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Government puts ten foreign NGOs related to environmental and child labour activism, including Omidyar Network, under FCRA watchlist

OpIndia Staff
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Government puts ten foreign NGOs related to environmental and child labour activism, including Omidyar Network, under FCRA watchlist

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has limited the funding of ten non-governmental organizations (NGOs) related to climate and child labor after suspending the FCRA approval of other foreign funded NGOs including the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI).

According to a report by The Hindu, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) sent an internal note to all the banks directing them to put a specific number of foreign organizations in the PRC list (Prior Reference Category) under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act 2010.

There are more than 80 such foreign organizations under the radar of the government’s PRC list. The new ones added include three NGOs from the USA named the Omidyar Network International, Humanity United and Stardust foundation. Two NGOs from Australia named Walk Free Foundation and Minderoo Foundation are also included in the list along with Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, Freedom fund and Laudes foundation from the UK.

According to a copy of the notice obtained by The Hindu which was sent by a private bank to different branches, it was said, “The RBI has instructed that any fund flow from the (specified) donor agencies to any NGO/Voluntary organization/ persons in India should be brought to the Ministry of Home Affairs so that the funds are allowed to be credited to the recipients only after clearance/ prior permission from the MHA’s Foreigners Division of the FCRA wing.”

When asked about the reason behind the inclusion of several environmental NGOs in the PRC list, an official was quoted saying that “global pressures are intensifying on India to raise the Nationally Determined Contributions”. The official further added, “In order to create noise in the media, several pro-climate NGOs are focusing on advocacy against coal, which is considered a violation of FCRA provisions.”

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) mentioned in Parliament that more than 6600 NGOs’ FCRA licenses were cancelled with around 260 of them suspended by the government during the period 2016-2020.

On Monday, it was reported that the MHA had cancelled the FCRA approval of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) in June this year, along with other NGOs.

USA: While American elites party around at Met Gala without masks, this is what two educational institutes are doing to vaccinated students

Jinit Jain
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USA: While American elites party around at Met Gala without masks, this is what two educational institutes are doing to vaccinated students

Amidst a raging pandemic in the United States, driven by the more transmissible delta variant of the coronavirus, American elites congregated on the second Monday of September in 2021 to participate in The Met Gala, one of the biggest and the starriest events, touted as the fashion world’s Oscar Night.

Some of the best-known celebrities from around the world graced the Met Gala red carpet wearing the most surreal, extravagant, bizarre costumes and looks, in a bid to draw attention towards themselves. The celebrities were seen sashaying in their eye-raising costumes, posing for the paparazzi and commingling with others, ostensibly without masks and in absence of COVID-related restrictions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

While they were busy partying around maskless indoors, the ordinary folks are chafing under the inexplicable restrictions they are forced to endure despite being fully vaccinated. Students at Brown and Connecticut Universities are chafing under the COVID restrictions, which could be described as deeply invasive and infringing on their individual rights. Students, regardless of their vaccination status, are barred from attending public gatherings, visiting bars and restaurants, and suggested to keep their social circle small and consistent.

Students reeling under the stifling measures imposed by Brown and Connecticut Universities while celebrities enjoy Met Gala

Brown University issued a set of new restrictions for students that include strict mandate for indoor masking, limit on social gathering for up to 5 students, a halt in in-person dining and abstention from “small-group hopping”.

The new rules ordains mandatory twice-weekly testing for COVID-19, notwithstanding the fact that Brown University student body has already undergone mandatory vaccination.

As per the new suite of restrictions issued by Brown University, all students, including the vaccinated ones, are mandated to wear masks. The requirement also extends to students’ off-campus residences, with the exception only in cases when the students are either alone or are with those they immediately live with.

From today, i.e September 14, Brown Dining Services will halt in-person dining in all campus eateries. Instead, a programme called “Grab and Go” is being promoted where students are encouraged to get takeaways from the eateries.

Additionally, limits are imposed on social gatherings, with no more than 5 people, whether indoor or outdoor, allowed to congregate. The restrictions applies both on and off campus.

