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Chhattisgarh: Arif harasses Hindu woman, gets community members to threaten her family when they confront him

OpIndia Staff
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Chhattisgarh: Arif harasses Hindu woman, gets community members to threaten her family when they confront him

In Chhattisgarh’s Raipur district, clashes erupted over a scrap dealer [Kabaadi wala] named Arif harassing a woman late in the night on Sunday (25th August), while she was passing by. Reports say that accused Arif Langda, a Chhoti Masjid area resident is notorious for harassing and passing lewd comments on women passing by.

On Sunday, Arif molested a woman, whose family in turn arrived at Arif’s house and confronted him. Reports state that the agitated locals even pelted stones at the accused person’s house and thrashed the accused harasser. In response, the accused and his relatives brought hockey sticks and arrived soon to threaten the family back.

Subsequently, the victim’s family approached the police station demanding action against the accused. The protesting locals gheraoed the Saraswati Nagar Police Station in Kota.

After receiving information about the incident and taking note of the escalating tension on the spot, ASP West, and Azad Chowk CSP arrived with additional force and calmed both parties. Later, the police arrested Arif, who had escaped the spot; further investigation is underway.

Indian Express misrepresents phone call between PM Modi and President Biden on Ukraine and Bangladesh Hindus, insinuates Modi initiated the call

OpIndia Staff
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Indian Express misrepresents phone call between PM Modi and President Biden on Ukraine and Bangladesh Hindus, insinuates Modi initiated the call

On Monday (26th August), Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephone conversation with US President Joe Biden and discussed views on regional and global issues, particularly the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh and the Ukraine crisis. MEA had also issued a communique about the same, wherein it clearly mentioned that PM Modi had received a call from the President of the U.S.A.

Several media outlets reported on the Modi-Biden conversation, with most presenting the news as it was, clearly indicating that Joe Biden was the one who called PM Narendra Modi. However, the Indian Express managed to tailor its reporting in a way that aligned with its specific political agenda. The media house insinuated that it was Modi who initiated the call to the US President and not the other way around.

The opening paragraph of the meticulously crafted report by the Indian Express on August 26th stated, “Days after returning from Kyiv, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to US President Joe Biden on Monday,” subtly suggesting that Modi had initiated the call to Joe Biden.

Screenshot of the August 26th print paper edition of Indian Express

While the Indian Express implied that Modi had initiated the call to the US President, the Ministry of External Affairs, in its press release on August 26th, clearly stated that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi received a telephone call from the President of the U.S.A., H.E. Mr Joseph R. Biden.

However, this type of agenda-driven reporting by the Indian Express is not unexpected, considering the tendency of leftist media to distort and sensationalize news to shape public opinion and influence political and social outcomes. In fact, only recently, the Indian Express published an editorial in defence of Somaiya School principal Parveen Shaikh who has come under fire after OpIndia exposed her terror sympathising social media activities.

Interestingly, Indian Express was not the only one that had defended Parveen Shaikh and downplayed her pro-Hamas and anti-Hindu social media activities. As OpIndia reported earlier, left-leaning portal Scroll and Hindustan Times had also attempted to garner sympathy for Shaikh passing off her pro-Hamas leanings as mere political opinion and alleging that ‘Hindutva’ portal OpIndia targeted Shaikh due to her Muslim identity. 

As Modi reveals bringing up plight of Hindus in call with Biden, White House communique makes no mention

Interestingly, the distortion of the conversation between Modi and Biden was not limited to the Indian Express. The US also selectively emphasized certain aspects of the conversation while omitting others, resulting in a skewed portrayal of the events. Although Modi mentioned discussing the plight of Hindus in his X post, the White House communique skipped mentioning the discussion on the Bangladesh crisis completely.

This came days after the White House refused to comment on the plight of the Hindus and other religious minorities in Bangladesh. While responding to a query on atrocities against Hindu Americans and Hindus in Bangladesh, the official White House Spokesperson Jean Pierre said that they are continuing to monitor the situation but they don’t have anything else to add.

CNN fuels anti-India narrative, publishes article blaming India for floods, whitewashes religious persecution of Hindus as political violence

Paurush Gupta
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CNN fuels anti-India narrative, publishes article blaming India for floods, whitewashes religious persecution of Hindus as political violence

At a time when the US is being accused of pulling a ‘regime change’ operation in Bangladesh, the American leftist media, CNN, which is notorious for pushing and fueling anti-India narratives has yet again published a biased article against India. In its reportage, CNN has tried to pass off the blame for the Bangladesh floods on India. It has brazened it out suggesting that India should “apologise” to Bangladesh for inundating its neighbour. 

Notably, it has done ground reportage and published an article to fuel the anti-India narrative in Bangladesh, even after the fact that New Delhi has twice debunked the falsehood and categorically noted that floods in Bangladesh have nothing to do with the opening of the Dumbur dam upstream of the Gumti River in Tripura.  

It is important to note here that several Bangladeshis are spreading an anti-India narrative amid the floods alleging that India has deliberately opened the gates of the Dambur Hydroelectric Project in Tripura state. Apart from netizens, several media houses also alleged that India was behind the floods that have shaken Bangladesh currently. However, India has factually debunked these allegations twice.  

