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Sarita, Caravan, Champak and the Delhi Press: A tighly controlled wide net that peddles Hinduphobia and propaganda

Nupur J Sharma
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Sarita, Caravan, Champak and the Delhi Press: A tighly controlled wide net that peddles Hinduphobia and propaganda

We live in tumultuous times. While radical Islam has gripped the world with millions of brutal deaths being attributed to the violence it unleashes on Kafirs, a cottage industry that mainly focuses on the demonisation of Hindus has thrived for decades, shielding the killers and maligning the victims. The modern-day Goebbels propaganda uses even children for its nefarious means unabashedly. A case in point being one of the latest editions of children’s magazine – Champak.

A Twitter user who goes by the handle @OnlyNakedTruth tweeted some screenshots of Champak’s October edition that focussed on Kashmir and the Modi government’s move to dilute Article 370 thereby suspending the special status that Kashmir enjoyed for decades.


One of the screenshots shared by the Twitter handle urged children to write to other children in Kashmir.

The portion in the Champak magazine October edition one can see the magazine appealing to children to write to their counterparts in Kashmir and ask them about the situation there. The magazine actually says that after the special status of Kashmir was revoked, there was been a strict crackdown in the valley. “Thousands of soldiers and Army battalions have been sent to Kashmir and there is a strict curfew in place. The telephone lines and internet services have also been suspended”, the magazine says.

The next screenshot is even more damning.

A portion of Champak October edition

In the next portions, Champak paints a grim picture of a little boy wanting to play and go to school, while the terrible Indian state and its oppression doesn’t allow him to do so. To top it all, it also talks about how the mother of the boy is not at home and the father is distressed about him not being able to contact her due to the phone lines not working.

While there is no disputing the facts, that there was indeed a crackdown on communication in the valley, Kashmir is a far more nuanced subject that cannot be explained to pre-teens and school children with an anecdote laced with sentimentality. The story obviously doesn’t tell the children about the rampant Jihad in Kashmir, the presence of ISIS and Pakistan sponsored terrorists, the fact that Hindus of the valley were cleansed or even the draconian effects of Article 370 on women’s rights and rights of other factions.

The dangers of indoctrinating children with pure sentimentality, sans facts are several and that is exactly what the Champak seems to be doing.

Delhi Press and rampant Hinduphobia

Delhi Press, under whose ages the Champak is published, has traditionally been far removed from ground realities and has often demonised Hindus and the Indian state in order to further the leftist propaganda, and hence, it is no surprise that children’s digest Champak has too gone that way.

Delhi Press is one of the largest publishing houses that offers 36 magazines in 10 different languages to its readers. Delhi Press was started in 1939 and it started first with its magazine Caravan in 1940. It also offered its flagship Magazine Sarita. Founder Vishwanath’s son, Paresh Nath is now the publisher and Editor-in-Chief of all the magazines under Delhi Press and Ananth Nath, the grandson of the founder who is the Editor of Caravan Magazine.

An interesting observation was made in an opinion piece published in IndiaFacts.org. The author wrote:

Paresh Nath is the editor of a mind-boggling number of 30 magazines of his own group. This is not normal for any big publishing house. This usually occurs when a strict centralized control is needed for maintaining ideological purity. His son, Ananth Nath, the third generation representative in the family, is the editor of the revived Caravan magazine.

The opinion piece also states:

At a time when atheism was unpopular even among adults, the children’s magazine, Champak churned out atheist propaganda, mainly aimed at Hinduism. Many stories showed how worshipping idols was superstition and how a worldview dominated by science should replace a culture dominated by religion, the religion always being Hinduism.

This does not seem far from the truth given the Champak’s latest short story on Kashmir.

Sarita, the use of the phrase ‘obscurantism’ and its Hinduphobia

Moving to other offerings of Delhi Press, Sarita, their flagship Hindi magazine bears testament to their rampant Hinduphobia.

From the Delhi Press website

The Delhi Press website itself describes Sarita as a flagship magazine that fights against “religious obscurantism” and “political authoritarianism”.

It is rather interesting that Delhi Press would use the term ‘fighting religious obscurantism’ to describe Sarita. It essentially means restricting knowledge in the hands of an elite few and is considered to be anti-democracy. And then, they couple of it political authoritarianism. Considering their anti-Hindu writing, one can only conclude that Sarita aims to questions the tenets of the Hindu culture and religion, which they have often viewed as ‘superstition’. ‘Obscurantism’ when used to describe a deeply anti-Hindu magazine can only be assumed to mean ‘anti-Brahmanism’ which is a trope that is often used by the Left to deride Hinduism falsely.

