Home Blog Page 4044

Houses burnt down, cows killed and caste based insults: Another horror story of political violence emerges from West Bengal

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Houses burnt down, cows killed and caste based insults: Another horror story of political violence emerges from West Bengal

Political violence escalated to devastating proportions in West Bengal in the aftermath of Trinamool’s victory in the assembly elections. Horror stories began to emerge with rape and murder of workers associated with opposition parties in the state.

Even after the passage of more than two months since the election results were declared, horrific stories are still emerging from West Bengal. OpIndia recently spoke to Sunil Baksi, a booth worker of the BJP, to learn about the atrocities he suffered.

Sunil Baksi had filed a complaint with the National Commission of Scheduled Tribes (NCST) as well. In his complaint to the NCST, Baksi had said that a mob comprising of members from the Muslim community had attacked his village in the aftermath of the results.

Baksi said in the complaint that the mob entered their houses, destroyed furniture and other items, molested the women and even threatened to rape his wife. Around 15 houses were set on fire as per the complaint. Following the incident, they fled the village.

According to the complaint, when Baksi approached the Police, they were threatened that the consequences would be much worse if he chose to file it. The Police also tried to have them write that the houses were burnt due to lightning, the complaint says.

The NCST took cognizance of the matter and directed the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police in West Bengal to investigate the matter and present the facts before them. The letter to them mentions caste based atrocities as well.

OpIndia speaks to Sunil Baksi

Sunil Baksi said that on the 3rd of May, he was attacked by goons associated with the Trinamool Congress. He said that he was hit on the head but was eventually saved by his brother. He said that he filed a complaint at the local police station but they declined to register his complaint. Moreover, he was himself slapped with cases under sections 323, 326 and others.

Baksi also said that his house has been destroyed and he is not sure how he will fight the cases. He said the Police is not taking the complaint seriously and has not taken any action in the matter. He accused Anarul Sheikh, Aamir Hossein, Haider Ali, Hasibul Mollah and others for the attack. His complaint to the NCST mentiones Sheikh Faizul and Sheikh Bhirali as well.

He said that he was threatened before the polls as well. Baksi said that cases have been filed against his brothers as well. According to Baksi, the accused live 2 kilometers from his home. He also said that there were two cows at his home who were burnt to death due to the fire.

Baksi said that he spoke to the NCST commissioner on the 15th of June who assured him that he is looking into the matter. Baksi said that case based insults and abuses were hurled at him as well. He informed the NCST Commission about the matter as well.

Baksi is a father of two, a son and a daughter. They are aged 5 and 7 respectively. He is yet to return to his village and is living elsewhere. His children are with him.

‘Govts, please open schools or we will have a generational catastrophe’: UNICEF, WHO chief scientist ask for reopening of schools on priority

OpIndia Staff
-
0
‘Govts, please open schools or we will have a generational catastrophe’: UNICEF, WHO chief scientist ask for reopening of schools on priority

The UNICEF on Monday urged the decision-makers and governments to prioritize and plan for the safe reopening of schools. It also stated that keeping the schools shut due to the fear of the pandemic could lead to “generational catastrophe”.

“It’s been 18 months since the COVID-19 outbreak started and over 156 million children are still out of school. Getting students back into classrooms cannot wait,” said UNICEF in a Tweet.

In a statement released on July 12, UNICEF expressed concerns over governments keeping the schools shut while allowing bars and restaurants to function. 

“The losses that children and young people will incur from not being in school may never be recouped. From learning loss, mental distress, exposure to violence and abuse, to missed school-based meals and vaccinations or reduced development of social skills, the consequences for children will be felt in their academic achievement and societal engagement as well as physical and mental health. The most affected are often children in low-resource settings who do not have access to remote learning tools, and the youngest children who are at key developmental stages,” remarked UNICEF in its statement. 

School reopening cannot wait till cases go to zero, said the release. “Closing schools mortgages our future for unclear benefits to our present. We must prioritize better. We can reopen schools safely, and we must,” UNICEF concluded. 

