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Ram Lalla is not ‘Sabke Ram’, such claims are designed to weaken the Hindu claim to their own Gods

K Bhattacharjee
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Ram Lalla is not ‘Sabke Ram’, such claims are designed to weaken the Hindu claim to their own Gods

A rather intriguing development is afoot in the country ahead of the Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan event. After all the struggles of the past five centuries, we are suddenly expected to believe that Shri Ram belongs to every religious community and not just Hindus and India-centric faiths. The obvious counter to this is if Rama does belong to everyone why is it so that only Hindus that have shed blood for him while every religion that is not centred around India opposed the return of the Prince of Ayodhya to his holy abode?

Obfuscation of such obvious realities is, of course, often the domain of politics. Ahead of the Bhoomi Pujan ceremony for the construction of the Bhavya Ram Mandir at Janmabhoomi, politicians from across the spectrum are jumping on the bandwagon to declare that Ram Lalla is ‘Sabke Ram’. While such sermons are expected from certain quarters, others from whom it is neither expected nor is it necessary for them have also joined in what could only be described as a circus.

Priyanka Vadra Gandhi, the daughter of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, the senior leaders of whose party appeared in the Court to delay the inevitable return of the Prince of Ayodhya, took the opportunity to declare, “Ram is within everyone, Ram is with everyone.”

Manish Tewari, another senior leader of the Congress party, took the opportunity to tweet the distorted version of a Bhajan to Rama and His Beloved Sita. “Ishar Allah Tero Naam,” says the distorted version. The significance of a Congress party leader posting such a thing ahead of the Bhoomu Pujan ceremony is that there is an attempt, not so subtle, underway to rob Hindus of their sole claim to Bhagwan Shri Ram.

Unfortunately enough, some BJP functionaries, too, have bought into the narrative and are now playing it up as ‘Sabke Ram’ on their own. Some have even claimed that Allama Iqbal was devoted to Rama as well while other shave claimed that Rama belongs to every community and not just Hindus alone.

While it is true that Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs and certain ‘mystics’ could also be devotees of Shri Ram, it is entirely preposterous to claim that someone like Iqbal was an adherent of his. Iqbal was one of the leading ‘intellectuals’ of the era who made the demand for the creation of a separate country for Muslims, that is, Pakistan.

Iqbal claimed that Rama is ‘Imam-e-Hind’, that is an Islamic cleric, a servant of Allah. It is not true devotion but an attempt at cultural appropriation. Iqbal never espoused the divinity of Rama and instead, attempted to turn our God into a servant of Allah. Therefore, for any Indian to further Iqbal’s claim to Rama is disappointing indeed.

It is important to understand what is precisely happening here and precisely why it is so important to reject such claims. For quite some time, a concerted campaign has been underway to rob Hinduism of all that is good within it and secularise it. In this context, attempts are being made to secularise Yoga, secularise Hindu festivals such as Diwali and Durga Pujo, even profoundly religious practices such as Surya Namaskar and now, Prabhu Ram.

It is claimed that ‘Yoga is not Hindu’, ‘Diwali is not Hindu’, ‘Surya Namaskar is not Hindu’ and now claims are being made that even Shri Ram does not belong to Hindus alone. While it is understandable why the enemies of Dharma engage in such attempts, because it suits their efforts to paint Hinduism as a cesspit of casteism, patriarchy and oppression alone, gullible Hindus fall for such attempts in order to secure wider acceptance for their religious beliefs.

While wider acceptance for Hindu religious traditions is indeed preferable, it is important to consider what cost this acceptance demands of us. Is it preferable if Yoga is practised around the globe but is divested completely of its Hindu roots? Is it preferable if Diwali is celebrated across the world but as an Islamic or Christian festival? Is it preferable if Surya Namaskar is performed by people worldwide if the Hindu roots of the practice are rejected entirely?

Quite clearly, the attempts have not stopped there and now, claims are being made that even Hindu Gods are not our own. If our traditions are not solely our own, if our festivals are not solely our own, if our religious practices are not our own and then, if it is claimed that even our Gods are not ours alone, then Hinduism will inevitably be reduced to a hodge podge of superstitions that do not have an extensive basis of scriptures and philosophy. That has been the objective of our enemies from the very beginning.

