On Sunday, July 21st, the Uttar Pradesh Police arrested 4 individuals identified as Akram, Shahrukh, Arshad, and Azam after they attacked a Hindu temple in the Izatnagar area of UP’s Bareilly district. The accused have been charged with causing a disturbance and damaging idols at the Gopeshwar Nath temple.
As per the local reports, the primary accused identified in the case, Akram belongs to the state of Uttarakhand. The incident is said to have happened on Sunday when the accused persons reached the temple and damaged the idols of the Gods and Goddesses. They damaged the idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati ahead of the beginning of the Shravan month. Accused Akram also attacked the temple priest with a knife, as per reports.
Gopeshwarnath Temple (ABP News)
The Hindu residents and activists learned about the incident and demanded strict punishment against the accused persons. They informed the police after which Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Rahul Bhati and CO Anita Chauhan reached the spot. On seeing the police, the accused persons attempted to flee from the spot however, the primary accused Akram was caught. The police also recovered foreign currency from the arrested Akram.
The police immediately began an investigation into the case after the Hindu organizations protested against the incident and demanded strict action against the accused. The other accused were then eventually arrested.
The police have charged four under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including section 298 (injuring or defiling a place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class).
On 22nd July, the Supreme Court of India gave interim relief to the petitioners against the Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments’ directives to prominently display the names of the owners of the shop and carts. While Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments issued directives for the Kanwar Yatra Path, Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain administration gave directives for the shops and carts outside the Mahakal Temple.
During the argument, an interesting trivia came to light. The matter was heard by Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice SVN Bhatti. It was mentioned by Justice Bhatti that he used to go to a vegetarian hotel operated by a Muslim over the one operated by a Hindu citing ‘hygiene standards’.
He said, “Without disclosing the city’s name I will share it with you. In Kerala, there were two vegetarian hotels, one by Hindu and one by Muslim. I went to the latter because he was maintaining international standards. He was a Dubai returnee. But he displayed everything on the board.” [The quote is a mix of X posts made by Live Law and Bar & Bench]
Singhvi: Hundreds are losing their jobs. We have to wake up and smell the coffee. Idea is to exclude not just one minority but Dalits as well.
Justice Roy: What is the expectation of the Kanwariyas? They worship Shiva, yes? Do they expect the food to be cooked and served and…
In short, Justice Bhatti made a firm choice based on the information displayed on a board to choose a Muslim hotelier over a Hindu hotelier because the former was maintaining “International Standards” of hygiene. Justice Bhatti had the choice of selecting the hotelier with a complete set of information including his religion.
J Bhatti: There is one veg hotel run by a Hindu, and one run by a Muslim…in Kerala…As the judge of that state, I used to go the one run by the Muslim. He was maintaining international standards#SupremeCourt#KanwarYatra
Now the question arises, if Justice Bhatti can have the choice and clarity while choosing the restaurant, why did the two-judge bench, which he was part of, deny the same right to Hindu pilgrims performing Kanwar Yatra? For those who are unaware, devotees performing Kanwar Yatra are supposed to eat only Satvik food. They must follow certain rules which they may break in case enough information is not available.
The interim stay imposed by the Supreme Court was based on the contention that the directives were “discriminatory” and would cause untouchability. Interestingly, on social media, it has been argued that Kanwariyas would also avoid eating at restaurants run by Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes OBCs etc. One may ask what proof or evidence they provided. The answer is none.
Anyway, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the petitioners further contended that the display of the name itself cannot be seen as a measure to ensure vegetarian food. Furthermore, any such directive coming without any support from the Constitutional or legal provisions would infringe the secular character and Articles 14, 15(1) and 17 of the Constitution. While these contentions were accepted by the apex court, there was no thought of mind implying the fact that Hindus too have the right to choose where they want to eat or buy anything.
Furthermore, while discussing the above aspects, Justice Bhatti also mentioned that “some non-vegetarians” prefer Halal-certified meat. Halal is a religious term used for meat produced as per Sharia law or Islamic laws. Only a Muslim can ensure the meat is Halal. Judges were aware that food choices are prominently dependent on religion. Without taking the name of the Muslims, Justice Bhatti pointed out that Muslims make an informed choice to choose Halal meat over Jhatka or unlabelled. How do they know that the meat is Halal? Meat shop owners mention it in bold letters.
