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RamBhakt, Hindu, Hindutvavadi: Twitter pays tribute as person behind popular account OGSaffron passes away

K Bhattacharjee
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RamBhakt, Hindu, Hindutvavadi: Twitter pays tribute as person behind popular account OGSaffron passes away

Twitter was greeted with a tragic news on the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi on Saturday. It was revealed that popular Twitter user who tweeted under the username @OGSaffron has passed away in an unfortunate accident. His acquaintances on the social media platform revealed that he passed away in a car crash in the month of May.

@OGSaffron was known to post aesthetic content on Twitter and he made a significant impact on the discourse surrounding Hinduism. His presence on Twitter since 2016 profoundly altered the discourse within Hindutva circles in Twitter and also, in the manner in which others perceived Hindutva circles on social media.

The late @OGSaffron used to post beautiful paintings and photographs of Devis and Devtas he sourced from the internet along with devotional captions to rouse the Hindu heart. He was a known Bhakta of Rama and Lord Hanuman although he was devotional towards all Hindu Gods and Goddesses.

A photograph posted by @OGSaffron

Apart from photographs of Devis and Devtas, @OGSaffron also used to exhort Hindus to hit the gym in order to build a proper physique. Over the years, he has made several posts to that effect.

A post by @OGSaffron

@OGSaffron also used to post inspirational quotes in order to inspire Hindus. “There are no pacts between Dharma and Adharma,” he said in one of his most popular posts.

Post by @OGSaffron

In another post, he said, “Every act of devotion is an act of beauty.”

Post by @OGSaffron

Apart from devotional and inspirational texts, @OGSaffron also had strong political opinions. He was particularly fond of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. This journalist introduced him to the Hindutva icon when the Mahant of Gorakhnath Muth was still considered a fringe figure in Indian politics.

@OGSaffron was extremely fond of Yogi Adityanath

Posts where he used quotes of the Warrior priest of Gorakhnath alongside photographs of his for aesthetic effect receives a great many retweets and ‘likes’ on the social media platform.

Post by @OGSaffron

This journalist has known @OGSaffron since 2016 when he was a small account on Twitter to becoming a widely-followed account whose posts were regularly shared on other social media platforms. There were others who opened accounts in his name on Facebook and Instagram and used to copy his posts from Twitter to elsewhere. Eventually, he opened an account on Instagram himself where he had a great many followers.

There are others who have known him for even longer and they have tweeted today celebrating his memory. “Farewell, my friend,” and “Om Shanti” is the dominant message that is reverberating across social media. The hashtag #OGSaffron is also trending on Twitter. As we were recounting his memories together, a mutual friend that we happen to share told me something profound, “For a person who lived as short a life as he did, he did extraordinary things.”

And truly, for someone who operated an anon account on social media, the outpouring of love and respect that we are witnessing on social media today is indeed quite awe inspiring. @OGSaffron was also very fond of Sita Ram Goel. He once told this journalist, “I first heard of him while searching for a defence of polytheism. He describes polytheism as “The natural expression of an evolved consciousness.” It is quite literally the greatest quote by any human being on why polytheism is so great. It’s how I got into Sanatana Dharma. Even though I have only read one of his books in its entirety.”

In many ways, @OGSaffron was a star that burned brightly across the firmament of Hindutva discourse but as is often the case, he burned too brightly and exhausted himself too soon. However, the extent of the impact he has had on the lives of so many people through an anon account on social media is evident from the manner in which Twitter has reacted to the news of his death.

There is the tale of Achilles, the great hero of the Trojan War, that this journalist is reminded of. As a man of refined taste, it is only natural that @OGSaffron was aware and fond of the Greek Warrior as well. The Hero, who also died at a very young age, had the choice between Glory and a long life. Achilles chose the former and through that choice, he engraved his memories across the tides of time. @OGSaffron, too, might have lived a short life but his life was indeed glorious.

There is only one platform where @OGSaffron has penned long form articles. In a blog called Devayasna, he has elaborated in greater detail about his opinions. His Telegram channel can be accessed through this link. Like all those who respect him, we hope that he attains Sadgati and may the digital impressions that he left behind continue to have a positive impact on Hindutva discourse in the time to come. Om Shanti.

