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Madhya Pradesh: CM Yadav approves Chitrangi micro irrigation project worth 1320 crores

ANI
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Madhya Pradesh: CM Yadav approves Chitrangi micro irrigation project worth 1320 crores

A cabinet meeting was held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav at Mantralaya in Bhopal on Tuesday and the Council of Ministers gave administrative approval of Rs 1320.14 crore for the Chitrangi pressurised micro irrigation project of Singrauli district (irrigation area 32,125 hectares).

The approved project will benefit 132 villages (irrigation area 28,192 hectares) of Chitrangi tehsil and 10 villages (irrigation area 3,933 hectares) of Devsar tehsil of Singrauli district.

The cabinet also approved to provide adequate staff for the Cyber Tehsil Project. For expansion in the entire state, approval was given to transfer 10 posts of Tehsildar out of 619 posts sanctioned for the districts of Tahsildar cadre, 15 posts out of 55 posts of Naib Tehsildars reserved for deputation and three posts of Assistant Class-3 category employees including Chief Revenue Commissioner for Cyber Tehsil. Similarly, approval was given to appoint two peons through outsource.

The council of ministers further approved a proposal for the amendment to replace the word “two years” with “three years” in Section 43-A of the Madhya Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act, 1961. Section 43-A of the Act is about a motion of no confidence moved by any elected Councillor.

Besides, according to the revised instructions issued by the Government of India under Mission Shakti, the Council of Ministers approved to operate the Women Empowerment Center in all the districts in the state till the period of 15th Finance Commission 2025-26 to facilitate inter-regional convergence of schemes and programs run for women for the empowerment of women and to create an environment in which women can understand and utilise their full potential.

In each district hub, the posts of District Mission Coordinator-1, Gender Specialist-2, Financial Literacy Specialist 1, Accounts Assistant-1, IT Assistant-1 and M.T.S.-1 were approved. In this way, a total of 364 posts were approved including all the district hubs in the state.

The Women and Child Development Department has been authorised to fill the sanctioned posts according to the prescribed procedure. 


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

‘Jaise Rape Hua, Aap Logon Ko Bhi Karenge’: Staff recall threats by miscreants during vandalism at RG Kar Hospital 

Paurush Gupta
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‘Jaise Rape Hua, Aap Logon Ko Bhi Karenge’: Staff recall threats by miscreants during vandalism at RG Kar Hospital 

On Tuesday (20th August), the Supreme Court of India expressed concerns about the safety of doctors, especially female doctors of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. During today’s hearing, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud stressed that the mob that carried out vandalism at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital also called out women doctors by name. They threatened the people leading the protests with the same fate that had befallen the deceased victim, alluding to the rape threats to women doctors. 

The court made these remarks while reading complaints of women doctors who were threatened with rape in response to the submissions of Advocate Aparajita Singh who appeared for women doctors of the hospital. 

She told the court, “When the mob came inside there were people who came inside the ladies’ hostel and threatened with such words that cannot be said here. State police ran away from the scene. The parents are not sending the lady doctors as they are not feeling safe. Doctors have also stated that police were inside the female changing room. Please see the sealed envelope to see the doctors’ position there.”

The court also took notice of the document she placed on record which was an email by a senior resident detailing the incident which took place on the night of 14th August when a large mob carried out vandalism at RG Kar Hospital. 

In response to the rape threats to women doctors, CJI said, “This is a very serious issue Mr. Sibal …Women doctors are assaulted, the police run away from the scene. Thereafter women doctors are called out by name, the people leading the protests, and they are threatened with the same fate that has befallen the other (deceased victim) … What was the police force doing in anticipation?”

The court was also apprised of the fact that a large number of women doctors of the Hospital fled from there fearing for their safety. The counsel told the court that only 30-40 women resident doctors had remained at the Hospital. 

After taking note of the same, the Supreme Court ordered that the CISF will provide security to the RG Kar Hospital.

Eyewitness Nursing staff recalls the 14th August incident and threatening remarks of the attacking mob

It is pertinent to note that as the matter of rape threats was raked today during the Supreme Court hearing on this matter, an eye witness earlier recalled that the attacking mob had threatened them saying, “Jaise Rape Hua, Aap Logon Ko Bhi Karenge.” (You will be raped just like the one that took place recently). 

Notably, while speaking with Burkha Dutt’s online portal, Mojo Story, a Nursing staff recalled the incident of 14th August. 