WHO Chief Scientist also urged for reopening of schools

Soumya Swaminathan, the Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization furthered UNICEF’s appeal of reopening the schools. Quoting UNICEF’s Tweet, Swaminathan wrote, “With teachers & adults working in schools prioritized for vaccination & preventive measures to reduce spread of #COVID19, schools can be safely opened. 150 million children out of school with limited access to online education & midday meals will take a much bigger toll on them.”

AIIMS director suggests opening school in a staggered manner

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) director Dr Randeep Guleria too in an interview earlier had stated that schools in areas with fewer Covid-19 cases must reopen. “Districts should open schools in a staggered manner and bring back children on alternate days, said Dr Guleria.

He also recommended a surveillance mechanism so the schools can be shut immediately in case a rise in cases is observed. “I am a proponent of opening up schools in a staggered way for districts that are seeing less virus circulation. It (reopening of schools) can be planned for places having positivity rates below 5 per cent,” he said. 

Talking about digital inaccessibility, Guleria stated, “Covid-19 has reaffirmed the need to bridge the gaps in internet access. The digital divide exists across borders, fields, and generations, impacting virtually every aspect of life.”

Meanwhile, some states/ districts in India have begun reopening schools for the new academic year for class 10 and 12 students.

JK Rowling receives death threats from LGBTQ activists for flagging the dangers women face in public toilets by men identifying themselves as women

OpIndia Staff
-
0
JK Rowling receives death threats from LGBTQ activists for flagging the dangers women face in public toilets by men identifying themselves as women

The author of the Harry Potter series, JK Rowling, on Tuesday posted a tweet saying that she has been relentlessly subjected to threats of death, rape and assassination after she highlighted the dangers women could face in toilets and changing rooms by men who characterised themselves as self-identified women.

Rowling shared a screenshot of a tweet posted by one of the nasty internet trolls, who apparently wished her “a very nice pipebomb in mailbox”.

Responding to the threat, Rowling tweeted: “To be fair, when you can’t get a woman sacked, arrested or dropped by her publisher, and cancelling her only made her book sales go up, there’s really only one place to go.”

Following her tweet, one of her followers asked if the hate message she had received was in connection with the comment she had made about women facing dangers in toilets/changing rooms from men who claim to identify themselves as women.

The Harry Potter author responded in the affirmative, adding that hundreds of “trans activists” had threatened to beat, kill, bomb and rape her because of her stance.

JK Rowling’s essay and comments on sex categorisation irks transgender activists

Rowling had drawn the ire of LGBTQ community last year after she linked her experience of sexual assault with her concern over transgender access to women only spaces in a 3,600 words long essay.

In her article, Rowling, a domestic violence survivor, said she was perturbed that “the new trans activism” was undermining women and girls’ rights to single-sex spaces by “offering cover to predators”.

“When you throw open the doors of bathrooms and changing rooms to any man who believes or feels he’s a woman … then you open the door to any and all men who wish to come inside,” she wrote.

The article did not sit well with the trans activists online, who immediately called for the “cancellation” of the author.

Even before her article raised the hackles of the transgender community, she had rattled them with her derisive comment on the Devex article about difficulties faced by “people who menstruate” during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?” she sarcastically noted on Twitter to immediately get slammed for “transphobia” for ignoring the fact that many transgender men can still menstruate,” Rowling had said.

The Harry Potter author was accused of transphobia for mocking “people who menstruate” headline. She later defended her remarks saying it was important to not conflate gender categorisation so as not to downplay the problems women face in a world ruled by ‘patriarchy’.

300 buffaloes to be slaughtered for Bakra Eid at Mumbai’s Deonar abattoir every day for 3 days, Maha govt informs HC

OpIndia Staff
-
0
300 buffaloes to be slaughtered for Bakra Eid at Mumbai’s Deonar abattoir every day for 3 days, Maha govt informs HC

In a reply to a petition, the Maharashtra government on Tuesday informed the Bombay High Court that “only” 300 water buffaloes would be allowed for slaughter at the Deonar Abattoir this year while maintaining strict guidelines.

