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New fear unlocked! Tinder/Bumble dates abscond after making massive bill at posh pubs: Men duped of large amounts say an organised syndicate is working

Siddhi Somani
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New fear unlocked! Tinder/Bumble dates abscond after making massive bill at posh pubs: Men duped of large amounts say an organised syndicate is working

In India, a new wave of scams has appeared in which men are targeted by women who trap them through dating apps, and then exploit them financially, often in connivance with some bar or pub owners. Several such incidents have been reported in cities like Delhi, Hyderabad, and Chennai, raising concerns about the credibility of dating apps. Similar instances have recently appeared in the financial capital of India, one of the most vibrant cities in Maharashtra, the city of Mumbai.

Midday Media House recently conducted a sting operation in the case after several people complained about being duped at the hands of online dates in Mumbai. This is after Midday reported one such scam case in July 2024. Three women had befriended three different men from Mumbai and had asked them to meet at the Red Room pub in Andheri. The women in every case place heavy orders including expensive drinks and hookah leading the bills to cost Rs 8,800, Rs 24,000, and Rs 43,000. In each case, the women escaped to the washroom or went home when the bill arrived forcing the men to pay hefty amounts.

The modus operandi of these scams has been uncovered by Midday, which says that women open their accounts on dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, etc, and match with people. Then they ask their matches to meet at clubs or pubs with which they already have tie-ups. The women make heavy orders. They order premium drinks, imported hookahs, and pyro guns which are seen as entertainment in such clubs. They lure the men into conversations and suggestive flirting but abscond after making sure the pub or bar profits heavily from the men.

The bill always costs way more than usually expected by the customers then terrifies the men who request for the bill splits. But by the time, the girl starts making the build-up for escaping. She either claims that she has to go home given her parents’ frequent calls or she goes to the washrooms, obviously to never return. The detailed investigation by Midday claims that these women have tie-ups with the waiters or the club managers who help them escape from the spot safely. The hotel staffers then target the men to pay heavy bills and even assault them sometimes if they seek discounts or say that they don’t have that huge sum to pay. The women who brought the men to the clubs are then awarded 15-20% of the bill amount by the staffers.

Mumbai-based men’s activist Deepka Narayan Bharadwaj confirmed the scam by saying that this kind of scam had now become very common in Mumbai. “Several men have reached out to me, reporting that they’ve been scammed. Many of these men filed complaints with the police, but no action was taken. Now, there’s a growing number of victims who are being scammed at the Godfather Club in Andheri, with new cases emerging almost daily. In many instances, these men have been scammed by the same set of women,” she said.

She also shared one such instance on her X account. She said that one of the clubs in Mumbai named the Godfather Club in Andheri had issued men bills amounting to Rs 22,080 (including cocktail Rs 5000, Blue Label whiskey, Rs 10000, Red Bull drink Rs 1798, and mineral water Rs 200), Rs 35,949 (including Blue Lable whiskey Rs 19,992 and cocktail Rs 5,000), Rs 48,996 (including Rs 17,994 of ‘entertainment’) and Rs 61,743 (including Blue Label Whiskey Rs 39,984) respectively.

Bharadwaj stated that she was in touch with 12 such victims who were forced to pay heavy bills by the women they met on Tinder and Bumble.

She’s a girl—how could we stop her? Club Manager played women’s card, allowed her to go without paying the bill

Midday planted some of their male reporters on these dating apps who began receiving a flood of matches within 24 hours of account opening. The men were then paired with some of the female matches who requested them to meet at fancy places claiming that they (women) would be going to the club for the first time. One of the reporters matched with one Mehak, whose profile name on Bumble is ‘S, 26’. Her bio mentioned that she had completed a nail art course and liked meeting new friends. She also said that she was interested in nightclubs and wines.

The duo talked for a week on WhatsApp after which the woman asked the undercover reporter to meet her for the first time at Satra Plaza in Vashi on August 7th. Interestingly, the team sent another reporter for the date with Mehak which did not bother her. She eventually told the man that she liked him and pretended to be attending calls from her ‘parents’ throughout the entire date. She took him to the Vente Pa’Ca club in Satra Plaza where she ordered a bottle of Jacob’s Creek Shiraz wine priced at Rs 8,499 and a ‘Dubai special hookah’ costing Rs 2,499 as well as pizza and paneer tandoori. She then began dancing with the reporter and indicated that it was her first time at the club. However, after some time, she said she was getting calls from home and that she needed to leave. She then informed the waiter, who presented a bill of Rs 13,792.

Midday reporter with Mehak ( Image- Midday)

The reporter informed me that he didn’t have that huge amount to pay for the bill. Mehak meanwhile asked him to arrange it from somewhere. She escaped with the manager who held the reporter for money. “I met this girl on a dating app, and she brought me to this club. I can’t pay such a huge bill,” the reporter told the manager and asked how the latter allowed the woman to go without paying the bill. To this, the manager played the women’s card and said, “She told us that she was getting late and was receiving calls from home. She’s a girl—how could we stop her?” The reporter was forced to pay the amount.