There are several titles of write-ups in Sarita that make evident its deep anti-Hindu slant. “Kavadiyas, the bearer of superstitious traditions”, “The Illusions of (Hindu) Pandits”, “A Fearful society under the weight of obscure (Hindu) customs”, “Vaastu, a charade of (Hindu) religion”, “The Evil Spell of Dharma” and “Money-making in the name of GharWapasi” are some of the articles that can be found in the magazine.

Here is what the current homepage of Sarita magazine, subsection ‘Dharm’ (religion) looks like:

Sarita ‘Dharm’ Homepage
Sarita ‘Dharm’ Homepage
Sarita ‘Dharm’ Homepage

Every single article on the ‘Dharm’ home page derides Hinduism in one way or another barring one out of the 13 articles. From how Pujaris dupe devotees, to how ‘girls are on sale’ in a city of devotion. From claiming to ‘expose’ sadhus and saints to claiming that religion plays with blood.

Even further into their archives, one finds abundant articles that reveal that Sarita is almost on a mission to insult the faith of the Hindus.

Here is one such article from 2016

2016 article in Sarita

Essentially, the headline of the article says “Durga Puja glorifies superstition and hypocrisy”.

One can go on and on if one is to talk about the gutter level Hinduphobic articles that the Sarita has published in the past and even recently, as recent as October 2019. However, it is evident that Sarita, Delhi Press’ flagship Hindi magazine has launched a crusade against Hinduism for the past several decades.

The saga of Sarita’s Hinduphobia his not new. In 1957, a controversy arose in the poem “Ram Ka Antardwand” by Arvind Kumar which was published in Sarita. It spoke of the usual tropes of the banishment of Devi Sita and all the liberal propaganda around it.

Caravan: The original Hinduphobia of Delhi Press

Caravan Magazine was the first offering of the Delhi Press and was launched in 1940. The current day Caravan is a testament to how low Delhi Press has truly fallen in their quest of malign Hindus and, in turn, the Modi government since the Prime Minister received two sweeping mandates in 2014 and 2019 due to the consolidation of Hindus.

Caravan’s rampant Hinduphobia can also be turned into a book on how to malign an entire people, however, one such article bears witness to their disposition.

The Pulwama terror attack was a dastardly attack sponsored and orchestrated by Pakistan that claimed the lives of several Indian soldiers. The country mourned in unison. The country demanded vengeance against a terror state that painted the lanes of Pulwama with the blood of our soldiers.

While a nation rallied behind the armed forces, Caravan was busy counting caste.

Read: Caravan counting caste of martyrs was not just shoddy journalism, it was to help Jihad. Here is how

In a morbid report by Ajaz Ashraf of The Caravan, he had conducted a ‘caste analysis’ of our martyred soldiers. In his report, the author mentioned calling the families of the deceased to inquire about their caste.

The Caravan’s Hinduphobia is such, that they did not even spare the martyred soldiers who were brutally murdered by Pakistan.

While their Hindu hate is rampant, they hate the government that came to power due to Hindu consolidation as well. The Caravan has conducted several shoddy hit jobs on Amit Shah, PM Modi, NSA Doval and his son. There have been several lies peddled and shameless propaganda furthered by the magazine.

A wide net

With millions and millions of readers, the Delhi Press has cast a rather wide net. From the elite English speaking crowd that is catered to by Caravan, to the Hindi speaking belt that is taken care of by Sarita. The Delhi Press has clearly not even spared the children with the regular propaganda spewed by Champak.

In the age of information warfare and perhaps, from a time that the information warfare as a formal concept was not even recognised in Indian media, The Delhi Press has chosen a side and has studiously stuck to it. The side does not stand for Hindus and evidently, nor does it stand for India.

Walayar Rape Case: Protests erupt against Kerala government over lapses in investigation after four accused gets acquittal

OpIndia Staff
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Walayar Rape Case: Protests erupt against Kerala government over lapses in investigation after four accused gets acquittal

The civil society members across the country, especially in Kerala, are expressing massive outrage against the Kerala government following the acquittal of all four persons in the rape and death case of two minor Dalit girls in Walayar in Palakkad district.

