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Since OpIndia stonewalled Guardian’s latest hit-job attempt against Kajal Hindustani, here is a tear-jerker they could write supporting their Hinduphobic journalist

Anurag
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Since OpIndia stonewalled Guardian’s latest hit-job attempt against Kajal Hindustani, here is a tear-jerker they could write supporting their Hinduphobic journalist

On 24th March, it came to light that Hannah Ellis-Petersen, a journalist from The Guardian, has been attempting to contact Kajal Hindustani, a vocal Hindu activist, in light of the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections in India. Notably, Hannah is known for her intrusive and biased approach, especially when it comes to Hindus.

The attempts made by Hannah and her colleagues to contact Kajal for an interview sparked a backlash on social media platform X after the editor-in-chief of OpIndia, Nupur J Sharma, revealed what has been going on behind the curtains at Guardian.

Interestingly, Hannah claimed she wanted to hear all sides of her reports, a claim which does not hold a base if we look at her past reports on India and Hindus.

Source: X

However, she was confronted with her old articles, showcasing how she was perhaps incapable of ‘hearing all sides’ because of her bias against Hindus and India.

The Guardian has a past of playing the victim

This is not the first time The Guardian tried to play victim when caught lying through their teeth while reporting on Leicester violence where Hindus were under attack last year. In October 2022, The Guardian accused OpIndia of “attacking” their journalist, Aina J Khan. Editor-in-Chief of OpIndia, Nupur J Sharma, received an email from The Guardian asking us to stop online attacks against Aina J Khan via the publication and personal and official handles”.

According to them, we had no basis to call Aina an Islamist and Islamist, and our doing so had somehow put her in harm’s way. Interestingly, Sheila Pulham had sent the email, and Aina was not tagged in the email.

Notably, we did not call Aina an Islamist. We pointed out that her reportage seems one-sided and has zero evidence. There were several other falsities peddled by Ms Khan, including a strange tirade against RSS and Hindus. While Ms Aina wishes to brand all criticism as Islamophobia, she displayed her Hinduphobia when she claimed that her discussion got ‘heated’ when the ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans were raised. She refers to Jai Shri Ram (Glory to Shri Ram) as a ‘Hindu chant appropriated by extremists in India’ and also alleges that Jai Shri Ram is now synonymous with anti-Muslim hatred.

The Guardian and Aina branded us as fascists, Hindus as extremists and Hindu religious chants as war cries. When countered, she cried Islamophobia, and The Guardian crawled behind her to apparently “save her”. Our Editor-in-Chief’s detailed reply to The Guardian can be checked here.

Netizens called out The Guardian

Mohandas Pai wrote, “Your lies,bias, Jihadi sympathies and fake narratives are well known Hannah Ellis-Petersen. You just report from your Delhi Lutyens echo chambers. Meet more people across India, report honestly. Peddling one sided narratives shows you up as a bad journalist at Guardian. Big Shame.”

Abhinav Agarwal said, “When caught, when called out, she takes refuge behind a “मैं कौन हूँ” charade. She’s out to gaslight, and she now knows others know it too. The contortions are comic.”

Pt Satish K Sharma wrote, “Presumably this ‘journalist’ will be able to park her colonialist confirmation biases, will be seeking to interview the Owaisis re their genocidal political campaigns .. perhaps the DMK cabal with their anti-Hindu ethnic cleansing speeches? Or will pigs fly and goats celebrate ‘religious’ festivals first? Countdown to a victimhood card commenced…”

Avatans Kumar wrote, “Guardian’s “South Asia” correspondent concerned about “both sides,” is laughable.”

Here is OpIndia helping them write their next tear-jerker

Given their history of playing victim, and since OpIndia seems to have stonewalled their shoddy attempt at publishing a hit-piece against Kajal Hindustani, we thought we could help Guardian with a potential article they could publish, blaming the big-bad ‘Hindu Nationalists’ for hounding their Hinduphobic, anti-India journalists.

The unseen toll of digital intimidation: How The Guardian journalist faced harassment in India

The Guardian correspondent Hannah Ellis-Petersen has become the latest victim of the alarming showcase of digital harassment as she faced an orchestrated online campaign. Ellis-Petersen reports from South Asia and has been instrumental in shedding light on the region’s politics and cultural complexities. Recently, she found herself at the centre of a social media campaign after she attempted to reach out to Kajan Hindustani, a prominent figure in the Hindu nationalist movement, ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.

The incident highlighted the growing trend of online harassment of journalists. It raised concerns about the freedom of the press and the safety of journalists working in difficult situations. Ellis-Petersen’s outreach was part of a standard journalistic practice to ensure balance and comprehensive reporting. However, she met with a barrage of targeted harassment from “Hindus”, accusing her of biased reporting. They also accused her of unjustly targeting Hindu nationalism.

