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Tokyo government to launch dating app in a bid to boost birth rate in Japan

OpIndia Staff
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Tokyo government to launch dating app in a bid to boost birth rate in Japan

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has decided to launch its dating app as early as the end of summer as part of attempts to revive the country’s falling birth rate, the officials confirmed on Tuesday (June 4th). Users must present evidence demonstrating that they are lawfully single and sign a letter declaring their willingness to marry.

As per the reports, declaring one’s income is standard on Japanese dating apps, but Tokyo will now require a tax certificate slip to verify the annual earnings.

“We learned that 70% of people who want to get married aren’t actively joining events or apps to look for a partner. We want to give them a gentle push to find one,” a Tokyo government official in charge of the new app was quoted as saying.

Elon Musk, X’s owner and SpaceX CEO, who has always advocated for more children and is a father of 11, has notably hailed a recent attempt by the Tokyo administration to address the country’s declining birth rates. Musk responded to a tweet mentioning the government of Japan’s capital developing its dating app in an effort to raise birth rates, saying he is “glad” the issue has been acknowledged.

“I’m glad the government of Japan recognizes the importance of this matter. If radical action isn’t taken, Japan (and many other countries) will disappear,” Elon Musk wrote on the microblogging site.

According to government data released in February, Japan’s birth rates fell for the eighth consecutive year and reached a new low in 2023. The number of births fell 5.1% from the previous year to 758,631, while the number of weddings dropped 5.9% to 489,281, marking the first time in 90 years that the figure went below 500,000.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida described the trend of dropping birth rates as the “gravest crisis the nation faces”.

According to forecasts from the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, the Asian nation’s population will fall by roughly 30% to 87 million by 2070, with four out of every ten persons aged 65 or older.

Female CISF constable attacks Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut at Chandigarh Airport for criticising farmer protests

OpIndia Staff
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Female CISF constable attacks Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut at Chandigarh Airport for criticising farmer protests

On the 6th of June, actor and newly elected MP Kangana Ranaut was slapped at Chandigarh Airport on Thursday by a woman Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) soldier. After the incident, the constable was detained and taken to the CISF Commandant Office for interrogation. An inquiry committee comprising senior CISF officers has been set up to conduct a further investigation

Kangana Ranaut said that while she was walking to the airport’s boarding gate after passing through security, CISF official Kulwinder Kaur, who was stationed near the curtain area, argued with her and hit her. When the MP asked her why she did it, the CISF constable replied that she supports the farmer protests, and she is not happy with Kangana Ranaut for her comments on the farmer protests.

Kangana Ranaut took a Vistara flight to Delhi at 3 p.m. After the incident, Kangana Ranaut was seen leaving the airport. When reporters asked her about the incident, however, the actress refused to comment. After reaching Delhi, the BJP MP from Mandi met with CISF Director General Nina Singh and other top officials and informed them about the matter.

She later issued a video message detailing the incident. She said that she is getting lots of phone calls, and assured that she is safe. After detailing how she was hit by the female security personnel from the adjacent cabin, she said that she is concerned about the rise in terrorism and extremism in Punjab.

Kangana Ranaut had criticised the protests against the three farm bills several times. Reportedly the constable was unhappy because Kangana Ranaut referred to farmer protesters as “Khalistanis”. Ranaut also faced criticism for misidentifying a woman farmer protestor as Bilkis Bano.

During the election campaign, the farmer organisations had demanded an apology from Kangana Ranaut for her comments on the farmer protests.

Notably, actress-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut defeated  Congress candidate Vikramaditya Singh, by 74,755 votes in the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency.

Worked as a daily wage worker and labourer: Meet BJP’s Laxman Bag who upset 5-time Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik in Kantabanji

OpIndia Staff
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Worked as a daily wage worker and labourer: Meet BJP’s Laxman Bag who upset 5-time Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik in Kantabanji

The performance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Odisha assembly elections has been historic, and the candidate who defeated Biju Janata Dal’s supremo and five-time Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik by 16000 votes is the talk of the town. The loss marked the 77-year-old leader’s first electoral setback from Kantabanji since he entered politics and the man who defeated the veteran leader is BJP’s Laxman Bagh.

