The eviction has left approximately 400 daily wage workers, primarily involved in waste segregation and originally from West Bengal, struggling to address their grievances. As per the report, a formal complaint with the State police chief have been filed by the victims. The said complaint provides that the Bannerghatta police arrived with earthmovers, destroyed six homes, and disconnected the power supply, all under the pretence of removing illegal immigrants. Furthermore, abusing their power, the police allegedly also threatened the residents with severe consequences if they resisted.

As per the report, a resident claimed they had valid documents proving their citizenship and residency of West Bengal and had attempted to communicate this to the police, however the same was to no avail. The resident further provided that they had paid rent for the land and constructed their homes, which have now been demolished. R. Kaleemulla, an activist with Swaraj Abhiyan, stated that the demolition was unlawful and contravened several High Court and Supreme Court rulings.

The complaint filed with the State police chief also highlighted that the demolition followed a report from a Kannada news channel falsely accusing the residents of being illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The residents have informed the West Bengal government of the situation and are demanding accountability for the police officials involved in the eviction and for the news channel that broadcasted the misleading report.

Speaking to SabrangIndia, R. Kaleemulla stated that the condition of the Bengali migrants living in Bengaluru is very grave, they spend each day under fear of being falsely deemed as “illegal Bangladeshis” and facing ill-treatment at the hands of the state police. R. Kaleemulla provided that the victims had shown their valid documents but it made no difference to the police. It was further alleged by R. Kaleemulla that the police were acting in fear of the Kannada news channel, namely Republic TV, while taking action against the migrants. R. Kaleemulla also highlighted that a news reporter Naveen Shetty and a cameraman from Republic TV Kannada channel had accompanied the police officials, including the Inspector of Bannergatta Police Station one Mr. Krishnamurti bulldozers, and JCBs, while the houses were being demolished at the S. Bingipura colony. The channel had even taken the live coverage of the demolition.

As claimed by R. Kaleemulla, the reporter was heard stating that the police were taking action against “illegal Bengladeshi” migrants. Referring to the documentations being presented by the migrants, the reporter had allegedly claimed that “these documents were falsely claimed by these Bangladeshi illegals by entering the state of West Bengal.”

The video of the coverage by Republic TV Kannada can be viewed here:

As per R. Kaleemulla, the news report in question by Republic TV amounts to hate speech and incitement of violence and discrimination against these families. He told SabrangIndia that the action of the media personnel not only violates the fundamental rights of these individuals but also undermines the social fabric of our diverse and pluralistic society.

1. Kaleemulla also shared pictures of the documents that were held by the migrants there.

On August 1, 2024, a memorandum was also submitted by activists with Swaraj Abhiyan and members of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties to the Director General of Police of the state of Karnataka, highlighting the details of the incident and the unjust manner in which the migrants were targeted by the police.

In the memorandum submitted, it has been stated “We are writing to bring to your urgent attention a grave violation of the rights and liberties of about 70 families, comprising approximately 400 persons, who hail from Village Uttar Kodalia, PS Basirhat, West Bengal, and currently reside in a colony at S. Bingipura, coming under within the jurisdiction of Bannerghatta Police Station, Bangalore, Karnataka. We would like to bring to your attention that these 400 residents are residing on private property as tenants. Furthermore, all these individuals, primarily engaged in manual labor and scavenging, and considering their socio-economic backwardness are facing severe persecution and injustice at the hands of police and media personnel.”

Details of the destruction caused by were also provided, by stating “Furthermore, the JCB bulldozer was used to destroy 6 homes and community buildings, and further, the electricity supply to the houses in the colony was disconnected, at the instance of the Banerghatta Police. This act of demolition by the police is illegal and inhuman. It is outside of the jurisdiction of the police to initiate and carry out such demolition of houses on private property. This demolition has affected the children education, the health of the residents and caused severe stress to all the residents. These families are genuine Indian citizens from West Bengal who have migrated to Bangalore for livelihood opportunities. Each one of them has an Aadhar Card, Voter ID and Pan Card as proof of their citizenship. They are being unjustly targeted and subjected to threats of persecution, imprisonment, displacement, and deportation solely due to their religious beliefs and language barrier.”

