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POCSO Act overrides Personal Law, minor Muslim girl’s marriage invalid as the age for sexual activities is 18 years, rules Karnataka High Court

OpIndia Staff
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POCSO Act overrides Personal Law, minor Muslim girl’s marriage invalid as the age for sexual activities is 18 years, rules Karnataka High Court

Amid the ongoing demand for Uniform Civil Code in the country, the Karnataka High Court has ruled that marriage of a minor Muslim girl is invalid because it violates the POCSO Act, even though the Muslim Personal Law allows the marriage of Muslim girls above 15 years of age. The Karnataka High Court rejected a defendant’s argument in a case involving a minor Muslim girl that suggested a Muslim girl’s marriage upon attaining puberty, i.e. the age of 15 years, will not go against the Prohibition Of Child Marriage Act, 2006. Justice Rajendra Badamikar observed that The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act overrides the personal law. As per the act, the legal age for any woman to get involved in sexual activities is 18 years.

The High Court said that POCSO is a Special Act and it overrides the personal law which is based on Sharia Law. As she was found to be minor, the police filed a case against her husband, and he was arrested.

Seeking bail, the man had contended that he has not violated any law because under Mohammedan Law, girls who have attained puberty are considered eligible for marriage, and 15 years of age is normally accepted as the age of puberty. The man had argued that since the girl has attained puberty, he had violated the Child Marriage Restraint Act.

The case was related to a 17-year-old Muslim girl who had gone to a primary health centre for a medical checkup, where she was found to be pregnant. As per reports, on June 16, 2022, the victim approached Primary Health Care for a medical check-up, where it was found that she was pregnant. She informed the healthcare officials that she was 17 years old. A complaint was filed in the matter by the Sub-Inspector of Police at KR Puram Police Station against the accused.

The counsel of the accused sought bail from the High Court and argued that under Mohammedan Law, puberty is considered while determining the age of the marriage, and normal puberty age is treated as 15 years. Thus, the counsel requested bail stating the girl had attained puberty, and there was no basis for the case under Sections 9 and 10 of the Child Marriage Restrain Act.

The Court was not satisfied with the argument and stressed that POCSO is a Special Act and it overrides the personal law. As per the POCSO Act, the age for being involved in sexual activities is 18 years.

However, after making this observation, the court granted bail to the man considering that the woman is aged 17 years, capable of understanding things, and there was no evidence that she had objected to the marriage.

As the girl was of 17 years when she approached the health care officials and she was capable of understanding things, it was prima-facie clear that she was also a consenting party though she was under the influence of her parents.

The Court said, “Admittedly, the petitioner is the husband of the victim and looking at these facts and circumstances, there is no serious dispute regarding the marriage as the petitioner himself has produced the relevant documents before the Trial.” Bail was granted to the accused on a personal bond for a sum of Rs 1,00,000.

Multiple courts stated that Muslim girls could marry at the age of 15

The Karnataka High Court’s judgement saying POCSO oversides Personal Law is significant because, in the past, several High Courts have ruled that marriage of Muslim girls above 15 years of age or those who have attained puberty is legal as per Muslim Personal Law, which is based on Sharia Law.

In a recent such judgement, the Punjab and Haryana High Court said that a Muslim female aged 15 years and above can legally marry a person of her choice on her own consent and willingness. On October 28, Punjab and Haryana Court reaffirmed that a Muslim girl who reaches the age of 15 can marry whoever she wants, and such a marriage would not violate the Prohibition of Child Marriage (PCM) Act. Notably, according to the personal laws in Islam (Sharia), the age of attaining puberty is 15.

The High Court also reassured that Muslim girls will continue to be governed by Islamic personal laws. The Court had added that such a marriage would not contradict the terms of Section 12 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006.

However, the Supreme Court will be examining the matter on the petition filed by the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), challenging the said judgement.

In June 2012, Delhi High Court had said in a judgment that a Muslim girl could marry a person of her choice at the age of 15 if she had attained puberty.

In December 2014, Gujarat High Court said that the marriageable age of Muslim girls was 15 years and above.

In December 2021, Punjab and Haryana Court had asked the authorities to provide protection to a 17-year-old girl who had married a 33-year-old Muslim man suggesting that as per Islamic law, a girl above the age of 15 can marry a person of her choice.

‘AAP sending black money to its Gujarat leaders through Hawala and Angadia routes’: Alleges Gujarat minister Harsh Sanghavi

OpIndia Staff
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‘AAP sending black money to its Gujarat leaders through Hawala and Angadia routes’: Alleges Gujarat minister Harsh Sanghavi

Ahead of the assembly elections in Gujarat, state Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi on Saturday accused Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of sending black money through Hawala and Angadia routes. The minister also alleged that the AAP candidate from Bardoli, Rajendra Solanki has even admitted to having received money from AAP’s Delhi office.

“AAP sent black money to Gujarat via Hawala and ‘Angadia’ from Delhi, Punjab, and other sources. This money has been nabbed in Bardoli, Ahmedabad, and other locations. AAP Bardoli candidate has admitted that the funds came from the Delhi AAP office,” Sanghavi told the media.

