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UP: Shakuntala became Shakila after marrying Abdul Lateef, availed Haj subsidy, yet won panchayat poll from SC seat & officials upheld her caste certificate, now cancelled

OpIndia Staff
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UP: Shakuntala became Shakila after marrying Abdul Lateef, availed Haj subsidy, yet won panchayat poll from SC seat & officials upheld her caste certificate, now cancelled

In Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnor district, a district-level monitoring committee led by the district magistrate (DM) revoked the Scheduled Caste (SC) certificate of a woman named Shakuntala on the 3rd of June, who previously ran for Zilla Panchayat elections from a reserved seat despite converting to Islam many years ago, Swarajya reported.

It is pertinent to note that according to the Indian constitution, any person born as in Scheduled Caste is not eligible to receive caste-related benefits after converting to Islam or Christianity. “no person who professes a religion different from the Hindu, Sikh, or Buddhist religion shall be deemed to be a member of Scheduled Castes,” Paragraph 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, under Article 341 states.

Shakuntala was born into a Hindu Dalit family of Jaatav caste in Bijnor to Ramnath Singh and Bhagwan Deyi. Following the death of her first husband belonging Jaatav caste, Shakuntala married Abdul Lateef, a Bijnor native in 1983. Shakuntala changed her name to Shakila after marrying Abdul Lateef.

In her report, Swarajya journalist Swati Goel Sharma said that Shakila won the zila panchayat election in 2015 from Ward 8 of the Najibabad block in Bijnor, which is an SC-reserved seat. The caste certificate she provided with her nomination was generated in 2011 and signed by one Khan Rashid Ali.

Copy of Shakila’s caste certificate (Source: Swarajya)

Shakila’s opponent in the election, Manju, raised the issue of Shakila’s religious identity and requested that the Bijnor superintendent of police and district magistrate (DM) take action against her. After the authorities took no action, the Vishwa Dalit Parishad, a Dalit organisation, raised the matter with the National Commission for Scheduled Castes in New Delhi.

In her complaint, Manju stated that Shakila’s passport, granted to her in 2011, proved that she went on Haj in Mecca after receiving the central government’s Haj subsidy, confirming her Muslim identity. The complaint further stated that Shakila and Abdul Lateef have a son named Yusuf, who married according to Islamic traditions. In her complaint, Manju further claimed that Shakila, who is no longer a Dalit, had an SC woman’s right to a reserved Zilla Panchayat seat.

In July 2017, the commission issued notices to the then-Bijnor DM Jagatraj and SP for a response. The same year, DM Jagatraj and Deputy SP Gajinder Pal Singh appeared in a hearing at the commission’s New Delhi office. The then-Bijnor DM told the commission that Manju’s complaint should be ignored because Shakila’s caste certificate issued in September 2015 was “legitimate” and Manju had not opposed Shakila’s name during the nomination process.

The commission, however, opined that Shakila’s caste certificate should be cancelled in addition, she should be suspended from the Zilla Panchayat post. Moreover, the commission said that an FIR should be registered against the officials who issued the caste certificate to Shakila. However, the Swarajya report says that no action has been taken against those officials to date.

Minutes of the meeting of an NCSC hearing in 2017 (Source: Swarajya)

The case was referred to the District Level Caste Scrutiny Committee, a government organisation in charge of verifying caste certificates and cancelling those that had been granted wrongly.

On the 3rd of June, the final hearing on the matter was held and the committee cancelled the caste certificate, citing Paragraph 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, under Article 341. “The order states that all evidence establishes Shakila’s conversion to Islam and she has violated the Constitution,” Swarajya reported.

During the probe, it also emerged that Shakila had two votes registered in her name in the 2015 elections. In the voter list, her name appears twice, Shakuntala (her original name) and Shakila. Bhupendra of the Vishwa Dalit Parishad told Swati Goel Sharma that his organisation will now try to get an FIR filed against Shakila for using a forged document to obtain a government position meant for a person belonging to the Dalit community.

