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Bangladesh finally admits to atrocities against Hindus, says 88 cases filed for violence against minorities, 70 arrested since fall of Hasina govt

OpIndia Staff
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Bangladesh finally admits to atrocities against Hindus, says 88 cases filed for violence against minorities, 70 arrested since fall of Hasina govt

Days after claiming that the incidents of attacks against the Hindus in Bangladesh were ‘misleading’, the interim government in Bangladesh has acknowledged that around 88 incidents of atrocities against minorities, primarily Hindus, have taken place after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in August this year.

Shafiqul Alam, the press secretary of Muhammad Yunus who is the head of the interim government confirmed the incidents and claimed that around 70 individuals directly involved in such had been arrested.

“A total of 88 cases have been filed in incidents related to minorities from August 5 to October 2. The number of cases and arrests is likely to increase as new incidents of violence have also been reported in (northeastern Sunamganj, (central) Gazipur, and other areas,” Alam told the reporters. He also added that in some of the cases, the victim might be belonging to the previous ruling party, the Awami League.

This comes a day after Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, during his Bangladesh visit, held several high-profile engagements highlighting India’s support for Dhaka, while also raising New Delhi’s concerns over attacks against religious minorities and their places of worship. He highlighted the regrettable incidents of attacks against Hindus in Bangladesh and sought protection of minorities in the country.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary Mohammad Jashim Uddin reaffirmed that the safety and security of the minorities in Bangladesh, regardless of their faith, religion, or ethnicity, was the interim government’s “priority.”

It is crucial to note that the interim government, a week ago, had claimed that the minority Hindu community was more protected in Bangladesh under the rule of the interim government than they were during the administration of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Alam then also claimed that Indian media was running an “industrial scale misinformation campaign” to spread false narratives about minorities being targeted in Bangladesh.

“Hindus are well protected here. They are more protected than they were during Sheikh Hasina’s regime. What we are witnessing here is an industrial scale misinformation campaign originating from India,” Alam was quoted as saying.

Days after this statement, the interim government again blamed India for highlighting the violence and mass killings, in a desperate attempt to deflect attention. Bangladesh’s regime, on 4th December, claimed that India’s “governing elite” was trying to turn the situation beyond the border into an “internal political issue” between the two nations. It subtly implied that the massacre of Hindus at the hands of the jihadis was not something that India, or anyone else, should be concerned about, suggesting it was not a matter of importance.

Since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government in August this year, the minority community in Bangladesh has been targeted and several temples have been destroyed in the area in a major crackdown on Hindus. OpIndia has recorded several such incidents, the details of which can be read here. Further, the arrest of three Hindu priests has sparked a major controversy with Hindus protesting across Bangladesh and India seeking justice for the community which is under evident attack.

India has been denying visas to Khalistanis from Canada unless they denounce their support for terrorism: Here is what Canadian media found and how Khalistanis are crying about it

OpIndia Staff
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India has been denying visas to Khalistanis from Canada unless they denounce their support for terrorism: Here is what Canadian media found and how Khalistanis are crying about it

On 10th December, Canadian media revealed that India denied visas to pro-Khalistani Canadian citizens unless they explicitly denounce their support for terrorism. According to a Global News report, unless these pro-Khalistani Canadians pledge allegiance to India’s sovereignty, the chances of them getting a visa to visit India remain non-existent.

Several “prominent” Sikh Canadians were reportedly asked by Global News about their experiences when they applied for an Indian visa. They told the media house that the Indian consulate sent them a declaration to sign, renouncing Khalistan and affirming their respect for India as a condition for obtaining a visa.

Pro-Khalistani elements have cried foul over the condition laid down by the Indian government. They claimed that such practices by India amount to “foreign interference”. They argued that the visa policy India has formulated to ensure Khalistanis don’t enter the country pressures individuals into aligning with the “political agenda” of the Indian government. Most of these Khalistanis claimed that they need to visit their families in India, attend religious gatherings, and handle businesses. However, the visa conditions have barred them from visiting their “birth country”.

