Home Blog Page 4510

Despite getting a ticket for Habibpur assembly constituency, senior TMC leader Sarala Murmu ditches party to join BJP, gets 14 others

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Despite getting a ticket for Habibpur assembly constituency, senior TMC leader Sarala Murmu ditches party to join BJP, gets 14 others

Mamata Banerjee’s worries are mounting as the exodus of TMC leaders continues ahead of the Assembly elections. In yet another jolt to the party supremo, who is eyeing at her third consecutive term, senior TMC leader Sarala Murmu has also reportedly ditched Mamata Banerjee to join BJP. Murmu’s jump to BJP has come after she was offered a TMC ticket for the Habibpur seat in the Malda district.

TMC rushes to issue statement saying Sarala Murmu had to be replaced due to ill health

Left deeply embarrassed with this latest development, the Trinamool Congress, in order to salve its conscience, rushed to issue a statement Monday, saying that Sarala Murmu had to be replaced due to her ill health. The TMC replaced Murmu with Pradeep Bakshey as a candidate for the Habibpur seat.

The statement issued by TMC

With this, Sarala Murmu has become the first party member to jump ship despite making it to the candidate list in West Bengal this election season.

Reports have it the Sarala Murmu and the others took a train from Malda on Sunday night and reached Kolkata on Monday morning to join the BJP. All these members are said to be close to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, whose resignation from TMC in December last year had triggered a mass-exodus of party leaders in TMC.

Since yesterday it was being speculated that Sarala Murmu will bring in at least 14 other TMC members along with her to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Sarala Murmu has not been available for comments.

As per reports, the main reason for the senior party leader to quit was the seat distribution. She was believed to be miffed that she did not get the seat (Old Malda) she wanted and instead was asked to contest from Habibpur by the party’s key decision-makers.

“This is primarily the reason why she has decided to quit the TMC and is planning to join the BJP. Apart from Murmu, 14 others, including Gour Chandra Mondal (Malda Zila Parishad president) and Amlan Bhaduri (TMC co-ordinator), are also planning to join the BJP,” a local TMC leader said, requesting anonymity.

According to reports, Sarala Murmu is not the only TMC leader who has been disgruntled with the party over ticket distribution.

Upset with seat denial, TMC MLA’s supporters burn down his own office

We reported how hours after Trinamool Congress (TMC) released the list of candidates contesting the upcoming State Legislative polls in West Bengal, the supporters of former party MLA Arabul Islam burnt down his own party office as he was denied a ticket from his Bhangar constituency in South 24 Pargana. Arabul Islam had represented the constituency in 2006.

As per reports, the incident took place on Friday in Bhangar in South 24 Parganas after the TMC leader’s name did not feature in the list of candidates contesting the elections. While the party has denied ticket to incumbent MLA Abdur Razzak Molla, it has decided to field Rezaul Karim from the Bhangar seat. The supporters of Arabul Islam not only vandalised their own party office but also set it on fire. In a video that has now gone viral on social media, they were seen gathered around a bonfire that was initiated by setting the vacant party office ablaze.

‘Two Pakistani ministers were locked up in a container for 4 hours to pressurise them to vote in favour of Imran Khan’: Maryam Nawaz

OpIndia Staff
-
0
‘Two Pakistani ministers were locked up in a container for 4 hours to pressurise them to vote in favour of Imran Khan’: Maryam Nawaz

PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Sunday launched a scathing attack at incumbent Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan alleging that the government had used the help of intelligence agencies to secure support for his vote of confidence.

Accusing the prime minister of using illicit means to secure his government from a collapse, the opposition leader claimed that the authorities locked up 2 Members of the National Assembly (MNAs), who resisted voting for the prime minister, in a container for 4 hours, until they buckled under pressure.

While addressing a press conference, the daughter of PMN-N supremo and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said that some government representatives were “in touch” with her party and alleged that the secret service agents had made the MLAs disappear on the instructions of the PM ahead of Saturday’s trust vote.

“Their members are in touch with us,” the PML-N leader added.

Launching a scathing attack against Imran Khan, Maryam Nawaz said that Imran Khan used drone cameras to keep a vigil on his ministers a night before the National Assembly session. “The members who voted against you in the election of Yousuf Raza Gillani, what happened that they changed their decision in just two days?” she said, adding that the lawmakers didn’t change their decision on their own but were instead forced into doing so.

Maryam opined the vote of confidence to Imran Khan had “no legal, political and moral value”.