Basic data analysis shows that Delhi riots were not a ‘pogrom’

Abhishek Banerjee
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Basic data analysis shows that Delhi riots were not a ‘pogrom’

We’ve heard this smear over and over again. The claim that the Delhi riots of Feb 2020 were a ‘pogrom.’ At first, they would not even accept that people of both communities had suffered loss of life. Eventually, they had to concede that much. The argument promptly evolved to something like this:

More victims belonged to community X and therefore, the Delhi riots had to be a pogrom.

Except we can debunk this theory with basic data analysis. More at the level of common sense.

Let us step back from rhetoric, reduce passions and focus on facts. In the terrible tragedy of the Delhi riots, there was a loss of 51 lives. Of these, 36 persons belonged to Community X and 15 persons belonged to Community Y. The liberal argument goes thus: We know that 36 is greater than 15 and this proves that the riot was a pogrom against Community X.

Let us see what happens to this argument when we apply common sense. Suppose there are 1000 people who pick up a street fight with another group of 1000 people. Which side would you expect to have higher casualties?

Neither, you would say. Since the number of people on the two sides is equal, you would expect both sides to inflict roughly equal damage on each other.

Now let us change the equation somewhat. What if a crowd of 2000 people got into a fight with a crowd of 1000 people? Which side would have more casualties?

It’s easy to see. The side that is numerically weaker would suffer a higher number of casualties. How much more? If it is 2000 vs 1000, the numerically weaker side would suffer roughly twice as many casualties as the other.

Now let us look at the population of Delhi. Roughly speaking, 82% of people belong to Community X and 13% of people belong to Community Y (remaining 5% belong to other groups). If a fight broke out between the two groups, you would expect therefore that the casualties among X would be four times the number of casualties among Y.

A little over 6:1 : That is the ratio you would expect.

Again, this is a very simple minded estimate, but fair enough. It works because the number of casualties is very small compared to the total population of either community.

So 6:1 is the ratio you would expect to see. Now what was the observed ratio in the Delhi riots?

It was 36 from X community and 15 from Y community, a ratio of 2.4:1, which is substantially less than 6:1.

So how could it have been a pogrom against X? Sure, X suffered more casualties, but you have to adjust for the fact that community X was numerically weaker by a factor of 4! In any street fight, X would suffer more casualties than Y. That does not prove it was a pogrom.

Wait! We haven’t even spoken about the police yet. The liberal accusation is that this was a ‘pogrom,’ with the police actively supporting community Y.

But we have already established that in any street face off, with police not favoring any side, the ratio in casualties would be 6:1.

Now if you say that the police was actively helping community Y carry out a pogrom, what would happen to this 6:1 ratio? Would it go higher or lower?

Higher, obviously. Community Y already has the numerical advantage. If the police were to join in on their side, they would inflict even more casualties on X. The ratio would go up, maybe to 7:1 or more.

But it didn’t. In fact, it was much less than 6:1. It was 2.4:1!

Did members of community Y pre-plan the riots? Again, if Y had the advantage of pre-planning along with its numerical advantage, the ratio would be higher than 6:1, not lower!

So you have to reject both of these claims from liberals. No, the police definitely did not side with community Y. Nor did members of community Y have the thing pre-planned.

Delhi riots were terrible and tragic. But they were NOT a pogrom. Period.

Now let us ask how the ratio could have declined from the expected 6:1 to the observed 2.4:1. There are basically two possibilities.

(1) The Delhi Police worked very hard to shield minority communities from violence. This blunted the numerical advantage of the majority during the riots.

(2) Some leaders of the minority community had pre-planned the violence. So when the riots broke out, the majority community was taken by surprise and hence they suffered more casualties than expected.

Both of these explanations would reduce the ‘pogrom’ theory to dust. If you can come up with another explanation for the numbers being what they are, I am eager to listen.

Finally, let us ask : who had the motive? Who would gain from Delhi going up in smoke exactly as the President of the United States is visiting?

Secular leaders had motive. The casualty figures from the Delhi riots suggest that secular leaders had the advantage of pre-planning when the violence began. We even have videos of riot ammunition being dumped from the homes of secular leaders. Delhi riots are an open and shut case. This is not a pogrom.

India has actually seen a pogrom. Back in 1984, when over 3,000 members of one community were killed but not a single member from any other community. That was not a riot, not two groups of people fighting. That was state-sponsored violence.

