Saints from different Akharas and sects have begun to arrive at Prayagraj for Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 which will start on Paush Purmina on January 13 and end on Mahashivratri on February 26.
The Mahakumbh, which is the world’s largest congregation, is expected to witness about 45 crore footfalls this year at the Triveni Sangam. Pilgrims at the Mahakumbh come from diverse sections of society including ascetics, saints and ordinary pilgrims. The saints from different Akharas making entrance into the Mela is a sight to behold. The Akharas take out their traditional processions called ‘Peshwai’ on elephants, horses and chariots while entering the Mela.
The myriad saints and ascetics gathering at the Mela are subjects of curiosity including Naga sadhus who remain at the centre of attention due to their unique personalities. Just like their male counterparts, female Naga sadhus also visit the Kumbh Melas. Females Naga sadhus are referred to as Mata, Mai, Avdhutani or Naagin.
Just like the male Naga sadhus, the female Naga sadhus also renounce the material world and their families and lead a life of celibacy. They also perform yoga, meditation and religious rituals. However, unlike male Nagas, female Naga sadhus cannot renounce clothes. They are reqwho uired to cover their bodies with a single piece of unstitched saffron cloth which is called Ganti. They also wear a tilak and dreadlocks.
Becoming a Naga Sadhvi involves a rigorous initiation procedure. The initiation starts with performing their own Pind-daan and severing all ties with their families. After being initiated by a guru they lead a solitary life and perform penance and intense religious practices. They follow strict Brahmacharya for about 10-15 years before finally attaining the status of a Naga Sadhvi.
Naga Sadhvis live a life of austerity, engaging in spiritual practices and living in caves, jungles or close to a river, emulating the life of Lord Shiva. They reside in Akharas to study and practice their religions.
While the number of Naga Sadhvis is small, they are an important part of the Kumbh Mela. Just like Naga Sadhus, Naga Sadhvis also perform religious rituals and take part in holy ‘shahi snan;.
Teenage girl become Sadhvi in Mahakumbh
In a surprising incident, a teenage girl from Agra, Uttar Pradesh renounced the material world and decided to become a saint at the Mahakumbh Mela. The 13-year old girl has been staying at the Mahakumbh camp for a month along with her parents and a sister. The girl’s family was reportedly invited by Kaushal Giri Maharaj of Juna Akhara.
According to reports, the girl named Rakhi, wanted to become an IAS officer. But after coming to the Mahakumbh, she decided to become saint. Her family supported her in her decision and decided to donate her to the ashram and perform her Pind-daan.
Former Indian cricket player Ravichandran Ashwin recently stirred a hornet’s nest when he passed unsolicited comments on Hindi while speaking at a graduation ceremony at a private engineering college in Tamil Nadu.
Ashwin, who retired midway through the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which India lost disappointingly, asked his audience which language they would prefer him to speak. When he suggested English, it was met with some cheers. Then, when he proposed Tamil, the response was overwhelmingly positive. The discussion could have ended there, but Ashwin went on to ask if the students would like to hear him speak in Hindi. When he received a negative response, he made an unsolicited remark about Hindi, stating, “Hindi is not the national language; it is an official language.”
While no one in the audience seemed to ask Ashwin to address the crowd in Hindi, his remarks targeting Hindi nevertheless stirred political controversy, serving as fodder for the Dravidian chauvinists itching to advance the bigoted propaganda they have long championed.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, several Tamil language enthusiasts lauded Ashwin, claiming his comments were factual and he held up a mirror to the Hindi-speaking north Indians.
Ashwin’s politically charged comments naturally drew the two prominent political parties into the debate. DMK leader TKS Elangovan echoed Ashwin’s stance, asking how could Hindi be the national language when states spoke different languages.
The BJP, on the other hand, saw through the political nature of his comments and urged Ashwin to desist from reigniting the language debate.
“DMK appreciating this won’t be a surprise… I want to ask him, is he a national cricketer or a Tamil Nadu cricketer?” BJP leader Uma Anandan said.
It is also worth mentioning that though Ashwin stoked up language debate against Hindi, he has a dedicated YouTube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat’—for his Hindi followers. The channel has over 126,000 subscribers, though Ashwin has not been regularly uploading content on it, presumably due to his busy schedule being a part of the Indian cricket dressing room until recently and franchisee cricket.
This makes his gratuitous comments on Hindi even more intriguing, making one wonder if they were a result of the alleged falling out with the predominantly Hindi-speaking Indian cricket team and Gautam Gambhir-led team management weeks ago after which Ashwin abruptly announced his retirement from international cricket during India’s tour of Australia.
R Ashwin makes shock retirement announcement midway in BGT series
Ravichandran Ashwin, a legendary spinner who wove his magic with his fingers when bowling and scoring crucial runs when he was asked to bat, announced his immediate retirement from international cricket in December 2024, making the declaration following the conclusion of the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Brisbane. He departed to India shortly thereafter.
“This marks my final day as an international cricketer representing India in all formats,” Ashwin stated during a press conference after the Brisbane Test. “Although I feel there’s still some energy left in me as a cricketer, I intend to channel that into club-level cricket. However, this is my last day playing for India.”
Reflecting on his career, Ashwin shared, “It’s been an enjoyable journey filled with incredible memories, especially alongside Rohit [Sharma] and many of my other teammates, even though I’ve seen some of them leave the team over the years. We’re among the last of the original core group left in the dressing room, and I consider this my final date at this level.”
He expressed gratitude to those who supported him throughout his career, adding, “I owe thanks to many people, starting with the BCCI and my teammates. I’d like to mention a few by name — Rohit, Virat [Kohli], Ajinkya [Rahane], and [Cheteshwar] Pujara — who’ve taken exceptional catches around the bat, contributing to the wickets I’ve collected over the years. Coaches and numerous others have also played pivotal roles in my journey.”
Ashwin’s father hints at possible humiliation for his son’s abrupt retirement decision
His retirement sparked rumours of a rift with Team Management, as many suggested his decision stemmed from the realization that he no longer fits into their plans. But Ashwin’s father suggested “humiliation” may have caused his son to suddenly announce retirement.
