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‘Disturbed by no action’, NCW tells Twitter to remove pornographic and obscene content within a week

OpIndia Staff
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‘Disturbed by no action’, NCW tells Twitter to remove pornographic and obscene content within a week

After Delhi police registered an FIR against Twitter over the availability of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) on the microblogging platform at the request of NCPCR, now the National Commission for Women (NCW) has sought action against the social media site over the availability of pornographic material.

A statement issued by the NCW said that the commission has taken suo moto cognisance of several profiles on Twitter that share pornographic content. It said that the commission chairperson Rekha Sharma has written to the Managing Director of Twitter India asking them to immediately remove all such ‘pornographic and obscene content from the platform within a week’.

NCW said that earlier also the matter was brought to Twitter’s notice after receiving complaints, but no action was taken by the platform. “The Commission is disturbed with the fact that despite knowing of the availability of such banned content which not only violates Indian laws but also Twitter’s own policy, no action has been taken till date towards removing them,” NCW said in the press note dated 30th June.

The Commission said that it has shared with Twitter details of a few profiles sharing pornographic content on Twitter and has directed to remove all such content within one week. The platform has also been asked to communicate the action taken within 10 days.

Pornography on Twitter violates new IT rules

The move by NCW comes after the enactment of Information Technology Rules, which prescribes several guidelines for social media platforms like Twitter. As per section 4(1)(b)(ii) of the Information Technology (Guidelines for Intermediaries and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, sharing or publishing of pornographic material on social media platforms is not allowed. Thus, Twitter is violating the IT rules by allowing pornographic material on its platform and making them accessible in India.

It is notable that Twitter has lost the intermediary status after it refused to appoint India based compliance and grievance redressal officers. Most other social media companies like Facebook, Google, WhatsApp etc have complied with the rules.

Twitter allows consented pornography on its platform

Although pornographic material on Twitter violates the IT rules, it does not violate Twitter’s own policies. Twitter is among the few social media platforms that allow sharing of pornographic material. Twitter does not allow promotion of adult sexual content, and pornographic material can’t be shared in prominent places like display picture, header image etc. But porn material, both images and videos, can be shared in Tweets.

Pornographic videos and images featuring adults with their consent are allowed to be shared on Twitter. However, such material are required to be marked as sensitive material. A large number of porn artists use Twitter to drive users to their subscription-based pages on platforms such as Onlyfan.

Facebook does not allow any pornography on both Facebook and Instagram.

Twitter vs NCPCR

On June 29, Delhi Police Cyber Cell registered a case against Twitter for availability of child pornographic content on their platform. It was done after NCPCR had written to Delhi Police in May asking to file FIR against Twitter for not co-operating in removing Child Sexual Abuse Material, and also for lying that Twitter India is not linked to US based parent company Twitter Inc.

Last year, the Commission had issued notices to companies like Google, Twitter, WhatsApp, Apple India etc to know about steps taken by them to remove and prevent CSAM on their platforms.  NCPCR had said that as Twitter allows child above 13 years of age to join the platform, it can’t allow pornographic material on the platform. NCPCR also had said that links to WhatsApp groups with CSAM were also being shared on Twitter. The commission had said that the tech companies will have to comply with the rules to remove CSAM as per relevant sections of the POCSO act.

However, while responding the notice, Twitter Communications India Pvt Ltd had told NCPCR that they are not responsible for content shared on Twitter, and it is the responsibility of the American parent company. They had claimed that they have no relation with Twitter Inc. But NCPCR found this claim to be false, as they found that out of 10,000 shares of Twitter India, 9,999 are owned by Twitter Inc. Moreover, 2 of the three directors on the board of Twitter Communications India are employees of Twitter Inc.

Abduction, sexual assault, persecution: ‘Stateless’ documentary shows a window into the how it is to live as a Hindu on Pakistan

OpIndia Staff
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Abduction, sexual assault, persecution: ‘Stateless’ documentary shows a window into the how it is to live as a Hindu on Pakistan

On July 11, 2021 actor Anupam Kher will be releasing a documentary ‘Stateless: Story of India’s returning children’ which gives a glimpse into how it is to live as a Hindu in Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

In December 2019, the Government of India passed the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) which fast-tracts Indian citizenship for persecuted religious minorities in the three neighbouring Islamic countries of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. These persecuted religious minorities are Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Buddhists and Parsis, amongst others, who are being targeted in these three Islamic nations solely because of their religion. This persecution includes, but is not limited to, forced religious conversion, rapes, destruction of homes, murder and other form of violence.

These persecuted people have often fled to India to take refuge in a place where all people belonging to non-Islamic religions can call themselves home.

However, their stories are either not told or are muzzled by protests. Soon after the Act was passed, lakhs of Muslims took to street to protest against the newly amended law. Their question was why were Muslims from the Muslim nations were singled out. Logic dictates that since the Act is about fast-tracking Indian citizenship who for those who are persecuted in these countries for their religion, the Muslims in the Islamic countries would not be facing religious persecution. The Muslims from these countries who seek Indian citizenship could do so as per usual provision. But this Act was specifically for persecuted religious minorities from these three countries.

