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J&K Govt to rename 75 schools and 75 roads after martyrs from security forces to celebrate 75 years of Independence

OpIndia Staff
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J&K Govt to rename 75 schools and 75 roads after martyrs from security forces to celebrate 75 years of Independence

To celebrate 75 years of India’s Independence, the Jammu & Kashmir government has decided to rename 75 schools and 75 roads after unsung heroes and martyrs from the police, army and CRPF. 

Contributing editor at CNN News18, Aditya Raj Kaul posted the order on his Twitter timeline that is part of this initiative. In a written letter dated July 29, the Deputy Commissioners of 10 districts have been asked to identify government schools in villages and municipality wards to rename. 

The letter further suggests that a committee may be constituted at district levels to prepare the details. As per the order, the list was to be forwarded to the Deputy Commissioner’s office on or before August 05. 

Naming of Government Schools after martyrs order letter. Image Source: Twitter

150 roads and schools to be renamed

As per reports, J&K Chief Secretary (CS) Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta announced that the government is in the process of renaming as many as 75 schools and roads each.

This was revealed at a high-level meeting chaired by the Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba to review the ongoing Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav to celebrate 75 years of India’s Independence. 

While apprising the meeting on the initiatives planned by the government of Jammu & Kashmir, Mehta said as a mark of respect, 75 roads and 75 schools will be renamed after the local unsung heroes in J&K. 

As part of this initiative, the Union Territory has also submitted a regional ‘Rajya Geet’ in Kashmiri and Dogri languages personifying J&K’s contributions and aspirations.  

Renaming stadiums and roads

The BJP in 2019 had renamed stadiums and roads in Kashmir ruffling some feathers. J&K’s Chenani-Nashri Tunnel was renamed after Shyama Prasad Mukherjee and the Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium.

While some alleged saffronisation of Kashmir by the BJP, the party defended the move by saying, “Kashmir is not anybody’s Sultanate and everything doesn’t belong to Abdullahs and Muftis here.”

Additionally, in 2020 Srinagar Municipal Corporation Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu, had proposed renaming city chowks after prominent personalities, who were killed during the 30-year-long terrorism. Proposals to change the name of Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden to Kashmir Tulip Garden were also made. 

Netflix wants you to believe that we are living in some ‘Hindu dystopia’, but here’s the real dystopia we live in

Sachin R
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Netflix wants you to believe that we are living in some ‘Hindu dystopia’, but here’s the real dystopia we live in

When Netflix, the gold standard of today’s popular culture, started making original content in India, three of their very first productions were Sacred Games, Ghoul and Leila. Made with typical Netflix sleek production values, top actors and lots of investment, there was also a common theme in all – a totalitarian or post-apocalyptic India, masterminded or caused by Hindus. A society, where belonging to the wrong religion or holding the wrong thoughts gets you in trouble, often fatal. From Hindu Baba planning a nuclear holocaust to the state officially persecuting Muslims, implementing caste purity and official misogyny. The works.

Of course, it’s only fiction, and we need to take it as such. Now let’s make fiction movies showing how mother nature is destroying the human lifestyle through sheer recklessness and greed?

Enough about fiction though. Let’s talk reality. From the mainstreaming of Hindu Holocaust deniers like Audrey Truschke, media’s complete whitewash of Bengal anti-Hindu post-poll violence, opposition’s claims of questioning election process when results go against them, Congress party lying and blaming BJP of losing land to China, and all of this going completely unchallenged by the arbiters of truth – Social Media giants and fact-checkers – it seems the fears of Netflix have already come true. We are living in an era, where belonging to the wrong religion or having the wrong thoughts can get you in trouble, often fatal.

Except this dystopia is not Hindu, it is Woke.

Even in conservative Japan that has stuck to its cultural idiosyncrasies with zeal, Olympic officials are getting cancelled because they made a joke three decades ago or bullied someone in school. Social media giants are suspending accounts if a non-Muslim quotes the Quran. People are getting kicked out of professional groups for wishing on a Hindu festival because only Christmas is secular. Demanding Jhatka meat is communal but normalising Halal meat is inclusive. United States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has pro-religion commissioners from all religions except Hinduism. Not ONE feminist or minority rights advocate feels the need to say a word about the daily abductions and rapes of underage minority girls in Pakistan. None of this is Hindu dystopia, but dystopian it is. 

