A shocking incident from Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh district has been reported where a 10-year-old girl has been raped by her stepfather. A few days back, the accused’s daughter-in-law witnessed him raping the minor. She then filed a complaint to the police. However, no action was taken at that time. Later, after a BJP leader’s intervention, the police registered a case under the POCSO Act.
According to media reports, Pappu, a resident of the Quarsi police station area of Aligarh, picked up the victim from a kiln about seven years ago and brought her home. According to the victim, her real parents used to work in the same kiln. Since the accused picked her up and brought her to his house, the victim girl has referred to him as her father.
#अलीगढ़ – दरिंदगी की हद तो तब पार हो गई जब एक पिता ने अपनी ही बेटी के साथ किया बलात्कार, दस साल की लड़की के साथ सौतेला पिता एक साल से कर रहा था बलात्कार, पुत्र वधू ने रंगेहाथों पकड़ा, थाना क्वार्सी इलाके के मंजूरगढ़ी का मामला। @aligarhpolice@Uppolicepic.twitter.com/HlE9reZb6m
Since the accused picked her up and brought her to his house, the victim girl has referred to him as her father. Accused Pappu began sexually abusing the victim after she turned 8 years old. As per the victim’s statement, Pappu used to rape her and threatened to kill her if she told anyone about the crime.
Dharamvir Singh Lodhi, district president of the BJP Yuva Morcha (BJYM), and vice-president Saurabh Chaudhary have stated that the Nagla Patwari outpost in-charge was aware of the crime. Despite this, he did not take any action. He claimed that the officer summoned the girl for questioning without the presence of a female constable. Dharamvir Singh Lodhi stated that following this, he met with CO III Shwetabh Pandey on Friday (October 28) and demanded that the accused be arrested. Following that, a case was registered. According to Inspector Pankaj Kumar Mishra, a case has been filed against the accused Pappu under the POCSO Act.
Police informed that the victim the medical examination has been conducted, and her statement will now be recorded under Section 164. Following that, necessary action will be taken. Meanwhile, a team has been deployed to arrest the accused.
Numerous astonishing and disturbing details about the deceased Jamesha Mubin and his arrested accomplices have been revealed as the investigation into the Coimbatore car blast in Tamil Nadu proceeds. It is highly suspected that the Jihadi terrorists were planning to terrorise the country and instil fear in common people. According to a report, the car blast was not an accident but it was a suicide mission by Mubin who died in the blast.
The Times Of India cited a witness who asserted that around 4 AM on Diwali, the vehicle stopped in front of the Sangameswara temple in Kottaimedu, and Jamesha Mubin got out, engulfed in flames, before collapsing on the ground a brief distance away. Before anyone in the area, including police officers at a nearby police checkpoint, could respond, the body was scorched.
Mubin expected his suicide bombing operation would obliterate a radius of 50 to 100 metres, including the temple and numerous apartment complexes nearby, according to the interrogation of the six alleged IS jihadists detained thus far in the probe.
Mubin and two accused accomplices, Mohammed Azarudheen and K Afsar Khan loaded three steel drums carrying potassium nitrate, aluminium powder, sulphur, charcoal, nails, and ball bearings into the car late Saturday (October 22), a day before the anticipated explosion. CCTV cameras, according to an official, captured the incident. According to the official, all three including Jamesha also did a recce of the Koniamman temple on Big Bazaar Street as well as the Puliyakulam Mundhi Vinayagar shrine.
Jamesha Mubin and the arrested two also went to an LPG booking station in Gandhi Park, where they obtained the two cylinders recovered in the wrecked vehicle. This was confirmed by an invoice sent to them for their purchase by the booking centre. The trio then went to Lorrypet’s old market area and bought three steel drums.
Sivakumar, a former NIA officer who is now with the Coimbatore municipal police, was crucial in putting together the fragments of intelligence that gave investigators a smell of the terror plan. According to an insider quoted by TOI, “the ex-NIA officer questioned Mubin in 2019 about his suspected links with radical elements.” Sivakumar was the one who ordered the search of Mubin’s home, which resulted in the confiscation of 75kg of mixed material necessary to make bombs.
