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DMK-owned Kalaignar TV says China attacked Indian soldiers because PM Modi cancelled special status to J&K, Ladakh to house Jews from Israel

OpIndia Staff
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DMK-owned Kalaignar TV says China attacked Indian soldiers because PM Modi cancelled special status to J&K, Ladakh to house Jews from Israel

At a time when the entire country is united against Chinese aggression against the country, the Congress party’s ally in Tamil Nadu – Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has indulged in a blatant act of defending the Chinese aggression along the LAC and has instead blamed the Modi government for provoking the Chinese establishment. A video of a show telecast on DMK’s official TV channel – Kalaignar TV has gone viral on social media, in which the host named as Varavanai Senthil can be seen defending the recent Chinese aggression along the Line of Actual Control, especially the barbaric attacks on the Indian soldiers at the Galwan valley.

In the video, Senthil can be heard supporting China by claiming that the attack by the PLA troops against Indians was a response to certain policies taken by the Modi government, especially the abrogation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

According to Senthil show’s in DMK-owned channel Kalaignar TV, the Modi government has an informal understanding with Israel, which decided to make Union Territory of Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh a ‘Jewish settlement’. To enable this, the Modi government decided to scrap the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Taking his anti-BJP rant to the next level, Senthil claimed that the Modi government’s decision to house Jews from Israel in the Northern border states as a deterrent against China was pre-empted by the Communist nation, who then attacked the India troops along the Line of Actual Control. Senthil’s assertion is that it was the decision to make Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh a Jewish colony prompted China to take action against India.

The show telecast by Kalaignar TV shamelessly absolves crimes of Chinese troops, who have unleashed monstrous attacks on India soldiers, and attempted to hold Modi government responsible for provoking China. Shockingly, the DMK-owned channel has been pushing absurd claims of Modi government setting up of a Jewish colony at Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh to deter Chinese forces.

There is neither reports of India agreeing, formally or informally, with the Israeli government to set up Jewish colonies in Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh nor there is any evidence to prove that China attacked Indian troops as a response to India’s actions as claimed by the DMK-owned media network.

In their attempt to vilify the Modi government, the DMK ecosystem has crossed all the limits of decency as they belittle the sacrifices made by the Indian troops by stating that the attacks were no fault of the Chinese despite the fact that the PLA troops had unleashed savages attacks on the Indian troops to the point of mutilation.

Indian troops killed after Chinese launches aggressive attacks

The Indian Army on Tuesday released a statement saying that at least 20 Indian soldiers had martyred, including the Commanding Officer of a battalion at Galwan valley in a violent faceoff on Monday night. The Indian soldiers were killed in an unprecedented violent clash with PLA troopers in the Galwan Valley on Monday night.

The official statement said that it took place during the de-escalation process underway in the Galwan valley. It reported that no bullets were fired but the Chinese troops pelted stones and clubs.

During the clashes, the Chinese troops have also suffered severe casualties as at least 43 Chinese troops are either injured or dead during the attacks that took place on Monday night.

How The Quint tried to exonerate DS Bindra, man named in the Ratan Lal murder charge sheet as an instigator

Editorial Desk
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How The Quint tried to exonerate DS Bindra, man named in the Ratan Lal murder charge sheet as an instigator

Ever since the anti-Hindu Delhi riots erupted, the ecosystem has worked overtime to prove that the riots were actually a pogrom against Muslims by Hindus. The media has completely exonerated the Muslim community and almost developed selective amnesia. The ecosystem that acts as the backbone of the Islamists hardly recalls the violence that broke out and the Islamist mobs that ran rampage even before the Delhi riots way back in December. They forget about the Ankit Sharmas and Dilbar Negis in the riots and the conveniently dismiss all evidence against the Islamist mobs than indiscriminately targeted Hindus.

While the entire ecosystem works in tandem, this time, The Quint has stepped up to mount a shameless defence of a man named as the instigator of riots that led to the brutal murder of Ratan Lal by Islamist mobs.

Recently, in an Exclusive story, OpIndia had reported how in the charge sheet filed in connection with the murder of constable Ratan Lal, advocate DS Bindra was named as one of the instigators.

In the charge sheet, 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”.