The backlash Ellis-Petersen received is about more than just one journalist or one newspaper. It represents a broader challenge that the media personnel face today. Journalists have been exposed to unprecedented scrutiny and hostility in the digital age, often from anonymous sources. The campaign against our esteemed correspondent is a stark reminder of the rugged landscape journalists operate in. It is a definitive representation that the loud voices of intolerance and partisanship often drown out the efforts to present nuanced views.

The Guardian stands firmly with our correspondent and all journalists who face such unwarranted attacks. Despite the attacks and attempts to discredit our work, we are committed to impartial and fact-based journalism. It is now more than ever essential to recognise the critical role of journalism in a democratic society, especially when India, the world’s largest democracy, is moving towards autocracy and authoritarianism.

As India is gearing up for the Lok Sabha Elections, the significance of free and fair journalism has increased exponentially. At The Guardian, we remain dedicated to providing comprehensive and unbiased coverage of the elections. In the face of adversity, we reaffirm our commitment to fearless journalism. We call on the digital community and authorities to stand against online harassment and support the right of journalists worldwide to report without fear of backlash and threats.

‘Kya bhav chal raha hai”, “r*ndi”: Congress trolls attack Kangana Ranaut, Supriya Shrinate claims ‘someone who had access to her account’ posted it

OpIndia Staff
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‘Kya bhav chal raha hai”, “r*ndi”: Congress trolls attack Kangana Ranaut, Supriya Shrinate claims ‘someone who had access to her account’ posted it

Actor Kangana Ranaut was at the receiving end of a particularly nasty online attack after Congress leaders and supporters targeted her with sexual innuendos and abuses following the announcement of her candidature from the Mandi Lok Sabha seat in Himachal Pradesh.

In a post on Instagram which has now been deleted, Congress National Spokesperson Supriya Shrinate asked, “Kya bhav chal raha hai Mandi me koi batayega? (Will someone tell me what the rate system in Mandi is?)” with a particularly racy picture of Kangana Ranaut.

The official Instagram account of Supriya Shrinate targeted Kangana Ranaut over candidature from Mandi

Other Congress supporters and leaders, too, resorted to abuses and vile innuendos to discredit the actor who has made the plunge into politics with her candidature from Mandi.

Congress supporter Mrinal Pande attacks Kangana Ranaut

Congress functionary HS Ahir abused actor Kangana Ranaut by referring to her candidature from Mandi as, “Mandi se R*ndi.”

Congress functionary abuses Kangana Ranaut

Islamists also joined in to abuse Kangana Ranaut.

The abusive tweets directed at Kangana Ranaut stirred online outrage, with many social media users expressing their disapproval of the Congress leaders, including Supriya Shrinate, for attacking a woman with sexual innuendos and encouraging others for the same.

Amid the raging outrage, Ms Shrinate deleted the post from her official Instagram account and tried washing her hands of the incident by claiming that the post was uploaded by someone who had access to her meta accounts.

She tried to project her blame on her parody account, claiming that the whole mischief was started by it. However, she did not explain how the mischief started by her parody account reflected on her official Instagram account where she had shared a picture of Kangana Ranaut with sexual innuendos.

Nevertheless, the entire episode demonstrates that for Congress leaders, including women politicians, slogans coined by their foremost party ideologues, such as “Ladki hoon, Lad sakti hoon”, are just campaign rhetorics aimed at swaying public opinions and casting Congress as a pro-woman party, while in reality, it is an organisation that attracts misogynistic members with low intelligence that blame their parody accounts and lean on “someone else posted from my account” excuse for their vile social media posts.

Al Jazeera story claiming Israeli soldiers committed rape inside Al Shifa hospital was fake; Palestinian woman now says she made it up to whip up public anger

OpIndia Staff
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Al Jazeera story claiming Israeli soldiers committed rape inside Al Shifa hospital was fake; Palestinian woman now says she made it up to whip up public anger

Islamist propaganda news outlet Al Jazeera ran a fabricated story about the rapes of Palestinian women in Al-Shifa hospital by Israeli forces, Al Jazeera columnist and former managing editor Yasser Abuhilalah said. The journalist cited an ‘investigation’ by the Hamas terror group to assert that the allegations made by the women in Al Shifa hospital were widely exaggerated, following which Al Jazeera retracted the story.

Abuhilalah took to X to quote the woman who made explosive claims of rape, and torture by Israeli forces inside the Al Shifa hospital, stating that they were widely exaggerated and aimed at ginning up public anger and brotherhood against the Israeli law enforcement officials. 

“It was revealed through Hamas investigations that the story of the rape of women in Al-Shifa was fabricated,” tweeted Abuhilalah, adding that the woman who spoke about rape justified her exaggeration and incorrect talk by saying that the goal was to arouse the nation’s fervour and brotherhood. 

On Sunday morning, Al Jazeera reported statements from a woman named Jamila al-Hissi, who was said to have been trapped in the hospital for six days. She claimed that Israeli soldiers at the hospital had “raped women, kidnapped women, executed women, and pulled dead bodies from under the rubble to unleash their dogs on them.”

