Argentina on Friday designated Hamas as a terrorist organization and ordered a freeze on the financial assets of the Palestinian group, ABC News reported.
The move is symbolic of President Javier Milei’s pro-Israel stance as he seeks to strongly align Argentina with Israel and the US, ABC News reported.
Mieli’s office cited the group’s cross-border attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 that killed approximately 1,200 people and took 250 people hostage, in one of the deadliest assaults in Israel’s 76-year-old history, ABC News reported.
The statement also mentioned Hamas’ close ties to Iran which Argentina blames for two deadly militant attacks on Jewish sites in the country.
The move comes just days before the 30th anniversary of one of the attacks, the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires. It killed 85 people and wounded hundreds more in the worst such attack in Argentina’s modern history, ABC News reported.
The other attack on the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires in 1992, killed more than 20 people. Argentina’s judiciary has accused members of Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group of carrying out the two attacks.
On Friday, Milei announced his “unwavering commitment to recognizing terrorists for what they are,” adding that “it’s the first time that there is a political will to do so.”
The US, European Union, and several other countries gave a terrorist designation on Hamas, which ruled the Gaza Strip before its current war with Israel.
Previous left-leaning Peronist governments in Argentina, home to the largest Jewish community in Latin America, have maintained friendly ties with Israel but also voiced support for Palestinian statehood.
“Argentina must once again align itself with Western civilization,” Milei’s office said Friday.
For his first state visit as president earlier this year, Milei flew to Jerusalem in a show of support for the Israeli government and promised to move his nation’s embassy to the contested capital — drawing praise from Netanyahu and ire from Hamas.
Hamas: Emerged out of the Muslim Brotherhood in the region
Hamas is an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya, which means “Islamic Resistance Movement” in English. It was founded by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin who was a Palestinian cleric. After doing Islamic scholarship in Cairo, he was associated with the local branches of the Muslim Brotherhood. In the 1960s, Yassin preached religious sermons in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Subsequently, in December 1987, Yassin established Hamas as the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in Gaza. This came in the backdrop of the first intifada – Palestinian attacks against Israel for alleged atrocities in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem.
Initially, Hamas believed that Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) was a threat to the Muslim Brotherhood so it did everything to ‘counter’ it. In 1988, Hamas published its charter which called for the destruction of Israel and the establishment of an Islamic society in historic Palestine.
Since April 1993, Hamas has been carrying out suicide bombings. The first reported bombing was done five months before PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin signed the Oslo Accords.
The historic accord led to the establishment of limited self-government for parts of the West Bank and Gaza. A new entity called the Palestinian Authority (PA) was created for this purpose. However, Hamas condemned and tried to derail these developments towards peace. It also condemned the PLO’s and Israel’s recognition of each other.
Later, in 1997, the United States designated Hamas a foreign terrorist organisation as it went on to spearhead violent resistance during the second intifada, in the early 2000s. Hamas’s founder, Yassin was killed by Israeli forces in 2004.
Benefactors of the terror organisation
Hamas is a designated terrorist entity and for this reason, it is barred from getting official assistance that the United States and European Union (EU) provide to the PLO in the West Bank. Apart from funding from Palestinian expatriates, private donors in the Persian Gulf, and Islamic charities in the West, Hamas reportedly gets financial and other support from Iran, Turkey, and Qatar among other Islamic nations.
Iran is one of the biggest benefactors of Hamas as it contributes funds, weapons, and training to fight a proxy war against Israel. Iran pumps funds to the tune of $100 million annually to Hamas, PIJ, and other Palestinian outfits designated as terrorist organisations by the United States.
However, during the Syrian civil war, Iran and Hamas had a brief fallout with each other.
Qatar also provides hundreds of millions of dollars in assistance to Gaza through Hamas. However, foreign aid generally reaches Gaza via the PA and UN agencies.
Earlier, Hamas amassed funds to the tune of $12 million per month from taxes on Egyptian goods imported or smuggled into Gaza through tunnels. Gaza shares a 12 km long border with Egypt on its south. However, in 2013, Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi assumed power. Since then, Cairo has ended Hamas’s operation as it asserts that Hamas is an extension of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Afterwards, the Egyptian military closed down the majority of tunnels that were crossing into its territory. This action took place during their campaign against a faction affiliated with the self-declared Islamic State on their side of the border, within the Sinai Peninsula.
Additionally, Turkey is another backer of the Hamas particularly after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rose to power in 2002. Though it claims that it backs Hamas only politically, Ankara has been accused of funding Hamas’s terrorism, including through aid diverted from the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency.
On Saturday (13th July), National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chief Priyank Kanoongo made a heartfelt appeal to not enroll Hindus and other non-Muslim children in Islamic seminaries (madrassas).
In a tweet, he stated, “Madrassas are centres for providing Islamic religious education and are outside the scope of the Right to Education Act. As such, retaining Hindu and other non-Muslim children in Madrasass is not only a violation of their fundamental constitutional rights but can also become a reason for spreading religious animosity in the society.”
In this regard, Priyank Kanoongo had requested State governments to make alternate arrangements for non-Muslim students, who are currently enrolled in madrassas, in regular schools.
“The Chief Secretary of the State Government of Uttar Pradesh had issued an order in accordance with the recommendation of the NCPCR,” he informed.
मदरसा ,इस्लामिक मज़हबी शिक्षा सिखाने का केंद्र होता है और शिक्षा अधिकार क़ानून के दायरे के बाहर होता है। ऐसे में मदरसों में हिंदू व अन्य ग़ैर मुस्लिम बच्चों को रखना न केवल उनके संवैधानिक मूल अधिकार का हनन है बल्कि समाज में धार्मिक वैमनस्य फैलने का कारण भी बन सकता है। इसलिए… pic.twitter.com/YbY0fTMjuL
— प्रियंक कानूनगो Priyank Kanoongo (@KanoongoPriyank) July 13, 2024
Priyank Kanoongo warned that the Islamic outfit Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind had been spreading rumours about the order and inciting the public against the UP government.
