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Flood situation remains grim in Assam, 43 lakh people in 31 of 33 districts of the state affected

OpIndia Staff
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Flood situation remains grim in Assam, 43 lakh people in 31 of 33 districts of the state affected

The flood situation in Assam remained grim with rains continuing in most parts of the state. Other than the 2 hill districts, 31 of the 33 districts of the state have been affected by one of the worst floods in the state in the last few years.

According to official estimates, nearly 43 lakh people in more than 4000 villages in 30 districts have been hit by the floods. 15 people have lost their lives in the floods so far in Assam. The state witnessed intense rainfall over the last week, which caused large scale flooding and landslide in various areas.

According to the flood report of the Assam Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) yesterday, the flood-hit districts include Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Sonitpur, Darrang, Udalguri, Baksa, Barpeta, Nalbari, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara, Goalpara, Kamrup, Kamrup (Metro), Morigaon, Hojai, Nagaon, Golaghat, Majuli, Jorhat, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Cachar, Karbi Anglong East, Karbi Anglong West, Hailakandi and Karimganj.

Assam is squeezed between the Himalayas and its foothills in Bhutan and Arunachal on the North and the hills in the hill states of North East in the south. Hence when it rains over the hills, the water rushes towards the valleys in Assam through hundreds of rivers that line the state, causing flood.

Vishnu statue in Brahmaputra in Guwahati

A viral photo on social media shows the extent of rise in water in Brahmaputra in Guwahati. A statue of Vishnu on Sheshnag in Chakreswar temple in the city has been submerged almost completely, which is placed on a pillar and remains several meters above the water level in normal time.

The river Brahmaputra and several of tributaries are flowing above the danger level at various places in the state. Swelling rivers have breached several dikes constructed to contain water, causing flash floods in many areas. The Brahmaputra is flowing almost 110 cm above the danger level in Guwahati also, and water has entered from the river in few places of the city. The administration is using high power pumps to remove the water, but rising water levels have made the situation worse.

In many areas, road communication has stalled as water has washed away portions of roads. Even the National Highway 37, which connects upper Assam and lower Assam on the south bank, was closed yesterday due to overflowing water in several places near Kaziranga National Park.

More than 90% of the Kaziranga National Park has been flooded, forcing animals to flee to the Karbi hills on the south, crossing the National Highway 37 which is dangerous. Several animals have already lost their life hit by vehicles on the highway. More than 200 animals have died in Kaziranga during the floods, which includes 4 rhinos and one tiger. Animals have also taken shelter on the dozens of artificial highlands constructed in the park to cope with such situations. The 33 new highlands constructed last year have proved to be very useful in this regard, and although most of the park is under water, this year there are enough places for animals to take shelter.

Rhinos rushing towards highlands during floods in Kaziranga

The administration has opened 183 relief camps in the state where people displaced by floods are accommodated. Apart from that, 311 relief distribution centres are also operating in the state. Schools buildings have been used as relief camps, which closed at present due to summer vacation. NDRF and SDRF had rescued more than 7000 people who were stranded in flood-hit areas.

As the flood situation in the state continues, the demand for declaring the Assam floods as a national problem has been renewed by various organisations. Yesterday Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal over phone and assured him all help in dealing with the situation. Union Jal Shakti minister G S Shekhawat visited Assam today to review the flood situation.

‘Do Courts ask Muslim accused to do Ramayan or Durga paath’?: Woman granted bail on condition of distributing 5 copies of Quran

OpIndia Staff
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‘Do Courts ask Muslim accused to do Ramayan or Durga paath’?: Woman granted bail on condition of distributing 5 copies of Quran

Richa Bharti, who was arrested on the complaint filed by the Anjuman Islamia Committee for allegedly hurting the sentiments of the Muslim community through her Facebook post on Tabrez Ansari’s death, has declined to follow the court order. Yesterday, Ranchi Court had ordered conditional bail to Ms Bharti, asking her to distribute 5 copies of Quran, including 1 to be submitted to the Anjuman Islamia Committee today.

