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Private Secretary to Haryana CM exposes lies and hypocrisy of Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh with records. Read details

OpIndia Staff
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Private Secretary to Haryana CM exposes lies and hypocrisy of Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh with records. Read details

During an interview with Republic TV on Saturday, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh accused the Haryana Government of disrupting the farmers’ protest and stopping the demonstrators from reaching Delhi.

He alleged, “This (Delhi) is the National Capital. Everyone has the right to go there. And farmers wanted to go to Delhi. The Central Government allowed farmers to visit Delhi and grant them permission. We (Punjab government) had also allowed the farmers to travel to the National Capital and share their grievances. But, the Haryana government decided to become an obstacle in the path. And this is not the first time that they are doing such a thing.”

The Punjab CM then accused the Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar of passing the blame on the Congress government in Punjab. “Did you (Manohar Lal Khattar) come and see what’s happening in Punjab? Mind your own State. He is accusing me of orchestrating the protests. Do you have any special intelligence report that we or central agencies do not have? After how he had behaved with my fellow Punjabis, I have decided to not meet him,” stated Captain Amarinder Singh. He had also alleged that Manohar Lal Khattar did not even bother to contact him prior to stopping the farmers from reaching Delhi.

Private Secretary to Haryana CM debunks his claims

However, Abhimanyu Singh, who works as the private Secretary to Haryana Chief Minister, took to Twitter to debunk his lies. He had shared details of the official phone calls made to the Punjab Chief Minister between November 23-24. As per the records, the Haryana government had made 2 telephonic calls to the Punjab government on November 23 while 11 more calls were made on November 24. Despite a total of 13 calls, the Haryana government did not receive a proper official correspondence from the Punjab Chief Ministers’ office.

While taking a jibe at Amarinder Singh, Abhimanyu Singh wrote, “Sir it seems that your personal staff didn’t brief you about the phone calls of other Chief Ministers made in an official capacity.” He stated that the first call was made to the Punjab CMO at 6:23 pm on November 23 but the Haryana CMO was asked to contact at Siswa farm. However, on dialling there at around 6:24 pm, the phone operator that the Punjab CM was not reachable.

He informed, “Next day on 24th, We waited for a response from you sir but unfortunately your staff choose not to inform you sir for reasons best known to your staffs only. We didn’t receive call back, therefore, from 2.32PM to 09.07PM we called you sir 11 times but they only gave excuses.”

While wishing a good life to Captain Amarinder Singh, the private Secretary to the Haryana CM had asked to look into the issue and whether his staff was making decisions on such sensitive matters.

Through the seven-tweet Twitter thread, Abhimanyu Singh said that the Haryana government made several attempts to contact the Punjab CMO, which contradicts the allegations of Amarinder Singh.

Capt Amarinder Singh earlier attacked CM Khattar on Twitter

A large group of farmers and traders had tried to enter Delhi via Haryana, which was blocked by the Haryana government. Irked by the strict measures taken by CM ML Khattar to stop the protestors from entering Delhi, CM Singh has posted a series of tweets condemning CM Khattar’s actions. He said, “For nearly 2 months farmers have been protesting peacefully in Punjab without any problem. Why is Haryana govt provoking them by resorting to force? Don’t the farmers have the right to pass peacefully through a public highway?”

The Farm Laws

In September 2020, the Central Government announced three new agriculture sector reform laws named Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance, and Farm Service Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. The main aim of these reforms is to provide a better platform for the farmers to sell their produce.

Simultaneously, several clauses protect farmers’ rights on how they want to sell the crop, timely payments, and more. Despite several clarifications by the Central government that the MSP provisions will remain as is, opposition parties have repeatedly indulged in spreading misinformation and accused the government of trying to end MSP provision. PM Modi had come down heavily on the parties opposing the farm laws on September 18 and said those who had kept farmers tied to restrictions for decades are now lying about agricultural reforms.

As Iran vows to avenge their nuclear scientist Fakhrizadeh’s murder, read how 62-member squad planned and carried out his assassination

OpIndia Staff
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As Iran vows to avenge their nuclear scientist Fakhrizadeh’s murder, read how 62-member squad planned and carried out his assassination

In a dramatic operation, Iranian top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh and a brigadier general in the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was assassinated on the outskirts of Tehran on Friday triggering a new crisis in West Asia.

In one of the most high profile assassinations, unknown operators killed Iran’s topmost nuclear scientist near the city of Absard. The killing of Fakhrizadeh is the latest in the serious high-profile assassinations of people belonging to Iranian regime since the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani. Solemani, who commanded the Quds Force of the IRGC, was killed by the US forces in January this year in Baghdad.

According to ELINT News, an independent organisation that covers geostrategic developments in the region and London-based journalist M Majed, the initial assessment of the assassination by Iranians revealed that a squad of 62 members participated in the assassination of nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.

