Scroll.in – Why BJP leaders’ comments on study about Muslim population in India are misleading

A study by Modi’s Economic Advisory Council has mentioned data on rise in share of Muslim population. This was already known from the decadal Census.

Abhik Deb

New Delhi – India, 09/05/2024. On Thursday, several news outlets reported on a study released by the prime minister’s Economic Advisory Council on the changes in the share of population of religious minorities in 167 countries between 1950 and 2015.

The headline for most publications was that the share of Muslim population in India had risen from from 9.84% in 1950 to 14.09% in 2015 – which is so say, 43.15%. On the other hand, the share of India’s Hindu population declined from 84.68% to 78.06% during that period – that is, 7.82%, the study said.

The first claim made by Chandrasekhar is misleading while the second one is outright false. The findings of the study about the change in religion-wise population share are not new and follow a trend that has been well-documented in the decadal Census.

Census data shows that the religious composition of the country’s population has undergone only modest changes since 1951. In fact, the decadal growth rate for Muslims has been declining over the past three decades.

As far back as 2015, Shoaib Daniyal had written about the flaws in the arguments of the leaders of the Hindutva party. In an article headlined, “Five charts that puncture the bogey of Muslim population growth”, he demonstrated how the rhetoric on demographics is belied by data.

On Thursday, several news outlets reported on a study released by the prime minister’s Economic Advisory Council on the changes in the share of population of religious minorities in 167 countries between 1950 and 2015.

Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar claimed that the “demography of India is being altered” due to increase in population of a “particular community”.

He also linked the study to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s claim that the Congress wanted to introduce reservations in education and government jobs on the basis of religion.

The second claim that the Congress intends to provide quotas on the basis of religion has been debunked by several organisations, including Scroll. The Congress manifesto makes no such promise.

BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi made similar claims, while the party’s social media cell chief Amit Malviya claimed that the rise in share of population of Muslims was due to “decades of Congress rule”.

The fact that BJP leaders are using a well-known fact about India’s demographics to make misleading claims in the middle of the general elections raises questions on the timing of the release of the study.

Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav asked how the study could have determined the country’s population according to religion when the national Census, scheduled to be conducted in 2021, had not yet been started.

India’s religious composition largely unchanged

https://scroll.in/article/1067687/why-bjp-leaders-comments-on-study-about-muslim-population-in-india-are-misleading

Firstpost – Canada to probe India link to Nijjar’s killing after 3 people arrested, say police

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have arrested Karanpreet Singh, 28, Kamalpreet Singh, 22 and Karan Brar, 22

Firstpost Staff – 04 May 2024. The Canadian Police on Saturday said that they will continue their investigation to find the alleged Indian government link to the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.

The statement comes hours after the police arrested and charged three Indian nationals over their involvement in the killing of Nijjar in June last year.

“There are separate and distinct investigations ongoing into these matters, certainly not limited to the involvement of the people arrested today, and these efforts include investigating connections to the Government of India,” said Assistant Commissioner David Teboul.

The Assistant Commissioner refused to make comments on the nature of evidence collected by the police or speak about the motive behind Nijjar’s murder.

Nijjar’s murder in Vancouver last year sparked a diplomatic row between India and Canada with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accusing the Indian government of its involvement in the killing of the Canadian national.

Who are the people arrested by police?

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have arrested Karanpreet Singh – 28 – Kamalpreet Singh – 22 and Karan Brar 22.

The police said that all these men had been living in Edmonton, Alberta at the time of their arrest.

The trio has been booked with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Nijjar was killed by masked gunmen.

However, it is not clear whether the three arrested people are the same people who shot Nijjar.

The police added that Karanpreet, Amarpreet and Karan had been living in Canada for three to five years.

“We welcome the arrests but this does lead to a lot more questions,” said Balpreet Singh, legal counsel and spokesperson for the Canada-based World Sikh Organization advocacy group.

“Those who have been arrested are part of a hit squad but it’s clear that they were directed,” he said by phone.

https://www.firstpost.com/world/hardeep-singh-nijjar-killing-three-arrested-canada13766985-13766985.html

The Pioneer – Maneka Gandhi files nomination

BJP candidate Maneka Gandhi filed her nomination papers from the Sultanpur Lok Sabha seat here on Wednesday.

