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Bangladesh: Muslim group declares all restaurants must serve beef or shut down because beef eating is ‘Islamic duty’ and non-beef eateries are agents of Hindutva

OpIndia Staff
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Bangladesh: Muslim group declares all restaurants must serve beef or shut down because beef eating is ‘Islamic duty’ and non-beef eateries are agents of Hindutva

In Dhaka, Bangladesh, an organisation named Muslim Consumer Rights Council held a rally in Bangshal area seeking a boycott of restaurants that do not serve beef. The protestors said that beef dishes should be mandatory in the menu of all restaurants and the restaurants that fail to comply should be shut down.

They indicated that the restaurants that do not serve beef are against Islamic ideologies.

Dhaka Tribune quoted Muhammad Arif Al Khabir, the convener of the council, saying that beef is a symbol of Islamic identity and Western nations that do not have halal food in their restaurants are displaying a double standard.

Dhaka Tribune reported that the protestors had gathered in front of Hotel Al Razzaque in Old Dhaka’s Bangshal area, chanting slogans such as, “No-beef restaurants are agents of India and Hindutva. Boycott such establishments” and “Cow dung or beef? Beef! Beef!”

Muhammad Arif Al Khabir argued that eating camel meat is not obligatory, but it became a duty for Muslims to eat camel because they had to establish their allegiance to Islam over Jewish dietary rules. In a similar way, eating beef is not mandatory but it is necessary for Muslims to show their allegiance to Islam over Hindu beliefs.

He quoted verse 208 from Surah Al-Baqarah of the Quran, explaining, “Although eating camel meat is not obligatory, it became essential for a Muslim due to its connection to Jewish dietary laws. Similarly, in the context of Hindu beliefs, consuming beef becomes a declaration of faith for Muslims.”

Arif Al Khabir also stated that Western nations should also include Halal foods in their restaurants because they want to alienate Muslims. Jews and Christians in Western nations do not have Halal food in their restaurants, because they do not want to accomodate Muslims. Muslims have no other options but to open their separate Halal eateries.

Arif Al Khabir added that all restaurants should declare their support for Muslims by adding at least one beef dish in their menu. If they are not doing so, they must be agents of India and Hindutva. They should face a nationwide boycott, he added.

Bangladesh assured action against perpetrators of violence against minorities, says Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri after Dhaka visit

ANI
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Bangladesh assured action against perpetrators of violence against minorities, says Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri after Dhaka visit

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Wednesday briefed members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs on the ‘Future of India-Bangladesh Relationship’ and conveyed that the neighbouring country has assured action against perpetrators of violence against minorities, sources said.

The sources said Misri, who visited Dhaka on December 9, provided a detailed briefing on Bangladesh.

The Foreign Secretary is learnt to have told the committee that, contrary to media reports, the Yunus administration did not discuss reviewing any agreements.

Sources said most members, cutting across party lines, enquired about former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s stay in India.

During his visit to Bangladesh, Misri told the media that India desires positive, constructive, and mutually beneficial relationship and that the relationship is people-centric.

The Foreign Secretary told reporters in Dhaka that he had a frank, candid, and constructive exchange of views with his interlocutors and discussed the entire gamut of issues in the “extremely important bilateral relationship”.

He raised the issue of attacks on minorities, including Hindus, with Bangladesh leaders and officials.

“We also discussed recent developments and I conveyed our concerns including those related to the safety and welfare of minorities.. We also discussed regrettable incidents of attacks on cultural and religious properties… I emphasised that India desires a positive, constructive and mutually beneficial relationship with Bangladesh. I have underlined today India’s desire to work closely with the interim government of Bangladesh Authority,” Misri told reporters in Dhaka.

He highlighted India’s support for a democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh.

During the visit, Misri called on the Chief Adviser of the Interim Government of Bangladesh Dr. Muhammad Yunus and the Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain. He held Foreign Office Consultations with the Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh Jashim Uddin.

It was the first high-level visit from India to Bangladesh since Sheikh Hasina was deposed as Prime Minister in August this year and since the interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, assumed office.

There have been multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh. There also have been cases of arson and looting of minorities’ homes and vandalism and desecration of deities and temples. The arrest of priest Chinmoy Krishna Das in Chittagong on October 25 led to protests.

India had on November 26 noted with deep concern the arrest and denial of bail to Shri Chinmoy Krishna Das, who is also the spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote.

India had urged Bangladesh authorities to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and all minorities, including their right of freedom of peaceful assembly and expression.

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

Meer Faisal peddles disinformation, claims 180-year-old mosque in UP’s Fatehpur was demolished: Here’s the truth

OpIndia Staff
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Meer Faisal peddles disinformation, claims 180-year-old mosque in UP’s Fatehpur was demolished: Here’s the truth

Self-proclaimed journalist Meer Faisal, whose earlier X account was withheld in India, presumably for peddling fake news, recently posted a tweet claiming that authorities demolished a 180-year-old mosque in UP’s Fatehpur over encroachment.