Psychological Projection

Sigmund Freud defined it as “a defence mechanism in which the ego defends itself against unconscious impulses or qualities (both positive and negative) by denying their existence in themselves and attributing them to others”. In simple words, we accuse others of what we ourselves are. While this is an impulse at an individual level, it has been exploited by expansionist ideologies like the Nazis and Communists in the past as part of their propaganda machinery. Unfortunately, what we see in pop media like Netflix and Amazon today looks more and more like such offensive propaganda. Of course, this is not a new phenomenon. Bollywood’s use of various propaganda techniques has been well documented.

Are there real victims? Not if you read Buzzfeed for news. Nobody was raped or murdered in Bengal, underage Hindu girls are not getting abducted and raped (statutory and otherwise) in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and people are not facing discrimination only for being practising Hindu. Except all of this is happening with real victims and real crimes. And in my view, the ethical aspects of a crime are more serious than the material aspects of it. A whole culture is dedicated to perpetrating this ethical crime today, spearheaded by woke media such as Netflix, Buzzfeed and countless others.

How can we arrest this slide into dystopia?

We can certainly stop funding those who provide it intellectual cover. Once you are aware, you will start noticing certain repetitive themes in the media we consume. Stop funding such media. Also start funding media that speak up against such propaganda. In our real lives, speak up where you can. Ask your political representatives to take note. Do what you can.

The victims are real. Doing nothing is not an option.

The Print tries to malign scientist Govardhan Das based on anonymous comments on PubPeer: Here is what happened

Dibakar Dutta
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The Print tries to malign scientist Govardhan Das based on anonymous comments on PubPeer: Here is what happened

On Wednesday (August 4), the leftist news portal ‘The Print’ sparked a controversy after it alleged that 11 research papers published by acclaimed scientist Govardhan Das have been ‘flagged for manipulation.’

The article titled, “11 papers by JNU scientist & BJP candidate Das flagged for ‘manipulation’, he blames politics” has been authored by one Mohana Basu and edited by Amit Upadhyaya. The contentious piece relied on comments made by users in a post-publication peer-review journal called PubPeer. The site allows scientists to review and discuss published research work. A majority of critical comments of the said 11 research papers by Govardhan Das have been made over the span of the last 2 months.

Screengrab of the article by The Print

Some of the research papers, that have come under the ‘spotlight’, date back to even 15 years. As such, it has raised suspicion of a motivated ‘political’ campaign, aimed at tarnishing the credibility of Govardhan Das. Despite being well aware that the critical comments on a peer-reviewed journal do not automatically imply a guilty conscience, The Print nevertheless tried to insinuate that Das’ research work on based on manipulation. With a deliberate choice of a clickbait headline, the leftist publication ensured that the misinformation was disseminated among its readers.

Govardhan Das responds to comments and queries about his research papers on PubPeer

It must be pointed out that Govardhan Das is the main author in 8 of the research papers and co-other in the remaining 3. The scientist-turned-BJP politician had responded to several queries posted on PubPeer. For instance, a user (Dr. Biskrensis) had asked as to why two images looked the same but were described differently.

Screengrab of the comment on the PubPeer site.

Dr. Das conceded, “This is related to a correspondence published in Nature Medicine on Dec.12, 2006. We are sorry for the inadvertent mistake, a wrong micrograph for “C57BL/6-WT-CD8-depleted” in Figure 2A has been used. This paper was originally submitted as an article (NMED-PI27525) and was finally accepted as a correspondence. We have located the original Fig.5c (made on March 16, 2006 and attached below). This Fig.5c should have been used as the published Fig.2A. For some reason, during rearranging the panels for correspondence format, a wrong panel was used for “C57BL/6-WT-CD8 depleted”.”

Screengrab of the response by Govardhan Das

The Print concedes that comments on PubPeer not proof of research fraud

With a curious and non-confrontational attitude, the scientist patiently explained the errors to Dr. Biskrensis and regretted the inconvenience caused. He had also responded to other such queries, which according to him were ‘minor’ and ‘not substantial’. Interestingly, The Print in its article had itself conceded that such comments on PubPeer were not proof of research fraud. The article said, “While the website is primarily used by scientists to discuss published work, people can also post on it anonymously… According to experts, comments on PubPeer are not in themselves proof of research fraud, but they can trigger probes. Editors of journals where the papers are published may take note and contact the researchers or the institution involved.”

