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‘NEP does not mandate Hindi’: As Annamalai questions DMK’s hollow outrage, read about the party’s hypocrisy over ‘Hindi imposition’

Rukma Rathore
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‘NEP does not mandate Hindi’: As Annamalai questions DMK’s hollow outrage, read about the party’s hypocrisy over ‘Hindi imposition’

According to a famous Chinese proverb, “To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world.” However, DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) members and their ecosystem are unreasonably fixated on the notion that Tamils shouldn’t learn Hindi or Sanskrit and they have repeatedly voiced the same.

M K Stalin, the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, hence has been adamantly against the adoption of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, claiming that it will cause a “2,000-year regression” in the state. Speaking at a public event in Cuddalore on 22nd February, he reaffirmed that the state would reject the proposal even if the union government provided Rs 10,000 crore in financial incentives. Stalin further attacked the centre for trying to force Hindi on Tamil Nadu and criticized the NEP’s three-language policy.

Meanwhile, some DMK cadres, emboldened by their leadership’s unbridled hatred towards Hindi and fabricated allegations, painted the Hindi letters on the name boards of the St. Thomas Mount Post Office in Alandur and the nearby BSNL office on Chennai’s GST Road in black. They also covered the Hindi letters on the name boards of the railway stations at Palakkad, Palaiyamkottai, Sankarankovil, Kadayanallur and Pavoorchatramhere in black.

K Annamalai condemns DMK’s double standard

However, Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president K Annamalai soon criticized the shallow political rhetoric, exposing the party’s hypocrisy and doublespeak on the alleged imposition of Hindi. He reacted to these vandalism incidents and asked why DMK leaders are against the three-language policy while their own kids attend schools that offer multiple languages.

He remarked, “Had seen a few misguided individuals roaming around with a can of black paint, striking Hindi Letters in opposition to the three-language formula in the New National Education Policy.” Annamalai advised them to bring a similar can of black paint to the Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax Office and told them to ask corrupt DMK Ministers for the addresses as they often visit these places.

He referred to the partys as “bunch of confused nincompoops who have different standards for their families and others.” According to Annamalai, they either run CBSE/Matriculation schools that have three language option or make sure their kids or grandkids are enrolled in them. He further charged them of first securing their children’s future and then disseminate disinformation against the same three-language program which he termed as “irony of things.”

Stalin was challenged to respond to some pointed questions by Annamalai, who admonished him not to hide behind the outcry about the bogus Hindi imposition allegation. “While the DMK ministers to councillors enrol their children in private schools where 3 languages or more are taught, why is it deprived of students studying in government schools,” he inquired and questioned the party about the same choice available in the institutions run by its politicians.

He added, “Why is the right to learn a third language refused only for students studying in government schools? Is the right to learn an additional language a privilege only for those who can afford it?” Annamalai even pointed out that union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had frequently explained that Hindi is merely an optional third language among many others and is not mandatory. “The same is proposed in the National Education Policy 2020. Why is the DMK deliberately confusing people,” he slammed the misinformation campaign by the party.

He stated that there are more than twenty-five languages classified as Dravidian languages. “Having named your party the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, why is the State Government opposed to Government school students learning a third language such as Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam,” Annamalai asked pertinently. He further brought out DMK’s hypocrisy and reminded, “Did your party founder, Thiru Annadurai, not say that Tamil Nadu is willing to adopt the three language formula if other states also adopt it?”

He maintained that transparency and not hypocrisy, is what the people of Tamil Nadu deserve. “Will Stalin dare to answer these questions, or will he continue to hide behind false narratives,” he demanded and sarcastically mocked, “Stalin should also bring his I.N.D.I. Alliance partners to Tamil Nadu and give them also a box of black paint.”

What does the fresh NEP policy says

The three-language formula was implemented as a consequence of an agreement reached by the chief ministers of numerous Indian states at their 1961 meeting. Rather than being a goal or limitation on language learning, it was designed to serve as a convenient starting point for the analysis of the nation’s evolving body of knowledge and emotional integration. NEP 2020 has promoted the same as a means of fostering multilingualism and bolstering national unity.

The primary objective is to encourage multilingualism in India and provide students with the resources they need to communicate successfully throughout the country. Additionally, it seeks to promote acceptance for linguistic diversity and expose kids to a variety of cultures and languages in order to build national integration. However, NEP clearly mentioned, “The three languages learned by children will be the choices of states, regions, and of course the students themselves, so long as at least two of the three languages are native to India. In particular, students who wish to change one or more of the three languages they are studying may do so in grade 6 or 7, as long as they are able to demonstrate basic proficiency in three languages (including one language of India at the literature level) by the end of secondary school.”


The policy does not require students to take up any one language or languages and instead allows the choice to the states and the learners. The formula underlines that each Indian student must study three languages: a foreign language and two native including one regional. English is automatically selected as a foreign language since it has become popular in India as a result of its colonial past and its subsequent prominence as a global language. Any of the three languages could be used as the medium of instruction and it is for both public and private institutions.

Every effort is going to be made to use the mother tongue, home language, local language or regional language as the primary language of instruction until at least grade 5, but ideally until grade 8 and beyond. According to NEP, this system will be more flexible and no state will be compelled to use a particular language. Of course, the students themselves will pick the three languages that can be taught to them, provided that at least two of the three are native to India, its states or its regions.

Dharmendra Pradhan writes to MK Stalin

Importantly, the same was conveyed to Stalin by Dharmendra Pradhan in a letter in which he urged the southern state to “rise above political differences” for the benefit of students. “There is no question of imposing any language on any state or community. National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 upholds the principle of linguistic freedom and ensures that students continue to learn in the language of their choice,” he asserted in the letter.

According to Pradhan, the NEP 2020 is a “transformative vision that seeks to elevate India’s education system to global standards” with the aim of modernizing the educational system in the nation. NEP will achieve this, he added, by “preserving and strengthening our linguistic and cultural diversity.” Interestingly, the union responded after Stalin wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding the release of Rs 2,152 crore under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) in the midst of the intense dispute.

He stated, “This brings me to a crucial point – the three-language policy, which has been the backbone of India’s education framework since 1968. Unfortunately, despite being part of successive education policies, it was never implemented in letter and spirit, leading to a decline in the systematic teaching of Indian languages in schools. Over time, this has resulted in an over-reliance on foreign languages, limiting exposure of students to their linguistic roots. NEP 2020 seeks to correct this historical oversight by ensuring that every Indian language, including Tamil, receives its rightful place in education.”