She stated that they were staging a protest and raising slogans as a large number of women had gathered in the streets during the ‘Reclaim the Night’ protest. She added that the Police were less in number and they were stationed at the gates. They tried to stop the mob as a lot of girls were inside. They included lady doctors, nursing staff and young students. However, the mob broke the barricades and entered inside. They vandalised chairs and tables while one group went to the Emergency department. 

She recalled, “We felt as if the same fate that happened to the victim, for whom we came here to stage a protest, would happen to us. And tomorrow someone else will protest for us. There was no safety and security,” adding that the mob chased them inside the hospital while vandalising the hospital. 

Responding to the query of threats, she added, “They threatened on-duty doctors saying, ‘Jaise Rape Hua hai, aap logo ko bhi karenge’. 

She further stated that the police force was standing aside, we insisted and pushed them a lot to go in front but when the mob entered inside, the Police ran away and went to the nursing staff seeking shelter, and hid in the toilets. We also went to the RAF (Rapid Action Force) to take action, but they declined saying they have not received any order. This went on for 30-40 minutes, and it only cleared after RAF started taking action and did a lathi charge.

Uttar Pradesh: Gaurav Singh killed in Hardoi for having an affair with a Muslim girl; Kadar, Shahrukh, Karim, Sarvesh Khan, and Ijad accused

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Gaurav Singh killed in Hardoi for having an affair with a Muslim girl; Kadar, Shahrukh, Karim, Sarvesh Khan, and Ijad accused

A shocking murder case of a Hindu youth over an Interfaith Love affair with a Muslim girl has come to light from the Hardoi district of Uttar Pradesh. On Monday night (19th August), the body of a 28-year-old man, Gaurav Singh, was recovered from the house of his Muslim girlfriend. A pistol and a knife were also found near his dead body. 

Following the incident, Gaurav’s brother, Akhilesh Singh, filed a complaint with the Police in which he accused five villagers of killing his brother. The accused have been identified as Sarvesh Khan, Kadar, Shahrukh, Karim, and Ijad. 

As per reports, it is said that the accused had an old enmity with the deceased Hindu youth as villagers believe that the accused had an interfaith love affair with a Muslim girl whose family members were against this relationship. 

According to reports, Gaurav Singh (28) is the son of Santosh Singh and a resident of Hasnapur village. His dead body was found at the house of Sarvesh Khan in Hasnapur village which falls in the Pali police station area. It is said that in the night, he had a fight after which he was fatally shot in his stomach. 

After receiving information about the incident, Superintendent of Police Neeraj Kumar Jadaun immediately rushed to the spot. The Police called the Forensic team to the crime site which then collected samples from the house of the accused. 

After reaching the crime scene, Police took his body into their custody, sent it for post-mortem, and initiated necessary legal proceedings.

It is said that Gaurav lived in Jaipur where he used to work as a cook. A few months ago, he had eloped with his Muslim girlfriend. However, the family members of the Muslim girl had filed a case against him at Pali police station as they accused him of luring and kidnapping their minor daughter. After this, the police recovered the Muslim girl and handed her over to her family while Gaurav Singh was arrested and sent to jail. He spent over a month in jail and after his release, he went to Jaipur.  

However, as he returned to the city, his body was recovered from the house of his reported Muslim girlfriend. According to local sources, Gaurav wanted to run away with Khan’s daughter but her family was against their relationship. 

The Police are also probing the case from all angles including suicide as according to reports, one cartridge was found in his pocket.

It is pertinent to note that this is not a one-off incident where a Hindu youth has been killed over a relationship with Muslim girls.

Earlier this week, the body of a Dalit youth named Suraj Kumar (25) was found hanging in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly. As per reports, the family member of his Muslim girlfriend had issued death threats to Suraj’s family members. Subsequently, the Police filed a case against the girl’s father Chhuttan, Tasleem, Irshad Hussain Patrakar, Ashfaq, Rehman, and 10-15 others. 

Earlier this month, another Hindu youth was killed over an Interfaith love affair with a Muslim girl, Ramza. While the duo tied the marital knot, their relationship was not acceptable to Ramza’s father Ishabhai who wanted her to do Nikah with the man with whom she was engaged against her will. The incident came to light from Gujarat’s Dwarka where the Hindu youth named Yagnik Dudhrejia was brutally hacked to death by relatives of his Muslim wife Ramza. 

It is pertinent to note that Ramza had given birth to a baby girl recently in June. Police had arrested Sajid, Salim, Juma, Ahmed, Usman, and Hothi Kasam in connection with this murder case. 