“Retirement is Ashwin’s personal decision, and I have no right to interfere with that,’ Ashwin’s father said. “However, the way he announced it suggests there could be various reasons behind it. Only Ashwin truly knows — perhaps it was due to some form of humiliation.” He added, “It’s an emotional moment for the family, without a doubt, as he spent 14-15 years dedicated to the field.”
Not just his father, but many on social media were shocked due to Ashwin’s shock retirement decision. With Team India squandering the 1-0 lead after the Perth Test and unravelling down under, ending up losing 1-3 to lose the Border Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in over a decade, chatter has been underway on the internet if it was to do with the dressing room environment that may have brought about the team’s undoing.
Recently, former Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin found Ravichandran Ashwin’s decision to retire midway through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series rather unusual. He suggested that India appeared to lack a clear strategy for the five-match series, which could have led to Ashwin’s frustration, especially since he was left out of the playing XI in two of the first three Tests.
“It shouldn’t have been a surprise — they’ve played here enough and had success,” he said on the Willow Talk podcast. He found Ashwin’s mid-series retirement surprising, adding, “I don’t think we’ve heard the last of it. I think he was simply fed up with not being selected.”
Amidst all this, Ashwin also seemed to have liked a hilarious tweet mocking Indian skipper Rohit Sharma for allegedly running a PR campaign after he dropped himself in the final test due to lack of batting form.
Carrying a chip on his shoulder or eyeing an entry into Dravidian politics?
Taking these developments together, one cannot help but wonder if Ashwin’s uncalled-for remarks against Hindi were driven by his alleged resentment of the team management, led by head coach, Gautam Gambhir, a former north Indian cricketer who represented Delhi. It doesn’t help the fact that other non-performing players such as Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli come from Hindi-speaking regions and have apparently been given a longer rope by both, the team management and the selection committee.
Rohit Sharma, the captain of the side, although hails from Mumbai, there have been several videos doing the rounds on the internet where he is seen bantering on the ground in Hindi.
Therefore, was it the alleged disgruntlement of being wronged by the team management that undergirded Ashwin’s superfluous comments on Hindi or is he harbouring a career in politics in Tamil Nadu, for which tapping into linguistic chauvinism is one of its defining characteristics? Only time will tell.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed the Delhi High Court on 7th January about the procedure through which Indian citizens who undergo sex-change surgery abroad, can change details in their passport. A bench of Justice Sachin Datta was hearing a plea filed by a transgender woman who was facing difficulties in getting her passport re-issued after getting details about her name, gender and photo changed after her sex-change surgery.
The trans-woman who lives in the US got her personal details changed in her Illinois driver’s license through a US court order. However, she was facing a delay in getting her personal information updated in her Indian passport for which she had applied on January 18, 2023. Therefore, she approached the Delhi High Court seeking redressal.
The MEA informed the Delhi High Court that a person who undergoes a gender affirmation surgery abroad can enter India by submitting a sworn affidavit of gender change with a certificate from the hospital where the surgery was done. This is in addition to the provision available under the Transgender Person (Protection of Rights) Act to obtain an identity card.
As per the MEA, the ordinary procedure to obtain a re-issued passport with updated gender change details is by submitting the following documents:
(1) a certificate of identity for change of gender (form 4) along with an identity card (form6) issued under the Transgender Person (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 read with Transgender Person (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020 in the desired gender; or
(2) a sworn affidavit regarding the change in gender and a supporting certificate/ surgical reconstruction certificate from the hospital where the applicant underwent medical treatment.
Besides, if such a person somehow is not able to submit these documents immediately, the government may consider issuing an Emergency Certificate endorsing that ‘the holder has undergone medical intervention for gender affirmation’. After entering the country, the person can obtain the required documents from concerned authorities in India and apply for re-issue of passport for change in gender.
Earlier the court had expressed concern over the requirement that if a person undergoes sex change surgery outside India, such a person must return to India to get their passport updated. The court had directed the central government to streamline the procedure to issue passports to persons who undergo gender affirmation surgeries abroad. In response to this direction, the MEA submitted the information.
The ministry further said that the requirement for issuing a certificate under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 is waived if the individual provides a sworn affidavit affirming the change in gender along with a supporting certificate/surgical reconstructions certificate from the hospital where the individual underwent medical treatment for change in gender.
Yoga guru and entrepreneur Baba Ramdev has claimed that he has successfully cured diseases like diabetes and liver failure. He made the claims in an interview with Raj Shamani, a well-known podcaster. The video of this discussion was published on 9th January, titled “Baba Ramdev Unfiltered-Early Life, Fame, Controversies, Patanjali Case & India.” During the extensive conversation, which lasted over an hour, he elaborated on various subjects, including his claims regarding the miraculous effects of his treatment in remedying numerous ailments, such as diabetes and liver failure. He also claimed that he had treated the sister of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
“We possess what they lack. We hold the solutions that contribute to the welfare of humanity. If a thousand doctors were to gather before me, I would silence them all, for we have science, technology, and evidence on our side. My discourse is grounded in logic and reasoning. Now, my second Ramdev (angry inner self) will get triggered,” he answered to a question about his expansive vision and goals.
The host then asked him, “I would like to address a matter that has been frequently brought to our attention. During my research regarding your work, I discovered that, in addition to my prior knowledge, there have been numerous reports in the media indicating that the IMA has imposed a fine of one thousand crore rupees. Furthermore, medical science presents a different perspective. It has been suggested that you claimed to have developed medicines for cancer, COVID-19, and AIDS. Everyone has been accusing you of the same things.”
The yoga guru responded, “Those who have presented the truth to the world have often faced scepticism throughout history, figures such as Galileo, Newton and Einstein were labelled as liars upon revealing the reality. While I do not equate myself with these esteemed individuals, I assert that I can facilitate the healing of conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. Each individual possesses immense potential within themselves. My role is merely to awaken that inherent power. You possess the ability to take control, to heal, and to be the solution to your own problems.”
He added that for this reason, he holds this “medical and pharmaceutical mafia” accountable (for prescribing medications for financial profit) and is committed to continuing the fight against them in the future. “This is merely the beginning and is not a big deal,” he added. “Having healed millions of people, I possess a wealth of evidence that underpins this trust. This self-assurance is not based on empty rhetoric,” he elaborated on the origins of his self-confidence and also referred to the interviewer’s book, “Build, Don’t Talk,” to reinforce his argument.