Responding to the video uploaded by popular TikTok personalities wherein they were seen propagating hatred by arguing that if Tabrez Ansari’s son takes his revenge tomorrow, Muslims shouldn’t be called terrorists, Bharti uploaded a Facebook post asking why only Muslims think of embracing terrorism and why aggrieved Kashmiri Pandits and people from other communities who have suffered a lot do not become terrorists. This didn’t sit well with the Anjuman Islamia Committee and they filed a complaint of hurting religious sentiments against Bharti.

However, Bharti has now refused to follow the court order saying that the order shows the duplicity of the court. Defending her Freedom of Expression, Bharti has questioned the courts that if any Muslim accused of sharing objectionable content online has ever been asked to perform a Ramayan or Durga paath like she has been asked to distribute the Quran copies. She also stated that if she agrees to comply with the court order now, tomorrow they will be encouraged and we might be asked to embrace Islam.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgpWHc25xoY]

“I posted things on Facebook which felt correct to me. My post was regarding Tiktok user Faizu’s post that in future Tabrez Ansari’s son might avenge his father’s death and Muslims will be called terrorists. My post was why only Muslims harbour the feeling of revenge? Why Kashmiri Pandits don’t, who were forced out of their land, their population from once 25% reduced to less than 2%. I don’t want to follow the court order. Today they have asked to distribute the Quran, tomorrow they will ask to embrace Islam, read namaz. Muslims who post objectionable post on social media get a free pass as they are never asked by the courts to do a Ramayana or Durga paath or to read Hanuman Chalisa, ” Bharti said in an interview.

In Indian tradition, we revere the teachers. But not all teachers are worth the honour

Nirwa Mehta
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In Indian tradition, we revere the teachers. But not all teachers are worth the honour

गुरू गोविन्द दोऊ खड़े, काके लागूं पांय।
बलिहारी गुरू अपने गोविन्द दियो बताय।।

The 15th-century poet Kabir had written that if Guru and Govind (God) are standing in front of you, one should bow down to the Guru because the Guru has shown you the path toward Govind.

Guru Purnima is observed in the Hindu religion where Gurus are honoured and revered. It falls every year on Ashadh Poornima. We also celebrate Teachers’ Day on 5th September every year, in honour of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, to honour the teachers.

Every year when I read people thanking their teachers for having reached where they are and having achieved what they have, it reminds me how my teachers from the school have scarred me for life.

I was 5 or 6 years old. I was wearing a powder-blue coloured frock and my hair made up in two tiny ponytails. While I don’t exactly remember what I was being punished for, I do remember the punishment threatened to me. The Maths teacher asked me how would I like if she removed my clothes. And no, I’m sure she didn’t mean it in a sexual way. She probably thought threatening a child with public humiliation is a great punishment. It has been over two decades since that day. My eyes still well up from the memories of that day.

Three years later, my personality report card read “she does not express joy or happiness.” Yeah, I wonder why. I tried to be as invisible as I could, lest another teacher may want to punish me. I never participated in any competitions. You see, the threat of public humiliation became so deeply rooted that being in the public eye in any form sent me on an anxiety trip.

Our school had ‘compulsory’ extracurricular activities. One could choose between learning classical dancing, karate or skating. I chose classical dancing. When I was in 4th standard, my dance teacher asked me who taught me to dance so badly. She asked me this in front of everyone. Girls giggled. At around that time due to the medicines, I was taking (which contained a higher dose of steroids) I had started putting on weight. Plus puberty was knocking on the doors. The teacher then walked up to me and poked on my belly. That was the first time I was body-shamed. After that, I would always ‘dance’ in the last row, trying to hide behind other girls who ‘danced better’.

I still cannot get myself to let go of my inhibitions and dance like the proverbial ‘no one is watching’. Thanks. I withdrew myself deeper into the shell. I also turned to food for comfort, obviously.

A couple of years later, when I was in 7th standard, I had sudden new-found confidence. I had discovered books and was happy at least these books are not telling me how I am not good enough. During the 15th August function in school, we used to have various competitions. Singing, dancing, drama, athletics, yoga, everything. I decided to audition for singing.

