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People Opposing Burqa Should Be “Paraded Naked”: Ex-SP MLA Zameer Ullah Khan

By LokMarg 19th January 2023

Reacting to an Uttar Pradesh college incident where students wearing burqa were stopped from entering the premises, former Samajwadi Party MLA Zameer Ullah Khan has said that “those who oppose burqa should be paraded naked to teach them a lesson”.

“There should be no ban on the burqa and whoever imposes the ban, first parade them naked. What is this new dress code? Make them roam around naked, then they will know what is to be exposed,” said the former Koil lawmaker on the Moradabad’s Hindu College incident.
He further said that if it is not a crime to remove burqa, then it is not a crime to go naked.

Following an October 2022 direction on dress code at the college, the authorities on Wednesday stopped several girl students in burqa from entering the premises, leading to widespread protests in the area, in which the SP leaders and workers also joined.

Regarding the ban on the burqa in Moradabad’s Hindu College, Khan said that it was absolutely wrong. If girls want to wear a burqa, there should be no ban on it and those who ban it should be paraded around naked.

The former MLA said that the burqa is a culture of India.

“In villages of India, even the voices of sisters and daughters are not heard, they are forced to stay behind veils,” he added.

Some students of the Hindu college in Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad were denied entry to the college for wearing a burqa despite the prescribed uniform code for the students here.

The girls alleged that their college was not letting them enter the college campus wearing a burqa and were compelling them to remove it at the entrance gate.

A scuffle broke out between the students, the Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha workers, and the college professors who remained adamant about sticking to the prescribed rules.

Meanwhile, the college professor, Dr AP Singh said that they had implemented a dress code for the students here and anybody who refuses to follow it will be barred from entering the college campus.

To this, the members of Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha submitted a memorandum to include the burqa in the dress code for college and allow the girls to attend their classes wearing it. (ANI)

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Air India Urination Case Twist Woman Urinated On Her Own Seat, Accused Tells Court

Air India Pee-Gate: Mishra Banned For 4 Months By Airlines

By LokMarg 19th January 2023

Air India banned Shankar Mishra, accused of urinating on an elder woman mid-way on an Air India flight for four months, an Air India official told ANI on Thursday.

Shankar Mishra was arrested by Delhi police from Bengaluru on January 6, 2023.
Mishra had allegedly urinated on a 70-year-old woman in an intoxicated condition in business class of an Air India flight on November 26 last year.

Delhi Police had registered the First Information Report (FIR) against him on January 4 on a complaint given by the woman to Air India under sections 354, 509, and 510 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 23 of the Indian Aircraft Act. Both the accused and the victim are from outside Delhi.

US-based financial services company Wells Fargo also terminated its employee Shankar Mishra after the entire incident.

“Wells Fargo holds employees to the highest standards of professional and personal behaviour and we find these allegations deeply disturbing. This individual has been terminated from Wells Fargo. We are cooperating with law enforcement and ask that any additional inquiries be directed to them,” the company said in a statement.

In the bail plea Shankar Mishra stated that he will continue to be cooperative with the police in the future as well and cooperate in the investigation in any manner or form required. The scene of the crime i.e., the aircraft is already vitiated.

The applicant, having willingly submitted to the Inquiry Committee despite facing the risk of being put on a no-fly list and having sought to settle the matter amicably with the lady, is unlikely to abscond or be a flight-risk and categorically submits to comply with any directions or conditions imposed upon him by this Court.

The applicant submits that no purpose would be served by continual incarceration, considering the fact that the Applicant submits that he intends to cooperate with the police in this investigation. (ANI)

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“Propaganda Piece To Push Discredited Narrative”: BBC Documentary On Modi

By LokMarg 19th January 2023

India on Thursday denounced the controversial BBC documentary series on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and described it as a “propaganda piece” that is designed to push a discredited narrative.

Addressing a weekly media briefing External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi said this documentary show, based on some internal UK reports, shows the colonial mindset.
“We think this is a propaganda piece designed to push a particular discredited narrative. The bias and the lack of objectivity and frankly continuing colonial mindset are belatedly visible,” Bagchi said in response to the question on the PM documentary series.

UK’s National broadcaster BBC aired a two-part series attacking PM Narendra Modi’s tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister during the Gujarat riots of 2002. The documentary sparked outrage and was removed from select platforms.

Prominent Indian-origin UK citizens condemned the series. Prominent UK Citizen Lord Rami Ranger said the “BBC caused a great deal of hurt to over a billion Indians.”

