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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

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.

Malayalam Film Industry: Mohanlal-led film body AMMA dissolves amid allegations of sexual harassment in Malayalam film industry

OpIndia Staff
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Malayalam Film Industry: Mohanlal-led film body AMMA dissolves amid allegations of sexual harassment in Malayalam film industry

On 27th August, the entire governing body of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), including the president of the association, actor Mohanlal resigned from their positions. The decision came after the Hema Committee report was made public. Earlier, actor Siddique resigned from his position at AMMA in the wake of sexual assault allegations that resurfaced against him.

64-year-old Mohanlal cited moral responsibility as allegations of sexual abuse were levelled against some members of the governing body of AMMA. The Hema Committee report was made public on 19th August. Several actors came forward narrating their ordeal of sexual harassment faced at the hands of filmmakers, actors and technicians.

The statement from the association read, “We are hopeful that AMMA will have a new leadership capable of renewing and strengthening the association. Thanks to everyone for criticising and correcting.” Furthermore, the association said that a general body meeting will be called within two months to select a new governing body.

The governing body that dissolved included Actors Jagadish, Jayan Cherthala, Baburaj, Kalabhavan Shajon, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Joy Mathew, Suresh Krishna, Ananya, Vinu Mohan, Tovino Thomas, Sarayu, Ansiba, Jomol and Tini Tom. AMMA was under fire for maintaining silence over the allegations and the Hema Committee report.

The report exposed how several female actors faced sexual harassment, casting couch practices, pay disparities, exploitation and lobbying in the Malayalam film industry. Following the report, several women came forward levelling allegations against several senior actors and filmmakers.

Filmmakers Ranjith, Thulasidas, actors Jayasurya, Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju, Edavela Babu and Suraj Venjaramoodu have been named by female actors as abusers.

Complete statement by AMMA

The statement issued by AMMA in Malayalam read, “Following the release of the Hema Committee report and in the backdrop of sexual allegations faced by some members of the executive committee of the ‘AMMA’ organization, the current executive committee of ‘AMMA’ has decided to resign, considering its moral responsibility. A general meeting will be convened within two months to elect a new executive committee. The current committee will continue as a temporary arrangement to ensure the smooth disbursement of financial assistance provided by ‘AMMA’ on the first of the month and healthcare aid to its esteemed members, and to coordinate office functions until the general meeting. We hope that a new leadership will emerge to renew and strengthen ‘AMMA’. Thank you to everyone for your criticisms and corrections.”

Actor Siddique resigned from AMMA

On 24th August, Malayalam actor Siddique resigned from the post of General Secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA). He resigned over allegations of sexual assault levelled against him by a female actor. The resignation has been submitted to Mohanlal, president of AMMA.

In a statement, Siddique said, “Yes. I have tendered my official resignation to the president of the organisation, Mohanlal. Since there were allegations against me, I have decided not to continue in the post and resigned.” The allegations of sexual misconduct were levelled in 2019 by a Malayalam actor. The issue has sparked again following the Justice Hema Committee’s report highlighted widespread cases of sexual misconduct in the Malayalam film industry.

Several AMMA members welcomed Siddique decision to give their resignation. Vice President of AMMA Jayan Cherthala said it was not appropriate for him to continue in the position as such serious allegations have cropped up against him once again. Actor Anoop Chandran said he sent an email to Mohanlal in the morning seeking Siddique’s resignation. “The continuation of a person, facing serious allegations, in the post is actually an insult to the entire organisation. So I said in the email that if Siddique was not ready to step down on his own, the executive committee should be prepared to oust him,” he told media.

Justice Hema Report exposed challenging circumstances faced by women in Malayalam film industry

On 20th August, the Kerala government came under heavy criticism for or holding up the release of the Hema committee report, featuring startling information about how women are treated in the Malayalam film industry. The report was made official on 18th August.

This study, which bears the name of the committee’s chair, Justice K. Hema (Retd.), is an important document that highlights the challenging circumstances that women in the film industry face. The committee was established in response to the 2017 sexual assault of a well-known actress, which caused public indignation and prompted calls for structural reform in the business.

