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“Gareebon ki baat boring hi lagegi”: PM Modi hits back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Parliament

ANI
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“Gareebon ki baat boring hi lagegi”: PM Modi hits back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Parliament

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday took a veiled jab at the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, saying that people who resort to “photo sessions” at the homes of the poor will find boring the discussion in Parliament about such deprived people.

“Those who get photo sessions done at the huts of poor people find talk on them boring,” the PM said during his reply today to the motion of thanks to President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the joint session of parliament.

Talking about the union government’s efforts in installing water taps in 12 crore houses, the PM added, “Our government has given tap water connections to 12 crore homes. We have worked so much for the welfare of the poor, and that is why the President also mentioned it in her speech.”

“If we have responsibility, then we cannot just identify the problem and leave it at that, we need to focus on finding solutions too,” PM Modi said.

Extending his criticism of Congress further, PM Modi also in a veiled reference to former PM Rajiv Gandhi said, “We had a PM, he wanted to be called Mr Clean, he understood the problem. He said if Rs 1 leaves Delhi then only 15 paisa reaches the poor. Only one party ruled in states and the centre. This was a pure loot, a very big ‘haath safai’.” the PM said.

“Our model is clear, Janata ka paisa, Janta ke liye (the public’s money is for the public itself),” the Prime Minister said.

Contrasting it with the efforts of the current government, he mentioned the government of India’s initiative, the “JAM Trinity,” which links Jan Dhan accounts, Aadhar cards, and Mobile numbers to give direct benefit transfers to people.

“We started giving DBT, Direct Benefit Transfer. We gave Rs 40 lakh crore in the bank accounts of people. But look at the previous governments, how it was run,” PM Modi said.

As the Opposition raised slogans and shouted during his speech, the PM hit back and said, “jabh zyada bukhar chadh jata hain tabh aadmi bahut bolta hain (people talk too much when they are disappointed).”

The Prime Minister said those who were not even born in India, they were benefitting from different government schemes. “To make sure that there is no injustice done to the innocent, we did not care for political gains and losses and removed the names of 10 crore such frauds and started the initiative to take the schemes to genuine beneficiaries,” he said.

“Those who were not even Indians, not even part of this country, took advantage of the Indian funds. Without caring about political benefits or anything, we removed 10 crore such frauds and gave them to real beneficiaries after looking for them,” he said.

“When the frauds were removed, then around Rs 3 lakh crore were saved from wrong hands. I am not naming whose hands they were, but they were wrong hands,” he said.

Further, PM Modi took another potshot apparently at Rahul Gandhi, who is often seen with a copy of the Constitution in his pocket, PM Modi said, “Those who carry copy of Constitution in their pockets can’t understand its importance.”

“It is unfortunate that today some people are speaking the language of urban Naxals openly, challenging the Indian state and declaring a fight against it. Those who speak this language neither understand the Constitution nor the unity of the nation,” he said.

The Prime Minister said that for seven decades, J&K and Ladakh were deprived of their constitutional rights. “This was an injustice not only to the Constitution but also to the people of these regions…We live by the spirit of the Constitution, and that is why we make strong decisions. Our Constitution does not give the right to discriminate. Those who live with the Constitution in their pockets do not know what kind of difficulties you forced Muslim women to live in…”

The Prime Minister also hit back at Rahul Gandhi over his OBC remarks in Lok Sabha.

“For some people, speaking about caste is fashion. For the last 30 years, OBC MPs have been demanding that OBC Commission be granted Constitutional status. Those who see a benefit in casteism today did not think of the OBC community back then,” he said.

“We granted Constitutional status to the OBC Commission. SC, ST and OBC get more opportunities in every sector – we have worked very strongly towards this. I pose an important question to the citizens through this House – have there even been three MPs simultaneously from the same family of SC community? I also ask, tell me if there ever were three MPs simultaneously from the same family belonging to the ST community…” He said that is a vast difference between the Opposition’s words and actions.

In his speech in Parliament on February 3, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi mentioned the caste census and raised the issue of the participation of Dalits, OBC and Adivasis in the institutions of the country.

Rahul Gandhi raised various issues in Parliament, in which the Opposition criticised the government’s handling of the manufacturing sector, claiming that the government’s flagship programme, ‘Make in India’ had failed even after trying.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Taliban Deputy Foreign Minister forced to flee Afghanistan after opposing ban on girls’ education

OpIndia Staff
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Taliban Deputy Foreign Minister forced to flee Afghanistan after opposing ban on girls’ education

In Afghanistan, a senior Taliban Minister, Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, has been forced to flee from the country amid fears of arrest. The minister had advocated for lifting the ban on girls’ education in Afghanistan and has condemned the group’s ban on their education, calling it anti-Islamic.

On January 20, during a graduation ceremony in Khost province, near the Afghan-Pakistan border, Stanikzai spoke about opening schools for girls and said that banning their education was not in line with Shariah law. “There is no excuse for this – not now and not in the future. We are being unjust to 20 million people,” Stanikzai said, referring to the Afghanistani women and girls.

“During the time of the prophet Muhammad, the doors of knowledge were open for both men and women. There were such remarkable women that if I were to elaborate on their contributions, it would take a considerable amount of time,” the Afghanistan Minister added.

These comments of the the Minister fueled internal division, forcing the Taliban’s supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, to order his arrest. Akhundzada also issued a travel ban against him, prohibiting him from entering Afghanistan again.

Following this controversy, Stanikzai went to Dubai, as reported by the news channel Afghanistan International. However, the Taliban leader told the media that he has gone to Dubai for his medical treatment.

Notably, this is not the first time when the leader has raised his voice to support girl education. In 2022, he said that no one has a religious reason that can justify depriving girls of education, calling schools and colleges obligatory for both genders.