Gandhi took out a roadshow to reach the collectorate and filed her papers in front of District Election Officer Krittika Jyotsna.

Sultanpur – Panjab – India, NDA ally NISHAD Party president Dr Sanjay Nishad and Apna Dal leader and cabinet minister Ashish Patel were with her at the time of the nomination filing.

After filing her nomination, Gandhi said she will do more work in the next five years than was done in the last five.

She said she wants to provide more houses to the people under the Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana here.

“We have to take this region ahead. The people living in the area must get all facilities – this has always been my effort and will be in future as well,” she said.

On the opposition’s allegation that the BJP, if voted back to power, will take away the reservation by changing the Constitution, she said no one can end quota.

https://www.dailypioneer.com/2024/india/maneka-gandhi-files-nomination.html

The Telegraph – In contrast to Rajasthan Modi dons Muslim-friendly face in Aligarh with increased Haj quota

Modi also reiterated what he had said in Rajasthan about the Congress confiscating people’s assets but left out the part about these being distributed among Muslims

Piyush Srivastava

Lucknow – Uttar Pradesh – India, 23 April 2024.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said his government had got Saudi Arabia to increase India’s Haj quota and arranged for Muslim women to go on the pilgrimage alone, presenting a minority-friendly face a day after delivering a polarising speech that targeted the community.

On Sunday in Rajasthan, Modi had alluded to the largest minority community as “infiltrators” and “those who have more children” while alleging the Congress manifesto promises to take away citizens’ assets — including (Hindu) women’s mangalsutras — and hand them over to Muslims.

A day later in Aligarh, where Muslims make up 42 per cent of the population, Modi’s speech seemed to emphasise his long-time claim about being a benefactor of Muslim women – for instance, by banning the instant triple talaq.

“There was a rush earlier because of lower quotas for Haj and only powerful people used to get this opportunity (for the pilgrimage). I requested the crown prince of Saudi Arabia to increase the Haj quota for our Muslim brothers and sisters in India,” Modi said at Aligarh’s Numaish Maidan.

“Today, not only has the Haj quota for India been increased but the visa rules have also been relaxed. The government took a major decision because our Muslim mothers and sisters were unable to go on Haj alone. The government has allowed our women to set out for Haj without mahram (husband, brother or son).”

He added: “Thousands of those sisters whose dream of going on Haj has been fulfilled have blessed me. The Congress and the Samajwadi Party always played the politics of appeasement but did nothing for the political, social and economic growth of the Muslims.”

Modi also reiterated what he had said in Rajasthan about the Congress confiscating people’s assets but left out the part about these being distributed among Muslims.

“I want to alert the people of the country about a dangerous plan of the Congress’s alliance. I alert the people of Aligarh – the Congress and the INDI alliance have their eyes on your income, on your wealth,” Modi said.

“The shahzada (prince, an allusion to Rahul Gandhi) of the Congress has said that if voted to power, they would conduct surveys about who earns how much, who has how much property… and who has how many houses.

“This wealth will be confiscated by the (Congress-INDIA) government and distributed among others. Our mothers and sisters have gold. It is considered sacred. But their eyes are set on amending the law to snatch the properties from our mothers and sisters – the mangalsutras of mothers and sisters are not safe.”

https://www.telegraphindia.com/elections/lok-sabha-election-2024/in-contrast-to-rajasthan-modi-dons-muslim-friendly-face-in-aligarh-with-increased-haj-quota/cid/2015111

FirstPost – How ED changed under NDA: Arrests up 2500%, convictions at 63 vs O in UPA years

FP Staff

New Delhi, India 18 April 2024. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has made headlines far more times than one can remember. The central probe agency, which was earlier little heard of, has released comparative data that indicates how its effectiveness has increased by a whopping 2,500 per cent in the last decade.

