News Analysis India

Tag: Haridwar

  • Russians perform nine-day yajna in Haridwar to end war with Ukraine

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: A team of 24 Russians, who came to India from Russia, reached Haridwar and prayedfor a ceasefire by performing Ganga Pujan at Rajghat in Kankhal. These Russian citizens worshipped Ganga according to Hindu customs and appealed for peace in the country and the world. They have been living in Haridwar and Rishikesh for the last several days. Havan and Ganga Pujan are being done here for 11 consecutive days.

    It has been a year since the war between Russia and Ukraine, but the war still does not seem to end, so the citizens of both countries are also trying at their level towards ending the war and establishing peace.

    Speaking to The New Indian Express, Dr Pratik Mishrapuri, president of the Bharatiya Prachya Vidya Society, said, “24 people following Sanatan Dharma have reached Haridwar from Russia. They have unwavering faith in the holy Ganga and these people have come to Haridwar in the past”, Dr Mishrapuri, under whose presence the nine-day yajna was concluded, said, “How can the war between Ukraine and Russia be ended with true will power and with this thinking, these people have reached Haridwar to worship holy Ganga.” Everyone performed yajna with a prayer to end the war.

    Society president Dr Mishra Puri also said, “The group of foreign devotees from Russia includes professors, engineers and people associated with other fields. Along with Hindustan, everyone has special faith in Sanatan Dharma. As a symbol of faith, these people have come to Haridwar to worship Ganga”.

    While the efforts of major countries have not proved effective in the war started by Russia’s attack on Ukraine, the Ukrainians suffering from war have taken spiritual recourse to get out of this situation.

    DEHRADUN: A team of 24 Russians, who came to India from Russia, reached Haridwar and prayed
    for a ceasefire by performing Ganga Pujan at Rajghat in Kankhal. These Russian citizens worshipped Ganga according to Hindu customs and appealed for peace in the country and the world. They have been living in Haridwar and Rishikesh for the last several days. Havan and Ganga Pujan are being done here for 11 consecutive days.

    It has been a year since the war between Russia and Ukraine, but the war still does not seem to end, so the citizens of both countries are also trying at their level towards ending the war and establishing peace.

    Speaking to The New Indian Express, Dr Pratik Mishrapuri, president of the Bharatiya Prachya Vidya Society, said, “24 people following Sanatan Dharma have reached Haridwar from Russia. They have unwavering faith in the holy Ganga and these people have come to Haridwar in the past”, Dr Mishrapuri, under whose presence the nine-day yajna was concluded, said, “How can the war between Ukraine and Russia be ended with true will power and with this thinking, these people have reached Haridwar to worship holy Ganga.” Everyone performed yajna with a prayer to end the war.

    Society president Dr Mishra Puri also said, “The group of foreign devotees from Russia includes professors, engineers and people associated with other fields. Along with Hindustan, everyone has special faith in Sanatan Dharma. As a symbol of faith, these people have come to Haridwar to worship Ganga”.

    While the efforts of major countries have not proved effective in the war started by Russia’s attack on Ukraine, the Ukrainians suffering from war have taken spiritual recourse to get out of this situation.

  • Prominent BSP leader from Haridwar joins BJP with supporters

    By PTI

    DEHRADUN: Prominent BSP leader from Haridwar Chaudhary Ravindra Singh Paniala joined the BJP here on Wednesday along with scores of his supporters ahead of the upcoming panchayat polls in the district.

    Paniala, considered a strong Gurjar leader, joined the BJP at the party office here in the presence of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, state BJP president Mahendra Bhatt and former chief minister and Haridwar MP Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.

    Soon after joining the BJP, Paniala said he will work to ensure the victory of party candidates in the panchayat polls. Among other important Bahujan Samaj Party leaders who joined the BJP was Lokendra Churiala.

