Tag: India

  • The hideous face of India under Modi

    India is known as the ‘world’s largest democracy’ but it is quite apparent that it has become an autocracy under the rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Modi government has marginalised the minorities, apart from a few honourable exceptions, the Indian media largely behaves like a PR machine for the right-wing government, and the judiciary, too, has become pliant. International human rights organisations are facing the wrath of the Indian government for exposing its real face. Just recently, Amnesty International India announced that it is halting its work in the country after the Indian government froze its bank accounts due to their work. The recent crackdown by the Indian government against human rights organisations and defenders was condemned by 15 international human rights organisations.

    The Babri Mosque verdict was a tight slap in the face of justice. To give a clean chit to all accused in the Babri Mosque demolition case – 32 out of 49 were acquitted as17 had died while the case was still under way – seems to say that nobody demolished the historic mosque. An Indian court said the demolition was not pre-planned despite 850 witnesses, 7,000 documents apart from TV footage and photos of what happened that fateful day. The demolition was televised and led to communal riots, which killed around 2,000 people. From the Ayodhya verdict last year to the Babri Mosque verdict just days ago, the Indian judiciary seems like a proper lackey of the Modi government. The way this verdict was celebrated by the accused, which included former Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani, shows that the verdict was expected.

    India under Modi has changed radically in just six years. The pretense of a secular India is truly over. Communalism in India was always a reality – from the Bombay riots in 92-93 to Gujarat pogrom in 2002, the Muslim minority in India largely lived in fear but at least there were constitutional protections safeguarding their rights. Now, just like the White Supremacists have been empowered in Trump’s America, the Hindutva brigade has been weaponised in Modi’s India. It is fast turning into a Hindu Rashtra. From treating religious minorities like third-class citizens to not giving a hoot about the ethnic minorities, the Indian authorities have shown time and again how shameless they can be.

    A 19-year-old Dalit woman died on Tuesday after she was allegedly gang-raped by four upper-caste men in the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP), where the controversial Yogi Adityanath rules as the chief minister. The details of the gang-rape are horrific: the young victim was beaten to a pulp and left to die. She was hospitalised for two weeks but did not make it in the end. As if the trauma of her death and what led to it was not enough for the victim’s family, the UP police cremated her body in the dead of the night without the permission and presence of her family. The victim’s brother told the BBC that “they took the body away without our permission, without the permission of my parents and cremated her”. He said the family did not even get to see her one last time. Just after this, news broke of a 22-year-old Dalit woman’s death after a gang-rape, this time too in the state of UP.

    India’s descent into fascism was expected under Modi but to witness the authorities being so blatant about it in the 21st century is still shocking. Rolling back Modi’s legacy will take generations. The process should begin before it is too late. 

  • VIDEO: PM says India helping Nawaz to weaken army

    VIDEO: PM says India helping Nawaz to weaken army

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has accused Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif of acting on the behest of India and said that the former premier is playing a “dangerous game” by levelling allegations against the army.

    Speaking during an interview, he said that the military and the civil government departments are working within their spheres and this has led to relations that are “best in history” between them. “One shouldn’t hate the army because of the actions of a few past dictators.”

    The premier remarked that Nawaz’s speech was an attempt to weaken the relationship between the government and the Pakistan Army, which only harms the country in the end.

    “Whose interest is it that our army weakens? Our enemies,” he added, saying some “foolish liberals” were agreeing with Nawaz’s narrative.

    “Look at Libya, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen; the entire Muslim world is ablaze [so] why are we safe? If it weren’t for our army, our country would have been in three pieces. India’s think-tanks say that they want to break Pakistan,” PM Imran said, reiterating the fact that it is the army which has saved us otherwise the country will have been disintegrated in three parts as per Indian designs.

    READ: PM says he’ll sack anyone from establishment who asks for his resignation

    The prime minister went on to say that the “military’s job is not to run the government. If a democratically elected government is performing poorly, it does not mean martial law should be imposed; it means the government should be improved”.

