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.
Another case of forced conversion has come to the fore from the Kasaridhi area of Durg district in Chhattisgarh. Two Hindu individuals identified as Sonu Tiwari and his father Shiv Kumar Tiwari were forcefully converted to Islam by changing their names on Aadhaar cards. The duo’s names have now been changed to Firoz Ansari and Raju Ansari.
As per reports, the other identity documents of the two Hindu victims, like the educational certificates contain their Hindu identities but just the names on the Aadhaar cards have been forcefully changed. The victims commenting on the issue said that they had been forcefully converted to Islam by Parveen Bano, mother of Sonu Tiwari, and her bother. The victims are now making rounds of the government offices to make changes to their Aadhaar cards and reclaim their Hindu identities.
Dainik Bhaskar has published a detailed report on this issue. According to the report, this case is from the Kasaridih area of Durg district. Sonu’s father Shiv Kumar Tiwari was known to be a history-sheeter of his area and is believed to have performed a love marriage with Muslim woman Parveen Bano. On 8th September 1992, Parveen gave birth to a child who was named Sonu Tiwari.
The victim while speaking to the media said that his primary education was in the primary school of Kasaridih in the name of Sonu Tiwari. He said that his original Hindu identity is also mentioned in his mark sheet and leaving certificate from his school.
School certificate of Sonu Tiwari revealing his original identity (Dainik Bhasker)
As per the report, Shivkumar Tiwari was jailed in a few cases when Sonu was in school after which Parveen went to her maternal home with her child. There a new Aadhaar card of Sonu Tiwari was then made by her brother changing Sonu’s identity to Firoz Ansari.
Sonu says that his father’s name was also later changed on the Aadhaar card. Instead of Shiv Prasad Tiwari, he was forcefully given a new identity in the name of Raju Ansari. Further, he says that his name was not only changed on his Aadhaar Card but also on his driving license. Tiwari stated that primarily his maternal uncle and then his mother played this conspiracy to convert the two men to Islam. As per Sonu, he has one more brother who has happily accepted Islam as his religion.
As per the reports, Sonu is now making all the efforts to reclaim his original identity. It has been two years that he has been submitting applications to all the administrative officers of the district requesting them to correct this mistake. He says that he is a Hindu and wants to live with this identity. He has applied to the SDM in this regard. According to SDM Mukesh Raote, the matter will be investigated and a decision will be taken as per rules.
The Ghaziabad police have intensified their investigation into the protests that emerged against Mahant Narsinghanand Saraswati’s remarks on Prophet Muhammad in the village of Sultanpur, Laskar, Haridwar district, Uttarakhand. They are now looking into a “conspiracy” angle behind the protest outside the Dasna Devi Temple on the night of October 4.
“…About 100-150 persons gathered outside the Dasna Devi temple and were raising slogans against the remarks made against Muhammad Paigamber Sahab… When stopped, they resorted to stone-pelting and prevented discharge of official duties,” the FIR stated.
This comes after, hundreds of Narsinghanand’s supporters, on Monday (October 7) protested at Ghaziabad Police Lines seeking to know the whereabouts of the priest. They also alleged that the violence outside the temple on October 4 was a planned act.
13 Muslim youths arrested so far for pelting stones at police personnel
Meanwhile, the Ghaziabad police have, so far arrested thirteen people, who were part of a mob of nearly 150 people, for allegedly throwing stones at police officers during the protest against the Hindu seer. Some of the arrested men have been identified as Sameer Mohammad, Sajid, Aamir, Shoaib, Farman and Shahzad Syed.
“We have so far arrested 13 persons in connection with the October 4 protest and we are also probing the conspiracy and other angles behind the buildup,” said Surendra Nath Tewari, deputy commissioner of police (rural zone).
The police are also probing the claims made by these arrested individuals, who said that objectionable comments were made by people of the other community which had hurt their religious sentiments.
“We got angry and gathered together and started shouting slogans,” the accused claimed, said police.
‘Preparation for a massacre of Hindus’: BJP MLA raises suspicions regarding a conspiracy linked to the attack on Dasna Temple, writes to CM Yogi Adityanath
On the night of October 4, 2024, a group of Islamic fundamentalists surrounded the Dasna temple in Ghaziabad. A report by Live Hindustan suggested that a larger conspiracy was at play. According to the report, while Muslim elders attended a peace committee meeting, younger Muslim individuals were directed towards the Dasna temple.
BJP MLA Nand Kishor Gurjar from Loni has also raised suspicions regarding a conspiracy linked to the attack on the temple. In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, he characterized the incident as an assault on the Hindu faith.
Gurjar stated in his letter, dated October 7, 2024, that on the day of the incident, a Muslim mob attempted to attack the temple. He noted that this event has ignited widespread resentment within the Hindu community across the nation. He characterized the attacks as an alleged preparation for a massacre of Hindus.
He further alleged that external elements were involved in orchestrating the attack, and also asserted that sleeper cells associated with opposition parties, particularly Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP), and AIMIM, were inciting the violence.
The BJP MLA described the attacks as indicative of a larger scheme against Hindus, highlighting that there have been previous attempts to target the temple. He asserted that the entire Hindu community is outraged by the incident and has emphasized the alleged involvement of outside forces in this unrest, blaming opposition parties for fostering the violence.
Islamists take to the streets to protest against Yati Narsinghanand; pelt stones and raise STSJ slogans
It may be recalled that on 4th October, thousands of Islamists took to the streets to protest against Mahant Narsinghanand Saraswati’s remarks on Prophet Muhammad in the village of Sultanpur, Laskar, Haridwar district, Uttarakhand. The protesting Islamists raised slogans such as “Nara-e-Takbir Allah Hu Akbar”, “Fansi Do”, and “Sar Tan Se Juda”. Police were present at the scene but appeared outnumbered in the viral video of the incident.
