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Complaint filed against Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and nine others in the alleged MUDA scam: Details of alleged wrongdoings in compensation against land

Paurush Gupta
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Complaint filed against Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and nine others in the alleged MUDA scam: Details of alleged wrongdoings in compensation against land

The Congress government in Karnataka has been embroiled in a major controversy over the issue of land acquisition cost and alleged irregularities. Incidentally, on Wednesday (10th July), a complaint was filed against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and nine others for allegedly forging documents to claim compensation from the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA). Social activist Snehamayi Krishna has filed the complaint. It has accused Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathy, his brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy Devaraj, who claimed to be a landowner, and his family of ‘wrongdoings’. 

The complaint was lodged at Vijayanagar Police Station in Mysuru. The letter has also been written to the governor, the state chief secretary, and the principal secretary of the revenue department. It alleged that MUDA cheated by creating fake documents and obtaining plots worth crores of rupees. 

It is pertinent to note that earlier, CM Siddaramaiah rejected the BJP’s demand for a CBI probe in this matter. In his defence, he demanded Rs 62 from MUDA claiming that it “usurped” his family’s 3.16-acre land for a development project. However, the Chief Minister’s demand soon sparked an outrage among the Bengaluru farmers. They accused the administration of following separate rules for the Chief Minister and state farmers. Additionally, they have also started to demand higher compensation from MUDA for acquiring their land for key development projects.

Major developments in the alleged MUDA scam and the ongoing controversy explained

Evidently, a major controversy over the reported allotment of 14 pricey plots to CM Siddaramaiah’s family in Mysuru has rocked the state politics of Karnataka. The Bharatiya Janata Party has been demanding a CBI probe in this matter. It has alleged irregularities and a scam in the land acquisition and allotment of an alternate site. 

According to the allegations, MUDA generally follows a 60:40 ratio in development projects meaning that it gives 40% of land back to the farmers in the same developed project. However, it is alleged that MUDA not only followed a 50:50 ratio in CM Siddaramaiah’s case but also allocated pricy plots at a different location.  

BJP has alleged that Siddaramaiah helped himself with the allotment of 14 plots in the upscale Vijayanagar locality in Mysuru in exchange for giving up 3 acres 16 guntas of land on the city outskirts to Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA). It has charged CM’s family with accepting Rs 35 crore worth of plots in place of earlier decided compensation of Rs 3 lakh.

Speaking with the media, the Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R Ashoka said, “It is like taking compensatory plots on MG road for the land surrendered at Dasarahalli (outskirts) in Bengaluru.” 

Earlier this week, Ashoka said, “The CM has resorted to indiscriminate looting to secure his son’s future (Dr Yathindra Siddaramaiah) after being convinced that his days as CM were numbered. The Rs 4000 crore scam in the allotments of MUDA plots was the biggest one…He (the CM) seems to have decided to make wealth for the next 10 generations.”

He added that the allotment has caused financial losses to MUDA as its officials allotted the plot on a 50:50 ratio basis soon after CM’s wife made an application. The BJP leader further added that the MUDA had carved plots out of denotified land owned by the CM’s family, but he was not getting access to records. There was a big racket behind these allotments. 

Ashoka added, “Though 86,000 people applied for MUDA plots, only Congress leaders have got allotments.” 

On Saturday (6th July), Union Minister Pralhad Joshi demanded an impartial investigation into the alleged MUDA scam and appealed to the state government to transfer it to the CBI. 

He said, “It is alleged that it is a more than Rs 3,800 crores scam and plots duly authorised by MUDA have been transferred in the name of the wife of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. There was a huge scam and the then DC who has now been transferred to cover up the same, had written more than 15 letters to the state government to look into the matter and show proper directions to MUDA. In spite of that, they did not act and Siddaramaiah got very valuable land.”

Siddaramaiah demands Rs 62 crore compensation for 3.16 acre land

Following mounting pressure from the BJP, CM Siddaramaiah claimed that he got a lesser acre of land as compensation. He rejected BJP’s allegations that the 14 pricey plots allotted to his family were done “illegally”. Regarding the allotment of land in a different location, he claimed that it was MUDA’s mistake. Subsequently, he demanded Rs 62 crore as compensation for the 3.16 acres of his family land which was acquired for a development project.  

Siddaramaiah said, “Our land measuring 3.16 acres was encroached, made into sites, and sold. So, let them compensate us with Rs 62 crore, which is the market price of the land.” 

He argued, “Our land was taken away. Should I let go of 3.16 acres just because I’m the chief minister? Actually, we should have got another 3.16 acres in a land-to-land deal.” 

According to reports, in lieu of the 3.16 acres of land that MUDA used to form a layout, Siddaramaiah’s wife was compensated in a 50:50 ratio. This means that she got half the land in the form of developed plots. Incidentally, the Chief Minister seemingly admitted that his wife was given developed plots in a better location.  

Siddaramaiah said, “What could I have done if they (MUDA) gave me a site in some other place because there was no space on the land that was ours? I didn’t ask for any specific locality. It was MUDA that made the mistake.” 

He added, “We didn’t ask for sites to be given in Vijayanagar 3rd or 4th Stage. We simply agreed for a 50:50 ratio.” He stated that his government had scrapped the 50:50 rule in October last year. 

“Notwithstanding that, let the authorities give me Rs 62 crore. I got 14 sites in lieu of 3.16 acres. While one acre has 44,000 sqft, what I got was 38,264 sqft. So, I’ve got less,” CM Siddaramaiah had said. 

Officials responsible for land acquisition admit CM’s demand started to cause them concern as Farmers demanding higher compensation

Strikingly, his demand has led to a major concern for the development authority as farmers have started to demand higher compensation for their acquired land citing CM Siddaramaiah’s Rs 62 crore formula for 3.16 acre of lands in Mysuru. 

