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India summons top Pakistani diplomat to lodge protest against vandalism of Ganesh temple in Pakistan, Imran Khan condemns incident and orders action

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India summons top Pakistani diplomat to lodge protest against vandalism of Ganesh temple in Pakistan, Imran Khan condemns incident and orders action

India has summoned Pakistan’s top diplomat, the Pakistani chargé d’affaires (C’dA), to voice a strong protest over the vandalism of a Hindu temple in Rahim Yar Khan’s Bhong City in Pakistan.

“Firm protest was lodged expressing our grave concerns at this reprehensible incident” and the “continued attacks on the freedom of religion of the minority community and their places of religious worship”, Arindam Bagchi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson said at a virtual weekly presser on Thursday.

Pakistan must “guarantee the safety, security, and well-being of its minority groups,” said MEA spokesperson.

The video of the despicable act has been widely circulating on various social media platforms since the incident took place yesterday. However, now, Pakistan PM Imran Khan has taken to Twitter to condemn the incident and said that the perpetrators would be brought to books. He also assured that the Pakistan Govt would restore the temple, and informed that he has ordered the police to ensure the arrest of all culprits and take action against any negligence by police.

Islamists in Pakistan attack and burn Hindu temple in Punjab province

The statement came in the aftermath of the attack on a Ganesh Temple in Pakistan on August 4 (Wednesday), which was telecasted live on Facebook. OpIndia reported how hundreds of Islamists had vandalized a Ganesh temple in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Parts of the temple were burnt down and idols desecrated. 

Taking cognizance of the matter, ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf parliamentarian Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani took to Twitter to post videos of the temple attack and urged the law enforcement agencies to stop the “burning and vandalizing” of the temple. 

“The attackers were carrying sticks, stones and bricks. They smashed the deities while raising religious slogans,” Vankwani said. 

Condemning the attack on the temple in a series of tweets, Vankwani demanded arrests of the culprits. He also urged the Chief Justice to take immediate action. 

Police officials confirmed that the temple has been damaged badly. As per reports, when the police failed to control the mob, the Pakistan Rangers had to be called to control the situation. However, no arrests have been made so far. 

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat had also, Wednesday shared the videos of the vandalization and hit out at those opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), an Act that provides Indian citizenship to persecuted religious minorities in the neighbouring country.

In the advent of this particular incident of vandalism, we listed, 7 such incidents of attacks on Hindu temples by Islamists in Pakistan since 2020.

It’s disgraceful that while Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan leaves no international platform (related or unrelated) to make incoherent rants about the alleged oppression of minorities in India, he seldom looks in his own backyard to check the condition of Hindu, Sikh and Christian minorities grappling for survival in Pakistan. 

Donald Trump mocks US women’s soccer team for failing to win Gold, mocks ‘purple haired woman’ and other ‘wokesters’: Read full statement

OpIndia Staff
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Donald Trump mocks US women’s soccer team for failing to win Gold, mocks ‘purple haired woman’ and other ‘wokesters’: Read full statement

Donald Trump has slammed the US women’s soccer team after their disappointing end to the Olympics. Huge favourites to win the tournament, the team had to settle for a Bronze Medal after losing to Canada in the semifinals.

“If our soccer team, headed by a radical group of Leftist Maniacs, wasn’t woke, they would have won the Gold Medal instead of the Bronze. Woke means you lose, everything that is woke goes bad, and our soccer team certainly has,” the former US President said in a statement.

Donald Trump on the US women’s soccer team

Donald Trump continued, “There were, however, a few patriots standing. Unfortunately, they need more than that respecting our Country and National Anthem. They should replace the wokesters with Patriots and start winning again.”

He also appeared to mock Megan Rapinoe in particular, the same footballer who had once refused to visit the White House after winning the World Cup 2019 when Trump was president. Donald Trump said, “The woman with the purple hair played terribly and spends too much time thinking about Radical Left politics and not doing her job!”

A significant section of Americans had celebrated the US women’s soccer team’s defeat in the semifinals. Their primary grouse was that the team is ‘woke’ and does not reflect American ideals. Gwen Barry, another ‘woke’ athlete, was also mocked and her disappointing 11th position finish was also celebrated by Americans.

