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‘Warned in 2014 that they will use Judiciary to destabilise government’: Harish Salve slams Congress

OpIndia Staff
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‘Warned in 2014 that they will use Judiciary to destabilise government’: Harish Salve slams Congress

Harish Salve, former Solicitor General of India and one of India’s most prominent lawyers who even has represented the country in the international court of law in Hague, has spoken about the current impeachment motion against the Chief Justice Of India Deepak Mishra in a discussion with Arnab Goswami on the Republic TV yesterday. In the discussion, he asserted the necessity of the sanctity of the judiciary to be maintained and slammed Congress and politically motivated lawyers for trying to vilify the constitutional institution.

Arnab’s first question to Salve was, with so many allegations on the CJI being a bench-fixer without an iota of proof where is it all going.

To which Harish Salve replied that he had given an interview 3 days earlier and told that this is all a deja-vu of 1973 when after the Keshavananda Bharti judgement, Mrs Indira Gandhi succeededed 3 of the senior most judges in the Supreme Court. Mr Palkhiwala had written a book called “Judiciary Made to Measure”. The Congress has now gone from cutting and adjusting to the level of scandalising the judiciary.


Mr Salve went ahead to state that as far as the Prasad medical college case is concerned, Justice Deepak Mishra was not the CJI at that time, even before that he used to hear the roster of medical colleges cases. The Congress, like always have got their facts in a tangle. The Aadhar case is heard by a bench of 5 judges and by tradition the CJI always presides over a bench of 5 judges. The land acquisition cases first went to Justice Arun Mishra, then to Justice Lokor and then finally it went to the CJI because again it was being heard by a bench of 5 judges and the CJI presides over it.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNTPfb8uGc8]

Salve also added that he thinks the time has come when firm action under the Contempt of Court Act has to be taken and people have to be sent to jail.

Arnab stated further that it is unprecedented and going by the kind of stand the advocates and the MPs are taking, tomorrow even a journalist, an affected party, an advocate or basically anyone can say the bench was fixed whenever a case verdict goes against their interests. The allegations are obviously a  case of Contemp of court, but there seems to be no fear and respect for the judiciary.

To this Harish Salve replied, “I believe it is with great hesitation that the court declined to initiate Contemp of Court in the Loya case, and I personally think it was a mistake. I was deeply upset in the Loya case and have said things I never say in court. I said we are standing on hallowed ground where giants like Mr Palkhiwala, Lal Narayan Sinha etc have stood and to see the level the language used in court has descended to is deeply hurting. Time has come to send people to jail for speaking such nonsense. What if the common man starts believing that the judiciary can be disregarded and they can get away, we might as well wind up the constitutional courts, who is going to respect an institution that can be vilified like this by a party without any consequences.”

Arnab further asked to salve that he has heard that the Bar Council of India is planning to hold a meeting to assertain what action might be taken against lawyers who are practising in the SC and seeking impeachment without any facts at their disposal. He added that what is the accountability for lawyers like Kapil Sibal and Prashant Bhushan under the Contempt of Court act.

To it, Harish Salve replied, “I am very disappointed at the way the court proceedings have been going on over a period of time. We have seen a sharp decline in the level of court language. I was in Ayodhya case when Sibal threatened to walk out of the court. To this, the CJI replied, “very well as senior counsel u can leave but your advocate on the record has to go on because he cannot go out unless he is released by the court.” It is one thing to request that you are not prepared and your junior will carry on but to threaten like that is awful disrespect of the court. Such things have been building up for a long time. They get away with it because of their seniority and political position. Rajeev Dhavan says venomous things but he has the grace to apologise when he does. The judge wanted Kapil’s statement to be on record but Dhavan requested not to.”

