Today's India

09/08/2023

On Monday, August 7th, the priests of Ujjain's Mahakaleshwar temple issued a formal legal notice to the creators of the controversial film 'Oh My God-2', which features Akshay Kumar in a leading role. They expressed their concern that the film has portrayed Lord Shiva in an inappropriate and belittling manner, causing offense. Specifically, they pointed out a scene in which Lord Shiva is depicted buying Kachori from a shop, which has deeply upset devotees of Lord Shiva.

The priests of the Mahakal Temple took legal action by serving notices to various individuals involved in the film's production, including film director Amit Rai, producers Vipul Shah and Chandraprakash Dwivedi, and actor Akshay Kumar. They also extended a legal notice to the Chairman of the Censor Board, Prasoon Kumar Joshi. The notices were sent on August 7th, facilitated by High Court lawyer Abhilash Vyas, who acted on behalf of the All India Pujari Mahasangh.

In the legal notices, they have demanded that the objectionable scenes be removed from the movie and requested a public apology. The notice specifies a 24-hour deadline from the receipt of the letter for the filmmakers to eliminate the offensive scenes from the film 'OMG-2' and issue a public apology.

09/08/2023

The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was approved by the Rajya Sabha on August 7th, with 131 members voting in favor and 102 members voting against. The bill, presented by Home Minister Amit Shah, is set to substitute the previous ordinance introduced by the central government, which pertained to the appointments and transfers of senior officials within the Delhi government. The Lok Sabha had previously passed this bill on August 3rd.

09/08/2023

The BJP central leadership has resolved to initiate five 'Jan Ashirwad Yatras' in Madhya Pradesh, which is gearing up for elections. These yatras will be spearheaded by five prominent party leaders, aiming to garner support across all 230 assembly constituencies in the state. This move by the party to appoint five leaders for leading the campaign is perceived as a significant setback to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who exclusively led the Yatra back in 2018.

Insider sources reveal that the BJP intends to commence these five yatras from different regions within the state, with the starting date set for September. In addition to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the faces of these yatras will include Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Minister and Convenor of Madhya Pradesh Election Management Committee Narendra Singh Tomar, BJP National General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, and state BJP President V.D. Sharma.

09/08/2023

The Aam Aadmi Party's Raghav Chadha has been accused by the BJP of purported fraudulent activity within a context linked to the Delhi Services Bill. On Monday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah claimed that Raghav Chadha, a leader of the AAP, had allegedly falsified the signatures of five Members of Parliament in a motion aimed at referring the Delhi Services Bill to a select committee. Disputing these allegations, the AAP asserted that, in accordance with regulations, no signatures are required when suggesting the formation of a select committee.

08/08/2023

06/08/2023

Experts suggest that the Reserve Bank of India is likely to maintain the current pause on the key interest rate during the upcoming monetary policy review. This decision comes as a response to concerns about inflation and aims to stabilize borrowing costs to support ongoing economic growth momentum.

The six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will convene from August 8 to 10, with RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das set to announce the policy decision on August 10.

Since May of the previous year, borrowing costs have been on the rise, but the central bank has managed to stabilize them by keeping the repo rate unchanged at 6.5 per cent since February. In both the April and June bi-monthly policy reviews, the rate remained unchanged as well.

06/08/2023

Banwarilal Purohit, the governor of Punjab, has raised the ongoing dispute with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann by accusing him of making offensive remarks about him during the most recent assembly session in June. He also issued a warning that he may file a criminal complaint against the Chief Minister for tarnishing his image if similar statements continue to be made outside the assembly in the future.

The governor expressed his displeasure over Mann's defamatory speech in the assembly, where derogatory language was used, and accusations were made about him being idle and constantly writing letters. He emphasized that such behavior is unacceptable.

The governor clarified that the Chief Minister enjoys legal protections while inside the assembly, but outside the House, he could face legal action for making derogatory remarks. He cited Section 124 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with assaulting the reputation of a President or governor with intent to restrain lawful power.

He asserted that even an attempt to pressure or overawe the governor is subject to criminal action and emphasized that nobody has the right to defame the governor. He urged the Aam Aadmi Party leader to be cautious with his words, as a governor wields considerable power.