After OpIndia reported, The Quint rushed to not only cast aspersions on the Delhi Crime Branch’s charge sheet, but also exclusively gave a platform to DS Bindra to peddle his victimhood without presenting the full facts.

The Quint article was headlined, “Is Langar A Crime?: DS Bindra on his name being linked to riots”. At the very outset, by the headline, the insinuation was clear – that in the charge sheet, Bindra has been named only because he set up a langar to feed the protestors and hence, he is being called an instigator.

The Quint article shielding DS Bindra
The Quint article

In the entire article, The Quint is careful to quote only testimonies and statements by rioters that recorded the role of DS Bindra in setting up langar and organising the protest. It quotes the following statement by Najam Ul Hasan as mentioned in the charge sheet:

“DH Bindra requested locals to carry out a demonstration against CAA and he said that ‘I will put up a langar and medical camp. The entire Sikh community is with you. If you don’t come forward then your fate will be similar to that of Sikhs in 1984”.

In the entire article, The Quint is careful to quote only statements that point towards the role of Bindra in setting up the tent for protests, langar for meals etc. However, certain other aspects that are conspicuously missed by The Quint point towards the fact that the publication is trying its best to shield Bindra.

The charge sheet, for example, says that the organisers and instigators were fully aware that the protests may turn violent and hence, they had instructed the protestors to carry weapons. As mentioned above, in a meeting on the 23rd, it was specifically told to protestors to carry iron rods, acid pouches etc. Since Bindra is named as an instigator and every statement proves, even the ones quoted by The Quint, that Bindra was intricately linked with organising the protests and the meetings, Bindra cannot be exonerated.

Interestingly, The Quint has left out these details from its report. Though The Quint has quoted OpIndia, it is clear that The Quint itself has also acquired a copy of the charge sheet. How do we know this? Well, The Quint, just as OpIndia, quotes the testimony of two beat officers whose statements were recorded in the charge sheet specifically naming DS Bindra. However, while OpIndia had intentionally left out the names of the beat cops, The Quint has added their names in their report. This clearly means that The Quint too has a copy of the charge sheet and hence, them omitting the operative parts of the charge sheet which says that the organisers and instigators asked protestors to be armed a day before the riots broke out reeks of a sinister agenda.

It is also interesting to note that in their report, The Quint while citing OpIndia report blames OpIndia for focussing “only” on the parts that named DS Bindra.

The Quint article shielding DS Bindra
The Quint report

One cannot really accuse The Quint of indulging in practices such as journalism, but lengthy charge sheets are generally broken into bits for the purpose of reportage. Mostly, a lengthy charge sheet that has several elements to it, will not be reported at once, in one article itself. It is broken into bits that are easy to consume.

Further, Quint carries DS Bindra’s comment blaming OpIndia for not reaching out to him for “his right to respond to allegations”. Firstly, the report only pertained to the charge sheet filed by the Delhi Crime Branch. If at all Bindra wishes to defend himself, it should be to the police and in the court of law. While reporting a charge sheet, there is no incumbent requirement to reach out to the accused to take their version.

While this drivel from The Quint is not surprising, what is pertinent to note here is that it would seem that the entire Left media ecosystem could have deliberately not reported that DS Bindra is indeed named in the charge sheet. Seeing how he was glorified by the media during the protests and that they have the copy of the charge sheet with them, it is reasonable to conclude that even though they were in the possession of the charge sheet, the entire ecosystem chose to not report material facts mentioned in the charge sheet.

With the concerted attempt to shield the rioters, instigators and conspirators, this omertà that the media seems to be observing don’t surprise anyone.

Did abusive Mahila Congress leader Reena Mimrot threaten to quit party if Rahul Gandhi does not speak up against abusive tweets by Chandrashekhar Azad

OpIndia Staff
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Did abusive Mahila Congress leader Reena Mimrot threaten to quit party if Rahul Gandhi does not speak up against abusive tweets by Chandrashekhar Azad

A Tweet went viral today where Congress leader Reena Mimrot was seen threatening to quit if Rahul Gandhi did not speak up against BHIM Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad and his abusive tweets that have surfaced recently.

