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25,408 cases, 12 deaths and counting: What made Karnataka govt finally announce Dengue as an epidemic in 2024

Siddhi Somani
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25,408 cases, 12 deaths and counting: What made Karnataka govt finally announce Dengue as an epidemic in 2024

On Tuesday, 3rd September, the Karnataka government declared dengue fever an epidemic disease in light of a surge in cases across the state. According to a gazette notification, the government has decided to take severe measures to combat the spread of dengue fever, which has been classified as a major public health risk emergency.

There have been as many as 25,408 dengue cases registered in Karnataka, with 12 deaths. Hassan, Dharwad, and Shivamogga have all reported two deaths, while Mysuru, Haveri, and Davangere have each reported one case. 

As of September 2nd, Bengaluru’s Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), topped the dengue fever chart with 11,590 positive cases and three deaths, followed by Mandya (872), Hassan (835), Mysuru (820), and Kalaburgi (793).

Monetary fines imposed by the state to curb increasing cases

As part of tough steps to curb the outbreak, the announcement empowers authorities to issue house owners who allow mosquito breeding on their property with a fine of Rs 400 in urban areas and Rs 200 in rural regions. Commercial businesses, restaurants, small shops, and sellers that violate the health norms would face a punishment of Rs 1,000 in urban regions and Rs 500 in rural areas.

If health specifications are violated, owners of active, abandoned, and vacant building sites will be fined Rs 2000 (urban areas) and Rs 1000 (rural areas). Furthermore, if violators do not comply, they will be fined 50% more for each week.

The government has asked officials to undertake routine inspections, adopt cleanliness measures, and give medical assistance to impacted areas. To minimize mosquito breeding, health professionals should cover or secure water storage containers, sumps, or overhead tanks with a lid. Additionally, solid waste should be disposed of to prevent water accumulation.

Health officials have been asked to conduct frequent inspections of all vacant places, building premises, water tanks, parks, and playgrounds, as well as to enforce the Health & Family Welfare Department’s standards.

In July, Bangalore Rural MP Dr C N Manjunath, a cardiologist, urged the Karnataka government to designate dengue as a state medical emergency due to growing instances. He had warned that if mosquito breeding was not controlled, it might lead to chikungunya, the Zika virus, and other serious diseases.

Dengue and its growing burden across the globe

Dengue (break-bone fever) is a viral ailment spread by mosquitos to humans. It is more prevalent in tropical and subtropical environments.

Most persons who contract dengue are unlikely to have symptoms. However, for those who do, the most common symptoms are high fever, headache, muscle aches, nausea, and rash. The majority recover within 1-2 weeks. However, some people suffering from severe dengue might require hospitalization. In severe circumstances, dengue may prove fatal.

Dengue fly (Sky News)

As per the World Health Organization, dengue is treated with pain medicine as there is no specific treatment currently. Acetaminophen (paracetamol) is commonly used for alleviating pain. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen and aspirin ought to be avoided given that they can raise the risk of bleeding.

Dengue fever has increased rapidly worldwide in recent decades, with cases reported to WHO rising from 5,05,430 in 2000 to 5.2 million in 2019. The vast majority of cases are asymptomatic or mild and self-managed, hence the actual number of dengue cases remains underreported.

The WHO in its media advisory stated that dengue cases peaked in 2023, affecting over 80 countries across the globe. Since the beginning of 2023, continued transmission, along with an unexpected surge in dengue infections, has resulted in a record high of over 6.5 million illnesses and more than 7300 dengue-related deaths.

Why are dengue cases on the rise in Karnataka?

In the current scenario, it is worth noting that the cases of dengue have rapidly increased in the state of Karnataka. However, the data from the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), which is part of the Union Government’s Directorate General of Health Services, reveal that this is not the greatest surge in the state has seen to date. 

Karnataka had the greatest number of dengue cases in the recent decade in 2023, with 19,300 confirmed cases. The highest number of deaths was reported in 2019, with 17 people succumbing to the vector-borne disease, followed by 11 in 2023. Apart from that, the number of dengue deaths has been below 10 since 2014. This year, 25,408 dengue cases have been registered in Karnataka and 12 deaths have been reported so far.

Dengue transmission is influenced by a variety of ecological factors, especially when it comes to Karnataka. Unplanned growth activities, improper water storage, migration, and poor solid waste management all have played an important role in escalating the spread of Dengue. Dengue-causing mosquitos, Aedes aegypti also breeds in fresh water and bite during the day.

Dengue is more widespread in Karnataka’s urban and semi-urban areas, where human populations are denser and breeding habitats are more widespread. The transmission cycle begins when a mosquito bites someone infected with the dengue virus. The mosquito then becomes a carrier of the virus, which it can transfer to other humans through successive bites. Karnataka’s warm and humid climate, particularly during and after the monsoon season, creates ideal circumstances for mosquito breeding and raises the risk of Dengue transmission.

In July, Mohammed Sharief, State Programme Officer, NVBDCP stated that there was no need to declare an emergency in the state due to dengue. He had also said that the number of cases would decrease by mid-August. But, the cases spiked with such force that the state was forced to declare the disease as an epidemic on Tuesday, 3rd September.

it is crucial to note that the spread of dengue is very common in the state of Karnataka during this season of the year. Every year thousands of pupils are infected with the virus which approximately lasts for 2 months.

The first case of Dengue this year is believed to have occurred in Karnataka somewhere around June. The virus spread massively in the month leading to 4,800 infections already recording a 60% increase compared to the same period in 2023. The number has now surpassed the mark of 25,000 till September 2024.

What measures are being taken by Karnataka govt to curb dengue?

In the circular published earlier, the state had said that it would establish a central war room at Arogya Soudha in Bengaluru, with parallel control rooms in all districts. These war rooms could serve as critical hubs for data collection and situation evaluation, ensuring coordinated and rapid responses to the dengue outbreak.

The state had also stated that each district would form a task force, chaired by the Deputy Commissioner. The task group would comprise key authorities from the health, urban development, education, and non-governmental organization sectors to ensure a comprehensive approach to dengue control.

Health officials, assisted by volunteers, have further planned to undertake biweekly inspections to locate and eradicate mosquito breeding places. Urban Local Bodies will seek participants for this duty, paying them Rs 200 each day.

Image- The Hindu

Weekly public programs encouraging cleanliness and dengue prevention were planned with the participation of local representatives and community members. These efforts aimed to encourage the public to maintain sanitary conditions and appropriately manage water storage. The state had also asked the district authorities to identify dengue hotspots and ramp up source reduction operations, such as mass larvicide spraying and fogging.

Hospitals have been directed to reserve beds for dengue patients and ensure the availability of testing kits, critical medications, and blood components. Free testing and treatment will be available at all healthcare facilities, as per the circular. 