Moreover, the Gujarat Home Minister of State questioned, “He received the money from Angadia. Where did this money come from? They intend to foment unrest in Gujarat…this question should be asked from AAP leaders.”

Notably, on Thursday a bag containing Rs 20 lakh in cash was stolen from the car of Rajendra Solanki, the AAP candidate for the Bardoli seat in Surat, according to police, who added that while the bag was retrieved, they had also written to the income tax department in Surat to probe the source of the money.

On the basis of the cash transfer done by one R Jain, the police were able to follow the money trail from Punjab to Delhi to Ahmedabad. According to the police, Jain handed it over to an Ahmedabad angadia (hawala operator) named Chhagan Jyanti, who then distributed it to angadias throughout Gujarat.

The police seized handwritten notes in code from Angadias.  The AAP candidate Rajendra Solanki in his complaint stated that the cash stolen belonged to him, but he later denied it. He also distanced himself from the driver of his car, Santosh Parashar.

“This money does not belong to me; it was sent from Delhi by the AAP for election expenses.” Parashar is not my driver. He is an AAP worker sent from Delhi,” Solanki explained. “I was introduced to him and told that he would manage AAP’s expenses,” he continued. When the money was stolen, Parashar was supposed to hand it over to another driver, NewIndianExpress reported.

The police began investigating the source of the money at this point. Local candidates’ drivers and party workers, according to a senior income tax officer, pick up cash from Angadias and deliver it to candidates and party office bearers. 

Angadias and how they operate

The Angadia system is an unofficial courier cum banking service that operates on mutual trust. They serve as an intermediary for the transfer of crores of rupees belonging to traders and wealthy individuals. Their primary operating area is between Mumbai and Gujarat.

They use code words like Jokhim and Zhewar to convey the contents of the parcel when doing business. Mumbai and Gujarat traders and businessmen rely heavily on them to transfer money, jewelry, and diamonds. They deliver in less than 24 hours for a very low fee.

‘Sun is worshipped as it is the centre of whole life and not just way of worshipping’: PM Modi talks about Chhath Puja in Mann Ki Baat

OpIndia Staff
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‘Sun is worshipped as it is the centre of whole life and not just way of worshipping’: PM Modi talks about Chhath Puja in Mann Ki Baat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 94th edition of ‘Mann Ki Baat‘ on Sunday, October 30, 2022. During this, he said that ‘Chhath’, the festival of sun worship, is being celebrated in many parts of the country today. The Prime Minister said that lakhs of devotees have reached their villages, their homes, and their families to be a part of the Chhath festival. He prayed that Chhathi Maiya blesses everyone’s prosperity and welfare. It is notable that Sunday is the day of Sandhya Arghya of Chhath.

PM Modi said that the tradition of Sun Worship is proof of how deeply our culture and our faith are connected to nature. He said that through this puja, the importance of sunlight in our lives has been explained, and at the same time the message has also been given that ups and downs are an integral part of life. He also said that the festival of Chhath is also an example of ‘Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat’. PM Modi pointed out how Chhath is being organized with pomp in whichever corner of the country the people of Bihar and Purvanchal are in today.

The Prime Minister said that Chhath has started being organized on a large scale in different districts of Maharashtra including Delhi, Mumbai, and many parts of Gujarat. PM Modi said, earlier the Chhath puja was not done in Gujarat, but with time, the Chhath Puja is being seen in almost the whole of Gujarat today. He said that he is also very happy to see this. The PM told how nowadays we see how many grand pictures of Chhath Puja come from abroad too.

PM Modi said, “This is the boon of the Lord Sun – Solar Energy. Solar energy is a subject today, in which the whole world is looking at its future and for India, the Lord Sun has been at the center of not only worship but also the way of life for centuries. Today, India is connecting its traditional experiences with modern science, which is why today we have become one of the largest countries making electricity from solar energy. How solar energy is changing the lives of the poor and middle class of our country is also a case study.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in ‘Mann Ki Baat’ that a few days ago, there was a lot of discussion about the country’s first solar village – Modhera in Gujarat. He added that most of the houses of Modhera have started generating electricity from solar power and now many houses there are not getting electricity bills at the end of the month, but, they are receiving the cheque for earning from electricity. He told that our country is doing wonders in the solar sector as well as in the space sector and the whole world is surprised to see India’s achievements today.

PM Modi said, “India has put 36 satellites in space at a time. This success, which came just a day before Diwali, is in a way a special Diwali gift from our youth to the country. I am also reminded of the old times when India was denied cryogenic rocket technology. But India’s scientists not only developed indigenous technology but today with its help, dozens of satellites are being sent to space in one go.”

The Wire throws Devesh Kumar under the bus in the Meta controversy, files a complaint against him, but questions remain

OpIndia Staff
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The Wire throws Devesh Kumar under the bus in the Meta controversy, files a complaint against him, but questions remain

Hours after Delhi Police filed FIR against The Wire, its founder and editors over a complaint filed by Bhartiya Janata Party’s IT Cell Chief Amit Malviya, The Wire has filed a complaint against one of the Meta stories, and Tek Fog stories author Devesh Kumar. Notably, Devesh Kumar has removed all his social media presence since the stories on Meta, and Tek Fog were retracted by The Wire. No complaint has been filed against the co-author of Tek Fog stories and voice behind the controversial DKIM video Ayushman Kaul, who works at Logically.ai.

