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Afghanistan: Taliban killed over 100 civilians after the fall of Spin Boldak, US forces carry out strikes in Kandahar

OpIndia Staff
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Afghanistan: Taliban killed over 100 civilians after the fall of Spin Boldak, US forces carry out strikes in Kandahar

The raging Afghanistan conflict has taken a turn for the worse as Taliban terrorists reportedly have killed more than 100 civilians, seemingly without any reason. The Afghan Ministry of Interior(MoI) confirmed the massacre that took place in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province.

The Ministry also suspected Pakistani hand in the carnage that unfolded in Kandhar that resulted in the casualty of more than 100 civilians. 

“The brutal terrorists on the order of their Punjabi bosses (Pakistan) ambushed the homes of the innocent Afghans in certain areas of Spin Boldak, looted the homes and martyred 100 innocent people,” said Mirwais Stanekzai, a spokesman for the Ministry of Interior.

In addition to the tragic loss of more than 100 civilians, a member of Kandhar’s provincial council said that he lost his two sons after unidentified gunmen abducted them from their home a day before Eid and killed them. 

The Taliban, however, has denied their involvement in the barbaric killing of civilians. 

But the Afghan security agencies claim the carnage was Taliban’s handiwork. Personnel of Afghan forces say dead bodies are still strewn on the grounds in Spin Boldak. 

“They (Taliban) even resorted to the looting of the homes of civilians and govertment offices including the destruction of public infrastructure,” said Rohullah Ahmadzai, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense. “They also assassinated the civilians,” he further added.

By some accounts, those killed include athletes, CS activists, business persons, vloggers & persons suspected of sympathising with the Afghan government. It is also worth noting that Pakistani agencies have long viewed the town where the massacre took place as fiercely against the Durand line and sympathising with Baluch & Achekzais next door.

The current chaos that has swept Afghanistan can be linked to the US government’s decision of pulling out all American troops stationed in the country by 11 September 2021. The withdrawal announcement has touched off a free-for-all crisis, where different terror groups, including the Taliban, are vying to wrench the control of the country from the official Afghan government. 

As a result, violence has erupted in many parts of the country as the Taliban seeks to establish its dominance and pushback the government forces. As a part of its offensive, the Talibani fighters are systematically attacking province after province, increasing their territorial hegemony. The Spin Boldak is one of the areas that is currently controlled by Taliban. It is also the same region where Indian journalist Danish Siddiqui was killed while covering the conflict. 

US military carries strikes against Talibani terrorists in Kandahar

Meanwhile, the United States carried out overnight strikes in support of Afghan forces in the Kandahar province and to repel the advancing Talibani terrorists. The US military retains the authority to carry out strikes it deems suitable even as the forces are in their final steps of withdrawal. 

“In the last several days, we have acted through airstrikes to support the ANDSF,” said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, referring to Afghan government forces.

However, the frequency of strikes has evidently reduced. The US military has carried out six to seven strikes in the last thirty days, mostly using drones to strike the targets. 

The US has long provided air assistance to the Afghan forces on the ground to take on the Talibani terrorists. But many analysts believe, the hasty pullout of the US forces might benefit the Taliban as the Afghan’s fledgling air power has proven to be woefully incompetent in stopping the terrorists.

Rahul Gandhi claims his phone was ‘tapped’ even though ‘Pegasus Project’ story did not prove so, says IB tells him about it in secret

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi claims his phone was ‘tapped’ even though ‘Pegasus Project’ story did not prove so, says IB tells him about it in secret

The Pegasus ‘snoop gate’ story has taken mammoth proportions even though the entire story that was concocted by several media outlets, including The Wire, has fallen flat on its face. Now, Rahul Gandhi has come making some grave allegations on the back of the debunked Pegasus ‘snoopgate’ story. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has claimed while talking to the media that “not just this” but “all his phones” are tapped.

Hilariously, being true to the moniker given to him by people, lovingly so, Rahul Gandhi says that people from the Intelligence Bureau call him up to inform him that his phone is being “tapped” and therefore, he should be careful about what he says.