“Is there anything more atrocious than this? Is there anything more terrifying than hearing women cry out for help, only for them to be shot at when we attempt to reach them to offer aid?” al-Hissi was quoted as saying.

Although Al Jazeera did not formally correct, retract, or acknowledge the issue, all content concerning the allegation was apparently removed from the Qatari broadcasting channel.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz emphasized the United Nations’ serious consideration of such reports, while also pointing out Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ bias against Israel.

“Let it be known, the Palestinians concoct tales of rape to fuel anti-Semitism,” Katz shared on X. “Guterres, I understand that might be unsettling for you, but that’s the truth of the matter.”

Lieutenant Colonel Avichay Adraee, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman in Arabic, previously refuted the claims and efforts to dismiss this “fake news.”

“In the wake of repeated failures, Hamas propaganda is now peddling a fresh fabrication,” he stated in a video shared on X. Adraee also accused “Al-Jazeera and Hamas mouthpieces” of attempting “futilely to mask the true face of ISIS-Hamas as beautiful following October 7 and the atrocities of massacres, rapes, and arson they committed.”

Arrested Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal doesn’t remember where is the phone he used during liquor scam period, 171st such ‘missing’ device in the case

OpIndia Staff
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Arrested Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal doesn’t remember where is the phone he used during liquor scam period, 171st such ‘missing’ device in the case

Arvind Kejriwal, the chief minister of Delhi, said to the Enforcement Directorate during questioning that he could not recall where he had placed his cell phone, which he was purportedly using when the Delhi excise policy was being prepared.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) head was arrested in the Delhi excise policy scam by the central agency on Thursday (21st March) and has been remanded to custody till 28th March. The ED stated that the phone that the AAP supremo had been using back then had gone missing.

According to a report by NDTV, it is believed that this cell phone, which may hold relevant information concerning the excise policy scheme, is the 171st of such missing gadgets. According to the central investigation agency, 170 mobile phones have previously been untraceable.

Ultimately, the ED pieced together the case using the information gathered after tracking down 17 phones. The agency named Manish Sisodia as an accused in the chargesheet, which also included the data obtained from the 17 mobile phones.

The investigators said that the phones could have been destroyed to erase evidence. The agency’s chargesheet also stated that the majority of the information and evidence were obtained from the accused’s laptops and mobile phones.

The ED believes that most of those charged changed their laptops and mobile phones between May and August 2022.

According to reports, the Enforcement Directorate intends to retrieve certain data from the phone that Kejriwal reportedly used to speak to Sameer Mahendru, another accused in the liquor policy case. The Chief Minister is believed to have spoken with Mahendru on the phone and informed him that Vijay Nair was “his boy” and that he could “trust him”.

The ED chargesheet accused Vijay Nair, the AAP’s media in-charge, of working as a go-between for the ‘South Group,’ which allegedly paid the Kejriwal government Rs 100 crore in kickbacks to gain access into the spirits retail industry in Delhi.

In its remand appeal to a Delhi court on Friday (22nd March), the central investigative agency claimed that Kejriwal was the “key conspirator and kingpin of the Delhi excise policy scam”. It went on to allege that he was personally involved in the policy’s creation, demanding payments, as well as the processing of criminal proceeds.

However, Kejriwal refuted the claims, claiming that no proof linked him to the alleged swindle under the now-defunct program.

‘Madras Music Academy President should resign and make way for non-Brahmins’: Ranjani-Gayatri respond to The Hindu’s N Ram for calling them ‘casteist bigots’

OpIndia Staff
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‘Madras Music Academy President should resign and make way for non-Brahmins’: Ranjani-Gayatri respond to The Hindu’s N Ram for calling them ‘casteist bigots’

On Monday (25th March), Carnatic musician sisters Ranjani-Gayatri lambasted the Madras Music Academy President N Murali for his controversial letter targeting them. In response to his earlier letter, they hit back against the “bigoted and casteist” jibe hurled at them. In the letter, the duo stated that the senior management of the Music Academy is filled only with Brahmins and Royals. Consequently, they urged its President and Executive Committee to tender resignations and make way for non-Brahmins in the management. 

Notably, Academy President Murali had responded to their letter dated 20th March after they withdrew from the Music Academy conference to be held later this year under the Presidency of TM Krishna. The sisters had accused Krishna of glorifying Periyar and vilifying the Carnatic music community.  

On 25th March, Ranjani-Gayatri shared their reply to the Madras Music Academy Chief on X. In the letter, they accused him of acting as a Spokesperson for the controversial awardee TM Krishna rather than a senior official of the Music Academy.  

In the letter, the sisters duo stated, “We were a bit surprised as to why your response reads like a release on behalf of the awardee (TM Krishna), erasing the distinction between him and the Music Academy.” 

The 20th March letter was not to seek permission but rather to inform about our decision: Ranjani-Gayatri

Taking a swipe at the Academy President for his “unwarranted letter”, the sister duo said, “We’d like to clarify that our letter to you (Murali) was only a notification of our withdrawal without any request for your decisions or actions. We did not post the letter on social media but merely informed our fans on the same subject. Now we realise, this didn’t help you manage the optics and we are sorry about it.”

