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UN Committee calls for probe into brazen human rights abuse against Muslims in Xinjiang under the Chinese government

OpIndia Staff
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UN Committee calls for probe into brazen human rights abuse against Muslims in Xinjiang under the Chinese government

A UN committee Thursday, November 24, acting under its urgent action procedure, demanded that China investigate all allegations of violations of human rights in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) including torture, ill-treatment, sexual violence, forced labour, enforced disappearances, and deaths in custody, as soon as possible.

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) also called on China to release all individuals arbitrarily detained in the XUAR, whether in so-called Vocational Education and Training Centres (VETCs) or other detention facilities.

The UN Human Rights Office stated in a statement that the Committee encouraged the State party to immediately cease any harassment and reprisals against Uyghur and other ethnic Muslim communities, the diaspora, and those who speak out in their defence, both domestically and internationally.

It urged Beijing to offer meaningful and effective remedies and reparation to victims of human rights violations, particularly Uyghurs and other ethnic Muslim populations.

The committee also recommended that China conduct a thorough review of its legal framework governing national security, counter-terrorism, and minority rights in the XUAR to ensure full compliance with its obligations as a party to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

Furthermore, it urged the State Party to properly implement its 2018 recommendations, as well as the Committee against Torture’s 2015 Concluding Observations and the UN Human Rights Office’s assessment of human rights issues in the XUAR of August 2022.

‘Xinjiang police files’ reveal gross human right violation against Muslims Uyghurs

The UN committee has raised concerns about the content of the ‘Xinjiang police files’ that were leaked in May this year. It revealed that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) led by Xi Jinping is involved in brazen human rights abuse against Muslims in Xinjiang. 

According to the reports, the Chinese government has detained Uyghur Muslims in the concentration camps which China terms ‘vocational skills education and training centres’. At these centres, Uyghurs are brainwashed to be ‘trustworthy persons’ for the Communist government.

The matter came to light when the ‘Xinjiang police files’ were published by the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation with cooperation from 14 media outlets from 11 countries. The files gave the world an inside view of China’s ‘re-education camps’ and the ‘prison-like’ conditions that Uyghurs are made to face.

According to the report, some of the photographs of the 2884 detainees of the ‘re-education camp’ show guards standing by, armed with batons. It refutes Chinese claims that there is no coercion at these camps. The report also mentions that many of them have been detained for no reason or for unsound reasons. The Xinjiang Police Files further contain another set of documents that shows detainees photographed in the prison-like surroundings of these ‘re-education camps’ that China insists are ‘vocational schools’.

Blindfolds, handcuffs, and shackles mandatory for ‘students’ being transferred between facilities or even to hospitals, backed with an extreme level of physical control are a common sight. The documents further show Chinese authorities treating the ‘students’ as they usually treat the detainees in the detention centres. They also run the indoctrination centres at these camps, again making no differentiation between the camps and the prison.

China slams UN Committee’s demand for a probe into gross human rights violation in Xinjiang by the Chinese Govt

China, meanwhile, lashed out Thursday at the UN Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination over its demand for an immediate probe into Xinjiang-related issues. Hours after the statement that called on China to immediately probe all allegations of human rights violations in the Xinjiang Uyghur, Liu Yuyin, spokesperson for the Chinese mission to Geneva, said that the ‘so-called’ decision is “based on disinformation fabricated by Western countries and anti-China separatist force.”

“Some Western countries, out of the scheme of containing China by using Xinjiang-related issues and associating with anti-China separatists, have long been fabricating and spreading Xinjiang-related lies and rumours, coercing and manipulating multilateral human rights institutions to take actions, in an attempt to smear China, undermine the stability of Xinjiang and curb the development of China. As one of the human rights treaty bodies, the CERD should have carried out its work in an impartial and objective way, and conducted constructive exchanges and dialogues with State Parties. However, the CERD is now driven by certain forces, abuses its so-called “Early Warning and Urgent Action Procedures” without seeking communication or clarification with the Chinese government, forcibly adopts the so-called decision, stigmatizes China based on disinformation, and reduces itself to the political tool of the West.”

