Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone, who has been under the scanner of the Narcotic Control Bureau for the alleged role in the Bollywood drug mafia case, had categorically denied consuming or procuring drugs during her questioning by the department on Saturday. Now Aaj Tak has revealed that the Padmavat actor, during the interrogation had come up with some bizarre claims.
When confronted with her Whatsapp chats by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Padukone stated that by ‘Maal’ she meant cigarettes and ‘Hash’ referred to the different brands of cigarettes.
According to the news channel, the NCB opined that all the three actors, namely Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan and Shraddha Kapoor, who were questioned on Saturday, were very well trained and apprised in advance as to what needed to be said during the interrogation. All three spoke in an extremely calculated manner as if they had been briefed beforehand, on what needed to be said in front of the investigative department.
Jaya Shah, Krishna Prakash also made equally bizarre claims
Interestingly, talent manager Jaya Saha, who is being termed as the ‘kingpin’ of the case, had also stated that the terms ‘doobies’ and ‘buds’ in the drug chats referred to cigarettes. Moreover, Deepika Padukone’s manager Karishma Prakash, during her round of questioning had also claimed that ‘hash’ was ‘not a drug’.
It may be recalled that in the WhatsApp conversations, Deepika was allegedly asking for ‘maal’- hash (or hashish, drug made from cannabis plant) from a certain person named ‘K’, her manager, Karishma Prakash, who is also employed with KWAN, the talent management agency that manages the actor.
Deepika Padukone grilled for over 5 hours on Saturday
Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone was put through the wringer by the Narcotics Control Bureau, as she was grilled for over 5 hours on Saturday. It was reported how Deepika Padukone had accepted being part of the Whatsapp group but had maintained a stoic silence on the drugs issue.
Meanwhile, Karishma Prakash during her first-day interrogation on Friday, accepted that Deepika was the admin of the WhatsApp group.
NCB seizes phones as the alleged ‘drug’ chats were made using the same phones
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), which quizzed the Bollywood actor Rakul Preet Singh, Deepika Padukone, her manager and the employee of the dubious Kwan talent management agency- Karishma Prakash, and fashion designer Simone Khambatta on Friday and Saturday in connection with the drugs case related to the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, has seized their mobile phones. The agency had collected their phones as the alleged ‘drug’ chats were made using the same phones, the source said.
The source also said that the NCB has collected the phone of Sushant’s former talent manager Jaya Saha.
Besides Deepika, Rakul, Khambatta and Karishma, the NCB also questioned Bollywood actors Shraddha Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan on Saturday for several hours.
With the passage of the farm bills, India has ushered in the era of an agricultural transformation. The three ordinances promulgated by the Modi government will have a far-reaching effect in structurally transforming Indian agriculture.
However, along expected lines, the bills passed for the welfare of the farmers in the country have faced stiff resistance from a multitude of opposition parties, who seemed unnerved by the central government’s commitment and dedication in alleviating the problems bedevilling the farming community.
As a consequence, several of these political parties launched protests in various parts of the country against the central government’s decision to pass the agriculture Bills. The opposition political parties are flustered so much so that their workers are now doubling as “farmers” in the protests to allege that farmers are not happy with the agricultural reforms promulgated by the government.
Workers of opposition political parties organise ‘farmer protests’ against the recently passed Farm Bills
Comrades of Leftist political organisation Revolutionary Marxist Party of India today blocked the Amritsar-Delhi National Highway near Phillaur in Jalandhar, to protest against the Farm Bills passed in the Parliament.
Punjab: Farmers, under the aegis of Bharatiya Kisan Union and Revolutionary Marxist Party of India (RMPI), block Amritsar-Delhi National Highway near Phillaur in Jalandhar, in protest against #FarmBills passed in the Parliament. pic.twitter.com/6zsXZ5VhnW
Similarly, members of the National Student Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress party, took out a march in Amritsar in opposition to the recently promulgated Farm Bills. The fact that ‘students’ bearing allegiance to the Congress party joined the protests indicates that the protests were organised by political parties and not by the ‘aggrieved farmers’ as claimed by the opposition parties.
Punjab: Workers of National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) take out a march in Amritsar to protest against the recently passed agriculture bills. pic.twitter.com/yqAbnPPcMB
In West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress functionaries were seen carrying out a demonstration in Kolkata against the recently passed agricultural laws. It is also pertinent to note that TMC had been one of the vigorous opponents of the farm bills and TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien was suspended for creating a ruckus in the parliament over the bills.
#WestBengal: Farmer’s wing of TMC staged a protest in Kolkata earlier today against recently passed agricultural laws
“It’s a draconian law passed forcefully by Modi Govt without any regard to procedures. The Modi govt is not for the general people,” says a TMC leader pic.twitter.com/P1hIsCKbFg
Lalu Prasad Yadav’s RJD organised a protest in different cities of Bihar to oppose the new agriculture reform bills. The protests were attended by several RJD workers, who demanded the government to repeal the said ordinances.