Furthermore, the rules also encourage students to engage consistently with the same small set of social group, rather than attending or “hopping” multiple small social groups over the course of day or small span of time.

The Tale of a Connecticut College

Journalist Michael Tracey has been at the vanguard highlighting the propensity of authorities to impose stifling COVID-related restrictions on students in universities around the country. In an article published on September 11, Tracey pointed out the strictures imposed in a Connecticut College to illustrate how the officials are aping the “Australia-style” lockdown in the United States.

The Connecticut College in New London had its entire student body under mass quarantine. An email sent by Dean Victor Arcelus outlined the oppressive restrictions that were put in place.

Source: Michael Tracey

Students were mandated to stay inside their rooms with their roommates. Visits from friends were prohibited. Students were permitted to socialise with a maximum of three people who are socially distanced and wearing masks.

Tracey mordantly noted that the “Alert” system by Connecticut University was colour coded, seemingly reminiscent of the model adopted by the Department of Homeland Security’s dopey old “Terror Alert” system, which was slammed in the early 2000s for its uselessness and absurdity, but is now hailed as a perfectly reasonable model for the present “crisis”.

Campus centres were closed down with limited access to students with permission. So was the bookstore, which was restricted to pick-up only. Students were even asked to seek permission from their class dean to leave campus to attend to urgent matters in New London County. Camel Ride by Lyft service was also suspended.

Thus, while students at these two institutions endure oppressive Covid restrictions, celebrities and American politicians do not appear to endure such thing at the Met Gala.

Taliban appoints leader of a network of suicide bombers as deputy intel chief in Afghanistan

OpIndia Staff
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Taliban appoints leader of a network of suicide bombers as deputy intel chief in Afghanistan

Taliban appointed Taj Mir Jawad, a known leader of a network of suicide bombers, to serve as a deputy under the new intelligence chief Abdul Haq Wasiq of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

Taj Mir Jawad is believed to be an inner member of the Jihadist group and also a high level operative in the Haqqani Network, the group notoriously infamous for suicide bombings. It is believed that Taj Mir Jawad and his network of suicide bombers carried out the attack on the Inter Continental hotel, Kabul on June 28, 2011. This network of suicide bombers, also known as Kabul Attack Network was responsible for series of such attacks executed in Kabul over the years.

According to a Bill Roggio’s 2013 report in the FDD’s Long War Journal, “The Kabul Attack Network operates in the capital and in the surrounding provinces of Wardak, Logar, Nangarhar, Laghman, Kapisa, Khost, Paktia, and Paktika. It has executed numerous high-profile attacks in the capital over the years. Al Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, and the Hizb-i-Islami Gulbuddin also participate in operations directed by the Kabul Attack network.”

Bill Roggio’s report also mentioned that Jawad was running a Haqqani Network subgroup, that was named after him and jointly led the Kabul Attack Network along with Taliban Commander Dawood (or Daud).

Jawad is also criticized for monitoring the Al-Hamza Martyrdom Brigade, a training ground for suicide bombers which allegedly had trained the bomber that killed the police chief named Abdul Raziq Achakzai.

Sirajuddin Haqqani, another senior leader of the Haqqani Network, has been appointed the Interior Minister in the caretaker Taliban government in Afghanistan. He is on the FBI’s most wanted list. There are several others in the government who are on the list of UN designated terrorists.

Controversy erupts after district administration in Mysuru razes Hindu Temple: Here’s all we know so far

OpIndia Staff
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Controversy erupts after district administration in Mysuru razes Hindu Temple: Here’s all we know so far

The demolition of a Hindu temple in Karnataka’s Mysuru district has sparked a controversy pitting the state government against the district administration. 

After the video of the demolition went viral on social media several politicians including Mysuru-Kodagu BJP MP Pratap Simha and several Hindu organizations registered their protest against the overnight destruction ordered by a tehsildar.

Sharing the video of the demolition, Simha Tweeted asking if the temple was causing any trouble to anyone. 