As per the memorandum, the said demolition and eviction led to violations of Constitutional provisions of Article 14, 19, 21 and 25. In addition to this, the police also cause violation of Rule of Law and Right to Livelihood.

The memorandum also highlighted an order of the Karnataka High Court, in the case of Peoples Union for Civil Liberties Karnataka v. State Of Karnataka (WP 1285/20200), wherein a similar circumstance had been argued before the Court.  A demolition of shelters at the instance of the Police officials of Marathahalli Police officials had taken place, which were similarly based on the unsubstantiated apprehension of residents being Bangladeshi and baseless news reports. During the case, the Court had come down strictly on the Police officials and through its order dated February 10, 2020 had held that the Police action was in gross violation of Article 21 of the constitution. The court had then consequently directed State government to implement a comprehensive rehabilitation scheme featuring temporary as well as permanent measures and along with that pay compensation the evicted residents.

The memorandum had then stated that the present act of the state police is not only violative of the fundamental rights of the victims, but also the order of the Court.

The complete memorandum can be viewed here:

To condemn the incident, a short report had also been written by Jai kisan Andholan Advocate Avik Saha on July 31. He had addressed the said report to Ms. Dola Sen, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, West Bengal. The same is as follows:

“Respected MP Sen,

Attack on Life, Liberty & Fundamental Rights of Indian Citizens from West Bengal at P. Bengipur Colony, Police Station Bannerghatta, Bangalore, Karnataka – Request for Highlighting Issue in Parliament and Action

About 70 families comprising of about 400 persons hailing from Village Uttar Kodalia, PS Basirhat, West Bengal reside at a colony at P. Bengipur, Police Station Bannerghatta, Bangalore, Karnataka. These persons are mostly manual workers and scavengers.

Yesterday, 30th July, 2024, some right wing news channels along with police force, bulldozers and JCBs came to the colony and started threatening the families saying that they are Bangladeshis and their identities as Indian citizens are fake. Some houses and community buildings were destroyed with bulldozers and electricity supply to the houses was disconnected. Videos and photos of the incident and interviews with the resident of the colony are attached to this message.

The fact is that all these persons are Indian citizens hailing from West Bengal and are living in Bangalore for their livelihood and are being constantly threatened with persecution, imprisonment, displacement, and pushback only because of their religious beliefs. The contact person for this group is Rehana Khatun who is being assisted by a local person, R Kaleemullah.

We request you to kindly inform the government of West Bengal about the torture and suffering of these families from West Bengal so that appropriate action can be taken at government-to-government level with the Govt. of Karnataka.

We further request you to kindly raise this issue in Parliament to highlight how Indian citizens are being tortured and persecuted by the right wing forces only because they belong to the minority community.

We will be grateful for your kind intervention and help in this matter.”

As provided by R. Kaleemulla, the West Bengal government is constantly in touch with the Karnataka government and is taking all the necessary steps to protect the migrants being evicted. At the time of the filing of this story, the eviction drive had been paused.

It is essential to note that this is not the first time that migrants in Bengaluru have been deemed to be “Illegal Bangladeshi Migrants”. A similar situation had arisen in Bengaluru in June of 2022 when a police search unit burst into a waste segregation centre overflowing with plastic waste, alongside which nearly 40 people lived in corrugated iron sheds with no sewers or electricity, and poor Bengali migrants were targeted by the state police. As per a report of Article 14, Bengali Muslim migrants living in ramshackle slums alongside the glass-and-steel buildings of Electronics City, were harassed in police sweeps in search of illegal Bangladeshi migrants and had their lives upended. Despite identity proofs—some illegally procured, according to the police—including an income-tax filing in one case, many face harassment and days in police lockups, a violation of their rights.

Awareness by R. Kaleemullah and Rosline Gomes activists from Bangalore, Swaraj Abhiyan

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The post 70 migrant families evicted in Bengaluru, homes demolished, accused of being “illegal immigrants” from Bangladesh even after valid documents appeared first on SabrangIndia.