Guruji of RSS-affiliated school, firebrand tribal leader, and Four-time MLA: Mohan Charan Majhi takes oath as first BJP Chief Minister of Odisha

OpIndia Staff
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Guruji of RSS-affiliated school, firebrand tribal leader, and Four-time MLA: Mohan Charan Majhi takes oath as first BJP Chief Minister of Odisha

On Wednesday (12th June), BJP’s popular tribal leader, Mohan Charan Majhi, took oath as the 15th Chief Minister of Odisha, making him the saffron party’s inaugural CM in India’s eastern state.

First-time MLA Pravati Parida and six-time legislator Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo were sworn in as his two deputies. Senior BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP CM Yogi Adityanath, attended the ceremony. Additionally, former state CM and BJD leader Naveen Patnaik was also present during the swearing-in ceremony.

Odisha CM Majhi has become the first leader from the tribal-dominated Keonjhar district to hold the topmost position in the state. He hails from the Santhali tribe and is seen as a firebrand tribal leader. He shares Santhal roots with India’s first Adivasi President, Droupadi Murmu, who also comes from the same tribe. The development is being viewed as a strategic move by the BJP months ahead of the assembly elections in predominantly tribal Jharkhand. Additionally, tribals have a dominant presence in Odisha, constituting around 23% of the state’s population.

He has been a strong organisational leader with firm links with the RSS. Throughout his career, he has taken on multiple roles including farmer, teacher in an RSS-affiliated school, sarpanch, advocate for Adivasi rights, and crusader against the mining mafia. In the past, he has served as the secretary of BJP’s Adivasi Morcha. He is married to Priyanka Marandi and the couple have two sons.

Majhi grew up in Raikala within the Keonjhar Sadar region. After studying law, he briefly taught at the RSS-run Saraswati Shisu Vidya Mandir before venturing into politics. The four-time MLA from Keonjhar, Mohan Majhi has an over two-decade-long political career which began in 1997. He was a village council chief (sarpanch) from 1997-2000.

In 2000, he was elected to the state assembly for the first time from Keonjhar and was re-elected in 2004. From 2005 to 2009, he served as the government deputy chief whip in the BJD-BJP coalition government. In 2019, he was again elected as an MLA, and after winning the 2019 assembly elections, he was appointed as the opposition chief whip in the Odisha Assembly. In the recent polls, he retained the Keonjhar seat by defeating BJD’s Mina Majhi by a margin of 11,577 votes. 

He was once forced to sleep on footpaths for several days due to a delay in the allotment of a quarter to him when he was elected to the assembly from Keonjhar in 2019.

Addressing the assembly, Majhi once recounted his experience of spending multiple nights on a footpath due to the delayed allocation of a government quarter. He informed the then assembly speaker, S N Patro, that he couldn’t secure accommodation on short notice and that his mobile phone was stolen while he slept outdoors.

Interestingly, the outgoing CM Naveen Patnaik has resided in his private residence in Bhubaneswar for the past 24 years. Consequently, the general administration department is now searching for a new state Chief Minister’s residence.

In 2022, Majhi warned the assembly about threats to some MLAs from the mining mafia. The year before, he survived an attack in Keonjhar when assailants on motorbikes threw crude bombs at his vehicle.

Last year in September, he staged a protest in the state assembly along with BJP’s Dalit legislator Mukesh Mahaling to highlight the alleged Rs 700-crore scam in the purchase of pulses for the mid-day meal scheme. However, former speaker Pramila Mallik suspended him along with Mahaling alleging that he threw uncooked dal at her, an allegation he had firmly denied.

Ahead of his swearing-in ceremony, Mohan Manjhi said that protecting Odisha’s ‘Asmita’ (pride) will be the priority of the new government.

Two Deputy Chief Ministers

Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo who has been chosen as the Deputy CM of the state, is a six-time MLA from Patnagarh in Balanagir District. He hails from the Kshatriya community and belongs to the royal family of Patnagarh, a notable area in western Odisha. Although he lost the election in 2019, he secured victory in 2024. He has also served as a minister in the previous BJD-BJP coalition government. He has previously served as the State President of BJP. His grandfather, Rajendra Narayan Singh Deo, was a former CM of Odisha. His wife, Sangeeta Singh Deo, is currently the MP from Balangir.

