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Land Jihad: NGO says Abdullahs, Ghulam Nabi Azad and PDP helped in Islamisation of Jammu region with encroachments, state-sponsored settlements

OpIndia Staff
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Land Jihad: NGO says Abdullahs, Ghulam Nabi Azad and PDP helped in Islamisation of Jammu region with encroachments, state-sponsored settlements

A Jammu-based NGO, Ikkjut Jammu, has released a report on the 6th of February on the demographic invasion of Jammu. In a press conference, the chairman of the NGO, Advocate Ankur Sharma, narrated the manner in which the Abdullah family and Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress party allegedly orchestrated a state-sponsored demographic shift of the Jammu region.

Sharma accused the ‘Secular-Muslim politicians’ of Jammu & Kashmir, the Abdullahs, the PDP and Ghulam Nabi Azad of engaging in a state-sponsored demographic invasion of the Jammu region. The demographic invasion was reportedly orchestrated with the very intention of altering the Hindu-majority character of the region. The report says that these leaders illegally occupied forest lands and built their houses on them and then proceeded to settle people from ‘Samuday Vishesh’ (mainstream media lingo for Muslims) on these illegally encroached land.


Advocate Sharma said that it was part of a state-sponsored effort to convert Jammu into a Muslim-majority province so that it could be made more like Kashmir. He said that legislative and executive interventions were made to achieve the said objective. He also said that migration was induced through specific policies. Advocate Sharma said that dubious NGOs who receive funds from Islamic countries helped Muslims buy property in Hindu dominated localities. As a consequence, a ring of Muslim colonies has been formed around Jammu.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xXKMS2HVZc]

The Waqf Board has also been accused of illegally capturing lands from poor people. Advocate Sharma said that thousands of Kanals of land from the poor people of Jammu have been illegally captured by the Waqf and then, was allotted to people from ‘Samuday Vishesh’. He also said that 100,000 residential accommodations have been constructed for Muslims around Jammu since 1990. According to demographic experts that were consulted, the Hindu character of Jammu will no longer remain intact in the next few decades and it will become a Muslim majority region.

Read: We stand by the decisions on Article 370 and CAA despite severe opposition: PM Narendra Modi

Advocate Sharma also said that in 1994, there were 3 Mosques in Jammu in 1994 and twenty-six years later, the number stands at 100. Some areas of Jammu which were discovered to be symbolic of the demographic shift underway are Bhatindi, Narwal, Sunjwan, Kaluchak, Peer Baba Mohalla, Poonchi Mohalla, Channi Rama, Channi Himmat, Raika, Sidhra, Rangoora, Khanpur, Nagrota, Gujjar Mohalla, Qasim Nagar on both sides of newly built NH 44 Bypass. It was also said that the state-sponsored demographic shift in Jammu was pursued with the objective of turning the region into another Kashmir.

Bharti Airtel shells out ₹10,000 crore towards outstanding AGR dues after Supreme Court’s contempt order

OpIndia Staff
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Bharti Airtel shells out ₹10,000 crore towards outstanding AGR dues after Supreme Court’s contempt order

On Monday. Bharti Airtel in a statement said that the company had paid ₹10,000 crores to the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) towards outstanding Associated Gross Revenue (AGR) dues.

The company which owes nearly ₹35,586 crores to the Government in the form of AGR, has also made it clear that the remaining amount would subsequently be cleared, following a self-assessment exercise.

Bharti Airtel was quoted as saying, “The total amount of Rs 10,000 crore has been paid on behalf of Bharti Airtel, Bharti Hexacom, and Telenor. We are in the process of completing the self-assessment exercise expeditiously and will duly make the balance payment upon completion of the same, before the next date of hearing in the SC”

The statement came after the Supreme Court issued contempt proceedings against the company. The Union Government was also forced to issue a stringent order asking telcos to clear outstanding dues by Friday midnight. Reportedly, the Centre would have sent another notice with the updated penalty and punitive action, if payment was not made by Friday evening.

Read: Supreme Court issues contempt proceedings against telcos for failing to clear outstanding AGR dues

The company had previously announced that it would make the payment of ₹10,000 crores by February 20 and the remaining by March 17. Bharti Airtel also said that it will submit supporting details at the time of balance payment.