Justice Bhatti: We understand the distinction between good and bad here. Some non-vegetarians prefer halal certified meat. What I see is that you previously mentioned you couldn’t answer my brother’s question with a simple yes or no.
Halal meat is so widely available and has become the first choice of famous food chains that it is extremely difficult for Hindus and Sikhs to find Jhatka meat. They have to make extra effort to ask if the meat is Jhatka or not. As Halal meat is butchered only by a Muslim, it leads to a loss of jobs for Hindu and Sikh butchers. Only a few Butchers of Hindu or Sikh community are left but it has never been questioned. Hindus are in majority in India. The population of meat-eating Hindus surpass Muslims. Still, Hindus are forced intentionally or unintentionally to eat Halal meat. In this case, what about the rights of Hindus? Are they not valid?
One needs two hands to clap. Certain rules about dietary habits and choices cannot be imposed continuously in a biased manner favouring only one community. Hindus must get the right to choose where they want to eat and from whom they want to buy fruits or any other item. It has to be based on the information publically available, preferably prominently written on boards outside shops and carts.
There is another aspect of the order. The Supreme Court pointed out that a competent food authority should have passed the order in the matter. The court said, “It is permissible for the authorities to ensure that the Kanwariyas are served vegetarian food conforming to the preferences and also ensure hygienic standards. In furtherance to this, the competent authority may perhaps issue orders under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the Street Vendors Act, 2014. However, the legal powers vested on the competent authority cannot be usurped by the Police, without legal foundation.” In short, if FSSAI issues directive to prominently display names of the owners and workers at the restaurant or carts, the apex court will not have a problem with it.
Sadly, there was no one from any of the three governments, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand, to represent the matter in the Supreme Court even though all three governments have counsels on payroll in the apex court. The next date of hearing in the matter is 26th July.
On Monday (22nd July, US local time), American billionaire Elon Musk narrated how he ‘lost’ his son Xavier and vowed to destroy the woke mind virus.
During an interview with renowned psychologist Jordan Peterson, Musk recounted, “I was essentially tricked into signing documents for one of my older boys, Xavier.” The Tesla CEO pointed out that he was misled into opting for puberty blockers for his son.
“This was before I had really any understanding of what was going on, and we had COVID going on, and so there was a lot of confusion. And, you know, I was told Xavier might commit suicide if he didn’t. That was a lie right from the outset?” he emphasised.
JUST IN: Elon Musk says his son is "dead" thanks to the woke mind virus after he was put on puberty blockers, says he vowed to "destroy the woke mind virus after that."
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"I was essentially tricked into signing documents for one of my older boys… This was before I had… pic.twitter.com/wfWztIziTs
Musk added, “Incredibly evil, and I agree with you that people that have been promoting this should go to prison. So I was tricked into doing this, and it wasn’t explained to me that puberty blockers are actually just sterilization drugs.”
“So I lost my son, essentially. They call it deadnaming for a reason. So the reason it’s called deadnaming is because your son is dead. So my son Xavier is dead, killed by the woke mind virus,” he lamented.
“Yeah, and there (are) lots of people in that situation now. It’s not pretty, and (there are) lots of demolished kids. Well, that’s a good reason to be the final straw. So I vowed to destroy the woke mind virus after that, and we’re making some progress,” the Tesla CEO concluded.
The Background of the Controversy
In June 2022, Elon Musk’s son Xavier Alexander Musk announced that he identified as a ‘woman.’ The 18-year-old re-christened himself as ‘Vivian Jenna Wilson’ and decided to cut ties with his father.
While Xavier is not physically ‘dead’, Musk lost his son to what he described as the ‘woke mind virus’. He had blamed the elite school, where Xavier studied, for brainwashing him.
“(Xavier) became a fervent Marxist and broke off all relations with me…He went beyond socialism to being a full communist and thinking that anyone rich is evil…I have made many overtures, but he doesn’t want to spend time with me,” Musk stated.
Indian Naval Ship (INS) Brahmaputra is resting on one side after a major fire broke out on the ship, resulting in the loss of a junior sailor for whom the search is in progress, the Indian Navy said.
The fire broke out in the INS Brahmaputra, a multi-role frigate, on the evening of July 21, while she was undergoing refit.
“In the fire incident onboard the frigate INS Brahmaputra, the warship experienced severe listing to one side (port side). Despite all efforts, the ship could not be brought to an upright position. The ship continued to list further alongside her berth and is presently resting on one side. All personnel have been accounted for except one junior sailor, for whom the search is in progress,” the Indian Navy said.