Notably, despite all this, the number of dengue cases in the state kept on rising crossing the mark of 25,000 cases today. The state government has also received criticism for its poor handling of the dengue outbreak. The opposition earlier accused the government of incompetence and poor management, citing a lack of proper preventive measures and inadequate healthcare facilities. ​The state then slammed the BJP for pointing out the lacunas and instead indicated alleged poor management in the state by the BJP during the COVID-19 spread.

The mismanaged hospitals, overcharging of the basic medical tests, and lack of coordination from the increased population further highlight the potential risk of dengue spike in the state. The government instead of playing politics over the issue and blaming the opposition political parties is expected to look into the seriousness of the situation and manage the spread wisely resulting in the elimination of the epidemic.

Days after meeting opposition leaders, from Owaisi to Omar Abdullah, US finally makes its way to Congress: Eric Garcetti meets Kharge

OpIndia Staff
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Days after meeting opposition leaders, from Owaisi to Omar Abdullah, US finally makes its way to Congress: Eric Garcetti meets Kharge

On the 3rd of September, US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence. The two discussed the ‘deepening’ of the ties between India and the US.

Taking X, Kharge shared some pictures with Garcetti and said: “India and the United States enjoy a comprehensive global strategic partnership covering almost all areas of human endeavour, driven by shared democratic values. Delighted to meet Ambassador of the US to India, HE Mr. Eric Garcetti, Minister-Counselor of Political Affairs, Mr. Graham Mayer and Chief of Staff, Ms. Lisa Brown and discussed deepening of ties between the two countries.”

This meeting between Eric Garcetti and Mallikarjun Kharge comes just days after US diplomats met National Conference leaders in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the scheduled Assembly Elections. The frequent meetings between Indian opposition leaders and the US diplomats raise concerns over possible US interference in Indian democracy.

Ahead of the Assembly Elections in Jammu and Kashmir, United States diplomats, including Minister-Counsellor for Political Affairs Graham Mayer and First Secretary Gary Applegarth, met National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah. The meeting took place at Abdullah’s Gupkar Road residence in Srinagar. Reportedly, during the meeting, the leaders and diplomats discussed a wide range of issues related to Jammu and Kashmir and the region in general.

Earlier last month, Jennifer Larson, the US Consul General in charge of the American mission in Hyderabad met AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. Additionally, she met Revanth Reddy, the Chief Minister of Telangana.

‘Yes, your smartphones are listening to conversations’: Facebook, Google partner admits that microphones are used for targeted ads without knowledge of users

OpIndia Staff
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‘Yes, your smartphones are listening to conversations’: Facebook, Google partner admits that microphones are used for targeted ads without knowledge of users

On 26th August, it was revealed that the marketing firm Cox Media Group admitted to listening to users’ smartphone microphones. The firm boasts some notable clients, including Facebook and Google. CMG stated that the information collected through this microphone listening is used to place ads based on the conversations.

The company’s admission came during a pitch deck to investors, where it disclosed that its “Active Listening” software uses Artificial Intelligence to “capture real-time intent data by listening to our conversations.” The company explained that voice data can then be paired with behavioural data to target in-market customers for ads.

CMG noted that customers “leave a data trail based on their conversations and online behaviour,” which is collected and analysed by the AI-powered software. This data is sourced from over 470 different channels.

Following the revelation, Google reportedly removed CMG from its “partner program” website. A Google spokesperson said in a statement, “All advertisers must comply with all applicable laws and regulations as well as our Google Ads policies, and when we identify ads or advertisers that violate these policies, we will take appropriate action.”

Furthermore, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has also said that it is reviewing CMG to determine if the marketing company has violated any terms. A Meta spokesperson stated, “Meta does not use your phone’s microphone for ads and we’ve been public about this for years. We are reaching out to Cox Media Group to get them to clarify that their programme is not based on Metadata.”

Interestingly, in a now-deleted blog post, Cox Media Group noted that there have been questions about the legality of active listening. The post stated, “It is legal for phones and devices to listen to you. When a new app download or update prompts consumers with multi-page terms of use agreement, somewhere in the fine print, Active Listening is often included.”

There have been several reports where users have alleged that they see ads about products, including travel and appliances, shortly after having conversations about them. These ads appear even though they did not search for the products, raising questions about whether devices equipped with microphones are actively listening to users.

France: Retired man under trial for drugging wife and recruiting over 72 men over the years to rape her, couple were married for over 50 years

OpIndia Staff
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France: Retired man under trial for drugging wife and recruiting over 72 men over the years to rape her, couple were married for over 50 years

In a disturbing incident, a 70-year-old French woman has alleged that her husband recruited over 72 strangers online to rape her after giving her sedatives. The man, a 71-year-old former employee of France’s electric utility company EDF, is on trial in the case, along with 50 other men suspected of raping an elderly woman. The accused has been identified as Dominique Pélicot.

According to the victim’s lawyer Antoine Camus, the victim was raped for over a decade and was unaware of the abuse because she was sedated.

“She is completely determined to face them and her husband, with whom she lived for 50 years but whom she knew nothing about, as she discovered at 68,” Camus said.

On Monday, the 72-year-old victim, Gisèle, appeared in court in Avignon, France for the start of the trial. For the next four months during the trial, she will confront her accused rapists.

According to reports, the accused Dominique used to recruit men online to rape his wife after drugging her with sleeping medicines and anti-anxiety medications. Dominique is facing nine accusations, including several counts of rape with aggravating circumstances, drugging a victim in order to commit rape, and disseminating pictures related to the abuse.

The abuse started in 2011, when the couple was living near Paris, and continued until they moved to Mazan two years later. The man hired strangers to sexually assault his wife through a now-defunct website called coco.fr, according to chat records found by police.

According to court documents, police have identified at least 92 sexual assaults by 72 individuals ranging in age from 26 to 74. 50 people were identified, and the majority have been charged with aggravated or attempted rape and are on trial other than Gisèle’s husband Dominique.

Notably, in September 2020, police began investigating the woman’s husband, the primary suspect, when he was discovered discreetly recording under the skirts of three ladies in a shopping mall.

Upon searching his computer the police found thousands of videos and pictures of his wife. In the videos and images found on the accused’s computer, the victim was unconscious. The videoes recorded several instances of rape. The torture happened at their home in Mazan, a village near Avignon.

