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India-China standoff: MEA spokesperson rejects Chinese stand on Line of Actual Control. Read details

OpIndia Staff
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India-China standoff: MEA spokesperson rejects Chinese stand on Line of Actual Control. Read details

On Tuesday, the spokesperson of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Anurag Srivastava, has outrightly rejected the claim made by the Chinese Foreign Ministry with respect to the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The development comes amidst the ongoing border standoff between the two sides in Eastern Ladakh. The 3,448 km-long LAC separates India from Chinese-occupied territory. The demarcation between the two sides extends from the Union Territory of Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh. India has historically rejected the alignment of the LAC.

In an exclusive interview with the Hindustan Times, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has stated that it abides by the LAC, which was unilaterally proposed by the then Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai to PM Jawaharlal Nehru on November 7, 1959. It claimed, “Firstly, China-India border LAC is very clear, that is the LAC on November 7, 1959. China announced it in the 1950s, and the international community including India are also clear about it.”

The Chinese Foreign Ministry further blamed India for the escalated tensions at the border. Accusing India of ‘illegally’ crossing the border, it stated, “However, ever since this year, the Indian Army has continued to arrive and illegally cross the border, unilaterally expanding the scope of LAC. This is the source of tension on the border issues. The key to disengagement between the two armies is India’s withdrawal of all illegal cross-border personnel and equipment.”

Screengrab of the Hindustan Times report

The background of the LAC conflict

In his letter to PM Nehru on November 7, 1959, Zhou Enlai stated that for the sake of maintaining ‘tranquillity’ between the two sides, the armed forces of India and China must withdraw 20 km from the McMahon line. Rejecting his proposal, Nehru stated, “There is no sense or meaning in the Chinese offer to withdraw twenty kilometers from what they call ‘line of actual control. ” Later, Zhou Enlai defined LAC as, “basically the line of actual control as existed between the Chinese and Indian sides on 7 November 1959.”

MEA dismisses Chinese claims on the LAC

In a detailed statement, the MEA has rejected the claims made by the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava stated, “India has never accepted the so-called unilaterally defined 1959 Line of Actual Control (LAC). This position has been consistent and well known, including to the Chinese side.”

The Ministry of External Affairs cited various bilateral agreements such as the 1993 Agreement on Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility, 1996 Agreement on Confidence Building Measures (CBMs), 2005 Protocol on Implementation of CBMs and 2005 Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for settlement of the India-China Boundary Question to ascertain India’s commitment to reach a common understanding on the LAC’s alignment.

“In fact, the two sides had engaged in an exercise to clarify and confirm the LAC up to 2003, but this process could not proceed further as the Chinese side did not show a willingness to pursue it,” the MEA spokesperson remarked. He added that the comments by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on the existence of ‘only one LAC’ ran counter to the bilateral agreements between the two sides.

Drawing reference from the speech of Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the MEA spokesperson highlighted, “It is the Chinese side which by its attempts to transgress the LAC in various parts of the Western Sector, has tried to unilaterally alter the status quo.” He added that the Chinese side had assured of resolving escalated border tensions on the basis of the past agreements. “We, therefore, expect that the Chinese side will sincerely and faithfully abide by all agreements and understandings in their entirety and refrain from advancing an untenable unilateral interpretation of the LAC”, he reiterated.

India-China standoff

Clashes between the two countries have occurred along the Line of Actual Control raising fears of serious conflict breaking out between the two countries. Only recently, the Indian Army had made major breakthroughs and occupied six new heights along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh. This was after India had acted proactively to occupy heights in regions on the Southern Bank of the Pangong Tso lake and strengthened their positions. Talks between the two countries have been ongoing but without any major headway.

Fact Check: Did a Muslim lawyer represent Bhagat Singh and a ‘Brahmin RSS’ man fought for the British against him?

OpIndia Staff
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Fact Check: Did a Muslim lawyer represent Bhagat Singh and a ‘Brahmin RSS’ man fought for the British against him?

September 28 is celebrated as a day to mark the birth anniversary of revolutionary Indian freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, a leader whose rebellious attitude and daredevilry in confronting the British repression inspired a generation of young Indians and infused fresh energy in India’s independence movement.

