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AAP workers share old video of crowded farmers rally from Punjab claiming to be from Gujarat, get trolled

OpIndia Staff
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AAP workers share old video of crowded farmers rally from Punjab claiming to be from Gujarat, get trolled

A video of a large audience listening to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is being circulated online with the assertion that it is from Gujarat where the state assembly elections are scheduled this year. However, it is found that the assertion is false and that the video is from a Kisan Maha Sammelan that the party held in Punjab’s Moga district in March 2021. This Kisan Sammelan was held as the party was preparing for the Punjab state assembly elections held in February 2022.

A Twitter user AAP Sunil Jodhpur posted this video with the caption, “O brother, can you believe it? This is Gujarat. Feeling like the Ramleela ground. OMG.”

Many users posted this video on Facebook with the caption “Oh brother, what a crowd! The people of Gujarat are listening to Kejriwal’s speech while sitting on the streets.”

However, contrary to what is claimed in these posts, this video was found to be originally from Kisan Maha Sammelan held at Moga in Punjab on 21st March 2021. In this video, Arvind Kejriwal is heard saying, “They hatched a plan to convert nine stadiums into jails and keep the farmers as prisoners.” Arvind Kejriwal has said this in the program held in Punjab and not in Gujarat as claimed by AAP supporters.

The original video was posted on 21st March 2021 by Harbhajan Singh E.T.O. who is currently the power minister of Punjab. He has also mentioned the location to be Baghapurana.

Therefore, an old video from Punjab was shared claiming to be from Gujarat as part of the ongoing propaganda being spread by the AAP to create the illusion of grand support for the party in Gujarat. After winning Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party has targeted the Gujarat assembly elections and they are regularly making claims of huge support for the party in the state.

Clement Lakda’s battle against Christian evangelists: Ground report on how missionaries in Chhattisgarh converted tribals to grab their lands

अजीत झा
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Clement Lakda’s battle against Christian evangelists: Ground report on how missionaries in Chhattisgarh converted tribals to grab their lands

If there can be any testimony of the tyranny Christian missionaries have caused to the lives of innocent tribals, none could be more honest and disturbing as that of Clement Lakda who says, “My father was cheated. Fooled. The day I understood this, my mind was detached from it (Christianity). I have vowed that will take back from them the Sarna which they (the Catholic institution) desecrated and will reembrace the religion of my forefathers. I’ll see how long I can fight.”

Clement Lakda is 56 years old. He is in the middle of a legal battle against the Catholic institution in Jashpur for the last 30 years. His father passed away in 2000 while fighting the same case. In recent years, the court ruled in favour of Clement Lakda. But, instead of handing over his land back, the Catholic institution is involved in harassing his family.

Clement Lakda, a father of two daughters, lives with his family in Duldula in Chhattisgarh’s Kunkuri assembly constituency. His wife Sushma Lakda is the Sarpanch of Duldula. Pictures on the walls of their house show that the family has converted to Christianity. But the documents lying on a table in the corner of the house showcase the pain that this family has suffered after the conversion.

About 10 acres of Clement’s land is occupied by the Catholic institution. There is a church and a school on this land. There are houses for the father and nun to live in. The people of the institution cultivate on the vacant lands. The land was lost by Clement Lakda’s father Bhade alias Vashil Oraon in exchange for becoming a Christian.

Clement Lakda told OpIndia that his father was converted in 1957-58. A priest had asked him to leave Sarna Puja and become a Christian. This was the time his father’s first wife died. According to Clement Lakda, the pastor had told his father, “You convert to Christianity. Let us make a church here. We will fix a cross in your Sarna. The Lord will bless you in your home. Your house will prosper. Ghosts will run away from the house.” Clement Lakda adds, “Father was scared since his wife’s death and he immediately believed what the missionary told him.”

This was followed by Bhade’s second marriage. Clement Lakda was born after this marriage. According to Clement Lakda, his father had not received any money in exchange for the land. He said, “The most painful fact is that they desecrated the holy Sarna. They razed it and fixed a cross there.”

According to Clement, his land was initially owned in the name of a local Father Theodor Lakda. After that, the Catholic Organization grabbed it in its name. This is a clear violation of Section 170(b) of the Land Revenue Act. We have told you in detail about this law in our previous report.

In 1992, the government of undivided Madhya Pradesh conducted a survey to remove the encroachment of scheduled tribe lands. The case of encroachment of Bhade’s land was also reported at the same time. Then the matter went to court. The Kunkuri SDM’s court ruled in favour of Bhade. The Catholic body was directed to return the vacant land and pay compensation in lieu of the land on which the construction had taken place. Against this order, the Catholic organization appealed in the civil court. But even there, the decision came in favour of the Lakda family. Copies of court orders are with OpIndia.

