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Bengaluru: Irfan Khan arrested for kidnapping, raping and murdering a 4-year-old girl

OpIndia Staff
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Bengaluru: Irfan Khan arrested for kidnapping, raping and murdering a 4-year-old girl

On 23rd July, the authorities apprehended a man from Goripalya on charges of abducting and raping his four-year-old relative before disposing of her body on the roadside at Thippagondanahalli in the Magadi police station area of the Ramanagara district on 20th July. The accused has been identified as 34-year-old Irfan Khan from Kengeri who works as a labourer in Kalasipalya, Bengaluru. He would frequently go to the victim’s home.

Irfan Khan reportedly took her away after he visited her and enticed her with the promise of ice cream. The crime was committed near Old Masjid Mohalla Road in Magadi Town police station limits in Ramanagara. Her partially nude body ended up on Tippagondanahalli Road next to some shrubs.

Parents began searching for their missing child when she did not come home till the evening and discovered that the perpetrator had been spotted at a store with her. He feigned ignorance and later switched off his phone when the minor’s family called him. Afterwards they notified the police who filed a missing person’s report. The cops also received the CCTV footage and explored technical leads after which they found the girl travelling along Thippagondahalli Road with the offender. They further learned about her body on the roadside.

The police then carried out a search operation and recovered her body as well as located Irfan Khan who had gone into hiding. She had been sexually assaulted, according to the postmortem, informed a police official. He was a habitual offender and had been arrested for pickpocketing in the past. The authorities have lodged a case on the girl’s father’s complaint and slapped abduction and murder charges on the culprit as well as invoked the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act against him. The matter is currently under investigation.

Delhi court summons Dhruv Rathee in Rs 20 lakh defamation case filed by BJP leader Suresh Nakhua for calling him ‘violent and abusive troll’

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi court summons Dhruv Rathee in Rs 20 lakh defamation case filed by BJP leader Suresh Nakhua for calling him ‘violent and abusive troll’

A Delhi Court summoned YouTuber Dhruv Rathee in a defamation suit filed by BJP Mumbai spokesperson Suresh Karamshi Nakhua. Nakhua alleged that Rathee referred to him as a part of “violent and abusive trolls” in his YouTube video titled “My Reply to Godi Youtubers | Elvish Yadav” uploaded on July 7, 2024.

In the plea filed in Delhi’s Saket Court by advocates Raghav Awasthi and Mukesh Sharma, Nakhua has sought Rs 20 lakh damages from Rathee for the defamation caused to him in cyberspace.

District Judge Gunjan Gupta of Saket Courts issued the summons in the defamation suit filed against Rathee, as well as Google LLC and X Corp on July 19 and said that the matter will be heard next on August 6.

“Issue summons of the suit and notice of the application u/o 39 Rule 1 and 2 CPC to the defendants, subject to steps by all modes i.e. PF & RC/Speed Post/ Approved Courier including electronic mode for 06.08.2024. Process be also given dasti, as prayed,” the Court ordered.

In his petition, the BJP’s Mumbai unit spokesperson, Nakhua alleged that in the video in question, Rathee claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had hosted “violent and abusive trolls like Ankit Jain, Suresh Nakhua, and Tajinder Bagga” at his official residence.

He further stated That Rathi’s claims were without any “rhyme or reason” and were intended to damage his reputation.

“That the Defendant No.1 [Dhruv Rathee], who in a highly provocative and incendiary video that spread like wildfire across digital platforms, made bold and unsubstantiated claims against the Plaintiff. The insidious intent behind this video lies in its unfounded insinuation that the Plaintiff is somehow linked to violent and abusive troll activities,” the suit argued.

“The video in question has received over 24 million views and more than 2.3 million likes, a number that continues to soar with every passing moment,” the suit states.

In light of Rathee’s claims, Nakhua said he had been subjected to a great deal of criticism and mockery. As a result, he asked the court to prevent Rathee from making any videos, tweets, or posts about Nakhua on YouTube or X Corp.