Govardhan Das slams motivated political campaign, says willing to discuss science

In his defence, Govardhan Das told The Print that he was being targeted ever since he applied for a directorial post at a big institute. “I am an applicant for the directorship of a big institute and people are trying to pull me down. All of this (comments on PubPeer) has appeared after I applied for a directorship position. Whatever has been flagged is very minor, there is nothing substantial there. If anybody has any problem, I welcome them to talk to me directly, purely on science,” he said.

The scientist also added that it was not unusual for directors and researchers from institutes such as IISc and NCBS to be bombarded with such comments. He concluded, “If I refuse to make corrections when there are genuine mistakes, then there is a problem. But if I am willing to make corrections then what is the sense in maligning my name? “So far, nobody proved our papers are wrong. Targeting somebody without any proof is unethical and biased, especially when many others also have papers in the same site. Is it my political affiliation that is bothering some people?”

Congress MP claims naming Khel Ratna Award after Major Dhyan Chand instead of Rajiv Gandhi is ‘unfortunate’: Here’s what he said

OpIndia Staff
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Congress MP claims naming Khel Ratna Award after Major Dhyan Chand instead of Rajiv Gandhi is ‘unfortunate’: Here’s what he said

Congress MP from Kerala K Suresh has said that changing the name of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award to Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award is ‘unfortunate’. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier announced that the name was changed since citizens across the country had requested him to that effect.

K Suresh said, “It’s unfortunate. Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister. He led the country into the 21st century. He encouraged sports, youth. This Govt wants to saffronise and that’s why they gave another name.”

It isn’t clear how changing the name of the sports honour to Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award is ‘saffronization’. It’s only infinitely more likely that the Congress MP is sad and angered by the fact that the name of Rajiv Gandhi has been removed from the title of the award, an honour he did not deserve in the first place.

K Suresh had earlier incurred the wrath of Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi after taking oath as an MP in Hindi. She wanted him to take oath in Malayalam. He was also spotted laughing in the Parliament when Prime Minister Modi took a ‘tube light’ jibe at Rahul Gandhi.

The Khel Ratna Award is the highest sporting honour in India. Until now, it had been named after Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of the country and the son of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Major Dhyan Chand is one of the greatest hockey players in the history of the game. He led India to three consecutive Gold Medals in Hockey in 1928, 1932 and 1936. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian honour, in 1956.

PM Modi speaks to an emotional Indian women’s Hockey team, says they have inspired millions and done the nation proud

OpIndia Staff
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PM Modi speaks to an emotional Indian women’s Hockey team, says they have inspired millions and done the nation proud

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday dialed the Indian women’s hockey team to thank them for making the nation proud. During the call, Prime Minister Modi said that the team with their grit and hard work over the years has inspired millions of Indians.

The women’s hockey team that lost the Olympic bronze medal today got teary-eyed while speaking with the Prime Minister. PM Modi, seemingly upset hearing the girls cry, urged the team to not lose heart.

“Your sweat (hard work) has become the inspiration of crores of girls in India,” exclaimed Modi. He also enquired about Navneet who sustained injuries. To this, the team informed that the player got four stitches and is undergoing treatment.

Prime Minister Modi also congratulated Salima Tete who has been in the news for her inspiring journey. Indian women’s hockey team coach Sjoerd Marijne thanked the Prime Minister for his support and informed him that the girls were overwhelmed at the moment. 

“The girls have inspired the nation which they should cherish. Thank you for your support. Namaste,” Marijne said concluding the call.

India lost the bronze medal match 3-4 against Great Britain in women’s hockey at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 on Friday. However, like millions of Indians, Prime Minister Modi too congratulated the girls for a splendid performance and reviving the interest of citizens in the game.

“We will always remember the great performance of our Women’s Hockey Team at #Tokyo2020. They gave their best throughout. Each and every member of the team is blessed with remarkable courage, skill, and resilience. India is proud of this outstanding team,” He Tweeted.

The Indian women’s hockey team that had failed to win any matches in earlier Olympics had made it to the semifinals this year.

‘Will personally see off Munawwar Rana if he leaves UP after Yogi is re-elected as CM,’ says Dy CM Dinesh Sharma

OpIndia Staff
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‘Will personally see off Munawwar Rana if he leaves UP after Yogi is re-elected as CM,’ says Dy CM Dinesh Sharma

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma is out with guns blazing at the state opposition and BJP nay-sayers at the ongoing Panchayat Aaj Tak event. He said that he is ready to personally see off Munawwar Rana who has vowed to leave the state if Yogi Adityanath comes back to power after the elections next year.

