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Shashi Tharoor hosted a dinner for Congress leaders which triggered the controversial letter asking for an overhaul in party: Report

OpIndia Staff
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Shashi Tharoor hosted a dinner for Congress leaders which triggered the controversial letter asking for an overhaul in party: Report

As per a report published in Hindustan Times, Shashi Tharoor had hosted a dinner for Congress Leaders five months ago that allegedly had triggered the controversial letter asking for an overhaul in the party. As per the report, it started as an informal deliberation to bring change in the Congress party leadership.

The HT report says that many prominent leaders including P Chidambaram, Karti Chidambaram, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Mani Shankar Iyer and Sachin Pilot attended the party. However, their signatures did not appear on the said 7th August letter addressed to Gandhi. In the letter, the signatories have asked the party high command for a ‘visible’ and ‘active’ leader.

Tharoor, Pilot and Chidambaram refused to comment

Singhvi, in a statement to HT, said that he was invited to the dinner by Tharoor. He added, “There was an informal discussion on the constructive issue of reforms within the party. Subsequently, I was not informed about the formulation of the letter, at any stage.” On the other hand, Chidambaram refused to make any comment as it was their internal party affair. Pilot and Tharoor also did not issue any comment or statement over the said dinner party.

Mani Shankar Iyer, who is famous for his pro-Pakistani stand, said that he was not approached by anyone to sign the letter that is why his signatures are missing from it. While talking about the dinner, he said that there were discussions about reviving the party and going back to the secular credentials. He added, “There was a suggestion, which nobody opposed, of the need to send a letter. Nobody, however, approached me after that dinner.”

Sonia Gandhi will keep serving as Party President

In the Congress Working Committee meeting on Monday, the controversial letter was discussed. However, the letter did not find any mention in the resolution of the committee’s meeting. Last time Congress party has faced revolt inside the party was in 1999 when Sharad Pawar challenged the authority of Sonia Gandhi.

The party has decided that Sonia Gandhi will continue to serve as the Party President for one more year.

The letter, however, has created a lot of controversies. Many other Congress leaders, including Ahmed Patel, had criticised the signatories of the letter. Kapil Sibal and Ghulam Nabi Azad also faced a lot of open criticism from fellow party leaders over the letter. Sonia, in her concluding remarks, reportedly said that she is hurt (over the letter) but the party but she bears no ill will against the party leaders.

Tatra Truck scandal: Defence Ministry suspends all business dealings with Vectra Advanced Engineering Private Limited for one year

OpIndia Staff
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Tatra Truck scandal: Defence Ministry suspends all business dealings with Vectra Advanced Engineering Private Limited for one year

The Defence Ministry has imposed a one-year ban on all business dealings with Vectra Advanced Engineering Private Limited in relation to the Tatra truck scandal wherein former Army Chief General VK Singh had put up allegations of bribery.

The suspension has been approved by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Any dealing with Vectra Advanced Engineering Private Ltd have been debarred by the Defence Ministry for at least a year.

The Defence Ministry in its letter cites two FIRs by the CBI RC AC1 2012 A0004 dated 30th March 2012 and RC AC1 2012 A0014 dated 19th October 2012. Gen VK Singh had alleged that he was offered bribe while in office for clearing procurement of 600 all-terrain Tatra trucks from BEML. As per reports, it is believed that the state-run corporation was participating in a multi crore acquisition programme by the Indian Army when the ban has been imposed.

Islamist YouTuber ‘Heer Khan’ abuses Hindu Gods and Goddesses, refers to Goddess Sita as r*ndi and Ayodhya as who*ehouse

OpIndia Staff
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Islamist YouTuber ‘Heer Khan’ abuses Hindu Gods and Goddesses, refers to Goddess Sita as r*ndi and Ayodhya as who*ehouse

In a shocking video uploaded on 23rd August on Youtube Channel “Black Day 5 August,” a YouTuber named Heer Khan was seen abusing Hindu Gods and Goddesses. In the video, she abused Goddess Sita and called her r*andi(sex worker) and referred to Ayodhya as a who*ehouse.