Now, in an apparent attempt to give legitimacy to the falsehoods being peddled by Bangladeshis, CNN has also tried to pass off the blame for the flash floods in Bangladesh on India. 

During its ground reportage from Bangladesh’s Feni district, the CNN anchor claimed, “Bangladesh has the best early warning systems, but there was no warning in this case”, because of which the Bangladeshis are blaming their neighbour for the flooding. She went further to suggest that India should issue an apology to Bangladesh saying, “India denies this…There has been no apology from India..” 

Strikingly, while peddling her falsehoods, a Bangladeshi journalist who writes for the Daily Star, Tamjidul Hoque pointed out that CNN is the first well-known international news media that arrived in Bangladesh to do ground reporting after Bangladesh Interim government leader, Mohammed Yunus invited foreign journalists to the country. 

Furthering the anti-India narrative through CNN reportage, the Bangladeshi journalist wrote, “..the (CNN) report says how water levels suddenly increased right after India released water from their dam.” 

Apart from the anti-India video reportage, CNN published an article on 27th August, titled, ‘Millions in this country are stranded by flooding. Many blame their neighbor’, to reinforce their bias and pass off the blame for the Bangladesh floods on India.

Blames India for flash floods in Bangladesh, whitewashes religious persecution of Bangladeshi Hindus: Major pointers from the anti-India CNN report

The CNN report noted that Bangladesh has been witnessing floods and cyclones in recent years because of climate change exacerbating extreme weather events but alleged that this time the flood took them by surprise and thus they “blame officials in India”.  

It then went on to allege that India didn’t warn Bangladesh about the imminent flooding. 

The report added, “Dozens of people CNN met in Feni – which is only a few miles from the India border – accused New Delhi of releasing water from the Dumbur dam in neighboring Tripura state with no warning. As we waded past their homes, some people shouted, ‘We hate India’ and ‘This is Indian water’.”

The report quoted a 29-year-old IT worker, Shoriful Islam saying, “They opened the gate, but no information was given.”

Islam added, “India used a water weapon. India is taking revenge for destroying the last government.”

While reporting about India’s clarification which categorically debunked the allegations, CNN subtly claimed that India ‘conceded’ that it “failed to warn Bangladesh citing a power outage. 

Twisting India’s response, CNN report added, “India denied the dam release was deliberate and said excessive rain was a factor – although it conceded that a power outage and communications breakdown meant they failed to issue the usual warning to neighbors downstream.”

While CNN attempted to paint India in a bad light over the recent flooding, it had to admit that the Indian state of Tripura also suffered heavy losses because of these flash floods. Incidentally, the common rivers between the two countries caused floods on both sides of the border. 

CNN reported, “In neighboring India, officials say at least 26 people have been killed, and more than 64,000 people are seeking shelter in relief camps in the Tripura region.”

Further in the article, CNN subtly alleged that “politics” played a part in India’s response to the developing situation. It stated, “Pranay Verma, India’s high commissioner to Bangladesh, told Bangladesh’s interim government an ‘automatic release’ occurred at the dam due to high water levels, according to the interim government’s press secretary, Shafiqul Alam. But some believe politics played a part.” 

It then cited another student, Nahid Islam saying, “India displayed inhumanity by opening the dam without warning.” As per CNN, he is one of the two student representatives in Bangladesh’s interim government.

Apart from trying to blame India for the Bangladesh floods, the CNN article also whitewashed the ongoing religious persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh as it tried to ‘intellectualise’ it as targeted political violence meted out on Hindus for backing Sheikh Hasina.   

The article stated, “During her 15 years in power, Hasina formed strong ties with India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is now serving a rare third term. After her ouster, reports emerged of reprisal attacks against people viewed as loyal to Hasina’s party – many of them Hindus – which sparked major concern in neighboring Hindu-majority India.” 

This comes at a time when it has been pointed out that the Western media has been carrying out reports to whitewash the atrocities against Bangladeshi Hindus. Incidentally, while PM Modi spoke with US President Joe Biden on the attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, it was conspicuously missing from the White House’s official statement regarding the two leaders’ telephonic conversation. 

Following the publication of the article, several X users also slammed the leftist media for furthering falsehoods and fueling the anti-India narrative in Bangladesh despite India’s clarification over the issue. They also pointed towards a deep-state conspiracy to pull a regime change operation in India as well. Earlier in the day, OpIndia pointed out how an imminent fear is growing around US interference in Indian democracy.

India had already categorically debunked the baseless allegations twice

India has factually debunked the allegation that flash floods occurred in Bangladesh because India opened the dam in Tripura not once but twice. India has clarified that the gates were not opened as claimed by many including credible Bangladeshi and other nation’s media houses, but the automatic release of water due to heavy rainfall was observed. Floods in Bangladesh have created havoc.

On Thursday (22nd August), the Government of India released an official letter clarifying that floods in Bangladesh have nothing to do with the opening of the Dumbur dam upstream of the Gumti River in Tripura. India rejected the allegations and described reports linking India with it as “factually incorrect”. 

India highlighted that flooding also caused havoc in the Indian state of India and reiterated that floods affecting shared rivers are a common issue for both countries and should be addressed through cooperative efforts.