A PIL was filed in the High Court urging the court to issue directions to the administration “to make available places for the sacrifice of water buffaloes at Deonar Abattoir on the occasion of Bakra-Eid which is scheduled to be held on July 21-23 in the Mumbai district and its suburban districts and/or at Deonar Abattoir.”

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) assured the court that an order has been issued in this regard keeping public health in mind. Satisfied with the government’s response, the HC dismissed the petitioner’s plea.

The petitioner who had asserted that the pandemic was far from over, claimed that it had asked the authorities to provide designated places at Muslim-dominated Deonar Abattoir in Mumbai for sacrificing of water buffaloes on the occasion of Bakra Eid 2021. However, he was forced to file the plea when no circular was issued in regards to the sacrifice of water buffaloes for Bakra Eid 2021 at the particular slaughterhouse.

The petition also stated that the administration must issue guidelines on social distancing and other protocols that need to be practised at Deonar Abattoir during the slaughtering of the cattle.

The BMC has prohibited public gatherings at religious places and has asked people to pray at home. Eid prayers with gatherings have been banned at Mosques and other public places.

Petition demanded permission to slaughter 700 animals per day

In a plea filed by All India Jamiatul Quresh, the petitioner urged that 700 animals must be allowed for “Qurbani” per day at Deonar. 

Quashing the plea the HC remarked, “We are afraid, that is entirely the decision of the executive domain and the judiciary cannot grant the relief.”

As of now, the BMC has allowed the slaughter of 300 animals per day from 06 am to 06 pm during the three days of Bakra Eid at the Deonar abattoir.

PETA says illegal animal selling rampant in Mumbai

PETA had stated in a report yesterday that despite the Maharashtra government’s Covid restrictions, illegal selling and transportation of animals is rampant all over Mumbai.

On the other hand, several states have issued guidelines just ahead of Bakra Eid with some restricting public gatherings to some relaxing the lockdown to aid the festivities. 

Mamata Banerjee’s jungle raj: Another BJP karyakarta gagged with TMC flag and hanged from a tree in West Bengal’s Bisnupur district

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Mamata Banerjee’s jungle raj: Another BJP karyakarta gagged with TMC flag and hanged from a tree in West Bengal’s Bisnupur district

Political killings, especially of BJP karyakartas and workers in West Bengal has become a common phenomenon. In yet another such incident, one Debesh Barman, an active member of BJP from Raiganj South (Bisnupur) has been brutally murdered. The youth was found hanging from a tree. He had a TMC flag tied around his mouth. BJP has alleged TMC goons to be behind the murder.

Sharing the horrifying visual of the BJP member being hanged to death, Amit Malviya, the IT cell head of BJP tweeted on July 20 (Tuesday): “It is just another day in Mamata Banerjee’s Bengal. TMC goons brutally murder BJP member Debesh Barman, an active member of Raiganj South (Bisnupur), gag him with TMC flag and hang. These political killings under the political patronage of the ruling party in Bengal must stop.”

Extortion, murder, looting, vandalism, rape, molestation, dispossession and arson have been constant under Mamata Banerjee’s regime in West Bengal. Since BJP made successful inroads in the state, the party Karyakartas and workers have constantly been on TMC goon’s radar. Over the years, several BJP karyakartas have been brutally murdered allegedly by TMC cadres in the state and this bloodbath has only gone on to increase manifolds since the announcement of poll results on May 2.

On June 8, OpIndia listed the names of at least 24 such individuals who have had to bear the brunt of believing in a political ideology and voting for the Bharatiya Janata Party in the state. Besides, OpIndia has also extensively reported incidents of post-poll violence in the state. Horrifying stories have emerged where lakhs of BJP supporters have fled their homes fearing assault by TMC cadres in Mamata’s West Bengal. Several women have come forward with their horror stories that have put the society to shame.