Two years after two minor sisters in Walayar in Palakkad district were found dead in mysterious circumstances, a court in Palakkad on Friday acquitted three persons who were accused of abetment of suicide and rape of the two minor Dalit girls.

Following the acquittal of the accused, the Kerala government is facing severe criticism over the handling of the investigation. It is now being alleged that the ruling CPI(M) had attempted to stall the investigation, which has led to the acquittal of the accused.

It is being accused that the Kerala police under political pressure, allegedly helped the accused evade the conviction by weakening the case. Ironically, the accused in the case are CPI(M) workers and the defence lawyer was a local CPI(M) leader.

On Monday, the mother of the victims alleged that a “Left” party had attempted to scuttle the probe. She claimed, “Workers of the party with the sickle symbol released a suspect from the police station at night”. The parents of the victims had witnessed their elder child being sexually abused by one of the accused. The victims’ mother said she had no trust in the police, who had not acted despite collecting evidence.


Not just in Kerala, protests erupted against the Kerala’s Communist government led by Pinarayi Vijayan against the acquittal of all accused in rape and murder case of minor Dalit sisters elsewhere in the country also. Students of Delhi University and JNU organised a protest march and candlelight vigil, under the aegis of Kairali Souhruda Vedi, in front of Kerala House, near Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

The Case:

The two minor Dalit girls, who were sisters, were found hanging after being sexually assaulted in January and March 2017 in Attappalam in Walayar, near Kerala’s border with Tamil Nadu.

The elder sister, who was 13 years old, was found hanging in her house on January 13, 2017. Within two months, her 9-year-old younger sister was also found hanging in her house on March 4, 2017. The minor girls belonged to the Scheduled Caste community. According to the postmortem reports, the girls were subjected to sexual assault. The autopsy report in the case of the younger girl even suggested the possibility of homicidal hanging.

However, the police did not investigate the murder charges and the final report was submitted against four accused – V Madhu, M Madhu, Shibu and Pradeep Kumar for offences of abetment of suicide, rape and unnatural sex under the Indian Penal Code and penetrative sexual assault under the POCSO Act.

Another accused is a juvenile and proceedings against him are progressing in the Juvenile Justice Board.

Also Read- Kerala Congress MP Hibi Eden’s wife Anna Eden makes controversial remark: “Fate is like rape, if you can’t resist, then enjoy it”

The Special POCSO Court, Palakkad had acquitted one of the accused Pradeep Kumar on September 30. On Friday, the First Additional Sessions Judge (Special POCSO Court) of Palakkad district acquitted three accused in the case – V Madhu, Shibu and M Madhu – citing that the prosecution was not able to prove their involvement in the case.

Ironically, Advocate N Rajesh, who appeared for the accused in the case, was appointed as the Chairman of the Child Welfare Committee by the Pinarayi Vijayan government. His appointment came even as the trial was still continuing adding to the controversy.

As the protest against the Kerala government intensified, the case echoed in the Kerala Legislative Assembly on Monday with the opposition highlighting the lapses in investigation and prosecution. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stated in the floor of the assembly that the government will examine if there are any such lapses and will decide on seeking a CBI probe or reinvestigating the cases.

Read how Abdul Sattar and Shabana Bano framed Shashikant during 2002 riots over personal dispute and ruined lives of a family

OpIndia Staff
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Read how Abdul Sattar and Shabana Bano framed Shashikant during 2002 riots over personal dispute and ruined lives of a family

It has been almost 18 years since Sabarmati Express carnage which led to communal riots took place in Gujarat. The stories of deceit and false implication of innocent men and women are still coming out almost two decades later. A report by Sunday Guardian states that one Mangalben, whose husband Shashikant alias Tinniyo was falsely implicated in riots, has sought compensation from Gujarat government for malicious prosecution.

As per the report, Shashikant spent 15 years in jail owing to mistaken identity. Shashikant, who had actually saved 17 other Muslims during the Gujarat riots, was falsely implicated by Abdul Sattar, an autorickshaw driver, over personal enmity. Shabana Bano, who had also given a statement against Shashikant, admitted that she gave a false statement because she was paid Rs 10,000. Sattar died a few years ago and Bano has reportedly left Gujarat.