Clement Lakda said that he is fed up with the harassment by the Christian missionaries and wants to return to the faith of his forefathers. Image Source: OpIndia

Clement Lakda told OpIndia that after the court order when he tried to get possession of the land in his name, the Catholic body went to the additional district sessions court. Seeing itself on the weaker side, the Christian institution later withdrew the petition and started putting pressure on the Lakda family in different ways. Later, in January 2022, Clement Lakda went to the Tahsalidar court to get the land back. In response, the Catholic body again filed a suit in the same civil court which had already ruled in favour of Clement Lakda.

Apart from the legal battle, Clement Lakda claims that officials of the Catholic body and their associates are torturing his family. Development works of the Duldula panchayat are being hampered. “Tell your husband to withdraw the case”, these people ask Sushma Lakda. Referring to one such incident, Clement Lakda told OpIndia, “A meeting was convened at the church in February 2022. In this meeting, I was told that if I do not withdraw the case, I will be boycotted by the community. And that who will marry my daughters then?”

He added, “For a tribal, his land, however small or big, is everything. We are agricultural people. Families are raised by farming. What do we do with this Christianity if we don’t have land?” Clement Lakda said that people like the late Dilip Singh Judeo, Ganesh Ram Bhagat, national convenor of the All India Tribal Security Forum, and Hindutva organizations have helped him a lot in this fight. Even after being isolated in his community, he is able to fight this battle only with the help of these people.

It is not that Clement Lakda is the only one tortured by the Christian institution. There are many more Clements whose forefathers were first converted by temptation and later evicted from their land and all of them are now fighting Christian missionaries. But the biggest question is, when will these people, persecuted by Christian missionaries, get justice? When will they be able to return to their lands?

Rahul Gandhi’s Dussehra greeting fails to include images of Hindu Gods, revives social media discussions of ‘minority appeasement’

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi’s Dussehra greeting fails to include images of Hindu Gods, revives social media discussions of ‘minority appeasement’

On Wednesday (October 5), Rahul Gandhi yet again avoided posting images of Hindu deities while sharing his greetings on the occasion of Dussehra.

In a tweet, the Congress scion wrote, “Let the Lanka of hate burn, and the spate of violence end. Hope there is the extermination of ego and victory of truth and justice.”

“I wish all Indians a Happy Dussehra,” Rahul Gandhi tweeted, while conveniently avoiding any mention of the Hindu community. This is despite the fact that Dussehra marks the victory of Lord Ram over the demon king Ravana and is a Hindu festival.

Screengrab of the tweet by Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi has shrewdly avoided sharing images of Hindu deities and this is not the first time that he has resorted to such a practice. In July, Rahul Gandhi included an infographic with the word “Rath Yatra” and a picture of three ’empty’ chariots.

As is customary with the Congress leader, Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Balabhadra’s images were absent from his Twitter post.

On the occasion of Ram Navami in April 2020, Rahul Gandhi posted an infographic that read, “Shree Ram Navami”. Interestingly, the image of Prabhu Ram was missing from the post.

Rahul Gandhi’s Tweet on the occasion of Ram Navami (source: Twitter)

A month prior to this, Gandhi-scion Rahul Gandhi was caught shaming ‘Hindus’ on the occasion of Saraswati Puja as he politicised the festival by dragging the hijab row.

Rahul Gandhi’s tweet on Saraswati Puja was about promoting Hijab and shaming Hindus on their festival

Last year, the Congress leader had wished his followers on the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. He had shared a graphic with the inscription “Ganesh Chaturthi ki hardik shubhkamnaye”. However, one crucial element is missing from the tweet. The image of Lord Ganesh himself.

Rahul Gandhi Dussehra
Image source: Rahul Gandhi’s Twitter account

In another instance, Rahul Gandhi had wished Hindus on the occasion of Shri Krishna Janmasthami. However, the image of Bal Gopal or baby Krishna, the deity who is worshipped on the occasion of Janmashtami, was missing.

Rahul Gandhi Dussehra
Rahul Gandhi’s Tweet on last year’s Janmasthami (source: Twitter)

In June last year, Rahul Gandhi’s Ratha Yatra tweet just had the image of the Puri Jagannath temple.

Rahul Gandhi Dussehra
Rahul Gandhi’s last year’s Tweet on the occasion of Rath Yatra (Source: Twitter)

Again during Maha Shivarathri, Rahul Gandhi put out an image of the Kailash mountains instead of posting Lord Shiva’s images or his symbols in his tweet.