Regarding administrative information, the governor accused the state government of violating Constitutional Section 167, which mandates that the chief minister must provide any demanded administrative information to the governor. He mentioned that the Supreme Court had previously advised the state government to respect this Constitutional provision.

06/08/2023

The latest flashpoint in Haryana's Nuh involves a massive demolition drive targeting "illegal" constructions. The Nuh district administration is using bulldozers to demolish structures, with the most recent action being the Sahara Hotel on the fourth day of the drive.

The violence in Nuh started when some individuals threw stones at a religious procession from the roof of the Sahara Hotel on Monday. As a result, the participants of the procession sought refuge in a nearby temple while facing an attack by a mob throwing stones.

Earlier in the week, around a dozen shops, including medical stores, were demolished. Additionally, shanties belonging to migrants in Tauru, about 20 km away from Nuh, were also razed for encroaching on government land.

Officials have stated that some of the demolished shops and homes belonged to individuals involved in the recent clashes.

So far, approximately 50 to 60 structures in various areas have been demolished, leading many to flee the area due to fear of arrests.

This bulldozing action has been carried out for three days in different places across Nuh, and authorities claim to be targeting long-standing illegal encroachments.

The communal clashes in Nuh resulted in the deaths of six people, including two home guards and a cleric. The violence escalated throughout the evening, with a mosque being set on fire after midnight, and over a hundred vehicles were torched and vandalized as mobs wreaked havoc in Nuh and neighboring Gurugram.

Haryana's Home Minister, Anil Vij, has alleged a hidden agenda behind the violence, but he has also rejected opposition claims of intelligence failure. However, the Nuh Superintendent of Police has not found any evidence of a mastermind behind the clashes so far.

As a result of the clashes, 106 first information reports (FIRs) have been filed, and more than 216 individuals have been arrested. Among these, 24 FIRs pertain to social media posts, and four individuals have been arrested for content that may have incited violence.

06/08/2023

The police have informed that the attack on a cyber police station in the Nuh district of Haryana, which occurred on August 5, was pre-planned and aimed at erasing evidence of cyber fraud collected by the authorities.

Earlier, on July 31, 2023, Today's India reported that a group of Islamists forcibly entered the cyber police station in Nuh using a hijacked bus. The violent mob specifically targeted the station, vandalizing and ransacking it with the intention of destroying crucial evidence. They also attempted to burn documents and set the station on fire.

The Haryana police have now confirmed that this attack on the police station marked the beginning of a series of violent incidents. It is important to note that on the intervening night of April 27-28 this year, the police conducted one of the largest raids to combat cybercrime cases in the Nuh district (Mewat region).

05/08/2023

Justice Deo, who was an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court and later became a Permanent Judge, has resigned citing personal reasons. He clarified in his statement to the media that he decided to quit due to personal factors and has already submitted his resignation to the President of India. According to sources, there were discussions about transferring him to another high court.

During his tenure, Justice Deo led a two-judge bench that made significant decisions. Notably, the bench acquitted G N Saibaba, a former Delhi University professor, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment in 2017 on charges of having connections with Maoists. The bench ruled that the trial proceedings in a Gadchiroli court were "null and void" due to the absence of valid sanction under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The bench also acquitted five other individuals who were sentenced by the lower court. However, the Supreme Court suspended the High Court's judgment the following day, stating that the High Court did not thoroughly consider the merits of the case or the seriousness of the charges against the accused.

Furthermore, in April of the current year, the Supreme Court set aside the High Court's order to discharge Saibaba, instructing the matter to be reexamined by a different bench.

05/08/2023

Earlier today, Today's India obtained access to the FIR lodged in the heinous killing of Pradeep Kumar, a Bajrang Dal activist. This incident marked the third instance of Islamist violence in Haryana on July 31, which began with an attack on a Hindu procession in the Nuh district.

The FIR was filed by Pawan Kumar, another Bajrang Dal activist who was present with Pradeep Kumar during the fatal attack. Pawan Kumar named Javed Ahmed as the primary accused in his complaint. OpIndia's report presented compelling evidence establishing Javed Ahmed as a leader affiliated with the Aam Aadmi Party.

