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Eight Rajya Sabha MPs suspended for unruly behaviour, viral video clips show AAP’s Sanjay Singh hitting a Marshal on duty

OpIndia Staff
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Eight Rajya Sabha MPs suspended for unruly behaviour, viral video clips show AAP’s Sanjay Singh hitting a Marshal on duty

On 21st September, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, the chairman of Rajya Sabha, suspended eight Rajya Sabha MPs for one week for unruly behaviour with the chair. Derek O Brien, Sanjay Singh, Raju Satav, KK Ragesh, Ripun Bora, Dola Sen, Syed Nazir Hussain, and Elamaran Karim will not be allowed in the house for the next seven days.

Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said it was a bad day for Rajya Sabha yesterday. The members came to the well of the House. Deputy Chairman was physically threatened. VP Naidu called the incident unfortunate and condemnable. He urged MPs to do some introspection.

No-confidence motion rejected

Rajya Sabha Chairman Naidu refused to accept the no-confidence motion against Deputy Chairman and said that a no-confidence motion is not admissible under the rules.

Opposition MPs again created ruckus

After Rajya Sabha Chairman Naidu suspended the MPs for creating ruckus and asked them to leave the house, the opposition MPs again disturbed the house. They created ruckus leading to adjournment of the house till 10 AM.

Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh seen hitting Marshal on duty

Video clips of AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh assaulting a Marshal on duty had gone viral yesterday. The Marshal was trying to stop him from charging at the deputy chairman and creating a ruckus. Singh also climbed on the table and raised a slogan against the Farmer’s bill passed later in the upper house.

Apart from Sanjay Singh, Derek O Brien was also seen causing menace in the upper house. In a video, he was seen tearing up the rule book in front of the Deputy Chairman. The suspended members allegedly physically threatened the Deputy Chairman.

Opposition MPs had physically charged at the vice chairman. They had broken the mic and tried to damage the audio system of the house in their attempts to stop farm reform bills.

In 3 years, Yogi govt has provided more jobs than SP and BSP did in their 5-year tenures: UP CMO

OpIndia Staff
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In 3 years, Yogi govt has provided more jobs than SP and BSP did in their 5-year tenures: UP CMO

With the maximum number of hiring in the police department, the Uttar Pradesh state government under the leadership of Yogi Adityanath has provided over 3.6 lakh government since BJP came in power. In a meeting on 18th September, CM Yogi Adityanath instructed all departments to start pending recruitments in three months and complete the process in six months.

The police department had the maximum recruits

Since March 2017, when the Yogi government came in power, the UP Police department has seen maximum recruitments standing at 1,37,253. As per the stats provided by CMO UP, 54,706 recruitments were done in the Basic Education Department and 14,000 in the Secondary Education Department. 28,622 recruitments were done under National Health Mission.

Apart from these, 26,103 recruitments were done under Public Service Commission, 16,708 under Subordinate Services Selection Commission, 1112 under Medical Education Department, 700 under Urban Development Department, 614 under Finance Department, 365 under the Technical Education/Vocational Education Department, and 6446 recruits have been made under Department of Energy making it a total of 300,526 recruitments.

Recruitments under process

 As per the government stats, 69000 recruitments in the Basic Education Department are under process along with 16,629 in the Police Department and 853 in the Department of Energy, totaling to 86,482.

Complete recruitment process in six months, orders CM Yogi

During the virtual meeting on 18th September with all Department heads, CM Yogi Adityanath asked them to fill all vacancies in the next six months. The recruitment process must start within three months, as per the CM’s order. All departments have been asked to provide details of vacant posts to the Chief Minister’s Office within a week.

SP, BSP governments, were far behind

During their tenure, the Samajwadi government managed to provide jobs to only 2.05 lakh people during 2012-2017. On the other hand, the Bahujan Samaj Party provided only 91,000 jobs during their 5-year tenure from 2007-2012, as per reports.