Notably, the state govt is in the process of acquiring land for multiple projects in several parts of Karnataka. Among them, farmer groups from Bengaluru Rural, Chikkaballapur, and Kolar districts have started to cite the CM’s example to demand higher compensation. 

The farmers’ groups have argued that if the CM can publicly demand Rs 62 crore compensation for his three acres of land, then the land parcels that have been notified for acquisition for various infrastructure projects around Bengaluru should be paid Rs 25 crore per acre as compensation. 

According to media reports, officials involved in the land acquisition process have admitted that CM Siddaramaiah’s Rs 62 crore demand has started troubling them.  

A farmer leader from the Kolar district emphasised, “The land prices around Bengaluru are higher than in Mysuru. If the CM is demanding such huge compensation for a residential project where there is a provision for allotment of alternative sites, then farmers in and around Bengaluru who have been losing land for roads, industries and other projects should be paid compensation according to the formula laid down by none other than the CM. There cannot be one rule for CM and another for farmers.” 

A farmer leader from Chikkaballapur, Anjaneya Reddy said, “The quantum of compensation demanded by the CM is double or triple the guidance value of land prevailing in Mysuru. Compensation for farmers in Bengaluru Rural and Chikkaballapura, where agricultural fields have been notified for acquisition for the special economic zone (SEZ), aerospace park, ring road, and housing projects, should be paid on a similar yardstick. If the govt refuses to pay the farmers on similar grounds, then the CM has no moral right to demand such huge compensation overlooking farmers elsewhere.”

Representative of distressed farmers losing their land for the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) project, Eshwar Reddy said, “We do not know how the CM has arrived at such a huge figure. Given the fact that he is CM, he must have calculated it as per the rules. By the same rules, farmers around Bengaluru should be paid Rs 25 crore for each acre acquired either by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) or the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA). This price should be the model for all other acquisitions.”

He also raised questions over the Congress government’s stance. He noted, “Whenever the government in the state takes land for development projects, it develops it and gives it back in a 60:40 ratio. The government keeps 60% of the developed land, including corner plots, commercial spaces, and other important places, and the farmers get only 40%.” 

Highlighting the same, he asked how did MUDA agreed to a 50:50 compensation ratio in Siddaramaiah’s case. He further asked whether the government would offer farmers 60% of developed land.

Mumbai BMW hit-and-run case: Illegal section of Juhu bar where accused Mihir Shah partied demolished, father Rajesh Shah sacked from party post

OpIndia Staff
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Mumbai BMW hit-and-run case: Illegal section of Juhu bar where accused Mihir Shah partied demolished, father Rajesh Shah sacked from party post

After the Excise Department officials sealed the property 24 hours earlier, sections of the bar in Mumbai’s Juhu that provided alcohol to 24-year-old Mihir Shah were demolished by city officials on the 10th of July morning. The Vice-Global Tapas Bar sold liquor to the 24-year-old who is below the legal age for drinking, ahead of a collision between late 6th and early 7th July in which a BMW driven by him rammed a two-wheeler, killing a 45-year-old woman Kaveri Nakhwa and injuring her 50-year-old husband Pradeep Nakhawa. The pub was shut down for supplying alcohol to minors, supplying alcohol without a valid license and unlawful construction. These unauthorized portions were demolished.

The action was taken under relevant provisions of the Bombay Foreign Liquor Rules. The K/West (KW) ward officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) stated that on the evening of 9th July, the property was inspected by the authorities to determine whether any illegal alterations had been carried out to the property. The pub also received a letter from the excise department on the same day alleging that among other violations, the place was selling and distributing alcohol to unlicensed customers in an area designated for non-licensed restaurants.

An official stated, “During our inspection, we found out that a portion of the kitchen and the loft located at the front of the entrance were illegally built. We have initiated a demolition drive against these structures.” They mentioned that the bar has been open since 2022. A bulldozer and a group of officials were sent by the BMC to execute the demolition.

The perpetrator’s father who was part of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena was removed from the position of the party’s deputy leader. According to the police, the Palghar Shiv Sena leader actively assisted in his son’s escape and intended to tow the offending vehicle away. According to an official, the investigation into the case has shown that the deceased was run over by driver Rajrishi Singh Bidawat shortly before the Bandra Worli Sea Link after being dragged there by the main accused Mihir Shah as the pair absconded.

Rajesh Shah and Rajrishi Bidawat were produced in the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (Sewree) SP Bhosale on July 8 and remanded in 14-day judicial and one-day police custody, respectively. Rajesh Shah was, however, later granted bail by the court on payment of Rs 15,000 on 8th July. The Mumbai Police revealed in their submission to the court that Rajesh Shah had contacted his son numerous times after the accident, instructing him to take Rajrishi Bidawat’s seat on the passenger side. He intended to blame the driver for the accident and protect his son. He arrived at the spot in a Mercedes, spoke to his son and asked him to flee. 

Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 281 (rash and negligent driving endangering human life), 125-B (endangering life and personal safety), 238, 324(4) (committing mischief amounting to cause loss and damage) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sahita have been invoked against Mihir Shah. Moreover, he faces charges under the Motor Vehicles Act’s Sections 184, 134A, 134B, and 187. On 9th July, he was taken into custody along with his mother and two sisters from an apartment in Virar, 65 kilometres away from Mumbai. The mother and sisters were nabbed from Shahpur. His friend Avdeep is also being questioned by the police. The police suspect they aided in hiding him.

Mihir Shah successfully evaded the authorities from 7th July and was arrested from Virar near Mumbai. The police unveiled that he left his car and driver behind in the Kala Nagar region and departed the scene in an auto-rickshaw. He then arrived at his female friend’s suburban Goregaon home. She got in touch with his sister, who came to Goregaon, picked them up and brought the two to her Borivali house. The Shah family then decided to escape, driving an Audi to a resort in Shahapur in the Thane district. The resort also hosted his two friends along with his sisters Kinjal and Pooja Shah and mother Meena Shah.