    Besides, scores of BSP workers from the Dalit community and other backward sections joined the BJP. The three-tier panchayat polls in Haridwar are scheduled to be held on September 26. The counting of votes will take place on September 28.

    The BJP has announced its candidates for 44 wards, the Congress for 31 and the BSP for 27.

    DEHRADUN: Prominent BSP leader from Haridwar Chaudhary Ravindra Singh Paniala joined the BJP here on Wednesday along with scores of his supporters ahead of the upcoming panchayat polls in the district.

    Paniala, considered a strong Gurjar leader, joined the BJP at the party office here in the presence of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, state BJP president Mahendra Bhatt and former chief minister and Haridwar MP Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.

    Soon after joining the BJP, Paniala said he will work to ensure the victory of party candidates in the panchayat polls. Among other important Bahujan Samaj Party leaders who joined the BJP was Lokendra Churiala.

    Besides, scores of BSP workers from the Dalit community and other backward sections joined the BJP. The three-tier panchayat polls in Haridwar are scheduled to be held on September 26. The counting of votes will take place on September 28.

    The BJP has announced its candidates for 44 wards, the Congress for 31 and the BSP for 27.

  • U’khand: 20 seats of Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar districts hold defy norms in 2022 elections

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: Indian National Congress performed better than the Bhartiya Janta Party in two districts of Udham Singh Nagar and Haridwar which have a total of 20 state assembly seats in the 70-member state assembly. 

    US Nagar has nine seats while Haridwar has 11 seats.

    The BJP which won 16 out of 20 seats in Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar districts in the 2017 elections managed to win just seven seats in 2022 elections, while three went to ‘Others’ including independent and the Bahujan Samaj Party. 

    Anoop Nautiyal, Dehradun based think tank and an analyst said, “These two districts which earlier said to hold key to the power failed to make much difference with the BJP performing better in other regions. These elections have sprung up many surprises like the Chief Minister lost his seat from Khatima in IS Nagar district.”

    Analysis of three regions – Regions A, B, C reveals voter behaviour which gives insight into what went down in the 2022 assembly elections in the state.

    In Region A of the Garhwal division which has five hill districts and one plain district Dehradun with a total of 30 seats, the BJP won 26 while the Congress got only three seats. 

    In Region B which has five hill districts of the Kumaon division with a total of 20 seats, the BJP got 14 seats while the Congress had six. 

    The Congress this time had popped up its ‘Trump Card’ with Yashpal Arya rejoining the party with his son Sanjiv Arya last year. Arya, who has a strong vote base in the district, especially among SC and Muslim voters contested 2022 elections from the Bajpur constituency of the US Nagar district. 

    Both Haridwar and US Nagar districts have around 50 per cent population of Scheduled Caste and Muslims of total voters. 

    Factors that influenced voters in Udham Singh Nagar which has a sizable population of Sikhs, this time in 2022 were farmer’s protests regarding controversial farm laws in which farmers of the district played a significant role, anti-incumbency and the effect of what happens in the neighbouring districts Western UP – Bareilly, Rampur, Bijnor, Pilibhit, Moradabad, Saharanpur, Farrukhabad and few others. 

    In totality, the BJP had a strike rate of 67 per cent bagging 47 of the 70 seats in Uttarakhand with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading from the front. The Congress barely managed a 27 per cent strike-rate with its 19 seats across the state. 

  • Dharma Sansad case: Cops pick up Yati Narasimhanand from dharna site in Haridwar

    By PTI

    DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand Police on Saturday picked up Yati Narasimhanand from his dharna site in Haridwar in connection with the case of Dharma Sansad where alleged hate speeches against Muslims were delivered.

    Yati Narasimhanand has been brought to a police station, Haridwar Superintendent of Police (City) Swatantra Kumar told PTI.

    However, the officer said, it was technically not an arrest.

    Narasimhanand, the controversial priest of Dasna temple in Ghaziabad, had organised the event in Haridwar from December 17-19.