You see, my grandfather was a music teacher in one of the most prominent schools in Ahmedabad. And all these artsy things are in the genes, right? Just how bad could I be? According to my music teacher, “do not even sing in chorus.” Yeah, I joke about it all the time on how I am such a bad singer that my music teacher once told me not to sing even in the chorus, but there is a reason I never forgot that insult.

My confidence levels crashed. There are many such incidents from my school life hiding deep under. I am too afraid to think about them because what if it sends me on a downward spiral again?

I never talked about these issues with anyone. Not with my parents, not with my sister. It was too humiliating. Plus, parents would have perhaps dismissed it as tough parenting and how I should not be this sensitive.

Well, guess what, thanks to these teachers, I grew up anxious, with a confidence level lower than the deepest point in the Pacific Ocean.

It has taken me years to find like-minded people who ‘get me’ and my weirdness. I may not have completely healed but I am better. Every day I strive to get a little better. I suffer from a tremendous lack of self-confidence and I would rather stay invisible than get the spotlight. Large groups of people make me nervous. But, I am hopeful. Hopeful and confident that I am healing.

Hence, when I read people thanking their teachers, there is a bit of bitterness in me. I try very hard to get over it. Maybe I have not forgiven them completely for being shitty teachers and ruining my childhood. But someday I will get there.

So, if you are a teacher reading this, don’t be that teacher. If you are a parent, listen to your child and notice little changes. Perhaps your child is not acting out ‘because teens’. And if you have had your share of horrendous teachers, remember, you are not alone.

School doesn’t last forever and neither should those memories. We shall heal.

All you need to know about the Kulbhushan Jadhav case so far as International Court of Justice gets set to deliver verdict

OpIndia Staff
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All you need to know about the Kulbhushan Jadhav case so far as International Court of Justice gets set to deliver verdict

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is expected to declare its verdict on July 17 in the case relating to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav. Jadhav is an an Indian national and a retired Navy officer, who was arbitrarily arrested by Pakistan in 2016 for being an ‘Indian spy’. The Indian government had approached the International Court of Justice over the arbitrary death sentence handed down to Jadhav after an ad hoc hearing in Pakistan.

Who is Kulbushan Jadhav?

Kulbhushan Jadhav is a former Indian Navy officer, was arrested by Pakistani officials on 3 March 2016 in Balochistan, as claimed by Pakistan, on suspicion of espionage and sabotage activities against the country. Pakistan claims that Jadhav was an Indian spy working for India’s intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing.

However, the Indian government maintains that Kulbhushan Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy and that he has no links with the government.

A Pakistani military court sentenced him to death in April 2017 on charges of espionage and terrorism. However, the International Court of Justice in The Hague has asked Pakistan to hold off the execution till it reaches its final verdict in the case.

A timeline of events: 

25 March 2016: Pakistani establishment informed the Indian authorities about Jadhav’s arrest in a press release. On the same day, India sought consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav for the first time.

30 March 2016: India once again sent a reminder reiterating its request for consular access. In addition, thirteen more reminders were sent.

7 December 2016: Pakistan Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz in December 2016 had also confirmed that conclusive evidence against Kulbhushan has not been found. But, Pakistan Foreign Ministry soon released a statement the same day stating that the statement attributed to the Adviser is incorrect.

6 January 2017: Pakistan announced that it has submitted a dossier to the new United Nations’ Secretary General Antonio Guterres over Indian interference in Islamabad, which was aimed at “destabilizing” the nation.

10 April 2017: Pakistan Army’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a press release informed that Jadhav had been awarded the death sentence by a military court in Pakistan.

A case in the International Court of Justice (ICJ):

In May 2017, India approached the ICJ against Pakistan for denying consular access to Jadhav. India had also challenged the “farcical” trial by the military court of Pakistan against the 48-year-old.

On  15 May 2017, the ICJ decided to hear the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav as India and Pakistan presents their argument in the trial. Senior jurist and former Solicitor General of India, Harish Salve represented the country in the International Court of Justice.

The ICJ on 18 May 2017, restrained Pakistan from executing Jadhav till the adjudication of the case. The ICJ put a stay on the death sentence given by Pakistan to Kulbhushan Jadhav after an appeal from India, which accused Pakistan of “egregious violations” of the Vienna Convention.