Mumbai Police tracked the number of one of the people who were with him after finding out the identity, however, the friend had also turned off his cell phone. After leaving the Shahapur resort late on 8th July evening, Mihir Shah and his friend arrived in Virar, whereupon his friend turned on his cell phone for fifteen minutes and police apprehended the two individuals as soon as they discovered the mobile tower location. According to witnesses, Mihir Shah had a beard when he departed a Juhu bar on the fateful night. He was clean-shaven when he was taken into prison, though authorities believe he might have changed this detail to hide his identity.

The accused reportedly admitted driving the BMW that struck with a scooter and killed a woman. According to police sources, he described his actions before and after the fatal accident during interrogation. Police sources conveyed that he started his evening with companions at the Tapas pub in Juhu. After giving his pals a ride home in a Mercedes, he took the BMW for a “joy ride” down Marine Drive. He took the wheel and switched seats with his driver near Haji Ali. He acknowledged driving the opulent vehicle when it crashed with the two-wheeler, hauling Kaveri Nakhwa for about 1.5 kilometres before abandoning her corpse on the road.

After the accident, Mihir Shah was terrified. He left the scene before his father could get to Bandra out of fear of facing consequences from his family. He took sanctuary in his girlfriend’s Goregaon home rather than going back to his own house. His statement supports the chronology of events that the police assembled using eyewitness reports and CCTV evidence. He is scheduled to appear in court when the cops intend to request his custody to conduct an additional investigation.

On camera, Mihir Shah and Rajrishi Bidawat were seen removing the woman from the bonnet, putting her on the road, and then mowing her down once more as they reversed the fancy car. “After she was dragged from Worli, Mihir and Bidawat stopped the car just before BWSL and removed the woman who had got entangled in the vehicle’s tyre. Bidawat then took the driver’s seat and ran the car over the victim while reversing. They then fled. They sped towards Kala Nagar where the vehicle’s engine stalled,” conveyed an officer.

Drinking garlic juice after a dogbite will cure rabies? ‘Herbal influencer’ makes wild claims, doctors horrified

OpIndia Staff
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Drinking garlic juice after a dogbite will cure rabies? ‘Herbal influencer’ makes wild claims, doctors horrified

Stray dog menace has become a major concern in India with frequent reports of stray dogs mauling down people. Dog bites are the leading cause of rabies-related deaths in humans. While Rabies is a preventable viral disease, and there are appropriate scientific treatments for the same, once the infection sets in, it is 100% fatal and there is no cure for it.

Amid multiple reports of children and elderly being attacked and mauled by stray dogs across the country, a Herbal ‘influencer’ has stirred a debate on social media after claiming that garlic juice can cure rabies.

Responding to an X post featuring a video of three stray dogs attacking a young boy on the street, a herbal influencer who goes by the name “ChiefHerbalist” ‘advised’ netizens on 4th July that if they are bitten by a dog and need to treat themselves for rabies, they should drink garlic juice every morning and evening two weeks. The influencer with over 1 lakh 86 thousand followers on X, claimed that it would cure rabies.

“In case you get bitten by a stray dog and you want to treat yourself of rabies; Grind garlic and press juice into water. Drink the juice every morning and evening for two weeks. You will be okay. Nature heals,” Chief Herbalist posted.

The herbalist’s absurd claim about curing rabies with garlic juice alarmed the doctors. One Dr Krishnamurthy asked the herbalist if he would become the subject of an experiment wherein he would be bitten by a rabid dog and then would treat himself with garlic juice. The doctor added that if herbalist’s garlic juice cures rabies, everyone will bow down to him.

“Let’s do a simple experiment. We will arrange you to get bitten by a rabid dog. Treat yourself without getting rabies with garlic juice. We will all bow down to you,” Dr Krishnamurthy, the head of department of interventinal cardiology at Kauveri Hospital said.

In response, the herbalist expressed eagerness to be a part of such an experiment. When the doctor said that had conducting such an experiment not been illegal, he would have done it immediately, the herbal influencer asserted that the doctor is “running away” from his challenge.

Quoting the first post by the “Chief Herbalist”, Dr Krishnamurthy said, “Such people giving advice which endangers lives should be put behind bars immediately without provision for bail.”

An X user claimed that an acquaintance of his lost his life during the covid pandemic days after doing exercises shown on Instagram reels. The X user asserted that if someone follows the garlic juice ‘treatment’ to cure rabies and ends up losing their life, the herbal influencer would be to blame.

To this, the herbalist brazened out, “I also lost someone who took Covid vaccine recommended by a Doctor. Lol.”

In response to the herbal influencer’s garlic juice recommendation, another doctor advised people to visit a hospital and take necessary vaccines to prevent rabies. “Please visit the nearest hospital in case of dogbite and take the vaccine and immunoglobulin if needed to PREVENT rabies. Don’t wait to get rabies. Once you get it, you won’t have much appetite for Garlic lemonade,” the doctor said.

Can garlic really cure rabies? No, it can’t.

Rabies is a preventable viral disease most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The RABV virus infection is the root of the ailment. The virus infects the central nervous system of mammals which ultimately results in brain disease and death. It causes encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) in humans and other mammals. Rabies spread from the saliva of infected animals. The majority of rabies in the United States are linked to skunks, raccoons, bats and foxes. However, dogs continue to carry the rabies virus in many other nations, including India, and dog bites are the leading cause of rabies-related deaths in humans worldwide.

A detailed OpIndia explainer on Rabies, its causes, symptoms, prevention and medical treatment can be read here.

Notably, India continues to be the country with the world’s largest number of rabies deaths annually. Thousands of people in the country die of rabies after suffering days of excruciating pain and horrific symptoms of hydrophobia.

