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From Khurshid renaming dhaba multiple times to Jahangir opening ‘Sheetal Chaat’ next to ‘Lakshmi’: Hindus of Western UP consider pseudo renaming not a compulsion but a conspiracy

राहुल पाण्डेय
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From Khurshid renaming dhaba multiple times to Jahangir opening ‘Sheetal Chaat’ next to ‘Lakshmi’: Hindus of Western UP consider pseudo renaming not a compulsion but a conspiracy

This year, Islamists and the leftist ecosystem launched a smear campaign against the Kanwar Yatra even before it commenced on 22nd July. After the administration in Western Uttar Pradesh instructed eatery owners to reveal the real names of their owners and operators, concerted efforts have been going on to smear the Hindu religious procession on one pretext or the other. While propagandists and fake news peddlers like Mohammed Zubair initiated a vicious campaign against the Kanwar Yatra, journalists like Arfa Khanum have also joined in. 

Peddling the boogie of Muslim victimhood, Arfa Khanum described the eatery renaming row as a conspiracy to destroy the businesses of Muslims and Dalits. However, OpIndia’s investigation has found that her claims couldn’t be further from the truth.

‘Will not rename our eatery and give it an Islamic name even if the potential profit runs in lakhs per hour’: Hindu shopkeepers told OpIndia

OpIndia team spoke to dozens of Hindus who own eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route between Ghaziabad and Saharanpur. It also includes mobile dhabas like Desi Thath, Babe Di Dhaba, Shyam Bhojnalaya, and Pehalwan Dhaba along with small shopkeepers like Vansh Juice and Bhojnalaya. All of them unanimously told OpIndia that one should earn a fortune or fame for themselves based on the quality of their food rather than using some name. Dhaba owners like Ashwani Saini and Ram Kumar among others said that they never changed the names of their shops to take advantage during any Muslim festival. 

All of them unanimously emphasised that even if they earn a profit to the tune of Lakhs per hour by giving their eateries an Islamic name, they will not make even a minor change in the banners revealing their real identity.  

‘Our business is suffering losses due to fake names‘

A Hindu Dhaba owner located on Ambala-Dehradun road in Saharanpur district said that there were at least half a dozen dhabas owned by Muslims who were running their business under false Hindu names. According to him, following the administration’s orders, many shopkeepers had started using their real names but after the Supreme Court order, they reverted back to using false names for their eateries.  

He said that because of these activities, shopkeepers who are doing business diligently in their real names suffer losses.

‘Khurshid renames his dhaba multiple time‘

In our ground report, we came across Manav Punjabi Dhaba in the Sarsawa area near Saharanpur. It was learned that a man named Khurshid owns this dhaba. Local people told us that he had initially named it Prayagraj Hotel but later renamed it Manav Punjabi Dhaba. Incidentally, there is another dhaba by the name of Manav Punjabi in the vicinity and it is owned by a Sikh man who has been running it for a long time near Sarsawa Toll Tax, about 15 km from Khurshid’s dhaba. Local people call Khurshid’s actions a duplication of the original Manav Punjabi dhaba.

‘Jahangir’s new Sheetal Chaat adjacent to Lakshmi Chaat‘

OpIndia spoke to Abhishek Pandit, a Bajrang Dal functionary in the Saharanpur district. He told us that the use of duplicate names by Muslims is not just limited to business purposes but is also being done in many places to reduce the sales of Hindus. 

For example, Abhishek Pandit cited the name of Sheetal Chaat Bhandar located in Kailashpur. It falls on one of the busiest Kanwar Yatra routes in Saharanpur. 

He told OpIndia that Lakshmi Chaat Bhandar in Kailashpur is owned by a Hindu who hails from the backward class. It has been very popular among the people for almost 20 years.

According to Abhishek, about 3-4 years ago, a new shop named Sheetal Chaat was opened next to this chaat bhandar to reduce its sales as it exactly mirrored the interior of Lakshmi Chaat Bhandar. It is said that the owner of this Sheetal Chaat Bhandar is a man named Jahangir. It is alleged that he made all possible efforts to break the customers of Lakshmi Chaat. However, Lakshmi Chaat still continues to remain the first choice of the local people because of its better quality.