Naveen Patnaik contested from two seats, Hinjili and Kantabanji during the Odisha assembly elections and won in the former by a mere 4600 votes. However, he had to face a shocking defeat at the hands of an ordinary BJP worker in the other assembly seat. Laxman Bag (48) received 90876 votes, according to the data accessible on the Election Commission website. Meanwhile, Naveen Patnaik managed to secure only 74,532 votes. Notably, people are now lauding Laxman Bagh after learning about his humble background.

Laxman Bag hails from a low-income farming family and was once employed as a daily wage worker. Furthermore, he worked as a labourer loading and unloading goods from trucks to supplement his income. Later, he invested in a truck of his own and entered the transportation industry. Afterwards, he focused on his business and grew prosperous. As time passed and he continued working, he also ventured into politics. In 2014, he ran for office and finished third. He then ran for office again in 2019 from the same place but was defeated by Congressman Santosh Singh Saluja by a mere 128 votes.

However, he worked hard and relentlessly for five more years and his efforts came to fruition in 2024. He received over 90 thousand votes and not only defeated the former chief minister but also Santosh Singh Saluja by 64 thousand votes. It is reported that although people were aware that he was performing well and leading, they did not believe he would prevail over a seasoned leader like Naveen Patnaik. However, Bag has achieved an unimaginable feat in Odisha politics.

The BJP leader raised the issue of migration of workers in his constituency and continued to discuss the matter even after he won. He stated that the problems affecting Kantabanji are a lack of infrastructure in the health and education sectors, labour migration and unemployment. He assured that all of these issues will be resolved after the formation of the new government on 10th June and there is going to be a fresh start in the state. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would reward the people with a present in return for their faith in him and show them the path of development.

‘I’m here, come to me, why harm innocent animals’: Annamalai tells DMK after party workers beheaded a goat to celebrate his defeat

OpIndia Staff
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‘I’m here, come to me, why harm innocent animals’: Annamalai tells DMK after party workers beheaded a goat to celebrate his defeat

After the DMK cadre beheaded a goat, around whose neck a picture of Tamil Nadu state president K Annamalai was tied, the BJP leader has strongly reacted to his symbolic beheading. On the 4th of June, during a media interaction, when asked about the incident, Annamalai asked the DMK workers not to butcher an innocent goat, instead, they can come after him in Coimbatore.

“Instead of killing an innocent goat, if DMK is so angry, come to me, I’m here only…” Annamalai said adding that the goat could have been spared.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu BJP Vice President Narayanan Thirupathy strongly condemned the goat beheading done in a public road on camera by DMK workers to mock Annamalai.

“This is an atrocious and arrogant way of exhibiting their political ambitions. I strongly condemn this. It is not going to stop us from opposing corruption and misgovernance. Annamalai has been raising his voice against the corrupt people in Tamil Nadu…we can hear some minor children’s voices from behind (in the video)…those who have done this must be punished for the violence in the middle of the road. By now govt should have taken action…it is the duty and responsibility of the Tamil Nadu Police to protect Annamalai…this says that those who are opposing him can go to any extent possible to finish him…” Thirupathy said.

As reported earlier, DMK cadres were seen beheading a goat on camera and celebrating the BJP’s loss. The ‘beheading’ was symbolically targeted at state BJP president and former IPS officer K Annamalai. The party workers had pasted a picture of Annamalai on the goat’s body before beheading it on the road and hooting in joy. On June 4, the DMK cadre in Coimbatore had held a victory march carrying a goat with a picture of Annamalai pasted on it. They declared that since Annamalai had been defeated, there would be ‘goat biriyani’ made.

