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India born Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias accused of sexual misconduct after his death

OpIndia Staff
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India born Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias accused of sexual misconduct after his death

India born Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias, who passed away due to cancer in May this year, had allegedly indulged in sexual misconduct. A law firm conducting an investigation into the allegations of sexual misconduct emerged after Zacharias’ death.

Zacharias was born in Chennai in 1946. He founded Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) in 1984. He used to lecture common people and college students and had established a reputation for defending Christian beliefs.

After Zacharias’ death, RZIM was informed about the allegations of sexual misconduct against him. RZIM had entrusted a law firm, Miller & Martin, to conduct an investigation into the allegations. Yesterday RZIM issued a preliminary update on the investigation being conducted by the law firm and said that the allegations appear to be true. “Sadly, the interim investigation update indicates this assessment of Ravi’s behaviour to be true-that he did indeed engage in sexual misconduct”, said the RZIM.

RZIM added that the misconduct was deeply troubling and wholly inconsistent with how Zacharias presented himself both publicly and privately to people for over four decades of his association with the ministry. The investigation is expected to be concluded by January or February next year.

Zacharias reportedly sexually abused several women. According to reports, the law firm conducting the investigation told that many victims spoke to them candidly and with great detail confirming the allegations levelled by massage therapists who worked in two Atlanta spas that were partially owned by Zacharias. RZIM had initially denied the allegations against Zacharias and had released a statement saying that the family and the teammates of Ravi Zacharias did not believe the allegations.

Past record

Zacharias was involved in a matter of sexual misconduct in 2017 wherein he was accused of sexting by a Canadian woman. The woman had reportedly claimed that he had asked for her nude pictures. Zacharias had filed a case against her and had said that the pictures sent by her were not demanded by him. He later made a settlement with her and signed a non-disclosure agreement with her. He is also accused of falsifying academic credentials.

Pakistan: Terrorists convicted for the beheading of journalist Daniel Pearl released by Sindh High Court

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: Terrorists convicted for the beheading of journalist Daniel Pearl released by Sindh High Court

The Sindh High Court in Pakistan has ordered the immediate release of terrorist Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh involved in the gruesome beheading of the South Asia Chief of the Wall Street Journal, Daniel Pearl in 2002. Pearl was researching about Islamic extremism when he was abducted from Karachi and killed.

The Sindh HC has declared the detention of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, Fahad Naseem, Sheikh Adil and Salman Saqib as “null and void”.

While delivering the order, a judge observed: “These men have been in rotting in jail for the 18 years without committing any crime”. The HC added that their names be put on the no-fly list.

Supreme Court of Pakistan had stayed the release of terrorist Ahmed Sheikh earlier

In the month of September, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had stayed the release of terrorist Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, who is the prime accused in the gruesome murder of Daniel Pearl. 

The apex court of Pakistan had barred the release of Ahmed Omer Saeed Sheikh, in its order to the Sindh government. The Supreme Court was hearing appeals, challenging the Singh High Court’s decision to acquit the dreaded international terrorist.

During the hearing, Sindh government advocate Farooq Naek had informed the Supreme Court that the accused was identified by taxi driver Nasir Abbas, receptionist Amir Afzal, besides 21 other witnesses during an identity parade in front of the Magistrate. Reportedly, the terrorist had met journalist Daniel Pearl at the Akbar International Hotel under the pseudonym of Bashir.

Sindh HC overturns death sentence and conviction of the murderer of WSJ journo Daniel Pearl

Earlier in April this year, the Sindh High Court had overturned the death sentence and murder conviction of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh. The lawyer for the terrorist had said that his sentence was reduced to seven years on the charge of kidnapping. Three other men who were given life sentences in the case have been acquitted by the Sindh High Court and released. The High Court overturned the verdict of an anti-terrorism court.

Sheikh was one of the terrorists freed by India along with Masood Azhar in 1999 to secure the release of passengers of the hijacked Indian Airlines flight IC-814.

Later in May, the parents of deceased Daniel Pearl had moved the Supreme Court against the overturning of death penalty for Sheikh.

Netizens call for #EcoFriendlyChristmas ahead of the festival, urge PETA and other environmentalists to join the cause

OpIndia Staff
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Netizens call for #EcoFriendlyChristmas ahead of the festival, urge PETA and other environmentalists to join the cause

Christmas is just a day away, and netizens are all geared up to have eco-friendly Christmas celebrations this year and beyond. Tree-lovers are not only urging people to celebrate Xmas without harming trees but also inviting eco-warrior and animal rights organizations like PETA to join the cause.