The leftist ‘secular liberal’ cabal has often used Shaheed Bhagat Singh to peddle their propaganda. A number of fake claims, propaganda and fake news have been spread on several occasions by them regarding the revolutionary leader.

This year on the birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh, they got another opportunity to fill social media with spurious claims and unsubstantial assertions. Social media websites are awash with claims that a Muslim lawyer, namely Asaf Ali, who was also a prominent Congress member during that time, fought the case in the court defending Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt in the court case after they had hurled bombs inside the Central Legislative Assembly in New Delhi to protest against unfavourable Bills.

The other claim that is doing the rounds on the Internet is regarding a legal counsel that represented the British government against Bhagat Singh. The claim says that Rai Bahadur Suryanarayana Sharma represented the Crown against Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt.

Many graphic posters and ‘forwarded’ messages from social media to WhatsApp groups claim that the ‘Brahmin’ lawyer who fought the case on behalf of the British to get Bhagat Singh hanged is one Rai Bahadur Suryanarayana Sharma, who was a close friend of Hedgewar, the founder of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and also a member of the RSS.

Such messages about Rai Bahadur Suryanarayana Sharma are being widely shared on Twitter. The aim for propagating such messages and forwards is twofold: To allege that the freedom fighter Bhagat Singh was represented by a Congress leader and a ‘Muslim’ lawyer and to vilify ‘Brahmins’ and RSS as an organisation whose member allegedly defended the British in the court of law against Singh.

What is the truth behind the claims being made on social media regarding Bhagat Singh’s legal counsel?

While the social media users are enthusiastically claiming that a ‘Muslim’ lawyer named Asaf Ali represented Bhagat Singh, the reality is in stark contrast to what the Congress IT cell members and left would have us believe.

According to a report published in ‘The Hindu’, lawyer Asaf Ali represented Batukeshwar Dutt and Bhagat Singh fought the case on his own with a help of a legal advisor.

Relevant Section from the article published in ‘The Hindu’

In another article published in the Outlook India about how Bhagat Singh’s sentence was based on the testimony of journalist Khushwant Singh’s father Shobha Singh, it categorically mentioned that Asaf Ali represented Batukeshwar Dutt. The mere fact that the article did not mention Asaf Ali fighting for both Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt says that Singh was not represented by him.

Relevant Sections from the article published by ‘The Outlook India’

In addition to this, Professor Malvinderjit Singh Warich, who wrote several books on Sardar Bhagat Singh, also denied the claims that are bandied about that a lawyer named Satyanarayana Sharma had appeared for the British against Bhagat Singh.

Relevant sections of an article published in ‘The Quint’

Professor Chaman Lal of Jawaharlal Nehru University, who wrote ‘Understanding Bhagat Singh and ‘Documents of Bhagat Singh and his companions’, has also explicitly mentioned that no Indian counsel appeared for the British in the case against Bhagat Singh.

It is noteworthy to mention that Sardar Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw bombs in the Central Legislative Assembly on April 08, 1929, to express their opposition to the bills being discussed in the Assembly. He also threw a few handwritten letters and pamphlets to explain their demands.

It was a low-intensity bomb that was not meant to kill or injure any member of the Legislative Assembly. As soon as the explosion took place, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt stood there and later surrendered themselves to the police.

The conclusion

Bhagat Singh was not represented by Congress member and lawyer Asaf Ali in the court. He fought his case on his own and with the help of a legal advisor. Asaf Ali had fought the case for Batukeshwar Dutt. Furthermore, the British government was not represented by any Indian lawyer, let alone Satyanarayana Sharma, and the claim that he fought against Bhagat Singh is false.

From “Khoon ki Dalali” to “where is proof”: How opposition parties questioned India’s 2016 Surgical Strikes in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir

OpIndia Staff
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From “Khoon ki Dalali” to “where is proof”: How opposition parties questioned India’s 2016 Surgical Strikes in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir

In wee hours of September 29, 2016, the Indian Army carried out unprecedented surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC), annihilating at least 7 terror launchpads and inflicting heavy casualties on terrorists sheltered in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). The strike came nearly 10 days after the brutal terror attack in Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir that claimed lives of 18 Indian soldiers.