DMK uses the ‘goat’ (Aadu in Tamil) as a derogatory reference for K Annamalai because the BJP president belongs to a humble farming family that raises goats. Earlier, Annamalai had said before the media that he owns no properties, except a few goats. Facing mockery derogatory remarks from the DMK cadre and leaders, Annamalai had earlier stated that he is not ashamed to be called a goat because his parents raised him and funded his education by selling goats.

“TMC goons attacking BJP workers after poll results have become culture of Bengal”: Suvendu Adhikari urges governor to prevent post-poll violence like 2021

ANI
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“TMC goons attacking BJP workers after poll results have become culture of Bengal”: Suvendu Adhikari urges governor to prevent post-poll violence like 2021

West Bengal opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday wrote to Governor CV Ananda Bose, raising concerns about the All India Trinamool Congress’ alleged role in post-poll violence, urging him to take steps to prevent a recurrence of the situation after elections in 2021.

In a letter to the Governor of West Bengal, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said that after the 2024 Parliamentary General Election results were announced on June 4, “goons of the ruling dispensation” has gone “berserk upon the workers of BJP” in West Bengal.

“As has become synonymous now with the State of West Bengal, the goons of the ruling dispensation has gone berserk upon the workers of BJP after the declaration of results of the Parliamentary General Elections, 2024 which was announced on 4th June, 2024,” Adhikari said.

“This seems to be a repeat of the incidents which had transpired after the declaration of the results of the 2021 assembly election results in Bengal, which had resulted in the death of several BJP karyakartas,” he said.

<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>It has now become the culture of West Bengal, that the TMC Party goons will attack the BJP Karyakartas after the declaration of results.<br>In a repeat of the incidents which had transpired after the declaration of the 2021 Assembly Election results, which caused deaths of several… <a href=”https://t.co/3czEYAjODb”>pic.twitter.com/3czEYAjODb</a></p>&mdash; Suvendu Adhikari (Modi Ka Parivar) (@SuvenduWB) <a href=”https://twitter.com/SuvenduWB/status/1798599856887562640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>June 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>

Adhikari further alleged that, the Central Armed Paramilitary Forces, stationed after the polls, are not being utilized to control the worsening situation where the the ruling party’s goons are targeting BJP workers.

“Though Central Armed Paramilitary Forces have been stationed post polls as well, however, such forces are not being utilized to control the deteriorating situation whereby workers of the BJP are being targeted by the goons affiliated to the ruling dispensation in the State,” he said.

Adhikari pointed out that within just 24 hours of the vote counting, over 20 incidents have been reported across the state, particularly in Asansol, Durgapur, Mednipur, Jhargram, Bankura, Cooch Behar, Hooghly, Barrackpore, Barasat, and North 24 Parganas.

“It has just been 24 odd hours since the completion of the counting process and more than 20 incidents all across the State more specifically from Asansol, Durgapur, Mednipur, Jhargram, Bankura, Cooch Behar, Hooghly, Barrackpore, Barasat, North 24 Parganas have already been reported and from the early signs, it seems that the goons affiliated to the TMC are planning to repeat the same horrific incidents which had transpired after the declaration of the Assembly elections in 2021, even now as well, to instil a sense of fear among the cadres and workers of the BJP,” he said in the letter.

Adhikari urged the Governor to visit areas where post-election violence is taking place and prevent the recurrence of the 2021 post-poll violence.

