The political situation in West Bengal has been in the gutters for quite some time. The law and order situation has been deteriorating with every passing day and political violence has been rampant ever since Hindutva started making headway in the state. And the violence that began during the first term of Narendra Modi has reached a point where a sitting BJP MLA in West Bengal, Debendra Nath Roy, was found hanging in public on Monday.
According to reports, Debendra Nath Roy was missing from Sunday night. The family of the deceased has called it murder and the BJP is making the same allegations against the Trinamool government. Given the recent spree of violence, it will certainly not be surprising if TMC functionaries are found responsible for the alleged murder.
Debendra Nath Roy was an elected representative from the Uttar Dinajpur Assembly Constituency. Formerly, he was a member of the CPI(M) and had won the party ticket three consecutive times. 50 councillors had joined the BJP along with him in May last year. The West Bengal police now claim to have recovered a suicide note from the shirt of the deceased.
According to the police, the suicide note blames two individuals for suicide but they have not been named. A post mortem is yet to be conducted, however, people were requested “not to jump on speculative, biased and judgmental conclusions and to wait for the investigation to complete.”
Despite the advice of the West Bengal Police, it is hard to not to wonder if the BJP MLA was murdered for political reasons. Given the history of political violence in the state, it is only natural that people fear the worst when they come to know of such horrible incidents. For far too long, political violence has been an unfortunate reality in the state.
During the communist era, dissidents were persecuted and some even unfortunately lost their lives. Who could ever forget the Sainbari incident when communists made a mother eat rice mixed with her son’s blood? Who could ever forget the Bijon Setu Massacre where 17 monks of the Ananda Marga were lynched to death and set on fire in broad daylight? But no one was ever made to face the consequences for their crimes.
The truth of the matter is, the culture of political violence that was ushered in by Communists during their rule has been carried forward with equal fervour by the Trinamool Congress under Mamata Banerjee. In recent years, there have been too many incidents where BJP karyakartas have been found murdered or hanging.
Before Debendra Nath Roy, there was Shakuntala Haldar. Before her, there was Bandhu Prakash Pal, his pregnant wife and six-year old son. Before them, there was Trilochan Mahato. In between, there have been many others, far too many to count. And yet, national media has chosen to ignore the orgy of violence underway in West Bengal and it feigns ign orance only because it violates their political bias.
But even by West Bengal’s violent standards and the historical prevalence of extraordinary levels of political violence in the state and the recent orgy of violence, the murder of a sitting MLA is quite unprecedented. A certain limit has been crossed here, a boundary has been breached. It now appears that under the rising tide of political violence under Mamata Banerjee, no one is safe.
At this point in time, one can only speculate when the poison of political violence in West Bengal will dissipate. However, it does not appear that it will be anytime soon. With Assembly elections scheduled for next year, political violence is only expected to escalate to levels unheard of in decades. Every time a political worker is murdered, democracy dies a little.
And right now, the only thing that keeps democracy alive in West Bengal is the unwavering faith of the people of Bengal who believe resolutely that the future will be better than what has been before; that the Sun will shine a little brighter than it did this morning; that they will breathe a little freer tomorrow than they do now. Whether such a moment comes to pass or not is still unclear, but one thing is for certain, men and women such as Debendra Nath Roy and Shakuntala Haldar will not be here with us to experience such delights should it ever dawn in the near future.
As India continues to stagger under the menace of coronavirus, one of the most revered figures in the country, Amitabh Bachchan, announced on Saturday night that he too has been infected by the virus. Besides Amitabh Bachchan, his son–Abhishek Bachchan was also tested positive for COVID-19. Both the father-son duo had exhibited mild symptoms of coronavirus and were shifted to the Nanavati hospital in Mumbai as a precautionary measure to avoid any untoward complications.
The following day, Amitabh Bachchan’s daughter-in-law and his 8-year-old granddaughter also tested positive for the infection.
Amitabh Bachchan’s ailment attracted a massive outpouring of wishes and prayers from his fans who not only expressed their love and support for the iconic actor and his family members but also wished them a speedy recovery from the illness that causes respiratory complexities.
However, while Amitabh and his son were hospitalised for the treatment of coronavirus, a set of depraved individuals were visibly rattled that the actors, despite exhibiting mild symptoms, were admitted to one of the best hospitals in the country, accusing them of exercising their ‘privilege of rich’ while the common people struggled to secure beds for their ailing relatives. Amitabh Bachchan, who has been an admirer of PM Modi, also came under the firing line of the liberals for praising AYUSH Ministry’s homoeopathic efforts to counter coronavirus.
