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Digvijay Singh spreads misinformation about platform ticket prices even after Railways had already put out the facts

OpIndia Staff
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Digvijay Singh spreads misinformation about platform ticket prices even after Railways had already put out the facts

Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Tuesday spread misinformation regarding the platform ticket prices.

Singh claimed that the platform ticket under Congress rule in 2011 was Rs 3 while now it is Rs 50, thereby showing an increase of 15 times. This tweet of Digvijaya Singh comes hours after the Railways spokesperson already clarified and put out the facts for charging Rs 50 for platform tickets.

Responding to a tweet by habitual fake news peddler Prashant Kanojia, the Indian Railways spokesperson had clarified that the Rs 50 charged for Pune Railway station was to discourage people from gathering on railway platform so that social distancing can be maintained. The Railways spokesperson further clarified that the rate for platform ticket has been so raised since the beginning of Chinese coronavirus pandemic.

In fact, platform ticket rates had been increased from Rs 10 to Rs 50 at over 200 railway stations from March this year to avoid overcrowding of railway stations. Speaking to OpIndia, Railways official said that the prime objective of proposing Rs. 50/- as platform ticket is to desist non-serious persons and non-passengers from entering platforms so as to maintain social distancing at stations. “This has helped to restrict the entrants to station and facilitated to maintain social distancing. Other DRMs have also been requested to permit sale of platform tickets at Rs 50 as was being done just before lock down. So far sale of PF tickets not started at other stations being managed by IRSDC,” he said.

Further, the increase in ticket prices of railway platform is temporary and the same will go back to normal after the pandemic risks are gone.

Coronavirus cases in Pune

The coronavirus cases in Pune have recently seen a surge, surpassing total cases in Mumbai in Maharashtra which was worst affected in the country till now. As of now, Pune has total 1,32,481 confirmed cases of Chinese coronavirus of which 39,424 are active cases, the highest in Maharashtra.

Bihar: SP orders investigation against police personnel who stood on Tricolor-rangoli at Mufassil Police Station

OpIndia Staff
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Bihar: SP orders investigation against police personnel who stood on Tricolor-rangoli at Mufassil Police Station

The police officers posted at Mufassil Police Station forgot the flag code and committed a punishable offence by standing on the National Flag made out of Rangoli colours. When the photographs made to social media, netizens outraged and demanded action against the officers for the said photo-op.

According to a report published in Hindi Daily Dainik Bhaskar, the incident took place on 15th August after hoisting Indian Flag on the occasion of 74th Independence Day at Mufassil Police Station, Samstipur, Bihar. In the photographs, the officers can be seen standing on and around the National Flag and Indian Map made with Rangoli colours.

Probe initiated

After learning about the incident, Superintendent of Police Vikas Burman asked Vijay Kumar, DSP Headquarters to initiate an investigation. Kumar visited the site and asked the police personnel in the photographs to appear for recording statements.

Burman said, “The matter has been taken seriously. DSP Headquarters has been asked to investigate and submit the report. After the report comes, action will be taken against the guilty police personnel in this case.” DM Shashank Shubhankar said that the case is related to police personnel thus SP is taking charge of the investigation. “Action will be taken as per rules,” he added.

What does the law say?

According to the Indian Flag Code of Conduct 2002 and Section 2 of the National Pride Offense Act 1971, the accused can face up to three years of jail or fine or both.  

Did former BJP mayor Shakuntala Bharti convert the Muslim girl and marry her off to a Hindu boy as alleged by her sister? Read details

OpIndia Staff
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Did former BJP mayor Shakuntala Bharti convert the Muslim girl and marry her off to a Hindu boy as alleged by her sister? Read details

A Muslim girl, Nazia Saifi alias Asiya, whose sister married a Hindu boy in Aligarh after going missing, has levelled serious allegations against former BJP mayor Shakuntala Bharti. Asiya held a press conference on Sunday, with the help of two local journalists and a local AIMIM leader, in which she accused Shakuntala Bharti of converting Muslim girls by luring them and marrying them off to Hindu boys. She accused the former BJP mayor of doing the same with her sister.

In a video, which was shared widely by Islamists on microblogging site Twitter, Asiya could be heard saying that her sister had been missing since August 7. She said her husband had filed a missing person complaint in the local police station but the police didn’t do anything.

