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Bishop Ezra Sargunam dead, wanted to assault Hindus, admitted to converting them: Here is what he had said

OpIndia Staff
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Bishop Ezra Sargunam dead, wanted to assault Hindus, admitted to converting them: Here is what he had said

A radical Christian priest named Ezra Sargunam, who regularly spewed vitriol against the Hindu community, died in Chennai on Sunday (22nd September) at the age of 86. He was suffering from prolonged illness.

Ezra Sargunam, who served as a Bishop at the Evangelical Church of India (ECI), was close to Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), its supremo M Karunanidhi and his son MK Stalin.

Following his death, Stalin remarked, “Closely associated with the Dravidian movement’s ideals, Bishop Ezra Sargunam had a close friendship and love for former chief minister M Karunanidhi. He used to participate in Christmas programmes with Kalaignar and me.”

“I cherish the moments when I shared my thoughts with him while participating in the welfare activities on his birthday. Archbishop Ezra Sargunam served as a trusted guide of the Christian people and earned the goodwill of all communities,” the DMK leader continued.

In June 2019, Ezra Sargunam was caught spewing hatred against the Hindu community. He had claimed that there was no religion called ‘Hinduism’ and threatened to assault the practitioner of the Faith.

“Punch on their (Hindus) face, let them bleed. Then make them understand the truth (Christianity),” the radical Bishop had infamously said.

He claimed that during the British era, the census officials were confused about the categorisation of Indians as Hindus. Ezra Sargunam alleged that a committee defined the identity ‘Hindu’ as someone who wasn’t a Muslim, Christian, Sikh or Buddhist.

According to him, a group of Brahmins at that time said that they wouldn’t accept scheduled castes and tribal people as Hindus but only as “good Brahmin”. He claimed that these Brahmins classified 50% of the country’s population as ‘not Hindu.’

Then, he went on to allege the ‘rise of Hindu Nationalism’ in India and lamented that everyone was supposedly being “Hinduised” for political gains. The radical Bishop then asserted that Hinduism is an “artificial religion”.

When Ezra Sargunam mocked Rajnikant

In November 2019, the controversial Christian priest mocked Tamil superstar Rajinikanth and claimed that the actor would keep talking about ‘entering politics’ until he is dead.

“He (Rajinikanth) will keep on speaking about his “Political Entry” till he goes to Coffin!” he was heard saying in a viral video.

When the notorious bishop abused PM Modi

In December 2020, Ezra Sargunam was seen abusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and making distasteful remarks about the latter’s personal life.

He claimed that PM Modi had no right to rule India as he could not ‘live with his wife’ for even 7 days. “Can’t you live with your wife after marriage even for a week?! What merits do you have to rule this country?” the Christian priest brazened out.

“This fake man…We will be facing difficulties like these until this Modi is removed. He doesn’t know any difficulties. Only if he had raised children would he know the difficulties! We don’t even know with whom he lived! We are now stuck with him. Let us all pray to destroy him,” Sargunam had said.

Interestingly, he made the derogatory, personal remarks in the presence of MK Stalin and other opposition leaders.

The radical Bishop had falsely claimed that Prime Minister Modi helped loan defaulters flee India and was financially helping them through the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

When Ezra Sargunam admitted to converting Hindus and experienced thrashing

In an interview with a Christian prayer channel Jebam TV, the radical Bishop narrated his experience while attempting to convert Hindus during the Allahabad Kumbh Mela.

“A few decades ago, we went to Allahabad January mela (Kumbh) to spread the gospel among ignorant masses taking a dip in the Ganges. Their mental make-up is different. They tore up our books, and clothes, trampled us & beat us up very badly,” he lamented.

While studying at the Allahabad Bible Seminary during 1961-62, he along with some other students went to distribute religious literature to the pilgrims gathered on the banks of the Ganges for the Kumbh Mela.

A paragraph from www.ecionline.org narrating the incident

He was subsequently thrashed, chased away and was trampled upon by a stampede. Injured he had to walk back to his seminary for 15 miles as his companions left him in the heat of the moment. Poor Ezra was utterly dejected and had almost quit his mission.

The last rites of the radical Bishop is scheduled to take place on Tuesday (24th September).