The account tweeted in Hindi: “सुनो @RahulGandhi मैं तुम्हारे पार्टी से हु लेकिन अगर आप आज महिलाओं के सम्मान में आवाज नही उठाएंगे तो मैं पार्टी छोड़ दूंगी… मैं भी महिला हु मेरा भी सम्मान इज्जत है इतना भी गिरी हुई औरत नही हु #अरेस्ट_चंद्रशेखर_रावण, roughly translated as “Listen, Rahul Gandhi, though I am your party member, today if you do not take speak up against abusive tweets by Chandrashekhar Azad I will quit. I am also a woman, I also have self-respect, I am not that petty”.

Was it really Reena Mimrot?

As it turns out, the tweet was from a parody handle of abusive Congress leader Reena Mimrot. The original Twitter handle has no such tweet.

Original account of Reena Mimrot

As one can see, the parody handle is @iMimrotReena while the original account is just @MimrotReena.

Chandra Shekhar Aazad’s abusive Tweet

Yesterday, a compilation of screenshots of Aazad’s abusive tweet from the past had gone viral on the micro-blogging site. Most of the tweets date back to the year 2018, where the Bhim Army chief had used extremely derogatory and cheap Hindi slangs to insult women with a different ideological bent.

Chandra Shekhar Aazad in almost all his tweets had called these women, who are seen as supporting the Prime Minister, as “Dallas” (pimps) and “prostitutes”, accusing them of selling their bodies to BJP leaders.

Furious netizens had demanded Twitter India to remove Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad from the micro-blogging site after his old sexist and disparaging tweets went viral on Twitter.

NCW Chairperson, Rekha Sharma, taking congnisance of the vile and abusive tweets said that she “will take care of this man who is disgracing the name of great hero”.

Note: An earlier version of this article made an error in reporting a parody handle as the original handle. The error is regretted.

China using coronavirus pandemic as a ‘smokescreen’: US Senator Mitch McConnell slams China for expansionist policies, violent clashes with India

OpIndia Staff
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China using coronavirus pandemic as a ‘smokescreen’: US Senator Mitch McConnell slams China for expansionist policies, violent clashes with India

In a policy speech on Thursday, Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell reportedly stated that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China may have instigated the violent clash along the Line of Actual Control in order to ‘grab territory’. He delivered his speech on the floor of the House and the Communist-ruled country featured in the list of countries that threaten the interest of the United States and its allies.

While reiterating the need for peace and de-escalation, he said that the violent clash that took place between two nuclear states, namely, India and China at Galwan Valley in Ladakh was a matter of grave concern. While India is reported to have suffered 20 casualties, 43 Chinese soldiers have been deemed casualties in the stand-off, government sources confirmed to media agency ANI.

“But the world could not have received a clearer reminder that the PRC is dead-set on brutalizing people within their own borders, challenging and remaking the international order anew in their image to include literally redrawing the world map,” he was quoted as saying.

China being a menace to its neighbours

Highlighting the expansionist intentions of the Communist Party of China (CCP), the Senator noted that China has been advancing their influence in the region by using the Coronavirus pandemic as a ‘smokescreen.’ He stated that China had escalated its oppression against Hong Kong, intruded into Taiwan’s airspace on four different occasions, and had been a menace for Japan near the Senkaku Islands. Reportedly, another Congressman, Jim Banks applauded India’s ‘strong, wise decision’ to ban Huawei and ZTE and stated that it was in the best interests of every country to push back thugs of CCP.

India- China Standoff

The current stand-off between India and China began on May 5-6 over China’s incursions into the India side at Pangong Tso in Ladakh. The movement of troops and heavy machinery along and across the LAC has been objected to by India. The Indian Army had matched the level of their counterparts and had stopped them from conducting movements in several areas. As per the ANI report, Indian forces have also been airlifted from other high altitude areas to the Eastern Ladakh sector.

On Monday night, 20 Indian soldiers, including a Colonel were killed when Chinese troops had attacked with stones, batons and barbed wires. In a fierce combat that took place on extremely hostile terrain, 20 Indian soldiers had lost their lives to injuries and exposure. China is believed to have suffered 43 casualties but the communist state, as usual, has been obscure about information.