The ED, powered by the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) of 2002, has worked more proactively under the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) than it did under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

A number of politicians and other individuals have come under the ED scanner in the last 10 years, with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal being its latest noteworthy target. Kejriwal, who is currently imprisoned in Tihar jail, was arrested by ED on March 21 over the alleged Delhi Excise Policy scam.

It is important to note that although PMLA was enacted in 2002, its provisions came into effect only in 2005. Therefore, all money laundering cases were initiated post-2005, a year after the UPA government came to power.

What does the data show?

The central probe agency arrested 2,500 per cent more people in the last decade while 63 individuals were convicted in money laundering cases as compared to none under the erstwhile government, the ED data shows according to Times of India.

ED registered 1,797 money laundering cases under the PMLA during the UPA government rule while 5,155 such cases were initiated during NDA’s rule.

In terms of chargesheets, which are filed when the agency concludes its investigation in a case and prima facie establishes charges against an individual or a group, the ED filed 1,281 such complaints under the NDA as compared to a mere 102 under UPA.

Meanwhile, the probe agency conducted 7,300 between 2014-2024 searches against 84 between 2005-2014. The number of people arrested saw a massive jump from 29 to 755.

The UPA government did not see the confiscation of any asset while the agency confiscated assets worth Rs 15,710 crore in the past decade.

Does ED only target opposition leaders?

The Opposition has time and again made the ED and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) a central point of their argument against BJP’s governance.

However, ED asserts that only 2.98 per cent of their cases are against sitting or former MPs and MLAs even as its conviction rate under the anti-money laundering law is at a high of 96 per cent.

As per data released by the agency last year, ED filed a total of 176 Enforcement Case Information Reports (ECIRs), equivalent to a police FIR, against existing and ex-MPs, MLAs and MLCs which comes to 2.98 per cent of the total 5,906 such complaints filed since the law came into being.

https://www.firstpost.com/india/enforcement-directorate-arrests-up-by-2500-per-cent-conviction-rate-nda13760891-13760891.html

The Pioneer – Shivakumar – a corrupt politician does not need his certificate: Rajeev Chandrasekhar

A day after senior Congress leader D K Shivakumar questioned the contribution made by Rajeev Chandrasekhar to the development of Kerala, the BJP leader on Wednesday hit back by saying he does not need the certificate of a “corrupt” politician who is out on bail.

Thiruvananthapuram – Kerala – India, 17 April 2024. Chandrasekhar, who is facing off against Congress’ Shashi Tharoor in the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency, said ever since he began his poll campaign, he has stated what he will do if he wins and will follow through on that.

He further said in the next couple of days he would be releasing a vision document on bringing development and investment to the southern state.

“Once I become an MP and a minister from here, for the next five years I will work to implement that vision document,” Chandrasekhar, also the Union Minister of State for Information Technology and Electronics, told a TV channel.

Regarding comments by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar against him, Chandrasekhar said everyone knows the Congress leader was “an out on bail and a corrupt politician”.

“I do not require his certificate. Shashi Tharoor can have his certificate. Everyone knows what kind of person Shivakumar is, his politics and his background. So I have nothing to say to him,” the BJP leader said.

Shivakumar, also the Karnataka Congress chief, was in Kerala on Tuesday and at a press conference had questioned what contribution Chandrasekhar had made to Kerala’s development.

He had also said Chandrasekhar was morally obligated to resign as a minister before contesting the elections.

Shivakumar had also claimed there was no BJP or Modi wave in the country and asserted that the INDIA bloc will form the government at the Centre.

The Karnataka Congress chief had taken part in the roadshows of Tharoor and KPCC chief K Sudhakaran in Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur, respectively.

The Lok Sabha elections will be held in Kerala on April 26 and the results will be declared on 04 June.

https://www.dailypioneer.com/2024/top-stories/shivakumar–a-corrupt-politician–don-t-need-his-certificate–rajeev-chandrasekhar.html

New Indian Express – Deserted lands: No polling booth in 24 Uttarakhand villages

The surprising factor leading to their exclusion from the electoral process is the recent designation of these villages as “uninhabited villages”, as reported by the State Migration Commission.

