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Fresh FIR registered against journalist Arnab Goswami by Mumbai Police for allegedly spreading hatred against Muslim community

OpIndia Staff
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Fresh FIR registered against journalist Arnab Goswami by Mumbai Police for allegedly spreading hatred against Muslim community

Continuing its vendetta against Republic TV Editor in chief Arnab Goswami, today Mumbai police registered another FIR against him. The new FIR has been registered on his remarks over the migrant labour protest in Bandra on April 14, therefore this does not come under the ambit of Supreme Court order that had said that no fresh FIR can be filed Against Goswami for his comments on Sonia Gandhi’s silence in Palghar lynching case.

According to a report by Hindustan Times, the new FIR was registered on Sunday at Pydhonie police station on the complaint of Irfan Abubakar Shaikh, secretary of Raza Educational Welfare Society and a resident of Null Bazar in South Mumbai. The complaint said that Arnab Goswami had tried to create hatred against the Muslim community by linking the Bandra protests with a mosque near the protest site even though there was no such link. Raza Academy had organised the August 2012 protests at Azad Maidan in Mumbai which escalated to riots. The most shocking incident of the Azad Maidan Riots was the desecration of Amar Jawan Jyoti memorial by the Muslim mobs. The war memorial is dedicated to the fighters of 1857 – the First Indian Freedom Struggle.

Shaikh said that on April, in a show on Republic Bharat anchored by Arnab Goswami, footage of the Bandra protest by migrants near Bandra railway station was used. The complaint said that protestors had only gathered at an open space near the mosque, but there was no link between the mosque and the protests. But “Arnab purposely highlighted the mosque to create communal disturbance in the city,” the complainant alleged.

Shaikh has also alleged that there were many other comments and debates on the channel which had blamed Muslims for spreading Coronavirus in the country. “Goswami had made many such hate filled comments against the community, targeting it,” he said.

The complaint notes that Arnab Goswami linked the Bandra Mosque to the migrants’ protest without any reason and gave a communal colour to the protest.

The case against Arnab Goswami has been registered by the Pydhonie police under various sections of IPC. “We have registered a case against Arnab Goswami and the owner of Republic TV for the hatred. Further investigation is going on. As part of evidence after taking the statement we have collected the footage of the shows with the clips in a pen drive as evidence,” a police officer from Pydhonie police station told media.

On 27th April, Arnab Goswami was interrogated for over 12 hours by Mumbai Police at NM Joshi Marg Police station in Mumbai. He was questioned after the Congress party filed more than 150 FIRs against him in various states of the country. The Supreme Court had merged all the FIRs into one and transferred to Mumbai. The apex court had also granted interim protection of three weeks to the Republic TV Editor. Republic Network’s CFO was also questioned for several hours in the same case.

The Congress party opened a war front against Arnab Goswami after he had questioned Congress President Sonia Gandhi over her silence on the Palghar lynching case where two Hindu saints and their driver were brutally killed by a mob in the presence of police. Arnab Goswami had used the birth name of Sonia Gandhi, and had insinuated that she will take the lynching as a success story after forming the govt in Maharashtra. Launching an attack against Sonia Gandhi, Arnab Goswami had questioned if she would have maintained the silence she is exhibiting today had Christian padres been killed instead of Hindu sadhus in the horrifying lynching incident in Palghar. Taking objections to the comments, Congress party had filed police complaints in various states against him, mostly in Congress ruled states.

Arnab Goswami was also attacked by two Congress goons in the wee hours of the intervening night between the 22nd and the 23rd of April. Although they had confessed to be Congress members before the security officer of Arnab Goswami, the Mumbai police refused to mention that in the FIR registered in the attack. Goswami alleges that attack on him is being ignored by police, while the entire police force have gone after against him.

How the Wuhan Coronavirus pandemic is being used to normalize Islamist delusions and traditions

K Bhattacharjee
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How the Wuhan Coronavirus pandemic is being used to normalize Islamist delusions and traditions

Liberals often postulate that if only other people were as logical and as ‘science-minded’ as they are, then the world will automatically be a better place to live in. But they are often perplexed by the fact that even with all the great advancements in science and technology, religion is just as dominant as it was in the days of yore. All of this, of course, isn’t surprising at all. As renowned social psychologist Jonathan Haidt pointed out, humans reach moral conclusions intuitively and use logic and rationality to justify those beliefs. And the reaction of Islamists and liberals to the Wuhan Coronavirus is quite the perfect demonstration of it.

