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Ranvir Shorey says he was abused by Pooja Bhatt, calls allegations of abuse against him a ‘sustained defamatory and malicious PR campaign’

OpIndia Staff
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Ranvir Shorey says he was abused by Pooja Bhatt, calls allegations of abuse against him a ‘sustained defamatory and malicious PR campaign’

Ranvir Shorey has revealed on microblogging site Twitter that he was abused by Pooja Bhatt, the daughter of Mahesh Bhatt. He made the comments in response to a tweet which shared the link to a report where the allegations made by the Bollywood star was mentioned. He called the allegations a ‘sustained defamatory and malicious PR campaign’.

Pooja Bhatt had claimed that Ranvir Shorey was an alcohlic who used to beat her up. She claimed that the accomplished actor was abusive, drank too much and on one particular instance, had beaten her in a drunken state. They had previously been engaged to each other and were in a live-in relationship.

The actor claimed that a man that was shown with Pooja Bhatt in multiple photos in the report, Manish Makhija, her husband once upon a time, happened to be his best friend right until the ‘incident’ who later married her. Ranvir Shorey said that “All kinds of relationships are manipulated and psychological warfare used.”

The Mahesh Bhatt family has been in news recently due to his alleged involvement in the death of Sushant Singh Rajput. The unfortunate death has threatened to reveal the dark underbelly of Bollywood as police investigation into the matter keeps throwing a new twist everyday.

Meet Sophie and Vida, the army dogs, that PM Modi mentioned in his ‘Maan ki Baat’ address

OpIndia Staff
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Meet Sophie and Vida, the army dogs, that PM Modi mentioned in his ‘Maan ki Baat’ address

On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a special mention in his 68th Maan ki Baat address about two Indian army dogs named Sophie and Vida.

Sophie is trained to detect explosives and has been successful in detecting the presence of initiator/accelerant that could have been used in Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). A member of the bomb disposal squad of the Special Frontier Force, the canine was awarded the Chief of Army Staff ‘Commendation card’ on August 15 this year along with Vida.

A video of the two dogs receiving commendation badges was shared by journalist Shiv Aroor.

Vida is a member of an army dog unit in Northern Command. Vida had helped in the detection of 5 mines and a grenade buried under the ground. Due to the service of the canine to the army unit, injuries and casualties of army personnel was averted.

PM lauds the contribution of dogs in security, relief operations

Hailing the contribution of the Indian army dog in performing its duty, PM Modi said, “Sophie and Vida are the dogs of the Indian Army who have been awarded the Chief of Army Staff ‘Commendation Cards’. Sophie and Vida received this honour because they performed their duties diligently while protecting their country. Our armed forces and security forces have many such brave dogs who not only live for the country but also sacrifice themselves for the country.”

Referring to the army dog unit as ‘The Silent Warriors’, PM Modi emphasised on the significance of the canines in Disaster management and rescue operations. He added, “In India, NDRF, the National Disaster Response Force has specially trained dozens of dogs. In the event of an earthquake, building collapse, these dogs are experts in searching out people trapped under debris.”

Atmanirbhar Bharat: PM Modi urges people to choose Indian breeds while selecting pet dogs in his Mann Ki Baat address

OpIndia Staff
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Atmanirbhar Bharat: PM Modi urges people to choose Indian breeds while selecting pet dogs in his Mann Ki Baat address

In his 68th address to the nation in Mann Ki Baat, PM Narendra Modi talked on several issues, but it mostly revolved around Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan and September being observed as Nutrition Month. One aspect of the address that will catch dog lovers’ eyes is his request to the people of India to opt for Indian breeds while selecting pet dogs.

PM Modi talked about Sophie and Vida, two Indian Army canine officers who are IED/mine sniffing experts. They got awarded with Chief of Army Staff ‘Commendation Cards’ for their exemplary services to the nation. He said that many K9 unit officers had sacrificed their lives while serving the nation, just like their human counterparts. He talked about the last rites of Maharashtra Beed Police team’s canine colleague Rocky, who helped solve more than 350 cases.