Investigators have noted that, had the explosion from one of the two LPG cylinders in the car taken place as planned, rows of homes along the road leading to the shrine may have been impacted devastatingly. According to police theory, the car bomb didn’t work as planned because Mubin had no proper training in bomb-making. It is suspected that he was radicalised after reading ISIS propaganda material, and leaned about explosives from the Internet only. Had he obtained training in terrorist tactics, this could have been a deadly terror attack.
As the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has also registered its first FIR in the case, the investigation is proceeding with diligence. 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.
OpIndia has reported how Jamesha Mubin and his accomplices planned the Easter blast in Sri Lanka-style bombings and how they are allegedly linked to the Islamic State and the mastermind of 1998 serial blasts in the city.
On Sunday (October 30), Congress scion Rahul Gandhi was seen running alongside his supporters during the Telanaga leg of his ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra.’ The video of the incident has now gone viral on social media.
In a tweet, NDTV wrote, “Watch! Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s early morning run during #BharatJodoYatra in Telangana.” Amidst loud cheers from his party workers, the 52-year-old was seen sprinting on the road while his security personnel tried to catch up with him.
The Congress scion has been on his luxurious ‘Padyatra’ in Telangana for the past 5 days. He is likely to address a meeting at Solipur junction at Shadnagar today. Rahul Gandhi’s theatrics to stay under the spotlight did not miss the common eye, who took to Twitter to troll him mercilessly.
After NDTV published the said video on social media, netizens were quick to call out his early morning political posturing. “Ye kaunsa maal phoonk raha hai savere severe (What are you smoking early morning)?” asked one Aditya Narayan Naik.
Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in 2024, the Congress party is fighting for its survival. Having steadily lost relevance among the electorates under the leadership of the Gandhi family, the grand old party is making a last-ditch effort to turn its political fortunes. So much that after 20 years, the party had elections for post of party president where a Gandhi family loyalist, Mallikarjun Kharge, was ‘elected’ with overwhelming majority after the Gandhis backed him.
Dubbed as ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, Congress kickstarted its 3,570-km march from Kanniyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7 this year. The march will last over 5 months and will cover 12 States before terminating at Srinagar.
Rahul Gandhi and 118 other Congress leaders are walkingwalk 22-23 km daily in two batches, one from 7 am – 10:30 am and again from 3:30 pm – 6:30 pm. The party is hoping to mobilise the masses during its evening sessions.
A recent survey conducted by the Uttar Pradesh State Government identified over 7,500 unrecognized madarsas in the state, said State Minority Welfare Minister Dharam Pal Singh. The survey is being conducted in order to grant recognition to unrecognized madarsas that meet the government’s specified prerequisites.
“A high-powered committee will now decide on them,” Dharm Pal Singh told the media.
Only after all the district magistrates submit their reports by November 15 will the final list of unrecognized madrasas be released.
Nearly 7,500 madrasas found running without recognition in survey conducted by Uttar Pradesh govt, says minister Dharm Pal Singh
Iftikhar Ahmed Javed, Chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa Education, stated that while the process of determining the exact numbers will take time, they have estimated that there are around 7,500 such madarsas that were surveyed by teams in 75 districts by Thursday.
“There are 16,513 recognized madrassas in Uttar Pradesh, of which 560 were provided government grants in form of salary to teaching and non-teaching employees. The pay scale of the teaching staff of 560 madarsas is similar to those in central government schools,” Chairman Javed said.
The madarsa modernization scheme provides grants for Shiksha Mitra to 744 madarsas, as well as a scholarship to meritorious students from all authorized madarsas.
Madarsas meeting government-mandated criteria such as basic facilities like proper classrooms, furniture for madarsa students, drinking water, fans, lights, toilet, and others were given grants.
They can also apply for payment for both teaching and non-teaching employees. According to a government spokesman, Gorakhpur has 150 unauthorised madarsas, Lucknow, Azamgarh, Varanasi, and Mau have 100, Aligarh has 90, Kanpur has 85, Prayagraj has 70, and Agra has 35 such madarsas.