The ‘Khalistan letter’

According to a Global News report, in 2016, pro-Khalistani Canadian and former president of Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, Bikramjit Singh Sandhar, applied for a visa for India. The application was denied on the grounds of statements he made about Khalistan while serving as the president of the Gurdwara. Later, a letter was sent to him to sign, where he was supposed to renounce Khalistan and express “deep respect” for India. Sandhar told Global News that he refused to sign the letter and never got the visa.

Notably, Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Surrey is the same one where Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was serving as its chief before his murder in June 2023. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of killing Nijjar, an accusation India has categorically denied. The allegations and consistent support to Khalistanis by Canadian government led to strained diplomatic India-Canada relations.

Similar letters were reportedly sent to other pro-Khalistani Canadian Sikhs. In several cases, individuals who refused to sign the letter did not get visas to visit India, while those who signed the letter were granted entry, as per Global News.

India’s stand against Khalistani activities

Notably, India has consistently expressed concerns over the rising influence of Khalistani elements in Canada. The Khalistan movement’s activities in Canada have been a major concern that India has raised during diplomatic meetings, accusing authorities in Canada of failing to curb the rhetoric.

It appears that as Canadian authorities have failed to control pro-Khalistani elements on their soil, India has decided not to allow any pro-Khalistani to get a visa to visit India. This can be seen as a broader effort to undermine the Khalistan narrative that these elements have been trying to set abroad.

For example, the US-based Khalistani terrorist organisation Sikhs for Justice has been running a so-called referendum campaign in favour of Khalistan, a separate Sikh nation. If the Global News report is to be believed, anyone supporting the referendum has to sign the letter before getting a visa for India. Notably, many Canadian Sikh families have extended families, land, and businesses in India. They often visit the country to attend weddings and other religious events. However, with the restrictions in place, any Khalistani Sikh who has a history of working against India’s sovereignty will not be granted entry.

Khalistanis cry foul, but the truth emerges

Pro-Khalistani Sikhs who were denied entry have claimed that such actions by the Indian government are an attack on their freedom of speech. These elements, who regularly berate India, have cried foul over these visa restrictions. However, it is important to point out the irony of their indignation. These individuals often malign India, but when denied entry to the country, they claim victimhood.

India’s strategy appears to be straightforward: if you advocate for the fragmentation of the nation, you will not get a visa unless you explicitly disown the separatist stance. The policy is a perfect example of a tightrope walk between diplomacy and national security, as it exposes the complex dynamics that are at play when it comes to issues like the Khalistan movement on the sidelines of India-Canada relations.

As Khalistani supporters face the ramifications of India’s stance, the debate over national sovereignty versus diasporic activism is likely to continue. Amidst all this, visa denials are serving as a potent reminder that India has a zero-tolerance approach to separatism.

Bengaluru techie suicide case: Karnataka Police file FIR against wife, her mother, brother and uncle for abetment and criminal liability

ANI
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Bengaluru techie suicide case: Karnataka Police file FIR against wife, her mother, brother and uncle for abetment and criminal liability

An FIR has been filed against 4 people in connection with the suicide of a 34-year-old deputy general manager of a private firm, Atul Subhash, who died by suicide, accusing his wife, her family members, and a judge of harassment, extortion, and corruption.

The FIR based on a complaint by Atul’s brother Bikas Kumar was lodged at the Marathahalli police station in Bengaluru. The FIR has been filed under section 108 (abetment of suicide) and section 3 (5) (establishes joint criminal liability when two or more people act with a common intention) of the BNS. The FIR is filed against the techie’s wife Nikita Singhania, his mother-in-law Nisha Singhania, wife’s brother Anurag Singhania and his wife’s uncle Sushil Singhania.

As per the complaint filed by the brother of Atul, the FIR mentions that Atul Subhash married Nikita Singhania in 2019 and had a child together. The complaint alleges that the four accused filed a false case against Atul Subhash after their divorce and insisted on paying Rs 3 crore for the settlement of the case.

