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Jharkhand: Court rejects bail of baby-selling nun, Church portal calls it ‘sectarian hatred’

K Bhattacharjee
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Jharkhand: Court rejects bail of baby-selling nun, Church portal calls it ‘sectarian hatred’

The Union of Catholic Asian News (UCAN) published a report on Friday where it was stated that Church activists suspect “political interference and sectarian hate” behind the refusal of the state to grant bail to the nun who was arrested last year after being accused of selling babies. The nun belonged to the Missionaries of Charity.

“I feel there is some strong element of political pressure in the case. Otherwise, the court has always granted bail in such cases,” said AC. Michael, a Christian leader and former member of the Delhi Minorities Commission, as per the report.

Jenis Francis, a Christian activist and lawyer, blamed sectarian hate for the nun’s continued incarceration. “A person is innocent until proven guilty. Why the nun continues to languish in prison is beyond one’s reach of reason,” Jenis said. “The prejudice against Mother Teresa is deeply rooted in the minds of Hindu fanatics. The name of Mother Teresa is deliberately being dragged into the case to defame her name and the work of her nuns among the poor,” Jenis told ucanews.com.

It appears rather bizarre that Church activists choose to blame ‘sectarian hatred’ and ‘political interference’ for the accused nun’s continued imprisonment given the extremely checkered conduct of the church in the past. Catholic-run institutions are known to shelter and protect paedophiles and sexual predators and indulge in a myriad of illegal activities. Under such circumstances, to blame ‘sectarian hatred’ appears rather revolting.

Moreover, the nun is accused of a heinous crime. Selling babies is no small matter. In June, 22 files were recovered from the banks of the Swarnrekha river in Namkum. The files are believed to be related to the business of selling babies and the investigation has been handed over the CID. The investigative agency will now try to decipher what the files contain, why an attempt was made to dispose of them and where they came from.

The baby-selling racket was unearthed last year when the Police discovered that at least 4 babies were sold by the nun working at Nirmal Hriday, a shelter home run by the Missionaries of Charity. It was further discovered by the Police that there was no information about as many as 280 children born at Missionaries of Charity shelters in Ranchi. It is a huge scandal. Blaming ‘sectarian hatred’ for keeping people involved in such crimes inside prisons only betrays the Church’s involvement in it.

The Missionaries of Charity is currently under investigation in other matters as well. Last month, the Jharkhand state government recommended the Union Home Ministry to initiate a CBI investigation into foreign donations received and spent by Missionaries of Charity and all its subsidiaries.

It is not unheard for the Church to protect criminals in their midst. They have, after all, protected sexual predators and paedophiles for years. Even the Pope is accused of taking no action against a priest he knew was involved in abusing children sexually but instead elevating him to higher echelons of power. In India, the manner in which Bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused of raping a nun, was protected by the Church is well known to everyone.

Under such circumstances, for church activists to blame ‘sectarian hatred’ instead of reflecting upon the horrific crime allegedly committed by the nun is precisely why criminals will continue to have a free run in churches. As long as Christian activists continue to blame everyone else under the sun apart from the devils in their own midst, corruption in Churches will continue to run rampant.

Shia Waqf Board chief petitions court to ban ‘un-Islamic’ green flag, SC seeks Modi government’s response

OpIndia Staff
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Shia Waqf Board chief petitions court to ban ‘un-Islamic’ green flag, SC seeks Modi government’s response

The apex court of the country has asked the Government of India to respond within two weeks on the demand to enforce a ban on the use of the green flag with a crescent moon and a star. Syed Waseem Rizvi of the UP Shia Waqf Board claimed in a petition filed by him that the flag is ‘unIslamic’ and it resembles Pakistani proponent Muslim League’s flag. He has demanded that the use of the flag be banned as it stirs tension in society.

Seeking central government’s response to the petition asking for a ban on the flag, the bench of two judges, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, has asked Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to present government’s opinions in this matter. The court had accepted the PIL petition of Wasim Rizvi, President of the Shia Waqf Board of Uttar Pradesh. Rizvi filed the petition on April 17, 2018.

Rizvi has asserted that the use of patently unIslamic flag by Muslims has exacerbated the rift between different communities as it is viewed with suspicion by others as representative of Pakistan and has a potential to flare up tensions between them. He argued that Prophet Mohammed used a white or a black flag in his caravan and not a green flag with a crescent moon and a star.

Rizvi said, “I have demanded an immediate ban on the green flag of the moon and a star from the Supreme Court because this flag is similar to the flag of Pakistan and the Muslim League.”

