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ISLAMABAD: A controversy has erupted over remarks made by Girdhari Lal Sahu, husband of Uttarakhand Women and Child Development Minister Rekha Arya, belonging to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), suggesting that girls in Bihar are &ldquo;sold&rdquo; for a fixed sum in marriage. The statement has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties as well as the BJP&rsquo;s Bihar unit, which has demanded an apology. Sahu made the comments while addressing a public gathering in Almora district of Uttarakhand earlier this week. Derogatory and demeaning remarks&nbsp;A video clip of his speech, which has since gone viral on social media, shows him speaking to young BJP workers in the audience and urging them to marry at what he described as the &ldquo;right time&rdquo;. In the video, Sahu is heard saying, &ldquo;You are young now, when will you get married? In old age? If you are unable to get married, we will bring a girl for you from Bihar. There, you get girls for ₹20,000 to ₹25,000.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 993px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2006992867009663200&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=b7c3715df63b46b2e18cb457e1c44c887d4d1889&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2006992867009663200">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The remarks were widely criticized as derogatory and demeaning towards women of Bihar. While Arya and the Uttarakhand BJP have not issued any official response, the party&rsquo;s Bihar unit distanced itself from the statement. Bihar BJP spokesperson Prabhakar Mishra said women could not be treated as commodities and termed the remark an insult to both Bihar and its women. He added that action would be ensured against individuals making such statements. Following the backlash, Sahu released another video claiming his remarks were misrepresented. He alleged that the Opposition had distorted a casual conversation to create controversy. &ldquo;I deeply respect women and can never speak ill of them,&rdquo; he said, asserting that his words were taken out of context.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-3" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 1540px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2007030092434993589&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=b7c3715df63b46b2e18cb457e1c44c887d4d1889&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2007030092434993589"></iframe></div></div>&lsquo;Extremely objectionable&rsquo;The explanation failed to placate critics. Apsara, chairperson of the Bihar State Women Commission, condemned the remarks as reflecting &ldquo;intellectual bankruptcy&rdquo; and said the Commission had taken suo motu cognizance of the matter and would seek a written apology. BJP ally Janata Dal (United) MP Rampreet Mandal described the statement as &ldquo;extremely objectionable&rdquo; and demanded an immediate apology. Bihar Congress president Rajesh Ram also criticized the remark, alleging it reflected a pattern of disrespect towards the people of Bihar and calling for an apology from Sahu.

India

In a video, Sahu is heard saying, ‘You are young now, when will you get married? In old age? If you are unable to get married, we will bring a girl for you from Bihar. There, you get girls for ₹20,000 to ₹25,000.’ 

Indian state minister’s husband sparks outrage with comments on ‘buying’ girls

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;A water contamination tragedy in the Indian city of Indore has claimed at least 10 lives and left over 2,000 people ill, according to an Indian media report on Thursday. A three-member probe committee formed by the Madhya Pradesh government will investigate why the tender for a new supply line in the Bhagirathpura area was not executed on time, forcing residents to depend on an ageing municipal pipeline that was later found to be contaminated by sewage leakage. The probe comes even as an in-charge sub-engineer of the public health department was dismissed from service, and two other officials were suspended for lapses in maintaining a clean water supply. Indore Municipal Corporation Commissioner Dileep Yadav said the officials were responsible for the area but failed to detect leakages in time. Cabinet Minister and Indore-1 MLA Kailash Vijayvargiya termed the incident &ldquo;unfortunate&rdquo; and said the number of patients admitted to healthcare facilities was increasing constantly. &ldquo;It was increasing yesterday [Tuesday] but has reduced today,&rdquo; he said. When an Indian journalist asked Vijayvargiya about the situation, he got angry but later apologized.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 607px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2006426641413902681&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=17d64457bbb8f9717ade4d6a59a6da65e05ceedf&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" spellcheck="false">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Toilet drainage line&nbsp;According to officials, a toilet drain line was found leaking directly over the main water supply line, contaminating the water supply, Indian media reported. Multiple leakages were later identified and repaired only after residents began falling ill. More than 100 people from Bhagirathpura have been admitted to hospitals in the past week, including infants and elderly residents. The deceased include a six-month-old child and six women. While authorities are yet to confirm the death toll officially, senior district officials said it has crossed 10. Tender process accountability&nbsp;The probe panel, headed by Indian Administrative Service officer Navjeevan Panwar, will also examine administrative delays and accountability in the tender process, Indian media reported on Thursday. When questioned, the commissioner said the project was to be undertaken under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation scheme. That work could not begin as funds were awaited. Status report sought&nbsp;Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has sought a status report from the State government by Jan. 2 and directed that patients be provided free treatment after allegations that private hospitals were denying care without payment. Fact-finding committee&nbsp;The opposition Congress has also formed a fact-finding committee to investigate the incident, alleging administrative negligence and failure to act despite known infrastructure risks. Water supply to the affected area remains suspended, with over 100 tankers deployed as authorities await test results before resuming distribution. According to an Indian media report from July 2025, Indore was ranked the cleanest city for the eighth consecutive time under the &ldquo;Super Swachh League&rdquo; category in the government&rsquo;s annual cleanliness survey.