She said that she was really harassed by the police authorities. “When I threatened to go to the media, the police brought my sister in a car where she was accompanied by Shakuntala Bharti and I was not allowed to speak to my sister despite repeated requests. Shakuntala Bharti is converting Muslim girls… this is something wrong that is happening with Muslims… who would get me justice,” she says in the video.

A claim which the former BJP mayor Shakuntala Bharti has denied outrightly. She had asserted that if someone can prove the charges against her, she would leave the state forever.

Many media houses also carried the news that the girl’s sister has alleged that former BJP mayor had presurrised the Muslim girl to convert and marry the Hindu boy.

Meanwhile, Asiya’s husband Parvez also lodged a complaint against the Hindu boy. He alleged that his sister-in-law escaped with the Hindu boy and took some jewellery and cash with her and was converting herself to get married to the boy. Acting on the complaint the police registered a case against the boy under section 363, 366 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and started looking for the girl. 

Now, the police have traced the missing Muslim girl named Faizi aka Preeti. In her statement to the cops, Preeti has refuted the allegations levelled by her sister on the BJP mayor. The Muslim girl contended that she had embraced Hinduism and married the Hindu boy, Rishabh, on her own will and that no one had put any pressure on her. She told police that she was an adult, and had herself decided to marry the Hindu boy. She furthered that she married Rishabh on August 10, in an Arya Samaj temple following the Hindu rituals.

The girl confessed that her sister Asiya did not want her to marry Rishabh, that was the reason why Asiya made such bizarre allegations. “I got married according to my will. He (her husband) used to come to my house, that way I met him. I was not under pressure from anyone. This has nothing to do with the former mayor. The allegation my sister has made is wrong. My sister does not want me to be with these people (her in-laws). She abuses these people,” she said.

The Muslim girl, who now calls herself Preeti, said that Shakuntala Bharti had nothing to do with her marriage. In fact, according to Rishabh, he approached the former mayor after getting death threats from Preeti’s relatives. Rishabh confirmed of approaching Shakuntala Bharti to seek protection.

The Aligarh police have booked four persons, including Asiya. The police arrested journalists Faizan and Shiraz Ahmed from the spot for disturbing ‘communal harmony’ and violating prohibitory orders and Section 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act. Nazia alias Asiya and AIMIM leader Mohd Nazim escaped. Besides charging them with breaking the lockdown rules, the police also invoked Section 153 A (promoting enmity between different communities) and 505 (2) (making statements to spread hatred) of the IPC against the four, in the FIR.

Plea seeks to bring criminal contempt proceedings against controversial actress Swara Bhasker after remarks against Ram Mandir: Read details

OpIndia Staff
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Plea seeks to bring criminal contempt proceedings against controversial actress Swara Bhasker after remarks against Ram Mandir: Read details

A plea has been filed before Attorney General KK Venugopal by Advocate Anuj Saxena, Prakash Sharma and Mahek Maheshwari on behalf of Usha Shetty seeking sanction for criminal contempt prosecution against controversial Bollywood actress Swara Bhasker. The sanction for prosecution was sought for her alleged “derogatory and scandalous” remarks on the Ram Mandir verdict.

“The petition intends to initiate criminal contempt proceedings against Swara Bhaskar for passing derogatory and scandalous statement in context of the Supreme Court of India on February 1, 2020 at a panel discussion organised by ‘Mumbai Collective’,” said one of the advocates who filed the plea.

In the alleged objectionable comment made by Swara Bhasker according to the petition, the actress says, “We are now in a situation where our courts are not sure whether they believe in the Constitution or not…What then do we do and it seems to me that as everyone has said that the path is clear to us and it has been shown to us by you all whoever of you all have been part of the protest by students by the women and by the citizen protestors it is to resist… We are living in a country where the Supreme Court of our country states in a judgment that the demolition of the Babri Majid was unlawful and in the same judgment rewards the same people who brought down the mosque”.