Uttar Pradesh: Sohail traps Hindu woman in a relationship under false name, abuses, forces her to eat meat and convert to Islam

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Sohail traps Hindu woman in a relationship under false name, abuses, forces her to eat meat and convert to Islam

A case of abuse and forced conversion has come to light from the Badaun district of Uttar Pradesh. A Hindu girl has accused Sohail of pressuring her to convert to Islam and do Nikah. The accused forced-fed her meat and was pressuring her to offer namaz. When she refused to comply, Sohail and his family members brutally assaulted her. The Police have initiated an investigation into her complaint which was submitted on Tuesday (3rd September 2024). 

The incident pertains to the Bisauli Police Station area of Badaun. On Tuesday, a Hindu girl lodged a complaint with the police. 

In her complaint, the victim stated that she is originally from Badaun. In 2023, she worked in a call center in Chandigarh where she got acquainted with the accused, Sohail, but he introduced himself as a Hindu man. He then coaxed the victim and started living with her. During this time, the accused had also sexually exploited the victim multiple times.

The victim further stated that after a few days, she gave birth to a daughter. After she gave birth to a daughter, she along with Sohail came to Badaun. In her hometown, she came to learn that Sohail was a Muslim and that she had been cheated. 

After bringing her to Badaun, Sohail and his family started torturing the victim and her ordeal had been ongoing for the last 3 months. According to the complaint, Sohail’s father Niyamu, mother Rukhsana, and sisters Rubina and Zeba were also torturing her. She has accused all of them of holding her as a hostage. OpIndia has accessed the complaint copy.

According to the complainant, her daughter is kept away from her. She is assaulted over minor issues. During this time, the victim was asked to renounce Hinduism and accept Islam. When the victim refused to comply, all the accused mercilessly assaulted her on, took her daughter, and forced her out of the house. 

The victim has demanded strict action against all the accused. Badaun police has taken cognizance of the matter and initiated an investigation.

As Anubhav Sinha’s IC 814 whitewashes Pakistani terrorism, read how the Leftwing filmmakers have been using the ruse of ‘creative liberty’ to run their agenda

Shraddha Pandey
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As Anubhav Sinha’s IC 814 whitewashes Pakistani terrorism, read how the Leftwing filmmakers have been using the ruse of ‘creative liberty’ to run their agenda

What completes Bollywood? Catchy music, dance, love stories. No. It is the leftist-Islamist propaganda wrapped in the veil of humane characterisation and scripts that makes most of the Bollywood movies complete. In continuance of the ever-ongoing efforts to humanise the Islamic terrorists and whitewash their crimes, the Bollywood and by extension, the left-liberal ‘creative’ mafia has exploited creative liberty to peddle propaganda whitewashing the crimes of Pakistani Islamic terrorists. Anubhav Sinha, who is infamous for peddling political lies in his propaganda movies has come up with his own dishonest and lie-loaded version of the 1999 hijacking of an Indian Airlines plane by Pakistani terrorists— IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack.

IC 814

This six-episode Netflix series stars actors Vijay Verma, Naseeruddin Shah, and Dia Mirza among others. IC814 has been at the epicentre of online backlash for multiple reasons. Firstly, the names of the terrorists are Bhola, Shankar, Burger, Chief and Doctor. While it is true that the Pakistani Islamic terrorists used these names as their codenames to hide their Muslim identities, the series deliberately does not reveal the real names of these terrorists. With the deliberate emphasis on the non-Muslim aliases like Shankar and Bhola taken up by the terrorists, the audience unaware or with limited knowledge of the real 1999 hijack would believe that the IC 814 plane was hijacked by Hindus. Thus, conveniently shifting the blame from Islamic terrorists to Hindus by vilifying them while also handing a clean chit to Pakistan’s ISI. The series provides no proper context or background of the nefarious intention of the Pakistani terrorists behind using Hindu names like Shankar and Bhola as their codenames.

Taliban terrorists near the hijacked IC 814 aeroplane at Kandahar Airport in December 1999 (Image: IndianExpress)

Notably, the names of the actual hijackers were Ibrahim Athar (from Bahawalpur), Shahid Akhtar Sayeed, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Mistry Zahoor Ibrahim (all three from Karachi) and Shakir (from Sukkur). All of them were Pakistani nationals. The Indian authorities had identified Sunny Ahmed Qazi as “Chief”, Shakir as “Doctor”, Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim as “Burger”, Shahid Akhtar Sayed as “Bhola” and Ibrahim Athar as “Shankar”

Secondly, the Anubhav Sinha directorial hands a clean chit to Pakistani intelligence agency ISI by insinuating that somehow ISI or Pakistani authorities were not involved in the hijacking of the plane and seeking the release of three jailed terrorists— Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, Masood Azhar, and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar. However, in his book A Call to Honour: In Service Of Emergent India, the then External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh had written that ISI was directly involved in the move.

“The friends/relatives of the detenues to be exchanged were brought to Kandahar by them [ISI] from Pakistan and they confirmed the ‘correctness’ of the released person. Only then were the hijackers assured that the TADA detenues brought were genuine and that a ‘trick’ was not being played upon then by the wily Indians,” Singh wrote.

Excerpt from former EAM Jaswant Singh’s book

Interestingly, Anubhav Sinha attempted to cover up the Muslim identity of the Pakistani terrorists by not revealing their real names till the end and humanising them by showing Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim [codename: Burger] asking the air hostess to take care of herself, alongside showing terrorists play Antakshari with hostages. While Anubhav Sinha desperately tried to humanise the Jihadis and emphasise their codenames instead of the real ones to dilute to religious identity and Jihadist motivations behind their move, former foreign minister Jaswant Singh wrote in his book about how it was all essentially about Islam.

Singh being an average Hindu unaware of the hatred Islamic texts contain towards Kafirs, especially polytheists like Hindus, was wondering why such an evil incident was happening in the ‘holy’ month of Ramadan [Ramzan]. Jaswant Singh asked the terrorists about the same and their response was that in Islam, Ramadan is the period of ‘struggle’ and ‘sacrifice’.

“When I inquired why such evil was occurring at such a holy time, those who were knowledgeable scoffed at my ignorance, and responded that in Islam, the period of Ramadan fasting is the true period of struggle and sacrifice,” Singh wrote.

Excerpt from former EAM Jaswant Singh’s book A Call to Honour: In Service Of Emergent India

This, very Islamic motivation, the Jihadist dream of establishing Islamic supremacy over non-Muslims was downplayed by Anubhav Sinha in his sinister propaganda series. The farcical and far-from-reality scenes of terrorists playing Antakshari with passengers, a terrorist showing concern towards an air hostess etc intended to downplay the brutality inflicted by the terrorists of Pakistan-based terror outfit Harkat-ul-Mujahideen.