The study emphasized the serious obstacles that women encounter in the Malayalam film business, such as pervasive sexual harassment, discrimination based on gender, and an unfriendly workplace. The most startling discovery was that women who experience sexual harassment or assault frequently choose not to speak up for fear of being branded as “troublemakers” or being shunned by the business.

Testimonies from other women in the industry, who detailed their terrifying experiences, are included in the report. A scenario that was particularly unsettling featured an actress who was made to rehearse a scene in which she was hugged by an actor who had previously molested her. The actress suffered severe physical and psychological damage from having to endure 17 takes. Her performance was critiqued by the producer, who failed to recognize or comprehend the emotional agony she was experiencing.

The study emphasized how few basic amenities, like women’s restrooms and changing areas on movie sets, are available to women in the business. The substantial salary gap that exists in the Malayalam cinema industry between male and female actors was also highlighted by the survey.

The committee discovered that the sector frequently rejects women who dare to speak out against harassment or discrimination. They are called “problem-makers,” which negatively impacts their chances of getting a job and makes them feel alone in the workplace. The industry’s culture of backlash against female employees who speak for themselves is a contributing factor to the ongoing harassment and abuse of these workers.

Don’t bite the hand that feeds you: Bangladeshi studying at NIT Silchar deported, had endorsed dehumanising, racist post targeting Indians

OpIndia Staff
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Don’t bite the hand that feeds you: Bangladeshi studying at NIT Silchar deported, had endorsed dehumanising, racist post targeting Indians

On Tuesday (27th March), the Assam police confirmed that a Bangladeshi national named Maisha Mahjabin, who was studying engineering at NIT Silchar, had been deported to her home country.

The accused had endorsed a Facebook post, which dehumanised Indians as ‘dogs.’ On Monday (26th March) morning, she was sent back to Bangladesh through the Karimganj border in Assam.

Her transfer to the other side of the border was facilitated by the Assam Police and the Border Security Force (BSF). Maisha Mahjabin was a student of the electronics and communication engineering department.

According to her Facebook profile, the Bangladeshi national was also a summer intern with the Northeast Frontier Railway.

The police have clarified that the deportation of Maisha Mahjabin to Bangladesh was not due to her endorsement of anti-India hate. She had reportedly applied for a ‘long leave’ after coming under public scanner over her contentious social media activity.

Sadat Hossain Alphi, another Bangladeshi national and an ex-student of NIT Silchar (2020-2024), had initially shared a post on Facebook published by a page called ‘Department of Memes, Rajshahi University.’

The post read, ‘Loud and Clear’ and was accompanied by a picture of the main gate of the Rajshahi University in Bangladesh.

‘Dogs and Indians are not allowed,’ read the writing on the wall. For the unversed, the said phrase dates back to the colonial times when Britishers would dehumanise Indians as animals, unworthy of being called ‘humans.’

Despite being an alumnus of a premier educational institute in India, Sadat Hossain Alphi did not have qualms about endorsing the racist phrase targeting Indians. Maisha Mahjabin had even reacted to his disturbing post with a heart emoji.

Soon after, the screenshot of his Facebook post went viral on social media. Unlike Maisha, Sadat was residing in Bangladesh at that time and escaped public ire. However, it was enough for the cops to take cognisance of the matter.

On Sunday (25th August), the police tweeted, “In response to the dissemination of objectionable posts on social media, a comprehensive enquiry was conducted, involving a visit to the institution and interactions with officials & students.”

“The investigation revealed that the offensive post was made by one x student. Sadat Hossain Alphi, an alumnus of NIT Silchar, is currently residing in Bangladesh. The institution is actively addressing the matter with the competent authorities, while we are keeping sharp vigil and efforts continue to ensure peace and tranquillity,” it added.

In the meantime, Indian netizens are demanding the withholding of the academic degree of Sadat Hossain Alphi and not allowing Maisha Mahjabin to return from Bangladesh.

Sadat cries foul, plays ‘account hacked’ victim

Amid the controversy, the accused Sadat had cried foul over the matter. While speaking to Barak Bulletin, he claimed, “l don’t have any hatred for India or Indians.”