The Uttar Pradesh government had on September 1 announced that it would survey unrecognized madarsas of the state to ascertain information such as details of teachers and students, curriculum, and its affiliation with any non-government organization.
Danish Azad Ansari, Minister of State for Minority Affairs, had stated that the survey would be carried out in accordance with the requirements of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which wants to check on the basic facilities provided to students in madrasas. The minister went on to say that the survey would help gather additional information such as the name of the madarsa and the institution that runs it, whether it is run in a private or rented building, and information about basic facilities such as drinking water, furniture, electricity, and toilets, among other things.
Conducting a survey amidst a heated political war of words and calls from several Islamist leaders to ‘welcome’ survey teams with shoes and slippers was certainly not a cakewalk. Maulana Sajid Rashidi, the President of the All India Imam Association cornered the UP government for surveying the unrecognized madarsas. On September 14, he appealed to the madarsa authorities to welcome the state surveying authorities with slippers, and shoes and bash them with the 2009 law related to madarsas.
On October 29, Alt News’ co-founder Mohammed Zubair quoted a Congress supporter Gautam Trivedi who had shared a platform ticket of Lucknow Railway Station. Trivedi had paid Rs 100 for 2 hours on the platform. Zubair wrote, “Smile, you are in Lucknow.” The idea behind the Tweet and what Zubair wrote was to point out the increased price of the platform ticket, which was previously Rs 30. However, it was a misleading tweet, and the alleged fact-checker did not care to explain the reality.
Alt News’ Mohammed Zubair shared a misleading tweet about the platform ticket price. Source: Twitter
Twitter user The Hawk Eye pointed out the ticket price was temporarily increased from Rs 30 to Rs 50 to tackle the Diwali festive rush. Furthermore, the ticket shown in the image was for two persons that neither Zubair nor Trivedi bothered to mention.
Fact – this is temporary. platform ticket charges increased from Rs 30 to Rs 50 and will be applied between 26 Oct and 6 Nov for avoiding congestion at railway stations due to Diwali and Chhath Puja. This ticket in the picture is for 2 persons.
Upon investigation into the matter, OpIndia found that on October 26, it was reported that the Northern Railway increased the price of the platform ticket rate to Rs 50, which was previously Rs 30. On October 25, Divisional Railway Manager Suresh Kumar Sapra informed on social media that the platform ticket price at selected railway stations was increased from Rs 30 to Rs 50. The increased price would be applicable between October 26 to November 5. The decision was taken to ensure the smooth movement of passengers.
उ०रे,लखनऊ मंडल द्वारा दि० 26.10.22 से 06.11.22 तक मंडल के महत्वपूर्ण स्टेशनों पर यात्रियों के सुचारू आवागमन हेतु, प्लेटफार्म टिकट का बिक्री मूल्य रू 50/- प्रतिव्यक्ति करने का निर्णय लिया गया है I उचित व्यवस्था को बनाए रखने के लिए सभी नागरिकों का सहयोग प्रार्थनीय है।@RailMinIndia
When a netizen questioned him about the intention behind the increased price, he categorically mentioned that it was done to discourage non-passengers from visiting the platform and reduce overcrowding. Those with valid tickets do not need to pay for the platform ticket. Only those who visit the railway station to see off the passengers are required to pay for the platform ticket.
रेल प्रशासन का प्रयास है कि त्योहारों के सीजन में, यथासंभव, यात्री ही प्लेटफार्म पर जाएं जिससे प्लेटफार्म पर भीड़ को नियंत्रित कर, रेल यात्रियों के लिए प्लेटफार्म पर जगह बनाई जा सके।
The stations charging additional fees in Northern Railway are Lucknow Junction (Jn), Varanasi Jn, Barabanki Jn, Ayodhya Cantt, Ayodhya, Akbarpur, Shahganj, Jaunpur Jn, Sultanpur Jn, Raebareli, Janghai, Bhadohi, Pratapgarh, and Unnao. The price was hiked from Rs 20 to Rs 30 for a month on October 2. Sapra was quoted by Hindustan Times saying, “Efforts are also being made to provide passenger facilities systematically in the wake of festivals like Bhai Dooj and Chhath.”