The Education Minister accused the state of having a “myopic vision” and converting “progressive reforms into threats for politics.” Notably, the conflict between Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK and the BJP-led central administration escalated when Pradhan highlighted that the state would lose Rs 5,000 crore if the PM Shree initiative, which is a component of NEP 2020, wasn’t implemented in the state.

“One point I want to re-emphasize is that the NEP is not recommending imposition of any language on the respective students of a state. That means, in no way the NEP is recommending imposition of Hindi in Tamil Nadu,” he affirmed in a press conference. “Through social media, I came to know that Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin has written a letter to PM Narendra Modi. He has not written the letter in good spirit. He has mentioned few imaginary concerns through that letter and his letter is full of political motivation and looking into his own political convenience, he has written that letter,” Pradhan stated.

Infographic on NEP shared by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan

Pradhan stressed that the main goal of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is to raise educational standards to international norms while also ensuring that it has Indian roots. “It has to promote linguistic and cultural heritage from states like Tamil Nadu. The Government of India is conducting all the entrance examinations in all major 13 languages and one among them is Tamil also,” he declared.

Stalin, however, retaliated against the center by making unfounded charges. “Is the blackmail that fund release only if the trilingual policy was accepted, not politics? Is imposing Hindi in the name of NEP, not politics? Is converting a multi-lingual and plural country into a single-language country and one nation, not politics? Is not converting the funds meant for a scheme as a ‘condition’ for implementing another scheme, not politics,” he asked and added, “I warn the centre, don’t throw stones at beehive. Don’t aspire to see the unique fighting spirit of the Tamils. As long as I and the DMK exist, no activities against Tamil, Tamil Nadu, and its people will be allowed to set foot in the state.”

It is noteworthy that schools across India are already teaching three languages and some even offer four languages in their curriculum. However, Tamil Nadu has refused to align with the rest of the nation and wants to follow two-language policy, teaching only Tamil and English in its schools.

Stalin has doubled down on the two-language policy, making it a political ego battle for the DMK. The CM of Tamil Nadu even boasted that central government-run Navodaya Vidyalayas have not been established in the state because of the state’s emphasis on two language policy (only in government schools).

MK Stalin’s statement on Two language policy of TN

However, it is interesting to note that private run institutions in Tamil Nadu, private CBSE schools do teach three languages in Tamil Nadu. As Annamalai pointed out, many of these institutions are run by DMK leaders and their family members and DMK leaders send their own children to private schools where they learn multiple languages, including Hindi.

As per a report in Commune, MK Stalin’s own daughter is associated with an organisation called Sunshine Group, which runs CBSE schools with a three language system, including Hindi.

Aversion to Hindi and acceptance of Arabic

The DMK, which is petrified by Hindi, keeps quiet about the widespread Arabic invasion in Tamil Nadu. Schools, madrassas and colleges can be found all over Tamil Nadu that only offer instruction in Arabic, reported News18. The state is home to Arabic-language name boards for various institutions, but the DMK is unable protest against them. The deliberate plan to maintain a firm grip on the Tamil-speaking populace, guaranteeing that they have access to only Tamil, is the root of the hostility to the three-language formula.

This tactic, along with loud rhetoric about Tamil culture being ‘threatened’ by North Indians, is fanned to peddle the political idea that only the DMK can protect the state and its culture. It is rooted in vote-bank politics that the DMK family has played for decades. The DMK leadership has recognized the close connection between language and culture since the party’s inception.

The phrase “Tamil and its culture are in danger” is one they continue to use to incite an uproar among their party members, particularly during election season, and to hide government failures and inefficiency. The same is used by vested interests, who dub themselves as “Dravidian stock,” to promote enmity between the north and the south, divide the nation on linguistic basis and even envision South India as a sovereign entity in the future.

On the other hand, the DMK has consistently presented itself as viciously anti-Hindi. Stalin announced last month that the student arm of his party would protest the University Grants Commission (UGC) draft proposals in New Delhi. “The introduction of the three-language policy and the National Education Policy (NEP) are blatant attempts to impose Hindi and Sanskrit on non-Hindi-speaking states,” he alleged and vowed to carry on the purported linguistic war and stop Hindi being “imposed” in his state.

“To save the education and language of our state, I have come here to protest against the union government. I have not come to participate in this protest as a DyCM. I have come here to participate in a DMK youth wing cadre. In the union budget 2025, the funds that must be shared with all states were majorly given to Uttra Pradesh and Gujarat states and Tamilnadu was neglected completely,” Stalin’s son and deputy chief minsiter Udhayanidhi claimed during a protest in February 2025 which was also attended by its alliance partners including the Congress party.

In 2024, Udhayanidhi’s comments on Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in which he declared that the DMK was opposed to constructing the temple after demolishing the mosque were criticized by the BJP on its official social media account. However, he replied by by posting a picture of himself sporting the “Hindi Theriyathu Poda (I don’t know Hindi, Get lost)” T-shirt along with a smiley. The T-shirt campaign with “Hindi Theriyathu Poda” was launched by the party in 2020 in the name of fighting “Hindi imposition.”

Conclusion

Tamil politics have been plagued by anti-Hindi sentiments since before independence. The British planted the seeds of this widespread disdain when they introduced the Aryan Invasion Theory, which is now categorically refuted by contemporary science. It was fueled by ambitious politicians who were hungry for support and afterwards mainstreamed into the public discourse by the DMK.

The DMK has consistently opposed Hindus, Hindi speakers and people from northern India. It has become routine for the party to label persons from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar as inferior and insulting Hinduism to appease its deranged audience. Udhayanidhi who boasted of being a ‘proud Christian’ called Sanatan Dharma as “dengue and malaria,” a statement which was endorsed by DMK’s other prominent leaders like A Raja and even Congress leaders including Priyank Kharge who is a minister in Karnataka government and son of party president Mallikarjun Kharge.

“When the Nagaland residents, who eat dogs, displayed such dignity in their actions, driving Ravi out of their state, we must not lose sight of the self-respect of the Tamil people who season their meals with salt,” DMK’s organisation secretary RS Bharathi expressed during an event in November of 2023. “I had earlier stated that those who sell Soan papdi and Panipuri don’t know the pride of Tamil Nadu. I said this in a meeting. I came to know that many have come from Bihar and I think the Governor (RN Ravi) has similarly come by train,” he stated in January of the same year.

“Hindi-speaking people are cleaning toilets and roads for us,” DMK Lok Sabha MP Dayanidhi Maran announced in December 2023 a few weeks after the Hindi heartland was denigrated by another party leader Senthil Kumar as “gaumutra states.” The same petty political objective is evident in the current opposition to NEP 2020 and the three language formula.