Depraved liberals diss Amitabh Bachchan for being hospitalised when the symptoms were “mild”
These individuals, who associate and align themselves with the liberal-secular worldview, took to Twitter to express their hatred against the Bollywood superstar for being admitted to a hospital for his treatment, ostensibly when he was largely asymptomatic and was manifesting only mild symptoms.
Ashok Swain, an inveterate fake-news peddler, posted a mean tweet saying Amitabh Bachchan should have tried AYUSH Ministry’s “Voodoo medicines” instead of getting himself admitted to one of the best hospitals in the country. Failing to mask his hatred for Hindus, Swain called the actor as a “fraud” and equated him with the BJP leaders, who according to him go to the United States to treat serious illnesses but profess the use of cow urine as a panacea to their followers.
This Modi’s chamcha gets admitted to the best hospital in the country after getting a mild #COVID symptom – Why didn’t he try AYUSH Ministry’s Voodoo medicines? This fraud is same like BJP leaders, when they get cancer, they go to the USA, but tell the fools to drink cow urine! https://t.co/S0VNVlLiLW
Another political analyst, known for his myriad volte-faces and his knack of conjuring up fake quotes—Shivam Vij quoted Amitabh Bachchan’s tweet extolling the AYUSH ministry’s homoeopathic efforts to counter coronavirus and snidely remarked why the actor is undergoing treatment in a hospital instead of just taking homoeopathic ‘medicines’.
Why is he in a hospital when he can just take homeopathic ‘medicines’? https://t.co/C0QTiVfajs
However, as has been the case with Shivam most of the times, he lacks basic comprehension skills to fathom that Amitabh’s tweet lauding AYUSH ministry for its remarkable work in homoeopathy to counter coronavirus was not a call for people to shun allopathic treatment for COVID-19. Nor did Amitabh proclaim that the homoeopathic treatment for coronavirus effectively cures the sickness. He had simply posted a tweet hailing the ministry for its efforts in trying to find a homoeopathic remedy for coronavirus.
When several Twitter users highlighted that Amitabh is septuagenarian and is suffering from comorbidities, Vij tried to shift the goal post by questioning his son’s admission in the hospital. He added Abhishek has mild symptoms and there is no need for him in the hospital. From being a political analyst with perpetually vacillating views, Vij seems to have suddenly transformed into a COVID-19 specialist doctor.
Similarly, Jas Oberoi, who is a columnist with newslaundry, said that the class divide in India is “apparent and blatant” as celebrities like Amitabh and Anupam Kher’s relatives get admitted to the hospitals while the common man is denied access to basic health care services.
Liberal hatred for Amitabh Bachchan stems for his association with PM Modi
This analysis that Amitabh and other celebrities are exercising their ‘privilege of rich’ is wrong on several levels, chiefly on the assumption that common man in need of health care facilities across India are denied the services just like they are being deprived in Maharashtra. Maharashtra has been the most potent coronavirus hotspot in the country and is currently ruled by the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, led by Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray.
To extrapolate the Maharashtra government’s inadequacies to the rest of the country and alleging Modi government of prejudice is not only misleading but also patently wrong. The question about how common people are shunted away while celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan have been provided with access to beds in hospital should have been asked of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra and not of the actor.
Secondly, Nanavati Hospital is a private hospital in Mumbai where Amitabh Bachchan and his son have been admitted. It is not a government COVID facility where the admission of “mildly symptomatic” patients will result in the shortages of the bed for severe cases of coronavirus. As a citizen of India, Amitabh Bachchan has the right to health care and can get hospitalised in a privately-owned hospital if he deems it appropriate.
The Nanavati hospital is a private entity and the individuals who are capable of footing the exorbitant bills there can enrol themselves for the medical treatment. Liberals dissing Amitabh and Abhishek for their affluence and privilege should bear in mind that Nanavati Hospital remains a private enterprise, and is not expropriated by the government as initially advocated by Yogendra Yadav, Ashutosh Varshney, Ram Guha and others before retracting. Unless the state government has appropriated the hospital for the treatment of the COVID-19 patients, liberals accusing Amitabh of “privilege of rich” doesn’t hold water.
Thirdly, these depraved liberals, who had assumed the role of coronavirus epidemiologist during the start of lockdown, then refashioned themselves as Open Source Intelligence(OSINT) experts on India-China standoff, have now become doctors to dish out their recommendations on Twitter as to which patients deserve hospitalisation and which do not. However, the only thread that ties these liberals in all the roles they have assumed so far is their pathological hatred for PM Modi.
