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Kasganj riot: Misleading Reporting Fans Tension – Was it Motivated?

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8 years ago

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Kasganj riot: Misleading Reporting Fans Tension - Was it Motivated?

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]~By Rajesh Sinha

“Violence started after Muslims objected to the ‘Tiranga Yatra’ by ABVP and VHP activists”, goes the common refrain.

How about this: “Violence started after a bike rally by ABVP and VHP activists disrupted Republic Day celebrations”?

Both are partly true, and misleading. As often happens in instances of sectarian violence, there is much distortion of facts.

In the ‘controversies’ twisting facts about the riots in Kasganj, the latest is the Facebook post by Bareilly district magistrate Raghavendra Vikram Singh, saying it has become a trend to raise anti-Pakistan slogans in Muslim dominated areas.

Singh deleted the post after his post created a stir on social media, with some supporting him and others against him.

The post itself was very clear: “Ajab rivaz ban gaya hai. Muslim mohallo me jabardasti julus le jao aur Pakistan murdabad ke nare lagao. Kyon bhai, ve Pakistani hain kya? Yehi yahan Bareilly mein Khailam mein hua tha. Fir patharav hua, mukadme likhe gaye… (A strange trend has started of late. Take out processions through Muslim-dominated localities and raise anti-Pakistan slogans. Why? Are these people Pakistani? The same thing had happened in Khailam village of Bareilly. Then stones were pelted, FIRs lodged),” a Times of India report quoted from Singh’s Facebook post.

In another post on Facebook, Singh asked why slogans are never raised against ‘bigger enemy’ China. He said: “Cheen to bada dushman hai, Tiranga lekar Cheen murdabad kyon nahin? (China is a bigger enemy to us. Why isn’t the tricolour being waved and anti-China slogans shouted)?”

Talking to the Times of India, Singh said he was hurt and angry at what was happening “in the name of nationalism.”

“Such fringe groups are coming up in every part of the state, taking the same ugly route to instigate people of the minority community by forcefully entering their locality in the name of nationalism. These people don’t care about the fabric of our mixed culture and brotherhood,” he said.

He was right. Such slogans are meant to annoy Muslims by implying they are Pakistan supporters. As one senior journalist commented some time ago, “When ‘they’ say Pakistanis should be taught a lesson, they keep looking towards Muslims.” The implication is clear. It is bound to irritate and inflame passions.

Attempts to create tension where there was no reason to was evident even in instigating violence on Republic Day. Unfortunately, the dominant version is wrong in saying that it started when a ‘Tiranga Yatra’ taken out by RSS wings of ABVP and VHP was passing through a Muslim dominated locality and the people there objected to its passage.

This is patently false. Most news reports ignored or downplayed the fact that Muslims were celebrating the Republic Day and were hoisting the national flag in the not-so-wide lane when the ABVP-VHP group taking out the so-called ‘Tiranga Yatra’ on bikes came with saffron flags and demanded that they be allowed to pass.

Instead of letting the locals to go ahead with their Republic Day program and hoist the national flag, they demanded that the Muslims should  also hoist the saffron flag and join in shouting ‘Vande Mataram’. They also started shouting slogans against Pakistan.

The celebration was disrupted and the locals objected to this unwarranted interference with their program. The dispute soon deteriorated into violence. In the clash, some shots were fired. A Hindu boy and a Muslim sustained bullet injuries. The Hindu, Chandan Gupta, died later. The Muslim, Noushad, had been shot in the leg and he lived.

In the violence and arson that followed, Mohd Akram was also injured when a mob dragged him out of his Maruti car and tried to gouge out his eye when he was trying to reach a hospital with his pregnant wife. He lost an eye and somehow managed to take his wife to the hospitalwhere she delivered a baby girl.

Subsequent reports spoke only about the Hindu boy getting shot and not about any firing by the Hindus. To add to this, a rumour was spread about another Hindu young man, Rahul Upadhyay being killed in the riots.

