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Alia Bhatt starrer Mahesh Bhatt’s Sadak 2 trailer gets over 1.3 million ‘dislikes’ on YouTube within hours of premiere

OpIndia Staff
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Alia Bhatt starrer Mahesh Bhatt’s Sadak 2 trailer gets over 1.3 million ‘dislikes’ on YouTube within hours of premiere

Within hours of its premiere on YouTube, the Sadak 2 trailer got over 1.3 million dislikes, making it one of the most disliked tailer on the video streaming site. The film Sadak 2 releases on Disney Hotstar VIP on August 28.

Sadak 2 trailer gets over 1.3 million dislikes

As against 1.3 million dislikes, the trailer got less than 1 lakh ‘likes’.

Earlier in the day, the VHP sought legal action against the Mahesh Bhatt film for hurting Hindu sentiments. The movie starring Sanjay Dutt, Alia Bhatt and Aditya Roy Kapur, revolves around the protagonist’s encounter with a “fake Sadhu”. Basically Alia’s character in the movie is out to expose a fake guru and his ashram. Sanjay Dutt’s character will help Alia in ‘exposing’ the Baba.

Notably, last month, at the time of its release, the poster of Sadak 2 had run into controversy. A complaint was filed before a court in Muzaffarpur in Bihar against the filmmakers for hurting Hindu sentiments. 

However, the trailer does not seem to have gone down too well for the audience.

Fans upset over Sushant Singh Rajput’s death

Many fans of Sushant Singh Rajput who smell a foul play in the actor’s untimely death in June this year left angry comments. Following his death, many had blamed the nepotism prevalent in Bollywood for pushing the talented actor over the edge. Further, Mahesh Bhatt came under fire over allegations that Sushant’s girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty was hugely influenced by Bhatt who ‘guided’ her in her relationship with the deceased actor.

Fearful of losing minority votes to SDPI, Congress issues cold response to Bengaluru riots

OpIndia Staff
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Fearful of losing minority votes to SDPI, Congress issues cold response to Bengaluru riots

The Muslim mob violence in Bengaluru, which has injured more than 60 police personnel and killed three rioters in the police firing, has exposed the Congress Party, the main opposition party in the state as most of the party leaders of the state Congress leaders have embraced silence failing to condemn the incident despite the fact that the Muslim mobs had attacked one of its own MLAs.

The reason behind the silence of the Congress party to condemn the incident is because the radical Islamist organisation – Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), which is accused of orchestrating riots, is in a direct fight with the Congress over minority votes.

The SDPI which has some presence in Karnataka has contested in the elections against the Congress in the past and has now emerged as a competitor for the Congress party in a number of assembly seats. Due to its radical Islamic ideology, the SDPI has managed to gain some popularity, threatening Congress’s earlier hold over the Muslim votes. The fringer parties such as SDPI have managed to influence Muslim voters, taking a chunk of traditional Muslim votes from the Congress party.

The Congress, which has been put in a tough situation, seems to be still comprehending to react as if it condemns the violence unleashed by the Muslim mob, it fears a backlash and might end up in helping the SDPI which is already closing in on minority votes. If it does not condemn, the majority community might move further away from the Congress.

Hence, most of the Congress leaders have chosen to remain silent. State Congress leaders like Siddaramaiah and dozens of other leaders have not reacted to the incident since last night. Meanwhile, leaders like DK Shivakumar, Dinesh Gundurao and Priyank Kharge have so far tweeted doing a balancing act by holding blame both on the person who allegedly posted a derogatory post and also the Muslim mob.

The leaders of the Congress party are not ready to speak up against SDPI’s communal politics and have maintained a tight-lip over the entire issue.

SDPI behind violence in Bengaluru

The Bengaluru police have arrested SDPI local leader Muzammil Pasha and booked two other leaders for instigating riots in Bengaluru. The SDPI local leader Muzammil Pasha had visited the police station along with the mob to register a complaint against a person named Naveen over the alleged derogatory Facebook post.

Reportedly, the arrested SDPI leader addressed the mob outside the police station and also joined the Muslim mob which protested outside the residence of the Congress MLA. The SDPI leader, along with two other SDPI leaders, Jaffar and Khaleel Pasha is said to have instigated the Muslim mob to pelt stones and torch vehicles near the police station.

Attach properties of Bengaluru rioters and recover losses as Yogi Adityanath did in UP: BJP MP Tejasvi Surya writes to Karnataka CM

OpIndia Staff
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Attach properties of Bengaluru rioters and recover losses as Yogi Adityanath did in UP: BJP MP Tejasvi Surya writes to Karnataka CM

A Muslim mob, amidst chants of ‘Allah Hu Akbar’ and ‘Nara e Taqbeer’, went on a rampage and unleashed violence in KG Halli and DJ Halli areas of Bengaluru on Tuesday evening over a Facebook post that was allegedly derogatory to Prophet Mohammad.