Liberals’ hatred towards Amitabh Bachchan is not a new phenomenon, it dates back to the period when PM Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat and the actor was roped in to promote tourism in the state. Since then, liberals have been smouldering with animosity towards the legendary actor, with the latest outrage against him being hospitalised for the treatment of coronavirus being just one of instances of the manifestation of their deep-rooted hatred for the actor.
On Sunday, the Indian diaspora along with the Iranian diaspora and activists from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) reportedly protested against the ‘expansionist policies’ of China, outside the Chinese embassy in London. The group was led by Overseas Friend of BJP. The protestors were seen holding the national flag and placards that read, ‘China Back Off’, ‘Tibet is not part of China’, ‘Down with China’, and so on.
As per the report, Kuldeep Shekhawat, the President of Overseas Friends of BJP stated that the demonstration was a part of an initiative to raise global attention about the expansionist policies of China, and express solidarity with the Indian armed forces deployed at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The protestors demanded China to stop exploiting resources in Gilgit-Baltistan. A PoK activist Dr. Amjad Ayub Mirza said, “We are the victim of Chinese aggression as China Pakistan Economic Corridor passes through Gilgit Baltistan and over 6,000 Chinese army and engineers are present in PoK with an aim to expand CPEC project’
When India Today spoke to an Iranian protestor, he stated, “China has a secret deal with the regime in Tehran… We are here to denounce the agreement with Communist China… By doing such deals, China will occupy our sovereign part… They will bring their own manpower and labour and utilise our cheap labour market in their favour… China has done harm to India. We are in solidarity with the Indians in this respect. “
In a video that has now gone viral on social media, protestors can be heard singing the Indian National Anthem ‘Jan Gan Maan’ and the Indian National song, ‘Vande Mataram’ at the protest site. Pakistan-born-Human rights activist Arif Aajakia also joined the protestors and sang in unison.
Flashlight imagery on Chinese embassy
Reportedly, an image that read, ‘Free Tibet, free Hong Kong and free Uyghurs’ was flashed on the Chinese embassy building in London, a day prior to the protests by the Indian diaspora, Iranian diaspora and PoK activists. The Indian organisers have, however, denied any involvement in it. Shekhawat said, “The focus of the protest which has been organised by the Indian diaspora is the expansionist policy of China and we oppose their aggression. We have nothing to do with the image that has been projected on the embassy.”
Tibetan Youth Congress protest outside Chinese consulate in New York
Earlier, the members of the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress held a protest against the Chinese occupation of Tibet in front of the Chinese Consulate in Toronto, Canada. The demonstrators held placards, waived the Tibetan flag, and shouted pro-India slogans outside the Chinese Consulate-General. “Tibet stands with India”, a protestor can be heard as saying.
The slogan is then repeated over and again by the members of the organisation. “Thank you Indian Army! Free Tibet”, she reiterated. The protestors held placards that read, ‘Jai Hind Jai Bharat’, ‘Free Tibet’, ‘Tibet belongs to Tibetans’, ‘Stop Genocide in Tibet’ and ‘China out of Tibet now.’
The Agrima Joshua controversy has opened a can of worms. After a clip of her performance mocking the Shiv Smarak, a memorial dedicated to legendary Hindu monarch Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, went viral, she was forced to apologise to the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance and the MNS due to threats of violence. Now, All India Bakchod co-founder Rohan Joshi has been forced to deactivate his Twitter account after screenshots of his tweets using vile language against politicians went viral on social media.
In the screenshots that have gone viral, the stand up comedian says that after senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar dies, his ashes should be scattered in a toilet. In another tweet, he refers to Sharad Pawar as a ‘putrid evil f*ck’. In another tweet, he says, “I hope Srinivasan resigns, because I don’t really want to see him killed by the smoke monster that comes out of Sharad Pawar’s vagina.”
Abusive tweets of Rohan Joshi (@mojorojo)
Rohan Joshi also said on his Twitter account that “Someone needs to wipe this entire Pawar clan off the face of the Earth” and called them stains of semen. His abusive tweets were not limited to the Pawar family alone. In another tweet, he said, “Rapes are prevented because men and photos of Mamata Banerjee interact freely.”
Abusive comment against Mamata Banerjee by Rohan Joshi (@mojorojo)
The AIB co-founder has also tweeted other offensive material against Mamata Banerjee.
Abusive tweet by Rohan Joshi (@mojorojo)
Rohan Joshi has also posted a lot of abusive content against the Thackeray family on his Twitter account. In one tweet he says, “Today is Maharashtra Day. Slap a Thackeray.”
