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After incidents of urine and spit being mixed in food by Muslims, Akhara body wants ban on food stalls by ‘non-Sanatanis’ in 2025 Kumbh Mela: Their demands

OpIndia Staff
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After incidents of urine and spit being mixed in food by Muslims, Akhara body wants ban on food stalls by ‘non-Sanatanis’ in 2025 Kumbh Mela: Their demands

On Wednesday, 9th October, the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad proposed prohibiting “non-Sanatanis” from establishing food stalls and rebranding Urdu phrases, among other measures, to ensure the religious purity of the 2025 Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj. Regarding the plan to prohibit ‘non-Sanatanis’ from opening food stalls, the seers’ body stated that it would adopt a resolution after Diwali and send it to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for clearance.

The Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad chief Ravindra Puri said, “Recently, many incidents have come to light such as mixing of urine in juice, and spitting in food, among others. All Sanatanis will be Hindus in the Kumbh Mela… so it will not be tolerated if someone defiles things and feeds them.” The Akhara Parishad has 13 main Akharas including Nirmohi, Nirvani, Digamber, Mahanirvani, Atal, Bada Udasin, Nirmal, Niranjani, Juna, Avahan, Anand, Agni and Naya Udasin.

According to the reports, Urdu terminology like ‘Shahi Snan’ and ‘Peshwai’ would also be renamed in Hindi as ‘Rajsi Snan’ and ‘Chhavni Pravesh’. According to the organization, using Hindi terminology has been a custom that has been going on for centuries. 

“In a meeting held recently at Niranjani Akhara in Prayagraj, a proposal has been passed to change the names and the chief minister Yogi Adityanath has been informed about it. He may soon make a formal announcement in this regard,” Puri said.

This comes a month after Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav declared that Mahakal’s procession in Ujjain would soon be termed ‘Rajsi Sawaari’ instead of ‘Shahi Sawaari’. The Akhara’s other planned procedures include the deployment of officials and policemen who do not consume meat or alcohol to safeguard the fair’s ‘purity’.

Senior Superintendent of Police (Kumbh Mela) Rajesh Dwivedi stated that Maha Kumbh is a religious event, and as the consumption and sale of meat and alcohol is prohibited throughout the fair area, police officers are also expected not to consume them. Reports also mention that the background of the police officials will be checked before deploying them on duty.

Notably, on 23rd September this year, several Hindu outfits in Uttar Pradesh organized a Panchayat inviting all the communities for discussion on increased incidents of urine and spit jihad. This panchayat issued an appeal to economically and socially boycott individuals who mix spit and pee into meals and beverages. The Panchayat then handed over a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister of the state, the local MLA, and the ACP. In addition, a call was made to take action against persons engaged in such activities under the National Security Act.

Following a series of incidents of urine and spit mixing in the food in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanathon 24th September instructed the launch of a statewide campaign to inspect all such eateries and carry out police verification of their employees. As per official sources, the chief minister’s directives were issued during a high-level meeting with senior officials. The chief minister stated that, if necessary, regulations should be revised to ensure the health and safety of the general public.

Adityanath mentioned that reports of human waste and other substances allegedly mixed into food products and juices have emerged from various parts of the country. He described these incidents as ‘repulsive’. “The names of the owners, managers, and others working there must be prominently displayed at every dhaba, restaurant, and eatery…police verification of all the persons working there must be conducted,” Adityanath said.

He also instructed that CCTVs be installed not only in customer seating areas but throughout other parts of the restaurant.

More info emerges on anti-Hindu X account ‘We Dravidians’, one admin Abid Hasan had given 1-star to Uber driver just because he was Hindu, complaint filed against admins with NIA

OpIndia Staff
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More info emerges on anti-Hindu X account ‘We Dravidians’, one admin Abid Hasan had given 1-star to Uber driver just because he was Hindu, complaint filed against admins with NIA

On Wednesday, 9th October, X user Hindutva Knight announced on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that she had filed a complaint with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against the admins of the social media handle “WeDravidians” for promoting separatist content. In the complaint, the X user pointed out that the now-deactivated social media account was being operated by two individuals named Shaikh Adib Hasan and Kathir S (Sukumar Rajendran). The handle was actively posting separatist content that often contained pro-Pakistani sentiments and narratives that could potentially harm the unity and security of the country.

Notably, the WeDravidians X account no longer exists as it was deactivated after its administrators were exposed.

Sharing a video by Kathir S, the X user pointed out in the complaint that in the video, Kathir S referred to the South as being colonised by North Indians. “There are indications that the administrators of this account may have been influenced or honey-trapped by external entities, potentially from Pakistan, and may be involved in spreading propaganda and conducting psyops against India,” the user said in her complaint.

The user further urged the investigation agency to look into the account and the individuals operating it, suggesting that it was a serious threat warranting immediate investigation. She then mentioned Hasan’s involvement in the unrest in Manipur and threatening statements against the Meitei community made on his personal social media handle.

The user wrote, “In light of the above, I kindly request that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) take prompt action to investigate the activities of this Twitter handle and its administrators. It is imperative that any connections to anti-India elements be thoroughly examined and that appropriate measures be taken to ensure the security of our country”.

One admin gave 1-star to Uber driver just because he was Hindu

Meanwhile, the X user also revealed that the hatred towards Hindus was not new for the admins of the handle. SK Abid Hasan, one of the admins, had given 1-star rating to an Uber driver in 2018 in Kolkata just because he was a Hindu and had Bhagwan Hanuman’s photograph alongside Maa Kali’s photo in the vehicle. In a post on Facebook, Hasan wrote, “On 26th while returning from Kolkata Station in a Uber I noticed there was a Bajrang Bali picture next to Maa Kali picture. After the trip got over I immediately gave the driver one star. That’s blasphemy! No Honu in Bengal please.”

SK Abid Hasan also posted a screenshot of his Uver trip detail, proving that he actually rode an Uber that day, and he actually gave it one star. The screenshot showed that the driver’s name was Ram, another fact that must have irked him, although he didn’t mention it in his post.