As per reports, a Delhi Police officer said that The Wire had filed a complaint against Devesh Kumar at the Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police. “The complaint has been filed against Devesh Kumar, who is allegedly involved in the fabrication of documents and forgery. This is in connection with all the Meta stories that were published this month,” said an officer. So far, FIR has not been registered, and the Police are looking into the complaint and allegations.

FIR against The Wire

Earlier, Delhi police registered an FIR against leftist portal The Wire on a complaint filed by BJP leader Amit Malviya for the fake Meta story that has been retracted. Earlier today, Bharatiya Janata Party’s IT cell chief Amit Malviya filed a criminal complaint against The Wire and its editorial team for their now-withdrawn Meta reports against him. The complaint was filed with The Special Commissioner of Police – Crime of the Delhi Police. Amit Malviya has said The Wire falsified papers in an effort to slander and damage his reputation.

Apart from the left-wing portal The Wire, Amit Malviya has named its founder editors, Siddharth Varadarajan, Sidharth Bhatia and MK Venu, and Deputy Editor Jahnavi Sen, as accused in the complaint. Apart from this, a complaint has also been filed against unknown persons. Jahnavi Sen had written the report on October 10 claiming that Amit Malviya has been given Xcheck privilege to remove content from Instagram.

Notably, Devesh Kumar and Ayushman Kaul were not named by Amit Malviya in his complaint. While Devesh worked extensively on Meta and Tek Fog stories, Kaul was a co-author in Tek Fog stories and gave voice to the controversial DKIM video by The Wire.

Questions that remain unanswered from The Wire

It is noteworthy that The Wire has thrown Devesh Kumar under the bus despite the fact that The Wire’s Founding Editor Siddharth Varadarajan categorically said in an interview with Platformer that he was “hands-on involved in the story”. In the interview, he had said, “I don’t think we should make this about Devesh, frankly. This should be equally about me; I was hands-on involved in the story. The point is that, yes, there were some questions raised by some aspects of Tek Fog, but a lot of it actually was validated.”

The now-retracted story titled “Exclusive: ‘How the Hell Did Document Leak?’ – Meta Internal Mail Belies ‘Fabricated’ Charge Against The Wire” has bylines of Jahnavi Sen and Siddharth Varadarajan. If the fabricated documents were, in fact, provided by Devesh, why was he not given credit in the story? If we look at the archive version of this particular story, Devesh only got credit for the artwork used. The rest of the credit was with Jahnavi and Siddharth. 

Notably, Devesh did get byline with Jahnavi and Siddharth in a follow-up report dated October 15 titled “Meta Said Damaging Internal Email is ‘Fake’, URL ‘Not in Use’, Here’s Evidence They’re Wrong”. It should be kept in mind both Jahnavi and Siddharth were co-authors of this story as well.

Meta Vs The Wire saga

On October 6, The Wire published a report that an alleged satire piece was removed by Instagram. This post had byline of Jahnavi Sen, who is also named in police complaint filed by Malviya. On October 10, The Wire published another story claiming it was Amit Malviya who got the post removed. This report, too, has only Sen’s byline. When Meta denied allegations, they came up with another story claiming Andy Stone, Head of Communication at Meta, was furious as the information regarding powers given to XCheck-linked accounts got leaked. This third story had Sen and Siddharth Varadarajan’s bylines. For first three stories, in this Meta controversy where forged documents were published, only Sen and Varadarajan took bylines. Only in the subsequent articles was Devesh Kumar given a byline as lead author.

This report contained verification of emails via DKIM (voiced by Ayushman Kaul) and the same had Ujjwal Kumar’s mail as well as ‘evidence’. All of which has now turned up fake. Kumar and Kaul had earlier paired up for The Wire’s ‘exposé’ on Tek Fog app, which claimed to have superhuman powers, again powered by BJP. The ‘app’ never existed and here also it is likely all the screenshots provided by The Wire were fabricated. The Wire has now taken down Tek Fog related stories too. However, The Wire has filed complaint only against Devesh Kumar till now with respect to Meta absurdity.

‘India will become a major manufacturing hub for large aircraft’: PM Modi lays foundation stone for Tata-Airbus C-295 aircraft plant in Vadodara

OpIndia Staff
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‘India will become a major manufacturing hub for large aircraft’: PM Modi lays foundation stone for Tata-Airbus C-295 aircraft plant in Vadodara

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today laid the foundation stone for the plant to manufacture C-295 aircraft in Vadodara in Gujarat. The joint venture of Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems Limited will manufacture 40 C-295 military transport planes at the facility as part of a Rs 22,000 crore deal to supply 56 such aircraft. The Rest 16 planes will be supplied directly from Spain by Airbus.

Laying the foundation stone for the assembly plant, Narendra Modi said that the aircraft manufacturing facility in Vadodara is India’s giant leap towards becoming self-reliant in the aviation sector. He said that India is going to be a major hub for manicuring large aircraft, both passenger and cargo planes.