‘They do not allow any Hindu to survive even in the fruit business‘

OpIndia team contacted a local social worker and BJP leader from Kailashpur, Rajesh Johri to undertake a ground investigation of Abhishek Pandit’s allegations. 

Rajesh Johri described his area as Muslim-dominated and himself as a victim of extremism. He said that bones were hung in front of his house following Imran Masood’s victory. According to him, Abhishek Pandit’s claims about Lakshmi and Sheetal Chaat are correct.

Rajesh Johri also mentioned the Kanwar route falling in the Kailashpur area. Several retailers selling fruits on roadside carts can be seen on the Dehradun-bound road. According to him, most of the fruit retailers here belong to the Muslim community. He told OpIndia that Hindu shopkeepers are not even allowed to compete in terms of setting rates for fruits. 

He also claimed that the conditions of Kailashpur have become livable for Hindus under the present government, otherwise, it used to be worse in the previous governments.

‘Most of the commission agents in the fruit-vegetable market belong to the Muslim community‘

OpIndia visited the mandis of Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, and Saharanpur. Most of the agents selling vegetables and fruits here belong to the Muslim community. Some of them also owe money to vegetable traders from other states. 

A vegetable trader from Madhya Pradesh alleges that a Muslim trader from Saharanpur mandi has not paid him for the vegetable consignment for several years. About 3 years ago, when he approached him to ask for his money, he was threatened and sent away. Out of fear, this trader from Indore City requested anonymity.

‘Appeals are made from the Mosques to boycott the Hindu shopkeeper‘

Machendra Puri is the Mahant of Balaji Dham temple which is located in the Hindan Vihar area in Ghaziabad. He claimed that there is only 1 Hindu-owned shop in this Muslim-dominated area. He added that during meetings held inside the Mosque, announcements are made to not buy goods from the Hindu shopkeeper. 

According to Mahant Puri, the Hindu shopkeeper is not able to leave the place and go anywhere because he owns a house there. For the Hindu shopkeeper’s safety, OpIndia is not making his name public. 

Meanwhile, Mahant Puri has demanded an investigation into the real reason that forced Hindus from the Hindon Vihar area to migrate to eastern areas.

Venezuela: President Maduro declared winner by national electoral body, USA and other nations unhappy over results

ANI
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Venezuela: President Maduro declared winner by national electoral body, USA and other nations unhappy over results

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his political opponent claimed victory in the national elections, a vote that was marred by accusations of fraud and counting irregularities, CNN reported.

With 80 per cent of votes counted, Maduro secured more than 51 per cent of the vote, beating Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD) candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who got over 44 per cent of the vote, according to a statement by the National Electoral Council (CNE).

The United States and multiple global leaders have voiced concerns about the official results, handing the presidential election victory to the strongman leader.

As the votes were being counted on Sunday evening, claims of election irregularities started emerging. The opposition witnesses alleged being denied access to the CNE headquarters during counting, and the CNE allegedly halted data being sent from local polling stations to their central location to prevent more votes from being processed.

The CNE has been criticized by some international bodies for its lack of impartiality, according to CNN.

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said in a news conference that their own records showed their candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia had received 70 per cent of the vote against Maduro’s 30 per cent.

“We won, and everyone knows it,” Machado said, adding that the opposition would “defend the truth.”

“The entire international community knows what happened in Venezuela and how people voted for change,” she said.

Gonzalez, who was also at the news conference, alleged that rules had been violated during the election.

This election was anticipated to be the biggest challenge to Maduro’s 11-year rule. Voters had turned out in droves, with many saying they would leave the country if he won, pointing to violent repression and economic collapse under his rule.

After the results were announced, Maduro described it as a “triumph of peace, stability, republican ideals, and the ideas of equality.”

“They could not overcome the sanctions, they could not overcome the aggressions, the threats, they could not now and will never be able to overcome the dignity of the people of Venezuela,” he said during his public speech, referring to his political opponents.

The results announced by the election authorities were met with mixed emotions in the capital, Caracas, with Maduro supporters cheering and celebrating outside the president’s official residence. Meanwhile, opposition supporters were seen crying and hugging on the streets.

If Maduro takes office, it will be his third consecutive six-year term and the continuation of “Chavismo,” the left-wing populist ideology named after Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chavez, as reported by CNN.

