BJP Office in the Dabgram area in Siliguri, West Bengal was set on fire by some unidentified miscreants on Thursday (June 22, 2023) night. The fire was doused by local BJP supporters of the area with the help of a fire tender around 3 am, police said.
West Bengal | BJP's office in Siliguri's Dabgram area was set ablaze by unidentified miscreants last night pic.twitter.com/aMQhmg6bR7
BJP’s Siliguri MLA Shankar Ghosh alleged that the party had been receiving threats from various quarters to remove the unit office.
Suvendu Adhikari says ‘only solution to incidents of violence in WB is to not vote for Mamata’
Speaking about the incident, BJP leader and the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, said that such violence will continue as long as the ruling Trinamool Congress Party is in power in the state with Mamata Banerjee as the Chief Minister.
“The only solution to such a menace is ‘no vote to Mamata’ and ‘no vote to Trinamool Congress’,” Adhikari said.
#WATCH | This (violence) will not stop till Mamata Banerjee is in power and the solution is not to vote for TMC and Mamata, says West Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari on BJP office set ablaze by unidentified miscreants in Siliguri's Dabgram area pic.twitter.com/X74Z1lKBf1
BJP holds protest rally following fire incident at Siliguri office
Meanwhile, in response to the fire incident at the BJP office in Ward No. 23 of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Circle No. 4 Committee organised a protest march. This evening, a rally was held in front of the BJP’s Circle No. 4 Committee headquarters in Siliguri’s Dabgram neighbourhood. Along with other BJP leaders, Siliguri Municipal Corporation opposition leader Amit Jain attended the demonstration to call for the arrest of those responsible for the tragedy.
In a statement to the media following the incident, Prasenjit Pal, the president of the BJP’s Circle No. 4 Committee, asserted that goons affiliated with the Trinamool Congress purposely set the office on fire during the night. Pal demanded a thorough investigation into the matter to ascertain the truth.
SC refuses to stay deployment of central forces for West Bengal Panchayat Polls
The fire incident happened days after the Supreme Court of India refusedto stay the order of the Calcutta High Court directing the deployment of central forces for the upcoming Panchayat Polls in West Bengal.
The State Election Commission and West Bengal Government had approached the apex court against Calcutta High Court’s two orders passed on the plea of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was also a party in the matter.
In its order, a vacation bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Manoj Mishra observed that the orders passed by the High Court were to ensure fair and free elections in the state. Notably, following West Bengal Assembly Elections, multiple reports of violence occurred where ruling party TMC’s workers allegedly attacked BJP supporters across the state. The matters related to the violence are under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Yet another case of arson targeting the elected representative from the Meity community in Manipur was witnessed on Friday night, June 23. A frenzied mob torched a private godown belonging to the state BJP Minister L Susindro Meitei at around 9:30 PM. As per media reports, goods particularly plastic pipes worth Rs 120 crore were burnt to ashes within no time by the ethnically-charged mob.
The timing of this violent attack and arson couldn’t have been more strategic for the arsonist and their sympathisers. Apparently, it took place just a night before the planned all-party meeting scheduled in Delhi regarding the Manipur violence which is currently underway under the leadership of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
According to information reported in the media, the unfortunate incident took place at around 9.30 pm on Friday in the Khurai area in Imphal East. After burning down the private godown of BJP MP Susindro Meitei, the mob went after his residence.
Subsequently, the security forces had to fire tear gas shells until midnight to prevent the mob from surrounding BJP Minister’s residence.
A continued attack against Government and Meitei Officials
It is worth noting that common citizens and prominent figures of the Meitie community have been at the receiving end of racially charged mobs since the clashes broke out in the North-Eastern state on the 3rd of May, this year.
In the past month or so, ethnically-motivated mobs have been targeting the homes of several elected officials in the Imphal Valley. The affected individuals include Union Minister of State for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, State Cabinet Minister Nemcha Kipgen, Manipur PWD Minister Govindas Konthoujam, Raghumani Singh, the MLA of Uripok, K Ranjit Singh, the MLA of Sugnoo, and S Kebi Devi, the MLA of Naoriya Pakhanglakpa.
The recent case of arson was targeted against BJP’s Minister from the Meitei community. Currently, Susindro Meitei is the Minister of Public Health Engineering and Consumer Affairs in the state.
The Friday night’s act of burning down the BJP Minister’s private property occurred amid reports of a continuous shooting near the border areas of the Meitei-dominated valley and Kuki-dominated hills including Urangpat and Gwaltabi.
Amit Shah-led all-party meet underway in Delhi
On the 24th of June, an all-party meeting on Manipur Violence is underway in Delhi where the main demand of the opposition has been the removal of state CM N Biren Singh and the imposition of President’s Rule.