We should not feel remotely embarrassed to claim that Rama belongs to Hindus and Hindus alone. Because it is true and during times of crisis, humanity’s best defence is the truth and truth alone. Hindus have bled for Rama, Hindus have sacrificed their lives for Rama, Hindus have suffered for Rama, Hindus have gone to war for Rama. And throughout all of this, no significant effort was made by individuals from Abrahamic faiths to aid Hindus in their efforts. In fact, they did everything they could to prevent His return.

The Ram Mandir that originally stood at the site was demolished in the first place to erect a Masjid in its stead. It cannot be claimed that it was an act of iconoclasm by the Islamic invaders alone. Generations of Muslims following the demolition offered Namaz at the site and they offered Namaz to Allah, not Shri Ram. Every time Hindus made an attempt to reclaim the site, they faced stiff resistance from local Muslims. Thus, if Rama belongs to them as well, why did Muslims oppose the reclamation of the land for the reconstruction of the Ram Mandir?

The legal battle that ensued in Independent India over the claim to the land was fought between Hindu and Muslim parties. Why would Muslims fight the legal battle for years if Rama belonged to them as well? These are obvious facts that cannot be wished away with an insane barrage of propaganda. Centuries ago, Rama belonged to Hindus. Centuries later in 2020, Rama belongs to Hindus and a thousand years hence, Rama will continue to belong to Hindus. And Hindus alone.

While politicians may be wont to play politics over the matter, because that is there prerogative, they ought not engage in propaganda that has no basis in reality. The Ram Mandir is being built because Hindus won the War for Rama. The Mandir is being built because the highest court of the Republic of India saw merit in the arguments put forth by the Hindu side during the legal battle. It is not being built due to the generosity of any community and it does not behove the occasion to maintain such a pretence.

Ayodhya: Padmashri Mohd Sharif, who has been cremating unclaimed dead bodies for years, invited for Bhoomi Pujan

OpIndia Staff
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Ayodhya: Padmashri Mohd Sharif, who has been cremating unclaimed dead bodies for years, invited for Bhoomi Pujan

The Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has reportedly sent an invite to Mohammed Sharif, also known as ‘Sharif Chacha, to attend the Bhoomi Pujan of the majestic Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on August 5.

On Monday, Champat Rai, the Secretary of the Trust, informed that Sharif had been invited to the foundation ceremony, along with Iqbal Ansari, a petitioner who argued against Ram Mandir the long legal battle for the Ram Janmabhoomi. As per reports, Mohammed Sharif was awarded the Padma Shri in January this year for cremating thousands of unclaimed dead bodies over the past 27 years. Ansari had accepted the invitation believing it to be the wish of Shri Ram.

Mohammed Sharif carries the dead on his bicycle

Reportedly, Sharif hails from Ayodhya and is a bicycle mechanic by profession. Following his son’s death several years ago whose body was found partially devoured by animals on railway tracks, he decided to honour the dead. Since then, he had been cremating unclaimed dead bodies according to their religious customs. Sharif would visit hospitals and police stations to claim unidentified bodies and the authorities would hand it over to him if none claimed the body of the deceased within 72 hours.

He would then carry the corpse on his bicycle to the nearby cremation centre or burial ground to perform the final rites. Although he was considered insane by many, his work was recognised by the Government of India. Highlighting that he did not discriminate against the dead on the basis of religion, he said, “Kya Hindu, kya Musalman, sabse pehle insaan (What Hindu, What Muslim, we are human beings above all).”

Coronavirus protocols to be adhered to during Bhoomi Pujan

Reportedly, the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has decided to send sweets to the foreign Consulates in Delhi, besides distribution in the city of Ayodhya. As per reports, the Trust has placed orders for 16 lac laddoos from Lucknow and Delhi. With regard to maintaining social distancing protocols, DIG Deepak Kumar said, “Under the COVID protocol, not more than five people will be allowed to gather at one place in Ayodhya on August 5. The security arrangements are being made for all the VVIPs and the invited guests. All the boundaries of Ayodhya and Faizabad city will be sealed from the eve of the main event of Bhoomi Pujan. No one will be allowed to enter.”