It happened for the 2nd time on 26th August as the Foreign Ministry asserted, “Data, as per protocol, is shared with the concerned Joint River Commission officials in Bangladesh on a regular and timely basis. It has been done this time as well”, thus rubbishing the fake news about Indian link with Bangladesh floods.  

At a press conference, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed the issue by stating, “We have observed the spread of false videos, rumors, and fear-mongering designed to create misunderstandings. Such misinformation should be countered with factual information.”

He further explained that documents related to the Farakka Barrage have been regularly shared with the Joint River Commission officials in Bangladesh against the allegation that India didn’t give a warning to Bangladesh. 

Maldives police launch probe into alleged coup attempt after suspension of foreign transactions by Bank of Maldives

ANI
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Maldives police launch probe into alleged coup attempt after suspension of foreign transactions by Bank of Maldives

The Maldives Police Service (MPS) has commenced a probe into allegations that the opposition tried to stage a coup d’etat after the Bank of Maldives (BML) decision on Sunday to suspend foreign transaction allowances on debit and credit cards related to Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR) accounts, Maldives-based Maldives Republic reported.

In a statement, the police said that many were shocked by the decision announced by the state-owned Bank of Maldives while the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) was addressing a press conference on the government’s financial situation.

Police said that at the same time, hundreds of “bot accounts” were active on social media, calling on residents to take to the streets to overthrow the government, Maldives Republic reported.

There is a reason to believe that the opposition’s action after BML’s decision, which was made contrary to the directions given by the Muizzu administration, constituted an attempt to overthrow the government, according to the police statement.

The police have accused the opposition MDP of trying to overthrow the government while the BML’s board of directors made the decision on Saturday and announced it publically on Sunday.

Police issued the statement after similar allegations were made at a ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) rally.

Political observers believe that the Muizzu-led administration had enough time to talk to the BML board of directors since the board made the decision and the public announcement to stop the announcement.

The BML reversed its decision to suspend foreign transaction allowances on its debit and credit cards after facing pressure from the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA).

In a statement issued on Sunday, the bank said, “Changes to card limits for foreign transactions announced on 25th August 2024 have been reversed based on instruction from our regulator, the Maldives Monetary Authority.”

The decision which was announced initially on Sunday, suspended foreign transaction allowances for all existing and new debit and credit cards related to MVR accounts. In addition, the bank brought down the monthly foreign transaction limit for existing Standard and Gold credit cards to USD 100, according to Maldives Republic report.

The decision was attributed to a significant rise in foreign currency spending compared to the bank’s foreign currency acquisitions, sparking concerns about its effect on the availability of foreign currency for essential economic activities.

The abrupt change in policy had sparked widespread concern, including a rise in the black market rate for the dollar and increased fears of inflation and economic instability, Maldives Republic reported.

Analysts and opposition leaders had slammed the decision and warned of severe economic repercussions and disruption to essential international payments.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

‘It’s a cover-up’: RG Kar Hospital victim’s parents say the crime scene was tampered with

OpIndia Staff
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‘It’s a cover-up’: RG Kar Hospital victim’s parents say the crime scene was tampered with

On Tuesday (27th August), the parents of the RG Kar Hospital rape and murder victim,  Abhaya, expressed concerns about the crime scene stating that it was “tampered with”. The development comes days after the CBI stated in the Supreme Court that the crime scene was “altered” while submitting a status report in the investigation of the rape-murder case. 

Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, the parents also expressed disappointment with the investigation and lamented that it’s a cover-up. 

“It’s a cover-up. It’s a setup. The crime scene was tampered with,” the parents were quoted by India Today TV. According to the channel’s reportage, the parents said that they believe that the real culprit is still out there. 

Conspicuously, yesterday a leaked CCTV footage surfaced on social media in which many outsiders were seen in the Seminar hall of RG Kar Hospital, which is said to be the crime scene in this case. The individuals seen in the video included police, a lawyer of the hospital Shantanu Dey, and hospital staff, but not the victim’s family members. 

The leaked CCTV footage and presence of several individuals raised questions and apprehensions about the crime scene getting altered and evidence tampering. However, the Kolkata Police denied these charges triggered after the video surfaced on social media. The Police said that there was no breach and the crime scene was cordoned off. 

According to reports, the arrested rape accused, Sanjoy Roy used a bike which was registered under the name of Kolkata Commissioner of Police. While the Kolkata Police have clarified by saying that all official vehicles are registered in the name of the Police Commissioner, India Today reported that it is under CBI scanner. 

Another major development unfolded in the case on Tuesday as a Kolkata court granted CBI permission to conduct a polygraph test on Anup Dutta, an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) with the Kolkata Police, in relation to the RG Kar Hospital case. 

The CBI is probing whether Dutta played a role in covering up the crime. Officials have indicated that Dutta may have extended various favours to the prime suspect, Sanjay Roy. They are examining if the accused Roy disclosed details of the crime to Dutta and if he received any assistance in concealing it.

Earlier in the day, the CBI completed polygraph tests on Sandip Ghosh, the former principal of the RG Kar Medical College. Notably, it was the third day of subjecting him to a series of Deception Detection Tests (DDT). 