Rohan Joshi asks people to slap Thackerays (@mojrojo)
He has also made a particularly offensive tweet against Raj Thackeray. He said, “I was just followed by “rah Thackeray” and a photograph of a giant penis. Can’t figure out which is worse.”
Abusive content against Raj Thackeray by Rohan Joshi (@mojorojo)
After his abusive tweets against the Pawar family, the Thackerays and Mamata Banerjee went viral on social media, the AIB co-founder deleted his profile on Twitter, presumably, fearing retribution. Netizens tagged the concerned politicians in the screenshots of the tweets and expressed their disgust of the same.
It remains to be seen whether Rohan Joshi takes the Agrima Joshua route and apologises for the abusive remarks he has made. Given the nature of the abusive tweets, it is not entirely sure whether the concerned politicians, who are known to have a terrible temper, would be forgiving.
Amidst the political crisis that has emerged in Rajasthan in the last couple of days, Congress MLAs were seen engaging in ‘resort politics‘ yet again. Following the Congress Legislature Party meeting at the residence of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Congress MLAs were spotted boarding buses en route to the Fairmont hotel.
The legislators were accompanied by the Chief Minister as well. While boarding one of the buses, Minister Mamta Bhupesh announced, “All is well.” Earlier, the Rajasthan Congress claimed that attempts are being made to destabilise the Congress-led government by luring MLAs ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections. Following the scare, the Congress party has also shifted its 107 Congress and independent MLAs to a resort on the outskirts of Jaipur.
Congress Legislature passes ‘resolution’
As per reports, the Congress Legislature Party meeting began at 1:30 pm, three hours behind the schedule, at the residence of Ashok Gehlot. The MLAs were also seen waving and displaying victory signs to the press. The grand old party passed a resolution reiterating ‘full support’ to the State government.
The resolution condemned the BJP of luring its MLAs and hurting India’s democracy. “Fearful of the impeccable work of the Congress party, the BJP has conspired to destabilise the State government, indulge in horse-trading, purchasing loyalty through money power and murdering democracy. The BJP seems to have not learnt its lesson from the Rajya Sabha results,” the resolution read.
The resolution further stated, “We condemn the undemocratic intent and conspiracy to weaken the Congress party… If any Congress member is found indulging in anti-party activities, then, strict disciplinary action will be initiated against the said person. Our party is united in the service of the people of Rajasthan.”
Copy of the resolution passed in the Congress Legislature party meeting
Reportedly, top Congress leaders such as Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Ahmed Patel, P Chidambaram and KC Venugopal have been in touch with the ‘rebel’ Sachin Pilot for the past 72 hours and has left the party doors ‘open’ for him. Referring to the Congress party as a ‘family’, spokesman Randeep Surjewala said that issues arising in a family must be solved within the family.
Confusion over Congress Strength
Ever since the Congress Legislature meeting has concluded, there has been confusion over the number of MLAs who are supportive of the current political dispensation in Rajasthan. As per the News 18report, the meeting was attended by 102 MLAs. The BJP has about 72 MLAs in the House of 200 members.
However, Swarajyareported that at least 18 Congress MLAs were missing from the meeting held at the residence of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. The report further stated that about 100 MLAs were present in total while the Congress party has a strength of 107 MLAs in the State assembly.
The report added that about 11 independent MLAs were also a part of the Congress party meeting. The same claim that the meeting was attended by about 100 MLAs was also reiterated in a report in The Hindu. The confusion over the Congress strength further accentuated when ANI tweeted that the meeting was attended by about 107 MLAs.
#Rajasthan : Buses seen outside the residence of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in Jaipur.
Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting is underway here, 107 MLAs present at the meet. pic.twitter.com/0D2gayciYG
The struggle between deputy CM Sachin Pilot and Chief Minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot has come to a point where Pilot has claimed that the state government is no longer in the majority. The State police had registered an FIR against him for allegedly ‘plotting to topple the government’. Sachin Pilot had claimed that he has the support of 30 Congress MLAs along with some independent ones. Ashok Gehlot dismissed his claims by citing the ‘party strength’ based on the number of attendees at the Congress Legislature Party.
Following Gehlot’s strong denial of a loss of majority, ANI reported that the rebel Congress leader has told the Chief Minister that ‘majority’ has to be proven on the floor of the House and not in the back garden of Gehlot’s residence. Sachin Pilot stated, “If they have numbers as claimed, then, why not do a headcount? Take them to the Governor instead of moving them to the hotel.”