“That through this cunningly crafted video, a deliberate campaign to besmirch the Plaintiff’s integrity and reputation is apparent, as baseless accusations and malicious connections are artfully insinuated. The primary creator of this video that is Plaintiff seek not only to cast doubt on the Plaintiff’s character but also to tarnish his hard-earned standing in society, has planted seeds of suspicion and mistrust that can have far-reaching consequences. The repercussions of such false allegations are manifold, extending well beyond the realm of the video itself to irrevocably impact both the personal and professional domains of the Plaintiff, leaving scars that may never fully heal.”

Youtuber Dhruv Rathee’s YouTube video titled “My Reply to Godi Youtubers | Elvish Yadav” which was uploaded on July 7 can be viewed here.

Delhi HC orders X and Google to take down defamatory posts against Speaker Om Birla’s daughter Anjali: How she was vilified by trolls

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi HC orders X and Google to take down defamatory posts against Speaker Om Birla’s daughter Anjali: How she was vilified by trolls

On 23rd July, the Delhi High Court directed social media platform X (formerly Twitter) and Google to take down posts against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s daughter Anjali Birla where it was claimed that she cleared Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams in the first attempt because of his father’s influence.

The matter was heard by Justice Navin Chawla. Google and X have been provided 24 hours to remove the posts. Furthermore, the court has restrained unknown persons (John Doe) defendants from making any further defamatory allegations against Anjali in the matter.

While passing the interim order, the court said that Anjali made out a prima facie case that the posts in question were defamatory. Senior advocate Rajiv Nayar appeared for Anjali. The court was informed that a similar allegation had surfaced in 2021 but it was fact-checked by news publications and the controversy faded away.

Nayar told the court, “I became an officer in the year 2021 but now suddenly these things have come up again because of the NEET and UPSC exams controversy. It [the social media posts) make it feel as if we are all part of this… My private pictures are being posted online saying I am a model.” It was also pointed out that she is not an IAS officer but an Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) officer.

The allegations against Anjali went viral on social media soon after Om Birla was elected speaker for the second time. Notably, those who have passed UPSC like Puja Khedkar are facing allegations and action as they submitted fake documents during the UPSC selection process. Amidst the controversies, Anjali’s name was sucked into the controversy with many defamatory and derogatory social media posts made against her. 

Several social media posts claimed that Anjali is a model by profession and she cleared UPSC exams using his father’s powerful position in her very first attempt. The claims were rubbished by Anjali. She stated that the handles posted against her were part of a “pre-planned conspiracy” aiming at defaming her and her father.

The case was mentioned before Justice Navin Chawla for urgent listing by Nayar which was allowed. X, Google and John Doe (unknown people) were made a party in the case. Anjali had provided details of 16 X accounts including a parody account of propagandist Dhruv Rathee who goes by the handle dhruvrahtee.

The allegations and viral posts on social media

The target was put on Anjali’s back with several social media posts including by the parody account of a German YouTuber. In now-deleted posts by the handle, it was claimed that Anjali was a model and she passed UPSC using his father’s powerful position. The posts went viral on social media leading to an FIR in Maharashtra. The FIR was registered Maharashtra Cyber Cell against this account and various other accounts under Sections 78, 79, 318(2), 352, 356(2), 353(2) and 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita Act, 2023 and Section 66(C) of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Source: X

Notably, Maharashtra Cyber Police warned Dhruvrahtee on X that an FIR had been registered against the owner of the handle and directed him to remove nine objectionable posts. The posts were removed by the handle and an apology was posted on X that read, “As directed by @MahaCyber1, I have deleted all my posts and comments on Anjali Birla, I would like to apologize as I was unaware of the facts and copied someone else’ tweets and shared it.” The handle has been made a party in the defamation suit filed by Anjali in Delhi High Court. After that post, the parody account stopped vilifying her.

Though the parody account has deleted the posts, several posts against her are still online. A Samajwadi Party follower Surya Samajwadi shared a video of Lok Sabha proceedings and wrote, “Om Birla got angry as soon as a question related to UPSC corruption was asked in Parliament House. Om Birla fears that his daughter’s IAS career may be investigated.”

Source: X

Social media handle ItsAarti_, who is famous for fake news published a post on 28th June and wrote, “Om Birla’s daughter, Anjali Birla, went from modeling to clearing the IAS exam in her first attempt. How did this happen???”