“The Christian Community, while thanking the Prime Minister who endeared himself to Christians with his goodwill and hosting of Christmas celebrations at his residence, makes a strong appeal to him to address the pending issues and respond positively to the concerns of the community,” he said. “If done, the Christians will remain ever grateful to him.” In a much-criticised interaction of some religious leaders at the PM’s residence in Delhi on Christmas, Modi while heaping praise on the community had said that the values of compassion, inclusivity and justice for all propagated by Jesus Christ also served as a “guiding light” in his government’s development journey.

“To take positively forward Modiji’s Christmas message of peace and goodwill, it would be an excellent move on his part to address the concerns of the Christian community by taking into confidence the cardinals, bishops, priests, and the religious and lay leaders of the community,” he said in a release. Machado said that instances of hate speech against Christians, attacks on churches and Christian institutions and the promulgation of anti-conversion laws in more and more states has led to deprivation and usurpation of the constitutional rights of Christians, which can be best handled by the Prime Minister’s Office with timely interventions.

“We all look up to the Prime Minister to give a soothing touch to the burning problem of Manipur, which may be an ethnic issue, but has left deep scars on the people of the Christian community,” he said.

“Further the Prime Minister can surely take Christian leaders into confidence in resolving the Dalit Christian reservations issue in a statesmanship type of leadership by granting equal status to all Dalits, be they Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs or Christians,” he added.

Also noting that as Modiji mentioned in his Christmas message, the Christian community is working through its dedicated and selfless service towards creating a society where there is justice for all and for an inclusive society, the Archbishop said. “These values, as he mentioned, serve as a guiding light in our journey of national development, provided all communities are respected, protected and taken into confidence.”

Only yesterday, December 28, a group of citizens had, in a public statement expressed scepticism at the high praise heaped on Modi by a few Christian religious leaders on Christmas pointing out the documented attacks on the community by hardliners this year.

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Over 500 cases of attacks against Christians in 8 months of 2023

The post Bengaluru Archbishop seeks PM’s intervention on Manipur, attacks on churches appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The board was hanging inside the restaurant at the entrance and Gowda can be seen in the video arguing with the staff of the restaurant. He was himself taking a video and yelling at the staff and showing in his camera, the said board. He was speaking Kannada but it is certain that he mentioned Pakistan a few times and was trying to threaten the staff speaking in a loud voice.

This is from #Bengaluru, #Karnataka.

Self proclaimed Pro Kannada activist Ramesh Gowda misbehave with the restaurant’s staff and with police cops after seeing a Islamic photo frame hanging on a wall. He said if you want to hang such #Islamic frames then go to #Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/8m6YerdOXn

— Hate Detector (@HateDetectors) June 21, 2023

There is another video where he can be seen forcefully going behind the reception counter and manhandling the person who was trying to stop him. He then pushed the man away and started pulling at the board, eventually pulling it off the wall completely.

In the latter part of the video a cop is trying to reason with him but he keeps repeating that it was a “Pakistani Board”.

राकेश गौड़ा बेंगलुरु में स्टार बिरियानी दुकान पर गया और कहा बिरयानी दो दुकान बंद हो रही थी इसलिए उसको मना किया गया तो जबरदस्ती अंदर दाखिल हो गया और ऊपर कलमा तैय्यबा के लगे बोर्ड को जबरदस्ती उतार कर नीचे फेंक दिया और कहा कि पाकिस्तान का झंडा लगा हुआ है। यह वेक्ति कर्नाटका रक्षक… pic.twitter.com/AHstscrLcz

— Millat Times (@Millat_Times) June 21, 2023

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The post RW extremist pulls out religious board at Biryani restaurant in Bengaluru, calls it “Pakistani” appeared first on SabrangIndia.

On May 9 the Supreme Court is reportedly set to  hear a plea against a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ event that was scheduled at Talkatora stadium in central Delhi, on the evening of May 5. However another such event is being planned in Bengaluru on Sunday. According to a poster doing the rounds of social media, this event has been organised by Hindu Janajagruti Samiti on Sunday, May 8 in Bengaluru.