Madhya Pradesh: Danish rapes a 19-year-old Hindu girl held captive by brother Jackie Pathan and his wife; couple brainwashed girls into embracing Islam

OpIndia Staff
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Madhya Pradesh: Danish rapes a 19-year-old Hindu girl held captive by brother Jackie Pathan and his wife; couple brainwashed girls into embracing Islam

On 11th August, a 19-year-old girl was held hostage and raped in Shajapur, Madhya Pradesh which led to fierce protests from her family members and Hindu outfits after which four people were arrested, including Kiran Rajput and her husband Jackie Pathan alias Tausif who locked the victim in the room, his brother Nikki Pathan who helped them and Kiran Rajput’s brother-in-law Danish Lala who raped her.

Now, shocking revelations have come to the fore about the mastermind of the crime known as Kiran Rajput who is originally from Maharashtra and married to a Muslim man. She used to brainwash the girls who came to her sewing centre and told them about the virtues of Islam. She is currently under interrogation to determine how many other girls she has managed to trap into her web of deceit.

Kiran Rajput who became a Muslim had indoctrinated the girl after befriending her. Kiran disclosed that she and Jackie who is a truck driver became friends four years ago. He used to visit Mumbai for work and during that time he came in contact with her online after which the two became friends. She then came to Shajapur, changed her religion and married him due to which her family members snapped all ties with her. Afterwards, she began to manipulate other girls who visited her for sewing.

The victim had left her studies and went to Kiran’s place along with a friend to learn sewing. Kiran became friends with her and started praising Islam in front of her. Kiran also introduced the girl to her brother-in-law Danish Lala through social media. The pair then started meeting at Kiran’s place often. Danish also started to roam in front of the girl’s house and as a result, her father scolded her when he grew suspicious.

Enraged by her father’s reprimands, the victim went to Kiran’s residence. where her brother-in-law and husband were already present. Kiran also called Danish there and led her into the back room where she urged Danish to rape her. On 11th August, the victim’s family members went to the police station to submit a missing person complaint after she did not return home. Kiran was located when the family members inquired from her friends and began to argue when they arrived at her house. A huge crowd gathered there and Hindu groups also reached the spot and freed the victim from the room. The cops also reached there, placated the agitators and filed a case against the four accused.

As Nafees Chishti, Salim Chishti, and 4 others get life imprisonment in 1992 Ajmer mass rape and blackmail case, read about the scandal that shook the nation’s soul

Anurag
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As Nafees Chishti, Salim Chishti, and 4 others get life imprisonment in 1992 Ajmer mass rape and blackmail case, read about the scandal that shook the nation’s soul

On 20th August, six culprits of one of the largest sex scandals in the nation, which took place in Ajmer 32 years ago, have been sentenced to life in jail by the district court. They also have to pay a fine of Rs 5 lakh. The convicts in the matter who got life sentences are  Nafees Chishti, Naseem alias Tarzan, Salim Chishti, Iqbal Bhati, Sohil Gani, and Syed Zameer Hussain. They were found guilty of the crime on 20th August after the trial ran for 32 years. A total of 12 accused were named in multiple chargesheets in the Ajmer Sex Scandal of 1992.

Four other accused in the matter have already been sentenced. Several charged in the case were linked to the Congress Party. The main accused, Farooq Chishti, served as the President of the Ajmer Youth Congress. Nafees 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.

As the victims of the Ajmer Sex Scandal finally got justice, here is how the scandal happened, how it came to public light and what chronologically conspired after that.

How it all started

It all started with Farooq Chishti grooming a female student of Sophia Senior Secondary School and raping her. He took objectionable photographs of the minor and threatened her to introduce other girls to him. Later, those girls were raped and blackmailed as well.

Farooq Chishti was the president of the Ajmer Youth Congress while two other accused, Nafis Chishti and Anwar Chishti were the vice-president and joint secretary respectively of the city Congress unit. In this case, some of the accused were the Chishti Khadims (caretakers) of the Ajmer Dargah.

Reports of Ajmer Sex Scandal that shook the nation

In April 1992, Ajmer woke up to a shocking story of sexual exploitation of over 100 women aged 17 to 20. Notably, some of the later reports claimed the number could be as high as 250.

The story was written by journalist Santosh Gupta and it was published in Dainik Navjyoti. The report revealed that hundreds of schoolgirls were sexually exploited by the accused. They recorded the sexual assaults and used them to blackmail the girls to bring more girls to them.

Daughters of big leaders in Ajmer also became victims of the scandal and the story was published with the title “Daughters of big leaders are victims of blackmail’.