The MEA spokesperson said the documentary is a reflection of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and individuals that are peddling this narrative again. He even raised questions on “the purpose of the exercise and the agenda behind it.”

“The documentary is a reflection of the agency and individuals that are peddling this narrative again. It makes us wonder about the purpose of the exercise and the agenda behind it; frankly, we do wish to dignify these efforts,” he added.

Referring to apparent remarks made by former UK Secretary Jack Straw in the documentary series, Bagchi said “He (Jack Straw) seems to be referring to some internal UK report. How do I have access to that? It’s a 20-year-old report. Why would we jump on it now? Just because Jack says it how do they lend it that much legitimacy.”

“I heard words like inquiry and investigations. There is a reason why we use the colonial mindset. We don’t use words loosely. What inquiry they were diplomats there…investigation, are they ruling the country? Bagchi asked. (ANI)

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Brinda Karat Asked To Step Down From Stage During Wrestlers’ Protest Against WFI

By LokMarg 19th January 2023

Senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat who on Thursday arrived to express her solidarity and join the protest of wrestlers against the Wrestling Federation of India was asked to step down from the stage.

“Madam mike kisi ko nahi milega (we won’t give the mike to anybody),” said Olympian and 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medalist Bajrang Punia when he saw Karat and AIDWA Delhi President on the stage.
“Neeche uttar jayee (Please step down)… Request you to please step down from the stage and please do not make this into a political issue,” Punia who was addressing the wrestlers said after interrupting his speech.

He repeated the request a couple of times again.

Wrestlers have been sitting on a protest since yesterday against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and other officials alleging several grapplers have been sexually exploited for several years.

Karat accompanied by a colleague had arrived at the protest site to express her solidarity with the wrestlers.

Earlier in the day champion wrestler Babita Phogat who is now a part of the Haryana government had met the protesting wrestlers with a message from the Centre.

“I have assured them that the government is with them. I will try that their issues are resolved today,” Babita Phogat said after addressing the gathering.

Reacting to her remarks, Punia said, “Babita Phogat has come from the government’s side for mediation. We will speak with her and then give more details.”

He said that the wrestlers are fighting for their honor and right and added if they can fight for the country then they can also fight for their rights.

WFI President and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Charan Singh, however, has refuted charges of sexual exploitation leveled against him.

The protest began on Wednesday shortly after Commonwealth Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat alleged that the WFI President and other officials had been sexually exploiting the wrestlers for years.

Other prominent wrestlers including Sakshee Malikkh are supporting Phogat and gathered for the protest.

“If we can fight for our country, then we can also fight for our rights. First of all, I thank all the players who have come here. And the statement that was given yesterday that only 3 per cent players are sitting here, but according to me all the players are here. You can imagine how strong the players are. And we raised our voice for our rights and are not going to bow down when we do not win,” Punia said.

“We wish that someday if any child comes in wrestling then he should not practice under some pressure,” Punia added.

Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal issued a notice to Delhi police and the Union Sports ministry on the matter.

The Union Sports Ministry had asked the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to respond to the allegations made by the wrestlers within 72 years. (ANI)

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Babita Meets Protesting Wrestlers In Delhi With ‘Message From Centre’

By LokMarg 19th January 2023

Champion wrestler and BJP leader Babita Phogat on Thursday arrived at the protest site at Jantar Mantar in Delhi where wrestlers continued their sit-in protest for the second day demanding action against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and other officials against alleged sexual exploitation of several athletes.

“I have assured them that the government is with them. I will try that their issues are resolved today,” Babita Phogat said after addressing the gathering.
Babita who is a deputy director in the Haryana Sports and Youth Affairs Department and a former wrestler had earlier tweeted, “I stand with all my fellow players in this matter of wrestling. I assure all of you that I will work to raise this issue with the government at every level, and the future will be decided the way players feel right.”

Olympian and 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medalist Bajrang Punia said, “Babita Phogat has come from the government’s side for mediation. We will speak with her and then give more details.”

He said that the wrestlers are fighting for their honor and right and added if they can fight for the country then they can also fight for their rights.

Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshee Malikkh, Punia among others have been sitting in a silent protest at Jantar Mantar for the second day today.

“If we can fight for our country, then we can also fight for our rights. First of all, I thank all the players who have come here. And the statement that was given yesterday that only 3 percent players are sitting here, but according to me all the players are here. You can imagine how strong the players are. And we raised our voice for our rights and are not going to bow down when we do not win,” Punia said.

“We wish that someday if any child comes in wrestling then he should not practice under some pressure,” Punia added.