“I solemnly request Your Excellency to visit the areas from where post poll violences are being reported and ensure that innocent lives are not lost and the horrors of the post-poll violence that happened after the 2021 assembly elections are not repeated. The situation is extremely dire and the State machinery has deliberately not let the stationed Central Paramilitary Forces to control the situation and are allowing the TMC goons to have a free run of terrorising the karyakartas of the BJP. The State Police as usual is a mute spectator and permits such atrocities to be perpetrated by remaining in deep slumber,” he said.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, TMC secured 29 out of the 42 parliamentary seats in West Bengal, while BJP only won 12 seats and Congress managed to secure just 1.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC had won 22 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state, and the BJP won 18. Congress won only 2 seats.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Last ditch attempt by Congress to stop Modi 3.0? Pawan Khera shares old video to claim people of Andhra Pradesh are upset with Chandrababu Naidu supporting Modi

OpIndia Staff
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Last ditch attempt by Congress to stop Modi 3.0? Pawan Khera shares old video to claim people of Andhra Pradesh are upset with Chandrababu Naidu supporting Modi

Even as the I.N.D.I. Alliance has failed to cross the majority mark in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress leaders are rejoicing over the mere increase in seats this time. As the BJP-led NDA is set to form the government under Narendra Modi’s leadership, Congress has made a last-ditch attempt to stop Modi 3.0 peddling fake news that the people of Andhra Pradesh are angry with Telugu Desam Party (TDP) for supporting Modi.

On the 6th of June, Congress leader Pawan Khera quoted an X post by a Congress supporter who shared a video showing some people burning down posters and flexes. The X user named Venisha G Kiba shared the video with the claim “Angry people of Andhra Pradesh burning down photos of Chandrababu Naidu for supporting Modi.”

Quoting this post, Congress’s media and publicity department head Pawan Khera asked, “Why are people of Andhra Pradesh so angry?”

Pawan Khera’s now-deleted X post

The Congress leader in his desperate attempt to defect TDP from NDA shared misleading news so that the NDA would have to struggle to form the government. Khera did not even care to check the facts about the said video.

The video in question is not recent but from March this year. As the TDP announced Daggubati Venkateswara Prasad as the MLA candidate from the Anantapur Urban seat, the TDP leader and former MLA Prabhakar Choudhary grew enraged and his supporters burnt down the TDP flexes and posters in protest while raising slogans against Chandrababu Naidu.

Thus, it is clear that the video is not recent and the Congress leader and the party supporter were peddling fake news.

As several netizens called out Khera for spreading misinformation in an attempt to create discord between the BJP and TDP right before government formation, he silently deleted his post without any apology and the Congress supporter did the same.

Lok Sabha 2024

On 4th June, the Election Commission of India (ECI) declared results for 542 of the 543 constituencies that went to polls in the Lok Sabha elections 2024. The BJP has won 240 seats, and the Congress bagged 99. The BJP won significantly fewer seats in the recent election compared to the 282 seats it won in 2014 and the 303 seats it won in 2019. On the other hand, Congress saw a significant increase, gaining 99 seats compared to 52 in 2019 and 44 in 2014. The opposition bloc surpassed the 230 threshold and showed formidable opposition as it defied all exit poll predictions. However, Narendra Modi is set to return as the prime minister of India for his third historic term.

Uttar Pradesh: Ruckus on roads after ‘Modi ki boti-boti’ fame Imran Masood wins in Saharanpur LS, police initiate probe after videos go viral

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Ruckus on roads after ‘Modi ki boti-boti’ fame Imran Masood wins in Saharanpur LS, police initiate probe after videos go viral

Congress candidate Imran Masood’s victory in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur turned into an outrageous display of celebration as his supporters created a ruckus on the roads and harassed women which led to panic in the area. A video of the incident has also become viral on social media.

Multiple bikes and four-wheelers are seen blocking the busy road as the supporters of the politician raise slogans in favour of him and disrupt traffic. Now, the authorities have taken cognisance of the development and registered a case against fifty-five individuals.

The instance reportedly transpired on the night of 4th or 5th June after the results of the general election were announced. The instance happened near Kutubsher Police Station on Ambala Road. The supporters of Imran Masood can be heard yelling slogans and making a commotion in the footage due to which one side of the road was blocked and commuters had to face problems. The Senior Superintendent of Police in Saharanpur mentioned that a case had been filed against fifty unidentified and five named persons after taking notice of the widely shared video.