New revelations in the case suggest that Javed Ahmed, the AAP leader, has connections with Tauseef, the main perpetrator in the Nikita Tomar murder case. Tauseef, also known as Sajeed, was caught on camera shooting Nikita Tomar outside the Aggarwal College in Ballabgarh, Faridabad, in October 2020. The murder garnered national attention after CCTV footage surfaced. Nikita Tomar's family alleged that Tauseef had been pressuring her to convert to Islam and marry him.

As the investigation progressed, it came to light that Tauseef had political affiliations, with Javed Ahmed being his uncle. Javed Ahmed, previously associated with the Bahujan Samaj Party, denied any involvement in Love Jihad and refuted claims of religious conversion during the Nikita Tomar murder case.

In 2020, Dainik Bhaskar published a report identifying Javed Ahmed as a Bahujan Samaj Party leader and Tauseef's uncle. The report included a photograph of Javed Ahmed and a headline in Hindi that roughly translated to "Nikita Tomar murder: BSP leader Javed Ahmed, Tauseef's uncle, joins investigation and gives a statement."

05/08/2023

According to the Indian Army, three soldiers lost their lives during a clash with terrorists in the Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. The encounter commenced on Friday evening after receiving precise intelligence regarding the terrorists' whereabouts in the Halan forests area. The operation was a combined effort between the army and police.

As the troops closed in on the terrorists, they faced intense gunfire, resulting in the unfortunate demise of three army soldiers.

Additional troops have swiftly been deployed to the region, and efforts to locate and apprehend culprits have been escalated.

During April and May, two distinct incidents of violence occurred in Poonch and Rajouri districts, resulting in the loss of ten soldiers, including five highly skilled commandos. Remarkably, these areas had remained free from terrorist activities for nearly twenty years before these unfortunate events took place.

05/08/2023

Following the Supreme Court's decision to temporarily suspend his conviction in the 'Modi' surname case, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited former Bihar chief minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) patriarch, Lalu Prasad Yadav, in the national capital on Friday.

The All India Congress Committee posted pictures of the two leaders' meeting at the New Delhi residence of RJD MP and Lalu's daughter, Misa Bharti, on Twitter. Congress general secretary KC Venugopal and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav also attended the meeting. Previously, during the inaugural gathering of the united Opposition in Patna in June, the RJD patriarch playfully suggested that Rahul should consider getting married.

The Congress and the RJD are allies in the grand Opposition bloc called the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A). A meeting was organized in Patna, which was presided over by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Meanwhile, Rahul, who recently received relief from the Supreme Court in a criminal defamation case related to his 'Modi surname' remark, held a press conference at the Congress's national headquarters in Delhi. During the conference, he expressed his gratitude to the people for their love and support, asserting that truth always prevails.

During the press conference in the national capital, Rahul stated, "Truth always triumphs, whether it's today, tomorrow, or the day after. I am thankful for the support I have received." The Supreme Court had issued an interim order on Friday, staying his conviction in the criminal defamation case and also served notices to the Gujarat government and the complainant in July, following an appeal by the Congress leader challenging the Gujarat High Court's decision.

04/08/2023

After Islamist riots erupted in the Nuh district of Haryana, a Muslim sarpanch and an eyewitness reported that a number of rioters, who engaged in violence and vandalism, came from Rajasthan and other regions.

Rafiq, the President of the Sarpanch Association of Nuh, informed India Today that several boys from his village, around 5-6-7 of them, were involved in the riots. This aligns with other reports indicating that Islamists came in groups to the Nuh region to carry out the riots.

Rafiq acknowledged that the rioters came with the intention of attacking and then fled the scene. He mentioned that they were mostly aged between 18 and 25, with some involved in looting and others in rioting.

Another local resident of Nuh, named Irfan, told India Today that 7-8 pickup vans came from Rajasthan and some individuals from Rajasthan and Ferozepur Jhirkha (Haryana) participated in the violence.

04/08/2023

In Varanasi, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has initiated a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi premises to ascertain whether the 17th-century mosque was built on the site of a pre-existing Hindu temple. The survey commenced at 7 am on Friday, with ASI team members and representatives of the Hindu petitioners involved in the legal dispute over the mosque present within the complex, under strict security arrangements.

However, the members of the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid committee decided to boycott the survey, and their representatives abstained from accompanying the ASI team.

This survey was prompted by the Allahabad High Court's decision on Thursday, which upheld a Varanasi district court order, considering it "necessary in the interest of justice" and beneficial for both parties involved.

