Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal addressed a rally in Chandigarh yesterday. However, despite starting it late by an hour and a half, he finished his address in seven minutes owing to extremely poor turnout.
In his short speech, he attacked Kirron Kher of BJP and called her a ‘film actress who had to earn money… and became an MP just to enhance her status.’ In 2014, Aam Aadmi Party had fielded model-turned-actor Gul Panag against Kher. Last year, Panag had revealed how AAP and Arvind Kejriwal dangerously flirted with Khalistanis during the 2014 elections
Kejriwal was to originally start his rally at 1:30 pm but despite being a Sunday, AAP failed to gather a decent audience for the event. This compelled Kejriwal to first delay his address by over an hour. Kejriwal later gave an excuse that he had to go elsewhere while winding up his short address in seven minutes.
This time, AAP is expected to contest former BJP leader Harmohan Dhavan from Chandigarh.
In an outrageous statement, Mahan Dal chief has asked the voters to vote for anyone who is contesting from the Congress party, even if that person is from Pakistan.
Mahan Dal is a political party in Uttar Pradesh founded by Keshav Dev Maurya, and it is an ally of the Congress party. It had allied with Congress in 2014 Lok Sabha elections also, and had contested in 3 seats.
Addressing a rally organised in Moradabad, Keshav Dev Maurya asked people to vote for the hand symbol of Congress, and not to care about the candidate. Senior Congress leaders like Raj Babbar, Rashid Alvi and Naseemuddin Siddiqui were also present in the rally.
Maurya said, “Pratyashi mat dekhna, haath ka panja dekh lena, usi pe vote de dena, pratyashi koi bhi ho, accha ho, kharab ho, Pakistan se bhi aake lade, Mahan Dal ko koi aitraaz nahi hoga” (don’t look at the candidate, look the palm of the hand (election symbol of Congress), and vote for it. Let the candidate be anyone, be it good, be it bad, outsider, insider, even if someone from Pakistan contests, Mahan Dal will have no problem).
His this comment was cheered by people present in the rally with applause. Maurya urged the voters to vote for all candidates of Congress party and allies of Congress, so that a Congress majority government can be formed in Uttar Pradesh. He was addressing a rally named Mahan Dal ki Aabhaar rally, a thanksgiving meet.
Three Jaish‑e‑Mohammad terrorists were killed and a Deputy Superintendent of police and an Army jawan was martyred in an encounter in Kulgam district in Jammu and Kashmir today. Two other personnel from the Army were injured in the encounter.
The encounter had broken out between Jaish‑e‑Mohammad terrorists and a joint team of Indian security forces at Turigam village of Kulgam district in Jammu and Kashmir today afternoon.
#JammuAndKashmir: Encounter underway between security forces and terrorists in Tarigam, Kulgam. DSP Aman Thakur lost his life in the encounter. 3 Army personnel are injured. Encounter is in progress. (#Visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/UQ5tPprk2b
According to reports, a joint team of Army, CRPF and Special Operation Group (SOG) of state police had launched a cordon and search operation in Turigam village after receiving specific inputs about the presence of a group of JeM operatives in the area. It was believed that two to three terrorists were hiding in the village.
As the security forces intensified search operations in the village, terrorists hiding in the area started firing on them which started an encounter.
DSP Aman Thakur
DSP Aman Thakur got seriously injured in the neck, and he succumbed to injuries while he was flown to the Army hospital. One Army major and two soldiers were also injured in the encounter. Late Havaldar Ranveer Sombir, a non-commission officer with 34 RR, succumbed to his injuries. The other Army personnel injured in the incident are out of danger, as per reports. Three civilians were also injured in the incident.
Srinagar: Wreath laying ceremony of DSP Aman Kumar Thakur who lost his life in an encounter with terrorists in Tarigam, Kulgam earlier today. #JammuAndKashmirpic.twitter.com/4NslBww3Fo
Aman Thakur was posted as the DSP (operation) in Kulgam for last two years and he had successfully carried out combat operations in the area. A 2011-batch JK Police Services officer, Thakur was leading the police team in the operation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday formally launched the implementation of Rs.75,000-crore Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme and distributed the first instalment of Rs 2,000 to over one crore farmers at Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
According to the reports, Prime Minister Modi today launched the PM-KISAN scheme by electronically transferring the first instalment of Rs.2,000 to selected farmers. The NDA government led by PM Narendra Modi had announced the PM-KISAN scheme in the interim Budget 2019-20, under which Rs.6,000 per year will be given in three instalments to 12 crore small and marginal farmers holding cultivable land up to two hectares.