Netizens urged to join the movement

On Christmas eve, Twitter users urged those celebrating Christmas to take pro-environment steps while celebrating the festival.

People even urged celebrities to join in the cause of an eco-friendly Christmas.

Is Christmas bad for the environment?

It is not just about cutting trees. Several factors need to be discussed to ensure Mother Earth does not suffer the pain and agony on one of the most-widely celebrated festivals of the year. In fact, it is celebrated not only by Christians but by people from other religions as well. As per certain reports, a lot of food and plastic wastage takes place around Christmas.

Christmas waste stats UK (Table based on multiple sources including wrap.org.uk)

According to reports, every year in the UK alone, people end up eating over 270 million mince pies, drink 250 million pints of beer, 35 million bottles of wine and kill 10 million turkeys. In simpler words, it can be pointed out that people eat 80% more during the Christmas period.

Studies have revealed that over 1 billion pounds worth of food goes to waste during the Christmas period and over 700 million pounds worth of useless gifts are bought and exchanged. Food, clothing, gadgets and more go to waste during this period. Money that could have been used for better purposes like donating food to charity, education of underprivileged children, or even creating jobs for the unemployed.

The plastic menace

In the last few years, people have shifted to China-made artificial plastic trees as an attempt to avoid cutting trees. Though it may sound good for the environment, in reality, they just end up adding more garbage to the landfill. Unlike natural trees, plastic trees do not decompose. They are often thrown away after Christmas, and as they are made out of plastic, which in the majority of the cases is of low quality, it adds up to toxic pollutants to the environment.

Wrapping papers are now made out of plastic or a blend of plastic and paper. It is also non-decomposable and adds up to the landfill. Decorations, ribbons, cheap gifts etc., all end up in the landfill, hurting mother nature. As per the studies available, Christmas gift-giving produces annual economic waste worth $4-billion to $13-billion.

Burning fuel to celebrate

The majority of the people wish to celebrate the annual festival with family. Those who live far away from their parental homes often travel back to meet the parents during this season. How much people love to travel during the Christmas period can be noticed by checking the air-tickets booked. It is almost next to impossible to get an air ticket during the Christmas period at the last minute. All this travelling add up to more pollution in the air.

Also, people decorate their homes with lights for Christmas. The additional electricity they use for days ends up causing a surge in the demand that means the powerhouses have to burn more fuel and create more pollution so that people can celebrate Christmas.

NGT’s strange behaviour on Christmas and New Year

National Green Tribunal or NGT had banned bursting firecrackers on Diwali as it causes pollution. Interestingly the same body has allowed bursting fireworks on Christmas and New Year for 35 minutes. In the end, people will burst crackers and add up to the pollution in the air.

What can you do?

Instead of following the traditional way of celebrating Christmas, which is only hurting Mother Nature, you should try to shift your concentration to celebrate the festival in an eco-friendly way. You can avoid putting up a tree, natural or artificial. Make sure not to waste any food. Even going on a fast on Christmas will be good for your health, and it will not let you eat unhealthy junk food.

You can donate the money you have saved from not celebrating Christmas to an NGO, or you can donate groceries to Homeless shelters and kitchens that provide free food for the needy. Many hungry and needy people out there can use your help. So this Christmas, instead of burning a hole in your pocket, make someone happy and do not cut a tree.

‘Different rules for Virat Kohli and T Natarajan, Ashwin suffered because he spoke up’: Sunil Gavaskar

Shashank Bharadwaj
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‘Different rules for Virat Kohli and T Natarajan, Ashwin suffered because he spoke up’: Sunil Gavaskar

Hinting at a clear divide in the Indian cricket team, Former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar on Wednesday said that there has been differential treatment towards players within the team. The former captain also slammed the BCCI and the current team management for the alleged discrimination against the players in the team.

Citing the examples of T Natarajan and senior spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, the Indian cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar said that there are double standards in the Indian team when it comes to the treatment of players. In his column on Sportstar, Gavaskar said that Indian test spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has suffered for far too long for speaking his mind at the team meetings.

The former captain pointed out how the Tamil Nadu spinner was regularly dropped from the team after one average performance while other established batsmen remain unchallenged despite their poor show.