Sushant Singh Rajput death: Mumbai police ask Yash Raj films to submit the copy of contract signed with the actor

OpIndia Staff
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Sushant Singh Rajput death: Mumbai police ask Yash Raj films to submit the copy of contract signed with the actor

The Mumbai police are currently investigating allegations that professional rivalry and lobbying might have pushed actor Sushant Singh Rajput to suicide. Apart from this, it is probing allegations that the actor was ousted from multiple films in the last six months after being “boycotted” by big banners. As part of the investigation, Mumbai police has asked Yash Raj Films to submit a copy of their contract signed with the actor. Police have directed that the contract copy must be submitted soon.

It is believed that the Sushant Singh Rajput had signed a three-film contract with YRF, but had featured in only two- Shuddh Desi Romance in 2013 and Detective Byomkesh Bakshy in 2015.

On Thursday, the police recorded statements of Rajput’s PR manager Radhika Nihalani and former business manager, Shruti Modi. The officer added that Modi had worked with Sushant Singh Rajput between July 2019 and February this year.

Modi also told officials at the Bandra police station that Sushant was in the process of registering a company named Nation India For World to undertake social activities like relief work and tree plantation drives and another one named Vivid Range Realistic to create virtual reality gaming content. 

On Thursday afternoon, the police also summoned actress Rhea Chakraborty, who was known to be close to Rajput. Her statement was still being recorded till late on Thursday night.

Maharashtra HM Anil Deshmukh had said Mumbai Police would investigate “professional rivalry” angle in their investigation

On Sunday, 14 June, Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead at his residence in Mumbai’s Bandra. Following Sushant’s death, media and social media has been abuzz with a lot of discussions, and speculations over his death.

As per procedure, the Mumbai Police took his body for post mortem and an inquiry was launched. On Monday, 15 June, Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh had also spoken about the issue. Taking to Twitter, Deshmukh confirmed that though the post mortem has confirmed that Rajput had committed suicide by hanging himself, there have been allegations of professional rivalry. Deshmukh added that Mumbai police will also probe this angle in their investigation.

Family of Sushant Singh Rajput has alleged foul play

It is notable here that though many reports have stated that the young actor was suffering from depression, his family has alleged foul play in his death. Sushant’s brother-in-law who is a senior police officer in Haryana had alleged foul play and has sought a thorough investigation into the case.

Chinese aggression along borders is to take advantage of the coronavirus pandemic when the world is distracted, says US diplomat

OpIndia Staff
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Chinese aggression along borders is to take advantage of the coronavirus pandemic when the world is distracted, says US diplomat

The ongoing Chinese aggression along the Line of Actual Control and China opening multiple fronts of territorial disputes may be a ploy by the Chinese establishment to take advantage of the situation at a time when the world is distracted due to coronavirus pandemic, a top American diplomat said on Thursday.

Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell said that the Chinese government is unleashing its forces at a time when the world is distracted, adding that the Trump administration is closely watching the Indo-China situation. The latest Chinese activities with India is similar to Beijing’s past activities on India border including Doklam, Stilwell said at a press conference.

“One explanation for China creating multiple fronts like this is an assessment in Beijing that the world is distracted and is focused entirely on survival as of now, recovering from the corona pandemic, which then possibly is seen as an opportunity to take advantage of the distraction,” Stilwell said.

The US diplomat added that though he is not offering an official US Government position on the issue, but there are already numerous explanations out there for that in the public domain regarding the aggressive Chinese behaviour with its neighbours, including India.

US administration is watching India-China border dispute closely

‘The US administration is watching the India-China border dispute very closely’, Stilwell said to the reporters after the meeting between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi to exchange views on bilateral relations and coronavirus pandemic.

“This activity is similar to the activity we’ve seen in the past on border disputes with the PRC (Peoples Republic of China), and again, I would point you to those – I think it was 2015 when Xi Jinping travelled to India the first time,” he said.

Highlighting the aggressive behaviour of the Chinese, the US diplomat also stated that the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) invaded this contested area deeper and longer, with more people than ever before historically. “Whether that was a negotiating tactic or just a punch in the nose to demonstrate their superiority, I don’t know,” the diplomat said.