In a video full of derogatory words and expletives against Hindu Gods, Khan also called Bhagwan Ram a son of r*andi in the video. She claimed in her video that if anyone says anything against Islam, Muslims will not sit quietly.

She went on to use extremely derogatory, abusive and sexually explicit words against Hindu Gods in a vile rant.

The video clip was shared on Twitter by a netizen who asked for the source and location of the women to file a complaint. Addl. Director-General of Police Dr Sandeep Mittal noticed the video and notified UP Police to take action accordingly. Lucknow Police has taken cognizance of the video and replied to ADG Mittal that they had directed Cyber Cell to take necessary action against the said Youtuber.

Heer Khan’s recent video after the said video goes viral on Twitter

In another recent video that Heer Khan uploaded on 24th August, she claimed that she had been abusing Hindu Gods from last two years and no one had taken action against her. She is then seen threatening that if anyone dares to say anything against her and Islam, the women in their family will be raped. She also mentioned the recent Bangaluru riots in her video and threatened similar “actions” if anyone says anything against the Prophet.

About the channel

The said Youtube channel in question started uploading videos on 4th January 2020. In the first video, she said that she used to have an old channel which she deleted. Though she hides her face in a majority of the videos, in a couple of videos she posted, in the beginning, had her face. She had showcased her “love” for Pakistani terrorist Masood Azhar. Azhar is the mastermind behind several attacks in India, including 2001 Indian Parliamentary attack, 2008 Mumbai attacks, 2016 Pathankot attack and 2019 Pulwama attack.

Another video has the YouTuber showing similar love for Rahul Gandhi.

As the police have taken cognisance, more details on the issue will follow.

Pakistan Occupied Kashmir residents protest against Pakistan-China dam construction on Jhelum river

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan Occupied Kashmir residents protest against Pakistan-China dam construction on Jhelum river

Residents of Muzaffarabad city of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) protested and held a torch rally last night against the construction of dams to be built by Chinese firms on Jhelum river.

The protestors chanted slogans like ‘Neelum-Jhelum behne do, humein zinda rehne do’ and ‘Darya Bachao, Muzaffarabad Bachao’. Recently, Pakistan and China signed agreements to construct Azad Pattan and Kohala Hydropower Projects in PoK.

Azad Pattan Hydel Power Project with 700.7 megawatts of electricity capacity was signed as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) on July 6, 2020. The $1.54 billion projects will be sponsored by the Pakistan’s ‘all-weather friend’ China. China Gezhouba Group Company (CGGC) has sponsored the same.

Similarly, Kohala Hydroelectric Power Project will be built on Jhelum River. It is roughly 7 km upstream of Azad Pattan Bridge in the Sudhanoti District of PoK and 90 km from Islamabad. This project is funded by China Three Gorges Corporation, International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Silk Road Fund and is expected to complete by 2026.

This destruction of natural resources by Pakistan and China has angered the residents of PoK.

Sushant Singh Rajput death case: Celebrity manager Disha Salian’s phone was active for 9 days after her death

OpIndia Staff
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Sushant Singh Rajput death case: Celebrity manager Disha Salian’s phone was active for 9 days after her death

As the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) continues to investigate the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, a shocking revelation has emerged in connection with the death of his former manager Disha Salian. According to reports, Salian’s phone had remained active even after her death on June 8.

Disha, who had worked as Sushant Singh Rajput’s manager for a brief period of time, was found dead under mysterious circumstances on June 8, six days before Sushant allegedly died of suicide. 

Sources privy to the details claimed that Disha’s phone remained active for 9 days after her death. They also stated that Internet calls were made between June 9 and June 17 from Disha’s phone. However, it is still unclear to the investigative agencies as to who used her phone after her death.

According to the sources, Disha made at least 36 calls on June 7, including a phone call to her friend Ekta, at around 12:10. As per eye-witness account, Mumbai Police has reached the spot within minutes of Disha’s death but no phone was seized by the officials. 