“For far too long Ashwin has suffered not for his bowling ability of which only the churlish will have doubts, but for his forthrightness and speaking his mind at meetings where most others just nod even if they don’t agree,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar.

The former captain added, “Any other country would welcome a bowler who has more than 350 Test wickets and not to forget four-Test match centuries, too. However, if Ashwin doesn’t take heaps of wickets in one game he is invariably sidelined for the next one. That does not happen to established batsmen though. Even if they fail in one game they get another chance and another and another but for Ashwin, the rules seem to be different”.

It is important to note that Ravichandran Ashwin, who plays only red-ball format currently, has been sidelined from shorter formats completely. The prolific spinner last played ODI for India in 2017 and was then dropped later despite his good show in IPL and the domestic circuit.

Ravichandran Ashwin is India’s fourth-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket with 370 wickets in 70 matches. In ODIs, he has 150 wickets in 111 matches while in T20Is, he has picked 52 wickets in 46 games.

Different rules for captain Kohli and newcomer Natarajan, alleges Sunny Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar also criticised the team management by pointing out how they allowed captain Virat Kohli to leave Australia citing paternity leave after the first Test but pacer Natarajan was forced to stay as a ‘net bowler’ to be part of the Indian contingent after becoming a father during the IPL 2020 playoff.

“Another player who will wonder about the rules but, of course, can’t make any noise about it as he is a newcomer. It is T Natarajan. The left-arm yorker specialist who made an impressive debut in the T20 and had Hardik Pandya gallantly offering to share the man of the T20 series prize with him had become a father for the first time even as the IPL playoffs were going on. He was taken to Australia directly from the UAE and then looking at his brilliant performances, he was asked to stay on for the Test series but not as a part of the team but as a net bowler. Imagine that,” wrote Gavaskar.

Concluding his column, Gavaskar wrote, “A match winner, albeit in another format, being asked to be a net bowler. He will thus return home only after the series ends in the third week of January and get to see his daughter for the first time then. And there is the captain going back after the first Test for the birth of his first child. That’s Indian cricket. Different rules for different people. If you don’t believe me ask Ravi Ashwin and T. Natarajan”.

The Indian team is currently touring Australia for a full-fledged series consisting of three ODIs, three T20Is and four tests. India lost the One Day series but managed to win the Twenty over format. The Indian team-led by Virat Kohli suffered a humiliating defeat in the first test against Australia after scoring a record-low score of just 36 runs in the second innings at Adelaide. The second – ‘Boxing Day’ test match is scheduled at Melbourne Cricket Ground from December 26.

“Self realisation!” Netizens wonder as Rahul Gandhi talks about an incompetent man who does not understand anything

OpIndia Staff
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“Self realisation!” Netizens wonder as Rahul Gandhi talks about an incompetent man who does not understand anything

Today, after meeting President Ram Nath Kovind seeking his intervention into the impasse between protesting farmers and the Centre over the latter’s new agricultural reform laws, Rahul Gandhi while addressing media claimed there was “no democracy” in India.

He said, “You have an incompetent man who does not understand anything & running a system on the behalf of 3 or 4 other people who understand everything”.

Since Rahul Gandhi is a gift that keeps on giving, netizens jumped to the opportunity and wondered if Rahul Gandhi has had enlightenment finally dawned upon himself.

People welcomed Rahul Gandhi’s treasured moment of “self-realisation”.

Some came forward to deconstruct Rahul Gandhi’s words, explaining what he actually must have intended to say.

Congress scion-Rahul Gandhi has been quite perturbed these days. Failing to recall that it was his own party which had in its 2019 election manifesto promised similar reforms which the Modi government has offered to the farmers, Rahul Gandhi has been relentlessly ‘fighting for the rights’ of the farmers. It doesn’t end here. There is also an extensive trail of evidence of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh advocating for states to amend the APMC act and give more freedom to the farmer. 

And the lesser Rahul Gandhi, Indira Gandhi’s grandson, speaks about democracy, the better.

After supporting Naxals and terrorists, Congress plans to adopt ‘nationalism’ pitch on party’s foundation day

OpIndia Staff
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After supporting Naxals and terrorists, Congress plans to adopt ‘nationalism’ pitch on party’s foundation day

In a bizarre turn of events, the Congress party on Thursday decided to do Tiranga (tricolour) yatras and a “selfie with the tricolour” campaign on social media to mark the party’s foundation day on Monday to showcase its version of nationalism.

