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Ahmedabad International Book Festival 2024 invites controversial historians and leftists, including propagandist William Dalrymple, triggering outrage

Anurag
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Ahmedabad International Book Festival 2024 invites controversial historians and leftists, including propagandist William Dalrymple, triggering outrage

On 1st December, social media users expressed their disappointment upon noticing the guest list for the Ahmedabad International Book Festival 2024 (AIFA 2024). The event, a collaborative effort by the National Book Trust (NBT), Delhi, and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), is currently underway at the Sabarmati Riverfront Event Centre. It was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel, on 30th November 2024. Public outrage has ensued over the invitation extended to controversial historian William Dalrymple and others.

Source: X/NBT

Social media backlash against Dalrymple’s invitation

Dalrymple is scheduled to speak at the event on 7th December 2024. He has been notably criticised for his anti-Hindu and pro-Islamist stance. Social media users strongly disapproved, questioning the rationale behind inviting such a figure to an event sponsored by government bodies. The invitation to Dalrymple was first highlighted by a social media user, Harshil, who stated, “A known Mughal apologist and Hindutva hater is invited to #AIBF2024. Has the government forgotten its role in calling off the Delhi Riots book? Or his appeal to Britain not to return looted items? Why is Dharmendra Pradhan’s ministry snubbing PM Modi?”

Noted writer and speaker Shefali Vaidya echoed these sentiments on X, sharing Harshil’s post and writing, “I am SO tired of fighting this. Every two months, some BJP state govt or some institution under the Ministry of Culture or Ministry of Education invites absolute Hindu-hating scum like Gargantuan Willy to taxpayer-funded functions. What the desperate desire to patronise the very people who despise you is, I have NEVER understood!”

Another social media user, Anmol Jain, wrote, “How does it happen again and again? Ten years in power and the government is still clueless. From serial abuser Devdutt Pattnaik to so many others, the ministries of culture and education have been the most disappointing.”

Notably, a recent government-sponsored event was cancelled after an uproar over the invitation of anti-Hindu so-called mythologist Devdutt Pattnaik. Jain also pointed out other invited “guests” at the festival, such as Savie Karnel and Kiran Manral, whom he described as hardcore leftists frequently propagating anti-Hindu and anti-Modi rhetoric on social media.

Who is William Dalrymple?

William Dalrymple, who identifies as a historian, is often associated with controversies. He has frequently criticised India and Hinduism and is known for his admiration of the Mughal Empire. He has authored several books glorifying the Mughal era. Dalrymple opposed the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Furthermore, he played a pivotal role in halting the publication of Delhi Riots 2020: The Untold Story by senior lawyer Monika Arora. The publication was cancelled, forcing Arora had to find another publisher, reportedly due to the influence of Dalrymple and other leftist groups on Bloomsbury that decided not to publish her book. In 2018, he was also accused of making many women uncomfortable during the #MeToo movement.

Who is Savie Karnel?

Savie Karnel is the author of a children’s book titled The Nameless God, which centres on two children, one Hindu and one Muslim, caught in the aftermath of riots following the demolition of the disputed structure in Ayodhya during the 1990s. Through the narrative, Karnel extensively promotes what has been termed “secular” propaganda, veiled under the guise of a children’s story.

Source: NBT/X

The book contains rhetoric that subtly criticises individuals involved in the demolition, suggesting that such people should not visit places like Dubai, and reiterates repeatedly that India is a “secular” country. While the story appears to be a straightforward children’s tale at first glance, it is evident that the author aims to instil a narrative critical of the demolition of the disputed structure in the minds of young readers stating it caused nationwide riots. The book is less about storytelling and more about shaping a particular ideological perspective in impressionable minds.

Who is Kiran Manral?

Kiran Manral is an author known for works such as The Face at the Window and others. However, she is also widely recognised for her vocal anti-BJP and anti-Modi stance on social media, making her invitation by the BJP-led government in Gujarat to the Ahmedabad International Book Festival controversial.

Source: X

In January 2020, Manral shared an article from She The People attempting to establish a narrative that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) would adversely impact Indians. The article quoted a Dalit woman questioning the fate of her mother, who lacked a birth certificate, and claimed that the CAA, NRC, and NPR were interlinked. This assertion was made despite the fact that, to date, no draft for a nationwide NRC has been published by the Government of India.

