Sanjay Singh slammed the ED over action against Jain and called it a “puppet” of the Narendra Modi government, alleging that the probe agency seems to be operating from the BJP office.
Tag: BJP
-
Video of Muslim women urging Mumbai police to arrest Nupur Sharma goes viral on social media
By PTI
MUMBAI: The video of a group of Muslim women urging the Mumbai police to arrest suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma over her controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad went viral on social media on Wednesday.
The purported video was shot at Pydhonie police station in south Mumbai last week and was uploaded on a social networking site, a senior police official said. The video, which lasts less than a minute, shows the women asking the police officials to arrest Sharma for her remarks on Prophet Mohammad.
The video shows some women saying that lack of action against Sharma could prompt other people to pass similar remarks.
An FIR was registered against Sharma at Pydhonie Police Station on May 28 for her objectionable remarks.
Mumbai police has sought a video of the TV debate, during which Sharma passed the remarks, from the news channel concerned. The city police are yet to summon Sharma to record her statement in connection with the case, the official said adding investigation is underway.
The BJP on Sunday suspended Sharma and expelled its Delhi unit media head Naveen Kumar Jindal after a row over their alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammad escalated with protests from some Muslim countries.
Sharma’s comments, made in a TV debate nearly recently, and Jindal’s now-deleted tweets sparked a Twitter trend calling for a boycott of Indian products in some Arab countries.
-
Mehbooba condemns al-Qaeda threat
By PTI
SRINAGAR: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday condemned the terrorist organisation al-Qaeda’s threat to India over the remarks against Prophet Mohammad by now-suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, and said Muslims cannot tolerate any disrespect to the Prophet.
“I condemn threats of every sort, be it by al-Qaeda or some other organisation. But it is true that there is anger in the whole Muslim community because of the comments by the BJP spokesperson. They (Muslims) are in pain as we can tolerate anything but we cannot tolerate any inappropriate remarks against the Prophet,” Mehbooba told reporters here.
The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said as far as the al-Qaeda threat was concerned, “I fear that it will give another excuse to the BJP to push its narrative that the Hindus are in danger. So, it should be condemned.” She said the BJP should have taken action against its spokesperson earlier by respecting the sentiments of the people of the country.
“But they (BJP) became conscious only after the Muslim countries condemned it,” she said. “Indians working outside are respected a lot by the people there as they think they are from a secular country, where every religion is respected. So, when such signals go out from our country, it lowers the prestige of the country,” she said.
Asked about a lesser number of devotees at the annual Kheer Bhawani festival, Mehbooba said it was because of the fear among the Kashmiri Pandit community after the recent killings.
“At a time when there is an atmosphere of fear, it is expected that a lesser number of people will visit the temple. But I am hopeful that the situation will not remain like this and God willing, they will come in thousands next year like they used to before,” she said. She alleged that the Centre was not allowing normal political activities in Kashmir Valley.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal staged a protest in favour of Kashmir Pandits and against their killings in the national capital, but the political parties in the valley were not allowed to do so.
Asked about National Conference president Farooq Abdullah’s remarks that the party will contest the election from Surankote on its own, Mehbooba said the people of Jammu and Kashmir want the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration — of which both the NC and the PDP are a part — to fight unitedly.
“What Farooq sahib has said, I cannot comment on that. But I believe that the people of J-K want that we all stand united as we are facing a huge challenge. Elections or otherwise, if we are not united, then there are people who are on the verge of erasing our existence. So it is important that we are united,” she said.
-
Prophet remark row: Darul Uloom Deoband demands strict action against Nupur Sharma
By PTI
SAHARANPUR: Darul Uloom Deoband, an Islamic seminary, has condemned the controversial remarks made by former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma on Prophet Mohammad, and demanded strict action against her.
“Muslims are suffering a lot for the security and peace of the country, but any audacity (gustakhi) in the glory of Prophet Hazrat Mohammad Saheb is absolutely unbearable on which it is not possible to remain silent,” Mohtamim (Vice-Chancellor) of Darul Uloom Deoband Maulana Mufti Abul Qasim Nomani said in a statement issued here on Tuesday.
Maulana Nomani said that “Ours is a secular country which provides security to all religions, but in the past few years it has become common practice by communal elements to hurt religious sentiments and hurting the pride of eminent personalities.” He alleged that religious figures and religious books are also being targeted due to which communalism is increasing in the country, which is harming the secular image of the country globally.