Rahul Gandhi Dussehra
Rahul Gandhi’s last year’s Tweet on Mahashivratri (source: Twitter)

Such tweets have often triggered discussions on social media platforms as to whether they are meant to ‘appease’ or confirm certain Abrahamic beliefs. Netizens have time and again accused Rahul Gandhi of mistreating Hindus and often hinted at a larger conspiracy by the Congress leader to secularise Hindu festivals.

Why is Shastra Puja performed on Vijayadashmi, and the significance it holds for PM Modi

Anurag
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Why is Shastra Puja performed on Vijayadashmi, and the significance it holds for PM Modi

The Hindus worldwide are celebrating Vijayadashmi, the day of victory of Good over Evil. It is also a day to perform Shastra Puja—the rituals that entail worshipping Shastras or weapons. According to Hindu holy books, on this day, Goddess Durga killed the demon Mahishasura after a fierce battle that lasted for nine days. Following the death of Mahishasura, the weapons of Goddess Durga that she used in the battle were worshipped by the Gods.

During Shastra Puja, Goddess Parvati, Lakshmi and Saraswati are worshipped to receive their blessings for strength and power. As per Hindu scriptures, Bhagwan Ram performed Shastra Puja before heading to the battleground against the evil king of Lanka, Ravana, who was killed on this day.

Shastra Puja has also been referred to in Mahabharata. Legends say that weapons were worshipped before the begging of the Kurukshetra war, and they helped the Pandavas to stand victorious against the Kauravas.

The tradition of worshipping weapons was kept alive by the Kings and Queens of the Hindu religion, and the tradition has been continued in modern times as well. The armed forces and leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh and many others, have participated in Shastra Puja from time to time.

How Shastra Puja is done?

During the Shastra Puja, the weapons are kept on a high pedestal. The priests and warriors who are performing the puja take the water of the holy Ganga River and sprinkle it on the weapons. After that, the weapons are adorned with fresh flowers. During the whole time, mantras are chanted to invoke the Gods and Goddesses to receive blessings.

Then, turmeric and vermillion are applied to the weapons. It is considered a sign of respect. The leaves of the ‘Shami’ tree are also kept on the weapons. The Shami tree has been mentioned in many Hindu holy books, including Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas. It is believed that the Shami tree has the power to reduce the effect of Bhagwan Shani or Planet Shani. As per astrology, any person who is under the influence of Planet Shani should plant a Shami tree at his or her house.

It is also believed that the Shami tree can reduce the effect of negative energy in the house. The leaves of the Shami tree are also used to worship Bhagwan Ganesha and Maa Durga. Legends said when Arjuna disguised himself as Brihannala, he hid his bow (Gandiva) on a Shami tree.

It is notable that only weapons are not worshipped on this day. Those who are not warriors but are in different fields like IT, engineering, etc. worship their tools. In some Hindu families, students worship books on this day as well.

Raksha Manti Rajnath Singh performed Shastra Puja

On October 5, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh celebrated Vijayadashmi with soldiers and performed Shastra Puja in Auli. In a tweet, he wrote, “On the auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami, ‘Shastra Puja’ was performed in Auli today. There is a very ancient tradition of weapon worship in India. The soldiers of our country have always protected the nation through their valour and weapons.”

Shastra Puja by PM Modi

It is noteworthy to mention that PM Modi does Shastra Puja every year, and photographs and videos of him performing the puja often surface on the internet. On October 5, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and spokesperson Sambit Patra shared a video of PM Modi performing Shastra Puja from 2009 when he was chief minister of Gujarat. In the video, PM Modi could be heard describing the importance of Shastra Puja.

He said, “We worship treatise and weapons in this country. Is there any place in the world where a treatise was materialised while standing at a battleground? India is the only country where in Mahabharata, during the war of Kurukshetra Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, was born. You see, they had weapons in their hands. Everyone was all set to kill each other. Their eyes were glowing with rage. The divine powers were waiting to finish the evil powers. Still, at that time, Bhagwan Shri Krishna used the path of treatise to tell why evil powers needed to be defeated. He described the need for divine powers to win over the evil powers by materialising Gita.”

He added, “Is it possible to materialise treatise while standing in the middle of a battleground? It is only possible in this country. The place that was filled with weapons became the ground of the birth of the treatise. This is why the weapons in our country are bound to the treatise. The people who hold the weapons are not allowed to misuse the weapons in this country. They cannot misuse them even against animals. The weapons must be used properly. The weapons must be used against the evil powers to save the common people. This is why we invoke the divine powers in this country.”