However, reacting to the criticism the district administration claimed that they were simply following the orders sent for demolishing illegal religious structures across the state. An official further stated that the temple was not on Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) maps and was only 12 years old as opposed to the claims of it being 800 years old. 

What was in the order?

In August, State Chief Secretary P. Ravikumar had asked the district administrators for a follow-up report on the pending demolition drive based on the Supreme Court and High Court rulings and the reasons behind the delay in implementing the order. 

The Chief Secretary in a letter to Deputy Commissioners on July 1, 2021, stated that Karnataka has 6,395 unauthorized religious structures in public places. As of September 29, 2009, the number of such structures was 5,688, however in 12 years, the state was able to demolish, relocate and regulate only 2,887 of them.

Reportedly, as per the instructions, the district administrations were asked to demolish at least one illegal religious structure per taluk and per division every week. Thus began the demolition drive and many roadside structures were razed in pre-dawn operations. 

‘Mysuru District administration misread the order‘

BJP MP Simha, who has warned of launching a ‘Save Temples’, movement claimed that the Mysuru district officials had misread the Supreme Court order and were selectively targeting temples. 

“The Supreme Court has said that only those structures that have come up in public places after 2009 will fall under its order. That too the Court said the structures should be demolished only if relocation or regularisation is not possible. Officers have to examine each case individually,” he said.

Simha further alleged that certain over-enthusiastic officers chose to target only temples while leaving out the rest. 

“Officers must respect the sentiments of the public before deciding anything in haste. In the name of the Supreme Court order, many temples have been razed. As per the Supreme Court guidelines, a review must be conducted before the unauthorized religious structures are demolished. But here, the Mysuru authorities are not reviewing the structures and have outrightly demolished them,” he remarked. 

Mysuru District administration had planned to demolish another old temple

Divulging further information on the demolition drive, Simha revealed, “We have learnt that the authorities have decided to demolish the 101 Ganapati Temple on Sept. 22. This was constructed in 1955 and people from across the city and district have a virtuous bonding with the Temple for decades,” vowing to not let the demolition take place. 

State to halt demolition in Mysuru

Leading the fight, Simha urged Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to intervene and get the Mysuru administration to withdraw the list of 93 other temples marked for demolition.

Addressing the media Simha assured, “The CM spoke to me over the phone and said he will instruct the officers to halt the demolition drive. A new list will be prepared after considering each structure on a case-to-case basis and no structure will be demolished.”

While the city district administration claimed the temple was just 12 years old, Simha claimed that the Uchchagani Aadishakti Mahadevamma Temple has a history of over 500 years old. 

Former CM attacks BJP

Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah slammed the BJP government claiming the demolition “hurt the religious sentiments of the people”. “The destruction of an ancient temple in Nanjangud is condemnable. Since it was a sensitive issue, the @BJP4Karnataka should have spoken to the local residents, The demolition is done without the consultation of the people in the region & has hurt the religious sentiments,” he Tweeted. 

The Congress leader also demanded compensation for the demolition by earmarking a piece of land for the reconstruction of the temple. 

Delhi Police busts multi-state Pakistan-organised terror module linked to Dawood Ibrahim, 6 arrested: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi Police busts multi-state Pakistan-organised terror module linked to Dawood Ibrahim, 6 arrested: Details

Delhi Police on Tuesday busted a multi-state Pakistan-organised terror module and arrested 6 terrorists, 2 of whom had received training in Pakistan. The terror module was reportedly linked to dreaded gangster Dawood Ibrahim, who is accused of carrying out the 1993 bombs blasts in Mumbai and is reportedly living in Pakistan.

Delhi Police addressed a press conference to make the announcement about the arrest. The Police said the terrorists were radicalised and ideologically motivated and had received training in Pakistan for 15 days. One of the arrested, the police official said, was tasked to identify potential targets and carry out reconnaissance of places to orchestrate attacks during the upcoming festival season.

The special cell of the Delhi Police reportedly made the arrests from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. One Sameer was arrested from Kota, Rajasthan, two persons were arrested from Delhi and three were apprehended from Uttar Pradesh.

