Home Blog Page 4490

Pakistan: Hindu community ‘pardons’ Islamists who had destroyed the Krishna Dwara temple in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Pakistan: Hindu community ‘pardons’ Islamists who had destroyed the Krishna Dwara temple in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

The minority Hindu minority community in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region in Pakistan has reportedly decided to forgive the hundreds of radical Islamists who had razed down and destroyed the Krishna Dwara temple in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Karak district on December 30, 2020.

The Krishna Dwara temple, which is situated in Karak’s Teri union council, had come under attack by hundreds of residents who set fire to the building, then razed it down with hammers and crude weapons on December 30, last year.

Since the incident, tension brewed between the members of the persecuted Hindu community and the Muslims in the province. In order to resolve this dispute, the members of the Hindu community held a meeting on Saturday with some Muslim clerics and local leaders. In an out-of-court settlement, the former has now agreed to ‘pardon’ the mob accused of vandalising the temple revered by the Hindus in Pakistan. In return, the Muslim clerics reportedly promised to protect the constitutional rights of the Hindu community and provide full protection from any such untoward incident in the future.

Reportedly, the accused have also tendered an apology to the Hindus over the attack for a similar incident in 1997.

Following the reconciliation meeting on March 13 (Saturday), both sides agreed to send a letter to the Supreme Court of Pakistan, requesting it to release all the accused arrested so far in the case. According to reports, nearly 50 people had been arrested in the case.

The reconciliation meeting was chaired by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Mahmood Khan. Pakistan Hindu Council member Ramesh Kumar, who is also a member of the ruling PTI, stated that the incident had hurt Hindus all over the world.

Islamists razed down Hindu temple in Pakistan

In what transpired on December 30, 2020, several Islamists had attacked and burned down the Krishna Dwara temple, situated in Karak’s Teri union council. The fanatics, led by a local cleric and supporters of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party (Fazal ur Rehman group) set fire to the building, then razed it down with hammers and crude weapons. The video which went viral on social media showed how the miscreants surrounded and vandalised the temple for hours.

Notably, the temple was demolished allegedly in the presence of district administration officials.

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. In 2015, the Krishna Dwara temple was restored on the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, only to be razed down again by radical Islamists.

India lodged a strong protest against the malicious act

The unfortunate act against the Hindu minority community was widely condemned by human rights activists based in Pakistan and other parts of the world. India had also strongly protested the wanton and malicious destruction of the Hindu temple by several Islamic fanatics. Concerns were conveyed to Pakistan through diplomatic channels.

India had also called out the Pakistan government at the United Nations, saying the country’s enforcement agencies stood as “mute spectators” when a historic Hindu temple was attacked

Telangana: Probe begins into minor’s rape in Bhainsa; BJP leader accuses police of silencing parents to not escalate communal tension

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Telangana: Probe begins into minor’s rape in Bhainsa; BJP leader accuses police of silencing parents to not escalate communal tension

While Bhainsa continues to be in the dark, certain events have come to light despite strict curfew and complete internet shutdown. On 10th March, 2021, it was reported that a minor four-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by her 17-year-old neighbour. Some reports suggest he is 18.

On 11th of March, taking cognizance of the matter, Priyank Kanoongo (NCPCR Chairperson) tweeted about sexual abuse of a minor in Nirmal district. Post more reportage, several media reports and allegations, the TS Commission for Protection of Child Rights (TSCPCR) constituted a 3-member panel of  B. Aparna, Y. Brundadhar Rao and Ch. Raga Jyothi. The panel has been asked to submit its finding within 15 days. 

Rao and Jyothi visited Gandhi Hospital in Secunderabad, where the victim is currently undergoing treatment. They submitted their preliminary findings to the commission. Up till now it has been learnt that an 18-year-old raped a three-and-half- year girl when her parents were not at home. The accused had abducted her while she was playing in front of her residence, said police.

According to reports, when the child cried for help, the neighbours rushed to help. Subsequently, the assaulter escaped. The child was reportedly playing outside her home while her parents were out working in an agriculture field. The neighbour took benefit of this and assaulted the girl. The child’s grandmother noticed blood smears on her legs and informed the girl’s parents.

Several media houses reported the ordeal of the victims family when they were made to run to and fro for treatment. The girls parents rushed her to Nirmal Hospital for treatment owing to the curfew in Bhainsa sparked by communal violence. However, the hospital authorities at Nirmal advised the girl’s parents to lodge a police complaint first at Bhainsa. Upon returning to Bhainsa they lodged a complaint and then they were asked to take the girl to Nirmal Hospital.

