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The face of our ‘liberals’: They wept for Christchurch and rightly so, but where is the outrage on Sri Lanka?

The bomb blasts in Sri Lanka which have killed over 200 people are markedly different from Christchurch shooting of only a month ago.

The mass-shooting in two different mosques in Christchurch which left 50 dead, justifiably drew the world’s horror and an outpouring of sympathy.  New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern became a global phenomenon for wearing a chadar while sympathizing with the bereaved families. Every leader of the world worth his salt shed tears. Donations poured in amounting to millions. Rock concerts were organized to help. In many ways, sympathy and support dumbed the outrage.

The Sri Lanka tragedy was already ebbing in a matter of hours. There are no editorials underlining the threat of Islamic extremism to the free world. Even though a Jihadi Islamist group, with links to Islamic State (IS), is suspected, the description in our newspapers is about a “local network…without any criminal background.” Islam as a violent ideology is not in debate. Instead, it is circumcised and localized.

Why the Western world is afraid of “Islamophobia” (fear against Islam’s ideology)?

Two things are at work here. One, such is the flux of petrodollars since discovery of oil in the Middle East in the 1970s that money and donations have poured in from the Wahhabi countries of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE etc which have subsidized governments, Liberal networks and Western newspapers and led to bursts of madrasas and mosques on their lands. There is exponential growth in monumental Islamic charities around the world.

Two is the prevalent attitude of Liberals around the world which treat Islam as a “minority” and hence a just case for protection against “Islamophobia.” They are unwilling to look at Islamic history, the resolve of its ideologues and the violence spilling blood on their streets and metros as a daily occurrence.  Inconvenient voices, such as those of Christopher Hitchens and Tommy Robinson,  are never given a proper hearing.

No heed is paid when one of the most influential living Islamic scholars of Sunni Islam (Yusuf al-Qaradawi assures his followers: “We will conquer Europe, we will conquer America! Not through the sword, but through dawa (outreach).” (As it is in India where the mention of Ghazwa-e-Hind— conquering of India–by its proponents is routinely glossed over).

How many have paid attention to WikiLeaks cables which points out how Saudi Arabia manipulates the foreign media outlets? That in Finland, citizens have to make a distinction between “Islam” and “Radical Islam” or else they stand prosecuted and fined (A Finnish politician, Terhi Kiemunki, was fined 450 euros for writing of a “culture and law based on a violent, intolerant and oppressive religion)? It’s true of most liberal Europe.

Liberals call everyone and anyone as “xenophobic” or “Islamophobic” for criticizing Islam. They don’t realize it’s their way of life which is under threat. Every time an Australian senator speaks out against Islam, he is publicly manhandled, and his words are brushed under the carpet. Tolerating the intolerance inherent in a creed is actually stopping it from curing itself of its dead weeds.

So watch the reaction of the world as it desists clamping down on radical Islam on Sri Lanka tragedy. You can read Indian Express which names only the name of the suspect organization without mentioning its Islamic Jihadi roots on Sri Lanka horror.

So be aware, be vocal against the powers which cotton-wool the truth and put our world in danger and blunt the process of reformation of a violent ideology.

‘For five seconds, I was shocked. I was very angry,’ Sumitra Mahajan on Rahul Gandhi’s infamous wink

On the 20th of July, 2018, an incident transpired in the Lok Sabha which cemented Rahul Gandhi’s reputation as a callous, non-serious politician. The Congress President walked across the aisle towards the Prime Minister’s chair, hugged him without his consent and then returned to his seat. A short while later, he was caught winking at his comrades, apparently gloating over what he had just done.

The one person under whose watch the entire series of events unfolded was the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Sumitra Mahajan. She had even then admonished the Congress President for his juvenile conduct and asserted that his actions were improper and betrayed the decorum of the House.

In an interview with India Today, Sumitra Mahajan has revealed how she felt at the time about Rahul’s conduct. “For five seconds I was shocked. I didn’t know what was happening. What do I say to this? How should I control the House? Really, I was unable to understand,” she said.