In December 2022, the Taliban regime banned university education for females. InAfghanistan, under the Taliban rule, access to universities for female students remains suspended. In a letter, confirmed by Ziaullah Hashimi, the spokesperson of Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education, all the public and private universities were instructed to suspend access to female students immediately, in compliance with the cabinet decision. 

“You are all informed to immediately implement the mentioned order of suspending female education until further notice,” said a letter signed by Minister of Higher Education Neda Mohammad Nadeem. The letter was addressed to all government and private universities.

Following the Taliban’s takeover of the country, universities were compelled to implement new rules, such as gender-segregated classrooms and entrances. Women were only permitted to be educated by women professors or old men. Girls in Afghanistan already had very limited access to secondary education and a ban imposed on their university education shattered their dreams of pursuing careers of their choice.

‘Words never spoken were attributed to Army Chief’: Defence Min Rajnath Singh slams Rahul Gandhi over claims on China

OpIndia Staff
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‘Words never spoken were attributed to Army Chief’: Defence Min Rajnath Singh slams Rahul Gandhi over claims on China

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday criticized Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for his speech in the Lok Sabha on Monday, accusing him of spreading “false allegations” against the Indian Army chief and making misleading remarks on the India-China border dispute.

“The Army Chief’s remarks referred only to the disturbance of traditional patrolling by both sides. He also mentioned that these practices have been restored to their traditional pattern as part of the recent disengagement. The government has shared these details in Parliament,” Singh tweeted while refuting Gandhi’s remarks.

While responding to the Motion of Thanks to President Droupadi Murmu’s address, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha expressed concern that India’s reliance on Chinese products has become a significant security threat.

Rahul Gandhi further alleged that the Chief of Army Staff acknowledged the presence of Chinese forces within Indian territory. “This is a fact. The key issue is why China is inside our territory… The reason is that ‘Make in India’ has failed. China is occupying our land because India is not manufacturing enough. I fear that India is once again surrendering this industrial revolution to China,” he stated in Parliament.

Rajnath Singh rejected Rahul Gandhi’s statements, clarifying that the Army chief’s remarks only referred to the disruption of traditional patrolling by both India and China.

The Defence Minister further asserted that the words Rahul Gandhi attributed to the Army chief “were never spoken by him at any point.”

“Regrettably, Shri Rahul Gandhi is engaging in irresponsible politics on matters of national interest,” Singh stated in his post.

Addressing claims about China’s presence in Indian territory, he pointed out that any such occupation pertains to the 38,000 sq km in Aksai Chin lost after the 1962 war and the 5,180 sq km illegally ceded by Pakistan to China in 1963.

Elon Musk’s DOGE team is made of 19-24 age group tech prodigies? As USAID crackdown continues, social media wonders about ‘nerds’ taking over Govt

Shraddha Pandey
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Elon Musk’s DOGE team is made of 19-24 age group tech prodigies? As USAID crackdown continues, social media wonders about ‘nerds’ taking over Govt

The Trump administration’s crackdown on the controversial United States Agency for International Development (USAID) continues with some of its employees sent on leave and some fired. The Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been in the news for its action against the wastage of government funds, the DOGE team gaining access to sensitive data of the Treasury Department and USAID. As DOGE goes berserk to slash wasteful expenditures and restructure federal agencies, the DOGE team has intrigued the people of the United States.

The centre of the DOGE team reportedly includes six techies between the ages of 19 and 24. Elon Musk’s top picks for US President Donald Trump’s order to modernise federal technology and software to “maximise efficiency and productivity”, however, lack experience in government affairs. Of the six tech prodigies in the DOGE team, one is a college student and the other is a volunteer, however, all of them are connected to Elon Musk.

The six tech prodigies at the DOGE team who have become the topic of discussion on social media are Akash Bobba, Edward Coristine, Luke Farritor, Gautier Cole Killian, Gavin Kliger, and Ethan Shaotran. Of these, some have working emails from the General Services Administration (GSA) and OPM even though they do not have any prior government experience.

Akash Bobba is reported to be from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was in the renowned Management, Entrepreneurship, and Technology program. As per Bobba’s now-deleted LinkedIn profile, the 21-year-old techie was an investment engineering intern at the Bridgewater Associates hedge fund. Akash Bobba also interned at tech behemoths Meta and Palantir.

Telling people about the Indian-origin techie’s skills and efficiency, Charis Zhang, the CEO of Grata AI who also attended UC Berkeley said, “Let me tell you something about Akash. During a project at Berkeley, I accidentally deleted our entire codebase 2 days before the deadline. I panicked. Akash just stared at the screen, shrugged, and rewrote everything from scratch in one night—better than before. We submitted early and got first in the class. Many such stories. I trust him with everything I own.”

Notably, Akash Bobba has been listed in the internal official documents as an “expert” at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Bobba directly reports to Amanda Scales, the new chief of staff.

Another DOGE team member Edward Coristine recently graduated from high school and enrolled in Northeastern University. For three months last year, Corisitine was also at Elon Musk’s brain-computer interface company Neuralink. Like Akash Bobba, Coristine is also posted as an “expert” at OPM.

Meanwhile, 25-year-old Gavin Kliger, who like Akash Bobba attended UC Berkely and also worked at AI company Databricks. In 2019, Kliger worked for a while as an engineer at Twitter. As per Kliger’s LinkedIn profile, he holds the position of Special Advisor to the Director at the OPM. In a Substack entry, Kliger delved into why ditched his “seven-figure salary” to “save America”.

Interestingly, an NYT report says that it was Gavin Kliger who sent the staff-wide emails to USAID workers to work from home as the DOGE and Trump administration were scrutinising the agency.

Another DOGE team member Luke Farritor previously worked as an intern at Musk-owned SpaceX. The 23-year-old is currently a Theil Fellow after dropping out of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In his school days, Farritor was a member of the team that won an award for deciphering portions of an ancient Greek scroll.

Meanwhile, Ethan Shaotran’s interaction with Business Insider last year reveals that he was a senior at Harvard studying computer science, and also the founder of an OpenAI-backed startup, Energize AI.