They clarified that their decision was not to question the perogative of the Music academy to select an awardee rather it was their conscious choice not to be “apologists for genocide mongers and filthy discourse”, referring to their criticism about TM Krishna. 

They also slammed Murali for trying to twist the narrative and trying to cast aspersions on them. 

The letter read, “With your verbose answer to questions we never raised, you are trying to build a convenient narrative and cast aspersions on us. Your statements to the press in this regard are immoral and dishonest.” 

Lead by example, make way for non-Brahmins, Brahmins in the management of the Music Academy should tender their resignation: Ranjani-Gayatri

The duo also launched a scathing attack on The Hindu’s N Ram who according to them “joined as an undeclared spokesperson” and started a smear campaign branding them as a “bigoted, casteist coterie”.

In reply to the “bigoted and casteist” jibe made by N Ram, Ranjani-Gayatri requested the management of the Music Academy to lead by example and not merely resort to lip service for non-Brahmin communities. 

Voicing support for inclusivity and representation of all communities, they stated, “We immensely respect this hallowed institution and it will be the happiest day for us and for millions of people to see star performers emerge from underprivileged communities and dominate this stage. We want to see the day when the TTK auditorium is filled up with a diverse inclusive crowd from all communities and religious minorities.” 

However, the sister duo argued that it may take some time for artists to emerge from all communities as it is a long journey to acquire musical prowess. However, they stated that as an “instant” and simple solution, the management should tender their resignation to walk their talk.  

The letter states, “This transformation should begin at the top. Kindly start with the entrenched Executive Committee consisting of only Brahmins and royalty you have been heading for 2 decades. Unlike serious hardwork and the long journey it takes for artists to excel, this transformation is achievable instantly with a simple resolution and a bunch of resignations.”

“Please consider leading by example, lest the world call it mere lip service and start branding you as a  ‘bigoted, casteist coterie’,” the letter further stated.

The Controversy explained in brief

The Music Academy, Madras annually bestows the ‘Sangeetha Kalanidhi’ award, the highest award in the Carnatic music industry. This year, the Academy announced to conferring the award on TM Krishna. However, following the decision, Ranjani-Gayatri announced their withdrawal while several other artists also joined them in withdrawing from the event under Krishna’s Presidency. Soon after many other musicians like the Trichur Brothers, N Ravikiran, etc also joined in, condemning the move to promote TM Krishna.

Following their announcement, Music Academy President Murali had targeted the duo in a strongly-worded letter that drew condemnation from three-time Grammy Award winner Indian music composer Ricky Kej and others.

Apart from artists from the Carnatic music industry, several usual suspects including N Ram joined in to hurl “casteist” jibes at the sister which prompted them to hit back at the Former MD and Editor in Chief of The Hindu. 

The controversy also took a political turn when Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin extended support to TM Krishna. 

The fresh letter by Ranjini-Gayatri hitting back at the Music Academy President for his letter targeting them and the duo urging him to resign could escalate the row further. 

VHP organises Shri Ram Rath Yatra across US, Canada; aims to connect Hindu temples

ANI
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VHP organises Shri Ram Rath Yatra across US, Canada; aims to connect Hindu temples

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America, along with its chapter in Canada, came together to organise the Shri Ram Rath Yatra, aiming to forge connections in over a thousand Hindu temples across the US and Canada.

Spanning approximately 60 days, the yatra will weave through the expansive territories of both nations, making stops at over 850 temples in the US and 150 in Canada, covering a distance of over 16,000 miles, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of Canada said in a press release.

The aim of the yatra is to unify the various Hindu worship centres spread across these vast lands, encompassing a wide array of traditions (Sampradayas) within Hindu Dharma. Further, the Yatra seeks to disseminate the sacred Akshat, Prasad, and blessings from Ram Lalla’s grand ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony, which was conducted in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh on January 22.

In a press release, the American and Canadian chapters of Vishwa Hindu Parishad stated, “The Rath (chariot), actually Rath-s (plural), involves three distinct vehicles, each adorned with the Shri Ram Lalla motif. There’s one Rath designated for the US and two for Canada. Each Rath carries the murtis of Hindu deities, featuring Lord Ram, Goddess Sita, Lord Lakshman, and Lord Hanuman, and, of course, the sacred Akshat and Prasad from the Ram Lalla Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya.”

The American segment of the Yatra began at the VHPA headquarters located in Sugar Grove, a suburb of Chicago on March 23. The launch was marked by traditional rituals, including the Shankh Naad (conch shell blowing) and puja ceremonies, the press release added.