While the Congress party has appointed Former Manipur CM Okram Ibobi Singh to represent them at the meeting, the TMC has appointed Rajya Sabha leader Derek O’Brien. Other attendees include Sanjay Singh from AAP, Priyanka Chaturvedi from Shiv Sena (UBT), Tiruchi Siva from DMK, Manoj Kumar Kha from RJD, John Brittas from CPM, M Thambidurai from AIADMK, and Ram Gopal Yadav from SP. BJP President JP Nadda is representing the ruling party.
Besides Home Minister Shah, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi is also present at the meeting.
Earlier this month, HM Shah, visited the violence-hit North-Eastern state where he held detailed discussions with all stakeholders. He will brief all political leaders about the steps taken so far. This includes setting up the 51-member peace committee and the formation of a Commission of Inquiry led by former Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, Ajai Lamba, to investigate the violence that commenced on May 3.
On Friday, 23rd June 2023, Google made a momentous commitment to India’s digital future by announcing a $10 billion investment in the country’s digitisation fund. During a meeting between Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pichai expressed admiration for India’s fintech leadership and pledged support to small and large businesses not just in India but also worldwide.
As part of this initiative, Google revealed plans to establish its global fintech operation centre in Gandhinagar’s Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT). The announcement signifies Google’s recognition of India’s potential and its intention to contribute significantly to the nation’s growth in the fintech sector.
During the meeting, Pichai expressed his appreciation for Prime Minister Modi’s vision of a Digital India, acknowledging it as a blueprint that other countries are looking to emulate. The opening of the Google Fintech Global Operations Center in GIFT City, Gujarat, is expected to play a vital role in supporting operations related to GPay and other Google products. By investing in India’s fintech ecosystem, Google demonstrates its confidence in India’s expanding role on the global technology stage and reinforces its commitment to empowering both local and international businesses.
Sundar Pichai said, “It was an honour to meet Prime Minister Modi during the historic visit to the US. We shared with the Prime Minister that Google is investing $10 billion in India’s digitisation fund.”
He added, “We are announcing the opening of our global fintech operation centre in GIFT City, Gujarat. PM’s vision for Digital India was way ahead of his time I now see it as a blueprint that other countries are looking to do.”
After the meeting between Modi and Pichai concluded, a spokesperson of Google said in an interaction with the news agency PTI, “Google today announced that it will open a Google Fintech Global Operations Center in GIFT City, Gujarat, with teams working on specialised operations supporting GPay and other product operations at Google.”
He added, “This recognises India’s leadership on fintech and will support small and large businesses in India, the US and around the world. Google has been operating in India since 2004, with offices in five key cities across the country with thousands of talented employees. We currently have offices in Bangalore (Bengaluru), Hyderabad, Gurgaon – Delhi NCR, Mumbai and Pune.”
In 2020, Google showcased its confidence in India by announcing the Google for India Digitisation fund, pledging $10 billion (approximately Rs 75,000 crores) with a focus on enabling affordable access, developing services tailored to India’s unique needs, empowering businesses on their digital transformation journey, and utilizing technology and AI for the greater good.
The Google AI Research Center in Bengaluru is actively working on building models to support over 100 Indian languages, while collaborations with esteemed institutions like the Indian Institute of Science and IIT Madras are focused on responsible AI development and supporting initiatives such as the open-sourcing of speech data through India’s Bhashini project.
Additionally, Google Cloud has been pivotal in supporting businesses and governments in their cloud adoption, playing an integral role in India’s digital transformation. Leading Indian enterprises and unicorns, including Jio, Adani, Mahindra Group, Sharechat, HDFC Bank, Glance Roposo, and many others, are already benefiting from Google and AI offerings. To cater to the growing demand, Google Cloud has established two cloud regions in Delhi NCR and Mumbai, further solidifying its commitment to the Indian market.
The technology giant’s investment and strategic initiatives underscore the immense potential and capabilities that India possesses. As one of the world’s largest tech companies, Google’s commitment to India’s digitisation journey will undoubtedly contribute to the nation’s economic growth and technological advancements, and position India as a global leader in the digital landscape.
In the Bilaspur district of Chattisgarh, a Youth Congress leader named Sheru Aslam threatened a farmer and his family over a land dispute. A video of Youth Congress district president Sheru Aslam wherein he is seen boasting his position, threatening and abusing a farmer went viral on social media. The issue pertains to illegal land grabbing.
In the viral video, the Youth Congress leader is heard saying, “You know who I am? I am the district president (Zila Adhyaksh), will abduct you and no one will do anything.”