“Local authorities in Uttar Pradeshhave initiated the demolition of the180-year-old Fatehpur Noori Masjid.citing it as an encroachment. Officialsstated that the area will be clearedusing bulldozers. The mosque,constructed in 1839, predates the road it is now accused of encroachingupon,” Faisal tweeted.

While Faisal claims that authorities were demolishing the 180-year-old mosque, the encroachment drive was strictly restricted to the rear portion of the mosque and the PWD department had sent a notice to the mosque granting them one month’s time to remove encroachments.

According to a report published in Indian Express, in August, the Public Works Department (PWD) had issued notices to 139 individuals, including shopkeepers, homeowners, and the mosque committee, instructing them to remove structures encroaching on the road. The structures demolished on Tuesday was built 3 years ago and encroaching upon the Banda-Fatehpur Road in the city.

It is notable to mention that this is not the first instance when Faisal was caught spreading disinformation. Earlier this year, Faisal published two posts on X with misleading information claiming Muslims were attacked by Hindus in Aligarh (Uttar Pradesh) and Nahan (Himachal Pradesh).

The information was factually misleading and lacked one important aspect the deceased, identified as Aurangzeb, allegedly entered the house of a Hindu family with the intention of theft. He was caught by the Hindu family members during the act. The Hindu family members and other locals beat Aurangzeb up before handing over to the police. He succumbed to his injuries and was declared dead at the hospital.

In a statement issued by Aligarh police, SSP Aligarh, Sanjay Suman, said that the police got information about a thief caught by locals in the Gandhi Park Police Station area. The police reached the spot immediately. It was revealed that a Muslim man entered the house of a Hindu family with the intention of theft. The family members and some locals caught him and beat him up. The police rushed him to the hospital where he was declared brought dead.

Why names of Hindus suddenly started appearing in cow smuggling: Read about the elaborate conspiracy using poor Hindus including minors

राहुल पाण्डेय
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Why names of Hindus suddenly started appearing in cow smuggling: Read about the elaborate conspiracy using poor Hindus including minors

On 8th December, the police in Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh caught a gang of cow smugglers. Their leader Umar was running a cow slaughter racket under the guise of a Hindu and wore a saffron scarf around his neck. He also put a tilak on his forehead and held a trident in his hand. The deceived people considered him a Hindu sage. During this time, many similar cow smuggling rackets were exposed, in which the accused belonged to the Hindu community.

The arrest of Hindus, who consider cows as mothers, for cow slaughter has been a very new and shocking trend for the common people. OpIndia conducted a thorough investigation into these instances, looking into every facet of them. Multiple reasons were uncovered during this inquiry, providing answers to numerous open-ended queries.

What are the findings of government statistics

For instance, around 15% of charges filed under the Cow Slaughter Act involve Hindus in the Uttar Pradesh district of Muzaffarnagar. A total of 27 cases of cow slaughter act were reported to different police stations throughout the area between January and November of 2024. Hindus have been mentioned as the accused in four of these cases. These cases have been registered in Budhana, Nai Mandi and Charthawal police stations.

Information gathered by OpIndia also unveiled that the involvement of the Hindu accused in these cases has been found in activities like transporting chopped meat, transporting live cows from one place to another in vehicles as well as buying and selling cows.

Many Hindus got trapped due to the mistake of a suspect

The most talked about case of involvement of Hindus in cow smuggling recently came to light from Noida. On 9th November, Noida Police, with the help of cow protectors, recovered a large consignment of beef in Greater Noida which revealed a network in which cows were slaughtered in West Bengal and their meat was brought to Noida in containers and kept in a cold storage.

The meat was then supplied to many places including Delhi-NCR (National Capital Region) and Uttarakhand. Police informed that 185 tonnes of beef has been recovered. According to an estimate, this amount of meat would have been collected by slaughtering at least 8 to10 thousand cows. The truck bearing Haryana’s number in which it was being taken to Noida was driven by Shiv Shankar, while Sachin serves as his helper in the vehicle. Both have been arrested.

The cold storage where it beef was stored is owned by Puran Joshi and the manager is Akshay Saxena. Mohammad Khurshidun Nabi, director of the company through which the beef was supplied, has been arrested along with the other two. The police learned of Shoaib Haqqani’s involvement with Avinash Kumar and Rakesh Singh during the course of the inquiry.

All three are employees of a company named Toro Primary Private Limited which is accused of buying and selling beef placed in cold storage. cow protector Ved Nagar, who played the most important role in exposing this incident, spoke to OpIndia. He told us that the main accused named Puran Joshi has made all the other Hindus scapegoats for his crime due to greed for money.

He stated that truck driver Shiv Shankar and Sachin were unaware of the contentc in the truck. Both of them were sent someplace under false pretense and were called after beef was loaded in the truck, in West Bengal. Afterwards, they were given a map and asked to follow it.