Salve further added that in the Loya case the court has on the verdict that they were within an inch of initiating contempt of court. He stated the people behind the impeachment motion need to realise that the SC is a constitutuional institution whose image and sanctity depends on public respect and who will respect the court when anybody can make allegations against it and get away. He added that can we blame a poor man tomorrow when he alleges the judge of bribery after he loses a case and if we can not pull up a senior political functionary how can we pull up a common litigant.

Arnab stated that the people are sharing their reactions over the matter and they are appalled and furious at the level of disrespect being thrown. He added whether should the allegations, which are practically in every case the CJI has heard so far, be withdrawn and an apology be issued.

Mr Salve disagreed on the issue. He stated that an apology comes when we say or write something and then regret it but when their intent is to be malign the sorry has no value. He added that that intent to malign has to be punished.

Arnab further asked Harish Salve that the impeachment will not happen, then why is this attempt happening and is it for  Ayodhya or for the elections?

To this Salve replied, “It is happening because of frustration. I had shared with someone in the government in May 2014 that they should be careful, I expected that those who are given to running PILs completely off the rails might try to act against them. I warned them not to use the court to govern even with the firm majority they have. Now that the Congress is reduced to 44 they might use the court to destabilise the government.

Salve discussed that the list of cases the Congress is alleging the CJI to have bench-fixed is merely a catalogue of cases where the potshots at the government had gone awry. He pointed out that they have not found a single case where they can claim a murder accused was wrongly let off or a poor man was deprived of his property and all the cases are just a catalogue of politically motivated PILs. He added that it is their way of saying that we don’t want these judges because they are not listening to us.

It is notable here that the impeachment motion notice brought in Rajya Sabha was rejected by Vice President Venkaiah Naidu yesterday and the Congress has stated that it will move to Supreme Court on the issue.

Coimbatore Blast convict Mohammed Rafiq arrested for planning to eliminate PM Modi

OpIndia Staff
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Coimbatore Blast convict Mohammed Rafiq arrested for planning to eliminate PM Modi

The Coimbatore police on Monday arrested Mohammed Rafiq – a convict in the 1998 Coimbatore blast case, on charges of planning a conspiracy to eliminate Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This arrest was prompted by a telephonic conversation Rafiq had with a businessman, where he is supposedly heard saying that he is planning to kill the Prime Minister.

This eight minute telephonic conversation had gone viral on social media. The conversation between Rafiq and a transport contractor named Prakash mainly dealt with vehicular financing, with the businessman named Prakash demanding a vehicle back and Rafiq asking Rs 5 lakh for it.

The conversation though suddenly took a morbid turn when Rafiq claimed that “they” were planning to kill PM Modi, and that it was “them” who had planted bombs during LK Advani’s Coimbatore visit in 1998. Rafiq is also heard claiming that he has various cases against him and had destroyed over 100 vehicles.

On 14 February 1998, the city of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu was rocked with serial bomb blasts which resulted in 58 deaths. The main target of the blasts was believed to be veteran BJP leader LK Advani.

In this matter Mohammed Rafiq was convicted under various sections like criminal conspiracy and came out of jail in 2007 after serving his sentence. Ever since, he has been under police surveillance and was charged under various other cases.

Since his arrest in the current matter, Rafiq has been booked under section 153A (Promoting enmity among groups) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC. He has been remanded in judicial custody till 7 May.

As per reports, the cops have claimed that prima facie Rafiq was making such statements to intimidate the businessman. Supposedly during the interrogation, Rafiq in his defence has claimed that, his statement was merely meant to threaten the businessman, and there was no intention to kill PM Modi.

The report also claims that in context of the audio tape, Rafiq was heard boasting that he wasn’t scared of anyone, to this the businessmen retorted that “it appears you won’t even be scared of PM Modi”. This supposedly prompted a response from Rafiq where he is heard claiming that, “yes we have even planned to kill PM Modi”.