“I have high regard for the country and its population…l had shared a post about the NIRF ranking of NIT Silchar. In the comments section of that post, I had many people hurling abuses and questioning my integrity. Some of my compatriots even unfriended me,” he alleged.

“Following that, I stopped using my Facebook account. However, I realised that my account was compromised and anti-lndia content had been shared. The moment it came to my notice, I recovered my account and deleted the post,” Sadat claimed.

‘Another khatakhat loot after MUDA Scam’: All you need to know about the alleged land scam – 5 acre-plot allotted to Kharge family trust in aerospace park

OpIndia Staff
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‘Another khatakhat loot after MUDA Scam’: All you need to know about the alleged land scam – 5 acre-plot allotted to Kharge family trust in aerospace park

Days after the Karnataka Governor sanctioned prosecution against CM Siddaramaiah in the MUDA scam, the Congress President and Karnataka Ministers have courted fresh controversy over the allotment of a land parcel. The development comes months after the state development authority awarded over 5 acres of land near Bengaluru to the Kharge family’s trust, prompting the BJP to launch a scathing attack on the Congress party. It has accused the authority of “flouting rules” while allocating this land parcel. They have also flagged the issue of “conflict of interest” and charged Congress leaders with “nepotism” and “misuse of power”.

As per reports, in March 2024, the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) allotted 5 acres of land in the Aerospace Park near Bengaluru to Siddhartha Vihar Trust (trustees include the Kharge family). The allocation was done under the SC quota, even though the land was meant for civic amenities (CA). 

Notably, the Siddharta Vihar trust is run and managed by the family members of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge with his son, Rahul Kharge being the chairperson.

According to the reports, the trustees of this Siddhartha Vihar Trust include Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, his wife Radhabai Kharge, his son-in-law and Gulbarga MP Radhakrishna, his son who is also Karnataka Minister Priyanka Kharge, and another son, Rahul Kharge. It was formed in July 1994. 

This 5-acre parcel is part of 45.94 acres which was earmarked for a Hitech Defense Aerospace Park by the KIADB. While the allotment happened in March this year, the issue rose to prominence after BJP Rajya Sabha MP Lahar Singh Siroya raised questions about the Kharge family’s eligibility to get a KIADB site. He also shared a media report of a portal named, The File, which published deed documents about this case. 

(Image of deed document accessed and shared by Kannada portal, The File)
(Image Source – The File)
(Image Source – The File)

Following the publication of deed documents, politics intensified in the state. While the BJP accused Congress of corruption, Karnataka Ministers have defended the allotment of land to the Kharge family’s trust claiming that it is not meant for “commercial purposes”.

The timeline of the controversy explained

It all started after a social activist named Dinesh Kallahalli lodged a complaint with Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot. In his complaint, he alleged that there was a conspiracy and massive corruption in the allotment of plots earmarked for Civil Amenities (CA) in industrial areas. He also alleged irregularities, abuse of power, and corruption in the allotment of the KIADB sites. 

(Video Courtesy – Public TV YouTube Channel)

Kallahalli also requested the Governor to sanction prosecution against Karnataka Industries Minister MB Patil so that the state Lokayukta could file a complaint in this matter. 

Following the complaint, a portal named, The File, revealed the Siddhartha Vihar trust deed documents. 

As per the report published in Kannada, the Siddhartha Vihara Trust had sought land sanction for setting up research and development training institutes at the Hi-Tech Defense Aerospace Park. Subsequently, Minister MB Patil presided over a meeting and allotted 5 acres of land to Siddhartha Vihar Trust. However, the proceedings of the meeting only mentioned the name of Rahul Kharge – son of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. 

The report added that a total of Rs 25 crores will be invested in this space for the establishment of training and research institutes. However, Kallahalli accused KIADB of not being transparent in allocating this land which was earmarked for civic amenities in the industrial area. 