Baba Ramdev stated, “I have scientific documentation concerning thousands of individuals diagnosed with type one diabetes. Moreover, I have treated major cases of liver and kidney failure, notably including the sister of our respected Home Minister, Amit Shah. Her husband is a surgeon who specializes in liver transplants,” in front of the surprised YouTuber who earlier asked, “You have proof that you did what you claimed?”
The former further explained, “I have saved people from various medical interventions, including liver and kidney transplants, pacemaker placements, bypass surgeries, and angioplasties. I have successfully treated cancer patients, with verifiable results. My efforts have led to the healing of individuals suffering from multiple diseases, all substantiated by evidence. This is not a promotion of any medicinal products or yoga practices. It is about providing treatment, support, and salvation to countless individuals. It is essential for society to grasp this truth. The claim that “not everyone can remain healthy” is a profound deception, suggesting a desire to profit from the suffering of others. The medical mafia alleges such things.”
“Your assertion regarding the existence of a mafia is indeed valid, as such entities are present in numerous locations. The mafia seeks to suppress any new truths that individuals may present. While your claims are right, however, do you not perceive that, at times, the courts also render judgments that are unfavorable when you engage in certain advertising,” Raj Shamani queried to which he replied, “The Drug and Magic Remedy Act was established under the influence of specific medical professionals. This legislation, dating back to 1835-1837, has been preserved since the administration of former Prime Minister late Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.”
He pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken steps to repeal numerous acts enacted during British rule, upon assuming office and voiced that the law needs to be challenged. “It is drafted by humans while Sanatan (eternal) is truth,” Baba Ramdev declared.
On 13th August 2024, the Supreme Court dismissed the contempt of court charges against Patanjali Ayurved, along with its co-founder Baba Ramdev and Managing Director Acharya Balkrishna, in relation to the misleading advertisement case. The panel of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah issued their ruling, concluding the contempt of court proceedings against the involved parties. The case was initiated following a petition submitted by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which accused certain individuals of conducting a smear campaign against the COVID-19 vaccination program and contemporary medical practices.
In November 2023, the apex court issued a cautionary statement indicating that it might levy penalties of Rs 1 crore for each false claim presented in advertisements for Patanjali Ayurved products that assert the ability to cure diseases. It also instructed Patanjali to cease the publication of such advertisements in the future. At that time, Patanjali assured the court of its commitment to avoid such misleading promotions.
The court, afterwards, enacted a temporary prohibition on these advertisements and served contempt notices to Patanjali and its Managing Director, observing that the ‘misleading advertisements’ persisted. Patanjali then issued an unconditional apology in newspapers, however, the court conveyed notable dissatisfaction regarding its language and size. Subsequently, Patanjali released another apology in the newspapers, featuring the names of both Swami Ramdev (co-founder) and Acharya Balkrishna (Managing Director) alongside its own. The court remarked on the significant improvement in the published apology and later reserved its orders regarding the issue before finally closing all proceedings.
The “bulldozer justice” which became synonymous with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s stern action against illegal encroachments continues to irk the Islamo-leftist cabal who have been asserting that somehow the bulldozer action is “retributive justice” exclusively against Muslims. In this vein, Foreign Policy published a propaganda piece on 07th January titled“How the Bulldozer Became a Symbol of Modi’s India”.
“Bulldozers are ubiquitous on construction sites the world over. But in India, they are also something more. Bulldozers have become a symbol, a perpetrator of a divisive and violent brand of retributive justice that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has developed since Modi first came to power in 2014 and, despite growing political and judicial resistance, continues to propagate. Used to target Muslims under the guise of governance, the bulldozer reflects India’s current imbalance along religious lines,” the opening paragraph of the propaganda piece reads.
The article authored by Ambreen Agha then discusses how bulldozer action first gained popularity in Uttar Pradesh under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. However, the author argues that CM Yogi has regularly ordered the ‘extrajudicial’ use of bulldozers against houses, businesses, properties, and places of worship of Muslims accused of criminal activities or ‘protests’ against the government. It further lamented that CM Yogi’s “bulldozer model” was replicated in other BJP-ruled states including Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi also endorsed bulldozer action.
The Foreign Policy piece mentioned the case of demolition of 11 houses belonging to Muslims in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandla district after the police found that the accused Muslims had kept beef (cow meat) in their refrigerators and rescued live cattle kept for smuggling. The propaganda piece, however, failed to mention that the 11 houses belonging to Muslims were illegal structures erected on government land. Apparently, Ambreen Agha chose not to delve into the cow smuggling angle in the matter and cherry-pick the “beef in the refrigerators” part to insinuate that somehow Muslim minorities are being targeted for the ‘food preferences’ completely disregarding the fact that cows are of religious significance to Hindus and its slaughter is illegal in most Indian states.
Citing the case of bulldozer action against the house of one Naseeb Chaudhary in Rajasthan, the Foreign Policy article said that his house was demolished as it was built on temple land after Naseeb and his son’s “involvement in a knife attack at a Hindu temple” came to the fore. While the Foreign Policy subtly downplayed the Muslim man’s crime to suggest that somehow Naseeb stabbing someone is not the thing to focus but how his illegal house was demolished should be lamented. It must be noted that bulldozer action was taken on the illegal encroachment of Naseeb Chaudhary, the main accused in the stabbing incident during the kheer distribution program of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Karni Vihar area of Jaipur. In October 2024, the administration demolished Chaudhary’s house, which was built illegally in the temple premises. Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) had issued a notice on illegal encroachment a day before and after this, the demolition action was taken by the bulldozer.
Over the years, both Indian leftist media and its foreign allies including The New York Times have long been peddling a mendacious narrative that the BJP government is specifically demolishing the properties of Muslims to punish and exact revenge. This, however, is far from truth. If dreaded criminals Mukhtar Ansari and Atiq Ahmed’s properties were bulldozed then the properties of Vikas Dubey and Vijay Mishra were also bulldozed and confiscated. However, since they were not Muslims, those incidents won’t find mention in Foreign Policy’s article.
OpIndia earlier reported that out of the top 62 noted land mafias, from which a large chunk of the illegal properties was confiscated by the government, only 12, that is 19.3% are from the Muslim community. The BJP government in Uttar Pradesh freed up to 67000 hectares of land from the illegal encroachment of land mafias. However, the impact of continuous propaganda and spinning of the Muslim victimhood narrative by the Islamo-leftist outlets has been such that back in 2022, two USA senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker claimed that Hindu right-wing in New Jersey ‘marched with bulldozers’ which the two called “a weapon in the hands of the BJP government to destroy Muslim homes and livelihoods.”