The beautician said was out of money as had recently done a bridal beauty course

On another such investigative date, another reporter matched one Muskan, a so-called beautician on Tinder who asked him to meet her at Crystal Paradise in Andheri West on August 1. She then took him to the Godfather Club where she asked the waiter to bring two Blue Label whiskies (30 ml) and a hookah. She also made requests for a couple of pyro guns, costing each Rs 3000. The reporter first asked the waiter how much it would cost. On learning that he was being duped to pay Rs 6,000 just for guns, he asked Muskan to order one saying they were too expensive. But, the woman insisted saying that she liked him and that she wanted to blow them with him.

The guns were ordered. The waiter also recorded the video of the duo as they ‘enjoyed’ the pyro guns. But as per Midday, the waiter made sure that the face of the woman wasn’t seen in the video.

Apart from this, the woman kept on making constant orders leading the bill to cost Rs 30,000. This terrified the undercover reporter who asked Muskan to chip in as the bill was too heavy. To this, Muskan simply said that she was short of money as she was jobless and had just completed a bridal beauty course.

Muskan wields the pyro gun, an ‘entertainment’ that costs Rs 3,000

Muskan then refused to take selfies with the reporter, claiming she needed to go home since she was receiving calls from her parents. The reporter offered to take her home, but she declined and took an auto rickshaw to MHADA Colony in Andheri. The woman had no idea that her stated adress was in the opposite direction when she directed the auto driver to the railway station.

The reporters met two other similar women at Godfather Club & Lounge, Andheri West, and Matahaari nightclub, Worli where they were forced to pay Rs 26,570 and Rs 20,000 respectively. In one of the cases, the woman claimed that she was in a hurry and had to rush home and was seen in the same club with some other man she had planned to dupe. And in another similar case, the woman reappeared with a fake name on Tinder planning to trap another date.

Same club, same order, same women: Organized Syndicate?

It’s intriguing that many ladies are taking men to the same club, and the scamming routine is consistent. They order the same pricey items to inflate the costs and then leave as soon as the bill arrives. Even more distressing, some males have been physically beaten by bouncers after objecting to the excessive prices. “Why are the bouncers resorting to violence rather than contacting the police if there is a payment problem? Why do they let the women simply walk out? If two persons enter the club together, why is only the male cornered if the staff isn’t involved in the scheme?” asked Advocate Bharadwaj raising the concerns of men safety. 

“This appears to be an organized syndicate, and it’s imperative that the police investigate it thoroughly. Many victims have lodged cyber complaints, and the internet is filled with reviews exposing these scams. It’s disheartening that despite widespread awareness, the police seem indifferent, possibly because women are at the forefront of these scams,” she said.

As per the Midday, the legal remedy is to register an FIR under Sections 318 and 319 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which covers cheating and impersonation. Victims should not hesitate to complain against the proprietor of the restaurant and the woman, as the police will investigate the situation and take the necessary action if required.

Restaurant owners refuse to accept tie-ups

Midday has done an alarming investigation into the case. In spite of this, several restaurant owners who issue heavy bills have refused to the charges of having tie-ups with the women who bring customers to the clubs. The Godfather’s management maintained they had no involvement in the scam and were ignorant of such actions taking place on their premises. However, the reporter witnessed customers and workers squabbling over bills. Furthermore, numerous internet reviewers have accused the pub of being a part of the hoax.

The management also claimed that no complaints had been filed against them with the police station. Further, when asked why hookahs were being offered despite being illegal, they claimed they provide only herbal hookahs, which are legal, but had no explanation for why it was being sold as a cocktail.

“People visit our club as couples and in groups. We do not charge an entry fee. We do not have information about where our guests are coming from or if the girls are from dating sites. We provide genuine bills to our customers,” the manager of Vente Pa’Ca was quoted as saying.

Conclusion: Instances causing general distrust towards society

These kinds of online dating scams being operated by alleged organized syndicates should stop as the victims in such cases often suffer significant emotional distress along with massive financial loss. In many cases, victims experience feelings of betrayal, embarrassment, and despair when they discover they have been duped by someone they liked, respected, and trusted to a certain level. This emotional manipulation can have long-term psychological consequences resulting in anxiety, depression, and a lack of trust towards society. 

Further, financial exploitation can affect the victim if he/she already is vulnerable money-wise. Not only men, but several females have also fallen prey to such scams. People these days use online dating platforms to find themselves a potential partner from their vicinity. They trust these platforms considering them to be a viable way to meet new people. However, such scams degrade the very purpose of these platforms developing general distrust towards the purpose.