PM Modi, RSS chief to attend the event

The Bhoomi Pujan will be attended by prominent leaders such as Mahesh Bhagchandka, PM Narendra Modi, Pawan Singhal, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, Nritya Gopal Das Ji Maharaj, UP CM Yogi Adityanath and Governor Anandiben Patel. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will first do Darshan Pujan at Shri Hanumangarhi temple, followed by Puja of Lord Ram at Ram Janmabhoomi. Following this, the Bhoomi Pujan and stage event will be conducted. The Bhoomi Pujan that is scheduled to take place in Ayodhya will witness a total footfall of 175 eminent guests. According to the trust, around 135 priests and Hindu spiritual leaders following several sects and traditions of the faith will participate in the said event.

Breathtaking visuals of the proposed structure of Bhavya Ram Mandir released by Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra

OpIndia Staff
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Breathtaking visuals of the proposed structure of Bhavya Ram Mandir released by Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra

Ahead of Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan scheduled for 5th August, Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra has released first visuals of the proposed structure of Bhavya Ram Mandir. The Trust posted the images on Twitter and said, “Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir will be a unique example of Indian architecture.”

The construction of Ram Mandir will take around 3.5 years to complete. The trust also posted a few 3D images of the interiors of the proposed structure.

Bhoomi Pujan of Ram Mandir

On 5th August 2020, Ram Bhakts around the world will witness the once-in-a-lifetime moment of Bhoomi Pujan of Bhavya Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will share the stage with prominent leaders and saints for the occasion. 175 people have been invited to the event. In a tweet, the Trust said, “Sacred soil from more than 2000 teerth sthan and water from more than 100 rivers has been brought to Ayodhya for Bhumi Pujan.” The Trust has urged all the Ram Bhakts to distribute Prasad while following all precautions laid down for Covid-19 pandemic.

NASDAQ billboard at NYC’s Times Square not to beam Lord Ram’s image after petitions by Muslim groups

OpIndia Staff
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NASDAQ billboard at NYC’s Times Square not to beam Lord Ram’s image after petitions by Muslim groups

A few days ago, Jagdish Sewhani, President of the American India Public Affairs Committee had said in a statement that they are under process to procure the iconic NASDAQ billboard and other billboards at the Times Square in New York to beam Bhagwan Ram’s images during Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan. Now, reports have emerged that the ad company that manages the NASDAQ billboard has refused to provide them after Muslim organizations filed a petition against it.

According to a report, several Muslim groups including Indian Minorities Advocacy Network- ImanNet, Justice for All, Coalition of Americans for Pluralism in India CAPI, North American Indian Muslim Association NAIMA, Islamic Circle of North America -Social Justice ICNASJ and The International Society for Peace and Justice filed the petition and asked the ad companies that manage the billboards not to project the images on the LED billboards managed by it.

Branded Cities decided not to beam images

Dennis Levine of ‘Branded Cities’, the firm that manages the NASDAQ billboard has confirmed that they have decided not to give the said billboard for the 5th August event in India. Dr Shaik Ubaid, the President of ImanNet, said that it is an excellent victory for pluralism, human rights and rule of law. South Asia Solidarity Initiative, a political collective based in New York City, has announced that they will protest against the event on the site itself.

Aatish Taseer, the author whose OCI card was revoked last years for hiding details of his Pakistani father, also posted his opinion against the attempt by Hindu groups on display images from the Ayodhya event in Times Square. He said, “This is so repulsive.”

Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan

On 5th August, PM Narendra Modi along with saints and prominent Hindu spiritual leaders will perform Bhoomi Pujan for the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. It will take around 3.5 years to complete the construction. The Supreme Court of India had passed the judgment in favour of Ram Mandir in November 2019 and asked the government to form a trust to manage the construction work and Temple.

Bangladesh: Communist politician Manisha Chakraborty slaughters 5 cows to distributes meat, promises ‘Kurbani’ of 30 cows next year

Dibakar Dutta
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Bangladesh: Communist politician Manisha Chakraborty slaughters 5 cows to distributes meat, promises ‘Kurbani’ of 30 cows next year

With complete disregard for the sentiments of the Hindu community, one Communist politician named Dr Manisha Chakraborty and her fellow comrades have reportedly distributed beef during the occasion of Bakr Eid on Saturday in Barisal, Bangladesh. The 30-year-old is the member secretary of the district committee of Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (Bangladesh Socialist party).