“An inquiry has been ordered by the Indian Navy to investigate the accident. A fire had broken out onboard the Indian Naval Ship Brahmaputra, a multi-role Frigate, on the evening of July 21 while she was undergoing refit. The fire was brought under control by the ship’s crew with the assistance of firefighters from Naval Dockyard, Mumbai {ND (Mbi)} and other ships in the harbour, by the morning of July 22. Further, follow-on actions, including sanitization checks for assessment of residual risk of fire, were carried out,” they added.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has also directed Navy Chief Dinesh K. Tripathi to take appropriate action in the incident.
“Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, has apprised RM Shri @rajnathsingh
of the fire breakout onboard Indian Naval Ship Brahmaputra and the damages caused by the incident. RM Shri @rajnathsingh has directed the Navy Chief to take appropriate action,” the Office of the Raksha Mantri posted on X.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
On Saturday, 20th July, propaganda portal Newslaundry published a video interview with Gaurakshak Bajrang Force chief Bittu Bajrangi. While speaking to Bittu, Newslaundry’s reporter Avdesh Kumar spoke to him politely but the agenda with which he approached the interview was sinister.
Violence broke out in Nuh during a jalabhishek yatra in July last year, killing six people. Key accused Bittu Bajrangi is set to lead the same yatra today.
The title of the video interview reads, “The main accused of Nuh riots and out on bail Bittu Bajrangi to organize Jalabhishek Yatra again”. The description of the video, which was in Hindi, read, “Bittu Bajrangi, the main accused in the violence that occurred on July 31 last year, is personally inviting people to participate in this procession. We spoke to Bittu Bajrangi in detail about this matter. It should be noted that the violence in Nuh, Haryana, last year created a climate of concern across the state and the country. This violence occurred during a religious procession when a minor dispute between two communities suddenly escalated. Six people lost their lives, and many were injured in the violence.”
The description further read, “Bittu Bajrangi, known as a Gau Rakshak, was prominently implicated in this incident. He also runs an organization called Gau Raksha Bajrang Force. Last year, he was arrested on charges of inciting violence and playing an active role in it. The police and administration considered him one of the main accused. Bittu Bajrangi participated in the religious procession during which the violence started. He is accused of inciting his supporters and encouraging them to engage in violent activities. Immediately after the violence, Bittu Bajrangi was taken into police custody, and multiple charges were filed against him. He is currently out on bail.”
OpIndia talked to Bittu Bajrangi to get his views on the title and description. He said, “I am heartbroken. I will be vigilant next time before agreeing to an interview”. From his statement, it is evident that he was unaware of how he was going to be presented in the video.
No one is denying that there are several cases filed against Bittu Bajrangi, especially linked to his Gau Raksha work. However, in this case, Newslaundry has presented him as if he was the one solely responsible for the Nuh violence that took place on 31st July 2023. OpIndia accessed court documents, including his bail orders by the Sessions Court. There was no mention that he was the main accused. As the order read, Usha [Kundu], HPS Additional Superintendent of Police, Nuh, was posted on the day of the incident. She noticed Bittu and his accomplices coming towards the temple to join the procession.
She pointed out in her complaint that Bittu and his accomplices were carrying swords and Trishul-like weapons which were confiscated by the police. After the police confiscated the swords and Trishul, Bittu and his accomplices got into an altercation with the police and staged a protest by sitting on the road in front of the police vehicle. It was then alleged that they forcefully took the weapons away. Defense counsel appearing for Bittu argued that the alleged weapons were just symbols that were carried for display.
While granting bail to Bittu, the court noted, “It has nowhere been pointed out that as to whether these weapons were being used to cause violence on the spot or to inflict any injury either to the policemen or to any people of a particular community. No such allegations are there. Snatching of such articles/weapons from the policemen is also highly improbable.” Bittu Bajrangi was accused under sections 148, 149, 332, 353, 186, 395, 397, 506, 25, 54, and 59 of the IPC in connection with the Nuh violence incident.
It was nowhere mentioned in the FIR that Bittu Bajrangi used the weapons or inflicted any injuries on police personnel or people of a particular community.