Here is how Bloomsbury published and promoted a book glorifying anti-CAA riots written by someone who believes Tahir Hussain is innocent

OpIndia Staff
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Here is how Bloomsbury published and promoted a book glorifying anti-CAA riots written by someone who believes Tahir Hussain is innocent

While publishing house Bloomsbury succumbed to the pressures of the left-liberals to withdraw publishing a book titled ‘Delhi Riots 2020: The Untold Story’, the same publishing house has published and promoting a book glorifying ant-CAA protests written by someone who believes that Delhi riots prime accused Tahir Hussain is innocent.

Bloomsbury India has published book titled “Shaheen Bagh: From a Protest to a Movement” written by Ziya Us Salam and Uzma Ausaf. The book chronicles the Shaheen Bagh protests, the protest led by Muslim women against the Citizenship Amendment Act last year, which had culminated in the Delhi riots in February this year. The women had kept a vital road blocked for months, demanding the withdrawal of the amendment. The two authors of the book were closely associated with the Shaheen Bagh protests, and the book argues that the protests were an important event in India’s history.

The glorifies the anti-CAA protests which had sparked riots across the country from November to February, calling it “a modern-day Gandhian movement for equal rights for all citizens”. The protests were not Gandhian, as it was marked by frequent violence in several states ending with the Delhi riots, and it has nothing to do with equal rights for citizens as CAA is not even applicable for citizens.

APP leader Tahir Hussain has emerged as the mastermind behind the Delhi anti-Hindu riots that took between 23rd to 27th February this year. Just after the riots, videos had emerged showing the Muslim mob using the roof his building to attack Hindus. He was also seen directing the rioters, and after the riots, acid, fuel, stones, petrol bombs etc things used during the riots were found in his house.

But Ziya Ul Salam, writer of the book published by Bloomsbury had declared on 28th February that Tahir Hussain is innocent. He also claimed that mob had  looted and destroyed his house in his absence. By that time, Tahir Hussain was already found to one of the masterminds behind the riots. Moreover, the family of IB officer Ankit Sharma, killed by Muslim rioters, had already alleged that Tahir Hussain was behind the murder, and named him in the FIR.

Subsequently, Delhi police have filed several charge sheets in the Delhi riots case, and Tahir Hussain has been named as the key conspirator behind the riots. The charge sheet also includes his confession, where he has narrated how he had planned and arranged for the riots. The charge sheet in the Ankit Sharma case also names him.

Ziya Ul Salam also claims that there were no riots in Delhi, and it was just planned attack on Muslims and their places of worship. He had claimed this despite the fact that Hindus were primary victims of the riots, while Muslims were also targeted in retaliatory attacks by Hindus. The police charge sheets make it clear that the riots were indeed planned as claimed by Ziya Ul Salam, but it was planned by Muslims to create a big noise internationally during the India visit of President Trump.

While the book by Ziya Us Salam and Uzma Ausaf was published by Bloomsbury in July, they chose to promote the book today. They posted a tweet on Twitter today promoting the book, glorifying the Shaheen Bagh protests.

This came in sharp contrast of their decision to withdraw the book ‘Delhi Riots 2020: The Untold Story’ authored by Monika Arora, Sonali Chitalkar and Prerna Malhotra. The book, which is a factual account based on investigation and interviews conducted by the authors, was to be released in September. They withdrew the book even as the authors were attending event via video conference to launch the book.

After the book was announced, it was targeted left-liberals, which was intensified after it was announced that it was going to be launched today in the presence of BJP Kapil Mishra, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri and OpIndia editor Nupur Sharma.

By withdrawing the book narrating the truth of Delhi riots while promoting the book by Ziya Us Salam and Uzma Ausaf that defends the main accused in the riots, Bloomsbury has clearly taken a side in the debate.

Bihar: Mohammad Irfan rapes and impregnates Dalit girl, threatens to kill her

OpIndia Staff
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Bihar: Mohammad Irfan rapes and impregnates Dalit girl, threatens to kill her

In a horrific incident, a Mahadalit girl has been reportedly raped by one Muslim youth in Kasba of Purnia district in Bihar, reports Dainik Bhaskar.

According to the reports, one accused identified as Mohammad Irfan allegedly raped the victim for over four months and also threatened to kill the victim if she spoke about the incident.

Few months after she was raped by Irfan, the victim got pregnant and informed her sister-in-law about the rape incident. The victim’s sister-in-law then informed her husband, who is the brother of the victim, about the incident. Later, a complaint was registered against the accused Irfan at Kasba police station.