“But when he returned to his seat, started speaking again and winked, I was very angry. I said this is not proper. Actually, the hugging was not proper either. But this was a step too much,” Mahajan further stated.

Rahul Gandhi’s antics had given many people plenty of cause for laughter. Social Media had erupted with jokes and memes following the ‘hug & wink’. Prime Minister Modi, too, had chimed in on Rahul’s antics.

PM Modi had said, “Pehli baar is sadan mein aane par hi mujhe pata chala ki gale milna aur gale padna mein kya antar hota hai.” [First time after coming to the Parliament, I got to know the difference between ‘gale lagna‘ (hugging) and ‘gale padna‘ (throw oneself on).] He further added, “Is sadan mein pehli baar aankhon ki gustakhiyan wala khel bhi hua (For the first time, this Parliament saw the ‘aankhon ki gustakhiyan’ scenes being played live too).”

Despite the mockery and ridicule, winking had become a regular feature of Rahul Gandhi’s public appearances for quite some time after the event.

Convicted felon and Congress leader Hardik Patel makes a racist remark, says ‘if I want to look for Chowkidar, I will go to Nepal’

Hardik Patel, the Patidar leader who cannot fight the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections because the court has refused to vacate his conviction in a case of rioting made a shameful and racist comment when giving a soundbyte to the Media after casting his vote today.


Hardik Patel said that if he wants to look for a ‘Chowkidaar’, he will go to Nepal and instead, he wants a Prime Minister who can strengthen the economy of the country, education and work for the youth and armed forces.

He reiterated at the end of his statement that he doesn’t want a ‘chowkidaar’ but a Prime Minister for the nation. Hardik Patel made this racist statement against Gorkhas and Nepalis after casting his vote in Viramgam in Gujarat.

It is not the first time that the ‘Chowkidar’ remark has been used as a racist slur by Indian politicians just because they are opposed to PM Modi. Earlier, AAP MLA Alka Lamba had used the word as a slur against citizens of Nepal. Congress leader and Pakistan supporter Navjot Sidhu has also used the ‘Chowkidar’ word to racially stereotype the people of Nepal.

Hardik Patel cannot contest in the 2019 elections because he has been convicted and sentenced to 2 years in prison by the High Court in a case of rioting and arson in Visnagar town in 2015. The high court in August 2018 suspended the sentence of 2 years in prison but not the conviction.

Recently, the convicted felon had joined the Congress party whose President, Rahul Gandhi, is himself out-on-bail. Gujarat Congress official website had welcomed Hardik to the party by displaying an image from Hardik’s infamous sex tape.

Hardik Patel was earlier welcomed with eggs and sandals in Madhya Pradesh and recently, a man had walked up to the stage during his Gujarat rally and planted a slap on him while he was delivering a speech at a public rally.

I-T department seizes Rs. 8 crores from North East Region, highest ever seizure from NE during elections

Amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha elections the Directorate of Income Tax (Investigation), North East Region (NER) has made a record-breaking seizure of Rs 8 crore, which is the highest seizure made during general elections in the North East.

According to the Income Tax department, cash to the tune of Rs 1.21 crore was seized during Election Expenditure Monitoring for 2014 elections.

“Directorate of Income Tax Investigation, NER has exceeded all previous records of cash seizures made during general elections in the North East. For the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, the last polling date in north-east is April 23. The Directorate has made cash seizure exceeding Rs 8 crores till April 22, which is nearly 7 times the previous haul. This amount compares favourably even with many other jurisdictions, which have much higher tax revenue base than North East”.

This confiscation was possible because while preparing for the elections the expenditure sensitive locations were timely pinpointed in consultation with state authorities and police, said Principal Director of Income Tax Investigation for NER, Sanjay Bahadur.

The department further informed that “The limited manpower of about 150 officials was strategically deployed to set up an extensive network of surveillance units to cover 112 districts and in 12 Air Intelligence Units (AIUs) for interception of unexplained cash.”