The Supreme Court had earlier observed that a desk officer from the Department of Telecommunication wrote a letter to the Attorney General and other authorities, saying that no coercive action should be taken against telcos for recovery of outstanding dues within the 90-day time-frame fixed by the apex court.

Different telecom giants, including Airtel, Vodafone and Tata collectively owe the government revenues worth over Rs 1.47 lakh crores.

NCP Youth Wing President Suraj Chavan dishes out death threat to journalist Bhau Torsekar for critiquing NCP chief Sharad Pawar

OpIndia Staff
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NCP Youth Wing President Suraj Chavan dishes out death threat to journalist Bhau Torsekar for critiquing NCP chief Sharad Pawar

A few days back, the working president of the Maharashtra Nationalist Youth Congress Suraj Chavan issued threats against journalist Bhau Torsekar for his critical views for the NCP chief Sharad Pawar. Chavan uploaded a video on his Twitter page in which he can be seen threatening Bhau Torsekar for his scathing criticism of Sharad Pawar on his YouTube channel- ‘The Postman’.


In a video with the caption- “Torsekar, think of this as a hint or suggestion”, Chavan intimidatingly says, “After Maha Vikas Aghadi government formed in Maharashtra, a man named Bhau Torsekar, through his YouTube channel-‘The Postman’ is continuously making deprecatory remarks against NCP chief Sharad Pawar. Bhau Torsekar, since you have taken the mantle of criticising Pawar, let me tell you if even the thought of finishing Sharad Pawar crosses your mind, I swear on Nationalist Youth Congress until I break your leg and shove it down your throat, I won’t sit idle.”

Read: Congress leader P Chidambaram gives veiled threat to the journalist asking him uncomfortable questions

Bhau Torsekar is on the radar of the NCP cadres for his particularly disapproving remarks against the NCP chief Sharad Pawar on his YouTube channel-‘The Postman’. Earlier, a complaint was filed by the Nationalist Congress Worker Laxmikant Khabiya who alleged Bhau Torsekar of hatching a criminal conspiracy to eliminate Sharad Pawar through his YouTube channel-‘The Postman’.

Apparently, Khabiya proceeded to file a complaint against Torsekar after one of the viewers posted unsavoury comment against Sharad Pawar on his YouTube channel. “The time has come to set off a sutli bomb inside Sharad Pawar’s undergarment,” one of the comments read after which NCP worker Laxmikant Khabiya lodged a complaint alleging criminal conspiracy to murder NCP supremo and an attempt to topple Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra against Bhau Torsekar, the owner of the Youtube channel.

While leaders fight over Kejriwal, Congress may be working as per a well-crafted strategy to form govt in 2024: Here is how

Nupur J Sharma
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While leaders fight over Kejriwal, Congress may be working as per a well-crafted strategy to form govt in 2024: Here is how

The Delhi Assembly election results were along expected lines, with the Arvind Kejriwal led Aam Admi Party (AAP) getting a sweeping majority and BJP while increasing its vote share and number of seats to 8, failing to make its mark in the national capital. While the conversation post results surrounded around the sweeping victory of Arvind Kejriwal led AAP and the rout of BJP, one important aspect was pushed under the rug – Congress scored a big, fat zero in Delhi elections. In fact, Congress lost its deposit in 63 of the 66 seats it contested. Election rules say that if a candidate receives less than 16.67% of votes polled in a constituency, they have to forfeit the deposit paid at the time of nomination.

For a national party that is considered the dominant political force in the country to win no seats in Delhi was alarming, to say the least. The obvious reaction of the people was that Congress has reduced itself to a spent force that is incapable of winning elections. However, the reactions that have emerged from the party leaves one befuddled. The Congress top brass seems to be almost in a celebratory mode while the tier 2 and tier 2 leaders have maintained that Delhi elections spell disaster for Congress.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, who is currently out-on-bail said, “AAP won, bluff and bluster lost. The people of Delhi, who are from all parts of India, have defeated the polarising, divisive and dangerous agenda of the BJP I salute the people of Delhi who have set an example to other states that will hold their elections in 2021 and 2022”.

Read: Congress leaders can’t make up their mind whether to love or hate Kejriwal, Maken attacks Deora

While Chidambaram celebrated, Jairam Ramesh said, “It is an unmitigated disaster like coronavirus for the Congress”.