The team that USA lost to in the semifinals, Canada, is what Trump and his supporters would call ‘woke’ as well. The Canadian team had Quinn, the first trans male player to participate in the Olympics.

Although she is biologically female, she identifies herself as ‘male.’ Her first match against Japan at Sapporo made her the first ‘openly transgender’ to participate in an Olympic event. She was a member of the Canadian soccer team at the 2016 Rio Olympics as well, which saw the country win a bronze medal. At that time, she participated in soccer events as a female player.

41 stolen artefacts returned during 7 years of PM Modi regime, Congress brought less than 10 pcs: Culture Minister

OpIndia Staff
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41 stolen artefacts returned during 7 years of PM Modi regime, Congress brought less than 10 pcs: Culture Minister

The Union Minister of Culture and Tourism G Kishan Reddy on Thursday informed that since the time the Modi government came to power in 2014, India has repatriated 41 heritage artefacts back to the country which is more than 75% of the total objects returned to date.

In a written reply to Rajya Sabha, Reddy said that a total of 54 antiquities have been retrieved from foreign countries till date since 1976, out of which 41 have been repatriated under PM Modi’s leadership.

Giving more details later, Shri G Kishan Reddy said: “It is a matter of pride that we have been able to retrieve many of our stolen heritage objects from abroad. The number of antiquities recovered in the last seven years is the highest ever. Since 2014, India has repatriated 41 heritage objects back to India which is more than 75% of the total objects returned.

He credited PM Modi for his relentless efforts, which led to the retrieval of the heritage antiquities, said Reddy. “I believe that the recent success is because of our continuously improving cultural relations that were made possible due to the warm personal relations that our Prime Minister shares with various heads of states and hence their expeditious return was made possible”, the Culture Minister added.

Reddy also lauded the tireless efforts of various government agencies like ASI, CBI among others in this endeavour.

Congress brought back less than 10 antiquities in its 25 years of ruling

He further claimed that the Nehru-Gandhi family’s succeeding leaders were more concerned with amassing wealth for themselves than with safeguarding India’s cultural and civilisational wealth.

“Since 1976 the Congress government which has ruled for close to 25 years, brought back less than 10 antiquities. This shows a total lack of commitment and respect that successive Congress governments showed towards preserving our Indian civilizational heritage. Successive leaders of the Nehru-Gandhi family were more interested in accruing wealth for themselves rather than protecting India’s cultural and civilisational wealth,” Reddy added.

Australia decides to hand over 14 artefacts to Modi Govt

Only a week ago, the National Gallery of Australia had decided to return 14 artefacts of cultural significance to the Indian government. On July 29, OpIndia reported that a total of 14 artefacts being repatriated, includes six bronze or stone sculptures, a brass processional standard, a painted scroll, and six photographs. The collection is worth about $2.2 million (approximately Rs 16.34 crore). Some of them date back to the 12th Century.

The director of NGA, while speaking on his decision, contributed it to the relationship Australia and India shared with each other. “This is the right thing to do, it’s culturally responsible and the result of collaboration between Australia and India.”

Finance Ministry introduces bill to withdraw retrospective tax and refund collected amounts, says the tax is a sore point for investors

OpIndia Staff
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Finance Ministry introduces bill to withdraw retrospective tax and refund collected amounts, says the tax is a sore point for investors

One of the worst legacies of the UPA government carried forward by the Modi government, the provision for Retrospective Tax, is finally set to be buried. The union finance ministry on Thursday informed the Lok Sabha that it is bringing an amendment to the Income Tax Act, 1961 to this effect. The move comes even as the govt has challenged international arbitration awards against the govt in the Vodafone and Cairn Energy retrospective tax cases.

In a statement issued in the parliament today, the ministry said, “The Bill proposes to amend the Income-tax Act, 1961 so as to provide that no tax demand shall be raised in future on the basis of the said retrospective amendment for any indirect transfer of Indian assets if the transaction was undertaken before 28th May, 2012 (i.e., the date on which the Finance Bill, 2012 received the assent of the President).”

Moreover, tax demands already made for indirect transfer of Indian assets made before 28th May, 2012 will be nullified under this amendment, subject to fulfilment of certain conditions, such as undertaking that the companies will withdraw all cases or that they will not file any case against the govt of India, and that they will not claim any cost, damage, interest etc.