On March 6 (Saturday) PM Imran Khan won the confidence of the National Assembly. As per reports, Imran Khan’s government received 178 votes in an assembly of 342 members. The Pakistani Prime Minister needed a total of 172 votes to save his government.

China’s two-pronged approach to change global perception while whitewashing its atrocities on Uyghur Muslims

OpIndia Staff
-
0
China’s two-pronged approach to change global perception while whitewashing its atrocities on Uyghur Muslims

French Professor Christian Mestre, Honorary Dean of the Strasbourg Law Faculty and Ethics Officer of the Strasbourg EuroMetropolis, stepped down from his post on February 26, 2021. An investigative report published in French paper LePoint he was also a teacher at Chongqing University and used his influence in academia in the service of China.

In September 2019, China’s state media Global Times had reported that Mestre had visited Northern China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, not as a tourist but to ‘participate’ in the International Seminar on Counter-terrorism, De-radicalization and Human Rights Protection with experts from other countries. Global Times reported that Mestre had there claimed that he wished France and other European countries would adopt similar ‘counter-terrorism and de-radicalization’ methods adopted by China.

Downplaying the atrocities carried out by Chinese government on Uyghur Muslims, Global Times quoted Mestre as saying that ‘these people are not in jail, but being put through compulsory training’. He claimed that there is no such ‘model’ in France and that France should learn from these ‘schools’.

The LePoint report shows how China gives credibility to its own image amongst the world as well as its own people. The report does not cast aspersions on the University of Strasbourg as being influenced by Beijing but how Beijing does it sneakily through certain professors or leaders.

As per reports, experts believe that China has, through the years, tried to influence certain intellectuals in civil societies. French writer Maxime Vivas has been one such French intellectual used by China to further its propaganda. Vivas has published a book Ouïghours, pour en finir avec les fake news (Uygurs, to put an end to the fake news) wherein he has dismissed the genocide allegations on China.

In an interview published by Global Times, he claimed that he based his book on the two weeks he spent twice in 2016 and 2018. He claimed that during his 2 two-week long visits to Xinjiang, he saw mosques, theatres, museums and that the Chinese government is ‘preventing deadly terrorist attacks’ by following these strict measures. He also claimed that the reports on concentration camps, extermination camps and genocide of Uyghur Muslims in China are ‘hyped’ by Western media. He also refuted media reports on forced labour camps in Xinjiang.

Recently, China banned the British public broadcaster BBC over ‘fake news’ for reporting on the atrocities carried out by Chinese government on Uyghurs.

Experts say that the goal to have such people trying to influence perception is to convince the Chinese population abroad that there is support for the communist regime. This will help in creating networks which are favourable to the Chinese interest.

Another report suggests that China has undertaken the ‘warrior wolf diplomacy’ under which the Chinese diplomats defend China’s national interest in confrontational ways. During the Chinese coronavirus pandemic, Chinese diplomats took this confrontational approach to respond to any criticism coming their way.

China’s spokesperson for Foreign Ministry Lijian Zhao last year had hit out on those criticising Chinese export as toxic and asked them not to wear China-made masks and protective gear while treating Chinese coronavirus. Here, it is important to note that multiple countries eventually did not use the poor quality and reused masks China had sent as diplomatic move. Further, even in the vaccine, many countries are wary of using the Chinese vaccines because of lack of data available for the same.

In fact, he had even claimed that it was the US Army that brought the Chinese virus to China.

Similar tactics also seem to be used by China for whitewashing the atrocities on Uyghur Muslims. China has claimed that those scholars who are calling out China’s atrocities against Uyghur Muslims are ‘spies’ working for the US intel agency. Chinese government officials have taken to social media to call reports on Uyghur Muslims as ‘fake news’.

The Chinese have been denying the atrocities on Uyghur Muslims the way they have been denying its responsibility of the Coronavirus pandemic. With the combined power of influencing intellectuals and prominent people and getting into confrontational mode, China is trying to influence the global perception and whitewashing its atrocities.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi fumes after UP CM Yogi Adityanath calls Secularism the biggest threat to Indian tradition

OpIndia Staff
-
0
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi fumes after UP CM Yogi Adityanath calls Secularism the biggest threat to Indian tradition

Days after Yogi Adityanath termed secularism as the biggest threat facing the country’s traditions, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Chief Asaduddin Owaisi raved against the Uttar Pradesh chief minister.

Fuming over Yogi’s remarks, Owaisi said that the Uttar Pradesh chief minister has disrespected the constitutional post he holds with his statements against secularism.