At the same time, Milind Deora took to Twitter to say, “Sharing a lesser-known & welcome fact — the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi Government doubled its revenues to ₹60,000 crore & maintained a revenue surplus over the last 5 years. Food for thought: Delhi is now one of India’s most fiscally prudent governments”. Milind Deora was then slammed by Congress leader Radhika Khera who said that senior leaders of Congress seem to be better at patting AAP’s back than encouraging own party leaders. 

With every election, a political party is put through the ultimate test. Especially in the current times where elections have become more a battle of ideologies than simply the quality of campaigning. In such a scenario, for the Congress honchos to be almost in a celebratory mode does not seem consistent. One would have ideally expected the Congress party to introspect and wonder what went wrong.

During Delhi elections, the Congress campaign was lacklustre. It was almost as if the Congress party had given up much before the campaign trail even started. The result was obvious with Congress getting zero seats, with majority candidates losing their deposits.

In Maharashtra too, Congress performed abysmally. Amongst the 4 major parties contesting, namely BJP, Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP, Congress came 4th. Getting around 15% votes and about 44 seats. Congress, that has been fighting “Hindutva” ideologically, allied with ideological disparate Shiv Sena along with NCP. While most people thought that their aim was to simply grab power and even lucrative ministries, the criticism of ideological compromise accrued not only to Shiv Sena but also Congress.

Read: Congress’ Maharashtra ally Shiv Sena hails Arvind Kejriwal ahead of Delhi elections in its mouthpiece

Amidst celebration in the Congress camp, even after loss, a statement that lifted the cloud on the Congress strategy emerged.

Rajya Sabha member backed by the Congress, KTS Tulsi hinted towards a “possible” AAP-Congress alliance. He alleged that the grand old party sacrificed itself to prevent “splitting of votes” that might have case advantage for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Delhi Assembly elections.

“If the Congress had also equally applied force in the campaign, it would have resulted in BJP’s win. It may be a tactical move, but I don’t know. Media people suggest there was an informal understanding to prevent splitting up of votes,” KTS Tulsi told news agency ANI.

The Rajya Sabha MP complained that the BJP was doing politics of hatred and stated it was important that the BJP was rebuffed roundly for the same. In fact, BJP had earlier hinted towards a possible alliance between AAP and Congress as well.

Read: Congress MP KTS Tulsi exposes secret AAP-Congress alliance for Delhi polls, says Congress made a sacrifice to prevent BJP win

One theory that seems to emerge is that Congress is simply happy to defeat BJP ideologically and electorally. In BJP’s defeat, even if essentially they increased their vote-share, Congress finds a long term chance of survival which is impossible if BJP keeps winning.

However, with Maharashtra and the seeming tacit understanding between AAP and Congress for Delhi, one has to wonder if Congress is working as per a plan that gives them far more benefit than just short term victory or the pleasure of defeating BJP.

One has to remember that the modern-day Congress is not adept at getting a full majority at the centre. After Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, Congress has never managed to form the central government with full majority. Nehru’s thumping victory can also be discounted since it was the first few times elections were being held in the country and the people had no better alternative. Congress had had 6 Prime Minister and ruled the country for almost 54 years, however, the duration for which it ruled with a clear majority was a mere fraction.

Read: Arvind Kejriwal shields Congress and even gets facts wrong as he tweets about Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi

It is thus safe to conclude that Congress, by virtue of its ideological impurity, the demonisation of Hindus, Muslim appeasement and misgovernance, needs state-level allies if it ever wishes to rule the country again.

The Delhi elections specifically need to be seen with this prism, much like the Maharashtra elections.

While keeping BJP out of power is one aspect that the Congress party is clearly focussing on, another aspect could very well be Congress consolidating regional powers for Lok Sabha elections 2024.

In Delhi, if the Congress tacitly threw in its towels even before the game began, and is now patting the back of Arvind Kejriwal led AAP, it could very well earn the favour of AAP and thus, expect the regional party to support the UPA alliance that is bound to take shape right before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Further, in Maharashtra, for example, Congress would expect the unflinching loyalty of Shiv Sena since it is because of the Congress party that Uddhav Thackeray could become the Chief Minister of the state.

It is evident from historical evidence that the Congress, more now than ever, is incapable of getting the numbers to form the government on its own. It is thus not unthinkable that this praise that Congress is showering on AAP does not only stem from the fact that AAP managed to defeat BJP but also to ensure that Arvind Kejriwal remains a loyal foot soldier and doesn’t forget the ‘sacrifice’ made by Congress in 2024.