#Bihar: Opposition parties stage protest against the new agriculture reform bills in Gaya, today
“We’re protesting anti-farmer laws which must be repealed by the Central Govt. It’ll only benefit corporations & will lead to the closure of all mandis,” says an RJD district worker pic.twitter.com/X1ZGbGZnKC
In Karnataka, police detained workers of Congress, JD(S) and SDPI for participating in demonstrations opposing the Farm Bills. A state-wide protest had been called by the opposition political parties such as Congress, JD(S) and SDPI, in opposition to land reform ordinances, amendments to APMC & labour laws. In these demonstrations, workers of these political parties accused the government of relinquishing the interests of farmers.
Karnataka: Police detain workers of Congress, JD(S) & SDPI, who were protesting in Madikeri of Kodagu district today, amid statewide protest.
Farmers’ orgs have called statewide bandh today against #FarmBills (now laws), land reform ordinances, amendments to APMC & labour laws. pic.twitter.com/7lYOeanmx5
Karnataka: Workers of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and Dalith Sangarsh Samiti blocked Shivamogga-Davanagere highway to protest against the recently passed bills related to the agriculture sector, in Shivamogga earlier today. pic.twitter.com/Ff7SU8dKpH
It is notable to mention that SDPI is the political wing of the Muslim extremist organisation Popular Front of India (PFI), which has long been accused of spreading Islamist terror across the country. SDPI and PFI are also accused of conspiring to perpetrate violence and unleash riots during the anti-CAA protests that gripped several parts of the country.
For a long-time now, the opposition parties are trying to mount a credible offence against the Modi government, whose approval ratings is at an all-time high. To their chagrin, the Modi government has so far prevailed over the issues highlighted by them, most notably in the matter related to the postponement of the JEE-NEET examinations. This has only infuriated the opposition political parties further and forced their workers to pose as ‘farmers’ and convey their protests against the reform bills.
The inclusion of political workers and members of problematic organisations such as SDPI, which is involved in Islamic terrorism and other such criminal activities, in a protest ostensibly carried out to safeguard the interests of farmers, effectively proves that the protests which are called ‘spontaneous’ are in reality organised and pre-planned. It also underscores the desperation among the political parties, who perhaps believe that the new Farm Bills would further cement PM Modi’s image as ‘farmer-friendly’ and significantly reduce their influence among the farmers.
Manjinder Singh Sirsa has alleged of receiving threat call from Pakistani, who warned him to either withdraw the complaint filed against Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar or face serious consequences. Sharing the details of the number and the name of the person who had made the call to him, the Akali Dal MLA has urged Delhi police to take cognisance.
I got a call from Pakistan in which the caller threatened me to withdraw the complaint against Bollywood or I might have to face serious consequences if I don’t do as they desire. https://t.co/JwZvqPCFdzpic.twitter.com/shdOM59EYj
— #Istandwithfarmers Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) September 28, 2020
In a video message shared on his official Twitter handle, Sirsa revealed that the caller, who identified himself as Mohammad Wasim, alleged that a certain ‘Bhai’ has asked him to steer clear of the drama and stop the nonsense. “Yeh Bollywood wala masla 2 din mein band kar aur case wapas le”, (end this Bollywood chapter in 2 days and withdraw your complaint) the caller allegedly told Sirsa.
On asking the caller to reveal who this “Bhai” is, the caller said: “Tum Bhai ko nahi jaante? Bhai ko to pura desh Jaanta hai. Kyun mara chahata hain? Ye nautanki band karo warna sabko thok denge” (you don’t know who Bhai is, the entire world knows him. Why do you want to be killed? Stop this drama immediately or we’ll shoot everyone).
Not intimidated by such threat calls: Sirsa
Stating that he is filing a complaint with the SHO of Punjabi Bagh police station, with the West district DCP for probe into the phone call, Sirsa declared that he will remain unaffected by such threats and will continue to work relentlessly against the drug nexus in Bollywood.
Sirsa addressed the caller and said: “You will not be able to scare us into stopping our work. This is a fight for principles and against the drug mafia. No one will be able to silence us. You are wrong if you think we will stop everything after your attempt at scaring and threatening us.”
