Home Blog Page 5090

NCP leader Ajit Pawar’s son Parth Pawar draws flak for welcoming the Ram Mandir and demanding CBI inquiry into the alleged suicide of actor Sushant Singh Rajput

OpIndia Staff
-
0
NCP leader Ajit Pawar’s son Parth Pawar draws flak for welcoming the Ram Mandir and demanding CBI inquiry into the alleged suicide of actor Sushant Singh Rajput

Parth Pawar on Monday drew criticism from several quarters for his tweet welcoming the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Calling it a cultural victory, Pawar had tweeted that the Bhoomi pujan of the Ram Mandir will remain etched as the ‘civilisational awakening of Bharat’.

Parth is son of the Maharashtra deputy chief minister and a senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar. NCP is one of the key allies of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state, besides Congress and Shiv Sena. Parth took to social media to express his support for the construction of the much-awaited temple and ended his communiqué with the slogan of ‘Jai Shri Ram’. 

“Finally, Shri Ram, who embodies the faith and cultural identity of India, will be home in peace. The fight was bitter and long. And finally, we as a generation, have arrived at a historic day, when we will witness the reinstallation of the Hindu faith,” he said.

However, Parth was quick to reiterate his commitment to Gandhiji’s Ram Rajya and asked to respect those lost the land in the dispute. He asserted that Ramlalla being given his due reminds one of the Ram Rajya, which “our beloved Bapu” swore by.

“However flawed or weak or irrational the arguments, there was a sentiment attached to Babri Masjid. Let’s respect those who lost. Their arguments and claims have anyway been defeated thoroughly. Let’s move a bit forward and include those who feel they have lost in our victory,” Pawar said in the statement. 

However, Parth’s comments on Ram Mandir did ruffle a feathers as the senior NCP leaders came into the defence of the deputy chief minister’s statement on Bhoomi pujan. NCP MP Supriya Sule downplayed her nephew’s remarks, saying Parth spoke in his personal capacity. Another NCP leader said Parth used his personal stationery for the statement. 

Parth’s statements on the Bhoomi pujan of the Ram Mandir assumes profound significance, as many Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders have been mealy-mouthed about the event that marked the restoration of the temple, almost after 500 years of its conquest. 

Besides, last month Parth went against the Maha Vikas Aghadi government’s avowed stand on Sushant Singh Rajput’s alleged suicide case and asked for a CBI inquiry into the mysterious death of the Kai Po Che actor. 

Pawar’s maverick opinions have drawn flak from the party and alliance loyalists, who had questioned if everything is fine among the Pawar clan.

Nikhil Wagle, a journalist and Maha Vikas Aghadi government sympathiser was profoundly perturbed by Parth’s demand for a CBI inquiry into the Sushant Singh Rajput’s alleged suicide case and his statement on the Bhoomi pujan of the Ram Mandir. Wagle wondered if anything is “cooking” in the precarious Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance. 

Parth’s statement also elicited a response from NCP leader and Maharashtra’s Minority Development minister Nawab Malik, who brushed aside Parth’s comments by calling him callow and inexperienced.

“Parth Pawar is young, new, he lacks experience, so such things happen. But this will not lead to any differences,” Malik said.

Uttar Pradesh: Noida man arrested for making threatening call regarding PM Modi ahead of Independence Day

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Uttar Pradesh: Noida man arrested for making threatening call regarding PM Modi ahead of Independence Day

Days before the Independence Day, Noida Police have arrested a 33-year-old man on Monday after he called the emergency number ‘100’ and threatened to harm Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Police said that they had identified the man as Harbhajan Singh resident of Sector 66, Noida. He hails from Haryana and prima facia appears to be a drug addict.

After receiving the call from Harbhajan in which he threatened to harm PM Modi, the Police came in action and traced him. Police officers arrested him in Mamura. He has been sent for medical examination. Additional DCP (Central Noida) Ankur Aggarwal said, “A man, Harbhajan, has been arrested in Phase-3 Police Station area of Noida for calling Dial 100 and threatening Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He is being questioned. Prima facie, he seems to be a drug addict.”

Security steeped up ahead of Independence Day

Ahead of Independence Day, the security in and around the national capital has been increased especially in wake of the Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan that was done by PM Modi on 5th August 2020. Uttar Pradesh Police is also keeping a strict vigil on members of PFI, SDPI and other Islamist organisations to ensure peace and harmony is not affected on the Independence Day.

