Assam court grants bail to man arrested over social media post, asks him to chant ‘Jai Hind’ daily
Dhubri: An Assam court has granted bail to Arif Rahman, a resident of Gauripur in Dhubri district, who was arrested in May for allegedly posting "anti-national" content on social media. The bail order includes a directive that Rahman chant “Jai Hind” three times every morning for 21 days and upload a video of the act on his social media accounts daily.
The order was issued by Additional Sessions Judge S.B. Rahman, who stated that the accused must appear before the Investigating Officer and comply with the directive or risk cancellation of bail.
Rahman had been booked under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (113(3), 152, 196, 197(1), 352, and 353) for allegedly operating a fake Facebook account under the name ‘Abubin Miraz Uddin Sk’. According to the complaint, he had shared a post praising Pakistan for allegedly downing Indian jets, using the tag line: “Allahu Akbar Pakistan Zindabad Ebhabei Bharater Paasta Biman Mere Deese.”
He was arrested on 9 May and remained in judicial custody for nearly a month. The charge sheet in the case was filed on 29 May.
In its order, the court noted that while the content of the post was “not in good taste,” the police had only seized Rahman’s mobile phone and found no other material linking him to any terrorist organisation. The Additional Public Prosecutor had opposed the bail citing concerns over national integrity and public sentiment.
Rahman's bail conditions also include regular appearances in court, submission of valid ID proof, and a direction not to influence witnesses. The chanting and video-upload condition will remain in effect for 21 days, and non-compliance could lead to cancellation of bail.
The arrest was part of the Assam government’s “Operation Sindoor,” launched after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. According to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, 97 individuals, mostly Muslims, have been arrested so far for their alleged social media activity.
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Kangana Ranaut sparks row: Claims Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem
New Delhi: A significant political controversy has erupted following the Modi government's decision to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), a move that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. The row was further fueled by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, who, while defending the name change, erroneously claimed that Mahatma Gandhi had made the devotional song "Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram" India’s national anthem.
The central government has rebranded the flagship rural employment scheme from MGNREGA to the "Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission," abbreviated as VB-G RAM G. The removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the scheme has been termed an insult to the Father of the Nation by the Congress and other opposition parties.
When questioned by the media outside Parliament regarding the opposition's allegations, Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut defended the government's decision by invoking Mahatma Gandhi's devotion to Lord Ram.
"How is naming it 'Ram Ji' an insult to Gandhi ji?" Ranaut asked. "Mahatma Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem to organize the entire country. Therefore, this is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi? The government is fulfilling his dream by giving it the name of Ram."
Ranaut's claim regarding the national anthem was immediately seized upon by the opposition. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate shared the video of Ranaut’s statement on social media, tweeting sarcastically, "Come on brother, today we learned a new national anthem! The BJP is full of such gems."
Social media users also trolled the MP for the factual error. One user quipped, "Kangana ji forgot to mention that Bapu made this the national anthem after the country got independence in 2014," while another commented that the party finds people who "don't use their brains while forwarding WhatsApp messages."
Beyond the social media mockery, senior Congress leaders criticised the renaming on ideological grounds. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the move.
"The biggest irony is that Mahatma Gandhi was a lifelong devotee of Lord Ram and said 'Hey Ram' in his last moments," Gehlot wrote. "Today, the central government is making a despicable attempt to sideline Gandhi ji under the guise of the same 'Ram' name (VB-G RAM G), which is highly condemnable."
मनरेगा का नाम बदलने की केंद्र सरकार की कवायद महात्मा गांधी के प्रति उनकी ओछी मानसिकता और असम्मान का प्रमाण है। सरकार पहले 'पूज्य बापू' के नाम का शिगूफा छोड़ती है और फजीहत होने पर अब 'विकसित भारत-गारंटी फॉर रोजगार एंड आजीविका मिशन (VB-G RAM G)' जैसा नाम थोपना चाहती है। बार-बार नाम…
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) December 15, 2025
गांधी जी ने ‘रघुपति राघव राजा राम’ को लेकर नेशनल एंथम बनाया था
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) December 16, 2025
BJP MP कंगना रनौत
चलो भाई आज नया नेशनल एंथम भी पता चला है!
BJP में एक से एक शिरोमणि भरे पड़े हैं 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/9DvyV5xLb1
