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Haryana: Man strangles brother-in-law to death, sets his body ablaze for mistreating sister

OpIndia Staff
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Haryana: Man strangles brother-in-law to death, sets his body ablaze for mistreating sister

A 21-year-old man in Gurugram, Haryana, named Rajesh alias Chotu, strangled his brother-in-law to death and burned his body with turpentine because the latter was mistreating Rajesh’s ill sister and not providing her with necessary medications.

Rajesh has been arrested for the crime, which took place during the night of July 18-19. A senior Gurugram Police officer stated that they received a report about a suspected arson in Sector-15, Part-1, Gurugram, where they found a charred male body later identified as Gorelal alias Halla.

A witness at the scene mentioned that there was renovation work happening at the house and identified Rajesh, who worked as a security guard, as being involved. On the night of July 18, Rajesh’s brother-in-law visited him, and they drank alcohol together. The next morning, Rajesh was missing. Following the witness’s complaint, the police registered a murder case and launched a manhunt for Rajesh, who was captured two days later in Sector-29, Gurugram.

During interrogation, Rajesh confessed to the crime, revealing that he killed Gorelal because he was mistreating his sister and withholding medical care. After a night of heavy drinking, Rajesh strangled Gorelal and then set his body on fire with turpentine oil before fleeing the scene.

Karnataka Assembly’s new post ‘Secretary-2’ for the son-in-law of minister triggers row, Siddaramiah govt accused of misusing public funds

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka Assembly’s new post ‘Secretary-2’ for the son-in-law of minister triggers row, Siddaramiah govt accused of misusing public funds

The Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka has landed itself in a fresh controversy as reportedly the State Assembly Speaker has written a letter to the Assembly’s finance department asking the creation of a new post, dubbed, “Secretary-2”. Notably, the assembly already has a post named Secretary. As a result, the development has triggered strong opposition from the Vidhana Soudha (state Legislative Assembly) employees and the Bharatiya Janata Party. They have accused the Congress government of violating the established laws and creating a new post just to accommodate the son-in-law of Minister KH Muniyappa. 

According to reports, the controversy erupted after the Speaker of the Karnataka Assembly UT Khader Fareed sent a letter to the Assembly’s Finance Department. In the letter, he sought the creation of a new post, ‘Secretary-2’, and also sought financial approval for the same. 

According to reports, it is alleged that the new post has been created to accommodate Shashidhar JE who is the son-in-law of Food Minister KH Muniyappa. Shashidhar is currently working in the Assembly’s computer wing. The employees stated that he is ineligible for the existing post of Secretary as it is typically reserved for promoted employees.

According to reports, Shashidhar is currently the Director of the Computer Department in the Legislative Assembly Ministry. He has requested to be transferred from the post of Director to the post of Secretary-2. Additionally, his father-in-law Muniyappa also recommended Shashidhar’s request. 

His wife MLA Roopakala, has also been accused of profiteering. It is alleged that on his behalf, she prepared a file for promotion from the post of director to the post of Secretary-2.

Subsequently, the Karnataka Vidhan Sabha Assembly Employee Association wrote a letter to the Vidhan Sabha Assembly secretary to register their protest against this move. According to them, this is a blatant attempt to place Shashidhar in a high-ranking position despite his lack of qualifications. 

The letter read, “A new post called ‘Secretary 2’ is being created to accommodate minister KH Muniyappa’s son-in-law, Sashidhar.”  

It added, “Sashidhar is the husband of MLA M Roopakala and is presently in the computer wing. He can’t take the post of secretary, as the secretary post is for employees who get promoted generally and become secretaries. Never have computer wing employees become secretaries.” 

It accused the Congress government of creating the new post just to accommodate Sashidhar, the Minister’s son-in-law.

It is pertinent to note that as per the assembly’s rule book, the Secretary’s post enjoys the powers, privileges, and status equivalent to that of a Secretary to the Government in the Government Secretariat. 

The principal opposition party, BJP also came down heavily on the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government charging them of creating the new post for accommodating the Minister’s son-in-law. 

BJP leader R Ashoka who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly launched a scathing attack against the Karnataka government. 

He wrote in Kannada, “90 cabinet grade status was created in violation of the Constitution to quell the rebellion of MLAs. Now this brazen Karnataka government has created a new post for the minister’s son-in-law.”

The translated version of the post further read, “CM Siddaramaiah Navare, you are the weakest Chief Minister Karnataka has ever seen, wasting public money and giving attic status to MLAs and Ministers’ relatives without being able to keep the MLAs and Ministers under control.” 