Karnataka: Outrage across the state as raped minor commits suicide, family demands capital punishment for accused Basheer

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Karnataka: Outrage across the state as raped minor commits suicide, family demands capital punishment for accused Basheer

Outrage swept across Karnataka following the suicide of a minor girl who was raped by a known acquaintance. The 8th standard girl was on her way to a temple at Bhogura in Dharwad rural to pray for her ailing mother when the accused Basheer interdicted her before molesting and raping her.

According to the reports, the 14-year-old minor girl had visited a local temple at Bhogura village, Dharwad. The rape-accused Basheer Babusaba followed her to the temple. The 24-year-old accused then dragged her into a nearby sugarcane farm and raped the 14-year-old minor Hindus girl.

The girl returned home on the day and did not inform her parents. A day later, the victim reported the incident to her parents. The devastated parents decided to take her to the nearest hospital. As parents prepared to take her to the hospital, the 14-year-old minor decided to end her life by consuming poison. The minor girl was soon shifted to the hospital but later declared dead by the hospital authorities.

Reportedly, the accused Basheer was a frequent visitor to victim’s house and also helped the victim’s family in carrying out agricultural activities. The Dharwad police have arrested the accused Basheer. A case has been registered against the accused under sections of POCSO Act at the Garag Police Station, Dharwad.

We tried to reach Dharwad police officers for an update on the case, but could not be reached.

Union Minister Prahlad Joshi visits victim’s family

Union Minister Prahlad Joshi met with the grieving family, consoled them and promised swift justice in the case. An amount of Rs. 1 lakh was handed over to the family by Joshi. The family of the slain girl demanded capital punishment for the culprit to the Union Minister.

The family that they had pledged their daughter that Basheer would be taught a lesson, but the girl was mentally disturbed by the ordeal and consumed poison. Though she was immediately rushed to the hospital, they were a tad too late, and the girl could not be saved.

Outrager across the state and on social media demanding capital punishment for Basheer

Across the past few days, the youth in the village have been demonstrating against the culprit Basheer, asking the authorities to hang him for raping the girl, who then committed suicide.

The protest did not limit to the village alone, entire Karnataka has been raging against the culprit, with citizens demanding capital punishment to the rapist Basheer. Netizens from Karnataka took to social media to launch a campaign demanding justice for the minor girl, her family and exemplary punishment for the culprit.

#JusticeForRoopa and #HangBasheer have been trending on the social media websites for the last couple of days and netizens have demanded that Basheer be hanged to death so that it serves as a deterrent for other rapists. The citizens have claimed that they are determined to pursue their fight until the rapist is awarded death sentence.

Meanwhile, Hindu organisations VHP, Bajrang Dal also demanded strict action and submitted a memorandum to the district authorities demanding death sentence the accused under Section 302 of IPC.

Rajasthan: Day after Sachin Pilot called Ashok Gehlot ‘his leader’, Congress forms committee to resolve grievances between the two

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Rajasthan: Day after Sachin Pilot called Ashok Gehlot ‘his leader’, Congress forms committee to resolve grievances between the two

Looks like all’s well that ends well when it comes to the Rajasthan crisis. Days after ousting him from the position of Deputy CM and Congress State Chief, the grand old party is now trying to pacify the young leader.

On Tuesday, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot informed that a 3-member committee has been constituted by the Congress party to resolve grievances with Sachin Pilot. He claimed that peace and brotherhood would always remain in the grand old party. Gehlot further accused the BJP of destabilising the government and reiterated that he has the support of all Congress MLAs who were earlier believed to have deserted him.

Congress undergoes a change of heart

The development comes a day after Sachin Pilot reportedly hailed Ashok Gehlot as his leader. “Sachin Pilot has committed to working in the interest of the Congress party and the Congress government in Rajasthan,” the party had earlier said in a statement. Ashok Gehlot had lashed out at Sachin Pilot earlier and called him “nikamma and nakaara (useless)”. “We knew that no work is happening. We knew he is nikamma and nakaara (useless). We still didn’t question him keeping the party interest in mind,” Gehlot told the media.

The once disillusioned Sachin Pilot

Earlier, Sachin Pilot had expressed disappointment at Ashok Gehlot-run Rajasthan government and said that the government has failed to try and fulfil the promise it made to the people who voted for them. In an interview with India Today, Pilot said that he skipped the July 13 CLP meet held at Gehlot’s residence because his self-respect was hurt. He said that the state police served him notice under sedition law, the law their party had promised to repeal. “If you remember the Congress party manifesto for 2019 Lok Sabha polls, we talked about repealing the draconian sedition laws. And here a Congress government was using it against its own minister,” he told India Today.