In Bulandshahr too, Islamists protested and indulged in stone pelting over remarks made by Dasna Temple Mahant Narsinghanand Saraswati. The incident occurred in the Sikandrabad area. A large number of Islamists gathered outside Hazrat Ali Mosque to protest against Narsinghanand’s statements about Prophet Muhammad.
Similarly, a group of Muslim youths created chaos and unrest outside the Dasna Devi temple. The Ghaziabad police swung into action and dispersed the mob.
During the protest, when the police tried to calm the situation, a section of the crowd started pelting stones at them. Inspector Ravi Ratan of Sikandrabad Kotwali was injured and subsequently rushed to the hospital for treatment. Following the stone-pelting incident, District Magistrate CP Singh and Senior Superintendent of Police Shlok Kumar rushed to the scene. Additional police forces were called to disperse the mob.
Muslim community leaders, however, dismissed any claims of a conspiracy and argued that the arrests in relation to the October 4 protest were unjustified.
Remarks by Narsinghanand that led to multiple protests and incidents of violence
The protests 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.”
The United States Justice Department on Tuesday (local time) announced charges against a citizen of Afghanistan residing in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for conspiring to conduct an Election Day terrorist attack in the United States on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization (FTO).
According to a criminal complaint filed today, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, conspired and attempted to provide material support to ISIS and obtained firearms and ammunition to conduct a violent attack on US soil in the name of ISIS, US Department of Justice said in a statement.
As part of the plot, the defendant allegedly took steps to liquidate his family’s assets, resettle members of his family overseas, acquire AK-47 assault rifles and ammunition, and commit a terrorist attack in the United States.
“As charged, the Justice Department foiled the defendant’s plot to acquire semi-automatic weapons and commit a violent attack in the name of ISIS on US soil on Election Day,” said Attorney General Merrick B Garland. “We will continue to combat the ongoing threat that ISIS and its supporters pose to America’s national security, and we will identify, investigate, and prosecute the individuals who seek to terrorize the American people. I am deeply grateful to the public servants of the FBI, National Security Division, and US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma for their work to disrupt this attack and for the work they do every day to protect our country,” the statement mentioned.
“This defendant, motivated by ISIS, allegedly conspired to commit a violent attack, on Election Day, here in our homeland,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “I am proud of the men and women of the FBI who uncovered and stopped the plot before anyone was harmed. Terrorism is still the FBI’s number one priority, and we will use every resource to protect the American people.”
“Thanks to the relentless efforts of the FBI, National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, and federal prosecutors in my office, the alleged plan to commit an attack on Election Day was disrupted and Tawhedi was arrested,” said US Attorney Robert J Troester the Western District of Oklahoma. “Fighting terrorism remains the top priority of the Justice Department. We will continue to pursue, disrupt, and hold accountable those who plot to commit acts of terrorism against our country and our people.”
According to the criminal complaint, as part of the investigation into Tawhedi, the FBI searched Tawhedi’s phone and obtained communications between Tawhedi and a person who facilitated recruitment, training, and indoctrination of persons who expressed interest in terrorist activity and who Tawhedi understood to be affiliated with ISIS.
According to the official statment, Tawhedi was also seen in a video recorded on July 20 reading two children’s text that describes the rewards a martyr receives in the afterlife.
“Tawhedi also allegedly accessed, viewed, and saved ISIS propaganda on his iCloud and Google accounts, participated in pro-ISIS Telegram groups and contributed to a charity which fronts for and funnels money to ISIS,” the statment added.
The complaint alleges that while liquidating their family’s assets prior to the attack, Tawhedi and his co-conspirator, who is a juvenile, advertised the sale of the family’s personal property on Facebook.
At the FBI’s direction, a confidential human source responded to inquire if a computer was still for sale. The FBI source noted that he needed the computer for a new gun business he was starting, which ultimately led Tawhedi and the juvenile to meet with the source and other FBI assets at a rural location to test firearms. Tawhedi expressed interest in purchasing two AK-47 assault rifles, magazines, and ammunition from the source.
As per the statement, on October 7, Tawhedi and the juvenile met with the FBI assets at a rural location in the Western District of Oklahoma and purchased, received, and took possession of two AK-47 assault rifles, ten magazines, and 500 rounds of ammunition. Upon receipt of the rifles and ammunition, Tawhedi and the juvenile were arrested.
In his seized communications, Tawhedi allegedly indicated that his attack was planned for Election Day, and in a post-arrest interview, Tawhedi allegedly confirmed the attack was planned for Election Day targeting large gatherings of people, during which he and the juvenile were expected to die as martyrs.
Tawhedi was charged with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to ISIS, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, and receiving a firearm to be used to commit a felony or a federal crime of terrorism, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years if convicted, as per US stated department of Justice.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, with valuable assistance from the Oklahoma City Police Department and the Moore, Oklahoma Police Department.
Assistant US Attorneys Jessica L Perry, Matt Dillon, and Mark Stoneman for the Western District of Oklahoma and Trial Attorneys George C Kraehe and Everett McMillian of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
On Tuesday, October 8, the Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio wrote to the Union Minister for External Affairs, S. Jaishankar, to intervene in halting the proposed auction of a 19th-century horned Naga human skull in the UK.
The Nagaland CM described the planned auction of a Naga person’s skull as “dehumanising” and an act of “ongoing colonial violence.”
The Hon'ble Chief Minister of Nagaland, Shri @Neiphiu_Rio writes to the Hon'ble External Affairs Minister of India, @DrSJaishankar with regard to the proposed auction of Naga human remains in the UK. pic.twitter.com/El9BD2yKsC
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio’s letter to MEA was prompted by a letter from the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR), an organization of Church leaders and civil society representatives, which had contacted him on Monday (October 7) regarding the matter. In his letter, Rio emphasized that the planned auction was received “negatively” by all sections of society in Nagaland, describing it as a deeply emotional and sacred issue for the Naga people.