Meanwhile, the head of I.N.D.I. Alliance, the Congress party which the DMK initially accused of forcing Hindi on the state, has also been following its lead in an attempt to win over some support following its disastrous political campaign across India under the failed leadership of Rahul Gandhi. The erroneous narrative propagated by Dravidian politics, spearheaded by the DMK and other vested interests has only been reinforced by this.

‘Changai sabha’, ‘faith healing’ and ‘Bolne Lagi’ memes: Understanding why Christian missionaries are mocked over an ailing Pope

Shraddha Pandey
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‘Changai sabha’, ‘faith healing’ and ‘Bolne Lagi’ memes: Understanding why Christian missionaries are mocked over an ailing Pope

Pope Francis has been facing severe health challenges in recent weeks. The 88-year-old pontiff was admitted to Rome’s Agostino Gemelli Hospital after struggling with breathing difficulties caused due to a bout of bronchitis coupled with other ailments. As the global Christian leader’s health deteriorates, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh aka Raja Bhaiya made a sarcastic comment that Indian pastors who claim to possess miraculous healing powers should rush to Vatican City to pull out Pope Francis from his misery with their “Hallelujah miracle”.

Taking to X on 23rd February, “Raja Bhaiya” said,  “Christian religious leaders in India, who perform miracles by deceiving tribals and the uneducated with ‘Hallelujah’, should go together to Vatican City and heal the Pope, who is struggling between life and death, by laying their hands on his head. Anyway, the Pope has been in a wheelchair for a long time and is now admitted to the hospital in a very serious condition; he urgently needs a ‘Hallelujah’ miracle,” Singh posted.

Not only the BJP MLA but several netizens have also been discussing and posting memes about why the “Bolne Lagi” fame Pastor Bajinder Singh and other such Indian Pentecostal pastors who claim to possess miraculous healing powers so much so that they boast of curing critical illnesses like cancer, paralysis, and even raising the dead, are not using their ‘supernatural powers’ to heal the Pope.

Social media’s sarcastic imploration to India’s Pentecostal Pastors to ‘heal’ Pope Francis

One X user said that Pope Francis’s already Christian status might disqualify him from Pastor Bajinder’s ‘miracles’ which are reserved for conversion prospects. He X user wrote, “Had Pope been a non-Christian, Pastor Bajinder would have cured him. Unfortunately, He is already a Christian so medical miracles won’t work.”

Another one wrote, “Please ask Pastor Bajinder from Punjab in India to come and miracle-heal the Pope. He’s been making the lame walk, the blind see, etc.”

One Basant Bhoruka sarcastically suggested Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal to escort Pastor Bajinder Singh to Vatican to heal Pope Francis and wrote, “Pastor Bajinder of Punjab has cured hundreds from critical illness within seconds…Pope is critical & on a ventilator…@BhagwantMann and @ArvindKejriwal should take him to The Vatican and get the  @Pontifex treated immediately or stop others from getting his treatment…”

Another X user wrote, “Modern medicine is not working for Pope Francis. He needs Miracle Healer Prophet Bajinder Singh more than ever. But he is busy healing Indians. Can someone please send him to the Vatican & save the Pope?”

One “Meme Farmer” shared some AI-generated images of Pope Francis playing various sports and wrote, “If Pastor Bajinder and Pastor Ankur Narula were to treat Pope Francis instead of doctors in Europe.”

Social media is replete with sarcastic posts, memes and comments with many sharing videos of Pastor Bajinder’s theatrical healings dramatized with loud ‘Yesu Yesu’ type music and people quivering and making weird faces implying that somehow, the Christian pastors chanting are healing them or extracting evil out of their bodies even though their cheap acting inadvertently divulges the untold reality.

Changai Sabhas, curing paralysis with a touch of DVD, reviving the dead by screeching gibberish and more: The ridiculous but disturbing tactics used by Christian missionaries in India

Beyond the memes and sarcasm,  the issue of Christian pastors using ridiculous tactics that create a façade of magical healing in the minds of gullible people who ultimately fall victim to these theatrics and convert to Christianity is a serious threat to India’s demography and religious balance. These threats warrant a serious discussion on what tactics the fraudulent Christian missionaries use to lure Hindus, Sikhs and other non-Christians into Christianity.

Many Christian missionaries and fraudulent pastors rely on a blend of spectacle, emotional manipulation, and exploitation of the desperation and vulnerabilities of common people.

Remember the video of a minor boy weeping profusely during a Christian missionary even when Pastor Bajinder asks him if his sister could speak earlier and the boy answers in the affirmative while the Mera Yeshu Yeshu song plays in the background? While the boy last month said that he will no longer be influenced by any pastor,  the incident triggered a meme fest on social back in 2021 and the catchword ‘Yeshu Yeshu’ continues to be used to emphasise cheap gimmicks and loud music aid the manipulation of innocent people for conversion agenda.

Notably, Pastor Bajinder alone has over 3.7 million subscribers on YouTube and over a million followers on Instagram and regularly posts videos demonstrating his self-proclaimed healing powers. The controversial pastor runs the ‘Church of Glory’ and ‘Wisdom’ in Punjab, however, he organises healing congregations in other states as well.

In one such post, Bajinder claimed to have cured a dumb and deaf minor boy using his healing powers. His Instagram is replete with such videos from his Changai Sabhas.

Similarly, Pastor Ankur Narula who has over 2.7 million YouTube subscribers also claims to have cured autism and other medical conditions with his ‘hallelujah miracles’. His YouTube channel contains videos of claiming to have a ‘miraculously’  attached retina, healing a pre-mature baby, and curing a woman of Psoriasis skin disease of which there is no cure in modern medical science.

OpIndia reported earlier how a pastor screeched “Ohhhhhh Shakararararar Rararara” and a woman’s failed kidneys were ‘revived’ or rather the pastor and his drama company made it seem like. In another such incident, Pastor Bajinder used the miraculous power granted to him by the beloved Jesus to heal a blind girl.

Similarly, while modern science is yet to find an effective cure for HIV-AIDS, Pastor Bajinder healed a married couple from the ‘Satan’ called AIDS by tapping their head, rubbing their cheeks, and chanting slogans of “Hallelujah”. These ‘miraculous’ healings are conducted through Changai Sabhas (healing congregations).  