PM Modi performed Shatra Puja in 2013, like every year, at his residence with the security personnel. He worshipped the weapons such as swords, bows and arrows etc., which he received as a gift during public programmes. Photographs from this event are often shared on social media platforms.

Shastra Puja by armed forces holds a lot of significance in India as it has been a tradition for thousands of years. It invokes the divine power inside them to be strong while fighting for the country. Leaders performing rituals invoke a feeling of security among the general public as it helps in fading the barriers between the public and the leaders. The sense of oneness and belongingness makes it easier for the public to express their views, happiness and sorrow in front of their leaders.

‘Zan, Zendegi, Azadi’: Iranian schoolgirls join mass protests against Islamist regime, throw away mandatory hijabs to demand freedom

Siddhi
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‘Zan, Zendegi, Azadi’: Iranian schoolgirls join mass protests against Islamist regime, throw away mandatory hijabs to demand freedom

As the protests against the death of Mahsa Amini gather steam in Iran, now thousands of schoolgirls have joined in to demand freedom from the mandatory hijab laws in the Islamic country. Girls in schools are removing their headscarves and showing their hair as a mark of protest.

“Zan, Zendegi, Azadi (Women, Life, Freedom)”, they yelled often throwing away or burning their hijabs in remarkable scenes. Protests by schoolgirls were reported in Karaj, Tehran and the north-western cities of Saqez and Sanandaj.

This is days after an Iranian woman named Mahsa Amini was apprehended and brutally beaten by the ‘morality police’ for not complying with the mandatory hijab laws of the country. She later was shifted to the hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. Amini was abducted by the ‘morality police’ who assaulted her under the pretext of ‘re-education class’. Later the Police tried to conceal the matter and claimed that the woman already was a heart patient and had died due to her medical problems.

The incident which happened in the second week of September enraged the entire country. The protests have now reached the Iranian schools and colleges where the girl students are opposing the hijab laws. Several students on October 4 marched on the streets without hijabs and demanded freedom for women. The video of the protests went viral over the internet though the country has imposed an internet crackdown, attempting to blackout the coverage of the massive protest.

According to the reports, Iranians are utilizing VPNs or the Tor connection to get footage of the huge protests viewed by the outside world despite the internet ban. Photos and videos showing women removing their headscarf in Iran’s capital Tehran, as well as recordings of students smashing up photos of Iran’s Supreme Leader, have been uploaded.

Massive protests are said to have happened in Karaj where the schoolgirls not only demanded freedom from hijab for women but also forced an education official out of their school. “Shame on you, shame on you”, they yelled and threw whatever appeared before them including empty water bottles at him. The video of the incident was posted on social media showing the girls chasing the official at the school gate.

Students could be heard crying in another video from Karaj, which is to the west of Tehran, “If we don’t unite, they will kill us one by one.” Meanwhile, scores of schoolgirls halted traffic on a prominent route in the southern city of Shiraz by waving their headscarves in the air and yelling “death to the dictator”, referring to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the last word on all state affairs of the country.

A handful of girl students also could be seen standing with their heads uncovered in their classrooms. Some were making an obscene gestures with their middle fingers toward images of Ayatollah Khamenei and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic.

Iranian school girls without hijab on the school premises (Source- BBC)

Visuals of the protests show thousands of angry women taking to the streets, chanting Zan, Zendegi, Azadi (Woman, Life, Freedom) against the mandatory hijab laws imposed by the Islamic regime. They burned the hijabs on the streets and also the posters of Iranian leaders. Ayatollah Khamenei has accused Iran’s arch-enemies, the United States and Israel, of instigating riots. The protests at the schools and colleges, however, intensified hours after Ayatollah Khamenei’s statements.

Many Muslim women do not choose to wear a hijab. But unfortunately, even the privileged segments of Muslim society do not often have the option of rejecting it once it has become the norm. Women in Iran and other Muslim countries are seeking to abolish the hijab rule, which religious police forcibly enforce upon them.

Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the hijab became mandatory in public for Iranian women and girls above the age of nine. Many Iranian women have broken the prohibition and pushed the limits of what officials consider acceptable apparel throughout the years. In recent months, Iran’s state-sponsored ethical patrols have increased their appearance in major cities, intimidating and pulling women from the streets due to their attire choices.

After nearly three weeks of ongoing protests, it is evident that Iran’s government is under pressure and its opponents are no longer merely politicians or young women. The anti-hijab movement is rapidly gathering support from all over the world. The schoolgirls, most of them too young to comprehend geopolitics and national affairs, are aware of the restrictions imposed on them by the Islamic hardliners because they have been living under the Islamic regime’s oppression.