According to officials, a toilet drain line was found leaking directly over the main water supply line, contaminating the water supply.  

10 dead, over 2,000 ill in Indian water contamination incident

ISLAMABAD: India&rsquo;s opposition party Congress has strongly criticized the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party following the arrest of a Christian priest and 11 others during a Christmas prayer meeting in Nagpur, Maharashtra, alleging that the incident reflected a &ldquo;hate-filled agenda of religious bigotry.&rdquo; According to party leaders, Maharashtra police arrested 12 people, including Father Sudhir, a Malayali priest of the Church of South India (CSI) South Kerala Diocese, Nagpur Mission, and his wife Jasmine, after a complaint was allegedly filed by activists of the right-wing Bajrang Dal, Indian media reported on Wednesday. Bajrang Dal is a right‑wing activist group in India often described as a hardline outfit affiliated with the Vishva Hindu Parishad that mobilizes youth around Hindu nationalist causes and has frequently featured in media reports on communal tensions and protests. The arrests reportedly took place around 8 p.m. on Wednesday while a Christmas prayer meeting was underway in Nagpur. Congress leaders further claimed that some individuals who later went to the police station to enquire about the arrests were also taken into custody, and cases were registered against them. &lsquo;Unlivable for all minorities&rsquo;Congress MP and general secretary K.C. Venugopal described the incident as &ldquo;highly condemnable&rdquo; in a post on X, alleging that the BJP was &ldquo;using the state machinery to harass Christians under the bogus pretense of religious conversions.&rdquo; He said that growing polarization had made life &ldquo;unlivable for all minorities&rdquo; in BJP-ruled states and demanded the immediate withdrawal of the FIR against the priest.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 345px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2006346591884497255&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=540f4e4c6e04dafb7862c8f834f012a856302552&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Venugopal also called for strict action against those he described as &ldquo;Bajrang Dal goons,&rdquo; alleging their actions led to what he termed a &ldquo;frivolous case.&rdquo; &ldquo;Those who take law into their own hands and destroy the secular fabric envisioned in our Constitution must be the ones receiving punishment, not innocent citizens,&rdquo; Venugopal said.&nbsp;Call for urgent intervention&nbsp;Kerala Assembly Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan also condemned the arrests and sought urgent intervention from the center and the Maharashtra government. Tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in a post on X, he demanded the immediate release of all those arrested.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 624px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2006290744508834178&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=540f4e4c6e04dafb7862c8f834f012a856302552&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>In a letter, Satheesan stated that Father Sudhir is a native of Amaravila in Thiruvananthapuram district and has been serving in Maharashtra for the past five years, while the remaining 10 arrested individuals are residents of Maharashtra. He said all those detained were being held at the Benoda Police Station and were likely to be produced before a court shortly, noting that attempts by CSI representatives to secure bail at the police station were unsuccessful. Describing the episode as alarming, Satheesan said the arrests raised serious concerns about violations of constitutional rights, particularly the freedom to profess, practice, and propagate religion.

Opposition leaders condemn the arrest of Father Sudhir and 11 others during a Christmas prayer in Nagpur, accusing the BJP and Bajrang Dal of harassment and demanding the immediate release of those arrested.