Reportedly, the victim farmer Umendra Ram Sahu is a resident of Mopka village in Bilaspur. The matter pertains to the Sarkanda police station precinct. Sahu has alleged that the land in question belongs to him and is agricultural land. Sheru Aslam and his associates cut the bund of that land and levelled it. Sheru Aslam and his associates are reportedly claiming ownership of the land with wo distinct khasra (land records). A police complaint has been filed in the matter. However, no action has been taken thus far.
In his complaint, Sahu alleged that on Thursday, June 22, Sheru Aslam threatened to kill him if he does not give up the land in his possession. Aslam claimed that the victim can go wherever he wants but ultimately he will have to come back to him only. The Congress leader also claimed that nobody can harm him as he is Youth Congress, district president. Complainant Sahu also alleged that Sheru Aslam brandished a hockey stick as he threatened to kill him.
#धमकी_धमाकेदार Youth Congress president Bilaspur Sheru Aslam is openly threatening Umendra Sahu. The farmer Umendra alleges that his land is being illegally encroached by Sheru Aslam..!
Meanwhile, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded action against Congress’s Sheru Aslam. BJP spokesperson Sushant Shukla said, “Instead of working for his party, the Congress leader is working to grab land illegally. In a way, he is running an illegal business of land grabbing.”
Moreover, Shukla said that Chattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel should provide police protection to the victim’s family and take strict action against the Congress leader who threatened the farmer. He further claimed that such matters are increasing in the district, however, the police are not taking any action in this regard.
Taking to Twitter, Chattisgarh BJP chief Arun Sao condemned the incident adding that “when the BJP will come to power, goons and Jihadis will be bulldozed.”
बिलासपुर युवा कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष असलम मियां की गुंडागर्दी!
मोपका के किसान परिवार को धमकी दे रहा है, कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष पद का रौब दिखाते हुए किसान को धमका रहा है। आलमपनाह "कांग्रेसी गुंडे तुंहर द्वार" योजना!
“Hooliganism of Bilaspur Youth Congress President Aslam Mian! The farmer of Mopka is threatening the family, showing the glory of the post of Congress President, he is threatening the farmer. Alampanah “Congress goons at your door” scheme! That’s why I say, our government will come, goons, Jihadis will be bulldozed!,” Sao tweeted in Hindi.
On Saturday, 24th of June, a two-day strategy meeting of the Haryana Congress Committee began in Chandigarh. As per media reports, the meeting was called by the state Congress president, Uday Bhan. The newly appointed in-charge of Haryana, Deepak Babaria is the chief guest of this crucial meeting.
The state president also invited members of the All India Congress Committee, former MPs, and former MLAs to attend the meeting. Additionally, party candidates from the previous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, former district presidents, and state-level heads of departments were also invited to the meeting.
The key attendees of the meeting include former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, State President Uday Bhan, Congress General Secretary Randeep Surjewala, Kumari Selja, Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Hooda, and Kiran Chaudhary.
Although all prominent leaders of the Haryana Congress were present on one stage, the party couldn’t hide infighting among various camps within the outfit. The infighting again came to the fore as supporters of different camps raised slogans for their respective leaders. As the heckling and shouting match continued in front of Deepak Babaria, displeased Kumari Selja, along with her supporters stormed out of the meeting.
However, she maintained that she left the meeting to attend some important work. But the supporters gathered outside were clearly divided among camps with Hooda camp being the most vocal among them. On the query of reporters, they did mention Kumari Shelja storming out of the meeting, and signs of infighting were out in the open for everyone to see.
Despite this, reports add that Deepender Hooda released a manifesto during the meeting.
Disruption Breaks out during Selja’s Talk
The sloganeering intensified when Kumari Selja began her address. In response to the heckling and sloganeering by different camps, she claimed that everyone chants slogans for the future Chief Minister, and shouting is nothing new for her.
Meanwhile, she also commented on Deepender Hooda’s manifesto. She stated that Hooda’s manifesto is not that of the Congress party, as the Congress Manifesto Committee creates the party’s manifesto. Furthermore, regarding the organisational structure, she lambasted that it is a major failure to not have party’s organisational structure till now. She stressed that now with the arrival of new leaders, the work of party organisation will be undertaken soon on a broader scale.
It is important to note that because of infighting within the state unit, the Congress party has not been unable to establish the organisational structure in the state for the past decade or so.
Earlier, the Congress party witnessed infighting in the Chattisgarh unit as well. Reportedly, Chhattisgarh Congress in-charge Kumari Selja on June 22 reversed the state Congress chief Mohan Markam’s decision. She reinstated Ravi Ghosh as general secretary of the state unit of the party.
