“IF” BJP loses in Uttar Pradesh, it will be losing its two most prominent faces, Modi and Yogi

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February 11, 2022

bjp, bharatiya janata party, uttar pradesh, up elections, up elections 2022, uttar pradesh elections 2022, yogi, yogi adityanath, narendra modi, modi, narendra modi, modi in up, modi in uttar pradesh — "IF" BJP loses in Uttar Pradesh, it will be losing its two most prominent faces, Modi and Yogi 2

Uttar Pradesh 2022 election results will be directly proportional to Lok Sabha 2024 results. If Yogi loses in 2022, more chances that Modi loses 2024. This will be a simulative package for the Opposition across the country. The efforts to unify the Opposition will get a boost. Also, if the defeat for BJP means Samajwadi’s victory, Akhilesh will become an important figure in the Opposition. If the BJP loses, that will be a setback for Adityanath since he was developing a hope to shift to the Centre in 2024. The BJP has made tall claims, high voltage market campaigns but now everyone has seen everything about their marketing strategies time and again. There is no doubt that the voters may teach lessons to these ignorant ministers who were found nowhere during public crises, be it pandemic or farmer’s agitation.

The biggest mistake of the Uttar Pradesh BJP is that they simply ignore people’s problems, there is no local connection. Even for election work, they trusted outsiders but not the locals. They invited pandal walas from MP, IT cell guys from Mumbai and Bangalore, campaigners from other states, hardly any role is given to Local people, this is the reason local workers refrained coming out in support of BJP. 100s of women from Gujarat were brought to Uttar Pradesh to convince people to vote for Yogi Adityanath so that he can make UP a Gujrat model, those BJP voters who were supposed to vote, turned down the BJP because Gujrat Model scams were exposed on social media on several occasions.

Modi’s credibility is now under scanner as he is the face of the campaign but will not be proved to be a real loser as his chair will not be under any threat at this hour. The real loser will be YOGI, he will be evacuated forever but at the cost of dismantling the whole UP BJP administration. Yogi is a larger force to reckon with but somewhere he is sidelined by the Central BJP. Yogi’s team will blame Modi’s team & Modi’s team will blame Yogi for the failures. Above all the state BJP also has divided into several groups, most of the BJP cadres have silently voted for opposition to teach the lesson to the party dictators. Yogi has lost credibility since BJP lost Panchayat Elections.

Let us assume that BJP loses the 2022 UP assembly election, then it will be a huge setback for Yogi Adityanath. He is emerging as the poster boy of BJP and any defeat in UP may derail his political journey for some years. It will make way for Amit Shah to become the successor of PM Modi in BJP. But Yogi has age on his side and he is younger than Rahul Gandhi. So, he can make a comeback but it would temporarily halt his rise in BJP. This loss will also put pressure on Modi and he will have to do some course corrections to win the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Many economic reforms (which are already slow) will be derailed and the Government will start many populous measures (like freebies etc.).

BJP will have to reach out to make a coalition for the 2024 election as without 50-60 seats UP, they can’t even cross the 250 mark. BJP will have to cede some space to allies. This may end the single-party domination in India for a few decades. Meanwhile, the opposition camp will get energized and BJP’s loss in UP will be a boost for them. Then the 2022 Nov-Dec Gujarat election will be done and die for BJP (the most important assembly election in the Modi era). If BJP loses the next Gujarat election after UP then the Modi story may well be over. Once BJP loses Gujarat, then they will not be able to recover. In 2019 BJP managed to overcome defeat in Rajasthan, MP, and Chhattisgarh but Modi can’t survive a loss in the Gujarat and Uttarakhand elections.

Modi may have to face combined opposition in some states in the 2024 election. A grand opposition alliance like 1977 may be out of the question but the opposition camp will come out with some sort of nominal anti-BJP alliance. We may see more agitations like Shaheen Bagh, farmers protest, etc. We may have many confrontations on caste and religious lines as the opposition will try hard to create momentum against BJP. BJP may go for all-out decisions like Uniform Civil Code etc. for the 2024 election. This will galvanize BJP supporters and BJP haters. In summary, if BJP loses the UP election, then it would make the 2024 Lok Sabha election wide & open.

Further, it is now becoming increasingly clear that India and Indians have to be content with BJP for many decades irrespective of whether you like it or not. As of now, there are no national parties to take BJP head-on. Losing the largest and dandiest constituency is always a setback and irreparable loss to the ruling party and person. Yogi will be most affected and the entire onus will come on him as he got the best 5 years terms to gain voters’ trust. BJP will definitely get a setback in the assembly election as people will get other options open. People are getting frustrated due to fuel prices which is the most important commodity after food (whose prices are again affected by fuel prices) and during the Pandemic when fuel prices across the globe were at their lowest and people were cash strapped due to loss in livelihood BJP had hardly anything to offer to commoners. People are smart enough to judge in electronic social culture. Hindutva illimitation and secularism has nothing to do with Socioeconomic India in day-to-day life. If a section of Hindus breaks out due to economic conditions, then that is a dent in BJP’s vote share.