The plea claims that the comments were a deliberate attempt to turn the masses against the Supreme Court and not merely a “cheap stunt for publicity”. Swara Bhasker has faced a lot of flak recently for her political stance. An FIR against her was also sought in connection to her alleged involvement in the violence that broke out over the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Swara Bhasker has also shared the stage with the anti-CAA protesters at Shaheen Bagh and in a hateful statement, she said that political analyst Gunja Kapoor should thank the Shaheen Bagh protesters for not lynching her after she was heckled by the women there.

‘Activists’ begin ‘Mask Se Azaadi’ campaign, burn masks claiming they are spreading diseases, not preventing coronavirus outbreak

OpIndia Staff
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‘Activists’ begin ‘Mask Se Azaadi’ campaign, burn masks claiming they are spreading diseases, not preventing coronavirus outbreak

A ‘doctor’ with dubious credentials, Biswaroop Roy Chowdhury, appears to be fanning an anti-mask movement in India. In a video he shared recently on the video-sharing platform bitchute, an individual went on a rant against masks and led others as they burnt the masks. The individual in the video claimed that the masks have an adverse impact on health and called for a movement to shun masks.

In the video, the person claims that there is a grave conspiracy underway at an international level through the use of masks. “I am registering my protest by burning this mask. We will not wear any mask, neither will we pay any fines to the Police,” the man said. He continued, “We are burning the masks. We will not wear any masks and neither will be pay any fines. Because wearing masks lead to the spread of diseases. We are being made to wear masks to shut us up.”

“We are seeing patients, they are developing problems because of wearing masks. This is a huge conspiracy underway at the world level. We will organise a movement against this, we will take to the streets. This is our first ‘Mask Jalao Abhiyaan’ that we are starting on the 15th of August,” he said. Then he proceeds to say that the Independence Day that is celebrated on the 15th of August is a false independence day.

The man says, ‘Gore Angrez chale gaye hain par kaale angrez satta pe baith gaye hain jo ki desh ko khokla kar rahe hain, toh hum unke virodh bhi pradarshan karenge.’ (The fair Englishmen have left but the Dark Englishmen have occupied the positions of power, so we will protest against them as well.)

The person was being cheered by others who had gathered and he led chants of Vande Mataram and Jai Hind. Earlier in the video, he claimed that wearing masks ensures that one develops asthma and for those have to wear spectacles, masks ensure that the carbon dioxide enters their body through their eyes. Needless to say, there is no evidence for the claims being made against masks in the video.

While the person here is from a rural area, there are those from urban regions of the country as well who have initiated an anti-mask campaign. The individuals, well versed in English, link wearing masks to slavery and loss of freedom. According to them, the masks “are about taking your freedom away, manipulation and control because this does not work.”

The video was also shared by Biswaroop Roy Chowdhury on his YouTube channel with the hashtag #MaskSeAzaadi and the campaign was linked to the Indian Independence Movement. In the video, one user calls it a “psychological operation” to control the masses because it does not apparently curb the spread of the disease.

The video claims that the mask is about getting people “used to these restrictions” in order to gauge how far people can be controlled. “Today it is a mandatory mask, tomorrow it’s a mandatory vaccine, a digital ID and the list goes on! We have to stop things from becoming mandatory! Do not give up your freedom and rights for the illusion of Health and Safety.”

Thus, quite clearly, the movement borrows its origins from the libertarian strains of American polity that has been campaigning hard against a mandatory mask policy. For this reason, the USA does not have a mandatory mask policy as yet to curb the spread of the Coronavirus. The Democratic Party presumptive nominee Joe Biden had recently called for a nationwide mandatory mask mandate, much to the consternation of widespread sections of the American population.

In the face of a pandemic, it does appear quite ridiculous to link the mandatory wearing of masks to political matters such as personal rights. Furthermore, it appears to be a case of evidence-free conspiracy mongering. By such proclamations, people appear to be only risking their personal health and the health of others.

PIB fact-checks Hindustan Times: Report claimed an army soldier died due to injuries sustained in the Galwan clash

OpIndia Staff
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PIB fact-checks Hindustan Times: Report claimed an army soldier died due to injuries sustained in the Galwan clash

On Monday, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) debunked the claims made by the Hindustan Times (HT) surrounding the death of Havaldar Bishan Singh. In a report titled, “Galwan clash soldier succumbs to injuries; cremated in his home district Nainital” published on August 16, HT claimed that the 42-year-old jawan who braved the Chinese forces in the Galwan Valley clash had succumbed to the injuries, caused during the confrontation, on Friday.