At Nirmal Hospital, the girl underwent a few tests and the hospital authorities asked her parents to return to their village “without making an issue” as the communal tension were already high due to riots. While they were returning to their village, the girl experienced acute pain and the family approached BJP district president Rama Devi. Rama Devi took them to Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad. 

The family members of the minor alleged inaction by the Bhainsa rural police. Meanwhile, BJP leaders like Bandi Sanjay and Mitta Vamsi have accused the police of shamelessly silencing the victims family citing communal tensions in town.

Tweet by BJP leader Mitta Vamsi Krishna

As per reports, BJP leader Bandi Sanjay Kumar slammed the police for suggesting the girl’s parents to not reveal details of the sexual assault to anyone. He accused the police of trying to cover up the crime under the guise of possible exacerbation of tensions. He also alleged that the Police has taken signatures of the girl’s parents on plain paper. The girl’s father also broke down and revealed how the Police told them not go to to police station time and again.

Subsequently, the Bhainsa DGP had ordered the officials to speed up the investigation and nab the accused.

USA: Google faces a $5 billion lawsuit for tracking users browsing Chrome in incognito mode

OpIndia Staff
-
0
USA: Google faces a $5 billion lawsuit for tracking users browsing Chrome in incognito mode

The tech giant Google may have to pay a fine worth $5 billion as it faces a class-action lawsuit in the United States. As per the reports, the lawsuit states that the company has been tracking and collecting information on people using the private ‘Incognito Mode’ on Google’s Chrome browser.

The lawsuit alleged that the company used different systems, including Google Analytics, Google Ad Manager, website plug-ins and other applications, including the mobile apps, to track users. It seeks at least $5 billion in compensation from Google and its parent company Alphabet.

As per the reports, US District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California, said that Google failed to notify users that the company allegedly collects data while users are browsing in private mode.

Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda said in a statement that the company strongly dispute the claims and it will defend vigorously against them. He further added, “Incognito mode in Chrome gives you a choice to browse the internet without your activity being saved to your browser or device. As we clearly state, each time you open a new incognito tab, websites might be able to collect information about your browsing activity during your session.”

The case was filed in June 2020

In June 2020, three Google users had filed a complaint and claimed that the company carries on a “pervasive data tracking business.” They said that Google collects browsing history and other web activity data even if it has switched on the “incognito” mode.

“Google knows who your friends are, what your hobbies are, what you like to eat, what movies you watch, where and when you like to shop, what your favourite vacation destinations are, what your favourite colour is, and even the most intimate and potentially embarrassing things you browse on the internet — regardless of whether you follow Google’s advice to keep your activities ‘private,’” the complainant added.

On the other hand, Google said that it has explicitly disclosed the data collection practices in its privacy policy. In its court filing, Google said, “Google also makes clear that ‘Incognito’ does not mean ‘invisible,’ and that the user’s activity during that session may be visible to websites they visit, and any third-party analytics or ads services the visited websites use.”

Does Google collect data in Incognito mode?

Though Google provides a private browsing mode on Chrome called “Incognito Mode”, where online activities like browsing history, cache, passwords are not tracked, the company mentions explicitly in the Privacy Policy that it will track some online behaviour of the user. Google, in its statement, said, “As we clearly state each time you open a new incognito tab, websites might be able to collect information about your browsing activity during your session.”

Third-party cookies will be removed soon

Apple Safari and Mozilla Firefox have already removed the third-party cookies from their browsers to provide a better user experience. Google also announced last year that it would soon remove the support for third-party cookies from Chrome. These cookies allow advertisers to track users’ movement between various websites, making it easier to show targeted ads.

Jharkhand: Food van driver killed over allegations of bike theft, family claims ‘personal enmity’. Here is what we know so far

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Jharkhand: Food van driver killed over allegations of bike theft, family claims ‘personal enmity’. Here is what we know so far

On Sunday, a 26-year-old food van driver was thrashed and killed in Maheshpur village in Sirka in Ranchi district of Jharkhand, following allegations of theft, reported Indian Express.