Source: X

She also targeted Om Birla’s second daughter Akanksha Birla as well. In a post she wrote, “He is Om Birla. Om Birla is the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. He has two daughters, who are into modeling: Akanksha Birla and Anjali Birla. His elder daughter (Akanksha Birla) became a CA in her first attempt. And his younger daughter (Anjali Birla) cleared UPSC in her first attempt. I’m not blaming anyone, just asking a simple question: is Om Birla misusing his power, or is it Modi magic?”

Source: X

We also found posts from 2021 when this controversy first erupted.

Anjali’s old photographs were used to set a narrative that ‘she is a model’ and for that reason alone she is somehow incapable of having academic brilliance and lacks the merit needed to pass a competitive exam. Even in this post, an old photograph, possibly picked from her public social media account, was used. Abusive and foul language is common in such posts against Anjali.

Source: X

Fake news peddler Neha Singh Rathore also shared a post targeting Anjali.

Source: X

The posts against Anjali Birla were meant to target Speaker Om Birla. Without checking the facts about her educational background and her achievements, Anjali became an easy target for social media trolls, fake news peddlers and supporters of opposition parties.

Assam: Mangaldoi Police and VHP rescue minor Hindu girl from grooming trap, accused Sajel Ali taken into custody

OpIndia Staff
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Assam: Mangaldoi Police and VHP rescue minor Hindu girl from grooming trap, accused Sajel Ali taken into custody

In Assam’s Mangaldoi, a minor Hindu girl was rescued by a Hindu rights group from an alleged grooming jihad attempt by a Muslim youth identified as Sajel Ali. The 21-year-old accused was captured with the help of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists.

After receiving a tip, VHP activists in coordination with Mangaldoi Police, launched a quick rescue effort. The Hindu girl, who was suffering from severe abdominal pain, was found at her brother’s home in Ramhari.

Subsequently, she was taken to Mangaldoi Civil Hospital for emergency medical care. Meanwhile, accused Muslim youth Sajel Ali was also nabbed by the police with the help of Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists.

Last month, a similar incident of grooming jihad was reported wherein a 20-year-old male from the Baksa district of Assam was taken into custody on accusations of hiding his religious affiliation to trap a Hindu girl. The offender pretended to be a Hindu guy named Rana Saha on social media platforms to communicate with the victim.

Her family asserted that he created fictitious profiles on Facebook and Instagram to get closer to her. He was apprehended by members of the Bajrang Dal and turned over to the police at the Barpeta Road police station.

TMC supporter told she is Hindu and BJP supporter, denied residential certificate by Panchayat chief’s husband Kader Molla; BJP shares testimony

OpIndia Staff
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TMC supporter told she is Hindu and BJP supporter, denied residential certificate by Panchayat chief’s husband Kader Molla; BJP shares testimony

West Bengal BJP on Tuesday, July 23 shared a video testimonial of a Hindu woman detailing how Mamata Banerjee led TMC in West Bengal is depriving Hindus of their fundamental rights based only on their religious identity.

In the video, the woman Anindita Bhuiyan, who identified herself as an avid supporter of the TMC, said that she went to the Panchayat office to get a residency certificate for her daughter. However, she was turned away by the Panchayat Chief’s husband Kader Molla, who told her that she would not be entertained as she is a Hindu and a BJP supporter.

The woman further said that the TMC workers present there mocked her and told her to seek the residential certificate from PM Narendra Modi before slamming the Panchayat office door in her face. 

“In a threatening tone, they asked me whether I was recording the video. When I answered in the negative, they slammed the door in my face. They behaved in a highly insensitive and indecent way,” the woman lamented.

She regretted the fact that despite being a fervent Trinamool Congress supporter she was mistreated and denied her basic rights by the members of the party.

The incident happened in the Patuli Khanpur GP under Hansnabad Block in West Bengal’s Basirhat district.