Ved Nagar mentioned that cold storage owner Puran Joshi has links with international cow smugglers. He expressed apprehension that the latter has accepted Islam and highlighted that a person claiming to be Hindu cannot smuggle beef. He described the other Hindus arrested in this case as just associates of Puran Joshi, who did not know anything about the matter.

Lack of morality and values ​​is the reason

On 9th November, the police arrested 7 cow smugglers after an encounter in Satrikh police station area of ​​Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh. Knives, guns, vehicles and other things were recovered from the arrested persons. Sarwar, Gufran, Mohammad Umar, Nabijan and Mohammad Aziz were nabbed along with Ankit Gupta. They had also fired at the police.

OpIndia spoke to Mahamandaleshwar Swami Vedmurtinand Saraswati of Niranjani Akhara regarding this matter. He stated that in the present times, parents in Hindu homes are distancing their children from sanskars in an attempt to make them modern. Over time, the kids are getting involved in sins such as cow slaughter because their parents never taught them about religion, cow, Ganga and Gita etc.

He further told us that he is concerned about the increasing number of Hindus involved in cow slaughter and cow smuggling and he will discuss this issue with all the saints and sages in the upcoming Maha Kumbh. He added that after this discussion, the saints will move towards a solution.

Sin in pursuit of a luxurious life

The police exposed a cow smuggling racket in Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh in October 2024. Pratap Maurya and his brother Bablu were found involved in this racket. Both of them were caretakers of a cowshed in Sharifnagar village of the Deoranian police station area. The cows were reportedly sent from this cowshed for their slaughter. Most of their buyers were people from the Muslim community. The police arrested both of them and sent them to jail.

There were some Muslims among the accused, who used to slaughter cows. OpIndia spoke to Himanshu Patel, an official of Vishwa Hindu Parishad of Bareilly, who played an important role in their arrest. He stated that he had been keeping an eye on this racket for a long time. Pratap and Bablu used to sell cows from the cowshed for Rs 2 to 3 thousand per animal. The majority of these cows were elderly and ill bovines that were taken to the forests killed by Muslim butchers.

Himanshu Patel pointed out that Pratap Maurya and his brother Bablu were involved in cow smuggling since they enjoyed living in luxury when we probed him about the issue. Their hunger for money led them to become entangled with the crime of cow slaughter.

Himanshu further stated that both the accused brothers were financially weak. They used to work in a cow shelter and receive a salary of 6 to 7 thousand rupees per month. However, expensive desires pushed them towards anti-Hindu crime. According to Himanshu Patel, he and his organization demand the same punishment for people of every class, religion and faith involved in cow smuggling.

Hindus used as defense in cow smuggling

OpIndia spoke to Bharatiya Janata Party MLA T Raja Singh from Hyderabad who told us that extremist Muslims are at the root of cow slaughter, but they use underprivileged Hindus as their line of defense by luring them. He added that Hindus who do not know the importance of cows and are very poor are being used in cow smuggling. Raja Singh mentioned that the truck drivers and cleaners used in smuggling as well as the laborers are Hindus.

He stated that this is a ploy adopted by Muslim smugglers to avoid assaults, etc. when they are caught. Raja Singh mentioned Telangana and claimed that Muslims frequently even force poor members of the minority community to slaughter cows on Bakrid in an effort to prove Hindus

Political rhetoric against cows is spreading hatred

According to Raja Singh, the reason for the involvement of some Hindus in cow smuggling is due to the rhetoric of leaders of opposition parties. Raja Singh cited Akhilesh Yadav as an example when he claimed that stray cows were the nation’s largest issue, affecting everyone from the streets to the Parliament. Those Hindus who even remotely believe what he declared develop a hatred for cows as a result.

Raja Singh also appealed to people not to pay attention to the utterances of the Samajwadi Party’s supremo and called him a packaged milk drinker. He told us that no Hindu justifies cow slaughter. He considers the cow as his mother and considers the one who slaughters it as an enemy of his religion. According to Raja Singh, the intentions of those who are conspiring to point fingers at the entire community by making some Hindu pawns will not be fulfilled.

Policemen’s opinion on Hindus involved in cow smuggling

OpIndia spoke to some retired and current policemen to investigate the reason for Hindus’ involvement in cow smuggling. On the condition of anonymity, the policemen explicitly voiced that the main reason for their involvement in cow smuggling was their greed. However, all of them also underlined that the maximum complicity of Hindus is limited to transporting cows from one place to another.

As a result, the police apprehend most of the drivers, Khalasis (helpers) and some of their other associates for being involved in the conspiracy. A police inspector also told OpIndia that cow killers are never accepted in the social fabric of Hindus. Hence, listed cow smugglers try their best to include a person from Hindu society with them as part of the plot.

The police inspector further highlighted that a Hindu would not be suspected if he stayed with the cow smugglers. The police inspector added that it will be hard to file a case, even if they are caught due to suspicion. A policeman stated that many times the cow smugglers themselves take the names of cow protectors active in their area to trap them in the legal net. Such allegations are also found to be false after investigation.