Which is why filmmaker Nikhil Singh Rajputt teamed up with Manvendra Singh Shekhawat to tell the world the stories that have not yet been told. The stories of the refugees waiting to be currently accepted in India. An online premiere of the same will take place on July 11, 2021 with Anupam Kher as chief guest under the initiative of indicdialogue.org. You can register for the screening and subsequent discussion here.

Jammu and Kashmir : Liberal media (and some overzealous RW) are finding a U-turn where none exists

Abhishek Banerjee
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Jammu and Kashmir : Liberal media (and some overzealous RW) are finding a U-turn where none exists

On Aug 5, 2019, the Modi government made the decision to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution, fully integrating Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of India. As for the curious artifice of demoting a state into a union territory, Amit Shah clarified that this was a strictly temporary measure. You can watch this, on video from Aug 5, 2019 itself.

When the time is right, Jammu and Kashmir will get back statehood. It’s common sense, as well as the only democratic and fair thing to do. In the years past, I do not remember anyone, BJP supporter or otherwise, complain about Jammu and Kashmir being a state. The objection was to special status, which allowed the J&K legislature to overrule laws passed by our Parliament.

So why was J&K turned into a union territory on Aug 5, 2019? Because of the exceptional circumstances and the fear of large scale violence. To tackle the potentially explosive situation, the center would need to temporarily assume control of all the organs of the state. There was a messaging component as well. When you have a child throwing a tantrum, one way to tackle is to take the child’s favorite toy and place it on the upper most shelf.

The demand for special status of J&K was similarly childish and unreasonable. Almost everyone else in this country lives in some state or the other and nobody sees this as unfair. What was this boast of Article 370 being some kind of precious crown for J&K? No, you can’t have special status. The bluff has been called. When the child stops throwing a tantrum, they can have their toy back. That’s statehood, to be returned at the right time.

Now, some may object to people of an entire region, or at least their political leaders, being compared to children. Well, when adults demand special status for no reason, that’s the definition of being a child, and a pampered one at that. Only a kid would run to their mom asking to be hugged and told that they are “special.” Adults know that nobody is special and that’s perfectly okay.

Around two years hence, tempers have cooled and the consultations have begun. We have already had one round of elections, for the so called District Development Councils (DDCs). Now it is time for delimitation of constituencies in the Assembly, and talks with state leaders so that J&K can be reborn as a state, fully integrated into the Union of India, same as Karnataka or Jharkhand.

So they came, they were (presumably) offered tea, they clicked a photograph and they left. I am failing to see why this image caused so much heartburn among the BJP’s online supporters.

I understand the liberal commentary on this. They are desperate, eager to paint everything as a “humiliating U-turn” by Modi. I skimmed their reactions online, trying to understand exactly which concession they are celebrating. Is it that Amit Shah is no longer referring to these people as “Gupkar Gang,” as he did before DDC polls? Seriously, is that everything?

I mean, have these people ever witnessed politicians take jibes at each other during an Indian election? If we get into the history of who said what, well … Let’s just not finish that thought. It’s better that way.

Anyway, those who were called Gupkar Gang seem to have readily brushed off the insult and moved on. They are hard-boiled politicians and know how to take things in stride. The only people who have not moved on are liberals in the media who took offense on behalf of the so called Gupkar Gang! In their mind, this photograph is an apology, a humiliating U-turn. Yes, it is whatever helps them sleep at night.

I was less able to understand the reaction from some of the BJP’s core constituency and all the disappointment they seemed to feel. For all my effort, I could not identify an actual concession that the Prime Minister made. There is going to be delimitation, then statehood and then elections. No hard deadlines given, just a promise of doing things at the right time. Exactly like it was promised on Aug 5, 2019.

On the contrary, I find the J&K politicians much changed. They have been chastened by spending long periods in custody, long enough to reflect and get real. That’s why Omar Abdullah now says there is no point asking the Modi government to restore Article 370. He says this is now a legal fight in the Supreme Court. That’s just another way of saying he knows there is nothing he can do. You should have seen Rajdeep’s face when Omar Abdullah said as much.

In fact, the ‘gang’ itself has fallen apart. Mehbooba Mufti has taken a more hardline stance, reflecting the views of her core constituency. In other words, both the PDP and the NC have realized that elections are coming. So they better get back to being enemies. Getting back Article 370 is an impossible dream. They better take what they can get. For that, they must compete, not cooperate.

For decades, the leaders of the Kashmir region dared the government in Delhi to remove Article 370. They arrogantly used to say that this is the bridge that connects Kashmir to the rest of India. If India drops the special status, the consequences will be too heavy for India to handle.