India has recently witnessed how BJP stalwarts including PM and HM of India located themselves for an entire month in West Bengal just to defeat Mamata Banerjee and unleash Corona 2nd wave on a much larger nation especially economic superpower Maharashtra. For PM it was winning election in Bengal then lives of voters gasping for breath and vaccine diplomacy failure is well memorized by voters. Just like the UPA govt collapsed under efficient MMS, so will BJP failing under MODI. Modi has just 2 years to perform to at least gain sizable votes to continue the 3rd term and it should be entirely in poor and middle-class favour.

In election-going Uttar Pradesh, candidates and campaigns of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are being chased away by the people and their campaign vehicles are attacked. These unprecedented incidents are not limited to western Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, youth protests which started in Patna against alleged irregularities in the Railway Recruitment Board – Non-Technical Popular Categories (RRB-NTPC) examination have spilt over to UP. Meanwhile, BJP campaigners, including Union Home Minister Shah and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, are campaigning to polarize the voters along religious lines, but they have not met with much success. Going by the viral videos posted on social media. So the change is inevitable.

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Lata Mangeshkar memorial row: Family urges not to politicize the issue of the memorial at Shivaji Park

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Afternoon Voice

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February 11, 2022

lata mangeshkar, mangeshkar, memorial, lata memorial, shivaji park, shivaji — Lata Mangeshkar memorial row: Family urges not to politicize the issue of the memorial at Shivaji Park 4

BJP MLA Ram Kadam had written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray demanding a memorial at Shivaji Park, where Lata Mangeshkar was cremated on Sunday. The demand was backed by Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole, Shiv Sena’s ally in the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance. Maharashtra’s ruling Shiv Sena and the opposition BJP have been fighting over a proposed memorial for Lata Mangeshkar, who died at the age of 92 on February 6.

The BJP’s demand put the Shiv Sena in a tight spot as the party has an emotional connection to the 28-acre public park. Uddhav Thackeray’s father and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray traditionally hosted the party’s annual Dussehra rally at the park. The Chief Minister has continued the tradition.

Hridaynath Mangeshkar said today that his family has nothing to do with the demand for a memorial for the legendary singer at Mumbai’s Shivaji park, which has become controversial because of an acrimonious political back-and-forth.

“Please stop politicizing the issue of Lata didi’s memorial at Shivaji park. The demand for it has not come from our family as we don’t wish for it,” Hridaynath Mangeshkar said in a fervent appeal in Marathi.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Sandeep Deshpande said petty politics must not be played on this issue. “The Dadar residents have fought for long to protect the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park from encroachments. I request everyone not to sacrifice Shivaji Park for their petty party politics,” Mr Deshpande said in a tweet.

Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar dismissed the demand saying that the memorial must be built befitting the stature accorded to Lata Mangeshkar. “We have all spent our childhood at Shivaji Park and we need to preserve the ground which has produced legendary cricketers,” Mr Ambedkar said of the park which is also known as the cradle of Cricket in India. The Maharashtra government has decided to set up an international level music academy at Kalina in Mumbai spread across 2.5 acres as a tribute to Lata Mangeshkar. The academy will be built at a cost of ₹ 1,200 crore.

“The music academy is the best tribute to Lata didi,” her brother said, supporting the state government’s decision.

Justice Pushpa Ganediwala of Bombay HC, who faced flak over controversial judgments, resigns

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PTI

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February 11, 2022

pushpa ganediwala, bombay hc, bombay high court, pushpa, justice, jugde — Justice Pushpa Ganediwala of Bombay HC, who faced flak over controversial judgments, resigns 6

Bombay High Court judge Justice Pushpa Ganediwala, who faced flak over a series of judgments that was deemed as controversial for the interpretation of what constitutes as ‘sexual assault’ under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, has resigned.

Justice Ganediwala, who presently presides at the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court, tendered her resignation on Thursday, a day before her tenure as additional judge was to end as she was neither given extension nor elevation by the Supreme Court collegium, official sources in the high court said. After her problematic judgments given in January and February 2021, the apex court collegium had withdrawn its recommendation to appoint Justice Ganediwala as a permanent judge and instead extended for one year her tenure as additional judge. The tenure ends on Friday. This meant that Justice Ganediwala would be demoted back to district judiciary as district sessions judge at the end of her additional judgeship on February 12, 2022.

With neither an extension granted to her tenure as additional judge nor an appointment as permanent judge of the high court, Justice Ganediwala tendered her resignation. Official sources said her resignation has been accepted.

Justice Ganediwala had come under the scanner for a slew of judgments passed in January and February 2021, which ruled that there has to be ‘skin-to-skin contact with sexual intent’ in order for the act to be considered as an offence of sexual assault under the POCSO Act and that ‘holding hands of a minor girl and opening of zip of his pants’ does not fall under the definition of ‘sexual assault’ under the Act.