Notably, a trial in the matter has started in the Sessions court and a non-bailable warrant was issued against Bittu as he failed to appear in court via video conferencing. His counsel argued there was some miscommunication but NBW was issued by the court. However, that still does not prove that he played any role in the violence.
Newslaundry’s description lacks facts. They mentioned that six people were killed but did not mention what was the reason behind it. Newslaundry failed to mention that a Hindu boy named Abhishek was shot dead and then beheaded by an Islamist mob. Abhishek’s head was then crushed with a stone. Newslaundry did not make a video explaining how an Islamist mob attacked a cybercrime police station or how a female judge was attacked during the violence by the Islamist mob when she was traveling with her daughter. Shops of Hindus were burnt to the ground, Hindu pilgrims were made hostages in a temple, and police personnel and home guards were killed by the riotous Islamist mob. This is how propaganda works and Newslaundry is an expert in it.
As mentioned earlier, no one is denying the cases against Bittu. He mentioned that there are around eight cases currently pending against him and he has been in and out of jail over such cases. But that does not nullify the fact that he has tirelessly worked for the welfare of the Hindu community including Gau Raksha. While propaganda portals do not skip a breath before mentioning terrorists like Afzal Guru as a professor or riot-accused Umar Khalid as a “student activist”, when it comes to Hindu activists like Bittu, they present them as no less than terrorists, while hiding the crimes of the Islamists against which those like Bittu Bajrangi act in defense.
Hundreds and thousands of Hindu activists are misrepresented by the left-leaning media which often distorts their intentions and work. Take the example of this interview. The NL reporter kept pressing Bittu to “reveal” his political affiliation. Bittu pointed out that he works independently without any political affiliation or “sar par haath” per se.
Kumar kept asking if he was associated with RSS, BJP, or VHP. Bittu clearly said that he is inspired by these organizations and attached to them in one way or another. When the reporter said VHP has “disowned” him, Bittu said, “When a family member does something wrong, the elders of the family say in anger ‘he is not part of our family’. That does not necessarily mean that the person who did wrong has been disowned”. The argument visibly rattled the reporter, and he changed his course of questions.
From the use of foul language to alleged derogatory social media posts, Kumar did not leave any stone unturned to agitate Bittu during the interview. Bittu at one point said, “I am a very calm person who does not use foul language. However if someone acts against the Hindu community, I may get angry”. He admitted he gets angry but that does not mean he uses foul language every time he speaks, something which Newslaundry’s reporter wanted to present.
What could be the aim of such an interview that too just a couple of days before the scheduled Brijmandal Yatra? The aim was simple. Newslaundry wanted to set a narrative that Bittu Bajrangi was the key accused and reason for Nuh’s violence last year. In case anything happens during the 2024 Yatra, the blame would have again gone to Hindu activists. Unfortunately for Newslaundry and fortunately for Bittu, he was not granted permission to attend Yatra. It was one of his bail conditions that he would not visit Nuh until the trial was over, which could have led to the denial of the permission, this, despite there being no proof of his involvement in any violence during the Nuh Yatra, and there being plenty of evidence of the violence unleashed by the Muslim mob.
One can only hope nothing happens during the ongoing Brijmandal Yatra as 5,000 police personnel have been deployed by the Haryana government to avoid any sort of agitation or violence. In a country where Hindus are supposedly a majority, they need protection from the police (in the case of Brijmandal Yatra) and the Army (in the case of Amarnath Yatra) to participate in a pilgrimage which speaks volumes about the reality of the situation.
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in its chargesheet filed against Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha, has stated that she was involved in the manipulation and tweaking of the Delhi Excise Policy.
During the investigation, the role of the accused, Kavitha has surfaced not only in the collection of upfront money but also in the transfer of ill-gotten money to Goa through the Hawala channel, stated CBI.
It has been revealed that her co-accused associates, viz., Abhishek Boinpally and PA Ashok Kaushik, were involved in the transfer of ill-gotten money to Goa through the Hawala channel.
It has been revealed that the accused Arvind Kumar Singh, who was posted and functioning as Production Controller-Cum-Commercial Head of India Ahead News, owned by the accused Mootha Gautham and Abhishek Boinpally, the co-accused associate of the accused K Kavitha, has acted as a conduit of the accused persons of the South Group and played a major role in transfer of ill-gotten money of Rs 7.10 crore to Goa from Delhi through Hawala Channel.
The Rouse Avenue Court on Monday took cognizance of the Supplementary chargesheet filed against BRS leader K Kavitha by the CBI in Delhi Excise Policy case.