The Iranian leaks said that at least 12 of them participated in the field to carry out the operations, 50 other elements provided the field team with logistical support to carry out the assassination. The Iranian intelligence estimates that all the members of the team that carried out the assassinations of Fakhrizadeh entered special training courses, as well as security and intelligence services abroad.

According to Majed, a leaked Iranian data of the Fakhrizadeh assassinations revealed that the assassination team that carried out the field operations used a Hyundai Santa Fe, a Nissan and four motorcycles to kill scientist Fakhrizadeh.

The special operations team, whose identity is yet to be known, had confirmed intel about the exact date and course of the movement of the Fakhrizadeh protection convoy. The assassination team had documented even the smallest details about how Fakhri Zadeh would travel on this day at this specific hour to his private villa in the city of Absard.

To execute their attacks, the assassination team cut off the electricity from this area half an hour before the arrival of the Fakhri Zadeh convoy to the specific location. A Hyundai Santa Fe with four passengers, four motorcycles, two snipers, and a bomb-filled Nissan car were waiting.

Apparently, Fakhrizadeh’s convoy consisted of three bulletproof cars. The assassination team waited for the first bulletproof car to pass from the entrance of the city of Absard and waited for the second car that carried Fakhrizadeh. They soon opened fire and the booby-trapped Nissan car was detonated on the third vehicle.

After the car bomb was detonated, 12 operatives opened fire towards Fakhrizadeh’s car and the first protection vehicle. According to Iranian leaks, the leader of the assassination team took Fakhri Zadeh out of his car and shot him to make sure he was killed.

The wounded soldiers and the security personnel of Fakhrizadeh protection team were soon transported to the emergency services near the site of operations, However, they were surprised by the power outages in these emergency services. They were then transferred to hospitals in the capital, Tehran.

According to Majdeh, none of the twelve elements who participated in the field operations of the Fakhri Zadeh assassinations were wounded or arrested.

Iran believes Israel behind the attacks, vows retaliation

Fakhrizadeh, according to the US and Israel, was the head of Iran’s nuclear weapons programme in the 1990s and early 2000s. He had remained a key figure in the country’s nuclear programme, which has time-and-again has tried to develop nuclear weapons.

Following the assassination of Fakhrizadeh, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zariff has said there are ‘serious indications’ that Israel had carried out the attack. Reportedly, even US intelligence sources believe that the attack was carried out by Israel. 

Interestingly, at least six Iranian scientists – Massoud Ali-Mohammadi, Majid Shahriyari, Fereydoun Abbassi-Davani, Darioush Rezai, Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan and Fakhrizadeh have been killed in various bomb and gun attacks in the past decade. Iran believes Israeli spy agency Mossad is responsible for the killing of their top scientists. ere suspected.  

Meanwhile, Iran’s top leaders have called for a strong retaliation against Israel for the assassination of country’s top scientist.

In separate statements delivered Saturday, both Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani threatened an aggressive response to the killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh near Tehran.

“We will respond to the assassination of Martyr Fakhrizadeh in a proper time,” Rouhani said at a cabinet meeting on Saturday.

Actor Deep Sandhu disappoints Barkha Dutt after she provides platform to ‘distance himself’ from OpIndia report that he supports Khalistan

OpIndia Staff
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Actor Deep Sandhu disappoints Barkha Dutt after she provides platform to ‘distance himself’ from OpIndia report that he supports Khalistan

Even as the ‘farmer’ protests continue along the Punjab-Haryana border, controversial journalist and YouTuber Barkha Dutt provided her platform to a known Khalistan sympathiser, actor Deep Sidhu, an allegedly aggrieved farmer who was seen in a viral video threatening the authorities that the ‘farmers’ protests will be the defining moment of the geopolitics of not just India but also entire South Asia.

In the interview broadcasted on Barkha Dutt’s YouTube channel ‘Mojo Story’, Sidhu made startling responses that left the host red-faced. From admitting to campaigning for BJP’s Sunny Deol to hailing Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale as a fighter who fought for a strong federal structure, Sidhu made a series of preposterous claims that effectively undermined the legitimacy of the farmers’ protest and the propaganda floated by the left-liberal media about the ongoing demonstrations.

Deep Sidhu lies about farmer protests, says no violence occurred till date

At the start of the interview, Sidhu outrageously proclaimed that there was not a single incident of violence since the inception of the ‘farmers’ protests in September 2020.

However, this assertion was anything but truth. There have been several instances when the protests have turned violent and the law enforcement officials tasked with maintaining law and order were forced to use marginal force to prevent the violence from going out of control.

Further more into the interview, when Barkha asked about what Sidhu meant by claiming that farmers protest would redefine the geopolitics of the country, the Punjabi actor absurdly conflated the protests with the alleged rising majoritarianism in the country.