The number of human deaths globally due to dog-mediated rabies is estimated to be 59,000 annually. India is responsible for 36% of rabies-related deaths worldwide, according to the statistics of the World Health Organisation. 

Notably, some health and wellness websites do suggest applying garlic paste on the dog bite wound since garlic contains antiviral properties. However, it is not a proven rabies remedy. It is claimed that ancient Greek philosopher and polymath Aristotle also recommended garlic for Rabies treatment, however, blindly following any ancient remedy or a modern-day ‘herbalist’ can prove detrimental for the affected person.

Applying garlic juice or any other home remedy to a dog bite wound is not an effective or scientifically supported treatment for preventing rabies. Rabies is a viral infection that is almost 100% fatal, and immediate medical intervention is crucial.

The appropriate response to a dog bite is to thoroughly wash the wound with soap and water and seek medical attention immediately. A healthcare professional will determine if post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for rabies is necessary, which includes a series of rabies vaccinations. Using unproven methods like garlic juice can delay proper treatment and increase the risk of infection and can even result in death.

Teachers protest against digital attendance: How the issue is being manipulated for politics in UP where BJP once lost an election for trying to stop mass cheating in exams

Shraddha Pandey
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Teachers protest against digital attendance: How the issue is being manipulated for politics in UP where BJP once lost an election for trying to stop mass cheating in exams

In Uttar Pradesh, a new regulation has been issued governing the attendance of all council school instructors and personnel. According to the orders issued by State Project Director Kanchan Verma, teachers and employees have been directed to note their attendance in the school’s digital register. This came into effect from 8th July onwards.

Teachers are instructed to provide their real-time attendance with location. Schools operate from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., but the state government requires teachers to record their attendance between 7.45 and 8 a.m.

Notably, the department has provided the option of marking attendance 30 minutes after the scheduled time. Teachers and staff who arrive late to school must provide an explanation for arriving late.  

“We are aware of your problems, you can mark your attendance after 30 minutes. Orders have been given for digital signatures of council schools. But now there is an opportunity to mark attendance 30 minutes after the scheduled time. Instructions have been given to Basic Education Officers and Block Education Officers. It is definitely necessary to mention the reason for reaching school late,” the state education department said.

On the 18th of June information about the module developed under the term ‘Digital Registers’ was made available on the Prerna portal, as well as rules for the use of 12 digital registers at the school level.

While the Uttar Pradesh government’s decision is intended to enhance the quality of education and ensure that teachers fulfil their duties diligently, the move has not been without controversy.

Teachers protest against online attendance system in Uttar Pradesh

The CM Yogi Adityanath-led government’s decision to implement an online attendance system intends to curb the menace of teacher absenteeism in the state’s schools, which has adversely impacted the educational environment. Several teachers, however, have strongly protested against the move. On 8th July, a massive online trend calling for a boycott of the new digital attendance system was launched. Under the “#BoycottOnlineAttendance” tag, educators raised their concerns and shared videos of peaceful protests by teachers across Uttar Pradesh.

Teachers are opposing it on social media, claiming it will be against their interests in many ways. They are required to arrive at their schools by 7:30 am and mark attendance between 7:45 am and 8 am before the start of classes. However, in remote villages, internet connectivity is limited, making it difficult to mark attendance online.

Additionally, a lot of schools are situated in remote areas and are surrounded by water during the rainy season. In such a case, if a teacher arrived late, he or she would be deemed absent, and their leave would be deducted. The protesting teachers have sought certain relaxations in the online attendance system, such as half-day casual leave.

On the 8th of July, only 2% of teachers out of over 6 lakh teachers and para teachers (Shiksha Mitra) marked attendance online. This means that on the very first day of the digital attendance’s implementation, only 16,015 out of 6.09,282 lakh teachers marked their attendance.

Almost no teachers marked their attendance online in 14 of the state’s 75 districts, as per a report in HT. Notably, while in Shahjhanpur there are 10,194 teachers, in Pilibhit where there are 5,899, and in Sant Kabir Nagar there are 4819 teachers, none of them marked their attendance.

Only one of the 11,934 teachers in Bareilly followed the government’s orders. Only two teachers out of 6,810 marked online attendance in Rampur, while only 9 teachers out of 7,293 in Maharajganj attended.

In Bahraich, only 20 teachers out of 11,282 digitally marked their attendance using the government tab; in Gonda, only 23 teachers out of 10,832 marked their attendance; in Gorakhpur, only 52 teachers out of 12,519 marked their attendance; and in Unnao, only 56 teachers followed the government directive. In 24 districts 1% of teachers marked their online attendance, in 13 just 2%, in 11 districts 3%, while Bhadohi saw a maximum of 13% online attendance by teachers.

In the Shahjahanpur district teachers gathered in large numbers to protest the move. Meanwhile, in Sambhal, a memorandum was handed over to the DM office. Major demonstrations took place in Kanpur Dehat, Chandauli, Bareilly, Sidharth Nagar and several other districts as well.

Meanwhile, thousands of teachers also wore black bands around their arms while on duty as a mark of protest against the digital attendance system. On Tuesday, teachers of a government school in Chaprua Khera, Zone-1 in Lucknow wore black arm bands in protest against the digital attendance system. Similar scenes were seen in Jiamau Primary School.

Demands raised by UP teachers

The protesting teachers have demanded that they be given half-day leave, as other state employees are, and that they be given 30 earned days of leave, as state employees or PL, as college teachers. Moreover, compensatory leave should be provided in the same manner as other departments. Basic shikshak adhikari should be granted the power to waive online attendance in the event of inclement weather and participate in departmental events.

Notably, BJP MLC Babulal Tiwari met Chief Minster Yogi Adityanath on the 9th of July and informed him about the issues raised by the affected teachers. He highlighted the teacher’s and Shiksha Mitra’s issues including the demand for 15 casual leave, 15 half casual leave, 25 earned leave, the status of state employees to teachers, cashless medical facility, No promotion for 15 years, and exemption from non-teaching duties.