Source: X

In another post from June this year, Manral shared an article alleging that Prime Minister Modi’s government had created an unsafe environment for Muslims in the country. Furthermore, she amplified an article from The Print criticising the inauguration of the new Parliament building, describing it as “elaborate mimicry.”

Source: X

About the Ahmedabad International Book Festival 2024

The festival features 147 publishers, distributors, and booksellers from various Indian states, including Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Delhi, and Gujarat. Alongside books, the event hosts a children’s film festival showcasing 40 films from 24 countries. According to NBT’s website, the festival includes over 100 literary sessions across five segments, such as “Children’s Pavilion,” “Writers’ Corner,” and “Cultural Stage.” Renowned authors from countries like Spain, Sri Lanka, Poland, and Scotland are participating in the event. While the festival aims to celebrate literature and culture, the controversy surrounding Dalrymple’s invitation has overshadowed its proceedings. Many have called for a review of the decision-making process to ensure that future festivals better align with public sentiment and governmental priorities.

A full stomach is a Devil’s workshop – How the easy times have created more and more ‘wokes’

Virender Kapoor
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A full stomach is a Devil’s workshop – How the easy times have created more and more ‘wokes’

It’s a bit weird; everybody is trying to be different, but then they’re exactly the same as whatever mob they hang out with – Travis Fimmel

We all learnt in our schools that ‘An empty mind is a devil’s workshop’. It meant that if you have nothing to do, you will create trouble for yourself as well as others. Parents and teachers therefore insisted on the young minds to remain usefully occupied by involving in hobbies, playing games or reading books or comics.

In addition, till about a few decades ago, people lived a simpler life, in a way frugal living. There was scarcity of goods and goodies. To the youngsters there was little choice to eat out- forget about feasting. People struggled to earn their bread and butter with hard work and sweat.

Obesity was only for people, men and women alike, something to worry only after forties. Fatty forties? There were no fads like weight loss dietitians, pills and chills, trainers for six pack abs etc.

Today, chronic illnesses resulting from obesity, that were once prevalent primarily among adults, are now being encountered in children. Childhood obesity and its consequences later in life render the several years of research and advances in cardiovascular medicine counterproductive.

Changing life style

Fast food and slow life with no one ready to move their backside is taking the toll like never before. Kids as young as seven are fat, extremely overweight. They live on burgers, pizzas with extra cheese toppings and deep-fried French fries. Boys and girls coming from small towns or villages get hooked on to it quickly. Even small towns make fast food available even faster than big cities.

In short, the gen Z is having a ball of a time munching tasty foods to glory. Gen Z refers to the population that were roughly born between 1997 and 2010. Today in 2024 their age bracket is from 14 to 27- young Indians- the future of our nation!

An article in Campaign India says- ‘All Gen Z show vertical defiance and horizontal conformity, which means that they all show a desire to reject parental and societal values of appearance, gender expression, racism and caste-based discrimination. There is an inclination to define themselves as more open-minded and norm-divergent than the previous generation. Interestingly, this behaviour of being defiant is displayed across this generation, inherently making it normative. Gen Z uses this progressiveness to signal wokeness, which for them has become the new social currency.’ To be called woke is in fashion.

Their basic needs of Roti (burgers and pizzas), Kapada (apparels galore of all kinds) makaan (Swanky studio apartments), at least a more than decent housing, is met. Then what to do? Create chaos. Rowdy hormones, and stomachs full and empty minds creates a mob.

Stomachs full, free, and fair social media and confused minds, nothing much to do is a cocktail for wokeism.

Therefore, your priorities shift to liberalism, Sex change, LGBTQ, same sex marriage, and such things. Mind you, if you had no food to eat, you will not be bunking classes and sitting on ‘dharna’ you have no clue about.

Wokeism is a cruel and dangerous cult

Victor Davis Hanson says in his article that wokeism is a cruel and dangerous cult.

He paints wokeism as the modern-day equivalent of “Jacobinism,” (it was distinguished for its left-wing, revolutionary politics) referring to the bloodiest, most radical period of the French Revolution, known as the “Reign of Terror.”

Universities have these heavy hefty hormones which can be made to do wildest unimaginable things.

Colleges like Harvard, Calcutta universities, Stanford, or even JNU are the cultivating laboratories for inciting young hormones.