“But then we saw the Doklam issue down near Bhutan, where we saw similar concerns. I wish I knew. Again, we don’t have a lot of visibility and we don’t have a lot of open dialogue with our Chinese counterparts, and honestly, I’d like to see more of that if we can” Stilwell said.

Earlier, the State Department official had also expressed concern over the recent Chinese aggression in the region. “The actions that we’ve seen out of the PRC of late – and you all know this as you watch the beat – have been not really constructive as we look at India, the South China Sea, Hong Kong issues, and just go around the perimeter. In the periphery things like trade have not lived up to the billing, unfortunately,” Stilwell said.

US insists China disclose everything about coronavirus pandemic: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

The US seeks a constructive and result-oriented relationship that is fair and reciprocal with China, the senior diplomat said, adding that the US seeks actions rather than just conversations. Stilwell said that, Pompeo, during his meeting with the Chinese, has insisted on the Chinese disclosing all they know about how this pandemic began and asked them to share all the information that they have that leads to saving lives.

“This is not about saving face; it’s about saving lives. And we insist that they live up to their agreements with the WHO and with the international health regulations to make open as this is beyond politics,” he said.

The US diplomat added that Chinese aggression and its reluctance to be transparent is not just a US-China event. but ‘China versus lots of others’. We just saw a very strong G7 statement on Hong Kong that demonstrates that it’s the world that’s concerned with this behaviour, the diplomat added.

“The objective of these talks was to help the Chinese government understand that their actions are actually working against them and that if they come to the table with a reasonable proposal, the US is obviously going to greet it reasonably and look for ways to work toward a positive outcome,” Stilwell said.

US expresses deepest condolences for loss of Indian soldiers’ lives

The United States on Thursday expressed its deepest condolences to India for the loss of lives of 20 Indian soldiers in a face-off with China on Monday night.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the people of India for the lives lost as a result of the recent confrontation with China. We will remember the soldiers’ families, loved ones, and communities as they grieve,” United States Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo has said.

Indian troops killed by Chinese aggression along LAC

The Indian Army on Tuesday had released a statement saying that at least 20 Indian soldiers had been martyred, including the Commanding Officer of a battalion at Galwan valley in a violent faceoff on Monday night. The Indian soldiers were killed in an unprecedented violent clash with PLA troopers in the Galwan Valley on Monday night.

The official statement said that it took place during the de-escalation process underway in the Galwan valley. It reported that no bullets were fired but the Chinese troops pelted stones and used clubs and batons.

During the clashes, the Chinese troops have also suffered severe casualties as at least 43 Chinese troops are either injured or dead during the attacks that took place on Monday night, as per reports.

TMC supporter Garga Chatterjee slapped with FIR for calling Ahom dynasty’s founder Sukaphaa as a “Chinese invader”

OpIndia Staff
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TMC supporter Garga Chatterjee slapped with FIR for calling Ahom dynasty’s founder Sukaphaa as a “Chinese invader”

A First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against Trinamool Congress stooge, Garga Chatterjee, at the Dibrugarh police station for his distasteful comments against the founder of Assam, Sukaphaa. In a bid to criticise the Assam BJP, Chatterjee had termed the founder of the Ahom dynasty, Sukaphaa, to that of a ‘Chinese invader’.

On Wednesday, the TMC troll questioned the Chief Minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal, on Twitter for celebrating a ‘Chinese invader’ who is supposedly eulogised by a militant group named United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA). He also criticised the BJP for wasting taxpayers’ money to unveil statues of Sukaphaa. In another tweet that has now been deleted, Chatterjee wrote, “There is a state in India where the State Day is celebrated by Assam BJP to commemorate a Chinese invader who brutally attacked India with Chinese troops.”

Screenshot of his contentious tweets (Photo Credits: InsideNE)

FIR against TMC troll

The FIR was filed, following the complaint of one advocate Bhaskar Gogoi on Thursday. The same was confirmed by him on Twitter. In his complaint, Gogoi argued that the accused has indirectly termed Ahoms as ‘Chinese invaders’. Calling out the blatant accusation, the advocate wrote, “These tweets coming in the wake of tense border standoff in Ladakh and general antagonism against the Chinese government at large, might lead to targeting of Assamese people in rest of India.”