Beirut blast aftermath: Amid widespread protests against corruption, Lebanon government resigns

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Beirut blast aftermath: Amid widespread protests against corruption, Lebanon government resigns

The Government of Lebanon has resigned amid increasing public anger and widespread protests after the massive blast that occurred in the port area in Beirut on August 4. Prime Minister Hassan Diab addressed the nation to inform about his resignation before submitting it to President Michel Aoun on Monday evening. Diab, in his statement, said that the explosion that took place on 4th August was because of the corrupt political elite. He said, “Their corruption created this tragedy.”

Diab’s announcement of stepping down from the post of Prime Minister came as anti-government protests were going on in Beirut. According to reports, the Prime Minister and the President of Lebanon were warned about the 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored at the port of Beirut. In the report, it was mentioned that if such an explosion takes place, it can destroy the whole city.

In just two weeks of the report, an explosion took place at the port that resulted in 163 deaths and loss worth billions of dollars. Lebanon is already struggling with an acute economic crisis, and the explosion followed by the resignation of the cabinet will lead to political uncertainty in the country.

Vast quantities of an explosive material ammonium nitrate was stored in a large warehouse near in Beirut’s port area. The blast registered 3.3 in the Richter Scale and had wiped out a chunk of the neighbourhood.

Prime Minister Hassan Diab in his television address to the nation before the resignation said, “we are taking a step back to stand with the people, to wage the battle for change with them.” He did not take any names in the address. He added, “I discovered that the system of corruption was bigger than the state and that this system bounds the state, and that it is not possible to confront it or get rid of it.”

Protesters say resignation is not enough

New clashed are erupting in Lebanon, creating battle zones between protestors and security forces. The protestors said that the resignation does not equate to their demands. The protesters are now claiming that they will force the President and the Speaker to resign as well.

Lebanon is neck-deep in problems

Before the resignation submitted by the Prime Minister, 20 cabinet ministers had already resigned. As of now, Diab will continue to serve the nation in a caretaker capacity until a new prime minister is chosen. In the last few months, Lebanon has seen a severe economic crisis. The country defaulted on a $1.2 billion payment for foreign bonds for the first time in history. The currency had already lost 80 percent of its value before the explosion. The blast is being seen as a result of poor governance that is blamed for the economic crisis as well.

Over 50% migrant workers and 74% rural Indians happy with PM Modi handling coronavirus situation despite hardships, survey reveals

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Over 50% migrant workers and 74% rural Indians happy with PM Modi handling coronavirus situation despite hardships, survey reveals

Despite facing acute hardships, an overwhelming majority of rural Indians and almost half the migrant workers have expressed satisfaction over how Prime Minister Modi has handled the coronavirus crisis. A nationwide survey by media platform Gaon Connection released on Monday revealed that 74 per cent rural Indians and 50 per cent migrant workers said the Modi government cared both for the cities and villages.

A total of 25,300 respondents in 179 districts across 20 states and union territories were interviewed between May 30 and July 16, 2020, during the survey and according to Goan connection, mostly all of them who were interviewed were the breadwinners of their households.

The survey findings which has been put together in a form of a report named The Rural Report by Gaon Connection revealed that the lockdown imposed by the central government to control the spread of the deadly pathogen doesn’t seem to have adversely impacted the perception of rural citizens about the Modi government at the Centre, or the governments in the states on the whole.

“For instance, on being asked whether the Modi government’s attitude towards migrant workers during the lockdown had been good or bad, 73 per cent or over seven out of ten respondents interviewed in rural areas of the country said it had been good (29 per cent said very good and 44 per cent rated it as good),” the Gaon Connection said.

It also found that 71 per cent ration card-owning households said they received wheat or rice from the government during the lockdown.

Despite the hardships faced, the Goan connection survey found that almost 33 per cent out of the total number of migrant workers interviewed said that they would like to return to work in the cities.

The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc across the country. With workplaces shutting down due to the lockdown imposed to control the spread of the pathogen, many migrant workers had to deal with the loss of income, food shortages and uncertainty about their future. Conservative estimates by research scholars put the number of migrant works affected by the lockdown to be anywhere between 20 million and 22 million.

The survey revealed that 23 per cent of migrant workers returned home walking during the lockdown, 18 per cent by bus, and 12 per cent of them by train. Since, due to the nationwide lockdown, all transport modes were shut, the desperate migrant labourers were left with no option but to walk down-home.