He was undergoing treatment at the military hospital in Leh before being shifted to another military hospital in Chandigarh on August 6. Reportedly, Singh who hailed from Bangapani in Pithoragarh was cremated with full military honours at Ranibag crematorium near Haldwani in Nainital on Sunday.

Fact check by PIB

Dismissing the claims made by the Hindustan Times, the Press Information Bureau had clarified that Havaldar Bishan Singh died due to medical complications and not the injuries sustained by the soldier during the Galwan Valley clash.

Hindustan Times: Repeat offenders

Earlier in May, the Hindustan Times had published a report titled, “Migrants’ kid dies as father hunts for milk at railway station.” The article had claimed that a four-and-a-half-year-old son of migrants from Bihar based in Delhi died of hunger at the railway station on arrival by a ‘Shramik Special’ train. As evident from the report by HT, the incident of the child’s death was portrayed as one due to hunger.

However, the Ministry of Railways took to Twitter to confirm that the child was previously suffering from an ailment and that he was travelling with his family from Delhi after getting treatment for the disease. It also added that the child passed away 5 hours after deboarding the train. It warned the journalist against sharing or posting unverified news.

Bengaluru violence accused has links with terror outfit Al-Hind and with those accused of murdering RSS activist Rudresh: Reports

OpIndia Staff
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Bengaluru violence accused has links with terror outfit Al-Hind and with those accused of murdering RSS activist Rudresh: Reports

The Bengaluru police have reportedly detained one Samiuddin in connection to the violence that took place at Dj Halli on August 11 over a Facebook post against Prophet Mohammed by Naveen, the nephew of Congress MLA Srinivasa Murthy. As per reports, the cops had so far arrested 58 more people and held 264 suspects.

According to the Joint Commissioner of Police, Sandeep Patil, Samiuddin was in touch with members of the Al-Hind terror outfit for several years. Besides, he also had links with the accused in the murder case of an RSS activist named Rudresh. Deputy Commissioner of Police ( Bengaluru East) SD Sharanappa informed that the primary accused in the Bengaluru riots are in police custody and are being interrogated. He further said that other accused have been held in Ballari prison and the central jail located on the outskirts of Bengaluru for a period of 14 days.

Karnataka Home Minister cautioned about Al-Hind in July

Earlier in July, the Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai had informed that the State government was aware of the UN report on terrorism and the presence of terror outfits such as Al-Hind in the region. Reportedly, he told a newspaper that one such module of Al-Hind was busted in 2020 and another module of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) was busted between 2018 and 2019. Bommai further informed that around 50 people were arrested in connection to the cases.

He also informed that Congress legislator Srinivasa Murthy had not named anyone in the First Information Report (FIR). Seeking his co-operation Bommai stated, “He had said that he’ll inform whenever he comes to know who was involved. We seek his cooperation. We have our own witnesses to conduct an inquiry into the burning of his house. We’ll start that”

Bengaluru violence over Facebook post: Naveen denies any wrongdoing, says his life is under threat

During the investigation, Naveen has also denied any wrongdoing or posting any derogatory content against any religion or faith. The arrested Congress party worker has also said that he has time-and-again responded to the anti-Hindu comments on social media platforms and alleged that few people are conspiring against him for protecting the interests of Hindus on social media platforms. “Just because I am from Congress, should I not speak about Dharma,” the young Congress leader has reportedly quipped the Bengaluru police.

Music maestro Padma Vibhushan Pandit Jasraj passes way at the age of 90

OpIndia Staff
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Music maestro Padma Vibhushan Pandit Jasraj passes way at the age of 90

The Indian music maestro, Padma Vibhushan Pandit Jasraj has passed away at the age of 90. The Indian classical vocalist breathed his last in New Jersey, the United States.

The music maestro belonged to the Mewati Gharana, which is known for their devotion to Indian classical music. His musical career has spanned more than 80 years and led him to win numerous awards including Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan.

