A video that has now gone viral on social media shows a shopkeeper confiding on camera that the Shaheen Bagh protests are sponsored. It has raised several questions.
Since the CAA was passed by the Parliament, the group of protesters mostly comprising of Mulsim women blocked a road in Kalindi Kunj area that connects Faridabad- New Delhi- Noida. This has led to traffic inconvenience, increasing travel time from 20 minutes to several hours.
The viral video was shared on Twitter yesterday by Amit Malviya, the BJP’s IT cell head. The man in the video appeared to be the shopkeeper. He claimed that the protesting women are paid between ₹500 and ₹700 on a daily basis. He added that the protestors work in shifts so that the crowd looks huge at all times of the day.
According to him, the women are incentivised to dedicate their free time to the protests. He asserted that these sponsored protests are carried out near Batla House and Kalindi Kunj. He also added that the protestors are provided with food, rest and shift-based rotational ‘duty hours’ in a well-organised manner. He was seen telling that this has been going on since the ‘protests’ began and this is seen as a mode of income for the locals.
In a phone interview with Times Now, Amit Malviya alleged that the Congress ecosystem is behind these “sponsored” protests. He based his argument on the fact that several Congress leaders such as Mani Shankar Aiyar used the platform of Shaheen Bagh protests to speak against the CAA. According to Malviya, the opportunity to speak at these protests was the result of Congress’ sponsorship.
He questioned the motives behind these protests as the CAA has no impact on any Indian citizen, be it in Shaheen bagh or anywhere else. He asked whether the Indian Muslim hardliners have some kind of veto power in the country that they will reject democratic legislations brought via the parliament.
He questioned whether Muslim hardliners will decide the fate of Hindus and Sikhs coming to India, just like they do in Pakistan. Lastly, he alleged that these organized protests are part of the larger narrative built by Congress in the wake of the Delhi 2020 State Assembly elections.
Even though OpIndia could not verify the authenticity of the video, it certainly raises doubts about the credibility of the organized Shaheen Bagh protests. The video and the constant anti-Hindu narrative emerging from the anti-CAA protests have left us questioning the real intentions behind these protests
The Ministry of Home Affairs has yet against clarified that citizens will not be present and submit for the National Population Register. Responding to a report published by the Times of India with the titled “Have Aadhaar, passport? You’ll have to share details for NPR” and with the subtitle “Voter ID, DL info also mandatory”.
Quoting a senior government official, the report states that although it is ‘voluntary’ to submit the identification to enumerators during the NPR data collection, it will be ‘mandatory’ to provide details of Aadhaar, Passport, voter ID and driving licence if people have them. The report said that for people who don’t have these documents, they don’t have to provide the details, but if people have been issued any of these documents, they will have to provide details of the same, although they are not required to show any document as proof.
As quoted in a news item, “Have Aadhar, Passpot? You will have to share details for NPR…Voter id, DL Info also Mandatory”, gives a wrong impression that these documents would have to be compulsorily given for NPR exercise. Such a connotation is not correct.@TOIIndiaNewspic.twitter.com/VgjO8wXYiG
— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) January 16, 2020
Reacting to the claims made by the Times of India report, the spokesperson of the Home Minister stated the report gives the wrong impression that the documents will have to be compulsorily given during the NPR enumeration, and such a connotation is not correct. The spokesperson said that no documents would be asked by the enumerators for the NPR exercise. But if respondents want to provide documents for verification, they are free to do so. The ministry clarified that there will be no compulsion from the side of enumerators to submit any document.
It is reiterated that NO DOCUMENTS WOULD BE ASKED BY THE ENUMERATORS FOR THE NPR EXERCISE. If the respondents want to present documents for verification, they are free to do so. There would be no compulsion from the side of the enumerators.@TOIIndiaNews
— Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) January 16, 2020
The opposition parties have been protesting against the NPR in the country, despite the fact that it was already conducted in 2010 during the Congress government. A lot of misinformation being spread against the National Population Register, along with CAA and NRC. It is being claimed that people will have to produce documents, and if they fail to do so, they will lose their citizenship.
The government has repeatedly clarified that no documents will be collected during the NPR exercise, and people can choose not to provide some details during the enumeration. Government has said that there is no need any proof, any papers, any biometric for the NPR.