He also demanded the Chief Minister’s resignation. The BJP leader added, “How long will this pot last? Resign and maintain dignity before people revolt against you. Also, save the honour of the state.” 

BJP leader and MLA CN Ashwath Narayan said, “The government is abusing their powers. Creating a Secretary 2 post, accommodating a minister’s son-in-law… they don’t respect the law of the land. We’ll oppose tooth and nail. We’ll take this up even in the judiciary.”

Meanwhile, when the media asked Minister KH Muniyappa’s response to these developments, he refrained from commenting on the matter. 

Economic survey 2024 – Steady growth, reduced inflation, infrastructure investment, and more: Here is what you need to know

OpIndia Staff
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Economic survey 2024 – Steady growth, reduced inflation, infrastructure investment, and more: Here is what you need to know

On Monday, July 22nd, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Economic Survey 2023-24 in the House of Parliament to share that the Indian economy stands robust and stable amid the ongoing geopolitical issues. The 476-page Economic Survey emphasises that India’s economy has consolidated following post-Covid recovery and that the policymakers have played an important role in guaranteeing economic and financial stability.

As per the survey, the Indian economy continues to grow despite global turbulence. Given the tough global climate, the study further emphasises the need for significant domestic measures to sustain recovery. “For the recovery to be sustained, there has to be heavy lifting on the domestic front because the environment has become extraordinarily difficult to reach agreements on key global issues such as trade, investment, and climate,” the Economic Survey read.

The survey highlights several issues like capital investment, inflation, expansion of the private sector investment, and also about foreign reserves. The survey reports explain that the investment from the government has been essential in supporting capital development, with the private sector starting to make investments considerably in the Financial Year 2022. According to the Survey, “Public investment has continued capital formation in recent years, even as the private sector shed its balance-sheet blues and began investing in FY22. It now needs to take over from the public sector and maintain the economy’s investment pace. The signs are encouraging.”

The study discusses the headline inflation that is under control, however, certain categories of food remain high. The trade deficit in FY24 was lower than in FY23, and the current account deficit was approximately 0.7% of GDP. Foreign exchange reserves remain sufficient, the report broadly highlights. 

National income figures show a strong increase in non-financial private-sector capital formation in FY22 and FY23, following a dip in FY21. Despite a drop in investment in machinery and equipment in FY20 and FY21, there was a substantial comeback. Early corporate sector figures for FY24 indicate that capital formation in the private sector has continued to grow.

Notably, the entire survey has been divided into 13 chapters discussing Agriculture, Infrastructure, Investment, Employment, Climate, Inflation and overall Monetary Management. The survey indicates that the growth of the Indian economy is steady as the contribution of the private sector is increasing along with the public sector. The study also states that the Indian economy has recovered and expanded in an orderly fashion post-pandemic.

“Inflationary pressures stoked by global troubles, supply chain disruptions, and vagaries of monsoons have been deftly managed by administrative and monetary policy responses. As a result, after averaging 6.7 percent in FY23, retail inflation declined to 5.4 percent in FY24. The real GDP in FY24 was 20 percent higher than its level in FY20, a feat that only a very few major economies achieved.  Prospects for continued strong growth in FY25 beyond look good, subject to geopolitical, financial market, and climatic risks,” the report stated.

The Finance Minister, while presenting the Survey, also stated that the market capitalisation of the Indian stock market has seen a remarkable surge, with the market capitalisation to GDP ratio being the fifth largest in the world.

Regarding inflation and price hikes, the survey states that during FY22 and FY23, the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and supply disruptions contributed to rising inflationary pressures globally.

“In India, consumer goods and services faced price hikes due to international conflicts and adverse weather conditions impacting food costs. However, in FY24, the Central Government’s timely policy interventions and the Reserve Bank of India’s price stability measures helped maintain retail inflation at 5.4 per cent – the lowest level since the pandemic,” the survey added.

Unfavourable weather conditions in FY24 limited food output. Tomato prices soared as a result of region-specific crop disease, early monsoon rains, and logistical issues. Onion prices rose due to rainfall during the previous harvest season, which affected rabi onion quality, delayed sowing of Kharif onion, prolonged dry periods that hampered Kharif production, and trade-related actions implemented by other nations.

However, the government implemented suitable administrative activities, such as dynamic stock management, open market operations, subsidised provision of critical food goods, and trade policy measures, which helped to reduce food inflation.