Special judge Kaveri Baweja, after taking cognizance of the supplementary charge sheet directed to produce Kavitha before the court through video conferencing on July 26.
The court has directed us to supply a copy of the supplementary charge sheet to the counsel for Kavitha and others.
The matter has been listed for scrutiny of documents on the next date of hearing.
The Court on July 8 reserved an order on cognizance of the charge sheet (third supplementary charge sheet in this case.)
Advocate DP Singh had submitted that cognizance of the offence has already been taken. We are aware that a policy was made and the influence of South Group was there. All key people in the group worked under Kavitha’s command.
He also read over the statements of TDP MP Magunta S Reddy, who met Delhi CM Kejriwal on March 16, 2021. His son, Raghav Magunta, also confirmed this.
He also submitted that there is a list of statements we are relying upon, including Sarath Reddy, Gopi Kumaran and Raghav Magunta. Many people will ultimately speak against Kavitha.
cognizance of the offence is already taken, this charge sheet is only for the limited purpose of consideration and summoning of this accused, DP Singh said.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a charge sheet against BRS leader K Kavitha in the Delhi Excise Policy case on June 6. This is the third supplementary charge sheet filed by the CBI in the Delhi Excise Policy case.
Kavitha is in judicial custody in both CBI and ED cases. She was first arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 15. Thereafter, she was arrested by the CBI on April 11.
On July 1, the Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed the bail petitions moved by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha in CBI and ED cases related to the Excise Policy case.
The plea moved by Kavitha stated that she is a mother of two children, one of whom is a minor presently under shock and is undergoing medical supervision. Kavitha, in her fresh bail plea, alleges that there have been attempts to drag her into the scandal by the members of the ruling party at the Centre.
She, through bail plea, submitted that the entire case of the Enforcement Directorate hinges upon statements made by the approver, witnesses or co-accused under Section 50 of the PMLA. The Prosecution Complaints do not put forth a single document that corroborates the statements. There is not a single piece of evidence that points to the guilt of the applicant.
She further stated that the arrest of the applicant is illegal as Section 19 of the PMLA has not been complied with.
Neither has any corroboration to the allegation of the actual cash transaction nor any money trail is forthcoming, therefore, the satisfaction of guilt as expressed in his arrest order is merely a sham and a pretence, she stated.
The ED and the CBI had alleged that irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy, undue favours were extended to licence holders, the licence fee was waived or reduced and the L-1 licence was extended without the competent authority’s approval.
The beneficiaries diverted “illegal” gains to the accused officials and made false entries in their books of account to evade detection, the probe agencies said.
As per the allegations, the Excise Department had decided to refund the earnest money deposit of about Rs 30 crore to a successful tenderer against the set rules.
Even though there was no enabling provision, a waiver on tendered licence fees was allowed from December 28, 2021, to January 27, 2022, due to COVID-19, the probe agency said and there was an alleged loss of Rs 144.36 crore to the exchequer.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
Ahead of the Budget Session, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha announced on Monday (22nd July) that they will start fresh protests from 1st August. The protesting farmers allege that the Haryana government felicitated officers who stopped them last time with “tear gas and bullets” at the border. According to them, they will protest against this decision of the Haryana government on 1st August. Subsequently, the protesting farmers will take out a tractor rally nationwide on 15th August, when the country marks Independence Day.
Addressing a press conference, the leaders of the Farmers Union said, “We will burn the copies of new criminal laws.”
They added, “We will also protest on 31 August as our initial protest will complete 200 Days… We will do a rally in September in Jind and another in Haryana’s Pipli in September.” The farmers union will also be burning the effigies of the BJP, a clear indication of the political nature of the ‘protests’ that have proven to be a hotbed of criminal activities, law and order disruption, and occasion for lumpen elements to indulge in arson and vandalism.
The leaders of the protesting farm unions further stated that they have been demanding the legalisation of the MSP guarantee but the government said that it will put a burden on the nation’s economy. They alleged that when they discussed it with economic experts, they were told that it was not true.
Leader of the protesting farmers, Abhimanyu, alleged that the Haryana Government has kept the borders closed despite court orders.
He added, “We announce that whenever the border will be open, we will move towards Delhi in our trollies.”