Gautier Cole Killian who has a DOGE associate email is currently listed as a “volunteer” in the official internal documents. A 24-year-old Killian graduated from high school in 2019 and attended McGill University. As per his now-deleted website, Killian worked as an engineer at Jump Trading.

While Elon Musk was initially displeased over the doxing of DOGE core team members, however, the billionaire slightly softened his stance and “admitted” that “Media reports saying that @DOGE has some of world’s best software engineers are in fact true.”

US netizens express concerns over handing over too much power and sensitive information to ‘inexperienced’ tech nerds

Notably, Bobba, Coristine, Farritor, and Shaotran have General Services Administration (GSA) clearance allowing them access to all IT systems and data. As per a WIRED report, some officials in federal agencies have raised concerns that the DOGE team members with GSA clearance can bypass conventional security clearance protocols and access highly sensitive government data.

Just days back, the DOGE team members, whom a section of US netizens is calling “DOGE Kids” visited the USAID headquarters to seek information from its secure compartmented information facility (SCIF) on the second floor of the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington D.C.

Even though the information sought was not classified, the USAID officials were reluctant to let the DOGE ‘kids’ access the secure room. Reportedly, one of the DOGE team members dialled to Elon Musk informing him about the USAID officials declining them access to the SCIF. Musk then warned the USAID officials of involving the US Marshal’s Service. Consequently, the DOGE team was allowed to access the secure room.

US Attorney says anyone threatening the DOGE team members will be prosecuted under law

In a letter to Elon Musk, Ed Martin, the US Attorney, District of Columbia, stated that his office is mobilising rapidly to deal with individuals who have threatened the DOGE team members because threatening them violates the law.

As the DOGE team members, however young and ‘inexperienced’ are exercising the rights they have been given by the Trump administration, they are receiving death threats and hate on social media, particularly on the social media platform Bluesky. Not to forget, Bluesky is a competitor of Musk-owned X, and an echo chamber of pro-Democrats, liberals and wokes.

Raising concern over young tech nerds being granted access to sensitive information from various federal agencies, an X user Emily shared a screenshot of Coristine’s LinkedIn profile and wrote, “Public servants forced to defend their work to a recent high school graduate who up until a few weeks ago went by the online name “Big Balls”.

Meanwhile, a Bluesky user Jacqueline Sweet wrote, “Contrary to some info I’ve seen, 19-yr-old Doge staffer “BigBalls” Edward Coristine did not delete his X account, it’s just renamed and is private. Wired reported that govt tech workers had to defend their work to the Neuralink intern in an Office Space-esque scene.”

Contrary to some info I've seen, 19-yr-old Doge staffer "BigBalls" Edward Coristine did not delete his X account, it's just renamed and is private. Wired reported that govt tech workers had to defend their work to the Neuralink intern in an Office Space-esque scene. / more for Canadians

[image or embed]

— Jacqueline Sweet (@jsweetli.bsky.social) 2 February 2025 at 23:52

Mocking Edward Coristine, one X user wrote, “Let it be known that 19-year-old Edward Coristine, previously @edwardbigballer on X (since deleted) is confirmed as to be one of @DOGE’s unqualified goons. Imagine being a career fed staffer and being expected to let this kid “review your code” with a straight face. Laughable.”

DOGE team gets hi-tech sleeping pods to use as they stay and work in office

To ensure that the officials work round the clock, earlier, beds and sofas were installed in the OPM office. Now Eightsleep’s CEO Matteo Franceschetti announced on Sunday that his company would provide sleeping pods for DOGE employees. A day later, Franceschetti informed that several sleeping pods had been delivered to the DOGE office. “MISSION COMPLETED. The @eightsleep Pods have been delivered to  @DOGE. I hope this will supercharge @elonmusk and the incredible team to shape the future of America. Let’s go,” Franceschetti posted. In response, Elon Musk thanked Franceschetti for his sweet gesture.

Is inducting talented but young folks into DOGE a good or a bad idea?

While Elon Musk calls DOGE the wood chipper of bureaucracy, the concerns over young techies getting access to sensitive data of lakhs of Americans is not unnecessary. The very combo of too much power and too little experience is worrisome. There are valid concerns about whether these young techies would be able to understand and navigate the complexities of the federal bureaucracy and with a non-governmental agency comprising people as young as 19 having access to sensitive information is immune to misuse.  

Even though the appointment these highly talented youngsters is unconventional, but then Trump administration’s approach since its very inauguration of 20th January 2025 has been quite unconventional. While young techies definitely lack government experience, they would bring new perspectives and innovative solutions to longstanding inefficiencies in governmental operations. In fact, their lack of government operations or bureaucratic norms can allow them to come up with out-of-the-box thinking. Also, since these young tech nerds would be less encumbered by the usual slow pace of government processes, it would accelerate the implementation of new technologies and systems.

It must not be forgotten that DOGE’s aim is not confined to curbing wasteful expenditure but also to modernise federal technology and maximise efficiency and productivity. As the executive order signed by President Trump reads, “The USDS Administrator shall commence a Software Modernization Initiative to improve the quality and efficiency of government-wide software, network infrastructure, and information technology (IT) systems. Among other things, the USDS Administrator shall work with Agency Heads to promote inter-operability between agency networks and systems, ensure data integrity, and facilitate responsible data collection and synchronization.”

Despite the government experience, Akash Bobba, Farritor and others come with backgrounds from prestigious universities and tech giants. They are tech-savvy and well-versed in the latest digital tools and related methodologies, which is crucial for modernising government agencies.

As tracking the USAID’s decades of spending and activities needs some extraordinary prowess, the young computer nerds, allegedly the best software engineers in the world, might just be the beginning of a long ‘cleaning’ process for the bureaucratic swamp that has been leaking tax dollars at an alarming rate. Stopping wasteful federal expenditure has been one of the main promises of the Trump administration, a major issue the people voted them for.