He highlighted that “the human remains of any deceased person rightfully belong to their people and their homeland.” Rio further remarked that the auctioning of human remains not only offends the sentiments of the Naga people but also represents a “dehumanizing act and a continuation of colonial violence” against their community.
Urging the Ministry of External Affairs to engage with the Indian High Commission in the UK to prevent the auction from proceeding, Rio stated, “We call on the Government of India to take all necessary steps to safeguard the rights and sentiments of our people.”
The item, described as a “19th century horned Naga skull,” had been slated for auction by the prominent auction house, The Swan at Tetsworth, on October 9. It was initially valued at £3,500-4,500. However, following objections, the 19th-century horned Naga skull was taken down from the listed items for auction on the auction house’s website as of Tuesday evening.
The 19th-century horned Naga skull that was to be auctioned in the UK (Source: nagalandtribune.in)
Meanwhile, numerous users on X voiced their shock and disapproval, describing the situation as “outrageous and disrespectful” to indigenous communities.
The SFI-UK condemns the auction of ancestral Naga remains in the UK. This is a dehumanizing practice that perpetrates colonial violence and needs to be rectified immediately. We stand in solidarity with the Naga people's demand for repatriation. pic.twitter.com/iaLqCxNehE
— Students' Federation of India – United Kingdom (@sfi_uk) October 8, 2024
Dr. Dolly Kikon, Director of the Centre for South Asian Studies at the University of California, called for an immediate halt to the auction and encouraged others to join in the demand.
Naga ancestral human remains continue to be collector’s item in the 21st century! Stop this auction. @CmoNagaland@BBCNews@UKinIndia@TribalAffairsIn LOT 64 – A 19TH CENTURY HORNED NAGA HUMAN SKULL NAGA TRIBEThis piece would be of particular interest to c https://t.co/LCKsrlHwYu
For years, the Naga community has been working to repatriate ancestral human remains from the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, England. These remains are part of a collection of around 6,500 Naga artefacts gathered during British colonial expansion and have been stored in the museum for more than a century.
The repatriation process began in 2020, with the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) playing a pivotal role in facilitating these efforts. In its letter to Chief Minister Rio, the FNR highlighted its ongoing work and emphasized, “The need to prioritize the repatriation of Naga ancestral human remains is more pressing than ever.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that many “national” and “international” conspiracies are being hatched for some time now to weaken India’s democracy and alleged that Congress and its allies are involved in this game.
Addressing BJP workers at party headquarters here after party’s victory in the Haryana assembly polls, he said that people of Haryana have given a “befitting reply” to “every such conspiracy”.
“For some time now, many conspiracies have been hatched against India. Many conspiracies are being hatched to weaken India’s democracy, its economy and social fabric. International conspiracies are being hatched. I am saying with responsibility….national party like Congress and their allies are involved in this game. Today Haryana has given a befitting reply to every such conspiracy. Every Indian will have to take a pledge that we will not let any such conspiracy succeed. India will not deviate from the path of development,” he said.
He accused Congress of weakening the country by “spreading anarchy” and said that they are instigating different sections of society. The Prime Minister said farmers of Haryana gave them a “befitting reply” to Congress.
“Congress wants to weaken the country by weakening the Indian society and spreading anarchy in India, that is why they are instigating different sections. They are constantly trying to ignite a fire. The country saw how attempts were made to instigate farmers, but the farmers of Haryana gave them a befitting reply that they are with the country, they are with the BJP. Many attempts were made to instigate Dalits and OBCs but this society also recognized this conspiracy and said that they are with the country, they are with the BJP,” he said.
PM Modi said that the BJP has secured unprecedented victory in Haryana assembly polls as the party is poised to form its third successive government and that the people of the state have created history.
The Prime Minister said the party’s victory in Haryana was an outcome of hard work of party workers.
“‘Jaha doodh-dahi ka khana, waisa hai apna Haryana’. The people of Haryana have done wonders. Today is the sixth day of Navratri, the day of Maa Katyayani. Maa Katyayani is sitting on a lion with a lotus in her hand. She is blessing all of us. On such a holy day, lotus has bloomed in Haryana for the third time,” PM Modi said.
The BJP won 48 seats in the Haryana assembly, getting an absolute majority in the 90-member House. Congress has won 37 seats, an improvement over its tally in 2019 polls. BJP will form its third successive government in the state.
National Confernce-Congress alliance won absolute majority in the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
The Hindu, which ironically bears the name and is notorious for its anti-Hindu prejudice as well as pandering to opposition parties, particularly the Left, has apologised regarding a recent interview with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Interestingly, a Public Relations (PR) agency named Kaizzen offered the interview to the media house which landed them in a soup and led to major protests against Vijayan in the state.
“In the interview with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, published in the September 30 edition, The Hindu would like to state that some sentences that were not part of the interview were added in the published version at the request of the PR person who helped arrange the interview. This should not have happened, and we unreservedly apologise for this serious error of judgment on the reporter’s part and the lack of editorial oversight in this instance,” the correction segment published in the paper read.
The interview took place at Kerala House in New Delhi at 9 am on 29th September in the presence of two representatives of the PR agency, according to the English daily. It mentioned, “The interview lasted for around 30 minutes. Subsequently, one of the PR representatives requested the inclusion of details regarding gold smuggling and hawala transactions in Malappuram, proceeds from which were used for anti-state and anti-national activities.” The paper revealed that Vijayan, however, already made the remarks that the PR person wanted to be added, at a press conference.
“The PR representative provided in writing the request for inclusion in the Chief Minister’s response of the lines that are now disowned by his press secretary. Including those lines as part of his statements of that day was a lapse that revealed a lack of journalistic rigour and we apologise for this error,” the piece written by The Hindu’s editor concluded.