Imagine when a girl protesting against Israel in an American university was shouting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”, the press reporter asked, ‘which river’? She said ‘Ask the organisers.’ Audacity of woke.

They have been paid to wake up!

‘The nose of a mob is its imagination. By this, at any time, it can be quietly led.’ – Edgar Poe

Empty minds are most dangerous when they are ‘woken up’!

Today the youth feels they know everything- that they are fully aware- far from it. Being digital savvy and ‘cool’ does not make you ‘know it all’.

Now these new fashionable constructs called wokeism is actually derived from the word ‘woken up’ or ‘now I am aware’ since I have been shaken out of deep sleep (implied).

Woke, the African-American English synonym for the General American Englis word awake, has, since the 1930s or earlier, been used to refer to awareness of social and political issues affecting African Americans, often meaning stay woke. For chowkidar it is ‘Jagtey Raho’ on his night beat.

Beginning in the 2010s, it came to be used to refer to a broader awareness of social inequalities such as racial injustice, sexism, and denial of LGBTQ rights. Woke has also been used as shorthand for some ideas of the American Left involving identity politics and social justice, such as white privilege and reparations for slavery in the United State. In shor,t it gives you a false sense of superiority and a complex.

Enlightenment cannot be bought over the counter

The name Buddha: The Buddha’s name means “enlightened one” or “awakened”. 

According to Buddhist tradition, Siddhartha Gautama became the Buddha after meditating for 49 days under a Baudh-tree in Bodh Gaya, a village in Bihar. This event is known as Dharma-Chakra-Pravartana, which means “turning of the wheel of law.

And our wokes get enlightenment in minutes when a student leader or a silly woke professor comes and tickles their hormones which immediately start jumping and create a moving mob.

So, don’t even compare buddha’s enlightenment to your newly founded and funded ‘Wokeism’. Nothing could be more demeaning.

‘Wokes are very loud, arrogant, stupid people who think they know better, when in fact they have mentality of teenagers and the maturity of children. People who are perpetually angry, unhappy, and offended by everything if it doesn’t follow their ever-changing standards of what is “correct” in society, and go on “witch hunts” to destroy the lives of all “-ists” and “-phobes” or people they think are like that, who don’t think like they do and don’t follow the proper groupthink (they’ve been known to eat their own if the rules change suddenly, and some people in their cult suddenly don’t meet with the guidelines of wokeness anymore)’ – Alice Getz

Scientists say universe is made of protons and neutrons but they forgot to take into account morons.

Unfortunately, this tendency is a problem across the world which is also becoming a big challenge for the Industry. They are unable to find people who want to work- leave aside talent, they have no heart or mind to work. For most modern wokes, job is not a necessity to survive- with stomachs full, it is just an extra buck.

Delhi police book Nadeem Khan for promoting enmity: Read about his links with APCR, Jamaat and Delhi Riots

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi police book Nadeem Khan for promoting enmity: Read about his links with APCR, Jamaat and Delhi Riots

On Saturday (30th November), the Delhi police lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against Nadeem Khan for hatching a criminal conspiracy and promoting enmity and unrest.

Khan, who serves as the national secretary of the controversial Association for the Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), was seen peddling hate during a communally charged exhibition.

In a viral video, the accused was seen labelling politicians such as Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Anurag Thakur and Himanta Biswa Sarma as ‘hate mongers.’

He had also made similar allegations against prominent Hindu Twitter personalities and instigated his blind followers against them. The logo of OpIndia was seen in one of the exhibits.

BJP leader and Assam Cabinet Minister, Ashok Singhal, was one of the first to highlight the dangerous nature of the exhibition, set up by Association for the Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) in Jamia Nagar.

“This is deeply concerning…Such baseless attempts to vilify our leaders are unacceptable. Assam will not tolerate any efforts to defame them,” he said in a tweet.

Delhi police book Nadeem Khan

Khan’s one-sided display of ‘Muslim victimhood’ had the potential to stir communal violence and paint targets on the heads of several Hindu politicians and Twitter personalities.

The First Information Report stated, “The video also shows photographs of some politicians and media personalities… on multiple display boards, whom the person accuses of spreading hatred.”

“After this, the person mentions incidents from different parts of the country, portraying a particular community as victims and trying to disrupt communal harmony in the country,” it further added.