NHRC makes damning disclosures on post-poll violence in West Bengal

On Wednesday (July 14), the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) submitted its final report on Bengal post-poll violence to the Calcutta High Court. The statutory public body said in its report that, after visiting 311 spots in 20 days and carrying out an extensive inquiry in the matter, the seven-member committee constituted to probe the post-poll violence in West Bengal, concluded that the current situation of the state, is a manifestation of ‘Law of Ruler’, instead of ‘Rule of Law’. It added that the loss of faith in state administration among victims is very evident.

Attaching details of the same, the NHRC report stated that it collected a whopping 1979 number of complaints from 23 districts where incidents of violence had taken place post-Mamata Banerjee’s May 2 win. Most complaints are from Cooch Behar, Birbhum, Bardhaman, North 24 Parganas and Kolkata, said that NHRC reports adding that most of the complaints related to rape, molestation, and vandalism and were received through local sources in West Bengal while the team was camping there. The statutory body added that a list of 57 complaints related to women was received from the National Women Commission.

Tribals communities in West Bengal living under perpetual fear of persecution: NCST slams TMC govt over post-poll violence

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Tribals communities in West Bengal living under perpetual fear of persecution: NCST slams TMC govt over post-poll violence

Unprecedented violence swept the state of West Bengal as TMC workers and supporters ran riot, targeting their BJP counterparts in the wake of assembly elections that resulted in a thumping victory for Mamata Banerjee. Following the violence, NHRC visited the state to assess the extent of human rights violations. A part of NHRC, the National Commission for SC/ST also visited the state in July and submitted its report on the findings.

As per reports, the NCST found evidence of rampant violence and targeted attack on Hindu homes by TMC cadres. The Commission found that tribal communities are living under perpetual fear of persecution after the post-poll elections. They were unable to lodge complaints with the police or revenue officials because of fear of retribution.

Widespread violence, several incidents of arson, vandalism, caste-based discrimination witnessed in West Bengal : NCST

In the Midnapur district, the commission found that tribal families belonging to Munda Tribe were subjected to attack by violent mobs, were forced to confine themselves to their homes and were even restricted from visiting markets or selling their agricultural produce.

There were acts of physical assault and caste discrimination as well. Many tribals stated that vehicles operated by them were not allowed to ply on roads by the local police. The SC women faced boycotts from some sections of society, thereby exacerbating their financial woes that were already compounded by the second wave of the coronavirus outbreak.

Similarly in other areas that the team visited, it found that local tribal people were attacked and persecuted in the aftermath of the TMC victory in West Bengal. Political murders went unreported as local police refrained from taking action against the culprit. A man belonging to Santal Tribe in the Jhargham district was found dead under mysterious circumstances. His family had claimed that he was a victim of political murder but the police treated the incident as a road accident.

The Commission accessed the postmortem report of the deceased that revealed that he was clobbered by stones and other blunt materials on both sides of his head.

Even in the Hooghly district, members of the Santal Tribes were subjected to unspeakable atrocities. At least 25 Santal Tribal families were attacked physically. The Commission found that they were forced to confine themselves in their homes and even their women were mercilessly attacked.

During their visit to the East Bardhaman district, the team of NCST interacted with the local people, some of whom confided in them that their houses were burnt to ashes during the post-poll violence. They also added that attacks on their tribesmen, molestation and rapes of women took place in the region. They lamented that the police had not taken any action against the culprits even though some of them were identified

Several districts in 24 North Parganas are among affected by the violence that erupted in the wake of the assembly election results in West Bengal. People from Mahato, Munda, Bedia, and Oraon communities are affected by violence in these districts. It is learnt that incidents such as looting valuables, ransacking of houses and shops, theft of gold chains, cycles, destruction of kitchen and damaging of asbestos sheets have taken place in the region. The team also found that local police in these regions had refused to file complaints and had threatened the locals with arrests for lodging any complaint.