Minor Hindus brainwashed for cow smuggling

Another police officer unveiled that cow killers are brainwashing minor Hindu children and getting them to commit crimes like cow smuggling for just Rs 200 to 500. This secret was revealed after arrests in a case at Jagatpur police station in Raebareli in the year 2022. We were told that even the parents of the 13 to 14-year youngsters did not know that their kids were involved in cow smuggling.

Each day, around six or seven minors were paid between Rs 200 and Rs 300 to wander around in various locations. They were instructed to tether any helpless cow to a tree and call someone right away. The cow smugglers would tie the cows, load them into their trucks and drive far away to kill them.

How the economic system of cow killers operates

A retired police officer told OpIndia that cow smugglers earn around 10 to 15 thousand rupees by slaughtering a healthy bull (male cow). Their meat, bones and skins are sold at different places. Meat is consumed, while the skin is utilized to make things like shoes and jackets, among others. He expressed that the economic ecosystem of a cow smuggler is linked to legal and illegal business from meat to skins.

On the condition of anonymity, he added that this is the reason that despite strict action against cow smugglers, they are soon released from jails because they have ties to influential people. We were also informed that as a result of changing times and the government’s increasing strictness, now cow smugglers have started luring some Hindus and keeping them with them for their defense.

There are officers/employees of both mindsets in the police

During our conversation with Hindu and cow protection organizations, we were told that there are officers and employees of both mindsets in the police department too. Some cops, out of greed, meet cow smugglers in their area and encourage them. However, many in the administration adopt a zero-tolerance policy in matters like cow slaughter by disregarding all kinds of pressure and greed.

Bareilly’s Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Himanshu Patel voiced that there are some policemen who, to cover their mistakes, keep trying to register cases against those Hindus who start raising the issue of cow smuggling in their area. He expressed hope that the Uttar Pradesh government will soon identify such administrative officers and punish them.

Cow smugglers won’t be stopped until every case has been registered

During our conversation with Hindu and cow protection organizations, we were told that there are officers and employees of both mindsets in the police department too. Some cops, out of greed, meet cow smugglers in their area and encourage them. However, many in the administration adopt a zero-tolerance policy in matters like cow slaughter by disregarding all kinds of pressure and greed.

Bareilly’s Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Himanshu Patel voiced that there are some policemen who, to cover their mistakes, keep trying to register cases against those Hindus who start raising the issue of cow smuggling in their area. He expressed hope that the Uttar Pradesh government will soon identify such administrative officers and punish them.

According to OpIndia’s ground investigation, the concerned in charge at the police station where cow slaughter occurs does everything in his power to keep it under control. Avoiding departmental action against oneself is the primary motivation for doing this. The killing of cows is seen as a critical issue in society. Additionally, there are strong directives not to allow cow slaughter to take place, particularly under the current Uttar Pradesh government.

The police officer in the region of Uttar Pradesh where cow slaughter incidents happen has begun to feel that his position is in jeopardy. On the condition of anonymity and without being on camera, a few police officers and representatives of a Hindu organization informed us that the administration often attempts to repress cow slaughter incidents for these reasons.

They stated that if they are given a free hand to register every case, identify the cow smugglers and take strict action against them, then within just a few cases all the cow smugglers and cow killers will be behind bars. They have described this as a possible step that will bring positive change in the long term.

Women BJP MPs lodge complaint against TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee over his controversial ‘lady killer’ comment against Jyotiraditya Scindia

OpIndia Staff
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Women BJP MPs lodge complaint against TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee over his controversial ‘lady killer’ comment against Jyotiraditya Scindia

Women Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs on Wednesday lodged a complaint with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju against TMC leader Kalyan Banerjee for making controversial comments about Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. They also urged Rijiju to take strict measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

Earlier in the day, a heated argument in Parliament between BJP MP Jyotiraditya Scindia and TMC’s Kalyan Banerjee during a discussion on the Disaster Management Bill led to chaos in the Lok Sabha and forced a 30-minute adjournment. The controversy began when Banerjee made personal accusations, including a controversial remark about Scindia, calling him a ‘lady killer’.

The TMC MP made the comments during a discussion on amendments to the Disaster Management Act. He accused the central government of non-cooperation during the Covid-19 pandemic. Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai countered him, and claimed that West Bengal government had hindered vaccine transportation.

Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia supported Rai, saying that India had emerged as a “Vishwa Bandhu” during the pandemic and helped several countries in need. In response, Kalyan Banerjee made personal comments on Scindia, accusing him of being a ‘lady killer’.

Banerjee said, ‘what do you think, just because you look good, just because you are from Scindia family, you are everything? Are you a king?’ Scindia objected to these comments on his family, after which speaker Om Birla asked the TMC MP to stick to the topic.

Bur Kalyan Banerjee continued targeting Scindia over his ‘good looks’, saying, ‘you have beauty so you will say whatever you want? What do I do if I am not good looking like you? You are very beautiful, very handsome, you are lady killer, we all know that.’