Coming back to the Foreign Policy propaganda piece, after presenting cherry-picked cases without context to further its agenda of portraying the BJP government as incessantly hateful towards Muslims, the article lamented how bulldozer has become a symbol of ‘Hindu-nationalist’ political iconography and so popular that several people got bulldozer tattoos inked on their bodies besides songs being made glorifying CM Yogi Adityanath as “Bulldozer Baba”.
Ambreen Agha cried hoarse over Hindu nationalists using religious imagery and idioms as what she called “tools in the politics of belonging and othering.” She cited the popular “Batenge toh Katenge” slogan given by CM Yogi Adityanath first in August 2024. While the slogan was actually a warning to people against opposition parties trying to foment divisions in the society, especially the Congress partie’s repeated attempts at widening the caste fault lines in the Hindu community, author Ambreen Agha insinuated that somehow the Batenge toh Katenge slogan was a call of unity to Hindus against Muslims. At a public event in Agra, Yogi Adityanath warned that divisiveness would lead to violence and anarchy, citing the attacks faced by Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh following the toppling of the Sheikh Hasina government.
Months later, PM Modi emphasised the need for unity to prevent the Congress from fulfilling its nefarious agenda and called for unity among pthe eople. While addressing a public meeting in Dhule, he emphasised, “Ek hai toh safe hai (We are safe as long as we are united).” The call for unity is reminiscent of the popular slogan ‘Batenge toh Katenge.’ During his speech, the Indian Prime Minister cautioned, “We need to stay united and foil the dangerous game being played by the Congress and continue to walk on the path of development (vikas).”
Isn’t it amusing that the BJP’s call for unity is perceived as ‘divisive’ by the Islamo-leftist cabal, however, when opposition parties call for the eradication of Sanatan Dharma, demand caste census and caste-based wealth redistribution it is deemed ‘social justice’, ‘progressive’ approach and whatnot?
“India’s diversity is reduced to a religious binary, with Muslims depicted as a group that poses a threat and needs to be disciplined. The bulldozer enacts this discipline,” the Foreign Policy article reads.
This argument, however, is fundamentally flawed. Not because Muslims pose a threat and require to be disciplined with measures like bulldozer action but because there is no communal motivation behind bulldozer action. It is the ideological imperative of the Islamo-leftist propagandists that they attach more importance to the Muslim identity of the person whose properties were demolished than to the fact that those structures were illegal encroachments.
While the Foreign Policy’s propaganda piece hinges on the notion that somehow bulldozers in Modi’s India have targeted disproportionately Muslim-owned properties insinuating a wider BJP-spearheaded communal ‘revenge’, the BJP government has taken bulldozer action even against non-Muslims involved in illegal activities.
In May 2022, the residence of Pravesh Shukla who was arrested for urinating on a tribal man, was demolished using bulldozers under the same BJP government’s same law-and-order approach. The administration bulldozed his illegally constructed structure on encroached land in the Kubri region. It was reported that the administration demolished the encroached part of his house.
In February 2024, the Bareilly Development Authority (BDA) conducted a demolition drive to clear illegal colonies in the area. Five illegal colonies were being constructed in Zulfikar village near Pilibhit road. These illegal constructions involved both Hindu and Muslim accused and without any discrimination, the administration bulldozed the illegal encroachments.
How encroachment removal for infra development was also called ‘anti-Muslim’
Interestingly, this “BJP government taking revenge against Muslims” trope is not new. Similar claims were made by the same Islamo-leftist ecosystem when the CM Yogi-led government in Uttar Pradesh undertook the demolition drive of illegal houses constructed and occupied in the Akbar Nagar area of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Several Islamists on social media platforms claimed that the Yogi Adityanath government was deliberately targeting the Muslims in the state post-elections. The Islamists online joined by the likes of Teesta Setalvad claimed that only Muslim families living in the Akbar Nagar area of Lucknow were being asked to vacate their homes before bulldozing their illegal properties for allegedly voting against the BJP. However, OpIndia reported that hat not only Muslims, but several other Hindu families have also faced evacuation from the area and even the Supreme Court had upheld the demolition of illegal encroachments.
There is a deliberate failure on the part of the propaganda piece’s author to acknowledge that these demolitions occur under legal directives. While the Supreme Court last year ordered that the houses or properties belonging to someone accused of rioting or other criminal activities cannot be demolished simply because the person is an accused or even convicted, it did not bar the government from acting against illegal encroachment and called for a more streamlined process. The “bulldozer action” is not aimed at persecuting a particular community but is aimed at uniform implementation of law and ensuring that those violating municipal regulations are held accountable and are not allowed to blatantly violate the law simply because they happen to be Muslims or of any particular community.
In 2022, the Supreme Court ruled that money collected from persons accused of damaging public property during the anti-CAA agitations in Uttar Pradesh be returned, however, the court made it very clear to all that the government can issue fresh notices against the rioters and can re-attach the properties under the new law the Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damages to Public and Private Property Ordinance, 2021, that was brought by the UP government. The point of mentioning this here was that even the courts do not restrict the government from recovering damages from the rioters and demolishing illegal encroachments, of course, not without following due process.
Contrary to the assertion by the Islamo-leftist propagandists and politicians, bulldozer action is not a symbol of divisive politics, extrajudicial violence or retribution against the Muslim community but a symbol of the BJP government’s commitment to act against those who illegally encroach lands and properties and commit crimes thinking that they will remain untouched since they belong to a particular community.
The Supreme Court on Friday halted the planned restoration of an old wall located outside the entrance of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal. The apex court issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government to maintain the status quo regarding the well.
A bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar stayed the implementation of a notice issued by the district authorities to restore the well and also directed a status quo report to be filed. “Issue notice returnable on February 21. In the meantime, the status report is to be filed by respondents in two weeks. The respondents shall not give effect to any notice in relation to the well”, the bench said.
While the court agreed that the well is located outside the mosque, not inside as claimed by the mosque committee, it ordered status quo saying that the court was keeping a close watch so that peace and harmony is maintained.