Manisha went live on Facebook to describe her motives behind the ‘noble’ gesture. At the very onset, she said that the outbreak of Coronavirus had forced the poor people to cancel their celebration for Eid and how that she and her team were ensuring that the ‘downtrodden’ were not left behind.

We have sacrificed 5 cows here, reveals Manisha

“Aikhana panchti goru kurbani daowa hoyecha o seta ke process kora hoyeche (We have sacrificed 5 cows and processed the meat),” Dr. Manisha was heard as saying. She said that slaughtering 5 cows within such a short time was difficult but her comrades and the group of volunteers were able to pull off the uphill task. Manisha said that she had prepared a list of 50 such poor families in each of the 30 wards in the Barisal district who would be given 1kg of beef and 1 kg of rice for making pulao.

Informs that they fed 5000 people last year

Taking credit for the task, Manisha then pointed the camera towards the packets filled with cow meat to emphasise the hard work put by her team. She said that her team had been working tirelessly since 7 am in the morning, on the day of Eid. A man representing the party at the district level said, “Last year, we had fed around 5000 families… We have raised funds to purchase 5 cows and sacrifice it ourselves…We thank everyone who helped us in doing this.”

Plans to sacrifice 30 cows next year

“Agami kurbani te 30 ta ward e minimum 30 ta goru kurbani dibo (Next year, on Eid, we will sacrifice of minimum of 30 cows to feed the people in 30 wards of the district),” the politician shared her future plans. Invoking the example of Mir Jafar who was a traitor and betrayed Bengal’s king Sirajuddulah in the Battle of Plassey, he said “Conspirators have failed. History is a testimony to the fact that those who work for the people can only succeed.”

Manisha then took the centre stage and claimed, “We are one family. We share grief and happiness together… We mourn and celebrate together… Since everyone here devoted their time to make this possible, it truly exemplifies the meaning of sacrifice.”

United States warns against planting mysterious seeds received in unsolicited packages originating in China

OpIndia Staff
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United States warns against planting mysterious seeds received in unsolicited packages originating in China

Amid the ongoing health crisis of Covid-19 that has infected more than 4.8 million people and the US, China seems to have allegedly initiated one more attack. The officials in the US have warned residents of the states stretching from Washington to Virginia not to put any seeds in the ground that they haven’t ordered but came in the package from China. The officials said that these could be seeds of invasive species and have the potential to threaten crops or livestock.

The United States Department of Agriculture is collecting the seeds and testing them to see if they possess any danger to agriculture or the environment. The USDA is working on this new possible crisis with different agencies, including state departments and the Customs and Border Protection Department of Homeland Security.

Possible brushing scam

Brushing scams are those in which people receive unsolicited items from a seller to verify the purchase of a much expensive item to review. In such cases, the seller either sends an empty package or sends an item that has zero to little value. The reviews of the customers help the seller in boosting sales. The USDA believes that these packages are part of such scam. They said the packages appear to be coming from China. “[We are] aware that people across the country have received unsolicited packages of seed from China,” they added.

The USDA seems to have identified some of the seeds which include mustard, cabbage and herbs like mint, sage and rosemary. Seeds of flowers like rose and hibiscus were also identified.

States labelled packages as “agricultural smuggling.”

US states, including Washington and Alabama, have labelled these shipments as “agricultural smuggling.” The state agriculture departments have distributed photos in which they showed seeds of different shapes, sizes and colours found in the white or yellow packages.

The packages were wrongly labelled, and some of them had labels related to jewelry. Some of the packages had Chinese writing on them.

China asks US officials to return packages for investigation

Wang Wenbin, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, said in a statement that the postal service of China strictly abides by the restrictions and do not ship seeds. According to the checks by China’s postal service, the records on the packages appear to be fake. They have asked to send the packages back to China so that they can investigate.

The state officials have asked residents not to open the seed packets and inform officials immediately so that they can come and collect them for further investigation.

Seeds popping up in different countries

According to reports, the “mysterious” seeds have started to pop up in other countries as well. In the last one week people from the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Japan have received unsolicited seeds instead of or with the items they ordered. The Ministry of Agriculture in India have also been alerted about the possible biodiversity attack via China. Keshavulu kunosoth ice president of international seed testing association said in a statement that these seeds possess a threat to food security across the globe. The experts have so far identified 14 varieties of these seeds that include flowering plants like lavender.