Notably, Vinesh Phogat had previously alleged that coaches who are favorites of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) misbehave with women and harass them. She also accused the wrestling federation chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexually harassing girls and calling her a ‘khota sikka’ after her defeat at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.

Vinesh, the first Indian woman wrestler to win gold in both Commonwealth and Asian Games, alleged, “Coaches are harassing women and some coaches, who are favorites of the Federation, misbehave with women coaches as well. They sexually harass girls. The WFI president has sexually harassed many girls.”

“After my defeat in the Tokyo Olympics, the WFI president called me a ‘khota sikka’. The Federation mentally tortured me. I would entertain thoughts of ending my life every day. If anything happens to any wrestler, the WFI president will be to blame,” she added.

On Wednesday, ace grappler Bajrang Punia and nearly a dozen wrestlers began their protest against the WFI at the Jantar Mantar in the national capital.

Also, shortly after Olympians and star wrestlers Sakshee Malikkh, Vinesh Phogat, and Bajrang Punia made sensational claims against WFI officials and coaches, accusing them of harassment, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal issued a notice to Delhi police and the Union Sports ministry on the matter.

Punia took to Twitter and wrote, “The federation’s job is to support the players, take care of their sporting needs. If there is a problem, it has to be solved. But what to do if the federation itself creates the problem? Now we have to fight, we will not back down.”

India’s top wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Sangeeta Phogat, Sonam Malik, and Anshu were seen in a picture posted by Bajrang Punia on his Twitter account.

“Sportspersons work hard to win medals for the country, but the Federation has done nothing but let us down. Players are being harassed by imposing arbitrary laws,” Sakshee Malikkh tweeted.

The Wrestling Federation of India is headed by Brij Bushan Singh – a Lok Sabha MP from the country’s ruling BJP, as the President.

Singh on Wednesday said wrestlers, who made allegations of sexual harassment against coaches, should have approached the Federation with their names earlier.

The WFI president said that 97 percent of wrestlers are with the BFI and those protesting were pressured into it.

He claimed that star wrestler Vinesh Phogat had demanded a few days back that the chief coach should be changed, but coaches cannot be changed on the whims of a player. (ANI)

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Need To Beat Wales, Responsibility On Forwards: Mandeep

By LokMarg 19th January 2023

The Indian hockey team is all set to take on Wales in their third Pool D match of the FIH Hockey World Cup 2023 on Thursday here at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.
The Tokyo Olympic bronze medallists will have to beat Wales by a big margin especially if England beat Spain in the other Pool D match in order to finish on top.

“Definitely it is a very important match which we have to win by a big margin. We played well against Spain as well as against England but the goals were not coming out. You can say that luck was not our way. The team was playing well but the ball was not going to the goalpost. We have worked on it and seen our videos too where to create space and from where to hit. We have worked on it in the last few days and the idea is to get a good outcome in the next few games,” said Indian hockey team forward Mandeep Singh.

Defender Nilam Sanjeep Xess too is focused and is also aware of the fact that India will have to not only beat Wales but they will have to hand them a crushing defeat in order to top Pool D.

“Our planning is to win against Wales by a margin of 8-10 goals,” said Indian defender Nilam Sanjeep Xess while speaking to ANI.

Indian hockey team beat Spain 2-0 in their first match of the ongoing World Cup in Rourkela on Friday while their match against England on Sunday was a goalless draw.

“Definitely for forwards, the responsibility is to score goals. It is not that we have to play individually to score goals. We have to play as a team and pass the ball where needed in order to score the goal. We have to get either PC or a goal going into the ‘D’. If we get PC then we have one of the best drag flickers to score goals,” explained Mandeep Singh.

The Indian hockey team has not been at their best in terms of penalty corner conversion in this tournament so far but the experienced forward Mandeep feels that will change with the team from now onwards playing all their matches in Bhubaneswar.

“The ground in Rourkela was not conducive for our drag flickers. The ball was not coming onto the stick the way it should come. But this ground is different and faster and I think our drag flickers will score goals,” explained Mandeep Singh.

Young Indian defender Nilam Sanjeep Xess is playing his first World Cup and to add to it he is playing it in his home state Odisha.

“I am very happy that my first World Cup is in my home state Odisha that is why I am very happy. It feels great to play with so much of the crowd coming to support you. So, it is a great feeling,” said Nilam Sanjeep Xess while speaking to ANI.

Fans have been coming in huge numbers to support the Indian hockey team and here in Bhubaneswar also it will be no different.