Reports mention that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi today called for national unity in the country and attempted to calm public resentment against the Iranian authorities. Raisi recognised the Islamic Republic’s ‘weaknesses and shortcomings’, but reiterated the official line that the turmoil prompted by Amini’s killing last month was nothing less than a conspiracy by Iran’s adversaries.

Year after ‘Dismantling Global Hindutva’, another anti-Hindu conference set to be organised in America

OpIndia Staff
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Year after ‘Dismantling Global Hindutva’, another anti-Hindu conference set to be organised in America

A year after the infamous anti-Hindu conference called ‘Dismantling Global Hindutva’ was conspired, an American University has come up with yet another conference having anti-Hindu and anti-India themes for its sessions. The 2022 New York Conference on Asian Studies is being organised on the 7th and 8th of October 2022 at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at the Syracuse University of New York.

Besides fillers like Asian and Asian American art exhibitions and music, documentary screenings and discussions, and dance programs with nomadic performers, the main part of this conference comprise panel discussions on different topics related to Asian countries like China, India, Korea, etc.

The conference is titled “State and society in Asia: Past and Present”. The topics specified for a panel session to be held in the afternoon between 1:45 pm to 3:45 pm on 7th October 2022 are objectionable enough to draw the ire of Hindus. The subject of the session is “Religion and Politics in South Asia”. Radha Kumar of Syracuse University is chairing the session. Ankush Arora of Syracuse University, Yash Sharma of the University of Cincinnati, Syed Jalil Hussain and Geethika Dharmasinghe of Cornell University, Katyayini Richhariya of Tufts University, and Mohammad Habib Raza of BRAC University are participating in this session.

Ankush Arora is going to talk about “Symbol of Divinity or Deadly Weapon? Visualization of the Cow in Indian Calendar Art and Digital Media”. Yash Sharma has chosen a topic titled “Hindutva, Militarism, and Everyday Insecurity in India”. Syed Jalil Hussain will talk on “Seeing beyond the State: Sectarian Insecurities, State Coercion, and Transnational Shiite Networks in Kashmir”.

Geethika Dharmasighe has chosen a yet more weird issue for her discussion. She is going to talk about “Buddhist Modernity Modelled after Islam”. Katyayini Richhariya will present her thoughts on “Religion, Hate Speech, and the Indian and Pakistani States”. Mohammad Habib Raza will share his views on “Rethinking the architectural history teaching of Bangladesh: a global perspective for (South) Asia”.

The agenda continues in other sessions. In another session on the subject “Alternative Regimes of Power and Protection: Ritual Interiors and Experiential Infrastructures of Society and State” to be jointly chaired by Ross Freedenberg and Shannon Novak of Syracuse University, Mona Bhan of Syracuse University and Radhika Govindarajan from the University of Washington are going to present their thoughts on “More-Than-Human Fascism: On Cows, Rivers, and Hindu Supremacy”. However, to put on a mask of inter-faith balance, the same session consists of a talk by Vaidehi Paneri of Syracuse University on the topic “Hindu-Muslim Religious Syncretism”.

The organizers of the conference have also attempted to attack the popular culture of India and seem to have some problems with the nationalistic portrayal in Indian cinemas. This was reflected by the details of another session. This session is titled “Sonic and Visual Representations of Asian-ness in Global Multi-Media”. It will be chaired by Natalie Sarrazin of SUNY Brockport. The chairperson herself is going to talk about “For whom does the Heroine Sing? Auto-Representation and Transnationalism in Hindi Film Music”.

For second year in a row, such an attempt of demeaning Hinduism and Hindutva is seen in which demonizing Hindu symbols is at the core of the agenda. Earlier, one such conference called ‘Dismantling Global Hindutva‘ was planned but it could not take place.

Himachal Pradesh: PM Modi inaugurates AIIMS in Bilaspur, says Himachal will now play a crucial role in ‘Jeevan Raksha’

OpIndia Staff
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Himachal Pradesh: PM Modi inaugurates AIIMS in Bilaspur, says Himachal will now play a crucial role in ‘Jeevan Raksha’

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Himachal Pradesh’s Bilaspur. In his address, PM Modi said that the hospital will be called the ‘Green Hospital’. 

“In the last 8 years, we have worked relentlessly on ensuring that the development benefits reach the remotest parts of the country. AIIMS Bilaspur not just increases access to affordable healthcare but is eco-friendly as well and thus will be known as ‘Green AIIMS’,” PM Modi said in his speech in Bilaspur.