Swati Maliwal breaks her fast protesting against rape, with someone accused of sexual harassment sitting by her side

OpIndia Staff
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Swati Maliwal breaks her fast protesting against rape, with someone accused of sexual harassment sitting by her side

Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal, who was on an indefinite hunger protesting against rapes and demanding stricter laws against the culprits, broke her fast after nine days after President Ram Nath Kovind approved the ordinance to award death penalty to those convicted of raping girls below 12 years.

In her protest, Swati could be seen sitting with theatre actor Arvind Gaur and one of the core members of India Against Corruption (IAC) headed by Anna Hazare. Arvind Gaur is also accused of sexual harassment by actor Shilpi Marwaha, who acted in the film Raanjhanaa, which also starred Bollywood ‘woke’ actresses Sonam Kapoor and Swara Bhaskar. Raanjhanaa is the same film where Shilpi Marwaha’s co-star Swara Bhasker, who was reduced to a vagina after watching Padmaavat, justified stalking, another crime many women face on regular basis, as ‘unapologetic celebration of crazy love’.

In May 2017, 27-year-old Shilpi broke her association with the theatre group founded by Arvind Gaur alleging he made ‘advances’ towards her. While Gaur had denied the allegations, other members of the group, who left it with Marwaha, say that the accusations were true. She claims that after she refused her advances, he said, ‘Yeh toh normal cheez hai, ismein galat kya hai?’

The irony that Swati Maliwal, then chose to stand by someone accused of sexual harassment while she breaks her fast as a protest against rapes is lost on Delhi Commission for Women chief.

‘If a woman has art, she won’t sell herself’ : Saroj Khan defends casting couch in a sexist rant

OpIndia Staff
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‘If a woman has art, she won’t sell herself’ : Saroj Khan defends casting couch in a sexist rant

Recently, the Bollywood community came out to protest against sexual harassment and rape. A welcome step, considering the rampant sexism and sexual harassment in Bollywood itself. One did think that perhaps now, the Bollywood community that resorts to dancing to songs like “main to tandoori murgi hoon yaar, gatkaale saiyaan alchohol se” would wake up to the prejudices the Bollywood industry itself perpetuates and how it contributes to sexual biases.

It was indeed hilarious to watch an actress who glorified stalking, a woman who defended that glorification, and another who danced to the tunes of “tandoori murgi” protest against the manner in which women are treated.

The hypocrisy was evident. But today, finally, Saroj Khan, a senior member of the Bollywood fraternity has confirmed the horribly sexist mindset that the industry holds by going on a sexist rant and defending the ‘casting couch’ phenomenon.


In her mindless rant, Saroj Khan asserted that “this has been going on for ages. Everyone wants to take advantage of women. Even the Government and people of the Government indulge in this. Why does everyone want to point only towards the Bollywood industry”.

In an even more shocking statement, defending casting couch, Saroj Khan said, “At least Bollywood gives them ‘roti’. Doesn’t rape and abandon the girls”.

Her rant, of course, didn’t stop just there. After singing praises of how benevolent Bollywood at least gives women ‘roti’ after abusing them, instead of abandoning them, she went on to shift the onus of the abuse on to the victims. She said, “It depends on the girl is she wants to be used or not. If she has talent, why would she sell herself? So don’t talk about Bollywood. That is out ‘maai-baap'”.

One wonders if the Bollywood will go beyond empty rhetoric and talk about what ails their Industry. Saroj Khan perhaps pegged it perfectly, “Bollywood roti to deti hai”. Maybe, it is all about commerce for Bollywood stars. Maybe, it is the convenience that matters and not the principles. It is entirely possible that their condemnation, protests and silence is also driven by the same need – ‘Roti’.

Bollywood is known to be a star-studded, hypocritical, steaming pile of mess, with certain exceptions, of course. It is time for the Industry to speak up even when their ‘roti’ isn’t dependant on it.