According to the reports, the AICC has decided to showcase its alleged ‘nationalism’ in the upcoming days and has ordered its state units of the party to observe the party’s foundation day on December 28 through various campaigns including organising ‘Tiranga Yatra’ and running a social media campaign ‘Selfie with Tiranga’.

“Tiranga Yatras and other such innovative campaigns may also be organised following the necessary social distancing protocols. The PCCs are also requested to pay solidarity to our fighting farmers who are sitting in an indefinite protest against the farm laws,” the AICC party added in its diktat.

The Congress party’s latest trope to exhibit its nationalist traits has, however, left the citizens shocked and its workers bewildering. The Congress party’s political stunt to prove its nationalistic identity comes at a time when the party and its leadership has openly batting for anti-nationals and terrorist sympathisers in the country.

Congress open support of terror sympathisers, Urban Naxals

Ever since the Congress party lost political power in 2014, it has been drifting away from nationalistic ideals which have been evident in its stand taken during several controversial events that unfolded in the country in the last six years. In 2016, the Congress party openly sided with the anti-national elements and pro-Pakistan sympathisers who had shouted slogans to break India as they mourned the death of dreaded Islamic terrorists inside the JNU campus.

The Gandhi-scion Rahul Gandhi with all his excitement was one of the first politicians to reach the JNU campus to express solidarity with these terror sympathisers. However, it did not stop there. It is not unknown anymore that the Congress party and its ecosystem has been extremely vocal against the arrest of far-left terror sympathisers and Urban Naxals, who have been nabbed for their role in instigating Bhima Koregaon violence and for plotting the assassination of the Prime Minister.

The Congress party has also repeatedly politicised matters pertaining to national security in a manner that undermines Indian national interests. From questioning the integrity of Indian Armed Forces during the two anti-terror operations, first during the surgical strikes in 2016 and yet again during the 2019 Balakot airstrikes against terror camps inside Pakistan, the Congress party and its leadership have not missed any opportunity to question the Indian Armed Forces everytime it carries out successful counter-terror operations against the Pakistan-sponspored terrorism.

In the run-up to 2019 elections, the Congress party under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi had also resorted to the politicking of national security issues by interfering in the country’s defence procurement. Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party’s media ecosystem had peddled several lies on the Rafale deal, inventing a scam to disrupt the critical procurement process. However, the Supreme Court had come to the rescue of the country by rejecting all claims made by the Congress party and its cronies.

The Congress party, even after its humiliating defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections seems to have not learnt its lesson. In August 2019, as the Modi government scrapped the controversial Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir to undo the historical wrong, the Congress party instead of supporting the nationalistic discourse in the J&K, it fuelled pro-Pakistan propaganda by disseminating false narratives against its own government.

And yet again, in the aftermath of the passing of the Citizenship Amendment Act that granted persecuted minorities in the three neighbouring Islamic countries, the Congress ecosystem fuelled violent protests across the country. In doing so, it emboldened the anti-national elements in the country to unleash violence on the streets of Delhi, culminating in the Anti-Hindu Delhi riots that killed more than 50 people in the national capital.

Congress party’s love for Communist Party of China:

In May this year, shocking details emerged exposing Congress party’s secret relationship with the Communist Party of China (CPC). As tensions between India and China mounted amidst the killing of 20 Indian soldiers, the Congress party’s intimate links with the CPC had emerged. The Congress party’s kid-glove treatment to China and the soft-condemnation against the Communist nation had raised eyebrows as to know why the principal opposition party has been soft towards the hostile neighbour of the country.

However, it was later disclosed that the close connections between the Congress party and the CPC may be one of the reasons why the principal opposition party had chosen to remain mute in attacking the Chinese and instead unleashing all its attacks against its own government aftermath of clashes alongside the Line of Actual Control in the Eastern Ladakh.

One of the main reasons for the silence of the Congress party, perhaps, stems from the 7 August, 2008 agreement between the Sonia Gandhi-led Congress party and the Communist Party of China (CPC).

During UPA1 in 2008, the Congress party and the Communist Party of China (CPC) had signed a deal in Beijing for exchanging high-level information and co-operation between them. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) also provided the two parties with the “opportunity to consult each other on important bilateral, regional and international developments”.

Interestingly, the MoU was signed by the then Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi and on the Chinese side, it was signed by none other than Xi Jinping himself, who was then the Chinese vice-president and standing committee member of the CPC’s politburo. The MoU was signed in the presence of his mother and party president Sonia Gandhi.