Farmer Protest 2.0 began in February 2024
It is pertinent to note that the farmer’s protest 2.0 began earlier this year in February, however, they were stopped at the Haryana borders for several days. The protest later turned violent, and several Police officers and some of the protesting farmers suffered injuries, prompting them to halt the protest for a few days.
During the protest, a farmer protestor named Shubh Karan Singh reportedly died on 23rd February after he was injured during a clash with police at Khanauri border. He was rushed to Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala, where an injury on his head was found. The protestors had alleged that he was shot by police but the police had denied firing on protestors. Reportedly, doctors said that Singh was hit by a rubber bullet.
Incidentally, later, on 10th July, the Punjab and Haryana High Court observed that farmer Shubh Karan Singh, who died at the Khanuri border during farmer protests in February 2024, got shot with a shotgun, a weapon that Haryana police or the other security forces stationed at the site do not possess.
Meanwhile, in February itself, the talks between the protesting farmers and representatives of the government caused several interruptions in the protest which was later called off. As per reports, the farmer unions have now declared the resumption of the Farmers Protest 2.0 from 1st August.
As per the Times Now report, the timeline announced by the protesting unions is as follows —
1st August: Unions will stage a protest against the alleged decision of the Haryana government in which it felicitated police officers who according to them were involved in violence against Farmers on 13th Feb
On 15th August: The protestors will take out the Tractor March, nationwide
31st August: They will stage a protest to mark the 200 Days of the 13th Feb Protest
1st September: They will hold a farmer rally in the Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh
15th and 22nd September: Farmer Rallys in Jind and Pipli, Haryana respectively
The announcement of fresh protest against the Modi government comes a day ahead of the Budget session on 23rd July.
Meanwhile, apart from the legalisation of the MSP guarantee, the protesting farmers have also demanded strict action against the police officers who allegedly opened fire and tortured the farmers during Farmer’s Protest 2.0 in February 2024.
Notably, the demands raised by these unions last time also included a pension scheme for elder farmers, the country’s withdrawal from the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and trade agreements among others.
Tractor rally, a hotbed of vandalism, arson, and law and order disruption
During the first Tractor rally on 26 January 2021, the protesters ran riot on the streets of the national capital as they entered New Delhi with tractors and created a ruckus.
The demonstrators resorted to vandalism, destroying vehicles on their march into Delhi. Social media platforms were awash with shocking visuals of lumpen protesters vandalising DTC buses in the ITO area.
Scores of rampaging demonstrators breached the police barricades around the capital and stormed the grounds of Delhi’s historic Red Fort as tumultuous and violent scenes cast a pal over the country’s 2021 Republic Day celebrations. The protesting demonstrators also waved a Sikh flag alongside the Indian flag at the historic monument.
A 21-year-old man in Gurugram, Haryana, named Rajesh alias Chotu, strangled his brother-in-law to death and burned his body with turpentine because the latter was mistreating Rajesh’s ill sister and not providing her with necessary medications.
Rajesh has been arrested for the crime, which took place during the night of July 18-19. A senior Gurugram Police officer stated that they received a report about a suspected arson in Sector-15, Part-1, Gurugram, where they found a charred male body later identified as Gorelal alias Halla.
A witness at the scene mentioned that there was renovation work happening at the house and identified Rajesh, who worked as a security guard, as being involved. On the night of July 18, Rajesh’s brother-in-law visited him, and they drank alcohol together. The next morning, Rajesh was missing. Following the witness’s complaint, the police registered a murder case and launched a manhunt for Rajesh, who was captured two days later in Sector-29, Gurugram.
During interrogation, Rajesh confessed to the crime, revealing that he killed Gorelal because he was mistreating his sister and withholding medical care. After a night of heavy drinking, Rajesh strangled Gorelal and then set his body on fire with turpentine oil before fleeing the scene.
The Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka has landed itself in a fresh controversy as reportedly the State Assembly Speaker has written a letter to the Assembly’s finance department asking the creation of a new post, dubbed, “Secretary-2”. Notably, the assembly already has a post named Secretary. As a result, the development has triggered strong opposition from the Vidhana Soudha (state Legislative Assembly) employees and the Bharatiya Janata Party. They have accused the Congress government of violating the established laws and creating a new post just to accommodate the son-in-law of Minister KH Muniyappa.
According to reports, the controversy erupted after the Speaker of the Karnataka Assembly UT Khader Fareed sent a letter to the Assembly’s Finance Department. In the letter, he sought the creation of a new post, ‘Secretary-2’, and also sought financial approval for the same.