AFSPA removed from Meghalaya, restricted to 8 police stations of Arunachal Pradesh

OpIndia Staff
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AFSPA removed from Meghalaya, restricted to 8 police stations of Arunachal Pradesh

The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) has been removed entirely from Meghalaya and reduced it to eight police stations in Arunachal Pradesh from the previous 16. According to reports, till September 2017, about 40% of Meghalaya was under AFSPA and the Ministry of Home Affairs after consulting with the state government has decided to remove it completely. The act was completely withdrawn from Meghalaya with effect from April 1, 2018.

The MHA statement added that there was a 37% decline in the number of insurgency incidents in 2017 in the North Eastern states. It further added that there was a 30% decline in the number of casualties in security forces and 23% reduction in civilian deaths since 2017. In another recent announcement, the government has enhanced the surrender cum rehabilitation assistance for militants from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 4 lakhs.

The government has also relaxed the norms of the Restricted Area Permit and the Protected Area Permit (PAP) for foreign tourists visiting the North Eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland. This move was finalised to boost tourism in these areas. Foreign tourists need PAP to visit certain marked areas in these states. However, citizens from ‘countries of concern’, that is Afganistan, Pakistan and China will still face restrictions to tour in these areas.

According to reports, the AFSPA was further extended to another six months in the three easternmost districts of Arunachal Pradesh. These districts are Tirap, Longding and Changlang and they all share a border with Myanmar. The eight police station areas which still have AFSPA are located in the seven districts bordering on Assam.

Among other states in the NE, AFSPA was removed from Tripura in 2015 and for the last one year, it is being gradually removed in the entire region.

The AFSPA is a law that gives the army the power to kill, arrest, and search within the area without a warrant and protects the Army personnel from prosecution and lawsuits without the central government’s sanction.

Being called ‘one of the best operations in 38 years’, Maharashtra police comes down hard on Naxalites

OpIndia Staff
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Being called ‘one of the best operations in 38 years’, Maharashtra police comes down hard on Naxalites

According to reports, this is being called one of the biggest encounters of the Naxalites in the last 38 years since this problem came into existence.


Security forces gunned down at least 16 Naxalites in the Rela-Kasnasur forest in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district on Sunday morning. While officially 16 have been neutralised, the toll could go up to 25, according to reports. Gadchiroli Police, in a press release, said the dead included some high-ranking ultras.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I35Ef5oiS30]

The encounter broke out at Rela-Kasansur forest in Bhamragad between the ultras and a joint team of security forces comprising C60 commandos, a specialised combat unit of the Gadchiroli police, and personnel of the 9th Battalion of the CRPF, around 10 am. It lasted for 90 minutes, DIG (Gadchiroli) Ankush Shinde said.

“The ultras hiding in the forest started firing at the security personnel. The exchange of fire continued for about one-and-half hours. As per preliminary information, bodies of 16 Naxals were recovered from the forest,” he said, adding that arms and Naxal literature were recovered from the spot. He also said that action was based on a specific intelligence input. The operation was launched from Pranhita headquarters at Aheri.

On the identity of the ultras, he said, “There is a possibility of two ‘DVC’ — rank Naxals Shrinu alias Shrikant and Sainath being killed in the operation.”

Naxalite cadres of four groups – Perimili dalam, Aheri dalam, Company 10 and Platoon 14 – had gathered for a meeting when the forces took them on. The cadres had been moving around in the locality in different formations and holding meetings at tribal hamlets. They were caught off guard by firing from all sides as they were not expecting an attack, the location of the meeting being deep in the forest.

Two C-60 squads under commander Vasudev Madavi and Madhukar Netam, supported by CRPF, are learnt to have surrounded the Naxalites, taking vantage positions that did not allow the Naxalites to escape. As they realised their strength, forces called for more reinforcements using sat phones, according to reports.

After firing from Naxals’ side ceased, the forces went in and began pulling out bodies, weapons and other material.

Maharashtra Director General of Police Satish Mathur congratulated the C-60 team which was involved in the encounter. “This is the biggest success ever in the Dandakaranya area by any anti-Naxal force. There are no major injuries on our side,” he said.