Meanwhile, Sandeep Kumar, President of Lucknow Metropolitan Primary Education Association said, “The teachers are troubled because the online digital attendance system is not working well and due to this the teachers are not able to register attendance within the given time limit. It leads to a deduction of salary…Currently, the teachers are marking their attendance using this system.”

UP teachers earlier opposed facial recognition-based attendance rule

In a similar situation back in December last year, primary school teachers in Uttar Pradesh had opposed the government’s AI-based attendance involving facial recognition. At that time also, teachers had claimed that lack of connectivity and poor internet in rural areas would make it difficult for them to give timely attendance always and a failure of doing so would lead to salary deduction.

Opposition politicising the Yogi government’s attempt to improve the education system

Amidst the protests undertaken by government school teachers in Uttar Pradesh, opposition parties have started exploiting the issue to score political points against the ruling BJP government. In this vein, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav extended support to the protesting teachers and opposed the implementation of digital attendance saying teachers can get stuck in the way due to late running public transport, closed railway crossing, long distance etc. In such a situation, he claimed, teachers would suffer stress and their emotions would be hurt

“No teacher wants to reach school late but sometimes the reason for this is public transport running late, sometimes closed railway gates and sometimes the distance of fifty kilometres between home and school because teachers neither have government accommodation to live near school nor houses are available on rent in remote areas. This gives rise to unnecessary stress and a mentally confused teacher can sometimes get into an accident due to hurry, of which there are many examples. If due to some unforeseen reasons, teachers have to leave the school in the middle of the day due to personal health or home, family or social reasons, then a report of absence for the whole day will be sent. There can be many reasons for reaching school late or returning from school early. Even due to interruption in power supply or technical problems, there are problems in smooth functioning of services like internet. That is why the option of ‘digital attendance’ is not possible without a solid solution to practical problems. First of all, it should be implemented in the administrative headquarters of all other departments so that the senior officials can experience its practical aspects and problems, then only after the problem-solving, its implementation should be thought about later…” Yadav posted on X.

Teacher absenteeism in Uttar Pradesh’s government schools has been a persistent issue, significantly impacting the quality of education in Uttar Pradesh. While Akhilesh Yadav claimed that “no teacher wants to reach school late”, there have been numerous incidents of teachers were found absent from duty. In 2022, it was reported that over 3,900 primary school teachers were found absent from duty across the state for three consecutive days. In many cases, it has been found during surprise checks that some teachers ‘missed’ the school for days. In such cases, students are left without guidance, and time that should have been spent educating them is wasted.

The Yogi government is implementing such digital measures to curb absenteeism and negligence of duty. By ensuring that teachers are present and accountable, these systems can help improve the overall educational environment and learning outcomes for students. However, for the sake of political gains ahead of the bypolls in the state, opposition parties are opposing the implementation of digital attendance.

When BJP lost elections in 1993 over bringing anti-copying legislation

The UP government’s efforts to improve the education system, including the implementation of the online attendance system for teachers, have faced significant opposition. This resistance mirrors the backlash against Chief Minister Kalyan Singh’s Anti-Copying Act of 1992, which aimed to curb cheating in exams.

In 1992, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh introduced the Anti-Copying Act, aimed at curbing rampant cheating in board examinations. This law imposed strict measures, including heavy fines and imprisonment for those caught cheating. While the intention behind the Act was to enhance the credibility of the state’s educational system, it faced massive backlash from students and their families. Imagine the condition of public examinations and the prevalence of lawlessness in Uttar Pradesh that even an educational reform intended to stop malpractice and cheating in school and university exams was fervently opposed.

The opposition, led by Mulayam Singh Yadav, capitalised on the discontent. Yadav criticized the Act, arguing that it unfairly targeted students without addressing the root causes of the educational deficiencies. His party used this sentiment to galvanize public opinion against Singh’s government.

Anti-Copying Act 1992

The Act authorised the police to enter examination centres to perform checks and arrest defaulters, as well as made “use of unfair means in examinations” a cognisable offence for which there was no bail.

As a result of the strict enforcement of the law, 17% of the students who had registered for the tenth and twelfth left the ongoing exams. Due to this ordinance, just 14.70% of intermediate and 30.30% of high school applicants passed the Uttar Pradesh Board exams in 1992.

Mulayam Singh Yadav had politicised this much-needed law. He even gave the argument that female students caught cheating as per this law would be rejected by suitors. Notably, Kalyan Singh brought the anti-copying law at a time when UP’s public examinations were caught in the clutches of “cheating mafias” involving teachers, students, officials and gangsters. This syndicate provided guides, model papers, answer slips, and illegal proxy examinees and even helped the cheaters in later stages of the exams. Instead of supporting the government for a serious reform aimed at improving the quality of education, Mulayam Singh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party went berserk and demanded its withdrawal.

As newspapers published pictures of handcuffed students who cheated in the 1992 board exams, the opposition used it to push its narrative that somehow the anti-copying law is “too harsh”. The widespread protests and dissatisfaction contributed significantly to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s poor performance in the 1993 state elections. Kalyan Singh’s government was ultimately defeated, and Mulayam Singh Yadav became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in 1994. One of the first decisions taken by Mulayam Singh Yadav was to revoke this Act. With this, the “mockery” of the education system—mass cheating in examinations became widespread again. It was alleged that the SP government downplayed the incidents of copying/cheating in official records.

Despite its necessity, the Anti-Copying Act contributed to the BJP’s defeat in the 1993 elections, illustrating the political risks of educational reforms. Today, Akhilesh Yadav, Mulayam’s son, echoes similar opposition by criticizing the online attendance system for teachers, which aims to improve accountability and reduce absenteeism. This pattern of resistance to necessary reforms reflects a reluctance to address deep-seated issues within the education system, prioritising political gains over long-term improvements.