    He said Nawaz was creating “huge fitna (mischief)” by attacking the army. “He [Nawaz] is becoming the next Altaf Hussain,” he said. Furthermore, the prime minister said Nawaz has problems with the army because “they come to steal, and our world-class agencies detect their theft”.

    The PM stated that Nawaz had taken control of various institutions of the country during his tenure, including in the legislative and judiciary departments, but added that the PML-N supremo could never control the army.

    WATCH VIDEO:

  • India vs India: Twitterati blast court for saying no one demolished Babri Mosque

    India vs India: Twitterati blast court for saying no one demolished Babri Mosque

    An Indian court on Wednesday acquitted all 32 accused in the Babri Masjid case after a judge controversially ruled that the demolition was not preplanned.

    A special court of India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Lucknow issued the verdict nearly thirty years after a mob of Hindu extremists razed the historic mosque to the ground.

    As expected, the verdict attracted strong reactions not only from around the globe, but Indians too.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) has also strongly reacted to the decision, calling it shameful.

    BABRI MOSQUE:

    Babri Masjid was a mosque in Ayodhya, India. Located in Ayodhya district, at a spot believed by Hindus to be the birthplace of Hindu deity Rama, it has been a bone of contention between the Hindu and Muslim communities since the 18th century.

    The destruction of the mosque in 1992 sparked massive Hindu-Muslim violence that left around 2,000 people dead.

    Hindu hardliners say the mosque was built after a temple dedicated to the Hindu god was destroyed by Muslim invaders. After the demolition of the mosque, Hindus and Muslims took the issue to a lower court, which, in 2010 ruled that the disputed land should be divided into three parts — two for Hindus and one for Muslims.

    Late last year, the Indian Supreme Court (SC) had put to rest the decades-old Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case, deciding in favour of Hindus.

    The Indian top court had allotted Ayodhya land to Ram Janambhoomi Nyas (Ram Birthplace Trust).

    Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas is an organisation to promote and oversee the construction of a temple in Ayodhya at the Ram Janmabhoomi, the reputed site of the birth of Rama, the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Hindu God Vishnu.

  • Teenage girl finds Rs100 million in bank account, informs police

    Teenage girl finds Rs100 million in bank account, informs police

    A 16-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh, India was surprised when she was informed that she had nearly Rs10 crore (Rs100 million) in her bank account.

    As per reports, Saroj told the media that she had an account in an Allahabad Bank branch in Bansdih town since 2018, and had never even seen so much money.

    Saroj immediately went to the police station and registered a complaint.

    She told the police that a person named Neelesh Kumar had called her about two years ago and had asked her to send her Aadhaar card details and her photograph so that she could get funds under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

    Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana is an initiative by the Indian Government in which affordable housing will be provided to the urban poor.
    Saroj said that she had sent the details to Kumar but never got any information from him after that.

    She told the police that the number from which Kumar used to call her was now switched off. She also said that she did not know where the money came into her account.

    The bank manager told the police that Saroj had deposited and withdrawn amounts ranging between Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000 several times.

    Police station in-charge Rajesh Kumar Singh said the matter is being investigated and action would be taken accordingly. He said that cyber experts are also analyzing the money trail.

  • [GRAPHIC WARNING] Indian cop beating wife caught on camera

    [GRAPHIC WARNING] Indian cop beating wife caught on camera

    Additional Director General (ADG) of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, Purushottam Sharma, has been suspended after a video of him beating his wife went viral on social media.

    According to reports, Sharma’s wife had caught him with another woman.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CFtVYrnp70g/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    Speaking to media, Sharma said they have been married for 32 years. “In 2008, she had complained against me. But the point is, since 2008 she has been living in my house, enjoying all facilities and travelling abroad on my expenses.” 

    “If my nature is abusive then she should’ve complained earlier. This is a family dispute, not a crime. I am neither a violent person nor a criminal. It is unfortunate that I have to go through this. My wife stalks me and has put cameras in the house.”