The NGO Save Child India has filed a complaint with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) registering their concerns over the fact that children are being used in protests as props. The NGO says it is a gross violation of the rights of children and calls it child abuse. This complaint comes after several children were seen raising slogans and protesting in Shaheen Bagh.
Filed a complaint with @NCPCR_ concerning the children being taken to protest without their consent, and special protections. We see this a Gross violation of #ChildRights and its a #ChildAbuse
The complaint appears to be motivated in part by the recent anti-CAA protests at Shaheen Bagh where disturbing visuals of children being used for protests were observed. The complainant, Kumar Sheodhvj Ratna, founder of the said NGO appeared to have taken it into account as the twitter account of the NGO had shared Abhinav Khare’s YouTube video which focused around the manner in which children were being used to further the anti-CAA, anti-NRC agenda of their guardians.
It’s a gross violation of #ChildRights for their vested interest.. The children who cannot even build view for political issues has been taken to agitation or protest?https://t.co/1rGWUupdvF
OpIndia.com got in touch with Ratna and he confirmed that the complaint was indeed motivated by the protests at Shaheen Bagh. He said that he had watched the video by Khare and was greatly troubled by the fact that these children who are not capable of giving consent, and were no older than 10 or 11 years old by his estimation, were being used to further a political agenda. In the video, the children could be heard raising slogans of Azadi and they were also raising extremely disturbing slogans. Slogans such as “Jo Hitler ki chaal chalega, woh Hitler ki maut marega” and “Jamia tere khoon se, Inquilab aayega” were raised by the kids.
Ratna said, “When I saw these things, it was really disheartening as I really couldn’t grab what these children were doing. They were talking of Azadi and they are 10 or 11 years old. They are children, they cannot even express their feelings, they haven’t formed an opinion and they have been taken to this place.” He continued, “I thought why were they taken there.. Were these children being taken for some vested interests? The thing was really painful for me.. The parents were using children as their property. How can you use these children as your property?”
It was emphasized that the children had not given their consent and also the fact that it was an area that is prone to violence and there’s not enough adequate protection for them. In the complaint, it is said, “That protest can be risky and that children can also face threats from authorities. This is a very critical concern to be considered that they might be penalized for what they have not done.”
The complaint also asserts that protests are as “important to a democratic society as voting, which routes the ideas can be promoted and debated. At the same, the states must facilitate their (Children) right to protest only after consent from children to protest, along with special measures in order to account for their potential vulnerabilities.”
It is also contended that although “adults may genuinely intend to further children’s rights, they cannot claim to speak conclusively for children and young people, because they are not a member of that group.” Several questions were also raised by the complainant.
Questions raised in the complaint
The complaint demands that a minimum age criterion be set which mandates that children below a certain cannot participate in protests. It also requests that the parents who engage in such irresponsible conduct be detained. In the end, it asks that directions be issued to the appropriate authorities for due action in the matter. The complaint, although it doesn’t specifically mention anti-CAA protests anywhere, was motivated by the disturbing visuals coming from it.
The protests at Shaheen Bagh against the CAA have witnessed an endless barrage of anti-Hindu bigotry. Calls of ‘Jinnah Wali Azadi‘ were raised by the protesters at the site among other things. In the most recent instance, a Hinduphobic poster denigrating the sacred Swastika was spotted at the protests, which was cheered on by the likes of Saba Naqvi.
Taking a cue from Aligarh Muslim University, the Jamia Millia Islamia university also declared today that they will move the court for registration of FIR against the Delhi Police. The university officials said that the varsity will move court over the non-filing of an FIR by the Delhi Police in the alleged ‘violence’ that took place in the university on December 15.
The application will be filed under Section 156(3) (Police officer’s power to investigate cognizable case) of CrPC in court.
On Tuesday, Jamia Millia Islamia Vice Chancellor Najma Akhtar met Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik and urged him to lodge an FIR in connection with the police action on campus after violence erupted during an anti-CAA riot in the area on December 15.
Akhtar also met MHRD officials on Tuesday and reiterated her demand for an enquiry into the “police brutality” on the campus and raised the issue of an FIR not being registered in the matter yet.
Jamia spokesperson Ahmed Azeem stated, “An application will be filed very soon in the lower court under section 156(3) of the CrPC seeking direction to police to register an FIR.”
