Digvijay Singh raises doubts over Batla House encounter

Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh, who reached Sanjarpur town in Azamgarh on Wednesday, expressed doubts over the Batla House encounter in which police had claimed killing terrorists.

Singh reached Sanjarpur to meet family of another alleged terrorist Shahzad, who was arrested recently. While Rashtriya Ulama Council activists protested his visit and showed him black flags, Singh visited Shahzad's home and assured impartial probe.

He also said that the photographs of the youths killed in the encounter Delhi, raised doubts about the genuinity of the encounter. "The bullet wounds were on the head, which is not possible in cross-fire", said Singh.

Singh also said that the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) did not listen to the other side. Ulema Council has alleged that the visit was an eyewash as Congress government is at the helm in Delhi and the encounter was held at its behest.

Two youths, who were allegedly members of Indian Mujahideen, a terrorist organisation, had been gunned down in the encounter at Batla House in Jamia Nagar in 2008.

Social activists, Muslim organisations and civil rights groups have been asserting that it was a fake encounter that was organised after the terrorist attack in Mumbai, to salvage the sagging image of government. The Delhi police special cell had killed the youths and inspector Mohan Chand Sharma had died in the exchange of fire.

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Hero or Hypocrite: Amitabh Bachchan's 'opportunism' dents his image!

Amitabh Bachchan's admiration for Bal Thackeray at a time when Shiv Sena is playing linguistic politics and fanning hatred over the issue of migrants to Mumbai, seems to have severely dented the star's image.

When Thackeray's party threatens Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan and warns talkies owners against screening the movie 'My Name is Khan', Bachchan goes ga ga over the fact that Uddhav Thackeray has seen his movie, Rann, and claims that Bal Thackeray wants a special show of the film arranged for him.

But Bachchan hasn't become a fallen hero overnight. Bachchan hails from Allahabad in UP, and despite numerous attacks on youths from North India, never uttered a word against the attacks. Shiv Sena, a right-wing party, remains opposed to North Indians, especially people from UP and Bihar.

Though Sachin Tendulkar, a Maharashtrian, said that he was an Indian first and Marathi later and even said that Mumbai was for all Indians, Amitabh Bachchan has never uttered a word.

Bachchan has also received flak for becoming a brand ambassador for Gujarat and praising Narendra Modi despite the fact that thousands were killed in Gujarat during the worst communal carnage in the year 2002 when the BJP was in power.

Interestingly, the former superstar sees no contradiction in his actions. ON one hand his family cosied up with Samajwadi Party and his wife Jaya remains in Rajya Sabha, or even praising Uttar Pradesh government for its law-and-order when Mulayam Singh was at the helm.

The controversy over migrants' arrival in Mumbai has again shown Bachchan in poor light. Whenever he needs to promote his film or get a tax waiver for movie, he finds nothing wrong in cosying up with anybody--from Mulayam to Modi.

In fact, Amitabhs's lack of conviction on any of the issues has been a big letdown for his fans. Though he has earned fame for acting in Hindi movies, he has never dared to utter a word for Hindi speakers.

One may dislike it but Bachchan has no qualms in submitting himself to anybody for sake of personal benefits. Bal Thackeray's role in Mumbai riots and his indictment in Justice BN Sri Krishna Commission report or later the ignominous disenfranchisement are commonly known but Bachchan flaunts his relationship with Thackeray.

The angry man who had inspired generations, has failed to live up to the expectations of millions of fans. Far from being a statesman, he hasn't been able to speak up like a prominent citizen.

He may quote his father, late Harivansh Rai Bachchan's poems, but the fact is that Amitabh has failed not only his fans but also himself. It's time the legendary star did some serious introspection.

TIH Bureau

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Sangh Vs Shiv Sena: Uddhav Thackeray hits out at RSS, dares it to propogate Hindi in South India

Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said that RSS should stay away from the ongoing row over imposing Marathi in Maharashtra. "Where was Sangh during Mumbai riots?", he questioned.

Thackeray said that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) shouldn't speak for Hindi or the North Indians living in Maharashtra, and dared the Sangh to do the same in Southern India.

"RSS should rather go to South Indian states and propogate Hindi in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Padesh and Karnataka", said Thackeray whose stong stand on the issue of Hindi-Marathi conflict has come as a surprise.

It is also the first sign of a rift among the Sangh Parivar. Though Shiv Sena has not been a direct product of RSS, it has been ideologically close to the umbrella organisation.

However, RSS leader Ram Madhav's statement that Sangh workers would protect North Indians living in Mumbai, has irked the Sena. Bal Thackeray has already targeted actors Shahrukh Khan, Amir Khan and industrialist Mukesh Ambani over the issue.

While MNS leader Raj Thackeray has been lying low over the issue, Shiv Sena has taken a lead over the ongoing conflict as it felt that the party was losing its grip over the Marathi Manoos.

TIH Bureau

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VHP to decide length of Muslims' beards, turn UP into Gujarat: Pravin Togadia

VHP leader Pravin Togadia urged the parishad cadre in Rampur to turn UP into Gujarat. He also made allegedly objectionable comments about Muslim beards.

Togadia, who incidentally belongs to Jain religion but heads the extreme right-wing VHP, alleged that Muslims marry four times and produce 25 children that is the root cause of their unemployment.

He also attacked Deoband seminary for fatwa on Vande Mataram issue and threatened to take action against the Darul Uloom. The inflammatory speech on Friday, stunned local residents.

"Rampur would be turned a Hindu district and we will decide how many inches long beard a Muslim can grow", said Togadia, as reported in local newspapers.

Meanwhile, several local leaders have condemned Togadia. The district administration has also been criticised for letting Togadia vitiate the communal atmosphere.

Former SP leader Azam Khan has said that Togadia should immediately be booked and a police case be registered against him. "He should be tried in the court of law for his irresponsible and communal utterances", Khan said.

Earlier, Togadia made a similar speech at Moradabad. Addressing a gathering, he said that Hindus would not tolerate any attempt to extend reservation in jobs to Muslim community.

Togadiya, an oncologist, said that Hindu leaders and politicians who support minorities, perhaps do so because they might have a Muslim father (or mother).

TIH Bureau

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Hindi is not India's national language: Court

It is a common belief in North India that Hindi is the national language of the country but the language doesn't have such status. The High Court decision has further cleared air about status of Hindi.

The court held that though a large number of Indians feel that Hindi is national language, it is not officially recognised as the country's national language.

The Gujarat High Court made the observations while hearing a petition filed by one, Suresh Kachhadia. The petitioner had said that all packaged commodities should carry details about the goods in Hindi, and that should beprinted on cover.

The court however noted that there was no notification that Hindi was a national language. As per constitution there is no national language in India.

It is indeed an official language along with English. All other languages including Assamese, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi and Urdu are national languages and this list of 22 languages includes Hindi. But there is no single national language.

TIH Bureau

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