It said further that the Special Task Force which was constituted on April 22 and jointly headed by Subhrajyoti Bhattacharjee, Additional Director and Nodal Officer and Mrinal Das, Joint Director heading AIUs, was given the responsibility of investigating suspicious high-value cash deposits and withdrawals in 68 banks operating in North East.

The Special Task Force will submit the results of its preliminary investigations within one month. After that strict consequential action, as per tax laws, will be initiated wherever unexplained cash deposits are found.

Usually, such illegal transactions and relocation of cash become rampant in every election season. Recently, a huge cache of cash was gutted in fire after a truck carrying the notes caught fire in South Kashmir. Since this cash was discovered during the poll season, the main focal point of the investigation would be whether the cash was meant to be used during the poll campaigning and which party or candidate did it belong to.

Similarly, the IT department in Karnataka had, recently, recovered Rs 2.3 crore in cash from the spare tyre of a vehicle.

Throwing light on the shocking details about the extent of illicit money being circulated during the Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission of India had released data, according to which the IT sleuths had seized cash and contraband amounting to over Rs 2,600 crores until April 17 of this year. This comes as a shocker, considering only two phases of 2019 Lok Sabha elections have concluded so far and the amount seized until now is already almost double of that seized during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

SC issues contempt notice to Rahul Gandhi: ‘He says he wrongly attributed chowkidar comment to court, but he himself stands by it’

The Supreme Court of India has issued a contempt of court notice to Congress president Rahul Gandhi over a contempt of court case filed by BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi. The case will be listed on Tuesday next week, along with the review petition against the Rafale deal.

Meenakshi Lekhi had filed the case after Rahul Gandhi had said in Amethi that Supreme Court has agreed that ‘chowkidar chor hai’, after the top court accepted the leaked documents in the Rafale review petition, rejecting government’s objection. Rahul Gandhi has said that by rejecting the government’s objections and accepting the leaked documents, Supreme Court has said that there was a scam in the Rafale deal and confirmed that chowkidar chor hai. The Supreme Court has already said that charges against the Rafale deal are baseless in its December 2018 order, and although it has accepted the review petitions, it has not stayed its earlier judgement. Therefore, Rahul Gandhi lied when he attributed the comment to the Supreme Court.

Yesterday Rahul Gandhi filed an affidavit responding to the contempt, where he denied all the allegations made against him. Although he regretted attributing the chowkidar chor hai comment to the court, he claimed that he did so in heat of the moment as he made the comment without knowing the SC order in detail.

Presenting case before the 3-judge bench, Mukul Rohatgi on behalf of Lekhi said that Rahul Gandhi’s reply is only a lip-service and he has not offered any apology, and the regret was also expressed in brackets. Hearing the case, chief justice Ranjan Gogoi asked, “who is chowkidar?”. To this Rohatgi replied that Rahul Gandhi is saying everywhere that Supreme Court has said chowkidar chor hai and PM Narendra Modi is the chowkidar.

To this, the CJI said, “will we use the word ‘Chowkidar’ in our order? How can that be a submission”. The court then asked the Rohatgi to file an affidavit putting everything in detail. The CJI said that the matter should be heard with the main review petitions of the Rafale deal.

Appearing on behalf of Rahul Gandhi, lawyer and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi intervened that no notice was issued in an important matter like this. To this, the CJI rebutted that the defect can be corrected right way by using the notice of contempt against Singhvi. He also reiterated that Rahul Gandhi wrongly attributed the comment to SC, but he himself stands by the allegation that chowkidar chor hai.

After the conclusion of arguments, the court refused to close the matter. A formal notice was issued to Rahul Gandhi in the contempt of court case, which will be listed along with review petition for the Rafale case on April 30.

Bollywood Superstar Sunny Deol joins BJP, expected to contest from Gurdaspur in Punjab

Actor Sunny Deol has today joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. He is likely to contest from Gurdaspur, as per reports. The popular actor, renowned for his roles in superhit movies such a Gadar and Ghatak, follows in the footsteps of his step-mother Hema Malini who has been a long time member of the BJP.