The ISI handlers of the terrorists used Hindu identities to build a misleading narrative of ‘Hindu terror’; a similar attempt was made by Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab during the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks when he was photographed wearing a “Kalava” [sacred thread] around his wrist and carrying ID card with Hindu name. Director Anubhav Sinha should either have picked an alternate set of names for the hijackers or, if he used the original codenames, he should have disclosed their real names as well, rather than advancing the ISI’s narrative by using Hindu names. Perhaps that is what he intended to do.

Be it IC 814, or Kabir Khan’s Tiger franchise, nobody does the PR job for ISI better than Bollywood. While Kabir Khan’s Tiger franchise whitewashed Pakistan’s ISI responsible for countless anti-India operations, Anubhav Sinha’s IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack serves the same purpose for Pakistani terrorists.

Sadly, the whitewashing has been rampant, habitual and done with impunity. Often to even reverse fact and portray outright lies to peddle political narrative. It is pertinent to recall the 2018 Meghna Gulzar directorial “Raazi” starring Alia Bhatt. The movie was based on author Harinder Sikka’s bestseller “Calling Sehmat”. While the book was a story of a Kashmiri girl who was trained as a spy and was married in a prominent Pakistani military family to gather information for the Indian Army, facts presented in the book were heavily distorted in the movie making the audience feel sympathetic towards Pakistan and its army.

In the movie, the protagonist Sehmat, after accomplishing her goals as a spy, is shown returning to India as a broken, depressed woman. Portraying the image that the Indian Army had used, and exploited a young Kashmiri girl. However, in Sikka’s book, Sehmat had returned to India as a strong woman, proud of her achievements and with love and longing for her homeland.

Coming back to the outrageous series “IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack”, Sinha was so occupied with humanising Pakistani terrorists that he failed to even discuss the long-term consequences of the terrorists released during the hijacking, undermining the gravity of the real-life situations. It must be mentioned here that the three terrorists— Masood Azhar, Omar Sheikh, and Mushtaq Zargar—freed in an exchange for passengers held hostage, went on to form the Islamic terrorist group Jaish-e-Muhammad which masterminded the 2001 Parliament attack, its Jihadis were behind the 2016 Pathankot attack that resulted in the killing of seven, the 2019 Pulwama attack which resulted in the martyrdom of 40 Indian Army troops.

Whitewashing the deeds of those who shed the blood of Indian people is not ‘creative liberty’ but ‘criminal liberty’ and is intolerable.

Pertinently, this is not the first time that Anubhav Sinha has exploited creative freedom to peddle certain narratives by distorting facts and passing off figments of his imagination as facts. Rather, Sinha thrives using his work to further his opprobrious political propaganda.

Back in 2018, Anubhav Sinha wrote a letter to Pakistani people urging them to watch his propaganda movie “Mulk” even illegally since the Pakistani censor board banned the film. To please the Pakistani people, Sinha decided to defame Indians and call them “losers”. Once Sinha had claimed that Muslims are becoming terrorists because Hindu miscreants are being facilitated.

A year later, Sinha came up with another political and anti-Brahmin propaganda film “Article 15”. The film claimed to be based on the true events of the infamous Badaun hanging case where two young girls were murdered in a village in Uttar Pradesh. However, the film claimed that the crime was committed by ‘Mahant ji ke ladke’. Mahant ji is mentioned as a Brahmin of the highest order. It was obvious that the “Mahant Ji” was an invisible sly on UP CM Yogi Adityanath who is the Mahant of the Gorakhnath Math. Even though the real accused were Pappu Yadav, Avadhesh Yadav, Urvesh Yadav, Chhatrapal Yadav and Sarvesh Yadav, the film shows Brahmins as accused persons. Chhatrapal and Sarvesh were policemen. The police department was accused of showing leniency to the accused in the case due to political pressure from the Samajwadi Party which was favouring the Yadavs. Even the police investigation was severely criticised and the people demanded a CBI inquiry.

While the film vilified Brahmins, the CBI investigation revealed that the two girls, aged 14 and 15, had committed suicide and they were neither raped nor murdered. The five accused were all given a clean chit.

Back in 2020, Amazon Prime released a series named “Paatal Lok”. This series was out an out leftist propaganda with numerous anti-Hindu elements. The series produced by actress Anushka Sharma showed idol-worshipping Hindu police officers as narrow-minded and bigoted people who doubt their fellow cops’ professionalism merely because he is a Muslim. Alongside the vilification of Hindus, this series stirred controversy over the portrayal of Sikhs as rapists, a complaint was filed in this regard. Similarly, Gorkha communities were also disparaged in Paatal Lok, stirring outrage. The series also featured BJP MLA Nandkishore Gurjar’s morphed image without the MLA’s permission only to change it after he filed a complaint against the show’s makers.

Aamir Khan notorious for furthering anti-Hindu propaganda in films like “PK” gave one of his biggest flops “Laal Singh Chadda” in 2022. This film was a cheap copy of the iconic Tom Hanks starrer Forest Gump. In the Indian adaptation of Forest Gump, Laal Singh is shown rescuing a Pakistani terrorist named Mohammad contrary to the original version wherein Gump rescued his unit chief Lt Dan in Vietnam. Film Forest Gump’s iconic character Gary Sinise became an Islamist terrorist and a ‘good’ person since Aamir Khan movies are incomplete without anti-Hindu propaganda. No wonder he played a terrorist Rehan who was the protagonist in the film “Fanaa”. There are many more examples of how Bollywood movies and web series are peddling lies and propaganda against Hindus, and yet receiving appreciation from a largely Hindu audience, since what’s propaganda if the target audience recognises that it is actually propaganda?

Other than movies and OTT, Television shows are also turning into a medium for whitewashing crimes of Muslims. Back in December 2022, OpIndia reported how Sony Entertainment Television (SET) televised a Crime Patrol episode that had a striking resemblance to the Shraddha Walker murder case. The episode telecasted on December 27, 2022, under the title “Ahmedabad-Pune Murder” with the names of the victim and perpetrator changed to Anna Fernandes and Mihir Kanchwala respectively. In the now-deleted episode, it was shown that a boy named ‘Mihir’ kills his partner in a fit of rage and then cuts her body into several pieces and wraps it in multiple plastic bags before storing it in the fridge, exactly what happened in Shraddha Walkar’s case. As an outrage erupted, the channel deleted the episode.

While Netlfix may have announced that the disclaimer of the IC 814 series will contain the real names of the hijackers, the story doesn’t end here.

The Pakistani terrorists who hijacked the India Airlines flight carrying 191 passengers and 15 crew members were members of Islamic extremist organisations, and their actions were motivated by Islamic extremist motives in the ‘holy’ month of Ramzan. By employing humanising strategies to gloss over these aspects and show them playing Antakshari with passengers, the series obfuscates historical facts and downplays the gravity of the event while mocking the suffering of the two persons ruthlessly murdered by the hijackers. Anubhav Sinha’s narrative that is sympathetic towards the hijackers also mocks the families of the passengers and crew who were kept hostage for seven days. This not only reopens old wounds but also trivialises the fear and suffering experienced by the victims.