All the victims were students of different schools in Ajmer. They were exploited by the people who were in higher positions both financially and politically. After the report was published, the accused reportedly tried to erase the evidence. The officials who were involved in the scandal tried to save themselves and the family members of the victims were threatened, moved out and forced to remain silent.

One of the biggest shocks for the people of Ajmer was that families of influential Khadims of Ajmer Dargah or the dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti were involved. These khakis identify themselves as the descendants of the original followers of the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. Two names that made headlines for their involvement were Farooq Chishti and Nafis Chishti, who were Youth Congress leaders at the time when the scandal came to light.

What followed next was another saga of political influence and administrative incompetence. There are speculations that the matter was suppressed to the point that many witnesses and victims turned hostile, and many details got buried. The witnesses and victims were threatened and blackmailed as well to stop them from coming forward. Some of them turned hostile due to social stigma.

At that time, Bairon Singh Shekhawat of the Janata Party was the chief minister of the state. When he learned about the scandal, Shekhawat gave strict instructions to the investigation officers not to spare anyone. However, the district police officials were reportedly more inclined to save their jobs and did not take swift action. Meanwhile, the accused got a chance to destroy the evidence that could be used against them.

After 15 days of no action in Ajmer Sex Scandal, Santosh Gupta wrote another report and questioned how the culprits who blackmailed so many schoolgirls were roaming free. The report titled ‘How did those who blackmail girl students remain free?’ was accompanied by blurred photographs of the girls. These were the same photographs that were used to blackmail the schoolgirls.

The shockwaves did not stop there. In the next report, Gupta revealed that CID was aware of the matter for over five months and the next report revealed that then-home minister of Rajasthan, Digvijay Singh had seen the obscene photographs 90 days before the report of the scandal came out. These reports were more than enough to intensify the anger among the public leading to immense pressure on the government. A notable fact in the case was that most of the accused men were Muslims and the majority of the victims were Hindus.

The editor of Navjyoti, Deenbandhu Chaudhary, had admitted that the local law enforcement authorities were aware of the scandal almost since a year before the story broke, but they allowed the local politicians to stall the investigations. Even Choudhary himself was hesitant before running the story, the reason was the perpetrators of the crime belonged to the family of ‘Khadims’. Khadims are the families of traditional caretakers of the Ajmer Dargah, they claim to be the direct descendants of the first followers of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisty and hold significant influence in the local communities. The police had stalled the case because the local politicians warned action against the accuse would lead to massive communal tension. Chaudhary stated that finally, they decided to go ahead with the story because that seemed to be the only way to wake the local administration into action.

The state administration came into action to control the situation. Then District Collector Aditi Mehta and then-Superintendent of Police MN Dhawan held a meeting with a delegation of lawyers. The meeting led to sending the accused to jail under National Security Act.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader and office bearer of Vishwa Hindu Parishad Veer Kumar was also part of the meeting. He revealed that the sexual exploitation of Hindu girls by Muslim men was reported by Gupta long before the scandal came to light.

During that period, Inspector General of Police, Omendra Bhardwaj, claimed in a press conference that the scandal was “not as big as publicised”. He also raised questions about the characters of the four girls whose photos were used to blackmail them. He claimed that their character was “suspicious”. His statement did not go well with the public and a series of protests took place across the state.

On 20th May 1992, after a month of reports and protests over Ajmer Sex Scandal, the matter was handed over to CID by CM Shekhawat. Initially, an FIR was registered by Ajmer District Police under then-Deputy Superintendent Hariprasad Sharma. The FIR read, “In Ajmer, schoolgirls were somehow trapped and obscene photographs were taken. After that, they were blackmailed as well and sexually abused. Along with this, information has been received that the gang is pressing the girls to bring others in the net.”

The FIR further mentioned that influential men were involved in the scandal and few of the victims were identified from the photos. On 31st May 1992, senior IPS officer NK Patni and his team reached Ajmer and took over the investigation. CID’s investigation revealed the involvement of Youth Congress leaders Farooq Chishti and Nafis Chishti, Joint Secretary Anwar Chishti Almas Maharaj and others. The manager of the photo studio where photographs were printed, Harish Tolani, was also named as one of the accused. Another grim realisation was that many of the victims, being young and vulnerable, had already committed suicide. Though several of the other victims were identified, they refused to come forward. Only a handful of girls came forward and gave statements. Out of those, only a few continued to fight the case.