‘Today India is making its own fighter planes, tanks, submarines, Indian made medicines and vaccines are saving lakhs of people across the world, Indian made electronics gadgets, made in India mobile phones, Indian made cars are available in so many countries,’ the PM said. He said that India is enhancing its capacities with the mantra of Make in India, Made for the Globe.

‘Now, India will become a major manufacturer of transport planes, and that is being started now. And I can foresee the days when large passenger planes of the world will also be made in India, and the words ‘Made in India’ will be written on them’, the PM said. He added that the Vadodara Tata-Airbus facility has the capacity to transform the defence and aerospace sector in the country.

This is the first time that such a large investment is made in India’s defence aerospace sector. Apart from strengthening the country’s defence forces with the C-295 planes, the plant will also start a new ecosystem for aircraft manufacturing in India. The PM said that while India is already making parts of aircraft, this is the first time that military transport planes will be made in India.

PM Modi informed that above 100 MSMEs will be involved with the Tata-Airbus plant, and in future, it will be able to take orders for export. Talking about future aviation demand in the country, the PM said that India will be among the top three nations in the world in terms of air traffic, and there will be crores of new air passengers in the next 4-5 years.

It is estimated that in the next 10-15 years, India alone will require over 2000 passenger and cargo aircraft, which shows the sector will expand rapidly. India is gearing up to meet this huge demand, and today’s event is also a step in that direction. The PM said that India has brought a golden opportunity for the world, and despite restrictions created due to the Covid-19 pandemic, India’s manufacturing sector is growing.

India has an advantage both on cost-competitiveness and quality, the country is offering low-cost and high-output manufacturing, India has a large talent pool of skilled manpower. The reforms done by the government in the last eight years have created an unprecedented environment in India. The amount of stress that the govt is putting on ease of doing business, it was never done in the past, PM Modi said.

Last year the union cabinet approved the purchase of 56 C-295MW military transport aircraft from Airbus for the Indian Air Force for around ₹22,000 crore, with the condition that 40 of them will be made in India. The first 16 aircraft will be purchased in flyway condition from Spain within 48 months of signing the contract, and the rest 40 will be manufactured in India by a consortium led by Tata Advanced Systems Limited in collaboration with Airbus.

The plant is expected to deliver 8 aircraft per year, and the 40 planes to be made at the Vadodara plant will be delivered from 2026 to 2031. The first batch of 16 planes will be delivered by Airbus from its CASA plant in Spain from 2023 to 2025.

96% of the work on the aircraft that Airbus does in its facility in Spain would be done in the Indian facility. Over 13,400 parts of the C295 would be sourced from 125 Indian suppliers located in seven Indian states. This includes the electronic warfare suite for the aircraft to be made by public sector BEL, which will be fitted in all 56 planes.

The IAF is acquiring the C-295 aircraft to replace its fleet of old Avro HS748 transport planes. IAF currently operates 57 Hawker Siddeley HS 748 aircraft, originally designed by British company Avro and manufactured under licence by HAL in India, which are being retired. HAL had offered to upgrade the HS 748 Avro fleet to modernise it, but the IAF had rejected the proposal as the aircraft lacks crucial features. The lack of a rear ramp door in the Avro aircraft means that it can’t be used to transport military equipment for logistical support, and has largely been used for troop and VVIP movement.

The C-295 will also take the place of An-32 planes, which has seen several accidents in the past. C-295 aircraft is a twin-turboprop transport aircraft of 5-10 Tonne capacity with contemporary technology. The aircraft has a rear ramp door for quick reaction and para dropping of troops and cargo.

India currently operates several different military transport aircraft. Apart from the British plane HS 748 Avro and Ukraine-made AN-32, the IAF operates Soviet-made Ilyushin Il-76, and American large transport planes Boeing C-17 Globemaster and C-130J Super Hercules. C-295 will be the first aircraft from Airbus to be inducted by Indian defence forces in large numbers.

Retired army personnel claims his statement attributing Capt Vikram Batra’s Param Vir Chakra to Barkha Dutt’s interview was ‘not what he meant’ after severe backlash

Anurag
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Retired army personnel claims his statement attributing Capt Vikram Batra’s Param Vir Chakra to Barkha Dutt’s interview was ‘not what he meant’ after severe backlash

On October 29, Major General Yash Mor (Retd) issued a clarification on a video being circulated on social media where he seemingly attributed Capt Vikram Batra’s Param Vir Chakra award to Barkha Dutt’s interview. He claimed that his intent and statement in the context of the video were “out of context”. In his statement issued on his Instagram profile, he said he had the highest regard for Capt Batra, PVC and all those killed in Action in the line of duty.

Source: Yash Mor/Instagram

His statement read, “I wanted to clarify my intent and statement in the context of a video clip being circulated out of context.

I have the highest regards for Capt Vikram Batra, PVC and all those killed in Action in line of duty. Capt Batra is a legend who continues to inspire young generations even after so many years.

I have myself been a frontline soldier all my life, serving in most difficult areas and in very active counter terror operations. The video in circulation is from one of the classes on the sacrifices of our Bravehearts. The point that was being made was about the role media can play in highlighting the stories of deserving heroes that enables the nation to take notice of their bravery. It was not about how the Indian Army decides its honours.