With the Congress party losing its ideological purity more and more with each passing day, and its leader being Rahul Gandhi who is bound to lose in a personality contest between him and Narendra Modi, Congress seems to be making political deposits that will be encashed when it is time to stitch an alliance at the centre. What remains to be seen now is how BJP, led by PM Modi and Amit Shah would counter this inevitable strategy that seems to be taking shape.

Fact-check: Jamia ‘student’ with ‘stone’ in his hand hiding in library is not the one who was shot at by Jamia shooter

OpIndia Staff
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Fact-check: Jamia ‘student’ with ‘stone’ in his hand hiding in library is not the one who was shot at by Jamia shooter

After the Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC) released ‘leaked’ footage of police clampdown in Jamia Millia Islamia library, social media was abuzz with speculations that the ‘student’ seen in the viral video holding a ‘stone’ to attack Delhi Police is the same as the one shot at by Jamia shooter.

Viral WhatsAapp message

A WhatsApp message with the image of the Jamia ‘student’ juxtaposed with the anti-CAA protestor who was shot at by Jamia shooter in January this year is being shared with the text that claims that the two men are same.

However, that is not true. The anti-CAA rioter hiding in the library with what looks like stone in his hand is actually a PhD candidate from Jamia Millia Islamia, Mohammad Ashraf Bhat.

Mohammad Ashraf Bhat, PhD candidate, Jamia Millia Islamia

As per Jamia Millia Islamia website, Bhat is pursuing PhD in Political Science Department in Social Science faculty under Professor Kadloor Savitri [pdf]. While early media reports suggested that Bhat was holding a stone, later reports suggest it might be a wallet.

A former student at JMI confirmed to OpIndia that the Jamia ‘student’ with stone-like object in his hand taking shelter in Jamia library is indeed Mohammad Ashraf Bhat. However, since the video was leaked, to avoid getting identified, he has reportedly deactivated his social media profiles and even got a hair cut.

The person in the other picture is the anti-CAA protestor at Jamia Millia Islamia, Shadab Najar. While Facebook profile of Najar showed how he regularly degraded the Indian Army, very little is currently known on Bhat.

Read: Anti-BJP ecosystem including journalists spread edited CCTV footage to claim police attacked students in Jamia library

On Saturday late night, JCC released heavily edited video of CCTV footage from inside the Jamia Millia Islamia library to claim that the Delhi Police unleashed atrocities on the ‘students’ studying peacefully inside the library. However, a longer version of the video showed ‘students’ rushing inside the library with objects which look like stones in their hands even as some ‘students’ put handkerchieves around their face to hide their identities. Later on Sunday, more videos emerged where it can be clearly seen that a student with a stone-like object in his hand (now identified as Mohammad Ashraf Bhat) is urging ‘students’ from outside to enter the library and thereby, providing shelter to other students who are entering the library from outside where violence had ensued between the ‘students’ and the Police. The new video appears to depict events that occurred prior to police action in the library.

JCC is the organising body which works with Jamia students to organise anti-CAA protests in Shaheen Bagh and Khureji amongst other places

Issue here is Pakistan has illegally occupied Indian territories: India says ‘No, thanks’ to UN Sec General Guterres’ mediation offer on Kashmir

OpIndia Staff
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Issue here is Pakistan has illegally occupied Indian territories: India says ‘No, thanks’ to UN Sec General Guterres’ mediation offer on Kashmir

On Sunday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) rejected the offer of mediation on Kashmir between India and Pakistan, proposed by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The UN chief said, “I offered my good offices from the beginning. I am ready to help if both countries agree for mediation.”

India has been a long proponent of resolving issues bilaterally. Rejecting the third-party intervention, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, “India’s position has not changed. Jammu & Kashmir has been, is and will continue to be an integral part of India. The issue that needs to be addressed is that of vacation of the territories illegally and forcibly occupied by Pakistan. Further issues, if any, would be discussed bilaterally. There is no role or scope for third party mediation.”

Kumar added that the Antonio Guterres should instead urge Pakistan to end cross-border terrorism with India that threatens the ‘right to life’ of the people of India.

The UN chief, who is on a 4-day visit to Pakistan, highlighted the need for ‘de-escalation’ and ‘restraint’ between the two countries. He also emphasised on the importance of ‘diplomacy and dialogue.’