The complaint also alleges that Atul Subhash’s wife had demanded Rs 30 lakh to allow him to visit his son who is now four years old. The complaint alleges that Atul had died by suicide as he was harrased mentally and physically. Based on the complaint, the case has been registered and an investigation is underway.

Speaking to ANI, the victim’s brother Bikas Kumar said, “Around 8 months after my brother’s wife separated from him, she filed a divorce case and framed many charges against my brother and our entire family under different acts and sections. Every law in India is for women, and not for men – my brother fought for this but he left us.”

Bikas Kumar said, that even in his suicide notes, Atul Subhash wrote—‘ If I win from the system, devote my mortal remains in Ganga otherwise in a gutter outside the court.”

“My brother did everything for her. Whatever has happened was unfortunate. If he had ever discussed it with me or our father – we would have helped him get out of this situation… I want to request the govt of India and the President – that justice must be done to my brother if he is with truth otherwise give me the proof to show that he is wrong. There should be a proper investigation against the judge who is named in my brother’s suicide,” said Bikas Kumar.

The deceased’s friend, Jackson also spoke to ANI and said, “There were like nine cases put by his wife and because of that he was going through tremendous stress. But in this particular video and notes that he has made, it doesn’t seem that he was depressed. It seems that he did it out of a sense of harassment that he was facing from the system.”

“So it was more like his way of telling the system that it is not helping men and there is a lot of bias. During COVID times he was taking care of his wife and a kid. His wife was also infected with COVID and she had a lot of issues. So he went ahead to procure medicines for her and she wasn’t taking them on time which created some friction that escalated into multiple issues and then she left him along with the baby and he could not see his son. One particular point that I got to know recently from him was that he got a maintenance order for his son who is barely four or five years old, 40,000 rupees per month,” said Jackson.

According to a statement released by the police, the victim was a resident of Uttar Pradesh who was living in Bengaluru. The police stated that the Hoysala Police Control Room received a call at 6:00 am on Monday about the suicide in a flat at Bengaluru’s Manjunatha Layout in the Delfinium Residency.

The statement further stated that when the police went to search the place, the flat was locked from inside, and the lock was broken, following which they went inside and saw Atul hanging from a ceiling fan by the support of a nylon rope. The police stated that he was found dead upon arrival.

The police informed the incident to the brother of the deceased, Bikas Kumar, who later filed a complaint against Subhash’s wife, his mother-in-law, his brother-in-law, and his wife’s uncle, accusing them of filing a false complaint against Subhash and demanding Rs 3 crore money for the settlement, which led to his mental and physical harassment, following which he had to take the step.

In his suicide note, Subhash called for justice, stating, “Justice is Due” on every single page of the 24-page note. Along with his wife and her family members, Subhash also accused a family court judge in Uttar Pradesh’s Jaunpur for not hearing him out, and an officer in the court, accusing him of taking bribes in front of the judge.

Subhash further described the instances that instigated him to take such a step. Subhash recorded a video describing his alleged harassment and asking his family members not to immerse his ashes till justice is served to him. His suicide note also had a message for his four-year-old son who he claimed had been kept estranged from him. The note also called for his parents to be given custody of his child.

The note and the link to the Video were sent to the WhatsApp group of an NGO, to which he was connected. Subhash alleged in his suicide note that his wife had filed nine cases against him, including murder, sexual misconduct, harassment for money, domestic violence, and dowry.


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

Prof Shamika Ravi, member of EAC-PM, slams Congress leader Pawan Khera for spreading fake news about her receiving money from Soros

OpIndia Staff
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Prof Shamika Ravi, member of EAC-PM, slams Congress leader Pawan Khera for spreading fake news about her receiving money from Soros

Professor Shamika Ravi, a member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, and Secretary to the Government of India, has slammed Congress leader Pawan Khera for spreading false claims that she had received funds from international manipulator George Soros.

“The statement below is entirely incorrect. In 2006/7 The Open Society funded ISB (for work on financial inclusion) – where I was an assistant professor teaching & researching on the topic. No money came directly to any faculty member. 18 years later, I joined the EAC-PM. I have never been more proud of my work, my nation or my Prime Minister. Meanwhile, in 2020, George Soros declared his anti-India designs and guess who swarms towards him?” Shamika tweeted.