The Delhi police booked Nadeem Khan under Sections 61, 196 and 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

According to the controversial outfit, People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), a team of Delhi police reached the residence of Khan in Bengaluru and ‘illegally’ detained him at his house between 5pm-9pm.

“From 5 pm till 9 pm, they sat in the hall of the first floor of the house and coerced Nadeem to come to Delhi ‘voluntarily’ with them under ‘informal custody’,” it alleged. Nadeem Khan has not been arrested as of Monday (2nd December).

Past controversies of Nadeem Khan, ties with radical outfits

Following the undemocratic ouster of Sheikh Hasina as Prime Minister of Bangladesh, the national secretary of APCR had fantasised about the overthrow of the elected BJP government at the hands of Islamists.

“Congratulations to the people of Bangladesh. The dictators who win elections in a fraud manner face such an end. This will happen her (in India) soon,” he posted on Facebook on 5th August 2024.

Screengrab of the Facebook profile and post of Nadeem Khan

He has been eyeing a regime change operation in India. Khan has been pictured alongside Delhi riot accused Umar Khalid, fake news peddler Prashant Bhushan, dubious ‘fact-checker’ Mohammed Zubair and propagandist Arundhati Roy.

According to journalist Vijay Patel, Khan has been associated with Jamaat-e-Islami Hind.

Nadeem Khan was a part of a WhatsApp group called the ‘CAB TEAM’ along with Yogendra Yadav, Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and Parvej Alam in the run-up to the 2020 anti-Hindu Delhi riots.

He was in constant touch with Sharjeel Imam, the Islamist who wanted to cutoff Assam from the Union of India. Khan was also part of the Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC), instrumental in the Jamia Nagar riots of 2019.\

He is also the founder of United Against Hate (UAH), the organisation accused of being involved in the Delhi riot conspiracy.

Even Home Minister Amit Shah had made a special mention of this organisation during the parliamentary debate on Delhi’s riots. UAH was also ‘serving langar’ at the site of Khalistani agitation, masquerading as ‘anti-farm law protests.’

When APCR rallied against showing names of eatery owners

Interestingly, Khan’s organisation ‘Association for the Protection of Civil Rights’ had filed a petition before the Supreme Court of India in July this year.

The plea was against the directive by the State governments of UP, MP and Uttarakhand, which mandated that the shopkeepers prominently highlight their names outside their shops and eateries.

APCR was granted interim relief by the apex court by putting a stay on the order of the 3 State governments.

APCR and its ‘Muslim victimhood’ card

In July this year, OpIndia had debunked a malicious report, published by APCR, claiming that incidents of anti-Muslim crimes have increased in India following the 2024 Lok Sabha Election results.

The outrageous claims made in the report was amplified by other media houses including Free Press Journal, Clarion, and Muslim Mirror.

We exposed discrepancies and glaring inconsistencies in the narrative peddled by Nadeem Khan’s organisation pertaining to the deaths of Aurangzeb, Salman Wohra, Maulana Sahabuddin, Irshad Alam, Javed, Firoz Qureshi and others.

MEA condemns breach at Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Tripura, assures action against protesters seeking justice for minorities in Bangladesh

OpIndia Staff
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MEA condemns breach at Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Tripura, assures action against protesters seeking justice for minorities in Bangladesh

Hours after massive protests erupted outside the office of the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission office in the Agartala region of Tripura, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) took cognizance of the event and condemned the attack saying the government would take proper action against the protesters.

“The incident earlier today of the breach of premises at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala is deeply regrettable. Diplomatic and consular properties should not be targeted under any circumstances,” the official statement by the MEA read.

“Government is taking action to step up security arrangements for the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi and their Deputy/Assistant High Commissions in the country,” it added.

Earlier today, a massive protest erupted outside the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission office in Agartala in response to the ongoing atrocities against the minority community in Bangladesh. The protesters demanded justice for the Hindu community suffering at the hands of the majority in Bangladesh and demanded the release of ISKCON member Chinmoy Das Prabhu who has been illegally detained by the interim government.

Notably, the protests turned violent after a few members broke through the police barricades and entered the Commission office. The protesters were enraged as they heard that Das was not even served food in the custody and that he was being ill-treated. “We cannot tolerate attack on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh,” one of the protesters said.