(Complaint copy as shared by Kannada portal, The File)

He also accused the authority and Congress leaders of misuse of power, committing embezzlement, illegality, criminal conspiracy, and massive corruption. According to The File report, the KIADB has incurred losses worth crores as it didn’t follow the rules regarding the allotment rate among other irregularities.  

In his complaint, Kallahalli also blamed Heavy and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development Minister M B Patil for being involved in this. He demanded that legal action should be taken against the accused under corruption charges.

BJP lashes out at Congress with ‘corruption charges’, Congress defends land allocation

However, trouble mounted for the Congress party, after BJP Rajya Sabha MP Lahar Singh Siroya highlighted the issue and brought it into the spotlight. 

Taking to X, Siroya asked, “When did the Kharge family become aerospace entrepreneurs to be eligible for KIADB land? Is this about misuse of power, nepotism, and conflict of interest?” 

Meanwhile, BJP MP Siroya was joined by the Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra who also slammed the Kharge family and asked why was the land allotted only to the Kharge family. 

Vijayendra said, “Mallikarjun Kharge family trust has been allotted 5 acres of civic amenities plot which is right next to Bengaluru International Airport. This plot is worth crores and is a valuable plot. My question is if the government wanted to allot this property how many applicants were there? Why only the Kharge family’s trust was chosen for the allotment?…No rules were followed.”

A day after the BJP state unit accused the Kharge family’s trust of corruption, Karnataka Congress came out in defence of the Congress President and his family.

Mallikarjun Kharge’s son and the Karnataka IT/BT and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister, Priyank Kharge claimed that the allotted site was not meant for “industrial or commercial purposes”. He asked the BJP to explain to the public how the allotment of land is illegal.

Kharge claimed, “It is a CA (Civic Amenity) site. It is not an industrial plot. It’s an educational thing. The trust has been there for more than 2 decades and has been running educational institutions…”

He further claimed that the KIADB had not provided any subsidy or any relaxation to the trust run by the family to which the plot was awarded.

Furthermore, Karnataka Minister MB Patil defended the decision. He said that the land was allocated at the standard price and dismissed the BJP’s accusations as “politically motivated”.

It is pertinent to note that the allegations of corruption in the allotment of a land parcel against Kharge and his family come at a time when the state CM Siddaramaiah is embroiled in the MUDA scam. Governor Thawarchand Gehlot has already sanctioned prosecution against him over the disputed allocation of land under a Mysore Urban Development Authority scheme to his wife.

With inputs from ANI

RG Kar case: Kolkata Police resorts to lathi charge, water canons to disperse peaceful protestors marching to Nabanna, demanding Mamata’s resignation

OpIndia Staff
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RG Kar case: Kolkata Police resorts to lathi charge, water canons to disperse peaceful protestors marching to Nabanna, demanding Mamata’s resignation

On Tuesday, 27th August, Kolkata Police resorted to lathi charges, water cannons, and used tear gas canons to chase away peaceful demonstrators at the Howrah Bridge area to Santragachhi Railway station on the Kona Expressway. The police action was ordered to stop the protestors from reaching the State Secretariat, Nabanna. 

The enraged protestors had organized the protests to demand the removal of CM Mamata Banerjee from her position given her failure to take action against the culprits in the Kolkata rape and murder case.

As per the reports, the police action injured several students. Meanwhile the enraged demonstrators also at Santragachhi reportedly clashed with the police.

Police claimed that they began lathi charges and tear gas canons only after agitators breached barricades in several areas and allegedly attacked security personnel. Chaos is said to have developed when the student organization ‘Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj’ and the dissident State government employees’ platform ‘Sangrami Joutha Mancha’ launched their ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ rally from various locations.

Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, asserted that police used “brutal repression” against peaceful protesters and warned to halt West Bengal if the “brutalities” by the State administration continued.

“Police are using water cannons on peaceful protestors in Santragachi, bursting tear gas shells on students at Howrah Bridge, and lathi charging them on College Street. Please put an end to these brutalities immediately,” the senior BJP leader told reporters.

Adhikari went on to say, “If the police repression is not stopped immediately, We (BJP) will stall West Bengal tomorrow”.