Furthermore, Northern Railway is not the only division that increased the price. Western Railway also announced a hike on October 22, where the platform ticket price was increased from Rs 10 to Rs 50. Several divisions of Indian Railways announced the hike on selected Railway Stations depending on the footfall. For example, Southern Railway increased the price from Rs 10 to Rs 20, which will remain applicable till January 1, 2023. Central Railway increased the price from Rs 10 to Rs 50 until October end.
In conclusion, the price hike on selected railway stations was announced only for a limited period to avoid overcrowding. The tweet by Alt News’ Mohammed Zubair was misleading.
On Saturday (October 29) night, 151 people were killed in one of the deadliest stampede in the South Korean capital of Seoul.
As per reports, about 1,00,000 had gathered to celebrate the festival of Halloween in the narrow streets of Itaewon district. As the crowd surged, the trapped victims, who were pushed against each other, began to collapse.
Multiple videos have now surfaced on social media which showed bystanders providing Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) to the victims. About 150 people are believed to have been injured.
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT – At least 149 people, mostly teenagers and young adults in their 20s, were killed in South Korea when a crowd celebrating Halloween surged into an alley in a night-life area of Seoul https://t.co/ZBB3cKhxO5pic.twitter.com/evlVibGuUw
While speaking about the incident, Seoul Police (Division Commander) Kim Geun-jin said, “Our forensic teams are focused on identifying victims and collecting evidence from the site.”
In the absence of effective crowd management, combined with poor planning of the publicised event, the movement of emergency vehicles were also restricted.
In a video shared by journalist Andy Ngo, bystanders and emergency service providers were seen trying to save unconscious people, lying on roads. Dead bodies of victims were seen placed side-by-side on the edge of the road.
Reportedly, the Halloween festival was the first major public gathering in recent months where Covid-19 restrictions were eased by the South Korean government. Halloween remains a major attraction for young adults, despite not being a traditional Korean festival.
A national mourning was declared on Sunday (October 30) by President Yoon Suk Yeol and ordered Siuth Korean flags to be raised at half mast in public offices and government buildings.
While calling for a probe into the deadly incident, Yoon said, “This is really devastating. The tragedy and disaster that need not have happened took place in the heart of Seoul amid Halloween. I feel heavy hearted and cannot contain my sadness as a president responsible for the people’s lives and safety.”
My deepest condolences to all who lost their loved ones in the tragedy in Seoul or saw them hurt.
In a statement, US President Joe Biden said, “Jill and I send our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones in Seoul. We grieve with the people of the Republic of Korea and wish for a quick recovery to all those who were injured.”
“The United States stands with the Republic of Korea during this tragic time,” he further added.
Jill and I send our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones in Seoul. We grieve with the people of the Republic of Korea and wish for a quick recovery to all those who were injured. The United States stands with the Republic of Korea during this tragic time.
India’s External Affairs Minister (EAM) also expressed condolences to the bereaved families in Seoul.
“Deeply shocked at the loss of so many young lives due to the stampede in Seoul. Our condolences to the families of those who lost their dear ones. We stand in solidarity with the Republic of Korea during this difficult time,” he said in a tweet.
Deeply shocked at the loss of so many young lives due to the stampede in Seoul. Our condolences to the families of those who lost their dear ones. We stand in solidarity with the Republic of Korea during this difficult time.
Earlier this month, about 135 people were killed and over 500 were injured as pandemonium and violence erupted during an Indonesian league soccer match between two of the country’s most famous clubs.
Several confrontations were reported between supporters of the two rival soccer clubs inside the Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang, East Java province, after the Indonesian Premier League game finished with Persebaya Surabaya defeating Arema Malang.
Videos posted on social media from inside the stadium showed supporters clad in red and blue rushing the pitch and battling with Indonesian security officers, who looked to be wearing riot gear. When they fled to one exit, several individuals were crushed and suffocated.