The victim’s brother said that he got information about this incident only in May. As he was in Punjab then and was unable to return due to the coronavirus lockdown. He said that the victim and her sister-in-law could not register a complaint fearing Mohammad Irfan, who had threatened to kill the victim.

The police officials have registered a case against the accused Mohammad Irfan. The victim has been sent to Sadar Hospital for medical examination.

Another gangrape reported in Kasaba

In another case, a Mahadalit teenager was kidnapped and raped in Bihar by three Muslim youths. The three Muslim youths, who belong to the same village had not only raped the 15-year-old girl but had also held her hostage.

Mohammad Muzaffar was identified as the main accused in the gangrape case. Two other accused were identified as Nawazish and Abu Bakr.

According to the mother of the victim, the three youths had made her daughter unconscious and then gangraped her.

Bloomsbury India bullied into withdrawing Delhi riots book amidst pressure from Congress supporters and Islamists

OpIndia Staff
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Bloomsbury India bullied into withdrawing Delhi riots book amidst pressure from Congress supporters and Islamists

Bloomsbury India has decided to withdraw the publication of the book ‘Delhi Riots 2020: The Untold Story’ by authors of Monika Arora, Sonali Chitalkar and Prerna Malhotra. In a statement, the publication house cited a ‘virtual pre-publication launch organised without our knowledge by the authors’ as one of the reasons for its decision.

Bloomsbury India said that they had planned to release the book, a factual account based on investigation and interviews conducted by the authors, in September 2020 but they have rescinded their decision.

The publication house further added, “However, in view of very recent events including a virtual pre-publication launch organised without our knowledge by the authors, with participation by parties of whom the Publishers would not have approved, we have decided to withdraw publication of the book.”

Even as the Bloomsbury informed that they are withdrawing the book, it was marked as unavailable on e-commerce site Amazon. Before that, the book was available for pre-order, and a large number of people had pre-ordered the book ahead of its planned launch in next month.

The decision to withdraw the book came after a left-wing outrage mob led by prominent ‘intellectuals’ on social media pressurised the publication house to take the decision. The organisers of the outrage mob included personalities such as controversial actress Swara Bhasker and other eminent ‘journalists’ and ‘intellectuals’.

The South Asia Solidarity Initiative, which has links to Islamists, also jumped on the bandwagon to bully Bloomsbury India into withdrawing the book. It had recently protested against ‘Hindu fascists’ at Times Square in New York on the occasion of the Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan.

Congress supporters, too, bullied Bloomsbury India into withdrawing the book.

The event that was cited as one of the reasons for the withdrawal of the book was to be attended by BJP leader Kapil Mishra and OpIndia Editor-in-Chief Nupur Sharma, which caused great outrage among the Leftist mob. Even as Bloomsbury India caved into pressure from the outraged mob comprised of liberals, Congress supporters and Islamists, it claimed that it supports free speech. It said that it withdrew the Delhi Riots book because it “has a deep sense of responsibility towards society”.

Rajasthan: Shahrukh pretends to be Ravi to befriend Hindu girl, uses objectionable photos to blackmail her to convert to Islam

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan: Shahrukh pretends to be Ravi to befriend Hindu girl, uses objectionable photos to blackmail her to convert to Islam

A girl in Rajasthan has filed a complaint with police against a Muslim man alleging that he is blackmailing her to convert to Islam. Filing the complaint at Bilara police station in Jodhpur, the woman said that the Muslim mad had befriended her pretending to be a Hindu, and obtained compromising photographs with her which he using to blackmail her. The man was handed over to the police by the locals in the area, but police had let him go, and now the man is absconding.

According to reports, Shahrukh Sipahi had befriended the girl saying he was Ravi. She said that five years ago, when she was a minor, she had met him who was working at a construction site near her house. He took her number from someone and started calling her.

After few months, Shahrukh invited her to celebrate her birthday with him, where he gifted her flowers and gave her cold drink. But after having the drink, she fell unconscious. After that, Shahrukh raped her, and also took photos and videos of the same. When she gained consciousness, he said that she had passed out due to high blood pressure.

Six months after the incident, the victim came to know that Ravi is actually Shahrukh Sipahi, after which she distanced herself from her. After that, the man started blackmailing her using the photos and videos. He started to pressurise her to marry him and convert to Islam, threatening that he will make the photos and videos if she does not agree. He also threatened to kill her family if she does not agree with him.