PM Modi called the inauguration of AIIMS a moment of pride for Himachal, noting that the state had a significant role to play in “Rashtra Raksha” and that the hospital will now play a “crucial role in Jeevan Raksha.” He also noted that Himachal is one of the three states selected to establish Bulk Drugs Park, which will guarantee that India’s citizens have access to affordable medications.

“One of the four states selected for the Medical Device Park is Himachal Pradesh. The foundation stone for the same has been laid in Nalagarh, he said.

PM Modi laid emphasis on the promotion of Medical tourism in Himachal in order to attract people from across the world to come to India and visit Himachal for its holistic healing aided by top-class health facilities and a healthy and beautiful environment.

“It is the Centre’s endeavour to decrease the expense on medicines and to also ensure that they obtain the essential treatment without going too far off regions” in order to promote the ease of living for the poor and middle-class sections of society.

PM Modi also said that it is the key focus of the “double-engine government” in Himachal Pradesh to ensure the dignity of the people.

Furthermore, PM Modi called the state “the land of opportunities” and said that tourism here provides significant opportunities for employment, fertile land for growing fruits and vegetables, and generating electricity.

PM Modi also lauded CM Jairam Thakur for his prompt actions to turn various development projects into reality. 

“Your votes made it possible for the opening of AIIMS Bilaspur, the Atal Tunnel, the Hydro-Engineering College in Bandla, and the Medical Device Park in Nalagarh. It is because of you only that you bless me and when I bring development projects to the state, Jairam Thakur turns them successful,” he said.

“Today, Himachal Pradesh has a central university, an IIT, an IIM and now AIIMS Bilaspur will add to Himachal’s pride. The Bulk Drugs Park being developed in Himachal Pradesh will be key in ensuring access to affordable medicines in India,” PM added.

Earlier in his address, PM Modi extended greetings to people on the occasion of Dussehra and expressed his joy over being a part of the International Kullu Dussehra Festival that will be celebrated from October 5 to 11 at Kullu’s Dhalpur Ground.

Notably, it is the first time that the Prime Minister of the country is participating in the Kullu Dussehra festivities.

“I am very fortunate to take part in the Kullu festival after many years, I will seek blessings for our country by joining the Raghunath Ji Yatra.

PM Modi also asserted that the developmental projects inaugurated on the auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami will play a pivotal role in achieving the vision of a developed India through the ‘Panch Pran’.

“I am overjoyed to provide the people of Himachal Pradesh with various health, education, and infrastructure projects worth thousands of crores. People of Himachal have received the double gift,” he said.

AIIMS Bilaspur

AIIMS, Bilaspur, built at a cost of over Rs 1,470 crore, is a state-of-the-art hospital with 18 speciality and 17 super-speciality divisions, 18 modular operation theatres, and 750 beds, including 64 ICU beds, was inaugurated today.

The hospital, which spans 247 acres, is equipped with 24-hour emergency and dialysis facilities as well as cutting-edge diagnostic equipment including ultrasonography, CT scan, and MRI, among other things. A 30-bed AYUSH block and a Jan Aushadhi Kendra are also there.

In October 2017, PM Modi lay the foundation for the newly built hospital, which was established under the Central government’s Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana.

How Islamists, ‘liberals’ cry foul over public flogging of stone-pelters but give free pass to the crime they committed on Hindus celebrating Navratri

Amit Kelkar
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How Islamists, ‘liberals’ cry foul over public flogging of stone-pelters but give free pass to the crime they committed on Hindus celebrating Navratri

On Monday (October 3) night, a menacing mob of 150 Islamists laid siege on a Navratri Garba event in Undhela village in the Kheda district of Gujarat.

As per reports, they pelted stones at a Hindu temple, which hosted the event on its premises. Islamists had earlier objected to the conduct of the Hindu religious event by the village sarpanch (Head) under the pretext that a mosque was in the vicinity of the temple.

When the Hindu devotees refused to give in to their demands and went ahead with the Navratri Garba programme, the mob of Islamists came to disrupt the event.

While a total of 43 people were named in the case, only about 13 people could be detained by the police. They were brought back to the village on Tuesday (October 4) and allegedly caned by police personnel for pelting stones at the temple. The accused were also asked to apologise to the public.

Deputy Superintendent of Police VR Bajpai informed, “Police detained 13 persons after the FIR was registered at Matar police station. The village sarpanch (head) had organised Garba at a temple. A mob from the Muslim community tried to stop it from taking place.”

A video of the incident has now gone viral on social media. Islamists and their sympathisers quickly hopped on the opportunity to cast aspersions on law enforcement authorities.

Congress leader, Karti P Chidambaram, tweeted, “The BJP is making India into a Hindutva Iran. Public flogging like the fundamentalist Islamiuc nations, makes India no different from them. What next public beheadings? And the chants?”