Govt has ‘sovereign right’ to tax cryptocurrency; decision on banning or not banning to come later: FM Sitharaman

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PTI

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February 11, 2022

nirmala sithraman, sitharaman, cryptocurrency — Govt has 'sovereign right' to tax cryptocurrency; decision on banning or not banning to come later: FM Sitharaman 8

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said the government has sovereign right to tax profit made from cryptocurrency transactions, and the decision on banning or not banning will be taken based on feedback from consultations.

Replying to the general discussion on Union Budget, the minister said, ”I am not going to legalise it or ban it at this stage. Banning or not banning will come subsequently when consultations give me input”.

About the profit emanating from transactions in cryptocurrencies, she stated that ”(Whether it is) legitimate or illegitimate, it is a different question, but I will tax because it is a sovereign right to tax”.

The minister was responding to the questions raised by Congress member Chhaya Verma on cryptocurrency.

Verma had asked about the legitimacy of taxing cryptocurrency.

In her Budget speech on February 1, Sitharaman had said that only RBI-issued ‘Digital Rupee’ will be recognised as currency, and the government will levy a 30 per cent tax on gains made from any other private digital assets from April 1.

The Budget 2022-23 has proposed a 1 per cent TDS on payments towards virtual currencies beyond Rs 10,000 in a year and taxation of such gifts in the hands of the recipient. The threshold limit for TDS would be Rs 50,000 a year for specified persons, which include individuals/HUFs who are required to get their accounts audited under the I-T Act.

Also, no deduction in respect of any expenditure or allowance shall be allowed while computing income from transactions in such assets. It has also specified that losses from the transfer of virtual digital assets will not be allowed to be set off against any other income.

The provisions related to 1 per cent TDS will come into effect from July 1, 2022, while the gains will be taxed effective April 1.

Hijab controversy: Personal info of Protesting girls’ shared on social media allege their parents

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PTI

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February 11, 2022

hijab, hijab women, muslim, karnataka hijab row, hijab row, controversy over hijab, burqa, hindu vs muslim, muslim protest, muslim girls, islamic tradition, islam, wahadi, burqa clan, hijab clan — Hijab controversy: Personal info of Protesting girls' shared on social media allege their parents 10

Parents of six Muslim girl students, who are protesting for their right to wear hijab at the pre-university college in Udupi, have lodged a complaint with the police that the personal details of their children are being shared by some people on social media.

The parents, who submitted a complaint to the Udupi district Superintendent of Police N Vishnuvardhan, sought action against those sharing the details of the girls, including their mobile numbers, in the public domain.

The parents have expressed fear that miscreants might use the details to threaten the girls.

Vishnuvardhan said the girls’ parents have submitted a written complaint to him.

Documentary evidence of the information available online has been sought from them and appropriate action will be taken once it is received, he said.

Hijab controversy: Karnataka High Court adjourns hearing to Monday

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Afternoon Voice

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February 10, 2022

karnataka, hijab controversy, hijab, burqa, karnataka, hijab row, muslim women, muslim girls, controversy over hijab — Image: PTI

After the hijab row in Karnataka took a violent turn, calm prevailed on Wednesday in the educational situations ordered to be closed down and a full bench of the High Court will hear the pleas challenging the ban on the headscarf while protests in support of the religious practice broke out in some more states.

Karnataka HC said, “We are considering the issue of whether the wearing of headscarf comes within the Fundamental Rights.” “We are also considering whether wearing a headscarf is an essential part of religious practice,” HC added.

All eyes are set on the three-judge bench of the Karnataka High Court hearing the petitions questioning the ban on wearing of ‘hijabs’ (headscarves) by students in colleges. Full bench of the Karnataka high court adjourns the hearing to Monday, after hearing senior advocates Sanjay Hegde and Devadatt Kamat. Police have been directed to ensure law & order while maintaining extreme restraint in dealing with students.

Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said, “Students shouldn’t fall prey to communal elements that are hell-bent on making the hijab issue a tool to disturb communal harmony.”

Adv Kamat said, “Purdah is not essential but covering of head by scarf is obligatory,’ Adv Kamat refers to Holy Quran, Adv Kamat referred to Verse 24.31 of Holy Quran. The prescription of headscarf he is specifically prescribed in Holy Quran, he said.

“It is, thus, seen from the reported material that there is almost unanimity amongst Muslim scholars that purdah is not essential but covering of head by scarf is obligatory”, Kamat quotes from the Madras HC decision Ajmal Khan Case.

Adv Kamat said that the GO is based on a weak foundation. He now takes the bench to the decisions cited in the GO. The first one is the Kerala HC judgment which refused to permit a Muslim student to wear a headscarf in a pvt school. “Ultimately, the Court held that a private minority institution cannot be forced to allow this,” Adv Kamat said.