In a LinkedIn Post, one Jack Raines suggested that he made $100,000 by getting 1,000 Covid-19 vaccine shots in just 16 days with an average of 63 shots per day. How he made money, you ask? According to him, he took advantage of a $100 incentive that was announced by New York’s mayor Eric Adams in February this year to encourage the city’s residents to get vaccinated.
Raines said in his post that as New York depends on paper-based Covid-19 vaccine certificates, no two pharmacies were aware if he had gotten the shot or not. Moreover, with 2,600 pharmacies in the city, it was not a problem for him to get 1,000 shots in 16 days.
Soon, the post got viral on various social media platforms.
It is noteworthy that by the time this report was published, the post on Twitter had already gained almost 2,000 Retweets and over 27,000 likes.
Twitter user Priya Sridhar questioned, “What about the people who needed the vaccine and could have benefited from those doses?” to which Raines said, “You snooze, you lose.”
Twitter user Isaiah Webby seemed shocked and concerned. He said, “No way you actually got the shots. Used like a fake arm or a patch. Half a shot made me sick for 3-4 days.”
No way you actually got the shots. Used like a fake arm or a patch. Half a shot made me sick for 3-4 days.
Another user Whorwe Whererwe was flabbergasted over the money Raines “made” by scamming taxpayers. He said, “You do realize the money you were paid comes out of taxpayers’ pockets, don’t you? Essentially, you scammed your fellow citizens, not the mayor.”
You do realize the money you were paid comes out of taxpayers pockets, don’t you? Essentially, you scammed your fellow citizens, not the mayor.
The LinkedIn audience was no different. Negar Rajabi said, “I don’t know which one makes me more disappointed: the insanity of the scam or the number of likes and kudos it has gotten! Also, for an investment that crosses ethical lines and may put you at risk physically, I can think of some other options with much higher ROIs.”
Source: LinkedIn/Jack Raines
Raines expressed his disappointment and said, “I’m most disappointed that a Wharton MBA thought this was real! That’s why I went to CBS.”
Kat Galloway said, “You should apologize to the families of 1000 people who suffered because there were not enough vaccines for them.”
Source: LinkedIn/Jack Raines
Grant Allen said, “Bravo! You scammed the city of New York and risked your life, likely harming others who may not have access to the vaccines due to supply shortages.”
Source: LinkedIn/Jack Raines
Satirical post mistaken for real
However, the above post where Raines had claimed to have taken 1,000 vaccine shots in just 16 days was actually satire. After his post went viral on multiple social media platforms, Raines took the opportunity to express his views about the cringe posts he comes across on the professional social media platform LinkedIn. Notably, it has over 850 million users and ideally, as it is a professional platform, people should avoid publishing anything that is untrue, unreliable or unprofessional.
Another point that he raised was that people on platforms like Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook get clowned if they post a clickbait lie. On LinkedIn, the story is different. No one would call out a lie. Raines said, “The platform is so professional, no one is going to comment and say, “Actually, Joey, this post is literally a lie. None of the stuff that you wrote about even happened” because no one wants to be seen posting negative or derogatory content on a professional site.”
Raines added that this is the reason people openly support cringe posts on LinkedIn and ‘upvote’ them.
Raines’s satire on free food fooled many!
As an experiment, Raines had earlier decided to post an absolute satire on LinkedIn. The idea was to make the post ‘so cringe’ that it formulated into a satire. He published a ‘side hustle’ suggesting people can eat free food at hotels. He suggested people should just walk into the hotels in the morning and have breakfast buffet just as other guests. Even for lunch, if one dresses well, according to his satirical post, people can enjoy free lunch and run away by writing a random room number and name before the hotel realizes what happened.
Source: LinkedIn/Jack Raines
Obviously, he was joking. Anyway, satire is not a cup of tea for everyone. Speaking to OpIndia, Raines said a major publication actually approached him to do a story on him stealing from hotels. “Satire isn’t understood by all, it appears,” he said. He compiled some of the best reactions (read outrage) and added screenshots on Twitter.