“Today, if the government is only going to serve the majority and make the minorities residing in the country feel threatened and insecure, it is going to have geopolitical repercussions,” Sidhu glibly responded while shoddily attempting to feign profundity.

Sidhu denies being affiliated to any political party but admits campaigning for BJP’s Sunny Deol

On being asked if he was affiliated with any political party, Sidhu initially denied claiming that he has no links with any political party but then instantly he back-pedalled, admitting to his associated with BJP’s Sunny Deol.

“I am not at all affiliated with any political party,” said Sidhu, adding, “The only thing I was involved in was the political campaigning of BJP’s Mr Deol (Sunny Deol) from Gurdaspur constituency because I share a very close relationship with him and I was a part of the BJP campaign,” Sidhu said.

Government is guilty of indulging in state terrorism: Deep Sidhu

In a sensational allegation against the government, Sidhu alleged that they had been indulging in “state terrorism” by deploying law enforcement officials to prevent the demonstrators from marching to New Delhi. The actor also insinuated that the security officials had vandalised the public property.

“Who is being violent? Who is using force to atop the peaceful demonstrators? Who is destroying the public property? It is the state government which is using force against the farmers,” Sidhu said.

Deep Sidhu refuses to denounce Bhindranwale as a terrorist despite repeated insistence from Barkha

Referring to OpIndia, Barkha Dutt then confronted Sidhu on reports that claimed that the actor was a Khalistan supporter. However, the controversial journalist was disappointed when Sidhu offered a circuitous response instead of plainly denying it. Instead, the Punjabi actor ludicrously held forth on the evils of privatisation.

Subsequently, Sidhu hailed Khalistani journalist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale as a revolutionary who was fighting for a strong federal structure and who was wrongly painted by the state as a terrorist.

“Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was a fighter. He was fighting for a strong federal structure,” Sidhu said.

Barkha Dutt’s interview with Deep Sidhu

Barkha interjected Sidhu, reminding him that Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was a terrorist. But Sidhu continued defending Bhindranwale, stating that he was a victim of state narrative.

“You need to understand. You gotta read books. Back in the 1970s, the state wielded enormous power of shaping narrative. Bhindranwale was wrongly projected as a terrorist and a whole narrative was created against him by the state machinery,” Sidhu said.

However, this justification by Sidhu profoundly perturbed Ms Dutt, who stated that she had expected the actor to provide an unequivocal condemnation of Bhindranwale. Dutt claimed that Sidhu’s rationalisation and justification of his Bhindranwale’s action has only served to delegitimise the cause of the farmers that he has stood for.

A deeply disappointed Barkha lamented, “I came here to interview thinking you are speaking from your passion and your heart. I wanted to give you a fair chance since I did not want to believe unverified sources. I expected you to distance yourself from the reports that claimed you are a Khalistani supporter. But here you are defending Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, affirming that he was not a terrorist.”

Despite strong protest from Barkha, Sidhu did not budge from his stand, reiterating that a narrative was weaved by the state government to portray Bhindranwale as a terrorist.

In her bid to get Sidhu to denounce Bhindranwale as a terrorist, Barkha reminded him of the terrorists that had occupied the Golden Temple in Amritsar. But Sidhu remained committed to his stand, rejecting Barkha’s assertion that terrorists occupied the Golden Temple.

In an attempt to lend legitimacy to his stance, Sidhu made a ridiculous declaration that even to this day 80-90 per cent of those living in Punjab do not consider Bhindranwale and those who occupied the Golden Temple as terrorists.

Upset by Deep’s obduracy for not condemning Bhindranwale as a terrorist, a visibly offended Barkha said, “I thought you would spend 30 seconds just saying this is not true. I condemn Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. He is a terrorist. He took the holy place of the worship.”

“I can’t believe, we are spending 2 minutes discussing whether Bhindranwale was a terrorist or not,” Barkha distressingly said. However, despite Barkha’s palpable irritation with Sidhu’s persistence denial to call Bhindranwale a terrorist, the Punjabi actor did not cede his ground and patronisingly told Barkha that she is unaware of the culture in Punjab and has formed her opinion from a studio in Delhi.

Deep Sidhu a known Khalistan-terrorists sympathiser

Shockingly, Deep Sidhu, who is now portraying himself to be an aggrieved farmer in the video, is a known Khalistan sympathiser. Sidhu has time-and-again defended the terrorist activities of pro-Khalistan groups. 

Just a few weeks back, Deep Sidhu had expelled a lawyer known Hakam Singh for ruthlessly objecting to the raising of the pro-Khalistan slogan by another pro-Khalistani sympathiser and for handing him over to the police.

The lawyer had reacted to the slogan in a harsh manner after a Punjabi youth had raised pro-Khalistani slogans at a morcha. The lawyer had immediately taken him to the police personnel deployed nearby and asked them to arrest him by registering FIR against him. Losing temper over it, he offered to become a complainant against him.