Read: Watch: Tulsi Gabbard shuts down ‘Gujarat riots’ lies against PM Modi with one epic reply

Shashikant, who spent 15 years in prison, died of twin heart attack in 2018. The Sunday Guardian report states that Shashikant, whose father was a police constable, was arrested right after the riots. He was taken to identification parade a total of three times within one and a half month of riots. Abdul Sattar, who was present in first two identification parades, said that Shashikant was involved in the third time. Even then he was not arrested. His father told his colleagues his son was being framed because of personal grudges of Abdul Sattar. Sattar was earlier booked by police for domestic violence for beating up his wife. Shashikant, reportedly, often reprimanded Sattar. Sattar felt Shashikant was interfering and hence, Shashikant’s father felt, was falsely implicating his son.

Widow of Shashikant says he actually saved a few Muslims from Bihar and Bengal who were caught in the Gujarat riots. Despite this, his shop was burnt and looted. The family moved to Bhopal for a while but then they were widely reported as they were on the run. Shashikant got bail in 2005 but was again sent back to prison because Sattar claimed he was getting threats from Shashikant. The family claims that when a neighbour tried to take Shashikant’s side and tell police that he had not gone out of house, Sattar filed a complaint against that neighbour too.

Read: ‘Mea culpa’: Rajdeep Sardesai finally admits Modi wasn’t responsible for 2002 and that media sensationalised the riots

Soon after, Shashikant’s father passed away. Upon his release, Shashikant could not walk on the streets without feeling humiliated. He eventually died of twin heart attacks.

2002 Naroda Patiya foetus case

Shashikant’s case is just another case which caught national attention when accusations were levied but were buried in a corner when truth was revealed. The allegations, taken on face value as truth, are still believed as truth in many cases. Another such case is of the Naroda Patiya where one Zareena Sheikh, a resident of Husseinnagar, claimed she witnessed murder of Kauser Bano, who was pregnant.

Zareena Bano claimed she saw a mob ‘rip open Kauser’s stomach, remove the foetus with a tip of the sword, rotate it and flung it into the fire’ before burning Kauser. This statement continues to be widely accepted as truth.


A 2010 report states that the doctor who conducted post-mortem on Kauser, found the foetus intact. Dr J S Kanoria, who had conducted the autopsy on 2nd March, 2002 presented supporting documents to the special court and said that the foetus was intact in the woman’s womb. The foetus weight 2,500 gms and was 45 cms long. While Kauser’s death was unfortunate, the lies surrounding it only fanned the bitterness in an already embittered environment.

Shashikant was painted as a key conspirator in the Naroda Patiya case on statement of Abdul Sattar who had personal grudge against him. Mangalben, Shashikant’s widow, is now taking on the government machinery and is filing a case in the high court.

Justice SA Bobde will be the next Chief Justice of India, to take oath on November 18

OpIndia Staff
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Justice SA Bobde will be the next Chief Justice of India, to take oath on November 18

Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde has been appointed as the next Chief Justice of India by President Ram Nath Kovind. Justice Bobde will take oath on November 18 to succeed the current Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi.

According to the reports, President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday signed a warrant appointing Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde as the next Chief Justice of India. Justice SA Bobde will be the 47th Chief Justice of India. His term will run until April 23, 2021.

Earlier, Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi had recommended the name of the next senior-most judge, Justice Bobde as his successor according to the convention of the Supreme Court.

As per the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP), which governs the appointment of members of the higher judiciary, the “appointment to the office of the Chief Justice of India should be of the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court considered fit to hold the office”. After receiving the Chief Justice’s recommendation, the Law Minister puts it before the Prime Minister, who then communicates this to the President.

Born on 24 April 1956 at Nagpur, Maharashtra, Justice Bobde studied in the Nagpur University. He joined the Bombay High Court in 2000 as an additional judge. In 2012, he became Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

He was elevated to the Supreme Court in April 2013. He has been involved in top cases before the Supreme Court, the BCCI case and petitions against firecrackers. Presently, he is the second senior-most judge of the country and is also serving as the Chancellor of Maharashtra National Law University, both at Mumbai and Nagpur.

Justice Bobde is also part of the five-judge constitution bench which just concluded hearing the Ram Janmabhoomi land dispute, the verdict for which is awaited and which is also one of the most crucial cases of the country. He, along with Justice Indira Banerjee and Indu Malhotra, had conducted the inquiry into an allegation of sexual harassment against CJI Gogoi.