Ayodhya: Masjid may be built without domes and minarets, may resemble Kaaba

OpIndia Staff
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Ayodhya: Masjid may be built without domes and minarets, may resemble Kaaba

During the verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi case, the Supreme Court had directed for a mosque to be built in Ayodhya at an alternate site on a 5-acre land. In accordance with the apex court order, the Uttar Pradesh government had allotted a 5-acre plot in Dhannipur village in Ayodhya to the Muslim parties to buil a mosque.

Mosque may be square-shaped, claims IICF spokesperson

Speaking about the mosque construction, spokesperson of Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF) Athar Hussain informed that the mosque will be constructed in Dhannipur village. He stated that the new mosque will be of the same size as the disputed structure that was once standing at the Ram Janmabhoomi site and will measure about 15,000 square feet. As per a Times of India report, Hussain added, “The shape of the mosque may be completely different from that of other mosques. It may be square-shaped like the Kaaba Sharif in Mecca.” The IICF was constituted by the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board for the mosque construction.

Mosque not to be named after Babur

The IICF spokesperson further stated that it was quite possible that the mosque might be devoid of minarets and domes like the Kaaba in Mecca. He informed that the architect, designing the structure of the mosque, had been given a ‘free-hand’ in this matter. Citing personal preference, Hussain said, “The mosque will not be named Babri Masjid. It will not be named after any king or emperor. My personal opinion is that it should be called the Dhannipur Masjid.”

Hussain stated that donations for the mosque on a designated online portal had not yet begun, as the portal is yet to be completed. Besides, a museum, hospital, and a research centre will also be built within the masjid complex.

Lag in mosque construction due to pandemic

A few days back, Sunni Waqf Board had said that there had been some delay in the construction of the Mosque amid the Coronavirus pandemic. Farooqui said that he has no hope that All India Muslim Personal Law Board and other leading Muslim organizations will provide any support, financial or otherwise, for the construction of the mosque.

‘Feminists’ and ‘liberals’ will #BelieveHer until one of their own is accused of sexual assault

Nirwa Mehta
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‘Feminists’ and ‘liberals’ will #BelieveHer until one of their own is accused of sexual assault

At the height of #MeToo movement, when allegations of sexual abuse were levelled against the men in the media and entertainment industry, including a BJP minister, the crusaders of women’s rights held the men guilty and believed the women who had put up the allegations. This even when most of the women had no proof. And rightly so. Many times, mostly men are in such position of power that sexual abuse takes place and women are quite often the victims.

So people across political ideologies believed ‘her’. The women who were levelling the allegations. There were some who defended the accused, but most women showed solidarity with the victims. Those who were defending the accused were shamed by the ‘feminists’ into ‘believing her’.

Except now when the film industry’s blue-eyed boy, Anurag Kashyap is accused of sexual assault, it has suddenly made out to be ‘vendetta’ and a ‘propaganda’ by the BJP because Kashyap hates PM Modi. As if of all the haters PM Modi has, and he has way too many as can be seen, he has time and energy to concentrate on only this one fellow. There are people who take themselves too seriously and then there are Anurag Kashyaps who think PM Modi’s world revolves around him.

And then there has been a concentrated effort by his allies to vilify the victim. Under normal circumstances, law must take its course but for Kashyap, he became the ‘biggest’ feminist and the actress who had levelled allegations against him became a ‘small time actress‘. And hence, how can a ‘feminist’ sexually assault someone? Well, they very well can and Left will always side with one of their own.

Months after the brutal rape and murder case in Kathua, a JNU student had alleged that the lawyer who had shot to prominence for defending the victim had sexually assaulted her. The student had alleged that all the while when the lawyer was forcing himself on her, he was saying that he will do ‘Nikaah’ with her. She had said she did not speak up about the abuse due to apprehensions that such shocking revelations about a ‘hero’ could jeopardise the Kathua child rape-and-murder case. So you see, she stayed quiet for the ‘greater good’. Here one can see even the victim of sexual abuse siding with her abuser.

In the current case, the same women, who were at the forefront of #BelieveHer, meaning that no matter how mighty and powerful the accused is, believe the woman if she says she has been sexually abused, are now questioning the victim.