The explopitation by ‘journalists’

The most disturbing part of the Ajmer Sex Scandal has been the quiet suffering of the victims. Small time tabloids were quite a sensation in Ajmer at that time. As if the mass exploitation of hundreds of girls was not enough of a blow to the town’s conscience, many victims were even allegedly blackmailed further by these tabloids and local papers. They had access to the explicit images of the girls, and the owners and publishers sought money from the families of the girls to keep them hidden. As per a report in India Today, Madan Singh, the chief editor of one of such papers, named ‘Lehron Ki Barkha’ was one of such people. He had been blackmailing many girls demanding money, threatening to release their pictures otherwise. Most of the girls had given in, while one victim, Pushpa Dhanwani had come forward and lodged an FIR against him. Madan Singh was assassinated in 1992 in his hospital bed while recovering from an injury he sustained from a previous attack. His sons avenged his murder in January 2023.

Sentencing of the accused

In 1998, the rights of the accused were sent to life imprisonment. However, four of them were acquitted by the Rajasthan High Court in 2001. In 2003, the other four accused’s sentence was reduced to 10 years. Out of 250 reported victims, only 12 filed complaints. It took the Indian Judicial System 32 years to punish the remaining six culprits. Even now, they have the option to approach the High Court and then the Supreme Court. Farooq Chishty, who was earlier declared mentally unstable, was convicted by a fast track court in Ajmer in 2007. In 2013, the Rajasthan High Court upheld the decision though it reduced the period of the sentence from life imprisonment to the period already served by him.

Acquitted after 7 years: Man accused of raping and murdering 100-yr-old woman acquitted, Court says woman’s grandson may have filed case to get govt compensation

OpIndia Staff
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Acquitted after 7 years: Man accused of raping and murdering 100-yr-old woman acquitted, Court says woman’s grandson may have filed case to get govt compensation

The Allahabad High Court recently acquitted a man who was convicted for the attempted rape and murder of a 100-year-old woman seven years ago. The bench of Justices Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Dr. Gautam Chowdhary overturned the trial court’s judgment which awarded the accused life imprisonment. It overturned his conviction on the grounds of lack of independent witnesses and the absence of confirmation of rape and murder in the medical report. It noted that the evidence indicated that the deceased died due to ‘septic shock’ and not due to any blow or injury. 

Notably, the said incident took place in Meerut on 29th Oct, 2017. At that time, the accused, Ankit Punia, was 24 years old. He was sentenced to life imprisonment by a special court on 20th November, 2020. However, the High Court overturned his conviction on 13th August this year. 

Punia was accused of trespassing, attempted rape, and murder. The prosecution had alleged that the elderly woman was too frail to resist and she was assaulted and later died in the hospital. Subsequently, a case was filed under several sections, including provisions of the SC/ST Act. 

The two-judge bench heard Punia’s appeal, which argued that the case was fabricated. His lawyer, Arun Deshwal, told the court that the elderly woman’s grandson took Rs 1 lakh as a loan from the accused which he never repaid. His counsel argued that to avoid repaying the loan as well as to secure financial assistance from the government, the informant fabricated a false case and implicated the accused. 

Meanwhile, according to the allegations levelled by the informant (Shani Kumar Balmiki), his ailing 100-year-old grandmother was resting on a cot in the verandah of their home. He and his wife were in a nearby room and heard their grandmother, who was in a semi-conscious state, whining. When they rushed there, they found the accused (Ankit Punia) and two fellow villagers sexually assaulting their grandmother.

They also alleged that they had to lift Ankit off their grandmother with great difficulty as the accused appeared to be in an inebriated state. However, when they attempted to nab him, he fled from the scene.

According to the Shani Balmiki, they immediately took his grandmother to the police station via an ambulance and filed a report in this case. Later, the trial court convicted him as it concluded that there was a complete chain of evidence showing that the accused committed the crime. 

However, the High Court was told that the informant (Shani Balmiki) had admitted in his testimony that he was living in Ghaziabad with his wife at the time of the incident. Therefore, he couldn’t have been an eyewitness to the alleged incident. It was also submitted that the victim was ill and passed away due to poor health in which the accused had no role to play.

Based on the testimonies, forensic evidence, and medical report, the High Court bench found that there was no sign of rape and murder of the deceased.

The bench also noted the fact that the trial court had expressed its opinion that no sperm or semen was found on any object, nor was there any sign of external injury on the genitals in the medical report of the victim, and that no evidence or signs of penetration by the accused were found.