Congress condemns India’s ruling BJP over Nagpur Christian priest’s arrest

ISLAMABAD: A political controversy has erupted in India&rsquo;s Bihar state after a video surfaced in which a federal minister allied with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appears to acknowledge influencing election results, prompting renewed opposition allegations of electoral manipulation.&nbsp;The video features Jitan Ram Manjhi, a Union minister in Narendra Modi-led government, and leader of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular). His party is a partner of the BJP and part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) coalition at the center.&nbsp;In the clip, widely circulated on social media, Manjhi is heard claiming that his intervention helped reverse a margin of around 2,700 votes during the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, allegedly through contact with a senior government official.&nbsp;India&rsquo;s opposition Congress party shared the video on its official X account, accusing the ruling alliance of &ldquo;vote chori,&rdquo; or vote theft, and describing the remarks as an admission of election interference.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 528px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2002031172902060426&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=2e2bcecd3945c693c737eac75f87ce99043fb336&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>Opposition leaders, including those from the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), have called for an investigation by the Election Commission of India, saying the video raises serious concerns about the transparency and credibility of the electoral process, according to Indian media.&nbsp;Manjhi has denied the allegations, claiming the video was edited and his comments taken out of context. The BJP has also rejected opposition claims, dismissing them as politically motivated ahead of future elections.&nbsp;The controversy has once again brought election integrity into focus in India, with opposition parties pressing for accountability while the ruling coalition maintains that the accusations are unfounded.

The video features Jitan Ram Manjhi, a Union minister in the Narendra Modi-led government and leader of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), whose party is part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the center.

Minister's remarks spark election manipulation row in India

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;More than half of India&rsquo;s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)&rsquo;s funds from four northeastern states came from those who won government contracts, according to an Indian media report.&nbsp;The report traces how the contractor-driven economy in Assam, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, and Manipur is helping fill the party&#39;s coffers, raising questions about the link between political funding and government tenders. In the two financial years 2022-24, the BJP collected Rs776.3 million in donations from companies and individuals in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Tripura.&nbsp; Of this, at least 54.89% came from those who had secured tenders or regulatory clearances from state or Union government agencies.&nbsp; In Assam alone, more than 52% of funds in the financial year 2023-24 came from government contractors, a trend that continued in the previous year, with 64.48% of donations from such sources. The report&#39;s findings suggest that in Arunachal Pradesh, over half of the BJP&rsquo;s donations in FY 2023-24 came from contractors, while in Tripura, the figure was over 61%.&nbsp; In Manipur, in FY 2022-23, around 5% of the contributions were from companies that had secured government contracts. The BJP&rsquo;s declared donors, including businesses in Assam&rsquo;s trading community, have long been linked to the region&rsquo;s contractor economy, which depends heavily on government projects.&nbsp; &ldquo;In Assam, it&rsquo;s the business and trading community that is donating to the BJP. These trading communities control the economy,&rdquo; said Bonojit Hussain, a researcher from Assam. According to the report, on June 4, 2023, the under-construction Aguwani-Sultanganj bridge in Bihar collapsed into the Ganga, causing widespread panic. Local activist Ajit Kumar witnessed the event and described it as a massive shockwave.&nbsp; The bridge was being built by SPS Construction India Pvt Ltd, the same company responsible for an 8.4 km bridge under construction in Guwahati, Assam, intended to connect Pan Bazaar with the northern end of the city.&nbsp; In response to the collapse, the Assam government initiated an inquiry, and IIT Guwahati conducted a review, though the findings were never made public.&nbsp; The report states that SPS Construction donated Rs50 million to the BJP during the same financial year, highlighting a potential link between the company and the ruling party. Multiple contracts&nbsp;According to the report, the company had been awarded multiple contracts by BJP-run state governments in the northeast, including in Assam, where it faced scrutiny following the bridge collapse. The report maps donations by companies such as Badri Rai and Company, which donated Rs10 million in FY 2023-24 after its construction projects in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.&nbsp; Notable case&nbsp;Another notable case involves Samson Borang, a businessman from Arunachal Pradesh, who donated Rs43 million to the BJP after his company, Sedi Allied Agency, secured state contracts. While these donations are legal under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, experts argue that the connections between government contractors and political contributions point to a larger issue of crony capitalism.&nbsp; &ldquo;Politics is largely run by syndicate money,&rdquo; said Hussain, highlighting concerns over the opaque flow of funds in the region&rsquo;s contractor economy. Incomplete disclosuresThe Indian media report used data from the Election Commission of India, which mandates political parties to disclose donations above Rs20,000.&nbsp; However, the BJP&rsquo;s incomplete disclosures and lack of transparency hindered a full analysis, leaving many donor identities unknown. The report sheds light on how India&rsquo;s northeastern states, with their reliance on central government contracts, have created a political funding landscape in which businesses and contractors thrive in close-knit relationships with the ruling party.&nbsp; While such donations are legally permitted, critics warn that they perpetuate a system prone to cronyism and potential corruption, the report states. There was no public comment on the report by BJP officials till the publication of the report.