Some even have the way Payal Ghosh decided to come out with her allegations.

Suddenly whatever Ghosh has said has become ‘baseless’ about the other women. The Asian Age Editor, Suparna Sharma, even has a rulebook on how a victim must list out her abuse.

If on odd days Sharma dishes out instructions on how to narrate your sexual assault incident, on even days, she would be telling women how their pain is their own and don’t let anyone dictate you how you should feel about it.

Another Indian Express journalist also went on similar tirade. Telling a woman how to make revelations regarding her trauma.

And they would even question the ‘timing’ Because why did she choose to accuse Kashyap of sexual assault when Rahu and Ketu are in transit? Couldn’t she wait till Shani was in retrograde?

They will support the ‘movement’ but there will always be a ‘but’.

How is Ghosh’s allegations ‘misuse of power’ of calling out sexual abuse when there is no investigation? Or it becomes ‘misuse of power’ only when your friend is accused of assault? Or it becomes a ‘weapon’?

How does one wrong make the other wrong right? And then there are personal guarantors. Like this filmmaker who decided that since he knows Kashyap from more than two decades, how can he be a sexual abuser.

Such kind of defence always comes with a disclaimer that ‘I am all for believing the women’, except the one who accuses my friend. He explained how the sexual abuse accusations are because Kashyap was targeting PM Modi.

Speaking of people targeting PM Modi and being accused of sexual harassment, remember Tarun Tejpal? Tehelka founder? How Tejpal went hammer and tongs after then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi after the Godhra carnage and the riots that followed? You know it was a journalist who accused Tejpal of molesting her? And while most believed her, you know who didn’t?

Anurag Kashyap came out in defence of Tarun Tejpal

Anurag Kashyap.

Woman alleges gang-rape at a five-star hotel in Connaught Place in Delhi, one arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Woman alleges gang-rape at a five-star hotel in Connaught Place in Delhi, one arrested

A woman in Delhi has alleged that she was gang-raped by six people at a five-star hotel in Connaught Place in Delhi. The woman, who works as a guide cum ticket booking agent, said that she was called there on the pretext of offering loan at a subsidised rate. The woman filed a case regarding the incident of rape that happened on 18th September.

Delhi Police have arrested one person involved in the crime so far. The hotel where the crime took place is located near India Gate in Delhi, a high-security zone. The woman lodged a complaint with the police on Saturday after the incident on Friday.

The woman informed in her complaint filed with the police that she was in dire need of money, and the accused persons had promised her of giving loan at very low rate. She was lured to come to the hotel room for the attractive loan, where she was assaulted and gang raped.

According to police sources, the woman has named six persons, including a woman. The room was booked by two businessmen. One Manoj Sharma, identified as the main accused, has been arrested. He is a resident of Sheikh Sarai in Malviya Nagar in Delhi.

On the basis of the victim, a case has been registered under sections 376D, 323, 34 of the IPC at the Connaught Place police station.

‘Meaningless to play such a petty trick’, Chinese state media Global Times defends Rajeev Sharma, the journalist caught spying for China

OpIndia Staff
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‘Meaningless to play such a petty trick’, Chinese state media Global Times defends Rajeev Sharma, the journalist caught spying for China

Rajeev Sharma, a freelance journalist was arrested by Delhi Police on September 14 for sharing crucial information about India’s border strategy and Army deployment to the Chinese intelligence agencies. Following that, two more persons were arrested in connection with the case, Chinese agent Qing Shi and her Nepali Associate Sher Singh. He is also reported to have written for the Global Times which is the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China for many years.

Now, Global Times has come out in his defence. Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the Chinese state media, wrote, “I think It’s very inappropriate for the Indian side to publicly link Global Times to this case and to create a sensation to attract attention. They have obviously failed to show due respect to a Chinese media outlet. And it is particularly improper for the Indian government to do so.”