Notably, the Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Prof Tariq Mansoor on Tuesday also said that the varsity will file an FIR against the Uttar Pradesh Police for entering the hostel without permission.
Rampant violence, riots, arson, vandalism, damage to public life and property in the name of ‘peaceful protests’ had been reported from Jamia Nagar on December 15. The police had to enter Jamia campus to flush out rioters who had been pelting stones.
Several buses, many two-wheelers were burnt by the Jamia Nagar protestors and rampant damaged was caused to the public properties in the area. The Delhi Police had baton-charged the violent protestors in retaliation. Police statements and videos later had shown that the rioters had been prepared.
In the wake of violent protests that erupted at the Jamia Millia Islamia University, the Delhi Police had then claimed that the violence was not spontaneous but well-planned. They had said that the rioters were well-prepared and that the protests were engineered beforehand. In fact, CCTV footage’s had emerged which showed how Jamia rioters had pelted stones and how masked men had set a motorcycle and a DTC bus on fire.
Further investigation by the Delhi Police into the December 15 Jamia violence had unravelled the involvement of political parties like Congress and Aam Aadmi Party and many radical Islamic organisations, in the entire fiasco. The Delhi Police had named former Congress MLA Asif Khan as one of the accused in its FIR.
Surprisingly, the university has been supporting these ‘students’ and has refused to share the footage captured by CCTV cameras in the university campus to identify the rioters with the Delhi Police.
Pragyata along with its partners is organising “Kshetrayanam” – an annual 1-day conclave that discusses the challenges facing our sacred spaces and their associated cultural practices. The conclave will be held this year in Chennai on January 19th (Sunday). Pragyata is an online journal, event organiser, platform for video-based course content & research centre on Indic studies.
It seeks to ensure that Indic institutions can once again function autonomously and be the lifeline of our civilization. The program have a great line-up of 12 Dharmic stalwarts who will enlighten as well as encourage people to be more conscious of various issues that need to be taken up urgently to usher in an Indic renaissance.
Thousands of temples, especially in the South of India are under the control of the government. For instance, over 38,000 temples in Tamil Nadu have been taken over by the state government as per the Tamil Nadu Hindu Endowments Board. Reasons offered for it range from poor management, corruption, nepotism – making temples like just another enterprise with the devotees hard money landing straight into the coffers of the government. Families, which for over millennia have taken care of temples and dedicated their lives to them are at once relieved of any responsibility and made to feel unwanted. The case is repeated with erstwhile rulers of the princely States who after been sidelined by the government detaching the bond with their deities.
With the temples comes the massive seizure of temple owned properties as well. Being in control of their own land, such areas could otherwise be used by Hindus for the benefit of its society by making patshalas (schools), assembly halls etc, but that is not possible now. To help us understand the gravity of this situation, lets see an example.
Recently, centuries-old Mathas around the Jagannath Temple in Puri were demolished by the state government to make way for various infrastructure projects. This loss of heritage is immeasurable as the government plans to compensate devotees with a Jagannath Temple corridor. Pilgrimage spots are been turned into tourist spots, making many ecologically sensitive areas prone to massive damage (Uttarakhand comes to mind). Sabarimala temple and its associated worship of lord Ayyappa, who as a celibate and wishes for the entry of men and only women outside of the reproductive age, has found a voice with the gender equality crowd who don’t seem to have understood the rights of the deity in wanting who enters his abode.
Hindu Festivals have also come under the scanner of the activists and judiciary with them being muffled as one can see with Deepavali with cracker ban. We seem to care for the environment only during this time, unaware of how such actions devitalize traditions till they exist no more. Even on the economic front with thousands being out of jobs as the government comes up with whimsical solutions.
The conclave will also have speakers who will enlighten us on festivals such as Durga Puja, with their families, for the past 400 years, having been celebrating the puja in a traditional manner. Not spoken about nearly enough is the land of Tulunadu on the Karnataka coast with its rich religious tradition of Yakshagana – a night-long dance and drama performance practised with great fanfare, the Karadi Vesha (Bear Dance) among many others.
Scientists and physicists will help us understand the development of science in India from ancient times to the modern period on the disciplines of Mathematics and Astronomy. They will also inform of how the temple economy worked and helped sustain thousands of families, acting as the lifeblood of the Indic civilisation.