A disturbing incident has emerged in Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, where a Hindu boy underwent a forceful circumcision performed by a doctor named Javed Khan. The two and half-year-old Hindu kid was originally scheduled to undergo tongue surgery. Upon discovering this distressing situation, the boy’s family protested outside the hospital. Several members of a Hindu organisation gathered and voiced their anger through slogans outside the hospital.
Allegations have surfaced claiming that the hospital administration is exerting pressure on the parents of the victimised child to reach a compromise. Following the revelation of the incident, the police have initiated action, stating that an inquiry committee has been established and that legal measures will be taken by the applicable regulations.
जांच कमेटी गठित कर दी गई है नियमानुसार विधिक कार्यवाही अमल में लाई जाएगी
Harimohan Yadav is a resident of the Sanjay Nagar area which comes under the Baradari police station. His two-and-a-half-year-old son Samrat could not speak. He was advised that if his son had an operation on his tongue, he would be able to speak.
Accordingly, Harimohan Yadav took his child to a private hospital in Delapir with the intention of getting a tongue operation done. The doctor at the hospital admitted the child for the scheduled operation. However, when they saw the boy after the operation, they found that no surgery was performed on the tongue. Instead, the doctor circumcised the boy. This left the family shocked.
Harimohan Yadav alleged that the doctors had deliberately done all this and converted his child from Hindu to Muslim. He said that the hospital authorities were pressuring him to compromise, but he would take action against the accused doctor so that the doctor could not carry out such an incident with anyone else again.
Carpenter Harimohan Yadav said that the doctor wanted to convert the child from Hindu to Muslim, which is why the name of the child was asked. At the same time, activists of Hindu Jagran Manch staged a protest after this incident.
However, the doctor defended his actions, claiming that he was told that the child had urinary tract problems and that is why he did that surgery. The doctor said, “The woman who works here is a neighbour of Ward Aaya. She brought the kid on Sunday. She knows what was the problem with the child. The child had problems related to urine. This is called phimosis disease. The cure for that disease is circumcision. It has nothing to do with religion.”
SP City Rahul Bhati said that the family had taken their two-and-a-half-year-old son for tongue surgery at Dr M Khan Hospital located under the Baradari police station area. There the baby has been circumcised instead of tongue operation. An application has been received in this regard. A committee has been formed to examine the application.
Following the incident, Hindu Jagran Manch reached the hospital and staged a protest. They alleged after circumcising a Hindu boy, now the hospital authorities are trying to reach a compromise with the family. They asserted that they will not led it happen.
On Saturday (January 24), Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a statement, condemning the actions of the ‘rebel’ Russian paramilitary organisation – Wagner Group.
In a televised address, he said, “What we are facing is precisely treachery… excessive ambitions and personal interests led to treason (against) their country and people, and to the cause for which Wagner fighters and commanders fought and died side by side with our other units and divisions.”
“Those who organised a military mutiny… who took up arms against their comrades… betrayed Russia and will answer for it. This is a blow to Russia… our people. Our actions to protect the Fatherland from such a threat will be harsh,” Putin warned.
Here's President Putin's full speech, translated, denouncing Wagner / Prigozhin's actions as treasonous and ordering the end to the military rebellion. pic.twitter.com/EgFtNIn6pR
The Wagner Group, led by its chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, has reportedly accused Vladimir Putin of making a wrong choice during his speech. He has also declared that Russia will have a new President soon.
“Regarding the betrayal of the motherland, the President was deeply mistaken. We are patriots of our homeland…We do not want the country to live on in corruption, deceit and bureaucracy,” he said in a viral video.
In a seperate audio message on Telegram, Yevgeny Prigozhin remarked, “We are all ready to die…Because we will die for the Motherland, for the Russian people who need to be liberated.” He also claimed that the Wagner Group has 25000 troops and an additional 25000 people are willing to joining the private militia.
As per reports, the official Twitter handle of the Liberal Democratic Party of the Russian Federation posted a photoshopped image of Vladimir Putin’s chest and labelled him a ‘pus*y’
The official tweet of the Liberal Democratic Party of the Russian Federation stated that "Putin is a pussy"
"The official comment of Vladimir Zhirinovsky's artificial intelligence in connection with the latest events: "Putin is a pussy." pic.twitter.com/O8IKF62pXl
The long-running internal feud between Russia’s private military company- Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu over the war in Ukraine is now in the open.
On Saturday (June 24), Yevgeny Prigozhin vowed to topple the Russian military leadership, whom he accused of launching strikes on his men. Subsequently, the Russian authorities called for the arrest of Yevgeny Prigozhin after, in his audio message, he called for an armed uprising against the country’s military.