Rahul Gandhi doesn’t stop there. He further says that his security personnel tell him that they have to debrief their own seniors about whatever Rahul Gandhi says in front of them. It is pertinent to remember that Rahul Gandhi is an SPG protectee and therefore gets Z+ security.

What is interesting to note here is the fact that Rahul Gandhi has used the Pegasus story to claim that not “just this” (meaning the phone number that appeared in the purported Pegasus list), but all his other phones have also been tapped.

However, his basic premise itself is incorrect. While Rahul Gandhi claims that “not just this phone was tapped”, the underlying assumption being made by him is that this phone of his, meaning the number which appeared in the questionable Pegasus list, was certainly tapped.

While Rahul Gandhi makes such statements, it is important to remember that the Pegasus “expose”, which has now been thoroughly debunked, never really claimed that Rahul Gandhi was indeed tapped. They merely worded their article carefully and slyly enough to mislead the people into making wild conjectures.

The Guardian had published an article where they claimed that Rahul Gandhi was another POTENTIAL target of snooping “by the Modi govt”. To make their point, which is not based on facts, the featured image they used contained the photo of Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi.

It is important to note that The Guardian only says that the number was “selected as a potential target”. The turn of phrase makes it sound like the Indian govt had planned to hack these phones, however, the truth is far from it. It is pertinent to note that in the previous stories published by The Guardian, it had itself, repeatedly said that merely the fact that a number appears in the list does not mean that the phone was hacked or that any NSO client even intended to hack the phone.

Essentially, The Guardian said that Rahul Gandhi’s numbers appear on the NSO list that they claim to have access to, however, there is no evidence that he was hacked or that anyone had planned to hack him, let alone the Indian govt that has refuted the claim that it even uses the Pegasus software. 

Therefore, to further draw the link that the Indian government POTENTIALLY hacked Rahul Gandhi’s phones is a lie, one that is being spread by The Guardian with impunity.

Further, one also has to remember that now, Amnesty itself has alluded to the fact that the list of the 50,000 numbers that they claim to have access to is not an NSO list at all. They claim that they found some phones which were apparently infected with Pegasus and then, they basically accessed a list of “the kind of people” that “maybe potential targets”.

At this point in time, therefore, one does not even know where this list really came from and what the authenticity of this list is. While Amnesty claims to stand by its story, there are several crucial aspects that remain unanswered.

While Rahul Gandhi has, expectedly, used a suspicious story to claim that ‘all his numbers’ are being tapped by the Modi government, another claim he made is far more laughable. He claimed that Intelligence Bureau officers call him to inform him that his phone is being tapped and therefore, he should be careful about what he says. It is pertinent to note that in India, set guidelines are prescribed for the tapping of phones. Under Section 5(2) of Indian Telegraphic Act, 1885 state and central governments can tape phones, however, the guidelines and permissions required are extensive. No phone tapping is authorised without permission from the various departments involved and all departments have to fill out forms to justify the need for such tapping.

It is a bit fantastical for Rahul Gandhi to make allegations that he cannot substantiate since it is easier to make unverifiable statements that create an atmosphere of doubt. However, as of now, there is no proof that any of his phones are tapped – The Pegasus story has been a massive fail with no proof of any illegal tapping by the Indian government and further, while Rahul Gandhi speaks to friendly media and makes unsubstantiated claims, it must be remembered that he has provided no proof of his allegations other than his words – which let’s admit – are not exactly reliable.

Model Sagarika, who accused Raj Kundra of asking her for a ‘nude audition’, gets rape and death threats: Read details

OpIndia Staff
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Model Sagarika, who accused Raj Kundra of asking her for a ‘nude audition’, gets rape and death threats: Read details

On Thursday (June 22), model Sagarika Shona Suman claimed that she has been receiving death and rape threats following her revelations about Raj Kundra. The model had accused Kundra of forcing her to participate in nude auditions.