6 years of Ayushman Bharat Scheme: Here’s what beneficiaries have achieved in all these years through this program

OpIndia Staff
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6 years of Ayushman Bharat Scheme: Here’s what beneficiaries have achieved in all these years through this program

India, on 23d September, is celebrating 6 successful years of the launch of Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Abhiyaan, also known as Ayushman Bharat or the National Health Protection Mission (AB-NHPM), the national health scheme, which was launched in the year 2018. The scheme was launched by PM Modi to subsume the then-ongoing centrally sponsored schemes – Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) and the Senior Citizen Health Insurance Scheme (SCHIS).

PM Modi announced on Independence Day 2018 that the center would launch a scheme for poor and economically deprived people so that they can get free medical insurance under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.

The scheme was initially set to benefit around 10 crore families, with approximately 50 crore beneficiaries, providing coverage up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. It is now being hailed by the Ministers for its successful completion of 6 years and benefiting more than 35 crore individuals. Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu said that the scheme to date has given a massive boost to the ease of people’s healthy living.

“Across the country, citizens are reaping the benefits of the best of health facilities with 36.76 crore plus Ayushman Cards created in the past six years. Let us celebrate together a great milestone achieved in our collective efforts aimed at creating a healthy, wealthy, and inclusive Viksit Bharat,” he added.

UP CM Yogi Adityanath also lauded the initiative saying that the scheme has become a lifeline for economically weak and disabled families in the state. “More than 5 crore 11 lakh golden cards have been issued to people in Uttar Pradesh under Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana and Chief Minister Jan Arogya Yojana, which have become a lifeline for economically weak and disabled families. Today the poor are getting better treatment and their health is also safe. Heartfelt gratitude to the Honorable Prime Minister for this precious gift that fulfills the resolve of a healthy and prosperous India,” he said.

Union Minister of State for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, and Labour & Employment, Shobha Karandlaje said, “It’s more than just a scheme, it’s a lifeline, transforming lives & building a ‘Swashth Bharat’.”

Broad features of the Ayushman scheme

The government-sponsored health insurance policy offers free coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year at public and private hospitals across India for secondary and tertiary medical care. The policy, per the government records, covers all diseases from day one for both before and post-hospitalisation expenses. The beneficiaries can avail of cashless and paperless treatment in empanelled public and private hospitals.

No restrictions apply based on family size, age, or gender. The process identifies 80% of beneficiaries based on Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) data in both rural and urban areas. Further, special emphasis is placed on covering diseases and treatments affecting women and children.

Government reports mention that premium payments varying from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 annually collected under the scheme are split by the Central and State Governments in a specific ratio. The scheme also receives additional resources from the Health and Education Cess, as well as financing from states to supplement the Central allotment.

It has been 6 years since the launch of the Ayushman Bharat scheme and it has brought countless smiles on the faces of lakhs of beneficiaries. The flagship health scheme launched by the government 6 years ago provides free necessary medications, diagnostic services, and preventative healthcare. Facilities like non-communicable disease screening- diabetes, hypertension, maternity and child health services, immunisation, and health promotion are also available under the scheme. The policy further improves access to specialised treatment through tele-medicine services, particularly in remote places.

The system covers both public and private hospitals, allowing for broader access to healthcare facilities. However, the empanelled hospitals are obliged to achieve particular quality and service criteria, resulting in improved healthcare services for the poor and needy people of Indian society.

For ease, the entire system is operated online, providing transparency, traceability, and paperless services to both beneficiaries and hospitals. The initiative actually seeks to reduce catastrophic healthcare spending for vulnerable groups by offering free treatment in empanelled hospitals. The scheme under the leadership of PM Modi ensures that underprivileged families have access to basic and advanced medical treatments without incurring financial hardship.

Beneficiaries of the scheme as of 2024

The first component of Ayushman Bharat involved the establishment of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAM), which were previously known as Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWC). The Ayushman Arogya Mandirs provide a wide range of healthcare services, including preventative, promotional, rehabilitative, and curative treatment. The purpose is to make healthcare services more accessible to communities by providing Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC).

As of the 12th of September 2024, there are around 1,74,453 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs within the country. These include 1,12,617 Sub Health Centres, 23,903 Primary Health Centres, 5,123 Urban Primary Health Centres, 5,632 Urban Health and Wellness Centres, and 12,178 Ayush-related Centres.