Although the hateful act of downvoting a driver just for having Hanumn and Maa Kali images was reported in 2018, at that time it was not known that this Abid Hasan was one of the administrators of anti-Hindu hate account WeDravidians. For Abid Hasan, a Hindu person having photos of Hindu deities in his car is ‘blasphemy’. Moreover, he said that he does not want any Hindus in West Bengal.

About WeDravidians

The notorious X account “WeDravidians” was known for its five-year-long campaign of anti-Hindu propaganda. It was deactivated after complaints were filed against the handle, and its admins were exposed. One of the admins of the account was Kathir R Sukumar. The handle promoted Dravidian separatism and openly advocated for Southern states to secede from India.

The handle regularly targeted Hindu practices, politicians opposing the DMK, and people from North India. They used highly offensive content such as demeaning images of Hindu deities and derogatory comments against leaders like actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan. The handle had a significant online presence with over 41,000 followers on X and an additional presence on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

Recently, the account gained much traction for posting hateful content after Pawan Kalyan praised AIADMK founder MGR. They mocked Kalyan with a derogatory cartoon and even accused him of consuming cow dung and urine in one of the posts. The posts against Kalyan drew widespread backlash on social media, leading to the exposure of the identities of the admins of the handle. Furthermore, it was revealed that these admins had links with DMK leaders, including the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, MK Stalin, and his son, Udhayanidhi Stalin. This exposure led to significant embarrassment for the DMK as images of Sukumar with these leaders went viral.

Furthermore, legal action against the handle was initiated by the supporters of Kalyan, particularly in Andhra Pradesh. The account was deleted following the legal complaints, marking the end of a years-long campaign of vitriol and division. The handle had built its rhetoric on Dravidian supremacy, attacking the Hindu community and promoting separatist ideology. Despite strong links to DMK and substantial following on social media, the handle was shut down following public exposure and legal scrutiny. Now, as an NIA complaint has been filed against the admins of WeDravidians, it is expected that the investigation agencies will look into the separatist content inspired by foreign entities and the role of the handle in Manipur violence.

OpIndia’s detailed expose on Wedravidians can be checked here.

Congress policy is to make one caste of Hindus fight against another caste, but they never talk about castes among Muslims: PM Narendra Modi

ANI
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Congress policy is to make one caste of Hindus fight against another caste, but they never talk about castes among Muslims: PM Narendra Modi

A day after securing a historic win in Haryana Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday lambasted the Congress party, accusing them of dividing the Hindu society for political gains.

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of various development projects in Maharashtra worth over Rs 7600 crore virtually on Wednesday.

While addressing the event virtually, PM Modi said, “Just yesterday, the election results of Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir were declared. Haryana has told what the mood of the country is. It is historic to be elected for the third consecutive time after completing two terms.”

“The policy of Congress is to make one caste of Hindus fight against another caste. Congress knows that the more Hindus get divided, the more it will benefit. Congress wants to keep the Hindu society on fire by any means to make political gains out of it. Wherever elections are held in India, Congress applies this formula,” he added.

PM Modi also claimed the Congress party attempted to mislead the public of all sections including Dalits, farmers, youth, but their efforts were thwarted.

“The entire ecosystem of Congress and the entire gang of urban Naxals were busy misleading the public. But all the conspiracies of Congress were ruined. It tried to spread lies among the Dalits. But the Dalit community sensed their dangerous intentions. Dalits realised that Congress wants to divide its vote bank by snatching away their reservation,” he said.

Emphasising that the farmers of Haryana are happy with the welfare schemes introduced by the BJP, PM Modi said, “Today the Dalit community of Haryana has given record support to BJP. OBCs of Haryana are with BJP after seeing its development work. Congress provoked the farmers. But farmers know who gave them MSP on crops. Farmers of Haryana are happy with the farmer welfare schemes of BJP.”

“Congress targeted the youth and tried to provoke them in different ways. But the youth of Haryana, our sisters and daughters are trusting only BJP for their bright future,” he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi added that while Congress party keeps trying to divide Hindus on caste basis, it never talks about divisions among the Muslim community. He said that Congress formula is to keep scaring Muslims, make them afraid, use them into vote bank, and strengthen the vote bank.

“Not a single leader of Congress has ever said that there are so many castes among Muslims. Whenever the matter of divisions among Muslims is raised, Congress leaders shut their mouths. But when it is about the Hindu society, Congress always starts the discussion with caste.

He said that Congress spreads poison in society for political benefits, and it contests elections based on communalism and casteism completely. Breaking the Hindu society and making it the formula of winning elections, this is the basis of politics of the Congress party.

The PM said, “Congress is supressing the tradition of Sarvajan Hitay Sarvajan Sukhay, they are suppressing the Sanatan Parampara.

PM Modi also claimed the Congress party attempted to mislead the public of all sections including Dalits, farmers, youth, but their efforts were thwarted.

The Prime Minister further congratulated the people of Maharashtra for various development projects whose foundation stone were laid today.

“Today Maharashtra is getting the gift of 10 medical colleges. The foundation stone for two important infrastructure related projects, the modernization and expansion work of Nagpur Airport and the construction of a terminal building for Shirdi Airport, has also been laid today. I congratulate the people of Maharashtra for all these development works,” he said.

PM Modi accused the Congress of rampant corruption during their rule, matching the current pace and scale of development.

“Never in the history of Maharashtra has development taken place in different sectors at such a fast pace and on such a large scale. Yes, it is a different matter that during the Congress rule, corruption definitely took place in different sectors at the same pace and on the same scale,” he said.

Highlighting the recognition of Marathi as a Classical Language, the Prime Minister said, “Just a few days ago we gave the status of elite language to Marathi language. When a language gets its glory, then not just the words but the entire generation gets new lyrics. The decades old dream of crores of Marathi people has come true.”