These comments created massive outroar in the house, with Scindia and other BJP MPs objecting. They immediately demanded Banerjee’s expulsion from the House.

The remarks by the TMC MP have been expunged by Speaker Om Birla. Later the women parliamentarians of BJP lodged a formal complaint against him with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.

Andhra Pradesh BJP President Daggubati Purandeswari criticised Banerjee’s repeated offensive remarks about women parliamentarians. She said, “The repetitive comments that Kalyan Banerjee of TMC has been making against women in Parliament – this is not the first time. He has commented, pointing out to Jyotiraditya Scindia that he is a…”

“Even earlier, he had said there are so many beautiful women in the House, but my attention is not distracted. I think this is very unbecoming of a parliamentarian who hails from a state led by a woman – Mamata Banerjee leads West Bengal – and it is very unbecoming of him to pass such comments on women,” Purandeswari added.

Purandeswari further condemned Banerjee’s behaviour, calling his remarks offensive and disrespectful. She said, “He is repeatedly habituated to making comments like this, which are very offensive to women. The women parliamentarians of the Lok Sabha have met the Speaker and Kiren Rijiju, requesting them to take harsh action against him so that he does not repeat such behaviour. This should also serve as an example to other parliamentarians, emphasising the need to respect women.”

(With inputs from ANI)

How Rahul Gandhi is furthering the demonisation of the police after Sambhal violence, where a Pakistani cartridge was found, potentially leading to the death of Muslim rioters

Anurag
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How Rahul Gandhi is furthering the demonisation of the police after Sambhal violence, where a Pakistani cartridge was found, potentially leading to the death of Muslim rioters

On 10th December, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the party’s general secretary, Priyanka Gandhi, met the families of the rioters who died during the Sambhal violence on 24th November 2024. The meeting was held in Delhi a week after the Congress leaders were stopped by the Sambhal Police from entering the region due to the communally sensitive nature of the matter.

Notably, there was an administrative order in place in Sambhal prohibiting any outsider, including political leaders, from entering the city since the violence broke out last month. Despite the order, Gandhi attempted to enter Sambhal, and the police had to stop them.

Congress shared photographs of the meeting on the social media platform X and wrote, “Today, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress General Secretary and MP Priyanka Gandhi met the victims of Sambhal. The incident in Sambhal is the ill-effect of the BJP’s hate politics and is fatal for a peaceful society. Together, we have to defeat this violent and hateful mentality with love and brotherhood. We stand with all the victims and will fight to get them justice.”

When Gandhi was stopped from entering Sambhal, he termed the police action unconstitutional and said, “It is my right to go, and I am ready to go alone. We only want to witness what happened there and meet the people. However, my constitutional right is being denied.” He further accused the ruling party of undermining democratic principles and added, “This is ‘naya Hindustan,’ where attempts are being made to end Ambedkarji’s Constitution. But we will keep fighting.”

Everything you need to know about the Sambhal violence

On 19th November, a court-mandated survey was conducted at Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. The court ordered the survey in response to a petition filed by Supreme Court Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, and seven co-plaintiffs, asserting that the mosque occupies the site of a temple dedicated to Bhagwan Kalki. The site in question is a protected monument under the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act of 1904. The survey was carried out under the supervision of Advocate Commission. A heavy police force was deployed in the area to ensure the survey proceeded peacefully.

However, on 24th November, during the second round of court-mandated survey at Jama Masjid, Islamist mobsters gathered outside the mosque and engaged in violence. They pelted stones at police, opened fire at police personnel and set ablaze vehicles and shops. At least 20 police personnel were injured during violence and four mobsters were killed in the mayhem, likely from illegal guns carried by rioters. As per reports, as the survey was going on inside the mosque, Muslims living in the area gathered outside the Jama Masjid and raised religious slogans. The District Magistrate of Sambhal confirmed that the survey was completed in around two hours and stated that a report would be submitted to the Civil Court.

In the aftermath of the Sambhal violence on 24th November, police have clarified that the deaths of the rioters occurred due to friendly fire among themselves, not by the police. Post-mortem reports revealed that two victims were shot with country-made pistols, while the 315-bore bullet was found inside the body of another victim, a type not used by Uttar Pradesh Police. Sambhal SP Krishna Kumar Bishnoi stated that the police initially fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the mob but were fired upon by rioters.

The Supreme Court of India has stayed the hearing in the District Court, Sambhal, in response to plea filed by the Muslim side. Furthermore, the survey report submitted by the Advocate Commissioner has been ordered to be sealed and not to be opened till an order is passed by the High Court in the matter. Next hearing in the matter will be in January 2025. A judicial committee was formed by CM Yogi Adityanath to investigate the cause of the violence.