None of that happened. The Central government clamped down and got it all done in a single fell swoop. There were protests, but no widespread violence. Nothing unmanageable at all. In retrospect, those who kept up this empty boast for 70 years turned out to be the biggest enemies of the people of Kashmir. If they had not conjured up wild visions of large scale violence, the Central government perhaps would not have proceeded with such extreme caution in Aug 2019. There would have been no need for such a painful communications shutdown. Sensible people in Kashmir need to question their leaders about this. Without the empty boast of valley politicians, the transition would have been totally painless.

Now it’s done. Statehood for Jammu and Kashmir is on its way. They will get their toy back. It was theirs anyway.

UP mass conversion case: Another FIR filed against Umar Gautam and Jahangir in connection with the conversion of a Hindu girl

OpIndia Staff
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UP mass conversion case: Another FIR filed against Umar Gautam and Jahangir in connection with the conversion of a Hindu girl

The Uttar Pradesh mass conversion case is getting murkier by the day as the details of the crimes committed by accused Mohammed Umar Gautam and Qazi Jahangir are coming to the fore. The UP ATS has filed yet another FIR against the accused in connection with the conversion of a Hindu girl in Shahjahanpur district.

The 29-year-old Hindu girl had converted to Islam before marrying a Muslim man. The duo is currently in Delhi and the ATS officials are trying to reach out to her, reports said. As per a report in the Free Press Journal, the woman had left home on Friday and has not returned since then.

The woman had stated that she had found contact of Gautam and Jahangir online and they had helped her get converted after taking some identification documents.

It is notable here that conversion under false pretexts and allurement is illegal. The recent anti-conversion law in UP mandates a 2 months prior notice at the respective DM’s office before converting to another religion.

As per reports, the woman as stated to local channels that she had converted to Islam in the hopes of finding better job prospects in Gulf countries and better salaries. The woman’s family have stated that she has not been in touch with them and they were recently contacted only by her lawyer.

Yesterday, it was reported that tracing the contacts of the arrested duo, the ATS had found names of 8 radical hardliners from Kanpur, who were in constant touch with Gautam and Jahangir. Those 8 people also used to organise meetings and talks.  

So far, ATS has arrested 5 individuals in the countrywide conversion racket case. Recent reports also revealed that Gautam had forged documents to get funding from several nations.

UP ATS arrests Mohammed Umar Gautam and Qazi Jahangir Alam for running a mass conversion racket

The Uttar Pradesh police’s Anti-Terrorism Squad on Monday last week busted a country-wide religious conversion racket and arrested two people in the case. The accused were later identified as Mufti Qazi Jahangir Qasmi and Mohammad Umar Gautam, residents of Jamia Nagar in South Delhi.

Ever since the duo has been arrested for operating a mass conversion racket in Uttar Pradesh, shocking details have emerged with regards to the modus operandi employed by the two to target non-Muslims and bring them into the fold of Islam. 

The two accused, who ran an organisation named Islamic Dawah Centre(IDC), along with their other associates, were charged for mass conversion of people into Islam through allurements such as marriage, job and money and mental pressure. 

The Islamic Dawah Centre(IDC) received heavy funding from the Middle East countries for their operations of carrying out religious conversions in India. Not just from the Muslim countries in the Gulf, but the duo also allegedly received funding from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence(ISI), the police have stated.

The duo is accused of converting dozens of hearing and speech impaired students of the Noida Deaf society.

Gautam and Jahangir converted over 1000 people to Islam: Police

Mohammad Umar Gautam, one of the two accused was known as Shyam Prasad Singh Gautam before he shunned his Hindu faith and embraced Islam. The Anti Terror Squad said Gautam had allegedly converted over 1,000 people to Islam and got many of them married to Muslims to prevent the possibility of their relapse to their earlier faith.

The police also found that the two accused, Jahangir and Gautam, used hate speech to indoctrinate people and convert them into Islam. They especially targeted the vulnerable section of the society, people with listening and hearing disabilities in different institutions and converted them into Islam, often without even intimating their parents.

Gautam’s links with Islamists arrested in connection with the conspiracy to assassinate Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati

Incidentally, the names of Jahangir and Gautam cropped up during the interrogation of Kashif and Vipul, who were arrested in connection with the conspiracy to assassinate Dasna Devi Temple chief abbot Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati. According to police, Vipul’s real name was Ramzan and was operating under a false name to avoid suspicion and get in close proximity to Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati.

Gautam had close ties with hate speech peddler Zakir Naik and Bilal Philips

According to report published on Republic TV, Umar Gautam has links with fugitive hate speech peddler Zakir Naik and his close aide Bilal Philips, who in turn is associated with terror outfits such as Taliban and Hamas.