Supreme Court ordered CBI to take over the investigation of SSR’s alleged suicide case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) assumed the probe in the alleged suicide case of Sushant Singh Rajput after the Supreme Court last week transferred the case from Mumbai Police to the country’s premier investigation agency. 

Observing that the FIR registered at Patna on the complaint filed by Rajput’s father was correct, the SC said that the CBI will be competent to probe not only the Patna FIR but any other FIR related to Rajput death case.

The apex court justified the actions taken by the Bihar police in the case as the Mumbai police had not only failed to register an FIR in the case but had also failed to conduct investigations relatable to the allegations in the complaint.

NCPCR takes cognisance of complaint against police officer Anthony Michael for allegedly torturing the children of deceased Sadhu Saravanan

OpIndia Staff
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NCPCR takes cognisance of complaint against police officer Anthony Michael for allegedly torturing the children of deceased Sadhu Saravanan

Priyank Kunoongo, the Chairperson of the National Commission of Child Rights, has announced on Twitter that the commission has taken cognisance of the complaint filed against Tamil Nadu Police Officer Anthony Michael for allegedly torturing the children of Sadhu Saravanan. The police officer has been accused of beating the Hindu Sadhu which led to him committing suicide.

The complaint was filed by the Legal Rights Observatory and sought an FIR against the police officer under the Juvenile Justice Act. The son and daughter of victim Saravanan had also told the local media that the SI had brutally attacked their father.

Hindu Makkal Katchi claims Saravanan beaten up for opposing religious conversions

Today, a right-wing Hindu nationalist party in Tamil Nadu, the Hindu Makkal Katchi (HMK) held a demonstration in Salem demanding a CBI inquiry into the incident. According to a report by Swarajya, the local organiser of the event, CM Manikandan, has alleged sub-inspector Antony Michael, who abetted the Hindu Sadhu to suicide, had beaten up the latter, as his activities were obstructing conversion efforts made by local church people.

“There is a church in the locality. Not many were going to it and the sadhu was held responsible for it. So, Michael beat him up to ensure he would not be a hurdle,” the HMK leader claimed.

The Sadhu committed suicide after being beaten up by the police officer

We reported how on August 14, when Saravanan was treating two women, possessed by evil spirits, at his home, when SI Anthony Michael rushed to the spot and allegedly thrashed him after abusing him. Following the attack on him, the Hindu Sadhu went missing the next morning. As local people and his friends began a search next day, his friends received his video on Whatsapp in which he said that the police beating had led to his depression.

Later, on 15th August his decomposed body was found in that area and the police found a mobile near the body. “Sub-inspector Anthony Michael beat me up thinking he can do anything with the power he got,” the sadhu alleged in the video.

Kim Jong Un, ‘The Undertaker’ of North Korea, is dead, claims an expert

OpIndia Staff
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Kim Jong Un, ‘The Undertaker’ of North Korea, is dead, claims an expert

Roy Calley, an expert who has extensively travelled in North Korea, has claimed that the authoritarian dictator Kim Jong Un is dead. Recently, reports had claimed that the North Korea leader was in coma.

Calley added that North Korea being increasingly evasive over the health complications suffered by Kim could be because of the major operational changes being made in the country. The journalist cited that changes such as making Kim’s sister the de facto second-in-command – underscores something major happening in the country.

The journalist also remembered how North Korea had withheld the death of the previous leader Kim Jong il, whose announcement of death was made months later, adding that the matter about Kim Jong Un’s death will be cleared once his sister takes charge of the country.

Kim Jong Un was assumed to be dead earlier too

It is pertinent to note that just a few weeks ago, reports of North Korean leader’s death had started surfacing after he was not seen in public for a few weeks. Several news organisations and “experts” had then opined that Kim Jong Un was dead and that his sister, the legitimate heir apparent to the throne of North Korea, would soon assume the leadership and announce the death of the leader.

In fact, countless articles and elaborate sources were quoted then to assert that Kim Jong Un was suffering from a terminal disease and his absence from public functions was cited as a reliable indicator of his death. However, weeks later, the country released video footage of the leader attending an official programme, putting paid to the rumours surrounding his death.