“It has been learnt through newspapers that an Islamic organisation called Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind is misleading people about this order and is working to incite the sentiments of the general public against the government. This organisation of clerics is a branch of Darul Uloom Deoband against which the Commission has taken action for supporting Ghazwa-e-Hind,” he added.
The NCPCR chief highlighted the instance of forced religious conversion and circumcision of a Hindu boy in a village near Deoband in Uttar Pradesh. The incident was reported in October last year.
“None should violate the religious freedom of children. I request the public with folded hands to not be misled by any fundamentalist organisation and to participate in building a better future for children,” Priyank Kanoongo wrote while demanding strong action against fake news peddlers.
Hours after the European Union accused social media platform X of breaching its online content rules, with its “verified” blue tick accounts having the potential to “deceive” users, owner Elon Musk dropped a bombshell revelation, asserting that the European Commission offered a secret deal to quietly censor speech if they wanted to avoid fine.
“The European Commission offered ? an illegal secret deal: if we quietly censored speech without telling anyone, they would not fine us. The other platforms accepted that deal. ? did not,” Musk tweeted.
The European Commission offered ? an illegal secret deal: if we quietly censored speech without telling anyone, they would not fine us.
Elon Musk’s social media platform X has been accused by the European Union of violating its online content regulations. The EU’s tech regulator pointed out that the platform’s “verified” blue tick accounts could potentially mislead users. Although users might believe that the identities of blue tick holders are verified, anyone can pay for the tick, leading to possible deception. Evidence of “malicious actors” exploiting this system was also found.
Additionally, the regulator slammed X for lacking transparency in advertising and failing to provide data for research purposes as mandated by EU rules. As a result, X could face fines of up to 6% of its global annual revenue and may be required to alter its operations within the EU.
These conclusions stem from a seven-month investigation under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which mandates major tech companies, including X, to prevent illegal content and protect the public. The DSA was introduced in 2022, and similar investigations are underway for ByteDance’s TikTok, AliExpress, and Meta Platforms.
The Commission stated that X’s design and operation of its blue tick verified accounts are not in line with industry standards and mislead users. They added that allowing anyone to subscribe for a “verified” status undermines users’ ability to make informed decisions regarding the authenticity of accounts and content. There is also evidence of malicious actors abusing the “verified account” feature to deceive users.
The state of Maharashtra is known for its rich, wholesome culture, the history associated with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and the magnificent forts he built or conquered to establish Swarajya. Each historic fort here has its own story to tell, be it the Shivneri where Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was born, or the Raigadh which was the capital of the Maratha Kingdom, or Rajgadh, the former capital of the Empire. Similarly, the fort of Vishalgadh which is currently in the news for the claimed illegal encroachments holds great importance when it comes to the history of Chhatrapati and his loyalist, the Maratha General Army Baji Prabhu Deshpande.
Vishalgadh located in the Kolhapur district of Maharashtra is the fort that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj reached after escaping from the trap of Bijapur’s Adilshahi army led by a General called Siddhi Masood who wanted to kill him. Maratha warriors Baji Prabhu and Phulaji Prabhu then fought a battle at Pawankhind to assist the king reach Vishalgadh safely on the 13th of July, 1660. Marking the 364th year of the battle, the Sakal Hindu Samaj and the loyalists, and worshippers of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj have decided to lead a protest against the ‘illegal encroachment’ settled on the fort, demeaning its history and causing alleged insult to the Hindu legacy.
Pawankhind
This is notably, the second of its kind protest where the Hindu community people are demanding the removal of the illegal encroachment from the fort and restoration of the fort’s original legacy. OpIndia went to the ground on July 11th, days ahead of the massive protest organized by the current Chattrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and activist Shirish More, the 11th ancestor of the great Maharashtrian saint Sant Tukaram Maharaj. It was observed that massive alleged illegal construction and encroachment has been happening for years on the fort causing ‘insult’ to around 24 Hindu temples and structures originally located on the fort since the 17th century.
It is believed that the population located on the fort of Vishalgadh, most of which is Muslim, has been involved in carrying out alleged illegal encroachments, construction, or illegal expansion of the Masjid. The population there has also for years constructed illegal sheds, further expanding the businesses of chicken and cattle slaughters. The Hindu protestors on the 7th of July this year conducted the first massive protest in heavy rains on the lower ground of the fort and demanded the removal of the illegal structure and ban on the animal slaughter on the fort.
#Vishalgadh Thousands of spirited Hindu youths have gathered at historic Vishalgadh Fort to free it from the clutches of global squatters called #Jihadi land mafias! Sprawling Izlamic structures have propped up at Shivshahi fort spread across thousands of square fts as a result… pic.twitter.com/NIWdMqrevJ
— Legal Rights Observatory- LRO (@LegalLro) July 7, 2024
‘Illegal Masjid’ and expansion of houses belonging to the specific community population
As per the documents exclusively obtained by OpIndia, there are a total of 156 properties that have undertaken illegal expansion of the homes and shops by building iron sheet sheds. Many of the houses on the other hand are illegally built only using iron sheet sheds. Among these 156, around 100 plus properties belong to the Muslim community people who are said to have illegally encroached on the area around the old Dargah and the firm extended Masjid covered by iron sheets.
The old Dargah on the fort known as the Sardar Malik Rehan Baba Dargah is one of the 12 religious structures officially mentioned in the survey report by the government. A report by the Archeological Survey State Department, obtained exclusively by OpIndia reveals that the fort was declared an archaeological site in the year 1999, and after that, a survey was conducted to include 12 religious structures out of which 11 are Hindu temples and 1 is this Dargah.
However, the area where the Dargah was located earlier was quite small which has now been expanded to more than a thousand square feet. The Hindu community protestors say that the expansion of the Masjid behind the Dragah has been undertaken without the state’s permission, hence illegal. Notably, the total area that has been encroached as per the government documents by the population reading on the fort is around 58,000 sq ft. The maximum encroachment has reportedly allegedly happened around the Malik Rehan Baba Dargah and the Masjid aligned.