Earlier, Khera, rattled by BJP’s attack against the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi, had tweeted that Prof. Shamika Ravi, PM’s advisor and secretary, Government of India, received a grant from the Open Society Foundation funded by George Soros.

BJP slams Congress over alleged links to George Soros

Following Congress’ repeated attempt to stall the parliament over a US court’s indictment of the Adani group, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi in Rajya Sabha raised the matter of foreign government-funded organisations ceaselessly targeting India. He mentioned how a group named Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) has been publishing reports targeting the Adani group and India before every parliamentary session, indicating a targeted attack.

He cited the report by French media house Mediapart on OCCRP, which stated that while the organisation claims to be an independent, non-partisan organisation, it is actually funded by US government agencies and works to serve their interests. Trivedi said that the project has funding from foreign governments and the project has a focus on India. Apart from foreign governments, the project also has links with George Soros, the MP said.

Apart from the US and other governments, the group also receives funding from the Open Society Foundations (OSF) of George Soros, the Ford Foundation and the Rockefeller Brothers Foundation, all left-wing groups openly targeting nationalist governments worldwide.

French media outlet Mediapart upset with BJP for using their report, calls excerpts from their own report ‘Fake News’

OpIndia Staff
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French media outlet Mediapart upset with BJP for using their report, calls excerpts from their own report ‘Fake News’

Leftist French media outlet Mediapart is reportedly upset with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for sharing their report linking OCCRP (Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project) and the US government amid the ongoing row in Parliament over Adani Group and George Soros. The Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), which published a hit piece on the Adani Group last year, is now under the scanner over its funding from the US government agencies as per the Mediapart report.

The ruling party in India, BJP, shared parts of the Mediapart report, highlighting the collusion between OCCRP, US government officials, and the Indian opposition. However, BJP sharing parts of their report hasn’t gone down well with Mediapart.

Reacting to it, the leftist French media organisation responded on December 7, “Mediapart firmly condemns the instrumentalisation of its recently published investigative article about OCCRP by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in order to serve BJP’s political agenda and attack press freedom.”

The statement was issued by Mediapart Director and publisher Carine Fouteau. She further said that BJP wrongly exploited Mediapart’s article in order to spread fake news that they never published. However, it was never clarified what was the fake news that BJP spread.

“There are no facts available supporting the conspiracy theory promoted by BJP,” said Mediapart’s publisher, without explaining what part of BJP sharing their own report amounts to a conspiracy theory.

Notably, on December 2, Mediapart published a report titled ‘The hidden links between a giant of investigative journalism and the US government’, where it delved into the overwhelming influence of the US government on the working of OCCRP.

Founded in 2007, OCCRP claims to have a network of journalists across 6 continents who ‘specialise in reporting on organised crime and corruption.’

Although it brands itself as an independent organisation, in reality, OCCRP receives a huge share of funding from the US Department of State and the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The organisation had run a hit piece on Indian conglomerate Adani Group.

OCCRP and hit piece on Adani Group

In August 2023, OpIndia had predicted that the OCCRP was planning a shakedown of India’s financial markets, following the footsteps of US-based short seller ‘Hindenburg Research’.

We had revealed that OCCRP is funded by the likes of George Soros’ Open Society Foundations (OSF), the Ford Foundation and the Rockefeller Brothers Foundation.

OSF even gave a grant of $8,00,000 (~ ₹6.61 crores) to the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project for ‘strengthening’ the organisation’s cross-border reporting and increasing the wider impact.

The ‘network of journalists’ published two hit pieces so far – one in August 2023 and another in May 2024. The baseless claims were junked by the Adani Group and also by the Mauritius-based fund ‘360 One.’

Even the Supreme Court of India had ruled that the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) report could not be used to cast doubt on the ongoing probe by SEBI.