The major part which was highlighted by the Survey was about the infrastructural development of the country. The country introduced several schemes, increased investment in the Railway sector, and invested in clean energy projects, and digitisation leading to lifting the potential growth overall.

The Economic Survey, published by the Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs under the Ministry of Finance, provides a thorough examination of the economic data for 2023-24. It also provides estimates and direction for the current fiscal year. Historically, the Survey provides insight into the tone and direction of the Budget, which will be presented the next day.

On July 23, 2024, the Finance Minister will submit the Union Budget to the Lok Sabha at 11 AM. The budget speech will address fiscal policy, revenue and expenditure proposals, and major announcements. The budget will then be thoroughly debated in both houses of Parliament before being approved and implemented.

Transfer Certificate not a tool to collect pending fees: Madras HC says harassing student over non-payment of fees is an offence, urges state govt to make amendments

OpIndia Staff
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Transfer Certificate not a tool to collect pending fees: Madras HC says harassing student over non-payment of fees is an offence, urges state govt to make amendments

On Friday (19th July) the Madras High Court ruled that a child’s Transfer Certificate is a personal document provided in their name, not a tool for collecting pending fees. The court stated that no entries relating to fee arrears should be included in the Transfer Certificate (TC).

The Court’s decision followed an appeal by the Tamil Nadu government disputing an earlier ruling that downplayed the negative consequences of marking fee arrears on TCs. While observing that TC is not an obligatory document, the Court directed the government to revise the Tamil Nadu Education Rules and the Code of Regulations for Matriculation Schools in Tamil Nadu to reflect this. The court also ordered the government to issue a state-wide circular advising schools not to require Transfer Certificates from former institutions for admitting new students.

A Division Bench comprising Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice C Kumarappan said, “TC is not a tool for the schools to collect arrear fees from the parents or to weigh the financial capacity of the parents. TC is a personal document issued in the name of the child. Schools cannot put their own problems on the child by making unnecessary entries on the TC. Payment of tuition fees is the duty of the parents towards the schools. Any default in the same ought to be recovered from the parents by the school concerned in the manner known to law. Instead making entries of non-payment of fees on Transfer Certificate in the name of the child is sheer humiliation for the child. What will the child do if the parents failed to pay the fees? It is not their fault and to stigmatise and harass the child is a form of mental harassment under Section17 of the RTE Act.”

The Court further stressed that schools should not include needless information about unpaid or delayed school fees on Transfer Certificates. They also recommended the Tamil Nadu government revise the state’s Education Rules and Code of Regulation for Matriculation Schools to guarantee compliance with the Right to Education (RTE) Act.

The schools have every right to initiate appropriate action for recovery of the outstanding fees, if any, from the parents in accordance with law. But in the process, harassing or punishing the child over default in payment of fees is an offence and falls within the contours of Section 75 of the JJ Act.”, the court said.

Terror attack near Gaza border: Pro-Palestine Canadian citizen killed while trying to stab Israeli security personnel

OpIndia Staff
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Terror attack near Gaza border: Pro-Palestine Canadian citizen killed while trying to stab Israeli security personnel

On Monday (22nd July), the Israeli Defence Forces and Police stated that a terror attack took place in the Kibbutz of Netiv Ha’asara area which is near the Gaza border. The Israeli authorities said that the knife-wielding terrorist was neutralised after he carried out a stabbing attack in the southern Israeli town. The Israeli forces described the attack as a terror incident. They also revealed that the attacker was a Canadian citizen. According to the Kan public broadcaster, the attacker has been identified as Qawarshi Zakaria Adam. He carried a Canadian passport and he shouted “Free Palestine!” as he carried out the stabbing attack.

According to Israeli media reports, the terrorist Qawarshi Zakaria Adam was reportedly pro-Palestine and he was a Canadian citizen. He arrived at the entrance to the kibbutz, alleging that “the IDF is killing civilians in Gaza.” According to the Israeli military, the deceased attacker arrived in the area from within Israel rather than crossing over from Gaza. 

According to Israeli Channel 12, the attacker came to Israel as a tourist. He had rented a car for two weeks. He left Ashdod in southern Israel in the morning before reaching Netiv HaAsara where he carried out the stabbing attack. 

According to reports, the terrorist attempted to stab the Israeli security force personnel but the attack was thwarted and nobody was injured in the attack. The unsuccessful attack unfolded at the entrance of Netiv HaAsara. Incidentally, this Israeli town was one of the worst hit areas when Hamas terrorists launched large-scale attacks from land, air, and sea on 7th October last year killing over 1,200 Israeli and foreign citizens and kidnapping over 250 civilians, including children. 