The organisation has claimed that a “Hindu Nation is the only solution for all problems faced by Hindus”. Its the State Coordinator (for Bihar and Uttar Pradesh) Vishwanath Kulkarni, reportedly spoke at a recent event in Rae Bareily, Uttar Pradesh and claimed that “problems like love jihad, conversions, governments taking over Hindu temples, malpractices in managing the temples, etc have been created” because India was not a Hindu Nation.

According to the information shared on their own website, Vishwanath Kulkarni, who is described as having a “spiritual level 63%”, for Uttar Pradesh and Bihar addressed a “Hindu Rashtra-jagruti Sabha organised at Mirzapur in Salwan taluka”. Other such events have also been held in UP, where pledges were made to ensure a “Hindu Rashtra by 2025”.

Hindu Nation is the only solution for all problems faced by Hindus ! – @vishwanathkul, State Coordinator of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti

Hindu Rashtra-jagruti Sabha organised at Mirzapur Uttar Pradesh by HJS

Read More : https://t.co/zoonp3mi66 #SaturdayThoughts pic.twitter.com/oDcPy3o9Po

— HJS Karnataka (@HJSKarnataka) May 7, 2022

@HinduJagrutiOrg द्वारा प्रयागराज में हिन्‍दू जनजागृति समिति आयोजित ‘राज्‍य स्‍तरीय हिन्‍दू राष्‍ट्र अधिवेशन’संपन्‍न !

वर्ष 2025 तक भारत में हिन्‍दू राष्‍ट्र का संकल्‍प लेकर एकत्र हुए 14 हिन्दू संगठन ! pic.twitter.com/t4GZrr8oRL

— Vishwanath Kulkarni (@vishwanathkul) May 1, 2022

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The post A ‘Hindu Rashtra’ convention planned in Bengaluru? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya, reportedly went back to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) run Covid-19  war room in his constituency, to apologise. According to a news report in News18, Surya apparently told those working in the war room that he had “nothing personal against” any of them, adding “If anyone or any community is hurt emotionally by my visit, I apologise for that. I wanted to probe the bed allocation scam which had come to my notice, but if my actions had hurt anyone, please accept my apologies.” This is more of a non-apology given how he fails to accept that what he did was wrong, and instead turns the tables on the affected individuals with the classic “if” apology.

The report quoted Shivu Naik, project manager of the Crystal Infosystems and Services, the agency that had hired and delegated manpower for the war rooms of the BBMP, who explained that 212 employees were deployed for: indexing, home isolation, discharge team, bed allocation and helpline, and they worked on different shifts, in different wings. 

Previpously, Tejasvi Surya had arrived at the  Covid war room with three BJP MLAs, one of whom is his uncle, and was grilling officials. Surya read out a list of names of people posted in the Covid facility – all Muslim, and then asks, “Who are all these people? First shift, second shift, night shift. 17 people in the list in three shifts. I will read the list. What was the process of hiring? 17 people. Who are these people?” His uncle, MLA Ravi Subramanya, then made communal remarks such as, “Have you appointed them for the madrassa or for the Corporation?… Who is this person, Madam? How can he appoint 17 members like a Haj committee?” However, as News 18 reported, all those people were never working together in any shift or any team. 

Surya, had claimed this was a “bed-blocking scandal” and also exposed its own communal agenda when he read out names of only 17 Muslims out of the 212-member team employed at the Covid war room. Tejasvi Surya’s apology comes probably on the advice of party leaders who must have reminded him that he had blamed the civic body, which is governed by his own party. 

He made sure to take to social media to thank Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa for his “unstinted support in efforts to correct irregularities in bed booking system.”

I thank Honble CM Sri @BSYBJP for his unstinted support in efforts to correct irregularities in bed booking system.

Under his leadership, we will ensure robust, efficient & transparent process will be implemented on war footing to serve people of Bengaluru.

Thank you, Sir. pic.twitter.com/4MkYfVx5bM

— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) May 7, 2021

Of course Surya also faced flak from right thinking citizens who are all doing their best to help each other survive the Covid-19 crisis, shortage of hospital beds, ventilators, ambulances etc. According to Naik, it was “perhaps it was because work was suffering that Surya came again,” though even he is not really sure. According to the news report, the south zone staff was “apparently worried that since some were taken for prolonged police interrogation, the 16 members named were labelled as ‘terrorists’ in many social media posts; they thought they could be detained too for any reason.” 