The Commission also found that tribals were threatened and browbeaten against narrating their ordeal with the team officials who visited different parts of the state to assess the damage caused by post-poll violence. In some of the affected areas, victims are allegedly asked to not meet with the NCST team and their mobile phones are forcibly taken away and switched off.

NSCT recommends fixing accountability for police inaction, demands SIT to probe the incidents of post-poll violence

With the utter collapse of law and order and widespread reports of police inaction against the rioters and hooligans, OpIndia has learnt that the NCST Commission has recommended fixing of accountability to individual officers who were either on duty at the relevant time or the Station in-charge officer of the concerned police station for not initiating preventive measures in stopping the violence. It has also suggested the transfer of complaints to independent agencies to inspire confidence among tribals.

In a bid to provide an additional safety net to the tribal people, the panel of NCST has recommended the deployment of paramilitary forces in affected areas owing to the trust deficit against the local police.

The Commission is also believed to have recommended immediate steps to be taken to augment infrastructural facilities to prove basic amenities to tribal people so that they can lead dignified lives.

In addition to this, the Commission has also suggested setting up a Special Investigation Team of the concerned police station of members outside the control of the West Bengal administration to probe the atrocities committed against the tribal people during the post-poll violence in the state.

Appropriate compensation to be provided by the State directly to the beneficiary’s account and rehabilitation of the tribal people who lost their homes due to arson and vandalism were also suggested by the Commission.

NHRC makes damning disclosures on post-poll violence in West Bengal

The admonition from the NCST comes in the wake of a damning report submitted by the National Human Rights Commission to the Calcutta High Court on July 14 regarding the post-poll violence in West Bengal.

The statutory public body said in its report that, after visiting 311 spots in 20 days and carrying out an extensive inquiry in the matter, the seven-member committee constituted to probe the post-poll violence in West Bengal concluded that the current situation of the state is a manifestation of ‘Law of Ruler’, instead of ‘Rule of Law’. It added that the loss of faith in state administration among victims is very evident.

Attaching details of the same, the NHRC report stated that it collected a whopping 1979 number of complaints from 23 districts where incidents of violence had taken place post-Mamata Banerjee’s May 2 win.

Most complaints are from Cooch Behar, Birbhum, Bardhaman, North 24 Parganas and Kolkata, said that NHRC reports adding that most of the complaints related to rape, molestation, and vandalism and were received through local sources in West Bengal while the team was camping there. The statutory body added that a list of 57 complaints related to women was received from the National Women Commission.

Four years of Yogi sarkar: 139 dreaded criminals killed in encounters, more than 1500 crores worth of illegal properties seized

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Four years of Yogi sarkar: 139 dreaded criminals killed in encounters, more than 1500 crores worth of illegal properties seized

Yogi Adityanath took the oath of the CM’s office after BJP’s landslide victory in UP in 2017. After assuming the CM’s office, Yogi Adityanath declared his intention of making the state crime-free and ever since, he has been working towards achieving the same.

According to reports, a total of 139 criminals have been killed and 3,196 injured in encounters with the Uttar Pradesh Police since the advent of Yogi Adityanath’s government in 2017. However, in achieving this milestone, 13 police personnel have lost their lives, while as many as 1,112 sustained injuries.

Speaking about Yogi Adityanath’s zero-tolerance policy towards crime and criminals, Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, Avanish Kumar Awasthi said: “On the instructions of the state government, strict action has been taken against notorious criminals, their associates, and mafia. From March 20, 2017, to June 20 this year, 139 criminals have been killed in police encounters and 3,196 injured. In these actions, 13 police personnel were martyred, while 1,122 were injured.”

“The government has a zero-tolerance policy towards crime, and organised crime has been eliminated so far,” Awasthi added.

The Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department also informed that until now, illegal property worth over Rs 1,574 crore has been seized in the state of Uttar Pradesh under the stringent Gangster Act. Out of the above sum, almost 1,322 crores worth of illegal property have been seized or demolished from January last year till now, Avanish Kumar Awasthi said.

Awasthi further informed that in the last four years of Yogi Adityanath’s tenure as a CM, over 13,700 cases have been registered under the Gangster Act, in which more than 43,000 people have been arrested.

According to official figures, the highest number of seizures were made in the Varanasi zone, where, as many as 420 cases were registered and property worth over Rs 200 crore were seized. In the Gorakhpur zone, in 208 cases, property worth Rs 264 crore was seized.

The Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department Avanish Kumar Awasthi also briefed that CM Yogi Adityanath has ordered to organise ‘Thana/Samadhan Diwas’ on every second and fourth Saturday of a month. On these days of the month, senior police officials and the administration would have to make sure they are available to hear the grievances of people and redress them. Everyone has been instructed to adhere to strict Covid protocols during these programs, Awasthi said. 

Achieving this milestone was not easy for the Yogi Adityanath government as he had inherited a state surfeited with crime and criminals from the preceding Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav’s government.

Yogi, a five-time member of parliament knew that for bringing prosperity back to UP, for re-instating the trust of entrepreneurs in the state, he needs to fix the law and order of the state on priority. He took the task head-on. By adding 1.5 lacs police staff in the rank and file of the police force, Yogi, strategically brought history sheeters to book in each district and protected businesses from land grabbers and extortionists.

This enabled Yogi Adityanath to convince industrialists to come back and expand in UP. In the last 4 years, UP jumped miraculously to the 2nd spot in the Ease of Doing Business ranking, beating industrialized states like Tamilnadu, Maharashtra and Telangana.

The ‘Om Shanti’ vs ‘RIP’ debate: How it is symbolic of a cultural shift and liberals are powerless to stop it

K Bhattacharjee
-
0
The ‘Om Shanti’ vs ‘RIP’ debate: How it is symbolic of a cultural shift and liberals are powerless to stop it

Liberals have found a new target. After tackling global issues such as child pornography and homelessness, liberals have finally found a new target to train their weapons on: The solemn expression of “Om Shanti” following the death of an individual. According to them, the expression is symbolic of the rising ‘Hindutva fascism’ in the country.

Source: Twitter

Liberals have come to the ‘enlightened’ conclusion that saying the expression used in the event of someone’s death was started by Sanghis.

Source: Twitter

In the past as well, the ‘Sanghi’ ties to Om Shanti have been questioned and liberals wonder if it is a “Sanghi Nationalist chant”.

Source: Twitter

Others have gone so far as to assert that the expression is a tool of “caste supremacy”.

Source: Twitter

It is ironic that the conversation on Tuesday was initiated by someone who had pronouns in her handle name. To use her words, “This was never a thing” until very recently, as recently as 2015 or 2016 most likely. For someone like her to complain that Om Shanti ‘as never a thing’ is, quite frankly, hilarious.

Even so, she appears to be someone who uses the words “Rest in peace” or “RIP” in the event of someone’s death, an expression that has no relevance for the overwhelming majority of India. For one, it is borrowed from the western context and secondly, it is tied to burial, a ritual that is not practiced by the Hindu majority except in rare circumstances.

It is indicative of a larger malaise that Indians have a problem with the expression Om Shanti but perceive ‘RIP’ to be the normal order of things. It indicates that the liberal class of India is more accustomed to western norms and Indian cultural mores abhor them.

Needless to say, the hinterlands of India will be much familiar with “Om Shanti” than they ever would be of ‘RIP’. While it is true that the higher echelons of Indian society have been more familiar with the latter due to their proximity and exposure to western culture, it is not an accurate reflection of India at large.