Rupin Katyal, who was brutally murdered by one of the hijackers and terrorist Zahoor Mistry (Image via News18)

The hijacking was widely known to have been backed by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The series attempts to legitimise Pakistan’s apocryphal narrative by softening the portrayal of the hijackers and leaving out their Islamic religious identities and motivations. Being a hypocrite of the top order, Pakistan has often dismissed its role in sponsoring terrorism against India even as it remains the safe haven of Islamic terrorists like Hafiz Saeed.

Anubhav Sinha, a notorious leftist propagandist, has already been creating content with significant political undertones as discussed above. His approach in this series sets a disturbing precedent in which Islamic terrorism is downplayed or rationalised. A country that romanticises its enemies is bound to be doomed. Only if you know who exactly your enemy is and what he wants that you can fight and defeat them. It is thus, paramount for the government to make sure that such anti-India and anti-Hindu propaganda content is de-platformed.

Keeping the disdain leftists in any field harbour for Hindus, particularly, the so-called upper caste Hindus, leftist and Islamist cheerleaders have long been trying to establish their farcical narrative that “terrorism has no religion”. So much so that even as a terrorist does a fidayeen attack on non-Muslims after screaming Allahu Akbar, the leftist will come up with some or the other tactic to downplay the religiosity by either calling the terrorist “gareeb headmaster ka beta” or by making the terrorists play Antakshari, as seen in Anubhav Sinha’s propaganda series.

There is a culture narrative war ongoing in India, with leftist media, online content creators and Bollywood playing a major role alongside the left-liberal politicians. Every tactic and every medium is being used to whitewash the crimes of anti-Hindu and anti-India forces, attempts are being to distort history to glorify the oppressors and gaslight the oppressed. The Indian audiences deserve to see historical events in movies and web shows as they happened and not the cheap product of leftist historical revisionism [read distortion].

Kolkata rape-murder case: Centre files contempt case against Mamata Banerjee government for inadequate arrangements for CISF security at RG Kar Hospital

OpIndia Staff
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Kolkata rape-murder case: Centre files contempt case against Mamata Banerjee government for inadequate arrangements for CISF security at RG Kar Hospital

On Tuesday (3rd September), the Union government filed a contempt case against the West Bengal government for hindering CISF security deployed at Kolkata’s state-run RG Kar Hospital in line with the Supreme Court’s order. Notably, Union government has moved the Supreme Court against the Mamata Banerjee government accusing them of not cooperating, and not providing logistical support to the CISF security team. 

In its plea, the Centre has pointed out that the on-duty CISF personnel are facing a lot of difficulties in performing duties due to the non-availability of accommodation, security gadgets, and paucity of transportation, particularly for the female contingent. According to the Union government, there are 92 CISF personnel stationed at RG Kar Hospital, including 54 female personnel. 

The Centre government further submitted that “the inaction of the West Bengal government”, despite repeated requests, reflects a systemic problem where non-cooperation with central agencies operating under court orders has become the norm. It added that this non-compliance amounts to willful disregard of the Supreme Court’s orders. 

In their submission, the Centre government also accused Mamata Banerjee’s government of intentionally “creating obstacles and jeopardising the solution-oriented approach initiated by the Supreme Court”. According to the plea, the Bengal government’s non-cooperation is “unpardonable” and “symptomatic of a systemic malaise“.

The Centre submitted that the state government is willingly not making efforts towards finding a solution to the problem and rather, is causing injustice to the residents of its own.

Consequently, the Centre has urged the top court to issue directions to the West Bengal government to extend full cooperation to the CISF and ensure full compliance, in letter and spirit, with their order dated 20th August or face contempt proceedings for willful non-compliance.

It is pertinent to note that the Supreme Court, on 20th August, directed that CISF personnel be deployed at the RG Kar Hospital to provide security in the wake of the vandalism incident that broke out on the night of 14th August. 

The top court had taken suo moto cognisance of the Kolkata trainee doctor’s rape and murder case and during the proceedings, it came down heavily on the state administration over the vandalism incident. 

On the night of 14th of August, when females in large numbers took to the streets during ‘Reclaim the Night’ protest, a large mob stormed the RG Kar Hospital and vandalised various areas of the RG Kar Hospital building.

The top court had lambasted the Mamata Banerjee government over the vandalism incident. During the hearing, the top court said, “In the aftermath of the brutal incident and the demonstrations which followed, the State Government was expected to ensure the deployment of the state machinery to prevent a breach of law and order.” 

It added, “It was all the more necessary to do so since investigation of the crime which took place in the precincts of the hospital was underway. We are unable to comprehend how the State was not prepared to deal with the incident of vandalisation of the premises of the hospital.” 

I saw IC814 series on Netflix and I salute subtle propaganda pushed by Anubhav Sinha: ISI, Taliban, and Terrorists were good guys, Ajit Doval was a reckless negotiator

Sandeep Singh
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I saw IC814 series on Netflix and I salute subtle propaganda pushed by Anubhav Sinha: ISI, Taliban, and Terrorists were good guys, Ajit Doval was a reckless negotiator

On Tuesday, September 3, Netflix India finally agreed to add the real names of the hijackers of IC814 flight from Kathmandu to Nepal to their web series directed by Anubhav Sinha. The series has used code names of the hijackers during the terrorist attack- Bhola, Shankar, Chief, Burger, and Doctor, and hid the real names of the hijackers – Ibrahim Akhtar, Shahid Akhtar Sayeed, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Zahoor Mistry, and Shakir.

After much outrage from the viewers and after being summoned by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Netflix has agreed to add a small disclaimer at the start of the series about the real names of the Islamist terrorists, however, that solves nothing. When was the last time anyone read a disclaimer before a web series?

Interestingly, this tactic of pushing only Hindu code names of Islamist terrorists remind you of the days when “Hindutva terrorism” concept was being pushed. When even terrorists like Kasab came wearing a kalawa to show themselves as Hindu. However, thanks to the bravery of Tukaram Omble, that fizzled out soon after.

Anyway, this attempt by Anubhav Sinha and Netflix to hide the real names of the terrorists that hijacked isn’t even the worst of the things about this propaganda show.

First of all, this series by Anubhav Sinha shows that everyone in Indian government apparatus is totally incompetent. It shows an Indian RAW operative in Kathmandu knew Pakistan is planning something, then finds out it has to do something with flight IC814, but nobody from his station chief to Indian Airlines listened to him. Well, surprise, surprise, that never happened, like most things in this Netflix series. A passenger shouts “Bomb” and flights don’t take off, but an Indian official telling Indian Airlines that terrorists are going to target their flight doesn’t merit any response.