“Guided and aimed at you”, Navjot Singh Sidhu to Sukhbir Singh Badal after Badal called him a ‘misguided missile’

OpIndia Staff
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“Guided and aimed at you”, Navjot Singh Sidhu to Sukhbir Singh Badal after Badal called him a ‘misguided missile’

Even as the fight between two factions in Punjab Congress continues as an AICC committee failed to break the deadlock, today dissident Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu exchanged barbs with the Akali Dal. While Akali leader Sukhbir Singh Badal called Sidhu a ‘misguided missile’, Sidhu called himself a ‘guided and aimed missile’.

The dissident Congress camp led by Navjot Singh Sidhu has been attacking the CM Captain Amarinder Singh over various issues. Commenting on the ongoing tussle between the two Congress leaders, today Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal said, “Navjot Singh Sidhu is a misguided missile that is not under control, can hit in any direction including himself.”

Badal further added, “Today, Punjab doesn’t need a person who does acting but one who thinks about the development of the state.”

To this, Navjot Singh Sidhu reacted on Twitter saying that he is actually a ‘guided missile’ and is aiming towards destroying Badal’s “corrupt businesses”. Sidhu added, “Until your Sukh Vilas built on Punjab’s ruins is not turned into a Public School & Public Hospital to serve Punjab’s poor, I won’t relent!! “

Sidhu has been targeting both the Badals and the Punjab CM simultaneously. He had claimed it is the Badal family that is running the show in Punjab, not the Congress government. “The bureaucracy and police act as per the wishes of the Badal family, ignoring our MLAs and party workers,” he had alleged.

The Sidhu camp is targeting the CM over various issues like the 2015 sacrilege case and the subsequent police firing cases of Kotkapura, a clampdown on the alleged drug mafia, renegotiating the power purchase agreements etc. The sacrilege cases refer to the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib by miscreants in 2015 and the subsequent police firing on those protesting the desecration.

Navjot Singh Sidhu had said during both the Badal govt after the issue, and later during the Congress government, no justice was done in the sacrilege case. “6 Yrs since sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib Ji.. No Justice in 2 yrs of your rule.. No Justice in the following 4.5 yrs,” he had tweeted on 26th June, responding to a tweet by Sukhbir Singh Badal alleging that a new SIT was formed in the case to implicate Akali leaders in false cases.

Sidhu has alleged the Badals are responsible for the sacrilege incident. He had said that it was the Parkash Singh Badal government that had ordered the firing in Kotkapura. He said that “Badals’ “Political Interference” & Electoral polarisation behind Sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib Ji & Police firing incidents”.

Sidhu had said that the Sikh community is objecting to the Badals, holding them responsible for the incidents.

‘My English is not good enough’: Roger Federer’s answer to the interviewer wins hearts at the Wimbledon. Watch

OpIndia Staff
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‘My English is not good enough’: Roger Federer’s answer to the interviewer wins hearts at the Wimbledon. Watch

On June 29, Tennis star Roger Federer faced a tricky situation where he could not understand an interviewer’s question during the ongoing Wimbledon tournament. However, Federer handled the situation in a very comic mood. During the interview post-match, the interviewer asked Federer’s views on his opponent Adrian Mannarino falling during the match.

He seemed sympathetic and said, “Yeah, it’s awful. It shows that one shot can change the outcome of a match, a season, a career. I wish him all the best, and he recovers quickly, so we see him back on the courts.” He also admitted that his opponent was the better player on the court. The follow-up question, where the interviewer used a popular British idiom, left the Swiss maestro scratching his head.

The interviewer asked him if he felt his absence from the court was the same with him as it is with the idiom, ‘Absence makes the heart grow fonder’. The veteran Swiss tennis star could not understand and said, “Sorry, I didn’t understand it. I heard something’ absence’ and, I don’t know, my mind went blank. I don’t understand that saying. My English is not good enough.”

He chuckled while answering the question, to which the crowd cheered to his response. The interviewer tried repeating the question, but Roger Federer could not get hold of what he was saying. The interviewer then simplified it and explained it in simpler language that he wanted to know how he felt about coming back to the court after two years.

Federer said, “Good reminder, my English is not very good. I think we’re all very happy, all the players, including all the fans and the organizers and everybody that we get a chance to be back on tour, especially here at Wimbledon. It would’ve been worst to have this tournament with no fans. This would have been an absolute killer, so it’s such a privilege to play here.”

Netizens appreciate his honesty

Netizens were all appreciative of his honesty as English is not his first language.

Federer was on the verge of losing the match

Roger Federer almost suffered a first-round defeat in the ongoing Wimbledon 2021 while playing against Adrian Mannarino. He lost two of the three opening sets. In the first round, 20-time Grand Slam champion won the opening set 6-4, but the next two rounds were won by Mannarino with 7-6 and 6-3 on the board.

However, in the next round, Mannarino started to struggle at the court, giving a chance to Federer to make a comeback to the game. He won the fourth set 6-2. In the next set, Mannarino dell on the ground and was not able to continue, which made Federer the winner of the game. The Swiss player would face Richard Gasquet in the next match.