RG Kar Medical College Rape and Murder Case

On 9th August, a semi-nude, brutalised body of a female PG trainee doctor was found inside the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. It is a government-run hospital. The gruesome murder of a PG doctor at her own workplace soon became a nationwide issue, especially with the people reacting strongly to the Bengal govt, and the hospital’s initial attempts to cover up the case. The victim’s family narrated that they were initially told their daughter had committed suicide.

The doctor had dinner with four of her coworkers at 2:30 am that night after seeing Neeraj Chopra’s javelin throw event during the Paris Olympics. Afterwards, she went to the seminar hall to relax. The main accused in the case, Sanjay Roy, had access to every department as he worked at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital police outpost. He was not affiliated with the institution but often went there. CCTV evidence shows him entering the premises where the doctor was discovered, which led to his arrest on 10th August. He returned home after committing the horrifying act and slept in late. Roy also cleaned the outfit he wore to remove any evidence. The police recovered his bloodstained shoes during a search.

The Doctor was brutally tortured before she was suffocated to death, according to the post-mortem report. The four-page report stated that she had been strangled and that “perverted sexuality” and “genital torture” had resulted in serious wounds in her private parts.

According to sources, the Doctor’s head was slammed against a wall or the floor resulting in severe injuries, and her mouth and nose were squeezed shut to stop the victim from shouting. The accused had reportedly beaten her up as she attempted to defend herself and resist. He then raped and killed her. According to the autopsy, the girl’s hands and face had cuts on them. Shards of glass from her spectacles broke and got into her eyes following an intense blow. The initial postmortem report ruled out suicide and stated that the trainee doctor had been sexually assaulted before being murdered.

Zuckerberg’s admission, Twitter Files, and more: How USA has been censoring and ‘controlling’ speech while delivering sermons to India

Anurag
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Zuckerberg’s admission, Twitter Files, and more: How USA has been censoring and ‘controlling’ speech while delivering sermons to India

On 26th August, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg admitted to assisting the Biden-Harris administration in weaponising political censorship to curtail free speech on its platforms, Facebook and Instagram, during the COVID-19 pandemic. He revealed that the United States government, prodded by the White House, interfered in Meta’s content moderation process and coerced its management to censor ‘certain’ Covid-19-related information.

This admission from the tech tycoon comes as the United States aspires to play the role of a global policeman on freedom of speech and expression. US government agencies and US government-funded NGOs always manage to wag a finger at any nation that dares take an exception to their lofty standards. For example, India is regularly targeted and accused of suppressing free speech.

But then, strangely enough, the US strikes hard at India based on these highly debatable, one-sided, and confounding reports, which are more disinformation than information, and lastly, more the US itself preaches and spends, rather than results in revealing its alarming acts of state suppression and censorship that have just come out. It is a classic case of “Do as I say,” with a mark of supreme irony.

Zuckerberg’s Confession: The United States Government’s social media puppetry

This revelation should set off alarm bells worldwide. It shows that the US government can push US-based social media platforms to promote any information they like and suppress what they don’t want the world to see. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s admission that he bent under the pressure of the Biden-Harris administration to censor Americans underscores this. The same government that insists on the sanctity of freedom of expression (FoE) globally felt comfortable twisting the arms of social media giants at home.

Zuckerberg admitted that Meta was subjected to significant pressure from the administration to regulate content that did not align with their preferred narrative. This is a textbook case of governmental overreach, where the supposed protector of free speech has behaved like its biggest threat.

One has to wonder: if the United States government is this brazen about its interference with social media platforms, what else is happening behind closed doors? Perhaps freedom of expression in America is free only as long as it aligns with the interests of those in power.

Twitter Files: The relentless censoring that was exposed after Elon Musk took over Twitter (now X)

The case of Zuckerberg isn’t the only one that defies a superpower, terming it as the guardian of FoE. Twitter was another social media platform that was said to be a chaotic place filled with several complaints against its previous administration. When Musk bought Twitter, all the data on the platform was made accessible to journalists thus making it possible to uncover the ‘shadowy’ manipulation of the US government.