    Several Twitter users were enraged by his comments.

    https://twitter.com/Sayyara82/status/1310483615894077440?s=20

    What’s your opinion? Let The Current know in the comments below.

  • Dilip Kumar’s wife says ‘MashaAllah’ to Pakistan’s efforts to conserve Kumar’s KP home

    Dilip Kumar’s wife says ‘MashaAllah’ to Pakistan’s efforts to conserve Kumar’s KP home

    The wife of Indian actor Dilip Kumar, Saira Banu, has expressed her delight about recent reports of his ancestral home being purchased by the government for conservation in  Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

    Kumar’s ancestral house is  located at  the Qissa Khwani Bazar and is over 100 years old.

    Saira Banu told the ETimes: “I wish the provincial government success in its efforts and sincerely hope that this time the dream comes true. Mashallah.”

    “My heart fills up with joy each time I receive the same news about the ancestral home of Yousuf Saheb in Peshawar in northwest Frontier province which the provincial government has been repeatedly trying to turn into a monument for posterity. It has come up so many times in the past and I have appreciated the tenacity with which the government is pursuing the mission of turning the house into a museum for the public to visit and feel the vintage charm of the house where Dilip Saheb grew up like any bright boy of the province,” she added

    Also Read: KP govt allots Rs50 million to restore Kapoor Haveli, other historical buildings

    She said that they visited the house some years ago, and that the actor got emotional as he recalled his childhood memories.

    “The house is of great sentimental value to my husband and I have shared his pride and happiness during a visit to the property some years ago. He was so emotional when he saw the house where he spent his lovely childhood in the comfort and security of a large, refined family.”

    Dilip Kumar is an Indian actor, producer and philanthropist. Kumar is 97 years old and is the only living male actor from Bollywood’s golden era of movies. The actor debuted in 1944 in the film ‘Jwar Bhata’ and has won eight Filmfare awards for the best actor so far.

  • Woman moves family court after losing to father in Ludo

    Woman moves family court after losing to father in Ludo

    A 24-year-old woman has approached a family court after she lost several Ludo games to her father in Bhopal city of India.

    As per the details, the young woman, her two siblings and their father, used to play the game during the coronavirus lockdown. After losing a few games, she developed bitterness against her father, which increased over a period of time and the family had to seek counselling sessions for her.

    “Nowadays, children are unable to endure defeat which is why such cases come up. They need to learn to accept defeat which is as important as winning,” family court counsellor Sarita Rajani told an Indian news agency.

    “A 24-year-old young woman had come to us and said that when she was playing Ludo with her siblings and father, her father killed her token (goti) and she felt it was a breach of trust. She said she had trusted her father a lot and didn’t expect to be defeated by him,” she added.

    Rajani told that the girl has said that she lost respect for her father and even felt hesitation in calling him “father”. She said the father-daughter relation was better earlier and only the board game defeat led to the crisis. 

    “She has been counselled four times till now and the situation is improving. We will find a positive solution,” she added.

    Rajani added that the girl did not share her feelings with her family and decided to seek counselling about the matter.

    She said the young woman is currently pursuing her studies and does not have a mother. The girl is the youngest of three siblings.

  • We are with you, Mr PM, but take a look back at home too

    We are with you, Mr PM, but take a look back at home too

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has addressed the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), warning India against any misadventures.

    “I want to make it clear that any attempt by the fascist totalitarian RSS-led Indian government to aggress against Pakistan will be met by a nation that will fight for its freedom to the end,” he said, exposing India’s fascism.

    “While the Nazis’ hate was directed at the Jews, the RSS directs it at the Muslims, and to a lesser extent, the Christians.”

    Talking about Islamophobia around the world, PM Imran said India is the one country in the world where “the state sponsors Islamophobia”.

    On the Kashmir issue, he emphasised that Pakistan had always called for a peaceful solution to the Kashmir dispute. He said that India must repeal the measures it had instituted since August 5, 2019, end its military siege and other gross human rights violations, and agree to “resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and, of course, the wishes of the people of Kashmir”.