The controversies surrounding Om Raut’s directorial ‘Adipurush’ are not ending anytime soon.
On Saturday, All Indian Cine Workers Association wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Mumbai Police, demanding the registration of a case against the producer, director, and writer of ‘Adipurush’.
“This letter is to draw your attention towards a movie called Adipurush which was released on 16th June 2023 in the theatres across India, have been hurting the sentiments of Hindu religion and the people who belief and pray Bhagwan Ram, Maa Sita and RamSevak bhagwan Hanuman, the movie running in the theatres continues to depict the image of Bhagwan Ram and entire Ramayan and the producers also want to make money selling discounted tickets across the multiplexes, which will send a wrong message about our learning and faith the Ramayan, the Makers T-Series and the producers, Writer Manoj Muntasir and Director Om Raut have made a Mockery of Ramayan by twisting the Dialogues, the costumes and the storyline (Characters) which sounds unacceptable to anybody and everybody,” the letter read.
“Being a follower of Hinduism, the religious Sentiments of entire Hindu and Sanatan Dharma are hurt by the scenes, costumes and dialogues which is depicting wrong image of the invincible and immortal God of Hindus. Ramayan what we Know is twisted completely as per the taste of the Adipurush movie makers. We are requesting you to Lodge an FIR Against the Makers of Adipurush Movie the producers Bhushan Kumar T-Series & others, the Director Om Raut and the Writer Manoj Muntasir Shukla,” All India Cine Workers Association President Suresh ShyamLal Gupta said.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Association President, Gupta, wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding an immediate ban on the film. He also demanded an FIR against Om Raut, writer Manoj Muntasir Shukla and the producers of the movie.
‘Adipurush’, which is a dramatic retelling of Ramayana, has been constantly under the scanner ever since the makers released the film.
From critics to reviewers, several people from across the country have expressed disappointment over the film’s certain dialogues. Some of which include ‘marega bete’, ‘bua ka bagicha hain kya’ and ‘jalegi tere baap ki’.
In the wake of such flak, the makers of ‘Adipurush’ revamped the dialogues. The film stars Prabhas as Lord Ram, Kriti as Goddess Sita, Sunny Singh as Laxman and Saif Ali Khan as Ravan.
On the 22nd of June, the AD Ports Group of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a concession agreement with Pakistan’s state-owned Karachi Port Trust (KPT) to lease 4 berths of the Karachi Port for 50 years. As per media reports, the company said, “AD Ports Group of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed an agreement to take over the running of a part of Pakistan’s main Karachi docking facility in a deal worth an immediate $220 million.”
The deal will provide Pakistan with much-needed funds as the country is facing a massive financial crisis and desperately needs money to pay back loans and import critical commodities.
AD Ports Group has formed a joint venture with a US-based company, Kaheel Terminals, to operate and develop the KGTL berths 6- 9 at Karachi Port’s East Wharf. It is important to note that Karachi Port is Pakistan’s oldest and busiest port with around 33 berths in operation. Now, after this agreement with the UAE, the new joint venture will lease four berths out of these 33 berths in operation for the next 50 years.
The deal involves an upfront investment of Rs50 million, after which investments will be made in Pakistan International Containers Terminals (PICT) and Port Qasim.
In its official statement, the AD group announced that the Joint Venture will undertake significant investments in infrastructure and superstructure over the period of the next 10 years. However, the majority of said investment will be done in 2026.
The company in the statement further noted that the infrastructure development plan includes deepening the berths to allow bigger ships to dock, extending the quay wall, and increasing the container storage area.
Resultantly, the terminal will be able to accommodate Post Panamax class vessels of up to 8,500 TEUs (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units). Additionally, the terminal’s capacity will rise from 750,000 to a million containers annually.
This expansion and improvement will consolidate the terminal’s and Karachi’s position as significant contributors to the maritime industry. Syed Syedain Raza Zaidi, chairman of the Karachi Port Trust, said the landmark agreement holds “big potential” for the growth of the Port of Karachi.
The Karachi Port agreement follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the UAE and Pakistan in May this year. AD Ports Group also signed three memorandums with the government of Pakistan to improve transportation infrastructure and reduce logistics costs.
The deal has been criticised by the opposition parties in Pakistan, calling it a sold-out. PTI leader Hammad Azhar alleged that the port is leased out for just $50 million and profits from the port will move out of the country. However, Maritime Affairs Minister Faisal Subzwari rejected the allegations and said that the port is not being handed over to anyone as alleged. “Concession Agreements do not mean the transfer of property or selling off berths,” he said.