Rizvi contended that the flag bearing a crescent moon and a star strongly resemble the national flag of Pakistan and many Muslim clerics wrongly associate the flag with Islam. He stated that the flag has nothing to do with Islam and it owes its origins to the All-India Muslim League which was founded by Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Nawaz Ul-Malik in 1906 in Dhaka.

He further added that All India Muslim League was dissolved on August 15, 1947, and the successor of this party with the name ‘Pakistan Muslim League’ was constituted in Pakistan. Currently, Pakistan Muslim League and Pakistan Muslim League( Qaid Azam) have their party flags inspired from it.

Rizvi said that Muslims in India use the flag like the Islamic flag. “This flag is hoisted in a Muslim-dominated area, which often causes disharmony among Hindus and Muslims. The petitioner says that crescent moon and star in the green flag were never part of any Islamic practise, nor do they have any significance in Islam, ” Rizvi said.

Bihar: 3 cattle thieves, Raju Nutt, Naushad Quereshi and Veeresh Nutt beaten to death by locals, one critical

OpIndia Staff
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Bihar: 3 cattle thieves, Raju Nutt, Naushad Quereshi and Veeresh Nutt beaten to death by locals, one critical

3 men were thrashed to death by the locals of Baniyapur village of the Saran district in Bihar suspecting that they were cow thieves. According to the police, the incident happened on Friday morning at around 4:30 am when 4 men with a pickup van allegedly carrying cattle were discovered by the villagers. The villagers nabbed the men and flogged them mercilessly until they collapsed.

The police took the three men to a nearby hospital in Chhapra where the doctors declared that 2 of the 4 were “brought dead”. The third one who was critically injured by public flogging to sustained his injuries and breathed his last while undergoing treatment at the hospital. The fourth one is seriously injured and is currently being treated at Baniyapur Health Centre. The deceased are identified as Naushad Quereshi, Raju Nutt and Veeresh Nutt.

According to the locals, these four men entered the village in their pickup van at around 1 am in the dead of the night. The alleged smugglers apparently first stole 4 goats owned by the villager named Budhu Ram and then proceeded to steal a buffalo chained nearby. However, the noise caught some villagers’ attention and they learned that their cattle are being stolen by a group of cattle smugglers. In the ensuing commotion, a large number of villagers chased down the alleged cattle smugglers who were desperately trying to escape from the village. They were eventually caught and scores of lathis and rods were rained upon them.

A police case has been filed by the villagers against the alleged cattle smugglers. Inconsolable family members of the alleged cattle smugglers have also filed an FIR against the villagers. The bodies of the deceased have been sent to postmortem.

The police said that the three alleged cow smugglers were beaten to death by the villagers in the fit of rage. The police have claimed there was a wave of seething anger amongst the locals due to similar incidents of cattle smuggling in the recent past. An investigation has been launched into the incident and the police are determining if the three alleged cattle smugglers were involved in other thefts as well and if they had a criminal record.

Rahul Gandhi lies, says Priyanka Vadra arrested in UP who was only taken away to a guest house

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi lies, says Priyanka Vadra arrested in UP who was only taken away to a guest house

Rahul Gandhi added another lie to his long list of lies when he said that his sister Priyanka was illegally arrested by UP police. Referring to Priyanka Vadra being stopped from visiting Sonbhadra and taken to a guest house by police in UP, the former Congress president tweeted that “the illegal arrest of Priyanka in Sonbhadra, UP, is disturbing”.


He alleged that it was an arbitrary application of power by the administration, which reveals increasing insecurity in UP.

But the fact is, Priyanka Vadra has not been arrested. In fact, UP police had said that she was not even detained by police. She was stopped from going to the area in Sonbhadra district where 10 persons were shot down and many more were injured, and was taken to a state guest house.

On 17th July, around 300 armed men of a gram Pradhan had opened fire on tribal people who were protesting against the illegal occupation of their land. Today Priyanka Vadra had met the injured persons in BHU hospital in Varanasi, and when she was on her way to Sonbhadra to meet to families of victims, she was stopped by police. The administration has imposed prohibitory order under section 144, and the convoy of the Congress leader was not allowed to go there as a preventive measure.

The situation is very tense after the massacre, and the administration does not want anything that can provoke retaliatory violence. Therefore, no political party is allowed to visit the site for the time being. District administrations have the right to impose such preventive measures to maintain law and order, and it is not an arbitrary application of power a Rahul Gandhi alleges. It may be noted the two main political parties in the state, SP and BSP have not attempted to violate prohibitory orders realising the gravity of the situation, but the Congress general secretary tried to visit the site.