Hu Xijin comes out in defence of Rajeev Sharma

Claiming that the linking Rajeev Sharma with Global Times would create a ‘negative association’ against the state media, Hu Xijin said, “Global Times has published many reports and opinion articles on China-India border tensions. I know some Indians have been unhappy with us. They can criticize us openly or argue with us, but it’s meaningless to play such a petty trick.” He also insinuated that Sharma’s links to Global Times is being ‘hyped up’ because of the ongoing tensions between India and China.

Certain Indian journalists have also come out in his support. NDTV ‘Journalist’ Arvind Gunasekar argued that the arrested of Rajeev Sharma was against press freedom.

Arvind Gunasekar defends Rajeev Sharma

Gargi Rawat, news anchor at NDTV, said that Rajeeb Sharma was arrested under the ‘draconian’ Official Secrets Act.

Gargi Rawat on Rajeev Sharma’s arrest

Special Cell DCP Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, at a press conference on Saturday, said that Rajeev Sharma was contacted by Chinese Intelligence agents in 2016 for carrying out spying for them. He also added that Sharma was in touch with some Chinese intelligence officer and had received Rs 40 lakhs in the last 18 months as he was being given $1,000 for passing on each sensitive information. The police official revealed that Chinese intelligence had tasked the journalist for conducting espionage activities in lieu of large amounts of money and luxury holidays.

The police have recovered classified documents from him, the DCP added. The information conveyed were related to Army movements, Defence acquisitions, Dalai Lama, foreign policy etc. As per the interrogation by the police, Rajeev Sharma had disclosed that he had provided information on issues like India-Bhutan-China trijunction including Doklam, Galwan Valley, Indian-Myanmar military co-operation, India-China boundary issues and other related matters.

Watch: Maldives Foreign Minister speaks in Hindi to thank India for $250 million package during Coronavirus pandemic

OpIndia Staff
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Watch: Maldives Foreign Minister speaks in Hindi to thank India for $250 million package during Coronavirus pandemic

On Sunday, Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid thanked India for the financial aid provided to the island nation to fight the Coronavirus pandemic. Expressing his gratitude for India, he spoke in Hindi. Shahid stated, “The whole world is faced with a never-seen-before crisis. We are up against an enemy that we can’t see. We cannot ignore the dangers posed by the enemy.”

Referring to the inconvenience caused due to the spread of the Chinese virus, he emphasised, “This virus has stopped air services in the world. It has forced all countries to make some tough decisions. The pandemic has forced us to shut our homes and our borders. However, our friends have proved, like every time, that the pandemic has not been successful in making them close their hearts. Even in such distressing times, India has proved to be our great friend.”

Besides sharing the video snippet of his speech in Hindi, Abdulla Shahid also expressed happiness over the $250 million financial assistance received from India on September 20. He tweeted, “Grateful to receive the USD 250 million financial assistance from India to the Maldives today. The financial assistance provided through subscription in GoM Domestic Treasury Bonds by SBI will support the financing of the revenue gap, and meet the government’s immediate financing needs.”

The Foreign Minister of Maldives further informed that the $250 million package is the largest financial package, announced by any bilateral partner during the pandemic. He further added, “With the $1.4 billion financial package announced in Dec 2018 &the cash grants for community projects, this is by far the largest single donor assistance the Maldives has received.”

India airlifts stranded Maldives nationals

In early February, a special Air India flight evacuated 323 Indian citizens and 7 Maldives citizens from the Wuhan province in China. Foreign Minister of Maldives, Abdulla Shahid expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Modi and External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar for rescuing Maldivians from Coronavirus hit Wuhan province of China. The seven Maldives citizens were kept in Delhi for the quarantine period before being sent back to their country. President of Maldives, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih also took to Twitter to thank India for helping evacuate Maldivians stuck in Wuhan.

AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi attends annual conference of Hamas-linked Islamic association, claims RSS was inspired by Nazis

OpIndia Staff
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AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi attends annual conference of Hamas-linked Islamic association, claims RSS was inspired by Nazis

Controversial Muslim leader and Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi accused Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Modi government of being part of a larger movement known as Hindutva and claimed that the founders of the Hindutva movement were inspired by the ideas of fatherland and racial supremacy espoused by the Nazis and fascists in Europe at the time, reports Sunday Guardian.

