Home Blog Page 6175

Uttar Pradesh: 6 arrested after illegal weapons recovered from Madrasa, ferried weapons using car with ‘Shiv Sena’ sticker to hide identity

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Uttar Pradesh: 6 arrested after illegal weapons recovered from Madrasa, ferried weapons using car with ‘Shiv Sena’ sticker to hide identity

The Uttar Pradesh Police has recovered a huge cache of illegal weapons from a madarsa in Bijnor. As per Police, they received information that some anti-social elements visited the madarsa regularly.


The car which reportedly smuggled weapons was also recovered from the madarsa. As per Amar Ujala report, the car had ‘Shiv Sena’ written on it.

According to police, the madarsa also operated as a ‘hikmat’ (a place where a hakim prescribes medicines). The illegal weapon smugglers would come pretending to be patients. No one suspected that the ‘patients’ were actually arms smugglers.

Police suspects that Sabir, who hails from Bihar, was the main supplier. He got a ‘Shiv Sena’ sticker on his car used for smuggling so that no one suspects him.

5 pistols and several cartridges have been recovered and six people, including Zafar Islam, Noor Ali, Mohammad Sabir, Azizurahman and Fahim are arrested. Further investigation is currently underway.

As per reports, the Darul Hamidiya madarsa is operational since a few years. About 25 students currently study here. On Thursday, police received information that weapons are kept in the madarsa. Following the tip-off, the police raided the madarsa.

CBI raids Indira Jaising and husband Anand Grover’s residences in connection with FCRA violations by Lawyers Collective

OpIndia Staff
-
0
CBI raids Indira Jaising and husband Anand Grover’s residences in connection with FCRA violations by Lawyers Collective

The residences of lawyer and activist Indira Jaising and husband Anand Grover are being raided by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with FCRA violations in the NGO Lawyers Collective, according to a report in Republic TV.


Searches are also taking place at the Mumbai and Delhi offices of the NGO. Recently, The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed an FIR against Advocate Anand Grover and NGO Lawyers’ Collective for FCRA violations.

The FIR was filed under sections 120-B, 406, 120, 199 of the Indian Penal Code, 33, 35, 37, 39 of the FCRA, 2010 and other sections of the PC Act, 1988. The FIR also mentions several other office-bearers and functionaries of the NGO and unknown private persons and public servants under IPC sections that deal with forgery, cheating and criminal conspiracy.

Earlier in May, Indira Jaising, Anand Grover and Lawyers’ Collective were issued a notice by the Supreme Court based on a PIL filed by a voluntary organization of lawyers, Lawyers Voice, seeking an SIT investigation into the inaction of the Central Government over the violation of FCRA laws by the entities concerned. The notice was issued by a bench headed by CJI Gogoi.

The FRCA licence of the NGO was cancelled by the Modi government in 2016 for using foreign funds to achieve political objectives. Indira Jaising also appeared on behalf of one of the petitioners who wanted to desecrate the Sabarimala Temple.

Actress Swastika Dutta pulled out of the car and threatened by Uber driver Jamshed

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Actress Swastika Dutta pulled out of the car and threatened by Uber driver Jamshed

In Kolkata, West Bengal, a Bengali serial actress, Swastika Dutta was pulled out of her Uber taxi and threatened by the driver, Jamshed. The actress took to Facebook to pen down her ordeal.

What Swastika Dutta said

In her Facebook post yesterday, the actress wrote that she felt humiliated after this incident. According to Dutta, the driver of the Uber taxi, one Jamshed, took her to a remote area, pulled her out of the taxi and threatened her. She says that she had booked the taxi from her studio and midway during the ride, Jamshed cancelled the ride and asked her to get out of the cab. When she refused, she says, he turned the taxi in the opposite direction, took her to ‘his locality’ and started abusing her.

She said that it was at this point of time that he opened the door, pulled her out of the car and started threatening her. When she tried to retaliate, he said: “ki korbi kor, dekhi ki korte parish” (Do what you think you can, let’s see what you can do). According to Dutta’s Facebook post, the driver also threatened to call ‘other boys’.