Rahul Gandhi’s ally in Bengal Mamata Banerjee regularly imposes such restrictions in WB. The WB government regularly stops BJP MPs from visiting even their own constituencies citing law and order situation, but Rahul Gandhi remains silent on such situations. But when a Congress leader is just stopped from violating section 144, he lies by terming it ‘illegal arrest’.

Haryana: Hindu organisations recite Hanuman Chalisa in protest alleging that two youths were arrested on false molestation charges

OpIndia Staff
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Haryana: Hindu organisations recite Hanuman Chalisa in protest alleging that two youths were arrested on false molestation charges

Members of various Hindu organisations, including Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad came together to protest against what they claim a false molestation case registered against two Hindu youths, reports Dainik Bhaskar. The case was registered against Deepak and his younger minor brother, in old Hamid Chowki area in Yamunanagar, Haryana on Thursday,

The members of various Hindu organisations gathered outside old Hamida Chowki around 5.45pm on July 18 and recited Hanuman Chalisa to stage protest against the police authorities who registered a case without proper investigation and against the people of the minority community who falsely accused the two boys of molesting a girl from the minority community.

They demanded that the case registered against the two Hindu boys should be taken back and also demanded their immediate release.

DSP headquarters, Subhash Chand and Chowki in-charge, Ratan Singh both reached the spot and tried to pacify the crowd but the Hindus remained hellbent and maintained that until the case was not taken back and their demands not met, they would not end the protest.

The Hindus alleged that few people from the minority community were trying to create communal rifts and tensions in the village by falsely accusing the Hindu boys on charges of molestation. They further alleged that the girl from the minority community had lodged a false complaint against Deepak and his minor brother. The protestors confirmed that one of the so-called accused, Deepak was not even present in the village when he was falsely implicated in the crime.

Alleging that the police hurriedly arrested the two youths without even investigating the matter properly, they demanded that members of a peace committee formed by the minority community, who are actually involved in the sudden disappearance of many Hindu girls from the locality be excluded from the same.

The Hindus further said that the Yamunanagar police never takes up the cases against the people of the minority community seriously. On receiving complaints they say they would investigate but the cases but ultimately hush up the matter.

However, the DSP, who reached the Hamida Chowki where the Hindu groups sat on a peaceful protest and decided to chant Hanuman Chalisa until their demands were not met, said that he would personally look into the case and assured justice.

Supreme Court orders verdict in Babri Masjid demolition case to be delivered within 9 months

OpIndia Staff
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Supreme Court orders verdict in Babri Masjid demolition case to be delivered within 9 months

The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that trial of BJP stalwarts like LK Advani, Uma Bharti, Murli Manohar Joshi and others in the Babri Masjid demolition case be completed and the verdict delivered within the next nine months.

The Supreme Court (SC) also said the examination of witnesses and documents must be kept as short as possible. The apex court today extended the tenure of Special Judge SP Yadav to complete the trial. Yadav, whose retirement was scheduled on September 30, had sought extra time to complete the trial.

In April 2017, the SC had asked the special judge to complete the trial within two years.

On May 30, 2017, special CBI court framed charges of criminal conspiracy against senior BJP leaders including Advani, Joshi, Bharti and eight others under section 120B (Punishment of criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

The Supreme Court, on 19 April, had called the destruction of the mosque a “crime” that shook the “secular fabric of the Constitution” while allowing the CBI’s plea seeking restoration of the criminal conspiracy charges.

On 6 December 1992, the disputed structure in Ayodhya was pulled down by kar sevaks.

It is to be noted that conspiracy charges against Advani and others were dropped by the special CBI Court in 2001, which sought to distinguish between the main demolition case and the case related to hate speeches. The decision was endorsed by the Allahabad High Court in 2010.

On May 30, 2017, the court had granted bail to Advani and Joshi against the submission of a personal bond of Rs 50,000 each. Apart from Advani and Joshi, senior BJP leaders Uma Bharti, Vinay Katiyar, senior VHP leader Vishnu Hari Dalmia and well-known social worker Sadhvi Ritambara were granted bail. They all appeared before the court in connection with the framing of charges, in the 25-year-old case, in the light of a Supreme Court order.

The Apex Court had transferred the case against Advani, Joshi, and Bharti among others from a Raebareli court to Lucknow for a joint trial in the demolition case.

Historically, the razing of the Ram temple — built in the honour of Lord Ram on Ramkot hill, which happens to be the Janmasthan (birthplace) of the revered Hindu deity — dates back to 1528. Mir Baqi, a general in the army of invader Babar had demolished the temple on his order and erected a “mosque” on its ruins. The “mosque” came to be known as “Babri Masjid”. The so-called mosque was originally called Masjid-e-Janmasthan, thus establishing the fact that it was built over the birthplace of Lord Ram. The Supreme Court is hearing the separate title suit for the site between Hindus and Muslims, which is going on for more than 50 years. In 2010 the Allahabad High Court had ordered the site to be divided equally in three parties, one Muslim and two Hindu groups. All the parties had appealed the order in Supreme Court.