Justice Ranjan Gogoi, who sworn in as Chief Justice on 3 October 2018, will retire on November 17. It is speculated that the Supreme Court bench headed by CJI Gogoi will deliver the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid judgement on or before November 17, the day CJI Ranjan Gogoi retires.

London: Pakistan supported Muslim mob displays its hatred on Diwali, drags and stomps on the head of Modi effigy

OpIndia Staff
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London: Pakistan supported Muslim mob displays its hatred on Diwali, drags and stomps on the head of Modi effigy

On 27 October, scores of Pakistani Muslims had gathered to ‘protest’ against India and the Indian government over the abrogation of Article 370 in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The mob, which had planned their protests on the occasion of Diwali to display their Hinduphobia and bigotry, also did not refrain from showcasing their sheer hatred.

The Pakistani Muslim mob had dragged an effigy of Prime Minister Modi and used it to display their vile hatred. The Muslim mob was seen crushing and stomping on the head of the effigy. The mob also cheered and encouraged each other to attack and vent their frustrations on the effigy.


London-based Pro-Pakistani groups and UK branches of JKLF were behind the protest. Such organisations had already held violent protests in which Pakistani Muslims had attacked the Indian High Commission building at London multiple times in recent months.

However, the protests planned on Diwali were severely condemned by the Mayor of London, and other British Politicians, including PM Boris Johnson.

Following the concerns of safety raised by MP Naveen Shah and the Indian HC officials, the Mayor of London had notified the Commissioner of Metropolitan Police and British Home Secretary Preeti Patel.

Read: Pakistani stooges plan to hold another anti-India protest near the Indian High Commission on Diwali, London Mayor Sadiq Khan condemns efforts

British Indian groups also had severely condemned the vile plan to disrupt the major Hindu festival of Diwali by holding such protests. British Indians groups had called it ‘Hinduphobia and Racism’. Many British citizens and groups had also criticised the hateful idea behind holding such protests on the day of a major Hindu festival.

Following concerns and past instances of attack and violence, the Metropolitan police had upheld the restriction imposed under Section 12 of the Public Order Act 1986 against the October 27 protest and march. The protest was previously proposed to be held outside the Indian High Commission, but following the restrictions, the protest was toned down and moved away from the building.

The Pakistani groups, however, had used a coach to carry anti-Indian slogans. In reply, British Indian groups had also hired a van with Diwali messages on it.

Like other such protests in London and USA, the pro-Pakistani groups had arranged for buses to ferry people to the protest venue. Earlier reports stated that Mosques were used as pick-up points for the protestors.

Read: Pakistani Muslim mob led by British Labour MP attacks Indian High Commission building in London, smashes windows

British media personality Katie Hopkins was heckled and abused by the groups of Pakistani Muslim men ‘protesting’ in the name of Kashmir when she tried to criticise the protests and called out the blatant Hinduphobia displayed by the organisers by holding the protests on Diwali.

Left wing violence shows decline even as Naxalites killed almost 4,000 civilians in 9 years across ten states: MHA report

OpIndia Staff
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Left wing violence shows decline even as Naxalites killed almost 4,000 civilians in 9 years across ten states: MHA report

Naxalites have killed 3,749 civilians in nine years across ten states with maximum casualties reported from Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. That means, the left-wing extremists have killed more than one civilian per day on an average. This despite the fact that the rate of left-wing extremism (LWE) declined by 26.7% in 2018.

In the annual report published by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), 10,660 incidents of violence took place in 10 Naxal-hit states, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh which claimed lives of 3,749 people. In other words, that would mean Naxalites killed more than 1 civilian a day or 417 people every year.

Read: There is a ‘Left’ in ‘Left Wing Extremism’: We know leftists are a danger to democracy, why do we pretend like it’s a debate?

The MHA report further reveals that the banned outfit CPI(Maoist) continues to be the most ‘potent’ amongst all LWE outfits which has been responsible for 88% of total deaths and violence.

In Chhattisgarh, the total casualties reported from 2010 to 2019 is 1,370 while 997 people were killed in left-wing violence in Jharkhand. In Bihar, 387 people lost their lives in similar incidents in past nine years.

The report further states that in last five years, the violence has seen sharp decline along with reduction in geographical area hit by such violence. The LWE violence came down from 1136 incidents in 2013 to 883 in 2018, a reduction of 26.7%. There has also been a reduction of 39.5% in deaths due to LWE violence from 397 in 2013 to 240 in 2018.