The BJP shared the video and expressed concern about how Hindus are still forced to live in appalling conditions in the state because of their religious identity, while the TMC is determined to bring in Rohingyas and Bangladeshi infiltrators to Bengal to alter the state’s demographics and undermine national interests.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee offers shelter to ‘helpless people’ suffering in ongoing violence in Bangladesh

On Sunday (21st July), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee responded to the ongoing violent protests over job quotas and potential humanitarian crises in Bangladesh. The TMC Supremo said that the state will surely keep its door open for ‘helpless people’ who have been affected by violence in the neighbouring country and offer them shelter. Banerjee, who had earlier opposed the Citizenship Amendment Act, cited the UN resolution on refugees for assuring assistance and shelter to Bangladeshis. 

Addressing her party’s ‘Martyrs Day’ rally in Kolkata, Mamata Banerjee, speaking in Bengali, said, “I cannot speak anything about Bangladesh as it is another country. The Indian government will speak about that. Jodi asohai manush banglar dorja thokthokai, amra tader asroy debo (But if helpless people knock on the door of Bengal, we will shelter them).” 

Atrocities on Hindus a new normal in West Bengal: villagers accuse TMC leader of sexual harassment in Nadia

Recently, in the month of April this year, an influential Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader in the Nadia district of West Bengal came under the scanner for exploitation of women and creating a Sandeshkhali-like atmosphere.

According to a report by Calcutta News, the perpetrator was identified as TMC leader Pradip Sarkar. The villagers had accused him of harassing them at their house during the daytime.

The villagers had also lamented how the police and the district administration have been working in cahoots with the accused Trinamool Congress leader.

Turmoil in Sandeshkhali

The unrest in Sandeshkhali village in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal brought into focus the atrocities committed against Hindu women by former Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sheikh Shahjahan and his aides Shibu Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar.

Multiple women have come forward to narrate instances of land grabbing, and sexual violence perpetrated against them by the trio. Forced by circumstances, they took matters into their own hands and gheraoed the police station.

The agitation led by women eventually led to the arrest of the 3 TMC goons. OpIndia had previously reported how the Trinamool Congress, led by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, have left no stone unturned to trivialise the sexual violence committed against women in Sandeshkhali.

Besides Mamata Banerjee, TMC MLA Udayan Guha also attempted to downplay the sexual exploitation of women in Sandeshkhali as ‘eating pie (Pitha khaowa)’ and ‘mischief (Dushtami)’ on 29th February.

TMC spokesperson Jui Biswas also sought to deny sexual violence in Sandeshkhali by demanding ‘video footage of rapes’ as proof. Journalist’ Sagarika Ghose, who was recently rewarded with a Rajya Sabha seat by the TMC, also trivialised the raging unrest in Sandeshkhali village as a ‘local land dispute.’

TMC Minister Partha Bhowmick had earlier tried to dismiss accusations of sexual violence by women of Sandeshkhali village as ‘fake.’ On 10th March, the actress turned TMC candidate from Hooghly, Rachna Banerjee, was seen casting aspersions on the sexual violence faced by women in Sandeshkhali.

Last month, a video of Kolkata Mayor and Trinamool Congress MLA Firham Hakim doing whataboutery on the plight of women of Sandeshkhali village had surfaced on social media. While mocking the ordeal of women, he said, “Now, you know that one ‘khali’ is grabbing all headlines. What ‘Khali’? Ah, Sandeshkhali. It is everywhere.”

Assassination attempt on Trump: US Secret Service Director resigns a day after admitting failures in Trump’s security during Congressional hearing

OpIndia Staff
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Assassination attempt on Trump: US Secret Service Director resigns a day after admitting failures in Trump’s security during Congressional hearing

On Tuesday (23rd July), the US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle announced that she was stepping down from her job, according to an email she sent to staff. The development comes a day after she admitted failures and security lapses at a congressional hearing over the Trump assassination attempt. Till her resignation, she had been serving as Secret Service director since August 2022. 

In the email sent to the staff on Tuesday, she said, “I take full responsibility for the security lapse.” 

She added, “In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your director.”

Speaking to reporters, Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson said, “It is overdue, she should have done this at least a week ago. I’m happy to see that she has heeded the call of both Republicans and Democrats.”

It is pertinent to note that Cheatle was facing non stop calls to step down after a 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Crooks fired multiple shots at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The incident unfolded on 13th July in which a bullet pierced Trump’s right ear and left him bleeding. A Trump supporter died in the incident and two others suffered injuries in the firing incident. The former US President survived by chance as the bullet missed his head by mere centimeters.