Muslim cleric arrested for kidnapping minor girl and holding her captive in a Madrasa

OpIndia Staff
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Muslim cleric arrested for kidnapping minor girl and holding her captive in a Madrasa

As per a report by ANI, a 10-year-old girl who was missing for about four days was rescued by the police in Ghaziabad on late Sunday evening. The report has claimed that the police have arrested a Muslim cleric in connection with the crime. It has been alleged that the girl was held captive in a Madrasa, where she was found in an unconscious state:


A local report has claimed that the girl is a resident of Mayur Vihar in Delhi, where her family reportedly moved to, before living in the same Ghaziabad area where the girl was being held captive.

Following the kidnapping, the police received information that the girl was being held in a Madrasa in Ghaziabad’s Arthala region. Thus a team of Delhi police with the help of local cops raided the Madrasa and rescued the girl.

During the raid, the police also arrested an individual. It has been claimed that the said accused, who is now being questioned used to reside in the madrasa.

The incident predictably shocked a lot of people, who questioned whether we would see a response similar to the one witnessed during the Kathua Rape case:


This episode raises the question whether the placard holding celebrities who were eager to highlight the alleged crime venue in the Kathua rape case, would show an equal amount of enthusiasm in condemning this crime and its setting.

If not, then would they openly acknowledge that their agenda is more important to them as compared to the lives of innocent children – with their response or the lack of it depending on to what extent the victims confirm to their narrative.

Pakistan would still remain a motherlode of terrorism had Hafiz Saeed, not Liaquat Ali Khan been its first leader

Anand Walunjkar
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Pakistan would still remain a motherlode of terrorism had Hafiz Saeed, not Liaquat Ali Khan been its first leader

In a recent article published in ‘The Dawn’ and later published in ‘The Print’, Pervez Hoodbhoy imagines how disastrous would it have been if Modi was the first Prime Minister of India instead of Nehru. A completely hypothetical scenario deliberately used to sow seeds of disharmony among the Indians. Of course, if one agrees with the article, one would allude to Modi being actually a disaster for India; and if one defers, would imply that Indians didn’t choose wisely to make Nehru their first PM. Both the conclusions would bring a smirk to the agenda driven Pakistani’s face and hence I would refrain.

There were many problem areas in the article however which deserves clarification. First of all, it is laughable for a Pakistani to allege that in one textbook of one subject of one class of one state of India, the RSS is trying to tweak the Nehruvian history when they have whitewashed and distempered their generations with a false history.

Pakistanis still read that 1857 was a movement led by ‘Muslims’ for an independent country. There are confusions in your books whether Muslim League was formed in 1906 or 1911. The real purpose of formation of Muslim League which was to show the loyalty of Muslims towards the British has been concealed with a false narrative that it was an anti-British party. You teach children such blatant lies that Pakistan has won all wars with India including 1948, 1965, 1972 and even Kargil 1999 and still have the audacity to prick holes in our correct narrative?

The writer goes on to allege that India would go on to become ‘garbage dump for crackpot science’ under Modi. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Modi’s stress on technology is evident in most of his speeches, developmental work and even his election campaigns. So, there is no evidence to suggest that Modi would not have opened the IITs and the numerous science museums if he was in Nehru’s place. He might have done more, if not equal. Of course, this is painful for Pakistanis for whom evolution is ignored but the creation by Almighty has space in the syllabus.

Pervez describes the Army under Rawat as interventionist – a deliberate and malicious propaganda, an attempt to create a rift between the Government and the Army which should be strongly criticized. We are not Pakistan where not a single PM has completed his 5-year term ever in the history, mostly obstructed by military coups; and where Army has ruled the nation directly or through a proxy for a greater part of history. Whereas, Indian Army has the full backing of Modi in their actions, be it surgical strikes or Doklam standoff. Government – Army synchronization is something beyond the imagination of a Pakistani.

