Two young Hindu men from Rajgarh in Rajasthan gave money to marry two women from Bihar and took them to the state, however, they fled after just one week. The two women then confessed that they were in fact Muslims and were brought there through payment after they were caught. They even threatened to file a rape case against the men when the latter pleaded with them for the sake of their relationship. Police were also notified but the men had to let the women leave and their money was also not recovered.
The marriage was held in a Dharamshala in Bihar which was in a predominantly Muslim area. Two lakh rupees were taken from each of the young men for the marriage. The two Muslim girls wed in accordance with Hindu tradition but now they have stolen the money. According to media reports, the matter is from Sultania village of Rajgarh district where Prem Singh Nagar and Mukesh from a nearby hamlet were married by a broker in Bihar who took Rs 2 lakh from each of them. Now, their wives have left them and returned to their families within a week of the wedding.
The brother of one of the brides reportedly reached Rajgarh and alleged that his sister was forcibly taken there. He added that she was a Muslim. The girls also showed their Muslim ID cards. Furthermore, one of them threatened to launch a rape lawsuit against her bridegroom if she was not allowed to go with her brother and the Hindu males should forget about the money and let them leave. The bride disclosed to the authorities that she was a Muslim Both the young men settled the matter at the police station and also dropped the issue of the amount they paid out of fear.
They unveiled that the place where the wedding ceremony took place belonged to a Muslim and was in a Muslim-majority region. They had also received a receipt for Rs 15,000 there. The authorities also appeared to be mute spectators in the matter as the females went back to Bihar without facing any repercussions and the grooms lost both their wives and money.
Notably, the sex ratio in Rajasthan is much worse than in other states and hence many young men are unable to settle down. Therefore, they look for women in the poor states and take them as brides for themselves. Cases of betrayal with young men have also frequently surfaced and the fresh one has now been added to the list. Importantly, the action initiated by the police against the alleged broker is not known.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board, along with others on Saturday issued a joint statement over Uttar Pradesh’s government order to transfer students from Madarsas to government schools and said that efforts to undermine Madarsas will not be tolerated.
In the statement undersigned by various leaders from the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind and Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith, it said that they strongly condemn the efforts to undermine the status and identity of Madarsas in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and other states through various pretexts.
“We categorically state that the directives issued by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights to state governments concerning minority educational institutions, i.e., Madarsas, is illegal and beyond the commission’s jurisdiction,” the statement read.
“Following these directives, the Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh has instructed district authorities to survey Madarsas and transfer students from “unrecognised schools” (independent Madarsa) to government schools. A list of 8,449 “unrecognized schools” – independent Madarsas have been published, including renowned and historical institutions such as Darul Uloom Deoband, Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulema, Lucknow, Mazahir Uloom, Saharanpur, Jamia Salafia-Varanasi, besides others,” it added.
The statement also mentioned that this circular from the Chief Secretary and the pressure from district authorities are blatantly illegal.
The religious organisations also termed the order as an attack on their personal right to choose, and upon the joint Indian culture and civilization.
“Now, Muslim students are also being pressured to obtain basic education under the Right to Education Act. Administrators of these Madarsas are being threatened with action in case of non -compliance,” the statement read.
It was also alleged that in Madhya Pradesh, the government has taken a step further by compelling students in Madarsas to perform Saraswati Vandana daily.
“We, the responsible members of Muslim religious and national organizations, and heads of religious schools and universities, deem it necessary to clarify that under Article 30(1) of the Constitution, minorities have the fundamental right to establish and administer their educational institutions. Additionally, the Right to Education Act explicitly exempts religious schools,” it read.
The organisations, in their joint statement, mentioned further that the sudden and unilateral actions by the Chief Secretary are an unwarranted attempt to disrupt this longstanding and stable system, causing educational damage to millions of children and imposing undue mental and psychological pressure on them.