Role of Taiwan in the case

Ontario Police tweeted a photo of a seed packet saying that if someone finds seeds in a package originating from Taiwan or China, they should not dispose of them or plant them. The receiver must call the Canadian food inspection agency immediately. Several reports claimed that the seeds originated from Taiwan and the Taiwanese postal service had to issue a clarification that the shipment was via China and not from Taiwan. They have also slapped a fine of around $3500 against the company that sent prohibited items via mail.

Deteriorating relationships between the US and China

In the past couple of years, the relationships between Washington and Beijing have deteriorated over several issues, including Covid-19 pandemic that originated in China. The US has banned many Chinese companies amid trade war, including Huawei. Recently, Trump also announced that he might soon ban the Chinese app TikTok but later gave 45 days to Microsoft as they showed interested in buying the App’s business in four countries including the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Liberals, Islamists get triggered as Congress leaders show soft Hindutva ahead of Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan

OpIndia Staff
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Liberals, Islamists get triggered as Congress leaders show soft Hindutva ahead of Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan

As the auspicious day of Bhoomi pujan of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya approaches, some of the Congress leaders, which until now were known for appeasing minorities, have decided to make a flip-flop and woo the Hindu voters. For a party which denied existence of Lord Ram, Gandhi scion and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s sister–Priyanka Gandhi issued a statement welcoming the Ram Mandir. In addition to Priyanka Gandhi, Former MP chief minister Kamal Nath and erstwhile Union Minister Manish Tewari also took to Twitter and conveyed their subtle support for the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra says Bhoomi pujan ceremony has become an occasion for national unity

Gandhi scion And UP General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra extended her support for the Bhoomi pujan ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. She issued a statement on the event, claiming it to be a cause for national unity, brotherhood and cultural congregation.

“Simplicity, courage, restraint, sacrifice, commitment, are the essence of the name Deenbandhu Rama. Ram is with everyone, Ram is with everyone. With the message and grace of Lord Rama and Mother Sita, the Bhoomipujan ceremony of the temple of Ramlala became an occasion for national unity, fraternity and cultural congregation,” Gandhi tweeted.

On the expected lines, some of the liberals on social media were triggered after Priyanka Gandhi made her stand clear on the construction of Ram Temple. One of them questioned if the construction of Ram Mandir was a cause for national unity.

Twitter user raises question over Priyanka Gandhi’s support for Ram Mandir

Another Twitter user expressed his disenchantment with the Congress party, claiming Pandit Nehru would have been disappointed with the Congress party. The user said, “Our beloved country has crossed the threshold now and reached the point of no return. The slow death of justice, rule of law and secularism…”

Twitter user disappointed with Priyanka Gandhi’s support for Ram Mandir

MP Congress changes its profile picture with an image of Lord Hanuman and Kamal Nath

The official Twitter handle of Madhya Pradesh Congress posted a tweet informing about the change in their profile pic. Instead of Congress’ symbol, the MP Congress has an image of Lord Hanuman with the message “Shri Hanuman Chalisa Path’, along with the image of former MP CM Kamal Nath.

However, this did not sit well with the ardent Congress supporters and liberals, who were instantly triggered after the MP Congress posted the tweet announcing the change in its profile picture.

One of the disgruntled social media users took a jibe at Congress’s secular credentials by commenting: “Waah re Nehruvian Secularism”.

Twitter user on MP Congress’s tweet on Hanuman Chalisa

Another Twitter user who seemed thoroughly rattled by a sea change in Congress’ approach, cursed the party of paying for its deeds and eventually regretting for not throwing Kamal Nath to the “wolves” when they had the chance.

Twitter user on MP Congress’s tweet on Hanuman Chalisa

An Islamist masquerading as ‘liberal’, Md Asif Khan was dismayed that “Secular Congress” was celebrating the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. He reiterated what has been alleged of Congress for some time now that they treat the Muslims as second class citizens.

Twitter user on MP Congress’s tweet on Hanuman Chalisa

A Twitter user who goes by the name Vinay Aravind was appalled that Congress is celebrating the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Quoting MP Congress’ tweet, he said, “This is unutterably pathetic”.

