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Supreme Court dismisses plea to transfer money collected under the PM CARES Fund set up for COVID-19 relief to the NDRF

OpIndia Staff
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Supreme Court dismisses plea to transfer money collected under the PM CARES Fund set up for COVID-19 relief to the NDRF

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea seeking transfer of money collected under the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES Fund) set up for Coronavirus relief to the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF).

As reported by Bar and Bench, the three-judge bench of justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy, and MR Shah also held that contributions to the PM CARES Fund are voluntary and that there was no statutory prohibition on contributions made to the NDRF, hence the funds need not be transferred to NDRF.

While disposing of the petition, Supreme Court said, that there was no need for fresh national disaster relief plan.

Clarifying that the funds collected under the PM CARES Fund are entirely different from the NDRF, as these are funds belonging to a charitable trust the apex court held that plan prepared by the Centre is sufficient to cater to the pandemic. It rejected petitioner’s request to set up a National Plan for COVID-19.

The bench said that the minimum standard of relief issued by the government prior to COVID-19 to continue and that no fresh issuance is required

The writ petition filed by CPIL

The SC was hearing a writ petition filed by an NGO- Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) which had claimed that PM CARES Fund was set up in violation of the legal mandate under the Disaster Management Act. It claimed that under the DM Act any grant made by any person or institution for the purpose of disaster management should be compulsorily credited to NDRF.

Senior Counsel Dushyant Dave, representing the NGO (the petitioner in this case) had also questioned the audit mechanism of the PM’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund. Dave argued that the NDRF has to be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) while PM CARES is audited by some private auditor.

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, who was appearing in a connected matter related to drawing up a National Disaster Management Plan, argued that since contributions to PM CARES are eligible for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) benefits, corporates and others would not have the incentive to donate to the NDRF.

Meanwhile, the Centre, in its affidavit filed in the matter, had defended the creation of the PM CARES Fund and opposed the transfer of these funds to the NDRF. 

However, the apex court today dismissed all arguments seeking the transfer of money collected under the PM CARES Fund to the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).

PM CARES Fund collected Rs 6500 crores within a few days of its launch

The PM CARES Fund was set up by the central government on March 28 as a public charitable trust with the primary objective of dealing with any kind of emergency or distress situation such as that posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Notably, with open-hearted donations from the public, corporates and celebrities, it collected over Rs 6500 crores within a few days of its launch.

Sonia Gandhi demanded contributions should be transfered to PMNRF

It is pertinent to note that the oppositions parties, including the left and the Congress Party had also lamented over the government’s decision to create PM CARES Fund. The Congress had written to PM Narendra Modi demanding that all money under the PM-CARES fund be transferred to the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF). According to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, this was to be done for ‘better transparency, accountability and efficiency’.

In this regard, it is pertinent to note that the PMNRF had a management committee that oversaw how the funds are employed. While the Prime Minister has discretion, the committee, when it was set up by Jawaharlal Nehru included the President of the Congress party.

The Modi government had however, ignored the demads made by the Congress President.

Delhi riots: Tahir Hussain grilled by ED over funding of anti-CAA protests, violence via shell companies

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi riots: Tahir Hussain grilled by ED over funding of anti-CAA protests, violence via shell companies

The former AAP leader Tahir Hussain, who is also a prime accused in the gruesome anti-Hindu riots that erupted in the national capital early this year, has been subjected to questioning by the Enforcement Directorate.

According to an exclusive report published by Times Now, Hussain was put through the winger to determine the funding aspect of the Delhi riots. A probe is also initiated to ascertain any link between the Nizamuddin Markaz row with the Delhi riots.

The Enforcement Directorate has filed a case under Money Laundering Act against Tahir Hussain for his involvement in the Delhi riots. The report by Times Now cites ED sources to allege that Hussain had floated several shell companies to transfer Rs 1.02 crore to those who were carrying out anti-CAA protests from December 2019 to February 2020 and also to rioters.

Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate had also raided locations and residences of Tahir Hussain before approaching the court to issue a production warrant against the former AAP councillor. Apart from Hussain, another Delhi riots accused, Faizal Farooq is also under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate. The agency suspects that he was fronting properties for several individuals and actively financed riots in Delhi in February 2020 in which 53 people were killed.

Tahir Hussain admits his involvement in the Delhi riots

From the 24th of February to the 25th of February, Delhi burnt with perhaps one of the worst anti-Hindu riots that the country has seen in recent times. As many as 53 people were killed and hundreds were injured in the riots that were planned, organised, masterminded and implemented with clinical precision by the Islamists. One of the main protagonists of the sinister story is Tahir Hussain, the AAP leader who spearheaded the Delhi riots in which IB staffer Ankit Sharma was murdered brutally by his mob and several Hindu properties were burnt to ashes. Chargesheet has been filed against Tahir Hussain and his role in the Delhi riots. 