Accordingly, the draft for the amendment has been prepared, which says that section 9 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 will be amended to ensure that no tax demand shall be raised in future on any income arising out of the sale of assets in India as a result of the transfer of a share or interest in a company or entity registered or incorporated outside India before 28 May 2012.

The amendment also says that if any amount was already paid in respect to such retrospective tax demands, such amounts will be refunded. But no interest under section 244A will be paid on such refunds. However, to get the benefits of these amendments, companies facing retrospective tax demands will have to withdraw all petitions and appeals they may have filed in High Court, Supreme Court, arbitrators etc.

The retrospective amendment was brought in by the UPA govt in 2012 after the Supreme Court of India has ruled that based on the existing laws in the country, the govt had no power to demand tax on gains made on indirect asset transfer in India arising of transactions taking place outside India. In response to this verdict, the govt had introduced the amendment with retrospective effect, which meant it now had the authority to demand such taxes.

The statement issued by the ministry said that this amendment had invited criticism because these were given retrospective effects. The major criticisms were that such retrospective amendments militate against the principle of tax certainty and damage India’s reputation as an attractive destination for investment. While several major reforms have been initiated in the financial and infrastructure sector in recent years which has created a positive environment for investment in the country, the retrospective tax provision and the demand made under it remain a sore point with potential investors, the statement said.

Therefore, the government of India decided to bring an amendment to the Income Tax Act to remove the provisions of Retrospective tax demand.

YouTuber Karl Rock romanticises Pakistan’s treatment of Hindu temples a day after a mob desecrated one: Here are the details

OpIndia Staff
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YouTuber Karl Rock romanticises Pakistan’s treatment of Hindu temples a day after a mob desecrated one: Here are the details

New Zealand vlogger Karl Rock, who was blacklisted by the Indian authorities for violation of multiple visa norms on multiple counts, has posted a series of videos on Pakistan and the Hindu temples situated in the Islamic Republic in an attempt to play down the atrocities against the Hindus in the country.

In a series of three videos, the New Zealand-based controversial vlogger attempted to depict Pakistan as a ‘safe haven’ for Hindus by visiting a few Hindu temples in Pakistan to show how the Islamic country is ‘preserving’ the culture of Hindus.

In his first video published a week ago, Karl Rock visited a Hindu temple on the outskirts of Mirpur city in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The Youtuber travels inside the Ramkot Fort situated on the huge Mangla Dam to unearth the Hindu temple that was ravaged by the Muslim rulers of Kashmir.

The remains of the Shivling hidden inside the fort overseeing the Mangala Dam was shown by Karl Rock in his video.

However, he fails to explain why did Muslim invaders destroy the Hindu temple present at the spot to raise a fort on top of it.

In his second video, published a few days ago, he visited another temple in the old city of Mirpur, the city which is submerged following the construction of Mangala Dam on the Jhelum river. The ancient Hindu temple, offshore the Mangala Dam, can be seen ravaged due to its sinking under the Jhelum river. In the video, Rock said it is not just the temple alone, but a mosque and a gurudwara are submerged after the Pakistan government decided to construct a dam on the banks of Mirpur.

In the following video released on Thursday, Karl Rock travelled to Sialkot to have a glimpse of the Shiva temple. He then casually tells the history of the temple that was built by Sardar Teja Singh and how the temple was sealed in 1947 following the partition.

Interestingly, Rock also highlights that miscreants partially demolished the temple in 1992 following the Babri Masjid demolition in Pakistan. More than 30 temples across Pakistan were attacked by Islamists in 1992 as a reaction to the demolition of the Babri Masjid in India. However, Karl Rock glosses over the atrocities committed by the Islamists against the Hindus in Pakistan by simply saying the act was ‘wrong’.

Karl Rock whitewashes atrocities against Hindus, glorifies Pakistan

However, he does not stop there. Karl Rock goes on to continue to peddle pro-Pakistan propaganda by claiming that Prime Minister Imran Khan, in a goodwill gesture to Hindus, had reopened the temple to Hindus after 72 years.

“In 2019, the Pakistan government renovated and formally handed over the centuries-old Shivala Teja Singh Temple to the Pakistan Hindu Council for facilitating pilgrim visits and other rituals,” the Youtuber said in an attempt to romanticise how ‘secular’ and tolerant’ Pakistan was in terms of treating its minorities.