The reason behind the clarification
According to reports, Vijayan, in an interview with The Hindu, asserted that the accusations of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) colluding with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh are the result of opposing opinions on the actions taken by the police during the previous five years concerning the smuggling of gold and hawala money. He added that during the previous five years, the police confiscated crores of hawala money in Malappuram. The development followed accusations including smuggling gold and unlawfully amassing a fortune, levelled by Nilambur MLA P V Anwar against senior police officials. He quit the Left Democratic Front (LDF) after a massive disagreement with Vijayan.
In response to a question about his views on the claims that senior police officers and chief ministerial staff members meet with top RSS leaders in private, the chief minister alleged, “The Left, especially the CPM, has strongly opposed the RSS and other Hindutva forces. Many of our comrades have lost their lives for speaking against them. No one can believe these lies. We must understand the reasons behind such allegations. A significant proportion of Kerala’s population consists of minority communities.”
Vijayan also pointed out that these communities had previously been with the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), but that was no longer the case. “The minorities now support the LDF. This is part of the UDF’s deliberate attempt to create confusion knowing it will affect us in the elections. False allegations are being raised that we have a soft approach towards the RSS,” he conveyed.
The chief minister then charged, “This propaganda is aimed at political gain. Other extremist elements are also at work promoting communal divisions. While the government of Kerala is working against Muslim extremist elements, these forces are trying to highlight that we are working against Muslims. For example, 150 kg of gold worth Rs 123 crore and hawala money were seized by the state police force in Malappuram in the last five years. This money reaches Kerala for anti-national activities. As for Anwar, we have already constituted a special investigation team to investigate his claims.”
Protests erupt after Vijayan’s comments and his denial
Vijayan came under heavy fire from multiple corners for his statement that money entering Malappuram via hawala and gold smuggling is meant for anti-national activities. Several organizations claimed that the district of Malappuram had been disrespected by him. There were protests notably from the Left-affiliated Kanthapuram faction. Other groups including the Muslim League, Kerala Muslim Jamaat, Samastha Kerala Sunni Students Federation (SKSSF) and Sunni Yuvajana Sangham (SYS) also slammed the chief minister. They sought an explanation from him regarding the nature of the anti-national activities being carried out with the gold in Malappuram.
Earlier today, the youth wing of the opposition UDF parties took to the streets asking CM Viajyan to resign over statements made on Malappuram and the alleged RSS links of some senior IPS officers. Protesters broke police barricades to enter the state assembly complex. The police deployed water canons to disperse protesters.
The protests also saw participation from members of the Youth Congress, Youth League, and RYF, who attacked police officials with sticks and other materials as they tried to break the barricades.
But even as protests sweep Kerala’s capital, CM Vijayan had tried to distance himself from the controversy. On October 3, Vijayan rejected the allegations that his office had commissioned a PR agency to liaise with the national media.
Addressing the media in Thiruvananthapuram, Pinarayi Vijayan stated, “Neither I nor the government has assigned a PR agency for interviews.”
Vijayan stated that he was unaware of the credentials of the third individual who entered the interview location. “When the person walked in, I assumed he was accompanying the lady reporter. It was only later that I learned he was from a PR agency,” he explained, adding that Subramanyan had not contacted him since then and dismissing any questions about taking action against the PR agency as irrelevant.
“The lady reporter was taking notes while also recording our conversation on her mobile phone. When asked about P V Anvar, I mentioned that the question required a more detailed response, but due to time constraints, I chose not to address it,” the CM continued. “However, when the report was published, it included statements I never made,” he added. “I do not know whether they obtained the controversial remark about Malappuram from Subramanyan or elsewhere,” he said.
How the Radia Tapes scam showed Indian journalists acted as PR agents
While Pinarayi Vijayan’s statements distancing himself from the PR agency and feigning ignorance were predictable, given that the controversy snowballed into full-fledged protests, with opposition parties cornering the CM over the issue. Even so, the controversy is nothing new to Indian politics as it has closely witnessed the ‘management’ of media and politicians by PR agents with the Radia Gate.
Radia Gate pertains to the Radia tapes controversy back in 2010 when conversations of a corporate lobbyist, Nira Radia, with several high-profile individuals, including politicians, journalists, industrialists, and bureaucrats were secretly recorded by the Indian Income Tax Department between 2008 and 2009 as part of an investigation into possible tax evasion and suspicious financial activities.
The tapes exposed significant lobbying by Radia on behalf of her clients, including major corporations such as the Tata Group and Reliance Industries, to sway the distribution of ministerial positions in the Indian government, especially during the formation of the UPA-II government in 2009. They also suggested potential media manipulation, with certain well-known journalists reportedly assisting her lobbying activities.
MK Venu, one of the co-founders of The Wire, was featured in the Radia tapes controversy, where he was heard requesting corporate lobbyist Niira Radia to introduce a journalist named ‘Rohini Singh’ to her (lobbyist’s) circle (of politicians, businessmen, lobbyists, etc.). Radia was believed to be using journalists as brokers for securing favourable deals for her corporate clients from the UPA government. A journalist named ‘Rohini Singh’ is currently working with The Wire as well.
Barkha Dutt was perhaps the cynosure of the Radia Tapes scam, with her audio files revealing how she sounded as an alleged conduit for Congress, relaying the information sought by Ms Radia and seeking directions from her when in doubt. According to the conversation transcripts between her and Niira Radia, Ms Radia was lobbying against the reappointment of Dayanidhi Maran to the post of Union IT and Communications minister and Barkha was actively mediating between the two parties to somehow end the stalemate and form a government at the centre.
The scandal sparked widespread public outrage, as it hinted at a close connection between corporate interests, the media, and the political establishment. It also exposed corruption in the allocation of 2G spectrum licenses, which was part of a broader corruption scandal in India.