“I will be very brief and my arguments will be for considering interim relief. These are students who have been going to college wearing headscarf till February 3 when they were stopped and told unless you remove your headscarf you cannot go in,” Adv Kamat started his submission.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said “Disastrous that some people are trying to gain political mileage out of Hijab row, we should avoid incidents that can further divide society. It’s unfortunate that some people are trying to gain political mileage out of it. Indian culture & Constitution don’t teach us to divide people on caste and religious lines.”

Adv Hegde pointed out that the Motor Vehicles Rules exempt Sikhs who wear turbans from the requirement of the helmet while riding bikes. “Similarly, in the Supreme Court rules, there are provisions for pardanashin women,” he added.”There is prima facie case, and a balance of convenience in my favour, denial to attend college will have serious consequences,” said Adv Hegde.

Constitutional rights cannot be left to the adjudication of politicians whether they are in power or not or whether they are elected or unelected: Adv Hegde

Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi requests media not to report oral observations and wait for the Court order. Three-judge Bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and also comprising Justices Krishna S Dixit and JM Khazi begins hearing various petitions.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) vice president Shivanand Tiwari has hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for calling Nitish Kumar a great socialist (Samajwadi) leader of the country. “Nitish Kumar did not have a political successor. Hence, anyone can give a certificate of a great socialist leader to him. You are free to recognize anyone as a socialist leader but I believe this is not the way to judge a person if he is a socialist or not,” Tiwari said.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Thursday moved an adjournment notice in the Lok Sabha to discuss the incident of replacing the National Flag with the RSS/ABVP flag in an educational institution in Karnataka which is tantamount to insulting the Tricolour. The MP has sought to direct the government to take strict action against the violators. The incident pertains to Karnataka where a few people are seen hoisting the RSS flag in the college campus amid protests on the hijab row, Manickam Tagore said.

The hijab row started last month with a few students of Udupi Government Pre-University College wearing hijab being denied permission to attend classes. The college authorities maintained that the students, who used to come without hijabs, suddenly started coming in hijab. The students later went on to protest refusing to attend classes without hijab. The issue became a controversy and spread to other districts, leading to tension and even violence. In an observation that came in the backdrop of a raging debate over the hijab row in Karnataka, the first bench of Acting Chief Justice M N Bhandari and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthi bemoaned that of late, certain forces have raised controversies relating to dress code and it is spreading all over India.

Pointing out the fact that India is a secular country, the ACJ said: “What is found from the current affairs is nothing but an effort to divide the country in the name of religion.” The ACJ made the observations while hearing a batch of PIL petitions filed by Rangarajan Narasimhan of Srirangam in the Tiruchirapalli district.

Hijab row: Target on a piece of cloth, instead of focusing on girl education

By

Vaidehi Taman

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February 10, 2022

On January 1, this year, the headmaster of a Pre-University College (PUC) in Udupi forbade some female Muslim students from attending classes because they were wearing a Hijab that rendered the concept of uniform superfluous. This controversy spread to other educational institutes across the state, where Muslim students start demanding to be allowed to attend schools and colleges wearing burqas. Hindu students organized a protest against burqas in educational institutes and wore saffron shawls and scarves in opposition to burqas across Karnataka.

We see that increasingly more and more young Muslim girls and even small girl children are made to wear the scarf. This did not exist a few decades back. As Muslim women, they need to also question this imposition of Scarf or Hijab which came in with the rise of the Wahabi version of Islam. Educational institutions run by Muslim trusts have institutionalised it by making it a part of the school uniform. If it is really a matter of choice, which we must respect, the early imposition of it from childhood must stop. Let an adult woman decide how much of herself she wants to hide. Muslim parents must also realise how dogmatism in one community becomes a reason for oppression in the hands of majoritarian fundamentalism.

Although the question of social reform in Muslim societies is of utmost importance, the current discrimination in the name of hijab is an outright violation of constitutional principles of equality and justice. India is a secular country. Not secular like France, Secular where everyone has the freedom to profess and propagate their religion as a fundamental right.

Recently Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace Prize winner got involved in the controversy when she tweeted “ College is forcing us to choose between studies and Hijab”. Communal clashes had been seen in various districts of Karnataka, and its effect is growing all over India. Hope the Supreme Court intervenes in between and all the normal lives resume.

Till today after 75 years of independence, we never had any issue with Hijab, why all of a sudden that too ahead of the Uttar Pradesh election the Hijab row has made headlines? Were they planning for communal riots? Or is this a politically motivated plot? If students can keep nails as long as they want if they can sport Bindi and flowers or their head, why not scarf? Uniforms were introduced in 1985 to bring a sense of oneness among students and to ensure educational institutions don’t become a place to practice one’s religion. But if schools have to follow these rules then sporting all the religious symbols should be banned, without being selective in their attacks.