Worst thing about the Netflix series is how they tried to humanise the terrorists involved in the hijack. Hijackers repeatedly say in the series that they don’t want to harm any passenger, yes, they killed innocent Rupin Katyal and slashed another passenger’s neck just because they didn’t want to harm any passengers. Moreover, terrorists are shown to be so considerate that they allow an Air Hostess to call home to check on her father, and terrorists are shown to be so fun that they play Antakshari with the passengers.

Indian NSA Ajit Doval led the negotiations with the Pakistani terrorists at the time. However, he is shown as a totally reckless individual (portrayed by Manoj Pahwa), who talks angrily to the hijackers and makes them switch off communications for a while. Maybe it wasn’t deliberate, maybe it was deliberate to show Doval as inept?

Meanwhile, throughout the series, the Taliban Minister is shown as the most level headed guy in Netflix Universe. He was apparently the only one trying to bring a peaceful settlement to the entire saga.Every two minutes, Taliban guy came on screen that Taliban hates bloodshed because it is unIslamic. Yeah, Taliban hates bloodshed like Mike Ross hated Harvey Specter in the show Suits, not at all.

However, the worst thing about the show comes right at the end, where they show the released terrorists were celebrating with Osama Bin Laden. It is highlighted during that scene that Osama kept ISI away from the celebrations, thus implying that ISI was not involved at all in this hijacking by terrorists and it was all Osama’s brainchild alone. Yeah, sure Anubhav Sinha, we will buy that.

Adding a simple disclaimer at the start to mention real names of terrorists can’t salvage anything. This is a blatant propaganda series designed to humanise terrorists who hijacked a plane and kept all those passengers hostage, this is blatant propaganda to give a clean chit to ISI, this is blatant propaganda to show Taliban as good guys, and this is blatant propaganda to show everyone in Indian government was useless.

Shahrukh, Rihan, Aslam and 9 others awarded 12 years in prison by court for murder of cricketer Suresh Raina’s uncle, handed a fine of Rs 2 lakh each

OpIndia Staff
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Shahrukh, Rihan, Aslam and 9 others awarded 12 years in prison by court for murder of cricketer Suresh Raina’s uncle, handed a fine of Rs 2 lakh each

The District Sessions Court sentenced the twelve accused in the murder of former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina’s uncle Ashok Kumar to twelve years of imprisonment. The decision was pronounced by the District Court of Pathankot which also imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on each of the convicts.

The case was heard in the court of Additional District Judge (ADJ) Jitendra Pal Khurmi. The trial lasted for four years and the defence attorney presented arguments in favour of the perpetrators, however, the prosecution also produced all the evidence in the court which proved that the incident was committed by them. The court eventually gave its verdict after a tedious argument. They have been convicted of robbery and murder.

The convicts have been identified as Swarn alias Matching (28) from Uttar Pradesh, Shahrukh Khan alias Lukman (46) from Rajasthan, Mohabbat (26) from Rajasthan, Rihan alias Sonu (29) from Rajasthan, Aslam alias Naso (44) from Punjab, Tawajal Bibi (53) from Uttar Pradesh, Kazam alias Rida (60) from Uttar Pradesh, Chahat alias Jaan (38) from Uttar Pradesh, Jabrana (43) from Rajasthan, Sajan alias Amir (55) from Uttar Pradesh, Sehjan (18) from Uttar Pradesh and Chhaju alias Babu Mian (70) from Uttar Pradesh.

Background of the incident

The family of Ashok Kumar (58) was attacked by several unidentified miscreants on 19th August 2020, while they were sound asleep on the roof of their house. The incident happened in the Pathankot district’s Tharyal village. Kumar, a contractor by trade, was assaulted with sharp objects and instantly passed away. The neighbours were startled by the screaming and rushed into the house. They notified the police after witnessing the bloodied bodies of the family members. The police then hurriedly took Ashok Kumar’s son Kaushal Kumar (32) and wounded wife Asha Devi (55) to the hospital, where they both died while receiving treatment. His other son Apeen Kumar (24) and mother Satya Devi (80) also suffered severe injuries.

Amarinder Singh, the then-chief minister of Punjab, had taken notice of the matter and directed the creation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into it. The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) of Amritsar, the Senior Superintendent of Police of Pathankot, and the Superintendent of Police were among the individuals serving on the Special Investigation Team. During the inquiry, the SIT gathered evidence and discovered 100 persons who appeared suspect. Four years later, the 12 offenders were apprehended by the SIT from various locations. A case was filed at the Shahpurkandi Police Station following the arrests. The culprits were given a life sentence after the case was heard by the Pathankot District Magistrate Court.

Judicial supervision, Hindus on Council, greater scrutiny and investigating foreign funding: 9 suggestions for JPC on Waqf Amendment Bill

Anurag
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Judicial supervision, Hindus on Council, greater scrutiny and investigating foreign funding: 9 suggestions for JPC on Waqf Amendment Bill

On 8th August, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to “effectively address” issues related to the powers of the State Waqf Boards, registration and survey of waqf properties and removal of encroachments, was introduced in Lok Sabha by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. The bill was strongly opposed by Congress, DMK, NCP, Trinamool Congress, AIMIM and others saying its provisions were against federalism and the constitutional provisions.

While some members demanded the withdrawal of the bill, many suggested that it should be sent to a standing committee. Rijijiu agreed to the suggestions for further scrutiny of the bill by a parliamentary committee. The bill was sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) which recently invited public suggestions.

Source: JPC

The intent of the government is clear that is to regulate and bring some much-needed accountability through amendments. The rogue manner in which Waqf Boards across states have behaved in the past few years laying claims even on 1000s-year-old temples and predominantly Hindu-dominated areas must be stopped. However, mere amendments might just scratch the surface. There is no need to beat around the bush. There should be no hesitation in admitting that the Waqf system in India needs a thorough shake-up to save the rights and lands of communities other than Muslims.

A Brief History of Waqf in India

Waqf is an ancient system of endowments for religious causes of the Muslim community. In its current form, it has morphed into a vast empire with properties that could make real estate tycoons hide in a corner crying. Waqf Boards have their own set of rules that are exempted from any sort of scrutiny. So much so, that if land is arbitrarily declared Waqf property, the owner of the property would run pillar to post to find some legal way to take the ownership back. Even the government had to fight for years to get 123 properties in Delhi back from the Waqf Board that were “gifted” by the outgoing Congress-led UPA government in 2014.