Notably, as of the 9th of September 2024, the AB-PMJAY has issued over 35.4 crore Ayushman cards across the country. The scheme is currently operational in 33 States and Union Territories (UTs) except the NCT of Delhi, West Bengal, and Odisha.

Image- PIB

The healthcare system has also authorised a total of 7.79 crore hospital admissions, totaling Rs. 1,07,125 crores in financial coverage till September 9th. It has seen enormous expansion in its beneficiary base. The Government of India initially covered 10.74 crore poor and vulnerable families, but expanded this coverage in January 2022 to encompass 12 crore families, reflecting India’s 11.7% population growth from 2011.

In addition, the policy was expanded to encompass 37 lakh Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Anganwadi Workers (AWWs), and Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs), as well as their families, who now receive free healthcare. Following the recent cabinet decision, AB PM-JAY plans to provide free healthcare coverage of Rs 5 lakh to all persons aged 70 and up across the country.

The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi on September 11th approved universal health coverage for all senior citizens above 70 years of age irrespective of income. Senior citizens will now get the facility of free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh under the flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY). The scheme aims to benefit approximately 4.5 Crore families with six (6) crore senior citizens with 5 Lakh rupees free health insurance cover on a family basis, a statement issued by the union cabinet said.

Key highlights achieved by the Ayushman scheme over the years

In December 2023, 1,02,23,619 crore Ayushman cards were created during the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra, demonstrating a significant milestone in strengthening the country’s health infrastructure and propelling healthcare excellence. Under the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ayushman cards are being created using the Ayushman app and physical cards are being distributed to the beneficiaries. To date, more than 23,83,473 physical cards have been distributed.

By the end of 2022, 1,50,000 Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) had been operationalised by the center, the goal that was set in the year 2018. A statement issued by the ministry said that fulfilling the principles of “Antyodaya”- leaving no one behind, 150,000 Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) were transforming the delivery of comprehensive primary health care services which were universally free and cater to all age groups from birth to death, through a continuum of care approach.

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated the nation on this achievement and expressed his joy stating that India had successfully achieved the goal of setting 1.5 lakh AB-HWCs by 31 December 2022. He informed that PM Modi had set this deadline in 2018 with the goal of ensuring good health facilities for the person standing last in the queue.

In the same year, the Modi-led govt launched a Digital Health Incentive Scheme (DHIS) under the flagship Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) scheme. “The scheme aims to establish a robust digital health ecosystem through active collaboration between public and private sectors. The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), formerly known as the National Digital Health Mission, aims to support universal health coverage in an efficient, accessible, inclusive, affordable, timely, and safe manner,” the center noted.

ABDM is intended to generate longitudinal electronic health records for citizens, improving healthcare accessibility, lowering care costs, and increasing efficiency in health service delivery. It ensures smooth continuity of treatment at the primary, secondary, and post-secondary levels. ABDM’s digital health ecosystem also ensures the provision of healthcare services via electronic means, which is especially beneficial in isolated and rural locations where specialist care is typically limited.

In April 2020, during the COVID-19 spread, the center put the virus disease under the national health scheme, the Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), ensuring the poor get proper treatment.

“The testing and treatment of COVID-19 is already available for free in the public facilities. Now, more than 50 crore citizens, eligible under the government of India’s health assurance scheme will be able to avail free testing through private labs and treatment for COVID-19 in empanelled hospitals. The empanelled hospitals can use their own authorised testing facilities or tie up with an authorised testing facility. These tests would be carried out as per the protocol set by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) and by private labs approved or registered by ICMR. Similarly, the treatment of COVID-19 by private hospitals will be covered under AB-PMJAY,” the Centre had said.

Later, the ‘Ayushman Bhav’ initiative was also introduced aimed at offering comprehensive healthcare coverage in every village and town, reflecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resolve to reach the last mile and ensure equal access to healthcare services.

Ayushman Bharat, which seamlessly integrates comprehensive care across basic, secondary, and tertiary levels, symbolizes a revolutionary change in the Indian healthcare system. The scheme’s umbrella characteristics target not just emergency health requirements, but also preventative treatment and health promotion, thereby making healthcare more accessible and egalitarian.