There are many videos of such pastors and Christian preachers commanding ailments to leave a person’s body in the name of Jesus Christ, conducting dramatic exorcism to ‘ward off devils’, where they stage intense scenes of shouting at supposed ‘evil spirits’, have surfaced on social media. Besides these tactics, the fraudulent pastors also employ physical gestures like blowing air from their mouths or touching people with a DVD, Bible or a Cross—claiming it channels divine powers to cure diseases and fix deformities of handicapped individuals. These theatrics are performed in front of massive, emotionally charged crowds and controlled settings, amplified by loud and catchy music and testimonies from supposed beneficiaries, who are alleged to be planted actors or coerced into giving fake testimonies. This is done to evoke a sense of awe and belief among the gullible attendees and draw them towards converting to Christianity.

The purpose of these ‘Changai Sabhas’ has been to target vulnerable people—poor, sick, desperate and disillusioned people—promising them instant relief where medicine or resources fail. The idea is to subtly push conversion to Christianity as the path to ‘salvation’ and relief from all worldly problems. All this is done to harvest souls for Christianity.

This soul-harvesting tactic, however, involves retaining Hindu, Sikh or tribal manes to blend in culturally and enjoy the benefits including reservations bestowed upon certain caste or tribal groups. The Pentecostal pastors and their teams cater to followers in more conventional ways, openly embracing Punjab’s cultural signifiers—turban, Langar, Tappa, and Gidda—in their sermons.

To harvest souls for Christianity, several Pentecostal pastors exploit India’s socio-economic gaps, targeting poor and marginalised communities with financial inducements, promises of jobs and facilitating marriages, ‘miraculous’ cures for ailments and even foreign residency in some cases. OpIndia has reported many such cases wherein Christian missionaries operated on the modus operandi of offering financial inducements, jobs etc alongside slandering the target’s original religion and revered Gods to deflect them from their original faith and induct them into Christianity.

Money laundering allegations, ‘healings’ gone wrong, and more: Beyond the business of deception and fraud

Beyond the threats of change in demography and religious imbalance, these fake healing congregations and miracles are detrimental for those attending them in the hopes of having their problems solved or getting rid of their diseases. Back in 2022, a 4-year-old girl suffering from cancer died at Prophet Bajinder Singh’s church in Jalandhar’s Tajpur village. The girl’s parents had brought her to Singh’s church after AIIMS doctors gave up on her. The deceased girl’s father revealed how they were asked to pay Rs 15,000 to Rs 50,000 multiple times to Bajinder Singh and yet he failed to revive the girl. The girl’s father alleged that his family was pushed out of the church after the girl’s death. As if this was not inhumane enough, Bajinder Singh’s church allegedly demanded more money from the deceased girl’s family claiming that the pastor would bring her back to life. Back then, the deceased girl’s family had filed a case against Singh.

Bajinder Singh was previously convicted in a murder case and during his time in jail, he converted to Christianity claiming that he experienced miraculous healing. Since 2012, Singh has been practising ‘miracle healing’. There are many other such Punjab-based pastors and ‘faith healers’ including Harpreet Deol, Manohar Singh, and Gurnaam Singh Khera among others.

It must be noted that these healing congregations and soul harvesting are lucrative businesses for such evangelists and missionaries. Back in 2023, the Income Tax Department raided the residences of two Punjab-based pastors Bajinder Singh and Harpreet Deol.  The raid came after the Income Tax officers revealed that the pastors have been operating churches under the guise of healing ministries, which are self-styled congregations that accept a significant amount of funding from foreign nations. These are either registered as autonomous religious entities or as societies led by a pastor. Back in 2020, Christian evangelist Ankur Joseph Narula was accused of money laundering and religious proselytization. OpIndia’s detailed report on Ankur Narula and his evangelist activities can be read here.

The question here arises that despite the apparent fraud and exploitation, why do fraudulent evangelists often backed by opaque funding continue to thrive? The supporters of these evangelists often bring up the argument that if the pastors were frauds and targeted only poor, sick and desperate people or specific caste groups, why would rich celebrities including Bollywood actors support them? They, however, overlook the fact that even celebrities are not immune from health crises, insecurities, family issues or the desire to have better career prospects, these factors alongside others draw them to people offering quick fixes. Moreover, in many cases, their endorsements stem from mutual benefit rather than genuine faith. While the celebrity earns goodwill, the evangelists earn credibility and wider audiences (read targets). The celebrities often overlook the exploitative and deceitful methods these faith healers use, and facilitate the business of selling hope.

There is not a single state in India that is not penetrated by some of the other Christian evangelists or missionaries operating with the sole aim of harvesting more and more souls for Christianity, though the intensity of their activities varies.

Political parties and governments also remain nonchalant in acting against these fraudsters given they enjoy the support of their massive number of followers and fear upsetting them. Some ‘secular’ parties even patronise these fraudsters for vote-bank politics. The lack of concrete action has only emboldened the evangelists and missionaries to carry out their conversion activities unabated. These missionaries continue to exploit the societal faultlines and vulnerabilities of common people for their conversion agenda.

Indians outraged over the hypocrisy of Pentecostal pastors

It is essential to understand here that Indians are not hating on Pope Francis or mocking his suffering. Rather the outrage coming across in the form of commentaries and memes stems from the glaring hypocrisy of Pentecostal pastors, who have literally built their empires on divine healings in the name of Christ and yet remain conspicuously silent when a fellow Christian who too the Pope himself needs them or their so-called miraculous powers more than ever. This outrage is not a glee at the Pope’s health but a call-out of the fraudulent miracle industry Christian pastors and missionaries have created and thrived in India, preying on vulnerable people while dodging accountability.

Mumbai: Hindu minor assaulted allegedly over Jai Shri Ram chants, police officials transferred after beating Hindu activists trying to file complaint

Anurag
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Mumbai: Hindu minor assaulted allegedly over Jai Shri Ram chants, police officials transferred after beating Hindu activists trying to file complaint

On 16th February a minor Hindu girl was assaulted by a Muslim man Sameer Khan and his wife, Sonali Das over chants of Jai Shri Ram. The minor girl who is associated with the Hindu organisation Durga Vahini was assaulted by Khan and his wife after they got irked by her students singing Bhajans and chanting Jai Shri Ram during the free tuition class that the minor Hindu girl gives to children of the area.

After the assault, when Bajrang Dal activists reached the Vakola police station to assist the minor in lodging an FIR, they were beaten up by police officials. The activists were assaulted a second time after they protested outside the police station. This resulted in the suspension of the police officials involved in the assault.