In a video statement, Suman emphasised, “I am disturbed and depressed because I am getting calls from different online platforms. They are threatening me. I am getting threats of death and rape. People are calling me from different numbers and asking me what wrong has Raj Kundra done.” She says she has been receiving abusive calls on Whatsapp and Messenger apps. The actress added, “They are threatening me and accusing me of shutting down their business. They even said that you people watch porn films that’s why we are making it.”

The model said that she is fearful about her life and will file a police complaint on Friday (July 23). Suman has conceded that Raj Kundra asked her to audition for a web series in the nude. She said, “In August 2020, I got a call from Umesh Kamat, who offered me a web series produced by Kundra. When I joined the video call, he demanded a nude audition that I refused. Kundra had ties with a London-based company that streamed porn on a mobile app called ‘Hotshots.’

Arrest of Raj Kundra in pornography case

On Monday (July 19), actor Shilpa Shetty’s husband, Raj Kundra, was arrested by Mumbai Police for his alleged role in creating and publishing pornographic films on some mobile applications. As per reports, he had appeared before the Property Cell of Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch for questioning, after which he was placed under arrest. Kundra was taken for medical examination at JJ Hospital in the early hours of Tuesday.

Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale said, “Businessman Raj Kundra has been arrested by the Crime Branch in a case relating to the creation of pornographic films and publishing them through some apps. He appears to be the key conspirator. We have sufficient evidence regarding this. We have arrested Raj Kundra in this case on July 19, 2021, as he appears to be the key conspirator of this. We have sufficient evidence regarding this. The investigation is in progress, please.”

Another case of Hindu temple vandalism reported from Punjab, idols desecrated and posters of gods and goddesses burnt

OpIndia Staff
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Another case of Hindu temple vandalism reported from Punjab, idols desecrated and posters of gods and goddesses burnt

In yet another case of Hindu temple vandalism in Punjab, some miscreants on Wednesday night desecrated the idols of Neelkanth Mahadev Temple situated in Kalaudi Ghanvda village, on Sangrur-Patiala road, Bhawanigarh. The posters of gods and goddesses which were put up around the temple were also found burnt. This is the second such case in the month of July.

As per a Dainik Jagran report, the incident came to light after Bagga Ram and Tari Ram- two locals who were taking a walk at 5:30 am on Thursday morning saw the temple vandalized. They immediately informed the village head after which several villagers and members of Hindu organizations reached the spot.

As per the Daily Post news report, the villagers informed that when they reached the temple, they saw the idols of Shiva and Hanuman were destroyed, the Trishul was broken and the posters were burnt to ashes.

As the temple is in an open area and alongside the road, there were no CCTVs installed. The police have registered a complaint in this regard at the behest of village head Gurjant Singh. 

Enraged by the incident, the members of Bajrang Dal staged a protest demanding justice. The village head has assured the villagers and members of resurrecting the temple. 

DSP Satpal Singh commenting on the matter said, “The temple is in an open space and was ransacked during the night. The Sangrur police station has registered a case against unknown people under various sections.”

“The miscreants will be nabbed soon,” assured Singh.

Shiv Temple in Ahmadgarh vandalized

On July 10, a case of vandalism at Shiv Temple came to light in Saroud Village, Ahmedgarh, district Malerkotla in Punjab. When Kumar the person taking care of the temple reached the site, he noticed that the Shivling had been vandalized, and a part of it was lying outside. 

Kumar immediately informed the Police. A case has been registered against unknown persons, and an investigation has been initiated. 

While talking to OpIndia, Aman Thapar, district President Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Malerkotla, said that an unknown person vandalized Bhagwan Nandi’s idol and Shivlinga in the temple. He added, “The administration has locked the temple premises. We demand that the Police take quick action in the matter and arrest the culprits.”

Thapar further added that such incidents are increasing in Punjab. Recently, the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib was reported in the state. “It is an attempt to cause disharmony among communities in the state,” he added. 