These instances also create a negative impact on the societal mindset by fostering an environment of fear and suspicion. They have complete potential to undermine the sense of community and safety that is essential to constructive interpersonal connections, both online and offline. Not only women, but every genuine individual in today’s age deserves to be protected, given the unsafe use of the internet resulting in criminal acts like honey trapping, phishing, identity theft, credit card fraud, employment fraud, and this, online dating fraud. Any victim duped for money through the internet, especially in honey-trapping and online dating scam cases shall not feel embarrassed, but report to the police, who shall book the concerned accused under the relevant law. Society should also instead of cornering the victims for falling for such incidents, help them, and assure them safety and privacy. After all, it is every internet user’s responsibility to support a healthier and safer online community for everyone.

Union Education Ministry directs all states and UTs to implement “Guidelines on School Safety and Security” issued in 2021 to ensure safety and security of children in schools

OpIndia Staff
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Union Education Ministry directs all states and UTs to implement “Guidelines on School Safety and Security” issued in 2021 to ensure safety and security of children in schools

Amid several incidents of violence and sexual assaults in several schools across the country, the union education ministry on Friday asked all states and union territories to implement “Guidelines on School Safety and Security” to ensure safety and security of children in schools. The govts of states and UTs also have been asked to inform the status of notification of Guidelines on School Safety and Security-2021 in their State/UT.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, said that it is deeply committed to ensuring the safety and security of children in schools and other educational institutions. To strengthen procedures, accountability and safeguard the students, in pursuance of the order of the Supreme Court in the Writ Petition (Criminal) No. 136 of 2017 and Writ Petition (Civil) No. 874 of 2017, Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education has developed ‘Guidelines on School Safety and Security-2021’, which are in alignment with the POCSO Guidelines.

The statement says that these guidelines inter-alia, contain provisions for fixing the accountability of the school management in the matter of safety and security of children studying in Government, Government-aided and Private Schools. Further, the guidelines provide measures for preventive education, accountability of various stakeholders, reporting procedure, concerned legal provisions, support and counselling and safe environment. These guidelines are crucial to accessibility, inclusiveness and positive learning outcomes, as per the ministry.

The guidelines were circulated to all States/UTs/Autonomous Bodies of Department of School Education and Literacy and Stakeholder Ministries in October 2021. The guidelines, which are advisory in nature, detail the accountability of various stakeholders and different departments in ensuring the safety and security of children in schools.

States/UTs were informed that they may incorporate additions/modifications to these guidelines, if deemed necessary, according to the State/UT specific requirements and notify these guidelines. These guidelines are uploaded on the website of DoSEL.

As per the statement issued by the ministry, the purpose of these guidelines is:

  • to create an understanding among all stakeholders, including students and parents, on the need for co-creating a safe and secure school environment for the holistic development of children. 
  • to make different stakeholders aware about the acts, policies, procedures and guidelines already available on different aspects of safety and security i.e., physical, socio-emotional, cognitive and specific to natural disasters as well.
  • to empower different stakeholders and enable clarity on their role in the implementation of this guideline.
  • to fix accountability for keeping children safe and secure in schools (including while children are transported to and fro, to attend school or go back to their homes in a school transport) on School Management and Principals and Teachers in Private/Unaided Schools, and Head/in-charge Head of School, Teachers and education administration in case of government/government-aided schools.
  • A key purpose is to emphasize the ‘Zero Tolerance Policy’ against any negligence on the part of any individual or management when it comes to the safety and security of children in schools.

Witch-hunt against Sheikh Hasina’s party continues in Bangladesh: Murder case registered against cricketer and Awami League leader Shakib al Hasan

OpIndia Staff
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Witch-hunt against Sheikh Hasina’s party continues in Bangladesh: Murder case registered against cricketer and Awami League leader Shakib al Hasan

On Thursday (22nd August), the police booked Bangladeshi cricketer and Awami League MP Shakib Al Hasan in connection to a murder case.

As per reports, the police complaint was filed by a man named Rafiqul Islam. He alleged that his son Rubel went to a ‘student protest’ march in Adabor in Dhaka on 5th August, the day of the ouster of Sheikh Hasina. He died 2 days later at the hospital.

Rafiqul claimed that the victim was shot in the chest and abdomen as part of a planned criminal conspiracy. The complainant named Shaqib al Hasan the 28th accused in the case.

Rafiqul has also named ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 154 others in connection to the case. It must be mentioned that Shakib al Hasan was not even in Bangladesh on the day of Rubel’s alleged murder.

At that time, he was playing for the Bangla Tigers Mississauga team against Surrey Jaguars in the Global T20 Canada League held in Brampton.

During the mass protests in Bangladesh, he was part of the Major League Cricket in the USA. Following the fall of Dhaka, there have been reports of killings, attacks and increased harassment of politicians allied to the ruling Awami League.