“People of Maharashtra celebrated this joy at many places. Today people are sending me messages of happiness from every village in Maharashtra. People of Maharashtra in their messages are thanking me for giving the status of elite language to Marathi. But I want to tell you that this work has not been done by me but by the blessings of all of you,” he added.

With inputs from ANI

TMC MP Saket Gokhale, ‘journalists’ start spinning yarns about Mahesh Langa’s arrest in GST scam even though bogus firms were floated in his name, gold, cash seized: Details

Shraddha Pandey
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TMC MP Saket Gokhale, ‘journalists’ start spinning yarns about Mahesh Langa’s arrest in GST scam even though bogus firms were floated in his name, gold, cash seized: Details

Ever since Mahesh Langa, a left-leaning journalist for The Hindu was arrested by Ahmedabad Crime Branch on Tuesday (8th October), for alleged involvement in a multi-crore GST scam, the anti-BJP politicians and the media ecosystem has come out in Langa’s defence. The usual suspects have even accused the BJP government in Gujarat of exacting revenge against Mahesh Langa for writing articles against their policies.

Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale, who is out on bail in his own little money laundering scam case, alleged that Mahesh Langa’s arrest is somehow the BJP government’s revenge. Moreover, the TMC MP accused the BJP of punishing Langa while also intimidating other journalists.

“This is Modi & BJP’s shameless Gujarat textbook for revenge which I’ve personally experienced,” Gokhale claimed.

The money laundering accused TMC MP went on to accuse central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate, CBI etc as the ‘private mafias’ of the BJP.

“Mahesh Langa is a fearless journalist who has constantly shown truth to power. His arrest is an attempt to punish him for his work & to intimidate other journalists – a model that Modi has perfected in Gujarat over years,” the TMC MP alleged.

“Agencies like IT, GST, ED, CBI have become private mafias of the BJP. Gujarat Police is essentially an extended arm of the party ever ready to do their bidding. The 240-seat PM should realize that these tamashas need to end. Power doesn’t last forever & it almost slipped out of his hands very recently. Hope Mahesh Langa is freed by the courts soon & his personal liberty is restored. This cowardly act must be deplored.,” Gokhale said.

Journalist Smita Sharma also insinuated that somehow the BJP government got Mahesh Langa arrested as Langa was writing about the impact of the ban on Russian-origin diamonds on Gujarat’s diamond industry.

“Less than a week ago @LangaMahesh did a hard hitting report on the impact of the ban on Russian origin diamonds on Gujarat’s diamond industry and asked some sharp questions. Now he is arrested,” Sharma posted on X.

Similarly, Journalist and founding editor of Reporters’ Collective, Nitin Sethi vouched for Mahesh Langa’s integrity saying that he doesn’t pander to powers and that he has known him for two decades.

“A journalist that doesn’t pander to the powers that be. Mahesh Langa. I have known him for last 2 decades,” Sethi posted.

Meanwhile, former TheQuint reporter Mekhala Saran deemed Mahesh Langa’s arrest another nail in the coffin of India’s press freedom. “No journalist in India is safe until all journalists in India are safe. Mahesh Langa’s arrest is another nail in the coffin of press freedom,” Saran wrote on X.

NDTV reporter Gargi Rawat called Mahesh Langa one of the best journalists in Gujarat and said: “Mahesh Langa is a one of the best journos currently in Gujarat. Hope he emerges from this.”

Journalist Asmita Nandy called Langa’s arrest ‘bizarre’ and said: “This is bizarre! @LangaMahesh is one of the very few kind and extremely helpful seniors you’ll meet in journalism. Has been a fierce critic of the ruling dispensation, a rare independent voice in Gujarat and his work has exposed many a crime.”

One writer and political analyst Raju Parulekar claimed that Mahesh Langa is paying the price of writing ‘truth’ and said: “सच की क़ीमत का हिसाब पुतिन  और मोदानी को.”

The insinuation by all of these “journalists” and politicians was simple – they pronounced Mahesh Langa innocent and claimed that his arrest was a vendetta by the BJP government because Langa wrote articles critical of the government. None of those who came out in defence of Langa actually told their readers what the charges against him were and what the authorities had seized from his home, implicating him in the scam.

What is the GST scam and what the FIR says?

The left-liberal ecosystem defends anyone from their side arrested for their involvement in illegal or even anti-national activities, as seen in the case of Umar Khalid, to make a hero out of them who is projected as someone ‘fighting’ against the ‘fascist’, ‘Hindutva’ regime, the attempts are underway to carve out a similar image of Mahesh Langa. It is thus, pertinent to understand why Langa was arrested.

The Ahmedabad Crime Branch conducted raids at 14 locations, including Ahmedabad, Junagadh, Surat, Kheda, and Bhavnagar. Over 33 individuals involved in running 12 bogus firms were arrested. In connection with this Rs 200 crore GST scam, the Crime Branch arrested Langa and is questioning him.

Himanshu Joshi, the Zonal Director of the Directorate General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (DGGI), filed a complaint with the Ahmedabad Crime Branch, alleging that a bogus company was registered under Dhruvi Enterprise. This company fraudulently obtained input tax credit by creating over 200 fake firms nationwide, generating fraudulent invoices worth billions. The total value of fraudulent billing in Gujarat has surpassed Rs 50,000 crore.

The FIR says that the scam took place between February 2023 and May 2024 and the complaint describes how a fraudulent lease agreement was lodged online to the Ahmedabad GST department under the name Dhruvi Enterprise. A GST number was subsequently obtained, and a criminal conspiracy was hatched with the owners of other firms to gain phoney input tax credits through fraudulent invoicing, forged documentation, and misrepresentation, contributing to huge revenue losses for the government.

Suspicious transactions, unaccounted gold and cash were seized from the house of Mahesh Langa

Speaking about the GST scam and Mahesh Langa’s involvement, Deputy commissioner of police, city crime branch, Ajit Rajian said: “The central GST had found some suspicious transactions in bogus firms floated in the name of journalist Mahesh Langa’s wife and father using forged documents.”