“I would like to tell the fans to come and support us and we would like to give our best to win the match,” said Mandeep.

If India tops their pool then they will not have to play the cross-over match and moreover, they will face a relatively easier opponent in the quarter-final.

India hockey squad: Abhishek, Surender Kumar, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Harmanpreet Singh (captain), Lalit Upadhyay, Krishan Pathak (GK), Nilam Sanjeep Xess, PR Sreejesh (GK), Nilakanta Sharma, Shamsher Singh, Varun Kumar, Akashdeep Singh, Amit Rohidas (vice-captain), Vivek Sagar Prasad and Sukhjeet Singh.Reserve players: Jugraj Singh and Rajkumar Pal. (ANI)

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Process To Declare ‘Ram Setu’ National Heritage Underway: Centre To SC

By LokMarg 19th January 2023

The Central government on Thursday told the Supreme Court that the process to declare ‘Ram Setu’ a national heritage monument is currently underway in the Ministry of Culture.

A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala allowed BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, seeking direction to the government to declare ‘Ram Setu’ as a national monument, to file representation to the Ministry on the issue.
The apex court said the Ministry will inform the court about the decision taken by the Centre.

The order of the apex court came after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench that the process is currently underway in the Ministry of Culture.

He said that Swamy may submit additional communication if he may so wish.

When the CJI said that Swamy can meet the concerned person, he said, “I do not want to meet anybody if they do not want to. We are in the same party, it was there in our manifesto. Let them decide in six weeks or four weeks…”

The bench then disposed of the plea and granted liberty to Swamy to approach the top court if he is aggrieved by the decision of the Ministry.

Swamy had earlier said that the case has been pending for eight years but the government has not been able to respond to the plea.

In his plea, Swamy had urged the apex court to pass an order and direct the “Union of India along with National Monuments Authority (NMA) to declare Ram Setu as an Ancient Monument of National Importance.”

He had also urged the top court to pass an order and direct the “Union of India to engage the Geological Survey of India and Archeological Survey of India to conduct a detailed survey with respect to Ram Setu as an Ancient Monument of National Importance.”

Swamy said that he has already won the first round of the litigation in which the Centre accepted the existence of ‘Ram Setu’ and added that the union minister concerned had called a meeting in 2017 to consider his demand to declare the Setu as a national heritage monument but subsequently nothing happened.

Ram Setu is a chain of limestone shoals between Pamban Island, also known as Rameswaram Island, off the south-eastern coast of Tamil Nadu, and Mannar Island, off the north-western coast of Sri Lanka. (ANI)

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Aruna Miller Becomes First Indian-American To Be Elected Lt Governor Of Maryland

By LokMarg 19th January 2023

Hyderabad-born Aruna Miller made history by becoming the first Indian-American politician to be elected as the lieutenant governor of the US state of Maryland.

Miller was sworn in as the 10th lieutenant governor of the state on Wednesday.
Miller, 58, a career transportation engineer in her inauguration speech credited her success to her family who had immigrated to the United States from India. Her father,a mechanical engineer was the first to arrived in the US in the late 1960s as a student before he brought the rest of his family and she arrived in the country in 1972 as a 7-year-old.

Upstate New York became home to her parents and two siblings, a brother and a sister. Her father was an engineer for IBM, according to a report in the Washington Post.

She was part of a historic Democratic ticket that sailed to victory in November last year and also gives Maryland its first Black governor, its first Black attorney general and its first female comptroller, the Post reported.

Miller has served two terms in the Maryland House of Delegates from 2010 to 2018. She also ran for congress but lost, according to the daily.

During her oath-taking ceremony, an emotional Miller shared the story of her arrival from India and made a special mention of her unforgettable first day of school.

“None of them looked like me. And I couldn’t speak a word of English, but I wanted to fit in. So when we went to the cafeteria, I had a plan. I was going to do exactly what everyone else was doing,” Miller recounted.

“So I ate American food for the first time. I drank cold milk for the first time in my life. I was feeling pretty good. I thought okay, I think I went over all these classmates of mine. They’re my friends now. I walked back to the classroom and proceeded to vomit all over the desk. I was mortified. My teacher called my mom who came to pick me up. And I told her I want to go back to grandma who raised me in India,” Miller recalled.

The newly sworn-in Lt Governor, who took her oath on the Bhagwat Gita, said that as a woman of colour she spent most of her life trying to fit into a space that didn’t have her in mind as an immigrant or a woman of colour.

