INDIA

Selected parts of a video are being circulated by various social media users and Indian TV news channels showing a cleric from Rajouri giving a "provocative speech." various social media users mocked the cleric and several demanded police and legal action against the cleric identified as Mufti Farooq Ahmed, who delivers a Friday sermon in Jamia Masjid Rajouri. Upon verifying, we found that selected parts of the entire video which is around 2 minutes and thirty seconds were pulled out and widely circulated to create a misleading picture. In the video, Mufti Farooq was talking about how the release of 'The Kashmir Files' has created a sense of hatred towards Muslims of India. He said, "Not only Pandits but so many Kashmir Muslims have been also killed but it doesn't concern them rat...

A Delhi court has acquitted a man accused of being a member of alleged terror organisation Babbar Khalsa International in case related to 2005 Satyam Cinema and Liberty Cinema bomb blasts, saying police miserably failed to prove the case beyond the shadow of doubt. Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender said that though the prosecution had ascribed meaning to general words like 'plot', 'khet', 'fasal', 'paani', etc, in his telephonic conversation, the possibility of any enthusiastic police officer misinterpreting plain and simple words on account of suspicion and overzealous approach cannot be ruled out. I am of the considered opinion that shadow of doubt appears upon the prosecution version and the evidence available on record is not of sterling quality to hold accused Trilochan Singh...

As the year 2022 marks the tenth anniversary of the World Happiness Report, World Happiness Report, ranked India at 136th, among 146 countries. As the year 2022 marks the tenth anniversary of the World Happiness Report, World Happiness Report, ranked India at 136th, among 146 countries. The measurement is done taking subjective consideration of mainly three main well-being indicators: life evaluations, positive emotions, and negative emotions. This year India slid behind its neighbouring nation: Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and even Pakistan, ahead of only Afghanistan which ranked at 146th out of 146 countries. India’s GDP is projected at 9.1% by MOODY’s for the financial year 2022. With India’s latest ranking in the Happiness Index, it remains the unhappy lot. Observer Research F...

Instead of declaring “The Kashmir Files” tax-free, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant should have emulated his predecessor late Manohar Parrikar, and lowered the VAT on fuel prices, Congress MLA Yuri Alemao said on Saturday. “The Chief Minister has declared the film tax-free. The loss to the state exchequer would have gone to the director as benefit or the producer of that particular film,” Alemao told reporters at the state legislative assembly complex. Alemao also cited the example of then Chief Minister Parrikar, who in 2012, had reduced the state government’s value added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel to almost zero per cent, in order to reduce fuel prices at the time, which made rates of the two popularly used fuels cheapest in the entire country. “Today what does the common ma...

On Thursday, TV actor Anagha Bhosale known for her role in the popular series 'Anupamaa,' revealed that she is quiting the entertainment industry permanently 'due to relgious reasons.' The actor took to Instagram to pen a note for her fans and explained the reason behind her quitting acting. "Hare Krishna Family, I know u all have been kind & have shown concern after the show & thank you for that I am really grateful, if some of you don’t know yet that I am officially quitting the film & television industry, this is it & I really do hope you all will definitely respect & support my decision, I did take this decision due to my religious beliefs & spiritual path, I know you should keep doing your karmas but not where your krishna consciousness or spiritual growt...

A complaint has been filed against Vivek Agnihotri, the maker of 'The Kashmir Files' after he said in an interview that Bhopalis are often assumed to be homosexual. The complaint was filed at Versova police station in Mumbai by a 27-year-old PR manager named Rohit Pandey, who hails from Bhopal. The complainant has sought the registration of an urgent FIR in the matter. In an interview, Vivek Agnihotri said people often assume 'Bhopalis' to be homosexuals because of 'their nawabi desires'.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday attacked the BJP for "doing politics" over Kashmiri Pandits' exodus, asking how many of them the party had been able to relocate to the valley. He also once again suggested that the film, 'The Kashmir Files', should be uploaded on YouTube and that proceeds earned from it so far should be spent on the welfare of Kashmiri Pandits. "Was a single Kashmiri Pandit family relocated to valley by BJP in last 8 years?" Mr Kejriwal asked the BJP. "BJP is doing politics over the issue. We demand 'The Kashmir Files' film to be uploaded on YouTube. The money earned from it should be spent on welfare of Kashmiri Pandits," he said during the post-budget press conference. The suggestion was first made by him on Thursday, when during an assembly s...

The Delhi HC, on Friday, said a speech given during election is different from one during ordinary times and sometimes things are said to create a ‘mahaul’ (atmosphere) without there being the intention, in a case related to alleged hate speeches connected to the Northeast Delhi riots, as per an Indian Express report. The report states that Justice Chandra Dhari Singh observed that if something is said with a smile, then there is no criminality, but if something is said offensively, then there may be criminality. The court was hearing CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat’s petition against a lower court order in which the prayer for registration of FIR against Union Minister Anurag Thakur and MP Parvesh Verma for their alleged hate speech was declined. “Was that an election speech or speech in...

After the hijab row and the ban on Muslim traders nearby Hindu temples, the Karnataka government is all set to revise school textbooks and delete some ‘sensitive’ chapters, including the glorification of Tipu Sultan. Rohith Chakrathirtha-headed Textbook Revise Committee of the state government has submitted its report, highly placed sources in the government confirmed. The sources said the government is all set to make the changes in the school textbooks. Earlier, the students were taught that ‘other religions came into existence due to drawbacks of Vaidika (Hindu) religion’ which had led to a huge controversy in the state. The controversial lesson was taught to the students of Class 6. The Rohith Chakrathirtha committee has now revised the Class 6 to 10 textbooks of the Social Sc...

Delhi Police has lodged an FIR against the owner of a hotel in Delhi which allegedly denied a room to a Kashmiri youth having J&K ID. The video of the receptionist refused to accept the youth’s ID had gone viral on social media. DCP North-West Delhi confirmed that after checking the viral video and taking legal opinion, a case has been lodged. “A video had gone viral on social media wherein a person could be seen being denied accommodation at a hotel in Jahangir Puri due to his J&K ID. A complaint was received at the Mahendra Park police station in this regard, stating that some students from J&K were denied accommodation by the hotel despite showing Aadhaar cards. On the basis of the complaint, a case under Section 153-B(1)b of the IPC has been registered and investig...