Targetting the previous UPA government, Prime Minister Modi said, “Previous governments made farmers cry to even obtain small benefits and these governments could never work for farmer’s benefit. Our govt has worked for the poor and farmers, we have worked hard to ensure that every help is extended to farmers so that by 2022 they can double their income.”
Dedicating the flagship scheme PM-Kisan, Prime Minister Modi said he felt privileged to transfer the first instalment under PM-KISAN scheme to 1.01 crore farmers today. PM Modi said that the first instalment of the cash transfer will be directly deposited to the bank accounts of farmers in the next few weeks.
“Nearly Rs 2021 crore have been transferred to the bank accounts of these farmers today. I have been told farmers from 21 centre-ruled states will benefit from the scheme. This is just the beginning. Under the scheme, nearly 75 thousand crore rupees is directly accessible to farmers ‘ accounts every year. The 12 crore small farmers in the country who have 5 acres or less land will benefit from it,” said PM Modi.
While openly attacking opposition-ruled states, the Prime Minister issued a warning to those states who have not submitted the list of beneficiary farmers. He warned them not to indulge in politics with the implementation of PM-Kisan. “If they don’t submit the list then farmers in their states will destroy them. You may be opposition parties but why do you have to play politics with farmers,” he said.
Further attacking the opposition parties, PM Modi accused that the previous governments of remembering farmers once in 5 years, just before elections. “They get a fever of loan waiver and distribute it as ‘revari” (dole) to garner votes….they did not know that Modi will expose them this time,” he said.
Amidst huge celebrations among the farmers present at the event, Prime Minister said that for his government, PM-Kisan scheme is not just an election promise. He added that he talked about it in Parliament only after making budgetary allocations for it.
The Prime Minister urged the farmers not to fall for any false rumours of opposition parties claiming that PM Modi will take back the money from the farmers after one year, he said, “this is your right and nobody, not even state governments can take it back”.
Criticising the politics behind the farm loan waivers announced by the Congress party, PM Modi said UPA government had promised loan waivers a decade back and failed to keep up its promise.
“For us also loan waivers would have been easy and convenient, we also could have distributed ‘rewri’ for political and election benefits, but we can’t commit such a crime. Loan waiver benefits only a select few,” said PM Narendra Modi.
The Prime Minister said his government was working with utmost honesty to provide all possible resources to help farmers double their incomes by 2022. Prime Minister Modi further added that there was no place for middlemen in h+is government. He highlighted the efforts of the NDA government to bring benefits to the farmers and stated that many irrigation projects have been planned along with increasing MSP for the agricultural produce to help the farmers.
“It is our government which meets the years old demand of farmers at MSP. More than 50% of the support price cost of 22 Rabi and Kharif crops has been fixed. Prime crop insurance scheme to save farmers from weathering has also been created,” said Modi.
PM Modi also said that a number of efforts are being made to the farmers to get fair prices of produce and lower their costs. The e-NAM platform is working to connect hundreds of markets across the country and will give the farmers the option to sell their produce online in any market in the country directly, said PM Modi.
“Earlier farmers could only take a loan of Rs one lakh without guarantee using the ‘kisan credit card’, they can now take a loan of Rs. 1,60,000 using the card. 17 lakh solar pumps will be provided for the help of farmers. They will not have to spend extra on irrigation,” he added.
PM Modi later visited the ongoing Kumbh at Prayagraj. At the Kumbh, he participated in the Swachh Kumbh Swachh Aabhaar event, organized by Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. The Prime Minister distributed the Swachh Kumbh Swachh Aabhaar awards to ‘Safai karmacharis’ (sanitation employees), ‘swachhagrahis’, police personnel and boatmen. PM Modi also addressed the public gathered at Prayagraj later in the evening.
Pakistan government, who are habitual liars, have taken a U-turn yet again, dismissing its own previously made claim that it had taken over the control of the Jaish‑e‑Mohammad (JeM) headquarters. They have now said that the complex has no link with the terror outfit, which claimed responsibility for the terror attack in Pulwama in which nearly 40 CRPF soldiers were killed.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, in a video message on social media, previously had declared that the Punjab government took administrative control of Madrassatul Sabir and Jamia‑e‑Masjid Subhanallah in Bahawalpur, in line with the decisions taken during their National Security Council meeting held on Thursday.