Chavez ruled Venezuela for 14 years until his death in 2013. His policies were dominated by nationalisation and the redistribution of the nation’s huge oil wealth to the marginalized and poorest communities, as well as a constant push to protect Venezuelan sovereignty against “imperialist” powers.

But, in the past few years, the oil-rich nation has experienced the world’s worst peacetime economic crash in recent history. Maduro has blamed foreign sanctions against his regime on the downturn, saying Venezuela is the victim of an “economic war.”

Meanwhile, the opposition, which galvanized this election cycle and posed the most significant threat to Maduro’s grip on power in years, had promised to restore Venezuela’s democracy and rebuild the economy if it won.

Maduro has already overseen unprecedented levels of poverty and emigration from the country over his two terms – some 8 million Venezuelans have fled the country amid shortages of vital goods and soaring inflation.

Once the fifth-largest economy in Latin America, Venezuela’s economy has shrunk to the equivalent of a medium-sized city, according to data from the International Monetary Fund. Maduro, however, has blamed the economic meltdown on sanctions imposed by his regime by the US and other Western countries. 


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

MCD seals basement of Drishti IAS, owned by Vikas Divyakirti, for illegally running study centre, students hit the streets in protest

OpIndia Staff
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MCD seals basement of Drishti IAS, owned by Vikas Divyakirti, for illegally running study centre, students hit the streets in protest

On Monday (29th July), the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) sealed the basement of the Drishti IAS, located in Mukherjee Nagar in North-West Delhi.

It has come to light that the UPSC coaching institute, owned by Vikas Divyakirti, had been illegally using the basement of the building as a study centre.

The action by MCD comes days after 3 UPSC aspirants died by drowning in the flooded basement of another coaching institute, Rau’s IAS Study Circle.

In videos that have surfaced on social media, UPSC aspirants were seen protesting outside the building of Drishti IAS in Delhi.

Opindia had previously reported how a student named Kishor Singh Kushwah complained about the illegal use of basements as study centres and libraries by a dozen coaching centres in South Patel and Old Rajinder Nagar. He had warned of the possibility of a major accident.

Despite being flagged to MCD on 3 different occasions, the AAP-controlled civic body did not act in time.

It was only after the death of 3 UPSC aspirants on 27th July that the MCD swung into action and sealed 20 coaching centres for violation of rules.

‘Stop Durga Vahini work’: Sadiq Khan arrested for attacking, trying to abduct Hindu activist in Patan, victim tells OpIndia – ‘condition of Hindu women terrible’

Krunalsinh Rajput
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‘Stop Durga Vahini work’: Sadiq Khan arrested for attacking, trying to abduct Hindu activist in Patan, victim tells OpIndia – ‘condition of Hindu women terrible’

Days after a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) worker was attacked in Kutch, a similar case has come to light from Gujarat’s Patan district. The Police have arrested one Sadiq Khan who attacked and attempted to abduct a female Durga Vahini volunteer. They also attempted to abduct her, and when she resisted, they hurled casteist abuses at her.

The incident took place on 27th July in the Sindhada village in the Patan district. In this incident, a case was registered in Santalpur police station. OpIndia has accessed a copy of the FIR. The victim’s name is Ramilaben Parmar and she lives in the village with her family. She is working as a supervisor in a private trust. The accused, Sadiq Khan, also hails from the same village and is said to be a Muslim strongman in the area.   

According to the victim’s complaint, the incident took place on Saturday (27th July 2024). In the FIR, she stated that when she was returning home, she was accompanied by her sworn brother (Muh bola bhai) Gaman Bharwad. At around 7:30 PM, Sadiq’s car stopped their bike near the chemical factory. The accused was accompanied by another person but they don’t know about his identity. When she tried to confront Sadiq and asked why they stopped the bike, without any provocation or reason, he grabbed her hair and started slapping her.  

In the sudden attack, Gaman Bharwad fell and he tried to save himself but the accused brutally assaulted him as well. According to the complaint, Sadiq pulled the kurta of his accomplice and directed him, “Grab her and drag her inside the car,” and he used abuse to say that they should teach her a lesson. 

When they resisted, Sadiq started running away while shouting and screaming at them. According to the complaint, while fleeing, he threatened the woman and said, “You should leave the work of Durga Vahini, today you survived but if you come again, I will kill you.” After threatening her, both the accused ran away. 

