taliban claimed they had taken control of on Monday, were also heard. A lot of women are seen participating in the protests.

There are reports that journalists and cameraman covering the protests have been arrested by the Taliban regime.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has said, “Anyone who tries to start an insurgency will be hit hard. We will not allow another.” It is not clear as of this moment the impact the protests will have on the Taliban rule in the country.

West Bengal post poll violence: CBI arrests two in Domjur case, accused of hurling bombs at BJP supporters and outraging modesty of women

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal post poll violence: CBI arrests two in Domjur case, accused of hurling bombs at BJP supporters and outraging modesty of women

As part of the probe of West Bengal post-poll violence, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested 2 persons from the Domjur area in the state’s Howrah district on Monday, September 6. According to TOI, the CBI had detained 13 persons on Monday morning. After rigorously grilling all the 13 people in connection with the case, the central agency formally arrested 2 of them. With this, the total tally of CBI arrests in post-poll violence has risen to 8.

The arrested people are accused of committing several crimes when TMC goons unleashed mayhem in every nook and cranny of West Bengal after Mamata Banerjee reclaimed power on May 2.

According to TOI, among other crimes, the nabbed TMC workers are accused of hurling bombs at the houses of BJP workers and “outraging the modesty” of the women members of the families of these victims, who were targetted solely for supporting BJP.

The arrested TMC workers had allegedly hurled bombs at BJP worker Rajib Pally’s house soon after the West Bengal Assembly elections results were declared. They looted cash and jewellery from the victim’s house and also allegedly molested the women members of the house.

Meanwhile, in another related development, the CBI has written a letter to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and has sought details of cases that could not be registered earlier.

Until now, CBI has altogether filed 34 FIRs in connection with the matter.

OpIndia reported how the arrest of two accused Biju and Aasima Ghosh on Saturday, August 28, charged with the murder of BJP worker Dharma Mondal and two others in West Bengal’s Nadia district on May 14, came as the first arrest made by the CBI in the matter. Bijoy Ghosh and Asima Ghosh were briefly detained before being arrested by the probe agency, sources in the CBI said.

Before arresting the two accused, the agency carried out searches in as many as 15 locations in connection with the case related to the brutal murder of Dharma Ghosh, who had succumbed to his injuries on May 16. The CBI had booked eight persons in the matter.

High Court hands over the West Bengal post-poll violence case to the CBI

The CBI has taken over the investigations on the orders of a five-judge panel of the Calcutta High Court, which on August 19, tasked the agency with a court-monitored probe into the innumerable murder and rape instances reported during West Bengal’s post-poll rioting which occurred in the aftermath of West Bengal Assembly elections in the month of May 2021.

Firebrand Buddhist monk Ashin Wirathu released from prison by Myanmar military: Read who he is

OpIndia Staff
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Firebrand Buddhist monk Ashin Wirathu released from prison by Myanmar military: Read who he is

Firebrand Buddhist Monk Ashin Wirathu was released from prison by the Burmese Military on Monday, two years after sedition charges were slapped at him for alleged derogatory remarks he made against former leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

After becoming a fugitive for months, he finally surrendered in November last year. Ashin Wirathu was accused of inciting “hatred or contempt” and “exciting disaffection” against the civilian government. Spokesperson for the Myanmar Military, Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, said, “The case was closed and he was released this evening,” before proceeding to add, “he is still receiving medical treatment at the Tatmadaw Hospital.”

It is not clear why the monk was receiving treatment at the military hospital or what he was receiving treatment for. The monk’s release comes months after the civilian government was deposed in Myanmar.

Who is Ashin Wirathu?

Ashin Wirathu was dubbed the “The Face of Buddhist Terror” by the Time Magazine in 2013. He has also been branded the ‘Buddhist bin Laden’ by some. The monk was quoted as saying in Time Magazine, “[Muslims] are breeding so fast, and they are stealing our women, raping them. They would like to occupy our country, but I won’t let them. We must keep Myanmar Buddhist.”

For his part, Wirathu accused Time Magazine of committing “serious Human Rights Violations” by not quoting him verbatim in their piece. “Before I had heard [rumours] of the Arab world dominating the global media. But this time, I’ve seen it for myself.”

In another interview in 2013, he declared, “Muslims are like the African carp. They breed quickly and they are very violent and they eat their own kind. Even though they are minorities here, we are suffering under the burden they bring us.” On another occasion, he opined, “You can be full of kindness and love but you cannot sleep next to a mad dog.”

The monk led the ‘969 movement’, a Buddhist revivalist movement that advocated the social and economic boycott of Muslims and sought to ban marriages between Buddhist women and Muslim men. The inspiration for the name comes from Buddhist scriptures, with the first 9 denoting the nine special attributes of the Buddha, 6 represents the six special characteristics of his Dharma and 9 represented the nine attributes of the Buddhist monastic order, or the Buddhist Sangha.

Ashin Wirathu has his fare share of critics within Myanmar, with certain monks believing that he spread hate between communities. Nonetheless, when Time Magazine branded him a the face of Buddhist terror, then president of the country, Thein Sein, lashed out at the magazine and accused it of slandering the Buddhist religion. He described Wirathu as a “Son of Buddha” and defended him as a “noble person” committed to peace.

For his part, Wirathu claimed, “I am defending my loved one, like you would defend your loved one. I am only warning people about Muslims. Consider it like if you had a dog, that would bark at strangers coming to your house – it is to warn you. I am like that dog. I bark.”

Ashin Wirathu was arrested for his sermons in 2003 as well and had to spend 9 years in prison. Despite that, he continued to occupy a stature of respect in the country. He belongs to the Theravada school of Buddhism. Some believe that he is in league with the Burmese Military.

Munshi Faiz Ahmed, a Bangladeshi expert, told Arab News, “Myanmar’s military was in need of a mass medium to reach the country’s Buddhists. Monks have more influence on Buddhists in Myanmar than politicians, so the powerful military recruited Wirathu to serve its purpose as the extremist monk has some fanatic followers.”

He added, “On one side, the ambitious Wirathu wanted to increase the number of his followers, and on the other side the military wanted to consolidate its power. So the army generals started backing the extremist monk in his spreading of hate against the Rohingya Muslims.”

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