Delhi HC raps Arvind Kejriwal for not fulfilling promise of paying rent for poor in press conference, Delhi govt calls it ‘political statement’: Read details

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi HC raps Arvind Kejriwal for not fulfilling promise of paying rent for poor in press conference, Delhi govt calls it ‘political statement’: Read details

On Thursday (July 22), the Delhi High Court came down hard on the Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal for not fulfilling his promise made during a press conference on March 29 last year. The verdict came in response to petitions filed in the court by migrant workers and a landlord seeking payment of house rent from the Delhi government.

The pleas were heard by a single-judge bench of Justice Prathiba M Singh. In a significant judgment, the Delhi High Court ruled, “This court is of the opinion that the promise/assurance/representation given by the CM clearly amounts to an enforceable promise, the implementation of which ought to be considered by the Government. Good governance requires that promises made to citizens, by those who govern, are not broken, without valid and justifiable reasons.”

It must be mentioned that the Delhi government, in a press conference held on March 29, 2020, had promised to pay the rent of poor tenants on their behalf. He had also requested all landlords to postpone the collection of rent from poor tenants. The petitioners argued that it was a ‘clear promise’ made by Arvind Kejriwal to the poor tenants of Delhi. As such, the Court held that any assurance by the Chief Minister of a State is enforceable as per the doctrine of promissory estoppel and legitimate expectations.

“The assurance given by the CM has to be considered by the Government and a decision has to be taken whether to implement or not implement the same,” it emphasised. Justice Prathiba M Singh directed the Delhi government to frame a policy as per the assurance given by Kejriwal and cite reasons if they decide to not implement the policy. The Court also made it clear that a decision on the same must be reached within a period of 6 weeks.

Delhi High Court rejects a ‘mere political statement’ argument

Advocate Gaurav Jain, representing the petitioners, emphasised that the Right to Shelter falls under the category of Fundamental rights and the Delhi government is bound by its said assurance. He argued that the trust reposed on the CM by the citizens will be completely breached if the said promise is not kept. Advocate Rahul Mehra, representing the Government of Delhi, claimed that the doctrine of legitimate expectation can only be based on an executive decision/governmental notification or policy and not a “political statement”.

The Delhi High Court, however, rejected his arguments and pointed out that the heads of State are expected to make reasonable and responsible assurances to people in times of crisis. It ruled, “On behalf of the citizens, there would obviously be a reasonable expectation, that an assurance or a promise made by a senior Constitutional functionary, not less than the CM himself, would be given effect to. It cannot be reasonably said that no tenant or landlord would have believed the CM.”

Assurance by Head of State is enforceable, cannot be overlooked in times of distress

The Court observed that it is not the absence of a positive decision but the lack of decision making, which is contrary to the law of the land. Justice Prathiba M Singh said, “Once the CM had made a solemn assurance, there was a duty cast on the GNCTD to take a stand as to whether to enforce the said promise or not and if so on what grounds or on the basis of what reasons.” The Delhi High Court further added that announcements made in a press conference, in the backdrop of the pandemic, lockdown, and migrant crisis, cannot be overlooked.

“The statements made by persons in power are trusted by the public who repose faith and believe in the same. Thus, “puffing” which may be permissible in commercial advertising, ought not to be recognisable and permissible in governance,” it said. The Court concluded that such public assurances, even in the absence of a formal policy, create a ‘valuable and legal right’ for the petitioners based on the promissory estoppel doctrine.

The Court, therefore, passed the following directions: 

i. The Delhi government would, having regard to the statement made by the CM on 29th March 2020, to landlords and tenants, take a decision as to the implementation of the same within a period of 6 weeks.

ii. The said decision would be taken, bearing in mind the larger interest of the persons to whom the benefits were intended to be extended in the said statement, as also any overriding public interest concerns.

iii. Upon the said decision being taken, the Delhi government would frame a clear policy in this regard. 

iv. Upon the said decision being taken, if a Scheme or Policy is announced, the Petitioners’ case be considered under the said Scheme/Policy as per the procedure prescribed therein, if any. Remedies against any decision taken are left open.