Screengrab of the tweet by Karti P Chidamabaram

The incident was further amplified by the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), which shrewdly omitted the mention of stone pelting by the Islamists.

It claimed, “Police in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party ruled Gujarat state publicly flogged 9 Muslim men in front of a cheering crowd chanting “Hail Mother India” slogans. This is cruel, inhuman & prohibited under the international human rights Law.”

The IAMC is a Jamat-e-Islami-backed lobbyist organisation claiming to be a rights advocacy group. In the past, it had reportedly collaborated with and had even paid money to various groups in the USA to get India blacklisted by the USCIRF (United States Commission on International Religious Freedom).

Majid Freeman, who peddled fake stories to rationalise violence by Islamists in Leicester, also claimed, “Muslims flogged publicly in Kheda, India. In BJP ruled Gujarat, 9 Muslim men who were allegedly arrested for throwing stones at a Garba event were tied to a pole & publicly flogged with a cane by the Police while the crowd chanted ‘Hail Mother India’ slogans.”

‘Journalist’ Saba Naqvi claimed that the image of stone pelters, allegedly thrashed by police personnel, will remain forever etched in public memory.

“So the next time you read of mass floggings in theocratic states don’t feel superior and say we have the rule of law in Democratic India. This image should stay with us,” she wrote.

One may recall how Islamists were rallying to censor the viral video of Kanhaiya Lal’s beheading under the pretext that it would incite a chain of violent events. The same coterie is now reposting the video of alleged police personnel thrashing stone pelters in full public glare.

Islamists have yet again pulled out the same tricks from the playbook they have mastered for years. By accusing police of high-handedness, they implicitly exonerated the stone-pelters who attacked Hindus and instead passed the buck on conscientious law enforcement officials who created an example out of the rioters by public dispensation of justice. 

Hindus in India are caught in a state of dilemma. They can neither demand protection from the State as they happen to be the ‘non-violent majority’ nor can they defend themselves out of the fear of being called brute majoritarians, oblivious to minority rights.

Before attacking law enforcement officials for teaching Islamists a lesson about their lives, it serves well to remember that if the rioters are allowed to have their way, they won’t flinch from pulling off another Kishan Bharwad, Kanhaiya Lal, or Kamlesh Tiwari. 

Radical Muslims target Indian Cricketer Mohammed Shami for posting Dussehra greetings, school him on Islam and demand fatwa

OpIndia Staff
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Radical Muslims target Indian Cricketer Mohammed Shami for posting Dussehra greetings, school him on Islam and demand fatwa

The Hindu festival of Dussehra, which represents the triumph of virtue over evil, is being celebrated across the country today with much grandeur and devotion. While many celebrities took to their social media accounts to wish citizens a Happy Dussehra, cricketer Mohammed Shami who is currently in the news for the T20 World Cup selections also shared good wishes on the occasion. However, the Islamists didn’t like it and slammed Shami for celebrating the Hindu festival and accused him of going against his religion for his career.

On Wednesday, Mohammed Shami shared an image of Lord Rama killing the Ravana and greeted people on Dussehra. “On the auspicious occasion of Dussehra, I pray that Lord Ram fills your life with lots of prosperity, success and happiness. Wishing you and your family a very Happy Dussehra”, he tweeted.

The Islamist netizens didn’t like the post shared by Shami and scolded him for going against his religion. Radical netizens also schooled him about Islam and indicated that it was a sin for Muslims to share wishes on Dussehra. One of the twitter users named Akeel Bhatti commented on Shami’s post and said, “Shame on Shami. Are you a Muslim?”.

Screenshot from Twitter

Another one with a handle named Ibn-e-Ahmed accused him of using the occasion to be a part of Indian Cricket Team in the T20 World Cup. “Team nahi lenge bhai (They’ll still not take you in the team)”, the user said. Also, one named Aman Mirza stated that the Cricketer had lost his mind. “May Allah Guide”, he wished.

Screenshot from Twitter

Shami has not been a part of the Indian Cricket Team for long now and is in the news amid the T20 World Cup. The Indian Cricket team selectors are thinking to replace the ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah with Mohammed Shami for the mega tournament, provided the latter has completely recovered from the after-effects of COVID-19. Bumrah has been ruled out of the T-20 World Cup in Australia due to a stress fracture, and he can take several months to recover.

Blatantly slamming the cricketer, one of the female Islamists on September 5 asked whether any Hindu cricketer had earlier wished on an Islamic occasion or Christian occasion. “Shame on you. Are you a believer of Lord Rama?”, she pondered.