Another aspect of human behaviour is that people have a set of beliefs which we can call the ‘mental set’, when they encounter novel situations, they use logic and rational behaviour to approach to situation based on the ‘mental set’ that they have already developed over the years. Religious beliefs, as important as they are, are significant aspects of the ‘mental set’ and hence, affect a person’s assessment of novel situations greatly. All of this has been perfectly illustrated by the manner in which some Muslims and apologists of Islam have approached the Wuhan Coronavirus.

Unfortunately, our mental set can sometimes make us behave and speak in ways that are completely delusional. The Print, recently, reproduced an article originally published elsewhere where it was claimed that “We are all Niqabis now”. The author, who happens to be a lecturer on Islamic Politics at the University of Toronto, claims that the Wuhan Coronavirus crisis.has revealed the hypocrisy of the bans on the Niqab in Canada and France. The two, of course, have nothing to do with each other but when one’s ‘mental set’ is predisposed towards engaging in apologia over the vilest of Islamist traditions, every tragedy is an opportunity to advocate even more delusional defence of Islamism.

The author, Katherine Bullock, argues, “Is a face mask used to help block coronavirus really that different from a niqab? Both are garments worn for a specific purpose, in a specific place and for a specific time only. It is not worn 24/7. Once the purpose is over, the mask and niqab come off. The calling of the sacred motivates some to wear the niqab. A highly infectious disease propels many to wear face masks.” She concludes her apologia of the Islamist tradition, which does not pay any attention to the brutal oppression associated with the garment, with the words, “If we all start wearing masks does it mean we have succumbed to a form of oppression? Are we submissive? Does it mean we cannot communicate with each other? If we are in Québec, will we be denied employment at a daycare? Refused a government service? Not allowed on the bus?”

The Niqab, of course, has absolutely nothing to do with face masks. Drawing a similarity between the two is like comparing Sattvik food with cannibalism. Yes, both are technically food but only someone delusional will make a defence of Cannibalism by drawing a similarity with Sattvik food. Of course, the author’s mental set makes her predisposed towards finding validation for Islamist traditions in a global pandemic. Anyone with half a working brain realises this but the influence of our mental set is often so strong that it often makes us abandon all semblance of sanity. The lecturer on Islamic politics is not the only person whose mental set has made her behave and speak in completely delusional ways. It has been most prevalent, unfortunately again, among the Muslim population.

Maulana Saad of Tablighi Jamaat said in a sermon on the 23rd of March at the Markaz Nizamuddin, “This is the time to fill the mosques. I have been saying this since beginning that this is the time to fill up the mosques. Do not come into the talks to empty the mosques. In fact, it is the time to increases the mosques.” He added, “Those who have no faith in Allah, through these schemes and excuses of trying to save Muslims from the disease are trying to keep us away. They have found an excuse to keep Muslims away from coming here. They want to put this fear in the Muslims that those who gather in huge numbers can get infected. The disease will pass but the fear will not. This is a tactic to create fear amongst the Muslims and to end the love and brotherhood Muslims have amongst each other. This is a program created. This program is created against Muslims to make them appear ‘untouchables’. They think this is a good excuse to do this. There is no problem in staying away from those who have caught the infection. But Muslims should not meet Muslims? This is ‘jihalat‘.”

“This is not the time to leave mosques and disperse. Why did people believe that gathering in group will spread coronavirus? Why did people not believe that if we come together then Allah will send angels and with the help of angels the peace will return to the world,” the Maulana said further. He stated, “If you start listening to doctors and stop doing the namaaz and stop meeting people… yes, so you are sick, then pray to the 70,000 angels. Why are you not having faith in the angels? How will you be cured by taking medicines from doctor if you cannot be saved by the 70,000 angels? This is not the time to stay away and be afraid.”

Later, of course, the Tablighi Jamaat emerged as the largest vector for the spread of the Wuhan Coronavirus. His mental set corrupted his brain so badly that even on the face of a grave pandemic, he could not bring himself to realise the enormity of the threat posed by the virus and instead, he interpreted the directions of the government as an attack against Islam. It is a classic manifestation of the paranoid delusions that certain sections of the Muslim community suffers from and on this occasion, it ended up costing a lot of lives and jeopardising the safety and security of the entire country.

Unfortunately, Maulana Saad was not the only who acted in such a fashion. Muslims on TikTok, the video sharing platform, were going around calling the Wuhan Coronavirus pandemic “Allah’s NRC”. It only reveals the depth of the hatred that the said individuals have against the Hindu community and the deep-seated loyalty that motivates them to prioritise the Ummah over their country. Apart from them, there were of course those who advocated Namaz as a cure for the Wuhan Coronavirus and condemned social distancing which is the only known way as of now to prevent the virus from spreading. And all of this was because their mental set predisposed them towards believing that the virus was a conspiracy against their religious indentity.