Leveling up his attack on the state government, Akhilesh Yadav has claimed that the BJP government has “postponed” the online attendance rule for teachers. However, an official confirmation from the state government is yet to come out.

West Bengal bypolls: Violence reported in several areas; BJP blames TMC for intimidation, says their workers fired bullets and vandalised homes

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal bypolls: Violence reported in several areas; BJP blames TMC for intimidation, says their workers fired bullets and vandalised homes

Several reports of violence have been reported from the Ranaghat-Dakshin constituency in West Bengal’s Nadia district, where the house of a local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member was vandalised. The BJP has blamed the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC or TMC) workers for the vandalism even as by-polls in four assembly constituencies in the state which are underway on 10th July (Wednesday).

Ranjit Mondal, a BJP polling booth agent, charged that the accused fired bullets and damaged his residence on Wednesday morning. “The TMC wants to scare me as I am a polling agent of the BJP. I have lodged a complaint with the Election Commission over the attack,” he voiced.

Binoy Kumar Biswas who was fielded by the saffron party from Bagda the seat also confirmed the same and unveiled that the perpetrators were “sheltered by Trinamool Congress.” He mentioned, “The incident took place in the Purna Nagar area under Ranaghat police station in Nadia. Last night around 1:30 am, some miscreants broke into his house and vandalized part of it. Several bullets were also fired.”

An investigation is underway, according to a top police officer in the Nadia region and 26 persons have been detained about the incident. However, TMC refuted the accusations and the party’s Ranaghat-Dakshin candidate Mukut Mani Adhikari claimed, “There was one incident last night. The TMC was not involved. Today, I am canvassing the entire constituency and so far I have received no reports of violence. The polling is being held peacefully.”

Furthermore, Manas Kumar Ghosh, the BJP candidate for the Raiganj assembly constituency, informed that TMC members attempted to cause unrest in a few of the constituency’s booths during the by-elections. He also got into an altercation outside a voting place with some TMC members. and charged that the latter was attempting to scare off local voters. He stated, “Voting is being held smoothly. We want voters to exercise their franchise in a peaceful environment. The TMC is trying to create disturbances in some of the booths but we stopped them,” while talking to the journalists.

On Wednesday, Manoj Kumar Biswas, the BJP candidate for the Ranaghat Dakshin seat, also charged the ruling TMC with inciting chaos to impede voters from freely exercising their right to vote. He stated, “Ranaghat Dakshin is the BJP’s area. It has been proven again and again. There is tremendous enthusiasm among the voters. I am confident that in this election, voters will again make us win but the fact is that TMC, supported by the administration with criminal personnel, is trying to create a chaotic situation so that no voter comes to the voting centre. They are threatening our voters and workers. A free and fair election is not possible in West Bengal because the government does not want it.”

On 10th July, thirteen seats in seven states are scheduled to go to assembly by-elections. The constituencies of Maniktala, Ranaghat-Dakshin, Bagdah and Raiganj in West Bengal are also undergoing bypolls. Voting for these assembly by-polls, spanning seven states, began at seven in the morning. The result will be announced on 13th July and will determine the fate of multiple seasoned politicians and newcomers, including Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s wife Kamlesh Thakur. These elections, which are the first since the Lok Sabha elections, are to fill the vacancies in legislative assemblies left by the resignations or deaths of current members.

The constituencies going to by-polls include Raiganj, Ranaghat Dakshin, Bagda and Maniktala in West Bengal, Badrinath and Manglaur in Uttarakhand, Jalandhar West in Punjab, Dehra, Hamirpur and Nalagarh in Himachal Pradesh, Rupauli in Bihar, Vikravandi in Tamil Nadu and Amarwara in Madhya Pradesh.

Maharashtra: Maulvi Mujeeb Sheikh and Sameer Attar brutally assault Hindu students plucking Jamun fruits from a tree in Dargah, attempted to strangulate a kid, Maulvi arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: Maulvi Mujeeb Sheikh and Sameer Attar brutally assault Hindu students plucking Jamun fruits from a tree in Dargah, attempted to strangulate a kid, Maulvi arrested

A shocking case has come to light from the Beed district of Maharashtra. A Maulvi and his accomplice have been booked for brutally assaulting minor Hindu students. It is alleged that they assaulted the minor students with a stick for allegedly plucking Jamun fruits (blueberries) from a tree in Dargarh. The incident reportedly took place at Dindrud (Majalgaon) on Monday (8th July). According to reports, the Maulvi also attempted to strangulate a kid. One student is said to be in critical condition and is receiving treatment at a government hospital in Beed.

https://twitter.com/TheTreeni/status/1810710267774558449

The accused have been identified as Maulvi Mujeeb Mujjid Sheikh and Sameer Attar Kasam. According to the complaint filed by the injured student’s mother, a case was registered against both the accused at Dindrud police station. Police have arrested Maulvi Mujeeb Mujjid Sheikh while Sameer Attar Kasam is still absconding. Further investigation is underway. The incident has sparked outrage among the villagers.  

According to reports, 13-year-old students Tejas Navnath Katare and Ratneshwar Rustum Thombare hail from Dindrud. They are studying in secondary school. While returning home from school, they went to eat Jamun (purple berries) from a tree near Mahebub Subhani Dargah near Zilla Parishad School. During this time, Maulvi Mujeeb Mujjid Sheikh and Sameer Attar Kasam came there and they started brutally assaulting them with a stick. 3 students were injured in this attack. One student ran away in fear.

During the assault, the accused Maulvi hit Tejas on the head with a stick. He also tried to kill the kid by strangulation. Tejas was seriously injured. He has been given a city scan and is kept under medical observation due to severe head injuries. He is currently undergoing treatment at the government hospital in Beed. While Ratneshwar Thombare was slightly injured. 