The deceased has been identified as one Mubarak Khan. Indian Express reported that Khan was tied to an electric pole at around 1 am on Sunday night and beaten by a mob of 20-25 people for trying to steal the tire and wheels of a Pulsar bike. While speaking about the incident, DGP (Jharkhand) Niraj Sinha said, “According to the information available, two people were caught by a few villagers during a theft. One of them ran away and the other one was beaten to death.”

Indian Express reported that the Angara police have arrested 12 accused so far, although an official confirmation is yet to be made. According to New Indian Express, a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against 17 identified people and others for killing Mubarak Khan. Angara police (officer-in-charge) Brajesh Kumar said, “As per the information gathered so far, Mubarak, a resident of the nearby village Maheshpur,  was trying to steal the battery and the tires of the Pulsar bike in Sirka. the villagers caught him in the act and thrashed him badly. He died on the spot.”

Deceased’s family, locals claim ‘personal enmity’ behind the killing

Khan’s brother Tabarak told Indian Express that he had received information about the incident from the ex-Pramukh Anwar Khan at around 3 am on Sunday night. In his complaint, he has named several residents of Sirka, namely, Durga Mahato, Dhani Ram Mahato, Raju Munda Durag Munda, Balram Mahato, SaviChandra Mahato, Kaamlaal Mahato, Saheb Ram Mahato, Dilip Mahato and 25 unidentified people.

Tabarak alleged that the accused Saheb Ram Mahato had threatened his brother Mubarak Khan four days prior to the incident. He has asked the police to press charges for murder. His claim, that Mubarak was killed due to personal enmity, also found the support of one of the locals named Zakir Khan. Alleging that the deceased was being framed, he said that a jack (used for changing tires of four-wheelers) was proof enough that Mubarak Khan was not trying to steal the bike. “What is the use of a jack for stealing wheels of a bike,” he told the New Indian Express.

Ex-village Pramukh rules out ‘accident’ from the deceased’s injuries

Ex-village pramukh Anwar Khan told the Indian Express that he received a call from one Roshan Munda wherein he was told that the victim has died. When he went to the Sirka village, he was taken to the crime spot where the body of the deceased was lying in vicinity of a bike.

“Initially the villagers were telling me that he was fleeing after stealing a tyre of a motorbike and then slipped and died. I checked and found that there were no marks or scratches on the bike, nor any bruise on his hands. I told them this is not an accident case,” he said. Anwar Khan claimed that he concluded from the injuries on the deceased’s body that he was thrashed, prior to his death.

Police initiates probe into the ‘theft’ and ‘personal enmity’ angle

As per a report by the Times of India, an official from the Angara police station informed that Mubarak Khan was thrashed “after being caught fleeing while attempting to steal.” According to some locals, Khan broke into a house to steal the tyre of a bike when he was caught and thrashed. The police official said that the victim died on the spot. On receiving information, a police team headed by SP (Ranchi rural) Naushad Alam reached the crime scene.

The cops are now investigating the theft angle in the case. SP Naushad Alam also conceded that Mubarak Khan had a heated conversation with some locals a few days prior to his death. “We are looking into all aspects to ensure the speedy arrest of the culprits in the case,” he concluded.

On March 8, one Sachin Verma was beaten to death

On March 8, over 40 daily wage workers had beaten a person named Sachin Kumar Verma to death in the Kotwali police station area in Ranchi. Verma was accused of vehicle theft too. He had died while being taken to hospital for treatment.

Tabrez Ansari Case: Cops arrest co-accused Arif Ansari

In June 2019, the incidents of theft took place at the house of three persons named Hemsagar Pradhan, Rajesh Pramanik and Kamal Mahato. Three culprits were reportedly involved in the theft, out of whom the locals were able to nab one Mohammad Tabrez Ansari. Ansari was brutally beaten by the locals before the police had reached the spot. After reaching there police rescued Ansari and sent him for medical examination. Ansari was accused of trying to steal a bike.

The matter was picked up by national media after Tabrez Ansari’s death after some days was portrayed as a case of mob lynching. The matter was highly politicised and violent protests were carried out by Muslims organisations against Ansari’s death. In a major breakthrough in the case in January this year, Seraikela police had arrested a man named Arif Ansari for allegedly possessing two stolen mobiles phones. The phones were on kept on surveillance by the police since they were stolen. Accused Arif Ansari deals in sale and purchase of stolen mobile phones. He has been sent jailed several times in similar cases.