Shockingly, Karl Rock has released his pro-Pakistan propaganda videos to glorify Pakistan just a day after Islamists had vandalised and burnt down a Ganesha temple in Pakistan’s Punjab province. The mob had attacked the temple on Wednesday at Bhong city of Rahim Yar Khan district. This is just one attack in the ongoing series of attacks against Hindus by Islamists in Pakistan.

The video of the incident had stoked massive outrage on the internet, with several Hindus worldwide condemning Pakistan for its continued atrocities against Hindus. Yet, strangely, just a day after the brutal incident, Karl Rock uploads his videos to show Pakistan in a good light and misinform people that everything was well for Hindus in Pakistan.  

Karl Rock, who is a frequent visitor and often an influencer working to push the pro-Pakistan narrative on social media platforms, seems to have uploaded his videos on Hindu temples in Pakistan to create a narrative that Hindus are safe in the Islamic country and to peddle propaganda in favour of Pakistani establishment that they were treating the minorities well.

It is not the first time that Karl Rock has been pushing such a pro-Pakistan agenda through his videos on Youtube. He has posted several videos in the past from Pakistan, which may be one of the reasons why the Indian government took an extreme step to blacklist his visa.

Karl Rock and his love for Pakistan

For several months, Karl Rock has stayed in Pakistan, a country he had claimed to have left abruptly just three years ago because the ISI was watching him, suspecting him of being a spy. In recent months, he has posted several videos on his YouTube channel chronicling his visit to various places in Pakistan.

Karl Rock had even visited Pakistan occupied Kashmir. In January and February this year, he had posted several videos showing his visit to the ‘other side of Kashmir’. While he is a traveller and he has the right to pursue his interest, his visit to PoK had raised eyebrows in the Indian security establishment.

As Karl Rock repeatedly violated his Visa norms in India, the Indian government blacklisted him from entering India over multiple Visa violations in July this year.

Afghanistan: Taliban terrorists kill historian Abdullah Atefi, torture and execute him in Chora, Uruzgan

OpIndia Staff
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Afghanistan: Taliban terrorists kill historian Abdullah Atefi, torture and execute him in Chora, Uruzgan

The Taliban terrorists are fast gaining control over large chunks of Afghan territory. As areas fall under the Taliban’s control news of torture, and executions are filling in. As per the latest reports, Abdullah Atefi, a noted Afghan poet and historian was brutally killed by the Taliban last night.

As per reports in Afghan media, the incident occurred in southern Afghanistan’s Uruzgan province.

Afghan Vice President Amarullah Saleh has confirmed the news. Saleh has stated that Atefi was taken out of his home in the Chora district of Uruzgan by the Taliban. He was later shot in the head. He added that the Taliban killed Atefi because he was a scholar of economics and history.

The Vice President added, “The Afghan brain is under attack. Taliban and its backers in Pakistan want a wasteland.”

Atefi’s home district of Chora has been under Taliban control since June this year. The Taliban is yet to comment on the murder.

A number of prominent voices in the region have condemned the murder, stating that Atefi’s murder shows that the Taliban is against education and awareness. Atefi was reportedly educating Pashtun young men and was playing a crucial role in deviating them from violence.

Earlier, a popular comedian named Nazar Mohammad alias Khasa Zwan was brutally killed by the Taliban. In videos that were circulated later, Taliban terrorists were seen assaulting the comedian before killing him. In July, Reuters photojournalist Danish Siddiqui was also killed by the Taliban. Though the media tried to whitewash the incident saying he was ‘caught in a crossfire’, it was later revealed that the Taliban was aware of his identity as an Indian.

Siddiqui, who had taken shelter in a mosque after getting a bullet injury, was reportedly dragged out and brutalized before being riddled with several bullets.

While pontificating about the pandemic, SP and Congress carry out massive rallies violating COVID protocols even as threat of third wave looms large

OpIndia Staff
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While pontificating about the pandemic, SP and Congress carry out massive rallies violating COVID protocols even as threat of third wave looms large

Unruffled by the looming threat of the third wave of Covid-19, opposition parties like the Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) have reportedly taken out massive rallies in the heart of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh respectively today.