Congress-Samajwadi Party candidate Imran Masood registered a massive victory and secured 547967 votes while his nearest rival Raghav Lakhanpal of the Bharatiya Janata Party received 483425 votes and the Bahujan Samaj Party candidate came in third place with 180353 votes. The Congress leader won by 64542 votes and as a result, his supporters took to the streets and celebrated by violating the rules and regulations. They took out a bike rally with hundreds of two-wheelers. Some bikes had one rider while others had three. They were hooting and even made obscene gestures towards the females as the cops watched helplessly. It was captured on camera by a bystander, who then posted it to social media where it rapidly gained popularity.

Senior Superintendent of Police Dr Vipin Tada stated that he is aware of the video and all the CCTV footage of Ambala Road is being retrieved. He informed that a case would be filed and the accused would be prosecuted following the investigation. On the other hand, similar scenes were witnessed in Shamli and Muzaffarnagar during the processions of Samajwadi Party workers despite prohibition.

Meanwhile, another video of the newly-appointed parliamentarian has surfaced in which he is thanking the Rajput community for voting for him while talking to his supporters and stating a famous proverb derived from the epic Ramayana, “Raghu kul reet sada chali aye, praan jaaye par vachan na jaaye. (We keep our tradition of giving our lives for the sake of fulfilling our promises at all costs).” He added that nothing could stand before the community and the BJP lost because of them.

Notably, Imran Masood came into the limelight when he abused and issued death threats to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014 during his election campaign. He was contesting the Lok Sabha election from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh and during an election rally, he declared, “Narendra Modi se kaun ladega? Jo thok ke jawab dena jaane Modi. (Who will fight against Modi? The one who knows how to give it back to this Modi).” He then added, “Who Gujarat samaj raha hai, 4% Musalman hai Gujrat mei, yaha 42% Musalman hai. Yaha Gujarat bana denge, uski boti-boti kaat denge choti-choti. (If Modi tries to make Uttar Pradesh into Gujarat, then we will chop him into tiny pieces. I am not scared of getting killed or attacking someone. I will fight against Modi. He thinks UP is Gujarat. Only 4% of Muslims are there in Gujarat while there are 42% of Muslims in UP).”

Muslims consolidated behind INDI Alliance, yet, Delhi Muslims are disappointed that the ‘communal’ BJP did not lose in the national capital

Rukma Rathore
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Muslims consolidated behind INDI Alliance, yet, Delhi Muslims are disappointed that the ‘communal’ BJP did not lose in the national capital

The outcome of the Lok Sabha election may not have aligned with expectations for the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance, but their performance in certain crucial regions has been outstanding and surpassed all expectations. In Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress alliance was defeated by the saffron party, which went on to win all seven of the national capital’s constituencies. The remarkable accomplishment, however, did not sit well with members of the Muslim community, according to a report in the Times of India.

“It seems that our votes didn’t count for much. In the Lok Sabha election, the community has limited influence in a direct contest against the BJP. We are disappointed with the false promises of the BJP spreading hate and community divide. However, we are hopeful in the upcoming assembly polls,” commented 35-year-old Mehfooz Alam in Delhi after the election outcome.

Muslims make up about 12.9% of Delhi’s population, according to the 2011 Census. Political estimates place the percentage of Muslim voters as high as 20.7% in the North East Lok Sabha constituency. Chandni Chowk (14%), East Delhi (16.8%), New Delhi (16.8%), North West Delhi (10.6%), South Delhi (7%), and West Delhi (6.8%) are among the other constituencies with a sizable Muslim population. With 58.3% of the vote, the North East assembly constituency received the most votes, followed by Seelampur, Mustafabad and Babarpur, all of which had a majority Muslim population. However, Kanhaiya Kumar, the Congress candidate, was defeated by a margin of more than 1.3 lakh votes by BJP’s Manoj Tiwari.

