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The Iowa Caucuses: The process to decide Democratic nominee for US Presidential Elections 2020 formally begins

OpIndia Staff
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The Iowa Caucuses: The process to decide Democratic nominee for US Presidential Elections 2020 formally begins

The Iowa Caucuses are scheduled to take place on Monday. The Democratic voters will choose their preferred candidate for the run-up to the Presidential elections. Donald Trump enjoys 88% popularity in his Republican party and as such will remain the Presidential nominee. As for the Democratic party, there are 11 people still in the race.

The state of Iowa comprises of 90% white Americans as compared to 72% as a whole. As such, voting patterns in the State is different from the rest of the country.

As per the latest Emerson College polls, Democratic socialist Bernie Sanders leads the Iowa Caucus with 28% support. He is followed by Former Vice President Joe Biden with 21% support. Surprisingly, the vocal Elizabeth Warren is fourth in the race with 14% support.

The Iowa Caucuses: The process to decide Democratic nominee for US Presidential Elections 2020 formally begins
Emerson College Polls ahead of Iowa Caucus

The 78-year-old Bernie Sanders who lost to Hillary Clinton in 2016 Presidential Elections as the Democratic party nominee is banking on his team and his fortunes. A win in Iowa can help Sanders gain momentum, as was the case with Jimmy Carter in 1976.

Read- PM Modi repeats old ‘Ab ki baar Trump Sarkar’ slogan in Houston: The Democrats literally asked for it, starting right from Hillary Clinton

As for Elizabeth Warren, she said on Friday night, “You know what I love best about them (members of Congress)?  They prove that kickass women win. 2020 is not 2016.” Even though the support for her candidature had declined in the past few months, she had been clear in her message that Donald Trump remains the “singular threat” for the United States.

Despite being 2nd in the lead for the Iowa Caucuses, Joe Bidden’s problems are far from over. Iowa Senator Joni Ernst warned on Sunday that Biden could be impeached by the Republican Party over shady Ukraine deals if he at all makes to the White House.

Anti-CAA protests: Rapid Action Force deployed at Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh and outside Jamia Millia Islamia University

OpIndia Staff
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Anti-CAA protests: Rapid Action Force deployed at Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh and outside Jamia Millia Islamia University

With Delhi’s assembly elections just days away, the central government has preemptively moved Rapid Action Force at Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh, to avoid any untoward incident leading to riots in the national capital. The area is seeing a sit-in protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act for the last two months, blocking a major road in Delhi a causing huge inconvenience to people in the locality and commuters. Most of the participants in the protest are Muslim women.


A riot control vehicle has been positioned at the protest site of Shaheen Bagh where scores of anti-CAA protesters have camped since December 11, 2019, following the enactment of the Citizenship Amendment Act that intends to grant citizenship to the persecuted minorities of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

While another RAF vehicle was parked outside Jamia Millia Islamia University, another epicentre of the anti-CAA protests.

Yesterday the Southeast DCP was transferred by the Election Commission, citing ‘ongoing situation’ in the area.

The Shaheen Bagh protests have seen anti-India and pro-Jinnah slogans raised by the protesters. The blocking of one of the busiest thoroughfares of Delhi has also infuriated and inconvenienced a large section of residents who are facing trouble because of the continuous encampment by the demonstrators.

The decision to deploy Rapid Action Force to avert any riots came on the heels of an incident wherein a man had opened fire at the Shaheen Bagh protesters. The assailant, identified as one Kapil, had reportedly fired 3 shots but no injuries were reported from the site.

Earlier in December 2019, after the passage of the Citizenship Law, several parts of Delhi such as Jamia Nagar, Seelampur had witnessed extensive riots as demonstrators dubbed as ‘peaceful anti-CAA protesters’ went on a rampage in the National Capital, blatantly indulging in riots, stone-pelting, vandalism and arson.

Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya: A God in captivity

Tarek Fatah
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Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya: A God in captivity

In 1978, fate would take me to what we Muslims believe is the House of God or Allah, the black cube in Mecca built by the patriarch Abraham and his son Ishmael on the instructions of the divine.

Countless times I circumambulated the holiest structure of Islam; twice as a Haji, simply fascinated by the millions moving in the vast open space; murmurs of their prayers in hundreds of accents of Arabic, as if they were the hands of a clock.

As a Muslim of Indian ancestry, I decided I would begin 2020 with a visit to the closest place I could get to the God of the Hindus, or the site that represents the avatar who represents the trinity of Gods among the millions of deities that my Hindu sisters and brothers embrace as individual choices with no sword of blasphemy hanging over their heads or a hangman’s rope of apostate killers.