“Secularism is enshrined in Articles 14, 19, 22, 25 of India’s Constitution. India is a secular country because our founding fathers envisioned it this way. If secularism is threatening our traditions, then Yogi ji should complain it to PM Modi,” he said.

Owaisi further ranted, “China is on our land. The prices of petrol and diesel are skyrocketing. Farmers are agitating, there is rising employment in the country, is secularism responsible for this?”

“The post you are sitting on has no religion. The Chief Minister of a state is speaking against secularism and the Bharatiya Janata Party is maintaining a stoic silence. It reveals what the Sangh Parivar truly believes in. They are allergic to secularism,” Owaisi fulminated.

Secularism biggest threat to India’s prosperous traditions: Yogi Adityanath

Earlier on Saturday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said secularism was the biggest threat to India’s traditions as it precluded the indigenous culture from getting its due recognition on the global stage. He also claimed that people who were spreading false propaganda about the country for a paltry amount of money will not succeed in their efforts.

Yogi was speaking at the launch of the first edition of Global Encyclopedia of the Ramayana on Saturday, when he termed secularism as the biggest threat to develop India’s prosperous traditions.

“People who are misguiding the public for their own benefit and betraying the country will not be spared. People who are creating false propaganda about India for money will face the heat,” Yogi thundered.

Asserting that it is impossible to refute historical facts, Yogi highlighted how existence of Lord Rama was questioned by some perverse individuals. The CM also exhorted the people to not let go of the harmonious spirit of the nation by getting involved in petty communal disputes.

Assam election: AIUDF releases first list of candidates, declares it will be in ‘friendly’ contest with Congress in 5 minority-dominated seats

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Assam election: AIUDF releases first list of candidates, declares it will be in ‘friendly’ contest with Congress in 5 minority-dominated seats

With the Assam Assembly elections approaching, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), which has stitched an alliance with the Congress party hoping to win Assam, has taken out its first list of 16 candidates. Out of these 16 seats, in five seats AIUDF will be in a ‘friendly’ fight with its ally, the Congress party.

Badruddin Ajmal’s brother Sirajuddin Ajmal will contest from Jamunamukh assembly constituency while sitting MLAs Hafiz Basir Ahmed will fight from Bilasipara West, Nazrul Haque from Dhubri, Nizanur Rahman from Gauripur, Aminul Islam from Dhing, Dr Rafiqul Islam from Jonia, Nizamuddin Choudhury from Algapur, Sujam Uddin Laskar from Katlichera.

Apart from these seats, the AIUDF had also announced the party candidates for Mankachar, Bhawanipur, Sonai assembly constituencies and the party will ‘friendly’ contest in the minority-dominated seats of Sarukhetri, Jaleswar, Dalgaon, Chenga and Bagbor seats.

Basically, it appears that the competition in these 5 seats is going to be a mere formality with the AIUDF candidates expected to give their allies a complete walk-over in these five constituencies.

The list of 16 constituencies released by AIUDF in Assam

Of the five seats, four have sitting Congress MLAs. In the fifth seat of Jaleswar, the current MLA is of the AIUDF, Sahab Uddin Ahmed, but the contestant this time is a new face, Rafiqul Islam.

After the list was released, the AIUDF president Badruddin Ajmal said that the party has put 11 candidates in alliance with its partners while in five seats, it has decided to go for a friendly contest.

Ajmal had earlier told media that the party will make “sacrifices” to make the grand alliance work.

In 2019 also, All India United Democratic Front chief Badruddin Ajmal had fielded candidates from only three seats out of a total of 14 seats in Assam, to help the Congress party in the other 11 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. The Congress was, however, reduced to its worst-ever tally with bagging only three seats. The All India United Democratic Front won 1 seat while BJP took a complete sweep by winning nine of the 14 seats. The remaining one was taken by an Independent contestant.

Congress ties up with Badruddin Ajmal for the 2021 Assam Assembly Elections to keep BJP at bay

Traditionally a Congress stronghold, BJP came to power for the first time in Assam, that too with a thumping mandate, in the year 2016. BJP’s overwhelming success in the last Assembly elections left the Congress party reeling in shock. Now, with the 2021 Assembly elections approaching, the desperate Congress is leaving no stone unturned to woo the people of Assam and perhaps there is no better way to consolidate Muslim votes than stitching up an alliance with the Islamist party.