According to Joharipur resident Mohd Mushtaq, the public was leaning more in favour of the BJP. “The problem with Kanhaiya Kumar is that he did not visit the people on the ground as much as he should have. Giving passionate speeches online for impact is not enough. Having an interpersonal connection with the people you are representing is important,” said Adnan Zain, a trader in Nand Nagri.

Sami, a car service provider from northeast Delhi, accused Manoj Tiwari of a lackluster performance and claimed that the people didn’t vote for him out of gratitude but rather due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strong brand value. He exuded optimism that during Manoj Tiwari’s third term, problems including trash management, drinking water, and mosquitoes would be addressed.

Chandni Chowk, Matia Mahal and Ballimaran assembly seats in Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha constituency are three other significant Muslim-dominated localities in Delhi with vote percentages of 56.8%, 67.20% and 64.7%, respectively. The majority-Muslim district of Okhla in the East Delhi constituency had a voting percentage of 52.2%. The lower voting percentage in Delhi compared to the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019 was cited by numerous members of the minority community as the reason for the influence on the results.

A merchant in Ballirarmn, Sarim Ullah, alleged that many females stayed indoors and didn’t vote because of the scorching temperature. Voters in S Khan’s neighbourhood in Matia Mahal were most concerned about safety and security, based on him. He said, “We wanted a govt that treats everyone equally, besides providing security. The results were a setback for us, but I think if the voting percentage had been high, then Congress would have won the seat easily.”

A 33-year-old resident of the East Delhi constituency named Naseem shared his desire for the Aam Aadmi Party candidate’s victory, highlighting the party’s efforts to provide free bus rides for women as well as universal access to water and electricity. According to Shareef Ahmad, a resident of Govindpuri in south Delhi, the winning candidates had the backing of the electorate and the I.N.D.I. Alliance put up a fierce battle against the BJP nationwide.

The strange case of Muslim’s right to vote vs Hindu communalism

The statistics clearly indicate that a large number of Muslims supported the opposition coalition to ensure that the BJP lost. They cast their votes with the singular objective of establishing an I.N.D.I Alliance government at the centre. However, their collective desire remained unfulfilled. Interestingly, regurgitating the same rhetoric of the divisive Modi government doesn’t hold true as the community benefitted greatly from various programs offered by the centre including the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana. Moreover, the Modi government even initiated multiple minority welfare schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan and Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram, among other for their development.

However, nothing was able to shatter the community’s religious glass ceiling as they once more banded together to beat the saffron party, following their age-old voting pattern. Ironically, Muslims have historically voted solely based on religious lines to support political parties like the Indian National Congress and Trinamool Congress that pander to them with outrageously contentious policies and propositions at the expense of the Indian constitution and other marginalised communities in this country. However, the second largest majority in India is quick to label those who do not conform to their religious consolidation as communal.

Everyone has the right to vote in a democracy, regardless of whether they do it in the name of religion, caste or any other factor. However, it begs the question, why the same courtesy is not extended to a BJP voter? Why is the Muslim vote classified as secular along with the parties that cater to the community but BJP and its voters as well as supporters are labelled hateful bigots? Why are there different yardsticks? Muslims have the democratic right to vote as a group while donning religious blinders, yet those same people will condemn and shame others for supporting the BJP.

Despite all the whining and bleating, no evidence of discrimination against Muslims or any other community under the Modi government has been produced. Nevertheless, there have been several cases where the governments of ‘secular’ parties have exercised bias against Hindus including Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The courts and other constitutional bodies had no option but to step in to challenge the blatant discrimination.

The truth is that the opposition has been showering the Muslim community with preferential treatment and the community is not happy with the fact that the Modi government treats everyone equally. Muslims in India are feeling uneasy and unsettled because they are not used to being viewed without rose-tinted glasses of the opposition and are seen equally as other Indian citizens which is “communal” in their eyes. It’s a classic case of “When you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.”

