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Kejriwal’s ‘my way or highway’ politics will not be accepted: Congress slams AAP for putting up conditions for attending opposition meet

OpIndia Staff
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Kejriwal’s ‘my way or highway’ politics will not be accepted: Congress slams AAP for putting up conditions for attending opposition meet

The efforts to unite the opposition seem to have hit another roadblock as the political difference between Congress and AAP has no end in sight. On the 8th of July, Congress leader Abhishek Dutt hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party for putting up pre-conditions for accepting Congress’ proposal to attend the joint opposition meeting scheduled in Bengaluru on July 17-18. 

The Congress leader condemned the pressure tactics of AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and his political outfit. He accused AAP of acting “immaturely” and asserted that Kejriwal’s ‘My way or highway’ politics won’t be accepted. 

He said, “They (AAP) have to be more open-minded. See what is happening in Maharashtra, and what are they planning in Bihar. There are many major issues that the country is facing today. They have to come and look like an Opposition party that is there for a bigger target. Kejriwal’s ‘My way or highway’ politics won’t be accepted.”

Dutt added that they (AAP leaders) are most welcome to the Opposition meeting. Whenever the issue comes up, they should take it up. However, there should not be any terms and conditions for attending the opposition meeting. 

AAP is insisting that Congress should oppose the centre’s ordinance on Delhi. While most other opposition parties have backed AAP on the issue, Congress has not taken a stand so far. It is notable that Congress is the major opponent of AAP in Delhi and Punjab.

Earlier, on the 7th of July, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha reminded Congress of their so-called promise made during the previous opposition meeting held in Patna. 

Chadha said, “Congress party has sent an invitation for AAP (for opposition meet in Bengaluru), however, during the Patna opposition meets, in front of all like-minded parties, the Congress party had said that they will clear their stand on the Delhi ordinance, 15 days prior to commencement of the Parliament monsoon session.”

Additionally, the AAP Rajya Sabha MP hinted that they have paused any discussions in this matter until the grand old party announces its opposition to the Union government’s ordinance on Delhi. 

He added, “We’re (AAP party) hoping they (Congress) will do that soon and all further conversation will only happen after their formal announcement.” 

Earlier on several occasions, AAP has claimed that it has garnered support from various Opposition parties that have representation in Rajya Sabha, excluding Congress.

The main issue in contention is an ordinance which the Union government passed on the 19th of May, 2023. The ordinance aimed to enact rules for the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) in relation to matters such as transfer posting, vigilance, and other related issues. 

As per media reports, it is expected that the Union government would introduce this ordinance in Parliament to formally pass it as a law. As the BJP-led government has a clear majority in Lok Sabha, the Aam Aadmi Party wants to challenge the ordinance in the Upper House and stop it at any cost. 

Mid-day meal scheme fund from centre used for state elections: Union Education ministry seeks report from West Bengal govt over “serious financial anomalies”

ANI
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Mid-day meal scheme fund from centre used for state elections: Union Education ministry seeks report from West Bengal govt over “serious financial anomalies”

Ministry of Education on Friday wrote to the West Bengal government, flagging “financial anomalies” in the implementation of the mid-day meal scheme.

The ministry in its letter said that funds earmarked for mid-day meal scheme (PM POSHAN) are being used for a different purpose. Sources of the Education Ministry, on the condition of anonymity, told ANI that a dormant Bank account has been used for the transfer of funds for state elections.

“Senior officer of the ministry has sought a report from the West Bengal government. I am directed to refer to a copy of the account transfer transcript from the designated bank account of the mid-day meal programme, Paschim Bardhman. A bare perusal of the fund transfer suggests that funds earmarked for Mid-Day Meal under PM POSHAN are being used for a different purpose,” they said.

They further said that, however, the papers made available on WhatsApp by the state officials suggest that a dormant bank account has been used to transfer funds for state elections. “It may be agreed that this is contrary to the principles of financial management as distinct bank accounts are to be used for distinct purposes,” the official letter to the education department of WB read.

Ministry of Education sources further told ANI that the ministry said that it is a possibility that allotments under PMPY in the past i.e., pre-PFMS days, are being used for purposes other than the PM POSHAN (Mid-Day Meal) scheme.