Following the incident, Durga Vahini member, Ramila alerted her family who rushed to the spot. She then lodged a complaint at the Santalpur police station. The Police have filed a complaint under Sections 115(2), 125(2), 296(B), 351(2), and 54 of Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) and relevant sections of the SC/ST Act and Gujarat Police Act. The accused is currently in police custody. Further action is underway.

Santalpur police told OpIndia that the other accused have not been identified yet. The investigation of the case was handed over to Patan SC/ST Cell and the Police assured that the accused would be arrested at the earliest.

Had been receiving threats earlier as well: Victim’s family shared their ordeal with OpIndia

OpIndia spoke to the victim’s elder sister, Bhagwati Parmar who is also a member of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Durga Vahini. She told OpIndia, “Yesterday, as my sister was late coming from work, I sent our sworn brother (Muh bola bhai), who lives in the village, to pick her up. Meanwhile, Sadiq was behind him and was recording videos. His intention behind recording the videos was to defame my brother and sister who were riding on a bike. He forcefully stopped the bike and started assaulting my sister.”

The victim’s elder sister said, “This video was an excuse. Basically, those people have objections that we volunteer in Durga Vahini and Vishwa Hindu Parishad. For the last 15 days, we have been harassed. He had given a clear threat that we should give up the cause of Hindutva or he would kill us. The police have registered an FIR including under the sections of the SC/ST act, but no arrests have been made so far. Our organizations are with us and meetings are going on regarding the case.” It is pertinent to note that hours after OpIndia spoke with the victim’s sister, Police arrested Sadiq Khan, the main accused in this case. 

Bhagwati Parmar told OpIndia that the village has over 50% Muslim population and the sarpanch also hails from their community. She added that during Hindu festivals or in temple rituals like Aarti, Hanuman Chalisa, Navratri, or Ramnavami, they have to face harassment. 

She stated that as many Hindu youths and women work in the Hindu advocacy groups, the Muslim villagers keep threatening them to leave the organization. Such is their fear that no one speaks against them. Hindus have to stay at home. They are assaulted for even performing Hanuman Chalisa. 

She further stated, “The condition of Hindu women in the village is very bad. We have been persecuted for years. We are constantly told that either we leave the work of the Hindu organization or leave the village. Out of fear, we hesitate to even give a complaint. The atmosphere is such that we have to ask their permission to breathe. They are very stubborn and also carry weapons. Our Sarpanch’s name is Mehboob Bhai. We have complained to him about this many times, but he takes the side of Muslims and insults us. Love Jihad and torture have become common in the village. Not long ago, a girl from the village was stripped and beaten in public. After the Ramnavami procession, they assaulted Hindus on the false allegations of littering the place.”

Meanwhile, the brutal assault in Patan has outraged the Hindu organizations in the area including Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, and Durga Vahini of Gujarat. A series of meetings are being held in different places regarding this incident. The organization is also going to hold various programs to demand justice in this case. As per the information received, soon Sages and Saints will visit the victim’s family. Additionally,  public programs will be held including recitation of Hanuman Chalisa to demand Justice.

Mohammed Zubair, other Islamists spread fake news about Kanwariyas attacking Police vehicle in Ghaziabad: OpIndia spoke to police. Here is the truth

राहुल पाण्डेय
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Mohammed Zubair, other Islamists spread fake news about Kanwariyas attacking Police vehicle in Ghaziabad: OpIndia spoke to police. Here is the truth

On Monday (29th July), alleged fact-checker Mohammed Zubair, Islamists, and other usual suspects started peddling misinformation about an incident from Ghaziabad to launch a smear campaign against the Hindu religious procession, Kanwar Yatra and Kanwariyas.

Sharing misleading videos, they alleged that a group of kanwariyas went on a rampage, vandalized, and overturned a Police vehicle in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad district.

Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair who dog-whisteled against Nupur Sharma, shared the video and wrote, “Kanwariyas overturned a police vehicle after vandalising in Ghaziabad, UP.”

Incidentally, Zubair made another post to amplify the smear campaign. While sharing the incident again, he also went on to target ANI Chief Smita Prakash.