Pravati Parida who has also been chosen as the Deputy CM of the state is a first-time MLA from Nimapada of Puri District in coastal Odisha. He hails from the Khandayat community among the OBCs. She had earlier served as the president of the party’s women’s wing in Odisha between 2016 and 2022. From 2022 onwards, she was the state Vice President of the party. 

(With Inputs from ANI)

Several Indians killed and around 50 hospitalised as 6-storeyed building owned by Malayali businessman in Kuwait catches fire

OpIndia Staff
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Several Indians killed and around 50 hospitalised as 6-storeyed building owned by Malayali businessman in Kuwait catches fire

Several Indians are believed to have been among the 41 persons killed in a severe fire caught at a building in Kuwait’s southern Mangaf area on Wednesday, 12th June. The fire started early Wednesday morning, purportedly in a kitchen on a lower floor, and quickly spread throughout the structure, trapping many people inside.

According to initial reports, Kuwait’s deputy prime minister stated that 41 persons were reported to be killed in the tragic incident.

The building belongs to NBTC group owned by businessman KG Abraham from Kerala. Employees at NBTC’s supermarket also lived in the building.

According to Onmanorama, 11 people from Kerala are among the Indians killed in the incident. The facility reportedly accommodated approximately 195 workers, including those from Kerala and Tamil Nadu. As reported by Onmanorama, the building belongs to the NBTC group, which is owned by Malayali industrialist KG Abraham. As per the report, people from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and North India were living in the building.

However, a report by Times Now claims that around 40 Indians have lost their lives in the given incident. The actual number of Indians killed or injured in the incident remains to be disclosed officially

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the fire mishap in Kuwait City is saddening. He tweeted that the Indian Embassy in Kuwait is closely monitoring the situation and working with the authorities there to assist the affected.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar expressed shock at the occurrence and stated the Indian envoy was visiting the camp. “Deeply shocked by the news of the fire incident in Kuwait City. There are reportedly over 40 deaths and over 50 have been hospitalized. Our Ambassador has gone to the camp. We are awaiting further information,” Jaishankar posted on X.

“Deepest condolences to the families of those who tragically lost their lives. Wish early and full recovery to those who have been injured. Our Embassy will render the fullest assistance to all concerned in this regard,” he added.

As per details shared by the Indian Embassy in Kuwait, at least 47 Indians were hospitalized at three different hospitals following the incident. These include 30 in Al-Adan Hospital, 11 in Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital and 6 in Farwaniya Hospital.

Adarsh Swaika, the Indian ambassador to Kuwait, inspected the site in Mangaf to assess the situation. The Embassy stated that the Emassy is constant touch with relevant Kuwaiti law enforcement, fire-service and health authorities for necessary action and emergency medical health-care.

He also went to the Al-Adan hospital, where around 30 Indian labourers injured in the fire have been admitted.

“He visited Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital, where 11 workers injured in today’s fire have been admitted. 10 of them are expected to be released today and one in hospital is reportedly stable. He met with patients still in hospital & assured them of the Embassy’s full support,” the Indian Embassy in Kuwait said in a post on X.

As per the embassy, 6 workers, expected to be mostly Indians, injured in the fire incident were admitted to the Farwaniya Hospital. Authorities confirmed that 4 of them have been released, 1 has been shifted to Jahra Hospital and 1 is reportedly stable.

The Indian Embassy has released helpline number +965-65505246 which can be reached over by phone call, WhatsApp call and WhatsApp messages.

Reports claim that the fire has been brought under control and that authorities are combing the area for evidence as to the cause of the blaze.

At 4.30 a.m. on Wednesday, a fire broke out in a kitchen on one of the labor camp’s lower floors. A preliminary assessment reveals that the fire was caused by a short circuit. According to reports, the fire soon spread to every room in the apartment. The presence of gas cylinders made problems worse.

A handful of people died after leaping out of the apartment when they saw the fire. Others died as a result of smoke inhalation and burn injuries. Several persons suffered injuries in the incident and have been admitted to Adan, Jaber, and Mubarak hospitals. The fire has been contained.