According to reports, the Congress senior leader Rahul Gandhi addressed a huge gathering of people in the national capital today. In a place like Delhi, which became the epicentre of India’s Covid mismanagement, both during the first and the second wave, hundreds of thousands of people, were seen flouting the Covid norms, as they accumulated to catch a glimpse of the Gandhi scion.

As seen in the video, shared by BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya, most of the people, who are not even wearing masks, are falling on each other, as Rahul Gandhi takes the center stage to address the crowd.

Likewise, in Uttar Pradesh, keeping an eye on the upcoming Assembly elections, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav embarked on a ‘cycle yatra’ to attack the BJP government both in the state and centre over issues like price rise, unemployment, farm laws and crime rate.

In the video of this event too, thousands of SP supporters, flouting the Covid-19 norms, are seen huddling together. Most of the Akhilesh Yadav supporters, who have thronged the streets of the state capital, are seen without masks. Together with disrupting traffic during heavy traffic hours, the Samajwadi Party members are also shamelessly risking the lives of thousands of citizens amidst the ongoing pandemic.

Samajwadi Party-friendly ‘journalist’ Rohini Singh, who is notoriously known for fake news and propaganda and had come under scrutiny over her coverage of 2017 UP election coverage for appearing to be too ‘pro-Samajwadi Party’, shared a snippet of the event on Twitter captioning it: “Noida channels would keep asking where is the opposition but will refuse to see the opposition whenever it is on the streets”.

On expected lines, the self-proclaimed journalist Rohini Singh, in her Tweet, goes on to pontificate Uttar Pradesh journalists but does not even mention once how the Samajwadi loyalists and supporters have completely disregarded the Covid protocols while embarking on their show of strength before the UP Assembly elections.

Pictures and videos of these two events doing the round on social media platforms have invited the wrath of Netizens, who have called out Congress bigwig Rahul Gandhi and the SP supremo for their hypocrisy.

Congress former party leader Shehzad Poonawala Tweeted how for these ‘Lutyen experts’, “”Secular” cycle rallies are Covid proof! Eid celebrations in Kerala are Covid proof Sansad Gherao by Rahul Gandhi & IYC is Covid proof Only Kumbh Mela is a SUPER SPREADER”.

Sharing a snippet from the past in which Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tries his utmost best to vilify the Hindu’s Kumbh Mela characterising it as a Covid ‘super spreader’ event, Shehzad Poonawala, in another Tweet writes: “If hypocrisy had a face it would look like this”.

It becomes important to recall here, how the exposed Congress Toolkit entailed a plan of action for the Congress leaders and supporters to exploit the ongoing COVID-19 crisis in the country to target the Modi government and revive its own moribund political fortunes.

The document titled ‘Cornering Narendra Modi & Covid Mismanagement’ in the toolkit had highlighted how the ‘Kumbh mela’ is to be used to malign the Hindu festival and the ruling party. The “toolkit” suggested politicizing the congregation by repeatedly labelling it as a ‘super spreader’ to hint at BJP’s Hindu politics. 

Maharashtra Govt not cooperating in Anil Deshmukh case, cops threatening CBI officers: CBI tells Bombay High Court

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra Govt not cooperating in Anil Deshmukh case, cops threatening CBI officers: CBI tells Bombay High Court

The CBI team investigating the involvement of former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh in the extortion case has approached the Bombay High Court alleging no co-operation from the Maharashtra government. 

The CBI in its plea also informed that a Mumbai ACP threatening the CBI officers investigating the case. 

Taking cognizance of the complaint, the Bench issued a notice to the Maharashtra government and listed the matter for hearing on August 11. “We are issuing notice to the government. Some ACP is threatening the CBI officers. Find out what the situation is. Please do not create an unfair situation that we have to take them (police) to task,” ordered the bench.

The court also directed the CBI to add the Additional Chief Secretary (Home Department) of the state as a respondent to the application. “Please ensure that the directions given by this court and the order passed earlier are followed in letter and spirit,” the Bench informed the state government.

State Intelligence Department refuses to share documents

The investigation pertaining to alleged irregularities against the state’s former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh is in knots. The CBI had sought details of a communication sent by senior IPS officer Rashmi Shukla on the issue of corruption in police transfers and postings. 