I have been an ardent admirer of the Batra family. My apologies to his family in case it inadvertently hurt their feelings in this needless controversy. To end, my commitment to India and its Armed Forces remains unshaken. This is backed up by over 3 decades of service.“

In another statement, he issued an apology to Capt Vikram Batra’s brother Vishal Batra who had condemned Mor’s statement on Twitter. He said, “I have highest regards for Capt Vikram Batra, PVC and all those killed in Action in line of duty.

Source: Yash Mor/Instagram

I have been an ardent admirer of the Batra family.

My apology to Vishal for the needles controversy being created.

I have myself been a frontline soldier all my life, serving in most difficult areas and in very active counter terror operations.“

He added, “The video in circulation is from one of the classes on Op Pawan and the sacrifice of our Bravehearts.

Source: Yash Mor/Instagram

The issue taken out of context is in the role of media in bringing home stories of the sacrifice of our young men. O Capt Vikram Batra, PVC is a legend and we are lucky to have his interview to the media that has immortalized him and inspired a generation of young people of India.”

The controversial video

On October 28, a video clip was shared by Twitter user Maverick Musafir who often shares tweets about Indian Armed Forces. In his tweet, he said, “According to Maj Gen Yash Mor, Captain Vikram Batra got Param Vir Chakra all because of Barkha Dutt and her reporting in the Kargil war.”

In the video, Mor was replying to an attendee named Aditya, who had said, “Sir, give your interview to everyone but not to The Wire. They are very bad, anti-India. If you do not believe you can check their channel. Please see once (Sic).”

Mor replied, “Why do you think like that? Who tells you who is anti-India? Aditya, come out of WhatsApp University that The Wire, Print, Scroll etc., are anti-India. People want to bulldoze them. See, no one is anti-India. All of them are patriotic. But if someone questions, it is good. We need to hear all sides. There is nothing like that. People even call Barkha Dutt anti-India. She interviewed Vikram Batra in Kargil and made him famous. No one knew him. He would not have gotten Param Vir Chakra and this credit today if Barkha Dutt had not interviewed him. Do you know this? You did not know. He would not have been recommended for Param Vir Chakra. She has been made anti-national. People abuse her on her timeline. Please come out of the WhatsApp University.”

Reaction from Capt Batra’s family

Capt Vikram Batra’s brother Vishal Batra also condemned the statement. He said, “Really sad that [Maj] Gen Mor had to resort to such distasteful gimmick merely to extract mileage for his post-retirement profession while discrediting the supreme sacrifice of the valiant soldiers in extremely hostile conditions. It’s an insult to his own uniform and the rank he held.

“May I also ask him what made him invite me to his talk show if he had such unfounded doubts about Vikram’s bravery? Was that to gain popularity for his new profession? Is it also not an insult to the journalism, else why would a girl in her 20s risk her life on the battlefront?” he added.

Reaction from the armed forces fraternity

Several veterans who have served in the armed forces objected to the comments passed by Mor. Former Army Chief Ved Malik said, “This is an unbelievable statement from a Maj Gen. Quite foolish to suggest that a soldier was awarded India’s highest bravery award because of a journalist’s reporting. Such loose talk in public does no credit to him and the rank he held in service.”

Lt Gen Satish Dua (Retd) said, “What nonsense? Gallantry medals are awarded for extreme acts of bravery, in this case also accompanied by supreme self-sacrifice. To cast aspersions on such awards is uncalled for and undignified, even for a citizen, let alone a soldier.”

Major Pawan Kumar (Retd) said, “This is unacceptable Yash Mor sir. Bravest of the brave Vikram Batra sir has sacrificed his life for the nation, and you dare to say that he was awarded the PVC because of Barkha Dutt. Very uncalled for. Disheartening actually.”

Commander Manish Tyagi (Retd) Indian Navy (a famous stand-up comedian) said, “Neither SSB nor promotions are foolproof in the AFC. Every now & then, there is that one officer who keeps climbing the ladder, just by doing what’s required. In a way, he is assisted by a RO who likes him for being quite like him. The vicious cycle continues, till we see this.”

Captain Suresh Sharma (Retd), said, “Comments by my coursemate Maj Gen Yash Mor have hurt us all without exception.”

Speaking to OpIndia, Capt Sharma, a Battle Veteran and Founder-India’s 1st Caravan Campervan Holiday Co, said,”He [Yash Mor] was my coursemate for two-three months. I met him in Leh Ladakh when he was the GOC Sub Area. I despise what he has said about Late Capt Vikram who was awarded PVC by the Indian Army and there is a proper system to award gallantry awards. You cannot demean that. Someone should ask him if was there on the ground at the time of the Kargil War. Was he there when Capt Batra was doing his Gallant act? Was he there to prove that Barkha Dutt made him a hero? With what conviction is he saying all that? Param Vir Chakra was given to him by Army and Indian Govt. Something should have happened. It is not something that could be awarded to anyone.”

He added, “He [Yash Mor] has anti-system views. He is anti-Modi, for sure, and he walks against the system. It seems there is some selfish political motive. So he has sided with Barkha, and Co who are branded as anti-national by most Indians because he is against Modi.”