‘Durgadi fort not Waqf property’: Kalyan Court rejects claims of a mosque inside the fort, says it houses a Durga temple

OpIndia Staff
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‘Durgadi fort not Waqf property’: Kalyan Court rejects claims of a mosque inside the fort, says it houses a Durga temple

On Tuesday, 10th December, a 48-year-old long-standing fight over the historical Durgadi Fort in Maharashtra’s Kalyan district was dismissed by the Kalyan District and Sessions Court today as it declared that the fort houses a Durga Mata temple and not a Masjid. For several years, the Majlish-e-Mushavreen Majjid Trust had been claiming that the historical fort having significance since the times of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj housed a Masjid and the property was ‘erroneously’ being claimed as a Hindu site. The Trust also stated that the fort was a Waqf property and that it belonged to the Waqf Board. However, Senior Division Judge A.S. Lanjewar dismissed claims by other religious groups seeking to transfer the case from the Welfare Court to the Waqf Board.

As per the reports, petitioner Dinesh Deshmukh who is the president of the Hindu Manch, shared the court’s decision with the media at Durgadi Fort saying that the case revolving around the fort had been ongoing for 50 years. “The two communities had been fighting over the claims of the fort. Initially heard in the Thane District Court, the case was later transferred to the Kalyan District and Sessions Court,” he said.

Deshmukh, meanwhile, also revealed that in the year 1971, the Thane District Collector declared the site to be a temple. Later, an application was filed, referring to the site as a Masjid. The application demanded inspection and inquiry into the matter. Advocate Bhausaheb Modak who represented the Hindu community’s case then highlighted a few features of the property such as windows in the temple, and a platform (chauthara) for placing Hindu idols. These details, as per Deshmukh, led the government to designate the site as a temple today.

Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) lauded the court decision and said that this was a massive win for the Hindu community. “The Kalyan District and Sessions Court has today given an important verdict that the historic Durgadi Fort of Kalyan is not a mosque but a temple of Goddess Durga. Shiv Sena welcomes this decision. The court has clarified that this fort is not the property of the Waqf Board. This is the fruit of blessings given by Mother Durga at Durgadi Fort,” the party said in an X post.

It also added that with this decision the long-standing struggle of the Hindus had ended. The party said that several leaders like Shiv Sena leader Balasaheb Thackeray, Dharamveer Anand Dighe, our respectable leader Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, etc had protested against the Majlish-e-Mushavreen Majjid Trust who claimed the fort as a Waqf property.

“Shiv Sena took the position that Durga fort has a temple of Durga. Many times Dharamveer Anand Dighe Saheb, and Eknathji Shinde Saheb sang the collective Aarti of the Goddess while raising bells and chanting along with Shiv Sainiks at the base of the fort. It was Balasaheb Thackeray who started the Navratri festival on Durgadi,” the party added.

“This decision is a victory for Hindutva and truth. This is the land that has been sanctified by the footsteps of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj has visited this fort. The first armour of Hindu Swarajya was started by the Maharaja himself at Durgadi Fort in Kalyan,” it said glorifying the significance of the fort.

As per the local reports, in the year 1975-76, an application was filed in the Thane District Court claiming that the Durgadi Fort was not a temple but a mosque. The Court case continued for two years before it got transferred to the Kalyan District and Sessions Court. During the period, the site was identified as an alleged Waqf property.

As per the local sources, the Muslims also carried out unauthorized construction at the fort by building a Mosque and painting it in white and green color. Not only this but the steps ‍ leading to the fort, trees, stones, and other structures were also painted green. Further, it was also alleged that Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation and senior Police officials failed to take any action against the unauthorized construction. Instead, they asked protesting Hindus to stop demonstrations.

Unauthorized construction on the fort (Image obtained by OpIndia)

The Muslim religious bodies then sought to transfer the case from the Kalyan District and Sessions Court to the Waqf Board.

Petitioner Dinesh Deshmukh stated that the court rejected this request, declaring that the Durgadi Fort is a Hindu temple of Goddess Durga. Advocates Bhikaji Salvi, Suresh Patwardhan, Jayesh Salvi, and Sachin Kulkarni represented the case on behalf of Hindus in the court.