Consequently, the High Court concluded that the trial court was wrong in assuming that the accused was attempting to commit rape. The Court held that section 376/511 of the IPC against the accused for trying to commit rape was not proved.

The bench also observed that it was probable that the allegations of sexual offence and homicide were made against the accused only to get financial support from the government.

The court observed, “…this fact is credible that the complainant falsely implicated the accused to get the money from the government. Sunny Kumar had falsely implicated the accused by committing a criminal conspiracy because of the money taken from the accused. This is because the prosecution witness No. 1 has admitted in his cross-examination that ‘after the death of my grandmother Phullo Devi, my father and his three brothers had received Rs. 8.25 lakh from the government.’”

Centre takes down lateral entry ad: Opposition’s caste politics is a Frankenstein’s monster threatening to consume India’s growth story

Amit Kelkar
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Centre takes down lateral entry ad: Opposition’s caste politics is a Frankenstein’s monster threatening to consume India’s growth story

On Tuesday (August 20), the central government took a U-turn two days after the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) called applications for lateral entry into the government service.

The Centre sent a letter to the UPSC requesting the withdrawal of an advertisement that invited applications for lateral entry into 45 positions of joint secretaries, directors, and deputy secretaries across 24 ministries on a contract basis. These positions were scheduled to be filled by September 17.

Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances Jitendra Singh has requested the UPSC chairman to withdraw the current Lateral Entry advertisement.

In his letter, the minister explained that the decision is part of a broader reevaluation of the lateral entry system within the government.

“While most significant lateral entries before 2014 were made in an ad-hoc manner, often involving alleged favouritism, our government has focused on making the process institutionalized, transparent, and inclusive,” the letter stated. “The Prime Minister firmly believes that lateral entry must adhere to the principles of equity and social justice outlined in our Constitution, particularly regarding reservation provisions.”

The reversal comes just two days after the Centre initiated a search for 45 “talented and motivated Indian nationals” to fill positions as joint secretaries, directors, or deputy secretaries through lateral recruitment. While this approach to addressing knowledge gaps in the cadre-based bureaucracy is not new, it sparked a needless controversy after the opposition political parties, led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, once again used the calling card of caste politics that has been leverage to the hilt to undermine the popularity of PM Modi and cast a dent in BJP’s electoral supremacy. 

Taking to X, Gandhi tweeted, “Lateral entry is an attack on Dalits, OBCs, and Adivasis. BJP’s distorted version of Ram Rajya seeks to destroy the Constitution and snatch reservations from Bahujans.” He later escalated his criticism, calling it an “anti-national step.”

Another opposition leader, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav went a step ahead and called for a nationwide protest against the advertisement issued by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Not just the opposition leaders, but NDA alliance partners too jumped the bandwagon and raised their opposition to the lateral entry into the bureaucracy, something which has been happening for decades, including during UPA years as pointed out by Jitendra Singh in the letter, citing Sonia Gandi’s National Advisory Council that was formed in 2004. 

While Congress had formed it to accommodate academicians, historians, bureaucrats, and civil services officers who helped them in setting agendas and shaping public opinion about policies designed and implemented by their governments, the Modi government had sought to bring in experts from various fields to fill vacant positions in the bureaucracy. In 2017, the NITI Aayog suggested hiring professionals from outside the All India Services and Central Civil Services for middle and senior management roles in the central government.

According to an India Today report, these experts could be recruited from private companies, public sector enterprises, and state governments.

These ‘lateral entrants’ would join the central secretariat, which had previously been primarily staffed by career bureaucrats from the All India Services and Central Civil Services.

These experts are initially appointed for three years, with the possibility of extending their tenure to five years.

Since 2018, approximately 63 individuals have been brought into the bureaucracy through lateral entry. This includes eight joint secretaries in 2019, and 2022, three joint secretaries and 27 directors, as reported by India Today.

In 2019, then Minister of State for the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) Jitendra Singh explained in the Rajya Sabha that “lateral recruitment aims to fulfil two objectives: infusing fresh talent and enhancing manpower availability.”

The lateral entry option granted the government an opportunity to hire officers and bureaucrats who specialised in particular fields and who had the expertise and experience to expedite the country’s development story.  It didn’t discriminate against any reserved categories, as alleged by Mr Gandhi and the SP chief, as it was open to every qualified officer regardless of their caste or religion. 

But since the opposition, having extracted their pound of flesh with the perpetuation of caste politics during the Lok Sabha elections feels more than confident to continue barreling down the path of exploiting caste-based divisions to catapult themselves to the corridors of power, they buckled down with the modus operandi of stoking fears among the reserved classes and casting the centre as a government working against their interests.  