Kerala minister AK Saseendran asks father of victim to resolve sexual harassment case ‘in a nice manner’, govt supports him

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala minister AK Saseendran asks father of victim to resolve sexual harassment case ‘in a nice manner’, govt supports him

Kerala Minister and NCP leader AK Saseendran stoked a massive controversy after asking a sexual harassment victim to agree to a compromise and ‘settle’ the case involving a party member.

According to the reports, Kerala Forest Minister Ak Saseendran is in a soup after an audiotape surfaced on Wednesday in which he was heard asking the complainant’s father, who is also an office-bearer of the NCP, to “solve” the sexual harassment case in a “nice manner”.

The victim woman, a member of BJP Yuva Morcha, accused NCP leader Padmakaran of making sexual advances by grabbing her hands and uttering lewd remarks. The victim had also said that her fake Facebook profile was created, and she was slandered through WhatsApp messages.

In the conversation, Saseendran was reportedly heard saying to the father, “There is some small case against our party people”. To which, the complainant’s father then said that his daughter is now a member of the BJP. “How should I solve it? They are BJP people,” he was heard saying.

“If it comes as a controversy, it is bad. You know how to solve it well. Don’t you know?” the minister replied.

Saseendran admits that he had made that call to the victim’s family

The victim’s had filed a complaint before the police on June 28, however, Kerala police did not register any case against the accused. Following that, AK Saseendran called the victim’s father, asking to settle the case amicably.

Meanwhile, following the outrage, Saseendran accepted that he intervened to solve a complaint against the fellow NCP leader, however, he claimed that he did not know about the molestation angle.

“When there was a complaint against party activists, I spoke to one of the party functionaries. At the time, he said it was his daughter, and so I asked him to solve it in a nice manner. I used the same word. He then asked me how, for which I responded, ‘you know that well’,” Kerala Forest Minister AK Saseendran said.

Opposition parties demand resignation, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan backs Kerala minister

Meanwhile, the opposition parties in Kerala have demanded AK Saseendran’s resignation.

BJP’s Kerala unit president K Surendran slammed the Forest Minister AK Saseendran for exerting pressure to suppress a molestation case. “He (AK Sassendran) even called the victim’s father and told him to ‘settle the case in a good way.’ Ministers like him is a disgrace to our democracy. He should resign.”

In a tweet, the Congress party said, “Minister AK Sasindran has violated his oath of office by asking the girl’s father to settle the case. The Left government has transformed Kerala into a land of compromise on smuggling, murder and oppression of women”.

Congress MLA PC Vishnunath moved a notice of adjournment motion in the Kerala assembly asking for AK Saseendran’s resignation and said that the minister has violated the oath of office by intervening in settling sexual harassment complaints.

However, Kerala Chief Minister came to AK Saseendran’s rescue by defending the Forest Minister claiming that he inquired on issues between two NCP leaders in Kollam.

“The complainant is the daughter of an NCP leader. It is learned that the accused is another NCP worker. The minister himself has made it clear to the public that the dispute between them was being inquired by the minister, as an NCP leader,” the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister said the state police chief would investigating as far as the delay in registering the case on the alleged sexual harassment complaint is concerned.

It is notable here that Saseendran had faced massive condemnation and criticism in 2017 after an audio recording of his vulgar phone conversation with a woman had gone viral. He had resigned from the minister’s post but was reinstated by the party later.

Former Roadies and Big Boss winner Ashutosh wants ‘right to be forgotten’, moves Delhi HC

OpIndia Staff
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Former Roadies and Big Boss winner Ashutosh wants ‘right to be forgotten’, moves Delhi HC

Winner of television reality shows like MTVRoadies 5.0 and Big Boss, Ashutosh Kaushik has moved the Delhi High Court to invoke ‘Right to be forgotten.’ In an unusual petition, the former actor has sought removal of all the content from Google related to certain incidents “erroneously committed” in his past.

Accepting the plea, the Delhi High Court has ordered the Centre and Google to file their response. A notice has been sent to the ministry of information and broadcasting, Google LLC, Press Council of India and Electronic Media Monitoring Centre by Justice Rekha Palli. 