OpIndia spoke to the Bajrang Dal activists, the victim’s family, and the in-charge of the Vakola Police Station to understand the incident.

Hindu girl assaulted over ‘Jai Shri Ram’ chants

It all began when a Hindu minor girl, who is associated with the sister organisation of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), Durga Vahini, went to call children in her area for free tuition classes on 16th January. Her father is also a Vishva Hindu Parishad activist. Speaking to OpIndia, her father said that every week, the victim organises sessions for Hindu children from poor families in the area to teach them about Dharma and notable historic Hindu personalities. The sessions often include bhajans and chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’.

The chants and bhajans allegedly did not go well with the family that lives nearby. Her father told OpIndia that an argument erupted between his daughter, Sameer Khan and his wife Sonali Das. He alleged that Sonali often interfered in his daughter’s classes and questioned why she taught the children to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’. On the day of the incident, they all got into an argument that led to the assault.

Following the argument, the girl returned home and informed her family about the incident. Her father, along with her elder sister, and mother went and confronted the family. This led to another altercation, which reportedly turned violent, with the family allegedly assaulting the minor girl.

FIR filed by Sonali Das

After the incident, Sonali Das and her family approached Vakola Police Station first. They filed an FIR against the minor Hindu girl and her family, alleging that they were attacked during the dispute. The Hindu family also tried to file a complaint. However, they alleged that the police refused to register it immediately.

An FIR was registered on the complaint of Sonali Das’s mother stating that the altercation led to injuries to her family members. The FIR has been registered under Sections 118(1), 115(2), 352, and 3(5) of BNS.

Bajrang Dal activists assaulted inside the police station

After the Hindu family faced delays in filing their complaint, the girl contacted Bajrang Dal activist Jaikishan Prajapati, who rushed to the police station along with other activists. Speaking to OpIndia, Jaikishan alleged that the police delayed filing the complaint as their shift was about to change. He added that the police officials would have had to stay for longer if they had filed the complaint. When Bajrang Dal activists pressed for immediate action, the police allegedly asked them to leave while questioning who they were to tell the police how to work.

The activists went outside the building to discuss the next course of action. A police official allegedly became agitated and slapped one of them. When they questioned the assault, sub-inspectors Shivaji Shinde, Achyut Naikare, and Dnyaneshwar Shinde allegedly dragged them inside and brutally assaulted them for over 30 minutes.

Protests and subsequent transfer of police officials

When they were inside the police station, senior VHP leaders were informed about the incident who quickly contacted senior police officials. The intervention led to the assault being stopped and an inquiry being conducted. Meanwhile, Bajrang Dal and VHP demanded strict action against the accused police officials. Bajrang Dal’s co-convenor Gautam Rawaria has warned that if no action is taken within two days, the entire Hindu community will stage a silent march to the Vakola police station.

Speaking to OpIndia, Jaikishan stated that the senior officials reviewed CCTV footage and found the police personnel guilty of using excessive force. As a result, the concerned officers were immediately transferred from Vakola Police Station.

For now, Bajrang Dal has not filed any official complaint against the police officials involved in the assault.

OpIndia contacted the concerned station in-charge but he refused to comment on the matter.

Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar sentenced to life for the killing of father and son during the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots

ANI
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Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar sentenced to life for the killing of father and son during the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots

A Delhi Court on Tuesday awarded life sentence to the accused Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in a case related to killing the father-son duo in the Saraswati Vihar area during the 1984 Anti Sikh riots. This comes after the former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar was convicted on February 12 for killing of the father-son duo.

Special judge Kaveri Baweja sentenced Sajjan Kumar for the offence of murder (302) read with unlawful assembly (149) IPC.

He has also been sentenced to life imprisonment for the offence of Destruction of property with fire (436) read with Unlawful Assembly (149) IPC. He has been also sentenced for the other offences he was Convicted for.

The Rouse Avenue court on February 21 reserved order on sentence to be awarded to former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots case.

Riot victims had sought capital punishment for Sajjan Kumar. Kumar is already serving a life sentence following his 2018 conviction by the Delhi High Court in a separate case related to the anti-Sikh riots.

The senior counsel H S Phoolka appeared online for the 1984 riots victim submitted his written submissions and sought capital punishment.

On February 17, the Prosecution on argued and sought the Death penalty for Sajjan Kumar. Additional Public prosecutor (APP) Manish Rawat had filed written submissions. He pressed for the Death penalty in view of the guidelines in Nirbhaya and other cases.

APP Manish Rawat submitted that this case was a rarest of rare cases. In this case people from a community were targeted without any provocation. It was also submitted that the incident, broke entire fibre of trust and harmony among the communities thereby severely affecting the knitting and assimilation of different religious and social groups.

On January 31, the court had reserved the order after hearing additional submissions by the Public Prosecutor Manish Rawat.

This case is related to the killings of one Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh in Saraswati vihar area on November 1, 1984.

Advocate Anil Sharma had submitted that Sajjan Kumar’s name was not there from the very beginning, and that the law of foreign land is not applicable in this case and there was a delay of 16 years in naming Sajjan Kumar by the witness.

It was also submitted that a case in which Sajjan Kumar was Convicted by the Delhi High Court is pending appeal before the Supreme court.

Advocate Anil Sharma had also referred to the case cited by the senior advocate H S Phoolka. He submitted that the law of the land will prevail even in the extraordinary situation and not the international law.

Additional Public Prosecutor Manish Rawat in his rebuttal had submitted that the accused was not known to the victim. When she became aware that who is Sajjan Kumar she named him in her statement. Earlier, Senior advocate H S Phoolka had appeared for riots victims had argued that the police investigations were manipulated in the Sikh riots cases. Police investigation was tardy and to save the accused.
It was argued that during riots situation was extraordinary. Therefore, these cases have to be dealt with in this context.

During the arguments senior advocate H S Phoolka had referred to judgement of Delhi High Court and submitted that It is not an isolated case, it was a part of bigger massacre, it is a part of genocide. It was further argued that as per official figures 2700 Sikhs were killed in Delhi in 1984. It was an ordinary situation.

Senior Advocate Phoolka had referred to the Delhi High Court judgement in 1984 Delhi cantt case wherein the court called the riots Crime against humanity. It was also said that objective of genocide is always targetting of minorities. There is a delay. Supreme court took it seriously that there is delay and a SIT was constituted, he argued.

The senior advocate had also referred to the judgement delivered by foreign courts in the cases of genocide and crime against humanity. He also referred to Geneva Convention.