Twitter user on MP Congress’s tweet on Hanuman Chalisa

Manish Tewari quotes Mahatma Gandhi’s version of Hindu devotional song dedicated to Lord Ram

Another senior Congress leader posted a devotional song dedicated to Lord Ram on his Twitter account, prompting a litany of objections and protests from Islamists and Hindus alike.

While Islamists were irked by the former Union Minister’s subtle approval of the Bhoomi pujan ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Hindus were agitated for getting the lyrics of the devotional hymn wrong.

An Islamist, flustered by Tewari’s Twitter post of a devotional Hindu hymn, raised aspersions on Lord Ram’s character for doubting the chastity of his wife Sita.

Islamist attacking Hindu God on Manish Tewari’s post

Hindus too attacked Manish Tewari for brazenly posting an adulterated version of the famous Hindu hymn. One of the Twitter users posted the actual version of the devotional song along with an image that highlighted the difference between the lyrics of the real song and the lyrics of the “Gandhian” song.

Several others also pointed out that the version posted by Manish Tewari was not the true version but a distorted one.

Twitter user correcting Manish Tewari of the devotional hymn

One Twitter user was particularly agitated against Tewari for posting a distorted version of the prayer. He suggested Tewari to add “Ram” to namaz and see the repercussions of the same.

Twitter user abuses Manish Tewari for distorting the bhajan

Bhoomi Pujan ceremony of Ram Mandir

Preparations are underway in Ayodhya for the historic Bhoomi Pujan for the construction of the Ram Temple on August 5, 2020. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Ayodhya for the ceremony on August 5. The ceremony will be graced by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath among several other invitees. Keeping in accordance with the coronavirus guidelines, the ceremony will be attended by not more than 200 people.

Karnataka priest gets death threats for fixing August 5 as Mahurat for Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka priest gets death threats for fixing August 5 as Mahurat for Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan

Pandit NR Vijayendra Sharma, who had suggested the Mahurat date- August 5, for the Bhoomi Pujan of Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir has been receiving death threats over the phone from various parts of the country. Pandit Sharma, who is a resident of Belgavi in Karnataka has said that the callers have been asking him to change the Bhoomi Pujan date or face repercussions. He confirmed that these callers did not reveal their identity.

Pandit NR Vijayendra Sharma received death threats from anonymous callers

He said the callers asked him as to why did he fix August 5 as the date for the Bhoomi pujan and why does he want to take part in the ceremony. Despite Pandit Sharma telling the callers that he was merely doing his duty, the anonymous callers threatened him with dire consequences if he did not change the date. “As a guru, I was only doing my duty”, said Pandit Sharma.

Though Panditji said that he is not taking the threats seriously, an FIR has been lodged at Belgavi’s Tilakvadi police station in this regard and a few police personnel have been deployed for his security.

Pandit NR Vijayendra Sharma, a gold medallist from the Banaras Hindu University, was approached by the organisers in February to set an auspicious date for the historic event. Pandit Sharma is closely associated with Swamy Govind Dev Giriji, who is one of the members of Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust. Reportedly, it was Pandit Sharma who had suggested former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee the date for the oath-taking ceremony as the prime minister.

According to reports, Pandit Sharma had initially suggested Akshaya Tritiya in April as the date for the Bhoomi Pujan, but because of the lockdown that was announced due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bhoomi Pujan could not be conducted on that date. He had then proposed four more dates- July 29, July 31, August 1 and August 5. According to Panditji, all the four dates were auspicious as it fell in the Sharavana Masa of the Hindu calendar. The PMO after due deliberations with stakeholders fixed August 5 for the said event.

“August 5 is apt for Vaastu Muhurta and ideal for Bhoomi pujan. The foundation has to be laid before 12 noon, after which Rahu Kala sets in,” Pandit Sharma had said.

Congress’ Digvijay Singh miffed with the Bhoomi Pujan date

Surprisingly, the date for the Ram Mandir’s Bhoomi Pujan had also bothered Congress senior leader Digvijaya Singh, who had taken to Twitter yesterday, to brazenly spread rumours, fear and unnecessary suspicion about the auspiciousness of the date selected for the historic event. He had contended that August 5, the date selected for Bhoomi pujan for the construction of the Ram Mandir, is inauspicious for the same. His antics were, however, not limited to this. He then went on to shamelessly drag HM Amit Shah into the conversation, insinuating that he and other BJP leaders have been tested COVID positive as a result of ignoring Hindu practices.