On Saturday, he underwent a Layered Voice Analysis test which was followed by a polygraph test on Monday. The officials said that the test on Monday could not be completed, so it was resumed on Tuesday. 

RG Kar Hospital rape and murder case

Earlier this month, on 9th August, the semi-naked body of a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor was found in the seminar hall of the government-run hospital in Kolkata. Later, her autopsy report confirmed that she was raped before the murder. 

Subsequently, a civic volunteer was arrested in this case on the next day. Following the orders of the Calcutta High Court, the case was transferred from the Kolkata Police to the CBI which is currently probing the case.  

Uttar Pradesh: Zakir becomes Jackie to befriend and rape Hindu girl, records her explicit videos and blackmails her, forces her to convert and marry him

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Zakir becomes Jackie to befriend and rape Hindu girl, records her explicit videos and blackmails her, forces her to convert and marry him

A case of “love jihad” has come to light from the Shamli district of Uttar Pradesh where a Muslim youth trapped and raped a girl by posing as a Hindu. The accused has been identified as Zakir Ansari from Baghpat who also made obscene videos of the victim and blackmailed her. Zakir later started to pressurise her to convert to Islam and threatened to kill her when she refused. His sister, brother, and mother are also complicit in the crime. On 24th August, the authorities registered a case and started an investigation.

The matter pertains to the Jhinjhana police station area of ​​Shamli district where the girl submitted a complaint and informed that she studies in the Shahdara area of ​​​​Delhi and sometimes used to catch a train to return home where she met the offender a few months ago. He initially introduced himself as Jackie and charmed her. After a few days, Zakir approached her on social media and gradually gained her trust. One day, he visited her room in Delhi along with food items and cold drinks in the name of discussing studies. The drinks were reportedly drugged and she fell unconscious after consuming them after which he exploited the situation and sexually assaulted her. He also recorded footage of her and snapped many pictures.

Zakir again called her to meet him after some time but she refused, and then he threatened to share the videos and images on social media. The girl was forced to allow the perpetrator back into her room and he sexually violated her again. On the same day, she learned about the real identity of ‘Jackie’ after seeing his identity card. The latter then statred to push her to marry him and she agreed to his demand out of fear. A day or two later, he returned to her room and insisted on having a physical relationship. The distressed girl eventually blocked his number.

After being unable to communicate for several days, Zakir Ansari became enraged and went to her coaching centre where he again pressured her to tie the knot with him and change her religion. He threatened to upload all her inappropriate pictures and videos online and drive her to commit suicide if she didn’t comply. “Uttar Pradesh Police cannot do anything to me,” he declared and left after threatening her.

Afterwards, his brother Shakir and sisters Nikhat and Soni started calling and messaging the girl and pressurised her to embrace Islam. They even issued death threats after she objected. The girl left her studies and came back to her village in Jhinjhana due to the intimidation. However, Zakir Ansari continued to pursue her and visited her village with a friend. He cleverly managed to take the phone of one of her relatives and called her to say, “Today I am calling from your brother’s number from outside your house. Next time, I will shoot them and whisk you away.”

She eventually grew terrified of these threats and confided in her family members. The accused then started demanding money from her family when they tried to request him to leave her. Notably, a female leader from Baghpat is also threatening the victim and her family on his behalf. Finally, the girl notified the authorities with the consent of her family and demanded action against Zakir Ansari, his brother, his sisters, and the politician in her complaint.

A First Information Report (FIR) has been filed under Sections 64(2)(m), 351(3), 308(1) and 123 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) as well as the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act. The probe and further police action are underway. OpIndia has a copy of the FIR.

Sanyasi against tyranny: Powerful image of a man in saffron robes braving water canons in Kolkata captures the imagination of netizens

OpIndia Staff
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Sanyasi against tyranny: Powerful image of a man in saffron robes braving water canons in Kolkata captures the imagination of netizens

Ever since the gory details of the rape and murder of the trainee female doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital came out, the West Bengal government-led by Mamata Banerjee has been facing public ire and criticism from the courts. Civil society, students, political parties, and the public at large have taken onto the streets against the West Bengal administration. They have accused it of mishandling the case and trying to suppress the public movement that is seeking Justice for Abhaya – the name given to the deceased trainee doctor. 

As part of the ongoing protests, the student organisation ‘Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj’ and the dissident State government employees’ platform ‘Sangrami Joutha Mancha’ called a protest march – ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ for 27th August. The enraged protestors marched towards the state secretariat building to demand the removal of CM Mamata Banerjee for failing to take strict action against the culprits in the Kolkata rape and murder case. 

However, the Kolkata Police resorted to lathi charges, and water cannons, and used tear gas canons to chase away peaceful demonstrators and stop them from reaching the State Secretariat, the visuals of which further galvanised the protesters and the general public alike. Several netizens have shared videos of the brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters stressing that the general public has risen in defiance against the oppressive regime of CM Mamata Banerjee. 

While some of the X users have shared videos alleging Police excesses and male officers manhandling female students, the video of a defiant Hindu saint amid heavy pressure from the water canon has captured the imagination of a large number of netizens. 

In the video, a saffron-clad Hindu saint can be seen raising the Tricolour as the Police try to push him away using water canons. He can be seen withstanding the heavy thrust from the water canon and continuing the protest march to seek Justice for the RG Kar Hospital victim. 