The Central government, in its letter to the WB government, said, “In this context, it may be appreciated that in January 2022 at the time of submission of proposal for release of 2nd installment during 2021-22, the state government of West Bengal had submitted an undertaking certifying that Government of West Bengal has notified the Single Nodal Agency (SNA) and opened a Single Nodal Account of PM Poshan Scheme. It was also certified that the entire unspent amount available in the Bank account of all the implementing agencies of the aforesaid scheme has been transferred to the Single Nodal Account of the Scheme concerned. It was further certified that all other accounts of implementing agencies down the ladder have been closed/converted into zero balance accounts.”

The letter has sought a detailed factual report on the “serious” financial anomalies, which include an “inexplicable balance amount” to the tune of Rs 4,174 crore in the single nodal account meant for disbursing PM POSHAN funds.

Education Ministry further added that the total funds in the SNA’s account was Rs 1542.17 crore on March 31 in 2022 while in 2023-24 the state treasury has transferred only Rs 387.35 crore to SNA.

“As on 4 July 2023, the SNA account has a huge and inexplicable balance amount of Rs 4174.28 crore. It is not clear as to how the balance in the SNA account has increased from Rs 1542.17 crore to Rs 4174.28 crore while State Government certified in January 2022 that the entire unspent amount available in the bank account of all the Implementing agencies has been transferred in Single Nodal Account. This appears to be a highly incongruous situation, more so, in the context of state Govt’s above said undertaking,” the Ministry added.

Education Ministry has further asked to state department to examine the transcript of the account since the time the account has gone dormant and satisfy yourself that there is no miscalculation of the facts.

It also said that this is an instance of only one district and similar bank accounts may exist in other districts for which necessary directions may be given. “In view of the above-enumerated facts and circumstances, a detailed factual report with respect to serious financial anomalies may be sent immediately,” Ministry sources told ANI.

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

Not possible to conduct Common Law Admission Test in Indian languages, Consortium of National Law Universities tells Delhi High Court

OpIndia Staff
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Not possible to conduct Common Law Admission Test in Indian languages, Consortium of National Law Universities tells Delhi High Court

The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) has told the Delhi High Court that it will not be possible to conduct the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2024 in Hindi and other Indian regional languages, and it will be held in English only. The Consortium of NLUs made this submission in an affidavit in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a law student named Sudhanshu Pathak demanding that CLAT 2024 be held in Hindi and other regional languages.

The Consortium claimed that the CLAT 2024 examination pattern and language mode have already been made public, and many hopefuls have already begun preparing for the same as well. The test is scheduled to take place in December 2023.

The affidavit filed by the Consortium claimed, “on the administrative side of the consortium, preparatory work of setting the paper/key, requisite contract of software technical support (OMR) etc. began in the month of February 2023 itself and are now in advanced stage of completion. Hence, the option for other scheduled options of language is a near impossibility for the 2024 CLAT to be held in December 2023.”

Additionally, it was contended that the CLAT exam cannot be contrasted with other admission and qualifying tests like the UPSC, IIT-JEE, and NEET because they are conducted on a far larger scale. They further claimed that not all regional languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution have been adopted for these exams. It is not clear why examinations conducted at a much larger scale can be conducted in Indian languages but the much smaller law exam can’t be.

The Consortium further stated, “The Respondent No. 1 does not dispute the need to examine the issue more closely, and, as set out above, is actively doing so internally. However, in its humble submission, it would be highly premature for judicial intervention in this matter at this stage, especially absent any data to show that there is already a significant pool of students wanting to take the CLAT examination in the scheduled languages despite the medium of instruction at all NLUs being English only.”

While the Consortium of NLUs said that the exam can’t be held in other languages this year because the process has already started, it also claimed that they can’t hold it in any other language other than English even in future. According to them, as proceedings in higher courts are conducted only in English and the medium of instruction at colleges is also only English, the admission test will also be in English.

They made this conclusion based on a report by an expert group, which was established to look into the possibility of holding the CLAT tests in Indian vernacular languages.

They cited the fact that English is the language of instruction in NLUs and that the Bar Council of India (BCI) Rules of Legal Education, 2008 mandate that English be the language of instruction for both the five-year and three-year legal courses.

It mentioned, “English is also a compulsory paper. The NLUs, in particular, prepare professionals to be proficient in English for practice in High Courts and Supreme Courts, which have English as the court language. Without exploring the feasibility of transitioning to teaching in the scheduled language options in National Law Universities (if permitted by the BCI) and its connection with the use of English as a Court language (in High Courts and the Supreme Court), an ad hoc measure of testing in scheduled languages is not advisable.”