In a befitting reply to ‘poet’ Rana’s comment on leaving UP if BJP is voted back to power, Sharma said, “Munawwar Rana is our elder. I respect him. He is a fine poet. He writes good poetry. But if he wants to leave Uttar Pradesh, I will personally see him off as I respect him.”

“I don’t want him to move out. But if he says that he will leave the state if Yogi Adityanath’s government returns to power, he might have to as we will return to power in the election,” replied Sharma if he wants Rana to leave the state. 

MunawwarRana in July had threatened to leave the state if Mahant Yogi Adityanath gets reelected as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. However, terms and conditions applied, as Rana clarified that he will leave the state only if Yogi Adityanath is reelected with ‘help’ from AIMIM supremo Asaduddin Owaisi.

Munawwar Rana said that the AIMIM and the BJP engage in mock battles in public so that the electorate can be polarised, which benefits the BJP and hence urged Muslims to not vote for AIMIM. 

From BMW to Ayodhya Ram Mandir

Sharma launched a scathing attack at the Samajwadi Party and other opposition leaders while speaking at the event. “It will be good if the ones who travel in BMWs also ride a cycle,” said Sharma taking a jibe at the socialist party’s roadshow.

Sharma also pointed that the ones who did not believe in the existence of Lord Ram and regarded Him as a mythical character are now running to Ayodhya for His darshan. 

He also reminded the audience of the condescending slogans released by SP and BSP like ‘Mile Mulayam Kashi Ram, hawa me ho gaye Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Tilak, taraju aur talwar..maaro joote inko chaar.’ Sharma said it is this same cadre who have donned a new look and trying to appease the voters. 

UP and Covid-19 management

Sharma also appreciated UP CM Yogi Adityanath for his grit and determination to fight against the pandemic. “Not once did the CM take a leave. He worked even when he was detected with Covid-19 and when he lost his father,” reminded Sharma. 

“At the peak of Covid-19 second wave, some Opposition leaders were sitting at home and tweeting on vaccines and did not even visit their constituencies. BJP workers were on the ground in villages,” Sharma added. 

Up Dy CM Dinesh Sharma speaks at Panchayat AajTak UP

Commenting on the ongoing farmer protest, Sharma said assertively that no agitation was seen in UP and that the farmers of the state are happy. “How happy or unhappy the farmers standing on the Punjab border are with the government, it will be clear after the Punjab elections,” Sharma said.

Ahead of the UP state assembly elections, the India Today Group is currently hosting Panchayat AajTak UP in the capital city Lucknow. Some of the key topics being discussed at the event include upcoming elections, development, farmer protest and the construction of Ayodhya Ram Mandir. 

Has Modi Govt launched a scheme to increase representation of Madarsa Board students in Army? Fact Check

OpIndia Staff
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Has Modi Govt launched a scheme to increase representation of Madarsa Board students in Army? Fact Check

A WhatsApp forward is doing the rounds where it is being claimed that the NDA Government at the center has launched a scheme to induct Madarsa students into the Army. The forwarded messages carry a screenshot of what appears to be the headline of a news report, although it is not clear if its indeed the case.

Viral WhatsApp forward

The viral text alleges that ‘Maulana Modi’ is ‘looking for soldiers’ at Madarsas. It claims that a scheme has been launched to ensure that the ‘Army has more Muslims’. It also claims that ‘Maulana Modi’ is taking ‘blind Hindus who keep voting for him’ for a ride.

What is the truth behind Madarsa students claim?

The confusion appears to have been created by a Jagran report from the 28th of July. The report said that the UP Madarsa Board had decided to apply for the membership of Council of Boards of School Education (COBSE).

Since the Madarsa Board did not have the accreditation, its students could not apply for government jobs including the Army and related forces. If the Board is accredited, the students will be able too apply for government jobs as well in the army and paramilitary forces.

Jagran Report

Certain avenues of higher education refused to admit UP Madarsa Board students due to the lack of certification as well. These avenues will open up for the students.

“It was recently brought to our notice that the armed forces and several other employment agencies and educational institutions do not accept our board’s education certification for enrollment with them. They ask for COBSE registration from the candidates which the UP Board of Madrassa Education does not have as of now. We have now applied seeking COBSE accreditation,” Board Registrar RP Singh said.