So, it is unsurprising that Vijayan may have hired a PR agency to liaise with the national media. Something that has precedence could be imitated more easily, especially when those involved in the Niira Radia tapes almost went unscathed, with most of the journalists featured in the recordings running profitable businesses with propaganda YouTube channels and websites, pretending to be ‘truth-tellers’ while shamelessly furthering their political bias possibly as a part of their ‘PR contract’.
A notorious X (formerly Twitter) handle ‘We Dravidians’, which has been at the forefront of anti-Hindu propaganda for 5 years, has finally shut down its business of hate.
A self-proclaimed political organisation, ‘We Dravidians’ spewed vitriol against practitioners of the Hindu Faith, politicians opposed to Stalin-led DMK, and people living in the North.
It openly called for secession of the South from the Union of India. Berating Sanatan Dharma by any means was the ultimate objective of the X handle, which boasted of 41,000 followers.
Screengrab of the Twitter handle of We Dravidians
“We Dravidians a Political Organization supporting the Ideologies of Dravidam. Following the footprints of Periyar, Ambedkar, Anna & Kalaignar,” its bio read.
While the notorious anti-Hindu account started on Twitter in May 2019, it branched out to other social media platforms such as YouTube (2.6K followers), Instagram (1.1K followers) and Facebook (12k followers) over the following years. By 2021, ‘We Dravidians’ had also started its website to spew anti-Hindu vitriol.
It ran out of luck on Saturday (5th October) after targeting Pawan Kalyan, who had recently praised MGR in a tweet. For the unversed, MGR was the founder of AIADMK, the principal Opposition party in Tamil Nadu.
Given that ‘We Dravidians’ is ideologically and politically connected to the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, it took it upon itself to mock the popular actor-turned-BJP leader.
Screengrab of the tweet by We Dravidians
It portrayed Pawan Kalyan as a dwarf in a saffron robe, waiting to be cured of ‘Sanatan’ like dengue and malaria through an injection of intelligence passed by DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin.
The derogatory cartoon was based on the hate speech delivered against the Hindu community by Udhayanidhi Stalin in September 2023. ‘We Dravidians’ did not stop here.
It posted a highly objectionable image suggesting that the Pawan Kalyan eats cow dung (gobar) and drinks cow urine (gaumutra) every day.
“Pawangaru’s morning health drink & breakfast after becoming a Sanatani…Please like & share if you are a proud Sanatani! Jai Pawan Kalyan! Jai Sanatan,” tweeted ‘We Dravidians’.
Screengrab of the tweet by We Dravidians targeting Pawan Kalyan
OpIndia had previously highlighted how ‘gaumutra jibe’ was popularised by Pulwama suicide bomber Adil Ahmed Dar and has been normalised since then by Islamists and the left-liberal ecosystem.
This proved to be the last nail in the coffin of the anti-Hindu handle. Fans of actor Pawan Kalyan, particularly from Andhra Pradesh, began viciously trolling ‘We Dravidians’.
The identity of its admin Kathir R Sukumar was leaked along with screenshots of his Twitter and LinkedIn IDs. To the embarrassment of the DMK, Sukumar’s pictures with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and his son Udhayanidhi Stalin also went viral on Twitter.
The expose was facilitated by the popular handle ‘Hindutva Knight (@HPhobiaWatch)’. A rattled Sukumar thereafter desperately began removing his digital footprints.
“Why are you deleting tweets now? Stop shivering & enjoy your Sunday,” ‘Hindutva Knight had gleefully tweeted.
Soon after on Monday (7th October), a cyber complaint to this effect was filed by a lawyer named Arun Raju with the Andhra Pradesh Police Department. He had highlighted the abuses hurled by ‘We Dravidians’ against Pawan Kalyan and the broader Hindu community.
Sensing legal trouble in a State not protected by the DMK ecosystem, ‘We Dravidians’ quickly deleted its Twitter, Facebook and Instagram profiles.
This effectively put an end to its factory of hate, which had been running unabated since 2019.
‘We Dravidians’ and its anti-Hindu hate factory
The vile account was instrumental in calling for the eradication of Sanatan Dharma in line with the anti-Hindu rhetoric of DMK supremo Udhayanidhi Stalin.
For the unversed, the junior Stalin had infamously said, “Mosquitoes, dengue, flu, malaria, corona – we should not oppose these things. They’ve to be eradicated completely. The same is the case with Santanam (Hinduism). Our first work should be to abolish/eradicate Sanatanam instead of opposing it. So, my appreciation to you all for giving an apt title to the meeting.”
‘We Dravidians’ had recently hailed him and claimed that Udhayanidhi Stalin had been appointed by the Dravidian movement to destroy Sanatan.
Screengrab of the tweet by We Dravidians
The fact remains that Hinduism is a 5000-year-old civilisation and no leader of a small-time, regional party can eradicate this civilisation.
Nonetheless, ‘We Dravidians’ took tolerance of the Hindu community for a ride by repeatedly posting cartoons about breaking Hindu idols.
On 5th October this year, it posted a graphic of Lord Buddha smashing a Ganesha idol.
Screengrab of the tweet by ‘We Dravidians’
It similarly posted another cartoon of Periyar, who was described by PM Jawaharlal Nehru as a criminal-minded man deserving of a lunatic asylum, breaking idols of Hindu deities.
Screengrab of the tweet by ‘We Dravidians’
In another disturbing tweet posted on Ganesh Chathurthi, ‘We Dravidians’ claimed that Lord Ganesha liked liquor and women.
Screengrab of the tweet by ‘We Dravidians’
On 3rd October this year, the pro-DMK handle posted a dehumanising tweet targeting the Hindu Brahmin community. It claimed that Brahmins in India have been ‘licking’ the foot of Mughals, Britishers and Israelis.
A cartoon to this effect was posted by the handle ‘We Dravidians’ wherein a dark-skinned, fat man with choti, vibhuti and janaeu was shown licking the sole of shoes.