On its inaugural day, the yatra visited temples, covering a distance of more than 500 miles. The temples visited on March 23 are: Bala Ji Mandir, Jagannath Mandir, and Shiv Durga Hindu Mandir in Illnois’ Aurora, Iskcon Mandir in Illnois’ Naperville, Hindu Rama Mandir in Illnois Lemont, Chinmaya Mission in Illnois’ Willowbrook, Swami Narayan Gurukul Samiyu in Illnois’ Springfield, Hindu Mandir Peoria in Illnois’ Peoria and Hindu Mandir in Illnois’ Bloomington.

The Hindu community is buzzing with excitement to connect with the Rath Yatra and receive the blessings of Lord Ram. At every temple, the Rath stopped by, it was received warmly by the temple trustees, pujaris (priests), and crowds of eager devotees. The number of devotees welcoming the Yatra participants were more than 300 in several locations.

Amitabh Mittal, VHPA general secretary and one of the key figures in this initiative, said, “The Ram Rath Yatra has ignited an unprecedented wave of spiritual unity among Hindus across North America.” He added, “It’s a historic pilgrimage that brings the essence of our traditions and the blessings of Shri Ram Lalla directly to our doorsteps.”

The Canadian team sent good wishes to the US team for the auspicious start of the yatra as they get ready for their own journey starting Monday, March 25th.

Each visit, lasting less than 30 minutes, follows a strict protocol. During each stop, the statue of Ram Lalla is ceremoniously installed for the duration of the visit. The puja, following the exact guidelines set by the Shri Ram Janam Bhoomi Trustees in Bharat, is performed meticulously.

Further, as per the press release, akshat and prasad are then shared with the temple for distribution among its devotees. In recognition of their involvement in these significant celebrations, each temple receives an official certificate and a 2’X3′ portrait of Ram Lalla. Soon after, the journey promptly continues towards the next destination.

The Canadian segment of the Yatra is scheduled to begin in Toronto on March 25. Over the next several weeks, it will cover the extensive network of Hindu temples in the Greater Toronto Area before splitting into two directions: one branch heading east towards Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, and the other moving westward towards British Columbia, visiting other provinces en route, the release added.

The Canadian contingent plans to visit over 150 temples nationwide, covering more than 13,000 kilometers from coast to coast. (ANI)

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Shekhar Gupta’s ThePrint platforms man who had made genocidal calls against upper castes, The News Minute had earlier tried to rehabilitate the bigot

Jinit Jain
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Shekhar Gupta’s ThePrint platforms man who had made genocidal calls against upper castes, The News Minute had earlier tried to rehabilitate the bigot

Shekhar Gupta’s ThePrint recently platformed a pathological bigot who had made genocidal calls against upper castes, made derogatory remarks against the Indian Army and floated the idea of granting permission to Muslims to carry weapons to tackle resistance from gau-rakshaks to cow smuggling.

Nilakantan RS or @puram_politics as he is known on X, formerly known as Twitter, recently authored an article titled ‘Vote in the Lok Sabha elections, but know it’s just a symbolic gesture. Voice matters more’ for Shekhar Gupta’s ThePrint.

ThePrint published an opinion piece authored by Hinduphobic bigot Nilakantan RS

While the article penned by Nilakantan RS is replete with hoary platitudes and cliched arguments about why people should not only vote in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections but also raise their voice, what stirred up a row was the fact that The Print relied on a Hinduphobic bigot with a chequered history of abusing and dehumanising upper caste to sermonise its readers on the benefits of voting.

Screenshots from 2015 of his tweet are circulating, in which he implied that killing individuals from the Upper castes is a service to society.

The individual has also made derogatory comments about the Indian Army, alleging that it is ‘very proficient at raping women.’

He had also expressed a desire for India to suffer a military defeat by China to halt the growing wave of nationalism in the country.


The individual was also observed indulging in fantasies about the assassination of Narendra Modi on Twitter.

The person had also called for Muslims to get a license to carry a gun and carry them to ward off gaurakshaks who resist attempts at smuggling bovine, animals that hold religious significance for Hindus.

While Nilakantan RS has been spewing venom against India in general, his ire against the upper caste is particularly acute. He has been targeting upper caste members on X, using dehumanising and abusive references to characterise them.

Here are some of his tweets that demonstrate his rabid bigotry against upper castes:

It is worth noting that The News Minute, a left-leaning propaganda outlet, was at the receiving end of online backlash, much like ThePrint is currently facing after it had tried to rehabilitate the anti-Hindu bigot. In 2018, The News Minute started a new podcast featuring Nilakantan, ‘Puram’, where he engaged in conversation with politicians and policymakers on their vision for society among other things.

Six years later, ThePrint is trying to mainstream the hatemonger. OpIndia wrote to ThePrint founder Shekhar Gupta seeking his response on the platforming of a controversial individual known for his genocidal calls against Hindus, most notably upper castes. We are yet to receive a reply from him. The article will be updated when we hear from Mr Gupta on his views on platforming a Hinduphobic bigot.