Insides of the Masjid (L), Dargah and Masjid structure that has been allegedly illegally expanded (R)
Furthermore, it is worth noting that numerous Hindus who live on the fort, probably unaware of the Hindu heritage associated with the fort, visit the Dargah. Also, some Hindus, most of whom are from Karnataka, go to the Dargah since they believe that any prayers or desires made at Malik Rehan Baba’s Dargah are granted. Unfortunately, Hindus have failed to visit and maintain the Hindu temples and structures located on the fort since the 17th century.
Around the Dargah, several Muslim community people have constructed alleged illegal sheds selling religious products like Chunri (religious cloth) for Baba, essence sticks, flowers, and photographs. For any construction or expansion to take place on a heritage structure, severe permission from the Archeology department and the state is required, but as per the protesting indiciduals, the community people have failed to follow the rules and have been expanding their premises illegally the last 10 years.
The Dargah remains well-maintained and well-looked after as compared to the other Hindu structures. The structure around the Dargah also seems to have been constructed, expanded, or renovated in the year 2015, but no Hindu structure to date unfortunately has obtained this level of attention on the fort.
Illegal construction around the dargah
Interestingly, on asking about Malik Rehan Baba in whose memory this Dargah was built, one of the local Hindu residents said that he was an invader who was killed by the Mavlas of the Maratha empire. “People here (Muslims) believe that Malik Rehan Baba and his Dargah have a history of 2000 years. They believe that Baba resided here since then. But this fort was built by King Bhoja of the Shilahara dynasty who is believed to have ruled from 1175–1212 ie between the 12th and 13th centuries. Then how can this Baba reside here before that? He was an Adilshahi invader and was killed by the brave Mavlas of Marathas in the 17th century. The previous governments sadly spent around Rs 10 lakhs on the beautification of the Dargah but the Hindu temples, Samadhi Sthals of Baji Prabhu and Phulaji Prabhu Deshpande who for Swarajya, the life of our beloved king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj remain ignored,” said Rohit Jangam (name changed for the security reasons), one of the activists working to save Vishalgadh.
Court battle over the removal of illegal structures
In December 2022, the state archaeology department issued orders asking persons from a minority community to demolish their illegal structures. The department had directed the persons to demolish their structures within 30 days of receipt of the orders.
The aggrieved individuals then approached the HC, challenging the demolition order, claiming that their structures were built before the fort was designated a protected monument in 1999. As a result, the relevant portions of the Maharashtra Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites Remains Act of 1960 could not apply to them.
The Bombay High Court had then stayed the demolition order in February 2023. The division bench of Justice Gautam Patel and Justice Neela Gokhale, while hearing the petition filed by Ayub Kagadi and six others, was informed that the persons claimed to be in possession of small land parcels within Vishalgad Fort in Kolhapur district were for more than 30 to 60 years. While the land in the possession of one of them was regularised in 1983, proposals for regularisation of the structures were pending before the government.
The bench was also informed that the petitioners received notices from the joint director of the Department of Archaeology on December 13, 2022, under Section 21 (2) of the 1960 Act. The notification required the petitioners to remove their constructions within 30 days and said that if they failed to do so, the government would demolish them without notice and reclaim the costs from them.
Illegal encroachment on forts, public land, and culturally valuable locations is a widespread problem throughout the country. However, each time authorities muster the resolve to address the problem and genuinely apply the law, it is seen that components of the leftist ecosystem tend to help the encroachers. Such considerations are virtually always considered by our system, and any hopes citizens have for prompt justice are lost in the legal morass.
Temples and Hindu structures on the fort stand ignored, damaged
There were a total of 55 ancient temples on the fort of Vishalgadh. But today, only 20 to 24 Hindu structures and temples are intact though in dire condition. The rest have become extinct. OpIndia visited a few temples like the Bhagwanteshwar Mandir, the old Shiva temple, the Vitthal Rukmini temple, and the Hanuman temple. Also, respectful visits were paid to the Samadhi Stals of Veer Baji Prabhu and Phulaji Prabhu Deshpande, brothers who fought the battle of Pawankhind to save the life of Maratha King Chhatrapati Maharaj.
These temples are looked after and maintained by Nilesh Hardikar, the only Brahmin individual who said, has been residing on the fort since his birth. Today, the 61-year-old man takes care of these temples at his own cost and also daily offers respects at the Samadhi Sthals of Deshpande warriors.
Hardikar resides in a single-room home allotted to his ancestors by the then government and walks daily 16-20 km to look after the temples and the Hindu structures. The Hanuman temple is around 5 km from his home, the Samadhi Sthal of Deshpande warriors is 4 km, and the Amruteshwar temple is at a distance of 5 km. But this Hindu Brahmin who keeps on raising his voice against the illegal activities on the fort walks daily this long to worship the Lords and look after the temples.
“The condition of the temples here is not that good. But I try my best to keep the temples clean and in good condition. I daily offer prayers and flowers at the Bhagwanteshwar Mandir, Vitthal Mandir, and other Hindu structures, and that too at my own cost. This is what we have been doing for years. The government has as if completely ignored these temples but has spent lakhs of rupees in the past to develop other religious structures,” he said as he hesitated to name the old Dargah.
Bhagwanteshwar temple (L), Hanuman temple (R) visited by OpIndia
He further confirmed that illegal encroachments have been taking place on the fort and maximum of them have been undertaken by the other community people. “I don’t say that Hindus have not illegally expanded their properties here. But that is minor as out of 156 total properties here, only 34 belong to Hindus. The government must take down illegal encroachments but most necessarily it should do something to maintain these old temples. If not paid attention, these temples and the Hindu legacy of the fort will go extinct,” Hardikar added.