DCP Rajian added that the crime branch officials have seized Rs 20 lakh in cash and unaccounted gold from Mahesh Langa. The police said that the Dhruvi Enterprise named in the FIR issued 12 invoices to fake companies. Among these bogus companies, one DA Enterprise was registered in the name of Manoj Langa and Vinu Patel.

While the actual extent of the scam and the further role of Mahesh Langa and his family in it remains a matter of investigation, the left-liberal ecosystem is desperately attempting to project Langa as a victim of the BJP government’s supposed ‘revenge’. However, the facts emerging in the case suggest that Langa’s arrest and subsequent questioning are solely based on his alleged role in the scam and neither due to his ideological opposition to the BJP nor due to his ‘critical’ articles.

Muslims, especially women, in a Palghar residential society harass Hindus, stop them from celebrating Navratri: All you need to know

Siddhi Somani
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Muslims, especially women, in a Palghar residential society harass Hindus, stop them from celebrating Navratri: All you need to know

Communal tensions were rife in the district of Palghar, Maharashtra after Hindus were prevented from celebrating the festival of Navratri. According to reports, the incident was reported from a society in the Nallasopara area of Palghar, Mumbai. The society has Hindu and Muslim residents. However, Hindus have recently complained that they are being stopped from celebrating Navratri and performing puja in the society by Muslims. Hindus have also complained that the Muslim community has built an illegal Madarsa within the society and namaz is held there on a regular basis.

The videos of the Hindu society members complaining about the incident are making rounds on social media. Reports mention several local Hindus reached the society after they knew that Muslims in the society were stopping Hindus from celebrating Navratri. Hindus protested against the incident and tried to organize Puja within the society. Later police were informed who eventually reached the spot and stopped the people of the Hindu community from performing puja.

According to reports, some Muslim women in the locality have voiced their opposition to the installation of Lord Ganesh idols and the public celebration of Navratri, raising concerns about religious tensions. According to the Head of BJP Maharashtra Social Media Legal and Advisory Department, Adv Ashutosh Dubey, Muslims in the society have a permanent place of worship but Hindus are not allowed to even celebrate any festival. As per his X post, Muslims in the society have put up Islamic flags all over but Hindus are not allowed to do the same. Dubey has called for Palghar police cognizance in the case.

The society in which the said incident happened is named Orange Heights, located in the Yashwant Gaurav area of ​​Nalasopara West. This society houses an almost equal population of Hindu and Muslim residents. People of the Hindu community allege that people of the Muslim community keep harassing them and asserting their dominance.

The Hindu residents of the community intended to hold a Mata ki Chowki and organize Garba during Navratri. Following this, people of the Muslim community began harassing them by dumping various things, like iron sheets blocking the way of Hindus at the event venue. They further stated that such religious activities would not be permitted in society. When the Hindu community sought the police for assistance, they received no response.

Protesters from a Hindu organization who arrived from the outside in response to the incident asserted that the Hindu residents had made several requests to the Muslim community to allow them to celebrate Navratri, but they had been denied. One member of the audience commented, “It is concerning that we now have to ask permission to worship our Gods and celebrate our festivals in our own country.”

Another person stated, “They (Muslims) are stopping us from celebrating Navratri here, yet they have built a madrasa in this location. Who provided them permission to build a madrasa? Though they are allowed to reside in society, building a madrassa should be prohibited.” He questioned who gave the Muslim community permission to prevent Hindus from worshipping and celebrating their festivals. The Hindus reiterated that they simply intended to organize Puja on the occasion of Navratri and would leave once it was over. 

Several videos have surfaced on social media showing harassment of members of the Hindu community in Orange Heights. In these videos, Hindus can be heard complaining that common areas are being taken over by the Muslim community. They claim that deliberate attempts are being made to disrupt their peace. 

One such video, shared by Kajal Hindustani on the social media platform X, features a woman describing the situation, “This is how we are being stopped. Iron sheets are placed here so that we don’t celebrate the Hindu festival here. This is done whenever they feel like it. Roads are blocked at will. Our cars are stopped. Gates are closed without giving any notice. Our flags are thrown down whenever they want. They silence us, harass us whenever they want.”

The video shows a big iron sheet covering the road, making it practically difficult for a four-wheeler to pass. In the video, a few Muslim ladies are seen standing nearby, passively watching as Hindu women film the interaction. The Hindu women claim that the route has been closed for two years and that emergency services have been shut off for Hindus. 

In the video, a Hindu woman further displays the side of the same road where numerous tazias are positioned, with a Muslim religious flag behind. She goes on to say, “Their flag and other items remain here for years, while our flag is removed immediately.” As the woman records, a Muslim teenager is seen removing the Islamic flag to avoid it from being seen on camera.

In another video, the same woman highlights a madrasa created by Muslims in the parking area of the society. She explains, “They (Muslims) turned a part of a parking lot into a madrasa, even putting up a shed. This madrasa has been operating for two years now, with five prayers being offered daily using loudspeakers, and we have never objected. But now, when we want to set up Mata Rani ki Chowki for just nine days, they are refusing.”

The woman points to the surroundings of the society and asks, “If we need emergency services here, how will we get them? These people are now even planning to build a wall here and prevent access to the E wing. They’ve even stopped the flow of water and attempted to block the drainage system with bricks and stones.”

She goes on, “They’re additionally asking that the space where waste is stored be sealed off. We’ve been to the police station 15-20 times but haven’t found a solution. In the video, the woman shows a madrasa called ‘Faizan-e-Quran Jaaye Namaz Madrasa’ and claims that it was built illegally.

Residents allege that every year during Navratri, the Hindu community organizes Mata Ki Chowki and immerses idols after worship. However, this year, they are being harassed by members of the Muslim community, who are attempting to prevent them from celebrating Navratri in the open.