The widely popular Bollywood star joined the BJP in presence of Union Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Railways Minister Piyush Goyal. Only two days earlier, Deol had met BJP President Amit Shah at the Pune Airport.

“I’m indeed very happy to receive a firebrand, popular, very committed to his art and great artist from Bollywood Sri Sunny Deol,” Sitharaman said. She added, “The moment we got to know that he is coming into the party, I could only relate to the movie ‘Border’ he had made post which the impact on the Indian audience of such a theme was really proven that the feeling of Indian Nationalism, Patriotism, when evoked through a film, can really touch the chord of every Indian citizen.”


Currently, Deol’s father, Dharmendra is busy campaigning for his wife Hema Malini who will be contesting on a BJP ticket from Mathura. He is expected to campaign for Sunny Deol as well.

The BJP will be hoping to benefit from Sunny Deol’s popularity in the state where it’s facing the possibility of an imminent loss in seats. Congress under Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has succeeded in securing its poll prospects in Punjab where it is expected to make significant gains.

Trinamool Councillor’s husband thrashed by goons, party blames Congress and Communists

Sporadic instances of violence have been reported from West Bengal where poll-related violence has been the norm. Given the extent of polling malpractice in the first two of phases of the election, the deployment of central forces was increased to cover over 90% of the booths.

Despite that, there have been certain instances of violence reported. In Murshidabad, a TMC Councillor’s husband has allegedly suffered injuries in clashes. Trinamool blamed the Congress party and the Communists for it.


There have also been reports of booth capturing in certain areas. Party agents are allegedly voting on behalf of people in certain booths.


Compared to the first two phases of the elections, things appear to be going much better in the third phase. In the first two phases, violence and malpractice were rampant. Allegations were leveled against the Election Commission as well for gross incompetence. Similarly, violence was also reported during the second phase. Recently, an officer of the Election Commission had gone missing as well.

Pandit Nehru will be pleased that Narendra Modi could achieve what Panditji dreamed of: Arif Mohd Khan on Triple Talaq Bill

In 2017, when BJP passed the historic Triple Talaq Bill, Meenakshi Lekhi dedicated it to Arif Mohd Khan, the former Congress leader and advocate for Muslim Women’s Rights. Remembering the contribution made by the former cabinet minister, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Meenakshi Lekhi hailed the decision of Khan when he resigned from the Congress after it moved the law to stop the maintenance of divorced Muslim Women in 1986. Now, in an interview, Arif Mohammad Khan has said that he is pleased that PM Narendra Modi could achieve what Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru dreamt of, with respect to the Triple Talaq Bill.

In an interview to DailyO, Khan has hailed the step to criminalise Triple Talaq by Prime Minister Modi. When asked if this decision vindicates his personal stand since even previously, the Supreme Court had delivered a similar verdict in the Shah Bano case which was later overturned by the Rajiv Gandhi led Parliament, Khan responded that personal vindication is not important for him.

He added:

“But I can tell you that when in the late 1950s, Taya Zinkin, the chief correspondent of the Guardian, asked Pandit Nehru as to what he considers his greatest achievement, he replied: I was able to secure rights for my Hindu sisters which were denied to them for centuries.

She further asked about his greatest disappointment and Panditji said: I was not able to do the same for my Muslim sisters.

I am sure Panditji, wherever he may be, would be immensely pleased with Narendra Modi for having accomplished what Panditji had dreamed for”. 

When Khan was asked whether the opposition was indulging in Muslim appeasement as alleged by the BJP, Arif Mohammad Khan said that he wouldn’t like to comment on these issues, but one thing is for sure that the opposition parties opposed the Triple Talaq Bill in Rajya Sabha under the influence of All India Muslim Personal Law Board. He added that this was a stark reminder of how the Shah Bano verdict was treated and overturned in the Parliament where a woman was awarded a small sum of Rs. 300.