The notice came after the Shahi Jama Masjid management committee approached the Supreme Court on Thursday seeking direction to the District Magistrate to ensure that the status quo is maintained with respect to the private well situated near the stairs/entrance of the mosque. The mosque committee urged the top court to issue directions to the DM and not to take any steps/actions with regard to the investigation of the well, and open the well-constructed outside the structure without due permission from this court.
The committee had approached the Supreme Court stating that the district management was conducting a drive to revive all the old temples and wells and was publicising public access to all the wells including one located near the mosque.
It further contended that posters were put up around Sambhal indicating the location of historical wells and showing the mosque as a temple. The committee’s plea mentioned that the District Magistrate had said that the well is not located inside the mosque and that the interim order of the Supreme Court concerns applies to things located inside the mosque.
Senior Advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, representing the mosque committee, argued that the administration was calling the mosque Hari Mandir and was planning to allow worship there. Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the opposite side, claimed that the well did not lie within the purview of the mosque and the worshipping had been happing there.
Tensions had flared in Sambhal after a local court ordered a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal on November 19. Clashes had erupted between police and the people opposing the survey of the mosque resulting in death of four people.
Author and activist Dilip Mandal created a storm on Thursday by saying that Fatima Sheikh, known as India’s first Muslim school teacher who worked with Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule, never existed, he created the ‘fictional character’ for political agenda. He argued that there is no historical reference to Fatima Sheikh, her name is not mentioned in the extensive writings of Jyotiba Phule, Savitribai Phule and BR Ambedkar, and all references to her recent after he started writing about her.
After the revelations, the Wikipedia page on Fatima Sheikh was marked for deletion. However, the editors have now decided to retain it, despite mounting evidence, or rather lack of evidence, that a Muslim revolutionary teacher named Fatima Sheikh existed. After Dilip Mandal made the revelations on X, a Wikipedia editor added the Proposed deletion (PROD) tag to the page, along with a lengthy explanation on why the page should be deleted.
Notably, apart from PROD, there are multiple tags to mark a Wikipedia article for deletion, like articles for deletion (AfD) or files for discussion (FfD). PROD is used to suggest an article or file for uncontroversial deletion. Citing Dilip Mandal’s tweets, the editor said that this may lead to discrimination against Muslims in India, and that is why the article should be deleted.
The editor wrote, “This raises a serious problem regarding the representation of Indian Muslims during colonial times and their contributions to India’s independence, as it could instill the belief that the minority community, especially Wikipedia, is spreading false information. This could create confusion, distrust in the encyclopedia, and further division between Indian religious communities by establishing the belief that Muslims did not truly contribute to freeing India from colonial rule. Therefore, the deletion of this article would not only maintain trust among Indians in Wikipedia as a useful encyclopedia, but also help prevent further fueling of hatred towards Muslims in India, especially from far-right Indian communities, which are prominent nowadays.”
However, other editors didn’t agree, and after some discussions, the deletion proposal was removed. One of the editors who objected said that it is not uncontroversial, and therefore the used method for deletion can’t be used.
The opponents argued that there is reference to Fatima Sheikh in a book published in 1991, which has been used as a reference in the article, and therefore it is wrong to say that there is no historical mention of her.
Apart from the deletion note, some editors had added the comments of Dilip Mandal in the article, but those also have been deleted, calling them vandalism.
As all edits after Dilip Mandal’s revelations have been removed, the Wikipedia page now no longer mentions that the authenticity of the story of Fatima Sheikh is under question.
Notably, while Dilip Mandal said that Fatima Sheikh is fictional yesterday, a Wikipedia editor had said that the same years ago, and he was blocked for the same. On 16 February 2021, a user added in the article that there is no record of any involvement a person named Fatima Sheikh in education of Dalits and women in India.
The editor wrote, “It must be noted that Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule started first school in Bhide Wada not in Fatima Sheikh house. There were no Muslims involvement in Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule’s effort for woman’s education at all. All those images of so called Fatima sheikh are fake. There were only few original images available of Mahatma Phule and Savitribai Phule no images have anyone called Fatima in it. No such person as Fatima Sheikh was either referred or noted who had any involvement in Dalit people’s education or woman’s education in history of India.”
However, other wiki editors didn’t agree with this, and the edit was removed. The editor then again added the note, this time with several other points, adding that “ Fatima sheikh is fictional character created by authoritarian left wing hegemony to defame and undervalue Hinduism especially OBC people.” Again the edit was removed. Not only that, the editor was permanently blocked from Wikipedia.
Notably, while the Wikipedia editors refer to a 1991 book as evidence that Fatima Sheikh actually existed, the fact is, that book just names a woman named Fatima Sheikh just once, and does not mention anything about her being the first Muslim female teacher or that she was a educationist who closely with Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule. It just mentions that she was a colleague.
In the meanwhile, Dilip Mandal has posted several posts on X explaining how there is no historical evidence of Fatima Sheikh. He also cited how several past instances when several people had questioned the authenticity of the story of Fatima Sheikh, including the 2021 Wikipedia edit mentioned above.
Posting a news report on his revelations, Mandal said, “The myth of Teacher Fatima Sheikh, built over 15 years, has been dismantled and shelved in just one day.”
Dilip Mandal also slammed Aam Aadmi Party for a 2022 tweet on ‘birth anniversary’ of Fatima Sheikh, asking what is the source of the birthday, and what is the source of her ‘photo’.
केजरीवाल और फ़ातिमा शेख की जुगलबंदी या तुष्टिकरण का एक और अध्याय
केजरीवाल की सरकार द्वारा 2022 में अख़बारों में छापा गया विज्ञापन। यह देश की किसी भी सरकार द्वारा फ़ातिमा शेख का पहला विज्ञापन है।@ArvindKejriwal जी,
He added, “Savitribai Phule did many works for Hindu social reform. She promoted widow remarriage, opened the well of her house to the untouchable castes of that time, built crèches for orphans, raised an orphan as her son and served plague patients. There is written evidence of all these works.
Did Fatima Sheikh bring any social reform among Muslims? Did she oppose the burqa system? Raised her voice against halala? Said something against triple talaq? Demanded women’s entry into the mosque? Or took any step against four marriages? Opposed the marriage of girls at an early age?”