Slamming the rioters who caused extensive damages to properties, Bengaluru South MP (BJP) Tejasvi Surya has written to the Karanataka CM BS Yediyurappa, asking him to take a cue from the Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath and similarly attach the properties of the rioters and recover the losses caused to public property from them.

The BJP MP took to Twitter to share his letter in which he urged Yediyurappa to follow the example of the government of Uttar Pradesh led by Yogi Adityanath, which he said would ensure that such incidents are not repeated in future.

Tejasvi Surya asks Karnataka CM to take a cue from Yogi Adityanath

Recollecting how Uttar Pradesh CM attached properties of the rioters involved in arson, put up hoardings of the persons accused of violence and in Lucknow alone, issued recovery notices worth Rs 1.55 crores to 50 people, Tejasvi Surya said that the rioters who resorted to vandalism in KG Halli and DJ Halli in Bengaluru on the evening of August 11, should also be dealt with sternly.

The letter written by BJP MP Tejasvi Surya to Karnataka CM

According to reports, a mob comprising of over 100 Muslims had gathered around the residence of Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivasamurthy around 7:00 PM on Tuesday after one of his relatives had shared a Facebook post which was allegedly derogatory to Prophet Mohammad.

The Muslim mob, armed with sticks, iron rods, sharp metal objects and other weapons, went berserk and barged into the house of the MLA. They pelted stones and torched vehicles, ATMs, shops near the locality.

Amidst chants of ‘Allah Hu Akbar’ and ‘Nara e Taqbeer’, Muslim mob burns down police station, more than 60 police personnel injured

More than 60 police personnel were injured in the stone-pelting and the subsequent riots unleashed by the irate Muslim mobs. At least 10 vehicles, including Innovas of two DCPs, were damaged in front of the stations. The mob also set fire to the vehicles in front of the DJ Halli police station.

During the pre-planned attack, the Muslim mob, carrying petrol bombs and other weapons, also barged into the nearby police quarters and attacked the premises. The Muslim mob was seen raising Islamic slogans like ‘Allah-hu-Akbar’ and ‘Nara-e-Taqbeer’ outside the police station.

It was also reported that the journalists and cameraman belonging to the Suvarna news, an influential Kannada news network, were also attacked by the unruly mob.

Yogi Adityanath had taken tough measures to combat the anti-CAA Muslim rioters

For the uninitiated, similar scenes of violence had erupted when Muslims mobs had taken to the streets during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) beginning in December last year. UP CM Yogi Adityanath has been very clear about his intentions from the very first day when the riots took place in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

He had announced tough measures to combat the riots and had promised to seize the property of every rioter and use its funds to repair the damaged public property. The Uttar Pradesh government had also identified at least 498 properties to seize them, which belonged to rioters who vandalized public properties in the state during the so-called anti-CAA protest.

In Lucknow alone, the Uttar Pradesh government had issued recovery notices worth Rs 1.55 crores to 57 rioters under the provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damages to Public and Private Property Ordinance, 2020.

The Lucknow administration had put up large hoardings displaying the names and addresses of the rioters who are required to pay damages. A lot of outrage was registered by opposition parties, especially by the ‘secular-liberal’ gang.

When the court stated that there is no law that allows such public display of names and photographs of rioters, the Yogi government had on March 14 passed an ordinance named the ‘Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damage to Public Properties Ordinance, 2020’, thereby providing the authorization to the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh to recover the damages incurred from the accused individuals.

A claim recovery tribunal was also set up as per the ordinance to oversee damages recovery and appeals.

Exclusive photos: The massive task of laying over 2300 km of optical fibre cables under the sea in the Andaman islands

OpIndia Staff
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Exclusive photos: The massive task of laying over 2300 km of optical fibre cables under the sea in the Andaman islands

On 10th August 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Submarine optical fibre cable network connectivity to the Andaman and Nicobar islands via video conference. The mammoth project of laying down 2300 KM of optical fibre cable was started in December 2018 during PM Modi’s visit to the Islands.

Laying the massive length of cable on the seafloor was not an easy task. It involved extensive engineering works, specialised machinery and a lot of skills.

Laying cables at the seafloor at Andaman

Though India is leading the way in providing fast mobile internet services at cheap rates, the residents of Andaman and Nicobar Islands had to wait for a long time for the services. With this project, the residents and tourists on the Islands will be able to enjoy high-speed internet services.

Workers with diving equipments working at the sea floor

Some facts about the OFC project

The project covers 2,313 Kms of Under Sea cable between Chennai and Port Blair and nearby areas.

Northern Endeavour: One of the ships hired for the project

The total cost of the project is Rs. 1,224 Crore.

BSNL completed the project in less than the projected 24-month period.