Not just the MoUs, but the close relationship between the Chinese leadership and the Congress party, especially Rahul Gandhi had also got highlighted just a few years ago during the Doklam stand-off when Rahul Gandhi was caught secretly meeting Chinese officials. The Gandhi-scion, not once but twice, was caught meeting Chinese officials, raising suspicion among the policymakers regarding the intent of his secretive meeting with the Chinese.

The Congress party, despite its open support for forces that seeks to ‘bleed India with a thousand cuts’, has now intends to play its ‘nationalism’ card to convince the voters of the country that they too possess some sort of affinity towards the country.

Fact-Check: Is WhatsApp suspending support for older iPhones after Christmas

OpIndia Staff
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Fact-Check: Is WhatsApp suspending support for older iPhones after Christmas

Several news agencies have reported that WhatsApp has decided to discontinue its services for certain older iPhone models from January 2021. It sounded like genuine info as WhatsApp has discontinued the support for older models in the past. However, there is a catch. Some news agencies claimed that it would stop working for iOS 9, which is not true.

Like Business Today said, “The messaging app will stop working on devices running on iOS 9, Android 4.0.3, or older versions of these operating systems.”

BT said WhatsApp will stop working on iOS 9 which is not true

On the other hand, Jagran English said, “As per reports, WhatsApp will stop working on smartphones that are running on iOS 9 and Android 4.0.3 operating systems from January 1.” Several other agencies followed the same track.

Jagran English said that the smartphones running on iOS 9 will not be able to use WhatsApp which is false

However, this is not true.

WhatsApp needs iOS 9 or higher

A simple error in the language has made a major glitch in these reports. As per the official support section of WhatsApp, the app needs “iPhone running iOS 9 and newer” to run on iPhones. Similarly, on Andriod phones, the OS must be 4.0.3 or older. Anyone with a smartphone running on an older operating system will not be able to install WhatsApp.

The devices compatible with iOS 9 include the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5C, iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus. Hence, iPhone 4S onward should be safe. Phones older than iPhone 4 are likely to lose WhatsApp support from 2021.

Upcoming features that you can expect in 2021

Since Facebook took control of WhatsApp, the company has introduced many changes to make the app more user friendly. In the coming year, several features are currently under Beta Testing that will become available to all users worldwide, possibly in a phased release. One of the significant changes that the Indian users will experience is the option to pay via WhatsApp using the UPI payment system. Though the company has announced that the feature is now available for all users in India, many users are yet to receive the update. At the beginning of 2021, it is believed that all Indian users will have the feature available.

WhatsApp calls from desktop

Though WhatsApp has launched a desktop app long back that can be connected to the app on your phone, several features are missing from the desktop version. One of the main features that the desktop app lacks is the calling feature. Those who use WhatsApp for work often have to shift their concentration from workstation to phone while making or receiving calls. According to WebAtInfo, the calling feature will soon be available on Web and Desktop apps.

Paste multiple items simultaneously

As of now, you can only paste one item, for example, a video or image, in WhatsApp. The developers are testing an option to paste multiple items into the iOS version of the app. WebAtInfo said that the feature would be available in the initial updates in 2021.

Join group call anytime

Another feature that WebAtInfo spotted was the ability to join group calls anytime. As of now, if someone has declined a group call, he or she can only participate in a new session. However, the update will allow users to join the group call anytime, even if they have declined it before.

Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen’s name emerges in the list of unauthorised occupants of land belonging to Visva Bharati University

OpIndia Staff
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Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen’s name emerges in the list of unauthorised occupants of land belonging to Visva Bharati University

Nobel Laureate and leftist ‘intellectual’ Amartya Sen‘s name has come up in the list of people illegally occupying the land belonging to Visva Bharati University in West Bengal. According to reports, the varsity has written to the West Bengal government that several properties belonging to it have been wrongly recorded in the name of private parties. A list of such unauthorised occupants prepared by the University includes the name of Amartya Sen.

The properties wrongly recorded in the name of unauthorised occupants include girls’ hostel, academic department, office and Vice Chancellor’s bungalow. The University has alleged that the persons in whose names the properties have been wrongly recorded in the government’s record-of-right, the University’s land has been wrongly transferred to them and they have set up restaurants, schools and other businesses on it.