Read: Naxal insurgency: Fighting extremism with development

The deaths of security personnel have also come down in these states. From 75 deaths in 2013, there has been a 10.7% reduction to death of 67 personnel in 2018. There has also been an increase in elimination of number of LWE cadres.

The MHA report further states that he geographical area of the LWE violence has shrunk. In 2013, violence was reported in 330 police stations across 76 districts in 10 states. This has come down to 251 police stations in 60 districts in 10 states.

Madhya Pradesh: Farmer commits suicide allegedly after delay in crop-loss compensation

OpIndia Staff
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Madhya Pradesh: Farmer commits suicide allegedly after delay in crop-loss compensation

In a shocking incident, a 42-year-old farmer has committed suicide allegedly over delay in getting compensation for his crop-loss in Madhya Pradesh. The incident occurred in Bina town of Madhya Pradesh. The farmer drank poison on Sunday and reportedly, died on Monday.

According to the reports, a farmer named Kamal Chand Gwal died due to poising as he was upset with the soybean crop loss.

Read: Distressed farmer from Dewas sings a song asking CM Kamal Nath. to keep his promise and waive off his loan

The local Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Mahendra Rai stated that Gwal killed himself because he was not able to get the compensation towards his damaged crop on time.

“Gwal had applied to the district administration for compensation against damage to his crop caused by excessive rainfall this year but a delay in compensation compelled him to take the extreme step,” Rai said.

Read: Madhya Pradesh farmer gets loan waiver of only Rs 13 against a loan of Rs. 24,000

Following the suicide of Gwal, Rai and other local residents staged a protest in Bina and demanded an ex gratia for Gwal’s family as they placed the farmer’s body on a square. They called off the protest after the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) KL Meena assured the farmer’s family that the administration would help them.

Ever since the Congress party came to power in Madhya Pradesh, there is a series of farmer suicide in the state. Congress came to power in Madhya Pradesh over promises of farm loan waiver, however, Kamal Nath led Congress government’s promise in Madhya Pradesh to waive-off farms loans under Jai Kisan Rin Mukti Yojana has turned out to be a debacle.

Read: Another farmer loan waiver scam? Rs 120 crores non-existent farm loans waived off in Madhya Pradesh

After assuming power in the state they cleverly altered the conditions to waive-off farms loans in contrast to their earlier stand. The false promises of loan-waiver by the Congress party seems to have taken yet another life of many farmers in Madhya Pradesh.

In January, Kamal Nath government had waived off over 120 crore non-existent farm loans. Depressed and helpless farmers in Madhya Pradesh have been committing suicide over the false promises made by the Congress government, but somehow the government remains unmoved.

Delhi Police arrests 261 people for possessing crackers on Diwali, two arrested for having two ‘sutli bombs’

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi Police arrests 261 people for possessing crackers on Diwali, two arrested for having two ‘sutli bombs’

The Delhi Police on Diwali night arrested as many as 261 people for allegedly possessing firecrackers, which were banned during Diwali.


According to a note shared by journalist Raj Shekhar Jha, a total of 433 cases were registered from various parts of Delhi till 28th October and 261 people were arrested.

Read: No FIR registered against violent mob in Delhi yet, usual suspects maintain stoic silence over the matter

In Rohini area of Delhi 994 kgs of crackers were seized in total and 25 cases registered. 23 people were also arrested by Delhi Police. Amusingly, from East Delhi, Delhi Police has arrested two people for possession of two ‘sutli bombs’ and two ‘used bombs’. Last year too Delhi Police had arrested a man after his children were found bursting crackers.

The Supreme Court in 2018 had banned conventional firecrackers in Delhi in a bid to curb air pollution in the national capital.

Uttarakhand: Anuj and Ishu injured in clash over Diwali firecrackers, Mehruddin, Shahnawaz, Bhura and Salim arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Uttarakhand: Anuj and Ishu injured in clash over Diwali firecrackers, Mehruddin, Shahnawaz, Bhura and Salim arrested

A major clash broke out between two communities over bursting of crackers during Diwali in the village of Libberhedi, Uttranchal. The arguments over Diwali firecrackers deteriorated into a massive stone-pelting, which caused a stampede in the village and injured four people. Police rushed to the spot after being informed and charged baton to disperse the crowd. In the view of the current tense situation in the village, the police have deployed additional personnel to prevent recurrence of any untoward situation. Four people have also been arrested by the police.