“We demand that the administration of these states cease these illegal, unethical, and oppressive actions and to not jeopardize the future of children. We stand resolute to take all possible legal and democratic actions to change these minority-hostile policies of the state governments,” the statement added.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
A case of attempted proselytisation has come to light from the Vidisha district of Madhya Pradesh. A girl claiming to be a member of an NGO was found distributing books related to Christianity at a government school. The incident took place on Friday (19th July) in the Layara area of Vidisha.
According to reports, the girl, who repeatedly declined to answer queries about her identity, said that she belonged to an NGO and was distributing the books for free to school children. She was distributing books titled, ‘Pavitra Shashtra, Bhajan Sanhita, and Niti Vachan’. While, the title may give an impression that the content of the books could be related to teachings of the Hindu religion, one of the teachers of the school revealed that it glorifies Jesus Christ and promotes Christianity.
When the school teachers opposed and tried to stop her from distributing propaganda material related to Christianity, the girl had an altercation with the teachers and clashed with them. However, when a teacher said that they would call the Police, the girl ran away.
According to a report in Dainik Bhaskar, the girl claimed that she arrived in the city from Hyderabad. Even after being asked several times, she did not reveal her name and said that she does this work for free for an NGO.
According to the information reported, the girl was coming from Bina and was accompanied by two other women in an autorickshaw. Following the incident, it is suspected that the other women were also distributing religious propaganda booklets in other villages.
A teacher named Sanjay Lodhi stopped the girl from distributing the religious booklets. According to him, the book is full of miraculous stories about Jesus Christ. Additionally, it condemns Hindu saints while praising Christianity. The teacher also recorded a video of the interaction.
Speaking to local media, Sanjay Lodhi said that the girl was also distributing the book for free in the nearby villages and was trying to deliver the book to more houses that belonged to the poor and Scheduled Caste communities. The girl claimed that she had distributed books in Sagar and Itarsi regions as well.
On Saturday (20th July), Bajrang Dal co-convenor Ravi Lodhi and other officials of the organisation stated that they would lodge a Police complaint in this matter.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday attacked the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for displaying arrogance in the Parliament despite losing the elections.
Speaking at the Jharkhand BJP working committee meeting in Ranchi, Shah accused the JMM-Congress alliance of indulging in corruption and working against the interests of the tribals, adding that BJP workers go to the voters highlighting the failures of the Hemant Soren government.
“Many a time we see that in democracy, arrogance comes after winning, such people are there in power in Jharkhand. But arrogance even after being defeated, I have seen it for the first time. Who won the elections, everyone knows about it, but the arrogance that Congress has, we all have seen it–the acts of Rahul Gandhi in the parliament, people don’t get this much arrogance even after winning two-thirds of seats,” Amit Shah said as he attacked the Congress MP for his conduct in the Parliament.
He also pointed out that in the last 10 years, Congress gave Rs 84 thousand crore for the development of Jharkhand, whereas PM Narendra Modi gave Rs 3 lakh 84 thousand crore for the state.
“Jharkhand was created by the BJP and its development was also done by the BJP. The state was always suffering from Naxalism, but Modi ji has eliminated Naxalism from Bihar and Jharkhand,” he said.
“The Indi Alliance people say that they have brought development. Hemant Soren ji, Congress ruled at the centre for 10 years and the BJP for 10 years, you bring the account, I have brought the account of BJP,” Shah added.
The Home Minister further asserted that the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) is the most corrupt government.
“A tribal CM, instead of worrying about the tribals, is disturbing the balance of land and population by doing ‘land jihad’ and ‘love jihad’. Thousands of infiltrators marry tribal girls, get certificates, and buy land. The tribal population is going to decrease in the coming days, it has decreased even now. You form the government of BJP and we will secure the land, demography and reservation of our tribals by bringing a white paper,” Amit Shah said.
“Rs 300 crores are found in the house of a Congress MP. Rs 30 crores are found at the house of a minister’s PA. The Congress party should answer: whose money is this? Congress runs with such corrupt people and JMM is also with them,” he added.