US lawmakers and citizens had been intensifying their demands in calling for her resignation as they expressed concerns about how the US security agencies failed to prevent an assassination attempt on a Former US President and a Presidential candidate. 

During the Congressional hearing, Kimberly Cheatle described the assassination attempt on Trump’s life as the “most significant operational failure” in decades for the Secret Service. 

She said that she was taking full responsibility for the security lapses, but angered many lawmakers when she failed to answer several specific questions about the investigation. 

‘Mamata’s remark may create confusion’: Bangladesh makes clear International issues are handled between Central govts, not by state CM

OpIndia Staff
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‘Mamata’s remark may create confusion’: Bangladesh makes clear International issues are handled between Central govts, not by state CM

On Tuesday, July 23, the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh raised objections to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s remarks where she assured assistance and shelter to Bangladeshis amidst the ongoing violent protests over job quotas and potential humanitarian crises in Bangladesh. 

The TMC Supremo had said that West Bengal will surely keep its door open for ‘helpless people’ who have been affected by violence in the neighbouring country and offer them shelter. 

Responding to this remark of the West Bengal CM, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud said that her remark has the scope of creating a lot of confusion. He also said that his government has sent an official note to New Delhi regarding the matter.

“With due respect to the West Bengal Chief Minister, with whom we share a very close relationship, we want to make it clear that her comments have a lot of scope for confusion. Therefore, we have given a note to the Government of India,” he said.

On July 21, while addressing her party’s ‘Martyrs Day’ rally in Kolkata, Mamata Banerjee, speaking in Bengali, said, “I cannot speak anything about Bangladesh as it is another country. The Indian government will speak about that. Jodi asohai manush banglar dorja thokthokai, amra tader asroy debo (But if helpless people knock on the door of Bengal, we will shelter them).” 

The specific remarks could be heard around 3 hours and 16 minutes into the video shared by the official handle of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC). 

She added, “That’s because there is a United Nations Resolution to accommodate refugees in regions adjacent to those under turmoil.”

Meanwhile, Banerjee has been asked to provide a report on her remarks by West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose. According to the Raj Bhavan, the Centre has the right to address any matter pertaining to external relations.

“Public statement by a Chief Minister undertaking the responsibility to provide shelter to people who may be coming in from a foreign nation implies Constitutional transgression of a very serious nature,” the Governor’s office said in a statement on Monday.

British-Pakistani preacher convicted of terrorism offences; was earlier jailed for 5 years for encouraging support for ISIS

OpIndia Staff
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British-Pakistani preacher convicted of terrorism offences; was earlier jailed for 5 years for encouraging support for ISIS

Once Britain’s most high-profile Islamist preacher, Anjem Choudary, has been found guilty of directing a banned terror outfit and encouraging support for it online. On Tuesday (23rd July), London’s Woolwich Crown Court convicted him on charges of taking a “caretaker role” in Al-Muhajiroun (ALM), a proscribed terror group. 

Prosecutors stated that Choudary had been directing the terror group since 2014 and encouraged support for it by addressing online meetings. The prosecution stated that he was still acting as its leader as late as July 2023 and made online speeches to a US-based offshoot called Islamic Thinkers Society (ITS), which prosecutors said was “the same” as ALM. However, the ITS group was infiltrated by US undercover law enforcement officers who were present at his online lectures in 2022 and 2023. They recorded his speeches which were played during trials. 

On Tuesday, the London Court also found one of his supporters, Khaled Hussein (29) guilty of ALM membership. The court will now announce sentencing on 30th July. 

Notably, ALM was first banned by the UK’s Home Secretary in 2006 under the name Al Ghurabaa. ALM which was using a different name was again banned in 2010. According to prosecutors, ALM regularly changed its name. 

A British-Pakistani, Anjem Choudary (57) a resident of Ilford, East London, was arrested along with Hussein, a resident of Edmonton, Canada. They were detained when Hussein arrived at Heathrow Airport on 17th July, last year. 

During the trial, Choudary said that he was one of the original three members of ALM, which was founded in 1996. In a covert audio recording that was played during the trial, Choudary was heard saying that the group operated under more than 50 aliases during its existence.