Tejasvi Surya may have ‘apologised’ to the war room staff, but can he be trusted? Remember, he once referred to Muslims as “puncture wallahs and illiterates”, and commented on anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) protests saying “Mughal raj” will return if the “majority community” was not “vigilant”. In October 2020, Indians in Europe and various other collectives called for the removal of Tejasvi Surya as a speaker at a  conference hosted by the Indian Consulate in Hamburg. They said Surya had “a divisive agenda against non-Hindu communities which is against the European ethos of equality, diversity and inclusivity” and that “ goes against the European responsibility under international laws such as the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights among others.” 

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The post Nothing personal: Tejasvi Surya’s cold non-apology to Bengaluru’s Covid-19 war room staff appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Fate has, no doubt, dealt Rohingyas a difficult hand. After barely escaping a vicious regime in their home country of Myanmar, many Rohingya refugees were trying to rebuild their lives in other places. Forty such families, comprising 60 men, 52 women and 13 children, have been living in Bengaluru’s Dasarhalli area for seven years, but are now facing another challenge.

Seven Rohingya refugees were abducted and many others assaulted at the settlement recently. Their valuables including Rs 40,000/- in cash as well as their mobile phones were also snatched away. The families have now approached the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) for help through the Law and Policy Research Institute (LAPRI).

LAPRI program director Zia Nomani has written to the Chief of Mission drawing attention to the harassment faced and assault on Rohingya families that live in the area. Nomani’s letter paints a grim picture as he recounts the shocking events, “The instant dispute pertains to a series of incidents that took place in October 2020. I have been informed that on or about October 27, 2020, about 7 individuals, namely Mr. Hilal, Mr. Masoom, Mr. Javed, Mr. Ali, Mr. Farooq, Mr. Kukan and one unknown person came to the Rohingya settlement at around 5 PM and demanded a ‘hafta’ or a regular fee as a license or permission for them to carry on the rag picking work in the area. At that time, reportedly, few Rohingyas were present and spoke with the above mentioned 7 individuals.”

Nomani further writes, “Mr. Anwar Hussain, Mr. Dilwar, Mr. Mohd Zubair, Mr. Abdul Salam, Mr. Mujibullah, Mr. Mohd Zakir, Mr. Mohd Farooq and Mr. Arif refused to pay any money as license to carry on rag picking work. It may be noted that the Rohingya community has been living in this settlement over the last 7 years and have not faced such an illegal demand until now. Upon refusal, all of them were brutally assaulted.”

Nomani shares how even the women were not spared, “One Mrs. Maryam, who is 6 months pregnant and other women including Mrs. Arfa Begum, Mrs. Ismat Ara, Mrs. Minuwara and Mrs. Senuwara were also assaulted. Mobile phones of victims, cash of Rs. 40,000/-, one gold chain, tarpaulin sheets and ration were stolen by the assaulters.”

LAPRI has urged the UNHCR to “intervene suitably with relevant authorities so that the harassment of the community stops”.

Nomani’s entire letter may be read here: 

LAPRI has helped the families file an FIR with the Amrutahalli Police Station. The FIR may be viewed here:

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The post Rohingyas abducted, families attacked in Bengaluru! appeared first on SabrangIndia.

While it is yet to be established if Bengaluru residents will credit the flyover, newly renamed after ‘Veer’ V.D. Savarkar in Yelahanka as a boon to ease its notorious traffic snarls, the name itself may have created some cracks within local groups who may otherwise have supported the state’s B.S. Yediyurappa-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.

Prominent Kannada groups have now questioned the state BJP government’s decision to name the floover after Savarkar. According to a report in The Print, the organisations have hit out at the decision calling it a move aimed at “appeasing its political bosses”. There is a pro-Kannada lobby, and pro-South Indian pride is also at stake, as the organisations are now asking why Karnataka’s own leaders, including freedom fighters have been ignored so far and “and why someone like Savarkar is being imported.”