However, going by its proneness to deceive, Chaudhry rejected his earlier announcement that the complex was the terror outfit’s headquarters, and said, “This is the madrassa (seminary). Calling it Jaish headquarters is India’s propaganda.
On Friday, 22nd of February, Chaudhary had told news agency PTI that the Punjab government has “taken over the control of the Jaish headquarters in Bahawalpur”, about 400 km from Lahore. Incidentally, this was the first time in years that the campus had been acknowledged by Pakistan to be the headquarters of the terror outfit JeM led by Masood Azhar.
The statement also read that the crackdown on Jaish “has been taken in line with the decision of the National Security Committee meeting held on Thursday under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Imran Khan”.
“The Islamic seminaries in the campus have a faculty of 70 teachers and 600 students were studying there. Punjab police is providing security and protection to the campus,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, on 23rd February, Saturday, police took a group of local journalists to the place in Bahawalpur and claimed that it is a “routine seminary having no link with JeM”.
“Some 600 students are studying here and none of them is associated with any banned organisation or involved in any terror activity,” police said.
A local journalist, who visited the seminary and spoke to some students and teachers there claimed that “perhaps they were briefed before our visit” since, “When asked about the JeM and Masood Azhar, they showed complete ignorance about them.
Pakistan has been facing India’s umbrage over the ghastly Pulwama attack which consumed the life of 44 CRPF jawans and left several critically injured. Pakistan has been facing immense pressure as India this time decides to even the score with Pakistan.
India stands steadfast in its quest to retribute to the constant security breach and the cowardly attacks Pakistan has been administrating. On one hand, it has created an international pressure by trying to get Pakistan isolated globally, including withdrawal of Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status conferred on Pakistan, hiking customs duty on Pakistani goods exported to India by 200%, vowing to divert water of 3 rivers flowing into Pakistan into the Yamuna and on the other hand India has given a free hand to its army to seek revenge.
PM Modi visited the ongoing Kumbh at Prayagraj. At Kumbh, he participated in the Swachh Kumbh Swachh Aabhaar event, organized by Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. The Prime Minister distributed the Swachh Kumbh Swachh Aabhaar awards to ‘Safai karmacharis’ (sanitation employees), ‘swachhagrahis’, police personnel and boatmen.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Prayagraj to formally launch the implementation of Rs.75,000-crore Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme and to distribute the first instalment of Rs 2,000 to over one crore farmers at Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
In Prayagraj, Prime Minister Modi also washed the feet of sanitation workers.
This hearening gesture was widely appreciated by many on Social Media.
PM Modi washes feet of sanitation workers in Prayagraj: he has set an example. Mother Bharati, we may not be worthy enough to have this great soul as our PM again. But You deserve him to guard the Dharma and nation. Make him PM again. https://t.co/7qsg5OyhRy
PM Modi washing feet of sanitation workers in #Prayagraj.
These workers hv done the godly work of keeping the Kumbh clean & healthy, despite crores of people visiting the venue over months now. They deserve our respect & PM is showing everyone how we all should treat them. pic.twitter.com/rsgAhXMEJr
While a section of Congress media and despicable journalists attempt to instigate people by dividing martyrs into their respective castes, PM Modi unites factions by washing the feet of Swacch workers. Powerful message pic.twitter.com/osAF2S8ged
When approached for a comment, the lady sanitation worker whose feet Prime Minister Narendra Modi washed said that she never thought she would get this sort of love and respect.
जब प्रधानमंत्री मोदी ने सफाई कर्मचारियों के पाँव धोए तो उनकी प्रतिक्रिया कुछ ऐसी रही
1/2 pic.twitter.com/1d55qkrlmG
She said that the Prime Minister gave them respect by washing their feet. When asked what else did the Prime Minister do, she said that he washed her feet and wiped it. Then put his hand on her head to give her blessings.
Others whose feet were washed by the Prime Minister were also full of praises for this generous and gracious act by the PM.