Deputy Commissioner of Police(Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwah said, “Pakistan-organised terror module has been busted. Two Pakistan-trained terrorists have also been nabbed.”

He further added that explosives and firearms have been recovered from the terrorists in a multi-state operation.

Spilling details about the arrested terrorist’s travel to Pakistan, the Delhi Police Special Cell said two out of the 6 were taken to Pakistan via Muscat, where they were trained in explosives and firearms for 15 days.

Neeraj Thakur, Special CP, Delhi Police Special Cell, said the arrested terrorists have stated that there were 14-15 Bangla speaking persons in their group who might have been taken to a similar training to Pakistan. He added that the terror module was being handled from across the border in Pakistan.

The terrorists had formed 2 teams, one of them being coordinated by Dawood Ibrahim’s brother, Anees Ibrahim, the Delhi Police Special Cell said in the press conference. The responsibility of this group was to get the arms and ammunition into India from across the border and conceal it here. The other team was tasked to facilitate funding through Hawala.

Attorney General KK Venugopal grants sanction to initiate contempt proceedings against DO Politics’ Ajeet Bharti

OpIndia Staff
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Attorney General KK Venugopal grants sanction to initiate contempt proceedings against DO Politics’ Ajeet Bharti

Attorney General KK Venugopal has given his consent to initiate contempt proceedings against journalist Ajeet Bharti for a video where he is alleged to have made objectionable comments against the Judiciary. It is alleged that the video posted on the YouTube channel of his media initiative DO Politics had “scurrilous” “vituperative” and “highly derogatory” words against Supreme Court and its judges.

Earlier in July, Kritika Singh from Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University, had written to the attorney general for sanction to initiate contempt proceedings against Ajeet Bharti, LawBeat had reported. The law graduate had alleged that the journalist maligned the reputation of the Courts using vile and obscene language. It is claimed that Bharti had leveled allegations of nepotism, rampant corruption and directing protests across the country.

Singh said in her letter, “The foundation of justice delivery system has always been so strong that it never allowed anyone to obstruct the way towards equal justice by publicly using abusive language against the Hon’ble Courts and its Hon’ble Judges. As a responsible citizen of this country and a student of law, I would be failing in my duty if I turned a blind eye to this grave attack on the integrity of my Hon’ble Supreme court and its Hon’ble judges.”

What the AG said while granting sanction for contempt proceedings against Ajeet Bharti

KK Venugopal said, “Whatever may be the motive behind the making of these scurrilous statements, it is obvious that the speaker who is quite educated would have known that the result would be to attract the contempt jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of India, particularly since he makes several references to the contempt power of the Court, clearly inviting the contempt jurisdiction, with all its attendant publicity, being invoked against him. There can be no doubt that the statements in question would lower the authority of the Court in the eyes of the public and obstructs the administration of justice.”

What the AG said while granting sanction for contempt proceedings against Ajeet Bharti
Source: Bar and Bench/Twitter

The allegations pertain to a video titled “Ajeet Bharti Roasts Supreme Court, High Courts” posted to the DO Politics channel on the 24th of June. In the video almost 24 minutes in length, Bharti is accused to have made objectionable comments against the Judiciary.

Aligarh: Here is what PM Modi said at the inauguration of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh State University

OpIndia Staff
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Aligarh: Here is what PM Modi said at the inauguration of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh State University

Wishing the people of Aligarh on the auspicious occasion of Radha Ashtami, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of a university named after Jat king Mahendra Pratap Singh on Tuesday.

The ceremony was followed by an inspection of exhibition models of the Aligarh node that is a part of the state’s industrial defence corridor.

“We must not forget our history”

Remembering the late BJP leader and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, PM Modi went on to explain the importance of knowing our history.

“We have had several freedom fighters who at different stages proved their might and gave sacrifices for the nation. But it is unfortunate that the youth of the nation were not introduced to such icons post gaining independence,” said PM Modi expressing content that these mistakes are being rectified.

“As we celebrate Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav, honest efforts are being made to make the young generation aware of contributions of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh and others in our independence struggle,” he said further. 