Between 2022-24, the BJP raised Rs776.3 million in Assam, Arunachal, Manipur, and Tripura; at least 54.89% of donations came from individuals or companies with tenders or regulatory clearances from state or Union government agencies.

BJP funds linked to government contractors in northeast India: report 

ISLAMABAD: A right to information (RTI) request has revealed that India&rsquo;s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) allegedly collected donations for its party by soliciting contributions under the guise of government welfare schemes Swachh Bharat, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and Kisan Seva, without any official authorization. According to a report published in Indian media, private platforms, the NaMo app, and the narendramodi.in portal still show options to contribute to government schemes on their donation pages. The RTI responses to queries filed by an Indian journalist showed that the BJP did not have any permission or authorization from central ministries or the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office (PMO) to collect donations for the Union government&rsquo;s welfare schemes. According to the report, the BJP ran a fundraising campaign between December 2021 and February 2022 on private platforms such as narendramodi.in and the NaMo app, in which it solicited donations for Swachh Bharat, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and Kisan Seva &ndash; all government schemes. &lsquo;Party fund&rsquo;&nbsp;Both the website and the app asked donors to choose between one of these three government schemes and list &ldquo;party fund&rdquo; as &ldquo;cause for donation&rdquo; while contributing to the BJP. However, ministries responsible for implementing these schemes have now clearly stated in their RTI responses that none of these platforms, or, for that matter, any other, had been promoted, authorized, or given special permission to raise funds for the schemes. In 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi endorsed a &ldquo;micro-donation&rdquo; campaign to strengthen the party from his X (then Twitter) handle, and urged people to donate to the fund.&nbsp; &ldquo;Your support will enthuse millions of Karyakartas (party workers) who are selflessly devoted to the cause of nation building,&rdquo; Modi said. Although the campaign ended in February 2022, both platforms still offer the option to contribute to government schemes on their donation pages. According to the report, three key ministries, Ministry of Jal Shakti (Swachh Bharat Mission &ndash; Gramin), Ministry of Women and Child Development (Beti Bachao Beti Padhao), and Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare (Kisan Seva), confirmed in response to the RTI queries that the &ldquo;micro-donation&rdquo; campaign carried out by the BJP had not been authorized by the Union government or any other government body. Ministry of Jal Shakti (Swachh Bharat Mission &ndash; Gramin)The public information officer, responding to the senior journalist&rsquo;s RTI query to the union ministry of Jal Shakti&rsquo;s department of drinking water and sanitation, said, &ldquo;There is no provision in SBM(G) Phase-II guidelines regarding raising of funds by NGO or individuals for Swachh Bharat projects.&rdquo; Ministry of Women and Child Development (Beti Bachao Beti Padhao)The union ministry of women and child development&rsquo;s response to the RTI query was similar. Information officer Rachana Bolimera stated, &ldquo;There is no provision to give special permission to raise funds through the NaMo App for the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme.&rdquo; Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare (Kisan Seva)The director of the digital agriculture division, Vijay Raj Mohan, said that, &ldquo;No such apps are promoted by the Department; (b) the Government of India does not raise funds for any welfare apps relating to dissemination of information to farmers/farming community.&rdquo;

India's Bharatiya Janata Party ran a fundraising campaign between December 2021 and February 2022 on private platforms, asking contributors to donate to Swachh Bharat, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and Kisan Seva – all government schemes.