Tahir Hussain joins AIMIM, to contest from Mustafabad in Delhi- Read how main accused in Ankit Sharma murder case wanted to “teach kafirs a lesson”

OpIndia Staff
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Tahir Hussain joins AIMIM, to contest from Mustafabad in Delhi- Read how main accused in Ankit Sharma murder case wanted to “teach kafirs a lesson”

Ahead of the Delhi Assembly election scheduled in February next year, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) led by Asaduddin Owaisi has fielded ex-AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, accused in the larger conspiracy of the Delhi riots 2020 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. Ahead of the elections, Hussain joined AIMIM and now will be contesting the state elections from the Mustafabad seat.

The event was confirmed by Asaduddin Owaisi who shared an update on the X platform. “MCD Councillor Tahir Hussain joined AIMIM & will be our candidate from Mustafabad Assembly Constituency in the upcoming Delhi Vidhan Sabha elections. His family members & supporters met with me today & joined the party,” he said.

It is crucial to note that Tahir Hussain is a former AAP member and is accused of participating in, funding and orchestrating riots in Delhi in the year 2020. In March last year, the Karkardooma court in Delhi framed murder and conspiracy charges against Hussain and ten others for the murder of IB officer Ankit Sharma during the anti-Hindu Delhi riots on 25th February 2020. Ankit Sharma’s dead body was recovered from a drain in Delhi.

The court while charging Hussain said that he executed the riots to deliberately target the Hindus. “Tahir was continuously acting in a manner of supervising & motivating this mob. All these things were done to target Hindus. Every member of the mob assembled there participated in achieving the objective of targeting Hindus,” the court said.

The court also added that Hussain instigated the Muslim mob to target Hindus and not at all sparre them. The court also later highlighted that Ankit Sharma was killed only because he was a Hindu. Further in August, the Delhi Court framed additional charges against Hussain, his brother Shah Alam, and eight others for committing acts of vandalism and arson in various shops in the Moonga Nagar area during the violence that happened in the year 2020.

Recently in the month of September this year, detailed evidence was provided in the court that proved that the Delhi riots mobilized and instigated by Hussain and his associates were a result of a deep-rooted conspiracy hatched after the Citizenship Amendment Bill was introduced in Parliament on December 4, 2019.

Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Amit Prasad, during his submissions, referred to the charge sheet filed in the case and contended that in this entire conspiracy, there were various organizations like Pinjra Tod, AAZMI, SIO, SFI, etc, through individuals that participated in protests and violent activities.

The prosecution referred to WhatsApp groups, chats, and witness statements to support their claims. He also referred to the statements of witnesses. The conspiracy aimed to disrupt the city by holding protests and chakka jaam (road blockages) in Muslim-majority areas, leading to violence against police and non-Muslims. As part of the conspiracy, 23 protest sites (against CAB) were created in Muslim-majority areas.

Notably, Hussain was arrested in April 2020, in connection with the North East Delhi riots 2020. The charge sheet was filed in September 2020, after the completion of the investigation. Subsequently, supplementary charge sheets were also filed, and the matter. Despite this, Hussain has been given a ticket from the Mustafabad region by the AIMIM.

The 2025 Delhi Legislative Assembly election for all 70 constituencies is expected to take place on or before February 2025. Hussain contesting from AIMIM will now be a challenge for the Aam Aadmi Party which seeks to secure a third term in the state.

Couple behind LGBTQ+ media outlet PinkNews accused of sexual misconduct

OpIndia Staff
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Couple behind LGBTQ+ media outlet PinkNews accused of sexual misconduct

Benjamin Cohen, the founder of the world’s largest LGBTQ+ media outlet, PinkNews and its chief operating officer and Cohen’s husband Dr Anthony James have been accused of sexual misconduct against their staff. A BBC report said that around 30 former PinkNews staff members saw Anthony James kissing and touching a junior colleague who they say appeared too drunk to consent.