The question was this: How could one visit and pay homage to a Hindu God? As a Muslim, I was used to seeing God in abstract, but my Hindu ancestors knew the divine through deities, statues and carvings on majestic temples.

So last week I headed to the historic city of Ayodhya, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, where the most beloved and worshipped god of Hindustan, Lord Rama, was born thousands of years ago as the reincarnation of Vishnu (the preserver) who along with Shiva (the destroyer) and Brahma (the creator) form the Hindu Trinity.

Read- Struggle for Ram Mandir at Ayodhya will remain a high point for Hindu civilization

Unlike the Kaaba that has rarely seen conflict, notwithstanding its destruction by the Umayyad Arab Caliphs of Damascus in the 8th century, the birthplace of Lord Rama known as ‘RaamJanamBhoomi’ was, unfortunately, one of the earliest victims of the barbaric invasions of India that began in 711 AD and continued well into the 19th century when Sikhs took the fight to the enemy and took over parts of Afghanistan itself.

The founder of the Mogul Empire, Zahiruddin Babar, a petty warlord born in Uzbekistan, invaded India in the 16th century and to leave his mark of contempt towards the Hindus demolished the grand temple that marked Raam’s birthplace in the year 1527 and had a mosque bearing his name over the ruins.

Since that time, the Hindus of India have never gotten over this humiliation of their favourite and beloved Ram, his wife Sita, that are central characters of the Indian classic Ramayana.

After a lethal, legal and religious battle that dragged through the centuries, it came down to the Indian Supreme Court in November 2019 to make it clear in no uncertain words:

The Babri Mosque was constructed over a demolished temple. Evidence to support this claim came from excavations by a Muslim archaeologist K.K. Muhammad. This cleared the way for the reconstructing of a new Temple where Lord Ram, his wife Sita, his brother Laxman and Ram’s devotee Hanuman will appear again in public so Hindus can shower their respect and love to the creator and the symbol of the ideal human.

Read- ‘Tatva’ of Rama: How did Hindus sustain the struggle for their beloved Ram Janmabhoomi for 5 centuries?

But what I saw on my visit to Ayodhya and Lord Raam’s birthplace was miles of barbed wire, thousands of troops, and when I reached the historic place guarded by a peacock, I was deeply saddened by the sight.

The fear of armed attacks by my co-religionists stung by the Supreme Court decision had forced Ram and Sita to be hidden in protective custody, where one could barely see them.

It reminded me of my days in a Pakistani prison. No God should ever be held in captivity for his own protection.

For those who yell ‘Islamophobia’ at the slightest sign of unintended insult, remember: If horses can fly, so can monkeys.

If you don’t like people who worship stone idols, stop worshipping stone structures yourself.

 

Note: This article was originally published on Toronto Sun.

Exclusive: Poster with North East India cut off from rest of the country spotted at Shaheen Bagh protests

OpIndia Staff
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Exclusive: Poster with North East India cut off from rest of the country spotted at Shaheen Bagh protests

Sharjeel Imam, the mastermind of the Shaheen Bagh protests, was arrested after charges of sedition were filed against him in multiple states across the country. From his Facebook posts, it was apparent that he is a highly radicalized individual who seeks to convert India into an Islamic state. He was arrested after he gave a call for cutting off North East India from the rest of the country.

Recently, a person on social media had pointed out that a poster with the map of India that had the northeastern region of the country cut off from the rest of the country could be seen at the site of the Shaheen Bagh protests.


On Monday, OpIndia reporters went to Shaheen Bagh to confirm whether the poster was there. Now, we can confirm that the poster which shows North East India cut off from the rest of India is indeed present at the site.

The map can be seen in the far-right corner in Shaheen Bagh
The map can be seen in the far-right corner in Shaheen Bagh

The image becomes clearer when the photo is zoomed in. It is clear that it is the same poster that was shared by the person on social media earlier.

Zoomed in image of the same photograph from Shaheen Bagh
Zoomed in image of the same photograph from Shaheen Bagh

The same poster is visible from a better angle in another photograph clicked by our reporters. From the photograph, it is clear that the map has North-East India separated from the rest of the country.

The same poster from the front at Shaheen Bagh
The same poster from the front at Shaheen Bagh
The same photograph at Shaheen Bagh zoomed in

It is pertinent to mention here that these are the same protests at which ‘Jinnah Wali Azadi’ slogans were raised by the protesters. It is also pertinent to note that the protests have been masterminded by Sharjeel Imam, the person who had urged Muslims to cut off North East India from the rest of the country by blocking the Chicken’s Neck.