Pakistan Embassy to organize puppet show celebrating 70 years of diplomatic relations with China, netizens cannot keep calm

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Pakistan Embassy to organize puppet show celebrating 70 years of diplomatic relations with China, netizens cannot keep calm

On March 21, the Pakistan Embassy in Beijing is reportedly going to hold a puppet show to celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations with China at the China Puppet Art Theater. The event is being organized in collaboration with Rafi Peer Art Theater and China Puppet Art Theater. It will celebrate Pakistan-China civilizational and cultural heritage.

As per reports, the puppet show is a part of over 100 events that are in the pipeline to celebrate relations between two countries in a wide range of sectors, including economic, trade, military and cultural. The organizers are hoping to attract a younger generation from both countries to participate in the events actively. The celebrations were launched by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and China’s State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on March 2.

Netizens called it an ‘irony’

March 21 is also celebrated as World Puppetry Day. Though the event was first celebrated in 2003 by Union Internationale de la Marionnette (UNIMA), and it has nothing to do with Pakistan or China, netizens could not resist the chance to take a jibe on the planned event.

Since Pakistan is often termed as the ‘puppet of china’ jokes were inevitable.

With heavy debts from China under the CPEC and other infra projects, Pakistan is very much dependent on China on issues ranging from defence to agriculture and even administration. Pakistan is often cited as an example of the Chinese debt trap. China’s pressure on Pakistan is to the extent that the country that presents itself as an emerging leader of Islamic nations failed to stand for Uyghur Muslims facing atrocities in China.

Uttar Pradesh: Meerut youths on their way to namaz steal woman’s undergarment hanging for drying, people suspect occult practice

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Uttar Pradesh: Meerut youths on their way to namaz steal woman’s undergarment hanging for drying, people suspect occult practice

Two men on their way to offering namaz in Uttar Pradesh’s meerut were caught stealing women’s underwear which were kept for drying. The whole act was caught on camera.

In the video shared by journalist Sachin Gupta, one can see two men arrive on a two-wheeler in a lane. One of the youth then wears the skull cap, getting ready to offer namaz while the other one sneakily steals the underwear hanging out for drying. While the man with skull cap goes ahead for namaz, the other person drives away with the stolen underwear.

As per reports, the residents of the area approached police station to register a complaint regarding the same. While the police were surprised at such a complaint, the residents believe this stealing of underwear could be part of some occult practice. AajTak report cites Sadar Bazar Police station’s Sunil Dua who said that initial investigation points to some occult practice. People pointed out that there is a religious place nearby and suspected someone related to that place to have done it.

One Mohammad Romin has been arrested by Meerut Police. The police is currently investigating the case.

Yashwant Sinha – Story of a Compulsive Betrayer and Political Migratory Bird

Guest Author
-
0
Yashwant Sinha – Story of a Compulsive Betrayer and Political Migratory Bird

Adding to the already heated political drama in West Bengal, former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha joined the Trinamool Congress yesterday. Sinha had resigned from BJP in 2018, and become a very bitter critic of the Narendra Modi government and the BJP. He had subsequently teamed up with left-wing propagandists like Prashant Bhushan to launch attacks on the government.

However, this is not the first time the former union minister has changed his political leaning. His entire political career is marked with switching loyalties, changing party affiliations, changing viewpoints on various matters. This is an account of his various moves in the last several decades.

Yashwant Sinha, always quitting something and going somewhere else.

  • Mr. Sinha was a bureaucrat and cultivated his image as a poor man’s bureaucrat in his initial days as private secretary to the legendary Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur.
  • He quit his IAS post and joined politics as a member of the Janata Party in 1984.
  • When the Janata Dal was formed in 1989, Sinha, a founding member, was appointed the party’s general secretary. He refused to join Vishwanath Pratap Singh’s government as he thought Minister of State was not a ‘suitable post’.
  • Later, he became the Finance Minister for Prime Minister Chandrashekhar.
  • Once Chandrashekhar’s future began to become bleak, he deserted Chandrashekhar and moved to the BJP.
  • He was given great respect and important posts by the BJP including Minister of Finance but when he felt the BJP’s star was dipping, he began to speak against the BJP leadership even back in 2009 itself by attacking the party leadership!
  • After hanging around and becoming certain by 2014 that he wouldn’t get any posts, he quit the BJP.
  • Then Mr. Sinha started to be seen with supposed critics of the government and opposition parties. He was seen on the stage with Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal at a rally in Delhi.
  • He deserted that also and now joined the TMC.
  • This political migratory bird is only concerned about his own position and benefits, and has no ideology or principles!