Some shocking revelations, however, have been made by the investigating team. On 3rd December, the forensic team recovered cartridges made in Pakistan and the USA from the violence-hit area. According to media reports, police uncovered Sambhal violence’s link to Pakistan after discovering an empty cartridge manufactured in the Pakistan Ordnance Factory. The cartridge was recovered alongside five others from a drain at the site of the 24th November violence. The recovery of international ammunition has raised serious concerns, and the security agencies have been alerted about the discovery. The cartridges included two 12-bore and two 32-bore shells along with 9 mm shells of foreign origin.

On 3rd December, UP government suspended jailer Vikram Yadav and his deputy Praveen Singh, a day after a group of Samajwadi Party leaders visited the Moradabad jail in Uttar Pradesh to meet with the accused who were charged with involvement in the Sambhal riots. Director General (Prison Administration and Reform Services) PV Ramasastry stated that a report against jail superintendent PP Singh has been forwarded to the state government for action because he is a Group A officer. He added that the action against the said officers was taken after Deputy Inspector General (prisons) Kuntal Kishore conducted an investigation and concluded that the jail manual was flouted. The action was taken after the SP delegation, which included former Parliament member ST Hasan, Nawab Jaan Khan, and Chaudhary Samarpal Singh, visited the Moradabad jail to meet with 27 accused for their role in the Sambhal riots. The Samajwadi Party leaders claimed that the accused were assaulted and that they would provide legal assistance to the accused rioters.

Despite all this, Rahul Gandhi still attempted to enter Sambhal. Notably, on 3rd December, Sambhal DM Pensiya announced that 33 people were sent to jail and 400 individuals involved in violence were idenitified so far. He also requested everyone not to visit Sambhal till 10th December. He had said, “So far, 33 people have been sent to jail. Security remains in place in Sambhal, and full vigilance is being maintained. More than 400 individuals have been identified. We have requested everyone to refrain from visiting until December 10 due to the sensitivity of the situation”. His statement was already in public domain and it is unlikely that Congress leaders were not aware of it. Despite the orders in place and statement by DM just a day before, Gandhi went ahead and attempted to visit Sambhal on 4th December.

In the post on social media, Congress has called he people they met “members of the families of victims”. Interestingly, these so-called victims died in friendly fire. They were out their attacking police and setting public and private properties ablaze.

OpIndia accessed the petition filed by the plaintiffs in the case. Ours detailed report on petition can be checked here.

Sambhal violence: Police raids SP MP Zia ur Rehman Barq’s locality, guns recovered from Mahbar and Tajwar’s house, smack recovered from Mulla Asif’s house

OpIndia Staff
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Sambhal violence: Police raids SP MP Zia ur Rehman Barq’s locality, guns recovered from Mahbar and Tajwar’s house, smack recovered from Mulla Asif’s house

In the Sambhal violence case, the administration’s action continued and the police raided the locality of Samajwadi Party MP Zia ur Rehman Barq on Monday (9th December). During the raid, a consignment of narcotics along with illegal weapons was also recovered and 34 bikes were challaned, in addition, 4 bikes were seized.

Reports say that as part of the action in Sambhal violence wherein an Islamist mob attacked the police on 24th November during a court-ordered survey of the disputed Jama Masjid, the police raided the Timardas Sarai area of ​​Nakhasa police station area on Monday at around 3 pm. During this, 13 houses were thoroughly searched and of these, 93 packets of smack were recovered from the house of Mulla Asif. Meanwhile, 315 bore pistols were recovered from the houses of Tajwar and Mahbar. The police detained Mahbar, who had already served a jail sentence in a murder case in 1999.

The police stated that 315-bore bullets were also recovered from the bodies of rioters killed during the violence. At present, the police took the people found in the houses of Mahbar, Mulla Asif and Tajwar to the police station. A judicial inquiry is going on in the entire case, and the administration is talking about taking strict action against the rioters. The police also marched twice in front of SP MP Ziaur Rahman’s house and are conducting thorough checking of the vehicles in the Sambhal district.

Meanwhile, Sambhal Superintendent of Police Krishna Kumar Bishnoi said that the search operation is being conducted on the information of the presence of outsiders in the district. It is being verified who has come from outside and why. According to the SP, the search operation will continue further. SP Bishnoi added that the recovered goods are being sealed and investigation and other necessary legal action are being taken.

Zia Ur Rehman Barq’s alleged role in Sambhal violence

Notably, Barq is among those charged in connection with the violence unleashed by Islamist mobs on 24th November in response to a court-ordered survey of the disputed Jama Masjid.

According to the FIR filed against him, Barq visited the mosque days before the violence without permission and incited unrest. Barq, however, has denied the allegations. In a statement, he claimed that when the violence broke out, he was not in the state, let alone in Sambhal. He accused the UP Police of conspiring against him.

The FIR read, “On November 22, Zia ur Rehman Barq visited the Jama Masjid. After offering namaaz, he gathered a crowd without administrative permission and made provocative statements. For political gain, he incited the crowd to disturb communal harmony.”