Tejas’ mother, Vandana Katare filed a complaint at the Dindrud police station. Based on her complaint, the Police registered an FIR (No. 142/2024) under sections 109, 118(1), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS). They have arrested the accused Maulvi and search is underway to nab the remaining accused.

End of Rajiv Gandhi’s appeasement era? Supreme Court rules that Muslim women can seek maintenance from their husbands under secular law

OpIndia Staff
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End of Rajiv Gandhi’s appeasement era? Supreme Court rules that Muslim women can seek maintenance from their husbands under secular law

On Tuesday (10th July), the Supreme Court of India ruled that a Muslim woman can seek maintenance from her husband in the event of a divorce.

The apex court’s order negates the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act 1986, a law [pdf] which was passed by the Rajiv Gandhi government to appease the Muslim community.

In 1985, the Supreme Court upheld the right to alimony of a Muslim woman in the infamous Mohd. Ahmad Khan v. Shah Bano Begum case. However, the Rajiv Gandhi government overturned the judgment in 1986 with the above-mentioned legislation.

Secular law will prevail over Rajiv Gandhi-era law

In the present case, a petitioner identified as Mohd Abdul Samad moved the Supreme Court after he was directed to pay interim maintenance to his divorced wife under Section 125 (Order for maintenance of wives, children and parents) of the Code of Criminal Code (CrPC).

A 2-judge Bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Augustine George Masih noted that the secular law under Section 125 CrPC would prevail over the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act 1986 in the case of petitioners.

During the hearing, Justine Augustine George Masih noted, “This Act does not bar…it is the choice of the person who had applied or moved an application under 125…There is no statutory provision provided under the Act of 1986 which says that 125 is not maintainable”. 

Justice Nagarathna pointed out that there was nothing in the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act 1986 which “barred one remedy in favor of the other.”

The Court dismissed the petition of Mohd Abdul Samad and stated, “We are dismissing the criminal appeal with the conclusion that Section 125 CrPC would be applicable to all women and not just married women.”

The judgment in the case was reserved by the apex court on 19th February 2024.

‘Leave BJP or we will remove you from the world’: Sikh BJP leaders receive threat letters with ‘Khalistan Zindabad, Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans

OpIndia Staff
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‘Leave BJP or we will remove you from the world’: Sikh BJP leaders receive threat letters with ‘Khalistan Zindabad, Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans

Four prominent BJP Sikh leaders in Chandigarh have received death threats allegedly from Khalistani terrorists for their association with the party. A letter threatening murder has been sent to the BJP office located in Chandigarh, and along with it, some inflammable substances have also been recovered by the police. In the letter, BJP leaders have been warned to leave BJP or prepare to be killed. Slogans of Khalistan and Pakistan Zindabad have also been written in the letter.

According to media reports, the BJP leaders who have received threats include BJP National General Secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa, BJP Sikh Coordination Committee and National Railway Committee member Tejinder Singh Saran and BJP General Secretary Parminder Brar. Apart from this, BJP’s state organization general secretary Srinivasulu has also received threats. BJP leaders are said to have complained to the Chandigarh Police about the threats. The police, taking cognizance of the event have begun investigation in the case. The DGP of Punjab and Chandigarh will also be looking into the matter.

Leave BJP otherwise you will be killed

BJP leaders Parminder Singh Brar and Tejinder Saran have been warned in the letters saying, “we had earlier also warned you through social media posts that you people are Sikhs and that you wear Sikh turbans. You, along with the BJP and RSS, are betraying the Sikhs and the people of Punjab. You are interfering in Sikh matters with RSS. You either leave BJP or we will remove you from this world.”

Accused of misleading the people of Punjab

The letter reads, “You along with BJP worked to hinder the farmer’s movement. You are a traitor to the Sikh religion. You are misleading the people of Punjab with the help of BJP-RSS and planning to ask people to join the BJP. You are working to spoil the relations between Sikhs and Muslims, BJP and RSS will throw you out after using you. Many people came to destroy the Sikhs and Punjab and were driven away. Neither the Sikhs nor the Punjab could be destroyed. You have ruined Punjab. Which we will clean now and we will meet you very soon.”

Will take revenge for brothers killed in Canada-Pakistan

It is further written in the letter, “sitting in Chandigarh, the BJP leaders are allegedly conspiring against us and we will soon take revenge. Manjinder Sirsa also speaks the language of RSS, we will teach him a lesson too. Manjinder Sirsa handed over Delhi SGPC to BJP RSS. We will never leave him. We will soon free the Gurudwaras of Delhi DSGMC from BJP. Many traitors like you, along with the BJP government, have killed our brothers in Canada, Pakistan and India and we will take revenge.”

The letter read, “We also warn BJP State Organization General Secretary Srinivasulu to leave Punjab soon because we have no enmity with him but we will not leave any traitor of the Sikhs. Long live Khalistan and we will remain so.”

At the end of the letter, slogans like- Khalistan Zindabad, Pakistan Zindabad, Hardeep Nijjar Zindabad, Avtar Singh Khanda Zindabad, Paramjit Singh Panjwad Zindabad, Maulana Rahim Ullah Tariq Zindabad, Pir Bashir Ahmed Zindabad, Maulana GR Rahman Zindabad have been written.

Majid Freeman arrested by Leicester Police for encouraging acts of terrorism, was at the forefront of instigating violence against Hindus in 2022

OpIndia Staff
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Majid Freeman arrested by Leicester Police for encouraging acts of terrorism, was at the forefront of instigating violence against Hindus in 2022

Majid Freeman, the primary instigator of attacks on Hindu temples in the 2022 Leicester violence, has been arrested on suspicion of counter-terrorism offences, including encouraging acts of terrorism.