On visiting the Vitthal temple, it was found that the old roof of the structure had become vulnerable and could shatter at any time. The idol of Lord Ganesha in the Bhagwanteshwar temple stood broken, unclean, and covered in some plastic which was painful to see.
Condition of Hindu temples and Gods on the fort of Vishalgadh
Further, a massive inconvenience was caused while on the way to the Samadhi Stals of Baji Prabhu Deshpande and Phulaji Prabhu Deshpande as no proper roads were constructed leading to the Samadhi Stals. One has to walk miles down the green luscious mountains, balancing the heavy flowing winds to offer respects at the Samadhi Sthals. Also, the spot is so isolated that hardly any passerby or tourist treks down to offer respects there, Hardikar stated.
Meanwhile, the condition on the trek path leading to the Samadhi Sthals causes inconvenience for many more reasons. The spot actually where the Samadhi Sthals have been constructed is possibly on the back side of the fort where many residents throw domestic and plastic waste clogging the paths. The fort is poorly maintained, also there are no proper toilets for the tourists or visitors. Anybody in such case prefers to use the tail side of the fort, where the path to the Samadhi Sthal is situated. This writer’s heart actually ached when the pathetic path was seen.
Samadhi Stals of Baji Pradhu and Phulaji Prabhu Deshpande (L), waste on the path to reach there (R)
On asking about the government’s actions on this, Hardikar, who is also associated with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) said that there are land disputes between the forest department and the archaeological department, so the actual development of the fort except for the other religious structure has never taken place.
“Earlier these Samadhi Stals were also completely ignored. This saffron paint and sheds on the sthals have been built by a Hindu Maratha group named Shiv Pratishthan a few years ago,” he said. As informed to OpIndia, several people earlier used to come on the fort for drinking and other ill habits causing insult to the entire structure. However, after several Hindu leaders raised their voices against the perpetrators, such activities have come to an end.
No photos of Hindu Gods
Hardikar meanwhile also said that no Hindu religious items or Puja items like photographs of Goddess Lakshmi of Lord Ganpati are available on the fort. “We need pictures of Goddess Lakshmi on Diwali, Lord Ganpati during the Ganesh festival. But these pictures are not sold here on the fort. However, all the religious items required by the Muslims for their religious festivals are easily available here,” he said.
Hindus raised voices against the illegal slaughtering of animals on the fort
As per the government document obtained exclusively by OpIndia, the Hindu community has been demanding a ban on the slaughter of chickens and other animals on the fort. The demonstrators stated that no fort in the state of Maharashtra allows the slaughter of animals, so why shall it be allowed on Vishalgadh. Further, several government-level meetings happened where the protestors revealed that the remains of the slaughtered animals were thrown in the open on the fort which could cause harm to the health of the residents.
As per the demands of protestors at the District collector’s office, it is a ritual at the Malik Rehan Baba Dargah to offer slaughtered chickens and goats. The demonstrators stated that people from nearby areas like Sangli, Kolhapur and Karnataka who believe in Rehan Baba, offer slaughter to his Dargah before prayers. “It can cause harm to the residents. Hence, the slaughtering activity shall be banned or conducted far away from the residential area of the fort,” the demands made in the year 2022 read.
Also, it was discussed that slaughtering was ruining the cultural legacy of the fort and that it should be banned. Accordingly, the Archelogy State Department in February 2023 issued orders imposing a fine of more than Rs 500 on anyone who slaughters animals on the fort premises.
During the visit, no slaughter activity could be seen. However, several chicken shops at the bottom of the fort housing several hens away from the prime residential area could be spotted, where possibly slaughter of chickens is permitted.
Chicken lunch shop at the bottom of the fort
Notably, this year, the Bombay High Court allowed the sacrifice of animals on Eid-ul-Adha (Bakrid) and Urs at a Dargah within the precincts of Vishalgad Fort. The order was passed on a petition by Hajrat Peer Malik Rehan Mira Saheb Dargah, a registered trust, challenging the communication issued by the Deputy Director of Archaeology and Museums to the District Collector of Kolhapur, imposing a ban on animal slaughter in the fort area.
The communication banned animal sacrifice stating that as per the Maharashtra Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, there is a ban on cooking food in the protected area near the monument.
Last year, the HC had refused to allow unregulated or unmonitored slaughter of animals on the fort. The trust had been barred by the archaeology department from carrying out animal sacrifice based on a 1998 HC order that restrained offering sacrifices to deities. The HC said that maintaining hygiene and sanitation was of utmost importance though the trust claimed that slaughtering was being carried out 1.3km away from the fort.
Demographic changes happened on the fort in the recent past
Mahesh Vibhute of the Sakal Hindu Samaj who has been massively protesting against the illegal encroachment on the fort informed OpIndia that this matter is not at all communal, however, the people residing on the fort have made attempts to give it a communal colour. “Our only demand is the removal of illegal encroachment, be it by Hindus or Muslims. We are striving to protect the fort, that’s it,” Vibhute affirmed.
Meanwhile, he did not deny the fact that the Muslim population on the fort has been on the rise and that they have been illegally expanding their premises the most. OpIndia accessed some old historic documents from the year 1921. As per the population census of that year, the total population on the fort was 138 residing in 17 houses. Out of these, 70 were male and 68 were female. Moreover, the population of Hindus from those 138 was 81 and the rest 57 people belonged to the Muslim community.
As per the 1953 government record, the total number of voters staying on the fort was 33 of which 12 belonged to the Muslim community. Later according to the government record from the year 1961, the number of voters increased to 44 of which 20 belonged to the Muslim community. In 2011, the total population was 528. However, reading the 2022 government record, it was learned that the total number of voters residing on the fort had increased to 459 of which 169 belonged to the Hindu community and 290 to the Muslim community.
It is evident that the Muslim population on the fort has been increasing in the past 4-5 decades. All the old government documents proving the same are in the possession of OpIndia. Further, the documents also reveal that several persons residing on the fort had been allotted houses under the Indira Awas Yojana from the year 2004 to 2014. Several such beneficiaries and premises could be spotted on the Dargah linked road.