जब प्रधानमंत्री मोदी ने सफाई कर्मचारियों के पाँव धोए तो उनकी प्रतिक्रिया कुछ ऐसी रही
2/2 pic.twitter.com/4p5kPKuHUv
At a time when dignity of labour and equality has become a rallying point for the nation, this gesture by the Prime Minister surely goes to according sanitation workers their well deserved respect and dignity.
In a shocking revelation, BJP spokesperson Suresh Nakhua has claimed that a WhatsApp group administered by the Congress party has several members from Pakistan. Nakhua made the allegations by posting screenshots from the group in Twitter today.
The WhatsApp group in the question is named India Political Network. From the screenshot posted by the BJP leader, it can be seen that the administrator of the group is Hasiba Amin, who is the national convenor of the Social Media Department of Congress party. A face of the Congress advertisements during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Amin was appointed to the Social Media cell in August 2017 by the vice president Rahul Gandhi. Before joining Congress, Amin was a NSUI member.
Rahul Gandhi’s Cong has appointed someone called Hasiba Amin as National Social Media Convenor.
As shown in the screenshots, several Congress leaders are also part of the WhatApp group. And along with them, we can see several phone numbers with the country code 92 who are members of the group. India’s country code for telephone networks is 91, while code 92 belongs to Pakistan.
Would you believe this Whatsapp group has members from Pakistan too ?
This means, several users of Pakistan are part of this WhatsApp group of Congress party, which broadcasts instructions to members what to post on various social media sites.
At a time when anti-Pakistan sentiments in the country are at highest after the Pulwama terror attack, Congress party using Pakistani nationals to spread its propaganda on Social Media has come as a big shock.
OpIndia contacted Suresh Nakhua regarding the screenshots of the WhatsApp group. He confirmed that the screenshots are real and he has got them from credible sources. When asked what if Congress claims the screenshots to be fake, he said that if that happens he will produce proof that these are real. He asserted that even if the Congress party sues him claiming the images to be fake, he said that he would not back off and fight it with all the evidence he has. One of the images shows the name of the group as Indian Political Network, while others show it as India Political Netwrok. To this, he said that it is the same group name of which may have been changed.
Suresh Nakhua has asked Congress to explain what the Pakistani nationals are doing in a WhasApp group where Congress office bearers are administrator and members.
वसुधैवकुटुम्बकम्, a Sanskrit phrase found in Hindu texts such as Maha Upanishad means that ‘the whole world is one single family’. The phrase reminds us of entire humanity’s kinship.
Hinduism is arguably the oldest religion in the world, dating back to over 4000 years. It is followed by 15-16% of the global population, numbering over 1.1 billion people. India is the birthplace of Hinduism and along with Nepal & Mauritius, India is the 3rd Hindu majority country in the world, and Hinduism is the religion with the largest number of adherents in several other countries, e.g., Fiji Islands. Hinduism and its reach are noticeable in the immediate neighbourhood, with a deep influence on Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan & even Burma. However, in South East Asian countries such as Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Mauritius, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam; the influence of Hinduism is even more obvious. Hinduism has also spread to other corners of the world and is followed in many more countries globally.
Ramayana and Mahabharata are two of Hinduism’s greatest epics, and Upanishad, the Vedas and Bhagavad Gita propound its tenets. Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Durga, Parvati, Saraswati, Ganesha etc. are some of the Hindu deities worshipped by its followers. The avatars of these deities include Rama, Krishna, Matsya etc. too are revered by Hindus across the world. Over the centuries, Hinduism has inspired intellectuals and common people alike and formed tight bonds with the native cultures of the countries in which it took roots.
Across the world, Stamps are used to honour a nation’s heroes, momentous events, symbols and culture. Stuck on envelopes, they travel the far reaches of the country as well as across the world and propagate their message.
The Hindu deities have similarly managed to assimilate themselves in the popular culture of many countries and have found a place on the face of many stamps. Country after country expressed pride in their association with the principles, symbols and stories of Hinduism.
Let us begin with Laos, which is a tiny South East Asian country with a predominantly Buddhist population has less than 1% of its population as Hindus. However, it has released several stamps on Hindu deities. In 1955, Laos released a set of 6 stamps on Ramayana depicting Lord Rama, Sita, Raavan & Hanumaan.
Laos 1955 -Sita, Rama, Ravana, Hanuman
In 1969, Laos again issued a set of 8 stamps which featured scenes from the Ramayana.