A unit of elite Parachute regiment snuck across the line of control and wrought devastation with clinical precision to eliminate the terrorists preparing to infiltrate into India through the terror launchpads. The attack heralded a marked shift in India’s stand on the rules of engagement along the line of control and significantly raised the stakes for Pakistan to continue indulging in proxy wars against India with its homegrown terrorists.

The incursion into Pakistan Occupied Kashmir to neutralise looming threats to India also demonstrated the Modi government’s commitment to national security and its resolve to punish those responsible for attacking the Indian Armed Forces. It sent an important message to not just the Pakistani establishment but also to all the enemies of the country that the Indian government will not shy away from authorising cross-border attack if needed.

Indian opposition parties toed Pakistani line

However, at a time when the opposition parties in India should have banded together to send a strong message to the adversaries, they instead questioned the Indian Army’s claim of conducting Surgical Strikes in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and sought evidence for the same, echoing Pakistani stand on the raid.

During that time, Pakistan had vigorously denied the occurrence of any surgical strikes in its controlled territory. Pakistan’s denial of the incursion was on expected lines, given that the acceptance of attack would have tantamount to a tacit admission of the presence of terrorists at those launch pads and more importantly admission that the Indian forces carried out the attack right under the nose of its Army.

Notwithstanding the fact that their narrative on Surgical Strikes converged with that of Pakistan, several of the opposition politicians nonetheless continued to raise suspicions over the veracity of the attacks. The Congress party and AAP ran a campaign of sorts to discredit the government by casting aspersions over the authenticity of operation, seeking corroborating evidence to prove the attack and claiming that there was no novelty in the raids and such forays have been carried out by the Army during previous regimes as well.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal demanded proof of Surgical Strikes operation

In the aftermath of the Surgical Strikes when the nationalist sentiments were high, Kejriwal released a rare video congratulating the Modi government and the Indian Army for avenging the deaths of martyrs in Uri attack. However, towards the end of his video, Kejriwal sought a piece of evidence to establish that Surgical Strikes indeed happened, cunningly claiming that he is asking for evidence to bust the Pakistani propaganda that refuted occurrence of any Surgical Strikes in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.

Delhi CM’s demand for proof was instantly lapped up by Pakistani propagandists to reinforce their narrative that the Surgical Strikes as claimed by India was nothing but a sham. The AAP chief’s video demanding proof for the Surgical Strikes operation created a furore on social media and the Delhi CM was at the receiving end of criticism for raising doubts over the capabilities of the Indian Army.

Even before the Surgical Strikes were conducted by the Indian Army, Arvind Kejriwal was seen toeing the Pakistani propaganda, lauding a trash article which claimed that instead of Pakistan, India is getting isolated globally in the aftermath of the Uri attack by Pakistani sponsored terrorists.

Congress also sought evidence of Surgical Strikes conducted by Indian Army

Besides AAP, leaders of principal opposition party, Congress, also insisted that the government release the proof of the Surgical Strikes conducted by the Indian Army to dispel the Pakistani propaganda of denial surrounding the operation.

Congress leader Manish Tewari placed similar demand as asked by Arvind Kejriwal, asserting that India is losing the global propaganda war on Surgical Strikes to Pakistan.

Another Congress leader, Sanjay Nirupam, also insinuated that the operation executed by the elite Indian commandos was fake and an instrument to extract political mileage. He had at that time tweeted, “Every Indian wants Surgical Strikes against Pakistan but not a fake one to extract just political benefit by BJP.”

Congress pulls off a stunning volte-face, claiming Surgical Strikes were conducted in the past too, Army denies

After raising questions over the validity of the Surgical Strikes that happened on the intervening night of September 29-30, 2016, in response to the Uri attack that had killed Indian soldiers 10 days back, Congress pulled off a remarkable u-turn, going from calling the attacks fake to claiming that surgical strikes were conducted during their rule as well.

Congress had claimed that 6 surgical strikes were conducted in Pakistan during the UPA regime. However, responding to an RTI seeking details of the 6 surgical strikes conducted by the Armed Forces during the Congress rule, the Army said that it did not have any data to substantiate the assertions made by the Congress party.

The applicant had sought details of surgical strikes conducted by the Army during the 2004-2014 period. In its reply, Army DGMO stated: “This section does not hold any data pertaining to surgical strikes if carried out before September 29, 2016.

Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Khoon ki dalali’ jibe

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi had launched a blistering attack on PM Modi, accusing him of doing “Khoon ki Dalali” with the blood of the soldiers.

The sensational remark for PM Modi, reminiscent of the statement by party chief Sonia Gandhi when she referred to the then Gujarat chief minister Modi as “Maut Ke Saudagaar” (deal-maker of death) in 2007, instantly triggered an avalanche of outrage on social media websites against the Gandhi scion and the Congress party.

The online backlash compelled Rahul Gandhi to issue prompt clarification, wherein he said that he fully supported the surgical strikes but was against using them for political reasons.

Shiv Sena questions the efficacy of surgical strikes against Pakistan

Soon after parted ways with the BJP and formed an unholy alliance with ideological opponents—Congress and NCP—to fulfil its desire to install a Shiv Sainik as the chief minister of Maharashtra, the erstwhile NDA partner in January 2020 raised question on the efficacy of the surgical strikes against Pakistan. The party said that the perception that the surgical strikes will deflate the inimical elements inside Pakistan to mount similar attacks on India remains an illusion, adding that the ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the line of control demonstrate their commitment to continuing hostility with India.

Actor Kangana Ranaut says BMC has served notices to her neighbours, threatened them against supporting her

OpIndia Staff
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Actor Kangana Ranaut says BMC has served notices to her neighbours, threatened them against supporting her

Actor Kangana Ranaut has taken to Twitter to allege that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation authorities have served notices to her neighbours, in which they have threatened them against supporting the actor. In her Tweet, she writes that her neighbours have been asked to socially isolate her, failing which they should be ready to face consequences.

She has alleged that the BMC has threatened her neighbours that if they support the actress, their houses will be demolished too.

The Queen actor Tweeted: “Today @mybmc has served notices to all my neighbours, @mybmc had threatened them to socially isolate me, they were told if they supported me they would break their houses as well. My neighbours have not said anything against Maharashtra government please spare their houses.”

Kangana Ranaut seeks compensation of Rs 2 crore from BMC for the “illegal” demolition at her bungalow

It may be recalled that after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation authorities, in an alleged act of vendetta, had brought down a portion of Kangana Ranaut’s office in Mumbai, the Queen actress had slapped a notice on the civic body seeking a compensation of Rs 2 crores from BMC for the ‘illegal’ demolition at her bungalow.

In her amended plea, Ranaut alleged that the BMC’s decision to demolish her property was a direct consequence of her comments against the Maharashtra government.

The actor had approached the court after the BMC, on September 9, had demolished her property in Mumbai, within just 24 hours of sticking a ‘stop work’ notice, in violation of an HC order that has prohibited such actions till September 30. Furthermore, the demolition was done in the absence of the actress.

The actor has been subjected to threats of violence and bullying by the Uddhav govt

The actor has been in loggerheads with the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government ever since the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajut in June. Besides ad-hominem attacks, and threats of violence against Ranaut, even the state apparatus has been pushed into taking punitive action against the actor for her remarks that were at odds with the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

Shiv Sena leaders had issued derogatory statements agains her. An MLA had even threatened the actress with violence.

However, not deterred by the bullying, the ‘Manikarnika’ star went on record warning Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray over the move, stating that soon, his tyranny will come to an end.

Following the war of words, the actress had been provided with Y category security cover by the Union home ministry after she expressed concerns for her safety.

Propaganda War: The undue influence of the Chinese govt over Indian media is a matter of deep concern and requires urgent intervention

K Bhattacharjee
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Propaganda War: The undue influence of the Chinese govt over Indian media is a matter of deep concern and requires urgent intervention

The efforts launched by the Chinese government to capture global imagination and shape the narrative about China is an open secret. Towards that end, the Chinese Communist Party has sought to influence individual journalists and media organisations in its bid to alter global perception about China. In recent times, such efforts have only been accelerated.

From 2016 at least, the foreign ministry of China has hosted at least a hundred journalists from leading news networks in Asia and Africa. The journalists have received quite significant allurements such as plush apartments, a monthly stipend worth Rs. 50,000 and free tours twice a month to different Chinese provinces. The journalists also received language classes and degrees in international relations from a Chinese University.