Yashwant Sinha, the sulking benefactor within BJP

  • When he saw the fortunes of the Janata Dal declining in the 1990s, he jumped ship to join the Bharatiya Janata Party.
  • Despite being an import, he was accorded respect and was appointed Finance Minister in March 1998. He was later also appointed as Minister for External Affairs.
  • In 2004, he lost elections for the Lok Sabha seat of Hazaribagh. Despite that, he was made the Vice President of the Party.
  • In 2009, when the BJP lost elections once again, Mr. Sinha instead of standing with the party chose to attack other leaders in the party. In his resignation letter, Mr. Sinha remarked that ‘it appears as if some people in the party are determined to ensure that the principle of accountability does not prevail so that their own little perch is not disturbed’.
  • This has been a feature of his character. When the times are good, he stays for the benefits. In tough times, he starts turning against his own colleagues!
  • In 2014, his son Jayant Sinha was given a ticket from Hazaribagh and post his victory even made Minister by the present Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, holding different portfolios at different times. Even now, he is the chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Finance, despite Mr. Sinha’s dour behaviour towards the present government.

The Naraz Fufaji syndrome, on display since 2014

  • Mr. Sinha since 2014 has exhibited the ‘Naaraaz Fufaji’ behaviour since 2014, apparently for not being taken in as Minister. Reflecting his anger on the issue in 2015, Mr. Sinha said that “All those who are above the age of 75 were declared brain dead on May 26, 2014.”
  • Mr. Sinha worked with former Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav to chalk out plans to bring together different groups working on Kashmir for a national conclave in the capital this month, which will attempt to ‘seek a unified voice on resolving the Kashmir unrest and restoring peace’. We all know what such agenda on Kashmir means.
  • Finally revealing his real ambitions in 2019, Mr. Sinha threw his hat in the race for prime ministership when he declared himself as the “closest” person who could deliver on job creation, building roads, townships and industries. That month, he even told the Outlook that he had regretted the decision to nominate PM Modi’s name for the PM candidate in 2014 as if Modi became PM because of him.
  • In August 2018, Mr. Sinha was part of a press conference claiming that Bofors pales into insignificance before Rafale ‘scam’. It is well known that Rafale was a clean and clear deal.
  • Mr. Sinha even joined hands with a rabidly anti-national person such as Prashant Bhushan on the Rafale matter.
  • In 2019, after the massive BJP victory under PM Modi, Mr. Sinha continued to rail against the government. He was critical of the watering down of Article 370.
  • P. Chidambaram has in the past remarked that ‘Yashwant Sinha’s tenure as FM was worst since 1991’. Despite this insult, Sinha today has found a common cause with Congress.
  • In the latest display of opportunism and attempting to stay relevant, Mr. Sinha has joined the Trinamool Congress on 13 March 2021.
  • His agenda is just to side with anything that opposes PM Modi.

A series of second chances

  • In 2004, Yashwant Sinha lost elections from the Lok Sabha seat of Hazaribagh. Despite that, he was made the Vice President of the Party by BJP. Immediately after, BJP sent him to Rajya Sabha too.
  • Despite others being far ahead of him, the BJP side-lined several others and made him the leader of the opposition in Bihar. Today he can be seen supporting Lalu against the very same BJP.
  • Yashwant Sinha wasn’t even Atal Ji’s pick for the post of Finance Minister. Observers noted that his mismanagement during the UTI scam and tax treaty with Mauritius caused Atal Ji to remove him. He had at that time gone out of the way to appease the RSS, an organisation which he is attacking so badly today.

Author: @knowthenation

Politics of Contradiction: Congress allies in other states decide to support Mamata Banerjee in the West Bengal polls

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Politics of Contradiction: Congress allies in other states decide to support Mamata Banerjee in the West Bengal polls

The West Bengal State Legislative elections, which are scheduled to commence from March 27, have become the battleground of political contradictions. While the upcoming polls are expected to be a tough contest between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), it is a case of political survival for the grand-old Congress party.

In a bid to turn around its political fortunes, the Congress has forged an alliance with its once arch-rival Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Islamist Abbas Siddiqui’s Indian Secular Front (ISF). The grand old party hopes to strengthen its hold over the Muslim vote bank and save its face in the upcoming polls. While chances of the Congress party are slim to none in the elections, the party is now being shunted out by its allies in other States.

