OPINION | Taliban in Karnataka: Culprits must be punished

The brutal manner in which a Muslim woman was beaten with sticks and pipes outside a mosque in Davangere, Karnataka, forces us to think about the devils living in our midst in the 21st century. No civil society can tolerate such a horrendous act in the name of Shariah. It is a good sign that the Davangere police acted promptly and arrested six of the attackers soon after the video appeared on social media. Their names: Muhammed Niaz, Muhammed Ghaus Pir, Chand Basha, Inayatullah, Dastgir and TRasool.  It is now the duty of the police to ensure that other individuals who were part of the mob must also be caught and brought to justice. All these culprits must be given severe punishment so that nobody could dare commit such a crime in the name of religion. This act reminds us of the brutal reign of Taliban in Afghanistan. The woman was appealing to the mob with folded hands, but the men continued beating her with sticks. The question is: Is religious fundamentalism above law in India? Have the religious radicals no fear of law? It was the woman’s husband Jameel who went to the mosque and complained that his wife had brought her cousin and male friend to the house in his absence. The maulvi cited Shariat to say that inviting an outsider male to her house was a crime and deserved punishment. There were more than two dozen people in the mob that thrashed the woman.
 
 National Herald Case: Are Sonia and Rahul Guilty?
 
The Enforcement Directorate has filed a chargesheet in the National Herald money laundering case and has made seven persons accused. They include Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, his political guru Sam Pitroda and Sonia’s adviser Suman Dubey. The charge relates to acquisition of Rs 2,000 crore worth National Herald properties by Young Indian company owned by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. Income tax evasion of Rs 440 crore has been mentioned in the chargesheet. Both Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are out of bail in this case. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh in a statement said, “Seizing the assets of the National Herald is a state-sponsored crime masquerading as the rule of law. Filing chargesheets against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and others is nothing but the politics of vendetta and intimidation..” On Wednesday, Congress workers staged protests in different cities. Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the charges levelled by ED against Sonia and Rahul Gandhi are fake, because Young Indian company was set up to manage the properties of National Herald, and both the leaders did not make any financial profit from this transaction. But ED chargesheet says otherwise. It says, a conspiracy was hatched to acquire National Herald’s Rs 2,000 crore worth assets, for which a Rs 90 crore loan was lent by Congress. In order to recover this loan, the amount was converted into 9 crore shares which were given to Young Indian company owned by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. In exchange, Young Indian paid only Rs 50 lakhs to Congress party. In other words, the chargesheet says, the Congress party handed over Rs 2,000 crore worth immovable properties and got only Rs 50 lakhs in return. Both Sonia and Rahul Gandhi own 38 per cent each shares in Young Indian company, while remaining 24 pc shares are in the name of Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes, both deceased. Problems for both Sonia and Rahul Gandhi may mount after the ED chargesheet. Congress has not disputed the fact that the property of National Herald that Young Indian acquired for Rs 50 lakhs is now valued at Rs 2,000 crore. Congress’ argument is that Young Indian is a non-profit company, and the company was not floated to give financial profit to Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. ED insists that Young Indian company was floated to acquire National Herald properties. Congress’ argument is that the company was floated to save National Herald newspaper launched by India’s first PM Jawaharlal Nehru. The reality is: National Herald newspaper ceased printing in 2008. Hence, it is for Sonia and Rahul Gandhi to tell the court now, why this company was floated and who are the beneficiaries.
 
Bihar Polls: Will Tejashwi face Nishant?
 
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on Wednesday. Yadav wanted seats allocation for this year’s Bihar assembly polls be finalised soon and his name be projected as the CM candidate. It was decided that a committee of parties belonging to RJD-led Mahagathbandhan will be set up to finalise seat allocation, but the selection of chief minister will be made only after the results are out. Mahagathbandhan leaders will meet in Patna on Thursday to chalk out their strategy. On the other hand, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant Kumar said on Tuesday that his father would be projected as the CM candidate by NDA. He said, his father was “100 per cent well and healthy”.  Tejashwi Yadav is the tallest leader of Mahagathbandhan and the CM face of the alliance. The question is: whether Tejashwi Yadav and Nitish Kumar lead the two rival alliances? There is no dispute about Nitish Kumar’s leadership. Speculations began when reports came about his health a few weeks ago and rumours were floated that it will be Nitish’s son Nishant who will give a fight to Tejashwi Yadav. At the moment, Nishant Kumar is yet to join active politics.