Mangaluru villagers caught Mohammad Ansari raping a calf, police arrests villagers for ‘hurting religious beliefs’

OpIndia Staff
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Mangaluru villagers caught Mohammad Ansari raping a calf, police arrests villagers for ‘hurting religious beliefs’

Yesterday, an extremely repulsive case of bestiality came to the fore, where a man named Mohammad Ansari raped a calf in Kunjathbail of Mangaluru. He reportedly tied the limbs of the calf with a rope and then raped the calf.

Local villagers and some activists had caught the sexual pervert red-handed during the act and shot a video which went viral on social media.

The Mangaluru police, along with registering a case against the perpetrator, have surprisingly, booked the three activists also, who caught Ansari performing the outrageous act.

According to reports, two cases have been registered by the Kavoor police.

The first case was registered against three accused namely Abhi, Sushanth and Prajwal for assaulting and ‘hurting religious beliefs’, along with other charges. They have been booked under IPC sections 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony).

Abhi, Sushanth and Prajwal are the three activists who along with the local villagers had caught hold of Ansari while Ansari was raping a calf in a field.

Meanwhile, the second was registered against Mohammed Ansari under 377 IPC.

OpIndia got in touch with the police who confirmed that the three activists were arrested for ‘hurting religious beliefs’.

In the video, which went viral on social media, Mohammed Ansari, who hails from Jharkhand, was seen confessing to his crime after one of the activists, who is not visible in the video, was heard jeering the accused. The activists got hold of a bottle of oil from Ansari’s shirt pocket to prove that he was using it for the act.

“We worship cow like our mother and you are having sex with it,” said one of the activists after catching Ansari. In the video, it can be seen that Ansari’s shirt has traces of cow dung stuck on it.

As the men confronted Ansari, he then feigned crying. The activist also asked Ansari how many times he had committed such acts in the past to which Ansari said that it was for the first time. “Would you treat your sisters in the same way too?” the activists were heard asking Ansari.

The villagers also made Ansari touch cow’s feet and ask for forgiveness. However, when Ansari approached the calf, the animal got scared and ran away. The angry activist said, “It is running as its scared of you. Look what have you done, the poor animal is running. It thinks you are coming again for the same thing.”

Priyanka Vadra attempts to visit Sonbhadra massacre site despite section 144, detained by police at guest house

OpIndia Staff
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Priyanka Vadra attempts to visit Sonbhadra massacre site despite section 144, detained by police at guest house

Congress leader Priyanka Vadra was detained by police in Uttar Pradesh after she tried to visit Sonbhadra in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress General Secretary was on her way to meet the family members of those who were killed over a land dispute. The police took her to the district headquarters from Narayanpur where she was sitting in a dharna for stopping her from going to Sonbhadra.


On July 17, 10 tribal persons were shot dead by armed henchmen of a gram Pradhan over a piece of land in Sonbhadra district. According to reports, around 300 people in 32 tractor-trailers were brought to occupy land belonging to tribal people. When they opposed the move, the occupiers started firing them. According to survivors, the firing went for half an hour. They also beat people will sticks who fell down to the ground after being shot.

The locals didn’t know that the attackers were armed, and when the firing started, they started running and called the police, who arrived after an hour. 10 people were killed in the attack, and 23 were injured. Police have arrested 29 people so far in the case, including the main accused gram pradhan. Police have also recovered guns and rifles from the accused.


Earlier today Priyanka Vadra visited BHU hospital Varanasi where the injured in the massacre are being treated. After that when she was on her way to Sonbhadra to meet the families of victims, her convoy was stopped by the administration at Narayanpur in Mirzapur. Priyanka Vadra objected to this and demanded to see the order prohibiting her visit and give her the reason for the same. She also offered to go with just 4 aides to comply with section 144, but the administration didn’t agree citing prohibitory orders.


Following this, the Congress leader sat on a dharna along with her aides. After some time, Priyanka Vadra was taken away by police in SDM’s vehicles from the location. The District administration has said no political parties will be allowed to visit the area where section 144 has been imposed.

Although media reports said that the Congress General Secretary was detained, police has denied it. Even Congress party alleged that she was detained. But UP DGP has said that Priyanka Vadra has been moved to Chunar Guest House, and she has not been detained since section 144 is in place.