TV channels, BJP leaders, Former Ministers, and several popular X handles have shared this video. They have hailed the Hindu Saint with some dubbing it as a powerful imagery equivalent to the coveted Tiananmen Square image, others have described it as a symbol of defiance against the oppressive regime and tyranny of CM Mamata Banerjee in the state. 

Reporting on the Police actions to disperse the peaceful protesters, NDTV shared the video stating, “Try to understand the gestures of the elderly.” 

Former Union Minister and senior BJP leader, Smriti Irani has shared the video of the saffron-clad man stating, “The people rise against tyranny…”

BJP’s youth wing, BJYM said, “Undeterred by Kolkata Police fury, this scene is the ultimate symbol of defiance against the oppressive regime of Mamata Banerjee.”

“Sanatan”, wrote Kanchan Gupta, veteran journalist, and senior media advisor to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Jaipur Dialogues wrote, “This video is as powerful as the Tianmen Square image. More power to you.”

Popular X handle, Year Of The Kraken said, “Absolute Fire Visuals! The end of the tyranny of Mamata Banerjee is upon us!”. The handle also used the hashtag MamataMustResign. Incidentally, it is credited for starting this hashtag during the initial days of the protest in the RG Kar Hospital case. The text on the video reads, “The Tyrant Mamata VS A Hindu Sadhu Holding The Tricolour!”

An X user said, “In Bankim Babu’s Anandamath, the sanyasis revolted against the British Raj. Here a sanyasi is standing against Bano. Very powerful image.”

Many other X users have shared videos slamming the West Bengal government for the brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters and manhandling female students. Some of the users said that the visuals display what dictatorship looks like.  

Tagging Dhruv Rathee, Desi Mojito said, “This is what dictatorship looks like”.

Another X user wrote, “Male Police officer was dragging a female student by her hand . That made few male protestors angry and they attacked that police officer. Other protestors came as saviours and rescued him”. 

It is pertinent to note that for the last 3 decades, politics in West Bengal has been marred with wanton-targeted violence against opponents and the political landscape being dominated by the party and ecosystem that controlled the streets. Mamata Banerjee who ousted the left and has been keeping the resurgent BJP away from power, often took to the streets against her opponents whenever she and was seen as the one controlling the streets. However, now the public has seemingly risen against her administration and taken the streets to demand Justice for Abhaya despite the cold actions of the administration.

Chhatarpur stone-pelting main accused, Shahzad Ali, arrested by MP Police, was caught while hiding in e-rickshaw, details

OpIndia Staff
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Chhatarpur stone-pelting main accused, Shahzad Ali, arrested by MP Police, was caught while hiding in e-rickshaw, details

On Tuesday, 27th August, the Madhya Pradesh police arrested Haji Shahzad Ali, a main accused involved in the violence that took place in Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh, over Ramgiri Maharaj. Ali, the mastermind behind the stone-throwing attack on the police and bearing a Rs 10,000 reward on his head, was reported missing during the investigation.

According to the reports, he was arrested while he was on his way to the court to seek relief. The accused, who is believed to own a huge mansion and several cars, could be seen traveling in an e-rickshaw. The accused had also hid his face with a cloth while on his way to the Court. 

The Police were checking all the main roads in search of Ali. However, they suspected one of the persons who was traveling by e-rickshaw. The police asked him to remove the cloth on the face to learn that it was the main accused in the Chhatarpur violence case. Ali was then immediately arrested. According to the police, Shahzad Ali already is a history-sheeter and has 6 cases registered in his name.

On August 21st, stone pelting occurred at the Kotwali police station in the Chhatarpur district. Following the event, a lookout notice was issued against him. Previously, it was reported that he may have escaped abroad. Police conducted extensive raids on his different hideouts as they prepared for his arrest.

The police have arrested Ali, who, along with a large crowd, attacked the Chhatarpur Kotwali police under the pretext of delivering a memorandum from the Muslim community. In this instance, 46 persons have been named, with over 100 others identified.

Notably, on 22nd August, the Madhya Pradesh administration took strict action against Islamists who pelted stones and created a ruckus in Chhatarpur Kotwali police station last week. The Muslims are believed to have protested against Ramgiri Maharaj from Maharashtra who allegedly made derogatory remarks about Prophet Mohammed last week.

The police registered a case against 150 people involved in the ruckus after the orders were issued by CM Mohan Yadav. The FIR included 50 named and 100 other people who pelted stones at the police station injuring two officers. After this, Chief Minister of the state, Dr Mohan Yadav directed the police to take strict action against the culprits of this incident. Reportedly, the state administration began demolishing the houses of the accused who pelted stones at the Police at Kotwali Police Station.

As per the local reports, the bulldozer action happened amid heavy police force and administration team present on the spot. As notified to the media, accused Haji Shahzad Ali’s house in Mastan Sahab Colony of Chhatarpur city was demolished with the help of a bulldozer.