My request to radical religious scholars of all religions is that they should not use students for spreading their own agenda. Let them study & earn knowledge which will allow them to decide what is good for them & what is not. Please do not impose anything on them. Let the schools be schools. Otherwise, the day isn’t far when people will have to climb on the wheels of aeroplanes to leave the country like what has happened in our neighbouring country recently.

Hijab and Rudraksha shouldn’t be a topic of debate among students. They must debate topics related to academic excellence. This protest is also going on in many other countries including Singapore & France. Muslim women want to wear Hijab and Burqa but those governments have banned them, especially at workplaces.

You may say that Hijab is misogynistic and that the woman wearing it is doing so because of pressure from her community and family. Yes, that may be true, but still, many girls wear it as they want to follow their religion: out of their own will. There are Muslims who don’t wear Hijab as well. And all religious practices are taught first by society, but if one wants to keep following them, let them do so. Sometimes maybe out of compulsion, but that is not the point here… because we will never know who is forced to do so and who is not, just like conversions. If forced, she must not wear it against her wishes. We can respect her choice, as long as it does not stop her from interacting with her peers and teachers. Now will banning hijab help a Muslim woman in getting educated, or be empowered? Now those who are wearing hijab are made to stay out of classes, in fact, schools are stopping them from getting an education, just because they wear Hijab. Also, orthodox families will stop sending their girls to schools, if they don’t wear a hijab.

And now, protesting with saffron shawls is the most senseless thing to do. It is being done on purpose by the other religious extremists. When you say Hijab is banned, how sensible is it to wear new religious symbols? Instead, develop scientific temper in schools. Teach the students all the positive and negative sides of religion, and why slavery, racism, caste system are bad, teach them about discrimination and how it has affected us and stopped us from progressing. How patriarchy has stopped women from being educated and independent. Unless it does not harm other students, there is nothing wrong with wearing Hijab or any other religious symbols. Many argued that Hijab should not be worn, which is similar to saying you must wear Hijab: both are the extreme ends of restriction of choice. Whether we force them to wear it or force them not to wear it, both are restrictions of choice and lack of respect for the diversity that exists in India.

Both are dictatorships. In a secular state, we must allow all people to practice their religion, even though we may not believe in the same. Let them wear Hijab, if they want to, education will make them reconsider these religious practices and they will give up wearing Hijab on their own, upon liberation. Rather than targeting a piece of cloth, focusing on the larger objectives like girl education and women empowerment will help.

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ED is eventful in non-BJP ruled states?

By

Vaidehi Taman

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February 9, 2022

ed, enforcement directorate, sanjay raut, raut, ed raid, raid on raid, shiv sena, sena, shiv sena minister, uddhav, mva, maha vikas aghadi, opposition, opposition parties in india — ED is eventful in non-BJP ruled states? 15

Every central government used CBI and ED like agencies to ride the opposition. Be it now BJP or then the UPA. Earlier only CBI was taking opposition on Radar, but since Anna Hazare agitated against corruption the term economic offence became too much accustomed and here entered ED. Opposition always has fear for the CBI, regardless of who’s in power in Delhi. The Modi government is doing the same thing that Congress used to do: that is using a caged parrot to sing its tune. Now it seems to be more open and more ruthless in using it. However, this time the opposition is more fearful and the central government is more powerful. In the previous decade, we have seen state-level leaders being picked to target those who are making it difficult for BJP to retain and seize power.

There was a Supreme Court verdict in 2021, that the money laundering law can’t be used as a weapon to jail people. Indiscriminate use of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) will affect the “value” of the legislation and it cannot be wielded as a weapon to put people behind bars” said the Supreme Court.

The apex court’s observation came during the hearing on an appeal of a Jharkhand-based company in a money laundering case. The bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices A S Bopanna and Hima Kohli said, “If the government indiscriminately starts using ED proceedings then the Act will lose its relevance. The bench also said that the ED is “diluting the Act”, “Not just this case. If ED starts using money laundering as a weapon against Rs 1,000 (money laundering) case, Rs 100 case, then what will happen? You can’t put all people behind bars,” it added. “Such indiscriminate use will affect the value of the Act,” the bench said.

Unfortunately, the ED and other central investigating agency officials are now reduced to puppets of their political masters. Almost every career politician has done some kind of wrong activities to reach where he/she is today. All established national and regional political parties have criminal leaders in their party. So, if the CBI was ever going to be independent, it would jail everyone starting from the PM to his entire cabinet, and most of all MPs. And once the conviction is reached, they won’t even be able to contest elections for the next few years. In the 75 years of independence, we can’t even make these institutions independent, which is a great failure. In India criminal politicians always benefit against those who are not from a political background.

Now look at Maharashtra, ever since Uddhav Thackeray became the chief minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, he and his son were called out by media channels and they were humiliated to the core. The patient CM just did his job by maintaining utmost silence and leaders like Sanjay Raut took opposition and media both on task. Sanjay Raut is instrumental in forming Maha Vikas Aghadi without bowing down to the BJP.