DOGE’s accomplishments so far

The disruption of USAID and the ban on its funding to various projects in state-sponsor of terrorism Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries besides involvement in anti-India activities are among the major achievements of DOGE. In addition, Elon Musk recently informed that the DOGE team found that payment approval officers at the Treasury Department were instructed to approve payments, even to known fraudulent or terrorist groups.

Recently, David Lebryk, a top Treasury Department official resigned over the DOGE team demanding access to the payment system that Treasury officials use to disburse funds. Within just days into the operation, DOGE officials making such huge revelations about payment approval officers approving funds to even fraudulent and terrorist outfits is quite remarkable.

Be it imposing a sweeping freeze on foreign assistance by USAID to scrapping around 104 DEI contracts, DOGE’s actions are saving the American taxpayers’ money. It was reported that DOGE saved about $1 billion taxpayers’ money by detecting and cutting wasteful expenditures. The agency is also making efforts to cut regulatory burdens and is reviewing and working towards restructuring of federal agencies to make them leaner and more efficient.

‘Paying tribute to Salwan Momika’: Danish leader Rasmus Paludan burns a copy of Quran in protest against murder of Iraqi activist

OpIndia Staff
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‘Paying tribute to Salwan Momika’: Danish leader Rasmus Paludan burns a copy of Quran in protest against murder of Iraqi activist

Last week, on February 1st, Swedish-Danish politician Rasmus Paludan protested against the murder of the Iraqi Christian Salwan Momika by burning a Quran at the Turkish embassy in Denmark. He not only criticized Islam but also paid respect to the dead Iraqi Christian who organized several Quran burnings in 2023.

“I am standing here with a couple of Qurans at the embassy of Turkey in Copenhagen. As you can see, there is already one burning. This is to commemorate the sacrifice of Salwan Momika and his criticism of Islam. Yesterday, the Copenhagen police decided to ban my protests. The solution is to tell the police you’re having a protest. I had a lot of fun burning this big book…” he said during the protest on 1st February.

During the protest, the leader discussed the increased influence of Islam in the West and said that the Muslims would convert many using violence.

“Muslims and Islam will never, never live in harmony in our countries. So, either they go back to where they came from, or we must suffer and convert. Those are the only options. And they will not convert us with words. They will convert us with violence,” he was quoted as saying to the RAIR Foundation, an American organization.

As per the reports, Paludan has been allegedly charged with racism and defamation in Denmark, and countries like Sweden and Belgium have banned his entry raising concerns of inciting alleged violence. Paludan came into the limelight for his views on Islam which he sees as a threat to Danish and Western values. His actions have sparked outrage earlier, and he has a history of burning copies of the Quran in highly publicized protests.

In 2022, he gained attention after he announced the Quran burning during Ramzan. This announcement of his back then led to violent riots in cities such as Malmo, Norrkoping, and Linkoping, where protesters clashed with the police. Later, several countries banned his entry.

In 2020, he was awarded 3 months in prison for a series of events, including racist speech against a Danish MP. At present, he burned copies of the Quran in protest of the murder of Salwan Momika, an Iraqi refugee living in Sweden.

Momika was shot dead on January 30th at his home when he was streaming live on TikTok. A day after the activist was shot dead, the police arrested 5 individuals in the case. However, they did not reveal whether the shooter was among those detained. It was also learned later that the deceased Salwan Momika was living under constant threats in Sweden. He wasn’t given 24×7 protection as the Swedish Police didn’t have enough resources.

His lawyer Anna Roth stated that the Swedish police provided protection to Momika only during the trials and when he participated in gatherings, but not otherwise. Former police commissioner Tage Åström backed the lawyer as he stated that the Police did not have the resources to provide personal protection to that extent.

Salwan Momika was charged with inciting ‘ethnic hatred’ through his actions. In October 2023, during the war between the State of Israel and Hamas, activist Salwan Momika expressed his solidarity with the Jewish nation by stepping on the Quran and waving the Israeli flag. He was also seen kissing the Israeli flag and trampling a copy of the Quran with his foot.

On June 28, 2024, the Swedish Police gave the Iraqi refugee permission to burn the Quran at a demonstration outside the largest mosque in Stockholm. The development came ahead of Eid-al-Adha after a Swedish court struck down the police’s ban on Quran-burning demonstrations.

Salwan Momika and another man Salwan Najem were charged with “offences of agitation against an ethnic or national group”. However, after Momika’s murder, the court dropped cases against him.

Chain migration, Eid celebration for community-building, political patronage and more : Exclusive deep-dive into JNU study reveals extent of infiltration of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas in Delhi

Dibakar Dutta
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Chain migration, Eid celebration for community-building, political patronage and more : Exclusive deep-dive into JNU study reveals extent of infiltration of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas in Delhi

The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has published a 114-page research report, analysing the political and socioeconomic consequences of illegal immigration to India’s National Capital.

The report titled ‘Illegal Immigrants to Delhi: Analysing Socioeconomic and Political Consequences’ was prepared by a team led by Professors Manuradha Chaudhary and Preeti D Das.

As per 2016 estimates, there are more than 1.5 crore illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in India. Their overwhelming presence in the bordering States and the National Capital poses certain threats.

“The large influx of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh in recent decades has already led to significant economic, social, and security
challenges for India. This has been especially evident in the border states, where such shifts have fuelled tensions between the local population and the growing number of outsiders.” (Page 9 of the report)

Study areas in Delhi

The study was conducted in 20 areas of Delhi, which are hubs of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. These hotspots include Seelampur, Jamia Nagar, Zakir Nagar, Lajpat Nagar, Kailash Nagar, Khichripur, Sarai Kale Khan, Sultanpuri, Mustafabad, Nizamuddin, Sarai Rohilla, Jafrabad, Shahdara, Bhalswa Dairy, Bawana, Dwarka, Rohini, Moti Nagar, and Govindpuri.

