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Independent Media Organisation based in New Delhi
Mohammad Junaid, who gained attention for arranging food and drinking water during the NEET protest at Jantar Mantar, has arrived in Ranchi to support students protesting alleged irregularities in JPSC and JSSC recruitment exams. At the protest site, he met students, including six on an indefinite hunger strike. Junaid said he would extend similar support in Ranchi after assessing the situation.
As devastating floods continue to affect Assam, several Muslim volunteers have joined relief efforts to help stranded families. A video circulating on social media identifies one volunteer as Mohammad Kaif, with the caption, "This is Mohammad Kaif, he hasn't seen Hindu Muslim." Meanwhile, the flood situation remains critical, with the death toll rising to 95 and over 1.22 lakh people affected across several districts.
Barely a fortnight after its inauguration, parts of the Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway reportedly developed damage, prompting repair work. Videos circulating on social media show pedestal fans being used to dry patched sections of the road during the repairs. The expressway project has drawn criticism over the quality of construction, while allegations of corruption have also been raised.
06/08/2026
Amid viral social media videos allegedly showing some Kanwariyas consuming alcohol, engaging in violence and creating public disturbances, All India Imam Association President Maulana Sajid Rashidi on Thursday said such individuals should not be described as devotees of Lord Shiva.
Speaking to IANS, Rashidi said people involved in violence, vandalism and disruptive behaviour do not represent genuine devotees.
“You call those who sit on roads consuming alcohol and intoxicants devotees of Lord Shiva? You call those who assault police personnel in uniform Shiv Bhakts? You call those who smash the windows of a school van and injure children Shiv Bhakts?” he said.
Referring to reported incidents involving ambulances, he added, “You even call those who stop an ambulance carrying a patient and force people to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ Shiv Bhakts? They are not Shiv Bhakts; they are terrorists.”
‘Not Speaking About All Kanwariyas’
Rashidi clarified that his remarks were not aimed at all Kanwar pilgrims and acknowledged that many undertake the yatra with sincerity and devotion.
Read the full report on theobserverpost.com
06/08/2026
The Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday expressed strong objection after screenshots allegedly showed pork products listed for sale on the online delivery platform Blinkit in Kashmir. The religious body urged the company to immediately remove the products and ensure they are not stocked or sold in the region.
Calls for Investigation
In a statement, the MMU said it was “outraged and shocked” after people shared screenshots showing pork products being listed on the platform.
The organisation said pork sale and consumption are prohibited in Islam and that Muslims are highly sensitive about the issue. It questioned how such products were allowed to be listed for sale in Kashmir and called for a thorough investigation.
“This matter should be seriously investigated by the authorities and those involved should be warned,” the MMU said.
Appeal to Blinkit
The MMU asked Blinkit to immediately remove the products from its listings and ensure that pork products are neither stocked, advertised nor sold in Kashmir.
Read the full report on theobserverpost.com
06/08/2026
The Bombay High Court on Thursday convicted former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal in the 2013 r**e case filed by a former junior colleague, overturning the Goa sessions court’s 2021 acquittal.
A division bench of Justices Neela Gokhale and Amit Jamsandekar held Tejpal guilty under Sections 376(2)(f), 354A and 354B of the Indian Penal Code. The court later sentenced him to 10 years’ imprisonment and granted him two weeks to surrender.
The conviction came after the Goa government challenged the trial court’s acquittal, arguing that the lower court had wrongly assessed the complainant’s conduct instead of focusing on the evidence.
Court Sentences Tejpal to 10 Years
Following the conviction, Tejpal requested the court to show leniency.
“I am 62 years old today. I am a father of two daughters. I have a wife. I am a political victim,” he told the court while pleading for a lighter sentence.
Read the full report on theobserverpost.com
05/08/2026
Meta has apologised for the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Facebook post and for several content moderation failures, including child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and deepfake content, according to government sources after senior company executives met Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and IT Secretary S. Krishnan on Wednesday.
While Meta’s Global Affairs Chief Joel Kaplan said in a written statement that he apologised to the minister on behalf of the company for restricting the Prime Minister’s post, government sources claimed the apology came directly from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Meta has not publicly confirmed that Zuckerberg personally apologised.
PM Modi’s Facebook Post Triggered the Row
The meeting followed controversy over the temporary removal of Prime Minister Modi’s July 23 Facebook video, in which he addressed students and promised strict action against examination paper leaks.
The video was first uploaded on Instagram before being shared on Facebook, where it was briefly restricted. Meta later restored the post, saying it had been removed due to an error by its AI-powered content moderation system.
Kaplan said, “I apologised to the minister on behalf of Meta for the error restricting PM Modi’s post.”
Read the full report on theobserverpost.com
05/08/2026
The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday orally observed that “heavens will not fall” if all six stanzas of Vande Mataram are sung in madrasas while hearing a petition challenging a West Bengal government notification making the practice compulsory in state-run and state-recognised madrasas.
The bench of Acting Chief Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen was hearing a public interest litigation against the May 19 notification issued by the state’s Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education Department.
Court Questions Objections to Singing the Song
During the hearing, Acting Chief Justice Chakraborty questioned the objections raised by the petitioners.
“Heavens will not fall. Today if I am asked to utter a quote that is not in my religion, what will happen? Will I cease to belong to that religion?” the judge orally remarked.
The court also referred to educational institutions run by other religious communities, saying students in many Christian schools participate in prayers regardless of their faith.
Read the full report on theobserverpost.com
Several mosque committees in West Bengal have alleged that police verbally asked them to remove loudspeakers from mosques without issuing any written order. Representatives of the committees claimed they were instructed during meetings at police stations and were not shown any government notification when they sought one. Meanwhile, ISF leader Naushad Siddique has sought clarification from the state police, while no official response has been issued so far.
05/08/2026
Several mosque committees in West Bengal on Wednesday alleged that police officials have been verbally directing them to remove loudspeakers from mosques without issuing any written order. The administration, however, has not officially confirmed the allegations.
According to a mosque committee, representatives of several religious institutions were called to a meeting at the Parnasree Police Station in Kolkata on Monday night. They alleged that police officials instructed mosque authorities to remove loudspeakers installed at mosques by August 4. A representative of the Garagachha Jama Masjid, located on Kazi Para Road under the jurisdiction of Parnasree Police Station, claimed that representatives of eight mosque committees and one shrine committee attended the meeting, along with members of around 12 temple committees.
According to the committee member, police officials told those present that loudspeakers at mosques should be removed within the stipulated deadline. The committee further alleged that when mosque representatives requested a copy of the relevant government notification or written order authorising such action, no written directive was produced and the instructions were conveyed verbally. Attempts to obtain a response from the Officer-in-Charge of Parnasree Police Station regarding the allegations did not yield any immediate comment.
Similar Allegations Surface From Other Districts
Similar allegations have also surfaced from other parts of the state. According to local residents, meetings were reportedly held with imams of several mosques in different districts, during which they were allegedly advised to remove loudspeakers. However, these claims could not be independently verified. One local resident said that mosque authorities had previously complied with government guidelines regarding permissible sound levels and had allowed officials to inspect the sound systems. “We have been following all the prescribed rules regarding noise levels. We do not understand why there is now a sudden instruction to remove the loudspeakers,” the resident said.
Read the full report by Kibria Ansary on theobserverpost.com
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