Strongly condemning the alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammad, he demanded strict action against the former BJP functionary.
The Maulana urged the government to make the law stricter and stressed on taking concrete and necessary steps so that the secular character and honour of the country in the world remains intact.
The BJP on Sunday suspended its national spokesperson Sharma and expelled its Delhi media head Naveen Kumar Jindal as the row over their alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammad escalated with protests from some Muslim countries.
Amid demonstrations by Muslim groups and the sharp reaction from the Arab world, the BJP issued a statement asserting that it respects all religions and strongly denounces insults of any religious personality.
Sharma’s comments, made during a TV debate nearly 11 days ago, and Jindal’s now-deleted tweets sparked a Twitter trend calling for a boycott of Indian products in some countries.
-
RS polls: With close contest expected in several states, parties sweat it out to keep flock together
By PTI
NEW DELHI/JAIPUR/MUMBAI: Ahead of the June 10 Rajya Sabha polls, political temperatures were soaring in several states that could see close contests, with parties trying to keep their flock together and trading accusations of poaching of MLAs.
After more than two decades, Maharashtra will witness a contest in the Rajya Sabha polls as there are seven candidates in the fray for six seats.
The Shiv Sena has decided to shift its MLAs to a five-star hotel in south Mumbai to ward off overtures and the ruling MVA leaders were holding talks with smaller parties and Independents backing the tripartite dispensation.
Maharashtra | Shiv Sena MLAs being shifted to a hotel in Malad, Mumbai ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections pic.twitter.com/BdZOI8CuBJ
— ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2022
The BJP has asked its MLAs to come to Mumbai in the next two days. “We were in ‘The Retreat’ (at Madh island in northwest Mumbai) and all our ministers too were present there. We will be moving to hotel ‘The Trident’ (in south Mumbai),” Sena MLA and party spokesperson Sunil Prabhu said.The Trident is a stone’s throw from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly where voting will take place.
In the 288-member House, smaller parties have 16 MLAs together while the number of Independents is 13. A total of seven candidates- BJP (3), Shiv Sena (2), NCP (1), and Congress (1)- are in the fray for the six RS seats. The contest for the sixth seat is between BJP’s Dhananjay Mahadik and Sena’s Sanjay Pawar.
Mumbai | Ahead of June 10 RS polls, meeting of Maha Vikas Aghadi partners begins- Shiv Sena, Congress, NCP discuss the strategy. Maharashtra CM & Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray, NCP’s Sharad Pawar, Congress’ Mallikarjun Kharge among others present at Trident pic.twitter.com/JqPLg63saI
— ANI (@ANI) June 7, 2022
In Rajasthan, the BJP wrote to the Enforcement Directorate and the Rajasthan chief electoral officer, expressing apprehensions about horse-trading and the use of black money in the Rajya Sabha polls.The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Gulab Chand Kataria, Rajasthan BJP president Satish Poonia, Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore and party whip Jogeshwar Garg accused the Congress of misusing government machinery to intimidate MLAs.
Their reaction came as Rajasthan police serve a notice to BJP legislator Chandrakanta Meghwal in a five-year-old assault case.
Meghwal, who is camping in Jaipur with other MLAs of the party ahead of elections to the upper house, did not appear at the police station in Kota.
ALSO READ | Congress complains to EC over ‘horse-trading’ in Rajya Sabha polls in Rajasthan
After the notice, the opposition BJP accused Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot of hatching a conspiracy but an aide of the Congres leader dismissed the charge saying the case against Meghwal was registered when the BJP was in power.
The Congress had shifted its MLAs to Udaipur on June 2, saying it fears horse-trading by the BJP.
Congress leader Mahesh Joshi gave a letter to the chief electoral officer demanding action against alleged horse-trading attempts.
Joshi, however, did not name anyone or any party in the complaint. He had also given a similar complaint to the Anti-Corruption Bureau on Sunday. Elections to four seats of the Rajya Sabha from the state will take place on June 10.
ALSO READ | Notice to Rajasthan MLA in five-year-old case, BJP links it to Rajya Sabha polls
While the Congress can easily win two and the BJP one, the contest is for the fourth seat for which the BJP is backing Independent candidate Subhash Chandra.