As Ayushman Bharat evolves, it is expected to further modify India’s health sector by increasing access to excellent healthcare services, lowering financial burdens on families, and improving overall health outcomes. This holistic strategy is likely to result in a more inclusive and efficient healthcare system, establishing a precedent for future health reforms and promoting long-term improvements in public health across the country.

SC overturns Madras HC’s ruling that said ‘watching child porn wasn’t an offence’, asks Parliament to enact laws to redefine ‘child pornography’

OpIndia Staff
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SC overturns Madras HC’s ruling that said ‘watching child porn wasn’t an offence’, asks Parliament to enact laws to redefine ‘child pornography’

In a significant decision on Monday, 23rd September, the Supreme Court overturned the Madras High Court’s ruling that ‘simply watching child porn’ is not a violation under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) and Information Technology (IT) acts. The Supreme Court ruled that watching and even possessing child pornographic material constitutes an offense under the POCSO.

The landmark verdict overturned a Madras High Court judgment that had dropped a criminal case against a 28-year-old man accused of downloading and watching pornographic content involving children on his mobile phone. Today, the Supreme Court reinstated the accused’s criminal case and said that the case was being sent back to the session’s court. 

“There must be intention on the part of the accused to share such material. To establish offense under 15(3) apart from the storage of child pornographic material it has to be shown that such storage was done to make some gain or advantage and it needs to be seen if that gain or advantage is realized or not,” Justice JB Pardiwala said while delivering the judgment.

The Justice further urged the parliament to make changes in the current POCSO Act, 2012. “We have said on the lingering impact of child pornography on victimization and abuse of children. We have said on the role to report under sections 19 and 21 including the role of society and stakeholders. We have suggested to the parliament to bring an amendment to POCSO so that the definition of child pornography can be referred to as child sexually abusive and exploitative material. We have suggested an ordinance can be brought in,” the court added.

“HC committed error in its order and thus we set aside HC order and remitted the matter back to the sessions court,” the Justice ruled.

CJI DY Chandrachud, who was also on the same bench, stated that it is a landmark ruling and the first time in the world that the judiciary has dealt with child sexual exploitative and abuse material in such depth.

The Madras High Court earlier on 11th January had ruled that simply possessing and watching child sexually exploiting material is not an offense if no transfer or distribution has occurred. An FIR was filed for offenses under Section 67-B of the IT Act and Section 14(1) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Crimes Act, 2012 (POCSO) in response to a letter stating that the petitioner had downloaded child pornography onto his phone.

The mobile phone was seized and delivered to the Forensic Science Department for examination, where two files containing child pornographic content were discovered. However, the petitioner claimed that he only downloaded the content for personal use and never shared or sent it to anyone.

The petitioner admitted to having a history and addiction to watching pornography as a teenager. However, he claimed that he had never watched child pornography and indicated his intention to seek counselling to overcome the addiction. 

In its conclusion, the Madras HC noted that simply watching child pornography did not constitute a breach of Section 14(1) of POCSO, which required explicit exploitation of children. Furthermore, for an offense under Section 67-B of the IT Act, there must be evidence of publishing, transferring, or making explicit material concerning children, which the petitioner did not do, as per the HC. “Since he has not used a child or children for pornographic purposes, at best, it can only be construed as a moral decay on the part of the accused person,” it added. 

However, the Supreme Court today took the opposite, yet correct stance, ruling that failing to report such material to authorities after getting it from any source is an offence.

Madhya Pradesh: Computer teacher Qasim Rehan arrested for raping 3-year-old girl, school accused of suppressing the case, institute sealed after protests

OpIndia Staff
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Madhya Pradesh: Computer teacher Qasim Rehan arrested for raping 3-year-old girl, school accused of suppressing the case, institute sealed after protests

On 19th September, members of Akhil Bhartiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and other Hindu organisations staged protests outside Radcliffe School in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The protests took place following the reports of the rape of a 3-year-old girl student in the school by the computer teacher Qasim Rehan. The school has also been accused of attempting to suppress the matter. Following the protests, the administration sealed the school. The agitated members of Hindu organisations and ABVP are demanding to cancel the school’s registration.

As per reports, there are around 150 students in the school. The incident took place on 16th September. The little girl had gone to the washroom located just 15 feet away from her class. Accused Qasim allegedly took advantage of the situation and raped her. The mother of the girl child came to know when she noticed injury marks on her private parts. A complaint was then filed at the local police station.