Om Shanti surges in prominence, ‘RIP’ takes a backseat in India

Having said that, it is true that ‘RIP’ was the normal expression to use after someone had passed away. It is recently, over the course of the past few years, that the usage of the phrase “Om Shanti” has surged on the internet.

There are multiple reasons to this. Firstly, it is the higher echelons of Indian society with greater proximity to the West who first received exposure to social media platforms. Ever willing to assimilate with western mores, they took to the term like fish to water.

However, that has changed in recent times. With the advent of Jio and cheap internet, more and more Indians from the hinterlands have started using social media platforms. Thus, platforms now are more indicative of Indian reality than they were earlier, even though they do not fully reflect Indian realities yet.

As Pratyasha Rath, an advisor in the Developmental Sector, said on Twitter, “RIP was an internet thing and a lot of our elders. who are new to the technology, thought it’s part of the new language and had picked it up.” As more and more Indians joined the platform, it is slowly being abandoned.

Source: Twitter

The other part is that there is a growing acknowledgment nationwide that we are not part of the West and we do not want to become the West culturally. Yes, we do aspire to attain the material development that they have managed to gain but we seek to do so in our terms, while preserving the essential tenets of our culture.

There is a cultural revolution underway in the country and more and more aspects of our public discourse is being ‘Indianized’, which is to say, ‘Hinduized’. Ananth Krishna, a student of law, pointed out, “Yes, it’s a “new” thing for the upper classes. And yes, a cultural revolution is underway in Bharat, which is why you see such immense cultural and social changes in a short amount of time.”

Source: Twitter

Having a Prime Minister at the helm who is overtly Hindu in his public conduct sure does help. Narendra Modi has himself used the expression “Om Shanti” on several occasions, which has only served to normalise the term further. It is certainly not all down to him, of course, but when the Prime Minister of the country uses a particular term, the usage of it is only expected to surge further.

Liberals may perceive it to be ‘Sanghi conspiracy’ but the reality is that it is only symbolic of the fact that public discourse in India is getting more ‘Indianised’. And there’s no stopping it. With the progression of time, other facets of discourse would be ‘Indianised’ too. This is only the beginning of it.

Sherlyn Chopra and Poonam Pandey blame Raj Kundra for ending up in adult film industry

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Sherlyn Chopra and Poonam Pandey blame Raj Kundra for ending up in adult film industry

Bollywood actresses Sherlyn Chopra and Poonam Pandey have alleged that it was Shilpa Shetty’s husband, businessman Raj Kundra, who was instrumental in getting them into the adult film industry.

Poonam Pandey’s role in Kundra’s arrest

As per a report published on India.com, actress Poonam Pandey had a contract with Armsprime Media owned by Raj Kundra. His firm took care of the adult app owned by Pandey. However, when the contract between Pandey and Kundra ended eight months ago, he allegedly started using Pandey’s content indiscriminately.

When Poonam came to know about the unauthorized usage of the footage, she filed a complaint in the Bombay High Court against Kundra and his associates in Armsprime Media. She alleged that they used content illegally even after the contract was terminated. In reply to the allegations, Kundra and his associate, Saurabh Kushwah, denied using any of her content. They also said that they had not received any notice.

The story behind the contract between Poonam and Kundra

In 2019, Kundra invested in Armsprime Media that is a celebrity app. Pandey was a client allegedly for Rs 60 lakh. The contract was terminated a month later due to some payment issues, Pandey said. However, in a statement, Armsprime Media alleged that they terminated the contract as her content was too bold and her app was banned from the Google Play store.

Armsprime Media is in the business of developing apps for Indian models. Some of the prominent names in their client list include Sherlyn Chopra and Gehna Vashishta. Reportedly, Kundra sold his shares in the company to the founders last year. During questioning, he submitted documents related to his investment and exit from the company.

During that period, the company developed an app dubbed HotShots that had ‘hot’ photographs and videos of models like Gehana Vasisth. In February 2021, Mumbai Police raided a bungalow in Madh area, Malad (west) and arrested five accused of luring women and men on the pretext of roles in short films, web series and movies etc. One of the actresses who worked for them alleged that she was forced to do pornographic videos.