Such journalists cannot undertake individual trips without government supervision and hence, cannot really report independently on the human rights issues in the country. Three Indian news networks which participated in the programme were The Indian Express, Jansatta and the Indo-Asian News Service (IANS).

The objective of the programme was not unknown to anybody. One journalist reportedly said that that if they wanted to complete the programme, then they must write only positive stories about China. Indian Express correspondent Narendra Apurva, a participant in the programme, claimed that he was “never pulled aside or frozen out” while reporting extensively on the Doklam dispute between India and China.

Source: The Straits Times

Apurva further stated, “Each lecture was a serious eye-opener: for instance, the guy who spoke on environment pulled no punches and told us how bad water pollution here is. If we were to come back as correspondents to China, these classes have already given us an edge over anybody who comes in new.”

Indian mainstream media, in recent times, has carried propaganda articles by Chinese mouthpieces to further the Chinese agenda on contentious issues. Hindustan Times, for instance, on its 13th of December, 2019 edition carried two articles by one Yuan Shenggao under the sponsorship of China Watch Daily, a Chinese government mouthpiece. The articles were titled “Decades of progress highlighted” and “Unparalleled change experienced within a space of generation”.

In the first article, the author claimed, “Seventy years of development has made Tibet a place where people can enjoy economic prosperity, social stability, good ecology, ethnic unity and religious freedom, according to a top official of the autonomous region in the southwest of China.” It added, “The Party secretary said the residents in Tibet enjoy freedom of religion and their legal religious activities are protected by the law.”

In the second, it was claimed, “In the seven decades since the founding of the People’s republic of China, the Tibet autonomous region has created history that previous millennia cannot match. There have been many significant events since 1949, including the peaceful liberation, democratic reform, foundation of the autonomous region, reform and opening-up.”

The author added, “Tibetan residents, freed from serfdom seven decades ago and later becoming masters of their own fate, are beneficiaries of and witnesses to the great changes taking place in the plateau region that has been dubbed “the roof of the world.”” Needless to say, this is sheer propaganda.

The Tibetan Policy Institute condemned the Hindustan Times for carrying such propaganda pieces. It said, “Indian newspapers should be careful not to become a mouthpiece of one of the most repressive and aggressive regimes who has kept India on toes through its intermittent border incursions all these years.” One would have expected Indian media to be aware of due to the most basic sense of nationalism but quite clearly, it is much too much to expect such decency from the Indian media.

These are not the only occasions when the Hindustan Times has peddled Chinese propaganda. On the 5th of November, 2019, it published a propaganda article penned by the Chinese Ambassador to India, Sun Weidong. Weidon said in the article, “China appreciates India’s position. It hopes and believes that India, as a responsible major country, will stick to its position, honour its commitments, resist interference on Tibet-related issues and promote the healthy and stable development of China-India relations.”

Months later, China is involved in a very critical border conflict with India in Ladakh. During the conflict, the Press Trust of India (PTI) carried water for the Chinese establishment which earned it a great rebuke from the Indian masses as well as from the government. However, months after Prasar Bharti said that it would be reviewing its relationship with the PTI for peddling Chinese propaganda during times of conflict, there has still not been any constructive action on that front.

It is unclear whether these news networks received any payment from the Chinese regime for running its propaganda on their platform. Only very recently, an Indian journalist, Rajeev Sharma, was arrested by Indian authorities and booked under the Official Secrets Act for stealing state secrets and smuggling sensitive information to the Chinese regime.

It ought to be borne in mind that the Chinese Communist Party has not been targeting only Indian media. It has managed to acquire influence over American media as well. It has been revealed that China Daily, a government mouthpiece, paid over $6 million to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), $4.6 million to the Washington Post, $2,40,000 to Foreign Policy, $50,000 to the New York Times, $34,600 to The Des Moines Register and $76,000 to CQ-Roll Call in the past four years.

The possibility that the Chinese regime adopted a similar approach towards Indian media cannot be negated. In fact, in 2017, Hindustan Times did publish 4 pages of Chinese government propaganda in its ‘supplement’ or as it is known in media parlance, ‘advertorial’, sponsored by China Daily, the same entity that had bought space in the western media outlets. It is not far fetched to assume that such payments would influence the coverage of the newspaper.