“For this a proposal has been put forth that the Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Language University create the syllabus, conduct the degree-level examinations and give degrees to our students,” he said referring to the fact that the kamil (graduation) and fazil (post-graduation) degrees were not accepted as equivalent degrees by numerous higher education institutions.

Thus, the NDA Government has not launched any scheme to increase the representation of Muslims in the Army. The UP Madarsa Board has only applied for COBSE accreditation, which would make their students eligible for Army jobs.

What is COBSE?

COBSE is an autonomous body under the Government of India. According to its website, “It is established under Article 19(1)G, 29 & 30. Hon’ble Supreme Court (in T.M.A. Pai Foundation Vs. State of Karnataka (SC) 2003 (2) SCT 385.) also has given the right for establishment.”

Numerous education boards have a membership to it, including the Assam Sanskrit Board, State Madrassa Education Board in Assam, Aligarh Muslim University, Bihar School Education Board among others. It currently has 67 Boards among its members.

Source: COBSE Website

COBSE also maintains a list of ‘fake boards’, ‘recognised Sanskrit board’ and ‘recognised Madarsa Boards’ among other lists. Thus, quite clearly, none of this is part of any ‘new scheme’.

Does the Modi Govt have anything to do with UP Madarsa Board?

The Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa Education comes under the minority department of the UP Government. According to reports, the Board has decided to register with COBSE under the instructions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Source: Website

“This step of the government will pave way for the madarsa Board students to enroll themselves in the central universities,” RP Singh said. Zirgamudin, an official of the board, said, “The work of preparing documents is being done. A meeting has been held with the officials of the government as well. It is expected that the madarsa board will be registered in COBSE by the start of the new session. This will be a major achievement for the madarsa board.”

What is evident is, multiple state Madarsa boards are already registered with COBSE. Thus, the UP Government has decided to register their state board with the body as well. Hence, most importantly, it is not part of any new scheme.

Are the benefits limited to Army jobs?

Apart from Jagran, Times of India also published a report, choosing to specifically highlight the Army angle in it.

TOI Report

It is not clear why media reports have chosen to highlight only the Army jobs aspect of the matter, given that the registration of the Board will open up the possibility of all government jobs apart from some higher educational institutions.

It is certainly not related to Army jobs alone. Thus, it appears extremely likely that the Army angle was highlighted for purposes of clickbait alone.

‘Each and every brick will tell you a brilliant story of its time’: Archaeologist KK Muhammad talks about Nalanda University

OpIndia Staff
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‘Each and every brick will tell you a brilliant story of its time’: Archaeologist KK Muhammad talks about Nalanda University

Renowned archaeologist KK Muhammad in a recent online interaction went into raptures about the erstwhile Nalanda University and said that it was much bigger and more ancient than the modern universities such as Strasbourg, Oxford and Cambridge.

“Nalanda, even in 3rd, 4th, 5th century was an international university. We have this first modern university in Paris, which is called Strasbourg University which came up in the 12th century. Then in the 13th century, we had Oxford University and around the same time, another university in Cambridge also came up,” Muhammad said.

Muhammad further added, “Seven-eight hundred years before, you had a bigger university in India, where students came not only from the Indian subcontinent….but from a number of other countries, from Japan, China. Hsuan Tsang was himself a student at Nalanda University. He studied for two years at the university. He then became a teacher here. Similarly, students from Indonesia, Malaysia also came to study here.”

Source: YouTube

Describing the immensity of Nalanda University, KK Muhammad said the king of Sumatra donated four villages for the library of Nalanda alone.

“So when you walk on the mounds of Nalanda or on its soil, you should remember, you are walking in the footsteps of a university where Hsuan Tsang walked over many centuries ago. Each and every brick of Nalanda will tell you a brilliant story of that period,” said Muhammad, who was also a part of a team of archaeologists which had carried out the first excavation at the Babri structure at Ayodhya in 1976-77. In his findings then, Muhammad had declared that a Ram Temple existed before the controversial structure was built in the 15th century.

KK Muhammad has also written a book called ‘Njanenna Bharatheeyan‘, where he was at his eloquent best showering praises on the Nalanda University for preserving India’s cultural heritage. At its peak, the university attracted students from near and far, with people travelling from Tibet, China, Korea and other Central Asian countries. As per Archaeological evidence unearthed in the excavation of Nalanda University, a monastery within the University complex was built by one of the kings of the Shailendra Dynasty of Indonesia.