The Israeli military said that the attacker “exited his vehicle and threatened with a knife members of the community’s rapid response team operating in the area.”

The military added, “The rapid response team responded with fire and neutralized the suspect. No injuries to the security forces were reported.”  

Following the incident, the IDF confirmed that the attacker was a Canadian citizen.

The Paramedics of Israel’s emergency service known as Magen David Adom (MDA) reported that the terrorist had been apprehended. It added that a 61-year-old woman was suffering from shock. However, the MDA added that “no one was physically wounded.”

MDA paramedics recounted, “We were told that a terrorist had arrived at the location, attempted to stab, and was thwarted by the security forces. We screened the area to make sure there were no physical injuries. A 61-year-old female suffering from anxiety symptoms is being treated on the scene by MDA teams and, as for now, does not need evacuation to a hospital.”

What is ‘Special Category Status’ and why Bihar cannot have it

OpIndia Staff
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What is ‘Special Category Status’ and why Bihar cannot have it

The ‘Special Category Status (SCS)’ for Bihar and Andhra Pradesh have been the long-standing demand of Janata Dal (United) and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) respectively – the two allies of the BJP-led-National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre.

A State with ‘Special Category Status’ becomes eligible for tax cuts and preferential central government assistance. Although the Indian Constitution does not provide for such categorisation, the provision was first introduced by the National Development Council (NDC) of the Planning Commission in 1969.

Three States, namely, Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and Nagaland were accorded SCS in that year. Over the next 41 years, more 8 States were added to the list. These included Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

Bihar is not eligible for Special Category Status

The decision to accord ‘Special Category Status’ to these States was based on the following 5 criteria:

  1. Hilly and difficult terrain
  2. Low population density and/or sizeable share of tribal population
  3. Strategic location along borders with neighbouring countries
  4. Economic and infrastructural backwardness
  5. Non-viable nature of State finances.

Once a State is accorded SCS, it becomes eligible for 90% of Central government funds in the case of schemes sponsored by the Union government. In contrast, non-SCS States get only 60% of the funds from the Centre.

Moreover, States with ‘Special Category Status’ get more tax concessions and additional revenues from the Centre.

The National Development Council noted in 2012 that Bihar did not fulfil any criteria, which would justify its categorisation under ‘SCS.’ This was re-affirmed by the Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary.

Political blackmail and non-existent SCS

JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar has cited the economic backwardness, poor human development indicators, frequent natural disasters, insufficient water for irrigation, and loss of industries to Jharkhand to rationalise the demand for SCS for Bihar.

This is despite the fact that Bihar’s GDP growth for 2022-2023 was 10.98%, which was higher than the national average.

Similar demands have been made by NDA ally, N Chandrababu Naidu-led-TDP, in the past for the State of Andhra Pradesh. He had even pulled out of the NDA alliance in 2018 after the Narendra Modi government did not give in to his political blackmail.

It must be mentioned that the Centre dissolved the Planning Commission and the National Development Council in 2014-2015 and replaced it with NITI Aayog.

Essentially, the Special Category Status of 11 States ended with that decision. As such, there is no provision now to accord SCS to Bihar, Andra Pradesh any State for that matter.

It now remains to be seen as to how the JD(U) and TDP arms twists the Centre and whether the BJP comes out on top.

Mamata Banerjee and her unhealthy obsession with not being a kafir and ‘fighting kafirs’: Here’s how she peddled the dangerous line earlier

Shraddha Pandey
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Mamata Banerjee and her unhealthy obsession with not being a kafir and ‘fighting kafirs’: Here’s how she peddled the dangerous line earlier

“What Bengal thinks today India thinks tomorrow”: This popular saying of freedom fighter Gopal Krishna Gokhale boasted Bengal’s cultural and intellectual richness, in the present context sounds no less than a “warning”. Imagine a sitting Chief Minister using a pejorative term used by a religious community to dehumanise others to boast about her bravery. Well, you don’t need to imagine, since this is the new normal, the new reality of West Bengal. On the 21st of July, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee while speaking at TMC’s ‘Martyr’s Day’ event said that she is not a Kafir and went on to equate Kafirs with cowards. 

CM Banerjee said: “Jo darte hai wo marte hai, Jo ladte hai wo Kamyab hote hai, hum darpok nhi hai, hum kafir nhi hai, hum gaddar nhi hai.” (Translation – Those who get scared end up losing, while those who put up a fight achieve victory, we are not cowards, we are not kafir.)