We are well aware of the extent of negative press that the current Indian government receives in the Western press, especially the WSJ, WaPo and the NYT. It cannot be said the extent to which Chinese patronage affected their coverage of India. Similarly, the politically partisan coverage of the Indian media is also a matter of a grave concern.

Therefore, there is an urgent need for the ruling dispensation to investigate the extent of the ties between the Chinese regime and Indian mainstream news networks. It does not bode well for Indian national interests if a hostile country wields disproportionate influence over our media. The media controls public discourse. If the Chinese manage to exert influence over significant sections of the media, the consequences could be devastating.

Hathras gang rape victim succumbs in Delhi hospital, police denies social media reports that victim’s eyes were gouged and tongue cut

OpIndia Staff
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Hathras gang rape victim succumbs in Delhi hospital, police denies social media reports that victim’s eyes were gouged and tongue cut

The 19-year-old Hathras gang-rape victim, who was battling for her life in Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital, succumbed to the critical injuries on September 29 (Tuesday) morning. She had been referred from Aligarh’s Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College to Delhi a day earlier.

Speaking about the incident, the sheer brutality of which has left the nation reeling in shock, the victim’s family demanded that the accused must be awarded nothing but death penalty. The family was informed about her passing away at 6 AM today. “We want justice for her. The accused should not be spared. They must be hanged,” the victim’s brother said.

Fast-track trial

Hathras Police has arrested four men in connection with the case on Saturday. The accused had been booked under Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and later charged with gang-rape under section 376 D, Hathras ASP Prakash Kumar said. He added that the case will be tried by a fast-track court.

As per a statement released by the police, the accused Sandeep was arrested on 19th September, 2020 and a case has been registered against three more accused: Lavkush, Ravi and Ram Kumar. All three have since been arrested. Under the SC/ST Act, the victim’s family will be given monetary compensation of Rs 10 lakh.

Hathras police denies social media reports of brutality

Days after the heinous act, social media was rampant with reports detailing brutality of the gang rape that the girl’s spinal cord was broken and her tongue cut off by the perpetrators. However, Hathras Police in a statement today denied the allegations.

As per the statement, the medical report does not state that her tongue was cut or her eyes damaged. The police has also denied reports on her spinal cord being broken. Police statement says that the medical report states her spinal cord as well as her tongue was injured while the perpetrators tried to kill her by strangling her.

Hathras gang-rape

In what traspired on September 14, the victim had gone to the field to collect fodder when a group of men attacked her from behind. The teenager was dragged by a dupatta around her neck, which probably caused the spinal injuries, to a field where she was allegedly raped.

The accused, who were nabbed on Saturday, had tried to strangulate her to death as she resisted them. In the process, she had ended up biting her tongue and suffering a severe cut on it, police had said.

The station house officer (SHO) of Chandpa police station in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras district, under whose jurisdiction a 19-year-old Dalit woman was brutally gang-raped nearly a fortnight ago, has been transferred to the district police lines for his “failure to promptly act” in the case.

The body of the victim would be brought to the village after the postmortem, confirmed Hathras ASP Prakash Kumar.

He was chosen by ‘Allah’: Pakistanis celebrate terrorist who had stabbed 4 people near Charlie Hebdo office in Paris

OpIndia Staff
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He was chosen by ‘Allah’: Pakistanis celebrate terrorist who had stabbed 4 people near Charlie Hebdo office in Paris

On Friday, an 18-year-old Pakistani terrorist named Ali Hassan aka Zaheer Hassan Mehmood stabbed four people with a meat cleaver near the former offices of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo near the Richard Lenoir Metro Station in Paris. Two people were critically injured in the attack. Hassan, who hails from Mandi Bahauddin in Punjab province of Pakistan, was eventually nabbed by the Paris Police Department.

In Pakistan, however, there are many social media handles and YouTube channels who are hailing Hassan as a hero. A Pakistani channel named Naya Pakistan has shared a video that shows the now-viral clip of teh terrorist, who claims to be hurt and anguished over Charlie Hebdo’s decision to republish the caricatures of Prophet Mohammad. The radical Islamist is seen reciting Islamic verses and said in the video, “If I’m sounding emotional, let me explain: here, in France, the caricatures of the Prophet are being made. I am going to do (an act of) resistance today, Sept. 25 “

Ready to sacrifice lives of 5 sons for Mohammed, claims Hassan’s father

In the video, the channel’s reporter begins by profusely congratulating the father of the arrested terrorist, saying that he was chosen by ‘Allah’ to stab people.