Dehradun: Naushad spits in tea, Hasan abuses and threatens the man who caught them and objected, run away after FIR as video goes viral

OpIndia Staff
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Dehradun: Naushad spits in tea, Hasan abuses and threatens the man who caught them and objected, run away after FIR as video goes viral

On 8th October another case of spitting on food items was reported. The matter pertains to the popular tourist destination of Mussoorie in Dehradun, Uttarakhand where Naushad Ali first spat in a teapot and then he and Hasan Ali threatened as well as abused a man who confronted them.

Naushad Ali and Hasan Ali run a food stall in Dehradun. The issue came to light when a tourist caught them and recorded a video of them spitting in the tea. A complaint was then registered against them by a man named Himanshu Bishnoi of the Nehrugram Police Station area, in the Raipur district. The culprits are currently absconding.

The complaint stated that the duo not only put people’s health at risk but also tried to create religious tension and spoil the peaceful atmosphere in the area. On 29th September the complainant went to Mussorie on a holiday and reached Mussoorie Library Chowk (Gandhi Chowk) at around 6.30 in the morning. The accused were selling tea, Maggi, butter and other things on a stall there. He also had tea there and started capturing the stunning surroundings with his camera. However, he spotted that the boy who was preparing the tea was spitting in the vessel and accidentally filmed it.

He objected to their nasty behaviour and disregard for the health of common people but they did not apologise and instead abused him. The duo told him to leave and even threatened to murder him and dump his body where no one would discover it. The complainant added that the nearby locals told him that the perpetrator’s name was Naushad Ali, even though Hussain Ali appeared when he paid for tea via Phone Pay. He is the son of a man named Sher Ali, a resident of Khatauli in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district while the other was called Hasan Ali, son of Sher Ali from Kitabghar in Mussoorie.

Himanshu conveyed that he returned to his destination at the time and couldn’t personally come to the police station in Mussoorie to file the complaint earlier due to his busy schedule. He mentioned that a similar complaint had been emailed by him to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) office. He charged that the offenders tried to provoke religious sentiments in addition to messing with the well-being of people and highlighted that the act could have resulted in a communal riot in the region. He demanded strict action against the offenders for stirring communal sentiments and playing with the public’s health.

A First Information Report was swiftly launched by the authorities against Naushad Ali and Hasan Ali under sections 196(1)(b) (enmity and hatred between different groups), 274 (adulteration of food or drink intended for sale), 299 (protection of religious sentiments in India), 351 (criminal intimidation) and 352 (intentional insults that are intended to provoke a breach of the peace) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The police stated that they were looking into the case and searching for the accused. They assured that both would be arrested soon.

Notably, numerous instances similar to this have been documented from all around India, where Muslims have been discovered spitting on food items or drinks.

Know why allegations of Congress around ‘battery levels in EVMs’ are ridiculous, read what ECI said which Yogendra Yadav finds ‘too technical’, but actually very simple

OpIndia Staff
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Know why allegations of Congress around ‘battery levels in EVMs’ are ridiculous, read what ECI said which Yogendra Yadav finds ‘too technical’, but actually very simple

After the defeat in assembly elections in Haryana, the Congress party has again started to blame Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). However, they have brought some changes to the allegation. In a bizarre accusation, the party claimed that EVMs with different levels of battery charge gave different results. However, the Election Commission has denied these allegations, and explained that while fully charged batteries are inserted in EVMs before the polls, the charge level continues to come down with the use of the machines in mock poll, actual voting and counting.

The allegations were made in a press conference addressed by senior Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera. They alleged that in EVMs with 99% battery charge, BJP was winning, while in EVMs with lesser charge levels like 60-70 per cent, Congress was winning.

Jairam Ramesh said, “We are getting constant complaints. We were being told that EVMs that had 99 per cent battery were leading to our loss, while we won when voters voted on machines that had 60-70 per cent batteries.” With this claim, the party tried to allege that the EVMs showing more votes for BJP were tampered with, and that is why they were showing more battery charge.

The Congress leader claimed that such complaints were received from Hisar, Mahendragarh and Panipat. He said, “Have you understood this conspiracy? Where there was 99 per cent battery in EVMs, the BJP won. Where there was less than 70 per cent battery, the Congress won. If this is not a conspiracy, then what is it?”

Ramesh said that there are serious allegations regarding the poll process, and that is why they can’t accept the Haryana election results. He added, “Ye tantra ki jeet hai aur loktantra ki haar. We have been constantly complaining to the Election Commission since afternoon. We will give our complaints to EC. Serious questions have been raised by our candidates and this result is against the will of the people of Haryana. Under such circumstances, we cannot accept the results.”

How Congress claims are baseless

Congress basically wanted to claimed that after the polls, some EVMs were tampered with to give more votes to BJP, and their batteries were changed during the process. However, the party keeps forgetting one basic fact about elections in India, any tampering with EVMs is not possible as they are always under the vigil of security forces and the agents of candidates.

The EVMs are kept in strong rooms after the elections, and candidates and/or their authorised agents are allowed to keep an watch on them 24×7 till the day of the counting. While the agents stay in a camp set up outside the strong room, they can watch live CCTV footage from inside the strong room. If they spot anything suspicious, they raise an alarm and lodge complaint.

There is no report of any Congress candidate or agents lodging any such complaint. Therefore, the allegation of the Congress party is baseless. Moreover, there is no evidence that EVMs showing more votes for BJP had 99% battery charge. It is just an allegation by the Congress party without any evidence.

ECI denies allegatoins

The Election Commission of India responded to the claims and dismissed them. Official sources of the ECI told the media that there is link between battery charge levels and voting numbers shown in EVMs. The officials explained that alkaline batteries are used in the Control Unit of the EMVs, and new batteries are inserted on the commissioning of the EVMs for the election in the presence of candidates or their agents, and then the machines are sealed.