TOI, Indian Express publish apologies after Gujarat HC raps them for intentionally misquoting their observations in minority institutes case

OpIndia Staff
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TOI, Indian Express publish apologies after Gujarat HC raps them for intentionally misquoting their observations in minority institutes case

The Indian Express and Times of India (TOI) published apologies in their Ahmedabad editions on Friday, complying with a recent Gujarat High Court order. The court had criticised the newspapers for inaccurately reporting its remarks in an ongoing case.

On Thursday, the Court had warned that it would issue contempt of court notices if the newspapers did not publish the apologies. As a result, both newspapers featured the apologies prominently on their front pages.

On August 13, a bench consisting of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Pranav Trivedi issued notices to the regional editors of the Times of India and Indian Express. The court sought their explanations for providing a “false and distorted narration” of the court proceedings in a particular case.

Justice Agarwal remarked that the way the news was presented suggested that the court had already formed an opinion on the right of a minority institution to appoint teachers of its choice while regulating educational institutions run by minority groups.

Chief Justice stated that the newspapers’ actions appeared to be intentional.

“This was a deliberately coordinated effort and a planned approach… It’s improbable that three newspapers would report the same thing in the same manner, differing only in language. The tone of all three articles was identical. The reports were crafted similarly, with no distinction between the Court’s observations and its findings or orders,” she remarked.

In their statements, the papers acknowledged that their reporting had incorrectly suggested that the High Court had resolved the issues concerning the rights of aided minority institutions.

“The newspaper holds the High Court in the highest esteem, and we sincerely apologise to the Court and our valued readers for the error in the reporting,” TOI stated in its apology.

Apologies published by TOI and Indian Express

On Thursday, the Court expressed dissatisfaction with the apologies submitted by the newspapers in their affidavits.

As a result, the Court ordered the two media outlets to publish apologies in their respective newspapers, ensuring that it was clearly stated that both the reporter and the editor were at fault for misreporting the Court’s observations.

Assam: Massive protests erupt in Dhing after three men gang-rape a minor girl, dump her naked and unconscious on the road, one accused Tafazzul Islam arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Assam: Massive protests erupt in Dhing after three men gang-rape a minor girl, dump her naked and unconscious on the road, one accused Tafazzul Islam arrested

As protests against several rape incidents continue across the country, another such incident has triggered massive protests in Assam. A 14-year-old girl was gang-raped by three men on Thursday evening in Dhing in Nagaon district, after which local organisations called for an indefinite bandh in the town starting today.

The girl studying in class 10 was returning from tuition class on Thursday evening when she was attacked by three men between 7 pm and 8 pm. According to police, after brutally gang raping her, the assailants dumped her by the roadside in the Borbheti area. She was discovered in naked and unconscious condition by locals around an hour later.

The locals immediately informed the police, after which the police rushed to the spot and shifted the victim to the Dhing First Referral Unit (FRU) for urgent medical attention. Due to the severity of her injuries, she was later referred to Nagaon Civil Hospital for further treatment.

As per police, the three attackers were on a motorcycle when they spotted the girl and attacked her. Allegedly they sprayed something on her, tied her mouth, and raped her brutally, which caused her to lose consciousness. They then dumped her near a pond on the roadside, where she was discovered without clothes by people later.

Police said that all three culprits have been identified. One of the culprits have been arrested, while the search is on for the other two. While police refused to reveal the name of the arrested persons, media reports have identified him as Tafazzul Islam. Another person named Sahidul Islam has also been detained for questioning, but his links with the crime are not confirmed. Reportedly, all three accused belong to the Muslim community.

Senior police officials from district headquarters in Nagaon have reached to investigate the case. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has instructed DGP GP Singh to visit the site and ensure swift action. He tweeted, “The horrific incident at Dhing, involving a minor, is a crime against humanity and has struck our collective conscience.”

He further added, “We will NOT SPARE anyone & BRING the perpetrators to JUSTICE. I’ve directed @DGPAssamPolice to visit the site and ensure swift action against such monsters.”

CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the menace of spray gang has become a serious matter, and promised strong action.

In the meanwhile, thousands of people came out on streets demanding swift justice. As the local organisations called for an indefinite bandh, shops in the market in Dhing remained closed.

‘Need to decipher if larger conspiracy exists’: Delhi police oppose bail plea of Arvind Kejriwal’s personal assistant for assault on Swati Maliwal

OpIndia Staff
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‘Need to decipher if larger conspiracy exists’: Delhi police oppose bail plea of Arvind Kejriwal’s personal assistant for assault on Swati Maliwal

The Delhi police have filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court, accusing AAP leaders and workers of large conspiracy in the assault case involving its own Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal.

For the unversed, Maliwal was assaulted by Bibhav Kumar, the former personal assistant of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, at the latter’s residence on 13th May this year.

The Delhi police have claimed that how AAP threw its weight behind Kumar and abandoned its own MP indicated a larger conspiracy.

“Investigation has brought out the fact that the petitioner and the CM, Delhi, were together at the scene of the crime, i.e., the Delhi residence, immediately after the commission of the crime for a significant period of time,” the affidavit read.