Screenshot from Twitter

Meanwhile, many other trolling Twitter handles reminded Shami that he was a Muslim and had committed a sin by praising Lord Rama on the occasion of Vijayadashami. “Fatwa loading on you”, “Yes, Fatwa should load, that’s being us, no compromise”, the hatred-spreading tweets read.

Screenshot from Twitter
Screenshot from Twitter

Similarly, Islamist netizens also slammed Radio Mirchi RJ Sayema for wishing good on Dussehra. Sayema on Wednesday tweeted on the occasion of Dussehra saying, “May we always carry the fire within, to fight with evils, both inside and outside. Happy Dussehra”. Islamists netizens happened to school Sayema and said, “It’s unislamic to wish in Dussehra”. Some also called her jahil (ignorant fool).

Screenshot from Twitter
Screenshot from Twitter

Reports mention that the cricketer Mohammed Shami is facing fitness-related issues after he was diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus. The national selectors and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are set to defer the announcement of a replacement for Jasprit Bumrah with Shami provided his health shows positive signs of improvement.

“Shami is obviously someone who’s in the standbys. Unfortunately for us, he couldn’t play in this series. It would’ve been ideal from that perspective, but he’s in the National Cricket Academy at the moment. We’ve to get reports as to how he’s recovering, and what’s his status after 14-15 days of COVID, and we’ll take a call. Once I get a report on how he’s feeling, then obviously we can really take a call on how to move forward on it”, head coach Rahul Dravid was quoted saying.

At present, though Shami is showing positive signs of fitness, everyone concerned wants to be sure about his readiness for the championship from October 16 to November 13. The pacer now has been asked to report to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.

Schrödinger’s Mehbooba: Ex J&K CM claims police has put her under house arrest, police denies, she then claims they locked her from inside: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Schrödinger’s Mehbooba: Ex J&K CM claims police has put her under house arrest, police denies, she then claims they locked her from inside: Details

On October 4, former Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) and President of Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (JKPDP) Mehbooba Mufti claimed that she is under house arrest. Mehbooba claimed that she was put under house arrest after she expressed her desire to attend a worker’s wedding in Pattan.

In a tweet, she shared a photograph of a locked gate and said, “While HM is going around Kashmir beating drums of normalcy, I am under house arrest for simply wanting to visit Pattan for a worker’s wedding. If an ex-CM’s fundamental rights can be suspended so easily, one can’t even imagine the plight of a commoner.”

Mehbooba Mufti claimed she was put under house arrest by J&K police. Source: Twitter

However, soon after her tweet, Srinagar police categorically denied her claims. Quoting her tweet, Srinagar police said, “It is clarified that no restriction of any kind travel to pattan, travel to Pattan was at 1 pm as intimated to us. The picture tweeted by her is of the inside of the gate with its own lock of residents who stay in the bungalow. There is no lock or any restrictions. She is free to travel.”

When Mehbooba realised that she was caught red-handed by the police, she made a rather bizarre claim that the police locked the gates from inside. Quoting Srinagar police, she said, “I was informed last night by SP Baramulla Rayees Mohammad Bhat that I wouldn’t be allowed to travel to Pattan. Today Jammu and Kashmir police have themselves locked my gates from inside & are now lying through their teeth. Sad that law enforcement agencies are brazenly trying to cover up their tracks.”

Mehbooba Mufti claimed police locked doors from inside. Source: Twitter

Srinagar police further refuted her claims. They quoted Mehbooba and said that there were certain security-related inputs, and those were conveyed to her. In the tweet, Srinagar police said, “Again reiterating you are free to go, madam, official message has already been sent in this regard from PCR Kashmir. There were certain security-related inputs that were conveyed to you before planning the visit as is routine. If you still don’t want to visit, we can’t help it, madam.”

Mehbooba Mufti’s history of baseless claims

This is not the first time ex-CM Mehbooba Mufti made allegedly baseless claims. In November 2020, she took to Twitter to claim that she had been ‘illegally’ detained for over two days. She had also claimed that the Jammu and Kashmir police had stopped her from visiting the Youth President of PDP, Waheed Ur Rehman. While crying foul over the alleged house arrest, Mehbooba Mufti stated that the BJP was indiscriminately detaining her from allowing others to move about freely.

In September 2022, Mehbooba claimed that Muslim students were forced to sing bhajans in schools. She posted a video on her Twitter handle in which school children in Kulgam were seen singing the bhajan ‘Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram’. Claiming that Muslim students in schools in Kashmir were being forced to sing Hindu bhajans, Mufti rebuked the central government for imposing their ‘Hindutva agenda’.

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