Read: PoK is part of India and one day we will have physical jurisdiction over it: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar

In his press conference, Antonio Guterres said, “UNMOGIP (UN Military Observers Group in India and Pakistan) should be given free access. It is already there on the Pakistan side, and it should also be given on the other side. We have taken a position that UN resolutions (on Kashmir) should be implemented, there should be ceasefire (on LoC) and human rights should be respected.”

The Indian MEA has asserted that there is no scope for third party mediation in the issue. New Delhi has been of the view that UNMOGIP has become redundant, post the Simla Agreement and the establishment of the LoC.

This is not the first time that India has rejected mediation offers on Kashmir with Pakistan. Last year, India rejected Donald Trump’s repeated offers to serve as the mediator. References to Kashmir made by Malaysia in the United Nations were also condemned. The MEA had also recently warned the Turkish President Erdogan for comparing the so-called “struggle of Kashmiris” to that of Turkey’s fight against foreign dominion during the First World War.

Mindset must change: Supreme Court upholds permanent commission for women in the Army

OpIndia Staff
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Mindset must change: Supreme Court upholds permanent commission for women in the Army

The Supreme Court has ordered the centre to ensure that women officers are given a permanent commission in the Army. As per reports, upholding the Delhi HC’s 2010 verdict, the apex court also noted that ‘a mindset change’ is needed in this regard to end gender-based discrimination in the commissioning of women in the armed forces.


As per reports, the apex court has ordered that all terms of appointments for female officers should be the same as their male counterparts. The apex court, in its verdict, has stated that the centre’s objections, in this case, mentioning ‘physiological limitations’, and ‘social norms’ to deny an opportunity to women officers are disturbing and cannot be accepted.

The apex court has also reportedly criticised the centre for prejudicing the case.


“It is an insult to women as well as the army when aspersions are cast on women, their ability and their achievements,” the SC noted.

As per reports, last year, the defence ministry had granted a permanent commission to women in all 10 branches of the Indian Amry, including Signal Corps, intelligence, aviation, engineering, service corps and ordinance corps. However, the centre had argued that permanent commission will only be given to those officers who had joined after 2014.

The Supreme Court has held that permanent commission will be applied to all women officers irrespective of numbers of years in service. As reported by Bar and Bench, it has asserted that it is indefensible to deny women officers a permanent commission and a blanket ban on command posting cannot be sustained under law. It has also held that the exclusion of women from command posting goes against the principles against discrimination and equal opportunity in public service, as mentioned in Articles 14 and 16 of the Indian Constitution.

Jamia ‘student’ wants the govt to pay him Rs 2 crores for injuries he suffered in police action following Dec 15th riots

OpIndia Staff
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Jamia ‘student’ wants the govt to pay him Rs 2 crores for injuries he suffered in police action following Dec 15th riots

The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the central government, Delhi Police and the Delhi government based on the petition by a ‘student’ of Jamia Millia Islamia, Shayyan Mujeeb, seeking a compensation of Rs 2 crores for his injuries. He claims that these were the injuries he suffered after police action in Jamia following the riots of December 15th.


Shayyan Mujeeb claims that he was sitting in the Library and was severely injured in the police action. He says that he had to spend Rs 2.5 lakhs as both of his legs were fractured.

The controversial Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi had emerged as one of the epi-centres of the anti-CAA agitations being perpetrated in the name of ‘peaceful protests’. The students and Muslim mob associated with the Jamia Millia Islamia University had unleashed violent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Read: Watch: Jamia ‘students’ with stones in hand taking shelter in library before Police barged in during anti-CAA riots

In December, the protests against CAA and NRC had turned violent amidst chants of Allah-o-Akbar and Naara-e-Taqbeer. The Muslim mobs had burnt four DTC buses, 100 private vehicles and 10 police bikes and pelted stones, injuring several policemen.

Following the riots, the Delhi police had registered an FIR against six people including four local politicians and a former Congress MLA was also named as suspects related to Jamia violence. The Delhi Police had named former Congress MLA Asif Khan as one of the accused in its FIR.

Interestingly, a video had surfaced yesterday from the night of 15th December 2019 that shows ‘students’ of the Jamia Milia Islamia University entering the library with stones in their hands before the Delhi Police took action against those present in the room. Earlier, a 49-second video was released that showed men in police uniforms caning ‘students’ ‘studying’ in the library. The first video was released by the Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC), which includes students and alumni of the Jamia Millia Islamia.