As per reports, the aforementioned are required to respond to the petitioner’s invocation of the “Right to privacy and to be forgotten” within four weeks. The matter has been listed for further hearing in December.

Controversies around Ashutosh Kaushik

Kaushik had gained immense popularity after winning the MTV Roadies season 05 and subsequently Salman Khan starrer Bigg Boss. However, his fame was short-lived as he was embroiled in matters of drink and drive and hooliganism.

In 2009, Kaushik was arrested for allegedly driving in an inebriated state and for not wearing a helmet. He once again made the headlines in 2013 for being involved in an altercation at a cafe in Mumbai.

Kaushik had managed to bag some roles in TV serials and movies between 2012 and 2016. However, Kaushik’s plea argued that despite his success, he suffered “deep agony” and suffered “utmost psychological pain for his diminutive acts, which were erroneously committed a decade ago as recorded videos, photos, articles of the same are available on various search engines/online platforms.”

Ashutosh Kaushik’s plea

Kaushik’s advocate Amit George argued that whenever the former’s name is searched on the internet, photos and videos relating to his past life pop up in various search engines including Google. To disallow further jeopardization of the petitioner’s reputation, he urged the court to order the removal of all such material including posts, videos and photos.

Other advocates representing the petitioner highlighted, “Right to be forgotten reflects the claim of an individual to have certain data deleted so that third persons can no longer trace them.”

“Thus, the right to be forgotten entitles individuals to have information, videos or photographs about themselves deleted from certain internet records so that search engines cannot find them,” the petition added.

Kaushik who seemed haunted by the decade-old memories, in his petition stressed on the fact that people should not be indefinitely reminded of their past mistakes.

“Even when information is lawfully in the public domain or originally shared by the individual with his or her consent, people have a right to make mistakes without being haunted by them indefinitely,” read the plea. 

The petition referred to Article 21 of the Constitution of India that guarantees its citizens “Right to life”, which in turn includes “Right to privacy and live with dignity.”

However, it is imperative to note that the Right to be forgotten’ is not yet a law in India as informed by Senior advocate Arvind Nigam, representing Google. 

What is ‘Right to be forgotten’?

The ‘Right to be forgotten’ allows for a person to seek the removal of his personal information from the internet database if the information in question is of no use or relevance. 

This right is upheld in various countries like the UK and by organizations such as the EU. 

As per reports, while ‘Right to be forgotten’ is not yet a law in itself in India, the Personal Data Protection Bill 2019 allows a petitioner to make use of this right and restrict or prevent the continuing disclosure of their personal data with certain conditions. 

Did IT Dept ‘manipulate stories’ during the raid on Dainik Bhaskar as claimed by their editor to NDTV journalist? Here is what IT Dept said

OpIndia Staff
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Did IT Dept ‘manipulate stories’ during the raid on Dainik Bhaskar as claimed by their editor to NDTV journalist? Here is what IT Dept said

Amid allegations of “manipulating” stories and “making editorial decisions” during the Income Tax raids at Dainik Bhaskar on Thursday morning, the Income Tax Department has categorically stated that no such action was carried out by its officials during the raid.

In a press release on Thursday, the Income Tax Department rejected allegations that its officials had “suggested changes” in news stories when they conducted raids at multiple offices of the Dainik Bhaskar media group on charges of tax evasion.

In a series of tweets, the department said that its teams only looked into financial documents during the searches.

“Certain allegations have appeared in some sections of media that IT Dept officials were suggesting changes in stories & taking editorial decisions during their search on offices of a certain publication”. The IT department said that these allegations are absolutely false.

The Income Tax department also said that they followed the protocol and the investigation team “only looked into the group’s financial transactions related to tax evasion”.

Further, the department said that Om Gaur, the national editor of Dainik Bhaskar, is based in Lucknow, and their office in the city was not at all searched by the Income Tax team.

“Sh Om Gaur was not even questioned. The allegations being made have no basis and, in fact, seem to be highly motivated,” the Income Tax Department said.

The clarification comes amidst the multiple raids carried out by the Income Tax Department on the offices of media group Dainik Bhaskar in several locations across the country over alleged tax evasion.