The examples, of course, are endless. The erstwhile protesters at Shaheen Bagh claimed that “Washing hands regularly is part of our lifestyle. We offer namaz five times a day and we wash our hands every time,” implying that they were safe from the virus. In a viral video, one of the protesters could be heard dismissing the threat of the Novel Coronavirus claiming that Corona emerged from the Quran. Several protestors did not believe that the pandemic is a threat because the Anti-CAA protests were supposedly a ‘call from Allah‘.

It only goes on to show the impact that our mental set has in the manner in which we process our environment and novel situations. It also shows that religious beliefs play a great part in forming our mental set. We use logic and rationality based on our mental set to reach conclusions. This is not to say, however, that all religions form the same kind of mental set. It is a fact that certain religions are more prone towards completely distorting our perception of reality. The Muslim population and liberals appear to be particularly vulnerable towards such a crisis, which can be devastating for their health as the Wuhan Coronavirus has demonstrated. Compared to them, Hindus and religious people of other hues have reacted to the virus in a much better way. The whole pandemic also demonstrates that religious beliefs also strengthen by calamitous events, not weaken, as certain individuals would have us believe.

Once upon a time, Mumbai Police had waited till Eid to arrest Azad Maidan rioters

OpIndia Staff
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Once upon a time, Mumbai Police had waited till Eid to arrest Azad Maidan rioters

The Mumbai Police, currently busy displaying all its bravado on social media platforms by indulging in ‘meme attack’ on common citizens, had once waited at least one week in 2012 to arrest the accused of the infamous Azad Maidan riots unleashed by violent Muslim mobs.

The Mumbai police had allowed the Muslim youths, accused of rioting in Azad Maidan to celebrate Eid before making an arrest.

According to Times of India report, dated August 16, 2012, the Mumbai crime branch had identified around 35-40 Muslim youths from various parts of Mumbai for rioting near Azad Maidan ground to protest against alleged atrocities on Muslims in Burma and Myanmar.

However, the Mumbai had to wait one week to arrest the violent Muslim mobsters as Islamic festival of Eid was due on April 19 and 20, 2012.

Reportedly, many of the protestors were scared and wanted to surrender before the police but they did not want to spend their festival-Ramzan Eid inside the police lockups. The accused had in fact openly declared that they would surrender only after spending Eid. Many accused were advised by their lawyers to surrender only after the Eid celebrations.

The lawyers had advised the Muslim youths to go underground or stay away from their permanent houses as police and police informers would find them.

It is pertinent to note that the Congress was ruling Maharasthra in 2012 with Prithviraj Chavan acting as the Chief Minister of the state as Sonia Gandhi-ruled UPA was at the helm of affairs even in the centre.

Azad Maidan Riots

On 11 August 2012, the Muslim organisations led by Raza academy had staged a morcha at Azad Maidan ground to protest against the alleged atrocities on Muslims in Assam and Myanmar. The protest was staged by Muslims organisations in Azad Maidan to condemn the Rakhine riots and Assam riots, which later turned into a riot. 

To condemn the Assam and Rakhine riots, Raza Academy had organized a protest rally. However, the protest turned violent after one of the notorious group attacked the policemen leading to police firing in which two persons were killed and 63 persons including 58 policemen were injured.

Raza Academy which had organized the protest had earlier assured the Mumbai Police that only 1500 people would turn up. However, more than 15000 people assembled at the Azad Maidan and later the crowd swelled to over 40000 people resulting in Muslim mobs unleashing violence on the streets of Mumbai.

The most shocking incident of the Azad Maidan Riots was the desecration of Amar Jawan Jyoti memorial by the Muslim mobs. The war memorial is dedicated to the fighters of 1857 – the First Indian Freedom Struggle.

West Bengal govt secretly disposing deceased coronavirus patients in special incinerators, hiding data: Reports

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal govt secretly disposing deceased coronavirus patients in special incinerators, hiding data: Reports

The secret disposal of dead bodies of coronavirus patients by the authorities in West Bengal on the orders of Mamata Banerjee-led state government has invited massive criticism against Trinamool Congress and has also triggered tremendous protests across social media, reports Sunday Guardian.

According to the reports, every night, special teams of cops and paramedics dispose of bodies of coronavirus victims across Bengal. A special incinerator has been created close to a highway that connects Kolkata with the Sundarbans where workers are disposing of a large number of bodies every day.

