Thursday, March 28, 2024

North India

No interim relief for Arvind Kejriwal from Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to pass any interim order to release Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who was arrested and is under the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy scam case.

AAP’s lone Lok Sabha MP joins BJP

The lone Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP from Jalandhar, Sushil Kumar Rinku on Wednesday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

“Lost all hope of ever living in clean habitat,” say residents of Delhi’s Rangpuri Pahari

Batto sits on her haunches, overlooking the flooded home made out of old worn-out bricks. The 72-year-old, who goes...

Convicted former MLA Mukhtar Ansari, who alleged slow poisoning in UP jail, hospitalised

Convicted politician from Uttar Pradesh and former Member of the Legislative Assembly Mukhtar Ansari was admitted to Uttar Pradesh's...

JNU Students Union: Left alliance wins three of four seats, BAPSA secures one

In the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union Elections, the United Left coalition, consisting of AISA, DSF, SFI, and AISF, swept three out of four central panel positions, including president, vice president, and joint secretary. BAPSA emerged victorious in the general secretary race, with the RSS-affiliated ABVP securing the runner-up position across all positions.

Mathura: Shahi Idgah Masjid files objection against court’s survey order

The Shahi Idgah mosque committee on Monday filed its objection against a Mathura court order for a survey of the mosque.

“Accused a BJP member”: AAP allegation after woman dragged by car

One of the accused in Delhi's recent horror crime, in which a woman died after being dragged by a car through the streets, is a BJP member, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged today.
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Haryana: BJP minister, former hockey captain Sandeep Singh booked for sexual harassment

Haryana Sports Minister and BJP leader Sandeep Singh on Sunday handed over his portfolio to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar after the Chandigarh Police booked him on charges of sexual harassment based on a complaint by a woman athletics coach.

“Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati want an India of love”: Rahul Gandhi

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati want an “India of love” and the Congress has an ideological relation with them, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Saturday.
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Uttarakhand: 4,365 families in Muslim locality to become homeless as HC orders demolition of ‘constructions in Railway land’

Hundreds of Muslim families in Uttarakhand have been protesting against the order of the Uttarakhand High Court which asked the authorities to evict the “unauthorized occupants” of the railway land adjacent to Haldwani Railway Station, known as Gaffur Basti- a Muslim dominated locality.

Death of Uzbek children: UP firm Marion Biotech told to halt production

After the Uzbekistan government linked the deaths of 18 children in the country to a cough syrup manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Marion Biotech in Noida, Indian authorities told the company to halt the all production.
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Umar Khalid returns to jail

Prominent young rights activist Umar Khalid, the UAPA prisoner in northeast Delhi pogrom conspiracy case, Saturday returned to jail.

Christian leaders raise concerns about forcible conversion of Christian Adivasis to Hinduism