Earlier, it was informed that Tahir Hussain had admitted during the interrogation that he is the mastermind of the Anti-Hindu Delhi Riots of February 2020. In his statement to Delhi Police he said that when he became Aam Aadmi Party’s councillor in 2017, he wanted to teach Hindus a lesson using his political position and money. According to the official confession, he got support from Khalid Saifi and Popular Front of India (PFI).

According to Delhi Police, Tahir Hussain has confessed that he had collected empty liquor and cold drink bottles from scrap dealers, and as construction was going on at his house, collecting bricks and stones without arousing doubt was not an issue. He also collected petrol and diesel by filling the tanks of vehicles full, which was transferred to containers at his house. Tahir also said that Umar had also asked him to collect acid, and accordingly, he had stocked large quantities of acid, bricks, stones, petrol, diesel etc on the roof of his house. Umar had planned to use them to attack people during US President Trump’s India visit. Tahir Hussain informed that he also collected his licensed pistol, which was deposited with police, to use during the riots.

OpIndia had also released a book on Kindle, chronicling the role of various dubious individuals who had been the part of an ominous conspiracy of stoking hatred in the national capital and events that finally culminated into grisly riots that claimed about 53 lives.

Shaukat Ali becomes ‘Sahil Kumar’: Gwalior woman alleges torture, exploitation after marriage under false identity

OpIndia Staff
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Shaukat Ali becomes ‘Sahil Kumar’: Gwalior woman alleges torture, exploitation after marriage under false identity

The Poonch police have reportedly arrested a native of Jammu and Kashmir named Shaukat Ali and four others after a woman accused him of trapping her under false Hindu identity, torturing and financial exploitation.

Victim accuses family of attempt to murder

In a video that has now gone viral on Facebook, the woman said that she met the accused while working in Jaipur for an event management company. She alleged that he claimed to be a Kashmiri Hindu (Sahil Kumar) to lure her into a relationship and marry her. The victim said that following her marriage 6 months ago, Shaukat Ali forced her to convert to Islam and physically assaulted her along with his family.

While showing her bruises and injury marks, Neha said, “His family not only beat me but also tried to kill. They tried to slit my throat with an axe… Now they are telling me to get out of their house.” In the viral video, she had named the prime accused Shaukat Ali, besides his father Mumtaz Ali, mother Jaan Begum, sister Zareena and brother-in-law Mota, niece Nosheen and another niece Zaida.

Gwalior police confirms that victim reached hometown

She has revealed that the local police did not help reach her hometown in Gwalior from Surankote in Poonch district. However, Gwalior police have now informed that she has reached her home. Several Hindu organisations in Jammu and Kashmir had reportedly reached out to the victim after the video went viral. A complaint was lodged with the Poonch police with the help of a local women’s organisation. The accused and four others were arrested, following her complaint.

SP (Gwalior) informed that action will be taken after a complaint is filed by the victim in the city. The Gwalior police have stated that the woman sub inspector was sent to contact the victim after she reached Gwalior.

Days after recovering from coronavirus, Home Minister Amit Shah admitted to AIIMS Delhi

OpIndia Staff
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Days after recovering from coronavirus, Home Minister Amit Shah admitted to AIIMS Delhi

Union Home Minister Amit Shah was admitted to AIIMS Delhi on Tuesday early morning at 2:30 AM after he complained of breathing distress. Some reports suggest that he was suffering from respiratory problems.

The team of doctors who are monitoring Amit Shah is led by Dr Randeep Guleria. The hospital, as of now, has not specified any specific reason as to why he has been admitted. He was currently under home isolation since he had been infected with the Chinese virus earlier in the month.

Twelve days after testing positive the Home Minister had on August 14, tested negative for the Wuhan Coronavirus. He had taken to Twitter to confirm that he had tested negative for the pathogen.

He said, “I thank God and I express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who have blessed me and my family by wishing me well. I will stay in home isolation for a few more days on the advice of doctors.”

The former BJP President was diagnosed with coronavirus on August 2 and was admitted to Gurugram’s Medanta Hospital following the advice of doctors.