The atrocities against the Hindu community in Bangladesh have increased in the recent past after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government. Since then, several organizations in India have been demanding justice for the minority community in Bangladesh. Detailed reports regarding ongoing atrocities against Hindus can be read here.

Uttarakhand: Hindus call for unity to fight against ‘love jihad’ and ‘land jihad’ at Mahapanchayat, demand demolition of illegal mosques

OpIndia Staff
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Uttarakhand: Hindus call for unity to fight against ‘love jihad’ and ‘land jihad’ at Mahapanchayat, demand demolition of illegal mosques

On Sunday, 1st December, several Hindu organizations held a Uttarkashi maha panchayat in the state of Uttarakhand and demanded that illegal mosques that had been built decades ago be demolished. The organizations stated that the Mosques were illegally built in God’s land (devbhoomi) and that they needed to be removed. The Hindu groups also called for people’s unity against incidents of love jihad and land jihad.

As per the reports, several speakers in the Uttarkashi maha panchayat including BJP leader T Raja Singh requested the state CM to look into the concerns of Hindus and suggested that the state should initiate bulldozer action against the illegal structures like Uttar Pradesh does.

“Chief Minister Dhami should have a ‘chai pe charcha’ with Yogi Adityanath. The way Yogi ji teaches a lesson to ‘land jihadis’ in Uttar Pradesh, Dhami must also bring bulldozers into action. We will not allow jihadis to engage in land jihad in Uttarakhand. Hindus across the country are looking up to the people of Uttarakhand to set an example,” T Raja Singh was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, Gangotri MLA Suresh Singh Chauhan also addressed the gathering and stated that it is important for the state to maintain the town’s religious essence. He also said that the state should ban meat, eggs, and liquor within the state. “Some are attempting to disrupt the atmosphere of this religious town, but we will not let them succeed. Uttarkashi is home to significant temples and is the centre of our faith. There will be no meat, egg, or liquor shops here,” he asserted.

As per the reports, around 500 persons participated in the event organized by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad which declared that there would be another maha panchayat in the coming times. “This is just the beginning of our struggle. We will uproot these forces from Uttarakhand,” VHP’s Anuj Walia said calling for district-wide protests.

The event comes after the Hindu groups on 9th September asserted that the mosques in the state had been illegally built. However, the investigations in the case stated that the land on which the mosques were built belonged to the Muslims. Later, on 24th October, massive protests erupted in the region resulting in clashes between the police and the protesters.

Notably, the maha panchayat was held after the district administration imposed several conditions upon the organizers. The organizers were asked not to make any alleged hate speeches, incite religious feelings, not to organize rallies, and to maintain peace. All the conditions were obeyed while conducting the event.

Chennai Special Court sentences BJP leader H Raja to 6 months in jail for comments on Periyar, Kanimozhi, allows 30-day stay for filing appeal

OpIndia Staff
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Chennai Special Court sentences BJP leader H Raja to 6 months in jail for comments on Periyar, Kanimozhi, allows 30-day stay for filing appeal

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s H Raja was sentenced to six months in prison and a fine by Chennai’s Special Court for Trial of Cases Against MLAs/MPs for his allegedly disparaging statements on Periyar and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Lok Sabha MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi. However, on his attorney’s plea, Special Judge G Jayavel postponed the sentence for 30 days so that the parties might appeal.

The attorneys for Raja stated that they planned to file an appeal with the Madras High Court. The judge granted his counsel the permission after they promptly paid fines of Rs 2,000 and Rs 3,000 in the the two different cases. The orders were issued over Raja’s 2018 remarks.

Raja had tweeted about EV Ramasamy, widely known as Periyar, calling him a caste bigot and urging that the statues of the atheist leader be destroyed. He also claimed that Kanimozhi is the illegitimate child of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi. Justice Anand Venkatesh declared that Raja’s remarks veered toward hate speech when he initially petitioned the Madras High Court in 2023 to have the First Information Reports (FIRs) against him quashed.

Raja had asked the court to dismiss the case, contending that the remarks were political in nature and that there was insufficient proof of his threats against the Periyar statue. He further argued that a third party had filed the complaint without his knowledge or approval. However, the court ordered the special court to conclude the trial within three months and declined to dismiss the case.