Out of fear the girl kept silent and didn’t tell anyone about the blackmail. On 19th August, Shahrukh called her and threatened to make the video of her rape public. When her mother saw her crying, she asked her what has happened, and the girl told her mother everything. On the next day when the girl had out with her mother, Shahrukh along with his friends threatened he will convert her religion and forcefully marry her.

Seeing this, mother and daughter started shouting, and people gathered at the spot. After learning what has happened, the caught Shahrukh, and later handed him to police. A day after that, the girl went to the Bilara police station, and filed a complaint against him on the charges of rape, blackmailing and forcing to convert religion. But police had already released him before that, and now he is absconding.

Bilara police said that they released Shahrukh later as the victim had filed no FIR against him after he was handed over to the police by the locals. When Shahrukh came to know that the girl has gone to the police to lodge a case against him, he fled from his house. After the FIR was filed, now police have started searching for him.

Security increased in Ambala air force station after receiving threat to blow up the airbase housing Rafale fighter jets

OpIndia Staff
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Security increased in Ambala air force station after receiving threat to blow up the airbase housing Rafale fighter jets

On Friday, the Indian Air Force (IAF) authorities reportedly received a letter wherein unidentified miscreants threatened to blow up the Ambala base in Haryana that houses five Rafale fighter aircraft. The said airbase is surrounded by National Highway 1-A and the villages of Garnala, Dhulkot, Baldev Nagar, and Panjokhara.

As per the report, the authorities had filed a complaint now with the nearby police station. The security and safety measures at the Ambala air force base has been heightened in light of the recent bomb threat. However, a senior police officer has dubbed the threat as a hoax. “The letter appears to be a hoax and the handiwork of some mischief-mongers,” the official was quoted as saying. But as a precaution, the security has been tightened at the airbase.

According to a report by IANS, the letter was received on Friday, after which the authorities lodged a complaint with the nearby police station.

The first batch of five Rafale fighter aircraft had arrived at the  IAF Air Force Station in Ambala on 29th July. The five fighter aircraft, which were flown by Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots, landed at Ambala Air Force station after covering a distance of 7,000 km with air-to-air refuelling and a single stop in the United Arab Emirates. India has 36 Rafale aircraft French aviation major Dassault, which is expected to boost the capacity of Indian Air Force significantly.

‘Will never make another SM post,’ ‘Gutkha Pill’ enthusiast Garga Chatterjee apologises to Assamese people for slandering founder of Ahom Dynasty

OpIndia Staff
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‘Will never make another SM post,’ ‘Gutkha Pill’ enthusiast Garga Chatterjee apologises to Assamese people for slandering founder of Ahom Dynasty

Loudmouth Trinamool supporter Garga Chatterjee has apologised to the Ahom community after an FIR was registered against him in June for hurting their sentiments with his comments on Sukaphaa, the founder of the Ahom Dynasty. In a video statement, he expressed his unconditional apology towards the Chief Minister of Assam and the people of the state.

“I pray to the spirit of forgiveness of the people of Assam and honourable Chief Minister Sarbanand Sonowal, please accept my unconditional apology,” Garga Chatterjee said in his statement. He added, “From the core of my heart, I unconditionally apologise to all the people of Assam, including the Tai Ahom community through honourable Chief Minister Sarbanand Sonowal for any previous social media post by me that may have unintentionally hurt anyone’s sentiment.”

‘Gutkha Pill’ enthusiast Garga Chatterjee further stated that he had already extended his apology to the Assam Chief Minister through an email. He also expressed his deepest respect for Swargadeyo Sukaphaa’s “exemplary rule”. “In future, I will never make any social media post that may hurt the sentiments of the people of Assam,” he vowed.

Garga Chatterjee went on to say that his life has completely changed in June, July and August. In this period, his 74-year old father has been diagnosed with Cancer and his 70-year old mother is invalid with fractures. He says that he is the only support of his aged parents. “I have stopped all social media activity since 19th June 2020. My whole time is spent with the concern of my dying and ailing parents and I request the people of Assam to forgive me for not apologising sooner,” he stated.

What landed Garga Chatterjee in trouble

Chief Minister of Assam Sarbanand Sonowal had called for strict action against TMC troll Garga Chatterjee for making derogatory remarks against Chaolung Sukapha, the founder of the Ahom Dynasty. It was announced on social media that Guwahati Police had been directed to visit Kolkata regarding the matter in order to arrest him.