Boosting the morale of the party workers ahead of the state assembly polls, Amit Shah said that whether it is the Modi government, Raghubar Das government, or Arjun Munda government, the BJP government has not done anything, due to which BJP workers have to bow their heads.
“The BJP government has governed in such a manner that you (BJP workers) can go among the people with your head held high with pride. Workers from every booth in Jharkhand have come to this conference. I heartily congratulate all of you, it is because of your strength that the BJP has won 9 seats in Jharkhand,” he added.
“In the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, not just in Jharkhand, people from all over the country supported the BJP overwhelmingly. After 60 years, in the democratic history of this country, a single leader has been elected as the Prime Minister for the third consecutive time. In 2014, 2019 and 2024, the people of the country have given Modi ji the privilege of becoming the Prime Minister three times in a row,” the Home Minister added.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
A Police Station was attacked in Pakistan’s Okara by people after a man was arrested on blasphemy charges. The mob attacked the police station where the man was kept demanding that the accused man be handed over to them. A total of 18 people have been arrested while 134 have been booked by the police in the case.
As per reports, a villager was going through Behlolpur when he saw a man allegedly burning the pages of the Holy Quran along a mosque wall. He informed others about the incident and soon a large crowd assembled at the place. But the police also arrived swiftly and arrested the accused and registered a case against him.
After this, a mob gathered at the police station demanding the suspect be handed over to them. The situation escalated in an attack on the police station by the mob. The police station building was damaged in the attack. The police had to shift the arrested suspect to a safer place to protect him from the mob.
As per the FIR filed on the attack, a mob carrying rods, bricks, stones and weapons gathered outside the police station, chanting slogans against the police. They demanded the handover of the suspect who had allegedly burnt the pages of the Holy Quran. The police assured them that the arrested person will face the law, but the mob didn’t relent.
The mob started hurling stones at the police station, breaking window pans and damaging other items. Forces from nearby police stations had to be called to contain the situation.
As per a report filed by the SHO, 134 people were booked for the attack, and 18 have been arrested. They were arrested after being identified with the help of geo-fencing and other identification methods.
Numerous cases have been reported from Pakistan where accusations of blasphemy have been manipulated or fabricated for various reasons, leading to severe consequences for those accused. In 2009, Asia Bibi, a Christian woman, was accused of blasphemy after an argument with Muslim coworkers over a water bowl. She was sentenced to death in 2010.
Her conviction was overturned by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2018 which cited insufficient evidence.
In the Mashal Khan case of 2017, a mob at Abdul Wali Khan University wrongly accused Mashal Khan of blasphemy, leading to his tragic lynching. Subsequently, multiple individuals were convicted and received death sentences for their roles in his murder.
In 2012, Rimsha Masih, a young Christian girl, faced blasphemy charges after being found near burnt Quran pages. Due to her young age and mental challenges, the charges against her were dropped, and she was granted asylum in Canada in 2016.
Junaid Hafeez, a university lecturer, was detained in 2013 on accusations of blasphemy related to alleged social media posts. His trial has faced numerous delays and challenges, prompting international human rights organizations to advocate for his release.
In the case of Shama and Shehzad in 2014, a Christian couple was accused of blasphemy and subsequently killed by a mob, who then burned their bodies in a brick kiln.
Several individuals involved in their murder were sentenced to death. These cases underscore the serious implications and often deadly consequences of blasphemy accusations in Pakistan, highlighting a need for reforms and protections against misuse of controversial blasphemy laws.
The day was 7th August 1990. India’s then Prime Minister VP Singh had accepted the infamous Madal Commission report, which recommended 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
The report [pdf], which ushered into a new era of affirmative action and appeasement politics, was originally prepared by ex-Chief Minister of Bihar Bindeshwari Prasad Mandal in 1980 on the directive of the Moraji Desai-led-Janata Dal government.
The subsequent governments of Indira Gandhi and her son Rajiv Gandhi had put the report in hibernation until it was brought back to life in 1990 by VP Singh. His decision to increase the total reservation to 49% (SCs, STs and OBCs) changed the course of Indian politics forever.