It was also submitted that a charge sheet was prepared against Sajjan Kumar in 1992 but was not filed in the court. It shows that the police were trying to save Sajjan Kumar. On November 1, 2023, the court had recorded the statement of Sajjan Kumar. He had denied all the charges levelled against him. Initially an FIR was registered in Punjabi Bagh police station. Later on, this case was investigated by the Special Investigation Team constituted on the recommendation of justice G P Mathur committee and filed a charge sheet.

The committee had recommended the reopening of 114 cases. This case was one of them. On December 16, 2021, the court had framed charges against the accused Sajjan Kumar for commission of the offences punishable Under Section 147/148/149 IPC as well as the offences punishable Under section 302/308/ 323/395/397/427/436/440 read with Section 149 IPC.

It has been alleged by the SIT that the accused was leading the said mob and upon his instigation and abetment, the mob had burnt alive the above two persons and had also damaged, destroyed and looted their household articles and other property, burnt their house and also inflicted severe injuries on the person of their family members and relatives residing in their house.

It is claimed that during the course of investigation, material witnesses of the case were traced out, examined and their statements were recorded under section 161 Cr.P.C.

The statements of complainant under the above provision was recorded on 23.11.2016 during the course of this further investigation, in which she again narrated the above incident of looting, arson and murders of her husband and son by the mob armed with deadly weapons and she is also claimed to have deposed therein about the injuries suffered by her and the other victims of the case, including her sister in law who is stated to have subsequently expired.

She had also clarified, interalia, in that statement that the photograph of accused was seen by her in a magazine after around one and half months.

The 1984 riots erupted following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984, leading to the killing of at least 2,800 people in the national capital alone.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Licensing violations, lack of transparency, and inadequate quality control: CAG report flags loss of Rs 2,000 crores due to AAP govt’s liquor policy

OpIndia Staff
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Licensing violations, lack of transparency, and inadequate quality control: CAG report flags loss of Rs 2,000 crores due to AAP govt’s liquor policy

The Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi caused a loss of Rs 2,026 crores to the public exchequer during the period of 2017 to 2021 by its now-scrapped Liquor Excise Policy through violations in licensing, lack of transparency, and inadequate quality control, according to a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report. 

The audit, tabled by the new Rekha Gupta-led administration, examined the regulation and supply of IMFL and FL liquor in Delhi over four years from 2017-18 to 2020-21 when Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party was in power. 

Here are the key findings of the CAG report

Licencing violations

The audit identified multiple discrepancies in how the Excise Department monitored and regulated liquor supply in the NCT of Delhi, raising concerns about its effectiveness in fulfilling its responsibilities. The total financial impact of the audit findings is estimated at approximately ₹2,026.91 crore.

The audit revealed lapses in the Department’s licensing process for wholesalers, retailers, hotels, clubs, and restaurants (HCR). It failed to enforce Rule 35 of the Delhi Excise Rules, 2010, allowing related entities to hold multiple license types, leading to common directorship among businesses. 

Additionally, licenses were issued without verifying key requirements such as solvency, financial records, sales data, and criminal background checks. To prevent cartelization and brand favouritism, stricter scrutiny of cross-ownership and proxy ownership is necessary. The inconsistent enforcement of rules underscores procedural non-compliance, warranting accountability for these violations. 

Lack of transparency in pricing

The audit found that discretionary pricing of liquor by L1 licensees (manufacturers and wholesalers) led to revenue losses. The Excise Department allowed them to set Ex-Distillery Prices (EDP) for higher-priced liquor, resulting in price variations across states. This discretion enabled price manipulation, reducing sales and impacting excise revenue. Without requiring cost details, there was a risk of hidden profits within inflated EDP. To ensure transparency and maximize revenue, the Department should clearly define EDP, mandate cost sheet submissions, and regulate pricing based on its effect on sales.

The audit found that the Excise Department’s regulatory efforts were ineffective in preventing liquor smuggling and revenue leakages. Its role was largely limited to recording seizures, while the Excise Intelligence Bureau (EIB) failed to act as a strong deterrent. Poor data management further hindered meaningful analysis and enforcement actions.

Country liquor accounted for 65% of total seizures, with structural issues like supply constraints, limited bottle sizes, and few brand options driving smuggling. FIR analysis revealed smuggling hotspots and a concentration of certain regional brands in illegal trade.

Inadequate quality control

The audit found significant weaknesses in the Excise Department’s enforcement, undermining both penalties for violations and deterrence. Raids were conducted arbitrarily without a Standard Operating Procedure, while poor evidence collection and weak use of ESCIMS data weakened cases. Lapses were noted throughout the enforcement process, from inaccurate inspection reports to flawed show-cause notices.

The audit found major shortcomings in the ESCIMS system, designed for barcode-based liquor tracking and payment authentication. The failure to ensure scanning at the point of sale led to post-sale stock reconciliation (MSR Gap), which was outside the contract’s scope and introduced data inaccuracies, weakened inventory tracking, and increased the risk of Non-Duty Paid Liquor using duplicate barcodes.

Additionally, the Excise Adhesive Labels project, meant to enhance security and traceability, was never implemented, compromising supply chain integrity.

To address these issues, real-time barcode tracking should replace the outdated MSR-Gap method, secure barcode labels must be introduced, and AI-driven data analytics should be deployed for better fraud detection and regulatory oversight.

Issues in the New Excise Policy (2021-22)

The 2021-22 Excise Policy aimed to prevent monopolies, ensure equitable liquor distribution, promote transparency, and curb bootlegging. However, several flaws in its formulation, design, and implementation led to significant revenue losses and regulatory failures.

Flaws in Policy Formation

Key recommendations of the Expert Committee were ignored without justification, including the shift from a state-run wholesale model to private entities and changes in license allocation rules. Major exemptions with revenue implications were granted without Cabinet or Lieutenant Governor approval, violating procedural requirements.

Design and Licensing Issues

The policy’s structure encouraged monopolization and cartel formation by limiting the number of wholesalers and imposing exclusivity arrangements between manufacturers and wholesalers. Retail licensing was also concentrated, reducing competition. Cases of related business entities holding licenses across the supply chain raised concerns about brand favouritism.

Implementation Failures

Retailers surrendering licenses prematurely caused supply disruptions, as the policy lacked provisions for advance notice. The government lost ₹890 crore by not retendering these surrendered licenses and ₹941 crore due to exemptions given to zonal licensees. Despite clear contract terms, a ₹144 crore waiver was granted to licensees citing COVID restrictions, further reducing revenue. Additionally, incorrect security deposit collections led to ₹27 crore in losses.