Kuwait’s Interior Minister, Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousuf Al-Sabah, has instructed police to detain the building’s owner, janitor, and the owner of the company accountable for the workers, according to the Kuwait Times.

“What happened today is a result of the greed of the company and the building owners,” the minister said in a statement after visiting the site of the fire. Authorities have initiated an investigation into the fire’s cause.

Mercy petition of Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Arif convicted in 2000 Red Fort attack case rejected by President Droupadi Murmu

OpIndia Staff
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Mercy petition of Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Arif convicted in 2000 Red Fort attack case rejected by President Droupadi Murmu

The mercy petition of Mohammed Arif, alias Ashfaq, a Pakistani terrorist found guilty in the nearly 24-year-old Red Fort attack case has been denied by President Droupadi Murmu. Since taking office on 25th July 2022, this is the President’s second rejection of a mercy petition. On 3rd November of the same year, the Supreme Court denied Arif’s petition for a review, upholding the death sentence that had been imposed.

Legal experts believe that a death row defendant could still petition the Supreme Court under Article 32 of the Constitution to have their sentence commuted on the grounds of protracted delay, even though the mercy request was rejected. As per the President’s secretariat statement of 29th May, the appeal submitted by Arif on 15th May was dismissed on 27th May.

The Supreme Court underlined the direct threat that the assault on the Red Fort posed to the nation’s unity, integrity and sovereignty while maintaining the death penalty and noting the lack of favourable mitigating circumstances in Arif’s favour. Three Army personnel were killed in the 22nd December 2000 attack which involved terrorists opening fire on the 7 Rajputana Rifles regiment stationed inside the Red Fort grounds. Four days following the incident, Delhi Police detained Arif, a citizen of Pakistan and a member of the banned Islamic outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

The apex court in 2022 pointed out, “Appellant-accused Mohd. Arif alias Ashfaq was a Pakistani national and had entered the Indian territory illegally.” After Arif was found guilty of planning the attack alongside other terrorists, the trial court convicted him in October 2005. The verdict was confirmed in later appeals by the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court. The trial court had stated that the two conspirators’ home in Srinagar, where Arif and three other LeT terrorists had stayed after entering the country illegally in 1999 was the meeting place for the plot to attack the Red Fort.

Separate face-offs resulted in the deaths of the three terrorists, Abu Shaad, Abu Bilal, and Abu Haider who had also infiltrated the monument. Arif’s request for mercy was rejected in spite of several judicial challenges, such as reviews and curative petitions, underscoring the gravity of the offence and the danger it posed to national security. In September 2007, the Delhi High Court upheld the lower court’s ruling. Arif then contested the high court’s decision in the Supreme Court.

In August 2011, the Supreme Court also decided in support of the death penalty order that had been given to him. Later, in August 2012, his review petition was heard by a two-judge panel of the highest court, which dismissed it. In January 2014, a plea for curative measures was similarly denied. Afterwards, Arif filed a petition requesting that a bench of three judges consider review petitions in cases involving the issuance of death sentences in public.

In a September 2014 ruling, the apex court constitution panel determined that all cases in which the high court pronounced the death penalty should be brought before a three-judge bench. The review and curative petitions of death row inmates were resolved in chamber processes by circulation prior to the September 2014 order, rather than being heard in public tribunals. A constitution bench announced in January 2016 that Arif could request, within a month, a reopening of the dismissal of the review petitions for a public court hearing. On 3rd November 2022, the Supreme Court issued a judgment rejecting the review petition.

Notably, President Murmu took a tough stand against cases of horrific crimes last year when she denied another mercy appeal in a different case, setting the precedent for this decision.

Mahatma Gandhi’s statue vandalised by Khalistanis in Italy, was scheduled to be inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi

OpIndia Staff
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Mahatma Gandhi’s statue vandalised by Khalistanis in Italy, was scheduled to be inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi

In a shocking development, pro-Khalistani elements have once again displayed their nefarious agenda and vandalised a statue of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi in Italy. Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to inaugurate the statue in Italy’s Apulia during his G-7 visit to the European nation.