In the last week, over 100 videos showing slugfests between cops and local residents over such silent cremation using kerosene and other fuels have surfaced on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook. The videos have also circulated among large WhatsApp groups across India and abroad.

“Disposing of bodies under the cover of darkness is one issue. The other is doing thermal scanning of people and labelling it as sample tests. This is happening in a number of neighbourhoods in Kolkata and its adjoining areas,” a top source in Kolkata was quoted saying by Sunday Guardian.

However, the Trinamool Congress-led state government denies the charge, saying the death toll is very low as compared to other states. But protests are mounting over such disposals across Bengal.

Donations to clubs amidst food riots in the state

Last week, the citizens of West Bengal were aghast to see the state government distributing Rs 1,00,000 each to a large number of clubs as donations. According to the critics, the donation was offered to buy support from locals so that the ruling party could get a grip on the neighbourhoods, especially the ones affected by the deadly virus.

Shockingly, what worse is that food riots have begun in from various parts of the state. Various videos had reportedly emerged showing that the central aid being converted into Trinamool Congress (TMC) ration and illegally distributed from the homes of TMC leaders across Bengal.

Cover-up by Mamata Banerjee government

Many in Kolkata believe that the Mamata Banerjee-led government has been doing serious attempts to cover up coronavirus deaths so that the state earns brownie points in its fight against the epidemic ever since the first case was reported on March 17, 2020, when an 18-year-old student, who had returned from London, tested positive for the virus.

According to reports, there are huge discrepancies in data regarding the date between what the Bengal government is claiming on record against ground realities across the state.

Union Minister Babul Supriyo said the situation in the state was “very dangerous” and has stated on Twitter that he had found what he claimed was incriminating evidence against the state government.

Further, a note issued by the authorities of Murshidabad Medical College asking all practising doctors of the hospital not to mention coronavirus as the cause of death in death certificates. The note had triggered a furore in West Bengal, causing the state government tremendous embarrassment. The note says that cause of death should be mentioned as usual, and if the cause of the death is COVID-19, it should not be mentioned in the death certificate.

West Bengal Government banning mobile phones inside hospital

In another related case, the state government banned the use of mobile phones inside hospitals, saying they are a risk as they could carry the coronavirus around. However, it was known to many that it was a move by the Mamata Banerjee government to restrict the outflow of information by the whistleblowers.

Apparently, the move was spurred by a video that went viral, of two bodies lying in a ward full of coronavirus patients. The video was apparently taken by a coronavirus patient inside an isolation ward at one of Kolkata’s nodal hospitals, MR Bangur. Somnath Das, a 24-year-old, who shot the video and said that bodies were lying in the ward for more than three hours, has been booked by Kolkata Police.

“I am threatened every day. I am very worried,” Das said to the reporters in a recorded statement.

Despite Bengal government’s repeated claims that the situation is under control, the doctors and paramedics have taken to social media, used different names, and posted what appears to be scary details of the state of the hospitals and total failure of state machinery in keeping people inside their homes to avoid spreading the virus.

In some of the neighbourhoods outside Kolkata, members of a Muslim community have clashed with cops who protested open movements on streets and highways.

The scenes of the poor villagers of Bashirhat, a bordering town appealing to their MP from Trinamool Congress (TMC) Nusrat Jahan to guarantee the supply of ration because the area was under total lockdown was heart-wrenching. Jahan, who drew flak for posting her Tik-Tok dance video and cooking videos on Twitter, did not respond to the villagers. She merely told her followers on Twitter to remain positive.

Meanwhile, Odisha Chief Minister Navin Patnaik has asked his bureaucrats to seal the state’s border to prevent the entry of people from West Bengal because returnees from that state continued to fuel the coronavirus cases in Odisha. The Odisha police have erected barricades and barriers on 57 roads connecting West Bengal and deployed an armed force to keep a vigil along the border routes round the clock to ensure that there is no movement of vehicles through the routes.

Mamata Banerjee-led government hiding death of coronavirus patients

A serious look at the state’s health records and coronavirus related deaths will show glaring omissions. The state’s first coronavirus-related death was a 57-year-old resident of Dum Dum and an employee of Eastern Railway. The most shocking aspect of the case was when his family rejected the claims made by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee that the deceased had travelled abroad.

The worst part is that the Health Department said nothing about his travel history. In fact, from that day onwards, the Health Department has stopped carried details about the travel histories of the infected and dead in its bulletins on coronavirus. And as cases grew, the bulletins were constantly altered to omit certain details, which in turn, has caused panic among citizens about the government’s ability to handle the crisis.