India had filed its second round of pleadings on 17 April 2018 to the ICJ at The Hague. “In keeping with the order of the International Court of Justice of January 17, 2018, India today (Tuesday) submitted its reply in the court in the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav,” the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

However, on 7 July 2018, Pakistan submitted rejoinder in ICJ on the conviction of Kulbhushan Jadhav.

On 20 November 2018, Sushma Swaraj sought diplomatic access to Kulbhushan Jadhav. Former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that India had sought diplomatic access to former Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav.

Finally, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) began the public hearing over the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav on 19 February 2019. India has sought annulment of Jadhav’s death sentence and his immediate release, stating that the Pakistani army court verdict has failed to satisfy even the minimum standards of due process.

In February, India presenting its case in the ICJ had asserted that Pakistan had nothing beyond an extracted confession. Responding to Pakistan’s questions about Jadhav’s nationality, Salve said that Jadhav is a former Indian Navy officer, which is proof of his nationality.

Taking a dig at Pakistan, Harish Salve had said that unlike Pakistan, India never denies the nationality of its citizens in another country, referring to Pakistan regularly refusing to accept Pakistani terrorists killed or captured by Indian security forces. He had said that Indian nationals are not the kind whose nationality needs to be denied.

Harish Salve had said Pakistan did not uphold Article 36 of the Vienna Convention which states that consular access applies to all nationals, regardless of espionage claims.

I am a journalist and here is why I have absolutely no sympathy for the ones who joined Tiranga TV

Guest Author
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I am a journalist and here is why I have absolutely no sympathy for the ones who joined Tiranga TV

There has been a huge fracas over Tiranga TV and the plight of its employees. The channel was promoted by Congress leader Kapil Sibal and his wife. In a series of tweets, Barkha Dutt alleged that scribes working at Tiranga TV were abruptly sacked, without following the industry-wide practice of offering 6-months salary as compensation. She also alleged that she and other senior journalists haven’t been paid for over a year by the channel.

News emerged last night that bouncers had been sent to the offices of Tiranga TV as the employees were holding a silent protest in the premises.

As the Tiranga TV employees wailed and whined on Twitter, as a journalist currently working with a large television network, I should have sympathised with my brethren and offered my condolences for their careers that now lay in ruins. I should have perhaps reached out to the distressed scribes and offered to help them in whatever possible way that I can, after all, we do belong to the same fraternity.

In reality, though, what I felt was sheer disdain. Pure, unadulterated disgust.

I might sound incredibly harsh when I say this, but the fate of the Tiranga TV employees could have been no different and if they did not know that the moment they joined the ‘channel’, then they are not very good journalists to begin with.

Tiranga TV went live on 26th January 2019. It was promoted by Congress leader Kapil Sibal. Months before the 2019 general elections, one truly wonders what is it that the ones who allegedly ‘gave up on better offers’ according to Barkha Dutt, and joined Tiranga TV expect? It stands to reason that the channel was floated for political propaganda of the Congress party right before the nation decided their political fate.

What Kapil Sibal perhaps banked his faith on was the delusion that the Congress party would come back to power and the Congress would be able to create an NDTV part deux with the latter failing miserably. Once the Congress came back to power, the channel would be flush with funds, all-powerful with unlimited access and a rising star to spread any message that the Congress chose. Not much different from NDTV.

At the helm of it would be Barkha Dutt. Not too different from NDTV either, but also, a stark remembrance of what the Radia tapes exposed to the public about the frail integrity of journalists.

As Barkha herself had admitted, the interviews were held by none other than Kapil Sibal and his wife. Are we to believe that Kapil Sibal sat there and told the young journalists how Tiranga TV would be about bi-partisan reporting? About ethics and integrity? Are we to believe the hint of Congress coming back to power was never given? There was no conversation about the future of a channel that was backed by a Congress leader months before general elections?

And if that conversation did come up, how did it really go? How did these ‘journalists’ who gave up on better opportunities join a channel that was clearly about furthering a particular political narrative?

When Barkha says that these journalists gave up better opportunities for a two-year lock-in period, are we to believe that was the only lure? The only reason why young journalists would choose to join a channel promoted by the Sibals?