Manjinder Singh Sirsa was the first to speak against the alleged drug mafia in Bollywood
It may be recalled that Sirsa had met the NCB chief Rakesh Asthana at his office located at BSSF headquarters CGO complex on Lodhi road on September 15 to submit a complaint against top Bollywood names like Karan Johar, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Varun Dhawan etc, for consumption and possession of drugs being used at Karan Johar’s house on July 30, 2019, cognizable in nature under chapter 4 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
It was Sirsa who had first tweeted the video of the party at Karan Johar’s residence alleging that several actors in the video were in ‘drugged state’. The video had featured Ranbir Kapoor, Ayan Mukherjee, Vicky Kaushal, Deepika Padukone, Arjun Kapoor, Malaika Arora, Shahid Kapoor, Varun Dhawan and others. However, most of the actors, including Vicky Kaushal and Karan Johar had rubbished the allegations.
Following this complaint, NCB started investigating and unearthed a massive drug case in Bollywood. The names of many influential actors, producers, filmmakers have appeared in the drug link case leading a summons from the Narcotics Control Bureau.
The drug enforcement agency has recently questioned actors, including Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan, Shraddha Kapoor Rakul Preet Singh and others in connection with its probe.
Congress workers protesting against the recently passed Farm Bills burnt a tractor in Ambala, and then proceeded to carry the same burnt tractor in a truck to India Gate, Delhi and then burnt the same tractor there. ABP News has revealed that the tractor was first burnt in Ambala on the 20th of September. Eight days later, the half-burnt tractor was set on fire in Delhi.
The tractor was brought to Delhi by members of the Punjab Youth Congress and kept overnight at the residence of a Congress leader in Delhi. Five people have already been arrested related to the incident. Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh defended the conduct of the Congress workers. Responding to a question on the incident, the Punjab CM asked what problem existed if a person wanted to burn his own tractor?
That the tractor was not in a sound state was evident in the video shared by ANI portraying the burning incident in Delhi. The tractor was visibly damaged with parts falling off and its body severely burnt. It appears that the economic crisis unleashed by the Coronavirus is prompting the Congress party to take comical cost-cutting measures as well.
#WATCH: Punjab Youth Congress workers stage a protest against the farm laws near India Gate in Delhi. A tractor was also set ablaze. pic.twitter.com/iA5z6WLGXR
Prior to this, Congress had gone on to support the nationwide strike called by the Bharatiya Kisan Union and several other organisations on July 25. Most of the protests were seen in Punjab, where the ruling Congress government is joining the protests. Although the bills bring much-needed changes to the farm laws that are extremely beneficial for the farmers, which were proposed by the Congress party also when they were in power, now they are opposing the bills for political purposes.
You can read more about the recent agriculture Bills passed by the Parliament which got President’s assent here.
Sudarshan News channel today responded to the show-cause issued to the channel against the content of its programme ‘Bindas Bol’, which accuses Zakat Foundation of helping Muslims to infiltrate the civil services with the help of funding from terror-linked organisations abroad.
The Editor in Chief of the channel, Suresh Chavhanke, took to Twitter to announce that the channel had replied to the show-cause notice issued by the Ministry of Broadcasting for its show “UPSC Jihad”. Chavhanke also added that important sections of the 1000-page response would be shared on Twitter in the upcoming days.
“Today, we have given a reply to the show-cause notice issued by the Ministry of Broadcasting on #UPSC_Jihad. Sharing 5 pages of the covering letter of the response with you all. For the next few days, we will put up important portions of our 1000-page response to the show-cause notice. #BindasBol,” Suresh Chavhanke tweeted.
— Suresh Chavhanke “Sudarshan News” (@SureshChavhanke) September 28, 2020
“You had asked us 13 questions but we are answering 63 questions that were asked of us in the Supreme Court and social media forums. We thought it is our duty to address those questions as well. Please consider this earnest effort from us seriously and assist us in exposing the conspiracy that has been hatched against us,” the covering letter shared by Suresh Chavhanke and addressed to the Government of India read.
Citing the law of propaganda by Goebbels: “Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth”, the covering letter mentions that a concerted effort has been undertaken to run down the channel’s UPSC jihad show, provoke people against it and deceive various state institutions.
Nefarious attempts by detractors to brand the channel anti-Muslim and cover their tracks
“As a result, a show based on investigative journalism got mired in legal disputes and the expose of the country’s biggest national security threat got stuck in between. By taking advantage of these circumstances, the accused related to the expose are trying to erase the evidence,” the letter read.
The letter further read, “We are the only channel against which coercive action is being taken because we are the only ones who have endeavoured to take on the enemy of the global humanity–’Radical Islamic Terrorism’.”
The channel also alleged that the detractors trying to pull its show “UPSC Jihad’ down are “Intellectual Sleeper Cells”, who are trying to distract the nation’s attention from the pressing issue of terror links behind the funding of Zakat Foundation.”
Chavhanke also lamented that the show was branded anti-Muslim just because he urged people to watch the show whose promo included views of rabid fundamentalists. “We discovered the nexus between Indian organisations and foreign-based terrorists. If those terrorists are Muslims, is it my fault?” Chavhanke asked.