Indian Express report on VP Singh’s acceptance of Mandal Commission Report, image via Polis Project
The first wave of protests began in the National Capital of Delhi. There were candle-lit processions, silent demonstrations near the India Gate, arbitrary suspension of classes at the Delhi University and even hijacking of DTC buses.
Media reports from that time indicate that the protests, mostly spearheaded by student groups, were scattered, sporadic and loose-knit. Fuelled by widespread anger and spontaneity, they conducted rallies, bandhs and hartals to convey their resentment to the government.
A major turning point in the anti-Mandal agitation came on 19th September 1990 when 19-year-old Rajeev Goswami poured oil and set himself on fire in protest. Goswami was a student of Deshbandhu College.
DU student Rajeev Goswami sets himself on fire in protest, image via AFP
The disturbing incident was witnessed by hundreds of protestors and media persons. Although he managed to survive with 50% burns, Goswami’s act of self-immolation persuaded other general-category students to follow suit.
One such case was that of Monica Chadha, who was 19 at that time. She poured gasoline on herself and set herself ablaze. Even on her deathbed, Chadha was unperturbed about her decision.
“Today, I want to teach a lesson to V. P. Singh. I am proud of what I have done,” she was quoted as saying by Los Angeles Times.
Women protest against implementation of Mandal Commission Report, image via Navodaya Times
In Haryana, a student named Sushil Kumar died by consuming insecticide and held V.P. Singh responsible for his death.
One Narinder Kaur, who hailed from Punjab, also hung herself and donated her eyes to the then Prime Minister in a suicide note so that he could see the misery of the student community. Another student named Surinder Singh Chauhan died of self-immolation.
Reportedly, a whopping 159 people attempted suicide to protest against awarding OBC reservations. 63 of them succumbed to their injuries.
While recounting the matter, Dalit Singh wrote in The Telegraph, “Till Rajeev lit the match, the agitation was being viewed as a campaign aimed at derailing social reforms and not many were willing to speak up in defence of the opponents of reservation — a political holy cow. But Rajeev’s reckless act changed the tone and texture of the agitation, which overnight came to be viewed as a movement spearheaded by selfless youths.”
The aftermath of VP Singh’s political decision
The BJP withdrew its support from the VP Singh government over the issue, leading to its eventual collapse. A young lawyer named Indra Sawhney moved the Supreme Court of India challenging the decision of the government. The apex court, however, upheld the constitutional validity of 27% OBC reservation in 1992.
The anti-Mandal protests eventually died down and there was reportedly no opposition when the Narasimha Rao-led-Congress government announced the implementation of the Mandal Commission report in 1993. It took more than 13 years for OBC reservations in educational institutions to finally see the light of the day.
The agitation divided the society in an unprecedented manner. In 2012, columnist Anu Kumar wrote in The Hindu newspaper, “Suddenly things that hadn’t mattered before, like people’s surnames, took on a greater importance, and appeared in a totally new light…”
Ex-NDTV journalist’ Sanjay Ahirwal, who participated in the anti-Mandal protests but later became pro-reservation, conceded in a 2021 article for The Quint, “VP Singh’s attempts to politicise the issue only resulted in deepening a social divide which was till then not seen in the more progressive Delhi University.”
Atul Aggarwal, image via The Indian Express
Rajeev Goswami, the face of the anti-Modal protests, passed away in 2004 in obscurity. His brother Mahendra told The Telegraph, “Rajeev used to lament that the self-immolation attempt did not have any impact.”
A 12-year-old boy named Atul Aggarwal, who had set himself ablaze during the 1990s protest, still has no explanation as to why he took such a drastic decision.
He toldthe Indian Express, “Everywhere, people were only talking about the Mandal report. Rallies were being held, roads were blocked, youngsters were killing themselves. As a child, I felt I should be part of this movement though I did not understand what it stood for.”