“As an Indian American legislator in a legislature that looked nothing like me. It took me a long time to realize that it was never about needing to fit into a space created by others. It was always about having the courage to be my authentic self in every space,” said Miller who had become a US citizen in her 30s.

After taking oath of office, Miller also thanked her parents and siblings. “To my mom and dad who took a leap of faith to come to this country because they believed in the promise of America, to my siblings, you were the best part of my childhood. And I thank you and I love you for always being there,” she said.

Miller’s victory is also due to her popularity among Indian Americans in the state of Maryland where several Republican, pro-Trump supporters came out to extend their support to her.

Miller spent 25 years working at the local Department of Transportation in Montgomery County, Maryland, to improve the safety of the public and create equitable transportation access.

From 2010 to 2018, she represented District 15 in the Maryland House of Delegates, where she worked to create legislation to invest in STEM education, streamline the regulatory process for small businesses and advocate for working families, survivors of domestic abuse, and the environment.

After becoming a citizen of the country in 2000, for the first time she voted in the US presidential election. Gradually, she was pulled towards the politics of the state of Maryland and the country. (ANI)

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Singapore-Bound Flight Takes Off Without 35 Passengers, DGCA Orders Probe

By LokMarg 19th January 2023

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered a probe into how a Singapore-bound flight took off hours ahead of schedule, leaving behind 35 passengers at the Amritsar airport.

The probe was initiated by the aviation regulatory authority after a Scoot Airline flight which was originally scheduled to depart at 7.55 pm on Wednesday from the Amritsar Airport took off at 3 pm, hours ahead of its departure time.
This triggered chaos at the airport with angry passengers who were left behind staging a protest. They registered their complaint with the authorities concerned at the airport.

After Airport authorities contacted the airline officials they were informed that the passengers were informed about the change in flight time via e-mail.

“Around 280 passengers were to travel to Singapore but 253 passengers were rescheduled, leaving behind over 30 passengers,” the Amritsar airport Director told ANI.

The DGCA has sought details from both Scoot Airline which is a Singaporean low-cost airline and a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Airlines and the Amritsar Airport authority.

According to the airline, all the passengers were informed about the change in timing via email

An airport official told ANI that the travel agent, who booked the tickets for 30 people in a group, had not informed them (passengers) about the change in flight timings due to which the airline flew with the passengers who had reported on time.

Meanwhile, a similar incident was also reported recently from Bengaluru airport when a Go First Delhi-bound flight took off leaving behind 55 of its passengers who were on their way to the flight via a shuttle bus.

The passengers who were left behind were reportedly accommodated on another flight four hours later.

The DDCA issued a show cause notice to the Chief Operation Officer of Go First airlines as to why enforcement action should not be taken against them for dereliction of their regulatory obligations. (ANI)

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UP: Girls Denied Entry In College For Wearing Burqa

By LokMarg 19th January 2023

Some students of the Hindu college in Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad were denied entry to the college for wearing a burqa despite the prescribed uniform code for the students here.

The girls have alleged that their college was not letting them enter the college campus wearing a burqa and are compelling them to remove it at the entrance gate.
On the said matter, a scuffle broke out between the students, the Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha workers, and the college professors who remained adamant about sticking to the prescribed rules. A video of the scene from the Hindu college has been making rounds on the Internet.

Meanwhile, the college professor, Dr. AP Singh said that they have implemented a dress code for the students here, and anybody who refuses to follow it will be barred from entering the college campus.

To this, the members of Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha submitted a memorandum to include the burqa in the dress code for college and allow the girls to attend their classes wearing it.

Earlier in January 2022, a similar situation rose in Karnataka when the massive Hijab protests broke out, where some students of Government Girls PU college in the Udupi district of the state alleged that they had been barred from attending classes. During the protests, some students claimed they were denied entry into the college for wearing hijab.

Following this incident, students of different colleges arrived at Shanteshwar Education Trust in Vijayapura wearing saffron stoles. The situation was the same in several colleges in the Udupi district.

The pre-University education board had released a circular stating that students can wear only the uniform approved by the school administration and that no other religious practices will be allowed in colleges.

The matter was then taken up to the Karnataka High Court which dismissed various petitions challenging a ban on hijabs in educational institutions and said that wearing a Hijab is not an essential religious practice of Islam.

However, when taken to the Supreme Court, the apex body on October 13, 2022, pronounced a split verdict in the Karnataka Hijab ban case.

The arguments in the matter went on for 10 days in which 21 lawyers from the petitioners’ side and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, Karnataka Advocate General Prabhuling Navadgi argued for the respondents. (ANI)

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