Chandra claimed that eight Congress MLAs may vote for him and asked former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot to also cross sides. This would be an opportunity for Pilot to avenge his “humiliation”, the media baron told reporters.
Pilot, however, advised Chandra to withdraw from the contest to avoid being humiliated. “An advice to the Independent candidate of Rajasthan — Better to be out of the contest before voting on 10th. It is better to be humble than to be humiliated,” he tweeted.
“Unfortunately politics is not like making a TV series where you decide who will do what,” he said, targeting the media baron.
Meanwhile, an official statement claimed the two legislators of the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) have decided to support the ruling Congress after meeting Gehlot.
However, the legislators said they want to stay in a circuit house or any other place than the hotel where other Congress legislators are camping, according to the statement.
Six candidates are in the fray for the Rajya Sabha poll to four seats from Karnataka, leading to a heated contest for the fourth seat. The Congress on Tuesday appealed to the ‘secular MLAs’ to cast their ‘conscience votes’ for their candidate Mansoor Ali Khan.
Congress Karnataka unit chief D K Shivakumar said he and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah were making this appeal to everyone in the Karnataka Assembly. Offering to trade second preference votes with the Congress, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy said his main agenda is to defeat the BJP.
The former chief minister also claimed that even if JD(S) manages to get the 22 second preference votes from the Congress, it will be in a leading position.
Despite not having the adequate number of votes to win the fourth seat from the state Assembly, all the three political parties in the state — BJP, Congress and JD(S) — have fielded candidates for the seat, forcing an election.
“My main agenda is that BJP should face a defeat, I’m ready for it. After Congress General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala called me, I calculated and have personally informed him that we (JDS) are ready to transfer our 32 second preference votes to Congress, but want their (Congress) 24 second preference votes in return,” Kumaraswamy said.
Speaking to reporters, he said he doesn’t have a better offer than this to make and asked Congress to prove its “secular commitment”.
The six candidates in the fray for Rajya Sabha polls from the state are – Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, actor-politician Jaggesh and outgoing MLC Lehar Singh Siroya from the BJP, former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh and state general secretary Mansoor Ali Khan from the Congress, and former MP D Kupendra Reddy from the JD(S).
Despite the JD(S) seeking support to ensure Reddy’s election to the Upper House of the parliament, the Congress did not withdraw its second candidate Khan from the fray and has issued a whip to all its MLAs asking them to vote for the party’s candidates.
There are talks within political circles that the BJP may be at an advantage if preference votes were to be counted and Congress and JD(S) don’t come to any understanding.
-
‘Receiving death threats on social media, urge Delhi Police to take note’: Expelled BJP leader Naveen Jindal
By PTI
NEW DELHI: Days after being expelled from the BJP over his controversial remarks against Prophet Mohammad, party’s former Delhi media head Naveen Kumar Jindal on Tuesday claimed that he and his family members have been receiving “death threats” on social media platforms.
Jindal had come under attack on social media after his tweet about Prophet Mohammad on June 1.
“Me and my family members have been receiving death threats on social media platforms. I would like to request Delhi police to kindly take note of it,” Jindal wrote on Twitter.
On Sunday, a communication from Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta to Jindal said his views on social media vitiate communal harmony and are in violation of the party’s fundamental beliefs.
He has acted against the party’s policies and ideology, Gupta had said.
“Your primary membership is immediately terminated and you are expelled from the party,” Gupta had said in the communication.
Jindal said that he had tweeted asking a question to those attacking and insulting Hindu deities and it was not aimed at hurting the religious sentiments of any community.
Jindal, a former journalist with over two decades of experience, has attracted controversy through his social media posts in the past too.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has provided security to suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and her family after an FIR was registered on a complaint that she was getting death threats over her controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad, officials said.
She had requested the police to provide security citing harassment and threats she had been receiving.
-
Delhi Police gives security to suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, her family
By PTI
NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police has provided security to suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and her family after an FIR was registered on a complaint that she was getting death threats over her controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad, officials said on Tuesday.
She had requested the police to provide security citing harassment and threats she had been receiving. “Sharma and her family have been provided police security after she alleged that she has been receiving threats and was being harassed over her remarks,” an official said.