The school is located in Kamlanagar police station area of Bhopal. When the kid came back home, her mother, who happens to be a police constable, felt that her child’s behaviour was odd. She examined her child and found a wound on her private part. When the mother asked about the reason, the daughter told her about the ordeal and told her about the “bad touch” by Qasim.

Qasim is a computer teacher at the girl’s school. The parents rushed to the school and told the principal, management, and other staff about the incident. The girl’s family alleged that no one had paid attention to their complaint at the school and had not taken any action against Qasim. Looking at their behaviour, the family went to the police station and filed a complaint.

The police took cognisance of the complaint and registered an FIR under various Sections of Bharatiya Nayay Sanhita (BNS) and the POCSO Act. The police arrested Qasim and sent him to jail. Investigation into the matter is underway.

On the other hand, the school administration and principal Swati denied the allegations of suppressing the matter or ignoring the complaint. She claimed that she got the information about the incident from the police and not from the parents. Furthermore, she assured strict action against the accused.

Madhya Pradesh School Education Minister Uday Pratap Singh reacted to the incident and assured that the complaints regarding attempts to suppress the matter will also be investigated. He added if the allegations turned out to be true, the government would take strict action against the school management.

Qasim saw porn clip minutes before the incident

As per reports, while checking accused Qasim’s phone, the police found proof of him downloading over 100 porn film clips of child pornography. The phone has been sent for forensic investigation.

Reports suggest that the accused told the police that during his free time at school, he was watching a porn clip. Soon after that, he saw a child going to the washroom and sexually assaulted her.

Computer teacher Qasim Rehan reportedly told the police that he was keeping an eye on the girl child for the past 4-5 days and keeping a check on when she went to the washroom. On the day of the incident, he followed the girl to the washroom and sexually assaulted her there. The whole incident took around 2-3 minutes. The girl was sent back to the classroom after that.

After the girl went back to the class, he kept a check on her movement. When she again came out 30 minutes later, he had warned the girl student not to tell anyone about the incident and lured her with a toffee.

He claimed that a girl child was an easy target for him. He assumed she would not tell anyone about the incident but the girl child told her mother about it.

Notably, Qasim did not stop going to school after the incident. When he saw no action from the school, he thought nothing would happen to him. However, the next day parents of the victim filed a complaint leading to his arrest.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the matter. SIT chief Nidhi Saxena said that the parents came to the police station on Thursday last week. A support person from Bal Kalyaan Samiti was appointed for girl’s counselling. Her statements were recorded on video along with her parents’ statements. The police have assured that they are trying to send the case to fast-track court and submit the challan within seven days.

Visa violations, racial discrimination, tax avoidance- Netflix India under investigation by Indian government over multiple violations

OpIndia Staff
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Visa violations, racial discrimination, tax avoidance- Netflix India under investigation by Indian government over multiple violations

The government of India has initiated an investigation into the business practices of US-based streaming giant Netflix’s India arm. As per an exclusive report by Reuters, Indian agencies are looking into allegations of visa violations, racial discrimination, and more against Netflix. Former Director of Business and Legal Affairs of Netflix India, Nandini Mehta, received an email on 20th July this year regarding the investigation from the Ministry of Home Affairs. Mehta left the company in 2020.

The email was undersigned by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), Ministry of Home Affairs official Deepak Yadav. The letter read, “We have received certain details in this regard with respect to the stated company’s conduct, visa violations, illegal structures, tax evasion, and other malpractices, including incidents of racial discrimination that the company has been engaged in while conducting its business in India.”

Notably, in the email statement, Mehta informed Reuters that she is pursuing a lawsuit in the US against Netflix for alleged wrongful termination as well as racial and gender discrimination. Netflix, however, has denied the allegations. Appreciating the investigation by the MHA in India, Mehta added that she hopes the authorities will make the findings public.

When Reuters contacted Yadav of FRRO about the matter, he declined to comment, stating he was not authorised to speak to the media on the matter. The Ministry of Home Affairs also did not respond to questions sent by the news agency. On the other hand, Netflix’s spokesperson denied having any knowledge of the investigation by the Indian government.