The battery provides a voltage between 7.5 and 8 volts. When the voltage is above 7.4, the battery capacity is displayed as 99 per cent. As the battery charge is consumed with the use of the EVM for voting, the charge level is displayed as coming down gradually from 98% to 10%. The EVM works till the battery has over 5.8 volts. Before reaching 10% charge, the control unit starts displaying a low battery warning.

The ECI further explained that the capacity of the battery on the counting day depends upon the mock poll conducted on the control unit, the actual poll and the initial voltage of the battery which can vary between 7.5 to 8 volts.

ECI denies allegations of slow counting

The Congress leaders also alleged that there were delays in publishing the results of the Haryana elections, and Jairam Ramesh submitted a formal complaint with the ECI. He claimed that ECI was playing ‘mind games’. Ramesh tweeted, “Like the Lok Sabha elections, in Haryana, we are again witnessing slowing down of uploading up-to-date trends on the ECI website. Is the BJP trying to build pressure on administration by sharing outdated and misleading trends.”

In the letter to the ECI, Jairam Ramesh claimed that there was unexplained slowdown in updating results on the ECI website. Notably, early in the morning, Congress was leading the results, but soon BJP overtook it and eventually won the election with 48 seats.

The Election Commission responded to the letter and rejected his claims, calling the allegations ill founded. The Commission said that the counting of votes was carried out as per Rule 60 of Conduct of Election Rules at the designated counting centres and by the designated authorities following the Statutory and Regulatory regime.

The ECI remined the Congress party that as per rules, the entire counting process in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir was unfolding in the presence of candidates, observers and micro-observers. The response by the ECI categorically stated, “There is nothing on record to substantiate your ill-founded allegation of slowdown in updating of results.”

The ECI provided publicly available data from its website which showed that approximately 25 rounds of counting across all constituencies were being updated every 5 minutes on Tuesday, which testifies dissemination of counting process in a speedy manner.

Yogendra Yadav tried to create confusion by making it a technical issue

In the meanwhile, Ichchadhari protester Yogendra Yadav tweaked the Congress allegations on EVMs and claimed it to be a technical issue. He repeated the Congress allegation that EVMs showing more votes had 99% battery level, and therefore the unspoken allegation is that those EVMs were tampered with after the polls. He said that these are serious allegations, adding that this need investigation.

Yadav also claimed that he could not understood the ECI response to the allegation because it is ‘too technical’. He said that as he is not an engineer, he does not understand things related to batteries. However, he claimed that this is a serious matter and ECI needs to probe and explain everything.

While Yogendra Yadav thinks the topic of battery level in devices is so technical that it needs an engineering degree to understand, that is not the reality. In today’s age, everyone uses battery-operated devices, and everyone knows that when fully charged, a device showed 100% charge, and as the battery is drained with use, the displayed charge level continues to come down.

There was nothing else in the ECI response. They said new batteries are inserted in EVMs before elections in the presence of candidates and then the EVMs are sealed. The ECI added that with the use of EVMs, the battery strength continues to come down, which is what happens with every battery-operated device. The ECI response basically explained that EVMs use alkaline batteries, and their charge drain with use, this is a simple fact about batteries, not requiring an engineering degree to understand.

Notably, while mobile phones and most electronic gadgets use Lithium-ion batteries, most low-power devices like remote controls, toys, clocks etc use alkaline batteries.

Lucknow Eidgah’s Maulana Khalid Rasheed demands action against Yati Narsinghanand: ‘Firangi Mahali’, past opposition to reform and the dangerous demand for ‘blasphemy law’

Anurag
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Lucknow Eidgah’s Maulana Khalid Rasheed demands action against Yati Narsinghanand: ‘Firangi Mahali’, past opposition to reform and the dangerous demand for ‘blasphemy law’

On Tuesday, 8th October, the Chairperson of the Islamic Centre of India (ICI) and Imam of Eidgah, Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali, demanded strict action against Dasna Temple Mahant Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati for his alleged statement on Prophet Mohammad. In his statement, the Imam said, “The statement by Yati Narsinghanand has not only deeply hurt the sentiments of millions of Indians, but it also aimed to incite communal feelings among Muslims worldwide.”

Notably, a delegation from the ICI submitted a memorandum to the Director General of Police (DGP), Uttar Pradesh (UP), and demanded stringent legal action against Mahant Saraswati and his incarceration. Speaking on the memorandum seeking action against Narsinghanand, Imam Khalid Rasheed Mahali added, “The memorandum implores the UP government to advise the Central government to enact a rigorous national law to ensure that derogatory remarks against any religion or religious figures are met with the most severe penalties.”

It is pertinent to note that not only Imam Khalid Rasheed Mahali asked for action against Yati Maharaj but also demanded strict ‘blasphemy laws’ which would automatically outlaw not just comments on Mohammad but also any criticism of Islam since any criticism that makes the Islamists uncomfortable would be deemed blasphemous by the community, demanding action against the so-called “offender”. The dog-whistling about “Blasphemy” is more often than not a convenient way to target non-Muslims not just in India but also in Pakistan, and Bangladesh in the neighbourhood and the world over. A special law targeted towards curbing criticism of Islam would only end up legitimising the “hurt feelings” of the Muslim community over any criticism of their faith, leading to violent and murderous calls like “Sar Tan Se Juda”.

Brief history of ICI and Maulana Khalid Rasheed

The Islamic Centre of India (ICI), also known as Darul Uloom Farangi Mahal, is located in Lucknow. According to the centre’s website, the ancestors of the Farangi Mahlis migrated to India in the 11th century and have been engaged in scholarly work for centuries. The website claims that Aurangzeb was highly influenced by the Islamic scholars of Farangi Mahal. The name “Farangi” originates from the fact that in 1695, the family of the Ulama-e-Farangi was relocated to a palace previously occupied by a French merchant; hence, the palace became known as “Farangi Mahal”. The word “Farangi” means “foreigner”.