There is a sustained and organised campaign to forcibly convert Christian Adivasis to a Hindu way of life, found a fact-finding team who visited Chhattisgarh districts Narayanpur and Kondagaon where Adivasi Christian communities have been attacked by Hindutva groups. The fact-finding team who visited numerous relief camps and villages and interacted with the victims, as well as the non-Christian Adivasis including Village Sarpanch and residents, said the right to freedom of choice and religion is enshrined in the Constitution of India and such barbarous acts are a slap on the face of the nation. Adivasis have their own indigenous way of life and it is their legal right to choose their faith without fear as guaranteed by the Constitution of India, they said. The team said they had also interacted with district administration officials of Narayanpur including the District Collector, Deputy Superintendent of Police, and Additional Superintendent of Police apart from members of political and cultural outfits. The report of the fact-finding mission found that from December 9, 2022, until December 18, 2022, there were a series of attacks in about 18 villages in Narayanpur and 15 villages in Kondagaon displacing about 1,000 Christian Adivasis from their own villages. Those displaced were threatened to denounce their Christian faith and convert to Hindu religion failing which they would have to leave their village or face dire consequences, even death. Many Christian Adivasis were gravely assaulted and beaten with bamboo canes, tyres, rods, etc. At least two dozen people had to be hospitalised with injuries like fracture of collar bone etc. The press conference started with a documentary made by the fact-finding team of the United Christian Forum. The documentary presented accounts of violence suffered by the members of the tribal communities residing in the Kundagan and Narayanpur districts of Chhattisgarh. “We were beaten because we worship Jesus”, said a victim. A female tribal member in Narayanpur said, “The Sarpanch started this. Then, everyone joined in. My husband is currently admitted to a hospital.” Many villagers claimed that they had been forced to ‘convert back’ to Hinduism, follow the tribal culture and give up Christianity. This unconstitutional demand has largely been made by authorities and other village members, allegedly RSS members, according to members of UCF. The fact finding team found that villagers had attempted to lodge FIRs multiple times but the officers were apathetic and inactive in the matter. “We have been living here for so long. We won’t go home till we receive justice”, a villager stated in the documentary. The fact finding team further noted that violence had broken out in the two districts on 9 December. Christian tribals were being illegally turned out of their residence till 18 December. About 1000 Adivasis had been forcefully displaced from about 40 villages in Chhattisgarh before Christmas. Irfan Engineer stated that the Sarpanch of Chimri village demanded the villagers to either leave Christianity or the village, and this case was not in isolation within the state. In Kundagaon, many had to flee their homes on bikes or on foot to relocate to a nearby church. The team claimed, “There is a campaign going on in Chhattisgarh, for the forceful conversion of Christian tribals to Hinduism.” This, they said, had begun in October itself and the related violence escalated around the time of Christmas. They then emphasised the handicapped nature of state machinery. The inspector at the Birnur police station simply denied registering a complaint despite the tribals voicing one. “The administration continuously said that there was fault on both sides. I suppose the only fault of tribals was believing in Christianity”, remarked Irfan. Additionally, a key observation of the team was to highlight the deplorable conditions of the refugee camps in Narayanpur and Kundagaon and the difficulties faced by women. Their primary demands were proper accommodation and rehabilitation of the displaced Christians and prompt legal action against the perpetrators of such communal violence. Michael Williams, President of UCF mentioned the silence of the administration when asked for basic details of FIRs lodged, provided there was no proof available on government websites. He exclaimed that the Additional Superintendent of Police in Narayanpur told them that FIRs were lodged. However, not a single church member or victim in the same area knew of said FIRs. “We met the CM of Chhattisgarh. He assured us that arrests will be made soon and all information would be made available. It has been more than a week. We haven’t received a single phone call”, Williams added. He concluded by noting that Chhattisgarh has seen one such incident and that, the total number of affected people lies above thousands. Prominent human rights activist John Dayal then, put emphasis on the logistics of the data and the government’s tendencies. He said that the government is in a phase of denial. Data regarding violence against religious minorities, such as Christians, have been erased from the NRCB data records. On the point of opposition not taking up the Chhattisgarh issue, he exclaimed, “Who is ruling the state or the country does not matter. If it’s BJP, they enable RSS miscreants like these. If it’s Congress. It takes a backseat in order not to lose the Hindu vote bank.” According to his analysis, the miscreants in Narayanpur district, Kundagaon and other parts of Chhattisgarh are tribal and other members of the RSS. In the end, questions were raised by attendees about court proceedings and the conclusion was that the displaced Christian tribals who have been forcefully converted to Hinduism are welcoming of judicial proceedings and justice.
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Third time in a month; Saket Gokhale arrested by Gujarat Police

The Gujarat Police on Thursday arrested Trinamool Congress spokesperson Saket Gokhale for the third time this month.

Congress, BJP are same, says Akhilesh Yadav on invite to Bharat Jodo Yatra

Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minisyer Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday said that he has not received any invitation to join Congress’ Bharat Jodo Yatra and compared the Indian National Congress to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
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Attacked on AMU campus, called ‘terrorist’, alleges Kashmiri student

A Kashmiri research student at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has alleged that he MM and his friends were attacked and called 'terrorists' by some unidentified people inside the campus.

BSF man beaten to death for reprimanding man over uploading daughter’s video

A Border Security Force (BSF) personnel from Kheda was beaten to death on 24 December by a family when he went to reprimand a youth who allegedly uploaded videos of his minor daughter online.
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