It found, “In 1951, Hindus comprised 84.16% of the population, which declined slightly to 81.68% by 2011, indicating a gradual decrease in their proportional share. Conversely, the Muslim population increased significantly from 5.70% in 1951 to 12.86% in 2011, reflecting a substantial rise in their demographic presence over the six decades. This shift suggests changes in migration patterns, birth rates, and socio-economic factors influencing religious demographics in Delhi.” (Page 35 of the report)

Graph showing religious distribution of population in Delhi in years 1951 and 2011

The study pointed out that the drastic rise in the Muslim population was due to factors such as high fertility rates and migration trends.

How Bangladeshis and Ronhigyas come to Delhi

The report published by JNU pointed out that illegal immigrants from both Bangladesh and Myanmar enter India through porous borders in West Bengal, Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura.

“The border areas are difficult to police entirely, which allows for easier unauthorised entry,” it added. (Page 39 of the report)

Thereafter, the infiltrators move to metropolitan cities such as Delhi wherein they can find employment in construction, domestic work, street vending and other sectors.

“Illegal migration from Bangladesh and Myanmar to Delhi typically involves crossing borders without the necessary documentation, entering the informal economy, and creating a range of social, legal, and security challenges. Driven by economic struggles or persecution, these migrants find themselves trapped in a cycle of crime,” the report stated.

It pointed out that illegal immigrants often travel alone and later facilitate the infiltration of others in India’s National Capital. Brokers, agents and an extensive network of relatives and friends help them find temporary housing and job opportunities.

Page 42 of the report states, “One of the most prevalent patterns is the family-first strategy, where one family member, typically male, migrates first to secure employment and housing, effectively laying the groundwork for other family members to join later.“

The study observed another emerging trend of the influx of women immigrants from rural areas of Bangladesh to Delhi, adding to the informal and black economy of India’s National Capital.

Origin point of illegal immigrants before heading towards Delhi

The study found that the majority of Rohingyas and illegal Bangladeshis first stayed in West Bengal before heading towards Delhi. Assam, Jharkhand and Tripura are other States where infiltrators reside before moving to India’s National Capital.

Professors Manuradha Chaudhary and Preeti D Das also found that a majority of the infiltrators surveyed during the study, stayed in Delhi for 1 to 5 years.

The study highlighted the importance of religious festivals like Eid and Muharram for community building among illegal immigrants.

“Religious events and family gatherings play a significant role in reinforcing these connections. Celebrations such as Eid, Muharram, and other family occasions serve as important opportunities for migrants to interact with people from similar backgrounds, strengthening the sense of community and belonging in the city,” the report stated. (Page 49 of the report).

It highlighted that infiltrators from Bangladesh and Myanmar enjoy support from unregistered NGOs, religious groups and politicians.

Impact of illegal immigration on Delhi

The large-scale influx of infiltrators is disrupting social cohesion and draining the resources of India’s National Capital.

“The presence of illegal migrants often exerts a considerable strain on public resources, as their limited financial integration and lack of asset ownership create dependencies on already stretched public systems,” the report stated (Page 65).

They have formed dense, overcrowded settlements in Seelampur, Jamia Nagar, Zakir Nagar, Sultanpuri, Mustafabad, Jafrabad, Dwarka, and Govindpuri. These unauthorised colonies have expanded rapidly over the years.

Delhi, which was already facing challenges in water supply, housing and sanitation, became overburdened with the influx of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis. These infiltrators have a large presence in ecologically sensitive areas of the National Capital.

First Wave of Illegal Immigration

“The notion that illegal immigrants may serve as a key voting bloc has spurred considerable debate, with allegations that certain political
figures may disregard their illegal status in exchange for electoral support. This phenomenon, though often difficult to substantiate with concrete evidence, is reflected in various anecdotal accounts and investigative reports that suggest complicity between local officials and
undocumented migrant groups,” Page 89 of the report stated.

The illegal immigrants have maintained a network of brokers, agents and Islamic preachers, who in turn help them with housing and employment. Most of them work in the informal sector and their increased presence in the labour market has led to lower wages.

This is evident in many sectors like domestic work and construction. Public services, which are meant for Indian citizens, are overburdened due to Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltrators. This is true for clinics, hospitals and schools.

The study by JNU found that illegal immigrants are increasingly involved in smuggling, human trafficking, forgery and other illegal activities. They continue to pose severe security threats for Delhities and the police alike.

As such, law enforcement authorities have now stepped up their efforts to identify and deport Bangladeshis and Rohingyas to their home country. Due to increasing political patronage of such ‘minority vote banks’, action against illegals is often met with resistance.

The JNU study noted that the absence of accurate data on Bangladeshis and Rohingyas, the easy access to forged documents and disputes between the Centre and the State government have complicated the process of developing a clear policy and line of action on infiltrators residing in Delhi.

Page 92 of the report concluded, “A well-rounded, balanced approach is essential—one that addresses the root causes of illegal immigration strengthens border security, improves identification mechanisms, and ensures fair treatment for immigrants.”

UP Police books social media users spreading fake news about Mahakumbh 2025: Exclusive Details

OpIndia Staff
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UP Police books social media users spreading fake news about Mahakumbh 2025: Exclusive Details

On Saturday, 2nd February, the Prayagraj police booked several social media users for spreading fake information about the Mahakumbh. The police stated that several social media users posted an old video from Nepal to claim that there was a stampede-like situation in Mahakumbh, leading to the deaths of devotees. The fake video shared on social media also indicated that there were no ambulance facilities at the Prayagraj.

Team OpIndia has obtained 2 FIR copies registered by the Police. The sections imposed by the Mahakubh police against the accused persons are section 353 under the BNS, 2023, and section 67 of the IT Act. The police stated that the accused persons spread misinformation about the stampede and claimed that the bodies of the victims who died in the stampede were being thrown in the water carelessly after removing their kidneys.