Known as the Twitter Files, it exposed the deep entanglement between Twitter and various government agencies. Twitter was found to be under the thumb of state actors who sought to suppress certain stories and voices. One of the most notable examples was the Hunter Biden laptop story, which was wiped from Twitter and other social media platforms, apparently to save President Joe Biden’s government. Although the Twitter team provided excuses for this action, they were ultimately dismissed, as the story was significant enough to topple Biden’s government. The story resurfaced only after losing its initial impact, effectively saving Biden. There were several other instances where Twitter not only assisted the US government but also other state actors in setting a narrative that suited their ideology and agenda.

In India’s case, several pro-government accounts were suspended over the years merely to voice support for the government or oppose anti-India sentiments. When Musk took over Twitter, he launched a campaign to unsuspend such accounts, granting access to hundreds of thousands of users worldwide. This selective censorship wasn’t just an accident—it was a well-coordinated effort to control the narrative.

Interestingly, the US loves to criticise other nations for restricting access to information. But more often than not, the US government cannot resist the urge to simply control the narrative with its citizens. What the Twitter Files prescribe is a country where freedom of speech is a privilege, not a right of those who toe the line. Orwellian? It is. At least they are transparent about the hypocrisy, no?

Trump’s gag order by United States court: Muzzling a former President

If that is not enough, who can forget how a sitting President in the US was gagged by social media? On his last days in office, Trump got gagged by social media as he went “rogue” and deviated from the liberal nexus of leaders, media, and social media.

More recently, a United States court placed a gag order on former President Donald Trump, which is inarguably burdening free speech about issues of public interest. Many would say that this is plainly an attempt at political gagging of a high-profile figure, with his case raising very serious questions over democracy and the state of free speech in the country today.

The court has barred him from speaking about the Manhattan Criminal Case, the Federal Election Case, the Georgia Election Case, and the Federal Documents Case. It’s laughable yet tragic that the self-proclaimed defender of democracy has actively silenced a former head of state. The gag order against Trump is not just a matter of legal manoeuvring; it is a blatant suppression of dissenting voices. If a former President can be gagged in such a way, how powerless must a general citizen of the US feel? Think about it…

India in the Crosshairs: The hypocrisy of selective outrage

The United States has glaring issues at home that demand its attention. However, its focus is often on other countries and how they manage FoE. India is frequently one of its prime targets. However, in most cases, US agencies rely on questionable reports and misinformation to back their claims.

India is a vibrant democracy with a multilayered and diverse media setup. Hyped as the mother of democracy, India is far more in control of managing her own affairs. At the same time, the US often seems to feel it is its “responsibility” to poke its nose into India’s affairs while ignoring its failures.

The way US behaves, it constitutes a tale of reproach. While it points its eager fingers at others’ sins, it somehow smartly ignores the increasing censorship and suppression within its borders. The moral high ground it professes to occupy is built on shaky foundations, and the facade is crumbling under the weight of its hypocrisy.

It is high time for this so-called superpower to learn that, rather than shouting about free speech to other countries, it should find a reflection in the mirror for a very long time. Because, as it is said, “those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”

Telangana: Idols of Goddesses vandalised in Bhoolaxmi temple in Hyderabad, two suspects arrested

ANI
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Telangana: Idols of Goddesses vandalised in Bhoolaxmi temple in Hyderabad, two suspects arrested

A few unidentified assailants vandalised the idol of the goddess in Bhoolaxmi temple located in the Rakshapuram area in Santosh Nagar police station limits of Hyderabad on Monday night. Two suspects have been arrested by the police in the case.

A huge crowd gathered at the temple and raised slogans against the attack. Police officials reached the spot and tried to take the situation under control.

DCP South East Kanti Lal Patil said, “This incident occurred on Monday between 11.30 pm and 12 pm in the night under the Santosh Nagar police station limits. Police took immediate action and took two people into custody after police had done the tracking through CCTV. Out of that one person is the main responsible. The investigation is in progress.”

He further said that in preliminary investigation names of two people have emerged. He further added, “All those responsible for the vandalism will be nabbed. Two people who are responsible directly have been held. At present there is no evidence of political motive behind the attack.”