Raines spoke to OpIndia in detail about his views on ‘sh*tposting’ on social media. He said, ” I don’t think we need to “stop” people from doing it, per se. But if you use company layoffs and similar content for social media clout, you should be published in the court of public opinion.”
He added, “In the crying CEO example, he probably thought he would get “good leader” internet karma for that. Why else would you, as a grown man, take a picture of yourself crying and publish it on LinkedIn?”
Speaking on the benefit of such posts, he said, “I can assure you that the 1,000 likes on a LinkedIn post didn’t help the laid-off employees put food on the table.” Furthermore, “Like, there’s more to life than engagement farming social media. Forty-year-old dudes posting cringe stuff on Linkedin are the white-collar version of 19-year-old girls dropping thirst traps on Instagram. It gets attention, but everyone knows what you’re doing,” he added.
Advising people to be cautious on social media, he said, “Don’t trust everything you read online, including this. If you read something ridiculous, it probably is. If you read something ridiculous that a lot of people enthusiastically agree with and you at outraged at it, you probably missed the point.”
A doctor in the UK who had asked a female patient to take off her veil has been suspended for nine months. 56 years old Dr. Keith Wolverson, who is a practising medico for the last 25 years and worked at Royal Stoke University Hospital and Derby Urgent Treatment Centre, has been suspended for the act. He was banned from working for nine months after a misconduct panel concluded that his actions were ‘deplorable’.
During a hearing conducted by the Medical Practitioner Tribunal Service, a total of 17 allegations of wrongdoing against Dr. Wolverson were determined to be true. The doctor was deemed to have committed several ‘serious’ acts of misconduct when working as a locum or temporary doctor at the Royal Stoke University Hospital.
However, Dr. Keith Wolverson said that he will appeal against the decision. The doctor was charged with the offences after he had asked a patient, an immigrant woman, to remove her veil because he could not understand what she was saying under the veil. He had asked the patient to remove the veil three times, and he has already apologised to the woman for the same. The other charge against him is that he had also said that some immigrants are not proficient in English even after living in the UK for a long time.
The doctor said, “I’m going to appeal against this. I feel very sad for the public because it would mean a further shortage for the NHS when it is extremely stressed. I think this is something people are frightened to talk about now, and I think this is a big problem, and we don’t talk about these things and they get misconstrued.”
He added, “It’s all very sad because I don’t think this is what the public want – let the public decide. What would they rather have, a doctor with 26 years of experience to see them, or a doctor removed from the medical register for nine months? It’s not about me trying to belittle an ethnic group or be prejudicial against anyone of any cultural background, it’s all about clarity of communication.”
Dr. Wolverson qualified as a medical professional in 1996. He was found guilty of or admitted to a combined 17 of a total of 28 charges of misconduct. All of these charges date from January to May 2018.
There were two major allegations against the doctor. One was that he repeatedly requested a married Muslim woman to remove the veil that covered her face. This incident took place during a consultation on May 13, 2018. Wolverson said that his inability to comprehend what she was saying from behind the veil led him to request that she take off her veil. He said, “I don’t ask people to remove their veils anymore. But, I sometimes find it really difficult to consult with people or hold a conversation with them when part of their face is covered.”
The other allegation was that the doctor went on to criticize the English-speaking skills of 15 of his patients. Many immigrants who have lived in Britain for a long period still struggle with the language. Governance in Britain is utterly scared of upsetting the Muslim population. That is probably what led to this decision against Dr. Wolverson.
On Wednesday (October 26), the Mayor of Leicester drew ire for appointing Professor Dr Chris Allen, known to hold prejudiced views against the Hindu community, to lead an ‘independent inquiry’ into the Leicester violence.
Leicester Mayor Peter Soulsby, the man behind the controversial appointment, had earlier met Islamist Majid Freeman, who fanned riots against the Hindu community.