Reacting to the incident, Sidhu had released a video defending the sacking of lawyer from his morcha for acting against pro-Khalistan sympathisers. In the video, Sidhu had openly opposed the action of Hakam Singh while announcing his expulsion.

Attorney General declines to allow contempt proceedings against Prashant Bhushan as he has already apologised, slams him for comments against CJI

OpIndia Staff
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Attorney General declines to allow contempt proceedings against Prashant Bhushan as he has already apologised, slams him for comments against CJI

Attorney General (AG) KK Venugopal declined to grant consent for initiation of contempt proceedings against contempt of court convict Advocate Prashant Bhushan. A Supreme Court Advocate Sunil Kumar Singh had written to the AG in October seeking his consent to initiate contempt proceedings against Bhushan for his tweets targeting the Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde. The AG declined the request as Bhushan has already apologised for his comments.

Bhushan had posted a tweet insinuating that the Madhya Pradesh government provided a chopper to the CJI and other hospitalities during his visit to his home town in Nagpur to influence his decision in a case regarding disqualification of defecting MLAs of the state that was pending before him. As per Government of India’s protocol, any visit, official or unofficial, by the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India, Governors of other states and several other such VVIPs are considered as state visits. Thus the government was only following the protocol.

Responding to the request for contempt of court case, the Attorney General made some very critical remarks against Prashant Bhushan, and wrote that he was inclined to grant the approval. But due to two developments that happened subsequently, he decided to not grant the sought approval.

The first development is that on 4th November, when Prashant Bhushan had made a U-turn on the issue. On that date, he had posted a follow-up tweet, saying that he was wrong in linking the CJI’s visit to MP with the disqualification case, and had apologised for the same. KK Venugopal wrote that Bhushan took this step after learning that advocate Sunil Kumar Singh had written the AG seeking to initiate contempt of court against him.

The second development that Venugopal cited for declining the request was that on 4th November itself, the case for on disqualification of the MLAs was withdrawn. The case was withdrawn from the Supreme Court as the case had become infructuous, after by-elections were held for the seats vacated due to disqualification of the MLAs.

“I do not think that it would be in public interest to give consent for proceedings on the basis of the original tweet in view of the subsequent tweet expressing regret”, the AG said.

Attorney General slams Prashant Bhushan

Although the Attorney General declined to approve initiating contempt of case against Prashant Bhushan, the AG slammed the activist lawyer for his comments against the CJI. In the written response to Advocate Sunil Kumar Singh’s letter, the AG slammed Bhushan’s comments as “unwarranted, improper, devoid of legal basis and prima facie contumacious”.

The AG made three points to prove how Prashant Bhushan’s allegations were incorrect. First, the CJI is one of the highest constitutional functionaries of the country, and is eligible to receive protocol as per stature of his office. Venugopal noted that apart from entitled to Z plus security, the CJI is also considered state guest as per existing rules of Madhya Pradesh, and therefore state govt is liable for arranging facilities for his reception, transport and boarding.

Secondly, had the CJI travelled via road instead of helicopter, he would have to go through Maoist infested Kanha National Park. Despite the Z plus security, the CJI’s convoy would be very vulnerable to Maoist attack, hence it was prudent and appropriate for the state govt to arrange helicopter for the visit.

Thirdly, Prashant Bhushan linking the facilities provided by the state govt to the CJI to the disqualification case in the Supreme Court was improper, as apart from CJI anyway being entitled to those facilities, the case actually would have no effect on the Madhyra Pradesh govt. The AG noted that the resignations of the MLAs were already accepted by the previous speaker, and the protem speaker after BJP forming the govt had rejected the demand to disqualify the revel MLAs.

As the resignations of the MLAs were already accepted, they were no longer members of the legislative assembly, and therefore there was no question of disqualifying them from the house. Hence, the petition with the Supreme Court to disqualify them was also meaningless, as they were no longer MLAs and the BJP govt in Madhya Pradesh already had majority without the support of those former Congress MLAs, as the strength of the house had come down due to the resignations.

Prashant Bhushan was convicted of contempt by the Supreme Court

This year in August, the Supreme Court had held Bhushan guilty of contempt of court. Bhushan had posted tweets casting aspersions on the Supreme Court and CJI Bobde. Announcing the quantum of punishment for Bhushan, the Supreme Court had asked him to pay either par Rs 1 fine or face three months in jail. Though Bhushan readily submitted Rs 1 in the registry but he later claimed that just because he had paid the fine did not mean that he had accepted the verdict.