India invites Egypt President El Sisi as Chief Guest on Republic Day: Govt’s efforts to strengthen political, military relations with Cairo

OpIndia Staff
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India invites Egypt President El Sisi as Chief Guest on Republic Day: Govt’s efforts to strengthen political, military relations with Cairo

On Thursday, India invited Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi as the Chief Guest on Republic Day on January 26 next year, as part of New Delhi’s endeavours to improve and strengthen its political and military relations with Cairo. The invite to Egyptian President El Sisi is also viewed as India’s outreach to the continent and to the country which is Africa’s second-largest economy. Both countries commemorated the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic ties this year.

According to the reports, the red carpet reception for President Sisi indicates that Delhi-Cairo connections will gain special emphasis in the coming months and years. Dr S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh both visited the nation earlier this year. During their travels, both ministers met with Egypt’s President, with Jaishankar delivering a personal message from Prime Minister Modi to him.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to Cairo in September was regarded as a crucial gesture, as both countries expanded military ties. During his visit, he met with his Egyptian counterpart, General Mohamed Zaki, and an MoU in the defence sector was inked. Both leaders also agreed to focus on cooperative training, defense co-production, and equipment maintenance. Reportedly, Egypt also is interested in acquiring Tejas fighter planes from India.

The country was also welcomed to the India-Africa Defence Dialogue and the IOR Defence Ministers’ Conclave, which took place in October on the margins of the 12th DefExpo in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. There has been one strong collaboration between the Indian and Egyptian air forces, including efforts in the 1960s to jointly build a fighter aircraft. From the 1960s to 1984, IAF pilots also mentored  Egyptian pilots. Egypt often offers transit services to IAF and Indian Navy aircraft traveling to and from Russia, Europe, and the United States.

In September 2016, President Sisi had visited India. Sisi also met PM Modi in October 2015 at the Third India-Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi. Both leaders also had met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York the same year.

The North African country has also been invited by India to the G20 summit, which will be held in New Delhi in September 2023. This is the second time the Modi government has invited an African leader to celebrate Republic Day. India has been eager to strengthen connections with Africa, and the next India-Africa summit, which was conducted in 2015, might also take place next year. 

Egypt has long been one of India’s most significant African commercial partners. Despite the Covid pandemic, trade volume dropped only a little, to US $ 4.5 billion in 2019-20 and US $ 4.15 billion in 2020-21. During the Russia-Ukraine crisis, India also had supplied wheat to the country.

Prior to the crisis, Egypt imported about 80% of its wheat supply from Russia and Ukraine. In April of this year, the Egyptian Cabinet declared that India had been added to the list of recognized nations that can export wheat to Egypt, putting an end to a long-standing non-tariff barrier.

Notably, Egypt has never been invited to India’s Republic Day commemorations since 1950. India has welcomed its most guests from Asian countries (36), followed by Europe (24), Africa (11), South Africa (6), North America (2), and Oceania (1). Since PM Modi assumed office in 2014, India has invited US President Barack Obama (2015), French President Francois Hollande (2016), UAE’s Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (2017), all ASEAN leaders (2018), South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa (2019), and Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro (2020).

However, no republic guests were invited in the previous two years (2021 and 2022) due to the COVID pandemic. This year, India wanted to invite all Central Asian leaders, but the plan got thwarted by COVID spread. Boris Johnson, the then-Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, was invited as a guest in 2021, but Britain was dealing with the COVID issue at the time. This year’s republic day will be presided over by new Indian President Draupadi Murmu.

Shraddha murder: Aftab Amin Poonawala used multiple weapons to dismember Shraddha Walkar’s body

OpIndia Staff
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Shraddha murder: Aftab Amin Poonawala used multiple weapons to dismember Shraddha Walkar’s body

Disturbing details in the Shraddha Walker murder case are emerging one after the other. It has now been reported that the accused Aftab Amin Poonawala used multiple weapons to dismember the body parts of his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar.

ANI citing sources within the Delhi police has reported that Aftab admitted to using multiple weapons to sever Shraddha’s dead body after murdering her in their rented flat on May 18. Delhi Police have recovered five large knives which have now been sent for forensic examination.

The Delhi police recovered parts of a skull and some bones from a forest area last week and are currently undertaking searches at the Bhayandar Creek, where the accused may have disposed of vital evidence in the case.