Narendra Sethi

Dehradun – Uttarakhand – India, 14 April 2024 : Despite the Election Commission of India’s diligent efforts to enhance voter participation in the Lok Sabha elections, for the first time since independence, 24 villages in Uttarakhand will not have a single polling booth on April 19, the election-day.

Referred to as “deserted villages” in official terms, these are known to locals as “ghost villages”.

As per the data provided by the State Election Commission, the 24 villages which have been active participants in the past 16 Lok Sabha elections since independence, will not be able to exercise their franchise this time around.

The surprising factor leading to their exclusion from the electoral process is the recent designation of these villages as “uninhabited villages”, as reported by the State Migration Commission.

According to the commission’s findings, “These villages are now deemed uninhabited, located in the districts of Almora, Tehri, Champawat, Pauri Garhwal, Pithoragarh, and Chamoli.

The second report released in February 2023 brought forth a significant trend of temporary migration from 6,436 gram panchayats in the state between 2018 and 2022.”

The report explicitly states that “Over three lakh individuals departed their villages in pursuit of employment. Nevertheless, these individuals sporadically returned.

Concurrently, permanent migration occurred in 2067 gram panchayats within the state. Residents departed their villages in quest of employment, education, healthcare, and did not return.”

The migration commission’s study, as referenced in the report, revealed that numerous individuals sold their ancestral lands, leaving many plots barren. Notably, a staggering 80 gram panchayats in the Almora district were abandoned due to permanent migration.

A significant finding highlighted in the commission’s report is that between 2018 and 2022, as many as 24 villages in the state became entirely “uninhabited”.

In this scenario, the deserted villages will not witness the vibrancy of the general elections this time. Since no polling booth will be established in the areas, hence there is no rationale for candidates to campaign there.

Speaking to this newspaper, Uttarakhand’s Chief Electoral Officer, BVRC Purushottam pointed out, “While this issue is linked to migration, the Election Commission has established polling booths even in extremely remote regions of the state inhabited by as less as 50 voters.

The Commission’s aim is to facilitate inclusive voting in hard-to-reach areas.”

As per the information gathered, “Between 2018 and 2022, a total of 28,531 individuals residing in 2,067 gram panchayats in the state underwent permanent migration, relocating to district headquarters or other districts.

The highest proportion, at 35.47 per cent, opted for nearby towns. 23.61 per cent of individuals moved to other districts while 21.08 per cent went beyond state boundaries.

https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2024/Apr/14/deserted-lands-no-polling-booth-in-24-uttarakhand-villages

FirstPost – In a podcast with ANI, Singh said that one should be assured that no one will be allowed to engage in terrorist activities on Indian soil and that New Delhi will do “whatever it takes” to ensure it.

For the second time in two weeks, Singh has outlined Narendra Modi government’s policy on terrorism which states that India will not shy from taking down anti-India elements wherever they might be based.

Last week, Singh told Network 18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi in a separate interview that India will give a “befitting reply” if terrorists target India from the neighbouring country and India will “enter their houses and eliminate them” in Pakistan if terrorists take refuge in the country.

Singh’s remarks followed a story in the UK-based newspaper The Guardian that reported that India’s external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), has recently carried out up 20 targeted killings of terrorists in Pakistan as part of a broader strategy to eliminate terrorists abroad.

‘he Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), has recently carried out up 20 targeted killings of terrorists in Pakistan

In a warning to Pakistan, Singh said that either the country should handle terrorism on its soil on its own or it may take help from India. He said that if Pakistan’s intentions to stop terrorism are true, then it should act on its own.

Singh further said that Pakistan will face consequences if it tries to destabilise India with terrorism.

“If Pakistan thinks that it is not capable of controlling it, then it can take help from India. India is ready to help Pakistan stop terrorism.

They are our neighbours, and if their intentions are clear that terrorism should stop, then they should do that themselves. Otherwise, they can take help from India and we both can end terrorism,” said Singh in Hindi.

Terrorist groups based in Pakistan are getting support from the country’s all-powerful military and intelligence establishment have long targeted India. They have fuelled an insurgency in Kashmir and have carried out many terrorist attacks.