Since then the Centre has been trying to topple the state government by ED, CBI and most recently NCB. To shoo this zealot of NCB the state leaders like Nawab Malik called for a crusade, see now there is no NCB raid, no celebrity called for investigations, no Bollywood actor is harassed. All alone this leader had to fight to stop the atrocities in the name of drugs. His family members were falsely implicated and harassed, but he accomplished his task by exposing the NCB officer.

There are many Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders, especially Shiv Sena leaders who were not only raided and harassed with media trials. I am not supporting corrupt leaders; my point is about the misuse of machinery.

The whole list for the era when Narendra Modi has been prime minister is longer, showing a clear trend that just before any election, agencies, including the CBI, ED and Income Tax Department, swing into action — summonses are issued in old cases; raids and searches are conducted and arrests made, and new FIRs are registered based on inputs. But as time passes, nothing concrete comes of the investigations.

PM Modi blatantly attacks the Congress government but BJP is doing the same as what Congress did in the past but this is a bad standard each party is setting up instead of making the institution strong they are hollowing it from inside. And all authoritarian leaders do this kind of thing. In a democracy, everyone is free from others’ influence and the same is applied to institutions also. There are many examples of BJP leaders getting caught in a scam, rape cases, money laundering and instigating communal riots but they are shielded. BJP has so much muscle and money power today than other parties that even by mistake it loses power in 2024 it would somehow or other manage to come out of the problem.

A year and a half ago, in September 2019, a month before the assembly polls in Maharashtra, the ED registered an alleged money laundering case against Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar, in connection with the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank scam. Pawar the senior walked into the ED office and the storm settled. TMC leaders were raided just ahead of West Bengal elections and Aam Aadmi Party leaders were not only raided but humiliated by media trials ahead of Delhi elections, but tables just turned.

Now Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut is fresh on the list; the Enforcement Directorate has been harassing him and his family after he refused to help in toppling the Maharashtra government. In a warning to the Centre, he said that there’s no need to go to court for this as it is an entirely political issue and he will soon strike the last blow in this tussle between probe agencies and the BJP’s political rivals. What if Sanjay Raut proves his claims? Does one more investigative institution go through mortification just like NCB? Raut has posed a threat to the ruling BJP with his extensive political visits across India. Shiv Sena is spreading its wings under his leadership in Uttar Pradesh, Goa and other states.

BJP in the centre has overreached in their confidence and communalism and crony capitalism has overtaken any real development objectives. At least all of the opposition seem to agree that Modi has set the country back by several years due to his disastrous policies and managed to alienate the minorities and regional political parties. BJP should let the non-BJP states rule for the betterment of their people. Enough of politics and the general public started hating it now. Whoever is best will come to power in the next elections. Moreover, ED and independent agencies and constitutional institutions are losing their credibility under this government. It is a very dangerous trend for big countries like India. Instead of making media trials and diluting the matter in press conferences, agencies should be allowed to reach some fair conclusion.

Enforcement Directorate has been harassing me and my family, says Sanjay Raut

By

Vaidehi Taman

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February 9, 2022

sanjay raut, raut, sanjay, ed, enforcement directorate, ed raid, kirit somaiya, kirit, bjp, venkaiah naidu — Enforcement Directorate has been harassing me and my family, says Sanjay Raut 17

Quoting the letter with a popular poem by German pastor Martin Niemoller “who did not speak out against the Nazi Rule at the right time and wrote this confessional poem as a token of his regret” Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut wrote to Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu alleging that the Enforcement Directorate has been harassing him and his family after he refused to help in toppling the Maharashtra government. He said that the ED and other investigating agency officials “are now reduced to puppets of their political masters” and added that the officials have even admitted that they have been “asked by their ‘bosses’ to ‘fix’ me.”

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut wrote “I perceive these attempts by the Enforcement Directorate and other agencies as a direct attack on my right to speak freely in the House and outside the House. I perceive it to be an attack on our democracy. I perceive the recent attacks on people known and unknown to me to have been occasioned due to my refusal to partake in conspiring to topple the State Government in Maharashtra.”

A businessman Sujit Patker, whose premises was raided by the ED told Afternoon Voice, “I am nowhere a partner with Sanjay Raut’s daughters. I really don’t know why my name is dragged in this entire issue. I have sent a defamation notice to BJP leader Kirit Somaiya. I have no connection with Patra Chawl or HDIL deal. I have given a loan to their family on the insistence of my estranged wife and the land is registered in her name. That is what I have already mentioned in my divorce petition. I have sent the notice to the Alibaug property landowners also. Lifeline is a company of Dr Hemat Gupta; he is the major shareholder and other partners are Sanjay Shah and Rajiv Salunkhe. All these four are involved so why am I being targeted. My role was about forming SOP and managing processes.”