“As such, the contrarian public stands taken by responsible public servants in the following days also needs to be examined in its correct perspective to decipher if there was a larger conspiracy behind the brutal assault on the complainant/victim at the hands of the petitioner,” it added.

The Delhi police pointed out that selective CCTV footage was leaked to the media, prior to recovery of recording devices.

In its affidavit, the police noted. “This act also needs to be examined to find out whether the crime was conspiratorial or otherwise. Therefore, there is still an apprehension that petitioner herein may influence the witnesses or tamper with the evidences and thus fails to qualify the triple test as laid down by this court.”

“The manner of brutal assault on the complainant, can be seen as mentioned in her complaint and corroborated by the MLC. The complainant victim has presided over DCW as Chairperson for sufficient time, and such an assault on her, and that too at the residence of the Chief Minister, casts aspersions on women’s safety in society,” it continued.

The Delhi police highlighted the ability of petitioner Bibhav Kumar to influence witnesses and tamper with the evidence. The Supreme Court had previously directed the police to respond to Kumar’s special petition leave. He was earlier denied bail by the Delhi High Court.

Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta had stated, “It cannot be ruled out that the witness may be influenced or evidence can be tempered. Therefore, the bail application is disposed of”.

Badlapur sexual assault case: SIT registers FIR against school authorities for not complying with POCSO norms

ANI
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Badlapur sexual assault case: SIT registers FIR against school authorities for not complying with POCSO norms

The special investigation team (SIT) for Badlapur sexual assault against minors has registered an FIR against the school authorities, for not complying with the provisions of section 19 of the POCSO Act which mandates that every authority when they come to know about any such kind of sexual assault against minors are obligated to report this to police authorities for further action, said SIT.

The police were not informed by the school authorities and that is why the school authorities have been booked under section 21 of the POCSO Act which is punishment for violation of section 19 of the same Act, stated SIT.

The SIT recorded the statements of both the minor victims along their parents, added SIT.

Earlier amid the violent protests in Maharashtra, the Bombay High Court took suo motu cognizance of the Badlapur incident. The matter was heard in the court on Thursday by a division bench of Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice Prithviraj Chavan.

The alleged sexual assault of two fourth-grade girls at a school in Maharashtra’s Badlapur has sparked outrage. On August 17 police arrested an attendant of the school for allegedly abusing the girls. This incident has created massive outrage among the people in Badlapur.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR) has recommended the establishment of special branches or “mini-police stations” for women and children in every police station across the state.

This development came in the wake of an alleged delay in registering the crime by the police in Badlapur. Chairperson Susieben Shah shared a detailed plan in this regard during a press conference in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Shah stated that currently, police stations have Women’s Help Desks, Special Juvenile Police Units, and Child Welfare Police Officers. However, these units are not dedicated solely to addressing complaints from women and children, often leading to the unavailability of trained personnel when needed. Officers in these units are frequently assigned to other duties, causing delays in registering and investigating complaints.

The Crime Branch units in police stations are exclusively reserved for investigating crimes, ensuring that officers are not diverted to other duties and that their sole responsibility is to investigate and solve crimes efficiently.

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

As Islamists raise ‘Sar Tan Se Juda’ slogans against Ramgiri Maharaj, here’s why this murderous slogan of Pakistani origin should be treated as a precursor to a terrorist act

OpIndia Staff
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As Islamists raise ‘Sar Tan Se Juda’ slogans against Ramgiri Maharaj, here’s why this murderous slogan of Pakistani origin should be treated as a precursor to a terrorist act

Amidst the outrage over the comments recently made by Saint Ramgiri Maharaj on Prophet Muhammad during a sermon in Nashik’s Sinnar region, the Islamist mobs are holding protests in various states. In what seems to be a Nupur Sharma redux, the Islamist protestors are demanding Sar tan se juda [beheading] punishment for Ramgiri Maharaj. Meanwhile, multiple FIRs have been lodged against the Hindu saint.

In one such protest, several Muslim men along with children are seen raising “Gustakh-e-Nabi ki ek Saza, Sar tan se juda [“There is only one punishment for being disrespectful to Nabi (Prophet Muhammad]”. The Islamists online are inciting their co-religionists against Ramgiri Maharaj and hurling derogatory slurs against Ramgiri Maharaj. One such Islamist called Ramgiri Maharaj “piss drinker”.

A Muslim X user Alim alleged that “Kafir” [infidel] will help another Kafir and the only way to ‘punish’ Ramgiri Maharaj is “Sar tan se juda”. “Kanoon iska kuchh nhi krega ye saare Qafir-Qafir ka hi saath denge Iska ek hi rasta h gustakhe Nabi ki ek saza sar tan se juda sar tan se juda Allahu Akbar [sword emojis],” Alim posted in response to an inflammatory post against the Hindu sage.