Divers working underwater

Andaman and Nicobar Islands will be able to receive high-speed 4G mobile internet services.

This project will boost Digital Services like Tele-education, TeleHealth, eGovernance Services and tourism on the islands.

Submarine OFC laying KT Responder had arrived in Andaman in January

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are strategic in terms of sea route for trade. These Islands are only 100 KM away from Indonesia. From the security point of view, Andaman and Nicobar Islands make it easier to keep a check on the International waters.

The OFC at the sea floor near Andaman and Nicobar Islands

The Indian government is developing ports to enable large ships to use these islands as halt point. High-speed internet will help in providing better services at the ports.

Challenges associated with undersea optical fibre cable projects

Under-sea fibre cable connectivity is not something that is new for those who are familiar with the field. There are hundreds of projects across the world connecting continents via fibre cable. These submarine cable networks are used for high-speed data transfer from server locations to every part of the world. Though the networks have notable benefits, there is no denying that these projects come with the challenges of their own.

Engineers and workers on board the OFC laying ship
  • While laying down the fibre cable, the engineers working on the project have to be highly skilled not only in the technology but also have to be comfortable with working in deep waters. They have to wear special diving suits while laying down the cables to ensure they can work for a longer duration.
  • During monsoon season, the sea between Chennai and Andaman and Nicobar Islands experience high tides. It is next to impossible to continue working in such a condition where tides can go as high as several meters. The engineers have to factor in the damage that these tidal waves can cause to the cable and the protective structure while designing them.
Some portion of the OFC also runs under ground
  • The uneven seabed is another challenge that the engineers have to work on while laying down the wires. The seabed is not like a road. It is uneven, and the depth can differ after every few meters making the project more challenging.
  • Sea animals, seawater and sea plants are all enemies of such structures. They can damage the wires extensively, and thus while designing the wires and the outer cover, the engineers have to make it rustproof and strong to enhance durability.
The OFC laying project in progress
  • It is essential to monitor data transfer all the time so that if there is a problem or breakage in the structure, it can be rectified. Keep in mind that the newly inaugurated structure is around 2300 KM in length. That means to ensure proper monitoring; it has to be equipped with sensors that can detect the problem at a certain point and provide a precise location of the problem for repairs. It increases the cost of the project substantially.

The dependence of upcoming projects on the OFC network

The government is upgrading the Port Blair airport, and several projects are on the final stages in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. A port is also being developed that will allow international ships to halt. With the high-speed internet, it will be easier for the government to provide better services at airports, ports etc.

Tourists at Andaman and Nicobar Islands often complained about the lack of high-speed internet services. With the new OFC network, tourists will find it easier to communicate with their loved ones and spend longer time enjoying holidays at the Islands.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad accuses Mahesh Bhatt’s Sadak 2 of hurting Hindu sentiments, seeks legal action

OpIndia Staff
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Vishwa Hindu Parishad accuses Mahesh Bhatt’s Sadak 2 of hurting Hindu sentiments, seeks legal action

Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt’s first home production, Sadak 2, which also marks the return of her father Mahesh Bhatt as a director after 20 years, has garnered a lot of controversies, even before its release. Reportedly, Vishwa Hindu Parishad is now seeking action against filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt’s directorial venture which is yet to release on the OTT platform Hotstar. VHP leader Vijay Shankar Tiwari has called out the film on Twitter by alleging that it ‘hurts religious sentiments’. He has claimed that the film is portraying Hindus in the bad light and that the centre needs to take action against the makers of the film.

The movie starring Sanjay Dutt, Alia Bhatt and Aditya Roy Kapur, revolves around the protagonist’s encounter with a “fake Sadhu”. Basically Alia’s character in the movie is out to expose a fake guru and his ashram. Sanjay Dutt’s character will help Alia in ‘exposing’ the Baba.

This movie, like many other Bollywood movies which glorify Islam and make fun of Hindu culture, has portrayed a Hindu Sadhu in a bad light. This has particularly irked the Hindus, who have collectively demanded a boycott of the film for its demeaning portrayal of Hindu sadhus and saints.

It is pertinent to note here, that last month, when the poster of the movie was released, then too, the movie had run into controversy. In a complaint filed before a court in Muzaffarpur in Bihar, the filmmakers Mahesh Bhatt and Mukesh Bhatt, besides actor Alia Bhatt, were accused of “hurting Hindu sentiments” through the poster. The complainant had taken exception to the use of an image of Kailash Mansarovar (which is a place of pilgrimage for the Hindus) in the poster of Sadak 2, which is said to be a sequel to the 1991 film that originally starred Sanjay with Pooja Bhatt.