In total, implementation failures resulted in a revenue loss of ₹2,002 crore. Crucial anti-bootlegging measures, such as liquor testing labs, batch testing, and regulatory oversight, were never executed, undermining the policy’s core objectives.

Amidst rumours of rift with Congress Party, Shashi Tharoor shares selfie with Union Minister Piyush Goyal

ANI
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Amidst rumours of rift with Congress Party, Shashi Tharoor shares selfie with Union Minister Piyush Goyal

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor welcomed the revival of Free Trade Agreement negotiations between India and the United Kingdom. The Thiruvananthapuram MP shared a selfie of him with Britain’s Secretary of State, Jonathan Reynolds, and Union Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal.

Shashi Tharoor wrote on X, “Good to exchange words with Jonathan Reynolds, Britain’s Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in the company of his Indian counterpart, Commerce and Industry Minister @PiyushGoyal. The long-stalled FTA negotiations have been revived, which is most welcome.”

On Monday, India and the United Kingdom resumed negotiations on a trade deal that is “balanced, mutually beneficial and forward-looking.”

The announcement was made by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Secretary of State for the Department for Business and Trade of the United Kingdom Jonathan Reynolds, who is in the national capital.

Piyush Goyal and Jonathan Reynolds directed the negotiators to work together to resolve the outstanding issues in the agreement to ensure a fair and equitable trade deal for shared success.

Speaking at the joint press conference, Goyal said it will be “a pathbreaking free trade agreement” that will give the businesses and people of both countries huge opportunities to grow the current USD 20 billion bilateral trade in merchandise to probably two to three times in the next ten years.

“Both Jonathan and I have agreed to resume free trade agreement negotiations in a very cordial atmosphere,” he said.

The minister added that both sides have decided to build upon the strong groundwork that 14 previous rounds have developed.

“I would like to call this FTA a forward-looking, transparent, ambitious, equitable, balanced and mutually beneficial agreement, which will be a win-win for both our countries,” he added.

Jonathan Reynolds said the resumption of negotiations for trade negotiations will strengthen close and vibrant partnership between the two countries.

“It’s an excellent place to start from, but both of us want to do more and that’s why I am so pleased to be here today to kick-start these negotiations, to strengthen our close and vibrant relationship and unlock new opportunities for businesses and consumers across both the UK and India, because at the centre of my government is a mission to deliver economic growth, to put pounds back in people’s pockets, to support our businesses, to thrive, to create wealth and jobs and opportunity,” Reynolds said.

Goyal said the two sides will move “quickly without being hurried”.

India-UK FTA negotiations were launched on January 13 2022. Thirteen rounds of negotiations were held till December 2023. The 14th round of negotiations, which began on January 10 2024, was underway when negotiations were paused by the UK side in May 2024 due to their elections.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Preity Zinta targeted a day after Maha Kumbh visit, actress calls out Sucheta Dalal and Congress for spreading fake news about her: Details

Sandeep Singh
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Preity Zinta targeted a day after Maha Kumbh visit, actress calls out Sucheta Dalal and Congress for spreading fake news about her: Details

Bollywood actress and part-owner of Punjab Kings IPL franchise, Preity Zinta, is at the cross-hairs of Leftists, Islamists, and even official Congress party handles. Pretity Zinta’s fault- She went to the Maha Kumbh and shared a photo from there on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

Preity Zinta posted, “All roads lead to the Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj. सत्यम शिवम् सुंदरम्”, adding her trademark sign off “Ting” at the end.

Incidentally, a report from a few days back by Moneylife media outlet went viral after Preity posted her pic from Prayagraj which alleged that Preity Zinta’s Rs 18 Crore loan was written off by the New India Cooperative Bank Ltd.

Even official Congress party handles amplified these allegations. Congress Kerala handle assumed she has handed over her social media account to Bharatiya Janta Party in return of the write off. They posted, “She gave her social media accounts to BJP and got 18 Cr written off and the bank collapsed last week.”

However, instead of taking the baseless allegations lying down, Preity Zinta decided to come out swinging against the absurd claims made by the Congress party and Moneylife. Preity posted from her X account, “No I operate my social media accounts my self and shame on you for promoting FAKE NEWS ! No one wrote off anything or any loan for me. I’m shocked that a political party or their representative is promoting fake news & indulging in vile gossip & click baits using my name & images. For the record a loan was taken and FULLY PAID BACK – over 10 years ago. Hope this clarifies and helps so there are no misunderstandings in the future.”

Further, addressing Moneylife Managing Editor Sucheta Dalal, Preity Zinta posted, “I’m definitely going to start naming all these journalists that write articles without following up or investigating the stories. If you don’t value my reputation then sorry I don’t value yours @suchetadalal Next time pls call me and find out if the story is true or not before mentioning my name.”

While calling out Sucheta Dalal for the incorrect reporting about her, Preity Zinta posted, “So much misinformation going around but thank god for social media and thank god for X ! All through my career I have seen so many so respected journalists get so many stories completely wrong & never have the decency to correct the story or apologise. I have also gone to court and spent a tonne of money fighting cases that go on & on & on. I think it’s time we start holding them responsible right here so there is some accountability in the future.”

Visiting Maha Kumbh was not the only ‘mistake’ Preity Zinta made to irk the leftists. On February 21, she posted on X questioning the prevalent cynical behaviour on social media. She wrote, “What’s happening to people on social media? Everyone has become so cynical. If one talks about their first chat with an AI Bot then people presume it’s a paid promotion, if you appreciate ur PM then you are a bhakt & god forbid, if you are a proud Hindu or Indian then ur an Andh Bhakt!”

Preity further added that everyone online needs to relax and be happy to communicate with each other online. She further playfully added that don’t ask now why she married her husband Gene Goodenough as she married him for love.

Little did Preity Zinta know that this innocuous post asking people not to be cynical online will invite so much trolling her way. The post triggered Islamists since she mentioned admiring PM Modi in her post.

Islamist Arfa Khanum Sherwani said that this post by Preity mentioning admiration of PM Modi is her attempt to get back to Bollywood. “Someone please sign Preity Zinta for a film. Why no roles for a “proud Hindu” & “PM praiser”? Guess the industry missed her “patriotism” and “loyalty.”, Arfa posted.

Guess someone even posting that the Indian Prime Minister can be appreciated by someone was too much for Arfa to digest. There are hundreds of millions appreciating the current Prime Minister and repeatedly voting for him, guess everyone is trying to get a role in a Bollywood movie as per Arfa.