The UP Police refuted this and later Rahul himself spoke out to deny the rumours. “One of my friends informed me of rumours on social media about me getting killed during Kasganj clashes. But I was not present in Kasganj at the time when the riots took place. I had gone to my village. I am absolutely fine,” Rahul said, according to a media report.

A day after the clashes happened on Republic Day, the local BJP MP and MLA had visited Kasganj and participated in the cremation of Chandan Gupta. The mob there demanded status of martyr for him with compensation to his family and, on its way back, indulged in further violence and arson.

Reacting to the violence, Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti took forward the same line of people objecting to ‘Tiranga Yatra’. “The incident means that anti-national elements cannot tolerate Tiranga Yatra. The UP government is taking strict actions. Such incidents will not be tolerated and it should also not be politicised,” she said, according to News 18.

Meanwhile, UP government, trying damage control, shunted out Kasganj Superintendent of Police Sunil Kumar Singh to “a less significant post”. Piyush Srivastava was appointed the new Kasganj SP, said media reports, while Singh was sent to Police Training School, Meerut.

Governor Ram Naik had called the Kasganj violence a “blot” for the state ruled by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The situation in Kasganj was reportedly tense but a heavy deployment of police personnel combined with a crackdown on hooligans in the district has ensured peace, reported NDTV.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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India and Russia vow to walk together against terrorism, reaffirm strategic partnership

PM Modi and President Putin reaffirm India-Russia unity against terrorism, deepen energy and trade cooperation, and discuss peace efforts amid the Ukraine conflict.

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2 hours ago

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December 5, 2025

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday underlined that India and Russia “walk together in the fight against terrorism,” reinforcing a decades-old strategic partnership that remains steady amid global geopolitical churn. The leaders issued the joint statement following talks at Hyderabad House in Delhi, where they also announced steps to boost trade, economic cooperation, and energy collaboration.

India-Russia stand firm on counter-terror cooperation

PM Modi described President Putin as a “dear friend” and highlighted Moscow’s consistent support to India on counter-terror efforts. Russia had earlier strongly condemned the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, allegedly linked to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, and reiterated solidarity with India’s fight against terrorism in all forms.

The joint remarks emphasized that the bilateral friendship, rooted in trust and mutual respect, has remained resilient for decades despite global challenges.

Focus on energy, trade and use of national currencies

A key highlight of the engagement was Russia reaffirming “uninterrupted shipments” of fuel to India. PM Modi expressed gratitude for Russia’s commitment, noting energy cooperation as a crucial pillar of the relationship. While he did not specifically mention oil purchases, given ongoing Western pressure, he emphasised cooperation in civil nuclear and clean energy.

The two countries also discussed expanding economic ties, including a possible free trade agreement. President Putin said bilateral trade was being targeted to reach USD 100 billion, and acknowledged progress toward using national currencies for payments — a remark expected to draw global attention.

Putin shares peace plan insights on Ukraine conflict

Putin briefed the Prime Minister on Russia’s perspective for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing Ukraine war and appreciated India’s continued role as a “champion of peace.” PM Modi reiterated India’s consistent position on dialogue and diplomacy.

Agreements across jobs, health, shipping and minerals

Officials exchanged multiple agreements covering employment mobility, health, shipping, chemicals and cooperation in critical minerals — further broadening the strategic footprint of the partnership.

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RBI cuts repo rate to 5.25%, paving the way for cheaper loans

The RBI has cut the repo rate to 5.25%, aiming to support growth as inflation softens. The central bank also raised GDP projections and announced liquidity-boosting measures.

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7 hours ago

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December 5, 2025

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Reserve Bank of India

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reduced the key repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.25% on Thursday, signalling relief for borrowers as banks are expected to offer lower EMIs on home and vehicle loans. Governor Sanjay Malhotra announced the move after the conclusion of the three-day Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting.

RBI prioritises growth as inflation eases

Malhotra said the decision was unanimous, with the central bank choosing to focus on supporting economic momentum despite concerns over a weak rupee. The repo rate was earlier cut in June from 6% to 5.5% amid easing inflation trends.