The committee also claimed that there are procedural problems including translation difficulties in the field of law, preparation materials for students in regional languages, software development, distribution of test questions across the nation, costs associated with the process, institutional support systems that must be established at NLUs for students who are unable to speak English.

The Consortium revealed to the Court that the committee convened its initial meeting on June 25 and will now reconvene in the second week of July to consider all of these matters.

The Consortium highlighted that a committee has been established to advise the Governing Body and Executive Committee of the Consortium on ways to enhance legal education. It is led by former Supreme Court Justice Indu Malhotra.

It said, “It is to be noted that the Advisory Board, together with the Governing Body and Executive Committee of Respondent No. 1 (consortium), will thereafter work together to navigate the substantive and procedural issues 11 collectively identified (both on the basis of the report of the Expert Committee as also from their own deliberations) to collectively arrive at the best solution and prepare a roadmap for expanding the reach of the CLAT.”

The stand of the consortium comes against the backdrop of the increasing demand for the introduction of Indian languages in Indian courts, and steps taken in this direction by the central and state governments. Former Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju had given lots of importance to using Indian languages in the courts.

Earlier, the Government of India had received proposals from the Governments of Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Karnataka to permit the use of Tamil, Gujarati, Hindi, Bengali and Kannada in the proceedings of the Madras High Court, Gujarat High Court, Chhattisgarh High Court, Calcutta High Court and Karnataka High Court respectively. Accordingly, the centre had sent the proposal to the Supreme Court for its consideration, but the Chief Justice of India informed the govt in January 2016 that the Full Court of the Supreme Court of India rejected the proposal.

Under the aegis of the Ministry of Law & Justice, the Bar Council of India has constituted ‘Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti’ chaired by former Chief Justice of India, Justice S.A. Bobde.  The committee is developing a Common Core Vocabulary close to all Indian languages for the purpose of translating legal material into regional languages.

Declare war on Sweden to end blasphemy: TLP leader Maulana Saad Rizvi wants Pakistan to go to war with Sweden over Quran burning incident

OpIndia Staff
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Declare war on Sweden to end blasphemy: TLP leader Maulana Saad Rizvi wants Pakistan to go to war with Sweden over Quran burning incident

The protests in Pakistan against Sweden over the Quran burning incident on Eid are still continuing. On Friday, Juy 7, Pakistan observed a day of protests over the incident. On the same day, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) leader Saad Hussein Rizvi said that Pakistan should declare war against Sweden in order to stop blasphemy against Islam.

Pakistan staged nationwide protests against Sweden post-Friday prayers days after a man tore up and burned a Quran outside Stockholm’s central mosque on 28th June. The act led to massive anger among Muslim nations against Sweden even as the NATO secretary general defended it saying that the incident was offensive and objectionable, but not illegal.

Saad Hussein Rizvi said that the Pakistani PM along with its Navy, Army, and Air Force chiefs should summon the ambassador of Sweden to tell the latter that Pakistan is formed in the name of Islam and “you have insulted our Quran so we declare Ailan-e-Jung (war) against you”. He said that by doing so, blasphemy across the world would end in one minute.

The protests in Pakistan were called by Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. He wrote, “In order to express our feelings and emotions about the desecration of the Holy Quran at the hands of an unlucky person, we will all protest nationwide today under the title of Holy Quran Day and after Friday prayers all Pakistani Muslims Tabaqat will raise the flag of the Holy Quran and record their peaceful protest.”

Sharif on Friday passed a resolution in the Pakistan parliament urging Sweden to take “appropriate steps” against Quran desecration. Meanwhile, protesters staged a protest outside the Pakistan Supreme Court demanding severance of all diplomatic ties with Sweden.

Last week, a Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) threatened attacks on Christian minorities and churches in Pakistan in retaliation for the Quran-burning incident in Sweden.

Meanwhile in India, a former Mayor of Aligarh, Mohammad Furkan, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting strict action against those behind burning Quran in Sweden.

In what appears as retaliation, police in Stockholm had received three new applications to burn a Torah scroll and the Bible in front of the Israeli embassy in the country.