Praising the Jat leader on whose name the university is being built, PM Modi said, “The life of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh gives us indomitable willpower, the vitality that we do to fulfil our dreams.”

UP is a ‘double-engine’ government

PM Modi also applauded UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for getting the state on the path of development and making it a go-to destination for investments. 

“Uttar Pradesh is benefitting greatly from the double-engine government at the state and Centre. There was a time when UP was considered a limitation and hindrance to India’s growth, but today due to dozens of projects being done in the state, UP has totally changed its image and is today fuelling India’s growth,” remarked PM Modi.

Taking a jibe at the state opposition, he further said, “There was a time when UP was infamous for its gunda-raj, mafia-raj and free run of gangsters, but under the Yogi government, all this has come to a stop. Gangsters, mafias and gundas are kept where they belong – behind bars.”

“India is now a defence exporter”

Emphasizing on the defence corridor PM Modi said, “The world is seeing that from grenade to riffles to fighter jets to drones, everything is being manufactured in India. Even after decades of gaining independence, India was seen as a defence importer, however, breaking the shackles we are now seen as defence exporters.” 

Making an analogy between the famous locks of Aligarh and the defence corridor, PM Modi said that the city will now contribute towards the protection of India’s borders as well. He further announced a package of Rs 9000 crores for the development of BrahMos missile at the defence corridor’s Lucknow node.

Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh State University

Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh State University is being established over 92 acres of land in memory and honour of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh, who was a freedom fighter, educationist and social reformer. 

The university is set to come up at the Lodha and Musepur Kareem Jarouli villages of Aligarh’s Kol tehsil. It will also provide affiliation to 395 colleges of the Aligarh division.

Who was Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh?

Born on 01 December 1886, Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh was born in a royal Jat family. He was the king of a small principality called Mursan in the Hathras district in western Uttar Pradesh and inherited his estate from his father Raja Ghanshyam Singh.

Raja Mahendra Pratap, however, was drawn to India’s freedom movement. Inspired by the speeches of nationalist Congress leaders such as Dadabhai Naoriji and Bal Gangadhar Tilak, he disregarded his family’s views and travelled to Kolkata (then Calcutta) to attend the Congress’s annual session in 1906. He later turned Swadeshi and vowed to fight the colonial rule.

In 1914, Raja Mahendra Pratap left India to seek global support against the British rule. He travelled to Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Turkey. 

A year later he reached Afghanistan and established the first ‘Government of India’ in exile in Kabul. This step earned Raja Mahendra Pratap great respect from a wide spectrum of Indian society.

He returned to India three decades later in 1946, met Mahatma Gandhi at Wardha Ashram and entered electoral politics a decade later. He breathed his last in 1979.

‘TMC trying to kill me’: Another bomb explodes outside BJP MP Arjun Singh’s residence in West Bengal

OpIndia Staff
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‘TMC trying to kill me’: Another bomb explodes outside BJP MP Arjun Singh’s residence in West Bengal

On September 14, a bomb reportedly exploded outside the residence of Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arjun Singh in West Bengal. The BJP MP has alleged that Trinamool Congress is trying to kill him. Notably, a few days ago, two bombs were hurled at his residence in Barrackpore. West Bengal Police said in a statement that the incident took place at around 9:10 AM on a vacant patch of land around 200 meters away from Singh’s residence. The Police has initiated a probe into the matter.

Arjun Singh shared CCTV footage of the incident and said, “The bombs were hurled in front of my house on September 8 and behind the house this morning. Criminals have no fear because they have the protection of TMC and West Bengal Police. The criminals are roaming around openly, the Police have become the ‘Daldas’ of the Trinamool. I was never afraid of such attacks, and I will not be afraid.”

In an earlier tweet on September 8, he said, “This morning, bombs were hurled at my home. Honourable Home Amit Shah ji enquired over phone. I thank him. I don’t expect impartial probe by West Bengal Police, demand for NIA probe. I had informed Jagdeep Dhankhar ji about conspiracy by an officer to kill me on instructions of WB govt.”