Madhav Bhandari, the chief spokesperson of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said, “He is prone to melodramatic performance and he knows only that. He thinks that playing in the gallery will help him. But that is not going to happen. His lecture to the Deputy Chairperson Rajya Sabha is absolutely chest-beating nothing else. He has to answer the ED. The judicial process is lengthy but one can’t escape. Maha Vikas Aghadi’s Anil Deshmukh is already arrested. Our legal system has many loopholes that help the culprit. BJP has nothing to do with it. They (Raut) have every opportunity to prove their innocence by using these loopholes to their advantage. Secondly, he said that their party has a strong coercive presence in Mumbai. What does his party presence have to do with ED inquiry? He should follow the law. Instead of writing to Rajya Sabha he should walk into ED and face it.”

BJP MLA Ram Kadam told Afternoon Voice, “Raut is exposed by ED. Praveen Raut and Sanjay Raut’s family have a financial misdemeanour and that financial transgression is completely exposed. Whether it is ED or Income Tax, they do not take immediate action. There has to be some paperwork and it takes time to reach the culprit. They gather all the information from Bank Accounts then they take action. ED is doing its duty but these influential people approach the court and get bail. It is their fundamental right, but it does not mean that they are clean.”

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said, “Ever since Shiv Sena parted ways with the BJP in the state of Maharashtra, we find Shiv Sena MPs/ leaders being systematically targeted by using law enforcing agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate being let loose against us and in the process. Enforcement Directorate Personnel is leaving no stone unturned to intimidate/harass our legislators, MPs, political leaders as well as their relatives, friends, and acquaintances.”

Ramdas Kadam from Shiv Sena said, “Sanjay Raut is working on Goa, Uttar Pradesh elections as a representative of Maharashtra State and as a leader of the Party. Today I am not in the Cabinet. But when I was, I never knew this ED. Kirit Somaiya is hardly in my daily routine. Right from the inception of ShivSena we never ever saw IT Dept. BJP is planning to run its own black fund targeting intellectuals like Raut. Today Shiv Sena has marked its presence in all states. That’s becoming a headache for the BJP. When Raut has decided to take responsibility for the party, the BJP is trapping him in these cheap games. When UPA was in power they called CBI a Congress Bureau of Investigation; should we say that the ED has become an agency of BJP politics?”

Preeti Sharma Menon, AAP National Executive said, “The Shiv Sena should learn from the Aam Aadmi Party and welcome scrutiny. It must walk the talk if it has nothing to hide, like us and emerge unscathed. Or maybe the Shiv Sena does have skeletons nay, an entire graveyard in its closet, for such has its association with the BJP, whom it divorced only recently. Our legislators and party cadre in Delhi were subjected to the worst kind of vindictively targeted harassment for any elected state government in Independent India. Delhi Police, ED, CBI and even the ECI were used to frame our MLAs and senior leadership. Despite all this, we never wavered and continued on our part without fear and most importantly, without giving in to coercion.”

Former enforcement directorate officer who recently retired from his services said that “The ED never goes and barges into someone’s house on the verbal information and instruction of someone. Instructions are given to ED that cannot be dined, but for that ED needs to show some fruitful case, the authorities can only dictate them to tighten the snooze. Pravin Raut’s case was under ED Scanner for several years. This was somewhere left identified during the alliance government of Sena and BJP when ED came to know that there is substantial evidence to scan the issue. Then the Central Government might have told them to take action. Or, do rigorous investigations. Unless basic substance, no raids can take place. Most of the time during raids the threads are established. In Praveen Raut’s case, Sanjay Raut’s allegations have half-truth or half incorrect information.”

The Veteran leader of Shiv Sena under the condition of anonymity said that “Since the time Shiv Sena came into existence. You will never find such charges against our leaders. We never heard the name ED and IT. Since Modi came in power at the centre these agencies have become tools in their hand to harass an opponent. Since Maha Vikas Aghadi came to power in the state, these ED raids are rampant. Give me one incident or historical evidence when Shiv Sena leaders were prosecuted by ED under any scam or corruption? This is a worrisome trend.”

Sanjay Raut claimed that 28 people have so far been picked up and “wrongfully confined” by the probe agencies and have been threatened with dire consequences if they don’t give statements against him.

Sanjay Raut asserted, adding that he was threatened with imprisonment if he refused to help in forcing a midterm election in the state. “About a month ago, I was approached by certain people and was told to assist them in toppling the state government in Maharashtra. They wanted me to be instrumental in such an endeavour so that the state could be forced into a midterm election. I refused to be a party to any such clandestine agenda which was being pursued, upon which I was warned that my refusal could lead to my paying a very heavy price. I was even told that my fate could be like that of a former union railway minister who spent many years behind bars. I was even warned that apart from me, two other senior ministers in the cabinet of the state of Maharashtra as well as two senior leaders in Maharashtra would also be sent behind the bars under the PMLA Act which would lead to midterm elections in the state of Maharashtra with all important leaders in the state being behind bars,” he said.