It is important to note that the members of the Muslim community in Chhatarpur demonstrated against Ramgiri Maharaj at around 4 pm on Wednesday. During this, the Muslims resorted to stone pelting and rioting, damaging some vehicles and injuring two police officers. The Hindu saint during one of his sermons in Nashik, indicated that several Islamists have disrespected women in the past because of the religious doctrine they follow. The remarks sparked wide outrage in several districts of Maharashtra including Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nashik, Mumbai, and Pune with several Islamist leaders and organizations filing FIRs against Ramgiri Maharaj for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims.

Chhatarpur DIG Lalit Shakyawar said that about 300-400 people led by religious leaders Syed Haji Ali and Syed Javed Ali had come to the police station to submit a memorandum on Wednesday, 21st August. They were demanding to register a case against Ramgiri Maharaj, against whom several FIRs are already registered in Maharashtra.

Shakyawar said that the crowd suddenly became aggressive and started pelting stones, which continued for about ten minutes, after which the police had to fire tear gas shells to disperse the protesters. The DIG said that due to stone pelting, Kotwali police station in-charge Arvind Kujur has suffered serious injuries in his hand and head. He is undergoing treatment.

Two ‘liberals’ sit and discuss why the Khadims of Ajmer Dargah, convicted for brutalising 100s of Hindu girls, should not be identified by media houses

Shraddha Pandey
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Two ‘liberals’ sit and discuss why the Khadims of Ajmer Dargah, convicted for brutalising 100s of Hindu girls, should not be identified by media houses

Imagine a senior ‘journalist’ and politician-turned-psephologist deciding how the people of India should outrage over rape cases as well as which case is worthy of outrage and which is not. Well, India is a country where things beyond imagination happen every day. On the 26th of August, Frontline Magazine released an interview of Yogendra Yadav, a failed politician, part-time psephologist and protestor of all seasons with ‘journalist’ Saba Naqvi wherein the two discussed how the media is creating “problems” by sincerely reporting the recent conviction of Ajmer Dargah Khadims in the 1992 Ajmer gangrape and blackmail case.

“I’ve noticed today when the rape is in discourse because you’ve had this atrocious incident in Kolkata and there’s been such a disturbing sequence of events after that by the state government suddenly you also have politics around it, its so disturbing….and then you have incident [Badlapur incident] in Maharashtra. But in between all of this, on social media, prominent journalists, what they’ve done is, they’ve put out an old case of Ajmer Dargah rapes,” Saba Naqvi said, adding that it was an attempt to show Muslims in a bad light.

Yes, Saba Naqvi, the perpetrators of the Ajmer gangrape and blackmail scandal were all Muslims, with six being directly linked to Ajmer Dargah, which the cheerleaders of the farcical ‘Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb’ and Bollywood pass off as symbol of communal harmony and heart of Sufi ‘spiritualism’, and one was the leader of Congress party, the alleged political overlords of both Naqvi and Yogendra Yadav [Salim].

Before moving ahead, it is pertinent to mention what the 1992 Ajmer gang rape and blackmail scandal was and who all were convicted after three long decades. On the 20th of August, the POCSO court delivered a historic verdict declaring six accused Nafis Chishti, Naseem alias Tarzan, Salim Chishti, Iqbal Bhati, Sohail Ghani, and Syed Jameen Hussain guilty of the crimes. In 1992, the accused gang-raped more than 100 girl students from Ajmer’s renowned Mayo College and blackmailed them using their photographs. Four other accused have already served their sentences.

Notably, the main accused, Farooq Chishti, served as the President of the Ajmer Youth Congress. Nafis Chishti held the position of Vice President of the Ajmer Indian National Congress, while Anwar Chishti was the Joint Secretary of the Ajmer Indian National Congress.

Coming back to the discussion of the two sapheads, Yogendra Yadav added to Saba Naqvi’s attempt at gaslighting her viewers by claiming that the media has spread “nafrat ka mahaul” with their factual reportage on the 100s of victims of the Ajmer case.  He also lamented that a newspaper carried a front-page headline about the conviction of the Ajmer case accused with their names and photographs.

“One of the national dailies carried a front page Hindi banner headline about 5-6 people who were finally convicted after 35 years…now those 6 photographs with their names are on the front page. It should be reported but should that be a banner headline with names and photographs on the front page just on the day the country is discussing something else,” Yadav said.

Don’t publish the names and photos of Ajmer case perpetrators, because the case is old or the convicts are Muslims?

The Ajmer case was a heinous crime involving the systematic rape and blackmail of young girls, and it shocked the country’s conscience. Even decades later, the conviction of the perpetrators is a crucial step towards justice. While it may disappoint the likes of Saba Naqvi and Yogendra who work tirelessly to whitewash the crimes of such people, highlighting the identity of those convicted acts as a reminder of the gravity of the crime and its long-term consequences for victims and society.

But more importantly, it is the media’s job to inform the public about who is accountable for such atrocities no matter whether the crime happened yesterday, or a few years back or decades back. The assertion that the ‘prominent journalists’ deliberately highlighted the Ajmer verdict when the country was discussing the Kolkata rape and murder case, and the Badlapur incident to demonise Muslims is absolutely baseless. Are Yadav and Naqvi trying to insinuate that the court should have waited for the public to get over the Kolkata rape and murder case and other recent rape cases and then deliver the Ajmer verdict?