Government sought documents and information on the US lawsuit

Notably, since 2023, Netflix has faced allegations of tax evasion, which posed financial challenges to the company’s operations in India. However, the new investigation has opened a new Pandora’s box, as it includes allegations of non-compliance with visa regulations and racial discrimination against Netflix India.

The email sent to Mehta did not contain much information about the issues the ministry is looking into regarding Netflix. For those who are unaware, FRRO is an agency that works closely with the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Intelligence Bureau, the domestic intelligence agency. It is the main agency that looks into foreigners’ visa compliance and permissions to visit sensitive regions in the country.

The FRRO also acts as a liaison in cases related to foreigners with other government offices.

In 2023, India said Chinese smartphone maker Vivo and its Indian affiliates were breaching visa regulations by visiting sensitive regions without seeking permission from the ministry. Regions like Jammu and Kashmir and Sikkim are some of the sensitive areas in the country, and foreigners have to seek special permission to visit these places.

Nandini Mehta’s tenure with Netflix and the lawsuit

Nandini joined Netflix in April 2018 and worked with the company till April 2020 at the Los Angeles and Mumbai offices. In 2021, she sued Netflix in Los Angeles County Superior Court in California for alleged wrongful termination and racial and gender discrimination, among other things. Replying to the allegations in court, Netflix denied each and every claim. The company stated that Mehta was fired for repeatedly using her corporate credit card for tens of thousands of dollars in personal expenses. Speaking to Reuters, Mehta said she would continue her fight for justice. The status hearing of the matter is scheduled for 23rd September in Los Angeles.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Mehta had raised concerns over possible tax evasion in India, which could lead to a ban on the streaming services. She had raised concerns with her superiors that downplaying the India operations might lead to the shutting down of the Indian arm. The concerns were raised after receiving a tax memo.

Netflix India facing scrutiny over content

Since Netflix began operations in India, it has faced numerous challenges, especially related to content. Several web series and movies faced criticism and protests for content deemed anti-Hindu and anti-India. In the most recent case, Netflix faced scrutiny over the web series “IC814: The Kandhar Hijack,” as the series failed to disclose the real names of the terrorists and used the Hindu codenames they had used during the hijack.

The series was based on the Kandahar hijacking of 1999. Furthermore, the series portrayed terrorists in a favourable light while Indian agencies like RAW were shown negatively. The channel added the names of the terrorists in a disclaimer after the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting summoned the Content Head of Netflix India and issued a warning regarding the content it publishes for the Indian audience.

Kashmir: ‘Namazi’ Mushtaq vows to burn down temple, threatens to attack Hindus, says he has problem with ‘Puja-path’

OpIndia Staff
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Kashmir: ‘Namazi’ Mushtaq vows to burn down temple, threatens to attack Hindus, says he has problem with ‘Puja-path’

Journalist Archana Tiwari of the YouTube channel “The Rajdharma” is currently in Jammu and Kashmir to cover the first assembly election after the abrogation of Article 370 on 5th August 2019. She interacted with multiple people on the ground to determine the voters’ pulse.

On 22nd September, in a video uploaded on the official channel of “The Rajdharma,” she can be seen talking to a man named Mushtaq Lone in Dardpora. He claimed to be a supporter of Sheikh Abdul Rashid popularly known as Engineer Rashid who was arrested on terror-funding charges and later secured interim bail.

During the interview, he expressed, “We are Muslims and we read namaz. Opening the temple is not right. Humein Puja Path se problem hota hai. (We have issues with Hindu rituals and worship).”

When the startled journalist stated that she didn’t have a problem with loudspeakers in the mosque, he reiterated that as he is Muslim he has a problem with temples.

He also declared, “Any Hindu who comes here for work and then indulges in alcohol consumption will be assaulted by us. Alcohol is against our religion.”

He further threatened, “We won’t allow temple on our land. We will have no choice but to burn the place because it is not right. We are Muslims. Is it appropriate to have a temple in our neighbourhood?”

Mushtaq continues to fearmonger

The man voiced that this is his personal opinion. He then claimed that Hindus could buy land in the region and build temples but asserted that they wouldn’t sell land to the community.

“This is not Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s land. It’s ours,” he emphasised. He then added that people would not vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party as it had opened a wine shop in the area, built a temple there and provided rice at higher rates.