Hindu Munnani warns of Islamist terror attack in Tamil Nadu after Coast Guard find drugs and arms in a Sri Lankan vessel linked to Pakistan

OpIndia Staff
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Hindu Munnani warns of Islamist terror attack in Tamil Nadu after Coast Guard find drugs and arms in a Sri Lankan vessel linked to Pakistan

Hindu Munnani, a religious and cultural group based out of Tamil Nadu, has warned of an imminent terror attack in the state by radical Islamists and with support from foreign soil, a report published in the RSS mouthpiece The Organiser said. The dire warning from Hindu Munnani came after the Coast Guard intercepted a boat in international waters carrying narcotics and arms hidden in the vessel.

The spokesperson of the Coast Guard had alleged that they received a tip-off, based on which they detected Sri Lankan vessel “Shenaya Duwa” on the high sea smuggling heroin worth Rs 500 crore in the international market.

Coast Guard intercept Tamil Nadu bound vessel carrying drugs in the international waters

About 99 packets of heroin, 20 small boxes of synthetic drugs, five 9mm pistols and Thuraya satellite phone set were recovered from the boat. Six crew members on the board were arrested by the Coast Guard. The interrogation of the arrested crew members has revealed a curious Pakistani connection with the smuggling.

The crew members admitted that they were smuggling drugs in the Sri Lankan vessel “Shenaya Duwa” on the high sea from a Pakistani dhow. The boat belongs to a certain Sri Lankan resident Alensu Kuttige Sinha Deeptha Sani Fernando from Negombo, and all the arrested crew members belong to Sri Lanka.

During the interrogation, it also came to light that the transported drugs were meant to be sent to Western countries, along with Australia to the southeast. The dhow was from Karachi. The seizure of drug and arms was a nine-day operation carried out by multiple Indian agencies. Now the intelligence agencies are investigating as to who were the potential recipients of the drugs in Tamil Nadu.

The report also alleges that proscribed terror group LTTE was behind the smuggling of drugs into Tamil Nadu.

The report further adds that there is a divided opinion about the provenance of the vessel. While some in the intelligence agencies believe that the boat is of Pakistani origin, others argue that since the owner of the boat is a Sri Lankan, the boat belongs to Sri Lanka. Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran are smack in the middle of the opium production and drug smuggling. This has also helped in heightening suspicions about Pakistani involvement in the smuggling of the drugs into Tamil Nadu.

PFI arms training camp and drug seizure linked: Hindu Munnani

The Hindu Munnani group has tied the recent seizure of drugs in the international waters along the Tamil Nadu coast with the busting of the arms training camp organised by the Popular Front of India in Periyapattanam in Ramanathapuram.

Speaking to The Organiser, Hindu Munnani state vice president VP Jayakumar flagged concerns about the recent developments in Tamil Nadu. He reminded of the Church bomb blast that took place two years ago and cautioned that their next target could be either Tamil Nadu or Sri Lanka.

“The recent happenings in Tamil Nadu especially after the busting of an arms training centre ran by PFI and this boat with revolvers made us worry. Their next target could be either Tamil Nadu or Sri Lanka. We got to know that both the Indian government and Sri Lankan government are sharing intelligence outputs and about possible terror attack by Muslim fundamentalist groups with help either from Pakistan or Afghanistan, Iran,” he said.

Read- Pakistan’s vicious narco-terrorism plan in India and its connection to Khalistan movement

Accusing police of colluding with the PFI, Jayakumar said that over 130 people took part in the arms training exercise but the police says only 32 were involved. He also added that 12 years ago, Pakistani terrorists used the same path to intrude into India and wreak havoc in Mumbai.

The Hindu Munnani VP also cited late leader Ramagopalan who had prophesied about terror attacks through the coastal region in Tamil Nadu.

“Ramagopalan’s prophecy has come true. Last January, Kaliyakkavilai check post in Kanyakumari district bordering Kerala a Special branch Inspector Wilson was shot dead by two terrorists. NIA arrested a lot of terrorists from TN. It has become safe soil for terrorists like Kerala. Police and intelligence authorities should closely monitor the people who come to meet the prisoners and who help them in facing the court cases and investigation,” Jayakumar said.

Amidst warnings from New Zealand cricket board for violating isolation protocol, 7th Pakistani cricketer diagnosed with Coronavirus

OpIndia Staff
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Amidst warnings from New Zealand cricket board for violating isolation protocol, 7th Pakistani cricketer diagnosed with Coronavirus

Two days after being warned by the New Zealand Cricket Board and the government for flouting Coronavirus protocols, which led to 6 Pakistani players being diagnosed with the deadly virus, it has been reported that another Pakistani cricketer has tested positive for the virus. As such, a total of 7 players out of 53-man Pakistani contingent have been diagnosed with the disease.

“One additional member of the Pakistan cricket squad has today tested positive. The remainder of the results from the squad’s day-three swab testing, apart from the six who have already returned a positive result, is negative,” the Health Ministry confirmed on Saturday. The team has been confined to a hotel in Christchurch and the players have been stopped from further training. They have also been barred from stepping outside their hotel. However, with the new development, the fate of the bilateral series between New Zealand and Pakistani now remains shrouded in obscurity.