What ‘Om Gaur’ had claimed to NDTV

Following the raids, Dainik Bhaskar Group Editor Om Gaur, speaking to the NDTV’s news anchor Saket Upadhyay, had claimed that the Income Tax officials went to the Group’s digital department and informed the employees that whatever stories they will publish on their digital platform shall go only after their approval.

Meanwhile, the IT Department has denied the allegations of questioning Gaur. The department also said the claims have no basis, and they seem to be “highly motivated”.

IT Raids against Dainik Bhaskar Group

On Thursday, Income Tax Department carried out raids at media house Dainik Bhaskar’s offices across multiple locations.

The Income Tax Department conducted raids in as many as 40 locations, including Bhopal, Jaipur, Ahmedabad. As per sources, the raids started at around 4:30 AM on Thursday after it received a tip-off of alleged tax evasion by the group.

The IT department said that the group has more than 100 companies, including holding and subsidiary companies. The flagship company is DB Corp Ltd, which publishes the news daily Dainik Bhaskar. Besides media, the group is involved in various sectors such as power, textiles and real estate, with a group turnover of more than Rs 6,000 crore per annum.

Headquartered in Madhya Pradesh, Dainik Bhaskar is one of the leading dailies with over 60 editions in multiple languages.

‘Doctored video was shared with the sole intention of bringing communal disharmony’ – Karnataka HC on the Ghaziabad beard chopping case

OpIndia Staff
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‘Doctored video was shared with the sole intention of bringing communal disharmony’ – Karnataka HC on the Ghaziabad beard chopping case

On July 22, while dictating the order on the petition filed by the MD of Twitter Communications India Private Ltd (TCIPL), the Karnataka High Court said that the doctored video that was the base of the FIR against the petitioner was taken up by some of the accused with the sole intention of bringing communal disharmony. Former acting MD of Twitter India, Manish Maheshwari, had filed the petition challenging the notice issued to him under Section 41A of the Code of Criminal Procedure against him.

The High Court noted that though Manish was holding the designation of MD, the company had not appointed him as Managing Director, nor he was ever a director in the company. The court also noted that he had been dismissed from his duties by the company. However, the court also stated that as representative of Twitter India, he was bound to cooperate in the investigation.

The court noted that the FIR was registered in the case where a video was shared by the several accused on social media platform Twitter in which a man beard was allegedly chopped off. “In fact, the assailants were a mix of both the Hindu-Muslim community; thus, there was no coercion to chant either Jai Shree Ram or Vande Mataram as they were unhappy with his amulets distributed by him,” said the court.

The court added, “That the doctored video was immediately taken up by some of the accused with the sole intention of bringing communal disharmony. That accused-1,2,3,5,6,7 have retweeted the tweet knowing fully well that it is a false news.” The court further said that though Ghaziabad police refuted the claims of communal angle in the case, the accused who had posted and retweeted the video did not take it down even after clarification by the Ghaziabad police and it resulted in further tension.

‘Twitter did not take any action’

The court noted that a notice was issued to Manish Maheshwari under section 160 CrPC, to which he replied on June 18. As he failed to appear for investigation, the impugned notice dated June 21 was issued against him. A notice under Section 41A was sent to the petitioner. Though the advocate of Maheshwari challenged the notice, it was stated in Public that he was MD of Twitter India. “Thus petitioner is a representative of Twitter India, and he is bound in law to cooperate in the investigation,” the court said.

The court further said that the notice, that is, the petitioner, failed to take any action even after Ghaziabad Police asserted that it was fake news, “despite it being under the authority of notice to stop fake news.”

The court said in its order that Maheshwari not only has to cooperate in the investigation if the Police feel there is a need to arrest him, but they can also arrest Maheshwari for further investigation and questioning.