Interested persons can be a part Kshetrayanam 2020 by registering at kshetrayanam.com, for the Indian heritage to be reclaimed and make way for a bright future. People who want to participate in the event will have to be present at the Rasika Ranjani Sabha at Mylapore in Chennai on 19th January (Sunday). The organisers are offering discount for students and they can register at this address.
Those who cannot make it to the conclave in Chennai, they can watch it on Live Stream by registering here.
A BJP office in West Bengal’s Bankura district was set on fire late on January 15 (Wednesday). The office located in Chandai Gram area in Bankura district of the state was reduced to ashes, following which the party has blamed ruling TMC of being behind the incident.
West Bengal: BJP office was set ablaze in Chandai Gram area in Bankura district last night. BJP has alleged that TMC is behind the incident. pic.twitter.com/X4D7nC6mp8
No casualties have been reported so far. Investigations are underway and more details are awaited.
Shockingly this is the second such incident which has been reported in a span of 5 days. On January 12, Sunday, a similar incident occurred in West Bengal’s Asansol city. Merely a few hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was then on a two-day visit to the state, left West Bengal, a party office of the BJP at Salanpur area in Asansol’s Paschim Burdwan district was reduced to ashes.
Then too, the ruling TMC was said to be behind the incident, which they denied, terming it to be a result of a brawl between “goons” of the saffron party.
Under the initiative of Union Minister and local MP Babul Supriyo, BJP workers had distributed blankets to the tribals in the area on Sunday morning, following which TMC workers set the party office on fire, claimed BJP leader Abhijit Roy, furthering: “Several other BJP offices in the area have been set ablaze in the past by the TMC. As the popularity of our party is on the rise, TMC is using these tactics to terrorize the people.”
West Bengal has become a hotbed for political violence. Since the time the Bharatiya Janata Party has made successful inroads into the state, TMC goons have resorted to uncontrolled hooliganism and unleashed severe atrocities on innocent BJP workers.
Several such incidents where BJP Karyakartas have been brutally murdered have been reported in the recent past, and though its sufficiently clear that the TMC goons have been behind every such incident, the party chief Mamata Banerjee, who otherwise is so vocal and vociferous, has always maintained a stoic silence over these inhumane and barbaric acts.
An Indian Express journalist took to Twitter yesterday to narrate how a congress corporator Vikrant Chavan was seen threatening staff and creating a ruckus at a metro station in Mumbai.
Tabassum, the journalist had tweeted that she had heard the Congress corporator shouting at metro station staffers and security personnel.
THREAD:”I am a corporator, do you know that?”was the first thing I heard as I entered the metro station today.Congress corporator Vikrant Chavan was shouting at two Metro staffers & two security personnel who tried their best to calm him down.Being a journalist, I was curious (1)
In a series of tweets, the journalist explained that when she approached a security staffer to enquire the reason behind the corporator’s anger, she was told that he is only asserting his political power and is unwilling to listen. Upon being told by the security staff that it was a silent zone, the corporator reportedly fired up further.
She further shared that when she asked the corporator to calm down, she was misbehaved, intimidated and attacked physically when trying to make a video.
I decided to intervene, and asked Chavan politely to calm down. His voice grew louder, he said “Tu ja yahan se. Mein Vikrant Chavan hun. Corporator”. At that point we decided to make a video. Chavan got violent, hit my hand to stop the video. (3) @INCIndia@INCMaharashtrapic.twitter.com/9L1wzcAN6M
The journalist stated that she was told rudely by the Congress leader to go away, asserting further his political links.
This story came to light a day after Kaptan Malik, the brother of NCP leader Nawab Malik, was seen brutally thrashing labourers in a viral video. NCP also happens to be the Congress’ ally in the Maharashtra government.
In 2015, Congress’ Chavan, from Thane, was charged with abetment to suicide after Thane builder Suraj Parmar committed suicide. Chavan was accused of “mental harassment and demanded payoffs” from Parmar forcing him to end his life. (5) @INCIndiaLive@INCMaharashtra
Vikrant Chavan is not new to controversy. According to an Indian Express report, Chavan and three other corporators were charged for abetment of suicide of builder Suraj Parmar in 2015. The victim had cited “mental harassment” by Chavan and the others in his 13-page suicide note as the reason behind his death.