#Karnataka VS Employee association claims a new "Secretary 2" post is being created to accommodate Minister KH Muniyappa's son-in-law, Sashidhar, who currently works in the computer wing
Association claims there is already a Vidhan Sabha assembly secretary, yet a new secretary's… pic.twitter.com/LSZ2sBXYFG
According to reports, it is alleged that the new post has been created to accommodate Shashidhar JE who is the son-in-law of Food Minister KH Muniyappa. Shashidhar is currently working in the Assembly’s computer wing. The employees stated that he is ineligible for the existing post of Secretary as it is typically reserved for promoted employees.
According to reports, Shashidhar is currently the Director of the Computer Department in the Legislative Assembly Ministry. He has requested to be transferred from the post of Director to the post of Secretary-2. Additionally, his father-in-law Muniyappa also recommended Shashidhar’s request.
His wife MLA Roopakala, has also been accused of profiteering. It is alleged that on his behalf, she prepared a file for promotion from the post of director to the post of Secretary-2.
Subsequently, the Karnataka Vidhan Sabha Assembly Employee Association wrote a letter to the Vidhan Sabha Assembly secretary to register their protest against this move. According to them, this is a blatant attempt to place Shashidhar in a high-ranking position despite his lack of qualifications.
The letter read, “A new post called ‘Secretary 2’ is being created to accommodate minister KH Muniyappa’s son-in-law, Sashidhar.”
It added, “Sashidhar is the husband of MLA M Roopakala and is presently in the computer wing. He can’t take the post of secretary, as the secretary post is for employees who get promoted generally and become secretaries. Never have computer wing employees become secretaries.”
It accused the Congress government of creating the new post just to accommodate Sashidhar, the Minister’s son-in-law.
It is pertinent to note that as per the assembly’s rule book, the Secretary’s post enjoys the powers, privileges, and status equivalent to that of a Secretary to the Government in the Government Secretariat.
The principal opposition party, BJP also came down heavily on the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government charging them of creating the new post for accommodating the Minister’s son-in-law.
BJP leader R Ashoka who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly launched a scathing attack against the Karnataka government.
He wrote in Kannada, “90 cabinet grade status was created in violation of the Constitution to quell the rebellion of MLAs. Now this brazen Karnataka government has created a new post for the minister’s son-in-law.”
ಶಾಸಕರ ಬಂಡಾಯ ಶಮನ ಮಾಡಲು ಸಂವಿಧಾನದ ನಿಯಮ ಉಲ್ಲಂಘಿಸಿ 90 ಕ್ಯಾಬಿನೆಟ್ ದರ್ಜೆ ಸ್ಥಾನಮಾನ ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಸಿದ್ದಾಯ್ತು. ಈಗ ಸಚಿವರ ಅಳಿಯನಿಗಾಗಿ ಹೊಸ ಹುದ್ದೆಯನ್ನೇ ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಸಿ ನೇಮಕಾತಿ ಮಾಡಿದೆ ಈ ಲಜ್ಜೆಗೆಟ್ಟ @INCKarnataka ಸರ್ಕಾರ.
The translated version of the post further read, “CM Siddaramaiah Navare, you are the weakest Chief Minister Karnataka has ever seen, wasting public money and giving attic status to MLAs and Ministers’ relatives without being able to keep the MLAs and Ministers under control.”
He also demanded the Chief Minister’s resignation. The BJP leader added, “How long will this pot last? Resign and maintain dignity before people revolt against you. Also, save the honour of the state.”
BJP leader and MLA CN Ashwath Narayan said, “The government is abusing their powers. Creating a Secretary 2 post, accommodating a minister’s son-in-law… they don’t respect the law of the land. We’ll oppose tooth and nail. We’ll take this up even in the judiciary.”
Meanwhile, when the media asked Minister KH Muniyappa’s response to these developments, he refrained from commenting on the matter.
On Monday, July 22nd, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Economic Survey 2023-24 in the House of Parliament to share that the Indian economy stands robust and stable amid the ongoing geopolitical issues. The 476-page Economic Survey emphasises that India’s economy has consolidated following post-Covid recovery and that the policymakers have played an important role in guaranteeing economic and financial stability.