Aggarwal went on to study at IIT Kharagpur and IIM Calcutta as a general-category student. On being asked about reservations, he stated, “It’s bullsh*t. Give free education and financial assistance to disadvantaged castes. Why punish someone who was born into an upper-caste family?”
2024 anti-quota protests in Bangladesh
Bangladesh has been witnessing violent protests for more than a month over the decision of the High Court to reinstate 30% reservation in government jobs to the descendants of the freedom fighters of the 1971 Liberation War.
The agitation against the ‘quota politics’, which is said to benefit members of Hasina’s Awami League, is largely spearheaded by students belonging to prominent colleges and universities in the country.
More than 105 deaths and 2500 injuries have been reported so far. The development comes at a time when Bangladesh is reeling under high inflation, dwindling foreign reserves and rising unemployment.
The unrest in the country reached its peak on 18th July when anti-quota protesters set fire to the headquarters of the state broadcaster Bangladesh Television (BTV) in Dhaka.
In a statement, the TV network informed, “The building of the BTV is under fire. The fire is spreading rapidly. Hoping for the rapid deployment of the firefighters. Many are trapped inside.”
The police resorted to firing rubber bullets and using other forms of non-lethal weapons (tear gas and noise grenades) to quell the protests by the students, leading to more deaths and injuries.
Bangladesh: Several protesters have been killed and hundreds injured during violent protests in Dhaka after students loyal to the government attacked peaceful marchers.
On 19th July, the protestors freed 100s of prisoners from a jail in the Narsingdi district of Bangladesh and then set the facility on fire.
Forced by circumstances, the Sheikh Hasina-led government had announced to shut down schools and colleges for an indefinite period. According to outage monitor NetBlocks, Bangladesh is also witnessing a “near-total national internet shutdown.”
On 17th July, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appealed to the students to maintain calm. In a televised address, she said, “I firmly declare that those who carried out murders, looting and violence — whoever they are — I will make sure they will be given the appropriate punishment.“
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called for patience until a final verdict on government job quotas is delivered as deadly violence in protest against the system convulses the country.
In a televised address to the nation on Wednesday evening, she announced a judicial… pic.twitter.com/WZWcl4y57d
However, appeals for peace have so far failed to bear any fruits. The ruling Awami League has blamed the Islamist Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) for exploiting the ongoing unrest and using students as political weapons.
While speaking about the ongoing agitation against ‘quota politics’, a protestor named Nahid Islam remarked, “Discussions and opening fire do not go hand in hand… We cannot trample over dead bodies to hold discussions.”
It must be mentioned that Bangladesh had 56% reservations until 2018 for certain groups in government jobs, which are considered lucrative in Bangladesh.
Violent student protests in Dhaka,image via AFP
These groups include disabled individuals (1%), indigenous communities (5%), women (10%), people from underdeveloped districts (10%) and families of the freedom fighters of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War (30%).
This left only 44% of seats for selection based on merit. There were large-scale protests in 2018 by student groups, which forced the then-Sheikh Hasina government to abolish the quota altogether.
In June this year, the High Court in Bangladesh overturned the decision of the government and held the scrapping of 30% reservation for families of freedom fighters as illegal. This sparked fresh protests from student groups.
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the High Court on 4th July 2024, leading to widespread demonstrations. Following appeals by the Sheikh Hasina government, the court asked all petitioners to maintain the status quo until 7th August 2024.
However, the protesting students are steadfast in their demands and are willing to even endanger their lives to prevent the implementation of the 30% quota yet again.
On Saturday (20th July), West Bengal Minister and Kolkata Municipal Corporation Mayor Firhad Hakim alleged that the UP government’s recent order directing eateries to display names of owners and operators is “wrong”. He alleged that “Injustice” was taking place in UP. He argued that people should not look for the religious identity of others as all are human beings first.