Read: Anti-BJP ecosystem including journalists spread edited CCTV footage to claim police attacked students in Jamia library

The narrative that the Delhi police had cracked down ‘brutally’ on innocent students who were ‘studying peacefully’ in the library was fuelled by the usual elements after a short edited clip was released. However, once the longer clip was released it became evident that Jamia rioters had run into the library to take refuge during police action and the ones present in the library were no ‘students’ studying peacefully.

Congress leaders can’t make up their mind whether to love or hate Kejriwal, Maken attacks Deora

OpIndia Staff
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Congress leaders can’t make up their mind whether to love or hate Kejriwal, Maken attacks Deora

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has not only emerged as the winner of Delhi assembly elections but also an enigma. Congress leaders are unable to make up their mind on whether to appreciate Kejriwal or criticise him. Former union minister and senior Congress leader Milind Deora last night took to Twitter to appreciate Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government.


He tweeted a video Arvind Kejriwal is speaking in the Delhi Assembly where he claims that in five years, the revenue has doubled to Rs 60,000 crore. Deora further added that Delhi is India’s most fiscally prudent governments. However, this little appreciation of Kejriwal didn’t go down too well with other Congress leaders.

Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken who earlier served in UPA led union government and resigned as Congress General Secretary after Congress managed to win a single seat in 2015 Delhi Assembly elections, did not take it too well.


Suggesting Deora to leave Congress if he so wishes, Maken compared growth rates of Delhi governments under Congress and AAP rules.

Read: Infighting in MP Congress escalates, Kamal Nath disdainfully says ‘utar jaye’ when asked about Scindia’s threat to agitate if promised not met

Other Congress leaders, too, attacked Deora for appreciating Kejriwal’s efforts.


Radhika Khera, who contested the Delhi elections from Janakpuri and lost, too expressed her disappointment at a senior party leader appreciating the party which led to their humiliating defeat.


Congress worker who fancies himself as an activist and threatens people at random with no concrete result Saket Gokhale too decided to give economics lessons to Deora for complimenting Kejriwal government.


Former AAP MLA from Chandni Chowk who lost the same seat as Congress candidate, Alka Lamba too took to sharing WhatsApp forwarded message and compared it to Karnataka Government under Congress’ Siddaramaiah.


Following Maken’s response Deora hit back on Maken saying that he was not undermining former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit’s performance as Delhi’s CM as “it is his speciality”.


“Instead of advocating an alliance with AAP, if only you had highlighted Sheila ji’s achievements, Congress would’ve been in power today,” Deora tweeted to Maken.

Merciless thrashings everyday, tied in chains on the insistence of the mother: 3 minors in Rajasthan escape Madarsa, recount horror

OpIndia Staff
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Merciless thrashings everyday, tied in chains on the insistence of the mother: 3 minors in Rajasthan escape Madarsa, recount horror

On February 4, three children studying at a madarsa in Machhli Mohalla in Bharatpur, Rajasthan fled after being subjected to merciless beatings over a prolonged period of time. The children were aged 12, 13 and 14.

The cops found the children under suspicious circumstances wandering in Shastri Park on the Jaipur- Agra highway. One child had chains tied to his feet. Preliminary investigation has revealed that the mother of the child had insisted on the Maulvi to do so, allegedly to prevent the child from escaping.

The madrasa is recognised by the Waqf Board and has residential facilities. Reportedly, the escaped children did not want to study at the Islamic institute and were interested to go to a government-run school.

After the incident came to light, the Bharatpur district administration has sent the three children to a Juvenile Correctional Home. Also, the Deputy Director of the Social Welfare Department has been ordered to investigate the matter.

Maulvi Yusuf, however, denied the allegations of physical assault but conceded that the children were chained to prevent them from running from the Madrassa. The police had also ordered the institute to hand over the keys to unlock the chain.

This is not the first incident when children escaped from a madrasa. A similar case came to light in Bhopal in September last year. Two children aged 7 and 10 were freed from torture. The cops had to use a gas cutter to unlock the chain that was strapped around the 10-year-old victim.

It is important to highlight that a large section of Muslim society prefers orthodox Islamic education over modern mainstream education that is provided absolutely free of cost in government-run schools. As a result, such children stay socially and educationally backward with limited financial prospects and find it difficult to assimilate with society at large.

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