New Zealand issues final warning to PCB

Earlier yesterday, PCB Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Wasim Khan said that the New Zealand cricket board has given the Pakistan cricket team a “final warning” to strictly follow coronavirus safety guidelines. The board, according to Khan, said that 3-4 coronavirus SOPs were broken by Pakistani players after which 6 players tested positive for the contagion. Khan said New Zealand has a “zero tolerance” policy towards violation of COVID-19 protocols.

He added that the New Zealand Cricket has also said that the entire Pakistan squad will be sent back home if there are any other violations. Khan estimates if this happens, it would be a big embarrassment for Pakistan cricket and which is why their margin of error is zero.“It’s not easy. But this is a matter of the nation’s respect and credibility. Observe these 14 days and then you’ll have the freedom to go to restaurants and roam about freely. They have told me in clear terms that if we commit one more breach, they’ll send us home,” he said. The New Zealand’s Minister of Health had also issued a statement backing NZC, adding that CCTV footage is clear evidence of a few members contravening the protocols despite ‘clear instructions’.

Yogi Adityanath campaigns for BJP in Hyderabad for upcoming municipal polls, holds a roadshow in Malkajgiri area

OpIndia Staff
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Yogi Adityanath campaigns for BJP in Hyderabad for upcoming municipal polls, holds a roadshow in Malkajgiri area

With the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) polls round the corner, the senior leaders of BJP have taken up the responsibility to lead the campaign for the party in Hyderabad. A day after party president JP Nadda participated in a massive roadshow from Kothapet to Nagole crossroads, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath held a roadshow in Malkajgiri area of Hyderabad on Saturday. The roadshow led by the Uttar Pradesh CM attracted a horde of people. Pictures shared by news agency ANI show how Yogi Aditynath’s cavalcade was being followed by thousands of party supporters. 

Following the roadshow, Yogi Aditynath addressed a public meeting at Shah Ali Banda in Hyderabad’s old city, which is known as a base of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM).

UP CM Yogi Adityanath the second most sought after campaigner for Bihar election

It may be recalled here that after PM Modi, UP CM Yogi Adityanath was the most sought after campaigner for the recently concluded Bihar elections. Moreover, his campaign rally during the Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi polls had also attracted huge crowds.

‘Would not rest until the ‘lotus’ blooms in Telangana’: JP Nadda from Hyderabad polls

On Friday, BJP National President JP Nadda had sent out a strong message to the ruling TRS party, saying that he would not rest until the ‘lotus’ blooms in Telangana and that he would go anywhere to put an end to a corrupt and dynastic rule. Nadda alleged that the TRS leaders are looting the funds sanctioned by the Central government.

Later, at an intellectual conference in Hyderabad, Nadda had stated that Yogi Adityanath in his public address is going to speak on the ‘Razakars’ who were the private militia of Nizam and had plans to make the Nizam accede his princely state to Pakistan instead of India. Appealing to the people of Hyderabad to vote for the BJP, he said: “If you pour water in a vessel which has a hole under it, it will never fill to the brim. Here, you need a strong vessel (government) without any holes and it is possible only through BJP.”

Amit Shah to visit Hyderabad, Telangana

Tomorrow, BJP senior leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah will arrive in Hyderabad and is scheduled to start his day with a visit to the Bhagyalakshmi temple that stands abutting the 429-year-old Charminar. Shah’s visit to the temple tomorrow will be followed by a roadshow in Sanath Nagar, Khairatabad and Jubilee Hills constituency.

Voting will be held in 150 wards in the GHMC polls on December 1. The results will be declared on December 4. In the last GHMC election, TRS won in 99 wards. AIMIM won 44, with the remaining seven awards won by other parties and Independents.

Wife of late Wajid Khan writes on her sufferings in an inter-faith marriage, says anti-conversion law should be nationalised

OpIndia Staff
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Wife of late Wajid Khan writes on her sufferings in an inter-faith marriage, says anti-conversion law should be nationalised

Months after music composer Wajid Khan of the Sajid-Wajid fame passed away due to coronavirus related complications, his wife Kamalrukh Khan has taken to social media to share her first-hand account of life in an inter-faith marriage. In a lengthy post on Instagram captioned “Live and let live should be the only religion we all practice”, Kamalrukh revealed how her resistance to convert to Islam drastically widened the divide between her and her late husband.

Speaking on why the entire debate surrounding the anti-conversion bill has appealed to her, she penned down her personal experience and ordeal in an inter-faith marriage. “I am Parsi and he was Muslim. We were what you would call “college sweethearts”. Eventually when we did get married, we married for love under the Special Marriages Act (an act that upholds the right to practice one’s own religion post-marriage)”, wrote Kamalrukh, expressing surprise on how in this day and age, a woman can face such prejudice, suffering and discrimination in the name of religion.