Central government’s control over West Bengal is growing: Sen

Sen has allegedly illegally occupied 13 decimals of land which is in addition to the 125 decimal land legally leased to his late father by the University. However, Sen has denied the allegations. Responding to the allegations, Sen told Times of India that the University land on which his house is situated is on a long-term lease. “I see from your report that Vice-Chancellor Bidyut Chakrabarty of Visva-Bharati is busy arranging the ‘eviction of unauthorised occupation of leased land in the campus’ and that I have also been named in the list of occupants”, Sen said. “The Visva-Bharati on which our house is situated is on a long term lease, which is nowhere near its expiry, but the Vice-Chancellor can always dream about evicting anyone he wants”, he added.

The ’eminent economist’ targeted the central government and alleged that the control of the central government was growing in the state. Insinuating that the Vice-Chancellor was being instructed by the central government to act against him, Sen said that the Vice-Chancellor was ’empowered by the central government in Delhi’. “Having been born and brought up in Santiniketan, I could comment on the growing gap between the Santiniketan culture and that of the VC, empowered as he is by the Central government in Delhi, with its growing control over Bengal”, he alleged. Sen said that he would take the legal recourse in the matter.

Leaseholders sold their lease-hold land to outsiders

Reportedly, as per the University’s estate office, the erroneous records were prepared in the 1980s and 1990. A large part of the land, which was procured by Rabindranath Tagore for the University, is located in the Purvapalli area of Santiniketan which is a residential hub of eminent persons and the families associated with the Ashrama school and Visva-Bharati during their inception. The documents available with the University reveal the extent of encroachment on the University land in 1990s. The documents were also sent to the Ministry of education and the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).

In 2006, Sen had requested the then Vice-Chancellor to transfer the 99-year old lease-hold land to his name which was done after the decision of the Executive Council. However, the excess land was reportedly never returned to the University. According to TOI, an internal reports issued by the estate office of the University to various offices in July 2020, the varsity has taken up the matter of correction of the ownership of 77 plots of land. The report states that the high profile people illegally occupied the leased land in Purvapalli, Dakshinapalli and Sripalli area will be evicted.

An estate official reportedly said that Sen was aware that he was unauthorisedly occupying a large chunk of the University land. He claimed that Sen’s family benefitted by selling plots near the campus that had no access other than through the campus. A tentative list of illegal occupants released in December 2016 stated that the leaseholders had sold their lease-hold land to outsiders.

European Court of Justice allows the EU states to ban religious slaughterings like Halal and Kosher

OpIndia Staff
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European Court of Justice allows the EU states to ban religious slaughterings like Halal and Kosher

The Court of Justice of the European Union (EU) Thursday allowed the European Union states to impose a ban on religious slaughtering like Halal and Kosher, of animals. The Court today ruled in favour of a regulation already imposed in the Flemish region of Belgium, which, on the grounds of animal rights, banned the slaughter of livestock without stunning them first.  

Belgium’s Flanders regional government had issued the order in 2017 which took effect in 2019. The order said that the slaughterhouses must stun livestock before slaughtering them.

While issuing the directive the court said: “The court concludes that the measures contained in the decree allow a fair balance to be struck between the importance attached to animal welfare and the freedom of Jewish and Muslim believers to manifest their religion.”

Muslims and Jews opined that the ban on Halal and Kosher slaughter is a ‘denial of democracy’

Both Muslim halal and Jewish kosher slaughtering requires the animal to be conscious when its throat is slit. The case revolved around animal welfare versus the right to religious freedom, guaranteed in the EU Charter on Fundamental Rights.

This decision which Muslims and Jewish believe is against their traditions, which require livestock to be conscious when their throats are slit, has irked people of both the communities, which have called the judgement discriminatory. An umbrella organisation for Jewish groups in Belgium slammed the decision as a ‘denial of democracy’ that did not respect the rights of minority groups.

“The fight continues, and we will not admit defeat until we have exhausted all our legal remedies, which is not yet the case,” Yohan Benizri, head of the Belgian Federation of Jewish Organisations, said.

Meanwhile, Rabbi Menachem Margolin, chairman of the European Jewish Association, said that the court ruling represented a “sad day for European Jewry”. “What a terrible message to send to European Jewry, that you and your practices are not welcome here. This is a basic denial of our rights as European citizens,” he said in a statement.

The Muslim community in Belgium was also unhappy with the ruling, which they believed insulted their traditions. The Belgian Coordination Committee of Islamic Institutions said the decision had been a “big disappointment” and argued that the court was pandering to populist sentiments. 