Similar incidents in the past

A Danish far-right politician burnt a copy of the Quran next to the Turkish embassy in the country’s capital prompting Turkey to halt discussions with Sweden about its NATO membership in late January.

Two other requests, one by a private citizen and the other by an organisation, for similar activities that include Quran burning were turned down by police in February outside the Turkish and Iraqi embassies in Stockholm. The appeals court concluded in June that the protests should have been permitted. It ruled, “The order and security problems that the police had cited had not been clearly connected to the planned event or its immediate vicinity.”

Sweden is now reportedly mulling over amending the law to prevent a repeat of such incidents.

Amritpal Singh writes a letter from jail seeking ‘martyr’ status for Khalistani terrorists Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Avtar Khanda

OpIndia Staff
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Amritpal Singh writes a letter from jail seeking ‘martyr’ status for Khalistani terrorists Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Avtar Khanda

Pro-Khalistan separatist leader Amritpal Singh, currently lodged in Assam’s Dibrugarh Central Jail has purportedly written a letter demanding that the status of ‘martyr’ be accorded to dreaded Khalistani terrorists Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Avtar Khanda.

Last month, Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead in Surrey, Canada four days after, Khalistani terrorist Avtar Khanda mysteriously died in a UK Hospital.

The ‘Waris Punjab De’ allegedly handed the handwritten letter to his wife Kirandeep Kaur when she met him in jail on July 6. The letter which was written in the Gurumukhi script and dated July 5 was addressed to the Sikh community and signed by all nine of his associates also detained in Dibrugarh jail.

Image source: NorthEast Now

In the four-page letter, a copy of which is being widely circulated on social media, Amritpal Singh made an appeal to the Sikh community to bestow the status of “Quomi Shaheed” (community martyrs) upon dreaded Khalistani terrorists Avtar Khanda and Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Amritpal Singh and his supporters said that the Indian government had attempted to hide the reality by portraying Avatar Singh Khanda’s ‘martyrdom’ as the result of his “illness.” They also claimed that similar efforts had been made to characterise Sandeep Singh’s (Deep Sidhu) ‘martyrdom’ as a “road accident.”

“Despite these futile efforts, the collective consciousness of the Sikh community bestowed upon Deep Sidhu the title of “Quomi Shaheed” (community martyrs). Similarly, Avatar Singh Khanda and Hardeep Singh Nijjar deserve the revered status of “Quomi Shaheed”, and the Sikh Quom should declare them “Quomi Shaheed”.

In the letter, Amritpal Singh and his aides also incited the Sikhs to foment violence by urging them to take up arms against the government.

Falsely accusing the Indian government of fostering the persecution of Sikhs in the country, the pro-Khalistani separatist brazenly provoked the Sikh community to revolt against the central government.

“The Sikh community in Punjab is experiencing mass migration due to the targeted killings of Sikhs in India. The responsible Indian state is fostering Sikh persecution, which is drawing global attention towards the Sikh cause. Countries that claim to uphold human rights are turning a blind eye to the bloodshed inflicted upon Sikh activists by Indian intelligence agencies. Is the silence of these nations an implicit endorsement of the actions of the Indian government? Will these countries continue to sacrifice human rights for their own economic interests?!” he wrote.

While the purported letter has been doing the rounds on social media, some local media reports have quoted Biswajit Pegu, the Deputy Commissioner of Dibrugarh as saying that while Amritpal Singh’s wife visit him this week, there was no information about a letter.

He said that in order for a letter to be handed over to anyone from within the jail, a certain set of rules are to be followed.

Notably, earlier, Kirandeep Kaur claimed that her husband and his associates were on a hunger strike to protest the “deplorable facilities in the jail.” the Dibrugarh district administration refuted the claim of Amritpal Singh, Chief of ‘Waris Punjab De,’ being on a hunger strike in Dibrugarh Central Jail, as asserted by Kirandeep Kaur.

Who is Amritpal Singh?

Amritpal Singh Khalsa, a Sikh preacher and current chief of late actor Deep Sidhu’s organisation ‘Waris Punjab De’, is walking across the state under the banner of ‘Khalsa Vaheer’ or ‘Khalsa March’. The pro-Khalistani preacher took over the organisation after Sidhu’s demise in an accident on February 15, 2022. Sidhu formed ‘Waris Punjab De’ in September 2021 intending to “protect the rights of Punjab and raise social issues”. Amritpal Singh even dresses like Bhindranwale and is accompanied by armed men 24×7, much like the slain terrorist. There is very little information available about his past.