The conviction resulted from the court’s determination that the police had adequately demonstrated that Raja was the author of the posts from his social media account. The court decided that his words against the statue and Kanimozhi were not just political but also defamatory, describing them as provocative. The legal team representing H. Raja had insisted that the statements were taken out of context and intended as political commentary.

The court stated that while everyone had the right to hold different opinions, ideas, and beliefs from Periyar, he was not allowed to cross the “Lakshman Rekha” and utter anything that would directly offend Tamil Nadu’s Periyarists. “His assertion had a negative connotation and infuriated the daughter by presenting her in an insensitive way,” the court ruled in Kanimozhi’s case.

Raja had filed a second appeal to revoke the FIR in April of this year. The court rejected the request on the grounds that it lacked merit. It observed that the second quash petition’s arguments were factual and had been covered in the first petition. Raja had then filed an appeal with the Supreme Court. The bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and Prashant Kumar Mishra made an oral remark regarding the necessity for politicians to exercise caution when making public remarks while dismissing the SLPs that the Minister had filed.

The BJP National Secretary at the time, H. Raja was accused of insulting DMK MP Kanimozhi in 2018 by referring to her as the “illegitimate child” of DMK President M. Karunanidhi. Supporters of the DMK protested this comment, holding a large agitation and setting Raja’s effigy on fire in Coimbatore. Kanimozhi replied that she was waiting for the BJP to respond to Raja’s remarks but wouldn’t “stoop low” to reply to his tweet.

A Facebook post that Raja made regarding Dravidian ideologue EV Ramasamy “Periyar” also drew criticism when he threatened to demolish Periyar’s statues, much as Lenin’s statue was taken down in Tripura. Many political groups, including the DMK, Congress, and the banned terrorist outfit Popular Front of India, strongly condemned these posts following which complaints were made to a number of police stations, including Karungalpalayam Police Station and Erode Nagar Police. Later, he apologized and removed the post, maintaining it was created by his Facebook administrator without his permission.

Massive traffic jam chokes Delhi-Noida border due to protest march to Parliament by Western UP farmers

OpIndia Staff
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Massive traffic jam chokes Delhi-Noida border due to protest march to Parliament by Western UP farmers

Uttar Pradesh farmers started their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march towards the Parliament complex on 2nd December, causing severe congestion at the Delhi-Noida borders. The Uttar Pradesh-based farmers are pursuing their five demands for perks and compensation under the recently enacted agricultural law.

The police increased security measures, including erecting barricades, inspecting cars and rerouting traffic in Delhi-NCR (National Capital Region), in response to the protest, which is underway during the current Winter Session of Parliament.

The protest march was coordinated by the Bhartiya Kisan Parishad (BKP) and other farmer organizations from at least 20 districts including Gautam Buddh Nagar, Agra, Aligarh and Bulandshahr, four times the market rate compensation and 20 percent plots on land acquired after 1st January 2014, employment and rehabilitation benefits for the children of landless farmers, government orders on the issues passed by the High Power Committee, proper settlement of the populated areas and the allocation of 10 percent plots along with 64.7 percent increased compensation under the old acquisition law are the five main demands of the farmers.

Heavy security did not prevent farmers from breaking through barricades and sitting on them. Since traffic on one side of the highways linking Noida and Delhi was stopped, they sat on the road. Furthermore, police blocked the Dalit Prerna Sthal in Noida, which runs from Greater Noida to Delhi.

The farmers have been staying at the Shambhu and Khanauri border posts between Punjab and Haryana since February under the leadership of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political). Farmers intended to march towards Delhi on foot and on tractors after the protest started in Noida near the Mahamaya Flyover. BKP leader Sukhbir Khalifa stated, “We are ready for our march towards Delhi. We will start our march towards Delhi from under the Maha Maya flyover (In Noida). At noon, all of us will reach the Parliament complex and demand our compensation and benefits as per the new laws.”

Delhi Police and Gautam Buddh Nagar Police have erected barriers at the Noida-Delhi border crossings in anticipation of the protest march in order to stop the farmers from marching into the national capital. The DND Flyway and Chilla Border are among the locations experiencing major traffic jams as a result of police conducting thorough vehicle inspections and rerouting some routes. Traffic bottlenecks on the diverted routes can be avoided by taking the metro, according to police recommendations. Police in riot gear and a three-tiered security system were put in place to keep the farmers out of Delhi. At every checkpoint, the traffic police inspected vehicles, further enhancing security around Delhi. 