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), which fought alongside the Congress in Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha polls of 2019, have decided to support Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) instead of its own ally. Although Congress and JMM run the coalition government in Jharkhand, JMM leader Hemant Soren informed that his party would not contest the polls in West Bengal. He instead extended his full support to TMC so that BJP could be stopped from coming to power.

Screengrab of Times Now article

It must be mentioned that Mamata Banerjee had earlier requested Hemant Soren to campaign for her party so that the ‘communal forces’ could be defeated in the State. Soren, the incumbent CM of Jharkhand, yields influence over the workforce from Jharkhand who are employed in Bengal’s tea gardens. But, instead of vouching for its own ally, JMM realised that the Congress party lacks the potential to stop the BJP in the State.

Screengrab of the Hindustan Times report

Besides JMM, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has also snubbed the Congress ahead of West Bengal polls. It must be mentioned that the two parties are part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra, a coalition involving the Shiv Sena. Even the Sena, which had forged an alliance with the Congress after betraying its ally BJP post-elections, also seemed to have no hopes from the grand old party.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had extended his party’s support to the TMC and decided against contesting elections in West Bengal. Hailing Mamata Banerjee as a ‘real tigress’, he claimed that the TMC camp was being hounded using money, muscle and media power. He also took to Twitter to claim that the Vidhan Sabha polls are a fight between the TMC and everyone else.

Justifying the party’s position to support TMC, Raut commented, “All ‘M’s – Money, Muscle and Media are being used against ‘Mamata Didi’. Hence, Shivsena has decided not to Contest West Bengal polls & stand in solidarity with her. We wish Mamata Didi a ‘roaring’ success, ‘cos we believe She is the real Bengal Tigress.”

Screengrab of the article in The Hindu

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), an ally of the Congress in Bihar’s Mahagathbandhan and Jharkhand’s UPA government, had also backed TMC earlier this month. After meeting Mamata Banerjee, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said, “This is a battle for values. Laluji ka nirnay hai Mamataji ko full support karna hai (Laluji has decided that we should fully support Mamata ji). We will stand by her wherever we can. This is a larger fight to stop communal forces from dividing our nation.”

Screengrab of the Times of India article

He further added, “Bengal has a lot of Hindi-speaking people from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. I would appeal to everyone to back Mamata Didi with all our strength to ensure her win. We support her in her fight for Bengal’s language, culture, literature.” Even Samajwadi leader Akhilesh Yadav has voiced his support for the TMC. While SP and RJD have been the erstwhile allies of the Left front, they have ditched both the Left-Congress coalition to stop the BJP.

It is ironical to witness that the Congress, which hopes to turn its fortunes in West Bengal, is facing abandonment by its allies from other States. While Congress has decided to forge an alliance with the Left in West Bengal, it is fighting the same party in the State of Kerala at the same time. Political opportunism is not new to Indian politics but the glaring ideological contradictions continue to diminish the grand old party’s electoral prospects.

Sovan Chatterjee and friend Baisakhi quit BJP over ticket denial: Read their resignation letters to state party president Dilip Ghosh

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Sovan Chatterjee and friend Baisakhi quit BJP over ticket denial: Read their resignation letters to state party president Dilip Ghosh

Sovan Chatterjee and Baisakhi Banerjee, prominent BJP leaders in West Bengal, have quit the party after the former was denied ticket from Behala East. The party has nominated actress Payal Sarkar from the constituency.

Baisakhi Banerjee has vowed to ‘fight back’ against the ‘conspiracies and treachery’ in a Facebook post. Since then, their resignation letters have surfaced in the media. While Sovan Chatterjee says that he has resigned because Baisakhi Banerjee was denied a ticket, Baisakhi’s letter says that she has resigned because the former did not receive a ticket from Behala East.

Sovan Chatterjee says in his letter to BJP state president Dilip Ghosh, “You have always been encouraging and I will treasure this throughout my life but a few minutes back, I got a call from Honourable Shiv Prakash ji who told me that the party has decided to give me ticket from Behala West and also not to give Baisakhi Banerjee, Co Convenor, Kolkata Zone any ticket from anywhere.”

Sovan Chatterjee’s resignation letter

“I feel extremely humiliated and pained to accept this decision as being a public representative for thirty six years, I had contributed to the development of the area from wherever I have been elected. As a Mayor and Minister, I have contributed to the development of not only Behala, but entire Kolkata at large. My dedicated commitment to the people of West Bengal at large can not be denied by even my opposition parties. But the party’s decision not to give me nomination from Behala East is a moral defeat for me and I have never compromised with my principles,” the letter says.