It appears that the North Korean dictator is following the enduring legacy of the WWE superstar ‘The Undertaker’, who feigned death numerous times on WWE, only to make dramatic returns later. It appears that the authoritarian leader of North Korea is following into the footsteps of the iconic wrestler, letting the world speculate on his death and so-called mysterious ailment and then making a puzzling come back only when the world is least expecting him to show up.

Police officer Anthony Michael beat up Sadhu Saravanan as his activities prevented conversion of Hindus, claims Hindu Makkal Katchi

OpIndia Staff
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Police officer Anthony Michael beat up Sadhu Saravanan as his activities prevented conversion of Hindus, claims Hindu Makkal Katchi

A 42-year-old Hindu sadhu – Saravanan had ended his life yesterday out of humiliation and torture near Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami’s village, after a group of policemen led by a local sub-inspector Anthony Micheal humiliated the Hindu Sadhu.

Today, a right-wing Hindu nationalist party in Tamil Nadu, the Hindu Makkal Katchi (HMK) held a demonstration in Salem demanding a CBI inquiry into the incident. According to a report by Swarajya, the local organiser of the event, CM Manikandan, has alleged sub-inspector Antony Michael, who abetted the Hindu Sadhu to suicide, had beaten up the latter, as his activities were obstructing conversion efforts made by local church people.

“There is a church in the locality. Not many were going to it and the sadhu was held responsible for it. So, Michael beat him up to ensure he would not be a hurdle,” the HMK leader claimed.

The Hindu nationalist party members were probably alluding that since Saravanan tackled people complaining of being possessed by ghosts with his divine healing and holy pendant, the evangelists could not entice them to the local church, which under ordinary circumstances would stand a chance. Because of this, he was being seen as a hurdle to the church’s activities.

Hindu Sadhu Saravanan commits suicide after police officer Anthony Michael thrashes and humiliates him

We reported how on August 14, when Saravanan was treating two women, possessed by evil spirits, at his home, when SI Anthony Michael rushed to the spot and allegedly thrashed him after abusing him. Following the attack on him, the Hindu Sadhu went missing the next morning. As local people and his friends began a search next day, his friends received his video on Whatsapp in which he said that the police beating had led to his depression.

Later, on 15th August his decomposed body was found in that area and the police found a mobile near the body. “Sub-inspector Anthony Michael beat me up thinking he can do anything with the power he got,” the sadhu alleged in the video.

Family alleged police brutality as the reason for Sadhu’s death

The son and daughter of victim Saravanan had also said to the local media that the SI had brutally attacked their father.

Voices demanding justice for Saravanan gets louder on social media

A campaign seeking CBI inquiry has been launched. Emails are being sent to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to take cognisance of the issue. Prime Minister’s Office attention has also been drawn towards the incident on social media. Hashtags like #JusticeForSaravanan and #ArrestAntonyMichael have been trending on Twitter, with Netizens demanding justice for the Hindu saint. The enraged social media users have also pointed out how the media in Tamil Nadu have chosen silence over the death as in this case the deceased is a Hindu.

Madam has to continue until the election takes place: Congress Working Committee member KH Muniyappa

Jinit Jain
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Madam has to continue until the election takes place: Congress Working Committee member KH Muniyappa

Following the conclusion of the fiery meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) today, one of the members of the CWC, KH Muniyappa, talking to media said that “Madam”(Sonia Gandhi) will continue on her post as the interim president of the Congress party until the time the party elects a suitable to replace her as the party president.

“Madam (Sonia Gandhi) has to continue and the election will take place as soon as possible which is the unanimous decision of the working committee,” Muniyappa said after the Congress Working Committee meeting.

Sonia Gandhi asked Congress to relieve her of her duties as party president

According to the reports, in the 7-hours long marathon meeting of the Congress Working Committee members, the interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi expressed her wish to be relieved of her job as the party president. The request from Ms Gandhi came in the wake of an explosive letter written by 23 senior leaders calling for “a full-time, visible leadership”.