Zakir Naik links, terror funding and more: How shady organisations collected huge donations in the name of sending Covid help to India

Jinit Jain
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Zakir Naik links, terror funding and more: How shady organisations collected huge donations in the name of sending Covid help to India

Foreign-based organisations having links with Pakistan-based charities and hate-speech preacher Zakir Naik scammed millions of dollars in the name of helping India battle the COVID crisis, a series of two elaborate reports published by Disinfo Lab have recently revealed.

The reports revealed that dubious organisations with their roots linked to Pakistan collected funds all over the world, except for China, but after collecting millions in the name of helping “India Breathe”, they sent peanuts in name of help. The looted money, the report claimed, could be diverted from terror finance into the hands of the Pakistan army, Islamists and Hamas.

It also provided a list of organisations and the murky individuals associated with the scam carried out under the pretext of helping India tide over the ferocious second wave of coronavirus outbreak.

Here are the list of organisations, dubious individuals, and shady fundraiser platforms that were used to dupe people into donating for the Covid outbreak in India, but were possibly diverted for fomenting protests and social disturbances, including terror attacks, in India and elsewhere.

IMANA

One of the sketchy organisations that were at the forefront of seeking donations in the name of helping India was the Islamic Medical Association of North America or “IMANA”. However, when questions were raised on the transparency of funds received, it would cry “Islamophobia”.

Disinfo Lab probed into the details of IMANA and it was struck by how an organisation that had absolutely no presence on the ground and with no help from local partners in India, was planning to help during the COVID crisis.

Initially, it sought financial aid through its website. It’s website reportedly went down on April 29 after the donation drive was launched on April 27 “likely due to heavy traffic”. IMANA raised a whooping Rs 8.77 crores from Instagram through #HelpIndiaBreathe campaign, which was followed by $298,919 being raised by the Just Giving platform.

Disinfo Lab said IMANA started receiving donations at a speed of $100K per hour after reaching $100K on the second day. According to rough estimates, IMANA received approximately Rs30 crores to Rs 158 crores.

IMANA’s trail led Disinfo Lab to chance upon ‘Launch Good’, which led them to several such scams being run in the name of Covid in India. The report revealed that most of these shady entities claimed to be Muslim organisations but they are not what they portrayed to be. Instead, they are fraud organisations feeding on Muslim sentiments and a larger global population in general.

Muslim Aid

Another notorious organisation involved in fleecing money in the name of helping COVID-19 patients in India was Muslim Aid. The organisation has expanded its branches in several countries such as the United States, UK, Australia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Bosnia and Sweden. However, not all countries are unaware of their shady activities.

The organisation is already banned in Israel and Bangladesh for having ties with terror outfits while Spain had accused the organisation of financing Mujahideen fighters in Bosnia.

The funds being collected by Muslim Aid for apparently helping India during its COVID crisis was done by three of its front organisation—Muslim Aid(UK), Muslim Aid Australia, and Muslim Aid USA, as per the Disinfo Lab report.

Muslim Aid UK

The Muslim Aid UK is headed by a Bangladeshi war criminal Mueen-Uddin Chowdhury, the former Al-Badr leader. The militia of Al-Badr were known for engaging in systematic execution of Bengali pro-liberation movement activists and intellectuals around the 1970s. The execution continued throughout the movement as Pakistani supporters wreaked havoc and mercilessly killed intellectuals who swayed public opinion towards having an independent country.

Chowdhury was one amongst the Al-Badr militias, who actively participated in suppressing the Bangladeshi liberation movement and killings of the pro-liberation intellectuals. He allegedly also has links with Jamaat-e-Islami in Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Muslim Aid USA

The Muslim Aid USA was one of the front organisations leading the crowdfunding campaign seeking donations for India’s COVID-19 outbreak. Before 2021, the organisation had mentioned India only three occasions—in 2018, 2019, and 2020–all of which was about Qurbani Cow Shares & Kerala Floods (2018). It is pertinent to mention that the Muslim Aid USA sought donation in the name of cow slaughter in India, even though it is banned in several Indian states.

Like IMANA, the Muslim Aid has no ground presence in India but it preys on sympathy of people to collect donations in the name of crisis unfolding in India. And unsuspecting individuals, shattered by the COVID outbreak in India, donated their hard-earned money to these organisations, which never reached the intended beneficiaries.

After raking in millions in donations, the Muslim Aid USA said it donated only 9 oxygen concentrators to India, details of which are murky and there is no clarity if even this help arrived.

The shady fundraiser platform “Launch Good”

Through “Launch Good” platform alone, the Muslim Aid USA was able to mop over $76,000. It is also worth noting that Launch Good is not an independent portal committed to transparency. It is a part of the nexus that is connected to Jamaat-e-Islami and keeps the details of fund collection and relief material delivered under wraps.