Instead of ushering the country into the future and a united India, the opposition parties are determined to yank the nation back to the 1970s and 1980s, when the country was mired in caste polity while our much larger neighbour, China, economically weaker than us then, cleared the decks for unprecedented growth trajectory, attracting foreign investments and manufacturing companies to become the world’s second-largest economy.

The Indian country was on the cusp of a transformational change then. It is on another cusp today as China grapples with economic challenges, compounded by Xi Jinping’s increasingly authoritarian inclinations and the supply chain woes faced by multinational corporations in the wake of the COVID pandemic. The world has set its eyes on a democratically robust country like India, with a burgeoning domestic consumption-led economy and a technologically savvy workforce, as a preferred destination that would drive global growth in an increasingly fraught environment plagued with wars and geopolitical tensions.

But just like the last time, when Congress-led governments allowed China to outpace India in terms of growth and development, this time, too, the Congress party and its alliance partners appear hellbent on bogging down the current dispensation by unleashing the Frankenstein’s monster of caste politics on us for their petty political objectives. For the next 5 years of the Modi government, expect this monster to make an appearance, every now and then, with both, the Centre and the opposition, using it to score political brownie points.

But for an average Indian who prefers meritocracy as well as social justice, affirmative action, social cohesion, individual identity, and religious kinship, this race to the bottom only threatens to undermine the country’s inspiring growth story. It might even delay the collective goal of making the country the world’s third-largest economy. With caste politics again gaining currency, the nation could witness another burst of brain drain, with the young and the talented falling over themselves to rush out of the country to a place that respects and rewards their talent and dynamism and does not reduce them to their social identities.

Re-naming Harappan Civilization “Sindhu-Sarasvati” in NCERT textbooks is based on established scholarship: NCERT panel head Michel Danino

OpIndia Staff
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Re-naming Harappan Civilization “Sindhu-Sarasvati” in NCERT textbooks is based on established scholarship: NCERT panel head Michel Danino

Amidst controversy over the new Class 6 social science textbook Exploring Society: India and Beyond for using names “Sindhu-Sarasvati” and “Indus-Sarasvati” for Harappan Civilisation, Michel Danino, the chair of the NCERT committee that drafted the textbook has defended the changes. The leftist ecosystem is claiming that these alternative names demonstrate the “Hindutva agenda” of the government.

Defending the alternative names used for Harappan Civilisation in NCERT textbook, Michel Danino told Indian Express, “The decision to include alternative names like ‘Sindhu-Sarasvati’ and ‘Indus-Sarasvati’ for the Harappan civilization is neither new nor driven by any political agenda. Archaeologists, such as Professor Jonathan Mark Kenoyer of Wisconsin University, British archaeologist Jane McIntosh, and the late Raymond Allchin, one of the foremost authorities on the Indian subcontinent, have used these terms in their work. Jean-Marie Casal, the French archaeologist, also speaks of the Sarasvati River in the context of the Harappan civilization. Gregory Possehl, the late American archaeologist, dedicates several chapters to the Sarasvati River in his book ‘The Indus Age.’”

Danino asserted that the new terminology used in the textbook is based on established archaeological scholarship and not any contemporary political influence. “This terminology is based on established archaeological scholarship, not on any recent political influence. So, this is not a Hindutva thing. Moreover, we have included all alternative names. To me, this is factual,” the visiting professor at IIT Gandhinagar said.

Moreover, Danino called the induction of alternative terminology a “good first step” and also added that more such steps will be taken in the coming days.

In July this year, it was reported that the new NCERT Class 6 Social Science textbook has undergone certain changes. This also included reference to the Harappan Civilisation as “Sindhu-Saraswati” and “Indus-Saraswati” civilisation. Amidst controversy over the new Class 6 social science textbook Exploring Society: India and Beyond for using names “Sindhu-Sarasvati” and “Indus-Sarasvati” for Harappan Civilisation, Michel Danino, the chair of the NCERT committee that drafted the textbook has defended the changes. The leftist ecosystem is claiming that these alternative names demonstrate the Hindutva agenda of the government. While earlier, there were distinct textbooks for History, Political Science, and Geography, the new textbook covers all the relevant subjects within the fold of Social Science.

The new textbook has been organised into five themes: ‘India and the World: Land and People’, ‘Tapestry of the Past’, ‘Our Cultural Heritage and Knowledge Traditions’, ‘Governance and Democracy’, and ‘Economic Life Around Us’.