India and Pakistan have had a fraught relationship over terrorism emanating from Pakistan and over the country’s stand on Kashmir. The two countries have fought four wars in 1947-48, 1965, 1971, and 1999.

Singh’s latest remarks follow his statement in an earlier interview with Network 18 in which he said that New Delhi will enter Pakistan and eliminate terrorists if needed.
“India will give a befitting reply to any act of terror emanating from our neighbouring country.

Those who try to disturb India’s peace and carry out terror activities on Indian soil, we will enter their houses and eliminate them,” said Singh in Hindi in an interview with Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi.

Singh further said that Pakistan understands that India has the strength to do such things. He further said that while India has never attacked any country, it will not be quite if it’s instigated.

“If one sees India’s past, you can see we have never initiated any aggression against any neighbour. But if someone keeps instigating India and promote terrorism in India, we will not spare them,” said Singh.

Following Singh’s comments, Pakistan’s Foreign Office reaffirmed the country’s commitment to protect its sovereignty and stressed its willingness to protect its territorial integrity. It said,

Throughout history, Pakistan has demonstrated its steadfast resolve and capability to protect and uphold its sovereignty,” the Foreign Office asserted, criticising India’s leadership for resorting to inflammatory rhetoric for political gain.”

https://www.firstpost.com/india/rajnath-singh-pakistan-terrorism-warning-13758704.html

The Print – Punjab: SUV tries to intentionally hit car of SDM who was out patrolling to check illegal mining

The SUV allegedly chased the SDM’s car and attempted to hit the vehicle twice at a high speed but the official narrowly escaped, they said.

Ambala – Panjab – India, 07 April 2024. A suspicious SUV car allegedly attempted to intentionally hit the car of the Naraingarh sub-divisional magistrate here while he was patrolling to check for any illegal mining activities in the area, officials said on Sunday.

The occupants of the SUV, suspected to be connected to the mining mafia, fled from the spot.The incident took place at 1 am on the intervening night of March 27-28, and an FIR was lodged in the matter on Saturday, police added.

Notably, two such inspections and raids have been carried out recently to check illegal mining in the rivers of Naraingarh area.

On the complaint of the SDM’s security guard, Naraingarh Police registered a case on 06 April against the owner and driver of the SUV under various IPC sections, including obstruction in government work and attempt to murder.

According to the FIR, SDM Yash Jaluka, his security guard and three others, including the driver, were patrolling in their private car when an SUV started following them.

They tried to stop the SUV near the bridge of Toka Sahib Gurudwara village, but the occupants of the SUV tried to intentionally hit their car at a high speed and later fled from the spot, it said.

Nearly two years ago, a deputy superintendent of police-rank officer Surender Singh was allegedly run over by a dumper truck during a raid against illegal stone mining in Nuh district.

A little over a year ago, some members of suspected mining mafia allegedly attacked a police team in the Bapoli area of Panipat

https://theprint.in/india/punjab-suv-tries-to-intentionally-hit-car-of-sdm-who-was-out-patrolling-to-check-illegal-mining/2031819

The Statesman – India’s democratic dilemma

The fake news industry has grown by leaps and bounds under the tutelage of the BJP.

Krishnan Srinivasan

Kolkata – West Bengal – India, 05 april 2024. This book is a trenchant critique of the BJP’s current period in office by Sanjay Jha, a former Congress spokesman.

He regrets that “people have acquiesced with repressive regimes by popular choice” and cites the Pegasus spying scandal and the use of the CBI and ED as “barefaced authoritarianism of a repressive regime. India’s criminal justice system needs a herculean makeover.”

Out of 129 cases in 2019–23, 95 per cent were against opposition persons. And UAPA has been “wantonly abused”.

Jha writes, “To reconstruct or recalibrate a nation, continuity in office is a prerequisite. But rare is the strongman leader who grows less autocratic the longer he stays in office.”

Modi and the BJP are helped by a fawning media, a fractured opposition and a tolerant middle class, and the “Electoral bonds is a daylight heist” as was the PM-Cares fund when Modi rebuffed calls for transparency.