And if all of this makes sense, why should journalists who actually embark on a quest for truth feel sorry for these sell-outs who sold their soul to a politician, including Barkha Dutt?

The journalists who joined Tiranga TV knew exactly what they were getting into. A political propaganda channel that was about to get seriously rich if Congress came back to power. It is their fate that Congress did not come back to power and the entire motivation of Kapil Sibal to keep a channel afloat was blown to smithereens by the people of India.

In the end, the journalists who joined this channel made a conscious decision to be a part of that machinery. The ones who joined Tiranga did so with their eyes wide open, and now, when they have twisted their ankle in the very ditch that they entered willingly, I for one don’t feel obligated to sympathise with their sheer stupidity.

The pits of the situation is such, that even the failing of a propaganda channel was blamed on Prime Minister Modi by the rest of the media. There were stories planted that slyly implied that Tiranga had failed because the big, bad Modi had refused to give Tiranga TV any ads. This is the same as expecting Kapil Sibal to ensure that NaMo TV stays afloat, had they been elected to power.

Even while their star Barkha Dutt and the rodents who had followed Pied Piper fell into the ditch, the media was busy shielding Kapil Sibal from any responsibility. While the failing of Tiranga exposed the true nature of Sibal, it also exposed how the elite media won’t shy away from cannibalising each other when push comes to shove.

As far as Barkha Dutt is concerned, the sympathy thins even further. Nobody knows what Congress is made of better than the Radia girl herself. Did she not know what Kapil Sibal is? Did she not know what her fate would be had Congress not come to power in 2019? Or did she assume that all the sins perpetrated by Kapil Sibal and the Congress would be limited to ideological opponents and that she would never be the recipient of the famed Sibal treatment? And if that is what she believed, how is she any better than a Congress worker? And if she isn’t, why should anyone sympathise with her as a journalist who is now being chided?

The truth is, the journalists who joined Tiranga TV led by the mob leader Barkha Dutt never joined as journalists. They joined as party karyakartas. And they should be treated as such.

As a journalist, the ones who sold their imaan deserve no sympathy and they will certainly not get any from me.

Editor’s note: The author is a journalist with a major national television channel, however, has exercised his right to stay anonymous as he fears for his own career and the backlash he might face from the powerful Lutyens’ cabal and Congress after this article. 

Court asks Ranchi woman to distribute copies of Quran while granting bail over her Facebook post over Tabrez Ansari’s death

OpIndia Staff
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Court asks Ranchi woman to distribute copies of Quran while granting bail over her Facebook post over Tabrez Ansari’s death

A Ranchi court has granted bail to the woman who was arrested for allegedly hurting ‘religious sentiments’ by writing about Tabrez Ansari’s death on her Facebook account. However, while granting the bail, the court put up a condition that she should distribute copies of Quran to various Islamic organisations.

As per reports, magistrate Manish Singh has ordered Richa Bharti to distribute a copy of Quran to Anjuman Islamia in presence of the administration and take an acknowledgement receipt. She will also have to donate four other copies of the Quran to other schools and colleges. Bharti could take help of local police administration in this. She will have to collect receipts and submit them to the court in 15 days. Over and above this, she was also asked to deposit two bonds of Rs 7,000 each.

The case

Anjuman Islamia Committee had filed a complaint againt Richa Bharti over her Facebook post on Tabrez Ansari’s death. On Sunday, the Jharkhand Police swung into action and arrested her. Anjuman Islamia had alleged that Bharti’s Facebook post hurt the ‘religious sentiments’ of the Muslim community.

Tabrez Ansari’s death

Tabrez Ansari, a 24-year-old man from Jharkhand, was allegedly, brutally beaten by a mob in Jharkhand on the 18th June on the accusation of theft. He had died on 22nd in police custody allegedly of cardiac arrest.

Jofra Archer’s old tweets have uncannily come true during the Cricket World Cup final, 2019

Ritesh
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Jofra Archer’s old tweets have uncannily come true during the Cricket World Cup final, 2019

On Sunday, England won the World Cup Final for the first time in history. They brought a player from Barbados just before the World Cup to have an extra edge over the opposition with his speed and accuracy. The player who bowled the Super Over for England, Jofra Archer, won them the match in the most tensed game of the World Cup history.