PM Modi said, ”Dogs play an essential role in Disaster Management and Rescue Missions. National Disaster Response Force trains dozens of such dogs for the rescue operations. These dogs help during earthquakes, building collapse, and other situations where they help find people under the debris.” He said that many Indian breeds are capable of such operations and security purposes. Indian breeds such as Mudhol Hound, Himachali Hound, Rajapalayam, Kanni, Chippiparai and Kombai are among the best breeds found in India.

As these breeds are habitual to the Indian weather and habitat, the owner of such dogs have to spend much less on their upbringing. The Indian security forces are including Indian breeds in the K9 units. Army, CISF and NSG have trained Mudhol Hound for their respective dog squads. CRPF has included Kombai dogs in their units.

PM Modi said in his Mann Ki Baat address that the Indian Council of Agriculture Research is researching Indian dog breeds. The research aims to improve Indian breeds and make them more capable. He urged people to search about Indian breeds more and next time they want to get a pet dog, they should opt for an Indian breed. He said, under Atmanirbhar Bharat Mission, we should not leave any stone unturned.

Other important pointers of 30th August Mann Ki Baat program

  • PM Modi talked about the Indian toy-making industry. He said that Indian startups and toy companies should work on improving the toy industry. He said that the global toy market is of more than seven lakh crores and India has a very small share in this market. We have to work on improving our rank as a toy manufacturing nation.
  • He urged people to download and use Indian mobile apps. He mentioned several Indian apps in his address, including Koo, Chingari and Kutkuki Kids, among several others. The Indian government had announced a national innovative app challenge in which more than 7000 entries were received. The Indian government awarded several apps. He expressed his delight that two-third of the apps came from TIER 2 and TIER 3 cities. PM Modi urged people to come up with new ideas in the gaming industry as well.
  • PM Modi said that September would be celebrated as a nutrition month. The government is planning to make a nutrition bank that will inform about the local agriculture products’ nutrition value. He said that the government is planning to have a nutrition monitor in every class, just like class monitors, and students may soon get a nutrition card just like the report card.

‘No role of consent in marriage and slavery’: Video of Canadian Islamic cleric Shabir Ally justifying marital rape, sex slavery in Islam goes viral

OpIndia Staff
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‘No role of consent in marriage and slavery’: Video of Canadian Islamic cleric Shabir Ally justifying marital rape, sex slavery in Islam goes viral

In a video that has now gone viral on social media, a Muslim cleric in Canada can be seen justifying ‘marital rape’ in the context of Islam. The cleric is Shabir Ally, a Canada-based Islamic scholar and Imam.

Although the contentious video titled, ‘The Historical Roots of Female Slavery’ dates back to September 2016, it was recently shared on social media by the Twitter handle named ‘Ex-Muslims of North America.’ In the said video, Shabbir Ally discussed at length about ‘women’s right to consent in marriage’, ‘sex slavery in Islam’, and the implication of religious beliefs in ISIS.

There is no ‘consent’ in Islamic marriages, claimed Shabir Ally

In one such clip shared on Twitter, the Islamic scholar reflected on the idea of ‘feminism’. Citing the teachings in Islam, Shabir Ally said, “The woman’s main responsibility in a marriage is to fulfil the sexual needs of her husband. And for that reason the husband has the right and claim to this (referring to sexual intercourse). And she cannot refuse.” Through this claim, he demolished the concept of ‘consent’ in Islamic marriages.

Marital rape is ‘permissible’ though not ideal

Further, he cited interpreters of the Quran to suggest that even ‘marital rape’ is justified in the light of Islam. Ally stated, “Some speak of the possibility that the man can force himself onto his wife. And she cannot refuse because that is his ‘right’.” He then tried to ‘trivialise’ it by claiming that ‘marital rape’ is not an ‘ideal situation’ but then added that it is the duty of the woman to be ‘co-operative’ under all circumstances.

“When her husband calls her for that particular action, she should be ready and willing to engage,” Ally emphasised. He added that Prophet Muhammad has said that Allah watches the actions of the men when they have the ‘power over the women.’ In a shocking display of vicious indoctrination, Ally claimed, “The women are with them like slaves.”