“The BJP government is doing this only to create a controversy. Its main objective is to appease its political bosses. It does not have the interests of the state or the people’s sentiments in mind,” Arun Javgal, a member of Kannada activist group Banavasi Balaga, who had been at the forefront of the ‘Namma Metro Hindi Beda’ campaign against the use of Hindi on metro station boards in Bengaluru, was quoted by The Print. He asked, “Why should infrastructure projects be named after people like Veer Savarkar and Syama Prasad Mookerjee? Our land has produced greats like Sir M. Visvesvaraya; what prompts these political parties to name projects after those who weren’t even remotely connected to our history or Kannada culture?” 

According to Javgal,“A park in south Bengaluru is going to be named after Syama Prasad Mookerjee. It is as if they are doing this with a vengeance. All protests and opposition does not matter.” The Print also quoted Kannada film director, poet and activist Kavita Lankesh, who called this an example of the BJP’s “fascist” attitude. “There are hundreds of Kannadigas that we are proud of, whom they could have named it after. How could they even honour him like this? Just like they (BJP) want to impose Hindi as the national language, they are trying to impose this kind of ideology on us,” Lankesh said. The article also quoted  Ashok Chandargi, president of the Belgaum District Kannada Organisations Action Committee, “This is nothing but the agenda of the BJP. What can we do now, they are in power. They think they can make such decisions and get away with them.” 

However, as expected Karnataka’s Tourism and Culture Minister C.T. Ravi defended the decision, and told The Print that Savarkar was a “nationalist” and that’s why they were honouring him.

There had been a controversy raging on the issue months before the flyover was named after Savarkar. Opposition parties had objected to Savarkar being honoured this way and said Karnataa’s own political icons should have been commemorated instead. While it is true that there are many unrecognised social reformers and freedom fighters who deserve recognition from the Karnataka government, Savarkar anyway is at the helm of a contested legacy.

In an opinion column in SabrangIndia Prof. Shamsul Islam, a scholar and activist, had analysed  the Karnataka Govt’s decision to honour Savarkar, in June. Prof. Shamsul Islam, wrote that it was the “Karnataka government led by a senior RSS whole-timer, B.S. Yediyurappa is going to honour Hindutva icon, VD Savarkar by naming two of the newly built major flyovers in Bangalore and Mangalore after him.” He noted  that there was a huge uproar against this decision of the RSS-BJP government as many pro-Kannada organisations with opposition parties and liberal-secular organisations questioned the logic to ignore so many freedom fighters, social reformers and others from within the state. Since the renaming ceremony was taking time, the RSS strong arm outfit, Bajrang Dal  had strung a banner reading “Veera Savarkar Melsethuve (flyover)” in Kannada on the flyover at Mangalore. They also wrote “Bajrang Dal” in saffron paint on the divider of the flyover.[i]

“It would be a sad day not only for Karnataka but the whole country if a seasoned collaborator of the British rulers and Jinnah led Muslim League is glorified in any way,” wrote Prof Islam.  He added historical evidence of Savarkar’s political decisions which the Right Wing nationalists of today conveniently ignore.  Instances such as this: “ Savarkar, like the RSS, abhorred every symbol of the Indian people’s united struggle against the British rule. He refused to accept the Tricolour (at that time there used to be a charkha or spinning wheel in the middle of it) as the national flag or flag of the freedom struggle. In a statement issued on September 22, 1941 for the benefit of Hindu Mahasabha cadres, he declared, “So far as the flag question is concerned, the Hindus know no flag representing Hindudom as a whole than the ‘Kundalini Kripanankit’ Mahasabha flag with the ‘Om and the Swastik’ the most ancient symbols of the Hindu race and policy coming down from age to age and honoured throughout Hindusthan. It is actually sanctioned and owned by millions of Hindus today from Hardwar to Rameshwaram and flies aloft on every Hindusabha branch office at thousands of centres. Therefore, any place or function where this Pan-Hindu flag is not honoured should be boycotted by the Hindu sanghatan-ists at any rate…The Charkha-Flag [before the present national flag it used to be the one] in particular may very well represent a Khadi-Bhandar, but the Charkha can never symbolize and represent the spirit of the proud and ancient nation like the Hindus.”[ii]”  Karnataka CM it seems will now have to act quickly to placate the hurt local pride, before the issue blows up any further.