Screengrab of the tweet by We Dravidians
DMK stooge, anti-India separatist and believer of Jesus ft. Kathir R Sukumar
According to a report by The Commune, the main admin of the ‘We Dravidians’ account (as exposed by the ‘Hindutva Knight’ handle) hails from Velankanni in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu.
Kathir R Sukumar, who has been pictured alongside both DMK supremo MK Stalin and his son Udhayanidhi, has claimed to be a reporter, chemical engineer and entrepreneur in one interview.
He is the author of a book titled ‘Why Do We Need MKS As PM Of India’ wherein he elevated the CM of Tamil Nadu, with no political relevance outside the confines of the particular Southern State, to the stature of a pan-India leader.
5 Gems from the 'We Dravidians' admin Kathir RS's book: "Why do we need MKS as PM of India?"
Atleast one of these gems of wisdoms from the book would make you laugh out loud, laughter guaranteed: pic.twitter.com/LD9ZZ1Q2wV
As such, when Pawan Kalyan praised AIADMK in his tweet, Sukumar rushed to personally attack the actor-turned-BJP leader for overshadowing DMK. In the end, the ‘We Dravidians’ admin ended up having his identity and dangerous mindset exposed to the world.
OpIndia reviewed his speech, published on the YouTube channel of ‘We Dravidians’, where Sukumar was seen divulging plans to divide the Indian territory. The video was deliberately titled, ‘We are colonized under North Indians!’
“We are like almost like semi what do you call? Bonded labour I can say or slaves. Semi slaves or we are colonised. Many of you don’t realise we are colonised. Maybe the 100% colonisation was there during the British. They took away 50% but 50% still remaining with the North Indian great people. They are making use of us. You must have seen this ’24 budget. It is almost 90% exploitation of South Indian people,” he was seen driving a wedge between North and South Indians.
There used to be anti India groups called LTTE ,who are in terrorists watch list in the past ✅.
Now, This video, where @rasukumar is admitting about @WeDravidians and his plan to divide India . @NIA_India action needed immediately for national security.
“But overall South Indians are getting exploited. Our money, our hard work. Everything is getting exploited by the Union Government. This has to be changed,” he claimed, alluding that the ‘exploitation’ has increased under the BJP government at the Centre.
“So overall our dream has to be achieved. One day that will be achieved. I am sure about it,” Kathir R Sukumar urged his supporters to remain hopeful of the fantasy of ‘Dravidanadu.’
He has also written a nonsensical article on the website of ‘We Dravidians’, holding ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and the Modi government responsible for India’s heartbreaking loss to Australia in the 2023 Cricket World Cup Final.
Screengrab of the featured image of the article, written by Kathir R Sukumar, on the website of ‘We Dravidians’
“People started realizing that if India wins the entire credit of the victory will be claimed by the BJP party.This will be used as a strong tool for their campaign! As a result most Indians didn’t want India to win the cup because they know this victory will bring No good to the country. The most unfortunate thing is the players were used as pawn for their political game,” the admin of the anti-Hindu account brazened out.
Coincidentally, Kathir R Sukumar, who spews vitriol against Sanatan through ‘We Dravidians’, has hailed Jesus Christ as a reformer in a blog.
“But it was Christ who, through his reasoning, was the first in the world to produce the reverse idea that a man should turn his gaze within himself. That is why he is called a reformer,” he had claimed.
Screengrab of the blog of Kathir R Sukumar
Shaikh Abid Hasan, his anti-Hindu tirade and his association with Kuki extremists
Another admin of the ‘We Dravidians’ handle turned out to be a Kolkata-based, Bengali Muslim man named Shaikh Abid Hasan.
He had inadvertently revealed his identity in July 2022 while demanding the postponement of IIT-Madras Exams, which coincided with Eid-ul-Adha.
Hasan later updated his X (formerly Twitter) bio to clearly state his association with ‘We Dravidians’.
Twitter profile of Shaikh Abid Hasan
He is a supporter of the West Bengal-based Indian Secular Front (ISF) party, which is headed by radical Islamist preacher Abbas Siddiqui.
During the Coronavirus outbreak, Abbas Siddiqui was seen addressing a large gathering of followers and praying to Allah to kill 50 crore Indians with the virus.
“May Allah send such a terrible virus to India that ten to twenty to fifty crore people die in India. Am I saying something wrong? It is absolutely blissful,” he had said in April 2020.
Shaikh Abid Hassan, the admin of ‘We Dravidians’ happens to be his cheerleader. But his innate hatred for Hindus is reflected in his comments, tweets and posts on his social media profiles.
In a Facebook post, he was seen demonising Hindus as ‘hypocrites’, ‘anti-poor’ and ‘crony capitalists.’ Hasan tried to paint Hindus as intolerant by claiming that they wanted to kick Namazis, offering prayer on roads.
Screengrab of the Facebook post of Shaikh Abid Hassan
While reacting to the discovery of beef tallow in Tirupati Laddu prasadam, Hasan wrote, “That is why I love Jagan Mohan Reddy. True Christian doing his job splendidly by giving zero fucks to sentiments of caste Hindus.”
Screengrab of his Facebook post
He was seen openly posting hateful remarks against the Hindu community. In a tweet, the radical Muslim admin of ‘We Dravidians’ was seen wishing death upon Brahmins. “Dead Brahmin, best brahmin,” Hasan had written.
Screengrab of the tweet by Shaikh Abid Hassan
In another tweet, Shaikh Abid Hassan threatened BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and vowed to burn ‘Hindu nationalism’ with beedis like Pakistanis, Mughals and Sher Shah’s followers.
Radical Muslims often use ‘Hindu nationalism’ in a negative connotation so as to rationalise their acts of violence.