Shabir Ally explains the significance of sex slaves’ in Islam

In another snippet of the same video, the Islamic preacher talked about the Islamic view on concubines (mistresses). He said, “A Muslim man can have up to four wives at once, in addition to the four wives, he can have an unlimited number of concubines which basically refers to women with slave status.”

“A woman-owned by her master has to freely give herself to the master. The master has the right to have sexual relations with her as though she were one of his wives,” he continued. When the show host Aisha Khaja asked Ally about the role of ‘consent’, the Islamic scholar dismissed it altogether.

He said, “The understanding is that by virtue of the fact that she’s owned, she does not have the right to consent or to withhold herself from her master.” Shabir Ally emphasised, “The master has the full right over her and her consent does not play anything in this relationship.”

Shabir Ally explains the rationale behind ISIS sex slaves

Towards the end of the video, Shabir Ally opined that several ‘respected’ Islamic scholars believe in the 21st century that the tradition of ‘sex slavery’ should have continued and it is a ‘divine’ right. “Theoretically, it is still applicable and they state so in clear terms. If there is a war between Muslims and non-Muslims today and the Muslims capture the non-Muslim women, then they will be made slaves. And the men will have the right to sexual congress with them.”

“Somebody like the ISIS and so on could be following this sort of ruling which is there (in Islam). Not just thinking, they are following religious (Islamic) rulings,” Ally clarified on the reason behind ISIS terrorists taking female captives as ‘sex slaves’. While condemning the action of ISIS as ‘wrong’, he implied that the Quranic revelations were right in the ‘historical context.’

While it might be difficult for many to fathom that such a regressive and disturbing mindset exists in the 21st century, the no-bars-held interview reflects that such views are shared by several Muslims even in this day and age.

23 year old Rahul lynched to death in West Delhi’s Nairana, accused Istihar, Mustaq Ahmed, Shiraj Ahmed and Anish arrested

OpIndia Staff
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23 year old Rahul lynched to death in West Delhi’s Nairana, accused Istihar, Mustaq Ahmed, Shiraj Ahmed and Anish arrested

A 23-year old Rahul, alias Dhancha, was lynched to death at Nairana in West Delhi on Friday on suspicion of phone theft. He was tied to a tree and brutally thrashed with sticks and iron rods as a consequence of which he lost his life. The accused have been identified as Istihar, Mustaq Ahmed, Shiraj Ahmed and Anish. They have been arrested.

The Police were informed by Shesh Kumar, a eyewitness to the murder. He said, “I woke up around 5.30 am and found my neighbours beating up a man. I was shocked… the man was being dragged to a nearby park. They were carrying sticks and one of them had an iron rod. I asked them to leave the man, but they told me he’s a thief and threatened me as well.”

“The police team found Rahul under a tree. He was already dead. There were multiple injuries on his body and some looked severe. A rope and a stole were also found near the body. We registered a murder case based on Kumar’s statement,” DCP (West) Deepal Purohit said. The victim is a resident of Jawahar Camp in Kirti Nagar. The accused are from Loha Mandi.

Rahul’s mother Guddi stated, “Since he had been caught before in cases of theft, locals and police target him. Last week, a group of men thrashed him because they thought he stole their wallets, but they were wrong. Rahul fractured his left hand. On Friday, he told us he wants to start a new life and will look for a job. He got married recently and wanted to help us. He left home after his friend called him. We didn’t know that he would be thrashed like this. Even if he did commit theft, the accused shouldn’t have beaten him like this.”

Rahul was on his way to Gurgaon to find a job as he was unemployed. He is survived by his wife and two children. Apart from them, there are his parents and elder brother in the family.

Celebrity drug racket busted in Bengaluru; Three drug dealers arrested, actors, musicians under NCB scanner

OpIndia Staff
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Celebrity drug racket busted in Bengaluru; Three drug dealers arrested, actors, musicians under NCB scanner

The Narcotics Control Bureau has busted a huge drug trafficking racket involving some prominent musicians and actors who are allegedly involved along with some college students in Bengaluru.