Maj Gen Mor misled about the session from which the clip was taken from

In his statement, Mor claimed that the video was from “one of the classes on the sacrifices of our Bravehearts. The point that was being made was about the role media can play in highlighting the stories of deserving heroes that enables the nation to take notice of their bravery.” However, his claim was proven wrong by Maverick Musafir, the Twitter user who shared the clip at the first place.

He said, “Cover-up Ops have commenced, calling it a private session on Op Pawan, sacrifice of Bravehearts and role of media in Kargil War. Plain lies. It was a class on ‘Tour of Duty: Why the Youth are protesting?’, accessible by the public on Unacademy and was a response to the question asked.”

He further requested everyone not to drag him further into the controversy. He said, “I didn’t want to drag it further but rather than responding to me directly he decided to block and feed a new narrative. Truth stands alone and tall, keep savouring sir. Anyway, he said sorry to Capt Vikram Batra, PVC’s brother and that is fine by me. This ends here. Thank you.”

OpIndia independently checked the video link shared by Maverick Musafir of the Unacademy session. The video was nowhere about the Op Pawan, sacrifice of Bravehearts and role of media in Kargil War, as Mor claimed. Furthermore, it was a divisive video where he misled the audience about the Agnipath Scheme and “suggested” that the government should rethink it and pause the scheme for six months. He also claimed during the session that those who join Armed Forces via the Agnipath scheme would not feel much “patriotic” as they would know after four years they would be kicked out of the Armed Forces.

54 minutes onwards into the video, Mor took questions from the audience. One of the audience members asked him not to give an interview to The Wire etc, to which he said what has been mentioned above.

Maj Gen Mor tried to play the victim card

Before issuing the “clarification”, Mor tried to play the victim card. In a message screenshot shared by Maverick Musafir, Mor claimed, “Friends. This is not a public statement. It’s from a private session with a few students. It’s a very old clip where the context was the role of media in war. It’s a fact that the media highlighted certain aspects of the Kargil war, they brought the war to our homes and glory to the units involved. I have the highest respect for Capt Vikram Batra, PVC. I know the family personally and have met his brother a few times. It’s a slander campaign against me by vested interests who just wants to target me for the work I am doing across India for young people. I am traveling and did not see the enemy will attack me in this manner.”

Quoting the message, Maverick Musafir said, “Respected Sir, we may have difference of opinion but I don’t consider you my enemy for the work you do. I just highlighted something that you said and wanted people to know. I don’t agree with it anywhere. I also didn’t twist anything or put a question on your service. I’ve no score to settle and didn’t attack anyone. The statement made and the clarification that is provided should be left for the people to judge. I will request people to not abuse him, please try reasoning with logic because that alone makes sense & sets us apart from the rest.”

Vladimir Putin mocks Germany’s energy crisis after its sanctions backfire. Here is what he said

OpIndia Staff
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Vladimir Putin mocks Germany’s energy crisis after its sanctions backfire. Here is what he said

On Thursday (October 27), Russian President Vladimir Putin mocked the German government after the latter’s sanctions against Russia backfired on itself. He made the remarks during an interview at the Valdai Discussion Club, a Moscow-based think tank. It is notable that European nations are facing a severe energy crisis as they are dependent on Russian oil and gas, and their sanctions against Russia has hampered the supply of vital energy sources.

The Russian president took potshots at the decision of the European Union (EU) member to sanction Russia, without realising the consequences it would have on its own citizens. Germany is currently reeling under an energy crisis and needs billions to solve it- a situation further aggravated by the lack of sale of government bonds.

“Now a joke came to my mind that I was recently telling to my colleagues…A German friend told it to me the other day,” Putin remarked. “A son asks his father: Daddy, why is our house so cold? Father says: Because Russia attacked Ukraine,” he said.

“The child asks, “What does it have to do with us?” Father: We imposed sanctions against Russians. Child: Why? Father: To make the Russians feel bad. Child: Are we Russians?” Vladimir Putin concluded.

In just a few lines, the Russian President held the mirror to the German government for agonising its own citizens in the hopes of ‘crippling’ Russia economically.

The situation in Germany is so grim that the country is forced to shut down its street lights to save energy. Despite this, an adamant German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock made it clear that sanctions would continue – even at the expense of its own citizens. Germans are fearing a brutal winter this hear, as most homes in the country are heated using natural gas sourced from Russia. But now Russian gas supply has gone down considerably due to the damage to the Nord Stream pipelines, and also due to Russia restricting gas exports.

Future belongs to India’: Vladimir Putin lauds PM Modi’s independent foreign policy 

During his address on October 27, Vladimir Putin praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s independent foreign policy. He implied that a lot has been done under Modi’s leadership in India and hailed him a patriot of the country.

“A lot has been done under the leadership of PM Modi. He is a patriot of his country. His idea of ‘Make in India‘ matters both economic wise and in ethics. Future belongs to India, it can also be proud of the fact that it’s the largest democracy in the world,” Putin said at Valdai Discussion Club.

The Russian president called India’s transformation from a British colony to a modern state “tremendous,” adding that the country’s 1.5 billion people and visible development results deserve everyone’s respect and admiration.