However, as per reports, the SID refused to furnish the documents, claiming they were part of an ongoing investigation. 

This is despite CBI getting clearance from the High Court in July to investigate the matter. The HC had also dismissed a petition filed by the Maharashtra government, seeking that some parts of the central agency’s FIR against Deshmukh be quashed. 

The Maharashtra government had submitted that it will move the Supreme Court against HC’s July 22 order. “This was in clear violation of the order of the High Court which categorically had refused a stay on its order and no such order had yet been obtained from the Supreme Court,” said the CBI. 

However, the HC clarified that while the government may be challenging the July order in the apex court, the concern at hand is that the government is not handing over the documents sought by the CBI.

Meanwhile, NCP leader Anil Deshmukh who has been accused of corruption and several other charges is absconding. Since the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) became a party to the investigation, acting on an order by the Bombay High Court, the former minister is on the run. 

The ED searched for Deshmukh last week at his known residences in Mumbai, Nagpur and Katol (Nagpur district) but failed to locate him.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered an FIR against former Maharashtra Home Minister and NCP leader Anil Deshmukh om 24 April in the case of extortion allegations levelled against by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh. Deshmukh had resigned from his post in the Uddhav Thackeray earlier in that month after the High Court had directed the CBI to probe the allegations against him.

Pakistan: Read about the 7 Hindu temples vandalized and destroyed by Islamists since 2020

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: Read about the 7 Hindu temples vandalized and destroyed by Islamists since 2020

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan leaves no international platform (related or unrelated) to make incoherent rants about the alleged oppression of minorities in India. But seldom has he looked in his own backyard to check the condition of Hindu, Sikh and Christian minorities grappling for survival in Pakistan. 

The growing menace of forceful abduction, rape and marriage of Hindu girls especially minors in Pakistan is a known fact. However, that’s not where the atrocities on the mere 2.14% (Hindu population) stop. Attack on Hindu communities, their houses, businesses and even temples are on a rise in the neighbouring country.

Here’s how many Hindu temples were attacked in Pakistan in the past year. 

Ganesha Temple in Bhong

Emotions raged as the video of a Ganesha temple in Pakistan’s Punjab province being vandalized and burnt down went viral on social media. The mob attacked the temple on Wednesday at Bhong city of Rahim Yar Khan district. 

The temple was attacked with sticks, stones and bricks by the crazed locals from the majority population. A part of the temple was razed and idols lay desecrated.

Under construction temple vandalized in Islammabad

An under-construction temple of Lord Krishna which was to be Islamabad’s first Hindu temple was attacked in July last year. The Capital Development Authority had to order stoppage of the construction after the boundary walls of the temple were razed down by local Muslims. 

The temple construction was approved by the city authorities who had even allocated funds but later said that the matter of construction using government funds should be referred to the Council of Islamic Ideology- a government-approved body that advises on religious matters. The Hindu Panchayat is now constructing the temple from its own finances. 

Pre-partition Hanuman temple razed in Lyari

In August last year, a builder reportedly demolished a pre-partition Hanuman temple in Pakistan’s Lyari. As per the Hindu locals, the builder had assured that the temple would not be touched during ongoing construction.

Hanuman Temple in Lyari demolished. Image Source: National Herald

However, the temple was reduced to a pile of bricks on August 16 last year. “We tried to enter the temple but were denied entry by the builder,” narrated a local alleging that the builder had deceived the residents living there.

Members from the 18 families living around the temple had said they had seen and visited the temple since their childhood. 

Shri Ram temple attacked

In October last year,  Shri Ram Mandir in Nagarparkar was vandalized in the Sindh province of Pakistan.

The unidentified miscreants damaged the head of the idol of Hinglaj Mata and desecrated the shrine.

As per reports, Pakistani human rights activist and spokeswoman for Justice for Minorities in Pakistan Anila Gulzar said that only 20 temples out of 428 are left in Sindh. 

Temple in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa razed by a mob of hundreds

Hundreds of Pakistanis were seen burning and razing down a Hindu temple in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in December last year. 

The Krishna Dwara temple, which is situated in Karak’s Teri union council, came under attack by hundreds of residents who set fire to the building, then razed it down with hammers and crude weapons.