BJP collected ‘party funds’ in Indian government’s name: Report 

ISLAMABAD: India&rsquo;s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) marked the 33rd anniversary of the demolition of the historic Babri Masjid with a social-media post that laid bare the party&rsquo;s anti-Muslim bias. The Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, India&#39;s Uttar Pradesh, was a centuries-old mosque that was demolished in 1992 in a well-planned attack by mobs allegedly instigated by leaders of the BJP, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), and other Sangh Parivar organizations. The post on X stating, &ldquo;Reviving. ✨Rebuilding. 🔱 Not just Ram Mandir &mdash; but entire India&rdquo;, carries a video that starts with the opening word &ldquo;REVOLT&rdquo; celebrating the demolition of the historic mosque, and shows the Indian prime minister worshiping at the Hindu temple, Ram Mandir, which was built on top of the ruins of the razed mosque.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 802px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1997181102419746904&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=7198ddce1ecb50330ec44fb247e1d1d082539647&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&lsquo;Celebration of destruction&rsquo;&nbsp;Indian academic Professor Rakhi Tripathi, in her post on X, lambasted the BJP, writing: &quot;Calling this a &#39;revolt&#39; is a shameless whitewashing of history driven by hate and a collapsing education system after 2014.&rdquo; &ldquo;Glorifying the demolition of the Babri Masjid is not nationalism, it is the celebration of destruction,&rdquo; she asserted.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 947px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1997293330464690577&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=7198ddce1ecb50330ec44fb247e1d1d082539647&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Calling it the &ldquo;most difficult period&rdquo; of his career, Indian journalist Rajdeep Sardesai, in a post on X, lamented the horror of the day and its aftermath. He wrote: &ldquo;December 6 &hellip; a day of great shame and blood-letting that will be etched in memory forever, the day the Babri Masjid was demolished, the Constitution dismantled and Mumbai was scarred with horrific violence in which more than a 1000 people died.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 873px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1997134581359907071&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=7198ddce1ecb50330ec44fb247e1d1d082539647&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Demolition of mosques&nbsp;The demolition of mosques has continued to take place in various parts of India under the BJP rule. Shahi MasjidIn January 2023, Shahi Masjid, a 16th-century mosque on G.T. Road in Uttar Pradesh&rsquo;s Saidabad, Prayagraj, was demolished by authorities to widen the highway, according to an Indian media report. Barabanki MosqueAccording to the same report, at the height of the pandemic in 2021, the Barabanki district administration in Uttar Pradesh demolished the Masjid Garib Nawaz Al Maroof, claiming it was an &ldquo;illegal structure.&rdquo; Muzaffarnagar MosqueSimilarly, in November 2022, a 300-year-old mosque was razed to the ground in Uttar Pradesh&rsquo;s Muzaffarnagar because it blocked the 709 A.D. Panipat-Khatima highway in Sherpur. The Muzaffarnagar sub-divisional magistrate had claimed that the razing was carried out to expand the highway, and the locals had failed to move the structure by the stipulated period, according to the report. Pakistan&rsquo;s position&nbsp;On Friday, Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, in a statement on the anniversary of the destruction of Babri Masjid, remarked, &ldquo;On 6 December 1992, this historic mosque in Ayodhya was destroyed in circumstances that continue to evoke deep sadness and concern. The event remains unsettling for all who stand against intolerance and religious discrimination.&rdquo; He said, &ldquo;Pakistan maintains that the preservation of religious heritage and sacred sites is a shared responsibility of the international community. It is essential that all acts undermining Muslim religious symbols or historical legacy be addressed with transparency, accountability, and a firm commitment to justice.&rdquo; The spokesperson said, &ldquo;Pakistan emphasizes that the desecration of any place of worship constitutes a violation of the principles of religious equality and undermines the collective sense of security and mutual respect that all communities deserve.&rdquo; He said, &ldquo;The continued sense of marginalization and emotional distress experienced by Indian Muslims in the wake of this event remains a serious concern.&rdquo; &ldquo;Emboldened by state patronage, Hindu fascist organizations are now clamoring for the complete ghettoization of Indian Muslims and other religious minorities.&rdquo;

The BJP’s anniversary post celebrating Babri Masjid’s demolition has drawn criticism for glorifying destruction; demolition of mosques has continued in India, including Shahi Masjid and Barabanki Mosque, and a 300-year-old Muzaffarnagar mosque.