Such desperation to prove her pro-Muslim credentials that Mamata Banerjee, voted and elected as the state’s representative by people of various religious communities, ended up declaring all of them except Muslims as “Kafirs” [infidels] and cowards.

It is pertinent to understand, especially for those labelled as “Kafirs” what exactly the term means before delving into why it is outrageous for a ‘democratic’ leader holding a constitutional post to use this jibe against her political adversaries.

“The word Kufr means to reject faith in God, God’s signs, the prophets, the Holy Scriptures and the Day of Judgment. One who does not have faith in the unity of God and does not have faith also in other sacred signs of God is a Kafir, according to the Quran. One who rejects faith in God or does not have faith in God is called a Kafir. A Kafir may also be an idolater who worships gods and goddesses. According to the Quran, they are those who have gone astray. There are about 350 verses about Kufr and Kafir. In the majority of the verses, Kufr is non-belief in one God and prophets of God and the Holy Scriptures. Kufr is also worship of idols and gods and goddesses other than God. In some of the verses, the word Kufr and its variations are used to mean ingratitude for the favours of God. It is natural that if someone does not recognize God or does not have faith in God, he will also not acknowledge God’s favours but will attribute the favours to his gods and goddesses,” this is how New Age Islam, an Islamic reformist organisation describes Kufr and Kafir. Here God without an “s” is used for Allah.

In a country where millions of Hindus who are polytheists and worship their deities using idols reside, a Chief Minister finds “Kafir” the most appropriate term to attack her political rivals. This, however, is not the first and certainly not going to be the last time Banerjee used this slur against non-Muslims.

Past instances when Mamata Banerjee when used ‘Kafir’ slur

On 22nd January 2024, the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed the Pran Pratishtha of Ramlala at Ayodhya Ram Mandir, a historic day of reclamation for Hindus, Mamata Banerjee issued a stern warning to those who support or vote for BJP saying that Allah will not forgive them and that only Kafirs fear, but those who fight they win.

 “Ek bat yaad rakhna, BJP ko madad mat karna, BJP ko agar tum log madad karoge koi to Allah ki kasam aap logo ko koi mafi nhi karega hum to mafi nhi karenge.” (Translated – Do remember one thing, don’t support/assist/vote for BJP. I am swearing on Allah if you help/assist BJP, nobody would forgive you, let alone me.) “Jo Kafir hain, woh darte hain, Jo ladte hain, woh jeet te hain,” Banerjee said.

Irony died a painful death as Mamata Banerjee made these remarks at a ‘Sarv Dharm Sambhav’ rally.

Similarly, in May 2022, a video of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee went viral on social media where she was addressing the crowd on the occasion of Eid. During her address, she said something that sounded like ‘Kafir’. She said, “Let them do what they want. We are not scared. We are not cowards. We are not ‘Kafir’ [possibly]. We fight. We know how to fight. We will fight against them. We will finish them.”

Who would have thought that the idea of respecting all religions emanates from labelling non-Muslims as Kafirs and cowards? The Quran and Islamic scholars say that anyone who does not believe in Allah, his messenger and the judgement day is a Kafir and his ‘sins’ are unforgivable. These Kafirs, who do not believe in Allah become Mushrikeens when they worship Gods other than Allah.

Islamic terrorists and ‘unarmed’ Islamists often use the term “Kafir” to subjugate Hindus and other non-Muslims as well as to justify their violent attacks on ‘infidels’.

Banerjee’s usage of ‘Kafir’ goes beyond mere political jabs. It is a potent symbol of religious exclusion and conflict. CM Banerjee’s choice of words is not incidental but rather a deliberate strategy to solidify her support base among Muslims by framing political battles in religious terms. The Trinamool Congress supremo knows that making such opprobrious remarks won’t trigger protests of the same intensity if anyone said something slightly critical about Muslims. The streets of India have witnessed widespread protests, effigy-burnings and violence over a Hindu woman and BJP’s former spokesperson Nupur Sharma for merely stating facts often mentioned by Islamic scholars and the Islamic texts.