Notably, a massive protest rally was taken out in Karnataka’s Kudachi. Other than Karnataka, protests were held in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara, Uttar Pradesh’s Amroha, Maharashtra’s Aurangabad and Mumbra and in Gwalior district of Madhya Pradesh.

As reported earlier, on 22nd August, Madhya Pradesh police took strict action against Islamists who pelted stones and created a ruckus in Chhatarpur Kotwali police station on Wednesday afternoon while protesting against Ramgiri Maharaj. The police registered a case against 150 people involved in the ruckus after the orders were issued by CM Mohan Yadav. The FIR includes 50 named and 100 other people who pelted stones at the police station injuring two officers. MP CM Mohan Yadav took cognisance of the matter and directed the authorities to take stringent action against the unruly Islamists. Subsequently, accused Haji Shahzad Ali’s house in Mastan Sahab Colony of Chhatarpur city was demolished with the help of a bulldozer.

In Mumbra, the Muslim mob raised Sar tan se juda banners and inflammatory slogans against the Hindu saint.

Sar tan se juda: The Islamist way of silencing those quoting the uncomfortable truths from the ‘book’

This is not the first time that Islamists have unleashed the ‘Sar tan se juda’ terror against those making critical comments about Islam or Muslims. Last year, OpIndia reported how Islamists raised slogans of ‘sar tan se juda’ in Gir Somnath outside a police station, accusing Hindu rights activist Kajal Hindustani of giving an anti-Islamic speech during the Ram Navami procession. As reported back then, she talked about forced religious conversion where Hindu girls are lured into a relationship by Muslim men who usually hide their religious identity and eventually force them to convert their faith, demography changes in parts of India and several other issues.

Soon after, Islamists started posting video snippets, directing an Islamist mob against her, claiming that she was spreading hate and asking Hindus to pick up weapons against Muslims even as she only talked about self-defence against various Islamist threats.

In 2021, Aam Aadmi Party MLA Amanatullah Khan had called for the beheading of a Hindu priest through his verified Twitter account. Ever since lakhs of Muslims have called for the beheading of Dasna Devi Temple head priest Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati for his statements against Muhammad. Other than this, Muslim children were also seen raising Sar tan se juda slogans against the Hindu priest.

Back in 2015 and early 2016, lakhs of Muslims had taken to the streets in several cities of India, openly calling for the public beheading and murder of Kamlesh Tiwari. Muslims rioted in various states of the country and eventually, Tiwari was brutally killed in 2019 by two Muslim assailants Farid-ud-din Shaikh and Ashfak Shaikh, in his office-cum-residence in Lucknow. Kamlesh Tiwari was shot and had his throat slit in the most barbaric manner. There were multiple stab wounds on his body and his throat slit wide open with a sharp weapon.

In May 2022, after her remarks during a debate on Times Now, former spokesperson of Bharatiya Janata Party Nupur Sharma came under Islamists’ radar even as she quoted what is written in the Islamic text. During protests, Islamists raised ‘sar tan se juda‘ slogans. Alt News’ co-founder Mohammed Zubair played a vital role in instigating protests and dog-whistling Islamists against Sharma in India and abroad. As a result, the BJP removed her from the party. Islamists kill many Hindus, including Rajasthan’s Kanhaiyalal and Maharashtra’s Umesh Kohle, for supporting Nupur Sharma. To date, Sharma lives a restricted life with occasional public appearances while Taslim Ahmed Rehmani, whose statement against Bhagwan Shiv made her angry during the debate, is roaming free.

While these are a few major incidents, OpIndia has documented numerous incidents wherein Muslims raised Sar tan se juda slogans over imaginary ‘blasphemy’ and also for no reason whatsoever or rather to instil terror into the hearts of Hindus. An example of this was seen at Muharram this year when a Muslim mob raised Sar tan se juda slogans in Kanpur outside a Hanuman temple.

Why Sar tan se juda should be treated as a precursor to a terrorist act

“Gustakh-e-Rasool ki Ek hi saza, sar tan se Juda, sar tan se Juda”, this murderous slogan has claimed many lives in the name of alleged ‘blasphemy’ not only in India where there are no ‘blasphemy laws’ but also in our hostile neighbour Pakistan. Much like their brethren in India, Islamists in Pakistan also get riled up over anything they perceive as insulting to their faith.

In February this year, it was reported that a mob of Islamic fanatics, led by Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan members, thought that the colourful Arabic text on the white dress a woman wore was Quranic verses, and therefore she committed blasphemy, which is punishable by death in Pakistan. The mob surrounded the victim woman and raised Sar tan se juda slogans, fortunately, the woman was saved from getting lynched. In another such incident, Pakistani Islamists created a ruckus over a QR code on a bottle assuming that Allah was scribed on it.