Dr James kissed and touched a junior colleague who was drunk after a work event, according to witnesses, and Cohen invited a staff member to come “back to his” and smacked another on the bottom at a Christmas party. It has also been reported that female members of staff were urged to act as surrogates for the couple.

The BBC claimed to have interviewed 33 people who worked at PinkNews between 2017 and 2024 for its documentary, PinkNews: Behind Closed Doors, which was released on Tuesday.

Five former employees said that they witnessed Dr James groping and kissing a junior member of staff outside a prominent London pub where employees had gathered following a PinkNews event. They added that the employee was “too drunk to stand or talk” and “unable to consent”.

“Ben was extremely drunk to the point he fell off his chair and then asked me out of earshot of my other colleagues whether I wanted to go back to his … because Anthony, his husband, wasn’t there,” one of the former staffers said.

“Cai Wilshaw, former head of external affairs at PinkNews, said: “You had this sort of dark cloud in the office sometimes when Ben was there, that made it really difficult to actually enjoy working there. We worked together quite well, but it is clear that he is a very, very difficult character, and sometimes overly so in a way that really impacted people who worked with him, BBC reported.

SC seeks a report on Justice Yadav’s statements at a VHP event after he sounded alarm about dangers posed by ‘Kathmullahs’ in the country

OpIndia Staff
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SC seeks a report on Justice Yadav’s statements at a VHP event after he sounded alarm about dangers posed by ‘Kathmullahs’ in the country

The Supreme Court has sought information on the statement made by Justice Shekhar Yadav of the Allahabad High Court in the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) program. The Supreme Court has asked the Allahabad High Court for the details of his entire statement. A complaint has also been filed against him in the Supreme Court. National Conference Lok Sabha MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi claimed that Shekhar Yadav should be impeached.

Justice Yadav had declared that practices including Halala (Islamic practice where a divorced woman weds another man, consummates the marriage and then divorces him so she can remarry her first husband) and Char Nikah (taking four wives in Islam) have no place in the country. He also addressed further social media issues. “The Supreme Court has taken cognizance of the speech given by Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav of the Allahabad High Court and published in the newspapers. Details and information have been sought from the High Court and the matter is still under consideration,” the apex court pronounced in a statement.

Meanwhile, Mehdi announced that he would bring an impeachment motion against Justice Yadav in Parliament by Art 124(4) of the constitution. “I need the signatures of 100 members to move this motion. More than 7 members including Asaduddin Owaisi, Rajkumar Roat MP from Rajasthan, Sudhama Prasad MP from Bihar, Mohibbullah Nadvi MP from Uttar Pradesh and Ziau Rahman MP from Uttar Pradesh signed it and I thank them for their support and signatures,” he shared.

The lawmaker then added that he is in talks with other leaders from Congress, Samajwadi Party, All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) “who assured me that they will sign and support the motion after consultation with their respective party leaderships. I am hopeful that they will support this motion because these are the parties who believe in the of India and it principles and values.”

Furthermore, a left-leaning organization named Campaign for Judicial Accountability & Judicial Reforms (CJAR) has filed a complaint with Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and demanded an internal inquiry against Justice Yadav. CJAR alleged, “This speech of Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav has raised doubts in the minds of our citizens about the independence and neutrality of the judiciary. Given the coverage it has received, a strong reaction is necessary.”

Background of the controversy

On Sunday (8th December), a sitting judge of the Allahabad High Court delivered a lecture on the constitutional necessity of the Uniform Civil Code at an event hosted by the Vishva Hindu Parishad’s (VHP) legal cell in Prayagraj. In his speech, Justice Shekhar Yadav voiced “Kathmullas,” in an apparent reference to Islamic fundamentalists, are dangerous for the country. He was speaking on the topic “Uniform Civil Code: A Constitutional Necessity.“

“Lekin yeh jo kathmullah hai jo…yeh sahi shabd nahi hai…lekin kehne mein parhez nahi hai kyunki woh desh ke liye bura hai…desh ke liye ghatak hai, khilaaf hai, janta ko bhadhkane wale log hai…desh aage na badhe is prakar ke log hai…unse saavdhaan rehne ki zaroorat hai (But these kathmullah…this may not be the right word…but I won’t hesitate to say it because they are harmful to the country…they are detrimental, against the nation, and people who incite the public. They are the kind of people who do not want the country to progress, and we need to be cautious of them),” he remarked which led to a major controversy.