AAP govt to summon Facebook officials over alleged role in Delhi riots while their own leader Tahir Hussain is in jail for it

OpIndia Staff
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AAP govt to summon Facebook officials over alleged role in Delhi riots while their own leader Tahir Hussain is in jail for it

The Peace and Harmony Committee of Delhi Assembly has decided to summon Ankhi Das, Director, Public Policy, Facebook India. The committee wants to discuss if Facebook officials played any role in the orchestration of the Delhi riots. Raghav Chadha, chairman of the committee, said in a tweet thread that the committee had received several complaints against the officials of Facebook for, “their alleged deliberate & intentional inaction to contain hateful content in India with respect to scathing revelations made by a report in The Wall Street Journal.”

He added that in a video featuring Mark Zuckerburg, the contents of a BJP leader’s post was quoted as offensive and hateful, but no actions were taken. Thus the committee has decided to take immediate cognizance of the matter and investigate if, “if there is any role or complicity of Facebook officials in Delhi riots.”

Raghav Chadha’s tweet

He said, “The committee will facilitate the state’s endeavour to maintain & promote an irenic atmosphere and a conducive milieu of peace & pacification among different communities in Delhi. It is our aim to take action against any potential adversity which might cause communal discord.”

The Peace and Harmony Committee has nine members named Raghav Chadha, Abdul Rehman, Ajay Kumar Mahawar, Atishi Marlena, BS Joon, Dilip Kumar Pandey, Jarnail Singh, Kuldeep Kumar, and Saurabh Bharadwaj.

Complaint filed by Ankhi Das

Ankhi Das, Facebook’s Director, Public Policy, India, South and Central Asia, has filed a complaint with Delhi Police stating that she has received multiple threats to her life and body, which made her extremely disturbed. Das named several Twitter and Facebook users in her complaint including Saket Gokhle and Arshad Khan who is connected to Congress Party.

The article that sparked the controversy

Wall Street Journal had published an article on 14th August in which it alleged that the Facebook India officials are turning a blind eye against hate speeches posted by users connected to BJP. The report quoted an unnamed employee who alleged the officials do not want to ruin the “business relations” with the ruling party. The opposition parties attacked Facebook for its supposed bias towards them. On the other hand, BJP rubbished the claims in the article and accused Facebook of censoring nationalist voices.

Following the article, fingers were pointed at Facebook’s Ankhi Das, over alleged links to the BJP.

AAP leader is one of the main accused in Delhi riots

While Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi Government is planning to summon Facebook officials to find out if platform played any role in the anti-Hindu Delhi riots, the party’s ex-leader Tahir Hussain has already been named by the Delhi Police as one of the main conspirators of the riots along with several others including some NGOs and political groups like PInjara Tod and PFI.

Tahir Hussain, an AAP leader with close ties with the top leadership of the party, was found coordinating, orchestrating the attacks against Hindus. He is also accused of involvement in the murder of IB official Ankit Sharma.

OpIndia’s detailed report on the chronology of the event that led up to the riots is now available on Kindle. It has a comprehensive account of the loss of life and property in riots and how Hindus were targeted.

Jammu & Kashmir: Protestors block Kashmir highway, Chenab Valley shut down over ‘blasphemous’ remark on Prophet Muhammad

OpIndia Staff
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Jammu & Kashmir: Protestors block Kashmir highway, Chenab Valley shut down over ‘blasphemous’ remark on Prophet Muhammad

Protestors in Jammu and Kashmir blocked the Kashmir highway and shut down Chenab Valley for protesting against allegedly blasphemous video shared on social media against Prophet Muhammad. Protests erupted in many parts of the union territory demanding strict action against the accused. Doda and Kishtwar districts were also completely shut down on Monday.

Police and paramilitary were reportedly deployed at key locations to control the situation. As per reports, three people have been arrested in the case. On Satpal Sharma, his associate Deepak and Rohit Sharma are arrested for a video which was shared on Sunday that was allegedly blasphemous about Prophet Muhammad.

However, as per reports the Bharat Raksha Manch leader was speaking against three separate incidents involving leaders of the Muslim community. One of the incident he talked about involved a Naib Tehsildar who allegedly committed an unnatural act with a bovine animal in Reasi district. Another incident he talked about was about a Muslim man allegedly inflicting an injury using sharp-edged weapon on a bovine animal.

The Bharat Raksha Manch leader has said that the videos that have gone viral are doctored such that it appears like he was speaking against the religious head of Islam (Prophet Muhammad) while in reality he was speaking on some revenue official arrested by police.

On 16th August, a case of bestiality was registered against a Naib Tehsildar in Arnas Police Station. According to police, another accused Nasir Ahmad was arrested and booked under Section 295A IPC (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Meanwhile, Muslim leaders have protested against the ‘blasphemous’ remark against Prophet Muhammad and raised slogans demanding death penalty to the accused.