For the uninitiated, the Congress and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) had in the second week of January announced a pre-poll alliance for the Assam assembly election scheduled for April. Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia had then said that the Congress party was open to joining hands with all those who opposed the Citizenship Amendment Act and insisted that an alliance with AIUDF alone may benefit the party. 

The BJP, for its part, had slammed the alliance and asserted that it revealed the anti-Assamese nature of the party. The BJP also called it “conspiracy hatched to harm the State”.

AIUDF and its controversies

It is pertinent to note here that Badruddin Ajmal and his party AIUDF have been marred with various controversies and accused of carrying out several illegal activities in the past.

Recently, while speaking on bringing strict laws to deal with the emerging menace of Grooming Jihad (Love Jihad) in Assam, Health and Education Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Himanta Biswa Sarma had accused Badruddin Ajmal’s party and supporters of victimising young and vulnerable girls of Assam. He had claimed that the Assamese daughters are becoming victims of “Ajmal’s culture” on Facebook. He emphasised that Islamic fundamentalists, encouraged by leaders like Badruddin Ajmal have been promoting the targeting of Hindu Assamese girls by Muslim men, often under false identities.

Last year, Chief of Army Staff Bipin Rawat had cited the example of AIUDF, to explain the rapid influx of illegal Bangladeshi Muslims in North-east.

In 2012, AIUDF was accused of providing training to jihadist forces in Assam.

Women’s Day: Pakistanis denigrate ‘Aurat March’ protestors, label them as vulgar, un-Islamic

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Women’s Day: Pakistanis denigrate ‘Aurat March’ protestors, label them as vulgar, un-Islamic

On Monday, the annual Aurat Azadi March was held in several cities of Pakistan, including Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi on the occasion of International Women’s Day. With an objective to achieve equal social status at par with men in the conservative society in the Islamic country of Pakistan, the participants of the Aurat March sat on a dharna, raised slogans and marked the homecoming of the feminist movement.

Pakistanis objectify women, call them ‘vulgar’, ‘anti-social’

However, ahead of the historic ‘Aurat Azadi March’, Pakistani men have been spewing venom against the women’s movement. From labelling it as ‘vulgar’, ‘un-Islamic’ to comparing women with vegetables and animals, Pakistanis did not leave any stone unturned to tarnish the fight of women for justice and equal rights. M Saad Arslan Sadiq, who claims to be an entrepreneur, wrote, “Both men and women have special rights in Islam but to do Aurat March and giving slogan mera jism meri marzi should not be promoted. It is totally against our moral values.”

Screengrab of the tweet

It must be pointed out that regressive Pakistanis had been deliberately misinterpreting the slogan ‘mera jism meri marzi‘ to suggest that the women participating in Aurat March want to have physical relations with several men. While the objective behind the slogan was to emphasise women’s choice and liberty, Islamists have been using the said slogan to cast aspersions on the feminist movement.

One Twitter user, Syed Hamza Gillani’s anti-women stance came to the fore when he compared the participants of the ‘Aurat March’ to rotten apples. “A silent message for those who support the Women’s Freedom March,” he wrote.

Screengrab of the tweet

Another user did not bother to hide his misogyny. Comparing women to a herd of ‘donkeys’, he wrote “Aurat Azadi March be like:”

Screengrab of the tweet

Twitter user Syed Aoun Ali wrote, “Some liberals have destroyed the real cause of Women’s Day and their genuine rights. They are connecting their own personal filthy desires with this. May Allah protect our women from these vulgar ones.”

Screengrab of the tweet

Reiterating the same narrative, one user tweeted, “They people who are participating in Aurat march are not liberals but belongs to vulgar, corrupt, dishonest and agents of enemies of Islam and Pakistan.”

Screengrab of the tweet

While labelling Aurat Azadi March as anti-social, anti-Pakistan and anti-Islam, one Syed Sajid Bukhari wrote, “There is no place for anti-social, anti-Pakistan and anti-Islam agendas in my beloved country.”

Screengrab of the tweet

Feminism is not un-Islamic: Pakistan’s Aurat Azadi March explains

In a tweet on February 26, Aurat Azadi March Islamabad had explained that their protest is not un-Islamic. The official Twitter handle of the movement wrote, “The mainstream narrative about Aurat March is that it’s un-Islamic. This idea has been hammered into us that our norms & cultural values are at stake at the hands of these movements.” To break the stigma attached to it, they had also shared an animation explaining the concept of women’s freedom.