Bengal: BJP fields Rajmata Amrita Roy from Krishna Nagar, to contest against cash-for-query scam accused TMC’s Mahua Moitra

OpIndia Staff
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Bengal: BJP fields Rajmata Amrita Roy from Krishna Nagar, to contest against cash-for-query scam accused TMC’s Mahua Moitra

Late on Sunday (24th March), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released the names of 111 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls. In a major poll battle, the party has fielded Amrita Roy, Rajmata of Krishna Nagar Raj bari (Bengali term for Royal Palace) from the Krishna Nagar Lok Sabha constituency. She will be contesting against TMC’s candidate Mahua Moitra.

Last year in December, Moitra was expelled from Lok Sabha on the recommendations of the Ethics Committee on charges of corruption and bribery in the cash-for-query scam case. 

Rajmata Amrita Roy joined the party on 20th March in the presence of Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari.

After joining BJP, Amrita Roy said, ‘When I was asked to join BJP, the first thing that came to my mind was to bring about a change in the current situation in Bengal which is much needed. From education to health, from Sandeshkhali to Garden Reach, there is illegality and corruption everywhere. This has become a normal phenomenon in the state, which is not appropriate.” 

Regarding her entry, Suvendu Adhikari said, “I am confident that Amrita Roy’s joining BJP will help in regaining the lost glory of Krishnanagar.”

Who is Rajmata Amrita Roy?

Amrita Roy hails from the Nadia Royal family based in Krishna Nagar. She is the wife of Soumish Chandra Roy, the 39th scion of the Nadia Royal family of Maharaja Rudra Chandra Roy and Krishnachandra Roy. Soumish is a retired employee of an airline company. Her son Manish practices in Calcutta High Court.

Rajmata Amrita Roy did her primary education at La Martiniere School and completed higher education at Loreto College. She is a fashion consultant by profession. 

According to her, none of the three members of her family had any previous connection with politics. She said, “But, my family has supported me in my decision to enter politics.”

Raja Krishnachandra was born in 1710 and lived till 1783. During his lifetime he was the king and landlord of Nadia from 1728 to 1782. He belonged to the Nadia Raj family and Shakta Hindu tradition. The Royal family had been renowned for opposing and fighting against the oppressions of the Mughal rule.

He had transformed the Nadia royal family’s Durga Puja into a ‘public’ celebration since its inception in 1683, and because of this, the family enjoys a special prestige in Bengal even today. 

A prominent figure in Indian history, particularly in Bengal, Krishna Chandra was renowned for his visionary governance during the 18th century. He inherited the throne at the age of 18 and ruled for 55 years. His legacy of administrative reforms, promotion of the arts, and Bengali culture is still cherished in the state. 

Rajmata’s inclusion to boost BJP’s poll prospect in the area

Poll experts predict that Rajmata Amrita Roy’s candidature will boost the BJP, and will also help the party in its poll fight against Trinamool Congress’s Mahua Moitra.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Mahua Moitra won the Krishnanagar constituency against BJP’s Kalyan Chaubey by 63,218 votes. While she secured 6,14,872 votes, BJP’s pick Chaubey got 5,51,654 votes amid allegations of fear and intimidation by the incumbent state government led by Mamata Banerjee.

As per reports, three assembly constituencies namely Chopra, Palashipara, and Kaliganj assemblies had a huge turnout in favour of Mahua Moitra, resulting in her victory in the 2019 polls. 

However, in the last five years, the BJP has strengthened its organisational structure in Kaliganj Assembly. Additionally, experts suggest that allegations of rampant corruption, misgovernance, and infighting in the ruling party have weakened Trinamool Congress’s organisational strengths have weakened in the past few months in the region. 

Moreover, by nominating ‘Ranima’ Amrita Roy, a well-known and influential figure within the local community, the party can effectively expand its lead in the voting margin and attract support in Krishnanagar.

Healthcare transformation in India: From focus on preventive healthcare, infrastructure development to innovative technology integration

Debraj B
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Healthcare transformation in India: From focus on preventive healthcare, infrastructure development to innovative technology integration

“Strength lies not in unrestrained behaviour but in well-regulated action”, said Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya (1916-1968). The co-founder of the Bhartiya Jana Sangh (BJS) and a prominent thinker of RSS had famously espoused the idea of ‘Antyodaya’, or upliftment of the last man in the queue. Drawing inspiration from the same philosophy, the present-day Indian Government has taken noteworthy strides in the realm of healthcare. “Health for All” has been the guiding mantra behind the transformation the Indian healthcare sector has witnessed over the past 10 years.  

The tenets behind revamping Indian healthcare have been three-fold: 

  • Focus on preventive healthcare 
  • Robust health infrastructure development 
  • New and innovative technology integration 

Preventive healthcare

To alleviate out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) for economically backward sections, key measures have been taken around enhancing insurance coverage and other benefits. 

Ayushman Bharat

Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY): This flagship insurance scheme of GoI was launched in 2018 to provide more than 100 million families with an insurance cover of up to INR 5 Lakhs per family per year. As of 23 Dec 2022, a total of 21.24 Cr Ayushman cards had been issued, and total hospitalizations stood at 4.22 Cr.