The much-awaited Ram Mandir’s Bhoomi Pujan to be held on August 5

The Bhoomi Pujan for Ram Mandir is scheduled to take place on August 5. The three-day ritual began yesterday with the Gauri Ganesh Puja. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to visit the holy city of Ayodhya to perform the auspicious event of Bhoomi pujan on the 5th. 

As per reports, Prime Minister Modi will place a silver brick weighing 22.6 kg at the foundation site of the majestic Ram Mandir during the event. Five silver rocks denoting 5 Nakshatras will also be placed. The Prime Minister will be worshipping 5 silver rocks in the form of: Nanda, Jaya, Bhadra, Rikta and Poorna and install them in the foundation of the temple.

Owing to the current Coronavirus outbreak, Hindu devotees have been urged to watch the historic and auspicious event on television. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath has urged everyone to light diyas at their homes on August 4 and 5, and also said that the religious leaders should decorate temples, organise ‘deepotsav’ and conduct ‘Akhand Ramayan Path’ at temples.

Buy TikTok within 45 days or I will ban it: Trump tells Microsoft

OpIndia Staff
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Buy TikTok within 45 days or I will ban it: Trump tells Microsoft

US President Donald Trump has given 45 days to Microsoft Corp to complete the negotiations over the acquisitions of Chinese short-video app TikTok, said a Reuter’s report. Recently, Trump announced that his administration might ban TikTok. It is believed that the move came in the backdrop of stalled trade and escalated tensions between the United States and China. Covid-19 pandemic only fired up the tension between the two nations further.

TikTok claims that the app has around 100 million users in the US. If Microsoft manages to acquire the app, it will have a rare opportunity to stand in the competition with social media giants like Facebook and Snap. Though Microsoft owns a social media network LinkedIn, it is more of a social media platform for professionals.

Microsoft-Trump meeting delayed the ban

On Friday, Trump dismissed the idea of selling a major share of TikTok to Microsoft. However, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella discussed the issue with Trump that controlled the situation for a while. Microsoft, in its blog, said, “Following a conversation between Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and President Donald J. Trump, Microsoft is prepared to continue discussions to explore a purchase of TikTok in the United States.”

Microsoft further added that they would move quickly to discuss the matter with ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. The discussions should be complete no later than 15th September 2020, which is the deadline provided by Trump. Microsoft will continue the discussion with the United States Government in the matter as well.

The preliminary proposal submitted by the two companies to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) involves a purchase of the TikTok services in the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. If the deal finalizes, Microsoft will own the operations in the said markets. Microsoft said in the post that they might invite other investors from America to buy a share on a minority basis.

Users can expect better privacy options

The purchase, according to Microsoft, will lead to a better app experience in terms of privacy, security and digital safety. The operation model will provide transparency to the users and appropriate security agencies of the governments of the said countries. Microsoft will ensure that the users’ data from these countries get shifted to the US and remains here only. Once the data is transferred to the US, it will be deleted from the servers outside the US.

Reuters said in its report that Trump changed his mind about banning the app after members of his Republican party advised against the plan. They said that banning TikTok may hurt his election campaign as the app is immensely popular among young voters. The US presidential elections are scheduled for November this year. The ban may also trigger a series of legal challenges that the US administration under Trump should rather avoid amid upcoming elections.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham thanked Trump in a tweet. He said, “Thank you, President Trump, for protecting American consumers from the Chinese Communist Party and bringing jobs back to the US. A win-win in the making.”

China blamed the US for witch-hunt

China Daily, a state-backed newspaper on Monday said that ByteDance had become a victim of a “witch hunt” from the US. The paper mentioned in its article that Washington failed to provide any evidence to support the allegations that TikTok posed a threat to national security.

The main issue in the deal will be separating TikTok’s technology from the infrastructure owned by ByteDance to dilute the security concerns raised by the US in connection with the personal data. There is a chance that the US government may give Microsoft and ByteDance some time to complete the transition and develop technology for TikTok that will detach it from ByteDance.