The entire incident took place in a span of half an hour, between 8:15 and 8:45 in the morning. Swastika Dutta said the encounter took place in front of a restaurant near the busy EM bypass in Kolkata.

Police takes cognisance

Yesterday evening, the Kolkata police took to Twitter to assure that all necessary action will be taken and the culprit won’t be spared.


Earlier, former Miss India, Ushoshi Sengupta had faced a similar ordeal when she was dragged out of her car and attacked by several men. After Sengupta’s Facebook post went viral, the Kolkata police finally swung into action and arrested seven men, Sheik Rahit, Fardin Khan, Sk. Sabir Ali, Sk. Gani, Sk. Imran Ali, Sk. Wasim and Atif Khan, for allegedly harassing the complainant, assaulting an Uber driver and vandalising the cab.

In another incident, Uber driver Aftab had gotten abusive with a passenger after he got angry upon seeing a Shivaji temple.

We had also reported how a lady with the Twitter handle @sona2905 was subjected to rude and obnoxious behaviour of an Uber driver, Usman, who got aggressive on seeing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s picture on her phone cover. He started off with refusing to turn on the air conditioner in the Uber and even told her to ‘ask Modi to send her a cab’.

Uber responds

Uber has issued a statement responding to the incident, narrating it as deeply concerning. They have also informed that the concerned driver’s access to the app has been removed. The statement issued by a spokesperson of Uber says, “What’s been described is deeply concerning. This is a clear violation of the safety standards set by our community guidelines, and we have removed the driver’s access to the app. We stand ready to support law enforcement authorities in their investigations.”

Kapil Sibal backed Tiranga TV channel disappears from some platforms, fired employees file complaint to Press Council, Editors Guild

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Kapil Sibal backed Tiranga TV channel disappears from some platforms, fired employees file complaint to Press Council, Editors Guild

Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal backed ‘Tiranga TV’ channel has disappeared from some platforms. Airtel Digital TV has confirmed that the channel is no longer available on its platform.


Meanwhile, the fired employees of Tiranga TV, have reportedly filed a complaint agaist Sibal and News HTN (Tiranga TV).


On 9th July, Tiranga TV’s fired employees also met Shekhar Gupta and submitted a memorandum to the Editors Guild of India.


Gupta is the Editor of an online digital platform, ThePrint and President of the Editors Guild of India. ThePrint is often accused of distortion and spreading fake news. The Editor’s Guild has not yet issued any statement on the Tiranga TV employees’ memorandum.

Tiranga TV controversy

Launched ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, English News channel Tiranga TV that started off as Harvest TV, has landed in fresh turmoil. The employees of Tiranga TV have alleged that they were fired abruptly. Later, the fired employees took to Twitter to register their grievances on sudden dismissal. They had also protested outside Sibal’s house demanding justice.

Many fired employees have alleged that they had left lucrative job offers to join the channel. The employees claimed they were assured before joining that company would run for around 3 years. The move has left them in the lurch as they have no clarity about the situation. They have demanded six months salary from the management as compensation for unceremonious dismissal.

The media outlet has often been severely critical of the Modi government. It witnessed the return of many prominent journalists including Barkha Dutt, Karan Thapar, and Punya Prasun Bajpai. The channel was launched on the Republic Day this year as Harvest TV.

Later, Harvest TV was rechristened as Tiranga TV, after the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) allowed Sibal’s channel to use the new name and logo without the colours saffron and green.

India finally bans pro-Khalistan outfit ‘Sikhs for Justice’ for its separatist agenda and militant activities

OpIndia Staff
-
0
India finally bans pro-Khalistan outfit ‘Sikhs for Justice’ for its separatist agenda and militant activities

India has finally banned the pro-Khalistan outfit ‘Sikhs for Justice’ (SFJ) for its separatist agenda. The SFJ is an ISI backed organisation that has been pushing for the Sikh referendum in 2020. They have been now banned under the UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act).