Like all of us, Jofra too used tweet a lot before becoming a star. He used to do ‘LIVE’ commentary during his non-cricketing days. Here are a series of tweets which he tweeted way back in 2013, 2014 and so on but it seemed like he was tweeting it LIVE during the World Cup Final.

World Cup Final held at Lord’s.

When the final goes to Super Over.

England scored 15 runs in the Super Over

New Zealand required 16 runs to win in the Super Over

He bowled ‘wide’ as the first ball of the Super Over

He didn’t let New Zealand score 16 runs to win

Most of the fans would agree with this too, unbelievable cricket

Most of the fans can’t believe how New Zealand lost the game and so as Archer

What everyone felt for New Zealand after the World Cup Final got over

Though the tweets are nothing but coincidences, their eerie accuracy has become a topic of discussion on social media.

Rajasthan: Dalit woman gang raped, brutally beaten up inside police station, FIR against six police officers

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan: Dalit woman gang raped, brutally beaten up inside police station, FIR against six police officers

A 35-year-old Dalit woman was allegedly gang-raped and brutally beaten up inside the police station in Sardarshahr Police station in Churu, Rajasthan. Six policemen are booked for torturing and gangraping the woman. She and her brother-in-law Nemichand were allegedly illegally detained by the then SHO and other police officers. The woman has alleged that she was raped, tortured and beaten up after her brother in law died in police custody.

Sardarshahr Police Station’s new SHO Mahendra Dutt Sharma, who took over after the incident came to light, has said that based on her complaint, an FIR has been registered against the then SHO and five to seven other police officers. The CID-Crime Branch will be investigating the case, he added.

As per reports, the woman’s brother-in-law was arrested in a theft case on 6th July. Later that night, he died at the hospital. However, his family claims Nemichand was picked up by the police on 30th June. On 3rd July, the police detained her. The police accused her of keeping the articles stolen by Nemichand.

The woman has claimed that the police brutally beat up Nemichand in custody on 6th July. Following his death, she alleges that the police officers gang-raped her, tortured her and brutally beat her up as well. Later, on 10th July, the police dropped her back home. The police also reportedly threatened her with dire consequences if she revealed anything.

She is currently undergoing treatment in Jaipur hospital.

Action taken

The then SHO Singh and other police officers of Sardarshahr Police Stations were suspended on 8th July. Churu SP Rajendra Kumar was also removed whereas DSP Bhanwar Lal was suspended and put under vigilance investigation on 12th July.

A case under sections 376-D (gangrape), 343 (wrongful confinement for three or more days), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the SC and ST (Prevention Of Atrocities) Act has been registered.

Church scam: Fraudulent land deals, illegal sale of over 10,000 crores reported in Christian organisations of Uttar Pradesh

OpIndia Staff
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Church scam: Fraudulent land deals, illegal sale of over 10,000 crores reported in Christian organisations of Uttar Pradesh

In what is being reported as one of the biggest scams in the country, Bishop Peter Baldev of the Church of North India and many others are accused of selling land worth Rs 10,000 crores in Prayagraj and surrounding areas.

As per reports, Bishop Peter Baldev and 16 others were booked yesterday in an FIR filed by John Augustine, the Bishop of Diocese of Lucknow, The Church of India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon at the civil lines police station in Lucknow.

It is notable here that there have been many complaints in the past regarding land scams, forgery and illegal selling of land using falsified documents done by Christian societies and many office bearers of the Diocese of Lucknow have been named in those complaints. The persons named in the FIR also reportedly include officials and board members in many Christian private schools in the region.

The complainant Bishop John Augustine has stated that in 1970, some Bishops of Church of India had constituted Church of North India Trust Association. Later, using fraudulent means, the post of Bishop of Calcutta was created.

He further added the same people in 1991, spread this fake organisation and transferred the properties belonging to Indian Church Trustees, worth Rs 1000 crore, to the Church of North India Trust Association. The properties reportedly include church properties in prime locations in Lucknow, Prayagraj and lands in surrounding rural areas.