Aftab has recently undergone a polygraph test at the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), Rohini. The reports of the test are yet to be released. 

According to an FSL expert, the polygraph examination “is a non-invasive technique used to reveal hidden information from criminals.” He went on to say that the next step would be to “access and discover the confined information in the narco test.” These tests begin with obtaining consent from the subjects, followed by a pre-test interview. Following the polygraph test, the subjects will undergo a medical examination, and the narco test will be administered after they have received a fitness certificate.

A Delhi court ordered the police to complete the narco-analysis test within five days and warned them not to use any third-degree measures. The polygraph examination will be followed by the narco test. Notably, Aftab has consented to a narco test. Notably, during the police interrogation, Aftab gave contradictory statements, prompting Delhi Police to conduct the narco test. The Delhi Police approached the court and sought permission to conduct the narco test. 

On November 14, the Delhi Police solved the six-month-old murder case and arrested Aftab Amin Poonawala for murdering his live-in partner, and then chopping her into 35 pieces. Aftab executed the murder on May 18 and stored her body parts in the refrigerator. He then disposed of the body pieces in Delhi’s Mehrauli forest during the next 18 days. Aftab was arrested based on the complaint filed by Shraddha Walkar’s father on November 10. 

The accused has been arrested and a case under IPC section 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of an offence committed) have been registered. Further investigations into the case are underway.

West Bengal: Hindu students wear ‘Namabali’ after school allows Hijab wearing students entry, asks Hindu students to respect ‘dress code’ to ‘diffuse tension’

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal: Hindu students wear ‘Namabali’ after school allows Hijab wearing students entry, asks Hindu students to respect ‘dress code’ to ‘diffuse tension’

On Tuesday (November 22), a scuffle broke out between two groups of students over wearing religious attire to school. The incident took place at the Dhulagori Adarsha Vidyalaya in Sankrail in Howrah city of West Bengal.

As per reports, some female Muslim students wore hijabs to school on the previous day and were allegedly allowed entry by the school authorities. This irked the Hindu students of the educational institute, who protested against the preferential treatment meted out to the Muslim students.

On Tuesday, five Hindu students wore saffron scarves (Namabali) and assembled near the school gate. They demanded entry into the classrooms in line with the decision of the school to entertain Hijabi girls.

The protesting students found support from other Hindu classmates who questioned the discriminatory attitude of the authorities. Meanwhile, a clash broke out between pro-Hijab and pro-Namabali students who were present on the campus.

Reportedly, they threw blows at each other and vandalised the school property. When the teachers failed to bring the situation under control, they called in the police and Rapid Action Force (RAF). No student was injured during the scuffle and no formal complaint was registered in the case.

After the situation was pacified, a meeting was convened between the local administration, guardians of the students and the managing committee of the Dhulagori Adarsha Vidyalaya.

School ‘diffused’ tension by asking students to follow dress code: Police

While speaking about the matter to Hindustan Times, a police officer said, “The pre-board exams were going on Monday when some students went to the school wearing hijab.”

“Seeing them, another group of students demanded that they be allowed to wear Namabali. The school authorities diffused the tension by asking students to follow the dress code,” the cop added.

The officer informed, “The school authorities informed police. The police did not enter the school first as it was an internal matter. But later officers of the local police station went inside to bring the situation under control.”

The protest against wearing of Hijab in school and the subsequent scuffle led to the cancellation of the Class XII pre-Board history examination. Similarly, another exam scheduled for Wednesday (November 23) was also postponed.

Pro-hijab ‘protests’ turn violent, bombs hurled at school in Murshidabad

In February this year, local Muslims resorted to violence against the authorities of Bahutali High School for asking the girl students not to wear hijab or burqa inside the class. The incident took place in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal.

As per reports, the school headmaster had asked the girl students not to wear hijab or burqa to school. The headmaster Dinbandhu Mitra had also warned them that their name would be removed from the school registry if they failed to comply with the rules.

After the headmaster asked the students to follow the uniform guidelines, the girls informed their parents, who staged a protest in front of the school and created a blockade.