Furthermore, the FIR mentioned Suhail Iqbal, son of MLA Iqbal Mahmood, as being present in the crowd on the day the violence broke out. The FIR read, “Suhail Iqbal incited the crowd by saying, ‘Ziaur Rahman Barq is with us, we are also with you. We will not let anything happen to you; fulfil your intentions.’ As a result, the crowd became more violent.”

Barq has been named “Accused No. 1” while Iqbal has been named “Accused No. 2” in the FIR. Seven hundred to eight hundred unidentified individuals have also been booked in the same FIR. According to the FIR, a mob comprising 700–800 armed individuals gathered to disrupt the court-ordered survey at Jama Masjid. The FIR further stated that the mob snatched official weapons from police personnel and targeted the police with intent to kill. It read, “One person from the crowd fired at Circle Officer Anuj Chaudhary to kill him. Anuj was shot in the leg and sustained injuries.”

A detailed OpIndia profile of Zia-ur-Rehman Barq can be read here.

Court-ordered survey at Jama Masjid in Sambhal and violence that erupted on 24th November

On 19th November, a court-mandated survey was conducted at Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. The court ordered the survey in response to a petition filed by Supreme Court Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, and seven co-plaintiffs, asserting that the mosque occupies the site of a temple dedicated to Bhagwan Kalki. The site in question is a protected monument under the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act of 1904. The survey was carried out under the supervision of the Advocate Commission. A heavy police force was deployed in the area to ensure the survey proceeded peacefully.

However, on 24th November, during the second round of court-mandated survey at Jama Masjid, Islamist mobsters gathered outside the mosque and engaged in violence. They pelted stones at police, opened fire at police personnel and set ablaze vehicles and shops. At least 20 police personnel were injured during violence and four mobsters were killed in the mayhem, likely from illegal guns carried by rioters.

In the aftermath of the Sambhal violence on 24th November, police have clarified that the deaths of three individuals occurred due to firing by rioters, not by the police. Post-mortem reports revealed that two victims were shot with country-made pistols, while the 315-bore bullet was found inside the body of another victim, a type not used by Uttar Pradesh Police. Sambhal SP Krishna Kumar Bishnoi stated that the police initially fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the mob but were fired upon by rioters.

During the survey, however, Muslims living in the area gathered outside the Jama Masjid and raised religious slogans. The District Magistrate of Sambhal confirmed that the survey was completed in around two hours and stated that a report would be submitted to the Civil Court, which will review it on the next date of hearing, 29th November 2024. OpIndia accessed the petition filed by the plaintiffs in the case.

As of now, the Supreme Court of India has stayed the hearing in the District Court, Sambhal, in response to a plea filed by the Muslim side. Furthermore, the survey report submitted by the Advocate Commissioner has been ordered to be sealed and not to be opened till an order is passed by the High Court in the matter. The next hearing on the matter will be in January 2025. A judicial committee was formed by CM Yogi Adityanath to investigate the cause of the violence.

OpIndia’s detailed report on a petition filed at the court can be checked here.

J&K CM Omar Abdullah says the ‘Darbar Move’ practice of shifting capital to Jammu during winters will be restored

ANI
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J&K CM Omar Abdullah says the ‘Darbar Move’ practice of shifting capital to Jammu during winters will be restored

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday reiterated that the now-defunct Darbar Move would be restored.

He also questioned why the issue of the Darbar Move started making headlines only after the assembly elections.

“I don’t understand why this issue did not come up during the elections. The issue of the Darbar Move started to emerge only after the elections. However, we have repeatedly assured in meetings that the Darbar Move will be restored,” CM Omar told reporters after interacting with members of the civil society.

He also highlighted the importance and uniqueness of Jammu.

“Jammu has its own significance, its own speciality, and we will not let it diminish,” he said.

Earlier this month, he emphasised the need to showcase Jammu’s rich cultural heritage. “Our Dogra culture is a treasure unique to Jammu. Our traditions, food, and specialities are unmatched and must be leveraged as key selling points for tourism.”

On December 9, CM Omar Abdullah stated, “The hallmark of Jammu city was the biannual Darbar Move. For six months, people from Srinagar would work here, creating a lively environment. It fostered interaction between people from both sides of the mountains, whether at Wave Mall, Residency Road, or Gole Market. I assure you that we will resume the Darbar Move in the future. Unfortunately, time constraints prevented us from doing so this time.”

The Darbar Move referred to the biannual relocation of the secretariat and all other government offices of Jammu and Kashmir from one capital city to another. From May to October, government offices operated in the summer capital, Srinagar, while for the other six months, they functioned in the winter capital, Jammu.

In April 2021, for the first time in history, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir decided to defer the Darbar Move due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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

Andhra Pradesh: 8-year-old girl dies in Church after 40-days of ‘miraculous healing’ for brain tumour

OpIndia Staff
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Andhra Pradesh: 8-year-old girl dies in Church after 40-days of ‘miraculous healing’ for brain tumour

On Monday, 9th December, a tragic incident was reported from the Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh sending shock waves across the state. An 8-year-old minor girl identified as Bhagyashree who was suffering from a brain tumour was reported dead after her parents took her to attend prayers at a church that claimed miraculous healing. The girl and her family spent around 40 days inside the church praying and fasting for miraculous healing of the girl but to no avail.