VHP leader Vijay Shankar Tiwari also highlighted in another tweet that how this Mahesh Bhatt’s film endorses nepotism. Tiwari wrote in Hindi: “सुनील दत्त के बेटे हैं संजय दत्त, महेश भट्ट की बेटियाँ हैं पूजा और आलिया, सिद्धार्थ रॉय कपूर के भाई हैं आदित्य, इन सबकी फिल्म है सड़क-2, जो आज रिलीज हुई है,अब महेश भट्ट को बताना होगा कि तुम्हारा और तुम्हारी फिल्म का हश्र खान ब्रदर्स जैसा ही होगा।यही है नेपोटिज्म है।” roughly traslated as “Sanjay Dutt is the son of Sunil Dutt, Alia and Pooja are the daughters of Mahesh Bhatt, Aditya Roy Kapur is the brother of Siddharth Roy Kapur. They all have acted in Sadak 2, which was released today. Now, it’s time to tell Mahesh Bhatt that he and his film will meet the same fate as Khan brothers. This is nepotism.”

Amid the raging debate about nepotism and favouritism in Bollywood, which was reignited after the untimely demise of the young actor Sushant Singh Rajput, a section of angry netizens uninstalled Disney+ Hotstar, the OTT app that is all set to premiere the comeback film of director Mahesh Bhatt, Sadak 2. On Monday, the angry social media users trended the hashtag #UninstallHotstar on Twitter, urging people to boycott the Bhatt family’s project.

Mahesh Bhatt’s alleged closeness with Sushant’s girlfriend, Rhea Chakraborty, who has now been charged with abetment to suicide in an FIR filed by the late actor’s father, is also believed to be one of the reasons of netizens’ wrath.

Amidst all of this, Alia Bhatt has turned off the comments section of her social media accounts including Instagram and Twitter. Sadak 2 will release on Disney+ Hotstar on August 28.

Bengaluru burns: Rioters have no religion but ‘saviours of temples from rioters’ do

OpIndia Staff
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Bengaluru burns: Rioters have no religion but ‘saviours of temples from rioters’ do

Hours after the riots broke out in Bengaluru over allegedly offensive Facebook post on Prophet Muhammad, where rioting Muslim mobs attacked police station and cops, a video went viral on social media. At around 2 AM on the intervening night of 11th and 12th August, Congress National Secretary and social media in-charge Zakiya Khan shared a video wherein she claimed that Muslim youth formed a ‘human chain’ to ‘safeguard’ a temple from ‘unruly mob’.

Very cleverly ‘temples’ (plural) was hashtagged and religion of the ‘unruly mob’ was hidden while religion of men in ‘human chain’ was highlighted. Fact: Religion of ‘unruly mob’ was also Islam.

It is interesting to note that the Hindus perhaps never in their wildest imagination thought that someone will come and destroy their temples over a Facebook post. However, this ‘protecting the temple’ appears more of a soft-threat or a nudge that the temples can be demolished over a post that Muslims find offensive. This especially appears more terrifying after the lowkey threat by All India Muslim Personal Law Board on the eve of Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan where the Islamic body had cited example of Hagia Sophia and threatened how once a mosque will always remain a mosque, thereby implying how Ram Mandir which will be constructed where disputed structure once stood will be demolished by Muslims.

One social media user Muhammad Nuammir also shared the same video with the caption how this is the beauty of India.

Here again while ‘Muslims’ are creating ‘human chain’ to guard temple, Nuammir conveniently forgets to mention that the attackers were also their own Muslim brethren.

Congress leader Salman Nizami too referred to the rioters as ‘mob’ but ‘human chain protecting Hindu temples’ was made by Muslims.

Nizami had referred to 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru a martyr and termed 5th August, the day Government of India abrogated Article 370 a ‘black day’.

News agency ANI too shared the video sourced from a localite wherein it referred to rioters as ‘arsonists’.

India Today employee Rajdeep Sardesai also hailed the Muslims ‘human chain’.

These ‘arsonists’ too didn’t have religion, but men making ‘human chain’ to ‘protect temple’ do.

However, many netizens raised concerns whether the above video was staged and a PR stunt especially by Congress as its leaders were the ones to push it to make it viral.

Another video from the same location has now surfaced where one can hear someone in the background urge the person shooting the video to ‘upload it fast’.

This casts aspersions on whether the video of ‘human chain’ by Muslims to ‘protect the temple’ was a mere publicity stunt after the rioters burned down the city over a social media post.

Bengaluru Riots: Did you know in the past Muslim mobs have attacked New Indian Express building and Deccan Herald over ‘insult to Prophet Muhammad’

OpIndia Staff
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Bengaluru Riots: Did you know in the past Muslim mobs have attacked New Indian Express building and Deccan Herald over ‘insult to Prophet Muhammad’

The southern metropolis of Bengaluru was yesterday convulsed with violent riots as the rabid Muslim mob went on a rampage on the streets of the city, indulging in incidents of arson and vandalism, protesting against an allegedly derogatory post on Prophet Muhammad uploaded on social media by a relative of Dalit Congress MLA Akhanda Shrinivasamurthy.