In a tweet, Dr Allen wrote, “I have today been appointed lead for the independent review into the recent disturbances in East Leicester. A great honour for me both personally and professionally…”
Screengrab of the tweet by Dr Chris Allen
The controversial appointment has drawn the ire of the Hindu community in Leicester. As per reports, representatives of 15 Hindu outfits have vowed to boycott the inquiry by Dr Chris Allen.
In a statement on Thursday (October 27), they informed, “Though we don’t cast any judgement as to the presence of any extreme Islamist influence in the unrest, to assert a conclusion ahead of the review sheds (light on) Allen’s inability to remain independent”.
The Hindu organisations have also expressed ‘little confidence’ in the decision-making process of Mayor Peter Soulsby, who had earlier blamed the Leicester violence on Hindutva. They had also accused the Mayor of breaking his promise and announcing details of the inquiry before the end of the festive season.
The right response to a Labour council that has legitimised and aided the Islamist agitators who have been causing trouble in Leicester.
“How is this review independent when conclusive opinions are already being peddled by those commissioning and those leading this review? The review process is now already muddied before it’s even started. We the undersigned are left with no further option than to boycott the process,” they added.
The Hindu organisations, however, reaffirmed their commitment to an independent review of Leicester violence, marked by integrity and transparency. Deepak Bajaj, the leader of the Conservative Group at Leicester City Council, has also extended support to the Hindu community leaders.
“The City Mayor has appointed a single individual to run the review who has previously published open opinions siding with one community over another. This review should be paused until a tested review panel is appointed,” he emphasised.
UPDATE: We support the Hindu and Jain Temple Leaders of Leicester in their campaign against the City Mayor’s Leicester East Review that is no longer fit for purpose.
We will continue working across all communities in an attempt to secure a truly independent review panel. https://t.co/MfRihAfG1K
— City of Leicester Conservatives (@LeicesterTories) October 28, 2022
“Individuals to form a panel should be selected with the assistance of Leicestershire’s Police and Crime Commissioner and central government. A vote should then take place amongst Leicester City Councillors to approve its formation,” Bajaj emphasised.
On Friday (October 28), the Conservative Group at Leicester City Council also extended its support to Hindu and Jain leaders in their campaign to establish a truly independent review panel for Leicester violence.
Dr Chris Allen and his anti-Hindu antecedents
Dr Chris Allen is a 52-year-old associate Professor at the University of Leicester. As per his Twitter Profile (which now stands deleted), he is an expert on ‘Islamophobia, hate and extremism.’
Screengrab of the Twitter profile of Dr Chris Allen, image via SHHAN
In September this year, he wrote a propaganda piece in The Conversation wherein the blamed the violence in Leicester on Hindus and absolved the Islamists of any wrongdoing.
“Some will assume this to be Islamist extremism. Despite there being no evidence to support such an assumption, research shows that a key trope of Islamophobia is the conflation of all things Islam with extremism,” he claimed.
“The mere involvement of Muslims will be evidence enough for some to jump to such a conclusion,” Dr Allen stated while blaming the violence on ‘Hindutva elements.
Screengrab of the article by Chris Allen
Besides Hindu organisations, several reputed journalists have raised questions about the lack of ethical and academic objectivity in the writings of Dr Chris Allen.
‘The Daily Telegraph‘ columnist, Nick Timothy, wrote, “It’s a grave error to appoint Dr Chris Allen to review communal violence in Leicester. His writing shows his conclusions are already pre-judged. In short he blames British Hindus and suggests reports of Muslim involvement are “Islamophobic.”
It’s a grave error to appoint Dr Chris Allen to review communal violence in Leicester. He writing shows his conclusions are already pre-judged. In short he blames British Hindus and suggests reports of Muslim involvement are “Islamophobic”. https://t.co/XzcAcooqrLpic.twitter.com/5FjemTvZTE
Journalist Chris Blackburn also called out the obscurantist proclivities of Dr Chris Allen. “You omitted 3 of the most important parts of the Leicester trouble from his article. The India vs. Pakistan cricket match. The inflammatory hoaxes. The knife attacks on Hindu homes prompted the ill-conceived protest,” he pointed out.