Apoorva Gupta, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP East Delhi) commented, “We got some advance information about some farmers’ organisation who have announced a march to Delhi. They have not been permitted to enter Delhi for this protest as the Parliament session is on. We will ensure no law & order situation arises and there are no traffic disruptions. We are coordinating with Noida Police. The police force is deployed at all major and small Delhi-UP borders,” regarding the deployment of police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) at the Delhi-UP Chilla border

Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Noida, Shivhari Meena informed, “Over 4,000 police personnel have been deployed. There is three-layered security. Some farmer leaders have been detained. We will not allow the farmers to go to Delhi at any cost.” The routes from Sirsa to Surajpur via Pari Chowk in Greater Noida and from Yamuna Expressway to Delhi via Noida-Greater Noida Expressway are closed to all freight trucks.

UP: 16-year-old Shailesh murdered over a relationship with a Muslim girl; the girl’s family, including her parents, arrested

OpIndia Staff
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UP: 16-year-old Shailesh murdered over a relationship with a Muslim girl; the girl’s family, including her parents, arrested

On Saturday, 30th November, the Uttar Pradesh Police arrested around 5 persons for murdering Shailesh Yadav, a minor boy studying in class 9 in Prayagraj. It is believed that the victim was in an alleged relationship with a Muslim girl which irked the family of the latter. The accused persons then, who belong to the family of the girl are believed to have murdered the boy. As per the reports, the girl and her parents are among the arrested.

As per the local reports, the incident is said to have happened in the Uttaraon police station area of Prayagraj. The victim boy had notably gone missing on Saturday, 30th November. The father of the victim, Ashwani Kumar Yadav stated that he got a call from someone on Saturday evening after which he left the home. Further, he got concerned as Shailesh failed to return home late at night. The family members of the boy also tried to call him but his phone was later switched off. At around 11 pm, the family of the boy began looking for him in the Ismail Lala Ka Pura village discovering his lifeless body.

The dead body of Shailesh was recovered from near a pond just 200 m away from his home. Apart from the dead body, the family of the boy also discovered a blood-stained axe, a mobile phone, and a pair of slippers. The police were then informed about the matter and immediately began investigations into the case.

During the investigations, it came to the fore that the boy was in an alleged relationship with a Muslim girl and the family members of the girl had disapproved of their relationship. They had also warned the boy to stay away from the girl but the mutual communication between the duo continued.

The parents of the boy suspect that the family of the girl deceptively called the boy and then murdered him before throwing his dead body near the pond. The police meanwhile confirmed that the victim had been hit on his head with a shovel causing severe injuries. Further, the pair of slippers and the mobile phone were also found to be belonging to the father of the girl. After this, the police arrested the girl, her parents, her brother, and one other person in the case. Interrogations in the case are underway.

Amid this, communal tensions have erupted in the village given the accused and the victim belonged to different religions. Monitoring the situation, the police have deployed force in the village to ensure tranquility. The dead body of the boy has been sent for post-mortem. Further probe in the case is underway.

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma dares Congress to demand beef ban, after the party accuses him of feeding beef to voters

OpIndia Staff
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Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma dares Congress to demand beef ban, after the party accuses him of feeding beef to voters

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared that he would be willing to outlaw beef in Assam if state Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah wrote to him proposing it. His comments followed the Congress party’s claim that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) gave beef to voters to win the by-elections in the predominantly Muslim Samaguri constituency. Sarma added that he was pleased that the opposition party made the allegation over the Samaguri seat, which had been won by the Congress for five consecutive terms till now.

“Samaguri was with Congress for 25 years. Congress losing a constituency like Samaguri by 27,000 votes (sic) is the biggest shame in its history,” he highlighted on 30th November while talking to the media and added, “It is one of the darkest chapters the the history of Congress. BJP’s victory is as significant as Congress’ loss. It’s a major disgrace for them”, Sarma stated.

A by-election last month saw the saffron party’s Diplu Ranjan Sarmah defeat Congress’s Tanzil who is the son of party’s Lok Sabha MP Rakibul Hussain, by 24,501 votes.

Afterwards, Hussain also accused Sarma of hosting a beef party to woo the Muslim voters in his party’s favour.