Maulana Khalid Rasheed is the Shahi Imam of Eidgah in Lucknow. He initially received his education at a Christian missionary institute and later enrolled at the Islamic University Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama for Islamic studies. He also holds a master’s degree from Lucknow University. Rasheed is the youngest executive member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB).

Maulana Rasheed opposed Waqf Amendment Bill

Rasheed recently made headlines when he opposed the Narendra Modi-led NDA government’s Waqf Amendment Bill. Speaking to The Indian Express, he claimed that the Waqf Act was more than sufficient for the management, security, and development of Waqf properties, and there was no need to amend the existing laws.

Although he asserted that the notion that the Waqf Board can claim any land as Waqf property was false, there is ample evidence that Waqf Boards in different states have claimed ownership of lands belonging to Hindu communities and the government. They even claimed ownership of an entire village, including a 1,000-year-old temple.

Speaking to ANI on the matter, he said, “The amendment is part of the process that keeps happening from time to time. Amendments have been made to the Waqf Act earlier as well. It should be ensured that the dignity of the Waqf is not harmed. It is the need of the hour to make amendments, and there should be no politics over it. There should be a discussion on it. What did Asaduddin Owaisi or other opposition leaders say when amendments were made during previous governments? The opposition should not protest against everything. There should be a discussion on it rather than politics.”

When the Joint Parliament Committee sought views from the public and stakeholders about the Waqf Amendment bill, he appealed to the Imams of mosques to have special sessions before Friday prayers to inform the members of Muslim community about the “disadvantages” and “harmfulness” of the bill. Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali stated that Waqf is a purely religious matter and has no connection with the followers of any other religion. He explained that Islam has a comprehensive Waqf system, which has been in place since the time of Prophet Mohammad and continues to this day. The Maulana emphasised that the Imams of mosques should educate people about the true meaning of Waqf in Islam.

Maulana Rasheed opposed Uniform Civil Code

In 2023, he opposed the demand for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC). He stated that it is not possible to implement the UCC as it is not only against Muslims but also against all religions that have their own personal laws. He claimed that if the UCC is implemented, people will no longer be able to follow their personal laws. Citing the Constitution of India, he argued that the government should not enforce the UCC, as the Constitution grants everyone the right to freedom of religion and UCC will be against it.

Remarks by Narsinghanand that led to multiple protests and incidents of violence

The demand for action against Narsinghanand by Imam Khalid Rasheed and series of protests against him stemmed from a statement made by Mahant Narsinghanand at an event where he stated, ”…Even thousands of years since Ravan committed a small mistake, we burn his effigy. But until now, such criminals have taken birth that Ravan’s existence would fail in front of them. I want to exhort all Hindus from this stage if you want to burn an effigy, burn the effigy of Mohammad.”

Yati Narsinghanand’s past and an assassination attempt against him

It is worth noting that this is not the first time that Islamists have targeted Narsinghanand for his remarks. In 2022, Narsinghanand was arrested after a woman filed a complaint against him for making derogatory remarks against women. Islamists had then alleged that he had called for the genocide of Muslims during an event called ‘Dharma Sansad’ where he had called upon Hindus to keep sharper weapons in self-defence against the looming threats posed by Islamists.

The near-constant barrage of online attacks by Islamists against Yati Narsinghanand came to a head in 2021 when Delhi Police foiled an assassination bid to kill him. Mohd. Dar, a JeM terrorist was arrested by the police and one .30 bore pistol along with two magazines and 15 live rounds were recovered from him. His belonging also included a Bhagwa kurta, a Kalava, a Mala and a Chandan-tika. The recovery of overtly Hindu symbols highlighted the modus operandi employed by Mumbai 26/11 terrorists who carried Hindu paraphernalia on their suicide mission to pin the blame of the attack on Hindus and in the process, promote the “Hindu terror” bogey, a fabrication that was conjured up by the UPA government to shield Islamic extremism.

Allahabad HC dismisses plea seeking FIR against Jagatguru Rambhadracharya Maharaj for making ‘objectionable’ remarks against Dalits

OpIndia Staff
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Allahabad HC dismisses plea seeking FIR against Jagatguru Rambhadracharya Maharaj for making ‘objectionable’ remarks against Dalits

On October 4, the Allahabad High Court dismissed a petition that sought to register a First Information Report (FIR) against Jagatguru Rambhadracharya Maharaj. The petition, filed by Prakash Chandra, accused the Hindu saint of making objectionable remarks about Dalits during a religious event.

Prakash Chandra had appealed to the High Court after a trial court found the application to be not maintainable.

During the proceedings at the High Court, senior advocate M.C. Chaturvedi, representing Swami Rambhadracharya, argued that the comments made by the seer did not amount to an offence under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Chaturvedi maintained that the statements could be interpreted in various ways, and thus, they did not meet the criteria for the allegations made by Prakash Chandra.

During the proceedings, the additional government advocate representing the State of Uttar Pradesh also opposed Prakash Chandra’s appeal. The advocate asserted that the order from the special court contained no legal infirmity and supported the dismissal of the appeal.

The Allahabad HC agreed with this perspective and upheld the lower court’s decision and said that Chandra could not have sought the filing of a criminal case in this matter under Section 156(3) of CrPC.

Dismissing the appeal, Justice Saurabh Srivastava observed, “Having perused the grounds taken up while preferring the instant appeal, it is crystal clear that no specific offence under SC/ST Act, 1989, Section 67 of IT Act and other sections of IPC is attracted.”

The Allahabad High Court reasoned that the protections provided under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act are personal in nature. This means that such protections are intended for individuals directly affected by the alleged discrimination or offence, rather than for a broader community. Consequently, the court concluded that Prakash Chandra could not file an application under Section 156(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) on behalf of the community at large.

“The pious intention of the legislation for protecting the interest and safeguarding the measures of protection for community at large specifically Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes community, is that, if any damage has been committed by some another person who does not belong to the community of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe, the Act ensures personal protection espousing the rights available to the person but for community at large the application under Section 156(3) Cr.P.C is not at all maintainable,” the High Court observed.