Apart from vandalising the statue, the attackers also wrote controversial slogans related to slain Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar at the base of the bust. On the adjacent side, they wrote ‘Arersstoo Terrsto Gandhi Modi’, which seems to be a call to arrest Gandhi and Modi.

Talking about the incident, foreign secretary Kwatra said the Indian authorities raised the matter with Italian officials. “We have a question regarding the vandalization of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi. We have seen the reports of that and have taken it up with the Italian authorities. We understand that suitable rectification has already taken place,” he said.

The local authorities said that they cleaned up the area in record time.

The 50th G7 Summit will be held in Italy’s Apulia region from June 13 to 15. PM Modi will be travelling to the venue a tomorrow to participate in the summit at the invite of Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Last year at least three statues of Mahatma Gandhi were defaced in Canada. Khalistanis first vandalized and spray-painted a Mahatma Gandhi statue next to the city hall in the Canadian province of Ontario and then vandalised another statue of his which was placed at Peace Square on the Burnaby campus at Simon Fraser University. A Mahatma Gandhi statue at a Vishnu temple in Richmond Hill was also vandalized in July of the same year.

In February 2022, miscreants targeted a life-size bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi in a neighbourhood in New York City. Unidentified individuals vandalized the eight-foot-tall statue in Manhattan’s Union Square, according to the Indian Consulate General. In a similar incident, a monument of Mahatma Gandhi was vandalized, shattered, and removed from its base in a park in the US state of California in January 2021.

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to Italy to take part in the G-7 summit on his first international visit since being elected for the third consecutive term. It will take place between 13th and 15th June. Other top leaders scheduled to attend the event include the United States President Joe Biden, his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. On 13th June, PM Modi will depart for Italy and return late the next day. According to the sources, the prime minister would be escorted by a high-level delegation consisting of National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra, among others.

Rajat Sharma’s response to Congress’ accusations and the slowed down video of the segment: What he really said

Anurag
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Rajat Sharma’s response to Congress’ accusations and the slowed down video of the segment: What he really said

On 11th June, in the recent episode of “Aaj Ki Baat”, veteran journalist Rajat Sharma addressed the allegations levelled against him by the Congress Party. Notably, Congress spokesperson Ragini Nayak had claimed that Sharma used abusive language against her during live shows on election counting day.

Sharma, who has been in the field of journalism for 44 years and on TV for 31 years, expressed deep sorrow and termed the allegations against him as a conspiracy to slander his name and reputation as a journalist.

Addressing the viewers, Sharma stated, “Everyone knows that I have never spoken to anyone in a raised voice or insulted anyone. I have always asked even the toughest questions with a smile and spoken my mind politely. That’s why I have received so much love from you.” Sharma was visibly hurt by the accusations made by the Congress Party’s leaders and media cell that ran a campaign on social media claiming he used abusive language.

Before Sharma’s statement, India TV warned the Congress communication department and urged them to stop spreading lies. In the communication made public by India TV, it was emphasised that Sharma is known for his dignity and polite manner of speaking and that any false accusations against him would amount to defamation. However, Congress did not stop the malicious campaign.

Sharma clarified that the entire show in question was live and everyone saw what happened on that day. He said, “If anything had happened, everyone would have known.” He also replayed the portion of the show in question multiple times. During the show that day, Congress spokesperson Nayak misquoted him. He tried to clarify his stand and avoided further debate when she did not listen to him. He felt that the spokesperson was sent to provoke him but the attempt of the Congress party failed.

Talking about the show, that aired on 4th June, Sharma pointed out that there were no allegations of abusive language for six days. However, on 10th June, it was propagated that Sharma used foul language against a female spokesperson on the live show. Rajat Sharma played the full segment of the show for the viewers to see and demonstrated that there was no abusive language used.

He stated, “The video was available then, and it is available now for anyone to see. I have nothing to hide because I have done nothing wrong and said nothing wrong.” Sharma added that an initial warning was sent by the channel before Sharma made any statement in public. However, the Congress media cell repeated their accusations. Consequently, Sharma handed over the matter to the legal team of the India TV channel and the case is being processed to take Congress party to the court.