Bengaluru riots over ‘blasphemous’ remark on Prophet Muhammad

Last week, rioting Muslim mob took to streets in Bengaluru and torched house of a Dalit MLA belonging to Congress party over allegedly blasphemous post by his nephew on social media. The mob also attacked police station and set police vehicles on fire.

Plea seeks contempt action against Swara Bhaskar over her remarks against SC judgment on Ram Janmabhoomi

OpIndia Staff
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Plea seeks contempt action against Swara Bhaskar over her remarks against SC judgment on Ram Janmabhoomi

Days after senior advocate Prashant Bhushan was found guilty of contempt, a petition has now been filed with the Attorney General for initiating contempt of court proceedings against actress-cum-activist Swara Bhaskar.

The petition was filed by advocate Anuj Saxena, Prakash Sharma & Mahek Maheshwari on behalf of one Usha Shetty. Reportedly, the petitioners argued that Swara Bhaskar tried to scandalise the court through her comments made during a conference titled, ‘artists against communalism’ that has was held in Mumbai in February this year.

The objectionable comments of Swara Bhaskar

Swara Bhaskar has been a vocal critic of the Ram Janmabhoomi verdict that was delivered by the apex court in November last year. During the conference ‘artists against communalism’, the actress said, “We are living in a country where the Supreme Court of our country states in a judgment that the demolition of the Babri Majid was unlawful and in the same judgment rewards the same people who brought down the mosque.”

“We are now in a situation where our courts are not sure whether they believe in the constitution or not,” Bhaskar further alleged. The petitioners have argued that the actress resorted to a ‘cheap stunt of publicity’ in a bid to make the people revolt against the apex court. The petition reiterated that the objective of her comments was to stir a feeling of ‘no-confidence’ among the masses against the Supreme Court and its judges.

The contempt case against Prashant Bhushan

On August 14, the Supreme Court found Prashant Bhushan guilty for two tweets where he had raised aspersions on the apex court, and specifically against the Chief Justice of India. The apex court observed that the insinuation by Bhushan is not an attack against an individual but on the institution itself. In the first tweet, Bhushan had lied that the CJI has been keeping the Supreme Court under a lockdown, while in reality, the SC had heard thousands of cases.

In the second tweet, Bhushan had claimed that the Supreme Court of the country has played a role in destroying the democracy in the last 6 years, and last 4 CJIs had a crucial role in it.

Digvijay Singh spreads misinformation about platform ticket prices even after Railways had already put out the facts

OpIndia Staff
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Digvijay Singh spreads misinformation about platform ticket prices even after Railways had already put out the facts

Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Tuesday spread misinformation regarding the platform ticket prices.

Singh claimed that the platform ticket under Congress rule in 2011 was Rs 3 while now it is Rs 50, thereby showing an increase of 15 times. This tweet of Digvijaya Singh comes hours after the Railways spokesperson already clarified and put out the facts for charging Rs 50 for platform tickets.

Responding to a tweet by habitual fake news peddler Prashant Kanojia, the Indian Railways spokesperson had clarified that the Rs 50 charged for Pune Railway station was to discourage people from gathering on railway platform so that social distancing can be maintained. The Railways spokesperson further clarified that the rate for platform ticket has been so raised since the beginning of Chinese coronavirus pandemic.

In fact, platform ticket rates had been increased from Rs 10 to Rs 50 at over 200 railway stations from March this year to avoid overcrowding of railway stations. Speaking to OpIndia, Railways official said that the prime objective of proposing Rs. 50/- as platform ticket is to desist non-serious persons and non-passengers from entering platforms so as to maintain social distancing at stations. “This has helped to restrict the entrants to station and facilitated to maintain social distancing. Other DRMs have also been requested to permit sale of platform tickets at Rs 50 as was being done just before lock down. So far sale of PF tickets not started at other stations being managed by IRSDC,” he said.

Further, the increase in ticket prices of railway platform is temporary and the same will go back to normal after the pandemic risks are gone.

Coronavirus cases in Pune

The coronavirus cases in Pune have recently seen a surge, surpassing total cases in Mumbai in Maharashtra which was worst affected in the country till now. As of now, Pune has total 1,32,481 confirmed cases of Chinese coronavirus of which 39,424 are active cases, the highest in Maharashtra.

Bihar: SP orders investigation against police personnel who stood on Tricolor-rangoli at Mufassil Police Station

OpIndia Staff
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Bihar: SP orders investigation against police personnel who stood on Tricolor-rangoli at Mufassil Police Station

The police officers posted at Mufassil Police Station forgot the flag code and committed a punishable offence by standing on the National Flag made out of Rangoli colours. When the photographs made to social media, netizens outraged and demanded action against the officers for the said photo-op.