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s national team, meanwhile, has another formidable South Indian to placate urgently. A senior BJP member well known for critiquing his own party, lawyer and Rajya Sabha member Subramanian Swamy has already warned the leadership and called for the sacking of the party’s Information and Technology (IT) cell chief Amit Malviya. Swamy has accused Malviya of running a smear campaign against him using fake tweets, and messages. “The BJP IT cell has gone rogue. Some of its members are putting out fake ID tweets to make personal attacks on me,” posted Swamy,  “If my angered followers make counter personal attacks I cannot be held responsible just as BJP cannot be held responsible for the rogue IT cell of the party.” True to form, the followers of Subramanian Swamy have responded, as commanded. 

Swamy himself has taken on the party, and the education minister over the issue of lesser number of students taking the JEE exams this year. He posted, “out of 18 lakhs who downloaded passes only 8 lakhs turned up to take up the exam. What a disgrace for the nation which extols vidhya and gyan!!”

I just accurate count on how many students took the JEE exams this last week: out 18 lakhs who down loaded passes only 8 lakhs turned up to take up the exam. What a disgrace for the nation which extols vidhya and gyan!!

— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) September 9, 2020

When countered over the numbers, Swamy’s supporters sent the ministers screen shots like these…

He then spoke about the Sunanda Pushkar unnatural death case, “the body was available to AIIMS team, and the Team did an excellent thorough job under chairmanship of Dr. Sudhir Gupta. and concluded it as murder. An extensive Report was given to Delhi Police, but DP did not yet file it in Court. Why?” The Delhi Police it may be noted reports directly to the Union Home Ministry

In the Sunanda Pushkar unnatural case, the body was available to AIIMS team, and the Team did an excellent thorough job under chairmanship of Dr. Sudhir Gupta. and concluded it as murder. An extensive Report was given to Delhi Police, but DP did not yet file it in Court. Why?

— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) September 9, 2020

Related: 

Did Savarkar, Syama Prasad Mukherjee and RSS betray the Quit India Movement?
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BJP IT cell has gone rogue: Subramanian Swam

The post BJP Vs BJP: From Savarkar to Swamy over flyovers, and onto Twitter appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Uttar Pradesh police have registered an FIR against one Shahzeb Rizvi after a video surfaced on social media where he is seen announcing a bounty of Rs. 51 lakh on Karnataka Congress MLA Srinivas Murthy’s nephew Naveen, whose Facebook post allegedly sparked violence in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

The riots of August 11 were allegedly caused by a provocative social media post about Prophet Mohammad’s family posted by Naveen. The riots broke out in DG Halli and KG Halli areas in the eastern part of Bengaluru whereby the mob also vandalised a police station and Murthy’s residence. Karnataka police have rounded-up 145 people for violence, stone-throwing and assault on police personnel.

In response to this incident, Rizvi, a resident of Falawada town in Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh posted a video where he can be seen saying that anybody who gets him the head of Naveen will be offered Rs. 51 lakh. Rizvi was earlier a member of Samajwadi Party and was the former state secretary of minority cell. 

The video may be viewed here.

Times Now reported that Falawaada police has charged Rizvi for promoting enmity and for statements amounting to public mischief thus promoting hatred between classes. Rizvi has not yet been arrested as he is allegedly absconding and the police are still looking for him.

Quite evidently, hatred spreads like wildfire. The perpetrators of hate, irrespective of the religion they belong to, stop at nothing and all that gets left behind is the common man who though disconnected from these hateful political tactics, bears their brunt.

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While India moves closer to the end of the fourth phase of the lockdown, migrant workers in Bengaluru have suffered another blow. According to various media reports some migrant workers who returned home as lockdown relaxations were eased, found that their huts and all their belongings near the Sunday Bazaar in Kachakaranahalli at Lingrajpuram in Bengaluru East, were charred to the ground.