The otherwise serene city of Bengaluru was engulfed in bloody communal conflagration as the violent Muslim mob ran riot on the street, baying for the blood of the person who uploaded the post on Facebook. However, this is not the first time that the city of Bengaluru was embroiled in a bloody communal strife.

New Indian Express building stormed by Muslim protesters in January 2000

At the turn of the millennium, Bengaluru was similarly gripped in communal turmoil over a book written 7 centuries ago, as per a report published in India Today. The Bengaluru edition of the New Indian Express on the New Year’s Day in 2000 rankled Muslim community so much so that a large mob of 1000 protesters stormed the newspaper’s building expressing their protest against the article.

Muslims in Bengaluru were offended by an essay titled “The Millennium is Dead . . . Long Live the Millennium” which had a reference to Prophet Muhammad by the 13th century Italian poet Dante in the literary work Inferno. The irate mob swarmed the office premises of the New Indian Express against the perceived insult to Prophet Muhammad and vented out their anger against them.

The Bengaluru police just arrived in time to prevent any untoward incident. The law enforcement officials tried to disperse the crowd by employing baton-charge, tear-gas shells and persuasion. However, the angry mob swelled and they burnt down a lorry containing copies of the New Indian Express.

The news of the clashes spread like a wildfire in different parts of the city and soon irate Muslim mobs took to the streets to protest against the article. Several policemen were injured in the skirmishes with the protesters. Prohibitory orders were imposed in and around the buildings for the next 7 days.

A 20-member delegation of Muslim scholars led by the Bangalore Jama Masjid imam had a meeting with the chief reporter of the newspaper and demanded an apology from the author of the article and a regret note from the newspaper, which was carried on the front-page of the daily the next day.

In its apology letter and regret note, the newspaper alleged that the protests were instigated by disgruntled elements for “reasons other than defence of their faith”. The note emphasised that the newspaper respects and will continue to respect all faiths and their divine personalities including Islam and its Prophet. “We only hope that the Muslim community will get a better and more enlightened leadership which will work for the community and not their own advancement,” it read.

Communal riots in Karnataka in December 1986 over an article published in the Deccan Herald

Earlier in December 1986, an even more serious communal riots rocked the state of Karnataka when a story published in the Deccan Herald raised the hackles of the Muslims, touching off a violent wave of riots across the state, claiming 17 lives. While the writer of that story had gone on a pilgrimage to Sabarimala, the founder editor of the Hong Kong-based Asia week magazine had gone underground.

The main character of the story had the name of the prophet and the other members of the protagonist’s family carried names similar to that of the prophet’s family, which had triggered the riots.

Bengaluru riots: Muslim mob attacks journalists and damage cameras, 60 policemen injured in stone-pelting

OpIndia Staff
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Bengaluru riots: Muslim mob attacks journalists and damage cameras, 60 policemen injured in stone-pelting

More than 60 police personnel have been injured in the stone-pelting and the subsequent riots unleashed by Muslim mobs in the KG Halli, Bengaluru on Tuesday evening.

According to the reports, at least 60 policemen sustained injuries after Muslim mob hurled bottles and stones at them. The situation took an ugly turn after two separate Muslim mobs gathered in front of KG Halli and DJ Halli police stations. The Muslim mobs locked the gates from outside and pelted stones at the police station. At least 10 vehicles, including Innovas of two DCPs, were damaged in front of the stations.

The mob also set fire to the vehicles in front of the DJ Halli police station.

During the pre-planned attack by the Muslim mob, the Muslim mob, carrying petrol bombs and other weapons, also barged into the nearby police quarters and attacked the premises. The Muslim mob was seen raising Islamic slogans like ‘Allah-hu-Akbar’ and ‘Nara-e-Taqbeer’ outside the police station.

The Muslim mob even attacked the DCP Bheemashankar Guled, who had visited the spot to take control of the situation. The angry mob stopped him in front of the police station gate and also pelted stones at him. Even as the police personnel were escorting the DCP to a safe location, the mob attacked the car and damaged it. They also assaulted the driver of the vehicle.

The police had to resort to firing in the air in front of the KG Halli police station. Despite the firing, there was no sign of control as the mob continued with their violence protest. In the resulting firing, at least two people have died while a few others were injured severely.

It is pertinent to note that the Muslim mobs in Bengaluru has unleashed the attack on policemen in a much similar way just as their counterparts had unleashed a similar violence during Delhi Anti-Hindu Delhi riots which had led to the killing of the murder of Ratan Lal and deadly attacks on IPS officers Amit Sharma and IPS Anuj Kumar.