Minor planet named after Pandit Jasraj

He was the first-ever Indian musician to have a minor planet named after him. International Astronomical Union (IAU) had named a minor planet between Mars and Jupiter, VP32 (number -300128), discovered on November 11, 2006, as ‘Panditjasraj’.

Other famous musicians and composers who have astronomical bodies named after them are Mozart, Beethoven and Tenor Luciano Pavarotti.

Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee fondly called him “Rasraj”

The former Indian PM, late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a connoisseur of poetry and music, fondly called Panditji, “Rasraj”. He disclosed this during the launch of his authorised biography, “Rasraj: Pandit Jasraj”. He had said that this is one upadhi (title) that he loves the most.

He is survived by wife Madhura, daughter Durga and son Sharang Dev.

PM Modi also shared an obituary for the music legend on Twitter. “The unfortunate demise of Pandit Jasraj Ji leaves a deep void in the Indian cultural sphere,” the PM wrote.

Will legally proceed to recover damages from rioters, UAPA invoked: Karnataka CM on Bengaluru violence

OpIndia Staff
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Will legally proceed to recover damages from rioters, UAPA invoked: Karnataka CM on Bengaluru violence

Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa has taken to Twitter to inform that the Karnataka government has decided to recover the cost of public and private properties destroyed in the Bengaluru violence last week, from the rioters. He asserted that stringent action has been initiated against the culprits of DJ Halli and KG Halli violent incidents including invoking of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act – UAPA Act.

The state government will request the Karnataka High Court to appoint a Claims Commissioner to assess the damage caused to properties in the riots as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court and fix the recovery cost.

A Special Investigation Team has already been formed to conduct a detailed investigation in the matter, informed the CM, adding that a team of three special prosecutors will be appointed for speedy trial of the cases. SIT will consider invoking Goonda Act if warranted, wrote the Karnataka CM in a series of Tweets.

HM Basavaraj Bommai had also stated that culprits of Bengaluru violence would pay for their deeds

After the Bengaluru violence, where Muslim mobs had run riots in Bengaluru’s KG Halli and DJ Halli areas on the evening of 11 August, torching dozens of vehicles and attacking two police stations, over an allegedly “derogatory” Facebook post against Prophet Muhammad, Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai had also stated that the people responsible for the riots and damages to property will be held accountable and the cost of damages will be recovered from them.

Earlier, BJP MP Tejasvi Surja had written to CM Yediyurappa requesting him to attach the properties of the rioters to recover damages, as the Yogi government had done in UP post the anti-CAA riots.

Uttar Pradesh: Farmer thrashed, Lalitpur police initiates action against cop, orders probe

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Farmer thrashed, Lalitpur police initiates action against cop, orders probe

Hours after a video of a farmer being thrashed went viral on social media, the Lalitpur police in UP took disciplinary action against the accused cop.

On Monday, journalist Brijesh Mishra shared a video testimony of a farmer wherein he alleged to have been beaten mercilessly by a police sepoy stationed at the Basi chowki in Lalitpur. In the said video, the old farmer can be seen crying for help and explaining it to the police officers that he was thrashed by a policeman.

“Daura daura ke maar raha tha… Dekho Sahab, kaan faat gaya… Bhukkar bhi aaya hai (He chased me and beat me up… Sir, please look that my eardrums have been damaged,” the impoverished farmer was heard as saying. The policemen who were listening to the ordeal of the farmer then said that such a harsh treatment should not have been meted out to an aged person such as him. “This is not a good thing,” one of the officers said.

Commenting on the issue, Brajesh Mishra said that the painful ordeal of the farmer was bound to turn one’s eyes moist. He wrote, “The Lalitpur police thrashed the farmer so badly that his eardrums are now damaged. He doesn’t know how to lodge his complaint. He is a farmer and he is the source of our food. Atrocities against him will imply that you are bound to stay hungry.”

Lalitpur police takes action against the accused cop

Replying to the tweet of journalist Brajesh Mishra, the Lalitpur police stated, “The farmer is being medically examined. A probe has been initiated into the case.” The accused policeman has also been benched with immediate effect. The Lalitpur police further informed that the matter has now been handed over to the CO of Talbehat and appropriate action will be taken on the competition of the probe. Meanwhile, the farmer has been sent for a medical examination.

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