Even though the Muslim Aid USA collected funds for helping COVID victims, there are no details of actual help provided. The Launch Good platform also has a fundraiser in the name of Jammu and Kashmir known as “Jammu and Azad Kashmir”. Despite the lack of transparency, the fund has inched towards its initial target of collecting $10,000.

Muslim Aid Australia

After realising that other organisations are receiving generous donations in the name of India’s COVID outbreak, the Muslim Aid Australia also decided to take a dip. Like its sister organisations, the Muslim Aid Australia started a fundraiser on the “Launch Good” platform for helping India during COVID-19 crisis.

However, they went a step further and roped in one Bilal Philips as their star campaigner for the fund-raising. Bilal is known to have links with Taliban and Hamas.

To increase the impact of its fund-raiser, Muslim Aid Australia used a picture of man suffering from Tuberculosis for its campaign for COVID-19 outbreak in India. The picture was from 2018 and available on Getty Images for $499.

As it the case with its sister organisations, Muslim Aid Australia was not transparent on the help it delivered in India. It’s website said it had donated 40 oxygen concentrators but there were no details attached to substantiate those claims.

Bilal Philips who has terror links with Hamas and Taliban

The star campaigner of the fundraiser, Bilal Philips is a Canadian Muslim teacher, who lives in Qatar. He is a former Board Member of the Islamic Education Research Academy (iERA) which is known to have members of the most hardline radical Islamists in the world.

And while Muslim Aid Australia used this Bilal Philips for promoting their fundraiser, he remains banned in several countries, including Australia, for his links with terror organisations.

Bilal also has a history of working in India. In 2009-2010, Bilal founded two education institutions i.e., Preston International College and Al-Fajr International School, both in Chennai, India.

Muslim Aid Pakistan

While different branches of Muslim Aid appear to work independently, the relationship of Muslim Aid Pakistan with other organisations is rather peculiar. Though other organisation claim they carry out work on ground(whatever worth it is), the Pakistani branch of Muslim Aid has a connection with its intelligence wing ISI.

The Muslim Aid Pakistan is currently headed by retired Lt. General Khalid Latif Mughal, who had served in the Pakistan Army for 36 years and was also the General Secretary of the Analysis wing of ISI. The various branches of Muslim Aid work in conjunction with Muslim Aid Pakistan for the “charity” wing of Jamaat-e-Islami(JeI), Al Khidmat.

These Muslim Aid organisations have a symbiotic relationship is evident from the fact that they share common ‘Board Members’ across various branches.

In fact, it is a revolving door mechanism in play, the Disinfo Lab report says. Board Members of the various organisations of Muslim Aid keep moving from one organisation to another. A total of four members of Muslim Aid USA, UK and Pakistan are common across the ‘Boards’ of these organisations. These are Muhammad Manazir Ahsan, Farooq Salman Murad, Syed Mohammed Tanzeem Wasti, and Sir Iqbal Sacranie.

While there is no denying the fact that all the fronts of Muslim Aid are associated with each other, Pakistan is the fulcrum of this entire charade of charity industry. Some members served one stint with US & UK branch were later promoted to Pakistan front. It won’t be an overstatement to say that Muslim Aid Pakistan is the primary organisations and the remaining ones are its offshoots.

Zakir Naik, Zakaat Foundation, Al Fouz, Peace TV and their connection to key members of Muslim Aid organisations

The crucial players running the organised charity scam through Muslim Aid organisations are also key figures in some of the controversial organisations in India—such as Zakaat Foundation India (ZFI), Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), Al Fouz Trust and Peace TV.

Mohammed Jafer Hussain, one of the key members of Muslim Aid UK, is also a trustee of Peace TV, the channel through which Zakir Naik propagated his hate speech. Besides, Hussain was also the director of the Islamic Research Foundation, another organisation owned by Zakir Naik.

Similarly, Bilal Philips, who was roped in by Muslim Aid Australia for the fundraiser in the name of India’s COVID outbreak, is a close associate of Zakir Naik and has regularly appeared as a speaker on Peace TV.

All the members of the Muslim Aid organisations are linked to each other in some or the other way. Mohammad Jaffer Hussain Qureshi is the Chairman of the al-Fouz Trust, whose founding trustees Mustassam Abbasi is also the director of Peace TV. Hussain is also a close associate of Syed Zafar Mehmood, founder of Zakaat Foundation India, and both of them serve as directors of Zakaat Foundation of India(International).

The detailed article by Disinfo Lab, detailing the shady individuals, their crowdfunding campaigns and dubious tactics can be read here.

‘Tricked into religious conversion for marriage and then father in law demanded sex’, J&K woman reveals her ordeal

OpIndia Staff
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‘Tricked into religious conversion for marriage and then father in law demanded sex’, J&K woman reveals her ordeal

After the controversial conversion of two Sikh girls in the Kashmir valley led to a widespread protest, another case of Grooming Jihad has been reported from Jammu.