In his third post on the matter, Zubair partially shared the police version and wrote, “As expected, The driver is in Police custody. According to Ghaziabad Police, This vehicle was working in the vigilance department, The vehicle slightly touched the Kanwariyas without breaking the Karwar.” 

Another X user named Saba Khan wrote, “Ghaziabad: Kanwariya vandalised a police car that mistakenly entered the lane alinged for Kanwariya’s in Ghaziabad.  @ghaziabadpolice what action will be taken against this?”

National Spokesperson of the Congress party, Ragini Nayak went on to label the Kanwariyas as “rioters” and wrote, “These rioters breaking UP police vehicles cannot be ‘Kawadias’.” 

However, as the video of the incident started doing rounds on the internet with misleading claims, Ghaziabad Police revealed details about the incident and busted the fake news. 

According to the Police, the claim that the vehicle belonged to Police is false and misleading. The incident unfolded when the vehicle wrongly entered the lane which was reserved for the Kanwar Yatra. It then went on to hit the Kanwariyas and damaged his Kanwar which angered the Hindu devotees. The angry Kanwariyas then confronted the accused. The Police rushed to the spot and held discussions with the Kanwariyas and after pacifying them, they were sent away. Additionally, the Police have taken the accused vehicle and its driver identified as Awanish Tyagi into custody.  

The Police further stated that the driver uses the vehicle for the vigilance department of Power Corporation. The incident occurred near the Duhai Kanwar road in the Madhuban Bapudham police station area. 

When OpIndia did a ground investigation of this incident, it was found that the matter is from the Madhuban Bapudham police station area of Ghaziabad. Station in-charge Shailendra Tomar told OpIndia that the vehicle which was vandalized does not belong to the police department. The damaged Mahindra Bolero vehicle belongs to a private person resident of Loni, Ghaziabad. Additionally, the vehicle was illegally using a Police sticker. 

According to information received by OpIndia from the police, the vehicle with a police sticker and hooter entered the Kanwar road illegally by crossing the barricade near Muradnagar. The driver was driving the vehicle in a reckless manner in a lane that was reserved for Kanwariyas. 

After traveling about 6-7 kilometers, this vehicle hit a Kanwariya in Madhuban Bapudham police station area. He suffered minor injuries due to the collision. This enraged other Kanwariyas marching alongside him. 

Some eyewitnesses, on condition of anonymity, told OpIndia that after hitting the Kanwariya (Bhole), the accused driver Awanish Tyagi, instead of apologizing, started insulting the Kanwariyas. He also started trying to run away from the scene by blowing the hooter. The Kanwariyas, who were already angry alleging that the Kanwar was broken, had meanwhile come to know that the vehicle did not belong to the police and the hooters and stickers were being misused illegally. Angry over the development, they started vandalizing the vehicle.

Sharing details about the incident, a senior Police official said, “Today on 29th July, information was received that a vehicle hit Kanwariyas at around 10 AM near the Duhai Metro Station which falls in the Madhuban Bapudham police station area. Angered by the collision, a group of Kanwariyas vandalized the vehicle.” 

After reaching there, Police pacified them and sent them away, the official added. 

The Senior Police official further added that during the investigation of the case, it was revealed that this Bolero car was being driven by a man named Awanish Tyagi. He wrongly entered the lane reserved for kanwariyas because of which the incident took place.”

The driver and the car involved in the incident have been taken into custody. According to the official, Awanish Tyagi drives this car for the vigilance department of Power Corporation. 

Based on evidence and the statements of the driver, the police are taking further legal actions in this matter. 

RSS worker Arvind Vaishya stabbed to death in Mumbai’s Dharavi; accused Niyaz, Arif arrested: Read FIR details

Siddhi Somani
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RSS worker Arvind Vaishya stabbed to death in Mumbai’s Dharavi; accused Niyaz, Arif arrested: Read FIR details

On 28th July, an individual identified as Arvind Vaishya, 26 associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was brutally murdered by 4-5 persons. The accused persons stabbed Arvind on the evening of 28th July as he attempted to help one of his friends who was being allegedly harassed by the accused persons.

The police took cognizance of the event and booked 2 persons identified as Niyaz Sheikh and Aarif under sections 103(2), 351(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita, 2023. As per the FIR copy exclusively obtained by OpIndia, the other persons named in the complaint are Yasin, Sher Ali, Shubham, and Jumman.