In the latest incident, Pakistani Islamists are leading Sar tan se juda protests against Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa for releasing an Ahmadiyya man who faced ‘blasphemy’ charges and saying that everyone has the right to profess their religion.

Notably, while the usage of Sar tan se juda to silence those opposed to Islamism transcends borders, the murderous slogan has its origins in Pakistan.

In 2011, the governor of the Punjab province of Pakistan, Salman Taseer was murdered by his own guard Mumtaz Qadri who disagreed with Taseer’s opposition to Pakistan’s blasphemy law. Khadim Hussain Rizvi, a Maulana in Pakistan at the time hailed Qadri for assassinating Taseer and declared him a ‘Ghazi’. He led a procession with thousands of people in attendance, who raised provocative slogans against the former governor of Punjab, Pakistan, and hailed Qadri as a hero.

The procession, organised by the radical Barelvi terror outfit Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), amplified the slogan among the masses of Pakistan in 2011 to shield Mumtaz Qadri. Two slogans were chiefly chanted during the procession. One was “Rasool Allah, Rasool Allah” and the other, “Gustakh-e-Rasool Ki Ek Hi Zaza, Sar Tan Se Juda, Sar Tan Se Juda.” Rizvi would ask the audience during the mass demonstrations, “Gustakh-e-Rasool ki Ek hi Saza?” The protestors would respond by chanting “Sar Tan Se Juda, Sar Tan Se Juda”. Qadri not only shot Taseer dead but later justified his crime as his ‘religious duty’.

This ‘Sar tan se juda’ slogan and the street veto of Islamists pose a direct threat to the Hindu and other non-Muslim communities and also challenge the authority of India’s justice system. This slogan should be seen as a precursor to a terror attack and a direct incitement to violence. Across the world, blasphemy attacks, such as the killing of Samuel Paty in France, are considered terror attacks and treated with utmost seriousness. While historically, the Indian leftists have behaved like Islamist cheerleaders for political gains the brutal attacks on communist leaders in Bangladesh by Islamists should raise an alarm for them. The Islamists have only one ideology which is to establish the supremacy of Islam wherever they live.

The condoning of such slogans, believing they are just a cathartic expression of a livid mob aggrieved over the purported insult of their prophet, is nothing but wishful thinking because chances are that some religious zealot in the crowd, egged on by the slogans, would be motivated to pick up the weapon and proceed to kill someone like Kanhaiya Lal.

In such a scenario, the state cannot assume a lasseiz-fair approach and allow the sloganeers to sow hatred and walk away with impunity. Instead, it should come down hard against such miscreants and set an example for others to discourage them from indulging in similar behaviour. Bulldozer action, slapping UAPA charges, and stripping away government benefits are some of the initial measures the government can take to tackle the menace of ‘Sar Tan Se Judaa’ chants. In most cases, Islamists use critical remarks made by certain individuals as seen in the case of Ramgiri Maharaj, to unleash riots and wreak havoc on Hindus and then play victim claiming that they are suffering “Zulm” of Hindutva people.

If the country does not want more Umesh Kolhe, Kanhaiyalal and Kamlesh Tiwari beheaded by Islamists, the government should ban the slogan altogether and criminalise its usage. The least this ban would do is send out a message to the Islamists that India is still a democratic Hindu-majority country and not some ‘Dar ul Islam’ they dream of.

10 years of Modi: Huge jump by over 565% in the share of poor households that could own a vehicle, here is what govt data shows

OpIndia Staff
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10 years of Modi: Huge jump by over 565% in the share of poor households that could own a vehicle, here is what govt data shows

In a significant milestone, recent official figures show that automobile ownership among India’s poorest households has increased significantly over the last decade.

According to data gathered from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation and shared on X by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s economic advisory council member Shamika Ravi on 23rd August, vehicle ownership among the poorest households has increased from 6% to 40% in the last decade under the Modi government. This translates to a whopping increase of 566.67% in the percentage of the poorest in the country owning a vehicle.

“The last 10 years have been economically remarkable for the poorest 20% of Indian population. Here’s one important marker: the proportion of poorest households that owned a vehicle (motorcycle/scooter,car/jeep)- 2011-12: 6% 2022-23: 40% State-wise growth is even more fascinating!,” Ravi posted.

While in 2011-12, only 6% of India’s poorest households owned a vehicle, which could be a motorbike, scooter, car, or jeep, by 2022-23, the figure had surged to 40%.

According to state-level data, Punjab saw the biggest rise, with 62.5% of the poorest households owning a vehicle in rural regions and 65.7% in urban areas.

West Bengal was at the bottom of the list, with only 9.6% of the poorest rural households and 15.2% in urban areas possessing a vehicle.

Notably, Bihar is the only state where rural households own more vehicles than urban ones. In Bihar, 19.1% of the poorest rural households own a vehicle, compared to 16.8% of the poorest urban households.