Raising questions over the objections related to the unpalatable depiction of Muslims in his show, he claimed that, “Is it a crime to anchor a channel while sporting a tilak and wearing saffron clothes? I have immeasurable faith over my holy culture and our mighty ancestors. How did I become anti-Muslim for this?” Chavhanke questioned in the letter.
Centre issues show-cause notice to Sudarshan News
The Supreme Court on September 23 postponed the hearing in the ‘UPSC Jihad’ case after the Centre informed the apex court that it had sent a show-cause notice to the channel over possible violation of channel code. The centre had asked the failing which an ex-parte decision could have been taken by the government.
The programme themed UPSC Jihadalleged that Zakat Foundation, an NGO which provides training to largely Muslims students aspiring for civil services has received funds from various terror-linked organizations. The court had maintained the September 15 injunction on the broadcast of the show.
On Monday, the Supreme Court of Pakistan reportedly stayed the release of the prime accused in the 2002 murder of the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) correspondent Daniel Pearl. The journalist was kidnapped from Karachi and beheaded later while he was doing research on religious extremism.
The apex court of Pakistan had barred the release of Ahmed Omer Saeed Sheikh, in its order to the Sindh government. The Supreme Court is currently hearing appeals, challenging the Singh High Court’s decision to acquit the dreaded international terrorist. The appeals against the release of Sheikh came up before the three-Judge Bench of the Supreme Court, comprising of Justice Manzoor Ahmed Malik, Justice Mushir Alam, and Justice Qazi Amin Ahmed.
They had requested the Chief Justice that the appeals be heard throughout the day, keeping in mind that the detention of the terrorist, on the orders of the Sindh government, under Section 11 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997 will expire on September 30. He was earlier detained under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) law.
Underlying conspiracy in the killing of Daniel Pearl
During the hearing, Sindh government advocate Farooq Naek informed the Court that the accused was identified by taxi driver Nasir Abbas, receptionist Amir Afzal, besides 21 other witnesses during an identity parade in front of the Magistrate. Reportedly, the terrorist had met journalist Daniel Pearl at the Akbar International Hotel under the pseudonym of Bashir.
The State-counsellor Farooq Naek revealed an underlying conspiracy. He stated that the initial plan was to collect ransom from Daniel Peral and not to kill him. The Court pointed out that the body of the journalist was never found and no autopsy was ever conducted. The Supreme inquired as to how charges were framed against Sheikh. Naek informed, “Kidnapping charges were proven. The Sindh High Court should have ordered a retrial instead of overturning the death sentence.”
Sindh High Court dismissed murder and ransom charges, observes Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Pakistan then pointed out as to how the case was made on the basis of the statement of taxi driver Nasir Abbas. Justice Qazi Amin remarked, “The taxi driver’s statement is the basis for the government’s case. His body was never found so how did the taxi driver identify Pearl.” Farooq Naek responded, “He identified him after looking at a picture.”
Justice Qazi Amin noted, “It looks like the high court wrapped up the matter after giving punishment only for the crime of kidnapping.” He added that the Sindh High Court acquitted the international terrorist on charges of murder and kidnapping for ransom. The Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered the Sindh government against releasing Sheikh until all appeals are heard in the case. The Court has been adjourned until Wednesday.
Sindh High Court overturns death sentence of Ahmed Omer Saeed Sheikh
Earlier in April this year, the Sindh High Court had overturned the death sentence and murder conviction of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh. The lawyer for the terrorist had said that his sentence was reduced to seven years on the charge of kidnapping. Three other men who were handed over life sentences in the case have been acquitted by the Sindh High Court and released. The High Court overturned the verdict of an anti-terrorism court. Sheikh was one of the terrorists freed by India along with Masood Azhar in 1999 to secure the release of passengers of hijacked Indian Airlines flight IC-814.
Parents of Daniel Pearl appeal against Sindh High Court decision
Later in May, the parents of deceased Daniel Pearl had moved the Supreme Court against the overturning of death penalty for Sheikh. In a viral video, Pearl’s father Judea said that he was fighting not only for the justice of his son but also for his “dear friends in Pakistan” so that they can live in a society free of violence and terror and raise their children in peace and harmony. In his son’s memory, Judea stated that Daniel was committed to writing the truth and upholding principles of justice and humanity.
In a first, a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court has in Kochi on Monday awarded life imprisonment to terrorist Subahani Haja Moideen, a resident of Kerala and the kingpin of ISIS activities in South India.