The beneficiaries during the earlier ruling governments were issued monetary help of Rs 50,000 to Rs 2,00,000 under the Indira Awas Yojana to build homes on the fort premises. On asking about the actual encroachment, Vibhute said that earlier there were only around 30-40 persons staying on the fort. They were allotted some land by the previous governments to build homes. “But these people, from both the community illegally expanded their premises by building sheds. Today there are thousands of people living on the fort and a total of 156 properties are illegal. We just want this encroachment to be removed,” he stated.
“To say,” he further added, “the Hindu community is also not safe up there. Most of the Hindus there have now matched to the tunes of the other community. Last year, after the COVID, one Hindu girl was abducted and converted to Islam. Later she was married to a Muslim residing on the fort. And these are not made-up stories. This all is mentioned in the police record. Temples on the fort are not maintained. It pains to see the dire condition of Samadhi Sthals of Deshpande warriors. If this continues to happen, the legacy of the fort will soon be lost,” he added.
Meanwhile, he also reiterated that the issue is not at all about Hindus or Muslims, it is about the fort and its restoration. Whoever has illegally expanded, or constructed their properties, be it Hindus or Muslims shall take it down. “We want our Vishalgadh fort restored,” he affirmed.
Conclusion
Vishalgadh which is 3500 feet above sea level is rich in greenery but is not at all well maintained causing insult to its Hindu legacy. The fort which is around 162.32 Hector area is divided between the Archaeology Department and the Forest Department. However, no encroachment is said to have happened on the land that belongs to the Forest Department.
The fort was declared a heritage site in the year 1999 after which ideally permission of the state archelogy department is needed if any repair or construction has to take place. However, it seems that several persons have illegally expanded their properties on the fort.
Further, the complication arises due to the division of area and the responsibility between the two state departments. CM Eknath Shinde however has assured that the state will take ‘correct’ action against the illegal encroachments on the fort. Recently, a state-level delegation met to discuss the issue reiterating their demands with the state. Now Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje has planned a massive protest against the alleged illegal encroachment on the fort on the 14th of July, marking the 364th year of the battle of Pawankhind.
Apart from the alleged illegal encroachments, the state and the Hindu community people need to pay attention to the beautification of the fort and the renovation of the Hindu temples. Several temples on the fort and other Hindu structures have become vulnerable and need immediate repair. If not, they soon will become extinct like the other 20 temples that stand ignored on the fort.
The area surrounding the Dargah appears to be considerably developed in comparison to other Hindu-populated places. People visit the fort primarily for the Dargah, which features silver doors. People, especially those from the Hindu community visiting the fort need to know about the other Hindu structures there and learn about the sacrifices made by our Hindu warriors to save the life of our beloved Maratha King, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. And any alleged illegal encroachment, both by Hindus and Muslims should definitely be removed.
Satyanarayana Varma, a 36-year-old prominent suspect in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd scam, paid Rs 3.3 crore to a Hyderabad car dealer for a used Lamborghini. However, this was not his own money and was actually a portion of the fund allocated for the development of the state’s Scheduled Tribes. But the high-end purchase didn’t last long as police uncovered the transaction, seized the car, gave it back to the dealer and collected the amount from him in a matter of days after pursuing the money trail.
As per reports he was nabbed on 13th June by the special investigation team (SIT) in Hyderabad. Police confiscated Rs. 8.2 crore belonging to the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation Ltd.
An SIT of the state police headed by the director general of police of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was recently established by the Karnataka government to look into the theft of Rs 94 crore from a scheduled tribes development corporation bank account. The action was taken in response to demands raised by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the scandal. Union Bank of India officials reportedly wrote to the agency requesting that it should delve into the bank’s mismanagement of funds.
The anomalies were discovered following the suicide on 26th May of P Chandrashekaran, a development corporation employee involved in fund auditing, who claimed fraud in the use of money in a six-page death note. A managing director of the company filed a complaint in Bengaluru, alleging six Union Bank of India executives were involved in the scandal, concurrently with an unnatural death report submitted in the Shivamogga area. A case has been filed by the police under various sections of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to criminal forgery, cheating and breach of trust.
The SIT has been established to inquire into the official’s death and the fraud. Manish Kharbikar, a senior IPS officer and the CID’s additional director general of police for economic offences will serve as its head. The squad also includes Raghavendra Hegade, superintendent of police (CID), Hariram Shankar, superintendent of police (state intelligence), and Shivprakash Devaraju, deputy commissioner of police (traffic). According to the government decision, the SIT would investigate all incidents involving financial embezzlement at the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes’ Development Corporation.
The order read, “The Special Investigation Team shall carry out a comprehensive investigation of the cases and financial affairs and other related affairs of the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Development Corporation, and submit the investigation report to the Government through the Director General and Inspector General of Defense.”
Two company personnel, Parashuram G. Durugannavar, the accounts officer and former MD JJ Padmanabh have already been placed under SIT custody. Nine bogus accounts that were also opened on the same day as the theft of Rs 94.73 crore of government money have been linked to the theft, according to the initial probe into the matter. The funds were moved to Hyderabad-based Ratnakar Bank Limited (RBL) accounts. Former Youth Affairs, Sports, and Scheduled Tribes Welfare Minister B Nagendra was apprehended by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for an interrogation case. The BJP has vowed to start a protest from 6th June if the government does not remove him from the cabinet.
The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra, which includes Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s NCP, and the BJP, put up a spirited show and rebounded from a disappointing general election result by achieving a significant victory in the MLC polls.
The BJP fielded five candidates, all of whom won.
Shinde’s Sena and Ajit Pawar’s NCP each named two candidates, and all four were victorious.
Meanwhile, the Opposition-led Maha Vikas Aghadi, consisting of Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray), and NCP (Sharad Pawar), fielded three candidates but managed to secure only one win, with Pradnya Satav of the Congress.
BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis celebrated on X (formerly Twitter) with a brief message, “9/9,” adding a thumbs-up emoji.
Voting took place this morning for a total of 11 seats, with 12 candidates vying for them.
The results were somewhat predictable, given that MLCs are elected indirectly by Assembly lawmakers. A party with 23 MLAs can claim one legislative council seat.
The BJP, with 103 MLAs, was guaranteed four seats and needed 12 additional votes for its fifth candidate. The Shinde Sena, with 37 MLAs, was nine votes short. Ajit Pawar’s NCP, with 39 MLAs, was seven votes short. Collectively, the Mahayuti needed 28 more votes to secure the nine seats it contested.
On the other side, the Congress had 37 MLAs but fielded only one candidate, leaving it with 14 surplus votes intended for its MVA partners. The NCP faction led by Sharad Pawar supported Jayant Patil of the Peasants and Workers Party, but with only 13 MLAs, it was 10 votes short. Mr. Thackeray’s Sena also fielded one candidate but was eight votes short.
The MVA was four votes short of winning all three seats, assuming the Congress’ extra votes were used for its allies.
The crucial votes were those cast by MLAs outside the two main alliances – two each from Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party and Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM, one CPIM leader, and an independent.
In Madhya Pradesh, an English-medium school has been accused of doing religious conversion of female students on their school transfer certificates (TCs). The parents of the female students have protested to the Madhya Pradesh State Child Rights Protection Commission against the school. Meanwhile, in Chhattisgarh, the game of religious conversion was being played under the garb of a pharmacy. Hindu organisations have complained about this.
Two Hindu students of the Good Shepherd English Medium School in Damoh have alleged that their transfer certificates read their religion as “Christianity” instead of Hinduism. According to the students, they are having difficulty obtaining admission to a new school due to the school administration’s error. The parents of the students have submitted a written complaint to the State Child Rights Protection Commission regarding the matter.
The commission took cognisance of the matter and sent a letter to the District Magistrate directing them to take action. In a letter to the collector, Madhya Pradesh Child Rights Protection Commission Chairman Dravindra More stated that Ravi Shankar, a resident of Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi district, has filed a complaint alleging that the Good Shepherd School incorrectly listed his two daughters’ religion as Christian rather than Hindu on their transfer certificates.
Letter written by the Commission to the Collector (Courtesy: Lalluram)
The letter states that Ravi Shankar’s family is Hindu, and he has also displayed a Scheduled Caste certificate. The Commission has voiced concern that the school may have surreptitiously changed the religion of the two female students on their documents. Upon receiving the Commission’s letter, the Collector has ordered an inquiry.
It is pertinent to recall that this school has earlier faced similar charges. The Good Shepherd School was investigated by the commission and departmental team on the 17th of February and 15 of March this year. Neither the school administration nor the education department were present at this time. During the inspection, several shocking details emerged. Based on this, the commission sent a letter and directed the competent authority to take action.
Conversion racket operating under the garb of a dispensary
Hindu organisations in Balod, Chhattisgarh, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, have claimed that conversions are taking place under the pretence of a bogus dispensary. They claim that this facility is being run without a licence and that a conversion racket is operating from here. CMHO Mahesh Suryavanshi stated that the clinic has been given three days to respond; otherwise, action will be taken.
EHP dispensary has been in operation at Sanjay Nagar, Dondilohara, for a long time and is run by a married couple Manoj Sahu and Yamini Sahu. Dondilohara BJP leaders have asked the Dondilohara SDM to file a criminal case against the EHP dispensary.
Hindu organisations claim that unlawful prayer gatherings are organised in every area and that people are being persuaded to convert. After receiving the letter, SDM Shivnath Baghel contacted the CMHO and sought an investigation. Mahesh Suryavanshi stated that if the response is not received within the specified time frame, action will be taken under the Nursing Home Act 2010.
A TV9 Bharatvarsh report says that VHP Dondilohara district president Balram Gupta accused the clinic of operating a conversion racket under the garb of a clinic. He stated that clinic operator Manoj Sahu and his wife Yamini Sahu have already been accused of holding unlawful prayer meetings at their house under the pretence of a clinic. This case is now under investigation by police.
“We didn’t take any dowry”, the father-in-law announces boastfully to the media, as if he did a big favour on the girl’s family by not being a greedy criminal who demands money to approve of his son’s wedding to his girlfriend. “We said ok to his choice of girl”, comes another assumed favour on the son and his girlfriend.
In a rather sad spectacle unfolding in media and social media currently, the widow of a soldier killed in the line of duty is being dragged through the worst of the worst kind of TV serial nightmare. Her inlaws are declaring to the whole world that she is a greedy, conniving, selfish woman who has ‘left’ the house of her in-laws and has ‘taken away all the money.”
The narrative of ‘took away all the money’ spread on Indian media like wildfire. The inlaws stated to one reporter that this is so prevalent and “Bahuyen bhaag jati hain” (the daughters-in-law run away) after the son dies. Everyone following the news got instantly hooked. because why not, there is another woman to be blamed for everything that is wrong with the society.
The NOK rules are clear. The soldiers choose their nominee and in this case, the deceased soldier had chosen his wife as his nominee. There is nothing the government can do here.
Soon after, saner voices pointed out facts. The Bahu hasn’t taken away all the money. She was entitled to the compensation and pension benefits because she was CHOSEN AS THE NOMINEE by the deceased soldier in his will. She has what she is entitled to by the law of the land. The deceased soldier’s parents haven’t been left with nothing. Soon it became clear that they were not dependent on the son and the father is a former soldier himself. The inlaws have got whatever was due to them from the group insurance and have also got a portion of the compensation money that the Yogi government gave after the soldier’s death.