Ashok Gehlot govt doesn’t have numbers they claim. CM’s back garden isn’t the place to prove majority, it’s done in Assembly. If they have numbers as claimed then why not do a head count, take them to Guv instead of moving them to hotel?: Sources close to Sachin Pilot (file pic) pic.twitter.com/lDoUM8zsOH
Following the 2018 Rajasthan Assembly elections, a power tussle ensued between Congress’ old guard Ashok Gehlot and youth leader Sachin pilot for the coveted post of the Chief Minister. Eventually, Gehlot was made the CM, and Pilot was sidelined. The divide between the two factions, within the State government, seemed to have widened over time.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday arrested 2 persons from Maharashtra’s Pune in connection with a case related to activities of Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP). The accused were identified as Nabeel Siddique Khatri, a resident of Pune’s Kondhwa and Sadiya Anwar Sheikh resident of Yerwada from Pune and were furthering ISIS ideology in India.
Sadia Sheikh was continuously in touch with Jahanzaib Sami & Hina Bashir Beigh (a Kashmiri couple earlier arrested) & Abdullah Basith (lodged in Tihar Jail) on secure messaging applications & deliberating on how to propagate ideology of ISIS & further its activities in India: NIA
Arrested Islamists furthered ISIS ideology in India
According to the NIA, Sadiya was in constant touch with a Kashmiri couple–Jahanzaib Sami & Hina Bashir Beigh, who were arrested earlier, and a Tihar jail inmate Abdullah Basith on secure messaging applications to discuss ways to promote the ideology and activities of ISIS on how to propagate the ideology of ISIS & further its activities in India.
The premier investigation agency also said that Nabeel Khatri was an active co-conspirator with Jahanzeb Sami and Abdullah Basith in carrying out violent terror attacks in India by providing logistical support such as procurement of weapons, fake SIM cards, assembling of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) etc. to propagate ISIS activities in the country.
It has also been revealed that Sadiya Sheikh was in contact with ISIS recruiters through social media since 2015. She was planning to execute a terrorist attack in Jammu & Kashmir and was detained by J&K Police in 2018: National Investigation Agency (NIA)
“It has also been revealed that Sadiya Sheikh was in contact with ISIS recruiters through social media since 2015. She was planning to execute a terrorist attack in Jammu & Kashmir and was detained by J&K Police in 2018,” NIA said.
This is not the first time that Sheikh was arrested by the National Investigation Agency. In 2015, the NIA arrested her from the Pune airport while she was allegedly attempting to flee to Syria to join the ISIS.
The polit bureau of the CPI(M) has demanded the immediate release of dreaded ‘Urban Naxals’ such as Varavara Rao, Gautam Navlakha and Professor Saibaba on health grounds during the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. It expressed “grave concerns” over the health of individuals it called ‘political and human rights activists’.
The statement issued by the polit bureau of the CPI(M) said, “It has been reported that Akhil Gogoi has tested positive for Covid-19. Varavara rao’s health is also been reported to be alarming. Given the cramped and unhygienic condition in the jails, there is every possibility that prominent human rights activists such as Gautam Navlakha, Anil Teltumbde, Sudha Bhardwaj, Shoma Sen etc., jailed on trumped up charges are at risk of catching the infection.”
Source: Sitaram Yechury/Twitter
“Among the other political prisoners, the condition of Prof. Saibaba is even worse. A person with 90 per cent disability, he has 19 medical conditions, many of which are life threatening. Even UN special rapporteurs on human rights had last year demanded his release given his health condition,” it added.
The people the CPI(M) polit bureau calls ‘political and human rights activists’ have serious charges against them and a history of associations with individuals and organisations linked to terror activities. Some of them are even accused in the Elgar Parishad case. Thus, the language that the party has chosen to adopt is extremely dangerous and undermines the interests of the very people political parties are meant to protect.
The ‘Urban Naxals’ CPI(M) calls ‘human rights activists’
Gautam Navlakha is currently charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. He is accused in the Elgar Parishad case along with Anand Teltumbde. It has been alleged that they have links to Maoists. They have been associated with organisations with extensive links to Naxalites. The same is the case with Varavara Rao, Shoma Sen and Sudha Bhardwaj.
It has also been reported that Gautam Navlakha was in touch with Hizbul Mujahideen and other Kashmiri separatist leaders. Navlakha had earlier attended events organised by Ghulam Nabi Fai who was sentenced to two years of jail by the US for concealing the fact that Fai’s organization, Kashmiri American Council (KAC), was funded by Pakistani Spy Agency, ISI, to deliberately tilt USA’s policy regarding Kashmir against India.