The Muslim mob went on a rampage and threw bombs at the school. In response, the police had to use tear gas, resort to lathi-charge to bring the situation under control.

Mangaluru blast: Islamic Resistance Council claims responsibility, says ‘Hindutva temple’, a bastion of ‘saffron terrorists’ was their target

OpIndia Staff
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Mangaluru blast: Islamic Resistance Council claims responsibility, says ‘Hindutva temple’, a bastion of ‘saffron terrorists’ was their target

A shocking detail in the Mangaluru auto rickshaw blast case has emerged, a lesser-known Islamist terrorist outfit Islamic Resistance Council (IRC) claimed responsibility for the blast on November 19. 

The Islamist group has said that one of its ‘Mujahid brothers’ Mohammad Shariq attempted to blow up a ‘Hindutva temple’ in Kadri.

“We, the Islamic Resistance Council (IRC), would like to convey this message: One of our Mujahid brother Mohammed Shariq attempted to attack the Hindutva Temple in Kadri (in Dakshina Kannada district), a bastion of the Saffron terrorists in Mangaluru,” said the message, which went viral on social media.

According to the post, Shariq successfully escaped despite being wanted and chased by state intelligence agencies and mounted an attack.

The Mangaluru Police ADGP Alok Kumar has stated that the police are verifying the authenticity of the note issued by the so-called Islamic Resistance Council, as well as the alleged outfit’s background and activities.

Notably, the said Islamist outfit has threatened ADGP Alok Kumar too. 

“To those who are celebrating the arrest of the brother, especially ADGP Alok Kumar, we say, “Your joy will be short-lived, and you will soon reap the fruits of your oppression.” We’ve got you in our sights, and it’s just a matter of when, not if, we’ll get to you.”

On November 19, an auto-rickshaw exploded in Mangaluru, Karnataka’s coastal town. The accused terrorist Mohammed Shariq was carrying a pressure cooker, and police found that there was an improvised explosive device (IED) inside the cooker which exploded. Shariq had hired the auto-rickshaw posing as a passenger.

Gelatin powder, circuit boards, tiny bolts, batteries, mobile phones, wood power, aluminium multimeters, cables, mixing jars, pressure cookers, and other components required to build explosives were found by the FSL team. One mobile phone, two fake Aadhaar cards, one fake pan card, and one FINO debit card were also recovered by the forensic experts.

On November 20, the Karnataka Director General of Police (DGP) took to Twitter to announce that the explosion was not an accident but an ‘act of terror.’

“It’s confirmed now,” said the Director General of Police (DGP) in a tweet, “The blast is not accidental but an act of terror with the intention to cause serious damage. Karnataka State Police is probing deep into it along with central agencies.”

The findings, in this case, are similar to those in the Coimbatore blast case, in which an LPG cylinder exploded inside a car. On October 23, a 25-year-old man died in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, when an LPG cylinder in a vehicle exploded in the communally sensitive Kottaimedu region.

Family of Dalit sisters raped and killed in Lakhimpur left to fend for themselves, stuck making rounds of court, cheques from UP Congress bounce: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Family of Dalit sisters raped and killed in Lakhimpur left to fend for themselves, stuck making rounds of court, cheques from UP Congress bounce: Details

On September 14, 2022, two Dalit sisters were raped and killed in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur district. Junaid, Sohail, Arif, Hafiz, Chhote, and Karimuddin were arrested in the case. The charge sheet in the case was filed in 14 days, but now it has come to light that the victim’s family has been left to fend for themselves after that.

Sandhya Dwivedi of Dainik Bhaskar spoke to the victim’s family and reported on the matter in detail. According to the report, the cheques given by Congress leaders to this family in the name of help at that time have either bounced or been rejected due to a sign mismatch. The family also said that the help promised by the administration has also not been provided to the victim’s family.

Not only this, the family is getting tired of making the rounds of the court, having gone there 45 times in the last 2 months. Questions of the lawyers of the accused and the court proceedings have also caused mental agony to the family. According to the report, the victim’s mother was asked questions like ‘whether the girls were dressed or not?’, ‘how torn were the clothes?’, ‘where exactly were they torn from?’ etc, upsetting her.