Then came the mudslinging. In another interview with another media channel, the parents went on a full-fledged rant. The father of the soldier described how he displayed his magnanimity by agreeing to his son’s choice to get married to the girl he likes. He even made sure to cleverly drop before the media that he agreed for the wedding despite of their ‘castes’ being different. He then elaborated how he never demanded any dowry, as if demanding dowry was a fundamental right and the in-laws had shown exemplary kindness to humanity by not demanding dowry in the wedding. He elaborated on how his son was very close to his mother, to subtly put forth the point that “do you realise it? He changed after wedding to this girl”.
He then elaborated how, on the thirteenth day of his son’s death, he had very kindly offered the girl’s father that if she wanted he would get his second son married to her. The dehumanisation of the Indian woman comes full circle in the thinking that she is valid only when she is married to somebody, and not even out of love, but a husband should be bestowed upon her by somebody as magnanimous as the father-in-law here.
The grandiosity of the said father-in-law is so convinced it its patriarchal assumption that he actually, honestly thinks the prospect of marrying her husband’s brother should be cherished by the widow, seen as the love and kindness of her in-laws towards her, that too on the thirteenth day of her husband’s death.
He doesn’t stop there. He even continues boasting that he is so kind and merciful, that in case she chooses not to marry and just stays in their house as the widowed elder Bahu, he will take the firstborn child of his second son and his future wife, and give it to the elder Bahu to raise. Because why not? How can the Bahu want anything else than to be a wife and raise children?
Not just this Bahu, the father-in-law is already convinced of his absolute rights over the child of the future Bahu who isn’t even in the picture yet. The fact that they chose to give media statements against the young widow of their deceased son soon after her face was flashed in the news during the gallantry award ceremony in itself is a testimony to the amount of toxicity in play here.
Now comes the money. The father-in-law elaborates how the Bahu now ‘controls’ the bank accounts of the deceased son. The fact that the deceased soldier mentioned her as the nominee and she legally inherited those accounts and sim cards associated, is missed somewhere in the melodrama as the reporter nudges the parents on, asking them to elaborate their Bahu’s bad behaviour further.
The claims made by the in-laws are just that, claims. There may be another side of the story. But who cares, blaming the bad Bahu is this country’s favorite hobby.
Why can’t a woman choose to live away from her in-laws? Why can’t she refuse to marry the brother of the man she loved for 8 years? Why can’t she choose to stay away from the people who suggest her to get married to their other son and live in the same house even before she has processed the grief of losing her husband, these are the questions nobody will ask.
Because it is all “normal”. It happens. Bahu should keep living with her in-laws even after her husband passes away. Bahu should relinquish control of the bank accounts and the money her husband left her, and she should hand over control of all the financial benefit she would get from the government of India as a soldier’s widow, because apparently that is what women are expected to do.
There is a fundamental problem in all of this. The Bahu is a human first. She didn’t rob anyone. She didn’t steal anyone’s money. She is holding on to what she was legally entitled to. She is asserting her right over the financial benefits that her deceased husband made sure she gets in case of his demise.
The TV serial mentality hasn’t changed in a thousand years. It will probably never change. Since the media has now smelled blood in a typical family drama masala, they will keep sniffing and scratching this family’s wounds for fresh drops to lick.
Behind all this, there is a woman who lost the love of her life at the age of 26. We saw a glimpse of the iron will behind a pretty face when she stood proud to receive the Keerti Chakra. Maybe she will stay silent and avoid media attention. Maybe she will choose not to stay silent and come forward to face it all. Maybe the same people who are calling her names and criticising her now will hail her and celebrate her then. We do not know.
But one thing is certain. This sordid drama unfolding before our eyes is the ugly reality behind the so-called great Indian family. Women are good only when they serve, obey, toe the lines, know their place, and stick to their assigned roles. Even the mere act of claiming what is lawfully her can get her vilified and cursed. The patriarchal mentality that considers a woman no better than the family cattle, to be owned and tied wherever they choose, will never understand the silent battles that independent women fight every day, every minute, just to stand their ground.
There are no gallantry medals for the women who fight these battles. If they are lucky, they get some love and affection. If they are not, they just learn to make peace with being called a ‘bad woman’ and carry on. For every woman who refuses to give up and stands, there are a thousand others who just have to give in. For centuries, women have sought the relative safety of being married to whatever male relative the inlaws choose, because the prospect of living as a widows was far worse, even dangerous.
Let’s hope this dehumanisation stops someday, or at least stops being mainstreamed.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his wife B M Parvati have been at the epicentre of the 4000-crore Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam over the ownership of 3.16-acre agricultural land.
According to a report by The Indian Express, Siddarmaiah had submitted 3 contradictory election affidavits during the 2013, 2018 and 2023 Karnataka Vidhan Sabha elections concerning the said land parcel.
For the unversed, the 3.16-acre agricultural land was bought by the Siddaramaiah’s brother-in-law B M Mallikarjunaswamy during the 2004-2005 period. Mallikarjunaswamy had gifted the land parcel to his sister and the Karnataka CM’s wife, B M Parvati, in 2010.
No mention of land parcel in 2013 election affidavit of Siddaramaiah
Although it had been 3 years by then, the 2013 election affidavit of Siddaramaiah did not show ownership of any agricultural land by his wife.
“2013: The poll affidavit filed by Siddaramaiah, three years after the land was received as a gift by his wife, indicates no agricultural land ownership by her during the period,” reported The Indian Express.
“The election affidavit of the CM in 2013 does not mention the acquisition of the 3.16 acres. It is a violation of the election code of conduct and violation of Representation of People Act,” remarked BJP president B Y Vijayendra on Wednesday (10th July).
Contradictions in the 2018 election affidavit
In 2014, the Karnataka CM and his wife BM Parvati claimed that Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) acquired the 3.16-acre agricultural land without informing them and sought an alternate site in exchange.
But the election affidavit of Siddaramaiah in the 2018 Karnataka election shows otherwise.
The Indian Express reported, “2018: Siddaramaiah’s affidavit mentions his wife’s ownership of the land. “Gift received from my brother B M Mallikarjunaswamy, Dt 20-10-2010,” says the column for agricultural land owned by the CM’s spouse.”