National Health Mission 

The prime drivers of this initiative are health system strengthening in rural and urban areas, Reproductive-Maternal-Neonatal-Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCH+A) and Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases. This is broadly subdivided into the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM). The services envisaged under these missions are facilitated by a network of social health centres and other schemes, like:

  1. ASHA – More than 9.15 lakh Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) are in place to facilitate and mobilize community healthcare. 
  2. Rogi Kalyan Samiti/Hospital Management Society – Members of this registered society act as trustees to manage and improve facilities at hospitals. 31,763 Rogi Kalyan Samitis (RKS) have been set up involving almost all District Hospitals, Sub-District Hospitals, Community Health Centers, and Primary Health Centers.
  3. The Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Committee (VHSNC) – This is a major tool for community empowerment at the grassroots level. VHSNC membership includes ASHA and other frontline workers, as well as Panchayati Raj representatives. To date, around 5.01 lakh VHSNCs have been set up across the country. 
  4. Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) – This flagship program aims to reduce maternal mortality among pregnant women by encouraging them to deliver in Gov health facilities. Ever since NHRM was set up, more than 8.55 Cr women have benefited from this program. One key outcome that has been witnessed is a sharp decline in Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR), from 130/lakh in 2014 to 97/lakh in 2020.
  5. Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK): JSSK entitles all pregnant women delivering in public health institutions to free and no-expense delivery, including the Caesarian section. Free drugs and consumables, free diet, free provisions of blood, and free to-and-fro transportation from home to health institution and back – are features of this scheme.    

Robust health infrastructure development: 

This can broadly be divided into 2 areas:

Expanding healthcare facilities, including hospital beds: As per Rural Health Statistics (RHS) 2020, as on 31.03.2020, public health facilities in India were – 

  • 1,57,921 Sub Centres (SCs)
  • 30,813 Primary Health Centres (PHCs)
  • 5,649 Community Health Centres (CHCs)
  • 1193 Sub-divisional Hospitals (SDHs) & 810 Districts Hospitals (DH)

To improve quality in over 31,000 public facilities, a National Quality Assurance Framework for Health facilities was introduced soon after this government assumed power in 2014. A notable initiative called Kayakalp was introduced, where public healthcare facilities would be appraised and evaluated around cleanliness, hygiene, etc, and exceptional centres would be rewarded. 

Newborn Care Corners (NBCCs) were established to provide essential newborn care at points of delivery, while for sick newborns, Special Newborn Care Units (SNCUs) were started across the country. 

To promote the usage of generic drugs at affordable price points, Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) was introduced, which covers 1965 drugs and 293 surgical equipment to be sold at retail shops 50% to 90% cheaper than branded medicines. Since 2014, the number of Janaushadhi Kendras has shot up around 100 times, from 80 to 10,000 now. 

COVID-19 was a testing ground around how swiftly India can adapt to providing facilities and vaccinations to its enormous population. From 2020 to Nov 2022, 3388 Testing laboratories were made operational at a breakneck pace. The largest vaccination drive in the world commenced on 16th January 2021, and as it turns out, this has been a stellar success story for the present-day Government. As of 6th January 2023, more than 220 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered, with 97% of eligible beneficiaries already receiving at least one dose, and around 90% receiving both doses. This involved training more than 2.6 lakh vaccinators, and 4.8 lakh other vaccination team members, outreach to the masses and logistics around storing and transporting vaccines involving 29,000 cold chain points. The digital platform Co-WIN was a big enabler to the vaccination program. Under the Vaccine Maitri program, vaccines and other medical assistance were provided to over 150 nations. 

  • Expansion of medical education: To cater to the increasing demand for quality healthcare, GoI over the last 9 years has expanded the number of medical colleges and MBBS seats at a staggering pace. From a mere 387 medical colleges in 2014 to 689 in 2023, the number has increased by around 78%. The number of AIIMS has also shot up from 7 to 22 over the same time-period.

Not just medical colleges, number of MBBS seats has gone up by 105%, from 51,300 in 2014 to 1,05,383 in 2023. The Number of PG seats over the same time-period has zoomed 110%, from 31,185 to 65,335. 

An interesting observation here is, the growth rates (GR) as above for India far outshine those of the USA and Canada, as depicted in the diagram below: 

Source: Sunday Guardian

New and innovative technology integration

  • Digitization of health infrastructure in India has been a key imperative of the present-day government. The introduction of the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) and the National Digital Health Blueprint (NDHB) have been key enablers of this journey. The Cornerstone of this digital thrust has been imperative to put patients at the centre of the care delivery system. Aided by growing internet and mobile penetration in India, the digital health sector is expected to clock growth from INR 524.97 BN in 2021 to INR 2528.69 BN by 2027.
  • Telemedicine – Integration of digital platforms, mobile applications, and AI have led to an enhanced reach of medical services to rural and semi-urban areas. In India, 90% of secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities are located far outside of rural areas, where around 68% of population lives. Naturally, telemedicine has proven to break this barrier and make healthcare more pervasive. This includes real-time or synchronous telemedicine, asynchronous, and remote monitoring. Plethora of private firms have been leading the charge, in close conjunction with GoI, in this space. 
  • Kilkari – To raise greater awareness among pregnant women and parents, an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) based mobile service called Kilkari was introduced, that delivers messages and advisories directly to their mobile phones. Each call would be for 2 minutes, that provides reminders to what families should do during a woman’s pregnancy. The services are available in regional dialects too. 
  • Mobile Academy – This is an anytime, anywhere audio training course for ASHA workers, which are 240 minutes long, consisting of 11 chapters with 4 lessons each. Purpose is to refresh ASHA and community workers on ways to better provide community health treatment. 