“Is demanding for social and financial equality and justice, un-Islamic? Is it against Islam to speak about education for women? Is it unIslamic to raise voice against the atrocities committed against women? Is it unislamic to speak against child abuse, acid attacks and killing women in the name of honour? If all of it is against Islam, then what is your Islam? Calling ‘Aurat March’ un-Islamic is akin to insulting the religion.”

“We are not against Islam or any religion. The majority of those connected with our movement practice their Faith in private. Feminism is not against Islam, Christianity or any other religion. We are against all such archaic practices that have been traditionally used to oppress women,” the video concluded. Aurat March was first organised in 2018 on the occasion of International Women’s Day on March 8th, after which it has become an annual event. On this day, women march in various cities of Pakistan demanding equality and freedom.

While Meghan Markle talks about being a victim of racism, here is the time when her husband Prince Harry apologised for his racist remarks

OpIndia Staff
-
0
While Meghan Markle talks about being a victim of racism, here is the time when her husband Prince Harry apologised for his racist remarks

In an explosive television interview recently, Prince Harry’s wife Meghan Markle said she contemplated taking her own life after joining the British royal family, and accused the monarchy of subjecting her to racist attacks. 

Shedding light on the couple’s dramatic exit from the royal life, Meghan said she was refused help during her mental health crisis, was targeted by falsehoods, and that there was official concern regarding the skin colour of her unborn son. 

Meghan was speaking to Oprah Winfrey when when she confessed to rampant racial discrimination exercised by the British royalty. 

“In those months when I was pregnant… we have in tandem the conversation of ‘he won’t be given security, he’s not going to be given a title’ and also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born,” Meghan told Winfrey.

Prince Harry tenders an apology for using “Paki” to describe an Asian colleague in the Army

While Meghan has levelled serious allegations of racism against the British royal family, it is pertinent to revisit the time when her husband, Prince Harry, had to apologise after being caught on video — obtained by the News of the World — using the term Paki about an Asian colleague in the Army. 

More than a decade ago, a video had surfaced in which Prince Harry was seen passing racist slurs. In the video, Prince Harry called an officer from the Pakistani army, who was on the course with him, “our little Paki friend” and, when another officer cadet wearing a camouflage veil joined them, he exclaimed: “F… me, you look like a raghead.”

The word “Paki” is considered a derogatory slang for an immigrant or descendant of an immigrant from Pakistan. Being called “Paki” is also considered as an affront by people belonging to other central Asian countries, presumably because of Pakistan’s involvement in promoting terrorism. The term “raghead”, on the other hand, is an offensive slur for Arabs. 

The video sparked a massive controversy and Prince Harry was at the receiving end of criticism using racist slangs in the clip. Subsequently, he issued a statement through a spokesman for Britain’s royal family, stating that there had been no racist intent in his words.

“Prince Harry fully understands how offensive this term (Paki) can be, and is extremely sorry for any offence his words might cause,” the spokesman said.

Leftists try to cancel popular band Mumford & Sons after banjoist praises book by Andy Ngo critical of Antifa, call him ‘fascist’

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Leftists try to cancel popular band Mumford & Sons after banjoist praises book by Andy Ngo critical of Antifa, call him ‘fascist’

Cancel Culture has acquired quite a monstrous shape and form in recent times. At a time when it is coming under severe criticism from all quarters, leftists are attempting to ‘cancel’ popular band Mumford & Sons after banjoist Winston Marshall announced that he was reading journalist Andy Ngo’s book critical of Antifa.

Winston Marshall was forced to delete the tweet after a hate campaign was launched against him by leftists, who accused him of being an apologist for ‘right-wing fascism’. The tweet was extremely innocuous where he called Ngo ‘brave’.

The tweet that Winston Marshall deleted

Marshall was subjected to the vilest of abuses following the tweet.

Marshall was also called ‘fascist’ for saying that he was reading the book.

There were others who came out in support of the Mumford & Sons banjoist. Author Brigitte Gabriel said, “You can now be cancelled on the left for simply reading a book they don’t approve of. Winston Marshall, a guitarist for the incredibly popular and successful band, Mumford and Sons learned that the hard way this morning. The left has gone full communist/fascist.”

She stated, “The left is trying to cancel Mumford and Sons because one of their members tweeted in support of a book written by a Trump supporter. Tell me more about how conservatives are the “fascists.””

Andy Ngo’s new book ‘Unmasked: Inside Antifa’s Radical Plan to Destroy Democracy‘ that Marshall had said he was reading was released recently and documents the tactics and strategy adopted by left wing anarchists to unleash violence on the streets of the United States of America.