Muslim mob attacks journalists

The Muslim mob also attacked journalists, cameraman belonging to the Suvarna news, an influential Kannada news network. The unruly mob confronted the journalists, who were reporting live the violence on camera and forced them to stop recording.

The mob attacked media persons, who were capturing the violent incident on their phone cameras and two Suvarna News journalists have been injured. The cameras and mobiles were snatched and damaged completely.

SDPI behind violence in Bengaluru

The Bengaluru police have arrested SDPI local leader Muzammil Pasha and booked two other leaders for instigating riots in Bengaluru. The SDPI local leader Muzammil Pasha had visited the police station along with the mob to register a complaint against a person named Naveen over the alleged derogatory Facebook post.

Reportedly, the arrested SDPI leader addressed the mob outside the police station and also joined the Muslim mob which protested outside the residence of the Congress MLA. The SDPI leader, along with two other SDPI leaders, Jaffar and Khaleel Pasha is said to have instigated the Muslim mob to pelt stones and torch vehicles near the police station.

Bengaluru riots:

On Tuesday, a Muslim mob went on a rampage and unleashed brutal violence and arson in Bengaluru on Tuesday evening over a Facebook post that was allegedly derogatory to Prophet Mohammad. The Muslim mob hit the streets near DJ Halli and KG Halli police station areas on Tuesday evening and attacked a Congress MLA’s house after one of his relatives had allegedly made a derogatory Facebook post.

Over 100 people had gathered around the residence of Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivasamurthy. The mob was seen barging into the premises and attacking the house, breaking windows and torching vehicles. The Muslim mob, armed with sticks, iron rods, sharp metal objects and other weapons, also attacked the local police station and burnt the vehicles, injuring more than 60 police officers.

Nigerian singer sentenced to death by Sharia Court for blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad

OpIndia Staff
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Nigerian singer sentenced to death by Sharia Court for blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad

A musician from the northern state of Kano in Nigeria has been sentenced to death by hanging for blasphemy by a Sharia Court. According to a report published by BBC, 22-year-old Yahaya Sharif-Aminu was found guilty of committing blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad. One of his songs were circulated via WhatsApp in March in which he had praised Imam from Tijaniya Muslim brotherhood. He allegedly said that the Imam was above Prophet Muhammad.

An upper Sharia court in the Hausawa Filin Hockey area sentenced him to death by hanging. Aminu had denied the charges against him. Judge Khadi Aliyu Muhammad Kani added in his judgment that Aminu could appeal against the verdict. In the states across northern Nigeria have both Secular and Sharia laws. The non-Muslims are not covered under Sharia Law. In 1999, Sharia Law was introduced in Nigeria. Since then, only one death sentence passed by the Sharia court has been carried out.

The singer went into hiding after composing the song. His family house was burnt down the protesters. They gathered outside the Headquarters of Hisbah, the Islamic Police of Nigeria and demanded strict action against him. He was detained later. The leader of the protesters Idris Ibrahim said that his arrest would serve as a warning for others not to do anything that goes against their belief. He said, “This [judgement] will serve as a deterrent to others who feel they could insult our religion or prophet and go scot-free.”

The unknown singer Aminu

Before protests erupted against him, Yahaya Sharif-Aminu was one of the lesser-known singers in Nigeria. He is an Islamic gospel musician, and his work is mainly famous in his Tjjaniya sect.

Another member of the Tijaniya sect was sentenced to death in Sharia courts in the country in 2016 and remains in prison. Abdulazeez Inyass was convicted of blasphemy in Kano after a secret trial for allegedly proclaiming that Tijaniya founder Sheikh Ibrahim Niasse “was bigger than Prophet Muhammad” during a sermon.

USCIRF Condemns Death Sentence

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) stated on 10th August and condemned the death sentence against the 22-year-old singer over blasphemy charges. USCIRF Vice Chair Tony Perkins said, “Blasphemy laws are inconsistent with universal human rights standards because they fail to respect recognized rights, including freedom of religion and expression. The Nigerian government must overturn Sharif-Aminu’s death sentence and repeal blasphemy laws still present in state-sponsored courts.”

USCIRF Commissioner Frederick A. Davie stated, “It is unconscionable that Sharif-Aminu is facing a death sentence merely for expressing his beliefs artistically through music. The U.S. Senate should work swiftly to pass S.Res. 458, which calls for the global repeal of heresy, blasphemy and apostasy laws.” USCIRF listed Nigeria as a country of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom Act for engaging in or tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom in its Annual report for 2020.