लेकिन सरजी, आपने 2011 में छपी किताब की फ़ोटो क्यों लगाई है? गौर से देखिए।
चतुर्थ संस्करण 2011.
इस समय तक फ़ातिमा में प्राण फूंके जा चुके थे।
मैं यही कह रहा हूँ कि 1850 के दौर की फ़ातिमा के लिए आज के दौर में नए प्रमाण गढ़े गए।
When a X user posted the image of a book containing a ‘photo’ of Fatima Sheikh, Dilip Mandal responded by saying that the book is from 1991. He said that new evidence was created for a person from 1850s, while there are all evidence for Savitri Phule are old.
In a major update to the ‘Calvary Temple Church’ controversy, the Minority Welfare Department of Andhra Pradesh has issued orders to demolish the Church and associated premises located in the Namburu village, Pedakakani Mandal, Guntur District. The orders have been issued following thorough investigations exposing illegal operations being conducted within the church. As per the initial information, only structures that are in function without legal permission will be demolished.
The controversy erupted in November 2024 after a formal complaint was filed against the church alleging that its operations were conducted without legal permission from government departments like the Panchayat Raj, Revenue, Police, and the Noise Pollution Control Board. The complaint was filed with the Prime Minister’s Office in which it was also mentioned that Pastor Dr Satish Kumar looted people through tithes without paying taxes.
A proper investigation was conducted into the matter after which it was found that the church operated illegally and also converted Hindus to Christianity by distributing groceries to the poor and spreading fake claims.
**Calvari temple actively converting around 3 thousand hindus every month to Christianity**
Foreign origin news channels are claiming that …calvari Temple in Hyderabad run by paster Sathish is actively converting around 3 thousand hindus every month to Christianity… so far… pic.twitter.com/6zSDcA5hBb
In October, it was reported that the Calvary Church, led by Pastor Dr Satish Kumar from Hyderabad, converted around 3000 Hindus every month to Christianity. The Pastor who operated the “Mega Church” called Calvary Temple, notably claimed that they had done over 3.5 Lakh Hindu conversions to Christianity so far and had plans to establish 40 Calvary-like Churches across India in the next 10 years.
On 26th October, a video by the CBN News (The Christian Broadcasting Network Inc) went viral on social media platform X which talked about Calvary Temple’s conversion activities. Later on 28th October 2024, the Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF) shared on social media platform X that following orders from the Kakinada District Collector, revenue officials had confiscated the Calvary Temple which was a digital church branch operated from Hyderabad.
#BIGNEWS: Following orders from the Kakinada District Collector, revenue officials have confiscated the Calvary Temple, a digital church branch operated by Pastor Satish Kumar from Hyderabad. pic.twitter.com/KL8rCKUIPA
As reported earlier, Calvary Temple India was founded by Dr. Satish Kumar in 2005. He is often described as a “widely respected” pastor, author, and international speaker, credited with visionary leadership and “integrity.” Yet, such titles raise questions when examined against the backdrop of his missionary activities. Pastor Satish’s emphasis on “biblical standards” appears strategically tailored to increase his following, especially given his goal of aggressive conversions in India. Though he claims to embody humility and accessibility, his methods suggest a calculated approach to influence and control under the guise of humanitarianism.
The growth of Calvary Temple has been praised extensively on its website, with claims of having 400,000 members. Such rapid expansion of the church raises serious concerns about its reliance on resources and the tactics used to influx funding to target vulnerable Hindus. Calvary Temple also claims the church was constructed in just 52 days. When considered alongside initiatives like Calvary Bible College and Calvary Hospital, as well as the free meals provided, it appears to be less about philanthropy and more about building a religious empire.
Pastor Dr. Satish Kumar has grown notorious due to several of his activities though Christians consider his activities as a huge service to the community. The news report by CBN exposed the modus operandi of the missionary group’s operations as it claimed that it converted around 3000 Hindus every month. Though Christian media celebrated this as a mark of success, it highlights the controversial overreach of the church.
Exploiting vulnerability under the guise of charity
Calvary Temple’s conversion practices target vulnerable Hindus, exploiting their poverty and economic instability under the guise of charity. CBN reported that every Sunday, Calvary Church offers three free meals to attendees. The number of attendees dining at Sunday mass reaches up to 50,000, amounting to 200,000 free meals monthly. In addition to free food, the church also offers free medical services, marriage arrangements, and funeral arrangements, as calculated measures to lure Hindus into conversion.
The Pastor had earlier said that the church has already established 11 satellite churches and had plans to build 40 mega-churches across India within the next decade.
It is further crucial to note that the Church has in the past alleged that “Hindu extremist groups” often attack them. As noted earlier, Hindus have been making massive efforts to stop forced conversions conducted under the guise of free meals, medical treatment, or miracles globally. But, every time the church has been getting a free pass probably due to massive connections and international funding.
International funding, furthering US interference
Calvary Temple India’s funding details are not available on their website. However, our search revealed that they received substantial funding from the UK-based Christian Vision on two occasions. In 2020, they received £74,467, and in 2021, they received a whopping £727,394 from Christian Vision.
The Pastor also has a history of meeting then-Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence to discuss the importance of protecting religious freedom. A post by Pence in 2018 revealed the connections of the Calvary Church. Notably, when the Pastor said that he enjoyed religious freedom in India, he met US leaders allowing them to interfere in the religious matters of the country.
The US has particularly interfered in India’s internal matters concerning religious freedom for decades, especially since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) publishes annual reports on India that often target Hindus and the current government, alleging discrimination against minorities.
Inspiring to meet with Dr. Satish Kumar – pastor of Calvary Temple Church in Hyderabad, India. We discussed the importance of protecting religious freedom with faith leaders including Dr. David Jeremiah, Dr. John Ankerberg, Steve Green, Mart Green, and Dr. Jerry Johnson. pic.twitter.com/8efaTPtFub
— Vice President Mike Pence Archived (@VP45) May 8, 2018
Notably in 2020, Pastor Satish was heard saying that he managed to stay out of the government’s radar by not using words like conversion or forced conversion. He claimed that the government was happy that the church was providing ‘free food’ to the poor. Interestingly, during a pandemic, they claim to have distributed 700 tons of food and medicines to the needy. It is not hard to guess how they have used this “noble” cause for luring vulnerable Hindus.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) recently announced that the Delhi Assembly Elections will be held on 5th February and the results will be out on 8th February. The impending polls have intensified the political tension in the national capital particularly between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the two leading rivals, who are actively engaging in fierce confrontations and are seizing every opportunity to launch attacks and counterattacks against one another.