He repeatedly mentioned his aversion to temples, Hindu bhajans and rituals as well as stressed that he was against all things pertaining to the Hindu religion because he was a Muslim who prayed five times (namaz) a day.

When pointed out that the situation differs in other parts of the valley, he retorted that he is only concerned with his locality.

The assembly poll in Jammu and Kashmir will be conducted on 18th September, 25th September and 1st October while the results will be announced on 8th October.

Another attempt at derailing train? Iron rods recovered from railway track in Punjab, loco pilot prevents accident by applying brakes just in time

OpIndia Staff
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Another attempt at derailing train? Iron rods recovered from railway track in Punjab, loco pilot prevents accident by applying brakes just in time

On Monday (23rd September) morning, railway officials recovered iron rods from a railway track in Bathinda city of Punjab.

As per reports, the loco pilot of a freight train that was passing through the Bathinda-Delhi railway track applied brakes just in time and averted a major accident.

The Government Railway Police (GRP) has registered a case in the matter and launched an investigation. While speaking about the matter, the Investigating officer said, “Early this morning at 3 am, a freight train was passing through the Bathinda-Delhi railway track.”

” However, due to the presence of iron rods placed in the middle of the tracks, the train did not receive a signal, resulting in a delay of several hours,” he added.

A total of 9 iron rods were recovered. The cops are now probing the conspiracy angle in the case.

Train derailment attempts in recent past

A major tragedy was averted on Sunday (22nd September) after a 5-litre empty gas cylinder was found on the railway track in the Kanpur district of Uttar Pradesh. Soon after spotting the cylinder on the track, the loco pilot promptly applied the brake to avert the incident.

Several such deliberate attempts have been made to derail trains in the past in several states.

On 31st August, a loco pilot averted a major train derailment and loss of life by promptly applying emergency brakes after the goods train he was operating collided with motorcycle scrap placed on the railway track in Rajasthan’s Baran district. 

Initial reports indicated that an unidentified person had placed bike scrap on the railway track near Chachauda village in the Chhabra area.

UP: Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad’s son Ajit Prasad booked for assaulting and kidnapping a man in Ayodhya

OpIndia Staff
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UP: Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad’s son Ajit Prasad booked for assaulting and kidnapping a man in Ayodhya

In a major blow to Awadhesh Prasad, the Samajwadi Party MP from Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency, the Ayodhya Police have filed a case against his son Ajit Prasad, and six others on accusations of assault, kidnapping, and threatening a man.

After receiving a complaint from Ravi Tiwari, a resident of Paliya Risali village, the Kotwali police in Ayodhya filed an FIR against the six accused. In the FIR, it has been alleged that Ajit Prasad and other accused persons assaulted the man near the State Bank of India’s main branch in Faizabad town on the 21st of September over a land purchase dispute.

Speaking about the incident, Arun Kumar Singh, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Ayodhya said: “We have registered a case of assaulting, taking hostage and threatening the complainant. After investigating the CCTV camera footage, it has come to notice that the accused in five cars approached the complainant and took him with them. We are investigating further.”  

Interestingly, Ajit Prasad is expected to get the Samajwadi Party ticket to run in the coming Milkipur assembly byelection. The seat became vacant after its MLA, Awadhesh Prasad, was elected to the Lok Sabha this year.

Taking to X, BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya slammed the Samajwadi Party and said: “Faizabad MP Awadhesh Prasad, whom Akhilesh Yadav is holding close to his heart these days, his son Ajit Prasad “kidnapped” Ravi Tiwari and “beat him up”. As soon as SP won some seats, the incidents of rape and hooliganism did not stop. There is a saying in Uttar Pradesh – the vehicle which has the SP flag on it, has a goon sitting in it. This is proof of that.”

It is pertinent to mention that in August this year, SP MP Awadhesh Prasad’s close associate Moeed Khan and his employee Raju Khan were arrested over accusations of gang-raping a 12-year-old Other Backward Class (OBC) girl in Ayodhya and recording the incident to use as blackmail against her for more than two months. Moeed Khan, whos also a Samajwadi Party leader and other accused have been booked under sections of gang rape and POCSO Act

Pakistan: Russian ambassador and other foreign diplomats attacked in landmine blast, Islamic Republic continues to be unsafe place for tourists

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: Russian ambassador and other foreign diplomats attacked in landmine blast, Islamic Republic continues to be unsafe place for tourists

On Sunday (22nd September), Russian ambassador to Pakistan Albert P. Khorev and other foreign diplomats came under attack during a visit to the Swat Valley in the northwestern part of the Islamic Republic.