Screengrab of the tweet by Shaikh Abid Hassan
Shaikh Abid Hasan was seen posting objectionable comments about Lord Rama, dubbing Him as a ‘fantasy’ and deliberately hurting Hindu sentiments.
He also claimed that the concept of ‘Ram Lalla’ was created to counter the Christian concept of ‘baby Jesus’. The radical Muslim ‘influencer’ also alleged that the Hindu festival of Onam could not be celebrated without eating beef.
Screengrab of the Instagram comment of Shaikh Abid Hasan
In one tweet, the admin of ‘We Dravidians’ was seen vilifying Lord Ram as a ‘monster’ who supposedly committed the ‘genocide of Dravidians.’
He claimed that those worshippers of Lord Ram consider Parsis, Dalits, and Adivasis as ‘demons’.
Despite his consistent hate speech against Hindus, their deities and religious practices, no action was taken against him by the law enforcement authorities.
Screengrab of the tweet by Sheikh Abid Hasan
Sheikh Abid Hassan is often seen holding placards on the streets for social media traction.
He had opposed the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the National Population Register (NPR), and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Hasan even demanded a ban on the popular slogan ‘Joi Aai Axom’ (Jail Mother Assam).
The admin of the ‘We Dravidians’ handle was seen using the ‘Bengali language’ card shrewdly to defend illegal Muslim infiltrators from Bangladesh, who are currently living in Assam.
?: ‘Ban Joi Aai Axom’ – this man from West Bengal is raising a PROBLEMATIC issue.
?: Read More
The man identified as Shaikh Abid Hasan, belonging to the Indian Secular Front (ISF) – allegedly belonging to West Bengal, claimed to ban the ‘Joi Aai Axom’ slogan.
However, the most concerning aspect is his open call for ethnic genocide against the Meitei community in Manipur, which has been facing atrocities at the hands of Kuki-Zo extremists since May 2023.
In several tweets, Sheikh Abid Hassan has threatened to eradicate the predominantly Hindu ethnic tribe.
“I know more about Meiteis than I know about kukis. Believe me the day my party forms Govt at the centre and in Manipur, we will completely annihilate you,” he had warned.
Screengrab of the tweet by Shaikh Abid Hasan
The admin of the ‘We Dravidians’ handle also threatened to evict Meities from their homeland in Manipur.
In a tweet, he intimidated, “Maybe all Indians need to buy all Meitei properties or maybe we will lobby to declare Meiteis enemy of India and take away all your property. Push you out of India into Burma.”
Screengrab of the tweet by Shaikh Abid Hasan
Shaikh Abid Hassan attempted to incite people against the Indian government by claiming that it supported genocide in Myanmar. He also stated that such a narrative would help stigmatise Meities further and support the narrative of Kuki-Zo extremists.
“India is basically supporting a Pakistan in Myanmar. So, that point also we need to make. That is the way you completely de-legitimise the Meiteis in India and the Meiteis out of India, okay, whatever good they have in some space of India outside, that space just has to not exist for them at all. We have to just drive home this point that these are very problematic,” the radical Muslim admin of ‘We Dravidians’ was heard saying.
Here is another clip he is instigating people against specific community and trying to create enmity between people. pic.twitter.com/5JmHvFn1Xp
During the course of a discussion on Twitter Spaces, Shaikh Abid Hassan confessed, “I went to Aizawl on Kuki money, okay?”
He claimed to have met a leader belonging to the Christian nationalist Mizo National Front (MNF), who had the potential to become the Chief Minister of Mizoram.
Golden nuggets here! The guy who wanted to know the procreation capacity of Kuki ladies recently “went to Aizawl on Kuki money”!
On Monday (7th October), the popular X handle ‘Hindutva Knight’ revealed the identity of yet another admin of the ‘We Dravidians’ account.
It turned out to be a Malaysian Christian man, who claimed to be of Dravidian blood. He had listed himself as a member of the ‘We Dravidians 2.0’ page on Facebook.
After the expose, Ravi Chola quietly removed the reference and issued a clarification denying any association with the anti-Hindu handle.
Meet the person who posted the offensive Pawan Kalyan meme.
“Hi, I Just want to clarify that I’m not (this person) and I’m not associated with the account ‘we Dravidians’ which frequently posts Hinduphobic content. There is a misunderstanding by some people that I am an admin of ‘We Dravidians’. Thanks For Understanding. I’m 100% Malaysian and I never interact with other countries’ politics (and) issues,” he alleged.
On Tuesday (8th October), the identity of yet another admin of ‘We Dravidians’ was exposed by ‘Hindutva Knight’ on X.
It turned out to be a Malayali Christian named Ronald Anto Mathew, who is currently living in Germany’s Bavaria state.
Meet the 4th admin of WeDravidians who also handles its Telegram channel. Lives in Germany but does hatemongering in India pic.twitter.com/H4VZpb2L2K
He is the admin of the telegram account of ‘We Dravidians, which has about 181 members. At the time of writing, Mathew had not deleted his Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn profile.
The identity of hate mongers spearheading the ‘We Dravidians’ handle has been revealed and it has effectively put an end to their anti-Hindu propaganda, which they carried out under the garb of anonymity.
The story of ‘We Dravidians’ is done and dusted. Having said that, the Hindu must continue to look out for other such popular handles, which are actively demonising and dehumanising the tolerant community.
The deepening crisis in West Asia as Israel engages in war on multiple fronts has sent alarm bells ringing for the Indian intel agencies which said the conflict has resulted in a rising trend of online radicalisation among credulous youth, a report published by New Indian Express said while quoting sources.
The intel agencies have cautioned the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) through its report to the Multi-Agency Centre (MAC), highlighting that there is a dramatic increase in the consumption of what could be described as hate literature that portrays Israeli retaliation against attacks on its sovereignty as “genocide” against Muslims.