The cheques provided by Congress bounced

The victim’s family was promised help by several politicians and organizations at the time of the incident. Cheques were given to them as financial assistance. According to the report by Dainik Bhaskar, Congress MLA Virendra Chaudhary gave a cheque of Rs 1 lakh and the UP Congress Committee gave a cheque of Rs 2 lakh. However, the cheque received from the Congress party bounced. Congress MLA’s cheque was rejected due to a sign mismatch. Similarly, a cheque of Rs 1 lakh from Uttar Pradesh Navnirman Sena president Amit Jani has also bounced.

Dainik Bhaskar’s report has quoted UP Congress leader Siddharth Trivedi as saying that this issue will be resolved as soon as possible. When OpIndia spoke to former Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Singh Lallu in this regard, he denied having any information. Amit Jani told OpIndia that his cheques got wet in the rain. He said that he had later called the victim’s family and asked them to take the cash. He said he is hurt as the victim’s family took this matter to the media.

Lakhimpur administration’s promises to the family

The Lakhimpur administration had also promised financial assistance of Rs 16 lakh to the victim’s family at the time of the crime. They were also assured help in the form of a house and a job. But Dainik Bhaskar has quoted the victim’s family as saying in its report that these promises have not been fulfilled. OpIndia contacted the office of Lakhimpur Kheri’s District Magistrate IAS Mahendra Bahadur Singh in this regard. The DM’s office asked us to seek information from ADM about this case. The ADM, unaware of the information in this regard, asked us to contact him later. We will update this report as soon as we get the information from the ADM office.

Dainik Bhaskar’s report mentions that the UP government had promised to punish the culprits within a month. The charge sheet was also filed in 14 days, but the hearing in the case is still going on. Sometimes the transfer of the judge and sometimes the accused being minors has slowed down the hearing. Meanwhile, the victim’s family is tired of making the rounds of the court.

Jama Masjid revokes the ban on entry of women without male companions after LG VK Saxena intervened, notices removed

OpIndia Staff
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Jama Masjid revokes the ban on entry of women without male companions after LG VK Saxena intervened, notices removed

Hours after Jama Masjid in Delhi triggered a controversy by banning entry of women without male companions, the controversial order has reportedly been withdrawn. According to reports, Shahi Imam Bukhari of Jama Masjid revoked the ban imposed on girls’ entry after Delhi’s lieutenant governor of Delhi VK Saxena intervened and asked him to rescind the decision. Imam Bukhari agreed to lift the ban on women entering the premises under the condition that girls and women “respect and maintain the sanctity of Delhi Jama Masjid” premises.

In a conversation with Shahi Imam Bukhari of the Jama Masjid on Thursday, Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena asked him to revoke the order banning women’s access to the mosque. Imam Bukhari has reportedly consented to withdraw the order with the condition that visitors respect and preserve the sanctity of the Mosque.

The Jama Masjid management forbade the admittance of females without male companions under a regulation that was implemented earlier in the day. It is notable that the Delhi Jama Masjid received a lot of criticism after placing a notice stating that girls would not be permitted into the premises. The Delhi Commission for Women’s chairman Swati Maliwal took up the issue and emphasized that the decision made was incorrect.

She tweeted, “The decision to stop the entry of women into Jama Masjid is wrong. As much as a man has the right to worship, so also does a woman. I am issuing notice to the Imam of Jama Masjid. No one has the right to ban the entry of women like this.”

Syed Ahmed Bukhari claimed that the decision to ban girls was made as a result of certain “incidents” that were allegedly reported on the premises of the historic building. The Jama Masjid management had put up signs outside the mosque notifying visitors that girls are not welcome inside. The sign boards were placed outside the three entrances of the mosque. “It is forbidden for girls/women to enter Jama Masjid alone,” the signboards read. 

Jama Masjid PRO Sabiullah Khan had said that entry of women coming alone was barred because, “when women come alone, they do improper acts, videos are shot, photos are clicked. An order has been issued to stop all this”. He had further added, “no restrictions on families or married couples. Making religious places a meeting point is inappropriate, be it Masjid or Mandir.”

He further added, “Women make TikTok videos. They dance in the Masjid premises. They come and meet men here and this has to stop. If women want to come here for worship they would be welcome. But they cannot see religious places like Masjids as a park. Masjid is for worship and everyone must only do that here.”