It is pertinent to note that earlier this week, the Muzaffarnagar administration asked hotels, dhabas, carts, hawkers, etc selling food on the Kanwar Yatra route, to display the names of their owners and operators. Later, the Uttar Pradesh government issued the order throughout the state. The development comes in the wake of allegations that several miscreants used false Hindu names to run their eateries which often led to a law and order situation. The administration noted that the order was issued to curb such incidents, AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Islamists gave it communal colour to allege discrimination on grounds of religion.
Speaking to ANI about this order of the UP government, TMC leader, Firhad Hakim said, “This is wrong, injustice is happening in Uttar Pradesh. Who is a Muslim, who is a Hindu, if someone sells something, he is a human being first and if someone has to buy, he will buy it…”
#WATCH | On the instructions to put 'nameplates' on food shops on Kanwar routes in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal Minister & Kolkata Municipal Corporation Mayor Firhad Hakim says, "This is wrong, injustice is happening in Uttar Pradesh. Who is a Muslim, who is a Hindu, if someone… pic.twitter.com/5D986xtiwI
Conspicuously, Hakim, a Cabinet Minister in the West Bengal government and a close aide of Mamata Banerjee opposed the UP government’s order claiming that everyone is a Human first. Strikingly, earlier this month, on 3rd July, he stirred the hornet’s nest after he derided non-Muslims as ‘unfortunate’ and openly called for their religious conversion to Islam.
Hakim made these contentious remarks during the ‘All India Quran Competition’ event at the Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium in Kolkata.
During his address, he claimed, “Those who were not born into Islam were born with misfortune. If we can give them Dawat (call for proselytism) and bring Iman (Faith) in them, then, we will make Allah happy.”
“We need to spread Islam among non-Muslims. If we can bring someone on the path of Islam, then, we will prove to be a true Muslims by ensuring the spread of Faith,” Firhad Hakim brazened out.
He further emphasised, “We showcase strength when thousands of people sit like this wearing skull caps. It shows unity and gives an assurance that none can subdue us.” “Since we are born into Islam, Prophet and Allah made a clear path for us to Jannat. If we don’t commit any sins, we will directly go to Jaant,” the Kolkata Mayor was heard saying.
Firhad Hakim and his past controversies
In April 2016, he dubbed a Muslim-dominated area of Kolkata as ‘Mini-Pakistan‘. In February 2021, he was spotted delivering a political speech at a masjid in Kolkata, in blatant violation of the Model Code of Conduct. To pacify Muslim rioters during the anti-CAA movement, the TMC leader referred to them as ‘brothers.’ He was also seen referring to the Central Armed Forces and the BJP as ‘Suar er baccha‘ (progeny of pigs).
Hakim had openly endorsed the Urduisation of Bengal and claimed, “Inshallah, one day will come when half of the population of Bengal will speak Urdu and recite poetry.”
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State president K Surendran has slammed the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala government for appointing IAS officer K Vasuki as Foreign Secretary in the state, saying that it is a “blatant overreach” and a violation of the Union List of the Constitution.
“The appointment of an IAS officer as ‘Foreign Secretary’ in Kerala by CM Pinarayi Vijayan is a blatant overreach and a violation of the Union list of our Constitution,” Surendran said in a post on ‘X’.
Terming the move “unconstitutional,” the BJP leader questioned if he wants to establish Kerala as a “separate nation.”
“The LDF government has no mandate in foreign affairs. This unconstitutional move sets a dangerous precedent. Is CM @pinarayivijayan trying to establish Keralam as a separate nation?” he questioned.
The appointment of an IAS officer as 'Foreign Secretary' in Kerala by CM Pinarayi Vijayan is a blatant overreach and a violation of the Union list of our Constitution. The LDF government has no mandate in foreign affairs. This unconstitutional move sets a dangerous precedent. Is…
The Kerala government has, however, given additional charge of the matters connected with the External Co-operation to its Labour and Skills Department Secretary K Vasuki.
“Dr. K Vasuki IAS (KL 2008), Secretary, Labour and Skills Department will hold the additional charge of the matters connected with the External Co-operation. The officer will co-ordinate and supervise all the matters in this regard and incidental thereto, in addition to the existing charges,” the government order dated July 15 and signed by Joint Secretary Manikantan R read.