According to the reports, on August 21, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officials conducted raids at three places and arrested three drug dealers. The NCB raided a residence of a drug peddler in Kalyan Nagar, Bengaluru and seized 145 MDMA pills weighing 60 gm and cash of Rs 2,20,500.

In another raid, the team seized 96 pills of MDMA and 180 LSD blots at Nikoo Homes in Bengaluru. Later, 270 pills of MDMA were recovered from the house of Anika, located at Doddagubbi.

MDMA (methylenedioxy-methamphetamine), commonly known as ecstasy, is a party drug that changes the mood and produces a feeling of increased energy and pleasure. It is believed that each ecstasy pill costs anywhere between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,500 in the domestic market.

The NCB has nabbed the drug kingpin D Anika and two of her associates Mohammad Anoop and R Ravindran with a large haul of drugs.

Drugs supplied to actors, musicians in the south film industry

NCB Deputy Director KPS Malhotra said that the drug racket had distributed drugs not only to prominent musicians and top actors in Karnataka but also to children of VIPs in the state.

Reportedly, Anika, who worked as a TV actress in the past, had connections with top actors, musicians of the south film industry and had even supplied drugs to them in the past. In fact, Anika herself was under the influence of drugs when NCB busted them. The NCB officials had to wait for over 10 hours to interrogate her as she abused the officials.

Anika had taken to narcotic supply after quitting acting career. Anika used her connections in the industry to establish contacts with celebrities and started supplying drugs to them. Ravindran, who was the main distributor, had over 2000 numbers saved in his mobiles, including at least 10 top Kannada cinema actors, prominent musicians and children of VIPs.

Reportedly, they have been running the racket for many years. “Anika sourced the drugs from abroad via an international courier service,” said an official, adding that payments were made in bitcoins.

Drugs came from Europe

During the interrogation, Anika revealed that she was into drug dealing since 2014. Earlier, she used to supply drugs to college students at rave parties and later increased her customer base to more affluent sections of the society including actors, VIPs etc.

According to the NCB officials, the seized drugs came all the way from Western Europe, especially from Belgium capital Brussels. The drug dealers in Europe used to supply synthetic designer drugs to their Indian counterparts. Reportedly, the drugs would be transported from Brussels by concealing it in consignments of children’s toys.

The demand for these synthetic drugs rose across the world after the Belgium EDM festival ‘Tomorrowland’.

Another ‘love jihad’ from Kanpur: A tale of torture, ‘black magic’, brainwashing and attempts to convert to Islam

Jhankar Mohta
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Another ‘love jihad’ from Kanpur: A tale of torture, ‘black magic’, brainwashing and attempts to convert to Islam

The 18-year-old Hindu girl Muskaan, hailing from Kanpur’s Govind Nagar, who had been missing for the last 10 days, has returned to her family. On the basis of the family’s complaint, Govind Nagar police have registered an FIR against Asif Shah alias Nafiz, a resident of Jajmau in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, under IPC Section 366 and started investigating the matter. The family has alleged it to be yet another case ‘Love Jihad’.

OpIndia had earlier reported how the 18-year-old Muskaan was trapped by one Asif Shah alias Nafiz, who brainwashed her into embracing Islam. She was then, forcefully converted and married off to Asif. Here, the family of the girl have accused the Muslim boy and his family of brainwashing Muskaan into embracing Islam with the use of ‘black magic’ and some occult practices.

While the Govind Nagar police are investigating the case, OpIndia tried to delve into the case, for which we got in touch with the victim’s mother – Mamata Tiwari, Mamata’s employer – Deepti Tiwari and the Bajrang Dal activist – Ramji Tiwari, with whose help the distressed Hindu family recused their daughter on August 28.

Muskaan did not even know Asif: Muskaan’s mother

Muskaan’s mother, Mamata Tiwari recollected how, when all their efforts to search for their missing daughter proved to be futile, she received a call from her husband, who told her that he had received a call from Muskaan and she wanted to meet them. “11 PM, I called Muskaan, who in a faint voice said ‘Mummy hum aapse milna chahte hain’, (Mummy I want to meet you).” When Mamata showered a barrage of questions at her, Muskaan replied that she would tell everything when they meet.