He added, “In our country, we are taught from a young age to respect all living beings, even the smallest animals, and to avoid harming them. This lesson becomes a part of who we are, which is perhaps why we are more tolerant and compassionate, feeling pain when others suffer. But this isn’t the case for everyone. In our culture, children are raised with guidance towards God, taught Vedic mantras, and instilled with the values of non-violence. However, in some other cultures, children grow up witnessing the slaughter of animals, which makes it difficult to expect them to develop tolerance and compassion.”

“I have no hesitation in saying that this is Hindustan, this country will run according to the majority living in India. This is the law. You can’t say that I am saying this as a judge of the High Court. The law works according to the majority. Our Hindu religion had many social evils like child marriage, sati and female infanticide, reformers like Ram Mohan Rai fought to eradicate these evils. But when it comes to social evils like halala, triple talaq and issues related to adoption in the Muslim community, then they did not dare to stand up against them,” Justice Yadav charged.

He mentioned that not even Muslims attempted to stop these practices during the program. “You cannot insult that woman who has been given the status of goddess in our scriptures and Vedas. You cannot have the right to have four wives, divorce or triple talaq. You assert that we have the right to perform ‘three talaq’ and women have no right to receive maintenance.”

He pointed out, “No authority can be exercised in this way. UCC is not something advocated by VHP, RSS or Hinduism. Even the Supreme Court of the country is talking about this…I swear that this country will definitely introduce a UCC law, and very soon.” Justice Yadav questioned why Muslims circumvent the law and treat matters like triple talaq and Halala as their laws.

“If you say that our law allows this, it is unacceptable. A woman will get maintenance, two marriages will not be allowed, and a man will have only one wife, not four wives…if one sister gets maintenance and the other does not, it creates discrimination, which is against the Constitution,” he highlighted. Justice Yadav also stated that a Hindu who views India as his mother is just as much a Hindu as one who dips in the Ganga and rubs sandalwood on his head.

Bangladesh Supreme Court stays verdict declaring ‘Joy Bangla’ as national slogan

OpIndia Staff
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Bangladesh Supreme Court stays verdict declaring ‘Joy Bangla’ as national slogan

Besides persecuting the Hindu and religious minorities, Bangladesh is wiping out every shred of the country’s founder Sheikh Mujibur Rehman’s legacy. In a recent ruling, the Supreme Court stayed a High Court order that declared “Joy Bangla”—the slogan that remained a symbol of Bangladesh’s freedom struggle— as the country’s national slogan. The verdict came after Chief Advisor to the interim government Mohammad Yunus challenged the High Court decision.

The government filed a special plea in the Supreme Court in reaction to a High Court ruling dated March 10, 2022, designating ‘Joy Bangla’ as Bangladesh’s national slogan. Following Sheikh Hasina’s undemocratic ouster, Yunus’ government implemented significant changes, including removing the image of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, from the currency and replacing it with religious architecture, Bengali traditions, and graffiti from the ‘student protest’ in July 2024.

Now on 10th December, Chief Justice Syed Rifat Ahmed and others decided that ‘Joy Bangla’ could no longer be deemed the national slogan backing the government’s viewpoint.

Even during the anarchy unleashed by Islamists in August, the violent protestors destroyed several Bangladeshi historical heritage sites in their bid to wipe out the legacy of “Bangabandhu” Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Several heritage sites associated with Bangladesh’s founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, were vandalised during the recent conflict. OpIndia reported that the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in the Dhanmondi area in Dhaka.

This museum was dedicated to Hasina’s father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was assassinated in 1975. Similarly, the protesters in Dhaka climbed atop a large statue of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s father and hammered the statue’s head with an axe.

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