The Special NIA court also imposed a fine of Rs 2,10,000 on Subahani Haja Moideen, who was arrested by the NIA in 2016 from Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli district in connection with the bust of an ISIS terror cell that was planning to carry out attacks at public places and eliminate certain prominent personalities, following a crackdown in Tamil Nadu with the help of central security agencies and other state police.
NIA Special Court Ernakulam Sentences ISIS Terrorist Subahani Haja Mohideen to Life Imprisonment pic.twitter.com/7LsWHnqVdf
Shockingly, the press release by NIA says that after returning to India, the Islamic terrorist had attempted to get hold of explosive chemicals from Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu based on instructions from his ISIS handlers. This was done to carry on attacks in India at the behest of ISIS.
The convicted Kerala terrorist had confessed of joining ISIS to wage a war against Indian and Iraqi Govts
The Kerala terrorist was convicted on September 26, under IPC Sections 120(B) (Criminal Conspiracy), Section 125 (waging war against Asiatic power in alliance with the Government of India) and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Section 20 (Punishment for being a member of terrorist gang or organisation). The Special Court also held him guilty under Section 38 (Offence relating to membership of a terrorist organisation) and 39 (Offence relating to support given to a terrorist organisation).
It was reported that Subahani Haja Moideen had Moideen confessed of having waged Jihad in Iraq for ISIS. Subahani joined that ISIS and waged a war against the Government of Iraq, an Asiatic country having ties with India. It is for this reason that NIA invoked Section 125 of the IPC against the terrorist, which is a very rarely invoked section that deals with waging war against an Asiatic country. He was one of the few Indians to get training for waging Jihad directly in Syria. He was trained with Russian arms to wage a battle.
The ISIS terrorist had further told the NIA that after he came back to India, he was tasked with the responsibility of building the ISIS terror cell and spreading the terror network of the organisation in the Indian subcontinent. He was planning to collect explosives and precursor chemicals from Sivakasi to conduct the attacks but was arrested by the NIA just in the nick of time.
The landscape of the mainstream media has changed drastically since Narendra Modi was elected as the Prime Minister of the country in 2014. Things that were silenced earlier cannot be silenced anymore. With the advent of digital media, cultural issues of great import to the disenfranchised masses find their way through in the mainstream narrative as well. In this particular context, one journalist stands out head and shoulders above everyone else. We are speaking, of course, about Arnab Goswami.
Arnab Goswami has been at the forefront of the campaign against the drug racket in Bollywood. While others have been more circumspect in their criticism, the Republic Editor-in-Chief has not pulled any punches. While others have tried to provide a cover for the degenerate entertainers, he has proceeded to label them ‘Pudiya Gang’, ‘Pudiya Waale’, ‘Aafimchi’ (opium consumers) and other such terms of endearment.
Thus far, during the entire discourse over the whole Bollywood drug racket, the cultural aspect of the impact of the film industry has been largely ignored. Truth be told, the adverse cultural impact of Bollywood has never been discussed in mainstream media. There is good reason for this. The cultural values of top journalists and the film industry was largely the same. But that appears to be changing. And the person spearheading it is the most influential Indian journalist of his generation: Arnab Goswami.
Some might argue that he is doing it for TRP and TRP alone. It very well could be. But Rajdeep Saredesai could also have done the same for ratings. Rahul Kanwal or Barkha Dutt or anyone else could have done it but no one has. In fact, Arnab Goswami is the only journalist who has highlighted the culture war that has thus far been ignored.
During the Saturday night debate, Goswami thundered, “Today, I want to tell the fake Angrez of Bollywood, leave India cinema. The influence of Bollywood on our culture and traditions has been increasing. Attempts are being made to ensure that its influence on the next generation of the country goes on increasing. The way they speak, the way they walk, the way they dress, such mannerisms are being imitated.”
He continued, “Where is our mentality going? The dirty water that flows in the drains of the West, some people here consider it to be Gangajal. They are applying the dirt of the West on their forehead as Tilak. This is against our Sanatan Sanskriti and Sabhyata (Culture). The essence of Bharatiya culture is Sanatan Dharma but they do not recognise the importance of it. Kyuki inke rom-rom me Italy waala Rome basa hai aur hamare rom-rom me Maryada Purshottam Shri Ram basey hain (In their heart of hearts, it is Italy’s Rome that resides but Maryada Purshottam Shri Ram resides in ours).”
“Our worldview is inspired from Ayodhya, Kashi, Mathura of Sanatan Sanskriti. But theirs is derived from Rome and Paris. That is why they consider insults to Sanatan Dharma as an achievement. Those who come to India and spread vulgarity, consume drugs, they cannot summon the courage to do the same abroad,” he added.
All of this is quite unprecedented. Only a few years ago, it would have been unimaginable for anyone to assume that a mainstream media channel would be airing such views during prime time. And it was not just anybody voicing such opinions. It was the most popular journalist at the moment speaking his mind on the matter. And Arnab Goswami did not stop there.