As per reports, the convoy of the foreign dignitaries was hit by a landmine/ roadside bomb. The development was confirmed by Deputy Inspector General of Police Mohammad Ali Gandapur.

Albert P. Khorev and other foreign diplomats had attended a tourism forum, hosted by the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry. They were invited to promote tourism in Swat Valley.

In a statement, the Russian embassy in Pakistan informed, “On the way from Mingora to the hotel, the escort vehicle hit a landmine. Several police officers were injured. Members of the diplomatic corps were not harmed.”

Although the Russian Ambassador and other foreign diplomats were evacuated from the area, a police officer was killed in the deadly blast.

Swat district police officer Zahidullah Khan informed that four other cops were injured in the landmine blast.

The foreign dignitaries, who came under attack, belonged to Russia, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Indonesia and others.

The disturbing incident comes ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy, which is scheduled to be held in Pakistan. The Pakistan Cricket Board has insisted that the country is safe for foreigners.

However, the landmine blast has reaffirmed fears of Pakistan being safe only for terror groups.

Tirupati Laddu row: TTD says the temple never tested ghee for adulteration in its history, CM Chandrababu Naidu announces formation of SIT

OpIndia Staff
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Tirupati Laddu row: TTD says the temple never tested ghee for adulteration in its history, CM Chandrababu Naidu announces formation of SIT

Amid the row over animal fat found in ghee used to make the famous Laddu Prasadam of Tirupati Balaji temple in Tirumala, the temple administration on Sunday said that the ghee was never tested for adulteration in the history of the temple. Talking to the media, Executive officer of Tirumala Tirupathi Devastanam (TTD) Shyamala Rao said that they have started testing the ghee in the last three months, after which the matter came to light.

Notably, a test on ghee samples provided by TTD conducted by the National Dairy Development Board’s “Centre of Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food” (CALF) laboratory in Gujarat showed the presence of beef fat, pig fat, fish oil and several types of vegetable oil, whereas ghee should contain only dairy fat. TTD has already started the process of blacklisting the suppliers.

Shyamala Rao said, “We established a system of testing ghee for adulteration in TTD for the first time in the last three months, never in the history of TTD we have tested ghee for adulteration in outside labs.”

He further added, “We don’t have the in-house capacity to test. It is the first time that we have started checking and we will continue that. If someone tries to supply any adulterated thing, we will naturally blacklist them and other legal actions will be taken. TTD also trying to establish an in-house lab which is going to be donated by NDDB shortly.”

The TTD Executive officer announced that purification rituals will be conducted in the temple to restore the sanctity. He said that adulteration was found in ghee supplied by earlier suppliers, and no adulteration has been found in ghee supplied by current suppliers, which include Alpha Milk Foods and Nandini Ghee.

The TTD had said that they decided to get the ghee tested after numerous complaints about the deteriorating quality and taste of the famous prasadam laddus. Shyamala Rao said that after he took over, the CM expressed concern on the ghee procured and the quality of the laddu which is considered to be very sacred and offered as ‘Prasadam’ to Lord Venkateswara Swamy.

He had said, “Any deviation in the quality will cause doing ‘apavithram’ (doing something which is not sacred). He wanted me to take steps to ensure that the sanctity of this temple is restored including getting pure cow milk ghee. We started working on that.”

Earlier he had said that the ghee suppliers took the advantage of the fact that TTD didn’t have labs to test ghee and it also didn’t get the product tested outside. Rao also noted that due to procurement based on lowest price bids, the suppliers quoted very low prices, which are very unviable to supply pure dairy ghee.

In the meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu, who first revealed the issue, has announced the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the ghee procurement for Tirupati laddu. He also ordered an audit of procurement process of raw materials for all temples in the state.

Speaking to reporters, he said, “We are forming a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising of officers of IGP and above posts. The SIT will submit a report to the government and we will take action based on that report so that such things are not repeated.”

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