Uttar Pradesh: Violence breaks out over rasgulla at a nikah ceremony, one killed, 35 injured

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Violence breaks out over rasgulla at a nikah ceremony, one killed, 35 injured

Violence between the hosts and the invitees over rasgulla has been reported during a nikah ceremony in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. One person has been killed and close to 35 others have been injured in the violence. The deceased’s name is Sunny. The police have registered an FIR and arrested one of the accused and are on the lookout for the rest. The bridegroom’s family has returned without taking the bride along. The incident took place on the night of October 26-27, 2022.

The case is of Mohalla Sheikhan which falls under the Etmadpur police station area. One Usman Qureshi arranged the marriage of his two daughters Zainab and Shazia together in a wedding house named Vinayak Bhawan. The bridegroom’s families and invitees came to the place from the Khandauli area of Agra. The grooms’ names were Javed and Rashid. Before the nikah ceremony began, there was a round of breakfast in which an invitee asked one of the hosts for a rasgulla. During this time, the rasgulla fell on the ground instead of getting served on the plate. Later, the person giving rasgulla asked the invitees to come in line one by one. On this matter, the invitee named Shahrukh clashed with the host.

After a brief verbal clash, people from both sides gathered. Later, when the situation turned violent, both sides attacked each other. Sticks were used in the attack. Chairs and tables were thrown at each other. Spoons and ladles used in cooking were also used as weapons. Soon, Sunny, Sanu, Nazim, Shahid, and Lala, including Shahrukh, who demanded rasgulla from the groom’s side, were injured. Sunny was the worst hit. He was sent to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

The deceased Sunny was the nephew of the grooms. As soon as the incident was reported, the police reached the spot and pacified the nuisance. A complaint was taken from the family of the deceased. A case was registered against several unidentified people naming 9 attackers from the host’s side.

The police immediately registered an FIR and arrested Arif alias Tillu, the main accused in the incident. He was caught near Satoli culvert when he was trying to escape. Arif confessed to his crime and said that his son was beaten with a pipe, for which he avenged Sunny by stabbing him with a fork. Sunny’s heart was pierced by the fork blows which led to his death.

The video of the incident is also going viral on social media. In the viral video, people can be seen confronting each other in the ground even in front of the bride and groom’s stage.

After this dispute, the marriage was stopped. The groom’s family returned without taking the bride along. The father of both the brides has started looking for other boys for the nikah of the daughters. Both the grooms of the brides have also been accused of asking for a car in dowry. The police have confirmed an arrest in the case and have identified the other accused on the basis of video footage and taken action accordingly.

2003 Nadimarg Massacre: Jammu and Kashmir HC orders resumption of trial closed in 2011, says trial court decision was wrong

OpIndia Staff
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2003 Nadimarg Massacre: Jammu and Kashmir HC orders resumption of trial closed in 2011, says trial court decision was wrong

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Saturday ordered the resumption of trial in the horrific Nadimarg massacre case. 24 Kashmiri Pandits were brutally murdered by Lashkar-e-Taiba Jihadis on March 23, 2003, in Pulwama, south Kashmir in this massacre.

A bench of Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul ordered the resumption of the trial, saying that the trial court’s rejection of the prosecution’s plea to record statements of witnesses was incorrect.

“The revision petition is permitted.” The trial court order dated February 9, 2011, has been set aside by the High Court. The state government had filed a revision plea in February 2011 challenging the trial court, and the HC has now accepted the plea. “The prosecution-State/application petitioner’s for the issuance of a commission for the examination of witnesses is granted,” Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul directed.

The High Court had upheld the trial court order in February 2011, and in August this year, that verdict has recalled.

The High Court has directed the trial court to video-conference witnesses and to “ensure expeditious proceedings so that the matter can be concluded at the earliest.” The court also indicted the trial court, noting that it had not attempted to examine all of the witnesses on commission in order to uncover the truth in “a case of heinous nature like the one at hand.”

“Given the well-settled legal position laid down by the Supreme Court, I am of the view that the court below has dismissed the application of the prosecution – State for examining the witness on commission on the irrelevant consideration while overlooking the material and relevant aspects of the case,” the court said, adding that the court should have allowed the prosecution to record the statement of witnesses on commission.

The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court reopened the Nadimarg Massacre case on August 26, 2022.

This came after the state government filed an application to have an order that dismissed a criminal revision petition in December 2011 that challenged a lower court order. The lower court’s order had barred the prosecution from questioning witnesses and materials related to the Nadimarg massacre.

The Nadimarg Massacre (2003)

In 2003, the village of Nadimarg was home to only 52 Kashmiri Pandits comprised of four extended families, with others having fled the valley during their community’s exodus in 1990.

On March 23, 2003, Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists attacked the Nadimarg village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama District and killed 24 Hindu Kashmiri Pandits. Armed militants dressed in fake military uniforms dragged Kashmiri Hindus from their homes, lined them up, and shot them with automatic weapons.

The victims, 11 men, 11 women, and two children, ranged in age from 65 to two years. The Islamist terrorists disfigured the victims’ bodies, looted their homes, and stole the ornaments from the dead women’s bodies.

In April 2003, police arrested Zia Mustafa, saying that he and other Lashkar-e-Taiba militants carried out the massacre on the orders of the LeT leaders in Pakistan.