Jama Masjid management had put up signs outside the mosque saying, “It is forbidden for girls/women to enter Jama Masjid alone.” Now, these signage have been removed, as per ANI.

Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan constructed Delhi’s Jama Masjid between 1650 and 1656. The mosque includes three massive gates, four towers, and two 40-meter-high minarets made of red sandstone with white marble strips.

‘Sachin Pilot is Gaddar, can’t be made the CM’, says Ashot Gehlot, Pilot responds by posting pictures with Gandhis at Bharat Jodo Yatra

OpIndia Staff
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‘Sachin Pilot is Gaddar, can’t be made the CM’, says Ashot Gehlot, Pilot responds by posting pictures with Gandhis at Bharat Jodo Yatra

At a time when Congress leader Sachin Pilot was seen along with Rahul Gandhi in the Bharat Jodo yatra, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot called him a ‘gaddar’ (traitor), and said that he will not allow Pilot to become the CM of Rajasthan. Gehlot made the comments in an interview with Sreenivasan Jain of NDTV, where he said that Sachin Pilot is a traitor who orchestrated a revolt to get the position of the chief minister.

When asked if the Congress High Command desired to make Pilot CM, Gehlot responded, “How are they going to make him? A man with less than ten MLAs. Who revolted; and was labelled a traitor. He betrayed the party and is thus a traitor. How are people supposed to accept him?”. Gehlot said, “A gaddar (traitor) cannot be Chief Minister.” 

Further, as the Jain said that Sachin Pilot had said he was unhappy within the Congress, and so he revolted, Gehlot said that if he was unhappy with the Congress party, he should have gone to ‘Madam.’ “If he had gone to AICC HQ and sat there, it would have been different. For the past 50 years, protestors have gone to AICC. They have spoken to Madam. Raised their complaints,” Gehlot stated.

“The MLAs are saying that we won’t accept a ‘Gaddar‘. But you also agree with this?” Sreenivasan Jain asked, to which Ashok Gehlot responded, “I accept it, of course, why not?” Ashok Gehlot further remarked that nothing sort of a ‘rotating CM’ formula was promised in 2018 and that the best person to answer this query would be Rahul Gandhi.

“It must be a first for India that a party president tried to bring down his own government,” Gehlot said about the revolt by the Pilot camp in 2020. He also alleged that the failed revolt was engineered and funded by BJP. “Amit Shah was also involved in it, Dharmendra Pradhan was also involved in it. All had a meeting in Delhi,” he alleged.

Ashok Gehlot also alleged that the rebel Congress MLAs had met BJP leaders at that time, and that BJP had distributed ₹10 crore each to the MLAs who were staying at a Gurugram resort. He said that while he does not know which MLAs got money, he knows that some got ₹5 crore, some for ₹10 crore, and claimed that he has proof.

Sachin Pilot calls the allegations baseless

After the comments of Ashok Gehlot created a storm, Sachin Pilot responded to it by calling the allegations baseless. “Ashok Gehlot called me ‘incompetent’, ‘traitor’ and made lots of allegations. These allegations are completely unnecessary. What we need is to see how we can strengthen the Congress party. We have to see how we can make Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra a success,” Pilot said.

He also suggested that Gehlot should concentrate on the Gujarat elections, as he is the party’s in-charge there, instead of attacking him. He said, “Only Congress can challenge the BJP in the country.  Elections are underway in Gujarat, where Ashok Gehlot is in-charge. We have to put up a united fight to defeat the BJP.” 

He posted a photograph on Twitter where he is seen with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra at Bharat Jodo Yatra, and wrote, “Today is a new day of Bharat Jodo Yatra but the resolve and enthusiasm to connect the country remains the same. Participated in Bharat Jodo Yatra which started today from Borgaon, Madhya Pradesh. Every step with @RahulGandhi ji and @priyankagandhi ji indicates a positive change.”

Rajasthan minister Rajender Singh Guda, a member of the Pilot camp, said that Sachin Pilot is being surrounded like Abhimanyu. “Sachin Pilot has been surrounded like Abhimanyu. And like him, he knows how to penetrate the Chakravyuh,” the minister said.