Mamata Banerjee’s statements during such public events suggest that she is fighting against ‘Kafirs,’ positioning herself and her supporters as the true believers against an opposing ‘other.’ This language feeds into a larger narrative of religious and cultural conflict, which is particularly dangerous in a multi-religious society like India where the peaceful Hindu majority is perpetually subjected to scrutiny for their religious beliefs and customs, gaslighting in the event Muslims get offended over Hindus celebrating their festivals like Ram Navami in ‘Muslim areas’ and resort to stone pelting and violence. CM Banerjee’s statements alienate Hindus by casting them as the ‘cowards and infidels’ fostering a sense of exclusion and division in the land of Hindus, in the land of Swami Vivekanand.

While framing political opponents as ‘Kafirs’ promotes intolerance and bigotry against Hindus and other non-Muslims in addition to dehumanising them, this bigotry has been mainstreamed in the TMC-ruled state. OpIndia has reported several incidents wherein the state government demonstrated its blatant favouritism towards Muslims and disdain towards Hindus. It was reported last year, that a Durga Mandir was found blocked and barricaded in Kaliachak town in Malda district of West Bengal. The development came a day before the Islamic month of Muharram. Before this, CM Mamata Banerjee imposed restrictions on the immersion of Durga idols in 2016 and 2017 to make way for Muharram processions. The burden of upholding the farcical ‘secularism’ lies on the shoulders of Hindus, since the state itself makes it a matter of “Us vs Kafirs” and deems Kafirs as cowards. Just imagine the outrage liberals and Islamists would unleash if a BJP leader says he/she is not a coward or not a Mleccha.

While there are numerous incidents, let’s discuss a recent incident to understand how the Islamisation of West Bengal is being normalised unchecked. TMC leader and a Cabinet Minister in the state government, Firhad Hakim derided non-Muslims as ‘unfortunate’ and openly called for their religious conversion to Islam. “Those who were not born into Islam were born with misfortune. If we can give them Dawat (call for proselytization) and bring Iman (Faith) in them, then, we will make Allah happy. We need to spread Islam among non-Muslims. If we can bring someone on the path of Islam, then, we will prove to be true Muslims by ensuring the spread of Faith,” said Firhad Hakim who is also Mamata Banerjee’s close aide.

When a state minister openly gives the call for converting ‘unfortunate’ non-Muslims to Islam to make his God happy, Mamata Banerjee calling BJP leaders or non-Muslims in general Kafirs is not shocking. Hakim has earlier called for the “Urduisation” of Bengal. In addition, he once called BJP leaders and the Central Armed Forces “Suar ke bacche” [progeny of pig]. It is widely known that Muslims despise pigs and even eating pork is considered “haram” in Islam.

No wonder a TMC MLA Hamidul Rahman’s alleged close associate Tajemul Haque alias JCB holds an ‘Insaf Sabha’ brutally assaults a woman in public and the TMC MLA justifies this Taliban-style flogging by saying that there are some ‘codes’ in a ‘Muslim Rashtra’. Apparently, in their heads and actions, the Islamists and their cheerleaders have already assumed West Bengal to be an ‘Islamic nation’ and it seems only an official declaration is awaited.

Mamata Banerjee celebrated ‘Khela Hobe Diwas’ on the same day the Muslim League launched ‘Direct Action Day’ to massacre Hindus

Even before declaring her political opponents as “Kafirs”, Mamata Banerjee had selected 16th August to observe ‘Khela Hobe Diwas’, the day which coincided with ‘Direct Action Day’ to launch her campaign to remove BJP from power in various states ahead of the elections. CM Banerjee had then said that the “Khela Hobe” slogan would now be used on the national stage and declared that “Khela” would now happen in all states until the BJP is removed from the country.

Incidentally, 16th August is the day when Muhammad Ali Jinnah called on Muslims throughout India to observe the Direct Action Day, also known as the 1946 Calcutta Killings, when thousands of Hindus were butchered by Islamists of the Muslims Leagues on the streets of Kolkata. Two months after the Trinamool Congress (TMC) swept the West Bengal State Legislative polls, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced to commemorate her election slogan in the form of ‘Khela Hobe Diwas‘.

Mocking Hindus, dehumanising political opponents using Islamist slurs, and warning people that Allah will not forgive them, West Bengal under the TMC government has become opposed to its vibrant cultural identity.

Mamata Banerjee’s repeated use of the term ‘Kafir’ is not just a political statement but a significant threat to the social fabric of India. It reflects an unhealthy obsession with religious identity and an attempt to appease the Muslim voter base at the cost of broader societal cohesion. As the Chief Minister, her responsibility should be to unite the people of West Bengal and address their collective needs rather than resorting to such polarising tactics. This desperation to prove to the Muslim vote bank that she is one of their own and others are ‘Kafir’, does not exemplify her ‘secular’ mindset but the extent to which the TMC is willing to go to retain power. On one hand, Mamata Banerjee randomly recites Chandi Paath to fool Hindus on the other, exposing her Islamist sympathising mindset. This mindset is no different from Islamic terrorists who want to subjugate non-Muslims to turn India into a Dar-ul-Islam.