Gogoi remarked that the nefarious attempt to malign the Assamese people through misinformation would put the entire community at risk, amidst escalated tensions at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Reportedly, the advocate who is a resident of Dibrugarh has requested the Assam government to write to the Twitter management to suspend the verified handle of Garga Chatterjee.

Sukaphaa and Ahom Dynasty

Sukhaphaa was the founder and the first ruler of the Ahom dynasty in medieval Assam. He was a Tai prince from Mong Mao whose reign is celebrated as Ahom Diwas or Assam Day on December 2 every year. Chaolung Sukaphaa had established the Ahom kingdom in 1228 which survived for around 600 years and led to the unification of several ethnic groups in the region. In memory of the ruler, he is often referred to as Chaolung, meaning ‘great Lord.’ Sukaphaa’s reign lasted for around 40 years between 1228 AD to 1268 AD.

The report has argued that dismissing the credentials of the founder of the Ahom dynasty is a disservice to his legacy, compounded with a lack of understanding about India’s north-eastern region. Another aspect that has to be highlighted following Chatterjee’s comments to link Sukaphaa to China, is the tendency to racially discriminate north-eastern people on the basis of ‘mongoloid based features’

Garga Chatterjee spreads hate against Non-Bengalis

This is not the first time that the foul-mouthed TMC troll had tried to spread hatred against Non-Bengalis. Earlier, Garga Chatterjee went on to insult the Marwari community by referring to them as ‘dishonest community that indulges in black-marketing’. He had also suggested that all of India’s problems could be solved if Biharis, people from Uttar Pradesh, Marwaris and Gujaratis were restricted to their own states for their livelihood. Chatterjee had also issued veiled threats against non-Bengalis living in West Bengal.

Varanasi: Dalit woman files FIR against Scroll journalist for falsely portraying her as starving and struggling for food

OpIndia Staff
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Varanasi: Dalit woman files FIR against Scroll journalist for falsely portraying her as starving and struggling for food

The Varanasi police have booked Scroll.in Executive editor, Supriya Sharma under defamation and sections of SC/ST act after a Dalit woman named Mala Devi filed a complaint against her for misquoting her story in her article to show that she’s living in extreme poverty during the lockdown in the village adopted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The complainant Mala Devi alleged that her story was misreported by the journalist and presented as if she(Mala Devi) was facing extreme poverty and hunger which was actually not the case. The woman in her complaint revealed that she is working as a Safai Karmachari in the Municipal corporation, Varanasi. Her mother was working in the Municipal corporation and is currently getting a pension. She described that woman journalist Supriya Sharma and others had met her asked her about the lockdown.

In the complaint, the woman has stated that she was facing no problem during the lockdown. She has food for her and her family to eat. Recently, she learned that Supriya Sharma had made false claims about her in her report. She alleged that Supriya Sharma falsely mentioned in her report that the Dalit woman works as a domestic worker and she slept after having a cup of tea and a chapati.

Mala Devi is reportedly a resident of Domari village in Varanasi constituency and her village has been adopted by PM Modi under the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojna.

The Scroll article by Supriya Sharma had mentioned Mala, a Dalit woman as a domestic worker unable to feed her family

The woman has alleged that the Scroll Journalist has made fun of her poverty and caste by writing such malicious claims about her which has hurt her mentally and damaged her reputation in society.

Supriya Sharma mentioned in her report that the Dalit woman was struggling for food

The Executive editor of the Scroll.in, Supriya Sharma had mentioned in her article that the aforementioned woman Mala Devi, who is a single mother and is survived by six people in her family works as a domestic worker. She has mentioned that the woman made fugitive trips to Varanasi in search of work after her employers stopped paying her so that she can earn and buy food for her family. She quoted her as saying, “We would sleep on chai and roti, sometimes not even that.”

The Scroll article, dated 08 June, had claimed that the lockdown has brought poverty and starvation for the poor in the Prime Minister’s own constituency and the government’s schemes are not being delivered on ground level.

The Scroll article on June 08

Scroll defends their article

The Scroll has acknowledged the FIRs registered against Sharma and stated that they stand by what Sharma had reported. They have claimed that while speaking to them, Mala Devi had stated that she is a domestic worker and is currently struggling for food. However, the portal has not shared any audio or video evidence of the woman’s statement.