    He was picked up from where he was sitting on a dharna in protest against the recent arrest of another accused in the case, Jitendra Narayan Tyagi.

    Tyagi was formerly known as Waseem Rizvi and changed his name after converting to Hinduism.

    Tyagi who headed the Uttar Pradesh Shia Waqf Board before converting to Hinduism was the first person to have been arrested in connection with the case a couple of days back.

    Further action will depend on how the investigation progresses, the official said.

    Both Tyagi and Narasimhanand are among those named accused in the FIRs lodged in connection with the event.

  • Martina Navratilova reacts to Hindutva leaders’ hate speech video targeting minorities in India

    By Online Desk

    Tennis legend Martina Navratilova on Twitter reacted to the Hindutva groups’ “hate speech” video that had gone viral.

    The 18-time singles Grand Slam champion retweeted a video of Hindutva groups taking a pledge to “fight, die and if required, kill” in order to turn India into a Hindu Rashtra.

    A concerned Navratilova asked, “What is going on?!?”

    What is going on?!? https://t.co/PaUPY2mfsp
    — Martina Navratilova (@Martina) December 22, 2021
    Which led to a discussion of ‘rising religious intolerance in India’.

    Renowned journalist Rana Ayyub who joined the conversation, said, “Prelude to a genocide. World leaders will be complicit in looking the other way.”

    One of the users slammed Ayyub and said, “Few people are as divisive and prejudiced as you, Ms Ayyub. You keep your mouth shut.”

    Reacting to the comment Navratilova wrote, “Just another man telling a woman to keep her mouth shut. F… off…”

    Just another man telling a woman to keep her mouth shut. F… off…
    — Martina Navratilova (@Martina) December 23, 2021
    Following this, another user pointed out that the three-day event held in Haridwar was filled with such “hateful speeches”.

    For which the former world number one commented, “That’s just awful…”

    When another user informed the former tennis champion of another such event in Haridwar, which went on for three days with hateful speeches, Navratilova said, “That’s just awful…”

    ‘Is India still a democracy’: Opposition leaders slam ‘hate speech conclave’

    Several Opposition leaders, including those from the Congress and the TMC, on Thursday condemned what they said was a “hate speech conclave” held in Haridwar recently and called for strict action against those involved.

    All-India Trinamool Congress national spokesman Saket Gokhale demanded immediate action against the organisers and speakers of the Dharma Sansad held recently in Haridwar, where “hate speeches” were allegedly made against Muslims.

    Gokhale lodged a complaint in this connection at the Jwalapur police station in Haridwar district, asking the Station House Officer to register an FIR within 24 hours.

    At the event, several speakers allegedly made inflammatory and provocative speeches, calling for the killing of people from the minority community.

    Held at Ved Niketan Dham in Haridwar from December 17-20, the Dharma Sansad was organised by Yati Narasimhanand Giri of the Juna Akhada, who is already under police scanner for making hate speeches and inciting violence against Muslims.

    Amit Shah’s praise for Narendra Modi a joke, says Martina Navratilova

    Earlier in October, Navratilova also called Amit Shah’s praise for Narendra Modi a joke.

    Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “democratic leader”, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said even his critics will agree that the Union Cabinet has never functioned in such a democratic manner as it is functioning in the Modi government.

    This comment by the Home Miniter did not go down well with tennis legend Martina Navratilova. “And for my next joke…” she tweeted on Sunday night in reply to Shah’s eulogy of Modi as “India’s most democratic leader”.

    Along with the tweet, she added an emoticon for astonishment and another that resembles a clown.

    And for my next joke … https://t.co/vR7i5etQcv
    — Martina Navratilova (@Martina) October 10, 2021
    Rejecting allegations that Modi is an autocratic leader, Shah, in an interview to SANSAD TV, said that he has not seen a “patient listener” like the prime minister, who gives importance to all worthy suggestions given by anyone irrespective of their designation or position in the hierarchy.