On 9th January, a delegation from the AAP, headed by Arvind Kejriwal, met with the Election Commission to express their apprehensions concerning purported irregularities in the New Delhi Legislative Assembly elections. The party alleged that there was a notable increase in both voter registrations and deletions for his constituency while claiming that extensive “voter fraud” was occurring. Furthermore, the AAP leader asserted that a total of 13,000 new voter applications had been submitted between the 15th of December and the 7th of January. He also accused the BJP of seeking to eliminate 5,500 entries to sway the voting in its favour.
He asked, “Where did all these people come from in just 15 days? These people are coming from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar as well as neighbouring states to get fraudulent votes registered. We told them about the large-scale voter deletions and suspicious additions to the voter list. We highlighted that this large-scale addition and deletion of votes amounting to 18.5% of the total voter list can completely distort the election process. If such manipulation continues, the election will not be fair but merely a farce.”
दिल्ली में चुनाव के नाम पर स्कैम हो रहा है। बीजेपी बड़े पैमाने पर वोटर लिस्ट में हेराफेरी कर रही है। स्थानीय चुनाव अधिकारियों ने बीजेपी के सामने घुटने टेक दिए हैं।
आज चुनाव आयोग से मिलकर शिकायत की है। अगर चुनाव आयोग ने तुरंत कार्रवाई नहीं की तो दिल्ली में लोकतंत्र की हत्या हो… pic.twitter.com/YF6KcvRtwx
“We pointed out that Parvesh Verma in the New Delhi seat is openly distributing money, and health camps are being held with glasses being distributed. He announced on 15th January that job fairs will be held. All of this falls under corrupt practices according to the Election Commission’s rules. Parvesh Verma should be barred from contesting the election and his residence should be raided to find out the extent of his financial resources,” Arvind Kejriwal demanded while adding that the BJP leader has even been tweeting about the same. He asserted that the local Election Commission officials had yielded to the saffron party and were assisting in all the transgressions carried out by them.
He earlier stated, “The Chief Election Commissioner is out, but we met with the other two commissioners. One of the issues we raised was regarding the New Delhi Legislative Assembly. Between 15th December and 7th January, a total of 5,500 vote notices were received to delete names from the electorate roll, in just 22 days. The total votes in this assembly are 1,00,000. This means that 5.5 per cent of the votes were removed in the last 22 days, which clearly indicates some irregularities. There are issues with these applications.”
AAP’s national convenor conveyed, “When the lower officials investigated, the individuals whose names appeared on these applications denied having filed any request and alleged forgery in their names. 89 people had applied for 5,500 applications, and 18 of them came to the Election Commission and denied submitting anything. This means a large-scale election fraud is happening.”
“We are happy that the Election Commission assured us that these corrupt practices will not be allowed to happen and strict actions will be taken. We have faith in the institution. We also requested that the local DEO (District Election Officer) and EROs (Election Registration Officers) should be suspended and transferred from their positions. Yesterday, we submitted an application to them about the voter scam, but they didn’t dare to take any action.” he claimed.
The former Delhi chief minister was accompanied by current chief minister Atishi Marlena, along with her counterpart from Punjab, Bhagwant Mann, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, and other party leaders.
BJP hits out at AAP
The disparaging comments made about the people of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were swiftly picked up by the BJP which launched an attack on Arvind Kejriwal and questioned his dual standards, especially concerning the influx of Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltrators in the country. “People from UP-Bihar living in Delhi are phoney for Arvind Kejriwal but are Rohingya and Bangladeshi infiltrators their relatives. Now, don’t need this disaster (aapda),” remarked the in-charge of BJP’s National Information & Technology Department, Amit Malviya.
दिल्ली में रह रहे यूपी-बिहार के लोग अरविंद केजरीवाल के लिए फर्जी! लेकिन रोहिंग्या और बांग्लादेशी घुसपैठिये इनके रिश्तेदार?
BJP National President JP Nadda expressed, “Arvind Kejriwal, who has been looting Delhi for the last 10 years by creating a disaster of corruption, started fearing defeat and he got agitated and started making baseless statements against our brothers and sisters of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. He has insulted our people from UP and Bihar by calling them fake voters. The people of Delhi will definitely give him a reply by uprooting him from power.”
पिछले 10वर्षों से दिल्ली पर आपदा बनकर भ्रष्टाचार का पहाड़ खड़ाकर लूट मचा रहे अरविंद केजरीवाल को अपनी हार का डर सताने लगा तो बौखलाकर उत्तर प्रदेश और बिहार के हमारे भाई – बहनों के खिलाफ अनर्गल बयानबाजी करने पर उतारू हो गये।
“Arvind Kejriwal is scared. The fear of losing has gripped him. That’s why he is now using the voter list issue as an excuse. Soon, he will start blaming EVMs for his defeat. Arvind Kejriwal is aware of his declining popularity. His hold over the voters in this area has weakened, and to divert attention, he is making baseless accusations. The people of New Delhi are smart and will not be misled by such claims,” Parvesh Verma, the BJP’s candidate in the New Delhi assembly seat also unleashed a stinging assault on the AAP supremo.
AAP facilitated illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya
The Aam Aadmi Party, which characterizes its fellow citizens as frauds, has a track record of accommodating Bangladeshi and Rohingya intruders in Delhi. “I am Amanatullah Khan Okhla MLA and chariman of Delhi Waqf Board. We have distributed one month ration and Rs 10,000 to each Rohingya family living here,” an old video of the AAP MLA gained traction online last month, exposing how the party aided the illicit occupants. Moreover, he also refused to help the poor people of Sarita Vihar during the COVID-19 lockdown for not voting for him.
AAP supporters even boasted about the extra efforts undertaken by the AAP government in Delhi to improve the conditions of Muslims, including refugees, as highlighted in a viral video from a 2022 gathering in Ahmedabad organized by the “Muslim Fighters Club,” a community-based in Juhapura. The club’s manager, Imranbhai, emphasized that Arvind Kejriwal is the only leader who sincerely cares for the Muslim community.