The incident happened on Monday, 9th December evening raising serious concerns over the ‘miracle’ healing events hosted by Christian missionaries in the name of treatment.

As per the local reports, the minor girl, a resident of Dalit Colony in Balaji Raopet, Kaluvai Mandal, suffered from constant headaches and vomiting. Her parents Lakshmaiah and Lakshmi, belonging to a poor financial background, took her to several doctors in Nellore and Tirupati for treatment. However, the doctors found out that the girl had a brain tumour and recommended surgery. The parents of the girl, however, could not afford surgery and sought help from the relatives and also the hospital.

Following this, some of the relatives of the family suggested they take to girl to a church in Adurupalli for miraculous healing. They claimed that praying there to the Almighty might help the girl recover her health. The family then travelled to the church with Bhavyashree. They stayed there for around 40 days, fasting and praying for her healing.

The family meanwhile could see that the health of their daughter was deteriorating but they still continued to offer prayers and believed in the Church healings. Even the church authorities who were believed to be concerned about the child’s deteriorating condition, did not suggest medical help for the child. They instead reinforced their belief that divine intervention would heal the child.

Unfortunately, Bhavyashree breathed her last at midnight on 9th December 2024 in the church premises where the parents of the girl had been praying for her health. The death of the child has raised severe concerns about the so-called responsibility of religious institutions and whether more should have been done to address the child’s medical needs. So far, no complaint in this case has been lodged.

Jammu: UNHCR team meets Rohingya Muslims amid heated debate over water and power supply, CM Abdullah says either deport them or provide amenities

OpIndia Staff
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Jammu: UNHCR team meets Rohingya Muslims amid heated debate over water and power supply, CM Abdullah says either deport them or provide amenities

A two-person delegation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) met Rohingya Muslims at a slum in the Kiryani Talab area of Narwal, Jammu on Monday. Notably, the development took place in the midst of a contentious debate about whether or not to supply water and power to unlawfully settled immigrants. On 9th December, Senior Protection Officer Tomoko Fukumura and Protection Associate Ragini Trakroo Zutushi met with some locals and Rohingya Muslims.

The team’s leader would return to Delhi on the night of 11th December, according to an official, as their attempt to meet with some police officers was unsuccessful. Javed Ahmed Rana, the Jal Shakti Minister for Jammu and Kashmir, announced on 7th December that the water supply would not be cut off to the immigrant slums until the centre called for their deportation. His remarks followed claims by Rohingyas residing on three plots of property in the Narwal neighbourhood that, despite being registered with the UNHCR, their water and electricity supplies had been shut off recently.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah declared two days later that the Rohingya intruders in Jammu should not be left to perish from cold or malnutrition and that the union government should make the final decision. “It is a humanitarian issue. The central government should decide about them (Rohingyas). If they are to be sent back, do that. If you can, send them back. If you cannot send them back, we cannot starve them to death. They cannot be allowed to die of cold. The Government of India should tell us what we have to do with them. As long as they are here, we need to take care of them,” the vice-president of National Conference (NC) alleged and added that they were not brought to Jammu by them.

He mentioned, “They have been brought and settled here. If there is a change in policy at the Centre, take them back. As long as they are here, we cannot treat them like animals. They are humans and they should be treated as such.” 

On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) referred to the arrival of Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingyas in Jammu as a significant “political conspiracy” and called for a Central Bureau Of Investigation (CBI) investigation to determine who was responsible for their transportation and settlement in the city. On 10th December, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, the former chief minister and president of the National Conference declared that the Rohingyas were brought to J&K by the Indian government and that it is the responsibility of the local administration to provide them with the necessities of life.

The party accused the National Conference government of protecting the settlers by providing them with power and water connections because they were members of a “particular community.” More than 13,700 foreigners, primarily Rohingyas and Bangladeshi nationals, have lived in Jammu and other districts of Jammu and Kashmir, where their numbers grew by more than 6,000 between 2008 and 2016, according to government data.

Over 270 Rohingyas, including women and children, were discovered by police during a verification sweep in Jammu city in March 2021. They were then placed in a holding center within the Kathua sub-jail. Ajay Sharma, Senior Superintendent of Police, City South Jammu, announced on 25th November that 18 FIRs (First Information Report) had been filed in a significant campaign against landlords who were renting out their properties to Rohingyas and others without giving police information, based on the order of the district magistrate.

“The civil administration has also launched a drive to identify the people who facilitated electricity and water connections to the plots housing Rohingyas,” he informed. India considers Rohingyas to be “illegal immigrants” since it is not a signatory to the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention which describes the legal duties of nations to safeguard refugees and their rights.

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