Ironically, from calling opponents Kafirs, Hindus “Hinsak” [violent] to calling Sanatan Dharma as “Dengue, Malaria” and calling for its eradication, the opposition parties and their leaders are deemed ‘defenders’ of Indian democracy and ‘idea of India’ and champions of constitution while the party following and respecting the democratic processes without slandering any religious community is labelled as ‘fascist, communal, bigot, and whatnot by the opposition friendly pens for hire and the extended ‘ecosystem’.

UAE: 57 Bangladeshis sentenced to jail for protesting against their government in the Gulf country

OpIndia Staff
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UAE: 57 Bangladeshis sentenced to jail for protesting against their government in the Gulf country

On Monday, July 22, a court in United Arab Emirates (UAE) handed long prison sentences to 57 Bangladeshi citizens for protesting against their own government in the Arabic country. While 3 of the Bangladeshis were awarded life imprisonment, 1 was awarded 11 years prison sentence, and 53 others were sentenced for 10 years.

Emirates News Agency WAM reported, “The court heard a witness who confirmed that the defendants gathered and organised large-scale marches in several streets of the UAE in protest against decisions made by the Bangladeshi government.”

Following the completion of the prison terms, the Bangladeshi citizens will be deported from the UAE as per the Abu Dhabi court order. Protests are banned in UAE and any public protests generally invite legal action.

The UAE’s attorney general’s office noted that the Bangladeshi nationals faced multiple charges, including gathering in a public place and protesting against their home government with the intent to incite unrest, obstructing law enforcement, causing harm to others, and damaging property, according to WAM.

Earlier, on July 20, UAE authorities started an inquiry and expedited trial for the detained Bangladeshi nationals following their protests. The protests in the UAE by Bangladeshi citizens followed weeks of protests in Bangladesh over quota in government jobs for relatives of veterans from the 1971 war of independence.

Bangladesh student protests

Bangladesh has been witnessing violent protests for more than a month over the decision of the High Court to reinstate 30% reservation in government jobs to the descendants of the freedom fighters of the 1971 Liberation War.

The agitation against the ‘quota politics’, which is said to benefit members of Hasina’s Awami League, is largely spearheaded by students belonging to prominent colleges and universities in the country.

Over 100 people died in the violence that ensued following the protests. In a significant decision, the Bangladesh Supreme Court has scrapped most of the quotas in govt jobs amid violent protests against the reservations for grandchildren of freedom fighters. 

The story of Bhagat Singh Thind: A Sikh immigrant who claimed to be ‘White’ and sought citizenship in the USA

Anurag
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The story of Bhagat Singh Thind: A Sikh immigrant who claimed to be ‘White’ and sought citizenship in the USA

Bhagat Singh Thind was born in 1892 in Amritsar, Punjab, India. He was raised in a devout Sikh family. Before shifting to the USA in 1913, Thind pursued his education at Khalsa College. When he was 20 years old, he moved to Seattle, Washington. Later, he moved to Oregon and worked at a lumber mill in Astoria. Oregon was famous for being a hub of Indian immigrants and a lot of them were associated with the Ghadar Party, a revolutionary group aiming to kick out Britishers from India. [PDF]

Thind’s involvement in the Ghadar Party and World War I

During his time in Oregon, it is believed that he was associated with Ghadar Party activists and supported the cause of kicking out Britishers from India. However, during World War I, while the Ghadar Party made a call to all Indians to join forces against the Britishers, Thind decided to choose a different path. He got himself enlisted in the US Army. He was among the first turbaned Sikhs to serve in the American military. Due to his loyalty to the US, he was granted honorary citizenship, a promise made by the US Government to the immigrant soldiers. However, later his citizenship was revoked. Thind decided to legally fight for citizenship.

The landmark Supreme Court Case

In 1920, his case reached the US Supreme Court. Thind claimed to be “White” to gain citizenship contending he was a Caucasian belonging to the Aryan race. The crux of the case was whether Thind, who belonged to a high caste in India, could be considered “White” under the naturalization laws of the US. In 1923, the Supreme Court ruled against him. The court classified him as Caucasian but not considered him “White” by the common man’s understanding of the term. The decision led to other Asian immigrants losing their citizenship.