According to security experts, Choudary influenced dozens of British jihadists. His followers have been linked to numerous plots across the world. Radicals who had links with ALM carried out several attacks that police said were “terror-related”.   

In 2017, three attackers killed eight people at London Bridge and they were led by a former ALM member. Earlier that year, five people were killed at Westminster Bridge by a man who had spent years associating with this terror group. 

In 2019, another member associated with this outfit killed two people at Fishmongers Hall. 

Anjem Choudary was sentenced to five years for encouraging support for the Islamic State

In 2016, Anjem Choudary was sentenced to five years in prison for encouraging support for the Islamic State group. However, he was released early on license after he served half of his sentence. His licence conditions expired in July 2021 and afterwards, he started peddling press releases on WhatsApp and Telegram from his residence in East London. According to the reports, he was grooming recruits as young as 14 years of age. 

During the trials, he told the court that after his release he had continued to do his best to “propagate Islam”.

According to a report in The Times, Choudary delivered more than 40 lectures in a year. In some of these lectures, the followers were limited in numbers but others saw an audience of up to 150 from as far away as Brazil and Afghanistan. 

However, the group had been infiltrated by two US undercover law enforcement officers who recorded his speeches. 

In one of these speeches, Choudary boasted that he had been labelled “the number one radicaliser in Britain”. He added, “That is a badge of honour for me. It’s a medallion on my chest. What do you want to call me? An extremist? Fanatic? All of these.”

Khalid Hussein, a member of the ITS, began an online magazine called al-Aseer [the prisoners]. He told Canadian undercover officers that he was “working with Sheikh Anjem” and that “they were the remnants of al-Muhajiroun (AML)”.

Head of the Met’s counter-terrorism command, Commander Dominic Murphy said, “ALM’s tentacles have spread across the world and have had a massive impact on public safety and security.”

During a press conference, Murphy added, “There are individuals that have conducted terrorist attacks or travelled for terrorist purposes as a result of Anjem Choudary’s radicalising impact upon them.” 

Commander Murphy further stated that the charge used to prosecute Choudary was “very rare” in the UK and described his conviction as a “significant milestone“. He added that the Met Police’s counter-terrorism command was “seeing an increasingly larger number of young people in our case files”.

An NYPD deputy commissioner, Rebecca Weiner said that it was a “historic case”. She described Choudary as a “shameless, prolific radicaliser”. 

She added, “It is usually the foot soldiers, the individuals who are brought into the network who go on to commit the attacks who are brought to justice. And it’s rarely the leader, which is what makes this a particularly important moment.”

Bhutan King, PM visit Adani Group’s 30 GW renewable energy site in Khavda, Mundra Port

OpIndia Staff
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Bhutan King, PM visit Adani Group’s 30 GW renewable energy site in Khavda, Mundra Port

The King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk, and Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay visited the Adani Group’s large-scale renewable energy project sites at Khavda and Mundra port in Gujarat.

“Immensely grateful to His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan and Hon. @PMBhutan Dasho Tshering Tobgay for visiting Adani’s 30 GW Renewable Energy site at Khavda and Mundra Port,” Gautam Adani, Chairman of Adani Group, posted on X, sharing photographs with the King and the Prime Minister of Bhutan on Tuesday.

“Deeply inspired by Bhutan’s vibrant spirit and steadfast commitment to eco-friendly initiatives. We are excited about doing our part to foster collaboration with the Land of the Thunder Dragon for a sustainable and greener future,” Gautam Adani added.

Adani Green Energy Limited is developing a 30 GW renewable energy plant on barren land at Khavda in Kutch, Gujarat, covering an area of 538 sq km, making it the planet’s largest power plant once completed.

Khavda Renewable Park

Adani Green Energy Limited will invest approximately Rs 1.5 lakh crore in the project.

Last week, US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti also visited the mega renewable energy project sites at Khavda and Mundra Port.

Mundra Port

At COP26 held in 2021, India committed to an ambitious five-part “Panchamrit” pledge, which includes reaching 500 GW of non-fossil electricity capacity, generating half of all energy requirements from renewables, and reducing emissions by 1 billion tonnes by 2030. India also aims to reduce the emissions intensity of GDP by 45 per cent and achieve net-zero emissions by 2070.