Lok Sabha 2024

On 4th June, the Election Commission of India (ECI) declared results for 542 of the 543 constituencies that went to polls in the Lok Sabha elections 2024. The BJP has won 240 seats, and the Congress bagged 99. The BJP won significantly fewer seats in the recent election compared to the 282 seats it won in 2014 and the 303 seats it won in 2019. On the other hand, Congress saw a significant increase, gaining 99 seats compared to 52 in 2019 and 44 in 2014. The opposition bloc surpassed the 230 threshold and showed formidable opposition as it defied all exit poll predictions. However, Narendra Modi is set to return as the prime minister of India for his third historic term.

Uttarakhand: 9 Bengaluru trekkers die in Uttarkashi, operation on to rescue 13 others, CM Dhami expresses grief after the tragedy

ANI
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Uttarakhand: 9 Bengaluru trekkers die in Uttarkashi, operation on to rescue 13 others, CM Dhami expresses grief after the tragedy

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday expressed grief over the death of nine trekkers who lost their lives in an accident in Uttarkashi.

In a post on X, CM Dhami informed that other 13 trekkers have been safely rescued.

“The news of the death of 9 trekkers in an accident caused by bad weather on Sahastra Tal track is very sad. The administration has rescued 13 trekkers safely by conducting a rescue operation and a rescue operation is being conducted with the help of SDRF, district administration and Air Force to save other people. I pray to God to give peace to the departed souls and strength to the bereaved families to bear this immense loss and for the speedy and safe release of the trapped trekkers,” the Chief Minister said.

The team of 22 members had lost their way and got trapped due to bad weather on the route of Sahastra Tal in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi.

The administration has initiated ground and air rescue operations to save the remaining trekkers who are still stranded on the Sahastra Tal trek route.

“Upon receiving the information, the administration acted upon it promptly and a rescue team of 10 members comprising officials from the SDRF, Forest Department and Police officials immediately rushed for the rescue operation,” said Arpan Yaduvanshi, Superintendent of Police, Uttarkashi.

In a post on X, District Magistrate Uttarkashi said that NDRF troops are deployed in the rescue operations.

“Sahastra Tal Rescue Operation, the second day’s rescue operation started. Two helicopters left for the site of the incident from Harshil. Today the weather is clear at the site of the incident. Necessary rescue vehicles and staff are deployed at Natin helipad. One ambulance is deployed at Matli helipad, NDRF jawans are deployed at Matli helipad,” DM Uttarkashi said.

In the team of 22 trekkers, 18 belonged to Karnataka, one hailed from Maharashtra and three of them were local guides.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

OpIndia exclusive: Muslims pelt stones on Hindus during Ahilyabai Holkar Jayanti rally in Yavatmal, injure minors and policemen, 16 including 2 prime accused arrested

Siddhi Somani
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OpIndia exclusive: Muslims pelt stones on Hindus during Ahilyabai Holkar Jayanti rally in Yavatmal, injure minors and policemen, 16 including 2 prime accused arrested

Last week on May 31st, several persons from the Muslim community launched an attack on the rally of Hindus that was organized on the occasion of Ahilyabai Holkar Jayanti in Mulawa region of Maharashtra’s Yavatmal district. The attack is said to have happened in the Muslim-dominated area of the region due to ‘unfavorable’ songs being played on the DJ system during the rally.

As per the complaint copy obtained by OpIndia, the accused persons identified as Sheikh Sahil Sheikh Irshad, Sheikh Mohsin Sheikh Gaffar, Sheikh Sarawar, Iliyas Ahmed Abdul Kadar, Mohammed Naveer Abdul Gaffar, Sayyed Majid Sayyed Gani, Ajeez Khan, Gulab Khan and others attacked the rally participants by pelting stones in the Tipu Sultan Chowk. The Police confirmed to OpIndia that the Muslims launched the attack on Hindus during the rally injuring several including police officers on duty and minors.