Interestingly, when asked about the ‘state of secularism’ in India today, Khan said “Secularism as an idea with anti-religion overtones is a western concept — in India, our founding fathers repeatedly made it clear that our secularism is rooted in the ancient Indian way of life that is ‘Ekam Sad Vipra Bahudha Vadanti’: the truth is one and it is perceived variously”.

He said even repeated invasions haven’t been able to change our ethos and our culture has the resilience to prevail. Khan also said that violence is the symptom of the disease of the divide in the society which needs to be cured with education and administrative policies.

Khan went on about the evil of Triple Talaq and the duplicity of Muslim parties. He said that after the Supreme Court judgement, the Muslim Law Board openly rejected the judgement and asserted that the practice would still go on. In fact, there were 100s of cases of Triple Talaq reported even after the judgement, however, after the Modi government promulgated an ordinance deeming Triple Talaq a criminal offence, there have been no such cases. He urged that not every issue should be politicised.

About how BJP is using Triple Talaq Bill as a poll plank to woo a section of the minorities, Khan said that he sees nothing wrong with appealing to voters with something humanitarian and good that the government had done. He also added Muslim women would only thank PM Narendra Modi for ending this evil practice.

Arif Mohammad Khan also exposed the duplicity of so-called Muslim and ‘secular’ parties. He said that he refused to believe that BJP is ‘communal’ and Owaisi and Muslim League are ‘secular’. He said that the Jamaat-e-Islami’s constitution itself says that they want to establish a religion based government in India and the founder, Maulana Maudoodi, is on record having reportedly said that he does not care if Indian Muslims are reduced to the status of shudras.

Khan told DailyO, “For the Jamaat, secularism in Pakistan is Kufr (disbelief or heresy) and in India, they pose as promoters of secularism. But we are living in the age of the internet and this hypocrisy will not work anymore”.

Indian Express journalist caught spreading fake news claiming ‘All votes going to Lotus’

In the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections, a total of 117 constituencies across 13 states and 2 Union Territories are voting today. All 20 seats of Kerala and all 26 seats of Gujarat are undergoing polls today in a single phase.

Among the news reports of elections and voting percentages coming in, there was much discussion over social media by certain users about a polling booth in Kerala registering votes only for ‘Lotus’, the BJP election symbol.

Even Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor complained that there is ‘rigging’ in EVMs and the EC should look into the issue.

In Kovalam, the UDF alleged that the EVMs in booth number 151 at Madhava Vilasam School, near Chowara, Kovalam is malfunctioning and they have stopped the polling after 76 votes were cast because all votes were allegedly going to ‘Lotus’.

Even Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan and leader of opposition Ramesh Chinnithala have also complained about EVM glitches. However, the claim about votes being cast ‘only to Lotus’ seem to have been fanned more by media.

The Election Commission denied the allegations and stated that no such thing is happening.

Surprisingly, even a journalist at the Indian Express, Liz Matthew, shared in a Tweet that EVMs at the booth 151 in Kovalam is registering votes only for ‘Lotus’.

Via Twitter

Despite clarification by India Today’s Paulomi Saha that the CEO, Kerala has stated that they had checked the booth in question and no such thing is happening, Matthews insisted that a voter has claimed so.

However, the district collector of Kovalam, K Vasuki, after conducting an inspection of the polling booth, had shared in a Facebook video that the allegations are baseless. The Election Commission also stated that rumours are being spread about EVMs registering votes only for Lotus.

Vasuki clarified that after 76 votes, the machine at that particular polling booth had jammed and was not taking new votes. So, after an inspection, the particular machine was replaced as per EC norms. After the EVM was replaced by the election officials, polling has continued in the booth normally.

Several Muslim majority seats vote today, including Rahul Gandhi’s ‘safe seat’ Wayanad and Badruddin Ajmal’s Dhubri

As the third phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha election is being held on Tuesday, nearly 30 of the 115 Lok Sabha seats going to polls in the third phase of elections have substantial Muslim population across the states of Assam, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and West Bengal.