Laos 1969 – Ramayana
In 1971, it issued another stamp which depicted Matsya fighting with Lord Hanumaan.
Laos 1971 Matasya fights with Hanuman
In 1974, Laos issued a set of 3 stamps depicting Saraswati, Indra and Brahma.
Laos 1974 – Saraswati, Indra, Brahma
In 2004, Laos issued a set of 4 stamps featuring scenes from Ramayana.
Laos 2004 – Ramayana
Another small country in South East Asia; Cambodia, too has brought out several stamps on Hindu deities. The strife-torn country has Buddhism as its main religion (nearly 97% population is Buddhist). Hindus account for less than 0.2% of the overall population. However, Cambodia has clung to its Hindu past and issued several stamps on the same. In 1964, Cambodia issued a set of 5 stamps on Hanumaan.
Cambodia 1964 – Hanuman
In 2006, Cambodia issued a set of 5 stamps depicting Luv Kush, Lord Rama, Sita, Raavan and Hanumaan. It also issued a miniature sheet featuring Matasya with Hanumaan.
Cambodia 2006 – Luv Kush, Ram, Sita, Hanuman, Matsya
Indonesia, the island nation in South East Asia is a Muslim majority nation with 87% of the population following Islam. Hindus form less than 2% of the overall population. However, this has not stopped Indonesia from honouring Hindu deities and issuing stamps after them. In 1962, Indonesia issued a set of 6 stamps on Ramayana depicting Jatayu, Hanumaan, Raavan, Maricha, Sita and Rama.
Indonesia 1962 Jatayu, Hanumaan, Ravana, Maricha, Sita, Rama
In 1971 it issued a set of 2 stamps which depicted Rama hunting Maricha.
Indonesia 1971 Rama Maricha
In 1974, Indonesia issued a set of 3 stamps on Mahabharat which depicted Baldeva, Krishna and Bhima.
Indonesia 1974 – Baldeva, Krishna, Bhima
In 1994, it issued a set of 3 stamps on Hindu deities which included Ganesha.
Indonesia 1994 – Ganesha
In 2010, it issued a set of stamps which depicted characters from Ramayana and Mahabharat.
Indonesia 2010 Arjun, Krishna, Hanumaan
In 2012, Indonesia issued a miniature sheet to celebrate the World Stamp Championship in Jakarta. The sheet depicted the 5 Pandava’s; Bhima, Arjuna, Yudhistra, Nakula, Sehdeva and the Pandava Lima.
Indonesia 2012 Bhima, Arjuna, Yudhistra, Nakula, Sehdeva
In 2016, Indonesia celebrated the Chinese year of monkey by releasing a set of 3 stamps featuring Sugriva, Angad and Hanuman.
Indonesia 2016 Sugriva, Angad, Hanuman
Thailand, another country in South East Asia has nearly 95% of its population practicing Buddhism. Hindus constitute around 0.03% of the total population. However, the effect of the Hindu culture is heavily reflected in its philately. In 1973, Indonesia issued a set of 8 stamps depicting various scenes from Ramayana which included Ashoka Vatika, Ravana’s Parasol, Vanara Sena crossing the sea etc.
In 2014, it issued a set of 2 miniature sheets depicting Ganesha. (Pic 17). In 2016, it issued a set of 2 stamps as part of a joint issue with Indonesia, depicting scenes from Ramayana.
Thailand Indonesia Ramayana 2016
The depiction of Hindu deities in stamps is not restricted to Asian countries only. Even several European nations have issued stamps of Hindu deities.
The Czech Republic in 2007 issued a stamp which depicted Shiva, Parvati and Ganesha.
Czechoslovakia 2007 -Shiva-Parvati-Ganesha
In 2009, it issued another stamp which depicted Rama, Sita and Hanuman. (Pic 20).
Czechoslovakia 2009 – Ramayana
The erstwhile East German issued a set of 4 stamps in 1979 which depicted Durga, Mahavira, Todi Ragini, Asavari Ragini.
East Germany – 1979 – Durga, Mahavira, Todi Ragini, Asavari Ragini
Some of the Caribbean nations too haven’t been far behind.
Guyana which has nearly 25% of its population as Hindus, issued a stamp on Shiva in 2011.