    Shah had said Modi does not hesitate in taking political risks for decisions that are in national interest, and at times has taken bitter decisions for the welfare of the nation.

    (With Inputs From PTI)

  • Mahant death case: CBI seizes laptop, documents from Anand Giri’s Haridwar ashram

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: After grilling six people for 16 hours, a CBI team on Thursday seized ‘incriminating’ documents, a laptop left from Haridwar with Anand Giri for Prayagraj on Thursday.

    The eight-member CBI team arrived in Haridwar on Wednesday with Anand Giri, a disciple of deceased Mahant Narendra Giri, at around 7 pm on Wednesday.

    A member of the local police team, comprising over a dozen members including circle officer Abhai Singh, said, “The team conducted the search operations in the ashram extensively, questioned six people, and seized a laptop and a lot of many documents.”

    ALSO READ | In video shot before death, Narendra Giri names Anand Giri, 2 others for abetment to suicide

    The team took the accused Anand Giri to his ashram in Gajiwali village of Haridwar on the bank of river Ganga where the search was conducted for more than 7 hours resulting in the recovery of a laptop and documents. 

    The agency is looking for an alleged video that was to be released to defame Mahant Narendra Giri as mentioned in his suicide note too. 

    The team also questioned six people which included some ‘disciples’ of the accused Anand Giri. 

    Mahant Narendra Giri, president of the Akhil Bhartiya Akhada Parishad, top body of all 13 prominent akhadas of India, had committed suicide by hanging in Baghambari Mutt in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.  He had named Anand Giri along with two others for abetment to suicide in his five-page note. 

  • Murders of sadhus in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar have link to tussle over property

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN:  In the last three decades, over two dozen sadhus in Haridwar have been murdered. Most of these cases still remain cloaked in the shrouds of mystery.  Kirankant Sharma, a Haridwar-based political analyst, has been following the trail of such cases since 1991.

    “With the real estate boom, land and properties of the ashrams became a lucrative source of wealth. Eventually, this led to rivalries, conspiracies, and the game of domination using every possible means available. This also involves the power game of various stakeholders in the system,” he said.

    Karan Khurana, another resident of Haridwar, points out: “In 1991, Raghavacharya was killed outside his ashram by bike-borne assailants. This was the first such incident that sent ripples across the region. In 1993, seer Rangacharya was killed. These cases remain unsolved.”

    In 2000, a female seer from the US was killed followed by the murder of Baba Sutendra Bengali in 2001. Both the cases have been sub judice. In 2001, four seers were killed at Har-ki-Pauri.

    The next year, Baba Hariyananad was killed along with his disciple followed by the murder of Bole Baba in 2003. In 2004, another seer, Yogananad, was killed. His case is still in a limbo. In 2006, Swami Amritananda was found murdered. 

    In 2012, Mahanta Sudhir Giri of Mahanirvani Panchayti Akhada, one of the most powerful akhadas, was killed. The accused were arrested and conspiracy was busted. A man had paid Rs 9 lakh to three men to kill the head of the religious sect.

    In the same year, three seers were killed in a temple. It was revealed that the crime had roots in a property dispute. 

  • BJP supremo JP Nadda arrives in Dehradun for 2-day visit to Uttarakhand

    By ANI

    NADDA: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President JP Nadda on Friday arrived at Dehradun’s Jollygrant Airport for his two-day visit to Uttarakhand.

    Nadda was received by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Ministers and State General Secretaries on his arrival.

    “Grand welcome of BJP National President Shri @JPNadda on his arrival at Dehradun, Uttarakhand,” BJP tweeted.

    Arrived at Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun – Thanks to all the Karyakartas of @BJP4UK for a grand welcome. https://t.co/pJIRyJ8cWi
    — Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) August 20, 2021
    The BJP chief will be seeking blessings of sadhus and seers in Haridwar today, August 20, 2021.