Chavan’s election affidavit states that he has four criminal cases pending against him. They include serious charges such as forgery, evidence tampering, fraud, criminal intimidation besides abetment of suicide. The journalist further shared that despite criminal charges and controversies, the Congress had fielded Chavan from the Ojal Majiwada seat in the assembly elections.
Despite so many cases,this year Congress nominated Chavan to contest from Oval Majiwada seat for State assembly elections in Thane.
It is sad to know that politicians avail such freedom to shout and assault at their whim and still get nominated by party @INCMaharashtra@ie_mumbai
Congress is currently in power in Maharashtra in an alliance government with Shiv Sena and NCP. Recently, a professor at Mumbai University was reportedly asked to go on leave after he had shared a Facebook post against Rahul Gandhi‘s criticism of Savarkar.
Congress’ student wing NSUI had gheraoed the university VC and had held protests demanding action against the said professor for his criticism against the Congress prince.
Vice President of India, Venkaiah Naidu greeted the nation on the birth anniversary of Tamil poet, philosopher and saint, Thiruvalluvar. While tweeting, the office of VP had tweeted an image of the poet wearing saffron robes.
Tweet by VP Secretariat on Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar’s birth anniversary, now deleted.
However, soon after he tweeted, the ‘secular’ brigade outraged that using Thiruvalluvar’s picture wearing saffron robes is ‘appropriating’ him and alleged that this disrespected him.
வள்ளுவரில் காவி நிறம். அவமானம். அவர் ஒரு துணை ஜனாதிபதியாக இருக்க தகுதியுடையவரா? சங்கி, கோல்டி, கோமியம். வள்ளுவருக்கு பெரிய அவமரியாதை. வெங்காய நாயுடு. poyidu https://t.co/iR1ZumaBG0
For a State party unit to use this portrait of Thiruvallur is one thing. I supported BJP’s right to use this picture. But shouldn’t a person holding a Constitutional post use the Govt approved picture? #thiruvalluvarhttps://t.co/DuuoRDuh7h
He alleged that the saffron robe worn by saint Thiruvalluvar in the picture depicted religion and caste.
Saint Thiruvalluvar
For the record, there is no official record on what kind of clothes Saint Thiruvalluvar wore or any details about his life and portraits of him are also artistic imagery of the poet-saint. In fact, as per reports, there is inadequate information even on his name as well as his poetic work. However, it is generally believed that he lived sometime between 4th and 6th century BC.
However, after the ‘secular’ outrage, Vice President of India deleted his original tweet and posted a new tweet to greet the nation on the poet-saint’s birth anniversary.
Considered as one of the greatest classics in #Tamil#Literature on morality, values and ethics, the treatise on a variety of subjects, including governance remains relevant for all times. #Thiruvalluvar
Shekhar Gupta’s The Print had recently published a report claiming that in a meeting with India’s top pharmaceutical companies, PM Modi had asked them “not to bribe doctors with women, foreign trips and gadgets”.
The Print had cited “government sources” behind their claim, without naming them. The report, citing an unnamed government official, had even claimed, “The issue of unethical use of marketing tactics has been escalated to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) which, in turn, made calls to some top drug-makers and fixed a meeting with the PM.”
Report in The printThe report in The Print, dated 13 January
The Print’s report had conveniently mentioned that they had written emails to the offices of the pharma companies and also made calls and sent text messages to the PMO for a statement on this issue but they had received no replies.
Following The Print’s report, The Indian Medical Association shot off a scathing statement warning the Prime Minister of India to “either prove his claim or apologise” for his alleged statement that The Print had claimed he made during the meeting with the heads of Pharma companies.
The IMA letter stated, “IMA seeks clarification from the office of the PM if such a meeting ever happened and if so the statement is authentic. IMA has noted that the PMO has not denied the report”.
Going further, the IMA also mocked the PM for not being able to prove the allegations, spectacularly ignoring the irony that it is them who are making unfounded allegations over a fake news report credited to unnamed ‘sources’.
“The IMA, however, is sceptical about the government being able to prove these allegations. If the surmise of the Prime Minister is based on unverified information it is only appropriate that he apologises to the doctors of the country”, preached the statement.