Guyana Shiva 2011
Antigua and Barbuda, a Christian dominated country (over 75% of its population is of Christians), issued a miniature sheet on Garuda in 2013. It also issued another miniature sheet which depicted Rakshasa, Indra and Vaayu.
Antigua and Barbuda – 2013 – GarudaAntigua and Barbuda – 2013 – Rakshasa, Indra, Vaayu
India has the largest number of Hindus in its fold with over 1 billion people comprising nearly 80% of its total population practising Hinduism. However, struck by the secular zeal since independence, India rarely, if ever, honoured its deities on its stamps.
23 years after independence, in 1970 India issued a 20 paise stamp on Maharsi Valmiki depicting a scene from Ramayan.
India 1970 Maharshi-Valmiki
It took another 5 years for India to wake up from slumber and issue a 25 paise stamp on Ram Charit Manas in 1975.
India 1975 Ram Charit-Manas
3 years later, in 1978, India issued a 25 paise stamp on Bhagawadgeeta.
India 1978 -Bhagawadgeeta
Post this, there was a resurgence of Indira Gandhi in national politics and the Indian National Congress enjoyed a brute majority in the Parliament and over most things in India. The era was marked by a rise of minority appeasement and trampling over the rights of Hindus and relegating them to secondary citizens in India.
This phase continued for nearly 3 decades. And for nearly 3 decades, no stamp on Hindu epics or deities was issued in Hindu majority India.
However, stamps were merrily issued honouring the Nehru – Gandhi family. 15 stamps were issued on Jawaharlal Nehru, 5 on Indira Gandhi, 3 on Rajiv Gandhi. Even Kamla Nehru and Sanjay Gandhi were honoured with a stamp in their memory!
Things changed when Narendra Modi came to power in 2014.
In 2017, India Post brought out a set of 3 sheets depicting scenes from the Hindu epic Mahabharat. (Pic 28, 29, 30).
India 2017 MahabharatIndia 2017 MahabharatIndia 2017 Mahabharat
It also brought out 2 sheets depicting scenes from the Hindu epic Ramayana.
India 2017 RamayanaIndia 2017 Ramayana
To commemorate the ASEAN India summit in 2018, India Post again issued a sheet having 11 stamps depicting various scenes from Ramayana.
India 2018 ASEAN Ramayana
The efforts by India Post to correct a historical wrong though commendable are not enough.
It is rightly said that “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”
A civilization widely considered to be the world’s oldest and epics which have been the fountain of knowledge for philosophers across the world needs to be reflected and projected in all its glory to people across the world.
Stamps present just such an opportunity.
India must use its philatelic might to project its rich culture. Storytelling using stamps, to quote teachings from its epics, depict major events, deities and their teachings will help even the students to relate and understand their culture and heritage better, engendering a pride so necessary to bolster their purpose and dreams, and progress of the nation.
This will also be the propagation of India’s glorious past and its recounting.
India Post has a glorious opportunity to take forward India’s legacy of being the spiritual guru of the world, which has inspired people and civilizations globally. All the stakeholders must come together to realize this historic opportunity and resurrect India’s glorious past.
In a shocking incident, two 6-year-old twin brothers who were kidnapped on gunpoint from their school bus in broad daylight from Madhya Pradesh’s Chitrakoot were found dead in a river in Uttar Pradesh’s Banda, 11 days after the kidnap.
The Madhya Pradesh police have held five men, including the possible mastermind of the abduction, who gave private tuitions to the twins.
Two masked men had barged into a school bus with guns and dragged the two brothers, Sreyansh and Priyansh Rawat, sons of a businessman in Chitrakoot on February 12. Both the boys studied in kindergarten.
Police sources said the family had paid Rs 20 lakh in ransom to the kidnappers on February 19 but they raised the demand to Rs 1 crore instead of releasing the hostages. The boys were killed on February 21.
“The kidnappers took the ransom and then killed the two children,” Chitrakoot senior police officer Chanchal Sekhar told reporters today. The children were tied together to a stone and drowned in the river, the officer said.
Just after the kidnapping, the police suspected a gang known as “Babuli Kol” took the brothers to the jungles.
The gruesome murder of these minors triggered widespread protests in Chitrakoot where a large number of people came out on the road and ransacked the Jankikund shopping complex, close to where the children were kidnapped. The mob attacked the properties in the complex and set some shops on fire. MP Police have fired tear gas shells to disperse the mob getting out of control.