The report citing Indian intelligence agencies states such “hate literature” and provocative online content designed to whip up resentment among Indian youths are being spread by notorious elements across the United States and Europe through newly created websites, which should be monitored and promptly blocked.
It also said the escalating conflict in the Middle East is also impacting the Shia communities in India, especially with Israel’s war with Hezbollah, a terror group supported by a Shia-majority Iran. On the other hand, in Gaza, Israel is fighting the terrorists belonging to the Hamas, a predominantly Sunni terror group. Abnormal online traffic promoting attacks and abuse against Israel, and America have been observed in areas like Lucknow, Leh, Ladakh, Delhi, and Hyderabad.
While radicalisation among Indian Shias had been negligent up until now, the recent conflict has changed that, the report said. “Anti-America” and ‘Anti-Israel” sentiments have risen among youth, posing the challenges of growing multi-dimensional radicalisation faced by the Indian security apparatus.
The intel reports asserted that such development has never been witnessed in India before, highlighting the unprecedented practice of collection of funds in Shia-dominated pockets in India to fund the ongoing war against Israel in Lebanon and Gaza. Some NGOs, the intel report said, are offering services to provide financial assistance to those fighting in Lebanon and Gaza.
The report comes a year after the horrifying October 7 attacks led by Hamas terrorists that plunged into a crisis that it is yet to recover from. After the October 7 attacks, Israel launched retaliatory attacks to rescue abducted civilians and decimate the Hamas leadership responsible for engineering the raids that claimed the lives of over 1,200 Israelis.
As Israel pounded Gaza with bombs and conducted ground operations to achieve its military objectives, Hezbollah started firing missiles to its north in solidarity with Hamas. Israel hit back by assassinating Hassan Nasrallah, the chief of Hezbollah, last month, giving a new dimension to the conflict that seems to have no end in sight. Following Nasrallah’s killing, Iran launched hundreds of projectiles against Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, which were neutralised by the famed Iron Dome missile shields, designed to intercept short-range rockets, as well as shells and mortars.
On Monday (7 October 2024), a mob of Islamic fundamentalists created a ruckus in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, calling a 14-year-old Hindu student ‘gustaakh’. The mob raised provocative slogans accusing the minor of making derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad. An FIR was registered against the minor, but his photos and videos were still made viral on social media. This mob was apparently led by Congress leader Abdul Moeed. However, the police took timely action and prevented any major incident from happening.
This incident is from Nanpara police station area of Bahraich. Rahmat Ali lodged a complaint with the police against the 14-year-old Hindu student, alleging that the student made indecent remarks against Prophet Mohammad on Instagram. In this case, the police have registered a case under sections 298, 299, 302, 352, and 353 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). OpIndia has the FIR copy.
इस आपत्तिजनक पोस्ट का तत्काल संज्ञान लेते हुए इसमें सुसंगत धाराओं में अभियोग पंजीकृत कर लिया गया है तथा जल्द ही आरोपी को पुलिस हिरासत में ले लिया जाएगा। बहराइच पुलिस जनपद में शान्ति एवं सौहार्द बनाए रखने के प्रति कटिबद्ध है।
When the FIR was being registered, a crowd of Islamist fundamentalists had gathered in the Sarafa market of Nanpara. It included people from small children to the elderly, who were raising provocative slogans. The administration tried to explain, but the crowd did not listen to them. The police finally dispersed the crowd by using force. OpIndia has several videos related to the Islamist protest, in which the crowd of fundamentalists can be seen raising frenzied slogans.
Photos and videos of the minor accused were made viral
After this incident, the identity, photo, and video of the minor were made public, while the matter was about an argument between two minors. The family of the Hindu student says that the Muslim student also used abusive language, but he deleted his comments. After this, the mob made a video of the comments of the Hindu student and spread it on social media.
X platform user Vijay Patel has complained about this to National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chairman Priyank Kanoongo. Vijay has demanded action against those who targeted the minor. Vijay has also shared some screenshots in support of the allegations.
OpIndia spoke to the uncle of the Hindu student after this incident. We were told that the matter is about 10 days old when two Muslim women performed puja wearing burqa in Kalikunda Mata temple of Bahraich. Many people were discussing this matter on social media. Before the incident, an argument had started between the two students on this matter. The family of the Hindu student says that the Muslim student also abused but he wisely deleted his comments.
The uncle of the accused Hindu student further told us that his nephew was also sent a video of Salman Azhari, who is in jail and makes inflammatory statements, by the Muslim student. Along with this, the Muslim student comment was deleted after abusing Lord Ram. Later, a video of the Hindu student’s comment was made and posted as a status and other Muslims were also asked to do the same. Within a short time, this video went viral in the area.
The Hindu family thought that the matter was over but it turned out to be their misunderstanding. Initially, around 11 in the morning, some people from the Muslim community came to the Hindu student’s house. They made the student apologize and also made a video of it. Despite this, the Muslim mob united at night and created a ruckus. In this ruckus, the jewelry shop of the Hindu family was surrounded by the mob.
According to the victim, the mob was shouting slogans of ‘Sar Tan Se Juda’. He also said that if the police had not been active, the entire Sarafa Bazar would have been burnt down. The family of the Hindu student is also upset that the administration, which immediately filed an FIR against them, has not yet registered a case against the Muslim side on the basis of the complaint given by them. They have expressed hope that the administration will take legal action by filing a case not only on their complaint but also against the violent mob.
Mohsin, Naved Sarrafa and Congress leader gathered the crowd
The family of the minor Hindu student further told OpIndia that Mohsin, who runs a salon in their locality, and jeweler Naved were the main players in gathering the violent mob. The mob was led by Congress party leader and former chairman Abdul Moeed. Along with these three, a Muslim lawyer and a councilor of the same religion were also seen trying to spread chaos. The jeweler’s shop towards which this mob wanted to move is mostly owned by people of Soni and Rastogi community.