The Ghaziabad doctored video case

On June 14, Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair took to Twitter to claim that an elderly Muslim man, Abdul Samad Saifi, in Ghaziabad, was assaulted and forced to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’. The incident took place in Loni in Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh. Soon, left-liberals like Rana Ayyub, Swara Bhaskar, Arfa Khanum Sherwani, The Wire, and several others used the video to spread communal disharmony. In a tweet, Ghaziabad police informed that three accused had been arrested in the case. According to the Police, the incident took place about ten days ago, on June 5, 2021. The Police said the allegations of communal angle and forced to chant “Jai Shri Ram” were false. UP Police filed a case against several fake-mongers, after which a few of them deleted the tweets. Twitter was also named in the case as one of the accused.

‘Do not to overstep boundaries’, Hindu outfits demand probe after construction workers offer Namaz at Badrinath Dham on Bakri Eid

OpIndia Staff
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‘Do not to overstep boundaries’, Hindu outfits demand probe after construction workers offer Namaz at Badrinath Dham on Bakri Eid

After the news of 15 labourers offering Namaz at Badrinath Dham in the holy town on the occasion of the Bakri Eid on July 21 (Wednesday) started doing the rounds on social media, the members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal met Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Satpal Maharaj on Wednesday and submitted a memorandum, demanding a probe into the same. Meanwhile, Chamoli police which began investigating the matter, refuted the allegations, asserting that nothing of that sort had happened.

Chamoli police released a press note on its official Twitter handle yesterday itself, urging people to refrain from believing such unverified claims circulating on various social media platforms. The press note read that the Muslim labourers engaged in building a parking lot close to the temple offered Namaz inside their closed rooms without using loudspeakers and without the presence of any cleric or Maulvi. They also followed the Covid protocol of wearing masks and maintaining social distancing, it added.

It is pertinent to note here that a report by Dainik Jagran published on July 21 claimed that a complaint was registered against the 15 labourers for flouting Covid norms. Chamoli police, however, clarified that the offering of the Namaz was a private affair, and the workers had adhered to all covid protocols while doing the same. Though the police confirmed carrying out an investigation, there was no mention of any case being registered against the labourers. Chamoli police said that in case, during the investigation, it is revealed that Covid protocols were flouted, then appropriate action would be taken under the Disaster Management Act.

In 2018, the central government had approved a project called “Astha Path” to face-lift the temple premises in the holy town of Badrinath. Yesterday, Hindus were enraged after social media posts started doing the rounds alleging that a group of Muslim labourers, who were appointed by the contractor to construct a parking area for this project, offered Namaz in the Badrinath Dham temple on the occasion of Bakri Eid.

Following the outrage, Hindu outfits submitted a memorandum to the Uttarakhand cabinet minister raising objections to Muslims performing Namaz in the holy town of Hindus. They expressed displeasure saying that when Hindus devotees are not being allowed to visit the holy shrine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, then how can Muslims be allowed to offer Namaz, that too at a place which is considered extremely sacred by the Hindus.

However, soon the Chamoli police issued clarifications, calling the social media posts false. Today, again Chamoli police shared an audio clip in which the Superintendent of Police, Chamoli, Shri Yashwant Singh Chouhan stated that the police have not found any evidence to substantiate the claims which did the rounds on social media. Confirming that the Namaz was not read in a public place, Chouhan said: “Chamoli police request all of you, please do not share any misleading news without verifying the facts”.

Badrinath is considered one of the holiest places in the Hindu religion. One of the 108 Divya Desams, the Badrinath temple is part of Char Dham also referred to as “the four abodes”, consisting of the pilgrimage circuit of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath. It is also a part of the Chota Char Dham, comprising of the pilgrimage circuit of Badrinath, Rameswaram, Dwarka and Puri. Badrinath temple was re-established by Adi Shankracharya in the 8th century as part of his mission to enliven Hinduism. According to Hindu scripture, it is believed that visiting these sites helps in achieving moksha (salvation).

Meanwhile, it was reported how Kerala had seen a spike in the number of Covid cases due to the easing of Covid-19 restrictions in the state ahead of the Eid-ul-Adha or Bakri Eid. As restrictions were removed ahead of the Eid celebrations, Kerala has recorded the highest number of fresh cases surpassing the two-month average.

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