Professor Saibaba
G N Saibaba, a professor of English in Ram Lal Anand College of the Delhi University, was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Gadchiroli sessions court in 2017 for waging war against India for his Maoist links and involvement in anti-national activities. He was convicted under sections 13, 18, 20, 38 and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
G N Saibaba was first arrested in May 2014 on charges of being a member of the banned CPI-Maoists plus providing logistics and carrying out recruitment for them. He was then provided bail for three months on 30th June 2015 in view of his worsening health. He was given bail again in August 2016, this time by the Supreme Court against the wishes of the Maharashtra Government, which thought freeing Saibaba would render him free to propagate his views and brainwash students.
In a report published in February 2016 it was reported that Saibaba had recruited as many as four JNU students to carry out Maoist related activists. Incidentally these students also belonged to the Democratic Students union (DSU), of which JNU student Umar Khalid is also a member.
What is the Bhima Koregaon Violence Case?
The event by the name of “Elgar Parishad” was organised to commemorate the Battle of Bhima Koregaon of 1818, wherein the Peshwas fought against the between East India Company. In the war, an army of Dalit soldiers had fought under the British forces against the Peshwa, the reason for the celebration by Dalits. In 2018, it was the 200 year anniversary of the war and extreme violence erupted over the matter.
Soon after, the case was transferred to the NIA. The Pune police had arrested a total of nine supposed “intellectuals” such as Sudha Bharadwaj, Rona Wilson, Surendra Gadling, Mahesh Raut, Shoma Sen, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, and Varavara Rao for inciteful speeches.
Social media has been extensively used by many radical Islamists to victimise Hindu women in the past. In another such incident, one Rima Tandon (name changed) here has been trolled and given rape threats after she, in her social media post, voiced her opinion of Azaan.
Rima has alleged that one Muslim youth named, Fardeen Modal, attacked her after she posted her picture on social media, where she held a placard and appealed to Muslims to recite Azaan but to keep the volume low.
Reacting to her post, Fardeen Modal, threatened rape on the Hindu girl in a profanity-laden response on Instagram. She shared screenshots of the threats on Twitter.
Fardeen Modal, who has a private account on Instagram, in his messages to Rima allegedly threatened her of rape. He said that she (Rima) would only come to know then, what are the repercussions of messing with a Muslim. “Kattar Muslim kissi baap se nahi darta hun“, (I am a staunch Muslim, I’m not scared of anyone), wrote Fardeen in his message to Rima.
Fardeen’s message to Ashi
On June 28, Rima had taken to Twitter to share her picture with the placard raising her voice against the blaring of Azaan in high volume. Expressing her support to Karishma Bhosale, the girl in the Mankhurd region of Mumbai, who was bullied by Muslim residents for raising her voice against the blaring of azaan in high volume from a neighbourhood mosque in her area, Rima wrote: “I applaud Karishma who stood for her rights . Azan must be banned in loudspeaker. There must be some short of regulation on frequency of sound . It’s totally disturbing. Our religious sentiments and mental peace matters too”.
This Tweet had not only miffed Fardeen Modal who took to Instagram to threaten Rima of rape, but also irked another Muslim youth, Suhail Khan, who too, used extremely crass language to abuse Rima on Twitter.
Kyu Teri Maa Chodi Hai Kya Be Chinaal Ki Shakal Ki Randi Saali Bhadwi?????????????????????
However, following the threat, many social media users, have tagged Indore police and the National Commission of Women asking them to take strict action against the Muslim youth Fardeen Modal for openly issuing rape threats to the girl.
Editor’s Note: The identity of the girl in question has been masked since she feared for her security
A Trial Court in Kottayam, Kerala has cancelled the bail granted to disgraced Bishop Franco Mulakkal in connection with the Kuravalingad nun rape case.
The Trial court had issued a warning to the senior clergy of arrest and cancellation of bail after he failed to appear for the court proceedings for the 13th time on July 1, 2020 and had set a final date of appearance before court for July 13, 2020. However, the Christian padre did not turn up for the hearing yet again today.
The counsel representing Bishop Franco Mulakkal claimed that his client was stuck in a coronavirus containment zone in Punjab. But the special prosecutor deposed before the court that the Jalandhar Civil Lines, where the senior clergy lives, is not listed as a containment zone.
Admitting the argument of the prosecution, the court cancelled the bail of Bishop Franco Mulakkal and issued a non-bailable warrant against him.
Bishop Franco was granted bail in the nun rape case in 2018
Bishop Franco Mulakkal, Archdiocese of Jalandhar, Punjab, was arrested by the police officials on September 21, 2019, after the investigating team finally found evidence that linked him in the sexual harassment case. The court had pointed out the availability of evidence to pursue the case.