Minor Hindu girl kidnapped by Muslim in Begusarai: Police insist it was ‘love affair’, no POCSO charges registered, refuses to even question boy’s family

Jhankar Mohta
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Minor Hindu girl kidnapped by Muslim in Begusarai: Police insist it was ‘love affair’, no POCSO charges registered, refuses to even question boy’s family

On July 26, a Hindu minor girl was allegedly abducted on gunpoint from Bhikan Chak village, falling under Bachhwara police station limits, in Begusarai, Bihar, while she was returning from the market with her father. Dinesh, the minor girl’s father had alleged that seven people, including main accused Nazmul and a female, approached them in a Bolero car while they were crossing the Panchayat Bhavan in Behrampur in Mansurchak Block in Begusarai district and took away his daughter on gunpoint.

It’s been 17 days now, but her unnerved parents still have no clue where their daughter is. Speaking to OpIndia, the girl’s father Dinesh said that his daughter is still missing and alleged that the police are doing nothing to look for her.

Dinesh Kumar Pandit, who had filed an FIR that named the main accused, Izmul Khan alias Nazmul alias Aryan and his accomplice, Mohammad Narool Ansari, Mohammad Munaffar Anjum Ansari alias Chand and Farat and others, said that the Deputy superintendent of police (DSP) had visited him on August 2 and threatened him.

Speaking of the incident, Dinesh said that the police is not believing his complaints. He alleges that the Begusarai DSP told him that something as absurd as this never happens in reality and that he was concocting a story.

The Police ask me to give them some clues. I am a poor and helpless man, from where do I get the proof: asked Dinesh

Throwing light on the police apathy, Dinesh said that his family members regularly see the main accused Nazmul’s brother in their house in the neighbouring village. In fact, he was there on August 10 too, but whenever they ask the police as to why they are not arresting him, the latter claims that whenever they raid Nazmul’s house no one is present there. “The Police ask me to give them some clues. I am a poor and helpless man, from where do I get the proof”, asked the desolated father of a minor girl who has been missing for the last 17 days.

On being asked whether he informed police that his family members had spotted Nazmul’s brother yesterday also, Dinesh replied that police were informed but he is not sure as to what action did the latter take after receiving the information.

During the course of the conversation, Dinesh also confirmed that he has received no call since the incident either from his daughter or her abductors.

For any girl’s father, nothing can be more daunting than this that his minor daughter has been missing for over a fortnight and he does not know which door to knock and how to get her back. “My wife is in very bad shape, a feeling of dejection and melancholy has gripped my entire family”, said the troubled father furthering: “I have left no stone unturned. I have, until now, approached all the big and influential people that I could. Everyone assures that they will look into the matter, but no one cares. No one has taken any interest in my case”.

“Hum sune the Kanoon ke haath bahut lambe hote hain, lekin yeh sab kitab ki batain hain”: Dinesh Kumar Prasad as he talks of losing faith in the Indian judicial system

Dinesh told OpIndia that he approached Awadesh Kumar Rai, a former MLA from Begusarai and a member of the Communist Party of India (CPI) State Executive in Bihar and pleaded that he instructs the police to take some concrete action in the case. Despite the assurance, he did not contact the police, said Dinesh. “Be it the Panchayat Sarpanch or the Mukhiyas (heads) I have knocked everyone’s doors, but what I got in return, was only dejection.

When asked whether he approached Congress’ Ramdev Rai, the local MLA, Dinesh confirmed that though he did not contact him directly he had spoken to the block representative of the Congress party. The representative, Dinesh confirmed, had initially also accompanied him to the police station to introduce him to the officials, which the Congress worker said would be beneficial for Dinesh as it would help him pursue his case. Dinesh, in his glum voice, continued saying, that, ever since, that block representative has also not contacted him and never come back to follow up the case.

“Only a few BJP members, including Amiya Kashyap, keep coming to us on and off to console and to re-assure us, otherwise, no one come to us. No media has also approached us”, confirmed the girl’s father.

Asserting that his family was now losing hope of getting their daughter back and faith in the judicial system, the disturbed father of the minor girl concluded by saying: “Hum sune the Kanoon ke haath bahut lambe hote hain, lekin yeh sab kitab ki batain hain. Garib aadmi ka koi dekhne wala nahi hain is Hindustan mein,” roughly translated as, “It is said that the judicial system of India is very powerful, but these are just stories, the fact is that no one in the country hears you when you are poor”.

After speaking to Dinesh and hearing his grievances with the police and the judiciary, OpIndia contacted Begusarai DSP Om Prakash to know his version of the incident.

‘It was a love affair, the story of ‘kidnapping’ is false: Begusarai DSP Om Prakash

As soon as we enlightened him regarding which incident we wanted to speak to him about, the DSP exclaimed: “You have been given the wrong information. No minor girl was abducted. The girl had a love affair with the boy”.

The Begusarai DSP continued that the two (the Hindu minor girl and the Muslim boy, Nazmul) have been caught twice in the past. The Panchayat members, taking action on the girl’s father complaint, had also beaten up the boy one and a half years ago, when he was caught exchanging love letters with the girl. The girl’s father has, twice before, broken her mobile phone, when she was caught talking to Nazmul. These things cannot stay under wraps for a very long time in the village, claimed DSP.