He stated, “They consider drugs to be a cultural marker of high society. Damn the ways of your high society. Jisko nahi apne desh aur parampara par abhimaan hai, woh jeeteji mritak samaan hai (Those who do not take pride in their country and traditions, they are as good as dead). We have to strongly embrace Sanatan Dharma and shun Western culture.”
The debate featured authentic individuals who voiced conservative opinions. It is something that had never happened. Mukesh ‘Shaktimaan’ Sharma spoke out against advertisements that promote the destruction of the institution of family. Two Sadhus were also invited to share their opinions and Arnab Goswami treated them with utmost deference.
Arnab Goswami went to the extent of scolding a panellist for her lack of manners when she interrupted one of the Sadhus saying that it is against Indian culture. The Sadhus spoke on the war against our culture by vested interests and the manner in which criminals are being glorified in movies. It was also suggested that Sadhus are given a place in the censor board. And all the while, the Editor-in-Chief nodded his assent.
The Saturday night debate did reflect a breaking of a dam, a definitive shift in the Overton Window of the country. But Arnab Goswami has, for some time, paying odes to Sanatan Dharma on his show. Ahead of a debate not too long ago, he thanked “Adi Shakti Maa Kamakhya, Devi Jagdamba, Ishtdev Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh” for their blessings as a consequence of which Republic Bharat has been the top Hindi channel for a couple of months.
This is a significant development as it highlights the fact that now the difference between Arnab Goswami and others in the mainstream media is not just political but also cultural. And as a wise man once said, politics is downstream from culture. It could very well be that there has not been any personal transformation that Goswami has gone through, all of it is purely showmanship.
it could very well be that Arnab Goswami recognised that there is a wide market for the endorsement of Sanatan culture and he decided to capitalise on it. But that is irrelevant to the current context. The point of the matter is, the most popular Indian journalist is openly deriding western culture and exalting the Indian way. This has never previously happened in India mainstream media. It could open numerous avenues for others to follow suit which could usher in a new normative in public discourse. And that is all that matters.
Recently, Uttar Pradesh’s Sonbhadra witnessed a case which shocked the nation due to the sheer nature of its brutality. A 23-year-old Hindu woman has been brutally murdered by two Muslim youth after she refused to convert to Islam after marriage.
The police had nabbed the main accused Ejaz Ahmed and his accomplice Shoaib Akhtar, after the beheaded body of the Hindu girl Priya was recovered from the forest area near Preet Nagar under the Chopan police station area on September 21 (Monday).
The youth pressurised the Sonbhadra girl to acquire father’s property
OpIndia decided to delve into the case further and reached out to Janardhan Prasad, the Sonbhadra district president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, who has been following the case closely.
Reiterating that accused Shoaib Akhtar and Eijaz Ahmed are a part of an organised syndicate working to lure Hindu girls into marriages and forced conversions in various parts of Uttar Pradesh, Janardhan Prasad said that prime accused Ejaz Ahmed was also eying at the girl’s fathers property. He informed us that after marriage, which was not solemnised as per law, instead was a just a notary marriage, the youth had started creating pressure on Priya to get her father to transfer the property in her name.
The girl succumbing to the pressure requested her impoverished father, who does menial jobs at an eatery in the locality for a living, to transfer his house- his only asset in her name, to which the father had firmly refused. Seeing his effort failing, Ejaz started pressuring her to convert to Islam if she wanted to be excepted in his family, Janardhan Prasad stated.
Priya however, had refused to convert to Islam. Miffed by his failing attempts, Ejaz hatched the conspiracy of killing Priya.
The VHP activist said that this murder did not happen in the heat of the moment but was well thought of, calculated and a cold-blooded one. Ejaz picked up Priya, who was living at a lodge in the Obra area in a hired Alto car. He was accompanied by his friend Shoaib Akhtar. The two took Priya to a secluded forest area where the gagged her and raped her. They then hit her hard on her head with a rod. After Priya lost consciousness, the accused neatly carved out Priya’s head from shoulder to shoulder and threw it away from the rest of the body which they tried and hid in the area of crime.
The next morning, when the women of the village went to the forest, they came upon a dog roaming around with a human hand in his mouth. They informed villagers about the same, who in turn informed the police.
Muslim youth’s father works for gangster turned politician Mukhtar Ansari
Speaking about the youth’s family, Janardhan Prasad confirmed that Ejaz’a father, on the face of it, runs a puncture repairing shop, but he is actually involved in the unlawful trade in live animals and that his business is spread till Kolkata in West Bengal. He furthered that he also works for gangster turned politician Mukhtar Ansari.