According to reports, the relationship between two communities in the village was tensed for the last few days over the issue of bursting firecrackers. But this situation turned violent when a large group of one community attacked a youth from the other community.

Anuj, the younger brother of Arvind, a resident of Libberhedi village, was coming back from his uncle’s house in Rudki on Diwali night after delivering milk. When he was coming back to the village on a motorcycle with Ishu, a young man from the village, around 50-60 people including Mehruddin, Sohail, Shahnawaz, Bhura were standing in front of Shamim’s shop in the village. These people stopped the two, thrashed them and attempted to and attempted to kill Ishu. Both were badly injured after attacked by sticks and sharp weapons. During this attack, Anuj managed to inform his family about the incident. In no time, a swarm of people gathered and rescued Ishu and Anuj.

They approached the spot where the two sides came to blows with each other. They started throwing stones at each other. There was a stampede as soon as the stones were pelted. The police arrived at the spot to take control of the deteriorating situation. However, despite the police’s presence, heavy stone pelting continued. Four people were injured from one side. The police charged baton at the fighting crowds and rushed the injured to the hospital.

Read: Mumbai man says he was stopped from celebrating Diwali in his Muslim dominated society, lodges police complaint

Anuj was seriously injured and he was referred to an advanced medical facility. Ishu was discharged after providing first aid at a local health centre.

On Anuj’s complaint, the police caught Mehruddin, Shahnawaz, Bhura and Salim while the other accused are still at large. Apart from these four, a case has been registered against 8 unknown persons. Inspector Pradeep Chauhan said that police forces have been deployed in view of the tension in the village. The police have also said that they have not received any complaint from the other side.

A day ahead of EU delegation’s visit to Kashmir, terrorists lob grenades at bus stop injuring 20 civilians

OpIndia Staff
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A day ahead of EU delegation’s visit to Kashmir, terrorists lob grenades at bus stop injuring 20 civilians

Some terrorists lobbed a grenade into a crowd waiting at a bus stop in Kashmir’s Sopore town, injuring at least 20 civilians on Monday. This came a day before a group of 28 MPs from the European Union are slated to visit Jammu and Kashmir.

The civilians were attacked by grenades when they were waiting at the bus stand. Of the 20 civilians injured, six people who have been critically injured were referred to a hospital in Srinagar. The others are undergoing treatment at a local hospital, officials said.


Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched an operation to nab the attackers. However, no arrests have been made so far, police confirmed.

Nearly three months after its decision on Article 370, the Union government has decided to allow a delegation of European parliamentarians to travel to Srinagar and see the situation in Kashmir. India is all poised to expose Pakistan for its nefarious propaganda about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir as 28 member delegation of Members of European Parliament will visit Srinagar tomorrow to observe the situation in the state firsthand.

This move came in after six American lawmakers had written to Indian Ambassador to the US, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, claiming that the picture portrayed by India in the Valley is different from the one being told to them by their constituents and sought from India free access for foreign journalists and congressmen to Kashmir.

This team would be the first foreign delegation to visit Kashmir since the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir was revoked in August.

After India took the bold decision to withdraw Kashmir’s autonomy, it put the region under a preventive lockdown. However, after the administration has been gradually easing the restrictions in the Valley, an isolated Pakistan due to its desperation to internationalise the issue has been attempting to incite violence in the valley to disrupt the normalcy.

In a bid to do so Pakistani terrorists have been killing non-local workers, traders and truck drivers to instil fear amongst the civilians in the Valley. With Pakistan trying to meddle in Indian internal affairs, at least three non-locals have been shot dead by Islamic terrorists. In just last two weeks, two non-local truck drivers have been shot down by terrorists. In another such incident, an apple trader from Punjab named Charanjeet Singh was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the Shopian district last Wednesday.

These killing came two days after terrorists shot dead a truck driver from Rajasthan and assaulted an orchard owner in Shirmal village in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir. The truck, bearing a Rajasthan registration number, was set ablaze on its way to Jammu. The body of the driver was recovered from the truck.

In August, terrorists had shot and killed a 65-year-old shopkeeper for defying their diktat and keeping his shop open. On September 7, three fruit traders and a toddler were shot by terrorists in Sopore.

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