The Shiv Sena MP said that his family owns some land, barely 1 acre, at Alibaug which was purchased about 17 years ago but those who sold the land, along with their family members, are being threatened by the ED and other agencies to give statements against him saying that they received some cash from him over and above the agreement value.

“This is also happening to other people who had sold a similarly small piece of land to me and my family in 2012-2013. Day after day, ED and other agencies personnel call these people and threaten them with jail and attachment of their personal properties unless they give their statements against me. All these properties are in the public domain and have been filed in all my affidavits filed along with my nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha. For all these years, there was no question asked of me. However, suddenly now everything has become a matter of ‘concern’ for the ED and other agencies. ED and other agencies have no business to “investigate” in respect of property/properties acquired nearly two decades ago,” Raut said.

Pointing to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act that was enacted in 2003, he alleged that the ED and other central agencies are threatening and harassing BJP’s political rivals by using the Act retrospectively with ulterior motive “in the garb of investigation” for decades-old transactions “that have nothing to do with any money laundering” even when the Act can only be applied to transactions after 2003. He claims that the probe agencies are summoning, intimidating and threatening the decorators and other vendors of the wedding event of his daughter last year to extract a statement that they received Rs 50 lakhs in cash.

UN reports say, “Terror groups enjoy greater freedom in Afghanistan than any time in recent history”

By

PTI

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February 9, 2022

afghanistan, afghan, taliban, talibanis, india, mumbaikars, taliban forces, indian people in afghan — Image: EPA-EFE

Terror groups enjoy greater freedom in Afghanistan than at any time in recent history and there are no signs that the Taliban leadership has taken steps to limit the activities of foreign terrorists in the war-torn country, a report of the UN Secretary-General has said.

The report says the dreaded Islamic State terrorist group aims to position itself as the “chief rejectionist force” in Afghanistan, expands into neighbouring Central and South Asian countries and is viewed by the Taliban as its primary armed threat.

The ’14th report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIS to international peace and security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat’ notes that the security landscape in Afghanistan changed dramatically on August 15, following a Taliban military campaign that took control in the country, including Kabul.

“There are no recent signs that the Taliban has taken steps to limit the activities of foreign terrorist fighters in the country. On the contrary, Member States are concerned that terrorist groups enjoy greater freedom in Afghanistan than at any time in recent history,” the report said.

It, however, said that only a small number of foreign terrorist fighters are moving to Afghanistan.

The report said ISIS affiliate in Afghanistan, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan, continues to be led by Sanaullah Ghafari, an Afghan national, who was designated by the ISIS and al-Qaida Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council in December last year.

The US on Monday announced a reward of up to USD 10 million for information on Ghafari and those responsible for last year’s militant attack on the Kabul international airport that killed at least 185 people.

The US Department of Rewards for Justice (RFJ) issued notifications to this effect on Monday.

”Rewards for Justice is offering a reward of up to USD 10 million for information on ISIS-K leader Shahab al-Muhajir, also known as Sanaullah Ghafari,” it said.

According to the UN report, ISIS-K is taking advantage of the turmoil in the country, including by recruiting fighters from the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement and the Turkistan Islamic Party, among other foreign terrorist groups.

“It aims to position itself as the chief rejectionist force in Afghanistan and to expand into neighbouring Central and South Asian countries and is viewed by the Taliban as its primary armed threat,” the report said.

The UN Member States are concerned that if Afghanistan descends into further chaos, some Afghan and foreign violent extremists may shift allegiances to ISIS, it said.

The UN Member States have assessed that the strength of ISIS-K has increased from earlier estimates of 2,200 fighters to now approaching 4,000 following the release by the Taliban of several thousand individuals from prison. One Member State assessed that up to half the individuals are foreign terrorist fighters, it added.

“While Da’esh controls limited territory in eastern Afghanistan, it is capable of conducting high-profile, complex attack such as the 27 August bombing at Kabul airport, which killed over 180 people, and several subsequent attacks, in particular against the Taliban and members of the Shia community,” the report said.

The report said that during the second half of 2021, ISIS (Da’esh) continued to suffer leadership losses, while its affiliates maintained a high level of activity and attacks in Africa and gained in strength and visibility in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover.

The interrelated issues of foreign terrorist fighters, other ISIS fighters and their family members continued to concern Member States acutely.

The Member States in the South-East Asia region are also concerned about the “potential resurgence of a safe haven” in Afghanistan for international terrorist activity, as well as about social media messaging that “celebrates the Taliban victory”, which could be used as a recruitment tool for violent extremism locally, the report noted.

National authorities in the South-East Asia region are not reporting any immediate uptick in attempted travel to Afghanistan, but are alert to this possibility.

The report said that both Indonesia and the Philippines reported significant counter-terrorism gains, leading to an overall decline in terrorist activity and cautious optimism that the operational capability of several groups in the region may be significantly degraded.

At the same time, the threat of attacks by lone actors or inspired by radicalised individuals remains a concern, it said.