The terrorist’s family also seems to be ‘proud’ that their son stabbed civillians beause he was apparently ‘hurt’ by the cartoons. Expressing pride over his son’s ‘brave’ act, Hassan’s father stated, “I am very happy at hear. To save the Honour of our prophet, I am ready to sacrifice my life and the lives of all my 5 sons. “

In the video, the channel’s reporter is seen encouraging the father. He asserts that there are Pakisanis who are ‘proud’ of the terrorist. The father replied, “My son has the heart of steel.” He stated that his wife too approved of his son’s actions. He also revealed that Hassan was inspired by Sunni Muslim cleric Ilyas Qadri and would read Namaaz five times a day.

The father says that the terrorist had called his family before the attack and had claimed that he had been ‘chosen’ to do the Prophet’s work. The reporter is seen further insisting that the whole world is ‘praising’ Hassan’s deeds.

He was then heard chanting slogans such as,’ Rasool ke ghulam hai‘ (We are slaves of the Prophet) and ‘Ghulamiya rasool mein maut bhi kubool hai‘ (In the slavery of the Prophet, I am ready to sacrifice my life).

Pakistani channel praising Paris attack terrorist

Reaction of Pakistanis to the terror attack

As expected, radical Islamists from Pakistan expressed their glee over Hassan’s actions to avenge the dishonour of Prophet Mohammed. One Twitter user (@BloSSomHeaRts2) wrote, “Alhamdulillah, Zaheer Hassan Mehmood,a young man from Punjab province and Mandi Bahauddin stabbed four people in the office of a dog publishing blasphemous sketches in France, injuring four people. Separate the head from the body Long live the crowned end of Prophecy Amin.”

Another Pakistani approved of the terror attack and stated, “Well done. It’s called Emaani Jazba (Well done. This is the spirit of strong Faith.)”

Charlie Hebdo had decided to republish the cartoons on prophet Mohammed that led to the terrorist attack against them in 2015. Their decision to republish the cartoons had triggered widespread protests across the Muslim world and renewed calls for violence.

Solution to stubble burning: Jalandhar farmer has been making and selling cardboards since 2010

OpIndia Staff
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Solution to stubble burning: Jalandhar farmer has been making and selling cardboards since 2010

Gurtej Singh, a farmer from Mehatpur village, Kakran Kalan, Jalandhar, has become one of the front runners in the campaign to stop stubble burning that happens every year in states like Punjab, and Haryana on a large scale. He started making cardboard using paddy stubble in 2010.

As per a report in Tribune, it is not only reducing the cost of cardboard production but also helping the environment. The pollution rising from stubble burning reaches the national capital Delhi, and despite several steps taken by the government, the farmers are not stepping away from the practice.

Low production cost and higher profits

According to the Tribune report, Gurtej Singh started a small cardboard business in 2007 with his cousins Biranmol Singh and Paramvir Singh. For three years, they used sludge and sack bags for making cardboard. In 2010, he shifted to using paddy straw as a raw material, which has now become the main ingredient for the cardboards in his factory.

In 2010 he came in contact with Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), where he got the training to use stubble in cardboard manufacturing. Almost every farmer in Kakran Kalan has started supplying paddy straw to Gurtej. In total, he is getting paddy straws from 300 acres of farms. “It gives me satisfaction that I am not contributing to pollution. I am using paddy stubble in the right way,” he said.

Attempts to stop stubble burning

While governments are trying to provide some support to the farmers and develop plans to stop stubble burning completely, some NGOs and organizations have come forward to help farmers get rid of stubble without burning them. In 2019, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) initiated projects to stop stubble burning in 10 villages in the Raikot block of Ludhiana district. In 2019, a TERI study claimed that the stubble could be used to produce fuel. Though as per the law the farmers who burn the stubble can be punished under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act. Despite measures and awareness campaigns about the harmful effects of stubble burning, it happens every year, directly impacting the air quality in nearby cities.

Kolkata: Army recommends CBI probe over faulty construction in Eastern Command housing project

OpIndia Staff
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Kolkata: Army recommends CBI probe over faulty construction in Eastern Command housing project

The Indian Army’s Eastern Command has recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe in a housing project for armed forces in Kolkata, reported The Economic Times.