On April 23, pro-Khalistani separatist leader Amritpal Singh surrendered at Sant Khalsa Gurudwara in village Rode, district Moga, Punjab. Amritpal Singh and his aides are taken to the British-era Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam. The prison complex has high security and is fortified as it once held high-profile ULFA (United Liberation Front of Asom) terrorists when the militancy was at its peak in the Northeast. As of now, nine of Amritpal’s aides – Daljit Singh Kalsi, Papalpreet Singh, Kulwant Singh Dhaliwal, Varinder Singh Johal, Gurmeet Singh Bukkanwala, Harjit Singh, Bhagwant Singh, Basant Singh and Gurinderpal Singh Aujla are lodged in the Dibrugarh Central Jail.

BBC documentary on PM Modi: Delhi Court issues fresh summons to BBC, Wikimedia Foundation and Internet Archive

OpIndia Staff
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BBC documentary on PM Modi: Delhi Court issues fresh summons to BBC, Wikimedia Foundation and Internet Archive

Delhi’s Rohini Court on Friday, 7 July issued fresh summons to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Wikimedia Foundation and U.S.-based digital library Internet Archive over the two-part documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

They were served the summons through the Department of Legal Affairs under the Union Ministry of Law and Justice in connection with a defamation lawsuit brought by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Binay Kumar Singh, who sought a restraining order to prevent the broadcast of the “India: The Modi Question” series.

The accused are foreign entities, therefore the notices must be served in accordance with the rules established by the Delhi High Court, as stated by additional district judge Ruchika Singla of the Rohini court.

Under the Hague Convention, the court had reserved its verdict on the point of delivery of notices on 26th May. After hearing the arguments, the court observed that the parties to the lawsuit are bound by the Hague Convention because all pertinent countries are signatories.

The judge ruled, “It is clear that as per the rules formulated under the Hague Convention and by the Government of India, the summons/notices in foreign countries can be effected only through the Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India, which has admittedly not been done in the present case.”

An objection was raised during the previous hearing of the case on 3rd May that the accused, who are foreign corporations with offices in the United States and the United Kingdom, could only be served in accordance with the approved procedure.

The attorneys for BBC and Wikimedia Foundation had informed the court that the defamation lawsuit against them was not properly served and that the latter lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter.

They claimed that in compliance with the Hague Convention, service on a foreign entity had to be made in conformity with the established procedures.

She further continued, “Hence, it is directed that the summons be issued afresh to the defendants on the filing of process fee within seven days to be served through the Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice as per rules.”

The court also took note of a circular from the Delhi High Court, dated 13 September 2011, which made reference to an office memorandum from the Department of Legal Affairs (Judicial Section), Union Ministry of Law and Justice, dated August 18 of the same year.

It directed that the Hague Convention’s provisions apply to the service of summons or notices abroad. The court emphasised that these summonses or notices could only be delivered in line with the requirements of the ministry’s Department of Legal Affairs.

It also rejected the claim that because the defendants had previously retained solicitors who had been in court, service had already been made and thus the improper service defence was inadmissible at this time. It declared that the summons must be served on the defendant in keeping with the standard protocol and that this obligation cannot be waived by the counsel’s filing of the “vakalatnama.” The matter is now listed for further hearing on 18th November.

A civil defamation suit was filed by BJP functionary Binay Kumar Singh seeking a permanent injunction order to disallow the three organisations, BBC, Wikimedia Foundation, and Internet Archives from publishing the banned BBC documentary series on the 2002 Gujarat riots, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the state’s chief minister.

According to the lawsuit, the allegations made in the documentary against the Rashtriya Sawayamsevak Sangh and Vishva Hindu Parishad are made with the intention of defaming the organisations and those who work for them. The two-volume documentary series, per the BJP leader, who describes himself as an active volunteer for the RSS and VHP, is still easily accessible in the public domain on Wikimedia and Internet Archive.

In addition, he has asked the defendants to offer an unconditional apology to him, the RSS and the Vishva Hindu Parishad for the “libellous and defamatory content” that was published in the two-volume documentary series as well as pass a decree of damages of Rs 10,00,000 in favour of himself and against the former.

The Government of India had in January of this year invoked emergency laws to impose a ban on the BBC documentary.