NIA took over September 8 case on Monday

On Monday, National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the September 8 incident in which two bombs were hurled at his house, and the gate of the residence was partially damaged. Singh has claimed that TMC is trying to kill him, his family and acquaintances. He said, “This is nothing but a planned attack. The TMC is behind this… they are trying to kill my people and me. It’s goondaraaj (lawlessness) in Bengal.”

Arjun Singh told ANI, “NIA should investigate where such explosives are being sourced from. I have filed an FIR.” An NIA official was quoted by PTI saying, “We are investigating the matter. Our officers are there.” Pawan Singh, son of Arjun Singh and MLA from Bhatpara, alleged that his father was being targeted by the ruling party. He said, “The Police should take action and identify the culprits. But day after day, they are not doing anything. People are also watching this. Such things happen day by day, then the Police will exist only in name. No role of them will be there in the society.”

TMC refuted the claims

Sujhendu Sekhar Ray, MP TMC, said he should go to NIA as NIA is now looking into the matter. “Let him go to NIA and tell them whatever he wants to say,” he said. Partha Bhowmick, North 24 Parganas president, TMC, the area where Singh’s home is located, refuted the accusations and alleged that the blame should go to Singh himself and not anyone else.

The September 8 incident

On September 8, three bombs were hurled at Singh’s residence when he was away, but his family was at home. During the initial investigation, the WB Police found that one of the bombs was hurled at the gate of Singh’s house, and the second was hurled at the Central force barrack located on the other side of the resident.

A senior police officer of the Barrackpore police commissionerate had said about the incident that though no one was injured in the attack, the gate and barrack were damaged. “We are looking into the CCTV footage to identify the criminals. The security of the MPA has also been tightened,” he added.

Jagdeep Dhankhar, Governor of West Bengal, condemned the attack and urged the Police to solve the case at the earliest. He had said, “Wanton violence in WB shows no sign of abating. Bomb explosions this morning outside the residence of Member Parliament @ArjunSinghWB is worrisome on law and order.”

How Priyanka Chopra’s 2019 Met Gala dress triggered a Mamata Banerjee meme and landed Kolkata’s Priyanka in jail

OpIndia Staff
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How Priyanka Chopra’s 2019 Met Gala dress triggered a Mamata Banerjee meme and landed Kolkata’s Priyanka in jail

Priyanka Chopra Jonas and her husband Nick Jonas were reportedly absent at the 2021 Met Gala event held last night. But the memories of Priyanka Chopra’s 2019 Met Gala dress still exist in countless memes. The dress had bizarre feather detailing along with an equally bizarre curly hairdo topped with a silver-straw crown and loud make-up complete with a bindi.

It was described by social media users with terms such as ‘witch dress’, ‘birds nest’ etc. The Met Gala 2019 dress worn by Priyanka Chopra had ended up triggering a meme uproar in India.

Dress causes meme-fest, makes TMC angry

As bizarre as the dress was, things got even more bizarre when a harmless meme over that dress shared by a Kolkata girl made some politicians very upset. As memes were flowing all over the internet, Kolkata’s Priyanka Sharma, a BJP Yuva Morcha member, had shared a meme that had Mamata Banerjee’s face in place of Priyanka Chopra.

BJYM member was jailed for Mamata meme

The West Bengal Chief Minister expressed her intolerance and disapproval for memes and jokes when amidst all the reactions over Priyanka Chopra’s Met Gala dress and memes, BJP youth activist Priyanka Sharma ended up getting arrested and jailed for her Met Gala themed Mamata Banerjee meme on social media.

The complaint was filed by TMC leader Vibhas Hazra against the BJYM convenor Priyanka Sharma for allegedly posting a morphed picture of Mamata Banerjee in Howrah. The meme that landed Priyanka Sharma in jail had superimposed Mamata’s face on Priyanka Chopra’s body. She was arrested on May 10 and produced in Howrah Court.