In the case of United States vs Bhagat Singh Thind, the Supreme Court faced a complex issue. The court had to decide if a High-caste Hindu of full Indian blood, could be considered a “White person” under the Naturalization Act of 1790 or not. Notably, the court’s ruling in Thind’s case contradicted the earlier decision in Ozawa vs United States where a Japanese man was denied citizenship on racial grounds. The court accepted Thind was Caucasian but refused to classify him as a “White person” based on the common understanding of the time and not on “scientific” classification. The court also noted that the Aryan Theory was anyway dismissed by several scholars if not all.

Justice Sutherland, who delivered the judgment, emphasised that the words “free white persons” were meant to include only those whom the original framers of the law knew as white, basically immigrants from the British Isles and Northwestern Europe. The racial diversity of more recent immigrants, including those from Eastern, Southern, and Middle Europe, was acknowledged, but people of primarily Asiatic stock, including Hindus, were not considered part of this group.

Thind continued his fight for citizenship and later achieved it in 1936 under the Nye-Lea Act which granted citizenship to WWI veterans. Later, the doors to the US were opened for other immigrants as well.

Dreaded criminal Mohammed Umar, wanted for the murder of two gang members and disfiguring an associate’s face with acid, arrested after 12 years in Delhi

OpIndia Staff
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Dreaded criminal Mohammed Umar, wanted for the murder of two gang members and disfiguring an associate’s face with acid, arrested after 12 years in Delhi

On Sunday (21st July), Delhi Police’s Special Cell stated that they had arrested 51-year-old Mohammad Umar who is an opium smuggler and proclaimed offender. He was wanted for the murder of two gang members and had been absconding from the Police for over a decade. As per reports, he is an accused in seven criminal cases in different Police stations in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. 

In 2012, Mohammad Umar along with his accomplices killed one of his gang members on the suspicion that he had earlier leaked information to the Police. After brutally killing him, Mohd. Umar disfigured his face by pouring acid to conceal his identity. Afterward, Umar absconded with his family and went into hiding in Nepal. 

The Police had announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for giving information that could led to his arrest. According to the Police, on 16th July, they received intel on him and subsequently went on to apprehend him from the Anand Vihar Bus Terminus area. 

According to the Police, the accused was identified as Mohd. Umar alias Umardin is a native of Behraich, Uttar Pradesh. He fled the country and went into hiding in Nepal where he was using a false identity for 12 years.

DCP Special Cell Amit Kaushik said that Umar was arrested on 16th July after a police team received a tip about a fugitive criminal near Anand Vihar Bus Terminus. Subsequently, he was arrested from the area. 

According to the police, the dreaded criminal Umar was born in Meerut. After completing his class eighth, he started working as a tailor with his father. However, in 2002, he started indulging with local criminals and was involved in theft and petty crimes. 

DCP Kaushik said, “He was previously involved in electricity transformer theft and was arrested in four cases in 2009 at police stations in Loni and Pilkhuwa, Uttar Pradesh.”  

The Police official further stated that in 2010, Mohd. Umar came in contact with Naiem, Taslim, Mukesh, and Moti. They were involved in opium smuggling and cheating people by luring them to exchange Saudi Riyals, the police official added.

The DCP stated that in 2011, Mohd. Umar was arrested in Amroha, Uttar Pradesh in Arms Act and cheating cases. After getting released on bail he again started smuggling narcotics substance opium bud with Naiem, Taslim, Mukesh, and Moti. 

However, a dispute broke out among them over the issue of the leadership of the gang. 

DCP Kaushik added that there were trust issues, as three of them had killed Mukesh in Baghpat in 2011 because they believed he had informed the police about them.

The DCP said, “Naiem, Taslim, and Moti murdered Mukesh in Baghpat Uttar Pradesh. In this case, Naiem, Taslim, and Moti were arrested. In 2012, Umar along with Naiem murdered Taslim in the area of Sonia Vihar Delhi and disfigured the face of Taslim after pouring acid on his face to disguise police and hide his identity.” 

According to the Police, they killed Taslim to assert dominance and take control of the gang. 

Following the incident, the accused Mohd. Umar fled with his family and went into hiding in Nepal where he lived under a false identity. The Police stated that he had changed his Aadhaar card and other identity documents. During the hiding period, he was living across the Rupadia border towards the Nepal side and visited India occasionally for work.

According to DCP Kaushik, Mohd. Umar has seven criminal cases registered against him.

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