Gazette notification issued by Home Ministry

A Gazette Notification issued by the Home Ministry said that the Central Government is of the opinion that the SFJ is indulging in the activities which are prejudicial to the integrity and security of the country. The notification says that SFJ is involved in anti-national and subversive activities in Punjab and elsewhere, intended to disrupt the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India; it is  in close touch with the militant outfits and activists, and it is supporting violent form of extremism and militancy in Punjab and elsewhere to carve out a sovereign Khalistan out of India; and SFJ is encouraging and aiding the activities for secession and supporting separatist groups fighting for this purpose.

The government is also of the opinion that if the unlawful activities of the SFJ are not curbed and controlled immediately, it will escalate its subversive activities including attempts to carve out Khalistan out of India, continue advocating the secession of Khalistan, propagate anti-national and separatist sentiments, and it will escalate secessionist movements, support militancy and incite violence in the country.

In view of these observations, the government decided to ban Sikhs For Justice under sub-section (1) of section 2 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act,
1967.

Chief Minister of Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh has hailed this decision and described it as the first step towards protecting the nation from the anti-India/secessionist designs of ISI-backed organisation.


‘Sikhs for Justice’ is a UK based that group that is allegedly supported by ISI, Pakistan’s intelligence agency. The group had organized an event calling for a referendum for the separation Punjab from India at London’s Trafalgar Square last year in August. They had held what is known as the ‘London Declaration’ for the referendum in 2020. The group also had to face a large gathering of Indians who arranged a counter-protest, displaying support for India’s sovereignty.

Just today a group of Sikh protestors sporting “Punjab Referendum 2020” were evicted from the stadium for chanting pro-Khalistani slogans during the World Cup semi-final between India and New Zealand.

The government had previously taken several steps to clamp down the Khalistani separatists. In September 2018 Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, SFJ’s legal advisor, was banned from WhatsApp. The government had also successfully taken steps to limit his Facebook and Twitter reach.

Pannun is notorious for his numerous lawsuits against Sikh political leaders. Following the WhatsApp ban, he had also uploaded a video threatening the Punjab CM Amarinder Singh and insulted the Indian national flag. In 2017, the Punjab Government had filed a sedition case against him for putting up posters of the ‘referendum 2020’ supporting the Khalistan demand.

Pakistan’s close nexus with the Khalistani extremists was evident in December last year. Members of a Canada based Khalistani organisation had honoured Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and their Army Chief, General Bajwa for opening the Kartarpur Corridor.

Government approves amendments in POCSO Act including death penalty for sexual offence against children

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Government approves amendments in POCSO Act including death penalty for sexual offence against children

In an effort to stop sexual crimes against children by providing stringent punishment for such offences, the Union Cabinet today approved certain amendments to the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. The amendments include the death penalty as the maximum punishment for sexual assault against children as well as fines and imprisonment to curb child pornography.

The Bill was introduced in the Parliament in January this year during the 16th Lok Sabha but had lapsed as the tenure of the Lok Sabha had come to an end. According to the government, stringent punishment for offences under the Act will act as a deterrent. “It intends to protect the interest of vulnerable children in times of distress and ensures their safety and dignity. The amendment is aimed to establish clarity regarding the aspects of child abuse and punishment thereof”, the government said.

Amendments to sections 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 14, 15, 34, 42 and 45 of the POCSO Act have been given a go-ahead by the government. Amendment to sections 4, 5 and 6 are proposed to provide stringent punishment. This includes the death penalty for committing sexual assault and aggravated penetrative sexual assault on a child.

The amendment proposed to section 9 of the Act seeks to provide protection to the children during natural calamities and other situations of similar nature. It also includes cases where hormones or any chemical substances are administered to children to induce early sexual maturity for penetrative sexual assault.

The amendments have also aimed to curb child pornography. Amendments to sections 14 and 15 of the Act propose to impose fines for not destroying or deleting or reporting the pornographic material involving a child with an intention to share or transmit it.