Financially Strained Pakistan Leases Asset in a Bid to Avoid Bankruptcy
Cash-strapped Pakistan is desperately searching for options to pool resources to stay financially afloat and not declare bankruptcy on its debts or loans. The port deal will provide it with some much needed fund.
Historically, the Karachi Port terminal has consistently proven to be a lucrative asset for Pakistan, yielding approximately $55 million in revenue and an annual EBITDA of approximately $30 million. Now, Islamabad decided to lease out 4 berths of the port to the UAE-based AD Ports group, which will expand the capacities of the port.
In the past as well, the UAE has been helping Pakistan to postpone the inevitable economic collapse or default on its loans. For this, the Gulf nation has been a major contributor to Pakistan’s economy in the form of grants, loans, and direct investment.
Apart from this deal, Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif recently met IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva in Paris in an attempt to unlock withheld funds under the bailout package. The said meeting took place on the sidelines of the Global Financing Summit in Paris. The timing of it was important as only a week is left before the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF), which was agreed upon in 2019, expires on June 30.
Pakistan’s PM had gone there to attend the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact.
The long-running internal feud between Russia’s private military company- Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu over the war in Ukraine is now in the open. On Saturday, Yevgeny Prigozhin vowed to topple the Russian military leadership, whom he accused of launching strikes on his men. Subsequently, the Russian authorities called for the arrest of Yevgeny Prigozhin after, in his audio message, he called for an armed uprising against the country’s military.
Notably, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Russia’s shadow army Wagner Group, has become one of the prominent figures in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Once considered a close confidant of Vladimir Putin, Prigozhin is now viewed as a potential challenge to the Russian President as a result of his severe and unprecedented criticism of the country’s military leadership.
Yevgeny Prigozhin founded the Russian private military company known as Wagner in 2014 when conflict broke out between Ukraine and Russia over the Crimean region. The Wagner Group, officially called PMC Wagner, is a Russian paramilitary organization that operates beyond the law in Russia. It is basically a private military company and a network of mercenaries.
Tens of thousands of fighters are now under the command of the paramilitary force, which has grown explosively since the conflict in Ukraine.
In January, BBC quoted the UK Ministry of Defence as saying that the Wagner Group now consists of 50,000 fighters in Ukraine and has become a key component of the Ukraine campaign.
Media reports suggest that the Wagner Group was involved in Russia’s capture of Bakhmut city which is situated in eastern Ukraine.
On the battlefield, the Wagner Group is notorious for its brutality and barbarism. Videos of suspected murders of its fighters who defected to Ukraine have also shown its ruthlessness off the battlefield.
After allegedly using a sledgehammer to execute a member who betrayed its ranks last year, Wagner adopted the weapon as its symbol.
Why Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Wagner Group and Russia are fighting?
The internal feud between Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Wagner Group and Russia which has been simmering for months came to the fore in January this year when the shadow army headed by Yevgeny Prigozhin captured Soledar, a salt-mining town in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. Prigozhin had then accused the Russian Defence Ministry of trying to take away Wagner’s glory.
Yevgeny Prigozhin was also reportedly unhappy about the fact that the Russian military did not provide Wagner with enough ammunition for months-long battle for Bakhmut, which left the Ukrainian city in ruins. He also threatened to withdraw his troops from Ukraine.
The Wagner Group released a video wherein the head of the Russian military’s General Staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, was hurled with expletives and accused of failing to supply ammunition to the Wagner troop in Ukraine. Singling out Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Prigozhin in the video accused the military leader of incompetence.
Who is Yevgeny Prigozhin
Though Yevgeny Prigozhin has been recently grabbing the spotlight for declaring what Kremlin is terming as an “armed mutiny” against the Russian military, his history with leadership in Russia dates back decades. His closeness with the Russian President Vladimir Putin earned him the nickname ‘Putin’s chef.’
Prigozhin, who was born in 1961 in what is now St. Petersburg but was then known as Leningrad, is said to have spent his 20s serving a nine-year sentence for robbery and fraud in a Soviet prison. Following his release from prison in 1990 and the subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union, Prigozhin started his own business and started selling hot dogs in his hometown. He soon after acquired a chain of supermarkets. He then opened the Old Customs House, a restaurant that quickly became one of Putin’s favourite hangouts.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prigozhin share the same hometown, St. Petersburg (then Leningrad). While Prigozhin was serving his decadelong prison sentence, Putin progressed from being a KGB insider to a Russian leader.
As per the Guardian, the Wagner chief and the Russian President met back when Putin was deputy mayor of St Petersburg, serving under the-then mayor, Anatoly Sobchak.