“But amidst sadness, Rakibul Hussain said one good thing that eating beef is wrong, isn’t it? He said that it was wrong for BJP to win elections by offering beef party to voters. I want to know if Congress was winning Samaguri by offering beef to voters. He knows Samaguri very well. Does it mean that Samaguri can be won by offering beef,” the chief minister asked.

Hussain served as a Samaguri MLA for five straight terms before entering the parliament. This year, he won the Dhubri Lok Sabha seat by a record margin of more than 10.12 lakh votes.

Sarma then conveyed, “I want to tell Rakibul Hussain that beef should be banned as he himself said it is wrong. He only needs to give me in writing that neither BJP nor Congress should speak about beef, in fact, it should be banned in Assam. If we do that, all problems will be solved.”

Additionally, in light of Hussain’s statement, Sarma mentioned that he would write to the head of the state Congress regarding his position on beef and prohibit it in the entire northeastern state if the latter sends a written request to him. Sarma expressed that he was happy that the opposition party raised the matter.

He further challenged, “So, I will write to Bhupen Borah and ask him if he also advocates banning beef in line with Rakibul Hussain, and just inform me. I will completely ban beef at the next assembly (accordingly). Then BJP, AGP, CPM, nobody will be able to offer, and Hindus, Muslims and Christians all should stop eating beef, and all problems will be solved. I am happy that Rakibul Hussain has made this statement because at least one step has been taken. Now, the second step should be taken by Bhupen Borah.”

The Assam Cattle Preservation Act of 2021 forbids the slaughter and sale of beef in places where the main population is Hindu, Jains, or Sikhs, as well as within five kilometers of a temple or satra (Vaishnavite monastery). The action permits the sale of beef exclusively in specific locations and restricts all sales in areas inhabited by non-beef-eating communities.

‘Whom are you messing with? We live near Bhai’s house’: Ex-Pak cricketer Rashid Latif boasts proximity to Dawood Ibrahim over Champions Trophy 2025 imbroglio

OpIndia Staff
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‘Whom are you messing with? We live near Bhai’s house’: Ex-Pak cricketer Rashid Latif boasts proximity to Dawood Ibrahim over Champions Trophy 2025 imbroglio

In a Pakistani YouTube show ‘Caught Behind’, former Pakistan cricketer Rashid Latif boasted proximity to Dawood Ibrahim, India’s most wanted criminal accused of the ghastly 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts that left 257 dead and over 1,400 injured.

Speaking to the host, Dr Nauman Niaz, Latif said, “What do you think, whom are you messing with, we live near Bhai’s house.” Latif lives in Karachi, the same city where fugitive Indian gangster Dawood Ibrahim is reported to be living, under the protection of Pakistan intelligence agency ISI. 

The discussion between Niaz and Latif pertained to the ongoing imbroglio between the BCCI and PCB over the Indian cricket team’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025. The BCCI had demanded a hybrid model where India matches could be played at a neutral venue while the PCB was bent on conducting the entire tournament in Pakistan.

With Jay Shah taking over the reins of the ICC and PCB reportedly mulling over the proposition of proceeding with a hybrid model, an annoyed Latif threatened India by flaunting his alleged closeness to India’s most wanted criminal.

However, this is not the first time Latif has made controversial remarks in his videos on social media. In several videos that have gone viral on the internet, Latif’s bigotry has given a glimpse into the inherent extremism that exists in the minds of the average Pakistani.

In one such video, Latif could be heard saying how most of the monuments extant in India were built by his ancestors, that there were “14 dons” in India, all belonging to his community, and that he should not be compelled to become another don.

Nevertheless, Latif’s latest remarks come in the wake of the Champions Trophy 2025 stalemate between BCCI and PCB over where to organise the India matches.

In the first week of November, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) formally communicated to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that the Indian cricket team won’t be travelling to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy scheduled to take place next year. The BCCI cited security concerns as its reason for not sending the cricket team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.

Additionally, the BCCI also expressed its desire to organise all India’s matches in a neutral venue, preferably Dubai. Since the ICC designated Pakistan as the host for the 2025 Champions Trophy, there have been doubts about India’s involvement due to ongoing diplomatic tensions between the neighbouring nations. Now, reports claim the PCB is nearing giving its nod for a hybrid model with a few conditions.

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