Some reports suggest that the valuation expectations for the app are more than $50 billion, but the US is building pressure for a lower price tag. As of now, according to Microsoft’s statement, these discussions are preliminary. There is no assurance that the deal involving Microsoft will materialize. The company will provide any further updates only after a definitive outcome to the discussions.

“Will believe in coronavirus if Amit Shah dies”: Shaheen Bagh ‘activist’ Aiman Rizwi urges Muslims to pray for his death

OpIndia Staff
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“Will believe in coronavirus if Amit Shah dies”: Shaheen Bagh ‘activist’ Aiman Rizwi urges Muslims to pray for his death

Aiman Rizwi, one of the prominent faces at the Shaheen Bagh ‘protests’ which took place to oppose the CAA which fasttracks Indian citizenship to persecuted religious minorities in neighbouring Islamic countries, has recently urged the fellow Muslims to pray for death of Home Minister Amit Shah. Rizwi also strongly believes that Coronavirus is a myth and propagated to conceal failures of Modi government.

In the 10 minute video (now deleted), Rizwi could be heard saying that this time Amit Shah should die. “Aap dua karein ki vakai agar usko corona hua hai to jo ki nahin hai, lekin agar hua hai to aap sab dua karein ki Khuda kare ki yeh marr jaaye, (You should pray that if he has got corona, which he does not have, but if he does have, then pray that he dies)” she could be heard saying. Rizwi is casting aspersions that despite having been tested positive for coronavirus, Amit Shah may not really have caught the Chinese virus.

“We will believe in coronavirus if he dies. Because none of the BJP people or BJP-friendly media people have not died of coronavirus. But if a Muslim or a Dalit gets even a normal illness then they are dying,” she claims. She further claims that this news is a ‘conspiracy’ to divert attention.

“How did he get coronavirus?” she questions displaying her lack of knowledge on how infection really spreads. As evident, she is not wearing masks herself in middle of pandemic. Wearing a mask is one of the ways to contain the spread of Chinese virus. She claims that Amit Shah had been in hiding since past five months so it is a mystery on how he could catch coronavirus.

She further floats a conspiracy theory that Amit Shah caught coronavirus because the government wants to ‘hide’ the ‘fact’ that Muslims are being beaten up to death for not wearing masks. There is no such report to corroborate such incidents. The Tablighi Jamaat attendees, however, were found beating up medical and healthcare workers as they refused to get themselves tested after Nizamuddin Markaz emerged as a hotspot for the infection earlier this year. She further reiterates that coronavirus does not exist in India.

She further states how coronavirus is a conspiracy as none of the BJP leaders who have tested positive have died. Citing example of Sambit Patra and referring to him as ‘Gobar Patra’, Rizwi says that to hide the criticism the BJP is getting they have ‘created’ coronavirus to spread panic but no one is dying. “Sambit Patra, Zee News people, Jyotiraditya Scindia and even the ‘paaltu, chatukar‘ Delhi CM Kejriwal also went on a honeymoon in the guise of coronavirus. So now they were wondering who should we say is infected. If they would have said Modi is infected, then how will he go for the Shilanyas of Ram Mandir? Hence as per strategy, they made Amit Shah get coronavirus,” she says.

Referring to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as ‘Taklu no. 2’ and ‘aatankwadi (terrorist)’, she claims that the coronavirus is created as a hype so that they can hide the fact that crores of Muslims are beaten, jailed and killed on Bakri Eid. Again, there are no such reports. She further attacks Yogi Adityanath and says that he will not go to the Shilanyas because he didn’t even go to his father’s funeral. When his elderly father passed away in April this year in middle of the pandemic, the Islamists had taken to social media to express glee. “He did not go to his father’s funeral because his father never met him. Why would anyone want to meet him? He killed his Guru to take his position,” she alleges.

“In few days he will return after his honeymoon as coronavirus does not exist. Not only in India but anywhere in the world,” she says. She further claims the leaders are sent on luxury trips under the guise of coronavirus. Rizwi then goes on to spread wild conspiracy theories on Rafale jets which are too bizarre to even make sense to mock her.

Rizwi, a regular face at the Shaheen Bagh ‘protests’ had earlier also claimed that coronavirus a farce. She was also upset at Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan for not calling out coronavirus as a conspiracy. She had also posted videos wishing death on ‘bhakts’ while using the ‘cow dung’ and ‘cow urine’ jibes.

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