The high profile seats like Assam’s Dhubri, where 67.4 per cent of the population is Muslims are going to polls on Tuesday along with Kerala’s Malappuram, which has nearly 68 per cent Muslim population. Controversial Muslim leader and All India United Democratic Front (AIDUF) chief Badruddin Ajmal is contesting from Dhubri, which is also the fortress of his party because of the large Muslim population. Ajmal had abused a journalist recently and threatened to smash his head.

Assam’s Barpeta with 52%, Gauhati has 25% and Kokrajhar with 21% of Muslim population will also see polling on Tuesday.

In Kerala, at least 11 constituencies of out of the total 20, have more than the one-third Muslim population. All the 20 Lok Sabha seats of Kerala will be voting in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 23.

Interestingly, Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s fortunes will also be tested on Tuesday as Muslim majority Wayanad Lok Sabha is also going to polls in the third phase along with the neighbouring Mallapuram Lok Sabha constituency of Kerala, which has nearly 68% Muslim population.

In the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, the actual demography of the Constituency has Muslims as the majority making up 56% of the electorate while Hindus are only 34%. The Christian community is 9% of the electorate. The constituency comprises of 7 Assembly constituencies drawn from three districts: Thiruvambady from Kozhikode, Mananthavadi, Sulthan Bathery and Kalpetta from Wayanad, Eranad, Nilambur and Wandoor from Malappuram.

Rahul Gandhi, sensing a defeat at the hands of Union Minister Smriti Irani from a Hindu majority constituency had chosen a Muslim majority constituency as the Congress party had decided that securing a victory in Muslim dominated constituency would be much easier than in a Hindu majority constituency.

Ponnani, another minority dominated constituency in Kerala with 64% Muslim population will vote on April 23 in the third phase of Lok Sabha election. Congress ally, the Indian Union Muslim League has fielded ET Mohammed Basheer, who is seeking a third term from  Ponnani. Addition to this, Vadakkara Lok Sabha constituency (34% Muslim population), Kasaragod (32.54 % Muslims) and Kozhikode (37.47 % Muslims) is also going to polls on Tuesday.

Chalakudy has 38% Muslim population, Ernakulam has 39%, Idukki has 42% Muslim population, while Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Alapuzzha have 45%, 39% and 21% Muslim population respectively.

In West Bengal, four out of five Lok Sabha constituencies that are scheduled for third phase Lok Sabha elections have a majority Muslim population. Malda Uttar has 49.73% Muslim population while Malda Dakshin has 53.46% Muslims. Muslims comprises 63.67% and 58.31% of the total population in Jangipur and Murshidabad constituency respectively.

Abhijit Mukherjee, son of former President Pranab Mukherjee is contesting from the prestigious Jangipur constituency where Muslims form two-thirds of the voters.

Ten Lok Sabha seats of Uttar Pradesh are also scheduled to go to elections in the third phase. Four constituencies- Moradabad (44.78%), Rampur (49.14%), Sambhal (45.54%),  Bareilly (33.89%) have considerable Muslim population. Even Lok Sabha constituencies of Badaun, Aonia, and Pilibhit Lok Sabha constituency have more than 20% Muslim population.

Rampur Lok Sabha is considered to be a high profile as it has been hugely controversial as Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan is taking on actor-turned-politician BJP candidate Jaya Prada. In Bareilly, one of the strongholds of the BJP, Union Minister Santosh Gangwar is contesting against the Mahagathbandhan of SP-BSP-RLD to secure his eighth term from the constituency.

In Bihar, two out of five seats going to polls have Muslim population, Araria with 41% Muslim votes and Supaul with 18% will go to polls on April 23.

Karnataka’s Bidar – 20% and Dharwad – 19% also have a visible Muslim population while Jalna and Aurangabad in Maharashtra have Muslim voters more than 20% of the population.

Similarly, two seats of Gujarat – Kachh and Bharuch also have a Muslim population of 21%. In Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag, where the elections are being held in three phases, has 98 per cent of Muslim voters.