Photos of Sikh Kirpan Factory Falsely Circulated On Social Media as PFI Stock of Swords
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, July 27: Last Thursday when a group of BJP youth wing workers were protesting on the streets here demanding a ban on Popular Front of India (PFI), another group of the saffron outfit was busy – off the streets – in fabricating a false story to malign the Muslim organization in order to strengthen their ban demand. They were circulating images of a Punjab warehouse of Sikh kirpans or swords as the stock of swords prepared by PFI to carry out attack on Hindus. Though a week later, they have been exposed in a media investigation.
A Facebook account that goes by the name of Bhagwa Diwane posted a collage of photos of the Sikh sword factory with a hateful and provocative comment in Hindi.
“सोते रहो हिन्दुओ तुम्हारे खिलाफ भीषण रक्तपात की तैयारी कर रहा हैं मुस्लिम समुदाय…!!
केरल मे पी.एफ़.आई के जेहादियों की असलाह की फ़ेक्ट्री पर छापा मारकर भारी मात्रा मे हथियारों का जखीरा पकड़ा गया है जहाँ से पूरे भारत की मस्जिद मदरसों और मुस्लिम बहुल इलाको मे हथियार भेजे जा रहे थे यह खबर आपको किसी न्यूज चैनल पर नहीं दिखायी जायेगी” (“Keep sleeping Hindus, Muslims are planning a bloodshed against you. During a PFI factory raid in Kerala, large quantities of weapons were recovered. The arms and ammunition were being supplied to mosques and madrasas in Muslim-dominated areas across India.”)
Very soon the post went viral until the falsehood was exposed. The post had made several false claims: “Police had raided PFI arms factory, and a huge quantity of swords were seized in the raids; these arms were to be sent to mosques, madrasas and Muslim areas; Muslim community is preparing for a bloodbath of Hindus.”
No Raids at PFI office, No Recovery of Swords: Kerala Police
The team of India Today contacted the Kerala police whose officer Anoop VR from the Hi-Tech Crime Enquiry Cell rebutted the facebook post as false.
“There has been no such raid against the PFI where swords have been recovered,” the Kerala police officer said.
PFI’s general secretary Muhammad Basheer said the post was an attempt to denigrate the organisation and PFI had brought the matter into the notice of the cyber cell.
“This is totally fake. It initially came as a Malayalam Facebook post. It’s yet another attempt to malign the image of our organisation,” Basheer of PFI said.
Basheer also shared the screenshots of the post in Malayam language where same kind of messages was circulated.
Photos were of a Sikh sword factory in Punjab’s Patiala district
Then, in search of the origin of the photos of swords factory, the media team reached Patiala district in Punjab. It was discovered that the images were taken from a local Sikh sword factory known as Khalsa Kirpan.
Bachan Singh, the owner of the factory, recalled and confirmed that the photos were of his warehouse and they were taken by a person who was among a group of tourists visiting his factory some years ago.
A worker standing at the Sikh sword factory in Patiala, Punjab (Photo – India Today)
“The store has been here for over 20 years now. We supply material to the whole of Punjab. These swords are given to honour our religious leaders and are also exchanged during fairs. People also keep them in their homes while tourists take them back as souvenirs,” Bachan Singh’s brother Shingara Singh said.
Swords are referred to as kirpans in the Sikh religion and members of the community also carry small-sized kirpans as one of the five articles of faith.
This was first published in caravandaily.com
Courtesy: www.indiatoday.in
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Allu Arjun didn't leave theatre despite being told about woman's death: Hyderabad police
Hyderabad, Dec 22: Top Telugu actor Allu Arjun did not leave the theatre during the screening of 'Pushpa-2' on December 4 despite being told to do so in view of a stampede in which a woman died, police officials claimed on on Sunday.
Speaking at a press conference on the annual round-up of 2024, city police commissioner C V Anand showed a video, made by police, on the situation that prevailed when the stampede occurred.
The video was made by collating footage, including from news channels and cell phone clips. It suggests the actor remained in the theatre till the midnight.
Anand did not make any comment on the video, but said the media can draw its own conclusions.
A police official talked about the sequence of events on the fateful night of December 4.
He said that he and other police officials informed a manager of Allu Arjun about the death of the woman and told him that the situation was out of control. He indicated that they were not allowed to meet the actor.
Allu Arjun's staff members told them that they would convey the matter to the actor but did not do so, he said.
The official said he later managed to reach the actor, told him about the woman's death and asked him to leave the theatre so that the fans don't harm each other while trying to catch a glimpse of him.
The official also told the actor that security arrangements would be made for his exit.
However, the actor said he would go only after watching the film, the police official said.
Later, accompanied by a senior officer, the official went inside and brought the actor out, he said.
Amid allegations that bouncers hired by Allu Arjun pushed crowds as well as policemen when the stampede occurred at the cinema hall, the police commissioner warned that stringent action as per law would be taken if THE bouncers indeed misbehaved with the police on duty.
The VIPs would be made responsible for the behaviour of the bouncers hired by them, he said.
Asked if the police would appeal against the interim bail granted to Allu Arjun, the commissioner refused to give a direct response, just saying it is part of the investigation.
What course of action is taken would be known in the days to come, he said.
He also declined to comment when asked if the family of the deceased told him about Allu Arjun's team or film production team allegedly threatening them not to speak on the issue.
Meanwhile, state Cinematography Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy found fault with Allu Arjun responding on Saturday to the debate in the Legislative Assembly.
The minister, who observed that the actor should have respect for the government and the chief minister, demanded an apology from Allu Arjun to the government and the CM.
"This government is never vindictive. As Cinematography Minister, we allowed benefit shows and hiking ticket prices to promote the film industry," he said.
However, Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar found fault with CM Revanth Reddy for his comments on Allu Arjun in the Assembly on Saturday.
The comments of the CM sounded like character assassination of Allu Arjun and hurting the Telugu film industry, he alleged in a statement.
Later in the day, Sanjay Kumar visited a boy who is undergoing treatment in a hospital after being injured in the stampede.
"Consoled his father over the heartbreaking loss of his wife, Revathi. I pray to god that Sritej recovers at the earliest. Assured support to the family in this difficult time," Kumar said on X.
Earlier in the day, state DGP Jitender told reporters in Karimnagar district that film personalities and all others should understand that safety and security of citizens is utmost important, and also conduct themselves accordingly.