The said property, constructed under the Married Accommodation Project (MAP), was found to have tilted buildings. The buildings had faulty foundations, which eventually led to the distortion of their structure. An inquiry was thus conducted in 2018 by the Eastern Army Command. The Army hinted at the ‘structural distress’ in the project, owing to the nexus between the contractors and the officials supervising the project. The Army then recommended a CBI probe into the matter, said the ET report.

“We had to make an example out of the case and convey that such instances of impropriety will not be tolerated and shall be dealt with a heavy hand,” a source was quoted as saying.

Probe handed over to CBI

Contrary to the usual norms where such officials are prosecuted under the Army Act, the case has been handed over to the CBI due to involvement of outside parties and the angle of financial impropriety. Reportedly, the case is a part of an internal investigation by the army into several such housing projects, which are supervised by the Military Engineering Service (MES).

Similar Army inquiries were conducted in MAP projects in Delhi after several structural defects surfaced at the Salaria complex. The complex, which houses armed force officers has been described as a ‘war zone’, owing to its condition. Even though the inquiry has been completed, no action has been taken so far against the officials.

PM Modi tears into Congress and others for opposing farm bills, shows how they opposed everything from Ram Mandir to Rafale

OpIndia Staff
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PM Modi tears into Congress and others for opposing farm bills, shows how they opposed everything from Ram Mandir to Rafale

While inaugurating various Namami Gange projects in Uttarakhand via video conferencing, PM Modi launched a scathing attack on the opposition, especially Congress for protesting against several bills introduced during the recently concluded Parliament session including the Farm Bills. PM Modi said that the nation can see how they are opposing the reforms without any reason. He said that those opposing the Farm Bills do not want the farmers to sell their produce in open market instead they want the middleman to earn profit. He added that they are opposing the freedom of farmers.

“They set fire to the equipments farmers worship,” PM Modi added calling out Punjab Youth Congress’ stunt of setting the tractor on fire in Delhi. He added that the previous Congress governments did not implementing the MSP and broke their promise. He said that the current government acted on the recommendation of the Swaminathan Commission and implemented the MSP.

Accusing the opposition of misleading the farmers, PM Modi said that the people lamenting the farm reforms because the source of their black money will be finished after the reforms.

PM Modi took a dig at the Congress party for ignoring the demands of the Air Force for Rafale aircraft. He said that the previous Congress governments did nothing for empowering our security forces.

He remined how the opposition had shown their “intention” before the country by questioning the surgical strike carried out by our security forces on Pakistan.

He also recalled how the opposition had opposed Yoga in India while the world was celebrating the International Yoga Day and that how they had also opposed the Statue of Unity dedicated to national leader Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He said that no opposition has visited the Statue of Unity.

PM Modi said that the people opposing reforms for the sake of doing it are losing relevance day by day. He recalled how they had opposed the Bhum Pujan of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya after opposing it in the Supreme Court.

Attacking the Congress party, PM Modi said there are several smaller political parties in the country that never formed a government or been a part of the government and yet they never worked against the interests of the country but some parties that have been opposition for a very short time are behaving like this.

PM Modi launches various Namami Gange projects in Uttarakhand

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today spoke via video conference at the occasion of inauguration of development projects in Uttarakhand. PM Modi inaugurated six mega projects under the Namami Gange Mission in Uttarakhand. The projects include the construction of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) with 68 Million litres per day (MLD) capacity, construction of an 18 MLD STP at Sarai in Haridwar, upgradation of the existing 27 MLD STP at Jagjeertpur, Haridwar and the inauguration of 26 MLD STP at Lakkadghat in Hrishikesh along with a 5 MLD STP at Chorpani and two STPs having capacities of 1 MLD and 0.01 MLD at Badrinath. The PM also unveiled that logo fo Jal Jeevan Mission and Margadarshika for village panchayats and Paani Samitis under the Namami Gange Mission. He also inaugurated the first museum on Ganga called Ganga Avalokan at Chandi Ghat, Hariswar which will showcase the culture, biodiversity and rejuvenation activities done in the river. Thirty projects have been completed in Uttarakhand so far.

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