Speaking at the annual conference of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), one of the largest and most influential Islamist and Muslim Brotherhood front groups in the United States which has links to the Islamic terror organisation HAMAS, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi alleged that the BJP has run on a majoritarian Hindu nationalist plank that seeks to turn India from a secular constitutional republic to a Hindu Rashtra.

Owaisi said that BJP’s Hindutva was rabidly anti-Muslim and the party has repeatedly mobilized public opinion against Muslim citizens. These allegations were made at the annual conference of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) held virtually on 5-6 September.

Echoing similar allegations as Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Owaisi reportedly said that RSS was inspired by the fascist dictators Hitler and Mussolini and believed in the racial supremacy of the Hindu civilization and the ethnic cleansing of Muslims from India. In 2019 ISNA convention, Imran Khan had reportedly made similar remarks targeting the Hindu nationalist organisation RSS.

The ISNA, which was founded in 1981 by US-based members of the Muslim Brotherhood, has been included on a list of unindicted co-conspirators in the Hamas-financing prosecution of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF). Hamas is a US-designated terrorist group that has been responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans and Israelis.

ISNA is listed among the members of the US Muslim Brotherhood, who are found guilty in a trial in 2018. ISNA’s conventions attended by tens of thousands of people have featured rhetoric in support of terrorist groups and other radicalism. ISNA’s magazine, Islamic Horizons, publishes pro-jihadist literature and has long championed the terrorist group Hamas.

At the IMRC session on 6 September, Owaisi alleged that Indian Muslims faced “systemic and structural discrimination” and “are the poorest religious group and their poverty has only increased with each generation”. He also criticized the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), claiming that it “explicitly excludes Muslims from becoming citizens.”

The IMRC – Indian Muslim Relief & Charities, which claims to be having a mission is to “help India’s Muslims & minorities achieve security, freedom and equality—Their rights as citizens of India”, hosts its Annual Benefit Luncheon every year at the ISNA convention.

“The ruling party incited a full-blown massacre against Muslims in the capital city of New Delhi,” Owaisi said in his speech claiming that the message was to teach Muslims a lesson.

In his speech, Owaisi also attacked the government for deploying “the largest troop presence in erstwhile state Jammu and Kashmir and claimed that “severe restrictions” are being faced by the Kashmiri people over the past year.

Sudarshan News refers to programs on ‘Hindu Terror’ and ‘saffron terror’ by NDTV in its affidavit on ‘UPSC Jihad’ submitted at Supreme Court

OpIndia Staff
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Sudarshan News refers to programs on ‘Hindu Terror’ and ‘saffron terror’ by NDTV in its affidavit on ‘UPSC Jihad’ submitted at Supreme Court

In an affidavit Sudarshan News submitted in the Supreme Court on Sunday, the channel said it would strictly comply with the laws while broadcasting the remaining episodes of the “UPSC Jihad” programme on its “Bindas Bol” show. It also stated that it would follow the Programme Code as prescribed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The affidavit was submitted on the directions of the Supreme Court.

Along with that, Sudarshan News also mentioned programs aired by NDTV on ‘Hindu Terror’. The channel pointed out how NDTV had used the imagery of Hindu saints in their programs, perhaps referring to the Supreme Court objecting to use of images of Muslims on the Sudarshan News program.

Sudarshan TV mentions NDTV’s program on ‘Hindu Terror’

NDTV broadcasted two programs on ‘Hindu Terror’ in 2008 and 2010. Sudarshan News cited those programs in the affidavit and said they went unnoticed by the authorities and the Supreme Court. The affidavit had the links to the two programs and raised objections on how the channel showed the Hindu symbols and saints in the stories. Barkha Dutt hosted both the programs.