Unfortunately enough, these protests have received support from the Aam Aadmi Party as well as the Congress. AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan was spotted leading the riots in the national capital during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests. Recently, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia had also said that they stand in solidarity with the protesters at Shaheen Bagh. Delhi Congress candidate Mukesh Sharma had openly admitted that he has provided help to Shaheen Bagh protesters and that they keep calling him.

Raj Thackeray’s anti-illegal immigrants rally on Sunday to avoid passing through Mumbai’s Muslim dominated neighbourhoods

OpIndia Staff
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Raj Thackeray’s anti-illegal immigrants rally on Sunday to avoid passing through Mumbai’s Muslim dominated neighbourhoods

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has reportedly decided to duck Muslim majority areas in Mumbai for their proposed rally to be held on Sunday, February 9, against the illegal immigrants in Mumbai.

MNS chief Raj Thackeray had announced at a rally last month that his party would organise a rally against the illegal immigrants in Mumbai. The party had later announced that the rally would commence from Jijamata Udyan at Byculla and conclude at the Azad Maidan near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) on the Central Railway. However, the Mumbai police were not willing to provide a permit to organise the rally as the route envisaged passed through densely populated Muslim neighbourhoods. The final call on the route was to be decided by the party on Monday.

Shunning its earlier proposed route that went through crammed Muslim localities, the party today provided an alternative route between Girgaum Chowpati and Azad Maidan to carry out the aforesaid rally against the illegal immigrants.

Read- To fill the void left by newly ‘secular’ Shiv Sena, Raj Thackeray’s MNS goes saffron on Balasaheb’s birth anniversary

Senior MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar today stated that the police have permitted them to carry out the rally with the revised route plan, claiming it was shorter and also avoided passing through Muslim dominated areas. Nandgaokar also issued a clarification that the rally organised by MNS is against illegal migrants and should not be seen as being in favour of CAA or NRC.

The party supremo, Raj Thackeray, too had last week provided an explanation that his statements against illegal migrants were misinterpreted as being in support of the CAA and NRC. This is in stark contrast to what Thackeray had said in his rally in Mumbai last month.

In a rally held on January 23, 2020, Thackeray exhorted the government to throw out Muslims from Pakistan and Bangladesh out of India and extended his support to PM Modi on this. “India needs to intensify its security even if it means people are inconvenienced. We are a ticking bomb. It is important to throw out Muslims from Pakistan and Bangladesh and for this, I am with Prime Minister Modi,” he had said.

Delhi govt gives salary of Rs 18,000 to masjid imams, but forgets the pujaris of mandirs, granthis of gurudwaras: BJP MP Parvesh Verma

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi govt gives salary of Rs 18,000 to masjid imams, but forgets the pujaris of mandirs, granthis of gurudwaras: BJP MP Parvesh Verma

Bhartiya Janta Party’s MP from West Delhi, Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma attacked the Aam Aadmi Party over its mismanagement as the opposition staged a walkout in the Lok Sabha today. He accused the Kejriwal led government of favouring Islamic clerics or “imams” by giving them 18,000 rupees from the tax payer’s money. Parvesh Verma furthermore said that the Kejriwal government conveniently forgets the temple’s pujari and the gurudwara’s granthi.

He stressed that the central government always steps in fulfilling tasks, be it the phase 4 of the metro, distribution of colonies or flyovers. He further stated that schemes like Ayushman Bharat is not implemented in the state.

During the discussion on the motion of thanks on the president’s address, the opposition members, tried to stifle the MP from speaking in his turn. However, the MP, spoke about the abuses the prime minister received, the work BJP has done and the international acclaim he has received. He questioned the opposition over their remarks about the prime minister and highlighted how the BJP’s popularity has united the rival parties together.

Read- Will clear Shaheen Bagh within one hour if BJP forms govt in Delhi, all illegal mosques on govt land will be removed: BJP MP Pravesh Verma

The MP remarked “they accuse us of destroying the brotherhood of the country. But we united regional rivals like TMC and CPM, Congress and AAP, SP and BSP. How is it fair?”

Parvesh Verma, who was recently banned from campaigning in Delhi by the Election Commission for his comments against the Anti-CAA Protests, stuck to his stance against the Shaheen Bagh protests, calling it motivated and completely different from what they pose. He said, “When the people protesting are talking about killing the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, calling for Jihad and cutting Assam, it is not about CAA or NRC. Media is targeted and police face opposition but the Chief minister of Delhi and the deputy chief minister show solidarity with them.”