Technical staff at Delhi government-run Lok Nayak Hospital working without salaries for 7 months, hospital says salary is under process

OpIndia Staff
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Technical staff at Delhi government-run Lok Nayak Hospital working without salaries for 7 months, hospital says salary is under process

The technical staff at Delhi government-run Lok Nayak Hospital has said that their salaries have not been paid for the past seven months. The 47 technical staff members manage operation theatres (OT), ventilators in Covid ICU wards, and patients administered anaesthesia before surgery. They claim that the hospital administration has not paid them since January this year.

They were deployed to look after ICU-admitted patients and also the patients admitted at the Covid-19 centre set-up in Ramlila Maidan. According to one of the OT technicians, the Delhi government hired them when they needed them most during the pandemic. However, the Delhi government does not acknowledge their services. 

“The Delhi government simply does not acknowledge our services while we continue to work tirelessly every day,” an OT Technician said.

The OT technician said that they worked during the most difficult times of Covid-19 and went on duty to look after ICU-admitted patients as well as those in Ramlila Maidan. “Most of us are now posted at Lok Nayak OT, but we have been working without pay for the past seven months.”

He added that despite the fact that the court ordered a stay in January, the technical staff did not receive their salaries yet. However, the administration has said that the interim salaries have been approved and the same is under process.

Speaking to Indian Express, Dr Suresh Kumar, medical director of Lok Nayak Hospital, said that soon after the Covid-19 pandemic was over the contracts of the 47 OT technicians were put on hold by the competent authority, after which they filed several lawsuits in court.

“We have now approved the interim salary, and it is being processed,” Dr Kumar said.

Maharashtra: BRS leader Qadir Maulana calls Aurangzeb his role model, Hindu activists deface KC Rao posters in Ahmednagar in protest

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: BRS leader Qadir Maulana calls Aurangzeb his role model, Hindu activists deface KC Rao posters in Ahmednagar in protest

Muslim leaders in Maharashtra are continuing to idolise Islamic Mughal tyrant Aurangzeb. On Monday, 3rd July 2023, Qadir Maulana of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar who recently quit the Nationalist Congress Party and joined the Bharat Rashtra Samiti of KC Rao said that Aurangzeb is his role model. He was speaking at a press conference of the BRS party held at the Subhedari Rest House in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city. On 7th July 2023, Hindu activists in Ahmednagar city of Maharashtra protested against this and tarnished the posters and hoardings of BRS president KC Rao. The Ahmednagar police detained the Hindu activist leading the protest.

Qadir’s statement evoked angry reactions from the state. Tushar Damgude, a Hindu activist and history enthusiast based in Pune, issued a warning regarding the potential consequences of the situation in Maharashtra. He emphasised that the controversy surrounding Qadir Maulana’s statement expressing admiration for Aurangzeb could ignite a strong reaction within the state. In a similar vein, Rahul Bhosale and Vaibhav Navgire of the Bharatiya Janata Party submitted a memorandum to both the Pune Municipal Corporation and the police commissioner to draw attention to the possible threat posed to peace and law and order in Maharashtra as a result of Qadir Maulana’s irresponsible statement.

On 7th July 2023, in Ahilyanagar, Hindu Rashtra Sena district president Sanjay Adole, city president Nikhil Dhangekar, Vishal Kate and other Hindu activists staged a massive protest and blackened the photo on hoardings of KC Rao. The police detained Sanjay Adole. BJP member Rahul Bhosale and Hindu Rashtra Sena district president Sanjay Adole demanded that a case be registered against Qadir Maulana and immediate action should be taken against him. The police released Sanjay Adole after brief detention and questioning.

In recent days, Maharashtra state has experienced heightened tension due to the controversy surrounding the Islamic tyrant Aurangzeb. Unfortunate incidents of violence have occurred in various locations, intensifying the already volatile situation. Additionally, there has been a political blame game surrounding this issue. In such a situation, Qadir Maulana, a prominent figure in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, who recently switched his allegiance from the Nationalist Party to the BRS, expressed his admiration for Aurangzeb.