The accused in the case have allegedly sold the church properties using fraudulent means and have pocketed the proceedings worth about 10,000 crores among themselves.

Apart from Bishop Peter Baldev, 16 other persons namely, P.C. Singh, P.P. Marandi, P.K. Samanto Roy, general secretary Alwin Masih, Jayant Agarwal, Pal Dupahre, P.P. Habil, Suresh Jacob, Rajiv Chand, A.R. Stephen, H.R. Mal, Marvin Masih, Prem Masih, Ashok Vishwas, Prabal Dutta and Shashi Prakash have been named in John Augustine’s FIR.

In 2006, forty-one former students of the Jamuna Christian College and officials of the North India Synod had accused the Lucknow Diocesan Trust Association of illegally leasing out school and college properties worth crores and misappropriating funds.

The complainant has also stated that there have been many such cases where Christian organisations have been fighting among themselves over land scams and forgery cases. It is notable here that Christian organisations are one of the biggest landowners in India, apart from Indian Railways and the Waqf Board.

Modi govt not to buy Pilatus trainer aircraft following corruption charges, to ban Swiss defence firm for one year

OpIndia Staff
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Modi govt not to buy Pilatus trainer aircraft following corruption charges, to ban Swiss defence firm for one year

The Ministry of Defence has decided to drop its plans to buy 38 more Pilatus PC-7 MkII trainer aircraft from Switzerland after Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) accused the Swiss company of being involved in corrupt practices to bag the Rs 2,800 crore deal in 2012, reports ANI.

Reportedly, Pilatus, which supplies trainer aircraft to the Indian Airforce, has been banned for at least one year by the defence ministry. The Defence Ministry has also launched a fresh global hunt for basic trainers. The development is likely to cause a delay in the procurement of basic trainer aircraft into the IAF.

“The government has conveyed to the IAF that it should not pursue the follow-on option, keeping the CBI probe in mind. There is likely to be a government-to-government deal for more basic trainers as it is a critical need,” said an official according to the Hindustan Times.

Last month, the Central Bureau of Investigation had registered an FIR against notorious arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari, unknown officials in the Indian Air Force and Swiss aircraft maker Pilatus over alleged irregularities and corruption to the tunes of 339 crores. The kickback amount was allegedly given during the procurement of 75 basic trainer aircraft for the IAF in 2009 in an Rs.2,800 crore deal.

The CBI has alleged that Pilatus Aircraft Limited entered into a criminal conspiracy with Bhandari and Bimal Sareen, both directors of Offset India Solutions Private Limited, and dishonestly signed a service provider agreement with Bhandari in June 2010.

The CBI also alleged that the Swiss company deposited a million Swiss francs in the account of Offset India Solution Private Limited in two tranches in 2010.

Pilatus had allegedly transferred 350 crores in Swiss francs to the bank accounts of Dubai-based Offset India Solutions FZC, also a Bhandari company, during 2011-2015. Pilatus also signed a pre-contract integrity pact with the defence ministry in November 2010, deliberately concealing the facts about service provider agreement with Bhandari.

The Pilatus deal controversy began when Korea Aerospace Industries, the closest rival to the Pilatus, had strongly protested against the UPA government deal claiming that Pilatus had submitted an incomplete bid and demanded its disqualification. South Korea’s defence minister had personally contacted A.K. Antony, his Indian counterpart, requesting a “high-level review”. However, these objections were overruled and Pilatus was awarded the contract.

The Indian Airforce trainee pilots undergo a three-stage training programme involving a beginner, intermediate and an advanced training program. Pilatus PC-7 is IAF’s primary trainer along with HAL HPT-32 Deepak. The HAL built HJT-16 Kiran is used in the intermediate training stage and finally, IAF pilots fly British built Hawks advanced jet trainers before they can fly fighter jets.

As Kiran trainers are approaching the end of their service life, some amount of stage 2 training is being done on the PC-7, an official said. He added that the delay in the indigenous Sitara intermediate jet trainer (IJT) programme, conceived two decades ago, has also upset the IAF’s calculations.

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