More and more reports of coronavirus positive patients dying are being reported across social media, but the official death count has been low. The low death count in Bengal is the result of the audit committee is busy examining each and every case and the figures were updated only with its approval.

Interestingly, the coronavirus testing numbers have seen a sudden quantum jump over the last week, ever since the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) visited the state on April 20, 2020.

Despite this, West Bengal continues to be one of the worst testing records. From a dismal 51 tests per million population before the team arrived, the state is now testing 135 people per million population as of April 28, 2020. West Bengal, which should have reached at last 350 to 400 tests per million by now. However, the current test numbers are not even halfway there yet. The state now ranks in the bottom three, slightly above Mizoram and Manipur, claims an independent data analysis.

What is distressing is that the coronavirus toll for West Bengal went up by three times on Friday, hours after the Central government wrote to Rajiva Sinha, the state Chief Secretary, asking for “case records” of all coronavirus-linked fatalities that had been attributed to other causes by the expert panel constituted by the Mamata Banerjee government.

The panel was formed earlier this month to “audit” coronavirus deaths reported by hospitals in the state. The state government had claimed on Friday that 57 coronavirus patients had died in West Bengal, but sought to clarify that 39 of these had succumbed to “co-morbid conditions”. The government claimed that coronavirus infection was “incidental” to their death.

Till Thursday, figures released by the state government had pegged the number of deaths at 15. However, the global trends suggest that coronavirus, which has an overall low fatality rate, is lethal for those with co-morbid conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, and the elderly. This fact raises questions about the state government’s approach to analysing coronavirus fatalities.

Hundreds including police and TMC leaders defy lockdown guidelines as they join ‘peace rally’ in Howrah. Watch video

OpIndia Staff
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Hundreds including police and TMC leaders defy lockdown guidelines as they join ‘peace rally’ in Howrah. Watch video

A shocking video has emerged from West Bengal’s Howrah where hundreds have joined a ‘peace rally’ defying the lockdown and social distancing guidelines amid coronavirus outbreak.

In the above video, one can see announcement being made on speaker that like elsewhere in the country, there’s a lockdown in West Bengal as well. “You are requested to not step out of the house,” it is announced even as policemen and traffic policemen lead a mob as petals are showered on the rally. The crowd can be heard cheering for the rally. The mob was led by policemen and few local TMC leaders

West Bengal mob defies lockdown

Last week, policemen were attacked by a mob in Howrah after they entered the area to enforce the lockdown in the wake of the Wuhan Coronavirus pandemic. It is one of the worst affected areas of West Bengal, second only to Kolkata. As per reports, two to three policemen were injured in the mob attack. The incident occurred at the Belilious Road in Howrah when the Police asked people defying the lockdown to go back to their homes. The mob also attacked the Tikiapara Police Station and pelted stones at the policemen. Bottles were also thrown at the Police. A heavy police force and RAF was later deployed in the area.

Today, the mob again defied lockdown, but this time it was for ‘peace march’.

Seeking justice for slain son, parents of Daniel Pearl file petition in the Pakistan Supreme Court challenging Sindh High Court’s acquittal of the killers

OpIndia Staff
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Seeking justice for slain son, parents of Daniel Pearl file petition in the Pakistan Supreme Court challenging Sindh High Court’s acquittal of the killers

The parents of deceased Daniel Pearl, the South Asia Chief of the Wall Street Journal, have moved the Pakistani Supreme Court against the decision of Sindh High Court to free 4 convicts involved in the gruesome beheading of their son in 2002. Pearl was researching about Islamic extremism when he was abducted from Karachi and killed.

In a viral video, Pearl’s father Judea said that he was fighting not only for the justice of his son but also for his “dear friends in Pakistan” so that they can live in a society free of violence and terror and raise their children in peace and harmony. In his son’s memory, Judea stated that Daniel was committed to writing the truth and upholding principles of justice and humanity.

On behalf of the journalist’s parents, a lawyer named Faisal Siddiqi filed the petition. “The decision by the Sindh High Court to free the men in the murder of Daniel Pearl is a complete miscarriage of justice. It is a defining case for the Pakistani state and its judicial system, involving freedom of the press, the sanctity of every life, freedom from terror and the manifestation of a welcoming and safe Pakistan to the world”, he was quoted as saying.