Waqf is considered to be one of the significant branches of Islamic jurisprudence. However, the term “Waqf” has no mention in the Holy Book. The concepts seen are connotative in some of the verses. The foundational emergence of the idea can be found in the words and deeds of the Prophet. When Omer sought the advice of the Prophet for the pious use of a piece of land called Sammagh in Khaibar, the Prophet said: “Tie up the property and devote the usufruct to human beings and it is not to be sold or made the subject of gift or inheritance; devote its produce to your children, your kindred and the poor in the way of God.” In short, the Prophet dedicated a piece of land that he acquired in the canton of Khaibar for the use of travellers. Similarly, Abu Baker created a waqf in favour of his children.

The concept of Waqf was introduced in India with the advent of Islamic rule. During that period, waqf management was very theoretically centralized in nature. The idea of waqf in India dates back to the Delhi Sultanate when Sultan Muizuddin Sam Ghaor dedicated two villages in favour of the Jama Masjid of Multan and handed its administration to Shaikhul Islam. As Islamic rule flourished, the number of waqf properties increased.

In pre-British India, waqf was also closely linked to conversion and religious as well as cultural appropriation. In his book ‘The Preaching of Islam: A History of the Propagation of the Muslim Faith’, Thomas Arnold portrayed ‘Sufis’ as Islamic ‘missionaries’ among non-Muslims. Historian Muzaffar Alam in his book ‘The Languages of Political Islam: India 1200-1800’ also mentioned that Sufis used to convert Hindus to Islam. Richard Eaton in his work, ‘Approaches to the Study of Conversion to Islam in India’ called this process ‘accretion and reform’, whereby the Sufi saints would appropriate Hindu/local customs and nominally convert the population to Islam.

During the initial days, British India refrained from interfering with the Hindu and Muslim endowments. The first regulation that was Bengal Code Regulation XIX of 1810 was aimed to manage the rents and produce for the upkeep of mosques, temples and public buildings. In the same way, Madras Code Regulation VII 1817 was focused on the same for the Madras Presidency. By 1839, Christian missionaries’ objections led the British to reduce their control leading to mismanagement and embezzlement of temple and mosque funds. The then-government enacted the Religious Endowments Act of 1863 relieving the government of direct control and introducing management by local committees with court intervention when needed.

The Charitable Endowments Act of 1890 further established treasurers for charitable properties. In 1920, the Charitable and Religious Trusts Act allowed any interested person to seek judicial oversight of trusts, providing more stringent control.

The Mussalman Wakf Act of 1923 mandated proper accounting, but mismanagement persisted. Further, amendments like the Bengal Waqf Act (1934) and the Bihar Waqf Act were introduced. These legislations proved there was a need for dedicated laws to manage Muslim endowments which was in contrast with previous secular laws.

After independence, the Mussalman Waqf Act, of 1923 was applicable for managing Waqf properties. However, in 1954, the then-Congress Government introduced the Waqf Act, 1954, which centralised the administration of these properties. It also established Waqf Boards with significant powers. In 1984, the Waqf Inquiry Committee submitted a report leading to the Waqf (Amendment) Act which aimed to restructure the Waqf administration and address financial and operational loopholes. Later, The Waqf Act 1995 was enacted which consolidated and amended previous laws. It retained major provisions from the 1984 Amendment Act.

Why Waqf Act needs amendments?

The Waqf system involves property endowments for religious or charitable purposes, governed by Islamic law. However, the Waqf Act mandates taxpayer-funded surveys of Waqf properties every ten years, despite objections from the majority community (Section 4). The Act’s draconian provision (Section 40) allows the Waqf board to take over any property without notifying the current occupants, leaving them with the sole option of appealing to a Sharia-governed tribunal (Section 83), which non-Muslims find objectionable. Civil courts have no jurisdiction over such disputes (Section 85), and the Waqf Act contravenes the Limitation Act of 1963 by allowing perpetual claims on properties. The Act grants the Waqf board extensive powers, resulting in Waqf properties covering about 6 lakh acres nationwide, making it the third-largest landowner, raising concerns about the covert takeover of national resources under the protection of existing laws. This is just tip of the iceberg. Waqf, in its current form, has unlimited power which no autonomous body should have in a democratic country.

Cases where Waqf claimed land ownership

In Bihar, the Sunni Waqf Board issued a notice in the Hindu-majority Govindpur village of Fatuha near Patna claiming ownership of around 7 Hindu houses. The Sunni Waqf Board has been frequently issuing notices to residents of Govindpur village who have built houses and have been living there for many years. There are around 95% Hindu families living in this village. The Sunni The Sunni Waqf Board notice written in Urdu stated that this land belonged to the Waqf Board and that the residents should evacuate it within 30 30-day time period. The Waqf Board also erected a board regarding the same, which is still standing The afflicted continued to visit the officials but received no relief. When the residents approached the Patna High Court, the Waqf Board was unable to produce any proof for claiming the ownership of 7 Hindu houses and the Patna High Court thus granted relief to the Hindu residents.

In Kolhapur, the Mohamedan Education Society of Kolhapur and the assets it owned, worth Rs. 3,500 crores, were taken over by the State Waqf Board. On June 23, the waqf board sent directives to the trustee of the organization, stating that after carefully examining the paperwork, it had determined that the institution was a waqf institution and that its assets belonged to the waqf. However, the Mohamedan Education Society’s officeholders assert that the organization is not governed by the waqf board.

Even Allahabad High Court has to fight in the Supreme Court for its own land as someone built a mosque on it and the Sunni Waqf Board claimed ownership. On 13th March 2023, the Supreme Court of India dismissed the special leave petition submitted by the Waqf Masjid High Court and the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board against the High Court’s order to remove or demolish the mosque in its premises. The bench added if the construction is not removed within the 3-month period, the authorities will have permission to remove or demolish it. The court also permitted the petitioners to make a representation to the UP govt for an alternate land nearby which the state can consider if the law permits and if the lands are not required for any public purpose at present or in the future.

In August 2024, the Madhya Pradesh High Court overturned a decision by the MP Waqf Board that claimed the Burhanpur Fort as Waqf ownership. The Waqf Board claimed that the Tomb of Shah Shuja, the Tomb of Nadir Shah, Bibi Sahib’s Masjid, and the palace located in the Fort of Burhanpur were Waqf property.

In 2013, the Waqf Board requested the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to evacuate the sites, claiming ownership of them. However, the ASI filed a writ petition with the high court, contending that the property, located in Emagird village, Burhanpur, and spanning around 4.448 hectares, was already protected under the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act of 1904.

The ASI stated that these sites, which had been under their protection for decades, could not be reclassified as Waqf property without losing their status as protected monuments.