Villagers from Nanakheri even started a protest against then Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the decision to build a residential school for Rohingyas on the premises of the Secondary School in Nanakheri village, in 2022. Arvind Kejriwal and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia inaugurated the school for the children of Rohingya Muslims, thereafter triggering the agitation. The locals voiced that they were concerned about the possible rise in crimes in the village if the Rohingyas settled there and informed that the demonstrations had been going on for a long time but the Delhi government didn’t change its decision.
The BJP in 2022 charged that officials from the Kejriwal administration had dispatched numerous letters advocating for the allocation of EWS apartments to “infiltrators.” Adesh Gupta, the president of the Delhi BJP, emphasized that the AAP-led government in Delhi ensured that Rohingyas received adequate food, housing and other facilities, yet it did not even provide electricity connection to the Pakistani Hindu refugees living in a nearby camp.
Similar to his derogatory remarks directed at the residents of Uttar Pradesh, Arvind Kejriwal also targeted Hindu refugees in the previous year. “The audacity of these Pakistanis? First, they infiltrated our country illegally and broke the laws of our country. He should have been in jail. Have they got so much courage that they are protesting and creating a ruckus in our country? After the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act), Pakistanis and Bangladeshis will spread across the country and harass people. In the selfish interest of making them their vote bank, BJP is pushing the entire country into trouble,” he stated following the protests by Hindu and Sikh refugees against his overt fear-mongering and trivial political manoeuvres concerning the sensitive matter of CAA.
A 2020 report stated that over 300 Rohingya Muslims illegally settled in Delhi’s Madanpur Khadar locality and are continuing to expand their numbers. It revealed that they were living illicitly across from the cremation site and also took residence on 5.2 acres of land that belonged to the irrigation department of the Uttar Pradesh government. The Khasra number 612 land, valued at crores of rupees, had been grabbed by the illegal Rohingyas and Bangladeshis. According to the report, they enjoyed all government perks. During the lockdown, they had been receiving meals from Amanatullah Khan and the Delhi government. A part of Khan’s Okhla constituency includes Madanpur Khadar.
Regardless of its various antics and assertions, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its leaders tend to disparage their fellow countrymen and Hindus, while simultaneously embracing Muslims outsiders, evidently for the sake of electoral gain. The recent insulting statements about the people of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh further exemplify the same.
On Thursday, 9th January, the Gujarat High Court granted bail to ‘The Hindu’ journalist Mahesh Langa who was arrested for GST tax evasion amounting to Rs 6.64 lakhs. Langa is believed to have evaded tax through bogus claims of Input Tax Credit (ITC).
This notably is the first relief for the journalist who is facing multiple criminal charges filed against him at the DCB police station in Ahmedabad. However, he would continue to stay in jail as he is facing charges in 5 more cases relating to tax evasion.
“The authorities will release the applicant only if he is not required in connection with any other offense for the time being. If the breach of any of the above conditions is committed, the Sessions Judge concerned will be free to issue a warrant or take appropriate action in the matter,” the bail order released by Justice MR Mengdey read.
Langa’s advocate noted in the court that his client had been in jail in this particular case since October 8th and that he was willing to pay back the evaded GST amount. He also said that there was a delay in filing the FIR in the case and he was running a firm identified as DA Enterprises.
He said that the FIR filed in the case was not maintainable and that there was a separate mechanism to be followed to treat the accused in such cases under the GST Act. “The maximum punishment for the offense under the GST Act is a year’s imprisonment. The arrest was politically motivated as he was a journalist,” he added.
As per the reports, the state and the Directorate General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence have opposed the bail application. Though the bail has been issued to Langa, he will continue to stay in judicial custody as four more cases have been filed against him.
Arrest, lavish lifestyle and GST fraud
Langa was arrested on 8th October in this case under sections 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), 471 (forged document), 474 (punishment for possessing forged document), 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Later, reports suggested that Langa led a lifestyle far beyond his salary, amassing crores of rupees over the past two years. Mahesh leveraged his position as a journalist to engage in blackmail, settlements, and illicit business activities, reportedly earning millions through these means. Additionally, his name had surfaced concerning the leak of sensitive government documents.
Despite an annual salary reportedly only in the lakhs, a recent Ahmedabad Crime Branch search at his home uncovered Rs 20 lakhs in cash. Police also recovered expensive jewelry and documents related to property holdings. It was also reported that Mahesh and his wife frequently visited luxury hotels like the Oberoi and Taj Man Singh. As per the revelations, he and his wife stayed in such establishments over 98 times in the past year without covering any of the costs themselves.
Investigations further revealed that the lavish lifestyle of the journalist was primarily funded through around 220 shell companies. He also frequently traveled by chartered flights, with fares amounting to lakhs. He even has a history of hosting an extravagant birthday party, inviting prominent businessmen and city officials. For this event, he reportedly paid a Rs 5 lakh advance for the hall and gifted gold coins to each guest.
It was also learned that Langa acquired government documents but did not use these for journalism. He rather used the documents to blackmail officials and government bodies. As Mahesh Langa was first brought for questioning by the Crime Branch, he claimed that he was being targeted by the government because of his work as a journalist, but this defense failed, and he was arrested.
During the investigation, it was determined that Langa had been in contact with specific officials, with chat logs to back this up located on his devices. A further police investigation found that Mahesh had gotten documents and other private information about the Gujarat Maritime Board, triggering a search of the GMB office in Gandhinagar.
After seizing several documents and materials, the Gandhinagar police registered another FIR against him at the Sector 7 police station. Another FIR was filed against Langa on 30th October after the authorities conducted massive raids against Langa across Gujarat. The FIR was filed by Pranav Shah, director of an advertising company named Khushi Enterprises, who claimed that Langa defrauded him of Rs 28 lakh, allegedly failing to return funds provided for specific work.
The first FIR against Langa pertains to the GST scam, while the second was filed by Gandhinagar police, which alleges that he exploited his position as a journalist to leak government documents. The second case is related to the Gujarat Maritime Board and it is a sensitive case due to national security concerns linked with it. The third FIR addressed the Rs 28 lakh fraud accusation, adding another accusation to the complex case against him. The fourth case involved the creation of four fake e-way bills and in December, the journalist was again arrested in a separate tax fraud case by the Rajkot police.