BJP Bhagya Nagar district president Samreddy Surender Reddy said that this incident happened at Chandrayanagutta Assembly Constituency Riyasat Nagar division, Rakshapuram colony in Bhoolaxmi temple.

He further said, “The idol of the Bhoolaxmi goddess was vandalised. The local corporator and his people have done this act. This is not the first time this incident has occurred. This has been happening for the last 5 years. This temple has been attacked 5 times. This time the idol of the goddess has been destroyed. Two years ago this same thing happened at Vinayak mandap. They tried to disturb the law and order.”

He further said that this temple is just 50 square Yards away from the police station.

He further added, “Police conduct regular patrolling here but today there has been no patrolling. Two people have been arrested but they are not the main culprits. Police say that two people have been arrested but they have been placed by the corporator. The corporator and a pan shop owner near the temple should be interrogated.”

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

West Bengal: Police arrest 4 students ahead of ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ protest march claiming they were ‘planning large-scale violence’, BJP to move court

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal: Police arrest 4 students ahead of ‘Nabanna Abhijan’ protest march claiming they were ‘planning large-scale violence’, BJP to move court

The situation remains tense in West Bengal as Mamata Banerjee’s administration is strongly opposing the “Nabanna Abhijan” rally, organised to protest the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari, on 27th August accused the state government of “detaining or arresting” four students, Subhojit Ghosh, Pulokesh Pandit, Goutam Senapati and Pritam Sarkarset to join the protest. He added, “Neither they can be traced nor are they answering their phones. We apprehend that they may have been arrested/detained by the Mamata Police. If something happens to them Mamata Police will be held accountable.”

Adhikari’s assertions were swiftly refuted by the West Bengal Police, who declared that the students had been arrested for allegedly planning violence during the event and were not missing. It also charged the politician with creating “a false narrative” and added, “The four were planning to orchestrate large-scale violence during the Nabanna Abhijan today, and were involved in a conspiracy of murder and attempted murder. They have been arrested in the Interest of public safety and security, and their families have been informed.”

Soon afterwards, Adhikari responded by announcing that the families of the arrested students had approached the Calcutta High Court in this regard and challenged, “See you in Court Mamata Police.”

The ruling Trinamool Congress claimed that the march demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had been organised by political forces and has vehemently opposed it while the Bharatiya Janata Party has accused TMC of stifling dissent. The Kolkata Police have implemented extensive security measures for the protest march to the West Bengal state secretariat which has been arranged to demonstrate against the horrifying rape and death of the 31-year-old trainee doctor.

While the students’ organization “Paschimbanga Chhatro Samaj” insisted that its “Nabanna Abhijan” rally on 27th August would be peaceful and centred on calling for Mamata Banerjee’s resignation along with the arrest of those accountable for the incident, on 26th August Additional Director General of Police (South Bengal) Supratim Sarkar announced that the group’s application to hold the march had been denied. He dubbed the agitation as illegal and aimed to trigger unrest in the state.

Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha set to humanize IC 814 hijackers including Masood Azhar’s brother, upcoming web series to show terrorists hugging pilot and playing antakshari with hostages

OpIndia Staff
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Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha set to humanize IC 814 hijackers including Masood Azhar’s brother, upcoming web series to show terrorists hugging pilot and playing antakshari with hostages

Controversial filmmaker Anubhav Sinha is all set to distort one of the darkest chapters in India’s recent history – the hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814.

For the unversed, the Airbus was hijacked on 25th December 1999 while it was en route to Delhi from Kathmandu. It was carried out by 5 terrorists belonging to the Islamist outfit ‘Harkat-ul-Mujahideen.’

The Indian government had to release three terrorists Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, Masood Azhar, and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar to secure the release of 185 people (including passengers and crew members).

Anubhav Sinha has created a web series for Netflix dubbed ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’, which will be spread across 6 episodes. The web series is based on the book “Flight Into Fear”, written by the hijacked plane’s captain Devi Sharan and Srinjoy Chowdhury.