BJP’s social media post on Babri Masjid highlights anti-Muslim bias 

<grammarly-extension data-grammarly-shadow-root="true" style="position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 0px; pointer-events: none; --rem: 16;" class="dnXmp"></grammarly-extension>ISLAMABAD: A report shared by the Indian socio-religious organization Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (JUH) on its X social-media account on Dec. 4 highlights 209 hate-related incidents across the country in just one month. The report, titled &ldquo;India&rsquo;s Hate Crime Landscape,&rdquo; breaks the crimes down into several categories, covering November 2025, and is published by Justice and Empowerment of Minorities (JEM), an initiative of JUH.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1996554914429071673&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=5033f4ea136673fc63d85cf5cf247946e90883e8&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 801px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" spellcheck="false">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The largest share, 34% (71 cases), fell under &quot;Acts of Hate,&quot; which included verbal abuse, hate speech, intimidation, online harassment, and community-targeted slurs intended to create fear and hostility among minorities. &lsquo;Media manipulation&rsquo;&nbsp;Close behind are 61 cases (29.2%) of &quot;Discrimination, Exclusion &amp; Prejudice&quot;, reflecting systemic social and institutional exclusion in areas such as education, employment, housing, and public spaces, all based on community identity. The report also identifies 28 cases (13.4%) involving &quot;Media Manipulation &amp; Distortion of Facts&quot;, pointing to biased narratives, misinformation, and <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/indian-media-apologizes-for-portraying-muslim-doctor-as-suspect-in-delhi-blast" style="color:#0073e6;">communal framing</a> that can deepen stereotypes and sow division. Government-linked bias is highlighted in 18 cases (8.6%) classified as &quot;State-Sponsored Discriminatory Practices&quot;, which included discriminatory policies, evictions, and administrative measures that disproportionately affected minority groups. &lsquo;Attack on religious spaces&rsquo;Law enforcement&rsquo;s role appears in 13 cases (6.2%) of &quot;Police Atrocities&quot;, involving custodial violence, false implications, biased investigations, or failure to act during communal disturbances. Attacks on sacred places are also noted: 10 cases (4.8%) of &quot;Attack on Religious Spaces&quot;, ranging from vandalism and arson to encroachment on mosques, madrasas, shrines, and other places of worship. Finally, the report documents eight cases (3.8%) of &quot;Acts of Violence&quot;, including physical assaults, mob attacks, and lynchings, and other direct bodily harm motivated by religious or communal hostility. Together, these categories paint a sobering picture of the different forms of hate-driven incidents affecting communities across India as of late 2025.&nbsp;Minorities are &#39;safe&rsquo;&nbsp;India&#39;s Union Minister for Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, has in the past asserted that minorities of India are safe because the majority is entirely secular.&nbsp; According to Indian media, the minister had said even a minuscule minority community like the Parsis was safe in India. Human Rights Watch&nbsp;According to Human Rights Watch&#39;s World Report 2025, the authorities in India &quot;continued to discriminate against members of minority communities.&quot; &quot;Officials failed to take adequate action against BJP supporters responsible for attacks, and instead targeted victims of the violence, including through unlawful demolitions of Muslim homes and properties,&quot; it says.

The report details acts of hate, discrimination, media distortion, state bias, police abuses, attacks on religious sites, and violence, highlighting widespread hostility toward minority communities.