He continued that this time too, Dinesh approached the village Panchayat after his daughter did not return until late evening on July 26. He urged the Panchayat members to get his daughter back. In the Panchayat meeting, which was held in the presence of the village Panchayat heads, the sarpanch, the girls family members and the boy’s brother, Dinesh asked the members to pressurise Nazmul’s brother to give Nazmul’s contact details. But the boy’s brother said he did not know anything and did not have Nazmul’s contact details.

“Aap sochiye, yahan din dahare koi bhi gunpoint par kya aaise kisi ko utha ke le ja sakta hain?, (think about it, how is it possible that a person has abducted a girl on gunpoint that too in broad daylight) Begusarai DSP asked, insinuating that Dinesh was lying.

When the Panchayat members refused to intervene beyond this, as this was not the first time that the two had eloped, Dinesh contrived this fictitious story and gave the incident a Hindu-Muslim angle, the DSP said.

DSP says the incident is being politicised because of upcoming elections

“This is Bihar. There is a lot of corruption here. People play dirty politics. And now when the elections are around the corner, and coincidentally this particular case pertains to a Hindu girl and a Muslim boy, some BJP leaders are using Dinesh and the incident to gain political mileage. That is why Dinesh has filed an FIR giving the incident a communal or a Hindu-Muslim twist”, added the DSP.

Though the DSP becomes a little inaudible here, he is heard mentioning “Pakistan angle”, by which we presume he was talking about the statement given by Dinesh, where he had said that, Nazmul had allegedly told the girl’s father that had it been Pakistan, they would have taken the girl from the house itself.

The DSP said that the girls’ father has dreamt up the Pakistan statement. “You imagine, the FIR mentions the boy’s 17-18-year-old sister, his mother, two brothers as the co-accused. Is it possible that these people can abduct anyone, that too on gunpoint, said DSP, laughing at the plausibility of the event.

“The fact is that this is a simple love affair, which the girl’s family is blowing out of proportion”, furthered DSP Om Prakash. When questioned on allegations that police was not cooperating, DSP, in turn, passed the buck on to the girl’s father. He said that Dinesh was not assisting in the investigations. He did not provide police with the girl’s mobile number. Did not even turn up at the police station when summoned, said the police officer.

“We are trying are best, but what is one to do when the family members do not cooperate”, said the official furthering that he presumes the couple has fled to Kolkata. DSP OM Prakash said that the police received 4/5 mobile numbers which it tried to locate, but could not, as these mobiles have continuosly been switched off since they began investigating the case.

The DSP said that one Nazmul’s friend named Divanshu had told someone that their freind in Kolkata had suggested Nazmul to come to him with his girlfreind.

The DSP alluded that since elections are approaching, some people want to create confusion, a tensed atmosphere and trying to make political mileage out of the incident.

Begusarai Police only questioning the minor girl’s family, not the boy’s family

When asked whether the police have also summoned the boy’s family the DSP surprisingly told us that they had only interrogated the family which approached the Panchayat (the girl’s family). However, this remains a mystery as to why, when the girl was a minor, the boy’s side of the family was not questioned.

We had reported on July 30 that a minor girl was abducted on gunpoint while she was returning from the market with her father. The incident took place on July 26 (Sunday) in Bhikan Chak village in Begusarai, Bihar. Dinesh, the father of the minor girl said that around 5 pm, seven people, including a female, approached them in a Bolero car while they were crossing the Panchayat Bhavan in Behrampur in Mansurchak Block in Begusarai district and took away his daughter on gunpoint.

Naming Nazmul as the main accused with six others, Dinesh had written in his complaint that after the incident, he and his wife had visited Izmul Khan alias Nazmul alias Aryan’s house where they found his mother Haseena Khatun. When they tried to apprise Haseena Khatun about the incident, she gathered a mob with her screams and began to abuse and beat up the couple. Snatching Dinesh’s wife’s gold mangal sutra, Haseena had allegedly threatened the couple that she would sell their daughter in Bangladesh and push her into prostitution if they don’t leave immediately. 

We had reported then how despite the girl being a minor, the SHO had confirmed that the POCSO Act had not been invoked and that the accused were booked under IPC sections 366, 323, 341, 379, 384 and 504, for kidnapping and causing hurt, among other offences.

The DSP’s repeated assertion on the case being a ‘love affair’ is also strange, because the family insists that the girl is a minor and a minor girl missing for over two weeks has not even brought out a serious response for the local police yet.

Amidst these allegations and counter-allegations, the hard-hitting fact is that a minor hindu girl has been missing since the last 17 days, and the police do not have a clue yet.

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