The Congress party is facing omens of a split in the state of Rajasthan with leaders in two camps, the Pilot camp and the Gehlot camp, taking to extremes about seeing their leaders for the top job. Recently, Hemaram Choudhary, a Rajasthan government minister who is close to Pilot, stated that the party came to power due to Sachin Pilot and that given his hard work, he should be handed the responsibility.

Suchitra Arya, vice president of the State Agriculture Industry Board, also advocated for Pilot’s elevation as chief minister. She said, “If the situation doesn’t change, the party will collapse. Sachin Pilot is an important face and lakhs of people come to hear him. It’s the limit now; he should be made the chief minister.” She stated that if Sachin Pilot is made the CM, only then would Congress be able to reclaim power.

Infighting in Rajasthan Congress

The schism between the two factions within the state administration became obvious in July 2020, when rebel Congress politician Sachin Pilot was sacked as Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress Chief by the Congress party, which accused him of planning to destabilise the government with the BJP.

This was followed by a month-long enthralling drama, with Ashok Gehlot first disclosing that the two were not on talking terms for the past 1.5 years. The tussle became bitter when the Rajasthan CM lashed out at the rebel leader by calling him “Nikamma and Nakaara (useless).” The show reached its climax with ultimately Sachin Pilot returning to his home turf and conceding before Ashok Gehlot.

Soon, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot informed that a 3-member committee was constituted by the Congress party to resolve grievances with Sachin Pilot. He claimed that peace and brotherhood would always remain in the grand old party. Things got sorted for a while but the differences surfaced again in September 2022.

On September 23, it was announced that Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot would run for the presidency of the Congress Party. However, he stated that he intends to stay as Rajasthan’s Chief Minister even if he is elected as the Congress Party’s Chief.

Later that day, Rahul Gandhi stated unequivocally that if a person currently holding a position in the Congress Party is chosen as its leader, that person will resign from his post. With the possibility that Gehlot would have to resign as Chief Minister, the political scene in Rajasthan got frenzied, especially with rumours that Pilot would be the next Chief Minister.

The MLAs who supported Gehlot became irritated as soon as rumours about Sachin’s name surfaced. On September 25, a Congress Legislature Party meeting was scheduled, the second in a week. However, at the last minute, around 90+ MLAs threatened the leadership with resignation if Pilot’s name was confirmed. They wanted Gehlot to remain the state’s chief minister.

After visiting Sonia Gandhi on September 29, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot admitted moral responsibility for the state’s political crisis and withdrew his nomination from the Congress presidential election.

Resignation by party state in charge Ajay Maken

Recently this month Ajay Maken, the general secretary of the Congress, resigned from his position as the party’s in-charge for Rajasthan. Makhan was reportedly furious that Ashok Gehlot’s supporters, who were handed show-cause notices for holding a separate Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting in Jaipur on September 25, have not been punished.

The Rajasthan state assembly election is coming up in around 11 months, and the Congress is in turmoil due to the seemingly never-ending feud between its two key politicians there. Pilot supporters believe a decision will be made before Rahul Gandhi arrives in Rajasthan for the Bharat Jodo Yatra in the first week of December, but party strategists doubt this would result in substantial changes.

Death of Disha Salian was accidental, concludes CBI, Narayan Rane alleges ‘clean up’ was done before CBI got the case

OpIndia Staff
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Death of Disha Salian was accidental, concludes CBI, Narayan Rane alleges ‘clean up’ was done before CBI got the case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigating the death case of Disha Salian concluded on Wednesday, November 23, that she died by accident. Disha Salian, who had worked as Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s manager for a brief period of time, was found dead under mysterious circumstances on 8 June 2020, six days before Sushant allegedly died of suicide. 

Speaking about the case, the CBI has now said that it has been found that she had slipped from the parapet of her Mumbai flat. The agency also stated that there is no link between Sushant Singh’s death and Disha’s death.

According to the CBI, Disha was not murdered. She was in an inebriated state and had lost her balance, culminating in her death from a fall from the 14th floor of her building. There is no indication that she was murdered, it was just an accident, said CBI.