“The Court of Justice seems to have given in to the growing political and societal pressure from populist movements which are waging a symbolic struggle against vulnerable minorities throughout Europe,” the group said in a statement. 

Flanders Govt and animal right activists welcome the decision

However, the decision was welcomed by the Flanders government in northern Belgium. Flanders nationalist animal welfare minister Ben Weyts said: We’re today writing history”.

Animal rights group Gaia said it was a great day and the culmination of a 25-year struggle.

From importance of self-reliant India to Bhakti movement: Key highlights of PM Modi speech at Visva Bharati

OpIndia Staff
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From importance of self-reliant India to Bhakti movement: Key highlights of PM Modi speech at Visva Bharati

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday addressed the centenary celebrations of the Visva-Bharati University, Shantiniketan through video conferencing. The Governor of West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar and Union Education Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal were also present on the occasion.

Visva Bharati University, which was founded by Rabindranath Tagore in 1921, is amongst the oldest central universities in the country. In May 1951, Visva-Bharati was declared to be a Central University and an Institution of National Importance by an Act of Parliament. The university is distinct in nature as it followed the pedagogy devised by Tagore, though it evolved gradually into the modern era later.

Speaking on the historic occasion, Prime Minister Modi said that it was a matter of pride for every Indian that Visva Bharati University completed 100 years. He also said it was his privilege that on this day he was getting an opportunity to remember the virtue of this ‘taphobhoomi’.

Prime Minister Modi said that the Visva Bharati is a true embodiment of Gurudev’s contemplation, vision and hard work for Mother Bharati. “This is a kind of adorable place for India, which gives continuous energy to the country to embody the dream that Gurudev had dreamed of,” PM Modi said.

Prime Minister Modi, in his speech, highlighted how India is today leading the world in environmental protection through international solar alliance. India is the only major country today which is on the right path to achieve the environmental goals of Paris Accord, he added.

Gurudev’s vision for Visva Bharati is also the essence of self-reliant India: PM Modi

PM Modi also said that Rabindranath Tagore’s vision to set up Visva Bharati was also the essence of self-reliant India. Highlighting how self-reliant India campaign is also the path of India’s welfare for world welfare, PM Modi said one must remember the circumstances which led to the establishment of this university.

“It wasn’t just British rule but in the background, were our rich ideas & history of hundreds of years of movement,” he observed.

When we talk of freedom struggle, the idea of ​​19-20 century comes directly in our mind, but it is also a fact that the foundation of these movements was laid long ago, says PM India’s independence movement got energy from many movements that were going on since centuries, he said.

“Guided by Gurudev Visva-Bharati presented a strong image of Indian nationalist sentiment during Independence. Gurudev wanted entire humanity to benefit from India’s spiritual awakening. Atmanirbhar Bharat vision is also a derivative of this sentiment,” added PM Modi.

According to PM Modi, the idea of self-reliant India is the campaign is a campaign to empower India, a campaign to bring prosperity from the prosperity of India to the world.

Bhakti movement strengthened the spiritual and cultural unity of India, says PM

The Prime Minister Modi, in his speech, also highlighted how the Bhakti movement in the country helped India to strengthen its spiritual and cultural unity and identity of India.

“In the Bhakti era, every region of India, every area, be it the east-west-north-south, our saints tried to send out the message of Bhakti in every direction. Acharyas tried to keep the country’s consciousness awake. Bhakti movement filled struggling India with collective consciousness and confidence for centuries,” added PM Modi.

He also added that the topic of devotion cannot proceed until the great black devotee Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa is discussed. The great saint, because of whom India got Swami Vivekananda, the Prime Minister remembered mentioning how Swami Vivekananda embodied devotion, knowledge and action, all three in himself.

“He began to see divinity in every person while expanding the scope of devotion. He also gave expression to Karma, stressing on the creation of individual and institution,” noted the Prime Minister in his speech.

The Prime Minister also added that the stream of contemplation of India from Vedas to Vivekananda was also vocal in Gurudev’s contemplation of nationalism, and this stream was not introverted and it was not going to keep India separate from other countries of the world.

Concluding his speech, PM Modi said that as more and more people are getting a good education, the country has to now work to build a strong and wise nation – one that is self-reliant. We must take inspiration from all those who have contributed to making India great over the centuries and millennia, he said.

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