04/08/2023

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took a dig at the opposition BJP on Thursday, suggesting that the party's local leaders lack the ability to secure victory in the upcoming state assembly elections. As a result, the BJP has chosen to rely on projecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's image to boost their chances. He also questioned the absence of former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje at the party's recent protest rally near the state secretariat in Jaipur.

According to CM Gehlot, the BJP leaders in Rajasthan vying for the chief minister's position are not competent enough to lead the party to success. This, he claimed, led the party to resort to showcasing Prime Minister Modi, whom he referred to as an international leader and "vishwa guru." Gehlot wondered why the BJP is bringing Modi into the state elections instead of promoting the face of their former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

04/08/2023

On Thursday, the Supreme Court raised a query about the absence of a mechanism to revoke Article 370, even if the people of Jammu and Kashmir desire it. The court pondered whether leaving the now-repealed provision untouched would create a novel category beyond the Constitution's basic structure.

During the second day of hearings, a five-judge constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and including Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, and Surya Kant, heard a series of petitions challenging the Centre's decision in 2019 to abrogate Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The bench sought clarification on how this provision could be revoked when there was no constituent assembly.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing National Conference leader Mohd Akbar Lone, was informed by the bench that the only two contentious issues were whether Article 370 attained permanent status with the cessation of the constituent assembly of Jammu and Kashmir and whether the procedure used for its abrogation was valid.

02/08/2023

Jaipur: A 43-year-old woman from Alwar has alleged that two years ago, she was sexually assaulted by a staffer of Congress MLA Babulal Bairwa, who promised her a job at an Anganwadi center.

The woman lodged a formal complaint at Kerli Police Station on Monday, stating that the accused individual, Virendra, a friend of her husband, had been sending her explicit and threatening messages.

According to the FIR, when her husband confronted Virendra on Sunday, he was physically assaulted. The woman further asserted that Virendra is employed as a personal assistant to Kathumar MLA Babulal Bairwa.

02/08/2023

On Monday, 31 July, a tragic incident occurred on the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Superfast Express, where a Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable opened fire, resulting in the death of four individuals. According to The Indian Express, the shooting was triggered by an argument that took a communal turn.

Following the incident, a 51-second video purportedly from the train emerged online, showing the accused stating, "If you want to live in India, vote only for Modi, Yogi."

The accused in this case is a 33-year-old RPF officer named Chetan Singh. He allegedly fired 12 rounds from his automatic service weapon, first killing his colleague ASI Meena and then moving to different coaches to shoot three passengers. The deceased have been identified as Abdul Kadir in coach B5, Asgar Kai in coach S6, and an unidentified person in the pantry, confirmed by the Mumbai Railway police.

The incident occurred around 5 am near Palghar station, and afterwards, Singh reportedly got off the train near Dahisar railway station. He has been arrested by the authorities.

Sumit Thakur, CPRO Western Railway, commented on the incident, stating, "An unfortunate incident has been reported today in Mumbai-Jaipur Superfast Express. An RPF constable, Chetan Kumar opened fire at his colleague ASI Tikaram Meena and during the incident, three other passengers were also shot. According to a preliminary investigation, he opened fire using his official weapon. The accused has been arrested. The reason for the firing is not clear yet, we are investigating it."

02/08/2023

Haryana Violence Updates: The security has been strengthened in the adjoining districts of Nuh - Faridabad, Palwal, and Gurugram - in light of the violence.

Several shops and shanties were set on fire in Gurugram's sector 70 on Tuesday night. Authorities imposed prohibitory orders across the district, including a ban on the sale of loose petrol or diesel.
At least six people have died including two home guards who were shot dead after after a clash broke out on Monday.

The Gurugram police urged citizens not to believe rumours, and not give credence to reports on social media. "Messages being circulated on social media about schools, colleges, work stations being closed today are false. All traffic is running as usual, there are no restrictions," says Varun Kumar Dahiya, Assistant Commissioner of Police - Gurgaon.

Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar called the incident "unfortunate" and said that clashes broke out at several places and that a big conspiracy seems behind the violence.

The security has been strengthened in the adjoining districts of Nuh - Faridabad, Palwal, and Gurugram - in light of the violence.