Concluding his statement, Sharma reassured his viewers and said, “You know me well; I am not afraid of such conspiracies because the truth is on my side, and the facts support me. Those who have deliberately defamed me will now have to answer in court.”

OpIndia’s analysis of the video

OpIndia analysed the video shared by the Congress media cell to level accusations against Rajat Sharma. Towards the end of the clip, Rajat Sharma says something in a very low voice which Congress has claimed was an abusive word against Ragini Nayak. OpIndia slowed down the video and checked it to understand what Sharma was saying. Here are the clips of the specific portion that is being talked about by Congress party.

Video portion at 0.5x speed

Video portion at 0.25x speed

In both speeds it is evident that there is a small gap when Sharma was speaking in a low voice. Furthermore, which might look like abusive word to some people, in reality he was saying “Kya baat karein, chodo”. He said, “Kya baat karein” then there is a small gap followed by him saying “chodo”. When it is played at a normal speed, this gap is not visible.

India TV warned Congress leaders against spreading fake news about Rajat Sharma

A day after Ragini Nayak, Jairam Ramesh and Pawan Khera accused journalist Rajat Sharma of abusing on-air, India TV issued a statement on Tuesday (10th June) vowing legal action against the Congress leaders.

While issuing a warning to the trio, India TV’s Legal Head Ritika Talvar said, “I am writing to you on behalf of India’s most respected journalist and television presenter Mr. Rajat Sharma, who has been in this profession for more than four decades and has a very high degree of credibility and reputation. Mr. Sharma is known for his cultured and civilised behaviour both on and off air. Television viewers world over appreciate his polite and gentle style of anchoring.”

She further added, “We have seen your posts on social media where you have accused Mr. Sharma of using abusive language on air. The allegations made by you in your posts are absolutely false and lack any basis and foundation whatsoever. They are malicious and defamatory and clearly constitute fake news. You have blatantly violated all limits of public decency by falsely accusing a personality of high repute. We are taking legal advice on this to take further action.”

‘Impart Dravidian ideology on migrant workers, teach them self-respect’: Kattappa-fame actor Sathyaraj mocks migrant workers, had supported ‘Eradicate Sanatan’ remark

OpIndia Staff
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‘Impart Dravidian ideology on migrant workers, teach them self-respect’: Kattappa-fame actor Sathyaraj mocks migrant workers, had supported ‘Eradicate Sanatan’ remark

Bahubali’s Kattappa-fame actor Sathyaraj recently courted controversy after mocking migrant workers from Northern states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Speaking at an event in Trichy, Sathyaraj said that the migrant workers “should be taught what is self-respect”. He added that since they would not leave for generations, it was imperative to impart the “principles of the Dravidian model and ideology” to the migrant workers from Northern states.

Earlier, Sathyaraj had supported and hailed Udhayanidhi Stalin for his ‘Eradicate Sanatan’ remark.  

Sathyaraj, a DMK sympathiser, made these remarks while ‘explaining’ the reasons for the migration to Tamil Nadu. He drew parallels with migrants settling in countries like the US and the UK. He claimed that migrant workers who suffer hardships see Tamil Nadu as a preferred destination for migration, similar to the USA. 

Sathyaraj said, “Why do northern state workers come here? They come here because it is not good there right? All the immigrants have no chance to really know our Dravidian model, Dravidian philosophy. They are going to stay here for generations anyway, and how the people who went to America from here to survive don’t leave America and settle there like the same for people from Northeast India states like Bihar who are suffering from hardships will see Tamil Nadu like America.”

He advocated for conducting educational sessions so that the migrant workers could be ‘enlightened’ about the Dravidian model. He argued that this could have its potential impact, even in regions like Uttar Pradesh, where he suggested it could lead to significant political changes. Mocking migrant workers, the actor further added that they should be taught what is self-respect? What is women’s liberation? among other things. He argued that since they will not leave Tamil Nadu for generations, they should be imparted the Dravidian model and ideology. 