The VHP activist opined that arresting the youth was not enough. His family are also equally to be blamed. Prasad said they would not rest until the youth’s family which had coerced the Hindu girl into adopting Islam are also not punished.
Love Jihad menace spreading across entire state
The VHP leader spoke on how such incidents are becoming extremely common in Uttar Pradesh especially the western fringe of the state. He said that many cases go unnoticed because it transpires in the interiors of the state. But this is a menace which has engulfed almost all parts of Uttar Pradesh. Evidently, a systematized syndicate has been operating to execute this ‘organised crime’ with financial and logistical support from various Islamic organisations, he said.
It may be recalled that the police officials had said that the father of the deceased, Laxminarayan, identified the deceased as Priya Soni from her shoes and clothes. Sonbhadra SP Ashish Srivastava had informed that the two accused were nabbed from Baggha Nala Pul early September 24 (Thursday) morning, the SP said.
The police officials said that they have recovered the mobile phone of the deceased along with a knife, iron rod and car. The National Security Act will also be invoked against them, the SP added.
In July 2020, OpIndia had reported the disclosure statement made by Tahir Hussain where he, in details, explained how he had planned the Delhi anti-Hindu Riots and how he had made attempts to evade the law by making false PCR calls, to pretend as if he was a victim of the riots and not the mastermind. Now, the Delhi police, in the chargesheet pertaining to FIR number 59, has filed another disclosure statement made by Tahir Hussain that gives a glimpse into just how well organised the Delhi riots were and how they were actually a culmination of the violence that had been unleashed since mid-December.
In the supplementary disclosure statement that has been submitted to the court by the Delhi Police in their ‘Final Report’ pertaining to FIR number 59, Tahir Hussain makes additional disclosures regarding his role in the Delhi violence that were hitherto unknown. In the disclosure statement, Tahir Hussain has said that he was the one who had organised the crowd that had set a bus on fire in Bhajanpura on the 16th of December, got a mob to pelt stones at Hindus on the 17th of December and revealed his role since the 15th December Jamia Milia Islamia protests and the subsequent police action.
The supplementary disclosure statement by Tahir Hussain starts with him narrating how he, after the 15th December Jamia protests and the subsequent police action against the rioters, had grown increasingly angry and decided to talk to the Muslims of his area about how the Citizenship Amendment Act is a law against the Muslim community and how because of it, Muslims would lose their citizenship and will have to flee India eventually.
On the 16th December, he started speaking to the Muslims of his area and asked them to assemble near Farukhia Masjid, Brijpuri Pulia at 12 o’clock that day. Tahir Hussain himself reached Farukhia Masjid at about 12:30 PM and he says that by 1 PM, at least a 1,000 Muslims had assembled to hear him talk about how CAA was anti-Muslim.
In his Supplementary Disclosure statement, he says that suddenly, while he was talking to the crowd on the 16th of December, the police arrived. Thereafter, many people went inside to Masjid to hide, making the excuse of reading Namaz and the others receded into several lanes and by-lanes.
Tahir Hussain says in his disclosure statement that after the police went away, Muslims against assembled in Lane 10 of Jama Masjid and the meeting about how CAA is ‘anti-Muslim’ started again. 50-60 people were present for these meetings, and then at 8 PM, Tahir Hussain says that they decided to meet at Al Hind Nursing Home to discuss the future course of action with one Dr. MM Anwar.
He then makes a shocking revelation. He says, to “mark his presence”, he got his men to pelt stones at a bus in Bhajanpura.
Excerpt from the disclosure statement by Tahir Hussain
The statement where he says he wanted to “mark his presence” is rather interesting and can point towards several things. He could mean that he wanted to use this opportunity as a show of strength so the masterminds of the violence would take him seriously as someone who can be depended upon. One must remember that we had previously reported how the earlier Chargesheet revealed a meeting between Tahir Hussain, Khalid Saifi and Umar Khalid at Shaheen Bagh on 18th January where Umar Khalid had promised support in the riots to Tahir Hussain. It is entirely possible that by creating a violence situation on the 16th of December, Tahir Hussain wanted to “mark his presence” and show his strength for the subsequent plans of violence. It could also mean that he literally wanted to “mark his presence” is there was already a pre-conceived plan that he was in on.
The implication of this statement by Tahir Hussain is, however, not entirely clear by his statement.
Further in the disclosure statement, Tahir Hussain says that on the 17th of December, along with Dr Anwar, he had planned to take out a rally against the Citizenship Amendment Act. During the rally, in front of the Farukhiya Masjid, Tahir Hussain had spoken to 70-80 Muslims saying that under PM Modi and Amit Shah, if CAA is passed, then all Muslims would have to leave India and run away. He also told them that if they don’t want to run away from India, they should be ready to “bring them down to their knees”.