New MUDA scheme and the 2023 election affidavit
In 2020, the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) formulated a 50:50 alternate land allocation scheme.
A year later, the governmental agency allotted 38,284 sq feet of alternate land (0.88 acres) in the Vijayanagar area of Mysuru to Siddaramaiah’s wife BM Parvati. The land area was equivalent to 14 housing sites (valued at ₹20 crores).
As per The Indian Express, the 2023 election affidavit read, “Shows allotment of 37,190.09 sq ft of land by MUDA in exchange for the Kesare village land in the column for non-agricultural land held by Siddaramaiah’s spouse in April 2023.”
The English daily, however, pointed out that Karnataka’s Record for Rights, Tenancy and Crops still showed BM Parvati as the owner of the 3.16 acres for the 2023-24 period in contravention of the 2023 election affidavit of Siddaramaiah.
Differential pricing of acquired land and MUDA scam
The Opposition BJP and JDS in Karnataka have demanded that Siddaramaiah return the 14 housing sites given to him. The Karnataka CM fired back by putting forth the demand of ₹62 crores for 3.16 acres of agricultural land, gifted to his wife by his brother-in-law.
Interestingly, the value of the said land parcel was mentioned as ₹25 lakhs in the 2018 election affidavit of Siddaramaiah. The glaring difference in the pricing was also highlighted by the Opposition parties in the State.
These allegations and more form the basis of the ‘MUDA scam‘, the raging controversy in the political spheres of Karnataka.
According to activist S Krishna, B M Mallikarjunaswamy lied about buying the 3.16-acre agricultural land from a Dalit farmer in 2004-2005.
He said that the brother-in-law of Siddaramaiah owned the land parcel using fabricated records and that the land was acquired by MUDA in back in 1992.
BJP leader Vishwanath added a new angle to the controversy by highlighting that Siddaramaiah’s brother-in-law could not have purchased the land from a Dalit. “The land was denotified in the name of the SC/ST owners and it could not have been bought,” he emphasised.
Such a prohibition on the purchase of lands stems from the 1979 law – The Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prohibition of Transfer of Certain Lands) Act.
While Siddaramaiah has refused any wrongdoing, the Opposition is firm in its demand for CBI probe into the matter.
The Rouse Avenue Court on Friday extended the judicial custody of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi excise policy case.
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court granted Kejriwal interim bail in the Enforcement Directorate case related to the excise case.
Special judge Kaveri Baweja extended the judicial custody of Arvind Kejriwal till July 25. He was produced through video conferencing from Tihar Jail. The court directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to supply a copy of the supplementary charge sheet to the counsel of Kejriwal and the other accused.
National Secretary Pankaj Gupta and an official representative of the party appeared for the Aam Aadmi Party before the court.
The accused, Vinod Chauhan, was also produced before the court.
Another accused, Ashish Mathur, was granted bail on a bail bond of Rs 1 lakh. He was charged sheeted without arrest by the ED.
On July 9, the court took cognizance of the supplementary charge sheet filed against Arvind Kejriwal and AAP. The court had also taken cognizance of the supplementary charge sheet filed against Vinod Chauhan and Ashish Mathur.
The court had taken cognizance of the charge sheets and had issued production warrants for Arvind Kejriwal, Vinod Chauhan and AAP. Summons through the Investigating Officer (IO) were issued to Ashish Mathur. These are the seventh and eighth supplementary charge sheets in the money laundering case linked to the Delhi Excise policy.
Enforcement Directorate had filed a supplementary prosecution complaint (charge sheet) against Arvind Kejriwal and Aam Aadmi Party on May 17. Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21. Another supplementary prosecution complaint was filed by the ED against Vinod Chauhan and Ashish Mathur on July 1.
In this money laundering case, ED arrested Manish Sisodia, BRS leader K Kavitha, Sanjay Singh, Arvind Kejriwal and others including businessmen.
Opposing the bail plea of Arvind Kejriwal, ASG SV Raju had submitted that there is evidence that Kejriwal demanded a bribe of Rs. 100 crores, which went to the AAP for Goa election campaign.
It was also argued that Rs 45 crore was sent by Vinod Chauhan to Chanpreet Singh through hawala dealers. Chanpreet Singh was looking after the AAP Goa election campaign.
The ED while seeking remand, had submitted that the arrestee (Kejriwal) was shown evidence of Hawala transfers to the tune of Rs 45 crore approx, which is corroborated with CDR locations, call records, IT seized data of Hawala firm in Goa, proof of payments being done in part cash and part bill and WhatsApp showing this arrangement. He was also shown multiple statements of witnesses who worked on the AAP campaign in Goa who received cash from one Chanpreet Singh who was working for the AAP campaign in Goa.
While opposing the bail application, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju submitted that “bribe money” was sent for the Goa election by Hawala transactions, and Arvind Kejriwal was in touch with Angadiya (Hawala dealers). The bribe money was sent by Vinod Chauhan and it was received by Chanpreet Singh Rayat, who was handling the election of AAP in Goa.
ASG had also referred to the statement of Sagar Patel. As per the statement, three people received cash, including Chanpreet Singh.
ASG submitted that the instructions were given by Vinod Chauhan to make payments to Chanpreet at Goa and others. The photo of the matching note (used for Hawala transactions) has been found on the phone of Vinod Chauhan.
ASG SV Raju also submitted that Arvind Kejriwal was in touch with Vinod Chauhan through chats. Acknowledgement by Arvind Kejriwal to chats shows proximity with Vinod Chauhan. It was also submitted that Rs One crore has been recovered from Vinod Chauhan. It was also submitted that Section 70 of PMLA directly applies to Kejriwal as he is the incharge of AAP, which is a company in terms of Section 70 of PMLA, ASG contended.
Kejriwal is national convenor of AAP and in charge of the affairs of the party, ASG had said.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