As per the survey, the Indian economy continues to grow despite global turbulence. Given the tough global climate, the study further emphasises the need for significant domestic measures to sustain recovery. “For the recovery to be sustained, there has to be heavy lifting on the domestic front because the environment has become extraordinarily difficult to reach agreements on key global issues such as trade, investment, and climate,” the Economic Survey read.
The survey highlights several issues like capital investment, inflation, expansion of the private sector investment, and also about foreign reserves. The survey reports explain that the investment from the government has been essential in supporting capital development, with the private sector starting to make investments considerably in the Financial Year 2022. According to the Survey, “Public investment has continued capital formation in recent years, even as the private sector shed its balance-sheet blues and began investing in FY22. It now needs to take over from the public sector and maintain the economy’s investment pace. The signs are encouraging.”
Economic Survey 2023-24 conservatively projects a real GDP growth of 6.5–7 per cent in FY25, with risks evenly balanced, cognizant of the fact that the market expectations are on the higher side. pic.twitter.com/Kvdn4jBdDP
The study discusses the headline inflation that is under control, however, certain categories of food remain high. The trade deficit in FY24 was lower than in FY23, and the current account deficit was approximately 0.7% of GDP. Foreign exchange reserves remain sufficient, the report broadly highlights.
National income figures show a strong increase in non-financial private-sector capital formation in FY22 and FY23, following a dip in FY21. Despite a drop in investment in machinery and equipment in FY20 and FY21, there was a substantial comeback. Early corporate sector figures for FY24 indicate that capital formation in the private sector has continued to grow.
Notably, the entire survey has been divided into 13 chapters discussing Agriculture, Infrastructure, Investment, Employment, Climate, Inflation and overall Monetary Management. The survey indicates that the growth of the Indian economy is steady as the contribution of the private sector is increasing along with the public sector. The study also states that the Indian economy has recovered and expanded in an orderly fashion post-pandemic.
“Inflationary pressures stoked by global troubles, supply chain disruptions, and vagaries of monsoons have been deftly managed by administrative and monetary policy responses. As a result, after averaging 6.7 percent in FY23, retail inflation declined to 5.4 percent in FY24. The real GDP in FY24 was 20 percent higher than its level in FY20, a feat that only a very few major economies achieved. Prospects for continued strong growth in FY25 beyond look good, subject to geopolitical, financial market, and climatic risks,” the report stated.
The Finance Minister, while presenting the Survey, also stated that the market capitalisation of the Indian stock market has seen a remarkable surge, with the market capitalisation to GDP ratio being the fifth largest in the world.
Regarding inflation and price hikes, the survey states that during FY22 and FY23, the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and supply disruptions contributed to rising inflationary pressures globally.
“In India, consumer goods and services faced price hikes due to international conflicts and adverse weather conditions impacting food costs. However, in FY24, the Central Government’s timely policy interventions and the Reserve Bank of India’s price stability measures helped maintain retail inflation at 5.4 per cent – the lowest level since the pandemic,” the survey added.
Unfavourable weather conditions in FY24 limited food output. Tomato prices soared as a result of region-specific crop disease, early monsoon rains, and logistical issues. Onion prices rose due to rainfall during the previous harvest season, which affected rabi onion quality, delayed sowing of Kharif onion, prolonged dry periods that hampered Kharif production, and trade-related actions implemented by other nations.
However, the government implemented suitable administrative activities, such as dynamic stock management, open market operations, subsidised provision of critical food goods, and trade policy measures, which helped to reduce food inflation.
The major part which was highlighted by the Survey was about the infrastructural development of the country. The country introduced several schemes, increased investment in the Railway sector, and invested in clean energy projects, and digitisation leading to lifting the potential growth overall.
Infrastructure expansion in India witnesses significant growth in recent years: Economic Survey 2023-24
?Average pace of NH construction up by -3 times from 11.7 km per day in FY14 to -34 km per day by FY24
The Economic Survey, published by the Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs under the Ministry of Finance, provides a thorough examination of the economic data for 2023-24. It also provides estimates and direction for the current fiscal year. Historically, the Survey provides insight into the tone and direction of the Budget, which will be presented the next day.
On July 23, 2024, the Finance Minister will submit the Union Budget to the Lok Sabha at 11 AM. The budget speech will address fiscal policy, revenue and expenditure proposals, and major announcements. The budget will then be thoroughly debated in both houses of Parliament before being approved and implemented.