Copy of the actual appeal (Photo Credits: Twitter)

Sindh govt challenged the acquittal at Supreme Court, re-arrested the accused persons

Before the appeal by Pearl’s family, Pakistani prosecutors had already filed an appeal against the acquittal of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and others accused in the case. The provincial govt of Sindh had filed the appeal at the Supreme Court of Pakistan after the High Court order. Sindh Prosecutor General Dr Fiaz Shah had filed the appeal at the top court on the grounds that the ‘last seen evidence’, ‘impersonation and ‘identification parade’ was proved against the accused persons and they were maintained concurrently by the trial court. The appeal had also pointed out that the video showing the murder of the WSJ reporter had been verified by a public official, an expert from PTV, and it was never challenged.

Sheikh and three others were also re-arrested by Sindh government just a day after they were freed by the court. The govt had ordered them keep in detention for three months for public safety. Police authorities had sought permission from the state govt claiming that the release of the four men could “create a law and order situation” and sought immediate action from the provincial government for safety measures, which was granted by the govt.

Today The Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs of the USA, appreciated the appeal filed by the Sindh govt in the case, saying that the appeal will be supported by the appeal filed by Pearl’s parents. In a tweet posted from the official Twitter handle of the bureau, chief US diplomat for South Asian affairs Alice Wells said, “on the eve of World Press Freedom Day, we honor the legacy of journalist Daniel Pearl. We appreciate the Govt of Pakistan’s 4/22 appeal to reinstate guilty verdicts against Daniel’s murderers, now buttressed by the filing of the Pearl family’s appeal before the Supreme Court”.

Death Sentence of the ‘murderer’ overturned

Earlier, a court in Pakistan had overturned the death sentence and murder conviction of a British-born terrorist, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, for the murder of Daniel Pearl in 2002. A lawyer for the militant, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, said that his sentence was reduced to seven years on the charge of kidnapping. Three other men who were handed over life sentences in the case have been acquitted by the Sindh High Court and released.

The High Court overturned the verdict of an anti-terrorism court. Sheikh was one of the terrorists freed by India along with Masood Azhar in 1999 to secure the release of passengers of hijacked Indian Airlines flight IC-814.

A group of US journalists had said in 2011 that they believed Sheikh was not guilty. The Pear Project claims that the murder was carried out by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, currently lodged in the Guantanamo Bay, accused of involvement in the 9/11 terror attacks in the US.

Coronavirus: As India crosses the 10,000 recovery mark, here are some graphs that show how is India faring during the pandemic

OpIndia Staff
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Coronavirus: As India crosses the 10,000 recovery mark, here are some graphs that show how is India faring during the pandemic

India has today (3rd May 2020) crossed the 10,000 mark for recoveries in the Wuhan Coronavirus cases, Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan has said. He also said that the doubling rate of infections has improved from 10.5 days to 12 days over the past couple of weeks. The number of discharged patients currently stands at 10,632 while the number of deaths due tolysis the virus has crossed the 1300 mark and stands at 1301.

Professor Shamika Ravi, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a former member of the Prime Minister’s Advisory Council, has been analysing the pandemic trends in India and sharing the same with the public through social media. She said that confirmed cases have been growing at the rate of 5.9% over the last five days which means that the current doubling rate is 12 days. Doubling rate of infections indicates the number of days it takes for the cases to double in number. Thus, the longer it takes, the better it is.

Image Credit: Prof Shamika Ravi/Twitter

India also has a very low Coronavirus death rate per million people when compared to countries such as China, Japan, US and most developed countries in Europe with only 0.98 deaths per million people due to the virus. While the rate for China is 3.34, which in reliable due to its propaganda and blatant suppression of authentic data related to the pandemic, for countries such as USA, France, Italy, United Kingdom and Spain, the figure is 202.96, 369.67, 475.09, 424.21 and 537.2 respectively. If India were witnessing deaths at these levels, then it would be a calamity unlike anything the 21st Century had witnessed.

Image Credit: Prof Shamika Ravi/Twitter

The graphs of total confirmed cases, however, when compared with other countries does not look as good for India as some of the other countries. The graph clearly indicates that cases are still on the rise in India and we are yet to reach the peak. The graphs of Germany, Turkey, Spain and France at the moment shows that they have already reached the peak of the pandemic.

Image Credit: Prof Shamika Ravi/Twitter

The ration of confirmed positive cases to overall tested reveals the states that are a cause for concern.While Maharashtra has a high and growing ratio, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh have been consistently high. Telangana and West Bengal, meanwhile, has a ratio but with low testing. These areas are particular causes of concern for India at the moment. In states such as Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the proportion of positive cases has fallen considerably as testing has gone up.