Modi government started Shramik trains to facilitate the return of the migrant labourers to their home states

To deal with this crisis and facilitate the return of the migrant labourers back to their home state, the Modi government had started Shramik trains.

Lakhs of migrant labourers have been transported back to their home states in special Shramik Trains that have been started by the Government of India. Official data revealed that the Railways spent Rs 2,142 crore on running Shramik Special trains for ferrying stranded migrant workers home during the coronavirus lockdown, but earned a revenue of just Rs 429 crore.

Meanwhile, the survey conducted by the media houe, Goan connection said that bout 40 per cent of this workforce faced food scarcity during its journey back home, while it said that 12 per cent were reportedly beaten by the police. 

Interestingly, majority of the migrant workers (36 per cent) claimed they returned to the villages due to the fear of contracting the coronavirus, and 29 per cent said they returned since they had no money to survive in the cities.

Prime Minister Modi launched Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan to help provide jobs to migrant workers

Aware of the adversities the poor had to face due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Narendra Modi govt had launched the Rs 50000 crore ‘Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan’ to create rural infrastructure and provide jobs to returned migrant workers.

“So far, migrants were helping to build the cities. Now, they will get jobs near their homes. Till now, you were assisting in the development of cities. From now onwards, you will help in the development of your villages, your neighborhoods,” PM Modi had said when he launched the scheme on June 20.

The scheme aims to empower unemployed migrant workers by providing them with employment for 125 days with a resource envelope of Rs 50,000 crore.

Karnataka High Court grants anticipatory bail to man who had written ‘Quran is more dangerous than Corona’ on Facebook

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Karnataka High Court grants anticipatory bail to man who had written ‘Quran is more dangerous than Corona’ on Facebook

On Tuesday, the Karnataka high court reportedly granted anticipatory bail to a man named Kusumadhara Kaniyoor for comparing Coronavirus with the Quran. As per a report in Live Law, the ‘provocative’ comments were made by the 32-year-old in April, amidst the nationwide lockdown. 

The Bellare police had registered a case against Kaniyoor under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 153-A (wanton vilification of any religion) and 505-2 (provocation), following a complaint by one Mahammed Saheer. Reportedly, the accused had written a message on Facebook that read, “Quran is more dangerous to India than Corona.”

No permission sought before filing complaint

Advocate Sachin BS appearing for the accused argued that Kaniyoor is a public servant and since no permission was sought before filing the complaint, the question of taking cognisance of the matter did not arise. He further stated that his client was being implicated falsely in the case when ‘prima-facie’ there was no element in Knaiyoor’s Facebook message that promoted religious animosity between two classes of the society.

Accused would evade the law, claimed prosecution

Appearing on behalf of the State, Advocate Mahesh Shetty emphasised that the Facebook post of the accused was punishable under IPC Sections 153-A and 505(2). He claimed that Kaniyoor was absconding from the day of the complaint and that he might evade if he was granted anticipatory bail. Moreover, advocate Shetty argued that the accused had to be interrogated in judicial custody.

Accused granted bail by Karnataka High Court

When Kusumadhara Kaniyoor approached a Sessions Court, his anticipatory bail plea was rejected. He then moved the Karnataka High Court seeking a pre-arrest bail. The accused was granted bail by Justice K Natrajan on a personal bond of ₹25,000. Moreover, Kaniyoor was directed to appear before the Investigating Officer within 15 days and to not repeat the same offence.

Since no material was provided that could ascertain that the police sought permission before filing ‘criminal prosecution’, the Court noted, “By looking to the facts and circumstances of the case, the principles laid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Manzar Sayeed Khan’s case and (the) message posted by the petitioner, at this stage, it cannot be said that there is prima-facie case made out against the petitioner for having committed any alleged offence, where it promotes the communal violence or tension between two groups of society.”

Radical Islamists have killed 221 people in the world within just the first 7 days of August 2020: Report

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Radical Islamists have killed 221 people in the world within just the first 7 days of August 2020: Report

In a shocking revelation, it has been found that a staggering 221 people across the world have been killed by radical Islamists just in the first week of August, that is between August 1 and August 7, reported The Religion of Peace, a global Islamist crime watchdog.

The website stated that radical Islamists have carried out a total of 38 terror attacks within just 7 days of August in 11 countries. While the looming threat of radical Islamism is often negated, the Religion of Peace noted that radical Islamist terror outfits executed 135 such attacks in a month’s time. The said incidents of terror led to 646 injuries and 662 deaths in 21 countries.