ALSO READ: Mumbai police will summon Nupur Sharma to record her statement, says city police chief
The BJP on Sunday suspended Sharma and expelled its Delhi unit media head Naveen Kumar Jindal as the row over their alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammad escalated with protests from some Muslim countries.
Amid demonstrations by Muslim groups and the sharp reaction from countries like Kuwait, Qatar and Iran, the BJP issued a statement asserting that it respects all religions and strongly denounces insults of any religious personality.
Sharma’s comments, made during a TV debate nearly 10 days ago, and Jindal’s now-deleted tweets sparked a Twitter trend calling for a boycott of Indian products in some countries.
ALSO READ: Congress attacks BJP for ‘damaging India image’
After the action, Sharma unconditionally withdrew her controversial statement and claimed that her comments were a reaction to “continuous insult and disrespect towards our Mahadev (Lord Shiva).”
Police said on May 28, its cyber cell unit received a complaint from Sharma against various persons about death threats and targeted hatred.
Based on this complaint, an FIR was registered under IPC sections 506 (criminal intimidation), 507 (Criminal intimidation by anonymous communication) and 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) against unknown people.
“During the probe, another complaint was received from Sharma against certain persons promoting enmity. Following this, Section 153A of IPC was added to the case. “Notices have been sent to Twitter Inc. and a reply from it is awaited. Investigation into the case is underway,” the senior police official said.
-
‘Why are Muslim countries silent on China?’ asks a section of activists amid Prophet remarks row
By PTI
NEW DELHI: A section of activists and experts on Monday questioned the “silence”‘ of Muslim nations on China’s treatment of minorities and alleged violation of human rights there after some of these countries lodged a protest with India over the remarks of two BJP functionaries on Prophet Mohammad.
The row over the alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammad escalated on Sunday with protests from countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Iran, prompting the BJP to take action against its functionaries and assert that it respects all religions.
But after the reaction of the Islamic countries, questions are being asked in some quarters on whether these nations will raise similar objections against China, which has been accused by many human rights groups of targeting Muslims and other minorities.
Bejing has been denying these allegations.
Brahma Chellaney, Professor Emeritus of strategic studies at the Centre for Policy Research (CPR), said, “Some Muslim states that have been mute on China’s assault on Islam, including incarcerating over a million Muslims and confiscating Korans, have played up the anti-Muslim remarks of two Indians now expelled from the ruling party.
“Is it because they perceive India as a soft state?” Kasturi Shankar, an activist and lawyer, also took to Twitter echoing similar sentiments.
“Nations that claim to stand for the sentiments of the world’s two billion Muslims do nothing for Muslims in Afghanistan, Syria, China or Burma.”
“We can do nothing against ISIS or China or Taliban, so let’s pick on a lone woman in a TV debate instead,” Shankar said.
Former Rajya Sabha MP and BJP member Balbir Punj took to Twitter saying, “World knows how China treats its minorities- specifically Muslims & Tibetan Buddhists. China violates all human rights, international conventions while dealing with Islam & Muslims in Xinjiang. None in the world even squeaks about it. Why? Why? (sic)”.
He alleged that the Congress, the communists and “jihadis” were celebrating as their “‘relentless campaign on manufactured intolerance against Modi & India has worked for now”.
“‘We have to work harder to expose the real character of this lot & neutralise them to save plural India,” he said.
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iran and Kuwait expressed their condemnation of the controversial remarks against the Prophet by former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and former Delhi media head Naveen Kumar Jindal, and called for “respect for beliefs and religions.”
Indian ambassadors were summoned and handed over protest notes.
As the row intensified domestically and abroad, the BJP on Sunday suspended Nupur Sharma and expelled Jindal.
Sharma’s comments, made in a TV debate nearly 10 days ago, and Jindal’s now-deleted tweets also sparked a Twitter trend calling for a boycott of Indian products in some countries.
“I condemn hate speech of any kind. I condemn hate speech by anyone. What piques me is the selective outrage and double standards.”
The world needs to put humanity before religion,” Shankar said.
“Nupur Sharma was way out of line. I cannot imagine the party had any other option but to expel her. That said, I don’t hear any of these countries condemn the manchester massacre, Charlie Hebdo or Islamic terrorist acts,” she said in a series of tweets.
Divya Kumar Soti, security affairs analyst and columnist, also raised the issue of Uighurs and restrictions on Muslims imposed by the Chinese regime.