Among all the achievements of the present day Government, healthcare has clearly been a shining star. Be it Mission Indradhanush to expand immunization rates against deadly diseases, Ayushman Bharat to ensure health for all, the successful COVID-19 handling and vaccination, or promoting better lifestyle through occasions like International Yoga Day, India has witnessed phenomenal growth in healthcare over the past few years. 

Owen Arthur famously said – “For he who has health has hope; and he who has hope, has everything.” For 1.4 BN Indians, their hopes of a strong healthcare have surely and steadily been realized, courtesy present-day Government. And if the growth trajectory is anything to go by, the best is yet to come! 

Solapur: Muslim students of govt college offer Namaz in classroom without permission, authorities take no action despite complaints, video viral

Siddhi Somani
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Solapur: Muslim students of govt college offer Namaz in classroom without permission, authorities take no action despite complaints, video viral

On Sunday (24th March) a video from Maharashtra’s Solapur district ernt viral online in which several Muslim students could be seen offering Namaz inside the classroom of a government college. The students are said to have offered Namaz at the Polytechnic Government College, Solapur, on the 21st and 22nd of March amid the Islamic month of Ramzan.

The video obtained by OpIndia showed a group of Muslim students gathering in the classroom and offering Namaz. As per the information obtained by OpIndia, the other students complained about the disturbance. However, the college authorities failed to take any action against the students.

As per the sources, the Muslim students had initially sought permission from the college authorities to leave early from the college premises to attend the Ramzan prayers. However, the college had denied permission citing college rules and regulations that universally apply to all the students. The students then chose to offer Namaz in the class itself.

Along with the other students in the college, several Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists raised their voices against the incident. The activists indicated that they would start practicing Hindu religious practices in the classrooms if the Namaz practice wasn’t stopped. However, no action was taken by the authorities.

OpIndia talked to one of the ABVP activists regarding the incident who said that usually there is communal peace in the college, however, now they have started Namaz within the college premises, that too without permission. This is serious.

One of the faculty members also confirmed to OpIndia that the incident happened within the college premises and the authorities failed to take any action against the students for offering Namaz in the college without permission.

“The students had asked verbal permission to leave early from college to attend Ramzan prayers. College hours usually end at 6 pm. They had sought permission to leave 2 hours early. However, the permission was not granted citing the rules and regulations of the college. The students then offered Namaz in the classroom without permission. It happened only for two days. Later, the vacations began. But no action was taken by the college authorities despite several complaints,” one of the teachers confirmed on the condition of anonymity. He also said that the matter has now been settled as students immediately went for the vacation.

The college Principal was called for a comment but the calls remained unanswered. The report will be updated once the comments are obtained.

Recent incidents of Muslims offering Namaz in public places

The issue of Muslims offering namaz in public places has been heavily criticized as the community members tend to disturb the other community members by blocking the roads and occupying public places. Several Islamists in the past have purposefully created chaos in Gurugram, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Mumbai, and Delhi by offering Namaz on the streets. In several states like Uttar Pradesh, the government has imposed a ban on offering namaz in public places.

Recently, a video of several Muslims offering namaz on the road in the Indralok area of Delhi surfaced online. In the video, a cop could be seen arriving at the spot and kicking a man offering namaz hitting another with his hand, and angrily asking the namaz-offering crowd to vacate the rather busy road.

The Delhi Police cop, identified as Manoj Tomar, was then suspended on 8th March after the video went viral. Shortly after, a longer version of the same video surfaced in which it could be seen that the Muslims offering namaz on the road were warned multiple times by the Delhi Police before the said incident took place.

Islamic leaders on offering Namaz in public places

As per several Islamic leaders, offering Namaz in public places without permission is not allowed in Islam. Prominent Muslim cleric and member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali, had earlier said that Muslims should avoid offering namaz at places where it inconveniences others. “People must adhere to the directions of the local administration when it comes to using public spaces for offering namaz,” he was quoted as saying.

As per the UP Shia Waqf Board chairman, Syed Waseem Rizvi, Muslims must seek permission before using public spaces for prayers. Maulana Shahabuddin, a prominent Barelvi cleric had also said that “offering Namaz is a matter of faith but people should make sure that nobody is disturbed when they practice their religion.”

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