The copy of the complaint read that the act “broke the community guidelines” and it was being viewed as an issue of “violence”. “She not just tries to insult our Hon’ble Chief Minister, but she trying to insult the culture of our Bengal by her post on Facebook and which is Cyber Crime”, read the complaint.

The youth activist Sharma was booked under Section 500 of the IPC (defamation), and Sections 66A (offensive messages) and the non-bailable 67A (punishment for publishing or transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act, etc., in electronic form) of the Information Technology Act.

Sharma’s arrest was widely criticised. Though the Leftists and so-called ‘liberals’ kept mum because for them, human rights violations do not matter unless they can be used against the BJP, social media users and BJP leaders called out the arbitrary arrest by the Bengal state government.

Thousands of social media users ran the hashtag #iSupportPriyankaSharma and changed their DP to the same meme of Mamata Banerjee, challenging the WB government to arrest them too.

On May 14, 2019, the Supreme Court ordered the West Bengal government to release Sharma immediately. However, going against the SC order, the Bengal government delayed Sharma’s release and she was reportedly made to sign an apology letter. Speaking to the media, Sharma had stated that she did not do anything wrong therefore she would not apologise.

According to the TMC leaders, sharing memes with the CM’s photoshopped picture was a grave crime and disrespect to the Chief Minister of the state. Apparently, this is also not the first instance when the TMC leader had tried suppressing critics. Earlier, Tina Biswas, an author of a novel critical of WB CM Mamata Banerjee had alleged harassment during her book launch at Kolkata.

The Met Gala or the Costume Institute Gala is the annual fundraising gala thrown for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York and marks the opening of the Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibit. This year’s Met gala 2021 theme was ‘American Independence’. The bizarre outfits are again becoming meme material all over the world.

FIR filed against LJP MP Prince Raj for rape, Chirag Paswan also accused of delaying complaint filing against cousin

OpIndia Staff
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FIR filed against LJP MP Prince Raj for rape, Chirag Paswan also accused of delaying complaint filing against cousin

On directions from a local court, the Delhi Police has registered an FIR against Prince Raj, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) MP from Samastipur, Bihar. The FIR under IPC provisions relating to rape, criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence was registered on September 09 on the basis of a complaint filed by a woman three months ago.

LJP leader Chirag Paswan has also been named in the FIR for conspiring to delay action against his cousin Prince. Interestingly, Prince was one of the five LJP MPs who had rebelled against Chirag Paswan’s leadership in the party in June this year.

Reportedly, Prince had already filed an FIR of extortion against the complainant. “It has come to my knowledge that a woman has levelled some allegations against me. We had filed a complaint on February 10 itself and submitted all the evidence before the police,” he had then given a statement to the media. 

Reiterating his stand, Prince on June 17 had Tweeted saying, “I categorically deny any such claim or assertion that has been made against me. All such claims are blatantly false, fabricated, and are part of a larger criminal conspiracy to pressurize me professionally, and personally by threatening my reputation.”

Complainant accused Prince of rape and threatening 

The complainant, a former LJP officer-bearer claimed that she first met Prince last year in the party office and continued to stay in touch after that. Narrating the incident, the complainant alleged that in one of the meetings when she picked up a bottle of water, Prince gave her another glass of water instead. 

“After consuming it, I fell unconscious,” she said. “I regained consciousness and found my head on his shoulder. He told me I was unwell and then I returned home. I questioned him again as to what had happened with me, he then showed me a video recorded by him,” she said accusing Prince of rape.

The complainant also said that Prince ensured his face was not visible in the video and later proposed marriage. He also threatened her by making the video viral. She further said that Prince started visiting her at odd hours to establish a ‘physical relationship.’

“Chirag pressured to not file complaint”

The complainant has also alleged that when she informed party leader Chirag Paswan about the harassment he had sided with his cousin and had delayed the filing of the complaint. 

“On January 15, I went to meet Chirag and after all the discussion, he pressured me into not filing the case against Prince and said he was ready to resolve the matter… I left the party in February and when Prince came to know about the matter, he lodged an FIR against me,” alleged the woman. 

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