    He also pointed out that what India did on August 5 last year was in violation of the UN Charter, council resolutions and international law, particularly the 4th Geneva Convention. “Changing demographic structure of occupied territory is a war crime.”

    PM Imran is right about the atrocities in India being committed against religious minorities, especially the Muslims in India. From beef lynchings to Delhi riots to Modi himself laying the foundation stone of the Ram Mandir on the one-year anniversary of revoking the special status of Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK), the message that the Indian government is giving to its Muslim citizens is quite clear: the Hindutva supremacy brigade is in charge and you can only live here on our terms.

    This is a grave indictment of the so-called world’s largest democracy where the rights of minorities now are almost non-existent. The media in India has largely become pliant, a few honourable exceptions aside. We hardly see them questioning the state on issues that matter the most.

    PM Imran’s comments on India are spot on. We do hope that he would also take notice of the new sectarian fire that is roaring in Pakistan these days.

    The huge anti-Shia rallies that were taken out in Karachi and Islamabad should be a wake-up call for our state. It took a long time for the state to put out the sectarian conflict in the country. It would be extremely dangerous if sectarianism starts again. We cannot forget the target killings of Shia Hazaras in dozens just a few years ago.

    The state must end this before it becomes uncontrollable again. Interfaith harmony as well as sectarian harmony is important for any society and for people to co-exist peacefully. Pakistan’s media has been quite responsible in the recent sectarian rift. We hope that the state, too, will play its part.

  • India stops Sikh pilgrims from attending Baba Guru Nanak’s death anniversary in Pakistan

    India stops Sikh pilgrims from attending Baba Guru Nanak’s death anniversary in Pakistan

    The Indian government has barred Sikh pilgrims from travelling to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartapur to take part in the 481st death anniversary rituals of Baba Guru Nanak.

    Pakistan in June had informed India that it was ready to reopen Kartarpur Corridor and invited New Delhi for a discussion on protocols for the safe visit of pilgrims during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The decision was taken after many Sikh pilgrims had started arriving from across the world to attend the event.

    The Foreign Office (FO) also wrote two letters to its Indian counterpart regarding the arrival of Sikh pilgrims in Pakistan through the corridor. The first letter was written on June 27 and the second on August 27, but New Delhi did not respond to either.

    The pilgrims have been taking part in the 481st death anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak at Kartarpur for the past three days. Tuesday was the last day of the event.

  • VIDEO: Thief arrested after falling asleep in AC room during robbery

    A thief fell asleep in the comfort of an AC room during a robbery.

    According to details, the 21-year-old man who attempted to rob a house in India’s Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari district fell asleep under the bed of the owner during a burglary. The police caught him red-handed.

    Suri Babu, after doing a recce of the house, tried to loot a petrol pump’s owner house. He had carefully noted the daily routine of Satti Venkat Reddy, the house’s owner, where he keeps his money, what time he goes to sleep, etc.

    One night Babu entered the unlocked house at 4 am and stepped inside Reddy’s room who was by then fast asleep.

    The owner had kept the cash on his side table that night. Meanwhile, unable to resist the temptation of a cool comfortable room, Babu slept under the owner’s bed.

    Read more – Gang of ‘half-naked robbers’ spark fear among residents of Khushab

    Waking up to Babu’s snoring, Reddy immediately called the police.

    When the police arrived Babu locked himself inside the room. However, after a lot of persuasions, he finally opened the door and confessed to his crime.

    https://twitter.com/naartthigan/status/1306612613317500928?s=20

    “He told us that he was tired and since the air conditioner was also on, he could not resist going to sleep in the cool room,” narrated a constable from the Gokavaram police station.

    The police revealed that Babu ran a small sweet shop but didn’t make much money out of it. Drowned in debts, he thought a theft would help him come out of his financial problems. Though he failed at committing the crime, he has been arrested for attempting to steal.