The FIR has been filed based on the complaint registered by the brother of the deceased Shailendra. In the FIR, he mentioned that he witnessed his younger brother being stabbed by Niyaz (Allu) and Arif with the intention of murder.

As per the initial information gathered by OpIndia, the deceased Arvind had gone to help one of his friends, Siddesh. Siddesh and his father were allegedly being harassed and assaulted by the accused persons. Later, Arvind who went to help them was also assaulted and abused by Yasin, Sher Ali, Shubham, Niyaz (Allu), and Arif.

Someone happened to inform Shailendra about his brother being assaulted. However, Arvind calmed Shailendra saying that the fight was between the accused persons and Siddhesh and that he had gone just to help them. “I asked Arvind what the matter was. But he said that Siddhesh and his father were being assaulted and threatened and that he had been there to help them. He also informed me that he was going to Dharavi police station to file a report against the accused persons,” Shailendra mentioned in the FIR.

Shailendra further added that while he was on his way to be with Arvind at Dharavi Police Station, he was stopped by Saddam and Jumman who threatened him to keep a check on brother Arvind. “Stop this matter. Otherwise, you know what’ll happen,” Saddam and Jumman threatened Shailendra as mentioned in the FIR.

“I somehow reached the police station but I was informed that Arvind and his friend were going to Rajiv Gandhi Nagar along with the police. As soon as I reached the area, I saw Allu and Arif stabbed Arvind in his chest. Arvind and his friend were on the bike followed by a police van. However, the police managed to nab Allu from the spot while Arif attempted to flee seeing the police,” Shailendra said.

Arvind was then immediately taken to the Scion Hospital where he was declared dead.

OpIndia talked to Rahul, another brother of deceased Arvind who confirmed the incident and said that he was murdered in the police presence. He said that Arvind had gone to help his friend but he was targeted and killed. “The Police have only booked two persons in the case. But others involved are set free. We want action against all the accused persons involved Yasin, Sher Ali, Niyaz (Allu) and others,” he said.

While on the call, Rahul was at the Dharavi Police station where people could be heard yelling and demanding severe punishment against now arrested Niyaz and Arif and also others involved including Yasin, Sher Ali, Shubham, Saddam, and Jumman.

The exact reason behind the incident of attack is not yet known. Further probe is underway.

Kerala: Students at Church-run Nirmala College stage protest after being denied room to offer Friday namaz

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala: Students at Church-run Nirmala College stage protest after being denied room to offer Friday namaz

On Friday, 26th July, a group of students staged protests at Church-run Nirmala College in Kerala’s Muvattupuzha, claiming that they were denied permission to hold Friday noon prayers inside a room on the campus. The incident came to the fore on the 26th, however, the demand sparked outrage, after the BJP referred to the alleged protesters as ‘extremist elements’ on Sunday, the 28th of July. 

According to the reports, some female students requested that college authorities provide a place for women to offer Namaz prayers on Friday. When their request was not met, they decided to stage protests outside the office of the college’s principal, Father Kannadan Francis on the 26th.

Responding to the event, the Father told the girls that the Mosque was just 200 meters away from the college and that they could go there to offer Friday namaz prayers. “Boys at the college go to the mosque at noon for prayers. However, the girls wanted to use a college room for their prayer, saying that they were not allowed at the mosque. We have told them the college cannot allow a room for prayers,” Father Kannadan Francis was quoted as saying.

The college administration is said to have opined that no religious activities are permitted on campus since it is a ‘secular’ institution. According to college guidelines, students who submit a written request are permitted to attend prayers at a nearby mosque and are exempt from attendance requirements.

The incident came to the fore on 26th July. As per the protesters, a few female students offered prayers in the girls’ waiting area at the college. However, on 26th July, college officials questioned the matter and ordered the students who led the prayers to meet with the principal. This sparked the protest. 

“Three girl students used to perform prayers in the waiting room and nobody had objected to it. On Thursday, the non-teaching staff questioned the students and informed the principal. On Friday the principal went to the waiting room and stopped the students from performing prayers. This led to the protest,” Muslim Students Federation (MSF) Ernakulam district president Rameez Muthirakalayil was quoted as saying.