After speaking to her daughter, Mamata got in touch with Bajrang Dal activist, Ramji Tiwari, with whom she went to the designated place, Ramadevi, a neighbourhood in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, to meet her daughter. “We waited for the entire day, but Muskaan did not turn up. I kept calling her but she did not receive my call”, told the mother of the 18-year-old girl.

The next day when she came to meet her mother, Muskaan asked her mother to take her back home. “Muskaan was in a terrible state. She had lost her mental balance. They had done something to my daughter, vashikaran kiye the”, told the angry mother, furthering that Muskaan had forgotten their phone number, address… everything: “This is not possible unless something is done on someone”, claimed the mother.

“When I looked into her bag, I found several chits with something written in Urdu. She was wearing a Tabiz (amulet) around her neck and black strings were tied to her legs. Muskaan told me that the water or tea which was given to her was infused with these chits. We immediately called a pandit who performed an exorcism on Muskaan to cut the effects of the spell”, said Mamata.

Once the effect of the spell reduced Muskaan has just been crying, the mother says. She narrated her ordeal to her parents. Mamata quoted her daughter as saying: “Hum wahan nahi jayenge, mujhe wahan nahi jaana hain (I don’t want to go back to that place)”.

Mamata reminisced that on August 14 or 15 (she said she does not remember the exact date) her daughter told her that she wanted to visit her tuition teacher at Bara Devi. Muskaan met Asif alias Nafiz near a mandir at Bara Devi, where she stopped to eat something. “Muskaan did not even know Asif. She had seen him for the first time in her life”, said Mamata, furthering that Muskaan had said that the boy approached her and asked her to come with her to which she agreed. Mamata quoted Muskaan as saying: “I don’t know what happened to me. He was a complete stranger, I did not even know his name, but when he asked me to accompany him I agreed”. Mamata opined that Asif had done something to Muskaan.

Asif took Muskaan to his sister’s house, where they started administering witchcraft on her, she said. “Asif’s sister knows black magic and vashikaran. She took Muskaan to a Mazhar (mausoleum) where ‘black magic’ was performed on her. She was completely “brainwashed” through “vashikaran”. Thereafter, Asif proposed marriage to which Muskaan had agreed”, said Mamata.

The Maulvi was called and her Nikah was read. “They told me to say haan haan and I said”, confessed Muskaan to her mother.

When Muskaan came back, she was wearing Mehndi, which attests the fact that she had been married to Asif. 

“My daughter had to go through a lot. The mental agony and distress she went through is unimaginable. You have to see to believe. I will knock whichever door I have to, will go to any length to make sure that the perpetrator is punished”, said the mother, who seems to be relieved that her daughter has at least come back home, yet distraught seeing Muskaan’s mental condition.

Syndicate working and financing the Love Jihad cases in Kanpur: Bajrang Dal activist Ramji Tiwari

When OpIndia reached out to the Bajrang Dal activist Ramji Tiwari, he confirmed that the girl has returned home. Speaking on the case, Tiwari too affirmed that Kanpur has turned into a hub of ‘Love Jihad’ crimes. He alleged that organised gangs have been operating in various Muslim dominated areas like Juhi colony, Jajmau, Macharia etc in Kanpur. The fixed pattern and the modus operandi of the perpetrators point to the fact that these youths are being trained to lure and brainwash Hindu girls by a particular syndicate, who are also providing financial support and other resources to the Muslim men to carry out the task, said the social worker. In almost all cases, the Muslim men reportedly fake their identities and pose as Hindus, he says.

Speaking on this particular incident, the Bajrang Dal activist said that the girl, who belongs to a humble Hindu Brahmin family is around 18 years old. When Asif befriended the girl, she was not aware of his religion. Almost 10 days ago she abandoned her family and went to live with Asif in Jajmau district. Tiwari said that the girl confirmed that a Maulvi had visited Asif’s house and had performed her wedding with Asif.

The victim has become mentally distressed

“Asif’s family took the help of black magic to brainwash her and convert her religion”, alleged Tiwari, furthering that when the girl returned, she had a Tabiz (amulet) around her neck.