UP CM Yogi Adityanath has assured strict action in the case. He said that the foundation of this incident was laid in 1955 when the then Tehsildar did the unlawful act of registering the land of Gram Samaj in the name of Adarsh Cooperative society.

Here are 15 famous quotes from Harsha Bhogle during his commentary stint

Ritesh
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Here are 15 famous quotes from Harsha Bhogle during his commentary stint

The famous Indian commentator, Harsha Bhogle, born on July 19 in Hyderabad is celebrating his 58th birthday today. The chemical engineer and IIM Graduate, fluent in English, is regarded as ‘Voice of India’. Adam Gilchrist once called him ‘India’s Richie Benaud equivalent and the guru of cricket from India’.

Here are some famous quotes from Harsha Bhogle during the cricket commentary

“Eruption of joy at the fall of an Indian wicket can only mean one thing.” Harsha Bhogle on Tendulkar’s arrival on the crease in a Test match.

“There is only one man who can hit better shot than Tendulkar and that’s Tendulkar himself.” When Tendulkar played back to back cover drives in a similar direction during his knock of 122 against England in 1996.

“This is Yuvraj unleashed. Absolutely unleashed.” Harsha on Yuvraj during his 70 runs against Australia in World T20 semi-final.

“6 and 4 seems to be the new binary code for this man.” On Gayle’s power-hitting 175 against Pune in IPL.

“I think he is waiting for tomorrow’s newspaper to declare him out.”  During the famous Sydney test when Clarke was waiting for umpire’s decision after nicking the ball.

“We have a surgeon at one end and a butcher at the other.” When Tendulkar and Dhoni were batting together during Tendulkar’s double hundred in ODIs in Gwalior.

“Is there a more calming sight in the world than Rahul Dravid taking guard?” When Rahul Dravid took the guard during one of his test innings.

“Pujara is a classical musician in the era of Yo Yo Honey Singh.” On Cheteshwar Pujara’s batting.

“Anil Kumble has scored his 1st century. This is the most romantic moment in Indian cricket.” On Anil Kumble’s maiden test century against England in 2007

“Ladies and gentlemen, fasten your seat belts. We are ready for the take-off.“ On AB de Villiers’ explosive start in an IPL game.

“Symonds looks like a child whose chocolate has been taken away.” When Andrew Symond’s LBW appeal against Tendulkar was turned down by the umpire.

“You almost got an orgasm there” Harsha Bhogle, when Gavaskar was praising Rahul Dravid for ample of time to tackle a ball in Tests.

“He just loves to storm through. I guess if he had a car, he would probably start it in 4th gear.” On Glenn Maxwell’s batting style.

“Adelaide is in Australia just on the map, otherwise it is just India and Pakistan.” During the India-Pakistan World Cup match at Adelaide in 2015.

“Open the textbook and turn to page 32.” When Tendulkar punched the straight drive off Ishant Sharma in an IPL game.

United Muslim Forum asks Muslims not to kill cows on Bakr-Eid, asks state government to stop Gau Rakshaks

OpIndia Staff
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United Muslim Forum asks Muslims not to kill cows on Bakr-Eid, asks state government to stop Gau Rakshaks

The United Muslim Forum, a confederation of different Muslim organisations has appealed to members of their community not to sacrifice cows during the upcoming Muslim festival of Eid-ul-Azha, (also known as Bakr-Eid) next month.

As per reports, the Forum has stated that lambs, goats and other animals ‘permissible for sacrifice under Indian law’ can be sacrificed.

The forum has also urged the state government to take adequate steps to stop ‘self-styled’ Gau Rakshaks and prevent incidents of lynching, harm, loss of life and any possible tension between the different communities.

The UMF reportedly stated that all festivals should be celebrated with peace and harmony. It added that the Muslim community must refrain from killing bovine animals on Bakr-Eid so possibilities of mischief are reduced.

Urging the state government to take precautionary measures to prevent hate crimes and lynching, the forum also asked that stringent laws must be formed to protect the life and properties of the citizens.

It has also asked the state government to take care of religious monuments. It insisted that the Telangana government must explore ‘alternative ways’ to preserve Waqf institutions while carrying out road widening and other development projects.

It is notable here that state home minister Mohammad Mehmud Ali had appealed to Muslims on Wednesday to respect the sentiments of people from other religions and sacrifice sheep instead of cows.

“The cow is respected and worshipped among Hindus. So, I appeal to all Muslim brethren to totally refrain from sacrificing the cow. Instead, offer a ‘small sacrifice’. You can sacrifice sheep or any other animals,” Ali had stated.

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