However, the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the state’s ruling CPI(M), and the Muslim Students Federation (MSF), the student wing of the Indian Union Muslim League have issued statements saying that they had nothing to do with the demands.

SFI state president K Anusree claimed that the organization stood supporting ‘secularism’ and that allowing religious practices of any particular community would affect the ‘secular’ nature of the college. “We are not associated with the demand raised at Nirmala College,” she was quoted as saying.

On the other hand, the BJP condemned the protests and said that the ‘extremist elements’ were trying to create problems in educational institutes run by Hindus and Christians. “Extremist elements are behind the demand. The Left and the Congress are supporting it. Do colleges under Muslim management give premises for prayer for students from other religious communities? If Muslim groups are trying to foment trouble at colleges, BJP will give protection,” BJP state president K Surendran commented.

Illegal immigrants from Bangladesh working in Karnataka, agents based in West Bengal and Assam: Republic TV sting operation exposes infiltration racket

OpIndia Staff
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Illegal immigrants from Bangladesh working in Karnataka, agents based in West Bengal and Assam: Republic TV sting operation exposes infiltration racket

Illegal immigrants from Bangladesh are not only staying in Karnataka but also working with the civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

The revelations were made by the Republic Kannada on Monday (27th July), following a month-long investigation into the matter.

The news channel spoke to Bangladeshi infiltrators, who spent between ₹2000-₹20000 to illegally enter India via Assam and West Bengal and travel to far-flung Bengaluru.

They informed Republic Kannada that their illegal entry to India is facilitated by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), formerly called Bangladesh Rifles.

Most of the infiltrators that the news channel spoke with belonged to Khulna city of Bangladesh. Some of the infiltrators came with passports and valid visas but did not return to Bangladesh.

Others paid ₹4000-5000 to BGB officials to cross the border illegally. The infiltrators took further help from agents based in West Bengal and Assam to spread out to other parts of the country, particularly Karnataka.

The illegal immigrants from Bangladesh are replacing the local workforce in the State in coffee estates and agriculture. They are also working as garbage collectors, rag pickers and delivery boys at 1/5th of the cost of their Indian counterparts.

“While Indian labourers typically demand Rs 1,000 per day, Bangladeshi workers accept Rs 200-300,” reported Republic TV.

Some are even working with BBMP, opting for night shifts and odd jobs.

While reacting to the sting operation by Republic Kannada, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated, “I will look into that issue and get back to it.”

Home Minister G. Parameshwara pointed out, “If we find any illegal migrants, we will arrest them and deport them. This applies not only to those from Bangladesh but to any foreigner residing here without valid documents.”

According to estimates, there are about 4-5 Bangladeshi infiltrators in Karnataka. Some of them have voter IDs and Aadhar cards.

‘Never buy a house in Muslim dominated area, unsafe for women’: Hindu woman journalist reports harassment and threats from her neighbourhood

OpIndia Staff
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‘Never buy a house in Muslim dominated area, unsafe for women’: Hindu woman journalist reports harassment and threats from her neighbourhood

A Hindu woman journalist, named Amrapali Sharma, has shared several videos on social media alleging harassment and threat to her life from communal Muslims living in her neighbourhood in Malad, Maharashtra. In her video statement, she stated that she is being targeted for her Hindu religious identity and facing an existential threat as well as a threat to her life from local Muslims.

According to her, communal people living in the ‘Muslim-dominated area’ have been harassing, threatening, and instigating Hindus to either commit suicide or sell their businesses and houses. She alleged that they have been forcing Hindus to leave this area.

She added that they harass Hindus on one pretext or the other and she is being harassed allegedly for feeding animals. However, she noted that this is not a matter of feeding animals rather it is only about targeting a Hindu female. She alleged that the mob also threw meat at her doorstep and nobody checked whether it was beef or other animal meat. Taking to X, she has also accused Mohommad Khan and Aysha Turki of making communal remarks on Hindus.

In one of the videos she has shared through her X handle, a man could be seen having an argument with her over feeding stray animals on the road.

In one of her posts, she advised against buying houses in Muslim-dominated areas like Malvani, Malad, and Mumbra as they are ‘unsafe’ for women.