Claiming that she had been hurt by her colleagues, Ms Gandhi ended the meeting on a conciliatory note, saying she held no “ill-will” against the dissenters.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had moved a resolution asking Sonia Gandhi to continue. The party has set a time frame of six-months for the All India Congress Committee to start the search of a new chief, as requested by Sonia Gandhi.

Several of the Congress leaders in the meeting suggested Sonia Gandhi hand over the reins of the party to Rahul Gandhi if she did not wish to continue as party president. Rahul Gandhi had last year tendered his resignation from the post of party president after an embarrassing poll debacle in the 2019 General elections.

CWC meet called to discuss August 7 letter by 23 senior party members

The CWC meeting was convened to discuss the letter issued on August 7 by 23 senior party leaders, including Ghulam Nabi Azad, Kapil Sibal, Shashi Tharoor and Anand Sharma, calling for radical reforms in the party to dispel uncertainty over the leadership and curtail a drift that had demotivated workers. The letter, however, suggested that Gandhis will always be a part of the “collective leadership” of the party.

Apparently, a controversy was kicked up earlier today after several news reports, including NDTV, reported that Rahul Gandhi was unhappy with the dissenters’ letter and accused them of colluding with the BJP.

Senior Kapil Sibal posted a tweet, expressing his anguish over being accused of conniving with the BJP while he had faithfully served the Congress for about 30 years. However, he later backtracked and pulled down the tweet, posting a new tweet in which he claimed he has been personally informed by Rahul Gandhi that he never said what was attributed to him.

Similarly, Ghulam Nabi Azad had also tendered his resignation following the backlash over the letter. But, he too defended Rahul Gandhi, claiming that the Wayanad MP did not make any remark of colluding with the BJP.

Determined to become Gandhi and Mandela, Prashant Bhushan repeats that he stands by his remarks undermining faith in the judiciary

OpIndia Staff
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Determined to become Gandhi and Mandela, Prashant Bhushan repeats that he stands by his remarks undermining faith in the judiciary

Digging his heels in, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, who is held guilty of contempt for his scurrilous tweets on the Chief Justice of India SA Bobde and past CJIs, has refused to tender an apology for his remarks as the three-day time window given by the court to reconsider his statements ended today.

Prashant Bhushan refuses to budge from his stand

Refusing to offer an apology in line with the Supreme Court order of August 20 where he was adjudged guilty of contempt of court, Prashant Bhushan issued a supplementary statement in the case, alleging that “offering an insincere apology would amount to a contempt of his conscience and of an institution that he holds in the highest esteem”.

Prashant Bhushan defended himself in front of the three-judge bench hearing the case, claiming that he considered his tweets as the “discharge of highest duty” and that his tweets were expressed in “good faith”, not to malign the apex court or any particular Chief Justice. Bhushan contended that he offered “constructive criticism” so that the court can arrest any drift away from its long-standing role as a preserver of the Constitution and custodian of people’s rights.

“My tweets represented this bonafide belief that I continue to hold…Therefore, an apology for expression of this belief, conditional or unconditional, would be insincere,” Bhushan said.

Bhushan’s bid to appear as modern-day Gandhi

A few days ago, Bhushan had posted an unassuming tweet where he refused to be compared to Gandhiji and Mandela, claiming that such comparison is misplaced and that he had done nothing compared to what the two great men did.

However, just days later, the supreme court advocate held guilty of contempt, shared an article on how Gandhiji too had refused to offer an apology and decided to face the contempt the proceeding. The uncanny similarity between the two cases is hard to miss.

Perhaps, in his bid to portray himself as the modern-day Gandhi and Mandela, Prashant Bhushan has resolutely stood by his remarks that raised aspersions on the Chief Justices of India and the Supreme Court. By drawing a parallel with Gandhiji, Bhushan possibly attempts to exculpate himself of his contemptuous remarks against the top court, and paint the Supreme Court as the unjust oppressor. 

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