“Allah ki bachchi thi, Allah ne bula liya”: How the anti-CAA protests in Delhi killed a 2 month old baby

OpIndia Staff
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“Allah ki bachchi thi, Allah ne bula liya”: How the anti-CAA protests in Delhi killed a 2 month old baby

The anti-CAA and anti-NRC have been continuing unabated in the national capital for the past 51 days. The real agenda behind the protest was rather apparent from the anti-Hindu posters and slogans like ‘Jinnah Wali Azadi’ being chanted at Shaheen Bagh. While the Jihad waged on at Shaheen Bagh, the media hailed one 20-day-old baby.

20-day old infant who was hailed by media as her mother brought her along for ‘protests’ in Delhi’s Jamia Nagar

In December, a 20-days-old baby whose mother was cradling her in her lap while sitting at Shaheen Bagh to protest against NRC and CAA.

In an exclusive story, OpIndia can now confirm that a child, about 2-months-old, who used to come to Shaheen Bagh for “protests” with her mother has breathed her last. Congress worker Sadaf Jafar also took to Facebook to announce that a two-months-old infant who accompanied her mother from Batla House in Jamia Nagar for protests, has breathed her last.

Similar posts were shared by other prominent personalities on social media.

The entire established media that seems to report constantly from Shaheen Bagh is yet to break this story or even acknowledge that a child has died due to the harsh weather conditions that she was put through during the 51-day long protest. There almost seems to be a concerted silence to ensure that the news of this child breathing her last is not published.

When our journalists visited Shaheen Bagh and spoke to some reporters from established media who were present at Shaheen Bagh, the reply was rather shocking. They said they are aware that a 2-month-old child has died due to the Shaheen Bagh protests, however, most of the media channels are unwilling to run this news.

When our reporters spoke to the protestors, it was revealed that a child has indeed lost her life due to the harsh weather conditions. The child was 2-months-old and her mother was taking her to protests at Shaheen Bagh and Jamia both. We were also told that the child and her mother used to travel from Batla house to the protest venue. After the death of the child, ‘dua’ was also read at Shaheen Bagh and Jamia for her.

When a protestor was asked about the death of the child, the protestor said, “Humne thodi maara hau suko? Allah ki bacchi thi, Allah ne apne paas bula liya. (We didn’t kill her. She was Allah’s child and she has gone back to Allah’)”. She further added, “Yahan par to bado par bhi goli maari jaa rahi hai, woh to bhala bachhi thi, qurban ho gayi (here even grown up people are shot at, she was after all a child. She has sacrificed her life).”

This unfortunate development raises various questions over using children as props for furthering agenda through protests. Multiple child welfare groups had also raised concerns over children being used during the anti-CAA protests at Jamia and Shaheen Bagh. A complaint was filed with National Commission for Protection of Child Rights in January against the use of children during the anti-CAA protests. Now, one two-months-old has lost her life because adults in her life threw away her life for political goals.

 

Burkina Faso: 20 civilians die after Jihadi terrorists attack a village, govt decides to arm citizens to combat terrorism

OpIndia Staff
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Burkina Faso: 20 civilians die after Jihadi terrorists attack a village, govt decides to arm citizens to combat terrorism

The Sahel region in north-west Burkina Faso was yet again subjected to Jihadist violence on Saturday night. Heavily armed Islamic fundamentalists carried out their terror attack in Lamdamol village in Seno province, killing 20 civilians.


A local official stated, “There is panic in the village and the surrounding area.” He added that people have been forced to flee their homes and migrate towards centre-north region of Burkina Faso. The official also informed that the chief nurse in Lamdamol was among the victims.

The attack comes at the backdrop of France’s decision to send additional troops to the Sahel region. The conflict began with Islamic fundamentalists gained control over northern Mali in 2012. This prompted the French government to launch a military offensive against them.

Even though a peace treaty was signed between the two parties in 2015, it never materialised. The jihadists are known to be associated with al-Qaeda and the ISIS.

Read- 35 civilians killed in Burkina Faso terrorist attack, 80 Jihadis neutralised in operation by Army and Air Force

In light of the terrorist attacks that have plagued the country and claimed close to 4000 lives, the government of Burkina Faso has decided to arm its civilians. It is of the view that armed volunteers can help stop the spread of violence. Critics, however, argue that such a move can heighten the ethnic conflict between rival farming and fishing communities.