The New Indian Express (TNIE) reported that the homes of these migrants were set ablaze while they were stuck in their villages in Kalaburgi due to the lockdown. The children of the migrants, some of whom were to appear for the SSLC examinations also face an uncertain future as all their books were burnt during the incident.

Not destroyed by #Amphan In the heart of #Bengaluru huts of migrant workers were gutted in fire in Kachakaranahalli, when they had gone to their village. Children lost books ⁦@CMofKarnataka⁩ ⁦@CPBlr⁩ ⁦⁦⁦@XpressBengaluru⁩ ⁦⁦⁦⁦@santwana99⁩ pic.twitter.com/s5Na3Qlnbe

— bala chauhan (@balachauhan) May 25, 2020

A report by The Times of India read that on April 25, a group of people tried set the homes on fire, however they fled when those migrants who had stayed back during the lockdown, resisted. Yet, the miscreants returned two days later and not only burnt down the homes, but also took away vessels and tarpaulin sheets which served as roofs. The returnee migrants alleged that when they tried to rebuild their homes, they were stopped by the local police from doing so and were threatened that they would be lathicharged if they continued to rebuild their homes. This, even when the migrants said that they had authentic voter IDs and ID cards by the Karnataka Slum Development Board (KSDB) showing that they were residents of the area.

P Anand, Ward Corporator HBR told Sabrang India, “We don’t know who is behind the incident yet. We have filed an FIR at the KG Halli Police station. I’ve also complained to the ward engineer and revenue officer about this. What was done is very wrong. We are now providing food to the homeless and have even provided fees to the children. On June 3rd, the MLA will speak to the government about the matter.”

KG Halli police inspector Ajay Sarathi also spoke to Sabrang India and said, “There were around 20 to 30 huts that have been burnt. The matter is still under investigation.”

The Aam Aadmi Party, Bengaluru put out an official statement saying that their Sarvagna Nagar team was helping the affected families by providing ration kits and would also help them rebuild their homes.

Migrant workers saw their homes and belongings including the study materials of kids burnt when they returned back. Some of them waiting for their SSLC exams. AAP Sarvagna Nagar team took stock of the situation and helped the families with ration kits provided by @TanyaJairaj pic.twitter.com/iYyzgVQ413

— AAP Bengaluru (@AAPBangalore) May 28, 2020

Earlier this year in January, when the country was in the thick of the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests, many daily wage earners in Kariyammana Agrahara in Bengaluru were rendered homeless after a demolition drive. Around 200 Around 200 tin and tarpaulin sheds were taken down in Kariyammana Agrahara and approximately 500 similar structures were razed down in Deverabeesanahalli. The authorities who conducted the demolition drive had claimed that the families were illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Prior to that, last year in November, there was an informal ban on Bengali speaking Muslim labourers in Bengaluru, again implicating them to be illegal migrants from Bangladesh. The most affected were those working as garbage pickers, domestic help and labourers. Later that month it was reported that 59 illegal immigrants detained in various crackdowns in Bengaluru were being transported to West Bengal to be handed over to the Border Security Force to be deported to Bangladesh. This exercise was state-sponsored by the Central Crime Branch which picked up 29 men, 22 women and nine girls from the slums of Ramamurthy Nagar, Bellandur and Marathahalli.

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Even as protests continue in Bengaluru against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), authorities have announced their plan to hold a two-phase National Population Register (NPR) census in the city.

The state census director SB Vijay Kumar said that phase 1 will involve house listings and housing census in the city and phase 1 will tally the city’s population.

He also told reporters that the citizens no officer would demand documents as proof, he said, “Details of Aadhaar number, PAN, voter ID and driving license number would be sought during the NPR updation, but it is up to the citizens to share them. They can decline to furnish the details, but it won’t affect updation and they won’t be excluded from the NPR.”

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) Commissioner BH Anil Kumar said that the difference in the upcoming census would be that the NPR would also be updated. For data collection, compilation and analysis, three modes would be adopted – the paper format (questions asked and answers written), a mobile app to collect data and the self-enumeration method where citizens would download the app and upload information themselves.

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