It is notable here that recently, the Scroll was found making false claims against the Indian Railways and also the Food Corporation of India.

Is the Odisha Govt merely abiding by SC order to stop Ratha Jatra of Shri Jagannatha this year? Here is the truth

Sambit Nayak
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Is the Odisha Govt merely abiding by SC order to stop Ratha Jatra of Shri Jagannatha this year? Here is the truth

The annual Ratha Jatra of Prabhu Shri Jagannatha won’t be held this year. The last time it happened was in 1733 when Mohammed Taqi Khan attacked the temple and the idols were shifted to Ganjam district. After 285 years, Supreme Court has halted the Ratha Jatra this year due to the ongoing pandemic caused by the Chinese virus, as Odisha government apprised SC of the dangers of the congregation.

A brief background of events may be in order before understanding how the matter reached court. In the first week of May, the Odisha government said that they would seek MHA’s directive on whether Ratha Jatra can be held this year. The first sign of their lack of decisiveness. On a pure state administrative matter, they sought MHA directive. On 7th May, MHA issued a letter to Chief Secretary, Odisha clearly outlining that it’s for the Government of Odisha to decide if they want to celebrate Ratha Jatra or not. However, the construction of chariot and other rituals may begin.

After receiving the order, the Odisha government said that they will make a decision at an opportune time. However, they allowed the chariot construction to begin, 12 days after Akshaya Tritiya, the usual date on which it begins.

As per Shree Jagannatha Temple Administration (SJTA, a government body) order, Swabs of all sevayatas associated with Ratha Jatra rituals were collected and sent for testing. They were quarantined at Bhakta Nivas and advised to stay there and not meet anyone else till the end of Ratha Jatra. With reduced manpower and lost days, they pulled double shifts day and night to finish the work on time.

Other rituals associated with the Jatra were also conducted as per rule. Deva Snana Purnima (Bath Ceremony) was conducted with minimal sevayat presence. Below you can see Deva Snana Purnima during last year and this year.

Here is a view of deserted Bada Danda (Grand Road) during Deva Snana Purnima.

All this while, state government remained non committal but the rituals proceeded as usual. SJTA held meetings with various stake holders. On 11th of June, a previously unheard NGO, Odisha Vikas Parishad, filed a PIL in SC stating that “Holding Ratha Jatra in Odisha from June 23rd will be catastrophic, in light of rising COVID cases”.

On 18th June, a 3-judge bench including CJI Bobde began hearing. SG Tushar Mehta, appearing for the centre, asked the court to allow some rituals to be performed. However, Harish Salve, representing Government of Odisha, apprised the Court of “the dangers of the congregation if any celebration is held”.

The court noted, “We have experience that anytime something is allowed, people gather”. The order was unanimous and CJI said “Lord Jagannath won’t forgive us if we allow Ratha Jatra this year” before passing an order to cancel Ratha Jatra for the year 2020.

It’s important to note here that, all this while, the state govt was facilitating the preparatory work for Ratha Jatra. Quarantining all sevayata associated with Ratha Jatra, swab tests, make-shift island on Bada danda separated by barricades for Ratha Khala (Where chariot is constructed), planning to seal Puri boundary before Ratha Jatra and so on. Devasnana Purnima was held with extraordinary discipline and no COVID guideline was broken. None of these facts was presented before the court by the state’s counsel Mr Harish Salve. In fact, the original petition paints the Deva Snana Purnima as a health hazard and asserts that if Deva Snana Purnima is held, there is a chance that Ratha Jatra will be held and hence, it should be stopped.

In absence of any of these facts before the bench, how did the bench conclude that allowing Ratha Jatra is dangerous? It is also surprising that the state government which remained non-committal but allowed all rituals to go on with required safety measures argued against celebrating Ratha Jatra. Why then govt of Odisha never even once clarified its position with respect to Ratha Jatra, to the people of Odisha? They deserved to know what the government’s view is vis-a-vis Ratha Jatra. 