Interestingly, it was reported last year that the researchers from Deccan College Pune and the Central Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) found that human remains unearthed at an ancient site of Rakhigarhi – a village in the Hisar district of Haryana – date back roughly 8,000 years

During the excavations, a large settlement of the largest ancient houses ever was found underground. A courtyard along with a drainage system were also found in it. Moreover, there were two to six-bedroom houses that were also available at that time. The clothing fashion of the people of that time is also known. The research team found a colourful worn piece of cloth, a shawl and a skirt.

“This research has found strong evidence that the Harappan civilisation is 7,000 to 8,000 years old. Scientists from the Department of Archaeology of India and Deccan College have worked together on the project. It is agreed that there was human habitation or civilisation in our country 8,000 years ago,” Deccan College Pune assistant professor Prabhodh Shirwalkar asserted adding that the people back then were as advanced as they are in present times.

Throat slit, multiple wounds and missing identity: Police find dead body of woman in Bareilly hotel, room was booked by Mohammed Alam

OpIndia Staff
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Throat slit, multiple wounds and missing identity: Police find dead body of woman in Bareilly hotel, room was booked by Mohammed Alam

On Tuesday (20th August), the dead body of a 28-year-old woman was recovered from a hotel room in Bareilly city of Uttar Pradesh.

As per reports, the room was booked two days earlier by a man using the identity card of ‘Mohammed Alam’. The staff at the ‘Hotel Preet Palace’ discovered a foul smell exuding from the room on Tuesday.

On opening the gate using a duplicate key, they found the dead body of the woman. The hotel staff thereafter immediately called the police.

On reaching the spot, the police found that the throat of the victim had been slit. There were 5 deep wounds on her body, including the shoulder. The cops also found a burqa on the bed.

Following a preliminary investigation, a police official said that the girl was made unconscious before the murder. Cops believe that the woman was brought to the hotel with the sinister plan to murder.

The accused man, who booked the hotel room, is believed to be Mohammed Alam. He is a resident of Azamnagar in Bareilly. Alam had left the hotel facility on Monday.

After collecting information from the hotel owner Karanpreet Singh, the body of the woman was sent for post-mortem. It had come to light that the hotel did not take the identity card of the victim at the time of check-in.

In the meantime, the police have sealed the room where the murder took place. They also seized the Aadhar card of Mohammed Alam. The cops are now trying to establish the identity of the victim.

According to Superintendent of Police Rahu Bhati, the murder took place at least 10-12 hours before the discovery of the body. “Police teams have been deployed to search for Mohammed Alam. The postmortem of the body is being done. The accused will be caught soon,” he added.

‘Code names for women, zero safety’: Hema committee highlights sexual harassment, gender discrimination in Malayalam film industry

OpIndia Staff
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‘Code names for women, zero safety’: Hema committee highlights sexual harassment, gender discrimination in Malayalam film industry

The Kerala government, led by Pinarayi Vijayan, came under heavy criticism on Tuesday, 20th August, for holding up the release of the Hema committee report, featuring startling information about how women are treated in the Malayalam film industry.

The government-appointed expert group discussed several embarrassing aspects, including unwanted physical advances made to women in the Malayalam film industry before they even started working and code names for women who would compromise. On Monday, August 18, the report was made official.

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 panel consisted of three people- legendary actress Sharada, and former bureaucrat K.B. Valsalakumari, led by Justice K. Hema. The committee’s mandate included looking at the working environment for women in the Malayalam film industry and coming up with suggestions for preventing discrimination and sexual harassment.

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.

The report stressed that women have few options for pursuing justice or safety because there is no legally recognized body to deal with these problems.

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.

These testimonials highlight the widespread culture of insensitivity and exploitation that women in the field face on a daily basis. The study found that the Malayalam film industry has a deeply embedded patriarchal mentality that feeds the myth that women only pursue careers in the business to gain notoriety and fortune, and as a result, they will “surrender” to anything.

Because of this poisonous culture, women are exploited by men in positions of authority who believe they will do whatever it takes to get a part in a movie. The study chastised the industry for failing to acknowledge the fact that a large number of women are acting professionals who are in the business for the love of the trade rather than just the money.

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.

Even in cases where women possess equal or greater experience and talent, they are frequently paid far less than their male colleagues. The discrimination against women in the workplace due to their gender is a reflection of larger issues of injustice and inequality. The report further touched upon the issue of cyberbullying and online harassment faced by women in the film industry.

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.

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