While speaking to The Indian Express, Sinha claimed, “I thought I knew about the incident and then I read the script. I shouldn’t say I didn’t like it, but I thought we should do more with it.”

As such, the controversial filmmaker decided to give a ‘360 degree view of the hijacking’. In his own words, he began ‘researching’ the IC 814 hijacking incident along with film writer Trishant Srivastava and journalist Adrian Levy.

Terrorists played antakshari, apologised to flight caption: Anubhav Sinha

“The three of us then started jamming and that is when it started to take the shape it has now,” Sinha told The Indian Express. And he came up with bizarre findings.

During his interview with the Indian daily, he alleged that the hostages were somehow playing ‘antakshari’ with the Islamic terrorists. Sinha further claimed that the people onboard also exchanged numbers and hugged the hijackers.

On top of it, he alleged that one of the terrorists had hurt the Indian Airlines Flight 814 captain Devi Sharan even ‘apologised’ for his actions.

Hijacking like no other

Anubhav Sinha claimed, “The captain himself told me that one of the terrorists, who was nastiest of the lot and gave him a scar on his neck, came to the captain, hugged and apologised to him.”

He further added, “The hijacker even told the captain, ‘Mai apke kisi kaam aa sakta hu toh batana ap’ (Let me know if you ever need any favour).”

“The captain told me that the people were exchanging phone numbers. They were playing antakshari on the last day,” Sinha continued.

The web series is set to stream on Netflix from 29th August onwards and will feature tense negotiations and high-stakes diplomacy besides obvious distortions.

The reality of IC 814 Hijacking

It must be mentioned that one of the hijackers of Indian Airlines Flight 814 was Ibrahim Azhar, the elder brother of Masood Azhar.

He along with the 4 other terrorists onboard the airbus brutally killed a 27-year-old electronic engineer named Rupin Katyal, who was on his honeymoon with his wife Rachna.

Rupin was stabbed to death while Rachna remained with other hostages, unknowing of the tragedy that befell her fate. “I had no idea that he was stabbed. I don’t know why it happened to me,” the widowed Rachna said in 2009.

A Bhopal-based builder named Durgesh Goel who was on the same hijacked flight suffered nightmares for years at an end. The memory of the incident still haunts him and his wife Renu.

“It took me 10 years to board a flight after that incident. My wife and I lived through a nightmare that will remain seared in our souls,” he told The Times of India.

He emphasised, “Bhola and Burger used to hit passengers, while Doctor and Chief used to talk with the authorities. Those 175 hours were the worst part of each passenger’s life who was on that flight.”

While Anubhav Sinha was to give his usual ‘Bollywood spin’ to a national tragedy, the testimonies of the victims onboard Indian Airlines Flight 814 would always thwart attempts to humanise terrorists.

The terrorists released in exchange for hostages

Maulana Masood Azhar, upon his release, started a new outfit named ‘Jaish-e-Mohammed’ (JeM). Within a year of its inception, JeM launched a series of deadly attacks that almost brought India and Pakistan to the brink of a full-scale war.

Azhar has been responsible for several direct attacks on Indian soil including on the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, the Pathankot airbase attack in January 2016 and the 2019 Pulwama terror attacks.

Freed terrorist Omar Sheikh, just like Maulana Masood Azhar, became one of the biggest security threats not just for India, but for the United States.

All thanks to his connections inside Pakistan’s military and the innermost circles of Osama Bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda. He is known for the 2002 beheading of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, who was investigating the financing of Al-Qaeda.

In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in the United States, the US investigators had discovered that Omar Sheikh used aliases to send money from the United Arab Emirates to Mohamed Atta –  the main terrorist leader of the 9/11 attacks.

After his release, terrorist Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar carried out several terror attacks in Kashmir. He actively recruited and trained youngsters for ‘Jihad’.

The intelligence officials believe that Zargar is suspected to be the man behind the June 2019 terror attack in Kashmir’s Anantnag, in which five CRPF personnel were killed and three others were injured after terrorists attacked them with grenades. In 2017, Zargar claimed responsibility for many of the grenade attacks on the security forces in the Kashmir valley.

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