    Yesterday, Nadda offered prayers at Jageshwar Temple in the Almora district.

    Nadda is scheduled to meet senior party leaders and elected representatives to finalise the party’s strategy and preparations for the forthcoming Assembly polls.

    U’khand: National BJP President JP Nadda to take 8 meetings in Haridwar today. Will meet seers too! @NewIndianXpress @TheMornStandard pic.twitter.com/rpvb0GiUHL
    — Vineet Upadhyay (@VineetTNIE) August 20, 2021
    On August 21, Nadda is scheduled to hold a meeting with ex-servicemen from the state in Raiwala Dehradun to seek their suggestions and support for the Assembly elections.

    The party-state leadership has planned eleven meetings of Nadda. These would include the BJP chief meeting with block pramukhs, nagar panchayat pramukhs, mayors, office-bearers of the party, general secretaries, MLAs, MPs, Cabinet Ministers and the Chief Minister of the state Pushkar Singh Dhami and all former Uttarakhand CMs of the party.

    Polls for the 70 member Uttarakhand Assembly are likely to take place in early 2022. 

  • Uttarakhand officials did not move a finger to stop fake testing: Report

    By Express News Service

    DEHRADUN:  An investigation report into fake Covid testing in Haridwar said health officials of the district were aware of the irregularities, but chose not to act. Had the officials acted on time, they could have stopped the fake testing, the report says.  

    “Various irregularities by the pathology labs surfaced (during the investigation), such as the filing of expression of interest documents in January and affidavits related to it in April. Why such a long delay? Later, the labs were not uploading data in regular fashion,” said an official on condition of anonymity. 

    The investigation report was submitted to the district magistrate last week. The DM will submit the report to senior officials of the state government. The report also pointed to a ‘conspiracy’ behind conducting more than 1 lakh fake tests. 

    Officials privy to the development said district health officials as well as mela health officials have been fired as the report indicates their complicity. The main report consists of 120-pages and annexures run over 2400-pages. 

    The inquiry was ordered on June 10, 2021 by the Haridwar district administration. The DM had directed the probe agency to complete the inquiry within 15 days. However, multiple extensions were granted on requests made by the officials. On June 18, Haridwar district police formed special investigation team (SIT) to probe fake Kumbh testing matter.

    In July 2021, the SIT added Section 467 (Forgery of valuable security, will, etc) in the already registered FIR against a firm and two pathology laboratories accused of irregularities in Covid 19 testing in Kumbh in Haridwar. 

     Case was registered last month under sections of Epidemic Act, 1897, Disaster Management Act, 2005, IPC 420 (forgery), 468 (forgery), 471 (fraudulently using as genuine any document or electronic record), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 188 (punishment for disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant), 269 and 270 (likely to spread infection).

    During Kumbh Mela, the Uttarakhand government had teamed up with several private diagnosistic firms to conduct Covid-19 tests. One of the labs ­ Max Corporate Service (MCS)  in turn hired two other private laboratories, Delhi-based Lal Chandani Lab and Hissar-based Nalwa lab, to carry out the tests. More than 1 lakh samples tested by these labs are under scanner.

  • Samajwadi Party’s former Haridwar MP Rajendra Kumar Badi joins Congress

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Rajendra Kumar Badi, who represented the Samajwadi Party in the 14th Lok Sabha from Uttarakhand’s Haridwar, joined the Congress on Monday along with 18 other leaders.

    Badi said that he will work hard at the ground level for the Congress and expressed confidence that the party will form government following the assembly polls next year. Besides Badi, Ravindra Khanna, a councillor in the Roorkee Nagar Nigam, and 17 other leaders from parties such as the SP and BSP, joined the Congress.

    The leaders joined the Congress at the AICC headquarters here in the presence of Uttarakhand Congress’ newly-appointed chief Ganesh Godiyal and AICC in-charge of the state, Devendra Yadav.