The complaint in this case has been filed under sections 143, 147, 148, 149, 324, 353, 332, 504, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and the police are said to have arrested around 16 persons including a few from the rally who attempted to retaliate the attack launched by the people from the Muslim community. Section 135 of the Maharashtra Police Act has also been imposed against the accused persons.

‘Attack was planned, they were ready with the stones’

According to local news reports, the incident is said to have happened at 8:30 pm on 31st May 2024 when the rally peacefully proceeded through the Mulawa region of Umarkhed taluka. The Muslims launched the attack on the rally participants as the latter reached Tipu Sultan Chowk near the ZamZam Grocery shop. It is said that the songs played on the DJ system irked the Muslims who immediately began pelting stones at the Hindu rally participants.

Several Hindus in the rally including minors suffered severe injuries and had to be shifted to the hospital. After this, some of the rally participants are also said to have launched an attack in retaliation. The police authorities learned about the incident and immediately reached the spot.

Officers Devidas Athawale, Sandeep Shere Himmat Bandgar, and Samadhan Narwade reached the location and tried to pacify the matter. However, the stone pelting continued as a result of which some of the police officers also suffered injuries. The complaint in this case has been filed by Police Officer Devidas Athawale, based on which a massive police force has been imposed in the region to maintain peace.

OpIndia exclusively talked to some of the locals who stated that the Muslims were ready with the stones and had planned the attack. “The area where the incident happened has cement-made roads and there is no way that they could find the stones by the roadside. They were ready with the stones near the ZamZam Grocery shop and immediately began attacking the rally as it reached Tipu Sultan Chowk,” said one of the locals on the condition of anonymity.

The other one meanwhile asserted that the Muslims even managed to turn off the heavy lights on the street before the attack so that no one could know who pelted the stones. “The lights were turned off before the Muslims launched an attack. It all looked planned. They were ready with huge stones,” OpIndia was informed.

Police officers, and Hindu minors also suffered injuries

Yavatmal SP Pawan Bansode, PI Piyush Jagtap, and Hanumantrao Gayakwad also visited the area on 1st June to ensure that peace prevails in the region. “People must keep calm. Citizens shall not worry about anything and continue with their routine. Do not believe in the rumors. We are looking into the matter. 16 people who pelted stones during the rally have been booked and some of them have been arrested. Investigations are underway,” SP Bansode said.

Reportedly, as per the police copy obtained by OpIndia, some of the Hindu individuals who attempted to retaliate against the attack by the Muslim community have also been booked by the Police. These have been identified as Dnyaneshwar Kadam, Vaibhav Gore, Vitthal Ladke and others.

API Pankaj Dabhade confirms- Muslims launched attack, 2 prime accused from Muslim community arrested

OpIndia exclusively talked to API Pankaj Dabhade, Police Station Pofali who confirmed that the Muslim community people launched the attack on the Hindus who were peacefully proceeding with the rally through the Tipu Sultan Chowk. “The Muslims launched the attack as a result of which several persons from the rally suffered injuries. The Muslims pelted stones after which several others from the rally also launched a retaliatory attack,” API Dabhade confirmed.

He further stated that several police officers who tried to pacify the matter also were attacked and they have suffered injuries. “A total of 16 persons have been arrested so far which include 2 prime accused belonging to the Muslim community. Among these 16, 7 are Hindus. Investigations are underway and the prime accused will be punished severely in accordance with the law,” he added.

At present, API Dabhade said that the situation in the Mulawa region is at peace and police officers have been deployed on duty. The citizens meanwhile have been asked to maintain their calm and not believe in the rumors.

Similar incidents frequently are observed happening in and around the Yavatmal district. Last year, Maharashtra Police filed an FIR against one Sheikh Aftaab Shiekh Mannan for uploading an Islamist propaganda social media story on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The accused person posted a video in which Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj could be seen bowing down before Aurangzeb. “Aurangzeb Hindustan ka Baap,” the video captioned. Required arrests in the case were also made.

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