In another post, she asked, “Mumbai se bhi kashmir ki tarha hum Hinduon ko bhagayenge ye log ?”

Muslims allege discrimination but are discriminating against Hindus in ‘their area’: Amrapali Sharma alleges discrimination on religious ground

In one of the videos, the journalist asked, “Is it a mistake for a Hindu woman to have a house in Muslim dominated area? I am secular but as a Hindu, I have to struggle for my existence, I am their target and a victim here. Where should I go? People say that you did a wrong thing by having a house in Muslim dominated area. This is our country. If anything happens to them or any person in their community, they start overreacting and waving a Minority card. The whole country comes in their support.”

She added, “Is it a crime to be a Hindu? Or Animal lover? On the day of Bakrid, they hung Goats all across the society and there was blood all around. When I told the Police about it, they gave assurances that they would hold discussions. Nobody takes action against them.”

“It seems that being a Hindu, we can’t reside in any corner of the country. Then they say that nobody gives them housing apartments and that Minority faces discrimination. But despite Hindus being in the majority, I am being discriminated against. I carry pepper spray with me as these people threaten to kill me,” Hindu female journalist, Amrapali Sharma further stated in the video. 

Amrapali Sharma further noted that this is not a matter of feeding animals rather it is only about targeting a Hindu female. They target many people on one pretext or the other. They threaten to kill them so that they leave their businesses and houses in this area and sell them. Their intention is to force them to commit Suicide. Last year, I contemplated committing suicide and urged for help from the police and others to no avail. People say you will not get any help from anywhere as this is their area, she said.  

She concluded by saying, “If anything happens to me in the future, this community living in this neighbourhood and targeting me, will be responsible for it.”  

As per her X profile, Amrapali Sharma has been associated with prominent news channels like Aaj Tak and IBN7 in the past.

Supreme Court refuses interim stay on Patna HC’s judgment that struck down Bihar government’s law increasing reservations to 65%

OpIndia Staff
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Supreme Court refuses interim stay on Patna HC’s judgment that struck down Bihar government’s law increasing reservations to 65%

On Monday (29th July), the Supreme Court of India refused an interim stay on Patna High Court’s judgement that struck down the Bihar government’s law that increased reservations in the state from 50% to 65% in public employment and educational institutions. However, the court has admitted the Bihar government’s plea challenging the High Court order. 

The three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra has listed the case for a final hearing in September. However, they refused to grant any interim relief to the state government at this stage. 

CJI Chandrachud said, “We will list in September. No interim relief [at this stage].”

Notably, the Bihar government has approached the top court to challenge the Patna High Court’s order dated 20th June 2024 in which it set aside its law that increased reservation from 50% to 65% in the state. 

It is pertinent to note that in November 2023, the JDU-RJD alliance government in Bihar passed an amendment to increase reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and Extremely Backward Classes, citing the state-wide caste census. 

Based on the state-wide caste census conducted in 2023, the State increased the reservation quota for EBCs from 18% to 25%. The reservation for Backward Castes was increased from 12% to 18%; for SCs from 16% to 20%; and STs, the quota was doubled, from 1% to 2%. With an additional 10% reservation for the Economically Weaker Sections, the reservation quota in Bihar reached a total of 75%.

Later, a batch of pleas were filed before the Patna High Court as they argued that the reservation hike violated the right to equal opportunity for citizens in matters of employment and education.

The PIL had also argued that these amendments violated the 50% cap on reservations established by the Supreme Court in the Indira Sawhney case (also known as the Mandal Commission case). The petitioners contended that the state’s decision to exceed this cap without demonstrating exceptional circumstances was unconstitutional. They also asserted that the reservation percentages should be based on adequate representation rather than proportional representation of these classes within the state​.

Subsequently, on the 20th of June 2024, the Patna High Court overturned the Bihar government’s 65% reservation quota law. 

The Court stated that the Bihar Reservation of Vacancies in Posts and Services (Amendment) Act, 2023, and the Bihar (In Admission in Educational Institutions) Reservation (Amendment) Act, 2023, were unconstitutional and violated the equality clause of Articles 14, 15, and 16 of the Indian Constitution.

Now, the Supreme Court has admitted Bihar government’s plea challenging this High Court order and the final hearing in this matter has been listed for September. 

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