The family also recovered some small shreds of paper with some text written on it in Urdu from her. They learnt that Asif’s family was mixing the paper shred with tea and feeding it to her. Moreover, they use to rotate these paper shreds over her head and burn them.

The Bajrang Dal activist also attested Muskaan’s mother’s statement. He said that the victim girl has supposedly told her family that she was taken her to a Mazhar (mausoleum) where ‘black magic’ was performed on her and the Maulvi had given these shreds of papers which the Muslim boys family had been using on her.

Tiwari furthered that the girl was told that the room where she was confined, was ‘possessed’ by one Deepa’s spirit, who had committed suicide, by hanging herself in that room. If she did not succumb to the occult practices, Deepa’s spirit would possess her and torture her. The activist believed that the Muslim boy’s family had told her this story probably to intimidate or convince her to not object to the occult practices being performed on her.

On being asked, the girl has confirmed that she had already been converted and married to Asif.

Tiwari furthered that the victim has become mentally distressed and unstable because of the activities. She has been behaving unnaturally and changing her statements since the time she has returned from Asif’s house, confirmed the Bajrang Dal activist.

He said that since the girl was a major, the judicial magistrate would record her statement under CrPC section 164 on August 29.

Kanpur Love Jihad victim’s mother’s employer- Deepti Tiwari

“This certainly appears to be a Dharam Parivartan case”, Deepti Tiwari said as soon as we called her to hear her version of the issue. Muskaan’s mother Mamata has been working as a cook in Deepti Tiwari’s house for the last few years. “Since they are simple people and not educated enough, I intervened to help them seek justice”, said Deepti Tiwari, furthering that Muskaan has currently been placed in the Mahila Police Thana, Kanpur.

She too attested what Muskaan’s mother and the Bajrang Dal activist had said. She also said that after returning from Asif’s house, Muskaan has lost her mental balance. She had been behaving peculiarly and changing her statements every now and then. But now, Deepti confirmed, that Muskaan is better. “The effect of the ‘black magic’ seems to be declining”, she said.

“It is very evident, from what I have gathered from the victim, that Asif and his family have pressurised her immensely.

Muskaan unaware of the boy’s religion

Deepti Tiwari asserted that the girl was not aware that the boy was a Muslim. The boy has allegedly told Muskaan that he belonged to her caste. “When she (Muskaan) went to Asif’s house, initially she could not understand that they were Muslims, until one day, the females of the house were going out wearing burqas. When Muskaan confronted them, she was rushed to the Mazhar where the magic spell was cast on her through vashikaran“.

When Muskaan resented wearing the Tabiz, she was intimidated by an imaginary story. (This is the same story which the Bajrang Dal activist Ramji Tiwari told us about how she would be possessed by one Deepa’s spirit had she not succumbed to the occult practices.)

A typical case of love jihad, alluded Deepti Tiwari

Alluding that this is also a typical case of ‘Love Jihad’ which has been on the rise in UP’s Kanpur, Deepti said, “These boys target vulnerable Hindu girls, lure them and brainwash. In some cases, they use the girl’s shortcomings to blackmail and threaten them. They then force them to embrace Islam. This is the Modus Operandi of the syndicate which has been working in Kanpur with the help of Islamist organisations.”

Meanwhile, the Govind Nagar Police are searching for the accused. SSP Dr Preetinder Singh said that the matter has come to his notice and the case is being investigated. The girl will be sent for medical examination, and her statement would be recorded.

CM Yogi Adityanath asks UP officials to stop ‘love jihad’ incidents in Kanpur

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday directed senior officials of the state Home Department to prepare a plan to stop incidents of “love jihad”, following several such cases reported from different parts of the state. On his direction, the Uttar Pradesh police have formed a special investigating team (SIT) to probe allegations of conversion – either by force or by “brainwashing” the women – before marriage.