Image Credit: Prof Shamika Ravi/Twitter

Thus, these graphs indicate that India continues to perform comparatively better than most countries and the situation does not at the moment look as gloomy as it did some days ago. However, social distancing norms and other guidelines need to be followed strictly as otherwise, the situation could quickly deteriorate. Furthermore, West Bengal continues to be an unknown factor as the state government continues to suppress data regarding the crisis. The incompetence of Maharashtra government could prove very costly as well. In addition to that, the Coronavirus crisis appears very serious in states such as Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.

Major Anuj Sood, who was martyred in Handwara encounter, got married just few months back

OpIndia Staff
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Major Anuj Sood, who was martyred in Handwara encounter, got married just few months back

“He has made a supreme sacrifice. It was part of his duty and what he was trained for. He was meant to save lives,” said Brigadier Chandrakant Sood (R), father of Major Anuj Sood who was martyred in the Handwara along with four other security personnel during an encounter with two Pakistani terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba. Brigadier Sood (R) added that Major Sood had just got married few months back. “I feel sad for his wife as they just got married 3-4 months back,” he said while speaking to news agency ANI.

31-year-old Major Sood, along with four other personnel, Colonel Ashutosh Sharma, Naik Rajesh, Lance Naik Dinesh and J&K Sub-inspector Shakeel Qazi were martyred in the Handwara encounter.

Handwara encounter

On 2nd May 2020, at around 3:30 PM, an encounter started between the Forces and terrorists in Chanjumullah area of Handwara in Kupwara, North Kashmir. Towards evening, reports started pouring in that two senior Army personnel including a Colonel-rank officer and a Major were trapped in a house with two Pakistani terrorists. The senior officers soon lost contact with the team. Soon, they lost contact with the unit.

As per reports, when no radio contact could be established with the team, the unit called Colonel Sharma’s mobile phone. The call was answered by a terrorist who responded with an ‘Assalamalaikum’.

Two terrorists, including top Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba leader Haider were killed by the security forces. The identify of other terrorist is yet to be ascertained.

As Congress talks about Press Freedom, here is the party’s track record, and it’s just an indicative list

OpIndia Staff
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As Congress talks about Press Freedom, here is the party’s track record, and it’s just an indicative list

From threatening the press during Nehru’s rule and co-oping it during the times of Indira Gandhi to intimidating and bullying in the present Sonia Gandhi’s era – the Congress party, the epitome of liberal values of India, has come one full circle.

On the occasion of Press Freedom Day, the Congress party, ironically, took to social media to blame BJP claiming that it stiffed free voice on the country. “To all the journalists we would say, Daro Mat,” the Congress tweeted.

The Congress party lamenting over lack of freedom for the press to express their opinion in the country is just paradoxical. The audacity of the Congress party to take up the cause for press freedom at a time when the party itself is hounding journalists for speaking against them comes as a shocker.

Since the times of Jawaharlal Nehru to the present Sonia Gandhi’s era, the Congress party has been highly intolerant when it comes to accepting criticism from the press. The Nehru-Gandhi dynasty has left no room for dissent and has acted strictly against the press whenever they have raised fingers against their misdeeds.

Here is a list of violation of press freedom committed by the Congress party:

  • All began when India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru decided to move the 1st amendment to the Indian constitution in 1951, which as per clause 2 of article 19, imposed “reasonable restrictions” on free speech on grounds like – in the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality, contempt of court or in relation to incitement of an offence. 
  • The then Prime Minister Nehru had justified curbing press freedom through his draconian Press (Objectionable Matter) Act, 1951.
  • This lack of freedom of expression was also visible when poet and lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri was arrested and spent a year in jail for writing a poem critical Nehru.
  • During Nehru’s rule in 1951, the Chief Commissioner of Delhi passed an order against the Organizer, the mouthpiece of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, under the East Punjab Public Safety Act, directing the newspaper to submit for scrutiny before publication all articles, news, cartoons, analyses and pictures relating to communal issues or Pakistan for printing inflammatory materials with respect to the partition.
  • Jawaharlal Nehru allegedly got a Times of India column written by civil servant AD Gorwala, who wrote under the name ‘Vivek’, discontinued as it was too critical of him.
  • The Congress government under Nehru banned the magazine Cross Roads. Later, the Supreme Court overturned the ban imposed on the magazine but Nehru bypassed the SC judgement through First Amendment act.
  • The Indira Gandhi government after imposing Emergency in 1975 imposed censorship of the press during that period.
  • In 1980, the Congress government had arrested editors Ajay Mitra and Guru Sharan Singh of Singhbhum Ekta and Samata respectively.
  • According to Professor Anand Ranganathan, Congress Chief Minister of Bihar had burnt copies of the magazine ‘Sunday’ because it published stories on him and his family’s misdeeds.
  • During the pre-Emergency period, the editors were made to face the wrath of the Indira Gandhi government. In West Bengal, the Congress loyalists had burnt 3,000 copies of Darpan, Bangladesh and Sathya Yugi as it was critical to the government.
  • In 1972, the editors of Renaissance, Jantar Mukh and Frontier were told to stop publication by the Congress loyalists or face physical liquidation.
  • Hindustan Times editor BG Varghese was sacked by the publication after he had written critically against Sanjay Gandhi and his pet project Maruti.
  • In 1982, under a Congress government, Bihar Press Bill of 1982 was introduced by the then Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra. The bill had given the state government the authority to restrict publishing of ‘grossly indecent’, ‘scurrilous matter’ or one that was ‘intended for blackmail’. Journalists violating the bill could land in jail for two years for the first offence. 
  • In 1975, just before Indira Gandhi had imposed the emergency, the then West Bengal Chief Minister Siddartha Shankar Ray was advised by Congress leader Om Mehta to cut the electricity supply to newspaper offices so that the critical news of emergency being posed did not reach the masses.
  • The Congress government led by Indira Gandhi had reduced advertising on newspapers that were critical of its policies.
  • To control the flow of information, the government had announced the merger of the Press Trust of India (PTI) and the United News of India (UNI). Moreover, it had also merged the Samachar Bharti and Hindusthan Samachar which published news in Hindi.
  • The government used intimidatory measures such as eviction from government houses and shutting down media houses, against journalists and publishers. The Indira Gandhi-led government also implemented the Monopoly and Restrictive Trade Practices (MRTP) Act that limited the reach of media to the audience due to lesser prints.
  • Such regulations against freedom of expression by the Congress have also been seen in this millennium. In 2012 the UPA government blocked access to Charlie Hebdo’s cartoons and also blocked access to an anti-Islam film.
  • Kapil Sibal the former IT minister was also seen openly calling for a ban on “hateful content” generating on websites.
  • In 2018, the Congress-JDS government in Karnataka had arrested Santhosh Thammayya, a journalist with paper Hosa Digantha on 13th November 2018 around midnight for making an anti-Tipu speech. The Karnataka police had arrested Santosh after he spoke critically against Tipu Sultan.
  • On April 23, 2020, Republic TV Chief Arnab Goswami was attacked by the Congress party workers after he had questioned Congress President Sonia Gandhi over her silence on the Palghar lynching case. On April 27, Arnab Goswami was interrogated for over 12 hours by Mumbai Police at NM Joshi Marg Police station in Mumbai. He was questioned after the Congress party filed more than 150 FIRs against him in various states of the country. 

The chain of dictatorial tendencies which started ever since Jawaharlal Nehru became the first Prime Minister of the country has continued to flourish in the party’s genes even after seven decades. Perhaps, the time has come for people to realize that the Congress party being some apostle of free speech is an overstatement, if not pure propaganda.

China: Man who ate raw snake gallbladder and raw seafood finds out that his lungs are filled with worms

OpIndia Staff
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China: Man who ate raw snake gallbladder and raw seafood finds out that his lungs are filled with worms

A Chinese man named Wang was reported to have contracted paragonimiasis, a parasitic infection, in Suqian, Jiangsu province of China after his regular diet consisted of water snails, crayfish, and raw snake’s gallbladder.

The Chinese man visited a respiratory doctor, Dr. Zhao Haiyan, after experiencing breathing difficulties, only to find that his lungs were infested with live snakes and worms. CT scan footage revealed a line-shaped infection in the man’s lungs. Paragonimiasis can be contracted from the consumption of unclean water containing tapeworms. Given that Wang ate raw seafood, he might have been infected by pathogens from such food.

Line shaped infection in Wang’s lungs (Photo Credits: Daily Mail)

When the doctors asked about his dietary habits, Mr Wang said that he enjoyed having seafood, such as crayfish and river snails. He also confessed that he even gobbled down a raw snake gallbladder once before.

Wet Markets in China

Generally, wet markets refer to the markets that sell fresh meat, fish, etc, but in China, these markets are known to sell the meat of wild animals, which are known sources of several deadly pathogens like the Wuhan Coronavirus. The scientific reports suggest that a 55-year-old woman from China’s Hubei province may have been the first person to have contracted COVID-19 through one such wet market.

Huanan Seafood Market in China’s Wuhan is believed to be the epicentre of coronavirus. Earlier, the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison urged the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations to act against China’s wet markets.

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