Left-wing violence has been a matter of serious concern in the United States, however, left wing influencers including ‘journalists’ in the mainstream media have continued to downplay the acts of arson, rioting and looting by Antifa ‘activists’.

Survivor slams Football fans for sharing meme with her photo that mocks domestic violence after Liverpool’s 6th straight home defeat

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Survivor slams Football fans for sharing meme with her photo that mocks domestic violence after Liverpool’s 6th straight home defeat

Katie Kelleher, a victim of domestic abuse, has slammed football fans on social media after an insensitive meme went viral where victims of domestic abuse were made fun of following Liverpool Football Club’s sixth straight defeat at home on Sunday.

Liverpool lost 0-1 versus Fulham continuing their torrid form at home which has been a fortress for the team in recent times. Following the defeat, a meme started doing the rounds on the internet. The meme showed pictures of women beaten and bruised along with a photograph of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp with a caption that said, “beaten at home throughout lockdown”.

Katie Kelleher said that one of women in the meme was she herself. She called the meme “absolutely disgraceful” and slammed the fans for “making fun of domestic abuse all because Liverpool lost a game”.

Kelleher said, “If it was jokes and comments being made about racism in the name of football then they would come down on them like a ton of bricks … but because it’s domestic abuse once again it gets ignored !! Well I will NOT be ignored! This needs to stop !”

Others also criticised the fans who circulated the meme mocking domestic abuse victims.

Some also expressed their sympathies with Katie Kelleher over the matter.

Katie Kelleher is a fan of Liverpool Football Club herself. Following her nightmarish experience, she has been trying to help others through her charity.

‘They did not put last year’s criminals in jail’: BJP MP Arvind Dharmapuri blames TRS and AIMIM for Bhainsa violence

OpIndia Staff
-
0
‘They did not put last year’s criminals in jail’: BJP MP Arvind Dharmapuri blames TRS and AIMIM for Bhainsa violence

Bharatiya Janata Party MP Arvind Dharmapuri has alleged that All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is responsible for violence in Telangana’s Bhainsa on March 7. He said that a series of communal riots have been taking place for the last few years. He further alleged that these clashes are happening due to the inefficiency of the police department. He said that the police is under TRS and MIM’s pressure.

Dharmapuri said that the three who were injured were journalist, and one of them is critical. He called the incident “very unfortunate”. He said that the police had registered cases against 100 people, 50 Hindus and 50 Muslims. He questioned the basis of registering cases in equal numbers against both communities.

Remembering the January 2020 communal violence in Bhainsa, Dharmapuri said that at that time majority of the properties that were burnt down belonged to Hindus. He alleged that TRS and AIMIM want Hindus to be driven out of Bhainsa. Naming one Javed, whose family members have held the Municipal chairman post in the region for a couple of decades, Dharmapuri said that he was the triggering point behind yesterday’s clash.

He also alleged that Javed is a big land grabber. Dharmapuri said that a couple of days ago, there were videos circulating on social media that pointed towards land grabbing incidents in which lands belonging to Hindus were being grabbed. He claimed that because of those videos coming out, they started attacking Hindus.

Had the police acted independently, the situation would have been in control – Dharmapuri

Dharmapuri further said that if the police department had not worked under TRS and AIMIM’s pressure and took appropriate action against the culprits of the last year’s violence, yesterday’s incident would not have happened.

He further questioned Cyberabad Commissioner Mahesh Bhagavath on the inefficiency of the police department. Bhagavath had said that police would file a case against social media users who circulate videos and messages related to the incident.

He said what was his department doing other than sharing warning to social media and WhatsApp users. He said that the main culprits of the last year’s incident are roaming around freely. He asked, “What kind of case should be filed against you for not taking action?” He added, “Had you put those goons behind bars when the previous riots surfaced, this array of riots would have not happened.”

Bhainsa communal clashes

On March 7, an argument between a biker and some locals triggered a communal clash between Hindus and Muslims in Bhainsa, Telangana. 10 people were injured and at least two houses and one auto-rickshaw were set ablaze during the clash. Section 144 was imposed in the area and a heavy police force was deployed to control law and order situation.

In January 2020, a similar clash had broken out between Muslims and Hindus in Bhainsa where 11 people were injured and several houses were torched. The Telangana government had filed a case against a journalist for reporting how a Muslim mob had attacked Hindu houses while chanting ‘Allah Hu Akbar.’

1...4,5094,5104,511...7,654Page 4,510 of 7,654