A senior officer told Economic Times, “Since serious allegations were levelled in the Salian matter and claims were made that the two deaths were linked, as Salian had briefly worked for Rajput, her death has been probed in detail.”

“The investigation has revealed that Salian had been organising get-togethers at her residence in the run-up to her birthday. The party on June 8th night was part of it. However, that night, Salian, who had consumed alcohol, lost her balance and slipped from the parapet of her flat,” the official added.

The official further stated that a full investigation was conducted, including recordings of eyewitness accounts from the party, as well as forensic reports and observations from the reconstruction exercise, which was also conducted to determine the nature of the injuries in the matter.

Media reports cited another CBI official as saying, “The probe hasn’t found any substance in the allegations levelled by Rane that Salian was assaulted and had approached Rajput for help and that there is a larger political conspiracy at play. It was necessary to probe the circumstances owing to the sensitive nature of the case and the nature of allegations.”

It may be recalled that initially, it was alleged that Disha Salian had committed suicide. However, just six days after Disha’s death i.e. on June 14, Sushant Singh Rajput also committed suicide. Following Sushant Singh’s death, allegations were made that Salian’s death could have been a murder and possibly linked to the mysterious death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput. After this, people demanded a CBI inquiry, calling the death of these two a conspiracy.

Narayan Rane alleges MVA Govt led by Uddhav Thackeray destroyed the evidence before CBI took up the inquiry

Following both the deaths, BJP leader from Maharashtra and Union minister Narayan Rane and his son Nitesh Rane alleged that the late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s former manager had not committed suicide but she was raped and murdered. Speaking at a press conference, Rane alleged that Disha’s autopsy report reveals she had injury marks on her private parts. He had accused Mumbai police of trying to scuttle the probe.

Rane said he had a pen drive in his possession and had prepared a transcript of an eyewitness account of Disha Salian’s alleged murder, stating that a state minister is involved in the case.

Nitesh Rane had also alleged that Sushant Singh Rajput had learned about the rape and subsequent murder of Disha Salian and decided to reveal it in front of the media, which is when even he was killed.

Now again, despite the revelation made by CBI, Narayan Rane has stood by his statement. He Tweeted on November 23, “I don’t blame the CBI for its observations in Disha Salian’s case. CBI entered only after 72 days. From 8th June the “clean up” was done so well with the help of the MVA Gov that by the time the CBI entered nothing much could be recovered. Master of all Cover ups!”

However, there is no clarity on when the CBI would submit its final findings in this matter. Let us inform you that the CBI has not opened a separate probe into Disha’s death. Its investigation was running concurrently with the one into Sushant Singh’s death. Initially, the Mumbai Police were looking into the matter.

Jharkhand: Muskan Khatun embraced Hinduism, married Ram in a Hindu temple, now receiving death threats from her family

OpIndia Staff
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Jharkhand: Muskan Khatun embraced Hinduism, married Ram in a Hindu temple, now receiving death threats from her family

In Jharkhand’s Godda district, a Muslim girl named Muskan Khatun embraced Hinduism and got married to her Hindu partner Ram. Muskan Khatun said that she likes the Hindu Dharma and is very happy with her decision.

Both Ram and Muskan reside in Godda. Muskan is originally from Bihar’s Bhagalpur and was staying in Godda with her maternal grandmother, and pursuing her studies. Ram and Muskan met a year ago and became friends. Their friendship soon blossomed into love. However, Muskan Khatun’s family members were opposed to Muskan’s relationship with Ram. 

On October 17, 2022, the couple reached a local court to register their marriage, however, the family members of Muskan got to know about this and reached the court premises and assaulted her. Local police had to intervene and give security to the girl. Muskan told the court that she wants to marry Ram of her own free will and also sought police protection in the wake of a threat from her family. 

Subsequently, the girl was provided with police protection. The couple then reached  Meenakshi temple located at Peerpainti in Bhagalpur. Muskan converted to Hindu Dharma and amidst the chants of ‘Har Har Mahadev’, got married to Ram in a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony on November 22. 

Reportedly, several Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal, and RSS activists were also present during the wedding. While Muskan’s family members have threatened to kill her as she has changed her religion and married a Hindu man, Ram’s family has accepted their marriage.

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