10 out of 15 Congress MLAs in Goa quit party, merges with BJP

OpIndia Staff
-
0
10 out of 15 Congress MLAs in Goa quit party, merges with BJP

Even as Congress party tries to keep its flock together in Karnataka, the party has lost two-third of its MLAs in Goa in a sudden development. The party suffered a massive setback when 10 out of Congress 15 MLAs quick the party today and decided to merge with BJP. The MLAs quitting the party includes Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar.


Goa CM Pramod Sawant informed media that 10 Congress MLAs along with the opposition leader have merged with BJP. He said that the MLAs joined the party without any condition.

As two-third Congress MLAs have quit the party, they will evade the anti-defection law and hence will remain as MLAs. At present BJP has 17 MLAs, and it is running the government with the support of Goa Forward Party and independent MLAs. After the 10 MLAs formally join BJP, the ruling party will have 27 MLAs in the 40-member assembly, and it will not need the support of others.

The rebel Congress faction met the speaker today and asked for a separate sitting arrangement in the assembly ahead of the monsoon session that is scheduled to start on July 15. Other than four former chief ministers Pratapsingh Rane, Digambar Kamat, Ravi Naik and Luizinho Faleiro, and MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, all other Congress legislators have left the party.

According to reports, Goa CM Pramod Sawant will drop the GFP minister from the ministry after the Congress MLAs join, and five of them will be inducted in the ministry.

Rebel Congress MLA K Sudhakar heckled, locked in a room by Congress leaders in Karnataka

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Rebel Congress MLA K Sudhakar heckled, locked in a room by Congress leaders in Karnataka

As the Congress-JD(S) government in Karnataka is on the verge of falling due to an increasing number of MLAs turning rebel, the ruling parties have taken desperate measures to somehow save the government. In a shocking video that has emerged from Bengaluru, a Congress MLA who has resigned was seen held captive in a room to persuade him to withdraw the resignation.

In the latest drama in the coalition government in Karnataka, 16 MLAs have resigned so far, which includes one independent MLA and the rest are from Congress-JD(S). These resignations have meant that the government has become a minority in the assembly. Congress MLA Dr K Sudhakar is one of the MLAs who have resigned.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SWeDFTmboc]

In the video, it is seen that Sudhakar is heckled and pushed to the room of Congress minister KJ George in the assembly building by several Congress leaders. After the rebel MLA is forced into the room, the door is locked from outside and he is kept captive inside. Karnataka Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao and MLA Priyank Kharge were among the leaders who assaulted the rebel MLA.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBbMIHRtzoQ]

The incident happened on the third floor of the state secretariat, when K Sudhakar had gone to meet the speaker to submit his resignation today, along with MTB Nagaraj. When he came out after meeting the speaker and submitting his resignation, and he was trying to talk to the journalists present there, Congress leaders mobbed him and pushed him towards the room, while Nagaraj managed to walk away.

According to reports, he was taken to KJ George’s room before meeting the speaker also, to persuade him to not to do so. But he had emerged out of the room and submitted the resignation. The Congress leaders again mobbed him after meeting the speaker and forced him to the same room, in an effort to woo him back.

Soon BJP launched a protest against the “manhandling” of the MLA, with BJP State president B.S. Yeddyurappa terming it “goondaism” by Congress. BJP accused that Sudhakar has been kidnapped and he needs to be rescued. Later police rushed to the Vidhana Soudha and brought the situation under control. Responding to allegations, minister Kharge said that the party was only trying to talk to the Congress leader and have a discussion, and it was not an attack.

We are 40 crore including legal and illegal : Ajaz Khan urges Muslims to come out and hit the streets

OpIndia Staff
-
0
We are 40 crore including legal and illegal : Ajaz Khan urges Muslims to come out and hit the streets

In what can possibly be termed as hate speech, actor Ajaz Khan is seen blatantly inciting communal violence in a Facebook video. In the video, Khan blamed RSS and Bajrang Dal for forcing people to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and spoiling the secular fabric of the country. He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of shielding the RSS and Bajrang Dal. Khan was earlier arrested by Mumbai police after he was found in possession of drugs.