Sharing details about her married life, Kamalrukh describes how her upbringing in a Parsi family, was in stark contrast to that of the culture and the value system of the music composer’s family. She wrote “My simple Parsi upbringing was very democratic in its value system. Independence of thought was encouraged and healthy debates were the norm. Education on all levels was encouraged. However, post marriage, this same independence, education and democratic value system was the biggest problem for my husband’s family.”

Resistance to convert to Islam drastically widened the divide between me and my husband: Kamalrukh Khan

“An educated, thinking, independent woman with an opinion was just not acceptable. And resisting the pressures of conversion was sacrilege”, wrote Kamalrukh, furthering that though she valued and kept all religions in very high regards, religious conversion was something which she did not believe in. “Conversion was not a value system I believed in personally”, said Kamalrukh disclosing how her resistance to convert to Islam drastically widened the divide between me and my husband, making it toxic enough to destroy our relationship as husband and wife, and his ability to be a present father to our kids.

“My dignity and self-respect did not permit me to bend backwards for him and his family, by converting to Islam”, wrote Kamalrukh as she called this enough reason to be outcasteded from Wajid Khan’s family.

She revealed how her fight against this toxic belief led to her divorce with the music composer. She shared, “I was devastated, felt betrayed and was emotionally drained, but my children and I held on.”

‘Wish we spent more time as a family devoid of religious prejudices’, wrote wife of Wajid Khan

Kamalrukh furthered that her struggle and trauma continues even after the demise of her husband. “Today post his untimely death, the harassment from his family continues. I stand fighting for the rights and inheritance of my children which have been usurped by them. All this because of their hatred against me for not converting to Islam. Such deep rooted hatred that even death of a loved one could not move.”

“My children and I miss him dearly and we wish he had dedicated more time to us as a family, devoid of religious prejudices”, wrote the music composer’s wife, strongly batting for the anti-conversion law, which today came into force in the state of Uttar Pradesh after getting the Governor nod.

“Anti-conversion law should be nationalized”, opined wife of late Wajid Khan

Kamalrukh opined that the anti-conversion law introduced by UP govt should be nationalized so as to reduce the struggle for women like me who are fighting the toxicity of religion in inter-faith marriages.

She summed up her lengthy post by writing: “Religion should be a cause for celebration of differences not separation of families. All religions are the path to the divine. Live and let live should be the only religion we all practice”.

Chhattisgarh: Five including two women arrested after woman abducted, raped, and sold to multiple buyers in Delhi and Haryana

OpIndia Staff
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Chhattisgarh: Five including two women arrested after woman abducted, raped, and sold to multiple buyers in Delhi and Haryana

A horrifying case of human trafficking has come to light in Rajnandgaon district of Chhattisgarh where five people have been arrested by police. According to reports, a 23-year old woman from Dongergarh city was allegedly abducted, raped and then trafficked to Delhi and Haryana. Five accused including one BJP leader have reportedly been nabbed by the police in relation to the case. The five accused have been identified as Sajda Saiyyad, Junaid Khan, Shubham Tiwari, Salman Khan and Ganga Pande.

BJP leader Ganga Pande was expelled from the party yesterday following her arrest. State BJP spokesperson Gaurishankar Srivas informed, “After the incident came to light, state BJP president Vishnudeo Sai immediately expelled Pandey from the party. She was ward-level leader from north of Raipur”.

Sajda Khan offered her drink laced with sedatives

According to police, victim’s husband had filed a missing report of his wife and their child in the month of September. An investigation was initiated by the police in the case. On November 22, the victim reached police station with her husband and narrated the whole incident to police.

The victim alleged that on September 11 Sajda Khan offered her a drink laced with sedatives during morning walk after which she fell unconscious. When she gained consciousness some hours later, she found herself at Raipur airport from where she was taken to Delhi on a flight. The victim further alleged that one of the accused threatened to kill her son if she told this to anyone.

According to police, the woman was then taken to Haryana where she was raped by accused Shubham Tiwari in a rented house, before being sold to one Suresh for Rs 1 lakh. She attempted to escape from there but she was handed over to the accused after being caught. The accused then sold her again to a person named Rajesh who helped the woman contact the police and facilitated her return to Dongargarh.

Sajda Saiyyad has been named as the prime accused in the case and some of her contacts in Delhi and Haryana have been traced by police. Expelled BJP leader Ganga Pande also has connections with people in Delhi and Haryana.