Notably, Swami Jagatguru Rambhadracharya Maharaj was one of the saints who testified in court regarding the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya. During his testimony, he referenced Hindu scriptures to substantiate the claim that Ayodhya is indeed the birthplace of Bhagwan Ram. This involvement in the legal proceedings surrounding the Ram Janmabhoomi case highlights Swami Rambhadracharya’s prominent role in the broader discourse on Hindu religious identity and heritage

UAPA accused Congress leader Maman Khan, involved in Nuh anti-Hindu violence, wins with highest margin in Haryana, BJP’s Muslim candidate loses: What it means

OpIndia Staff
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UAPA accused Congress leader Maman Khan, involved in Nuh anti-Hindu violence, wins with highest margin in Haryana, BJP’s Muslim candidate loses: What it means

The results of the Haryana assembly elections came as a shocker for the Congress party and the psephologists as the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) created history in the state by pulling off a surprising win for the third time in a row. While the BJP managed to consolidate the non-Jat votes, the Congress party as it always has, enjoyed the support of Muslims. The consolidation of votes on the basis of caste and religion is not new, however, what is particularly noteworthy is that an accused in the anti-Hindu Nuh violence won maximum votes.

Congress leader Maman Khan, accused in the Nuh attack against Hindus during Shobhayatra, won from the Ferozpur Jhirka seat with a massive margin of nearly 1 lakh votes. 

The Muslim leader of Congress won a whopping 1,30,497 votes while the BJP candidate from the Ferozpur Jhirka seat, Nasim Ahmed could only get 32,056 votes. The winning margin of Maman Khan was 98,441, which is the highest margin registered in the Haryana elections in 2024. In 2019, Maman Khan contested on a Congress ticket and won 58% of the vote with a margin of 37,000 votes from Ferozpur Jhirka. With these numbers, it would appear that Maman Khan was rewarded electorally for his involvement in the attack on Hindus during the 2023 violence in Nuh.

Maman Khan and the Nuh anti-Hindu riots connection

On the 31st of July 2023, Islamists attacked the Jalabhishek Yatra of Hindus, killing several and injuring dozens of people, including police officials. While Congress and the usual suspects tried their best to put the blame for the violence on Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, investigations uncovered that the attacks on the Hindu procession were pre-planned. Notably, Congress leader Maman Khan is facing UAPA charges for inciting the violence. He was arrested on the 14th of September 2023, and was later granted bail on the 4th of October, 2023 in the Nuh violence cases.

The police had said that before the anti-Hindu violence erupted in Nuh, Maman Khan had arranged for money (Rs 500 each) to be delivered to the miscreants through local sarpanchs. Moreover, it was alleged that incendiary posts were spread via WhatsApp groups bearing Maman Khan’s name including Youth Team Maman Khan and IT Cell Maman Khan.

Back then, Nuh superintendent of police Narender Bijarniya had said, “He [Maman Khan] played an important role in spreading rumours during the Nuh violence and was in touch with some suspects involved in pelting stones and setting vehicles on fire. He has also been accused of paying people to attack the Braj Mandal yatra and create a ruckus.”

Out on bail, Maman Khan continued making inflammatory speeches during the poll rallies. Last month, it was reported that the Congress leader allegedly threatened that as soon as the Congress party came to power in Haryana, certain people would be ousted from Mewat, a Muslim-dominated area. As per the 2011 census, the religion-based breakup of Mewat’s population stands at 79.20% Muslim, 20.37% Hindu, 0.11% Christian, 0.05% Sikh, and 0.05% Buddhist.

During a poll rally in Bewa village, Maman Khan warned that some people had done ‘injustice’ to Mewat’s children. When Congress forms the government, they will be forced to leave Mewat.

Speaking about the anti-Hindu Nuh riots, Maman Khan said: “I know that when this incident happened, the stoves were not lit in many houses. The government put me in jail without any reason, but we should not lose courage. My family and your family are not different. We all have one family. We should not be sad that the stove was not lit in my house, the stove was not lit in your house. My child did not eat roti, your child did not eat roti. Everyone is in pain. Everyone knows. The time will come and the government will be formed. Insha Allah. I know each and every one of those cruel people who have done injustice to our children. I know each and every one of them. I will not spare those who have given the list under any circumstances. They will have to leave Mewat, they will not be able to live here and will have to go out.”

The BJP had said that Maman Khan was issuing a veiled threat to Hindus and if Congress is voted to power, Hindus will be forced to leave Mewat. While the Congress party may have failed to win a majority to form a government, Maman Khan has won the Ferozpur Jhirka seat with a historic margin.

Making Maman Khan win, especially by such a large margin in Haryana, demonstrates that the Muslim populace dislikes the BJP’s Muslim candidate. This means that even if the BJP fields a Muslim candidate, Muslims will not vote for him. They would rather vote for someone who has been accused of rioting than vote for a BJP candidate. Perhaps, they are more interested in ensuring that Islamist is their elected representative and that development, infrastructure, jobs etc are secondary or non-issues for them.

Further, the unprecedented of Maman Khan, given that he had threatened Hindus during his campaigning and has proved his anti-Hindu credentials with his involvement in the Nuh violence signals potentially difficult times for the Hindus of the Mewat region. The BJP has long believed in ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’. However, it is evident that the Muslim electorate is in no romance with the idea of “development for all” even if the BJP fields a Muslim candidate. It is about defeating the party itself even at the cost of sectarian politics and policies.

Notably, from cybercrimes, sextortion, and more, Mewat has been a crime hotspot. Mewat is also infamous as ‘Mini Pakistan’ and has been a hotbed of anti-Hindu crimes.

As reported earlier, other than Maman Khan, Congress’s Aftab Ahmed secured a victory in Nuh with a margin of over 46,963 votes. Similarly, Mohammad Ilyas from Punahana won the seat by 31,916 votes, marking Congress’s stronghold in Muslim-majority regions.

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