Nalanda thrived under the patronage of the Gupta Empire in the 5th and 6th centuries, which is often termed as India’s Golden period. . The university continued to flourish in the next three centuries. The subsequent centuries witnessed a gradual decline, a period during which militant Islamism spread its ugly claws around much of Asia and Africa.

Nalanda University destroyed by Bakhtiyar Khalji

Nalanda was destroyed three times but was rebuilt only twice. It was ransacked and destroyed by a marauding army of the Mamluk Dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate under Bakhtiyar Khalji in 1193. The ruined university which produced legends as Aryabhatta, Dharmapala and Nagarjuna were later excavated during British rule. But with the University gone, we lost vast reserves of knowledge and wisdom accumulated in centuries. One can never predict the scientific advancement India would have achieved had this University allowed to function.

‘Sex with wife above the age of 15 is not rape’: Allahabad High Court grants bail to accused Ali in line with Muslim law

OpIndia Staff
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‘Sex with wife above the age of 15 is not rape’: Allahabad High Court grants bail to accused Ali in line with Muslim law

On Thursday (August 6), the Allahabad High Court in a verdict stated that sex with a minor ‘wife’ above the age of 15 will not be considered as ‘rape.’

The case was filed at the Bhojpur police station in Moradabad by the minor girl against her adult husband Khushabe Ali on charges of dowry, assault, criminal intimidation, and forced sex. The accused had then moved the High Court seeking bail in the case. While hearing the bail application of the husband accused of having sex with his minor wife, the Court ruled that it could not be held as ‘rape’. The verdict was given by Justice Md. Aslam of the Allahabad High Court.

He noted that Section 375 (punishment for rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was ratified in 2013. As such, an exception was added to the clause of rape. It read, “Sexual intercourse or sexual acts by a man with his own wife, the wife not being under fifteen years of age, is not rape.” The Counsel for the petitioner claimed that the victim had denied the allegations, before the Magistrate, of sexual exploitation by Ali and his brothers. Justice Mo Aslam then granted bail to the accused.

‘If you want to marry, we can help you: ex-CJI SA Bobde to rape accused

In March this year, ex-Chief Justice of India SA Bobde granted protection to a 23-year-old Maharashtra government employee from arrest. He had allegedly raped a then 16-year-old schoolgirl in 2014-15 and was faced with charges under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, 2012. The former CJI had questioned the accused whether he would be interested in marrying the survivor. The accused, Mohit Subhash Chavan, was a technician with the Maharashtra State Electric Production Company

“Will you marry her?”, CJI SA Bobde asked the petitioner’s lawyer when the matter was taken up for hearing, further suggesting: “You should have thought before seducing and raping the young girl. You knew you are a government servant.” In response, the accused said, “Initially, I wanted to marry her. But she refused. Now I cannot as I am already married.” To this, Bobde further said: “If you want to marry, we can help you. If not, you lose your job and go to jail.”

It is notable here that Indian law prohibits child marriage and marriage before the age of 18 years is not considered legal. Sexual relations with a minor is a punishable offence. However, Muslim personal law allows marriage and sexual relations if the girl has attained puberty. These blatant contradictions of legal provisions are somehow yet to be changed.

PM Modi removes ‘Rajiv Gandhi’, Khel Ratna Award to now be called Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award

OpIndia Staff
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PM Modi removes ‘Rajiv Gandhi’, Khel Ratna Award to now be called Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that henceforth, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award shall be known as the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. The Prime Minister said that he had received request from people across the country to name the award after the Indian Hockey legend. Therefore, respecting their wishes, the name has been altered accordingly.

The Khel Ratna Award is the highest sporting honour in India. Until now, it has been named after Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of the country and the son of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

There have been calls by citizens for a significant period of time to name the award after a sporting legend instead of a politician. Rajiv Gandhi, after all, was not known for his sporting prowess.

Major Dhyan Chand is one of the greatest hockey players in the history of the game. He led India to three consecutive Gold Medals in Hockey in 1928, 1932 and 1936. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian honour, in 1956.

According to his biography, Major Dhyan Chand scored an astonishing 570 goals in 185 matches, averaging 3.08 goals per match. For his astounding hockey feats, he is fondly remembered as The Wizard or The Magician.

Consequently, the highest sporting award in India will henceforth be called the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.

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