Following the massacre, an FIR was filed in Zainapore, and seven perpetrators were brought before the Court of Principal Sessions Judge, Pulwama, after an investigation. Later, the case was transferred to the Shopian Court of Principal Sessions Judge.

Notably, the prime suspect, Pakistani terrorist Zia Mustafa, died in custody in October 2021. Mustafa was taken to identify a militant hideout in Poonch, according to police. During the searches, terrorists opened fire, stoking a gunfight in which Mustafa was killed, as per the police.

The LeT terrorists who carried out the massacre of Hindus in 2003 allegedly wanted to commemorate Pakistan Resolution Day, which also falls on March 23rd, or to exact vengeance for the post-Godhra riots in Gujarat.

Coimbatore blast: Jamesha Mubin was radicalised by reading books on Jihad, married hearing and speech-disabled woman in ‘spirit of sacrifice’

OpIndia Staff
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Coimbatore blast: Jamesha Mubin was radicalised by reading books on Jihad, married hearing and speech-disabled woman in ‘spirit of sacrifice’

Jamesha Mubin, the 29-year-old engineering graduate who died in the car blast in Coimbatore on October 23, was motivated by the Islamic State and was engaged in preparing for jihad and constructing explosives, as per a report by The Indian Express. Mubin was on a suicide mission to destroy a large area including a Hindu temple using his car bomb, but it didn’t work as planned and only the car exploded, killing him. Initially thought as a regular accident, now it has emerged that it was a jihadi terror attack gone wrong.

Among the handwritten entries in Tamil that Tamil Nadu police found at Jamesha Mubin’s home in the Kottaimedu neighbourhood of Ukkadam were references to Muslims as “second-class citizens,” the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the hijab dispute in Karnataka, and a flow diagram with the names of Gods from various religions.

The diaries were supposedly among the literature, including books and reading materials, confiscated from Mubin’s residence, according to a source cited by The Indian Express who is aware of the evidence found during the inquiry.

Jamesha perceived Muslims as ‘second-class citizens’

“Mubin’s diary entries largely reveal his take on other religions, particularly Hinduism and Christianity. He had cited the names of the Gods of those religions and depicted them on a handwritten flowchart with arrows connecting one to another. Incidents such as CAA, the hijab row, restrictions on food, and killings over beef were mentioned as problems faced by Indian Muslims, who, he wrote, were becoming second-class citizens. He also wondered how these problems could be overcome,” the source stated.

Senior officials from the Tamil Nadu police informed The Sunday Express that their analysis has uncovered several crucial elements of the case and that they are currently in the process of officially handing the investigation over to the NIA.

Literature based on Jihad and bomb-making

According to Coimbatore City Police Commissioner V Balakrishnan, who spoke to Express, Mubin’s supposed associates Azharudheen and Afsar, who are among the six people arrested in the case, admitted during interrogation that he frequently expressed his views about the alleged “oppression” faced by Muslims.

“Majority of the books and notes found in his Ukkadam home were about bomb-making, jihad, and his apparent lack of objectivity regarding other religions. According to two of the accused whom we questioned, Mubeen used to express his opinion about Indian Muslims and how they are oppressed,” Police Commissioner V Balakrishnan said. The inquiry has thus far shown, according to Coimbatore City Police Commissioner, that Mubin was self-radicalized, and that his apparently radical viewpoint came mainly from writings and the Internet, and that he lacked technical bomb-making expertise.

“On Saturday night (October 22), around 11.25 pm, after loading the gas cylinders and other materials into his car, Mubeen drove to a nearby road and parked there for few hours before he started the final journey before the blast. We believe he was on his way to a target, which is not known yet, and detonated himself outside the temple when he saw a police checkpost nearby. Azharuddin and Afsar have not revealed any details about Mubeen’s target,” the Police Commissioner further said on the blast.

Influenced by ISIS

An important piece of evidence discovered from Mubin’s home was a slate with a green frame and an ISIS insignia written on it. “So far, there is no evidence of him getting help from outside. But our questioning of others has revealed that Mubeen had high regard for Zahran Hashim (the main suicide bomber behind the Easter Sunday blasts in Sri Lanka), a self-radicalised attacker who killed over 200 people,” stated an officer involved in the investigation.

Married hearing and speech-disabled lady

According to the officer, Mubin married a hearing and speech-disabled lady “as part of the spirit of sacrifice instilled by his faith,” and he sent his wife and two children to her house only four days before the blast. He carried the explosives into his new Maruti 800 vehicle, which he parked outside Afsar’s house, hours before the explosion. He then went back to his house at 1 AM to change.

As the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has also registered its first FIR in the case, the investigation is proceeding with diligence. The NIA said in its FIR, “A search of the premises of deceased Jamiza Mubeen led to the seizure of 109 items, including potassium nitrate, black powder, nitroglycerin, PETN powder, aluminium powder, sulphur powder, sterile surgical, notebooks with details about jihad, etc.”

So far, six individuals have been arrested in the case. They are identified as, Mohammad Thalka (age 25), Mohammad Azarudheen (age 25), Mohammad Riaz (age 27), Firoz Ismail (age 27), Mohammad Nawaz Ismail (age 27) and Afsar Khan.

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