Letter by IMA, asking the PM to apologise over a fake report, image credit, Amit Thadhani on Twitter
Not stopping at ordering the PM to ‘prove or apologise’ over an unfounded claim, the IMA also went ahead to preach that the government is doing this to divert attention from the failure of Ayushman Bharat, which, they claimed, is a ‘non-starter.’
The Print then went ahead and published another report on the IMA’s statement. The IMA’s ‘bold’ order to the PM, asking him to “prove or apologise” was published by Congress mouthpiece National Herald and The Telegraph too.
The Print report on IMA letterThe Telegraph report on IMA letter
However, the reality was that the Prime Minister’s meeting with the heads of pharmaceutical companies was held to discuss the future roadmap for growth in the healthcare industry and there was no discussion on any marketing practices, as claimed by these reports.
The meeting was held on January 1 and the heads of several pharma and healthcare companies, namely Dr Reddy’s, Piramal Group, Cadila Healthcare, Sun Pharma, Wockhardt, Torrent, and Appolo Hospitals were present.
The Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA), an industry body representing many pharma and healthcare companies has issued a statement regarding the meeting with the PM.
In the statement, the IPA has stated that the focus of the discussion was to promote research and development, build an innovation ecosystem, improve access to high-quality medicine and strengthen the global competitiveness of the industry.
IPA statement over the fake news circulated by The Print, image via Amit Thadhani on Twitter
The statement clarified that there was no discussion regarding marketing practices, clarifying that the claims made by The Print’s report were false.
Even if one keeps the IPA statement aside, it will be preposterous to claim that the Prime Minister of the country would convene the heads and senior representatives of India’s largest pharma and healthcare companies and they will discuss issues like what pharma representatives try to bribe doctors with.
In addition, the Delhi Medical Association (DMA), as per a report in Times Of India, has condemned the IMA for demanding that the PM must ‘prove charges or apologise’.
The DMA has slammed the IMA for ‘unnecessarily’ criticising the Prime Minister. “The statement issued by the Association of Pharmaceutical Companies has clarified that no such discussion took place at all in the meeting. It is very deplorable that few IMA office bearers for their political compulsions are carrying out a defamatory campaign against our honourable PM which is against the national interest.”
The DMA statement also lauded the government for working to reduce the prices of various drugs and stents and bringing flagship schemes likes the Ayushman Bharat Yojna.
The Print, in another report yesterday, mentioned the IPA’s statement. However, they added that they had tried to reach out to the IPA’s secretary-general on 10 January and he had denied having information about any meeting. It claimed further citing ‘sources’ that the PM had intervened after the DoP had warned pharma companies about bringing statutory provisions for pharma marketing on December 23. It did not make any clarifications on their “bribing doctors with women, gadgets and foreign trip” claim.
It is indeed remarkable how, in our country, some individuals and organisations get away with blatant lies and fear-mongering. Shekhar Gupta, who had imagined and peddled the ‘coup’ theory out of nothing, has been caught peddling fake news via The Print on numerous occasions.
It is also a sad irony that the same individuals and organisations also are the most vociferous claimants of the ‘intolerance is rising’ and ‘press freedom is under threat’ narratives.
As reported by CNN News 18, Sanjay Raut said that I have always respected Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi despite being in the opposition. “You must have read my views earlier also even in Saamana. Whenever people have attacked Indira Gandhi, I have stood by her.”
Clarifying his statement, he said, “We were talking about Mumbai and were discussing what kind of atmosphere was there in Mumbai back then. A lot of people would come to meet Karim Lala, especially politicians. He used to keep the pictures in his house. The atmosphere back then was different. Karim Lala was member of a Pathan community, “Pakhtun-e-Hind” and he was a leader of Pathans. He was a world leader of Pathan community. He had come from Afghanistan. He was associated with Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, who is also known as Frontier Gandhi. Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Karim Lala, they all used to meet Indira Gandhi and other leaders to discuss issues concerning Pathans. That’s all I said that they had that kind of reputation.”
While Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was an independence activist who fought against the British rule alongside Mohandas Gandhi, Karim Lala was a dreaded gangster who terrorised Mumbai for over two decades operating from impoverished, crime-infested Muslim ghettos in Mumbai like Dongri and Nagpada. While Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was known as Frontier Gandhi for his non-violent movements and pacifist nature, Karim Lala was notorious for contract killings, forceful property eviction, kidnapping and extortion.