Jha says Modi has successfully normalised intimidation, lynching, hate speeches, cronyism, fake news, and communal stress, and interestingly points out that the BJP in 2004 opposed UP Chief Minister Mulayam Yadav’s move to replace India with “Bharat”.

“Politicians are an extremely insecure bunch,” writes Jha, “but for some it borders on paranoia.”

BJP dislikes being interrogated with tough questions. The common habit of authoritarian demagogues is to appear always in command, infallible, an example of perfection, but at moments of crisis they are missing in action.

In the largest democracy, Prime Minister Modi has never held a press conference.

The health of a democracy is determined by the integrity and independence of its institutions.

Capital-intensive projects on a public-private model “have an intrinsic nepotism built into them”, but SEBI’s “stupefying silence on Adani’s irrational, exponential wealth gain was inexplicable”, considering that his wealth rose from $4.5 billion in 2014 to $150 billion in 2022.

Jha concludes that “Adani and Modi go together. Their sharp vertical progression simultaneously was not a celestial coincidence.”

Jha enumerates the BJP’s failings as he views them: religious loathing, demonetisation, GST, farmer distress, Covid lockdown, internet shutdowns, targeting of journalists, arrests of comedians, harassment of the opposition, religious persecution, unemployment, crony capitalism, majoritarian politics, and challenges to the Places of Worship Act 1991.

Religious fundamentalists could challenge constitutional propriety with “insouciant ease” with the illegal use of bulldozers against dissidents and campaigns against hijab, halal, beef, azan, love jihad, ghar wapsi, lynching and meat eating.

During Covid, Trump, Bolsonaro and Johnson suffered political setbacks, but “for Modi it was a gold medal” despite WHO recording 4.7 million deaths, about nine times the official Indian figure.

“Modi may be remembered as the premier in whose tenure the Ram temple was built, but for Ram Rajya, India will have to wait for another prime minister.

There is little to cheer for one that had ten long uninterrupted years and a full majority in Parliament. In any other democratic country the BJP government would have been on its last legs.”

The fake news industry has grown by leaps and bounds under the tutelage of the BJP. Both The Kerala Story and The Kashmir Files propagated lies.

The minority Muslims are vilified though a soft target, and non-vegetarian food has become offensive to the majority. Majoritarian populism abounds in South Asia—Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan and Sri Lanka.

Jha tellingly points out that Sikhs were targeted after Indira Gandhi’s assassination in 1984, and Muslims brutally attacked in Modi’s Gujarat, yet both Rajiv Gandhi and Modi won elections, so “India has an ersatz democracy corrupted at the core.”

The BJP wishes to destroy opposition parties, accusing them of dynastic domination, corruption and incompetence, as being anti-national, anti-Hindu, pro-Pakistan and anti-development.

It was important that the Congress-led opposition treat the BJP’s defeat not as an election objective but as a national responsibility.

Modern India is, at its core, a Congress construct. To Congress are due RTI, RTE, MGNREGA, Land Acquisition, National Health Mission, Aadhar, Direct Benefits Transfer, Lok Pal, Food Security Act, the revised farm bills, GST and Jan Dhan.

But the Congress in opposition is “plagued by internal hubris [and] incremental fiddling” and leaves the author distressed. Congress is consumed by fear and dodges the Hinduism versus Hindutva debate. Its second malaise is its leadership.

Here, Jha badly errs in visualising Nitish Kumar of Bihar as a prospective leader for the opposition, writing, “He would end up giving the struggling opposition a potent political weapon.” This prediction is now overtaken by Kumar’s defection to the BJP.

This is an accusatory book, with Modi and the BJP as its targets, written in a florid and often convoluted prose style with an arcane vocabulary that would give Shashi Tharoor a run for his money.

Words like fustian, monopsonist, foofaraw, puffery, sparling, orthogonal, dorky, taradiddle, occultist, foxy, dedolomitization, lambent and arcadian impel the reader to have a dictionary to hand. Whether this helps the author’s argument or not is best left for the reader to answer.

The reviewer is a former foreign secretary.
The Statesman – Kolkata
04 April 2024