However, the Kerala High Court later issued some directions to the rape accused before approving his bail plea. The court ordered the bishop to be present before the investigating officer once in two weeks. The rape accused bishop has also been asked to surrender his passport to the court.
Allegations of sexual harassment against Bishop Franco Mulakkal
Franco Mulakkal, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jalandhar, is accused of raping the nun at a guest house in Kuravilangad in May 2014 and exploiting her sexually on several other occasions. The nun had registered a complaint in June 2018 and had been allegedly threatened by the accused for doing so. The Church congregation had also stood by the rape accused and referred to him as an “innocent soul”. Furthermore, Kerala MLA PC George had also called the alleged rape victim a ‘prostitute’.
The anti-Hindu Delhi riots were the result of a deep-rooted conspiracy that was hatched at several levels. The riots, that took place in Main Wazirabad Road in Chand Bagh resulted in the brutal murder of policeman Ratan Lal on the 24th. The Islamist mob had mercilessly pelted Ratan Lal, beat him up with iron rods and sticks and also shot him once. The Ratan Lal chargesheet filed in the Wazirabad Road riots, which also names Safoora Zargar, much like the chargesheet filed in the Chand Bagh riots case, points towards a larger conspiracy that led to the brutal murder.
OpIndia had reported earlier that the Sikh man who was hailed as a Messiah for the anti-CAA protestors and was setting up langars to feed the protestors was also an active participant and instigator in the riots, according to the chargesheet. In the chargesheet, it was mentioned categorically that DS Bindra was one of the instigators of the riots that led to the murder of Ratan Lal. The charge sheet also categorically states that the conspirators “were fully aware that violence may ensue and had accordingly directed the protestors to arm themselves”.
Further, the charge sheet says, “On 23.02.2020 the above said accused persons along with other organizers, conspirators and rioters convened a meeting at Chand Bagh and asked the residents to equip themselves with iron rods, Dandas, Petrol Bombs etc for the next day. On 24.02.2020 at around 1 pm as per plan, the riots erupted and the protestors attacked the police personnel. Numbers of police personnel were injured and HC Ratan Lal was killed”.
A further perusal of the chargesheet has revealed a far deeper conspiracy between several individuals like DS Bindra, Safoora Zargar and the local Muslim protestors to unleash riots in the area.
The chargesheet mentioned that there was a secret meeting between the instigators, conspirators and rioters on the intervening night of 23rd and 24th and it was after this secret meeting that riots erupted that resulted in the murder of Ratan Lal by the Islamist mob.
Ratan Lal Chargesheet
The chargesheet mentions that after Bhim Army, a pre-planned, illegal march was started from Chand Bagh to Rajghat. This was done to instigate the feelings of people and also, the mob did not have the permission to carry out the march.
The march was spearheaded by various local conspirators and organisers along with Safoora Zargar and other JCC members along with other locals such as Athar, Suleman, Shadab, Ravish, Saleem Khan, Saleem Munna and others. But the same was stopped and confined back to the protest site at Chand Bagh Mazar. Thereafter, the chargesheet says, “Which resulted into a secret meeting at Chand Bagh in the intervening night of 23/24 February between the organizers and conspirators”.
The names who were with Safoora are pertinent since the chargesheet further said, “The riot at this site was the handiwork of D.S Bindra, Salman Siddiqui, Salim Khan, Salim Munna, Shahdab and Athar and others in cahoots with local rioters”
A witness statement which is relied upon in the chargesheet also corroborates the investigation of the police.
Witness Statement in the Ratan Lal Chargesheet
The statement by the Muslim witness reveals another interesting fact (the name of the witness is being withheld). Other than the secret meeting right before the riots broke out, another meeting about two weeks ago was held in secret. In this meeting, the witness says that at 12 AM a meeting was held where two people from every “protest” site from across the Yamuna river were called in.
The proposition to support the call of Bhim Army on the 23rd of February was placed then itself. When some people present raised an objection saying that the sit-in protests were not yielding any results, “Upasana, Athar and Shabad did not listen to them”. It is pertinent to note that the police investigation found that Athar and Shabad, named in the witness statement, were indeed with Safoora Zargar in starting the illegal march and that the riot was their handiwork.
Another witness statement reveals far more than just the secret meeting.
Witness statement in the Ratan Lal chargesheet
The statement by a Muslim witness (name withheld) says that several Muslims, Dalits and students had congregated for the march by Bhim Army which was stopped by the police. Thereafter, the police stopped the march and sealed the Wazirabad road. A rumour was then spread that violence had erupted on another protest site in Jaffrabad.