Dissenters to be shown their place? Rahul Gandhi suggests ‘compulsory retirement’ for Congress leaders who cross 70 years of age

OpIndia Staff
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Dissenters to be shown their place? Rahul Gandhi suggests ‘compulsory retirement’ for Congress leaders who cross 70 years of age

Former Congress President, Rahul Gandhi, has proposed to retire the colleagues who are over 70 years of age. According to a report in The Sunday Guardian, Gandhi wants to sideline and push out the party’s senior leaders in a phased manner. It is believed that Gandhi wants his supporters to get a better position in the party.

It is not clear if the interim president of the Congress Party, Sonia Gandhi, who herself is 73 years old will allow such a suggestion. In case the party decides to go ahead with it, many leaders, including Ambika Soni, Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Digvijay Singh, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Chidambaram will have to leave their positions in the party. Chief Ministers, including Ashok Gehlot and Captain Amrinder Singh, will not be able to fight elections again. Former Chief Ministers, including Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Kamal Nath, and others, will have to leave behind their dream of acquiring the office in the future.

23 ‘rebel’ Congress leaders wrote to Sonia Gandhi

The proposal holds significant importance in the context of the letter that 23 senior Congress leaders sent demanding overhauling of the party’s leadership. While talking to young party functionaries a day after the CWC meeting, Rahul said that he is looking for a “transformative change and not any incremental change.” The proposal will not only stand in sync with Rahul’s “vision” for the future of the party but will also help put an end to any possibilities of revolt by the senior leaders.

What happened in the virtual meeting?

As per the report, the meeting was attended by younger members of the party, including Manickam Tagore, Sushmita Dev, Bhanwar Jitendra Singh, Rajeev Gowda and others. KC Venugopal was the host of the meeting. Interestingly Dinesh Gundu Rao, Amit Deshmukh, Deepender Hooda, Jitin Prasada and Anil Choudhury were not present in the meeting as they were informed it had been postponed.

While answering one of the members, Rahul said that his mantra for the future was that the senior leaders who have attained the age of 70 years should not get tickets for Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. Though the decision would have repercussions and the party might lose the next general elections, it will be a big step for the future.

Rahul’s plan is more than enough to sow the seed of division in the party, the report suggested. However, such changes have to go through the party president, and it is unlikely Sonia Gandhi will approve of it. The report quoted a source saying that “the letter to Sonia Gandhi was leaked after unexpected Rahul’s camp activity. There were considerations to appoint KC Venugopal as interim president.”

India loves Amul: The milk cooperative becomes the first Indian diary brand to make it to the Rabobank’s Global Top 20 list

OpIndia Staff
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India loves Amul: The milk cooperative becomes the first Indian diary brand to make it to the Rabobank’s Global Top 20 list

In a first, Amul has become the only Indian diary brand to make into the global top 20 list of Rabobank. The list released by the Dutch multinational banking company has placed Amul, also known as the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), in the 16th position with an annual turnover of $5.5 billion (₹38,500 crores).

Besides, the list also featured Nestle at the top with an annual turnover of $22.1 billion. Moreover, Dairy Farmers of America jumped 3 positions in the list to secure the 3rd rank with an annual turnover of $20.1 billion.

Amul reacts to the inclusion in the Rabobank list

Expressing delight over this news, the official Twitter handle of Amul wrote, “GCMMF (Amul) enters the Rabobank’s Global Top 20 Dairy Companies list for the first time at No.16. This is a matter of pride for 36 lac milk producers of Gujarat.”

Reacting to a congratulatory tweet by the Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, the Managing Director of Amul R S Sodhi wrote, “For all this tremendous growth, credit also goes to Government of Gujarat, CMO and Vijay Rupani for supporting 36 lacs farmers during difficult times by giving timely export incentives and Infrastructure funding.”

Diary sector can boost India’s employment, says MD of Amul

In a recent statement, RS Sodhi informed that the dairy sector is crucial to generating employment in the country. He added that the sector would create a whopping 1.2 crore jobs in the following ten years. He highlighted how India’s milk market was expanding at 5% annually compared to the 1.8% growth of the global milk market. As of now, India produces 21% of the world’s milk.