The data shared by Shamika Ravi demonstrates a substantial boost in the financial status particularly in terms of purchasing power for the poorest households. This has enabled these households to purchase motor vehicles.  The increase in vehicle ownership among the lowest parts of the population signifies economic advancement or shifts in economic policies benefitting these households. Alongside this, improved access to credit plus shifts in consumer behaviour also added to the substantial growth in vehicle ownership among the poorest households.

India celebrates its first ‘National Space Day’ on August 23 to mark success of Chandrayaan 3’s Moon landing mission

Siddhi Somani
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India celebrates its first ‘National Space Day’ on August 23 to mark success of Chandrayaan 3’s Moon landing mission

India on Friday, August 23rd is celebrating ‘National Space Day’ as the landmark achievement of India’s third lunar mission, Chandrayaan 3. This is a year after the spacecraft by ISRO successfully landed on the surface of the Moon on this day last year. Post-landing the spacecraft is indulged in investigation into the elemental composition of the Earth’s only natural satellite, its surface plasma environment, lunar seismicity, and thermophysical features.

PM Modi wished everyone on the occasion of the first ‘National Space Day’ lauding the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) for making the country proud. “Greetings to everyone on the first National Space Day. We recall with great pride our nation’s achievements in the space sector. It is also a day to laud the contributions of our space scientists. Our Government has taken a series of futuristic decisions relating to this sector and we will do even more in the times to come,” PM Modi posted on X sharing a video.

Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of Science and Technology and Minister of Earth Sciences also commented on the occasion and praised the Narendra Modi government for providing an enabling environment for space research. He indicated that India never had a lack of talent or willingness to think beyond science, but what was lacking was an enabling environment that was provided by the current leadership.

Singh further also mentioned that Chandrayaan 3 was a success and Chandrayaan 4 and 5 are soon to follow. He also stated that India is planning to send the first Indian to space through the Gaganyaan Mission by the year 2025.

Notably on the occasion of Independence Day, 15th August, PM Modi had highlighted the remarkable progress and vibrancy of India’s space sector. PM Modi emphasized the revolutionary reforms made in the industry, which have freed it from previous restraints and opened the door to private sector participation.

“Earlier our space sector was in shackles, but we have freed it. It is an opportunity for our young startups. Today we are seeing private satellites being launched. When intentions are right, we get the desired results,” PM Modi was quoted as saying.

Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology then supported the Prime Minister’s views, pointing out that the number of space start-ups has risen by 200 times in the last two years. This expansion is due to the Centre’s determination to open up the space industry to private enterprises and encourage public-private collaborations. “The space sector had very few StartUps initially but now it has around 300 StartUps, many with global potential,” Singh said.

As per the reports, in a significant policy shift, the Indian government now permits 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in the space sector, easing the production of satellite components and systems. The Union Budget included an additional Rs 1,000 crore venture capital fund for space technology start-ups.

The ISRO meanwhile is celebrating India’s 1st National Space Day by organizing an event at the Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, the live streaming of which is ongoing on the ISRO’s official YouTube channel.

Significance of the National Space Day

The launch of National Space Day commemorates India’s technological advances in space research and exploration. The success of Chandrayaan-3 not only established India as a major player in the global space sector but also represents ISRO scientists and engineers’ devotion and hard work.

This milestone demonstrates India’s potential to accomplish achievements in space exploration, with Chandrayaan-3 standing as a model of ingenuity, precision, and endurance. Furthermore, National Space Day has been founded to encourage the next generation of Indians to seek jobs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and contribute to India’s future space endeavors. The theme for India’s first National Space Day is ‘Touching Lives while Touching the Moon: India’s Space Saga’.

Chandrayaan 3: India’s landmark success

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) accomplished a historic achievement by successfully landing the Vikam Lander on the moon’s southern polar zone on August 23, 2023. India became the world’s first country to land on the moon’s southern pole region, and the fourth overall.

The Vikram Lander, supported by the Pragyaan Rover, touched down on the lunar surface, marking an important milestone in India’s space research ambitions.

The Chandrayaan-3 mission was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The mission’s accomplishment demonstrates India’s expanding space technological capabilities and emphasizes the necessity of international collaboration in space exploration.

Post-landing the spacecraft is indulged in investigation into the elemental composition of the Earth’s only natural satellite, its surface plasma environment, lunar seismicity, and thermophysical features.

Chandrayaan 4, 5 to follow

Union Minister Jitendra Singh confirmed delivering a curtain raiser for the first National Space Day, “Chandrayaan 3 was a milestone, Chandrayaan 4 and 5 will follow.” He made the remarks while speaking with the media on the eve of National Space Day 2024 at the National Media Centre on 22nd August. He also stated that India is planning to send the first Indian to space through the Gaganyaan Mission by the year 2025.

He also pointed out that the number of space start-ups has risen by 200 times in the last two years. This expansion is due to the Centre’s determination to open up the space industry to private enterprises and encourage public-private collaborations.

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