Sathyaraj added, “They will definitely not leave this place, they should be taught what is self-respect? What is rational thinking? What is Dravidian Model? Even if they don’t know Tamil, they will learn it in a generation, just teach them some things in their language, what is self-respect, what is rational thinking, what is women’s liberation, no one is superior or inferior by birth… Because there is a lot of cruelty in it, there is no limit to the cruelty that takes place on the basis of birth in northern states. All that should be explained.”

Satyaraj has been advocating for Dravidian ideology and frequently promotes these views both in his speeches and through his films. He often appears in films that show Brahmins in poor light while portraying Dravidian ideology positively. It is pertinent to note that he played the role of the EV Ramasamy, known as Periyar, in his biopic. Periyar is an anti-Hindu activist who is revered by the Dravidian party. 

Earlier, he had supported Udhayanidhi Stalin when he faced massive backlash for his ‘hate speech’ against Sanatan Dharma which he likened to diseases. Back then, Satyaraj extended his support to Udyanidhi Stalin and said, “Minister Udayanidhi Stalin has spoken clearly about Sanathanam. I appreciate the courage of Minister Udayanidhi. His handling of every matter is a matter of pride.”

Cancel license of journalists who indulge in anti-social acts like blackmailing under the garb of journalism: Allahabad High Court

OpIndia Staff
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Cancel license of journalists who indulge in anti-social acts like blackmailing under the garb of journalism: Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court recently ruled that the state should cancel the licenses of journalists who are found to be indulging in anti-social activities like blackmailing in the guise of journalism. Notably, a single judge bench of Justice Shamim Ahmed gave the directions while refusing to quash criminal proceedings against a journalist named Puneet Mishra and a newspaper distributor booked under various sections of the IPC and SC/ST Act.

The High Court denied relief to the accused journalist after the state submitted that a gang was operating in Uttar Pradesh that used to blackmail people under the guise of printing articles against them in newspapers and defaming their image in society. 

The court said, “The matter is very serious and the State Machinery should take cognizance of the same and cancel the license of such journalists if they are found operating in such type of antisocial activities in the garb of their license. There are machinery with the State government which is capable to stop such type of activities which is being operated in case if the case is found to be true.” 

During the proceedings, advocate Rajat Pratap Singh representing Puneet Mishra, argued that the accused had been falsely implicated in the case and that the charge sheet was also filed without proper investigation. Singh claimed that the journalist was falsely implicated as he had published a news item about the illegal cutting of a tree. He also argued that no offense was made out under the SC/ST Act. 

However, the State opposed his arguments and submitted that a prima facie offense was made out and that the journalist had failed to produce the Information Department-issued license before the High Court.

After considering the arguments, the High Court ruled that no interference was required in the matter as a prima facie cognizable offense was made out. 

It added, “In the present case, the applicant, who claims to be the Journalist in the newspaper, namely, Swatantra Bharat is not able to show any document that he is recognized by the said newspaper and even after query made by this court the applicants and their counsel fails to show any such paper.” 

In the present case, a charge sheet was filed against the accused journalist on 9th October 2023 under sections 384, 352, 504, 505 of the IPC and 3(2)(Va) and 3(1) (S) of the SC/ST Act. The case pertains to the jurisdiction of Beniganj Police Station in the Hardoi district of Uttar Pradesh. 

The accused-applicant had filed the instant application under Section 482 of the Cr.P.C. seeking that the court quash the chargesheet, cognizance order of Hardoi’s session court passed on 16th April 2024, and the entire sessions’ case. However, after the arguments, the Allahabad High Court noted that it did not find any justification to entertain the present case and that the present application lacks merits and is hereby dismissed, the court order said.

Cancel_journalist_licence_blackmailing_anti_social_activities_Allahabad_high_courtDownload

2 terrorists killed after long anti-terror operation in J&K’s Kathua, weapons, and ammunition seized

OpIndia Staff
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2 terrorists killed after long anti-terror operation in J&K’s Kathua, weapons, and ammunition seized

Two terrorists who opened fire in Kathua village, Jammu and Kashmir, late last night were killed in an encounter on Wednesday (12th June). A paramilitary soldier is also said to have lost his life meanwhile in the exchange of fire.