Addressing a press conference of the BRS party, Qadir Maulana said, “Aurangzeb was a good king. When Aurangzeb was king, he provided space for many temples. You don’t know who you are talking about. You don’t know any history. Aurangzeb never indulged in casteism. In Aurangzeb’s kingdom, the Ganga Jamuna system (syncretic culture) was in place. There was a power struggle then and it continues today. Aurangzeb was a king who ruled undivided India for more than 50 years. So of course I idolise Aurangzeb. He has ruled India and is certainly a role model. When he died, he had only enough money in his pocket for burial. I have never seen a leader like that in the world.”

He added, “The BJP is creating a situation of confusion in the country through mob lynching, through ED, income tax raids, etc. Attempts are being made to suppress other parties by intimidating people by bullying and using power. So people should think about which party is going to do development.”

On 6th July 2023, Qadir Maulana released a video and clarified that his remarks about Aurangzeb are his personal opinions and views. He said that BRS has nothing to do with that opinion, it is not a stand of BRS. He said that there are people with so many different points of view in Maharashtra and in BRS. He also regretted if Hindus were offended by his earlier statement.

In a debate on the Marathi TV news channel Jai Maharashtra News, Tushar Damgude said, “All Indians oppose Aurangzeb. It is not because Aurangzeb was illiterate or he was ugly-looking or anything like that. If you read Aurangzeb’s biography you will know that he calls himself a true servant of Islam. He would proudly say that he imposed a Ziziya tax on Hindus. He would proudly say that he demolished so many temples of Hindus, converted or killed so many Hindus, and allowed his men to rape so many Hindu women and daughters. Unfortunately, none of us can go back in time and change whatever he did. One cannot and should not hold any Muslim in current times responsible or guilty for that. But if someone glorifies this Aurangzeb who had a mentality of demolishing our temples, killing our people, and raping our women and daughters, by keeping status or stories in the social media or by making some statements, then it will not be tolerated in India. If these illicit heirs of Aurangzeb continue to appear in India, it must be remembered that soldiers of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will also appear in this country.”

He added, “We will definitely fight these tendencies on the legal front. But I warn that wherever law enforcement agencies fail, we will make these perverts meet the fate of Osama Bin Laden. Aurangzeb cannot ever be a role model to any person, community, or political party. 2.25 lakh people in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar signed a petition to maintain the name of the city as Aurangabad. This is the number in tier 2 or tier 3 place. Imagine the volume of people adoring Aurangzeb in a city like Pune and Mumbai. Who will ponder a thought on this? It is unfortunate that some political parties resort to glorifying Aurangzeb to get Muslim votes and they are sure that they will get their votes in this manner because it is a fact that so many Muslims do idolise that tyrant.”

He further said, “I request the government of Maharashtra to identify such jihadi tendencies and take strict action against them just like a strict action is taken in Germany against those who support or idolise Hitler, consider him a role model, flag his symbols, or support holocausts. I demand that make it a punishable offence if someone flags Aurangzeb’s poster or any such symbol idolising him in Maharashtra at least. This will empower the police to take action against these people. I urge the home minister to instruct the police to take legal action against those who spread enmity between communities by sharing the status, stories, photos, and videos glorifying Aurangzeb. If this does not happen I will not let BRS raise any banner in that area of Pune where I live.”

Madhya Pradesh: Sidhi urination incident victim Dashmat Rawat seeks release of accused Pravesh Shukla, says Shukla has realised his mistake

OpIndia Staff
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Madhya Pradesh: Sidhi urination incident victim Dashmat Rawat seeks release of accused Pravesh Shukla, says Shukla has realised his mistake

Dashmat Rawat, the victim of the urination incident in Madhya Pradesh’s Sidhi district, has requested the state government to free the perpetrator Pravesh Shukla, asserting that Shukla has since realised his mistake.

“My demand to the government is that a mistake has been committed. Now Pravesh Shukla should be released. Whatever has happened in the past, he has realised his mistake,” he responded to the media when asked about the action taken on Pravesh Shukla.

“Yes, I agree. He is a Pandit of our village. We demand from the government to release him,” he answered when highlighted that he was making the demand in spite of the culprit’s degrading behaviour. He added that he had no further demands for the government, except from building a road in his hamlet.

On 5 July, police arrested the accused for peeing on Dashmat Rawat who is a tribal community member. A video of the occurrence went viral on social media on 4 July, prompting the police to file a complaint and apprehend the former. Meanwhile, the state police investigating the case mentioned that the footage was one-year-old.