“Kumbh Mela Police has registered an FIR and is taking legal action against the social media account that is spreading rumors by falsely claiming that the video related to the Nepal incident is from Mahakumbh, Prayagraj. Please do not post any misleading posts on social media without verifying the facts,” Kumbh Mela police warned on X.

It added a screenshot of one of the users who indicated that no ambulances were present at the Mahakumbh to look after the victims or their families. “Mahakumbh_2025_Prayagraj means Mahakumbh of death… Three people from a family lost their lives in the stampede incident. The relatives are carrying the dead bodies on their shoulders. At least ambulance service should have been provided by the administration,” Brijesh Kumar Prajapati said.

In a tragic turn of events, around 30 people lost their lives while 60 were injured in a stampede at Mahakumbh on 29th January. The stampede took place when a large number of devotees gathered to take a holy dip on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya. Following the tragedy, the Uttar Pradesh government has now declared the Mahakumbh Kshetra a no-vehicle zone and canceled all VVIP passes to ensure swift movement of devotees.  

On 3rd February, the opposition parties also launched a bizarre attack on the Uttar Pradesh government over the stampede. Claiming massive administrative failure, Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Ram Gopal Yadav stated that “thousands were killed,” some “were thrown in Ganga,” and others “buried.”

Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan also attacked the state and said that the water in Prayagraj is now contaminated as dead bodies of stampede victims have been thrown in the holy Ganga river.

Apart from the opposition, several other social media users have also claimed that the bodies of those who died during the stampede had been thrown into the Ganga river. However, the police have called it misinformation and warned the users to stop sharing fake posts related to Mahakumbh.

SSP Dwivedi commented on the issue and said that the joint team is working to learn the motives of the accused users behind defaming the Kumbh Mela. “Mela police will thoroughly investigate all cases. We will probe these cases deeply to understand why these fake videos were being uploaded ahead of the third Amrit Snan on Basant Panchami,” Dwivedi said.

What misinformation is being spread

In one of the FIR copies obtained by OpIndia, the accused social media handle, identified as ‘tigeryadav519’ claimed that the bodies of those who died during the stampede were being thrown into Ganga river after removing their kidneys. The user also claimed that some of the alive victims were also being thrown into the river. The accused has been booked by the police.

In another similar FIR, around seven social media handles have been booked for spreading fake information about Kumbh. The accounts, as per the police, shared fake videos from Nepal to claim that three dead members of one family were being carried on the shoulders at Kumbh and the administration failed at providing ambulance service post-stampede.

The accused persons have been identified as Abhimanyu Singh, Priyanka Maurya, Akash Singh, Ashfaq Khan, Satyaprakash Nagar, Rajjan Shakya, and Brajesh Kumar Prajapati. These persons have been charged under section 353 of BNS, 2023, and 67 of the IT Act.

What caused the stampede

29th January was the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, the new moon night of the Krishna Paksha of the Hindu month of Magh. The day holds special astrological significance since the Sun and Moon are in the same Rashi of Makar or Capricorn. Taking a ritual bath on this occasion, especially at the Triveni Sangam washes away one’s sins. Due to the spiritual significance of the Shahi Snan on Mauni Amavasya, there was a huge crowd on the day the stampede happened. Reports say that about 10 crore people were heading to the Mela Kshetra to take a holy dip at that time. By 4 pm on Wednesday, around 5.7 crore people had performed the ritual bath.

The stampede unfolded at about 1-2 am when a massive crowd of devotees broke barricades and trampled on those sleeping on the ground waiting for the Brahma Muhurat at the festival. It must be noted that the crowd behind the barricade, who had just arrived, did not notice that there were people already sleeping on the ground and ended up trampling on them unintentionally.

These barricades, according to Vaibhav Krishna, Deputy Inspector General, Mahakumbh, were put up around the ghats and gave way due to the sea of humans trying to get through. Notably, some eyewitnesses later claimed that some anti-social elements with their faces covered and carrying red flags deliberately pushed people. A detailed report regarding this can be read here.

CM Yogi Adityanath took cognizance of the stampede and got emotional while speaking about the loss of lives in the stampede. “The incident is heart-wrenching. We express our deepest condolences to all those families who lost their loved ones. We have been in constant touch with the administration since last night. The Mela Authority, Police, Administration, NDRF, SDRF, and all other arrangements that could be made have been deployed there,” he said.

As per the reports, ahead of the Vasant Panchami on 2nd February, the police authorities stood deployed at the gathering and ensured proper movement of the devotees. The authorities used loudspeakers to direct the devotees to the Sangam and also asked them to vacate the area after ‘snan’ for other devotees. CM Yogi Adityanath also reviewed the arrangements on Saturday, 1st February ahead of the Vasant Panchmi and ensured the safety of the devotees.

Who is Kshama Sawant: Anti-India lobbyist who brought resolution against CAA, Hindus in Seattle now cries over visa denial

Rukma Rathore
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Who is Kshama Sawant: Anti-India lobbyist who brought resolution against CAA, Hindus in Seattle now cries over visa denial

Kshama Sawant (51), an Indian-American economist from Seattle and a former member of the Seattle City Council, has been claiming ‘vendetta politics’, claiming that her visa was denied three times by the Modi government. Notably, she has been actively involved in anti-India lobbying in the United States.

As a councilwoman, she drafted and piloted a law to designate “caste” a protected category under the city’s non-discrimination policy – the first such law passed by a city in the United States – which placed Hindus under additional legal scrutiny and faced fierce opposition from the community leaders and groups. Furthermore, she protested against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), aimed to grant citizenship to prosecuted minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

“India’s PM Modi & the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) government are denying me a visa to see my ill mother. I’m not alone. Modi has retaliated against other activists & journalists, denying or revoking entry into India,” she wrote on social media while accusing the prime minister and his party of being “anti-worker and anti-Muslim.” She even launched a petition to “urge Modi to stop this retaliation.” She alleged that her repeated attempts to visit her 82-year-old mother who lives in Bengaluru have failed.