The order mentioned that the Resident Commissioner at Kerala House in the national capital will be supporting Vasuki in matters concerning External Co-operation and will liaise with the Ministry of External Affairs, Missions and Embassies.
“The General Administration (Political) Department will deal the subjects related to external co-operation and will assist Dr. K Vasuki IAS till alternate arrangements are made. The Resident Commissioner, Kerala House, New Delhi will support the officer in the matters of External Co-operation, to liaise with the Ministry of External Affairs, Missions and Embassies etc,” the order mentioned.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
A shocking case of love jihad has surfaced in the Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh where a Hindu girl from the Bannadevi area revealed that a Muslim man named Aaqib Khan pretended to be Aakash and raped her for two years in the name of marriage. He also snapped her objectionable pictures. He then pressured her to embrace Islam when she asked him to marry her. He even used a gun to threaten to kill her and her family including her only brother.
She has now approached the local authorities with the help of Hindu organisations and registered a case against the accused at the Bannadevi police station. The cops are currently looking for him. The victim disclosed that Aaqib Khan, son of Rahat Khalil, a resident of Sarai Rehman Machhli Wali Gali, introduced himself as Aakash and befriended her on WhatsApp after which the two grew closer and formed a physical relationship.
However, she learned about the truth and objected but the perpetrator threatened her family members at gunpoint and continued to sexually assault her for two years. He also drugged her multiple times. He had also taken her offensive photographs and used them to blackmail her by threatening to share them on social media. Furthermore, he forced her to convert to Islam for Nikah (Islamic wedding ceremony).
The girl notified the Hindu leaders about the matter and they went to the police station along with her. They were also joined by Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Mayor Shakuntala Bharti from Aligarh as well as other party members. All of them demanded action against the culprit. A written complaint was submitted against him. Shakuntala Bharti declared that whoever traps Hindu females and converts them to Islam will not be spared.
Bannadevi Police Circle Officer RK Sisodia informed that a matter of sexually violating a girl by hiding her identity and under the guise of marriage has come to light. A case has been registered based on the victim’s complaint. She is going under medical examination. Three police teams have been formed to capture the offender.
On Friday (19th July), a graduating student, Dhananjay Balakrishnan used IIT Madras as a platform to give a pro-Palestine speech during the institute’s 61st convocation. Notably, Dhananjay won the prize for best all-around proficiency in curricular and extracurricular activities in a dual degree in mechanical engineering. While accepting the Governor’s prize, he delivered the Pro-Palestine speech where he claimed that a “mass genocide” was taking place in Palestine and also went on to give a “call for action”.
In the acceptance speech, which is now going viral on social media, Dhananjay said, “I feel like I would be doing myself, and everything I believe in, a great injustice if I do not use the stage I am presented with to say something important. This is a call for action. There is a mass genocide going on in Palestine. People are dying in vast numbers, and there is no end in sight.”
He argued that students gathered there should be bothered because “STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) as a field itself has historically been used to advance the ulterior motives of imperial powers, such as Israel.”
He noted that the tech giants offer very lucrative space and great benefits for hard-working engineering students but he claimed that they have played their role in the war against Palestine.
(Video Courtesy – IIT Madras YouTube Channel)
He added, “However, these tech giants control various aspects of our lives today, as you know better than anyone. Many of these prestigious companies are also directly and indirectly implicated in the war against Palestine, by providing the state of Israel with technology—technology used to kill.”
He further stated that he doesn’t have all the answers to these problems but as engineers graduating into the real world, it is our job to be aware of the consequences of the work we do. And, also intricate our position in these complex systems of power imbalance, he argued.
IIT Madras student talking of ‘Palestine genocide’ at convocation
No words for Hindu elimination from Pakistan/Pakistan’s proxy war that kills Indians on daily basis
This is just regurgitating Islamist propaganda. This is education without direction pic.twitter.com/XWh1Esj5Bm
“I hope that we can incorporate this awareness more into our daily lives, attempting to understand what we can do to liberate the oppressed, on lines of caste, class, creed, and gender. That is the first step to put an end to the never-ending cycle of suffering,” the graduating IIT-Madras student added.