In April 2024, The Waqf Board’s controversial decision to declare the head office of the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC), known as ‘Muglisara’ (Mughal Sarai), as waqf property, was finally quashed. In November 2021, the Waqf Board partially approved an application and declared the SMC Headquarters as Waqf property. The municipality then challenged the decision in the Waqf Tribunal in a legal battle. The tribunal finally passed an order on 3rd April 2024, dismissing the waqf board’s claim. The tribunal termed the Waqf Board’s order to declare SMC a Waqf property as illegal, against the established judicial principle of law, erroneous and arbitrary.

The Government’s proposal and call for change

The government of India deserves appreciation that it recognised that Waqf Boards need change. The proposed amendments suggest digitisation of assets, conducting annual audits by CAG and making Waqf properties publicly transparent under RTI. An advisory board with non-Muslim representation has also been proposed in the amendments. But we believe the scrutiny has to be far more. After all, it owns the third most pockets of land in the country. The Joint Parliamentary Committee has now sought suggestions from stakeholders including the public, NGOs, experts, and institutions. It is a must for every concerned citizen to tell JPC what changes they want in the Waqf Act.

Following are the changes already proposed in the Waqf Amendment Bill:

Formation of Waqf: The Act permits waqf formation through (i) declaration, (ii) recognition based on long-term use (waqf by user), or (iii) endowment when succession ends (waqf-alal-aulad). The Bill specifies that only a person practising Islam for at least five years can declare a waqf and must own the property. It removes waqf by a user and states that waqf-alal-aulad must not deny inheritance rights to any heirs, including women.

Government property as Waqf: The Bill stipulates that any government property identified as waqf will no longer be considered as such. In cases of uncertainty, the local Collector will determine ownership and report to the state government. If deemed government property, revenue records will be updated accordingly.

Determination of Waqf property: While the current Act authorizes the Waqf Board to decide if a property is a waqf, the Bill removes this provision. The absolute power will be in the hands of the District Collector who will decide if the property is Waqf or the Government’s land.

Survey of Waqf: The Act assigns the survey of Waqf to a Survey Commissioner and additional commissioners. The Bill shifts this responsibility to Collectors, with pending surveys to follow state revenue laws.

Central Waqf Council: The Act has a provision for a Central Wakf Council that advises the governments as well as the Wakf Boards. It is headed by the ex-officio chairperson, Union Minister in charge. It also provides for at least two members of the council to be women, while all members have to be Muslims. In this Bill, two non-Muslim members are included apart from MPs, former judges or eminent persons who can also be non-Muslims. The candidates of the Muslim organizations, scholars in Islamic Law and Chairpersons of the Waqf Board have to be Muslims, two being women.

Waqf boards: The Act allows the election of up to two members each from Muslim MPs, MLAs, MLCs, and Bar Council members to the Board. The Bill empowers state governments to nominate one person from each group, who need not be Muslim and requires two non-Muslim members. The Board must include at least one member each from Shias, Sunnis, and Backward classes of Muslims, and representatives from Bohra and Agakhani communities if they have waqf in the state. The Act requires at least two women members; the Bill specifies that two Muslim members must be women.

Composition of tribunals: The Act mandates the formation of Tribunals to resolve waqf disputes, chaired by a judge of a rank equivalent to Class-1, District, Sessions, or Civil Judge, with other members including a state officer of Additional District Magistrate rank and a person versed in Muslim law. The Bill removes the latter role, instead including (i) a current or former District Court judge as chairman, and (ii) a current or former officer of the rank of joint secretary to the state government.

Appeals on tribunal orders: Currently, Tribunal decisions are final, with limited appeal options in High Courts. The Bill removes the finality provision, allowing appeals to the High Court within 90 days.

Central government powers: The Bill gives the central government authority to regulate waqf registration, accounts publication, and proceedings of Waqf Boards. It also allows the central government to audit waqf accounts through the CAG or a designated officer, expanding upon the Act’s provision for state government audits.

Separate Waqf boards for Bohra and Agakhani: The Act allows separate Waqf Boards for Sunni and Shia sects if Shia waqf constitutes more than 15% of waqf properties or income in a state. The Bill extends this to include separate boards for Aghakhani and Bohra sects.

9 Suggestions for the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC)

Below are some suggestions for the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) that could make a real difference.

1. Diversify the advisory board

Muslims make up only 14 per cent of the Indian population. Waqf boards, which own the third largest pockets of land in the country, remain only under the supervision of the Muslims. The government should consider bringing at least 40% participation of non-Muslims on the advisory boards of Waqf across states from different communities including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Christians and more. Furthermore, 60% Muslim representation should include representatives from all Muslim sects such as Sunni, Shia, Barelvi, Deobandi and more. A real representation will go a long way.

2. Report to government ministries

One of the most important amendments needed in the Waqf Act is the accountability of the advisory boards. They should report directly to a designated Ministry. A little oversight will not hurt anyone from any community, except those who perhaps have been enjoying the status quo for a long.

3. Judicial oversight

Waqf tribunals should be not autonomous bodies but should come under the supervision of High Courts and the Supreme Court. There is no need for a parallel justice system especially when non-Muslim communities are affected by it.

4. Equitable tax and subsidy treatment

The subsidies, taxes, debts, and rebates applicable to Waqf should be on par with those available to other religious and charitable organisations. There should be no special treatment.

5. Digitize and disclose

Digitisation of the waqf properties should be done as the top priority and the data should be available to the public. Any new addition to Waqf properties should be recorded and added to the data within 24 hours by all departments associated with it. Transparency should be at the same level as non-Waqf land asset records made available by the government.

6. Time-limited legal disputes

One of the biggest issues of this system is the pending legal matters. Any legal matter must be resolved within a specified time not more than three months. There is no need to drag the cases related to Waqf properties any longer than three months.

7. Rigorous annual audits

All Waqf Boards must undergo annual audits by the CAG or a separate designated authority. If regular businesses have to go through an audit, so should Waqf. Everyone in this country is equally answerable for their actions.

8. Scrutinise foreign funding

Foreign funding and funding from NGOs or organisations with vested interests should be banned with immediate effect. No one should be able to donate to the Waqf board without the government’s permission.

9. No more free-for-all land grabs

The ability to claim public, cultural, private and government properties as Waqf properties has to be snapped with immediate effect. If any property has to be declared as Waqf, it should be done through a long legal process that puts every step under strict scrutiny by different departments so that there is no chance of any possible land grab. Writing “Waqf” on any property should no longer be similar to writing a blank cheque.

A final note

The main aim of the amendments should be to dilute the powers of the Waqf Board so that they don’t run as per their whims and abide by the law of the land. The legal provisions should be formed in a way that scrutiny of Waqf Boards’ decisions becomes a must and everything goes through a proper judicial process.

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