Tahir Hussain discloses that at that time, the police again showed up and the plan for the rally was cancelled with the crowd dispersing in different directions. However, he says that due to the rally being cancelled, he was enraged. At around 8 PM on the 17th of December, he assembled 200-250 people near the Tirpal Factory and taking advantage of the electricity being gone, got the mob to start pelting stones against the Hindus. He admits that for over 30 minutes, they kept attacking Hindus and at that time, the police had also fired tear-gas at the Muslims attacking Hindus. When a larger police force reached the spot, the crowd dispersed and Tahir Hussain ran away.
Interestingly, the chargesheet further says after the disclosure statement of Tahir Hussain that both incidents confessed to by Tahir Hussain were confirmed from the local police station.
The FIRs pertaining to these two incidents on the 16th of December 2019 and the 17th of December 2019 have been filed at the time in the Dayalpur police station.
16th December: FIR No. 510/19 dated 16th December.
17th December: FIR No. 512/90 dated 17th December.
The implications of the Supplementary Disclosure statement made by Tahir Hussain regarding Delhi violence
OpIndia, since the beginning, has maintained that the violence that erupted on the 24th and the 25th of February cannot be seen in isolation. The Delhi anti-Hindu riots were a culmination of the violence that had been unleashed, in a planned, calculated manner by elements like Umar Khalid, Tahir Hussain etc, since mid-December. Tahir Hussain’s statement now only confirms these worst suspicions. The violence that erupted in December against the State and Hindus was not spontaneous but was a calculated move to unleash violence by the very same elements that unleashed violence on the 24th and 25th of February.
The narrative that has been woven by the ‘Liberal’ intelligentsia is that the Delhi Riots were a planned “pogrom” against the Muslim community. However, every detail that we know so far points to a planned conspiracy to target Hindus in an attempt to “bring this government down to its knees”.
To this effect, it is important also to recall what was alleged against Tahir Hussain in the previous chargesheet that was filed by the Delhi Police.
Tahir Hussain had planned the riots with Umar Khalid and Khalid Saifi back on 8th January during a meeting at Shaheen Bagh
There were several transactions from shell companies that were suspicious. The chargesheet details several such transactions from Tahir Hussain’s account that indicates that he had started receiving money to organise the riots. Some of the money was even routed through shell companies
Umar Khalid had assured Tahir Hussain that financially, Islamist outfit PFI (Popular Front of India) was ready to help in organizing the riots.
Police say that Hussain, who had deposited his licensed pistol with 100 rounds in the Khajuri Khas police station in January, got it released only on 22 February – that is, just before the riots broke out. The chargesheet says that during the investigation, Hussain failed to give a satisfactory reply to the police regarding the release of his weapon. The chargesheet says, “Only 64 live cartridges and 22 empty cartridges were recovered at his instance. During interrogation, he could not give an account of the remaining 14 live cartridges and 22 empty/fired cartridges, when and where the same were fired/used.”
During the intervening night of 24 and 25 February, Hussain had shifted his family to his parental house in Mustafabad citing safety, but continued to stay at his building “so that he could keep an eye on the whole situation and stand with the Muslims against the Hindus on the next day as per plan and criminal conspiracy”.
Tahir Hussain made several PCR calls as a decoy, to ensure that his involvement in the riots is not revealed
Tahir Hussain had ensured that the CCTV cameras were turned off so the evidence is not recorded
The disclosure statement made by Tahir Hussain earlier had a detailed account of how he had unleashed terror against Hindus during the Delhi anti-Hindu riots. The details of that can be read here.
December: The Beginning
The violence began on the 15th of December when Muslim mobs rampaged through the national capital. Amanatullah Khan, a prominent MLA of the Aam Aadmi Party, and Delhi’s Sunni Waqf Board chief was spotted leading the riots in Jamia Nagar. Chants of ‘Hinduon se Azadi’ were raised in the same area that very day. Buses were also set on fire during those violent protests. On the same night, the Delhi Police cracked down on the Jamia Milia Islamia University and entered the campus to flush out the miscreants.
Two days later, massive riots broke out in Seelampur. Delhi turned into a war zone. A school bus was attacked and set on fire as well. The mob taunted the policemen to run after them following which stones were pelted. Peace returned at the national capital following the escalation on the 17th of December but it was an uneasy peace. Police presence was still high given the security concerns. On the 27th of December, security was again heightened at Seelampur and drones were deployed for surveillance. Amidst all of this, the road continued to be blocked by the protesters at Shaheen Bagh.
Essentially, the supplementary disclosure statement by Tahir Hussain only reveals how the plans to unleash violence had taken shape right from the 15th of December and the aim behind the violence was two-pronged – to attack Hindus and to bring the central government to its knees.