As per the initial reports, two encounters that began overnight in Jammu continued into the morning. This included one at Doda where five soldiers and a special police officer (SPO) were injured during an attack on an army base.

Just two days before the two terrorist attacks in Jammu, a bus carrying pilgrims was attacked by terrorists in Reasi, killing nine people. Anand Jain, Additional Director General of Police, Jammu Zone, who is leading anti-terrorist operations in Kathua, provided details of the encounters early this morning. “Two terrorists have been neutralized; search operation underway in the area,” he confirmed.

Regarding the Doda incident, he stated that terrorists opened fire on a joint party of police and Rashtriya Rifles at an army base in the Chattargala area late last night. He stated that a clash is currently taking place between security troops and terrorists in the higher altitudes. Security Forces are also said to have recovered jackets and magazines belonging to terrorists in Harinagar, Kathua during an anti-terror operation.

According to authorities, two terrorists were involved in the Kathua attack last evening, with one dead late at night. The second terrorist, armed with a US-made M4 carbine assault rifle, was found holed up in the jungle and was killed this morning.

According to the authorities, the terrorists made requests for water from many houses and then opened fire when some villagers raised the alarm out of suspicion. According to Jain, one civilian suffered injuries during the firing, and allegations that three persons died in the Kathua attack are false.

“There are rumors that many people are injured and three are dead. But only one civilian was injured, other than this all information regarding hostages being held and death, are rumors,” he said. The security officer killed in the clash belonged to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

ADGP Jain also referred to the Kathua incident as a “fresh infiltration” and pointed to Pakistan without mentioning it. “Our aggressive neighbor is always attempting to undermine our country’s peaceful environment. “This (Hiranagar Terror Attack) appears to be a new infiltration,” he stated.

Jammu has remained high on the terror radar, with these strikes coming from places that are known to be terrorist-free.

Two days earlier, a bus carrying pilgrims to the Shiv Khori cave temple in Reasi was attacked. The terrorists opened fire after the bus driver refused to deboard the passengers, but he lost control and plummeted down the gorge, reported the bus company management. The tragedy resulted in nine deaths and 33 injuries. Officials claim the attack was carried out at the direction of Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Abu Hamza.

MP: Shahid posed as Raj to lure a Hindu girl in Indore, did Nikah and later gangraped her along with his friends Nauman, Faisal, Wasim

OpIndia Staff
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MP: Shahid posed as Raj to lure a Hindu girl in Indore, did Nikah and later gangraped her along with his friends Nauman, Faisal, Wasim

In Madhya Pradesh’s Indore, a case of love jihad has been reported prompting Hindu organisations to protest at the Kanada police station on the 10th of June. In this case, a Muslim youth named Shahid duped a Hindu girl into marrying him by hiding his real identity and promising not to compel her to convert to Islam. The perpetrator impregnated the girl, then fled for a year, only to return and gang-raped her with his friends. In addition, the Hindu girl was under persistent pressure to convert to Islam. The police have now arrested all of the accused.

According to a Bhaskar report, the 24-year-old girl said that she met Shahid through a call centre. Shahid posed as a Hindu youth named Raj and began a romantic relationship with her. When she went to Raj’s residence with him, the victim learnt the truth about Shahid pretending to be Raj. Shahid then said she was under no obligation to convert to Islam. The perpetrator convinced the victim that she could spend her life with him while staying a Hindu.

In her statement to the Kanadia police station, the victim stated that she had a son from Shahid, whom Shahid gave a Muslim name. Shahid Ahmed alias Raj, mother-in-law Shabnam, and sister-in-law Sania Ahmed used to beat the victim frequently. Shahid had been away from home for a year at that time. When he returned, he came home with his friends Nauman Khan, Faisal Khan, and Wasim Akhtar, who gave drugs to the victim and gang-raped her. 

According to the Hindu victim, Shahid and his family members also attempted to convert her to Islam. She continued to tolerate everything, however, after the gang rape, she, her family, and representatives of Hindu organisations urged the police to take action. The police have now filed a complaint against the accused and arrested him.

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