Sajda had befriended the victim

The victim in her complaint alleged that she was befriended by Sajda who advised her to be independent and promised to get her a job in Haryana. “Things were not going well between me and my husband, and I would often confide in Sajda for some solace. She advised me to become independent and offered me work in Haryana, saying she would support me. On September 11, I and my 6-year old son were taken to Raipur by Sajda, Shubham, Salman and Junaid and we stayed at a house in Tikrapara which was arranged by Pande. Next morning, we flew to Delhi and and went to Haryana”, the victim said in her complaint. She said that Rajesh helped her when she told him about her background and arranged tickets for her to reach home.

A special team of police is investigating the case.

After Hindu refugees booed anti-CAA ‘activist’ Medha Patkar, she joins farmer protests in Punjab for legitimacy

OpIndia Staff
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After Hindu refugees booed anti-CAA ‘activist’ Medha Patkar, she joins farmer protests in Punjab for legitimacy

Amidst the renewed agitation over the historic farm bills, activists have joined the movement in the hopes of gaining legitimacy. Renowned ‘activist’ Medha Patkar, who was in Burari ground with farmers, had claimed that the protest was against the ‘inequality’ in the country. She claimed that the agitation was in fact against the ‘divide’ between the corporates and the toiling masses. According to her, the historic farm bills paved the way for the entry of corporates into the agriculture sector. She opined that about 500 farmer organisations are, therefore ‘vehemently’ opposing the bill.

“The unprecedented unity among farmers will only pressurise the government to withdraw the three anti-farmer acts,” Medha Patkar stated. On being asked about the politicisation of the farmers’ protest, she alleged that these allegations are the handiwork of the BJP and its IT cell. “The farmers are protesting with a full understanding of the three acts and full understanding of the politics which is against farmers and for corporates,” the activist further alleged. She claimed that farmers, being fully aware of the implications of the act, had therefore been ‘forced’ to hit the streets amidst the Coronavirus lockdown.

Medha Patkar also alleged that the government used the ‘Coronavirus lockdown’ to hand over public services to the corporates. She claimed that the BJP government at the Centre was now eyeing the land of the farmers, similar to that of the British’s principle of eminent domain. Despite the logical fallacy in the overstretched analogy, she claimed, “We are for the people’s domain.” Medha Patkar also accused the BJP of not ‘adhering’ to the principles outlined by the Land Acquisition act, 2013 in the States ruled by the party. She said that it is the right of the Opposition parties to support her and the farmers’ protest, on being questioned about the politicisation of the demonstration.

Medha Patkar also alleged that the BJP is against the notion of ‘dialogue’ and protest, which is a democratic right of the people of India. She stated that the government would only budge if the protest is intensified.

It is pertinent to remember that Medha Patkar never refuses to leave the limelight and joins popular protests in a bid to gain legitimacy. Last year in December, Medha Patkar suffered a huge embarrassment after Hindu refugees from Pakistan staying in Delhi had confronted her. The activist had to then abandon her anti-CAA protest and leave the spot. The refugees from Pakistan questioned Patkar’s intentions and asked her to prove whether she can go to Pakistan and survive the atrocities that they had to endure.

Sucheta De seeks legitimacy from farmers’ protest

Following the footsteps of Medha Patkar, Communist leader and activist Sucheta De addressed farmers at the Delhi’s Singhu border. She applauded the farmers for walking miles to reach close to the National Capital and said that the masses were seeking inspiration from their courage. With rhetorics such as ‘anti-farmer’, ‘anti-labourer’, and ‘anti-people’, Sucheta De tried to use the protest as a launchpad for her activism. “We will not fear the police as this issue concerns those who fill our stomachs,” she made an emotional appeal. The activist also alleged that the BJP wanted to sell the farmlands to corporate houses of Adani and Ambani. Accusing the BJP of not providing 1.5 times MSP, she also said that the land and produce belongs to them and would prevent corporatisation at any cost.

How Farm Bills will transform the agriculture sector?

In a bid to introduce reforms in the agriculture sector, the central government had introduced three bills: The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, which were passed in the monsoon session of the Parliament.

The objective behind introducing these bill was to get rid of the inadequacies in the existing laws and mechanisms dealing with the sale of agricultural produce and ensure that farmers received a fair price for their produce. The three historic legislation will unlock the overly regulated agricultural markets in the country. The laws will provide more choices for the farmer and lessen the marketing costs for the farmers thus helping them to get better prices. It will also help farmers of regions with surplus produce to get better prices and consumers of regions with shortages, lower prices.

The laws will enable the farmer to make use of modern technology and better inputs to enhance their farm produce and its trade. It will reduce the cost of marketing and improve the income of farmers. These new laws will encourage large companies, food processing firms, exporters, etc, to invest in the farm sector and source good-quality farm produce. The announced amendment to the Essential Commodities Act is expected to help both farmers and consumers while bringing in price stability. The proposed changes will also create a competitive market environment and prevents wastage of agri-produce that happens due to lack of storage facilities.

Views of a few farmers about the historic act can be read here.

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