If a scandal that destroyed so many lives, several victims committed suicide and it took 32 years to deliver justice to the victims and their families is not worth a front-page headline then what is? At a time when the Kolkata rape and murder case has stirred outrage across the nation and the state authorities have been accused of mishandling in the case, the Ajmer case wherein over the last 32 years many accused got bail, comes as a grim reminder that be it now or three decades back, not much has changed with women who were brutalised then and those who suffer today.

Unsurprisingly, highlighting the names and pictures of the Ajmer case convicts is more problematic to Saba Naqvi and Yogendra Yadav than the perpetrators being Ajmer Dargah ‘Khadims’ and a Congress leader. One wonders if they would have made similar assertions if the perpetrators were not Khadims of Ajmer Dargah but Hindu monks of a famous shrine. Certainly, those dedicated to whitewashing the crimes of Muslims suffer heartburn even when the media simply publishes the names and pictures of Muslim criminals without emphasising their religious identity even though it is important in this case since some of the convicts were directly linked to the Ajmer Dargah.

Even though it may not have been significant to Yadav and Naqvi, withholding the names and pictures of the convicts would have been an attempt to diminish the gravity of their crimes or protect them from public scrutiny. The approach Yogendra Yadav and Saba Naqvi wanted the media to take would have brazenly downplayed the pain of hundreds of victims just because it was an old case. When justice is served three decades later, the case’s who, why, and how require even more detailed attention.

While discussing horrifying cases such as the Kolkata doctor rape case is vital, especially given the TMC government’s suppression of protesters demanding justice for the deceased victim, it should not be at the expense of ignoring or downplaying other crucial cases such as Ajmer. All victims of sexual abuse deserve justice, and the media is responsible for adequately covering these cases, regardless of when they occur. However, individuals who are dedicated to whitewashing Muslim crimes or downplaying the Muslim identity when they engage in criminal acts while emphasising the same when Muslims do something good are not concerned about justice for the victims but about how the media portrays their co-religionists.

Ironically, at one point in the interview, Yogendra Yadav said that the kind of things educated Indians say about women is “cringe-worthy” and that makes him feel if those people ever went to school or learnt some basics in life. However, he fails to empathise with the victims of the Ajmer rape and blackmail scandal carried out by Muslims, particularly, the Khadims of the Ajmer Dargah and chastises the media for identifying the accused, instead of the perpetrators.

Significant impact of PM Modi’s push to boost tourism in Lakshadweep: The archipelago’s footfalls double, 88 per cent rise in flight numbers

OpIndia Staff
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Significant impact of PM Modi’s push to boost tourism in Lakshadweep: The archipelago’s footfalls double, 88 per cent rise in flight numbers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited “those who wish to embrace the adventurer in them” to visit Lakshadweep, in a social media post in January. He added, “During my stay, I also tried snorkelling – what an exhilarating experience it was,” however, his attempt to popularise indigenous tourism sparked a shocking display of unprofessional behaviour by Maldivian government officials who unleashed a flurry of personal assaults against him.

The extraordinary development also triggered angry responses from India as many individuals announced that they cancelled their trips to Maldives and others vowed to never visit the island nation. Notably, the incident stemmed from the anti-India plank including clarion calls like “India Out” propagated by Prime Minister Mohamed Muizzu during his election campaign which led to strained ties between the two friendly nations after he came to power last year.

After the fallout, appeals to explore Lakshadweep progressively caught the attention of people who expressed interest in experiencing the beauty of the relatively undiscovered union territory, as the Maldives, previously a favourite holiday destination for Indians, began to lose its appeal. However, the dust settled and the diplomatic tensions eased after a while but the damage had already been done as the archipelago had fallen out of favour for Indians. Interestingly, the country’s loss smoothly translated into Lakshdweep’s benefit as it underwent an influx of fresh tourists and importantly, the trend has only spiked since then.

With more tourists in Lakshadweep, flights also increased

More people are now reportedly travelling to Lakshadweep especially after more seats were added to Agatti. Agatti, the only airport in Lakshadweep, handled 22,990 people during the April to June quarter, which is also India’s busiest travel month. The numbers were only restricted to 11,074 passengers during the same period last year. Indian tourists in the Maldives decreased to 28,604 in the April–June quarter of this year from 54,207 in the corresponding time of last year, according to data issued by the Ministry of Tourism in the country.

This is almost a 50% decrease. According to the data, Muizzu’s request for China to send more tourists appears to have been successful, as it secured the top rank with 1.2 lakh visitors in the first half of 2024. However, there were just 63,450 Indians, a 42.5% decrease, making India the sixth-largest tourist destination in the Maldives. In the first half of 2024, the number of tourists arriving in the Maldives rose only by 9.2% overall when compared to the same period the previous year. It appears that the Indian boycott played a significant role in the reduction in visitor numbers.

On the other hand, Agatti experienced an 88% rise in the number of flights. Compared to 418 movements during the same period last year, there were 786 flights from April to June. In addition to Alliance Air’s daily service, which was expanded at the beginning of the year, IndiGo and Fly91 also provide daily service to Kochi. While IndiGo now leaves Kochi every day, Alliance Air now departs eight times a week. Fly91 has a daily service from Goa and IndiGo also runs the same from Bengaluru. Lakshadweep now has almost four times as many seats as before. These days, cruises include Lakshadweep on their itinerary, with day stops made at the island. These vacationers outnumber those who land there.