Nikita Saini, in an exclusive interview to JK Media’s Ashish Kolhi, revealed that she was tricked into religious conversion by her husband. Narrating her incident, Saini, a resident of Jalandhar, informed that she was trapped by her husband Arfin Shah and his family into marrying him when they got to know of her previously failed marriage. Shah and his family hails from Udhampur, Jammu & Kashmir.

Working as an HR in a Jalandhar hospital, Saini said that Arfin Shah was her classmate from school days and used to often converse with her over WhatsApp and social media. Shah approached her for his mother’s operation and that is when he got to know about Saini’s marital status. 

Shah and his family then approached Saini telling her that they look for such women and get them married so they can lead a respectful life in society. Shah’s mother then pressured her into marrying her already married son saying they will take good care of her after marriage.

JK Media interview with victim Nikita Saini

However, no conversation or condition for conversion was placed before Saini. As Saini agreed to marry Shah, she was taken to Uttar Pradesh to perform Nikah where her name was changed to Nafeeza from Nikita. On raising alarm, Saini was told that this is just a formality.

Saini narrated the incident in a letter to governor Manoj Sinha seeking justice. 

Nikita Saini’s Letter to Govenor Manoj Sinha. Image Source: Ashish Kohli

The couple was then taken to Haridwar for a Hindu wedding. Troubles mounted for Saini when the duo returned to Udhampur. Shah’s mother made a ludicrous demand by asking Saini to marry her father-in-law. She allegedly claimed that because she was a cancer patient from 2007, she could not establish a physical relationship with her husband and asked Saini to compensate.

Saini left with her husband and shifted to a rented house. However, Saini alleges that it was just hogwash by her husband and soon after shifting Arfin Shah again started pressurizing her to marry his father as ‘it will stay in the family’.

When Saini opposed, the entire Shah family pressurized her into marrying her father-in-law by saying that the matter would stay within the four walls. They also promised her property and money in exchange.

When Saini refused to budge, the brothers made plans to sell her by deciding who will keep her in a predecided amount. Saini alleged that the family wanted to push her into prostitution.

Saini who is receiving no help from the police for over a month said she is facing death threats from the family. Shah family as informed by the victim owns a gun factory and runs an NGO in Udhampur by the name ‘Jiyo aur Jeene Do.’

When Saini threatened suicide, she was taken back to the family by the police by to resolve the matter amicably. However, Arfin Shah had gone missing by then and had switched off the phone. Shah’s family threatened Saini with dire consequences if anything happened to Afrin and said she would be held responsible. 

However, a few days later Afrin Shah’s first wife sent Saini videos claiming that Afrin was not missing and is rather holidaying with his family.

Saini, after receiving no help from the police has approached media to share her plight.

This comes shortly after two girls of the Sikh community had gone missing from the family. The girls were allegedly abducted and converted to Islam. One of the two missing girls was found and handed over to her family who then got her re-converted to her original faith.

BJP leader requests Muslim religious bodies to recite Azaan in Indian languages instead of Arabic, so everyone understands the message

OpIndia Staff
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BJP leader requests Muslim religious bodies to recite Azaan in Indian languages instead of Arabic, so everyone understands the message

On June 30, Vikash Preetam Sinha, Co Incharge, Publicity Literature Dept, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) urged the government and Muslim clerics to use Indian languages instead of Arabic to recite Azaan in masjids.

He said that as Azaan is recited in Arabic five times a day from lakhs of mosques across the country, even though crores of Indians do not know or understand the Arabic language.

In a Hindi tweet, he said, “Azaan is recited in the Arabic language five times a day from lakhs of mosques in the country. Millions of non-Arabic people of this country do not understand its meaning. Therefore, I request the government and the Muslim clerics to arrange recitation of Azaan in Indian languages so that people are made aware of its meaning and importance.”

Meaning of Azaan

According to several Islamic websites, Azaan, that is the Islamic call for prayer, reads, Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah. Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah. Ashadu anna Muhammadan Rasool Allah. Ashadu anna Muhammadan Rasool Allah. Hayya ‘ala-s-Salah. Hayya ‘ala-s-Salah. Hayya ‘ala-l-Falah. Hayya ‘ala-l-Falah. Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! La ilaha illa Allah.”

Its English translation reads, “Allah is Great! Allah is Great! Allah is Great! Allah is Great! I bear witness that there is no god except Allah. I bear witness that there is no god except Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God. I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God. Hurry to the prayer. Hurry to the prayer. Hurry to salvation. Hurry to salvation. Allah is Great! Allah is Great! There is no god except Allah.”

Controversies regarding Azan and loudspeakers

In India, as per the law, a loudspeaker or a public address system shall not be used at night (between 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM) except in closed premises for communication within. Law also states that the noise level cannot exceed the ambient noise standards by 11dB (A).

There have been several court orders saying that authorities should ensure to restrict the usage of loudspeakers at religious places due to noise pollution.