This was the place where Muslim women along with JCC members and others, especially Pinjra Tod members had blocked the metro road and violence had erupted on the 23rd. It is pertinent to note that in the charge-sheet, it categorically mentioned that it was the anti-CAA Muslims who had started pelting stones and indulging in violence at those who were demanding re-opening of the roads blocked by the anti-CAA protestors. This was reported extensively by OpIndia.
Here are images of the clashes in Jaffrabad from the 23rd February as reported by ANI.
Violence by Muslim mobs on 23rd in Jaffrabad Violence by Muslim mobs on 23rd in Jaffrabad
The witness statement in question says that after this violence in Jaffrabad, a “secret meeting” was convened by the organisers in Lane Number 4 of Chand Bagh. Post the secret meeting, the organisers went on the stage and told the protestors that “this was the time to show them our strength” and due to the visit of US President Donald Trump, all eyes would be on India and hence, the protestors were urged to show up on 24th with maximum number of people.
On 24th, the witness says that as he left his house, he saw the mobs holding rods, swords, stones and sticks, ready to attack Hindus.
Another witness says that after the secret meeting, Muslims congregated there were told by Athar and others that they were to carry rods, stones etc to show the Government and the rest of India their protest against NRC will continue.
Witness statement in the Ratan Lal chargesheet
The undisputed role of Safoora Zargar in the Ratan Lal chargesheet
In the Ratan Lal chargesheet, Safoora Zargar’s name featured multiple times. The first allegation in the chargesheet is rather simple – she was one of the main organisers behind the illegal march on 23rd of February from Chand Bagh to Rajghat that was stopped, and subsequently, secret meetings were held planning the riots on 24th of February.
Accused Shabad was well acquainted with Kawalpreet Kaur (AISA), Devangana Kalita (Pinjra Tod), Safoora, Yogendra Yadav etc. About Shabad, the chargesheet says, “A meeting on 23rd February night was held at Chand Bagh to finalize the action plan for 24/20/2020, for the same accused Shahdab along with other organizers and accused stayed at Chand Bagh. The organizers including accused Shadab instigated the protesters to be violent and in a planned manner asked them to join the protest and equip themselves for any violence”.
The chargesheet further says, “The weapons used to assault police officials and set ablaze properties could not have been abruptly arranged. It was well planned in advance by the organizers of the protest site at Chand Bagh to spread violence on 24/02/2020 and the instigated rioters with common intention created havoc which led to the loss of life and property. The links of the organizers of the protest site with the likes of DS Bindra (AIMIM), Kawalpreet Kaur (AISA), Devangana Kalita (Pinjratod), Safoora, Yogendra Yadav etc. itself indicates a hidden agenda behind the violence. The CDRs of the mobile numbers of the accused persons reveal that most of them were in regular touch of each other. The most common aspect to be noticed is that all the arrested accused persons have deleted the data pertaining to date 23/02/2020 & 24/02/2020 from their respective mobile phones”.
Another accused, Salman Siddiqui, was also named as one of the main conspirators behind the riots that claimed the life of Ratan Lal. The chargesheet says, “As per the call detail records of mobile number 91XXXXXXX3 of Salman, he was in regular touch with a number of other organizers and conspirators namely DS Bindra, Athar, Ravish, Saleem Munna, Saleem Khan, Ayub, Ibrahim and Safoora etc.
Safoora is named in other parts of the chargesheet as well. Here is a clinching excerpt:
During the investigation of the case by Special Cell, it has been found that the riots that took place in December have a connection with riots that later took place in various parts of Delhi including the riot at Chand Bagh. The Jamia Co-ordination committee had managed all the protest sites to achieve its objective and every site was being supervised/handled by the members of JCC. During the investigation it has been found that JCC representative namely Safoora was looking after the Chand Bagh Mazar site and had played an important role in instigating the protestors. Accordingly, Safoora was arrested by IO of Special cell in FIR no 59/20. Role of Safoora in the present case is further being probed and a report regarding the same shall be filed through supplementary charge sheet.
It is therefore evident from the chargesheet that Safoora Zargar is as much intertwined in the murder of Ratan Lal as is any Islamist who hurled the stone towards him, shot him or beat him up with rods and sticks. Further, the occurrence of secret meetings right before the riots broke out and the instructions to protestors to carry rods, stones and swords clearly indicates that an elaborate conspiracy was hatched to unleash riots on the 24th of February 2020.