In addition to being charged appropriately under the Indian Penal Code and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, action has been taken against Pravesh Shukla who is presently incarcerated, under the strict National Security Act (NSA). Furthermore, a reportedly illegal component of his Sidhi residence was torn down.

The urination instance has sparked a political debate in Madhya Pradesh, where assembly elections are scheduled towards the end of the year. The Congress has claimed that Pravesh Shukla is connected to a local Bharatiya Janata Party legislator while the party has denied any ties to him.

On Thursday, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan apologised to the victim and bathed his feet at his official residence in Bhopal. However, the opposition party dismissed the CM’s action as mere drama.

Dashmat Rawat also received financial support from the state government in the amount of Rs 5 lakh and another Rs 1.5 lakh for the construction of his home.

The Madhya Pradesh unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Brahmin Samaj, a Brahmin organisation, challenged the demolition of a portion of the accused’s home on Friday, arguing that while his conduct was despicable, his family members could not be punished for the same. They informed that they will move the High Court against the administration’s action.

‘Now China is changing. The Chinese want to contact me’: Dalai Lama says he is open to talks with China over problems of Tibetans

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‘Now China is changing. The Chinese want to contact me’: Dalai Lama says he is open to talks with China over problems of Tibetans

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama said that he is open for talks with China over the problems of Tibetans and the Chinese, “officially or unofficially” wanted to contact him.

“I am always open to talk. Now China also realises that the spirit of Tibetan people is very strong. So, in order to deal with Tibetan problems they want to contact me. I am also ready”, he said. The Dalai Lama made the remarks while to speaking to reporters in Dharamshala before embarking on a visit to Delhi and Ladakh.

Responding to a question on whether he wishes to resume talks with China, he said, “We are not seeking independence, we have decided since many years that we remain the part of People’s Republic of China…Now China is changing. The Chinese, officially or unofficially want to contact me”.

On July 6, Dalai Lama celebrated his 88th birthday and visited the Main Tibetan Temple courtyard in Dharamshala, adjacent to his residence. While addressing the gathering during the celebrations the Dalai Lama said that he has not been angry with anyone, not even those Chinese leaders who have adopted a harsh attitude towards Tibet, according to the official statement released on Dalai Lama’s website.

“I was born in Tibet and I bear this name Dalai Lama, but in addition to working for the cause of Tibet, I’ve been working for the welfare of all sentient beings. I’ve done whatever I could without losing hope or allowing my determination to flag,” the Tibetan spiritual leader said.

“I’m angry with no one, not even those Chinese leaders who have adopted a harsh attitude towards Tibet. Indeed, China has historically been a Buddhist country as witnessed by the many temples and monasteries I saw when I visited that land,” he added.

In his remarks, Dalai Lama said knowledge of Tibetan culture and religion can benefit the world at large. He said, “I believe there is knowledge within Tibetan culture and religion that can benefit the world at large. However, I also respect all other religious traditions because they encourage their followers to cultivate love and compassion.”

He further said, “According to indications in my own dreams and other predictions, I expect to live to be more than 100 years old. I’ve served others until now and I’m determined to continue to do so. Please pray for my long life on that basis.”

Earlier in April, Dalai Lama called for a focus on wisdom and compassion as he highlighted the situation in Tibet by giving his own example and stressed upon looking at the current situation from a broader perspective.

Addressing the gathering on the second day at the Global Buddhist Summit 2023 in New Delhi, the Dalai Lama had said, “I can also share with you that by engaging in this kind of inner development and particularly focusing on Wisdom and compassion. It really can help increase our courage as well. For example: in the case of my dealing with the current struggle and situation of Tibet, if you think just only about it from a narrow-angle, you can lose your hope.”

“But if you look at this crisis and look at this current situation from the broader perspective of the courage that cultivation and compassion give you, then you can have a much more resilient mind. So, even in your daily life, there might be problems which may seem enormous and unbearable. Still, if you have the courage, you will be in a much stronger position to turn adversities into opportunities,” he added.

The Dalai Lama had earlier too said that majority of people in China realise that he is not seeking “independence” within China but meaningful autonomy and preservation of Tibetan Buddhist culture.

Last year he had told reporters in Jammu during a visit to Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh that “Not Chinese people, but some Chinese hardliners consider me a separatist. Now, more and more Chinese are realising that Dalai Lama not seeking independence but within China meaningful autonomy and to preserve Tibetan Buddhist culture.”

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

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