Protesters also vented their anger at the school where the boys were studying and pelted stones at the school building and employees of the trust which runs it.
Marka Station House Officer Zahid Hussain said that the Special Task Force arrested four people, who are allegedly involved in the crime and they led the police to the site from where they had thrown the children into the water. “After a night-long search, the bodies were found near a temple in Bakul village of Marka police area in Madhya Pradesh Sunday morning. The bodies were sent for post mortem,” Hussain added.
Soon a political slugfest started brewing over the gruesome kidnapping and murder of the twins. Though the incident occurred in Madhya Pradesh, the government blamed the UP authorities since the dead bodies were found in a river in Uttar Pradesh. A senior minister of Kamal Nath government put the blame for the killing more on the UP government and police and even demanded the resignation of UP CM Yogi Adityanath in the matter.
“A joint operation of MP and UP police was underway to rescue the kids since the bodies have been found in UP’s territory, hence the UP police and government are largely to be blamed”, said MP Law minister PC Sharma in Bhopal on Sunday.
Lately, after Congress bigwig Kamal Nath has taken Madhya Pradesh’s reigns in his hand, the criminalised nexus in MP has been in the rise. The series of political murders are especially accentuating, with several BJP leaders in Madhya Pradesh being targetted.
The beginning of the year witnessed the brutal murder of an RSS worker from Ratlam. This was reportedly the fourth murder the state witnessed within a span of 10 days. Prior to this several BJP leaders have fallen prey to this criminal counterplot.
Chhatrapal Singh Rawat, a BJP worker from Madhya Pradesh, was found murdered in Gwalior. Another BJP office-bearer, Magan Siddiqui was seriously injured after he was reportedly attacked in Jabalpur. Similarly, Balwadi BJP leader Manoj Thackeray was found murdered in a field after he had gone for a morning walk. Prior to that, Mandsaur BJP leader Prahlad Badhwar was shot dead in full public view.
Afghanistan had once again gone knocking the United Nation’s doors over the Pakistan military excesses in its border areas. In a letter written to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), for the second time in a week, Kabul has protested against Pakistan armed forces’ constant violation of its air space, repeated shelling of Afghan territory, particularly in border districts and villages of Kumar and Nangarhar provinces.
The Deputy Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to United Nation, Nazifullah Salarzai, in a letter to Security Council president Anatolia Ndong Mba, alleged that Pakistan is constructing military posts, barbed wire fences and barriers inside Afghanistan’s territory in Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province.
Afghanistan said that though the violations date back to 2012, it has increased considerably since 2017. During 2012 to 2017 period, 28,849 artillery shells were fired into Afghanistan by Pakistan resulting in the death of at least 82 people and injuring 187 others, but since January 1, 2018, the number of violations by Pakistan in Afghanistan stands at 161 which include firing 6025 artillery shells into Afghan territory.
Afghanistan said that between 2012 and 2018, approximately 281 protest letters have been sent by Afghan Foreign Ministry to Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry but Pakistan seems to be totally indifferent towards the same.
The letter written by Afghanistan to the UN alleging constant violations by Pakistan military
The latest letter dated February 22 is the second official protest within a week, by Afghanistan to United Nations against Pakistan. In the earlier letter dated February 15, Afghanistan alleged that Pakistan government invited a Taliban delegation for a high-level meeting which was attended by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. “The decision is deeply regrettable as it seeks to recognise and legitimise an armed group (Taliban) that poses a security and stability threat to Afghanistan,” Salarzai wrote in the letter.
Subsequently, Iran had also squarely blamed Pakistan on February 16, for the suicide bombing that killed more than 2 dozens of its troops. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards blamed “Pakistan’s security forces” for supporting the terrorists who perpetrated the attack.
Revolutionary Commander Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari also threatened Pakistan with retaliation if it does not take action against the terrorist outfit on its own.
Meanwhile, India has also been planning hard to avenge the dastardly Pulwama attack executed by Pakistan sponsored terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammad. Efforts are being made to globally isolate Pakistan. The clouds of war have been hovering over the Indian sub-continent in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack.
Prime Minister Modi has made it clear that Pakistan will be made to pay a heavy price for the transgressions. He had minced no words in stating that India is considering all options to avenge the murder of our soldiers.