After the order, at 7:30 PM in the evening, the state government held a cabinet meeting and decided to “Comply with the Supreme Court directive”. While state govt wants to paint a picture that it’s the SC order which stopped the Ratha Jatra, people can see through it. SC took this decision based on state government response which was not affirmative.

While the state government argued against celebrating Ratha Jatra fearing congregation of people, it may be noted that, on 30th May, CM appealed people to sing “Bande Utkala Janani”, now the state anthem, to pay tributes to the Corona warriors. The following pic is from the same event held on Puri Bada Danda.

Puri Bada Danda (Grand Road) on 30th May, Congregation to Sing Bande Utkala Janani, the state anthem

Anyways, as law abiding citizens, we must respect the SC order and state government decision. As we say here in Odisha, “Chaka Akhi Sabu dekhuchi” – The One with the round eyes is watching it all.

Even as China kills 20 of our soldiers, Former Amnesty India chief Aakar Patel says BJP is the real enemy, not China

OpIndia Staff
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Even as China kills 20 of our soldiers, Former Amnesty India chief Aakar Patel says BJP is the real enemy, not China

Even as China unleashed its treacherous attack on the India troops with nearly 20 soldiers losing their lives along the LAC at Ladakh, the Indian ‘intellectuals’ have now turned blind to the barbarity unleashed by the Chinese and instead are busy depicting the ruling BJP as country’s biggest enemy. Amidst the ongoing standoff between India and China where China went as far as to mutilate our soldiers, former Amnesty India Chief Aakar Patel took to Twitter to declared that the enemy of the country was BJP and not China.

It all started when Aakar Patel claimed that he did not find any references to China in the original document of the Jana Sangh or the BJP. However, he said that he found too many references to Indian Muslims as being the enemy of the country.

“As long as they can fix the Indians they don’t like, they don’t care what happens to Bharat Mata,” the controversial activist made serious claims against the ruling BJP alleging that the party inherently hated the Muslims of the country.

Image Source: Aakar Patel

A user named Deepak Lokhande responded to Aakar Patel’s rants, to remind him that former Defence Minister George Fernandes had also warned the country that the real enemy is China.

To this, Aakar Patel made a shocking assertion that BJP was his real enemy and not China. Patel said that China is just an opponent, which has strategic objectives. According to Aakar Patel, China is not trying to destroy us internally, but BJP is.

Image Source: Aakar Patel

The likes of Aakar Patel’s attempts to absolve crimes committed by China on the border and instead of pointing fingers towards the BJP by referring to it as the ‘enemy’ by intellectuals is not surprising anymore. At a time when the entire country is united against China, individuals like Aakar Patel who have often worked against the interests of India are busy furthering their own political agenda. Essentially, they seem to be using the savagery unleashed by China as an opportunity to further their narrative.

To even remotely allege that a democratically elected government of a nation is more dangerous that the external enemy at the gate, that even went to the extend of mutilating our soldiers only goes to show where the loyalties of such activists lie.

Aakar Patel and his hate for Hindus

Aakar Patel has proved several times that he harbours deep-seated hatred for Hindus and anyone who refuses to toe the classic Left agenda. While Patel was with Amnesty International, he had written an article in the Congress mouthpiece National Herald and claimed that India is secular “despite” Hindus.

In fact, after the Supreme Court judgement in the Ram Janmabhoomi case, Aakar Patel had gone as far as to say that the judgement by the Supremo Court reminded him of Pakistan’s Supreme Court.

Recently, while quoting a tweet by Colorado Times Recorder featuring a video of thousands of people protesting in Capitol in Colorado, Aakar Patel had tweeted that India Muslims, Dalits, Adivasis, women and poor also need to do protests like these. “We need protests like these. From Dalits and Muslims and Adivasis. And the poor. And women. World will notice. Protest is a craft,” he had tweeted. Thereafter, an FIR was registered against Aakar Patel for the said tweet. Following the FIR, Aakar Patel’s Twitter account was withheld by the social networking giant only to be restored later.

It is pertinent to note that Amnesty International, the dubious NGO that was headed by Aakar Patel until recently has ties to radical Islamist outfits and even the British government. The NGO has regularly meddled in the internal affairs of India, for example, actively supporting the riotous anti-CAA protests.

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