Putin reportedly frequented Prigozhin’s Old Customs House restaurant on Vasilievsky Island in St. Petersburg; even after being elected Russian President, he would frequently bring visitors there. By that time, the restaurant had been transformed into a floating restaurant.
The floating restaurant quickly became a popular hangout for the country’s elite, including President Vladimir Putin, who, according to Meduza, took President George W. Bush there in 2002 to celebrate his birthday.
Prigozhin’s Old Customs House restaurant on Vasilievsky Island in St. Petersburg (Source: WBP Stars)
Prigozhin started benefiting from the close association he established with Putin and started expanding his business, especially after Putin became Russia’s president. His catering business Concord founded in 1990, received exclusive and lucrative government contracts for state dinners, such as those for Putin’s inauguration ceremony and US President George W. Bush’s trip to St. Petersburg. Due to the contracts, Prigozhin gained the moniker “Putin’s chef.”
Putin also helped Prigozhin open a school-lunch factory on generous state-funded loans. However, Prigozhin did not confine his goals to the catering business.
Yevgeniy Prigozhin wanted by FBI for election interference
According to reports, Prigozhin went on to establish the St. Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency, also known as a network of troll factories that allegedly waged a social media influence operation designed to disrupt the 2016 US presidential election.
In 2022, weeks after imposing sanctions on several Russian elites linked to Vladimir Putin, in response to its invasion of Ukraine, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reiterated Yevgeniy Viktorovich Prigozhin as a wanted person for alleged electoral tampering that resulted in Donald Trump’s victory. The FBI claimed that the organisation ran a significant disinformation effort to influence the outcome of the 2016 US presidential election.
“He allegedly conspired to defraud the US by interfering with the functions of the Federal Election Commission, Justice Department, and State Department,” the FBI tweeted.
According to media reports, the FBI had first added Prigozhin to its ‘Most Wanted List’ in February 2021, citing his funding of the Internet Research Agency and a prior federal arrest warrant issued in February 2018.
According to the indictment, Concord, which was under Prigozhin’s control, provided funding for “Operation Lakhta,” a complex interference operation that was directed at other nations, including the United States. The operation had a budget of around $1.25 million per month by September 2016.
According to the indictment, Prigozhin met frequently with Mikhail Leonidovich Burchik, the second-in-command of the troll farm, and frequently corresponded with Mikhail Ivanovich Bystrov, the general director of the Internet Research Agency.
On February 14, 2023, Prigozhin acknowledged running the Internet Research Agency, also known as a network of troll factories. Notably, prior to this, Prigozhin and his attorneys had been vehemently refuting the accusations and filed lawsuits against journalists who reported on his association with Internet Research Agency.
Other accusations levelled at Prigozhin by the US
This was, however, not the first time Prigozhin ran into issues with the American administration.
In December 2016, the U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on Prigozhin due to his connections to a business that had been awarded a contract to construct a Russian military installation close to the border with Ukraine. The U.S. Treasury additionally imposed sanctions on Concord Management & Consulting and Concord Catering in June 2017 in response to Russian activity in Ukraine.
According to the Russian news outlet Fontanka, Prigozhin is connected to a business that has a contract with the Syrian government to safeguard oil resources under its control in exchange for a share of energy revenues.
In 2014, at the height of Russia’s first, covert invasion of eastern Ukraine, Prigozhin founded Wagner to support Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.
A report published by Guardian in January 2023 quoted a former high-ranking defence ministry official as saying that in 2014, Prigozhin met Russian authorities and demanded land from the defence ministry that he could use for the training of ‘volunteers; who would have no official links to the Russian army but could still be used to fight Russia’s wars.
Although Prigozhin’s demeanour was disliked by many in the ministry, he made it plain that this wasn’t just any request. The orders come from Papa,” he told the defence officials, using a nickname for Vladimir Putin designed to emphasise his closeness to the president.
According to the source, the ministry gave Prigozhin land in Molkino, southern Russia, where businesses connected to Prigozhin built a staging base for fighters while passing it off as a camp for children.
Some defence ministry officials became furious with Prigozhin’s quick rise, and tensions grew over the years as his operations grew bigger. Putin’s decision to use military force to support Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria at the end of 2015 was a turning point for Prigozhin. In addition to sending his Wagner forces there, Prigozhin obtained contracts for food and supplies for Russian soldiers.
Wagner fighters operated with impunity in Syria and were accused of numerous war crimes. In one incident, men linked to Wagner were captured on video beheading and dismembering a Syrian man.
Wagner fighters also took heavy losses but remained silent because officially they were not supposed to be there.