Abduction and conversion of Sikh girls: ‘Not an isolated incident but a regular phenomenon,’ says Ramnik Singh Mann

OpIndia Staff
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Abduction and conversion of Sikh girls: ‘Not an isolated incident but a regular phenomenon,’ says Ramnik Singh Mann

The controversial abduction and conversion of two Sikh girls from the Kashmir valley and re-conversion to Sikhism has laid bare the issues faced by the Sikh community, both at the internal and external levels. With a certain section asserting the existence of Love Jihad, the liberals from the lot have distanced themselves calling it an attack on freedom of choice.

We reported how author Amaan Bali was cancelled for his outright confession where he said in a retaliatory Tweet, “No, Girls will not marry Muslims. Live with it. Deal with it. This is the fine line we have drawn at the community level.” With this, Bali was seen as a borderline Islamaphobe and thereby cancelled by the ‘secular-liberal’ ecosystem. 

Political analyst Ramnik Singh Mann who has been at the forefront of this issue, explained the reason for the divide in a two-part video.

Mann “without mincing any words” revealed that these were not ‘just’ two cases of ‘Love Jihad’ in the valley. Calling it a regular phenomenon, Mann revealed that Sikh girls are being abducted, forcefully converted and married off to Muslims regularly. Cases of women being physically assaulted, being kicked when pregnant have also been reported, said Mann.

He also stated that after the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits, the Sikh community in the valley was made the next target. Mann informed that these are not isolated cases and organizations of the Sikh community have been fighting a long battle against forceful conversions and Love Jihad. Sikhs from all age groups in the United Sikh Forum have been trying to fight the menace relentlessly, Mann said.

He mentioned the Chittisinghpura massacre against Sikhs, and stated that the community has been strongly resisting attacks since then, trying to preserve their identity and existence in the Jammu and Kashmir region.

“Middle-aged men marry girls of their daughter’s and granddaughter’s age and forcefully convert them,” remarked Mann. 

Mann also slammed the mainstream Sikh political leaders- one for hijacking the cause and the unfortunate incident and the other for ignoring the entire turn of events.

Lashing out at Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Mann said the politician landed from Delhi, took over the protest to make headlines, hounded Kashmiri leaders and then enjoyed the hospitality offered by them. 

Mann expressed his displeasure over the mainstream Sikh politicians diluting the issues their community is suffering from. Taking a jibe at the relentless conversions in Punjab, Mann said, “How will the politicians who raise their hands and say Hallelujah comment on this event?”

“How will the ones who go to Pakistan and embrace Imran Khan and Pakistan Army Chief comment against this? Not one word from Sidhu, not one word from Sukhbir Badal” Mann continued in an attack on Navjot Singh Sidhu. 

Ending his video, Mann appealed the politicians to not indulge in activities just to maintain optics and make headlines and rather stand strong with the community and protect the religious identity. 

In another Tweet, Mann reaffirmed that they will continue to protect the girls from their community from forced conversions and Love Jihad. “We got her back, we’ll do it again whenever required, wherever required. To all the Woke people imparting Gyan. Take a Hike,” exclaimed Mann.

Akali Dal apologizes to Kashmiri Muslims

At a time when the Sikh community of Kashmir was fighting to get the girls back, Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi) leader Paramjit Singh Sarna apologized to the Kashmiri Muslim community over comments made by colleague Manjinder Singh Sirsa. He also showered praises on Muslim leaders, including cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

Watering down the entire incident, Paramjit Singh Sarna said that the Sikh girl got married to the man of her choice on Tuesday and that the issue was settled. “We also met people such as the Mirwaiz and Muslim organizations. The way all of them collaborated with us, we would not forget that for the rest of our lives,” Sarna said before adding, “We were provided support.”

Sirsa runs to Kashmir to lead the campaign

Akali Dal leader Manjinder Sirsa who had previously mocked Hinduism as a ‘weak religion’ for wanting in anti-conversion laws was seen giving interviews after interviews calling for similar reforms in Jammu & Kashmir.

Sirsa participated in several protests and demanded laws against forced conversions, like the one recently brought in by the UP government, in Jammu & Kashmir too, to fight the forceful religious conversion in the valley.

Fracture in Muslim-Sikh unity?

The entire incident has led to a crack in the widely peddled narrative of the Muslim-Sikh unity, especially in the backdrop of anti-CAA protests and farmer protests. Manmeet Kaur, one of the two Sikh girls who was allegedly abducted, forcibly converted to Islam and married off to a Muslim man in Jammu and Kashmir, got remarried to one Sukhbir Singh, with the decision of Panj Pyaaras. 

Many Sikh leaders, and community members have asserted vocally that, though they are not against harmony between religions, marriage is where they draw the line and the community will not accept interfaith marriages with Muslims.

Activist Amaan Bali had shared an audio clip of the victim’s father who could be heard sobbing as he narrated his tribulations and begged to save Sikh daughters in Kashmir, who are vulnerable to abduction and forced conversions, thereby, widening the divide.

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