This development again goes to show how you will be attacked in India by the leftist ecosystem if you proudly display your Hindu faith or God forbid, admire Prime Minister Modi. While many celebrities succumb to this pressure, Preity Zinta has refused to bow down in the face of the attacks on her.

Kerala: Affan murders girlfriend and 4 family members, assaults mother for refusing to pay off his loan

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala: Affan murders girlfriend and 4 family members, assaults mother for refusing to pay off his loan

23-year-old Affan stabbed his girlfriend, brother, grandmother, uncle and aunt to death and even tried to kill his mother with a machete and a hammer in three separate locations in a prearranged murder spree. The grisly incident transpired on the evening of 24th February in Venjaramoodu, Thiruvananthapuram of Kerala. He then turned himself in to the authorities after reportedly consuming rat poison after which was taken to Thiruvananthapuram medical college.

However, doctors were unable to verify that his body contained any poison, during the medical examination. The deceased were identified by the police as the accused’s 13-year-old brother Ahasan, paternal uncle Abdul Lateef (58), aunt Shahida Beevi (54), grandmother Salma Beevi (88) and girlfriend Farshana (19). His mother Shemi (47) is a cancer patient is receiving treatment at the Medical College Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram due to her critical condition. Affan informed police that he had murdered them because they were unwilling to pay off the enormous debts he had accrued following business losses in a Gulf nation.

Police are investigating further to find additional information, nevertheless, as they have reservations regarding his account. His cell phone and contact information are also being examined to determine whether or not he has a drug addiction. According to the police, the perpetrator killed his grandmother at around 3 pm in her Pangode residence. He then arrived at his paternal uncle’s home at SN Puram, close to Koonanvenga about 16 kilometers from Pangode and killed him and his spouse.

Afterward, he went back to his house in Perumala which is close to Pullampara, and assaulted his mother, brother and girlfriend. He immediately drove in an autorickshaw to the Venjaramoodu police station after committing the crime and surrendered after leaving the LPG cylinder in his home open. The cops reacted promptly and verified the crime. Weapons utilized in the crime were also discovered at the respective locations.

According to other reports, he informed the police that his NRI father Rahim’s company was experiencing severe financial difficulties. He attempted to raise money, but it was unsuccessful. He therefore made the decision to murder his family members and take his own life. Affan, Ahsan and their mother stayed with their father Rahim in the Gulf. However, they returned to Kerala after his business failed. The culprit even took his brother to a hotel and bought his favourite food before killing him.

Delhi govt led by Rekha Gupta to present 14 CAG reports in assembly today, BJP says Kejriwal kept them hidden

ANI
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Delhi govt led by Rekha Gupta to present 14 CAG reports in assembly today, BJP says Kejriwal kept them hidden

The newly formed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in Delhi, under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, will present 14 reports by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in the second day of the legislative assembly of the Delhi on Tuesday.

The reports are expected to highlight financial irregularities during the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.

Speaking to ANI, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said, “CAG report is a list of the black deeds of AAP. We had promised the people of Delhi during the elections that whoever has committed corruption will have to answer. Today, we hope that after the speech of LG, when the CAG report will be tabled, all their black deeds will come before the people of Delhi.”

Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa also commented on the reports, saying, “Today, the CAG report, which exposed the scams of Arvind Kejriwal’s government, will be tabled in the Delhi Assembly. Arvind Kejriwal had kept it hidden for the last 3 years… 14 such reports will be tabled one by one… Arvind Kejriwal had kept the report hidden all this time because he knew his loot, scams, and corruption would be exposed.”

Delhi Minister Ravinder Indraj Singh added, “… The result of the ‘AAP-da’ government has been disastrous. All its ministers were jailed. A CAG report of all their ministries will be presented… The CAG report will reveal everything.”

The reports are expected to be tabled after the Lieutenant Governor’s address in the Assembly.

Later in the day, the Assembly will open the floor for the motion of thanks on the LG’s address. On February 26, the discussion on the motion of thanks will begin at 11:00 AM, followed by the election of the Deputy Speaker of the Delhi Assembly.

ANI has accessed the list of these reports. Sources familiar with the development say the reports include critical audits and assessments of various government programmes and initiatives. The delay in presenting these reports had raised concerns about the transparency and accountability of the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi NCT government.

According to sources, these reports are: 1) State Finances Audit Report for the year ended March 2021, 2) Revenue, Economic, Social and General Sectors and PSUs for the years ended 31 March 2020 and 2021, 3) Performance Audit of Prevention and Mitigation of Vehicular Air Pollution in Delhi for the year ended 31 March 2021, 4) Performance Audit of Children in Need of Care and Protection for the year ended 31 March 2021, 5) State Finances Audit Report for the year ended March 2022.. 6) Performance Audit on Liquor Supply in Delhi, 7) State Finances Audit Report for the year ended March 2023, 8) Performance Audit on Public Health Infrastructure and Management of Health Services, 9) Performance Audit Report of Comptroller & Auditor General of India on “Functioning of Delhi Transport Corporation, and 10) Performance Audit Report of Comptroller & Auditor General of India for the year 31 March 2022. 

Out of 14 of these, four reports are Finance accounts and appropriation Accounts prepared by the Controller of Accounts of the Delhi government from 2021-22 and 2022-23, sources said.


(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Rajasthan: Muslim mob attacks a Dalit family in Alwar over land dispute, 7 injured

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan: Muslim mob attacks a Dalit family in Alwar over land dispute, 7 injured

In yet another incident that busts the imaginary construct of Jai Bhim Jai Meem, a Dalit family in Rajasthan’s Alwar district was attacked by a bunch of 20 to 25 Islamists, leaving at least seven injured.

The disturbing visuals of the attack were caught on camera, subsequently going viral on the internet. The police said the attack took place on Sunday in Goha village and the injured were sent to government and private hospitals, with two being referred to higher medical centres on account of sustaining grievous injuries.

According to reports, accused Mushtaq, Sahun, Resham, Ruzdar, Harun, Taufiq, Uddar, and their children used sharp weapons to attack the Dalit family. Videos that are doing the rounds on the internet show children and women attacking the Dalit family while they were harvesting the mustard fields.

A land dispute led to the attack against the Dalit family. The police have registered an FIR into the case and arrested the accused.

It is noteworthy to mention that Rajasthan’s Alwar has been notorious for violence by Muslim mobs. The region, also known for cattle smuggling and related violence, is often in the news for incidents of brutality inflicted on locals by murderous Islamist mobs to drive them out of the region and then lay claim to their lands.

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