As Prigozhin’s portfolio grew, so did the scope of scrutiny. Alexei Navalny, an anti-corruption activist and opposition politician, launched an inquiry into Prigozhin’s corporate structures and accused him of fraudulently procuring contracts from the Ministry of Defence to support a lavish lifestyle.
Lyubov Sobol, the Navalny associate behind the investigation, said, “His children posted pictures on Instagram all the time; they were boasting about their private jet, and through that we could find the holding company, which helped us find out about all his wealth.”
Sobol and others flew a drone over palatial residences allegedly belonging to Prigozhin and his daughter, featuring a helipad and basketball court.
Soon after that, an unidentified person waiting outside the couple’s house stabbed Sobol’s husband in the leg with a needle, causing him to faint. Sobol claimed that a persistent campaign of legal threats and intimidation ensued, including goons who ostentatiously followed her wherever she went.
“These people were basically breathing down my neck, every day … It’s the logic of a bandit. You are getting up in my business, so I’ll get up in yours,” Sobol said.
Additionally, Russian journalists who were assigned to investigate Prigozhin’s activities also started receiving threats that they believed were related to their investigation. According to reports, after Novaya Gazeta ran an investigation in 2018, a severed ram’s head was delivered to the newspaper’s editorial offices. The journalist who wrote the investigation received a funeral wreath at his home address.
The most horrifying incident involved three Russian journalists who went to the Central African Republic in 2018 to investigate Wagner’s activities and were killed in an ambush. The ambush appeared to be well planned and coordinated, involving a Russian security instructor with links to Wagner, but Prigozhin had repeatedly denied any involvement in the killings.
By this time, Prigozhin’s business operations had reached at least ten African nations, where he provided security and military training, acquired mining rights, and pursued other business opportunities.
Prigozhin ran this worldwide network from an office on St Petersburg’s Vasilievsky Island, not far from his restaurant, Old Customs House.
Even though he held no formal position, Prigozhin was now a regular visitor to important gatherings concerning defence contracts. He even observed a private meeting between Putin and the president of Madagascar, Hery Rajaonarimampianina, that took place in the Kremlin in April 2018.
Two months after that encounter, Putin laughed off suggestions that Prigozhin was taking part in clandestine Kremlin-sponsored foreign policy manoeuvres. In an interview with Austrian television, Putin described Prigozhin as “a restaurant keeper in St. Petersburg; he runs a restaurant business as his job.”
When Prigozhin’s contracts with the defence ministry and allegations of election meddling were pressed, Putin defended him by comparing him to George Soros, a Hungarian-American businessman and a self-proclaimed philanthropist who is the subject of numerous conspiracy theories, and whom Russian officials have accused of bankrolling revolutions on US government orders.
During the course of his life, if there is one thing George Soros has hated the most, it is India and its nationalist government led by Prime Minister Modi.
Through his Open Society Foundation, which started its operations in India first in 1999 by offering scholarships and fellowships to pursue studies and research at Indian institutions, Soros has made great strides in creating disorder within India. In the name of running philanthropic activities, the left-wing international organisation led by Soros has begun to spread its tentacles across the country through his active support to anti-India elements operating inside India.
In the last few decades, George Soros has time and again shown his desperation to wage war against the nationalist government in India through various networks funded by him comprising NGOs, media, intelligentsia, etc.
Comparing Prigozhin to George Soros, Putin said, “There is such a personality in the United States: Mr Soros, who interferes in all affairs around the world … The state department will say that it has nothing to do with them, rather it is Mr Soros’s private affair. With us, it is Mr Prigozhin’s private affair,” said Putin.
The turning point that caused Prigozhin and Putin to fall out was Putin’s disastrous decision to begin a full-scale attack on Ukraine in February of last year.
Prigozhin criticises Russia over the Ukraine war
Prigozhin criticised the government for starting the conflict in a damning video released to the Russian social media app Telegram on Friday. He also claimed that Ukrainian soldiers were successfully pushing back the Russian army. The conflict blew up later on Friday, as Prigozhin claimed that Russian military leaders had ordered strikes on his men, killing thousands of them.
“The war was needed for a bunch of scumbags to triumph and show how strong of an army they are,” Prigozhin said Friday, speculating that the effort was part of the defense minister’s plan to get promoted.
How had Russia reacted?
Russian state officials instantly reacted angrily and condemned Prigozhin’s remarks, and they also opened a criminal investigation into him. One military official in Russia issued a warning that the actions amounted a “state coup.” State officials declared that “Prigozhin’s statement and actions are actually calls for the start of an armed civil conflict on the territory of Russia.”