He concluded by saying, “Isaac Newton said that he stood on the shoulders of giants to take him where he wanted to go. I want to say this – I am here, we are here by standing on the magnanimous shoulders of the great Indian populace. We owe it to them to lift every single person out of their misery. Inaction is complicity. I hope you and I and all of us can take action to make the right decisions—however hard they may be.”
It is pertinent to note that IIT Madras held its 61st Convocation on 19th July 2024. This year a total of 2,636 students graduated while as many as 3,016 Degrees including Joint and Dual Degrees were awarded to the students on the occasion. The Chief Guest, Dr. Brian K. Kobilka, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry (2012), presented the degrees to the graduating students.
However, the recent pro-Palestine speech during the convocation ceremony at IIT Madras is not a one-off incident where woke students made pro-Palestine remarks in the academic institutions.
Past instances of students raising Pro-Palestinian slogans in academic institutions
On 19th July 2024, the University of Melbourne initiated disciplinary proceedings against several students who had been involved in pro-Palestine protests. According to The Age, 21 students were facing suspension or expulsion following the occupation of the Arts West building during a multi-day sit-in.
According to a Turkish media outlet Anadolu Agency, Dana Alshaer and hundreds of others have been staging pro-Palestine protests and raising remarks at the top Australian university.
While we might be packing up our sit-in and encampment for now, this will always be Mahmoud’s Hall, in honour of all of the students who have been martyred in Gaza.
We will not stop, we will not rest, until the University of Melbourne divests! pic.twitter.com/Z9HJoaUND5
— Unimelb for Palestine (@Umelb4Palestine) May 24, 2024
Alshaer is one of the founders and main organisers of UniMelb for Palestine. It is a collective group of students, staff, and alumni of the University of Melbourne and it was established last November. They had staged pro-Palestinian protests demanding that the University should cut ties with weapons manufacturers, divest from Israeli firms, and, “end its complicity in the genocide in Gaza.”
Earlier this year, on 24th May, students of Ashoka University displayed pro-Palestine placards during their convocation ceremony. A video of the ceremony has gone viral on social media platforms showing students dressed for receiving their degrees holding placards that read “Free Palestine” and “Stop Genocide” above their heads.
Ashoka University students displayed pro-Palestine placards during the graduation ceremony, including posters that read: “Free Palestine”, “Stop genocide” and “cut ties now.”
The students have been protesting Ashoka’s collaboration with Israeli institutions.
Notably, the student union of Ashoka University (Ashoka University Student Government or AUSG) has been demanding to cut ties with Israel-based Tel Aviv University since May this year. It was reported that a petition by the student’s body was submitted to the college authorities expressing concerns over its ties with the Israeli university. The students’ body urged the University to cut ties with its Israeli counterpart. Notably, Ashoka University and Tel Aviv University have a research partnership that includes faculties from the Israeli University to give lectures in India.
The petition was rejected by Ashoka University saying that the institution is not involved in political stands.
Earlier in April, Harvard students staged protests on the campus premises for several weeks and held an encampment. This forced the university management to take stern action against 13 students who took part in the protest encampment and it announced that these students would not receive their diplomas alongside their peers.
❝Our freedom of speech and our expressions of solidarity became punishable❞
Shruthi Kumar, speaking at Harvard University's graduation ceremony, diverged from preprared text to criticize university administration's stance towards Palestine pic.twitter.com/nsRIJIWVUh
However, a day later, hundreds of students wearing graduation robes marched out of the Harvard commencement, chanting “Free, Free Palestine.” Some of the students chanted, “Let them walk, let them walk,” advocating that the 13 students should be allowed to receive their diplomas alongside other graduates.
Additionally, universities across the United States were rocked by Pro-Palestine protests for several weeks earlier this year.