In its defence, the Government has stated that such a move was necessary, keeping in mind the limited number of soldiers and the absence of proper training facilities. As such, any individual above the age of 18 who possess a “spirit of sacrifice” and is not associated with any political party can be recruited by the government.

Burkina Faso has come under several attacks from Islamic fundamentalists in recent times. In a deadly terrorist attack executed in December last year, a total of 35 civilians lost their lives.

After Arrnab Goswami, Kunal Kamra starts stalking Raj Thackeray: Here is what happened

OpIndia Staff
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After Arrnab Goswami, Kunal Kamra starts stalking Raj Thackeray: Here is what happened

Kunal Kamra has suffered a meltdown in recent times. After his theatrics involving Arnab Goswami in an Indigo flight led to a six-month suspension by multiple airlines, Kamra resorted to employing stalker-like tactics against the Republic TV anchor. After being thoroughly ignored by Arnab, Kunal Kamra has found himself a new target it seems.

On Monday, Kunal Kamra asked Raj Thackeray for a ‘date’ because he ‘loves’ him. The alleged comedian was requesting the firebrand leader from Maharashtra to be a guest on his podcast. He said in the tweet, “For all the people who think I’ve to not hussle to get guests on my podcast… here’s how much I do & I’m willing do even more to produce good content for you guys…”

Read: Kunal Kamra camps outside Republic studio to say ‘he’s not sorry’ after being banned by several airlines for unruly behaviour towards Arnab Goswami

In a ‘letter’ to the MNS supremo that Kunal Kamra shared on social media, he said, “As I have done my research and found out you are a big fan of Kirti College wada pav, here I am trying to bribe you with one of your favourite food items so that you could come on my podcast.”

Kunal Kamra’s letter to Raj Thackeray

Kamra also clicked a picture of himself outside the Shivaji Park residence of Raj Thackeray with a wada pav in his hand. The wada pav in his hand was the bribe Kamra was referring to in his letter.

Source: Kunal Kamra/Twitter

Only recently, Kamra had threatened to leak the phone numbers of politicians associated with the BJP after he had started receiving calls from unknown numbers.

Read: ‘Mentally unstable’ Kunal Kamra abuses and heckles Arnab Goswami on a flight to Lucknow: Here is what actually happened

Kunal Kamra’s mental health was called into question when he was heckled by the leftwing comedian. Kamra soon followed it up by sending Arnab Goswami creepy texts and holding a placard in front of the studios of Republic TV.

Ranjeet Bachchan killed because he was going to make a huge announcement on CAA: Murdered Vishwa Hindu Mahasabha chief’s wife

OpIndia Staff
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Ranjeet Bachchan killed because he was going to make a huge announcement on CAA: Murdered Vishwa Hindu Mahasabha chief’s wife

Yesterday, unknown assailants shot dead the Uttar Pradesh Vishwa Hindu Mahasabha chief Ranjeet Bachchan in Lucknow. Bachchan had gone for a morning walk when the assailants, riding on a bike, shot him on his head. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. A day after his gruesome assassination, Ranjeet’s wife has come forth stating that her husband was going to make a big announcement on CAA, which has possibly caused his murder.

Even as eight teams of Uttar Pradesh Police and Crime Branch have initiated the investigation into Bachchan’s murder, his wife Kalindi Bachchan has revealed that her husband was killed because he had extended his support to the newly legislated Citizenship Amendment Act that intends to grant citizenship to persecuted minorities of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

While speaking to Navbharat Times, Ranjeet’s wife claimed that her husband was soon going to organise a grand event regarding the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). “Ranjeet was planning to organise a big event regarding CAA, to create awareness among people about the citizenship law through a cycle trip across Uttar Pradesh. He solicited support through social media. I suspect he was murdered for supporting the CAA,” Kalindi said.

Kalindi also talked about the controversy surrounding Rajneet’s multiple marriages. Denying that Ranjeet had three wives, Kalindi said that Rajneet had a second wife, named Smriti Verma, who lived in Vikasnagar area of Lucknow. “My husband used to live with me. Yes, sometimes he used to visit Smriti. But it was all consensual. Yes, initially I opposed these things, which is natural. However, I had accepted their relationship later. I was married on 30 March 2014. He was married to Smriti on 18 January 2015,” Kalindi said.

UP Police have released CCTV footage of two suspected assailants in connection with Ranjeet’s murder. The police have announced a reward of Rs 50 thousand to anyone who provides them with additional information about the assaulters. The police have currently deployed 8 teams to probe the murder case. On the other hand, four policemen including Outpost Incharge have been suspended on charges of negligence in the case.

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