“China sent millions of Uighur Muslims to reeducation camps, banned hijab and beard, restricted namaz and Ramzan. Did any Arab country ever dare summon a Chinese ambassador?” Soti said.
Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit also took a swipe at the Arab countries over their reaction.
“So Arab countries will now decide who should be a member of @BJP4India & what should be the basic principles on which the party should function,” he tweeted.
Shankar said those who issue statements on behalf of all the Muslims of the world “should logically take responsibility for all the crimes by any and all Muslims too”.
Several other Twitter users echoed the same sentiments.
“Kuwait and Qatar never bothered about the actual torture of Uighur Muslims by China. But a TV debate on an Indian channel where the opponent was also insulting Hindus left right center rattled them,” said Monica Verma.
Vishwas Mehta, another user, tweeted, “As an Indian, my respect to China on this matter because no Muslim country dares to say a word to the Chinese government for making concentration camps, atrocities on Muslims.
They just make it look so simple and peaceful”.
Pakistan, which has often drawn flak over the treatment meted out to minorities on its soil, had also summoned the Indian chargé d’affaires over the remarks by the two BJP leaders.
-
BJP’s loose cannons get the stick for hate speech
Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The BJP on Sunday sought to douse the communal fire lit by its loose cannons’ recent derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammed, by suspending one and expelling the other. While the party suspended its national spokesperson Nupur Sharma for her offensive comment in a TV debate, it expelled its Delhi media head Naveen Kumar Jindal for his reckless tweets. Nupur later dropped names of the party’s senior leadership in another interview, saying they were all with her on the issue, perhaps one reason why the BJP had to distance itself from her.
Also, the hate speech triggered anger in the Arab world with the foreign offices of Qatar, Kuwait and Iran summoning the respective Indian envoys to register their outrage. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, too, condemned the remarks. Deepak Mittal, India’s Ambassador in Qatar, was at pains to clarify that the hate speech did not reflect the views of the government, adding it was made by fringe elements.
“Ambassador conveyed that the tweets do not, in any manner, reflect the views of the Government of India. These are the views of fringe elements,” a spokesperson in Doha said. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) pitched in by underscoring India’s civilisational heritage and strong cultural traditions of unity in diversity, saying the government accords highest respect to all religions.
“We should work together against such mischievous elements who aim to undercut the strength of our bilateral ties,’’ MEA statement said. Earlier in the day, BJP general secretary Arun Singh released a signed statement saying the party is against any ideology that insults or demeans any sect or religion. “The BJP respects all religions. The BJP strongly denounces insult of any religious personalities of any religion,” the statement read.
The BJP also possibly had elections to a clutch of states on its mind when it decided to use its whiplash. For, the hate speech was threatening to derail the party’s outreach to Muslim voters, especially after drawing a decent percentage of votes from Muslim pockets in the UP polls. While poll-bound Gujarat has 9.67% Muslim voters, the corresponding figure in Himachal is 2.18%, Karnataka 12.91% and Rajasthan 9.1%. Nupur later said, “If my words have caused discomfort or hurt religious feelings of anyone whatsoever, I hereby unconditionally withdraw my statement.”
Aimed at global audience: Omar“There is a context to the BJP suddenly waking up… This apology of a statement is aimed at an international audience,” National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said in a tweet.
-
Prophet row: BJP action against its spokespersons ‘necessary and timely’, says Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind
By PTI
NEW DELHI: Prominent Muslim body Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind on Sunday described as “necessary and timely” the action by Bharatiya Janata Party against its national spokesperson Nupur Sharma and Delhi media head Naveen Kumar Jindal for their alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad.
In a statement, Jamiat said disciplinary action by BJP was “necessary and timely” for “maintaining law and order in the country”.
Maulana Hakeemuddin Qasmi, general secretary of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, said “there is no bigger communalism and no greater offence than this, so we hope that law enforcement agencies will take legal action against them without delay and will indeed punish them, as well as take action against all such individuals who are constantly insulting the Prophet.”
According to the statement, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind had recently passed a resolution in its national governing body meeting calling for the immediate passing of a law to protect the sanctity and dignity of all religious personalities.
Sharma was on Sunday suspended from the party and Jindal expelled after their alleged derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad as the BJP sought to defuse the row over the issue.