SC stays Kanwar Yatra order on displaying eatery owners’ names: How the order leaves a window open for the govt to ensure vendors display their names

Anurag
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SC stays Kanwar Yatra order on displaying eatery owners’ names: How the order leaves a window open for the govt to ensure vendors display their names

On 22nd July, the Supreme Court of India gave interim relief to petitioners against the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand directive asking shopkeepers, eateries, hotels, restaurants, dhabas etc to display their names and their workers’ names prominently outside the shop. The directive that was first given by Muzaffarnagar police was to ensure the Kanwariyas did not face any problems while choosing where to buy food items. However, the petitioners contended in the court that it was against the constitution and discriminatory promoting untouchability. As there was no one representing the states in the court, an interim order favouring the petitioners was passed. The next date of the hearing is 26th July.

While the petitioners as well as Muslim vendors saw the interim order as a victory of some sort, the Supreme Court has subtly shifted the onus onto the government to act within constitutional bounds. The court in its order, when read carefully, has left a window for legislative intervention.

The government’s directives and plea in the apex court

During the Kanwar Yatra, the Kanwariyas are supposed to follow strict dietary practices. They cannot eat non-vegetarian food, onion or garlic. In short, they have consumed only pure vegetarian or ‘Satvik’ food. There have been several cases in past years where Muslims were found to be running eateries in Hindu Gods and Goddesses’ names. Their identity would only be revealed when someone pays them using a QR code. In such cases, the chances of altercations were high which could lead to law and order problems.

Keeping this in mind, Muzaffarnagar police issued a directive ordering all eatery owners and cart owners to display their names and their employee names prominently to prevent any confusion among Kanwariyas. The move sparked controversy in UP. Chief Minister of UP, Yogi Adityanath, stepped in and issued orders to impose the direction across Kanwar Yatra Marg. Taking a cue from UP, the Uttarakhand government also issued a similar directive for Kanway Yatra. Ujjain administration also issued a similar directive for shops and carts around Mahakal temple.

Irked by the directive, several organisations and so-called activists and politicians including APCR and Mahua Moitra approached the Supreme Court of India which stayed the government’s orders till the next date of hearing.

What the court said

In its interim order, the Supreme Court of India prohibited the enforcement of the directive that mandated displaying names. The court cited concerns over its constitutional validity and potential to enable discrimination. However, the court said that the government and police can ask to display the food types being served so that there is transparency for Kanwariyas.

As the interim order was in favour of the petitioners, they took it as a victory. However, it is essential to do a deeper analysis of the order as the court has left room for the governments to act in the purview of the Constitution of India and established laws under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the Street Vendors Act, 2014.

Notably, the court did not outright condemn the directives as prejudicial but highlighted that there were legal and constitutional inadequacies. The court, in a way, indicated that while the interim order halted the immediate enforcement of the directives, it left room for the government to address the issue through proper legislative channels.

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 in the competent authority cannot be usurped by the Police, without a legal foundation.

Source: Supreme Court of India

The court further added, “Until the returnable date, we deem it appropriate to pass an interim order prohibiting the enforcement of the impugned directives. In other words, the food sellers (including dhaba owners, restaurants, food and vegetable sellers, hawkers, etc) may be required to display the kind of food that they are serving to the Kanwariyas. But they must not be forced to display the name/identity of the owners and also the employees, deployed in their respective establishments.”

A win for liberals? Not entirely

The court did not explicitly label the police directives as discriminatory. Instead, the court emphasised the procedural propriety and the need for the directives to align with the established legal frameworks under the FSSAI Act and Street Vendors Act.

The ball is now in the government’s court. The interim order presented an opportunity for them to draft regulations that not only respect the Constitution of India but also address the long-standing concerns of the Kanwariyas and vegetarian Hindus. The governments need to ensure that on 26th July their representatives are present in the court to argue the matter. On the back end, they need to utilise provisions under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the Street Vendors Act, 2014, to offer a balanced non-biased solution so that this matter comes to an end once and for all.

Furthermore, the court has stopped governments from imposing the directives. However, it did not ask Hindu vendors to not display names on their shops and carts.

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