Reportedly, the temple was built after Guru Shri Paramhans Dayal was laid to rest at the site in July 1919. However, the Muslim residents of the area had closed the temple after the Partition in 1947. Only in 2015, was the temple restored on the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

In a shocking move, Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in July this year decided to withdraw cases against 350 people accused of burning down the Hindu temple claiming the Hindu community had ‘pardoned’ the mob. 

100-year-old temple attacked in Rawalpindi

A 100-year-old Hindu temple undergoing renovation in Pakistan’s garrison city of Rawalpindi was attacked by a frenzied mob in March this year. 

Temple in Purana Qila attacked. Image Source: News Bharati

A mob of around 12 stormed into the temple and damaged the main door, another door in the upper storey as well as the staircase. 

Mata Rani Bhatiyani Devi temple vandalized 

In January last year, another Islamic mob had vandalized Mata Rani Bhatiyani Devi temple in Chachro, Tharparkar in Sindh Pakistan and had reportedly set fire to Hindu holy books.

Desecrated idol of Mata Rani Temple. Image Source: Swarajya

The mob had also desecrated the goddess statue and blackened the face of the idol reports. 

As per an India Today report, out of 365 Hindu temples in Pakistan, only 13 are being managed by the Evacuee Trust Property Board board, leaving the responsibility of 65 to the persecuted and impoverished Hindu community, and abandoning the rest to the land mafias.

5th August once again brought enthusiasm and excitement: PM Modi on hockey medal won on article 370 abrogation and Ram Mandir Bhumi Pujan anniversaries

OpIndia Staff
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5th August once again brought enthusiasm and excitement: PM Modi on hockey medal won on article 370 abrogation and Ram Mandir Bhumi Pujan anniversaries

“Today, the date of August 5, has once again brought enthusiasm and excitement for all of us,” remarked Prime Minister Narendra Modi while interacting with the beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana in Uttar Pradesh, via video conferencing. Referring to the bronze medal won by the men’s hockey team at the Tokyo Olympics, PM Modi said that on the same date in the last two years, two important events took place, abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 and Bhumi Pujan for the Ram Mandir in 2020.

While speaking with the beneficiaries and reminiscing the historic decision taken on August 05, 2019, PM Modi said in Hindi, “It is only on 5th August, when two years ago the country had further strengthened the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat by removing Article 370 and making every citizen of Jammu and Kashmir full participant of every right, every facility.”

Invoking memories of Ayodhya Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan, PM Modi said that it was this day last year when Indians took the first step towards the construction of a grand Ram temple after hundreds of years. “Ram temple is being constructed at a rapid pace in Ayodhya today,” he informed. 

While congratulating the Indian men’s hockey team for a spectacular win at Tokyo Olympics, PM Modi exclaimed that this day has given yet another reason for Indians to rejoice. 

Interaction with the beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday interacted with eight women beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana. He began his conversation by encouraging the beneficiaries to get vaccinated against the coronavirus (Covid-19) disease and urged them to not believe in rumors.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with the beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana

The PM interacted and enquired about the scheme benefits with beneficiaries present at select fair price shops in Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Moradabad, Hamirpur, Ayodhya, Barabanki, Bahraich, Shahjahanpur, Kaushambi and Agra.

He expressed satisfaction over how every grain of the scheme was reaching the beneficiaries indicating an end to the corrupt political system. “The way Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana is being implemented in the state defines the new Uttar Pradesh. During previous regimes, foodgrains meant for the poor were looted,” he said. 

As per an official statement, as many as 15 crore beneficiaries in the state have been getting ration free of cost through the scheme. 

“Nobody thought UP could contribute to nation’s development”

Prime Minister Modi also elaborated on Uttar Pradesh’s past and present. “In the past decades, Uttar Pradesh was always seen through the prism of politics. Nobody even discussed how UP could play an advanced role in the development of the country,” said Modi in Hindi. 

The PM also shared his resolve to uplift the state. “This decade is in a way the decade of Uttar Pradesh to make up for the shortfall in the last 7 decades,” concluded Modi. 

Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath was also in attendance and inaugurated the event. 

The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana was announced in March 2020 post the imposition of the lockdown owing to the pandemic. The scheme is a comprehensive relief package of Rs 1.70 Lakh Crore for the poor to help them fight the battle against the coronavirus. 

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