Earlier, an FIR was registered against Garga Chatterjee for calling Sukaphaa a ‘Chinese invader’ in the wake of the Indo-China conflict at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). By slandering the founder of the Ahom Dynasty, the TMC troll attempted to attack the Chief Minister for eulogising him.

In a tweet that was later deleted, Garga Chatterjee wrote, “There is a state in India where the State Day is celebrated by Assam BJP to commemorate a Chinese invader who brutally attacked India with Chinese troops.” In his apology, Garga Chatterjee said that the people of Assam can prevent his family of three from being destroyed through their forgiveness.

Unhealthy obsession with Gutkha

Garga Chatterjee is known to make racist remarks towards non-Bengalis. Garga Chatterjee went on to insult the Marwari community by referring to them as ‘dishonest community that indulges in black-marketing’. He had also suggested that all of India’s problems could be solved if Biharis, people from Uttar Pradesh, Marwaris and Gujaratis were restricted to their own states for their livelihood. Chatterjee had also issued veiled threats against non-Bengalis living in West Bengal.

Garga Chatterjee is also a purveyor of what we call the ‘Gutkha Pill‘. He is absolutely obsessed with Gutkha and uses it to make racist rants against people of North India. ‘Gutkha Pill’ is essentially an attempt by people such as the TMC troll to create a Bengali chauvinist brand of politics along the lines of Dravidian politics in Tamil Nadu. However, Bengalis thus far have thoroughly rejected such efforts.

Bombay HC dismisses FIR against foreign Tablighis saying they did not violate visa rules, says Maharashtra govt used them as scapegoats

OpIndia Staff
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Bombay HC dismisses FIR against foreign Tablighis saying they did not violate visa rules, says Maharashtra govt used them as scapegoats

On Friday, the Bombay High Court dismissed FIRs filed against foreign nationals booked under the various provisions for violating their tourist visa conditions by attending the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Nizamuddin in Delhi, considered to be one of the epicentres of coronavirus pandemic in the country, reports Live Law.

The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court, hearing a petition filed by 29 foreign nationals noted that Maharashtra government had acted under political compulsion and police also did not dare to exercise powers given to them under provisions of procedural laws and substantive laws.

The foreign Tablighis were booked under sections of Indian Penal Code, Epidemic Diseases Act, Maharashtra Police Act, Disaster Management Act and Foreigner’s Act by the Maharashtra police after they were suspected to be spreading coronavirus.

A bench comprising of Justice TV Nalawade and Justice MG Sewlikar quashing the FIRs against foreign Tablighis blamed the government for making these foreigners a scapegoat by registering the FIR against them.

“A political government tries to find the scapegoat when there is pandemic or calamity and the circumstances show that there is probability that these foreigners were chosen to make them scapegoats,” observed the Bombay High Court.

Did not violate visa rules: Foreign Tablighis

The petitioners submitted the court that they had visited India on a valid visa issued by the Government of India and they have come to experience Indian culture, tradition, hospitality and Indian food. They said that upon their arrival at the airport, they were screened and tested for coronavirus and only when they were found negative for the virus, they were allowed to leave the airport.

The petitioners argued that they were not involved in illegal activity including the breach of the order of the District Collector. They contended that even at Markaz, they had observed norms of physical distancing. The foreign Tablighis also claimed that under the conditions of the visa, there was no prohibition to visit religious places like Masjids.

Maharashtra police contends that Tablighis spread coronavirus

However, the Ahmednagar police had contended that the petitioners were found visiting places for preaching Islam religion, resulting in a complaint against them. He also contended that five foreign nationals from three different cases were found infected by the virus.

The DSP also submitted that the District Magistrate had issued prior prohibitory orders, but in spite of prohibitory orders, the Tablighi Jamaat were involved in Tabligh activity. The police officials said that despite repeated calls for testing, these foreigners who had attended the Markaz did not come forward voluntarily for testing and instead created a threat of spreading coronavirus.

The petitioners were booked for offences punishable under sections 188, 269, 270, 290 of Indian Penal Code, sections 37 (1)(3) r/w. 135 of Maharashtra Police Act, 1951 and section 11 of Maharashtra Covid-19 Measures and Rules, 2020, sections 2, 3 and 4 of Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, section 14 (b) of Foreigners Act, 1946 and section 51(b) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

Apart from the foreign nationals, Maharashtra police had also booked six Indian nationals and trustees of the Masjids for giving shelter to the petitioners. The police had booked after receiving secret information about them residing at the respective masjids in different areas and offering prayers in violation of lockdown orders.