Chatterjee stated further, “I clearly said that Baisakhi and I have contributed jointly and in a very small span of time i.e. from 27th December till date, not only I but Baisakhi also have been able to penetrate within the mass and could garner huge support for herself in the entire Kolkata Zone, especially in Behala. But you have decided to overlook her contribution and have decided not to give her an opportunity to contest the election, I tender my protest against that also. In view of the above situation, I am hereby tendering my resignation from all posts given by your party and also dissociate myself from your party with immediate effect.”

Baisakhi Banerjee, in her letter, says that the two of them have been treated in a “very shabby manner” by the BJP. She says that she feels “it is essential to tender my protest against such unilateral decision not to grant him ticket from Behala Purba”.

Baisakhi Banerjee’s resignation letter

“l am extremely pained that the party has overlooked our contribution and have treated us in a very shabby manner. Thus, I abdicate all posts in Bharatiya Janata Party and severe all ties with your party from today,” she said in her letter to Dilip Ghosh.

The BJP announced its candidates for the 3rd and 4th phases of the West Bengal Assembly Elections on Sunday. Journalist-turned-politician Swapan Das Gupta, who is currently a nominated Rajya Sabha member, has been fielded from the Tarakeswar Assembly seat. BJP MP Nisith Pramanik has been fielded from the Dinhat constituency.

Hooghly MP Locket Chatterjee will contest the elections from Chunchura. Bengal actor Yash Das Gupta, who had joined BJP recently, will contest from Chanditala. MP Babul Supriyo will contest from Tollygunge.

Congress trolls attack ‘journalist’ Nidhi Razdan over a critical article on Party’s performance in recent elections

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Congress trolls attack ‘journalist’ Nidhi Razdan over a critical article on Party’s performance in recent elections

On March 14, alleged ‘journalist’ Nidhi Razdan was viciously attacked by the trolls from the Congress party over a critical article on Party’s performance in Gujarat. Razdan had written an oped for Gulf News in which she had criticized Congress Party for its poor performance in recent elections and said that the Party needs to reinvent itself.

Screenshot of Nidhi’s tweet about her report on Congress Party in Gulf News

Razdan quoted Andolanjivi Yogendra Yadav in her article, who had said in 2019 that the Congress Party must die. Notably, Yadav also faced a backlash from the Congress supporters at that time. Razdan pointed out that in Kerala, there is dissent within Congress Party as Senior Party leader PC Chacko quit the Party stating there is no democracy in the Party.

Coming to another poll-bound state of West Bengal, she said that the Congress Party had lost significant ground. In Tamil Nadu, Razdan pointed out that Congress ally DMK is in the driver’s seat. She also pointed out that BJP has also lost its ground, but the criticism was much more diverted towards the Congress party throughout the report.

The primary issue that Congress supporters found with the report was where Razdan claimed that Aam Aadmi Party became the number two party in Gujarat in the recent local body polls, which was factually incorrect. BJP won 6,239 seats, Congress grabbed 1,805, and AAP managed to win only 42 seats, out of which 25 seats were from Surat. AAP came second in Surat, but Nidhi claimed that AAP came second in entire Gujarat, angering the Congress army on social media.

Several trolls (possibly hired recently as social media warriors) supporting the Congress party picked up this particular point and started attacking her. Big names like Gaurav Pandhi was among the leaders who led trolls towards Nidhi’s profile.

Rahul Gandhi is boring – alleged Razdan

The report mentioned the story of Rahul Gandhi, if he is going to lead the Party or not, is unending and boring. She mentioned the ‘angry leaders’ of the Congress party, known as G23, who wrote a letter to Sonia Gandhi about the current situation of the Party. The outcome of raising voice against the downfall of the Congress Party resulted in the removal of Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Kapil Sibal and others from the star campaigners list, which is another setback for the Party.

After the troll attack, Nidhi claimed that the trolls were attacking her without reading her report.

Overall, while Nidhi tried to point out the problems Congress Party is currently facing, the party supporters did not like the idea and waged war against her. In the end, Nidhi, who everyone had thought to be a ‘sane’ voice in favour of the opposition, sadly became a propagandist.

1...4,4894,4904,491...7,654Page 4,490 of 7,654