Major terror attacks in August

In the Jalalabad jail attack that was orchestrated by the Islamic State on August 2, a total of 29 people had lost their lives in Afghanistan. The 8 terrorists were neutralised following a 20-hour long gunfight with the Afghan security forces. On the same day, the terror outfit Boko Haram killed 18 people and injured 11 others in Nguetchewe in Cameroon. On August 7, Namoungou city in Burkina Faso witnessed heavy gunfire by Islamist groups in a cattle market that eventually led to 12 injuries and 20 deaths. Reportedly, two dozen non-Muslims were killed in Kaduna in Nigeria by Jamaat al-Ansar al-Muslimeen on August 7.

On August 2, a territorial army soldier named Shakir Manzoor was kidnapped by terrorists in Shopian, South Kashmir. His blood-stained clothes were found on August 7, fuelling speculations that he may have been killed. Though the incident did not grab headlines in Indian mainstream media, on Sunday, a viral audio message by a terrorist was circulated, confirming that they have killed and buried Manzoor at an unknown location.

Islamist terror attacks underreported in the media

“These are not incidents of ordinary crime involving nominal Muslims killing for money or vendetta. This is deadly violence that is reasonably determined to have been committed out of religious duty – as interpreted by the perpetrator.  Islam needs to be a motive, but it need not be the only factor,” the website explained the rationale behind the compilation of instances of Islamic terror. The Religion of Peace further noted that many such terror attacks are not reported in prominent news organisations, even after multiple casualties.

West Bengal: Son of man who died of coronavirus was asked to pay Rs 51,000 to see father’s body

OpIndia Staff
-
0
West Bengal: Son of man who died of coronavirus was asked to pay Rs 51,000 to see father’s body

A family in West Bengal has alleged that the private hospital, in which a relative died due to Covid-19, has forced them to pay Rs.51,000 to see the body. As per reports, a person named Hari Gupta passed away at a private hospital after losing the fight to coronavirus on Saturday midnight. His son Sagar Gupta alleged that the hospital did not inform them about the death for many hours.

Sagar said, “On Sunday afternoon, we received a call from the hospital saying that my father had passed away at 1 am the previous night. When we questioned why we were not informed about it, the hospital officials said that they did not have our contact information.”

On reaching the hospital, they were allegedly told that the body has already been sent for cremation. When the family reached the Shibpur cremation group, the staff present there asked them to pay Rs.51,000 to see the remains. After arguing with the staff, the charges were reduced to Rs.31,000. The family decided not to pay any fees and approached the Police for help.

When the police officer arrived at the cremation ground, the hospital officials refused to oblige to his request as well. The family further stated that the hospital staff asked the Police to go back and ask higher authorities to talk to them. When the family members tried to record the incident, the hospital staff snatched their phones.

After media pressure started to build up, the cremation authorities took Rs.2,500, which is the deposit amount for showing the body. Dhawal Jain, Howrah Corporation Commissioner, was approached for comments. As mentioned by India Today, he stated that there is a phone number mentioned at the Shivpur cremation ground “in big letter” where people can call if someone bothers them. As he had not received any call from the family members in the matter, he cannot further comment on it. He added that it is possible that the family might not have noticed the number. “We have not got any complaint yet, if one is received then it will be investigated,” he added.

Covid-19 cases in India

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India has reported 22,68,675 cases of Covid-19 so far. There are 6,39,929 active cases and 15,83,489 have been cured. 45,257 have died due to complication related to coronavirus infection.

In West Bengal, 98,459 cases have been reported so far. 70,328 have been cured and the number of active cases stands at 26,031. 2,100 have lost their lives due to Covid-19. In the past few months, Mamta Banerjee-led West Bengal government had been accused of hiding the actual number of cases/deaths and mistreatment of patients and dead bodies.

Black Lives Matter holds solidarity rally supporting looters involved in Chicago looting

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Black Lives Matter holds solidarity rally supporting looters involved in Chicago looting

Black Lives Matter members on Monday held a rally on Monday night to express solidarity with over 100 individuals who were arrested after they went on a looting spree in Chicago.

One of the BLM rally organisers justified the looting by claiming that the looters could take whatever they did from showrooms such as Gucci, Nike or Macy’s because these stores have insurance.

1...5,0895,0905,091...7,597Page 5,090 of 7,597