According to a report published in Hindi Daily Dainik Bhaskar, the incident took place on 15th August after hoisting Indian Flag on the occasion of 74th Independence Day at Mufassil Police Station, Samstipur, Bihar. In the photographs, the officers can be seen standing on and around the National Flag and Indian Map made with Rangoli colours.

Probe initiated

After learning about the incident, Superintendent of Police Vikas Burman asked Vijay Kumar, DSP Headquarters to initiate an investigation. Kumar visited the site and asked the police personnel in the photographs to appear for recording statements.

Burman said, “The matter has been taken seriously. DSP Headquarters has been asked to investigate and submit the report. After the report comes, action will be taken against the guilty police personnel in this case.” DM Shashank Shubhankar said that the case is related to police personnel thus SP is taking charge of the investigation. “Action will be taken as per rules,” he added.

What does the law say?

According to the Indian Flag Code of Conduct 2002 and Section 2 of the National Pride Offense Act 1971, the accused can face up to three years of jail or fine or both.  

Did former BJP mayor Shakuntala Bharti convert the Muslim girl and marry her off to a Hindu boy as alleged by her sister? Read details

OpIndia Staff
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Did former BJP mayor Shakuntala Bharti convert the Muslim girl and marry her off to a Hindu boy as alleged by her sister? Read details

A Muslim girl, Nazia Saifi alias Asiya, whose sister married a Hindu boy in Aligarh after going missing, has levelled serious allegations against former BJP mayor Shakuntala Bharti. Asiya held a press conference on Sunday, with the help of two local journalists and a local AIMIM leader, in which she accused Shakuntala Bharti of converting Muslim girls by luring them and marrying them off to Hindu boys. She accused the former BJP mayor of doing the same with her sister.

In a video, which was shared widely by Islamists on microblogging site Twitter, Asiya could be heard saying that her sister had been missing since August 7. She said her husband had filed a missing person complaint in the local police station but the police didn’t do anything.

She said that she was really harassed by the police authorities. “When I threatened to go to the media, the police brought my sister in a car where she was accompanied by Shakuntala Bharti and I was not allowed to speak to my sister despite repeated requests. Shakuntala Bharti is converting Muslim girls… this is something wrong that is happening with Muslims… who would get me justice,” she says in the video.

A claim which the former BJP mayor Shakuntala Bharti has denied outrightly. She had asserted that if someone can prove the charges against her, she would leave the state forever.

Many media houses also carried the news that the girl’s sister has alleged that former BJP mayor had presurrised the Muslim girl to convert and marry the Hindu boy.

Meanwhile, Asiya’s husband Parvez also lodged a complaint against the Hindu boy. He alleged that his sister-in-law escaped with the Hindu boy and took some jewellery and cash with her and was converting herself to get married to the boy. Acting on the complaint the police registered a case against the boy under section 363, 366 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and started looking for the girl. 

Now, the police have traced the missing Muslim girl named Faizi aka Preeti. In her statement to the cops, Preeti has refuted the allegations levelled by her sister on the BJP mayor. The Muslim girl contended that she had embraced Hinduism and married the Hindu boy, Rishabh, on her own will and that no one had put any pressure on her. She told police that she was an adult, and had herself decided to marry the Hindu boy. She furthered that she married Rishabh on August 10, in an Arya Samaj temple following the Hindu rituals.

The girl confessed that her sister Asiya did not want her to marry Rishabh, that was the reason why Asiya made such bizarre allegations. “I got married according to my will. He (her husband) used to come to my house, that way I met him. I was not under pressure from anyone. This has nothing to do with the former mayor. The allegation my sister has made is wrong. My sister does not want me to be with these people (her in-laws). She abuses these people,” she said.

The Muslim girl, who now calls herself Preeti, said that Shakuntala Bharti had nothing to do with her marriage. In fact, according to Rishabh, he approached the former mayor after getting death threats from Preeti’s relatives. Rishabh confirmed of approaching Shakuntala Bharti to seek protection.

The Aligarh police have booked four persons, including Asiya. The police arrested journalists Faizan and Shiraz Ahmed from the spot for disturbing ‘communal harmony’ and violating prohibitory orders and Section 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act. Nazia alias Asiya and AIMIM leader Mohd Nazim escaped. Besides charging them with breaking the lockdown rules, the police also invoked Section 153 A (promoting enmity between different communities) and 505 (2) (making statements to spread hatred) of the IPC against the four, in the FIR.

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