The controversial professor has been accused of pandering to Islamist outfits.
Why did Chris Allen like a tweet from the Islamist platform 5Pillars about Liz Truss declaring that she’s a Zionist? 5Pillars should not be a source for serious academics pic.twitter.com/nV7ZPkyKzZ
‘Stop Hindu Hate Advocacy Network’ informed, “Dr Chris Allen was involved in developing the working definition of Islamophobia by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims. He was also on various govt bodies of Islamophobia, anti-Muslim hate, and Commission on Islam.”
3. Dr. Chris Allen was involved in developing the working definition of Islamophobia by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims. He was also on various govt bodies of Islamophobia, anti-Muslim hate, and Commission on Islam. pic.twitter.com/J4gqcj1NSU
— Stop Hindu Hate Advocacy Network (SHHAN) (@HinduHate) October 27, 2022
Opindia had documented how Islamists ran disinformation campaigns against the Hindu community in Leicester, created a solid foundation for violence and carried out targeted attacks. We also exposed how leftist news portals tried to shield Islamists and blame the Leicester violence on Indian Hindus.
DMK leader Saidai Sadiq’s unparliamentary remarks against women-BJP leaders have sparked a major controversy in Tamil Nadu. On Saturday, October 29, Tamil Nadu Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Annamalai wrote to National Commission of Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma seeking her immediate intervention against the derogatory remarks made by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam DMK spokesperson Saidai Sadiq about women actors-turned-BJP leaders in Tamil Nadu.
Women in our country cannot be deprived of their ambition to serve our society, and the abuse of DMK men will not be tolerated anymore.
The BJP leader lambasted the regional party, accusing them of hiring people versed in offensive languages as stage speakers. Annamalai called the NCW chief’s attention in his letter to how DMK leaders have constantly objectified women in the opposition party.
“The DMK men have made it a habit of throwing filth at them. Even the senior leaders of DMK occupying the stage would laugh at this language and not stop the men from throwing this filth. I think we have taken enough!” wrote the BJP leader, highlighting the recent incident where DMK spokesperson Saidai Sadiq mocked Khushbu Sundar and three other BJP leaders like actor Namitha, Gayathri Raghuram and Gautami by calling them “items” (a derogatory way of referring to women).
The BJP leader then chastised DMK Minister Thiru Mano Thangaraj for failing to speak up against his colleagues’ misogynistic and sexist behaviour despite being there at the time.
Calling the DMK spokesperson a ‘repeat offender’ the BJP leader said, “Recently, the Honourable Mumbal High Court sentenced a man to one and a half years in prison for calling a girl an “Item” We humbly request the NCW to take due cognisance of this matter and instruct the Tamil Nadu state police department to immediately reprimand Saidhai Sadik, a repeat offender and a person known to have used derogatory language against women in the past Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party’s Mahila Morcha has filed a complaint against Saidai Sadik in the police commissioner’s office today. Many complaints against DMK men have been lying in various police stations across Tamil Nadu since they came to power.”
Annamalai added that while the DMK and its allies condone such behaviour, the Bharatiya Janata Party firmly opposes it, and the action against Saidhai Sadhik will serve as a lesson to those who believe they can degrade women and get away with it.
It may be recalled that the entire controversy erupted after a video clip surfaced on social media platforms, wherein DMK spokesperson identified as Saidai Sadiq mocked Khushbu Sundar and three other BJP leaders like actor Namitha, Gayathri Raghuram and Gautami by calling them “items” (a derogatory way of referring to women). The DMK leader was speaking at a public meeting held by the party leaders to thank Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin for getting reelected as DMK leader for the second time.
In his speech, Saidai Sadiq made a sexual innuendo about Khushbu while talking about the time when she was a member of the DMK. He could be heard saying the saffron party depended only on these “actresses” to make inroads into Tamil Nadu.
Following the outrage, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) women’s wing secretary and MP Kanimozhi took to Twitter on October 27 to apologise for the unparliamentary remarks made by her party’s spokesperson Saidai Sadiq about women actors-turned-BJP leaders in Tamil Nadu.