Freeman, who was among those confronting former Labour MP Jon Ashworth during the election campaign over Gaza, has shared recordings of “Palestinian resistance” fighters on social media and raised questions about Hamas crimes on October 7.

Majid Freeman, the fanatic who was at the forefront of instigating violence against Hindus in Leicester

Majid Freeman is a local  Leicester Muslim “activist” who is known to harbour problematic and extremist Islamic views. Throughout the Leicester violence, Majid was at the forefront of spreading fake news that instigated violence against Hindus. 

It was on 28 August 2022 that a scuffle broke out after India defeated Pakistan in a T20 match after the Indian flag was desecrated. After the scuffle, Hindus had even calmed the situation down and tended to the individual who had snatched and desecrated the Indian flag. Majid Freeman, however, had a different story to tell. 

On the 30th of August, after the  Leicester police got influenced by the Muslim organisations and lied about “death to Muslims” being chanted by Hindus (they later clarified their investigation found no such chants were heard), Majid took to Twitter to rabble-rouse against Hindus.

Source: X

Majid Freeman and his support to Shockat Adam

Majid Freeman, a rabid Islamist who was at the forefront of instigating violence against Hindus during the 2022 Leicester episode, extended his support to pro-Palestine Shockat Adam.

In one tweet, he said, “Remember this from the other week? @JonAshworth will be regretting this right now. The best man @ShockatAdam won and has now replaced him in Leicester South.”

Source: X

Just like Shockat Adam, Majid Freeman left no stone unturned to rationalise the violence carried out by frenzied Muslim mobs. Freeman took it a level further by constantly peddling fake news and instigating his fellow co-religionists to ‘teach Hindus a lesson’.

In September 2022, the rabid Islamist alleged that 3 men had tried to abduct a teenage Muslim girl. “CONFIRMED: An incident took place this morning not far from a college in Leicester,” he tweeted.

Source: X
Source: X

“A Muslim teenager was approached by 3 men but she ran away into the school. The college & police are aware of it and the family have been given an incident number by Leicester Police,” he claimed.

The conspiracy theorist even claimed to have met the family of the girl, who was traumatised by the alleged kidnapping attempt. “The girl is very shaken but she is ok alhamdulillah. They’ve reported the incident to the police. Hopefully, we’ll get to the bottom of this and the people behind it are caught,” he said.

The fake news was then amplified by other Islamists, who alleged the role of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in the alleged abduction attempt. The Hindu man, falsely accused of kidnapping the Muslim girl, was doxxed on Facebook and his residential address was leaked on social media.

Later, the Leicester police debunked the disinformation through a press release. It said, “Yesterday we issued an appeal following a report that a teenage girl had been approached by three men in the area of Richmond Way, Leicester, on Monday morning.”

“A full investigation has been carried out. Following extensive enquiries, we have established that the incident did not take place and no offence was committed,” the cops confirmed.

Islamists also tried to use the trope of provocation to justify their attacks on the Hindu community. They claimed that Hindus raised anti-Islamic slogans whereas they only chanted ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Vande Mataram.’ 

Majid Freeman was yet again at the helm of this fake news.

Source: X

Interestingly, Majid Freeman was also interviewed by the BBC to set the narrative in favour of the perpetrators.

Source: X

The deliberate attempt by Majid Freeman to stoke hysteria in the Muslim community and lay the foundation of violence against the Leicester Hindus did not stop the then-city Mayor from arranging a meeting with him.

Six cases of sexual harassment but Kerala Cricket Association took no action against coach M Manu who has now confessed to molesting a minor trainee

OpIndia Staff
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Six cases of sexual harassment but Kerala Cricket Association took no action against coach M Manu who has now confessed to molesting a minor trainee

A new revelation has come to light in the case of sexual exploitation of women players by a cricket coach in Kerala. It has been learned that since 2018, the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) has received regular complaints regarding the coach’s activities, however, he continued in his position and no action was taken against him. According to media reports, a complaint was lodged against women’s cricket coach M Manu in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala in 2018 for misbehaving and harassing the girls. The issue was also brought up during the Kerala Cricket Board meeting but to no avail.

He was even accused of sexually abusing an underage female player in 2022 and the KCA was informed about the same. Afterwards, a case was registered against him under the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. He was permitted to stay on the job even after a First Information Report was lodged against him. Later, the minor changed her statement. KCA claimed it asked M Manu to stay away from coaching after the case came to light in 2022 but resumed his role when the court cleared him. It alleged that many people then had come in support of him.

It is important to note that M Manu, who is a cricket coach at KCA, was the subject of recent allegations of sexual assault. Six victims have complained about him thus far and the cases have been filed under the POCSO Act. They stated that he molested them sexually in 2017-18. He is also charged with harassing another minor female player in a lodge in Tenkasi, Tamil Nadu, six years prior. An FIR was registered in the case in June 2024. He accepted the accusation during police interrogation but has not yet confessed to the rest of the cases. The females have also narrated their ordeal in their complaints.

The young girl who had originally complained had gone to a different city as a result of her trauma. She recently encountered M Manu when she went back to Thiruvananthapuram for a tournament after which he was apprehended. Following this, complaints were raised by other trainees.

According to the players, M Manu tormented them, asked for their nude pictures and forced them to pose naked inside the gym and toilets at the KCA headquarters. He used to claim that these photographs were required for a physical evaluation process by the KCA and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). He made obscene comments about the female players even during training. Furthermore, he had a history of pressuring the girls for sexual favours and those who objected were kicked from the team.

A complaint alleging that M Manu, a Sreevaraham resident, abused a trainee in a restroom when she was eleven years old led to his arrest on June 12. He is currently in the custody of Kerala Police. The authorities are investigating the case against him. His phone has been seized and sent for forensic inquiry. He is now being questioned in other cases. The cops reportedly have circumstantial evidence and are also collecting information from other victims.

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