Sawant also alleged that the Indian Consulate in Seattle ‘confiscated’ her and her spouse’s passports as part of the emergency visa application and added, “So there is also no indication whatsoever of if and when they will return our U.S. passports, which they’ve had for over three weeks.”

As expected, her ideological peers, including Arfa Khanum Sherwani, soon joined the victimhood bandwagon and began attacking the Indian government while maligning the country.

Who is Kshama Sawant

Kshama Sawant was born to HT and Vasundhara Ramanujam in Pune and was primarily raise in Mumbai. Her mother is a retired principal and her father, a civil engineer, was killed by a drunk driver when she was 13 years old. She received her computer science bachelor’s degree from the University of Mumbai in 1994. Following a year-and-a-half as a programmer, she chose to focus on economics after relocating to the United States with her husband, Vivek Sawant, a Microsoft software engineer. She graduated with a doctorate in economics from North Carolina State University, in 2003.

After moving to Seattle, Sawant worked as an adjunct lecturer at Seattle Central College and as a professor at Seattle University and the University of Washington Tacoma. Additionally, she taught at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, as a visiting assistant professor. She joined Socialist Alternative in 2006. She was elected to the Seattle City Council in 2013 after making an unsuccessful 2012 run for the Washington House of Representatives. She was the first socialist to win a Seattle citywide election since the 1916 election of Anna Louise Strong to the school board.

Sawant barely made it through a recall election for her council seat on 7th December 2021. She declared in January 2023 that she would support Workers Strike Back, a Socialist Alternative movement aimed at organizing workers, rather than run for reelection and next year announced that she had founded her own party, Revolutionary Workers, after leaving Socialist Alternative. She married Calvin Priest, a Seattle Socialist Alternative organizer, in 2016. She is also an active member of the American Federation of Teachers union.

Kshama Sawant’s anti-India past

The recent development seemed to have stemmed from Sawant’s long history of divisive political agenda against India. She was the driving force behind a resolution passed by the Seattle City Council in February 2020 denouncing India’s CAA and NRC for “discriminating against women, Muslims, members of suppressed castes, indigenous and LGBT individuals.”

Apparently, nobody in the Seattle city council noticed that Kshama’s resolution was blatantly lying about the CAA. The CAA had nothing to do with any existing Indian citizens, Muslim, LGBT, women or otherwise. It was a provision to grant citizenship to persecuted minorities from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh who have already been living in India as refugees.

The resolution asked the Indian Parliament to ratify several United Nations (UN) refugee relief treaties, repeal the CAA and halt the NRC. It should come as no surprise that anti-Hindu, anti-Indian, and Islamist groups praised the action.The Indian American Muslim Council‘s (IAMC) president, Ahsan Khan stated that Seattle’s decision should send a message to those who are threatening religious freedom and plurality. Thenmozhi Soundararajan of advocacy group Equality Labs also voiced support, characterizing Seattle’s initiative as a component of a worldwide protest against the CAA.

Sawant made another attempt to deter the situation in India in 2020 through a resolution which called on workers, farmers, students, and other community members to participate in solidarity actions in support of the protesting farmers in New Delhi. The resolution in favor of the Indian farmers protest, which was proposed by Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda and co-sponsored by Councilmember Sawant, was unanimously approved by the Seattle City Council.

Seattle became the first city in the US to formally designate “caste” as a protected group under its non-discrimination policy in February 2023 after Sawant sponsored another contentious resolution. Hindu organizations condemned the rule for inciting prejudice against South Asians by singling them out.

“Throughout our two decades of existence, HAF has maintained that caste discrimination is wrong, violating core Hindu principles of the divine oneness of all beings. At the same time, we maintain that the singling out of South Asians and the addition of ‘caste’ to the non-discrimination policy violates the policies it now amends. The City of Seattle has voted to treat South Asians so that no other ethnic or racial community is treated under the guise of non-discrimination. It has voted yes to discriminating against ethnic minorities, repeating the ugliness of nativists in the state nearly a century ago,” Hindu American Foundation (HAF) co-founder and Executive Director Suhag Shukla expressed in an official statement after Sawant introduced the controversial law.

Equality Labs released reports stating caste prejudice in the United States which also played a significant role in the same. However, the methodology of these surveys was later questioned by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, which highlighted that the numbers did not accurately reflect the South Asian population in the United States as a whole.

Is it really vendetta

It is evident that Sawant’s resolution and claims are not exactly based on facts but rather on far Left’s rhetoric against India, that has been popular among some US Democrats. She asserted that her opposition to CAA-NRC might be the cause behind the alleged visa denial.

Interestingly, the resolutions she passed were in 2020-21 and she was granted a visa in 2022 so she could meet her sick mother in India. If her present allegations are true then she shouldn’t have been permitted to land in the country even then. However, it wasn’t the case and she visited India.

According to reports, Sawant’s application was turned down this time. Her visa was denied earlier on 29th May of last year, but her spouse was granted approval. The couple then submitted for an emergency entry visa at the Indian Consulate General in Seattle on 9th January for the third time.

On the other hand, Sawant’s emergency visa application has not yet been denied, according to a government source, who also conveyed that issuing visas is a sovereign responsibility that must be respected. However, Sawant and her ilk don’t seem to understand this fundamental reality as they are relentlessly making absurd accusations, crying political retaliation and what not.


 

South Africa: Largest Hindu temple in the southern hemisphere inaugurated in Johannesburg by Deputy President Paul Mashatile

OpIndia Staff
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South Africa: Largest Hindu temple in the southern hemisphere inaugurated in Johannesburg by Deputy President Paul Mashatile

On Sunday, 2nd February, the largest Hindu temple was inaugurated in Johannesburg, South Africa, in a ceremony that attracted thousands of Hindu worshippers. As per the reports, the inauguration of the Hindu temple is a landmark event for the Indian population in South Africa, who diligently follow the Hindu religion and make up a considerable share of the nation’s population. The grand temple and cultural complex, unveiled at the hands of South Africa’s Deputy President Paul Mashatile, is believed to be the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.