The RBI now projects Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation at 2% for FY2025-26, significantly softer than earlier estimates. For the first quarter of FY2026-27, inflation is expected at 3.9%, lower than the previous projection. The governor noted that rising precious metal prices may contribute to the headline CPI, but overall risks to inflation remain balanced.

GDP outlook strengthened

In a strong upward revision, the central bank increased the GDP forecast for the current financial year to 7.3%, previously estimated at 6.8%. Growth for the October–December quarter has also been revised to 6.7%.

The last quarter registered a six-quarter high expansion of 8.2%, reflecting resilient demand and steady credit flow.

“The growth-inflation balance continues to offer policy space,” Malhotra said, reiterating that the RBI’s stance remains neutral.

Other key decisions

Alongside the repo rate cut, the RBI announced adjustments to key policy corridors:

  • Standing Deposit Facility (SDF): 5%
  • Marginal Standing Facility (MSF): 5.5%

To improve liquidity and strengthen monetary transmission, the RBI will conduct forex swaps and purchase ₹1 lakh crore worth of government bonds through Open Market Operations (OMO).

RBI reviews a challenging year

Reflecting on 2025, Malhotra said the year delivered strong growth and moderate inflation even as global trade and geopolitical uncertainties persisted. He added that bank credit and retail lending remained healthy, providing support to the economy.

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India News

IndiGo flight chaos deepens as over 500 services cancelled, passengers stranded for hours

Over 500 IndiGo flights were cancelled nationwide, leaving passengers stranded without food, clarity or their luggage as airports struggled to manage the disruption.

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7 hours ago

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December 5, 2025

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IndiGo flight

India’s largest airline continued to face massive operational breakdowns, triggering frustration among travellers at major airports across the country. From piles of unattended suitcases to passengers waiting over 12 hours without food or clarity, the disruption stretched into its fourth consecutive day.

Long delays, no communication leave passengers anguished

Several travellers at Delhi airport described the situation as “mental torture”, as thousands of unclaimed suitcases lay scattered across the terminal. Many slept on the floor, while others expressed anger over the lack of communication from airline staff.

One flier said he had been waiting for over 12 hours without any explanation: “Every time they say one-hour or two-hour delays. We were going to a wedding but don’t even have our luggage.”

A passenger in Hyderabad recounted a similar ordeal, saying the flight was delayed indefinitely with no food, water, or updates from the airline. At the airport, some travellers blocked an Air India flight in protest over the lack of arrangements.

Goa and Chennai airports also witnessed tense moments. Videos from Goa showed fliers shouting at IndiGo staff as police attempted to calm the situation. At Chennai, CISF denied entry to IndiGo passengers due to heavy congestion.

Major metro airports impacted; cascading cancellations nationwide

Flight cancellations and delays were reported across multiple airports:

  • Over 200 flights were cancelled in Delhi
  • More than 100 each in Mumbai and Bengaluru
  • Around 90 in Hyderabad
  • Dozens more in Pune, Vishakhapatnam, Chennai and Bhopal

Pune airport stated that parking bay congestion worsened the situation, as several IndiGo aircraft remained grounded due to lack of crew. Other airlines continued operations without disruption.

Airport authorities said they had mobilised additional manpower for crowd control and passenger support.

IndiGo admits planning lapses, says more cancellations expected

The airline acknowledged a “misjudgment” in assessing crew requirements under revised night-duty norms, which it said created planning gaps. Winter weather and airport congestion further aggravated the crisis.

IndiGo informed the aviation ministry and DGCA that some regulatory changes—such as the shift in night-duty timings and a cap on night landings—have been rolled back temporarily to stabilise operations.

The airline warned that cancellations may continue for another two to three days, and from December 8, schedules will be trimmed to prevent further disruption.

In a message to employees, CEO Pieter Elbers said restoring punctuality would not be an “easy target”.

Airline issues apology amid nationwide frustration

In a late-night statement, IndiGo apologised to customers and industry partners, acknowledging the widespread inconvenience caused by the disruptions. The airline said all teams were working with authorities to bring operations back to normal.

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