The affidavit said, “The deponent was shocked and pained when on 17.09.2008 NDTV had broadcast a program anchored by Ms. Barkha Dutt titled as ‘Hindu Terror: Myth or fact?’ In this program, just adjacent to the program caption, a Hindu Saint was shown with ‘Tilak’ and ‘Chillam’ and also a ‘Trishul’ one of [the] most sacred symbols for Hindus and associated with [the] most revered deity of the Hindus, Lord Shiva.”

The affidavit further mentioned another program that NDTV had broadcasted on August 26, 2010. The program hosted by Barkha Dutt was titled as “Is ‘Saffron Terror’ real?”. Sudarshan News informed that a Hindu cultural gathering was shown in Saffron colour clothes in the said NDTV program.

The mention of the NDTV’s programs is important as the Supreme Court had objected to the usage of green t-shirt, skull cap, and a beard to depict Muslims in the previous hearing. The court said that the channel is trying to stereotype an entire community. The court also objected to the use of flames in the background of Muslim characters while showing stats or infographics. The bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud had questioned Chavhanke about the changes he was going to make sure the depiction does not attack one particular community.

Aspirants from all communities are welcomed

In its affidavit, the channel again mentioned that it is not against any community. The channel does not oppose the entry of any deserving candidate from any community in the civil services. The court had issued an injunction order and barred the channel from broadcasting the remaining episodes till the hearing concludes. Chavhanke, in his affidavit, requested the court to allow them to air the remaining episodes on his assurance to comply with all the norms. The hearing in the case will continue on 21st September, Monday.

Shiv Sena, NCP dismisses CBDT investigation against Uddhav Thackeray, Aaditya Thackeray, and Supriya Sule, calls it a ‘routine exercise’

OpIndia Staff
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Shiv Sena, NCP dismisses CBDT investigation against Uddhav Thackeray, Aaditya Thackeray, and Supriya Sule, calls it a ‘routine exercise’

A day after the Election Commission asked the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to probe allegations of ‘fake poll affidavits’ against NCP leader Supriya Sule, Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya Thackeray, the parties have now responded to the development.

Shiv Sena and NCP responds to the CBDT investigation

Shiv Sena Minister Anil Parab stated, “It is a routine process to cross-check the information given in an affidavit with the income tax authority. Election Commission and Income Tax Department normally share the information, so there is nothing new in the issue.” He had prepared the election affidavits of both Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik too was not surprised with the development. Hailing it as a ‘routine exercise’, he stated that it was common for the central agency to verify information filed in the affidavit to the income tax returns of a candidate. Malik emphasised, “If there is a specific query, we will reply to it.”

Change in policies of the Election Commission

In 2013, the Election Commission informed that assets and liabilities of candidates would be verified by CBDT. As a part of his administrative powers, the Election Commission had stated on June 16 that it would take cognisance of complaints against candidates for irregularities, misinformation, and omissions in election affidavits pertaining to educational qualifications, assets, criminal history, and liabilities. It marked a start change in the stance of the election body in dealing with such complaints.

Earlier, it would urge complainants to approach the Courts under Section 125A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The said law penalises elected representatives with a fine or 6 months imprisonment or both if found guilty of filing false information in poll affidavits. However, it cannot lead to disqualification of the candidate as the jail term is shorter than 2 years, which is mandated by Section 8A of the election law.

Election Commission takes cognisance

Times Now had earlier reported that that the relevant complaints, filed by an RTI activist, cite material in support of the claim about the details furnished by the Thackerays and Supriya Sule in their affidavit not being true: a possible reason why the poll panel found it appropriate to refer them to the CBDT.

One such major discrepancy which has come to the forth is the missing bank account detail in Aaditya’s election affidavit, that was mentioned in Uddhav’s affidavit. Uddhav’s affidavit shows wife Rashmi and son Aaditya as having a joint account in Bank of Maharashtra having Rs 9,52,568 lakh deposits. However, Aaditya’s affidavit submitted during Assembly elections did not mention the account. The activist also alleged that both the Thackerays had different dates for holding shares under the HUF (Hindu Undivided Family) category.

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