Big hotel chains are already constructing new resorts to accommodate the demand. Cirium reported that the number of flights to Lakshadweep grew more than three times, from 31 in July 2023 to 106 in July 2024. As a result, there were 7,844 available tickets in July 2024 when three airlines were operating, compared to 2,170 in July 2023, when only Alliance Air operated flights from Kochi.

While new carrier Fly91 from Goa conducted 21 flights in July, IndiGo, which had no service to Lakshadweep before February 2024, operated 53 flights from Kochi and Bengaluru. There was a 45% decrease in Indian visitors to the Maldives between April and July 2024 dropping to 36,761 as opposed to 66,375 over the same time frame the previous year. The Travel Agents Federation of India’s vice president, Anil Kalsi, believes that if the island’s airport is renovated, the number of visitors might triple.

Low number of flights to Maldives

As compared to the same time last year, the number of flights operating between India and the Maldives stayed relatively constant, revealed data provided by Cirium. From the standpoint of the airlines, however, things do not appear promising since IndiGo has decided not to resume its four times a week service from Delhi and its three times a week service from Hyderabad for the winter schedule, and Air India is completely withdrawing this winter.

Surprisingly, there were only 44 weekly departures between India and the Maldives in June 2024, compared to 59 weekly departures in June 2022, right in the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Maldives had evolved into a haven from the pandemic, with the requirement for an RT-PCR test before leaving which provided a sense of security and freedom to move about the hotels rather than being housed in resorts. It was also among the select few nations where travel had resumed.

The boycott campaign has generally been limited to social media for many reasons, but the one that emerged in the wake of the Maldives-Lakshadweep dispute continues to have a significant impact on the tourist sector in both parts. The percentage of Indian visitors to the Maldives has decreased by half this year, from 12% to 6.3%. Except for Vistara, most airlines have either maintained or decreased their capacity in relation to the Maldives.

How PM Modi brought Lakshadweep on the world map

“Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) is an influential leader in the country. He visited the Lakshadweep Islands in December 2023. The kind of impact he has had during his visit is huge,” voiced tourism officer Imthias Mohammed in April after PM Modi was seen snorkelling and savouring the island’s natural beauties. He added, “Post his visit, we have been receiving a lot of inquiries. People are very curious to know more about the tourism packages that Lakshadweep tourism offers. We are receiving huge inquiries from the national as well as the international arena.”

“We have been streamlining various tourism activities in the islands. Scuba diving and water sports are the major revenue-generating segments of Lakshadweep tourism. We have been encouraging local entrepreneurs to establish their own tourist homes to encourage educated youth to find their own living in the tourism sector. We are also actively promoting more cruise ship companies and have ambitious plans for promoting yachting tourism,” he highlighted emphasising the prospects for increased tourism there.

Meanwhile, several programs have been launched to promote tourism in Lakshadweep, including the building of more rooms and plans for a large airport, according to its administrator Praful Patel in January, indicating how the archipelago would soon be transformed into a desirable tourist destination in the near future. “The kind of inquiries the Lakshadweep administration is getting after the prime minister’s visit is unbelievable. People from all over the world are expressing the desire to visit the island. This will give a big boost to its economy and generate opportunities for locals.”

“The natural beauty of Lakshadweep carries immense possibilities for the development of the tourism sector. The administration has launched several initiatives, including adding more rooms. The islands will also get a big airport soon. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit, Lakshadweep is being discussed not just in India but all over the world,” he pointed out. He conveyed that the plan to create 1,000 new rooms was underway, and work on building 225 rooms for the water villas in Suheli and Kadmat had started.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Lakshadweep and the photos of him walking along the beaches and snorkelling, the events that unfolded thereafter and the development initiatives his government launched in line with his vision to promote India as a well-liked tourist destination worldwide are all responsible for the robust tourism the island is currently experiencing.

Background of the controversy

The controversy started when three deputy ministers from the Maldives disparaged Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his photographs from the trip to Lakshadweep. PM Modi had advocated for the development of the Indian island cluster as a beach resort and the encouragement of domestic travel. However, he was called “clown” and “puppet of Israel” by the snotty ministers. The posts were removed after a massive backlash.

A huge diplomatic dispute erupted over the matter, prompting New Delhi to call the Maldivian embassy and lodge a strong protest against the posts that went viral on social media. A suspension was later imposed on the three deputy ministers. However, it was too late too little as furious Indians had already replaced Maldives with Lakshadweep from the itinerary.

Notably, PM Modi who earlier this year urged couples to “wed in India” to celebrate their union rather than travelling overseas for destination weddings, ensuring that the wealth stays in the nation had posted stunning pictures from his visit to Lakshadweep featuring its scenic beauty to popularise the island for tourists. He made no mention of Maldives yet it managed to irk the politicians there and led to a major row which concluded with a sharp drop in Indian visitors to the country which is mostly dependent on tourism.

Even with Mohamed Muizzu’s journey to India at PM Modi’s oath ceremony and the recent diplomatic settlement which also witnessed Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar’s visit to the country, the previous figures of Indians travelling to the Maldives haven’t been revived.

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