A case was registered under sections 292 of IPC, sections 67, 67A of Information Technology and Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Rules 3 and 4. A total of 11 people were arrested in the case. All of them, including Gehana Vasisht, was granted bail last month. Earlier, producer Ekta Kapoor’s statement was also recorded in the matter in March 2021.

Poonam and Sherlyn blamed Kundra for their entry into the adult industry

Reportedly, both Poonam Pandey and Sherlyn Chopra have alleged that Kundra was responsible for their entry into the adult industry. During the investigation, it was revealed that Sherlyn was paid Rs 30 lakh for each project, and so far, she had done 15-20 projects for Kundra.

On 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.”

US charges 4 Chinese nationals working with the Ministry of State Security in the China-backed global hacking campaign

OpIndia Staff
-
0
US charges 4 Chinese nationals working with the Ministry of State Security in the China-backed global hacking campaign

Four Chinese security officials have been indicted by a U.S. grand jury in a China-backed global espionage campaign, targeting dozens of companies, universities, government agencies in the US and at least 11 other countries, between July 2009 to September 2018.

On July 19 (Monday), the San Diego’s US Attorney’s Office and the FBI said the four Chinese nationals were working with their government to steal sensitive information including intellectual property and confidential business information. The hackers also targeted infectious-disease research material related to Ebola, MERS, HIV/AIDS, Marburg and tularemia, said the Department of Justice (DOJ).

The Department of Justice (DOJ) said that the cyber theft was of “significant economic benefit to China’s companies and commercial sectors.” Accused Ding Xiaoyang, Cheng Qingmin, Zhu Yunmin, and Wu Shurong were working with a sole motive, according to court documents, that is installing malware on protected computers and steal the data on the computers. As alleged, the accused MSS officers coordinated with staff and professors at various universities in Hainan and elsewhere in China to further the conspiracy’s goals.

Image credit: https://abcnews.go.com

China continues to use cyber-enabled attacks to steal what other countries make: American attorney

“The cyber attacks alleged in the indictment contradict commitments that China’s government has made to the United States and other nations. These include the unambiguous 2015 understanding with the U.S. and other countries not to conduct or knowingly support cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property, including trade secrets or other confidential business information,” the DOJ said.

“These criminal charges once again highlight that China continues to use cyber-enabled attacks to steal what other countries make, in flagrant disregard of its bilateral and multilateral commitments,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco.

“The breadth and duration of China’s hacking campaigns, including these efforts targeting a dozen countries across sectors ranging from healthcare and biomedical research to aviation and defence, remind us that no country or industry is safe. Today’s international condemnation shows that the world wants fair rules, where countries invest in innovation, not theft,” Lisa O. Monaco added.

The US attributes Microsoft Exchange Server cyber attacks to Chinese govt backed hackers

The announcement came as the US government jointly with NATO, the European Union, Britain, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Canada, accused China of a global cyber espionage campaign on Monday.

At an event about the administration’s infrastructure plan, US President Joe Biden told media: “My understanding is that the Chinese government, not unlike the Russian government, are not doing this themselves, but are protecting those who are doing it. And maybe even accommodating them being able to do it.”

It is pertinent to note here that America has also attributed the Microsoft mail server cyber software attack earlier this year, to the China-backed hackers. The brazen cyber attack on the Microsoft Exchange became public in March this year. It is believed to have hit at least 30,000 American organizations and hundreds of thousands more worldwide.

According to Microsoft’s Threat Intelligence Centre, the cyber-group named Hafnium, a group of hackers on the Chinese state payroll, was responsible for the attack on Microsoft. A senior official in the White House told reporters in a briefing during the weekend that the US government had “high confidence” that the Exchange hackers were being paid by the Chinese government.

1...4,0434,0444,045...7,596Page 4,044 of 7,596