Asking PM Modi to take action against such people Khan said he will address the Prime Minister with a ‘Tu’ instead of ‘Aap’ if he did not act. He alleged PM Modi himself is an RSS member and that is why he is supporting the people who force others to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram.’ Calling Nathu Ram Godse a terrorist, Khan said people imposing the slogan of Jai Shri Ram on others worship Godse and consider him their God while he was a murderer who killed Mahatma Gandhi.

“Ab peer parvat si ho chuki hai, ab pighalni chahiye aur inke pichhwado se bhi ganga nikalni chahiye,” said Khan asking PM Modi to punish the people who impose the slogan of Jai Shri Ram on others and set an example. Khan claimed such people are deliberately targeting poor people as it is a part of their conspiracy and if they meet him, he will make them chant Allah-u-Akbar instead of Jai Shri Ram.

Urging the Muslim community to come out on roads, Khan said they should be ashamed of themselves for not coming out on streets after the alleged lynching of Tabrez Ansari. He threatened that if 40 crore Muslims of the country, including legal and illegal residents, came out on the streets the whole country would be shut down.

He requested the Muslims of the country, in the name of Allah, to skip work for one day and parade on the streets of the country. “When will my brothers wearing skull caps come out on streets?” he questioned.

Khan asserted that he will keep spreading his message and that he is not afraid of even going to jail because ultimately he has to show his face to Allah.

In recent times, there has been a spate of ‘hate crimes’ that gained massive press attention. However, despite the media hype, they turned out to be fake.

Poll strategist Prashant Kishor aims to get 5 lakh youngsters to join politics in West Bengal, to create additional force for TMC

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Poll strategist Prashant Kishor aims to get 5 lakh youngsters to join politics in West Bengal, to create additional force for TMC

Keeping the recent election drubbing in mind, poll strategist Prashant Kishor, who is now associated with Trinamool Congress, is eyeing the 2021 Assembly elections in West Bengal. Understanding Mamata Banerjee’s predicaments, Kishor has started mobilizing his efforts for the same two years in advance.

With an aim to expand TMC’s base in the state, which is almost going through an existential crisis, Kishor has launched the ‘Youth in Politics’ initiative, reports Zee News.

Kishor, who joined Banerjee’s brigade last month, plans to bring in 5 lakh youngsters to join politics as a part of this initiative. His team is reportedly registering at least five thousand youngsters per day to join politics. The team eventually aims to increase the daily count of registrations to ten thousand.

Kishor and team intend to create the database of five lakh people by September this year. Thereafter, training will be imparted over a period of 15 months. As per the initiative, anyone can take the training and choose to be associated with whichever political party they want.

Though these registrations are not directly taking place under the TMC banner, Kishor’s team is hopeful fresh five lakh faces in politics will be an additional force for the party in the coming days.

TMC has been promoting the ‘Youth in Politics’ initiative actively across their social media handles.

Last month, there were speculations that TMC supremo Banerjee, spooked by BJP’s implausible inroads in West Bengal, had decided to hire services of renowned poll strategist Prashant Kishor almost two years ahead of the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections.

After reports confirming that poll strategist had agreed to work for TMC started doing the rounds, JD(U) had distanced itself from the Kishor. JD(U) had on June 7, disowned Kishor, merely eight months after inducting him as the party’s National Vice-President.

According to reports, however, Kishor is unlikely to be the face of TMC campaign in the state. His team is specifically looking into the reasons behind the shift of vote bank from Left to BJP and the region-specific reasons behind BJP’s vote share increase in the recently concluded Lok Sabha election.

Kishor has a mixed record as an election strategist. Though he was associated with Modi’s outstanding victory in 2014 and Nitish Kumar’s triumph in the 2015 Bihar elections, he failed terribly in Uttar Pradesh assembly elections in 2017 where Yogi Adityanath trounced his clients Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Most recently, Kishor played an instrumental role in Jagan Mohan Reddy’s sweep in Andhra Pradesh elections.

1...6,1746,1756,176...7,573Page 6,175 of 7,573