Mashatile, while launching the first phase of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Multi-Cultural Centre and Temple, stated that the principles of BAPS resonated with South Africa’s national ethos of Ubuntu.

“We should reflect on the role that the Hindu community plays in nation-building. This community has a rich cultural heritage and values and has played a pivotal role in shaping the social fabric of our diverse society,” he said, adding that Hinduism remains one of the predominant religions followed by the Indian community in South Africa.

“BAPS is well known for its commitment to humanitarian service, social upliftment, and cultural preservation, with the new temple serving not only as a place of worship but as a sanctuary of peace, knowledge, and spiritual enrichment for people of all backgrounds,” he added.

BAPS spokesperson talked to the media about the event and said that the purpose of the establishment is to enhance intercultural and inter-religious dialogue. The BAPS wants the establishment to serve as the center of spirituality, education, and social engagement for the region in the future.

“It is going to be an all-inclusive hub that opens scopes for communication and networking but gives enough elbow room for prayers. This vision shines through in seeing the temple from more than merely a religious standpoint, but with the intent that it would evoke understanding and mutual cooperation between several cultures and religious beliefs,” said BAPS Spokesperson Hemang Desai.

On Sunday, the grand ceremony was executed in the presence of Mahant Swami Maharaj, 92, the head guru of BAPS, who traveled all the way from India exclusively for inauguration. He performed the religious puja at the temple premises during the consecration ceremony.

Mahant Swami Maharaj (Firstpost)

The said temple has been built on a 14.5-acre plot of land using stones. It is similar to the one in Nairobi, Kenya. The temple also houses a cultural center along with a 3,000 seater auditorium, a 2,000 seater banqueting hall, a research institute, classrooms, exhibition, and recreational centers, and a clinic, among other crucial facilities.

Before the consecration rituals by the 92-year-old Mahant, a short nagar yatra procession was held in Johannesburg on Saturday, 1st February by around 12 Hindu monks featuring devotional music by marching bands and dancers.

Deputy President Paul Mashatile highlighted the event and stated that the establishment was a beacon of faith, culture, and unity. He also invited the BAPS authorities to join hands with the government in addressing and overcoming the challenges of the country such as poverty, unemployment, violence, substance abuse, and gender-based violence.

According to BAPS spokesperson Hemant Desai, the site was chosen because of the large Hindu religion following already in Johannesburg. “Phase two, which will begin very shortly, will be a very ornate Hindu temple with ancient Hindu architecture spanning from thousands of years ago spanning on South African soil,” he was quoted as saying.

Notably, PM Modi, in the year 2023, visited the under-construction temple site at Johannesburg ahead of the BRICS meeting and lauded the efforts to enhance the influence of the Hindu religion in South Africa, which houses around 2% of the Hindu population. The construction of the temple began in the year 2011 and concluded this year. Around 12,500 volunteers from across the world have played a key role in the temple construction.

Built by volunteers from across the world, the temple stands as an enduring symbol of love for Hinduism, preserving traditions and enhancing intercultural and interreligious relations in the country of South Africa.

Madras High Court objects to Medical Commission syllabus mentioning ‘Gender Identity Disorder’, says it shows their ‘mindset’

OpIndia Staff
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Madras High Court objects to Medical Commission syllabus mentioning ‘Gender Identity Disorder’, says it shows their ‘mindset’

On Monday (3rd February), the Madras High Court objected to the National Medical Commission (NMC) curriculum for using the term “gender identity disorder”. The high court said that the usage of such a term shows the NMC’s ‘mindset’.

Justice N Anand Venkatesh remarked that LGBTQIA+ are natural and their sexual orientation and gender identities are not “disorders”. The High Court observed that using terms like “gender identity disorder” would negate the efforts the courts have been making to bring a change in this regard, Live Law reported.

“Efforts are actually being taken to water it down. The fact that you’ve used the word gender identity disorder shows the mindset. If you call it a disorder, then everything is a disorder. The nature has created them in such a way,” Justice Venkatesh said.

The court was further disappointed over the NMC curriculum which states that since homosexuality and related matters are taught in schools, they need not be inducted into the medical curriculum.

The court raised concern over this saying that if NMC will be hesitant to educate about such gender issues, how come schools with far less scientific temperament take up these issues?

“Which school is teaching this? In fact in schools, all this (words like homosexuality) is considered to be bad words. I’m stunned. I’m flabbergasted. When institutions at the level of NMC are hesitating, you’re expecting schools to do it? You’re all people dealing with science, taking facts as it if. And you’re going on and calling it a disorder. It’ll negate the whole exercise because fundamentally we’re not changing. We’ll just be beating around the bush,” the court said.

These remarks came after the National Medical Commission informed the court about the changes made in the curriculum. However, the petitioner objected to this and argued that the NMC is going back to its original position. The petitioner’s counsel contended that a committee appointed by the NMC in 2022 had given its suggestion to bring “positive changes” in the curriculum, however, the NMC did not include them in the syllabus.

Justice Venkatesh criticised the National Medical Commission for not implementing the court’s recommendation to update medical education curricula to remove outdated stereotypes about LGBTQIA+ people. The high court judge noted that the commission has not yet amended its regulations to include conversion therapy as professional misconduct and the new 2023 regulations have not yet been notified.

During the hearing, the Tamil Nadu government informed the court that it has proposed two policies for the welfare of transgender and intersex people, as well as those belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community.

Justice Venkatesh questioned the state’s decision to create two separate policies and sought a report on any challenges in implementing a uniform policy. The next hearing on the matter will be held on 17th February.

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