So, while it is understandable that vile and mischievous attempt by the author to create disharmony and a false narrative against the present government is the key intention behind the article, it is uncertain why liberals would fall for it, heaping praises on it, unless they are blinded by hate to use Pakistani narrative as their own against Modi.

Here is a food for thought. What if Hafiz Sayeed was the first Prime Minister of Pakistan instead of Liaquat Ali Khan? Well, it would not have made any significant difference as religious extremism is in the fundamentals of Pakistan and we would have still seen a Jehad exporting state – a motherlode of terrorism.

Total deposits in Jan Dhan Yojana bank accounts rise to more than Rs 80,000 crore

OpIndia Staff
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Total deposits in Jan Dhan Yojana bank accounts rise to more than Rs 80,000 crore

In a possible validation of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), reports have claimed that the total deposits in the the Jan Dhan accounts have exceeded Rs 80,000 crores. As per data from the Finance Ministry, the deposits stood at Rs 80,545.70 crores on 11 April 2018.

The PMJDY was launched in August, 2014 with an aim to ensure financial inclusion for the masses, which includes features like deposits, remittance, credit, insurance, and pension. The accounts opened under this scheme don’t need to maintain any minimum balance, and the beneficiaries are also provided an accidental insurance of Rs 1 lakh and life cover of Rs 30,000. Successfully operating the account for 6 months results in an overdraft facility being extended to the customer. This overdraft is limited to Rs 5,000 per family.

As reported now, the success of the Jan Dhan accounts have found a mention in the World Bank’s Global Findex Report, 2017 which was released last week. As per the World Bank, India accounts for 55% of all the new bank accounts opened in the world.

The deposits in these bank accounts saw a huge spike post demonetisation in November 2017, with the deposited cash rising from about Rs 45,300 crore to Rs 74,000 crore within a month. As per data made available by AISECT, the deposits in Jan Dhan accounts operating out of its banking kiosks rose from an average of Rs 480 per account to Rs 1,095 following demonetisation.

In all about 31.4 crore Jan Dhan accounts are in existence as of April 2018, which saw a rise of about 5.9 crore accounts post demonetisation. The intensity of this scheme’s implementation can be gauged by the fact that a whopping 1.8 crore of such accounts were opened in just one week – back in 2014.

Figure wise, in 2011 a mere 35% of Indian adults had a bank account which rose to 53% in 2014. Since then the number has increased to about 80% of the total Indian adult population.

Model narrates her sexual harassment ordeal, Shashi Tharoor uses it to score political point

Nirwa Mehta
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Model narrates her sexual harassment ordeal, Shashi Tharoor uses it to score political point

Indore based model claimed that she was sexually harassed and molested last night and narrated her ordeal on micro-blogging site Twitter.


She states how humiliating the experience was and that it took her a while to gather some composure.


She then said how so many others also face sexual harassment on streets and decided to bring a logical end to her ordeal by filing an FIR. Just after her fall, she went live on photosharing app, Instagram to narrate her ordeal. However, as per police, they tried to contact her but she has not yet approached the authorities to file an official complaint.


While Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan assured her of support and speedy justice.


Amidst all this, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor took this opportunity to score a political point by trying to imply that the harassment the girl faced had been sanctioned from ‘the top’.


Sexual harassment is a societal problem that not just the politicians, but the citizenry should fight together. It is humiliating for women as it is, without politicians using the woman’s ordeal to play vulture politics. This comment by Shashi Tharoor displays exactly what is wrong with the ‘fight against sexual harassment’ and the ‘fight for women’s dignity’. Today, this social evil perhaps isn’t viewed as a menace that needs to be fought, but every case is viewed as a political tool to beat the political opposition with.

Shashi Tharoor twisted a case of sexual harassment in order to somehow blame Prime Minister Narendra Modi by saying ‘it was sanctioned from the top’. This irrational gibberish is unfortunate what the political discourse has stooped to.

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