The Boycott Amul Campaign

Chief Editor of Sudarshan News, Suresh Chavhanke, had earlier announced about a programme on ‘bureaucracy jihad’ and ‘UPSC Jihad’. Sharing a snippet of his program, Suresh said, “Imagine jihadis from Jamia becoming your district commissioner and secretaries in every ministry.”

After the controversial video was posted, it attacked criticism from various sides, notably from left-liberals and Islamists. It was alleged that Suresh Chavhanke is spreading hate against Muslims, and leftist portals started publishing articles criticising him and his channel and questioned Amul for being a sponsor on the channel.

However, despite the hate it got, Amul received overwhelming support from netizens who swear by the brand which is synonymous to quality and hard work of thousands of small and marginalised animal husbandry workers across the state. In fact, during the nationwide lockdown at the outbreak of Chinese coronavirus, Amul pumped in Rs 8,000 crore back into rural economy. When the government announced lockdown, Amul communicated with all the stakeholders. They managed to keep the supply chain up and running as the Ministry of Home Affairs and local administrations helped them in every possible way. There were some hiccups in the process that were dealt with by Amul and administration.

Christian missionary groups and left-wing organisations behind Palghar lynching says fact-finding team, demands CBI probe

OpIndia Staff
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Christian missionary groups and left-wing organisations behind Palghar lynching says fact-finding team, demands CBI probe

A fact-finding team has blamed left-wing organizations and Christian missionary groups for the violence that led to Sadhus’s lynching in Palghar district, Maharashtra. Vivek Vichar Manch formed the fact-finding team that comprised of retired judges, lawyers, and police officers.

The 149-page report made some explosive revelations, including how some groups are spreading hate and inciting the tribal population against the union government. The report said, “The brutal and inhuman mob lynching of Sanyasis is the outcome of a violent approach which has been influencing the tribal community.” It also explained how many misconceptions and ill practices had engulfed the region.

The team has demanded that the central investigation agencies like NIA or CBI should handle the Palghar mob lynching case. They said that the whole truth could come out if such agencies manage the investigation. The police personnel present at the site could have stopped the mob from killing the Sadhus, the report stated. However, the police remained silent and let the brutal murders happen in front of their eyes.

One of the authors of the report, retired Justice Ambadas Joshi, said, “If it were spontaneous, then how did 400-odd people assemble at the spot, what was the logistical support? The police also practically handed over the sadhus to the mob instead of stopping them.” Advocate Pravartak Pathak, another author of the report, said that some Christian missionary organizations fund the organizations that are working on Adivasis’ rights.

Recommendations of the Fact-Finding team

The Fact-Finding Team, formed by Vichar Vivek Manch, examined all aspects of the case. They have given the following recommendations in the Palghar mob lynching case:

  • There is a possibility that this lynching may have connections with the Naxalite movement as there have been incidents of replicating independent Adivasi area as done in Patthalgarhi, Jharkhand. Thus, the investigation should be handled by NIA.
  • There are organizations in the area that are spreading communal hatred and anti-democratic agenda. They provoke people to use violence. It must be investigated by a central investigation agency such as CBI or NIA.
  • The investigation agencies must identify and list the real eyewitnesses. They should get protection and security, considering the history of violence in the area.
  • The report suggested that the investigation should not be misdirected due to the Chief Minister and Home Minister of the state’s statements. There is a need for more in-depth investigation and probe into organizations’ roles, including Adivasi Ekta Parishad and Kashtakari Sanghatana. It said that the videos and other information team came across have been listed in the report, and it should be taken into consideration by the investigation agency.
  • It said that the innocent tribals should not be implicated falsely due to political nexus. They are not among the followers of groups like Adivasi Ekta Parishad and Kashtakari Sanghatana.

Palghar Sadhu lynching

On 16th April 2020, two Sadhus of Juna Akhara, Chikne Maharaj Kalpavrukshagiri (70), and Sushilgiri Maharaj (35) were lynched along with their 30-year old driver by a mob. The incident took place at Gadchinchale village in Palghar district, Maharashtra. They were on their way to Surat, Gujarat. The police were present at the scene, but the allegedly did not try to stop the mob or did anything to save the sadhus.

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