Report documents over 200 minority hate crimes across India during November 2025

ISLAMABAD: India&rsquo;s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has publicly rebuked several opposition leaders through an Islamophobic &ldquo;movie poster&rdquo; shared on X, accusing them of being sympathetic to Muslims and &ldquo;intruders.&rdquo; The mock poster, posted by the official BJP Delhi account, features India&rsquo;s Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Aam Aadmi Party founder and national convener Arvind Kejriwal, and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav wearing Muslim skullcaps.&nbsp; The image is titled &ldquo;Ghuspaithiyon Ke Bhaijaan&rdquo; and includes the captions &ldquo;Directed by: Rahul Gandhi,&rdquo; &ldquo;Produced by: Mamata Banerjee,&rdquo; and &ldquo;Supporting Role: Arvind Kejriwal.&rdquo; It was shared alongside the message: &ldquo;The most trouble from SIR is faced by these sympathizers of the intruders.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1995374749728522248&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=6bc66bbe3b23caf8095de451d9a26e689bb3eb87&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 754px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The post comes amid growing criticism from opposition parties over the Election Commission of India (ECI)&#39;s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voters&rsquo; list. Rahul Gandhi, in a statement on X, had earlier questioned why the BJP had raised no objections to the revision process. &ldquo;Why doesn&#39;t BJP have any complaints against SIR? Haven&#39;t the names of their voters been deleted?&rdquo; he wrote.&nbsp; &ldquo;So far in this journey, I&#39;ve met thousands of such people whose names have been removed from the voter list in SIR &mdash; mostly poor, Dalits, backward classes, minorities, farmers, and laborers.&rdquo; Gandhi further alleged that &ldquo;It&#39;s absolutely clear &mdash; EC and BJP are working together to erase the opposition&#39;s votes.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1959530288192905270&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=6bc66bbe3b23caf8095de451d9a26e689bb3eb87&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 696px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>According to Indian media, the second phase of SIR is being implemented across 12 states and territories, including Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Puducherry, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep. Earlier this year, a similar revision took place in Bihar ahead of its November 6 state elections. The process resulted in the removal of approximately 6.5 million names, which the ECI stated was necessary to prevent the inclusion of &ldquo;foreign illegal immigrants,&rdquo; according to AFP.

India’s BJP shared an Islamophobic mock ‘movie poster’ depicting opposition leaders in skullcaps, accusing them of aiding 'intruders,' amid disputes over a voter-list revision that Rahul Gandhi says disproportionately remove poor and minority opposition voters.

India’s ruling BJP posts Islamophobic ‘movie poster’ targeting opposition

ISLAMABAD: A new report by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has warned that India&rsquo;s political environment is fostering intolerance and discrimination against religious minorities, citing what it describes as &ldquo;systematic, ongoing, egregious&rdquo; violations of religious freedom.&nbsp;The report, Issue Update: Systematic Religious Persecution in India, outlines the rise in attacks, hate speech and legal actions targeting minority communities. &nbsp;USCIRF, a bipartisan US government body that monitors religious freedom worldwide, said the year saw renewed concerns over the safety and rights of Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and other groups.&nbsp;According to the findings, the period ahead of India&rsquo;s June 2024 national elections witnessed senior BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, making remarks that USCIRF says contributed to heightened hostility against Muslims and other minorities. The rhetoric was followed by a series of violent incidents, including attacks in at least six states after the consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya in January.&nbsp;The report notes that several authorities, including the Delhi Development Authority, oversaw the demolition of Muslim-owned homes and places of worship, sometimes replacing razed mosques with newly constructed Hindu temples. USCIRF highlighted repeated instances where local administrations bulldozed Muslim-owned structures, including religious sites, despite legal protections under Section 295 of the Indian Penal Code.&nbsp;It also documents multiple cases in which state-level laws were used to target minority communities. In Uttar Pradesh, police detained 20 Christians, including four pastors, under accusations of unlawful religious conversions. The same state&rsquo;s High Court sentenced Muslim cleric Kalim Siddiqui and 11 others to life imprisonment under its expanded anti-conversion legislation.&nbsp;USCIRF further pointed to concerns surrounding citizenship laws. It said the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in March, combined with the National Register of Citizens (NRC), contributed to fear among Muslim communities.&nbsp;The report cited incidents in Assam, where 28 Muslims were declared &ldquo;non-citizens&rdquo; by Foreigners&rsquo; Tribunals and sent to detention or deportation centers. It also noted that several activists from the earlier anti-CAA protests, including Umar Khalid, Meeran Haider and Sharjeel Imam, remain in detention under antiterror provisions.&nbsp;The report additionally refers to cases involving Sikh activists abroad, including allegations that Indian officials sought to pressure or intimidate members of the diaspora. It cites international intelligence reports linking Indian intelligence personnel to a 2023 assassination attempt on an American Sikh activist in New York.&nbsp;In its 2025 Annual Report, USCIRF again recommended that the US State Department designate India as a &ldquo;Country of Particular Concern&rdquo; for what it described as ongoing violations of religious freedom.

USCIRF says India’s governing and social structures have increasingly created space for hostility toward non-Hindu groups, including Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, and Dalits.

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