No violation of visa by foreign Tablighis: Bombay High Court

Hearing the arguments, the Bombay High Court bench said that there was no violation of visa by foreign Tablighis as there are no restrictions on foreigners for visiting religious places and attending normal religious activities like attending religious discourses.

“Ordinarily, a tourist is not expected to follow the procedure laid down in para No. 19.8 if he does not want to preach the religious ideologies etc,” the court observed.

Justice Nalawade observed, “Tabligh Jamaat is not a separate sect of Muslim, but it is only movement for reformation of religion…it cannot be inferred that the foreigners were spreading Islam religion by converting persons of other religion to Islam. The record shows that the foreigners were not talking Indian languages like Hindi or Urdu and they were talking languages like Arabian, French etc. In view of the aforesaid discussion, it can be said that the foreigners may have the intention to know the ideas of Tabligh Jamaat about the reformation.”

The court noted that the allegations against Tablighi Jamaat very vague in nature and from these allegations it cannot be said at any stage that they were spreading Islam religion and there was the intention of conversion.

Media propaganda against foreigners, says Bombay HC

Criticising the media’s portrayal of foreign nationals who attended Tablighi Jamaat, Justice Nalawade said there was big propaganda in print media and electronic media against the foreigners who had come to Markaz Delhi. The court also said that there was an attempt to create a picture that these foreigners were responsible for spreading coronavirus in India. There was virtually persecution against these foreigners, the court observed.

“It is now high time for the concerned to repent about this action taken against the foreigners and to take some positive steps to repair the damage done by such action,” the Bombay High Court said.

Referring to saying ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’, Justice Nalawade said that one needs to show more tolerance and need to be more sensitive towards our guests particularly like the present petitioners.

The allegations, according to Justice Nalawade, showed that instead of helping the foreign Tablighis the state government lodged them in jails by making allegations that they are responsible for violation of travel documents, they are responsible for spreading of virus etc.

Bombay HC links CAA protests to Tablighi Jamaat episode

Referring to the anti-CAA protests, the bench said that due to the actions taken against Muslims fear was created in their minds. This action against Tablighis indirectly gave warning to Indian Muslims that action in any form and for anything can be taken against Muslims.

The court noted, “It was indicated that even for keeping contact with Muslims of other countries, action will be taken against them. Thus, there is smell of malice to the action taken against these foreigners and Muslim for their alleged activities. The circumstances like malice is important consideration when relief is claimed of quashing of FIR and the case itself.”

The Court concluding that the state government acted under political compulsion and action against the foreign nationals was malice, quashed all petitions and FIRs registered against them.

Interestingly, the same bench in February 2020 had quashed Sec 144 orders after observing that ant-CAA protesters cannot be called “anti-nationals or traitors”.

Earlier, we had reported regarding how courts over the last few weeks granted a spree of bails and plea bargaining in connection with the Tablighi Jamaat congregation that took place at Markaz Nizamuddin during mid-March amidst the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

Pakistan: Activist Tanveer Ahmed tortured by security agencies after he removed Pakistani flags in PoK

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: Activist Tanveer Ahmed tortured by security agencies after he removed Pakistani flags in PoK

The Pakistani security agencies have arrested and tortured activist Tanveer Ahmed after he removed the Pakistani flag from Maqbool Bhat Shaheed Chowk, Dadyal in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir..

Tanveer removes Pakistani flags in Dadyal

As per reports, he had demanded the removal of Pakistani flags from the area and had launched a hunger strike to pressurise the local administration. When the administration refused to comply, Tanveer chose to remove the Pakistani flags on his own. However, after he had removed one such flag, the POK activist was followed by security agencies. An undeterred Tanveer then dislodged another flag that was hoisted in the same area.

“I removed a Pakistani flag from the area & now I am being followed by secret agencies,” he was heard as saying in a video.

Tanveer Ahmed manhandled by security agencies

He was then manhandled and tortured by the Pakistani agencies. In a video that has now gone viral online, the security forces can be seen forcibly dragging Tanveer Ahmed on the ground. He was then coerced into a law enforcement vehicle while onlookers watched his ordeal.

Locals protests against the arrest of Tanveer Ahmed

Following his unconstitutional arrest, the people of Dadyal hit the streets in large numbers and demanded his immediate release.

Reportedly, the people in POK had been demanding the withdrawal of the Pakistani State and its forces from the area. They had demanded the officials to vacate the region.

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